Knots Me...Knots Me Not!

All good things come to an end...

2011-03-16T12:42:00.002+01:00

So, it's clear that i've no time to update my precious blog :( i'm trying to create the work that will pay my bills. No spare time for crochet and knotting, but i'm not sad: i'm just creating one of the most important thing of my life. I will be a freelance, i will be an energy engineer and a web developer: PHP and XHTML will be my new crochet hook & tread. Yes, i'm becoming a truly geek ^^

However, this blog will remain still, just to remember me that, when i was young, i made a network with my little patterns. Thank you all for your kind comments and your support. If you want to leave a comment, don't worry, i will always read them :)

Thanks Ikea...

2010-07-08T17:00:00.000+02:00

...But now is my turn.
Yes, i bought almost everything for my new home at Ikea: there i found all i need at a very reasonable price, and, while i was holding one of those crocheted things, i asked myself: "Why spend a lot of time and energy to make a thing that i can buy at Ikea for this ridiculous price?".

I fell in the "i'm useless" mood. This is the reason i haven't updated the blog for so much time.

But just some days ago i passed an evening on Etsy, and i felt that special itch on my hands: i HAVE to make something! It's too much hot to crochet, so i calmed my itch making two little turk's head to display two of my grandpà works. The grandfather used to work the wood and to make beautiful one-of-a-kind pieces, and these two pieces are perfect to embellish my Ikea kitchen.

Returned to knot

2010-05-14T17:00:00.001+02:00

I asked myself: why i call all this internet activity "Knots Me...Knots Me Not!" if i'm not making knots? So i bought a super soft cotton rope, and made a try with dyeing...

The dyeing process was a little tricky: i don't know why, while drying, all the dye came up, leaving the wrong side white! XD
I will give it a second chance, hoping to make it work also on the wrong side!

Finally online!

2010-05-06T16:42:00.002+02:00

Dear readers,
It has been since february that i don't write on my little blog...because i bought an home! An house that's all mine! I was absent because i didn't have an internet connection, but now i have it, and i will restart to post frequently, and, i hope, interesting things :)
I have some projects to show you, and some new ideas. If you remember, my hands get hurt in January, and now i'm almost completely healed, so now i can photograph my hands without shame ^^

New craftings...

2010-02-28T17:00:00.000+01:00

... but no photos XD
Sorry for the lack of updates, i'm working like a busy bee, and the weather has been so orrible that i couldn't make photos of my last projects. I had a new pattern ready for S. Valentine, but i wanted to make a specific photo that wouldn't be so sweet with the rain. S. Valentine passed, and now it's time to think to S. Patrick...uff, i'm a little upset for this rush to special occasion. I'm creative, and i don't need an occasion to inspire me. This skill is good for me, but bad for my Etsy shop XD
In the starting of my Etsy experience i tryed to create on demand, but i had lots of things not sold, and this is the death of the joy of selling. I "discovered" that selling on internet is a real job, you can't start and hope to sell without giving lots of energies in marketing and setting up the contacts online.
But i don't want to give up! I'm searching an home, MY home, where i will work like student assistant, reiki operator, and Knots Me...Knots Me Not designer! And yes, sometimes i'll go out and search a true job..... ..... .... ;)

Improving my bytes

2010-02-05T17:00:00.000+01:00

Remember my first little javascript page? I've improved it, adding some fast links to Craftcult and Craftopolis, so the Etsy sellers can check theyr shop hearts and if they are in a tresury just with a click.

This is a tool i hope will help a lot of Etsy Sellers :D It's a little html page with javascript that you can use like the homepage on your browser and helps you to plan your week.

The script greets you, tells you the day and what you have to do that day. Like lots of Etsy sellers, i've made a schedule to come up with all the things to do. For example, on monday i have to update the blog, on tuesday i've to surf Etsy, and so on. This tool tells me exactly what i have to do. But i didn't want to loose my Google home page (i've always something to search!), so i've added a Google form ^^

☺ First, download the file clicking the download button near the image: you'll get a .pdf file
☺ Save it in a new folder, where you'll save also the background image. This passage makes easier the writing of the position of the image into the code.
☺ Then open the .pdf file and copy all the code in a text editor, like NotePad.
☺ Write the schedule of your week: find the lines where i written WRITE HERE WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO ON MONDAY, and instead of it write you plan for every day of the week.
☺ Find WRITE HERE THE path OF THE BACKGROUND IMAGE, and write instead of it the name of the image. Note: you can write only the name if the image is saved in the same folder of the file.
☺ Find HERE YOUR ETSY USERNAME, and write instead of it exactly only your Etsy username. You can see these buttons in the image (where is written "knotme"): they will lead you to the Craftcult's Heart-o-Matic, and the Craftopoly's Treasury Hunt.
☺ Well, now save the Notepad file with the extension .html and double click on it: it will be opened in your browser, and you can test it.
☺ To have it like your homepage (i will be really glade!), Tools -> Options of your web browser, and use the current page like home page. Tadaaaa! :)

If you have problems or advices for me, contact me!

Click here to download the file!

Happy Blog&Shop-aversary!

2010-02-03T17:00:00.001+01:00

Dear readers,
another year passed away: it's my second year here on Blogger, and my first year on Etsy. It's incredible how time passes fast!

New winterish pattern

2010-02-01T17:00:00.000+01:00

Here in Genova the weater is really cold, and my poor ears need an extra protection:
i didn't want to buy one of these supergiant ear warmers, i wanted the possibility to use the ear warmer with my hats without appearing ridiculous XD So here is my idea, a thin but very warm pair of ear warmers, made of wool and stuffed with felt to have an extra protection from wind. I choose the headband that fits my head perfectly without giving me bad sensations, and a thick wool. It's a very fast project, and my ears are thanking me for this idea ;)

You can find this pattern in my Etsy and Ravelry shops!

My poor crocheter's hands

2010-01-29T17:00:00.000+01:00

Do you remember my hands bleeding?
Well, one finger is still hurt, and it makes a little difficult to crochet...poor me :(
BUT...i can sew ^^ I found on deviantART some tutorials about sewing skirts, and the fabric for only 3 euro: here is the result!

I don't know what's the blue fabric, but it's cool! ^^

I know how to sew!

2010-01-20T17:00:00.000+01:00

During a struggling search of a pouch that could fit my tastes, and the dimensions of my indispensable things i come out with "And if i made it...myself?" ... "Ok, i will sew the pouch by hand" ... "But a sew made with the sewing machine is better" ... "How much does a sewing machine costs?" And in the struggling search of a cheap sewing machine i came out with the "Cucciola" (soon the photos!), a portable sewng machine, small, light-weighted, but works very well!
Returning in the main argument, with this little jewel i made the famous pouch!

Hands bleeding!

2010-01-15T17:00:00.000+01:00

Some days ago i get hurted on my hands: a tomato glass bottle broke down just right into my hands, and cut the delicate skin of two of my fingers. I now have two big sausages instead of my fingers, so all my project are paused. I'll take this time to get organized ;)

Sorry for this splatter post... XD

Thoughts about 2009 -2010

2010-01-11T17:00:00.001+01:00

I know, i've talked too much about me in these last months, and it's just because the second part of 2009 has been terrible. My 2009 started very well: i moved for 4 months into Perugia, started my Etsy shop and created a lot. Then it came the degree: this monster that kept me away from the only thing that let me feel alive, create. The boyfriend started to stay away from me for a stupid reason, and the last university exam is truly terrible when you feel alone. After the degree, i had only bad times.
But now is time to return into the scene, and be myself. I want this 2010 to be sparkling!

I'm writing a little book about amigurumi, and i'll post here some of the tutorials. All my pattern will be revised, corrected and updated with the new tutorials.

This little book will be translated into italian with all my patterns, and here in Genova i want to make a group of crocheters.

I will continue my line of irish necklaces, and i want to experiment with new materials, like metal wire (i found a very beautiful accessories' shop near my house, it gives me lots of ideas!).

For now these are my good proposals for this year. It's just to be myself ^^

Creating with some bytes...

2010-01-09T17:00:00.002+01:00

As all of you know (isn't it true? :P), i've recently moved into Genova. The only sad thing is that i couldn't carry with me all my skeins & materials :(
Well, my creative activity doesn't deal only with yarn, but also with bytes ^^ Some days ago i bought a little book about JavaScript, and i'm reading it at th speed of light ^^ Because i love to experiment, i have tried all the exercises but the cool fact is that i persoalized a script to make the homepage of my browser...but let see it:

The script greets you, tells you the day and what you have to do that day. Like lots of Etsy sellers, i've made a schedule to come up with all the things to do. For example, on monday i have to update the blog, on tuesday i've to surf Etsy, and so on. This tool tells me exactly what i have to do. But i didn't want to loose my Google home page (i've always something to search!), so i've added a Google form ^^
This little jewel will be upgrade as i master the arguments, but for now it's already really useful, and i want to give you the opportunity to use it.
☺ First, download the file here.
☺ Save it in a new folder, where you'll save also the background image. This passage makes easier the writing of the position of the image into the code.
☺ Then open the file with a text editor, like NotePad.
☺ Write the schedule of your week: find the lines where i written WRITE HERE WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO ON MONDAY, and instead of it write you plan for every day of the week.
☺ Find PATH OF THE BACKGROUND IMAGE, and write instead of it the name of the image. Note: you can write only the name if the image is saved in the same folder of the file.
☺ Well, now save all and double click on it: it will be opened in your browser, and you can test it.
☺ To have it like your homepage (i will be really glade! ^^), Tools -> Options of your web browser, and use the current page like home page. Tadaaaa! :)

If you have problems or advices for me, contact me!

