I have been putting off this introduction of myself and launching of my blog for far too long! So, welcome to the exciting world of ShinySunstar Creations, and I, Kim Vogt, will be your guide to all of the action.
As I said above, my name is Kim. I am the creator, owner, and brain behind ShinySunstar Creations. There will be more about me and mine in the personal introduction post, coming soon.
ShinySunstar Creations was born in 2017. My husband suggested that I join a local Farmers’ Market that was looking for vendors. I submitted my application and set off on this adventure That first Saturday was crazy; all of my customer service experience could not prepare me for the small business journey for which I was about to embark. I have been managing my business for 5.5 years by local craft fairs, social media, and word of mouth. I am finally taking the plunge into my website and soon pattern selling. On-line has been the scariest part for me; so, it may be a bumpy ride.
What’s with the name? Well, let me give you a quick run down. I love all things SHINY, bright, and colorful. My first born loved the song/book “You Are My SUNshine.” My youngest was the “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little STAR” fan of the two. As for CREATIONS, I don’t ever want to limit myself to just one craft. I keep an open mind, as not to limit creativity!
My intentions for this website are to have stories of my successes, failures, family, crafts, fun, and craziness. (We sure have plenty of that last one around here.) My own written patterns will be included along that way.
Please, join my journey! I have had an active Instagram and Facebook since the beginning of my business. You can check those out by looking me up @shinysunstarcreations.
Let me start by saying that I am horrible about keeping up my blog when life gets going. That can mean working busily through show season, running the kids around, major life changes (this one was a real punch to the gut), my mental health (I have been much more forgiving to myself), and so on. I apologize for the shortcomings that often result from these times. I do, however, have a plan moving forward. It is an organizational change for myself. Here’s to starting it up, yet again.
Big Money is ready to start the game!
New Year = New Me!! NOT HERE! Seriously,it has taken me until July to get this far. I am who I am at the core. Are there things that I could do better? Yep. Are there habit changes that I am attempting? Yep. Am I striving for something new? Nope. I am expanding who I am in this world. This includes my micro-business life. I am more than just a crocheter and new pattern designer. I am a mom, wife, Believer in God, and so much more. I intend to start incorporating these aspects of my life into my business more and more as I and my business continue to evolve.
So, what does this mean for you? Well, you will see a new variety of blog posts. It will be more life-in-a-day style. I won’t be just filling your beautiful brains with crochet knowledge and patterns. You might get an awesome new meal idea, a life hack for parenting, a glimpse into the busy life of a multitasker, maybe a quick overview of what I am reading/watching/listening/studying, or even an update on my walking (soon running) journey. The options are endless, and I am open to suggestions. My intention is to show my business as a whole. As a one woman team, I am my micro-business, and I think we can grow together by learning about each other. So, I will kick it off next week with a more personal blog with some crochet thrown in there.
My current workout set up
Let’s spread some kindness, understanding, and patience around our world this week!
When I joined a new school in 7th grade, they didn’t have a Girl Scout troop my age. So, I joined the club that they did have in the area. I became a member of the local 4-H organization. For my first year at the fair, I submitted a doily that I had crocheted specifically for the competition. I received a Reserve Champion ribbon, which is essentially runner up to the Iowa State Fair entry. Not too shabby for a newbie! However, this doily was far from my first.
Doily thread on a foil holder that my Grandpa Palmer made
I often am told by crocheters and non-crocheters that I started my hooking journey backwards. As told in a previous blog post, I learned to crochet from my maternal grandma and my mom. Both of these amazing women had some mad crochet skills. My mom’s main items of crochet were doilies and small afghans. My grandma primarily stuck to crocheting doilies and embroidering when I was around. So, instead of the usual square washcloth, I was catapulted straight into doilies.
I think this was a great experience for me. I was able to learn shaping, blocking, a large variety of stitches, how to work with a smaller hook, and the patience needed to watch my creations grow from just a ball of string. However, with all of that knowledge obtained, I believe that the most important thing that I took away from doilies was the ability to read patterns. Now, I put this skill to use when crocheting another designer’s pattern or writing my own. It may look like gibberish to some but it is a secret language that speaks to my creative soul.
