Have you been to see Kelli Wohlgemuth of Sick 'Lil Monkeys?
Well, she has some exciting things in store!!
Well, she has some exciting things in store!!
Click the pic to visit Sick 'Lil Monkeys
Not only does Kelli crochet some incredible patterns, she has designed her own "Bubble Hook"!! I had the pleasure of purchasing one of them (she made a Sugar Skull one!!) and had to come back to purchase MORE!!!!
My Sugar Skull Bubble Hooks!!
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These are the awesome Bubble Hooks I purchased from Kelli!!
Aren't they F A B U L O U S ! |
Kelli's workmanship of these hooks are truly spectacular!!
You can read more about Kelli in the interview below & a special SURPRISE!!
Glamour4You: When did you start to crochet?
Kelli: I made my first Bear ever from this pattern by Red Heart. It was to be 8" tall. Mine was 14" with a floppy head but I loved it just the same. lol
Glamour4You: Who taught you to crochet?
My Aunt Shirley Waugh
Glamour4You: Do you design crochet patterns? If so, tell me about your business.
Kelli: I do. We call ourselves"Sick 'Lil Monkeys" mostly due to my hubby's nickname for me, but also because helping kids is a passion of mine in life. I design what I feel moved to, OR if I have a specific order I always try to get the design released, because I think maybe if a client asked ME for that, then another hooker may need it with one of THEIR customers
Glamour4You: Where is your favorite spot to crochet?
Kelli: The sofa with Netflix on. :)
Glamour4You: Your Bubble Hooks are GORGEOUS - what was your inspiration for making them?
Kelli: I had drooled over a more expensive line of ergonomic hooks for quite a while. After saving for one a while and a friend giving me a gift card from them to add to it, I finally owned one. Much to my dismay, it chipped within 350 stitches, and bent completely in 400 stitches. Now I am certainly a very tight tension hooker, but I LOVED the feel of the grip, I just needed a METAL tough head for my tight tension. The company whose hook bent was VERY accommodating and even replaced it with a more expensive wood version, but I did not care for the way it "squeaked" against my yarn (remember I have a VERY tight tension). I also LOVE designed hooks, so I wanted to add that comfy grip, the gorgeous designs, yet the smooth metal head, thus the "Bubble Hook" was born. :)
Glamour4You: What all goes into making a Bubble Hook?
Kelli: A basic plain colored bubble hook involves about 30 minutes of sculpting a clay I have blended with the color ratios I have recorded. Next it bakes for an hour, then goes through several sandings. Once I am completely satisfied with the details (not that I NEVER miss anything) I polish it up with the dremel as a final step, then if it is ordered in matte it is oiled and shipped on the next shipping day. Glazing though can add 4 - 14 days to the time. Occasionally there is a ripple or bubble in glaze and I must sand down and start from scratch.
Caned or "designed" bubble hooks of course first take the time of making the clay cane. Next the background clay is sculpted to bubble hook form, and finally cane slices are applied and smoothed. EXTRA sanding and elbow grease goes in those for sure!
Kelli: I made my first Bear ever from this pattern by Red Heart. It was to be 8" tall. Mine was 14" with a floppy head but I loved it just the same. lol
Glamour4You: Who taught you to crochet?
My Aunt Shirley Waugh
Glamour4You: Do you design crochet patterns? If so, tell me about your business.
Kelli: I do. We call ourselves"Sick 'Lil Monkeys" mostly due to my hubby's nickname for me, but also because helping kids is a passion of mine in life. I design what I feel moved to, OR if I have a specific order I always try to get the design released, because I think maybe if a client asked ME for that, then another hooker may need it with one of THEIR customers
Glamour4You: Where is your favorite spot to crochet?
Kelli: The sofa with Netflix on. :)
Glamour4You: Your Bubble Hooks are GORGEOUS - what was your inspiration for making them?
Kelli: I had drooled over a more expensive line of ergonomic hooks for quite a while. After saving for one a while and a friend giving me a gift card from them to add to it, I finally owned one. Much to my dismay, it chipped within 350 stitches, and bent completely in 400 stitches. Now I am certainly a very tight tension hooker, but I LOVED the feel of the grip, I just needed a METAL tough head for my tight tension. The company whose hook bent was VERY accommodating and even replaced it with a more expensive wood version, but I did not care for the way it "squeaked" against my yarn (remember I have a VERY tight tension). I also LOVE designed hooks, so I wanted to add that comfy grip, the gorgeous designs, yet the smooth metal head, thus the "Bubble Hook" was born. :)
Glamour4You: What all goes into making a Bubble Hook?
Kelli: A basic plain colored bubble hook involves about 30 minutes of sculpting a clay I have blended with the color ratios I have recorded. Next it bakes for an hour, then goes through several sandings. Once I am completely satisfied with the details (not that I NEVER miss anything) I polish it up with the dremel as a final step, then if it is ordered in matte it is oiled and shipped on the next shipping day. Glazing though can add 4 - 14 days to the time. Occasionally there is a ripple or bubble in glaze and I must sand down and start from scratch.
