HAPPY CROCHET and a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018

“Another fresh new year is here . . .

Another year to live!

To banish worry, doubt, and fear,

To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me

To live each day with zest . . .

To daily grow and try to be

My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity

Once more to right some wrongs,

To pray for peace, to plant a tree,

And sing more joyful songs!”

(Poem: William Arthur Ward)

This poem says it all for me! These words are perfect for my New Year's resolution! Simple and to the point, to live my life to the fullest and to the best of my ability. To let go of fear and to enjoy every moment of every day, to free myself from worry and to release the need to be serious about trivial things, and most of all to allow love and laughter to surround me always!

What are your New Year Resolutions? Do you have any? Or don't you bother making any?

Did you know that about 4000 years ago, the ancient Babylonians were the first people to make New Year's resolutions? Each year in mid-March (the beginning of their year) when the crops were planted, celebrations were held in honour of the New Year!

(http://www.history.com/news/the-history-of-new-years-resolutions)

If you do make a New Year resolution for yourself, and you wish to share, please do so in the comments at end of blog OR on my Facebook page here.

In the meantime, I wish you all a Happy New Year and may you always have lots of sunshine, happiness, health and prosperity! May you always be happy!

May you ALL have wonderful 2018 year, crocheting and knitting many projects and conquering new techniques and stitches.

I would like to thank everyone who has supported my creative crochet and knit works during 2017.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for buying my patterns and for your lovely comments. 

As soon as the holiday period is over I will be back in the New Year with new designs I managed to crochet and knit during December.

May the New Year 2018 bring you

Love, peace and happiness,

Now and Forever!

Ciao Ciao!

Copyright © 2008

Barbara Summers Hand Knit and Crochet

All Rights Reserved.

XMAS HATS - HIS AND HERS

XMAS Hat in Santa's colours

will keep your ears and head warm

this Christmas and during the cold winter months

This Christmas my darling and I are going to be wearing matching crochet hats in Santa's colours, just for a bit of fun! 

And so you can have some fun too, I have decided to give you a Christmas gift of this XMAS HAT Pattern. 

This stylish unisex crochet XMAS Hat is great for when the temperatures drop and the wind blows. It is designed with a crochet cotton lining which is soft on the skin and ever so comfortable to wear, while the crochet aran outer layer keeps your head warm and toasty.

XMAS Hat is a simple striped crochet hat with the added bonus of a cotton lining. All you need to know is how to crochet in the round, how to single crochet, how to crochet in the front loop and back loop, how to change colour every round.

Suggested Yarns

My two (2) favourites for this project are Hayfield Bonus Aran with Wool for the outer layer, and King Cole Cottonsoft DK for the inner lining. You will need two (2) hooks 5mm and 4.5mm. The aran colours I chose are: Deep Red 830 and Ivory Aran 962; and the cotton colour is: Ecru 711.

You can substitute the yarn if you wish, just remember to check the YARNSUB website, to get the best match.

This pattern was available as a LIMITED TIME FREE PATTERN until Christmas Day, offer ended Christmas morning GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).

XMAS Hat Crochet Pattern 

ADD THIS PATTERN TO YOUR RAVELRY QUEUE and FAVOURITES

PATTERN DETAILS:

DIFFICULTY: Easy

SIZES: Two (2) sizes - A = Adult Medium; B = Adult Large

MEASUREMENTS:

A - Circumference 21in (53cm); Length 8.5in (22cm) - will fit 22in (56cm) 

B - Circumference 22.5in (57cm); Length 9in (23cm) - will fit 23in (58cm)

YARN USED: Hayfield Bonus Aran with Wool ● 80% Acrylic 20% Wool ● 400g ● 920 yds (840m)

YARDAGE: 

A - Approx. 60g = 138yd (126m) 

B - Approx. 70g = 161yd (147m)

TENSION: 15sts x 17 rows to 4in (10cm) in sc pattern stitch

NOTIONS: 5mm hook, Yarn needle

PATTERN NOTES: Hat is worked top down in the round. Instructions in this pattern are for a two (2) colour hat. Each round is completed before changing colour. Optional Lining instructions included.

This pattern is written in USA AMERICAN Crochet Terms.

ADD THIS PATTERN TO YOUR RAVELRY QUEUE and FAVOURITES

ENJOY AND MAY YOU HAVE A JOLLY, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

BE CREATIVE

PLAY AND HAVE SOME FUN!

YOU ARE WELCOME TO SHARE YOUR CREATIONS 

BELOW IN THE COMMENTS 

OR 

ON MY CROCKNIT FACEBOOK PAGE

Enjoy!

ciao, ciao!

Barbara Summers Hand Knit and Crochet   www.crocknit.com
Copyright (C) 2008 Barbara Summers - All rights reserved.

