30 Day Crochet: Day Twenty-Seven

Good Afternoon!

Today is the Bavarian Square...

This one is not quite finished yet, but you can see the idea. I'm keeping the square small enough to be used as a dishcloth. Farm Girl really likes this color mix.

Mikey - from The Crochet Crowd - is right when he says that the squares are made out of circles. 

He talks about that being a difficult concept to get, but it really isn't. Just pay close attention and pause the video so you can keep running it as you go. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

Crochet Along!

Find the free pattern/video in the link below:
How to Crochet a Bavarian Square

Continue to Day Twenty-Eight

30 Day Crochet: Day Twenty-Five

Good Afternoon!

Today we have a rose swirl crochet dishcloth.

I just need to express how disappointed I am with my own cloth, given how pretty the actual design is. If you are holding it in your hand, you can see the pattern. I got all patriotic and decided to use this variegated Red White & Blue yarn from Lily Sugar 'N Cream (since I am still waiting for my shipment of new yarn - including red - to show up). 

Follow the link below and I'm sure you will fall in love with the one you see there. It is really pretty! Lesson learned... next time I do this, I'll make it in a lighter - solid - color. I even tried to put yellow paper under it to help the holes show through so you can see the pattern. No such luck. :/ Even so, this is a very easy work-up. It would be quite easy for anyone - beginners included. 

Crochet Along!
Find the free pattern in the link below:

Rose Swirl Crochet Dishcloth

Continue to Day Twenty-Six

30 Day Crochet: Day Nineteen

Good Morning!

Following yesterday's post (and the comment I made about not liking the ice cream portion), I thought I would work up the cupcake dishcloth by Twinkie Chan. I so much prefer her cupcake topping, and think it would make a cute ice cream cone topper if you mix today's pattern with yesterday's. 

Anyway, I worked it up following the free pattern on the youtube video. It is really easy, and quite fun to make. Again, this is a pattern that would need blocked. I don't have the stuff for that yet. Even so, I think it is cute. I believe Farm Girl will love it! :) I used her favorite colors. 

As always 100% cotton and my Granny (H) hook. :) 

Crochet Along!

Follow the link below to make this free pattern:

Twinkie Chan Cupcake Dishcloth

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Continue to Day Twenty

30 Day Crochet: Day Seventeen

Good Morning!

With summer only days away, it seems fitting to work up some seasonal dishcloths! :) This morning we have the ever-loved (by me, anyway) flip flop:

This is a simple pattern from Yarnspirations, made in 100% cotton and entirely of single crochet. I'll admit working my single crochet backward for the border threw me a little bit. lol In all, it was so easy and so, so fun! :) It also gets bonus points for working up so quickly. 

I made this in Premier Home Cotton teal and Lily Sugar 'N Cream Fleur de Lavende. I used Granny Hook (size H) and followed directions exactly. I will say, though, that I sewed in the right side of the strap too low. Oops! In all, I had a really good time making this. Koala is now demanding a pair of crocheted baby sandals for her feet. lol We'll see... ;)

Crochet Along!
This free pattern is available in the link below:

Lily Sugar 'N Cream Flip Flop Dishcloth

Continue to Day Eighteen

30 Day Crochet: Day Sixteen

Good Morning!

Today we're going floral! :) Rather, I am LOSING to a pattern, because I do not have a visual aid to help me along. Grrr! When I get to the second row, it very clearly states in the pattern to start at the top of the chain two space by joining with a slip stitch. Then it says to chain one, followed by the pattern-typical 1 single crochet/chaintwo/one single crochet in the same place. That is followed by six single crochet down the side of the flower. I am good with all of that. I did that easily. 

However, the next set of instructions says to miss (skip) two single crochet. That would bring you to the next side where (in row one) we worked up six other single crochet. It says to skip two (that would be the bottom between petals) and work our 1sc, ch2, 1sc into the next chain one space. 

For one, there is NO chain one space mentioned anywhere in the 1st row. That has to be a typo of some sort. For another, you'd have to skip more than two stitches to get up to the chain two space, like so:

SO, here I am for the day so far. I'm actually waiting on help. I've posted in a FB crochet group asking what I am doing wrong. The pictures of this particular pattern do not seem to show any gaps of the size I would be creating by skipping all of those stitches. They also do not seem to reflect the intense curling I got when I followed through another three rows. (Yes, I've frogged a lot of rows to come back to this point.)

I am a visual learner. I need a video, or at the very least, a diagram. Argh!

Crochet Along!
Maybe you can figure out the pattern in the link below and tell me what to do! 