Pimping my net

2010-01-08T17:00:00.000+01:00

News for you, folks!
I'm setting up the Knots Me...Knots Me Not! Facebook fan page.
Yes, i've given up to the evidence that Facebook plays a great role in the net XD

So, go to Knots Me...Knots Me Not! Facebook fan page!

New design...again XD

2010-01-07T17:00:00.000+01:00

Yes, i've changed again the design of my internet appearance: stop with the peach pink, and go with the apricot orange!
I ate pink, but last year i chose that peach pink because it seemed to be the best color i found in the GIMP color scheme, trying to find a lighter version of the red i love so much. I spent an afternoon playing with gimp and i found this orange! WOW, i'm happy to kick away the pink!
I also changed a little the style of the banner: no photos because they were so small that i think they were useless, i used the same floral brush but i've given a different effect, and i think that's better. So, all to say that my knowledge of GIMP is groving ;)

Love, yay!

2010-01-07T11:27:00.004+01:00

My little Etsy shop, a little before its first year of life, has received 50 hearts!!

I'm super happy, and i'm yet organizing something beautiful for its birthday to celebrate all the happiness that it carried and continue to carry in my life.
Yay for love! ^^

Fingerless gloves are always good

2010-01-06T17:00:00.001+01:00

Some time ago i crocheted this pair of fingerless gloves for me:

I hate not having the use of my sense of touch, and this pair of cozy mittens helped my hands to stay warm, and me to use my touch.
My friend Giorgio saw this pair (that after an year of intensive use are a little old) and said "Gorgeous! I want them!" and stole my pair XD So, to have in return my pair, i crocheted him this pair of mittens:

I haven't used an hairy wool to make the edges, because on my pair the edges now are horrible, but i preferred a simple and decorative shrimp stitch that helps the mittens to remain in their shape. He is super happy (i think he doesn't wear these mittens only to sleep), and i have taken the occasion to write down the pattern ^^

From the pattern description:
"Casual and sporty pair of fingerless mittens to have the absolute control of your sense of touch but
having the hand hugged by a cozy glove. Crochet them with a bulky wool to have the softest and
warmest result, ready to use 3 hours after buying the skein.
This patterns is recommended for the advanced beginner crocheter, with knowledge of increasing,
decreasing, shrimp stitching, front and back stitching."

Use this link to buy it directly throught the Ravelry cart:

...or go to the Etsy listing!

Cloudy ruffly...finally!

2010-01-03T17:00:00.001+01:00

Remember the pattern i wrote some times ago about a little scarf? Finally i've made some photos and uploaded the pattern on Ravelry!

The scarf is made using only one skein of mohair wool: it's soft, it's light and it's warm, closed on your throath by a giant ribbon that makes it very victorian!

From the pattern's description:
"In these dangerous times of influence and cold, we can be stylish and in the same time protect a
very important part of our body, the throat. Cloudy Ruffly is a romantic little scarf, that will wrap
your throat taking it warm & beaty without the inconvenience of long and oppressive scarves.
Crochet it in the exact lenght you want it, tie the bow and you’ll be the romantic princess of the
winter!
This patterns is recommended for the beginner intermediate
crocheter, with knowledge of
increasing, back and front stitching."

Use this link to buy it directly throught the Ravelry cart:

...or go to the Etsy listing!

Here comes the new me!

2009-12-30T17:00:00.000+01:00

Things are a little bit changed since the first "About me" post that i've written months ago.
So...Hi, i'm Erika, an Energy Engineer without a job.
After the degree lots of awful things happened to me. First, the rock band where i played the bass guitar kicked me off. I played in that band since december 2006, i'm really good playing rock but for misunderstunding problems they decided to fire me out. It's not my problem if they decided to stress themself and then give me the fault, but after that decision i cried for hours, alone on the kitchen floor.

Second, i took the decision to stop the relationship with the boyfriend: that relationship was only a pale reflect of the initial relation of 2 years ago.

Then, where are my best friends in this sadness? They there weren't.

So i took the only decision that could relieve my pain: i run away from my city. Now i'm in Genova, in a room i rent for 250 €/month, searching for a job and trying to make real my dream of freedom. Here i'm not alone, and all the possibilities i have in this big city have awanken up all my interests, my happiness and my serenity.

What about knitting?

2009-12-15T17:00:00.000+01:00

Well, since i was young my mother taught me how to knit and crochet: i made some little pieces and then my attention was taken by other things and i stopped to knit&crochet.
3 years ago i re-started to crochet, and now i re-start to knit ^^ This is my first project, a bunny made out of a knitted square...it came out very fat! XD

I love how it is soft, and i'm proud of how the square came out ^^

I love knots

2009-12-10T16:02:00.004+01:00

Just returned from a trip to Genova, i instantly knotted a new bracelet for me, with a special button i bought there:

The button is from a country that i don't really remember, and it really captured my attention when i saw it: i knew i need that little object, don't ask me why XD
I used a lanyard i had in my stash (my stash is always full of various materials, i don't want to think about an occasion when i have/need to create and i don't have materials!), and the easier, stronger and faster knot to make a bracelet, the cobra stitch/Solomon bar/Portuguese sinnet (thanks Stormdrane!)

Starting with the Christmas gifts

2009-11-28T16:39:00.003+01:00

Waiting to take the photos of the ruffly cowl i talked about in the last post, here is my last project:

I found the pattern during a crawling through Ravelry, but i usually wear different slippers, so the pattern gained an heart and stop. Then a friend of mine saw the slippers and fell in love with their elfish shape. Result? 4 and an half skeins after, my friend had his new shining slippers, with a bell (that you can't see in the photo, sorry) and a sole, made out of a pair of soles that are commonly used in the shoes.
You can find this pattern on Ravelry, search for Peter Pan slippers. I've changed it a bit, just to have a longer tip.

Hands in the dirt

2009-11-20T17:00:00.001+01:00

These days is the turn of my sleeping room to be emptied and glued with the wallpaper...yesterday me and mom spent all the day doing:
*cutting the paper;
*glueing the paper;
*glueing the wall;
*glueing the paper on the wall.
The past night i dreamed brushes and buckets of glue XD

But in the spare time before dinner and during the night i can crochet XD
I've made the bag for my new shining dowsing pendulum bought on Etsy:

I crocheted all half double crochet, and i found that this stitch is more beautiful in the wrong side ^^

Then i'm crocheting a shawl...

The thread is a mix of wool and silk: it is very warm and shining!

The next project will be a ruffly cowl...i don't know when i can crochet all these things, but it doesn't matter XD

Button knots are conquering the world!

2009-11-12T17:00:00.002+01:00

I love chinese button knots: with a single lanyard you can knot all the loops that you want, and the knot itself is beautiful. Now, you know that my mother is pasting wallpaper all over the house...during this (insane) work, the mom had the possibility to redistribute all the things that we have hung on the walls. First was this cross point work that she realized years ago...
"Erika, with this lanyard can you make a loop here? But how can we knot the lanyard on the stick?"
10 minutes after...

Mom is so fascinated by this knot (that we call "la meletta", the little apple), that almost every day she breaks into my room and wants a "meletta" here and there XD
The result? I now can knot chinese buttons in every conditions XD

Experimenting fibers...

2009-11-10T17:00:00.001+01:00

The physiotherapist that is taking care of my shoulders is attracted by the celtic world, and asked me a little commission.
"Erika" she said "can you knot me something like that?" pointing at the little celtic knot that i have on my bag "Think about me and make me that knot." Ok!

I used a lanyard that my mother go wrong in buying (the white one), and a wool rasta (the green one).
(At home, with my mother we starred at the rasta, we touched it, we examined it, and we haven't already found a use of that rasta, apart of being a rasta, and being knotted XD Someone out there can tell me a different use of it? )

To close the knot i used a double connection knot and a chinese button knot, hiding all the ends in the last one.
The physiotherapist is really happy of her new celtic knot, and my mother now wants a knot for herself XD

How to make a dreamcatcher

2009-11-05T14:40:00.003+01:00

For the native americans, the dream catcher is a handmade object based on a willow hoop, on which is woven a loose net or web. The dreamcatcher is then decorated with personal and sacred items such as feathers and beads. Hung above the bed, is used as a charm to protect sleeping people from nightmares. (by Wikipedia)
Have you ever wanted to make your personal dreamcatcher, but the netting work scared you?
No problems, now you have a tutorial! ^^

Changes...

