Bunny Round Up!

Blogging, Crochet

With Easter coming up, I’ve been inspired to make bunnies! Although, I didn’t realize how many different ones I’ve already made. So let’s see what we have so far!

The latest addition is these Chubby Bunnies. The crochet pattern in from Lauren over at A Menagerie of Stitches. It’s a free pattern, so they’re great if you want to try your hand at amigurumi.

I’ve also made this huge, long-eared bunny! So squishy! This one was harder on the wrists, but so worth it. Just take some stretch breaks. The pattern was a paid pattern from Etsy. But due to recent events, the shop is unavailable. Not to worry, Etsy still has many other crochet patterns for bunnies!!

This one is probably my favorite! I just love the embroidery and its egg shape! These Spring Bunnies were made using a crochet pattern by Lilleliis.

Lastly, one of the first bunnies I’ve made! Also using a crochet pattern by Lilleliis, this one just made more adorable with the felt details.

For more information on all of the above bunnies, check out their shop page here! And if you’re interested in taking home your own, please contact me soon as each one is made to order. If you need to fill a basket sooner, check out my Shop Handmade Hawaii storefront for ready-to-ship cuties!

Bonus Bunny!

Another favorite of mine! (Oh, I just can’t pick one!) This is Clover the Bunny, made using a crochet pattern from the book “Snuggle and Play Crochet” by Carolina Guzman.

And that’s all…for now. I’m sure more bunny styles and patterns will cross my path in the future!

Don’t forget to follow me on socials to see what else I’ve been up to!

Happy Lunar New Year!

Uncategorized

It’s Year of the Tiger

Crochet tiger plush sitting on a table — Tom the Tiger

I’m back from a super hectic past few months! But now that the transition period is (mostly) over, I can focus more on creating and sharing what I love! Something by Vera’s 2022 starts now, and we’re looking forward to being more present.

First task in being more present is having a new storefront at Shop Handmade Hawaii. The host is locally owned and so are the other shops. There’s no accidentally buying something dropshipped when you wanted to support small, local businesses.

Another goal I have this year is to return to in-person craft fairs! So, follow me on my socials or subscribe to the newsletter (sign up below) to get the updates on events that’ll Something by Vera will be attending.

Lastly, I can now craft more! Meaning more variety of ready to ship items and shorter commission turnaround times.

Tom the Tiger was made using a crochet pattern by Janine Holmes at Moji-Moji Design and is available at Amigurumi.com.

I wish you all a prosperous year ahead!
-Vera

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Comet the Unicorn – Just in time for Unicorn Day

FO Friday, Look What I Made!

Happy Unicorn Day!

This one was quite the adventure to make! Having had quite the time making Apollo, I just had to make Projectarian’s other patterns! Of course a pattern sale just solidified that plan. Then being the yarn hoarder that I am, I also had yarn to burn through.

This particular one took me almost 3 weeks to make! The most time consuming part for me was the hair! After a few strands, I find I have to put it down and come back after a day or two. I don’t think the photos do the hair justice though. Using a “striping” yarn was definitely the right choice, and is now a must for any next Comets. This effect would definitely have been more difficult to achieve if I were to use solid colored yarn.

Materials and tools used:

Crochet pattern from Projectarian
Yarn
- Red Heart Super Saver in Aran Fleck, Black, and Pool
- Red Heart With Love in Baroque Stripe, Papaya, and White
- Knit Picks Brava Worsted in Cornflower and Clarity
Fairfield Polyester fiber filling
Clover Soft Touch crochet hook, 4.0 mm
Clover yarn needle

Want one of your own?

Send me an email or use the contact form on this page.
A ready-to-ship may be available through direct checkout on my Etsy page.

Meet the Maker: Tools and Materials

Blogging, Review

Today we meet tools and materials that I can’t live without. Staples in my toolbox are crochet hooks, yarn, and stuffing. Yes, I’d also need other things like scissors, needles, and measuring tape. But when worse comes to worse, I can improvise. I’ve used keys to cut my yarn, crochet hooks to tuck in yarn ends, and phone screens to measure. Here are some things that can halt production if I didn’t have them in my arsenal.

Hooks

Crochet hooks. This must be the most important tool one would need to start crocheting. It can be as expensive as something hand turned, or literally your hand (think finger crocheting); but you’re gonna need something if you want to crochet. My two favorite crochet hooks are from Clover USA and Furls.

From Clover USA, I use Soft Touch Crochet Hooks. They’re reasonably priced and accessible where I can buy multiples of each size, and they’re comfortable and lightweight enough for amigurumi detail work.

From Furls Crochet, my favorite is the Odyssey line. They are one of the cheaper lines that Furls has, so it’s easier to get a few sizes or if you just want to try out the brand. I love using these for when I know I’ll be crocheting for a long time. I’ve gone for hours at a time with these.

Yarns

The most common brand and line in my stash are Red Heart Super Saver. They come in a wide range of colors and my local stores stock them regularly. Sometimes, one can’t wait for an online order to arrive. Dye lot numbers are not a thing to be worried about, so colors are consistent and I can use up a skein knowing the next one I buy will not change the look. They’re economical, therefore I can offer my finished products at a more accessible price point. Red Heart With Love is a softer version I am also fond of, but does not come in as many colors as Super Saver does.

In a perfect world though, I would love to have Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn. It may be a little more expensive than Red Heart Super Saver, but I feel the quality is much better. The yarn is very smooth to work with and amigurumis come out squishier. However, there is no Hobby Lobby in Hawaii and they charge more than I am willing to pay for shipping to Hawaii (BOOOOOO!!!)

