Two Little Mittens....

.....but not for kittens. :)

I wanted to make some mittens for Christmas gifts but was having trouble finding a pattern that was more than just a tube with a hole for a thumb. I was very happy to find THIS pattern (scroll down to the last row of pattern links). However, it called for baby yarn and I was not liking the result. So I decided to use a sport (DK) weight yarn and this is how they come out.....


They are a little small for me, but that means they would fit a small woman's hand....I would just have to add a couple rows for the hand and thumb and they would be perfect. I like the pattern because there is a thumb shaping added which makes the thumb more like a thumb instead of just something sticking out the side. Hope that makes sense. :)

They are an easy pattern, but I think they are really nice. Depending on the color, they would work for any gender. Give them a try!

Ok....back to the Christmas gifts.

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A Touch of Antiquity

I was searching for a nice hostess gift I could give this Thanksgiving when I came across the pattern for this bread cloth....I thought it was perfect! I dont work much with thread, mainly because of the hooks (Note to self...need to get thicker handled steel hooks). But this cloth only took me 4 days of off and on work to complete. I love the design. You can find the pattern HERE.

The pattern calls for size 20 thread with a size 9 hook, but I used size 10 thread with a size 7 hook because thats small enough. :) I also used ecru instead of white thread because I like that antique look. This would even make a nice gift for a church to cover the Communion bread plate. If you like filet and you need a little gift, this might fit the bill. I am planning on making another one for a Christmas gift....its already on the hook!

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Going Around Again

I really liked that pinwheel pattern that I made the coaster out of and I wondered if I could use it for something else? I also have a bunch of sock yarn that I didnt necessarily have to make socks with. Put the 2 together and I came up with this beret....

Its easy, although the sc makes it a bit slow when you get nearer the end. I used Serenity Sock Weight with a size "G" hook. I love the way the yarn follows the rhythm of the pattern. The brim I improvised with alternating dc and sc rows, decreasing as I went along. Then I crab stitched around the edge to finish it off. I am going to keep it for a Christmas gift and I already started another beret using Elann Esprit, which is too thick for crocheted socks. And that one I am keeping for myself. :)

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Outside the Box

My latest swap involved a fancy facecloth. You have no idea how many patterns for crocheted facecloths I went through, only to think, "meh".....nothing at all interesting OR fancy. So I got to thinking.....who says you can't use an afghan square for a facecloth? Who, indeed?

So I went on a search through various squares and I found this---->

Its sure fancy. And its not TOO lacy so that it will work well for washing. Actually I had to leave off several rounds because it would have been TOO big and I put a picot edging around it that wasnt in the original pattern. But you can find the pattern for the entire square HERE.

My partner liked her new facecloth......especially the flower in the center, which was the ONLY thing about this square that I wasnt sure about. Glad I was wrong.

So make some fancy facecloths for yourself or for gifts....its that time of year, again. :)

Crochet, Away!!

Baby Snuggly

I just finished making this outfit for my son to give as a gift to friends who had a baby a few weeks back. This is one of the prettiest baby outfits I have ever made. I am huge fan of ShiFio's Patterns.....I have about 5 of them now. They arent hard but they are SO pretty...and they arent expensive, either.....they come as PDF's.

This is a Snuggly....essentially its a wearable blanket. Again, I used Emily as my model. This is a 0-3 mos. size, but it has room for growth. Emily is actually more of a preemie sized doll at 18". I did change one thing in the pattern. You are supposed to sew the bottom closed but I chose to leave it open so the baby could wear it longer....you dont have to gather the bottom. Its a very loose garment on purpose, especially the hood. Its just meant to cover the head so if the baby turns its head, it wont smother. The neck is also made loose. But the garment is a good weight....perfect for its purpose. I used 1 1/2 skeins of pink Patons Beehive Baby Sport yarn, one skein of white and an I hook...it called for a G but I wasnt getting the gauge with that. I did well buying the trims....the lace was on sale for 50 cents a yard....and it took 6 yds. The buttons were 99 cents for 5.... I needed ten. The little roses were also 99 cents a pkg.

