Crochet A Face Cloth

To crochet a face cloth you really need a nice soft cotton. I have used a soft cotton in all of the face cloths below. I buy lot's of left overs from other peoples stashes and I never knew up until recently what I was going to use this cotton stuff for. I am learning all of the time about different fibres and what they are better used for, the latest lessons have been about dish cloths and face cloths.

I know quite a bit about the different stitch patterns that are around and I just had to have a little think and do some research to find a st that I would like to use.

The latest st I have tried is the woven stitch and it is easy on the eye and also a soft grain for the face as a face cloth.

The first 2 face cloths which are made with the woven stitch and an 8 ply cotton, worked up very quick.

Woven stitch face cloth.

Woven stitch face cloth.

Mitired square face cloth.

Griddle/ Up and Down stitch face cloth.

Griddle/ Up and Down stitch face cloth.

The griddle stitch (up and down st) is an old favourite of mine, but I do prefer the woven stitch pattern in the first 2 face cloths. I found a couple of Illustrations on line that may help with the stitch patterns for you.

Crochet And Feel Good

Once I had finished this small duo, I did feel good!

A plea came from a crochet friend to help a 3 year old little boy named Aaron, who has cancer. We were told of his favourite colours, which were green and yellow, we were also asked for a 12 inch square to go into the making of an afghan for Aaron. Of course this was all voluntary. I had been wanting to make a mitered square and I also find this type of square eye catching. I also thought if he likes green, he probably likes frogs, so I made him a frog hat too. I used my pattern for the floppy brimmed boys army hat, I did not have a size 3. Using the size 2 as a guide, I just went up a half a hook size and added an extra round of increase. I left off the brim and made a band around the hat that can be folded or unfolded, I thought this would cover any difference in sizing, not knowing the size of Aarons head.

Once I had completed this little project for Aaron, I did feel good about myself knowing this was going to a good cause.

Another Seraphina Shawl

Here is another Seraphina Shawl that I made, I took my time with this one and made it over about 4 days, whilst I was dabbling in other projects. It reminds me of the tortoiseshell cat. I was using up some yarn that I did not really care for. I wondered if any one out there would really like it. But along comes my Sister-in-Law and loved it, so I gave it to her. The link to the pattern and the other Seraphana Shawl is here.

The Tunisian Entrelac Stitch

The first picture is fresh off the hook! And all I can say is goody goody gum drops! I have wanted to learn the Etrelac st for so long, so I grabbed a big breath of confidence, did some on line research and here it is!

I found the information on 2 sites. One site being easier for me to understand, so that will be the first link supplied. Site one. Site 2.

Below is a picture of my first ever dish cloth I made this week. I was informed that making your own dish cloths in cotton are far better than the bought one's in the shop. Firstly they can be squeezed out easier with very little water left in them, secondly you just wash them and re-use them over and over again!

The internet is full of on line patterns for free. The more ridges in the cloth the better they scrub too. I just made the above cloth free hand (no pattern) with front post and back post dc (US). I really thought the entrelac stitch would make a great looking dish cloth too, so that is another reason I learned that st.

I finished playing around with the Entrelac st above and made it into a dish cloth.

Below are some great links for dish cloths.

http://www.buttonspecialties.com/pdfs/FireBlossomDishcloth.pdf
http://www.peaches-creme.com/ladder_stitch_crocheted_dishcloth.htm
http://cocoacream.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/textured-stripes-dishcloth/
http://www.straw.com/cpy/patterns/cotton_chenille_crochetwcloth.html
dish cloth mania lotshttp://dishandwashclothmania.com/cloths-crochet/
http://www.freepatterns.com/list.html?parent_cat_id=2&usage=&criteria=dishcloth
Includes recycled plarn in the centre for a scrubbie.http://www.myrecycledbags.com/2008/07/03/sunshine-dishcloth-with-scrubbie/
http://cityofcrochet.blogspot.com/2006/10/crazy-cloth.html

Pattern Book Dish Cloths.http://www.bernat.com/patternbook.php?PBS=530160http://www.ericas.com/needlework/books/dishcloths.htm

Hope you have enjoyed my little adventure here.

I think you can now call me a crochet groupie

It is now Sunday evening, I have the reached the end of a week-end, full of being with and crocheting along with crochet buddie's. I'm a member of 2 crochet groups in Victoria, Australia. One of them is local and the other is a bit further out from me, but covers the State of Victoria.

Saturday saw me at the meet up with the local Mornington Peninsula group, which meet's about 15 minute's away from where I live and on the Sunday I met up with the Crochet Lovers Victoria group, which met at an almost central location on the outskirt's of Melbourne in a lovely park. The weather was perfect which did see me a little bit wind burned though.

So I think I can officially be called a crochet groupie now.

I did take some picture's, but I have not asked their permission to post them as yet. So you may see a photo or 2 in this post eventually.

I will also point out that if it were not for Ravelry, I would not have met or been involved with any local crocheter's.

Crochet at a Fast Pace

I'm becoming a real crochet groupie now. I've been involved in a couple of swaps, met up with some local groups, follow crochet blogs from around the world and now something very new.

Have you seen the word KAL or CAL? Well they are short for knit along or crochet along.

It's where more than one person is making the same item at the same time and you share your progress, ask questions and finally the finished items are shared.

