Net Book Sleeve out of Katia Samba

Well, I loved this beautiful yarn the moment I saw it in a beautiful LYS near a hotel I was staying at: Pins & Needles in Ruckersville, VA....I bought 4 balls and after playing with it for a year or so realized I didnt' have enough to make a shrug or small top so I made several mitered squares and then tried to figure out what I could turn the squares into....this is the result...used about 112 grams of yarn: figured that out by weighing the finished product minus the weight of the stnap. size G 4mm hook.

Super easy to make this...if you know how to crochet a mtered square; just go until they are about 8 inches square and block the squares as it will make them much more even. Then after blocking single crochet around each square...Slip stitch 4 together to make one big square. Then fold in the corners like a big envelope and slip stitch the bottom 3 triangles together leaving the fourth open for the flap...What could be easier????

I still have a ball and a half left....I am considering adding a strap to change it to a purse; but am not sure I want to do that as I was thinking of making some little amulet bags for the farmer's market out of it.

PLease let me know what you think!!!!

MORE CROCHET STITCHES WITH A KNOOK.....THIS ISN'T CROCHETING, I AM SLIDING THE STITCHES ONTO THE RIBBON AFTER EACH ROW.

 I'm calling this one a pillar stitch...not blocked. when blocked you will be able to see the four pillars

I can't get my typing in the right spot. the second two are linked double crochets and the last one is a bauble stitch

Knook Crunch Stitch

Here's my version of a Knooked Crunch Stitch
1. do a base of an even number of stitches
2. I knit about 3 or for rows on this sample prior to doing my stitch.
3. Put hook through the first two stitches of row below, chain 2 in the second stitch, put loop in next two stitches and chain 2 in the second stitch....do all the way across and just keep repeating this row.

Here are the pics:

Knooking: So much MORE than knitting with a crochet hook!

I got bored with basic knooking pretty quickly. Then realized it is could be so much more than just another form of knitting....tried an internet search and search on Ravelry and only found a set of Japanese books with a few stitch ideas. Soooo.....here are some of the stitch patterns I came up with this morning.....

I did not block the finished product and hope blocking will help some of the wonkiness and poor tension...I never was very good at knitting; which may be part of the problem with the uneveness of design...I did the long chain one 3 times and finally got it tightened up a bit. Fellow crocheters, please note you may have to hold the stitches firmly in your left hand (if right handed) and give a bit of a tug to make sure stitches are nice and snug against previous stitch.  Also, I used "kitchen" type cotton for the tail, I found the dragginess of it helped prevent the stitches from sliding down when held on the tail.

Here is my short chain row stitch: I used the size H knook and Loops and Threads Impeccable in Rose color

SHORT CHAIN ROW

Make a base chain of 21
Row 1: pull up loops for 21 loops on the hook
Row 2: Knook knit across the row
Row 3: Chain 3 into each knit stitch of row below.  To do this, insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull the yarn through just like for the knit stitch. Now do it 2 more times: you just chained 3.
Row 4: Knook knit stitch across
Row 5: repeat row 3
Row 6: repeat row 4
Just keep repeating rows 3 and 4 to desired length and then bind off, I bound off with a single crochet stitch: pull yarn through first stitch of row below and chain one, insert in next stitch pull yarn through and then yarn over and chain one, then yarn over and pull through both loops. Insert in next stitch, pull yarn through, yarn over and chain one, yarn over pull through both stitches on hook, etc.

LONG CHAIN ROW

 Base row chain 16 (you need an even number of stitches for this pattern)

Row 1: pull up loops for 16 loops on hook

Row 2: 6 chain into each loop of row 1 (see previous pattern instructions for chaining into the loop)

Row 3: Insert hook into the 1st two loops of the stitches in previous row and pull through as for a knit stitch. Now Insert the hook into just the second stitch and pull through another loop. Think of it as crocheting or knitting 2 together and then going back and increasing in the same stitch. I know this sounds confusing. Perhaps someone who has experience writing insttructions who can figure out what I did can explain it better.

So just do this all the way across, insert hook into two stitches, yarn over and pull through a loop, then insert hook again into the second of those two stitches and pull up another loop. Do this all the way across and make sure you still have16 stitches before pulling out your tail.

Row 4: Do a Knook Knit stitch row

Row 5: repeat row 2

Row 6: repeat row 3

As above just keep repeating rows 3 and 4 to desired length and then bind off. I used the above SC bind off.

