It’s time to get ready for winter and what better way than by crocheting a new scarf! Here, for your crocheting pleasure, is the newest scarf pattern at The Crochet Architect: our “Stained Glass Snowflake Scarf”!
Stained Glass Snowflake Scarf
This scarf may look complicated, but it’s not. It is worked in rows of single crochet, all on the right side with color changes. There are long tails at the beginning and end of each row to turn into the fringe when you’re all done crocheting this beauty! And we all know what that means, right? NO TAILS TO WEAVE IN!!! Do I hear a “hallelujah”?
Stained Glass Snowflake Scarf
If you’ve seen my “It Takes All Colors Snowflakes” afghan on the Mainly Crochet website and you’re not quite ready to jump into a large afghan project, this scarf is the thing for you. It is worked the same way as my snowflake afghan, but is much faster to make. In case you missed seeing it last month, here is a photo of my snowflake afghan:
It Takes All Colors Snowflakes afghan
As you can see, the afghan and scarf look very much alike, except the afghan has more rows of snowflakes and the scarf has more snowflakes wide (10 snowflakes, to be exact). They’re made the exact same way, which makes it nice. If you like my snowflake afghan and are intimidated by its size, why not try making the snowflake scarf instead. Then when you have the confidence, you can move up to making the snowflake afghan! The snowflake afghan pattern is available on the Mainly Crochet website here. If you haven’t heard of Mainly Crochet, it’s a digital crochet magazine that is available to subscribers. You can get all the information about their service on their website.
So what types of projects are you going to crochet this fall/winter? Are you going to make some afghans or scarves? How about a sweater? It’s a lot of fun to crochet new projects and give them as gifts (for those recipients who appreciate them, of course!).
To purchase the Stained Glass Snowflake Scarf pattern, just check out our “patterns” page!
Have you ever wondered where designers get the inspiration for their designs? Well, inspiration comes from many places. For me, it can come from seeing something in a store, on a website or in a book. It can also come from seeing a garment or accessory that someone is wearing. My newest design, “It Takes All Colors Snowflakes” afghan, was inspired by a knitted sweater in my own closet! I don’t always get inspired by my sweaters, but this sweater was truly inspiring to me! It’s an older sweater and has seen its better days, especially around the bottom of the sleeves. But I love the snowflake pattern on it and the bright colors that were used, so I knew I had to use this design in a crochet pattern someday. Here’s a photo of the sweater (and a close up photo of it) for you to see:
Snowflake Sweater inspirationClose Up of Snowflake Sweater
Here are photos of my snowflake afghan to compare to the sweater:
It Takes All Colors Snowflakes afghan
Close Up of Snowflakes afghan
I used 8 colors (plus black) of Red Heart “With Love” yarn to make this afghan. It’s worked in the Fair Isle crochet technique in which each row is worked on the right side. The tails are all turned into fringe on the left and right edges afterward, so there are no tails/ends to weave in (yahoo!). Fair Isle crochet is a great technique that yields a fabulous finished design! And since the non-working color is worked over instead of being carried across the back, the afghan is reversible, too! Here is a close up photo of a section on the back of the afghan to see:
Back of Snowflake Afghan
You can find this pattern on the Mainly Crochet website here. If you’re not familiar with Mainly Crochet, it’s an online magazine started by Michele Maks, the former editor for Crochet World magazine. I met Michele in person at a CGOA Conference (possibly in 2009, but I could be wrong about the year!). Michele purchased quite a few of my crochet patterns during the years that she was the editor of Crochet World! She started out as a designer several decades ago, before she was the editor for Crochet World magazine. She’s a fabulous designer and a great magazine editor with a keen eye! A few years after leaving Crochet World, Michele decided to start her own online magazine called “Mainly Crochet”. The Mainly Crochet website went live in the summer of 2013 and has been going strong ever since! It is a subscription magazine that costs $24 per year. There are over 190 patterns on the website now. They’re all accessible to paid subscribers to download as PDF files onto their computers or tablets. Mainly Crochet has a lot of fabulous patterns by many talented designers! There are patterns for all skill levels and for all types of projects: from afghans to accessories to doilies and lots more! Check it out!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at the inspiration behind my “It Takes All Colors Snowflakes” afghan design and will give this crochet technique a try.
