On the hook today

I'm working on a new blankie. My cousin is having a baby in February and her shower is December 1st. My husband thinks I should submit this pattern. I have to say, it is coming out beautifully. I'll post a pic soon.

I have a burgundy prayer shawl going for church. I found the pattern for this on AA's PoD. Of course, I just can't leave well enough alone - I had to play with it. I used a smaller hook and lots more chains across the bottom. It's really pretty and works up quickly enough.

Just finished a dragonfly filet for my best friend as a thank you. Now I just need to block it.

It seems like my Christmas list is getting longer by the day.

Amber's finally feeling better. Strep throat and 103* fever. That poor baby was miserable. It was hard to get much of anything accomplished this past weekend.

Anyhoo - I'll be posting pics as soon as I find my camera. I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached.

Poll Results for Boye or Bates

New Poll

The poll will be open for 1 week.
What's your favorite type of yarn?

ww acrylic like RH and Caron
designer yarn (fun fur/ribbon)
$$$ lys bought

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Last week's poll:
Favorite Brand of Hook

Bates
wins with 56% of the votes.

Don't forget to vote!!!

There is one day left to vote in the poll --->

BOYE or BATES

What's your favorite hook brand?
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If you're in the mood for some incredible eye candy and some handmade hook drooling then bop on over to Jimbo's Front Porch and check out the hooks he has up for auction now.

He's also asking for opinions on a new hook style he's come up with. Go check it out and let him know what you think.

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I just had to share one of my favorite pics of my Pookydog. Yes, that's a tutu he's wearing. Amber loves to play dress up with him and he's always ready to play.

After he get's all dressed up, he'll stand up and dance in circles for his cookie. He kind of reminds me of Scooby Doo - he'll do just about anything for a Scooby Snack lolol.

Camo Babyghan

Camo Babyghan
Measures 42 inches from point to point.
I used a Bates I hook,
Red Heart Camo and Black
Bordered in Crab St.

I made this for a young couple in my church.
They just had their baby a couple weeks ago.
Fortunately, the Daddy was home to see their baby born.
He's on his way back to Iraq next week.

I think baby blankets are a great addition to any Prayer Shawl Ministry.

It may not seem the most 'appropriate baby blankie'. Most people think pastels and dainty things but I'm thinking ahead to the rough and tumble toddler years.

Also - instead of cutting the yarn for the different colored rounds, I carried it behind the st's. I think it gives it a little more strength and sturdiness -
but that's just me.

New Poll

The poll will be open for 1 week.
What's your favorite brand of hook?

Boye or Bates?

*********************
Last week's poll:
Favorite Hook Size

G, H & I
tied for favorites!

Brilliant Cross in 10 & 20

Brilliant Cross
in 8 inch frame

The small cross on the left I made for my husband in size 20 bedspread thread and my #7 Bates (#10 Boye) steel hook.
It measures 5 1/2 inches sq.

The larger cross on the right I made for my father-in-law for his birthday in size 10 bedspread thread and my #5 Bates (#7 Boye) steel hook. It measures 7 1/2 inches sq.

The pattern can be found at my Etsy store:
Inspired Crochet Design

Pocketbooks

Here's a few of the pocket books I've made. I use the small torq. one with the rose brooch every day. The peach and torq. with the elbow handles went to my MIL and her daughter 'stole' them both. The beige went to my Mom and she uses it everyday. It's her fav.

Business Card Holder

Here's my latest. I started it last night and just finished it up with the button.

It's made with #10 thread and my #5 Bates steel hook. It's made in one piece. I worked the bottom in 2 rows and then worked in rounds up to the flap. It's Iris St. on the front, back and flap and dc on the sides. It holds about 30 business cards comfortably.

Woven Bath Set

Here's my Woven look Bath Set. I think it's really neat. It's all made with fpdc & bpdc st's to get the raised effect.

STATS:
Peaches & Cream crochet cotton
G hook
St's: fpdc, bpdc, dc, sc, rev sc and ch.

Washcloth - 8" sq.
Soap Saver 4 x 6 "
Back Scrubber 4 x 13"
4 x 44" with straps

The washcloth and back scrubby have the raised bars on both sides for washing. The soap saver has the bars on the front side only so there is room for the soap on the inside. The straps for the back scrubber are 2 strands chained with an I hook. They're long enough to comfortably hold onto to reach your back.

Gingham WIP

Well, here it is - my first ever gingham!

Each block is 3 inches square.
Gauge is 10 dc's x 5 rows, J hook
It's worked entirely in dc.
It is 45 inches across with 15 color blocks.

RHSS Hunter Green, Light Sage & Soft White

The top half is the front side of the ghan. I did this carrying the strand that was not being used to reduce ends. You can just about see the carried strand on the wrong side
(the bottom of the pic)


Anything to get out weaving in ends, ya know?!?

I'll be getting the pattern written up here soon and I'll be needing a pattern tester or 2 before I publish the pattern. (Ooooh - I just love that word!)

Green/Cream Prayer Shawl

I just finished my latest prayer shawl for my church. It's Hunter Green, Light Sage and Soft White. I used a J hook and a MAM pattern in my favorite shell st. (2dc, ch2, 2dc)


It's from an afghan pattern, I just kept going around until it was 65 inches from point to point and about 17 inches wide.

