Too Busy Crocheting To Write Lately! Here's What's New!

One evening recently I was playing with decorating a new potholder I had made for my potholder exchange partner. When I realized what I was doing, I put down my crocheting, turned to my husband and said "Oh my gosh – I think I just invented a whole new craft!" In the strictest sense, it is probably  more like a new embellishing technique using crochet chain stitches... as embroidery! I giggled and said "Hey, I'll just call it "CroBroidery!"

I completed my potholder and was really tickled with how it turned out!

My Picket Fence Potholder, Featuring CroBroidery

This week my new CroBroidery technique will be featured in SoCrafty Magazine online. Check it out! Also coming this week is my new Picket Fence Potholder free crochet pattern, which will be available at this link.

I guess necessity really is the mother of invention sometimes! When I was working on my previous potholder exchange, I was not able to climb the stairs to the attic where I keep my yarn stash. All I had downstairs were white and blue cotton yarns. While my yarns may be stashed upstairs, my thread stash is always close at hand! I thought to myself, "Hey - this thread is 100% cotton..." What if I were to stack a bunch of different crochet threads together, until they were like a rope of fibers equal in thickness to the white cotton yarn? I tried it, and was very pleased with the idea! I ended up using seven different crochet threads held together all at once. Here is what I came up with using this technique... You can see its article here.

Potholder In Multiple Threads

I recently finished a really fun project, a Design-Your-Own Spring Decoration. In the pattern, I give you flower motifs, leaf motifs, a doily center, and a mesh connecting pattern. The rest is then up to you – you can create fun things like a mini doily, a mini wreath, a Cross, a hanging strip decoration... or whatever else your imagination creates! You can see the article, free pattern and tutorial here. 

 

Motifs With Optional Doily Center

Motifs Arranged In Cross Pattern, To Be Connected With Mesh

Other than crocheting, I've been busy trying to recover from my February knee surgery. Had a few complications, it's been a struggle, and enough said about that! Things are starting to look up and hopefully within a few more weeks I'll be able to be out planting all these spring bulbs! We picked up on a good sale and bought lots of assorted spring bulb plants, while the snow was still covering the ground. I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed watching them grow and bloom on my dining room table the last few weeks! We definitely decided this is a "do-again." 

Well, back to work now... I need to finish another exchange potholder! Happy Spring, crochet yourself something beautiful! 

Nothing Like A Challenging Design To Help Me Recover!

I've been working on my new Four Leaf Clover Doily for over two weeks now! That seems a long time for a design for me... I went through and discarded three "rough drafts" before I started crocheting the final design. It just wasn't "singing to me." I was after two different objectives. First off, I had done an individual shamrock design last year for St. Patrick's Day. On the pattern's web page, I asked in a poll whether my readers wanted to see a doily made incorporating the shamrocks... yes. they did. So that was one important factor. Secondly, I wanted the shamrocks to be realistic. Real shamrock plants bloom! Different varieties of shamrock plants have different colored blooms ranging everywhere from white to red.  So I had to design a realistic looking shamrock flower and incorporate that in the design too. So that's what all took me so long to figure out!

But I'm happy with my design, and I'm busily crocheting the very last round right now! (That is, after I finish cooking and eating dinner - kinda hungry!)

Anyway, here is a sneak peek at my WIP of the Four Leaf Clover Doily, which will be published later on this week in SoCrafty Magazine.

We had a bit of a surprise snowstorm yesterday and I had quite a lovely day going through my crochet chest. It's where I keep all of my "special" crochet things. Prized hooks, thread, unfinished WIPs, you name it. I ended up getting it all pretty organized, and it kept my mind occupied through an otherwise kind of rough knee day. It was fun watching all the snow fall, especially since they had only called for an inch or so. We ended up with over 8" in our part of town. My poor husband was out at 10 pm clearing the walks and driveway so he could get out this morning.  Here is a picture of my crochet hook collection, all sorted in order! (Wow, like that will ever happen again!) And just for fun, a picture of the snowstorm view I enjoyed out my window.

The metal and acrylics will all be for sale, leave me a note if you're interested! Can you tell I love Clover Soft Touch?

Hope you have an evening of enjoyable crocheting ahead! – Sheila

What Would I Do Without Crochet?

I've asked myself that question more than once over the years. Right now, having had knee replacement surgery two weeks ago, learning to use a brand-new knee and dealing with lot of pain, I ask that question again! What, indeed, would I do? Well, it's hard to imagine. I've never found any other hobby that makes me so content or relaxes me more. I love to draw and make jewelry, but there's something about the feel of the thread or yarn I'm working with that contributes to my crochet-love, I think.  Whatever it is about crochet that makes me love it, I am again grateful for it. It's been a rough couple of weeks. Countless times the pain's been bad and I've reached for my crocheting to get through the next hour (or minute!).

