Are you familiar with CALs (crochet-a-longs)? CALs are organized groups of crocheters who often crochet the same project at the same time, kind of like a group of people crocheting together in person! However, many CALs are held through cyber-space instead of in person! Some CALs are held for a specified length of time and some are ongoing. But one thing that is common to all CALs is encouraging each other and helping each other with our projects. Questions are very common about what yarn/thread to use, the pattern and more. There’s lots of sharing going on in CALs, too. KALs are much like CALs, except KALs pertain to knit patterns, not crochet patterns.
If you read last week’s blog post, you’ll know that I started a Ravelry group as one of my New Year’s resolutions. In that new group, I’m holding my very first CAL (in time for Valentine’s Day!). Around 10 Ravelry group members will be crocheting my Filet Heart Coaster pattern, starting next week and running until Feb. 14. And I’ll be there to answer any questions that may arise while these participants are crocheting their coaster(s). This coaster is crocheted in the filet crochet technique and has 2 layers for added absorbency. If you would like to learn to do filet crochet, this is your chance! I’m discounting the cost of this pattern by 50% for CAL participants, too. So for less than $2, YOU can learn to do filet crochet!
Filet Heart Coaster
I’ll be crocheting along with the other group members. I decided to make my coaster larger with some Omega Sinfonia yarn instead of using size 10 crochet thread. It’ll be interesting to see what size it turns out! I think it’ll be potholder/hot pad size, which will be nice!
If you’d like to join my Ravelry group and participate in this CAL, I’d love to have you join us! You can find the group on Ravelry here. Why not take the first step and learn your first crochet technique this year?
Who says it’s possible to have too many cowls? Certainly NOT me! Cowls (or infinity scarves, as they’re also known) are wonderful accessories for any woman or girl (or possibly for men and boys, as well). They look great and help keep your neck warm when the weather gets cold! Since they’re basically a big tube that goes around your neck, they won’t fall off like scarves have a tendency to do. Cowls come in many widths and lengths. You can wear longer cowls as a long tube or double them up for a shorter, more dense cowl to hug your neck.
Swanky CowlSwanky Cowl doubled
I love cowls and I’ve got a new crochet cowl pattern for you, just in time for Christmas! It’s my Swanky Cowl, named for the special yarn that I used. If you haven’t seen Red Heart Boutique Swanky yarn yet, it’s made with acrylic and polyester fibers for washability (hand wash only). It has little oval-shaped sequins in it that are dyed the same color as the yarn. The sequins give projects a nice “glitz” that is so pretty! You can read more about this yarn and see all the pretty colors on the Red Heart website here. I love the color I used (Berry Glamorous) because it coordinates with many of the outfits in my wardrobe!
I used only 1 skein/ball of this yarn to crochet my Swanky Cowl. The resulting cowl is 3 1/2″ wide x 40″ circumference. If you’d like a longer and/or wider cowl, simply use a 2nd skein of the yarn.
Of course, you could use any worsted weight or DK weight yarn you’d like to make your Swanky Cowl! I think it would be beautiful in a color-changing yarn, too!
I love the texture of Front Post and Back Post double crochet stitches, so that’s what I used in this cowl. Because these 2 stitches are mirror images of each other, the cowl is reversible!
If you’re a confident beginner all the way up to a seasoned crocheter, this pattern is perfect for you! It includes photo tutorials for working in the back bump of the foundation chain, as well as working the Front Post and Back Post double crochet stitches. I’ve included right-handed and left-handed photos in the tutorials section of the pattern, too. So if you’re a leftie and you’d like to learn to work FPdc and BPdc, give this pattern a try!
To read more about my new Swanky Cowl pattern and to purchase this pattern for only $3.95, check out the pattern page here.
If you’re anything like me, you can never have too many scarves! I LOVE to crochet scarves for many reasons. I can try out different crochet techniques (and not be committed to make an afghan or some project that takes up a lot of time and energy). Obviously, I can crochet a scarf in a short amount of time (like 2-6 hours for most scarves). Scarves make wonderful gifts for the Holidays! A crocheted scarf doesn’t break the bank, either! And some scarf patterns are a great way to use up scraps of yarn, too.
