5th New Star of 6 for 2017

5: CLUSTER STAR

finger wrap of 10 wraps
ROUND 1: 12sc, into circle, sl st, to complete. [12sc]
ROUND 2: ch2, dc in first st, 2dc in every st to end sl st, to complete, [24dc]
ROUND 3: Att. yarn in sp between pairs of dc, cluster of 3dc, [ch2, half make 2dc, pull yarn though all 3sts, ch5, cluster of 2dc in next sp, ch2, sl stinto same st,  sl st to next sp, repeat sl st to complete. [12clusters x 3dc]

All Star Patterns

US Terms

4mm hook

CHANGE COLOUR EVERY ROUND.

YARNS USED FOR STARS:

YARN: stone washed yarns and Marble Yarns 

Designer Yarns

James C Brett Marble DK

Best Selection of Marble dk Cols:

mt1 grey shades,

mt2 blue shades,

mt3 pale aqua shades

mt19 lime shades,

mt20 bale blue shades

mt24 beige grey

mt41 blue/teal.turquoise

mt47 pale grey shades

OR 

Use your stash

Next week i will post all 6 stars in one post for you

CHRISTMAS ROSE GARLAND PATTERN

Christmas Rose Flower garland......

Christmas Rose Bunting 
Simple Pattern in two sections garland base and petals
Cotton dk 4mm hook

GARLAND BASE: 
in a green of your choice
finger wrap of 5 wraps
10sc [10dc] into the circle ch20, 10sc [10dc] in the second ch from the hook, 
ch20, 10sc [dc],in second st from hook to make a new circle, 
ch10, repeat until you have the required length. ch20 and finish with the last hanging ring.

ADD PETALS IN WHITE
att. yarn in any st, ch2, 2dc [2tr], into same st, 2dc [2tr], ch2 sl st into same st, sl st into next st, repeat for all 5 petals

STAR 4 OF 6NEW STAR PATTERNS 2017...

Thanks again for all the kind thoughts and good wishes, such a lot of caring in this small crochet world of ours, lovely that it shows up when you're having a down moment......

THANK YOU ALL, It's making a difference....

just had to add some colour somewhere didn't I? 

Wrist Update: Still limited flexibility, up, down, left or right or it HURTS, so still keeping it relatively still. Swelling has gone down sorry to say its back to ts wrinkly self again, pity!

But i do think there is an improvement each day, I can now pick up the hook in finger and thumb but thats about it cant unscrew a jar or squeeze a tea bag, but its certainly getting better.

Filling my time with lots of books

Finished the first of my Debbie Macomber, Rose Harbour series,

The Inn at Rose Harbour..... loved it, couldn't put it down until my Kindle died on me so I had too....how a book about death can be so uplifting, i shed lots of tears but smiled a lot too, sign of a good writer for me?

2nd Book in the series: Rose Harbour in Bloom ready and waiting...click the links for more info

 I do need to move too, so i've found the Body Grove You tube videos to do, just 5minutes of dance,  so i will try to do 3 or 4 each day keeping my hand safe...fun

BACK TO THE 4TH STAR FOR TODAY

STAR 4: LARGER STAR

Finger wrap of 10 wraps, 
ROUND 1: ch2 counts as first dc, 11dc into circle, sl st to complete [12dc]
ROUND 2: Att, yarn in any st, ch2 counts as first dc, dc into same st, 2dc in next st, ch7, 2dc in next 2 sts, ch7, repeat for all points, sl st to complete. [6 x ch7 loops]
ROUND 3: Att, yarn between any 2 pairs of dc, 5dc, 1tr, ch3, 1tr, 5dc, in ch7 loop, sc between next 2 pairs of dc, repeat for all points 

Join at the points for a wrap, scarf garland of stars or just single stiffened stars to hang up for the Christmas festivities....enjoy

FRUSTRATED HOOKERS CROCHET EMERGENCY.....

Pickled Hooker [Apple Cider Vinegar] and Calcified Righthand Tendon right wrist

Date: Late on Friday 17th November 2017 

Accident happened, while folding a very heavy, vintage quilt....in our packed up front bedroom

something was amiss....