2009-10-13T17:00:00.000+02:00

I don't know if anyone of you have noticed that one of the links under the banner has gone away. Well, i have to cut from my life the branches that tie me to useless things.
I closed the DaWanda shop, and i'm doing the degree sale in my Etsy shop to sell the last things. I think i will continue selling patterns, because i love very much the work behind a pattern: i usually realize an amigurumi, write the pattern and give the amigurumi for gift to special friends & boyfriend. I like the fact that with some pattern i can buy me a new book about kumihimo or crochet, and stop.

The dream to live only with my creative activity has gone away, but i can always crochet lots of things, and, this time, only for me and my beloved ones. ^^ I'm not sad, i only accept the changes that come with my new life: i don't know where i will find a job, i want to run away from my city, and...void. I can totally rewrite my life, and i'm full of hope that i can write it finally in the exact way i want it, i just have to keep faith and work hard.

Etsy Italia Team september challenge!

2009-10-12T17:00:00.000+02:00

Into the Etsy Italia Team we organize monthly challanges: create an item following a theme. The september theme was "My favourite movie", and i realized a dreamcatcher!

I crocheted around a circle frame, and then patiently knotted the net using silk thread, adding some silver beads.

For all the creative folks out there, i will soon post a tutorial about how to realize the dreamcatcher ;)

If you want to check out the items made from the others participants, check out the Team's Blog!

Degree sale!

2009-10-11T17:00:00.001+02:00

I just realized that i haven't organized something special for all of you in occasion of my degree...so, to celebrate my Engineer Degree, sale in my Etsy shop!
All my irish necklaces will be discounted of an enormous amount ^^ The sale will last till i sell the last item.

Here is a preview of the irish necklaces:

Crocheted by me, i embellished every piece in a one of a kind way, just to send you a piece really unique! Don't loose the occasion to wear alternative jewelry for a so low price! :)

Ehm...where are my glasses?

2009-10-10T10:29:00.003+02:00

My mother is glueing the wallpaper all around the house...this week is the turn of my studio...aaaaargh! It's all a mess, all my things are now placed in the dining room, and my pc is parked on the sofa XD

So, i'm sorry for the absence and this short post, i've to run and help mama XD

Crocheting in the mean time...

2009-09-30T17:00:00.000+02:00

Sorry for the absence...i have gone to another LARP game, spent some time in Genova with a friend, and when i finally returned home i found my mother pasting paper on the house's walls XD I can barely reach my desk, for all the...things...that i have in my room XD
I'm also searching a job, playing the bass guitar and doing lots of little stupid things that don't allow me to crochet for more than half an hour!
Finally, yesterday i finished a new pattern: a feminine pad ^^

From the description of the pattern:

For all the women who wants a more ecofriendly approach with their feminine, but who doesn’t
know how to sew ^^ Soft cotton is the best sensation on that really sensitive part of our body, and a
crocheted pad can be strong and soft at the same time. You can make two of them, sew them
together and stuff to have a menstrual pad, totally washable and reusable!
However, this can be a naughty and witty coaster for your tea time and your pots, and you’ll find lots
of other funny and surprisingly uses of this padshaped crocheted piece.
This patterns is recommended for the beginner crocheter, with knowledge of increasing. Also basic
sewing and embroidery skills are helpful.

You will need…

* 20 g of cotton yarn, in the color you want
* a matching crochet hook
* a yarn needle
* a sewable snap button, and the thread to sew it on the pad’s wings
* 2 stitch markers
…and of course this file! ^^

The pattern is available in my Ravelry shop, and this is the direct link to buy it:

Just returned!

2009-09-01T14:09:00.003+02:00

Yesterday i returned from my beautiful vacation in Trentino, and i obviously started to create something...well, the "something" you see below was already started, but i had no time to finish & photograph it in time, so today i finally finished it!

This is a choker, braided using the kumihimo technique and a new pattern found in "250 patterns from japan, perù & beyond" by Rodrick Owen. I used only deep blue and silver silk, and i found the silk to be a little tricky in some aspects of the work, but the final effect is...WOW! Also the pattern is beautiful, but it's also tricky, having 14 passages analogue each other.

It will be a gift for a friend :) I'm "lucky" i have so few friends...i give them lots and lots of presents, if i had more friends i won't have time to breathe! XD Ok, i'm trying to change vision and see the lucky part of all the unlucky facts in my life ^^

Vacation mode

2009-07-29T17:51:00.002+02:00

Dear readers,
I'm very sorry for my absences of these days. As you surely (don't you? :P ) know, i just took my degree, and the days after were such a discovery of the world! XD I felt like i was re-born ^^ Tomorrow i will start my vacations, so...see you soon! ^^

Hugs,
Erika

I'm a doctor!

2009-07-25T17:00:00.001+02:00

Yesterday was the great day: i finally took my Energy Engineer degree, now i'm a doctor!
It has been a very stressful morning: it started at 3 o'clock XD i woke up completely and it took me one hour to finally fall asleep. Then woke up at 8, with my heart beating mad and my stomach trying to tell me that eating breakfast was a really bad idea. Then at university, i was the third and when came my turn my voice started to tremble XD 10 minutes and 8 seconds after, i was a little more calm ^^ And when the prof said "Erika Gili, we have positively valued your career and your final test, with the powers that I have been given i declare you Doctor in Energy Engineering with the score of 104" i think i was smiling like i've never done before :)

Just...crashed

2009-07-20T17:00:00.000+02:00

I feel that this photo of this little cute red panda can explain how i feel...

(Thanks to Sooper-Deviant for this beautiful shot!)

I'm working on the slides that i'll use to explain my thesis in my degree ceremony...this friday! I don't even have the strength to play my bass guitar in my band! I'm just exhausted like an exhausted battery XD
So, no much crafting for me :(

Etsy Italia Team!

2009-07-14T17:00:00.001+02:00

During the mad period of the last exams i signed in the Etsy Italia Team: we are all crafters from Italy, or with italian blood, and we will help every italian to join the shining world of Etsy.

It's beautiful to know that the italians are taking part in the handmade revolution, and i'm very proud to be a part of this team ^^

Ok, i'm here...

2009-07-13T17:00:00.000+02:00

Ok, now that the last-big is gone, i can think about my shop.

I decided to stop making new things...i know that this will kill my shop, but i want to take a loooong vacation, from now till September, with the purpose to "update" my technique, explore and find some new inspirations. I bought 3 new books, one about kumihimo, and two about knots: i realized that my shop is called "Knots Me...Knots Me Not!" but i'm offering a poor choice of knots, about only crochet.

I love to crochet, but i also love kumihimo and macrame, and in this period i will take some deep breaths and explore. I can tell you that i've already started this trip, and soon i'll post a tutorial ;)

Death of the last!

2009-07-12T18:34:00.003+02:00

I'm talking about my last exam...yes, last friday i gained my last exam, and the 24th of July i will take the Energy Engineer degree! Yay!

Tha night before the last exam? Terrible XD i only want to make a special "Thank you!" to a friend that travelled a lot and came to visit and support me when i knew the test result: thank you Giorgio, for your presence, your voice, your smiles, your hugs...all. The happiness of this goal would not be the same without you.

The Fourth of July Free Shipping Sale!

2009-07-02T17:00:00.001+02:00

Knots Me...Knots Me Not! will participate in The Fourth of July Free Shipping Sale: for your delighted eyes i offer this necklace without any shipping & packaging costs:

Cotton embellished with viscose thread, silver beads and 3 garnet beads, closed by a silver hook.

Also my fellow Italia Etsy Sellers will participate: check our team's blog to shop "Made in Italy"!

The sale will end the 6th, hurry!

Irish-in-line...ok, contest!

2009-06-26T17:00:00.004+02:00

Remember the latest wip crocheted necklace? It's finally done!

This necklace is for my mom (the lady in the photo ;) ), but i'll crochet&braid more necklaces to sell in my shop ^^ First, let me take my degree XD

And now...please, help me! Help me to find out a better name than "Irish-in-line" ^^
Here the rules:
* the name has not to be referred to only this necklace, but it has to describe a line of necklaces, made of crocheted leaves on a kumihimo necklace;
* post a comment with the name you suggest;
* the contest will close on July the 26th;
* the contest won't be valid if i receive less than 20 comments.

I'll personally select the name i'll love, and the luckly prompter will win a 50% off in my Etsy shop!

You can choose my amigurumi patterns...

...my crochet patterns...

...my crocheted hair accessories...

...and, finally, my crocheted necklaces!

Contest Closed!

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News from the dark reign...

2009-06-23T21:07:00.002+02:00

Studying...working on my thesis that has to be printed within one week, and studying. Ok, i confess, i also crochet a little, and do some kumihimo...but for the rest, i'm studying. What a wonderful period XD

Busy but creative

2009-06-13T17:00:00.000+02:00

My thesis will take hours to be written better, and prepared for printing, and the last exam is about engines ^^ I won't be present online, but my creative vein is always active :)

I'm trying a new disposition for my new irish necklaces line, and i want to use my kumihimo skills to make them better...like this wip:

The leaves are crocheted, but the necklace is braided with the same cotton of the leaves. I have to iron the leaves, regulate the necklace, and sew the leaves on the necklace. Then i will add some deep blue beads. My mother is super happy!

