Showing posts with label crochet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crochet. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

The Cozy Crocheting Season

This fabulous afghan is not my work. I will explain momentarily!


The cozy autumn season is finally coming upon us! I know we have many hot days yet to come, but the wonderfully cool nights are making up for the hot days.

It's a good thing, because someone recommended Ivory soap for leg cramps. I tried sleeping with the soap, but it kept getting lost in the bed. Not to be beaten by a bit of soap, Sunday I took an Ace bandage and wrapped two bars of soap around my leg. I wore jogging pants with elastic bottoms, lest the soap should try to take a stroll. Then I put on a floppy black skirt in hopes that no one would notice. :o) It is helping!

I haven't felt much like physical labor (you know, cleaning, ironing, dusting, etc. Ahem.....), so I have been surfing the internet for fun fall projects. I fell across this "Circle in a Square" afghan at
http://www.posy.typepad.com/posy/2009/09/the-4th-try.html

Her instructions are quite good and the afghan is lovely. (You will love her blog, too!) I will post a picture as soon as I have a chance to go to Chattanooga to get some yarn. It's a simple 'make while you watch TV' project. Just my cup of tea!

Have a fabulous day!
Ruth Ann
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Vintage Vine Border Instructions



This border is formed of circles in tatting and crochet leaves, which are joined together by rows of crochet work; a narrow border in tatting forms the lower edge. Omitting this edge, the border forms a strip of insertion. You will need to be skilled in both crochet and tatting to complete this project.

Steps

1. Begin each of the rosettes or circles in the centre. Work first 2 double stitch, 1 purl, repeat 9 times, join the stitch into a circle.
2. Work at a small distance a smaller ring. This should consist of 3 double, 5 purl, divided each by 2 double stitches, 4 double.
3. Draw the cotton through the purl of the first circle. Repeat 8 times more, only each following circle must be fastened on to a purl of the preceding circle after 3 double stitches. Having completed each circle, the thread must be drawn through the purl of the first circle, which forms the centre of the rosette.
4. Knot the beginning and the end of the thread together.
5. Create the border. For the tatted border, make at short distances 1 loop with 5 double, 1 purl, 5 double. After having worked a sufficient number of such loops, wind another thread round the thread between the loops, turning always 1 loop on the right side and 1 on the left.
6. Begin the crochet part with the leaves. Make for each of these a foundation chain of 12 stitches, crochet back over this chain 2 double in the last stitch but one, 1 double in the next stitch, 1 treble in each of the following 7 chain, 2 treble in the next stitch, 2 treble, 1 long treble, and 2 treble in the next following stitch of the foundation chain.
7. Work on the other side of the chain the same pattern, only the reverse way. Then 3 double in the point of the leaf thus formed.
8. Edge the whole leaf with a round of double stitches. Always work 2 double in each stitch of the preceding row, and 3 in the long treble stitch. In working this last round, the circles must be joined to the leaves by taking up the purl stitch of the circle before casting off the corresponding double stitch of the leaf.
9. Work the stem. This joins the 2 rows of circles and leaves with a row of chain stitches, on which a row of double is worked.
10. Create the border which forms the upper edge. Make a row of chain stitches, joining leaves and circles together. Then work 3 rows of treble, work 3 more rows over the tatted border:

* First row: entirely in chain stitches. After every fourth stitch take up the purl of the loops on one side.
* Second row: 1 treble in the middle stitch of the 3 chain, 2 treble, divided by 3 chain.
* Third row: 1 treble, 1 chain, miss 1 under the last. In the last row the leaves and circles must be fastened on the border, as seen in illustration above.


Tips

* A double stitch is formed by passing the thread over the back of the hand, and then passing the shuttle upwards between the forefinger and second finger, and drawing it up, then work a stitch of plain tatting; this completes the double stitch, and whenever so many double stitches are directed it means the 2 stitches.


