New Paperback Edition of Susan's Showy Flowers! Plus Free Flower pattern excerpted from the Book

 I am very pleased to announce the publication of my paperback edition of Susan's Showy Flowers on Amazon! 

This is the new collection of  my crochet patterns for 14 bold and chunky flowers that are great for all kinds of embellishment: put them on children's purses, baskets and toys; sew them onto scarves and sweaters. I love them, and love the little drawstring bag pattern that comes with the flowers. 

Here's where you can find it on Amazon! By the way, it's an eBook too on Amazon, in case you prefer that. 

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Here's an excerpt from the book for my blog readers: it's the pattern for my New Mum II, which is a crazy, chunky, fun-to-crochet flower that I love. Lots of petals, whew, but when you're done it's so worth it!! Materials needed are at the beginning of the pattern.

Thanks for being my blog readers and have a wonderful day crocheting!

New Mum II - Crochet Pattern Instructions

This full and showy chrysanthemum can be worked in any weight yarn with its suggested hook size; but I prefer a medium weight yarn and a size F or G for a nice tight stitch…or a light weight (baby weight) yarn with a size D or E hook. If you use a soft and flexible yarn, its petals will curl more, as in the blue and gray mums in the photo above. A more sturdy acrylic yarn will yield a flower with stiffer petals.

You can choose either a button style center (shown in the blue and grey example) or a nubby center of sc with small loops (shown in the white example)

Use two colors of yarn, one for the flower center, and one for the main color of your flower.

In your first yarn color for your center, (I chose light green light weight yarns), make your flower center first, ending with a round of 18 stitches to build your mum petals on:

Button center:

Rnd 1: Ch 3, join to form small ring. Ch 2, dc 11 times in ring. Join.

Rnd 2: Cover dcs of rnd 1 with 18 long single crochet stitches. (You can see a small tutorial if you search youtube for “VideoLongSingleCrochet”). Join. Skip to Rnd 5 to complete your mum.

Alternate Nubby Center:

Rnd 1: Ch 1, tighten to form a small knot (this is optional, but it keeps your work from loosening), then ch 2; in 2nd ch from hook work a sc circle of 6 sc (see photo on next page) Do not join.

Rnd 2: Work 2 sc in every sc: 12 sc.

Rnd 3: In FLO (front loops only), work *(sc, ch 3) in next sc, repeat from * around. (see photo on next page).

You will still have the remaining 12 back loops on the reverse side on which you will continue your flower (see photo on next page).

Rnd 4: In remaining back loops on reverse side, work (sc, 2 sc) around for a circle of 18 sc. (see photo below).

Change to main color of your flower (White in my example). Attach to ending point of last round.

Rnd 5: In FLO (front loops only) of last rnd, work *( ch 6, sc in next st), repeat from * around. Do not join.

Rnd 6: in remaining back loops from Rnd 4, work sc in every st. (see photo on next page)

Do not join.

You will now work in the front loops only of the sc stitches just formed.

Rnd 7: *Sc in FLO of next sc,Ch 6, skip 1st ch and sc in next 5 ch back to center, repeat from * around. (see photos below) Do not join,

Side view of round 7

Front view of round 7- sc petals

Rnd 8: Again reach to back of flower and work next rnd in remaining back loops from Rnd 6:

Round 8 – dc petals

*Sc in next loop, Ch 8, skip 1st 2 ch, work dc in next 6 ch back to center, repeat from *around. See photo above. Join. Tie off and weave yarn end through the back of your work.

See how the back of your mum should look in the photo below).

(back view of mum)

And below see the finished Mum!

Thanks for looking! If you'd like to see more, you can find all of my Amazon ebooks on crochet here; and on Etsy, my patterns can be found at susanlinnstudio.etsy.com

Have fun and happy crocheting!

Susan

www.susankennedy.com

Crochet Flower and Fabric Scrap for a Gift Bag

I'm a crochet diva and sometimes even I forget that a  crocheted flower  makes a perfect bow! And wait...a scrap of fabric can simply be gathered up into a pouch and used - instead of a gift bag!

