Crochet Archives - Page 5 of 19

Posted on October 31, 2016 by Karen Stewart

New to Crochet: Picking Colors for a Project

Many beginning crocheters lack confidence about picking colors for their projects. The time-honored and traditional method that they often use: start with their favorite colors.

Picking Colors

What is an easy way to pick colors for an afghan? How can you know if the colors go well together? This video is a simple answer to these questions. and it will walk you through the process of picking colors for a project.

Color Theory

I hope this video helped you understand about which colors are more likely to go together. When you are new to crochet, it can be difficult to pick good color schemes. When you find a pattern you likeÂ but want to try different colors, you may need to crochet, take it out and pick new colors, crochet again, take it out and pick new colors, crochet and take it out again… until you reach something that resembles the color scheme you envisioned in the first place.

Color theory can be extremely complicated; this is just a quick refresher course. When in doubt, ask a friend or even the sales clerk at the yarn store for their opinion on your color choices.

What I’ve Been Up To

Remember that argyle swatch I made a few weeks ago? I am determined to make it bigger. I’ve enlisted the math lover at our house to help with the figuring. Although I’m pretty good at eye-balling it, it helps to get some math involved. So, I’m off to crochet more color pooling swatches today!

What about you? I’d love to know what you’re up to today. Start a conversation by leaving a comment!

Talk to you later,

Karen

PS: The November Pattern Giveaway is coming up fast, so keep checking back! Better yet, sign up for our newsletter and get notified whenever new posts are up! (On a computer, scroll to the top of the left column to sign up. On a mobile device or tablet, scroll down to below the comments to sign up.)

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Karen Stewart

Candy Corn Fingerless Gloves

The pattern for theseÂ Candy Corn Fingerless Gloves is available in the EtsyÂ and Craftsy shops. I’ve been working hard to get these up and ready for you, but life just keeps getting in the way. Have you ever had one of those weeks?Â Well, it was the best of timesÂ … and a pretty bad time, too, as we fought a terrible virus this past weekend. The “best of times” I referred to were some pretty cute little grandkids added to our family! There just isn’t anything better than snuggling up with aÂ cuddly baby or a huggable toddler. We are all head-over-heels in love around here!

Candy Corn Fingerless Gloves

The fingerless gloves come in 4 pattern sizes. This is my first time writing a pattern with multiple sizes. These are simple enough to finish up before Halloween and yet neutral enough to wear into November.

They were fun to crochet and barely took any time at all to finish. The best part is they take hardly any yarn to complete them!

While there is a little bit of shaping to be done to make it fit a little closer, there is no difference between the right and left hand–so there is no way to get confused about which glove you are crocheting. I used Red Heart worsted weightÂ orange, white and yellow yarn for these Candy Corn Fingerless Gloves, but any worsted weight yarn will do the trick.

What I’ve Been Up To

I feel a bit behind on everything these days, but that feeling is normal. Quite often, I find myself falling a little behind. My focus is on getting the important things done first, and there’s nothing more important than family!

We had senior photos taken this past week for the last of our children. It is hard to believe how much she has grown and changed from the little bitty baby we adopted so many years ago. I feel incredibly blessed to be her mom. She is funny and loud, and extroverted to the extreme, and she’s exactly what this house of introverts needed!

Do you know a young lady who would love a pair of these Candy Corn Fingerless Gloves?Â Tell me about her in the comments! And don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter so you’ll know when new posts are up.

Talk to you later,

Karen

P.S. I have included affiliate links to Amazon for the yarn I used. I do receive a small percentage of your purchase from Amazon.

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Karen Stewart

So, You want to Crochet: Single Crochet

Sometimes we have to go back to the basics. Do you know someone who would like to learn to crochet? The single crochet is one of the most basic stitches they will need to learn.

Recently, my daughter-in-law suggested that I create some videos which show basic crochet stitches. Here is the very first one. Since I used to teach art, the teacher in me just had to write on the whiteboard background so you could see the abbreviation used for the single crochet stitch.

