Dare 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 spinster). And it's not just about "making a project," it is also a personal experience.

I got invited by DMC Philippines to share (part of ) my crochet story. Coincidentally, my first crochet project was a 3D Christmas Tree made of DMC yarn.

There will also be a big event coming up where DMC will gather fellow handmade enthusiasts who will showcase and also sell their crafts. I will be there, of course! Drop by my booth for crochet hooks, knitting needles, and other crochet/knitting notions. Of course, I will also be there to answer any of your crochet questions! Hope to see you there!

For my bit, I will be holding a free crochet workshop on these roses on Feb. 1 (Sun), 10:30 AM-1:30 PM. Please go HERE to find out how you can secure a slot! This workshop is open for beginners too!

Century City Mall is located along Kalayaan Ave. cor. Salamanca St. in Makati City.

A Summer of Crochet Love

Where 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 Quezon City. This one was last March 29.

The May 11 group!

It was also on this day where we had a Craft Pop-Up! Of course, I had my trunk full of yarn!

And just recently, last June 21.

There was also a basic crochet workshop at Pino/Pipino in Makati last April 27.

I also taught the basics of Tunisian Crochet in 2 workshops last April 26 and May 24.

This was a session held in GIGI Coffee & Cupcakes in Eastwood.

We did a couple of swatches of basic Tunisian Crochet stitches in these workshops.

If you are interested to join any of my crochet workshops, you can check out my calendar HERE. You can click the links below to be directed to the registration forms:

Basic Crochet Workshop

Tunisian Crochet For Beginners

Amigurumi Workshop

A 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/knitting supplies! This is your (rare) chance to see and feel some of the yarn and materials I sell online!

We will also be joined by Craft Carrot this weekend! Craft Carrot is a new craft supplies shop and they will be selling calligraphy tools, brush pens, rubber blocks, and paintbrushes!

I still have 2 slots left for the Basic Crochet Workshop on May 11 (9:00 AM - 12:00 NN). This workshop is great for those who have never held a crochet hook before or for those who might need a crochet refresher. Please click HERE to register.

Please go to Life After Breakfast's blog to register for the Brush Calligraphy & Lettering Workshop and Hey Kessy's site to register for the Washi and Papercutting Workshop.

See you there!

My 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 and where I have been.

I've been taking a lot of "crochet-fies" lately. It's my travel thing, I guess. Some people have their pictures taken making cartwheels or doing their own signature poses. I get my picture taken crocheting...anywhere! This one is taken in the ruins of a library in front of the Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Reap last month.

This one was taken just last weekend in Hale Manna Beach Resort and Coastal Gardens in Moalboal, Cebu. I posted a blog entry last year about this place. I'm so glad we came back this year!

In other news, I started making coasters! I had the urge to make something white. I tortured myself by choosing a time-consuming pattern which I got from a vintage pattern book called "Madonna Crochet." I will be posting more about this soon!

I have also been out and about the Metro teaching crochet. I've been having schedules every month for Basic Crochet and Tunisian Crochet. I am working on a new module for advanced techniques so I can accommodate crocheters who want to go beyond the basics. Watch out for it in my workshop lineup!

I also attended the book launch of the The Candy DIY Book!

Great DIY projects from Alessa Lanot (Life After Breakfast), Mansy Abesamis (Hey Kessy), Mikko Sumulong (I Try DIY), and Macy Alcaraz (Macy's Fields and Candy). Grab your copy from any bookstore or newsstand nationwide for only PHP 175.00! Congrats, ladies!

I've also been quite busy with my online store, Gantsilyo Guru Selections. Got big plans ahead!!!

And yes, I'm still working on THAT bedspread!

My Epic Workshop

I had my very first workshop at Epic Coffee Roastery in Kapitolyo last March 16. I've been wanting to hold a crochet workshop here because of the vibe of the place and of course, their coffee! I love hanging out in cafes and crocheting. I'm grateful I get to combine both of these when I hold my workshops.

The participants enjoyed coffee and tea paired with pastries from Epic while crocheting. 

I also had some yarn and hooks on display at the workshop space.

These ladies were fast learners! They even managed to crochet an additional motif after doing their granny squares!

Here they are with their granny squares (pardon the lighting)!

Here's to more Epic workshops!

Epic Coffee Roastery is located in 102 East Capitol Drive, Bo. Kapitolyo, Pasig City. They are open Monday to Sunday from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM. 

Want to learn how to crochet? Check out my summer schedule HERE.

They Dared To Go Tunisian

I conducted two sessions on Tunisian Crochet for beginners last Feb. 23 (Pipino) and Mar. 15 (The Burger Project).

Here are some scenes from my Feb. 23 workshop.

This is a description of Tunisian Crochet, according to Wikipedia:

"Tunisian crochet, also known as Afghan crochet, is a type of crochet that uses an elongated hook, often with a stopper on the handle end, called an Afghan hook. It is sometimes considered to be a mixture of crocheting and knitting. As such, some techniques used in knitting are also applicable in Tunisian crochet."

This workshop is an introduction to Tunisian Crochet. I only require that participants know how to make a chain before joining my workshop. 

Creme de la Creme yarn was used for their first Tunisian session (ever). It's 100% cotton. Susan Bates Afghan Hook 5.5mm was the tool of choice.

We learned 4 basic stitches of Tunisian Crochet.

All 6 ladies (plus me) of the Feb. 23 batch!

Our Mar. 15 session was an "intimate" one. We had our little crochet corner at Brgr: The Burger Project.

It's my first time holding a session in Brgr: The Burger Project. It's just beside Pino/Pipino along Jupiter St. in Makati City. We had their truffle fries and mozzarella sticks for snacks. And I didn't even take pics!

Since they were just 2, I even managed to teach 1 participant how to make a simple flower. Happy "hooking," ladies!

I opened two Tunisian Crochet workshop sessions for beginners this summer. It will be on April 19, 2014 (Saturday) at GIGI Coffee & Cupcakes in Eastwood (Libis, Quezon City) and May 24, 2014 (Saturday) at PIPINO Jupiter (Makati City). If interested to join, please accomplish the form below.

Post-Valentine Crochet

It was a full house of ladies last February 15 in my Basic Crochet Workshop in Pipino Jupiter.

It was my first time holding a workshop inside this colorful nook inside Pino and Pipino in Makati.

Colorful, indeed! What an inspiring setting for an afternoon of crochet.

I rarely sit down during my workshops because I go around and guide each participant.

Here are the new "hookers" with their first granny squares!

I still have slots for several Basic Crochet Workshops scheduled this March in Alabang, Pasig, and Quezon City. Please fill up the form below if you are interested to join:

Two Guys, a Girl, and Crochet!

This was my first crochet workshop for the year. Yep, there were 2 guys and a girl. It was cool :)

Here they are practicing the basic stitches.

And here they are with their first granny squares! Ta-da!

Those who join my crochet workshops and also those who want to learn crochet in general have different reasons for wanting to learn this craft. One of them, for example, wanted to learn crochet because it's a good finishing technique for paracord making. That's something I never knew before!

The men and their (pink) hooks.

Yes, I looked happy here. Welcome to the crocheting world!

If you are interested to join my basic crochet workshop, please fill out this form. Dates and cities are already final.