This is why you’re here, right? To play with yarn and crochet beautiful things? (Okay, maybe you’re here for the sewing posts– I think you’ll be glad you took the time to look over these crochet posts, too!)
I finished this up last night after an extended tv watching session. I talked the photographer into photographing it for me. He did an awesome job!
I love it. It is in the ChocolateDogStudio shop here:
You can find the pattern here on Etsy and here in the Chocolate Dog Studio shop.
Crocheted out of very soft 100% washable acrylic yarn from the UK. It is 62 1/2″ long x 41 1/2″ wide. The pattern is a granny stripe and the stripes run lengthwise
Talk to you later,
Karen
It is now almost December and I have been sadly missed posting. It has been the Thanksgiving and Christmas rush around here. I finally got my camera out and took a few snap shots of my newest favorite.
I am about three quarters of the way finished, at least I think I am. It is definitely over the halfway mark. It is a wonderful five feet long and of the softest yarn. When it is finished I will be adding it to the shop!
I have also been selling quite a bit at the Etsy shop and it has been keeping me busy. We had a wonderful visit with our oldest dear daughter (home from college) for Thanksgiving. She brought her room mate and we had a great time watching Dr. Who on netflix. Only a few more weeks and we will have her home for three weeks. I have done absolutely NO Christmas shopping. So I will have to get busy and get on with it!
See you later,
Karen
Yes, I am excited! I finally got the photos done of the newest Chocolate Dog Studio items…Boot Cuffs. I can make them in wool, acrylic and blends. They can be any size from petite or teen to larger sizes.
Here are a few photos..
Thanks for looking. They will all be posted to the shop in the coming week!
See you later
Karen
P.S. If you are a beginner and you want to crochet your own boot cuffs you can find the pattern here on Etsy and here at the Chocolate Dog Studio shop!
Yes, it is November already…am I ready? NO! There is so much I want to finish before the end of the year. It has been a hard year and I won’t be sad to put it behind me and start with a fresh clean slate. It has been a year of changes.
Well, that is a small list but there has been some good news. I found my camera last weekend. So, I will once again be able to show off some bad photos of things I have finished unlike these that my live in photographer took last weekend.
I added up the things I have done lately and here is my list. 
This is the stack of afghans I have finished this year that haven’t been shipped off. That is a huge stack of crocheted blankets. It doesn’t include the two granny square blankets that I shipped last week or the custom baby blankets I have been crocheting lately. The pretty one second from the bottom is headed out tomorrow after I get a box. We did braces today and then some comforting and hanging out. I would love for all of these blankets to find a home. Some crocheting is so repetitive that I find myself praying for the person that will receive them. That it will comfort and warm them when they need it most. I have also made tons of Christmas ornaments and I am just going to share one photo of them.Â
I love these star ornaments. I was trying to come up with a way to use small bits of yarn and ended up crocheting  too many of these stars. Then last week, I had a great idea…so these happened. Spontaneously, and now I have about eight pairs and could easily make tons more.
Boot Cuffs! Aren’t they cute? I don’t usually wear boots. I love these cuffs. I have so many different colors now. So, that is some of what I have done. I am also in the painting mode. I am in the process of finishing a house project that has been in the unfinished stage for more years than I would care to count. I have done the prep and just need to get the motivation to finish. You know, it is painting a bathroom cabinet. The downstairs bathroom cabinet and I keep putting it off as I know that I WILL get paint all over me when I forget that I painted in there.
See you later,
Karen
P.S. You can crochet your own boot cuffs from this pattern here on Etsy and here in the Chocolate Dog Studio shop.
This is a fun little granny square baby blanket that I crocheted up quickly a week or so ago. I started it during the move and then ran out of yarn as I only picked up one skein. So I added the green and pink to make it large enough. It starts with a 20 round granny square of the multi-color yarn. Then it has a row of green, another variegated round and two rounds of pink. I then added sweet little two round granny squares to the ends to make the blanket a rectangle.The whole thing is bordered with two rows of green and the pink scalloped border. Here is a detail photo of the cute little granny squares. 
I apologize for the snap shots of the baby afghan. I have lost my good camera sometime during the move. I really think it is hidden in a box that is not unpacked yet. Hopefully it will turn up soon. This pretty little blanket will be in the shop as soon as some decent photos are taken. It was really just a quick little fun project! The good news is that I used up the variegated yarn.
What have you been working on?
Talk to you later,
Karen
P.S. I can always make one in blue and white for that baby boy in your life!
Ok, so here is where I tell you all my great and wonderful future plans….
I am going to make at least one large size afghan like this one.
I am going to finish this diagonal afghan. The brown one in the middle.
I know that the above picture leaves a lot to be desired but the afghan is so incredibly soft and beautiful. I will have better pictures soon. I am also going to make some more football team cup sleeves. Like this one only different teams than what I already have…
I am going to clean out the studio…well, unpack it better and set it up. I am going to get ready for the Christmas buying season by creating more Christmas ornaments and cozies. All of this planning is making me hungry and tired at the same time. So I best get to work.
talk to you later,
Karen
I just had to show my newest creation Noelle’s baby blanket. It is a custom order baby blanket and I just love the colors. They are a bit daring and different for this part of the country. It completely updates the granny square afghan and in beautiful modern colors. The yarn  is soft, cuddly and completely washable. Pop it in the washer and the dryer and have it out clean and ready to go in no time. Perfect for new babies.
Check out the bright and beautiful granny stripes.
Completely bordered with granny circles. This beautiful baby afghan is finished with beautiful scalloped edging and a ChocolateDogStudio tag. There is a teeny tiny baby bonnet with flower to go with it. I am so excited that it turned out so well. It was tricky to get it finished while moving from one state to another. So finishing it on time was the icing on the cake. This one won’t be in the Chocolate Dog Studio shop but I sure hope to make another in a similar style also complete with bonnet! So keep checking back and I hope to have the next one up quickly.
You can find the pattern here.
talk to you later,
Karen
This is a fun granny square and is really simple and you can make it any size. I can see this square being used in a contemporary granny square blanket with diagonal stripes or  any quilting patterns that are created with right angles.
I also got this square pattern from the book Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs by Edie Eckman. I haven’t decided how many squares of this pattern I will need.
I will see you later,
Karen
Today’s granny is quick easy and little. Perfect for the sampler afghan. It only has three rows and measures about 2 inches across.
Here is the first one on the right and the second one on the left.
You can tell that I have improved and will probably frog the square on the right. I rarely read patterns right the first time. It is good to make mistakes and to try again. Â This square is also from the book Beyond the Square, Crochet motifs by Edie Eckman.
Today is July Fourth here. It is a big celebration of our Nation’s birth. A time to remember our freedoms are bought with a price. A chance to say Thank You to the people who protect our freedoms today and the generations that have protected our freedoms in the past.
Thank you for your sacrifices. Thank you for the time spent away from your family. Thank you for the pain you have suffered. Thank you for allowing my children the chance to be Americans.
Happy Birthday America!
Karen