Crochet your own decorated eggs. Use a basic egg
and change colors as you wish for nicely decorated eggs.
If you use waistcoat stitches for your egg you get different options. Like small, heart-shaped dots ♥
The innovative new crochet pattern has just been released. Tricky Triangles is a mandala presenting a new way to crochet in the round.
The mandala will be soft and drapey and excellent for making a pillow or you can make it a decorative table topper. There are a lot of other possibilities for hexagons if you google it.
The Mandala
I'm not sure if the level of it is beyond basics or advanced. It might more be a matter of preferences and whether you can find a hook that works for you.
It's colorwork and it requires you to make somewhat uniform stitches. The main stitches are slip stitches and waistcoat stitches. If you are not sure whether these stitches suit you or not, try the FREE introduction pattern Tessa's Triangles first.
Tricky Triangles comes with a 30% introductory discount. The discount is only available on Payhip or Ravelry and runs out in 2 weeks (Nov. 18th Copenhagen time). Use the coupon code TRICK to get the discount.
The mandala pattern is available in English (US terms) and Danish.
Get the pattern at Ravelry, at LoveCrafts, or right here via my new Payhip Store.
Yarn, Hook sizes, and Final Sizes
In theory, you can use any three yarn balls and a relatively large hook. Preferably a hook with a relatively small head. For the best result, the yarn should be uniform and soft, with a smooth look.
The yarn I have used is very soft and likable, so I can certainly recommend it.
Peppermint and Licorice
Hook size 5mm (H-8). It gets around 30cm (11.8") wide.
Scheepjes Organicon/Bamboo Soft.
Organicon - 220 Broken Almond
Bamboo Soft – 263 Smokey Diamond (dark)
Bamboo Soft – 264 Antique Silver (grey)
Hook size 5mm (H-8). It gets around 30cm (11.8") wide.
Scheepjes Organicon/Bamboo Soft.Organicon - 220 Broken Almond
Bamboo Soft – 263 Smokey Diamond (dark)
Bamboo Soft – 264 Antique Silver (grey)
(Big) Red.
Hook size 8mm (L-11). The red is approximately 37cm (14.5") wide.
Scheepjes Merino Soft.
645 Van Eyck (orange)
621 Picasso (red)
623 Rothko (dark red)
Hook size 8mm (L-11). The red is approximately 37cm (14.5") wide.
Scheepjes Merino Soft.645 Van Eyck (orange)
621 Picasso (red)
623 Rothko (dark red)
Yarn Packages
Littlebugz.dk made yarn packages for both versions. It might be of most relevance if you live in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway - or close. She is good at adding discounts on yarn packages for my patterns.
Have a look at the yarn packages at Littlebugz.
FYI. A lot of the yarn I use is sponsored by Littlebugz.dk. Littlebugz then makes yarn packages for my patterns. And in case you wonder. Littlebugz doesn't sponsor my opinion or anything other than the yarn 😊
Thank You
Thank you to all that have helped me out. Janelle did a great job before it was even a pattern. She helped me with terms and the structure of the written pattern. Then Anita Reinehr came in early to do a superb tech edit. Unusual yes, but with a new thing, it felt important to do a tech edit before having the pattern tested.
Finally, a lot of people did testing. Some just partly, some only on the early Tessa's Triangles. Thank you to all of you too; Pamela Tan, Robyn Kaltea, Ruth Lister, Jess Wells, and more.
Here is a nice little FREE spider web pattern.
ss = slip stitch
ws = waistcoat stitch
-blo = back loop only
** = repeat all the way around
A waistcoat stitch is a single crochet stitch, where you insert the hook between the legs of the previous stitch.
Foundation
Note. Work 2 ws in the first stitch of the round too, but skip the color change.
Finish Off
Cut the yarn.
Expand the last loop till the yarn end is through.
Weave in the ends.
Use it for a coaster or make more rounds and use it as a table topper. Once you get the pattern it is very simple and you decide how big you want it.
Yarn and Hook Suggestions
You can make it of any yarn you want and then a relatively large hook. Btw, I recommend a dark but NOT BLACK yarn, to begin with. It is VERY difficult to find the right places to insert the hook, when using black yarn and working with waistcoat stitches.