I’ve been busy designing lots of scarves this past 6 months and I’ve had a blast with them! I have one of the patterns ready for your crocheting pleasure. This scarf is called “Easy Rainbow Scarf” because it’s an “easy” pattern and because of the rainbow colors I used to crochet it! I just love rainbows, don’t you? Here’s a photo of the scarf:
Easy Rainbow Scarf
As you can see, the scarf is completely reversible, thanks to the special stitch worked in the black rows. This scarf, as shown, measures 4 ½” wide x 54” long, plus the fringe. However, the size is adjustable in width by working more or less rows and in length by working more or less repeats across the rows. So you can make your scarf whatever size you desire!
I used 6 colors (plus black) of Caron Simply Soft yarn to make this scarf, but you can use as few as 2 colors to make your scarf, if you wish. I used worsted weight yarn for this scarf, but feel free to use a heavier or lighter weight yarn instead to make your scarves. This is a great pattern for using up scraps of yarn, since only 25 yards of each color are required (for each colored strip in the scarf), plus 175 yards of black, to make the scarf the size shown. You can use whatever colors you like to coordinate with your outfits, coats or jackets.
This scarf is quick and easy to make. The skill level is “easy”, so if you haven’t been crocheting for very long or simply want an easy pattern to make, this scarf fits the bill!
Easy Rainbow Scarf close up
If you’re new to working more than one crochet stitch in a pattern, have no fear! The pattern is easy to follow and includes full instructions for making the scarf with the fringe. It also includes close-up photos of the scarf and fringe, instructions and step-by-step photos for working in the back bump of the foundation chain, making a Long double crochet (Ldc), starting a row (joining) with a sc or a hdc and making the fringe. And there are no yarn tails to weave in, since the tails are included into the fringe!
If you already know how to make a chain, single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet, as well as how to read and follow a crochet pattern, you’re ready to make this scarf. If you’re eager to learn something new and enjoy making new, unique projects, it’s time to get started on this fun scarf today! And Christmas is coming, so this is the perfect time to get started on those Christmas gifts for the loved ones on your list!
This pattern is available right here at The Crochet Architect as an instant PDF download for $4.95. And, as always, I’m available to answer any questions you may have about any of our patterns while you’re making the items. If you find a mistake, please let me know right away so I can correct it. I strive to create fun, error-free patterns for your enjoyment!
A few months ago, I got 2 new crochet leaflets: “Quick & Easy Crochet Cowls” by Stitches ‘n Stuff (Sue Childress & Frances Hughes) and “Cute Crochet Rugs for Kids” by Tara Cousins, both by Annie’s. I’ve made some crocheted rugs before, but I’d never made a crocheted cowl before, until recently (I know, I’m a little behind the times!).
What is it about cowls that appeals to so many fiber lovers these days? And why are there so many different sizes that can be made? There are short, narrow cowls that just drape around your neck like a wide necklace all the way up to long, wide cowls that can go around your neck several times and also fit over your head. They can even be made much like triangular scarves, but worn backwards with the wide edge at the front and tied or buttoned in the back! Cowls can be made from many different fibers and weights of yarn, from super fine to chunky, too!
There are 6 projects in this Annie’s cowl book (4 easy and 2 intermediate skill levels). The cowls range from being made in many narrow rows, to less rows with more width in the rows, to a triangular shape. Some are made in solid yarns and others are made in multi-colored yarns. Some have popcorns, shells, V-stitches or clusters for lots of choices. And there are lots of different sizes to choose from, as well. Here are photos of the front cover and a few of my favorite cowls in the book:
Quick & Easy Crochet Cowls front coverBohemian CowlSummer Sorbet Cowl
This is a really nice leaflet and I look forward to making some of the cowls in it. In fact, I’ve already taken the plunge and designed a hooded cowl for a major crochet magazine (I’m sorry, but I have to keep the name of the magazine and month of the issue a secret for now). It was really fun to design and I love the colors in the yarn! It’s very soft and fluffy, which I think will be great for the winter! You can find this cowl book for sale at Annie’s here.
