Saturday, June 30, 2007
A free crochet potholder pattern!
Periodically, something sets me off, and I get on a potholder kick. The potholders are quick to make, work really well, and are easy gifts. I even sold some at a craft fair once, back in the day.
Every time I give them, people want to know how to make them. I don't have a pattern-- my grandmother found one at a garage sale, brought it home, and figured out how to make them-- and I've kind of adapted it from there. I thought it would be fun to try & post this as a free crochet potholder pattern.
The irony here is that I don't really crochet much... and when I do, I don't really get too into the patterns. So I don't even know what a crochet pattern usually looks like-- but I'll do my best, and I took lots of pictures to help explain as well. Stacie, if you want to turn this into crochet-speak, feel free :)
Grandma Dor's Potholders
(a free crochet potholder pattern) <-- I'm a google whore
You will need:
1 ball Sugar & Cream yarn
Size H crochet hook (G works too)
Time in your life for a new hobby
Gauge:
Who cares... it's a potholder
Step 1: Chain 41
Step 2: Single Crochet in second chain from hook, and single crochet across (40 stitches)
Step 3: Here's where it gets cool. DO NOT TURN WORK. Single crochet in the back loop of the first stitch on the bottom side of the original chain, and single crochet in the back loop across the entire bottom of the chain (another 40 stitches)
This is where I put the crochet hook in...
This is how it looks once you've completed the bottom chain row.
Step 4: At the end of that row, don't turn work... go back up to the top row, single crochet (DO ALL SINGLE CROCHETS THROUGH THE BACK LOOP ONLY) across...then around the bottom row... and back to the top row... around & around & around. You will start to see a pouch forming, with your original chain becoming the bottom fold.
Step 5: Keep going until you have completed 19 rounds. Single crochet 20 stitches and STOP. Chain 12, and slip stitch to connect back to the last single crochet you did. This will form the loop of the potholder.
What? What's that you say? It's in the middle of the square? Ah ha... this is the fun part. Pull the loop up, making it the top of your potholder, and the wide opening of the pouch the middle seam.
Step 6: Stitch the seam together, weave in the end, and voila! You have made a Grandma Dor Potholder!
Step 7: Use immediately.
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Periodically, something sets me off, and I get on a potholder kick. The potholders are quick to make, work really well, and are easy gifts. I even sold some at a craft fair once, back in the day.
Every time I give them, people want to know how to make them. I don't have a pattern-- my grandmother found one at a garage sale, brought it home, and figured out how to make them-- and I've kind of adapted it from there. I thought it would be fun to try & post this as a free crochet potholder pattern.
The irony here is that I don't really crochet much... and when I do, I don't really get too into the patterns. So I don't even know what a crochet pattern usually looks like-- but I'll do my best, and I took lots of pictures to help explain as well. Stacie, if you want to turn this into crochet-speak, feel free :)
Grandma Dor's Potholders
(a free crochet potholder pattern) <-- I'm a google whore
You will need:
1 ball Sugar & Cream yarn
Size H crochet hook (G works too)
Time in your life for a new hobby
Gauge:
Who cares... it's a potholder
Step 1: Chain 41
Step 2: Single Crochet in second chain from hook, and single crochet across (40 stitches)
Step 3: Here's where it gets cool. DO NOT TURN WORK. Single crochet in the back loop of the first stitch on the bottom side of the original chain, and single crochet in the back loop across the entire bottom of the chain (another 40 stitches)
This is where I put the crochet hook in...
This is how it looks once you've completed the bottom chain row.
Step 4: At the end of that row, don't turn work... go back up to the top row, single crochet (DO ALL SINGLE CROCHETS THROUGH THE BACK LOOP ONLY) across...then around the bottom row... and back to the top row... around & around & around. You will start to see a pouch forming, with your original chain becoming the bottom fold.
Step 5: Keep going until you have completed 19 rounds. Single crochet 20 stitches and STOP. Chain 12, and slip stitch to connect back to the last single crochet you did. This will form the loop of the potholder.
What? What's that you say? It's in the middle of the square? Ah ha... this is the fun part. Pull the loop up, making it the top of your potholder, and the wide opening of the pouch the middle seam.
Step 6: Stitch the seam together, weave in the end, and voila! You have made a Grandma Dor Potholder!
Step 7: Use immediately.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Mr. Ray is infinitely cool.
