Tag Archives: web

The Spider Invasion Has Begun!


Part 1:  Or…  “My Supplication To The Gods Of Seasons,”  As It Were….  Is that a change in the air…?

We had our first actual taste of fall weather here in Austin the day before the fall equinox.  And I do mean taste.

Not just that metaphorical brief fleeting experience of an amazing flavor. But that thing you experience: when the air you breathe outside has more than just essence, but a distinctively fresh flavor to it. And it’s a breathful taste that I find invigorating.

Yep, the web is that big.

Yep, the web is that big. And he’s 5’10”.
Want one? Click the picture.

For here in Central Texas, we don’t often finally get to taste fall until later in the year. You know… closer to winter.

We’re always behind the rest of the world in our spring and fall seasons.  And when the seasons do arrive here, they are generally more like speed bumps in the switch between two main seasons of hot and cold.  A veritable two-week tribute to spring or fall, but so rarely a full court press of the real thing.

Never the case with summer though.  Never with summer at all. Do you miss summer where you are?  Come visit us in July and get your fill.  You’ll never miss it (or us) ever again.

So to have that first taste of fall arrive here on the actual equinox is like some sort of amazing blessing. Nay.  It’s more than that. It’s a sign.  A bright sparkly one.  The seasonal gods have smiled upon us this year.

Miniature snowman scraped together off the truck.

Miniature snowman scraped
together off the truck long ago.

Dear seasonal gods:  While we have your attention, could we maybe have a snow day this winter?? With real snow to play with and not just wet ice?  I mean, if you don’t mind and all. After all, it’s been years.  The kids are teens now. And well, we want to make snowmen together again, even if only miniature ones. Oh! And snow ice cream too.  …oh please, please, please…

But please also make sure no one has to get out and drive in it though. No one here knows how.

At the first hint of “the taste,” I immediately threw open all the windows. Fresh air in the house, it’s so wonderful. And it whispers to me. Not only were we blessed with an actual spring this year (lasting more than two weeks), we’ll be blessed with an actual fall too. 🙂

With October finally here, the most wickedly fun of all holiday months (and dear hubby’s and my birthday month), I’m feeling more alive. Even if more in spirit than in body.

And that’s saying a lot. Because I haven’t felt myself since breaking my right ankle at the end of the summer road-trip adventure that I took with my teens. It’s been two months + 11 days of blurred trauma, surgery, and complications. :/ As of today, I’ve only just been walking about 3 weeks.. ish.

There’s definitely an interesting story to tell there, and one I want to share with you, as I’ve learned quite a bit too.  But it’s a story that will have to wait for now.

spiderwebinafternoonsunWhy?  Because the spider invasion has begun at our house, and it demands adoration. Its story refuses to be put off.

Well, at least not after tomorrow.

Stay tuned for part 2….


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Filed under Crochet Patterns, Editorial, Halloween, Writing

Halloween 20% off SALE! Time to Move On to Gifts!


As you guys already know: It’s Hubby’s and My Birthday Week! In celebration, enjoy 20% off discount on Halloween items! Go check it out! But hurry – this sale will end soon! I don’t do clearance!  www.PixieWorx.etsy.com

OK – that’s it now! Custom Halloween orders are cut off and no more Halloween items will be created for 2009. If I get a chance, I will list the last of the Halloween items left in my Etsy store. Or, you can always give me a call!

For next year, I have some great ideas in mind, including a special spider web design to be hung around a ceiling fan! It’ll be great! And I’ll be spending many months planning it out. Due to the intricacies and time involved, I expect that only a few will be made. But I think it will be so much fun to work on!

Now it is time for me to dedicate my full attention to my truest crochet love – designing hats and the stuff people like to go with them! Don’t worry – there will still be some jewelry! Watch my store and blogs for updates!

Spider_Web_Mini_Smaller_4
Dangling_Spider_smaller_2
Spider_web_Umbrella_Smaller_8radial_4
Spider_Web_Umbrella_smaller_5
Blue_Flower_Monster_5ChristmasSpiderWeb_157inch_9radial_SpiderWeb8_234inch_25radial_SpiderWeb_3 Green_Flower_Monster_3

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Giant Crochet Spider Web Pattern…


I am working on my Giant Crochet Spider Web pattern for you folks. This is the kind that can be made up to many feet wide to display in your yard, or a large space. I hope to have it ready to list in my Etsy store this weekend.

Advantages to this design are its durability over most crochet designs, while at the same time, not becoming too bulky or using mass amounts of yarn to achieve this strength.

This spider web pattern utilizes unconventional stitches outside mainstream crochet, which will likely cause it to have an “advanced” crochet skill rating according to the international standard guidelines. However, I believe these unconventional stitches will be easy enough to learn for most folks and are somewhat repetitious.

So stayed tuned for photos and the pattern listing!

Also, watch for a series of spider web umbrellas to be released as well! These umbrellas are a limited run. (I only have so many umbrellas to make these with and only so many webs can be made per week anyway!) So once they are up, grab what you want, because they will be limited this year. Price range for spider web umbrellas depend largely on complexity of the web design and time involved, after consideration of supply cost for the umbrellas themselves. Average time to create a single fairly straight forward spider web umbrella is about 3 hours. Careful handwork in securing the spider web to the umbrella and weaving in several feet of ends is a significant part of the time in my process as well, again depending on complexity of the design. I like to leave several feet for the tails to add to the durability and long-term strength of my crochet webs.

