A Beginning..

I have been hearing for years about how I should be selling the things I make and have resisted because of a fear of not really being good enough. Well, I have decided to take the plunge and start creating some things to start an Etsy shop. This is the first baby item I am going to list...

Newborn Baby Romper Set

This was a fun project to make and it came out pretty cute. I used the discontinued Caron Spa, which is a great yarn for summer season garments, and a G hook. You can find the pattern for the romper HERE but I made up my own cap and used a baby sandal pattern I found online. And I think Cherish (my new doll model) looks great in it, too....

I am going to be making a lot more things to sell in the next month or so. I will post more info about the Etsy shop when it becomes active.

Crochet, Away!

Birthday Gift!

My granddaughter just celebrated her first birthday! I will be seeing her in a couple weeks and I wanted to make her something special. I thought a teddy bear would be nice but it had to be a certain kind. Not the kind that just sits in a crib or on a shelf....but one that a child will hold and drag around with them like a buddy. This little bear seemed perfect....

Buttercup Bear

Buttercup is a very easy pattern...you can find it HERE. I used O-Wool Balance (which is an organic merino/cotton blend) and an F hook so she is about 15" long...a little longer than the pattern indicates. But a nice size for a child to grow with. I added the scarf made of Patons Grace in a blo stitch leaving the ends for a fringe. And I put a jingle bell ball in the body just for fun. I am hoping this little bear will become a special friend to Lillith. She took me a little over a day to make. Give her a try. You can use different colors on the body parts to look like clothing, if you want. But I think her simple look is very classic.

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Mystery Pattern

A member of Ravelry posted a photo of a baby afghan and wanted to know if anyone knew the stitch. No one seemed to, but one member, with far more knowledge than I of reverse engineering, was able to figure it out. She posted photos of her work, back and front so we could see the construction. Since it would be improper to give out the pattern, those of us interested had to try and reverse engineer HER sample. I was able to do so....and here is the result...

I am so in love with this pattern stitch...it makes a 3 dimensional shell or scallop...I actually think it looks like crowns. Its not hard to create but does take time. I think it would make not only a lovely afghan but a beautiful shawl done in fingering weight with a larger hook.  The top photo is the front and the second photo is the reverse. The loops on the edges are for weaving a ribbon in and out of.

I wish I could share the pattern but if you are clever enough, you could probably figure it out as I did. If you need more help, check out the" Shell blanket disection" thread in the" Crochet On Ravelry" group....there are more photos there. Good luck!

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Ice Cream Cover Up

I originally wasn't going to crochet anything for the grandkids birthdays, but I found THIS pattern for a girls swimsuit cover up and it seemed like something I could do rather quickly and I was right....took 2 days. I just finished in a short time ago. This is for Sydney...she will be 4 on Sunday.

I made some changes in the pattern...added the ruffling around the skirt and sleeve edges and shaped the hood a bit differently. I used Bernat Cool Crochet (which is discontinued) instead of the #3 crochet cotton. I knew I would find a use for that yarn...its perfect for a project like this....lightweight and the mesh makes it pretty stretchy.

This pattern is made from the top down and could be easily adapted for a much larger size. I might try making one for myself.

Oh....and I want to thank all of you for your well wishes during my illness. I am feeling MUCH better now and hope to stay that way. I am losing weight and looking forward to swimming weather when the pool opens in about a month.

As always,

Crochet Away!

X-tra Thick Unisex Textured Slippers

My son asked me to make him a new pair of slippers and I wanted to try out a new pattern. I went on a search for a relatively easy pattern and found THIS one.

I like the fact that you dont have to make separate soles and stitch them together. I started a pair like that and lost interest. So I tried these and I was sold on them. Easy to make and very little sewing (just the seam in the back). I made them larger for my big footed son by using a J hook and increasing the amount of rows. I think he will like them....heck, I like them and may just make myself a pair.

Christmas crocheting is finally finished! To all of you who celebrates, have a WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 

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Rainbow Ripple Afghan

I finally finished this afghan which I am giving to Annie for Christmas (I am currently making an identical one for Naomi). It looks a bit like a color card for Vanna's Choice yarn, but I think its perfect for anyone who likes a bit of color and it will go with just about anything. I made it adult size so unless something disastrous happens, they should have this forever. The yarn should last a good long time as long as its cared for properly, although you cant do much to acrylic. 

