I’ve sold my first item – on Etsy.com!

I signed up on Etsy several months ago. I finally got the nerve to open 
a store. The next challenge was posting something good enough to sell. 



It was scary putting something I've created up for sale, but I posted 
a skinny-scarf that I crocheted. I thought the scarf would just sit 
there. I didn't charge a lot for the scarf because it had a couple 
of flaws - they are hard to find. This is the scarf:

The scarf is 80 inches long and 2 inches wide. It's made of 100 percent 
Lamb of the Wool cotton. When I checked my Etsy account the morning 
after I posted it, it was gone! Sold! My friend Krystal purchased it. 
That was so inspiring that I've been knitting non-stop since then and 
can't wait to post more items on Etsy! 

I'm more confident in my creations now. 
Thanks Krystal for the inspiration!

My attempt at knitting…I’ll stick to crocheting…for now.

I’ve been trying to teach myself to knit. I went out and bought needles and yarn. I bought a “Knitting For Dummies” book and it doesn’t help me. I’ve watched videos of knitting, after around 10 times, I could cast on to one needle, but when it was time to use two – forget it!

This is as far as I can get knitting.

One needle is enough for me, so I’ll stick to crocheting.

I hadn’t realized that all the yarn I bought was acrylic. I want to use yarns and fabrics made from animal, vegetable and plant fibers. I don’t want to use synthetic fibers at all.

I’ve found this information on a Web site I like called Annie’s Attic.  There, I learned that cotton is a vegetable fiber, as well as linen.  I knew that silk was an animal fiber, and will definitely use it for some garments.

Here is a throw I started to make for my bed:

Crocheting a throw

I bought the yarn without checking the fiber, turns out that it’s 100 percent acrylic; I’ll be using it for practice. I’ll perfect my technique and be ready to construct high-quality pieces really soon. It’s Lion Brand Yarn’s Hometown USA line and it was on sale, so I bought it. Lion Brand also makes the the types of yarn I want to use, so I’m not dogging them.

Right now, the throw looks like a baby-scarf. But it will begin to look more like a throw soon, I promise.

Work in progress

Double crochet stitch

I will post photos as I make progress. If you notice anything I may be doing incorrectly, please feel free to share.

Thanks for visiting my blog! Come back soon, and feel free to post your knitting or crocheting projects and/or advice. Check my Web site, Riquee.com for updates as well.

Southern Connecticut State University Homecoming

On October 16, 2010, I attended the homecoming for Southern Connecticut State University.  I went with my dear friend Tricia, who is an alumna and has attended many of the homecomings.  This was my first homecoming at Southern – I’ve been to Morgan State’s years ago – and this was my first as an alumna. I’ll be going every year. We had a ball!

I was on the fashion prowl of course, and there were some stylish people there.  Although I don’t enjoy football games, I had fun checking out the fashions.  Here are a few of the people who stood out for me:

Riquee.com: My first time using a pattern to make a garment!

Here is a post from Riquee.com about a dress I’m making.  Please check it out:  Dress

SCSU Style

Here are just a few of the styles I’ve been seeing around the SCSU campus, in New Haven, CT.  Fun Sandals seem to be in again, with less straps than the gladiator type had last summer.  There are so many styles of these shoes and that’s what makes them fun.

White leather gloves…new or vintage?

A couple of weeks in church, one of my church sisters gave me a pair of gloves.  They were given to her by another sister who knows she likes vintage or older garments and items.  Well, Diane couldn’t fit them so she gave them to me.  They are the most beautiful, daintiest, petite gloves I had ever seen!  I love them and was so glad I could fit them.  I don’t think I’ll ever wear them; maybe for pictures, but that would be it.

Who made these? I want to know where they came from

The little flowers are leather.  All the leather is so soft and there are so many seams; it’s as if they were custom-made for someone.  They have “7 1/2″ stamped in the inside with what looks like blue ink.  They are very soft.    I love them and will keep them forever.  I want to know who made them and for whom they were made.

