~*~*~*~
Favorite Sites:
http://priscillascrochet.net/freepatterns.html
I've searched a vast quantity of free pattern
(and patterns
for sale) sites online,
and this is by far and away the best I've ever seen.
http://bellacrochet.blogspot.com/search/label/free%20crochet%20pattern
This is but a portion of Ann's fabulous blog, where you can
view her original designs in progress.
http://dorischancrochet.com/free-pattern-links/
Doris Chan's beautiful designs!
http://www.lionbrand.com/
This commercial site is also quite excellent,
and has a
remarkable
number of free patterns.
http://thecrochetdudepatterns.blogspot.com/
Free designs from Drew
Emborsky - The Crochet Dude -
many of which are quick and simple!
http://www.myhq.com/public/l/u/luvsallcrochet/
Another great site!
http://www.crochethop.com/
Christine Daugherty's crochet page offers
some nice designs,
including things to make for preemies.
http://www.funcrochet.com/crochetlinks.html
This magazine is available online or
by subscription to your
door.
http://www.crochetmemories.com/
This site, owned by designer Cylinda Mathews
of El Cajon, CA,
specializes in original
thread crochet patterns, and offers free patterns,
patterns for sale, and a few completed
items for sale as well.
http://home.inreach.com/marthac/links.html
Martha's Stargazer is a private site with a seemingly endless
list of
links.
http://kaleidesigns.com/crochet/
Around the Crochet Table - Patterns and Recipes Shared
by Friends
This is an interactive group with free patterns and recipes,
as well as benefits
for membership - which is also free.
http://www.craftown.com/
Craftown Crafter's Resource Center is a very large site
with patterns
available in many mediums,
For strictly crochet patterns, go directly to:
http://www.craftown.com/crochet.htm
http://www.berroco.com/pl_web_
exclusive_index.html
From Berroco Yarns comes an
extensive collection of free patterns.
http://www.royalyarns.com/Free-Crochet-Patterns_ep_391-1.html
More free patterns from Royal Yarns International...
http://www.ebook3000.com/The-Anne-Halliday-Afghans-Collection_68979.html
Download free patterns from ebook3000.com...
~*~*~*~
Really Unique Patterns for
Sale
http://www.countryyarns.com/pla001.htm
This site, Perfect Little Angels, has gorgeous blessing
and
christening gown patterns for sale. There's even a tiny
tuxedo pattern available to sew in satin and brocade.
~*~*~*~
Crocheted Items
for Sale
http://www.suescrochetdesigns.com/
Sue's Crochet Designs is a really fun site!
~*~*~*~
http://www.crochet.org/
Crochet Guild of America's Official
Web Site
~*~*~*~*~*~
http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/caps.html
Caps and Kids
~*~*~*~*~*~
MY REMEDY
- Susan K. Minarik
Ben Franklin once said, or
so I am told,
'Tis sewing that keeps women sane.
Some says it's knitting, and other folks hold
'Tis painting that's best for her brain.
But when my own world starts spinning too fast
And my hold on my sanity's fraying,
When my last bit of humor is crumbling at last,
I comfort myself with CROCHETING!
~*~*~*~
As a new bride, Edna moved into
the small home
on her husband's ranch. She put a shoe box on a
shelf in her
closet and asked her husband
never to touch it.
For fifty years Jack left the box alone,
until Edna was old and
dying.
One day when he was putting their affairs
in order, he found the box
again and
thought it might hold something important.
Opening it, he
found two doilies and
$82,500 in cash. He took the box to Edna and
asked about
the contents.
"My mother gave me that box the day we married,"
she
explained. "She told me to make a doily
to help ease my frustrations
every time
I got mad at you."
Jack was very touched that in 50 years
she'd only been mad at him
twice.
"What's the $82,500 for?" he asked.
"Oh, that's the money I made selling the doilies."
This joke courtesy of my friend,
Sarah Puckett Kressaty of CA - 03/24/03.
Thanks, Sarah!
~*~*~*~
|
Recent Projects:
1. A white, lacy
throw modified from a design by Terry Kimbrough entitled,
"Rosebud Afghan",
and
appearing on the cover of the Leisure Arts
pamphlet, "Romancing the Rose".
My version, begun in the fall of 2001, uses no rosebuds (did I mention
"modified?!?").
It consists of 4-1/2" squares made by holding
together one strand of baby yarn
and one strand of # 10 crochet thread, using a
G hook.
Progress: 23 of 63 squares completed and joined,
and put aside for a
while. |
2. A Beribboned
Tissue Box Cover from Crochet Collection by Leisure Arts.
I made it
with white Simply Soft Yarn by Caron, held together with a strand
of white
Knit-Cro-Sheen,
and a size H hook. Laced with red and royal blue
ribbons,
it's a decorative touch for my little
red, white and blue
half-bath.