Bernat Plum Blossom Dishcloth

UPDATE: I went ahead with the idea that they simply had a typo by saying ch-1, and also that they forgot to add the final set of 6 sc to each petal. On that assumption, the pattern works just fine. Here it is at the end of row three:

You can see if I work it to the conclusion, it will end up with the correct pattern. That said, it takes aaages to move along one row at a time. This day does not have that kind of time in it. I fastened off at the end of row three and sewed in my end. I may take this pattern up again down the road, but that is not likely. 

Continue to Day Seventeen

30 Day Crochet: Day Fifteen

Good Afternoon!

Today I have a somewhat wobbly looking pencil dishcloth.

It was fun to make, but took more time than I planned on. You can see how many times I was distracted by how many visibly sloppy spots there are in it. 

I worked in pink instead of yellow because I'm saving my yellow for another project. This is 100% cotton, crocheted with a size 5 hook as stated in the instructions. 

Crochet Along!
This free pattern may be downloaded in the link below:

Lily Sugar 'n Cream Pencil Dishcloth

Continue To Day Sixteen

30 Day Crochet: Day Eleven

Good Morning! :)

Today we have a watermelon slice dishcloth. 

I was feeling really uninspired, so I went to google images and browsed 'crochet' like crazy. I found a picture I liked, but it was not linked to a pattern. I looked closer and decided that it was very simple, at that. I could see it was worked in double crochet, single crochet, and shells. What's not to know?

Decision made, I started in the round with a chain three and seven dc worked into a magic circle. 

Instead of completing the circle, I simply turned at the end, chained three and began working up the next row. I used the standard increase pattern of increases (2 dc in each stitch) all around (for row two), increase-1dc (row three), increase-2dc (row four), increase-3dc (row five), increase 4-dc (row six). Each row should end back on 2dc. I only did one, working it into the top of the chain three space.

Again, this involved turning at the end of each row, chaining three and placing my first dc into the same/very first stitch to start the row on an increase. 

I fastened off at the end of row six and worked one row of sc in white to the other side. I fit my shells into the number of stitches I had left by adding it up and dividing it by how many stitches it takes to anchor and make the shell. I sewed in whichever ends hadn't been crocheted in and finished off by sewing a few random seeds near the inside. Easy stuff!

Crochet Along! :)


Continue On to Day Twelve

30 Day Crochet: Day Eight

Good Morning! :) 

Today we have a little fish dishcloth!

I seem to be sticking with a nautical theme, for the most part.
That is okay, because I *do* actually love all things ocean! :)

If you are wondering why we are doing SO many dishcloths, it is because I have long wanted to do a string (pun intended) of them. I wanted to see how many fun shapes and sizes they come in. Plus, Farm Girl really likes them and actually uses them! Other 'hookers' can tell you how much better it feels to give someone a made-with-love gift that they actually USE. :) 

As always, I used 100% cotton yarn (Lily Sugar 'N Cream Azalea, and a Premier Home pink) and my Granny hook. (Size H, USA). This pattern was really easy and fun to work up. I used to see crochet pattern diagrams and think I could never understand them. The sailboat was the first time I'd ever really seen/used one along with the written pattern. I have to say, I love it! It is so helpful to have that to double-check my work against!

Crochet Along! :)
Find the link to downloading this free pattern below:

Lily Sugar 'N Cream Tropical Fish Dishcloth




Continue to Day Nine

30 Day Crochet: Day Ten

Good Morning!

In keeping with the nautical theme, today we have a starfish dishcloth. 

Please go easy on me. It is the middle of the night right now, and I've worked this up in the dark by the light of the television. 

Koala and Giraffe have had another long day. Koala has been especially clingy and nursey while she's getting through her croup. I was unable (and unwilling) to crochet around her while she's still so germy and needy.

I worked it up exactly to directions with 100% cotton yarn and a size H hook. 

This pattern was easy and fun! I'll be happy to try it again when I can do a better job of it, or, you know... see what I'm doing.  lol I only turned the light on briefly enough to take the picture. 

Crochet Along! :) 

Free downloadable pattern can be found in the link below: 

Starfish Dishcloths

Continue One To Day Eleven

30 Day Crochet: Day Six

Good Morning! :)

Day Six is going to look familiar... because it is. :)

I was not happy with Day Three's pattern turning out an entire dress, as I wanted something flat. 

SO, I threw together a single-crochet top and made up a little dress that looks more like a dishcloth. No real pattern here, so... short day! 

Crochet along!

