crochetroo

Fan Book Mark in Finnis

2011-07-18T19:22:00.005+10:00

Viuhkamainen kirjanmerkki

A kind person in Finland translated my fan book mark into Finnish a few months ago. For some reason, (and who knows why??) I never got arround to publishing this. We have had a busy time down here, with floods, home renovations and a middle ear infection my blogging has become a little tardy.

Finland is one of those magical places I would love to visit. It is such a long way from here over the other side of the world and I am really grateful to Meiju for translating this. Happy crocheting!

Here is the pattern:

Viuhkamainen kirjanmerkki

Aloitus: Jätä 10 cm pätkä lankaa ja virkkaa 8 ks ja yhdistä lenkiksi piilosilmukalla
Viuhka 1
Rivi 1: Virkkaa 1 ks ja 2 kjs, sen jälkeen 13 pylvästä (14 kaiken kaikkiaan). KÄÄNNÄ

Rivi 2: Virkkaa 1 ks ja 2 kjs ensimmäiseen pylvääseen, 1 kjs 1 p jokaiseen rivin pylvääseen (=14 p ja 13 kjs-”kaarta”) KÄÄNNÄ

Rivi 3: Virkkaa ensimmäiseen kjs-kaareen *1ks 2 kjs 1ks* (=nirkko), toista *-* 10 kertaa. Virkkaa 11:een kjs-kaareen 1 ks, 5 kjs, jätä kaksi kaarta väliin ja viimeiseen kaareen 1 ks. KÄÄNNÄ

Viuhka 2
Rivi 4: Virkkaa 1 ks ja 2 kjs, sen jälkeen 13 pylvästä (14 kaiken kaikkiaan). Hyppää yhden nirkon yli ja virkkaa 1 ks seuraavaan nirkkoon. KÄÄNNÄ.

Rivi 5: Virkkaa 1 ks ja 2 kjs ensimmäiseen pylvääseen, 1 kjs 1 p jokaiseen rivin 1 pylvääseen (=14 p ja 13 kjs-”kaarta”) KÄÄNNÄ

Rivi 6: (Sama kuin rivi 3) Virkkaa ensimmäiseen kjs-kaareen *1ks 2 kjs 1ks* (=nirkko), toista *-* 10 kertaa. Virkkaa 11:sta kjs-kaareen 1 ks, 5 kjs, jätä kaksi kaarta väliin ja viimeiseen kaareen 1 ks. KÄÄNNÄ

Viuhka 3
Rivi 7: (Sama kuin rivi 4) Virkkaa 1 ks ja 2 kjs, sen jälkeen 13 pylvästä (14 kaiken kaikkiaan). Hyppää yhden nirkon yli ja virkkaa 1 ks seuraavaan nirkkoon. KÄÄNNÄ.

Rivi 8: Virkkaa 1 ks ja 2 kjs ensimmäiseen pylvääseen, 1 kjs 1 p jokaiseen rivin 1 pylvääseen (=14 p ja 13 kjs-”kaarta”). Ennen työn kääntämistä virkkaa 1 ks kolmannen rivin 7:nteen nirkkoon vasemmalta lukien (tai 4:s oikealta lukien). KÄÄNNÄ

Rivi 9: (Sama kuin rivi 3) Virkkaa ensimmäiseen kjs-kaareen *1ks 2 kjs 1ks* (=nirkko), toista *-* 10 kertaa. Virkkaa 11:sta kjs-kaareen 1 ks, 5 kjs, jätä kaksi kaarta väliin ja viimeiseen kaareen 1 ks. 3:s viuhka on valmis. KÄÄNNÄ

Jatka samaan malliin kunnes 8 viuhkaa on tehty. Päättele lanka

KJS= Ketjusilmukka
KS= Kiinteä silmukka
P= Pylväs

copyright crochetroo!!

Welcome Spring with a wool afghan!

2010-09-05T07:42:00.008+10:00

Welcome Spring with a wool afghan!

Spring has arrived. I know this because of the chorus of parrots and kookaburras that wake me each morning at 6 am. As if somehow nature knows that the calendar has turned over, it was 29 degrees here on the 1st of September. I did manage to crochet my way through winter and have a pile of finished objects to prove it.

My winter total is: 6 baby blankets, 1 woolen afghan, 1 hairpin shawl, 3 interesting other shawls, a and a plethora of hats and scarfs. I have also finalised a few new patterns which have been in development for sometime. I decided I would update the formatting as I now have a u beaut laptop with the latest version of word. While the documents do have a nice modern edge, the new word is counter intuitive which has slowed me down a bit. I have however added the following to my pattern collection:

Vintage style beanies, Tasmanian devils, cow rugalugs, spiral beanie, super slippers, and a few new tea cosy designs. I will add these to etsy over the next few weeks.

So welcome Spring, and what better way than with finishing an afghan - pure Australian wool of course.

The pattern is from the book 63 more squares which a kind person RAOKed me a few years back. It has been in my list of things to do for a while as I searched out the right yarn.

It is almost a year since our road trip and one of the holiday discoveries was the Bendigo woollen Mills. This was like a lolly shop to a fat kid with a sweet tooth as I came out with an enviable supply of top quality Australian Wool and bargain price's in a stunning array of colours. The other thing that Bendigo has lots of is pottery, and I also managed to have a rather large biscuit barrel fall into my handbag as well.

I have made my daughter several rugs over the years but these somehow always seem to turn up as decorating items, or being worn at Retro parties by the trendy Melbourne crowd.

Think Retro and the obvious thing is to drag out Mums crochet rugs! I know this cos they often feature on Facebook. I have no idea who the people below are, but I do know I crocheted the orange rug that they are sharing along with a beer and a few good times. And, this rug was made in the 90s, and not in the 70s!

She has also stated that it is the highlighter pen colours which assist in setting the mood.

So the challenge for me was to construct a tasteful (!) afghan with a contemporary edge(whatever that is).

I didn't do the full 63 blocks as wool is quite heavy and I wanted a couch throw rather than a full bedspread.

The colours are Navy and maroon with variegation's of creams and blues. All pure Australian wool from the Bendigo Woollen Mill. This is yarn to die for. My only regret is that we don't have a bigger boot as I would have loved to have bought more. I started the rug last November while on the trip and finished it this winter.

I love it to bits, and I haven't seen it as a backdrop on Facebook which is a good sign ( I think),

thanks for looking.

UncinettoTraduzione dello schema Segnalibro a Ventagli, (Fan Bookmark in Italian)

2010-05-10T20:13:00.010+10:00

A nice lady recently contacted me and asked if she could translate my fan bookmark pattern into Italian. So here it is, many thanks to Kate. I dont speak or read Italian so I hope I have inserted the breaks in the correct places. Happy crocheting!

Traduzione dello schema Segnalibro a Ventagli by MadeByKate
Schema originale Fan Bookmarks by crochetroo

Occorrente:
• cotone da uncinetto 8
• uncinetto da 1,25 mm

Schema:
Per le abbreviazioni visita http://madebykate.wordpress.com/glossario/
Lasciando 8 cm di cotone, iniziare il lavoro con 8 ct, chiudere ad anello con 1 mbb.

1° Ventaglio:
1° GIRO: 2 ct (contano come la 1° ma), nell'anello lavorare 13 ma. [14 ma]

2° GIRO: 3 ct (contano come 1 ma, 1 ct), voltare il lavoro, in ogni maglia del giro precedente lavorare 1 ma, 1 ct. [14 ma, 13 spazi da 1 ct]

3° GIRO: 1 ct, voltare il lavoro, nei primi 10 spazi formati da 1 ct lavorare 1 mb, 2 ct, 1 mb (questo formerà dei pippolini).
Nel successivo spazio di 1 ct (l'11°) lavorare 1 mb, 5 ct, puntare l'uncinetto nella 2 ct con cui avete avviato il giro precedente e lavorare 1 mb. [fine del primo ventaglio]

2° Ventaglio:

4° GIRO: 2 ct (contano come la 1° ma), voltare il lavoro, nell'anello formato da 5 ct lavorare 13 ma. [14 ma]
Saltare 1 pippolino del giro precedente, nel successivo pippolino lavorare 1 mb.

5° GIRO (uguale al 2° GIRO): 3 ct (contano come 1 ma, 1 ct), in ogni maglia del giro precedente lavorare 1 ma, 1 ct. [14 ma, 13 spazi da 1 ct]

6° GIRO (uguale al 3° GIRO): 1 ct, nei primi 10 spazi formati da 1 ct lavorare 1 mb, 2 ct, 1 mb (questo formerà dei pippolini).
Nel successivo spazio di 1 ct (l'11°) lavorare 1 mb, 5 ct, puntare l'uncinetto nella 2 ct con cui avete avviato il giro precedente e lavorare 1 mb. [fine del secondo ventaglio]

3° Ventaglio:

7° GIRO (uguale al 4° GIRO): 2 ct (contano come la 1° ma), voltare il lavoro, nell'anello formato da 5 ct lavorare 13 ma. [14 ma]
Saltare 1 pippolino del giro precedente, nel successivo pippolino lavorare 1 mb.

8° GIRO: 3 ct (contano come 1 ma, 1 ct), voltare il lavoro, in ogni maglia del giro precedente lavorare 1 ma, 1 ct. [14 ma, 13 spazi da 1 ct]
Prima di iniziare il 9° GIRO unire il 3° ventaglio con il 1°: puntare l'uncinetto nel 7° pippolino contando da sinistra del 1° ventaglio e lavorare 1 mb.

9° GIRO (uguale al 3° GIRO): 1 ct, voltare il lavoro, nei primi 10 spazi formati da 1 ct lavorare 1 mb, 2 ct, 1 mb (questo formerà dei pippolini).
Nel successivo spazio di 1 ct (l'11°) lavorare 1 mb, 5 ct, puntare l'uncinetto nella 2 ct con cui avete avviato il giro precedente e lavorare 1 mb. [fine del terzo ventaglio]
Continuare così fino a formare 8 ventagli.

ULTIMO GIRO: fare un pippolino in ogni spazio formato da 1 ct. Fermare il filo con 1 mb nel 7° pippolino contando da sinistra del 6° ventaglio.
Tagliare e fermare il filo.
Stirare ed inamidare per rendere il segnalibro rigido.
Per fare la nappa tagliare 5 pezzi di filo di circa 20 cm, piegarli a metà e inserirli nell'anello iniziale del primo ventaglio,fermarli con un nodo.

Questo schema è una traduzione autorizzata di “Fan Bookmarks” by crochetroo. L'autrice è lieta di condividere questo schema, se verrà utilizzato per uso personale, per creare regali o donazioni a fondazioni benefiche, ma non oggetti che verranno venduti. Tutti i diritti sono riservati, né lo schema, né parti di esso possono essere riprodotti. La traduzione è di proprietà dell’autrice del blog madebykate.wordpress.com

Links to other Languages
Fan Bookmark in English

Fan Book Mark in French: Marque-page Eventail

Charmed Prayer Shawl Crochet Pattern

2010-02-21T21:33:00.011+10:00

I have been asked by many people to write out the pattern for the prayer shawl above. While I have been away from my blog over the Christmas period, I am finally back into crochet mode. We had a fabulous trip and I certainly finished off a number of UFOs which I will share with you all over the coming weeks. My first task though was to write up the green prayer shawl.

Remember I am an Aussie, so I use Australian/ UK terms in this pattern.

Charmed Prayer Shawl

This stitch is called Diamond Lattice. I found it in an old crochet stitch library and I am unsure of its origin. There are 4 rows to the pattern and it works up quite quickly. I added little metal charms at each end. I found these at the craft shop; however make sure that the holes are large enough for your yarn to thread through. I ended up with some ever so cute dragon flies which I couldn’t use as the holes were too narrow!

My green shawl was made of some angora and goat hair yarn that was made in Turkey. From memory I used about 4 - 5balls (100 gms balls). I like the tension on these to be quite loose so I used a 6mm hook.

You need a multiple of 10st plus 5, and then add 3 for the foundation row. I used 58ch and worked the shawl until it was 150cm or 59in long. The width was about 80cm or 30inches. I didn’t think to measure the tension however make your start ch and measure it unstretched to get an idea of the final shawl width. Fortunately these aren’t an exact science as long as the pattern multiples work out. This pattern has quite a bit a stretch and makes a lovely snugly shawl that feels like a warm hug.

I haven’t tested this so I hope it works out. THIS IS IN AUSTRALIAN / UK TERMS.

Our tr = USA dc

Our dc = USA sc

Our dtr = USA tr

Our lollie = USA candy!

Row 1. 4tr into 5^th ch from hook, *9ch, miss 9ch, 4tr into next ch, repeat from *till last 2st, miss 1ch, 1tr last st, turn.

Row 2. 3ch start, miss 2tr, make 4tr between 2^nd and 3^rd tr of prev row, *9ch miss 9ch, 4tr between 2^nd and 3^rd tr of next group of 4tr. Repeat from * across row, 1tr in top of turning ch

Row 3. This row requires some concentration but once you get the hang of it is easy.

3ch start, 4tr between centre 2^nd and 3^rd tr of 4tr group.

*4ch, miss 4ch working over previous chain (so as to trap them) work 1dc into 5^th ch of the first row, TURN and work back along the 4ch thus: 3ch start, 6dtr over the 4ch loop, now TURN, 3ch start missing first dtr, 1tr into each of next 5dtr, 1tr into top of 3ch (this is the diamond in the pattern), miss 4ch, 4tr between the 2^nd and 3^rd tr of the next 4ch group, repeat from *across , 1tr into top of start ch, turn.

Row 4. 3ch start, 4tr between centre 2^nd and 3^rd tr of 4tr group, *9ch, miss diamond, 4tr between centre 2^nd and 3^rd tr of 4tr group, rep from * across, 1tr in top of start ch.

This will look a bit odd as the chains will appear quite loopy.

Row 5. Work as for row 2.

Row 6. Work as for row 2.

Row 7. This is a repeat of row 3 however make 1dc into the top corner of the Diamond, working over the 3 rows of 9ch so as to catch them.

The pattern repeat is from rows 4 – 7. When your shawl is long enough, work till row 6 of the repeat - you will have 2 rows of 9ch loops.

Edging

3ch start, miss 2tr, make 2tr between 2^nd and 3^rd tr of prev row, *9ch add a charm by pulling the loop through the charm hole, make another 9ch then slst into top of tr, 2tr between 2^nd and 3^rd tr, 4ch, 1dc into tip of previous diamond, 4ch repeat from * across, 1tr top of start ch, finish off.

The bottom edge is worked in the same as the top edge. Join yarn at start edge and repeat as above. Because the pattern is upside down you will need to align the dc with the bottom corner of each diamond, and work the tr into the ch at the base of the 4tr in row 1.

This is an addit to my post late last year:

When I gave the shawl to my friend wrapped up as a gift, she asked me would it make her cry? I said maybe, but not for long as it will keep you warm. The next day she sent me this email, which brought a tear to my eye.

“ Dear Susan,

The answer is yes, I did cry and yes it will keep me warm.

What a beautiful gift. I am very touched and will treasure the shawl forever, particularly in light of the beautiful words you have written. It will indeed be a hug from (my daughter).

It has been a very very difficult journey and to be honest it was far more difficult and emotionally draining before (my daughter) passed away. Now there seems to be an emotional tearful period every day, albeit reducing in size. I will keep the shawl close by so I can have a 'hug' when I need it most.

You cannot begin to understand how much I appreciate such thoughtfulness and support. I think the tangible support of friends does reinforce that you are not alone and people are thinking about you - that in itself provides enormous strength, so thank you very much.

Losing a child as about the worst thing that could ever happen but I feel very privileged to have shared such a journey so intimately and to have developed such a wonderful relationship with my daughter. I saw her mature in a way that I think many people strive for all their lives and never succeed. I also witnessed her strength and courage and I sincerely pray that when confronted with my own mortality I am able to be as faithful, gracious and brave.

Thank you so much.”

If you have any difficulties following the pattern please leave me a message.

UFOs and the Anniversary Road Trip

2009-11-14T19:09:00.007+10:00

Sunset on the road to Canberra

It seems I haven’t blogged in ages. It isn’t that I don’t have anything interesting to talk about: quite the opposite. Life has been filled to the brim with our youngest celebrating his 18^th in October. we also finally put in a new kitchen as the previous one celebrated its 20^th birthday, and in much a shabbier state than our son!

This month my husband and I celebrate 30 years of marriage. To mark the occaision we decided (or rather I insisted) we go on a kid less trip. This is the first holiday we have had on our own since BC (before children). When he asked me where I wanted to go I said there were two places that I thought would be lovely for an anniversary trip. The first was Niagara Falls. I have seen so many photos of Niagara Falls, and the movies portray it as a honeymoon sort of place. The second place I have long wanted to see was to travel the Great Ocean Road, at the bottom of Australia and to see what remains of the 12 apostles. I believe a few of them have fallen into the sea due to erosion and I would love to see as many of them while they still remain. So hub, ever the imaginative one says "great – let’s do the Great Ocean Road! Furthermore, let’s drive all the way and stop at a few places along the way. "

Sculpture in the Gardens in Canberra

Now for those unaware of the distance the Great Ocean Road is approx 1900k (1,100 miles) from our home on the Gold Coast. This is a very long drive. And we will need to drive back. After 30 years what can we possibly talk about for such a long drive?

Hub has his podcasts of philosophy bites, and an iPod full of his choice of music. This includes Christmas carols, which the man listens to all year just because they make him feel good, Eva Piaf, and some ABC down loads. My only solution is to crochet the miles away. So in a moment of panic, at the thought of all those kilometres of road kill, Eva Piaf and Philosophy I decide to take as many UFOs with me to see how many I can finish. Seems like a clever plan to me.

We reached Canberra on Thursday night, and it was a mere 38 degrees Celsius (100 F) and we headed off to the National Gallery. Canberra is our Nations capital, and because I had a hook and yarn in my hand, I didn't take too many photos!I didn't realise how many famous pieces we have here in Australia and I stood in front of Monet's Water Lilies for some time in awe. The man of course, reckons he could paint that if he tried. Truth is he has been flat out trying to paint the decking.. he has been working up to it for a few years now. In the photo above he is checking out the bronzes by Rodin in the sculpture garden. I am not sure why I thought finishing the green wrap in mohair and wool was such a good idea. But I did finish it. I crocheted 8 blocks from the Gold Coast to Canberra (1, 105 klms), and did the edge from Canberra to Thredbo. I used a block called a snowflake motif which I found in one of those weekly binder jobs.

