Vintage Style Toiletry Bag - A Sewing Project

This is a little toiletry bag I made a while back for a friend. I used 3 fat quarters and ribbon. I really love the dainty-looking result :-)

Inside, too! See below.

Block Stitch Infinity Scarf - Free Pattern

Hi everyone!

This post has been a long time coming. It is a variation on the video tutorial I posted recently. The scarf below was my first foray into the Block Stitch technique, and I loved the result so much that this piece has become a wardrobe staple.

Notes:
- Crochet size: 4mm

- Yarn weight: DK (worsted)
- Terminology used: UK
- Ch3 always counts as a treble unless otherwise stated.
- Tension is not critical for this project, just make sure your foundation chain is long enough to fit loosely around your neck when folded four times (number of chains has to be a multiple of 3).
- With 18 rows and a 249-chain foundation, this scarf has an approximate width of 14cm (5.5in) and approximate full-circle length of 140cm (55in). Simply omit/add one or several set(s) of rows to make it narrower/wider, or any number of chains that is a multiple of 3 for a shorter/longer piece.

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
rd = round
st = stitch
ss = slip stitch
beg = beginning
dc = double crochet (US single crochet)
tr = treble (US double crochet)

Block Stitch Infinity Scarf - Pattern:

Foundation: Chain 249 (or any multiple of 3 for desired length), ss to 1st ch.

Round 1: Ch3 (counts as 1 tr throughout), 1 tr in each st around, ss to beg ch3.

Rd 2: Ch1, working towards the right instead of the left (and vice-versa if you're left-handed), 1dc between beg ch3 and last tr of round 3, resume normal direction, *ch2, skip 3 tr, 1 dc in between next 2 tr, repeat from * around, substituting last dc by a ss to 1st dc.

Rd 3: Ss into 1st ch2-space, ch3, 2 tr in same ch2-sp, *3 tr in next ch2-sp, repeat from * around, ss to beg ch3.

Rd 4: Repeat round 2.

Rd 5: Repeat rd 3.

Rnds 6-17: Repeat rds 2 and 3, finishing on a rd 3.

Rnd 18: Ss into each tr around, ss to 1st ss. Fasten off, weave in ends.

Sparkly Little Star - Free Pattern

Hello lovely hooksters!

This pattern has proven very popular around Christmas time but I believe it is versatile enough to be hooked all year round. So go ahead and download it for free in my Ravelry store! :-)

Crochet Coaster - Free Pattern

Hello, Happy New Year everyone!

I hope you have been keeping well. How about warding off that pesky January blues by making some pretty coasters? There is a new video tutorial on my YouTube channel, and the PDF pattern is also available for free in my Ravelry store! Go check them out :-)

Block Stitch Cowl Scarf - Free Video Tutorial

Hi everyone, it has been forever! I hope you are keeping safe and staying relatively sane in the current circumstances. Hopefully some form of normality will return soon.

It has been very cold in the UK the past couple of days. We’ve even had a snow shower today! 🙃 So I think this is the perfect opportunity to offer you a free pattern for a quick and easy cowl. Even more so if you are in renewed lockdown, as I know this is the case for quite a few countries at the moment. Also, quick confession, this is to celebrate the launch of my YouTube channel, which will be dedicated to free crochet tutorials! Can you tell I’m excited? 😁

Anyway, please click below for the video (or here if video image is not showing). I would love to see pictures of your own versions, so please free to post a link in the comment section. Have fun hooking!

Baby Blanket

Hello everyone! How are you all in the current madness that is sweeping the world? I thought I'd take this opportunity to update my blog. So here I am, back for a bit of posting after another long absence. Mind you, I have excuses. I moved house not long after my last post but most importantly... I had another baby (who's recently turned one, haha!).

And can you spot that bit of crochet under those ickle tootsies? Yes! It’s a blanket! A blanket I made especially for said baby and that I managed to finish... er, almost in time for his arrival.

Go on, have a peek.

It’s a pixelated style solid granny square blanket, which had been on my list for a very long time. So what better excuse than a new baby to give it a go? But for the first time ever I used the join-as-you-go technique for solid granny squares, following this excellent tutorial. I have to say this technique really helped me carry on with the task, as I found it quite rewarding to see the blanket grow with every square. I’ve lost count of the many granny square projects I once started and never completed because I felt overwhelmed with the sheer amount of pieces. It also gives the joining a neat finish which I quite like.

The edging is made of rows of half trebles (US half double crochets) worked in the back loop with the very last row in clusters of 3 half trebles interspersed with slip stitches to create a subtle shell look. All very simple yet very effective.

It's become a favourite item in the household and has got loads of lovely comments from many people.

I hope everyone is ok and keeping safe in these strange and troubled times. Take good care of yourselves, my lovelies!

Golden Thread Cowl Scarf - Free Pattern

Hello, everyone! I am reviving my currently sleeping blog to share a pattern for a cowl scarf I have just completed, hoping it will keep you or a loved one warm this coming winter. I have called it the Golden Thread Cowl Scarf due to the recurrent golden thread in the yarn I used (Lang Mille Colori 200g, shade 946.0109), but also because this easy and repetitive pattern has a soothing quality which reminds me of golden thread visualisations you sometimes practice in yoga.

Here's the yarn I used for this project:

And the finished result:

If you look closer, you can see the speckles of gold here and there:

This pattern is all about texture, and I believe it is ideal to showcase variegated yarns with medium to long colour changes, so that the self-striping effect highlights each round. That being said, I think a plain colour yarn would work just as well, giving the texture centre stage.

Scroll down for the pattern!

Notes:
- Crochet size: 4mm
- Terminology used: UK
- Ch3 always counts as a treble unless otherwise stated.
- Tension is not critical for this project, just make sure your foundation chain is long enough to fit loosely around your neck (number of chains has to be even).
- With 48 rows, the scarf has a height of 38cm (15in). Simply omit or add one or several sets of rows to make it shorter or taller.
- Please note that although this project is worked in the round, you do need to turn your work at the end of each round.

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
rd = round
st = stitch
sl st = slip stitch
beg = beginning
dc = double crochet (US single crochet)
tr = treble (US double crochet)
bldc = back loop double crochet (worked in the back loop of stitch from previous row)
bltr = back loop treble (worked in the back loop of stitch from previous row)

PATTERN:
Foundation: chain 120, slip stitch to 1st chain to form a large ring, taking care not to twist your chain.

Round 1: chain 3, 1 treble in next chain till end, sl st to beginning ch3, turn.

Rd 2: ch3, 1 bltr in next stitch till end, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn.

Rd 3: repeat rd 2.

Rd 4: ch4 (counts as 1 tr, ch1), skip next st, *1 tr in next st, ch1, skip next st, repeat from * till end, sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch4, turn.

Rd 5: ch1 (does not count as a stitch), 2 dc in next ch1 space till end, sl st to 1st dc, turn.

Rd 6: ch1 (does not count as a stitch), 1 bldc in next dc till end, sl st to 1st dc, turn.

Rd 7: ch3, 1 bltr in next st till end, sl st to 1st dc, turn.

Rd 8-48: repeat rds 2-7, finishing on a rd 3. Fasten off, weave in ends.

***

Of course, do let me know if you find anything that's incorrect or unclear, I will do my best to clarify things. And please feel free to share your work in the comment section below or on Instagram, @little_crochet__ #goldenthreadcowl.

Thanks for reading, folks!