A good mix of sales...

2009-06-11T17:00:00.002+02:00

Till the 14th of June there will be the Yart Sale in some Etsy shops...well, i am participating, but i want to share with you one link that summarizes a lot of other shops' Yart Sale:

Dirty Pretty Things

Raven posts daily new links to shops that are offering different sales conditions, so if you want to save some money, don't lose the possibility of the Yart Sale!

My discounts?

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Exhausted!

2009-06-10T17:00:00.000+02:00

I'm exhausted! Yesterday i had 2 university exams, i had to drive for 180 km to only have the prof signature on my application for graduation, and i walked, walked and walked. BUT, the beautifulness is that i have only one exam left! I will have a stressful month, with the last exam to study and with the thesis to be prepared. One month from now, and i will be free from everything, and i will graduate the 24th of July.

I think i will be less present on my blog&shops, i'm sorry, but i have absolutely to finish this hell.

However, don't forget to take a look in the Yart Sale section in my Etsy shop!

New in store!

2009-06-07T17:00:00.002+02:00

Irish necklaces, irish hair snaps and heart hair snaps...wow! I had some busy days, but now i'm proud to present you my last little items ^^

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Yart Sale!

2009-06-06T17:00:00.004+02:00

Knots Me...Knots Me Not! Etsy shop is participating in the Yart Sale. All the items that you'll find in this section of my shop are discounted by 20%! :)

In this special section you'll find all my amigurumi patterns, and 2 of my precious irish necklaces: the 20% off is a huge money saver, so hurry up, because they are one of a kind, and the sale will stop the June the 14th!

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Friday energy tip: World environment day

2009-06-05T17:00:00.000+02:00

Today is the World environment day...i won't hold you in front of your pc, so shut it down and go outside and make something for our environment: recycle, take the bike instead of the car, shut down lights and open windows, listen the sounds of the nature instead of tv or music, and try to watch with your own eyes what's the impact of your life on Earth.
Let me know your experiences.

My last two irish necklaces!

2009-06-02T17:00:00.002+02:00

I decided to stop with this design to continue and create new designs with my beloved irish leaves ^^
These will be the last two necklaces:

Only waiting to shoot photos on a model (yes, me ^^ It's hilarious how i take photos while i model for my pieces :) ) and they will be available in my Etsy shop.

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Working and waiting

2009-05-31T17:00:00.001+02:00

Working on my new little hair snaps: crocheted hearts with metal chains and bells, like this one already listed in my Etsy shop...

...and waiting for the last supplies to come, jump rings by nottoto ^^

These hair snaps are really kawaii! I love to combine the softness of the yarn with the shining of the metal.

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Friday energy tip: unplug!

2009-05-29T17:00:00.001+02:00

Welcome in my little attempt to achieve a better world for all of us ^^ Today i'll speak about unplugging.
Have you ever noticed that little red light when your tv is off? Well, that little stand by light needs energy to shine, so...why leaving it on? Imagine how much energy will be saved if all of human kind will shut down that little light!

But, let's make a step ahead.
A lot of out technologic things works with an energy transformer added on the wire: printers, charger for our cellular phone, pc, charger for the iPod, charger for the camera batteries...it is that little (or giant, depends ^^ ) and highly-weighted box on the wire, or directly on the plug. Do you know how a transformer works? Well...

A transformer is made by 2 distinct circuits, wrapped around a holed piece of iron. Depending on the number of wrappings, the magnetic force generated by the first circuit will induce a current on the second circuit. When the pc in the image is off, the first circuit is on the contrary still running, because it is a closed circuit. There will be current, and there will be power...that power won't be used by the second circuit, so it is lost like heat: in fact, if you touch the transformer you'll feel it warm.

This is a huge waste of energy. Try to unplug all your transformers while you don't use them, or use power strips with switch, that allows you to constantly check if you are wasting energy or not ^^ Mother Earth and your wallet will thank you :)

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Useful yarn display

2009-05-27T17:00:00.002+02:00

When going out for supplies shopping, is really awful to find the perfect bead for your last project, but don't know if the color will match.
I need a useful yarn display. The properties i want are:
- easy to carry out for shopping;
- with the label of the yarn, if i need to restash.

Aaaand...this is my solution!

I punched the holes directly on the yarn's label, cut some pieces (it will be perfect to have some scraps!) and knotted on the labels. The last step is to staple the labels on a recycled paper page, fold and...voilà! Easy to carry!

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Aaaargh! Crashing analytics!

2009-05-25T22:08:00.005+02:00

Poor me and my little Etsy shop...Lately i have been so busy that i can't even say "Goodmorning" on Twitter. My university thesis is sucking all my energies, and my last exams are doing the rest. I have to not to crochet till i can crochet saying "I have only one exam left!"
Today i saw the worst analytics i ever had XD

Luckly i have some crocheted pieces already done, and i'm reading this blog about how to make a blog: it's really interesting, and for the joy of my Google Analytics i want to share some tips i discovered there...

First, add a "Twit this post" button at the end of the blog post. Every reader of your blog will be able to tweet the link of your blog to their followers. There is the plugin that make this step automatic, but i have Disqus like "client" for my comments, and i had problems with the plugin. No fear! You can add a simple line of html code ^^
For example, this code:

<a href="http://twitter.com/home/?status= HERE YOUR TEXT + LINK TO THE BLOG POST, PUT %20 INSTEAD OF BLANK" target="n">Tweet this post!</a>

Then i learned to search through search.twitter.com the links that i'm tweeting, to see if someone has retweeted them. You can take the subscription to the feed of your search to be constantly informed if someone has retweeted you ^^ In this manner you get an average number of people that has probably seen your link.

About the feed...i subscribed to twitterfeed: it will automatically update my tweets with my blog posts and my new item in Etsy. The beauty of all of this work (above all the lazyness underneath) is that it feeds my HelloTxt, that lets me update Twitter, Plurk, Tumblr, MySpace and Flickr with one click!

I also added my most recent photo at the top of the blog: i use a logo to brand my blog&shops, but i think that it will be fair for you if i let you see my face :) I promise i will update the photo every time i have a good one ^^

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Friday energy tip...let's start!

2009-05-22T17:00:00.002+02:00

Well, our life depends on energy. Today is the day #1 of my new scheduled posts, and i'll talk about it, energy. To introduce all the tips that i'll give you in the next week, i want to explain you in a easy way something about energy.

Energy is everywhere. Without energy we cant breath, walk, chat, cook, work, we wouldn't have the day light, winds, rain. Without energy there wouldn't be life.
All the energy we have came from the sun (e.g. petroleum is being formed by old forests, and the forests have grown with the solar energy), or from nuclear reactions (uranium and his friends).
But, what's energy?
The only thing that i can say is that energy can be transformed: think about a river and a mill...the river flows, the mill's round is pushed by the water and it spins. From a river of water we have a driving force.

The only problem is that: Mother Nature is perfect, our machineries not, so we always lose some energy during the transformation. We measure this lost of energy with a coefficient of performance: to calculate it, we divide the energy transformed with the energy before its transformation, and this division is always smaller than 1.
Our times technology is a lot better than the first, but our steam machineries have a performance of about 0,5 ... half of the energy we give through petroleum or coal or gas is lost. We can watch this problem from another point of view: the electic energy we use to have the pc on needs a double quantity of coal to be produced.

You can ask...lost where? Sometimes the principal actor of this lost is friction, that turns energy into heat, but in the case of transforming the chemical energy of coal into electricity we have lots and lot of problems, from the problem of materials that don't resist to the heat, to the chemistry problem during the combustion. Lots.

Ok, all this oration for what?

I wanted to explain you that the energy that we use for habit came from something, and during its transformation into that shape that we love to use (electricity), we lose the half of it. Think about every waste of energy like you've wasted a double quantity of it, and a double quantity of pollutants. Is that sad, isn't it?

In the next weeks i'll guide you through a saving energy process in our everyday life. Stay tuned.

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I feel like a business woman!

2009-05-20T17:00:00.000+02:00

I'm trying to wash away from my desk all the old, useless things. In the past nights i had a lot of ugly dreams about my past... I'm having a stressful period: the university thesis, the last exams, my father at home for months after a medical operation (he is well, he only loves to stress me ^^ ), so the space around me is having huge restyling, and i feel comfortable only trying to update my life in a touchable way.

My desk, where i study and work for my Etsy shop, is now at this point:

...but it will be modified. I want all the space i have on that desk, so some thing will be fired out ^^
By the way, this new setting is wonderful: i have the pc on the front (before it was on my right side, orrible for my shoulders) i have a lot of space, and i can craft better.

Another beautiful news: i received my VistaPrint order!! Two wonderful stamps, one for my recycled packages, and one with my address...i passed the morning stamping everything ^^

I feel like a true business woman ;)

Drawing, cutting, folding...

2009-05-17T17:00:00.000+02:00

Wow, how much work underdeveloped!

