City of Triangles

I’m making a felted purse and have started with a pattern that’s available on Ravelry, Felted Crochet Mitered-Square Tote Bag. Instead of making it a square tote bag I want to make a rectangular purse, which requires some alteration of the pattern.

I decided I’d like to have pairs of triangles join together to form smaller squares. Working from the formula for making a triangle, you must increase by one stitch at each side of the triangle and also increase by one stitch on both sides of the center point, I have made some triangles.

Here are the instructions to make a triangle motif using single crochet stitches.

Triangle Motif-free pattern instructions by Kathy Kelly

Using standard U.S. Terminology

Begin with a slip knot and chain 2

Row 1: 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, turn (3 sc)

Row 2: 2 sc in first sc, 3 sc in next sc, 2 sc in last sc, ch 1, turn (7 sc)

Row 3: 2 sc in first sc, sc in each of next 2 sc, 3 sc in next sc [place a marker in the 2nd of these 3 sc], sc in each of next 2 sc, 2 sc in last sc, ch 1, turn (11 sc)

Row 4: 2 sc in first sc, sc in each of next 4 sc, 3 sc in next sc which has the marker [move marker to mark the 2nd of the 3 sc  just made], sc in each of next 4 sc, 2 sc in last sc, ch 1, turn (15 sc)

Continue in this manner making

2 sc in the first sc

sc in each st until you reach the marker

3 sc in the st with the marker [remove marker] replace marker in 2nd of the 3 sc just made

sc in each st until you reach the last st

2 sc in last st

Each row will have 4 more stitches than the previous row. You can continue on until the triangle is the size you want. Finish off by cutting the yarn and pulling a loop through the loop on the hook.

In the photograph above I worked until I had 23 sts.

The yarn is Noro Kureyon and I used an I hook.

Abbreviations, in U.S. Terminology

ch = chain

sc = single crochet

st = stitch

sts = stitches

© 2012 Kathy Kelly

Here is the city of triangles I made to go with some blocks for a purse.

Have fun making your own triangles.

Someone’s in the catnip

Hooky

While working on this potholder pattern by my Ravelry friend Nancy Panzke, I was struggling working with the 2 strands of cotton yarn. The yarn kept slipping off my hook, so I went to my stash of crochet hooks and got hooky.

My usual crochet hooks, the ones I love and use for almost everything, are the bamboo handled Susan Bates hooks (made both in aluminum and steelite models). But for this project they just weren’t cutting it.

Next I tried a Susan Bates Crystallite hook. They are normally good for sticky yarn like Noro as are Laurel Hill wood hooks (See my post on that subject here.)  However, these were not a match for this yarn.

Then I got out this wacky set of hooks my friend Jannis gave me to try. They are glow in the dark hooks and they really remind me of a kid’s toy, think glow in the dark superballs. They’re made by Susan Bates and called “SmartGlo” hooks.

Put these puppies in the sun and boy do they glow.

But the big surprise was that they work wonderfully on the cotton yarn. They’re a little sticky feeling and that stickiness helps to hold the cotton yarn on the hook. After switching to one of these hooks I was flying. Unfortunately they’re made in China. But if this doesn’t bother you I’d really recommend them for working with cotton yarn like Sugar ‘n Cream, Peaches ‘n Creme or Lion Cotton.

Continuing on the subject of crochet hooks…

Lately I’ve been swayed from my usual love by the Clover Soft Touch hooks. They work nicely for acrylic and wool yarn and have a very comfortable grip. Also, the shank of the hook is uniform so it’s great for stitches like treble crochet and even more extended stitches that carry a lot of loops on the hook. The uniformity of the shank means the loops stay the same size.

Clover also makes these in steel. I’ve only tried one of the Soft Touch steel hooks, and I find it works well for perle crochet cotton. One downside, there is a large jump in sizes between the aluminum and steel hooks. The smallest aluminum hook is a B/2.25 mm hook and then the next smaller hook they offer in steel is a 1.75 mm hook. I’m really hoping they’ll make a size 2.0 mm.

By the way, Nancy says her potholder keeps your hand cool when taking a baking pan out of a hot oven. I’m really looking forward to trying this out.  She’s offering her Cool Fingers Panhandler pattern free on Ravelry.

Rita makes herself comfortable on the railing of the back porch.

From another country

This is some yarn that my niece brought for me from Georgia (the country). I’m using the Hobobird pattern by Anastacia Zittel to make a shawl with it. The yarn is made in Turkey and is a blend of acrylic and mohair with a metallic thread running through it. It comes in 50 gram skeins with no yardage listed. The brand is Anchor made by “Coats Turkiye”. I have 2 skeins so hope I will have enough for a small shawl.

Groovy Garcia

I just returned last week from a trip to New Orleans where I caught the beginning of the Mardi Gras parades before high tailing it back on Amtrack’s City of New Orleans train.

During this time of year New Orleans is a riot of color with everything decked out in purple, green and gold. It’s really a color lover’s dream. The people and even the animals deck themselves out in festive colors.

