Straight Forward Shawl

Simple, fast, squishy & beautiful.

Perfect make for those moments you feel stuck. Works up fast and if your kid doesn't drive you mad adding colours on the go (those obviously resulting in yarn-ends for weaving session later) .. i should have just picked some self striping yarn :D and I would have - for her shawl - after I had tested and made one for myself :D (how come I still haven't learned that with tinies around you better not plan too far :D) if she hadn't snatched my yellow scarf and declared it hers! but she did and i rather like her colour choices :)
At the end i crocheted it together to form a cowl so she would have an simple and warm solution not a headache for everyone involved .. she is still just 4 you know :P

Lovely CAL: part 10

That last pompom ...

one tiny thing and a rainbow of emotions .. but for most part joy that Sam will get her blanket finally :)

Have you ever finished project and felt like "why so soon" .. even tough it took me half a year I love these hearts so much I want to make more ... ♡

Secret - I will :D I've already started two more heart blankets - one you've already seen on part 2 (aka, that other kind of joining).. and the other one is even more of a secret than that - so shh :P

Here is frontside and backside all in one picture :) just because ..

Flower Nr. 212

Mini CAL over on instagram, so I'm sharing all of this on the third day when full flower pattern is released :)

Flower Nr. 209

Here comes my double whirl flower ..

Abbreviations used (US terms):
Col - colour :)
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
bphdc - back post half double crochet
dc - double crochet
fpdc - front post double crochet
bpdc - back post double crochet
tr - treble crochet
bptr - back post treble crochet
sl st - slip stitch
ch sp - chain space
If not stated otherwise first stitch of the row is a standing one.

Pattern:

Round 1: Col A.
Magic ring, ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1). * dc in magic ring, ch * Repeat from * to * 6 more times. Sl st in top of first dc.
Fasten off. Don't tighten magic ring.
(8 ch, 8 dc)

Round 2: Col B.
* 2 dc in previous rows dc. Tr in magic ring. *
Repeat from * to * 7 more times. Sl st in first dc. Fasten off. 
(16 dc, 8tr)

LovelyCAL: part 9

Lets make this blanket even more lovely and add a POM POM border!!!
I'll take the same white yarn I used for joining and will border with it.

(there are quite a few videos, but i prefer written word and pictures myself so check out Robin's tutorial if you wish to know where I learned it 😉 )

SO

Abbreviations used (US terms):
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
4 dc cluster - four double crochet cluster (each and every one of clusters will start with ch2 that will count as the first of four dc's)

ch sp - chain space
Flying ch - chain in the beginning of border, unattached to blanket ;)

NOTE: we will be working in ch sp & over dc's (that at this point of our work look quite the same as ch sp) and I will just call them all ch sp.

Starfish flower granny square :)

GRANNY SQUARE DAY is here! yay!!!

this year I wanted to celebrate with new granny square pattern :)

celebrate with me & make one yourself ;)

This time I've made be step-by-step pics, just to show you how easy it actually is :)

Flower Nr. 186

The BIG one !

Abbreviations used (US terms):
Col - colour :)
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
long sc - long single crochet (made over 2 rows)
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
bpdc2tog - back post double crochet two together
sl st - slip stitch
ch sp - chain space
Flying ch - chain in the beginning of round, unattached to previous round ;) 

If not stated otherwise, make first st of the round a standing one.

Big flower pattern:

Round 1: Col A. Magic ring, ch 3 (counts as dc). 15 dc in magic ring. Sl st in top of first dc. Fasten off.
(16 dc)

Round 2: Col B.
* 2dc in next st * repeat from * to * 15 more times. Sl st in first dc. Fasten off.
(32 dc)

Round 3: Col C. (Worked in between 2 dc's of 2nd round that form V)
Flying *ch, 2 dc in next st in middle of V * repeat from * to * 15 more times. Sl st in first ch. Fasten off.
(16 ch, 32 dc)

Flower Nr. 193

really similar to starfish flower ;)

but looks so different ...

