New Experiences : Crochet Diagrams

30 Tuesday Jun 2015

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Starting today, I’ve decided to learn how to read crochet diagrams.

I have seen crochet patterns in other languages with no option of translating into English and most of them also come with these diagrams.

Imagine trying to decipher this one below!!

crochet doily symbol diagram

I’ve never bothered myself with it before, but I think its time to take a step up and advance myself a bit (I hope being able to read diagrams is a sign of advancement and not something that should have been started with in the first place 🙂 ).

Once I familiarize myself with the symbols, I thought I would start with a simple Granny Square diagram.. something like this :

Hope I manage and learn something new 🙂

Crochet Cruises – What a fun way to experience the art of crochet!

25 Thursday Jun 2015

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

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Crochet Cruises, Cruises

Look at that! Crochet cruises!

Its founded by the Crochet Crowd to bring fans and crocheters together on a cruise!

What an absolutely wonderful and innovative idea of having a fun vacation and at the same time enjoying some crochet-learning-time with other crocheters!

You can read more about it here :

http://crochet-cruises.com/about-us/

My Work-In-Progress? Complete!!

21 Sunday Jun 2015

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

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Crochet Capelet, Shells and Bobbles capelet

Introducing : The Shells and Bobbles Capelet.

Ta-dah!

I’m sooo happy its done and finished. And I don’t think it looks too bad considering the amount of hair-pulling that’s been done over the few miscalculations here and there which I think aren’t too obvious.

The piece is worked neck-down and comprises mostly of shells. The bobbles were worked later on only around the neck-line and refuses to lie flat (could be due to insufficient chain spaces, not sure). I’ll be sewing it down so that the bobbles are visible.

Took clicks of it from every possible angle until my 10 yr old couldn’t take it any longer 😀 And I’ve gazed and admired the clicks to my heart’s content.

So here I am now, sharing the looks with you. Once I’m done with the ordeal of penning down the pattern, I shall put that up too!

I’ve referenced a lot online on the Pineapple Motif and I hope mine looks alright enough 🙂 . But because the yarn is of the variegated type, the motifs aren’t too clear.

I’ve started another one in a solid color and I’m writing down the pattern too while I’m at it. But with this one, I’ve started off with the bobbles and will then work the shells around it. It should, hopefully, not be too complicated.

Do let me know your opinions?

Crochet Easy Headband

18 Thursday Jun 2015

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

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Crochet Headband

20150618_155312

I had mentioned in my earlier post about a project that is under works based on my own pattern (hopeful about finishing it in the next 3-4 days :).)

Before I started it, I was trying out stitches to see what works and what doesn’t. I made swatches in order to check them out better and 1 trial swatch started to look like a prospective pattern (although not usable for the project at hand)!

I ended up converting the swatch into a head-band for my 10 year old 🙂 (Had to unravel it to start with the ends, though).

The pattern is very simple using only Single Crochet (SC) and Double crochet (DC) as well as a Single Crochet decrease (SCD). The decrease is done by doing a SC in 2 stitches together.

This video will help with that : Single Crochet Decrease

The following are the materials I used and how it was done :

Materials : 1. Mercerized cotton (I think if you use a Worsted weight yarn, it could work up quicker with lesser number of rows and with a lot more stretch. Before starting, Please see remarks above Round 10 to decide type of yarn you’d like to use)
2. 4 mm hook
3. Needle for weaving in ends
4. 1 Button

Pattern :

Round 1 : Chain 5. Single crochet (SC) in 2nd chain from hook and across. Turn. (4 SC)

Round 2 : Chain 1 and SC in same stitch and in the next 2 stitches. Make 2 SC in the last stitch. Turn. (5 SC)

Round 3 : Chain 1 and SC in same stitch and in the next 3 stitches. Make 2 SC in the last stitch. Turn. (6 SC)

Round 4 : Chain 1 and SC in same stitch and in the next 4 stitches. Make 2 SC in the last stitch. Turn. (7 SC)

Round 5 : Chain 1 and SC in same stitch and in the next 5 stitches. Make 2 SC in the last stitch. Turn. (8 SC)

Round 6 : Chain 1 and SC in same stitch and in the next 6 stitches. Make 2 SC in the last stitch. Turn. (9 SC)

Round 7 : Chain 1 and SC in same stitch and in the next 7 stitches. Make 2 SC in the last stitch. Turn. (10 SC)

Round 8 : Chain 1 and SC in same stitch and in the next 8 stitches. Make 2 SC in the last stitch. Turn. (11 SC)

Round 9 : Chain 1 and SC in same stitch and in the next 9 stitches. Make 2 SC in the last stitch. Turn. (12 SC)

Remark : From the next round on, I had to work the pattern until the 70th row in order to get the band to fit, after also considering space for the other end of the band which will be Rounds 1 – 9 in reverse order. If you use a Worsted Weight yarn, you probably will get your desired length around the 30th or 40th round.