The rug book for kids that I got has 7 different rugs: a dinosaur, elephant, turtle, monkey, ladybug, butterfly and an owl. All of the rugs in the book were made with Deborah Norville Everyday Soft Worsted Solids, which is a medium weight acrylic yarn. I’m sure you could substitute any worsted weight acrylic yarn if you have lots of another brand in your stash! Here are photos of the front cover and some of my favorite rugs in the book:
Cute Crochet Rugs for Kids front coverGranny Shell Turtle RugSpots the Ladybug RugMischievous Monkey Rug
These are really cute and I bet kids will just love them! Of course, my kids are too old for rugs like these (my 3 sons are all in their 20’s). But perhaps when I have grandkids (hint, hint!), I can crochet them some fun rugs like these! You can see all of the rugs in the book on the Annie’s website here.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at 2 new crochet leaflets with lots of new crochet patterns in them.
You may ask: What is a doily? And how do you pronounce it? Well, it’s pronounced “doy lee” or “doi´lē” (definitely NOT dolly!). Think of it this way: “doy” rhymes with “toy” and “Lee” is a man’s name. According to Webster’s dictionary, a doily is “any small, ornamental mat, especially one of embroidery or lace”. Of course, many forms of crochet are lacy, so it stands to reason that many doilies are made in crochet! Doilies are used most often to protect wooden surfaces from scratches and moisture.
I LOVE doilies! I have hundreds, if not thousands, of doily patterns and I still enjoy purchasing new doily patterns to add to my collection. I love to crochet doilies and they make wonderful gifts, too! I have a box of finished, blocked doilies that I can turn to when I need a gift for someone, especially if they love doilies, too. I’ve learned a lot about crocheting and designing through making crochet doilies. I’m a “threadie” at heart, so I love crocheting almost anything with crochet thread (especially cotton crochet thread because it blocks so nicely).
I love the different shapes and stitches that are in doilies. Each one is unique, almost like snowflakes. Doilies come in circles, squares, rectangles, ovals, hexagons, triangles, octagons, or just about any shape. Some doilies are done in Filet crochet, while others are done in Bruges Lace, Irish crochet or regular crochet. Some doilies have lots of textural stitches or aremade in multiple layers. Some are one solid color, while others are made with many colors (and I definitely LOVE colors!). I love anything crocheted that has pineapples in it, too! Two of my favorite doily designers are Patricia Kristoffersen, who designs doilies with textural stitches, and Kathryn White, who designs doilies in Irish crochet. You can see a lot of Patricia’s work on her Ravelry page. Kathryn White has a Raverly page and a website where you can see her designs. I won several books from each of these talented designers!
A few weeks ago, I got a new doily book. It’s called “A Baker’s Dozen Easy Crochet Doilies”. As everyone knows, a Baker’s Dozen is 13. This book has 13 different doilies in it (and one of them is mine; from the October 2013 issue of Crochet World magazine). There are round, octagonal and rectangular doilies in this book. Four of them are filet doilies, one is Irish crochet, one has an added layer in the center, 6 are regular crochet (3 with pineapples) and mine is worked over bone rings (it’s actually a table mat, but it’s in the shape of a doily!). All of these designs are beginner or easy skill levels, so there’s nothing too difficult to make in this book. Here’s the front cover and a few of my favorite doilies in the book:
A Baker’s Dozen Easy Crochet Doilies book cover
Blue Skies DoilyDuck Pond DoilyPineapple Fan DoilyAutumn Blaze Table Mat (my design)
Aren’t these doilies pretty? To see all the doilies in this book, visit Annie’s website. This book retails for $9.95 in both print and digital formats. With 13 doilies in the book, that makes each doily pattern less than a dollar!
I’m thrilled to be taking part in Crochetville’s National Crochet Month (NatCroMo) Blog Tour again this year. Thank you very much, Amy Shelton and Donna Hulka, for putting together this year’s blog tour. I hope you’re enjoying each stop along the blog tour, learning more about crochet and getting your creative crochet juices flowing! Please check out the other stops along the blog tour on the Crochetville blog.
All of the designers and participants in this blog tour are members of CGOA (Crochet Guild of America). I’ve been a member of CGOA for over 10 years. It’s a fantastic organization with giving, caring, sharing, encouraging members. I’m also the secretary on the CGOA Board of Directors, as well as Co-Chair on the Masters Committee and a senior portfolio reviewer in the Masters program. For more information about CGOA and all we have to offer, including the Masters program, visit the CGOA website and the CGOA blog.