In these times i cleaned my studio, moving the old pc in another room (i was using only one quarter of my giant desk!), and finding some boxes of things that we don't use anymore...plus my ceral boxes...it took me nearly one hour to draw and cut these 22 packages for my items!
I don't want to be in this situation again! I promise to myself that i won't procastinate the package-making step no more! XD
The only thought that makes me happy, is that i made out something useful from things that would have been thrown away :) It's incredible how much things we waste, while we can give them a second chance to be useful.

Finally a pinboard!

2009-05-16T17:00:00.000+02:00

After the "creation" of a sketchbook (i love Moleskine), i realized that i needed a pin board. I had no time to go out and fin a classic cork pinboard, and then i had the creative attack: crochet a net and use it like pinboard...

I crocheted it using lots and lots of scraps, but with no weaving in the ends, because i directly knotted all the ends one after the other. To add my notes to the pinboard i use the metal clips that you can see in the second photo.
I find this pinboard...beautiful ^^ It is coloured, it has a fur appeal (given by all the knots), it's handmade and creative ^^ Sometimes i'm surprised by my ideas!

The pattern?
Well, you need the yarn and the matching hook, a metal thread, a stick and metal clips.
Start with a chain long a multiple of 4 plus 8. Treble crochet in the twelfth chain from hook, ch 4, skip 4 chain of the base chain, treble crochet. Continue till the end, 8 ch, turn, skip the first four chains, treble crochet in the first treble crochet, 4 ch, skip 4 chains, treble crochet....and continue till you reach the lenght needed. In the last rows you can decrease the meshes crocheting at the start only 5 chains, and decreasing the last 2 treble crochet.

Then crochet a border all around with single crochet, crocheting the net and the metal thread together. Iron and add the stick :)

A crafter's life...something is moving

2009-05-15T17:00:00.000+02:00

Some days ago i had the possibility to meet a professional painter during an art fair. She saw this necklace

and asked me a custom order. Above all my happiness in having an order outside internet, i enjoyed the conversation with a true artist. She told me that she doesn't like these-things-all-the-same, and loves to support other artists and their creativity.
Then i found that my last two sales where from people that subscribed to Etsy and DaWanda the same day of the sale and had no feedback!
Something out there is waking up, people is moving to search the different thing, the handmade thing! I like to think that i'm contributing to something, an international movement towards a rediscovery of what an human being can do with a lot of love.

New in store!

2009-05-11T22:24:00.003+02:00

Finally, i've updated my little precious Etsy shop!
Today i received the supplies i needed, and i made this beautiful heart hair snap:

It's crocheted with a fire red cotton, and embellished with a bell. Bells in the hair are the most sexy things: every little movement, the bells will attract attentions, but aren't annoying for who wears them.

I'm also working on my new irish necklaces: i only wait tomorrow to shoot photos :)

What time do you craft?

2009-05-09T17:00:00.000+02:00

Since i'm returned home, i love to study during the morning, with the window open, listening the birds singing and the bees flying. This spring's sounds calm me down, help me to concentrate and i feel more relaxed.
Then, i love to craft in the night, with the desk lamp and music on...i think that i'm working when everybody is sleeping (hoping that my music doesn't disturb ^^ ), no one will enter in my room to distract me, it's as if I were in a parallel world.
Yesterday, in this parallel world of mine, i finished this two necklaces:

The black one has a simple line, 3 leaves of different dimensions and a crocheted bead in the center.
The white one is embellished by some silver beads and garnet. This one is crocheted with a cotton + viscose yarn, that gives shining reflection at the ensemble.
It's awesome how much i can work during the night!
And you? What time of the day you like to dedicate to crafting and why? :)

A crafter's life...saving the world

2009-05-08T17:00:00.000+02:00

I'm studying to reach the Energy Engineer degree, so i'm full of greenhouse gases, Kyoto protocol, renewable energies and so on. My thesis is about an absorption chiller/heater, and i've written an entire chapter about the possibility to use solar thermal panels with the chiller: in summer, when there will be more hot, the chiller will give more cold, with only a little electric absorption, instead of using electric-based chillers. I think that this will be a saving planet tecnology.

Meanwhile, crafters in their little, save the planet, reusing and recycling a lot of stuff. I was thinking that, with a little care, the recycling behaviour will allow us to save a lot of money (above the planet), and the money problem is a everyone problem with this financial crisis.

So, my question is: why the recycling habit is not an everyone habit?
The city life has driven us away from the nature, so we don't have under our eyes the direct impact of our behaviour. We tend to be frightened when we saw an huge plume of smoke that exit from an industry, but we don't mind of having little but lot of habits not so eco friendly. Me for first, i admit to have some wrong behaviours, but i decided to stop, i want to take the pledge to live eco friendly!

Finally a light box!

2009-05-07T17:00:00.000+02:00

It's been for 3 months that i'm looking to make my personal light box and improve my photograph skills. Well, the skills are slowly improving, the light box is finally made.
Today, after a relaxing shower, i decided to continue my relax in front of my pc, then i saw the cardboard box of my chocolate Easter egg...mmmm...
After 15 minutes i had between my creative hands the finished light box! I also found the way to recycle a bakery sheet that i used in my experiment of fusing plastic bags (that went not well).
Here is the how to ^^
Materials:

* the box of my Easter chocolate egg that otherwise my grandma would have thrown away;
* baking paper, that i used to fuse some plastic bags, and would have been a waste to throw away, but i could not use to cook something;
* scrap yarn;
* glue, not recycled, obviously;
* cutter.

You can also find this project on Cut out + keep and on Instructables :)

Irish news

2009-05-06T17:00:00.000+02:00

Remember, i was restashing my tray of cotton to crochet more irish necklaces. Last saturday i went to my favourite yarn shop, and found a beautiful cotton ball, the one that's used for babies: it's smooth and soft, and has beautiful shades of pink and blue. I bought the pink one and crocheted this:

I sewed the golden beads with a nylon thread, so it doesn't show and seems like the beads are drops of dew on the leaves :)
Thanks to the softiness of the cotton, the necklace is truly smooth!
This necklace is one of a kind, like the others irish necklaces i made, and will be on for sale in my Etsy shop on Monday.

Purchases!

2009-05-05T17:00:00.001+02:00

After i calculate my earning in this period, i realized that now i can spend some money around the net, with the consciousness that i have a business that allows me to buy some stuff for me! This thought is serotonin for my brain :)
So, i've bought an hippack from Tenthstreet: a beautiful fire red little belt bag made of vynil. The line is simple, and i adore it for this reason. Another desire that comes to reality is a self inking stamp, bought from Vistaprint: i choose the little free one for my recycled packages, and i'm wondering if i need some more stamps...i have the need of stamps ^^
Then, the other shopping was for supplies: i bought swarovsky bicone pendants, hair snaps, a lot of crochet cotton, jump rings...you will be delighted by my ideas! Only wait for the supplies to arrive at my home ;)

Returned home

2009-05-04T20:15:00.003+02:00

Since Saturday i've returned home, leaving the beautiful freedom of a life without parents.
It's a part of my life that had a conclusion, i'm happy i had the possibility to live for 4 months away from home, but it was time to return into my family's nest. Now that i know how much is beautiful to manage my life, i want to run and finally reach my freedom.
Another positive note about my returning home is that i can manage better my shops: in only one day i redesigned my business cards, my labels (so that i don't have to print on a sheet, stick the labels on it and then print again with an orrible waste of ink, sheet and scotch, but only print one time directly on the labels!), sent to the new owner my Irish yellow necklace and crocheted this custom order:

Purple cotton with red Swarovsky cristals and sterling silver closure: it's just gorgeous :P

A crafter's life...DIYDS

2009-05-01T17:00:00.000+02:00

It's always good to make something: we earn in money and in happiness, moving our hands to make something "our". We also love to write tutorials and teach how to do something that we consider easy when others consider...wow.
But, where is the limit? When we stop and say "Ok, i'll buy it"?
We have to discuss about value.

The seller point of view
The real great problem appears when the price is too much smaller than the value buyers' give to the item. Lot of persons told me that i have to increase my prices of 1,2 dollars, because the buyers can think that my items aren't products of quality.
So, the buyer will not buy if the item price is upper than the value he gives to the item, or if the price is smaller. And every buyer have is perception of value.

This is the best way to get an headache.

The only solution i see is to ask. Ask to your mother, father, friend and fellow crafters if your prices are right, or if they will lead to and indiscriminate Do-It_Your-Damn-Self ^^

The buyer point of view
Buying is addictive. I started saying "I can make it!", then i finished saying "I buy it!". It's beautiful thinking that we are buying an handmade product from an artisan that loves what he/she is doing. But not everyone has this vision, like me on the start. The first difficulty is the buying online, all the terms and conditions, giving the number of the card, address, if the item will be shipped or not, and also the language! Then comes the "I can make it!" period, because we think the item is expensive not knowing how much work there is behind. There is also someone who prefers to buy similar items but mass produced, expending 1/10 of the handmade item's price, because he/she doesn't believe in the handmade revolution.
The "I buy it" period comes after a real need of the item we saw, and then, if the costumer care was good, buying becomes addictive.

