Happy in Red: Fresh like spring: a crochet hexagon blanket

Happy in Red: Fresh like spring: a crochet hexagon blanket: Als ik gewoon even lekker voor de lol wil haken, heb ik zo mijn favorieten. Van die patronen waar ik niet al te hard bij op hoef te letten. ...

Crochet hexagon blanket: a step by step tutorial

Oh, wat ontving ik leuk en mooie reacties op mijn gehaakte zeshoekjes deken die ik vorige week op mijn blog plaatste. Daar heb ik best een beetje bij gebloosd, zeg. Dankjewel! Zoals ik heb beloofd, laat ik jullie vandaag zien hoe ik deze deken heb gemaakt. Het lijkt misschien heel lastig, maar het valt echt mee. Als je de eerste paar zeshoekjes hebt gemaakt, heb je het helemaal in de vingers. Dus hop dan maar!

You guys left some amazing comments on my crochet hexagon blanket, that I blogged about last week. I have to say: it made me blush. So thank you! I made a promise that I would post a tutorial this week and here it is. Maybe you think it's going to be difficult, but I promise you that it isn't. Once you've managed to crochet 3 hexagons you'll have the hang of it and you'll be well on your way. So, let's do this!


Laten we beginnen met de praktische zaken, dit heb je nodig:

370 gram Scheepjeswol Stonewashed
Je hebt 2 bollen Moon Stone (nr 801) nodig, voor de harten van de hexagons en de rand.
Voor de rest kun je zelf kijken welke kleuren je gebruikt, ik zag dat er ook nieuwe kleuren Stonewashed zijn (pastels!), dus misschien een leuk idee om deze eens te proberen.
Ik gebruikte één bol van de volgende kleuren:
Smokey quartz (802)
Black onyx (803)
Boulder opal (804)
Blue apatite (805) (2x, ik deze kleur voor de rand, maar je kunt hiervoor ook een andere kleur kiezen)
Canada jade (806)
Red jasper (807)
Corondum ruby (808)
Yellow jasper (809)

Haaknaald nummer 4 en spullen om je werk te blokken (hier lees je hoe je het opspannen van haakwerkaanpakt).

Let's start with the practical stuff, this is what you need:

370 grams of Scheepjes Stonewashed yarn.
You'll need 2 balls of Moon Stone (nr. 801) for the hearts of the hexagons and the edge.
But other than that you can pick whatever colour you like, there are so many lovely colors available. So go crazy and pick the ones you like. If you need a reference, these are the colors I used.
One ball of:
Smokey quartz (802)
Black onyx (803)
Boulder opal (804)
Blue apatite (805) (2x, I picked this color for the edge, but you can chose any color you like)
Canada jade (806)
Red jasper (807)
Corondum ruby (808)
Yellow jasper (809)

Crochet hook 4 mm, your stuff for wet blocking your work. If you wonder how to wet block, I've written a nifty tutorial on wet blocking crochet projects. 

I use US crochet terms!!

Zit je er klaar voor? Mooi! Dan gaan we aan de slag.

Round 1
Met wit haak 6 losse, maak ze aan elkaar met een halve vaste. Zodat je een cirkeltje hebt.
Haak 4 losse (telt als 1 dubbel stokje + 1 losse), haak nog 11x **1 dubbel stokje + 1 losse** in de ring.
Maak aan het eerste dubbel stokje vast met een halve vaste en hecht af.

Using yarn nr. 801 (Moon Stone) chain 6 and close to make a circle with a splip stitch. Chain 4 (counts as 1 treble + ch1). Crochet 11 times **1 treble + chain 1** into the ring, close with a sc to the first treble and cast off.

Round 2
Hecht een andere kleur aan in een ruimte tussen twee dubbele stokjes. Haak 3 losse (telt als 1 stokje) 1 stokje, 2 losse en 2 stokjes in diezelfde tussenruimte, in de volgende tussenruimte haak je *3 stokjes, in de volgende tussenruimte haakje 2 stokjes 2 losse 2 stokjes*, herhaal ** tot je rond bent, maak je laatste stokje aan het eerste vast met een halve vaste. Als het goed is zie je al dat je 6 hoekjes hebt!

