Olivia's dress

At this very moment I have 4 large WIPs and 2 UFOs, which is better than at the beginning of the week. This may be the usual for most crocheters, however, not me. With already too much going on, I decided to stick to the pattern for a nice change of pace.
Sandra Lynn’s Baby Doll Top from Ravlery was my choice for Olivia’s first birthday gift from my family. The complete length is 16” long, so it is a dress for her. I used Baby Bee yarn from Hobby Lobby. Since the skeins hold over 300 yards, this small size doesn’t take very much at all. I can’t give you an accurate measurement because I used half skeins left over from previous dresses.  Here's the link to the free pattern I followed.

Nana's pillow

Remember those left over yo-yos?  I made a pillow from the rest for my grandma’s mother’s day gift. My original idea was to make a two-sided pillow, however I ran short of circles. I played with them in all different designs and I still liked a regular square shape. I think you could still display it with either side showing. I did sew the circles together using four stitches instead of three like on the blanket. Now that I’ve seen the ruffle border, I want to add it to my blanket, also!  The ruffles are 4dc in the same stitch, with the corner 3 stitches having 5dc ss. On the backside (the solid black), I used the same stitches as the Easy Does It dishcloth. I wanted something that is quick. It works!  I was able to get the snaps on and the pillow delivered on time. Grandma Rose was happy to receive it. She even mentioned wanting another one to match. I think she will have a tough time, seeing how all of Nana’s yo-yos are done. J   Click here to see Nana's blanket.

the Misty rag*

I recently participated in a dishcloth swap in a group on Face Book. I found a super quick and easy pattern on Ravelry. It’s called the Easy Does It, you can download it here. I need to send out two dishcloths; one down, one to go. You know I’ve been on a flower frenzy with the floss jewelry. I couldn’t resist creating a pattern to combine this new stitch from the Easy Does It and incorporate a flower, too.  I am so pleased with the results; I’ve made two cloths in two days. This is a project I plan to make several to keep in my extra gift box. I have entertained the idea of crocheting larger towels to match, since I enjoy this pattern so much. I hope you all love it just as much as I do!

 

The Misty Rag

H hook, cotton yarn

Popcorn stitch: Work 4 dc in the same stitch, drop loop from hook, insert hook from front to back in the top of the first dc of group, then pull dropped loop through stitch and secure with a slip stitch.

Start with the flower: sc 10x in a magic ring. Slip stitch to join.

Row1: ch2 (doesn’t count as a st), 1 popcorn stitch in each sc, slst to first stitch. (10 popcorns, including the ch1 to close each=20st)

Row2: ch2 (doesn’t count as st), 1 popcorn in ea st around, slst to first st. Fasten off and weave in ends. (20 popcorns, including the ch1 to close each=40 st)

Row3: attach new color with a slst; sc in same as joining, sc 8x, 3sc ss, *sc 9x, 3sc ss repeat from* 2x. The 3sc ss creates a corner, you need 4 corners. Do not slip stitch to join. Mark this stitch as your last, use next stitch to start the rounds.

Round4: ch1, skip a st, sc, repeat to center crochet in the first corner, [(sc, ch1) 2x ss, *sc, ch1, sk a st, sc, repeat from* to next corner.] repeat inside the brackets until desired size is achieved.

 Yes it is that simple. This is the same concept as the Easy Does It; single crochet and chain 1, skip a stitch-repeat. The next round on top, you are sc all around the chain stitches, which my hook glides much faster than fighting with the loops. I mean to crochet around all three loops of the chain. This also creates texture for scrubbing. Just be sure to make the corner stitches in the middle chain after the first round.  I went 7 rounds, then ended with a slip stitch. Fasten off and weave in ends.

To finish up, I worked in rows.

Attach new color to any st along one of the sides (not into the corner) and start in joining stitch, *sc in each st to center corner chain, (sc, ch1, sc) ss in corner, repeat from* around. I crocheted around the chain st from the previous round and into the Back Loops Only of the sc from the previous round.  This is simple and creates a neat color effect. End with a slst; fasten off and weave in ends.

Attach new color and sc in each st along the sides and (sc, ch1, sc) ss in corners using BLO. End with a slst; fasten off and weave in ends.

you can use stitch markers to mark every tenth stitch for the corners 

the Easy Does It pattern from Reavelry

coordinating cloths for a dishcloth swap

 You may enjoy my patterns for free, even sell your finished projects, but please DO NOT claim my patterns or photos as your own and DO NOT sell them.