Well, I’ve gone and done it again! I have a new crochet scarf pattern for you. It’s my Crochet Mosaic Scarf and I really love this one! The pattern includes 2 versions of the scarf, so you can choose which one you’d prefer to make. Here’s the scarf, in the 2 versions that I designed:
The turquoise scarf is 4 rows wider than the black/pink/orange/yellow scarf. It’s made with light weight yarn, whereas the black/pink/orange/yellow scarf is made with worsted weight yarn. Both scarves are 4″ wide x 55-56″ long, plus the fringe.
And do you want to know the best thing about this scarf? THERE ARE NO ENDS TO WEAVE IN!!! I LOVE that! The ends are incorporated into the added fringe instead of weaving them in! Can I get an AMEN to that?
If you’ve never tried the mosaic crochet technique, it’s really quite easy and satisfying. The pattern takes shape as you crochet each row. I love this technique! The rows are crocheted in alternating colors (dark, light, dark, light), which creates the horizontal lines of the pattern. Each row is worked on the right side of the piece and a special stitch is used to make the vertical lines of the pattern.
I hope you’ll give this scarf (or any beautiful, fun, interesting, exciting scarf) a try. And put some on your holiday crochet gift list, too. You’ll have them whipped up in no time!
You can read more about this scarf and purchase the pattern for $4.95 on our Pattern Page here.
I had the pleasure of meeting Mary Jane Hall many years ago at a CGOA (Crochet Guild of America) conference. She’s a very talented crochet designer and I love many of her designs! I’ve also had the pleasure of tech editing one of Mary Jane’s previous crochet books, “Crochet That Fits”. In that book, Mary Jane designed many crochet projects using her “graduated stitch method” for shaping garments. She uses this fabulous method to shape many of the projects in her new book, “Colorful Crochet Lace: 22 Chic Garments & Accessories”, too.
Colorful Crochet Lace book
There are 22 garment and accessory projects in Mary Jane’s new book. Each one is made with lace: from a little lace all the way up to lace in the whole project. The projects range from small projects like belts, scarves, bags and capelets to larger projects like shawls, wraps, shrugs, skirts and garments. Each project is made with a pretty color of yarn (lace doesn’t always have to be made with white or off-white!). The yarns used range from lace weight to worsted weight, with the majority of them being fingering, sport and DK weight. The hooks used range from E (3.5 mm) to L (8 mm). Many of the garment projects include sizes XS to 3X. Each project includes crochet symbol chart(s) for parts of the projects (or the whole project for the small projects in the book). Those of us who LOVE visual instructions always appreciate crochet symbol charts in patterns!
Some of my favorite projects in this book are:
Tunique Unique Pullover
I love the shape of this pullover!
Boutique Bolero front
Boutique Bolero back
I love the stitch pattern and the collar in this bolero!
Magnifique Modular Tunic
I love the comfortable look of this tunic!
Haute Couture Peplum Top
I love the pineapples along the bottom of this peplum top!
I had hopes of crocheting one of the projects in Mary Jane’s book before my scheduled blog tour date, but life got in the way (in several very good ways). Here’s what’s been going on at my home in the past few months:
First, my son and daughter-in-law were here from China for a visit. It was wonderful to spend time with them again. When we went to China in April/May of this year, we spent the whole 2 ½ weeks with them, along with our youngest son, who was living there at the time. If you’d like to read about that trip, check out this blog post. It’s so nice to be able to spend time with our grown children, especially since our “nest” is empty! We even went to a Diamondbacks baseball game with all 3 of our sons and our DIL! It was great to spend some time with all 4 of them, which happens even less these days!
Second, we got a new puppy! Her name is Maggie and she’s adorable, fun, exhausting, funny and more! This is Maggie:
Our new puppy, Maggie
We rescued her after she was left behind when a family moved away across the street from my mother-in-law in CA (we were in CA for my niece’s wedding almost 3 weeks ago). I don’t know how anyone can leave a puppy behind when they move, especially a cute puppy like Maggie! We’re guessing that she’s a cross between a Jack Russell Terrier and a Beagle (that was the vet’s guess and we think it’s pretty accurate). Apparently, there’s a name for that cross in breeds: it’s called a Jack-A-Bee! We’re working on lots of “appropriate” behaviors, like “no biting”, “no chewing”, “no digging”, etc! She has so much energy when she’s awake, but drops after a few hours of play and takes many naps during the day. I’m finding that taking a nap is more appealing to me these days, too!!!