Abbreviations used (US terms): Col - colour :)
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
fpdc - front post double crochet
bpdc - back post double crochet
htr - half treble crochet
tr - treble crochet
sl st - slip stitch
ch sp - chain space
Flying ch - chain in the beginning of round, unattached to previous round ;)

Flower pattern:
Round 1: Col A. Magic ring, ch 4 (counts as tr). 19 tr in magic ring. Sl st in top of first tr. Fasten off.
(20 tr)

Round 2: Col B. Flying *ch 1, fpdc, bpdc around next st* repeat from * to * 9 more times. Sl st in first ch.
(10 ch, 10 fpdc, 10 bpdc)

Round 3: continue col B. Sl st in next st. Ch 1 (counts as first sc). Hdc in next st. Dc, htr, tr in next ch sp. Ch 1, 4 sc over tr we just made.
* Sc in next st (fpdc from previous round). Hdc in next st. Dc, htr, tr in next ch sp. Ch 1, 4 sc over tr we just made. *
Repeat from * to * 8 more times. Sl st in first sc. Fasten off.
(50 sc, 10 hdc, 10 dc, 10 htr, 10 tr)

Happy crafting!

Flower Nr. 191

Flower nr. 191 from #365daysofcrochetflowers is my Starfish flower :)

Abbreviations used (US terms): Col - colour :)
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
fpdc - front post double crochet
bpdc - back post double crochet
htr - half treble crochet
tr - treble crochet
hdtr - half double treble crochet
dtr - double treble crochet
sl st - slip stitch
ch sp - chain space
Flying ch - chain in the beginning of round, unattached to previous round ;)

Starfish pattern:

Round 1: Col A. Magic ring, ch 4 (counts as tr). 19 tr in magic ring. Sl st in top of first tr. Fasten off.
(20 tr)

Round 2: Col B. Flying *ch 1, fpdc, bpdc around next st* repeat from * to * 9 more times. Sl st in first ch.
(10 ch, 10 fpdc, 10 bpdc)

Round 3: continue col B. Sl st in next st. Ch 1 (counts as first sc). Hdc in next st. Dc, htr in next ch sp. Tr, hdtr, dtr in next st. Ch 2, 8 dc over dtr we just made.
* Skip st & ch space. Sc in next st (fpdc from previous round). Hdc in next st. Dc, htr in next ch sp. Tr, hdtr, dtr in next st. Ch 2, 8 dc over dtr we just made. *
Repeat from * to * 3 more times. Sl st in first sc. Fasten off.
(5 sc, 5 hdc, 45 dc, 5 htr, 5 tr, 5 hdtr, 5 dtr)

Happy crafting ;)

LovelyCAL: part 8

let's keep on joining! ;)

we started and joined first 2 rows on part 6, look at that again if you would like to refresh your memory on how we did things (and how we will keep on doing things) ..

Now we will join further and I'll share some more tips for jayg:

• 13-17 are mostly about joining tiny wave line, aka heart tops ;)
• 18-19 are all about joining big wave line, aka heart bottoms :D

So few more steps to show & make it easier to understand how continuous join as you go works for the hearts:

12. is just a reminder of basic things..
We are always copying last row of the heart we are currently working around (or heart part, not the last row of the pattern but actual row of the heart), only difference - instead of dc we will be making bpdc (back post double crochet) and when joining to other heart instead of ch we will be making sl st or sc.

sl st when joining

sc when turning away

simple ch when working new side

LovelyCAL: part 7

I've revised the colouring page & made the layout I think I will actually stick with ..

Yes, yes - I know i'm missing the top corners - but I'll probably make them during the night and will add when joining last row .. because it is rather hard to keep THE layout on the floor and not get it destroyed by the tinyone :D (and yes - I will put all the hearts on long knitting needles to keep them in right order. I start at bottom right corner, so first row of parthearts are taken from right to left side. all the other rows will get added starting from LEFT to RIGHT side ;) )

Flower Nr. 161

Whirl ;)

I'm tight crocheter using DK weight yarn and size 4 hook.

Abbrevations used (US terms):
Col - colour :)
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
sl st - slip stitch
st - stitch
bl - back loop
fl - front loop
Flying ch - chain in the beginning of round, unattached to previous round ;)

Flower pattern:

Flower Nr. 153

or as I call it - Mini Mandala ..
although each and every flower me or anyone else has ever crocheted is mini mandala :)

I'm tight crocheter using DK weight yarn and size 4 hook.