I hope you enjoy the video, and I hope it helps you or a friend learn to crochet!

Single Crochet Stitch

Fall in Oklahoma

This is my favorite time of the year. I remember my first fall at Oklahoma State University. The school had these lovely trees planted down the middle of the main walkway through campus. It led past the Life Sciences building, down to the Student Union. That semester I took that pathway every day.Â The trees started turning when the weather became cool enough for a jacket in the morning. The leaves glowed with brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges. They were simply breathtaking! Â The sun lit up the trees each morning, making them appear so alive. It moved me to tears (odd for a college kid, I know) the first time I saw them. Now every year at this time I remember how beautiful the trees were. There is a small area on 71stÂ Street, here in Tulsa, that reminds me of campus. Unfortunately, I am usually driving and cannot take theÂ time to slow down and enjoy the colors. Back in college, I was on crutches and moving really slow, so I had plenty of time to enjoy the fall colors.

Don’t Forget!

Remember to always shop your stash first! And take theÂ time to enjoy the beautiful fall weather! I’d love to hear about the trees and beautiful colors in your area — share about them in the comments!

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on October 9, 2016 by Karen Stewart

Beautiful Ruby Red Afghan Pattern

I have just listed my Ruby Red Afghan pattern for sale in my Etsy and Craftsy stores. I have included the supplies and skills list you need to be able to complete it. This afghan pattern is a step up for beginners. The yarn is a lovely wool blendÂ but can be difficult to frog (or take out) as the fibers can mat together. Even with that challenge, it is a beautiful, soft and warm blanket. It isÂ a good “first jump” into specialty yarns.

Ruby Red Afghan Pattern

It is crocheted and photographed in this lovely red yarn but you can choose from any of the yarn colors which this yarn comes in to make yours unique. There are so many different choices; from icy blues and greens to purples and yellows. Just…so many choices!Â I know you will find the perfect color combination to fit your personality.

Warm, soft and wooly, it makes a great lightweight blanket with all the warmth of wool. The yarn for this blanket is usually easy to find.

What I’ve Been Up To

October seems to be when I gear up for Christmas and begin creating any handmade gifts that I might want to give to bless friends and family. This blanket is a wonderful gift to give or receive. Spare time is always at a premium during these months and this year is no exception. My goal is to get some new patterns up in the shops soon, so keep dropping in (at the Etsy store and Craftsy store) to look around. (And don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter! Doing so will keep you up-to-date on patterns, finished products, and all that I’ve been up to in life.) I am also concentrating on my giveaway for November. I can’t wait to tell you all about it!

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Karen Stewart

Yikes! Stripes, Ta-dah!

I love the Yikes! Stripes crochet blanket. The masculine colors and simple stripes makeÂ it ideal for the man in your life, while the easy pattern makes it fun and quick to crochet. This blanket only took me about two weeks to whip up, working in the evenings. The striping pattern reminds me of team colors and scarves. This blanket is longer than usual to be a bit more man-sized and perfect for a bed or using in a recliner.

It started like this.

Little bits of yarn

to check the

striping pattern.

I have always liked

blue and cream.

More color

combinations

were checked

until I felt it

was just right.

Then it evolvedÂ into this

lovely striping pattern,Â marching along

row after row.

Here it is in all of its glory.

ItÂ is the perfect size to fit over someone lying in a recliner. The length is a generous 80+ inches, and the width is 43 1/2 inches.

Yikes! Stripes

The Yikes! StripesÂ blanket is available in my Etsy and Handmade at Amazon shops, and the pattern will release next week. (Choose the colors of some of your sports fan’s favorite teams and you’ll win for sure!)

School Colors

The Yikes! Stripes afghan reminds me of the first days of school and how so many students wear school sweaters or team scarves to show support for the home team. We take our high school and college sports teams pretty seriously in this area. What about you? Do you have a favorite team or school?

