Back in the groove!!

Oh, my!  I just managed to get back onto this page after a long period of inactivity.  In looking at the date of my last post, I was shocked to see that it has been over four years!  Where in the world have I been, you ask?

Well, a lot has gone on during this time period!  First, I started having arthritis pains in my hand, mostly my thumbs, and could not crochet any longer.  It was heartbreaking as this was my passion and my therapy. Right now, I struggle to open lids, hold things down, etc.   Wow, four years seems so long ago and I have surely missed my therapy!

Over the past four years, my thumbs have become progressively worse requiring me to get steriod injections every three months and the doctor has has said the only other option is surgery.  The surgery is called CMC Arthroplasty where he would remove the damaged bone in my hand/thumb area and then stretch tendons from my wrist to my thumb, hopefully allowing me to gain more strength in the thumb.  I have heard that it could take 12 months before you are actually glad that you had the surgery.  Honestly?  Ain't nobody got time for that!  I have rescheduled it three times and finally decided that I am going to wait until I cannot take it any longer!   I have also decided no more injections! 

I also retired from teaching in 2016 after 23 years.  I'd always heard that you would know when you were done.  I did!  I actually surprised myself (and my husband), making the decision just a few months before school was out.  I finished out the year and haven't looked back.  I, then, ran a successful business from home but, after 2 1/2 years of non-stop going and not being able to separate business from personal, I finally closed down shop, and, well, here I am !

BUT...and this is the big but!  I decided that I am going to crochet again!  I've bought a few special gloves and a thumb brace (links to these items will be added shortly) and it is working well.  I have been crocheting like mad for the past week and a half but do monitor myself carefully.  When my thumb starts getting sore, I ice it down with some frozen peas (best ice pack on earth) and I'm good to go.  No anti-inflammatories, no shots, no nothing!

I am so thrilled that finally I decided to give it a try again!  My crochet bag has been calling to me for too many years, whenever I opened my craft closet, so I decided to go for it.  Glad I did.  I will be posting some of my new work soon and will have a yarn giveaway too!

And, remember, this isn't just about crocheting.  I have shared all of my crafting projects and crafting fun and will continue to do so!  I recently started painting and distressing Mason jars and love the end product! 

More to come! 

New Hat - Watermelon!! Flower (daisy, maybe) or not?

Thanks to free pattern from Daisy Cottage Designs!

Yarn Giveaway

We are moving and I am consolidating and purging.  I found this yarn that I have been storing and, at first, I was going to give it to Goodwill.  Then, I remembered how some of the ladies on the blogs and Facebook pages I am a member of were so excited when they found yarn bargains at yard sales.

On that note, I want to say, yes, some of the yarn has been used, mostly when I was re-learning how to crochet a few years ago, but I switched to different yarn after I started selling on Etsy and I hate to see this go to waste.  If you like Red Heart Super Saver or Craftsman yarn, then this is for you.

I will do a drawing on Saturday, June 21st, and will send this yarn to the winner free of charge, even paying for the postage.  It has been stored in a smoke free, pet free home.

If you are interested, please leave your name and email address below so that I can let you know if you win.  I will also post the winner next Saturday.  I know it isn't much, but free is free and someone would love to have it!

Thanks!  Good luck!

Janice

Vintage Cloche

My Very First Pattern!!!!  Here it is!  Thanks so much to my testers who made this pattern much easier to read!!!  Enjoy!  Feel free to share photos

GO TO THE BOTTOM FOR THE LINK TO THE PDF VERSION!

