This tote bag has style and can be crocheted pretty fast for such a large bag. The secret is that it’s made with super bulky chenille yarn! But if you don’t have super chunky yarn you can always hold a few strand of other yarns together to make it thick and fast to crochet.
Finished Size: 16″ (40.5 cm) at widest part, 14″ (35.5 cm) tall not including strap |
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This isn’t going to be a tutorial on how to hold a crochet hook. I believe there isn’t one correct or incorrect way to do it! I mean if you can hold the hook with your foot and crochet, that’s amazing! There are however, some popular ways to hold your hook. Here are some examples (mouse over the pics for left handed pics):
The Pencil Method…yes you hold it like a pencil (although some people hold pencils differently)
The Knife Method…yup, you hold it as if you are using a knife (although knifes can be held differently too)
The Rachel Method…well it’s more of a modified Knife Method, being that I don’t actually cut my vegetables like this. Also my pinky finger has a weird obsession with wrapping around the hook!
So the moral of the story is to just try out different ways to find what’s comfortable for you! If you already have a way that works, by all means don’t change it.
How do you hold your hook?
| For some reason turning 21 is suppose to be some big celebration, but I’m not really sure why. Today I’ll probably work, eat, sleep and breath just like I normally do.
So if you can tell me what’s so great about turning 21, that would be awesome! Or if you’d like to share what you did or will do on your 21st birthday, that would be awesome too! |
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As you may know, I finally opened up my new store!!!! Here is how to get started shopping:
1. Create a Store Account
This is really important! By creating an account it will save all of the patterns you purchased so that you can download them whenever you want. If you accidentally loose your pdf file, you can just log in and download it again!
Please note that if you are a newsletter subscriber, the store account is different. So you will still need to create a store account. Creating the account is free and fast! Just fill out the big blue box at the upper right hand corner of the store page.
2. Buy Patterns, there are two options!
Premium Pattern Membership
You may decide to upgrade your account to a Premium Pattern Membership for $10/month. This will allow you to download all the patterns in the store, including all newly added patterns each month for as long as you are subscribed. Yes, there will be plenty of patterns added each month. To join the membership simply click the “Subscribe” button in the yellow box at the top of the store page when you log into your account.
One of the great things about the store is that everything works automatically! Once you pay you can automatically download patterns. You do NOT have to wait for me to email them to you like other stores do! Also be aware that the payment processing for the membership is automatic. If you sign up on the 1st of the month, the next payment will automatically be on the 1st of the next month.
Pay Per Pattern
If you are not apart of the Premium Pattern Membership you may pay the price listed for each pattern in the store. After logging into your newly created account you can add patterns to your shopping cart on the right hand side of your screen. Upon purchasing them you will be able to automatically download them! In addition, these patterns will be saved in your account in the “Patterns Purchased” tab, so that you can re-download them later if you loose them.
General Information
If you need help or have any questions about the store, feel free to let me know and I’ll be more than glad to help!
It’s been way too long and too much procrastination on my side, but finally it’s here!!! If you just stumbled upon my blog you might not know what I’m talking about, but in a nut shell, 3 months ago I said that I was going to open a store to help support funding all the supplies I need to keep making patterns for Crochet Spot and to get a new video camera so that I can start making video tutorials. So here I am today, so happy to finally have a Crochet Spot Store!!!
But don’t be scared!!! I still intend on making free patterns and tutorials. I just need a means to support doing it. The more money I can raise, the more I can make and share for free!
Any support that you can provide will be greatly appreciated! The store contains patterns that go above and beyond my previous patterns in quality. If you find some that you like, feel free to make a purchase knowing that your money will be used to support this site.
Also, if you like multiple patterns you may choose to opt-in on the “Premium Pattern Membership” to save you some money. The membership is $10 for all the patterns in the store. In addition, lots of new patterns will be added each month so you will also receive all the new patterns each month for $10 each month (or the equivalent in other currencies). Hopefully this membership option will make it easier to share patterns with you all without having you sell a kidney.
As I know from experience there is always someone that needs help more than I do. So to kick off the Grand Opening of the store, 50% of all Premium Pattern Memberships made during June 29th - July 31, 2009 will be donated to Project H.O.M.E. who’s goal is to end homelessness in Philadelphia (the city I’m from)! Feel free to check out their site. They do amazing work!!!
I love being able to share new and exciting things on this site with you all!!! All the money raised in the store will be a great help for me to continue to share what I love most: crochet!
