Winter Enchantment Hat and Scarf Set

Hello My Family of DIY Fashionistas,

Today I am reviewing another hat and scarf set that I made while I was living in Canada.  It is out of the Better Homes and Gardens Romantic Looks crochet booklet. This pattern is actually for a trio.  There are mittens included in this pattern which I am also working on and will post in a later post.  Now before you see the photos of this set, every time I wear this set in Atlanta, people laugh and ask me if I am cold.  Why else would I be wearing a winter coat with a hat and scarf?! However, I don't get to wear this set that often in Atlanta due to the lack of a severe winters (normally)....

I made this set specifically for the Canadian winters to match my purple and grey plaid long wool coat.  This set definitely works for the Canadian winters!  It only took one time for me to get stuck outside in Canada with my Atlanta winter gear on! I knew I had to make something warmer.

Pattern: Winter Enchantment (Better Homes and Gardens Romantic Looks crochet)

Description: Hat and Scarf set with bobble and post stitches.  The scarf has ruffles.

Yarn Used: Bernat Jiffy in Silver Heather. This is a bulky weight yarn (5) that is 100% soft brushed acrylic. This yarn has the look of mohair but you can actually wash this in the machine, unlike mohair!  The pattern actually calls for a worsted weight yarn.

Sizing: This pattern was only available in one size.  

Instructions: Very easy to follow 

Changes: I did substitute the yarn as I usually do in most cases.  I went with a bulky weight yarn due to the fact that I wanted this set to keep me extremely comfortable in Canada.  I also made the scarf a little longer for versatility with ways to wear it.

Level of Difficulty: Better Homes and Gardens rates this as easy.

Timing: I would say this project took me a little longer than most as I made it longer and there is quite a bit of ruffles you have to create when you make it a little longer!  Because I was in between other projects, I would say it took me about a week to complete.

I love this hat and scarf overall because of the romantic look of the ruffles and bobbles. I feel like it is somewhere between Victorian and avant-garde winter wear. I know it seems like a bit much for winters in the South but let me tell you it was what I needed for Northern white winters! On top of that it is also beautiful.  


Until next time....

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!