Hello Craft Lovers!

Rose bouquet with winding crocheted Ivy

2010-11-07T21:32:00.007+01:00

Welcome to www.hellocraftlovers.com and read the post "Rose bouquet with winding crocheted Ivy" and look at all the images in a gallery!
I have moved this blog to self hosting to: http://www.hellocraftlovers.com.
I brought all my archives from this blog :)
Kind regards
Inger Carina

Refashion project: ragged old dress

2010-01-27T23:10:00.009+01:00

I have moved my blog and my Archives to my own url http://www.hellocraftlovers.com
All the material is also over there :)
I made a WordPress blog with larger images. This is number 2 out of 3 doubble posts I'm planning to do on both blogs.
Do you have a dress that you just loved (wore) to pieces? I’ve worn this dress a lot – A LOT! : -) It has turned to rags… I have a body that often don’t fit in dresses from the rack. Found a super wonderful and talented Swedish designer – Jenny Hellström – and all her dresses fitted me like a glove. AND it was all in my taste – everything! Bought a dress form every season. I’m sad to say her wonderful fashion line went busted! Bankrupt in the finance crisis! OH NO! What to do?
I cut up my absolut favorite dress, altered it a bit (like put a zipper in the side instead of buttons. Widened the skirt in the bottom to get more of an A-line skirt instead of the straight skirt that would have been difficult to walk in when I skipped the side buttons that was functioning as a slit) Used some old plastic mini belt buckles to make cute bows to replase the ribbons & made a belt with a vintage green plastic belt buckle, matching the tiny riding helmet pattern on the fabric (brown background color).

Sometimes I can see birds in there

2009-10-11T13:30:00.012+02:00

I have moved my blog and my Archives to my own url http://www.hellocraftlovers.com
All the material is also over there :)
I made a WordPress blog with larger images. This is number 1 out of 3 doubble posts I'm planning to do on both blogs.

Sometimes I can see birds in there.
I think about all the importence of ”feeding” the artist to be able to give to other people in your life. My art work tend to talk a lot about the struggle to run a life with work, family and being an artist at the same time :) I like the Swedish expression ”Kitchen sink realism” — This is my theme in all the Molys nowadays
The paper-part of this Moly has the programming language Php ”sentence”, a reminder of what I want…

Concept of "RadioVideo"

2009-04-17T22:26:00.012+02:00

Watch a video with subtitles in English and listen to the Swedish voices and original sound. (YouTube)
Pencil & water color

Sorry I have been gone for such a long time!
I work at the most wonderful and inspirational place nowadays - I'm so sorry I haven't had the time to craft at all. I still have all this projects going on though - in bags all over the apartment :)
Soon i will post some new Craft stuff - I'm for example working on an embroidered part of the Moly_X_project again. Other embroidered parts of that project here and here .

At the Radio where I work I have a project with Swedish Award wining radio documentaries that we have translated to English. It's what we call "RadioVideo". They are very interesting and amazing You can listen/read to some of them on YouTube or at the Documentary Dept. English web site

I have been working on sketches to explain the concept.You can download a TV-pod version to you phone /pencil & water color

Listen to the Swedish podcast with original sound and simultaneously read an Enlish transcript. /pencil & water colorPhone /pencil & Copic Markers

See you soon!
It's springtime in Sweden!!
Love
Inger Carina

Lace-Competence/Top skill-Competence - SPETSKOMPETENS

2009-01-12T16:08:00.010+01:00

This is Elizabet's Moly (Japanese Fold sketchbook from Moleskine) . We are a group participateing in the International moleskine sketchbook exchange.
The theme for this book is -Silver, Gold & Lace.
If you want to see what the rest of the group made this month, please visit our blog at http://moleskinex16.blogspot.com.

I have made a simple Flash slideshow with the 7 images. You will need Flashplayer 8 to be able to see it. Download free here Please write in the comments if you have difficulties viewing all images. If this works I want to use it more. But if you don't like it I won't use it again :)

Please write in the comments if you have difficulties viewing all images. If this works I want to use it more. But if you don't like it I won't use it again :)

21th International Sketchcrawl in Stockholm, January 10, 2009

2009-01-11T10:42:00.010+01:00

Yesterday it was the 21th International SketchCrawl. We where a group of 10 "Crawling" all day at Kulturhuset in Stockholm City . Sketchcrawling means that you meet up and sketch all day with some nice brakes for coffee and lunch.
I had a great day! Thank yo all! Next time we meet up at Arlanda Airport sketching my worst nightmare - aeroplanes...think I need a drink first :)
click on the image for a larger view
Crane on top of a roof at Sergel's Square, pencil. Drew over the spread....

High-rise "5th Hötorget building" with sculpture "Crystal - vertical accent in glass and steel" by Edvin Öhrström in the front at Sergel's Square, Stockholm City.
Pencil & Stabilo marker.
Suddenly two men (or should I say dudes?) stod in my way talking very loud about the demonstration down at the square. First I wanted to ask them to move away a bit but their conversation was so "crazy-great".... -"the police violence in the 70's ..bla bla The Cuba movement bla bla"
I don't think they had been awake since the 70's actually :)
My sketch ended up a little crooked because they blocked my view.

You can see the others sketches at the Sketchcrawl forum soon.

Happy new Craftyear 2009! Ending this year with my flea market find from the Christmas trip up north.

2008-12-31T10:30:00.015+01:00

Must say that I would have liked to craft more this year - It began okay the first 6 months when I still was on maternity leave and had time on my hands :) Unfortunately, after I began working again I didn't have the same possibility to craft. - I hate not having a craft project on my mind. This new year of 2009 I have to make a plan to be able to craft more again. Maybe I can book a meeting with my self in my calendar and write "Craft-meeting with Carina 6 hours" :)
It's a good idea actually. More meetings with your own creativity - taking it seriously.
I wish you all a
HAPPY HAPPY CRAFTING NEW 2009!
And thanks for all your encourageing comments and all your own inspiring work on all your great blogs!
Flea market find à la 65 Swedish kronor (approx. $8,4 or 6€)....mmmm..... red shoes MY FAVORITE.
This makes me want to do leather crafting - have all the tools but it was such a long time ago I workt with leather. Hm, maybe a project for 2009 :)
Big hugs and lots of love

♥♥ Inger Carina

My new re-upholstered heart-chocolate rococo dream sofa!

