Edward Cullen Crochet Piece

I'm so excited to say that I finished my Edward Cullen crochet piece!

It did take me longer to finish then I expected because I didn't have as much time to work on it toward the end of my pregnancy. I got so inspired and decided to work, and work, and work on it until it was finished! I swear I'm so excited about it that I don't know what to do with myself, LOL!

Now I only need to put a back on it and that can be a trick within itself. The piece is pretty thick so I have to pick a back that won't add to the bulk but also easy to attach. I thought about crocheting a back or knitting one, adding fabric, or even fleece. There are so many choices.

I know that crocheting would be easy to attach but it would take longest to create and add too much bulk.

Knitting might be easy to attach but I'm not sure it would be the best idea either!

Adding fleece or fabric could be really cool but attaching it could be harder. I wouldn't be able to sew it on with my sewing machine because the crochet is too thick. I would definitely have to sew it by hand.

Well, those are my choices! :) I guess my progress will be another update!

Selling Your Work

Ok, so you're crafty.

You love to create things within your craft and you often get compliments on your work. Your family and friends love what you make and often boast about it to others. All the talk has you interested in selling your work, but you have no idea if you're ready for it.

This is often a decision that most artists face when they are first confronted with the idea of selling their work. You definitely want to make sure your work is good enough to sell, but you don't want to wait until it's "perfect" to start selling either.

So when do you start selling? 

Whitney Smith of Whitney Smith Pottery wrote a great article on her blog about when to start selling your work. In her article she says, "Don't sell mediocre work just because you can. And I'm going to add an addendum to that statement: Don't wait until your work is perfect before you start selling."

This couldn't be more correct. Whitney touches on something I often think about when perusing Etsy, and that is the fact that there is a fair amount of work being sold that looks like beginners work.

Now, I'm not saying that the ideas are unsound in any way, this is not the case. Finding the right time to start selling and developing your craft is key before selling your work. Visit Whitney Smith's blog for the entire article.

Taking Care of Your Hands

If you're a regular crocheter or knitter then you know how important it can be to take care of your hands. Stitching for long hours every day can take it's toll on your muscles and joints, and for us unlucky ones it can develop into carpal tunnel or something else.

Regular breaks and stretches can help to alleviate any pain and even prevent pain from occurring. Even if you don't have a medical condition that affects your hands, stretching is vital to keeping your hands feeling good and the blood circulating.

Listen to Your Doctor

Now, I do have to say that these stretches are in no way a treatment or diagnosis if you are feeling pain. If you have already been diagnosed with carpal, or another health issue, please make sure you are doing what your doctor has told you.

This wrist exercise is something that was shown to me in occupational therapy. They really helped a lot. They told me to do them every morning and night. Now the key is to only give it a LIGHT stretch, not as far as it will go. Pull the thumb down until you feel it stretch lightly, and hold it for about 10-20 seconds.

Stretches

Here are a few more stretches that you can do every day. Try taking breaks between your stitching and do a few stretches. They don't have to be hard or take up a lot of your time either, just a few seconds a piece.

Picture Afghans on the Way

So my newest love, and hopefully items in the shop, are picture afghans! I absolutely love love love them. This is my first attemp at creating my very own from my own pattern so I'm really excited about it! Here is my progress on my first one and I've added the little pic of what it's supposed to be. Yes, I'm a HUGE Twilight fan and I can't wait to finish this one! It's 35% done and I can really see it coming together nicely!

Wanna try this sort of thing for yourself? There is a master of Crochet by Numbers named Todd Paschall and he will give you your first pattern for free. Visit his website for more info and tutorials.

There are also some awesome ladies who've adopted this method and created some free patterns of their own. Visit Totallee's Free Patterns for some Harry Potter and another Edward pattern. Also visit Tracy's Crochet for her Edward pattern.

Stitching for Charity

So I've always been a giving person and I love to create more for others than for myself! I've added a Charity page to the blog so that others can see what charity work I'm donating to and my progress. Of course I will be posting picks within the blog as well so you'll be able to see what I'm up to, but you'll be able to find more info on the Charity page. To get to the Charity page there is a link in the linkbar at the very top of the blog. Check it out for the charity that I'm going to work on right now! :) Are you participating in the charity as well? Feel free to send me pics of your work and I'll be happy to post them to the blog!