Start with a new color, in the space between 2 trebles. Chain 3 (counts as 1 DC) 1 DC chain 2 and 2 DC in the same space, in the next space you crochet *3 DC, in the next space 2 DC CH2 2 DC*, repeat ** until the end of the round and finish with a sc into the first DC. If you take a look you can alsready see the hexagon shape!

Round 3
Haak 3 losse (telt als 1 stokje), 1 stokje, in de opening (van het hoekje, zeg maar) haak je 2 stokjes 3 losse 2 stokjes. Op elk stokje van de vorige ronde haak je een stokje, in elk hoekje haakje 2 st 3 losse 2 st. Eindig de ronde door het laatste stokje aan het eerste vast te maken met een hv.

Chain 3 (counts as 1 DC), 1 DC, in the 'corner' (the ch 2 opening from the last round) you crochet 2DC CH2 2DC. On every DC of the last round you crochet 1 DC, in the corners you crochet 2DC CH2 2DC. Finish with a sc into the first DC.

Round 4

Haak 3 losse (telt als 1 stokje), haak een stokje bovenop elk stokje van de vorige tour. In de hoekjes haak je 1 stokje, 1 losse en 1 stokje.

Chain 3 (counts as one DC), 1 DC on top of every DC of the last round. In the corners you crochet 1 DC, CH1 and DC1.

Join the hexagons as you go

Zodra je je tweede zeshoekje haakt, kun je ze gaan vasthaken aan elkaar. Da's even pielen, maar dat gaat je vast lukken. Zo doe je het. In de zeshoekje waar je mee bezig bent haak je in je hoekje 1 stokje, maar in plaats van dat je een losse haakt, maak je een halve vaste (bovenlangs) in het tegenoverliggende hoekje van je andere zeshoekje, dan haak je een stokje in het hoekje waar je mee bezig was en een stokje in je volgende steek.

Na elk stokje dat je haakt, maak je met een halve vaste in het tegenover liggende stokje (in dat andere zeshoekje dus) de twee zeshoeken aan elkaar vast. Je maakt de halve vaste bovenlangs, zoals je dat ook doet bij het 'joinen' van granny squares. 

When you start your second hexagon, it's time to start joining them as you go. It takes a little getting used to, but I am sure you'll be able to manage it. So this is how it goes: in your corner you crochet 1 DC, but instead of making a CH1 you slipstitch into the corner of the other hexagon. Then you make 1DC into the corner of the unfinished hexagon. Make 1 DC in your next stitch, now slipstitch into the opposite DC to join the hexagons, do this after every DC of your unfinished hexagon. 

The size of your blanket

Ik maakte mijn deken 7 hexagons lang. In de breedte begon ik met 5 hexagons breed, mijn tweede rij werd 6 hexagons lang, mijn derde rij 5 hexagons lang, etc. Ik eindigde met een rij van 5 hexagons.

My blanket was 7 hexagons long. My first row of the blanket was 5 hexagons wide, my second row 6 hexagons wide, the 3rd was 5 hexagons wide etc. I ended with a row that was 5 hexagons wide.

Making half hexagons

Zoals je ziet, zodra je je deken aan het maken bent is dat je aan de zijkanten redelijk grote openingen hebt. Als je dit mooi vindt: prima! Ik vond het echter een beetje idee om deze gaten te dichten met wat halve hexagons. Deze maakte ik in één kleur.

When you're making your blanket you'll notice the rather big gaps on the side of your blanket. If you'll like them: great! However, I thought it would be best to fill those holes with half hexagons. You'll make them in 1 color. 

Half hexagon round 1

Haak 3 losse en maak deze vast met een halve vaste, zodat je een kleine cirkel hebt. Haak 4 losse (telt als dubbel stokje + 1 losse), haak nog 5 keer *1 dubbel stokje + 1 losse* in de cirkel.

