Sunday, December 26, 2010

007. Gatuxedo Composition with Squares

007. Gatuxedo Composition with Squares it's a crocheted-mini-GrannySquares put together to a neck warmer. Yes, a crocheted-mini-GrannySquares put together to a neck warmer! 100% acrylic yarn; measured 12" tall and 18" around. Square colors: off white, blue, yellow and red. 



Tuesday, December 21, 2010

006. Gatuxedo Monday

006. Gatuxedo Monday
Another unisex creation of the Gatuxedo workshop.


For a long time in my life I worked in office environments and yes, mondays were the worst days; we knew that the week had just started and that we had to do an extra effort to feel motivated around the desk, specially with a full agenda. With some time and observation I noticed that optimistic people would block their bad mood dressing better, it just seemed to comfort them. So then, I specialized on finding comforting situations for me too: better coffee, hairdos that would win compliments, flat shoes, and elegant neck warmers to snuggle my face in. My monday became my favorite day of the week, because it produced most of the good vibes to supply me with for the rest of it.

100% acrylic yarn. Two color neck warmer. 15" tall and 10" around. Knitted with a Mayan loom. Click photos to enlarge view. 


For price inquiries, write to el.gatuxedo (at) gmail (dot) com

Saturday, December 18, 2010

005. B&N Infinito (Unisex)

005. Blanco y Negro Infinito 
Black & White infinity scarf is intended to be a unisex accessory. What does infinity mean? No ends. Wrap it once, or twice around your neck for warmer results. 100% acrylic yarn. Measured 7" tall and 24" long. Knitted with Mayan loom. (Click on photos to enlarge view).

Most scarves are tagged as "unisex"; in fact, if you go to a department store they're located in a more general section, not at the ladies or gentlemen ones. Although, I would like to invite you to experiment something here: Type "hand knitted scarf" on the Google search bar closest to you; look through eight pages of images and you'll barely see three to four men modeling a scarf. (Where do all men shop their scarves? Do their women do it for them? What an exclusion). Now type "hand knitted scarf for men"... Did you get the same results? 

Another thing: the very few scarves I've seen out there made for men are usually too plain or serious, and that's why some of them steal the scarves from their wives, girlfriends or sisters! 

I'm seriously applying the solution to this: I am going to make more unisex scarves, but real unisex ones. Everyone is welcome to wear a Gatuxedo scarf; not only welcome but encouraged. 

Stop splitting the looks and the tastes.


Want to buy? drop me a line el.gatuxedo (at) gmail (dot) com or read my shop announcement.




Thursday, December 16, 2010

004. Too cool 4 school

004. Gatuxedo Too cool 4 school
The only thing I ever liked about those all-girl private schools were their deep blue & red uniforms, they even make you want to study :P ~ I ♥ those two colors and that's why I decided to put them together for a knitted infinity scarf, extra long (60 inches) and tall enough to snuggle your face in (15 inches). Not only this huge accessory wraps you up in the middle of the cold day or night, but it also has that nostalgic touch of being back to school and it's so versatile that you can just try different ways to roll it around your shoulders, neck and head. Tie included. This item was also knitted using a 36 stitch Mayan loom. 100% acrylic yarn. NOT FOR SALE. Click on photo to enlarge view.

003. Gatuxedo Cereza

003. Gatuxedo Cereza has been one of the most complimented creations I've made, simply because there's many red lovers out there. Knitted with a 16 stitch Mayan loom, this two-red yarn highlights everybody's face. 100% acrylic yarn, 5" tall and 46" long scarf. Not for sale.

Monday, December 13, 2010

002. Moño Colorado

002. Moño Colorado (Red Bow)


This is the second item of my Colección Invernal Gatuxedo 2010 (Gatuxedo Winter Collection 2010). Mayan loom knitted two color, random stripe scarf with a coquettish crocheted red bow (not attached, for endless looks). 100% acrylic yarn. Approximate measurements 7" tall and 56" long. Click on photo to enlarge view. Care for this accessory here.


