Category: Crochet

Ocean Swells Crochet Scarf

On By Erickson's HeirloomsIn CrochetLeave a comment

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Not wanting to be idle, I like to carry projects with me that I can work on when I have to wait.  My current project was completed rather quickly, in less than two weeks.  Having to wait four hours to see a patient for a consultation at Children’s Hospital contributed greatly to the rapidity of this project.

I recently came across a pattern that reminded me of the waves of the ocean.  When I looked up the name of the pattern, I found that the name, Ocean Swells, fit my thoughts very well.

I decided that I would make a scarf. So, I looked through my supply of yarn and found some that I thought would work well.

Pattern:

  • Row 1: ch 30, sc into second st from hook, sc in next 4 sts, *hdc,  dc, tc, dc, hdc. 9sc*,  rep pattern. End row with 5 sc.
  • Row 2: ch1, 3 sc, sk 2, dc, ch1, dc and ch1 for next four sts, sk 2, 5 sc, ch1, sk 2, *dc, ch1 *five times, sk2, finish row with 3 sc.
  • Row 3: sk 3 dc, work 2dc into first ch1 sp, repeat in next ch1 sp, work 3 dc in next ch1 sp, dc into top of next dc from previous row, 3dc into next ch1 sp, 2dc in the next two ch1 spaces, sk 2 sc and sc into next. Sk next 2 dc and repeat pattern, finishing off with a sc into last st.
  • Row 4: ch1, then sc across into each st.
  • Row 5: ch4 and dc into same st, hdc, sk 1 st, 9sc, sk 1st, hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, sk1, 9sc,sk1, hdc, dc and end row with a tr.
  • Row 6: ch4, dc into next st, ch1, dc, ch1, sk 2 sts, 5sc, ch1, sk 2 sts, dc, ch1 5 times, sk2, 5sc, ch1, sk2, dc, ch1, dc, ch1 and dc into ch4 of previous row.
  • Row 7: ch3, 2dc in each of the three ch1 sp, sk 2sc, sc, sk 2sc, 2dc in next 2 ch1 sps, 3dc in third ch1 sp, 1dc in top of dc from previous row, 3dc in ch1 sp, 2dc in next 2 ch1 sps, sk 2sc, sc to anchor, sk 2 st, 2dc in next 3 ch1 sps, 1dc into top of turning ch from last row.
  • Row 8: ch1, sc across row.
  • Row 9: ch1, 4sc, sk 1 st, *hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, sk 1 st, 9sc, sk 1, repeat * to end, sc last 4 sts.
  • Row 10: ch1, 2sc, sk 2 sts, *ch1, (1dc, ch1) 5 times, sk 2 sts, 5sc,ch1, sk 2, 5sc, repeat from * to end of roimg_0208w, ending with 2sc
  • Repeat rows 3-10 until project reaches desired length.

 

There is a YouTube tutorial available at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpNhPK1j4-g

 

 

 

Crochet Along Blocks – Drop in the Bucket and Embracing Variety Crochet Squares

On By Erickson's HeirloomsIn Crochet1 Comment
Two more  crochet blocks completed.

“Drop in the Bucket”

Designer: Janie Herrin
“Embracing Variety”
Designer: Aurora Suominen

I’m still having fun making these!

Crochet Along Blocks – Crocodile Flower and Lion’s Mane Crochet Squares

On By Erickson's HeirloomsIn Crochet2 Comments
Two more  crochet blocks completed.  




“Crocodile Flower”

Designer: Joyce Lewis

Pattern: $1.99 at Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-crocodile-flower

I really like this pattern.  There are many wonderful color combinations on the Ravelry website.

“Lion’s Mane”

Designer: April Moreland

Pattern: free at Ravelry

I’m still having fun making these!

Crochet Along Blocks – Center Heart and Catalina Squares

On By Erickson's HeirloomsIn CrochetLeave a comment
Two more  crochet blocks completed.  

“Center Heart”

Designer: Ginger Badger

“Catalina”

Designer: Julie Yeager

Pattern: $3.99 at Ravelry

There are many beautiful color combinations shown for the pattern as well.

These are really nice!

Crochet Along – Crown Jewels and Eight-Pointed Flower

On By Erickson's HeirloomsIn CrochetLeave a comment
Two more  crochet blocks completed.  
“Crown Jewels”
Designer: Melinda Miller
“Eight Pointed Star”
Designer: Julie Yeager
Pattern: $3.99 at Ravelry
There are many beautiful color combinations shown for the pattern.

Crochet Along – Join In, It’s Gonna Be Fun

On By Erickson's HeirloomsIn CrochetLeave a comment
When I was a teenager, I learned how to knit and crochet – nothing fancy, just basic stitches. Granny Square afghans were the only crochet pattern I had learned.  Being busy with classes, I gave up on knitting and crocheting when I was in college. Now, years later, I have decided to take up crocheting again. Along with several friends, also new to crocheting, we have compiled a collection of several patterns (actually about 42 of them) for a Crochet-Along. The plan is to crochet two blocks each month and eventually put them together into an afghan (yes this project will take a while to complete).

For this project, I am using Fingering weight Bamboo-Cotton (70/30 blend) yarn. Specialty dyed yarns sell for $8-25 per skein. I found white yarn on Amazon for $2.40 a skein and decided to try dyeing the yarn.  A trial skein showed that the yarn dyes similar to cotton fabric. Thus the supplies needed were the same as I described in my last posting. Yeah – no need to purchase anything new, just the yarn!

Be advised, synthetic fibers, such as acrylic will not dye with Procion dyes. 

Air trapped between fibers of the yarn will hinder the penetration of the color.  Therefore, prior to dyeing, each skein of yarn must be immersed in dye solution (water with salt and soda ash) to prepare the fibers to accept the color.  For variegated yarn, the skein can be rewound into a larger circle and secured with scrap yarn.

For this project, each skein of yarn was soaked in 1/2 cup of hot dye solution.  The excess solution was squeezed out to leave the yarn damp prior to adding the dye. The desired dye was added, either as a total immersion (for a single color skein), or syringed on (for variegated yarn).  The yarn was then batched for 6 hours. Excess dye was removed by rinsing with cold water, followed by washing in hot water with Dawn dish soap.   Since the washing machine is the easiest way the wash out excess dye from fabric, I wanted to find a way to wash yarn without the yarn becoming tangled.  Tied yarn does tangle very easily when washed in a washing machine (believe me, I tried it and spent about two hours untangling my first skein).  I thought about using a lingerie bag, but worried that the skein may still tangle.  So, instead, I tied the skein in an old nylon – worked great.

 

Below is a sample of the yarn colors I created:
Variegated Colors:
     Mixing Blue and Custom Green, 20 ml of each color syringed in sections
           One skein using dye mixed at a concentration of 5 mg/ml
           Another skein at a concentration of 2 mg/ml
Solid Colors:
     Golden Yellow, 0.2 mg/ml in 50 ml
     Mixing Blue, 5 mg/ml in 50 ml
     Mixing Blue, 0.2 mg/ml in 50 ml
     Custom Green, 5 mg/ml in 50 ml
     Custom Green, 0.2 mg/ml in 50 ml

Crochet Along Square #1 – Granny Square – pictured above
Crochet Along Square #2 – Big Flower Square designed by Julie Yeager (Ravelry.com)
This pattern does have a fee, but there are many other patterns on Ravelry that are free.  

My plan is to post two squares each month. I will include information about the patterns. So, if you want to crochet along, please join me.  If you do, I would love to see what you create.