Pattern tester, why not?

As you know, I really like to write my own patterns and to publish photo tutorials ...
Very often it is a time consuming kind of task and the amount of work is huge, even when the item the pattern is written for is not that big...
I know that many crafters had a go with my patterns and surprisingly there have not been complains about problems in understanding my words or crochet passages... phew!!!

I love to try patterns written by other crafters, too. I like it especially to be aware that there are different ways to explain a work, different styles, different range of difficulties and new things to learn ... always something new to learn!!!! A pattern written by another person gives you new challenges and pushes your curiosity to new levels, right? I love all that, I really do!!

So, I was really excited to join a selected group of crocheters (Nicole @tangleandstitch , Janet @janetleigh37 , Conny @frogs_crochet ,  Heather @hgdesignscrochet , Julie @meiguidesigns  and Jenna @quirky_crochet : all these addresses are of their Instagram profiles!)  to test a pattern for sale, written by Miki the colourful hostess of Set Free My Gypsy Soul blog (her Instagram profile : HERE ) : the QUEEN G FRINGE BAG now in her Etsy shop !!!!

What I really liked of this pattern were essentially the followings :

the freedom to choose the yarn weight and the kind of fibre
the freedom to adapt and develop the pattern as you prefer
the variety of stitches to keep you interested
the fringes!!!

 

This bag was a quick make and in few days it was ready to be shown to the rest of the world ...



 



The "big" differences between my bag and the one in the pattern are just a few :

I didn't knot the same amount of fringes as Miki did, simply because I'm so worried to ruin them!!!
I didn't sew the triangles, but crocheted them along the bag sides
the handle of my bag has some colourful picots!

The only part I didn't like about being a "pattern tester" was the moment when you sit down and write what was good or not so good of the pattern you've tested....

I don't want to offend anyone and I try to put down my impressions in a proper way, with no misunderstanding or else....sometimes I find so hard not to write down in my own mother tongue...

Anyway, it seems I passed the test, as Miki and I are still friends!!! ;of

xxxx Alessandra

 

 

A little crochet net bag

… I found an easy pattern (with chart!) to follow in this book ..

The picture of the bag was on page 12 …

The chart of the bag with a rectangular base (the dark blue bag in the above picture) was on pages 52/53, so …

I picked a 3mm hook and some cotton thread in navy blue and in bright yellow and, simply following the chart, this is what I came out with …

I love the contrast between the base and the body of the mini bag : 23cmx22cm (not considering the handles) : do you think the same, or not ??

The only differences from the original pattern/chart are minimal :

• instead of one colour, two !!!
• I added and extra round of single crochets to end the bag body, as last round
• with the yellow thread, I added some slip stitches to embellish both the handles and the top of the bag, as you can see …

xxxx, Alessandra

I think I have a kind of love for crochet net bags, as you can see here, here, here  and here !!!! ;oD

Today Links : Craft Schooling Sunday and Link your Stuff!

Hi Girls!!!!!

It has been a while, right? ;oD
I've enjoyed my summer holiday back in Italy in June and July (just one week was spent in Edinburgh : beautiful and cold!!!!) and the boys, the hubby and I were back in Maputo at the beginning of August, as the school was starting again the 11th….
 So we are all back to our routines : boys in school, hubby at work and I back to my blog!!!!

We have just moved in our 3rd apartment here in Maputo ( yes 3 moves in one year!!!!) and maybe for this reason my blogging will have some hiccups in the next couple of weeks … you know some boxes need to be unpacked…. well, you know what I mean!

I just wanted to show you today some crocheted gifts I made this summer in Italy : are you interested??? Hope so !!!!

At the end of July it was the birthday of my niece Mara, so she was born under the Leo zodiac sign…
In the same days there was the brutal killing of Cecil, the majestic lion of Zimbabwe…
so this is what I made, thinking at both of them, Mara and Cecil …

Then, was my mum turn, just because I love her and she really needed a market bag to take along with her every day…

I made even a winter cowl for my sister Varinia (who really loves the sea and sandy beaches), so when she will ride on her bike in the cold days she will be warm and cosy with her neck wrapped in her "seaside cowl"… do you think the same, too ?

They are all my designs and the inspiration just came in a dash …. Honestly happy with all the above works and luckily even the recipients were glad to receive them, too!!!

Soon other crocheted things made in the same period!!!

xxxx Alessandra

Today links : Link Your Stuff!, Busy Fingers Showing Off #97 and Craft Schooling Sunday