Abbrevations used (US terms):
Col - colour :)
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
long sc - long single crochet (worked over stitches of 2 previous rows)
dc - double crochet
dc2tog - double crochet 2 together (forms a cluster)
fpsc - front post single crochet
fptr - front post triple crochet
bphdc - back post half double crochet
sl st - slip stitch
ch sp - chain space
sp - space (for this flower space between dc's)
popcorn - 5 double crochet popcorn stitch
flying ch - chain in the beginning of round, unattached to previous round ;)

Mini mandala pattern:

Flower Nr.151

or as I call it Lovely 5 petal flower ...

i ought to rename this one :D

LovelyCAL: part 6

This post was supposed to be all about the arrangement .. but now after rereading all I've written in a spur of a moment I must say there is way more about joining than arrangement .. well i suppose i will keep talking about joining and arrangement in next post too .. but read further yourself & I hope this will be a useful one 😉 

So here it comes ...

The perfect arrangement is hard to come by even if you don't have such a cute little helper 😜

.. and crazy ideas are bobbling in your own head ..
these two next pictures will show you other joining possibilities that would work, only for those I haven't made half-parts, so i would advise you not to pick any of these :P even tough they do look very inviting ..

Flower Nr.146

Or as I call it - clusterdrivenflower :)

I'm tight crocheter using DK weight yarn and size 4 hook.

Abbrevations used (US terms):

Col - colour :)

ch - chain

hdc - half double crochet

dc - double crochet

fphdc - front post half double crochet

fphtr - front post half triple crochet

fptr - front post triple crochet

hdtr - half double treble crochet

dc2tog - double crochet 2 together (form a cluster)

dc3tog - double crochet 3 together (form a cluster)

tr3tog - triple crochet 3 together (form a cluster)

sl st - slip stitch

ch sp - chain space

Pattern for clusterdrivenflower:

Flower Nr.145

Or as I like to call it "daisy in the middle" :)

I'm tight crocheter using DK weight yarn and size 4 hook.

Abbrevations used (US terms):

Col - colour :)

ch - chain

sc - single crochet

dc - double crochet

tr - triple crochet

hdtr - half double treble crochet

2sc cluster - 2 single crochet cluster

sl st - slip stitch

ch sp - chain space

sp - space (for this flower space between dc's)

picot - ch 3, sl st in first ch

Pattern for daisy in the middle:

Flower Nr. 144

Another tiny one :)

cute and really simple to make .. 

I'm tight crocheter using DK weight yarn and size 4 hook.

Abbrevations used (US terms):
Col - colour :)
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
dc - double crochet
3dc cluster - 3 double crochet cluster
sl st - slip stitch
st - stitch

Flower pattern:

Round 1: Col A, magic ring, ch 4 (counts as dc and ch), *dc in magic ring, ch* repeat from * to * 6 more times. Sl st in first dc. Fasten off.
(7 ch, 7 dc)

Round 2: Col B, sc in any dc.
*Ch 2, 3dc cluster in ch sp, ch 2, sc in next st* repeat from * to * 5 more times. Ch 2, 3dc cluster in ch sp, ch 2, sl st in first sc made. Fasten off.
(28 ch, 7 sc, 7 3dc cluster)

Happy crafting!

flower Nr. 138

Flower n.138 for the collective endeavor #365daysofcrochetflowers is mine :)

Abbrevations used (US terms):
Col - colour :)
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
htr - half triple crochet (yarn over hook twice, insert hook in said st, yarn through 2 loops, yarn through 3loops.)
tr - triple crochet

sl st - slip stitch
picot - ch 3, sl st in first ch
st - stitch
sp - space (in 4th round all stitches are worked in between stitches of previous round) 

bl - back loop
bp dc - back post double crochet

LovelyCAL: part 5

Stop. Think! Listen ...

Have you heard that saying: Each day spend an hour in nature, if you are really really busy - two.

Yesterday I was running around like a squirrel and going crazy because I couldn't figure out few things I was suppesed to (I'll just skip the boring details) .. got mad, ate waaaay too much chocolate and then I dropped everything and just stopped. Plain stopped for almoust 24 hours, forced myself to enjoy downtime and at the end I did :) and after - miracle happened - in about half an hour of productiveness I figured out all of those things that bugged me before! (now I just have to do them :D but the crazy part is over)

So - weave in ends and enjoy it! It is good for you to have some down time! and weaving ends is really good downtime, that still counts as crafting 😜 And if you get to do it outside it should be real nice - that's where the magic happens - it was for me because I live in that part of the world that has spring now..

