Another one bites the dust

I read somewhere that "Annie's Hooked on Crochet" would be stopped. I didn't want to post anything until I had an answer from their customer service of how it was going to be handled. Here's the answer, I just got it today:

"Thank you for your email. After many years of publication, we have ceased publication of Annie's Hooked on Crochet. We have merged all existing subscription with Crochet World."
Lisa, customer service

I don't know which issue this is supposed to start with but from the sound of it, it will be shortly. I'm sorry to see another crochet magazine go. Actually, it would be _2_ magazines since "Annie's Favorite Crochet" merged with "Hooked on Crochet". *sigh* I already subscribe to "Crochet World" so I know my subscription will be extended.

I have contacted "Crochet Fantasy" again and they are supposed to give me a call back. So far, no call back. I'll have to keep trying.

FM 3/31/08

People used to laugh at me when I told them I met my beloved thru an ad in the local free weekly paper. But now with Match.Com and E-Harmony, it really doesn't seem that strange. Here's a man that posted his description online. He's interested in cocaine, crystal meth and _crochet_. As far as I know, "crochet" isn't slang for any particular drug. And no, there's no pattern attached, but it's a hoot to read.
http://dating.guardian.co.uk/s/view/304211/?ILC-SOUL&link=Front_slot_rightnav&section=theobserver


I took the easy way out and found a site that has a lot of different patterns (crochet as well as knit) for bunnies and lambs. Yes, Easter is over, but bunnies and lambs are always popular.
http://www.diylife.com/2008/03/21/easter-bunnies-and-spring-lambs-to-knit-and-crochet-part-ii/

I made a pair of baby booties for each of my two sons. I measured the gauge carefully and produced a very nice white pair of booties for each. But even checking the guage didn't help me because both sons had big feet. Of course, they couldn't wear the booties and I ended up giving them away. But if you have a baby to crochet for that has more baby size feet, this site will come in handy. http://fairythreads.com/?p=840

This is a really cute pattern for a small crocheted airplane. You could make it to go with the baby booties: http://www.innerchildcrochet.com/patterns/mini_stuffed_airplane.html

This is a very nice pattern for a preemie cap.
http://www.youcanmakethis.com/info/free/Crochet-Preemie-Windowpane-Skull-Cap.htm


Again with the baby theme, here's a pattern for a "crocheted diaper basket".
http://chickpeastudio.typepad.com/chickpea_sewing_studio/2008/02/the-little-croc.html

Need a cool crocheted dishcloth or you could make a hot pad with this pattern from the Peaches and Creme people: http://elmore-pisgah.com/ladder_stitch_crocheted_dishcloth.htm


Remember the pantsuits for women trend quite a few years ago? Most were not particularly flattering. This isn't a free pattern, but you still have to see it to check out how far pantsuits have come. And if you can manage to work up a blazer like this for your own wardrobe, you'd save about $1, 800.00 and have some major bragging rights.
Jean Paul Gaultier- Crochet Inset Blazer

You know the usual - no kickbacks for me.
_enjoy_

Today's offering - a log cabin square

This was something I worked up for my "senior beacon"* or pen pal as my beloved calls her, Ida Mae. She turned 100 and they had a party for her. We attended, but I forgot to take this with me. (Probably on purpose). I was inspired by the article in "Piecework" about quilts and it featured a knitted design.
She has made and still makes quilts for all the residents in her nursing home. She makes those little over the walker handle bags, too, at her volunteer activities. I had visited her before and there was a display of quilts in the large community room and she talked about quilting and how much she liked it.
So I decided I'd make a log cabin square. I used #3 perle cotton and a C hook. (The #3 is thicker than the #5.) You need the first square color, plus 3 skeins of 4 different colorways (light, medium color and dark for contrast). I used yellow, purple, blue and green.
So here's how I did it. I chained 6, skipped the first chain, single crocheted in the next five chains. row 2, turn, chain 1 , single crochet in each of the 5 single crochets. Repeat this row 3 times, giving you a total of 5 rows (you can change this up any way you like) . Break off and leave a long tail.
Turn your square on its side. Attach your #1 colorway with a slip stitch to the corner. Using your #1 colorway, evenly single crochet 5 single crochets on the side, repeat for a total of 5 rows. Break off, leave a long tail.
Turn your square on its side.Attach your #2 colorway with a slip stitch to the corner. Using your #2 colorway, evenly crochet 10 single crochets on that edge. Repeat for a total of 5 rows. Break off, leaving a long tail.
Turn your square on its side.Attach your #3 colorway with a slip stitch to the corner. Using your #3 colorway, evenly crochet 10 single crochets on that edge. Repeat for a total of 5 rows. Break off, leaving a long tail.
Turn your square on its side. Attach your #4 colorway with a slip stitch to the corner. Using your #4 colorway, evenly crochet 15 single crochets on that edge. Repeat for a total of 5 rows. Break off, leaving a long tail.

