StoneGnome

This December has been all about rain and rain and rain, so I've made a free snowflake pattern that pair up well with the one I made almost two years ago.

This is my X-mas present for you.

December is calling for cozy crochet projects. I know, I'm looking forward to peace and quiet* and my crochet projects! I've found a few links for free projects you might want to try.

Crochet a heart for Mother's Day.


This one doesn't need blocking, but it is still super cute and easy to do.

My latest pattern is now available. The hat and tube are square and are very light, despite the bumpy, fluffy look.


It was my 3-year-old daughter, that requested the hat.

Here is a beautiful open Valentines Heart for you. It is a free pattern.


Use it for decoration or as a bookmark.

Here is a free snowflake pattern for you, that can bring bright snow into your life.


Use it for Christmas or use it as decoration, when other Christmas decorations are put away and everything feels a bit empty and dark.

Christmas gets closer every day. All full of love and (Xmas) hearts. Here is a free heart pattern for you.


I'll guide you at the beginning of the diagram as well as at the parts, when new things happen. So even if you are a newbie, you should be able to finalize this.

Have you been told to hold your hook as a pencil or maybe as a knife? This might be wrong for you.


Then, how to hold the hook? And how to avoid pain, if you want to crochet a lot?

Make a nice decoration for your bottle of water. Use it as nice touch or for more practical reasons.


Everybody brings a bottle of water at the fitness center or at a field trip. Some of the bottles look very much alike, and occasionally it can be difficult to find the right one.

Here is a pattern for a bottle decoration, that makes your bottle unique.

Say hello to another happy member of the baby toy family. The Smiley Cloud.


As a gift to everyone on the newsletter list and following on Facebook, The crochet pattern is FREE for a few days - but on Ravelry only! Use the coupon code FREECLOUD.

Need boot cuffs - or just want to practice slip stitches? Use the boot cuffs as decoration, to stay warm or to give the boots a nice soft top.

A new pattern is out. A cute little Smiley Moon.


The Smiley Moon has actually existed for quite some time. Now it exists as a written pattern too. Find it at  Ravelry or as a package with 3 amigurumi patterns at LoveCrafts.

There are many ways to crochet a cord or strap. With or without an eye. And more or less elegant, when it comes to hide and weave in the loose ends.


I like a method, where both yarn ends are easy to hide afterwards. Here is a tutorial of how to do that.

Bymami has this exquisite pattern package with 5 different succulents. I wanted to try one with variegated yarn, and then I made a tuft of (sea)grass as well to create a sea theme. This might be a good way of spending leftover yarn.


Get links and patterns here.

When it is too warm to wear a hat, but your ears get cold, then a headband might be what you need. Here is a free pattern for you.

I've started to collect plastic bottles. I save those that have been used for vinegar. I found out, they are pretty easy to cut into different shapes - and they can be washed.


So hubby, please bear with me!

How do you join yarn for a color change - or if you need to add another yarn ball?



I don't like knots or sewing in ends. If I do amigurumi, I prefer to crochet over the yarn ends whenever possible. In almost every other case I prefer the Russian Join. To my experience, It can be used with most yarns and it blends in very well. I also use the Russian Join, if I suddenly find a knot in the middle of my yarn ball.

Meet Junior Egg. He likes to sit in his nest of yarn - or hang from a twig or a tree. The Junior Egg pattern is free!
About 10 days ago the kids and I played with paper and cardboard and we came up with an egg with legs because it was pretty easy for me to draw and cut out, while the kids put colors on the legs and glued them on the eggs.

Then I thought. Why not make a crochet version? So, her it is :)

Once in a while I talk to an experienced crocheter, who never did a gauge swatch. Because GAUGE sounds like something difficult. It's not.

Do you need to know your gauge? No. You can certainly crochet without knowing your gauge. But if you want to have just the slightest idea of what size your final work will be, you need it.

Very often the never-did-a-gauge-swatch-chat is followed by a funny story about extremely large or small hats.

It doesn't take long to learn to do a gauge swatch and it might save you hours of frogging for the rest of your life!

Making a perfect flat circle is not always easy. There are a lot of things to consider. Most blogs only cover a small part of this exercise. Therefor I've collected some good guides and tutorials for you.

With this in hand, you should know the most important things, there is to know about a (perfect) flat circle.

Use the Perfect Stitch Marker

Once in a while you work on something, were you need to count and count and count. Most of the time you are counting rows and sometimes you need to make sure, you do the increase/decrease or color change in the right place.


FYI: You don't need to count the same rows again and again.

Do you sometimes find that some of your clothes could use something extra?

I have this lovely way-too-big sweater. It is great for a rainy day, when you just want to stay indoor doing crochet. Only thing is; the neck is too open. So my chest gets cold.

Recently a clever girl on Facebook told me, I could use Tunisian Top Stitch as a rib. So I wanted to try that on my sweater.

A little Toy for Your Next Project?

Babies love smiley faces. This is a happy little sun that crackles when squeezed. The sun is loved by my 1½-year old girl as well as my 3-year old toddler. You can make it of leftover yarn.

It is perfect as a present for a baby shower. Make 3 of them and put them on a string and you have a stroller toy, the baby will love!

The Smiley Sun amigurumi pattern is currently available as part of a 3-piece package at LoveCrafts in Danish and English.

Or can be bought individually at Ravelry in both Languages.

Learn to do the Top Stitch - aka Bump Stitch. It is a VERY easy stitch and the stitch is also very fast to work with.

You can easily make beautiful lace-like scarfs with this technique.

You've found this little project on the internet you want to try. It is Tunisian Crochet, so... do you need to buy a special Tunisian Hook for it?

Maybe NOT!

Working in a spiral is one of my favorite ways to work for a flat circle, amigurumi or likewise. The reason is, you don't get ugly looking joints, as if you close each round with a slip stitch. And yes! I do know there are prettier methods for seamless joining than the slip stitch.

It doesn't feel long ago since I discovered the Tunisian Top Stich - aka Bump Stitch. This certainly is my favorite Tunisian stitch of today.


I've done minor testing on different ways to use it - like for ribbing - and I think the stitch has great potential. Meaning it can unlock new possibilities for Tunisian crochet patterns.