Posted on 11/01/2021 7:44:11 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
I’ve got a picture will post later
That’s a great idea & I have saved it for future reference! I played around with some C2C involving color changes (enough to have a couple of hanging balls of yarn), but never really did an entire project. Also, I have a potential intarsia knitting project that would have lots of little balls of yarn to deal with. Thanks for pointing out this great hint!
BTW, if you decide to do an egg apron, I changed the waistband into something a LOT sturdier and, IMO, much cuter! Let me know & I’ll get some pics/instructions together so you can decide if you want to do a waistband that way or not.
Those would take the sting out of having to sit at ‘The Little Kid’s Table’ that day, LOL!
That’s funny ... & I think you’re right! :-)
Could not find the picture of the gloves still looking. I was sure I took one, unless it a really good burned in memory.
Love the ‘strong enough to leave some yarn behind’ quote!
That’s hard for me since my Army Training INSISTS that I, ‘leave no yarn behind,’ LOL!
Wait! That was my 4-H Training when I was learning to knit! ;)
Only click if you think you can control your urge to make a dozen or more of these patterns immediately .......
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Top 61 Crochet Patterns of 2020
Posted by By Mikey November 8, 2021
This year has been a life changing moment for so many people. One of my roles is to watch for what interests you so we can design, present and come up with ideas to expand crochet. This year, it’s been upside-down the norm due to so many new people learning to crochet with unexpected time at home.
The following patterns are based on clickable interest. We have the top 29 of The Crochet Crowd and also, the Top 30 from Yarnspirations based on our community members clicking. They are not necessarily the same because we also design for ourselves and we suggest a lot of other patterns that are not used in tutorials.
You may be inspired for some projects coming up for gift giving or just want to challenge yourself.
How this Works
I’ll show you a picture. You can click the picture to forward you onto that pattern information.
https://thecrochetcrowd.com/top-61-crochet-patterns-of-2020/
I LOVE ‘The Crochet Crowd’ and ‘Yarnspirations’!
I love ‘Mikey’s’ (TCC) videos of new stitches and the like.
Bookmarking for lunchtime browsing! :)
....and here's why:
I did 2 pairs of mittens for my mom ('man' size, so I didn't have any in stock - special order). There was a time limit, so I knitted my fingers to a nub to get them done by the date she needed them. This is the 'order' that "broke" me, so to speak - took me a week to recover & pick up my needles again!
I just did another pair for a cousin's wife who had a terrible fall with injuries. I let my mom take what mittens I had in inventory to her church Circle meeting last Thursday so the ladies could pick out a pair of mittens for themselves. I had one pair of dark purple & doggone it, someone got that color. When I asked my cousin his wife's favorite color, of course, it was 'dark purple'. Being the nice person that I am, I went & bought yarn last Friday, knitted all weekend, & got the mitts in the mail Monday. Per USPS tracking, they're out for delivery today.
Meanwhile, back at the "ranch", I decided that my nephew would be getting 2 pairs of mittens for Christmas. His school has two colors, orange & maroon & they tell the kids what color to wear for each game (football, basketball). He'll have a pair of mittens for whatever color is the scheme for that game. He begged me for mittens when he was a little guy - wore them to school every day, so I hope he's going to be ok with school color mittens for Christmas.
Once I finish his two pairs (one pair just finished this morning), that will be IT for knitting presents. I will have to finish up the horse blankets (crochet) & the Christmas stocking for my little great-nephew (which is knit but in-progress, not a new project & at least it's not a 'mitten'!!). Everything else I'm giving is in the food category, so once I get to that point, it should be smooth sailing.
LOL! I agree. I cannot work on a deadline! I’ll post pictures later of my finished afghan, depicting the farm fields around here in The Driftless area of Wisconsin.
Less than happy with how it turned out.
I had a great idea in my head, but execution just didn’t pan out. This afghan can go up to the cabin; it wasn’t all for naught. I will be asking everyone for suggestions, comments, constructive criticism. I have enough yarn and lots of free time this winter to re-design it with some help.
Believe me, I can take any and all suggestions; I won’t be offended in the least because I can SEE that THIRD Blue Ribbon already, LOL!
I have Christmas presents that have to go to out-of-state people who will be at our Thanksgiving family dinner (won’t be here for Christmas), including the school color mitts, so they HAVE to get done. I would like to give my niece the stocking for the baby at Thanksgiving as well so she can use it to “decorate” ... that might be an ‘ambitious’ goal. The horse blankets don’t have to be done until Christmas.