Completed on 08/14/02. |
3. A lime sherbet
green and white "Vertical Stripe Sweater" which I
heavily adapted from
Rosanne Kropp's pattern in the Spring 1994 issue
of "Crochet World".
Begun 09/19/02, it's
3/4 finished.
I've no idea why I set it aside in October... |
4. A super soft
"Floral Bouquet Afghan" - a Coats and Clark pattern -
which I'm making
for my
living room
using Caron Simply Soft yarn
(yes, I know, that was tacky of me!) in white,
off
white, and eggnog. It features a popcorn stitch.
Begun in July of 2002, I have 15 of the 35 squares completed,
and my crochet hook mysteriously disappeared...Hooray!
The hook just as
mysteriously reappeared on 01/31/03.
I'm back in business! |
5. Another cuddly
afghan for my living room, "Quick and Toasty Throw",
designed by
Maggie Weldon, from the October 1998 issue of "Crochet with Heart". It's
done with a
Q hook holding
three
strands together (once again, I'm using white, aran and
eggnog).
It's a simple project,
great for making while watching TV.
Barely begun (ran out of eggnog AND aran yarns -
must go shopping!). |
6. A basket of
flowers done in ecru, eggshell, and white size 10 threads
held double, to be appliquéd to an off white "curtain" for my living
room bookcase. The
basket was designed
by Anne Halliday,
and was found in her 1975 book, Decorating with Crochet.
The flowers
were from
a design called "Basket of Flowers" from Issue # 26 (June 1983)
of Magic Crochet
magazine.
The basket is done, the flowers begun, and the curtain
just
needs to be hemmed. |
7. Christmas
ornaments are a never ceasing ongoing project for
my friends and family. Almost all of the designs I made this year involved
crocheting over a plastic ring, and required no blocking.
This design is actually a variation of a Photo Wreath pattern which
appeared in the 1988 issue of Christmas Crochet magazine.
It's such a quick pattern that I even signed up for two online
ornament exchanges!
Such fun! |

I lost count of how many ornaments I actually completed
this year,
but there was a great multitude. |
I came across a
"Flower Motif Afghan", designed by Katherine Satterfield
Robert in the October 1996
issue of "Leisure Arts - The Magazine".
It's a puff stitch design of 7" squares, very
quick and very effective.
Needless to say, I fell in love with it,
and am already working
on two more
afghans:
|
8. One for my living room with centers of variegated ivory and pastels by
Lion Brand;
"leaves" of sage by Caron Simply Soft; and surrounded by backgrounds of
Red Heart Aran.
Begun on 11/01/02; I'll need 35 squares, and I
completed and joined 24.
Then I noticed a mistake in one of the corner joinings
and started ripping,
ripping... and laid it aside for a while.
Hooray again! I repaired the error on 01/31/03, and on 02/04/03, I FINISHED!
The edging itself was of my own design. I really like this afghan as well
as
anything I've ever made. It has a nice weight, yet appears lacy,
and
the colors
are perfect for my living room. |
9. One for our
queen size bed in Red Heart Yarns: white, light and royal blues,
two
variegated
light blues (one is called "Ocean"), plus emerald green
"leaves".
This friendship afghan will
have 99 - 8" squares.
I joined two online granny square
exchanges, so I'll receive 6 - 7"
squares
from three women in one group
in late January (which will be in the bottom row), and
33 - 6" squares
from eleven women in the other group in May. I'll add white borders to the
donated squares so that they'll
all measure 8", and crochet the other 60
squares in this
puff
stitch pattern myself.
The May squares will form the entire center
section of the afghan.
Beautiful and exciting! I started assembling it on
01/23/03, and by
01/25/03
thirteen squares had been joined together.
Then I decided to redo the last two
rounds on half the squares,
so I completely
dismantled it, and put it back
together again on 01/30/03.
It's much
prettier now.
Then I ran out of white yarn. Rats.
I bought more white yarn, and as of 03/23/03,
there were 33 squares assembled:
L
= light blue centers
O
= ocean centers
R
= royal centers
V
= lt. blue, pink, white variegated
centers
1, 2, 3 = January exchange squares
MOS = May exchange squares |
My squares from the 11 other gals in
the exchange
started arriving in May,
and by 05/14/03,
there were 44
squares happily joined together,
as shown by the dark blue
"squares": |
|
L |
O |
R |
L |
O |
L |
R |
O |
L |
R |
L |
O |
R |
L |
R |
O |
L |
R |
O |
R |
V |
JAN |
FEB |
MAR |
V |
R |
O |
L |
O |
APR |
JUN |
JUL |
AUG |
SEP |
O |
L |
R |
L |
OCT |
NOV |
DEC |
JAN |
FEB |
L |
R |
O |
R |
MAR |
APR |
JUN |
JUL |
AUG |
R |
O |
L |
O |
SEP |
OCT |
NOV |
DEC |
JAN |
O |
L |
R |
L |
FEB |
MAR |
APR |
JUN |
JUL |
L |
R |
O |
R |
AUG |
SEP |
OCT |
NOV |
DEC |
R |
O |
L |
O |
R |
L |
V |
L |
R |
O |
L |
R |
1 |
2 |
3 |
L |
3 |
2 |
1 |
R |
Having abandoned this entire project for over five years, I picked it up
again
on 08/07/08, and within seven days I finished 27 more squares. By 08/13/08
there were 71 squares connected. I also decided to eliminate the top row
as it was long enough to be effective without it. Now with a goal of 90
squares,
there are only 19 remaining plus the edging, and I will have completed it at
last!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Fayetteville, NC
Another square was completed
shortly thereafter (pale blue on the above chart);
a glimpse of the finished afghan is
shown above. Then with 18 more squares
and
the edging remaining, we unexpectedly moved to Edwardsville, IL.