Things You'll Need

* Tatting and crochet cotton in desired colours
* Tatting shuttle
* Crochet hook

Vintage Rose Doily

A vintage rose doily to crochet. This pattern is originally from The Ladies' Work-Book, a nineteenth century needlework book.
Crochet section a. With cotton No. 20 and hook 3-1/2, work 13 chains: make it round and in loop 24 d.c., 1 d.c. on d.c., 7 chain, miss 2, repeat 7 times more; in 4th chain stitch of 7 chain, 1 s.c., 12 chain, 1 s.c. in 6th chain from hook; 7 chain, 1 s.c. in same at last s.c.; 5 chain, 1 s.c., in same as last s.c., 5 chain, 1 s.c. in next chain stitch to 1st of 12 chain; 5 chain, repeat 7 times more, fasten off.
  1. Crochet section b. With cotton No. 18 and hook 3-1/4, work 10 chain, make it round, and in loop 24 d.c. * In 1st d.c. work 3 chain, 3 long, 3 chain, 1 d.c., miss 1, and repeat * 7 times more. Those only in the last, 2 long, join to 4th chain stitch of 7 chain of a, 1 long, 3 chain, 1 d.c., fasten off. Make 7 more b, joining to the 7 chains of a.
  2. Crochet section c. With cotton No. 16 and hook 3, **1 s.c. in the centre of the two 5 chains of a, nearest the foundation: 7 chain, 1 s.c. in the centre of 5 chain; 5 chain, 1 s.c. on 2nd long of 1st division of b; * 3 chain, 1 d.c. on next division, repeat * 5 times more, 5 chain; 1 d.c. in next 5 chain, 7 chain, repeat ** 7 times more, fasten off. D.c. all round the chain and fasten off.
  3. Crochet section d. With cotton No. 28 and hook 4, * 7 chain, 1 s.c. in 1st chain, and in round loop 1 d.c., 4 long, 3 chain; join to d.c. stitches where the two 5 chains are found together, turn, and on the 3 chain 1 d.c., 3 long; then in round loop, 4 long, 1 d.c.; then join to the d.c. on the opposite side, and fasten off. Repeat * 7 times more.
  4. Crochet section e. With cotton No. 18 and hook 3. Where you left off in d, join on No. 18 cotton; 9 chain, 1 s.c. in 5th chain; then in round loop ** 1 d.c., 5 chain, join to 5th d.c. from where you joined No. 18 cotton on; 5 chain, turn, and on 10 chain, 1 d.c., 9 long; 1 d.c. in round loop, 7 chain join to the top d.c., 3 chain. 1 s.c. in the 7th chain, 3 chain, 1 d.c. in the 7th chain; * 2 * 5 long, 1 d.c. in same as 1st d.c., 1 d.c. in round loop, repeat ** from ** without joining the 10 chain twice. The second time only work to * 2 *, work 3 long, join to 5th d.c. from where you joined No. 18 cotton on; 2 more long on 7 chain, 1 d.c.; then 3 s.c. down the stem. Make 7 more joining in the same way: fasten off.
  5. Crochet section f. With cotton No. 16 and hook 3. In 14th d.c. of c from where you joined No. 18 cotton on, * 1 d.c., 4 chain, join to 1st 3 chain of e of 1st section, 4 chain, join to 2nd 3 chain of e of 1st section; 8 chain join to 1st 3 chain of e of 2nd section, 3 chain, join to 2nd 3 chain of e of 2nd section; 8 chain, join to 1st 3 chain of e of 3rd section; 3 chain, join to 2nd 3 chain of e of 3rd section; 4 chain, repeat all round; d.c. all round.
  6. Crochet section g. With cotton No. 16 and hook 3, 10 chain, make it round and in loop; 8 d.c. join to the same place, where you began the long chain of f 5 d.c., * 5 chain join to 8th d.c. of f from where you joined the d.c.: 6 chain, turn, 1 d.c., 7 long, 1 d.c., miss 1, 1 s.c. in next d.c., repeat * 4 times more. Join in the same place only to last petal. In the last petal work down the chain as follows: 1 d.c.; 4 long, join to 8th d.c. from where you joined the 1st d.c.; 3 long, 1 d.c., fasten off. Make 7 more. Joining each as you make them.
  7. Crochet section h. With cotton No. 16 and hook 3, 15 chain, 1 s.c. in 1st stitch: then in loop; 24 d.c., * 1 d.c. on d.c., 7 chain, miss 2, repeat * 7 times more, then in each 7 chain, 9 d.c., except the last, which work as follows: 5 d.c. join to 3rd point of g, 4 d.c. in same 7 chain.
    • The next h, join in the same manner to point of f make sufficient to go round, joining alternately to g's and fs.
  8. Crochet section i. With cotton No. 14 and hook 3, ** 1 s.c. on 5th d.c. of 1st division of h, * 5 chain, 1 s.c. in next division, repeat * 5 times more, 9 chain join to next point of g "9 chain," 1 s.c. in next point of g, 9 chain, repeat ** from all round; d.c. all round, and when you have come to the end of "9 chain" 4th d.c. join to the 9th d.c.; * 7 chain, miss 2, 1 d.c. in next, * repeat 9 times the 10 and 11, join to the other side and fasten off.



Friday, February 13, 2009

Evening Projects


I wish I knew to whom I should give credit for this lovely piece of handwork,
but, alas, it is just a picture that I found on the Internet
and kept for inspiration.

I make jewelry and handbags all day long
when my back allows it,
but, when evening comes,
I prefer to relax in front of the fire
with hubby and doggy.

We love to entertain with Mexican food and music,
so I thought this would make a perfect cloth for the side table.
(No! I won't allow anyone to eat from it!)
I'm going to make smaller versions
for hot mats.

I'm still going to use my
Mexican Mug Mats
for coasters
so the yarn will have to match.
These mats are available in my Etsy shop.
http://www.r2swanger@Etsy.com

Have a great day!

Ruth Ann
http://www.raggbaggs.blogspot.com
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com