Put a flower on a pouch of fabric: instant gift bag!

This is my Outside-In Zinnia pictured above, part of "Susan's Showy Flowers" crochet pattern collection.

Now don't get me wrong, I love gift bags because they are reusable. I think there might be some in our house which are as old as my youngest child and as wrinkled as her mom! They are fun, they are bright, they're nice and sturdy and HECK, they're so easy! Drop the awkward gift shape in them and you're done!

But if you happen to be a wanna-be hippie like me and would like to begin using up bits of yarn and fabric rather than run to the store, just cut out a piece of fabric large enough to enfold your gift, make a flower in 10 or 20 minutes (one of my newest flower pattern sets is linked below), and tie the flower onto the "neck" of your pouch with a piece of string.

Here is the pattern for the Zinnia crochet flower above. (It's an excerpt from the crochet pattern book I mention at the bottom of the post)

Susan's "From-the-Outside-In" One Piece Zinnia

The examples above are worked in a medium weight yarn for the main color, a lightweight yarn for the last few stitches of the flower center. Use a size G hook – for the medium weight yarn - and D hook – for the lightweight yarn.

 

The nice thing about this zinnia (it ends up about 3" wide when worked in medium weight yarn) is that it's worked all in one piece, except for the center stamens if you decide to change color for them. It's super dense, the petals are beautiful and crowded, and it will stand up well to tough use on a child's hat or a basket or purse.

First, create a flat sc circle for your flower base: work in Front Loops Only!

Rnd 1 of base: Ch 2, work 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Continue working in the round in the same direction, no joining:

Rnd 2 of base: work 2 sc in FLO of every sc around, do not join: 12 sc circle

Rnd 3 of base: in FLO work (sc, 2 sc) around, do not join: 18 sc circle

Rnd 4 of base: in FLO work (sc, sc, 2 sc) around. (See photos below) Sl st in next st, and flip to reverse side of work

After Rnd 4

Flip to reverse side of work and notice the spiral of left-over loops into which you will work your next stitches.

First outer petal round is a round of tc petals in every other stitch: Ch 3, tc in 1st (outermost) sc of circle, ch 3, sl st in same sc, *skip next sc, sl st in next sc, (ch 3, tc, ch 3, sl st in same sc), repeat from * around the outermost sc's of the circle. (See photo below).

At the end of the round, you should have 12 petals. Do not turn (do not flip), or join,

but continue on in the same direction:

As you reach the point where the sc's spiral inward, insert your hook in the remaining back loop of the next sc of the base circle (see photo on next page)

Now you have finished the outer petals and will start spiraling inward, continuing to work in the round.

Work a round of dc petals in every loop: sl st, ch 2, dc in same loop, ch 2, sl st in same loop, *sl st in next loop, (ch 2, dc, ch 2, sl st in same loop), repeat from * for eighteen somewhat crowded dc petals. (This is one round around the center).

Next, a round of dc petals in every other loop: *skip next loop, sl st in next loop, (ch 2, dc, ch 2, sl st in same loop), repeat from * for six petals (one round). This should leave you 6 loops, close to the center.

In these rounds it is helpful to fold down the base disc so you can more easily work in these loops from the first rnd of the flower.

You will stop when you reach the last 6 loops of the inward spiral, change color to a lightweight white or pale green or yellow, (dmc embroidery floss is great for flower centers: I have used # 165). Also switch to a smaller D hook) and work as follows:

*(sl st, ch 7, sl st) in next loop, repeat from * 5 times, tie off.

Pull all,yarn or thread ends through to back of flower and weave through work.

 If you're interested, my Amazon Kindle eBook "Susan's Shower Flowers"  of my best crochet flower patterns - including this one -  is live now and also Susan's Showy Flowers is on Etsy as an eBook in pdf form. ALSO, I'm so excited that it's available now as a 117-page 8"x10" full color paperback on Amazon as well. By the way, thank you for considering support of my design work by buying this crochet pattern book.😍

You can see all of my crochet eBook patterns here:

www.susanlinnstudio.etsy.com

https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Kennedy/e/B00O07W7MS/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Thanks for looking and happy crocheting!