Second "round" of square

Turn your square on its side. Chain 6 with your #1 colorway. Skip 1 chain, single crochet in each of the chain 5. Single crochet in each on the 10 single crochets (total of 15 single crochets). Chain 1, turn, single crochet in each of the 15 single crochets. Repeat this second row twice, for a total of 5 rows. Break off, leave a long tail.
Turn your square on its side.Attach your #2 colorway with a slip stitch to the corner. Using your #2 colorway, evenly crochet 10 single crochets on that edge. Repeat for a total of 5 rows. Break off, leaving a long tail.
Turn your square on its side.Attach your #3 colorway with a slip stitch to the corner. Using your #3 colorway, evenly crochet 10 single crochets on that edge. Repeat for a total of 5 rows. Break off, leaving a long tail.
Turn your square on its side. Attach your #4 colorway with a slip stitch to the corner. Using your #4 colorway, evenly crochet 15 single crochets on that edge. Repeat for a total of 5 rows. Break off, leaving a long tail. Weave in all the long tails.
_enjoy_

*"senior beacon" is a person that the nursing home assigns to another person, like me. I'm supposed to send a card via snail mail at least once a month - and I do.

FM 3/24/08

If you want to try crocheting with beads, this site has a cool beaded crochet bag.
http://promotions.drgnetwork.com/newsletters/talkingcrochet/pages/TCNL1608_patt1.html

In Chicago, the crocheters decided to do something slightly differnet than make hats and mittens - they decided to "artistically litter" the area, with, of course crochet on the trees.
http://www.neatorama.com/index.php?s=crochet+graffiti&Submit=Go

It's not too late to enter this contest. I really can't think of a heart design I haven't seen someone else do (and better, I might add) but hopefully you have more imagination than I do. Good luck!
http://www.crochettoday.com/pdfs/heartcontest.pdf

These are some Japanese crochet patterns. I don't know Japanese but my sons and my beloved know the language. But you can probably suss it out by the diagrams.
http://www.rakuten.co.jp/gosyo/437212/870755/

I have often though of running a bakery, with vintage crocheted potholders hung up as a kind of decoration. I haven't made a business plan or found a location, but I _can_ make these cool potholders.
http://tipnut.com/more-vintage-crochet-potholder-patterns-free-download/

Not free patterns, but a fashion show and some inspiration for you:
http://www.saralytle.com/

These are _book_ thongs, folks, not people thongs. Although what you do with them after you make them is entirely up to you. Check out the owl and fish _book_ thongs.
http://yarnigras.blogspot.com/2008/03/little-hoot-bookthong.html

Not a free pattern, but an interesting story of how crochet leads to higher education:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/auckland/4447039a6497.html

It's sad but true - sometimes you don't get along with your crochet hook. It might split the yarn or decide to get lost at a crucial point in crocheting. Or you might be using it for something you shouldn't have been doing (killing the squeaker box on an annoying toy - Boye steel hook #7, I'm talking about _you_)) and the tip breaks off. Here's another use for it:
http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Mar212008/sesame2008032058519.asp