2008-12-16T22:18:00.013+01:00

Couldn't wait until I got the chance to take a picture in daylight! I just had to post these rather yellow images of my newly re-upholstered sofa! I'm so excited. I had the fabric for several years and the rococo sofa was in really poor state - the fabric was torn and the stuffing was starting to spread in the apartment. I could never have dreamt that it would turn out this fabulous. I just screamed when I first saw it. It's so yummy. Like a big Christmas candy in our livingroom.
I left it with a proper re-upholsterer and I would never had been able to save that old wreck on my own. Money well spent. They found stamps inside that said that it was made in Sweden 1700-late-something and that it was made for export. I only know that my grandparents got it sent from the Swedish embassy in Moscow in the 50th.

On Saturday when I'm at home while it's daylight I will take some better pictures. (The latitude of Stockolm makes it dark when I leave for work in the morning and dark when I come home - in the summertime it's the opposite though which is nice)

Dress project - cuckoo clocks & chicken pox prints

2008-10-31T00:01:00.006+01:00

It actually looks exactly like them - the cartoon kids :)

I guess you all know about Spoonflower by now. But if you don't - you have to visit them and start making your own prints! They have started their print-on-demand shop now and it's open for everyone. I was one of the lucky to be in the test group so I have already ordered two of my prints. I'm so excited because I have a lot of DREAM PRINTS in my head that I will never find in the shops and now I can make them!
My next Fashion project will be two dresses out of my prints. The beige one is a sketch of my girls when the had chicken pox. It's fun because if you see the print from a distance it looks like a kind of floral striped pattern - when you come closer you see the chicken-pox-girls :)
The Cuckoo clock fabric has always been a dream print for me but I have never found something like it anywhere - until now. (it's the same clock from the dress embroidery)
Can't wait to put the scissors in it. Unfortunately I have to start making the pattern for the dresses - pattern making is a bit time consuming... but it's more fun if you get EXACT the dress you want.
Cuckoo-clock parade

2008-10-29T22:29:00.014+01:00

Dear friends!
I have had a longer blog-brake due to too much work. I've got a new job with a project at a wonderful place with super creative and talented people. This was decided very fast so I had to work nights finishing all my freelance work (& I have two kids....)
Have been thinking every day about crafting though :)
And now I'm back. This fall I'm going to concentrate on clothing because I really love clothes and I fancy some new fun garments to wear! My plans are to both sew new stuff from scratch and remaking old and boring new clothes to wearable garments.
Started off with a little "fixing the boring new dress"-crafting with embroidery. Drew some mushroom with bows (kitsch ♥), a cuckoo clock & a dear. Traced them with white tracing paper to the fabric of the plane button-down black dress from H&M - satin stitch with DMC thread.
A couple of mushrooms down the top and a couple more plus the cuckoo clock and the deer beside the buttons at the bottom of the skirt.
Didn't manage to take any photos of the whole dress, It's barely daylight here when I come home from work :)
Feels good to be back Crafting!
See you soon.
/Inger Carina

Two Molys on Key- words & dreams

2008-09-08T12:04:00.008+02:00

I post two Molys in one post - was on a roll :)

Keyboard dreams (Lotta's Moly)

I don't think I need to give you many hints of what this sketch is all about :) Working a lot nowadays......dreaming of other things. is it textile or lettuce ?? :)

Keyboard Keywords (Lisa's Moly)

Since I'm on a roll with the keyboard keys. I zoomed in a bit and made my letters for Lisa's Moly. Notice that J has less keywords for me than the others...strange. But maby there are less words starting with J in Swedish.

Translation: J - juggle, hunted, me, aha?, work, compare, YES!, jumbo jet, java/coffee, jogging, baby talk, Japan, S:t Jacobi (highschool/college), Earth, damnit!, hurray, tricot(fabric), jeans?(haven't worn any since 1998), fighter aircraft.
K - Coffee, cottage cheese, kiss, love, art, cookie dough, kids(children), driving licence, friend, career, money, maybe, capable, party, cross-stitch, cognitive, concept, catalyst, cramp, kitsch , cat.
L - read, Saturday, long, happiness, ridiculous, vivid, life, summer home, peace & quiet , fun, scarry, time of work, langett(stitch), lego, live, light, sound, lumen, temperament , learn.

If you want to check out our project please visit http://moleskinex16.blogspot.com/
and the project word wide at: http://www.flickr.com/groups/moly_x/

♥♥ Carina

My question about the English word for Monk's belt

2008-08-13T15:03:00.007+02:00

If you wonder about me looking for the English names of two weaving techniques. (deleted the images I had here for a week) It was because I was working with this super talentded glass designer! Catarina Giarimi and her company Giarimi Design.
She makes crystal glass with engravings inspired of textile techniques - this decanter has the ingraving of Monk's belt. Lovely things...

Moly_x_16 (Maria's Theme climate Moly)

2008-07-07T23:00:00.006+02:00

Maria's Theme climate Moly:
It's one part paper & one part fabric in this Moly. I worked from a couple of sentences. On the embroidered "drawing" it sais in Swedish: "Eating organic, recycles the morningpapers and buying fairtrade". Last sentence: "but it's still a rainy summer..."

The embroidery shows empty childfood jars with an organic brand from Denmark called Hipp, which you end up with hundreds when you have an infant (very environment friendly....not....and it has traveled all the way from Denmark to Sweden...).
Drawing of pills and text: "hight levels of anti anxiety drugs in the Stockholm tap water" and "are you feeling happier lately?"

Technique: drawing and collage. Pencil, Copic marker, white opaque, ink and Stabilo.

Welcome to follow this project on the moly_x_16 blog or the Moly_x_Exchange_flickrgroup.

2008-07-02T15:28:00.006+02:00

Vacation in my summer home on the island Öland.
I'm going to bake large cakes, cupcakes and pies for my kids, make me some coffee and sit on the porch. I'm also going to bulid me a studio in the garden. Heavy duty DIY with flooring, walls and everything :)

Think I will manage some occational crafting, so I will post a few times I hope.

Soon my new Moly-project post.

Would love to make something new for starch it! :)

Otherwise I see you all in August!

Have a lovely lovely summer!

