Category Archives: Patterns/Design Thoughts

Be a Dinosaur!

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ScannedImageHalloween is right around the corner, and my latest design in the October 2016 issue of the digital magazine, I Like Crochet, has a quick costume to turn your little one into a dinosaur!

The Dizzy Dino consists of a hat and sleeves (or arm warmers) that feature spikes, to highlight this reptile features. Everything really works up pretty fast, and can be created in a variety of colors to have a dinosaur pack on your trick or treating adventure.

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Photo courtesy of I Like Crochet Prime Publishing

One of the reasons I enjoy this design, is that it is soft, so kids with issues of textural feel can be comfortable. It is washable, so that it can have a life after the holiday as part of the dress up box. Finally it has warmth. Halloween in my geographic area is always a toss-up, it could be raining and 50 degrees or it is hot at near 100 degrees. This always makes it a little difficult to plan costumes, but in with this hat and arm set I can pair it with a sweatshirt or T-shirt and still have an effective dinosaur.

I will admit, this design did not begin as Halloween, it actually grew into creation from kids party ideas. One year I actually crocheted hats for all of my guests to my son’s birthday party. I filled these hats with candy and such, essentially turning the hat into a party favor bag, which had life after the party. This might seem a little over board, but I know that when my kids typically attend a party they come home with a simple bag of small toys and candies. These party favors usually leave a trail through my house of wrappers and scraps of paper, and me attempting to secretly throw this out, while my kids treasure them as memories of a good time. So by creating hat party favors I felt like it was actually a memento that could be kept without feeling like my kids were hoarding trash.

At my son’s party the hats seemed to be a hit, they poured out the candy to wear them, and even used them to help distinguish teams for a game a soccer in the back yard, hats vs hair.

Any way you look at it this design as possibilities, and will bring a smile to every kids face.

Stress Free & Seamless… The Best of Crochet

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ScannedImageI had a surprise in the latest special issue of Crochet! Magazine,(Stress Free Seamless Crochet, Fall 2016), I had another design on the cover! What was really surprising is that I was not even expecting this design to be in this issue.

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Autumn Blaze Scarf Photo courtesy Annie’s

132120_small2The Autumn Blaze Scarf that adorns the cover is really an interesting pattern that creates a great texture while creating a fabric that is on the biased, meaning that it has increases and decreases worked every row to give it a much angled direction. This really allows yarn that has some length to the color repeats to shine.

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Dharma Tote Photo courtesy Annie’s

The second design I have in this issue also benefits from long color repeat yarn, the Dharma Tote uses crochet miter squares to bring color to life in angles. Miter squares are worked from two edges worked, a corner, and worked toward the opposite corner. There is essentially a decrease worked in the center of the worked row, and my continuing the row with a decrease every row, it reduces to a point.

One of the really nice features about miter squares is that you can easily work it as join as you go, by beginning an edge directly on a created square. I played around a bit with the square locations, as I really didn’t want everything facing the same direction, yet I didn’t want to create a square that would be difficult to create with too many joins. I added some leather strap handles, and this bag was ready to go. I love the stretch that it has, I can stuff it full of crochet samples for my classes, or items that my kids need for “insert name of event here”.

Both of the designs benefit from long color repeat yarns, there is a couple of reasons for this. First you do not have to think about color combinations. The yarns already have some harmony in the palette of color, thus making sure that your finished product will be pleasing to the eye. Second, the long spans of color allow for the design to be highlighted. Whenever color changes are short, a little of every color works into almost any stitch, and things looked speckled. When to color change is long, you can create a shape in the color, as with Dharma Tote, you can see the directions for the squares. Neither of these designs would shine if they were speckled or in solid colors.

Astral Flowers Throw with Humble Beginnings

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ScannedImageI fell in love with the Astral Flowers Square the moment it came from my hook, and still enjoy It as a throw in the October 2016 issue of Crochet World MagazineAs with much of my design style I happened upon this by playing and a little bit of a challenge, however the story of its beginning is not a happy one.