With my doily skills, I have made myself an exuberant amount of coasters, small to large doilies, and even upsized the yarn and hook to make a rug. I currently have one on my hook that my mom attempted multiple times but could never get to turn out square as the pattern stated. Mine is in a nice square shape, and I am lowkey scared to finish it (I am afraid she might smite me). As for writing my own doily pattern, I don’t have the confidence for that, yet! Yet being the keyword of that statement. I will get there one day, and I will be sure to share it with you.
A pineapple of the doily runner that is on top of my antique sewing table
Using doilies doesn’t have to be that tv weird old lady thing of having five doilies on your sofa. I have a large one that I saved from the thrift store covering my antique sewing machine that my uncle gifted me. I also have made small ones for coasters that are used on the end table that my grandpa made for me. I have a few that I rotate out for my decor. They are great for keeping scratches off your wood surfaces and adding a pop of color to your room.
In closing, I love doilies! I urge you if you find some at a thrift store or garage sale buy those lovies and give them a great home. If you are ever fortunate enough to be gifted one, treasure it. They are a true labor of love!
I have a lot of naturally curly hair. In the humid summer months, it can get a slightly unruly. So, I decided to design an open-grid type headband. It still allows my head to breath while providing some much needed direction for my curls. I have written the pattern with the use of an elastic hair tie to allow for better stretch. However, you could easily turn this into a sewn closed, tie closed, twisted or other modified designs. I am just giving you the basics with this pattern. Feel free to experiment until you are happy with your creation! Happy Crocheting!
Materials: Elastic Hair tie I hook I Love This Cotton (Brights is the featured color) Scissors Yarn Needle
Measurements (I measured the piece from the first row of sc to the 2nd to last row of sc before joining back to the hair tie. The measurement does not include the hair tie.): Adult Large 2″ x 15.5″ Adult Small/Teen 2″ x 14.5″ Child 2″ x 12.5″ Baby 2″ x 10.5″
****These can be adjusted by adding or subtracting rows as needed.****
Instructions:
Join your yarn to the elastic hair tie.
1. 5 sc around the hair tie. Ch 1, turn. (5 st)
2. Sc in each st across. Ch 1, turn. (5 st)
3. HDC, Ch 1 in each sc across. Ch 1, turn. (9 st)
4. HDC in HDC, *Ch 1, Skip Ch 1 space, HDC in HDC* repeat across the row. HDC in the final HDC of the previous row. Ch 1, turn. (9 st)
5. Repeat for 27 more rows or until the crochet part reaches 15.5” large adult (29 total HDC rows), 14.5” adult/teen (28 total HDC rows), 12.5” child (25 total HDC rows), 10.5” baby (22 total HDC rows). (9 st)
6. Sc in each HDC across. You will be skipping the Ch 1 spaces. (5 st)
So, without further ado, I want to welcome you back to my blog and thank you for being patient with me. It was a needed 6 month break away from this part of my business. It allowed me to focus more on the other new undertakings that I decided to add to the business.
My main focus while taking my break from blogging was my pattern writing and designing. I have been a busy little bee getting a few new pattern series ready for all my crochet friends. I have released 10 of the 12 Snuggler patterns that I have written. The next 2 will be debuting this week. Their release will also feature a sale on that type of pattern on my Ribblr. If you are a crocheter, I would love it if you were to give my shop a follow and if you like, purchase a pattern or two.
Another very important non-business focus during my hiatus was enjoying being a mom. Being a sports mom can take a lot of time. We made it through 2 basketball leagues, track season with the oldest achieving multiple PRs, and softball managing/assistant coaching. I always take my travel project bag with me, but if you have never seen me at a sporting event, I will say I am THAT loud sports mom. I cheer for all of my kids and yes, I mean every kid on the court, field, track, golf course, etc. So, I don’t always get much work done.
Open Porches and On-line Events have been taking some time, as well. I have been hosting an Open Porch event once a month for the past few months. The plan is to continue these events for the foreseeable future. So, if you are local, stop by and hang out for a bit. I offer different sales for each one and try to put out something new each month to keep them fresh. Some of the sales are only offered as an in-person bonus. The On-line Events are more geared towards my distant shoppers. I post my sale items and the rest of my inventory for people to browse and buy. You can find these events and others on my Facebook page. I am hoping to put up a full calendar on a new page here on the website, as well.
I hope that catches you up some on what has been going on in the Shiny Life. I will be posting a new free pattern for you today. You can find it here: https://shinysunstarcreations.com/free-patterns/ . These awesome Boho Headbands can be made to fit any size head! Enjoy the pattern and check back next week for a new blog!