 Righthand wrist severe pain...

 Saturday 18th November: 2 hours in A&E early morning....not bad

x ray shows calcified tendon [possible old injury], aggravated damage to right wrist....all crochet on hold until further notice....nooooooo!

 Wrist support, home to complete rest, undetermined time.

Long day of Tears, shouts, rants, swollen right hand and lower arm, 

climbing the walls in agony, 

wrist support removed, pain killers not working,everything i had been able to do with the Doctor who i saw i now couldn't do any more, excruciating pain

Evening of Saturday 18th November: another hour plus in A&E, 

couldn't do any more for me except stronger pain killers, go away come back for the appointment i'd been given for Friday to see consultant.

very little sleep, in agony, right hand wrist was definitely not well.

Sunday 19th November: Cancelled trip to Chatsworth house with Son and gf, James and Beth sorry both, next year i hope.

 Lots of tears and shouts, excruciationg pain all day....i was ready to cut it off at the elbow.

Tried tens machine, meditation, exciting film everything i could think of, nothing worked for the pain now...

Late evening, couldn't take any more, 

lay very still told my self to sleep and tried transferring all my thoughts to the left hand side of brain, well they do say parts of your brain control certain things, kept wrist very still on a soft pillow, i'd have tried anything by this time...it worked eventually I fell asleep

Result: slept almost all night

 Monday 20th November: Had to cancel the workshop for the 25th November.

So sorry, to all who booked, I couldn't even have driven there let alone picked up a hook.

Hope you all forgive me?

I lay very, very still all day with right hand on the softest pillow i could find. 

It was so swollen, one hand looks like a babies hand, compared to the wrinkly left hand, wish i could keep that bit. 

Visit and flowers from James and Beth..thank you xx

Only moving i did was to get up to make a couple of cups of tea and sort the boys out, they didn't give a dam about wrist injury I'm afraid...

Cat food pouches are a challenge with one hand and your teeth.

Tuesday 21st November: Another reasonable night and so long as I kept it very still there was minimal pain. 

A little worrying that i now had no grip though, couldn't move my fingers into a fist or straighten them, they just wouldn't work, as if they don't belong to me any more.

Spent some dangerous time on line, one click works well with the left hand as well as the right....

Got myself a series of books to read, set of 5 by Debbie Macomber, checked out a few blogs and bought myself a face primer......supposed to fill the cracks, under your make-up, let you know if it works, it was voted one of the best, we'll see.

Posted on my crochet group on Facebook, Thanks Hookers for the wonderful kind thoughts, support and good wishes. 

 Read up about Apple cider Vinegar...so Phil rushed out to buy a couple of bottles...

good for calcified bits it says along with lots of other benefits too....

Can't drink it with Honey like they suggest, so on chips, salmon, mushy peas, fish, salads and good in the bath too.

Wednesday 22nd November: A long soak in the bath with a cup of Apple cider vinegar. So hard to do anything with just one hand working....but you do find ingenious ways to do stuff, chin on chest to open jars, teeth for cat food pouches, challenging! 

Sugar tongues to squeeze tea bags, couldn't manage a tin this morning though nothing worked on that one.

The swelling is a lot better and i have a little more movement in righthand fingers, but still needs to be kept quite still, definitely no twisting actions.

The swelling is down enough to put wrist brace back on. Don't needed any pain killers today roll on Friday and i can find out what the prognosis is going to be.

For now all i can do it blog, very slowly with left hand and 

ENJOYING MY SET OF 5 BOOKS

Wonder if i'm going to need to find a new hobby?

Any suggestions?

