White Christmas

Christmas isn't Christmas without snow.  And what better way to share your love of crocheting with your friends and family then making them a snowflake ornament?

I pulled out my snowflake patterns and started to make snowflakes.  As soon as I got to the third pattern, I knew I found a keeper.  

I adapted the pattern slightly because I think there is such a thing as too many frills.

Using the smallest hook I own (a 7) and thread, I started with Chain 5 and slip stitched it together to form a ring.
Round 1: Chain 6.  *1 dc in ring, ch 3** Repeat from * to ** 10 more times.  Slip stitch final chain 3 into 3rd chain of beginning chain 6.
Round 2: Chain 1.  *1 sc, chain 7, 1 sc in chain 3 space.  2 sc in next chain 3 space.** Repeat from * to ** 5 more times.  Slip Stitch in slip stitch of previous round.
Round 3: Chain 1.  *In chain 7 space: (2 sc, chain 2, 3 dc, 2 tr, chain 4, slip stitch in first chain of chain 4 too make a picot, 1 tr, 3 dc, chain 2, 2 sc).  Skip next sc.  1 Sc in next 2 sc.**  Repeat from * to ** 5 more times.  Join with slip stitch to finish.

Tip:  I crochet around my end in Round 1 so I only have one end to weave in when I finish the snowflake.  Just lay the end along the side of the ring and crochet around the two strands together.


To starch my snowflakes (and anything else I starch) I have a piece of cardboard with saran wrap wrapped around it multiple times which I reuse over and over.  Using simple quilting pins, I stretch and pin the snowflakes, starch them several times with spray starch (use liberally), then unpin them, flip them over and starch them once on the flip side.  If you stretch them well, you shouldn't have to iron them at all.  Then use a paper clip looped through one of the picots to hang the ornament on a tree.

Merry Christmas!

New Creation

I'm back!  Sorry I haven't blogged in a while, but the last few months have been very busy.  But it's been great to get back to crocheting again.  I free-handed this pattern and since it turned out nice I thought I would share.

 I used an H/8 hook (my favorite!) and a single crochet for the entire scarf.
Tail ends:
Ch 4,
Row 1: 3 sc, ch 1,
Row 2: 3 sc, ch 3
Row 3: 5 sc, ch 1
Row 4: 5 sc, ch 3
Row 5: 7 sc, ch 1
Row 6: 7 sc, ch 3
Row 7: 9 sc, ch 1
Row 8: 9 sc, ch 3
Row 9: 11 sc, ch 1
Row 10: 11 sc, ch 3
Row 11: 13 sc, ch 1
Row 12: 13 sc, ch 3
Row 13: 15 sc, ch 1
Row 14: 15 sc, ch 3
Row 15: 17 sc, ch 1
Row 16: 17 sc, ch 3
Row 17: 19 sc, ch 1
Row 18: 19 sc, ch 3
Row 19: 21 sc, ch 1
(18 rows of 21 sc between tails and diamonds or between diamonds)

Reverse Tail:
Row 1: 19 sc, ch 1,
Row 2: 19 sc, ch 1
Row 3: 17 sc, ch 1
Row 4: 17 sc, ch 1
Row 5: 15 sc, ch 1
Row 6: 15 sc, ch 1
Row 7: 13 sc, ch 1
Row 8: 13 sc, ch 1
Row 9: 11 sc, ch 1
Row 10: 11 sc, ch 1
Row 11: 9 sc, ch 1
Row 12: 9 sc, ch 1
Row 13: 7 sc, ch 1
Row 14: 7 sc, ch 1
Row 15: 5 sc, ch 1
Row 16: 5 sc, ch 1
Row 17: 3 sc, ch 1
Row 18: 3 sc, end.

Diamond inset:
Row 1: 19 sc, ch 1
Row 2, 19 sc, ch 1
Row 3: 17 sc, ch 1
Row 4: 17 sc, ch 1
Row 5: 15 sc, ch 1
Row 6: 15 sc, ch 3
Row 7: 17 sc, ch 1
Row 8: 17 sc, ch 3
Row 9: 19 sc, ch 1
Row 10: 19 sc, ch 3
(18 rows of 21 sc)

Diamond:
Ch 11
Row 1: 10 sc, ch 1
Repeat for a total of 8 rows
(then tuck in the ends and use a darning needle to sew the diamonds into the insets)

I hope you enjoy this pattern!  Personally, I had a lot of fun working on this and using up scraps of yarn was simply a great perk!  Happy hooking... :p

The Final Piece

This week I cleaned out my yarn bins and had the pleasant surprise of discovering several almost completed projects.  One of which was a pair of mittens for a customer. All that was left was one thumb on one of the mittens.  Unfortunately, I free-handed the thumb on the first mitten because the pattern had the thumb 3 times larger than it needed to be.  So, retracing my stitches was a little difficult and if the thumbs aren't the same, they're close enough that I don't think anyone will notice the difference.

I found the pattern on my trusty ravelry site and although I don't like the thumb I love how she shapes the rest of the mitten.  Here's the pattern: http://dandylionspatterns.blogspot.com/2007/06/janas-mitts.html.  Although the pattern calls for a 4.5mm hook I used a 5mm (H/8) and my favourite cotton yarn from JoAnn's.  It turned out a tad on the large side but they work quite nicely for long hands.  For the thumbs, I did a triple decrease in the corners and 1 sc in each stitch otherwise around, then 1 sc around for 5 rounds.  Then decreases all the way around twice and tuck in the tails.  The only thing I don't really like about doing mittens (and booties for that matter) is once you finish one you still have one more to go!  It takes more time and you see results slower.  But they're quite useful in the end.  And stylish too!