Named after a popular cumbia-norteña song from the 90's "La del moño colorado" by Los Pedernales, that sings to a girl who stands out from the crowd; guess what, she wears a red bow. (Listen to it here)
More photos:




Want to buy this? drop me a line el.gatuxedo (at) gmail (dot) com or read my shop announcement

Monday, December 6, 2010

001. G'Vanilla

G for Gatuxedo.
This is the first item on my Colección Invernal Gatuxedo 2010 (Gatuxedo Winter Collection 2010) Super tall neck warmer in two colors. Cross Stitch Knit using a 36 stitch Mayan knitting loom. This neck warmer turns into hoodie for rainy, windy cold days. Made of 100% acrylic yarn with crochet detail at top and bottom. Approximate measurements: 24" tall (when stretched) and 18" around neck. Click photo to enlarge view. Care for this accessory here.

A Mayan loom? Yes. Just like the looms you see at Hobby Lobby (US) but a lot cheaper and a bit rustic, there is a wide variety of knitting looms out there in the heart of Mexico. Circular, triangular, cubic and other types of looms can be purchased at craft markets down there, and most of the places give free or inexpensive lessons throughout the year. No excuses for a knit lover.



Want to buy this? drop me a line el.gatuxedo (at) gmail (dot) com or read my shop announcement

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Lámpara

Aren't lamps the best home accessories ever?
Definitely for me and my husband they are, we love way too much the feeling of living in a cave where lights are soft and reddish light bulbs keep the ambient warm (very synaesthetic).

We had been looking for nice used lamps around town but everything seemed too vintage or kitsch fashioned, and right in the middle of a trip, visiting the family, someone was getting rid of this lamp and I decided to keep it knowing that I might be able to transform it. And well, after reviewing the dozen corners of our house and still feeling undecided about where to have it, I placed it next to the bed on top of an old speaker and got my brains in some black thread No.10 I had around. Did this from scratch, I didn't use a pattern, I will show you in the next picture the mistakes (or improvisation) I made. You can tell is hand made.

Oops!

I still love it even though it has remarkable mistakes, ha! At the end I was very proud of being capable of crocheting thread without knowing what I was doing. I joined a few chains here and there and some SCs and DCs too. I do of course turn the lamp around to hide the awkwardness when I have a perfectionism crisis (that's my keeping things under the bed mechanism, what's yours?)

I'm not done with the show off. I also painted the base of the lamp with an improvised technique to have some golden and red dots very randomly showing. You can click on the images for a large view. The third photo shows how it looks now.


Filet Crochet Heart Doily


I made this Crochet Heart Doily for my dear friend Sarah De la Rosa, in exchange of haircuts (she has the hypnotic magical hands that any hairdresser desires to be gifted with). What I'm going to say about this pattern is, do not try it if you're a beginner. When I tried this I had been doing only yarn, for a long time maybe enough to figure the stitches and etceteras but, thread is different than yarn and it requires a lot of patience and very good sight (maybe that's why I don't do it very often). Reading patterns like this one could be a pain in the ass, so I recommend you to start with something easier, or just get familiar with thread and #0 hooks first. If you don't like to be told what to do and have a compulsion for thinking that of course you can do it (just like me) then visit Crochet Mania and print out the pattern. It did give me headaches so consider your attitude again. :p


Collar


This is me wearing a crocheted collar I made myself with leftover yarn I had in my basket. I try to make the habit of carrying hooks and thread (or yarn) in my purse when I know I'm going to get bored or trapped in a situation where all I can do is wait (like going to see the doctor, waiting for the bus or even traveling; this last thing I had to do a lot during 2009 cause I was moving to Austin TX with my husband but I still had some businesses going on in Mexico for what I had to drive across the border like ten million times in a year). This is one of the silly projects I do for the fun of it. I do wear it (not with the shades upside down though) when it's chilly during the daytime. For all those who get chilly right when the fall begins (I know it is ridiculous but that's how I am), recycle your yarn and get your hooks some SCs going on. Don't know how to do a SC? This video might be helpful.

You are SICK!


This is my cross stitch collaboration I submitted for Fag Tapes’ MISCELANEA Zine in Michigan. Published by Noise hero: Heath Moerland, in 2009. I totally improvised most of it but I did get some help from Subversive Cross Stitch patterns for the frame. I don't remember where I got the pattern for this specific font but I recommend you the free alphabet generator that Stitch Point has online (if you know others with more variety please share it on a comment). Cross stitching is very relaxing to me and it's one of those activities that are so mechanical that let your brain focus on something else. Best for "thinking over".