CGOA certificate

Remember the CGOA Master of Advanced Crochet Stitches and Techniques which I passed in December? My certificate came in! Isn't it lovely? :-)

It is framed and will hopefully grace my wall soon. I'm very happy to have taken the course and passed!

Happy crocheting!

link share

Took a few days off. My son was in a motorcycle accident Sunday evening and we spent all night at the hospital in the town where he lives, just over an hour from us. He has a fractured wrist and cuts/abrasions but is alive and doing fine.

It's another link share day. Sometimes I get e-mails from businesses asking me to share links. Often they have nothing to do with crochet or fiber arts so I ignore them. I'm also not too anxious to click on links for places I don't know that I didn't search out myself. I do, however, find lots of links on my own! LOL I do click on links people have in their sig lines and on their Facebook and Ravelry and blogger. So if you want me to find you, add a link wherever you roam on the 'net. Odds are good I'll find it eventually. Here are some that caught my eye recently.

I just read about a scholarship available to knitter's and crocheter's who are in school. Read about the Jimmy Beans for Brains Scholarship. Higher education is so expensive. Every little bit helps!

Nice poncho pattern for when it is chilly but not cold.
http://www.crochetspot.com/crochet-pattern-striped-poncho/

The Bullion Stitch is one I find difficult to master. Here is a tutorial with good tips on how to succeed with this stitch at http://www.crochetspot.com/how-to-crochet-bullion-stitch/

I thought this was interesting. How many ways can you combine ten different yarn colors? http://www.woollythoughts.com/afghans/double.html 

I don't think I've posted these links before. I found them in an old file...

Tunisian knit stitch http://crochet.about.com/od/crochetstitches/ss/tunisian-knit-stitch-tutorial-free-tunisian-crochet-instructions_4.htm

Random stripe generator http://www.kissyourshadow.com/stripe_maker.php

Spring Pastel Scarf Lion Brand. Pattern L0477, another one good for just slightly cool days.

This is an Etsy shop but I thought the hat patterns particularly were so cute. Sun Hat is one I was looking at. Inner Hooker's shop.

I may have posted this one already, but I ran across it again The Spider Hat. I am definitely going to have to do this one soon.

Make your own yarn swift with Tinkertoys. Yes, you can still buy Tinkertoys. Here are a few sets I saw at Amazon.
Tinkertoy Classic Jumbo Set
Tinkertoy Classic Construction Set: Junior Builder
Tinker Toy 200-piece Plastic Construction Set
Tinkertoy Glow in the Dark Construction Set - 225 Pieces
Tinkertoy Classic Mini Set

I could love to have the huge set. I hope they continue to make these as I'd like my grandchildren to enjoy playing with them.

When I was looking for the Tinkertoys I ran across Lincoln Logs. Okay, nothing to do with crochet unless you want to build a little container to hold your yarn but I had to share. LOL

I'm sure I talked about the Magic Square, but it's so clever. Would this make a nice warm blanket for someone in a cold area? Lots of work, I grant you, but warm!

I recently pulled out my Celtic Swan hook. Thought I'd show it to you. This was gifted to me many years ago and I love it. Daughter cleaned it up for me with her special cleaning stuff.

The Daisy square is one I tried some time ago with no success. I think it just wasn't the right time for me. I was too impatient. I'd like to try it again, but need to wait until my obligations are fewer.

I used Kim Guzman's sampler heart pattern to make a scarf or two for Special Olympics (with adjustment in fch to make it 6"). Very nice pattern. Also by Kim Guzman, one of her patterns available for purchase is the Garden Party wrap. I did buy the pattern, but haven't made it yet.

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking for large hooks, very large like Q and S. I found some at The Bag Smith shop. I haven't bought any yet, but I like the idea of wooden hooks.

You might wonder what part of the hook you're actually supposed to use as your "work" area. This site has a color pictorial that shows you just where your yarn should be placed. It's about the middle of the page.  http://crochet.tangleweeds.com/hooks.html

Remember the Polish Star. This pattern was very popular at one time - I'm sure it still is, but I haven't seen posts about it recently. Pattern popularity shifts over time, but good ones always pop back up.

