Poplar Leaf Embossed Dishcloth

by Kelly

For quite a while now, I've been working on an afghan using embossed dishcloth patterns as afghan squares.

I'm using autumn colors (red, orange, yellow and browns) and patterns for leaves, including a maple leaf and an oak leaf. But then I got bored, and couldn't find another leaf pattern that I liked. So I made my own!

I wanted to use yellow yarn, so I did a Google search for yellow leaves, and found elm leaves and poplar leaves. The elm leaf design I drew up looked even more boring than more maple leaves, so I tried the poplar, and was much happier.

Poplar Leaf

 I made my squares using Caron Simply Soft in Sunshine and size 8 needles. I love this yarn - it comes in gorgeous colors and is wonderfully soft and shiny, and machine washable since it's acrylic.
So here's the pattern. I don't have anyone to test knit this, so keep an eye out for any mistakes or typos. If you find any, please let me know in the comments and I'll correct the pattern. Thanks!

Don't sell or reproduce the pattern except for personal use. If you'd like to make and sell items using this pattern, please feel free. After all, you'll be doing the hard part - the actual knitting.

Here's the link to the pattern. This will send you to Scribd, which is hosting all our PDF's.

New Crochet Techniques - Colorwork

by Kelly

Just when I thought I had finally figured out this whole crochet thing, I stumbled across a few new techniques that totally blew my mind...

First, how about this jogless crochet technique for amigurumi by NeedleNoodles...

Needlenoodles

Then there's this invisible finish technique from Crochet Cabana, which uses the same method to get rid of that little jog that has always bugged me in crochet rounds...

and, for those of you who have already mastered the above techniques, how about a little Intarsia colorwork? And here I thought Intarsia could only be done in knitting - color me wrong! Of course, you have to be able to crochet with both left and right hands... or at least, that's how it's done by Carol Ventura...

She makes it look so easy! Myself, I think I'll stick with knitted colorwork. But if you'd like to give it a try, here's a great page of patterns for Tapestry Crochet. The cat pillow below is also from Carol Ventura, and looks especially awesome.

It's kind of like Assisi work, which is an embroidery technique. Even better, it's available for righties and lefties! Of course, which hand you prefer  doesn't matter so much, if you have to be ambidextrous to finish the pillow.
Carol Ventura does make the suggestion that a lefty and a righty could work together to finish a project. But that raises the question of who gets the finished pillow. Maybe that would only be an idea for good friends.

Show and Tell - Knitting

by Kelly

Things I've been making:

A winter headband/hat/ear-warmer in angora (warm!). I used a free pattern from Drops Design.

Drops Design has a ton of free patterns for crochet and knitting. One of my favorites is the Garden of Diamonds shawl that I would jump on if only I had some lace-weight yarn.


I also made some accidental flowers while attempting something else,

and finally a knitted dragon that perches really well. Maybe I should have made it look like a bird instead. Here it is looking out our window.

I've also tried my hand at Broomstick Lace, which was actually quite easy and fun, once I figured out how to work with that huge knitting needle. I  found a pretty shawl pattern using this lace, only it calls for a size 35(US) knitting needle, instead of the size 50(US) that I currently have. Oh, well.

What have you been working on?

My Pattern for Fingerless Mitts

by Donna

During our giveaway so many people said we should have patterns in our shop. None of us had written patterns before. I have occasionally made things without patterns but I had never written the directions down. So I thought I would try. It won't be listed for sale in our shop but it will be listed here on our blog as a free pattern.

These fingerless mitts are really easy to make. They are for an adult but I liked them so well I think I will try to come up with a child size version.

Dawn and Kelly tested them for me. If you find any problems, please leave a comment so I can update the pattern.

Since the pattern is three pages long, we've turned it into a PDF. It's available here. That link will send you to Scribd, which is hosting all our free patterns.

Have fun with them!

Bookmarks - Dr. Who, American Flag, Rose

by Kelly

While putting away crafty supplies, I found these bookmarks. In my life I have read thousands (tens of thousands? EEP!) of books, and over the years I've found any number of unusual bookmarks left in books from shops and estate sales - sticks of gum, coupons twenty years out of date, and once even a dollar bill folded into a tiny sailboat.

I personally have used pennies, brochures, and the common stray bit of paper, but I rarely use an actual bookmark. They are fun to make, though.

Dr. Who

Colonial Flag-those stars were a pain

Rosebuds

How many books have you read in your lifetime? There's an interesting thread at the MobileRead forum discussing this. The one number that I found for an average was 100 books per person, but it doesn't seem to be backed up by anything.

I'll have to ask my Mom if she's ever thought about this. She's been reading every day since 1936 :)

Easter Basket Crochet and Knit

by Kelly

Easter means different things for different people. For me, as a kid, it was all about an Easter basket full of chocolate, jelly beans, and the occasional stuffed bunny or yellow chick. Sometimes there would be a single Cadbury Creme Egg hidden somewhere in the green plastic grass...until that memorable Easter Sunday when I discovered that Cadbury Eggs were too sweet for me. That was my first clue that I was growing up.

Creme Egg Creatures Pattern

If you're feeling brave, check out this link for Cadbury Creme Egg recipes...especially interesting is the Cadbury Creme Egg Benedict.


Of course, spring also means the first flowers of the year...

blitz68 on Etsy

and of course it wouldn't be Easter without chocolate bunnies...

Blah, blah, blahhhg

Just Crafty Enough

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Spring flowers

Easter also meant that the narcissus would soon be blooming, which was my cue to watch for the other flowers that my mom had planted all around the house. After the narcissus would come the lilacs (my favorites) and the Mock Orange, then the tulips, and so on, all through the year, until the marigolds signalled the beginning of fall and the end of flowers for the year.


Of course, sometimes it would be nice to have spring flowers regardless of the weather ...

blitz68 on Etsy

And finally, it wouldn't be Easter without a chocolate bunny, so here are two free knitting patterns from Just Crafty Enough and Blah, Blah, Blahhg. Either would be adorable tucked into a basket...

Blah, blah, blahhhg

JustCraftyEnough

Amigurumi Animation

by Kelly

I've always loved visiting Mochimochi Land (which strangely enough isn't about Japanese mochi)for the cute crochet creations and tutorials on how to make them. She also has kits, like the one pictured below, available for her teeny amigurumi creatures.

Mochimochi Land

 

Now, however, there's another reason to stop in regularly - amigurumi animations!

When I visited on Christmas day, I saw this cute Santa animation. And the trend continues! Visit her blog to see more, including a new Valentine's day animation, involving candy hearts and mini cupids. Too cute!