This I discovered at my Lifeline charity store. The yarn you might recognise from one of the prayer shawls I made for a friend in the last post. I did however, start my wrap over a year ago. As I enthusiastically bought a dozen balls of the yarn and I have now managed to get 2 shawls. If I had planned ahead I would have brought some charms with me to finish it off. In Cooma I discovered one of the best craft stalls I have been in for some time. I did purchase some little charms but the holes are too small to thread onto the yarn.

My crocheting was interrupted as we stopped to let an echidna cross the road just inside the Kosciuszko National Park. By the time I had put the hook and yarn down, and dug around for my camera the little guy was burying his way into the side of the road. I have never seen this before in my life and if you check out the video clip you can just seem the echidna as he digs himself into the ground.

ECHIDNA on the road to Thredbo

I did manage to get the shawl finished and here it is, draped over the balcony at Thredbo where we will stay for the weekend.

Thredbo is a Ski resort in the winter, and extremely pretty and quiet in Summer. You can see the remnants of the snow in the photo. This is one of the few places in Australia cold enough and high enough for skiing. I am sure it is nothing on Aspen, but it is a nice destination.

My plan is to use the wrap when we reach Melbourne as we have a dinner to attend. Thredbo is beautiful in Summer. We will do a few bush walks while we are here in Thredbo, and then we head further south to Melbourne. Given the heat, I am thinking I might work on some smaller projects for the next leg of the journey.

Thanks for looking!

Prayer Shawls

2009-08-30T20:21:00.004+10:00

A dear friend of mine has recently had a pretty tough time as her 23 year old daughter died after a battle with cancer. I can not imagine any grief worse than losing a child, particularly at such a young age. Her daughter had a melanoma removed about 2 years ago, discovered secondaries early this year, and was cremated at the beginning of the month.

It is hard to know what to say or do as nothing seems adequate.

After doing some research I decided to make her a prayer shawl. I have never done one of these before, however I found it comforting for my soul as I thought of her situation, and prayed for her comfort. I am not a deeply religious person, however something about tragedy does make us consider our own mortality.

In researching prayer shawls I discovered the Prayer Shawl Ministry and this wonderful site:

http://shawlministry.com/

While I haven't been blogging I have been busy. Here is a picture of the shawl I made for my friend. It is in a soft green and cream angora and wool mix. I added little crosses and heart charms onto the fringe which were made from 9 ch, added a charm, and then did another 9 ch, slst in the base.

It took me a while as I made it about 150 cm long. The pattern is an interesting one I found in one of the old weekly crochet journals that I found in a charity store. She has a strong Anglican faith and I felt the green was a soothing colour and I like how it turned out. I plan to give it to her in the next week.

Another colleague of mine recently lost her Dad. It has been a very difficult time for her as on only child, and as a special daughter. I was originally going to get her some flowers, and then a plant for her office however as the first shawl turned out so well I decided to make another one.

This friend is in her mid 30s so I chose a summery colour called custard by moda vera. I added some little dragon fly charms to the fringe. The decorative stitch is the same as the green one, however I went for a triangle style with plain rows of granny square type pattern in between.

I found a plain card with some pansies on the front and wrote the following verse in side:

“This Shawl was made just for you

To bring comfort, to know you are loved

This Shawl is to wrap you up~~

When you're cold,

When you're hurting

When you need to snuggle,

This Shawl was crocheted with blessings, With Love, With Prayers,”

Crocheted with love by a special friend

Prayer Written By: Gena Kathka, March 16, 2006, http://www.prayershawl.com/, used by permission

On the opposite side of the card I wrote:

"Dear (friend) May this prayer shawl enfold you in warmth, comfort, healing and peace. Think of it as a big hug from your Dad, With Love .."

I left it on her desk at work after she had gone for the day. The next morning I received the following email:

"Thank you so much for the lovely shawl and words on my card. It really meant a lot, it has been a bit hard for me of late, so it was perfect timing. And the flowers on the front of the card ( pansies )are my favourite! I appreciate your kindness in such a difficult time"

I am so pleased I discovered the prayer shawl ministry, and hope my other friend likes hers as well.

Thanks for looking, and make sure to visit the prayer shawl ministry as they do some beautiful work.

Snuggly Ugglies for Big Kids

2009-07-02T18:40:00.006+10:00

Well it took a particularly cold winter down here to prompt me to finish of my crochet uggly patterns! These are for big kids and adults following numerous requests in realtion to my baby snuggly ugg booties.

Another thing I started well over a year ago, which have taken me forever to complete. It has been now a year since Grandma left us and I did loose interest in crochet for a while. Last winter was a long one as we sorted her things and dealt with our loss.

These Uggies though would have made her smile!

I made numerous pairs before I got the shaping and sizing right. I have tried to keep these simple. They have a crocheted sole however some non slip goop could be added to the bottom if you wanted to.

The sons' gfs modelled them for me and decided they were very comfy. I have 3 sons and the gfs have learnt that if they eat at my table, then they model my crochet! It is funny how intrigued this Generation y is with old fashioned crafts such as crochet. The lass in the photo below is keen to have me teach her how to crochet. My son wasn't too impressed when she shows more interest in what I am doing than what he is doing! Payback time for the pain I suffered in bringing him into the world, the cracked nipples and other personal sufferings to get him where he is today.

Uggs are an icon down here. It took the fashionistas to make them popular internationally.

While nothing can replace the original sheepskin Ugg, my crochet ugglies are a bit of fun. The pattern can be worked in 8 ply or 12 ply and I am going to experiment with some novelty yarn for the band. I have a pile of fluffy stuff in my stash which might do the trick.

I have listed the patterns on etsy to correspond with the chilly winter down here.

Thanks for looking.

Hairpin Crochet

2009-06-23T20:06:00.008+10:00

One of my latest fascinations has been with hairpin crochet. I remember as a kid my Nana would make hairpin crochet and I could never quite figure it out. Nana was also a fan of the broomstick as well and made many a rug using this technique.

Hair pin crochet forks aren't that available here. In fact I cant recall having ever seen them in the craft stores until very recently. My favourite Craft joint Spotlight, has one of those discount clearance tables up the back in the wool section. I stood there for about an hour a few weeks ago, sifting through the remnants of odd balls of wool, odd goggle eyes, beads, light up knitting needles that haven't seemed to really catch on, a pile of miscellaneous patterns and a few humble hairpin prongs. These had been respectably reduced from $4.99 to 50c each. And how I love a bargain, so I bought 4 in different sizes and challenged myself to learn how to use the things.

The major challenge is starting off. It is one of those left - right spacial things that once you get the hang of, is quite relaxing. However, until you do get the hang of it, hairpin can be incredibly frustrating! The flipping the thing around totally messed my head.

This was my first major hairpin project. I used a pattern on the web and adjusted the length. The yarn is a 5 ply cotton and acrylic mix that I found in Lincraft in Brisvegas. Given this was my first attempt I chose a heavier yarn in a bright colour that was easy on my eyes.

Having now mastered the hairpin knack, it has become a major time waster. Recently I travelled to Cairns in far North Queensland and decided to do a day trip up to Kuranda in the rain forest. This was a fabulous outing as I got the train up, and the Skyrail back. Whilst waiting for the train I pulled out my hairpin, determined to make the most of any down time. As quick as you can say "double crochet" I had a swarm of English and European Tourists watching what I was doing. One of them asked "is this a local Australian Craft". It was one of those moments when I realised how little the general person knows about crochet. This group of tourists weren't gen ys either! They were the over 50, retirement tour group!

So whilst sitting at the train station north of Cairns here was I showing a bunch of Tourists, the craft of hairpin crochet. My kids would have been horrified as the boys have banned me from CIP ( crocheting in public) since the time I tried at the light hook at the movies! The picture below is from the skyrail over the rainforest. This has to be one of the most amazing pieces of scenery and engineering I have ever experienced.

So here is the wrap I made a strip of in Cairns. I used a pretty cotton mix that has a slither of silver sparkle through the thread. I was trying to get a lighter, dressier type of effect. I learnt doing this that stitch markers are a good idea to stick on the prong to keep count of the 50s of loops. I nearly went nutty checking the count on this.

This little pink skinny scarf is an experiment with a left over ball of cotton thread. I wanted to try the loop technique of joining. This is where you weave the loops of the strips to join them together. I made 4 strips out of the ball and am happy with the result.

You can see in the close up how the loops interweave.

I am now experimenting with what else I can make as I think I have more than enough wraps now. I am trying a bag and have a few other ideas in my noggin. My Nana would be pretty proud of me if she was still around.

Thanks for looking!

Pesky Possums

2009-06-07T12:07:00.009+10:00

I cant believe how long it is since I last blogged. I haven't stopped crocheting though!

Meet the possums. I called these guys Pesky, because they have taken me forever to perfect! Possums are a protected species down here but are pesky when it comes to eating the fruit off the passion fruit vine, and the paw-paws in the back yard!

I humbly declare that I think these are my cutest critters yet, and well worth the wait.

I remember my husband reaching up into a carton in his under the house blokes area in search of a hammer. He found asleep in there, what he thought was our cat, stroked and lifted it down to see it was a possum. Scared the living daylights out of him! Not to mention the stunned look on the possum as he scampered away.

These often hang about our bird feeder and you can hear them scratching around on the roof at night. They are a real pest if they get into the ceiling. Many years ago one did and my son couldn't sleep at night because of the racket. We thought it might have been a rat (UGHH) but the pest exterminator man trapped it and yep, it was a possum. Possums are protected here so he took it out to the bush and released it.

The challenge for me was to make several species as each has distinct characteristics.

Ring tail possums are a medium sized species. Fully grown they are the size of a kitten or large guinea pig. They range in colour from a beautiful russet red to brown with a tinge of grey. Tails are very long with a distinctive ring and often have a white tip. Ears are very small and close to the head. I did this one in a rusty brown. Here he is hanging about in the gum trees.

Brush tail possums are a larger species and when fully grown they will be a little smaller than an adult cat. They have a grey to grey/brown coat on top, and can be a soft cream to a beautiful ‘pumpkin’ colour underneath. Their ears are large and stand up from their heads. Tails are black and fluffy.

The brush tail is a bit of a nuisance where they have been introduced in New Zealand. While they are a native species here and we put up with them, over seas they are regarded as lowly vermin!

I think the brush tail is a lovely critter with a fluffy tail. Early settlers would kill these for their skins. Possum fur has a similar feel to mink. Possum were introduced to New Zealand from Australia approximately 150 years ago to establish a possum fur industry. They thrived in New Zealand to the point that they are now considered a pest and a threat to the native bird life and flora.

And here is the tiny Glider possum. There are several species of gliders including sugar gliders and pygmy possums. All gliders have a membrane running down each side of their body which they use as sails to glide from tree to tree. These are tiny marsupials which can fit in the palm of your hand.

The pygmy possum is now an endangered species. Urban cats and dogs have significantly reduced the numbers as has deforestation. I was interested to learn that in some countries sugar gliders are kept as pets. They are particularly cute and easy to handle.

Leadbeaters possum is the animal symbol of the state of Victoria. It was thought to be extinct, however a few have been found and it remains an endangered species. The recent Victorian bush fires would have really damaged their native habitat.

Possums are another of our fascinating marsupials who have their babies in a pouch. They are also arboreal living in the tree trunks and nocturnal, coming out at night.

I hope you like my pesky possums. I have the patterns listed on etsy. My next crochet challenge is the Tasmanian devil.

Thanks for popping in, and do leave a comment!

(c) copyright crochetroo Australia 2009.

Harmony Wrap ( free crochet pattern for Harmony Day)

2009-03-22T19:15:00.005+10:00

March 21 is Harmony day. This is a day where we celebrate the diversity of our community. It is celebrated on this day as the 21st March is also known as Human rights day and Sharpeville Day in remembrance of the Sharpeville massacre in South Africa in 1960.

http://www.harmony.gov.au/

The Living in Harmony program was established in 1998 and administered by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. The Diverse Australia Program is designed to highlight cultural issues for all Australian citizens, and give all Australian's collective goals to reduce racism within Australia, such as:

· Take a stand against racism, prejudice and intolerance;
· Help build a peaceful and productive future for our children by setting an example of how to live in harmony, making the most of our racial, cultural, social and religious diversity; and
· Put into practice the best of traditional Australian values - justice, equality, fairness and friendship.
· Celebrate Australia's many successes as a diverse and harmonious multicultural society;
· Re-commit to our common values of respect and goodwill towards our fellow Australian's of all backgrounds;
· Say 'no' to racism.

March 21 is also my birthday, and I treated myself recently to some gorgeous yarn I found at Lincraft in Brisbane. The yarn is called "surprise" and is full a happy colours which remind me of the harmony day banner. I had to think what to make it into and finally came up with this wrap. The outrageous cheery colours are fabulous and this yarn is super soft.

http://lincraft.cart.net.au/details/2507674.html

All of these colours come out of the ball so I guess that is why the call it "Surprise".

So here is the pattern for what I have called my "Harmony Wrap". It is a little out there, but hey it is a lot of fun. The increases make the wrap fan out and provide a nice stretchy shaped edge which allows for flexibility in how you tie it. I hope you enjoy it as much I do!

Harmony Wrap

NOTE: Australian UK terms are first/ USA terms second = tr/dc

The yarn is called surprise from Lincraft and I used 2 balls. Each ball has about 160 metre and a thickness of about 9wpi. Any variegated yarn will do however this yarn has a lovely soft feel and a bright array of colours. It reminds me of the diversity in the Harmony Day banner.

Hook H8/ 5mm
Shell = (2tr/dc 2ch 2tr/dc) worked into the 2ch sp of previous row.

1. Start with a 6ch, slst join into a loop. 1ch start then 12dc/sc into ring, slst join.

2. 5ch start (counts as 1 tr/dc 2ch throughout), (1tr/dc 2ch) into next st 9times = 10 posts TURN

3. 5ch start, (1tr/dc 2ch) into ch sp 4 times, into next ch sp ( 2tr/dc 2ch 2tr/dc) shell, 2ch then repeat (1tr/dc 2ch) into next 4 ch sp, 1tr/dc into 3rd ch of start ch, TURN.

4. 5ch start, (1tr/dc 2ch) into ch sp, work shell into shell sp, then continue 2ch, (1tr/dc 2ch) into ch sp till end, 1tr/dc into 3rd ch of start ch, TURN, repeat this row for 5, 6 and 7.

8. 5ch start, *(1tr/dc 2ch) into ch sp 4 times, into next ch sp ( 2tr/dc 2ch 2tr/dc) shell into next sp*, 2ch* repeat *-* around giving you 3 shells in the row, finish row as before with 1tr/dc into 3rd ch of start ch, TURN .

9 – 12 work as before with a shell in each of the 3 shells in each round

13. Repeat row 8 = 7 shells

Continue pattern on these stitches for approx 13 rounds = 26 in total or until you are almost out of yarn.

Last round. 1dc/sc into first sp, 20ch 1dc/sc same sp, then * (3ch 1dc/sc) each space till you reach shell (1dc/sc 20 ch 1dc/sc) in shell space*, repeat from * - * till end of row, work (1dc/sc 20 ch 1dc/sc) in last loop.

Continue to work along side edge of rows with (3ch 1dc/sc) each space till you reach the start, slst join into first dc/sc, weave in ends.

Holding each 20 ch loop in half, tie a knot.

You can tie the corners across the back and achieve a shrug like effect. I ended up sewing a button onto one of the corners to make it hold.

Enjoy wearing your harmony wrap and remember to be inclusive and harmonous all year round.

Victorian Bushfire Appeal

2009-02-15T12:00:00.005+10:00

http://www.redcross.org.au/vic/services_emergencyservices_victorian-bushfires-appeal-2009.htm

There is not much more that can be said about the bush fires that ripped through Victoria last week. The victims of the fires included both human and wildlife. It is estimated that nearly 200 people lost their lives while over 1Million wildlife are estimated to have perished. I count my blessings that where I live is safe from the fires, and I have appreciated the numerous enquiries I have received from the Internet community.

The photo above of Sam the koala is one of the most touching encounters I have ever seen. Sam drank three bottles of water and had badly scorched paws.

The Dust team ( Down Under Street Team) at Etsy have organised a special store in order to raise funds for the bushfire appeal.

All the goods have been donated with 100% going to the Red Cross.

I have listed some special packages of my crochet patterns and will be contributing some more as soon as I get them together.

Please visit the Etsy VICTORIAN BUSHFIRE APPEAL store:
http://ozbushfireappeal.etsy.com/

alternatively if you wish to donate direct:

http://www.redcross.org.au/vic/services_emergencyservices_victorian-bushfires-appeal-2009.htm

Thank you for your support.

Happy Hearts (free crochet pattern)

2009-02-08T16:46:00.003+10:00

Happy Hearts - to make you feel warm and fuzzy like a nice hug!

This is one of those silly things I came up with while I was watching TV. We don't really celebrate Valentines Day in a big way down here, however it does seem to be getting more popular with the young ones. My boys are at the age when there seems to always be a young lady at the dinner table so I figured I would go with the flow and make some hearts in the mood of love.

This is what I call my Happy Heart Motif. I am still working on the background count, however here is the heart to get you started.

Some of the ideas for what you could do with these are:

Make a set for some quirky coasters,
Join 2 together and fill with lavender for a sachet,
Add a ribbon to the top to make a hanging decoration,
Make one in cotton and add a tassel for a book mark,
Sew a bobby or pin on the back and wear as a brooch, or
Use to decorate a card for someone special.

Instructions

Australian and UK terms are used first; USA are shown second in [brackets].