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JUST for MEN - The Manly Washcloth

Real Men use Washcloths 

and these crochet washcloths are man-sized 

with the perfect texture for cleaning

and exfoliating manly bodies. 

Whether men admit to using a washcloth or not, one thing for sure is the fact that everyone benefits from a good scrub when in the bath or shower, and this manly SCRUB and RUB Washcloth is absolutely perfect for an entire body revitalizing wash. 

Men with beards, moustaches and bald heads can enhance their exfoliating regime by using a good sized, sturdy, washcloth made from a 100% cotton yarn. I designed the perfect washcloth for my man, and you can now make it too, I am sure your man will really appreciate this little handmade gift.

Suggested Yarn

I recommend a yarn which is 100% cotton and my favourite cotton yarns have always been Bendigo Woollen Mills from Australia, however now I have found a very good substitute here in the UK and it is King Cole Cottonsoft DK. Both cotton yarns are lovely and soft, and when they are wet, they are robust enough to give you a good scrub. 

However today I am will use Wendy Supreme Cotton, firstly because I hope it will be longer lasting and more robust with a good firm scrub, and secondly I have these lovely colours in my stash. 

You can substitute the yarn if you wish, just remember to check the YARNSUB website, to get the best match.

Stitch Pattern

This washcloth is made using half double crochet two together (hdc2tog) to create a knobbly textured fabric, you will need to be comfortable with working through the 5 loops on the hook. Also, I have used a 4ply for the main stitch and 8ply for the contrast stitch,  these two yarns work well together especially where the stitch changes to single crochet.

Are you ready? then let's get started with this FREE PATTERN for the SCRUB and RUB Manly Washcloth.

PATTERN DETAILS:

Yarn Used: MC - Wendy Supreme Cotton 4ply ● 100% Cotton ● 100g ● 267m (292 yds); and CC - Wendy Supreme Cotton DK ● 100% Cotton ● 100g ● 201m (220 yds)

Yardage: MC - 105m (115yd); CC - 26m (29yd)

Hook: 4mm

Notions: Yarn needle

Size: One (1) size

Measurements: approx. Length - 27cm (10.5in); Width 24cm (9.5in)

PATTERN NOTES: Washcloth is crochet flat. Border is crochet in the round. This washcloth is made using two (2) colours, and two (2) different yarn weights. Photographs accompany the written instructions of this pattern.

This pattern is written in USA AMERICAN Crochet Terms.

USA - American Crochet Terms		UK - British Crochet Terms
[ ] = work instructions within brackets as many times as directed
( ) = work instructions within parenthesis as directed, different sizes, total stitches
* = repeat the instructions following the single asterisk as directed
** = repeat instructions between asterisks as many times as directed or repeat from a given set of instructions
Ch = chain
ch-sp/s = chain space/s
sc = single crochet		dc =double crochet
hdc = half double crochet		htr = half treble crochet
dc = double crochet		tr = treble crochet
tr = treble crochet		dtr = double treble crochet
dtr = double treble		ttr = triple treble
sl st = slip stitch
st/sts = stitch/es
cont = continue
rep = repeat
rnd = round
beg = begin/beginning
yo = yarn over	yrh = yarn round hook
FDC = foundationless double crochet	FTR = foundationless treble crochet
Esc = extended single crochet	Edc = extended double crochet
BL = back loop	blo = back loop only
FL = front loop	flo = front loop only
BPdc = back post double crochet	rtrb = raised treble back
FPdc = front post double crochet	rtrf = raised treble front
Abbreviations List ©2015  Barbara Summers Hand Knit and Crochet.  All rights reserved.

SPECIAL STITCH: hdc2tog = half double crochet two together

Yarn over hook, insert hook in stitch, pull up a loop, 3 loops on hook, yarn over hook, insert hook in next st, pull up a loop, 5 loops on hook, yarn over hook, pull through all 5 loops on hook.

ADD THIS PATTERN TO YOUR RAVELRY QUEUE AND FAVOURITES

PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS:

With 4mm hook and CC - DK yarn

Row 1: Ch36, TURN.

Row 2: Ch1, work in back bump of each ch st, sc in 2nd ch from hook, and each st to end. TURN. (36sts)

Change to MC - 4ply yarn

Row 3: Ch2, hdc2tog in first and second sc, *hdc2tog, in same sc as last st, then in next sc, rep from * to end, TURN. (35 clusters)

Row 4: Ch2, work the first insertion in the base of ch2, hdc2tog in first and second hdc2tog, * hdc2tog in the same place as last st, then in next hdc2tog, rep from * to end, work the last insertion in the top of ch2, TURN. (35 clusters)

Row 5 and 6: Rep Row 4

Change to CC - DK yarn

Row 7: Ch1, 2sc in first st, sc in next and each st to end, work last sc in the top of ch2, TURN. (36sts)

Row 8: Ch1, sc to end, TURN. (36sts)

Continue in pattern, changing colour as directed and repeating Rows 3-8.


