Crochet Cowl Pattern

This is my 100th post! I didn't plan to share a pattern on this exciting post but what a great coincidence! A pretty quick cowl pattern. I crocheted this up last November. I really loved it for a bit but then it got cold here and windy. I didn't think this cowl was good for that kind of cold. So I warn you not for windy cold places. Now that spring is almost here (crosses fingers), this cowl will be perfect again!

Crochet Cowl

Skill level: beginner
Yarn: Lionbrand homespun (I used color deco)
Hook: Size K
Swatch Gauge: it doesn't matter for this pattern!
Time: ~2 hours


Abbreviations
CH: chain
SC: single crochet
TR: treble crochet (treble crochet instruction post here)

Starting Chain: Chain 54

Row 1: Work 1 TR into third CH from hook and in every CH across to last CH. CH 4, turn.

Row 2: Work 1 TR into first stitch of row and in every stitch across to last stitch. CH 1, turn.

Row 3: Work 1 SC into first stitch of row and in every stitch across to last stitch. CH 1, turn.

Row 4: Work 1 SC into first stitch of row and in every stitch across to last stitch. CH 4, turn.

Row 5-8: repeat row 1-4.

Row 9: repeat row 1

Row 10: TR in each stitch across. Cut a 10 inch or so tail of yarn and secure last loop on hook.

Lay your rectangle flat, pick up one short edge, twist, to place back of rectangle to top of rectangle on short edge (if this were a piece of fabric, you would place the wrong side of the fabric on the right side of the fabric so that the middle was twisted). does that make any sense? does this step need pictures?

Using your 10 inch tail, slip stitch seam (the two short sides of rectangle) closed. Weave in ends.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

PS. have you seen that McDonalds commercial for a filet of fish sandwich, where the fish on the wall sings that catching tune?? It is driving me crazy, it is just so catchy and easy to sing. I sing it in the shower even. Is that sandwich even good?

Treble Crochet Stitch

You can use the treble crochet stitch (TR) in a cowl pattern I will post next!

Yarn over hook.


2nd yarn over hook.


Insert hook into next stitch.


Yarn over.


Pull through stitch. 4 loops on hook.


Yarn over, pull through 2 loops. 3 loops left on hook.


Yarn over, pull through 2 loops. 2 loops left on hook.


Yarn over, pull through 2 loops. 1 loop left on hook, 1 TR stitch created!

quilted!

Quilting went really well! Although 50 minutes in, I had a frantic phone call to my mom, the expert quilter. It was so hard to manage the quilt in the machine because it is so big. She gave me some tips and reminded me that crafting is fun. Thanks mom! After that it really was fun. I forgot to get material for the binding so the finished product will have to wait. My daughter decided to play an hour long game of "night night" with the blanket. So I wasn't able to get good pictures. I am very excited for the quilt to be washed and all crinkly.

(nevermind that big thread ball on the left. it is bothering me)

I did learn some good things about my machine and thread. I thought brown thread would be good for the top. ughhh. I hate the back of the quilt now with all that brown stitching, not ideal for my first attempt at this. I messed up the thread and didn't have the same kind of thread in the bobbin and on top which made for tension problems. I am a bit worried about washing the quilt because the material is old and somewhat falling apart. It is old but at least it finally got some love put in to it. Oh I hate to admit this but I am sore! Maneuvering the fabric in the machine required some serious triceps contraction. So pathetic that I am sore from sewing. It was like that time I was sore from pipetting. I hope you all had wonderful weekends!

a bib and tonight

I knitted this bib (pattern from Mason Dixon Knitting). It took me 3 nights. Really cute though. I would like to try crocheting the same size bib. I bet it would take me 1.5 nights. I am just so much faster at crochet than knitting.



Tonight is the night! Quilting! I sewed the back fabric up last night. Just a simple muslin. I ironed everything and pinned the heck out of it. The sewing machine is all set up. As soon as my girl is asleep, I will go to it. wish me luck!

my next big project

As soon as I get up the nerve (which I hope is soon), I am going to quilt this:



My grandma put this top together in the early 80's but never quilted it before she passed away. My mom had it stored away for years. She gave it to me when I was working on my very first (and only quilt thus far). For awhile, I just couldn't decide what to do with it. As you can see it is not very pretty. But I could not bear to cut it up or toss it out. and now I am in love with the idea that it will be quilted. In fact it is so big I will be able to use it on our spare bed. Anyways, I plan on stippling it so I really want a big chunk of time to have a good go at it.



This quilt top must have been use what fabrics you have!! man oh man.




On a sad note, my mom's dog that we thought was on the mend had to be put to sleep earlier this week. But my grandma had her cancer successfully removed with surgery. It was a rather large area but it doesn't seem to have spread anywhere else. ups and downs. ups and downs.

Last weekend's projects

Now that Lilly's bobble dress is done. I was able to knock out a few projects on Sunday. This week has been super slow for crafting due to a flu like bug and work, so I am extra happy I was able to get this stuff done on Sunday.

