Pattern

I will post the pattern tomorrow, today I am sleepy,lol

Halloween pineapple doilies

Pom-poms

I use my hairpin to make fast and easy my pon.pons. attach the yarn/thread with the cord you want (here I wanted a keychain, always lost mine). Cut the borders and work with your scissors to make a nice one. Here I used 2 colors, you can imagine with patriotic ones, or Xmas, or as ornament for curtains, the possibilities are huge, even a carpet. Not those circles, so slow for me, it is a mess. Try with a book, hands, depends the size and colors you want

Pom-pons

Tassels

So the best way to do nice tassels is to attach the cord that you want out from the inside, , scure with dental floss, turn and attach with thread/yarn, and you can work them later. , or add little tassels, bodies, and lots of imagination.

Tassels

Once you make a nice tassel, you discover that all around us have one. Indians, Popes, poor and rich people, babies or elders, and we just do not realize until we just are awared of it.

So I began to take a look how to make a nice one. Here is the story

Celeste is with some leather samples that somebody gave me. And I made tassels.

Most of them are made out of yarn or thread, and they are so easy to do. Let me show you how.

Cut strands of yarn/thread and tie them with dental floss (strong and almost invisible), also add the cord you want, at the wron side, later you turned your work, and your tassel is ready.. Well pics are not in order but you get the idea... You can work with the top, the wrap (embroider or else), or work with the strands, adding more tassels, or perhaps braiding it, or wrapping , make somekind of toys, or a keyholder, there are many occasions you will need one, even if it is the simplest one, like a knot.
In this model, you must wrap twice, one with the cord to the inside, the other to make it very neat and the cord just in the middle and out! of course.

I know I am kind of not a good teacher now, but I will be posting soon more explanations and also how to do a nice and simple pom-pom

Thoughts

It is not easy to write a pattern, even more if you try to do it in another language.
And any, not one, feedback, negative, positive, nothing.
I am tired, my day began cleaning, do laundry, cleaning the kitchen mess, but I am still here!.
Even the sun wants to cheer my day, it is cold.
Life is so difficult sometimes.
I am happy my son and Susan came to live with me, I feel my life has a sense again.
But sometimes those who are not with me, my late brother, my parents, and not only those who the Lord called them, but my little girl, she went so far away, to Singapur, not even a good bye mom. I know she is a grown up in age but so inmature.
So, if you stop by, just say anything, please!
Ruth

Sunny Dishcloth or Potholder

I wish I could go to the northern hemisphere!, Hate winter time, cold and dark, we do not have snow, but days are almost always clouded, and rainy. I began to work with nice summer colors, and I thought I could crochet a sun…..
Crochet: N° 00 steel hook, or E (3,5 mm) hook
Scraps thread (cotton) white, yellow and orange

Gauge Not important, just use always the same hook size

Row 1: with white Ch 3 join
Row 2 ; 5 sc in ring
Row 3: ch1 sc in same ch1, 2 sc in the next 4 sc ( 10 sc)
Row 4: ch1 sc in same ch1, 2 sc in the next 9 sc (20 sc)
Row 5: With yellow, ch 10 and join to ring with sl st
Row 6 : work 8 sc, 2 sc in the last 2 ch ( 12 sc) turn ch 1 to turn
Row 7 : work 2 sc in the first 4 sc BLO from now on, , work 4 in the next sc, work 3 sc in the next sc, work 5 sc in the next 5 sc do not join to ring
Row 8: join orange to last yellow sc, repeat row 6 and row 7, work sl st in the next white sc to join.
Row 9: join yellow to last orange sc, work 8 sc, 2 sc in the last 2 sc ch 1, turn
Row 10: work 2 sc in the first sc, work 4 sc, next st work 3 sc, work 5 sc and join to white with sl st.
Repeat row 5-10 until all the white sc are worked.
Block, and weave in ends

Enjoy :))

Baby Dress, cute chevron skirt

Baby Dress

I was wondering a nice baby dress but very easy to do. I thought “I do not know any baby!!”), when it was done, I show it to my son and DIL. She found it so cute, and told me to sell it to her, as she has a friend with a newborn baby girl. Sell it to her?, No, no I told her to buy a variegated skein and I repeat the pattern, following now the instructions, but if you do not understand something please ask it to me. Remember my English is not that well!.


