Blitz - filigree choker with matching earrings

This project pattern was for just the choker. I modified a portion of the pattern to make the earrings.

First, a couple of views of the choker.





For the clasp, I stole a dragonfly toggle clasp from my older daughter's jewelry findings stash.



I like it better than the button used in the book's sample.

Before I go on to the earrings, here's the details on the choker.

Pattern: Filigree lace choker
From: Easy Crocheted Accessories: 30+ fun and fashionable projects by Carol Meldrum

Recommended yarn: light-weight yarn (80% viscose, 20% polyester) in gold.
Yarn used: Phildar's Sunset, 65% viscose, 35% polyester.
Hook size recommended: D (3mm)
Hook size used: 2.55mm steel thread crochet hook
Other recommended: medium button for closure
Use: decorative toggle clasp

Changes made: Because of the smaller hook size I used, I lengthened the foundation chain by 1 extra pattern repeat. It still ended up a bit short, and only fits my 13 yr old daughter.

The pattern in the book is made up of a foundation chain and two rows. The first row is a bit weird in that the pattern repeat involves doing a number of sc into the foundation chain, then ch a loop that gets worked into the first of these sc. That loop is then wrapped in sc, with a 5 chain loop in the middle of it, before getting back to the foundation chain, where it's repeated to the end. The second row involved dc with picots into each of the 5 ch loops and triple stitches in between. What I found was that the whole thing looked rather scraggly at the foundation chain, so rather than ending off with a button loop clasp, I worked in a bit of length and crocheted in one end of the toggle clasp, then did a row of sc along the top of the choker. I found this gave the choker more body, and it actually looked more like the sample in the photo. At the end of this extra row of sc, I added the opposite piece of the toggle clasp the same way I did at the other end. I did 2 ch, took the loop of the hook and threaded it through the clasp, put the loop back on the hook, did 2 more ch, then slip stitched back to the body of the choker.

I was happy enough with the results that I decided to work up matching earrings.



The hooks were also from my daughter's stash. ;-)

I made the earrings by chaining 2, then working 24 sc into the second ch from the hook, with a 5 ch loop after every 6 sc. I added the earring hook to one of the 5 ch loops the same way I attached the toggle clasps. For the second round, I did 2 ch, then [1 dc, 1 picot] 3 times into the 5 ch space, added 1 more dc, then repeated for the other two 5 ch loops. Another 2 ch, then I slip stitched into the base of the loop the hook was attached to.

To finish the earrings, I used a sharp needle to weave the first end into the ring, gently pulling it snug so that there were no gaps in between the stitches. For the second yarn end, I wove it into the ring in the opposite direction, so that it wouldn't end up looking lopsided. It still isn't a perfect circle, but that's ok. I'd debated using an actual ring of plastic or metal as a from for the first round of sc. It might have worked out tidier, but they would also have been heavier. These are so light, it's almost as if they're not there.

I think, if I did this again, I'd find a different yarn. This stuff is a pain to work with. *L*

I did finish a new project today - another hat - but I haven't taken photos of it yet. That will be in my next post.

Blitz - Lovely Lid

Here's the next cap I finished on the first day of my crochet blitz.



Pattern: Lovely Lid
Designed by Denise Black

Pattern from: 24 Hour Crochet Projects by Rita Weiss
Yarn recommended: bulky brushed mohair type yarn - Lion Brand Jiffy
Yarn used: Bernat Harmony (bulky) in silk green
Hook: K (6.50mm)

Changes made: just the different yarn; no changes to the pattern.

A little more complex, this pattern is still done in all dc. It starts out with regular dc stitches, then crossed dc, and finally, alternating front and back post dc for the "cuff."

This one took a bit longer - about 2 hours - and is a real hit with the girls. I'm going to have to make more for ourselves. The yarn is wonderfully soft, light and warm. Perfect for those Manitoba winters. It's an acrylic that's washable and dryable in warm water.

Blitz - Biker's "Beret"

For the next while, I'm shooting for crocheting at least one project a day as gifts. I picked up a bunch of pattern books a couple of days ago and did two on that first night. Here's the first one I did.



Biker's "Beret"
designed by Denise Black

Pattern from: 24 Hour Crochet Projects by Rita Weiss
Yarn recommended: worsted weight, Red Heart Super Saver
Yarn used: some easy care worsted weight acrylic in bulk sizes balls from Walmart in purple. The label disappeared after my younger daughter re-balled the yarn, but it might actually be Red Heart. I don't remember.
Hook: I (5.50mm)

Changes made: added an extra row of dc

This pattern is about as simple as they come - just rounds of dc. The original pattern called for 11 rounds of dc, followed by a round of sc. I tried it on before doing the sc round, and it seemed a touch too short, so I added one more round before finishing it off.

Quick to make up - about an hour - and comfortably snug. This cap will be perfect for cooler days, and with the machine wash and dry acrylic, there's no need to be fussy about it.

An item a day blitz

It's been a while since I've posted, but the time hasn't been wasted. I've slowed down on the last two projects I wrote about in favour of a rash of crocheting.