So, all is around value. Like a buyer, i will love to see a work-in-progress story about the item i'm going to buy, because i can finally understand how worth it is.

I'm treasured! #2

2009-04-30T17:00:00.001+02:00

Only one week have passed since i was included in my first ever treasury, that i'm again in another one :)

Thank you BunnyBubbles!
It's hilarious, because when i'm planning to grab a treasury, i'm included in one treasury! I'm thinking to plan more treasury in the future :)

It doesn't seem...

2009-04-29T17:00:00.000+02:00

...but i'm working very hard :)
I'm not updating my shops with new items, because i'm crocheting and trying some new ideas, and i also have to restash my cotton tray with new colors.

These are some examples:

I'm crocheting little irish leaves and little flowers to make a line of hair snaps (like my irish leaves necklaces), i'm also trying hearts, lemon, lime, watermelon and apple. With the fruits i'm happy only for the lime and lemon. I will provide my hair snaps with bells and swarovsky cristals, but i have to buy yet some supplies. Meanwhile, i'm crocheting and trying...

Spring cleanings and vintage finds

2009-04-28T17:00:00.001+02:00

In my absence my mother carried on a spring cleaning in our guest room: we have a wardrobe full of wedding gifts, old things handmade by my mother's granny and friends, and a lot of '80s dresses. Examples?

This is a crocheted apron, handmade by my mother's friend i don't remember when, complete with pot holders...

...and this jacket, that was bought in 1983 in Florence, S. Lorenzo market, where all best leather belongs, with its puff sleeves very vintage!

Because my mother doesn't use aprons, the apron is just new, while she won't wear that jacket anymore, you'll find these wonderful items soon in my Etsy shop!

Greening the business

2009-04-27T17:00:00.001+02:00

Earth Day made me think about my business enviromental impact: i recycle all that i can, all cotton, wool and felt scraps, i frog old jumpers to recycle the wool (one made my star blanket!), i'm also using little useless scraps of wool to crochet a classic granny squares blanket. But, about the packaging? I used to send my items without a gift package, because i didn't want to add more shipping fees to have a cheap shipping and packaging cost.

Now i'm thinking that, if i recycle materials that were destinated to the bin, i can offer a cute&eco friendly package with no additional costs. Obviously, the material will be saved before thrashed ^^

Searching for an ideal material for packaging that i can have in great quantities, i found the cereal box in front of me ^^ Lightweight carboard, in the perfect size for my package template, usually thrashed one time a week, i can cut from it 2 package, and i can also print my business cards on a flap! I have yet to try if the printing process will work well, or i can use the flap in different ways.

However, items will be shipped in ordinary postal bags, waterproof and securely closed, but with the internal package my item comes ready to be given for gift. I'm also thinking about buying a stamp to stamp the recycle symbol instead of using labels.

A crafter's life...and the net

2009-04-24T17:00:00.000+02:00

After discovering my passion and the possibility to show it to the world, i exaggerated. I started to craft responding to the general mood and the trends, just to keep the hands creating something. This was a great, great, great mistake. When i saw that my items were not clicked i thought that people don't love them, and i stopped to craft. Suddendly, all my passion declined, reaching a point that i had the need to craft without knowing what to do.
Now i'm out of the tunnel, luckly :)

About this experience what can i say? I see lots of shops that just craft to follow trends, that ask if they are doing good and why they don't sell. I hope they can soon realize what's wrong in their behaviour...i think that all wants to be appreciated, everyone wants someone that tells "You're good". What's all this lack of faith in ourselves?
Usually, behind a screen we appear different, you know what i mean: i chatted a lot when i was a young girl searching for my first kiss, and i realized that i was really different than i am in the real life. So, why we don't earn faith instead of being super insecure?
I think that we all little crafter need a list of the things we want to achieve in our crafter's life, something like "i want to be happy with my craft, not with my store". I think we will erase the stress also from our passion, instead of only using our passion to erase the stress from our life.

My first Treasury!!

2009-04-23T17:00:00.001+02:00

Today i woke up, opened my Google Analytics page and saw a huge peak at the visits of my etsy shop. "Wow" i said "Maybe because i twitted all past day, or because i subscribed some contests..." but my explanations were a little stretched.
After some browsing in Etsy to find the items for my first treasury, i opened Craftopolis to see if i was on a treasury...and i am on a treasury!!!

Now i comprehend why i had so much views ^^ Sales? Oh well.they'll come :) Now i know that my new design is appreciated, i'm also thinking about hairclips and i was frightened that my design wouldn't be hot...well, now i have more faith in myself :)

My new strategy

2009-04-22T17:16:00.002+02:00

This morning i woke up with an Etsy mail about SEO, and i spent all the day on Etsy, retagging items, rewriting titles and so on. Proud of my self, i viewed the hearts on my Irish yellow necklace, and i started to search into the favourites of the people who hearted me (luckly i have (yet ;) ) few hearts ).
First of all, i discovered to be the only one who use the irish leaves on a necklace (yeah!), but also that there are lots of similar items to mine, all in one profile's favourites!
I think that this little visit in someone else's favourite helped me to find out my rivalry, to give a look at their prices and designs just not to copy them and find my personal way. I can also "touch" my hearter tastes, and create something that fits not only my tastes.

I haven't ever thought about watching the favourites of who favourites me, i think i will start doing it frequently.

Instructable!

2009-04-21T18:42:00.003+02:00

Today i joined Instructables, and i added a simple project to try it out.
The project is about the double chain, a fantastic way to start a crocheted item in rows, so you don't have to catch up with the chain, or frog all to crochet a larger chain. I found the instructions on an old mama's crochet book, and it changed my life ;)

Go to the instructable

I also wrote the tutorial on Cut out + keep, and for deviantART...here it is!

Digital working

2009-04-19T17:00:00.000+02:00

My mother is a painter, driven only by her passion. She will attend an exibition in May, and she asked me some business cards. Consequence? One email address, one deviantART profile selling the prints from her pictures, and finally the business cards :)

All my experience in shooting photo for my stores, multiple business card designing and Gimp knowledge was very useful in this occasion...my mother only painted :P :)
Now she is very proud of her new business cards (and also for having a daughter like me :) ), and all her companion painters will be green for envy :)
My secret plan? Trying to earn some money doing custom orders business cards for the envious painters ^^

Attempting to needle tatting...

2009-04-18T17:00:00.001+02:00

Ok, i'm a crocheter who loves very much every knotted craft...and tatting is a knotted craft that i haven't ever tryed...since now :)

Thanks to TotusMel and her instructable video, i was able to needle tat (it can be said?) this little, crooked flower in about one hour XD

Ok, now i return to crochet, but i enjoyed so much this experience that i don't exclude i'll try again :)

A crafter's life...the beginning

2009-04-17T17:00:00.000+02:00

Do you remember how you started to craft "seriously"? Like photographing every piece you create, blogging about it...and starting to sell?
Well, i seriously started when i subscribed to an association of live action role playing games. I had to dress like a medieval-fantasy woman, but without spending too much money. The solution? I did myself all the things i needed: belts, bags, the costume (well, my mom sewed it ^^ ), brooches and pins, and also hairstrings! Suddendly i discovered a skill: making things, using different tecniques...and i liked all the creative process, wearing my DIY things, and constantly improving all. I discovered kumihimo in this episode, while i was yet able to crochet, and the upgrade to macrame was easy.
It was a difficult period of my life, full of stress that i tryed to pull out crafting for me. Then something changed, i met my actual boyfriend, and i started to craft pulling out my happiness. What a change!

So, that's the point: the industrial revolution carryed the possibility to not work with our hands, but in these days we are witnessing a return to the handmaking, searching the quality of the item hand made, and taking pledges to buy only handmade.
Why this turn? I'n not an expert of marketing, so i can only suppose...
All these stressed people that take classes of crochet and knitting, person really lucky to quit their day job to only sell their handmade on internet...This life just don't fit us. Someone just want to have a simple life, growing their child and using their creativity in a creative way (excuse the pun ^^ ). The bad side of the medal is that we have to live this life, taking the possibility to do want we really want only in the spare time. This is not good. Criminality, stress, bad mood, stomachache...all depends on the feeling that we are not doing what we love.
It's just my view, i'll love to read your vision of the situation :)

About photos...step #2

2009-04-16T17:00:00.002+02:00

In this step we will edit our photos to reach a quality image. I use Gimp, that's a free program very powerful!

A lot of people think that the photo editing is unfair, but i think that, if used in the right manner, it can make the difference: the photo is the key for success and a photo, to be successfull, mustn't have to appear edited.
If we put a lot of love in our handmade items, i don't see where is the problem in making it stand out with good pictures, edited with love :)

Open the program and the photo. The first thing to do is to crop the image. Think about that the image that you want to be the preview (and then smaller than the full size image) has to be interesting: in this image we will show only a part of the item, the more interesting, eye catching and particular.

Then, open Colors >> Levels. You'll se an istogram that indicate if your photo is over or under exposed. Place the arrows under the istogram near the start and the end of the graph...the result is wonderful! Do thi step only one time, or the photo will be worse than the initial shot, and take all the time you need to place these little arrows and reach the best result.

