CROCHET FOR KINDNESS

Hope you will all join up and share at least one piece of you crochet.

A new group worth a look make and add a note to a hat or scarf and leave it for someone in need to find 

Now I can see the worth in yarn bombing!

Make 2015 a time for sharing your love of crochet with someone in need

Kelly Kennedy has started a Facebook group up so give a little or a lot

This is a poem you can add to the gift to be used anonymously 

Rainbow Flower for Baby Hat

Cute little flower with a rainbow of petals to go on the baby hat
 

PADDED FLOWER CENTRE 

make a finger wrap of 7 wraps

 

Round 1 2 and 3: sc into the circle first round should be 12 sc but leep going over the top of the first round until you have almost filled the centre hole about 40sc, and you need to have 14/16sts showing to make 7 or 8 petals Use the rounded side as the front

 

 should look well padded like  little dougnut

 Petals: make each petal in a different colour, attach first colour, ch3, 2tr, ch3, sl st into first st, cut and weave in ends

 miss a st, repeat with second colour....make 7 petals

  the flower can be use like this

OR

attached to the hat with crochet ch sts around the edge of the centre as below

 

 

 

Daisy Granny Square wrap......

8 PETAL GRANNY SQUARES WRAP

WRAP OR IT MIGHT END UP AS A THROW IF I HAVE ENOUGH YARN and I don't loose interest lol

YARN: Rooster Aran in a selection of colours about 16, 4 in shades of green 

Black Aran as background

HOOK: 5mm

Ch5, sl st into circle, magic circle or a finger wrap of 4 wraps.

ROUND 1: 16sc into circle, sl st to complete (16sc)

ROUND 2: 8 Cluster sts. 2dc in first st, 2dc in second st, cluster tog, one in every 2 sts, with ch3 between each cluster making the 'FLOWER' sl st, to complete. (8 petals)

ROUND 3: 3dc ch3 3dc in the first corner, ch1 3dc in side sp, ch1 repeat for all sides, sl st to complete. (3granny shells for each side)

ROUND 4: join as you go black round. 3dc ch3 3dc in first corner, ch1 3dc ch1 3dc ch1 side, repeat for all sides, sl St to complete. ( 4granny shells for each side)

Make row of 3 motifs 13" (33cms) x about 14 rows may be 15 rows for a wrap around 60" (52.5cm)

A simple and quick baby and toddler hat

A really simple and quick baby hat pattern today...helping out a friend from Facebook who has like a lot of people, come unstuck with the US and UK terminology

So let me clarify terms first

I think and work in US Terms, on my blogs it is always US terms, but the books and most of the patterns I write for commissioned work are in UK Terms.

So i am always converting my patterns from US to UK terms.

It has become a simple process for me.....

BUT lots of people can find it a really confusing and difficult task to do.

Couple of golden rules to help

1: If the pattern says single crochet (sc) its an American pattern, sc as a term does not appear in UK patterns.

2: Look carefully at any pictures you can usually tell what the stitch is with a little practise.

Most patterns say, but not all....an assumption is made that you will know and that leads to wasted time and frustration.

Please don't give up if you make this mistake I would hate for anyone to give up on one of the most wonderful of craft skills.

above is a medium size in Stylecraft Special weighs 29g

SIMPLE BABY TO CHILD HAT PATTERN

US terms

dk and a 4mm hook.

I've had years of making hats not just crochet one either and head sizes vary a huge amount but as a guide I'm adding the list below

APPROXIMATE SIZE CHART FOR CHILDREN

SMALLEST SIZE is about 14" (35.5cm) circumference, stretching to about 16" (40.5cm)

about 0-6months

MEDIUM SIZE is about 16" (40.5) circumference, stretching to about 18" (45.75cm)

12months +

LARGE SIZE is about 18" (45.75cm) stretching to about 20" (49.75cm) and maybe even into 21" a small adult size depending on your yarn and tension

After that you start to get into adult sizes, my head is small and measures 21" but I have made toddler hats bigger than my head...so you can see how they can vary.

I usually make my hats in stripes changing colour every round but for this pattern i will write it as if you are using one colour only

DC in US Terms is 3 sts on hook, yo through 2 sts, yo through 2sts, stitch made.

PATTERN smallest size

Worked in the round, no turning and can be made with a colour change for every round

ch4, do a magic circle or a 1 finger wrap of 4 wraps (my favourite, no ends to deal with)

FINGER WRAP

Round 1: ch2 (counts as first dc, i wont repeat this again) 11dc into circle, sl st to complete. (12dc)

12DC

Round 2: 2dc in all sts, sl st to complete. (24dc)

24DC

Round 3: 2dc, in first st, 1dc into next st, repeat this 2, 1, 2, 1 for the round. (36dc)

36DC...you can see that the 2sts line up with the 2sts of the round below

Round 4: 2dc in the first st, 1dc in the next 2 sts repeat this 2,1,1,2,1,1 for the round, sl st to complete. (48dc)

48DC..again you can see that the 2sts in one st line up so you can always tell how many stitches you should be doing, ie: 2 in 2 and 1 in 1

Round 5 - 16: 1dc in each st, sl st to complete. (48dc)

This hat can be finished here with no extra edging stitch or you can add your favourite stitch, so long as it fits to 48sts.

