I just finished reading the 9th book in Betty Hechtman's crochet mystery series. I read it in two days. I always read her books quickly as they are so well written and interesting. If you enjoy crochet (and you must if you're here!) and you enjoy mysteries, you will certainly enjoy these books.
Here is a list of the books in the Crochet Mystery series:
Book 1: Hooked on Murder
Book 2: Dead Men Don't Crochet
Book 3: By Hook or by Crook
Book 4: A Stitch in Crime
Book 5: You Better Knot Die
Book 6: Behind the Seams
Book 7: If Hooks Could Kill
Book 8: For Better or Worsted
Book 9: Knot Guilty
Be forewarned. Although the books can be read out of order, you will find it much more enjoyable to read them in order as the personal journey of our heroine sometimes ends in a cliffhanger. I can't wait for Book #10.
(I was not asked to write a review of this book. I just chose to include it as I enjoy these so much.)
Each book also contains at least one, and usually more than one, pattern.You can see a sample and find out which book they are in here. In Knot Guilty, which is fresh in my mind since I finished it moments ago, the group has a crochet booth at a primarily knitting fair. Of course there's a murder too. I found it a little out there that the ladies could teach folks who had never done any crocheting before to crochet a small granny square pin, with beads, using a size 3 crochet hook, in the space of a few minutes. The Stash Buster Wrap made more sense for a crochet class as it uses only alternating rows of single crochet and double crochet. A good first project. That did not deter from my enjoyment of the story, however, and what do I know. Maybe they are just a lot better at teaching than I am. LOL
The books generally have recipes also. I really can't remember much about that as I'm not a cook but the bookstore where Molly Pink works offers treats as well as books and yarn products. :-)
Betty Hechtman has other books besides these but the Molly Pink stories are my favorites. You can find her books at Amazon.
As to my own crochet, I'm still working on the Doctor Who scarves. When I am finished with the body, I'll have tons of tails to sew in. Then I will add fringe which some call tassels but really they are fringe. heh Tassels are different.
Happy crocheting!
Sandie
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Friday, March 6, 2015
hat
Remember I said that I got a new camera. I am still learning to work it. I am fairly good on "auto". LOL Anyway, I decided I wanted to try the extra lens so I took off the lens that was on the camera. As it happened, I was clueless as to how to replace that lens or put on the other one. Today, I finally got the original one back on. So I took a picture. LOL
I wore this hat yesterday and was quite pleased with it.
I didn't intend to make a hat for myself. Someone posted a link to hats on my Facebook page and I went over to look at them and decided to make one. I saw this Panama hat that looked good so I followed the video that was posted (in Russian but the video is very clear).
As it turned out, the first rows of the pattern were just regular increase rounds for a basic hat. The pattern started to vary after that for the "mesh" like rows.
Of course, I veered off from there because I didn't want the rim and my hat was also getting pretty long by this time and I have a small head. So here's what I did.
I worked the increase rounds to 72 stitches. (12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72). Then I alternated V stitch and small bobble rounds 3 times (made as in the video). I then worked 3 rounds of single crochet and finished with a pretty edging of (sc, ch 3, sc) in same stitch, sk 2 and repeat. My head is about 20 1/2" and this hat fit me perfectly.
I used an I hook and Vanna's Choice cranberry yarn.
Added note: This designer has another pattern on her blog called Panama but it is not the same one as the one I followed. It's pretty though so I'm going to include the link here.
Happy crocheting!
Sandie
I wore this hat yesterday and was quite pleased with it.
I didn't intend to make a hat for myself. Someone posted a link to hats on my Facebook page and I went over to look at them and decided to make one. I saw this Panama hat that looked good so I followed the video that was posted (in Russian but the video is very clear).
As it turned out, the first rows of the pattern were just regular increase rounds for a basic hat. The pattern started to vary after that for the "mesh" like rows.
Of course, I veered off from there because I didn't want the rim and my hat was also getting pretty long by this time and I have a small head. So here's what I did.
I worked the increase rounds to 72 stitches. (12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72). Then I alternated V stitch and small bobble rounds 3 times (made as in the video). I then worked 3 rounds of single crochet and finished with a pretty edging of (sc, ch 3, sc) in same stitch, sk 2 and repeat. My head is about 20 1/2" and this hat fit me perfectly.
I used an I hook and Vanna's Choice cranberry yarn.
Added note: This designer has another pattern on her blog called Panama but it is not the same one as the one I followed. It's pretty though so I'm going to include the link here.
Happy crocheting!
