Crochet! Magazine Web Bonus #2

If you are a subscriber of Crochet! Magazine, or a member of CGOA, you are eligible for the bonus patterns.  For the Autumn issue, there are two of my patterns that are available, here is the second:

;

Yo-Yo Purse

Pattern Coupons!

In Honor of Sock Summit, Tangled Magazine is offering a discount on both my Primrose and my Salt Water Taffy Patterns!  Both crochet patterns use Spud & Chloe Fine, sock-weight yarn.  To get the discount, go to www.Tangledness.com 
Use the promotion code: "socksummit11" For $1 off your purchase of either of my patterns! The coupon is valid until August 16.

Crochet! Magazine Web Bonus #1

If you are a subscriber of Crochet! Magazine, or a member of CGOA, you are eligible for the bonus patterns.  For the Autumn issue, there are two of my patterns that are available, here is the first:

Tipsy Blanket!

Knit and Crochet Show, Minneapolis, Don't miss it!

If you are going, stop by and see me on Saturday at 12:30-1:30 at the Glory-ous Knits booth.  They'll be selling my book and I'll be signing them!

Otherwise, I'll be speaking at the Professional Development Day on Wednesday.

I'll be back here at the blog sometime on Monday Aug 1.

I can't wait to see what you've done on the Hexagon CAL with another week's progress!

Changing Color in Crochet; Adding new yarn

I often hear beginners ask "How do I change color?" or "how do I add a new ball when the first ball runs out?" These are great questions!  Those of us who are veteran crocheters don't even think about it, but everyone has to learn somewhere! So why not here?

Whether you are changing color or adding a new ball of the same color, it's the same technique.  Always stop the stitch one step short of completion, yarn over with the new yarn and finish the stitch, continue working with the new color.  I'll show you below. When working in rows, always try to change color on the last stitch of the row, so that the ends can be woven in neatly along the edging.  When making a garment, try to change color under the arm or on the side seam.  When working in rounds, like for motifs, change color when you start a new round.

Here is a double crochet, to complete the stitch, I would normally yarn over with the yarn and pull through both loops on the hook.  Instead, I'm going to let the working yarn dangle, and yarn over with the new yarn, and pull through the new yarn.

Cut the old yarn leaving a 4" tail or so.  When adding the new yarn, let about 4" of the new yarn end so it can be woven in later also.  Looking at the photo, pull the new red yarn through.  Continue working with the new yarn.  This method is the same for every stitch.  Whether it be a cluster, a sc, a dc2tog, a tr, it doesn't matter, always start the stitch with the old yarn, and when you are ready to pull the yarn through to close or finish the stitch, use the new color or new ball.

Sometimes when there is a flaw in the yarn, like a knot where it was broken during manufacturing and cut and tied really short, or when there is a bumble, a fuzzy lump in the yarn,  you need to cut the yarn before the flaw, cut after the flaw so that you are cutting the flaw or knot out completely, then pull the new yarn through as shown above so that the flaw is not in your project.  Those tiny knots made by the manufacturer pull undone very easily and you don't want that to happen in your finished project!  Also, the fuzzy flaws represent a weakness in the yarn in addition to an annoying change in texture.

When adding a new color to a motif, usually it is done to start a new round.  Generally, motifs are small enough that if you run out of yarn on a round, just start the round over with a new ball.  There is plenty of cutting and ends to weave in as it is, let's not add to the tally by changing yarns within a round.
Above, to add the pink, the instructions might say, "join pink with sl st in 3rd dc of dc-5 side", so, with no slip knot, I'm choosing to just insert my hook into the stitch, and leaving a 4" tail or so, pull the new yarn, slipping it through the st, (that's the slip stitch), then continue with the instructions, usually ch 3 or something.  If it says to join with a single crochet, I do the same thing, I pull the yarn through, ch 1, then sc.  I think others do it differently.  You can put a slip knot on the hook if you want, but the knot adds a little bit of bulk, and since the end will be woven in anyway, I don't feel like it's necessary.

Questions about changing yarn?  Let me know and I'll try to generate more photos to answer.

ACK! and Hexagon CAL

Two projects have to go out the door TODAY.    I hope to be back with you tomorrow.

;)
Along the CAL front, Meandering Home wrote:

I’ve made a few motifs so far and after joining them I know what I’m going to make with them. At this point I still want to keep the finished product secret.
Right now I haven’t been working on my hexagons as much as I would like because I’m getting paid to work on another project, and with a deadline looming over my head, it’s hard to find time for “me-crochet.”
With that said, I really like the hexagon motif and am having fun with it. I think my end idea will come together nicely. :-)

Reveals!