Chain 3, make a circle with a slipstitch. Chain 4 (counts as 1 treble + ch1), crochet 5x *1 treble + chain 1* into the circle.

Half hexagon round 2

Haak 3 losse (telt als een stokje), haak een stokje in dezelfde steek. In de losse opening haak je *3 stokjes, in de volgende opening haak je 2 stokjes 2 losse 2 stokjes*. Herhaal ** en eindig met 2 stokjes op de laatste steek.

Chain 3 (counts as 1DC), 1 DC in the same stitch. In the ch space of the last round you crochet *3 DC, in the next ch opening crochet 2DC CH2 2DC*. Repeat ** and end with 2DC on the last stitch.

Half hexagon round 3

Haak 3 losse (telt als een stokje), haak een stokje in dezelfde steek. Haak 1 stokje op de stokjes van de vorige tour, in de hoekjes haak je 2 stokjes 3 losse 2 stokjes. Eindig met 2 stokjes in de laatste steek.

Chain 3 (counts as 1 DC) and crochet a DC in the same stitch. 1DC on every DC of the last round, in the corners you crochet 2DC CH3 2 DC, eind with 2 DC in the last stitch.

Half hexagon round 4 (joining them)Haak 3 losse (telt als 1 stokje), haak met een halve vaste in het hoekje van de hexagon waar deze halve zeshoek aan vast moet. Haak een stokje in dezelfde steek als je eerste 3 losse, haak een halve vaste in het stokje dat tegenover dit stokje ligt in de andere hexagon. 

Zo ga je door, maar omdat je wellicht wat stokjes tekort zult komen haak je in het hoekje van je halve zeshoekjes eerst 2 stokjes (die je met hv vastmaakt aan de tegenoverliggende stokjes), dan plaats je een halve vaste op de hoek waar 2 hexagons samenkomen (hieronder lichtgrijs en groen), haak nog 1 stokje in je hoekje van de halve hexagon en maak deze met een hv vast een het eerste tegenoverliggende stokje van de volgende hexagon.

Ga door met stokjes en joinen met behulp van halve vasten tot je weer bij de hoek komt, hier doe je het tegenovergestelde van de vorige hoek. Dus 1 stokje (vastmaken), een halve vaste in het hoekje tussen 2 hexagons (hieronder grijs en roze) en dan twee stokjes in het hoekje.

Mocht je af en toe eens een stokje tekort komen, dan geeft dat niks. Je mag af en toe best eens een steekje smokkelen.

Chain 3 (counts as 1 stitch), crochet a slip stitch into the corner of the opposite hexagon to attach the half hexagon to the blanket (in my case, the green hexie). Crochet 1DC into the same stitch as the CH3 and slipstitch into the DC opposite this one.

Keep on doing this (1DC on top of the DC's of the former round) until you reach the corner. You've probably noticed that you are short a few stitches, so place 2 DC's into your corner before placing a slipstitch in the corner where two hexagons come together (in my picture where the green and gray hexie join), place one more DC into your corner and attach this to the first DC of the next hexagon (in my case the grey one) with a slip stitch. 

Put 1DC on top of every DC of the last round and join them with slipstitches to the opposite hexagon. When you reach your next corner, you do the opposite from the first corner: so 1 DC slipstitch into the corner of the two hexagons (in my case grey and pink hexagons) and 2 DC.

I noticed sometimes that I was one stitch short here or there... and I decided that was okay and skip one here or there. The pattern can take it, don't worry. 

The edge of my hexagon blanket

Ik maakte mijn rand met blauw en wit en zorgde ervoor dat ik een bol extra van deze kleuren in huis had. Hecht aan met je eerste kleur, liefst ergens in het midden van een hexagon. Begin met 3 losse die tellen als 1 stokje.

Haak 1 stokje op elk stokje dat je tegenkomt. Vlak voor een 'dalletje' (dus de ruimte tussen 2 zeshoekjes) haak je twee stokjes samen waarbij je de steek die de twee hexagons verbindt, overslaat. Op de foto is te zien wat ik bedoel. Op de topjes van de hexagons haak je  1 stokje + 1 losse + 1 stokje. Doe dit tot je helemaal rond bent, maak je laatste stokje met een halve vaste vast aan je eerste stokje, en hecht af.

