Squaring the Treble Circle

Hello!  I have been playing around with US Treble/Triple crochet stitches over the past few weeks and whilst I a still figuring out how to increase the rows beyond row 5 in order to create a beautiful flat circle of about cushion size, I managed to square 2 different sizes last night and thought I'd share with you how I did this. Perhaps instructions already exist, but I haven't come across it yet. (Ah - correction - I just came across Retro Circles which albeit hooked in DC, was squared similarly.) 

I also realised how beautiful a throw would be in the smaller square - perhaps each square also edged in one row of SC in a contrasting colour? I bought yarn in natural, peach, grapefruit and raspberry recently and now wonder whether I should be ditching the naturals and pick up cherry red and purple to create a funky doodle donkey vibrant scarf/bag/throw/potholder/doily?  Hmm I will mull over it and perhaps I should just get into my car and visit the yarn store? I also fell in love with the latest circles by Little Woollie and am most definitely hooking something in that pattern soon.

Cheers!

Thank you to all those who subscribed and are flipping pages on Pigtails Crochet Mag (Flipboard)!

African Flower Tutorial

Handbag - still without lining and handles

Yarn: Elle Premier 100% cotton, DK, Hook size 3

The African Flower: Pattern

1. Chain 5 and close circle

2. Chain 3 (first dc), 1 dc, ch1, 2dc, ch1, 2dc and repeat until 6 clusters of 2dc each with ch1 between each cluster. Close with ss

3. Join new colour, ch3 to the right of the join (first dc). 1dc in same space as ch3. Ch1, 2dc in same space

4. Into next ch1 space from previous round: 2dc, ch1, 2dc. Repeat (6 sets) and close with ss. Don't join a new colour as this round and the next one will create the flower petal - unless of course you prefer it slightly different to this

5. Slip into space created by ch and ch3 (first dc)
6. 6dc into same space (cluster of 7)
7. 7dc into each space and close
8. Join new colour and insert hook into first ch space

9. Sc into each dc of previous round (7) and then 1dc.  This dc will appear long but will be creating the petal shape
10. Repeat until whole flower has a border of 7sc, 1dc
11. Join new colour, 4sc and then ch1 and 1sc in same space (you are in the middle of the petal and the sc, ch1, sc will create on of the corners of the hexagon). This round is originally hooked with dc but I prefer the look of the sc.
12. Continue sc until you reach the middle of the next petal once again and sc, ch1, sc.  Repeat and close.

The completed African flower (above) and when stitched together (below)

For a more detailed tutorial, head over to Heidi Bears. Cheers!

Tutorial: Hiding Chain Stitches on Granny Squares between the rows

Hello, Hi, Hiya, Bonjour, Dumela, Asalaama Alaikum, Hej, Namaste and more! When I decided to forego my beloved pentagon and hexagon patterns in favour of hooking the "Little Karoo" throw in a basic square a month ago, I simply couldn't remember at what stitch to start and end a Granny Square. In hindsight I am glad since the majority of squares start and end each row in such a way that the chain stitches that form the first US dc are highly noticeable throughout the project.  Below are a few photos detailing the way I start my squares which also happen to hide the joins 100% - a pattern that emerged out of not knowing how others do it. Anyway, it might also be that this method is well known but I haven't surfed the tinternet yet to verify, so this is the Pigtails join for the time being. 

You will also notice that I do not put a chain stitch between my clusters in order to keep the squares tight and uniform.  I also only chain 2 instead of 3 stitches in order to create a US dc. I demonstrate by joining a new colour but the method remains the same irrespective of colour changes.

 In corner, ch 4. These will form one US dc and the 2 ch to create the corner.

Now create a cluster by hooking 3 dc. The corner will thus consist of 4 chains and the next set of clusters. 

Hook clusters all around.  I create my 4 corners by hooking ch 2 between clusters and not ch 3 as some do.

Once you have hooked a row around the square, simply hook another 2 US dc in the corner. You will cover the base of the first 4 chains you started with somewhat [it might feel wrong] which is exactly what you wanted. No-one will be able to detect where you started and ended your rows.

 Slip stitch into chain to close round - as seen above and below.

Now simply ch 4 again in order to start the next round. 

I hope my tutorial makes sense, I am not exactly the best tutorial writer where hooking is concerned. Have a great day - the sun is shining here and the weather is pleasant for a change. I am off for more tea-garden hooking and another fabulous Lemon Meringue South African style as seen below. Cheers!

Tutorial: Cabbage Rabbit/The Easter Bunny

The Tween managed to finish her Easter Bunny in record time!  Wow I am impressed, her Cabbage Rabbit (the colour of the yarn reminds her of purple cabbage) is absolutely stunning.  She is all of 12 years old and I am a super duper proud mama!

Her love affair with bunnies started when she was 2 and a half years old. I was 5 months preggers with the Dude Tween and trying on bikinis for a fab holiday in a very busy shop in a very busy mall.  The Tween wasn't going to be patient at that challenging age and came close to throwing a full fledged tantrum . . .  Suddenly she spotted a white bunny and decided to manipulate me into buying her something in return to allowing me a few moments to find THE BIKINI. Uhm I don't easily fall for these moments but that day I did and Easter Bunny was born, has her own passport and has since traveled the world with us. A staunch, fiercely looking "I am going to give you a hard time" type of immigration official at Charles de Gaulle once cracked a massive smile when Easter Bunny's passport was handed over to receive a French stamp, a very memorable moment for us since we travel with not so globally friendly and warmly accepted South African issued passports and are used to getting The Look.  

How to hook a bunny ;-) according to The Tween.

Eyes:

Chain a 4 stitch circle

Row 1: 7sc in ring but do not join, work in a spiral
Row 2: 2sc in each stitch around (14sc)
Row 3: 1sc in first stitch, 2sc in next stitch. Repeat this all around (21sc)

Change colour, keep on working in spiral. See  "How to change colour" below.

Row 4: 1sc in first 2 stitches, 2sc in next stitch.  Repeat this all around (28sc)

Row 5: 1sc in first 3 stitches, 2sc in next stitch.  Repeat this all around (35sc) 

Change colour, keep on working in spiral.

Row  6:  1sc in first 4 stitches, 2sc in next stitch.  Repeat this all around (42sc)  

Fasten off and weave in ends. 

How to change colour:

Join original colour with a slip in the back loop only. Finish it off. Change colour: Join with a sc in the front loop (not a slip/ch1 as it will leave a bump) and then sc around. Joining this way only works for patterns where the front is shown, back disguised such as eyes. 

PS: off topic but for future reference - Check out the tutorial on NeedleNoodles on how to hook jogless stripes for stripey amigurumi projects.

Head:

Follow the tutorial as per Youtube for an amigurumi crochet ball but once you reached the 4th decrease stitch near the end, start to increase again in order to form the body. The head consists of 15 rows and the body consists of 12 rows - she wanted the head bigger.  The Tween says you will need to follow your own head and improvise. Gotto love Tweens! 

Arms and Legs:

The Tween: "Now that you have learned how to do the head and body, improvise and make the arms and legs in a similar way through increases and decreases and stuff".

Ears: 

Crochet first 4 rows as per head tutorial.

Row 5: Decrease in every second stitch and then keep on spiraling without increasing or decreasing to form a tube. do not stuff in order to keep ears sturdy and floppy, strong and soft all at the same time.  "Improvise as per arms and legs"

Face: 

Sew eyes on face. Then sew on nose and mouth. Give your bunny a hug and enjoy her.