8ply/double knit/worsted weight yarn in 2 colours 4mm/ J6 hook = 9cm, 3.75 in wide
Small heart use 4ply [size 10] cotton and 1.75mm/ steel 5 hook = 6cm / 2.5 in wide

Round 1: 3ch slst into ring, 3ch start then working into ring make 15tr [dc], slst into top of start ch to form a circle =16

Round 2: 3ch start, into next st work 8tr [dc], miss 2st, 1dc [sc] next st, miss 2 st, 8tr [dc] next st, 1tr [dc] next st, 2tr [dc] next st twice, 1tr [dc] next st, (2tr 1dtr 2tr) OR [2dc 1tr 2dc] into next st (chin point), 1tr [dc] next st, 2tr [dc] next st twice, slst join to start ch, finish off and weave in ends = 34 st

Round 3: Worked in front loops only
Join contrast yarn with a slst at the chin, 1ch 1dc [sc] in same st, 2ch 1tr [dc] same st, *miss 1 st then 1dc [sc] next st, 2ch 1tr [dc] same st* repeat from *-* around heart, slst join to last ch finish off and weave in ends = 17 shells.

Smile and Eyes

If you look at your heart you will see the outline of a smile and some eyes.

Using contrast yarn neatly stitch a mouth between round 1 and 2.

Work 3 stitches to create eyes. These can be angled to create different personalities.

Enjoy giving your Happy Hearts to someone special. Have a loving Valentines Day!

(c) crochetroo Australia protected by copyright. Please do not reproduce my patterns or images by any means. While I am happy for you to make these for personal use, gifts and limited charity fundraising, please do not sell on the web or sell finished items to make a personal profit.

Happy Australia Day!

2009-01-26T13:54:00.008+10:00

Today is Australia Day. This celebrates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney cove and the start of our contemporary Australian Settlement. For the indigenous Australian, this day marked the invasion of the British, the arrival of rabbits, rats, measles and the common cold.

We have come a long way in reconciliation, however more is to be done.

Last night we watched Jelena Dokic win the quarter final in the Australian Open. This was quite an Achievement for this young woman. Her life has been pretty tough as she has battled depression, financial difficulties and a father who has attracted a lot of bad press for his antics. It was her Dad who brought her to Australia in 1994 to escape the conflict in their native Yugoslavia and turn her into a tennis champion. He was then thrown out of the United States Open in 2000 after screaming obscenities. But last night she was remarkable.

So while watching the tennis I was feeling a little patriotic and decided I would try and do an Australian Flag Tea Cosy - just for Australia Day.

How stupid of me as the Australian flag isn't the easiest thing to crochet. In fact why couldn't our flag be as simple as the Yugoslavia ( Serbian ) flag with simple stripes of red white and blue.

So here is my first attempt.

Family feedback - "the stars aren't starry enough"

" flags are supposed to be rectangular not square" .. doh but the teapot is round

"The pointer looks like the size of a meteor about to hit Ularoo"

"mmm I didn't realise the Southern Cross was made of triangles, and a white space.

"You know the pointer has 7 points Mum"

Yep, I know that I counted them.. pity it looks like a wildflower.....

The points are symbolic , one for each State and 1 for the territories. I reckon a flannel flower would have been a hellava lot easier to crochet though. It could easily have 7 petals.

" You should have started this about 6 months ago if you wanted it finished by today...."

Yes I love having honest critique to improve my design skills ; o)

Oh well at least I got the colours right.

So this is the first side of the cosy, and I am away to see if I can make the stars starrier, the pointer a bit more pointy, and find a rectangular teapot.

As for the rest of the Day, I have baked the pavlova, and it is now cooling in the oven. We have a nice leg of lamb to roast in the Weber and a bottle of Jacobs Creek red.

I was planning to go and sweep out the barb q area as we had a bit of a storm last night. As I look out the deck though, it is starting to rain. Maybe I will just stay in side and see if I can improve on the flag instead.

I am also thinking that the Indigenous flag might have been an easier choice for my first flag attempt.

Have a happy Australia Day!

A yarn about yarn - Panda Lustre

2009-01-17T22:19:00.006+10:00

A work colleague of mine is having a baby this week ( his wife that is) , and we had a baby shower for him. She is a tiny little thing and is having a planned c section. They have the date set, and they know it is a girl. I always liked the surprise factor when I had my kids. Knowing the date and sex to me, is a bit like knowing what your Birthday present is, before you open it.

So in the knowledge that it was a little girl I made the baby pink booties above. This got me thinking about baby yarns. Now I must say they turned out the cutest little things, however this is mainly due to the yarn. Had I made them from string, I doubt they would have the same cuteness factor happening!

I made these little tea tree booties out of Panda Lustre. I just love this yarn. It is my favorite for making baby stuff in the synthetic yarn range available down here and quite reasonable priced.

If you look close at the picture you can see the viscose lustre running through the thread. The composition is 85% acrylic and 15% viscose.

Crocheting with this stuff is very satisfying, and no I don't have shares in the company! However a look inside my wool cupboard might indicate otherwise.

The koalas above were made in the variegated lilac in the range, and the little hat below in the flecked white, aqua and yellow.

And then there is baby blue.. I have been experimenting with baby sulphur cockatoo designs, and while the lemon isn't quite sulphur it is soft enough for babies gear.

And a few years back they had mint but they seem to have discontinued it. At the time I bought a few balls of it as I reckon mint green is a nice alternative to lemon when you don't know the babies gender. It works brilliantly for my koala booties as it reminds me of the gum trees.

So this is my favourite synthetic baby yarn. I have never been big on the nylons as they seem to split. The lustre in the Panda gives a nice texture that adds to a quality finish. It also has an increasing colour range in the traditional baby pastels.

Here is a link to their web:

http://www.pandayarns.biz/colour_range.asp?yarnid=11

Now as you can see the page really under represents this product as the colours are much sharper and the viscose really sparkles. An Australian company who has been around for a few years now. Why the heck they are "Panda" and not "Possum" or "Numbat" is any ones guess, but they do spin a good product.

Thanks for looking.

Summer Crochet

2009-01-11T16:30:00.007+10:00

So Christmas has come and gone and the weather here is perfect for the beach. My family are always horrified when I take my togs, towel and crochet to our favourite local beach. I have never understood why. Others sit and read, and have things stuck in their ears, and play cricket... and well I crochet. And if Beach Cricket is good enough for The Australian Cricket Team to be televised, then I reckon there is an opening for Beach Crochet as well.

There is only one thing worse than getting sand in your undies, and in your chewing gum, and that is getting in in your yarn, so I have a special Beach Crochet Bag. Sad but true. And if I never took my hook to the surf, how would I have ever managed to take the great photo above?

I already have a backlog of Adult Uggs and a tail less possum in my basket, but I much prefer the coming up with the designs easier than the sizing and testing.

I finally listed my boomerang booties which took me forever because I needed to get the sizing right. Motifs on the other hand give me much more creative licence.

So my mind has been refreshed and the kids have been home and I have been on a rugalug binge.

I designed the Muttaburrasaurus late 2007 and have since been pondering whether I could come up with another of the dinosaur family.

My son ( who claims he is the source of all my great ideas) suggested a stegosaurus. So After a few prototypes here it is below. I kinda like this guy as he that boyhood adventure about him.

Trouble is with these sort of critters, is having never seen one, other than in the Jurassic Park movies, and lying around the boys room when they were little. (Gosh how I hated standing on those plastic dinosaurs in the dark. They used to scare the willies out of me and hurt like crazy.) My conundrum is always how to get the character, and the colour. I mean what is the character and colour of stegosaurus any way? I decided they must be flamboyant with all those spikes happening. Remind me of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, very gregarious and colourful in an outbacky sort of way.

So now I am on a dinosaur roll and I am getting a bit more confident. So I say to my self, if I can crochet Butterflies and Budgies, then a Pterodactyl cant be too hard.

This is what I did New Years Eve. I know , I must have a very boring life, however I did have a cocktail, in a long glass beside me.

Next morning I ask hub "what do you think this is"

His response; "a rabbit"

" er a rabbit in a batman cape".... not a good start to the new year my dear!

So I turn it on its side, and now it is looking more in flight. This angle reminds me more of the pterodactyls in the Flintstones.

So my January projects are to finish these guys off, however I decided that I need 4 of them to make a balanced set. I now have triceratops at an early stage of design and am feeling pretty pleased with myself.

Doesn't last long as our son says, " you have only done herbivores - you need to do some carnivores as well....." Maybe after the adult uggs, possums and cleaning out the fridge and tidying up the yard post summer storms....

Geez and I was thinking the herbivores was a terrific start to 2009. All I need now is a few of them in the backyard to munch through the jungle out there after the hot wet weather.

Happy New Year to You all, may you have many hours of fun with your families, wherever you are on the globe. I also wish you many hours of crocheting!

Fragrant Frock Sachet - crochet pattern

2008-12-08T20:10:00.007+10:00

I have called this little item a "Fragrant Frock", because to me "frock" is such a delightfully old fashioned term. I remember my Mum in Law once saying to me "that's a lovely frock" and one of my kids laughing and saying "what the heck is a frock?"

A "frock" does sound so very proper though. I can't imagine a floozy wearing a "frock". You sit with your legs crossed and sip tea in a china tea cup while wearing a frock. Ladies wear frocks. Men should open the door for you if you wear a frock. To me it is feminine and pre feminism.

A frock is defined as a loose dress with a skirt and a bodice. I also think of a religious frock or smock.

Any hows I did take the time to write out the pattern for the little pink oddity I found in Grandmas cupboard that I shared in my last post. I am sure Grandma is smiling at the thought of something out of her cupboard, and the term "frock" being immortalised on the web.

I did have fun recreating this, as it is so long since I made the first one. I have no idea what the yarn in the original pink one is but it feels like a baby nylon in a 3 ply. Make sure you follow the correct terminology as I have used both Aus UK / USA terms like this dc/sc. These could also look kinda cute hanging on the Christmas tree as I reckon Angels would wear "frocks".

Fragrant Frock
Australian UK terms first/ USA terms second

Lavender frock above measures 10cm/4in long worked in 4ply baby weight and 3.75mm hook.

Round 1: Start at the neck; 20ch slst into a ring, 3ch start then 43tr/dc into ring, slst join = 44

Round 2 - 3: 3ch start, 1tr/dc into each st around slst join = 44

Round 4: slst to between ch post and first tr/dc; 5ch start, 1tr/dc into same sp, miss 3st, into next sp (1tr/dc, 2ch, 1dc/sc) 4times; miss 10 then ((1tr/dc, 2ch, 1tr/dc) into next sp, miss 3) 5times; slst join to 3rd ch of start post = 10 groups of 2.

Round 5: slst to ch sp between post and tr/dc, (3ch start, 1tr/dc, 1ch, 2tr/dc) into this sp, then into each ch sp around work (2tr/dc, 1ch, 2tr/dc); slst join to start ch = 10 shells.

Rounds 6, 7, 8: as for round 5

Round 9: slst to ch space, 3ch start, 4tr/dc into first sp, then 5tr/dc into each ch sp around, slst join.

Join Bottom: Fold your frock in half so that your thread is on the right corner, match front and back shells and work through both sides 1dc/sc next 2st, into next st *(1dc/sc, 2ch, 1slst into dc/sc) this is a picot, 1dc/sc next 4st* repeat from *-* finish with 1dc/sc next 2st slst finish, weave in end = 5 picots

Join yarn at half way point on neck, 15ch then slst join to opposite side of neck, weave in ends.
Add a bow, pop some fragrant wooden balls into your frock, and loop on a hanger in the cupboard.

Moth balls tickle my nose, however I like the smell of cedar balls or some of the little fragrant soaps that are available.

These make great little charity fundraisers or gifts for a bit of yesteryear. Have fun making them!

(c) crochetroo Australia protected by copyright. Please do not reproduce my patterns or images by any means. While I am happy for you to make these for personal use, gifts and limited charity fundraising, please do not sell on the web or sell to make a personal profit.

Grandmas' Cupboards

2008-11-30T16:56:00.007+10:00

Earlier this year my Mum in law, my kids beloved Grandma, left us. One of the hard things when someone passes is not just dealing with the grief, but the finalisation of her belongings.

It has taken us several months to slowly go through things, which while being an emotional time, was also a healing process. She had 3 sons, and none of them could go through her cupboards. I think it is a man thing, that sorting your mothers personal things is forbidden. So the task was left for me. Grandma was an immaculate woman, with a place for everything, and everything in its place, so while it wasn't a hard job it was a time of reflection.

My Mum in law could never crochet. She used to boast how clever I was (not because I had a Uni degree) but, rather that I could crochet.

I made and gifted her many things over the years. While many of them I had long forgotten, she has treasured every little item.

I had a moment of sadness and said to hub - "She has kept everything I ever made her" to which, as you would expect a bloke to say responded - "well you didn't think she would throw them in the bin!". So here is showcase of some of the things I found that I had made for her.

Doilies, she loved doilies and I always knew this was a cherished gift. I had though, forgotten how many I had given her over the last 30 years. White doilies, ecru doilies, ;emon and purple doilies.

Ecru doily with the pineapple pattern, I think I made this is the early 80s.

A yellow doily with an old design from one of my Nana's books.

I actually remember making this lavender fillet rose. I can't work out how to turn the photo, however this was one of my first attempts at fillet crochet. The rose is a bit stretched because my tension was tight. I remember making this one for her shortly after my husband and I became engaged.

This is another piece of fillet that I worked her name into the corner of the handkerchief. She has kept this for many years, and I found it with some other handkerchief's I had edged for her. I am going to keep this one in a safe place in case one day, my daughter gets married, this can be her little piece of Grandma on her wedding day.

These made me laugh as the yellow hat is from the starched crochet era. I used to make doilies and them shape them with white glue over a cottage cheese container. There was a Leisure Arts brochure at the time that had a number of variations of these. The sachets were in her cupboard. Crocheted by me in blue thread, they are drink coasters which I then stitched onto little fabric pillows I made, filled with lavender and stitched on a ribbon to hang on a coat hanger.

This is a pocket tissue holder. I had forgotten all about having made these. One Christmas in the mid 80s I crocheted a pile of them in different colours and used them as stocking stuffers. I will try and write the pattern out if anyone is interested as they make great little gifts.

The funny looking creation above is one of those string bags that squeezes up and fits into the round pocket. I have also liked the variegated threads!

And this little oddity is a moth ball or camphor holder. Another funny little thing I made for Grandma years ago; and she still had it in her cupboard. I can also write this pattern up if anyone is interested. They make cute little decorations on the tree and can be filled with scented timber balls or lavender. Very kitsch, but very cute!

It was therapeutic for me to find these things which I had long forgotten. There were also scarves, and shawls, and crochet towels and afghans that I had done over the years. I will show them at another time. This will be our first Christmas without Grandma, however she will always be with us in spirit. I feel honored that she treasured my work, and despite downsizing over the years, had kept my crochet.

Thanks for looking!

Koalas for France

2008-11-15T19:05:00.009+10:00

I haven't been blogging much, but I have been crocheting. We have had a few long car trips while we sort out my mum in laws business. Here is a little set I made for a special friend in France.

We had a French student stay with us a few years back. It was a fabulous time, and while her English improved heaps, my French did seem to go anywhere!

Time passes and she has now settled back in France with her man. This is lovely news as the poor chap would ring her up every night at seven on a Sunday night, for the year she was with us. There was a time when they split up as she thought she would check out the Aussie blokes. I couldn't understand this as a French man is well, French, and he had the most amazing "Ellooo" over the phone. But this chap was determined and came across to Australia with some friends, and by the time they had travelled up to Cairns, been to the islands and seen the Great Barrier Reef, they were an item again.

Several years later and they are building a home and have had a baby boy. Naturally I had to make some Aussie for the Little bloke. I remember the day we took her to see the koalas at the sanctuary, so I figured a koala set was the thing.

Anyway these are now on their way to France and I cant wait to see a photo of the little fellow in them.

Thanks for looking, baby stuff always gives me the warm fuzzies. I have quite a back log of things to share.

(oops I have no idea why this little koala is sideways)

Stingy Neck Warmer and Fluffy Scarf for newbies (free pattern)

2008-09-08T18:15:00.015+10:00

I am one of those people who loves yarn, in all colours, fibres and textures. And while I appreciate quality yarn, I have never been a yarn snob.

I picked this ball of yarn up when I was last in Melbourne. It is called pom pom and marketed by Lincraft. Might sound a bit silly going all the way to Melbourne for a ball of yarn, however we don't have a Lincraft here on the Gold Coast, and the one in Melbourne is always so well stocked. From memory it was around the 3 - 4 dollar a ball mark.

So what do you do with one ball of quite chunky yarn and a plastic hook?

I say plastic as I then had to fly back from Melbourne and Qantas is ok with large plastic crochet hooks. As an aside, I find it interesting that hooks are on the flying no no list... I mean can you imagine someone saying to the pilot "If you don't do as I say I am going to double crochet you into that pilots chair!' ( or as my husband once said "make you wear this lime green fugly on your head")

I have noticed that neck warmers are all the rage now, so you can legitimately make a short scarf out of 1 ball of yarn, and call it a "neck warmer". This is being "trendy", and not seen as "stingy" ( ie I was too stingy to buy 2 balls of yarn in case it was a mongrel to work with, so tuff luck I have only made half a scarf). So I called this my Stingy Neck Warmer for a bit of a laugh!

So here is my very simple pattern, as this stuff is a bit of a pain to work with as it is impossible to unravel. The balls of fluff hide any errors hence this is a good pattern for newbies and actually looks rather funky.

Instructions for Stingy Neck Warmer

Hook Size: big to extra big, I used a 9mm plastic hook.

Tension: who cares?

Yarn: 1 ball of novelty yarn.

This pattern is written in Australian terms and American terms are shown second like this

Row 1: Loosely make 15ch, 1dc or 1sc into 6th from hook then (miss 2ch, 1dc or 1sc) across, (you should have 4 loops) turn and work back

Row 2: (3ch 1dc or 1sc into 3ch loop of previous row) across, turn = 7 loops. Make sure you work into the first loop and count the loops in each row

Row 3: until infinity……repeat row 2 until you run out of yarn.

To adjust width alter start chain = multiple of 3 plus 1

Now tip your head onto the side and it should look like the sample below:

"mmm", she is thinking, "I am so glad my boyfriends mother made me this comfy neck warmer. It is a good thing she's so stingy or I could have ended up with one of those unfashionable long scarfs!!"

Because of the loops you can thread the end through one of the holes and voila, you have a very fashionable and snugly neck warmer!

