Tag Archives: free crochet pattern
Tracing Shadows Scarf Pattern and Kitchen Re-do
In my last post, I mentioned that I had begun the Tracing Shadows scarf using the shadow tracery stitch pattern and Patons Kroy Sock Yarn in taupe and dark grey. After working on this project for a couple of evenings, I had the same ambivalence about this color yarn that I had when I tried to use it for my crop circles project. I laid it down and never picked it up again!
Instead, I decided to gather all the tiny leftover balls of yarn that I had used for the 20 pair of mitts I had made over the holidays. Using a slightly different order of colors, I finished this new scarf project in two evenings! Of course, you can use any color order that you prefer and make it as long and as wide as you want it. Just remember that your puff stitch row must always be worked on the wrong side of your fabric.
Tracing Shadows Scarf
Kitchen Re-do
When we moved into our house 3 1/2 years ago, we had just given up traveling in our RV for 7 years. Aside from what we had in the RV, we had no other furniture or possessions. It was a real challenge to purchase everything that we needed for home living in the first few months!
Our house had been built in 1987 and still had the original beigy-pinky formica counter. It was chipped in places and had a build-up of grease in other places that was so thick I needed a paint scraper to remove it! A thorough cleaning didn’t make it look much better. My husband promised me a new counter but as each year went by, somehow one project after another took priority. We managed to make the kitchen look much better by painting, replacing the floor and appliances, and adding a cute window treatment. I purchased a stainless steel cart at Ikea and used it as an island. Each time I wanted to use an item from the cart, I had to wash it since it had collected dust and dog hair.
Well, finally my day has come! Last Saturday we visited Advanced Granite Solutions and picked out a granite called Uba Tuba. You can see this color in the demonstration kitchen below.
Then I went to Kountry Klassic Woodshop and gave them the specs for my new island. This island will be very narrow and have glass doors on both sides to solve the dust problem. The granite engineer is coming tomorrow to measure and work up a template for my new counter. If all goes as planned, I should have a new granite counter, a stainless steel double sink, a new garbage disposal and a new island by the end of next week! I’m doing the happy dance here!
So now that I’m going to have this beautiful counter, I definitely wanted to replace my canisters. I had purchased my old canisters at Ikea and they were so small that I couldn’t get a measuring cup inside! Each time I tried to scoop out some flour, it ended up on the counter and the floor. Being the computer addict that I am, I Googled “ kitchen canisters” and discovered that a lot of folks loved the big Anchor Hocking glass canisters. I found them at Wal-Mart for $9.95 each and immediately purchased them and had them hold the items for in-store pick-up. As so often happens with my on-line purchases, I did not look carefully at the product specifications. Imagine my surprise when I picked them up and found that they were HUGE! Each canister holds 2 gallons! It was all we could do to fit the three of them into the shopping cart!
In the photo above, you see my old canister in front of the new ones. It looks like I will be buying in bulk from now on! But all kidding aside, these big hefty jars are gorgeous and I think that they will look great on the new counter. I never used that corner of the counter anyway!
A Walk In the Woods
For several weeks now, my friend Rose and I have been setting aside a day to take a nature walk. We normally meet around 10 am and spend a couple of hours walking, then we have a light lunch. This has not only been good for my body, but has enabled Rose and me to forge a strong friendship. There’s nothing like discussing the riddles of the universe while enjoying the gorgeous fall weather.
This week we went to the Oregon Ridge Nature Center in Hunt Valley, MD. I had been there many times when my children were younger but had to reacquaint myself with the center and the trails.
Above you see Rose at the entrance to the center. We chose a beautiful day, just after a rain. The ground was wet but everything smelled clean and woodsy. I hadn’t remembered that Oregon Ridge had a hen-house.
Inside the enclosure we found some lively chickens and a very dignified but shy turkey. Rose set about feeding the chickens grass but when the turkey came over to get some, the chickens pecked at him so he retreated to the back of the enclosure. Rose was finally able to throw some leaves through the mesh wiring on the top and the poor turkey managed to get his share!
Oregon Ridge was once the site of an iron forge. Surprisingly enough, the ore was dug from a huge pit in the ground right on the premises. Now a rustic bridge spans the pit and all you can see are trees and shrubs but we were both amazed that an operation like this was taking place in our area. One of the homes of the workers has been restored and is open for tours on designated days.
We hiked the trail to the top of the ridge and had a great view of the new Chestnut Tree project. The gypsy moths have decimated the chestnut trees in the area. Volunteers have since cleared a large portion of the summit at the end of the trail and re-planted the area.
