Crochet hints and tips

Click  here to see their suggestions: http://www.stitchandunwind.com/crochet-tips-and-tricks/

Note: links are in US crochet terminology.

CAL: Frida's Flower Blanket

Janie Crow/Jane Crowfoot will be running the Frida's Flower Blanket CAL (Crochet-A-Long) in the first few months of 2016.  It's inspired by Mexican crewel embroidery as seen on Frida Kahlo's clothes:

As for the Lily Pond Blanket CAL, Jane has designed an exclusive extra crochet pattern which will be available with yarn kits sold via the Janie Crow web site and not elsewhere.
Jane has designed the project based on Mexican traditional embroidery/crewel work and the costumes worn by artist Frida Kahlo. The colour palette is bright on dark shades and the main theme is flowers - the project will be called Frida's Flower Blanket.



Image source and further information here and in her January update here.

Yarn kits will be available from various retailers using Stylecraft yarns.
Follow her on Facebook etc or sign up on her website for her email updates to find out more, or read her blog here.

Note: links are in UK crochet terminology.

Admirable Crocheters: The Loopy Stitch

Beautiful projects, tutorials and more from an Australian crochet blogger.

Head on over to The Loopy Stitch.  Great use of colour, modern crochet, lovely eye candy.  It's a fairly new blog (I can't talk...) but looks very promising and worth following.


Image source

Blog: http://theloopystitch.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theloopystitch/

Not sure of her username on Ravelry, but happy to add it here...

Unusually for most Australian crocheters...
Note: links are in US crochet terminology.

Yarn weights

Alas, in the yarny world we may speak English, but when it comes to yarn weights (and crochet terminology) we are divided by a common language... I say Aran, you say worsted, you say DK, I say 8 ply...you say single crochet, I say double crochet....

Here's a link to the US Crafts Council Standards and Guidelines for Crochet and Knitting* document on yarn weights, terminology and more.  A useful reference, recently updated to include jumbo weight yarn.

http://media.craftyarncouncil.com/files/CYC_YS_s_and_g_rev2015_6.pdf

Or if you just want yarn weights:

http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/weight.html


*crochet first!  Woohoo!

Note: links are in US crochet terminology.

Interweave Cable Celtic Crochet

This YouTube video explains an interesting technique to obtain a woven texture.



Worth trying sometime.  The video uses plain yarn, with an example in variegated.  I suspect it would be a tad tricky to do this stitch with two colours...

It's in effect double thickness, so it would also be a yarn-hungry stitch,  But warm!

Note: links are in US crochet terminology.

Babettes and Klimtchen; crochet inspired by patchwork and/or Klimt.

There's the Babette crochet blanket, famously inspired by a Kaffe Fassett quilt...

 
...which you can buy at the Interweave online store:
http://www.interweavestore.com/babette-blanket

and view on Ravelry here:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/babette-blanket
(don't forget to check the projects tab for photos of finished versions).

It's not a cheap option to make, 22 skeins of very beautiful  Koigu KPM @$15AU/skein or so...but there's nothing to stop you being inspired by this idea.  At all.

....and if you want another crochet take, try the Gingerbread Lady's Klimtchen - little Klimt blankets (with a free tutorial and pattern/planning pdf, thank you!).

http://gingerschatz.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/tutorial-klimtchen-baby-blankets.html

Lovely!

Gingerbread Lady Klimtchen blog link to her brilliant tutorial on these blankets - photos and diagrams and info, oh my!:
http://gingerschatz.blogspot.de/2011/09/tutorial-crazy-patchwork-klimt-blankets.html

Gingerbread Lady Klimtchen pattern pdf:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/33097845/The%20Klimtchen%20Baby%20Blanket.pdf

The Gingerbread Lady is obliging enough to provide both UK and US crochet terminology (Babette would be in US, I'm guessing).

Whichever way you go, it's a great way to play with colour, from a baby blanket on up.

Note: links are in UK crochet terminology.

Note: links are in US crochet terminology.

Sunny Spread pattern

So once upon a time a designer called Ellen Gormley created a pattern she called Sunny Spread.



Which has clever use of front post stitch to create wheels/stars/suns/those cool round centres.  There are many examples which have been made - check out this page on Ravelry.