Yours

Inger Carina

Custom made flightcase sewing/work box

2008-06-15T13:36:00.009+02:00

A little bit of DIY & remake.
Took a custom made smaller flightcase, normally used for fragile music equipment when you travel on tour.
Very good for my purpose! It has a padded interior.

Covered the foam with a colorful fabric. Used textile glue to make the fabric stick to the surface on the bottom part of the box.

Covered buttons in the lid.

Voilá - new sewing box! Heavy duty on the outside & cute on the inside :)

Starch it! Join me in new Flickr group!

2008-06-13T22:33:00.008+02:00

You all know I have made 3D pieces with filetcrochet and sugarwater :)

Today I started a new Flickr pool called Starch it!
My plan is for you all to join in and we can explore what we can make with this technique together.
You don't have to crochet - you can use pieces of old Doilys, filetcrocheted bedspreads & other flea market finds. We can share recipes of starch (I only know about sugar/water but I've heard about glue and potato/water etc)
What do you say?
I would love if you joined me ! Just email me or make a comment here with your email and I send you an invite to the group.

Kind crocheted regards from Inger Carina

The Craftzine blog liked the idea. I'm so excited!!! :) > Craftzine blog

Floral USB memory stick

2008-06-12T16:08:00.011+02:00

A little more flowers in your life can't hurt... can it?

Started out with a 2Gb Usb memory stick - boring boring... had to cut of a plasic bit on the end and smooth the edges with a file.

Then I crocheted tight around it in two pieces, one top & one bottom. I used embroidery yarn (Perl) multi colored green. A little bit of what I fancy = flowers. I took linnen embroidery yarn and made random tiny leafs and flowers. (click on the image for a better view).

Sewed them all on the crocheted USB cozy cover.

It's working well and it nearly blends in to the floral background here on my work desk at home.

Sorry, I didn't mean to disappear

2008-06-11T09:34:00.007+02:00

Hello! I'm still alive :)
Unfortunately I have to many things to do right now.. But I'm working on two mini craft projects - hope to finish and post them this week.

Hope everyone is having a good time in the summer weather!
♥
Inger CarinaSold our beloved retro pram this week - goodbye farewell lovely pram! - go and nurse a new cute baby.

Making the stuff in your home your own style

2008-05-31T22:28:00.012+02:00

Sometimes you don't want the stuff for children (or other products) they sell in the stores because it has A LOT OF strange prints that you don't like :)
My quick tip for today is: Unpick the seams, save ribbons with buckles, elastic ribbons etc cut out new fabric from the pieces and sew it all back together again in a fabric that you like.
Maybe you have a nice fabric -- make a remake.

A pram for the dolls and a bouncy seat that I've made new fabric for that suits better with our style & taste.

Exhibition - A state of content

2008-05-29T09:47:00.007+02:00

If you are in the Stockholm area please come by and visit this exhibition at Gallery Operatingplace at PUB floor 3. I'm Carina Bergholm Sundén (alias Inger Carina) :-)

Gallery Operatingplace
New Exhibition fr 29 maj - 23 juli

A STATE OF CONTENT
- A SELECTION OF EXTRA ORDINARY SCANDINAVIAN ART

Marianne Lindberg De Geer
Carina Bergholm Sundén
Lukas Göthman
Vanna Bowles
Helena Mutanen
Peter Svedberg
Heinrich Müllner
Filippa Barkman
Marcus Bjernerup
Hanna Beling
Lars Hammarström
Kjartan Slettemark
LOD
Tanja Malo

Opening Thursday May 29, 17-20 GalleriyOperatingplace, PUBs floor 3, Hötorget, Stockholm. Other days open Mon-Fri 10-19, Sat 10-17, Sun 11-17.
Gallery Operatingplace
PUB Floor 03
Hötorget
Stockholm

Moly project - Now with beaded sushi rice

2008-05-24T19:53:00.010+02:00

My moly has two parts; one part with the normal paper to drew on and one part with a long piece of fabric to make something textile on. I have started with a comic type drawing of my "not so glamorous week" with title: "En diskbänksrealistisk vecka". If I translate this Swedish expression to English it would be close to: "A kitchen-sink-realistic week" :)
I scanned the images rather big so you can click on them to read the text. This one here has an English translation:

Here is my embroidered image on the fabric part of my moly.

now with beaded sushi rice...

It turned out fat... I'm super curious what it's going to look like when it comes back to me after my four other Moly_x_16 group friends has contributed their art in it!
More detail images on my flickr

Sunday afternoon in the studio

2008-05-12T10:48:00.008+02:00

The view from my studio window.

It's not often these days that I'm entirely on my own. I'm on maternity leave (most days of the week) with our second girl now 10 months. She is with me in the studio but she is the impatient type and doesn't let me work much :)
Yesterday I went to the studio by myself for a couple of hours. Brought a bag of goodies (old colorful vintage finds that has been hanging in the wardrobe for a while) - maybe I could make something with it...
Have a lot of Copic markers that I love to use all the time while sketching - I needed something to bring them in, going back and forth from home to my studio. Cut up one of the blouses and made a pouch out of it. My small digital camera also got a cozy from a nuno-fabric.
I used a super good tutorial from Three bears for the pouches!Colorful goodie bag

Copic marker & digital camera Cozys

All of them actually fit inside . I love my Copics!

I'm a ribbon junkie

2008-05-11T13:42:00.011+02:00

LOVE ribbons! - especially vintage. Want to put ribbons on everything.
Tried to come up with new things to make with ribbon.............but only the same-old-same-old came to mind :)
Flowers, like they had on the rococo-dresses in the 1700's. I want to make a copy of a dress like that sometime - and one for my 5 year old daughter too.
( :-D I saw a picture in my head of my chubby 10 months girl in one of thouse frilly dresses!)

Velvet ribbon makes great leaves!

Roses on a stem...

Crocheted moon landscape bag

2008-05-06T09:24:00.014+02:00

Maybe you remember this post from November about my playing with 3D crochet. I did 24 squares and they have been lying here in a basket. Now I put them together and made a bag out of them, because I found these handles at a flea market. Put a Japanese cotton fabric in as lining.

Crocheted moon landscape

Finished bag. Approx 30 x 25 cm (12" x 10").
It's based on a standard (a bit "tweaked" & changed) granny square.

Japanese printed cotton fabric lining.

Not my colors though.... I need something extra colorful for spring. This is more suitable for the fall/winter collection.