STAR 3 OF 6 NEW STAR PATTERNS 2017

Star 3: HDC CENTRE FLOWER STAR

When using hdc, there are 3 threads at the top of the stitch use only the back two and leave the front thread to create the line around the circle 

Finger wrap of 10 wraps
ROUND 1: 12 hdc into circle
ROUND 2: ch3, tr into same st, tr, ch3, sl st, into next st, sl into next st repeat for 6 points, sl st, to complete
ROUND 3: Att, yarn in sl st at dip, ch4, hdc in first sp, hdc, ch3, hdc, into centre sp, at point, hdc into next sp, ch4, sl st, into sl st, at dip repeat for al 6 points 

All the Star patterns have been made in Stonewashed Yarns...suggested yarns

6 NEW STAR PATTERNS 2017: 

to make a wrap, blanket or scarf with, JAYO at the points or use a joining stitch 

have fun 

SuggestedYARNS: 
Scheepjes Stone washed Cotton or Cotton/acrylic mix.

James C Brett stonewashed yarns and Marble Yarns work well

DY, Designer Yarns have Stonewashed yarns too.

Alize Diva Batik 

The one i have used for these Star patterns is:

James C Brett Marble DK

Best Selection of Marble dk Cols:

mt1 grey shades,

mt2 blue shades,

mt3 pale aqua shades

mt19 lime shades,

mt20 bale blue shades

mt24 beige grey

mt41 blue/teal.turquoise

mt47 pale grey shades

OR 
Use your stash and change colour each round.

1 and 2 NEW STAR  Patterns 2017

US Terms

4mm hook

1: CLUSTER/PICOT STAR

finger wrap of 10 wraps
ROUND 1: ch2 points as first dc, 11dc into circle, sl st, to complete. [12dc]
ROUND 2: ch2, dc in first st, 2dc in every st to end sl st, to complete, [24dc
]ROUND 3: Att. yarn in any sp, between pairs of dc, ch4, cluster of 3dc in next sp, picot of 3ch, ch4 sc into next sp, repet for 6 points, sly t to complete. [6 clusters x 3dc]

2: SKELETON STAR

finger wrap of 10 wraps
ROUND 1: ch2 points as first dc, 11dc into circle, sl st, to complete. [12dc]
ROUND 2: ch2, dc in first st, 2dc in every st to end sl st, to complete, [24dc]
ROUND 3: Att. yarn on any sp, between pairs of dc, ch4, tr, ch3, tr, into next sp, ch4 sc into next sp, repeat for 6 points, sl st to complete, [6 x 'skeleton' point]

GRANNY SQUARE SKIRT: in one post

3 ROUND GRANNY SQUARE FOR SKIRT

PATTERN

3 Wonderful makers of the Granny square Skirt

Oona Linnett

Susan Edmonds

Anne Purdham

Rosalind Reynolds made a fab skirt in textural yarns

LOVE THEM ALL and don't you all look fabulous in them too xx

with added waistband 

US Terms, UK Terms in brackets 

Earlier in the year i made a granny square skirt for Bethany......The colours Beth picked for her skirt

I started one for myself but never completed it...a WIP in OLIVE GREEN, must complete it before Christmas 

FOR MY SKIRT, 

YARN: DK 4mm hook

Round 1:  Batik Oatmeal, Old Gold, Pistachio.

Round 2: Batik, Olive, Sage, Storm

Round 3: Sirdar Montana shade 0200 an olive green colour.

MAKING: size 14: Make112 Squares all together, top row has the dart shaping, 7rows x 8wide x 2, 16 square tube 

adjust size with more or less squares.

PATTERN

US Terms, UK Terms in brackets 
basic 3 ROUND GRANNY SQUARE

Finger wrap of 4 wraps

ROUND 1: first colour, ch2 counts as first dc [tr], 2dc [2tr], ch2, 3dc [3tr], ch2, 3dc [3tr], ch2, 3dc [3tr], ch2, sl st into first st, cut and weave in ends.

ROUND 2: second colour, ch2 counts as first dc [tr], 2dc [2tr], in first ch2 sp (corner), 3dc [3tr], ch2, 3dc [3tr] in next 3 corner sps, finish with 3dc [3tr], ch2 in first corner to complete sl st into the first st. 