Finish with Row 8. Do not cut yarn, hide all yarn ends before proceeding with Border.

Border

Continue with CC
2Sc in same st as last st in Row 8. *Continue along side of rows. (Sl st, ch1) in each hdc2tog row, and (sl st, ch1) once in between sc rows**. 3sc in next corner, sc in each st of foundation chain, 3sc in corner, rep from * to **, 2sc in last corner, invisible join.

Fasten off, hide ends.

If you wish you can make the washcloth shorter in length and more of a square by omitting the last repeat. The stitch pattern in the washcloth will stretch a little lengthwise after being used.

ADD THIS PATTERN TO YOUR RAVELRY QUEUE AND FAVOURITES

BE CREATIVE

PLAY AND HAVE SOME FUN!

YOU ARE WELCOME TO SHARE YOUR CREATIONS 

BELOW IN THE COMMENTS 

OR 

ON MY CROCKNIT FACEBOOK PAGE

Enjoy!

ciao, ciao!

Barbara Summers Hand Knit and Crochet   www.crocknit.com
Copyright (C) 2008 Barbara Summers - All rights reserved.

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Christmas Hearts Free Crochet Pattern

Christmas Hearts sparkling on the Christmas tree

as bright and colourful as can be!

Small ones, big ones, any size will do

lots of sparkling colours will bring you joy too!

This Christmas we are decorating our tree with sparkling crochet hearts! Even though we already have a heart bunting in the lounge room I am making new hearts for the tree. I have received numerous requests for this free pattern over the last few years so I thought it would be nice to share the pattern here with some step-by-step photos as well.

Are you ready to join me? Then grab your hooks and yarn and make as many as you need.  Make them using your favourite colours, and when you finish you can hang them on your tree, or make a bunting and decorate your home during the festive season, or give them as a gift.  You can join two (2) hearts together and attach a brooch backing and pin onto your coat or hat, or decorate your doorknobs and key rings, or make single heart motifs and embellish any other garment. 

You can use any mercerised cotton thread or yarn, originally I made these hearts with Petra Cotton 3 and Petra Cotton 5, which results in smaller delicate hearts, this time I have used Wendy Supreme Sparkle DK, resulting in slightly larger sturdy hearts.

You can substitute the yarn if you wish, just remember to check the YARNSUB website, to get the best match.

PATTERN DETAILS:

DIFFICULTY: Easy

SIZES: Three (3) sizes - A = Small, B =Medium, C = Large

MEASUREMENTS: approximate

A = Width 2.75in (7cm); Length 2.5in (6.4cm) 

B = Width 3.25in (8.2cm); Length 2.75in (7cm) 

C = Width 3.75in (9.5cm); Length 3.25in (8.2cm)

YARN USED: Wendy Supreme Sparkle DK ● 96% Cotton 4% Metallic ● 100g ● 201m (220 yds)

TENSION: Not critical for this pattern, however, I use smaller hook than recommended on yarn label
NOTIONS: 3mm hook, Yarn needle
PATTERN NOTES: Hearts are worked in the round. The heart motif can be crochet in three (3) different sizes. Each heart motif grows in size with extra rounds and extra stitches. Make the heart motif in one colour or change colour every round or every other round or just add a contrast edge. Photographs accompany the written instructions of this pattern.

This pattern is written in USA AMERICAN Crochet Terms.

Bobble Stitch Explanation: The bobble stitch in this pattern is created from a series of double crochet stitches joined at both the top and bottom.  This bobble is made from three (3) incomplete double crochet stitches, joined by a yarn over at the completion of the stitch.  The partial bobble is made from two (2) incomplete double crochet stitches, joined by a yarn over at the completion of the stitch.

How to make partial Bobble (2dc):- YO, insert hook in next st, YO, pull up a loop, YO, pull through 2 of the 3 loops on your hook, [YO, insert hook in same st, YO, pull up a loop, YO, pull through 2 loops], YO, and draw through all 3 loops on hook.

How to make a Bobble (3dc):- YO, insert hook in next st, YO, pull up a loop, YO, pull through 2 of the 3 loops on your hook, [YO, insert hook in same st, YO, pull up a loop, YO, pull through 2 loops] 2 times, YO, and draw through all 4 loops on hook.