Third, I was the co-chair of the 2015 CGOA Design Competition, which meant that I received almost all of the design entries, cataloged them, photographed them, drove them to the conference last month (which was held in San Diego, CA), drove them back home and shipped them back to the designers. I finally finished shipping them all back last week, so now I have a little time to get back to crocheting! I just need to decide what project I should start on first!
Mary Jane Hall’s new book, “Colorful Crochet Lace”, retails for $24.99 and can be seen/purchased directly from Interweave/F&W here. You can also take a look at the inside of this book and purchase it on Amazon here. If you’d like to see all 22 of the designs in this book, check out this page on Ravelry.
Now for the giveaway part of this blog post. If you’d like to win a FREE copy of “Colorful Crochet Lace”, just leave a comment about the book in this blog post to be entered to win. If you live in the USA, you’ll have your choice of a hard copy or a digital copy of the book. If you live outside the USA, you’ll receive a digital copy. This giveaway will end on August 31, so don’t delay in entering! I’ll pick the lucky winner on Sept. 1 and will announce the winner right here on my blog. Good luck everyone!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at Mary Jane Hall’s newest book, “Colorful Crochet Lace”, and that you’ll check out this fabulous book soon.
Do you have an adorable baby in your life who gets the sun in her/his eyes outside? Then I have the perfect solution for you! Our Baby Sun Hat crochet pattern is perfect for keeping the sun off baby’s face and head, while looking great at the same time!
Newborn, Baby and Toddlers sizes
This pattern comes in 3 sizes for newborns, babies and toddlers. The circumference of the hat (made with the same gauge as the pattern) is 12” for newborns, 14” for babies and 16” for toddlers. Our hats were made with Red Heart Baby Sheen, which is a fine/sport weight acrylic yarn, but you can make your sun hats with any comparable yarn you choose.
The instructions for each size of this sun hat are written separately, making it easier to follow the instructions for the size you’re going to make. The hat includes an optional crocheted flower and a contrasting bottom edging (worked in reverse single crochet).
The woven strands of yarn at the top of the brim make the hat slightly adjustable. Just untie the bow. Loosen or tighten the strands a little and tie the bow again to give your baby a custom hat fit! So as your baby grows so will the hat.
Flower on Baby Sun Hat
Trim on Baby Sun Hat
Here’s a photo of the sun hat on Ivy, my sister-in-law’s granddaughter last year:
Baby Sun Hat on Ivy
Doesn’t Ivy look adorable in this sun hat? I think so!
The pattern is available for purchase on our “Patterns” page for just $4.95.
I hope you thoroughly enjoy this new crochet pattern. If you have any questions about it, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’m happy to help!
Do you enjoy decorating your house with crochet projects? Do you have any part of your house decorated in a seashell or beach theme? Here’s my newest published design in the June 2015 issue of Crochet World magazine:
Shell Motif Swag
This shell swag is quick to make and I think it’s a great decoration for any shell/beach-themed room! You can make just one motif and sew it onto a napkin or towel for a nice decoration, too.
Shell Motif Napkin
You can see all the projects in the June 2015 issue of Crochet World magazine here.
I really enjoy designing and crocheting small projects that are quick to finish and make nice decorations. Here are some other crochet swags that I’ve designed over the years:
Christmas Swag from Dec 2009 issue of Crochet World magazine
Egg Swag from April 2010 issue of Crochet World magazine
Halloween Swag from Oct 2009 issue of Crochet World magazine
Heart Swag from Feb 2010 issue of Crochet World magazine
Rattle Swag from April 2009 issue of Crochet World magazine
Star Swag from June 2008 issue of Crochet World magazine
Snowflake Garland from Nov/Dec 2011 issue of Crochet Today magazine
As you can tell, each of these projects is from a past issue of Crochet World magazine or Crochet Today magazine. I don’t own the copyright to any of these, so if you’d like to make one of them, you’ll have to check your personal crochet magazine library, search for a past issue of the magazine for sale online or ask a friend if they have that issue that you could borrow.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at some quick and fun crochet projects.
