Reading is a great way to relax, but sometimes you just have to get up and put the book down. Fortunately, we have bookmarks like this flower to keep us from losing the page, and a single ball of thread can make enough to keep the busiest readers on track.

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This tote is named after the mark of any prestigious university—climbing ivy vines. This bag is tote-ally unique with its crocheted embroidery design, and pretty braided handles. Measuring a roomy 4” x 11” x 12.5,” it makes great company on errands or a day at the library. You won’t even have to sew a lining into it—most of the bag is made in single crochet (sc) stitches. It’s also made with medium weight yarn, making it extra sturdy. Make it in a color with different shades for a subtle look, or use contrasting colors to make the design shine.

All purchases help to support Crochet Spot and are greatly appreciated! Please log in or create a new account at the Crochet Spot Store to purchase this pattern. Premium Pattern Members may log into the store and download the pattern for free.

See? I told you it would be quick! I can’t believe our crochet along has almost ended. I wanted to give you all one last little push in order to get your hooks working and your cameras clicking.

Don’t forget! You can win a free pattern from the Crochet Spot store, or a free month of membership for premium members! 🙂 How cool is that?

You’ll be glad to know I’ve finished my rectangular vest and it’s completely fabulous. Sorry, no pictures of me modeling it, but I will post an instagram of my credit card holders, which will end up being gift card holders this holiday season! Those little cuties will be part of the final push, happening now!!

So get to stitching and posting, my friends!! The winner will be announced on December 1! Click here for the post with the patterns and where you can enter!

Hey, Crochet Spot readers! Are you making scarves for this chilly season? Before I moved to the hot and humid climate of the tropics, my favorite thing to make was a scarf. I would choose my projects by pattern or by yarn and just crochet away. I must have crocheted dozens of scarves in all different lengths and at different levels of complexity. One thing I realized is that I very seldom have added fringe to my scarf projects. I’m not sure what it is about fringe… I do like the look of it most of the time, but I don’t typically decide to add it myself. Weird, huh? Maybe it’s just a habit.

At any rate, I was thinking about scarves and how we adorn them and I decided to round up a few fringe and fringe-alternative tutorials. Adorn the ends of your scarves with any of the following:

Fringe. It’s classic. It’s versatile. Fringe can be made long or short, in matching or contrasting yarn, and thick or thin. It’s one design element that can completely change the look of your project.

Chain Loop Fringe. This variation on the classic lends a completely different look to the ends of your scarf. It’s creative and unexpected. Why not add this to your next project?

A Floppy Ruffle. If you want to go all out girly, why not add a ruffle to at least one end of your simple scarf? That unexpected floof can make your scarf look great (and a lot more complicated than it actually is!) People will wonder how you did that!

Curly Fringe. This takes your fringe adventure to the nth degree! Curly fringe is fun and feminine, and much easier than it looks. BONUS: It looks great with curly hair!

Now that I have all these ways to make scarves look even cuter, I’m inspired to break my fringe-free habit and get to crocheting a scarf today! 😀 Which of these ends, if any, would you like to try?

Signs of the season are not hard to miss. Squirrels scurry to search for acorns among the leaves while new birds arrive at our feeders to stay for winter. Inspiration is all around us; just take a look and see what inspires you. This week I introduce to you another fall appliqué to add to your collection. Appliqué’s are fun and easy ways to accessorize. And since they use so little yarn, they’re great projects for using the scraps of yarn we tend to accumulate.

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Last year my sister wanted some pictures with Susie, our scarecrow. This year she can look the part with a hat just like Susie’s. Using a worsted weight yarn, that most people usually have on hand, this hat is simple and quick to make. The brim is loose and floppy, perfect for the happy-go-lucky look, and you can pick from 5 different sizes to ensure a good fit. Add a touch of contrasting yarn for the band and complete the picture with a piece of straw. You can’t go wrong!

All purchases help to support Crochet Spot and are greatly appreciated! Please log in or create a new account at the Crochet Spot Store to purchase this pattern. Premium Pattern Members may log into the store and download the pattern for free.

Have you seen that TV series on Netflix called Orange Is the New Black? Well, it’s like one of those series that just sucks you in and before you know it you’ve watched the entire season in just a few nights. The story is about a woman who spends 15 months in jail for being a drug mule – transporting drug money in a suitcase. The twist is that the “unlikely” protagonist is well educated, cultured and affluent. As you could guess, she seems like a fish out of water at the minimum security women’s prison in Connecticut.

It’s a fun show with rich stories, but the reason I’m writing today is of course about CROCHET! While watching the series, I was delighted to find several scenes where the prisoners sport crocheted fashions, like this adorable hat.

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This pattern is for four pieces – two boxes that fit together one inside the other and two lids. Each piece is crocheted in the round with double crochet stitches. The boxes are naturally soft and flexible, but feel free to starch or stiffen then if you desire. Make the box and lid in different colors to create a unique look. The boxes are the perfect size for storing your crochet notions or small nicknacks. They also make great gifts for others.

All purchases help to support Crochet Spot and are greatly appreciated! Please log in or create a new account at the Crochet Spot Store to purchase this pattern. Premium Pattern Members may log into the store and download the pattern for free.

Crocheting backward is very simple to do, and once you learn it, it will open up more possibilities for your crochet. You can work without turning–great for blankets and other projects that get heavy and annoying to turn– or you can turn your work and have a more uniform look to your stitches. It is also a good technique for creating mirror images.

All you need to do is work from back to front as shown below.

Left-handed crocheters can hover over the pictures for a lefty view.

To start a backward single crochet, with your yarn in front of your work, insert your hook into the next stitch from back to front.

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Long before crocheting became popular in the 60’s, the art was used for making many things. One item that has always been crocheted is doilies. Doilies have been a part of our culture in a small way for what seems like centuries. This doily pattern has a modern spin with its vibrant colors. The doily is crocheted in the round from the center out and the colorful leaves are joined in as you go. Crochet this doily or a set of them to add to your fall decor.

All purchases help to support Crochet Spot and are greatly appreciated! Please log in or create a new account at the Crochet Spot Store to purchase this pattern. Premium Pattern Members may log into the store and download the pattern for free.