Fabric Yarn

have you ever turned fabric into yarn?

last night was my first time ever. i cut up an old sheet following the directions from quick crochet huge hooks by sally harding. but then today i found a great tutorial by petals to picots on the same thing.

what a great way to reuse!

this picture has inspired me into thinking i can crochet a basket.

Modern Romantic Cushion Cover Pattern

it is with some trepidation that i share this pattern. i'm nervous that there may be mistakes or that my instructions may not be clear in parts. you see, i am not an expert crocheter. i am mostly self taught and my skills are pretty basic. however, i thought these cushion covers turned out so lovely that i wanted to share.

the bumpy texture is formed by the triple crochet in one stitch followed by a single crochet in the next stitch. i saw it on this dishcloth, and it got me to thinking about what i could make. that is how this cushion cover got started!

i made the cushion cover with a button edge, so that i could slip it on and off for cleaning. i haven't washed the cover yet, so i don't know how much the yarn will shrink. i definitely will not dry the covers in the dryer.

the cover fits just right over the insert. i didn't want it to be too loose. 

enjoy!

Materials

1 cone (approx. 706 yards/ 645 meters) 100% cotton 4-ply yarn in white

size J (6mm) crochet hook

1 20" x 20" (50cm x 50cm) feather and down pillow insert

6  3/4" white buttons

needle and thread

Gauge

3" x 3" = 9 sts x 8 rows (2 repeats of rows 2-5)

Finished Measurements

approx. 20" x 20" (50cm x 50cm)

US Terms Used

ch= chain                                                                          sk= skip

dc= double crochet                                                           st(s)= stitch(es)

sc= single crochet                                                              tr= triple crochet

Notes: 

chains at the beginning of each row DO count as a stitch

           

when working the final round of sc evenly around three sides of the panels, be sure to place two sc on the dc row

Panel (make 2)

ch 57

row 1: sc in 3rd ch from hook, and in each ch across. ch 2, turn.

row 2: sc in first st, tr in next st. alternate between sc and tr across the row, making sure to end with a sc. ch 2, turn.

row 3: sc in each st across. ch 3, turn.

row 4: dc in each st across. ch 2, turn.

row 5: sc in each st across. ch 2, turn.

repeat rows 2-5 eleven more times for a total of 12 repetitions.

panel 1 (button holes): sc in the next 4 sts. [ch 2, sk next two sts, sc in next seven sts] 4 times. ch 2, sk next two sts. sc in each of the next four sts. work 3 sc in last st, turn. work 1 round sc evenly around three sides with 3 sc in each corner. fasten off. weave in ends. 

panel 2: sc in each st across row. work 3 sc in the last st, turn. work 1 round sc evenly around three sides with 3 sc in each corner. sew buttons on right side. do not fasten off yarn.  

Finishing

with wrong sides of panels together, pin corners. working through both thicknesses, join and work 1 round sc evenly around three sides. fasten off and weave in end. remove pins. insert pillow form and button close.

  

Crochet Cushion Cover

i've been crocheting a cushion cover for my oldest daughter. her birthday is at the end of this month. i have the pieces for one mostly finished, but i ran out of yarn!

i've never made a cushion cover before. have you?

since she's going to be a teenager, i wanted something a little more grown-up and modern yet vintage and romantic at the same time. 

what do you think?

also. one use for empty cones is a megaphone. so you can loudly tell everyone to "please, quiet down!"

and on a totally different subject...

we took our christmas tree down on saturday. it was so lovely having it up for the extra few months. i just moved it into a corner and pretended it was an extra large houseplant. i just couldn't let it go earlier. it was still giving us such wonderful fresh air!



Monster Wallets

sometimes it's hard being four!

especially when you have a mom that makes things. and you want those things. but she has just about enough to use as birthday gifts for her primary class. so she tells you that she'll make you one.

and that means you'll have to wait... for you don't know how long.

the pattern is the monster pouch.

i've made quite a few of these for birthday gifts. they are fast and fun! and since they only take a small amount of yarn, i usually have the supplies on hand.

and that is another one of my goals this year...to use more of what i already have.

Crochet Chain Garland

this was, perhaps, my favorite christmas decoration.

my little seven-year old spent some time last year making this! she used a j hook to make 2-3 foot lengths of simple chains. in lots of different colors of yarn. then, tied the ends to each other.

we hung them and swagged them onto our christmas tree. ( her big sister and i helped make a few chain lengths at the very end.) the garland added just the right touch.

this is going to be a great new year for making! i can feel it.

Dinner

it's been awhile. i'll bet you are famished! (i was supposed to post these pictures before thanksgiving. it just goes to show that i am busy making, right?)

my boy, isaac, loves chicken legs. hopefully, even the crocheted variety.

the patterns are from the book tasty crochet by rose langlitz. i also put it on ravelry.

Lunch

now that we've had some breakfast, how about some lunch?

the choice is between peanut butter and jelly or salami and swiss on wheat bread. enjoy!

Breakfast

less than 7 weeks before December 25. time to get busy!

Solid Granny Square Pattern

this project is kind of a make-up-as-i-go-along sort of thing. so i'm not quite sure on the yardage just yet. or the exact number of solid squares i will be crocheting (right now, i'm figuring 126 solids). my intent is to make up a formal pattern when i'm completely finished. my pictures show a left-hand view.

you will need:

size j crochet hook

worsted weight yarn 

beg = beginning

ch = chain

dc = double crochet

sl st = slip stitch

sp = space

here's how i crochet them (and i will warn you this could get messy):

Ch 4, join with a sl st in first ch to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 2 dc in ring, [ch 2, work 3 dc in ring] 3 times, ch 2. Join with sl st to top of beg ch 3.

