tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74168464126800080102024-03-18T15:29:19.057-07:00Gantsilyo GuruA Filipino crocheter's blog.Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.comBlogger249125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-79296525539749548452017-06-20T20:11:00.000-07:002017-06-20T20:14:14.677-07:00Crocheted Balls For A Cause: We Need Your Help!There's good reason I'm making a blog post again after a long time and this is about asking for your help for a great cause. Of course, it involves crochet.
I was asked by Ms. Bane Agbon of Kids for Peace Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Cotabato City that conducts camps to promote peace and empower the youth, to help provide 48 crocheted balls which will be used in activities Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-79830663755562932202016-08-28T19:50:00.001-07:002016-08-28T19:50:43.782-07:00Holiday Headstart 1: Motif on Fabric BoardIt's almost September. This means that it's already time to think about what you are going to give everyone for Christmas...especially if it's handmade. Yes folks, you have to start now :)
If you plan to give a lot of people something crocheted, choose something simple, classy, and pretty useful. I have some gift suggestions which you can consider, starting with this simple motif on a fabric Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-19058108559984322622016-02-05T02:20:00.001-08:002016-02-05T02:20:02.517-08:00The Last Bedspread I CrochetedBack in 2013 (which I can't believe is almost 3 years ago), I blogged about starting another bedspread. Well, I actually finished it after a year but I only found time to share it now!
I posted this "teaser" before, but I never showed the entire spread :) I used Red Heart Baby Sheen. Forgive me for saying this but I already forgot what hook size I used. Of all pieces of information, I forgot Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-41580581682342548682016-02-01T09:55:00.003-08:002016-02-01T09:55:57.714-08:00Light Cashmere Blend Promo!We are bringing our "Buy 2, Take 1" promo to February with our Light Cashmere Blend Yarn!
You'll be able to avail of this promo if you checkout your order of Light Cashmere Blend in multiples of 3 from our online store (or buy them directly at our Yarn Studio!). There will be no bulk discounts but you'll be able to save more with this promo.
This yarn has an almost silky textureGantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-78733340944252519172016-01-20T07:57:00.000-08:002016-01-20T07:57:04.936-08:00Crochet Hook ConversionIf you are new to crochet and you are just trying to figure out hook sizes, we have something for you.
Have you ever been in a situation where you noticed that the size 8 steel hook you have is different from the size 8 hook being used in the pattern you are following? Well, it turns out that even if they are both number 8, they might not be the same size. 8 might refer to IMIA or Japanese size Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-21019563438690429332016-01-01T20:25:00.003-08:002016-01-01T23:10:43.970-08:00Pantone Color of the Year for 2016Almost every one involved in design whether it be in fashion, interior, or graphics, looks to Pantone for color standards. Every new year, they announce a color that will pretty much set the tone for the color palettes of the entire year. Last year, they announced Marsala as the color of the year. For 2016, they made an interesting choice of 2 shades: Rose Quartz and Serenity.
Please take note Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-6674885851160289652015-12-30T23:05:00.002-08:002015-12-30T23:05:50.348-08:00Happy New Year, Gantsilyo Gang!
2015 was a remarkable one for me. I just opened my very first Yarn Studio (which I still have to blog about), launched quite a number of yarn varieties, and pretty much took on challenges I didn't think I could conquer.
It was also an unremarkable one for this blog, sadly! Four blog entries in 2015! Now that is sad! I couldn't say I was distracted, because I diverted my Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-79805460110657193272015-10-07T23:26:00.001-07:002015-10-07T23:27:37.948-07:00Coloring with YarnIt's not exactly like adult coloring, but it's super fun too! Crocheting a mandala is a great example of coloring with yarn. And believe me, it's not that hard! It's mostly made up of basic stitches. I had been putting off making a mandala because I was afraid it might take up a lot of my time and I might get overwhelmed by the color choices. Guess what, I finished mine in 5 days!
My first Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-75701580725262735202015-07-10T23:41:00.000-07:002015-07-10T23:49:00.719-07:00Motifs Make Me HappyHello, hello! It's already July and it's been months since I made a blog entry! I will talk about this hiatus on a different post because projects need to be shared. Right away!