Got some questions how I made this.
So this i my attempt to explain in English - bear with me:)
First & second row is crocheted with what we call velvet yarn. Third row some kind of Angora mega hairy yarn and the last row ordinary wool yarn.
To achieve the bulky effect and keep the work square I did as follows:
With velvet yarn I crocheted 5 double crochet in a group and took the hook out of the last chain. Then put the hook trough the top-chain of the groups first double crochet and put the last chain on the hook again. Pulled the yarn through it all to bind the top of all 5 of the double crochet's tight together.
Hope it made some sense :)
Kind regards Inger Carina

A little domestic DIY for some spring feeling

2008-05-05T15:41:00.006+02:00

Went to Dalarna and fetched Michael's granma's kitchen sofa - I put new fabric on it and painted it sometime in the early 90's, which resulted in a blue sofa with checked blue/gray fabric. Nothing I like nowadays :)
With a stapelgun and a super cute pink floral oilcloth from Mingla design it took me 4 minutes to make our kitchen ready for spring.

Voilà - Spring kitchen!

Mmmmm thats more like it! Brilliant colors!

2008-04-27T14:04:00.005+02:00

More my range of colors

Colorful grannies

My house is filled with this 4 to 6 piece patches - any suggestions what to make out of all the test-patches you produce during a crafting lifetime? :)

Experimenting with surfaces

2008-04-26T18:42:00.005+02:00

Working with crocheted surfaces. Trying to make fun and interesting textures. Here is a test that I kind of like so I made a little bag out of it. The colors are, as you know by now, a little bit to subtle for my taste :) I continue to experiment

2008-04-21T16:11:00.005+02:00

At last, I'm done moving in to my new studio! I've decided - Wednesdays is textile craft day! Hopefully this will result in MUCH more postings with new craftprojects here. See you soon.

I know --- to many images of material and no crafting :) But just a few more photos today because it's like a candy shop here :-) mmmmm.

International Moleskine exchange

2008-04-17T14:04:00.008+02:00

Hope you have seen the link on the right to my moly-exchange group. This is a wonderful project started by Marty Harris.
20 groups of 3-8 artists are sending Moleskine Japanese foldout sketch books to each other around the world. Read all about it on http://www.flickr.com/groups/moly_x/

My group is moly_x_16
Was doodling about it in my sketch book and came to the conclusion that I will sew in a long piece of fabric in my book. This way my "moly_x_16-friends" can work and sketch with tread or another textile technique.

I'm as always very excited :)

Wizard of Oz-fabric & Print-on-demand textile

2008-04-12T14:21:00.014+02:00

Fabric shopping on the net at a break from my BIG studio swap. Everything took SOO much more time than I expected. Off course - things like this does.
The movers are coming on Tuesday and my new desk and other things are deliverd to the new studio, from IKEA, on Monday. Now all my craft supplies are in boxes so I did som inspiration-surfing in the webshops:
The Wizard of Oz photo fabrics!
Dorothyprints from Karen's shop Anna Lena's , Long Beach USA. This print is so lovely and superfun! Bought one more Oz-pattern. You can see that one by clicking on the image below with all the fabrics on.

Found a bunch of SUPER CUTE small-printed fabric from Japan at Nuno. I couldn't stop myself. Prints like this gives me inspiration to stay up at night makeing my own patterns with Illustrator :-)

Click on this image for a larger view. Enjoy all these marvelous prints!

I have been looking for a company that makes print-on-demand fabric printing. Found one (First2Print) but when I calculated on the price it turned out to be REALLY expensive, like $800 for 5meters or something like that. Found another one in Spain (DigitalTextile). Haven't contacted them about their prices yet. I will continue looking. Have done a lot of handprinting but now I would like to order my prints from somebody.

I would love to hear if you have any tips on this subject ! :-)
Kind Regards /Inger Carina

Moving my studio. It's Craft Chaos!

2008-04-01T16:02:00.015+02:00

I'm moving to a new studio this week. It's very exciting, but it's also A LOT of work cleaning up and putting everything in boxes. Right now it's a total chaos here.
I am a big collector - fabric, beads, patterns from the 50's-80's etc. I Love to pat my piles of fabric like pets :) this is one of my favorite shelfs with vintage colorful prints (and some new with the same "graphic feel" from for example IKEA)
When you clean up and go through all the stuff it's like an archeological (is that a word?) field survey. You make finds - like my collection of vintage aprons! Hadn't seen them in a while and I got really inspired from their cuteness. I will make a photo presentation of them later for you all, so you also kan enjoy them :)

I miss Paris

2008-03-27T09:57:00.006+01:00

Working with a big web-project today. Took a break and visited my blog-roll favorites. Found this tip to add borders to your images (online service) at How about orange's delicious blog.

It's a sketch I made in Paris of me & Birgitta as hedgehogs again :), also taking a break, at a café in Marait where we lived. I wish I was there now.....
Back with some more crafting without the computer soon! Se you later.. /Inger Carina

Blue Guy's visit to Stockholm

2008-03-26T14:47:00.014+01:00

If you want to see the images from Blue Guy's adventures in Stockholm, Working Mom Knits has posted them over at her blog. These pictures was taken when it still was the warmest winter in 250 years. Stockholm in the spring! Now it's a normal winter, but to late. Brrr. It took us 10 hours to drive home 400km yesterday (normally 4-5h) Nearly had to stay over night in Norrköping because of the traffic/snow chaos.

Crocheted wallpaper continues

2008-03-24T09:50:00.014+01:00

Continuing the task to try to crochet something that resembles my beloved bedroom wallpaper. I went agains my principles, to not buy new material (have to much already in stock) and bought two new colors that are closer to the ones on the wall than the ones I had in my stash. Getting closer now. It starts to look a little bit like the wallpaper .

The snow reflects the sunshine so the colors becomes very vibrant in the image. Took it outside on this sunny "winter"(!?) day at Öland.

This vacation I brought some Craft projects. Happy Easter!

2008-03-21T13:14:00.007+01:00

We are at our summer home on the beautiful island Öland, south east (400km) of Stockholm. This vacation I didn't forget to bring some craft projects.

When we came yesterday it was spring and nice. But now it's a snowstorm !(?).

If you like vitage craft you have to visit this blog!

