the Art of Crochet

I love the title "The Art of Crochet" but I didn't think of it, Teresa did. And much more importantly that that, Teresa has produced a large amount of tutorials that are available at YouTube so you can see how certain stitches are done.
I need to see how a stitch works to really "get" how it's supposed to be done. I can follow the directions from a book, but without a visual on how the stitch is supposed to look, I have a difficult time figuring it out.
I can't go to everybody's house and share my love of crochet. I wish I could, I think that would be great. And I haven't taught anyone to crochet in a very long time. But if I were to teach anyone, I would hope I would be as clear and concise as Teresa. Check out her tutorials on YouTube, they are great. Even an old dog like me can learn something new from the tutorials.
Here's the address: http://www.youtube.com/show/artofcrochet

Enjoy

FM 11/16/09

Hello. I have finally finished the round afghan and need to take a photo of it. I am also making a lion toy to go with it, it will be all white with a multi-colored mane.
I have the body made, I just need to do the ears, legs and tail.
Today would have been my friend Robin Freed's 55th birthday. I met her thru rubber stamping but we were both interested in fiber. Her interest took the form of quilts. For a quilter, the quilt block is the basic tool they use to make their creations. We crocheters also use motifs to make our creations. So in honor/memory of Robin Freed's 55th, I am posting links to various free motif crochet patterns.



Triple triangle square
http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa120706.htm


Lace motifs - these are great
http://www.mypicot.com/crochet_patterns_quilt_motifs01.html

double heart square
http://www.crochetnmore.com/bonnieschristmasdoublehearts.htm


Teresa's "Art of Crochet" blog has a wonderfully textured knobby granny square
http://crochet-mania.blogspot.com/2009/02/crochet-knobby-granny-square.html


baby bonnet squares
http://crochetroo.blogspot.com/2007/03/bonnet-babies-crochet-square.html



hearts in a row square
http://www.freepatternsdonnascrochetdesigns.com/hearts-row-patches-free-crochet-pattern.html


Northern Lights motif is made in size 10 crochet thread, but I bet it would look great in fingering or lace weight yarn
http://www.karensvariety.com/NEWSLETTER/Patterns/NorthernLights.htm

Concentric circles from Lion Brand
http://cache.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/faq-search.cgi?store=/stores/eyarn&faqKey=335


This is really cute - a retro polka-dot square
http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=86785

torch flower motif
http://pandacrochet.8m.com/torchflower.html

That's it for this week. I hope you enjoy exploring the various motif patterns I have posted. As usual, no payments of any kind have been given to me to post these links. Everybody's too broke for that nonsense;)

_enjoy_

FM July 13, 2009

Hi, again. I must have really been slacking off because it took me until last week to realize I did not post July's "What Day Is It?". Sorry about that, folks. I've been in a bit of a crochet rut, just keep making preemie hats. There's nothing wrong with making preemie hats, but I need to push myself to do something that requires a bit more thinking. Maybe I will finally decide on the baby afghan pattern for the upcoming great nephew. Whatever I decide, I am sure to be shopping my stash for a few reasons - I got a ton of stash but I don't have a ton of money;) (just like everyone else out there, unless maybe Donald Trump reads this blog, which I doubt).
Enough with the silliness, on with the freebies.

I really like this heart afghan. I'm a little sorry I seen it because now I'm thinking "yes, that would be good for the next great nephew" and I already got a few thoughts on what I want to make for him. This one might win based on the requirements. I'll keep you updated.
www.premieryarns.com/patterns.php?id=110

Here's a pattern (with corrections) for pineapple socks. I wonder how they would look in the multicolored sock yarn I currently have in my stash?
http://loveyarn1984.blogspot.com/2009/06/pattern-for-pineapple-socks.html


I generally use a sponge, but they get smelly _quick_. And I do have a few knitted dishclothes from exchanges but they seem too pretty to use. Maybe I'd feel different if I made my own. Plus it would be quick and relatively easy to break me out of the preemie hat rut.....
http://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ss/Openwork_Dishcloth_Pattern.htm?nl=1


I thought this was pretty cool, but it sort of reminded me of a giant scrubby pad. See photo 3 for a crochet wire chair.
http://www.shelterpop.com/2009/07/06/the-best-of-2009-student-design/


Berroco is having a contest using their sock yarns. And you don't have to make socks to enter, you can try something different with your sock yarn stash. For example, a crocheted dodecahedron
http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/celestine_crochet/celestine_crochet.html


I know June has passed and that is a popular month for weddings. But people get married other months. Here's a pattern for a crocheted garter.
http://froggedknits.blogspot.com/2008/06/stephanies-crocheted-wedding-garter.html


This is pretty cool - a spiral afghan.
http://www.caron.com/projects/op/op_spirals_throw.html



For smaller kids than mine are (my "baby" will be 28 this week) here's a counting fish toy (you may have seen it in the craft stores as a freebie).
http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Projects/BabyChild/LW1593+Crochet+Counting+Fish+Toy.htm


Again, a tutorial on ripple crochet from Teresa "Learn to Crochet". She does amazing tutorials.
http://crochet-mania.blogspot.com/2009/07/ripple-crochet-playlist.html

That's all I got for today. Nope, no kickbacks from anybody to mention their sites or products - who has that kind of money;)

_enjoy_

FM June 29, 2009

It's been hot and humid, but what else can you expect from Baltimore in the summer? I had some plans to work on some crochet, it just didn't pan out. You know how life is, sometimes a few days attack you at once;)