Round 10 – 70 or until band is of desired length : Chain 1 and SC in same stitch. [DC in the next stitch, SC in the next stitch] across; ending with a DC. Turn. (12 stitches)

Round 71 : Chain 1 and SC in each stitch across. Turn. (12 SC).

Round 72 : Chain 1. Do a SCD. SC in the remaining stitches. Turn. (11 SC)

Round 73 : Chain 1. Do a SCD. SC in the remaining stitches. Turn. (10 SC)

Round 74 : Chain 1. Do a SCD. SC in the remaining stitches. Turn. (9 SC)

Round 75 : Chain 1. Do a SCD. SC in the remaining stitches. Turn. (8 SC)

Round 76 : Chain 1. Do a SCD. SC in the remaining stitches. Turn. (7 SC)

Round 77 : Chain 1. Do a SCD. SC in the remaining stitches. Turn. (6 SC)

Round 78 : Chain 1. Do a SCD. SC in the remaining stitches. Turn. (5 SC)

Round 79 : Chain 1. Do a SCD. SC in the remaining stitches. Turn. (4 SC)

Round 80 : Chain 1 and SC in same stitch, Chain 6, skip the next 2 SC and SC in the last stitch and Fasten off. (The space formed from the chain 6 was for the button-hole).

Weave in ends.

Sew on a button on the other end of the band.

2015-06-18 19.35.54

I also did a surface slip stitch all around the rectangular portion of the band.

Video link for a surface stitch can be found here : Surface Stitch

I know the instructions look too long. But the whole thing was done in 2 hours, flower and all! (The flower is a modified smaller version of The Blooming Flower pattern by Attic 24). But you can find plenty online.

Work-In-Progress : My own pattern

15 Monday Jun 2015

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

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Here’s a sneak-peek to a pattern that I’m working on.

Its on a trial-run right now and I haven’t yet completed the sample to put up.

But here’s how it looks so far :

Hoping to finish it this week and christen it 🙂

It’s currently worked around the size of my 10 year old.

I’m sooo hoping it turns out the way I have it pictured in my mind so I can work out an adults version too.

If it doesn’t, then you and I can forget I ever posted this 😀

Pattern Compilation of a few great Appliques

14 Sunday Jun 2015

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

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African Flower Pattern, Applique Pattern, Butterfly Pattern, Flower Pattern, Pansy Flower Pattern, Paw Print Pattern, Star Pattern

Have lots of left-over scrap yarns?

There are lots of pretty and cute things you can crochet with those.

Like these appliques I’ve compiled :

1. Mini Hoop Flowers Pattern

http://accordingtomatt.blogspot.ae/p/mini-hoop-flowers.html

2. Popcorn Stitch Flower Pattern

Popcorn Stitch Flower

3. Granny Heart

http://daisycottagedesigns.net/crochet/granny-heart-crochet-pattern-daisy-in-the-center/

4. African Flower Pattern

How to Crochet An African Flower Motif

5. Butterflies Pattern

http://crochetzone.com/2015/03/23/free-crochet-pattern-for-butterflies/

6. Rainbow Applique Pattern

Crochet Rainbow Applique

7. Lacy Star Pattern

http://mymerrymessylife.com/2013/06/crochet-lacy-star-applique-free-pattern.html

8. Paw Print Applique

Paw Print Appliqué Set

9. Pansy Flower Pattern

http://littlemonkeyscrochet.com/pansy-flower-crochet-pattern-free-pattern/

10. Easter Egg Pattern

http://www.skiptomylou.org/2014/03/27/crochet-easter-egg-garland/

What do you think?

Dearest Donkey

05 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

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Amigurumi

PSX_20150605_115447 PSX_20150605_115252

My very first Amigurumi project.

I thought making little toys like these were really a monstrous task.

But when I saw that the skill level was easy for this particular pattern by Red Heart, I mentally geared myself to at least attempt it.

And the result?

Oliver the Donkey (who’s already being flung around by his tail! Poor Oliver!)

I first thought of calling him Wonky the Donkey, because he really is a little wonky. I think its the way I sewed the legs to the body; the alignment is a little off. But its alright.. will get it right if ever I make another one 🙂

You can find find the pattern here : http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/dearest-donkey

PSX_20150605_115630

The scarf around his neck isn’t included. Its just a simple chain with 1 row of Half Double crochets and another row of double crochets.

My 18 month old helped too by poking his finger down each leg at stuffing time to fill and firm them up 🙂

Had fun making this!

Delicate Doilies

28 Thursday May 2015

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

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Annie's, Crochet doilies

Doilies are generally a decor that can be overlooked.

But I’ve always found it an interesting project to do because of all the amazing designs used to create a spectacular looking piece. I’ve seen crocheted doilies attached to clutches, cushion covers, edges of table cloths, on lamp-shades and even on dresses!

Doily

I have made only one so far (shown left). The design is by Annie’s Crochet and is a set of paid pattern that included 13 different designs for doilies. They all look super.