Sandie
Monday, March 2, 2015
dw scarf
I'm still alive. heh I am using the excuse that I got a new camera and am not proficient in its use, not that I'll ever be!
Anyway, I took a few photos of recent projects and hope they will show up okay.
Here are some prayer cloths I completed.
And here is a hat that I made during the January challenge at Crochet Crowd on Facebook. The ends are supposed to turn up and a button put on but that never happened.
I started it with one skein of yarn (even though the instructions clearly said two) and had to get another skein to finish it. Then I needed to get buttons, which I did, but I never put them on. I know. I'm just pathetic. Or lazy. Or both. I don't often do challenges because of just this reason. I am lazy. LOL
The yarn is Vanna's Choice Cranberry. I only had a couple rounds left so I am using the rest to attempt another hat. LOL
Currently, I am working on a requested Doctor Who Season 12 scarf. It's mindless work, single crochet rows. I just have to keep track of how many rows per color in the correct order. I am using a G hook.
I am using Stylecraft Special DK Copper, Camel, Khaki and Burgundy, Knit Picks Brava Sport Cobblestone Heather and Brindle; and Bonus DK Extra Value 0766 pumpkin (it's goldish). The grey is actually not supposed to be heather but it is the closest to the non-heathered grey I have used in the past.
You can find the Who patterns at Crochet Cabana or at my Gallifreyan Crochetin Weebly Who site. Patterns based on Gene Fender's patterns at doctorwhoscarf.com (used with permission).
Happy crocheting!
Sandie
Anyway, I took a few photos of recent projects and hope they will show up okay.
Here are some prayer cloths I completed.
And here is a hat that I made during the January challenge at Crochet Crowd on Facebook. The ends are supposed to turn up and a button put on but that never happened.
I started it with one skein of yarn (even though the instructions clearly said two) and had to get another skein to finish it. Then I needed to get buttons, which I did, but I never put them on. I know. I'm just pathetic. Or lazy. Or both. I don't often do challenges because of just this reason. I am lazy. LOL
The yarn is Vanna's Choice Cranberry. I only had a couple rounds left so I am using the rest to attempt another hat. LOL
Currently, I am working on a requested Doctor Who Season 12 scarf. It's mindless work, single crochet rows. I just have to keep track of how many rows per color in the correct order. I am using a G hook.
I am using Stylecraft Special DK Copper, Camel, Khaki and Burgundy, Knit Picks Brava Sport Cobblestone Heather and Brindle; and Bonus DK Extra Value 0766 pumpkin (it's goldish). The grey is actually not supposed to be heather but it is the closest to the non-heathered grey I have used in the past.
You can find the Who patterns at Crochet Cabana or at my Gallifreyan Crochetin Weebly Who site. Patterns based on Gene Fender's patterns at doctorwhoscarf.com (used with permission).
Happy crocheting!
Sandie
Thursday, January 29, 2015
scarves
The past week I've been working on scarves from the yarn I got last weekend.
The first was made with Bernat Blanket Taupe super bulky yarn - 10.5 oz skein. Because it looked like such a huge ball I thought I'd be safe to make it wide. I was incorrect. LOL It is 10 1/2" wide but I ran out of yarn at 54". Because of the type of yarn it is, a chenille like yarn, it is not advisable to rip it back.
If I did another with this yarn, I would make it less wide, maybe 6" and get the intended length. I could get another ball to increase the length, of course, but there is the dye lot factor. I could buy another skein and find it doesn't match what I've already done. Then I would also have part of a skein which would not be enough for another scarf. *sigh* Newbie mistake. This yarn was not cheap as well. I just can't justify it in my mind. Perhaps it will do for a young boy.
It is quite warm, like a blanket as the yarn says. I can double it over and wrap it around my neck and be quite cozy. It is also soft, rated a 10 out of 12 on the Knitting Warehouse softness scale.
Being a super bulky (#6) yarn, it requires a large hook. The label says L. I used one of my Henry hooks and they are not labeled, but I believe it was an M. Although it wasn't difficult to make, I couldn't work on this scarf for too long in one sitting as the motion hurts my hands after a while. I ordinarily use a pencil hold but when working with large or long hooks and thick yarn I use the knife hold. The pattern is straight dc. I usually border my scarves but because of lack of yarn, did not do so on either of these.
The next scarf was made with Loops & Threads Charisma Charcoal yarn. In the first picture it looks blueish but it is not. The second picture is more true to color. Different lighting.
