Where did I go to?

Well I suppose face book is so addictive that I have been spending most of my time there, but I do have a locker hooked project that I want to share with you all. I wanted a unique Christmas gift for my sister and brother in law, I wanted to make them personalized place mats with the locker hooking method. First I gathered my materials, I needed black and white colors, I shredded an entire queen size bed sheet and some black silk, the fabric was all new a good luck find from a second hand shop.

 Next I used an existing place mat to get my sizing.

 I made a fold for an edge and used very thick yarn to go around the edging.

 Then I traced out their initial on each place mat and locker hooked the initial first, then continued from the outer edging and inwards.

 So here they are finished and ready for dinner service, I would estimate they would take a week to make at a leisurely pace.

More on my locker hooking here.

Terry Wood. Body Building.

Terry Wood Body Building Competition

 

This is my husband.

My Locker Hooked Table Mat

You may remember this post I wrote about my discovery of locker hooking and this post about my toilet mat that I used the locker hooking method on.

Well I finally got around to making a locker hooked project with the graph canvas and a genuine locker hook, following the correct procedure for locker hooking.

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I wanted to replace this doily with a larger and more dramatic centre piece for my dining room table.

I folded the edging over for about 3 spaces and used 5 strands of yarn for the edging. The I cut strips of this striped fabric for the first locker hooked row. Watching the tutorials had told me to cut the fabric about half an inch thick, so I did, but this fabric is quite thick and I ended up with blisters on my hand by tugging it through, it wasn't until I got further along with other colors that I realised that the material they were using is quite a thin material and I should not have cut my material so wide, once I got over that simple hurdle and used different width's to suit the thickness of each type of material I had chosen to use, it was quite smooth sailing.
                                     

Here are the materials I had been collecting for this project, just scraps from the second hand shop, well scraps to some but very useable to me.

In this picture you can get an idea of the size it is, my husband saw this stage and said it would take me for ever, he under estimated me

                                      

I cut the fabric strips as you would for rag crochet and I held 5 strands of yarn together when I used the yarn.

                                      

I took a chance and changed the pattern for the centre of the mat. I'm glad I did as I like the out come.

The under side of the mat does have loose bit's of material and some joining that you can see, I plan to cut and glue these pieces flat to finish it all off nicely.

I hope that you have enjoyed my locker hooked table mat experience.



Basic Crochet Crown For Hat, Using The Dc Stitch

I use this method to begin most of my hats, with or with out a stitch pattern added after increasing.

4.00mm hook 

8 ply yarn

Begin with 12 dc in a ring and increase in each round with the formula below.
12=24=36=48=60=72

For a child's crown, stop increasing on R5 =(60 dc)

US crochet terms used.

Directions:

Beginning ch 3 is the first dc of each round

Begin:

R1. Ch 4, work 11 dc into 1st ch of ch 4, sl st to top of ch 3 to join ring (12 dc)

R2. ch 3 and work 1 dc in same place as ch 3, work 2 dc in each dc around, sl st to top of ch 3 to join,

( 24 dc)

R3. ch 3, work 2 dc in next dc, *work 1 dc in next dc, work 2 dc in next dc* repeat from *to* around sl st to join. ( 36 dc)

R4. ch 3, work 1 dc in the next dc, work 2 dc in the next dc, *work 1 dc in the next 2 dc, work 2 dc in next dc,* repeat from *to* around, sl st to join ( 48 dc)

R5. ch 3 work 1dc in the next 2 dc, work 2 dc in the next dc, *work 1 dc in next 3 dc, work 2 dc in next dc,* repeat from *to* around, sl st to join (60 dc)

R6. ch 3,work 1 dc in the next 3 dc, work 2 dc in next dc, *work 1 dc in next 4 dc, work 2 dc in next dc,* repeat from *to* around, sl st to join (72 dc)

Once the basic crown is complete, you can create a pattern of your choice for the rest of your hat or continue in the dc st to finish.

Please note: 

Using a sc st for the remainder of the hat pattern will decrease the size of your hat.

If using a thicker yarn and larger hook for an adult size hat, stop decreasing on R5= (60 dc)

Crochet for Summer

Want to make some crochet gifts for Christmas but you live in a hot climate at that time of year?

