Friday, January 19, 2024

Dancing Waters Tote

The Spring 2024 issue of Crochet World is coming out next week, already out online to download and I'm happy to share my Dancing Water's Tote is included in the issue.  



It is worked in Circlo Charme which is a little thicker than size 10 thread.  It is great to work with I loved using it!!  The colors the editor chose are beautiful as well!!


The original one I made was in Aunt Lydia's size 10  in the colors Natural, Taupe and Olive.  Size 10 makes a little bit smaller bag if you would like something smaller.  
There are 5 double crochet clusters in the body of the bag for added design.  


There are spirals in the grannie squares and also the fringe is spiral as well as the zipper pull.  


I hope you will give this project a try.  It is very fun to make and the color combinations are endless!!  

To get a sneak peek or to download the issue online go to:


https://crochet-world.com/inthisissue.php

#crochetworldmag
#circulocharme



 

Monday, January 15, 2024

Loving Threads Filet Crochet Placemat


I was happy to have one of my designs accepted by I Like Crochet Magazine for the February 2024 issue.  I've never worked with this magazine before and it was such a great experience working non this project with them.  

The Loving  Threads Filet Crochet Placemat is a fun filet project that doesn't take too long to make.  Any pastel color or any white or off white would look great, too.  In about a week you could whip up a set for your table or just one in a couple of days for a nice center piece.  

This project is approximately 18" x 15" and could vary depending on the brand or color of thread used.  I have made two each in a different color and one was a bit larger than the other so make sure if you want a certain size to make and block a gauge swatch to get an accurate finished size  

Check out this great issue at the following link   You will love all the great designs in this issue.

https://www.ilikecrochet.com/toc/magazine-february-2024/



 

Sunday, January 7, 2024

2023 year in review

 I can't believe it's been so long since I last updated this blog!!  Time sure flies and mostly I post to Facebook and Instagram but last summer my Facebook account got hacked so badly that I had to start over and lost all access to my Facebook business page.  So since I cannot access the old page I started a new personal page and am going to try to start up a new Facebook business page as well.  So here is the 2023 crochet year in review....




Pretty Posey Doily  was on the cover of Handy Hands Quarterly newsletter.  It is a crochet edging worked on one of their fabric centers in Lizbeth size 10 thread.  


4 My Heart doily is a filet piece worked in rounds.  It is in the February 2023 issue of Crochet World Magazine. It is worked in size 10 Lizbeth thread in the color #609 Coral Pink Dk.  


Antique Tractor Sculpture is one of my own self published patterns.  It is roughly modeling a John Deere 830 tractor and is about the size of a 1/16th scale toy tractor.  The pattern is available on my Raverly and Etsy pages.  


Belle Witch is in the Crochet World Magazine Spring 2023 Crochet Celebrations edition.  She is about 6" tall and has a bell inside.  


Connie Ellison from Annie's Publishing contacted me with a photo similar to this asking if I could do a crochet version for Annie's Spring Signature Collection.  It was so fun working on making this project.  It came out very close to the fabric photo she sent me.  It works up really quickly, too in Aunt Lydia's size 3 Fashion crochet thread.  


Farm Truck Weather Vane is in the Crochet! Home late Spring edition.  It is worked in Lizbeth size 40with a size 12/1.00 hook.  This is worked in the color #607  Charcoal.  It can be a centerpiece, placemat, sewn to a pillow or onto fabric to frame.  


Bunnies at Play runner is in the April 2023  Crochet World.  It is worked in size 10 Lizbeth.  It's very cute with the two bunnies tossing eggs over the bunny in the middle's head!!  


Lariet Necklace and Bracelet are in the June 2023 issue of Crochet World.  Very easy to make, the simple single crochets make the piece twist on it's own.  It is so fun to make you will want one to match all your outfits!!  


Filigree Table Runner is in the August 2023 issue of Crochet World.  A wrought iron porch railing was the inspiration for this project.  


Star Anise Purse in the Crochet World Autumn issue is worked in star stitches and very fun to make.  Any number of colors and strip patterns can make this design your own!!  


Addison's Delight Doily is in the Winter issue of Crochet World and is a series of small doilies joined at the corners to make one.  I had originally entered this in the CGOA Design Contest years ago and they said if I had joined the motifs a little differently so they didn't overlap at the corners it would have won first place.  So I revamped it a bit and they still touch and you can't see the joining stitch but they don't overlap, at least most of the time!!  Also it is named for my Granddaughter!!  