2008-03-17T10:04:00.005+01:00

You just have to visit Cathy of California's blog! She is posting images from the funniest vintage 50-70's craftbooks I have ever seen!! :-D
She is also heavy in to loom flowers. It's a great blog!

More Loom flower Daisies

2008-03-16T09:33:00.007+01:00

I don't know where I'm going with this experiment yet. Made small Daisies out of thick wool yarn (Lovikka). This yarn is normally used for really heavy winter mittens.
I like them better without the green border.

On to the next! See you soon!

No more gLoomy days! It's spring!

2008-03-11T18:48:00.010+01:00

Have been thinking hard about what to do with the loom flower project I wanted to start. Sketching about it. Nothing felt right. Until I did this sketch.
This is a typical Inger project isn't it? Fun to make but makes no sense at all.
Can I pull this off, wearing this swim cap? Can you see me at the beach this summer? :-D

I love Daisies. They are so sweet looking. Had a couple of rolls of plastic ribbon (don't know the word for this product in english). Made a test and it was so much fun! Ended up with a little pile of plastic Daisies.

Loom-Zoom

This makes me SOOO happy!!! Look at this cap! I love it. Have to buy a green swimsuit :-D.

I have so much to do right now. I'm sorry.

2008-03-09T19:45:00.002+01:00

Hello my friends. I'm sorry that I haven't posted anything lately but I have so much to do right now. I start to see the end of it now so I hope to be able to Craft in a couple of days.
Thank you all for checking in on me!
Wish I could craft............ sooooon
Kind regards
Inger Carina

Oscar night

2008-02-25T12:51:00.010+01:00

I'm really tired today. Was up all night watching the Oscars (since Sweden time is 9hours before LA time the show started at 2:30 in the morning and ended around 6 o'clock!).
Proud to say Swedish Per Hallberg won for sound editing! He is originally from the island Öland where we have our summer home.

"Inger 30+" also went to the Oscars.....

Inger 30+ at the Oscars, pencil & collage
click the image for a larger view

Crocheted ATM-machine kept falling over

2008-02-24T10:40:00.016+01:00

Cotton yarn, starched with sugarwater

This is the full size (approx 80cm, 32") TV/VHS-player & video cassette that I started with when I did the VHS piece I posted the other day. In the end I only used the cassette on its own. It's a much better piece without the TV/player. But this showes the level of my filet crochet period. I think this theme was my warm concern for old ladies in this technique developed society or something like that.
My 70 years old friend Birgitta always wanted me to go with her to the ATM - so I crocheted a full size ATM-machine (cash machine). But it kept falling over all the time so I never showed it. At the top of the crochet madness :-) I even recall asking my brothers girlfriend (now wife) if I could use her car (?) as a mold for a filetcrochet Car.....
At that time my right arm started to feel like it was melting so I put the hook away :-)
Couldn't find any pics of the ATM-machine. Found this sketch I did of me and Birgitta when we had our Art-studio scholarships at Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris 2001. I'm the hedgehog on the left with the colorful sneakers :-)

Hedgehogs at the cash machine, ink & Copic marker. Paris 2001

Going through my studio space

2008-02-22T11:28:00.024+01:00

Going through all my things in the studio space because we are moving to a better place soon. Found a lot of photos and old art pieces from my studing years. (MFA at Konstfack Art department.) As an artist I've mostly worked with animated art video but in school I had a severe filet crochet CRAZY period. I filet crocheted so much I "crocheted myself" and couldn't crochet for years. I posted one VHS piece yesterday and these guns are my most displayed piece from that period. This is on the same theme as The "Soft punch" piece. (for the record: I don't like guns)
This makes me want to filet crochet again because it is a very good technique if you want to build three dimentional pieces.

Title: "A girl´s gotta do what a girl's gotta do", made in 1998, gun approx 25 x 13cm (10" x 5.2"), cotton yarn.

Detail 1.Detail 2.

Before DVD there was VHS

2008-02-21T13:33:00.004+01:00

Title: "Before DVD there was VHS", made in 1998 , 19 x 11cm (7.6" x 4.4"), cotton yarn.

Today Blue Guy arrived

2008-02-12T13:10:00.000+01:00

Today Blue Guy arrived to spend some time, on his world travels, with our family here in Stockholm. He is a friend of TLG, the son of Working Mom Knits and lives in Maryland USA. He is made by WMK's talented friend Kate.
He brought wonderful gifts, lovely yarn, curly wool in my favorite greens, yummy handmade buttons , honey in a beautiful bottle and a cute lovely card. I'm so excited! :-)

Long time no see AND "You Make My Day Awards."

2008-02-11T09:22:00.001+01:00

Oh no, "Beach 2008" project has started again.....

Flue update
The entire family takes turns with this illness :-) and the children got the required followup sicknesses like ear inflammation. All leads to penicillin and NO sleep at night. Everything sums up to me not crafting at all...... but I'm soon back with the hook :-)

Now over to the You Make My Day Awards
It's a blog contest where you nominate your 5 favorite blogs.
This is the rules:
1. Write a post with links to 5 blogs that make your day.
2. Acknowledge the post of the award giver.
3. Tell the award winners that they've won by commenting on their blogs.

My nominations are:
1. The winner is Nina Johansson!!! She has a wonderful sketch blog and I have visited her everyday for the last two years. Definitely check her out - don't forget her archives! It will blow your mind.
2. Suzanne Buchanan's sketch blog An (open) sketch book also a wonderful and talented sketch blog! You all now I love it already :-)
3. Alice's craft blog futuregirl. This blog makes your day if you love crafting. She has the most wonderful sense for everything; design, colors, ideas and she has a lot of great technique tutorials in her archives.
4. Another GREAT sketch blog is by Gabi Campanario. This is GOLD for inspiration and he is so generous with his work process and I sketch much more on the bus and in cafés nowadays. Ispired by Gabi :-)
5. My blog-visiting ALL started (2004/2005) on slow days at my work at the gallery by lurking Anthony Zierhut's sketchblog about his daily life and work as a storyboard artist in Hollywood. Super inspiring!

I want to nominate you all my fellow bloggers!!! You are all great and inspiring.
If you now Swedish, check my brother Schyffert's blog out and the owner of Marias Yarn Shop Marias Garnhändelser! Great knitting and funny stuff.

I'm also a WINNER!

