Make it ! Mini bunting !!!

I was thinking about a friend of mine who will celebrate her birthday tomorrow and she (with her family!) is invited to lunch at our home….. I was thinking something crafty would be nice, something like a cake topper for my handmade tiramisu' (have a look even here !)….

…. so in few hours, with a tiny hook (2,5mmm) and some colourful acrylic I crocheted this little cheerful bunting…

…. more details ….

…. If you like (and dare, too!!!) you can transform this bunting into a bold necklace ….

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT DID I DO ?

I've selected 6 different colours from my yarn stash and, as said before, a 2,5mm hook.
Beside me, there were even a pair of scissors and yarn needle, to trim in the ends.

The "triangle" motif origins from what I followed in a previous project (make it ! IPad sleeve), so I crocheted each disc/mini hexagon as follows (US crochet terms) :

first round : make a slip knot on the hook
                    chain 6 and slip stitch in the first chain to form a ring
                    chain 3 and make a double crochet (DC), chain 1
                    (2 DCs, chain 1) and repeat this other 4 times (total : 5 times)
                     slip stitch in the top of the first "chain 3"
                    fasten off and cut yarn

second round : join a new colour in any of the chain-1 space
                        chain 2, make 1 DC, chain 2
                        in next chain-1 space : 2 DCs, chain 1, 2 Dcs, chain 2 (total : 5 times)
                        so you are back to the first chain-1 space, where you crochet : 2 DCs, chain 1
                        slip stitch in the top of the first DC made
                        fasten off and cut yarn

Remember to look here and here ! ;oD

I've joined the little discs together using the join as you go method!

Supposing you would like to have a mini bunting as a final result ( note that the "triangles" could be perfect even as coasters!), you need a chain to hang it anywhere, right?

Choose another colour and the right hook ( still 2,5mm for me), make a slip knot and chain 20 ( i think this is the right length for my cake topper! Feel free to chain less or more!).
Starting from the first "triangle" (the one that will be on the right of your bunting, while facing you), make 1 single crochet (SC) in the chain-1 space at the top of your first disc, chain 8, 1 SC in the chain-1 space at the top of the 2nd disc, chain 8, 1 SC at the top of the chain-1 space of the 3rd disc, chain 12 (between this first triangle and the second/middle one) …

first triangle

Repeat the previous pattern (1 SC, chain 8, 1 SC, chain 8, 1 SC, chain 12) even for the 2nd triangle ….

second triangle

Even for the last triangle you repeat : 1 SC, chain 8, 1 SC, chain 8, 1  SC, but this time you chain 20, as for the beginning …

third triangle

fasten off and cut the exceeding yarn !

Are you happy with the result of your work ????

Well, I'm and I hope my friend will too ….

…. Now I need to prepare the tiramisu' !!!!!! ;oD

P.S. : this could be easily transformed in a Fall bunting, choosing the right colours for a bunch of grapes !!! Don't you think so, too??

xxxx Alessandra

Today I join : Link your Stuff ! and Craft Schooling Sunday !!!! see you there, too!!!

A new shawl !!!!

I was browsing through one of my Japanese crochet books and I found this chart ….

…. this was meant for a part of a blouse I was not interested in (!!!!) , but I loved the idea to use it for a new shawl, designed by me !!!!

I've been using some Sirdar Wash'n'Wear DK Double Crepe (shade 0282/lot 126292 grey and shade 0251/dye 109925 white ) with a 4mm hook.
My foundation chain was of 99 chains ( you have to consider that 12 chains stand for one triangle), so I did 12x8 triangles +3 ( this is the equivalent of your first double crochet, US crochet terms !) = 99 !!!

This is what I got :

Some details of both edgings (yes, not only one!) …..

For the pom pom edge look HERE

For the pointy edge, inspiration from HERE

I didn't follow any precise idea, the shawl just developed row by row following the inspiration of the moment !!!

I started my work using a lot of grey and I completed it with alternating stripes of white and grey ….

…. may I say : not bad, eh ?  ;oD

Happy Weekend, xxxx Alessandra

Today I join : Link your Stuff! and Craft Schooling Sunday  See you there!!!!

This morning in my mailbox ...

…. I found the parcel sent by Alison (from the far Hebrides !!!), the lovely and witty hostess of Tweed Thoughts … !!!!!

She organised a giveaway on her blog on the 8th of April and informed me that I was the winner few days later!!!!! ;oD

These are the goodies that I won …. !!!!!!! …….. !!!!!!!! …….

• her first Tweedie Egg, with a big sentimental value and handmade with lot of love !!!!
• a lovely "cottage keychain", cute and useful!!!
• a trio of covered buttons : these are really amazing !!!!!
• an original tweedie egg card ( with its own envelope) : I was really spoiled !!!!!!