This fall the CGOA had an online Design Contest and my vest won first place!!  It is made up of large and small motifs in Aunt Lydia's colors of Cream, Olive and Soft Mauve.  It also won Best of Show at the Great  Frederick Fair!!  and first place at the Maryland State Fair. 




It's been a very great crochet year!!  I have several new patterns scheduled to come out in 2024 in Crochet World and I Like Crochet Magazine as well as Handy Hands Newsletters.  Stay tuned......


Sunday, August 15, 2021

Swirling Iciciles Ornament







The inspriation for this ornament came about from a bracelet pattern that was published in the February 2021 issue of Crochet World magazine.  A few months ago the new editor said the previous editor had suggested making it into a Christmas ornament!!  We came up with the blue and white colors for the issue and I found some neat glass beads at the craft store which they had suggested adding for some sparkle!!  


I had some gold and silver crochet threads that had metallic in them so I tried some using those, too.   I found you can't go wrong with whatever color you decide to go with!!  


I made the granddaughters some bracelets in their favorite colors for Christmas gifts as well!!  As with the ornament the color combinations are endless and they are so much fun to make!!  


I made a couple longer ones as necklaces, too and adde a fringe to one of the bracelets for some fun.  




As you can see the photographers at Crochet World take the best photos!!  They make all my designs look so professional!!  

The ornament pattern is available in the new Christmas issue available at Annie's.com or will soon be out at your local craft store.  I hope you will give them a try!!  Either way you make them they will make a great gift, too!!  They are very easy to change the length on so you can make them to your liking.  
 


Old Tyme Christmas Runner


 

Inspriation comes from many places and the inspriation for the Old Tyme Table Runner came from this quilt!!  I saw the pattern for a primitive tree quilt in a magazine a long time ago and I made one in 2004.  It was very simple and fun to make!!  


I had made a runner a few years before, Ole Red White & Blue which looks like a flag,  with a star in the center of the motif.  I had the idea to use the same motif and when it came time to put the star on the top of the tree I made just the star rounds in the gold to make it stand out.  








I made this doily in size 40 threads a few years later for the CGOA Design competition and it ended up taking 3rd in the thread division!!  The only thing the judges said could be improved on was the thin edging. They said it could use a more substancial border on it.  This one was in more traditional Christmas colors. 


Then a few years after that in the size 40 threads I made just the tree motifs and sewed them to fabric to make this "picture".  For the star I only used the star section of the motif. 


I used two pieces of fabric, sewed the blocked motifs onto the fabric and added some straight stitch stars.  It is a very versatile pattern and I hope you will give it a try!!  



Crochet World has a great photo of it in the new Christmas issue!!  So happy to have it included with all the other great designs!! 






Go to Annie's.com and get your copy today!!  Or soon it will be available in your favorite craft store!!  


Sunday, August 1, 2021

Have A Happy Crochet Christmas

So happy to share with you two of my patterns that are now available in the new Have a Happy Crochet Christmas special issue from Annie's Publishing.  



First is Swirling Icicles ornaments.  They are very easy to make and pretty quick to make, too.  The bottom has a purchased glass bead to give it a little sparkle.  So easy to make in any numbre of color combinations!!  You will want to add a dozen to your tree!!  





Next is the Old Tyme Christmas Table Runner.  It is made up of join on the go motifs with stars in the center.  It is worked in 2 halves then joined together in the middle as the last row of motifs are worked on the second half.  If you want you can make just one half and use it as a wall hanging, too!!  Very fun to make and once you get the pattern in your head for the joining it is pretty easy to do.



 You should be able to find this at your favorite craft store very soon or go to the link to order or download online....


https://www.anniescatalog.com/detail.html?code=A871789&source=NBSSEMG&gclid=CjwKCAjwjJmIBhA4EiwAQdCbxkDMt_ajghlCupz-6phcGhD826yNlz4ys8xPZ45Tj3PcYbr2zZuebxoCskwQAvD_BwE 

Thursday, June 17, 2021

Basic Stitches Course

Well last year I decided to try one of the Master Crochet programs with the Crochet Guild of America.  That one was a challenge but when they came out with a re-release the older Basic Stitches course a few months ago I thought what the heck I'll give this one a try.  I learned a LOT from the first one which really helped with this one.  Especially all the tiny details to make sure were right.  Well, I thought I had them all correct but I still missed a few..... but the important thing is I PASSED!!!!!  whooohoooo!!!  There's one more program out there and I'm feeling brave....or ambitious.... or crazy!!  I just might have to give that one a try and then will have all of them completed. I learn a lot from each one so what have I got to lose!!