As you may already know, we’re supporting the charity, Halos of Hope, during the blog tour. If you’re not familiar with Halos of Hope, they’re a non-profit organization that collects and distributes donated hats for cancer patients who have gone through chemo and lost their hair. Please check out their website for more information about them. You can find out where to donate handmade hats on their website, as well. If you don’t knit or crochet, you can also get involved by donating monetarily to help pay for shipping the finished hats to cancer centers across the US.
To celebrate National Crochet Month, I have a free crochet pattern for you: my “Button Flower Pin”:
Button Flower Pins
Click here to get the free PDF pattern download, available for free only until April 15, 2014. After that date, the pattern will be available for purchase for $2.95.
I hope you enjoy making this flower pin with your favorite button in the center! You can use crochet thread or yarn, it’s your choice! So get creative and whip up some quick Button Flower Pins to adorn your wardrobe or to give as gifts! What woman or girl doesn’t love a pretty pin to wear? And what crocheter doesn’t love a quick project? It’s a great way to use up some scraps of yarn or thread, too.
You can even use this pin as a shawl pin to help hold your shawl in place, like I’ve done here with my knit shawl and crocheted shawl pin (You can see a close up photo of this pin in the following photo with multiple pins):
Knit Shawl & Button Flower Pin
The shawl and button flower pin were made with Patons Lace (the free knit shawl pattern is available on the Patons website here). This button flower pin was made with only the bottom layer of petals, since I didn’t have enough yarn to make both layers. I stacked some buttons in the center and added some beads around the buttons. I also used some size 10 crochet thread for working the edging around the petals. So mixing and matching colors, yarns, threads, buttons, beads and fibers is definitely allowed (and encouraged) for these pins!
I really enjoyed making these pins and found it hard to stop! Here are the button flower pins I’ve made so far:
Button Flower Pins
I’m sure you’ll come up with ideas of how you can make some of these pins and customize them to your wardrobe, or give them as gifts throughout the year.
Aren’t buttons wonderful? If you’re like me, you have a stash of buttons that are just waiting to be used. I have some fabulous old buttons and some newer buttons. Some of them are quite interesting and unique! If you’ve bought or inherited some vintage buttons, what better way to use them than by wearing them as a pin on your favorite outfit! Crochet mixes well with many other mediums and buttons are one of those mediums.
One of my favorite things to design and crochet is jewelry, such as these button flower pins. Crocheted jewelry is a wonderful project that doesn’t have to “fit” like garments, so it’s right up my alley! And buttons are great to use in crochet jewelry, too. Check out the free crochet necklace pattern that I designed (with buttons) for Red Heart Yarn on their website here. I used simple, new buttons in that necklace, but the buttons add so much visual interest to my Mod Flower Necklace!
If you’re a button lover and a crochet lover, you may even want to use a bunch of buttons to make a unique “Faux Tatted Crochet Necklace” (the pattern is available here at The Crochet Architect.com). This fun-to-wear necklace is crocheted to look like tatting. Size 10 cotton crochet thread, a size 7 (1.65mm) steel crochet hook and 21 buttons are used to make this necklace. I’ve made many of these necklaces over the years with some vintage buttons from my stash! Here are photos of a few of my necklaces using those buttons:
If you look closely, you’ll see a black Navy peacoat button with an anchor on it at the bottom, center of the black necklace! My middle son was in the Navy a few years ago, so that’s a special button to me!
You don’t need to have vintage buttons to make a Faux Tatted Necklace, though. I’ve made some with an assortment of new buttons and they look great, too! The secret to these necklaces is the “assortment” of buttons you use. I try to use different sizes (the largest size should be at the bottom center and the smallest size should be at the top left and right of the necklace), as well as several coordinating colors in my necklaces. Here’s one that I gave away as a prize during National Crochet Month last year for you to see:
2013 giveaway “faux” tatted necklace
And don’t limit yourself to using buttons in these necklaces. You can use beads or charms just as easily instead of buttons. Here’s a Faux Tatted Necklace that I made with some beads from my stash:
Faux Tatting Crochet Necklace with beads
One of the nice things about this necklace is that it’s big enough to fit over your head without needing a clasp. If you’re like me, fastening a necklace clap can sometimes be very difficult! And this necklace is easy to clean, too. When the necklace gets dirty, simply soak it in water in the sink with some liquid laundry detergent added. If needed, use an old, clean toothbrush and dab the laundry detergent directly on the dirty spot to remove stubborn dirt. Then rinse and let dry. Voila! It’ll be clean again and ready to wear in no time! These necklaces take just a few hours to make, so they’re also great to make and give as gifts.
