Crochet, Linked Double Crochet

Have you heard of a linked crochet stitch?

Well I had never heard of it or even thought about changing the way to a dc stitch, I like to play around with stitch patterns, but not usually the actual stitch.

So this is what it looks like.

  Now this is me trying to pull apart the dc st, see no gaps?

You can't even poke your fingers through the st's.

I watched a video called linked treble crochet and used it with the dc.

You just have to remember not to yarn over before going into the st space and know what spaces to go into. You do have more than 1 choice of which space to go into, depending on your choice.

I used what I call the bar to go into, if you are familiar with Tunisian crochet, this will be very simple.

You will always be working into the st you just made, that is how it is connected.

Below shows where I will insert my hook to pull up a loop to start the next dc, remember! do not yarn over to begin with.

So I will place my hook into the strand where the pink st holder is.

Below I have pulled up a loop from the strand where the pink st holder is. 2 loops on hook.

 Next I will pull up a loop from the top of the next dc.

3 loops on hook, finish off like a regular dc, yo, pull through 2 and pull through 2 again, 1 loop left on hook.

If you study this picture closely you can see the connection.

What about beginning the next row?

Chain 2 and turn

Pull up a loop through the second ch from the hook, (remember no yarn over).

 Now pull up a loop through the very first dc, 3 loops on hook.

Yo, pull through 2, then pull through 2, just like a regular dc.

So it looks like this and I am loving the nice straight edge.

Now just repeat the first steps of this post to continue the process.

If your project needs 72 dc to begin with, make a chain of 72 plus 2 chain, begin you first connected dc into the 2nd ch from the hook, pull up a loop, then pull up a loop from the next ch, 3 loops on hook and work them off the same as a dc.

Use what I called the bar of the previously made dc to go into and pull up your first loop, then go into the next ch and pull up your next loop, 3 loops on hook, yo, pull through 2, then pull through 2 again.

Continue across the ch to the end, ch 2 and turn.

Why use this method?

Well it has lovely texture and no gaps, here is a head band I made using this method, the connected dc.

Side view.

 Rear view.

No air holes :)

I hope you liked this post and thank you for reading.

Thank you to  Kim Guzman

for her teaching video's too she has some great techniques for lot's of st's. 

Crochet Happy Hippo and The African Flower Square

Very pleased to finish to my latest crochet project!

You too can make this, it's a $ pattern that can be found here at Heidi Bears site.

The pattern is a 35 page pdf file, it's that many pages because she explains in thorough detail how to make happy, beautiful pictured instructions, graphs and written terms, she has not forgotten a thing!

I thoroughly recommend this pattern to any one who wants to give it a go, I personally can't wait to try her horse and bear :)

Happy was made as a companion for the African Flower Square throw I was asked to make for a family member.

The pattern for the  African Flower Square is a free on line pattern found here.

There was lots of ends to sew in, but I cut this down slightly by making some squares with just the out line of the flower, these can be seen in the photo above, from corner to center to corner.

I wonder who wants one for a Christmas present?

The pattern is repetitive so you soon learn it quickly, more crochet and less reading :)

Hope you enjoyed this post fellow crafters.

Crochet Projects

Just a few projects I have been working on recently.

I've been thinking about destashing, especially the small quantities of left over yarn. This is one project I had success with, I gathered lots of scrap blues and called this scrappy blues. It has several different crochet st's in it too.

 

 

Another scrap project was a cot blanket made for a grand son due in November, it is the C2C crochet pattern, found here.

 

 

I got involved in a granny square swap and these are some of the squares I made, I have a board on pinterest which have the patterns for the squares found here.

 

 I have also made some head bands for custom orders.

 

I have another order for a family member which I am currently making, a small throw made with the African flower square which is so pretty. But we could not resist the happy hippo pattern made with the African flower to go with the throw, the hippo is almost finished too.