If you want your item to stand out, try to adjust the saturation, and make a darker border all around the photo: this trick is used by professional photographer to grab the viewer eyes, and it makes the photo more deep, giving strenght to the center ;) be careful to not saturate too much: we want to achieve the true color of the item!!

Try also to duplicate the background layer, add the alpha channel and play with the modality of the level, playing also with the opacity. Take all the time you need...the best solution is to take confidence with the effects before you start to photograph your items, so you'll already know how to modify the photos.

Done just in time!

2009-04-15T16:32:00.003+02:00

This is my first wearable thing i ever crocheted, so happy i finally finished it without giving up :) Meet my round sweater, 1 kg of 100% wool...so comfortable and warm, i finished it just in time to wear it before the summer :)

I really love the long sleeves (i'm 1,80 m tall, from my childhood i've always had short-sleeved clothes, because i was (and i am now) too much tall XD), and the final trim is my favourite one, for this step i didn't follow the pattern.

Conclusions about the expierience:
Good, but it took me too much time XD When i will be a granny, i will crochet (and maybe knit?) socks and sweaters for all my family, but now i want to return to my much faster & usual projects :)

Crocheted jewellry

2009-04-14T17:00:00.002+02:00

I love very much the shape of the crocheted irish leaf: it is easy, and i can use particular stitches to reach interesting effects. From my love of these leaves, i crocheted these two different necklaces:

The red one it's been the first: two big leaves and one smaller, with a red wood bead in the center, and a earth friendly closure, made of a recycled (and well washed) pull can tab. The second one is a one of a kind design: there are two big leaves and one smaller, the closure is made by a red wood bead, and the pendants are one metal rose and one little bell. The central button has been sewed with silk thread.

I like this design: the face is beautifully framed by the leaves, the red one is for girls that wants to be different, while the yellow one is a little provoking with the pendant gently going into the neckline. Remember, the yellow is OOAK! you can find them in Knots Me...Knots Me Not! Etsy shop.

My beautiful Easter

2009-04-13T18:54:00.003+02:00

In Italy we have a saying: Christmas with yours, Easter with who you want. This is the first time i spend my Easter with the person i want! Finally an Easter away from the family's nest :) I spent all the day of sunday and monday with my beloved boyfriend: we relaxed a lot, we celebrated my last university fatigue, and we went out to Trasimeno lake:

It's been the best Easter of all my life :)

Above all, the university fatigue: i had the exam about fluid machines (turbines et similia), it has been my nightmare for about 3 years, and now it will no longer scare me :) i'm super happy! I spent this passed week studying, and for the first time i tryed out the scheduler sistem of blogger...well, it is good! I think i will use this feature more, in order to have a blog often updated :)

Flea, little octopus

2009-04-09T17:00:00.000+02:00

How i announced some time ago, here is the second little amigurumi pattern: flea the octopus. My mother loves it, and i enjoy to put this little octopus in every strange position (like in the photo on the laptop screen) :)
Easy and fast, it could be a quick gift for every friend who loves the sea ^^

About Photos...step #1

2009-04-08T17:00:00.003+02:00

The photo is the MOST important thing of a listing. You can write beautiful stories about the creation of your goods, but a ugly photo will shatter all your words. Wear the buyer clothes: what's the first thing you see of a listing? The photo. Simple. If you want your buyer to fall in love at first sight with your items, you must have beautiful photo. The good news is that you can achieve all with basic instrumentation :) In this tutorial i will consider that you have familiarity with your camera and with Gimp.

In this first step we'll talk about taking the photo.

* Ensure to have enough power, we will take a lot of pictures to have enough choice;

* Place & light: try to take photos with the natural and non direct light, absolutely no flash. Near a window will be the best solution. Place your item on a white backround (or contrasting if the item is white) to take the particulars, and then place it in its natural setting for an overall photo. Be creative and show how the buyer can use your item. I love the white background, it gives a very professional effect to the photo ( it also allows you to check the white balance ) but you can use coloured or textured backgrounds, depending on the color of the object: the only limit is that we want to focus the attention on the product, not on the background ;) use this link to make a light box;

* White balance: the white in your photo has to be white, or all the colors of your precious good will appear different. It is very important when you are using a non natural light. You can find the white balance in your camera menu;

* Over/under exposure: also useful when you are using a non natural light pointed directly on the item (that's always bad...try to use non direct light). The photo will result too bright. The opposite when you have less light than you need. Under expose in the first case, over in the last (you'll need a tripod to have a sharp image);

* Macro: truly important to have sharp images when taking photo near the object.

And now, we are ready to shot! The only advice i can give you is to center the item, because the camere will focus on the center of the image. And then...be creative!

Tips i learned during an Etsy Lab: don't photograph your item on felt or wool, because it's easy to reach a blurry effect, and don't add watermarks, because they don't feature on the front page photos with watermarks!

Soon step #2 about editing :)

Punch!

2009-04-07T17:00:00.001+02:00

Yesterday i bought a shining corner punch...sellers in Terni don't even know if corner punch do exist, while in Perugia i found it in a bricolage shop ^^

You can see the punch and the wannabe business card...yes, i'll probably change it again XD I'm searching my style, i think is normal to change business card untill i find the best design. The last business card is beautiful: simple, professional and readable, but...it doesn't show my logo, and what i'm dealing in ^^ I can't include the photos of my amigurumi because my printer needs more cartridges, and also i want to be able to update the banner, and will be ugly to have the banner up to date and the business card not. Consider that i don't want to order my business card, i want to create it from the beginning to the punching.
So my thinking is to have a simple business card, with my logo and the colors i use, and stop ^^ What do you think about my business card? And you, how much time did you need to find your perfect style? Let me know, i'm curious! ^^

Earthquake!

2009-04-06T19:01:00.003+02:00

Yesterday night i was dreaming...something like i was driving and taking photos at the landscape...and i woke up, suddendly. Something started to jingle, the wardrobe began to crack and there was a subtle "wooooooo" noise.

THE EARTHQUAKE!

Luckly my home was built 8 years ago while there was the earthquake in Umbria, that destroyed all the old and beautiful little cities here (and destroyed the ceiling of the S. Francesco church in Assisi).
The same destruction is now in Abbruzzo, and all Italy yesterday night felt the earthquake.
Some numbers?
The earthquake last 1 minute, and the magnitude was around 6, while the Mercalli scale was 9 (of twelve!). I'm near to all the people that lost their home and their beloved.

Digital design for crafters

2009-04-04T23:00:00.002+02:00

I don't remember when i turned to Linux Ubuntu, but i remember the panic when i discovered the graphic program installed: Gimp. What are those damn levels? Why the selection just doesn't anchor on this damn image? And why the rubber makes all these terrible gray squares???

These were only some questions i asked to my dumb pc, and never had the chance to find answers (and the online guide scared me like the program itself). So, i used to use Gimp only for little projects, orrible avatar&banners that i pretend to be beautiful and charming, and stop. I don't even remember when i decided to search "gimp tutorial" on deviantART... :O the world changed! I learned how to use Gimp! Starting from the basics (levels, effects, brushes), i learned how to make something more charming than my first banner. I want to give some advices to other crafters like me.

First, save the image in the .xcf format, it will mantain all the levels of the image. Then, when you'll finish your work, save in .png: this format will mantain the trasparency of the levels, and will avoid orrible blurry effects on letters.

Create a level for everything you add on the image, so you can edit one thing without touching the others, you can apply effects only on one level, adjust the color balance, or just avoid to see it if you want to make another try. The great thing about levels is that you can move them up and down ;) Play a lot with the opacity of levels: i somethimes duplicate levels, add some effects and then decrease the opacity, to have soft shades of each effect.

The selection tool is your friend: you can stroke the selection, round its corners, select only one area, invert it, move it. You can make an automatic selection from the letters you wrote, or from a certain color of the image to modify it. The possibility are unlimited.

Alpha channel is our best friend: all the work on the levels is about their transparency, and the alpha channel is just this, transparency. The firts level you have when you create a new image is not transparent, but just right-click and "Add alpha channel", and you're done!

Brushes...i love brushes! On deviantART lots of big-hearts offer for free their beautiful brushes! Give them a try, all my badges&banners have now a flower or swirl brush on ;)

I think a newbe won't comprehend what i'm saying (i'm sorry, on deviantART there are lots of free tutorials, just start from there, i have an italian gimp, will be problematic to show all the designing process ^^), but this is what i found to be interesting for who like me likes to design their own brand, and manage it from the blank image to the printed shining business card ^^

Some other advices from not-so-newbe like me?

All day crocheting

2009-04-03T19:43:00.004+02:00

I woke up a little late today, but since that time i started to crochet till now XD I saw almost 7 episodes of Robin Hood, and time went by very fast! The awful aspect is that i only started the sleeves of my sweater XD God, how long is the work on a clothing. It is my first ever sweater, i'm proud of it, but it's terrible: i only hope to finish it before the summer begins!

And the winners are...