I love sunflowers. I was especially disappointed last year that _no_ sunflowers grew in my yard. That's unusual for me because we usually have at least 5 growing tall (and sometimes more). This lapghan has the bright colors of sunflowers:
http://debscrafts55.blogspot.com/2008/03/sunflower-lap-ghan.html

This is a filet teddy bear square. It's pretty cool looking:
http://crochetpatternsonly.blogspot.com/2005_09_05_archive.html

This is the birds and the bees of crocheting;) When a "mommy yarn" and a "daddy yarn"... no, it's really a cute pattern for crocheted birds and bees:
http://kristieskids.weebly.com/patterns2.html


There was a pattern for a shawl called "Seraphina" (I'm not quite sure where it was originally published, to be truthful). Apparently, the pattern needed to be teaked and here it is, a seraphina shawl adaptation:
http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/donisfuff/croshawl.html

Wonder about shelling out the cash for the ergonomic hooks? Here's a great review of the Provo brand of ergonomic crochet hooks:
http://crochet.craftgossip.com/hook-review-provo-ergonomic-hooks/2008/03/13/

Did I mention this Spider-Man afghan before? If I did. sorry, I just happened to remember it again. If not, well, hooray for me;)
http://www.angelfire.com/tx5/angelcrafts/patterns/spidermanroundrippleafghan.html


As usual, I receive no kickbacks from any site I have mentioned. I'd take them, but nobody's offering;)
Enjoy

FM 3/17/08

You have to remember that I worked as a volunteer for a little over a year at ther National Aquarium in Baltimore to hunderstand my obsession with a hyperbolic crochet reef project:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/arts/design/04crochet.html?_r=1&ref=environment&oref=slogin

This site has a lot of answers to your crochet questions and can direct you where to find tutorials on various techniques:
http://www.crochet911.com/home.html

Carolyn Christmas' website, free as well as pay patterns. These are terrific:
http://www.gourmetcrochet.com/

I was looking for a frog pattern and I came across this particular gem - a tree frog pattern. If you got a frog lover in your life, here you go:
http://littlegreen.typepad.com/romansock/tutorial-tree-frog.html

Want to learn more about fair use? Check out this website
http://hookandi.blogspot.com/2008/03/fair-use.html

It's not quite clear to me what counterfeit crochet is, but this certainly_sounds_ interesting:
http://stephaniesyjuco.wordpress.com/2008/03/10/wanted-counterfeiters-for-live-bootlegging-event-328/


This is a cool thing to crochet with sock yarn (or any other yarn for that matter). I can't quite explain what it is except a sort of pointy ball thing:
Click here: Berroco® Free Pattern | Celestine Crochet

If you need comfort or somebody you know needs some comfort, check out Noreen Crone-Findlay's bear pattern. Who couldn't use some comfort?
http://www.hankeringforyarn.com/crocheted-comfort-bear-by-noreen-crone-findlayc

Do you remember the Leggs pantyhose that came in an egg? I do. Here's some free patterns that use the egg - or you could just use some stuffing.
http://www.sarahanns.com/crochetworks/cwhome.html

Easter is almost here and the stores are filled with yummy chocolate. But if you want to give your waist (or hips) a break, this site has a zero calorie "Cadbury Creme Egg".
http://mama24boyz.blogspot.com/

I have never worked with lace weight yarn, but this shawl pattern makes me want to buy some and test the pattern.
http://milobo.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/evas-shawl-pattern/


Have you ever crocheted socks? Or a Christmas stocking? How about a crochet (and knit) sock contest? Read the rules and regulations here and_good_ luck_!
http://thinkoutsidethesox.com/SOX/Categories_Text.html


This is a really cool idea - wildlife rescue nests.
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/nest.html

I'm a fool for pansies and this afghan is lovely:
http://www.purplekittyyarns.com/crochet-afghan-patternsie.html


This is a really cool looking square.
http://www.heartmadeblessings.org/patterns/BobbysSquare.asp

And this isn't free and it's only marginally about crochet but here it is:
http://www.petitiononline.com/1234lulu/petition.html
This is a petition to get Vickie Howell and "Knitty Gritty" back for another season. I think M's Howell is a terrific hostess and I do watch "Knitty Gritty" every chance I get. I don't knit, but I like to see the techniques because they do translate to crochet and I like the guests as well as M's Howell. So if you want to sign the petition, that's the site for it.