Are you looking for a crochet project that won’t break your bank? I have just the thing for you. Here’s my “Keepsake Lace Shawl” that was originally published in the May/June 2010 issue of Crochet Today magazine. The pattern is available for FREE through the Coats & Clark archives here:
Keepsake Lace Shawl
In the past 3 weeks, I’ve crocheted 2 of these shawls with just one skein of yarn each from Michaels! The yarn is called “Loops & Threads Woolike”. It is a light fingering weight yarn with 678 yards in the skein, made with 85% acrylic and 15% nylon fibers. And the best part is it retails for just $2.99! Yes, you heard me right. You’ll get 678 yards for just $2.99 (plus tax)!!! Now that’s a great deal for yarn!
Here is one of the shawls I crocheted last week. It’s for my Mom for Mother’s Day:
Mom’s Keepsake Lace Shawl front
Mom’s Keepsake Lace Shawl back
To read more about this shawl, you can see my Ravlery project page here. If you’re looking for a relatively quick, inexpensive shawl to crochet, you might want to consider this shawl and yarn!
The original pattern is for a 60″ long shawl. This shawl is about 42″ long with 9 pattern repeats across. I started with a foundation chain of 251 chains so I wouldn’t run out of yarn (I knew I wouldn’t have enough yarn to make it the full length and I didn’t want to go buy more yarn). I think the length is very nice! This color of yarn is called “beige” and the other shawl I made was with the color “mauve” (which is much more like burgundy).
I really like this yarn AND the amount of yards you get for only $2.99 (or less with a 40% off coupon)! If you don’t have a Michaels store near you, you can always order this yarn through their website here!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at this crochet shawl pattern and this wonderful yarn!
I’d like to share a new FREE pattern with you. It’s called “Lacy Granny Scarf”. The pattern is available on the Red Heart UK website here.
Lacy Granny Scarf
I designed this scarf about 4 months ago for Red Heart using their Red Heart “Precious” yarn, available in the UK. This yarn is a #1 weight yarn, made with 80% acrylic and 20% mohair fibers. I really enjoyed using this yarn and the scarf blocked up very nicely! As with any mohair yarn, you need to be careful with your stitches because ripping out can be a “challenge”!
The scarf measures 6″ wide x 60″ long and is made with 10 motifs, each measuring 6″ square. The motifs are joined as you go, so there is no sewing required. There is a simple single crochet edging worked around the joined motifs to give the edges some stability.
Since this pattern is published in the UK, some of the crochet terms are different in the pattern than the crochet terms we use here in the US. Here are the different terms used in this pattern:
UK “dc” = US “sc”
UK “tr” = US “dc”
UK “dtr” = US “tr”
It can sometimes be hard to wrap your head around the different crochet terms used in another country in a crochet pattern! I’ve rewritten patterns from the UK before with the US crochet terms in them to help myself remember which stitch to work when I’m making something from one of these patterns! And sometimes I draw a symbol crochet chart instead of using the written crochet pattern. I do whatever it takes to understand the pattern in order to make the project accurately!
If you love lacy crochet projects, I hope you’ll give this pretty Lacy Granny Scarf a try.
In honor of baseball’s Spring Training, today’s FREE crochet pattern is a baseball cap for babies!
Spring Training Cap
This Spring Training Cap pattern was designed by Linda Permann for the Mar/April 2012 issue of Crochet Today magazine. The pattern is available for FREE here.
Isn’t this baby adorable? Of course, this baseball cap would look great on any baby!
In keeping with the Easter theme, today’s FREE crochet pattern is an adorable duck!
Crochet Duck
This duck pattern includes a removable bonnet! How cute is that? And the facial expression on the duck is priceless!!! Jackie Laing from the website, Amidorable Crochet designed this cute duck. You can find the free pattern on her website here.
Toddler size