There are various other foundations on the grounds, evidence of forge buildings and activities. Rose and I explored one of them after our hike.
Inside the nature center visitors will find a large window looking out onto the woods. Several types of trees and shrubs are identified with numbers and descriptions so that you can look for them as you hike the trails. The various rooms in the center contain exhibits including a working beehive, several native snakes and turtles in aquariums, and small interactive stations for children. Photos of the history of the forge line the walls in the hallway. As with most nature centers, Oregon Ridge offers many events throughout the year for hikers and families.
Once we finished exploring the center we discovered that we had worked up an appetite! Off we went to Wegmans at Hunt Valley Town Center to graze the wonderful offerings at the buffets.
A little project finished
Didn’t these turn out cute? The pattern for the fingerless gloves can be found here. As for the neckwarmer, you can get the pattern here: Flared Ribs PDF Pattern
The neckwarmer is worked in ribbed stitches so that it drapes nicely over the shoulder under a jacket. The turtleneck will keep you warm! You can wear the buttons in the front or on the shoulder. I used Martha Stewart Craft yarn for both. It’s funny, folks had been complaining that this yarn was only offered in pastels but I found this deep Sailor Blue at Joann.
Assessing a Project
Here we have the completed Vienna Scarf. The pattern is available in Kim Guzman’s book, Tunisian Cables to Crochet. This scarf took me about a month to make and I hate to admit it, I worked on it for hours most days. I have to say that I am disappointed. The amount of work that went into this project was not worth the result. It is clearly my fault. I tend to crochet tightly and this caused all kinds of problems when working with alpaca yarn. This was probably also responsible for my inability to identify my stitches. In addition, I think I chose a pattern that was not in line with my abilities. While I did manage to complete it and the scarf looks okay, I should have started with something simpler in a smooth yarn. Kim’s design is beautiful and probably very well suited to her expertise. I have enough yarn to make the hat but I am not planning to do that now, maybe in the future.
But on a more cheerful note…
This scarf turned out just beautiful! I used the yarn I had planned to use for another Tunisian cables project, Plymouth Select DK Merino Superwash, but I am tired of Tunisian cables for the present. This yarn has wonderful stitch definition and is a dream to work with. The weight was just right for this project even though the pattern calls for a lighter weight yarn. I just worked fewer edging rows so that my shawl is more like a scarf. For me, who rarely wear shawls, this was a great solution. I can drape it over a coat or tie it at the neck. I also added a row of spike stitches to the top edge to finish it off a little, And for all its great looks, this scarf was very easy to make. The Staggered Shells Wrap is available on Ravelry for free!
Lucky me! I had enough yarn left over to make these delightful little mitts. In fact, I was able to make two pair, one for me me and a set for my friend. The pattern, Seamless Fingerless Gloves by Cult of Crochet is not free but is only $1.66 in American dollars on Ravelry. You can download it directly to your computer. Again, a very easy project with great results.
Some Gifts
I’ve always avoided making gifts for my daughters as they don’t seem very interested in wearing anything crocheted. This year, however, I’ve decided to make each of them a scarf and a pair of those cute mitts. I know that they both like the fingerless gloves. Both of them are no-nonsense young women and would not wear anything lacy so I have come up with two patterns. My younger daughter, who loves blue will get this scarf worked in Martha Stewart Crafts Yarn in the color Sailor Blue. The Martha Stewart Crafts Yarn I used is a wool and acrylic blend and feels very soft. Unfortunately, it has a bit of a tendency to split. In addition, there are knots throughout the skeins. On top of that, it was expensive, $7.49 a skein at Joann. I will probably use this yarn again, though. It has such a wonderful hand.
I found this beautiful pattern on Ravelry also. Worked in post stitches, it has a woven effect but at the same time is much more airy than most post-stitch projects. The designer, Jenny, has graciously allowed me to use her photo since I haven’t started my scarf yet. This pattern is available for $ 3.99 at Etsy. I will be using Caron’s Sheepish by Vickie Howell in off-white for this scarf and mitts set. Sheepish is acrylic but looks exactly like the Sheeps Wool I used not long ago for another project. It is soft and does not feel like acrylic.
Silty Scarf and Beret
As I mentioned in my last post, I was browsing through the stitch dictionary looking for a highly textured stitch. I wanted something thick for a scarf and beret project that I had in mind. Not long ago I had purchased 3 skeins of Vanna’s Choice yarn in one of my favorite colors, gold. The silt stitch was just the ticket. It is easy to work but results in a nicely textured fabric. It almost has the appearence of crocheted cables.