I’ve tried two combos that worked well for me:
Mixed Fingering Yarn (Semi-light)
Mixed Fingering Yarn (Semi-light)
- Wool yarn blend (orange) and cotton yarn (black). Both with yardage around 210m/50gr (230yds/1.76oz)
- Hook size 4 mm (US G-6)
Cotton Yarn - Fingering
- Cotton yarn for amigurumi with yardage around 170m/50gr (186yds/1.76oz)
- Hook size 5 mm (US H-8)
If you are making a coaster meant for warm chocolate, tea, or coffee, you should use pure cotton yarn.
Instructions
The spider web pattern is based upon Tessa’s Triangles (a hexagon pattern). You can find tips and secrets in Tessa’s Triangles that can be useful for the spider web as well.
Abbreviations
sc = single crochet stitchss = slip stitch
ws = waistcoat stitch
-blo = back loop only
** = repeat all the way around
A waistcoat stitch is a single crochet stitch, where you insert the hook between the legs of the previous stitch.
Start with the web color (dark).
Foundation
6 loose sc in a magic ring. Add a stitch marker between the legs of each stitch if it helps you.
Join the round with an ss-blo in the first sc.
Note. This is a tricky part as the first sc can be pulled at so much, that you can’t find where to insert the hook when doing the ws. This is why I recommend attaching stitch markers right after making the magic ring.
Round 1)
Note. This is a tricky part as the first sc can be pulled at so much, that you can’t find where to insert the hook when doing the ws. This is why I recommend attaching stitch markers right after making the magic ring.
Round 1)
*ws in the current sc (change color to orange while pulling up the last loop of the ws),
ss-blo in the next sc while changing color again *
ss-blo in the next sc while changing color again *
Note. Work the final ss-blo into the first ws of the round.
Round 2)
Round 2)
*ws in the current ws (change color to orange while pulling up the last loop of the ws),
ss-blo in every ss,
ss-blo in every ss,
ss-blo in the next ws while changing color *
Round 3-4)
Repeat round 2
Round 5-6)
Repeat round 2, but without the color changes.
More Rounds
Work round 2-6 as many times as you want.
Repeat round 2
Round 5-6)
Repeat round 2, but without the color changes.
More Rounds
Work round 2-6 as many times as you want.
Final Two Rounds
Round 7)
Repeat round 2
Round 8)
ws in the current ws (change color to orange while pulling up the last loop of the ws),
* ss-blo in every ss,
ss-blo in the next ws while changing color,
ss-blo in the next ws while changing color,
2 ws in the current ws (change color to orange while pulling up the last loop of the second ws) *
Note. Work 2 ws in the first stitch of the round too, but skip the color change.
Finish Off
Cut the yarn.
Expand the last loop till the yarn end is through.
Weave in the ends.
Happy Halloween!
Have you noticed Double Crochet Stitches (dc) tend to get skewed/slanted? Sometimes it's very visible and if you want to straighten them out, the solution is simple and easy to remember. It can be used for taller stitches too.
For me this mostly applies to open crochet projects, However, it does happen that I also use this technique in something like a granny square with lots of DCs next to each other. It just adds a little extra to the overall look.
When your double crochet (dc) stitches don't line up as beautiful as you want, the reason can be, that you have a very open pattern and/or very loose stitches. The loose work makes room for the foot of the stitches to move a little in the horizontal direction. Chevron patterns can make the imperfection even more visible.
Another Double Crochet Tip: Start a Row with a Fake Stitch
The Workaround
You avoid the messy look by inserting your hook differently. If you look closely at the top of a dc stitch, you can see the hole you would normally use. At the bottom right of the regular hole is a small loop. If you stitch through this loop, it will help the foot of your dc stay put on top of the previous dc.
The slope only exists at the top of higher stitches, so don't look for it, when you are about to hook into a chain stitch.
Related article: Linked Stitches
Stitch Height
Your workaround stitches will be slightly shorter, than a regular dc. So don't change the way of stitching in the middle of a project. If you are about to start on a new project, then make sure to do your gauge swatch with the exact stitch you want to use.