 

 

I also made a peppa pig for my grand daughter, she loves peppa pig, when the show finishes on TV she hits the TV screen and cries, so she needs a peppa pig of her own, the free pattern can be found here

 

 

Some coffee cozies

 

A baby hat

Tunisian honey comb st head band

 

Cable crochet head band

 

So I have been busy with my crochet and have many more projects cued up.

This is my place to share with you and also keep my memorable crochet addiction in a place that I can reflect upon.

Thanks for reading, happy crafting. 

 

Crochet Kokeshi Doll Construction

After making my very first Kokeshi doll

 I wanted to make more.

So I did!

I took pictures as I made them and wanted to share them with you.

It's very clever how they come together.

 As you can see I am making 3, this is the body and head made in one piece, these have been stuffed and a small weight placed in the bottom to make them stand up.

These dolls are your typical amigurumi, made with sc's in the round next was their hair, made separately and placed onto their head.

Then their little back thingies are made, I think they are called an obi.

Then I made their sleeve's and hands, the sleeve is just a basic triangle.

They are really taking shape now, with their hands and sleeves attached it was play time for me, sewing eye's and mouths and little extra features.

I did go on line to get inspiration, I mucked up the pink one's eyes a bit and had to play around with them more, but I achieved a different look with her, I also made up my own little flower and found a pattern for a small umbrella

 I did the screen free hand and am currently thinking on lanterns or small pieces of furniture to finish the setting off.

I'm not sure if I should add a little more bling to their hair, chop sticks and beads.

The main thing is that I had fun!

But I have so many more items I want to crochet I may just leave these ladies the way they are and move onto something else that I have in mind to do, as a matter of fact I have already started a bit of it, thumbs up for crochet!

I found this pattern for the doll using the way back machine, here is the link.

Cute Crochet

Just a few pictures of what I have been making of late, some cute and cuter!

I've used a hdc in the round in some of these, looks just as good as the sc in the round and works up faster.

I made my own pattern for the cup cakes and doughnuts, using lots of inspiration from other patterns.

These look good enough to eat

Free patterns here

These are made with a hdc, no pattern, I was inspired by other pictures, Duncan on the left and Earl on the right.

There are so many ways to make a crochet coffee or tea cup look so cute!

I also made my very first Kokeshi doll

And some out fits for my Grand daughters

 Good colors and a cute factor = success

For Savannah 1 yr old

Free pattern link

These colors were a shade too dark, but they match Cindy's skin color, pattern from the Candy Tots pattern book

 

 

Crochet Continuous Granny Daughters

 technique could be used in the granny edge slouch hat

Not sure about a color change using this technique, but it could be possible.

How To Add A Stem To A Crochet Flower

How To Add A Stem To A Crochet Flower

Free Flower & Leaf Pattern Here

I did search for help on this topic and was not able to find much help at all, so I tried quite a few ways and this is what I came up with.

Using coat hanger wire cut to about 10 to 12 inches in length I made a coil on one end, this part attaches to the flower.

I started with an 8 figure coil then changed it to a simple circular coil as the flower is not heavy and this way was less work.

The tools I used were heavy duty wire cutters, round nose pliers (or anything to get the circular shape that you can wrap the wire around) and a mini bench vice to help me straighten any bent wires.

 

Once I had the wire ready and clean, I made a slip knot onto the wire and began a knitting cast on to the wire it's self as crocheting over the wire was a real pain!

I began at the straight end and pushed the st's up the wire as it grew.

I was able to cover the coil and the entire wire.

I attached the flower head with the beginning yarn tail and then secured the end.

I sewed up and down the end of the wire for a few inches to secure the end, then sprayed glue onto it, any clear glue or clear nail polish will work to make the end adhere to the wire.

I've made a video tutorial on how I did this process.

I hope this may help some one with the same problem I had, how to make and attach the stem to a flower.

 Another useful tip you may be able to use.
After I made each flower, I placed it into a sealed bag, in that bag I had a piece of paper toweling that was dipped in some rose oil.
I kept adding my new flowers to the same bag and they all came out smelling like real roses.
You can do the same with a scented soap bar, scented candle etc.