The project
was
(incredibly!) laid aside for another 2-1/2 years...
On 05/23/11, another square (light
green on the above chart) was added
at last, two more the next
day, one more the next, two more on 05/27/11,
another the next day, and now only eleven squares plus the edging remain.
The center sections of those
eleven squares are complete, but I ran out
of white yarn again. As we're moving back to Fayetteville this week,
I'll wait until I'm there to purchase it and resume crocheting.
TIME PASSES...
Having traded our queen-sized bed
for a king (and with a fresh skein of white yarn handy),
I was inspired to at long last finish this afghan. I decided to eliminate the
top row as well;
now it will have only 81 squares. The 80th square was finished on
03/27/14
(no, seriously!), and the 81st on 03/30/14, whereupon I immediately began to
work
on the edging - and I'm actually done!
|
Here are some of
the squares
I made in this puff stitch pattern
for one of the exchange groups. |

|
BEFORE:

Friday, July 27, 2001
Colonial Heights, VA
|
10. A filet lace
sleeve border for my black short-sleeve dress from the August 1987 issue of
"Magic Crochet" designed by Maria Loisidou. It's done by holding two
strands of #10 black thread together, and using a size 1 hook. |
Left sleeve completed and attached on 07/26/03; right sleeve completed and
attached on 08/02/03.
I really LOVE this lace! The dress looks entirely
different now. |
AFTER:

Sunday, August
24, 2003
Fayetteville, NC |
 |
11. A pair of
Christmas booties done in
emerald green, white and red for an
adorable little
four-month old baby boy
in my life.
Started AND completed on 12/07/02. |
12. A LONG
stocking cap for my son, Joshua. I designed it according to his
specifications, waist-length, and striped. Made using Lion Brand yarn,
"Edwardian"
(a dark heather gray) Homespun, and "Yukon Gold" Chunky with a
size K hook,
it uses a couple of different stitches.
Begun on 02/09/03 and completed on 02/19/03. |
13. A leper
bandage as part of a service project for my church.
It's 3" wide and
as long as the ball of thread allows, and made with
white
Spring Maid D54 thread and a
size D hook.
http://www.thefamily.com/countrycottage/charity/bandages.html
Begun on 02/19/03, this should be a snap, but it is incredibly tedious,
and
I can't seem to build up any speed. ARGHHH! |
14. A long
white lacy vest, made with a size H hook and white Red Heart Yarn, with a row
or
two of white Caron Simply Soft yarn
thrown in here and there for variety.
The bottom edging is a
variation of the "Fuchia Flower Wide Edging",
adapted by Sandi Marshall from
an antique pattern:
http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa020103.htm
Begun on 03/03/03 and
completed on 03/17/03. |
15. A Carrot Bib for Ben, in
honor of his portrait with the Easter Bunny. Based on a
design from
http://www.AnniesAttic.com,
it's made in the Crochet 'N' Weave
technique with a size G hook. I
used a grid of sage yarn by Caron Simply Soft,
with a picot edging of white
Red Heart yarn. The carrots were also of Red Heart
yarn - vibrant
orange carrots with hunter green tops.
Begun on 04/05/03 and completed on 04/05/03. |
16. Three Tiny Easter Baskets for
three of my friends. Made with Red Heart Aran yarn
and a size G hook,
these are of my own design. The bases are 3" plastic canvas
circle for
added stability. A size 7 hook is used for this step.
Begun on 04/06/03 and completed on 04/12/03. |
17. A Winter
Cap made with blue, vibrant orange, and Aran Red Heart yarns and a
size G
hook. Designed by Ruth Jacksier, this appeared in the 1991 issue of
Christmas Crochet magazine.
Begun on 04/13/03 and finished on 04/14/03. |
This sort of thing drives my poor husband crazy, but I've found that
whenever I'm working on one project, my mind is working on the next one -
and I DO finish them all - eventually...
|