Round 2: Ch 4 (counts as last dc and ch 1 sp for this round), [in next ch 2 sp work (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 1)] 3 times for three corners. In last ch 2 sp work (3 dc, ch 2, 2 dc). Join with sl st in the third ch of the beg ch 4.

Round 3: Ch 3, in ch 1 sp work 2 dc, ch 1. [In the next ch 2 sp work (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) ch 1, work 3 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1] 3 times for three corners. In last ch 2 sp work (3 dc, ch2, 3 dc) ch 1. Join with sl st to top of beg ch 3. Fasten off.

Granny Squares

i'm starting a new project. this one may take awhile.

i'm planning on making enough granny squares for an afghan. not all white though. some of them will have color.

Back Loops

i am a lefty, so this picture is taken from the left-handed perspective. ( i did find this tutorial on stitchdiva.com for all you right-handers.)

a good way for me to remember this is that the back loop of the stitch is the one farthest away from my body, and the front loop is the one closest. i hope this helps.

Classic Baby Blanket

Twelve years ago, when I had my first baby, my great-aunt Maureen gave me a beautiful gift. The gift was a crocheted baby blanket.

I loved this blanket for its simplicity and elegance. And I've used this same blanket for each one of my little babes.

This blanket is one of my very favorite gifts to give. Years ago, I asked my aunt Maureen how she made it...what the pattern was. She was never very specific because I think she had just made it up herself. She did tell me what stitch she used, so I just figured it out on my own and came up with something myself.

After some years of making this blanket (and showing a few others how to make it as well), I've come up with a set pattern. One that I follow each time I make this blanket now. Last year, I wrote it down.

 I still love this blanket for its simplicity and elegance, and my hope is that you will too.

Materials:

1 ½ cones (about 920-1035 yards) 100 % cotton 4-ply yarn in ecru

size J (6mm) crochet hook

Gauge:

4” x 4” = 12 dc x 6 rows

CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size hook to obtain the gauge.

Finished Measurements:

36” x 36”

Terms used:

ch = chain                                                                       sl st = slip stitch
dc = double crochet                                                        sp = space
sk = skip                                                                        st(s) = stitches


Note: Ch 3 at beginning of dc rows DOES count as a stitch.

Main body:

Ch 110

Row 1: Skip first 3 ch, dc in next 107 ch; Ch 3, turn. (108 stitches)

Row 2-52: Dc in the back loop of each dc across; Ch 3, turn.

Row 53: dc in the back loop of each dc across, DO NOT fasten off; turn work to begin shell border.


Shell border:

*Ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in same sp, 2 times. Sk next 2 sts, sl st in next st; continue from * around the entire main body. Join with a sl st at the beginning ch 3. Fasten off and weave in ends.

The Second Crochet Hook Case

i made this second crochet hook case in order to answer a question i received via email about the first one i made. the question referred to line 40 in the original pattern. i couldn't remember what i had done so i decided to crochet a new one. this time for myself.

this is what i did...

row 40: insert hook through the first free loop of row 15 AND the FRONT loop of the first dc on row 39 and complete the sc. continue joining the free front loops of row 15 with the front loops of row 39 with a sc across; ch 1, turn. (30 sc)

row 41: sc in each sc across; ch 1, turn. (30sc)
row 42: insert hook in the first free loop of row 13 AND through the FRONT loop of the first sc on row 41; complete sc. continue joining the free loops of row 13 with the front loops of row 41 with a sc across; ch 1, turn. (30sc)

has anyone else had a similar problem? what did you do?

Popcorn Scarf Crochet Pattern

this scarf is super easy to make! (if you know how to crochet, that is.)

i made it for little miss z...and the first time she wore it to school one of her friends said it looked like popcorn. so that's how we got the name.

here's what you'll need:

1 1/2 skeins of patons pooch yarn
size P crochet hook

finished measurements: 3.5 inches  x 54 inches


Popcorn Scarf

*chain 2 at beginning of row counts as first double crochet.

chain 7
row 1: double crochet (dc) in second chain from hook. dc in remaining stitches. chain 2, turn.
row 2: dc in each stitch across. chain 2, turn.
rows 3-41 : repeat row 2.
fasten off, and weave in ends.


note: i bought my yarn a long while ago, i think at michael's craft store. i'm not sure if they still sell it. i just googled it and found the yarn here and here.

Blessing Baby Slippers

For the baby's blessing, I wanted to make something...It started out that I wanted to make the dress, but that didn't happen.

So I ended up crocheting her baby slippers. (i'm calling them slippers instead of booties because that sounds so much more feminine! and aren't they SO feminine?)

I bought the pattern from this etsy shop. I changed it around a bit to look more like the slippers I'd seen at this etsy shop. The slippers were still a little big, even after I used a smaller hook, but I think they turned out beautifully. The little flower adds just the right touch!

Crochet Hook Case

This gift was made for the occasion of my oldest's birthday. (Which was just yesterday!) She loves to crochet, and I thought it would be fitting for her to have her own tools. Most importantly, I felt she needed something pretty to hold those tools.

For those of you that love to crochet as well... the pattern is the Aluminum Crochet Hook Case. It was a relatively easy pattern to follow. I used cotton yarn that I already had. It holds ten crochet hooks, ranging in size from B to K.

(see some of my additional notes here and here.)

The gift also included a book, entitled Super-Cute Crochet: over 35 adorable animals and friends to make. I thought it would be fun for her to try making some cute little toys, while at the same time learn and practice following patterns.