When (Not) to Use the Workaround
As said already, this little double crochet trick is mostly needed, when you work on something loose, open, and/or chevron. If you work on a project with a lot of dc stitches close to each other - or a tighter piece - chances are, the stitches fill in all holes beautifully.Only in a few tighter cases - like an outside-in granny square I recently played around with - it makes sense. Here, the hole pattern relies a lot on stitches being placed upon each other. Hence I used the dc workaround and got really nice stitches.
Btw. the granny square idea shown here, was presented to me by Tuula Maaria @instagram. See her youtube video, if you want to try one too :)
Note. The original post was made in July 2017. The latest update is from May 2021.
Suddenly there were Bernie Sanders' mittens all over. What a joy and GREAT inspiration :) Like many other yarn geeks, I've tried to see if I could figure out the color pattern of the mittens.
From cuff to hand. Waistcoat stitches only. Increase evenly in the first round (maybe two rounds). You will need a number of stitches divisible by 4 - plus 3 extra stitches (like 32+3=35).
Because. The color pattern is made of repeats of 4 stitches and the root of the thumb could require 3 stitches.
Hopefully, you are now working with the dark color and don't have to figure out the colorwork at the same time.
I'm not sure, though I will make the actual mittens. However, I do have quite a detailed idea of HOW I would do it and maybe this could be of interest to you?
I would crochet in the round in waistcoat stitches (ws), so the mittens got the knitted feeling and would be as warm and cozy as they look at the photos of Bernie Sanders.
I would crochet in the round in waistcoat stitches (ws), so the mittens got the knitted feeling and would be as warm and cozy as they look at the photos of Bernie Sanders.
The Color Pattern
I had great fun making the color pattern. I used a drawing app on my iPad, that can do grids and layers, but I can also recommend StitchFiddle if you want to make your own stitch pattern and be sure your gauge works well.
Related blog post: From Image to Crochet Chart
Here is my green version of the color pattern. Choose whatever color you like.
Sketching Bernie Sanders Mittens
This is ONLY A SKETCH, but if you are interested in trying, you are welcome to use it. I will also gladly help you if you stumble upon something here, that you need help with.
Hook. Use a 5mm hook
Yarn. Stretchy wool yarn blend with yardage around 200m/50gr. Fingering (or possible Sport).
- - -
Foundation. Chain 30-42 to start with. A number divisible by 3. (Might need a swatch to test the gauge). Turn the chain row into a circle with a slip stitch. Work in a spiral.
Cuff ribbing. Crochet *2 ws, 1 ch* for several rows.
From cuff to hand. Waistcoat stitches only. Increase evenly in the first round (maybe two rounds). You will need a number of stitches divisible by 4 - plus 3 extra stitches (like 32+3=35).
Because. The color pattern is made of repeats of 4 stitches and the root of the thumb could require 3 stitches.
Make a couple of extra rounds. 2-4 rounds I think.
The Thumb
Below is how I would try to make the thumb. I would begin the colorwork right after starting the thumb part. So read both parts now.
Place two stitch markers with 3 stitches between them. The stitch markers mark the beginning and end of the hand. In between them is the thumb.
Once the base of the thumb is done, simply skip the thumb stitches and continue with the hand part (= skipping all the thumb stitches between the stitch markers).
Do the thumb-increase for something like 5cm (2inches).
Color Work
After initiating the thumb, I would start working on the color pattern as well. The stitch markers marking the thumb are placed in the first and last stitch of the hand. These are also the last and first stitches of the colorwork. So just pretend the thumb isn't there when you look at the color diagram.
Use a solid color for the thumb - or carry through the color from the color pattern.
The middle stitch will be worked normally all the time. Increase when working into the other two stitches next to the stitch markers.
Increase at every second round or what works for you. Move the stitch markers up accordingly. Always increase in a stitch right next to the stitch marker and on the thumb-side of that stitch marker.
Increase at every second round or what works for you. Move the stitch markers up accordingly. Always increase in a stitch right next to the stitch marker and on the thumb-side of that stitch marker.
Once the base of the thumb is done, simply skip the thumb stitches and continue with the hand part (= skipping all the thumb stitches between the stitch markers).
Do the thumb-increase for something like 5cm (2inches).
