Sari silk skirt/cover up

This is a Sari silk draw string skirt/cover up... a large rectangle... it's all double crochet stitches to the length ( about 14 inches ), after chaining to the width I wanted ( about 31 inches at the top and 36 on the bottom ) I started from the bottom and did a few decreases going up... used a size K US hook... took about 300 grams of yarn ( didn't get the yardage )... I made the draw string long enough to crisscross along the side opening...

Wavie crochet scrubbie/wash cloth

My son asked me to make a dish scrubbie/cloth that was cotton in the center with an acrylic edge

and could be folded easily for gripping... here's what he got







I used about 20 yards each of worsted weight cotton and acrylic yarn
Size I US hook

1 ) with cotton yarn, magic circle or chain 4 stitches and join into a circle with a slip stitch in the first chain

2 ) chain 1, single crochet 8 times in the circle, join with a slip stitch

3 -4 ) chain 1, half crochet stitch twice into each stitch, join with slip stitch

5 -6 ) chain 1, half crochet stitch 1, half crochet twice into next stitch, join with slip stitch

7 ) change to acrylic yarn, chain 1, half crochet stitch 1, half crochet twice into next stitch, join with slip stitch

8 ) chain 1, half crochet stitch twice into each stitch, join with slip stitch fasten off
  

Easy crochet dish cloths in the round

       cloths in photos are unblocked

Both cloths are made the same up until the shell round... I used a larger hook ( I ) with the reddish one and a few more increases

Size H US hook
32 yards of 100% cotton worsted weight yarn approximately ( less for the red one )
7 inches wide ( red 5 3/4 )
Exact gauge is not essential to this project


1 ) chain 4 join with a slip stitch to the first chain to form a circle
2 ) chain 2, double crochet 11 into the circle
3 - 4 ) chain 2, double crochet, increase 1.. keep stitches on the loose side
5 ) increase once into each stitch.... this is where I stopped the red one ( ran out of yarn lol )
6 ) double crochet into the next stitch 5 times, skip 2 stitches repeat to end, slip stitch into the top of the first shell and bind off... weave in ends

 

Drawstring bags

I picked up some yarn on clearance... wasn't sure what I was going to do with it but I'm a sucker for clearance sales especially when they are 50% off :) .... 2 them were from Lion Brand came with a pompom and pattern for a hat.... at $3. each I thought why not, looks fun

 

...until I checked out the web page and found the corrections... one skein would make a hat but only in small sizes for young children.. the pompom is about the size of a orange.. couldn't see putting that on a small child's hat and expect it to stay on the poor kid..

now I did have 2 skeins, I could have used it to make one hat but after reading the pattern I didn't like it... this wasn't sounding fun any more...

for me crafting is about fun.. I have fun making things... fun either gifting or selling them.. fun coming up with quick easy patterns I can share with others here on my blog... to make some thing I didn't find fun I can only imagine would leave it not feeling... well fun

 

So funky yarn plus fun factor... for me that turned out to be making a couple of drawstring bags with one of the skeins :D

The first is a simple straight stitch knit bag using size 5 dpns ( set of 4 )

cast on 9 place on 3 dpns join

1) knit front and back of all stitches

2) knit all stitches

3 and 4) as rounds 1 and 2

5 - 31) knit all stitches

32) knit 2 together, yarn over repeat to end

33) knit one, knit front and back of the yarn over stitch, repeat to end

34) bind off, weave strand of yarn through the yarn over openings for drawstring. 

the second bag is a little bigger done in crochet.. with a shell stitch top

using a size G hook
1) single crochet 8 times in a magic circle
2) single crochet twice into each stitch
3) *single crochet twice into next stitch, single crochet one stitch* repeat to end
4) *single crochet twice into next stitch, single crochet two stitches* repeat to end
5) *single crochet twice into next stitch, single crochet three stitches* repeat to end
6 - 26) single crochet all stitches
27) chain one, skip one stitch double crochet 5 times into next stitch,    *chain one, skip two stitches double crochet 5 times into next stitch* repeat to end.. join in first chain stitch of round, fasten off.
I made a simple chain stitch cord with the yarn left over for the drawstring, weaving it into the bottom of the shell stitches

I didn't worry about gauge or counting yardage but the skein is 2.3 oz with 98 yards of medium weight

Still no clue of what to do with the rather large pompom.... maybe a cat toy.... 

