Interweave Crochet: Accessories Issue

Interweave Crochet has a new special issue: The Accessories issue available for Pre-order.  The Table of Contents show about 40 projects.  I have 2 inside!  They are both brand-new, never seen patterns.  You did, however, see the sneak peeks....

I can't wait to see it!

Give me a few more days.

I'll get back to posting as soon as I can.  Life got a little complicated.  All is well.  I am working diligently on the book edit.  That has to be my #1 focus until it's done.  Don't forget your Tunisian Scarf!  If you have one done, (or more) LEAVE A COMMENT here and if you are donating one of the scarves, let me know!  Everyone who has completed a scarf will get their name in a drawing for a prize. 

Spider Webby Bag Revealed!

Thanks to Coats & Clark for offering my Spider Webby Bag as a FREE PATTERN.

Frankenstein revealed

Coats & Clark is offering this free Flashlight Cozy pattern just in time for Halloween!

Fishing Hat Revealed!

Annie's Attic/DRG publishing has a new book out, Oh Baby! My contribution is a little Baby Fishing Hat. See this pattern and 38 more in this hardbound covered spiral book. The bottom photo in the lighter kahki and blue is the one pictured in the book.

Snuggly Blanket Revealed

The Snuggly Blanket is in the new issue of Crochet Today! Can you believe it is the November/December issue already? Crazy how time flies in the publishing world...

Here's another!

Springsplndr made this one:

Tunisian Patina Scarf, CAL:Tunisian

Here are some photos of the scarves our friends are making! Above is the scarf Kimb0 made for her niece! Beautiful!

Cookie is making this one:
Fracksmom is making this one:
Knotnut is making this one:
HappyHooker32 is making this one:
Kimb0 made this one
jam 52 made this one,,,Keep up the good work everyone!

Catching up

Last week was so productive that I can't imagine that this week could possibly be nearly as productive. But I'm going to try anyway. Y'all know how crazy I am about goals... I've been reading a book by one of the early motivators Earl Nightingale... you remember Earl right? Anyway, he wrote a short effective book called, The Strangest Secret. In the book Earl agrees with me that goals are critical to success. My goal to make the remaining part of 2010 all about learning is going well. I am trying to be more of a student of crochet like my friend Vashti Braha. One of the many things I love about Vashti is that she studies her stitches, construction methods and really is very thoughtful about her design decisions.

Ok, I'm rambling. I'm just stalling. The next edit on the BOOK is this week and it is due to arrive on my doorstep any MINUTE. Also, the final photoshoot for the BOOK is going on RIGHT NOW. Woohoo. Crazy. Also, I've been waiting for a few reveals that I thought would happen last week, perhaps this week.

Tomorrow, we'll talk about the Tunisian CAL.

Tunsian: HOOKS!

I need any and all opinions about all styles and brands of Tunisian hooks! I'll read ALL comments about all brands, but I won't publish anything negative, so don't mention brand names in your comment. If you want me to know the good and bad stuff about specific brands, go ahead and email me your thoughts to: Ellen at GoCrochet dot com put "Tunisian hooks" or something in the subject line so that I don't think it's spam. Thanks!

Recognize this girl?

Doris Chan has an exciting new pattern line for girls! DJC Designs, Too! The first pattern, Birthday Girl skirt, is up and is modeled by... Chickee! She loved the skirt and your little girls will too... and many of us not so little girls... yes, I got to try one on too.


Check out more patterns by Doris Chan here, which are hosted by Vashti Braha.

Chicken video

I'm working, really I am... but I'm busy, so I'll leave you with this video of flying chickens in our backyard. Enjoy.

Gratuitous Cat photo

Today, as yesterday, I'm on a design binge. Trying to design and swatch and sketch as much as possible since I have a few days without a deadline. Then, lots of deadlines coming up... 6? What do you want? What projects do you desperately need me to design? I'll take requests while I've got my pencils and sketch books out.

CAL Tunisian Scarf: Blocking

Blocking methods depend on the fiber content used in the project.