 Here are some Knooked Lace Ideas:
The fabric is a bit too lose, I used size 3 Aunt Lydia's crochet cotton and the size g Knook. I'm pretty sure correct yarn to knook size as well as good blocking would make these look quite nice.

The top one is  double crochet rows keeping the last loop of the double crochet on the hook throughout.

the bottome one is a crocheted (or shoud I say knooked) V stitch going through two stitches of row below and double crocheting into those two stitches twice. To double crochet with the knook you only draw the yarn through once and hold the last loop onthe hook. This is my understanding of one of the diagrams in one of the Japanese books. I then knit 3 rows in between v's.
Not sure I have any readers on this blog.  If ya'll like my work I'll try to come up with more stitch designs to publish here....Please comment and let folks know about the blog and let me know how to make improvements!

My Second attempt at Knooking: a slouchy beannie out of redheart woodsy

 Found out about Knooking an Ravelry last month and found the kit at Walmart. My first attempt was a dish cloth that came out ok but took 3 hours! Yikes!

Looks like the instructions on how to do it vary quite a bit. I finally figured out the purl stitch today and there were two different You Tube versions so I finally just did the knits and purls the way I learned to knit continental style and seemed to work out.

Anaways, here is the slouchy Beanie I Knooked. This took several hours as well. Mainly cuz I didn't know what I was doing and was playing with the stitches. 

Since I didn't understand the instruction book and was doing this in the car on my way to Wisconsin ....13 hours on the trip there, and started getting bored like I tend to do with knitting, I decided to play with it a bit.

I started out like a basic crocheted hat... then knook knit a few rows.  then I took each knit stitch around and slip into it 6 times to make long stitches. DH just borryied my camera so I'll try to describe in words. as you pull the yarn through for the knit stitch... just keep doing in.. crochet a chain of 6 stitches then insert into the next knit stitch on the tail and make a chain of 6 stitches in each knit stitch....then for the next row go back to regular knitting stitches.  I made about 3 or 4 rows of knitting stitches in between rows of chain stitches. Then finished wiht a crochet rib as I couldn't figure out the purl stitch at the time to do a knooked rib.

Sooooo... Whaddyaall think??????

Yesterday I set up my booth at the Ola Belle Reed Music Festival in Lansing NC...Here are some pics....

It rained really hard for about a half hour and I was just setting up again...so it's a bit of a mess.

Here's a bit of the festival:

Three little amulet bags

The Ashe County Farmer's Market is in full swing. I had a great time yesterday meeting with friends, vendors and shoppers. I really can't imagine a friendlier group of folks. Hope you can come visit us sometime: http://www.ashefarmersmarket.com/

Here is a pic of 3 amulet bags I designed to sell at the market. They are really a lot smaller than the mountain backdrop makes them look. About 2.25 inches square.

The blue one is made out of Patons Grace Lavender. The Pink one with the flower is Pink Paton's Grace for the light color and Lydia's crochet thread size 3 for the dark pink flower and strap. The multi colored one is out of Lydia's Crochet Thread size 3 in Red, Purple and Pink - I tossed the labels and don't remember the exact names of the colors.

No pattern. But I discovered an easier way to make them. I crochet in a circle and then just seem the bottom together. It's MUCH easier than crocheting circles around the starting chain. The striped pink bag is just single crochets in alternating colors. The middle bag is rows of slst-DC all around and the lavender bag is back loop sc all around. Super easy. Also, slipstitched around the top edge to give it a nice neat finish.

Please let me know what you think!

Christmas in July is coming to Ashe County on Saturday, July 2nd! I'm looking forward to it. I'm pretty sure I'll have the same spot as last year - on Backstreet next to the port a johns. Great spot actually. Lots of folks stop and wait for the family there, LOL!

I'm making lots of little things - scrunchies and amulet bags - as I've noticed this year that folks seem to  be more interested in smaller items; rather than tote bags and hats. But, I never really know, seems I sell something different every week. This week was dish rags, last week was scrunchies, the week before that was tote bags. Doesn't seem to be any logic to it. So I just try to make a few of everything so folks can find a nice remembrance of the area when they are visiting.

Please let me know if you like my designs....

Designed a few new hats this month and I've been hunting for craft fairs that I can get into for $50 or less

More hats and fingerless gloves this month. I got myself the book Textured Crochet by Helen Jordan from with my Birthday gift certificate from Borders....I love the stitches....I translated the aligned knot stitch into this hat. I did the sc's into the back loop to give it a bit more interest.