You can find the pattern HERE (I believe you have to register with Bernat to view it but registration is just giving an e-mail address, if I remember correctly).  The patten is easy and quickly memorizable. I used a G hook so I got a heavier, denser blanket. Each color section used 3/4 of a skein, so you can count how many skeins I had to buy. And the picture doesn't show the entire length....there is about another 24 inches behind the chair. If I sold this blanket, I would probably have to charge between 3 and 5 hundred dollars for it, so its certainly not an inexpensive project.

However, THIS.....

.....is not expensive. Its the Branching Leaves Scarf and it only took one skein of Lustersheen. Not sure who I am going to give this one to, but I plan on making another one....with beads.

Crochet, Away!

ETA - 7/28/2014 - I had to edit this post as the pattern for the Branching Leaves Scarf is no longer available. Sorry.  :(

Quick Stitch Cowl

Here is a really quick and easy project for you or as a gift. I found it in the current issue of Crochet World magazine. It's made with Homespun, which is the bane of many crocheters (myself included) but once you get past the foundation chain, it's very easy because its made almost entirely of post stitches. The Homespun is actually perfect for this cowl....adds bulk without a lot of weight and the colors just add to the look. This one I made as a gift but the next one is for me. Perfect if you don't want "hat hair" but need a little protection from the cold. It's made to be worn either down around the neck only or pulled up onto the head. Check out the magazine....there are some nice holiday patterns in it.

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Beginning DC With Color Change

I wanted to add this video to my blog because I think its a great help and addition to my other beginning dc video.



I am working feverishly on Christmas gifts.....all afghans! When will I learn?? LOL!

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Yes, I am Still Alive!

I keep coming back to my blog but have had no new projects to share. Not because I haven't been crocheting....I do that every day. But the projects are taking time and I am not finished with them.....and I prefer to share finished work.

However, I do have a couple projects that are nearing completion and hope to post about those soon. In between my crocheting, I have made a couple videos for Ravelry which I want to share. This is a short one which explains how to do a no-chain beginning dc. Its easy and a lot of people have found it helpful.....



Other videos to follow. :)

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A New Video

I was asked on Ravelry if I could explain how to do cables in crochet. Rather than just do step by step photos, which you can already find online, I decided to make my second video on the subject....

This is the most common method of doing cables, but you can make wider cables or narrower ones. I am currently working on an afghan with a 3 stitch cable, with only one crossover. Cables are a great way to add texture and interest to a pattern. If you have never tried making cables, maybe my video will help. I hope so. :)

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And Now For Something Completely Different....

I like thongs and was lucky enough to come across THIS pattern for this one. It calls for crochet cotton and a B hook. Being a little on the larger size, I used a C hook and sock weight yarn. I started one in Panda Cotton, but didnt have enough yarn to finish, so I found a skein of Sockina Cotton in my stash and tried using that. This is how it came out.

I made a couple changes in mine. I made it in one piece and connected the sides instead of using ties and I left out the side straps in the back. But it fits....and comfortably! I am going to finish the other one as soon as I get some more yarn.

If you dont like thongs, you could make the back the same as the front, only a little larger....the pattern is repetitive. There is also a chart that makes the pattern very easy to follow, however it is hand drawn and very small, so you might need a magnifying glass or a way to enlarge it, but it DOES help. The link page is in mostly in German but at the bottom there is a PDF link for the pattern in English. I hope you give it a try.

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Teacher's Friend Pocket Scarf

I got a couple photos from my friend of some holiday projects I completed. These scarves are my own design and were given to a couple ladies on my b/f's side of the family. I had fun making them and I might make myself one....it would come in handy. When I do, I will copy down the pattern and put it on my pattern page.

The first scarf was made from Bernat Worsted....the big skeins. The blue one was made with Simply Soft. I call it the "Teacher's Friend" because I wish I had had one when I was teaching...would have helped at recess time. :)

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Two Little Mittens....

.....but not for kittens. :)

I wanted to make some mittens for Christmas gifts but was having trouble finding a pattern that was more than just a tube with a hole for a thumb. I was very happy to find THIS pattern (scroll down to the last row of pattern links). However, it called for baby yarn and I was not liking the result. So I decided to use a sport (DK) weight yarn and this is how they come out.....


They are a little small for me, but that means they would fit a small woman's hand....I would just have to add a couple rows for the hand and thumb and they would be perfect. I like the pattern because there is a thumb shaping added which makes the thumb more like a thumb instead of just something sticking out the side. Hope that makes sense. :)

They are an easy pattern, but I think they are really nice. Depending on the color, they would work for any gender. Give them a try!

Ok....back to the Christmas gifts.

Crochet, Away!