I've been working on designing some new flowers for flower crowns, and I thought I would share my short hand notes on how to make this white Chrysanthemum flower.  It's not a full/tested pattern, but I think these notes will probably be enough to help most crocheters make the flower.

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Start with a 3.5mm hook and DK weight yarn in white.

1. hdc 8 in a magic ring

2. working in flo, (ch3, ss in the 2nd ch from the hook, ss in the next ch, ss in the next st).  Repeat around - forms 8 petals.

3. working in the blo, sc 2 in each st all the way around (16 sts)

4. repeat round 2 only ch4 and ss 3 times to form the petal - 16 petals

5. working in the blo, (sc, inc) all the way around - 24 sts

6. repeat round 2 only ch5 and ss4 to form petals - 24 petals

7. working in the blow, sc around - 24

8. repeat round 6

9. repeat round 6 but in blo only instead of flo

Last year, I worked up this little bird - with a few modifications of course.  He ended up taking almost two hours, but I'm pretty happy with the results.  Other than the feet and the addition of eyes, I kept most of the original pattern the same.

The free pattern for this little bird comes compliments of Lime Green Lady.  You can find her pattern on her blog here.

Last fall I set out to make that beautiful and popular poncho designed by Haak Trend.

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It decided to use some chunky yarns and leave off the fringe, and this was the end result.  You can view my project notes with my modifications on Ravelry.  I've also linked the project to the original free pattern by the designer.

I've decided to make my crochet heart garland pattern available for free.

You can find it at the link below.

Enjoy!

This shield works up fast and easy and works great as a costume accessory.  The shield is a simple circle that starts with 10 dc and increases by 10 each round.  You work 4 rows of blue, 2 of red, 2 of white, and 2 of red then fasten off.  The star was done in white felt.

Hook and Yarn: 

Pattern was worked with a 5mm hook and DK weight yarn.  This would also work fine with a 4.5mm hook or 6mm hook and worsted weight yarn.  You'll need less than 1/2 of a skein of red, white, and blue yarn.

Round 1: with BLUE yarn, ch3, ss to join, ch3 (counts as dc) dc 9 in the loop 

Stitch count: 10 dc

Round 2: ch3 (counts as dc here and throughout) dc 1 in the same stitch, dc 2 in each of the next 9 stitches all the way around 

Stitch count: 20 dc

Round 3: ch3, dc 2 in the next st *[dc1 in the next st, dc 2 in the next st] Repeat from * all the way around

Stitch count: 30 dc

Round 4: ch 3, dc 1 in the next st, dc 2 in the next st.  *[dc 1 in each of the next 2 st, dc 2 in the next st]  Repeat from * all the way around.

Stitch count: 40

Round 5: Change to RED, ch 3, dc 1 in each of the next 2 st, dc 2 in the next st.  *[dc 1 in each of the next 3 st, dc 2 in the next st]  Repeat from * all the way around.

Stitch count: 50

Round 6: ch 3, dc 1 in each of the next 3 sts, dc 2 in the next st.  *[dc 1 in each of the next 4 st, dc 2 in the next st]  Repeat from * all the way around.

Stitch count: 60

Round 7: Change to WHITE, ch 3, dc 1 in each of the next 4 sts, dc 2 in the next st.  *[dc 1 in each of the next 5 st, dc 2 in the next st]  Repeat from * all the way around.

Stitch count: 70

Round 8: ch 3, dc 1 in each of the next 5 sts, dc 2 in the next st.  *[dc 1 in each of the next 6 st, dc 2 in the next st]  Repeat from * all the way around.

Stitch count: 80

Round 9: Change to RED, ch 3, dc 1 in each of the next 6 sts, dc 2 in the next st.  *[dc 1 in each of the next 7 st, dc 2 in the next st]  Repeat from * all the way around.

Stitch count: 90

Round 10: ch 3, dc 1 in each of the next 7 sts, dc 2 in the next st.  *[dc 1 in each of the next 8 st, dc 2 in the next st]  Repeat from * all the way around.

Stitch count: 100

Finishing:

Fasten off, weave in any end from the color changes.  Cut a star from white felt (making sure the points are about as wide as the blue circle in the middle of the shield).  Attach with Fabri-Tac or similar silicon-based fabric glue.

Enjoy!