The one I made was simple and uncomplicated enough. Now that I’ve gotten the hang of using such a thin hook, I feel more confident to attempt the others and I plan to do most of them.

But finding the right size of yarn is where I always get stuck! The doilies in this set of patterns mostly require a crochet thread size 10.

I have never seen a size 10 thread and hence, I don’t really know how thick or thin they are. The yarn that I used here was a Turkish brand called Alize and looked thready enough for the project. There wasn’t any size mentioned on the label unfortunately. I selected the blue because it had an amazing hue! A deep peacock lustrous blue! As usual, the photo has not done justice to the color.

And to my joy, the yarn worked well!! It gave a nice finish to the rounds and it didn’t even curl up or look lopsided between rounds. So, to my luck, NO BLOCKING was required (since I have yet to learn how to block)!

If you don’t mind paying for patterns, Annie’s has quite a large collection that can be found on their website – https://www.anniescatalog.com.

The pattern set I bought is called “A Bakers Dozen Easy Crochet Doilies”.

They often come up with offers where patterns can be found starting from 1$ to under 5$.

I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed making this.

A Little Boy’s Summer Hat and My Dilemma

24 Sunday May 2015

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

≈ 5 Comments

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Crochet hats, hats, shell stitch

PSX_20150524_085610

I have made a hat that I thought would look alright enough for a boy.

I had worked on quite a few summer hat patterns that seemed great for boys, but in the end, when I’m done with them, they all somehow made my 18 month old fellow look girly! Even if they were all in boy colors! I knew it was the ruffly brim for all these hats that made it look so.

But I don’t know how to straighten them out! Should I just shorten the brim? But that wouldn’t help to keep the sun out of his eyes! Or are the hats supposed to look that way?

3 days ago, I came across this pattern that I thought might just be THE ONE. It looked nice, squarish and boyish!

FREE Crochet Pattern – Chameleon Hat – Gone Fishin’

I first worked on the Toddler-Kids size which turned out to be a tad too small for him. So I re-did it by adding an extra increase-round to the crown portion as well as to the beginning sides portion of the pattern instructions. Turns out the increase for the crown portion is for the Adults version of the cap which I didn’t notice earlier because I wasn’t looking for an adult size.

So! My 18 month old needs an adult hat!

Didn’t know we’re a large-headed family since the hat doesn’t fit me either 😀 !

Anyways, I have finished it and sadly, not only does it NOT look squarish and boyish, but the brim still looks ruffly! See the pictures above? That’s him in the hat.

There were 2-3 hats featured in the above website that looked great because the brim didn’t have any ruffles. The pattern asked to use worsted weight acrylic yarns which I believe is category 4. But the yarn in the pictures that I liked looked much thicker than a medium weight!

Could chunky yarns help make unruffled brims? Should I try using 2 strands together of the worsted weight? I hate having to undo everything when they don’t look right! But I guess that’s how one learns.

If I’m going to try it, I’d better get on it today because the temperature is already hitting 44°C here and I am on the brink of just buying him a hat from the stores and being done with it. How boring!

Compilation of My Favorite Baby Blanket Patterns – Part 1

23 Saturday May 2015

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

≈ 3 Comments

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Baby Blankets, Crochet

Baby Blanket Compilation

These are my favorite Baby Blanket Crochet Patterns that I have compiled and hope to be able to complete some day!

1 – The Cuddly Zebra Blanket

Cuddly Zebra Blanket 2

http://cre8tioncrochet.com/2012/12/zebra-newborn-blanket/

2 – Basket Weave Baby Blanket

http://www.craftpassion.com/2010/11/crochet-basket-weave-afghan-baby-blanket-pattern-tutorial.html/2

3 – Modern Grace Baby Blanket

Modern Grace Baby Blanket 1 http://moderngracedesign.blogspot.com/2012/09/baby-blanket-free-pattern.html

4 – Sea Blue Baby Afghan

http://lionbrand.com

5 – Leaping Stripes & Blocks Baby Blanket

Leaping Stripes and Blocks Blanket

6 – Lacy Round Baby Blanket

lacy-round-baby-blanket

Lacy Crochet Round Baby Blanket

7 – Striped Lace V Stitch Baby Blanket

http://crochet.about.com/od/babypatterns/p/Striped_Baby_Blanket.htm

8 – Granny Square Baby Blanket

http://daisycottagedesigns.net/free-crochet-pattern/free-crochet-patterns-granny-square-baby-blanket/

Out of the 8, I am happy to say that I have completed Number 5 & 8 (with different colors, of course). They were easy enough for a beginner.

Number 7 is still a Work-in-Progress and has been for a long time now. I don’t really know if I will ever finish that although its a really pretty piece 🙂

Keen on starting Number 6 by the way, because I have the exact same brand of yarn for it, in variegated colors as well as solids and can’t wait to put it to use! Thinking about alternating the colors between rounds. Will put them up once completed.

The rest, I shall attempt if I ever complete 6 and the never-ending 7.

Now, if only there were a baby or 2 around that I know of so I could gift the completed ones to!