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Crochet Month Celebration- Free Pattern & Discounts!

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ScannedImageI can hardly believe that a month long celebration of crochet is really almost over. Crochetville put together quite the blog tour this year and I am grateful that they have invited me to attend again this year, (if you have missed any stops, make sure and check them out here).

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I will admit that I have found it fun to see the focus on various social media outlets about Crochet Month, but in my personal reality nothing changed too much as crochet is my everyday celebration. I find a little something that fascinates me with this craft nearly daily. It may be the fact that there are so many different locations to place a stitch and get such a different effect that it is almost too numerous to count. It may be that the same pattern worked in a different yarn or with a different fiber can create a completely different look. It might also be that if you just change your hook everything can change. It might seem like small details, but these small details can make all the difference.

I know I probably sound like an artist that is explaining different shades of red, because the most important thing about crochet is the way it makes you feel to create. My personal soap box is that there is never “wrong” crochet, because if you enjoy it, that is all that matters. A statement that I students always enjoy is “If your friends point out your crochet mistakes, they are not your friends”.

To aide your enjoyment of the crochet celebration, I am sharing a free pattern. This pattern, The Small Empress Jeweled Egg, may be a little late for the Easter holiday, but as you may have the plastic eggs around, and these are cute additions that you can use for spring decorations. In addition I am giving a free pattern coupon for my Ravelry store. Buy any patterns totaling at least $9 and receive your choice of any pattern FREE by using code NatCroMo2016 until April 6, 2016.

Also, I am excited to share that I am teaching at the annual Crochet Guild of America conference, known as Chainlink in some crowds and the Knit & Crochet Show in others, this July in Charleston, SC. If you plan on attending, please consider my classes. I would love to meet you there!

Don’t forget to check out all the other stops today on this ride along the blog tour, places like my friend Vashti Braha, I always love reading what she has to say.

If you need some help or ideas for using beads, check out some of my tips here.

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Small Empress Jeweled Egg I do not know why the photo wants to be on its side….

Skill level: Advanced Beginner       Measures to fit plastic egg, with no ease

Material List:

  • Size F/5/3.75mm hook
  • Lincatex Gold Rush super fine weight 80% Rayon, 20% Metallised Polyester yarn (100m/25g per cone)
  • #6 size Czech glass beads 60 grams (beadbiz.org)
  • Small plastic egg, 1 1/4”wide x 1 7/8” long
  • Tapestry needle

Gauge: is not critical for this project

Pattern Note /Special Stitches

Bead Crochet (bc): Slip 1 bead to hook, YO, pull through loop on hook.

Double Crochet 2 together (dc2tog): YO, insert hook into indicated stitch, YO and pull through, YO pull through 2 loops, YO insert hook into next indicated stitch, YO pull through, YO pull through 2 loops, YO pull through last 3 loops.

Small Empress Ornament       Thread 60 beads

Round 1: Ch 4 (counts as foundation ch plus dc), bc, [dc, bc] all in 5th ch from hook 7 times, sl st to top of beg ch 4. (8 dc, 8 bc)

Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc here and throughout), dc in same st, bc, [2 dc in next dc, bc] 7 times, sl st to top of beg ch 3. (16 dc, 8 bc)

Rounds 3-7: Ch 3, dc in next dc, bc, [dc in next 2 dc, bc] 7 times, sl st to top of beg ch 3. (16 dc, 8 bc)

Insert small egg and work subsequent rounds.

Round 8: Ch 2 (counts as first dc2tog here and throughout), sk next dc, bc, [dc2tog in next 2 dc, bc] 7 times, sl st to to of beg ch 2. (8 dc2tog, 8 bc)

Round 9: Ch 1, sc8tog  in all dc sts, finish off.

Abbreviations:

ch: chain

dc: double crochet

rep: repeat

sc: single crochet

sk: skip

sl st: slip stitch

st(s): stitch(es)

Easter Challenge, I Think Success

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ScannedImageI was recently presented with a challenge, and honestly I enjoy designing this way.

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Empress Jeweled Egg US $3.50

Bead Biz, a great bead supply company, presented me a challenge to create a beaded ornament primarily for Easter. After some research and some playing I think I came up with a couple that fit the build pretty nicely.