  I used a K hook so it worked up fast and yet is good and thick to keep your head warm. It uses 1 full skein and a wee bit of a 2nd one...I made it out of Loops and Threads Charisma in the Bouquet color.  The colors look much better in person, not so pastelly......Lets see, guess I should name this hat: How about Bubblegum Baubles?

This headband and fingerless gloves use the "Wedge - short to long" stitch in the textured crochet book. and the yarn is Loops and Threads, ummm not charisma...can't remember the name....Impeccable???? and the color is neopolitan. Hmmm...guess I'll call it a Neopolitan Headband.

Hey! is anyone reading this?, let me know what you think and if you'd like me to add more patterns.

Now, for those craft fair sites. I saved em on hubby's computer so gotta see if I can find them again....

Here are some of the sites I found with lists of local festivals: VA and NC and TN.....Then I look one at a time and see if I can find a vendor application......

I've only just barely made the booth fee on the fairs that charge $100 or more, so I'm sticking with the under $50 ones....especially like when I find the little church or community fairs that only charge $20 to $40....

http://www.blueridgemusic.org/VenueSearchReturn.asp?region=2

http://www.sprucepinefestivals.com/mineralcity.html

http://www.autumntrips.com/festivals.htm

http://yadkinvalley.org/festivals-events/pumpkin-festival/

http://sparta-nc.com/mhf.aspx

http://www.graysoncountyva.com/graysoncountyvahiking.aspx

. 

The sites that actually list festivals for craft sellers all seem to have only the high entrance fee events. Please share any good sites you have found! I'll try to figure out if I can create a list somehow on a sidebar on here. But I really don't know how to do much on the computer, so I can't guarantee I'll figure it out! LOL!!!

Summer Dreams Plarn Basket!

Today, I've had to stay home from work due to the snow. I'll probalby go in in Saturday and make up time if I can get out.

This is the approaching storm...all the trees are covered in white now.













I am dreaming of summer: so I designed a Plarn Basket today!

I put some fruit in it to show how it looks filled. Could be used outdoors during summer. A Nice container for a picnic, etc.

Here's my attempt at a pattern. Never wrote one for someone else to follow before, so let me know if you have suggestions.

 Now this is important: This is my pattern, so do not reprint this pattern anywhere or sell it or try to sell it anywhere! You may feel free to make items from this pattern to sell in small quantities if you are a crafter selling at fairs or shops. I know how hard it is for some folks to come up with their own designs. If you are making to sell; please charge a price that takes into account your work. As it takes 2.5 hours to prepare the plarn and 2 hours to crochet the basket, I would like it if anyone trying to sell this not go below $25. As that is what I am going to ask at my fairs.

Materials: about 55 white standard size grocery bags. About 10 grey standard size grocery bags. The bags are sliced into 1.5 inch wide rings and looped together. you'll have to google how to do that on your own for now if you don't know how.

It took me 2.5 hours to prepare the 65 bags. Make two separate balls. One white bags and one grey.
Size N (10mm) crochet hook.

Chain 3 and join in a ring: try to make it tight as I have found the plarn centers stretch quite a bit.
Work in the round with out joining, you may want to use a bit of contrasting yarn or plarn to mark the beginning of the rows.

R1: 8 sc in ring
R2:  2 sc in each stitch (16 sts
R3: 1 sc in next st, 2sc in next st - repeat all the way around (24 sts)
R4: 1 sc in each of next 2 st's, 2 sc in next st repeat all the way around(32 sts)
R5: 1 sc in each of next 3 st's, 2 sc in next st repeat all the way around(40 sts)
R6: sc in next st, chain 2, repeat all the way around
R7: Chain 2, sc in the chain 2 space of the prevous row, chain 2, sc in the sc of the previous row- repeat all the way around (80 sc's)
R8: Chain 2, sc in the chain 2 space of the previous row - repeat all the way around
R9: You will be decreasing in this row: (ch2, sc in the ch2 space) 8 times, sc two together across two of the chain 3 spaces. repeat all the way around (74 sc's)
R10: Chain 2, sc in chain 2 space - repeat all the way around
R11: another decrease row: Chain 2, sc 2 together (across two of the chain 2 spaces) - repeat all the way around
R12: repeat row 11
R13: switch to grey plarn: 2 sc in each chain space and sc in each sc
R14: decrease row: sc in each of next 2 sc, sc next two together - repeat all the way around
R15: sc all the way around
R16: back loop slip stitch all the way around
R17: switch to white: back loop slip stitch all the way around and finish off.