If you like making baby clothes, like I do, check out the patterns. I really enjoyed making this, and I will be making more from patterns from the same designer. You can sell the items you make from her patterns, too, which is nice of her.

Crochet, Away!!

Another Swap

I just finished my next swap project....this Pinwheel Coaster. The original pattern is for a basic, single layer piece but I am not really happy unless I take something basic and embellish it. Using size 10 crochet cotton and a size 7 steel hook, I made a sc circle for a back, sandwiched a CD between, sc'd it all together and added a beaded edging. I hope my partner approves. :)

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Knitting on a Crochet Blog??

Sacrelige! Well, no, not really. I just wanted to crow a bit. :) When I was about 8 years old, my mother gave me a partial skein of bright pink baby yarn and a pair of size 2 needles and taught me how to garter stitch, English style. All I ever made was a very funny looking rectangle that I never learned how to bind off. That was my only foray into knitting.

Fast forward many years. I really wanted to learn to knit, but I wanted to learn Continental style, since thats closest to how you crochet and I figured it would be more natural for me. I tried over and over, got disgusted and quit. I bought many books, looked at many videos but STILL I couldnt get it. Well, about 3 days ago, I sat down again with a new book and tried again. I took a photo of what I did and I posted it on Rav and asked if I was doing it right. Well, I found out I wasnt doing it WRONG, but I wasnt doing it the way it was really supposed to be done. So I went back to the videos. Tried weaving the yarn around my fingers the way it all the ladies were showing....but it was awkward and I felt like a 5 year old. Then one lady told me to try holding the yarn whatever way I felt comfortable....after all, there are no KNITTING POLICE to keep me from doing otherwise. So I took her advice. I started holding everthing just the way I would hold it when crocheting. And the clouds parted! And I started knitting. And it was good! LOL! So, behold my first knitting project....Grandmother's Favorite Dishcloth.....

Its not perfect, but to me its just beautiful. Its something I never thought I could do. And I can actually USE it! That makes it even better.
I will continue to practice this knitting thing...he,he... But it will never change my love for crochet. I just wanted to prove I could do it. Thanks for reading.....and....

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Seashell Tote

This was a spur of the moment project that I found in the Summer 2009 issue of Interweave Crochet. I never made a tote like this before and I liked the design. I especially like it because you can add rows to the base and it doesnt affect the pattern....you only have to adjust the handle row accordingly. You can also use just about any cotton or acrylic yarn for it. It makes a great beach or market tote and its very easy. Might give it as a gift....not sure yet.


I used Bernat Cool Crochet and a G hook for the body of the tote....and F hook for the handle portion. Cool Crochet is a nice cotton blend yarn. And now that its available in 8.5 oz skeins, its even better. Its on the list of discontinued yarns but you can still find it at the craft stores. If you can get a copy of the Summer IC magazine, this one is a great carry along project. Give it a try!

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One More.... :)

I decided to show you the other piece I made for my partner. This is called the Starburst Hotpad. For a first attempt, it came out pretty well. Its a neat proceedure. You can find the pattern HERE, and you can find a video that explains how to create the starburst HERE. I didnt find the video till AFTER I was finished but I did figure it out on my own eventually.

I liked this one so much, I made another one for myself....

So now that I have the technique down, I can make more pretty easily and I dont need the pattern now. Give it a try.

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More Kitch

Working on a potholder swap that I have to send out by the 8th. So being the efficient person that I am, I decided to make my potholder ahead of time by starting it before I got paired up and surprise my partner by mailing it off right away. Thats the first one.....from the Spring Hotpads/Potholders pattern from Annie's POTD. You may have that one saved if you follow the free patterns. I got a nice e-mail from my partner saying she doesnt care about the color....except she doesnt like pink. OH NO! :) So I dove into potholder patterns and I found the Clownfish (you can find the pattern HERE). A really easy pattern EXCEPT for weaving in the ends. If you hate that, you might want to make the fish in a single color. :)

I will probably make another potholder for my partner, NOT in pink :)....and send her 2, since I still have some time. The flower potholder I will hang onto for another swap.

Crochet, Away!