Monday, November 29, 2010

1st Rosette Ever Pattern (C&K)

I made an ear-warmer/headband and wanted to add a rosette to it. Lucky for me, my grandmother is an amazing woman and resource for all things crochet. She won winner's choice at the Evergreen State Fair for a crocheted flower & lace bed cover a few years back. She taught me how to crochet when I was young. Now I was to make a variety of flowers.
Photo by me & my phone


Materials:
Bulky Yarn
Size J Crochet Hook
Size 10 dpn Knitting Needles


<Note> Leave CO & BO ends long. You will be using these to tie the flower together and to your piece. 


5 Petal Flower (C)
Foundation: chain 12 & join
Round 1: *ch 3 & sc into ring* make 5
Round 2: into loop *1hdc, 1dc, 2trc 1dc, 1hdc, join into sc of prior round* for each loop
BO


3 Petal Flower (C)
Foundation: chain 5 & join
Round 1: *ch 3 & sc into ring* make 3
Round 2: into loop *1sc, 3
dc, 1sc, join into sc of prior round* for each loop
BO


Center Bobble (K)
CO 1
KFB x2 for 4st
Purl row, Knit row
Sl st, P2tog, Slip 1 st over, sl lat st over
BO


Finishing
Tie 3-petal flower to opposite side of 5-petal ties. This will anchor the flower equally and prevent twisting. Now attach to piece. Attach bobble through the center of both & onto piece.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Pumpkin Hat Pattern

Permission to post from KJS Design & Photography

Photo courtesy of kjsdesign.smugmug.com


Intro
The day before the baby's family photos I decided to make him this hat knowing we were going to the pumpkin farm. He came with sweater for family pictures and other cute hats I aspire to make.


Pumpkin Hat Pattern
Pattern adapted from Knittingonthenet.com



Materials:
Size 9 US (5.5 mm) double points
1 ball  Medium-Worsted Weight Yarn(Vanna's Choice Terracotta)

Small amount Med-Worsted Weight (VC Olive) to achieve stem & leaves



Gauge:
16 sts = 4 inches


Size
Baby (adjust for size)


Instructions
CO 63 stitches or add multiple of 7.
Join, mark beg of round.
<I used a small piece of the Olive yarn since it was around and my stitch markers were not>
*k8, p1* around.
Work until about 5 inches for a baby, or 5.5-6" for a toddler size. [.75"-1" is lost in the rolled brim] 
<If a larger size is wanted, work until 6-6.6" inches before you begin the decreasing. The original patterns suggested adding another panel (8 knits and 1 purl) or you could add more to the current ones (9k, 1p) or (8k, 2p [more defined rib]).

Decreasing:
Row 1: *K6, k2tog, p1*
Row 2: Knit the k, and purl the p.
Row 3: *K2tog, k5, p1*
<Methods: Through the Back Loop (TBL) or slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped st over (SKP)>
<<Notice you decreased on each end. This gives a much more uniform decrease. I tried to only K2tog at the end and it looked funny>
Row 4: Rep Row 2
Row 5: *K4, k2tog, p1*
Row 6: Rep Row 2
Row 7: *K2tog tbl, k3, p1*
Row 8: *K2, k2tog, p1*
Row 9: *K2tog tbl, k1, p1*

Now use green or olive yarn for the stem. <You can use it earlier if you want more green around the base>
Row 10: *K2tog, k1*
Row 11: K2tog around

Decrease by K2tog every row until 3 remain.
Work I-cord until desired length, BO.
<I curled and attached to stem base for effect. You can leave long.>
Fasten off the end of orange yarn also.

Leaf Instructions
When playing with leaves I found adding a stitch (M1-Knit in front and back of st) in the middle of a row shapes it round and the end allows it lay flat. I combined the two in order to round the top and flatten the decrease. This pattern is written for a uniform leaf while mine were improvised so that each half was not equal giving personality. (Stockinette stitch can be used for effect-K the P)

CO 3 stitches leaving end long
P row
M1, K, M1 (5)
Purl
K 1, M1, K1, M1, K1 (7)
P row
M1, K7, M1 (9)
Lengthen: P row, K row, Purl Row
Begin Decrease: K2tog (tbl), K7, K2tog (7)
P row, K row
P2tog, K5, P2tog (5)
P row, K row
K2tog (tbl), K, K2tog (3)
P
BO creating point

Attach to stem by pulling tail into stem and securing with whipstich.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Are blog the new thing like Toms?

I've been following a few blog for a while now. Two of these have helped inspire me to creating my own.

My dear friend confesses the joys and frustrations of being a step-mom. She takes taking back the Disney stigma of being evil. 
http://jmejohns.wordpress.com/

The second blog is a raw heart of a woman my age fighting breast cancer. All grit, pain, and hope making mine seem incomparable.

My blog is in no way similar to these writing of the heart. This will be a place to share my creations and hope to inspire others as I've been inspired by these women.

Let the Creativity Begin

...and now I cant sleep. I'm thinking of the design & photos I will be adding. There will be patterns and growth/learning moments too.

I'll post who's blog(s) inspired me to start when I finally wake. They weren't craft blogs, rather trials of the heart.