Hecht dan een nieuwe kleur aan, haak 3 losse die tellen als één stokje. Haak 1 stokje op elk stokje van de vorige ronde. Bij de dalletjes haak je weer 2 losse samen en op de topjes haak je weer 1 stokje + 1 losse + 1 stokje.

I made my edge using white and blue, but you can pick any color you like. Make sure you have an extra ball of these colors. Fasten on your first color, preferably in the middle of an hexagon (on a straight side). Chain 3, counts as 1 DC.

1DC om every DC you come across, accept for the little 'valleys' between where hexagons meet. There you crochet 2 DC's together, whilst skipping the stitch that joins the two hexagons. The photo shows you what I mean. On top of the hexagons you crochet 1DC CH1 DC 1 into the space. You keep going around the whole blanket, slipstitch you last DC into your first DC and cast off. 

Cast on your last color, chain 3 (counts as 1DC), 1 DC on top of every DC of the last round. When you reach one of the 'valleys' between hexagons crochet 2 DC's together, whilst skipping a stitch and on top of every hexagon you'll crochet 1DC CH1 DC 1 into the space.

Wet block your work, yes you should!

Je hebt tijdens het haken vast gemerkt dat de zeshoekjes een beetje bobbelen. Tijdens het joinen trekt het al wel een beetje recht, maar deze deken heeft het écht even nodig dat je hem opspant. Dit heet 'wet blocking' in het Engels en je kunt dit doen met speciale blokken. Maar als je een yogamatje, of een strijkplank hebt en genoeg speldjes, dan gaat het je ook lukken. Hier leg ik uit hoe je je haakwerk opspant. Het is écht heel gemakkelijk en je deken zal eruit zien alsof je hem in de winkel kocht, beloofd. 

Whilst making this blanket, you probably noticed that the hexies can get a little wobbly, they straighten out during the joining and edging, but still I feel this blanket really (!) needs some serious wet blocking to make things all nice and smooth. Now, I use special blocks for wet blocking my crochet. But if you are in the posession of a yoga math or an ironing board and enough pins, you'll be fine. Check out my tutorial on wet blocking, it's easy and you're work will look amazing and professional. 

Is je deken klaar? Dan mag je écht ontzettend trots zijn op jezelf! Dit is best een lastig patroontje, maar ik durf te wedden dat je het leuk vond om deze deken te zien groeien. Laat je even op Facebook zien hoe jouw deken eruit ziet? Veel plezier met je deken!

Did you finish your blanket? Well, stand back, take a look at your pretty crochet hexagon blanket and be very, very proud at yourself. Don't be shy and come over and share your blanket on my Facebook page. Have fun!

This pattern is free to use, download or print strictly for personal use only. 

It is not allowed to copy the content nor the photos of this pattern, without my permission or a link back. For commercial use (including printing for shops in part or in full to sell or give for free, or making of kits using this pattern) I must be contacted in writing to arrange a copyright agreement.
Thank you for understanding.

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Crochet Patterns to Try: Free Crochet Charts for Spectacular Summer Pants

Crochet Patterns to Try: Free Crochet Charts for Spectacular Summer Pants: My dear friends and fellow crochet addicts, this post is especially written and fondly dedicated to all those in love with the flower power...

Spectacular Summer Pants

My dear friends and fellow crochet addicts, this post is especially written and fondly dedicated to all those in love with the flower power boho chic, extremely trendy palazzo pants.

When the trend of my mother’s youth came back 2 years ago I did my best to get my hands on a pair of wide leg jeans that will sweep the floor even if worn with tall platform sandals. Since the trend lingered last year too, I looked for summer pants with the same design but I couldn’t find any design that will not make my petite figure look ...anything but slender.

All the above being considered , after talking with my Russian , Romanian and Spanish friends on several handmade forums  I set my mind to try a new kind of project that will create my ideal crocheted  garment for this summer.