One of the most interesting is a cushion made with a cream background and a single ball of Moda Vera Bouvardia (long run variegated yarn from Spotlight).  It really showcases the pattern.
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/AnnabelsArmoire/sunny-spread-3

Equally, you could use up scraps for the circles.  I do have a preference for the circle contrasting with the surrounding square (and I seem to have a thing for circles in squares at present...) as I think that showcases the pattern.  Don't know if I could cope with making an entire blanket in one colour only... but if I did, I'd go with a light colour like the original, to ensure that the pattern could be seen.

Here's the Red Heart yarn company page with the pdf of the pattern:

http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/sunny-spread

And the direct pattern link:

http://www.redheart.com/files/patterns/pdf/CTFeb08-68.pdf

(The Coats & Clark UK links which should have led to a UK terminology version don't seem to be working any more, so the US version is all I have been able to find).

Note: links are in US crochet terminology.

Admirable Crocheters: the basics of crocheting with Arne and Carlos

If you'd like some lovely Scandinavian crocheting chaps to show you how to crochet a snowflake, here's the video (in which they do aim to accommodate both UK and US crochet terminology):



You can find more Arne and Carlos goodness including free patterns (some crochet, some knitting) on their blog:
http://arnecarlos.com/blog/





I have their book, Knit and Crochet Garden, which is full of beautiful patterns (except for the dolls, I don't find myself at all drawn to their dolls.  Something about the way they do faces...).  If you're buying the book, check the edition (published in UK vs published in US) if you want to be particular about having UK or US terminology.

Note: links are in UK crochet terminology.

Note: links are in US crochet terminology.

Goddess doll (amigurumi)

To this point, I haven't played much with amigurumi, although I've admired the work of others - some really fun stuff is being made!

This doll is something I think a couple of my non-crocheting friends would appreciate, so I may well give it a go sometime this year.  I like the proportions of the 2.0 version a little better, I think.

Crochet Goddess Doll 2.0

				Crochet Goddess Doll 2.0 This is a pattern I re-worked based off the free pattern provided by Sooticas Dream: http://sooticasdream.blogspot.com/2... I have spent nearly a month making alter...
				View on www.facebook.com	Preview by Yahoo

Crochet Goddess Doll 2.0: 

https://www.facebook.com/notes/katie-lynn/crochet-goddess-doll-20/1509450396023949/ 

and on Ravelry: 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/goddess-doll-20

Note: Crochet Goddess 2.0 is in US crochet terminology.  The original Crochet Goddess pattern link below is in UK crochet terminology.

Original pattern: 

Fallen Angels & Hidden Demons: Crochet Goddess Doll Pattern

Blog: 

http://sooticasdream.blogspot.com.au/2011/09/crochet-goddess-doll.html
on Ravelry:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/goddess-doll

Both are free patterns.

Note: links are in US crochet terminology.

Note: links are in UK crochet terminology.

Work of My Hands: Angular Scarf #1

So my newsagent had the 2016 Interweave Crochet Accessories magazine...

...and rather admired this Angular Scarf design by Darla J. Fanton (Ravelry link):

Image source: pattern on Ravelry

...and fished out a skein of Hawthorne Cottage  wool/nylon sock yarn (colourway 556, turquoise/grey) and a 4mm hook (yes, 4mm, the pattern recommends this and I'm going for a bit of drape.  I didn't swatch or try to achieve gauge, I'm just going to keep going till I'm up to yarn chicken time, and it will be the size it is)...

It's proving to be an easy pattern to remember and I'm making happy progress (I had to attend a number of meetings this week, and it came with me).

If your newsagent doesn't have the magazine, you can:

view all the patterns in it on Ravelry here and/or 

buy a digital download copy at the Interweave store here.

Truthfully, I have a bunch of WIPs.  I do crochet.  But it's good to share/record links to useful crochet things on this blog too, and there are waaaay more of them even than my rather epic collection of Works In Progress...

(I must do a Yarn Bowl post one day.  While I know there are beautiful timber/pottery artisan-made ones out there, I like repurposing op shop/Goodwill/Oxfam finds.  The one above is a small/medium size stainless steel mixing bowl.  Contains the yarn and lets it slide free very happily.)

Note: links are in US crochet terminology.

Circles in squares pattern

This fun blanket (great colour choices!) was shown on Facebook then sold on Etsy (and made by Patchwork Heart, blog entry about it is here).  This pattern could make a simple sweet/bright baby blanket, or work for a child or adult.  It's got a lovely graphic quality.

