Cast on 412 stitches...

...say what now? For a baby item???

Yep. 412 stitches. Over 2400 yards of fingering weight yarn. Lord only knows how many months (years?). But with a little luck I'll end up with a fabulous gift for my dear friend's 2nd child.

She's not even pregnant yet, so there's hope.

(Belated) New Year's Resolutions...

I know, I know. It's the 9th, not the 1st. But today is my first day back to work, and so I'm just now emerging from the holiday vacation fog.

I have two resolutions this year:
1. Get my name changed on everything. (I did the important stuff within a month or two after the wedding last year)
2. Blog more. (Facebook is my normal online hang-out and communication hub, but it's time to branch out)

Regarding #2, I specifically want to get a couple more of my patterns published here this year.

Happy New Year!

Like crack for me

Reading through old patterns and learning about the "old" techniques of crocheting, knitting, beading, tatting, etc. has been like "crack" for me lately. It all started with a search for a beaded purse pattern after I realized that the purse pattern I had from Purse Paradise was loaned out years ago (and subsequently lost in the "settlement"). I found a pattern on etsy from Patterns ala Carte which introduced me the Hiawatha books. I searched eBay for the Hiawatha book and found many, many more old pattern books that I ordered on CD from Toad Hollow. It's become an addiction really.

And then. I found. This: http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/

I'm quite sure this fix will last me years.

It's a ZOO in here!

I was finally able to make an Etsy Treasury list! Check it out quick before it expires: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=45457



It was fun and very easy to do (especially since I had the items picked out ahead of time).

Home Sweet Home Filet Crochet Pattern

I completed, blocked, and framed my first self-designed filet crochet project, a house warming gift for my friend Suse and her husband Drew.



I'm publishing the pattern, here on my blog, under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License, which essentially means you can sell the things you make from it, but please give me credit.

Pattern:

Materials:

• Size 10 steel hook (1.30 mm)
• ~250 yards size 10 crochet thread in color of choice (I used natural)

Definitions:

• Open grid: ch 2, sk next 2 sts, dc in next st
• Solid grid: dc in next 3 sts
• Double-open grid (doors): ch 5, sk next 5 sts, dc in next st

First (bottom) row: Ch 122, dc in 8th ch from hook (counts as first Open grid - bottom right corner). * Ch 2, sk next 2 chs, dc in next ch. Repeat from * across. (39 open grids made)

Next (and all subsequent) row: Ch 5, turn, dc in next dc (counts as first Open grid)

Follow chart upward, working back and forth.



Edging (or use any edging you like!)
Round 1: Hdc around, by making 2 hdc in each ch-2 sp, 1 hdc in each "grid line", and 7 hdc in each corner sp.

Round 2: Ch 3, * ch 4, sl st in 3rd ch from hook to form picot, ch 1, dc in next hdc, sk next hdc, dc in next hdc. repeat from * around, with the exception of dc in same hdc on corners. Sl st to beginning ch-3 and fasten off.

Weave in ends and hand-wash in mild detergent. Pin to blocking board, stretching as necessary, until piece measures approximately 12" x 14". Allow to dry completely.

I framed it in a 14" x 18" frame on a piece of dark brown suede-like fabric.

[Edited 8/14/14] I've recently had two people ask for charts for the alphabet, so I've uploaded my spreadsheet here:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nwcafz3FrCBj2Os7YMmEfK_SCnv8_w5HlSwKptru72k/edit?usp=sharing


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License

Back to it

Wow. It's been a long time, with many life changes. Glad to be back, having spent the past couple of years crocheting and now back to doing a little knitting too, and hopefully some quilting in the future... :-)