Merino Wool all the way!

I love merino wool and my latest favourite has to be James C. Brett

Pure Merino DK (update: which now goes by the name JW Pure Merino, the JW stands for Jenny Watson).  Check out the website here.

Luxuriously delicate to the touch and incredibly soft yarn made from 100% Merino Wool and available in a range of colours (18 approx). 

I've used this JW pure merino wool to make baby hats and mittens, adult hats, headbands, neck warmers and mittens, and I love how super soft it feels, without the scratchy feeling usually associated with natural wool yarns. simply I love, love, love it!

AND I have yet to find any other yarn similar, so if any one out there knows of a beautifully super soft pure merino, please let me know I would love to compare them.

JW Pure Merino Crochet Projects

I decided to make a silly pair of mittens which I have called "LOOPY" because of the loops within the pattern and of course a matching headband/neckwarmer.

I first designed the mittens in late 2011, all in one colour, as you can see in photo below.

and then left the pattern sitting on the back burner because I just wasn't sure about them. Luckily last year I was playing around with my stash of odd balls of yarn and decided to make the mittens again but this time using two colours. 

and what a surprise, they looked so much better with the two colour combination than with one, I much prefer the two colour combination and now I have ideas for all kinds of other stuff using this LOOPY design, just need to have the time to crochet them up. 

LOOPY Crochet Mittens AND Headband/Neckwarmer 

pattern is available from my online shops

Ravelry          Craftsy  

Enjoy every moment,

focus on every stitch,

create a masterpiece....

---ooOoo---

Enjoy!

ciao, ciao!

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

Crochet Designs - Mittens and Headbands

Mittens and Headbands

As autumn comes around we start thinking of mittens and scarves, hats and headbands. So here is a little pattern I worked on, oh some time ago, and only now have managed to write up the pattern. It is one of the most time consuming parts of pattern designing and not much fun for me. I really have to be strict with myself to get it all together, I would much rather be crocheting instead or better yet out in the countryside enjoying nature and taking photos.

When I first made these mittens I was thinking of a quick and simple pattern for mittens, which can be made from cotton for those days or evenings when a little warmth on your hands is all you need and it doesn't have to be full-blown woollen warmth, although you can easily use this pattern to make yourself a lovely pair of mittens and headband using a lovely pure merino wool yarn.

My love of Bendigo Woollen Mills

I just love the yarns from Bendigo Woollen Mills in Australia, my favourite has to be their 8ply and 4ply pure cotton. These cotton yarns are just so soft and come in nice big balls of 200g. Just perfect for large projects and helps you eliminate continually having to hide yarn ends.

OK that's enough said about the cotton yarn, they also carry a good range of other yarns. It is well-worth visiting their website, even with shipping costs their prices are quite reasonable.

DO check the lovely BWM yarns HERE   and see for yourself.

PATTERN DETAILS:

Simply perfect Fingerless Mittens and Mobius Headband with a ribbed and textured pattern. Trimmed with a simple contrast at cuff edge and palm edge.

Crochet in the round, no seams to sew. Wear the mittens on either hand. Pattern is the same for both left and right mittens.

Mobius Headband is worked in the round, tapered width at back and complimented with a simple contrast edge.

Size: Ladies M/L = medium to large.  Hints for adjusting size are included with pattern instructions.

Basic Stitches: single, double, front/back post double crochet

Yarn: Bendigo Cotton 8ply

Yarn substitutes: Rowan Belle Organic DK, James C. Brett Pure Merino DK or any other similar yarn

Hook:  3.5mm or 4mm

Terminology: USA American crochet terms

LILAC Crochet Mittens and Headband PATTERN 

is available from my online shops:

Ravelry      Etsy      Craftsy

WHERE you can shop at your leisure in your favourite shopping destination

Enjoy!

ciao, ciao!

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

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Just Clone Me!

I want to be cloned

Why isn't there another me? Another Barbara who can spend all the time she likes on the laptop keying in crochet patterns, sorting through photos, tagging everything (and I mean tagging EVERYTHING) and just getting everything organised?

I would like to spend my day exploring new crochet ideas, crocheting, playing with a variety of yarns, creating at my leisure, and jotting down pattern notes, which could be deciphered and turned into written patterns by the other me.  Where is this other me? 

CROCHET PROJECTS

Some days I look around and I have a stash of projects all finished and a notebook full of my scribbles and notes, and no inclination at all to sit down at the laptop and key it all in - I need help, I prefer to play with my crochet hook, not sit at the keyboard recording the steps!