Hand made crocheted blanket

				Hand made crocheted blanket A beautifully soft unique childrens blanket measuring approximately 100cm square and 660g in weight. With the attractive shapes and vibrant
				View on www.etsy.com	Preview by Yahoo

She sourced the pattern from the excellent tutorial on Just Do/Made by Do blog, which has clear step by step photos:

Just-Do: Circle in Square, a Tutorial

				Just-Do: Circle in Square, a Tutorial Hello ladies! Thank you for joining me today. On my last post I received a question about the pattern I used for the circles. I’m sure it must already be out there ...
				View on madebydo.blogspot.nl	Preview by Yahoo

http://madebydo.blogspot.nl/2013/02/circle-in-square-tutorial.html

Note: links are in US crochet terminology.

How to make a standing stitch treble (UK terms)

While the three-chain start works for many things, sometimes you might want a more treble-y looking start.  But how to do it?  Crafternoon Treats will show you just how easy it is.



Isn't it logical?

Another useful technique for my crochet toolkit.

(UK treble is double crochet in US terms).

Note: links are in UK crochet terminology.

Modern Crochet 1 workshop (Knitters' Guild of NSW)

Image source

So there's this workshop on in March in Sydney 

...

(at the bargain price of $20 for members of the Knitters' Guild of NSW...) 

(which does include crocheters)...

For bookings, click here.

It's not a learn-to-crochet class: it will be assumed that you know the stitches noted in the flyer.  The guild is looking at offering learn to crochet classes sometime this year.

So some class samples need to get done...

A blooming flower cushion... (see, I do actually crochet, not just blog about other crocheters!) 

(Yes, I do know you can thread the yarn through the holes of your colander yarn bowl, but I prefer the freedom of not doing this.  Each to their own! My best yarn bowls are op shop finds - hmmm, inspiration for another blog entry...)

Need to make another of these coin purses. 

(Since I gave this one away as a sample to the Red Cross ladies).

The cushion above is the Blooming Flower cushion as described by Lucy on Attic24.

Note:INSTRUCTIONS in UK crochet terminology.

Crochet Purses

Some wonderful ladies at a knitting and crochet group I attend are constantly making items for the Red Cross fundraising stalls they hold regularly.

I saw this pattern and thought of them - simple to make, cool to look at, attractive to buy... and useful for children to transport little treasures, as they like to do.

Image source: http://anisbee.canalblog.com/archives/2012/05/13/24247781.html

They're here on the creator's blog (in French): 

http://anisbee.canalblog.com/archives/2012/05/13/24247781.html

There's a detailed step by step photo tutorial here (in French):

http://www.pureloisirs.com/rubrique/tricot-crochet_r5/le-porte-monnaie-en-crochet_a179/1

And here on Ravelry:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/porte-monnaie-2

If you do a Google Translate version of the tutorial, it's still a bit iffish to follow, because it's an automated translation that hasn't quite grasped crochet terminology.... (although I gather it's in US crochet terms).

So I wrote out a version of this in English (and UK terminology) for the Red Cross ladies. My French is spotty and school-level, but between the French, the photos and my trial and error... it's done.

The other sticking point* was the zips: for charity fundraising, zips at standard retail prices would add to the cost of making, and reduce the revenue going to the Red Cross.  But I lucked on a cache of small zips at several op shops and gave them to the ladies.  Any op shop with a haberdashery section probably has some zips, if you're looking....   (*sorry!)

Here's my English version: not for any kind of profiting, but just to help you if the photo tutorial isn't enough. If you're puzzled at any point, check back there first.

CROCHET MONEY PURSES (La porte-monnaie en crochet) 

Pattern in French with step by step photos:

http://www.pureloisirs.com/rubrique/tricot-crochet_r5/le-porte-monnaie-en-crochet_a179/1

version below is my English interpretation of that, to assist those bamboozled by French...

My introduction:

These look modern and crisp in light grey and dark grey with a neon stripe in orange or green or pink or yellow, but could also be done with scraps of yarn.

Both samples I made used Spotlight Marvel 8 ply acrylic yarn.  The grey/orange/grey one was done with a 4mm hook and has a denser fabric.  I tried one with a 6mm hook, which made a larger purse with looser texture: I prefer the 4mm hook version.  This isn’t an expensive yarn, but the result is pleasing in texture and colour: the double crochet works well.  One purse used about 30g of yarn.