Remember these? Hoods that look like beards. It always cracks me up.

Finally, I found this wonderful pattern collection at The Preemie Project. Consider making one for yourself and one for the charity effort. http://www.thepreemieproject.com/volunteer/patterns


Happy crocheting!

Simple SC Scarf

Simple SC Scarf
©2011 Sandra Petit
http://www.crochetcabana.com

Materials: 1 skein Red Heart Super Saver Turqua, (you will only need an ounce or so of the Turqua), 1 skein Red Heart Super Saver Blue

Size: 6” x 59”

Instructions:
With blue, Ch 22

R1: single crochet  in second chain from hook and in each chain across (21 single crochets)

R2—end: chain 1, turn, single crochet in each single crochet across in the following color sequence:

R1-8: Blue
Measure these first 8 rows. That is what you need to reserve for your last rows if you need your scarf a specific length.

R9-10: Turqua
R11-1: Blue
R13-14: Turqua

R15-210: Blue
For my scarf, this section was about 51”. Add the measurement of your first 8 rows twice, then add this section. If that number is less than you need, work more rows here. Then go on to the finishing pattern.

R211-212: Turqua
R213-214: Blue
R215:216: Turqua
R217-224: Blue

You can add a sc border around if you want to. The width and length will be about a half inch larger if you do that.

Simple DC Scarf

Simple DC scarf
c2011 Sandra Petit
http://www.crochetcabana.com

Materials: H hook, one skein Red Heart Super Saver Turqua (Color A) and Blue (Color B)

Size: 6" x 56"

Abbreviations:
ch—chain
sc—single crochet
dc—double crochet
hk—hook
st—stitch

Instructions:

Ch 21
Row 1: with Blue, dc in 4th ch from hk (I go in back hump), dc in ea ch across, ch 2, turn ( 19 dc)

Row 2: dc in each dc across, change to Turqua in last dc, ch 2, turn.

Row 3-35: with Turqua, dc in each dc across, change to Blue, ch 2, turn. (33 rows of Turqua)

Row 36-68: with Blue, dc in each dc across, change to Turqua, ch 2, turn (33 rows of Blue)

Row 69-101: with Turqua, dc in each dc across, change to Blue, ch 2, turn (33 rows of Turqua)

Row 102-103: with Blue, dc in each dc across

Edging:
Continuing on right side, ch 1, sc in top of last dc made,
Turn work so that length is in front of you. (I personally use a hook one size smaller to work along length) Work 2 sc around each dc post along length to last row (actually first row of your scarf). In last row, work 1 sc, then work corner using one of the options below
Work sc in each st along foundation chain. Work corner.
Along next length continue as first length, working 2 sc around each dc post to last row. In last row work 1 sc. work corner in top of turning chain,
Sc in each st of last row of scarf, in last st work rest of corner (such as  sc, ch 1), join to first sc. Finish off
Sew in any ends remaining.

Corner Options:
A - 3 sc in each corner
B - (sc, ch 1, sc)
C - (sc, ch 2, sc) 
D - (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc)
E - (2 sc, ch 1, 2 sc)
F - (sc, hdc, sc)
G - (sc, ch 1, sc, ch 1, sc)
Variation: Work Turqua as Color A and Blue as Color B.

V stitch scarf

This Special Olympics scarf is another V stitch scarf. Chain 19, work 102 rows, then do a three round border. First and third rounds are sc and round 2 is (V stitch, sk 2) around, working (dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1, dc), in corners

I've added the instructions to the post on Kate's V stitch as it is just an adaptation of that scarf with a wider edging.

Next up, I have a leaflet from the library which has a couple patterns I want to see if I can adapt to a scarf - which is funny because it is a leaflet of scarves. The ones I'm interested in are much wider than I consider a scarf, more like shawls at 15, 16, 18", and there is that pesky 6" requirement for Special Olympics. heh There are some that are close to the right size but those aren't the ones I'm interested in making.

Happy crocheting!