ROUND 3: Join as you go round, ch2 counts as first dc, [tr], 2dc [tr], ch 2 3dc [3tr] into ch2 corner sp, 3dc [3tr] in each side sp, repeat for each side, sl st, to complete.

TOP SHAPED ROW

JOIN THE BASE 6 ROWS BY 16 SQUARES in each sp, but the top row is shaped so use the pattern below for the top 7th row of squares.

WAIST DART SHAPING

Pattern for the shaped Granny Square at waistline

ROUND 3: replace the side granny shells of 3 dc [3tr], with 3hdc [3htr], and only do ch1 in the corners keep the 3dc [3tr], the same at the top and bottom of the square, just do the smaller st, on one side or another and match 2 reduced st sides together when joining.

DIFFERENT SIZE SKIRT DIFFERENT NUMBER OF SQUARE

ADD WAIST BAND

For the waist band i've used dc [tr], a little looser and can be drawn in better when the elastic is threaded into the dc [tr] tube.

For the waist band 9stitches plus a stitch into the space between the squares don't do a st into the end ch sp.

9 + 1sp between =10 sts per square.

do 6 rows of dc [tr], and fold in half and hand stitch the edge to the bottom of the first row of sts.

 Leave a gap big enough to thread a waist length +1" [2.5cm over lap] of 1" [2.5cm] wide elastic, through the gap, sew the ends of the elastic together beside to keep it flat .

TIP: safety pin it together and try on for fit first, before sewing the elastic over lap and sealing the gap. 

so for an 16 square skirt, 

HEM: 192sc [dc].

WAIST BAND: 160dc [tr]. 

FINISHING HEM

When al the squares are put together and you are happy with the length you need to finish the hem with 2 rows of sc [dc].

Work into each of the 9 stitches, the ch sp each end and the sp between the granny square, sc can tighten a row and you don't want that for the hem.

9 + 2 end sts, +1 sp between = 12 sts per square.

PRINT FRIENDLY VERSION OR PDF 

HERE

for personal use only

Just follow the easy instructions 

NOTE: FOR A BIGGER OR SMALLER, SHORTER OR LONGER SKIRT,

 ADJUST THE NUMBER OF SQUARES YOU MAKE 

don't make the number of squares too tight ad some ease. It can be lined but wearing a half slip underneath the skirt works just as well 

PERFECT BEGINNERS YARN: Middle of the Road Wrap in Batik Design, Alize Cotton Gold

 Batik Design Alize Cotton Gold, come is about 20 shades and is a perfect yarn for beginners, reasonable priced, beautiful and easy to crochet with, great stitch definition and a mix of Cotton and acrylic so will wash really well and dry quickly and its light and there are 330mt/361yds in a 100g ball

 Middle of the Road SCARF/WRAP in Close 'V' stitch take around 150g to make

 it makes up really quickly too...

PATTERN LINK HERE

Same yarn different colour way in Bow Stitch

BOW STITCH SCARF OR YOU MIGHT KNOW IT AS BUTTERFLY STITCH...

I've been having another look through my samples again and came across this sample of Bow Stitch, using Alize Cotton Gold, click the link to see the colours

bought from my local wool shop 

RKM 

and i've used a 4mm hook...lovely yarn to crochet with it has a tight twist to it almost looking like a crepe yarn

I think the stitch was originally called Bow Stitch, but with all the variations to date, it might have several names.....Butterfly stitch being one of them

This versions to my stitch count has an incorporated side band so you don't need to do a finish band when its completed, 

and I've added a picture or two of the lengthened stitch but sticking to the same stitch count in width

A simple sc, chain stitch can achieve a lovely solid row of ovals, 

using a space dyed yarn it will change colour so easily. With my stitch count version, change the length of the stitches and it opens up and becomes something quite pretty and lacy

My Stitch count is 3ch [side band], 4ch [bow], 2ch [join], repeated with the 3ch [band] at the other end, i've made a sample scarf of 64base ch sts, to make a scarf that is 

approx. 13" [33cms] wide with 10  'Bows'

Solid use sc, ch sts, to make it lacey, lengthen the stitches.