Sunflower

The sunflower can be worked in any yarn/thread.  Just use the hook appropriate to your project.

Chain 6 and form into a loop

20 half double crochet in loop  

(how to half double crochet)

2 half double crochet in each stitch.  You can chain to for the first one or pull up a long loop - depending on your personal style.  You will have 40 stitches at this point

break off brown yarn and switch to yellow

2 single crochet in the first two stitches 

*then chain 8

single crochet in the next 4 stitches 

repeat from * around. 

When you get to the last one you will only have two stitches remaining, but add the first two in and you've got 4.   

this will make 10 loops for the petals.  Each loop is separated by 4 stitches.  

petals are made by 

half double crochet

8 double crochet

chain 2

8 double crochet

half double crochet

slip stitch in between 2nd and 3rd single crochet on the brown circle. to anchor the petal. 

do that 10 times and you'll have a flower

break off, weave in ends, block etc.

7 petal Flower

I have been working on a scarf.  Decided to use up a few skeins of sock yarn to make one in the Irish Crochet Style.  Or something along those lines anyway.

Many of the pieces I used were found in various crochet magazines.  This is a simple flower that I did on the fly.  No chart, but I do have lots of photos.

to start, wrap the yarn around a finger a few times.  I did it 8 times.  You can also chain 6 and make a ring, but I like the look of this one better.

Insert the hook in the middle and pull up a loop.

then make 21 Single Crochet in the loop  Join with a slip stitch to the first sc

Chain 4 (or 5 if you want the petal to lay flatter)

Yarn over twice and start aTriple Crochet in the next stitch.  

Instead of pulling through 2 loops 3 times like to finish the Triple Crochet stop after doing it twice.  You will be left with 2 loops on the hook.

Yarn Over and repeat this in the same stitch.

Now you have 3 loops on the hook

Repeat to the next stitch leaving you with 5 loops on the hook

Yarn over and pull through all 5 loops finishing the main part of the petal

Chain 4 (or 5) 

Slip Stitch in the next stitch 

One petal finished.  

Make 6 more the same way.  Finish by slip stitching the final chain 4 to the base oft he first chain 4.These are two of the ones I made. 

It's an easy flower that's not really dependent on gauge.  The yarn wrap in the center instead of a chain loop makes the center circle solid and a little raised which I like.  

the scarf itself will be 3 this - only longer.

little scrap flowers

I'm trying to use 25%of my yarn stag this year.  Starting with the leftovers from past projects.  I used some yarn leftover from hats to make little flowers.  I'll put them on future projects.

_____

Start with a sliding ring.

In the ring make 5 petals.

Each petal is

sc, hdc,DC,hdc

Join last petal to the first sc and fasten off.  I leave a long talk for sewing later.

Pull ring right and secure.

Loose infinity scarf - crochet version

Size L hook
Size F hook

Lightweight yarn I used Silken Effect by 5th Avenue

Chain 20 with larger hook
hdc in 3rd chain from hook & across

Rows 2 - 78
Chain 2 (counts as first hdc)
in back loop only hdc across

fasten off and weave in ends

Fold the scarf in half lengthwise matching up the ends a to a and b to b then give it a twist and match corners a to corners b

sew the ends together

you now have an infinity loop

For the gather strip use the smaller hook 

chain 11

hdc in 3rd chain from hook and across

Rows 2 - 20
Chain 2 (counts as first hdc)
in back loop only hdc across

fasten off and weave in ends

sew the small strip together in a tube around the scarf.  I position it to hide the seam where the scarf ends were sewn together.    Tucking a side under is a great alternative to just wearing it looped

  

  

Wear it long or looped.

Loose Infinity Scarf - Knitted Version

Size 11 needles
Size 6 needles

225 yards of a lightweight yarn.  I used Silken Effects by 5th Avenue.  Using a large needle gives the scarf a very loose light body.

cast on 150 stitches with size 11 needles
Work 3x3 rib for 6 inches
bind off loosely

Fold the scarf in half lengthwise matching up the ends a to a and b to b then give it a twist and match corners a to corners b

sew the ends together

you now have an infinity loop



for the small gather strip
cast on 12 with size 6 needles
work 3x3 rib for  20 rows
bind off

sew the strip together in a tube around the scarf.  I position it to hide the seam where the scarf ends were sewn together.  It's also great for tucking an end under for an alternative look to just wearing it looped.

Wear it long or looped

Soft Jellyfish Toy

   

A big soft Jelly fish made with Bernat’s Pipsqueak which is a pain crochet, but worth the plush softness.   The pattern is easy, it’s just hard to keep track of the stitches with the fuzzy yarn.

