Harlequin

Over the weekend I found a bit of time for some creative crochet, just something for fun, working with colour and pattern, it felt really good.  I was trying to come up with a bit of a harlequin pattern that didn't involve sewing pieces together, I couldn't find a pattern online, so had a bit of a play myself.  

Often I just think about these type of things, and never get around to trying out ideas,  but this time I got out the hook and wool and a pencil and paper and had a go.  I know it's not all that original and I'm sure it has been done heaps of times, but it is satisfying working out a solution to a problem on your own, even if you get the same answer as everyone else!

I am making a few little colour swatches of some new yarn in my shop (more on that another day) there are lovely vivid colours and I want to try out some different combos, I think this harlequin pattern is a nice way to play with colour.

I an really enjoying seeing how each colour looks as part of this pattern, I think a full blown harlequin blanket might be somewhere in my crafty future!  If only there were a few more hours in the day......

What did you get up to on the weekend, anything fun? Crafty?  

Do you like harlequin patterns too? 

xxxxxxx

Crochet Along Update #2.....

Hello!

So here is the next bit of the crochet along!

I think last time I had finished the chevron stripe pattern, so after that section I have added rows of sc in 3 colours. 

Starting with the right side facing, I have done 1row of sc in dark blue, then turned and gone back, so ending up with a double row of sc. Then I've repeated this in pale pink, and mid blue.

4dc cluster pattern

Next, I have done a row of 4dc clusters, with 3 sts skipped between them (this keeps the stitch count even overall).  The first cluster is made of 3chs and 1dc, then the rest are 4dcs.

Next, a row of sc in lime.

Next, another row of 4dc clusters in blue.

Next, a double row of sc in green ( 1 row, turn, second row)

Bobble Pattern

Next I am setting up for my bobble row with 1 row of dcs in pale blue.

The middle row of the bobble section is where you do the bobbles . 

There is a great tutorial over at Tales from Cuckoo Land here that shows you exactly how to do the bobbles in another colour, which is how I learnt how to do it, have a look over there to find out how to do this part.

Then I did another row of dcs in pale blue to finish off this bit.

Next another double row of sc in green.

(I am going to call this next 3 rows Outlined Cluster Pattern in future)

Next, one row of sc in red.

Next, one row of 4tr clusters in turquoise, made the same way as the 4dc clusters, but with trs instead.

Next row, ch1(counts as 1st st), 1sc in next stitch, then 2trtog into centre skipped st of the first row of sc in red, *then 3sc across top of cluster sts, then 2trtog into centre skipped st of first row of sc in red*, and repeat to end of row. (hope that's not too confusing!)

Next, I row of hdc in blue.

Okay that's where I'm up to at the moment, I am pretty happy with how it is working out, I have decided not to use any white in this blanket, so I hope the colours keep looking good together.

I am going to try and work a bit of Catherine Wheel pattern in soon, so hope that works out ok, then it might be time for some repeating of the chevron stripe and granny stripes, I'll have to wait and see!

How are you going with this blanket? 

Still having fun?

Getting frustrated with my slow posting? (Sorry!)

Are you doing your own bit of winging it crochet?

Have a great day, and happy hooking!

Not much happening.....

Hello!

How is your week going ?

Mine is going quickly already!!

We had a busy weekend, going down to Geelong to catch up with friends and family, and I always find it takes me a couple of days to get back into the swing of things when I get home from a weekend away. The washing alone seems to be even more overwhelming than usual!!

Not a lot of crafting time at the moment, the weather is really beautiful today and is supposed to stay this way for the rest of the week, so I am trying to give the garden some attention. I have bought a mountain of seeds and need to get them in the ground! And mowing and weeding are also on the agenda, so there is the next few days sorted!

Thought you might like a peek at the next bit of the stripey blanket that I've done, it does look just like the rest of it, but trust me, this is a new bit! I am hopeful that I will have this blanket finished in the next fortnight, so I won't show any more till a big ta da post. I can't wait to get this finished!!

........Bought myself this gorgeous pattern the other day off etsy. It's called The Beekeeper Quilt, I've never bought a PDF pattern before, but it was super easy, and I think I will be buying a few more this way in the future.

I couldn't resist the cute little puffy hexagons, and I think it will be a lovely blanket to do in between other stuff. I found it at Tiny Owl Knits, there is a lovely blog too.

Anyway, hopefully I'll have a bit more to chat about next post, must sort out my giveaway, I haven't forgotten, just been side tracked by real life!!

Have a great day!

Kitty Cat Tutorial/Pattern .....Part 2

This is the second part of my tutorial to make my granny square softie kitty Cat.
We have made the front and back body pieces in part 1, now is the relatively simple bit of making the arms, legs and face and putting it all together.

Face :
3.00mm hook, 8ply wool.
Make 2 round circles for eyes.
Ch 3, join with sl/st to create ring.
Rd 1 : ch2, 10 hdc into ring, join with sl/st to 2nd ch, bind off. (11 st)
Rd 2 :Join new colour, ch2, 1 hdc into same st, then 2 hdcs in each st, join with sl/st to 2nd ch. bind off. (22 st)
Rd 3 : Join new colour, ch 2,* 2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next st, * repeat around circle, join with sl/st to 2nd ch . Bind off.

Make 2 and these are the eyes.

To make a nose , do the same thing in one colour only and using 1 ch beginnings and scs around circle. It makes a smaller circle.

Pin the eyes and nose in place on front piece, and sew on. I use blanket stitch for the eyes, and just a straight stitch for the nose, but you can do what ever you like. I chain stitch some whiskers and a mouth, and voila! a face is done!