Since I have to decide which one of the two will I start , I figured to post both so you girls will find it easy to decide which to make and wear. Personally I like the idea of blue and fuchsia ( the trendiest colors of 2014) but for slender figures that will see the shores of the ocean this summer, the white and taupe versions are perfect too.

So here goes:

Free Spirited Diva Pants

As per Alana Murphy's request on Facebook ( Thanks for Liking my page Alana) I am adding extra instructions for how to read the Free Spirited Diva  Pants Chart:

So here goes:

1. For the top side ( waist to hip) crochet in circle. When at hip, divide the circle in 2 and chain the required length in the middle of the circle linkinking to the oposite side .Work the leg length in circle multiplying to get the pallazzo effect every 10 rows, or every 5 rows depending on your desire.

Chart translation in written pattern:

1. Row 1: chain the required length

2. Row 2 : ch 3, 3 x dc with 1ch in between in the 3rd ch, skip 3ch, X stitch( 1 dc in the 3rd chain , ch3 1dc in the 3rd ch back ( repeat sequence until the end of the row) close with 1dc

3. Row3 : ch 3, X stitch (1dc in 2nd chain space from the  3dc section below, ch3, 1dc in the first chain space), 3dc with 1ch in between in the 3 ch space below( X stitch), repeat until the end of the row, close with 1dc.

Loose Fit Posh Elegant Pants

My suggested yarn is mercerized cotton or viscose for a looser airy structure and finish.

 Large Motif:

1.Chain 9,sl st

2. Ch3, 23 dc in the circle.

3. Ch4,ch3, 1trc ch3...repeat ( 23trc ch3)

4.Ch5,1sc in the next ch3...repeat (24 x ch5 clusters)

5. Ch12, sk 1 ch cluster 1sc in the next, ch10 sk 1ch cluster 1sc in the next...repeat ( 12 x ch10 clusters)

6. Ch4, 2tr ch3 3tr (in the same ch10 cluster), 3tr ch3 3tr …repeat in each ch10 cluster

7. Ch 4, 4x 1dc 1picot in the ch3 cluster,ch4, 1sc in the space between the tr groups below

Small motif

1. 1x magic ring, 16 dc in the ring, close
2. Ch 4,sk1, 4x 1dc 1picot in the next st, ch4, sk1,1sc in the next st …repeat

Join the motifs as shown in the chart in the last row or by sewing them individually when done.

The part between the legs is made making a “belt” of small motif long enough so the pants will maintain the slouchy look.

It’s really easier than it looks.

I really hope you like this post so feel free to join me on Facebook for more lovely ideas and please share on Google +  for all the fans of these items.

xoxo 

Eva

Mrs Thomasina Tittlemouse: Crocheted Christmas Wall-hanging

Mrs Thomasina Tittlemouse: Crocheted Christmas Wall-hanging: "On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me a partridge in a pear tree" So the first line of the traditional Chr...

Crocheted Christmas Wall-hanging

"On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me a partridge in a pear tree"

So the first line of the traditional Christmas carol goes.

I don't know quite what anyone would do with the gift of a pear tree containing a roosting partridge, but there you have it! For that matter, I am not sure what anyone would do with quite a number of the gifts in the song! Seven swans a-swimming? Eight maids a-milking?! I suppose the nine ladies dancing, ten lords a-leaping, eleven pipers piping and twelve drummers drumming might make quite a lively and effective entertainment troupe but some of the others might be more trouble than they were worth!

There's a school of thought that holds that the gifts are not quite as random an array as they seem but each has a hidden significance, indicating an aspect of the Christian faith. The idea is that the song may have developed in England, some centuries ago, when Roman Catholicism was persecuted and when to voice overt mnemonics of Roman Catholic belief was frowned on, at best, and personally risky, at worst, although in fact the symbolism is not exclusively Roman Catholic. Anyway the idea that the gifts are not random, but symbolic, appeals to me and gives the song a rather nice, additional dimension even though it may be a spurious theory and the random gifts may well be, despite the charming idea of the symbolism, just that - random.

