Month: August 2018

BT21: This Tita Does Not Only Know BTS, She Can Create Them

My daughter is a BIGGGGG BTS fan. She’s a BTS ARMY above all else. She’s that fan who’d break her piggybank to buy the BTS CDs though we do not have a CD player, watch BTS youtube videos to give it a million views, go to whatever BTS-related events near us. I’m praying that there will be no BTS concert any time soon in Philippines because it’s probably going to break her heart if she can’t attend it because definitely it’s going to be EXPENSIVE! =)

So when a Tita shared her BTS BT21 plushies / amigurumi she made for her granddaughter, my daughter squealed when I showed it to her. She has been asking me to make one for her but amigurumi is really just not my thing. So I begged the Tita to make one for me so I can gift it to her on her birthday which is this September.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, TITA KET! =) (If you’re interested to order from her, here is her facebook account >>. I’m just not sure if she can right away accept your BTS BTS21 amigurumi order.)

[Part 2] Philippine Yarns: Local Fiber Artists

Related Article: [Part 1] Philippine Yarns 101 According to my Addiction

Over a year ago, I posted about the different yarns and yarn sellers I found locally here in Philippines. I deliberately put “Part 1” to the title because I was planning to post more details about each seller or type of yarns I found locally… but hooking and life happens, as well as hoarding of yarns happened.

I “stopped” buying yarns this 2018, and unfortunately, the yarn stash also stopped moving. For some reason, they just did not decrease in numbers. So the previous day, I found myself boxing a portion of the yarns so that I could store them away. There’s just no way I could use all of them up in 2018, and also, to free some space for other more necessary things. (And, sorry, I’m not giving them away because I’m attached; I know one should not get attached to material things but yarns and hooks are totally different kind of things.=))

I boxed first the yarns that I’m mostly “attached” to. They are from local fiber artists. Looking at them, I honestly could not recall why I bought them before aside that they all look pretty, and I’m just so proud that local artists were/are creating them. And, most of all, they’re all created by women.

So I’m sharing photos of them again because this kind of beauty are meant to be shared, and to honor the talent and time put into these yarn creations.

RAINBOW CRAZE

I’m not really the rainbow-y unicorn-y type of person but it’s just hard to resist rainbow-themed yarns. I had more cakes of these color combination before but, yeah, amazing that I used and gave some of them. =)

The ones below are from Yarn It, Darn It,, and Yarnline.

PLIED FINE COTTON YARNS

Most of the local fiber artist use fine cotton thread (or other types of thread), and mix them to create beautiful mixes and gradient yarns. It can be tricky to use them especially for first timers, but you’ll get the hang of it after some time. Just be patient, and you’ll be blessed with pretty finished crochet items.

Following are some plied yarns I purchased. Is it worth it or not? I should make a review but I’m not going to promise. Just a tip for using hand-plied yarns, minimize “undoing” your work because it could “un-ply” the yarns.

I got the following from Sugar Free Fiber Arts, Yarn It, Darn It,, Ashley’s Crochet.

Curly Cotton Mix

From Sugar Free. It looks like a thicker type of cotton thread is used.

GRADIENT YARN MIXES

These are the yarns that I have most. This type of yarn is best use for huge continuous type of project like shawls, seamless tops/dresses, blankets, and others to get the full effect of the yarn mix.

Gwendoline Ferguson

Yarnline

Sugar Free Fiber Arts

They have yarn mixes that use different types of thread in one mix.

I forgot the name of this mix, but my most favorite. It’s perfect for that classic vintage effect. It’s perfect for doilies, and such type of projects. I’m not sure for wearable because is has this silver strands which I’m not sure if it’s plastic or thread.

Dazzle. It uses poly-cotton thread. I actually love this for its “shiny” effect.

Pure Cotton Mix. I forgot the name of this line. This is the most kind of thread used in mixes by local yarn artists.

Aren’t they all beautiful?! I pat myself on the back for really being able to control my buying impulse this year. It’s a bit hard to control it especially when there are more new local yarn artists now. Let’s see my “strength” this 2019? =)

WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME

“WHAT TO DO WITH MY LIFE NOW?!?” This is what we blurted looking at the hundreds of crochet pieces we packed for delivery, which we worked on for over a month.

There’s that nagging feeling of emptiness inside while we’re carrying the packed crochet items to finally let it go to the person who commissioned us to do it. Ironic that we’d been loathing it to be over soon when we’re still working on it.

LOST is always what I feel every time I’m done with a “huge” crochet project. Huge for me is when I would spend more than 48 hours solely on 1 crochet project. It’s like my life revolved around one thing or trapped in it in that 48+ hours that made me detached from the world, that when I’m done I’d feel like, “Hey, where am I? What to do with my life now?”

So I’m currently in the LOST state right now, after I got off from a more than a month-long crochet project. And, it does not help that the last crochet project I was in required me to start hooking early in the morning until midnight or beyond midnight to hit the deadline. In one way or another sort of, it became my life for the past month. It stripped me off from the thought that “crochet for me is about love and passion and fun.” It turned me into a machine. The task became so mundane, that for me to survive it, I have to let myself go numb.

I know this is exaggeration but it totally sucked the life out of me. I don’t mean it the negative way though.

So now that it’s over… “Where am I again?!?”

Let me just end with this cheesy quote, “Get lost to find your self.” Though I prepare the “You don’t find your self. You create your self.”

That was one great journey though. =)

Of Weddings and Boho

Weddings & Event Planner: SCARK Events and Lifestyle (based in Cebu, Philippines)

I mostly crochet for my self. But from time to time, it’s nice to crochet and be part of a bigger event.

So last July 2018, we found our way to a wedding being styled / planned by SCARK Events and Lifestyle. =)

It feels great to be part of an event, especially a special milestone event of one’s life. This crocheted table runner was definitely made with much love from me; it was exciting at first, a lot of doubts in the middle, but there’s the greater push from love to make through it all the doubts. It was not all fun in making the table runner, but that what makes the journey more beautiful and meaningful. (If you want to make this table runner, check “500 Grams of Yarn, 3 Days = 12 Feet >>.)

Wishing this lovely couple the best of love to pull them through all the doubts that may come in between!!!

Crcohet Center Piece by Cielo Aljecera

(Photos from SCARK)