Susan

Free Baby Hat Crochet Pattern excerpted from Susan's Flowers Bees Butterflies and More!

Hey you guys, I thought I'd post the free little single crochet baby hat pattern that I have as a little add-on on this Spring Flowers, Bees, Butterflies and More Crochet Pattern ebook.

my sassy flowers, bees and butterflies perch nicely on this darling sc baby hat

I'd love for you to check out the entire pattern set on shopify, amazon, or etsy, but in the meantime get started on that little baby's fuzzy little hat!

Abbreviations and Terms used in this Pattern: 

 Beg   beginning (as in, “sc in beg chain” – single crochet in the chain at the beginning of this portion).

Ch   chain
Dc   double crochet
Lsc  long single crochet, in which the hook is inserted below the normal space, to a previous round, resulting in a very long post which covers previous single crochets or double crochets (depending on the situation). 
Picot   small decorative bump made by making a chain, then going back to a loop a few chains back (the pattern determines how many), inserting your hook, yarning over and pulling through a sl st to join and form the bump
Prev    previous
Rnd    round  
Sep     separated
Sl st    slip stitch (running your thread through some work to get to a new place without changing the shape of the work; or, attaching to a stitch with just a loop pulled through) Sp    space formed in your work, usually on a previous round
St    stitch

 Instructions for Hat

Newborn (for an approximate head circumference of 12” when worked in baby or lightweight yarn) 

Begin with a ring made of ch-2 (in other words, ch 2, join to 2^nd ch from hook to form a small ring);  rnd 1 is 6 sc in that ring;  rnd 2 is 2 sc in every sc(an increase in every stitch);  rnd 3 is working a sc in every sc, with 2 sc (an inc) in every other sc;  rnd 4 is working a sc in every sc, inc in every third sc;  rnd 5 is sc in every sc, inc in every 4^th sc;  rnd 6 is sc in every sc, inc in every 5^th sc;  rnd 7 - 16 is sc in every sc;  rnd 17 is again 1 stitch in every stitch, --but make every other stitch a long single crochet, which will make a long decorative post. In other words, *(sc, lsc) around. rnd 18 is sc in every sc, with a decr at the beg of the rnd. rnd 19 is a repeat of rnd 17, *(sc, lsc) around.  rnd 20-24 is sc in every sc, with a decr at the beg of each rnd.  

Then work a decorative brim which looks a bit frilly, if you wish:

Rnd 25: ch 2, dc in every dc around, join.

Rnd 26: *(ch 3, sc in next dc)around, join. Tie off and weave ends through work.

Tie off and weave ends through work.

3 Month: (for an approximate head circumference of 14” when worked in baby or

lightweight yarn) Use 4 colors, three solids and a variegated, if desired. 

Begin with a ring made of ch-2 (in other words, ch 2, join to 2^nd ch from hook to form a small ring);

 rnd 1 is 6 sc in that ring; 

rnd 2 is 2 sc in every sc(an increase in every stitch); 

rnd 3 is working a sc in every sc, with 2 sc (an inc) in every other sc;  rnd 4 is working a sc in every sc, inc in every third sc;  rnd 5 is sc in every sc, inc in every 4^th sc;  rnd 6 is sc in every sc, inc in every 5^th sc;  rnd 7 is sc in every sc, inc in every 6^th sc;

rnd 8 is sc in every sc, inc in every 7^th sc; rnd 9 - 21 is sc in every sc; rnd 22 is again 1 stitch in every stitch, --but make every other stitch a long single crochet, which will make a long decorative post. In other words, *(sc, lsc) around.

rnd 23 is sc in every sc, with a decr at the beg of the rnd; rnd 24 is a repeat of rnd 17, *(sc, lsc) around. rnd 25-28 is sc in every sc, with a decr at the beg of each rnd.  