Nana's blanket part2

Honestly, I didn’t think I would ever finish. To my surprise, yesterday between the masses, Nana’s blanket became a completed project! I am beyond joyful. As I type, it is in the washing machine. A gorgeous, warm day waits to dry it in the breeze and I have an enormous smile on my face.

From Feb.27 to April 29, this has been my main WIP. It’s bittersweet; I’m sure to miss touching it every day.  Since adding the black outline, the afghan grew in size. I stop adding yo-yos and have 59 left. The blanket already fits a twin bed. It contains 580 circles (20x29). I can sew the left overs into a matching pillow. Thank you to all who have encouraged me to keep plugging away until I was done. This is truly my most rewarding project so far. I can’t wait to sleep with it tonight. 

Be sure to check out Nana's blanket part 1.

chainless foundation

Hello! Here’s a quick post to show you how I make a single crochet foundation row. Since I have learned how to make a chainless row, it has opened up a larger variety of patterns for me to try. If I see a pattern call for ch.100 and turn to single crochet in each stitch, I cringe. There is something about fighting with the loops that will turn me off of crocheting pretty quickly. That is not a problem anymore with the chainless foundation row. This only shows the single crochet foundation row, the one I use in my patterns the most. However, there is also a half-double, as well as a double crochet foundation. They are just as easy, too. Give it a try, you will be glad you did!

make a slip stitch as normal. chain 2.

insert hook into the first chain you made.
other directions always calls for using 2 loops here.  I've never been able to get mine looking good when I  use both loops, so I just use the bottom one.

yarn over and pull through, 2 loops on your hook.

This photo almost looks the same.
yarn over and pull through only ONE of the loops.
This creates the chain, the one you would have made on the first row.
can you see it in the photo?

yarn over and pull through both loops this time.
This creates the single crochet.
The white stitch marker is the bottom of the row, where we will  insert the hook back into.
the blue one shows the top of the row, our first single crochet created.

insert  the hook into the chain, where the white marker is.
yarn over and pull through 1 loop.
yarn and pull through both loops.

2 single crochet done.
just repeat until the desired length is reached.

8 single crochet done.
This technique is made vertically instead of horizontally.
at this point you can chain one and turn your work to crochet back across your row.

Embroidery Floss

scrubbie tutorial

This is not my own pattern. It is only a picture tutorial on how to crochet this pattern for a tawashi/dish scrubbie.

with an H hook and cotton yarn, Chain 21 

in the second chain from the hook, single crochet 2 times in the same stitch. this is an increase.

single crochet in each stitch across, stopping with the last 2 stitches unworked.

single crochet the last 2 stitches together. this is a decrease.

first row complete
ch 21, sc2x ss, sc across, sc2tog in last 2 stitches.

chain 1, turn. decrease over the next 2 sc.
in the previous row, this is the last decrease and one more sc together.

single crochet in each stitch across, leaving the last stitch unworked.

work 2 single crochet in the last stitch.

chain 1 and turn.

work 2 single crochet in the first stitch.

continue to sc in each stitch, decrease over the last 2 stitches.

I added stitch markers on the starting chain. You can see how its shape is slanted.
This is because of the decreases are only on one side and the increases on the opposite side.

after row 5.
Just keep repeating rows 1 and 2 for 22 rows total.

after row 10.
I switched one of the white stitch markers with a blue one.
now I can see on the blue side is the increases and the white side is the decreases.

during row 13, now the slanting is really taking shape.

finished with the crocheting.

the pattern calls to slip stitch the ends together; I whip stitched  mine.

after the ends are sewn together, it creates a tunnel.

with the same strand of yarn that it used to sew the sides together with, weave it in and out around the top of the tunnel. GENTLY pull to snug it tight. I say GENTLY because I have broken the yarn many times.

drop the threaded needle through to the other side.

turn over the scrubbie.
Using the same strand,  weave it in and out around the other side to close in the same way. 

the scrubbie should flatten as you scrunch the ends inward.

I make a few stitches through the scrubbie from side to side.

Add a chain loop to hang your scrubbie:
insert hook into a loop at the desired location for a loop.  yarn over and begin the chain.

Since I broke my yarn, my chain loop is too small to use and that is ok, I just wanted to be able to show you how, in case you want them on yours. 

This scrubbie looks different because I used both loops..
For the dish scrubbies, I prefer crocheting the entire pattern in the BACK LOOPS only. this creates  good cleaning ridges for scrubbing. I would not suggest the ridges for facial scrubbies and they can be 2 rows less than the tawashi pattern for a smaller size.