OK now you have the hang of it and have saved up to buy two balls of yarn you can make a longer scarf. I call this stuff fluffy yarn, however this works with that eyelash stuff or any chunky yarn. Have fun experimenting!

Here is the pattern for a 2 ball version, in a lighter fluffy yarn. These are nice and stretchy. Just make sure you count the loops in each row so your sides are parallel. I stick my finger through each hole as it can be hard yakka trying to count stitches.

Don't the girls below look fabulous in their short shorts, single tops and fluffy scarfs? They are friends of one of my sons and I made the scarves for them to take on the school skiing trip to Perisher. Any one who is to be seen in Perisher needs a long scarf! This is not the place for stingy people.
Instructions Fluffy Scarf

2 balls of fluffy stuff, also works well for chunky stuff

7mm hook

This pattern is written in Australian terms and American terms are shown second like this

Row 1: Loosely make 25ch, 1dc or 1sc into 6th from hook then (miss 2ch, 1dc or 1sc) across, (you should have 7 loops) turn and work back

Row 2: (3ch, 1dc or 1sc into 3ch loop of previous row) across, turn = 7 loops. Make sure you work into the first loop and count the loops in each row

Row 3 until infinity……repeat row 2 until you run out of yarn.

To adjust width alter start chain = multiple of 3 plus 1

OK now tilt your head onto the side again (as I can't seem to rotate the photo) and this is what it should look like:

The one ball variety do make great gifts and charity fund raisers. I hook it through the holes so you slip it easily over the head.

(and for a craft table lay out as in the second photo above)

Have fun making these!

Wedding Favours for a Special Wedding

2008-08-23T18:28:00.008+10:00

I haven't been around much lately because we have had a family wedding. I know...a poor excuse!

This is my beautiful niece Rachael and her new husband Ben. They were married last weekend in Brisbane in his old school chapel at Gregory Terrace.

I just love weddings and this one was really special as she is the first of the next generation to marry, and is my brothers eldest daughter.

Here are the bridesmaids, the roses and frocks were stunning.

So my job was to make favors for the table.... 105 of them to be exact. My niece wanted little tea lights, to decorate the tables. They also needed to match the rose theme and colours. So after a few prototypes I came up with these. Cream roses, with a deep red bow, filled with natural soy wax.

They are shot glasses, with rose petals glued to the base and tied with ribbon.

I started with basic shot glasses in a boxes of six, and silk roses from a dollar shop. I worked out I could make 22 from a bunch of flowers. The trick to making a large number of something is to keep the costs reasonable. My niece was keen to have simplicity, without being ridiculously expensive or wasteful. She also wanted something a bit different but with a traditional look.

After pulling the roses apart, I then glued them to the base of the glasses with hot glue. I very quickly learnt not to push the petals down with my fingers..... ouch!!

I then cut narrow craft ribbon into 30cm lengths and glued these to the petals with a dab of glue.

The worst bit was tying the bows. To make sure they stayed put I added a dab of glue.

So I then had a dining table full of pretty little candle holders. This took me a few weeks as the bows were a bit fiddly. After trying parrafin tea lights, I decided to pour my own using soy wax. I got some great stuff over the net. I love soy wax as it is natural, doesn't smell or smoke, and burns for ages.

I must say the wedding tables really sparked with tea lights at each place setting. They have a great ambience.

Feeling the need to crochet something I decided to use my bookmark patterns for a butterfly and dragon fly to make a hanging bridal charm. This was a last minute photo that I took on the pew while we were waiting for the bride and my brother to arrive.

I did this in cream cotton to match the creamy coloured roses; added a length of chain and some matching ribbons and starched the critters up to make them stiff. I was please how these turned out and they were a change from horseshoes and hearts.

Aren't they a handsome couple?

By the way this was an earlier prototype which I felt was a bit flat.

Now the wedding is over, I might experiment a bit more as I had so much fun making these. It was a glorious day, and a really beautiful wedding. Refreshing to see a young couple so much in love, and to have a very traditional and family celebration of their marriage.

A Day on Moreton Bay

2008-07-20T22:55:00.007+10:00

Last weekend we spent the day with my brother and his wife out on Moreton Bay. It was a glorious day, but not much wind. We headed for St Helena Island. Funny that even though I grew up in this part of the world, I didn't know much about this island, or its rich history.

St Helena Island is about 4 kilometres east of the moth of the Brisbane River. Its claim to fame is that it was a penal colony in the late 1800s and a prison farm in the early 1900. The photo below shows the ruins.

This is the wetlands of Moreton Bay. It was low tide but a beautiful day with about 5 knots of wind, which makes sailing pretty hard going!

My brother tells me that they used to run an abattoirs on the island and throw the animal off cuts into the sea. This of course attracted the sharks, hence keeping the prisoners in place!

This odd looking structure below was erected as a swimming pool designed to allow people to swim in a protection from the sharks. Not sure how they got to it though as it was a few metres from the beach.

St Helena is now a National Park protected as a historical site. It also has significance as the shelter of a range of migratory birds.

This is my brothers boat from the rubber duckie.

We stopped out to sea and the boys went for a swim. Yep they are stupid as it is the middle of winter here. They had a hoot jumping of the boat into the ocean. Apparently the icy cool salty water was quite invigorating!

I also believe that the icy cool salty water numbs the brain as they did this a few times so I could photograph them in flight!

As for me I stayed dry and crocheted, while sipping pink champagne. I cant go anywhere without a hook and some yarn.

You can see the coast of Brisbane in the distance and the sail boats trying to race on quite a un -windy day.

My little booties look nice and bright against the serene blue backdrop. It was a special day with the family.

Crochet Therapy

2008-07-07T19:07:00.012+10:00

June was a sad and emotional month for our family. Many thanks to all the warm thoughts and hugs that were expressed.

My Mum in law lived about 2 1/2 hours drive north from where we live, and hub and I spent many an hour driving back and forth over the last few weeks. Crochet is my therapy, and it goes where I go. Here are some of the things I made over the last few weeks.

I have been meaning to finish off these koalas for yonks now, and I have finally done it. I have even finished writing the patterns up.

A Koala Party Beanie:
A Koala Party Scarf:

Another Koala Party Beanie.

Yes, I know I am obsessed but I just love koalas.

They are the most amazing animals, however after I was tiring of Koalas I thought I would do a kangaroo beanie.
Because I wasn't very organised, I had only grabbed a few colours so it is the same mix as the first koala beanie.

Friends of ours in Townsville also welcomed their new son into the world on the 4th June. He was well over 9lbs which is a whopper of a baby for my friend who is less than 5ft, and about normally about 45 kg. Babies are Gods little wonders and I made him some baby blue ugg booties. It is our winter here so these are perfect for the cooler weather up North. I surprised my self by not only making these , but also having mailed them off within about 3 days of bub being born. This was a happy moment amongst our sadness but reminded me how life goes on.

I have also been experimenting with some lacy mitts. Our Daughter took the first set I made as she was home for Grandmas Funeral. The ones below are a second set I made to see if I could remember what I did.

She also fancied the beanie and scarf to match. Again the scarf was an experiment in a loophole, shorter version.

The problem is that while I wrote down rough notes, the set is now back in Melbourne, and I am having fun trying to remember exactly how I made them!

The model is my eldest sons girlfriend. She is a terrific model and I ended up making her a beanie in blue and a scarf to match. She really likes the things I make. As many of you would know, there is a real buzz in having your crochet appreciated.

So crochet is my therapy, and I have been productive while I have been away from my blog. Grief is a terrible feeling. I find that the best thing is to keep busy. Grandma would have been 84 on July 19. She lived a wonderful life, had 3 sons, 3 daughters in law and 6 grand kids. She was fortunate to have lived independently in her own home, with her mind as sharp as a tack up until the week before she left us. She partied hard with us for my birthday in March, and was the life of the party in her sarong and hibiscus around her neck. She always had a sparkle in her eye, and took such interest in others. She would have enjoyed seeing what I have just shown you. We miss her already.

Remembering Grandma

2008-06-01T09:18:00.005+10:00

This is my mum in law, or grandma as the kids call her. Grandma left us in the early hours of the morning after a very sudden decine. We will miss her dearly. She could never crochet, but she loved the things I made and would wear them with pride. She was the mum I never had, and a most wonderful grandma to our kids.

She is at peace now. I will be taking a break from my blog while we sort things out.

I appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

Sugar Cane Train Beanie and Scarf

2008-05-03T19:17:00.006+10:00

I used to have one of those jobs where you travel a fair bit around the country. Probably one of my favourite parts is Tropical North Queensland. I spent some time doing a project in Innisfail, made famous in recent years by cyclone Larry. It is one of those lovely little country towns that oozes both character and history. To the South of Innisfail is Tully, and this is sugar cane country. When I was a kid we used to have a few acres of sugar cane growing down the back paddock. I remember the smell of the burn off, and the scurry of critters as the fire roared through. It all had a very distinctive smell. I also remember as a kid sucking on a bit of sugar cane. It was stringy and sweet. I haven't done that for years, but the smell and taste remains in my memory. These are things my kids will never have. The other thing they will never have is a mouth full of amalgam!

Because of the all the sugar we also have a few Rum distilleries as well. Beenleigh Rum and Bundaberg Rum or Bundy are probably the best known brands. A lot of the cane farms in South East Queensland have now been replaced by suburbia as land becomes more valuable. I heard recently that the old Rum Distillery at Beenleigh was going to be revamped as a DFO shopping centre. That is sure a sign of the times.

The other thing about sugar is that there are sugar cane farms scattered all up the coast of Queensland. This used to be the "Sunshine Route" and was one of those things that we had to remember in geography, was all the names of the towns from Brisbane to Cairns. the Sunlander was a passenger train that went from Brisbane to Cairns.

My husband was clearly a better scholar than me, as he can still rattle off all the towns. The Sunshine Route on the Sunlander was one of those trips that the retirees and Southerners do, particularly in Winter. It has become a bit classier now, and there is a Tilt train for a part of the journey.

Here is a link to the history of trains in Australia:

http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/railways/

So I designed this little beanie and scarf based on the sugar cane trains. These are little trains that carry bins of cut cane from the farms to the sugar mill for processing. This is a remarkable network of little trains that connect the cane farms up the Queensland Coast. There is something like 4,000 km of track in the state which collects 37M tons of sugar cane each year.

Here is a link for the train enthusiasts:

www.lrrsa.org.au/LRR_SGRz.htm

When you drive up north you will see these little trains running along the highway. Some of them carry huge numbers of bins, and they add a distinctive flavour to the country side. I love to challenge myself to design things based on the local environment, and I enjoyed coming up with this design. Sugar cane trains in crochet, might sound a bit kitsch, but I think they are rather cute.

The scarf and beanie are a great use of scraps as the colours add a bit of visual pop. Thanks to my wonderful testers the pattern is now available at http://www.crochetroo.etsy.com/.

So here is the bit of the Sunshine Route that I can remember: Brisbane, Gympie, Maryborough, Gladstone, Mackay...... what comes next???? Bowen, Townsville, Home Hill, Ayre, a few more and then Cairns. Any one know the Sunshine Route? I googled and couldn't find it. I dont think kids learn things that that anymore.

(c) crochetroo please do not copy.

ANZAC DAY April 25

2008-04-25T21:08:00.005+10:00

"They shall grow not old,

as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them."

Laurence Binyon (1869–1943).

In remembrance of all who have served and all who have fallen so we may live in democracy.

May the ANZAC spirit live on. Lest we Forget...

http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/anzac/anzac_tradition.htm

I always remember my grandpa getting up to attend the dawn service when I was a kid. He would drag out his medals and the old army coat and march down Queen Street in Brisbane with his chest puffed out. Years later my Father in law did the same. Both have passed on now, but I always stop to think about them on ANZAC DAY. I cant remember my grandads birthday, but I can never forget his pride in being an ANZAC. I appreciate this so much more as I get older. I don't think I ever really appreciated what it meant when I was a kid.

Button Blossom Brooch - free crochet pattern

2008-04-13T19:08:00.012+10:00

Well I know I am not alone here, but it is nice to be able to whip up something really quick, that looks good and doesn't need stuffing or having its limbs attached!

Retro is in right now. I recently learnt that the correct term for this is "vintage". Apparently that is anything that is at least 20 years old. Sadly, (or fortunately) just about everything in my house would be classed as "vintage" by this definition!

I never realised until I started looking at "vintage" what a gold mine I had stuffed in the cupboards. All those old leather handbags, and ornaments, not to mention hubs hideous 70s tie collection. In fact half the stuff in my kitchen is "vintage" and here was I thinking it was just junk from the 70s and 80s!

We got married in the year of the casserole dish. I swear, we received about 20 casserole dishes. Pottery ones, crown corning ones, Pyrex in orange and yellow, crock pots, and corning ware ones. Some with cornflowers and some with onions and veges. And now it is vintage - and people actually pay money and collect the stuff! There are some things I will never understand.

So these are my Button Blossoms which use a sniff of yarn and an old - er "vintage" button.

I have a huge plastic container of old er "vintage" buttons, mostly all odd so I have discovered these brooches are a great use of odd scraps as well as the buttons.

They also sell well at the school fair and look fabulous in a card as a gift. Maybe just the thing for Mum on Mothers Day.

Button Blossom Brooches

Australian UK terms first/ USA terms second

8 ply yarn, worsted weight, double knit or equivalent yarn, hook size 4mm, J6 . Weight and hook size doesn't matter. Use what you feel comfortable with.

You will need a safety pin or bobby pin, and of course a pretty "vintage" button.

Round 1: 4ch slst into a ring, 2ch 9htr/hdc into ring, slst join = 10

Round 2: 1ch (1dc/sc into next st, 4ch, miss 1) 5times slst join into first st. You should have 5 loops

Round 3: Into each of the ch loops work (1dc/sc, 1htr/hdc, 3tr/dc, 1htr/hdc, 1dc/sc) do not join = 5 petals

Round 4: working in front of previous row into missed sp work (3tr/dc, 1htr/hdc, 1dc/sc) around slst join in first tr/dc of round, finish off leaving a 30cm/12in length of yarn = 5petals

Thread yard onto a sewing needle and stitch a button to the centre, and a safety pin or bobby pin to the back. These make a great accessory for hats, bags and scarfs.

Now isn't that pretty!

(c) crochetroo 2008. Please do not reproduce or copy my pattern by any means. However I am happy for you to make button blossoms until the cows come home. Enjoy!

Birthdays and bilbies

2008-04-08T21:00:00.007+10:00

So where the bloody hell have I been???

I have tried a few times to post but blogger seems to time out on me.

So I was a baby born in 1958...and recently had a birthday. I will let you do the math, but I decided I wanted to have a big party. I set this in South Pacific theme as The South Pacific Album was number 1 in 1958, and the movie production got top billing.

What a hoot of a night! I had over 70 guests - from my 84 yo mum in law, my kids, nieces and nephews, to tracking down my bridesmaids and current and past work colleagues and friends.

All turned up in South Pacific tropical dress from coconut bras and grass skirts, to some of the worst shirts I have seen in a while. The food was fabulous and the karaoke woeful.

That is me in the top photo. I went for the Susan Haywood hairdo, and the Nellie Forbush "honey bun " look. The man in the bad shirt, lei with a beer is Mr crochetroo. And that my friends is the first and last photo of me or him you are likely to see here!

Any ways after weeks of preparing and planning, (it was all so exciting) it has taken me a few weeks to catch up on sleep. My ageing metabolism doesn't seem to tolerate late nights and pina coladas as well as it once did.

I did receive a cellar full of champers and some beautiful flowers.

I just love the colourful lillies and the arrangement of native flowers and pods in the middle arrangement.

So the only bit of crochet I can share with you is little lady. This is a bilby that was a custom order for a lady in Western Australia. I did um and ah about doing this as she requested it about 10 days before Easter, and my actual Bday was on Good Friday. The shin dig was the week later.

Anyhow, I do like how this one turned out. It was for her little niece. I did a story in the bilby last Easter, and their plight hasn't improved much. The rabbit is enemy number 1.

The cooler weather has crept in over the weekend, which is good crochet weather.

All the best to those of you coming into Spring! I was getting a bit tired of the sticky heat here so it is nice to be able to sit down under yarn without breaking into a hot sweat.

Bob the pet ball of yarn.

2008-03-15T23:14:00.007+10:00

I think by now that some of you will have the idea that my sons can be larrikins. Well I found "Bob" amongst my crochet stuff in the lounge room. "Who has been sitting in my chair?" I asked.

So meet Bob, who is screaming apparently,

"OH NO not the hook, anything but the hook!"

My son joked that this was his first design, and that Bob was a good beginner project. He is a like able chap with a personality of his own.

So here are the instructions.

Materials:
One ball of black bamboo cotton. (This by the way, was purchased with the intention of making a book tote for my daughter. The problem is that black is a killer to work with at night, and while this yarn is lovely to the touch, it splits like crazy. Hence it has been lying on the top of my work basket for a while.)

Two crystal eyes. The brighter the better. These were in my supplies which originated from one of those clearance tables at Spotlight. They were quite pretty, but the backs never did fit properly (which explains why they were being cleared) but gee I can't resist a bargain nor can I bare to throw anything away!

Instructions:

1. Push the eyes into the yarn. In fact push them in so hard that the yarn splits around the shank. This will seriously peeve the person who tries to actually get a hook near Bob.

2. Fray the start yarn to give Bob a tail. Yarn that splits is perfect for this.

3. Enjoy your Bob.

Incidentally the cat wasn't quite sure what to make of Bob, which made me think that maybe my son has something here. After all, the cat isn't worried about tension, and a ball of yarn is just as much fun as a fancy toy, but give a ball eyes, and hey a whole new attitude emerges.

In fact if pet rocks can take over the planet, why cant Bob do the same? Bob really made me smile. Teenage boys who like taking the micky out of Mum are also pretty special.

( I will now take my tongue out of my cheek)

Have a nice day.

Crochet Dementia

2008-02-28T14:35:00.006+10:00

How do you know when you have enough afghan rugs in the loungeroom?

I have been losing a few things lately and have started thinking maybe this is organic. I have also had a few health problems, need new glasses and generally need a grease and oil change. I shared this info at the ville and ravelry and thought some of you here might also enjoy making a self diagnosis.

Now I don't wish to make light of dementia which is an incredibly disabling illness, however I am wondering how many of you have “crochet dementia?”