Then the nice touch of adding a handwritten note and a couple of pages from the local gazette !!!!!

Alison you made my day and I'm so happy of all the presents you gave me !!! The egg is so squishy : I love it in my hands!!!!

I think it may be so kind if  you have a look at Alison's shops : here (Big Cartel) and here (Etsy) !! You'll find a lot of tweedy goodies !!!!! Thank you !!!!!

xxxx Alessandra

A postcard for you all !!!

From this …

…. to this ….

Enjoy the Easter weekend, wherever you are !!!!

xxxx Alessandra

…. this choco bunny is the right coaster for a hot cup of chocolate or for a bowl full of mini easter eggs!!!

Today I join : Link your Stuff ! and Craft Schooling Sunday !!!! ;oD

TA-DAH : a waist apron for a FOXY LADY !!!!!!

What do you say ????? Did you ever think about that ?????? ;oD
A lot of you thought about blankets ( why not ? Maybe the next one!!!), I was thinking, at the very beginning, at a tea set and then at a "Linus blanket" ( do you remember The Peanuts ? Charlie Brown? Snoopy? etc…..!), but then I had this idea : a waist apron…. mumble mumble…. is it possible?
I had to try and so I did !!!!

What I liked about the idea was that it was really simple to carry out !!! In few hours it was done !!!!

My "model" helped me to take a lot of pictures, just to show you how it fits on ….

The first thing that I added to my foxy fabric was the edging ( figured out by myself!!!), starting from one side (red), then the bottom (blue) and last the other side (purple)…

How to crochet the edging :

I took a 2,5mm hook (same size used for the panel) and with the red yarn I made a slip knot on the hook. I started to work along the right side (when you wear it, but it is considered as the left side -tricky, I know- when you work on it!), inserting the hook in the corner of the square that will be used even to crochet the waistband of the apron ( see picture #6, starting from the top of this post).

In this corner, after inserting the hook, make a single crochet (US crochet terminology!).
In the first shell, made of 3 double crochets, make a slip stitch in the first stitch, then chain 3 and make a double crochet in the same stitch! In the second stitch, crochet only 1 double crochet. In the third (and last stitch of the shell) make 1 double crochet, chain 3 and crochet a slip stitch in the same stitch.
Make a single crochet in the chain-1 space of the mini granny square and then repeat the same pattern of the first shell in the second one.
Crochet a single crochet in the second corner of the square and make another single crochet in the first corner of the second mini granny square !
Repeat this simple pattern until the end of the side. In the last corner of the last square, after the single crochet is done, simply fasten off !
Trim in all the ends.

I wanted this apron to be frivolous, but not too much, that's why I opted for a "squared" edging rather than one with scallops.

If you prefer a more "lacey" result, just change the pattern crocheted in each shell:
slip stitch in 1st stich, then chain 3
double crochet in 2nd stitch, then chain 3
slip stitch in 3rd stitch

I would love to hear from you about your choices and experiments! ;oD

What about the waistband and the two ribbon-like strips to tie at the back/front ???

This time I worked with 2 strands of yarn (black and pink) and with a 4mm hook, to make both the waistband and the strips more durable.

Waistband and strips

Working with the front facing you, make a slip knot on the hook and insert it in the first corner of the first granny square at the top right. Make a slip stitch and chain 3, then 1 double crochet in the same starting corner. You are going to crochet shells made of 2 double crochets each, with no chain-1 spaces in the between.
When you reach the second corner of each square, just crochet 1 double crochet and do the same in the adjacent first corner of the next granny square : these two "separated" DCs will form a shell!
You'll finish this first row of DCs shells with a shell in the last corner of the last granny square.
Turn your work and chain 3, then crochet 1 double crochet in each stitch until the end of this row (2nd row).
Turn your work again and chain 3. Repeat the same pattern used in row 2.
At the end of row 3 don't fasten off, but crochet 5 or 6 single crochets along the lateral edge of the waistband: you are going to crochet your first strip of the apron! Turn your work and crochet 5/6 DCs in the previous single crochets. repeat this row until you reach the desired length for your strip. I worked 55 rows and to finish the strip nicely I made one scallop ! Fasten off .
To start the second strip, make a slip knot on the hook and attach the yarn at the base of the waistband at the other side of your work (front facing you). Make 5/6 single crochets and repeat the same pattern used for the first strip (scallop included). Fasten off.
Trim in all the ends.

To find out all the links "foxy" related, please look HERE !!!!! Thank you !!!!

xxxx, Alessandra

Today link : Pin it Thursday !!!!! See you there ! xxxx