On a positive note, I'm making good progress. I started working on a new design almost the minute I got home from the hospital. My leg is getting stronger every single day. It will be no time until this is all way back in the rear-view mirror, and honestly I'll be glad to see that!

I plan to spend the next few weeks hibernating while our weather is cold and snowy anyway, recuperating and doing my crocheting. Then by the time Spring gets here, I will be ready to go outside and enjoy it!

Right now I'm working on a Four Leaf Clover Mini Doily/Motif, which will be published next week. Watch for an article about it in SoCrafty magazine!  Meanwhile, did you see my little Shamrock pin/pendant from last year? You can still get that free pattern here.

My St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Design From 2012

What To Design Next?

In thinking about the upcoming weeks of my "crochet calendar" to fill with designs, I'm having to work just a bit ahead because of my knee surgery next week. I'm trying to come up with some creative ideas - in a hurry - and I'm just drawing a big-old blank! Have you ever done that? You know, that "I want to make something but I don't know what" feeling?

I suppose the most logical thing is a St. Patrick's Day design, yes?  Last year, for St. Patrick's I did a little Shamrock that everyone seemed to enjoy. Perhaps this time I'll do a potholder... since I seem to be in a potholder mood lately. Definitely something kitchen-y, whatever it ends up. OK, there's one week!

Last Year's Shamrock Pin, Pattern Available Here

For week two, I think I will try and pattern up a custom design I have been working up for a client, something handy for men or women to enjoy... a notepad sleeve. It's pretty basic stuff, but sometimes that's the beauty of crochet. A need appears, and a solution is found in crochet! I remember the day I brought home my new iPad without having purchased a case for it yet. I was totally panicked that I would break it! So I dropped everything and crocheted myself a simple little carrier sleeve for it, which served its purpose until I found the keyboard case I wanted later.  So maybe it's not such a dumb idea to put the pattern out, I suppose.  Here is a picture of the one I'm working on for the client, it's in very thick burgundy chenille.

Hopefully within two weeks I'll be feeling up to crocheting and writing again, I just don't want to lose my momentum!

A New Pattern... And Big Changes For Me!

For some odd reason tonight, I'm counting the hours until 6 a.m. when it will be exactly one week until I have total right knee replacement surgery on the agenda! Those of you who know me personally know that I've been through both hip replacements in 2011/12, spent all of 2012 getting all "tough" again, and now the news that the destructive arthritis has taken both of my knees. Well, a lot of things will change in a hurry next week, that's for sure... for one thing, it will be the end of my in-person yarn shopping adventures for at least several weeks! But luckily there's lots of yarn and thread available online and Tom the Mailman definitely knows his way to my door with the packages! He is so nice to me, I am truly spoiled. I have a most awesome mailman. Through all those months after the hip surgeries, he faithfully carried my mail up to my door and rang the bell, even though I'm sure he did not have to do so. And he was so proud of me the first time he saw me make it all the way out to the mailbox on my walker! That day seems long ago now... I just walk right out there now.  That's the kind of thing that is so very hard to give up.

But... this time, and the time after, when we do the left knee, I will get through it the way I have gotten through everything else... with Crochet. Hopefully lots of great ideas will come to me, I'll make them and share them with you all. If not, I'll be making a lot of dishcloths, but either way I'll be here talking about it.

On a much happier note, this week's pattern is a fresh take on the kitchen and bathroom hand towel. I've made my share of towels with crocheted tops over the years – haven't we all? But I confess, I've always hated cutting up those pretty towels in half! I like the whole towel. I came up with a little Spring flower towel holder which you simply put on your towel bar and leave there. Then you slide a clean towel into the loop holder as needed. I think it will have a lot of wear and tear from frequent laundering on the pretty holder, too. Anyway, for your consideration, here 'tis:

    

Since you were kind enough to stop by my blog, you can hear about the free pattern first! You can get it right here. Enjoy! 

New Valentine Pattern!

Just published the "Here's My Heart Valentine Potholder" pattern! Do some up in time for Valentine gifts or your own decorations! Blogging on the go so cant do a nice link but you can copy-paste this if it doesn't work: http://www.squidoo.com/ heresmyheart

Looking To Hire Crocheter!

I Need Help!

I am seeking a crocheter to do production crochet on demand of finished objects from my Spiffer Set pattern, which will be provided (see link at end of this message). You'll need to include your labor + 100% cotton yarn and $5.35 for shipping to me. I'd need to receive finished items within 10 days. Email SheilaSchnauzies@gmail.com if interested by 2/10/13, subject Spiffer and include photo sample of a recent crochet project plus anything else you'd like me to know about you. Thanks!