New Years Resolution

Time to finally rest.  I love Christmas and all that goes with it, love, family, and food, but I am EVER so grateful when it is over and I can rest.

As I said in my last post, my job is taking up a lot of my time so I don't get to crochet very much these days but I did manage to finish off a towel/wash cloth set, a bunch of snowflakes and several bookmarks.  

I haven't decided what my next project will be, but I can just about guarantee that it will be something that has already been started.

That is my New Years Resolution ... to finish what I start.  I have probably no less than 10 projects laying around that need to be finished, so that is what I am going to do!  I am going to try to finish off all of the projects that I have already started without starting anything new.  It will be rough, but I'm going to try.

I hope that everyone has had a very Merry Christmas and that you all have a Wonderful and Blessed New Year!

Blessings,
Jewell

I'm Back!

Let me start off by apologizing for my absence.  I started a new job and that has taken a lot of time out of my daily crochet schedule.  It's rough but landlords and grocers get a little uptight when you can't pay!

Sadly in the past few months I have barely had time to pick up a crochet hook, let alone finish anything.  But a new friend at work has asked me to crochet her some snowflakes for her Christmas Tree, and I was thrilled to say "Yes"!

The pattern that I finally settled on was one from Maggie Weldon.  Snowflake Christmas Ornament, FP289, 2010.  Here is the link to the pattern: 

http://www.bestfreecrochet.com/2010/11/18/snowflake-christmas-ornament-free-crochet-pattern/

It can also be found on Ravelry at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/snowflake-ornament-8

I really like  Maggie Weldon's patterns, they are very well written and easy to follow.  I will post pictures just as soon as I get this one completed later this evening.

I want to thank everyone that follows me and reads my posts, it encourages me to keep going.

Blessings
Jewell

Still in the kitchen

Ok, I finally gave up on the silverware organizers.  I tried it with Red Heart Super Saver but it kept twisting.  Next I tried it with Jute, not only was it painful, but I didn't like the way it was turning out.  Tried cotton, same outcome.  I gave up.  If anyone comes across a good pattern that could be used as a silverware organizer, please let me know!

As with any good Crochet addict, I am off and running on my next project!  I have started the "Old Fashioned String Bag" by Leslie Lewis.  It can be found on Ravelry, that's where I found it and it's listed in my projects. Here is the link: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/old-fashioned-string-bag .  If it doesn't work, just let me know.

I plan on using the bag for my potatoes, zucchini, peppers, and cucumbers.  I think this will work great for that.  If it does work, I'll probably end up making 3 or 4.

I hope everyone has a great day!

Frogged!

Well darn.  The organizer/silverware containers did not turn out well.  Ok, in all honesty, it looked like crap.

I still need containers to organize my silverware so, I'm going to try to either find a pattern or try a different version of the pattern I tried last night.  Let's hope this next one works out a little bit better.

Inspiration comes from the stranges places

My inspiration to crochet often comes from the strangest things.  I was cooking supper and had to dig around in my silverware drawer to find something, and then it hit me ... I need silverware containers!  I really need several containers to organize my silverware drawer.

So, now that I am motivated and inspired, the crocheting has begun :) 

Red Heart Super Saver yarn (so that it can be washed frequently and still hold it's shape).

Hook E/4 3.50mm (small hook, tight stitches)

The longest pieces of silverware I have is, of course, butter knives so that is what I used for measurement purposes. 

Ch 50

Row 1    Skip first ch, sc in next ch and in each ch across.  Ch1, turn.  (49 sc)
Row 2-   Sc in each stitch across.  Ch1, turn.

and this is where I am at right now.  I will try to finish one tonight so that I can finish posting the pattern in the morning, along with some pictures.

Hope everyone has a great evening!

Dish Drying Mat

Welcome!

This will be my first attempt at writing and publishing a crochet pattern.  I have been crocheting for more than 40 years and have been creating patterns of my own for almost that long, but I have never actually wrote one down and then tried to publish it.

This first attempt is a very simple dish drying mat.  It is thicker than a towel and made out of cotton, so it is super absorbent.  If you find any errors in the pattern, please let me know.

This pattern is very simple and easy.  The great thing about it is that you can easily change the size of the mat by adding or subtracting rows. 

Gauge is not important for this item.

The Ch 2 does not count as a stitch throughout the pattern.

The entire project is worked holding 2 strands of yarn.

Stitches used:

     CH   =  chain

     HDC = Half Double Crochet.  Yo, go into stitch indicated, yo pull

                 up a loop, yo and pull though all 3 loops on hook.

Materials needed:

     2 balls of Peaches & Cream cotton, any color.  I used Floral Fantasy.

     6.00 (J/10) hook

Let’s begin!

Ch 38

Row 1  HDC  in 3^rd ch from hook.  HDC in each stitch across.  Ch 2, turn. (36 HDC)

Row 2  HDC in each stitch across.  Ch 2, turn.  (36 HDC)

Row 3  Repeat Row 2 until mat is desired length.

Finish off.