                                             

Ladies’ Vintage Cloche

By:  Southern Love Crochet                                 

GAUGE:  10 rows,  9 HDC = 3 inches

   

YOU WILL NEED:

• Size I Hook
• Size F Hook
• 1 Skein Acrylic Worsted Weight Yarn (I use Red Heart Soft or Caron’s Simply Soft Yarn)
• 1 Contrasting Yarn (small amount, less than 1/8 skein)
• Tapestry Needle
• Pearl buttons or beads (4)
• Needle and thread (to match contrasting yarn)

To begin:  Using the Size “I” hook, CHAIN 2  (or use magic circle)

Row 1:  In 2^nd chain from hook, 8 HDC, sl st in 1^st hdc, ch 1 (8)

Row 2:  2 hdc in each hdc of row 1, slst in 1^st hdc of same row, ch 1 (16)

Row 3:  *2 hdc in 1st hdc of row 2, 1 hdc in next hdc of row 2, * *repeat 7 more times for a total of 8 sets, slst in 1^st hdc of row 3, ch. 1 (24)

***Now you will start to change the locations of your increase stitches so that you will have a more rounded shape instead of “corners” or a hexagonal shape. 

*** You will also use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of each row as you will be  crocheting in the round until  you have 18 rows.

Row 4:  *2 hdc in 1^st st  of previous row, 1 hdc, 1 hdc*,  *repeat 7 more times* for a total of 8 sets  (32)   DO NOT JOIN!!

******PLEASE NOTE: after Row 4, any stitches before the *...* and any  stitches after, together form another complete set, they are just broken up to vary the locations of your increases.  So, for each row, you are actually crocheting a total of 8 sets of each sequence.

Row 5:  hdc in each of the 1^st 2 sts of previous row, *2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next 3 stitches*,  *repeat  times 6 more times* and then 2 hdc, 1 hdc in last hdc.  (40)

Row 6:  1 hdc in the 1^st st of previous row, then  *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 4 sts,*  *repeat 6 more times , then 2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc each in last 3 sts to finish row.  (48)

Row 7:   hdc in each of  1^st 4 sts of the previous row, then*2 hdc in the next st, hdc in next 5 sts*, *repeat  6 more times*, then 2 hdc in next st,  1 hdc in last st of round. (56)

Row 8:   hdc in 1st 13 sts of previous row, then *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 13 sts*,  *repeat 2 more times*, then 2 hdc in last st of row (60)

Diameter at this point should be approximately 6.75, which should result in an approximate circumference of 21 inches. (depending on tension in stitches).

BODY:

Rows 9-18:  HDC in each st around.

Join to 1^st stitch in same row with slst, tie off

Change to contrasting color for band

BAND – Join contrast color to previous row with a slst

Row 19:  SC around , including 1^st (sl st) (60)

Row 20: SC around (60), sl st in 1^st sc of row, tie off for color change

****For a thinner band, crochet only ONE ROW (19) using hdc instead                                                                    of single crochet. 

BRIM:  Return to your original color

Row 21:  Foundation to begin brim:  join to band with slst and sc in any stitch, sc around., sl st to join to 1^st sc,, (60)

ROW 22: hdc in joining st, 2 hdc next,  continue 1 hdc, 2 hdc around,  sl st to join to 1st hdc (90)

ROW 23: hdc in joining st and all st around (90); join with slst to first st of row and tie off.

(if you would like a wider brim, add additional rows.  If you do so, I recommend that you do an increase on row 24 to keep the wave in the brim:  {*8 hdc, 2hdc*  x 10}   (100 stitches total)

TRIM:  change back to contrast color                      

Begin anywhere on the brim:

Slst in first hdc of brim, then 1 ½  sc  in next HDC,    continue alternating slst and 1 ½ sc around.              

Join to 1^st slst, tie off.    

      

 *Pictures and instructions below for 1 ½ sc*                                                                                    

*1 ½ Stitch Explained:  (see close up pictures below and on next page)

**1 ½ stitch:  when you normally crochet in a HDC, you slip your hook right under the top two threads.  There is always one thread immediately below these top two stitches (I call it the “filler”) and above where the stitch joins the previous row.  Alternate with slst around.

For a 1 ½ sc, insert hook around 3 threads instead of the normal top 2.  (see the 3^rd thread?)

