Category Archives: Crochet

Glam Trash Fashion Show

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Key dress at the Taos Glam Trash Fashion Show

I participated in the Glam Trash Fashion Show this year. The above photo is from the Taos News. They have a slideshow of the event and video and I made it in both. Woot! The below photos are mine.

Key dress at the Taos Glam Trash Fashion Show

I got a man’s wool sweater and cut off the sleeves. I then cut the body into a cocktail dress shape and felted it. The sleeves were frogged to reuse the yarn. I crocheted straps and added several inches to the bottom of the dress, making a slit up the side. After sewing on keys to the bottom I decided to sweep the keys up one side to the bodice.

I then crocheted two wristlets and sewed keys onto them. Before the show I put three braids in my hair with wires in them. I made circles with the braids and sewed keys on them. To complete the outfit I wore fishnet stockings and my stripper shoes.

While I didn’t win a prize I did have a ton of fun. There were so many inspiring and arty outfits. And what fun to hang out with so many creative artists.

A close up of the dress.

Key dress at the Taos Glam Trash Fashion Show

This was inspired by the shag/fringe dresses from the ’60s.

And a close up of the key fringe.

Key dress at the Taos Glam Trash Fashion Show

When I shook my ass on the runway I jingled! :)

Hippie Tam

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Crochet tam

I’m finished with my first car project. I call this my Hippie Tam. This is the first tam I’ve crocheted in years. I used to make them a lot back in my commune days. There were a couple times I had to rip back because I was doing the pattern from memory. But it all came back and now I have a tam for winter.

Crochet tam

I did two rows with no increases or decreases to make it roomy enough to tuck up my braids if I want.

Pattern: Hippie Tam
Source: Me
Size: Custom
Yarn: Repurposed wool from a thrifted vest
Needles: H hook
Started: April 2008
Finished: May 2008
Modifications: None

Crafting in the car

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Abbey got me a gift to cheer me up after all my knitting related stress-the book
At Knit’s End.

At Knit's End by the Yarn Harlot

I’ve been reading the Yarn Harlot’s blog for awhile but had never read her books. This one is great. I’m now reading another one of hers, Knitting Rules. She talks about how the obsessive knitter redefines knitting time. Like standing in the grocery line transforms into sock knitting time.

This is an excellent idea. I’ve now started crafting in the car.

Car tam crochet project

Last time I went to the Taos knitting group I somehow forgot my knitting bag at home. I was annoyed at first. Then I realized I had a knit vest in the car I had snagged from the free box for recycling the yarn.

Instead of knitting I brought in the vest and started the frogging process. I haven’t crocheted something in awhile so I decided to crochet myself a tam. I haven’t made myself one in years. It’s relaxing to make something in the car. Makes car trips just zoom by.

Socks and squares

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I’ve been swinging a framing hammer and pounding 16 penny nails lately. My wrists have been hurting so knitting progress has been slow. I’m up the the ribbing on the orange yellow sock.

Orange yellow socks

My granny square project is coming along. A lot of my stash yarn is now used up.

Granny squares

However, the squares don’t all match because of the different yarn thicknesses. But if I’m making a huge afghan that should be ok right? I’ve been tempted lately to buy several balls of yarn to make an afghan with a certain pattern-maybe ripple stitch?

New projects, new yarn

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I’m getting to the point in my stash where I don’t have a lot of one type of yarn to do a project. So to use up my odd balls I’ve decided to crochet up a lot of my stash into granny squares.

Granny squares

To keep some semblance of gauge I’m crocheting all the squares using an H hook. However, I lost an H hook while Abbey and I were hanging out at Wired, a local coffee shop. Instead of replacing it with another metal hook I got a fancy one from Taos Sunflower, my LYS.

Palmwood crochet hook

I’ve used bamboo knitting needles for awhile and suspected a wooden crochet needle would be just as heavenly to work with. This hook is palmwood and is a joy to work with.

Since finishing my Knucks I decided to start knitting some socks. The Ogee wrap is an intense project for me and requires lots of concentration. I wanted some easy knitting. Socks to the rescue! And what luck-Taos Sunflower was having a sale on sock yarn. Did I get some? Oh yeah baby!

Sock yarn

Trekking and Regia are the brands I used to make my last two pairs of socks. I love variegated yarn, especially how the socks match yet are slightly different from each other. I think I’ll start with the yellow/orange yarn. There’s visions of minimal lace or cable work dancing in my head for these socks but I don’t know if I’ll do anything complex. The point is to have a simple, relaxing project right?

Speaking of lace I was talking to Martie at TS and she showed me her wedding shawl. Wow. Tiny little stiches, yet so very pretty. I have friends who are getting married and once they set a date I plan to make them a granny square afghan in their favorite colors as a present.

Recycled sculpture and fashion

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I dropped off recycling the other day and found two broken rice steamers in the tin area. They looked so full of potential. I brought them home and took them apart with a pair of needle nose pliers.

Rice steam sculpture

Rice steam sculpture

There’s a recycled art show where I live and I’m thinking of making a sculpture with the pieces. However, there’s also a recycled fashion show and I’m leaning towards making something for that instead. That’s more fun. Years ago, I created an outfit made out of telephone wires. It turned out super groovy!

telephone wire outfit

I crocheted a bikini top and miniskirt. For my hair I put wires in my many braids and attached phone parts to the braids as well. In Santa Fe there was also a recycled fashion show and I won first prize for this outfit. I was overjoyed!

Pretty Pasties

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My work had a get together and I decided to make party gifts. Pasties for everyone!

Pretty pasties

I found an acrylic rainbow sweater that I frogged for material.

Pretty pasties

I crocheted the flowers using the free pattern Flowers in Bloom. I used recycled buttons for the centers.

Pretty pasties

I cut up old leather purses for the pasties backing. To wear, one would smear Liquid Latex over the leather, attach and voila-sexy pasties galore!