Crochet Comfort and Joy - Last Minute Christmas Gifts

The Christmas season always comes upon us and passes us by so quickly!

Do you still have some last-minute gift shopping that needs to be done? Or are you just starting all of your baking projects for the week?

I love to give handmade gifts but often run out of time every December - if you are like me and are low on time, then check out these quick last minute gift ideas for Christmas:

All of the instructions for these projects can be found in Crochet World's special issue -
CROCHET COMFORT and JOY.

This magazine can be downloaded instantly here and has more than 50 great Christmas designs inside!

Elegant Woven Cowl

This cowl is crocheted with a simple textured stitch and embellished with a bright flower and some bling!

Gold Ice Bracelet

This bracelet is made up of a few square motifs with beautiful glass beads sewn into each one - perfect to wear to this year's New Year's Eve party!

Snow Globe Ornament

I am thankful this cute little guy made the front cover - he was fun to create with a small amount of brightly colored crochet cotton thread.

Tablet Wedge

This also uses a simple texture stitch that helps this project work up in no time - a great gift for someone who loves to snuggle down by the fire and read during the holidays!

Check this blog again for a new Christmas Celtic Knot design later this week!

Christmas Gift Idea

Do you like to crochet gifts for your family and friends?  I have been crocheting gifts for others since I was a little girl.  Back then it was an affordable way to show how much I appreciated each recipient and I loved the creative process of brainstorming unique ideas for each person.

Now I have much less time than I did back then so I don't get to make as many gifts as I would like.  And with the ability to order everything under the sun on the internet, making a special gift has become even more valuable to me. I think giving someone a handmade gift is like giving them a big long-lasting hug that says, "You are very special to me."

Are you like me in that you love to make gifts for others but you lack time and have too many ideas?

Well, here is a simple but elegant scarf that was in the Oct. 2015 issue of Crochet World -
Bangle Bead Scarf.

This scarf is very classy and almost like a necklace.  It is crocheted with Berroco's Captiva - a beautiful yarn that is a shiny silk-like combination of cotton, polyester and acrylic. See more colors here.  The scarf shown is crocheted in the Garnet color.

I found the scarf bails (large metal tube-like findings) on Ebay and the sparkly beads at Hobby Lobby.  With all of the colors and beads available now, the possibilities are endless so you can make one for each of your friends but no two will look alike.

(Even though this pattern is in an issue from 2015, you can still purchase it here for just $5.99  - the Oct. 2015 issue will download instantly to your computer and you'll have 18 more patterns, too!)

Go Granny Bag

(Photo courtesy of Annie's)

 

The Granny Square has come a long way over the years and it is a classic crochet motif.  I love that the possibilities and variations are endless!

 

In this bag I crocheted large square motifs with a granny-square-like stitch pattern and then joined them together envelope-style.  I used Berroco's Weekend yarn which is a soft and thick cotton great for any time of year. (Visit this link to learn more details about this yarn.)

 

The instructions for this design can be found in Crochet World's special issue, Creative Crochet in a Day, which is on newsstands now and available digitally here.  Thank you to Crochet World for putting this bag on the cover!

 

Bobbie's Lace Wrap

 

This design is one of my most special projects that I have created so far.

It can be found in the April 2016 issue of Crochet World and can be purchased as an instant digital download here.

 

 

We had many beautiful crochet projects around our house when I was growing up - most of these projects were crocheted by my father's mother, "Bobbie",  using the fine cotton crochet thread.  I loved to look over the shapes and stitches of these projects.  One of my favorite projects was the Queen Anne's Lace Tablecloth.

 

 

 

I re-created that tablecloth pattern to make this wrap in honor of my grandmother (whom I never met since she passed away before I was born.)  I changed the number of petals in each flower and crocheted a different type of leaf to join the spaces in between each flower.  I also crocheted it with a much thicker yarn by Omega called Fontana.  I love the salmon color!

(This yarn comes in several vibrant colors - click here to see more- Creative Yarn Source is a great supplier for cotton yarns.)

 

Thank you to Crochet World for printing a photo of me and my grandmother along with a paragraph about her and my inspiration.  She was a special woman who created beautiful crocheted items - I am proud to honor her memory with the Bobbie's Lace Wrap.

Greystones Cowl

As I prepare for our trip to Ireland, I have been collecting a variety of photos on my Pinterest board, "Ireland" (https://www.pinterest.com/celknotcrochet/ireland/) - There are so many beautiful places to see! I can't get enough of the coastline, castles and green hills.