I thought these would be good for a charity stall because they’re quick to make and have lots of uses, not just as a coin purse.  Kids often have stuff to carry – special toys etc (eg. little farm animals or dolls).

Below are my pattern notes.  Basically, you make a six-sided ‘circle’ with increases, then stop increasing and the rows become the sides of a circular bowl.  Sew in the zip and you have a purse/pouch…you might find there is also a market for the bowls, for bedside tables for change/watch/bits and pieces, too.

If you wanted to make larger bowls, you keep increasing the base (you’ll see below the pattern/maths of the increases) till you have the size you want, then make the sides.  As a bowl, the modern homewares look for these usually involves making these high enough so you can turn over the edges for an inch or so – which also gives a slightly more rigid edge to the bowl.

Instructions for the basic coin purse/pouch

I've used UK crochet terminology.  dc=double crochet   ch=chain (in US terms, sc and ch)

Start with a magic loop (so you can draw it tight and the coin purse doesn’t have a hole in the bottom.  Never an asset to a purse).  Use dark grey yarn.

Rows 1-9 are increasing rows. You start with 6 stitches and end up with 54.

Row 1: 2 ch (=1 dc), 5dc.  Join with a slip stitch.  Add a marker (eg. With yarn or a stitch marker) to note the beginning of the row.  Stitch count: 6

Row 2: 2 ch (=1 dc), 1 dc in the same place, 2 dc in each of the remaining dc.  Join with a slip stitch.  Stitch count: 12

Row 3: 2 ch (=1 dc), 1 dc in the same place, 1 dc in the next dc, *2 dc in the next dc, 1 dc in the next dc*.  Repeat from * * to the end.  Join with a slip stitch.  Stitch count: 18

Row 4: 2 ch (=1 dc), 1 dc in the same place, 1 dc in each of the next two dc, *2 dc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next two dc*.  Repeat from * * to the end.  Join with a slip stitch.  Stitch count: 24

Row 5: 2 ch (=1 dc), 1 dc in the same place, 1 dc in each of the next three dc, *2 dc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next three dc*.  Repeat from * * to the end.  Join with a slip stitch.  Stitch count: 30

Row 6: 2 ch (=1 dc), 1 dc in the same place, 1 dc in each of the next four dc, *2 dc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next four dc*.  Repeat from * * to the end.  Join with a slip stitch.  Stitch count: 36

Row 7: 2 ch (=1 dc), 1 dc in the same place, 1 dc in each of the next five dc, *2 dc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next five dc*.  Repeat from * * to the end.  Join with a slip stitch.  Stitch count: 42

Row 8: 2 ch (=1 dc), 1 dc in the same place, 1 dc in each of the next six dc, *2 dc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next six dc*.  Repeat from * * to the end.  Join with a slip stitch.  Stitch count: 48

Row 9: 2 ch (=1 dc), 1 dc in the same place, 1 dc in each of the next seven dc, *2 dc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next seven dc*.  Repeat from * * to the end.  Join with a slip stitch.  Stitch count: 54

This is the base of the purse.

Rows 10 – 28 make the sides of the purse.

Row 10: 2 ch (=1 dc), 1 dc in each dc, Join with a slip stitch.  Stitch count remains 54

Rows 11-15: As for Row 10.  2 ch (=1 dc), 1 dc in each dc, Join with a slip stitch.  Stitch count: 54.

Change to orange yarn

Rows 16-17: 2 ch (=1 dc), 1 dc in each dc, Join with a slip stitch.  Stitch count remains 54

Change to light grey yarn

Rows 18-28: 2 ch (=1 dc), 1 dc in each dc, Join with a slip stitch.  Stitch count remains 54

The crochet is finished.  Weave in the yarn ends. Pin in the zip and sew it with grey thread.  If it’s a little long, line up the top of the zip with one side of the purse and let the bottom of the zip sit down in the purse (see the grey example).  I used doubled thread and did a backstitch every fourth stitch or so for strength.  

See more of Sabine (annisbee) 's crochet on Ravelry - she has some lovely designs:

http://www.ravelry.com/people/Anisbee

Note:INSTRUCTIONS in UK crochet terminology.

Note: links are in US crochet terminology.