Halloween CAL

I'm participating in Fresh Stitches Halloween CAL  She has a sweet prize too; yarn from GnomeAcres.

  I'm going to make her new mummy pattern.  I really like the amigurumi patterns she designs.  They are fairly easy to do and so cute when done.

Charlie Brown Sweater

I love Charlie Brown.

   As a child growing up  I looked forward to "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown"  and "A Charlie Brown Christmas. " 
When my son was born he looked like Charlie Brown for a couple of years until his hair grew in.  And as he got older , he would rent Charlie Brown books from the library and bring them home to read to me.

So I felt inspired to create a Charlie Brown sweater to sell in my Etsy shop.  It would make such a cute baby shower gift.  Or pair  it with black shorts and a Snoopy toy and it would be a great Halloween costume.

Charlie Brown Sweater What do you think?  Did I get it right?
 

Noro Purse - WIP Wednesday

WIP Wednesday.
This is the Flower Blossom Purse from the Crochet Noro book.  I love the squares.  They were quick to make and join as you go.  It takes 4 skeins of the Noro Kureyon but I only had three.  Three skeins were enough to make the 25 squares for the body of the bag.  For the edging and handles I'm using Patons wool in a matching olive green.  I can't wait to finish this purse, It came out so pretty.  I plan on lining it  also.
WIP Wednesday
 

Spider Web Lace Christening Blanket

I finally got the pattern up in my Ravelry shop for the Spider Web  Lace Christening Blanket

 

buy now

I remember the first time I gave this blanket as a shower gift.  I wasn't sure if the recipient would like it so I put  it in the bottom of the gift bag along with some super cute outfits on top.  She opened the bag , glanced at the little outfits and brought out the blanket. 
Holding it up, she exclaimed; "Now that's what I was looking for!  Beautiful"  And all the guests at the party agreed. 
It is such a pretty, lacy, girly blanket and just looks fabulous in person.

If you are looking for something special to make for your next baby gift, let me recommend this blanket.  And it's not hard to make.

Where I Get My Ideas

 Today I'm going to share how something totally unrelated results in a fantastic idea for something else. 

This morning I was Pinteresting and looking at embroidery boards.  I was pinning like a mad thing when I came across some tiny embroidery. 
It was on a board called Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny.  Now I wanted to look at that board but didn't want to leave the board I was currently looking at.

 So when I got done pinning I went looking again for the Itsy Bitsy board.  When I typed that in search up came board upon board of Bikinis! 

And Bad-a-Bing!  I got the idea to crochet a baby bikini with a bow for the top and star buttons on the diaper cover.  It will soon make it's appearance in my Etsy shop.

And that's how something totally random like embroidery gave me the idea for my next crochet project.

Where's the oddest place you've ever gotten ideas?
 

Thursday Tip of the Week - G Hooks

Thursday Tip of the Week

 

I thought I would start a “tip of the week” post.  Sometimes it will be about crafts, sometimes about business, sometimes about photography; whatever little hints and life hacks I’ve picked up to make things easier or just to make you say aha.

 

Today’s tip is about G crochet hooks.  It turns out there are THREE sizes when it comes to G hooks.  I just realized that myself a couple of years ago.

 

There is 4.0 mm

 

There is 4.25 mm

 

And there is 4.5 mm

 

When your working a pattern that calls for a G hook, if you use the wrong one it can make a big difference in the size  of your item as these three swatches show.  The top one is made with the 4.0mm, the middle with the 4.25mm and the bottom with the 4.5.  As you can see in the second picture there is a Big difference between the smallest and largest G hook.

 

 

So next time you crochet a pattern that calls for a G hook check the mm. size that was used, if available.  Otherwise you’ll have to swatch, swatch, swatch until you get the correct gauge.

Shawl Frenzy

Shawl Frenzy

  I started 6 shawls and have been working on them all at the same time.  Why start so many at once?

 It all started when I bought the book:   Sock Yarn Shawls by Jen Lucas.  I want to make almost every shawl in there!  The shawls are made with sock or fingering yarn which I had a lot of leftover from my sock frenzy.  So I go to the Knitting store to buy circular needles  and I end up buying a gorgeous ball of wool/silk in oranges and browns.  But it was a little too heavy for the shawls in the sock yarn book.  Then I go looking thru my craft room and I find the Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls book by Martha Waterman.  In it there is a fabulous and easy triangular garter stitch shawl pattern perfect for that wool/silk yarn. So I cast on.  That’s one.  

 

Then I look thru my stash and I find lots of lovely lace weight yarns I had bought several years ago but didn’t make anything.  So I take a pretty pale lilac wool and cast on For Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Pi shawl found in Knitting Around.    I like this one because there’s no thinking, just knitting round and round with the increase rows spaced out geometrically.  Perfect for long car drives.  That’s two.