I have 3 new patterns in the new booklet, Huggable Baby. Here is one of them, but I don't think the mittens are included. Kim Guzman also has a few sweet designs. The book is both knit and crochet.  It's brand new and I don't know if it's available yet.  Red Heart is still putting details about the book up on the website, but here is the link.

Hexagon Thing CAL

8 people have voted that they have 'no idea what to make'.  Let's encourage them by revealing some of your plans.  If you know what you are making or need some feedback about an idea you have, let's talk about it! Leave comments here or on the Ravelry group Hexagon Thing CAL thread.

HaleyZim already went first sharing:
It took me forever to choose a yarn! I must have tried 10 at least until I finally settled on the one I wanted to use. I ended up blocking several motifs in different yarns before I made my choice for the one that gave me the drape I was looking for. Now I’m not generally a fan of motifs simply because I am really super extremely lazy when it comes to sewing in ends. Having said that, this little bugger has me hooked! I have another project that I MUST finish in the next week and I can’t seem to get to it. The Little Hexes as my daughter P1 calls them have a hold on me! Wish that meant that my secret project was progressing nicely but alas it is not. Not because the hexes are difficult but because I keep changing my mind on how to design my project - lol! And not being an experienced motif joiner, there have been some growing pains in that department.
Ok, I “showed” you my progress. Now it’s your turn :o)

Photo Friday

Here are some of the Hexagon/triangle configurations I considered for the Brilliant Starburst blanket in the Go Crochet! Afghan Design Workbook.

Monday, I'm going to post about the CAL.

Knitting

Here's a little hat I finished called the "Sweet Pea" by Stefanie Japel.  I am taking the Circular Knit Lab Class: Hats 4 ways on Craftsy.com  I'm having a great time!

Sneak Peek

Crochet! Magazine released this Sneak Peek on Facebook last week of my Felted tote.  Did you see it?  You can unclip the straps and re-clip them to make it a backpack!  It's made in a Fair-Isle technique which is only two colors per row, and it's ALL single crochet. You can do it!

Crochet Insider

Thanks to Kathy North for the review of my book in the newest issue of the Crochet Insider. 
Here's the link in case you missed it.

Also in the Crochet Insider, catch the article on how I designed the motifs for the book, here. 

The crochet world is spinning so fast right now!  As usual, I'm juggling projects, working toward deadlines.  Always present in my mind is my upcoming trip with the Crochet Guild of America in Minneapolis, MN.  I'll be speaking on July 27, Wed at Professional Development Day.  You don't have to be a professional already to attend. Check out the KnitandCrochetShow.com
Right now, I'm ironing out the details on a book signing for the event. I'll let you know the details when they are confirmed. Anybody going who still needs a book? I have no idea how many to bring with me. 

If you can't make Minneapolis in two weeks, there will be a Fall Show in Greensboro, NC in September. I will not be able to attend the fall show, though.

Photo Friday

My friend Cathy's hooks.

Hexagon Thing CAL

It's up! It's ready, It's beautiful! Thanks to my tech editor and my stitch diagramist, it's really, really nice.


So what are you going to do with it?  LOL?  While some of you may choose little projects, some of you may choose bigger projects... If you have a hint for what you are making... leave a comment with a hint!  I'll start a poll that you can vote on your progess... also, as you progress, I think you are able to change your vote, right?  If you are on Ravelry, the project is up for you to make a project page.  If you are not on Ravelry and want me to post photos of your progress, you can send me photos. My email address is in the right sidebar of this page.  If you are on Craftsy.com you can post a photo there.


$5.00 Hexagon Thing PDF

Book Review

Designer, Kathy North did a review of my book for me! Check it out here.  I hope you had a great 4th of July weekend! It's going to take us a few days to recover from too much! Too much sun and not enough water (to drink) and too much food and too many parties and not enough sleep! 

Progress is being made on the Hexagon Thing CAL!  I'll keep you posted! We're getting closer, so get your ideas thought through and dive into your stash.  YES, ANY smooth yarn will work, even thread!  Your motifs will just be bigger or smaller depending on which yarn you choose.  I'm sure you could make it out of textured yarn too, but you'd probably loose much of the shape.

Re-purposing Challenge

I have 3 flip top boxes that store the old 3.5" floppy disks.  It seems like I could find a great new purpose for these boxes that have to do with crochet, or my crochet office or something.  Can you think of a way to re-purpose these boxes and/or disks?

There is a hook there for scale.