A week and 2 days late on this one…This winter weather has thrown the Sunstar House into some serious chaos. The kids finally had their first full day of school for 2024 on Tuesday. They went back on January 4th! So, my schedule has revolved more around the littles than my business, but more about that next week.
Please, don’t misunderstand me. We have had plenty of fun, but cabin fever is a real thing! The kids and I had plenty of things to do each day. Most of them did not include blogging, pattern designing, or crocheting, however. I am getting back on track now. Well, I was until I had the Bug home sick yesterday. She is headed back to school today after some much needed rest and fluids. Today started with rising extra early. Thanks, brain! At least, I am able to use this time for something productive before the rest of the house begins to stir. It is still before 6 am. The body of this blog has been written, I have eaten breakfast, coffee is ready to be fresh brewed for Mr. Sunstar, and I am actually feeling like I accomplished something. WIN!
Now, on to the topic of the week: Granny Style!
Top view of my granny square stack on my blocking board
I may have a yarn stash problem. I do not see it as a problem, but my available storage space says otherwise. The fact that I have a plethora of random single skeins says otherwise. The trunk of partial skeins says otherwise. To remedy this “problem,” I commenced Operation Granny Square!
What is Operation Granny Square? Well, my dear friend, I am creating an entire army of granny squares that I can use for any number of projects. Some that have already made the list include blankets, lined-bags, bucket hats, and other unique clothing items. I am anything but boring. Which means, in true ShinySunstar fashion, I am in the midst of crocheting a vast array of sizes, colors, and designs.
Part of my current stash of granny squares
The versatility of granny squares makes these little beauties a staple in the crochet world. They have been around since 1891, and the first pattern was published in 1897 in Weldon’s Practical Needlework. By adjusting only the size, you can create anything from an adorable small coaster to a large cozy blanket. You can spice these designs up by changing yarn colors whenever your heart desires. I think my personal favorite way of changing colors in a granny square is by using variegated yarn. It ensures that none of my squares will be exactly the same. I like color and variety, if you had not already noticed.
Today, the term granny square seems to be an all encompassing term for crochet squares that are assembled to make something bigger. However, the original granny square initially only had clusters of two double crochet stitches worked into the chain spaces with a shell worked in the corner stitches. More often now, granny squares that resemble the over 100 year old pattern include three double crochet stitches into the clusters. With a quick Google or Pinterest search, you will find that there is an entire world of “granny squares” to be created. Some resemble the original, some start with circles, come have flower centers, and some have sun centers. I found one with a gummy bear design in the center of it!
Original 2 DC design
Changing out the centers isn’t the only variation that I found in my time of working with granny squares. In 2016, I crocheted all 5 kids a blanket for their beds. I used a granny stripe pattern for one of them, and for two of them, I used a corner-to-corner style granny stripe. The second displays a diagonal stripe pattern. The last to I made crocheting the traditional corner-to-corner pattern, for those who were counting. Beyond the stripes, you can find granny triangles, pentagons, hexagons (cardigans, anyone?), and circles.
The granny square seems to have an everlasting presence in crochet due to its adaptability. I know that it will never leave my business or personal inventory. I love the simplicity of the pattern and versatility of its uses. I hope that you find as much enjoyment from these timeless squares, whether by using or creating them!
I know…I know. I am a couple days late with this blog update. However, we had our first snow days of the school year. So, I had three unexpected helpers to start my week. The littles had a great time using the snow blower (the 17 year old), throwing snowballs, baking, making a raucous, and being kids in a 12” snowfall. How does this affect me? Well, I become a living Google for them, and trust me, they have some doozies! Plus, they like to be right here with me. That means intense conversations, general silliness, and a lack of focus on my part. Also, I haven’t missed the irony of the subject of the blog and my unintended entertainment of those two days and possibly tomorrow. Bring on the winter storms!
Without further ado, here is today’s blog.
I wanted to switch it up a bit this week. I thought I would give you a look at what I do while I design, crochet, Cricut, and create. Despite what some may think, I do not sit in my office listening to the little noises of my “empty” house. I am an avid true crime podcast listener. I can tell you that my list of podcasts might be ridiculously long. My streaming lists are not much different. They run the gamut from true crime to documenteries to comedy sitcoms. You can also find me watching all levels of football, college basketball, softball, track, and several other sporting events.
