Here I am again, with another garland design! As I hung my Strawberry Patch Garland I realized that I would not be changing it until it was time to put up my Stars & Stripes Pennant Bunting for Independence Day. Perhaps this isn’t a big deal to everyone but as a crochet fanatic, I had to do something about it.

Using cotton yarn in lovely, earthy tones I designed a quick and easy sunflower. I mixed it up by changing the color of the center from traditional brown to green to represent a younger sunflower. Then it was just a matter of making them into garland.

Do you need a touch of the outdoors inside? Crochet your own Sunflower Garland!

read more »

I was inspired by the delightful rainbow creations of many other crafters this time of year and wanted to make something to celebrate Pride month. This rainbow pencil case is easy to create and I love how bright the colors are. You don’t have to make it in rainbow colors, though…you can pick any color combination you desire. How about making it in college colors, or in the colors of your favorite sports team? I use this for holding pencils, but you could add a zipper at the top and use it to hold coins, beads, buttons, whatever you can think up. How about a crochet hook case? Or add a strap and use it as a mini purse. The possibilities are endless. Whatever you choose to do with it, I hope you have fun making!

read more »

Do you like to garden? If you crochet as well then there’s a high chance you’ve considered accessorizing your pots. I absolutely adore macrame pot hangers and have even designed some smaller versions in crochet for tiny pimiento jars. Today I am sharing with you a uniquely textured crochet pot cover in warm ombre colors.

The cover is not difficult to crochet and works up fairly quickly. I crocheted mine in cotton yarn for a more natural appearance but feel free to pick from any medium weight yarn.

The texture is created by alternating between single crochet in the front and back loops. About every fourth round is an increase round making up for the pots gradually expanding size.

read more »

When I was a teenager I did intensive ballet. This involved dancing several hours a day, six days a week. For ballet, you need to have your hair away from your face, so I got really good at whipping my hair into a bun. However, it got boring wearing my hair the same way every day, so when I learned to crochet I started crocheting bunholders for myself. I designed this basic pattern when I was 14 years old and thought it should see the light of day. Make a few for the dancers in your life, or just for people who like wearing buns. It’s a great hairstyle for when you don’t want your hair in your face, and putting a bunholder on means that nobody can see if your bun is messy.

read more »

If case you haven’t already noticed, scrunchies are making a comeback. And why not? Who doesn’t like a simple ponytail covered in material with an endless variety of patterns and colors?

After doing a bit of research I found that there are at least two ways to make a crocheted scrunchie. One method is by crocheting over the elastic ponytail and then working generous increases into each stitch until you have a remarkable ruffle. You can find a pattern right here by fellow designer, Claire, that is positively adorable. It is called the Sea Anemone Scrunchie.

The other method is to crochet a long, flat rectangle and then sew it over the ponytail. This is the method I will show you how to do today.

Does it sound a little daunting? I thought so too at first, but it’s not by far. Just give it a try and I’ll bet you won’t be making only one.

read more »

I used to have a pet chicken named Harriet who was such a wonderful companion I wanted to make something in her honor. So here is a miniature version of my special bird. Harriet was a Plymouth Barred Rock, which are known for their striking black-and-white stripes. I chose a yarn that was black-and-white variegated to mimic her stripes, and I really like how the result turned out. This chicken is the perfect size to fit in your hand and would make a great keychain or fidget toy. You can use little safety eyes or small black buttons like I did. And you could use different colors of yarn to make different breeds of chickens. Try white yarn for a Plymouth White Rock (the classic chicken), tan yarn for a Buff Orpington, or black yarn for an Australorp. You can make your very own flock!

For those unfamiliar with chicken anatomy, the comb sticks up on the top of the head, and the wattles hang down from the beak. All chickens – both hens and roosters – have combs and wattles, but they look different depending on what breed. They are also bigger on roosters.

read more »

The Easy Striped Hat is a great basic crochet pattern, versatile enough for all ages. It’s worked in a rectangle and then sewn up on one side.

The hat features some excellent striped ribbing, which is accomplished by working a modified double crochet in the back loop. It’s easy and I’ll tell you how below.

But before you let the color changes scare you away, let me tell you there is minimal ends to weave in. What you do is drop the yarn and pick up the other. All color changes happen on one side so when you are done the side with all the “loops” will be the side you sew up. A great way to hide the loops and minimize weaving in ends!

Instructions are given for 3 sizes, toddler, child, and adult. If you want a size not included just follow the same method, chaining 10 more and working 4 more rows for the next size up, and decreasing the same for the next size down.

read more »

I had a lovely deck of cards that needed a home, so I whipped up this matching card bag. My deck of cards was purple with gold edges, so I chose matching yarn colors to make them go well together. You can pick any color combination, use up scraps, and do as many stripes as you like. I can’t wait to see what you come up with. The bag closes with a drawstring, using the Stretch-Free Crochet Cord I developed a few months ago. The whole thing works up in just a few hours.

read more »

Crochet a lovely, chunky spring bouquet to brighten up your home in just a few minutes!

Chunky crochet projects are fun because they offer a lot of unique texture. I like nothing more than working up a squishy blanket or pillow with these yarns. Only what do you do when you only have a small amount to work with? I briefly thought of making some quick, chunky flowers but I just didn’t feel I could guarantee it would turn out right.

A few grimaces and doubtful tries later I had a surprisingly lovely, crocheted bouquet ready to be displayed for the coming springtime. I’m glad I gave it a go!

Want to give it a try? All you need is a small amount of chunky yarn, a crochet hook, some wooden dowels and hot glue. See below for pictures on how to make the flower!

read more »

This Barbie ball gown was born from my stash of tiny balls of yarn left over from previous projects. I had many shades of blue and wanted to do something with them, so I created this ball gown with scallops that ended up reminding me of the ocean. This gown is a great way to use up yarn scraps. You can mix yarn weights when it comes to making the scallops: I used a mix of worsted and DK. You certainly don’t have to use the colors that I did…I’d love to see what color combinations you choose!

read more »