FREE shipping from Hobby Lobby through December 4th.
FIBER ARTS RESOURCES
BOOKS / MAGAZINES
What are your favorite Craft/Fiber Arts Magazines and/or Books?
“I’m also one for any and all Home Decor magazines and I can’t live without ‘Mary Jane’s Farm’ and ‘The Pioneer Woman’ magazines each month.
Books I love and will always have at hand:
‘Knit The Sky’ by Lea Redmond (I use her ideas and apply them to Crochet)
‘One Skein Wonders’ by Judith Durant (More knit than crochet projects, but again, it’s a jumping off point for creativity)
‘The Crocheter’s Skill-Building Workshop’ by Dora Ohrenstein (Great way to learn ALL THE STITCHES and also how to shape things and increase and decrease rows, etc.)
Also, can’t live without ‘Simple Times; Crafting for Poor People’ by Amy Sedaris (Amy is a fave of me and my Sister. It’s a hilarious send-up of all the things we ‘crafty’ types are into.)”
Diana in Wisconsin
ABCs of Longarm Quilting
by Patricia C. Barry
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/abcs-of-longarm-quilting-patricia-c-barry/1100362047
LINKS TO ONLINE ARTICLES
Why Knitters make the best partners!
https://www.womansweekly.com/knitting/knitting-love-reasons-why-knitters-make-the-best-partners-15973/
https://www.handylittleme.com/knitting-therapy-why-knitting-is-good-for-you/
https://thecrochetcrowd.com/pandemic-created-yarn-shortage-new-crocheters/
Behind the Scenes on How Yarn Gets to Craft Stores | The Crochet Crowd - (Video. About 8 minutes.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMVEwZ5_gB0
Growing up in North Carolina Fiber arts with tobacco twine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE-_mHLQ2pw
https://thecrochetcrowd.com/top-61-crochet-patterns-of-2020/
Outlander Costumes (Including The Knitwear And More!)
https://www.handylittleme.com/outlander-costumes/
PATTERNS / PROJECTS
https://www.allfreecrochet.com/Crochet-Accessories/Celtic-Dream-Crochet-Boot-Cuffs
https://www.allfreeknitting.com/Knitting-Tutorials/How-to-Knit-Temperature-Scarf
https://api.ravelry.com/patterns/library/primrose—proper-bootcuffs
https://www.bhookedcrochet.com/2018/03/13/easy-knit-fingerless-gloves/
https://www.clickforbabies.org/partners/wisconsin.php
https://crochet-news.com/another-rope-and-crochet-basket/
https://www.crochetforyoublog.com/2020/06/free-crochet-patterns-made-with-lion-brand-rewind-yarns/
https://www.crochething.com/puff-stitch-pocket-shawl/
https://www.crochething.com/wave-after-wave-pocket-shawl/
https://easycrochet.com/https://easycrochet.com/half-double-crochet-infinity-scarf-pattern/#pattern1
https://www.goldenlucycrafts.com/
https://www.handylittleme.com/outlander-claires-blue-cardigan-knitting-pattern/
https://www.handylittleme.com/easy-mittens-knitting-pattern/
https://www.handylittleme.com/free-knitting-patterns/
https://www.handylittleme.com/simple-knit-arm-warmers/
https://www.handylittleme.com/irish-moss-stitch-dishcloth-knitting-pattern/
https://hearthookhome.com/an-egg-cellent-apron-free-crochet-pattern/
https://hearthookhome.com/egg-cellent-child-size-apron/
https://itchinforsomestitchin.com/preemie-crochet-bonding-squares-free-pattern/
https://www.instructables.com/Easy-Knit-Dishcloth/
https://itchinforsomestitchin.com/preemie-crochet-bonding-squares-free-pattern/
https://kirstenhollowaydesigns.com/2018/01/free-crochet-pattern-sugar-maple-boot-cuffs.html
https://kirstenhollowaydesigns.com/2016/12/pattern-ribbons-and-grace-ladies.html
https://nourishandnestle.com/knit-baby-blanket/
https://oombawkadesigncrochet.com/2018/01/stash-buster-projects.html
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/valley-of-lilies-baby-blanket
https://www.sisterssuitcaseblog.com/diy-boot-socks-from-old-sweaters/
https://www.thestitchinmommy.com/2019/12/elise-infinity-scarf-free-crochet-pattern.html
https://thecrochetcrowd.com/spectrum-afghan-pattern/
https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-preemie-hats/RHC0216-014640M.html
https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-chevron-dishcloth/RHK0512-024284M.html
https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-lace-chevrons-baby-blanket/RHK0202-019633M.html
NEWSLETTERS / BLOGS / HOW TO
https://www.crochething.com/
https://www.bhg.com/decorating/do-it-yourself/accents/embroidery-hoop-projects/
https://sewing.patternreview.com/