The mittens are the final piece in a set that already included a hat and scarf.  I sold the hat and scarf months ago and as an afterthought she wanted a pair of mittens to match.  She wants them for the fall to give to her daughter.  Although the mittens are rather plain the rest of the set is quite beautiful.  If her daughter hadn't loved it I'd have taken it back willingly :)

Mother's Day Doily

First off, I need to apologize for not posting anything on my blog lately.  I have a lot of reasons why but the biggest is that this is the first project I've finished in the last month.  I've been dabbling with a couple things but nothing else is completed yet.

Anyway, this project is my first attempt at a doily.  I logged on to ravelry.com and searched through tons of patterns until I decided to try my hand at this one.  If you are not a ravelry member then become one.  Membership is free and it gives you patterns and networking at the tips of your fingers.  Thanks to my friend Amy for telling me about it!  The pattern I used is free at the following website:
http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Projects/HomeDec/LC1554+Mantilla+Doily.htm

I don't exactly know what went wrong when I was making this, but for some reason the outside doesn't lay flat.  It ruffles.  I know that I tend to have tight tension, but I kept my tension consistent throughout the whole pattern so that wouldn't explain the ruffling.  And I followed the pattern exactly so I didn't add extra stitches.  I'm not sure what to watch out for next time.  But, even flawed, it still turned out really pretty.

As suggested by the title, it was a mother's day gift for Mama T.  She gushed over it when I gave it to her.  And she was just thinking of going shopping for a doily.  There is a certain end table that needed a little something.  I guess I spared her a trip :)

Hats Off!

Here's to you Winter!  As you make your adieu, I will show off my favorite winter beautifuls.

This hat was made for a small head, not a child, just a tiny adult.  But I'm sure the pattern would work well for a child.  I found the flower pattern on ravelry and loved it immediately.  It's simple and quick and I can adjust the size hook and yarn to make various sizes.  I love the accenting pinks and I think they stand out against the black exquisitely.

This hat was made using my own pattern as well, but for a normal size head.  I used the same flower pattern as the previous hat.  When my customer asked for these three colours I didn't know if I would have the right shades to mix together, but I think it turned out quite nicely.  I like the clustering of the flowers.  Maybe three different pinks next time???

This hat was made as a gift for one of my residents.  She went through chemo and beat her cancer--yeah!!--but lost all her hair in the process.  Winter was especially chilly for her so she always wore a hat.  One day I told her she needed a girly hat since all her hats were brown, orange or navy blue.  So I got to work that night and made this for her.  The yarn is so fun and colourful that I simply loved how it turned out.  And so did she!!!  She wore it for the rest of the winter and got lots of complements.

This pattern I found in a library book.  I can't recall which one, but I have made several hats using this pattern and love every one.  The open weave is stunning when placed on the head.  The colour of this yarn also off-sets the pattern quite nicely.

Well there you have it!  Those are some of my favorite hats from this last winter.

Baby Blues

Vacation is a wonderful time.  Endless hours to create whatever you would like.  This week I worked on several different projects but I only have one completed.  It's a baby set that a customer ordered.  Although I have a pattern for all the parts, I had to adjust the patterns for worsted weight yarn.  I used an H hook--my favorite--and some expert ripping skills--of course!--to make the set.

The hat was relatively simple and quick.  I used a double crochet stitch so the hat would stretch and adjust to the baby's head.  I worked in the round using a slip stitch and chain 3 to connect and start the next round.  Personally, I never work in a continuous round because it leaves an uneven edge when finished.  Because the set is for a boy, I didn't add any embellishments--a flower or ribbon--but left it simple.

The mittens were a little more tricky.  Originally, the pattern called for a baby yarn and a small hook, but I wanted to use the same yarn for everything so...I changed the pattern.  Not having a newborn baby on hand to test the mittens on, they may still be on the large size but--here's the good news!--baby's grow fast.  I know that having ribbon isn't exactly masculine but I needed something to tighten the mittens around the wrist.  I figured plain black was the least of the evils that I had.  For this pattern, I used mostly a double crochet except for the row where the ribbon is threaded.  There I used a single, chain sequence and then put two doubles in the chain in the next row.  It gives it some nice patterning and by not connecting the last two rows you get an open cuff to fit the arm better.

Personally, I think the booties are the cutest part of the set.  Once again, I adjusted the pattern for this.  When I originally made these booties for my niece I found that the ankle part was quite small, so small that it was difficult to pull over the heel.  But once on, the foot was so big it flopped around on her foot.  So I made the ankle bigger and the foot portion smaller.  I'm hoping that this works a little better.  For the booties, I used a single crochet in the round.  After four rounds I attached a separate strand of yarn to make the top of the foot which I work in a row.  Then I continued the first strand around the side of the foot and the back of the ankle, decreasing after four more rows.  Then I slip stitched the bottom together and tied off.  Waa-laa!

Because baby's are so small, all the pieces came together much faster than an adult set.  Which is nice for a change.  I think the set is adorable and I hope my customer does too.

A Silent Beginning

It's the silent stitch at night.  The quiet click of the camera.  The rhythmic beat on the keyboard.  And another project is finished, posted on display.  It sounds so simple, so quick, but it's so much more.  Crocheting is an art, and for me it's a form of therapy.  It's a love, a passion, and sometimes an enemy.  There are days when the yarn sits still.  And there are days when the yarn is worked, re-worked and ripped out for a third time.  But the days I love best are when I have a hook, some yarn, and a pattern in my fingers--one that was previously undiscovered--and the yarn goes from just a ball to something beautiful.  

I want to share all of my something beautifuls with you.  I want to tell you about them and show you pictures.  The beginning of a project may go easily unnoticed.  But a finished creation should be shared.