At my home Easter is pretty quiet. We color eggs, finding that we love the jewel tones that come from dyeing brown eggs, then I may use the dyes to color yarns that I may have around (you can find out how to do that here). We snack on candy from baskets, may head out to an egg hunt at a local park, and generally enjoy day as a family. However doing some research into this challenge brought back some memories for me, and some of the images of egg decorations I found very fascinating. I remember as a kid, one year my mom decided to attempt some natural egg dying, using onion skins. I recall her poking pin holes on the ends of the eggs, and blowing the content, after much work, into a bowl, leaving the egg hollow. She then tied small leaves around the egg and rested it in her onion skin dye. After a great while she removed the egg and its bindings and she had a beautiful brown colored egg that had leave images. However what I remember most, is her finding the effort not entirely worth the outcome. She only did this craft once.

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Imperial Delight Jeweled Egg US $3.50

In designing these ornaments some of these memories joined me, so I managed to keep the overall design simple, but what I think are beautiful results. I really wanted the beads to shine, and I think I have succeeded in that. They really seem like the star of the show. I found that once I was completed with them, that I felt that I could find a place in my home for them year round. They can easily be adapted to the Christmas holiday traditions, as well as beautiful gifts to welcome a baby, a birthday, or even a hostess. They work up rather quickly, and with different bead color combinations can offer many stunning results. Each pattern actually has two designs, one for a large oval ornament, and one for a small plastic Easter egg, giving variety and additional options and inspiration.

I have both sets of patterns available on Ravery and Craftsy, and if you would like to check them out for yourself, I am offering a 20% off coupon code for all of my patterns through the end of March 2016 to celebrate National Crochet Month. So if you see anything you like at my Ravelry store, use code SW2016 and receive this discount until March 31, 2016.

If you want to learn more about using beads in your crochet? Or even your knitting? Considering attending my class “Beading 3 Ways” at the Knit & Crochet Show in Charleston, SC Saturday July 16, 2016. I am excited! It is my first time teaching at a national venue, if you happen to be able to attend, please check out my classes!

Two Patterns in One! Knit & Crochet Interlude Shawl

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ScannedImageSo I have done something a little different, and I am excited about it.

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Interlude Knit Shawl

In the past I shared how my daughter was teaching me to knit (you can read about it here), I will admit I have not been the best student. I can understand knitting in principle and concept but actually getting the needles to work with the yarn is a different story completely. However my lessons have encouraged me to go out on a limb and create dual craft patterns, with the first being Interlude.

Interlude is a shawl that is worked in with one skein of Lisa Souza Sylvie Silk, but it can be worked in either knit OR crochet! Okay, technically it is Tunisian Crochet, but still 2 different ways to create the same look.

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Interlude Crochet Shawl

Obviously the finished product is not identical, but they are very similar; they both work in short rows on large hooks/needles, they both have beautiful drape, they both use only one skein, they both work up quickly, and they both have the same completed shape.

This, okay, these shawls debuted at Stitches West in Santa Clara this past weekend, and there was some definite excitement about the fact that there is actually 2 patterns in one (I had requests for other of my crochet designs to attempt to be converted to knitting), as well as just how yummy the ultimate design is. So fast and yet elegant.

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Interlude Knit Shawl

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Interlude Crochet Shawl

I have to give complete thanks to Lisa Souza herself, for actually knitting up the knit version. I had attempted to complete it myself, but after it set on my needles for months, I knew if it was up to me it would never come into being. Like I stated, I understand the concepts, but the hands are not as proficient as my mind, so I got completely hung up on the short rows. But I can share Lisa’s feedback, she told me that at first she was questioning my sanity, as it is a fine yarn on rather large needles, then she found it rather addicting and finished with just a couple of hours over two evenings. However the magic happened after blocking. The stitches were not readily apparent until it dried, then it all came together and she dubbed it a success (she may still question my sanity, but it is not about this pattern).

This is an interesting adventure, which grew out of my daughter’s simple request, I am personally interested in seeing where it might lead. To help celebrate my enthusiasm with this new undertaking I am offering a 20% discount on ALL patterns in my Ravelry store with coupon code SW2016 through March 31, 2016 (no limits, use it as much as you like, and share it with friends). Thank you for sharing this adventure with me!