Color Work
After initiating the thumb, I would start working on the color pattern as well. The stitch markers marking the thumb are placed in the first and last stitch of the hand. These are also the last and first stitches of the colorwork. So just pretend the thumb isn't there when you look at the color diagram.
Use a solid color for the thumb - or carry through the color from the color pattern.
Color Change Tips
Prepare a color change by changing yarn when you do the last YO-pull-through of a stitch. (Right before the visual color change).
Carry the un-used yarn color on the wrong side of the work or hide it by crocheting over it.
Carry the un-used yarn color on the wrong side of the work or hide it by crocheting over it.
Finalizing the Hand
Carry on with the colorwork until you have about an inch left of the desired length of the mitten. Decrease on both sides at every round now.Hopefully, you are now working with the dark color and don't have to figure out the colorwork at the same time.
Finalizing the Thumb
Crochet the rest of the thumb in any color. Work straight up till it is long enough and then decrease all the way around.
Would You like to Try?
Would you like to try? I'll be here to help you if you run into trouble. And who knows. Hubby asked for fingerless gloves long ago. One day, I might make him a pair using the color pattern above.
Have fun :)
Let us end the year by being kind to ourselves and each other. I have a FREE little heart-shaped crochet love for you.
Hang it on the Christmas tree, as decor for a present or just make one if you need a break during the holidays.
Evie's FREE ear warmer pattern is ready.
It doesn't take much yarn to make. Find the pattern at Ravelry or LoveCrafts now.
Wet, cold, hot, sunny, cold, warm. When the weather is indecisive like this, we better be prepared. Here is a UNIQUE 3-piece pattern with hat, cowl, and fingerless gloves.
Did you try the free Evie's - Fingerless Gloves pattern yet? If not, it is still available for free. Try thee gloves and you might want the full set.
Here is a fast little pattern for you. Light and airy fingerless gloves.
The drape is great and the gloves are stretchy with a thin, rolled cord-like edging.
This blog post is updated October 2020
The Infinity Scarf is now available as a written pattern too.
This border is bold and flexible and can be used with all kinds of projects. It is also the 4th and final part of the StoneGnome Infinity Scarf.
I promised to show you the border today, but don't despair if you are still working on the flames stitch patterns.
I promised to show you the border today, but don't despair if you are still working on the flames stitch patterns.
Learn how to expand the Little Flames pattern and add shadows.
Last time we did the Little Flames. There are many other ways of doing patterns with waistcoat stitches and chains, though. So, let's try one.
Last time we did the Little Flames. There are many other ways of doing patterns with waistcoat stitches and chains, though. So, let's try one.
Today I’ll show you how to do the first cable-like stitch pattern.
Happy Valentines! Let us do the first part of the StoneGnome Infinity Scarf. I have released the new video for the CAL.
I'll recommend that you watch the full video at least once. There are several tips in there, you might need. Later, you can get back here and use the notes for a better overview.
I'll recommend that you watch the full video at least once. There are several tips in there, you might need. Later, you can get back here and use the notes for a better overview.
The introduction is now available on YouTube. :)
See the video or read about the scarf here.
See the video or read about the scarf here.
The scarf is lovely, isn't it? If you want one too, join me for a Crochet-Along (CAL).
I've made the first video recordings of how to make my StoneGnome Infinity Scarf and I will have an introduction ready next Friday.
I've made the first video recordings of how to make my StoneGnome Infinity Scarf and I will have an introduction ready next Friday.
I see a lot of questions these days about how to get circles like Rozeta* - but also squares - to lay flat and avoid the wonky look.
There are more things you can do to avoid wavy edges.
There are more things you can do to avoid wavy edges.
The waistcoat stitch is a lovely little thingy and you can make beautiful yet easy and fast worked stitch patterns with this.
Let me show you.
We took a break the other day and went to the beach. I grabbed one of my older ideas on the way out and got this little beauty for you.
You really don't need that little knot in the beginning of your next crochet project. Here is a video showing how to avoid it.
It works with regular crochet as well as Tunisian and it doesn't matter how you like to hook into your starting chain.
It works with regular crochet as well as Tunisian and it doesn't matter how you like to hook into your starting chain.
