Yarn Over, Pull Through

Easy-Breezy Crocheted Throw

Well, I finally did it.  I've uploaded a pattern I designed for a good friend of mine for her birthday to Ravelry for sale.  It's extremely simple to make, uses three main stitches - chain, single crochet, and half double crochet - and one stitch that's a bit challenging -- reverse single crochet.  And I provide ample instructions on how to make that stitch.  So it's appropriate for the beginning crocheter, and intermediate and advanced crocheters can whip it out in no time.

I'm still using my trusty Red Heart Super Saver, but I added Classic to this throw because of the color selections available.  The great thing abut this throw is that you can shorten the big middle section to create a baby throw.  A Ravelry friend of mine is going to make a "doggy blanket" for her football-watching dog to snuggle up in when the game is on.

Anyway, hope you enjoy it.  I also have free patterns in my Ravelry store as well.  Please visit me on Ravelry at HawaiiHooker. At some point, I'll learn how to add the Ravelry banner to my blog's sidebar. For now, here's a link to the pattern: buy now

 

Cool Way to Join When Working in the Round

There is a group on Ravelry of folk who are making the Babette afghan.  One of the complaints about the squares is that, after you end a round by joining with a slip stitch, you have to chain 3 to begin the next round. That chain, which substitutes for one double crochet, is very obvious and takes away from the overall look of the squares.

A Babette group member, Hypercycloid, created a video illustrating how to eliminate that unsightly chain.  I wanted to share it with you because I think it's ... like ... the best thing since sliced bread.  Let me know what you think.

Told-To-Me Sweater Revisted

It occurred to me that I need to have a space on my blog where you can access free patterns easily.  The one free pattern that I have on my blog is buried deep in an article I posted way back in December.  The only other way you could find it would be to click the "Patterns and Instructions" category that I filed it under.  And even then, you have to find the link in the body of the article.  Way too hard to find.

I wasn't sure how to create a list that linked to a PDF file, so I searched the Typepad Knowledge Base to see if I could figure out how.  Easier than I thought - I just searched under "link typelist to PDF file" or something like that, and the answer popped up in the number one position on the results list.

So, there you have it, in the right-hand column, the Told-To-Me Sweater pattern.  I hope to add more free patterns to the list.  Can't say when this is gonna happen.  While the major development phase  of my "work-work" project is over, I now have to start getting my house ready to sell.  Did I tell y'all that I am moving to Hawaii??  I am so excited, but it won't happen if I don't get cracking on whipping this house into some kind of sell-able (is that a word?) shape.

If someone out there tries to make the sweater, let me know about your experience.  And if you come across any errors or if something is hard to understand, please let me know so I can fix the mistake or help you out.

A Pattern Writer's Work Is Never Done

Here it is only 2 days after posting the Told-To-Me Sweater/Coat pattern and I'm already making revisions - very minor ones, mind you, but revisions none the less.  That's what happens when you read something you've written a few days later.  I'm sure the next time I read it I'll find something else to revise.

I've been working on several projects - more ties in Lion Brand Wool-Ease, a freeform baby blanket that I've been working on for some time now, and a little freeform man's pouch that will be a Christmas gift.  I would show you photos of the WIPs, but my digital camera needs batteries.  I am  determined to remember to get them today.  I'm also going to re-take the photo of the sweater to see if I can get the purple to show better.

That's about all that's been going on in my neck of the woods.  I do want to get yarn for more ties.  I plan to visit my LYS soon to see what it has to offer.  And I'm eager to try out this new software that I purchased a coupla weeks ago.  It's called Garment Designer by Cocheniile Design Studios.  I'm hoping it will help me design crocheted garments.

I also found this fabulous site called "Lulu."  It's an internet publishing site where you can sell your writing either hardcopy bound or for download as an eBook.  It's free to join and you simply upload your work (you retain all rights) and choose how you want it published (hardcopy or eBook).  Then you add whatever royalty you want to receive on top of the publishing costs and Lulu takes 20% of your royalty.  You have to drive traffic to Lulu so people know where to buy your publication, but I think that's really easy-breezy. 

I have a couple of books in mind that I'd like to write.  The one I started and need to work on is about how I cured insomnia which I suffered with for 7 years.  I also want to write a "train-the-trainer" book on teaching crochet classes.  Anyway, thatt's one of the things on my "to-do" list to accomplish over the next year or so.

Ok, enough for now.

Ta Da!!!!

Finally!  Here it is, the pattern for my Told-To-Me Sweater/Coat. I finally got it converted to .pdf format.  Here is a link to the pattern. Download Told2MeSweater.pdf . 

