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 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