Wrist-edge of glove

If really old, that would be cool.  If they’re newer, it would be really nice to know who made them.  If anyone knows, please leave a comment?

Favorite (Fashion) Magazine

My favorite magazine is Vanity Fair, it just happened to be a fashion magazine.  Acually, I should point out that when I began reading it because I thought it was just a fashion magazine, but it’s not!  It’s so much more. 

I learn so much about current events from reading it.  The stories are extremely interesting and informing.  I love it!  I’ve posted a poll on my Web site so that everyone can share what their favorite magazine is.  Go to Riquee.com.  Check it out.  Thanks.

Winter Readertainment

With a busy semester this fall, I don’t really have time for much else but school and church.  So, I try and treat myself to other very small things I find interesting, hence my subscriptions to Vanity Fair for stories and Vogue for pictures.  Vogue also has interesting stories.

Last year, I susbscribed to W, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, and Newsweek.  W for the pictures, Vanity Fair for the intriguing stories, Harper’s for pictures and Newsweek to see what journalists are writing about.

This year, poor student that I am, I’ve had to cut my subscriptions down to two:  I chose Vanity Fair and Vogue.  The reason I didn’t choose Newsweek is because of the 52 issues I have from last year, I’ve probably read 20 of them front to back.  I have even less time to read it right now, so it was a waste of money that I could use for other things, like food.  When I have time, and am bringing in some real income, I’ll subscribe to Newsweek, and other news magazines I’m fond of, like The Nation.

There are plenty of online news venues as well, so I’m sure I won’t go crazy for not having Newsweek for a while.  A blog that is gaining respect in the news arena is “The Huffington Post.”

I don’t agree to every story in either publication, but I like to read different viewpoints from around the world.

The only thing I’ll miss about Harper’s Bazaar is the yearly fashion report, “Fakes Are Never In Fashion,” and the perfume samples.  It’s good to have an idea of what scents you like without having to go and trigger your allergies sniffing around at a perfume counter.

I just got my January 2010 issue of Vanity Fair in the mail – it has Meryl Streep on the cover.  I love how it’s December and the January issue is out!  That always makes me feel like I’m ahead somehow.  Also, the stories in Vanity Fair may surprise someone who thought it was a regular fashion magazine.  Vanity Fair, to me, is the perfect fashion magazine, because it’s fashionable to know what’s going on in the world and in society.  Fashion isn’t just clothes and shoes, it’s being intelligent and aware of the important current events.  Fashion is participating in history.

Photo courtesy of Vanityfair.com

One of my dreams is to write for Vanity Fair one day, just one article would make me happy.  Let’s see what happens with that.  I haven’t received my first Vogue yet, I’ll fill you in on both while I read them.  I used to buy Vogue, but have never subscribed.

For now, have fun and share what you read this winter.  Books, magazines, poetry, anything about fashion, art, and people.  Stay warm:)  Riquee

Labor Day has passed…

Come back later today for interesting posts about fall fashion!

Making a scarf, a big scarf!

Last night while I was browsing the internet, I felt the need to make something for myself.  I will make a scarf using yarn my mom was using before she passed away.  It will make the cutest shawl to go around my arms – I like to wear T-shirts, and a shawl is cozy and warm, plus stylish.  Here is a picture of what I have in mind.

 

Photo courtesy of: www.mohairshawls.com

Wouldn’t it be nice if I could make like the scarf below, which was worn at a function for the Lion Brand Yarn Company.

 

Photo courtesy of: www.community.kaboose.com

I am in love with this scarf.  I’m going to try and make one and I’ll post progress reports with pictures.  I’m going to have to get some big sticks!

Here are some other cool, big scarves:

 

Victoria Secret show, photo courtesy of: www.cnd.picapp.com

 

From the Giles Deacon collection, photo c/o: 2modern.blogs.com