We went to a Mr. Ray concert on the roof of Sam's school today. It was a fundraiser for new playground stuff-- which means that we paid $65 to see Mr. Ray (who plays at free concerts all over the place) partake in the hot dog lunch (BYOVDs-- veggie dogs, not venereal diseases)
There weren't too many people there (duh), which made it quite awesome for the kiddies-- Sam is usually a bit hesitant to get up & go nuts with strangers-- but there were maybe 20 kids there today, and Sam knew most of them, and had a blast.
He even got a turn to sing into the microphone-- all (okay Jonathan & I) were most impressed by his rendition of the ABC song.
Even Tali got in on the Mr. Ray worship.
Concert, time at the pool, much fun with new neighbors, a walk to see the stoplight, and we put two very tired kiddies to bed tonight.
Camp starts tomorrow!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
I seem to have become a Thursday blogger-- maybe because I'm working Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday, and crazy with Sam and Tali on weekends. Hmmph. When did that happen?
Not too much knitting-- Miss Tali has not been sleeping very well, and I've been exhausted.
I do have a few things to show off, though.
First: 2 excellent children
Sam is the exuberent one in the middle. He had preschool graduation yesterday-- he didn't graduate, but he performed, and I must say he stole the show as "the strawberry" in the Very Hungry Caterpillar story. He also had parent/camper orientation at camp-- we were both VERY nervous about this, and it went incredibly well! BIG relief for this mommy.
Tali had her 6-month checkup today (a few weeks late)-- she weighs almost 15 pounds, and is around the 30th percentile for height and weight. She was a trooper with the shots and everything, and was fairly happy all day.
Secondly: A little knitting progress-- I started the 2nd twinnie sweater, and anticipate some quick progress on this one.
Why yes, jw, that IS the re-gifted poop-stone stitch marker. Thanks!
And thirdly, some baking! Sam is "Shabbat Abba" at school tomorrow, and since it's the last day, I was instructed to bring junk food. Sam & Jay & I made these:
Teddy grahams swimming in the pool cupcakes! Aren't they cute? Carriellen, I have to tell you, your husband is SUCH a good sport.
I bought the supplies at Michaels... and felt compelled to buy one additional item...
Shut up, Stacie!
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Not too much knitting-- Miss Tali has not been sleeping very well, and I've been exhausted.
I do have a few things to show off, though.
First: 2 excellent children
Sam is the exuberent one in the middle. He had preschool graduation yesterday-- he didn't graduate, but he performed, and I must say he stole the show as "the strawberry" in the Very Hungry Caterpillar story. He also had parent/camper orientation at camp-- we were both VERY nervous about this, and it went incredibly well! BIG relief for this mommy.
Tali had her 6-month checkup today (a few weeks late)-- she weighs almost 15 pounds, and is around the 30th percentile for height and weight. She was a trooper with the shots and everything, and was fairly happy all day.
Secondly: A little knitting progress-- I started the 2nd twinnie sweater, and anticipate some quick progress on this one.
Why yes, jw, that IS the re-gifted poop-stone stitch marker. Thanks!
And thirdly, some baking! Sam is "Shabbat Abba" at school tomorrow, and since it's the last day, I was instructed to bring junk food. Sam & Jay & I made these:
Teddy grahams swimming in the pool cupcakes! Aren't they cute? Carriellen, I have to tell you, your husband is SUCH a good sport.
I bought the supplies at Michaels... and felt compelled to buy one additional item...
Shut up, Stacie!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Geez-- I don't know where the weeks go.
Thanks for all of the nice comments on the placket neck sweater! I am really excited to start the second one, but have been too lazy to get the yarn, swift & ball-winder all in the same place, so I've been working on the basketweave blanket.
Based on the original purchase of 7 balls of yarn, I'm a little more than halfway done. However, I think I may end up needing an 8th ball to make it really square... so there's a long way to go.
I've lost a bit of enthusiasm for it, because the person I decided it would be for just had her 20-week ulstrasound and found out she's having a boy. Hmmph. So we'll see.
One of Sam's friends is sleeping over tonight... I'm looking forward to it with a touch of trepidation... I'll be glad when it's tomorrow.
And here. For those of you who (nagged) asked... the stunning colorway of sock yarn that Carriellen & I both bought. It's called watercolor, by Lorna's Laces.
I don't know what's with all the schmutz on the carpet. I have kids.
