I love a chance to decorate. Frankly, I’m not sure what I like more, celebrating the holiday or the opportunity to decorate! With Independence Day coming up it’s time to get out the Red, White, and Blue, am I right?

If you’re a handmade fanatic like me then the Stars & Stripes Pennant Bunting is the perfect choice! It’s a quick pattern to work, taking only a few hours, and pretty easy, even for beginners with only just budding skill.

However, the biggest beauty of this pattern is how customizable the length is. The instructions for the strand are written so that you can make your bunting as short or as long as you like. I personally like just enough length to casually drape across our narrow door frames, and that is what you’ll get if you follow the pattern straight through. But if you decide you want more length, all you have to do is crochet a few more flags and continue with the strand and assembly instructions as before.

Garlands and buntings are lots of fun to crochet since they add the perfect touch to an otherwise dull door frame, wall, or entertainment center. We have quite a few to choose from here at Crochet Spot, both seasonal and all year round. Be sure to check out these other awesome designs!

Pennant Banner
Valentine’s Bunting
Star Garland (also an excellent choice for Independence Day!)
Strawberry Patch Garland
String of Shamrocks Garland
Fall Leaf Garland
Christmas Light Garland
Flower Power Garland

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I love everything about daisy chains except for the fact that they wilt. So I crocheted these flower chains that will stay fresh forever. They’re made freeform crochet style – I have guidelines on how to make the leaves and flowers, but the order and frequency is up to you. You could make a vine with entirely leaves, entirely flowers, or a mix of both like I’ve done. They can be worn in your hair, turned into jewelry, used as bookmarks, and anything you decide. Wearing them in my hair makes me smile and I’ve gotten a surprising amount of compliments, which just goes to show that the world needs more bright and cheery flowers.

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Are you as inspired as I am with all the crocheted gingham, plaid, and checked blankets out there? There is something so classy and official about these blankets, I obviously had to design my own.

Have you ever crocheted gingham, plaid, or checks? It can look intimidating, I know, but as long as you carry the yarn in the work it’s really very simple. The challenge comes when using a variety of colors (the colors are …exciting?… to keep track of). However, with the Lilac and Custard Checkered Baby Blanket you use only two colors, making it great if you’re a beginner at crocheting gingham, plaid, or checks.

For this pattern, all you have to do is know how to make half double crochets and switch colors and you’re all set.

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The good thing about the rainy springtime season is that it increases your chances of spotting a rainbow! I’ve always loved seeing them and imagining what’s at the end of a rainbow…a pot of gold, an entrance to fairyland, or maybe even a bucket full of yarn. I was inspired to crochet this bright, smiling amigurumi version so it’s easy to experience the magic of a rainbow anytime. It would look super cute hanging from a mobile or decorating a shelf.

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Are you a lover of vintage styles like me? Well, I hope so, because here’s another vintage-inspired crochet pattern, the Retro Rhoda Headkerchief!

(See also the Dewdrop Boho Headband).

This headkerchief is worked like a mini shawl, meaning you begin with a circle and work a half round, adding to it with each round to create a growing triangle. The ties are worked with the last round so there’s no sewing needed.

Go vintage and give the Retro Rhoda Headkerchief a try!

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I’ve seem some really cute travel tissue covers for those mini packs of tissues. All of the patterns have been for sewing, though, so I wanted to try adapting it to crochet. And I’m pleased with the finished result! These travel tissue packs are useful for carrying in a purse or backpack, especially for those of us who have springtime allergies (those pretty flowers are worth it though). This was a quick and easy project that offers lots of opportunities for customization.

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Here we are again, another Spring and I’m dreaming of strawberries. For some reason, though I have never been overly obsessed with strawberries, I always start adding them to my designs when Spring comes around. Perhaps it’s because the splash of red against the pleasing green is always a delight.

Not surprisingly then, I have a new design for you completely centered on the beautiful fruit: the Strawberry Favor Bag. Recently I designed the Carrot Favor Bag and had a great time visualizing how the natural greenery would look in a crocheted fashion. Then I thought, why not try the cinch bag idea with other fruit and vegetable designs?

The Strawberry Favor Bag is very easy to make. The bag is worked from the bottom up in simple crochet increases while the greenery is worked in a simple but unique stitch pattern to create the pointed leaves of the strawberry plant. Add little stitches of light green or yellow for the seeds and you’re ready to fill the bag with candy or trinkets to give as a gift!

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I absolutely love watching pigeons and I’ve wanted to crochet one for what seems like forever. But the colorwork is tricky, so I went with a solid color to start, and the finished bird ended up looking like a dove. While researching for this pattern, I learned that doves and pigeons are both part of the Columbidae family, which explains why they look so similar. So this pattern is really a two-in-one, depending on the colors you choose. The bird can stand on its own and is about the size of a real dove or pigeon, but much more cuddly. I hope you have as much fun with this pattern as I did designing it.

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Everyone has a little hippie in them, am I right?

At least, that’s what I tell not-so-hippie-inclined people. However, whether you go for the hippie/boho style or not, this headband is the perfect choice. Wear it either way you like: across the forehead, for an eclectic look, or over the head, for a more traditional look (see picture below).

What is great about this pattern is that it utilizes taller crochet stitches. (See post, How to Crochet Tall Stitches) The headband is worked in separate circle motifs, from large to medium and small, and then sewn together. A light border is worked over the band of sewn circles to bring it all together and simple ties are attached to the ends for easy wearing.

Ready to give it a try?

(Kudos to my sister for looking smashing in the headband! Doesn’t her long, thick hair just fit perfectly?)

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A few months ago my dad asked if I could crochet juggling balls, and I was happy to oblige. They were easy and fun to make especially with this colorful sock yarn I had in my stash. I filled them with rice to make them heavy enough for juggling balls. Since juggling balls are easy to misplace I made a mesh bag to keep track of them. My dad was delighted with his Christmas present, which now lives on his desk at work much to the amusement of his coworkers, who sometimes stop by to juggle. Why not make a set for someone you know who could use a new hobby?

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