Tulip

aka, flower nr.126

Abbrevations used (US terms):
Col - colour :)
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
htr - half triple crochet (yarn over hook twice, insert hook in said st, yarn through 2 loops, yarn through 3loops.)
tr - triple crochet
sl st - slip stitch
picot - ch 3, sl st in first ch
st - stitch
bl - back loop

Tiny flower

aka - flower nr.121 :)

it is cute, tiny and works up fast .. try out!

Abbrevations used (US terms): Col - colour :)
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
sl st - slip stitch
st - stitch

Round 1: Col A, magic ring, ch 2 (counts as hdc), 9 hdc in magic ring. Sl st in first hdc. Fasten off.
(10 hdc)

Round 2: Join col B in any hdc. *Ch 4, sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch. Skip one st from previous round, sl st in next. Fold petal to front, sl st in skipped st.* (One petal made, nine more to go) Repeat from * to * 9 more times.
(10 petals: 40 ch, 10 sc, 10 hdc, 10 dc, 20 sl st)

Btw, second row (aka - petals) are worked 2 steps forward one back on first round..

-->

Happy crafting!
p.s. I'm tight crocheter using DK weight yarn and size 4 hook.

LovelyCAL: part 4

Previous post was all about heart parts to smoothen side edges of the blanket. Now we'll smoothen up top and bottom edge as well.

so close to finishing now - it's exciting!!!

flower 104 ❀

YAY!!!

now I'm officially part of the flower power :)

#365daysofcrochetflowers originally started up by amazing Emily (instagram, blog) and now keeps going on the power of comunnity @thecrochethookup :)

This one is mine :)

Simple and sweet ❀

Have you made one of these gorgeous flowers? all these patterns are free and there are SO many gorgeous flowers out there ! trust me ;) and make some - even if you only make them for your 4yearolddoughter so she can play and loose most of them in an instant :D

LovelyCAL: part 3

This post will be all about the heart parts :)
And might help those that struggled understand some of instructions for the heart in the first post, because if there were next to no pictures of granny heart - here will be way too many pictures of all the parts :D

But before we begin with the instructions and oh so many photos.
just to brag somewhere :D
I've made all the greenish hearts! not saying how far I am overall because I just don't want to count them atm, and I'm waiting for you to catch up ;P
judging by the fact that I planned to make 4 hearts a week ... at this point I should have made just 20 .. I even have more in this greenish picture, but no worries - I must be faster than you, because I have to figure out how to write up the fancy joining part waaay before you get that far ;)

Ok, ok - let's get to part hearts ;)

If you've made 10 hearts already you definitely know pattern by heart - so this part heart thing is here to add some spice in the mix ;D try out part hearts to test your temper :P

just kidding - should be real simple - knowing I've photographed almost each stitch I've made :)

LovelyCAL: part 2

Two weeks later and i've fallen head over heels with these hearts! ❤
I made it to the store once more and just grabbed all the colours that had the right thickness and reminded me of spring or I plain liked the shade ... then I obviously HAD to make heart of each and every one of them to test if I had picked the right thickness and if the colours play well together - fun, fun, fun! :)

So far I have 11 colours I like and 2 I find mismatching ..
knowing me - all colours most probably will find the right place when it's time to arrange them :D

This no doubt should have been mentioned in introduction .. but better late than never ..

• one heart measures 16x12 cm
• weights 7g (might be usefull for stashbusters ;) )
• I'm using DK weight yarn (started by the yellow RedHeart Lisa yarn just to find out NONE of the yarnstores in my hometown have it in their stock, doh) & 4mm hook :)
• it takes me 12 min 49 sec to make one ❤ ( this might not be relevant but I just had to time myself :D ) 

At this point i have 22 out of 51 hearts (if my blanket ends up as big as I've sketched it in the colouring page). I should have had just 12, but I got overexcited about the new colors :D
How far you have got?
Share some pics so I can rejoice in your hearts too ;) (in comments here or over at instagram using tag #LovelyCAL )

Btw, maybe you have noticed that these hearts can be joined as you make them, as simple as you would join a granny squares or hexagons ... and as I had three green shades that did not fit in thickness wise I'll show you few photos of how to do that ;)

But even if you are not interested in join as you go scroll ahead till the end where I show you sneak peak of how I have planned to join my hearts using continuous join as you go ;) 

C2C ScrappyRug

ou yess - it is finished! and being loved - already on the floor :D
kids can be soooooo cute when they want to ...