USA - American Crochet Terms		UK - British Crochet Terms
[ ] = work instructions within brackets as many times as directed
( ) = work instructions within parenthesis as directed, different sizes, total stitches
* = repeat the instructions following the single asterisk as directed
** = repeat instructions between asterisks as many times as directed or repeat from a given set of instructions
Ch = chain
ch-sp/s = chain space/s
sc = single crochet		dc =double crochet
hdc = half double crochet		htr = half treble crochet
dc = double crochet		tr = treble crochet
tr = treble crochet		dtr = double treble crochet
dtr = double treble		ttr = triple treble
sl st = slip stitch
st/sts = stitch/es
cont = continue
rep = repeat
rnd = round
beg = begin/beginning
yo = yarn over	yrh = yarn round hook
FDC = foundationless double crochet	FTR = foundationless treble crochet
Esc = extended single crochet	Edc = extended double crochet
BL = back loop	blo = back loop only
FL = front loop	flo = front loop only
pbo = partial bobble	pBO = partial bobble
bo = bobble	BO = bobble
BPdc = back post double crochet	rtrb = raised treble back
FPdc = front post double crochet	rtrf = raised treble front
Abbreviations List ©2015  Barbara Summers Hand Knit and Crochet.  All rights reserved.

PATTERN STARTS:

A = SMALL HEART

Rnd 1:  Magic loop, Ch3, 14dc in loop, tighten loop, join with sl st in top of ch3. (14dc)

Rnd 2:  Ch3, pbo in same st, ch2, skip next st [bo in next st, ch2] 3 times, skip next st, [bo, ch3, bo] in next st, ch2, skip next st, [bo in next st, ch2] 3 times, skip next st, pbo in next st, ch3, sl st in same st as pbo, sl st in next st. 

Rnd 3:  Work in BL of every st.  Ch1, sc in next and each st around to half way point, 3sc in 2nd ch of ch3 of heart point, sc in each st to end, join with sl st in both loops of ch1.

Finish, cut yarn and hide ends.

B = MEDIUM HEART

Rnd 1:  Magic loop, Ch3, 16dc in loop, tighten loop, join with sl st in top of ch3. (16dc).

Rnd 2:  Work in BL of every st.  Ch1, sc in BL of same st, *2sc in next st, sc in next st, rep from * to end, ending with 2sc in last st, join with sl st in both loops of ch1.  (24sts)

Rnd 3:  Ch3, pbo in same st, ch2, skip next st, [bo in next st, ch2] 3 times, skip next st, [bo in next st, ch2, skip next st] twice, [bo, ch3, bo] in next st, ch2, skip next st, [bo in next st, ch2, skip next st] twice, [bo in next st, ch2] 3 times, skip next st, pbo in next st, ch3, sl st in same st as pbo, sl st in next st.

Rnd 4:  Work in BL of every st.  Ch1, sc in next and each st around, join with sl st in both loops of ch1.

Finish, cut yarn and hide ends.

C = LARGE HEART

Same as Medium Heart - Work Rnd 1-4, then finish with a Ripple Edge.

Ripple Edge

Rnd 5:  Work in BL of every st.  Ch1, *sl st in next st, ch1, rep from * to end, join with sl st in both loops of ch1.

Finish, cut yarn and hide ends.

ADDING LOOPS

In last round of heart motif, after joining with sl st in both loops of ch1, work relative number of chains to achieve desired length. 

If using DK/8ply yarn:

A = Small Heart:  Ch25 and join with sl st in same st.

B = Medium Heart:  Ch35 and join with sl st in same st.

C = Large Heart:  Ch45 and join with sl st in same st.

If using 3ply or 4ply yarn:

A = Small Heart:  Ch40 and join with sl st in same st.

B = Medium Heart:  Ch50 and join with sl st in same st.

C = Large Heart:  Ch60 and join with sl st into same st.

JOIN TWO HEARTS TOGETHER

Make two hearts of same size - Small, Medium or Large.  Make first heart and omit the last round.  Cut yarn and hide ends.  Make second heart up to the last round stage, DO NOT CUT YARN, face wrong sides of hearts together, and following instructions for last round, join the two hearts working in the BL of each st.  Remember to hide yarn ends of second heart before you join the two hearts.

CONTRAST COLOUR CHANGE

Change to contrast colour in any round, for example:

• Change colour each round.

• Change colour every two rounds

• Change colour for last round only 

BUNTING CHAIN

*Ch4, tr in 4th ch from hook, rep from * to desired length.  Cut yarn and leave a 4in tail to hang the bunting.  Or cut yarn and hide yarn ends and use the loops of the chain to hang the bunting.

Attaching heart motifs to bunting chain:  using the loop on the heart motif, thread from the back to front through bunting loop, pull heart motif through the chain loop and tighten.

BE CREATIVE

PLAY AND HAVE SOME FUN!

YOU ARE WELCOME TO SHARE YOUR CREATIONS 

BELOW IN THE COMMENTS 

OR 

ON MY CROCKNIT FACEBOOK PAGE

Enjoy!

ciao, ciao!

Barbara Summers Hand Knit and Crochet   www.crocknit.com
Copyright (C) 2008 Barbara Summers - All rights reserved.

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