In the spirit of sharing, I am going to make a shortened list of my favorites for you. Don’t be afraid to share your favorites with me, as well.
Podcasts:
Crime Junkie
The Deck & The Deck Investigates
Counter Clock
Murder, She Told
Dark DownEast: New England True Crime
Anatomy of Murder
The Fall Line
Up and Vanished
Very Scary People
Hell and Gone Murder Line
Cold
Streaming:
Supernatural
The X-Files
Criminal Minds
Cold Case Files
Mysteries at the Museum
Expedition Unknown
Blue Plant I & II
Planet Earth I & II
The UnXplained
The Great British Bake Off
Drain the Oceans
Very Scary People
A lot of true crime docu-series on Netflix
These are what usually fuel my days of creation. I do most of my show watching while I walk on the treadmill or have a kid hanging out in the office with me. I find it easier to watch than just listen in those situations. Now, when I am alone, I let those true crime podcasts play for hours on end.
Let me know what keeps you rolling through the day. I am always looking for new suggestions. Who knows? I might even jump into a new genre.
This gift giving season was similar to many that have come before it. My fingers and creativity were flying fast. The littles make 2 different wish lists for their birthdays and Christmas. There is a list that can be taken to a store and one that only mom can fulfill, “The Mommy-Make-Me List.” Oftentimes, this special list is longer than the store bought list. Lucky for me, some of the items are already made and come from my inventory. Other times, I have to put on my thinking cap and crochet something purely from my heart.
This year my skills were put to the test designing a “Bettie Hooded Blanket.” The Pun’in collects the Sasquatch Squimallows. She owns 13 of them at the moment. She is too big for the majority of the hooded that can be found commercially; so, cue a Mommy-Make-Me. It has two super soft textures for the body of the blanket. It gives the body and belly texture of a ‘Mallow (what my littles lovingly call their Squishmallows). The hood is made of extremely bulky and furry yarn, just like a Bettie’s head. The Pun’in has been hauling it around the house since she opened it. I would say that it was a success! She also received a chicken from my inventory. She has named it Cluck, and he is on her bed to be snuggled.
The Bug had her normally massive list of requests. She has a new duck backpack buddy, a chubby frog, and a baggy sweatshirt. The sweatshirt was a special request that she spotted on Pinterest. It has a beautiful Tyrannosaurus Rex wearing a tiara and carrying a wand. The phrasing says, “I WANT TO BE A PRINCESS DINOSAUR.” The duck is on the backpack ready for school in a couple days, the frog is all cuddled in her bed, and the sweatshirt has needed to be washed more than once. I am sure that sweatshirt will be worn that first day back to school.
With the mention of sweatshirts, I designed and made MAMA MARGE her own crew neck for wrestling. It was more of a last moment request but I got it done. She has worn it a number of times, and it made the trip to her mom’s house this week. I am positive that it will make its wrestling meet debut at the end of the week. It should be a hit, or so, I hope.
The last handcrafted gift from this year went to my father-in-law. This man is always freezing if it is below 85°F. I am barely exaggerating, and I mean barely. So, after crocheting a sports blanket for an order, I took that idea and made him a fleece and double stranded blanket. Now, he doesn’t need three blankets when sitting on our couch. He sits with just one blanket that matches the couch and not a full rainbow. (**Hint, hint: These will be coming to an order book near you soon**)
I always enjoy hearing how much the creations I sell are loved once gifted. They are favorite presents to watch being opened at home. The littles’ faces light up brighter than the Christmas tree. Each one is treasured for years. Proof: my husband still sleeps with the first gift that I ever gave him 12.5 years ago. I made him a red and white crocheted blanket. I love seeing it on my bed every single day, even though it is well loved.
In closing, handmade gifts are always special! Whether you order them from a local crafter or make them yourself, these are made with love, attention, and care. So, the next time you are searching for something unique, don’t forget to check out your small and local crafters!
It has been crazy busy around the ShinySunstar house. Between basketball, holiday concerts, parties, plays, and work; this place has been hopping. This is our recovery week. Mr. Sunstar usually takes this week off to spend with the family and help catch up on all the neglected chores. The littles are enjoying their time together and a break from all the running. I am still plugging away at a variety of creations, writing new patterns, and preparing myself for the new year.