SHELL STITCH EDGING

Shell stitches use 4 stitch per shell so anything that can be divided by 4 will take a shell edging that will be evenly spaced.

SHELL EDGING

Round 17: Continue from the sl st you finished round 16, miss a st, do 5dc into the next st, miss a st, sl st into next st, repeat for the round. (12shells)

TO MAKE THE BIGGER SIZES

Repeat above pattern to round 4

Medium size

Round 5: will be 2dc, 1dc,dc1,1dc repeat giving (60dc)

Shell stitches use 4 stitch per shell so anything that can be divided by 4 will take a shell evenly.

Large size

Round 5: will be the 2dc,1dc,1dc,1dc repeat (60dc)

plus

Round 6: will be 2dc, 1dc,1dc,1dc,1dc (72dc)

I will say that in between sizes can be done but that might make it complicated for the beginner so i will keep it to 3 sizes for now.

Hope that helps

 This 2colour stripe is in Stylecraft Alpaca, and Aran, weighs 29g too, but is the small size

I'm making a rainbow one at the moment in the medium size..picture to follow

Happy Hooking

CROCHET: New Star/Snowflake pattern.

Change of layout to Suz Place...easier to find patterns and how too's...on the right hand side just click on picture to take you to the original post.

Sorry its taken me so long to get this far, still lots more I want to do but opening up the blog again.

I will work on adding more links to old patterns and sharing a few new patterns.

Im afraid I have neglected the blog for a long time. I'm finding it a lot easier to use the ipad and add updates and even patterns to Facebook these days...so if you want to catch up on Facebook just click the Facebook icon on the right hand side.

Work has taken priority I'm afraid and i havent had any time to play for a while now......

But the second book is finished, it's with the publisher GMC, being edited and turned into another book full of crochet inspiration....well the piblisher was pleased enough with it to ask me to do book 3 already...so pleased and still having to pinch myself.

 Hopefully the second book will be out next May 2015

SNOWFLAKE PATTERN
US terms UK terms in red brackets

 Above in cotton 4mm hook

The design work is on going and I am finding it difficult to share patterns with you all just in case its a pattern needed for that work but I will try my hardest to share a pattern a month with you.

Above snowflake is in a Wool Blend Aran..a bit scratchy but lovely to look at.

5mm hook.
I've been making cushions from it but had a little left over
Cushion album on Facebook if you want a peek

I've also been playing around with C2C scarves...again another album on Facebook.
the prettiest below made from left over yarns i've used in the new book.

With Christmas just around the corner.....Today's Pattern is a new Star/Snowflake

They are quick to make and can be used for drinks mats, hanging decorations, or joined together if you wanted to make a shawl or wrap.

Left soft or stiffened.

I tried the pattern in a number of yarns and it works really well in everything so far.

Depending on what you want to use your star for.

The one below is made from Wendy Celeste with teeny tiny sequins in it. 

4mm hook for this version

 The light is awful at the moment but you can just see the sequins and it isn't quite as dark as the picture shows more a Pale Champagne colour...ooops! complete with a stray cat hair it seems.

PATTERN: 
USA Terms UK Terms in red Brackets

finger wrap of 4 wraps.

Round 1: 12sc [12dc],into circle, sl st to complete.

Round 2: 2dc [2tr], into first and second sts, ch7, 2dc [2tr], into next 2 sts, ch7 repeat to end (6 loops)

Round 3: Continue, ch2 as dc [tr], 5dc [5tr], into next ch loop, ch3, 5dc [5tr], into same loop, 5dc [5tr], ch3, 5dc [5tr], into next loop repeat to end.

In the last loop you will do 5dc [5tr], ch3, 4dc [4tr], as the first ch2 will be the last dc [tr]. Sl st to complete. (6 star points).

Stop here if you want stars, cut and weave in ends.

Block or join as you go as many as you want to make a wrap.

FOR SNOW FLAKES CONTINUE:

Round 4: Continue to Ch6, sl st into ch3 sp, at point,

ch5, sl st into ch3 sp, ch6 sl st into ch3 sp, ch5 sl st into ch3 sp,

ch6 sl st into triangle sp at dip of point and repeat for all points.

Make single stars or snowflakes for mats or decorations, or join several together to make a shawl or wrap joining at the ch6 loop only.

add a chain loop or a garland chain for decorations

 Below Snowflakes made in dk Alpaca,Chunky Acrylic, and a dk wool

Happy Hooking x

Stylecraft Harequin Hat to go with the bag.

A few bits of Harequin left over so making a hat to go with the bag, just incase it's going to get cold this winter...

 and the triangle wool bag is finished...

 complete with handle and drawstring

 

have fun...off to London tomorrow going to be fun!

Stylecraft triangles and a bag going to London with me...