Caned or "designed" bubble hooks of course first take the time of making the clay cane. Next the background clay is sculpted to bubble hook form, and finally cane slices are applied and smoothed. EXTRA sanding and elbow grease goes in those for sure!
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Glamour4You: What different themes of Bubble Hooks can you make?
Kelli: Our current offerings in our Etsy Shop are as follows: - Basic hooks which are color coordinated to the aluminum handle or silicon sleeve they are purchased with - Polka dot bubbles - Mudd Bubbles - These are bubble hooks made from waste cane slices - Sunset at the Beach Bubbles - This is a sunset over the sand dunes, with sea turtles and clown fish in the ocean below, oh and sand dollars on the beach! |
Mudd Bubble Hooks
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- Sugar skulls - currently available in purple sparkle, and black polka dot with gemstones
- Autism Awareness Till All the pieces fit - These are a heart shaped puzzle with one piece missing. The missing piece floats above
- Rainbow Ombre Bubbles - These hooks have a gradient color fading from Red to blue across the rainbow
- Narwahls hooks - These are baby pink narwahls with tiny horns swimming in their ocean....
Glamour4You: Is there any other information that you would like to tell people?
Kelli: We have TONS of cane ideas we hope to have the entire shop filled with TONS of options one day!
Each hook is SLIGHTLY different as they ARE hand sculpted but they are as close to the same as my muscle memory can get them. :)
The most common question I get is: To glaze or not to glaze:
Well, here is MY stance:
I'm really 50/50 on it. Both have advantages AND drawbacks.
Glaze WILL wear off over time, no different than a hairbrush or anything you handle frequently with your hands.
Matte clay picks up hand grime over time, Like the handle of a hairbrush would.
I prefer the glaze when there is pearl or glitter in the clay for sure, and I also like it because I use my nails as "tools" a lot to grab my yarn, and sometimes I nick the clay on my hook with my nails.
I have some customers, though, that LOVE the cool feel of the matte clay. It is just really all preference.
My personal set is glazed. I like any clay that is the pearl or glitter to be glazed, it's just so much prettier. Matte or flat clays don't seem to matter as much.
Thank you so much Kelli for a look into your amazing Bubble Hooks!!!
- Autism Awareness Till All the pieces fit - These are a heart shaped puzzle with one piece missing. The missing piece floats above
- Rainbow Ombre Bubbles - These hooks have a gradient color fading from Red to blue across the rainbow
- Narwahls hooks - These are baby pink narwahls with tiny horns swimming in their ocean....
Glamour4You: Is there any other information that you would like to tell people?
Kelli: We have TONS of cane ideas we hope to have the entire shop filled with TONS of options one day!
Each hook is SLIGHTLY different as they ARE hand sculpted but they are as close to the same as my muscle memory can get them. :)
The most common question I get is: To glaze or not to glaze:
Well, here is MY stance:
I'm really 50/50 on it. Both have advantages AND drawbacks.
Glaze WILL wear off over time, no different than a hairbrush or anything you handle frequently with your hands.
Matte clay picks up hand grime over time, Like the handle of a hairbrush would.
I prefer the glaze when there is pearl or glitter in the clay for sure, and I also like it because I use my nails as "tools" a lot to grab my yarn, and sometimes I nick the clay on my hook with my nails.
I have some customers, though, that LOVE the cool feel of the matte clay. It is just really all preference.
My personal set is glazed. I like any clay that is the pearl or glitter to be glazed, it's just so much prettier. Matte or flat clays don't seem to matter as much.
Thank you so much Kelli for a look into your amazing Bubble Hooks!!!
Now, let's have some FUN!!!
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Kelli has graciously decided to giveaway
THIS > > > Bubble Hook to 1 lucky winner!!! SAY WHAT!?!? OMG!!! |
Prize: Sugar Skull Bubble Hook by Sick 'Lil Monkeys
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Sugar Skull Bubble Hook - the hook is a Boye, size K/6.5mm hook. The background is a glitter black clay with multi-colored Sugar Skull clay cane inlays. There are also sparkley rhinestones to enhance the BLING!! The entire Bubble handle is glazed.
This hook is valued at $45.00!
Enter BELOW to win the Sugar Skull Bubble Hook:
-- Giveaway open from Monday 6/22/15 - Friday 6/26/15 midnight EST
-- One winner will be chosen & contacted with email used to enter by Kelli of Sick 'Lil Monkeys
-- No purchase necessary to win
-- Open to everyone - Free shipping to US & Surcharge for international shipping not to exceed $10 (based on location for international)
-- Giveaway open from Monday 6/22/15 - Friday 6/26/15 midnight EST
-- One winner will be chosen & contacted with email used to enter by Kelli of Sick 'Lil Monkeys
-- No purchase necessary to win
-- Open to everyone - Free shipping to US & Surcharge for international shipping not to exceed $10 (based on location for international)
But Wait....THERE'S MORE!!!!!
Sick 'Lil Monkeys is having a CELEBRATION for reaching 5k fans on her FB page!!! Hooray & Congratulations!!!! She is giving away a different prize ALL WEEK starting Monday 6/22/15 (Pssst - I am giving away 3 patterns....) so be sure to visit her FB page here: Sick 'Lil Monkeys
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