Newborn-3 months
2 oz lilac baby yarn (60 gr)
3 oz variegated baby yarn (100 gr)
Hooks : D/3 (3.25mm) for bodice,G/6 ( 4.5) for skirt
Tapestry needle
3 baby buttons
3 baby ribbon flowers
Gauge: 7 dc 1” (2.5 cm) 4 rows 1” (2.5 cm) for bodice
Pattern
Bodice:
Row 1: ch 71 , dc in 4th ch from hook, and each 6 chs (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch, dc in next 16 chs) 3 times, 2 dc, ch 1 , 2 dc in next ch, dc , 7 dc in next chs. Ch 3, turn.
Row 2 : dc in next dcs, [2 dc, 1 ch 2 dc, in next ch 1 sp, dc in next dc (18) ] 3 times, dc in next dc.
Row 3-6, repeat row 2
Row 7, now working in rounds, ch 1 for turn [sc until first ch 1 sp, ch 2 , sc in next ch 1 (for armhole)] 2 times, sc until 2 sc before ending, overlap the bodice and work 2 sc in the last 2 sts with the first sts. (for button space)
Row 8-10 : sc in every st, including ch 2 for armhole, do not join
Attach variegated yarn with sl st and change to a bigger hook.
Row 1 sl st with variegated yarn,( sc in same st, 1 sc in next st, ch 11, skip next st, join ch with sc to next st, sc next st), to the end.
Row 2: (working in rounds) sl st in first 2 sc, 5 sc in ch 11, 3 sc in the next ch, sk 2 sc work 5 sc in first 5 ch, 3 sc in next ch, 5 sc in the next chs, sk 2 sc , around. From now on BLO
Row 3-…:(working in rounds, (5 sc in 5 sc sts, , 3 sc next sc, 5 sc next sts, sk 2 sc ) . Remember to work in back loops only.
When 3-4 rows are done, with tapestry needle sew the holes formed with the ch 11 base chs and the sk stitch, with mattress st.
Continue working in rounds until you reach the long of the skirt that you want.
For armholes, (crochet 3 sl st next st) all around.
You will see a chevron like st.
Sew baby buttons (the dc will be your buttonholes) and 3 baby ribbon flowers in front, for a nicer work. I do not add a satin ribbon, as we don’t like too many things in a baby dress.

Enjoy :))

Doorstop

My front door always slams with the wind. I have a heavy stuff on the floor, but it is heavy and sometimes I forget to move it and ...I cannot get in my house again until I find a way to get in back again. So I decided to make this (suppossed to be) a lighthouse with my door dimensions, no pattern, but filled not only with fiberfill but with all the scraps yarn-thread for not getting the filling to be flat so soon.

I add a ch on top and below to place the lighthouse from side to side of my door.

To "bee" or not to bee

This week I have created new patterns. No, they do not come from outer space, a baby dress with a stitch that I used for a purse (crochet). then a knitted Pilucho (peeloocho), a pot holder (crochet), a doorstop, not very nice, I must embroider something, but it is just what I wanted, and a cute doilie, that I create from a vintage pattern, but it was the idea.
Today it was rainy and cold, so I stayed at bed, lazy Sunday. And I am not in the mood of taken pics or even finish my creations.
I was so frustrated when at all Vina del Mar, I could not found a doll like a model, just Barbie-like-to-be ones. So I must use just a cardboard to show how to use a pilucho. I think 99% chileans had used one when babies!.

The Nutcracker Rug

Stitches Used:
ch:chain
dc: double crochet
sl st: slip stitch
st(s): stitch(es)
yo: yarn over hook
dc2tog (dc 2 sts together): [Yo, insert hook in next st and draw up a loop, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] twice, yo and draw through all 3 loops on hook.
Important: When changing colors, do not forget to work the last st until 2 loops remain on hook, drop old color, pick up new color, yo and draw through both loops on hook.
Materials Needed
Sport weight yarn
Red: 2-3 oz (60-90 g)
Black: 1-1.5 oz (30-50 g)
Lilac: 1 oz (30 g)
Blue, gold yellow, white, tan : leftovers yarn
Crochet hook: F/5 ( 4mm)
Tapestry needle for embroider eyes, teeth belt, legs. ( Do not add any button if it is for a kid)

Gauge:
Mine was : 4 rows: 2” (5 cm)
8 dc’s: 2” (5 cm)
If you use another kind of yarn/ hook all over the rug, it is not important, only the measures will change.
Final Measures
32” (81 cm) tall
14.5” (37 cm) body 19” (48 cm) with arms