Whether or not that's the case, the song is charming and it's captured my imagination and fuelled a happy, little, Christmas-hooky project because I got it into my head that it would be rather fun to hook up a little Christmas wall-hanging, a kind of hooky sampler illustrating the first line of the carol. Unlike traditional vintage samplers, worked on linen with fine thread, in cross-stitch or other embroidery stitches, this was never going to have any kind of improving text worked on it; it would just be the image. If the symbolism theory is correct, it would carry its own iconic message of Christmas because the first gift of the partridge in the pear tree is meant to represent Jesus himself. (The unusual pairing of a ground-nesting bird in the branches of a fruit tree, representing the unprecedented combination of the divine and the human, in the Christ-child.)

Unusually for me, I had a very clear idea of what I wanted it to look like in my head, before I started thinking about any kind of pattern I could use or adapt. The only question was whether crochet would lend itself to realising the image I had decided on.

I did some preliminary pencil sketches to see if I could come up with a simple partridge shape that might translate into crochet without too much difficulty and had a little play around with some circles and spirals.

A spiral shape in a soft taupe colour made a satisfactorily plump partridge body and a smaller rust-coloured circle, edged on one side, in the same taupe body colour, made a reasonable head. I added a small mother-of-pearl button as an eye and a small dark brown beak to the head and stitched on a leaf shape worked in grey to the body, for a wing. I now had a birdy that looked quite partridge-esque!

So far, so good! Next up was the tree, the top of which I simply made as a crocheted circle of different greens, adding a scalloped edge to indicate a leafy outline.

 A trunk was added from the bottom upwards by chaining a length for the base in dark brown and working decreasing rows of treble (UK) / double (US) crochet stitches for the root-ball,

continuing in narrow straight rows for the trunk itself and then increasing for a few rows to make the branches reaching up into the leaf canopy.

My partridge now had a roost of sorts! No pears as yet, though!

The pears were a little tricky to design at first and I made several initial attempts that ended up looking more like grapefruits!

In the end, a simple circle with a few extra rows worked on top and a woody stalk added to the top of each one, seemed to fit the bill.

Some of the pears are yellow and ripe - probably juicy Williams pears! And some are green and hard - probably Conference ones! I know, I know, how can they be growing on the same tree?! Artistic licence, that's what!

I wanted the background to suggest the colours of a setting or a rising sun in a winter landscape to set off the restrained palette of the bird and tree so I did a rough pencil sketch

and then simply worked it in graduating colourful sunset/ sunrise-coloured stripes of treble (UK) / double (US) crochet with turquoises and blues to indicate a frosty field at the base and the edge of a winter sky at the top.

It's turned out rather effectively, I think. Assembly was nice and straightforward - I just pinned the components onto the background

and used ordinary sewing thread, in colours to match the crochet, to oversew each piece in place.

I then turned over the top of the background to make a channel for a piece of wooden dowelling to be threaded through the top to provide a means to hang it. D was persuaded to drill a hole in each end of the dowelling with a fine drill-bit and all it needed was some string (purple of course!) to hang it up by.

Bingo!

I have actually had this hanging up for several weeks even though it's not yet even Advent because having hung it up, (just to see what it looked like!) I couldn't bear to take it down, but the intention is to keep it as a Christmas hanging that comes out at the beginning of December each year with the Advent candles and calendars and goes away again with the rest of the Christmas decorations at Epiphany.

I thought a photograph of it might make a nice Christmas card too, although I discover I should have thought through the proportions slightly more cannily, if I was intending to do this, as a standard size photograph chops off the top and bottom of the background, unless I have a bit of wall showing which isn't the card I envisaged! Tant pis!

What I particularly like about this little project is that it's stretched my abilities to crochet "off-piste" and experiment in a kind of free-form way, using what I've learnt over the last few years more spontaneously. And when all is said and done, each component is actually pretty simple. It's given me confidence to travel without a pattern sometimes.