Then work a decorative brim which looks a bit frilly, if you wish:

Rnd 29: ch 2, dc in every dc around, join.

Rnd 30: *(ch 3, sc in next dc)around, join. Tie off and weave ends through work.

Tie off and weave ends through work.

6 Month: (for an approximate head circumference of 16” when worked in baby or

lightweight yarn) Use 4 colors, three solids and a variegated, if desired. 

Begin with a ring made of ch-2(in other words, ch 2, join to 2^nd ch from hook to form a small ring);  rnd 1 is 6 sc in that ring;  rnd 2 is 2 sc in every sc(an increase in every stitch);  rnd 3 is working a sc in every sc, with 2 sc (an inc) in every other sc;  rnd 4 is working a sc in every sc, inc in every third sc;  rnd 5 is sc in every sc, inc in every 4^th sc;  rnd 6 is sc in every sc, inc in every 5^th sc;  rnd 7 is sc in every sc, inc in every 6^th sc; rnd 8 is sc in every sc, inc in every 7^th sc; rnd 9 - 11 is sc in every sc, inc in every 7^th sc;  rnd 12-26 is sc in every sc; rnd 27  is again 1 stitch in every stitch, --but make every other stitch a long single crochet, which will make a long decorative post. In other words, *(sc, lsc) around.

rnd 28 is sc in every sc; rnd 29 is a repeat of rnd 17, *(sc, lsc) around.

rnd 30--34 is sc in every sc, with a decr at the beg of each rnd.  

Then work a decorative brim which looks a bit frilly, if you wish:

Rnd 35: ch 2, dc in every dc around, join.

Rnd 36: *(ch 3, sc in next dc)around, join. Tie off and weave ends through work.

Tie off and weave ends through work. 

Thanks for checking out my blog!! Please go to my etsy store, my shopify store, or my amazon listings to see what else I've got to keep you busy with easy little crochet projects!

Remember a crocheted pigtail? Free pattern for this curly crochet stitch

Here's a little crochet smile...I know lots of crocheters from the 70's will remember the crocheted pigtail stitch, and most people will probably still see lots of it at craft fairs: it's a staple of bookmarks and hair ties! So here's the very simple way to do it!

And at the end, I'll show you a picture of a slightly more involved fashion crochet scarf I designed which elaborates on the humble crochet pigtail and makes it into statement neckwear!

First you start with a length of chains, for practice just make 25. (below)

Then, assuming you want a straight expanse of stitches before the curls, turn, skip one loop and start sc (single crochet) back toward the beginning. For this example I single crocheted 10 times, (photo below) then I was ready to start the curls!

(below) Now here's the big secret: simply start working 2 sc in every chain! First you'll see a hump. 

Then as you continue 2 sc in every ch, you'll see your work beginning to curl back on itself. (below)

Just keep working and if needed, twist the curly part behind you in a clockwise manner so that the curl lies evenly. (Below)

(Below) Voila! A curly pigtail, perfect for the end of a bookmark, the ends of a hair tie, a bow for a gift....OR (read on)

You can invent a cool fashion statement from this curly stitch by varying it a bit. If you'd like to see my "Curly Vines" statement scarf pattern, click here.

It looks like this: 

I'm so proud of it!! I love any statement scarves that reflect humble natural forms, and this one reminds me of the tendrils of a vine or seaweed. So much fun!! Stand by for some scarf patterns which look like leaves, coral and lichens!! 

Thanks for checking out my patterns! To see more, you can visit my Etsy store, check out my crochet blog or facebook page to find free tips, small patterns and inspiration, or see my Amazon Author Central page to see my patterns on the Kindle ebook store. Have a great time with your crochet!

New Ruffled "Who Hat" which is my latest crochet pattern! So silly, and it comes in sizes Preemie through Adult!

You guys, this pattern is live now right here on Etsy (and soon on Amazon).

