Tag Archives: crochet pattern

Circular Coastal Colours Cushion

05 Monday Mar 2012

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It’s all about the sea “c” today in this Circular Coastal Colours Cushion blogpost. Sea See what I did there?  You sea see, *okay, I’m stopping now* Lynn Holland asked me to make her a 12 inch round cushion in coastal colours after seeing *told you I’d stop* my square cushions.

I’ve always wanted to make a round cushion, but now that our home is full of crochet things I dont’ think my dear husband would survive another crochet cushion venture of our own… I therefore jumped at the opportunity to hook something round and cushiony, even if it is for someone else.

I sent Lynn a couple of photos and links to round cushion patterns, and she decided on the back of Lucy at Attic24’s Blooming Flower cushion. That’s exactly what I would have chosen if I had made the cushion for myself! 

I already had yarn in coastal shades in my (huge) stash of Stylecraft Special DK that was left over from the Identity Crisis blanket.  That meant all I had to buy was the duck feather inner. I bought a 14 inch inner (two inches bigger than the crochet so that it would be nice and puffy) from Design-a-Cushions. If you live in the UK, I highly recommend this company for cushion inners.

So here it is. Lynn’s circular coastal colours cushion! Ta-daaaaah!

From this GIF you can see that the front and the back is different. I did the side with the green stripes first, and then realised it looked a bit dark, so the other side has no green and more white and light blue.  It’s amazing the difference one colour can make don’t you think?

Of course I had to put the cushion on our bed with the granny square cushions and Identity Crisis blanket.  It looks soooo good! 

As of 12:45 today the cushion is on its way to its new home. I really enjoyed our time together but I’m sure it will be very welcome and loved in its new home.

(There is a slight possibility that I may have the opportunity to make another one of these. My niece, the one for whom I made the Bayb Born jackets, is coming to visit at the end of March. Maybe, just maybe, she’d want a pink stripey round cushion to take home with her. Here’s hoping.)

 

Alta’s infinity scarf

27 Monday Feb 2012

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Do you remember the Infinity Scarf I made for my friend Helmien? I blogged about it here.

Well, Sunday evening I finished the third infinity scarf. This one is for Helmien’s friend, Alta. I’ve met Alta twice and she’s just a lovely as Helmien. Obviously with the same good taste 😉

Helmien tells me that she and Alta went to a coffee shop the day after I gave Helmien her scarf. When Helmien got up to go to the ladies, a woman followed her to the ladies to ask her where she got her scarf because she wants one too! Lovely Helmien told her about my Etsy shop and told the woman (who is a South African, visiting her daughter here in England) to Google “crocheTime” if she wants to contact me. I haven’t heard from the lady (yet), but it’s still an amazing story don’t you think?!

Anyway, back to this scarf. Alta wanted a scarf purely in Drops Delight shade no. 15 because she loves red. I think the red really pops in this yarn. It doesn’t matter if you wear this scarf with a red or blue coat, your eye will always be drawn to the red – ideal for a red-lover like Alta.

As with my and Helmien’s scarfs I also used a My Picot pattern. This one is pattern no. 2005. It’s the most intricate of the three I’ve used so far – not the type of pattern you can mindlessly hook whilst watching Desperate Housewives! I tried. I had to undo a couple of rows.

I used a total of five balls of yarn and a 3.5mm hook. Next time I think I will make the scarf a bit wider with this pattern, as it’s a very open and lacey which means it needs to be quite wide so that it will scrunch up better around your neck.

Don’t you just loooove this yarn? Even the most boring crochet pattern (which My Picot no. 2005 certainly wasn’t) will be a pleasure to hook because the numerous colour changes keep things interesting.

For now (i.e. until next Winter) I’m finished with infinity scarfs in Drops Delight. The next project awaits: a special order round cushion for my biggest supporter.

Applique to match

17 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by in Etsy, My ramblings, Other people's crochet, Pattern

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When I launched the pattern for my crochet wall clocks, I said that in stead of crocheted circles to indicate 12, 3, 6 and 9 you can use any applique motif, as long as the hands of your clock are able to move over it freely.  To quote myself:

I’m thinking stars, hearts, cupcakes.

The Gods of Crochet must have been reading my blog and sent inspirational hooky vibes to the owner of OneandTwoCompany. This young nurse is selling applique crochet patterns in her Etsy shop, which include exactly that: the most beautiful stars, hearts and cupcakes! Can you believe it?!  

 
 
 
 

 

She also sells patterns for whales and hedgehogs that would work well with my clocks. I’m especially loving the hedgehogs!

 
 
 

 

Can you see it? A white clock face with a brightly coloured whales or hedgehogs (or both!) on 3, 6, 9 and 12?! It would be sooooo cute!

Ooh, and what about this scene. Absolutely perfect*!