Since we're finally going out to visit our families over the Thanksgiving Weekend (for my readers outside of Canada, that's the second Monday of October), I've decided to make gifts for everyone. That translates into about 20 items. I've got one larger item - a blanket done in chunky yarn and a 9mm hook to work up quickly - about half way done.

For the rest, my goal is to finish a project a day. I've got a stack of pattern books for quick projects I picked up on Wednesday. That night, I worked up two hats. Last night, I made a choker with matching earrings. I'm hoping to get my kids to model them for photos later today so I can start posting them.

Because these are so quick, I won't be posting the step-by-step process in photos, but I will detail where I got the patterns from, any changes made, etc. with each photo.

I may not be able to post a photo every night, but I am shooting to get some up at least every 2 or three days.

Wish me luck! *L*

Crochet - Shimmer skirt

Here is the other large project I have going right now; a long skirt for my younger daughter. The yarn had come out for Christmas last year in Walmart. I had no purpose in mind for it, but I liked the colour and shimmer, so I grabbed a couple of balls. It's Bernat Shimmer, which is very much like the Patons Brilliant (in face, until I hunted out the label to write this, that's what I thought it was, having used it for the balletneck sweater). It's a hand wash only yarn, with a bulk rating of light (3), and it came in 300g balls. It's 69% acrylic and 31% polyester.




I'm making this pattern up as I go along, using the techniques from Mary Jane Hall's, Crochet That Fits. I didn't count the stitches when I made the foundation chain. Instead, I simply held it up to my daughter to measure from her waist to her ankles. The stitch markers frame her hip area, with a sc waist band at the top, hdc at the hips and dc for the body. My original thought was to have a button closure at the waist, but I think it might not actually need it. We shall see. The pattern will be repeated like this for the entire skirt so, like the afghan I'm making for my older daughter, I won't bother taking more photos until the end. I will make it wide enough to fit snugly around the hip area, so that the weight of the skirt is held by the hips, as well as the waist.




This is a close up of the foundation chain, which is one area I did things a bit differently. I worked the first row of stitches into the BACK of the foundation row, leaving the top loops available for later. When it comes time to sew up the seam at the end, this will have the foundation chain looking just like the last row of stitches, so it won't need any extra finishing. If I do end up adding a button closure, this will also give me loops to work into.

Depending on how much yarn I have left with this is done, I might be able to make a matching top, as well.

New project: Crochet - Reminiscence afghan

I've got several new projects on the go right now, all of them crochet. I really need to work on something else, too! *L*

This one, however, is a special request. My older daughter asked me to crochet a blanket for her to use this winter. She needs something for those "in between" nights, when it's too cold for a sheet, but too warm for her comforter, and she didn't like anything she saw in the stores.



We went through so many pattern books at the library, I no longer remember which one this is from! I know I've seen it in Michael's, too, so I'll have to look it up. I'm not finding it in the library any more - it's either checked out, or at a different branch.

The pattern is called Reminiscence. It's done with a H/8 - 5.00mm hook and worsted weight yarn. My daughter chose a Red Heart Comfort Sport in brown, which came in 350g balls.



The pattern for the body is a repeat of one 4 stitch shell. The texture is created by the first two dc stitches done in the 3rd and 4th stitches of the shell below, 1 ch, then the final dc done in 1st stitch of the previous shell group, worked from the front. This requires a bit of digging and twisting to get the hook into the right spot. It's really quite nice, but kind of slow going.

Since the entire body is done like this, I won't bother posting any other photos until I start working on the lace border. I'm looking forward to that part :-D It might take a couple of months before I post about this project again, though. *L*

It's finished!! Crochet - balletneck sweater

Finally, after several interruptions and delays, I got the balletneck sweater finished. You can view the photos for the entire project here, and the step-by-step blog posts here.

Here are the final photos. The sweater is being modelled by my daughter so, aside from the bust area, it's about 3 sizes too large on her.



First, the modified yoke. When I tried it on, before ending off the yarn, it actually rested a bit higher on my shoulders, but not high enough to rub against my neck. The width those extra rows added really balanced it out, too. The only frustration with finishing the yoke was running out of yarn about a dozen stitches before the end of the last round. *L*



A quick look at the side seam, which is a valley row in between the red lines I drew on.



Here, I've marked the extra row and seam joining the lower arm portion to the upper arm portion. On the other arm, this seam is at the back.



And finally, the whole thing. Being so many sizes too large for her, the body is much looser than it would be (though with the ribbed design, it doesn't really look it, does it?), the neck line higher, and the 3/4 sleeves would be slightly farther from her wrists.

The front and back are the same, except for the joining stitch on each round of the yoke. In fact, my daughter put it on backwards at first and we didn't notice until I deliberately went looking for the joins to see how obvious they were. I will probably add some sort of label to mark the back.

In trying it on myself, I found only one odd thing about the sweater. For some reason, the sleeves tend to turn while it's being put on, so that I have to twist them straight again before I put my arm completely through. I'm not sure why it does that.

I think it turned out rather well. :-D I hope my mother likes it. When I give it to her, I'm going to include one of the extra balls of yarn, in case she wants to add something to the cuffs or bottom, or in case repairs are needed at some point.