Visit my link to Day Three (dress) for the original dress pattern if you like.
To change it to a flat dress, simply join the hdc stitches and then only work half of the circle, 

turning the work for every row at the width you desire for the outcome above.    


Continue to Day Seven

30 Day Crochet: Day Five

Good Morning!

Today we have a ladybug dishcloth. :) 

This one was done at Koala's behest. As she is sick right now, I didn't 

want to disappoint. Plus, who doesn't love ladybugs, right?

Confession time... 

I did not exactly follow directions on this one. 

It is to be worked in half-double crochet! My nemesis! The wrist-wracking, knuckle-knotting stitch! I can do them here and there as needed,

but a whole project?!?!?! No. Just no. 

SO, you can plainly see that I used double crochet instead. (I used my size H granny hook.) I also - quite visibly - ran into some distraction/trouble during the process and misplaced my popcorn stitches. 

I cannot tell you how much it is bothering me to see the dots out of whack!!! 

ARGH!!! No matter. Koala has dibs'd it, 

and I shall not have to look upon it again! Ha!

Seriously though, next time I will do better... I promise. ;)

I also deviated from the pattern for the head, just a wee bit. I began on the wrong side of the work and laid in a row of single crochet that was eleven stitches long. I do not like colors to join in a disjointed way, and this gave me a uniform base with a clear color change. 

Once I worked the eleven, I turned the work right-side and slip-stitched a total of three times (counting the one called for in the pattern) and began from there. I ended row one on the prescribed slip stitch and added two more to keep with my foundation. This allowed row two to start and end where they belong. You can see it made no difference whatsoever, beyond giving me the color divide the way I wanted it to be. 

That said, the pattern is perfectly good as-is. 

You will not need the changes I made. :) 

Crochet Along!

The downloadable/printable pattern is available for free below:

#130 Lady Bug Crochet Dishcloth - Maggie Weldon Maggies Crochet

Continue to Day Six

30 Day Crochet: Day Two

Good morning! 

Today is Day Two of our month-long crochet experience. Today's project not only works up really quickly, it is SO cute! I can tell that I will be making more of these off and on in the future just because I like them. :) 

Today we are making.... chickens! 

These are listed as potholders in the pattern title. Even at that, I don't see why they couldn't be used as dishcloths or purely decorative if you choose to block and starch them afterward. 

I used a 5mm hook for this project. The green/white variegated and solid yellow yarn was from Sugar 'N Cream. The solid white yarn was from my huge skein of Bernat. The solid black and solid red were both from Premier Home. All yarn used is 100% cotton.

 I followed the pattern exactly for the green and white chicken, and simply changed out colors on row four and the scalloped border - just past the five single crochet that make up his neck - for the white/black chicken. 

The black chicken and the apple from yesterday are for my sister, Farm Girl. She has the prettiest black and white speckled chickens, which is why I chose those colors. This is what they look like together:

I really like how they came out! :) 

I cannot wait to make more! 

I already have my mind's eye set on several different color combinations! :)

Crochet along! The link to the chicken tutorial may be found here:

How to #Crochet Chicken Potholder #TUTORIAL #237

Continue to Day Three

30 Day Crochet: Day One

I thought it might be fun to do something a little different. :)

I love to crochet. It is fun, great for my anxiety, and very calming to the soul. I especially like to make small projects that do not take very long. The payoff of satisfaction is much quicker than in larger projects. Plus, when I am making an afghan, the larger it gets, the hotter I get! I don't like to be a bundle of overheated energy in the warmer months of the year. Not to mention, doing something new also gives me a reason to use my cotton threads and play in different colors. All of these are good things!

Add it all up, and you get this: my goal to take the month of June and turn it into one long simple-project crochet fest! :) Make sense? Good. Let us begin.

Today is June second and I am already halfway behind. I have been working up projects, but did not get it posted. Please don't mind the date!

My first project was this fun apple, constructed by following along with the video posted by Crochet Crowd on YouTube. Mikey is both my and Giraffe's favorite online instructor. 

I used a size H hook that was passed down to me from my Granny. She used it for decades, so it is slightly worn. This makes it literally the smoothest hook I have ever held in my hands. It also has great sentimental value for me. :)

I also used cotton yarn. The white is from Bernat, the red and black are Premier Home, and the leaf is a color by Sugar 'N Cream. You can use whatever brand or color you prefer. 

Slight Changes: 

You can see that my leaf placement was slightly different, as were my colors. I also sewed in just a few small 'seeds' because I liked how it looked. 

Crochet along! :) 
The video for this pattern may be found here:

How to Crochet A Dishcloth: Apple Dishcloth

Continue to Day Two