Well you still can with the help of some light and airy crochet stitches.

Below is a solomons knot st shawl, it was my first attempt at this st also known as the lovers stitch.

I watched some you tube demonstrations then followed this pattern to make the shawl.

The only thing different I would have liked was for the pattern to begin with a row of sc then work the solomons st off that. I did add a row of hdc to the top of the shawl after I finished the pattern, it seems to hold the whole thing in place much nicer.

Below is a scarf I made from recycled yarn, I got the pattern from the pattern book, Crochet Inspiration, pattern number 97 on page 100 of the pattern book. If you do not have this particular pattern book it is a must have for the crochet enthusiast.

Below is a simple crochet filet st made in the cotton I obtained from the yarn purchase below. To make this more appealing I hand sewed rows of small seed beads across the scarf.

I bought this mess of yarn from the second hand shop for $5.00.

After about an hour of sorting this is the amount of yarn I had, not bad for the price.

I'll be back with some more summer crochet idea's to share with you all.

Here is a lovers knot wrap (solomons knot) from a reader who was happy to share her wrap with us all, thank you so very much, you can view her site here.

 

  Here is another solomons knot shawl from Catarina, I think I like it more than mine :) and here is what she has to say about hers.

"Here is mine, I decided to do it to use on neck cause the size of the stich was not very perfect and equal :P but i like it :P"

My Hexagon Jacket

Have you seen the hexagon jackets? Well I made mine into a short sleeve sloppy sweater.

I used a sweater for basic measurement as per the picture below, not a very accurate form of measurement as my garment turned out a bit sloppy, but I rather that than a tight fitting one as I also wanted room under neath it to wear a singlet/tank/t shirt.

I made a center piece in the form of a V to give the garment a bit of shape and to allow for the extra size I wanted in the center.

I filled in the back piece with some Tunisian crochet for a little bit of different texture.

All I had to do next was to give it more length, I pondered abut this for some time and I decided to crochet a few rows in the same stitch I had been using, I  tried it on and decided that would look the best for the rest of the garment, I don't like too many frills and the shape was very good.

Below is the front view of the picture of the garment finished

And here is the back view finished.

As I mentioned it is a little bit large, but looks quite alright on, it passed the hubby test, so that's fine in my book.

Here is a link to a free baby hexagon pattern, granny stitch and dc stitch.

My locker Hooked Mat

So here is the finished mat, I did begin with the rug hooking method and got a bit worried about the materials pulling out, so I used the locker hooking method, the foundation is not quite burlap, it was very fine and did not hold the rug hooking method very well, but was holding with the locker hooking method.

My design began with me thinking to myself, what would a person not want to see when sitting on the toilet and eye's came to me, so that was the only thing I drew on first and made, the rest had to surround the eye's. There is a nose and a mouth, a garden some mountains, eye lashes and eye shadow. I used bits of yarn that were unusable from the frogging of the sweaters, left over shirt pieces from revamping my sweater and some yarn that is lumpy and too difficult to crochet with. The backing it self came from the second hand shop which cost about 20 cents.

Here is the mat in use, but I have taken it out of the main toilet and placed it into my en suite, I think the grand kids may be scared by it. Over all I am quite happy with the mat. Hubby says it looks scary, but it is staying put until it needs a wash.

This is where the mat began.

Not Sponge Bob Square Pants Crochet Hat

It was a bit like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, but I tried.

Sponge Bob round pants hat.

Not Sponge Bob Square Pants Hat



To fit 2 to 4 yr old approx


AU 8 ply yarn (US Light worsted/DK) Less than 50 gm of main color (yellow)


Small amounts of contrasting colours


White, brown, blue, black and red


4.00 mm hook (US G)


US st abbreviation used


Stitches used hdc = yarn over hook, insert hook into st, pull yarn through st, (3 loops on hook) pull yarn through all 3 loops on hook. (htrb AU, UK)


Sc


Hdc foundation row , see video tutorial


Color changing , see video tutorial

Magic circle, see video tutorial

Medium tension used, I am neither a loose or tight crocheter.


Hat begins at crown


Begin.


Beginning ch 1 of every rnd is not counted as a st.


Working with yellow yarn:


Chain up 4, sl st to first ch to form a circle.