Back to the Sock Yarn Shawls:  I found a website that has wonderful sock and fingering yarns called CandySkein  .  Beautiful  dyed wools and wool /silk blends with yummy names like Grape Soda and Bananas Foster.  So I buy the Bananas Foster ( shades of yellow wool and nylon with a little brown)  and cast on  for the Over the Moon Shawl.  So pretty and  an allover patterned lace.  I work on this one when I can sit and concentrate and mark off each of the rows as I go.   That’s three.

 

 I also bought the Grape Soda yarn which  is wool and silk in a wonderful shiny pale purple.  I cast on  for the Ardor shawl in the sock yarn book which is garter stitch body and a lace edge, but now I’m thinking to change to the Ladybug shawl instead in the same book because it’s stockinette body with a lace edging and I thing the stockinette better shows off the yarn..  That’s four.

 

Then I signed up for a class at Craftsy called Shawlscapes with Stephen West.  And I’m making the Boneyard shawl which will be a thicker warmer shawl knit of some lovely wool with just 10% silk in it in Double Knitting weight.  This is another easy shawl , great for car knitting.  Since we’re driving two hours tomorrow to Rehobeth Beach , it will be perfect to work on.  That’s five.

 

Finally,  I started a crochet shawl in a fingering weight grey wool with pale pink in it.  The pattern can be found on Ravelry and it’s called Elise Shawl.  That’s six.

 

 

I like to have several going at once so I can explore different techniques and compare them.  I really like how quick the Elise shawl works up so I may make one for each of my daughters for Christmas.  Or maybe I’ll make them each  aBoneyard shawl cause that one works up fast too. 

That’s what I’ve been up to in July.  How about you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Owls and Fourth of July

Owls and Fourth of July

 

I finished my owl cushion and a little owl plushie. I really enjoyed making these.  I love the colors and the pattern which is by Ater crochet.  I just love the way she increases the circle.  They work up so fast because you want to see what the next color and row will look like.

 

Then I finished my red, white and blue mandala.  This pattern is by Wink of a Creative Being  I used it for a centerpiece for Memorial day.  And it will be good for Fourth of July too.  This was also a fun pattern.

 

 

So that’s what I’ve been up to.  Now I’m eagerly awaiting the birth of my third grandson any day.  I actually haven’t been able to do much crocheting because I’m so distracted by the waiting.

Mandalas

This week I’ve been working on mandalas.   I’m still studying colors.  I even bought a color wheel from AC Moore.  It was for painters but I found it helps with yarn too.

 
I found this fabulous website called ,A Creative Being, and she crochets a mandala a week.   It’s a fantastic study in color.  There’s a free pattern on the site for her basic  mandala.  I also bought her pattern for the  “I love Holland crochet Mandala.”  This pattern can be found on Ravelry.

 

This is one of the ones I made.  It’s so simple to do but so pretty.  I made another one in red, white and blue.  And I started a third one with red and yellow tulips  I made them in Sugar n Cream 100% cotton yarn.  I think they make pretty hot pads.  Or maybe placemats.

 

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Coloring My World

Coloring My World

 

So this week I’ve been playing with color.  I finally got my box of cotton yarn from Germany.  It’s Catania from Schachenmayr.  I love it.  The colors are so pretty and it’s wonderful to work with.

 

I made this birdie.  I really enjoyed this pattern and I plan on making and selling these birds for decorations  in my Etsy shop.  After I took his picture I found better beads to use for the eyes and feet.  This pattern is by Atercrochet.

 

So is this one.  I love this pincushion ring!  It was fun and quick to do.  I want to make a bunch of these to sell also.  Tho maybe just at craft fairs.

 

 

 

 

 

I got the idea for the colors for my latest diaper cover and hat from a truck that drove past me while I was driving home from work and stuck in traffic.  It was a big blue truck and it had a large orange sphere on it.  It said Blue Moon on the side of the truck and I just thought it was so pretty. I came home and crocheted up a diaper set for baby girls.

 Where do you get your inspiration for projects?

 

 

 

 

X is for eXcited

X is for eXcited

 

Yes, I’m cheating with X.  But,  I am very excited.  I found another crochet stitch pattern book, called 99 Post Stitches and in it they had the Brick stitch I was looking for.  As you can see it looks a lot more like bricks than the other crochet stitch I was using, plus it’s super easy to do.  So now I’m full steam ahead on the item I was making which I’ll share when I’m done.

W is for Wrap Bracelet

W is for Wrap Bracelet

 

I’ve been very into wrap bracelets lately; you get the look of multiple bracelets with only one.

I’ve made a few this week.  The first one I used 20 lb hemp and tho I like the look of it, it’s a pain to string the beads and crochet with.

 

 

So I made another using my new favorite size 3 cotton thread.  Ahh!  Much easier. 

 

I found these little cross beads so I used it as my focus but of course you can use any bead for a focus, or you don’t even need a focus, all the beads can be the same.