Swatching the Vanna’s Choice was not so much fun. At one point, I decided to have the design run lengthwise so I had to rip out all the rows that I had crocheted crosswise. The yarn began to pill quickly. In addition, it also began to separate. This yarn seems to be much thicker than most worsted yarns. Some people love this yarn. I finished my project but I will not use it again. You might want to try another brand of worsted weight yarn. You will find that the scarf fabric will skew slightly as you work, making it necessary to block the finished project. In this case, blocking really gave the scarf a professional appearance.
The trim on the ends of the scarf is very easy to work. I made this trim up myself but I don’t have any illusions that it is an original stitch pattern! I wanted something that dangled a bit but I didn’t want fringe. This little edging is the compromise. If you don’t like the trim, you can simply work your 6 rows of single crochet and end it there.
The beret is also worked in the silt stitch, this time in the round. You will be turning your work after each round because the silt stitch texture is all on the reverse side of the row. A narrow band of half-double crochet stitches finishes off the beret.
I want to add a word about pattern accuracy. I have proofread this pattern numerous times. I even let it rest for a week and then looked it over once again to be sure that it is accurate. The only way to get complete accuracy is to have somebody else make the pattern. So please, if you encounter a problem, I need to know about it so that it can be corrected!
Happy Crocheting!
Silty Scarf and Beret b
Sum Sum Summertime!
Summertime Tunic
It’s been a while since I purchased the Patons Stretch Socks yarn and started to make this tunic. As with all my summertime projects, this one languished while I took part in the hot-weather activities that most of us enjoy most: Lounging on the deck chair, going for drives, eating, swimming in the pool, eating, having the grandkids over, eating… As you can see from the photo, I have really packed on the pounds this summer! Time to diet and get back to my girlish figure!
The Summertime Tunic is very easy. It is simply two squares sewn together at the shoulders and the sides. The front neckline incorporates increases beginning in the center of your fabric. You simply start by making 3 half-double crochet stitches into the center stitch and continue to do this every row thereafter. The result is a nice draped cowl that gives this plain top a bit of panache. I used 6 skeins of yarn but used very little of the 6th skein. You might get by with 5 if you make your tunic a tiny bit smaller of shorter.
Working with the Patons Stretch Sock yarn was a bit of a learning curve. It’s important not to stretch the fiber as you are working. I chose a very large hook and kept my stitches loose. The resulting fabric is airy and drapes very well. It lengthens a bit when wearing so keep that in mind when you decide how many rows you want to make. My tunic is 48″ in the hips and bust ( Diet, here I come!) and 25″ long when lying on a table. The pattern can be found below.
Summertime_Tunic .doc
Caramel Bog Jacket Revisited
The Caramel Bog Jacket has been one of my more intriguing designs. It was inspired by a class I had taken in 2006 at the CGOA Conference. Nancy Nehring had taught a design class called Just Rectangles that featured modular designs and how to combine squares and rectangles to make clothing. This was right up my alley! I love modular designs and decided to try my hand at the bog jacket. If you look up bog jacket on the web, you’ll find many historical references to this garment.
In years past, fabric was dear and hard-won. Each piece of cloth had to be woven or knitted by hand. The cheapest and easiest way to make a coat was to make a square piece of fabric and simply fold it and sew it in strategic places. There was no extra time or money to make fitted sleeves or to do fancy shaping. In the photo below you will see a paper example of how the bog jacket is folded. This will help you when you assemble your completed project.
The bog jacket pattern I made in 2007 is on Scribd. At the time, I was having a problem converting all my patterns from my old website to my blog. The bog jacket pattern would not format properly to be included on WordPress so I placed it on Scribd. Unfortunately, over the years Scribd has changed their policy and no longer allows downloads unless you contribute something yourself. So this week I got busy and re-wrote the pattern for pdf. The new link for the Caramel Bog Jacket is below.
Caramel Bog Jacket
Come Again Cardigan
Rebirth of the Autumn Rose Cardi
The Come Again Cardigan was designed directly from the Autumn Rose Pattern. Because of the errors in the original pattern, it had to be discarded but I hope that the new version will be easier to understand. Please alert me to any mistakes or confusing language if you decide to make this project. I’ve gone over it carefully but these things have a way of creeping in!
The Come Again Cardigan is rated as “advanced difficulty”. This is not because it is hard to work but because you must keep very careful track of what you are doing. The waist shaping is accomplished by using progressively smaller hooks. When working the sleeve cap, the shells of the stitch pattern are reduced gradually.
