Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

NATIONAL CRAFT MONTH CONTEST

by

art-of-knit-0309

In honor of National Craft (or Crochet) Month, I’m giving away this DVD (a $19.99 value).  It’s a wonderful way to learn to knit or crochet – like having a great teacher right at your elbow.  It’s 3.5 hours of beginning and intermediate knitting, crochet, and felting, and includes a Sock Workshop (knitted).  This would be great for a beginner or make a nice addition to anyone’s crafting library.

If you want to win this DVD, you’ll have to enter my contest.  Here’s how it goes.

Send me a link to your favorite online project (or one you’ve made and uploaded a picture of) that COMBINES CROCHET WITH ANOTHER ART/CRAFT.  Maybe it’s a knitted bonnet with crochet edging.  Maybe it’s a denim jacket with beading and crochet embellishments.  Maybe it’s a collage created with oil paints and doilies.

I’m open-minded when it comes to crafting.  A hint here is that a project that included recycled or repurposed items will have the inside track.  I LOVE to see how crafters make something beautiful, useful, or just down right interesting out of something from the trash bin or from the curbside.

So, head online and do some searching or craft away and upload a picture to Flikr or to your blog, or some other online venue (that doesn’t require me to join), and send me a link to it.

The contest is open from now through Tuesday, March 31, 2009.

You must send the link to this email address:  [email protected]

DO NOT SEND THE LINK OR PHOTO IN AN ATTACHMENT.

BE SURE TO PUT ‘CROCHET CONTEST’ IN THE SUBJECT LINE, PLEASE!  I will respond briefly to each entry so you know that I have received it.

Be sure to include your name, your email address, the LINK, and a brief (100 words or less) description of the project explaining what CRAFT in addition to CROCHET is included in the project, and a clear indication of who created the project so that proper credit can be given.  Obviously a great photograph will be helpful.

The contest is open to anyone, anywhere.  I am the sole judge and I have my preferences – that’s just the way it is.  I will announce the winner of the contest on this blog on Friday, April 3, 2009.  You may enter as many times as you’d like but each entry must be submitted separately.  Feel free to forward this information to anyone on the internet – or elsewhere – to have them enter the contest.

Questions?  Email me and I’ll respond as quickly as soon as I read your email.

Comments

  2. How do you find crochet along patterns? Sometimes I want to do the crochet along when I have the time and then I would fall behind and probley be the last one but still would be fun.

Have you read?

Crochet Christmas Hat and Mitten Ornament

This tiny crochet Christmas hat and mitten set is such a sweet little holiday make. It works up in festive stripes and looks lovely as a tree ornament, package topper, stocking decoration, or tucked onto a wreath. It’s also one of those fun small projects that uses up leftover yarn, which is always satisfying around Christmas.

Materials

  • Red Heart Super Sport or 3 ply sport yarn in Christmas colours such as: 
    • Blue 
    • White 
    • Green 
  • Size 1 steel crochet hook 
  • Yarn needle for finishing 

Finished Size

  • Hat: approximately 1½ inches long 
  • Mitten: approximately 2 inches long 

Abbreviations

  • ch = chain 
  • sc = single crochet 
  • sl st = slip stitch 
  • st = stitch 
  • sts = stitches 
  • tog = together 
  • rpt = repeat 
  • rnd = round 
  • lps = loops 

Pattern Notes

  • Unless otherwise stated, work in the back loops only. 
  • Join rounds with a slip stitch. 
  • The mitten is worked from the cuff upward. 
  • The hat is worked from the cuff upward. 
  • For a more traditional Christmas look, try red, white, and green. 

Christmas Mitten Ornament

Cuff

With mitten colour, ch 6.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of the remaining 4 ch. Turn.
 (5 sc)

Rows 2–12: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn.

Row 13: Hold the first and last rows together, matching stitches. Working through both thicknesses, ch 1, sl st in each st across to form the cuff. Do not turn.

Hand

Rnd 14: Working in the ends of the cuff rows, ch 1, (sc in next row end, 2 sc in next row end) around. Join with sl st in first sc.
 (18 sts)

Rnd 15: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. Fasten off.

Rnd 16: Join stripe colour with sc in first st, sc in each st around. Join. Fasten off.

Rnd 17: With mitten colour, repeat Round 16.

Rnd 18: Join stripe colour with sc in first st, sc in next 10 sts, 2 sc in next st, leaving last 6 sts unworked. Join. Fasten off.
 (13 sts)

Rnds 19–21: Repeat Rounds 17 and 16 alternately, ending with Round 17.

Rnd 22: Working in both loops, ch 1, sc in each st around. Join.

Rnd 23: Working in both loops, ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, sc next 2 sts tog, (sc in each of next 2 sts, sc next 2 sts tog) 2 times, sc in last st. Join.
 Leave an 8 inch tail and fasten off.

Thread the yarn tail through the stitches of Round 23, pull to gather, and secure.

Thumb

Working in both loops, join mitten colour with sc in the first unworked st of Round 17.

Thumb Round 1: Sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in last st. Join with sl st in first sc.
 (7 sc)

Thumb Rounds 2–3: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join.

At the end of the final round, leave an 8 inch tail and fasten off. Thread yarn through the stitches, pull to gather, and secure.

Christmas Hat Ornament

Cuff

With hat colour, ch 4.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of the last 2 ch. Turn.
 (3 sc)

Rows 2–32: Working in back loops only, ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn.

Row 33: Repeat Row 13 of the mitten pattern to join the cuff into a ring.

Hat Body

Rnd 34: Working in the ends of rows around the cuff, ch 1, sc in each row around. Join with sl st in first sc.
 (32 sts)

Rnd 35: Working in back loops only, ch 1, sc in each st around. Join.

Rnds 36–38: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. Fasten off at the end of Round 38.

Rnds 39–44: Working in back loops only, repeat Rounds 16 and 17 of the mitten alternately for festive striping.

Rnd 45: Ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, sc next 2 sts tog, (sc in next 2 sts, sc next 2 sts tog) around. Join.
 (18 sts)

Rnd 46: Repeat Round 45.
 (12 sts)

Rnd 47: Ch 1, sc in first st, sc next 2 sts tog, (sc in next st, sc next 2 sts tog) around. Join.
 Leave an 8 inch tail and fasten off.

Thread yarn through remaining stitches, pull to gather, and secure. Turn cuff up.

Tie

With mitten colour, ch 20. Fasten off.

Sew one end of the tie to the mitten cuff and the other end to the centre top of the hat on the wrong side.

Hanger

With mitten colour, ch 18. Fasten off.

Tack both ends of the hanger to the centre top of the hat on the right side.

This tiny Christmas set is adorable worked in classic holiday shades, and it would be very cute hanging on the tree beside handmade stockings and mini crochet candy canes.