Took me 2 hours to do the crocheting. So all in all it took 4.5 hours to complete!!!

Whew! OK....not sure how clear that is. I have know idea how to write a pattern. Please leave me your comments, corrections and suggestions for clarity. And let me know if you like the pattern!

p.s. I ran out of gray plarn, but I bet it would look great with several more rows of slst or sc alternating white and gray ...
copyright: 2011 Angela McCormick

Plarn grocery sack to sell at Farmer's Market

Well...I made this tapestry crochet plarn bag last year.....Listening to folks talk at my farmers market booth, I frequently heard comments about how few groceries could fit in it....well, it's a tote bag....

So that got me to thinking that folks want GROCERY BAGS made out of grocery bags; rather than tote bags. So today......I designed this.....
Sorry about the trampouline I thought the black background brought out the stitches better.....
here it it full of groceries!

It works pretty good...I added a bunch of extra stitches around the ends of the handles as I figured those would be the weak points.

Took me about 4 hours to make. while I was working on it I watched youtubes of craft fair booths to try to get myself some inspiration and motivation to keep working. I am sooo looking forward to Spring, planting a garden, and my farmer's market booth. I miss talking to everyone on Saturdays!!!!

Only one problem...I was so enthusiastically crocheting that I broke my 9mm hook......:(

I didn't think I was pulling on it that hard....it just snapped in two....So I pulled out my 10mm N hook as I can't find my other M hook. I've never seen this size in aluminum in the stores, I'm hoping I can find it in aluminum somewhere.

Oh, and before I forget, saw some neat youtubes on spnning plarn using a sewing machine, makes really nice plarn! I'm out of bags! I gotta go hit the Ingle's recycling bin and try this!!!!

This video just blows me away! Can you believe the beautiful plarn she was able to create!

Leave me a comment or two! I'd love to hear from y'all!

Too sore to crochet today

Don't know if it's the new pillow or holding my head an at angle because I put some peroxide in my ear last night....didn't crochet yesterday so it's not that, woke up so incredibly sore across both shoulders. I got some really great ideas for some small children's purse patterns and am disappointed that I can't work on them...tried some, but just way too sore. Hope I'll be able to crochet on my day off tomorrow. Here are some hats I made last week while at home during the snow storm:

 I looked up how to do crocheted cables and once I got the hang of it tried my hand at a  hat...no pattern..just did the increases on the back post dc's between the cables,.

Here's another men's hat with my favorite spikey design.

And one more green, black and camo hat...sorry about the picture quality

This is a pic of the UHF antenna DH made us out of wire coat hangers, works pretty good.

And a bit of the view from out my back door.



Tapestry Fusion Hat

I call this cap tapestry fusion because I started out with tapestry crochet, and then started getting impatient with the amount of time it was taking and didn't like the way the camo was pooling so I switched to just doing a few rows of each color and then did a few rows of slip stitch. 
This is made with Redheart for the solid colors: black and two shades of green. and a Camo that I think was Bernat; but am not sure.  For some reason the lighter green in the camo looks almost neon in the photo; it looks a bit better in person - just a lighter green. I was thinking of ripping it all out at first. Then just decided to finish it and see how it looks. It's pretty big,  about 24 inch head circumference. Hopefully someone will like it at this summers farmer's market.

Here is a close up of the "brim" area. I did a row of skipping a SC using a chain instead and then in the next row did sc's and did a dc down into the skipped stitch. then did 2 slip stitch rows to end off. one into the back loop and the second row sl from back to front in the back loop to hopefull get it to lay flat instead of curing up.

Went to Michaels today and found Loops and Threads Charisma was on sale for 1/2 price...soooo....

Three Holiday, three Bouquet and two black.....Just couldn't pass up $1.99 each...but this is NOT helping me reduce my stash. My intention was to use up all the discounted Redheart I had bought in October before buying any more yarn....I'm getting buried in yarn...it's hiding in all kinds of places in the house.....gotta get to some high speed crocheting and get more stuff ready for the Farmer's Market in Spring. Now ...what to make...hats...headbands....scarves....fingerless mitts....mp3 cozies....tote bags.....so much yarn...so many places to go....where to start...I do not know......