FLOWERS:

Use same yarn as contrast and Size F Hook

(Larger if you want larger flowers)

This calls for a magic circle.  

If you don’t use the magic circle you can do this:  just chain 3, instead of two (this would be your chain two in your first petal of the flower} then begin your DC in the very 1^st chain].   I do it both ways and they turn out the same. 

Begin with Magic Circle   (leave a tail of about 4-5 inches for attaching flowers to hat)

First Petal:  Chain 2, 2 DC, Chain 2, sl st to circle;  

REPEAT THREE MORE TIMES (total 4 petals)

After final slst, CLOSE THE MAGIC CIRCLE, then from your final slst, cut off leaving another tail of about4- 5 inches, tie both tails together, tightly, double knot.  Use tails to connect flower to hat.

Make four (4) flowers total.

LEAF: (make as many as you want, I use two)

Chain 12

SC in 4^th ch from hook, then  sc, hdc x 3, sc, skip 2 chains, then slst in last chain.  Tie off.

  

COPYRIGHT   © Southern Love Crochet  and  @  Kutenkrafty on Etsy

Please do not copy or sell my pattern as yours in any way.  I worked very hard to make this pattern and tested it many times.  You are more than welcome to sell items from my pdf patterns. I ask that you include a note about the item being a ‘Southern Love Crochet” design on the tag or a link to my shop 

www.etsy.com/shop/Kutenkrafty when selling in an online store (like Etsy).

Click to get a PDF Version of this pattern from Google DriveClick here for PDF/printable version of the pattern. THANKS!

More Beautiful Results are IN!

Thank you so much to Anna Patten.  Your hat is beautiful also. I love the additional color added to the hat with the green leaves.  It is fun to see all of the different versions of one pattern.  Thanks, also, for your valuable feedback!  You guys work so quickly....

First tester's results...Awesome!

Thanks so much to Betty Dixon.  Beautiful job!  Looking forward to receiving more end products.  FREE PATTERN to follow in a few more days!

My New Hat and First Pattern!!

I crocheted and tore apart, crocheted and tore apart a hat that I was making for a friend.  She had given me an "idea" of what she wanted.  She wanted it in off white and it seemed that everything I made just looked so boring!  Finally, after about 3 weeks of doing that, I came up with an idea for her.  She loved it, I loved it and I have even sold a few in my Etsy store!  Persistence pays off!

And...I just love the little flowers!  Sort of vintage looking, don't you think?


I  am currently working on writing my first two patterns and this is one of the two.  I think I am almost done.  I am making one more hat to test it before publishing it.  Being my first pattern, it will be a freebie.

Keep your eyes open for it!

As if I don't already have enough to do...

The bottom line is this:  I love crochet and other crafts and they are my "getaway" from the rest of the world.
I asked myself why in the world I would want to start another blog!  I guess in looking back, I think of all that crocheting, making jewelry and wreaths and personalized notecards, and all of  my other annoying habits and what they have meant to me as a woman, as a mom and wife, as a teacher who sometimes feels totally overwhelmed, and as a person in search of what's important in life.  I look back and I realize that rediscovering my crafty side has changed my life.

I have found something besides my family and career that means something to me.  It has brought me through some very stressful times, times of mourning, and times when I just need to get away.  If you are a craftster, you will definitely understand.

On the other hand, if you are not a craftster and you are looking for something to wrap yourself up in, why not try your hand at something?  There are so many choices out there.  There is definitely a demand for your skills.  You may think, "What can I do?"  I think that if you really ponder it for a while, reflect on your passions and skills, you may just find a crafty little person inside of you trying to get out.

Look on Pinterest!  Oh, my!  You would be surprised at the wonderful ideas that you can find on there and the very helpful "How to's".  There are also many, many helpful YouTube videos and other blogs that will help you find your niche!  Just take a quick look on Etsy and you will see the things that people make, the things that people want, and the possibilities that exist for you.

After all, what do you have to lose?