If you’d prefer a whole set of crocheted jewelry, why not make a Faux Tatted Necklace, Bracelet and Earrings (this pattern is available here, too)?
Faux Tatted Jewelry SetFaux Tatted Jewelry Set
If you’ve never crocheted with crochet thread before and would like to learn, I would love to have you in either of my online classes with Annie’s: “Crocheting With Thread” or “Beginner’s First Doily”. You can find out more about these classes by clicking on the picture of me near the top right-hand corner of the screen. Once you learn to use thread in your crochet projects, you may become a “threadie” and not want to go back to using yarn!!!
If you’re new to my blog, I’d like to say “thank you” for visiting and I hope you’re enjoying this designer blog tour. I regularly post book reviews, crochet news and more. I have a few tutorials with plans to add many more tutorials (and crochet videos) in the coming years. If you’d like to receive updates, including when new patterns are available for purchase, please subscribe to my blog by inputting your e-mail address in the field to the right. As you can see, I don’t blog all the time, so you won’t be inundated with e-mails from me (I respect your privacy and your time)! And if you have a request for a crochet tutorial, I’d be happy to work on that for you (as time allows). I love teaching others more about crochet and learning more myself, too.
Another way I’d like to celebrate National Crochet Month is to give away a free crochet pattern (of your choice) to 2 lucky winners. I’ll pick and notify the winners on March 31st. To enter this contest, you’ll need to do 2 things: 1) leave a comment on this blog post, 2) subscribe to my blog. Because of “spam” comments sometimes being a problem, you’ll need to make an account before commenting, but that’s quick and painless. With an account, you can leave comments on any of my blog posts now and/or in the future! And if you ever want to unsubscribe, you’re free to do that, as well. There are no strings attached!
I wish everyone a very happy National Crochet Month and good luck in the giveaway!
Wow! Where did the month of January go? Like many of you, I’ve been busy (with lots of crochet time and family time) and the month just flew by!
So here we are in February already and I have some big news for you. I’m excited to tell you that I wrote my very first crochet article on Wiggly Crochet for the Feb/Mar 2014 issue of Crochet Today magazine. This is the cover of that magazine:
Crochet Today Feb/Mar 2014 cover
To see the fabulous projects in this issue, just visit the Crochet Today website here. This issue is still available for purchase at many craft stores, so if you’d like to learn to do Wiggly Crochet, what are you waiting for? It’s a lot of fun!!!
Included with the article that teaches you how to do Wiggly Crochet, I designed a Wiggly Crochet Heart swatch that you can make into a pillow, since it measures 12” square (that’s a perfect pillow size!). Here’s a photo of the Heart swatch pattern that’s in the magazine:
Wiggly Crochet Heart swatch
I used Red Heart “Luster Sheen” for the foundation mesh and Red Heart “With Love” yarn for the wiggly stitches. This pattern, along with the wiggly crochet chart and some symbol charts, are included in the Feb/Mar 2014 issue of Crochet Today.
I hope you’ll consider learning Wiggly Crochet. It’s a great technique that yields 3-dimensional projects that are perfect for hot pads and coasters, to absorb heat or moisture. I taught a class on Wiggly Crochet at the CGOA Conference in 2010 (in Manchester, NH) and again in 2013 (in Indianapolis, IN). My students loved learning to do Wiggly Crochet and I think you will, too!
Over the last 12 years or so that I’ve been designing crochet patterns, I’ve had 3 books with Wiggly Crochet patterns published: “Hot Stuff for the Holidays” by Jeanette Crews Designs in 2003, “Wiggly Crochet Rugs” by Annie’s in 2009 and “Wiggly Crochet Dishcloths” by Annie’s in 2013. While the first 2 books are out of print, the dishcloths book is still available here. And since Jeanette Crews Designs went out of business, I got the copyright back to the patterns in that book.
If you already know how to do Wiggly Crochet and you’re looking for some Wiggly Crochet patterns, we have some here at The Crochet Architect. We have a wiggly fish rug pattern, 7 wiggly hot pad & coaster sets (most are for specific holidays) and a wiggly playing card set (with the 4 suits: hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades). Check out these patterns and more on our pattern page.
What new crochet technique do you plan to learn this year?