I also find the result is very pleasing - it has a warm feel to it - both literally and visually - and a slightly three-dimensional aspect, which makes a cosy addition to the room on a winter's evening. Possibly I should add something to weight the bottom edge down a bit to make it hang a little better but there isn't enough crochet at the base to fold over and make another dowelling channel so I must think how I might best achieve that. Any ideas? All suggestions gratefully received.

If you fancy trying your hand at something similar, I'd encourage you to have a go - it was such a fun and satisfying project. You don't need to worry too much about what yarn or hook you use - just use bits and bobs of yarn left over from other projects, together with the appropriate hook for whatever weight of yarn you happen to have. It doesn't have to be all the same type or weight throughout, although obviously you'll want to make sure each component has a consistency about it and you may want to work the background in a uniform weight of yarn. You can adjust the sizing to suit your design and tension is irrelevant.

For ease and satisfaction of realisation, I'd recommend thinking of an image that can be made up of fairly simple shapes - circles, triangles, strips, squares or rectangles so that it's not too difficult to achieve the design you are after. But actually, even shapes that look initially complicated, like birds, can be broken down to simpler constituent parts so you may find your imagination is the only limit!

If you're intrigued to know what the other gifts are meant to stand for, here's the low-down:

• two turtle doves - the two parts of the Bible
• three French hens -  the three gifts brought by the wise men to the baby Jesus 
• four colley birds - the four Gospels (colley birds is an old-fashioned name for blackbirds)
• five gold rings - the five books of the Torah (ie the first five books in the Bible)
• six geese a-laying - the six productive days of Creation, as described in Genesis
• seven swans a-swimming - the seven acts of mercy deemed to be part of Christian duty 
• eight maids a-milking - the eight Beatitudes, as listed in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount 
• nine ladies dancing - the nine fruits of the Spirit, as listed by St Paul
• ten lords a-leaping - the Ten Commandments
• eleven pipers piping - the eleven disciples remaining after Judas had betrayed Jesus
• twelve drummers drumming - the twelve points of Christian belief, as listed in the Apostles' Creed

Several of the gifts seem to have more than one possible symbolism but I've listed the ones that most consistently come up. And as I say, the theory, although charming, may, or may not, have much foundation in historical fact. 

But my hooky partridge makes me smile anyway 

and I hope he brings you a happy smile too!

E x

QS crochet: Łapacz snów

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About making a dream catcher thought for a year - if not longer.  The idea had to mellow your mind and gain power, but in the end been Implemented. The work Began with the gathering of material - cording, ribbons, feathers and beads in a variety of colors. Fell on neutral beiges and browns with a little orange. Then came the time for the napkin, which I did two approaches. First, I started to knit According to the formula available HERE - but it was too dense and multi- color version does not look good. I Decided on a much simpler, more transparent napkin, Which turned out to be a hit. Dreamcatcher embellished with feathers, ribbons and wooden and plastic beads. In the middle of napkins I sewed glass "eye" Which nicely reflects the light. I am very happy with what I came out. How many times I look at the dream catcher, my inner hippie until squeals with joy;)
 
    
 

Zooty Owl's Crafty Blog: Daisy Centre Mandala Square

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I used a light grey to do the squaring.

Here is how I did it:

Row 1:   into sp between any 7dc cluster on last row of Mandala, 4ch;  (3ch 1sc into top of 4th dc on next 7dc cluster;   3ch 1sc into sp between next 7dc cluster) repeat to last sp between clusters; 3ch, 1sc into 4dc on last 7dc cluster;  3ch ss into first chain at start of row

Row 2:  ss into first 3ch sp, 3sc; 1ch   (into next 3ch sp, 3sc, 1ch) x2;   (into next 3ch sp, 3hdc, 1ch) x2;  (into next 3ch sp, 3dc, 1ch) x 2:  into next 3ch sp 3tr, 3ch, 3tr, 1ch  (first corner formed);  [(into next 3ch sp, 3dc, 1ch) x2;  (into next 3ch sp, 3hdc, 1ch) x2;  (into next 3ch sp, 3sc, 1ch) x3; (into next 3ch sp, 3hdc, 1ch) x2;  (into next 3ch sp, 3dc, 1ch) x2;   (into next 3ch sp, 3tr, 3ch, 3tr, 1ch - corner formed)] x3;  (into next 3ch sp, 3dc, 1ch) x2;   (into next 3ch sp, 3hdc, 1ch) x2;   ss into ch at start