  

Playing with crochet

 
 

I've been having so much fun playing with crochet :D A friend posted the original pattern of this dragon on FaceBook ... the free pattern ( Baby Dragon _ can be found on www.ravelry.com .... check pattern notes for corrections...  
 I loved the idea of making a dragon... I did change the pattern some...

 the pattern as written would give you a very cute 5 inch tall dragon... as you can see in the photo Honey Dew came out much bigger :D I wanted his jaw to be a bit bigger on the bottom with a quirky smile... I've very happy with the way he came out :D 
The original pattern has lots of photos making it very easy to follow :D

I did get one granny square scarf done so far...
I do have a lot more to use up.. Having a few issues with matching up my work with the squares I got from the thrift store... most are of slightly different sizes.. So the seaming shows.. I decided to "roll" with it and make it a pattern feature adding the same color trim :D   

 

 

Along with the scarfs to give to charity I've been working on hats ... This free pattern is called Cool Stripes Beanie it can be found on either www.ravelry.com and www.redheart.com very quick to make with different sizing listed in the pattern.. I did change this up a bit as well, happy with the way it was written and all but wanted to use a different size of hook and weight of yarn...

Simple crochet phone cozy with beaded dragonfly

This cozy/bag is very simply crochet with seed beads sewn on the back in the shape of a dragonfly...

I used a "G" hook and a few scrap yards of worsted weight in Red Heart's Honeydew color way ... one 3/4 button and a handful of random sized bugle and seed beads ... the bag is about 3 inches wide and 5 inches tall  

1) chain 4 join with a slip stitch into the first chain to form a circle
2) single crochet 10 times into circle
3) single crochet twice into each stitch ( 20 stitches )
4 - 19) single crochet 20
20 - 26) single crochet 10 turn
27) single crochet 4, chain 5, skip 2 stitches, single crochet 4 fasten off, weave in ends. Sew on button and beads use photo for bead placement.



  

Crochet headband with beads revisited

I picked up some cool beads on clearance the other day... light weight acrylic, great for adding to knit or crochet items... the 3 colored headband needed to be revisited the original pattern can be found here
crochet 3 color beaded headband

with this one I used 2 colors instead of three, using the same color for rows 1 and 3 ( still cutting the yarn for braiding ). I also changed the bead placement as these are bigger adding one every forth dc in the second row... I changed the last row a bit... fasten off the second row.. turn the headband so the right side is facing you and slip stitch through both loops to the end

Small Dish Cloth # 1

I find that large dish cloth though they work great for something do not work very well in tight spaces, like inside small glasses... I've been making just straight knit stitch ones for ages now but wanted to have a bit of fun with a few...

 

 

unblocked in photo

Small Dish Cloth # 1

Size 8 US needles
21 yards worsted weight cotton yarn
5 by 5 1/2 inches approximately
Exact gauge is not essential to this project

k = knit
k2tog = knit 2 stitches together
p = purl
psso = pass slid stitch over
sl 1 = slide one stitch purl wise
yo = yarn over needle
* * = repeat instructions between as many times as indicated

Cast on 21 stitches

1 - 6 ) knit

7 ) k3, *yo, k2tog*, to last 2 stitches, k2

8 ) k2, purl to the last 2 stitches, k2

9 ) k2, *sl 1, k1, psso, yo * to last 3 stitches, k3

10 ) k2, purl to the last 2 stitches, k2

11 ) knit

12 ) k2, purl to the last 2 stitches, k2

13 - 19 ) knit

20 ) k2, purl to the last 2 stitches, k2

21 ) knit

22 ) k2, purl to the last 2 stitches, k2

23 ) k2, *sl 1, k1, psso, yo * to last 3 stitches, k3

24 ) k2, purl to the last 2 stitches, k2

25 ) k3, *yo, k2tog*, to last 2 stitches, k2

26 ) k2, purl to the last 2 stitches, k2

27 - 32 ) knit

Bind off weave in ends.

The Bat seed bead earring chart

 

Granny Square Wrap

Awhile back I found this bag full of granny squares at a thrift shop... I love granny squares and being new to crochet I thought it would be good practice to make more squares and make a throw or whatever.. 


 I got to work using up a lot of my scrap yarn :D



I decided I wanted a wrap... hey you can never have too many wraps and shawls lol

I did a single crochet stitch to join them length wise and sewed them from the back width wise... I added one and three quarter rows of single crochet trim with a shell stitch on the bottom edge.

I have many squares "left over" so they will become scarfs for those in need.