I’m honored to review the first crochet book done by my good friend, Tammy Hildebrand today. Tammy’s name and crochet designs have been gracing the pages of crochet magazines and books for many years, but this is Tammy’s first book with ALL of the projects designed by Tammy herself. You’ve probably seen some of Tammy’s designs in Crochet!, Interweave Crochet, Crochet 1-2-3 and Crochet World magazines. Many times, Tammy’s designs have graced the cover of these magazines, too! To see Tammy’s published designs, visit her Ravelry page. Tammy is a wonderful crochet garment designer who I’ve admired for years! She is also the Vice President on the CGOA Board of Directors and has served on the Professional Development Committee of CGOA for many years.
Crochet Wraps Every Which Way front cover
Anyway, back to Tammy’s new book, “Crochet Wraps Every Which Way”. This is a great book with 18 patterns for wraps, ponchos, shawls and stoles in 6 techniques: hairpin lace, broomstick lace, Tunisian crochet, double-ended crochet, motifs and traditional crochet. There are 3 designs/projects for each of these 6 techniques: 1 design for each of these skill levels: easy, intermediate and experienced. So you can pick a project based on your skill level, making the book relevant to almost all crocheters! And there is even a “how-to” section in the back of the book with step-by-step instructions and photos to help you learn the new techniques that appeal to you!
Tammy has pushed the envelope with many of these cutting-edge designs. She even works some of these techniques in the round that are traditionally worked in rows! How cool is that? I’m in awe of Tammy’s creativeness! Here are some of my favorite projects in the book:
Perfect Pineapples
The “Perfect Pineapples” shawl is essentially a big, round doily with the pineapple pattern throughout, made with yarn. I love the way you can fold it over wherever you want to make it the length you like (and the folded portion forms a collar!).
Purple Passion
The “Purple Passion” wrap is also made with pineapples. This wrap is made with Lion Brand Silk Mohair yarn, which is one of my new favorite yarns! It’s a dream to work with and it’s light-as-a-feather!
Chica Mala
The “Chica Mala” shawl looks like it’s made with regular motifs, but it’s made with broomstick lace motifs, worked in the round! I had to do a double-take on this shawl! I have to give this a try soon when I have some spare time.
I love the colors that Tammy has chosen for these wraps. Of course, you can choose different colors for the wraps you make from these patterns to coordinate with your wardrobe or the recipient’s wardrobe, if the project will be a gift for someone else!
I know how to do all of these crochet techniques, but I’m not very proficient with some of them! I’d like to learn more about them and practice my skills with them (like hairpin lace and broomstick lace). I took a hairpin lace class at last year’s CGOA Conference in Charlotte, NC from Jennifer Hansen, who is a genius with hairpin lace, broomstick lace and Tunisian! That was a lot of fun! I’ve enjoyed Tunisian crochet for many years and I love crocheted motifs! What are your favorite techniques out of the 6 techniques in this book? Which ones would you like to learn?
If you’d like to purchase this fabulous book and learn some new crochet techniques or expand on the ones you already know, the book is available at Amazon.com here. It is also available at many local craft stores and book stores nationwide. Tammy’s book has 104 pages and retails for $19.95 in the US ($22.95 in Canada). That’s just over $1 per pattern!
I hope you’ll take a look at Tammy’s new book and learn a new crochet technique in 2014!
I am thrilled to be taking part in Kathryn White’s blog tour for her new book, “The Go-To Book for Irish Crochet Motifs”! Kathryn (Kathy) is a good friend of mine and an extremely talented designer. She is an expert with a steel crochet hook and cotton crochet thread! I’ve loved her designs for years and met her at the CGOA Conference in Sept. 2011 in Greensboro, NC. I think it was Kathy’s first CGOA conference, but I’d been to many CGOA Conferences before that one. I didn’t get a good photo of Kathy at that conference, but I did get a photo of the Irish crochet motifs that she made and appliqued to the sweater she was wearing when we met. Here it is for you to see:
Kathy’s Irish motif appliques
These are beautiful Irish crochet pieces and they show up so nicely on that sweater (or perhaps it was a sweatshirt).
Here is a photo of Kathy and me from another CGOA Conference last year:
Susan & Kathy at CGOA Conference in 2013
You can find Kathy on Facebook, as well as on her website here. And you can follow the rest of the stops on her Irish Crochet blog tour on her blog here.
