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Alternative Half Double Crochet Decrease
The traditional half double crochet 2 together (hdc2tog) decrease can be bulky, particularly at the edges of the fabric. This cleaner, sleeker, alternative half double crochet decrease reduces the bulk with just a slight modification.
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Free Pattern – Simple crochet balls
I ran out of dryer sheets the other day, so I decided to try making felted dryer balls instead. I only made it through one ball before other projects (and life in general) got in the way. One day I’ll make more, and then I’ll let you know how they work! Meanwhile, I thought I would share with you a general recipe for making crocheted…
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15 Newbie tips for the Knit & Crochet Show
I just got back from the CGOA / TKGA Knit & Crochet Show in San Diego. This was my first show, and it was truly amazing. It was almost surreal to spend 4 whole days surrounded by such talent. Thanks to some good advice from some good friends, I was really able to make the most of it. I want to share that…
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Hanks, balls, and skeins – oh my!
Yarn comes in many formats, with different names. Sometimes it’s wound by a machine, sometimes it’s wound by hand, and sometimes it’s just twisted together. There are cakes, skeins, hanks, balls, cones, and even spools – do you know the difference? Here are some examples:
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Filet Crochet Butterfly Square
A pretty butterfly dances on a field of mesh in this filet crochet butterfly square. Learn filet crochet with this fun and easy pattern! Make it with any yarn or thread, with solid wings or lacy wings, and as a stand-alone square or as part of a larger project. So many possibilities!
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My Mandala for Marinke
If you’re not familiar with the #MandalasforMarinke and #MandalasforWink projects, you can read more about them here. For my mandala, I chose her Crochet Mandala For Your Home pattern. Her main pattern picture, which is done in grey, yellow, and white, looks so sunny and bright that I had to pick that one. Here’s my version. I used some yarns from my…
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Free Pattern – Last Minute 4th of July Headband
Do you need a last minute accessory for tonight’s festivities? There’s still time! I waited until the last minute too, and this headband is what I came up with. This design combines 2 of my previous patterns with a simple red chain. It only uses basic stitches, but combines knitting and crochet. This is a great project for a beginning…
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Tutorial – Basic Filet Crochet
Filet crochet can look intimidating, but it’s really an easy technique and can be used to make just about any design! You can make something simple, like this Heart Filet Block by I’m Hooked, or something more complex, like this Four Rose Doily by Elizabeth Ann White. There are even filet versions of the Last Supper and the signing of the Declaration of Independence! Below is a…
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Remembering Wink
As you probably already know, the crochet world lost one of its rising stars this past weekend when Marinke (Wink) of A Creative Being lost her battle with depression. The overwhelming response is shock and sadness, but also love and support for her family and a need to DO something…to somehow make some small positive come out of all of this. I…
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Loving lover’s knots!
Have you heard of lover’s knots or Solomon’s knots in crochet? I’ve been coming across them a lot recently, and decided to try them out. I’m officially in love. Basically, this stitch is made with very long chains and single crochets. You can adjust the size of the chains to get the look you want, though the key is consistency…
