Happy Easter Baskets!

Happy Easter Weekend! My Mom crocheted them from this pattern on Ravelry.

I haven't been posting for a while. I'm been busy with mothering, volunteering, getting knock out colds and injuring myself at the gym. Oh, I also ripped down my hubby's Urban Aran Cardigan and started it again in the next size up.

Hope to be posting on a regular basis soon!

Happy Easter!

The Finale: A Snowflake Potholder

This is the fifth and final potholder I have crocheted for my Dazzling Dozen Potholder Swap.

It is the Snowflake Potholder. It is an easy pattern with a nice result.

I can see me making some of these for Christmas gifts to include with homemade goodies from my kitchen.

Any more gift ideas out there this Fiber Arts Friday? Find out at Wonder Why Gals!

Happy FAF!

Woven Arrowhead Crochet Square

This is the latest and last crochet square that I received from my ravelry swap group. I love it!

The black and white colour choice went with September's theme of back to school. The pattern is by Lily Chin and found in Interweave's fall crochet magazine. It's called Woven Arrowhead. Check out some particulars at Crochet Me.

Chains are used to create the arrowhead pattern on top of the crochet.

These squares would be handsome in an afghan. I would sew the squares together so the arrowheads would not all point in the same direction but instead switch back and forth from vertical to horizontal.

What do you think?

Happy Creating!

Swap-a-rama: A Bit of Fun On the Side

I thought I would share two of my Ravelry swap goodies recently delivered in the mail.

This is my square from the Proud to be 12 inches swap.

And, this is my cheery potholder from the Dazzling Dozen Potholder Swap.

It's my bit of fun on the side!

Happy whatever!

The Twelve Inch Square Swap: Another Ravelry Adventure

This is the twelve inch square I crocheted for my latest Ravelry swap Proud to be 12 Inches. The square is crocheted from the pattern for the Sunrise Sunset Afghan.

The sun motif in the centre drew me to the pattern.

It's crocheted in Paton's Classic Wool Merino which I had in my stash. I'm mailing it off to my swap recipient tomorrow. I hope she likes it! By the time the swap finishes, everyone should be able to sew their squares together into an afghan.

In my Dazzling Dozen Potholder Swap, I was chosen as the recipient for June's potholders. So, I should have a mailbox full of potholders soon. My mail woman is going to wonder what's up!

Happy Swapping!

Simple Crochet Spiral Necklace Pattern: A Quick Project

This is a quick crochet pattern for a spiral necklace crocheted in Bernat organic cotton which is a worsted 10 ply (9 wpi). I used a 4.5 mm or U.S. 7 hook. The soft cotton makes for a light and soft accessory.

Start by loosely chaining 69 stitches. Single crochet in the 4th chain from hook. This will be the loop for your button closure. Then, make 3 single crochets in each of the remaining single crochets to end of chain. This creates the spiral!

Sew on a pretty button for the loop closure. As you can see, I used a wool needle and my cotton yarn to wrap the loop to make it more substantial. But, you may choose to leave it as crocheted.

If you'd like to show off your spiral necklace, post your project on Ravelry from the Spiral Necklace pattern page.

Happy Fiber Art Jewelry!

My Scalloped Potholder is Finished: Don't Get So Excited...

The last time I made a potholder was in the 1970's. It was knitted in ivory and orange yarn as a gift for my mom. Probably, only a potholder a mother could love. This scalloped potholder is definitely more hip color wise. It's a practice potholder for my Ravelry Dazzling Dozen Potholder Swap.

If you are at all into potholders and can crochet here is the link to the free pattern for the Scalloped Potholder designed by Priscilla Hewitt.

It's not a pot but it's hot!

Happy Kitchen Crocheting!

I'm Potty this W.I.P. Wednesday: My Upcoming Crochet Potholder Adventure

I joined the Dazzling Dozen Potholder Swap Group on Ravelry. If you love crochet potholders, this is for you. All you have to do is sign up to a group for either a 6 month or 12 month commitment to make one crochet potholder a month. Each month, one person from the group receives a potholder from all the other members of the swap group.

Now, the search is on for interesting potholder patterns. I really like the Scalloped Potholder by Priscilla Hewit. It uses the front-post double crochet (fpdc) to make ribs in the crochet which spread out from the center.

This is the beginning of my Scalloped Potholder.

I'll crochet myself one first to check out the pattern. I'd like to get bright and funky colours for the one I'll crochet for the swap.

Signing off for W.I.P. Wednesday.

Happy Wednesday!

My Mom's Next Project: A Crochet Queen of Hearts Doll Outfit

My Mom called recently to ask if I had her old 1950's pattern book "Dolls and Dolls". You see I took ownership of most of her patterns books when she thought she wouldn't be using them anymore. She is turning 80 this year and keeps saying she is going to give up knitting and crocheting. Yet, she is more prolific than me at turning out fiber creations.