Which brings me to this project that I finished while on the train. Above is a photo of a cabled crochet cowl made from the pattern crochet garcia by Jennifer Fayard. It is a free pattern offered on Ravelry. For the gazillionth time, if you’re not a member join now. It’s free.

This pattern was inspired by a knit pattern called cherry garcia, which I think was inspired by the ice cream, which was inspired by Jerry Garcia. Thus the choice of this multi-colored yarn in psychedelic colors. For crochet-geek details check my Ravelry project page.

And if you’re in the mood for some music check out my tune Dancing Bears at my website. (Click on Dancing Bears) This was written as a tribute to Jerry Garcia.

There you go, from New Orleans Mardi Gras to bright colors, to Dancing Bears. Groovy.

Dog marching in the Barkus parade, New Orleans 2012.

© Kathy Kelly 2012

Teaching a beginning crochet class

I’m happy to be teaching a beginning crochet class at Knit 1 in Chicago starting on Saturday February 25, 2012 10:00 am. If you have always wanted to try crochet now is the time! The class will explain all of the basics and the class project will be a cowl.

The example above is a very bulky weight version of my Chi-Town Crochet Cowl using Brown Sheep Burly Spun yarn.

And, you have options such as making the cowl a moebius.

Or, you could make one using a worsted weight or bulky weight yarn.

If you’re not into cowls this could also be made as a skinny scarf, or a regular sized scarf.

You could make this pattern with a self-striping yarn or variegated yarn. Knit 1 has many beautiful yarns to choose from.

If you’re interested in learning crochet while having a bit of fun, I invite you to join the class. Contact Knit 1 to reserve a space.

© Kathy Kelly 2012

Chi-Town Crochet Cowl

Chi-Town Crochet Cowl
by Kathy Kelly

Yarn: 1 skein Lamb’s Pride Worsted 190 yards
Size K 6.5 mm hook, or size to achieve a relaxed stitch and flexible fabric, gauge is not important.
darning needle
This pattern uses a multiple of 4 + 1 stitches.
Example is 30” long and 8” wide, joined with a single twist to make a moebius.

Stitch abbreviations U.S. Terminology used
ch = chain
dc = double crochet
sc = single crochet
st = stitch
sp = space
sk st = skip stitch

Instructions
Make enough chains so that when the ends are joined it will easily fit over your head. Be sure the final number is a multiple of 4 + 1.  (I chained 81).
Note: When working dc rows do not work into 1st stitch directly underneath turning ch. Ch 3 turning chain counts as a dc throughout.

Row 1: dc in 4th chain from hook and each chain across. (If you started with 81 ch you should have 79 stitches. Be sure you have an odd number of stitches.) Turn.
Check again to make sure this fits easily over your head and that it is the desired length.
Row 2: ch 1, sc in first dc and each dc across ending with a sc in top of turning ch from previous row. Turn.
Row 3: ch 3, dc in each sc across skipping the first sc under ch just made. Turn.
Row 4: ch 4, skip one stitch, dc in next stitch, (ch 1, skip one stitch, dc in next stitch) repeat across ending with a dc in top of turning ch of previous row. Turn.
Row 5: ch 3, (dc in ch 1 sp, dc in next dc) repeat across ending with a dc in ch 4 sp and a dc in 3rd ch of ch 4 of previous row. Turn.
Row 6: ch 1, sc in each stitch across ending with a sc in top of turning ch of previous row.
Row 7: ch 3, dc in each stitch across.
Repeat rows 4-7 two more times or until desired width is reached.
Fasten off.
Weave in ends and block. Whip stitch the ends together to form a ring. Or, if you’d like a moebius, give one end a single twist and then stitch the ends together.

Options:
You may make this as a straight scarf by beginning with more chains (be sure your chain is a multiple of 4 + 1).  For a skinny scarf do just one repeat of rows 4-7.
If you want this to be a wider cowl you may add an extra repeat of rows 4-7.
To make a cowl that wraps around your neck twice, chain more and check to be sure the chains easily fit over your head when doubled. If you do this you’ll need extra yarn.
You may substitute other weights of yarn using an appropriate sized hook. The amount of yarn needed will vary depending on the weight of the yarn used.

Chi-Town Crochet Cowl © 2012 Kathy Kelly

You may use this pattern for your personal projects. Please do not teach this pattern without my permission. Feel free to link to this page and to credit me as the author of the pattern.

Here are some links in case you need help with how to block your work, and how to whip stitch.

© Kathy Kelly 2012

African Flower purse

Here’s the purse I made using the African Flower Hexagon motifs. I lightly felted it in the washing machine. The strap is a chain made of 6 pieces of yarn worked together, then felted. For technical details see my Ravelry projects page.

For directions on how to make the motif see my previous post, African Flower Hexagon, with associated links.

Somewhere is Chicago, resting under a blanket of snow.

© Kathy Kelly 2012