SUPPLIES
https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-us/p/cascade-220
https://www.yarnspirations.com/
https://www.joann.com/search?q=quilt+spray+glue&lang=default
https://www.moodfabrics.com/fashion-fabrics/cotton/cotton-blend
https://www.fabric.com/fiber-content-range/cotton-or-cotton-blends
https://www.lionbrand.com/collections/clearance/products/mystery-box-1?variant=39381621932125
ORGANIZING YOUR CRAFT SUPPLIES DONATING
https://www.fc2success.org/programs/student-care-packages/
https://www.happilyhooked.com/blog/organizing-craft-supplies/
https://mypositiveoutlooks.com/man-starts-knitting-group-help-recover-from-addiction/
https://diytodonate.com/where-to-donate-fabric-to-charity-13-of-the-best-choices/
https://www.agrace.org/donate/comfort-shawls/
LINKS TO HOW TO AND ARTICLES ON FIBER ARTS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCwfbiZd7dI
https://connect2local.com/l/421981/c/552528/how-is-qiviut-harvested
https://www.muskoxfarm.org/qiviut
https://www.quilting-in-america.com/History-of-Quilts.html
https://www.wsj.com/articles/quilting-america-11632506109
Not sure what this is……starts 3 years since the uprising…… was posted to the textile arts thread.
https://archive.vn/Fr6nL
Mewzilla writes:
Speaking of sheep and wool, we’ve been watching a series of documentaries on Amazon Prime that folks on this thread might enjoy. There is quite a bit on fiber and fiber arts in them. Also animal husbandry.. The series are done by a female historian and two male archeologists. The make up of the latter two varies, but all are great.
The series are, in no particular order, Tudor Monastery Farm, Edwardian Farm, Victorian Farm, Wartime Farm, Secrets of the Castle, and there’s a really neat Christmas special in there, too.
LINKS TO COLLECTIONS
This is Jean’s Gift Shop in Chiticamp, Cape Breton on the far eastern edge of Nova Scotia. These aren’t needlepoint. They aren’t cross stitch or knit. They are an art version of hooked rugs. Small, beautiful and done for hundreds of years by transplanted Arcadians. It may be gone now as their website is down. We found items made by people with the last name of my wife’s sixth great grandfather. (KC BURKE)
https://www.travelgumbo.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/553001240513597476/filePointer/553141978031338614/fodoid/553141978031338605/imageType/LARGE/inlineImage/true/101_1599.JPG
VALPAL’s wreath collections
https://www.pinterest.com/oregontrailyarn/wreaths/
READINABLUESTATE niece
Kristine Pollard collections
https://www.google.com/search?q=kristine+pollard+macrame&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS891US891&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjn0MqN2pTvAhX7MVkFHYyaDwYQ_AUoAXoECAQQAw&biw=1536&bih=754
https://www.columbiagorgenews.com/gorge-life/web-sight-a-hands-on-words-on-fiber-art-project/article_77d7c366-6deb-11ea-941a-c3c41b922e2c.html
SUGGESTIONS,TIPS, & HOW TOs
https://hearthookhome.com/use-industrial-clips-for-yarn-bobbins-in-crochet-and-knitting/
To: Valpal1
Thanks so much for the stocking tips!!
I hate seaming with a passion. I’ve never been good at it & I do not want to have a beautiful stocking with an ugly seam. That being said, the ‘in the round’ stocking I’m working on may or may not be “it” .... I have enough yarn for at least 2 so this first one may be a “practice” stocking. I’ve never worked a heel before or done stranded color work so it’s all new. Working in the round (magic loop) is ‘old hat’ which is why I prefer it & I have converted some flat patterns to ‘in the round’ with good success.
All that being said, I am going to try to ‘embroider’ the deer head(s) using the duplicate stitch. I have done a lot of cross stitch so this is just like counted cross stitch - the issue will be how good the stitches look. Part of the antlers & other highlight stitches are ‘single’ stitches which is not a good thing in intarsia. The pattern directions suggested using duplicate stitch for those spots so I’d have some stitches sitting ‘on top’ of the stocking stitches & the main deer head in intarsia. So why not just do it all in duplicate stitch like embroidery .... I’m giving it a try! If it works, great, if not - well, I’ll be trying intarsia in the flat. I do plan on lining the stocking with fabric so the inside ‘mess’ will be hidden.