So I entered my first CAL, it was to make the Seraphina Shawl. I've never made a shawl before and I'm also looking for winter warmers for the market this year.

I made this shawl in 2 nights of serious crochet time. Once I had the pattern established in my head, it made the making of it so much quicker.

This is the yarn I chose because I had lot's of it. It goes from thick to thin to lacey.

I thought I would add some plain yarn as well, to make crocheting with the crazy yarn a little easier.

This is a progress shot.

And here it is finished, not sure if I will add the tassel's as yet.

It's a lovely warm shawl too.

Now this is a pineapple scarf I have had my eye on for a while to make.

It's simply, pineapple on pineapple to the length you want it.

I over crocheted the first and last pineapple to give it some more flair'. I'm not really sure if I like it though. I created something similar last year, with the pineapple's on the ends and (US) dc in between the pineapples.

My Puppie's Are Ready To Go

My puppies are old enough to leave their Mother now, except for one whom I have named Rev. Rev can't be sold, from the day he was born I was very concerened for him. I stayed up with his Mother all night watching and checking each pup as they were born and I did not expect a 5th to be born, so off I went to bed and after a few hours my Hubby woke me to tell me there was a 5th puppy! When I checked him out he was cold, if only I had been there upon his birth I could have used a few simple techniques to assist him, this may have decreased the brain damage he seems to have due to lack of oxygen. I also used some small scale's twice a day to ensure he was putting on weight, which he was. I named him Rev, because when he began to walk, it was in reverse. Straight to the vet I went with him and I was told all we can do is wait and see how he develops. He can now walk forward, with his head a little lop sided, but he is learning to compensate for the difference in his balance. I never get emotionally attached to the puppies I have bred, but little Rev is a different case completely and who could not fall in love with this little face below!

These are his 4 siblings. 2 males and 2 females. I also used these picture's for the add I put in the trading post and the phone has been ringing off the hook! I did not expect such a response so early, but I have had to put off the buyers for another few days until I get their first vaccination. I also price my puppies at a good price, priced to sell, I don't hang out for that extra few dollars I know I could get.

I have given them a good start in life, of course with the help of their Mother, actually she has done most of the work. I just try to keep them clean, out of harms way and fed. They now eat wet and dry food. Feeding time is hilarious. The picture below was a week earlier than the above picture's. It's amazing just how quick they develop and grow. Little Rev is the crooked one in the picture, he get's in for his fair share, his disability is not stopping him at all!

More Crochet and Knit Picture's.

Remember the post I made of Crochet Around The World ? Well I just knew I had saved more interesting picture's and I found them, but these also include some knit picture's. So here they are for you to view too! I love the first one, but I think many will love the last one for some reason. LOL.

So slow on the crochet lately

I've been very slow crocheting lately, it has taken me for what it seem's like for ever to finish these two items off.

The Blue cardigan below began here.

And here is another poncho, the same as the one I made here.



Well I can blame it on the concussion I had just prior to christmas, or I can blame it on being busy with christmas and I could also blame it on this latest injury, which now has the stitches removed and it is almost healed.

But what ever it may be, I miss it. My finger nails have happened to grow very long lately and when I picked up the hook to finish these items off, it was difficult to manipulate long finger nails with the crochet hook and sewing needle. So now I am facing the dilemma of trimming back all of my nicely grown finger nails.

Here is a picture of my little pinky.

Nice nails or nice speedy crochet?

No Knot's For Me!

When sewing items up, I never use a knot. I always leave a tail length which I over sew into the stitching up of the item as I am sewing it up. I have taken some picture's for an illustrated tutorial.

Beginning with inserting your needle where the sewing up is needed.

I've pulled the needle through and left the tail I will over sew into the sewing up of the item.

Now I will begin to sew up the item.

Here I have done one sewing st, which included going over the tail.

Here I have progressed even more with the sewing up and also sewing over the tail.

I have almost reached the end of my tail, which will be out of site very soon. A tip is to slightly stretch your work through out the sewing up process, so the sewing is not too tight

You can see here where the tail has ended and I am now at the end of my sewing row, but it does not finish here.

To hide and re inforce your sewing ends, we are going back into the sewing we have just completed.

I have gone as far as I feel I need to here.

Now I am going in the reverse direction once again, for more re inforcement.

I am now satisfied with the re inforcement and will just snip off the yarn.

Here it is all finished and no tails or ends to be seen and not a knot was used!

What I have done here is not as neat as it could be, one the colours being different and two taking the picture's whislt working. But I hope you get the gist of it and try it for your self some time. This method can also be used with a small crochet hook, but that's another lesson.

Amazing how this crochet design really works out.

If you can make a granny square, you can certainly make one of these, you just need an extra 2 corners for the hexagon shape.

Starting out with one hexagon shape.

Then a second hexagon shape.

Then fold them together and you have a baby cardigan! This is not actually finished I need to add the collar, cuffs and the borders. I just couldn't wait to share it with you all.

I now have a collar, cuff's and the border. I love how the designer designed the collar, but I had to change the cuffs and border, due to the different size yarn I was using. I just have to sew on the buttons.

This is from the original pattern designer I found at this site.

I have made one of these before, but in a different design from a different designer, you can view that one here with the link to the free pattern. It's the pink and white one.

Okay, here it is finally finished.