Snarkel Series - Top in Progress

Hat is taking too long too, which shocks me if only because I remember the last hat going really fast. I guess that's what happens when you look at your colors too much...

The idea behind the body of this hat is to use the solid blue and swap it out tapestry-crochet style for the multi-color yarn when it reaches its own blue sections, creating an awesome tye-dye effect in the striping. It gives me more control over the color layout of the hat, so it looks less chaotic and more purposeful as a result. It's a great way to use the multicolor yarn without it screaming "Store-bought yarn!", which can only be a bonus.

The drawback, like I said though, is that it slows me down because I'm still looking at the yarn too much. I'm hoping to finish this, but I

WREK Backpack Series - Progress Report

Well, I want to try to finish this bag before MomoCon as it'll likely be my best shot to show the bag off as an artistic work, but I'm torn between doing that and getting a few of my other art projects ready in time, not to mention the whole "I have major projects due in every course before spring break" issue.

This is a slightly old picture, but it's the next as far as progress goes. The large letters are coming in QUITE large, to the point I almost wonder if the bag is going to be much bigger than I expected just because the roundness was so deceptive. Then again, it's not like having a big bag is ever a bad thing.

WREK Backpack Series - Plotting

The Idea: Tommy wants me to make him something. Since purses and scarves are (probably) not what he has in mind, I decided to do one better - A backpack with the logo of his favorite radio station ever, WREK Atlanta. (Did I mention he's the chief engineer there?)

The Tools: One Size I hook per the yarn's recommended size, and three skeins of Red Heart Soft Yarn (NOT the super-saver stuff!) Also will be trying out some Lion Brand Yarn Split-Ring Stitch markers, because this bag WILL see some shaping to it!

The Plan: In order to get the Logo as perfect as possible, this bag will be done in Tapestry Crochet -- it'll get covered eventually, but for now? it's just a simple way to switch colors in-row in order to make simple pictures. In order to do this, though, we need to grid out a picture - not just to find out what size it looks best at, but also to figure out just how large this backpack needs to be!


Yes, that's a 54 by 61 grid... something tells me we're going to be talking a big bag. Which is fine, we've got the yarn for it.

The general shape given above is a variant of a single-strap bag I did before, which had a buckle in the strap in order to secure the bag from unwanted hands in such a way you couldn't get into the bag while you had it on. This will be a double-strap without the buckle, so that the top puckers up like a drawstring bag, yet has roughly the same protection as the original.

The plan will involve some real creativity in the formation of the strap at the same approximate time as the bag, so that the strap is essentially a single loop of fabric in order to accomplish this security. As a slight bonus, the drawstring nature of the top will probably also allow him to wear it like a single-strap if he changes his mind.

Also, the multiple stress points at the top ought to keep the bag from warping the way the old one did at the single stress point.

The bottom should also take on some special shaping as well - I want to do a semi-circle on the bottom so the back of the bag can lay flat against his back (the original was a straight circle) . This, combined with the Tapestry Crochet, will mean the main decreases in the bag's width will have to be done on the sides as opposed to all-around.

This is where the stitch markers should come in handy, because keeping up with black yarn will NOT be easy...