What I’ve done so far (cuff, main stocking body, a few rows of one of the color work graph patterns) looks really good! I am happy so far with my yarn color choices, too. If I can get all the ‘parts’ figured out (stranded color work, heel, toe, getting the deer heads on), I think I’m going to like stockings. They are a bigger project than the fingerless mittens I make, but not as long (weeks) as a lace knit baby blanket. The stocking recipient, my little great-nephew is a special baby - he’s having his lip fixed this coming week - cleft palate. His actual palate issue is not bad - there’s an 80% chance he won’t need surgery. He’ll be 7 mos. at Christmas so his deer hunting parents will enjoy the stocking first & hopefully, it will be something he grows up with at Christmas. Thanks again!
67 posted on 10/9/2021, 6:31:25 AM by Qiviut
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3999702/posts?q=1&;page=51
From Albion White:
USE UP YOUR OLD FLEECE BLANKETS for PLACEMATS, THROW PILLOW TOPS, SMALL QUILTS
During the shutdown/slowdown, I’ve been doing a lot of the “projects” with those collected fabrics going back years ( ! ) and items cleaned out of the closets.
One way to save a couple of bucks is to use old acrylic blankets or fleece fabrics as batting in small quilted items. I’ve been making placemat sets with some of my stored fabric, with one or two layers of fleece inside.
Friends of mine make small lap quilts for hospitalized kids with donated fabric and fleece as batting. Cheaper than buying new virgin batting! Sometimes you can hit a fleece sale as well, because the color doesn’t matter as long as it harmonizes with the outer fabrics if it shows through sllightly.
With multiple layers, it’s important to FIRST wash the fleece in hot water and the outer fabrics in the warmest water possible to avoid fading colors, and iron the outer fabrics as hot as they will take, so that there will be no uneven shrinkage once the layers are assembled.
PLACEMATS, QUILTS, PILLOWTOPS
You can assemble placemats with a top fabric layer, a fleece layer, and a back fabric layer, baste the edges, and stitch a bias binding around the outside to finish them off—or you can sew the layers together on the wrong side and them right-side out.
If you choose the turn-out method, pin the layers together and sew around with a 5/8” seam; it will form nice padded edges when you turn it right-side out. Leave an opening on one side, clip the corners (or curve-stitch and trim), turn them right-side-out through the opening, and blind stich the opening closed by hand. Press them and put a row of top stitching around about 3/4” to 1” from the outer edges.
***One mistake to avoid if you are going to stitch and turn them right-side out: Put the top and back fabrics right sides together, and the fleece on top of them before sewing around on the wrong side. If you put the fleece in between the top and back on the wrong side, when you turn it right-side-out the fleece will end up being the back of the placemat instead of the batting!***
For placemats and quilts, you can machine quilt the top to the fleece first, then add the back and stitch as above, or you can machine quilt through all 3 layers once it’s assembled, or you can quilt through all layers and add bias binding. For quilted pillowtops if your pillow will have a zipper opening, you can back the fleece batting with a thin layer of muslin or gauze so the stuffed pillow form will slide right in.
BIAS BINDING
I make wide bias binding with a metal ruler that is about 1-1/4” wide and 20” long. Cut the bias strips, sew your needed length by stitching strips together at a 45-degree angle, and then lay the strip on the ironing board with the metal ruler in the center of the strip. Press the sides up over the metal ruler with a steam iron, moving the ruler along as you go.
The strips will not be precisely flat because of the 1/16” thickness of the ruler, so you need to go back over them by lowering the steam iron flat onto the strips a few inches at a time without rubbing.
GIFTS FOR MEN OR APARTMENT DWELLERS
Men like the placemats with their sports team or college colors to use in the man cave, on a TV tray or a glass top coffee table, or for singles on a regular table when their girlfriend comes over. I made some sets when my sons/nephews left home before they got married. They will use placemats, and sometimes even cloth napkins! Apartment-dwelling young women like placemats, also—anyone who uses a laundromat appreciates a dressier set of placemats when having friends over instead the everyday plastic wipe-cleans, or having to launder a tablecloth. Good for elder folks, too.
To: MayflowerMadam
Two things saved me from “flat”:
#1 - I learned the “magic loop” method of knitting in the round without DPNs ... I did a couple of baby hats with DPNs & did not enjoy the experience, plus I had “laddering” issues, etc. Magic loop is a game changer - I tried a good while to learn it & was having trouble, finally found a video that was just fantastic for teaching the method, made it very clear how to do it.