2009-04-02T16:13:00.004+02:00

Thanks to all! We have two winners: laur@ and prettytheft :) The other partecipants will receive soon an email with a special sale code ;)

And now, some numbers: since 16 march 2008 i received 4309 visits...some can say that's a little number, but for me it's huge! The global average number is about 12 visitors per day, that's really nice for a just started craft activity, without so much internet promotion ^^

I have to deal a little with an headache, but soon i will send all the emails and prizes!

Happy birthday, my dear blog ^^

Organization time

2009-04-01T16:41:00.003+02:00

Ok, i'm starting doing things seriously. Not because i can finally dedicate all my time in my craft activity, but just because i want to be more serious. Before to dream my shining future about my crafting-at-home work, i need to know if it is only a dream, or if i can really earn enough and not doing a day job.

First organization step: to do list.
Now, from monday till thursday i have my strategy planned: crafting during the day, and promoting during the night, different areas in different days.

Then, pimping my blog and shop: i asked a review of my shop from my fellows deviantARTists; i subscribed the blog to some blog directories; i subscribed to HelloTXT to manage my twitter/myspace/flickr/plurk/tumblr/blogger all-in-one; i subscribed to DISQUS to better manage the comments of the blog...whew, it's a lot of work! ...but i love it so much ;)

I'm also thinking about packaging...yes, i have always sold patterns, but i want to make tangible goods! The work is a bit slow (i have not so much time to produce lots and lots of crocheted items XD), but i love to send out my handmade goods. So, a question for all: how do you package your goods? Where do you find all the materials? I want my package to be cheap, but special!

Photodiary...start!

2009-03-30T22:24:00.004+02:00

Happiness... is a new camera ^^
I love too much my new camera, it was cheap but super-uber-tecnologic! I have retaken some photos of my items, discovering that...damn! How it's difficult to shot with the new camera! So, here the new decision: a photodiary! I'll take photos of me, my activity and my setting, at least one photo-a-day, and i'll try to not edit the photo with the pc, i want to improve my skills! :)

These are the first two photos: my usual sunday, and my usual monday :)
You can find all the Photodiary here

...but this can be posted!

2009-03-25T19:22:00.002+01:00

In a secret tray of my library was stashed this little tutorial...i love to add belts to my crocheted guys, it separes the chest from the legs so i can use two different colors without having the line of transition between the two colors.

All frozen...

2009-03-25T11:21:00.002+01:00

...but only till friday ^^
Why?

Well...my parents bought a new camera! I'm truly exctited to try it but...i'm in Perugia, so far from home :( In the exact moment i'll return home, i'll go out to try the new camera. My old one...well, is very old, slow, and with a ridiculous display. The new one have 10 Megapixel, 3" display, only 2 battery, and is light weighted ^^ After i take confidence with it, i'll re-photograph all the items of my shops, trying to follow all the tips i read on internet: i also bought a photografy book written by a National Geographic's photographer.

I'm also writing my personal how-to, so i won't forget the tips ;) I'm writing about taking the photo and editing it with Gimp (but Photoshop has the same functions).

So, in this time of freeze, i'm writing a lot of tutorials...i also have a new pattern in mind, but it needs a long work.

Guitar heroes!

2009-03-20T14:38:00.004+01:00

My best friend is a guitarist in a metal core band in Terni. He started like a bassman (and i followed him starting to play the bass guitar), but the story about his coversion to the guitar is too long and i will jump it :)
So, now he has this beautiful LTD guitar with an aggressive shape that i really like on guitars, and he is starting to play around in some pubs. It's been his birthday, and i realized for him... he-amigurumi ^^

The pattern is available in my Etsy, DaWanda and Ravelry shops.

And, yes, i'm a great fan of Pink Floyd :)

It's great :)

2009-03-19T15:18:00.003+01:00

All of this work is great...blogging, twitting, chatting... yesterday i followed an Etsy Lab for the first time, i asked a question (and i also made a spell error XD) and i understood all (i improved a lot my english!). It's great. Someone out there realized his/her dreams, living and doing what he/she likes and shares his/her knowledge to other dreamers. I feel like i'm pushed by the tide of this handmade revolution, i don't know if it's spring fault, but i'm excited and i have a lot of creative ideas! I don't know if after the degree i will find a day job that suits me, i don't know if i will be happy working, if i will find a great working setting and if my boss will be a good person, but there is a thing that i know, a thing that is deeply inside my heart: no one can kill my creative mood. I will always be creative, it's a part of me, it's ME!

My creative skills are linking me to people i wouldn't never meet without. I feel like a part of the world, i have visitors from USA to India, and if i can i would shake hands with every person who stops here and read my adventures. It's really true: a blog is not about myself, but about all of you. Thank you all for your visits and for your comments. In this year i reached 4000 visits, and beahind every number there is someone, a person about who i don't know nothing except that this person enjoys seeing my works. Thank you again, have a nice stop :)

A new little friend...

2009-03-17T15:58:00.004+01:00

The new entry in my little family, a fish cozy for my usb pen drive :) I love to see it biting my little pc ^^ The idea came out when i bought my 4 Gb fantastic usb pen drive for my fantastic new eee pc. The pen drive has no a cap to protect the port, that slips inside the body of the pen. Ok, the port won't destroy but...the dust? Little orrible things can easily go into it, and i have ALL my precious files in this pen drive! So, the cozy! Simple and witty :)
The pattern is available for 2 € in my shops (links above) for all who need the not-the-usual cozy.

Free is beautiful!

2009-03-16T21:53:00.002+01:00

The publication of my free bunny pattern carried a boom of views of the blog, wow!
I'm happy to give happiness to 100 people in a day! I'll add a new free pattern soon :) And i'll list other two amigurumi patterns in my shops. I was also planning to add free promos with my business cards, but...i don't have time to crochet little promos XD So, all who will receive my business card will have a sale code to use in my shops ^^
But the other problem is that i don't sell and ship goods, but only patterns! XD I'm planning to make a line of crocheted jewellery like this:

I found the pattern on Ravelry, i added a wood bead and a metal wire for the necklace.
It's a first attempt, but i like it ^^ And it is my way to wish you an happy S. Patrick day :)

I've got a theory, it could be bunnies...

2009-03-10T14:31:00.004+01:00

Who didn't watch the "Buffy the vampire slayer" episode "Once more, with feeling"?
Well, if you haven't, you totally have to! It's been since i watched that episode that i'm thinking about amigurumi bunnies. What type of bunny would scare so much Anya? I didn't want a cute bunny, and i didn't want a difficult bunny, but an army of hopping little bunnies...yes!

Click here to grab the free pattern!

Bunnies aren't just cute like everybody supposes,
They've got them hoppy legs and twitchy little noses.
And what's with all the carrots-?
What do they need such good eyesight for anywa - y?
Bunnies, bunnies it must be bunnies!
cit. Anya, from "Buffy the vampire slayer"

CR***FT

2009-03-10T00:15:00.003+01:00

Today i was driving back to Perugia: the sun was shining and i was listening beautiful music (EmpYrios, a progressive metal band), thinking that the spring is coming...i watched a car plate in front of me, and it sayed CR *** FT. I initially read CRAFT! Ahahaha! I will take it like a suggestion ^^

News! I set up a mailing list, you will find the badge in the right column, and all the lucky subscribers will receive a special sale every month :)
I have also found one of the pattern of mine in the DaWanda homepage! I made the screenshots, soon i'll post them ^^
I don't forget the pattern i promised last week ^^ I'm making some photos ;)

Happy blog birthday: contest!

2009-03-05T17:22:00.004+01:00

I've just realized that this month Knots Me...Knot Me Not! blog will turn 1! I don't remember the exact day, so i will celebrate its birthday for all the month, and YOU can receive the gifts ^^

So, leave a comment under this post, write in your email (comments without email won't be considered in the contest) and what of my patterns you like, and why ^^ I will extract 1 winner every 6 comments, and he/she/they will receive the pattern for gift ^^

The contest ends in March the 31th!

These are the patterns in the "match":

Start!

Suspence...

2009-03-05T01:35:00.004+01:00

It's 01:35 am, and i'm still in front of pc...i've just finished to write a pattern ^^

It will be soon available in my shops ^^ Now, i need to sleep XD Goodnight ^^

EDIT!

The pattern is available in my shops!
Etsy, DaWanda and Ravelry
From the pattern description:
Like an happy buddha, this panda will give you relief at the first sight! It will be nice on every desk, or can be a cute variation for a pincushion ^^
This patterns is recommended for the intermediate crocheter, with knowledge of color changing, increasing, and decreasing. Also basic sewing and embroidery skills are helpful.

All you need is:
Black and white yarn
A matching crochet hook
Scissors, yarn needle and pins
Stuffing
...and of course this file ^^
The pattern is printer friendly, with the assembling section full of photos of the amigurumi parts.

Happy :)

2009-03-01T22:51:00.006+01:00

Today i talked i little with my parents, and i'm much more happy: they'll help me if i will follow my creative skill! I was a little unsure about this, they paid me 5 years of engineer university, but they understand me, and i'm happy ^^

My brain is full of ideas...this is a little taste of two patterns that i'll publish in these days...