I have been busy decorating a "special place." As some of you might know, I am quite fond of crocheting motifs. I use them mostly to make accessories and home accents. The motif pattern I recently undertook wasn't new toGantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-67797128720046178682015-01-26T18:56:00.003-08:002015-01-26T18:56:54.713-08:00Dare Your Mind To Create (To Crochet!)I started this blog in 2012 because I love crocheting. My main "objective" was to convince anyone who stumbled upon my blog that crochet is not just one thing. It's not just about making doilies or coasters (although I love doilies and coasters). It's not just a craft you are limited to doing inside your room, hidden from the rest of the world (for fear of being called a grandma or potential Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-83829987090723370492015-01-15T07:05:00.000-08:002015-01-15T07:28:14.559-08:00Crocheted Rose TutorialDo you have a "go-to" crochet project if you want to make a quick gift? Well, mine is a flower brooch. I've been crocheting this same design for years! And it always works! I've given out so many of these as gifts that I have already lost count on how many I've done in many years of crocheting. The flower can also be used as an accent to a beanie or as a standalone clip.
Of course, I will showGantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-22233603215005613232014-11-25T06:10:00.000-08:002014-11-25T06:37:11.661-08:00Gantsilyo Guru Baby Cashmere Acrylic is Here!Hello, new yarn!
Right off the bat, this is not real cashmere :) But let's just say it comes close enough to the real thing. This yarn is made of 100% acrylic that simulates the softness of cashmere.
I recommend it for just about anything baby - beanies, blankies, clothes, among other things - well, maybe except shoes because this yarn might be too thin.
And no, it's not just for babies! In Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-52726742175458284192014-11-03T21:55:00.001-08:002014-11-11T05:22:16.499-08:00Paper Stories Bazaar This November 8!November will be a full month for me for weekend yarn pop-ups and I am excited to announce the first one this month! I will be part of the Paper Stories Bazaar by Paper Club at Heima Home and Lifestyle (Pasig) on November 8 (Saturday).
Paper Stories is a small independent market for crafts, art, and design. Check out last month's Paper Stories event HERE.
For this pop-up, I will be Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-21575061725544076182014-08-19T20:05:00.003-07:002014-08-19T21:48:26.216-07:00My New Crochet "Gadget"Having a new crochet tool is like getting the latest version of some gadget for me. I just discovered one, thanks to a friend who introduced it to me (out of the need to have one as well). Can you see it here?
For those of you who have seen some of my travel blog posts, you might know by now that I like to bring my crochet along with me (as much as possible) anywhere I go. This tool has Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-321563354376346322014-08-12T21:13:00.000-07:002014-08-12T21:13:00.915-07:00Gantsilyo Guru Selections is a Year Old!Gantsilyo Guru Selections is a year old! We wouldn't be able to reach a year without the support of family, friends, partners, and of course, our clients - you who actually dared to buy our offerings even without seeing them in person and of course dared to create with them. THANK YOU!
We are excited for the coming days, weeks, months, and even years for the store. As a small gesture of our Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-23146199095554041792014-07-29T05:40:00.002-07:002014-07-29T05:40:55.128-07:00You Know You're Addicted To Crochet When You...How do you know if you're addicted to crochet? Well, here's my list!
Or I may just be describing myself here.
Have tons of yarn in your Wish List. Just because.
Bring it anywhere! In the airport, in the car, at work, in the salon, during your vacation, and possibly even during a date (?)
Have skipped a meal because...you were crocheting
Tell yourself you'll stop after this row or round but end Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-63485610595154055332014-06-26T07:32:00.001-07:002014-06-26T07:32:22.311-07:00A Summer of Crochet LoveWhere did summer go?!
Summer is officially over and what a season it was for crochet! I held 7 crochet workshops in various locations in Metro Manila.
Pretty granny squares from one of my basic crochet workshops!
And here are the new "hookers" of Summer 2014! I held a workshop at Designer Blooms Cafe in Alabang last March 22.