2008-02-02T13:34:00.000+01:00

I won the Valentine give away over at Suzannes An open (sketch) book ! Talking about cheering you up! This arrived in the mail and it made my day! Thanks Suzanne!
Check out her FANTASTIC blog! She is a supertalented designer and artist.

Micro craft project

2008-02-01T13:12:00.001+01:00

You get some peculiar ideas while having a fever.. A Granny-square-charm for your charm bracelet. Crocheted in sewing machine thread from Gütermans - ultra thin.....
Like It's going to stay sharp and nice and not roll up to a little dusty knot after only two days of use....... Thank you my friends for cheering me up with your comments!
Hope you all are well and healthy!
Kind regards from the cough in Stockholm

Mini craft project

2008-01-31T17:44:00.001+01:00

Still in bed. Mini-crafted a crocheted bracelet for my wrist watch. Six mini granny squares, held together with sterling silver rings. Not very practical... but maybe cute.

No crafting today - I've got the influenza

2008-01-29T10:33:00.000+01:00

The winner is Allison!

2008-01-28T00:21:00.001+01:00

For it to be fair and (granny)square I used www.random.org and the winner is Allison.
Thank you all for participating !
It was fun, must do it again sometime :-)

Granny square rug Give away - last days to post

2008-01-25T14:21:00.000+01:00

While I'm at the Gallery working with other things than crafting over the weekend, I would love if you entered my Give Away.
Just comment at the post about it before Sunday 00:00 o'clock the night to Monday (the 28th)this weekend. (Stockholm time).

Back to work (only 3 days)

2008-01-23T13:17:00.001+01:00

I work part time at a big Gallery in town. Thursday & the weekend I am going back for a 'guest appearance' (I'm on maternity leave now) to work at the yearly BIG Spring exhibition. We are expecting over 1000 visitors. I've been working with this for some years now - people can drive you crazy :)
If you are interested in the comic format - this is my comic-website where some of my comics are posted.

Click the image to enlarge it for a better overview

Scary wallpaper-crochet

2008-01-22T13:02:00.003+01:00

Update on crocheted wallpaper project:
OH NOOO! This is getting really scary! The colors just don't translate well from the wall to cotton yarn. It looked so good when the yarn wasn't crocheted - but now it's hideous.
(it's even worse in this blue-tint Swedish winter non-proper-daylight image)

These wool yarns looks much better! Going with this yarn/color-sample to the local yarn store tomorrow and see if they have something in cotton in these colors.
I give this project one more chance - if it failes - it's "in-the-cupboard-under-some-other-scaryprojectstuff" and forget about it.

Hello Craft Lovers!

2008-01-20T22:51:00.001+01:00

Couldn't resist to make some custom pacifiers at namnnappen.se (languages at that site: Swedish, English, German & Danish).

Took approximately 50 photos, but all of them were out of focus because she tried to grab the camera all the time.

In the Crochet twilight-zone

2008-01-19T12:51:00.001+01:00

- Sorry, your card was declined...
- Ok, take this and crochet me a beer please.
- There you go...
- Thanks, cheers mate!

Second owl - is this a start on a collection?

2008-01-16T23:45:00.001+01:00

Today this little guy came to our home with the post . He is a Christmas gift from my work associates over at Swedish Marketing Federation.

Is this a sign that I shall start a collection?
:-)

Who wants to explore the universe of LOOM-flowers with me?

2008-01-15T14:57:00.001+01:00

I have seen this flowers, made with something called a loom-plate, in several craft books from the 70's. It looks fantastic an I want to try it out. I'm wondering if enyone else want to discover the loom-flower-technique with me? If you want to join in or if you already are working with this technique, I would love to hear from you. Drop me an email or comment here and we can start exploring this together.
I would love to get some tips on where to find out more about these flowers.
Image source: Virka nr 12, Model by: Carin Rehn, ISBN 91-552-0938-6 SEMIC förlags AB (Swedish crochet magazine form the 70's)

Couldn't find any loom-plates that had movable pegs so I'm going to start experimenting with this knitting-loom. I will post my trial & errors here in my blog. I'm very curious about yours too. :-)

I'm in Podcast heaven

2008-01-14T18:45:00.000+01:00

Got the iPod Touch for Christmas from my super kind mom. I'm a gadget geek and just love to read the manual of stuff like this. It has everything; surfing through Wlan, lots of GigaBites for video, movies, music and PODCASTS! I'm a fan of Sister Diane over at CraftyPod and usually I listen to her interviews while working on the computer. Now I'm a subscriber and I filled the iPod with all the episodes I've missed. Wonderful world of crafty goodness! (as Diane puts it). My morning walk was all to short today - I long for tomorrow morning so I can listen to an episode about 60's & 70's crafting. This walking and listening to PodCasts about craft is going to do wonders for my cardio :-)

Due to the big screen on the iTouch I got concerned that it would get scratchy in my bag among all the things I carry around with me. I crocheted a Brigitte Bardot-checked pink/white cover for it. Added a tiny bow. The iPod is staying in its home with a little band and a kittybutton on the back.
Now, I'm surfing over to Granny-along! Bye bye.

To cramped in pen case - must make a new one

2008-01-13T00:48:00.000+01:00

Couldn't close the pen case today - made a new larger one out of an old dress. Love this fabric.

For lining I used oil-cloth which is very good with ink pens and stuff that leaks occasionally.

Bicycle helmet with Bling

2008-01-09T21:02:00.000+01:00

Was playing around with tutorials for Photoshop. I go to Good-Tutorials sometimes just for fun and found this Bling-what-you-want-tutorial. Decided to try it on my bicycle helmet.
Nice.

My first Give Away!

2008-01-06T13:47:00.002+01:00

First: Thank you
During the night I had my 3000nd visitor! It's amazing THREE THOUSAND visitors, it blows my mind! I'm so happy for all of you that has visited me and all of you that has listed me in your blogrolls. Nice people posted my stuff on Makezine & Craftzine (great webMagz check them out) My flowers on a stem was in Dagens Nyheter (Sweden's largest morning paper) and my lovely brother did a shout out on his super funny blog (Swedish blog). Thank you all! I love that you helped me to make this connection with all you fellow crafters out there.