This top was my summer vacation project last year.  It wass created using a free stitch diagram by MyPicot.  I've linked to my project (and the original pattern by MyPicot) below.

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I finally finished up Aiden's BB8 hat.  I started this one over a month ago, and the first one ended up big enough that it fit me!  So I did a contest giveaway on my Facebook page, and that hat now has a new happy owner.

Aiden's pretty happy with his, but I've been afraid to sell them online.  I think I could do it, but you know how copyright stuff gets so complicated...  Giving away free stuff is one thing, selling/profiting from it is another.

Anyway, I've included a link below to the designer's full pattern on YouTube.  Have fun making these!

This headband was based on a free crochet diagram that I found on Pinterest (and later Ravelry).  The original was written in Japanese, and you can still find the link to it on Raverly.  But for those of you who can't or don't like to read diagrams, I wrote out the pattern (as I made it) for you.  You can find it as a project on Raverly or on my blog at the link below.

I originally found this pattern on Pinterest and wanted to give it a try.  I liked the idea of using it as a beach cover up.

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I found several pattern variations, and I have included those - as well as my notes on which adjustments I made - in the Ravelry project below.

I have a love-hate relationship with mohair yarn.  I love the soft fuzzy texture and that I can get a lot of it really cheap.  I hate hate hate how long it takes to fix mistakes because that same texture causes it to knot like crazy.

So I thought I'd share my approach to frogging mohair yarn.  I think anyone who has worked with it even a little bit before probably just cringed at that phrase.  Hopefully this technique takes some of the sting out of it.  I apologize in advance for the audio quality, so I'll write the instructions out below as well.

I made these super comfy slipper boots last winter based on a free pattern by Drops Designs.

I wasn't a fan of the assembly though, so I came up with my own version that was worked in the round.  The cuff was worked in fpdc/bpdc, and I added extra decreases to the boot top for shaping.  I worked the top of the toe as described in the pattern and designed my own sole for the bottom of the shoe.

These guys are going to be mine and have gotten a lot of wear already, but I thought I'd share the concept and link to the free pattern.

Enjoy!

This poncho has been on my to-do list almost since I learned how to crochet.  Someone in a Facebook group came accross a video tutorail (in Spanish) showing how to make something extremely similar.  So this is my attempt to write out her pattern in English.  The design isn't mine and it's been over 10 years since my last high school Spanish class, but I followed along with her motions and I think I got most of it.  

So without further adieu, here is the pattern:

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Source videos

If you want to follow along, these are the original videos (entirely in Spanish)
First Part: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLG1HrkDNYs

Second part: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXQJujRg42M

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What you need:

(as instructed in the video)

• Primary Color: 200 grams / 500 meters of DK or worsted weight yarn (she used this: http://www.alize.gen.tr/index_en2.php?is=qualities_detail&id=177)
  NOTE: I used sport weight and my poncho came out too small, so I would go with worsted.

• Accent Color: 100 grams of fancy yarn (she used Alize Bohem http://www.alize.gen.tr/index_en2.php?is=qualities_detail&id=178)  
  NOTE: I recommend substituting a heavier / aran weight instead or crocheting the fancy yarn together with the worsted (which is what I did)

• 9mm hoook (I used an 8mm hook and mine came out too small, I recommend at least a 9mm)

Instructions:

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Back

1. In PRIMARY color, ch5, ss to join

2. 20 dc in the ring, ss to join

3. (Dc, ch1) all the way around, ss to join

4. Ss into the 1st ch1 sp, (dc3 in the 1st ch1sp, ch1, skip the next ch1sp) all the way around, ss to join 
   (note: you’ll be skipping all the dcs, just working in the spaces)

5. Ss into the space between the first 2 dc stitches, ch4, (dc, ch1) in the space between the next 2 dc sts, (dc1, ch1) 2 times in each ch1sp, ss to join

6. Switch to ACCENT color: work 2 hdc in each ch1sp all the way around, ss to join
   (note: you’ll be skipping all the dcs, just working in the spaces)

7. Switch to PRIMARY  color: hdc1 in each st all the way around, ss to join

8. Repeat row7

9. Repeat row 7

10. Change to ACCENT color: work 2 dc, dc2 in same st, ss to join

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At this point, the video recommends you fasten off and form the neck as a separate piece.  You could just form chain to make a neck hole, but I followed the video instructions for the sake of writing this up. 