Above is pictured the South Beach in Greystones, Ireland which was the inspiration for the name of this cowl that was published in the February Issue of Crochet World.

Greystones Cowl
(Photo courtesy of Annie's)
 

This is a unique cowl in that it is reversible and has a button closure.  This front square shows the Diamond Stitch and the 'hidden' square is made up of the Basketweave Stitch.  The part that wraps around your neck is made up of several rows of stitches worked in the back loop only to give a great ribbed effect.  I crocheted it with a beautiful yarn -Plymouth Yarn's DK Superwash Merino - that shows the stitch definition wonderfully and feels soft against your skin.  This is a warm cowl which we still need up here in New England since it has snowed twice since April arrived!!

 

This and many other great patterns can be purchased as an instant digital download here.

 

 



 

Heart Crochet Projects for Valentine's Day

Did you know the heart symbol goes back to the 13th century?  It is one of the most widely recognizable symbols across the entire globe and I bet you see it at least once a day wherever you may go. 

I love to crochet hearts.  There are many different ways you can do it and each way has a unique style of its own.

In the current February issue of Crochet World  (available here)  there are 3 designs of mine that feature hearts.

 

The Love to Read Bookmark has a lacy heart that works up quickly - the perfect Valentine token for any book lover.

 

 

The Floating Heart Pendant uses simple crochet stitches as a frame for a pretty silver heart-shaped charm.

 

 

The Love You Teddy is snuggly and huggable with his Granny Square-style heart and paws.

 

There is still time to make one of these or all three for those you love in honor of Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

(All photos courtesy of Annie's)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Minute Hostess and Kid Gifts!

 

Would you like to take something unique to the next Christmas party you go to for a hostess gift? Or do you need to make a cute little something for some special kids in your life?

Then I have two fun projects for you!

Back in July I wrote a guest blog post for Red Heart here titled, "Christmas Ruffle Tree".  It was part of their "Christmas in July" blog fun.  It is a different way to use their Sashay ruffle yarn - all you need is one skein of Sashay, a Styrofoam cone, your crochet hook and some sewing pins.  On the blog you'll see several photos with detailed steps of how to make your tree (including how to cover the cone with matching fabric). This tutorial is FREE!



The instructions for these Funny Finger Friends can be found on page 36 of the current issue of Crochet World (Dec. 2015) - which you can download here or purchase at your local craft store or bookstore.

            

These also use a Styrofoam insert to help give it the sphere shape along with basic amigurimi techniques.  They can be worked up in an afternoon and will provide hours of giggly fun.

 

 

 

Deep Red Cowls for Christmas Gifts

This is a great time of year to wear red!  This Bangle Bead Scarf from the October issue of Crochet World (you can purchase here ) works up very quickly with Berroco's Captiva yarn.



Captiva (see Ravelry page here ) has a lovely sheen and when paired with the silver scarf bails and beads shown here, makes for an eye-catching one-of-a-kind cowl.


(I recently wore this project over a mint green sweater and received several compliments.)














This Crimson Beaded Neck Wrap also makes a great Christmas gift or accessory to wear to a Christmas-themed event.  This was crocheted with Caron's Simply Soft yarn and the edgings include glass beads.  The instructions for this cowl can be found in the October issue of the digital magazine, I Like Crochet.

 



There is still time to make either one of these for someone you love this Christmas!

Quick Snowflake Projects

 

Well, it is that time of year again when the snowflakes will soon start to fall - at least in our part of the country.  Our family loves to watch the snow fall in the winter especially around Christmastime.  We are still waiting eagerly for the first official snowfall but until then, I'll enjoy the various snowflake ornaments and decorations we have up around the house.



I love the beautiful designs of snowflakes so much that I created two designs that are in the current issues of Crochet! and Crochet World magazines.




This Snowflake Photo Ornament can easily be made in an afternoon and given as a unique gift complete with your own special photo inside. You can purchase a print or digital copy of Crochet World magazine - December 2015 - here.


The Snow Crystal Cowl would make another perfect gift for someone who loves winter or to wear to your next Christmas party.  (I think it would be a great accessory to wear to a Frozen-themed party as well!)  For this project I used a double-strand of a luxurious mohair and silk yarn  - Stacy Charles "Luna" (see Ravelry page here )in a beautiful blue.  Each of the snowflakes was crocheted with a very classy silk metallic yarn by the same manufacturer - "Stella" (see Ravelry page here ). Both yarns have an elegant metallic sheen that gives the look of real ice or glass.