Row 1: ch 1, work 12 hdc into ring, sl st to join in the 1st hdc (you will do this on every round)


Row 2: ch 1, work 2 hdc into each hdc around sl st to join (24 hdc)


Row 3: ch 1, *work 1 hdc into the next 2 hdc, work 2 hdc into the next* repeat from *to* sl st to join (32 hdc)


Row 4: ch 1, *work 1 hdc into the next 3 hdc, work 2 hdc into the next* repeat from *to* sl st to join (40 hdc)


Row 5: ch 1, *work 1 hdc into the next 4 hdc, work 2 hdc into the next* repeat from *to* sl st to join (48 hdc)


Row 6: ch 1, *work 1 hdc into the next 5 hdc, work 2 hdc into the next* repeat from *to* sl st to join (56 hdc)


End Increases


Row 7: ch 1, work 1 hdc in each st around sl st to join (56 hdc)


Rows: 8 to 16: repeat row 7, in yellow


Rows: 17 and 18, repeat row 7 in white


Rows: 19 and 20 repeat row 7 in brown


Belt row (can be worked in brown and belt affect can be sewn on later)


Row: 21 *work 4 st’s in brown then 4 st’s in black* repeat from *to* to end


Row: 22 and 23 repeat row 7 in brown, finish off and sew in all ends

Making the features:


Eye’s made with 3 different sized circles: 
Using white: make 2


Make a magic circle and chain 1 (see tutorial for magic circle)


Row 1: work 6 sc into ring, sl st to first sc to join, ch 1 and tighten up magic circle (but not too tight do that when you have finished the circle)


Row 2: work 2 sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join, ch 1 (12 sc)


Row 3: *work 1 sc in next sc, work 2 sc in next sc* repeat from *to* to end, sl st to first sc to join, ch 1 (18 sc)


Row 4: *work 1 sc in next 2 sc, work 2 sc in next sc* repeat from *to* to end, sl st to first sc to join, do not ch 1 (24 sc), fin off leaving a long tail for sewing eye’s onto hat


Using blue: make 2


Make a magic circle and chain 1 (see tutorial for magic circle)


Row 1: work 6 sc into ring, sl st to first sc to join, ch 1 and tighten up magic circle (but not too tight do that when you have finished the eye)


Row 2: work 2 sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join, do not ch 1 (12 sc) fin off leaving a long tail for sewing eye’s onto hat


Using black: make 2


Make a magic circle and chain 1 (see tutorial for magic circle)


Row 1: work 6 sc into ring, sl st to first sc to join, fin off leaving a long tail for sewing eye’s onto hat and tighten up magic circle


Making teeth use white: make 2


Work a 2 hdc foundation row, finish off leaving long tail for sewing


Making tie using red: make 1


Work a 3 hdc foundaton row, ch 3 work 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook, finish off leaving long tail for sewing


Making nose using yellow: make 1


Start and end with a long tail, work an 8 hdc foundation row fin off, fold nose in half sew one side up finish off, then sew the other side leaving a small opening that will lay flat when sewing onto hat (this will make the nose stand out ward instead of flat)


Putting the eyes together:

Firstly sew in loose ends of all pieces except for the long tail for sewing together and onto hat


Sew blue circle onto white circle in a central position

Sew black circle onto the blue circle in a central position

Sew eyes onto hat making sure they touch one another


Sew nose into the space between the eyes

Hand stitch mouth onto hat coming down from an eye and straight across to the same position on the other eye and go upward to the opposite position you began with (see pictures)

Attach teeth to under mouth, using the nose for a guide, place teeth either side of the nose, so that the nose is centred to the teeth


Place tie below and in between teeth (if you need to sew on belt, do the belt before the tie)

Sew 3 eye lashes above each eye

Sit back and admire your handy work.

You can use this pattern for all purposes, but please do not sell this pattern.

Below are the video tutorials you may need.

This video shows the hdc foundation row.


This video shows how to change colors on the same row (for the belt)


This video shows you how to do the hdc st


This video shows you how to do a magic circle


A big thank you to all of the video tutorial makers.

Crochet Pants

It's just amazing how many crochet pants are out on the internet, I've found just a few to share with you.

If you want to make these, then go here.

These are not crochet but a crochet print, just fabulous!

I would wear them any day.