 

OneandTwoCompany sells many other applique patterns, but I think only the ones I mention here, would work on my clocks seeing as they are flat enough.

PLEASE NOTE: I have to point out that her finished items (apart from the hearts pattern) are a bit big for the standard size clock, so you would have to:

  1. either keep going in pattern rounds for the clock face so that the clock is large enough to accommodate the applique; or
  2. use a 4 ply yarn and smaller hook for the applique.

Even if you haven’t bought my clock pattern, I’m sure you will find something to decorate with OneTwoCompany’s cute applique. Hats, scarfs, blankets, towels, cushions – just about anything! 

The patterns start from as little as $2.50 (roughly £1.62) so what are you waiting for?  I certainly didn’t wait…. *I bought the cloud, tree & houses pattern. Not sure what I will be using it for yet, but inspiration will hit soon enough I’m sure. 

Pattern stashing is like yarn stashing isn’t it? You know you love it, you know you have to buy it, and you know that you will (probably, eventually) find a use for it. Right?

Helmien’s infinity scarf

11 Saturday Feb 2012

Posted by in My crochet, Pattern, Ta-daah!

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Helmien and I have known each other almost 20 years. We were in High School together in South Africa, went our different ways after High School and then in 2009 – 14 years later – I bumped into her at London Waterloo station.  What’s the odds, and what a happy coincidence! We are obvioulsly meant to be in each other’s lives no matter where on earth we are.

It was for Helmien that I made the second infinity scarf. She saw mine last month and asked whether I would make her one as well. Of course I would!! I used the same brand of yarn, Garnstudio Drops Delight, but her scarf is in shade no. 15 (mine was shade no. 10). I used two balls of shade no. 10 that I had left over for Helmien’s scarf, because she really loved the bright greeny-blue shades.  (By the way, until 29 February, Drops Delight is discounted by 25%. Just saying.)

I also followed a MyPicot Openwork and Lace pattern like I did for mine, but for Helmien’s infinity scarf I used pattern no. 2030. I can highly recommend the MyPicot patterns. Seriously. Give it a go.

Doesn’t she look beautiful?!

Here we are in our (almost matching) scarfs.

Love you, my friend!

Teacup crazy

09 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by in My ramblings, Pattern

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You all loved the teacup and saucer that I found on Etsy yesterday so much, I thought I’d share another one with you: a teacup pincushion! It even has a little teabag peeking out. So cute!

It’s a bit more practical than yesterday’s teacup, but just as pretty.

Imagine crocheting it in a pastel colour and adding some flowery embroidery?! You can find the pattern here (you have to log into the Lionbrand website to access the pattern).

Anyone fancy a cuppa? Cucumber sandwich and scones maybe? Ooh, I’m off to the kitchen now for my favourite, English Breakfast with soy milk *little finger in the air*

Cufflettes

01 Wednesday Feb 2012

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Cufflettes. Say it slowly. Savour the sound. It sounds so deliciously French* and classy, doesn’t it? 

But what am I going on about? Cufflettes? It’s the name of a pattern for, what is commonly known as, wrist warmers. Oh, cufflettes sound so much better don’t they?! 

The pattern was designed by Kalurah and is available as a free download from Ravelry. Just click here.

I crocheted  these cufflettes last winter (it only took a couple of hours) and had to get them out again this week. I wear them over my fleece gloves because the wrist section of the gloves are just not long enough – when temperatures reach 1 degree every little piece of exposed skin need to be covered!

I just love how these look peeking out under a sleeve, or worn just as they are. I, of course, jazzed them up a bit with mismatched buttons. I really do have a thing for buttons.

If you like wrist warmers, you will fall in love with the wrist warmers on the cover of Mollie Makes issue 10.

They scream vintage, lace and Victorian. Have a look on the Mollie Makes blog, here for more information.

*I’m currently reading “Madame Tussaud” by Michelle Moran which is set during the French Revolution. All the men in the book seem to be wearing coulettes (knee-breeches) so that may be why “cufflettes” has such a French ring to me. Cufflettes. Cufflettes. Ooh, I still love that word. It could so easily have been cuffextenders, or longcuffs, but no. It’s cufflettes. Beautiful!

Such a good Auntie

30 Monday Jan 2012

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My niece is nine years old and loves playing with her two Baby Born dolls.  She also loves pink and apparently she very proudly tells everyone at school that her “auntie from London does crochet”.  Sweeeet. At Christmas she received her second Baby Born, a boy, so she asked me to crochet a jacket for him. How could I say no? And how could I only make one?!

I found the perfect pattern here. The jackets whip up in a couple of hours and you can really go to town with the customisation… as I did.  I adore buttons, so I used this as an opportunity to use as many as I could. Sticking to the same colour range, but using different designs. I think the mismatched buttons make these look extra playful and cheery, don’t you?