Had a little free time this last couple of days so finished a bag I made back in July/August time...Stylecraft Harequin and 6mm hook

 

Also part way through a cotton wool bag that is hoping to come with me to London.

I decorated the bag this morning with the same cute Japanese flowers I added to the hook bag.

 

The Bag is made from one ball of StylecraftHarequin and 6 mm hook.

The flowers from teeny tiny left over balls of the same yarn

 

How to do the handle

 Lots of triangle blankets been made this last year or so,

in Stylecraft Special, Stylecrft Life, and in Classique Cotton the wool bag......

hope to finish the bag for the show

Cya soon if you are going to the Kniting and Stitch Show at Ally Pally next week.

 

Thanks again to everyone who bought my Granny Squares book1......

Almost finished Book 2....came across this blog
Cosmos and Cotton 
this morning,
Haven't asked permission to use her pictures so pop over and take a look at Hannapat's work.

 Thanks for buying the book Hannapat and so pleased you are enjoying the first book
From a quick look this morning I found Hannapat has made the bath mat and the stool cover in her own colours and they both look fabulous

Please if you have made anything from the book let me know I will add you to my blog and post a link to your crochet.....always love to see how the patterns are interpreted by you all.

Thanks again to everyone who is enjoying Book one
And don't forget I will be with the Stylecraft team at the Knitting and stitch show next week if you want a chat or just to say hello


Donna at Lormar.co.uk have the new Stylecraft crochet patterns you are all asking me about and lots more of the Stylecraft patterns too) plus the Sylecraft yarns for sale at a good price,
thanks Donna

All that Brightly Blooms Rug has returned home to the UK

Made for Homespun Magazine August issue Page 80.

It's home again, over 21,000 miles

 

I had a few flowers so i've played around with more formal arragements for those hookers who want some variations

Homespun Facebook Page

central

all corners

2 corners

 

or even on the outer edge.

Have fun...made mostly with Stylecraft Life and mixed with a 4ply

 

Happy Hooking x

Bobble stitch Hexagon throw...another often requested pattern for you all...

Sunday, 11 September 2011

Bobble Hexagon Pattern so often requested from 2011.

Please link back to me and my patttern if you use it, thanks

For those that don't know me l'm from the UK but work in USA Terms..
they make more sense to me

This blanket has been worked in two strands of DK on a 6mm hook.
It could be made in Aran 5mm hook or Chunky 6mm hook....

But it could be made in one strand and 4 mm hook, but would obviously be smaller and take longer to make and less chunky too.

UPDATED VERSION OF THE 2011 BOBBLE HEXAGON BLANKET
and new colour ways
HERE

An old post but still interesting I think?

MORNING..this is a post from 2010 I think...

Right....

 l picked up my Mum's very old 'Encyclopaedia of Needlework' the other day and looked at the crochet section...such a treasured book l think Mum said she had it as a 21st Birthday present..

hugs miss ya lots xx

Anyway back to the 'USE ONE STITCH'....

Using SC that's the American version.....hook though the st pull yarn though and then hook again and make the sc st.....

lots of variations to try and different stitches too but for now l thought l'd share this with you.....

First square is SC done as you would normally through the whole stitch

 pictures 2&3 are worked from the back so you are bit blind doing it.

But hooked ONLY into the back half of the ST...giving a lovely knobbly texture

perfect for the centre of flowers or just a lovely chunky texture to a cushion or blanket even!

This next picture is still SC again done into the back half of the stitch only but done from left to right  oops thanks for pointing that one out CRAFTY PAM......right to left it should have read hehehe....only so it has a back and a front....both of which are lovely looking stitches

the top one being the closes to the normal st.

the bottom photo gives more of a slanting stripe almost like an embroidery st.

2ND OPTION..... if you work it continuously but still into the back of the st. only

you get a ribbed almost pleated look to the piece....fascinating really chunky ribbed sort of feel and look...

making every other row dominate and the other rows half hidden....

isn't it great and all from just the simplest of the crochet stitches?

LOVE THIS SORT OF EXPERIMENT

Hope you do too?

Still more options with SC st but l might try 

DOUBLE CROCHET STITCH today!

CUBBY STASH UPDATE...

Took 11 packs back and swapped them for same colours in the second yarn l ordered hehehe 

The 7packs l had to wait a couple of days for were so much softer and well worth the extra few pence

So l was allowed to change any packs l hadn't opened for the softer better quality yarn...wasn't that good......thanks Steve...l'll be back!

RAINBOW OF ACRYLICS FOR SALE....

 Anyone wants any just let me know the colours are fabulous and it really is very soft and great quality and makes up beautifully

Buying in bulk it comes out @ £1.50 per 100grm ball plus P&P

Pity they don't do an Orange though..theirs is too bright even for me!! hehehe

BLOCKING TOOL UPDATE...

First appointment with the plastic company...no good far too expensive so more research needed

wood has been suggested but that would go moldy and warp mixed with steam oR water so it has got to be plastic if it's going to have any life span!!

watch this space and cross everything for me...pleeeeease.will track another plastics compant down sooner or later that can do the job for a good price

PROMISE hehehe