Archive for the ‘crochet’ Category

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Crocheted Jewelry Tray

August 3, 2015

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Here is another project from one of my favorite little places to visit on the web:  The Purl Bee.  It’s a crocheted jewelry tray and was so easy and fun to make – and quick. I loved working with that small hook and really stiff thread.  I used some of my wonderful natural linen thread from Lithuania that I got off of Etsy.  It’s sooo nice and I love the colors.  I used two different colors and held it double.

After I finished it, I sprayed it with starch, shaped it and let it set overnight.  I love it so much I may have to make the other versions – a circular and a rectangular.

 

Pattern:  Crocheted Jewelry Dishes
Yarn:  Lithuanian Linen, fingering and lace
Hook:  2.25 (B)
Ravelry Page

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Crochet Squares Throw

January 21, 2014

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Well I finally got my grey crochet throw finished and I’ve written up the pattern for the square.  I had to teach myself crochet to do it, but I’m glad I did because I am a crochet fan now and have been crocheting lots of little other things, too:

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I crocheted 30 squares in all and then just crocheted them together, using a single crochet stitch.  I put a touch of purple and green here and there, but overall the color is gray which I love.

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I have gone over the pattern with a fine tooth comb so that it reads correctly.  Since I am a novice crocheter, I hope the pattern reads okay for you guys.  Let me know if there are any problems with it.

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The “Leaf” Row is probably the hardest row to get down but once you do it a few times I swear you don’t even need the pattern anymore for that row.  The “yarn overs” in that row are very fun to do, I think.  And it zips right along.

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The yarn I used produced the specific drape that I wanted in this throw.  For the first time, I didn’t use wool and it was very different.  The cotton was stiffer to work with but created a more defined stitch than most wools would.  It was a beautiful yarn from Cascade – Ultra Pima. The main color was the Taupe – go to my Ravelry page to see details.

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ELAINE’S CROCHET SQUARE:

for a printable version of this pattern click here

each square is 9 rows

(stars are repeats)

ch 5, join into ring or do Magic Ring

Row 1: Chain 2 (counts as 1 partial dc), 1 partial dc, yo and through the 2 loops, ch1. *Work 2 partial dc & then yo and through all 3 loops, ch1* 7 more times.   8 clusters total.

Row 2:  sl st to 2nd chain,  ch 1.   *1sc, 3 dc, 1 sc  in next chain loop space*.  Repeat in each ch loop around.  8 total.

Row 3:  sl st between two petals, ch 1, 1 sc in center of petal, ch 5.   *1 sc in center of next petal, ch 5.*  Repeat. 8 total. sl st to beginning ch 1.

Row 4:  * 1 sc, 5 dc, 1 sc  in the ch5  loop space *   repeat in each ch5 loop space around – 8 total.  Sl st at the beginning of the next petal

Row 5: (leaf row):  ch 1 (=1 hdc)  *ch 4, 1 sc in center of petal, ch 3.

Make  Leaf: yo twice, hook into last sc of petal, yo = 4 loops on hook.
yo and through 2 loops 2 times – 2 loops remain.
yo twice and insert hook into same sc of the petal work, yo = 5 loops on hook
yo and through 2 loops 2 times  = 3 loops remain
yo twice and insert hook into first sc of next petal, yo = 6 loops on hook.
yo and through 2 loops 2 times = 4 loops remain
yo twice and insert hook into same sc, yo = 7 loops on hook
yo and through 2 loops 2 times = 5 loops on hook
yo and through all 5 loops, (this completes 1 leaf)

ch 4,1 sc in center of dc of next petal, ch 4, 1 hdc between next 2 petals

Repeat from * 3 more times

ch 4, ending last repeat with sl st to 2nd ch at beg in rnd instead of 1 hdc.