Before I sign off for this post, I'd like to thank all of you who have sent condolences to me regarding the death of my grandmother. It really means a lot to me.

FM 3/10/08

It's a short one today. My grandmother died today & I'm just not entirely with it....

When I was a little girl, we had old Easter baskets. The okdest had the largest and so on down the line. They did not look anything like the current (cheesy looking - at least to me) baskets.
If you want to make a memorable Easter basket, start with this pattern.
http://crochetroo.blogspot.com/2007/03/rustic-easter-basket.html

Need a quick flower for your Easter bonnet or to use as a boutieniere - here's a cool pattern:
http://www.moonarts.com/blog/free_patterns/pages/crochet-flower-print.htm

I love the way pansies look. This is a pattern for a crochet pansy. (it looks like a pansy to me)
http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/carley%20flowers.html

Ready for a new contest? Check this one out for creating a flower:
http://crochet.craftgossip.com/time-for-a-spring-fling-a-new-contest/2008/02/28/

I'm not really a "tunic" kind of person - most look uncomfortable. However, this one is gorgeous. Created by Vashi Braha for Caron, it uses the Shadow yarn to great effect:
http://www.caron.com/projects/shadows/sss2_baroque_tunic.html

Until next week (I might be here, don't know how I'll be doing since she gets buried on Saint Patrick"s Day) _enjoy_

FM 3/3/08

If you have crocheted for any length of time, you know the patterns of Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss. Here is their new website:
http://www.creativepartnersllc.com/Free_Patterns.html

March is National Crochet Month and this blogger has some great ideas for it:
http://www.shadetreearts.com/crochetblog/?p=299

I've only sold in 1 craft show and that was a very long time ago. My sister keeps trying to convince me to try again, but I don't know - the timing never seems to be right. But this is a blog definitely worth reading if you're interedted in doing craft shows:
http://crochetcoalition.blogspot.com/2008_02_24_archive.ht

You've got that sweatshirt you were going to paint, but the paints are all dried up and you really don't want to invest more money in fabric paint. I hear you. So check this pattern out:
http://crochet.craftgossip.com/sweatshirt-cardigan-crochet-embellished/2008/02/17/

I thought this was totally cool. a Betty Boop pot holder. My youngest sister is a Betty Boop fan.
http://www.craftown.com/crochet/baz1.htm


Here's an Irish crochet pattern for a shamrock. You could make a pin with it.
http://crochet-patterns-techniques.suite101.com/article.cfm/irish_crochet_shamrock


Just learning how to crochet or need a little help? Here's a site for you:
http://tipnut.com/learn-how-to-crochet-free-resource-guide/

Tetris is my favorite video game. I started what I called a "Tetris blanket" but ended up making the run of the mill granny afghan with my pieces. But I still have more granny squares, so this looks pretty cool to me.
http://crochetalong.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/tetris-granny-square-blanket/

Easter is March 23 this year - you might want to crochet the Easter eggs for the hunt just in case the hunt is called on account of snow. You definitely don't want hard boiled eggs sitting in your yard for a few weeks.
http://knittingcrochet.suite101.com/article.cfm/easter_egg_crochet_pattern

Here's a cool belt pattern for those of you who want to emphasize your waistline;)
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/crochet_belts

This is a great blog that deals with probably the most ignored stitch in crochet, the slip stitch.
http://ayarnifiedlife.blogspot.com/2008/02/slip-stitch-crochet-tips.html

You can read a Stephen Kingish type story and learn how to crochet an axe at this webstie.
http://theanticraft.com/archive/imbolc08/splitter.htm

This is a crochet along that should be perfect for lots of people, including me - "Small Crochet", where it's okay to make those little toys:
http://crochetalong.wordpress.com/2008/03/01/welcome-to-small-crochet/

As usual, no kickbacks. _enjoy_