Lacy Hearts Runner

 

The Lacy Hearts Table Runner is also in the February 2021 issue of Crochet World.  It is a fun filet crochet pattern that includes lacet stitches in the hearts.  The finished size is 14 1/2" x 36 1/2".  Pretty in red or white for Valentine's day or also a wedding or bridal shower decoration!!  

                                            

Spiral Bracelet

The February 2021 issue of Crochet World is coming out any day and in it is my spiral bracelet.  These are so fun to make and the color combinations are endless!!  So fun to do in favorite colors or school colors or to match an outfit!!  Make it longer and you have a necklace!!  They do stretch a little bit and you can adjust the size by twisting them tighter or loser.  Even add a fun tassle too!!  The bracelet can be made in about an hour, too!!  

 

Lacy Pines Mitts

 The Winter 2021 issue of Interweave Crochet is coming out on news stands very soon, it's already available online, and I'm happy to share that my Lacy Pines Mitts are included in it along with so many other great designs!!  

The pattern is written in 3 different sizes so there is a size to fit everyone!!

They have these neat 20 hole buttons on them for decoration that I did a simple chain stitch in them but there are any number of ways you can decorate them to go with your mitts!! You can get very creative with these!!

They would make a great Christmas gift for many members of your family!!

They work up rather quickly, too. 

You can get your copy of the magazine at Interweavecrochet.com or look in your local craft store too. 

There is also more info on the pattern at https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lacy-pine-mitts

The magazine is also available in digital download if you like receiving yours in that format.  

Happy Holiday Crocheting!!  

Master of Crochet Course

There has been this thing that's been in the back of my mind to do at some point and this summer with all the fairs and competitions canceled I thought it was the perfect time to do it!!  Crochet Guild of America has two Master of Crochet courses and I decided to try one of them!!  I picked the Master of Advanced Crochet Stitches and Techniques program.  I had no idea what to expect and it wasn't that difficult.  There are questions to answer and swatches to make and also some new to me techniques and stitches to do!!  Plus a few things I was never really sure about it helped me understand.  Especially how to keep those pesky ends from popping out when I do a yarn project!!  I have always had problems with that!! I completed the 48 swatches in about 3 days.  Some are small and don't take long, others are a bit larger and more involved. I knew there was a wait to get someone to review the portfolios so I didn't think much of it when months went by but I got to thinking it's been quite a while now, more than two months so I sent another email and apparently my first email got lost!!  So within a week I had a reviewer to send my portfolio to.  Well, not everyone passes on the first try and I was one of them!!  and those pesky tails on some of the swatches were one of the big reasons!!  Plus a skipped stitch here and there.  I had looked those swatches over and over and didn't pick up on such tiny little details.... guess it's not good to work on them and watch TV at the same time!!  And there were two questions that I hadn't gone into enough detail on  with the answers.....But I resubmitted and got this beautiful certificate in the mail to display along with the workbook that has all the swatches and answers to the questions in them.  

Next summer (hopefully) at the yearly convention the award pins will be handed out (or mailed in my case..... bucket list to go but I don't see us getting to Denver next summer....).  I'm so glad I gave this a try and at some point might try the second program.  I have heard there is a thread one coming out next summer, too..... hummmmm.... might have to give that one a try since thread is my favorite to work with!!   😊
 

Christmas Memories Ornaments

 The second pattern that is in the Crochet World December 2020 issue is Christmas Memories ornaments.

The editor asked me to make them in 3 different color ways.  One is a variegated blue, one in all white and the other in Christmas Red, Christmas Green and White.  I used Lizbeth size 10 crochet thread. They added the decorative buttons in the center which set them off perfectly!!  

I had made up this motif in the pastels last year for a state fair entry and I like it in those colors as well.  Maybe an Easter or spring window suncatcher?  

These ornaments are stiffened but could also be tied into a hoop if you didn't want to use stiffener.  I just lay down plastic wrap over a cardboard cutting board I have and spread the stiffener on the back pretty thick, then stretch and pin them out to dry, usually overnight.  A piece of  thick cardboard would work, too if you don't have a cutting board.  I like the gridlines on it to help keep the design evenly spaced.  Just draw a circle on it to pin out to if you are using plain cardboard.  The finished size is 4 1/2" across.  They would make a quick and easy gift this holiday season, the hardest part is waiting for the stiffener to dry!!  And there are so many cute buttons out there to choose from, too!!  

Happy Holiday Crocheting!! 😊🎅🎄

O Holy Night Centerpiece

 

The December 2020 issue of Crochet World is coming out very soon and I received an advance copy this week.  It has two of my patterns in it.  The first one is the O Holy Night Centerpiece. 

It is a filet crochet piece worked from a chart.  It has an easy border added as well.  It could be used on a table or with some cafe clips and a decorative rod a wall hanging!!  It is worked in size 10 crochet thread with a size 7/1.65mm steel crochet hook.  The finished size is 23 1/2" tall x 28 1/2" wide.  It would be pretty with any color behind it showing through the pattern.  It is always fun to work up a filet project and watch the picture form!!  

I hope you will pick up this issue of you don't subscribe already.  It is full of many beautiful and cute patterns !!  

Candy Cane Door Decoration

 

It's never too early to start crocheting for the holidays and this door/wall hanging will surely bring a smile to everyone that comes to your door!!  It's pretty easy to make, the hardest part is waiting for the stiffener to dry!!  The balls are worked in halves and then are stiffened around 1 1/2" foam balls and then the halves are glued together.  The balls are then hot glued to each other to form the two canes.  An easy crochet bow is worked and tied around then center and then a piece of plastic canvas mesh is hot glued to the back and trimmed away to give it added stability.  Hope you will give this pattern a try!!  You can get your pattern at the following links....

https://www.etsy.com/listing/850146226/candy-cane-door-decoration?ref=shop_home_active_1

or

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/candy-cane-door-decoration

Spooktacular Crochet

 Just saw a sneek peek at the new special issue from Anne's on Facebook today and there are 2 of my designs in it!!  