Now on to her fabulous Irish Crochet book! Here’s the front and back covers of the book:
front cover of Irish Crochet bookback cover of Irish Crochet book
As the front cover says, there are over 100 motifs, edgings and insertions in this book, along with fill-in lace and tips on putting it all together. The motifs include various types of flowers, leaves and fill-in motifs. There are also dangles and overlays in this book. There are many motifs to choose from and combine into your very own Irish crochet masterpiece!!!
If you’re not familiar with Irish crochet, it’s a fabulous technique of making motifs (typically with crochet thread), many with something called a “padding cord” or a “padded ring” to give more dimension to the pieces (Kathy explains the padding cord and padded rings in this book, along with giving hints to make them easier). The motifs are then joined together with “fill-in lace” to make a large piece or project. Many of the old Irish crochet patterns are difficult to understand, but Kathy has made them easy to understand with modern crochet terms and updated Irish crochet patterns in her new book. There are motifs for every skill level in this book, as well. And if you don’t want to use a padding cord or padded ring, Kathy gives updated patterns for making the same motifs without them.
Here are photos of some of the pieces in the book:
As a thread crochet lover, I absolutely LOVE this book! As one of Kathy’s friends, I actually saw part of the book before it was published. And I got to try out a part of the book last year, too. Here’s my fill-in lace sampler from last year:
My Irish crochet sampler
I learned a lot while making this sampler piece, which is in Kathy’s book. I learned how to use padding cord (successfully) and how to work the fill-in lace between the motifs (successfully, too!). Kathy is a patient teacher and she’s very thorough, too! I love that in a crochet designer/teacher.
You can see more of Kathy’s Irish Crochet book and purchase it as a printed book or in digital format on the Annie’s website here. The book has 96 pages and retails for $14.95 in the US ($17.95 in Canada). It’s a fabulous book and I can’t wait to make more of the motifs in it. I also want to try joining more motifs with more of the fill-in lace methods in this book. Now if I just had more time or some clones to do my work so I could sit and crochet more, which is what many of us would love to do!!!
To celebrate Kathy’s new Irish Crochet book, I’m giving away an autographed copy to one very lucky winner. To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment on this blog post about Irish crochet or crochet in general (or tell me what crochet technique is your favorite). You must live in the US to qualify, since shipping the book to another country is very expensive. I’ll pick the lucky winner on Jan. 21, so you’ll have plenty of time to enter! Good luck everyone!
Are you a CGOA (Crochet Guild of America) member? If so, fantastic! If not, why not? If you love crochet and you’d like to be part of a national organization that is dedicated to crochet, then CGOA is for you! We have local chapters that hold monthly meetings for members to share with each other and learn from each other, yearly crochet conferences with lots of classes and fun activities, free crochet patterns “for members only” and many more benefits of CGOA membership! Check out all the member benefits on the CGOA website here. To find a local chapter near you, please visit this webpage.
Do you know about the CGOA website? You can find CGOA at www.crochet.org. The CGOA website has a new look and added features this year. We have some crochet lessons and fabulous new crochet videos (done by Kim Guzman) on the new CGOA website, as well! And there will be more additions to the website in the near future, too.
Many of you already know that I am the current secretary on the CGOA Board of Directors. I’m also one of the co-chairs on the CGOA Masters Committee and I’ve taught classes at many of the CGOA Conferences in the last 5 years. As a Board member, I was honored to design and crochet the website banner for the CGOA website this year. If you’re a CGOA member, you can read all about the banner and download the free website banner motif pattern (for members only) here. This is the motif for the CGOA website banner:
CGOA Website Banner Motif
It’s made with popcorns and post stitches, as well as many regular crochet stitches. Here’s a photo of part of the CGOA website banner with many joined motifs:
CGOA Website Banner
I made this banner with 12 colors of Cascade 220 Superwash yarn. This yarn was a dream to work with! You can see the huge range of Cascade 220 Superwash colors here. There are 220 yards of worsted weight 100% wool yarn in each ball. I know the CGOA banner will last for a long time, since this yarn is completely washable!
Happy crocheting everyone! And remember the CGOA motto:
“When you think CROCHET, think CGOA”!!!
Susan
P.S. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with lots of time to crochet! And I hope you learn a new crochet technique in 2014, too!