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Astral Flowers Throw Photo courtesy of Annie’s

A friend and fellow designer lost her daughter last year, and as a way of letting her know that she was the hearts and minds of vast community a fellow friend organized a formation of a friendship afghan. She asked for six inch squares in various colors that had significance to members of the suffering family. She selected a certain type of yarn, so that everything would work together nicely, and agreed to sew all the squares together. When all was said and done enough squares were created by various crochet designers, and others in the industry, that in the end there were at least 3 afghans created, the Astral Flower Square is among them.

I originally sat down with the three colors and just began putting them together without thinking of the stitches themselves, but the difficult time my friend was going through. I created a total of 6 squares, no sense in having partially used skeins when more squares could be created. In this methodical challenge of working squares I worked one with post stitches, this grew into this square.

133005_small2I will admit that I was a bit taken aback by the way the color can be so deceptive and making the square appear to have more going on than it really does. At one moment I can see a star in another I can see a flower, there seems to be depth and volume in the work, yet it really is just a couple of rounds. The only magic that happens is that the post stitches create an illusion of the color being worked in other ways.

The other thing that I find striking with this square is that the sides are not actually straight. The corners are slightly higher then than the center of each side, creating a little “key hole” type effect. I really like how this shape works at bringing a little something extra to the throw overall, and seaming the squares in the back loops only of the stitches creates a simple framed edge. The one drawback to the square, used in the fashion that I have, is that it really does need to be hand sewn together, no join as you go…but maybe if I play with a different edging…no, I think I like it the way it is.

The Wine Country Throw Comes Alive

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ScannedImageI love simple stitch patterns that really look much more difficult than they are. My latest design the Wine Country Throw in the October 2016 issue of Crochet World Magazine fits this description.

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Wine Country Throw Photo courtesy of Annie’s

When I originally came up with this design I referred to it as “Titter Tat” because the stitches had such a back and forth feel to it that was like seesaw, but the current name of Wine Country is pretty fitting since I am surrounded vineyards. Even as I type this the harvest known as the “crush” is happening as the wine making process is beginning. Sitting back on my screened porch wrapped in this throw is now a great way to end the fall day.

The way the stitches come together, almost has you believing that they are working in opposite direction yet it is simply where the stitches are worked. This also causes the fabric to have an incredible amount stretch.  The edging is what ultimately creates a bit of drama to this piece, as it adds a lace quality and feminine charm, by changing the border to something more solid, such as a couple of rounds of double crochets and this throw has a completely different feel, something a little more masculine, a little more modern.

133005_small2I have to admit that this project works up pretty fast, as it is a worsted weight yarn with a relatively large hook. I know this first hand as I had to rework the pattern a couple of time to ensure the correct size of the finished sample. The stretch of the fabric was misleading my gauge, and thus had me creating throws that were a bit too small. I tore it back and reworked it at least three times before it became what I had envisioned, but in doing so it helped me understand the stitches more, and I am think the end result is definitely a good one.

The Feature- Braided Edge Cardigan

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ScannedImageIt seems that all my patterns tend to release at once! One of my latest designs the Braided Edge Cardigan has been a while in the works.

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Braided Edge Cardigan Photo courtesy Annie’s

Sometimes ideas come to you and they are ahead of their time, meaning that no one wants to publish them at that time, but give it a while and they might be much more receptive. This sweater is like that. I came up with the concept a couple of years ago, and it did not make it into publication at the time. I resubmitted it many months later and it was a much better fit for the current collection within the October 2016 issue of Crochet World Magazine.

This cardigan has a really simple stitch pattern for the basic fabric, and after assembling it, then it is edged in a stitch pattern featuring some post stitch work, that creates a unique braid effect.  It is this feature that really makes the sweater standout. If you happen to feel that the post stitches are to challenging you can continue the edging as a simple single crochet, but if you are up for a little challenge it definitively adds a lot of character.

133005_small2What sets this post stitch worked braid apart is that you are essentially working 2 posts stitches together, but one stitch is worked ahead of where your current working stitch is, while the other is behind it. This can seem a little daunting at first, but the first couple of stitches will set the pattern for the rest of the round.

This cardigan is definitely a winner for the autumn season that should be arriving soon. Even as this is shown in a solid color, a nice variegated or ombre yarn could add a very personal feel, becoming a fabulous addition to any wardrobe.