I must put in a good word for this wonderful microfiber yarn. I’ve worked with Caron Country before but this time I really appreciated the easy way that the yarn slides off the hook. It also has a beautiful sheen which makes for great stitch definition. There’s a lot of discussion about splitting on Ravelry but with this pattern you’ll be using an H hook and I encountered no splitting at all. Just take care as you work into your loops to be sure to get under all the plies of the yarn.
The pattern for the Come Again Cardigan is here: Come Again Cardigan C
Back to the Drawing Board
Autumn Rose Cardigan
This cardigan, one of the first patterns I ever wrote, is still in style and has a beautiful stitch pattern. The stitch is a simple shell and very easy to work. I wanted the cardigan to have some slight shaping at the waist but shells can sometimes be a bit tricky to decrease. So instead of doing decreases, I changed to a smaller hook two times when working the waist area. Switching to smaller hooks is a great way to decrease when doing shells. The change in size of the resulting smaller shells is just barely noticeable. After the shaping, I gradually changed back to the original hook size.
But my brainstorm had a drawback. I wanted the sides to nip in a bit but I wanted the center fronts to remain straight. Therefore, I had to revert back to the original hook size midway through each row when making the fronts. This is not a difficult maneuver but you need to stay focused as you are working this portion of the pattern.
Unfortunately, changing to smaller hooks was not an option when doing decreases for the neck and armholes. My original pattern had klunky decreases that really didn’t follow the stitch pattern very well. In addition, I decided to add 23 additional chains to the starting chain to keep the hem a bit looser to accommodate the airy pattern. Other little nips and tweaks make this new version error-free ( I hope!) and much easier to understand.
Neckline
Since I had to re-create the cardigan to edit the pattern, I worked another one in Naturally Caron Country. This yarn is wonderful to work with! It virtually slides off the hook and makes the whole project go very quickly. It also has a beautiful sheen. However, the gauge is a bit different than with the original rayon so I am writing up a new pattern for this cardigan. I will call it the Come Again Cardigan. It is exactly like the Autumn Rose Cardigan except for the yarn and gauge. The hook sizes are larger and you have to work fewer stitches. I also changed the size to a 46″ bust because I have added a few pounds in the last six years!
Watch for these two patterns to appear soon. I am taking extra care to be sure that the patterns are correct. As always, I appreciate any feed-back you might have about possible errors or omissions. You are really my only testers so I need your help in keeping my free patterns accurate and easy to read.
Hat for Charity
Uncle Max, my father’s uncle was a veterinarian and taxidermist in Germany. My father had a very close relationship with Uncle Max. When my father retired he pursued his love of woodcarving. One day when he and my mother were hiking, they came upon a huge tree that had been felled and cut into chunks. Between the two of them they lugged one of the chunks of wood home to the workshop. There my dad began a characterture of his favorite uncle. Here you see “Max” modeling the hat I made for charity. The pattern is from the book Chemo Caps and Wraps by Annie’s Attic.
Up-Tempo Vest in Worsted Yarn, Wetlands, and a Small Request
Variation
Since I’m on vacation and have plenty of time to fiddle around, I thought I’d experiment with the Up-Tempo Vest pattern a little. I have a huge skein of worsted weight yarn in off-white so I’m using that. I had to go to an M hook to get the loose stitches that make the fabric drape so well. But what I really wanted to do was work the ribbed hem along with the main body of the vest as I went. In this yarn, the main part of each strip is 81 half-double crochet stitches long. I wanted to add 12 stitches for ribbing on each end. Instead of working the ribbing with the M hook, I switched to an L hook for the first 12 and the last 12 stitches of each row. I also switched to working the half-double crochet stitches into the back loop only of those 12 stitches at the beginning and end of each row. This adds a nice loose rib to each end of the strip making it unnecessary to add the post stitches after the vest has been sewn together. Big improvement! I’ll post this pattern ( I’ll call it the Palm Beach Vest ) when I’m finished so you can get a feel for how easy it is to vary the yarn and the styling.
Wakodahatchee Wetlands
The Palm Beach Area has many wildlife sanctuaries. We have visited most of them at one time or another. Our favorite, however, is the Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach. This project, run by the Palm Beach Water Utilities Department, sets aside a large marsh area as a sanctuary for numerous species of birds. But you will see other creatures as well! We saw three alligators on our walk yesterday. Large turtles are visible beneath the water. A boardwalk over the marsh makes a 3/4 mile loop and you’ll be treated to views of nesting cranes and anhingas. Moorhens walk through the shallows looking for food. A fabulous red-winged blackbird was sitting on the boardwalk railing and let me get quite close for a photo! If you decide to go, get up early. Parking is limited and the birdwatchers are out in force!
