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announcements, crafting, Emmyelle

New, But Also Old: The Celeste Cloche

With this new Emmyelle pattern, I’m going back to the beginning (Isabel knows what I’m talking about). Presenting Celeste: a quick, little, lacy, Art-Deco inspired cloche hat.

Emmyelle Celeste Cloche (green)

This charming little cloche not only hearkens back to the 1920s with its classic bell shape, but with an Art Deco-esque lace as well. It’s designed with considerable negative ease for a snug fit (so of course it’ll stay put whilst sneaking into speakeasies and/or dancing the Charleston) and to open up the lace. Knit it up in muted, neutral tones for an era-appropriate look, or in a bright, vivid color for a retrofuturist approach. Instructions are also given for stripes along each pattern repeat, so you don’t have to decide on just one color!

Emmyelle Celeste Cloche Striped (white & green)

While there are only two sizes given, the pattern can easily be adapted; for a looser fit, just cast on another 10 stitches (or 20! Whatever you need) as each pattern repeat creates approximately 1.25” of width. Keep in mind however that since there is no ribbing, the lace is what maintains the elasticity. Choosing a yarn with natural elasticity and memory will also help. Juniper Moon Farm’s Moonshine yarn was the perfect choice not only because of its name, but because of its fiber content: wool keeps it stretchy, alpaca provides a silent-film, soft-focus halo, and silk adds that little taste of glamour and opulence.

Celeste knits up fast, so you can make one for yourself and maybe even a few friends as holiday gifts!

To celebrate this being my first Small Business Saturday, from now until the end of Monday, December 1st at 11:59PM PST, you can get a total of 10% off this pattern and/or the Sirena snood with the code TINYSHOP10. The code will work in both Etsy and Ravelry, so go where you feel most at home.

November 29, 2014
announcements, crafting, Emmyelle

Sirena

Sirena knitting pattern Emmyelle

After a few months of working and worrying– not to mention the years of wondering– I’m finally starting an online shop, Emmyelle! Now, if you’ve met me, you’re probably well aware of my anxious and neurotic ways so this was no easy feat, but in all honesty, it was an easy decision. So many ideas were bubbling around in my brain and it was time they were finally made manifest.

The first item available is a knitting pattern*, my ode to summer, Sirena. This is a lacy little thing that gets its name not from the effect it can have on sailors (or does it?), but from the Milanese Lace stitch that evokes geometric wave patterns. Short and sweet, it’s easy to knit up and even easier to wear, making it perfect for those breezy days at the beach or any time you need just a little protection from the elements.

The name is also a nod to my love of The Little Mermaid, because the fandom part of my brain my heart my soul is always at work, as you can see by my Weasley Weather Bottle shirt.

The name is also a nod to my love of The Little Mermaid, because the fandom part of my brain my heart my soul is always at work, as you can see by my Weasley Weather Bottle shirt.

Sirena as a Seaside Scarf

Sea Sirena

Sea Sirena Folded

Using the Provisional Cast-On method, Sirena begins from one side and is worked towards the other, with the ends grafted together using the kitchener stitch for a seamless look. Because of this, the final length of the piece is determined by the cast-on stitches, while the final circumference is determined by the rows worked.

Despite the lace and the cast-on method (a link to detailed instructions is provided within the pattern), one only needs to know the following stitches: knit/knit 2 together, purl/purl 2 together, and yarn-over. That’s it!

Sirena as a Sunset Scarf

Sunset Sirena

Sunset Sirena Folded

I’ve knitted these two samples up in differing weights and fibers to illustrate the versatility of the pattern. The turquoise sample is Wool and the Gang’s Shiny Happy Cotton in “Magic Mint” (which was recently restocked!), while the orange sample is Knit Picks’ Shadow Lace, a 100% Merino Wool yarn, in the beautiful, but unfortunately now discontinued “Queen Anne Tonal” colorway.

Sirena is available to purchase for only $5 USD over at Ravelry, (you don’t have to be a member to make purchases) as well as Etsy! Both sites have the pattern available for instant download, so no need to wait to cast on!

* If you’re interested in a physical product, please let me know! I’ve been considering making a worsted weight option available for sale, but given that there are so many factors to look into (fiber options, colors, costs of production and shipping, the list goes on!) I wanted to know if enough people are interested before heading down that road.

August 20, 2014
anime, announcements, television

In the Name of the Moon

Today is a special day. Not only is it Glass Lens, Gold Key‘s third birthday and my thirteenth blogging anniversary, but it’s also the premiere date of Sailor Moon Crystal!

Sailor Moon Crystal Act One Usagi

I couldn’t ask for a more serendipitous event. My veery first foray into “graphic design” was editing Sailor Moon images in Microsoft Photo Editor and my first “web page” (hosted on Geocities, of course) utilized those bordered backgrounds that had a character graphic on the left side that took up around 25%, while the remainder was a plain texture. Those were the days of 640×480 resolution and seeing those babies scroll was impressive! Honest! Also, those who’ve known me for a while and knew about my blogging at the time may remember my old moniker; I can’t deny that the… celestial aspect of the original series influenced that choice.

However, nostalgia for bad graphics and antiquated web trends doesn’t explain why I woke up at 3AM this morning to watch the new anime. The reason I easily jumped out of bed was because Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon is an enchanting story about heroism, love, and sacrifice, steeped in Classical Mythology, and of course, dressed to the nines. Let’s not forget the fact that it has a full cast of female protagonists, each with their own distinct personalities and ethics.

And that’s just scratching the surface. The Sailor Moon universe (no pun intended) is vast and deserves more than my primer, so let Sailor Moon Crystal be that introduction.

If you haven’t already watched it, the first episode can be seen at Hulu, NicoNico, Crunchy Roll, and Neon Alley!

Tsuki ni kawatte, oshioki yo!

July 5, 2014
announcements, site

Blog Birthday #2

Art and Introspection

Art and Introspection. Best card I could have drawn for today.

I’ve made it through the second year! Granted, it was more quiet and with less routine, but I stuck with it. This past year also happened to be my last two semesters of university and I certainly let that get to me. Although my weekly posting schedule gradually turned into a monthly one, I kept creating things:

[Self] Sunday Sounds: “Constants”
As if the lyrics don’t give it away, this song was all about getting out of my own comfort zone. It was the fourth song I’ve shared and it was one of the quickest (i.e. easiest) to write.

Black, white, and basics. New layout!
This is the announcement of the design you see now, one that I’ve designed [mostly] from scratch. The previous layouts had been modifications of the WordPress Twenty Eleven layout, so I’m very proud having coded this.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!*
For Christmas, I covered my favorite song for the holiday, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”

Crafty Christmas 2012
Made jewelry for the first time, not likely to be the last. My friend, whom I made them for, said that the astrological one was her lucky necklace! :’)

With the second year behind me, I’ve been making some changes to prepare for the road ahead. I’ve updated my “about” page with much more about myself as well as the blog itself. If you’ve ever wondered where the name comes from, read up! There’s also a list of a few “trivial” (you be the judge!) personality identifiers, such as Myers-Briggs type, Hogwarts house, and Western and Chinese astrological signs. Wherever you stand on those different typologies, they’re at least a little fun, right?

July 5, 2013