This pattern and many other great winter projects in the Winter 2015 issue of Crochet! magazine can be downloaded here.


 

Mandala Wall Art

 

In the current June 2015 issue of Crochet World you will find the pattern to make this crochet art project.  It is also the Winner's Circle design for this issue.  The issue is on sale now in bookstores and craft stores or you can buy it on-line here.

 

I crocheted it in some vibrant colors of Omega Sinfonia yarn which is a cotton fiber that is thinner than the usual cotton yarn used for dishcloths.

 

 

Of course, this project can be made into a doily that lies on a table but in my house that would put it at too great a risk for getting something spilled on it! I love the fact that crochet is so versatile that it can be mounted onto a metal ring and hung as a unique summer decoration on your wall.  Please send me a photo of your finished project or post it on Ravelry - I look forward to seeing your color choices!

 

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

Here is another accessory pattern to celebrate St. Patrick's Day - The Roses and Shamrock Necklace.

This pattern has been published in the February 2015 issue of Crochet World - The magazine can be purchased here.

 

This necklace uses traditional Irish crochet techniques for making roses and a shamrock.  It is made with the lovely Nazli Gelin Garden 3 Egyptian Cotton crochet thread.  Here it is shown with a simple white band that makes up the necklace length in between the motifs but I think it would also look great with simple strands of large white pearls.

Today my friend, Bonnie Barker, is one of the featured designers for the Crochetville National Crochet Month Blog Tour - be sure to check out her post.. Her new book (Contemporary Celtic Crochet) is a wonderful tribute to Ireland and filled with great instructions to make a variety of projects using crocheted cables. (See my review of this book here)


(If you are stopping by for the first time with the Blog Tour, make sure you scroll down to see the post from March 10th to find the link to a new free Celtic Knot pattern.)

 

Crochet World April 2015

Our family loves to watch cute animals wherever we can find them - in our backyard, around our neighborhood, at a local sanctuary or zoo or even in our home.  In our home it may be a funny video on YouTube or the entertaining antics of our mini-dachshund. Hedgehogs are one of these adorable animals that make us smile and  say, "Awww". So, I crocheted this design of a hedgehog pincushion based on a sketch by one of my daughters. 

The instructions to make this little guy can be found in the April 2015 issue of Crochet World which you can download or order here.

 

Did you know that March is National Crochet Month? 

 

To celebrate I will be highlighting several crocheters  - they may have taken our CGOA yarn bomb pieces and turned them into blankets for charity, they may have crocheted one of my designs and shared a special story about it or they are helping to keep the love of crochet alive by teaching and giving.

Also, on March 10th this will be a stop on the Annual Crochetville Blog Tour - This is a great event taking you all over the web to visit with some of the crochet industry's best designers - http://crochetville.com/  On March 10th I will be offering a new free pattern in honor of the tour.    Check back soon!

 

 

Blue Ribbon Crochet

Crochet World just published a special issue:

 

 . . . that can be purchased at your local bookstore, newsstand or on-line at:

http://www.crochet-world.com/

 

Inside there are two projects that I created :

 

 

Loopy Flower Ring

 

 

Paisley Trivet

 

 

Both of these projects work up quickly. The ring is made with a thin wire and several tiny seed beads.  Very basic crochet skills are used to achieve a pretty result.  The hot pad is made with a double-strand of Lion Brand's Kitchen cotton.  This makes for a very thick project that will decorate and protect your table.

 

Do you enter crocheted projects into your local fair?  My daughters and I just began entering our projects in our local fair and it has been a wonderful experience. All of the volunteers are very helpful and encouraging.  Plus, it is so much fun to attend the fair and see your projects on display with blue, red or white ribbons attached.  This past year we took home almost eighty dollars in prize-winnings and even won a Best of Show award for our school project. (see photos below)

 

 

Connemara Beauty

Olaf Sculpture by Catherine -
Her own design and pattern

 

Cotton Candy Vest by Catherine

 

Elsa Necklace by my 9 year old

 

Our Secret Garden - Best of Show - School Projects

Our homeschool science project after studying plants

This is mainly made out of recycled materials-

Look closely and you can see some crocheted elements