I love how silly and ruffly it works up to be, and I've written it for sizes all the way from Preemie to Adult! I'm going to make up one in my daughter's school colors, because personally I think it will make a great school spirit hat. : ) 

If you want the free pattern for these easy pom poms, click here and thanks for checking in! 

To see more, you can visit my Etsy store, check out my crochet blog or facebook page to find free tips, small patterns and inspiration, or see my Amazon Author Central page to see my patterns on the Kindle ebook store. Have a great time with your crochet!

Susan

Updated Granny Hat, and a new Free Flower crochet pattern in this blog post

I just updated my easiest and (to me) cutest hat to have a cover picture in more current colors AND to add this cool little flower which is faster, cuter, and easier than in the unrevised pattern!! I'm so proud, it's "Susan's Loopy Flower" and if you want the pattern for free, you can find it here.

And if you'd like to see the revised Granny Hat pattern, complete with three sizes and both flower patterns, you can find it on etsy and also on Amazon. 

I'm also working on a great big Chrysanthemum revision which is also easier and just plain old better...so I hope you see it soon, and enjoy it! 

Thanks you guys, and check out all of my original patterns in my Etsy Store! 

 Susan

New Bunny Applique Pattern from Susan...try the little one for free!

You guys, I'm so proud of FINALLY having finished this little bunny pattern...I have a running bunny which was going to be a third pattern, but I just can't seem to finish it. SO, I'm happy just to introduce this bitty pair!!! I know you see five bunnies, but they are actually just two types, the Large Sitting Bunny and the Small Sitting Bunny.

Call me crazy, but I think these will be great on little girls' hats, scarves, jumpers, washcloths...And I'm planning on finding or making some fabric Easter Baskets which have these darlings on them. 

And I'm posting the pdf pattern for the little guy right here, who would look darn cute hopping around the edge of a dress, all by himself. I must admit, the little one is a lot faster than the larger one to make, and a bit easier.

I've written the pattern for yarn, but those of you who don't mind putting on your readers might try making these cuties in crochet thread and a 2 mm (size 4) steel thread crochet hook. 

Give me your feedback on the pattern, please!

And here are the instructions for the little guy:

Free Small Bunny Pattern

and if you like the little bunny, check out my pattern for both bunnies here on etsy. It will be on Amazon like most of my patterns within a day or two, also. 

Thanks for all of the support, you guys, and have a blast creating and crocheting this week!

Susan

Free Simple Leaf Crochet Pattern - The Leaves are Falling Soon!

I thought I'd post a link to my super easy "Simple Leaf" pattern , as well as the crochet diagram.

I really like designing leaves that are based on a double crochet circle! For some reason, they look more balanced and full than a design based on a chain foundation. I'm really proud of my Maple Leaves and Ivy garland that are bundled with this Simple Leaf in my Fall Collection which is $5.50 on Etsy (it's a pdf download that I email to you.) But....FOR NOW, the simple leaf part of the set is yours with my compliments. (In case you missed it, the link to the free pdf is way up at the top of this post.)

I'm noodling out another maple leaf based garland which is even more fun and has a pretty decorative stitch in it, check back later here and on my etsy crochet pattern store to see it when I get it done!

I'm going to have to show you guys the paper mache  cow skull which has been taking up all of my time for the last week! Our drama department at West Forsyth is putting on "Into the Woods" and my questionable paper mache skills have been put to the test. But I think it's really cool, I'm kind of proud of those results too. However, I'm paying a price at home; now my kids and husband are labeling me officially "creepy", what with cow skulls (a real one, complete with jaw!), dead plants, bunches of sticks passed off as floral arrangements, and as my daughter put it, a creepy "basement where someone could live for a month and we'd never know it." Honestly, I'm feeling that you have to pay a price for your art, and if they think I'm creepy, so be it. Hah!

Show me what you've been working on, and as always, let me know if you're willing to test my upcoming designs! I need a couple more people!

To see more of my original crochet design work, check out my Etsy Pattern Store or my Kindle- and Nook-friendly patterns on Amazon  or Barnes and Noble