The pink scallop edge on this jacket are just shells consisting of 4dc, then you skip one sc, sc, skip one sc and then a shell of 4dc again and keep going.

I’d like to think of this one as having a sporty feel. Sort of.

The flowery button-hole on this short sleeve version is from Betty Barden’s book “Finishing Techniques for Crochet” (you can find a link to the book on the right of this page). I love this book and refer to it such a lot. It’s perfect for adding your own personal touch to a crochet piece.

The row of bobbles here, are also from Betty Barden’s book. See what I mean with using it to customise crochet?

I hope Cayla, and her dolls, like their jackets. I certainly enjoyed making them!

Knit and Crochet Now! TV

25 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in My ramblings, Video

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Back in December I was merrily clicking around on Etsy, when I received a message from Candi Jensen, the producer of Knit and Crochet Now! TV, asking me whether I would ever consider selling the pattern for my clock. I nearly fell off my chair. I didn’t even know there was an American PBS TV channel dedicated to knitting and crochet, nevermind in my wildest dreams did I think that a producer on that show would be interested in my little old clock.  Once I had stopped jumping up and down in excitement, I visited their website. What a lovely surprise! This Emmy nominated show’s website is a treasure trove of helpful tips and beautiful crochet and knit items.  How did I not know about these people?!

Clicking through the list of free patterns, I fell in love with the “garden granny” scarf of Season 3-112. In that episode they also did an interview with Edie Eckman, whose crochet edgings book I’ve referred to so many times on this blog. I may just have to buy the DVD of Season 3!

Another one of my favourite crochet designers is Robyn Chachula, who is one of the experts on the channel. I’ve made two of her Floating wraps – one in grey and one in a variegated green and blue yarn. I love that pattern! I really love Robyn’s easy but very beautiful designs. In Knit and Crochet Now! TV’s online shop you can buy designs from Robyn, as well as other designers. Have a look at Robyn’s Colourful Snow Scarf, it’s really pretty.

The best feature of their website for me, is the videos section.  A lot of the crochet patterns they show you here, are part of the afghan square of the week feature. Sometimes the written word just isn’t enough when you’re trying to get your head around a new crochet pattern and the only thing that will do is having someone show, and talk, you through it. (I taught myself to crochet with videos on YouTube, so I may be biased.) Here is an example of the type of videos they have on the website (and therefor the type of content on the show). 

Lace Ripple from Candi Jensen on Vimeo.

See what I mean? Videos are so much nicer!

It was the encounter on Etsy with Candi that eventually lead to me selling the pattern. Candi also very kindly promoted the pattern on the Facebook page of Knit and Crochet Now! TV. I am so grateful to her! Their Facebook page has 17,477 fans, which is amazing exposure for a simple hooker like me.

Candi, if you’re reading this, thanks again! May your TV channel grow, never to be frogged, always with a lovely WIP on the hook and a stash of rainbow colours to choose from.

 

A pattern and a giveaway

20 Friday Jan 2012

Posted by in Etsy, My crochet, My ramblings, Pattern

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Today is a HUGE day me and crocheTime. It’s the official launch of my first pattern! It’s this pattern that kicked of my little crocheTime shop and lead to this blog. It’s the crochet wall clock pattern!!!!!!!

Now you too can crochet a clock for yourself or as a gift (please don’t sell it as it’s still copyrighted to me).

I listed it on Ravelry last night. What a rush to see my own little pattern right there in “recently added crochet patterns”!

The possibilities with this clock really are endless. You don’t have to use white for the clock face, and of course the four cirlces can be any colour, or combination of colours. I also give crochet instructions for four different types of edgings, so even if you stick to circles for numbers 12, 3, 6 and 9 you can make four different clocks just by changing the edge.

To personalise it further you can use any applique type crochet design (like I did with flowers) for the 12, 3, 6 and 9. As long as it’s flat enough that clock hands can move over it freely. I’m thinking stars, hearts, cupcakes. Anything will do!

Apart from crocheting instructions I also explain (and show with a couple of photos) how to assemble the clock, using hardboard and a hot glue gun.

The pattern can be purchased for £3.50 in my Etsy shop. Just click here to go straight to the listing. If there are any buyers from South Africa, you can choose Other as your payment option and pay R35 into my FNB account. Just send me a message via Etsy and I’ll give you the bank details.

Once payment is received I will email you the pattern as a PDF file.

But wait, there’s more!

Everyone who buys a pattern between today and midnight GMT on Friday 3 February will go into a draw to win this clock. I’ll draw the name at random on Saturday 3 February and let you know via my Facebook page and the blog who the lucky winner is.

I look forward to sending out lots of clock patterns to you all. Lets hook around the clock!!!