Right now, she is knitting the Ribbed Lace Bolero which she liked after seeing mine. She just finished Nicky Epstein's Little Red Jacket which she saw in my "Crocheting on the Edge" book.

She always finds something she likes and wants to make. This is the Queen of Hearts Doll outfit she plans to crochet:

It's being made as a prize for one of her social groups.

My mom crocheted this dress for my Barbie when I was a girl. Barbie looked ravishing in it!

Keep on fiber arting Mom and Happy Mother's day!

Using My Stash of Finished Objects: My Crocheted Vintage Circle Bag

My crocheted vintage circle bag was rescued from my unused stash of finished objects. I crocheted this bag last spring. All it needed were buttons. This week it became the owner of two chunky white vintage buttons. One button for the front pocket, and...

...one for the top closure.

Now, it is ready for me to use!

This is the picture of the bag from the original 1950's vintage pattern.

Using single crochet and Bernat cotton yarn, this bag was an easy inexpensive crochet project.

I wonder what my fellow fiberistas are up to this Fiber Arts Friday? See you over at Wonder Why Gals to find out!

Happy Fiber Arting!

Nicky Epstein's Little Red Jacket: My Mom's Latest Crochet Creation

My Mom is a bit more prolific with her fiber creations than me these days. While I'm still slogging through my Multnomah Shawl, she just finished crocheting Nicky Epstein's Little Red Jacket using an alpaca blend yarn by Sirdar. Reverse single crochet gives it texture.

The pattern is from Nicky Epstein's Crocheting On the Edge. Hubby gave it to me on my last birthday.

Of course, this book is all about the crochet edgings. The Little Red Jacket is about the ruffles.

Although the pattern is on Ravelry, there are no projects for the Little Red Jacket. It's only in one queue. I'll be uploading my Mom's to Ravelry soon.

Happy Crocheting!

No Easter Bonnet?: Wear A Crocheted Easter Jacket

This is my mom wearing her crocheted Easter jacket. Easter pastels of yellow, green, pink and blue make it perfect for the day!

My mom crocheted this in the shell stitch using Patons Canadiana.

Happy Easter!

A Treat For Me: A Crocheted Ipod Case You Can Crochet Too

I treated myself to one of my crocheted Ipod cases. This cheery yellow one is perfect for spring. This Fiber Arts Friday I'm sharing my simple pattern to make one of your very own.

They are fun to make. Crochet a chain the width of your Ipod allowing for side seams. In single crochet, crochet to a length that wraps down the front and up the back of your Ipod.

You are now ready for the flap. Crochet the flap until you are about three rows away from where you want to stop the length of the flap.

Make the buttonhole on the next row. For the size of my button, I single crochet to the 2 center stitches of the buttonhole row. Now, I chain 2 to skip over these 2 stitches and continue to finish the remaining stitches of the row in single crochet. Crochet 2 more rows making sure to single crochet in the 2 chains of the buttonhole row. You may need to skip more stitches for your buttonhole depending on the size of your button and gauge of your yarn.

Block your work before you sew it up, so it lays flat when you sew the sides.

Sew up the sides using a wool needle and yarn. You may also chain stitch the sides together, which I do, running the chain around the edge of the flap as well.

You'll see in the first picture that I have an opening in the bottom of the case for the headphone jack to plug into my Ipod. With a wool needle and yarn and using the whip stitch, I create a circular opening in between 2 single crochets.

Here is a picture of  the circular opening from another one of my cases so you can get the idea. I push a pencil into the hole to shape it. Then, I spritz it with water leaving the pencil in until it dries to make a sturdy opening.

That's me this Fiber Arts Friday. See more fiber creations at Wonder Why Gals!

Happy crocheting!

Christmas Decorations: Get Out Your Crochet Hook

Well, the busy Christmas season is well upon us. I've got the food, presents and the tree. Speaking of the tree, I have crocheted Christmas decorations I thought I'd share. These wreaths are so easy to make out of festive variegated yarn.

I just turned a chain into a circle with the crochet magic of a slip stitch. Then, I made one round of single crochet. The next and final round is chain 3 and single crochet in the next stitch, chain 3 and single crochet in the next stitch, chain 3 and single crochet in the next stitch....You get the idea. This makes a ruffled edge like a wreath's edge. Crochet a simple chain for the bow and sew it on. Voila! A Christmas wreath for your tree. Make a bunch. They look really pretty on a tree.

I have a pair of these crocheted snowflakes on my tree. Both were a gift. The pattern is easy to figure out just by looking at the snowflake. It's crocheted out of cotton crochet thread and stiffened with spray starch or glue. I've looked at this snowflake alot but I still have only the pair!