Then: Story

Went on vacation without a craft project - forgot my craft-bag - so I found this yummy thick paper gift-wrap string and a nr7(millimeter) crochet hook at the supermarket in Borlänge City. Vibrant colors. Love texture, so I crocheted standard granny squares and they have a great bulky feel. They turned out big, each is 22x22cm (approx 9x9 inch) with 4 rows. Put six together to make a carpet 68x45cm (27x18inch).

My first Give Away!

I will ship this carpet to you anywhere in the world. Just make a comment on this post before 00:00 (Stockholm time) the night to Monday 28th of January (I give it a little time because I'm not sure someone really wants it :-) If it's more than one person posting, I use "random.org" to draw lots. You don't have to formulate anything if you don't want to - just post somewhere I can get a hold of you.

Don't worry I won't send you my worn floral folklore clogs :-) It's just for the image. If you are interested in folklore as The Dalahorse and clogs like this - check this site out.

A project for a nightowl - crocheted credit cards

2008-01-03T23:33:00.000+01:00

Do you take Visa?
(don't we all need some crocheted credit now after all the Christmas shopping? )
This is one of those moments when you suddenly take a step back and look at yourself crocheting a Master Card in super thin sewing thread two o'clock in the morning. What on earth am I doing?
But you probably also now the feeling of getting an idea and you just have to try it right away. This project is up there with the crocheted wallpaper project in November :-)

Happy new year everyone! I've been on a vacation up north in Sweden to the beautiful Dalarna ♥. If you like Swedish folklore - this is the province to check out.

Merry Christmas! meet Christmas banana...

2007-12-24T00:04:00.002+01:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everybody!
Just had a blast decorating my bright red plastic Christmas tree with friends & family. This image shows one of my favorite Christmas ornaments, Christmas banana (?). I'm also the proud owner of Christmas -corn, -melon, chili, -hockeyplayer and of course you must have your Las Vegas wedding picture, mounted on a red shell, in the tree.
It's CHRISTMAS!

The Christmas "gift of the year"

2007-12-23T22:14:00.000+01:00

"The gift of the year" became homemade hangers of wire and beads. Not plastic 50's jewelry as I thought before. I really hope that my mom isn't reading this before tomorrow now :-)
(In Sweden we celebrate on Christmas Eve, the 24th).
I'd love to make a templet & description and post as a PDF here, if you want to try and make one. Just leave a comment here if you are interested and I will fix a tutorial right away.
Thank you for your interest in my hanger-pattern. /Kind regards Inger.

Hanger tutorial pdf printable version (1,64Mb) and a screen version (pdf, 87Kb)

We made some tiny ones for Barbie as well! Have fun :-)

Bags for little party girls

2007-12-19T23:30:00.000+01:00

Came across these photos that I've taken of two bags that my 4,5 year old daughter designed (I sewed) for her friends birthdays this year. Loves the way she picked the different beads an decided were they should go and the way she choosed to combine letter-beads with gold/pink/turquoise lace is just fabulous. I want one for myself.

Christmas shopping & Café at Mingla Design

2007-12-18T14:21:00.000+01:00

As you already know I'm a freelance webdesigner/programmer. Made a new Christmas front page for Mingla Design yesterday, with a late invitation to their ultra cool Christmas shop with Café in their showroom every Friday until Christmas.
They are selling both Mingla stuff and from other desingers.

So, if you are in the Stockholm area on Friday, drop by at Hälsingegatan 12 and have a glögg (traditional warm wine drink with seasoning) or coffee and find the last minute gifts.

The Mingla design site is the 'mother ship' of all the sites that I have made. It's huge and contains a lot of information and great images. Visit the temporary Christmas-version website and admire all the beautiful textiles & trays that they make.
Information on the first page is in Swedish but the rest of the site is in English. You need Flashplayer to be able to see the site.

Wardrobe Refashion #1

2007-12-17T14:20:00.001+01:00

Made my first post over at Wardrobe Refashion today.
Mannequin is showing a tribute dress to a Golden Retriver dog named 'Musse'. A boring yellow silk dress that I made in the 90's and in a desperate need of some Wardrobe Refashioning. With some large wool cross-stitch of a dog's wonderful face, it's saved :-)

Can you go over the top with Christmas?

2007-12-15T22:00:00.000+01:00

Today my big bright RED plastic Christmas tree arrived. I'm so happy! Hurray! I will post a photo when it's all dolled up and kitsch-fantastic.

This loveable guy moved in to our house

2007-12-15T21:42:00.000+01:00

Look at this guy! He is fabulous! It's a birthday gift from my friend who is a designer at Tough Love Design.

Soft punch

2007-12-13T21:31:00.003+01:00

Some years ago it was hard to "make some noise" with textile in Sweden. During my Art University years we were a tiny group who worked alone. I am so happy that has changed now! It's the comeback of textile - and "with a vengeance" :-) I love it!

I'm so glad to be a part of this great community of crafters.

Found these pair of boxing-gloves that I did at Art University.... they speak for them self about how I felt back then :-)

Velvet boxing-glovers with traditional Swedish folklore embroidery. The stitch is from the province of Blekinge called Blekingestitch (Blekingesöm).

Floral necklace

2007-12-09T11:27:00.000+01:00

My old friend "Mosquito" had her big birthdaybash yesterday. Made her a necklace out of vintage jewelry-parts from my stash. It became a bit 'Hawaii in the 50's'....I long for the summer..

UFO sightings

2007-12-05T16:13:00.000+01:00

Today's UFO-sighting (UnFinished Object. Anna's expression) is this pair of socks that had only the threads to fix - but at last - They are done!

Hurrah.

Wallpockets - excellent storage

2007-12-03T22:21:00.002+01:00

Wallpockets out of vintage cotton fabric and transparent plastic pockets with ribbons from my stash. Wallpockets are my favorite storage in the wardrobes for all the little things lying around everywhere.
They where very difficult to photograph with all the glitter&shine.

Wardrobe Refashion

2007-12-03T12:32:00.000+01:00

I took a pledge with Wardrobe Refashion for 6 months. I rarely buy anything anyway:-) It's fun to try it and maybe make some odd stuff like knitted wool pantyhose, shoes and things you usually don't make for oneself. I hade to buy a stash of nylons though..

I'm mostly going to "Redo" instead of making from scratch (shoes for example). Redo is very fun - take old ugly stuff and make it beautiful.

You can read the plede here.

Easy now.......easy..