Here are the 10 warning signs:

1.Recent memory loss that affects day to day functions You cant remember what ever happen to the other sleeve of that jacket you were making.. in fact you start to wonder whether you really completed the sleeve at all as you think it was the late 90s that you started this project, or was it the 80s????. You think you might have finished the sleeve as you can vaguely remember the shaping. Now what size hook was it? mmm a 3.5 or a 4.5? You think it was a red hook, but then again it could have been an old grey one.

2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks. Simple tasks such as joining squares together become difficult. You also find you have numerous critters in bits, but you find sewing the pieces together a challenge. After all you enjoy crocheting. If you wanted to sew you would have taken up dressmaking as a hobby.

3. Problems with language. People with crochet dementia have difficulty expressing themselves. You know how to do a stitch but have no idea what it is called or how to explain how to do it. It sure looks pretty though!

4. Disorientation to time and place. You crochet till all hours of the night or day. You forget where you are and will crochet anywhere. When you take your crochet to the football, the bloke next to you says “are you serious, don’t you have any idea where you are?”

5. Poor or decreased judgement. You thought the lime green poncho would look fabulous on your daughter so you make her one for a gift. She thinks it is daggy and likens it to Shrek. It looked great in the pattern book and the yarn was so bright and funky….you actually bought 30 balls of the stuff..

6. Problems with abstract thinking. You read the pattern over and over but can’t for the life of you visualise how the pattern should look. You frog and frog and still don’t “get it”

7. Misplacing things. A person with crochet dementia may repeatedly put things in inappropriate places. You find the missing afghan squares in the refrigerator. You can’t remember where you left your crochet hook. You search for hours. You find it that evening when you get changed for bed. Worse, your partner finds it for you. It is between your boobs.

8. Changes in mood or behaviour. Your crochet moods swing from frustration in trying to figure something out, to elation when you finally finish that first long row. Other people do not understand your feelings. You are in seventh heaven just looking at those cute little booties , bonnet and shawl you have made for a friend. You feel sad when hub says ” but it is summer”.

9. Changes in personality. People’s personalities can change a little with age. Crochet becomes an obsession as does attending yarn sales and buying yarn. You never know when it will come in handy, and if there is ever a yarn prohibition, or the Apocalypse you will be prepared. You start hiding yarn in all sorts of places. You are in denial that you already have 10 balls of that yarn in lilac dream, after all this colour is different - it is lavender mist. You don't understand why people don’t understand you anymore. It is perfectly normal to have a hobby.

10. Loss of initiative. It is normal to tire of housework, business activities or social obligations. The person with crochet dementia loses interest in daily activities. The sink may be full of dishes, the house is a mess, but all you can focus on is in doing “just one more row”… “one more square” . You find having to prepare a meal or go to work an inconvenience. All you want to do is crochet. You wish you didn't have a bladder, cos then you wouldn’t have to get up to relieve yourself. The phone rings, but you don't answer it. You have far more important things to do…..ch1, 2dc, skip one, cluster in next sp….

Ok fellow crocheters, how many of these symptoms do you have, and are there any others I have missed?

About Dementia
My clinical background may be showing through here, but I cant stop thinking how similar the signs are to some I recall seeing in aged care units. I also recall caring for people who didn't remember what they had for breakfast but could crochet a pretty mean afghan without a pattern. Memory is a remarkable thing.

Here is a link to a great organisation with lots of valuable information -

Alzheimers Australia: http://www.alzheimers.org.au/

On a scientific note, knitting and crochet use both sides of the brain, and there is evidence that this type of activity prevents the onset of dementia. Cognitive exercise assists in keeping the brain functioning and crochet can provide this type of stimulation. More so if you can challenge your self to do more complicated patterns and designs. There is strong evidence that the social aspects of craft such as crochet and knitting, as well as the sense of usefulness gained through charity endeavours can enhance self esteem and well being. Here is an interesting article for the intrested:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Crocheting-Benefits:-Why-People-Love-To-Crochet&id=361049

How do you know when you have enough yarn stuffed in the cupboard?

Thanks for listening.

(c) crochetroo Australia

Frog Beanie for a dorky kid (free crochet pattern)

2008-02-24T14:35:00.009+10:00

Since all the rain down here I am hearing frogs again in the garden. Yesterday number 2 son discovered a yucky cane toad in one of the pot plants. I hate those things and haven't seen one for ages. Cane Toads are one of those species that was introduced on purpose in the 1930s to manage the sugar cane beetle, and then took over the State. Apparently the toads couldn't jump high enough, so never effected the beetle population much. They are revolting things, and I remember as a kid stepping on them in the dark on the way to the backyard dunny. I also remember them in the hundreds on the rural roads at night and my dad trying to run over them with the ute.

So these things are not only fugly, they are also poisonous and have no natural predators. The number of native frog species has also been effected since the cane toad arrived on our shores. Here is a really cool link if you are interested in the Cane Toad in Queensland.

http://www.fdrproject.org/pages/toads.htm

My youngest son is a drama student and wanted me to make him a dorky frog hat for a role he was in. He wanted jiggly eyes, so that it would look like a frog peeking out over the bushes. Here is what we came up with: Yep he looks like a dork!

Here is my number 2 son, being a real drongo in it - yep he is an even bigger dork in it.

Here is the pattern for the frog lovers out there. I did this one in a night, as that was about all the warning I had that a frog hat was required for school.....the next day..

Please respect my copyright, and if you do take the pattern how about making one for a charity, and leaving me a comment?

Happy Frogging!

Frog Beanie for a dorky kid.

Note: Australian/ UK terms are first / USA Terms are second = tr/dc

8 ply yarn, worsted weight, double knit or equivalent yarn, hook size 4mm, J6

2 jiggle eyes 4cm / 1½ inches wide

Hat measures 19cm/ 7½ high, 54cm/21inches around. Tension: 17tr/dc, 9 rows to 10cm/ 4inches

Beanie
1. 4ch, slst join into a ring, 3ch, 11tr/dc into ring, slst join to start ch = 12
2. 3ch start, 1tr/dc same st, 2tr/dc each st around, slst join = 24
3. 3ch start, (2tr/dc each next st, 1tr/dc next st) around, slst join = 36
4. 3ch start, 1tr/dc next st, (2tr/dc next st, 1tr/dc each of next 2st) around, slst join = 48
5. 3ch start, 1tr/dc next 2st, (2tr/dc next st, 1tr/dc each of next 3st) around, slst join = 60
6. 3ch start, 1tr/dc each st around, slst join = 60
7. 3ch start, 1tr/dc next 3st, (2tr/dc next st, 1tr/dc each of next 4st) around, slst join = 72
8 - 9. 3ch start, 1tr/dc each st around, slst join = 72
10. 3ch start, 1tr/dc next 4st, (2tr/dc next st, 1tr/dc each of next 5st) around slst join = 84
11 - 15. 3ch start, 1tr/dc each st around, slst join = 84 (alter number of rows to adjust hat height)

Band: work 4 rounds of 1dc/sc into each st. I used black for the second and fourth rounds.

Eyes: make 2
1. 4ch, slst join into a ring, 3ch, 11tr/dc into ring, slst join to start ch = 12
2. 3ch start, 1tr/dc same st, 2tr/dc each st around, slst join = 24
3. 3ch start, 1tr/dc each st around, slst join = 24
4. 3ch start, 1tr/dc next st then 2tr/dctog around = 12 finish off leaving a length of yarn so as to stitch the eye to the head. Stuff each eye firmly, and stitch one to either side of the hat aligned just below round 3 of the beanie.

Hot glue a goggle eye to the centre front of each eye bulb to finish off your frog.

Now you too can look like a dork, or have dorky kids just like me!

© 2008 crochetroo Australia. Do not reproduce pattern by any means. You may use it for personal use, gifts and charity fundraising. This pattern is not to be resold, uploaded to the web. It is ok to use to make items to sell on a small scale, as long as you don't claim the design as your own or sell on the web.

Witchetty Grubs - free crochet pattern

2008-02-08T22:04:00.001+10:00

This is one of those fun little projects that are quick and easy to make. They are a bit silly, but the kids and the cat like them. Try putting a bell inside the grub, with some catnip and see how much fun she has! I added a piece of yarn to the tail of one of them, hung it from a pot plant and this kept the cat and my son entertained for ages. Cat toys are great as they keep the critters away from the native birds and wildlife.

If you are new to crochet this is a quick little pattern to practice your skills. Good training if you plan to do some serious amigurumi.

Witchetty grubs are the larvae of moths found in the witchetty bush. They are eaten raw or barbecued as a high protein food by Indigenous Australians, and are often featured in Aboriginal paintings. In real life witchetty measure about 15cm/6in. I love this photo of this happy looking kid proudly showing off his grubs.

http://www.ozoutback.com.au/postcards/postcards_forms/abor_bushtucker_1/Source/7.htm

You can see how they feature in Indigenous art.

http://www.jintaart.com.au/iconography/grubico.htm

They apparently taste like eggs and are highly nutritious. Witchetty are one of the bushtucker of the Indigenous Australians.

The timing of this post, and recognition of our indigenous people comes at a significant time in our Australian History. Our new government will say "sorry" to the stolen generation.

We took away their kids and culture and replaced bush tucker diet of witchetty, fish, roo, fruit and nuts with alcohol, fatty food, sugar and tobacco

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=4213834

Civilisation in general has a lot to be "sorry" for.

Witchetty Grubs - crochet pattern

· Australian instructions are first, American instructions are second in {brackets}.
· Yarn is 8ply, double knit or worsted weight, with a 4mm/G6 hook.
· Grubs measure 15cm/6in with 5 bulbs. Do the head in a contrast colour. Real witchetty grubs have a yellow/orange head. Start at the head, the grub is worked in continuous spirals.

1. 2ch, 8dc {8sc} into 2nd from hook,
2. 2dc {2sc} each st = 16
3 - 5. 1dc {1sc} each st around = 16
6. 2dctog {2sctog} around = 8
7. 1dc {1sc} around = 8

Repeat from round 2. Four or five bulbs are enough. Stuff as you go.
For a cat toy add some catnip to the stuffing and add a bell to the last bulb.

Last bulb: Round 8. 2dc {2sc} together around until you can work no more, finish off.
Give your grub some eyes and a mouth and a bit of fluff on his head.

yummo enjoy your grubs!

Year of the Rat (kangaroo) in crochet

2008-02-02T21:46:00.000+10:00

Well it is Chinese New Year this week and this year is the year of the rat. Now rats aren't an inherently cute critter; or one that would normally come to mind for babies gear, however I thought I would give them a go. It is also an opportunity to highlight the little rat kangaroos that are native to Australia.

The year 2008 is the year of the brown earth rat. According to Chinese astrology, a child born in the year of the Rat will be sweet and loving. He or she may be shy, but inwardly they are fiercely competitive. Sounds like you wouldn't want to be the teacher when this year group hits school!

Black and brown rats arrived in Australia with the first fleet. They are responsible for the extinction of a number of bird species, particularly on our offshore islands, as well as endangering others. The early Dutch and English explorers thought that the native potoroos and small marsupials were large rats. Of particular interest is the rat kangaroo as it is an endangered species. The musky - rat kangaroo of the Daintree Rainforest is a real cute little critter and a great spreader of forest seeds.

The rat kangaroo looks like a huge rat, with long hind legs, hind feet lacking a first toe, and a long and tapering tail. Rat kangaroos are about 20inches/ 50cm long.
Some species of rat kangaroo are now extinct in parts of Australia. The non-indigenous fox and rabbit are partly responsible, as is settlement and land degradation. Rat kangaroos are an endangered species.

Here are some links to info about rat kangaroos and you can see how they could be mistaken for rats.

http://www.naturetour.com.au/Rat-Kangaroo.jpg

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/inquiry/factsheets/leaflet0007.pdf

When designing my rat-kangaroo I thought I would steer away from the baby pinks and blues and use more earthy colours, in keeping with the brown earth. Unfortunately no one seems to make baby yarn in earthy colours! I found some yummy 5 ply Bluebell which is a pure Australian wool by Patons.

http://www.patons.biz/colour_range.asp?yarnid=14

I love this stuff, although it is at the upper end of the cost range. It works up beautifully; has a nice texture to it and I always buy this for my stash. I notice they have a few almost earthy colours in their dreamtime range in a 4ply which I will try.

So here are my rat booties and rat baby beanie. These ones are for etsy, however I have a few more sets to make for friends having bubs this year. I decided to make the rat tail at the top of the beanie for a change. Thanks for looking and Happy Chinese New Year!

(c) crochetroo Australia (it is bad luck to pinch my photos and /or copy my ideas.)

Happy Australia Day!

2008-01-26T16:59:00.001+10:00

Aussie Aussie Aussie oi oi oi

January 26th is Australia Day

Australia Day commemorates the arrival of the Captain Phillip and the First fleet to Australia. It has also been referred to as Invasion Day, as this is the day that the British ignored the rights of the Indigenous people who had been here for centuries.Now the focus is on reconciliation and celebrating all that is great about Australia. Here are a few links. This and Anzac Day (April 25) are probably our two most significant days of the year as a Nation.

http://www.australiaday.gov.au/pages/page3.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Day

Because it is our Summer the Bar B Que and outdoor picnics are very popular. There are festivities in the parks and on the beaches and the Australian of the year awards are announced.

Australia Day also marks the near end of the school holidays as the kids usually go back to school around now.

I usually have a few projects to finish by now as the Christmas holidays are finished. I decided I would also have some Australia Day specials over at my etsy store. I will be listing some special Australia Day packages over the long weekend 26 - 28. Monday is a public holiday.

There is a group of Aussie sellers at etsy with special offers from free tim tams to samples of vegemite. Here are a few stores you might want to take a peek at who are also having Australia Day Celebrations:

Shazzas Knits. Shazza is in Tasmania.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=96841

Sheeps clothing in Melbourne

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5109003

Begurple in Canberra

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5084746

Peta Pledger also in Melbourne

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5042131

It has been a strange week with mixed emotions for us down here. There is a double Health Ledger Movie session on TV tonight, in honor of the actor. So sad in a way, but fitting that he be remembered on Australia Day.

To the Aussies out there, bar-b-que hard, to the rest of you freezing, just think of sunshine and wide open spaces and imagine me by the poolside with a cool drink with a little umbrella and a tiny Aussie flag.

Crochet Pug 3, Crochet Pug 4..

2008-01-24T10:15:00.000+10:00

Thank you for all the feedback. Over the last few days I have done Pug 3 (first pugly) and Pug 4 (second pugly).

I have added wrinkles, changed the mouth a bit and experimented with some different colours.

So Nora, What do you think? Do you recognise these crochet pugs as near relatives?

Thanks for Looking!

(c) crochetroo 2008. Do not anger the pugs!

Pug Rugalug Crochet Square Progress

2008-01-20T22:55:00.000+10:00

Meet Nora. This photo was sent to me from a lady on ravelry. Now of course you are thinking, "since when did the pug become an Australian native animal?"

Now pugs wouldn't normally be on my radar, but I was asked to make a pug pattern, for all the pug lovers out there. I am of the opinion that these dogs were at the end of the queue when God was handing out good looks to the animals. Although this little guy looks kinda cute with the manipulative puppy dog eyes.

So how on earth do I create a pug square like my other rugalugs squares? I thought I would share my progress. I start by looking at a range of photos of the critter and trying to work out what it is that makes it distinct from other critters.

I also do a simple pencil drawing so I can imagine the shape and placement of the features. This is my working notebook that I jot things down in. I often think about a design for weeks and months before I start with the hook.

Yep there are scribbles everywhere and sometimes I don't even know what I mean! I have the habit of doing little pencil sketches as I go along as I try and visualise the shape and transform this to increases and decreases.

So after a few weeks of looking at pugs, and thinking about pugs, I decided that the bits that make a pug a pug, are the downward ears, goggle eyes, and squished in snout. They look like they have hydrocephalus and remind me of those unfortunate little kids who because of their intracranial pressure have poppy eyes.

The first thing I do is to try and get an idea of the shape and facial features. I usually work in a light coloured yarn as it is easier for me to see the stitches and get a correct count.

So the bloke below is pug 1. He doesn't look very pugly at all, and I think I have made far too many koalas in my life as he looks like a hybrid koala and possum on speed. The problems are his eyes are too high. In the original the eyes are on the horizontal mid plane. The ears are too close together, the nose too big and too low, the mouth not large enough and the head is too round.

So here is Pug 2 below. This time I tried to use pug colours made the ears a bit longer and further apart, moved the eyes down, used a different colour for the snout and added some eye brows.

I think it is getting close to Nora in the picture. While I have done the nose and mouth in black, they don't show up real well against the dark brown. The next attempt I will try some different colour combos to see what works best and do a bit of tweaking. At this point I will type the pattern up into Australian /UK terms as this is my native crochet tongue. So attempt 3 I will do as I edit the typed up version for the first time.

So what do you think? What bits need to be tweaked to get the real fugly pugly look?

Thanks to Leslie for sending me the photos of her pug. Nora gave permission for me to use her pictures as long as they’re flattering to her figure!

Fan Scarf

2008-01-17T00:36:00.000+10:00

I just discovered another clever cookie with a hooky this week who had used my fan book mark pattern to make a scarf. The tension and finish on this is impeccable. I got a real buzz out of reading this blog as well as she has some great projects to share. I cant wait to see how the prairie star afghan turns out.

http://newoffthehook.blogspot.com/2008/01/first-post-this-year.html

Just a quick little post as it is so hot and sticky here I haven't been hooking much lately. However I get a buzz out of seeing other peoples projects.

The beach has been fabulous since the rain stopped so I shouldn't complain about the heat. You can see why I am not really thinking scarves at the moment though!

I also got my invite to ravelry this week. Now once I figure how to use flickr I will be set. I must be getting old but I always thought Flicker was a horse.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-06T21:12:00.000+10:00

Well Christmas has come and gone, as have the entourage of rellies from North, South, and West.

Our weather has been horrendous - sub cyclonic rain and wind such that all the New Years fireworks were cancelled. I feel cheated in a way as I am mad about fireworks. I am hoping that they have saved them up for Australia Day. I shouldn't complain though as there have been mass floods to the North and South of us, and a few cyclones off the coast.

