Art Major Beret and Cowl

In honor of all the winter mess we have been getting all over the US (and Canada), my next few posts will be dedicated winter wear!  Besides the crowns I make and sell, I think I mentioned in a previous post that I also get a lot of requests for sets...hat/scarf or hat/scarf/mittens.  I made the Art Major Beret & Cowl when I first moved to Toronto to match my red coat.  I like to make a matching hat and scarf set to match my winter coats!  This pattern was featured in Crochet Today! in the September/October 2011 edition.

Pattern: Art Major Beret & Cowl (Crochet Today! September/October 2011)

Description: Ribbed Beret with matching buttoned cowl

Yarn Used: Red Heart Soft in Wine, Honey, Wheat, Toast & Paprika! This is a worsted weight yarn that is 100% super soft acrylic. I used the exact yarn the pattern called for on this project.

Sizing: This pattern was only available in one size.  You can adjust the buttons on the cowls but you can also add on or subtract the number of rows in the beret to get the perfect fit.

Instructions: Very easy to follow 

Changes: No changes at all

Level of Difficulty: Crochet Today! rates this as easy and it certainly was!

Timing: It took me a couple of hours while watching some good Canadian shows!

I get so many compliments when I wear this set in the winter.  My mom raves about this set every time she sees it!  It is my most worn set at the moment as I choose to wear my red pea coat most often being that it is a short coat with a hood....yeah I know little red riding hood.  What can I say? I love fairy tales and the Brothers Grimm!   


Until we meet again my fellow fashionistas....

How I Care for my Natural Hair

Well hello my fellow fashionistas!

So, I have been getting a lot of questions about my hair.  Everyone wants to know how I care for my hair.  I would be more than happy to explain how I care for my hair; however, I want everyone to understand that you have to do what works for your hair! What works for my hair may not work for you and vice versa.  So my biggest advice here is to PAY ATTENTION to your hair and body.  Our bodies react to everything we put on it and in it.  STOP and PAY ATTENTION.  It could save you lots of time and money.

I have and still continue to do research on how to care for my hair.  I have read many books and subscribed to many blogs.  One book I read about a year ago was Curly Like Me by Teri LaFlesh.  You can buy the book or if you are a library nerd like me, you can check it out at your local library.  I found her story to be very inspiring.

To be honest, when I read this book, I thought to myself  "Nahhhh, this will not work for me but I appreciated the read" and then I dropped the book off at the library.  Months later after trying braids, I felt very frustrated with my hair.  It was big, dry and frizzy.  I started following Teri's method by accident.  Tired and frustrated, I got out of the shower after washing my hair and I did not rinse out the conditioner.  When I woke up the next day, I almost cried.  My hair was back to normal.

Teri offers the rules and tips on her "Tightly Curly Method". I follow this method for the most part with some slight modifications.  Again, do what works for your hair.  Please check out Teri's website and/or book for her full method.  I am just going to summarize how I care for my hair here.

1. Moisture is key for curly hair!  Keep your hair moisturized.
2. I mix my own oil treatment for my hair.  I use it as a hot oil treatment and moisturizer.  I make it in 2 main scents for now: lemongrass and lavender. I also sell this treatment for $8 (comes in an 8 oz bottle) for those who don't feel up to mixing their own products.
3. I try to limit shampooing my hair.  1-2 times a month.  Shampoos tend to dry my hair and make it hard.
4. I pretty much wash my hair with conditioner.  Brands I love the most are: Aussie, Tresseme and Nature's Gate.  I will detangle my hair with a wide tooth comb while the conditioner is in my hair.
5. I deep condition every week. I use cholesterol or my new favorite Camille Rose Algae Deep Conditioner. The latter is much pricier.
6. I then apply another conditioner to my hair after rinsing out the deep conditioner.  This is very important, I use a regular conditioner and then I leave it in.  Not a leave-in...just a regular conditioner.  My favorites are Nature's Gate (tea tree and biotin).
7. I then apply a curly pudding or custard.  My hair is too soft to just stop at the conditioner so I have to have a product that will hold my curls and stop frizz.  My favorites are Kinky Kurly and Queen Helene.  Many people complain about hardness of these types of products.  Just use less of it.  Personally I prefer the hardness as it will help my curls last at least a week.
8. Lastly, I add my oil moisturizer.

Sometimes I will use Kinky Kurly's Knot Today which is a detangler and I also have a spray bottle with a mixture of conditioner/water/my oil moisturizer to spritz my hair.

Below is how my hair turns out the next day.  It is just a simple wash and go.

This is an old picture to show how important moisture is for curly hair and especially if it is color treated! I only used a small bit of conditioner in my hair with some mousse and gel. 

In this photo I used Kinky Kurly curl custard and that's it.  Again moisture is key! My hair is still very frizzy here.

Until next time....