Filling/Stuffing

What’s a plushie without stuffing? I use quite a bit, so I purchase the largest box I can find. That would be Fairfield Poly-Fil. They are available locally in massive 10 pound boxes! It is also very easy to find online with free or cheap shipping, to Hawaii! I’ve been going through at least 2 of those per year. I like them because they’re easy to work with and hypoallergenic.

Again, if I had my way, my absolute favourite would be from Hawaiian Pillow Co.. It is very soft to work with, and almost no flyaway particles. It’s like working with a cloud! What stops me from using them all the time is that the largest they sell them in are 4 pound bags, and I have absolutely no room to store them in wholesale amounts!

What are some qualities you look for in your tools and materials?

Please note that this is not a sponsored post. I’ve purchased the items mentioned on my own and am not receiving any compensation for a good review.

The Project that Tested Me?

Blogging, FO Friday, Uncategorized

Let’s start off this post with the one photo I have of this thing…

This is called the Trifle Tumbler. The sewing pattern is by Sara Lawson at Sew Sweetness. It’s part of her Minikins Season 1 collection of pouches and small bags. The Trifle Tumbler is available in 3 sizes, but my patience at the time only managed to make the two larger sizes. This particular one tested my skills in sewing along curves and using binding.

I may have gained experience working with circles, zippers, and binding, but the most important lesson I learned here is that your project is limited to the size of your sewing machine’s bed.

The fabric is another (shorter) story. I was in line for the fabric table at Walmart, when I saw the person before me was buying this fabric. It caught my eye coz it was a cute “Hawaii” themed design. At the time, I was in a souvenir making frenzy. So I thought this would make a great addition. So a few yards were purchased.

Anyways….I may not make this one again (unless specifically requested). I still have the last size unfinished. We’ll see.

New Location

Uncategorized

After maybe a year and a half on the waitlist, I finally got the call! A locker has become available at the local craft store!

Thursday, I receive a call about lockers being available on “all levels.” There are 4 levels of 17-inch lockers, my first choice was one at eye-level or second from the top. But they’re “first come, first served,” so I dashed over as soon as I could. When I got there, there were none available at my preferred level, one available at the third level, maybe two at the top level, and a bunch on the bottom level. Imagine if I waited until we were in the area, I’d probably have to deal with a bottom level! Not that the bottom is bad, but it’s just not my preference.

At first I thought a top one would be good. Then, I realized I’m probably too short to tend to that level properly. In the end, I picked one at the third level. It is low enough where I could comfortably sit on my knees while I tend to my locker.

Move-in day was the next Monday! I got a call notifying me of my SKU number (so the store can pay me what I sell), and I dashed over again to put some stuff to replace the generic “Coming Soon” sign the store puts.

Maker:0x4c,Date:2017-10-9,Ver:4,Lens:Kan03,Act:Lar01,E-Y

The first thing I did was take measurements of the locker. Some lockers have made walls or installed “wallpaper.” That’s not in my plans yet, but I figure now is the best time to measure. I put some things that I think will be quite the visual and offered different price ranges. The inventory notes I took were detailed down to the number of cards I put in. The nerd in me wants all the data! Like how many people were interested enough to take a card or brochure?

I’ve yet to feel the effects or visit my locker again.

Something by Vera’s My Locker (#47) is located at HouseMart Ben Franklin Crafts in Mapunapuna, 2810 Paa St, Honolulu, HI 96819. What kinds of things do you like to see at “storefronts” like this?

New Menus, New Projects!

Crochet by the Book

The holiday rush is over and I’ve gotten a chance to work on patterns I’ve been hoarding! With this, a new menu sprouted to share with you all projects that go together. Part of my pattern hoarding includes a collection of physical (and sometimes digital) books.

First project I want to share is from a new book Snuggle and Play Crochet by Carolina Guzman Benitez. I’ve already made three out of excitement! You can see the details here. And a preview photo here…

I have lots of books I want to crochet through, so be on the look out!

FO Friday: Magikarp Hat

Blogging, FO Friday

This one was a fun one to make! Magikarp hat! As seen on the Pokemon Go game! It helps that the pattern was very well written (link below). I set aside nearly a week to work on this hat, but it only took a couple days! I think if I sat down longer for it, I could have finished it in 24 hours.

The pattern tells you exactly where to place each piece, which I think helps if you are not very familiar with this creature.

It was a perfect day for a photo shoot, the lighting made the hat pop!

Pattern by Becca de Kroon
Materials: Loops and Threads Impeccable in Orange Crush; Red Heart Classic in Sea Coral; and Red Heart Super Saver in Bright Yellow, White, and Black.
Order yours here.

FO Friday: Sepp the Seahorse

Crochet, lalylala

It was another beautiful day in Hawaii! So why not take Sepp (kind of close) to his natural environment.

(I just can’t get over how fast my model is growing!)

The little baby is so adorable! Maybe I should make more baby seahorse?

Sepp’s head was another part of a Lalylala I altered. This pattern is another that is crocheted bottom-up, in the round, all the way to the top of the head. I personally have a hard time getting the neck how I like if I crochet that way. But the way I altered the head last time made the hood not fit as well as I’d like. So what I did was make the head separately. I made a foundation chain to make a fake last row of the body, and continued to work the head upwards. And behold! It worked. This may be my go to alteration.

It was a windy day, so the quality of Sepp was tested. He had to be dusted oh so many times! As you can see in this last photo, the stitches are perfect for catching sand from the wind.

I’m still working my way through all the Lalylala patterns, so I’m sure there will be another doll coming soon!

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver in Eggshell and Light Blue
Hook: 4.0 mm Odyssey crochet hook from Furls
Other materials: polyester fiber filling
Location: Ala Moana Beach Park, Honolulu, HI
Order yours here