My crochet projects have taken back stage to all the other things happening. A very good friend is going through chemo and I made her a selection of hats for Christmas.

This one is her Mass hat with a pin on flower. The yarn is a bamboo mix which is a pain to work with as it splits, but the fabric is so soft .

This is her Party bling hat. I used a range of yarns for this, one which had a sparkle in it.

These are her happy hats. She wanted one with rainbow colours. I also made her a plain black one and a plain white one.

I have finally finished my Aussie Snuggly Ugg Pattern. It took a while because of the testing, and I decided I wanted it in three sizes so as to include babies - toddlers. It is now available either through my blog or at my etsy store.

All the best for a safe and peaceful new year!

Christmas Down Under Festive Ornaments

2007-12-04T17:58:00.000+10:00

Summer has really hit us here which means Christmas is just around the corner. Growing up in Queensland I could never as a child understand certain images of Christmas. I loathe and detest spray on snow, and I am not a big fan of snowmen. They probably look fabulous in the Swiss Alps, or snowy Canada, but to have an artificial snowman on your front lawn in the sweltering sun in Australia is kinda silly. I reckon snowmen and gum trees don't mix well!

As for spray on snow I had an Auntie who sprayed snow on her windows with those stencil things. I can remember the snow flakes still being there when we visited at Easter. One of those activities that is easier to do than to undo.

I always feel sorry for the Santa's here as well. I remember one bloke one year who was so hot in his Santa Suit he was a wash with perspiration. Being on the large side I was a bit worried he might have a stroke.

How the heck does Santa get around Australia in a sled? And when he visits our place he has to land his reindeer on the back veranda as we don't have a chimney. The reindeer's like it and we always leave a bowl of water and some grass out for them, as well as a cold drink for Santa.

The neighbours leave him beer and nuts but I reckon he shouldn't drink and drive. I would hate for Santa to get pulled over in Surfers Paradise for a rbt (random breath test) by the booze bus.

It wasn't until I was in my teens that I quite understood what Jingle Bells was about and what "dashing through the snow" meant! Holly is also foreign to me. I had to go to England to see what it really looked like. I must say I was a bit disappointed in it! The colours and the glitter on the plastic stuff had exaggerated its appeal. While I think crochet snowflakes are lovely, they are a bit out of place when it is 38 degrees Celsius ( 100F) in the shade!

So this year I decided I would design some Australian themed Christmas ornaments. No snow, no mittens or sleds and not a snowman in sight!

So Aussie icons are the koala, with a Christmas bow:

The kangaroo and wallaby with jingle bells and ribbons:

Some gum nut pixies:

I tried to make these look like they had little gum nut hats on. A bit like the gum nut babies of May Gibbs.

One of the most spectacular group of critters down here is our bird life. Yet the Chrissy decorations seem limited to robins and doves.

I decided it was time for some fairy wrens to go on my tree. These are pretty amazing little birds with a sticky up tail. The male is the most stunning blue, while the female is a bit drab.

The other group of birds that are always in the trees are are the parrots. Sulphur crested cockatoos and Rosella's. Both are incredibly noisy but beautiful to watch.

I really enjoyed making all of these and the patterns have been tested and are now on my etsy store. http://www.crochetroo.etsy.com

I have a few more to do as I want to attach them to some of my Christmas goodies this year.

I do love Christmas and I reckon you can never have too many ornaments or too many lights.

I hope you like my Australian take on the Christmas tradition.

Christmas is a coming.....

2007-11-11T17:42:00.001+10:00

It is Remembrance day here - November the 11th, Lest We Forget. I had my minutes silence and remembered my grandfather and father in law who both served in the second World War. Both were men of substance, ANZACs who have now left us. I will never forget them.

The next big event down under is Christmas. When I was at the post office last week they had a sign up "52 days till Christmas". EEK I thought, that leaves me with about 50 days t make stuff!

Every year I try and make as many gifts as I can. I like things that I can include with the cooked goodies I bake. My favourite recipes are ginger bread men, rum balls, and chocolate brownies. Last year I did a heap of pot holders and kitchen towels so this year I thought I would try something new.

So here are my table toppers. A selection of Christmas themed coasters and napkin rings. They work up quick and are nice and festive.

I was thinking today that I might work some of the coasters in thread ans a smaller hook to make some appliques for the hand towels and serviettes.

When it comes to setting the Christmas Table I am a bit obsessional. I always like lots of decoration and bling! I reckon there is no such thing as too many Christmas Lights or too many ornaments.

So this is what the neighbours and friends are getting with their baked goodies this year: a set of Christmas Coasters. Because it is our summer we drink quite a lot at Christmas. There is always a bowl of punch, some chilled wine, beer and soft drinks. As a kid Christmas was the only time of the year we had soft drink. I remember the glass bottle of orange and lime and rasberry on my Nana's Christmas table. It is funny the things we remember that made us feel good as a kid.

I have written up the patterns for the Table Toppers including the coasters and napkin rings. These have been tested by some very kind people, and the patterns are available at my etsy store for anyone interested.

I am predicting a very home made Christmas this year with all the toy recalls. That is great for the crafters and should keep everyone busy!

Daisy Chain Beanie - scrapbuster project (free crochet pattern)

2007-11-04T13:10:00.000+10:00

I am a great hoarder of scraps, and seem to have a mountain of little bits and pieces of yarn from a multitude of projects. In a feeble attempt to reduce the yarn stock in my cupboards I have come up with a series of scrap buster projects.

This is called the Daisy Chain Beanie which uses up small bits of yarn for the flowers, joins them together and then creates a hat. They look good with a plain black or white background but I have experimented using different colours for the brim and edging.

Now the crochet enthusiasts will go wow, some might think this is destined for what not to crochet!

I personally like the colour and think they are great to donate to charities or to keep any little kids head warm.

So I post the pattern here for all the scrapaholics to enjoy. There are 2 sizes and you will have to experiment with the sizing. I suspect our yarn down here in Australia might be a bit lighter than the worsted stuff in the US.

I do ask that you respect my copyright. It has taken me a while to design this and write the instructions up so please don't copy, paste to the web, redistribute or sell my patterns. I also ask that in the spirit of paying it forward (PIF) if you do use this pattern for yourself, that you also make an extra hat for a charity.

Finished items are not to be sold.

......and it is nice to know who is doing what with my patterns so please leave a comment.

Daisy Chain Beanie

scrapbuster project

This pretty beanie is made from scraps of 8ply, worsted weight yarn with a 4mm, J6 hook. Make each flower in a different colour, or use different colours for the flower centre. Approximate lengths of yarn for each round are given so you can estimate how to use up your scraps. Weave in your ends as you go. I use a steel hook to pull these into the work.

Australian/British instructions are first, American instructions are second in [square brackets]. I suggest you highlight the ones you need to follow.

While I have made a few of these, the pattern hasn't been tested by others. If you find any errors please let me know.

Sizing: this will depend on your tension and yarn the following is a guide only. My flowers measure 8cm/ 3inches across.

Small (Toddler) = 8 flowers, 44cm/17inches circumference, 17cm/6 ½ inches height,
Large (Child - Teen) = 8 flowers, 50cm/19½ inch circumference, 19cm/ 7 ½ inches height

Daisies

1. 4ch slst into a ring, 2ch 9htr [hdc] into ring, slst join = 10 (110 cm or 45 inches of yarn)

2. 1ch (1dc [sc] into next st, 4ch, miss 1) 5times slst join into first st. You should have 5 loops (90cm or 37inches of yarn)

3. Into each of the ch loops work (1dc[sc], 1htr[hdc], 1tr[dc], 2ch, 1tr[dc], 1htr[hdc], 1dc[sc]) slst finish off = 5 petals (250cm or 100inches of yarn)
For the large size replace the 2ch with 3ch for extra stretch.

Joining Daisies:

Make 1 start daisy and then join as you go with round 3. Work three petals, then work half of the fourth (1dc[sc], 1htr[hdc], 1tr[dc], 1ch) then insert hook into ch space of petal on first flower, join with 1ch, (make 1ch extra for the large size) then work the second half of the petal (1tr[dc], 1htr[hdc], 1dc[sc]). Join 2 petals in this way and then complete round three as above.

Flower 3: Join as for flowers 1 and 2 but check that placement matches the picture above. Every second daisy has a loose petal that points up or down.

You will need to join them in a circle when you work the last flower by catching 2 petals to flower 7 and 2 petals to flower 1.

Beanie Crown
Rounds 1 – 6 of the crown are worked with the stitches between the posts. Start each round with 3ch which counts a 1tr[dc], slst join at the end of each round.

1. Join main yarn to the ch space in any spare petal with a slst, 1dc[sc] into same sp, *3ch, 1dc[sc] between this petal and the next petal, 3ch, 1dc[sc] at petal join, 3ch, 1dc[sc] between next 2 petals, 3ch, 1dc[sc] tip of spare petal* repeat in this manner until you get back to the start dc[sc], slst join. You should have 24 of the 3ch loops.

2. 1ch space, *2dc[sc] into ch sp, 2htr[hdc] next ch sp, 2tr[dc] next ch sp, 2tr[dc] next ch sp, 2htr[hdc] next ch sp, 2dc[sc] next ch sp* work from * to * 4 times, slst join in start ch= 48

For the larger size work 1ch between each set of 2st.

3. 3ch start, 1tr[dc] same st, (this should be between 2 groups of 2dc[sc]), (miss 2st, 2tr[dc] in sp) around = 48st or 24 groups
.
4. For larger size only repeat round 3 = 48st

5. Slst to next sp, 3ch, (counts as 1tr[dc]) miss 2st, (2tr[dc] next sp, miss 2st, 1tr[dc] next sp) around, slst join = 36st

6. Slst to next sp, 3ch start, (miss 2st, 1tr[dc] in sp, miss 1, 1tr[dc] in sp) around. Slst join = 24st

7. You will work into the loops of the stitches from round 7 onwards.
3ch start, (2trtog [dctog], 1tr[dc] next st) around = 16st

8. 3ch, (2tr[dc] tog) around (you will finish with 1tr[dc]), slst finish off leaving 6inches/15cm of yarn. Weave loose end through the top of the loops and pull up tight, stitch in ends to secure.

Brim band

1. Working on opposite side of daisies repeat round 1 as for hat crown.

2. Slst to next ch space, *2dc[sc] into ch sp, 1ch, 2htr[hdc] next ch sp, 1ch, 2tr[dc] next ch sp, 1ch, 2tr[dc] next ch sp, 1ch, 2htr[htr] next ch sp, 1ch, 2dc[sc] next ch sp ,1ch* work from * to * 4 times , slst join in start dc.= 48 (this is the same as round 2 for the round but with 1ch worked between the groups of stitches)

3. Small size as for round 3 of crown, then work the edge

3 - 4 Large size repeat round 2 of band with the extra 1ch between the sets of 2. (You can do as many extra rows as you want to add length to your hat.)

Edge

1. 1dc[sc] between first pair of tr[dc], (3ch, miss 2tr[dc], 1dc[sc] in space) around. Slst join.

2. 3dc[sc] into each 3ch sp around, slst join and weave in ends.

This looks good in a contrast colour. For a larger hat you may need to work 2 rounds of round 3.

Daisy Chain Head Band

1. Make a daisy chain as for a hat.

2. Work both sides of daisies as for rounds 1 and 2 of the brim band

3. Work a final round of 1dc[sc] into each st and each ch space on both edges of your head band.

Using this technique you can also make a scarf.

Have fun and please send me pictures of your finished hats so I can show the world!

Cute Fruit Finished!

2007-10-30T22:40:00.001+10:00

Well this fruit took me sooo long to write up an test and photograph etc if it were real it would have been rotten fruit!

I do feel a sense of accomplishment though as I started this lot before Christmas last year. The embarrassing thing is that we have come full cycle and the fruit is back in the shops.

This is what we call Christmas fruit as it adorns our tables in our Summer.

This fabulous looking avocado was worked by one of my wonderful testers. She had much better colours of green in the US than I have here in Australia. The avo is whole, as well as the two cut halves. One of my greatest kitchen fears is cutting myself when I try and remove the avocado seed. There are a heap of avocado farms not far from here so they are usually quite plentiful.

Here is the kiwi fruit - whole and cut.

The stone fruit is particularly colourful and making these is a bit of fun. There are peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums and cherries. I am thinking that I might attach a few of these bits of fruit to the Christmas garland this year for something a bit different. I might also do a few to put in the Christmas stockings for the MIL and SILS.

I have decided though that the grapes are a health hazard. My testers and I nearly went nutty making them. You need to have a certain level of OCD to crochet a bunch of grapes. Give me cherries any day!

They do look good as a part of the bowl. The patterns are now on my etsy store.

I just had to post these as now they are finished I really like them a lot. I have seen some amigurumi fruit around with faces worked on. I am a bit traditional and think that looks a bit silly, but I guess if you want faces on your fruit then you can add them.

Yep I am a show off, but these have really been one of those things that seem to have taken me forever to finalise. I think because I kept adding more fruit to the bowl. My son reckons I now need a pineapple but I am not sure I am up to it!

I am now working on some scrapbuster projects which I will put the patterns up for free when I finish them. These are quick little projects for using up odds and ends of scrap yarn.

Our Summer has truly hit here and we have had stinking hot days, and wild thunder and lightening storms at night. My days of crochet will start to slow as I spend more time outdoors and around the pool. I have the snugly uglies out to test and a few Christmas projects in the wind.

Thanks for looking

please don't nick my photos. I know they are pretty but they belong to me ;o))

Aussie Snuggly Ugg Crochet booties

2007-10-20T16:24:00.001+10:00

I have been thinking about ugg boots all winter. Firstly they are an Australian thing, and secondly they are so snuggly warm. I have seen crocheted cowboy boots, ice skates and converse so I figured that Aussie uggs would be the thing for me to design in crochet.

The Ugg boot is an Australian icon, and is traditionally made from 100% sheepskin and fleece. Because the real uggs are made of wool I prefer to crochet these in pure Australian wool to achieve the woolly warmth. This is a quality yarn that is grown and spun in Australia. Nothing can surpass the real thing, but these booties are a bit of fun.

I love pure Australian wool but it doesn't come cheap, even here downunder. This is a patons natural country wool which is so beautiful to work with and deliciously soft and warm.

The picture below shows my trusty uggies which I have loved every winter for about the last 25 years!I love my uggies! This is a more classic style and the one I based my design on. Ugg slippers are basically 2 bits of sheepskin wacked together.

An American company recently trademarked the word “Ugg Australia”, hence restricting the use of these words by traditional Australian Ugg manufacturers. They were subsequently taken to court by a group of Australians who strenuously objected to this action.

Not only did the US company take the words "Ugg Australia", but were also having the boots made in China. Nothing too Australian about that! This caused huge uproar here as Uggs have been arround for decades. It was only when some of the Hollywood types started being seen in them did the overseas market take an interest in them. I have always owned at least one pair. I also have a pair of knee highs which I bought last year in Melbourne.

The history of the ugg boot is an interesting one.

http://www.australian-uggs.com/history-of-the-ug-boot.htm

The sensitivity of a US company trademarking the works Ugg Australia, was such that senior politicians were reported as saying "we should tell the yanks to bugger off".

It was declared that the word Ugg is a generic word in Australia referring to woolen boots and as such can’t be trademarked. Ugg boots have been around since the Second World War and were popular in the 60s and 70s for surfers. They were considered bogan until their recent raise to fame.

These are my original designs based on the classic Aussie Ugg. Please leave your comments on whether I should write the pattern out.

My crochet design is protected by copyright. (c) copyright crochetroo. My images are also copyrighted.

Thanks for looking.

Marque-page Eventail (Fan Bookmark in French)

2007-09-30T20:20:00.000+10:00

A wonderful lady in France contacted me to request that she translate my fan bookmark pattern into French. She had used this pattern to make the most amazing scarf. I got such a buzz when I saw what she had done and am so appreciative of her time to translate the pattern into French. Trust a French lady to create such an amazing fashion item!

This is the link to her photo. It is simply stunning and I would never had thought of doing this.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pyogazel/1230620145/

So here is the pattern in French.

The Australian/British and American version is in my original post on 21st May 2006.

Now if there is any one else out there who would like to translate into another language, please let me know as I love the idea of sharing across cultures.

Merci pyogazel!!

Marque-page Eventail

~Abréviations~
mel : maille en l’air
mc : maille coulée
ms : mailles sérrée
br : bride

~Instructions~
Laisser 10 cm de fil avant de faire la première maille.
Faire un cercle de 8 mel et fermer par une mc.

EVENTAIL 1

Rang 1 : dans le cercle, faire 1 ms, 2 mel (remplace la première br), puis 13 br. Total : 14 br.
TOURNER.
Rang 2 : 1 ms, 2 mel dans la première br, [1 mel, 1 br] dans chacune des br suivantes du rang 1. Total : 14 br et 13 mel.
TOURNER.
Rang 3 : [1 ms, 2 mel, 1ms] dans chacune des 10 premières mel du rang 2 (10 picots), [1 ms, 5 mel] dans la mel suivante (la onzième), sauter 3 mel et faire une ms dans la deuxième mel du rang précédent (qui remplace la première br du rang). TOURNER.
(ceci termine le premier éventail)

EVENTAIL 2

Rang 4 : faire [1ms, 2 mel] dans l’arceau de 5 mel du rang 3 (première br), faire 13 br dans le même arceau (total : 14 br), sauter un picot, faire une ms dans l’arceau de 2 mel du picot suivant. TOURNER
Rang 5 : 1 ms, 2 mel dans la première br, [1 mel, 1br] dans chacune des br du rang précédent (total : 14 br, 13 mel). TOURNER.
Rang 6 : comme le Rang 3. TOURNER. (ceci termine l’éventail n°2)

EVENTAIL 3

Rang 7 : comme Rang 4.
Rang 8 : 1 ms, 2 mel dans la première br, [1 mel, 1 br] dans chacune des br du rang 7 (total : 14 br, 13 mel), 1 ms dans le septième picot du rang 3de l’éventail 1, c’est-a-dire le septième à partir de la gauche, ou le quatrième à partir de la droite.
TOURNER.
Rang 9 : comme le Rang 3.
TOURNER.
(ceci termine l’éventail n° 3)

Continuer ainsi jusqu’à avoir 8 éventails.
Au dernier rang du dernier éventail, faire un picot sur chacune des 13 mel du rang précédent, terminer par une ms dans le septième picot du rang 3 de l’éventail 6 (septième à partir de la gauche ou quatrième à partir de la droite).
Couper le fil, arrêter l’ouvrage.