2007-11-30T17:23:00.001+01:00

The Christmas Extravaganza was great! The SewJunta "Les femmes tricoteuses" where all there, Anna from My Knit sensations and many more.

Annika Huett the author of "Cross-stitch in a new way" (only in Swedish unfortunately) kindly gave us embroiderymaterial, thread & needle and we all started with our cross-stitching. All the girls are so lovely, I just embroidered away talking and having coffee. It ended, of course, with that I got my embroidery neatly sewed to my pantyhose (!?) Sadly this is not the first time... :-D

Annika's book takes the traditional old-sayings-cross-stitch to a new and very funny level. I started one of hers that was saying "nice and easy" but due to the stocking-incident I only got 'easy' done and ended it with an exclamation mark :-)

Crochet & knit Christmas Extravaganza

2007-11-29T10:55:00.000+01:00

Tonight it's a crochet & knit Christmas Extravaganza at Stockholm Kulturhuset (Culture house) .
The SyJunta (free translated from Swedish: sew junta) and some knitterfriends are coming. If you are in the neighborhood: this is the link to what's happening. (link in Swedish)
See you there :-)

More hairclips made of vintage plastic

2007-11-27T16:08:00.001+01:00

I had to start with my Christmas presents. Made more hair clips out of vintage plastic flowers and wire. Try to get a 50's feel to them.

Every year I seem to give the same gift to everybody - maybe this is "the gift of the year" :-) haven't decided yet. They are very fun to make.

A project for a nightowl - crocheted wallpaper

2007-11-21T23:53:00.002+01:00

I adore bright colored patterns (and I like to mix them). In the back you see my beloved bedroom wallpaper. A flea market find from Amsterdam. It's a vintage kitchen wallpaper, presumably from the 60's or 70's. It is my favorit pattern of all. Suddenly I thougt it looked little like a crocheted old-fashioned beadspread - and then that night was spoiled:-) I had to make a test. Traced it and made a sketch, found the right colored yarn in my boxes and started to crochet after the traced flowers.

This is how far I came with the project for now. I'm not sure if I like the big flower. Going to try a couple of other ways to solv it, less three-dimetional.

One-man textile factory here...

2007-11-19T22:42:00.000+01:00

I'm starting my own Etsy shop in December. Made more flowers this weekend. I thought they would be nice to sell in the shop.

Crocheted winter brooches

2007-11-17T22:57:00.000+01:00

My friends will recognize these brooches which I have been selling for a couple of years now. This time I changed them a little with an orange ball from a ball-ribbon and embroided yarn knots.

Rally knitted rally mittens

2007-11-13T21:06:00.000+01:00

They said on the weather channel -"It's going to start snowing". Oh no, I had to rally knit a pair of mittens for my husband and crochet a cap for my daughter.

Haven't knitted mittens for many years and didn't have a pattern, had to invent along the way. Second mitten was all about counting and comparing with the first one. Knitted while talking all day first at a café with my friends, later with the parents at my daughters gymnastics training and while watching TV at night. Really late last night when I looked down on the finished pair of mittens I saw with horror ........two right hand mittens........ just to rip and start over...

Finished Rally knitted Rally mittens - now with one for each hand :-)

Granny squares, with texture (1)

2007-11-11T16:40:00.001+01:00

Working with granny squares and experimenting with the texture using different thicknesses and some effect yarns. This one became very bulky, but I like it. Will se what I do with it later... have crocheted 24 so maybe a bag.

Visit my friend Annas knittingblog at My knit sensations, she has the most fabulous color sense!

More homemade gifts today

2007-11-10T14:01:00.001+01:00

Made some hairclips out of vintage plastic jewelry flowers from the 50's using thin iron thread so nothing pops off. Knitted a brooch, shaped as a bow, in white cotton. Using a pattern from Rachael Matthews as a base but I change it a little. (all knitted in ribb *k2,p2*) Made longer & thinner ribbons, smaller band over the bow and knitted the bowpart in one piece insted of two. Put together on a piece of cardboard with nice turquoise fabric - Voilá! Congratulations Eve!

Color on the wallpaper - Färg på tapeten

2007-11-08T19:13:00.000+01:00

Tonights book releaseparty was for this lovely book about wallpapers. Look at the yummy front and inside! It's made by my friend AnnCharlotte who is a fantasic interior stylist and textile/product designer. She is also one of the designers at Mingla design. Check out their website (I have made the site).

Textile flowers for a book releaseparty

2007-11-08T16:00:00.000+01:00

I'm attending one of my multitalented friends book releaseparty tonight. Made some homemade crocheted and sewed flowers.

It's nice they will keep for a very long time!

Glamour for cold feet at kindergarten

2007-11-05T13:17:00.000+01:00

The autumn is slowly getting colder here. Kindergarten is located in an old beautiful building. Only one flaw... draught... Crocheted these slippers for tomorrows games.

The flower is built up of standard leafs sewed on one-by-one (point out) and a ball, cut from a ball-ribbon, in the middle. Anti slip á la glamour with soles of metallic gold yarn.

Flower petal: chain of 7 turn, 2ch, 3dc, 2sc, 1sl st, 1ch, turn and crochet back on the "underside" of the chain; 1sl st, 2sc, 4dc, last 1 sl st in the first ch. Leaf: same but with chain of 10. (=7dc).

Birthday gifts for a craftLover

2007-11-02T10:37:00.000+01:00

Look at my wonderful birthday gifts from friends and family! I love the crochet cuckoo clock! It's from Amsterdam. Some of the books I got is from YesAsia.com which I can recommend. It's safe and fast to order - it only took a week from HongKong to Sweden.
A box filled with yarn! What more can a girl want ?

Craftblog with mixed media

2007-11-02T09:53:00.000+01:00

I'm a craft freak and have been since I was 6. With this blog I hope to come in contact with my fellow crafters of the world.

Despite my blogs name (the first name of the blog was; crochetcouture_craftblog), I'm not only working with crochet, but i'ts my absolute biggest love amongst the crafts. I work in all craftrelated techniques; knitting, embroidery, sewing, drawing. My new love is amigurumi and softies.

If you want to know more about my background - look under my complete profile.

Welcome to my blog!

First post. It's my Birthday!

2007-10-30T22:32:00.001+01:00

click the image to enlarge

This is my first post. I want to get it done before midnight because it's my birthday today.
Big 40.
Now I have to change the name of my comic.