There were 3 basic crochet workshops in Pipino Vegetarian in Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-8574245108734150782014-06-11T22:09:00.000-07:002014-06-11T22:09:20.214-07:00266 Pieces. Done.I am finally done crocheting all 266 motif pieces of the queen-sized bedspread I started last year. And this is how I monitored my count.
One word. Excel.
I am a sucker for Excel. You can organize anything on Excel, so I decided to plan my motif layout for this bedspread on it. Thing is, all the motifs on this project have the same design and only use the same 6 colors on each piece - so Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-25172286329548385992014-06-02T05:09:00.002-07:002014-06-02T05:09:27.918-07:00My "Crochet Rules To Live By"I have these self-imposed rules when I undertake a crochet project. They help me a lot in achieving the results I want. I'm pretty sure other crocheters have their own versions too.
My 3-Hook Test
When I undertake a project that has a recommended hook size, I test that hook plus 2 more hooks: one with a size lower and the other with a size higher. You see, I'm not a gauge person. I Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-50351778561204365522014-05-19T21:33:00.001-07:002014-05-19T21:40:45.145-07:00Gantsilyo Guru on ANC ShoptalkLast May 1, I had the opportunity to talk about my little online yarn store, Gantsilyo Guru Selections, on ANC Shoptalk.
This is me bring proper and all :p
I'm a fan of the show because I always get inspired by the stories of their guest entrepreneurs. I would learn a thing or two about starting a business from every episode. It was my turn not only to talk about my business but also to bringGantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-61395138123046768502014-05-13T20:08:00.002-07:002014-05-19T03:00:02.512-07:00On Baby BootiesThere is one thing I am sure of when it comes to crocheted baby booties (or shoes): they should be comfortable!
I don't know much about babies but I know they have sensitive skin (especially newborns), so I guess it is ok to assume that choosing the yarn with the right fiber is key. The yarn has to be soft and lightweight. Do take note though that the kind of booties/shoes I am talking about Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-59222520019471197692014-05-07T23:06:00.000-07:002014-05-07T23:06:15.892-07:00A Weekend of Crafty Goodness at the Craft Pop-Up!My very crafty friends and I will be having a Craft Pop-Up this weekend, May 10-11, at Pipino!
It will be a full weekend of craft workshops by Life After Breakfast, Hey Kessy, and Gantsilyo Guru Selections and weekend-long offerings of craft tools and supplies (washi tapes, watercolor sets, calligraphy paper, and many more!), craft kits from iTryDIY, and of course yarn and crochet/Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-8084885742323331472014-04-23T08:13:00.000-07:002014-04-23T08:16:28.738-07:00Doily, What?Here's an idea. Get any doily pattern (any doily!) and instead of using the usual mercerized cotton yarn or thread, use a thicker (and shimmery) yarn, like this one!
I used Red Heart Holiday yarn with a 5.0mm hook (US H8 or Japanese 8/0) to crochet a big "doily" of sorts. I got the pattern from this vintage book, published in 1975, called "Decorating with Crochet" by Anne Halliday.
The Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-47464641507679367722014-04-13T16:40:00.001-07:002014-04-13T16:41:33.573-07:00White on Brown CoasterDon't you just love a classic white crocheted piece on top of a brown surface? I saw a coaster pattern from the vintage pattern book, "Madonna Crochet," and had the urge to crochet it. The pieces displayed in the book had some touches of color in them, especially on the petals circling the coaster. I opted to just make it all white. I think it's lovelier and "classier" that way.
I had a ball Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416846412680008010.post-61988122766377110592014-04-09T23:24:00.000-07:002014-04-09T23:25:47.175-07:00My Whirlwind of a Summer (So Far)It's already April and I feel like it's only January! Where did time go!?!?! I checked my blog post count for the past months and wow, I have a lot of catching up to do! I've been going through a lot of (good) changes lately and updating my blog somewhat took a back seat. Oh time, I wish I had more of you!
I just want to share with you some snippets of my past few weeks - what I have been up to Gantsilyo Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15069175342152270354noreply@blogger.com0