Tuesday 24 August 2010

Rowan Yarn - Scarf, Hat, Mittens

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It's just amazing how fast a week can pass and how little crocheting I have done, obviously there have been other things on my plate. Needless to say, I am totally over this dreaded URTI which has been hanging around for way too long now, coming on 5 weeks, aargh! OK that's enough moaning, let's be positive and focus on happiness, which means focusing on crochet of course. 

I am so happy with the outcome of my new crochet project - keyhole scarf, mittens and the honeycomb lattice beanie hat. I couldn't decide on a contrast colour and thought I would try something different from what I would normally choose, something like the grey or the berry? but in the end I stuck to my favourite colour purple.


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AND here is the finished product - olive keyhole scarf, a kind of mini basketweave stitch, with a purple trim, and all my own design. I decided on this mini basketweave stitch as I was trying to complement the lattice  hat, and not match it exactly.

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ALSO it took me ages to work out the sizing for the honeycomb lattice beanie, I only had some old shorthand notes for the lattice stitch and trying to decipher my ancient scribbles was a bit more than a minor headache. Anyway, now I have a honeycomb lattice pattern which I can use anywhere. woo hoo!  

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I designed the hat to be quite simple, beanie style, loose fitting, and a simple one row of single crochet in purple to finish, so it matches the scarf.

AND NOW I have just spent the last four (4) days,  designing these fingerless mittens to match the keyhole scarf and honeycomb lattice beanie.

YES it took me a while to figure out how to get the pattern right and how I wanted them to fit.

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Of course that meant loads of trial and error, and loads of crochet and rip, until I manged to get it right, or basically until I was happy with the fit.

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So happy, happy, happy! Late yesterday afternoon finished the first mitten, now going to make the second mitten and write down the pattern.

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AND only God knows when I will actually have this pattern ready for release, so stay tuned. UPDATE - go to end of this blogpost for pattern shops.

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JUST FOR A BIT OF FUN I have just tried using Picasa to compile a video with these photos and I've uploaded it to my Youtube account, so I could embed it here. Enjoy!





SWEETHEART Keyhole Scarf and Mittens Crochet Pattern
is available from my online stores:


Enjoy!
Ciao, ciao!


Copyright © 2008
Barbara Summers Hand Knit and Crochet.
All rights reserved.


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Monday 9 August 2010

Wrist Warmers 2



At long last, my wrist warmers are now finished.


Actually they don't take long to crochet.




I have just been too, too busy for crochet ....







which is just unbelievable...









now must write up the pattern....













Mattress Stitch Seam



Basic "mattress stitch seam" can be used to finish your garments.


Saturday 31 July 2010

Wrist Warmers

 Wrist Warmers ... wrist warmers ... where have you been?
 I've been in the cupboard awaiting the queen....
and now she has risen ...                  
                                       I may finally get done...
                                                                                  soon to be worn by my cold mum.....

Friday 23 July 2010

Travels over!

Travelling and touring with family members from Oz for three weeks has put my crochet and knitting on the back burner...

way back...



feels like the handcrafter in me existed in another life...




so for now...


I am in R E C O V E R Y mode...


from all the touring and sightseeing....

and the warmer weather (stinking hot weather)...

in London, Paris and Cambridge...


which basically did not help our touring days...


and now just able... just slightly able to start contemplating a small crocheting project....

thinking of some mohair wrist warmers maybe....

I know it is summer....

but whilst in Scotland I remembered how much I like the cooler weather...

and how invigorating it is....



and of course....

I have a few odd balls of mohair in varying colours so will start out with a trial pattern ....


have a few ideas just can't seem to decide which one to go for....???

wish me "creative inspiration"...

Saturday 19 June 2010

Final adornments!

I have finally managed to finish embellishing my summer crochet hat and the lime head band .......

needed to leave them be for a while ......

brain ticking away...

decisions, decisions.........

sometimes the creative juices need to brew on the back burner.....







well it's always a challenge creating with what you have in your stash.....



or not even knowing what it's going to be when you start.....


playing around with the idea......

trying something out.....

letting your fingers create as you go...

never knowing where it will end....


and the surprise of the finished product....

I love following where the crochet takes me....

sometimes it flows....
and sometimes it stops abruptly....

but every now and then it just takes over...

stitches come from the heavens....

creation with feeling...

Tuesday 8 June 2010

Summer Cotton Crochet

It must be summer.........

I am crocheting more and more with cotton......

feeling a bit fidgety lately due to an annoying lower back
(I prefer not to talk about it).....

simply put I am unable to sit at all sometimes....

which means sometimes I am so over lying flat on my back....