Donations for Kelly McCaleb's 31 Birth-days:


Barakah Life's blanket drive is still going on! Look what I found when I went to her blog the other day...she posted my mom's quilts! I have a few ready to send. And yes if you are wondering, that bottom one is the one I was supposed to donate to Project Linus but sadly I didn't read the directions before making it and it was too small to donate. But I am happy that it will find a home with Project Night Night.




Baby booties (pattern for sale here):

I have a friend, with a baby in her belly, who is a big Bronco's fan but her husband is big Charger's fan, so we will see which bootie wins out!


These are for a friend who is having a boy. I really like the colors of these two.


A nursing cover for a friend. (Jess, I hope you like it. As soon as I can find a box it is coming your way! Sorry it is not a surprise, I am no good with surprises. I just can't handle the wait).






Happy Thursday! I know I will. I have a date with H!O!T! guy tonight then a baby shower then The Office!

Lilly's Bobble Dress

Can't you just see this dress with some leggings and ballet slippers?! I am pretty happy with it. It took me two weeks to do which is pretty good because I didn't work on it every night....and my daughter is going to wear it in 2010! This is pretty big for her but at least it is ready and waiting for her little body to grow (however, I am not ready for that).




I have to share a recent recipe with you too. Try Lentil Tacos. We are more burrito people than taco people so we put the lentils into a tortilla with rice, spinach, cheese, and tomatoes. AMAZING!

a non expert elmo cupcake tutorial

I debated showing you these cupcakes. I am pretty sure they look like my two year decorated them! But I had fun and have never attempted anything like this before. Unfortunately, they didn't taste that great but I figured a class full of 1-2 year olds would not be snobs when it comes to the taste of their sugar (I was right). Regardless of what the back of the food color box says, you can not get white frosting red. A very shocking pink but not red, even with half a bottle. So I had to use pre-made red decorators frosting that was in a tube. I think it is supposed to be used sparingly like with a flower not the entire cake. This stuff tasted bad. If I had had my act together I could have gotten a better food color dye at the craft store.

I could not find a good tutorial actually explaining how to decorate an elmo onto cupcakes, just pictures on Flickr(here, here, here, here). Here is my first time, non-cake decorator attempt that you should take with a grain of salt:

• Split oreos in half scrape out cream. Carefully cut each oreo side in half. Place the un-creamed side down (I did some with the un-cream side up but I didn't like them as much) onto the cupcake for elmo's mouth. Use a bit of frosting to help it stay put.
  
• I then used the star tip and the leaf tip to get elmo's hair. After a few I got the hang of it and I think the star tip works the best if you drag it up higher. I thought the dragging the leaf tip up looked like hair at first but really it looks like it melted all over.
  
• Place hair all around the oreo mouth. I put more hair around the oreo mouth than up where the eyes would go.
• Use a writing/piping tip to place two big whites of eyes very close together.
• Use a writing/piping tip to place a big orange nose right underneath the two eyes.
• Finally, use black frosting to put in the pupils with a small writing/piping tip.

count them TWO

two things to be excited about today!!

:: my girl is TWO today!


:: my friend Nicole made this cute bag by Martha but she made the process so much simpler with a great tutorial, even videos!

ear flap hat and a mommy bubble

Baby beanie hat pattern here. My pom pom needs some work.


I have decided to institute a "mommy bubble". This is time for me to be left alone to do what I wish. I like to use my mommy bubble time on Sunday afternoons to shut myself in the guest bedroom. In a half hour you can get some serious craft on. I like the mommy bubble.

This embroidery pattern cracks me up.

(via LazyMay)

birthday week starts!

The birthday bunting is hung! It looks exactly how I pictured in my head I wanted our living room to look! I think I would love to make another strand to have one more cross over but that one is way on the bottom of the list of things to make.







My mom made both dresses above and below for my girls birthday. Actually, the dress above was not planned but she feel in love with that apple and pear fabric (for good reason). I need to put the elastic into the arms to make proper puffed sleeves (remember Anne of Green Gambles? she longed for a dress with puffed sleeves!) Pattern is Simplicity 7189.



Cute right?!! The pattern for this skirt came out of Quilts and More magazine, information here.

No Blue Hats and Project Night Night

Happy February!

"No Blue" Hats is a project that I hope to continually work on. Right now I will focus on preemie and newborn hats. I used this pattern. My goal is to make two hats each week.

I found Project Night Night through my mom. She donated a blanket last year to Khadija at Barakah Life. Khadija organized a blanket drive through her blog. She is doing it again this year for Project Night Night. I really like this idea. You can even do this project locally! I thought about doing this locally for a bit but I think trying to organize project night night bags might be too much for me right now. Maybe next year for my 31st birthday (my 30th is next week, yikes!), I can do something like Kelly McCaleb, with a goal of putting together 31 bags or making 31 blankets throughout the year or getting 31 donations...

Here is a list of the items they need donated and specifications on blankets. I think even simple receiving blankets would be appreciated. Khadija is will be accepting donations until the end of February! her mailing address is below: