It's a Girl!

Baby blanket #1 has a new owner! Friends J & C welcomed their baby girl tonight at 10:40pm. Big brother got to spend the night at 'Auntie Tina's' house while mom & dad were at the hopital. I'm on my way to the hospital right now to meet her!

What Kind of Yarn are You?

This is kind of a fun quiz to take:



You are Shetland Wool. You are a traditional sort who can sometimes be a little on the harsh side. Though you look delicate you are tough as nails and prone to intricacies. Despite your acerbic ways you are widely respected and even revered.


What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

My latest WIM

Oooooh! I was checking out some links in the Berroco newsletter I got today. One thing led to another and I found this cute bolero. I wonder if any of my girls would like me to make it for them?

In other news, I must get to organizing my stash and patterns today. Amazingly, I have been keeping the house fairly tidy, but my craft room has been in complete disarray since Christmas. I still have to put together the box to send to Korea and I've been wanting to get my Crochet Journal updated and pics posted, too. So many projects, so little time.

My next must do crochet project is the Superbowl Table Runner. I am having the hardest time finding the right colors for the lettering. Sage is too green, teal is too blue. Navy borders are too dark, French blue not grey enough . . . you get the picture. I will do this project, I will! Seahawks fans have waited almost thirty years for this game . . . I will give DH a Superbowl Table Runner for the big day!

'Little Boy's Blue' - Homespun Hat

I finished the Homespun hat after a disastrous 1st attempt (ended up with a round mat suitable for the cat to sleep on!) This one will be shipped off to Korea with the neckwarmer and Woven Stitch Scarf, some Aplets & Cotlets and the DVD set "Over Washington" - all gifts for Chloe's Korean family. 

Parenthetical Project - Potholder

All of the Potholder talk over at the Crochet Partners List made me want to make the Sunflower Potholder I'd seen online. This one's for me! The concensus at CP (and this group knows what they are talking about!) is to use 100% cotton or wool yarn for a safe and thick potholder. Acrylic and nylon yarns can melt at high temps, potentially causing severe burns or even melting the fibers into the skin. I used two strands of 4-ply worsted weight cotton for this. Because it is only one layer, I will only use it as a hot pad to protect my table unless it thickens up during the washing process.

Blog This

I'm learning to make changes on my blog and have added a new side bar category: Crochet Blogs. I am accepting "applications" for additions to the links I will list there. If you would like your blog to be considered for a link, please post your real name, your blog address, and a brief 'advertisement' of your blog (25-40 words) as a comment under this subject. I will use the following guidelines for adding blog links:

Guidelines:

• Content
  
  • Must be a crochet blog
  • Suitable for all ages
  • Not a commercial site
    
• Relevance
  
• Has useful tips and/or patterns
• Updated consistently
• Aesthetics - should be easily navigable

So . . . Get busy and bring on the blogs!

WIP Volume 4

This is my latest attempt at a hat for Chloe's Korean brother. I'm sticking with this pattern I think. It is adapted from the One Skein Hat & Scarf Pattern. I changed the brim to a FP/BP Double Crochet and am doing the rest of the hat in sc. Otherwise the pattern is the same! =) 

Adding Patterns

I've added some patterns to the posts below, due to the overwhelming responses I've had. Thanks so much for your encouraging comments and for taking an interest in the art of crochet. Check back often for more fun ideas and patterns!

WIM - soon to be WIP

Well, the SEAHAWKS are going to the Superbowl! I've been wanting to make a table runner from an Annie's Attic Booklet - Year Round Table Runners in Thread, a football field with crocheted letters. I'm considering adding something about Superbowl on it. In the meantime, I've finished the Checkerboard/Tic Tac Toe board . . . see pics below. I'm getting ready to do a hat out of Homespun and the Valentine's Day Stripe bags for my three daughters. I also promised to have pics of my Project Journal up tomorrow. Ooops - better get busy =)

Checkerboard Finished

I am so pleased with how the Checkerboard/Tic Tac Toe board turned out! It is thicker than I imagined but really sturdy and lays very well. I hope I can wait til Christmas to give it to the recipient!











Pattern: Checkerboard side (see below for Tic Tac Toe Side and Joining directions) Finished size is approx. 12" x 12"

Materials: 1 skein each RH Super Saver Black, Red; Size I crochet Hook

With Black Ch 41.

Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 4 ch, *change to red, sc in next 5 ch, change to black, sc in next 5 ch* repeat between ** three times, change to red, sc in next 5 chains, Ch 1, turn.

Row 2-40: sc in first 5 sc, *change color, sc in next 5 sc* across, ch 1, turn. At end of Rows 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 & 35, change color in last step of last sc. Do not fasten off at end of row 40.

Border: ch 1, 2 sc in last sc. sc in the end of row 39 and in next 37 rows, 3 sc in corner, sc in next 38 st, 3 sc in corner, sc in end of next 38 rows, 3 sc in corner, sc in next 38 st, 1 sc in corner, sl in front loop of each sc around, sl st in first sl st. Fasten off. Weave in ends.

Tic Tac Toe Side

See Below for Pattern











Pattern: With black, ch 41.

Row 1: sc in 2nd chain from hook and in each ch across (40 sc); ch 1, turn

Row 2-13: sc in first sc, *change to red, sc in next 12 sc, change to black, sc in next sc* three times. Ch 1, turn.

Row 14: sc in each sc across.

Rows 15-40. Repeat rows 2-14 twice. Do not fasten off.

Border and joining: same as checkerboard above except do not fasten off at end. Leave a tail long enough to whip stitch pieces together using the back loops only of border row.

WIP-a-Day 3

Baby blanket #2, a receiving blanket, is for a momma due in April. I haven't made many baby things over the years so I'm hesitant to try my hand at clothing, although my Grandma knitted many fine baby sweaters for my children and others. Maybe that should be a resolution this year - to try crocheting at least one garment for babies. The detail of the stitch on this blanket is shown below.  

Blanket detail

 

WIP-a-Day 2

How cute is this Granny Tote? It's from the BHG Learn to Crochet 2nd Edition. I love the bright colors! You can see the first square I finished . . . I can't wait to get them all done. This will be Christmas gift #2 for the year.
 

WIP-a-Day

Since I'm struggling with layout issues and downloading pics I'm going to do a WIP-a-Day pic over the next five days. Today's is the checkerboard/tic tac toe game I am working on.












It is done in sc with the yarn carried behind the work so it is not visible through (or in!) the stitches. When I am finished with it, it will be my first Christmas gift completed for the year!

Baby Blanket 1

This is the first baby blanket of 2006. I know several women having babies this year and will be doing more than one!

Homespun Shawl/Wrap with Rose

This shawl was made for my friend who just had surgery. I took it to her in the hospital and she has slept with it every night since!











Pattern: The shawl is my own "design", but very basic. I used two strands of Homespun - approx. four skeins total - and an N hook. Ch 36 (or an even # to get the width you want - you may need more yarn) Sc in 2nd Ch, *ch 1, sk next ch, sc in next ch* across, ch 1, turn. Row 2: Sc in first sc, *sc in next sp, ch 1* across, sc in last sc, ch 1, turn. Row 3: Sc in first sc, *ch 1, sc in next sp* across, sc in last sc, ch 1, turn. Repeat rows 2 and 3 until you achieve the length desired, leaving enough yarn to complete one rose from the Lion Brand Website. Attach rose securely in any corner.

Homespun Neckwarmer

I made several of these neckwarmers for the men in my life for Christmas 2005. This particular one is going to Korea, for my exchange daughter's Korean dad.

Woven Stitch Scarf

I wanted to make something special for Chloe's Korean mom. This woven stitch scarf is just right.

Change of venue

Welcome to the Crochet Cottage. I'm hoping to share with you my love for crochet, a few patterns, a place to pull up with your current projects and a cup of something warm to drink . . . and enjoy a quiet moment of crochet bliss!