Custom Designed Halter Top & Hobo Bag

I love to come up with new designs and custom sets.  Long ago when I first started crocheting, I designed an uncommon set.  Typically you see hat and scarf sets, sweaters and legwarmer sets...things of that nature.  I have a somewhat bohemian style at times.  It's the hippie in me, I supposed!  I love halter tops and I love hobo bags so I thought, why not put the two together?

You will not believe this but, the yarn I used for this project came from a thrift store.  My mom will pick up yarn when she is at the thrift store if she sees it and brings it home for me.  It's great to have parents that support your artistry!  

For those who are wondering, my hair is styled in 2 strand twists and I promise to post some blogs on my natural hair styling as I get many questions about how I care for my hair.  I also make some of my own products for my hair.  I am also an artist.  I do tattoo artwork and yes, that is my own design in the photo.  Please visit my art blog here!

Mittens, mittens, mittens...

So it is only right that I showcase some winter wear today with all the crazy winter weather we have in Georgia! For Christmas, my 13 yr old nephew begged and begged me for some gloves.  I was totally flattered and totally elated that he was interested in Auntie's creative projects.  I can do some knitting but my skills are not as fly as my crocheting skills or sewing skills.  Also, I have crocheted finger-less gloves for women (promise to showcase them later for you all on this blog) before but not gloves for men.  Immediately I thought..."well, it has to be more of mittens rather than gloves because I don't have time to search for the thinnest of yarns in a masculine color"

I also did not have time to design my own pair since I was in the middle of an overdue order for one of my customers as well.  I came across a pattern on Red Heart's website for Crochet Mittens for All.

The pattern was super easy to follow and I got these done in maybe in maybe an hour or so.

Unfortunately asking a 13 yr old boy to pose correctly for pictures is like an act of congress but you pretty much can see the fit here.  I could not believe how much he loved something so simple as a pair of gloves I made.  I notice that he has them with him everywhere he goes!

Lata fashionistas!

The Diva Set

Today I want to share one of my custom made items.  A lot of my customers like to purchase sets from me.  This one is a hat and scarf set that I created.    I call it the Diva Set.

The hat is double stranded crocheted and wide brimmed.  The scarf is extra long and skinny.  Perfect for the Diva in you!  If anyone is interested in a set like this, it could be purchases from my etsy shop online at SMH Studios & Designs.  You can also order it custom made from me directly. 

Ta-Ta for now my lovelies!

My Hottest Sellers....Crowns

Hello my fellow fashionistas!

I just wanted to share with you all today my most popular accessory...my soul crowns.  Anything I put on my head is called a crown and everything I do - I put my heart and soul into and this is where the name is derived. 

The most popular crown: basic ball cap in Camouflage (my very own custom design)

The Cadet Crown - The flipped bill is sick, right?!

 

The Righteous Rasta is most popular with those who have long hair...and of course, Rastas!

The Tam - an enclosed version of the Righteous Rasta

 

By far, my soul crowns were the most ordered item from my shop and still is.  They are my number one request.  I have to say that I am more than elated about this as I am often called the queen of accessories!

Feel free to ask me about my favorite patterns for head gear or about my own custom designed crowns.  As always, I usually have some crowns for sale in my shop on etsy!  Visit SMH Studios & Designs Shop here.

Until next time my fashionable friends...

Dawta Halter Top Pattern Review

I love to crochet halter tops for the summer.  If you live in the South, then you can appreciate funky summer wear as much I do!  Amongst the vast collection of patterns and pattern books I own is Fly Tops & Funky Flavas (Get Your Crochet On!) by Afya Ibomu.  I love this pattern book.  I bought this one a long time ago when I was just getting the hang of crocheting more than just the granny square.  Someone would always compliment me on the items I wore out of this book and soon people were asking me to sell them items I make out of this book!

Today I am reviewing the Dawta Halter pattern included in this book. 

Pattern: Dawta (Fly Tops & Funky Flavas (Get Your Crochet On!) by Afya Ibomu)

Description: Backless Halter

Yarn Used: Red Heart Super Saver in Coffee and forgive me but I cannot think of the other color! This is a worsted weight yarn that is 100% super soft acrylic. The pattern simply calls for worsted weight yarn in two different colors.

Sizing: I made this in a small. This pattern is available in in sizes S-1X

Instructions: Very easy to follow

Changes: No changes at all

Level of Difficulty: Afya rates this as "Some Skills" which means Intermediate skill level.

Timing: I can crochet this one in a few hours while watching TV but of course...I have been crocheting for a while now!

Overall I love this halter...it is casual yet sexy at the same time.  I love to rock this on warm summer night with cut offs or even with jeans closer to fall here in the South.  I usually have a few halter tops that I made with me along on a trip to the beach!

If you are not a "hooker" like me...no worries! People still commission me to make items they see on my blog or facebook page.  This halter is listed on my Etsy page if you are interested in purchasing some items there.  Buy this top here!

Until we meet again my fellow fashionistas....