School has already started in Oklahoma, and I’m seeing lots of people in the northern part of the country posting on Facebook about their school starting today. I hope that you and yours have a wonderful time at school this year. Thoughts of new notebooks and textbooks, rekindled friendships, and the feel of a sharp, new #2 pencil gliding across a page of paper are dancing in my head. I can hear the laughter that happens at lunch and see the kids havingÂ fun on the playground in my mind.

We have already started our homeschool courses. Our dining table is overrun with school books, supplies and (of course) yarn, scissors, crochet hooks, and even more paper. I found myself running late one morning this week, and my spot on the table looked like this.

I would like to say it doesn’t look like this very much, but I hate to lie. It looks like this most mornings; coffee, something quick to eat for breakfast, and colorful piles of yarn.

I am in the middle of grading math and writing patterns, checking dentist appointments for my family, and driving Mom from time to time. Life feels too short, and the to-do list feels too long. I am learning to be content once again; that in my weakness and incapability God is my strength. I do it all for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong. It is seeming to take me most of my life to learn this truth.

Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christâ€™s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

How about you? Leave a comment to let me know how the beginning of school is going for you. What are your school colors? Who do you cheer for? Don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter, too!

Talk to you later,
Karen

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Karen Stewart

Dreaming of Autumn and Overflowing Creativity

I’m not quite sure why, but it seems I usually crochet an afghan in neutral colors about the same time I start dreaming of autumn. The summers here get outrageously hot and spending time inside seems to be the best answer. This year, this neutral afghan is a palette cleanser for me; a change from all the bright, cheerful colors that I use most of the time. Â Almost like getting new back-to-school clothes or new notebooks and pencils, using a neutral palette helps me to reset and prepare myself for the rush that is autumn. This blanket will not be available as a pattern since it required too much tweaking to make it easy to follow, but it will be available in both the Etsy and Amazon shops on September 2nd. Isn’t it gorgeous? I love the different textures and the super soft yarns.

Dreaming of Autumn

I am ready for autumn colors and fall leaves. All the craft stores have their fall decorations and plastic pumpkins out on their shelves already. Â I have been busy designing some new fingerless glove patterns for fall, and they will be available for free to subscribers and in the shop in the first weeks of September. They are super quick and easy to crochet. I promise you will love them.

Back-to-School Schedule

It is back to school time here. Photos of students with cheerful faces eager to start a new school year have flooded my Facebook page. Â We are also starting our new school year. It means getting back to a firm routine and trying to balance all of life + school +crochet. I usually struggle with starting a new schedule but this year seems to be different and easier.Â New ideas and patterns are flitting through my mind as I sit here supervising my daughter’s school work.

These granny squares are part of a new afghan– one of the new ideas I have in mind for this fall. There are new YouTube videos coming out soon, as well. I can’t wait to show you everything! The weather is finally cooling off here, and with it has comeÂ an overflow of creativity.

Talk to you later,

Karen

PS: What’s your favorite thing about autumn? Leave a comment and let me know!

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Karen Stewart

Where I Burn Yarn and Expose my Okie Accent

This is where I burn yarn and expose my Okie accent at the debut of my Youtube channel. Â It is funny to me how I actually sound and I hope it doesn’t grate on too many nerves. It is amazing to me to see these videos come together so quickly. I am showing tips, tricks and just generally sharing my knowledge. I have found it hard to crochet slowly enough to show what is going on. The first video I am releasing is called Burn Test. Â I was terribly afraid that I would set the house on fire and you can see the results of the test in the video. It was very interesting to see how the yarns actually burned. We did this test in one of my classes at college. I was amazed to see how much knowledge I actually retained. Here you go!

It was fun to create and see how things turn out. I have been filming little videos all week.

The July 4th weekend has been fun and busy. We have been finishing a bunch of yard work and cleaning in the house.

I am working on a couple of different crochet projects. This one is fun and it looks nothing like this now but I played with the colors bit.

These are the basis of my blanket.

The next photos remind me of the Grandmother’s Flower Garden Quilt.

I have already moved on from these square arrangements. I am crocheting a scrap afghan and just ran out of yarn for these little flowers. The yarn that I have left over I roll into little balls of yarn. These end up in a jar or when it overflows into Â a large plastic box. When the box overflows, I try to start using them up. I am and it is turning out really bright and colorful.

Talk to you later,

Karen

I would love to see your projects. Post your photos in the comments and I will stop by and see them. What are you working on now?

Posted on February 27, 2016 by Karen Stewart — 2 Comments

Two Separate Afghans

I have been working on two separate afghans and though there has been crochet happening here, it has taken a back seat to dealing with a very nasty migraine. This one has come and gone for several days now. I think it is a sinus headache and I will be heading to Â the Dr. to find out for sure. However, I have also been working on several different projects this week while I am feeling under the weather. Crocheting is soothing and helps me relax.

Did I ever show you these circles?

Turns out that I have made 120 mistakes when crocheting them. They should be two tone. That is a ton of frogging that I get to do. I have started and this is what they should look like when finished and almost finished.

Since I have 120 flower squares to make I can afford to work in color families. I have also picked up this blanket again. I am writing the pattern for this one and it is turning out quite nice. I really love the colors and it is starting to flow. Â It looks more masculine to me so I am trying to make it larger than the normal.

It is just beautiful. This will also be a beginner afghan with a little twist to it.

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Karen Stewart

New Granny Stripe Scarf Pattern

I am finally finished with all the Â little details of the new granny stripe scarf pattern. This is a cute variation and is bordered with a whimsical picot border. It is a fun pattern to crochet and is a great way to learn to start combining stitches. Once you learn the picot border you can add it to any crochet item. Â This scarf is 5′ long and 6″ wide. This is a greatÂ size for adults or older children. The bright sunshine colors will brighten any day.

I love this photo of the border on the blanket.

You can find the pattern in both my Etsy shop, and Craftsy shop!

Life has been busy here as I am in full Spring Cleaning mode. Â Yes, that does deserve a being written in bold. We are finishing up some DIY projects around the house and I am changing out all of the photos, artwork, table top decor and stuff to give the house an fresh, updated look.

Here I have gathered all the wall art togetherÂ so I can see which things go together. Â Â

Most of these items are things that I put together. The green bottle on the wicker drawer unit is an olive oil bottle. I use it as a flower vase. The vases on the floor I made for the craft show. I have been shopping my home for my accessories as I refuse to spend much money for my decorating. The rest of the room is in an uproar as I am going through our bookcases and getting rid of books that we have out grown. It is just time to clean up and clear things out.

talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Karen Stewart

Autumn blanket pattern

I have just finished writing the Autumn blanket pattern. It is now listed for sale on Etsy. It seemed to take ages to write the pattern but I kept finding more little details that I needed to add to the pattern.

This is the Autumn blanket. The one that reminds me of Oklahoma in the winter. I love the colors in this blanket and the yarn is wonderfully soft.

The pattern has step by step photo instructions.

I have included the beautiful scalloped border in the pattern. You need to know several stitches to crochet this blanket; double crochet, half double crochet, single crochet and slip stitch. The Â blanket is generously sized with none of the holes that granny square blankets have. Â This is afghan makes a Â wonderful gift for the special people in your life.

You can find this pattern on Etsy at ChocolateDogStudio. I will be adding it to craftsy as well.

It has been a busy week. My Mom is recovering nicely from her knee replacement surgery and hopes to get to her home soon. Â It has been nice to spend so much time with her, I just wish she felt much better. She is walking all the time and the therapists are extremely happy with her recovery.

Our daughter is back and college and settled in for the final semester. Everyone else is doing well. There is a bit of remodeling going on in the kitchen. It should be finished fairly quickly and isn’t interfering with the cooking, much at all. I will be making Lemon meringue pies for my Father in law this week. We can’t wait to see him.

Talk to you later,

Karen