Speaking of new year, I am enjoying the fact that January 1st falls on a Monday. It feels like a truly fresh start! The new year promises to bring new habits, ideas, creations, and life to my business. I have been planning most of these changes for some time. However, I have been holding off until the new year to debut the biggest of them. As many of you know, I am now publishing patterns, but my Ribblr store is about to double in size with new designs coming soon. I have been stocking my Square store for online ordering (this one has been a task for me). I am also working on expanding for my crafty friends with more notions for your own projects and organization. That is not all. I just don’t want to reveal it all at the moment. I have to save some of the excitement for future blogs and social media posts.
I hope that you are enjoying your holiday season and I am overjoyed to have you along on this journey. Please, continue to follow along. Remember that you can find “almost” daily updates through my social media (Instagram, Facebook, and when I remember Twitter).
December is upon us. Here in Iowa the temperatures are continuing to slowly get colder. Though, so far, we have had a rather mild start to the winter season. I don’t mind the cooler weather; it allows me to break out one of my favorite types of clothing. MY CARDIGANS! Yes, I am a sucker for an oversized cozy cardigan. However, this is the first winter that I will be wearing one made by my own hands.
The hexagon cardigan reminds me of all the granny square styles from the 70’s. No, I am not old enough to have lived it, but as a crocheter, I have definitely seen it. To be completely honest, I rather love it! A simplistic pattern that can be used in a variety of styles. No machine can replicate crochet. Plus, show that handy work off to the world! So, flaunt those squares and hexagons with pride!
I jumped on the hexagon cardigan train late winter/early spring 2023. The littles wanted one during that time. The Bug has a classic pink and purple half and half one. The Pun’in requested a Wednesday inspired style. Hers is half monochrome and half pink rainbow. Both are very fitting to their personalities. I finally finished mine this week. I will be debuting it this weekend at basketball games and my Winter Open House on the 10th (yep, shameless plug). I decided to use Caron Baby Cakes in Candy Hearts. It is a more pastel color scheme of my brand colors. I love it! For a very warm-blooded individual, I enjoy the “holes” created by the granny hexagon pattern. They allow me to stay cooler and keep my cardigan on even when it is warmer inside.
****ADD PHOTOS****
I love the ease of these simple cardigans! It is two generic hexagon granny squares which get sewn or stitched together. I add extra rounds to the sleeves for length, and I do a few rounds around the bottom/collar/chest opening for more length and a more finished look. I plan to add a hood to my next one.
The fact that these cardigans are customizable in size, color, and design is a massive draw for me. I have only a couple in stock at the moment but hope to add a few more. I am always willing to take custom orders, though. We can work together to design a Hexi-Cardi to your loving, because I don’t just want you to like it; I want you to LOVE it!
Stay cozy until next time and please, let me know if I can help you with that!
Showing gratitude every day is the best way to go. However, I wanted to take a moment today to say an extra thank you to all my followers, readers, customers, and supporters of every type! My tiny business wouldn’t be where it is today without YOU. All of you make it possible for me to continue to my micro-business. Every like, share, comment, purchase, or recommendation helps me live my dream. Your encouragement has inspired me to expand my business by adding patterns, hooks, stitch markers, and other crafty items. You have allowed me to venture into these new ideas which I am beyond excited to share with you. So, again, thank you!
With show season about over, here is what I am up to in the near future.
I normally take Thanksgiving week to continue to work on show orders, take inventory, prep for my open house, and brainstorm for the next year. This year seems to be no different. Immediately after the Tyson Events Center Show, I began working on new stuffies, creating new patterns/pattern bundles, and planning my Winter Open House for December 10th.
Here are some more details about this year’s open house. I plan to have some extremely jolly deals for my in person customers that day, as I only have so much room and have to make more space for new ideas and inventory. Plus, who doesn’t love a great late holiday shopping deal? The Winter Open House will be in tandem with a two week long Facebook virtual event to make shopping from a distance more efficient. Also, Iowa weather in December is never guaranteed. Snow, wind, sunshine, calm…give it your best guess! So, December 3rd-17th will be the virtual event and December 10th from 1:30-5:00 will be in the open house (I know that may seem like strange hours, but I am a sports mom). The Little Crafters and I will be hanging out on the porch this time.
After the Winter Open House, I will finish up any needed orders and enjoy the holiday season with my family. Don’t fret, though. There will be plenty of work going on behind the scenes. January promises to bring a new year and some new creations! Stay tuned to my ever evolving business.
ShinySunstar Creations 