Kimb0 on Ravelry made her scarf in a silk/wool blend yarn, she asked, "Since it’s so long, can I double it up to do this step? I’m headed to my dad’s for the rest of the weekend, and was thinking I could pin it to a couple of towels laid across the washer/dryer, but it’s way too long to lay out in a single layer."

My reply: To block your silk/wool blend, I would pin it down to the right dimensions, stretching it as much as you want to show off the openness. then squirt it with water until it is very wet, near saturated, and let it dry. If you can’t pin it to towels on a floor or bed, then you can double the scarf, but make it shaped like a “V” so that it is not resting on itself. The keys to blocking wool is to use only cool (not hot) water and try not to handle it much or let it rub against itself much…. you don’t want it to felt.

Chickee caught a butterfly! It almost doesn't look real. Unfortunately, I think it was easy to catch and sat so still because it was injured.

Curlicue Belt Revealed!

Crochet! Magazine presents Celebrate the Season with great gifts for all. 40 patterns! I have the Curlicue Belt in the issue, and here is our Niece modeling it for me.

Tunisian Patina Scarf, CAL:Tunisian

I'm making progress on my scarf, how is yours? This is in Malabrigo Silky Merino. I have a feeling it is going to felt very easily, so I'll have to be easy with it. What yarns are you using?

Ammonite Scarf Swatches

Here are some swatches of different yarns for the Ammonite Scarf. It is funny how Inside Crochet did the same thing! There is a 2-page spread in Issue 10 of how different yarns look in the pattern. The mustard swatch is Louet Riverstone. Oh gosh, I can't remember what the above swatch is. Ack. It was a lovely yarn but I felt the multi-color didn't show off the shape of the motifs very well.

Sneak Peek, CAL Tunisian Scarf

It feels like it has been a while since I've given you a sneak peek... here's an easy one!

How's everyone's Tunisian Patina Scarf coming along? The discussion has been a little more active on the Ravelry group. Some of the participants have already been wondering about how to block the scarf, so we'll definitely be talking about that soon!

Everyone who finishes their scarf by the end of September will get their name in a drawing for a prize. Everyone who finished in September PLUS everyone who is finished by the end of October, will get their name in a drawing for another prize at the end of October. If you pledge that at least one scarf will go to Dee's 60 scarves in 60 days Challenge for Charity, you'll get your name in the September drawing a second time. Send me photographic proof by posting a photo on Ravelry (let me know!) or send me a flickr or photobucket link to my email address in the right sidebar.

Crochet Today Must Have Gifts

One of my favorite patterns has made it into Crochet Today's Special Issue: Must-Have Gifts.
Look how young Chief looks! I love this pattern because I did a great job with the increasing and decreasing! It has a nice "V" neckline and the edges at the bottom are rounded. I can totally see this in girl colors too, maybe make it shorter into a bolero, leave it open. Very cute. This special issue is on newsstands now.

Ammonite Scarf Reveal

above photo belongs to Inside Crochet magazine.

I had been calling it the 'Dog Bone' scarf because the motifs reminded me of, well, dog biscuits. Also, the foundation of each motif is 29 sts, so my second title was the '29 again' scarf. Neither title won out. I guess I have a quirky sense of humor. Anyway, the Ammonite Scarf (a lovely name, but I don't know what an 'Ammonite' is... enlighten me?) is now in Inside Crochet, issue 10! Available now as a digital download through YUDU. In 6 months, I'll have the pattern as an individual PDF.

Sneak Peek

Did I do this sneak peek yet? If so, sorry. I'm planning two more sneak peeks for next week! Have a great weekend.

Layout Galley

No, Charlie is not more interested in the binder clip than the book. He fully supports all my work... he's helping me, yeah, that's it. I'm fighting a head cold today and my brain is fuzzy, so this is all I can post without saying something that I'll be confused by later.

Tunisian Crochet: Counting Rows

Here's the first 5 rows of my Tunisian Patina Scarf. How do I know that it is 5 rows? Count the stitches along the right edge! Row 1 is my TSS foundation row. Row 2 is a Twisted Simple Stitch row, and rows 3, 4, and 5 are the pattern row. (Refer to your pattern for the instructions). Don't have the pattern? Get it here as an automatic PDF download for $6.00 USD.