Pipsqueak yarn 1 ball each of main color and contrast

Size H hook

yarn needle

stuffing

Body

----

R1)

make a magic/sliding ring

10 sc in ring

R2)

ch 1

2 sc in same stitch and every stitch around

join with ss to first sc

R3)

Ch 1

2 sc in same stitch

1 sc next stitch

*2 sc next stitch

1 sc next stitch

repeat from * around

join with ss to first sc

R4)

Ch 1

2 sc in same stitch

1 sc each next 2 stitches

*2 sc next stitch

1 sc each next 2 stitches

repeat from * around

join with ss to first sc

R5)

Ch 1

2 sc in same stitch

1 sc each next 3 stitches

*2 sc next stitch

1 sc each next 3 stitches

repeat from * around

join with ss to first sc

R6 - 14

ch 1 sc same stitch

sc around

join with ss to first sc

R15 - 17)

Switch to contrast color

ch 1

sc same stitch

sc around

join with ss to first sc

R18)

Switch back to main color

ch 1

sc same stitch

sc around

join with ss to first sc

R19)

ch 3

counts as first dc

2 more dc same stitch

skip 2 sc and ss next sc

*skip 2 dc

5 dc next sc

repeat from * around

On the last repeat you will do 2 dc in the starting stitch and join with ss to top of beginning chain 3

fasten off

Bottom

--------

R1)

make a magic/sliding ring

10 sc in ring

R2)

ch 1

2 sc in same stitch and every stitch around

join with ss to first sc

R3)

Ch 1

2 sc in same stitch

1 sc next stitch

*2 sc next stitch

1 sc next stitch

repeat from * around

join with ss to first sc

R4)

Ch 1

2 sc in same stitch

1 sc each next 2 stitches

*2 sc next stitch

1 sc each next 2 stitches

repeat from * around

join with ss to first sc

R5)

Ch 1

2 sc in same stitch

1 sc each next 3 stitches

*2 sc next stitch

1 sc each next 3 stitches

repeat from * around

join with ss to first sc

Fasten off

Tentacles

--------------

Make 3 - two with a starting chain of 23 and on with a starting chain of 27

chain 23 (27)

2 hdc in 3rd chain from hook

3 hdc in all other chains

fasten off

Assembly

------------

sew all 3 legs to the bottom before inserting it into the body.  I center all 3, but there are no rules about arranging them.

Sew the bottom to the inside of the body, lining it up with the bottom of the contrasting stripe.

Once you have ¾ sewn stuff with polyfil.  I leave it a little soft and squeezable, but make it as firm as you want.

Sew the rest of the way

fasten off and weave in ends.

Tidal Pool Baby Blanket

This plush, snuggly blanket is made with a size N hook so the work goes by fast.    I used a couple of types of yarns, but any super bulky yarns will do.

2 big balls of Bernat Baby Blanket yarn for the main color  About 500 yards of yarn

Chocolate Caramel Slippers - Crochet

Chocolate Caramel Slippers in two styles

These easy slippers can be made in ballet or bootie style.  I named them Chocolate Caramel because the colors I chose reminded me of a candy bar.  They are worked from the toe up with two yarns held together - which makes them wonderfully warm.  I’ve included a diagram (of sorts) of the toe increases.  My diagramming skills are rough at best, so I color coded it by row to make it a bit more readable.

Materials:

Worsted weight yarn in one or two colors, depending on your preference.  You will work with two strands held together throughout.  

Size I hook

Stitches

ch = chain stitch

ss = slip stitch

sc = single crochet

hdc = half double crochet

Diagram of toe section

Holding two strands together, chain 6

R 1) 2 sc in second chain from hook

sc next 3 chains

3 sc in last chain

working down the back loops of the starting chain

sc next 3 chains

1 sc in last chain

ss to first sc

R 2) Ch 2 (counts as first hdc)

hdc next 5 sc

2 hdc in next sc (middle of the 3 in the end stitch)

sc next 5 sc

sc in first sc (middle of the 3 on the opposite end, next to the beginning ch 2)

ss to ch 2 to join

R 3) Ch 2 (counts as first hdc)

hdc same stitch

hdc next 5 stitches

2 hdc in each of next two stitches

hdc next 5 stitches

2 hdc in last unworked hdc stitch

ss to join at beginning ch2

R 4) Ch 2 (counts as first hdc)

hdc same stitch

hdc next 7 stitches

2 hdc in each of next two stitches

hdc next 7 stitches

2 hdc in last stitch

ss to join to first ch2

End of increases

Work 6 rounds in hdc

break yarns and fasten off

The rest of the slipper will be worked in rows.

Hold the toe so that there are 10 stitches on each side and one stitch on each end.  Join the yarns 4 stitches from the left edge.  

Work 11 rows in hdc

Break yarns and fasten off.

Sew up back seam.

For ballet style, end here.  Weave in ends and they’re ready to wear.

To make bootie style:

Attach yarns to one side of the two unworked stitches from the first flat row.

work 3 rows of hdc.

break yarns and fasten off

Ties

attach yarns (I used both colors for the ties as well) to one of the top corners at the front of the slipper.  

Chain 20

Fasten off and weave in.

Repeat on the other corner.