So go on and check out the new store and let me know what you think!
| The sky is the limit to what these stars can be used for! Use it as an applique to embellish a bag, shirt, hat or blanket. Wear it as a pin for the forth of July. Or just stick a magnet to the back of it and put it on your fridge. Crocheting these stars are fast and you can even use scrap yarn to make them! |  |
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Finished Size: 3″ (7.5 cm) diameter
To change the size of the stars, try using a smaller or bigger hook with different weights of yarn
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Materials: Medium Weight Yarn (small amount) Crochet Hook I (5.50 mm) |
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Crochet Pattern: Star
Round 1: ch 3, 10 hdc in third ch from hook, sl st in top of beg ch: 10 hdc
Round 2: (ch 5, sl st in second ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, skip 1 hdc, sl st in next hdc) 5 times, finish off
If you need help with crocheting the stars, let me know and I’ll be glad to help!
When I was in high school, I would wake up at 5AM to get ready for school. It would take me 2 hours to get there, waiting for the bus at the corner that would take me through some of the not so pleasant parts of Philly and then into center city. There I would catch glimpses of a couple people sleeping under a ledge of a building to keep dry and a man that slept on top of a vent to keep warm. Walking into the subway at 15th and Market street there was always a bind man with a cup standing at the end of the stairway asking for money.
When I was in high school, I didn’t realize that I could actually help the homeless. At least now I know that there are wonderful organizations such as Project H.O.M.E. (Housing, Opportunity for Employment, Medical Care, Education). Their goal is to end homelessness in Philadelphia. What I love about them most is that they don’t just give people food and shelter, but they give everything a person needs to succeed, such as education and employment opportunities. What they do is truly amazing!
This is why I am choosing to donate 50% of all my store profits made from Premium Pattern Memberships to Project H.O.M.E. during the Grand Opening until July 31st.
If you have not heard of the Premium Pattern Membership option already, it is an opportunity to receive all the patterns in the store for just $10. Since lots of new patterns will be added to the store each month, you will receive all the new patterns as well for $10 each month.
I can’t wait to start raising money for such a deserving cause!
The foundation single crochet (fsc) is a stitch that can replace the foundation chain and the first row of single crochets in your work by completing them at the same time! This is also known as chain free crocheting!!!
But what’s the point?
Here is a picture tutorial for making the foundation single crochet. This tutorial is for both right and left handed people. For left handed pictures, roll your mouse over the image and it will change for you.
Step 1: Start with a slip knot on your hook and chain 2.
| Here is another hat/beanie that is great to make and donate to charities, hospitals or someone in need. It is designed to fit an average newborn head, and although baby heads may vary in size, there is extra length at the bottom of this hat to fold up and should stretch depending on the yarn you use. Feel free to change colors and get creative with this basic hat! |  |
| Skill Level: |  |
Finished Size: 5 1/2″ (14 cm) tall, 6″ (13 cm) wide when flat
Note: hat is meant to stretch
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Materials: Medium Weight Yarn (small amount) Crochet Hook H (5.50 mm) |
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Crochet Pattern: Newborn Baby Hat
Round 1: ch 4, 12 dc in forth ch from hook, sl st in top of beg ch: 12 dc
Round 2: ch 3, 2 dc in each dc around, sl st in top of beg ch-3: 24 dc
Round 3: ch 3, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc) around, sl st in top of beg ch-3: 36 dc
Round 4 - 10: ch 3, dc in each dc around, sl st in top of beg ch-3: 36 dc
| Lots of people love to donate hats for preemies to charities and hospitals. Here is a basic, simple pattern that works up very fast. It leaves room for a lot of your own creativity and imagination. Feel free to change colors and decorate as you desire. Although preemies come in all sorts of tiny sizes, this hat should fit most, as the bottom can fold up to just the right length and depending on the type of yarn you use it can stretch. |  |
| Skill Level: | |
Finished Size: 4″ (10 cm) tall, 4 1/2″ (11.5 cm) wide when flat
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Materials: Medium Weight Yarn (small amount) Crochet Hook H (5.50 mm) |
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Crochet Pattern: Preemie Hat
Round 1: ch 3, 6 hdc in third ch from hook, place marker: 6 hdc
Round 2: 2 hdc in each hdc around: 12 hdc
Round 3: (2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next hdc) around: 18 hdc
Round 4: (2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next 2 hdc) around: 24 hdc
Round 5: (2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next 3 hdc) around: 30 hdc
Round 6: (2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next 4 hdc) around: 36 hdc
Round 7 - 14: hdc in each hdc around: 36 hdc
If you need help with this preemie hat pattern, let me know and I’ll be glad to help!