Happy Christmas crocheting!

Crochet Something for Your Guy This Christmas

Photo by http://www.sxc.hu/profile/Egilshay

At this late date, I was looking for something quick to crochet as a gift for my guy this Christmas. I found this suggestion for comfy crochet slippers at the Crochet Liberation Front's blog.

This got me thinking about what else is there to crochet for the guy in your life that would be fast to "hook-up" before Christmas morning.

A one hour scarf by Sharon Maher of Laughing Purple Designs is knit using four strands of yarn.

For the guy who has a favorite chair, why not use Christina Budd's pattern to crochet an armchair pocket for remotes, snacks and other miscellany for couch potato moments.

Got a guy who's tired of ties at Christmas (and has a sense of humour), how about a crocheted bow-tie from Craftzine?

Happy guy crocheting!

Ravelry Project: My Crochet Fingerless Mittens are Finished

I had to jump on the bandwagon and make myself a pair of fingerless mittens. I searched out this nifty pattern for Basic Fingerless Mittens on Ravelry by Julia Viconsin from Crochet Me. It's in 400 queues and completed in 294 projects.

Here are mine:

While Julia's pattern calls for Lana Grossa Bingo Print yarn which is an Aran 10 ply, I used some Patons Classic Wool from my stash. I reduced the hook size from the 5.0 mm in the pattern to a size 4.5 mm. Doing this and still using the same amount of stitches called for in the pattern, the mittens fit my size 7 hand perfectly.

What I like about these mittens is that they are not bulky and crocheting through the back loop of the single crochet gives the mittens texture.

I also learned a new technique. You can teach an old crocheter new tricks! The mittens are started off using foundation single crochet. Snuffykin's Journal has an easy to follow tutorial on how to accomplish this technique.

Happy crocheting!

Vintage Thingies Thursday: 1950s Sweater Pattern Book

I love flipping through the pages of vintage pattern books especially if there are color photographs illustrating the fashions of the time. I especially like this Star Sweater Book No. 92. Published by the American Thread Company in 1952, it would have only set you back 10 cents to buy!

Look at the fresh 50's faces of these models. Eyebrows and lips seem to be the focus of the face with lots of waves in the hair. The sweaters these gals are wearing are knit from the same pattern with variations in the trimming to make each individual.

This snazzy Bolero vest is knit in simple garter stitch using sport weight yarn. Sequins and beads are used to give the vest some flash. I want her blouse and skirt!

I left my favorite sweater for last. This crocheted Stole Blouse in buttercup yellow is so unique. The stole is crocheted separately from the blouse. The buttons are sewn to the blouse. Then, the stole is buttoned to the blouse. I love that!

There are more Vintage Thingies at ColoradoLady.

Happy Vintage Thingies!

Fiber Arts Friday: My New Winter Neck Warmer

I can no longer deny that winter will come. So, my newest creation is this neck warmer which I was experimenting with on my knitting needles this week. Using 12mm needles and double strands of a chunky yarn, it is knit in an uneven rib pattern. The result is big on thickness and texture.

I crocheted a placket for the buttonholes. Wooden buttons add interest and warmth to the piece complimenting the rusty orange yarn.

I wonder if the other fiberistas are thinking about winter this Fiber Arts Friday? Go see at Alpaca Farm Girl.

Happy winter knitting!

Sunday Summary: What else...More Fiber Art Jewelry

I was busy creating more fiber art jewelry this week. I procrastinated, but I finally finished this ring by completing the simple task of sewing the blue vintage heart button on.

I'm excited by this new bracelet design using crochet cording in organic cotton.

What am I up to this week? My local yarn shop is having a sale. As you know, one can never have too much yarn! Oh, and I signed up for belly dance classes to start this week....crocheting my veil as I type...not really!

Happy creating!

Sunday Summary: Rings and Things

My inaugural Sunday summary of my week of fiber art adventures and stuff. This post only happened with the permission of my cat once she vacated my desk (fuzzy picture owing to her attempts to nuzzle the camera)!

I finally finished knitting a purse for future felting. I'll felt it when I have acouple of other things to throw in the washer to felt with it. I'm looking forward to seeing how this lilac color looks felted. It's an Irish wool I've never used before called Galway Highland and Heather.

All I have left to do with this crochet ring is to sew on the blue vintage button shaped like a heart. These rings are simple and fun to make and wear. I sold one in my Etsy shop.

I became just a little obsessed this week (and last) with my upcycled needle felted brooches which I have been adding to my Etsy shop. I love cutting them out and punching pretty colors of roving into their centers with my felting needles. I also enjoyed choosing vintage buttons for the felted brooches I made with button centers.

This upcoming week...who knows what I will be doing! Happy Fiber Art Adventures and stuff!