GLAND

Couper 5 fils de 10 cm de long, les plier en 2 et faire passer par le cercle de départ de l’ouvrage, inclure le fil de départ. Amidonner. Repasser.
Offrir !!!

~Copyright~
Je serai ravie que vous fassiez cet ouvrage pour votre usage personnel ou pour des œuvres de charité. Merci de ne pas le vendre pour faire du profit.
Amusez-vous bien car ils sont faciles et rapides à faire une fois qu’on a saisi le truc. Ils sont toujours appréciés comme cadeaux.

Barramundi Fish crochet square

2007-09-10T16:46:00.001+10:00

The barramundi is the most delicious fish and is found in our freshwater streams of Northern and Coastal Australia. Barramundi is an aboriginal word meaning large scaly fish. While they are native to Australia they are farmed fish in other parts of the world.

When I was a kid I remember going on the school bus trip to the Northern Territory. One of the things we did was to go fishing on the Kathryn River where I caught with a hand line the most amazing fish. This was the barramundi and had the most wonderful taste. Up till that point in my life I had only had whiting and the odd bit of fish and chip shop flake. When you have fresh fish, caught from the river and cooked on the camp fire it is amazing.

The other memorable fish experiences I have savoured are Canadian Salmon when I was in Montreal. This has to be tasted to be believed, and the New Zealand Orange Roughy. Barramundi is in my opinion and to my taste buds up there with the best.

So number 10 in my rugalugs collection is the barramundi fish. I kept this one pretty simple, with the option of a goggle eye. I don't usually like goggle eyes as I think they often look a bit silly, but they do give the fish personality.

I designed this one in two sizes and then came up with baby wash cloth pattern. I was thinking these would be fabulous for baby showers or last minute gifts. Also a great use of scraps. the pastels look pretty in the real but don't photograph real well.

I have also gone crazy on making fishy hats for my etsy store. This uses the basic hat technique in my pig and penguin pattern sets.

I love doing these as this is an easier motif compared to some of my previous ones, and looks really effective. An afghan done in these would look pretty cute. I have listed the pattern for the fish square on my etsy store.

Spring is here now and I will probably slow down with the yarn as the weather warms.

Thanks for looking!

School craft stall

2007-08-26T15:56:00.000+10:00

Well the school fete happens every year in September. It is a fun day, and I always enjoy making a box of goodies to donate. It is one of the main fundraisers and has a real carnival atmosphere.

I have learnt that little things that sell for a few dollars seem to turnover so much quicker than larger items with a lot of work.

In previous years I have made boxes of kitchen items, teacosies, crochet kitchen towels and potholders. This year I thought I would try something different.

So I have come up with a range of purse or pocket items. This includes a sunglasses case, and a small makeup case and a phone cosy. This one has a nice cluster stitch on the front and I do like the texture this gives. It also provides a bit of extra padding.

I am also trying to destash the piles of odds and ends in the cupboard so made a few random cases out of odds and ends. I experimented with a basket weave pattern which turned out well. I created a butterfly catch and a flower catch to do the falp closed. A nice old button would be just as good though.

Blokes are always hard to make things for so I had a go at making these out of camo yarn. I made the purse a bit smaller and voila it is a business card holder. I had some old army buttons in my button jar and I think they finish it off nicely.

I have a few more to do and will then cellophane them up for the school fete which is on next weekend. I also have a collection of baby bits and bobs and obligatory kitchen items to donate. The other fun bit is making some toffee and gingerbread men.

I haven't written the patterns up properly, but if I can find a tester or two I might as they were fun little projects to do. I reckon they would be good for Christmas gifts as well.

Thanks for looking!

Tasmanian Tiger Crochet Square

2007-08-07T19:07:00.000+10:00

Rugalugs square number 9 is the Tasmanian Tiger which can also be used as a kitty cat, or a tiger and other feline friends depending on the use of colour.

This is the 9th square in my rugalugs series. I decided I needed a cat, so the Tasmanian Tiger was the perfect critter to choose. The story of the Tasmanian tiger or thylacine is a sad one as they were declared extinct in 1986. The Tasmanian tiger was a marsupial dog with a pouch like a wombat, a head like a dog, and stripes and tail like a tiger. So it was never really a cat at all! The same way as the Koala was never a bear.

The last known thylacine was captured in 1933 and died in 1936. Their demise was accompanied by European settlement and the introduction of sheep to Australia. As a carnivorous animal they were captured and killed by the farmers. The government at the time placed a bounty on the slaughter of the thylacine. They became rare and in the early 1900s were purchased by zoos around the world. The last one died in the Hobart Zoo on the 7th of September 1936. The 7th of September is now marked as 'Threatened Species Day'.

The story of the thylacine is a message to us all in conservation and protection of native species. It demonstrates how far we have come in less than 100 years in terms of environmental awareness, and how awful we have been in the past in respecting the world around us. I cant fathom what the heck the early settlers were thinking? I read somewhere it was about the sheep, as the tigers used to kill them. Such a tragedy that the farmers had such little appreciation for the special creatures we had here. We took the kids to Tasmania a few years back and had a great time trying to see a tiger as we drove around. It is such stunning state to visit, but sadly no tigers.

Domestic cats can be a bit of an environmental nuisance as they kill our birds and wildlife. The feral cat is also quite destructive on the environment, and the native critters at risk as they compete against the introduced species.

I came up with a tail end. The boys call this (rather crudely) his date hole. You can turn the tail around and add a bow for effect. The real tiger had a stripey tail and you can get this effect in variegated yarn. I have done it plain as this photographs much better fro my blog.

And this is little Tasmanian Tiger Kitty.

I designed this square in 2 sizes with the potential to be adapted into a kitty cat as well as a tiger.

The tigers look great on stuff for little boys and I have been making a few hats with tigers on the front. One day when I have finished designing all of these squares I might get round to making an afghan out of them all. At the moment I am enjoying the fun of making little projects with little kids in mind. Our daughters boyfriend is a mad Tigers supporter. She has crossed the floor from Queensland to New South Wales now which is quite risky behaviour!

Tiger Teams always have good colours though. The yellow gold and black is pretty stunning!

My next rugalugs is a Baramundi Fish. So far it looks terrific and I will share it with you soon.

Thanks for looking!

(c) copyright crochetroo 2007. Do not copy or imitate as this is bad karma and your chooks will turn into emus and kick your dunny down!

Cute fruit

2007-07-15T13:31:00.001+10:00

Some of you will be familiar with the Beaut Fruit Platter. This has been one of more popular pattern sets. As well as tweaking this one, (there was something a bit strange with the lemon) I have been working on a second set. The second set has been in the making for about the last 8 months. I cant believe it has taken me all year to get to this point!

This little lot of fruit goodness I have decided to call Cute Fruit. While it has been in production for a while now and I have just about finished the write up of the patterns. The family are a bit tired of the half finished bowl sitting around the house for so long! I started it before Christmas when these fruits were available so I could have real fruit models.

I am really pleased at how it is looking though and gives the fruit enthusiast some more crochet fruit to add to the bowl.

Cute Fruit included all the yummy things we get here in our summer which is at Christmas time.

Kiwi Fruit. I just love these little guys. I slice them up and put on the top of the pavlova. Yummo. My sister in law is a kiwi and her mum makes the most delicious Kiwi and Apple Amber pudding. So scrumptious with loads of ice cream.

Next came the avocado. There are a lot of avocado farms in Queensland and we have a plentiful supply of these babies. My brother in law has a farm in the Maleny area and has avocados growing down the back of his property. I enjoy them in a salad, avocado and chicken on a turkish bread or used in mexican dip. I didn't have any real good avocado coloured yarn, but the look is good. This one is pretty easy to work up as it is basically a pear, and then I halved it and added the seed. I wouldn't leave a real cut kiwi or avocado on the fruit bowl, but they are pretty boring until you cut them open. I cant remember either avocados or kiwi fruit when I was growing up, but they are very abundant here now. I have always thought that avocados are an acquired taste.

Then there is the grapes. These are a bit tedious to make but look great in amongst the other fruits. I chose to do seedless white sultana grapes, but purple or black would look pretty cool as well. There are lots of grapes grown here, hence our fabulous wine industry. South Australia is probably the grape centre of Australia.

By this stage the bowl was looking very green and brown, and I felt I needed some colour. Nothing better than stone fruit to liven the kitchen up!

So I created peaches, plums, apricots and nectarines. Most of our stone fruit here comes from the Granite Belt west around the Stanthorpe area. Some comes from Victoria. This time of year there isn't much about, but come the warmer months the shops have plenty to choose from. I am hoping that our recent drought doesn't limit supply too much. The shapes are all fairly similar, it is really a matter of size and colour choice. These were a lot of fun to make and I found lots of stone fruit colours in my stash.

Finally, the other little treat we get in summer are cherries. I remember as a kid going cherry picking in Victoria. Most of our cherries come from down south where the humidity is less and the soil and climate conducive to cherry growing. I did notice earlier this week that US cherries are in the store. The US fruit always seems a bigger to the ones grown here. I don't know if that is because they export the best, or whether they are a different variety.

So now I have a full bowl and I am pretty pleased with how it turned out. I like the different shapes and colours.

Once the patterns have had a final test I will be listing them as a group on etsy.

Thanks for looking!

(c)crochetroo 2007 please do not copy my photos. Direct links welcome.

Rainbow Lorikeets

2007-07-08T21:41:00.001+10:00

This is a picture of a rainbow lorikeet feeding on my deck. We leave wild bird seed out and they don't miss a trick. They visit in large numbers and are spectacular in colour. These fellows are so bloody noisy though! They squabble and fight and leave poop everywhere. But gee they are a stunning creature. I have been working on these guys for a while, trying to recreate a lorikeet in crochet. Getting the body shape and the look was the challenge. I used a bit of creative licence and tried to cutesy them up a bit.

The Rainbow Lorikeet is a small parrot and native to Australia. Colours to try when making rainbow lorikeets include yellows, greens, orange, blue and reds. They have red beaks and red eyes. I can't get red eyes here so had to do with yellow. I think they look a bit evil with the red eyes any way. Sort of like the demon lorikeet.

Surprisingly enough this colourful bird can be hard sometimes to pick out in its natural habitat. They are a small bird generally 11 to 12 inches long, weighing 120 to 140 grams on average females are generally a bit smaller and adolescents have duller markings They are said to live over 20 years in the wild. These guys make a heck of a racket from "screeching" in flight to "chatting" during feeding.

Rainbow lorikeets are found all over the north-east of Australia. Their habitat ranges from forests of all sorts (heathlands, open forests, rainforest) coastal or inland, to any area including urban areas that have suitable trees - and of course my deck.

They are normally found in flocks and make a heck of a racket at feeding time. “move over will ya mate so I can have some seed as well?" "crikey mate I was after that bit". We try and imagine what they are saying, as they a a bit like a noisy family at dinner time.

I have attempted to achieve the look of the rainbow lorikeet without getting too complicated with the pattern. I am amazed at how tame they are as I can walk right up photograph them. This guy was a bit of a poser.

I never get tired of watching these birds. They have a sanctuary here where the birds flock in the thousands at feed time. Quite a spectacle. Interestingly though they have pest status in some areas and aren't real popular with the farmers. Somehow the little blighters found their way to Perth University and were released into the wild in the 60s. The numbers have grown to pest status. They have also made it to New Zealand. A flock of these birds can strip an orchard bare in no time. I believe there are also rainbow lorikeets in the Eastern Coast of the US.

The crochet pattern of the rainbow lorikeet is the latest in my Australian Native Birds series. I did enjoy this one as the colours were so much fun. Thank you to my wonderful testers, the patterns are available on my etsy store. Thanks for looking.

(c) crochetroo. Please do not copy my photos or ideas. I don't like to watermark as it is ugly. Links to this page are fine.

The Schrap

2007-07-01T16:31:00.000+10:00

I cant believe that is it July! It has been a cold winter here and my posts seem to be fewer as the days are shorter. It has been good crochet weather though.

I have made a heap of these little numbers which I am going to call the Schrap. They are a cross between a shawl, and scarf and a wrap.

The good thing about these is that they work up with minimal yarn. I stumbled across this idea when I accidentally ran out of yarn one day. I have a habit of buying 2 balls of pretty yarn when I see it on sale, with no idea what I am going to make out of it. I am sure I am not alone here!

One or 2 balls usually does it, of cause 3 balls will make it a big larger. My mum in law is an elderly lady, and she finds that scarfs, wraps and shawls, while being cosy, are a bit heavy and hard to manage. You also have bits of crochet fabric hanging about to catch on things or trip you up which is a certain risk for older people with walking frames and wheely walkers.

I hadn't thought of this until my mum in law requested more! It is the neck and shoulders that need the warmth and these are easier to fling on than say a cardigan or coat.

The other benefit is that these are easily stuffed into a hand bag, or a wheelie walker bag. I have made myself a few and they are great for sitting in the air con at the movies. Because the fabric is loose I pull one corner through the holes to secure it. This is a green one she requested to go with her green things.

The patterns I use are very simple, and a lot like some shawl patterns about. I keep the stitches very basic as the effect is in the yarn.

Yarn is one of those pretty sparkly yarns or ribbon type yarns with the holes in it. I also use a large hook - 6 - 7mm, so they work up pretty quickly.

They need to be lacy to remain fairly light and stretchy.

Instructions for a Schrap

These instructions are written in Australian/British terminology. If you are used to US terms you need to translate: tr = dc, dc = sc.

4ch slst in a ring

1. 3ch, into ring work 1tr 1ch, (3tr 2ch 3tr) this will become the point, 1ch 2tr turn.

2. 3ch 1tr into top of first st, 1ch 3tr into ch sp, 1ch, (3tr 2ch 3tr) into next sp, 1ch, 3tr next sp, 1ch, 2tr top of last st, turn.

3. 3ch 1tr into top of first st, 1ch, * 3tr into ch sp, 1ch* along side to corner work (3tr 2ch 3tr) 1ch, then repeat * - 8 along side, finish with 2tr in top of last st.

Repeat row 3 but make one extra (3tr 1ch) along each side.

If you want it lacy work (2tr 3ch) in place of the (3tr 1ch)

I usually do about 20 - 24 rows .

For a an even lacier effect, I use less tr/dc. Sorry these are hard to photograph, but hopefully the picture gives you a bit of an idea.

4ch slst in a ring

1. 4ch, into ring work 1tr 1ch, 1tr, 2ch (this will become the point), 1 ch 1tr 1ch 1tr turn.

2. 4ch 1tr into first space, 1ch, 1tr next sp, 1ch, (1tr 1ch, 1tr 2ch 1tr 1ch 1tr ) into next sp, 1ch, 1tr next sp, 1ch, 1 tr next sp, 1ch, 1tr top of last st, turn.

Repeat row 2 but make 1 extra (1tr 1ch) along each side than in the previous row. The trick is to mark your point in each row and to count that the number of tr/dc are the same along each side. It is easy to go wonky in the first few rows.

I have fun experimenting with the different yarns to see what works best.

To finish off I sometimes do one round of 3 or 4ch, 1dc in the spaces, and add tassels if I have any extra yarn left over. The tassels are pieces of yarn cut at 30cm or 12 inches, fold in half and loop through the corners. They add a touch of variety to the wardrobe.

Thanks for looking. Someone said these would be good to donate to aged care facilities as a change from the usual afghan, lapghan. I tend to agree as they are functional and quite pretty.

I was also thinking a little card with the words:

"Here is a schrap to wrap you in love" would be nice.

I hope you have fun creating your Schraps! These instructions haven't been tested so if they need a tidy up, please let me know.

(c) crochetroo 2007 Pattern not to be reproduced or sold. Finished schraps not to be resold. Make as many as you want to donate to friends, rellies or charities.

Brumby Horses

2007-06-11T16:09:00.001+10:00

A word about copyright.
These pictures and patterns are mine, do not copy or use them against my copyright statement. This week I had the disappointing experience of learning that my “free” Ulysses butterfly pattern was being sold on another site. Not only did this person have the nerve to do this, she also had the nerve to use my photos from this blog, posted here in August last year. I love sharing what I do with those who visit here, and will keep blogging despite the dishonest people who may abuse my trust. If any one does see my things copied or used without my permission on other sites, please let me know so that I can take the appropriate action.

Brumby Horses
One of the interesting and incredibly rewarding things about blogging and my esty store is all the nice people I have met. A particular lady who lives in the US did a fantastic job of making her little one a penguin blanket, however her other daughter, Kassie is mad on horses. So I was asked if I was ever going to do a horse. My usual approach is to research a critter to identify the relevance to Australia, and the environmental situation of the animal or plant in question.
This is my take on a horse, after some good input from Kassie and her Mum in Massachusetts.

I am not a horsey person, but I know a lot of people are. I hope you enjoy the story below. I have listed the pattern on etsy. There is a horse head, and a horse behind with a full horsey tail.

They work up kinda cute when done in different colours. I also worked out how to do a little jockey style hat for any little kid who is mad on horses.

The first horses that were introduced to Australia were 2 stallions and 5 mares brought over with the First Fleet in 1788. From these 7 horses the populations grew and by the 1800’s there were more than 70 or more in the colony. Arround 1804 strays were sighted and reported in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.

Horses were originally used for transport but with the introduction of the Dromedary Camel to Australia in 1840, horses were released, destroyed or escaped. Camels are more practical for the Australian outback as they can survive long periods without food and water, unlike horses.

From the 1830’s many Australian properties bred horses that became known as Walers, named after the then colony of New South Wales.

These horses were bred from a mixture of Clydesdales, which are a ‘heavy-duty’ horse, with a lighter breed of horse. Selective breeding produced the combination of strength and speed and from this became the Australian stock horse or “Waler”. Walers were bred for use in the British Imperial Forces in the Colonial Wars and World War I. Soon after World War I finished, the horses were released into the wild due to the invention of the automobile. You have to ask your self, what were they thinking?