UPDATE: You can find my regular spider web pattern (pdf file) for sale in my Etsy store here:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/82366585/6-foot-spider-web-crochet-pattern.

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Thinking About Advertising with Craft Cult….


So I’m thinking about buying some advertising with www.CraftCult.com. Craft Cult has been a great service for Etsy shop owners. One of my Spider Web Umbrellas was chosen for a treasury created by Etsy and I wouldn’t have known it had happened if it hadn’t have been for Craft Cult, alerting me when I checked on my shop. It was also via Craft Cult when I found out my item had been chosen for a Halloween Costume Gift Guide as well.

Craft Cult is a fantastic service with great tools – all for free. If you have an Etsy store, do check them out. And me? I might just thank them by taking out an advertisement on their site. I’m also thinking I’ll likely benefit from it too.

However, I’ve never taken an ad out on someone else’s website before. Heck, I only just heard about something called Google Base, which I haven’t figured out how to really use just yet. Learning all this online marketing stuff is sometimes a bit overwhelming. All too often I’d rather just pay for a show since I prefer talking to folks one on one and do my usual demos and help folks out. After all, that’s what got me into all this in the first place.

Still, I enjoy learning and playing around with digital work on Adobe. In fact, I did a much better job than I expected with our old wedding photos and my grandmother’s damaged old farm photos too. And I’ve some particular ideas about things.

The CraftCult ad space has to be 100px X 150px. So I’ve been working up an image to help promote my Halloween items, since they have a short shelf-life each year. I’m using the Spider Web Umbrella photo as the background.

I haven’t tweaked it all out quite yet, but so far – what do you think?

Pixie Worx! Love's Halloween!

Pixie Worx! Love's Halloween!

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Halloween Showcase….


UPDATE: You can now buy my variable width (up to 6 foot) spider web crochet pattern for costume or decor right here!

Halloween Spider Web – A Variable Pattern from Aberrant Crochet

$4.25 (includes license to sell finished product)
.

33 inch 25 radial Spider Web No. 3

33 inch 25 radial Spider Web No. 3

Spider Web No. 2 - 64 Inch Diameter - you see it worn here as a costume cape

Spider Web No. 2 – 64 Inch Diameter – you see it worn here as a costume cape

Spider Web No. 2 - 64 Inch Diameter

Spider Web No. 2 – 64 Inch Diameter

Christmas Spider Web

Christmas Spider Web

Tourquois Gothic Crochet Necklace

Tourquois Gothic Crochet Necklace

All Content Copyright © 2008-2012 by Julia Meek Chambers, Aberrant Crochet and Pixie Worx, all rights reserved.

You may sell finished products created from my pattern as long as they are not mass produced and are hand-made by you individually. Any items for sale must state in the item description that they are based on my pattern and include a link to my website. Any items you sell based on my patterns must also feature your own photographs. You may not use my images to help sell your finished items. If you have a charity project in mind which would require multiple volunteers, please contact me.

Purchase of this pattern grants you permission to make and sell items created from it, but not to republish, share or resell the pattern itself. A lot of time, cost and technical expertise go into my designs, as well as over 35 years of intensive study and application. Tech editors, etc.. So my patterns may NOT be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission. Please do not hurt my ability to feed my family and pay for medical bills. Thanks!

Other licensing inquiries: worx@pixieworx.net

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Are You Ready for Fall…?? :D


This is my favorite time of the year. Maybe because my birthday is next month. Maybe because finally (finally!) we start to experience some relief from the heat here in Central Texas. Maybe it’s because the kids are back in school and there’s a sense of newness as our lives revolve around everything school related. Or maybe it’s because the holidays are right around the corner!

Halloween is the one time a year that adults are not only allowed but encouraged to be completely silly. I’m not a fan of gore, but I love the fun. And I have a thing for spiders and their all-natural and complex “fiber art.” Which is part of what got me into crocheting spider webs and replicating designs I’ve seen right in my own yard! I crochet custom spider webs, btw. Up to 15 feet in diameter.

So here’s some of what I’ve been working on, as I’ve crafted over my bubbling cauldron all year preparing for my Fall 2009 line of ideas for crochet!

Red Czech glass 6-Pointed Star Flower Choker - Comfortable Fine Crocheted Jewelry - Exclusive Aberrant Crochet Original Design

Red Czech glass 6-Pointed Star Flower Choker - Comfortable Fine Crocheted Jewelry - Exclusive Aberrant Crochet Original Design

Spider Web Umbrella No. 1 - Little Miss Muffet - Exclusive Aberrant Crochet Original Design

Spider Web Umbrella No. 1 - Little Miss Muffet - Exclusive Aberrant Crochet Original Design

Snow Monster One-Eyed Flower Choker - Comfortable Fine Crocheted Jewelry - Exclusive Aberrant Crochet Original Design

Snow Monster One-Eyed Flower Choker - Comfortable Fine Crocheted Jewelry - Exclusive Aberrant Crochet Original Design

One-Eyed Pivoting GREEN FLOWER MONSTER Hair Pin - Exclusive Aberrant Crochet Original Design

One-Eyed Pivoting GREEN FLOWER MONSTER Hair Pin - Exclusive Aberrant Crochet Original Design

 

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