Row 6: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc),   *4 dc in the ch 4 loop, 1 dc in the hdc.
make corner:  3 dc, , 2 tr, ch 4, 2 tr, 3 dc, 1 dc in the hdc*  repeat all the way around, ending with a 4dc and a sl st to 2nd ch at beg of round

Row 7:  ch 3 (counts as 1dc), dc in each stitch all the way around. When you come to a corner: 3 dc, ch2, 3 dc in the ch 4 space makes a corner.

sl st to 2nd ch at beg of round

Row 8:  (skip space row) ch 4 (counts as a dc) ,* sk next dc, dc in next dc, ch1  all the way across. Make  corner:  2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in corner ch 2 space.    Repeat all the way around.

sl st to 2nd ch at beg of round

Row 9:  ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), dc in every ch 1 sp and every dc across.  Corner:  2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc

I made 30 squares and crocheted them together, just using single crochet.

For the edging, I did a series of 9 stitches all the way across, making little arches, working one stitch in every stitch on the throw:  1 sc, 2 dc, 1 tr, 2 dc, 1 sc, 2 ss.   I just repeated that little arch all the way around.

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adding the edging

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Here is the same square crocheted up in some fine linen thread that I’ve been experimenting with on a tiny crochet hook – so fun!

Crochet Squares Throw
Hook:  3.5  mm (E)
Yarn:  Cascade Ultra Pima
Ravelry Page

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How to Make a Crochet Magic Ring

October 21, 2013

I promised you guys I would post the pattern for the grey crochet squares I’ve been making and I am going to do that next.  But first, I wanted to post about how to make a Magic Ring to begin each crochet square.  It makes the center of your squares look a little nicer, so I feel it’s worth doing.

If you have ever crocheted, most patterns have you start out by chaining a few stitches and then joining them into a ring. But when you do it this way,  there is always a gaping hole in the middle and it just doesn’t close up.  Not good.  If you start your project by doing a Magic Ring, you can cinch it up tight and it looks great. Let me show you the difference:

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Circle made using a regular chain 5 loop joined with a slip stitch – notice the gaping hole in the middle

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Circle made with Magic Ring. No gaping hole in the middle!

I made a little video to show you how to do this.  Once you get the hang of it, you do it without thinking.  So try it a few times – the results are worth it.

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Fall Things

October 13, 2013

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Well, I’m still here.  Although it was summer and I was fitting in other things like gardening and golf, I was still doing some needlework.  I’ve been working on this grey crochet throw for months now, making all these squares to join. It’s been really enjoyable and I had to teach myself how to crochet and read crochet patterns to do it and I’m so glad I did.  Although I’m a huge knitter, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed aspects of crochet – one needle (hook) and no tinking!  Tinking is knitting backwards, when you make a mistake.  You don’t have to do that with crochet – mistakes are so much more easy to deal with.  I am missing my knitting needles, though, so I may have to pick up a knitting project before this throw is finished.

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On the one hand, I’m sad that it’s fall but on the other hand there will be much more time for knitting and crocheting.  I love the fall weather and I even kind of like raking leaves.  I hate the heat and I wait all summer for this kind of cool October weather, with dry air and sunshine and cool temps.  My kind of weather.  Perfect for golf.

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We’ve eaten the last of the sweet corn around here. A bit of a letdown. Signs of fall are everywhere. Everything involves pumpkin.  I made Jen’s fabulous version of Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Frosting.  It was amazing.

I’ve been doing the Kitchn Cure, daily assignments of things to organize, declutter, clean and refresh your kitchen.  It’s so great.  Sometimes you get desensitized to the disorganization right in front of you. I like my kitchen/freezer/fridge a little more now.  I really did reorganize my pots and pans and clean out my pantry.

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We are starting to do some campus visits for my youngest son.  We are going to be empty nesters at this time next year.  It was fun to be back at my husband’s alma mater for a campus tour. It really is a beautiful campus – it’s fun to see it through the eyes of my son.

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I am going to be writing up and posting the pattern that I’ve cobbled together for this crochet square – some of  you have asked for it so I’m going to make a written version of it.  I’m also going to photograph and post how to make a magic ring – something that I think a lot of crocheters would like to know.  It took me a little while to get the hang of it, but I think I have a pretty easy version of it for you to try.