The term ‘Brumby’ is used in Australia in reference to wild or feral horses. There are many theories as to where this name comes, but the most accepted theory is that there was a prospector called Brumby that let a small group of horses out free in country Victoria. They are an environmental pest as the hard hooves destroy the environment as well as competing with native animals for food and water. It is estimated that there are over 200,000 brumby in the Northern Territory alone. Feral horses are a big problem as they eat out the Australian terrain, and cause the death of thousands of native marsupials and mammals due to starvation and dehydration from the lack of food and water. There are a number of government leads initiatives to try and control their numbers in a humane way.

I find this all very interesting as the horse racing industry is also quite big here with racing tracks scattered across the country. One of the most famous race, being the Melbourne Cup, and then there is the Magic Millions they have here on the coast. While the brumby is a menace, trained horses and dressage are quite remarkable.

Strewth!

The other exciting thing to happen this week is that my son and I have opened up a second etsy store called Strewth. http://www.strewth.etsy.com/ . This is crochet free zone for my artwork (yes I paint) and his craft work. As a teenage kid this is keeping him busy, which is a good thing!

Wildflower winter woolies

2007-05-28T20:13:00.000+10:00

Winter has hit down here, (well sort of!) Today was 27 which is hardly cold by any stetch of the imagination. I wore a T shirt for the day.

Given I have more afghans in my house than I care to count I have been putting this years crochet energy into scarfs and accessories. I made a few for some friends of the female type of my son, but my daughter needs a few more necks before I give her any more, and I think I have exhausted the the list of scarf recipients for a while, so I have listed a few on etsy for the fun of it. Pity we are out of season with the top half of the globe.

I have also been exploring our native flora to trigger some different designs.

I was feeling rather hippy and had some colourful yarn I wanted to experiment with. From this I created the hippy head band and matching scarf. Not super heavy, but bright and light!

The colours remind me of the everlasting daisies that I see on the side of the road out west. I remember doing a trip few years back and collecting them along the way. Dried flowers were pretty trendy in the 80s. I remember having a houseful of the things, all lovingly arranged in brass containers. Of course they look spectacular when they are new, but gee they are terrific dust collectors.

Everlasting daisies also called paper flowers, come in a variety of colours, have a large centre and multiple petals. They are bright and cheery where they grow in the tough parts of the Australian countryside. This is a square motif, designed by me, and is simple and effective when done in a variety of colours.

The one below I have called the flannel flower scarf. More to do with the texture of the yarn, than the actual shape of the flower as the real flannel flower has skinnier petals. It is a variation of the everlasting daisy above.

This scarf is luxurious to the touch and made out of a yarn comprised of mohair, wool, and acrylic with a slight metallic thread that adds a bit of glisten. As a yarnaholic I couldn't resist this at the local spotlight store when I saw it. It is a beautiful soft pink and a good quality yarn. I have made 25 flannel flower motifs and then joined them into a scarf . I must say I am a bit over those fluffy scarves that have been around for the last few years, so thought I would try something a little different.

The flannel flower is one of Australia’s’ interesting wildflowers. They have a large centre and petals which are textured like flannel. They look a bit like a daisy, but are more closely related to carrots and celery. The flannel flower is also called the Federation Star as the petals have a star appearance. A more rare kind, the pink flannel flower is only found in the heights of the Blue Mountains.

The flannel flower has also been adopted by the Mental Health Council of Australia for use as the symbol to promote mental health.

You might like to read about this initiative at this link: http://www.mhca.org.au/Media/flannelflower.html

Trying to use Australian flowers as inspiration for crochet designs is quite challenging. Having entertained myself with a range of critters, I am enjoying thinking about flowers, however my head is still trying to work out how I can incorporate wattle into a design without it looking silly.

mmm maybe get some of that fluffy yellow yarn and crochet it up..(lol)

Thanks for looking.

Corrugated Cosies for coffee plungers and tea pots

2007-05-06T12:27:00.000+10:00

This is the very latest in my kitchen kitsch range of cosies - Corrugated Cosies from the Aussie Bush. I have named these tropical garden tea cosy, rainforest coffee cosy, and gum trees tea cosy.

This collection includes three basic designs which you can mix and match the trims on.

When we were kids every backyard had a corrugated iron tank up on a tank stand. I remember when town water became available the local council determined that all private tanks be removed. I think a part of their reasoning was that they were a health hazard and a place for mosquito's to breed. Now with the drought and the fear of running out of water, the council is offering a $1,000 rebate on every tank installed. Funny how things go in circles. The shed in many of our farming properties are made of corrugated iron, as is the roof of many of the houses. Brisbane is know for a style of house called a "Queenslander". This is a timber house, up on stumps, and with a corrugated iron roof. The sound of the rain, when it happens thumping down on a tin roof is a magical sound. Need I say when it hails the noise is phenomenal!

So I have taken the corrugations of cast iron, and mixed this with some of our flora and created this set. My inspiration is from our Australian country side and flora. I have matched the texture of the corrugated iron roof and water tank of outback Australia with the freshness of the flowers and trees of the bush and rainforests. The one below I have called gum trees. The muted colours of the bark, and the dark browns and green of the gum nuts. This one looks so much better in reality as the photo doesn't do it justice. The famous scallop cosy is looking in need of a holiday and this is my new cosy.

Plants I grew up with in Brisbane, Queensland were the gum trees, the frangipani and the bougainvillea and impatiens. Banksia, wattle and jacaranda were also planted by the council as street trees. The native frangipani has a very sweet smell and we have one in our yard. My Nana also had a few, and when my cousin was married in the early 70s she had a frangipani wedding. I was an early teen and I recall collecting all these flowers for the tables and bouquets. It was stunning. So here is a cosy for the coffee plunger. We are a coffee plunger sort of household and I have designed this one to tie around the side, but have a bit of a space at the top to enable an easy pour. I really like how the flowers fall forward when you tip the pot. I call this one Rainforest as the native frangipani grows naturally in our rainforests.

Tropical gardens to me are bright and filled with colour from impatiens, orchids and bromides. the colours are bright and brilliant. I have also used a horizontal corrugations for this one which works well with the different colours. I kept the flowers here simple as I thought the colour was the main feature. Corrugated iron usually runs vertical on a roof to allow the water to flow into the gutters, and horizontal on a tank. My dad used to mark the rings on the tank with chalk so he could monitor our water reserves.

This cosy has a bright and cheery look on my little 2 cup pot. I am having fun experimenting with some designs based on our plants here. It isn't easy though as many of our flora while being beautiful, lack a defined form. Banksia, wattle, and tea tree all have tiny little flowers which as a mass look stunning.

Any how, thanks for looking. I have listed the patterns for these on etsy.

(c) copyright crochetroo 2007 images and ideas not to be reproduced, not to be resold, or posted on the web. Links to this site are welcome..

ANZAC Poppy - free crochet pattern

2007-04-23T18:02:00.000+10:00

Lest We Forget, April 25

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row, "

(John McCrae)

I have designed and crocheted this little poppy to commemorate ANZAC day. The poppy measures 3 ½ cm / 1 ½ inches wide and can be pinned to clothing or accessories. They are running a competition at ETSY for a design that incorporates beads, and this is my entry as I have been thinking about ANZAC day, April 25, and its place in our Australian history. I have provided the pattern below and ask if you do download the pattern, please donate a coin to a charity that supports servicemen, women and their families.

Significance and Meaning

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The association of the red poppy also called the Flanders Poppy or poppy of remembrance with war is interesting. The poppy is seen as a natural symbol of resurrection and remembrance as the poppy was the first plant to grow in the churned up soil of soldiers' graves in the area of Flanders during the First World War. Of the some 50,000 Australians who fought at Gallipoli, 8,709 were killed and 18,235 wounded; New Zealand suffered 2,701 killed and 4,880 wounded.

Australians now recognise 25 April as an occasion of national commemoration and respect for those who have served at war. Commemorative services are held at dawn, the time of the original landing, across the country. I went to the Dawn service in Canberra at the National War Memorial a few years back and it was a most moving ceremony. My Grandfather was a returned soldier, as was my father in Law. Both served in WWII. We have my father in laws medals for our sons. These are a prized possession. Anzac Day parades are held and it has become a day that has deep significance in Australia and New Zealand.

These moving words are a part of the tradition -

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”
(Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)

The last post is played by a solitary bugler, and wreaths of poppies are laid. While the poppy is symbolic and cover the wreaths, rosemary sprigs (meaning remembrance) tend to be worn on Anzac day, while the poppy is worn on Remembrance Day 11th of November.

I thought I would post the pattern for the poppy with the intention that this be used for days of remembrance, and specific fund raising for charities to do with the armed forces and their families. I have put a price on the original poppy with the intention of donating the profit to Legacy.

Australian Instructions

Petals – poppy red
Thread 25 red beads onto red thread.
4. Slst start in one of the 3ch loops behind the stamens. (2ch, counts as htr, 3tr 1htr) into first loop, then (1htr 3tr 1htr) in remaining 4 loops, slst join

5. The red beads are worked in this round. 2ch start, bead to hook, 1tr next st pushing bead up thread to hook after first yarn over hook, then work st in usual way. You might need to fiddle with the bead to make it face forwards. 1tr bead in next 2 st, 1htr bead next 1st, 1dc between petals (no bead), work 1htr 3tr 1htr each with a bead across each petal and 1dc (no bead) between. The petal should curl.

Slst finish off. Use start thread to stitch onto a pin.

American Instructions

1.75 hook, 4 ply thread , Size 6 steel, 10 thread
Black and red thread, 12 Black seed beads, 25 Red seed beads

Stamen - starting with black
Thread 12 beads onto thread before starting. I leave about 20cm/8in of thread at the start which is used later to stitch the poppy to a pin or barrette.

1. 3ch, into first ch work 6sc, slst join.
2. Work into front loop only (1sc, *2ch, bead to hook, 2ch, 1sc) first loop, 2ch bead to hook 2ch 1sc into next loop. Repeat from * around slst join into start sc. You should have 12 stamens with a bead on each.

For unbeaded option, omit bead and work 1sc, 5ch, 1sc, 5ch around

3. You will now work in the spare loop behind the stamens. 1sc first loop, 3ch, 1sc next loop, 3ch, around 5 times. You can miss a loop as you only need five 3ch spaces for the petals. Slst finish join, off black

Petals – poppy red
Thread 25 red beads onto red thread.
4. Slst start in one of the 3ch loops behind the stamens. (2ch, counts as hdc 3dc, 1hdc) into first loop, then (1hdc 3dc 1hdc) in remaining 4 loops, slst join

5. The red beads are worked in this round. 2ch start, bead to hook, 1dc next st pushing bead up thread to hook after first yarn over hook, then work st in usual way. You might need to fiddle with the bead to make it face forwards. 1dc bead in next 2st, 1hdc bead next 1st, 1sc between petals (no bead), work 1hdc 3dc 1hdc each with a bead across each petal and 1sc (no bead) between. The petal should curl.

For unbeaded version, omit the beads. Slst finish off. Use start thread to stitch onto a pin.

© copyright crochetroo 2007. Do not reproduce pattern by any means. You may use it for personal use, gifts and charity fundraising. Do not sell to make a personal profit as this is inappropriate.

Echidna and echidna baby puggles at Easter

2007-04-09T13:21:00.000+10:00

Happy Easter to you all! A time that is about new beginnings, fresh starts and family. I thought this a perfect time to share my echidnas with the world.

When I undertook to design an echidna in crochet, I took on one heck of a challenge. The trick is getting the echidna look, and not becoming a hedgehog or porcupine. I have seen some really cute crochet hedgehogs, but they often use fun fur which although it gives a spiky look, is soft to the touch. I did consider doing a loopy effect but that didn't quite look right either. So in the end I did the best I could with rows of individual spikes. Yes this is a bit tedious, but quite relaxing once I was in the rhythm.

Echidnas by their nature aren't very colourful critters. Their whole goal in life is to not get noticed. The one that looks the best in the real is the dark brown and variegated. These are always a bit of a pain to count stitches on and photograph so I ended up doing a goldy yellow echidna as well.

I do like these guys. I think of all my stuffed Aussie Animals these are my favourites. Probably because the Koalas and Kangaroos, and platypus are a bit better known around the world, there are a few patterns for these about. Although they are of varying quality, they do exist.

The echidna, also called the spiny ant-eater, is one of the most primitive orders of mammals, a monotreme. They are closely related to the platypus and are egg-laying mammals. They lay only one egg at a time hatch is incubated is incubated in the pouch.

Baby echidnas are called puggles and once hatched, they remains in the pouch until its spines appear. It makes good sense because as a Mum, I don't think I would want a prickly little fellow in my pouch for long! The ones above I have named Blue, Elizabeth, Rusty and Shazza.

Their main food is ants. The echidna's snout is between 7 and 8 cm long, and is quite stiff. This enables them to break up the termite mounds and logs.

They have a long sticky tongue to lick up insects.
They look like a hedgehog or porcupine but are not related. Their backs and sides are covered with spines and coarse hair and they can roll themselves into a ball when in danger. While they look pretty tough, they are quite shy. They also have the claim to fame being of being featured on the Australian five cent piece.

Having seen the echidna in the wild, they are quite fascinating. You have to wonder what nature was thinking.

These ones I used variegated yarn for a different effect. This is Dave, Muriel, Digger and Lucy doing a bit of bush calisthenics. Of course once their spines devloped they wont be ablt to do that!

I believe the term puggles originally was associated with the echidna, however at times it is incorrectly used for platypus young as well. The same way the koala is incorrectly called a bear. There is no such thing as a platypus puggle, or a koala bear. I like to research the animals I am designing, and the misuse of these terms annoy me. (lol) I must be getting old!

The baby echidnas are a lot of fun to make and play with. I have made a few over the long weekend. The one below I thought I would try to felt to make a bag pull. I attached some yarn to his beak. He sort of felted, but not quite.

These are nice and tactile and they just fit in the hand. I might try felting another one as I think they would be good on keys and bags.

The indigenous people have some interesting myths about the echidna. One story is that a group of young men where hunting and stumbled on a wombat. They threw spears at the wombat, and it became the echidna.

Thanks for looking, and have a safe and happy Easter.

(c) copyright crochetroo 2007

At the Beach.... aussiegurumi crochet style

2007-03-29T09:16:00.000+10:00

Welcome to my part of the world. This is Main Beach, Gold Coast. The top photo is late in the day, looking south to Surfers Paradise.

The one below is sunrise, looking out over the Pacific Ocean. The sand is white and crunches between your toes, the air is fresh and I find the sound of the waves crashing in very soothing.

The beach goes for miles, something like 55 of them! I am so lucky to have this in my area.

I took this photo for the observation deck on QI. This is looking North to Brisbane.

So when people ask me where do I get my ideas from, I say it is easy as there is so much around me to inspire. We have had a long hot summer, and as April approaches so does the cooler weather. Easter is usually the last of the summer holiday makers, and the beaches are usually packed over this time. This is the sandsculpture on the beach at Surfers.

I have been working on a naive "At the Beach" crochet series for the last few months.
So meet Kylie, Nicole and Kathy the Surfie Chicks. These are the girls who play in the sun sand , sea and surf. They have a life, and enjoy it greatly. I call this Aussiegurumi! I find it interesting that a word like "amigurumi" has crept into our language. This is the term for small crocheted dolls and toys. So I figure my Little dolls must be Aussiegurumi! My grandfather, who fought in World War II in Papua New Guinea keeping the you know who from invading Australia would be horrified. Interesting how history passes and time heals.

And Kylie, Nicole and Kathy are such legendary Aussie chicks I figured they deserved a day at the beach... I will let you work out where these great names come from.

Now of cause you are asking, where are the boys? Well the surfie blokes, and kids and mums and dads are on the way.

The Gold Coast is the home of the bikini as this is where the designer Paula Stafford started. Makes perfect sense having seen the beaches here.

So these Surfie chicks have a few accessories, a sun visor, beach towel, sun hat and beach wrap
I even gave Kathy a navel stud seeing this is the go these days. She also has shades of 10 with the braided hair.

Thanks for looking. Keep an eye out for the rest of the mob at the beach.... aaah its fun being eccentric.

It is a bit of a change from the wild creatures I have been working on~!

Budgerigars (budgies) Australian Birds.

2007-03-25T10:38:00.000+10:00

Budgies have always been around. My hub used to breed them until we lost a few and he never really replaced them. It seems the cage door was left open and they escaped.

To crochet a budgie is not exactly straight forward. That is unless you want a generic looking bird with a beak stuck on its face. It took me a while to work out the beak, and the tail. Mine are a bit stockier than the real thing, but then they have what I now call the Aussiegurumi look. Why should the Japanese be the only ones who can cutesy up any critter to the stage of non identification?

The budgie is actually an Australian native bird and is the most popular pet bird in the world. In the wild they live amongst the grassy plains and open scrub land of inland Australia and gather in large flocks. There are over thirty species of budgies that are available today and they are all descendants of the original light green coloured Australian budgie. Nowadays the original Australian Budgie is a protected species and cannot be kept in captivity.
The domesticated budgie has changed a lot from its original appearance; it is now more than three times the size of its ancestor.

Colours to try when making budgies include yellows, greens, grey, white, blues, turquoise, cobalt and lavenders. I basically used scraps for these. You will never see red in a budgie except for the eyes. My son reckons if you feed white budgies red food colouring you can get pink ones. I find this hard to believe, but he says this works. Breeders try to get a necklace of back spots on the neck. Budgie nostrils are called the cere and males have blue, females have pink – brown. Every year we go to the Ekka and check out the budgie breeders pavilion. The prize birds are pretty amazing.

I have a flock of these in my lounge room, and may have to start smuggling them out of the country. The term budgie smuggler is a funny one. The thought of a budgie squished down the front of a pair of speedos is an amusing one. I feel sorry for the budgie!

We have so many native birds here it was hard to know where to start. The Corella, galah, lorikeet, rosella, cockatoo and kookaburra are common visitors to our bird feeder on the deck. In fact some mornings they drive me nuts with the noise they make in the gum trees. Of course then there is the mess they leave on the deck and the washing. I have a mission to try and design a few more of our Aussie birds in crochet. The colours are magnificant!

Thanks for looking, I hope you like my budgies. If you want the pattern it is available at www.crochetroo.etsy.com