For those of you who decide to make the sweater, please let me know if you have any problems with the instrucitons.  I already know that I have to revise the schematic, so revisions of the pattern will  definitely be made.  And even if you don't make the sweater, I'd appreciate your reading over the pattern and letting me know if it's understandable.  I haven't written that many patterns and I want to make sure I'm on the right track.

I still have the photo of the purple sweater that looks blue included with the instructions.  I want to try to get a better picture, but my camera needs batteries, so I will take another oned add it to my photo album soon. 

Thanks and enjoy!

December already???

Oh my goodness!  I can't believe it's December already!  I had to look up at the calendar when I saw "November 30" as my most recent post.  I thought it was still November.  I wanted to post something else, but with the shock of discovering it's December, I don't remember what I wanted to say.

Oh well ... I can always ramble.  One thing that's starting to happen is that I have received two invitations to work on instructional design projects with a company I haven't worked with in over a year.  I'm supposed to be retired, but I don't think I'll look that "gift horse" in the mouth. 

Looking at the ephemeris (an astrological calendar showing where sun, moon and planets are), I see that the planet Saturn is retrograde in my 10th house.  And what the heck does that mean, you ask?  Career-related activities (Saturn and 10th house) coming back (retrograde) to haunt me??  Not really.  I've accepted both projects.  Nothing full time, so I can still work on my crochet WIPs and the blog.

I've crocheted a couple of ties.  Not sure if I will give them as Christmas gifts - the colors are a bit "loud" shall we say.  I tested the pattern with some yarn in my stash, and liked the results so much I made another one.  The tie pattern is very easy, and I like the pattern stitch.  You're supposed to use sport weight yarn, but I used Red Heart's "Soft Yarn," a very soft, medium worsted-weight yarn which I had planned to use for socks.

I've given you the link that goes directly to the pattern, but if that doesn't work, try the Crochet Pattern Central link here, and look under the "Men's" section for "Tie."

Not sure who I'll give them to, maybe my daughter's cousin who, I think, will appreciate the colors.

Almost Done ...

I just posted a photo of one of my "Told-to-Me" sweaters in the "General Portfolio" photo album.  I spent HOURS yesterday typing up the pattern from my handwritten notes.  Didn't realize how long it would take.  When I reviewed it this morning, I found loads of mistakes, so I am going to let it rest today and read it again tomorrow. 

The photo isn't the best.  The sweater is actually a deep purple.  I have lighter-colored sweaters, but they don't have buttons (ok, call me lazy) and this one did, so I posted it.  When I get the pattern posted, I'll include a photo of a swatch of the pattern stitch so you can see what it's supposed to look like.

Hopefully, I'll have the pattern posted some time next week.  I need to get the software that converts files to .pdf format and I don't want to download it during a Mercury retrograde (ok, call me paranoid).

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Fooling Around

I've been kinda fooling around, experimenting with a couple of pieces I want to make.  I need to be working on Christmas gifts but have been procrastinating on what to make for several male family members.  If you all have any suggestions, I'd be delighted to hear them.  I've already received a few really neat ones from members of the CGOA list, so there's really no excuse <sigh>.

Ok, back to "fooling around."  One of the projects is a ... not quite sure what to call it ...  a shrug-sweater or a sweater-shrug.  I haven't been that excited about shrugs.  I much prefer full length sweaters; on the other hand, I like the shrug's easy, "patternless" construction - you simply crochet a rectangle, sew the top row to the bottom row for sleeves, leave the middle open and ... voila ... you have a shrug.

So I've been trying to figure out how to turn a shrug into a sweater.  I came across a web site that had exactly what I was looking for.  Crochetville, a forum for crocheters, includes many patterns designed by its participants, includng the "any-size, any-gauge, fluffy pink shrug," designed by, "Mrs Who."  I used her instructions, schematics, and two color photos to create a doll-size mock-up of the sweater-shrug, using worsted weight yarn and an "I (eye)" hook.  Instead of the lacy body of Mrs. Who's piece, I worked in a simple half-double crochet throughout because I want a warm sweater with some softness and flexibility.  I thought single crochet would make it too stiff and take too long and double crochet would make it too "lacy." 

I was amazed to realize that the body (back, front and collar) is done in the round, creating a more or less flat circle.  I increased every other row on the mock up for a more fitted look.  The sleeves look a bit big, but it should be easy enough to get the right fit when I do the full-size version.

The construction is very easy and unstructured, so you can design a garment to fit your exact mesurements and use any yarn and stitch you want.  I'll probably make the full-size piece using worsted weight yarn, maybe scrap yarn in a nice color scheme.  The creative possibilities are endless.

Let me know if you have problems with the link and I'll post the full url, or you can "google" "any-size, any-gauge shrug."