Amish Basket Rug

     I started experimenting with rug hooking about half a year ago when one of my sisters gave me an old kit. 

     At first I thought, "This is going to be great! I'll be learning a new skill!"

     For those who don't know, rug hooking is VERY repetitive. And I have a rather short attention span, apparently.

     I had almost reached the halfway point on this rug when I thought, "If I keep going with this rug, the boredom is going to kill me."

     So, I stopped, and knitted and crocheted THIRTY different projects before picking it up again (I told you I was bored with it!).

     After my Lavender Shawlette, I decided that maybe I ought to finish it. I did it in three days!

     Unfortunately, this pattern is discontinued because it is from the 90s. But, you can get a kit similar to it from eBay.

Lavender Shawlette

     I did it! After crocheting 5,702 stitches, I have completed my second crochet design! I have decided to call it "Lavender Shawlette" (c'mon, you know shawlette is a word. ;) ).

     I used a size 3/ 1.85 mm steel crochet hook, and one generic skein of crochet thread I got from Mary a while back.

     The pattern itself is actually pretty simple; I think anyone who has had some experience crocheting before would be able to make it.

     I tied it behind my neck, but if you happen to have a shawl pin (I don't...yet...), you could probably attach it that way.

Here is a closer look at the stitch pattern.



       The finished dimensions are: 24.5 inches at the widest point and 19 inches EXACTLY from the bottom to the top.

     If you would like to make this "shawlette", you can get the pattern for free at: Lavender Shawlette pattern by Katherine Westerman

New Work In Progress

     A few weeks ago, maybe two or something, I really wanted to make a shawl. Like, SUPER badly. I wanted a free crochet pattern (I know, I'm a tightwad) that used lace weight yarn. I searched all over Ravelry, but I didn't find a pattern that I really liked that much.

     So, about a week ago, I started designing my own. It is going to be a small shawl, sort of like a cowl, just one that you tie behind your neck.
     It has now reached 13 inches tall! Once I finish writing the pattern, I am going to make it available for free on Ravelry. Taking into consideration that I haven't crocheted much the past few days, that could be a while. ;)

How to: Long Tail Cast On

     The Long Tail Cast On, I would say, is one of the most common cast ons to be used in knitting. It is stretchy, and resembles the Basic Cast On.

     To begin, make your tail roughly a foot long for every twenty stitches you are going to cast on. Once you have done that, make a slip knot on your needle. This counts as the first stitch.

     Now place your tail over your thumb and hold it securely with your ring and pinky fingers. Place the working yarn over your index finger.

     Insert your needle underneath the part of the tail that rests against your palm.

     Now grab your working yarn with the needle and pull it underneath the tail.

     Slide the tail off of your thumb and tighten both the working yarn and the tail.

     You now have two stitches on your needle. Continue casting on until you have the desired amount of stitches on your needle (I did twenty).

One Year Later- A Prisoner of Azkaban Hat

     Today, it has been a year since I wrote my first blog post! Hooray! Who's ready to party?!

     In other news, I finished a hat yesterday of my own design. It is based off of (and I just know that you are going to be SUPER surprised when I say this) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

     My lovely model is Victoria, my new sister!

     If you would like to make this pattern, you can get it for free at One Year Later pattern by Katherine Westerman

Stashbuster Blanket

     This is the story of how I procrastinated (putting something off is always a good way to begin a story).

     I had started this blanket on November 16, 2013 because I had a lot of small skeins of stash yarn (donated to me by my loving sisters). The original pattern only called for twenty squares, so I thought, "This is going to be fast and easy!"

     I was so wrong about the fast part.

     I didn't realize that I didn't have enough small skeins to actually finish very many squares. I had other, entirely unused, skeins, but there was obviously no way that I would use those. So I decided that I would make other projects, and then use the leftover yarn for more squares!

     Long story short, I made a lot of projects and eventually the number of squares reached twenty.

     Looking at it all laid out made me think, "Hmmm... It looks kind of... Small."

     So I got to work making THIRTY more squares.

     Once I got to about forty squares, I started crocheting them together in rows so I wouldn't have to remember what order they were in. After I reached fifty squares, I finally completed the blanket by crocheting a navy blue border around the entire thing.

     This is what the blanket looks like on a twin size bed.

     This is what it looks like on a full size bed.

     If you would like to make a blanket similar to this, you can get the pattern for free at Four Strand Knit Blanket pattern by Smitha Katti

How to Crochet Entrelac

     Crocheted Entrelac, made with the Tunisian Simple Stitch, is used primarily for making afghans and baby blankets. It is a bit tricky at first to understand, but after you memorize how it works, it becomes second nature.

     To begin, chain two more stitches than the amount of rows you want (example: if you want 10 rows, you'll chain 12).

     I chained eight stitches and the instructions are written as if you did the same.

Row 1:

     Turn the chain upside down and pick up seven stitches from the bottom loop.

     You'll now have eight stitches on your hook.

     Complete a total of six forward and return passes.

     Bind off all of the stitches. You have now made the center square of your Entrelac.

     If you want to change colors now, you can cut your yarn and join  your new color at any of the sides. If you want to keep using your current color, slip stitch down the side of your square.

Row 2:

      Now that your yarn is in the corner, chain 7.

      Pick up six stitches in your chain from the bottom loop, as you did before. You will now have seven loops on your hook.

      Pick up one stitch from the side of your square.

     You will now have eight stitches on your hook.

      Complete a return pass.

     Make a forward pass, but don't pick up the final stitch. You'll have seven loops on your hook.

     Pick up the stitch on the side of the square again and you'll have eight loops on your hook.

     In this manner, complete six rows.

     Bind off all of the stitches.

     Repeat the square making process a total of four times.

     If you want to change colors, you can cut your yarn and join the new color in the top left corner of one of the squares. If you want to keep using the same color, just slip stitch up the right side of the next square and across the top.

Row 3:

     1) Pick up six stitches on the left side of the square.

     Now pick up a stitch on the right side of the next square.

     You will now have eight stitches on your hook.

     Complete a return pass and make all forward passes as before. Bind off when you have made six rows.

     2) Chain seven stitches and pick up six from the bottom loop. Make six rows (making all forward and return passes as before) and bind off.

     Repeat steps 1) and 2) all the way around the swatch. Your work should now look like this.

     If you want to keep making more rows, all you have to do is slip up the right side of the next square (or if you are joining a new yarn, join in the top right corner) and repeat the necessary steps.

     If you need a little bit extra help, I found a really good video by The Crochet Crowd.