I thought this was weird - and no, it's _not_ Lady Linoleum's crocheted eyeball
http://www.instructables.com/id/Crocheted-Eyeball/

here's a crochet class being given online by Planet June at Crochetville. I don't know if there's a chanrge but I'm sure it's worth checking out if you can.
http://www.planetjune.com/blog/crochet-class-african-violets/

I know in this section of the country, it's too warm to wear a hat. But Olivia's butterfly hat is great, check out the pattern.
http://vallieskids.blogspot.com/2009/06/olivias-butterfly.html


And since we're looking at hats, how about a baby hat?
http://chickenstitches.blogspot.com/2009/05/baby-in-bloom-hat.html

I thought this flower motif square was pretty cool.
http://craftybegonia.blogspot.com/2009/06/flowerful-crochet-motif-and-sumer-shell.html

And this one is a majestic flower motif by Teresa
http://crochet-mania.blogspot.com/2009/06/majestic-crochet-flower-motif-bullion.html

Noreen Crone-Findlay discusses clutter
http://www.blisstree.com/hankeringforyarn/surrendering-to-the-joys-of-studio-clutter/

Here's a pattern for a Granny's attic afghan
http://www.crochetmagazine.com/newsletters/pages/TCNL2009_patt1.html

Here's Mr/Ms chubby bunny really cute
http://zoriami.blogspot.com/2008/07/first-free-pattern.html

Yeah, it is too warm to wear a scarf, I agree. But it's a crochet ice cream cone scarf
http://cats-rockin-crochet.blogspot.com/2008/04/crochet-ice-cream-cone-scarf.html

This seems unbelievable to me, but apparently there is a pattern for a hat for a cat. I thought it was for a pattern of a hat that looks like a cat. if you make this, I hope you have a very tolerant cat or very good health insurance
http://www.wikihow.com/Crochet-a-Cat-Hat

As usual, no special consideration is received for the mention of any of these sites. The local emergency rooms would probably prefer I don't mention the cat hat site, but your cat might be more co-operative than mine.
By the way, Happy Canada Day as well as Happy 4th of July!
_enjoy_

FM April 20, 2009

It has been very nice this weekend, though it might rain tomorrow. But I'll be at work, so presumably I won't see too much of it. Physical therapy is going fine, my right ankle feels more mobile. Even though I generally don't like to have my feet touched, I do enjoy the foot massage;)

I got the issue of "Apronology" at A.C. Moore. Very interesting and it has two aprons that use crochet - one uses parts of a doily. If you like aprons, you might want to pick this up. (Be warned - it's $15 so you might want to use a coupon in it).
Here's the free crochet patterns for this Monday:


This is a flower afghan from "Talking Crochet"
http://www.crochet-world.com/newsletters/talkingcrochet/pages/TCNL1709_patt2.html

I'm currently working on a baby afghan for a friend's daughter. But since I will be a great aut again sometime in August or September, I might choose this motif for a baby afghan from SmoothFox
http://smoothfoxlover.blogspot.com/2008/11/foxs-baby-flower-motif-free-pattern.html


I thought this was great - instructions on how to use the motifs you have collected
http://crochet.craftgossip.com/more-motifs/2009/04/17/


This is a great idea idea if you have some old cds (or the clear plastic ones that you get when you buy the burnable cds) - a cd drawstring bag
http://www.jpfun.com/patterns/free/bags/f125001cddrawstringbag.pdf

This is quite lovely and good for my end of the world's (sort of) spring weather - a crocheted cardigan from Berroco
http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/aruna/aruna.html

I thought this was really cool - crocheted pinwheel sweater
http://www.elann.com/ShowFreePattern.asp?Id=351024

This is so neat - it's a crocheted cat afghan tutorial by Teresa Richardson, "Art of Crochet"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG5dt2dPYsY

And another great pattern from Teresa Richardson "Art of Crochet" - a bingo bag. I would think you could use it as a craft bag, too.
http://crochet-mania.blogspot.com/2009/04/crochet-bingo-bag-or-craft-bag.html


How about a rose pin (or magnet)
http://www.crochetmemories.com/archive/barbsfreepattern.html
from Crochet Corner
http://www.crochetmemories.com/newsletters/newsletter.html


This is really sweet - a flower pincushion from "Suzy's Stuff"
http://suzies-yarnie-stuff.blogspot.com/2007/03/flower-mini-pincushion.html

That's it for this week, folks, As usual, no econimic incentives were given for the sites listed here.
_enjoy_

FM April 13, 2009

Sorry, folks, work has been eating up my time and I didn't even crochet _1_ thing last week. Hard to believe, but it's true. Not even a preemie hat. So today's list is short and hopefully I'll get caught up (at work and on life) next week.....

I have always been fascinated by the crocheted mitered square and here's a tutorial on it:
http://www.innerchildcrochet.com/resources/how_to_design/mitered_square.html

Once again, "Art of Crochet"'s Teresa Richardson has a wonderful tutorial - this one on the "trinity stitch"
http://www.howcast.com/videos/45868-Trinity-Stitch-Crochet?ref=as

I realize not everybody has a use for a "Hello Kitty" crocheted bag but for those of you who do, here's a cool pattern:
http://mamacatbluequilts.blogspot.com/2009/04/crochet-hello-kitty-bag.html

If you're just starting to learn crochet or you need a refresher, here's 3 tips for crochet
http://www.ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Crochet---3-Essential-Crochet-Tips&id=2158489

I always think that crocheted dishclothes are "too pretty to use". This pattenr's no exception to my belief, but here it is anyway.
http://www.calledblessed.com/2009/04/crochet-dishcloth.html

That's it for this week. I didn't receive bribes, kickbacks, chocolate, jelly beans or anything else in exchange for posting these sites. I just thought they were cool.

_enjoy_