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Thanks for all of the nice comments on the placket neck sweater! I am really excited to start the second one, but have been too lazy to get the yarn, swift & ball-winder all in the same place, so I've been working on the basketweave blanket.
Based on the original purchase of 7 balls of yarn, I'm a little more than halfway done. However, I think I may end up needing an 8th ball to make it really square... so there's a long way to go.
I've lost a bit of enthusiasm for it, because the person I decided it would be for just had her 20-week ulstrasound and found out she's having a boy. Hmmph. So we'll see.
One of Sam's friends is sleeping over tonight... I'm looking forward to it with a touch of trepidation... I'll be glad when it's tomorrow.
And here. For those of you who (nagged) asked... the stunning colorway of sock yarn that Carriellen & I both bought. It's called watercolor, by Lorna's Laces.
I don't know what's with all the schmutz on the carpet. I have kids.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Placket Neck Sweater #1 is finished (except buttons)! What a quick knit!
It's small for Tali, which is good, because she's 6+ months old, and I knit the 0 to 6 month size. I stuffed her into it, though, for the photo-op (please don't spit up... please don't spit up... please don't spit up...)
She wears it well, don't you think?
Tali says: "A career in modeling? Who, me?"
Next up: Placket Neck Sweater #2 for the other twinnie!
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It's small for Tali, which is good, because she's 6+ months old, and I knit the 0 to 6 month size. I stuffed her into it, though, for the photo-op (please don't spit up... please don't spit up... please don't spit up...)
She wears it well, don't you think?
Tali says: "A career in modeling? Who, me?"
Next up: Placket Neck Sweater #2 for the other twinnie!
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Almost done with the first placket neck sweater...
The knitting part is done-- I need to do the little bit of finishing, and then I can start working on sweater #2.
This was my first time doing a raglan sweater-- there were a few lessons learned:
1. Less finishing is a good thing!
2. My gauge is way different in the round than back and forth-- next time I will go down a needle size when I switch to back & forth knitting.
3. This would probably be cute without buttonholes, and starting the neckline a little later, just letting the neck edge roll like a little collar.
4. Gotta tug on those decreases or something.
5. The invisible bind off would probably work really well here.
6. Small stitch holders are better than large when there are only a few stitches to hold.
7. M1 increases look nicer than knitting in the front & back of a stitch-- I'll do those next time.
Overall, a good experience, though... I'm looking forward to finishing this-- hopefully it won't be too small for Tali so she can model it.
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The knitting part is done-- I need to do the little bit of finishing, and then I can start working on sweater #2.
This was my first time doing a raglan sweater-- there were a few lessons learned:
1. Less finishing is a good thing!
2. My gauge is way different in the round than back and forth-- next time I will go down a needle size when I switch to back & forth knitting.
3. This would probably be cute without buttonholes, and starting the neckline a little later, just letting the neck edge roll like a little collar.
4. Gotta tug on those decreases or something.
5. The invisible bind off would probably work really well here.
6. Small stitch holders are better than large when there are only a few stitches to hold.
7. M1 increases look nicer than knitting in the front & back of a stitch-- I'll do those next time.
Overall, a good experience, though... I'm looking forward to finishing this-- hopefully it won't be too small for Tali so she can model it.
Hey! Wanna be notified when I update? Subscribe here:
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Overheard at Pins & Needles today: I love yarn balls! I just want to stuff them in my bra and play with them all day!"
I guess it wasn't technically "overheard"-- I mean, Carriellen was speaking directly to me when she said it... :)
Yep... another weekend, another yarn shop. I had to get needles for the sleeves of the Placket Neck Sweater... so we headed off (Tali too!) to Pins & Needles. OH THEY HAVE SUCH NICE YARN. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.
I was holding Tali, so couldn't buy much. I did buy some Lorna's Laces sock yarn in a colorway so stunning that Carriellen and I both picked the same one out of the bin.
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I guess it wasn't technically "overheard"-- I mean, Carriellen was speaking directly to me when she said it... :)
Yep... another weekend, another yarn shop. I had to get needles for the sleeves of the Placket Neck Sweater... so we headed off (Tali too!) to Pins & Needles. OH THEY HAVE SUCH NICE YARN. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.
I was holding Tali, so couldn't buy much. I did buy some Lorna's Laces sock yarn in a colorway so stunning that Carriellen and I both picked the same one out of the bin.