I insist on sitting even if it's with the aid of anti-inflammatory pill poppin.....

and sometimes just sometimes.... .a girl needs to crochet no matter what..... even if it means standing..... to do it.........

playing with my Patons 100% cotton yarns 4ply and DK .... making up my own patterns....

making myself a summertime DK sleeping hat....
(yes, I sleep in hats)...

and a summertime 4ply sun hat....

of course this is not happening all at the same time...




sleeping hat I made last week....










this week it's the sun hat...


relax ... relax...
I can't even sit at the computer when my back is this bad...

still have a bit to go on my sun hat...

now making the drawstring and then thinking of some adornments....
daisies or something.....????




Thursday 3 June 2010

TODDLER Keyhole Scarf

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TODDLER KEYHOLE SCARF CROCHET PATTERN

Here in the UK and elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere we are going into summer and I could take the opportunity to talk about summer crochet projects, however, I am thinking of my fellow Australians down-under going into winter, so instead I've decided to release my latest crochet pattern TODDLER KEYHOLE SCARF, which is a simple, yet practical scarf for toddlers and children.

It is the perfect solution for your little one. A crochet scarf which stays in place without you having to tie a knot in it. It is safe for your precious little toddler, the scarf is short and neat, with no stray long ends getting trodden on or caught in all kind of places.

PATTERN DETAILS:

DIFFICULTY: Easy
SIZES: One (1) size
MEASUREMENTS: Length 68.5cm (27in); width 10.5cm (4in)
YARN USED: Rowan Belle Organic DK 50% Wool 50% Cotton
YARN SUBSTITUTE: Rowan Wool Cotton or any other similar DK yarn
NOTIONS: 4mm (G-6) hook, Yarn needle

This pattern is written in USA - AMERICAN crochet terms. 

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TODDLER KEYHOLE SCARF CROCHET PATTERN
is available from my online shops

CRAFTSY       RAVELRY

CROCHET SCARVES from TODDLER TO ADULT 

Of course if you would like a bit more of a challenge then you could try this gorgeous RAINBOW Keyhole Scarf pictured below. Make it as colourful as you like, you can use five (5), four (4), three (3) or two (2) colours or make it monochrome. Make more than one scarf and colour coordinate or match your winter coats and jackets.

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MIX AND MATCH CROCHET PATTERNS

Make sure your little toddler is cosy and coordinated in a matching Accessory Set – you can mix and match the Keyhole Scarf with some Mittens and/or a cute Pixie Hat. 

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The simple Baby Mittens are part of crochet pattern Newborn Hat and Mittens SIMPLICITY. The hat and mittens set has been very popular with my customers as a simply elegant Baby Shower Gift, and I always made them using soft Australian cotton from Bendigo Woollen Mills.

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This hat and mittens crochet pattern will give you the basics to creating your own baby hats and mittens using just single crochet. You will find this pattern available from my online shops:

CRAFTSY       RAVELRY


ACCESSORY SET for TODDLER

Here is an example of a matching Accessory Set I made for a customer in Australia. I combined the TODDLER Keyhole Scarf with the SIMPLICITY Mittens and with the PIXIE BABE Hat, which has been the most popular hat for newborns and toddlers. Only takes 3 x 50g balls (MC x 2; CC x 1) to make the set which includes: scarf, mittens and hat.


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PIXIE BABE Hat Crochet Pattern

This simply perfect pixie elf hat crochet pattern also includes instructions for three (3) embellishments: Heart, Flower and Star/Starfish. 
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PIXIE BABE HAT PATTERN is available from my online shops:

 RAVELRY         CRAFTSY




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Thursday 13 May 2010

It's Here - Rowan Belle Organic DK Yarn

Just thought I'd check Rowan again to see if they are listing the new yarn I have been using....
surprise !!
yes it's now listed on their website.... and you can download a colour chart.... woo hoo!

Here is their website:  Rowan Yarns

I feel in love with this yarn as soon as I started crocheting with it.... so soft and a nice warm feel to it....
a blend of 50% organic wool and 50% organic cotton.....

I used it to make a hat, mittens and scarf set for a one year old !

and enjoyed working with the yarn so much made a second set.

See my blog about it....  Baby Scarf Set

Anyway I am very excited we can now all look at the colours available in this new yarn.  It is available in ARAN and DK.

Check your local stockists here:  Rowan stockists

Hope you all try it out and enjoy it as much as I am... still crocheting with it...... think I am addicted..... Doh!