First one I spotted on the cover was the Pumpkin Lantern that was in Crochet World October 2016.  I love pulling this little guy out every fall to decorate with.  It has an opening in the bottom to sit it over a tea light but you can also string some battery lights in it as well.  It is very easy to make, too the hardest part is waiting for the stiffener to dry!!  It is 5" tall and 6 " wide/around. 

Next in the issue is the Spooky Nights Table Runner.

It is a filet pattern in black crochet thread..... I always heard complaints about working with dark thread or yarn and found out what it was all about!!  I got myself a neck light and that made all the difference!!  Those things are awesome!!  

This runner measures 14" x 45 1/2".   You could also make half the pattern and use it as a wall hanging or a door decoration, too!!  

I love how this pattern turned out.  It was very fun to make, too.  One of my favorite things about filet patterns is watching the picture develop as each row progresses.  

I hope you will give these patterns a try!!  The issue is available as a digital download right now at https://www.anniescatalog.com/detail.html?prod_id=155759&cat_id=1321&fbclid=IwAR0TfWrI5Af3Nklh2ckCaHToE3BhRIqsG2rf9mTdPAy9SRU-i55g4fFDWL0

Town & Country Tote

The August 2020 issue of Crochet World is coming out very soon and I'm happy to say it has my pattern for this Mosaic crochet bag in it!!

This is their great photo of the bag.....

It is easy to work in the two colors and would look great in any combination of colors or even a solid color!!

It has these neat hooks to add the handles to the bag that have a removable pin so they attach very easily  They are available online and the link is in the pattern.  

  

The side seams are crocheted together and the bottom gusset is sewn on the sewing machine.  It has a cotton lining and a magnetic clasp.  

I hope you will check out this pattern and try it for  yourself!!  You can pick up the magazine at your local newsstand or download a copy at crochet-world.com  

Midnight Graphique Scarf

Yesterday I received this beautiful issue of Interweave Crochet Summer 2020 in the mail with my Midnight Graphique Scarf included in the beautiful designs in this issue.  

A little background on this scarf/wrap design.... It originally started out as a scarf I made in Nazli Gelin Garden Metallic in the color Midnight/Silver.  It is a beautiful thread with a silver thread running thru it.  Easy to work with, too.  I had seen it advertised in the Herrschner's  catalog (here is the link to that thread) 

https://www.herrschners.com/product/universal+yarn+nazli+gelin+garden+metallic+egyptian++cotton+crochet+thread.do?sortby=newArrivals&refType=&from=Search 

and wanted to try a project with it.  The thread balls aren't very large so it took almost all of 3 of them to make this long skinny scarf. 

Here is a closeup of the pattern on the original scarf. 

It is 71 1/2" long without the fringe and 91 1/2" long with x 6 3/4" wide. 

I love the super long fringe on it, too.  That's what took a LOT of the thread to make. 

So I submitted it to Interweave Crochet and they chose it for this issue.  They wanted it to be wider to be it more of a wrap and a scarf. The finished size turned out to be 18" x 60" without the fringe and it has 10" of fringe on each end.  Since the thread is about a size 10 it is very lightweight and not bulky at all.  The thread they chose for the project is Omega Rustica Eclat (distributed by Creative Yarn Source) and it is in the color C68 Royal/Silver.  Almost identical to the thread I had used originally.  Maybe a little bit lighter blue but has the silver thread running thru it.  It is also worked using a size 6/1.8mm hook.  It was one of those projects I took with me to work on different places and the one time I was working on it this man said "I don't know what you are making but it looks like it is going to take a while" !!  It wasn't that bad, I just had bits and pieces of time to work on it since it was in the fall when we are busy harvesting so it seemed  like it took longer than it did.  The editor also wanted the fringe more spread out on the wider scarf/wrap.  Looks great this way, too!!  It would have been to "heavy" looking to have had it in every space across the end of the wider piece. 

Here is a picture of it on the blocking board....

....and a full view of it on the blocking board.

And here are 4 awesome photos of it that Interweave Crochet took and shared with me.  They make all my projects look so professional!!!  

It would be a great little wrap around the shoulders on a summer evening after the sun goes down.  It is very easy to make in filet crochet with a very simple repeat pattern to follow.  

Thank you Interweave Crochet for including my design in this beautiful issue.  If you want to get your own copy it will be available at https://www.interweave.com/crochet/ after May 28th and should be in the stores around June 9th.  It will also be on Ravelry after May 28th as well for more details on this pattern.  I hope you will give it a try!!  

Waterlily Doily

When I saw the sneak peek of the June 2020 Crochet World I had to do a triple take!!  I couldn't believe it when I saw my doily on the front cover!!!  

It is the Waterlily doily.  I had originally made it in Aunt Lydia's size 10 Wood Violet, Frosty Green and Cream but they chose Lizbeth Snow White, Sky Blue  Lt and Green Orchid Dk.  I loved how it looked so much in the colors they chose and I had leftover thread from the project so I made one for myself.  

I entered it in all the fairs last fall and at the state fair it took 3rd, Frederick Fair it took 2nd and Middletown Community show it got 1st!!  It seemed to get better at every show!!  It was funny, at the community show I heard the one judge say "it's pretty but it must have been made to match the colors in a room".  I had never thought about that before.  Occasionally I'll make things to match a room but mostly I just make them in the colors that seem to pop out to me that it would look good in....

I hope you will get a copy of Crochet World and try this doily for yourself.  It is quick and fun to make...except for weaving in all the loose ends but it's worth the extra time :)