Friday 26 July 2013

Gift Bag

I am loving my crochet at the moment!
Today I wanted to create a little gift bag and this is what I came up with. Hope you like it.
 
purple gift bag with lace tie


lilac gift bag with ribbon tie



http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mariannas-crochet-gift-bag


 
Gift Bag

Requirements:
 DK yarn

 4mm crochet hook

 ribbon or lace trim
 

 Pattern:

 
This pattern is written in UK terminology.         tc = treble crochet        dc = double crochet

 
Foundation Chain:   chain 20

 
Round 1:   1tc in third chain from hook, 2tc in every second stitch along chain (18sts),

and then continue in the same way along the bottom of the chain, making 2tc in in every other stitch . (36sts in the round).

 

 

Join with a slip stitch.

 
Round 2:   chain 3 and make 1tc into the first 2-stitch group, 2tc in each 2-stitch group all around. (36sts).  Join with a slip stitch.


 
 
Repeat round 2 until the work measures 15cm (or the desired length).

Edging Round:  chain 2 then make 4tc in the same stitch, 1dc in each of next 3sts,  *5tr in next stitch, 1dc in each of next 3sts repeat from * to the end of the round.  Join with a slip stitch.

Darn away ends.

Thread a ribbon or lace through the bag, and tie a bow.
 


This design has been featured at ~


 
and

 
 

Thursday 25 July 2013

Granny Triangle

I just made my first ever Granny Triangle!   What fun!
 
I decided this morning to join in a project I saw at Attic24.
Lucy has requested that people send her granny triangles made from acrylic yarn to make bunting for Yarndale 2013 - a new festival of creativity celebrating traditional and contemporary crafts using wool, cotton, linen and silk which will take place in September.

crochet triangle
 
Off to make more .........  but first ......  just one word of warning - whenever you make granny squares or triangles always darn away the ends of yarn before you start the next one. I know that - like me - you can't wait to try out your next colour combination! but being left at the end with a multitude of ends to darn away spoils the jubilation and satisfaction of a growing pile of lovely motifs.
No matter how hard it is - make it a rule :)
 
 
 

There is a great tutorial, in addition to Lucy's request and her pattern at
http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/2013/05/granny-bunting-for-yarndale.html

Information about Yarndale 2013 - http://yarndale.co.uk/

    

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Phone Cosy with pretty flower decoration

This pretty phone cosy is quick to make and can easily be adapted to fit any phone or MP3 player.

phone cosy





 

 http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mariannas-crochet-gift-bag

 
 
Phone Cosy

Requirements:

DK yarn

4mm crochet hook

 

Pattern:

This pattern is written in UK terminology       tc = treble crochet       dc = double crochet

Chain  12

Round 1: 1tc in second chain from hook, 1tc along chain and then along the bottom. Join with a slip stitch  (20tc).

Round 2: 1tc in each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch.

Continue this round until the phone cosy is 12cm (or the desired size)

 Join in a contrast colour. 1dc in each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch.

 Make a pretty crochet flower to decorate.


Flower:

Chain 3, join with a slip stitch into a ring


Round 1: ch2, make 11tc into ring, slip stitch to join (12sts)


Round 2: ch2, 4tc into same stitch, slip stitch into next stitch, 5tc into next stitch, slip stitch into next stitch, continue around.
There should be 6 petals. Attach to the cozy .

 


 

 

Tuesday 23 July 2013

In The Pink Baby Blanket

Tunisian Crochet - Simple Stitch

I always have several knitting and crochet projects on the go at any one time.
Just for a change I decided to make a little a little blanket in Tunisian crochet.

 
This stitch curls at the top and bottom edges - so I added a crochet border -
 
and finished the project off with a pretty ribbon bow. 
 
 
 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/in-the-pink-baby-blanket

 

In the Pink  Baby Blanket

Tunisian Crochet  -  Simple Stitch
 

Size

Main body of blanket   -   64cm (25”) square

Blanket with crochet border added   -  74cm (29”) square


Requirements

DK yarn

6mm Tunisian crochet hook

3.5mm crochet hook

 
Pattern

Blanket

Using a 6mm Tunisian needle and main colour make a foundation chain of 101 stitches.

Work in simple stitch until your blanket is square.

Crochet  Border

Continue with a 3.5mm short crochet hook and work 2 rounds in single crochet (UK) in main colour all around the blanket.

Work 2 rounds in contrast colour all around the blanket, making an extra stitch at each corner.

Work 2 rounds in main colour all around the blanket, making an extra stitch at each corner.

Work 1 round in contrast colour, making an extra stitch at each corner, then finish off with a round of lacy shell edging.

Lacy Edging

(2 treble stitches, 3 chain, 2 treble stitches) in first and every following  fourth stitch all around.

Join with a slip stitch. Darn away ends.  Add a pretty ribbon bow if desired.

 
 


If you are new to  Tunisian Crochet there is a very good tutorial at http://www.crochetspot.com/how-to-crochet-tunisian-simple-stitch-tss/

 


 

Thursday 18 July 2013

AGE UK ~ Innocent Smoothie Hats

The Big Knit 2013




 
For the past 10 years Big Knit supporters have knitted and donated millions of little woolly hats for innocent smoothies, with money from every bottle sold going towards supporting older people during the cold winter months.
 
This year's Big Knit marks the tenth anniversary of the campaign. Knitters from across the land are sending their hats (until October), they will be put onto bottles and sent out to stores.  They're available to buy in stores across the country in November, and for every hatted bottle sold, 25p is donated to Age UK.

Here are some of my creations so far ~



 


striped bobble hats
 
bobble hats with pompoms

'Fair Isle' knitted hats
 
striped hats with top knots

 
Hats may be crocheted too!
 
ski hats with pompoms
 
baseball caps
 
brimmed hats
 
 It's lots of fun ~ and for such a great cause !
 
 
 
 

I am thrilled that 2 of  my designs are included on Jo's Big Knit Web-site

http://www.thebigknit.devonartist.co.uk/Crochet.html

Knitted Hats ~ All Hats use DK yarn and  4mm needles
Basic Bobble Hat
Cast on 28sts. Knit 2 rows.
Continue in stocking stitch ( one row knit, one row purl) for 12 more rows.
Knit 2 together  all across next row.  Purl 2 together across next row.  7sts
Cut off yarn, leaving a tail to use for sewing up.
Thread this tail on to a sewing needle, run it through the remaining 7sts. Remove the knitting needle.
Pull the tail tightly to gather up the stitches. Secure with a stitch and join up the side seam.
Add a little pompom if desired.

I make the pompoms using the fork method ~ it makes cute little bobbles just exactly the right size for these little hats. 
There is a good tutorial at http://www.molliemakes.com/projects/how-to-make-tiny-pom-poms/
 

Striped Bobble Hat
Make in the same way as for the basic bobble hat.  Use 2 or more colours in any combination of stripes.
2 or 3 colours in two row stripes looks good.  Make a few then experiment !

‘Fair Isle’  Hats
Make in the same way as for the basic bobble hat using colour change yarn.

Hats with a Top Knot
Make in the same way as for the basic bobble hat until you have 7sts.
Knit 2 tog,  knit 3 tog, knit 2 together .  3sts
Knit 20 rows on these 3sts.  Cast off.  Sew up the side seam.  Tie the top in a knot.


http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/innocent-smoothie---age-uk---striped-hats



Crocheted  Hats ~ All Hats use DK yarn and  a 3.5mm hook
These patterns are written using UK crochet terminology, and are crocheted using joined rounds.


Basic Bobble Hat

Chain 3, join with a slip stitch into a ring
Round 1: ch2, make 10tc into ring, slip stitch to join (11sts)
Round 2: ch2, 1tc into same stitch, 2tc into every stitch to end, slip stitch to join (22sts)
Round 3: ch2, 1tc into each stitch, slip stitch to join (22sts)
Work a further 2 rounds the same as round 3.  Fasten off.


I think it looks good to make the last round in a contrasting colour & add a matching pompom. (See link above for making a fork pompom.)

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/innocent-smoothie---age-uk---basic-crochet-hat
                                                                                                                                                  


Baseball  Hat

Chain 3, join with a slip stitch into a ring
Round 1: ch2, make 10tc into ring, slip stitch to join (11sts)
Round 2: ch2, 1tc into same stitch, 2tc into every stitch to end, slip stitch to join (22sts)
Round 3: ch2, 1tc into each stitch, slip stitch to join (22sts)
Work a further 1 round the same as round 3
For the brim   ~    I like to use a contrasting colour  - usually white    

ch2,  1tc into same stitch, 1tc into next 4stitches, 2tc into next stitch  (8sts).  Fasten off. 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/innocent-smoothie---age-uk---baseball-hat 



Brimmed  Hat

Chain 3, join with a slip stitch into a ring
Round 1: ch2, make 10tc into ring, slip stitch to join (11sts)
Round 2: ch2, 1tc into same stitch, 2tc into every stitch to end, slip stitch to join (22sts)
Round 3: ch2, 1tc into each stitch, slip stitch to join (22sts)
Round 4: ch2, 1tc into each stitch, slip stitch to join   

Round 5: ch2, 1tc into same stitch,  2tc into every stitch to end, slip stitch to join (44sts). Fasten off.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/innocent-smoothie---age-uk---brimmed-hat


 
 UPDATE - March 2014
You will find my new designs for crochet hats at ~
 
 
 
 

Thursday 11 July 2013

Pastel Pink Granny Square Blanket

Today I finished this pretty little pastel pink baby blanket.
 
 
 
 
It is made from 64 basic granny squares in pinks, beiges and white
Assorted DK yarn and a 4mm hook
 
 
Each square is made in trebles ~ with 3 different colours
 
 
 
Then I crocheted them together with white yarn
 
8 squares x 8 squares
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
 
 
A double crochet border in white finished it all off!
 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easy-granny-square-baby-blanket