Neck:

In PRIMARY color, ch50, ss to join, hdc around for a total of 11 rows.  Fold in half, sc the stitches together, DO NOT FASTEN OFF

Before moving on, she recommends folding the poncho into quaters and marking each section.  It seems this is so you know how big to make your neckline. If my stitch count is correct, that should be about 27 sts for each quadrant.

Joining the Neck

Line up the last stitch of the neck with the last st of the body, sc both pieces together as follows: insert your hook through the first st of the neck and the first st of the body, pull through to finish your sc.  Then, insert hook into next st of neck, skip the next st of the body, insert your hook in the next st, and finish your sc.  Continue this pattern (skipping 1 body stitch each time) until you have worked 13 sts from the neckline into 27st of the body (or until you reach your 1/4 stitch marker).  DO NOT FASTEN OFF

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Finishing the Poncho

11. After you have finished attaching the neckline (as outlined above), dc3 in the next st, (skip 1 st, dc3 in the next) all the way around until you reach the neckline again.   Continue to work (skip 1 st, dc3) across the edge of the neckline until you reach the first dc3.  Ss to join

12. Dc in each st all the way around, ss to join

13. Dc in each st all the way around, ss to join

14. (Dc2 in the same st, skip the next st) all the way around, ss to join

15. Dc in each st until you reach the front section.  Along the front, (dc, ch1) in each st, ss to join.

16. (Dc in each of the next 2 sts, ch 1) all the way until you reach the front section, at the front, (dc, ch1) in each stitch, as in row 15. ss to join

17. As in row 4, ss into the 1st ch1sp, (dc3 in the 1st ch1sp, ch1, skip the next ch1sp) all the way around, ss to join 
18. Turn your work and work 1 dc in each st along the FRONT SECTION ONLY

19. As in row 18, turn your work, and dc across the front only

​20. Change to ACCENT yarn, hdc around the entire piece (note: this leaves 2 small gaps at the corners of rows 18 and 19 but they are not really noticable, you could hdc in the side of the stitches to reduce the gaps)

​21-25/26: repeat row 20 (hdc around) until edging is desired length

I originally found this as a fringed collar on Pinterest, and I decided to try my hand at writing a pattern for it.  I attached my version to an old t-shirt, but you could easily add fringe instead.

This little owl was a gift for my son.  He was based on the free pattern linked below by Great Grey Crochet.

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I used this as the basis for the body, belly, and feet.  It wasn't too bad once I got the hang of it and figured out where all the pieces went.  I made my own face and adapted a little chin for him.  I also completely winged (yes, lame pun intended) the feathers for the wings and tail.

If I make another one, I think I would make a smaller beak, shorter legs, and possibly find another pattern for the feet, but I liked how big and textured the wings were.  And my son adores him, which is what really matters.

This was another one of my early patterns.  I just wanted to include it here for anyone who might be interested.  The stitch is not my original creation, but I found it on Pinterest and really wanted to make something with it. 

I posted this on a crochet group a while back but wanted to share here as well.  I know lots of people hate trying to read crochet diagrams. I'm a visual person so I love them. I thought I'd post a simple crochet star diagram with the "translation" / written pattern for anyone who wants to learn. smile emoticon 

I included a photo of one I made as a reference for anyone who makes one.

I originally found this pattern on Pinterest and wanted to give it a try.  I liked the idea of using it as a beach cover up.

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The original pattern seems to have come from a diagram, which can be found here:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KHtjbPUOLGI/URgRhOA90yI/AAAAAAAAB6M/C-lJKeMGuoY/s1600/bata+branca+2.jpg

But if you are not the diagram reading type, this blog has written instructions on how to create the original design:

http://handmadebyhetvoske.blogspot.com.tr/2014/03/cirkel-tuniek-deel-1.html

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I've added my notes and the changes I made to Ravelry.  You can find it at the link below.

While living in Istanbul and Izmir, we we would buy jugs of water that would hold 5-10liters of water.  Afterwards we would always have the jugs left over, and I have always been looking for ways to upcycle them.

I found a market bag pattern that happened to perfectly hold one of the water bottles I had left over.  I cut the bottoms off a few of the jugs and used the same pattern, just modifying it to fit the jugs.  I simply stopped the market bag pattern where my containers stopped.  I'm really happy with how it turned out.