The Start of Something Good - OM!

I got a request from an Etsy customer (okay, it's my aunt . . . I still haven't gotten a stranger order yet!) for a mediation floor cushion. Color palette - and this is a quote, "I'm thinking dark and gooey" - caramel, burgundy and deep violet.  I would have never picked out those colors.  I guess it's the toddlers running around my house, but I'm way into rainbow bright cheery colors lately.  But they seriously look amazing together!  I want to redo (um . . . do) my living room in these colors.  I'm going to make 7 of these mandalas and sew them together for the cushion top.  I'm really excited about how these are coming out and can't wait to see the finished product.
I actually had a really hard time finding these colors in my normal yarn haunts, so I ended up going to the most amazing yarn shop ever - the Yarn Garden in Hawthorne!!!  Huge selection of tons and tons of great yarns at all different price ranges and really nice sales people.  People from Portland are probably tsk tsking me right now for not having gone sooner, I have heard that it is great, but seriously I didn't know that it would be that great.  Worth crossing the river for this place.
I'm doing this with Cascade 128 chunky wool, which will be nice and soft on the bum, making it more conducive for meditation.  Side note:  I love making granny mandalas!  So fun, so pretty, and so easy.  This is the ultimate in instant crochet gratification.  For more inspiration in the mandala department check out Crochet with Raymond.  I would say that Alice (Crochet with Raymond's author) is hands down the Granny Mandala queen.

Cute as a Button Baby Bib

I love this little pattern.  It is very quick and easy and would make a terrific gift.  The bright bold colors and stripes and cute button make it unique.  The soft cotton is absorbent and easy on baby soft skin.  Totally washable too!

Yarn:  Lily Sugar’n Cream, about a quarter of a skein or so of main color and another quarter of a skein of contrasting color.

Gauge:  The bib in the picture measures 7.25 inches wide by 6.5 inches tall.  To get that size the gauge is: 11.5 sc and 12 rows is a 4 inch square.   You can adjust hook size for a smaller or bigger bib.

The strap measures about 10 inches total.

Hook: I (5.5 mm)

Bib:  (Note:  You will be working from the bottom of the bib up)

With MC, holding 2 strands together, ch 21.

Row 1: sc in second ch from hook and across. (20 sc) 

Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (20 sc).

Rows 3-7:  repeat row 2.

Row 8: Change to CC. Ch1, turn, sc across. (20sc) (Note: I carried my  MC across on the CC rows to have it handy for the next row)

Rows 9-12:  repeat row 2.

Row 13: repeat row 8.

Rows 14 & 15: repeat row 2.

Row 16: repeat row 8.

Row 17: repeat row 2.

Row 18: repeat row 8.  Do not fasten.

Trim:  Keeping with contrasting yarn, ch 1, turn, work a row of scs across the top of the bib.  Work 3 scs in the corner and continue around the bib, working 3 scs in each corner. 

Strap: When you get to your last corner of the bib, work your 3 corner scs and then work 5 more scs, ch1, turn.  Sk first st, work 2 scs then 2sctog. Ch 1 turn, 3 sc.  Continue working 3 scs per row for about 8 inches.

Button Loop:  When you get to your last strap row, ch 2 (counts as first dc) turn, sk next st., 2 dc, ch 4, 2 dc into same st, 1 dc in last stitch.  Fasten.

Button:  Using MC and only one strand of yarn, Round 1: ch 2, 6 sc into first ch (6sc), do not join, just keep working around,  Round 2: 2 sc into each sc (12sc) Round 3: sc2tog (6sc), Round 4: sc2tog (3sc).  Fasten leaving a long tail.

Finishing:  Attach button to bib, weave in all your ends.  You are done . . . YEAH!

Musings on the Trinity Stitch

I'm always looking for crochet stitches that give you a nice drapey knit-like feel.  Let's just put it this way - I love the feel of knit without having to knit.  I know it will just take practice to get better at knitting, but for now I am having so much fun and get so much pleasure from crocheting that I'd rather just find great crochet stitches that look or feel knitty.  Back to my point . . . the trinity stitch.  Wow, it is so beautiful and definitely feels drapey and fabricky.  So far my favorite stitch is the granite stitch but trinity is a close second.  So my question is, how did the trinity stitch get its name?  I did a google search and couldn't find the answer right off the bat.  If anyone knows, please comment and share!  My guesses are either because the stitch looks kinda like a cross or because the stitch creates 3 tiny little lines between stitches.

I'm working on a cowl featuring the trinity stitch and just love the texture feel of it.  I think I stated in my last post that I wasn't going to do anymore cowls for awhile.  Okay for real, this will be my last cowl for a little while at least.  This one is very simple and is coming out beautifully.  I'm working with Debbie Bliss Andes yarn and WOW, that is some soft luxurious yarn! It is mulberry silk and alpaca and just a dream to work with.

For a great tutorial on how to do the trinity stitch check here. 

Crochet, Gifts, and Beautiful Aunties

One of my favorite things about crocheting is being able to create something unique to give away to my favorite people. I love the process of making the gift and reflecting on the recipient while in process.  Recently I made two cowls from this pattern and I was able to give them to two of the best aunties in the world - ML, a.k.a. Mantie Mel, a.k.a. Schmelvin, a.k.a. (well you get the point) and Mags. 

Now that was really fun!  Allright, it's summer, I gotta stop making cowls!!