Finally back to crocheting - YAY!

It's been a very busy and learning intensive few weeks setting up my etsy shop, creating patterns and just too much running around in general.

I started a beautiful shell (2dc, ch2, 2dc) MAM the beginning of this week. I didn't care much for how it was turning out as a ghan so I ended up turning it into a prayer shawl.

It seems to be that I'm the only one crocheting for this at church. That's OK tho - as long as I can keep up on the demand and hopefully have a few extra for those 'just in case' times - it's all good.

Now I'm onto Christmas presents. I started a Gingham Ghan last night. As usual, I couldn't find a pattern that I liked and I dread sewing squares together so I'm attempting to work it in one piece. It's really not that bad since I'm only carrying 1 color and there's only 2 colors in each row. This one is for my SIL in Hunter Green, Light Sage and Soft White.

I can hardly wait to get enough of it done to take some pics and share this. I'm propbably going to post this as a free pattern since there are already so many gingham look ghans free already.

The best part of this pattern is that it can easily be converted to a baby ghan just by stopping halfway thru. :D

Hopefully, I'll have some pics to post later today!

Butterfly & Lighthouse - 2 new patterns!

Here are 2 of my latest patterns. the Butterfly is, of course, in the 16x14 Framed Series, named for the bordered lacet frame that the picture sits in.

The Lighthouse is the 1st in a new series - Framed 8" SQ. It is perfect for these awesome 8 inch square picture frames I found and fell completely in love with!

The stitches included in both of these patterns are solid & mesh blocks, lacet st. and long st.

You can find the patterns listed at my Etsy store
Inspired Crochet Design

My 1st e-boolket Monograms A - Z in Olde English

Monograms A - Z in Old English is a 28 page e-booklet in PDF format. It includes written instructions and 26 filet crochet charts. Each chart is on a separate page for easy printing. We all know ink is expensive.

Stitches included in these patterns are solid & mesh blocks, lacet st. and long st. Stitch instructions are included.

You can also purchase individual Monograms in Olde English.

Rambin Roses - My Wedding Shawl

Many, many thanks to Katchkan, Kathryn White, for letting me pattern test this exquisite shawl for my wedding.

This is the largest thread piece I have ever made. Kathy creates the most incredibly beautiful doilies, shawls, tablecloths - everything thread. Her work is amazing and she is just the sweetest woman!

You can find quite a few of her 'Show & Tells' at
C'ville's Show & Tell Thread.

FREE PATTERN - Chromium Star Blanket (offsite)

This absolutely GORGEOUS

Chromium Star Blanket

is designed by none other than our Laura4200 at C'ville.

Click here for the
FREE PATTERN!

The Chromium Star is the only Starghan I've seen that
does NOT have the standard ripple 'holes' in it!
It's beautiful and SOLID!

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I was fortunate enough to be one of Laura's pattern testers and I can tell you that this ghan is so EASY to make!
Now, what makes this ghan unique and solid is her use of the ADC, Adjacent Double Crochet, a brand new stitch (as far as I know, I've never seen it used before) that she came up with. The directions for this stitch may look a little confusing at first but it is so simple.

Laura's Tutorial for the ADC
Laura's posted some awesome and helpful pics in her TUT.

* * * * *
In my words:
The adc shell is a point/peak or corner shell.
Instead of using (2dc, ch2, 2dc in ch sp),
you'll work it in this manner:

adc shell - 2dc in *ch sp (or adc) ,
dc in the base of the dc you just made
(where it wraps around the previous row), 2dc.

* In the following rounds,
work the adc shell in the adc of the previous row.
* * * **

The adjacent double crochet takes the place of the ch2 in the shell. It adds enough height to compensate for not using the standard ch2.

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So, if you're in the mood to see some beautiful work, and she does lots more than just crochet, then go check out her blog A Whole Load of Craft.
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Brilliant Cross in size #20 thread!

Stats:
Aunt Lydia's Crochet Cotton Thread #20
Bates #10 steel hook.

It measures 6 inches sq.

It's matted in an 8 inch square frame.


This was a birthday present for my hubby.

The pattern can be found at

Inspired Crochet Design

My ETSY Store is finally OPEN!

It's taken a few weeks but my Etsy Store
Inspired Crochet Design
is officially open!!!

I am so excited and nervous all at the same time.

Right now there are 30 some listed patterns.
I didn't want to open my store with only a few.
I still have a few patterns that are being tested and when they come in
I'll be adding them to the line up.

At the moment, all the patterns listed are Filet Croche, but with Christmas coming, I'll be going into a gift pattern making frenzy.
I have so many ideas, it's hard to keep them all straight.

I can tell you that there will be another full size afghan pattern coming soon and multiple patterns for personal and bath sets coming up. Beyond that -
I don't know - I'll keep you posted!

It just amazes me how much I love designing!

Christmas is coming!

I cheat every year! I pick one project to make and everybody gets one. This year is going to be bath sets. I'm going to fill a basket with a washcloth, soap-saver, back scrubby and assorted soaps and stuff.

I'll post pics as I make them. I just started a set done in front and back post dc's. It looks really cool so far.


Onto other news - I'll be spending tomorrow putting patterns up at my Etsy store.