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Welcome to Hikari's Handicrafts, your creative source for cute and functional knit, crochet, and sewn goodies!

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Crochet Card Bag - In Progress

Once again, I have a lovely project in progress.  This time, it's a commission for a good friend of mine!

A while back, I experimented with a scaled down version of a crochet tote pattern I found online.  The result ended up being a nice little clutch style bag that I use to hold playing cards.  I showed this little bag off to a friend of mine who fell in love with it and asked if I would make a couple of them for her.  So, we made a trip to our local JoAnn Fabrics for supplies, and here we are!

It's really a simple project and I'm quite happy with how it's turning out.  I've included some progress pictures below.

Front and Back panels of the card bag

Close up of stitching for the body of the bag and the decorative border

Pre-assembly of the finished product

 This is actually getting pretty close to being finished already!  There's just the gusset, assembly, and finishing touches to go on this first bag.  Photos of both crochet bags and a bonus sewing project will be added when I'm done with them.  ^_^  Happy crafting!

Monday, February 11, 2013

Crochet Shawl

Finally!  After all of this time I remembered to take pictures and post the finished result of the shawl I was working on!  I'm happy to report that it was a smashing success.  ^_^

Full view of the finished product
The only difficult part for me with this project was remembering to keep stitch markers handy so I could keep track of my stitches.  Stitch count really is important for this piece, so don't be silly like I was in the beginning.  You can only recount your stitches so many times before it drives you crazy.

Closer view of stitching and border
The border was a little bit difficult as well, but only on the edges where I couldn't match up stitch for stitch.  Again, patience and stitch markers are your friends here.  Overall, I give this pattern high marks for the finished product.  Now I just need an outfit to wear it with!

 

Friday, June 22, 2012

Crochet Shawl - In Progress

Good morning, world!  I'm taking the time to let you all know that I have a lovely crocheted shawl in progress.  I found a lovely pattern on LionBrand.com that I decided to give a try.  It's a half-moon/half-circle pattern, which I'm finding to be both interesting and a bit of a challenge as the shawl nears completion.  Expect pictures and a link to the pattern when I'm finished!

(As a teaser, you can go to Lion Brand's website and search for "Emily Shawl" to find the pattern.  Just click here!)

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Projects in Progress

So much to do and so little time!  It doesn't seem all that long ago that I was working diligently on another knitted scarf, a crochet tote, an afghan, and goodness knows what else!  I've hit a bit of a slump with my work as of late; mostly because I've been moving around and under a lot of stress the past few months.  The good news is that I'm starting to settle back in and create again.

As of right now, I have three projects in process.  The first is my ongoing battle with the motif-based hexagon throw I've been working on.  I'm at a bit of a standstill with it again because I managed to lose most of my crochet hooks (including the hook I was using on the project) in one of my recent moves.  The second is another knit scarf that I started months ago and just never got back to.  The third is another dishcloth collection that I've started.

Pictures of completed projects will be posted as soon as I can get decent photos to upload.  I hope everyone is having a wonderful spring!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

SOPA Strike

Hello all!  I just wanted to give fair warning that I will be participating in tomorrow's SOPA Strike in order to tell our lovely government to stop trying to censor our internet.  Please consider boycotting the internet for the day in support of this movement.

Thank you.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Crochet Cotton Tote - In Progress

I'm making significant progress on the crocheted tote bag I've been working on.  I don't have much more to go with making the gusset, and then I have two side pockets and the straps to crochet. Then, it's time to play with the sewing machine to finish things off!

I figure I'll have this finished before the end of the week.  ^_^  I will definitely post pictures when I have it finished.  Look forward to it!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Ribbed Knit Scarf

Here's the other project I managed to finish in recent history.  This is a ribbed knit scarf I made, which measures about 48 inches long.  I would have made it longer, but I really didn't want to go through the effort of adding a new skein of yarn.  I figure I can make a second scarf from the full skein I have left.  ^_^

Knit 2, Purl 2 ribbed scarf
I've started another scarf in the same knit style, but with pastel ocean-ish colors.  We'll see how long it takes me to finish that one.

Happy crafting!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Crochet Rainbow Beanie

Yet another productive day!  I crocheted this beanie while running laundry at my in-laws this past week.  Overall, I'd say this was about 4 hours worth the crochet work, including the assistance I got from Felicia, the in-law's cat.  XD

Rainbow beanie, modeled by yours truly!
 I really like how this one turned out.  It's all double-crochet, following a very simple hat construction formula I got from a crochet magazine.  (I can't remember which one right now...I'll have to find it!)

Friday, December 2, 2011

Feline Intervention

I love my cats, I really do.  However, they have this wonderful knack of finding and bothering me at the least opportune times.  For example, I was working on a knit scarf last night, and one of my cats (Kai) decided she needed to perch on the arm of my chair to assist me.  She really wanted to place herself squarely on my lap, but I managed to keep her from doing so.

Why in the world they feel that I need their help or their supervision is beyond me.  I just know that I have quite the pair, between her and Jinx.  At least his method of helping me translates to him sitting beside me and yammering away at me to pay attention to him.  I swear, you can hold entire conversations with Jinx, that's how vocal he is.

Anyway, I believe it's time to try and get some more knitting done.  They're both asleep at the moment for their afternoon snooze fest.  ^_^

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Rainbow Knit

I'm so happy with how this random project turned out!  I had one ball of rainbow dyed wool yarn that I received for free at a Stitch 'n Bitch session.  I tried crocheting with it, but the yarn was a bit inconsistent; I'm pretty sure this was handspun wool yarn.  I decided that since I was having trouble crocheting with it, I could practice knitting with it, and see what I ended up with.

Well, here's what I ended up with!

Seed Stitched Knitting - My first complete knit project!

I think it turned out very well for it being a first project.  Here are a few more photos of it, just because I feel proud and accomplished.  ^_^


 Happy crafting, everyone!  ^_^