 

First string 40 e-beads onto thread, then the cross bead, then 40 more e-beads.  Thread a two  hole button (or a shank button works too) onto the thread and tie a double knot.  Now using a size D crochet hook make a loop next to the button and chain 3, * slip a bead next to the hook and chain 2.  Repeat from *  having one plain chain and one chain with a bead in it until you’ve chained up all your beads.  Then chain 8 and slipstitch in 8th chain from hook .  This is your loop for the button.  Weave in your ends.

 Now wrap it around your wrist about 5 times and voila!

Such and Stuff

P Q R S is for Such and Stuff

 

I’ve been buying a lot of patterns lately so P is for patterns.  You might wonder why I would need to buy patterns when I could probably figure it out myself.  But sometimes I don’t feel like figuring it out.  Sometimes I just want to sit and crochet and not have to pick colors or figure out sizing.  Plus buying others designer’s patterns, I’ve actually learned a few new things, like a neater ending for crochet or how to add crochet  flowers to a bunting.

Q is for Quicker.  I’m always looking for a way to streamline my knitting or crocheting so it takes less time.  But sometimes I just want to take my time and mosey along working on a more complicated design.

R is for Rainbow.  And though I love colors I’m not always good at combining them prettily.  So I’ve bought several patterns by ATERcrochet  because I love her use of color.  Plus her patterns are wonderful.

S is for Slip Stitch, my new favorite stitch in knitting.  With it you can make items look like plaid, or tweed or bricks.  It’s so fascinating and I have several things in the works using slip stitch. 

 

 

 

That’s what I’ve been doing lately, studying new patterns and new ways to knit and crochet, when I thought I “knew it all”.  I love learning new stuff so it’s been fun and relaxing.

K is for Knitting

Knitting  VS. Crochet

 

Here is an example of similar “looks” in knitting and crochet.  I’m designing something that looks like bricks.

 

 

 

 

 

I like the knitted example much better because it achieves the look of bricks better.  However it takes a lot longer to make than the same size piece in crochet.

 

 

 

 

The crochet sample is okay but doesn’t look as much like bricks as I was hoping.  Plus the pattern was fiddly.  You had to finish off at the end of every row which means a ton of ends to weave in when done.

And that's a look into how I design projects.

F is for Free Pattern

F is for Free Pattern

 

This is a free pattern for those barefoot sandals that are all the rage.

Pattern:  Barefoot Sandal

Material:  cotton thread size 3 (Aunt Lydia’s fashion 3 in Maize is used in pattern)

Crochet hook : size D (3.25mm)

There’s really no gauge.  Want it bigger, use a bigger hook or thicker thread.  Want it smaller, use a smaller hook or thinner thread.

The finished size of my motif without the strings attached was 2.5 inches high by 2.5 inches across at the base.

This patten is written in American terms.

Abbreviations:

Chain – ch

Slip Stitch – sl st

Single crochet – Sc

Treble crochet – Trc

Space - sp

Row 1:  Ch 6, slip stitch  in first chain  to form ring, ch4 ( counts as first dc, ch1),  (dc in ring, ch 1) 11 times.  Sl st to third ch of ch 4. (12 sts)

Row 2:  Sl St into next ch 1 space  , ch 4, *( trc, ch 7, trc) in next sp, (ch 1, dc in next sp) 3 times, ch 1; repeat from * once more, (trc, ch7, trc)  in next sp, (ch1, dc in next sp) 2 times, ch1 sl st to third ch of beginning ch4 .

Row 3:  *In next ch 7 corner  sp, (sc, ch1,sc, ch5, sc,ch1,sc), then (ch1, sc in next ch1 sp ) 4 times, ch1, repeat from * once more, (sc, ch1, sc, ch5, sc, ch1, sc) in next corner sp, (ch1, sc in next ch1 sp ) 4 times , ch1 sl st to first sc made.  Fasten off

That’s your motif.  Now we’re going to attach the strings.

First the part that goes around the toe.  Attach the thread in one of the CH 7 loops with a sc, ch 10, sc in ch z loop.  Fasten off.

Now for the ties:  Attach yarn in a different ch7  loop with a sl st, ch 100, sl st in loop.  Fasten off.  Repeat in other ch 7 loop.

Weave in ends.  And you’re done!

Make it your own, add beads or shells, do it in three different colors, have fun!

Please don’t copy or sell the pattern.  If  your friends want a copy send them to my blog to get it.

Feel free to make and sell as many barefoot sandals as you can.  Teach your teen to crochet with this pattern.  Maybe she’ll sell them to her friends and make enough to go to that rock concert.

 

C is for Crochet

  Crochet VS. Knitting. 

What do you like better?  I think it's moot.  I like both.  Knitting produces a nice drapey fabric and is soothing to work on.  Crochet is quicker and can easily be shaped all sort of ways.  Many times I combine the two by knitting a piece and then edging it in crochet.

The other day I was perusing books in a yarn shop and I overheard the shop owner tell a customer "I loathe crochet.  I call it crotch it cause it's so ugly.".  When I went to check out she asked me "Do you knit or crochet?"  I told her I do both but I prefer crochet.  Her response :"Hmphf."    I thought that was so odd of her to alienate half her customer base.