Pattern:
With black ch 68 dc in the 4th ch from hook.
Row 1-4 : 65 dc + 3 ch for turning
Row 5: with gold yellow and when joining new colors, ch 6 and make 3 dc’s on the gold yellow base ch, 4th st over black st of the body (65 more gold yellow dc’s) and at the end of the row, ch 3 and back with sl st and work 3 dc’s out of the body. Cut yarn
Row 6-7: Join black, working all the yellow sts, cut yarn
Row 8: Join gold yellow, work all the sts, cut yarn
Row 9: skip first 3 sts, join lilac. Work 53 dc’s
Row 10-25: work 53 dc’s . At the end, cut yarn
Row 26: with blue ch 8, add red and make 53 dc’s, add blue, ch 11, turn,
Row 27: make 8 blue dc’s, 53 red dc’s, 8 blue dc’s(over the ch base from the row 26)
Row 28-32: work the same colors
Row 33-37: change red for black color
Row 38-59: change black for red color
Row 60: Change blue for black, over red, make 13 sts tan, 27 sts white 13 sts tan
Row 61: same colors as 60
Row 62: Start decreasing the hair, at the end of a row, make dc2tog
Row 63-65: work the same colors and do not forget to dc2tog at the end of a row.
Row 65-72: black is finished, last row of tan
Row 73: Join black (53 sts) cut yarn
Row 74-75: Join lilac (53 sts) cut yarn
Row 76: Join black (53 sts) cut yarn
Row 77-78: Join blue (53 sts) cut yarn
Row 79 : Join black (53 sts) cut yarn
Finishing:
Weave in ends, decide the right and the wrong side and embroider eyes ( ch. in smaller rounds with black), teeth (black), belt (gold yellow), legs (white).
For you or as a great gift. Enjoy J

My Son

Here is Carlos, finishing the chocolate cake. Chocolate pancakes, filled with chocolate cream and strawberrie jam, covered with chocolate and chantilly (?) cream. He began with chocolate coberture, cream, flour, eggs, nothing pre-done.
That was yesterday, today he bought those nice clear boxes for cakes, and Susan went to her town to celebrate with her daddy tomorrow.
I am so proud that he is the best of his class. Good luck Carlos, I know you can make all your dreams. come true.
BTW, he is also a great musician, singing all day long, with his guitar, the electric piano, or his trumpet. Just memories, he was in 7th grade when he began with the trumpet. Believe me, at first it was kind of torture, playing over and over just 3 notes, by the end of the year, he must played the American and Chilean National Songs for his grade, he got an A+.
So many interests he has, and so interested in many things, besides what I am posting, and he knows so many things, as those miracle berries, even his teachers never heard of them. We buyed some at the net, and he let the teachers, students tried one, (me too), it is so weird to try a real hard kiwi and tasted so sweet. Or the lemons, all sours feel sweet to taste.

My Garden

So, here is my little garden,

I am looking for some gramiea type of plants, so in summertime they will not ask me for too much water, lol, my Celeste was after our neighbour's cat, and I am growing some herbs, ciboulette, sage, parsil, rosemary, and others for my son, and some Aloe Vera, lavander, for me.

I was kind of lazy at the time to make a little terrace, so I just place some heavy squares, and for getting them tight, I am growing grass. So this summer I will have a nice place to stay, with a terrific view . Only God knows where I will be this summer, hope with Carlos, my son, Susan, and Celeste.

Ater the first rain

After the first rain of the season.............. Yesterday was dark and the nice sound of the rain was like a lullaby, that invite us to be at home, watching TV while I was finishing my rug.
My son and his girlfriend Susan, the nice young lady that was the model for my capelet, were making a nice chocolate cake for her father, as tomorrow is Father's Day here.
My son is studying to be a chef, and he must practice (very bad for my waist. lol).
Today still there is kind of misty and the sun is very, very shy.
We were so happy with this rain, as here it only rains from April to September, just a few milimeters each time. But we all hope it will take away the everybody-has-a-cold reason.
Here is a view from my little garden-to-be, from the bay. Far away is Valparaiso, and the buildings nearby are Renaca, where I live. I will post another pic, where you can see a little of Vina del Mar.
I want to share with you some views, my son and the carpet with the pattern....

Purl Stitch

http://shalomlanasyalgomas.blogspot.com/2008/01/punto-reves.html

Here is the way we were taught to do the purl stitch. It is very comfortable, as when you knit, (or purl), the stitches are in diffferent ways, so you can watch TV, chat a little, without looking or counting, as the stitch shows you if it is a k or p one. I tried to take some pics of a magazine, but my camera as the weather, my flu, is going carazy. Anyway I will post the pic.

I cannot explain you how difficult was for me just to realize that simple fact, but a huge one.
So now I am knitting both ways, because if any ssk, or k2tog is present I must purl the needle under the yarn, as you all do.
It was not easy at first, I tried to cheat myself, my conciuos was very present at those times.
For proving me I could do it just as fast both ways, I made a simple rose, very simple, the pattern is here

CO 120 (continental),
knit 6 rows (purling as you do), with baby yarn and US 3 (3mm) straight needles
Bind off 10 stitches, with a number 5 (3 3/4 mm) straight needle, continue working with number 5 needles for 6 rows.
BO 25 stitches with a n° 6 (4.5 mm), straight needle, for 6 rows,
BO 35 stitches with US 8 (5mm) straight needles, work 6 rows and BO next 50 stitches
You will get something like a weird strip.

