Snowflake Scarf

I came up with this idea for a snowflake scarf.

Lots of crocheted snowflakes connected together to form a really unique winter scarf.

Crochet project 101: Lacy Scarf

I love my local library system.  Now that our library is connected with dozens of others we can request just about any item in print (or movies, music, pc...).  And it's all online!  I remember just a few years ago, if I wanted to request an item from a different library.... the paperwork was incredible.  No longer.

I recently got my hands on a crochet magazine called "  removed   ".  I had no idea crochet projects could be so detailed or possible.  Most of the projects make me cringe!  But... there was one project in particular that caught my eye.  It was labeled as "easy" and the pattern looked pretty simple.  Just two repeating rows.  The finished project was really beautiful!  I decided to give it a try.

Now you must know, I don't buy the expensive yarns called for in the patterns.  I go through my stash and try to find something close to what the pattern calls for.  In this case, the pattern called for a light wool yarn (can't remember the exact type)... but I just so happened to have some 100% Shetland Wool yarn that had been given to me by my mother-in-law a couple of years ago.  I believe she picked up a few skeins at a garage sale.  (Hint: garage sales and thrift stores are great places to hunt for cheap yarn.  If you need fancy yarn, such as cashmere, one of my friends buys 100% cashmere sweaters at a thrift store then unravels them, rolls the yarn into a ball, and creates something new!).

It's a soft grey color, not the off-white called for in the pattern, but it will be fine.

Here's what I have so far:

Once it's finished and blocked, it will look more straight.  I'm really happy with it so far, though!

I'd like to share this simple pattern with all of you. 

REMOVED! The company contacted me & asked that I remove it.  Sorry!

 

There are simple web sites that can help you learn the Crochet terminology and basics.  Here are some good resources:

http://www.nexstitch.com/v_crochet_videos.html . This web site includes all-video tutorials.

http://www.crochetcabana.com/ . A good place to start.

P.S. Did you know it's a proven fact that knitting and crocheting helps to lower stress?  Why not learn today? 

Crocheted mitten pattern needed!

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All crochet enthusiasts: I desperately need a good child's mitten pattern.

I've been working on mittens for my sons from the yarn we recently dyed. It's worsted weight.

I found a pattern on Ravelry, and got to work a couple of weeks ago. As the garden is really demanding right now, there hasn't been a lot of spare time for crochet. However, I did get one mitten about halfway done. The pattern is for a 2 1/2 year old, but when I tried to fit it onto the hand of my 1 1/2 year old, it was way too small, and he's not a big boy.

Soooo.... I frogged it. Had to. Pulled it all apart and am now using the same pattern but doubling the size and using a slightly larger hook.



I just don't know if it will work. And I desperately need to make something from it for each of my sons. They dyed the yarn themselves, so it's special... and I'd love to make the mittens as a Christmas gift.

Perhaps someone out there has a better mittern pattern for this wonderful yarn?

Please drop me an email or post a comment below if you do! pennysemail@comcast.net

Thank you!!!





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Crochet time: Baby blanket

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While I do love to crochet, sometimes I get sick of staring at a pattern while I work on a project. Constantly checking to see what stitch is next, counting & recounting stitches, having so much on my lap (pattern, stitch counter, row counter). So sometimes I enjoy sitting back with an easy, no-pattern-required project.

One of my sisters-in-law is expecting a baby toward the end of July. Back in May, I started working on a baby blanket for her. I finally finished it in mid-July. Yikes! Perhaps I am better off sitting with a pattern for a pair of booties I can finish in an hour and a half. This was pretty extensive.



I used fingerling yarn, but followed my friend Yarn Over's idea and held two contrasting colors together to help bulk it up so it wouldn't take as long. It still took forever! The blanket consists entirely of double crochet stitches. That's it. Very basic, a nice summer project needing no thinking on my part.

To jazz it up a bit, I added a ruffled edge. This was simple to do. You just start at one corner of the finished blanket. Attach the yarn, * chain 3, single crochet in next stitch. Repeat from * all the way around.



I like the way it turned out. Now I just need to weave in all the ends and wait for baby's arrival.

For my next project I'll be making my boys some mittens using the yarn I dyed at Yarn Over's Hippie Yarn Dying Party! Perhaps I'll finish them by the end of October...


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Crochet time: Newborn hat & booties

I love crocheting hat and bootie sets.



I found a book a few years ago through our library system that had several patterns for booties.

I've made them several times with a variety of yarns.. It's my favorite "new baby" gift.

Small project that doesn't consume too much time or yarn, but it will be an heirloom for the baby.

Crochet newborn baby dress

Being a mother of three boys, I loved crocheting this dress for a relative's newborn baby.

I used a lavender wool blend. I had picked the yarn up at a sale, brand new, for 10 cents a skein. Yep, you read that right. 10 cents. I believe this dress used about 1.5 to 2 skeins, costing a grand total of 20 cents. Better add another 3 cents for the matching lavender ribbon.



Of course, this doesn't include the hours spent making it. Chalk those hours up as therapy time. Needle crafts are very relaxing.

I got the pattern from one of the many cute children's crochet books out there. Check your local library system for free pattern books!

Crocheted baby pillow

I've been crocheting a lot lately. I'm trying to use up the small balls and skeins of yarn that I have in my stash. So I've been making small things...baby blankets, dishcloths, etc.
I had been working on a baby blanket but didn't have quite enough yarn to make it big enough.
So, I turned it into a pillow and stuffed it with fabric scraps from the t-shirt quilt I made last fall.
I gifted it to my son Evan.
He's a comfort-lover. He sucks his thumb, carries around his Care Bear, and his pillow. When he gets upset, he looks for those things. Luckily the thumb is attached. Yesterday he became upset when I wouldn't let him water the tomato plants without my help. He ran off and came back a few minutes later sucking his thumb, hugging his Care Bear, and dragging around the 3-foot-long body pillow I used during my last pregnancy (yes, I did feel guilty about not letting him water the plants). He declared this to be his pillow a few weeks ago. It's crazy to watch - a tiny boy carrying around a pillow bigger than he is. He even wants to bring it to the dinner table with him.
I hope that by bestowing my homemade pillow upon him he will refocus his attachment to this lovely, small pillow. Perfect for carrying around with a Care Bear and a thumb.
Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Crocheted toddler hat

I've used this pattern before and I love it.
Very easy, only takes a couple of hours start to finish.
A toddler hat in a cute shell pattern to boost my craft show inventory.



The pattern is called Belliveau Cove and it's available for free here: http://crochetme.com/belliveau-cove-gulf-shores

Think spring!

These crocheted flowers are a snap to make.

Chain five then join to make a circle.
Single crochet into circle then chain 10.
Repeat 11 times.
Join into first single crochet.

Sew a bead to the center if you desire.