At this stage your square will still be looking slightly curved

Row 3:  4ch, sc into next 1ch sp; (3ch, 1sc into next 1ch sp) repeat  to 2nd last 1ch sp;  3ch ss into 1st chain at start
Note:  into corner 3ch do sc, 3ch, sc

Row 4:  ss into 3ch sp;  2ch; 2hdc, 1ch;  (3hdc, 1ch into next 3ch sp)  x4;  (3dc, 1ch into next 3ch sp) x2;   3tr, 1ch into next 3ch sp   [3tr, 3ch, 3tr, 1ch into corner 3ch;   3tr, 1ch into next 3ch sp;   (3dc, 1ch into next 3ch sp) x2;   (3hd, 1ch into next 3ch sp) x7;  (3dc, 1ch into next 3ch sp) x2;   3tr, 1ch into next 3ch sp] x3;   3tr, 3ch, 3tr; 1ch into last 3ch corner sp;  3tr, 1ch into next 3ch sp;   3tr, 1c into next 3ch sp;  (3dc, 1ch into next 3ch sp) x2;  (3hdc, 1ch into next 3ch sp) x2;  ss into top of start 2ch to close

The edges do look every so slightly untidy - so if I was going to use this as an aghan block I would do a row of 3dc cluster around to tidy it up nicely!

Outstanding Crochet: Sneak peek on a new pattern to be added soon - Cro...

Outstanding Crochet: Sneak peek on a new pattern to be added soon - Cro...: This bag was a puzzle to work on - to make all the motifs connected in a bag shape. There was a moment of giving up (for a half an hour:). ...

Sneak peek on a new pattern to be added soon - Crochet Motifs Bag.

This bag was a puzzle to work on - to make all the motifs connected in a bag shape. There was a moment of giving up (for a half an hour:). I just finished it, all instructions are written, all charts are drawn. I have to get it all together in a file and check, check, check.
This bag was started as a hobo bag, but it didn't happen (sorry, Irina! :) I never know what it's going to be in the end and that's the beauty of creating. I redone the inner bag ??? like... 7 times? I am glad it's made out of worsted weight yarn, so it didn't take too long every time. :)))
The outer bag was adjusted just once. I made it round first, but it turned out too big, so I reshaped it to what you see.
There were 2 yarns used: worsted weight for the inner bag and fingering linen yarn for outer bag. All motifs (4 kinds) are connected as you go.
Follow me via E-mail (right upper corner) or keep an eye via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Etsy or Ravelry. The pattern will be available soon.
Happy crocheting, my friends!

Latające dywany: Dziurkacz

Flying carpets: Punch : that is, the carpet in the hole :) He followed me for over a month, but first skandynawizowałam bedroom, then stuck a couple of weeks in uro ...

Punch

That is, the carpet in the hole :) He followed my me for over a month, but first skandynawizowałam bedroom, then stuck a few weeks birthday napkin for my mother.  The day before yesterday in the end I sat and wydziergałam for two days, so here is a miracle:

The carpet Measures 195 cm in diameter, used up 1,700 meters of string with a thickness of 5 mm (1450 m and 250 m ecru gray), something weighs about 7.4 kg.  I did it with aluminum crochet 9 mm.

Knitting carpet gave me a lot of fun, because the model was really a very simple and did not require any more complex thought processes.  In another punched but I intend to:

• make round holes without a center, it will look better,
• to around 32 holes, not 16 - That so the holes are smaller and can not be trips over the foot,
• Use crochet 10 mm, because nine was too small, I had to wrestle with string and wiped my hands.

Although this is only a prototype, however, soon I'll draw the pattern and it can be made available :)