Sim & Oli

aaaannndddd
the part you all have been waiting for - how did i join my artsy squares?
simple and efective - pretty much same c2c just in straight lines, using sc to atach my squares to the filling and frame I made...

LovelyCAL: introduction ❤

*CAL - Crochet ALong
Lovely because of all the hearts we're going to make ❤

why today?
because I've been thinking of hosting a CAL forever ... and about these hearts since I saw amazing warmheartedquilt by Jodi (talesofcloth.com) about a month ago ... ❤

Warmheartedquilt by Jodi

& I heard that today is first day of spring and I've been making these yellow hearts for a while and daydreaming about them when instead of crochet hook my tinybaby occupies my arms ..
I tend to overthink things but as part of my personal change (if interested more about that see almost daily pics @underthechandeleir) I learn to trust life, my gut & take a chance more often :)

I've had some color block lately and can't find the right colors for my future projects i've lined up in my head :D so I hope this will give me a looong needed push in the right direction.

Lets test me and you too! and start by making one yellow heart ;)
at this point no step by step pictures (my overthinking brain screams and bites, but I'll keep it at bay for now and share what i've done so far), but just try it out - real simple!

(two month's later - I've caved and added step-by-step pictures :D )

Alfabēts!!!

Tiešitā! šoreiz šeit rakstīšu latviski :) 

Nu ir beidzot gan alfabēts ar visiem x un y ko pati izmantošu visbiežāk savā instagramā, gan tīri latviskais ar šķž ar ko varēs paspēlēties mani lielie bērni..

Nekas jau nemainās, burtiņi tie paši, aprakstus uz latviešu valodu netulkošu, bet turpini lasīt un izveido arī tu pāris garumzīmes un mīkstinājuma zīmes ;)

A Ā B C Č D E Ē F G Ģ H I Ī J K Ķ

L Ļ M N Ņ O P R S Š T U Ū V Z Ž

Alphabet :)

O, yes! it is finally here!
Full English alphabet from my letters :)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Letter of the week: X and Y

First in mind comes chromosomes and then about a nanosecond later algebra :D
how about you?

Aaaaaand these are the last letters to complete alphabet! woooohoooo! full alphabet with links to all the letters coming soon ;)

1st part (aka, pattern for slash :D ):
Row 1: Ch4, sc on second ch from hook, hdc in next st, dc in next st. Turn.
Row 2: Ch 2, on same (and next) st dc2tog, dc. Turn.
Repeat second row 10 times.
Row 13: Ch 2, dc&hdc tog (dc in same st hdc in next), sc.

Fasten off.

(part 1 consists of 13 rows)

Letter of the week: K

lets just get to it - you start with an I ;)

Letter of the week: Q

Q
quick quiet queue ...
I'm currenly in library - beeing so productive - loving that it is sooooooo quiet here - something I cant get at home pretty much never :D and there is light everywhere and those books .. all those lovely books ... i am quite temped to forget everything on my queue and just read, read, read .. but most likely I'll just take some home with me ...

To keep the productiveness flowing I will stop rambling abuout my 3 hours of freedom and start telling you about Q
Pattern for Q is pretty much the same as for O .. only this one comes with a tail (you'll make it in a 2nd row, and that is the only row that has been chaged).

Letter of the week: B

Beautiful Big Bright Blanket :)
just because all the beez :P

& Here is a throwback to remind myself and all of you how, when and why I started with my obsession with letters :)
I am always amazed how the idea of something grows into something else .. and how fast time flies by ..

So a pattern for letter B

Scrappy heart block ;)

Let's start the new year with lots of love!
and make one heart block together - scrappy or not it's your choice ;)

Before we get to the pattern it's time to choose yarns. I will talk about this as if you were making a scrappy one too :) so pick your yarn-balls!