#2 - I bought myself a set of circular needles. There are varying cable lengths so you can connect shorter cables into a longer one, like a long length to hold a baby blanket. Then the needles themselves screw into the cables ... the set I have runs from size 2 to 15. I have a whole box full of DPN sizes, plus a few straight needles .... don’t need any of them with the set I bought. I love the set because no matter what any pattern calls for regarding needle/cable size, I probably have it without having to run from store to store, trying to find the correct needle size with a cable that is the correct length as well - the $$$ adds up. Of course, you can knit ‘flat’ with circular needles - I use them exclusively for everything these days.
The stockings will be a ‘challenge’, but the more I think about doing one, the more excited I’m getting. I’ll have to get into the videos on stranded color work to see how that is done. I love a challenge - just figured how how to knit two mittens (or socks, sleeves, etc.) at once & that has really made knitting mittens more “fun”, no 2nd mitten/sock syndrome (you’re so sick of knitting the first one, it’s hard to do the 2nd)!
12 posted on 10/1/2021, 9:08:44 AM by Qiviut
To: Diana in Wisconsin; All
Ok, so yesterday I started looking at the deer head stocking. A couple of things .... the head itself is ‘intarsia’, there is Fair Isle knitting, the heel is wrap & turn. I have done none of these 3 techniques before. I do not want to “seam” (intarsia piece worked flat).
So it was off to the videos ...
• Fair Isle is no problem - I can work that even if doing magic loop.
• The W & T heel can be worked magic loop - the issue is going to be where the heel is placed in relation to the deer heads. I sort of understand the W&T process - let’s just say the pattern directions make a lot more sense now.
• Intarsia knitting - you have yarn on bobbins (or something like them) for every little patch of color. You do not want to have only ONE stitch in a color - they don’t turn out well by the time you add color for the one stitch, then promptly switch to something else. There are plenty of spots where there is only one stitch - white highlights (nose/eye), parts of the antlers ... to name a few. In the instructions, it says you can use “duplicate” stitch for some of the ‘one stitch’ places. What the heck is ‘duplicate’ stitch? Off to the videos again!
So duplicate stitch is more or less “embroidery” on top of a stockinette stitch. It is a V stitch on top of a V. It will work great for those ‘one stitch’ spots ..... but what if I did the entire deer head in duplicate stitch (the chart for the deer head is just like a counted cross stitch chart). If “embroidered”, I would not have all those little bobbins/balls of yarn hanging everywhere AND I could just knit the stocking in the round on magic loop, then go back and place the deer head(s) where I wanted them. This is (cautiously) beginning to sound like ‘the way to go’.
So I think I am going to work a stocking in some scrap yarn & see how it turns out (sans deer heads). I’ll then see if I can embroider a deer head on it. This will get me through knitting the W&T heel for the first time & figured out & I’ll get to try some Fair Isle. When leaving out the intarsia, the two things I’ll need to be careful about - marking the row where the embroidery needs to start AND will I have enough room to work with the stocking already in the round, not a flat piece? Fun times ahead .... love learning new things, too.
BTW, a “practice” piece is going to be a necessity. I want the stocking to be an heirloom piece, so I have to get all the bumps in the road out of the way. When I look at mittens, even baby blankets I’ve knitted, I could kick myself for the things I could have done “better” on the early ones which would have been improved if I had known then what I know now. Mittens aren’t that big a deal, baby blankets are although what I would like to have changed isn’t that obvious to most people. Anyway, stocking #2 will be much better (gift quality is the goal) than stocking #1.
28 posted on 10/2/2021, 8:45:58 AM by Qiviut
Shadow Wrap Short Row Heel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDw7RSmxVxs
“This heel is knit with a series of twin and triple stitches to “build” each side of the short row heel. It is very easy to follow, there is very little counting and and it creates a perfectly symmetrical heel that has a deep and comfortable fit.”
Qiviut
MISC/RECIPES!!??? Most popular cakes from southern living!
https://masonjarlifestyle.com/
15 cakes!!!
Tunnel of Fudge Bundt cake….. Carrot cake, decadant rum cake, Hummingbird cake , Mississippi mud cake, molten chocolate, and more!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1094017161/vintage-retro-1960s-pyrex-refrigerator?gpla=1&gao=1&;;
https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/tunnel-of-fudge-cake/8d3b4927-2f71-41a3-9dab-7750f045f252
https://forrager.com/law/wisconsin/
END OF resource section
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