Legs :
Make 2 .
Ch 4, join with sl/st to form ring.
Rd 1 :ch1, 9sc into ring, join with sl/st to 1ch.
Rd 2 :ch1, 1sc in same place, then 2 sc in each st, join with sl/st to ch1.
Rd 3 :ch1, *2sc in next st, then 1sc in next st* continue in this pattern around, join with sl/st to ch1.
Rd 4 :ch1, 1scin each st around, join with sl/st to 1ch.
Continue for 6 more rounds, then change colour.
Continue till leg is desired length. bind off.


Arms :
Make 2.
Arms are made the same as legs, just starting with 8sc into the ring instead of 9sc, and made a bit shorter.


When you have your arms and legs done, and the face sewn on, it is time to sew it all together.

Pin the front and back piece together, right sides facing. Try and match up the stitches down the sides, as this gives a neater finish. Stitch around the cat, leaving an opening for stuffing at the bottom. Turn right side out, stuff and sew up opening.
Stuff each arm and leg, pin in position and sew into place. (Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of this bit!)

And that, my friends, is how I made my granny square kitty cat!!

There is plenty of room for improvisation in this pattern, so have fun!

Kitty Cat Tutorial/Pattern .....Part 1

Hi there!
It's been a while!
I seem to have lost my grip on my blogging mojo recently, over a week since a post, so sorry, but I have been trying to create a post that has been niggling at me for a while, and a few nice ladies had asked about this, and it has taken alot of my spare blogging time to figure it all out, but here goes.......

.......... I have finally gotten onto writing a little pattern tutorial for my granny softie I call Kitty Cat.

This is the first time I have tried to write a pattern tutorial post so please excuse me if it is pretty crappy! ( for instance I am looking at the photos I have taken to try and help explain my crochet and can't really figure out what I am doing in some of them!! So I hope I don't confuse you all.)

Having said that, this is a fairly straight forward crochet make and if I could make it I'm sure all you clever people will find it a breeze.

My original Kitty Cat (pictured above) used the Sunburst granny square as the tummy panel, in this example I am using a different square pattern, as I wanted something a bit more solid with less places for stuffing to poke through.

You can use whatever square pattern you like as your tummy square, but I think the ones with less gaps work better for a stuffed softie.


My incredibly high tech pattern writing notebook. Haha. ( I really have been busy!!)


Ok, here is the square I am starting with, this pattern is called Spinner from the Jan Eaton Crochet Squares book, as I said choose whatever square pattern take your fancy and make 2 of them.

The basic construction of this toy is a simple back piece and front piece that are the same, sewn together, with arms and legs sewn on last and the face hand sewn on and embroidered.

I used a 3mm hook and 8 ply wool to make a nice thick piece of crochet to stuff.


How I made it :

Take one square and with right side facing you, join your main colour with a sl/st to any corner stitch of the last round. (above picture)


Round 1 of main colour : Ch 1, (acts as 1st st), sc in same stitch, then sc in each st around square, with 3sc in each corner st. When you get back to the starting point, sc in same st as ch1 and join the round with a sl/stitch.
(there are now 3 sts in each corner st of the round)


Next round : ch 1, TURN WORK and working on the back side of the square, sc in same stitch, then sc in each stitch around the square, working 3sc in each corner st.
When back to the start, sc in first st and sl/st to starting 1ch to join the round.
Round 3 :Ch 1, TURN WORK and repeat the first round

So now you should have a square with 3 rounds of sc bordering it.


(Starting body/head) :
You now start working in rows back and forward to make the head.
Ch1, (acts as 1st sc st so miss the next st) ,Turn work so working on backside, then sc in each st across til 1st corner, (end of row) then Ch 1, turn work, miss 1st st, sc in each st back across row.
Continue on in this way til you can count 12 'double rows' ( see photo below to see what I mean)

Making ears:
On 1st 14 st start shaping a triangle by decreasing 1 st at each end of row on every right side row. Like this :
1st ear
Next right side row, only sc 14sts, then ch1 and turn. Sc in each st back to start.
2nd RS row, Sl/st to next stitch, then ch 1 , sc in next 11 sts, (12 sts all up), ch 1, turn. Sc in each st back to 1st ch.
Continue on in the pattern,( the sc in the middle will reduce by 2 each RS Row) until there are 2 st left. At this point bind off.

2nd ear :
Count 14 st from left hand side of work and join wool, ch1.
Make 2nd ear the same way as the 1st.

You can make your ears bigger or smaller depending on how many stitches you start with in your rows (depends on the square you choose to use), So this is really more of a guide, if you have a different amount of stitches and there is a big gap between your ears (I mean your softies ears!! I don't mean your brain space! haha!! I'm not being rude!) you can adjust the number of sts in each ear, just make sure they are the same number. I like to leave a gap of 3-4 st on my cat.


So they should look something like this when done.

Make another piece the same way for the back, and there you have it, the front and back of kitty cat!
In part 2, I'll show you the arms and legs and face details and how it all goes together.

Sorry this is in 2 parts, but it has taken me so long to get just this far that I think you would be waiting for ages if I did it all in one go. I think I'll be able to finish off the 2nd installment for you pretty quickly, and maybe even post it tomorrow!

Hope you enjoyed this little tutorial, if you find any problems or inconsistencies with the instructions feel free to let me know and I'll try and fix it! ( this is my 1st try after all!)

Have a great day!

PS. I have used American crochet terms for this pattern, so for you English Ladies, I think that means Sc =Dc