With a tapestry needle and the same yarn, go round forming a rose, if you want shrink a little as making petals, secure in ends, ready your rose.

And yes! I did it!!, it wasn´t odd, or difficult as it was at the beggining, nice and comfortable, as if I always worked p stitch that way.

Leaf Pattern

CO 5 stitches, 1° row, k2, M1, k1, M1, k2 (7 stitches)

2° and all even rows, purl

3° row k3, M1, k1, M1, k3 (9 stitches)

5° row k4, M1, k1, M1, k4 (11 stitches)

7° row k1, ssk, k5, k2tog,k1 (9 stitches)

9° row k1, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1 (7 stitches)

11° row k1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1 ( 5 stitches)

13° row k1, sssk, k1 (3 stitches)

15° row sssk

weave on ends, attach to your rose. This is a very simple way I do my leaves.

You can use it as a corsage, on your hair, or add a stem with an I-cord, with a very thin wire if you want it in a vase. Enjoy your rose, and I am happy, at last I can say I can really purl both ways, without a problem

Here are 2 pics of a close up of the work

By TheSeaside Capelet

Ch 210, sport weight yarn 100% acrylic, (300 gr, about 10 oz ) with a G6 (4.25mm) hook and a US 35 (20mm) needle, working 5 loops twisted and 5 sc on top as a broomstick stitch. Every third row, work 2 rows of sc, repeat this for 5 times. 15 broomstick rows separated every 3 with 2 sc rows (4 two sc 2 rows).
Once you finish, work 1 row sc all the way round, then 2 rows sc on 3 sides (not on top), next row ch 3 ss in the same stitch, ss on the next 2 sc, the last one, another 3 ch, repeat all the 3 sides.
On top, make a 350 ch cord, and pass through the stitches, so you can use it as a nice shawl or a warm and cozy capelet. Its measures are 115 cm (45") x 43 cm (17")

Sorry, I always forget to post all at once.
So begin the Tutorial from down-up

Broomstick Lace Tutorial

How to Fix your Mistakes

Then continue working as usual. Always against the tail of the base chain, so you do not get confused.
I work with the needle up, between my knees, some other crocheters below their arm, try to find the comfortable way for you.
Most work with the loops in the needle, but I find much more easy to take the needle out and work with only the loops.
And here is a pic of the work in only 3 rows, you will never notice that one stitch has 6 loops instead of 5, always looking the row below, to get the loops neat in the vertical way.
I know, nobody will tell you this, but happens, if the kids are playing indians, the dog wants to play with your yarn, or you have to leave your work for any reason and let me tell you, that 60-100 loops are not easy to count.
Sometimes you miss one loop, do not worrie, take it the next row with other loop, or if you realize 3-....rows later, fix it with a needle and yarn, weaving on loose ends.
Sure, it is not the best thing to do, but we are human, and having fun, relaxing with our hooks and needles. It is different with other stitches that you must be a frog, they are not possible to fix.
Well, this blog does not alloud me to upload another pic, so later on I will post the 15 loops with an error, you will never notice, I think..
I am finishing something I hope I will post it tomorrow.

It is easy when you have only 15 loops, but when you have 60-70 loops, you can have one more or less. Always being careful to be neat in the vertical way too, so look the row below. In this case I made one more, so one worked stitch will have 6 loops, but nobody will notice, but if the vertical way is not neat, that will show, so work 4 or 6 loops if that is the case, with 5 sc on top

Turn the work, and pull up another 15 loops (the first one is the one remaining in the hook. As the other rows are much more easy, take the loops out of the needle and work them that way. Picking up the loops with the hook, and stretching them gently, so they have all the same lenght.

First row, pick up with the hook 5 loops, and I twisted them with my left hand and the first 5 ones, secure them with a ch that it does not count as a stitch.
There is my first row, 5 loops with 5 sc each one.

I am using a G (4.25mm) aluminiun hook, and a US 35 (20mm) needle. The first row is always a little difficult, but then it is very fast, and it is a nice stitch, but nobody tells you the problems you can find.
Use the last ch, and place it to the needle, then without twisting pull up loops using the ch as a base, the yarn never shows a twist, fix it with your hand or with the hook, if that is the case. Ok, I ch 15 so I must have 15 loops on the needle, and I never let that one loop is over another one, so I fixed with the hook, so far, so good.