PREVIEW of PATTERNS

Anyway here is a little snippet of some crochet patterns I am working on and when the urge to sit at the laptop for a few hours to write out the patterns occurs, they will be available for purchase and few will be FREE.

1. SEASIDE Crochet Doily and Coasters

This crochet doily and coasters set will be a great addition to my festive table come Christmas. I love the blues with the green, however, I may try making a set in a range of festive-type colours such as - yellow, pomegranate, fuschia and green. Wow it's only August and I am already thinking of Christmas!

PATTERN DETAILS:

Simple crochet doily and coasters pattern, colours of the sea, you can make them as colourful and festive as you like.

Two simple coaster patterns – both same size, but with a variation to number of rows worked and the stitch sequence. For that eclectic look!

YARN: Patons 100% Cotton DK

HOOK: 4.5mm

MEASUREMENTS:  Doily 11.5ins (29cms) diameter; Coasters 4.25ins (11cms) diameter 

I just love the amazing colour range Patons has available in this DK cotton yarn.  A good substitute yarn is Wendy Supreme Luxury Cotton DK.

FREE CROCHET PATTERNS  SEASIDE Doily and Coasters Crochet Patterns are available from my online stores RAVELRY and CRAFTSY

2. Crochet Mobius (Neckwarmer) and Mittens

Basically my thoughts have been focused on Christmas and the cold weather mainly because this summer has been lacking in warmth, just a wee bit. I am already thinking mittens and neckwarmers and doing a bit of work on my crochet MAN stuff, like crochet mobius for men with matching mittens. What do you think?

Unfortunately for this little project the yarn I used was a left-over from last winter and definitely a yarn I would not recommend, it's by Sirdar called Tweedie Chunky 40% Wool, 15% Alpaca and 45% Acrylic (I think it has been discontinued). I don't like the texture when it's crocheted - the feel is just too r-u-b-b-e-r-y, yep that's right rubbery. Why do they even bother making this awful stuff?

Anyway I made the mobius and one mitten and I hate it so much I have binned it, yeah it's that bad, honesty I couldn't even bring myself to feel comfortable giving it to a charity shop!

THERE IS NO PATTERN for this disaster!  I totally gave up trying to make it in another yarn, I was so put off by the texture and feel of this yarn. C'est la vie!

3. Chunky Mobius for THE MAN

Here is my favourite mobius pattern for men SHADOW named after the yarn I used.  It's a really nice chunky yarn Patons Shadow Tweed 56% Wool 40% Acrylic 4% Viscose. It's not exactly my favourite all natural fibre yarn, but my darling suffers with wool itchiness, no matter how it comes, merino wool, cashmere, or alpaca, you name it, he finds it itchy! go figure! So this is a nice bearable, non-itchy yarn for him to wear.  For substitute yarns check out this website: YARNSUB

SHADOW Crochet Mobius is a great Christmas gift, it can be made with only one skein (using 7mm hook) and Patons has a nice assortment of colours available in this yarn.  UPDATE: now discontinued check with YARNSUB website for substitute yarns.

I am seriously thinking about making a few more of these as quick gifts for Christmas, however even though it is only 56% wool it is still HAND WASH only, which can be an issue for some. 

SHADOW Mobius for Men Crochet Pattern is available from my online stores:  RAVELRY         CRAFTSY         ETSY

MORE CREATIVE IDEAS

There will also be a simple pattern coming soon of how to make a mobius headband with some basic shaping involved. I have made it with cotton yarn and before I release the new pattern want to also make it with wool. So it's something you will have to wait and see when I next post my blog. HERE IS A SNEAK PEAK PHOTO.

Well that's all for now, I am busy crocheting myself another sleeping beanie, oh yeah!

Ciao Ciao!

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Spring Fever!

Blossom time

Spring is here and the blossoms are popping out all over, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, snowdrops, pansys, cherry blossoms. I am so excited!

I love getting out and seeing what is about to blossom next, just love this time of year.

Celebration Time

So to celebrate spring and the promise of new beginnings, I came up with this little crochet pattern last night.

A sweet little daisy headband, just perfect for your cutie pie or for yourself.

DAISY Crochet Headband Pattern 

Pattern is available from my online stores - 

CRAFTSY         ETSY         RAVELRY 

Enjoy!
Ciao, ciao!

Copyright © 2008

Barbara Summers Hand Knit and Crochet.

All rights reserved.

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