It's a bulky (#5) acrylic yarn. Suggested hook for this yarn was also an L.I used an L. The finished size is 7 1/2" x 70". I bought 3 3.5 oz skeins. According to my postal scale, I had 1.4 ozs left.
I just made up the pattern. I started with 10 rows of dc, then went to 20 rows of sc and alternated that, ending with the dc rows. There are 5 sections of dc and 4 of sc.
Next up on my hooks, soldier hats.
Happy crocheting!
Sandie
The first was made with Bernat Blanket Taupe super bulky yarn - 10.5 oz skein. Because it looked like such a huge ball I thought I'd be safe to make it wide. I was incorrect. LOL It is 10 1/2" wide but I ran out of yarn at 54". Because of the type of yarn it is, a chenille like yarn, it is not advisable to rip it back.
If I did another with this yarn, I would make it less wide, maybe 6" and get the intended length. I could get another ball to increase the length, of course, but there is the dye lot factor. I could buy another skein and find it doesn't match what I've already done. Then I would also have part of a skein which would not be enough for another scarf. *sigh* Newbie mistake. This yarn was not cheap as well. I just can't justify it in my mind. Perhaps it will do for a young boy.
It is quite warm, like a blanket as the yarn says. I can double it over and wrap it around my neck and be quite cozy. It is also soft, rated a 10 out of 12 on the Knitting Warehouse softness scale.
Being a super bulky (#6) yarn, it requires a large hook. The label says L. I used one of my Henry hooks and they are not labeled, but I believe it was an M. Although it wasn't difficult to make, I couldn't work on this scarf for too long in one sitting as the motion hurts my hands after a while. I ordinarily use a pencil hold but when working with large or long hooks and thick yarn I use the knife hold. The pattern is straight dc. I usually border my scarves but because of lack of yarn, did not do so on either of these.
The next scarf was made with Loops & Threads Charisma Charcoal yarn. In the first picture it looks blueish but it is not. The second picture is more true to color. Different lighting.
It's a bulky (#5) acrylic yarn. Suggested hook for this yarn was also an L.I used an L. The finished size is 7 1/2" x 70". I bought 3 3.5 oz skeins. According to my postal scale, I had 1.4 ozs left.
I just made up the pattern. I started with 10 rows of dc, then went to 20 rows of sc and alternated that, ending with the dc rows. There are 5 sections of dc and 4 of sc.
Next up on my hooks, soldier hats.
Happy crocheting!
Sandie
Monday, January 26, 2015
Filet cross shawl
The Filet Cross shawl pattern is up at Crochet Cabana on the shawl pattern page. I made a second one and a friend tested the pattern. She said she enjoyed it and it went quickly. Yay!
Once you get going on a pattern and see how it goes, experienced crocheters just move along and don't pay close attention to instructions. I am guilty as charged! LOL I miss things just because I know how it goes. I put extra notes on this pattern because it is a little tricky to get those repeats, but you will see as you go what comes next. After all, it has to look like a cross, eh?
Both shawls I made are exactly the same. Same pattern, same yarn (Vanna's Choice Colonial Blue). I used an I hook and approximately 4 skeins of yarn (14 ozs). After I made the first one, I started with the leftover yarn and ran out. I had to rip the tiny one I had made with the puff stitches to finish this one. I'm pretty sure I had purchased 8 skeins. So I made two scarves from the yarn I had purchased with a little left over. If you want to be absolutely sure I'd get 5.
The finished size is approx 15" x 65".
.jpg)
I may work on the pattern for a puff stitch one, but I'm not too keen on the slow moving single crochet so something of this length. LOL I also don't have multiple skeins in the same color yarn so I'll have to fiddle with that. We'll see where it goes. :-)
Hope 2015 is being good to all of you!
Happy crocheting!
Sandie
Once you get going on a pattern and see how it goes, experienced crocheters just move along and don't pay close attention to instructions. I am guilty as charged! LOL I miss things just because I know how it goes. I put extra notes on this pattern because it is a little tricky to get those repeats, but you will see as you go what comes next. After all, it has to look like a cross, eh?
Both shawls I made are exactly the same. Same pattern, same yarn (Vanna's Choice Colonial Blue). I used an I hook and approximately 4 skeins of yarn (14 ozs). After I made the first one, I started with the leftover yarn and ran out. I had to rip the tiny one I had made with the puff stitches to finish this one. I'm pretty sure I had purchased 8 skeins. So I made two scarves from the yarn I had purchased with a little left over. If you want to be absolutely sure I'd get 5.
The finished size is approx 15" x 65".
Hope 2015 is being good to all of you!
Happy crocheting!
Sandie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
