Let's Get Crafting Christmas Monsters

Hello there.  At last this new issue of the magazine is out and I can finally share these quirky little guys with you.  You will find the pattern to make my little monsters in Let's Get Crafting Issue 35 on Sale from today.

Free Cross Stitch Chart: Gingerbread Man.

Here's a cheerful little fellow for a moment of stitching with a mug of coffee or tea.  He is a making his appearance a bit early but I couldn't resist and I know some of you out there may already be working on your festive projects.  Enjoy x

Loopy Flower Motif

© Karen Wiederhold

I hope you enjoy making these Loopy Flowers as much as the fun I had in creating the design and pattern.  Whether you make one flower to turn into a brooch or produce a whole bouquet of these motifs joined together to reveal scarves, wraps, cushion covers etc, I wish you lots of joy. 

The flower pictured above was made using oddments of Double Knit yarn from my stash and 3.5mm hook. 

Round 1:   Using white, Ch5 and SS into first stitch to join into a ring. 

Round 2:   Ch3, then Tr11 into the ring, SS into first stitch to join.

Round 3:   (Ch6 skip a stitch then SS into next stitch) and repeat until you have five loops. Ch6 then SS into the base at the start of the first loop of the round and tie off.

Round 4:   Join on blue yarn in one of the stitches skipped in previous round.  Working behind the white loops created in earlier round (Ch6 then SS into next skipped stitch from previous round) and repeat until you have five loops.  Ch6 then SS into the base at the start of the first loop of the round and tie off.

Round 5.   Join purple yarn at centre point of blue loop, (Ch8, SS at centre of next blue loop) and repeat to form 5 purple loops, Ch8, SS into the first chain of first loop to join.

Round 6.   In this first petal loop (Ch3, Tr9, SS into same loop then SS into the next loop) and repeat for each petal, ending with SS, tie off yarn.

Designed by Karen Wiederhold  ©2000 - 2020   All rights reserved.

Personal use only.  Please do not sell or reproduce this pattern or use it for a paid class you may be teaching.  If you wish to use it as a group project, please contact me in advance.  Please remember to credit me if you make this project by linking my Instagram, Facebook Page or Blog on your social media posts or Pinterest etc.

How to Crochet a Granny Square

This was the first crochet motif I learned to make and it has been used time and again for all sorts of projects.

Make a whole batch of small motifs and join them to form a patchwork style blanket or cushion cover.  You could make one very big square consisting of several rounds and have a giant one-square blanket. 

Stitches used:

Ch = Chain

SS = Slip Stitch

Tr = Treble Stitch

1.  Ch5, SS into first chain to join into a ring.














2.  Ch3 (acts as first Tr), Tr11 into the centre of the ring, SS into space between first and second Tr's to close the round.

3.  Ch3 (acts as first Tr)Tr2  Ch2  Tr3,  then *Ch1, skip 3 Tr's then into next space Tr3 Ch2 Tr3* repeat from *to* two more times, Ch1,  SS into space between first and second Tr's to close the round.

 

 

4.  SS along top of Tr's of previous round to the corner space.  Ch3 (acts as first Tr) Tr2 Ch2 Tr3, * Ch1, Tr3 into space, Ch1 Tr3 Ch1 Tr3 into next corner*.  Repeat from *to* two more times, Ch1, SS into space between first and second Tr's to close round.











 

5.  Repeat in the style of round 4, working corner sets in each corner and Tr3 groups separated by Ch1 along each side. 

Grow your granny square to whichever size you choose, working each round as before in Round 5.  You will notice that with each round you make the number of Tr-groups increases along each side of the square.

Instructions by Karen Wiederhold  ©2000 - 2021   All rights reserved.        Personal use only. 

 

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Felt Gingerbread House

Ta dah!  Here it is and i'm really pleased with it and hope you enjoy making lots of them in all sorts of colours and themes.

I have called it a Gingerbread House but really you can make it into a Beach Hut or Country Cottage - whatever takes your fancy.

If you make some please send me some photos so I can have a look and i'll put them up on the blog gallery if you would be happy for me to do so.

Use the tag #karenwiederholddesigns on Instagram and Facebook.

Here's the template.  Make sure to print it so that it fills an A4 size sheet of paper.


Please enjoy these projects but remember the projects and templates published here are for personal non-commercial use.  Please email me if you would like to use the projects for fundraising or teaching classes.

New yarn!

I'm a contented lady this evening having just cast on the first row of a new jumper in this gorgeous colour called Violet.  I'm a fan of Stylecraft DK because it's a lovely yarn to work with, and at 100% acrylic it is by far one of the softest i've ever worked with and wears really well.

Usually I make crochet blankets and toys with it because it is so easy to wash and dry; keeping it's softness, colour and shape, so i've decided to give it a whirl in a jumper because i'm looking for it to be easy to wash and dry for regular wear.

While in the wool shop today I also bought some balls of yarn for another jumper in a really scrummy colour combination which i'll need to share tomorrow.  My phone battery ran out just as I was about to take the photo.

Wishing you all a relaxing evening.  I'll be knitting while watching Who Do You Think You Are?

Free Project: Bejewelled Valentine Wreath

A wreath is not just for the December/Winter festive season, they can be for any time of year or festivity and i'm a big fan of bringing the season or festivity into my home with a wreath hanging on either a door or in the window.  So here we have a beaded and bejewelled wreath for Valentine's day, but it can be hung all year in your bedroom for that touch of femininity and romance.

You will need,

Small willow wreath

Transparent, hollow plastic heart

Feathers

Spool of silver jewellery wire

Assortment of clear and pearlescent beads

1 metre fuchsia chiffon ribbon

White satin cord/piping/ribbon

To make,

1. Tie length of satin cord through the top of the wreath for hanging.  

2. Thread all the beads on to the silver wire, keeping the wire attached the  spool
     to prevent the beads sliding off.  Then securing the end of wire around a twig with a 
     few twists, begin to wind the beaded strand around the wreath as many times as you 
     choose, feeding beads along the wire a few at a time and unwinding the spool as you go.  
     Make sure you disperse the beads evenly around the wreath during winding.  Once you 
     have finished winding, snip wire from spool, pouring left over beads on the wire into a 
     container.

3. Fill the hollow heart with the feathers and close.  Thread a length of ribbon through the loop
     in the top then through the centre of the wreath, tying in a bow around the cord to secure.

4. Tie sections of ribbon round the wreath and trim ends.