Irish Baby, Free shamrock garland pattern and New March Hat on my pattern store!

 

Click here to see this brand new pattern on Etsy!!

My New St Pat's Hat for a tiny little leprechaun!! Must say, had to look up the spelling on that last.

Okay, I'm kinda proud, I like how quick this little hat is. It only takes you 30-40 minutes to make the smaller sizes, and yet it's made from a more delicate looking sc stitch (except for the brim). Super!! The chains in the pattern make it faster than that clunky but much-loved old dc. Ladies (and guys), yes that dc is fast, but it looks so homey!! I mean, I like homey, but not THAT homey! And when I say homey, I mean home-made, ha!

And a sweet little brim that looks old-fashioned, almost like a little derby. So appropriate for a St. Paddy's day baby hat.

Click on the link right above the picture to see the crochet pattern on etsy, and HERE IS HOW TO MAKE the shamrock garland! Just crochet a tiny circle of three chains, joined, then form three leaves in that circle: (ch 2, dc, ch 2, sl st in center), three times - then ch 9 for the stem to the next shamrock, and you're off!! The pattern shows you more, obviously: the cap pattern, a larger shamrock garland, lots of photos...have fun!!

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

Susan

Learn how to make a super easy chained Pom Pom and Check out My Valentine's Baby Hat Pattern!

A new Baby Hat! This is my "February Baby" hat and it brings together that fast modified-granny stitch with some heart appliques and a nubby little pom pom which takes 5 minutes to make. (It's just chained). READ ON for how to make this nubby, sassy and best of all, easy chained Pom Pom.

If you want to see the pattern on Etsy, click here

If you'd like to learn how to make the easiest Pom Pom ever, here's what you do:

Simply chain with medium yarn and a size J hook for approximately 12 feet of chains. Tie off both ends. 

With a yarn needle or just a crochet hook, run a thread or yarn through loops approximately 3 inches apart. (see photo below)

Then simply pull on your strand, and the lengths of chain stitch will pull up and form a delightful nubby ball. Tie tightly and sew to your project!

Again, if you'd like to see the full pattern with lots of photos and detailed instructions for the hats in Preemie, Newborn, 3 month and 6 month sizes, as well as instructions for the Pom and two Heart Appliques, just check out the pattern on Etsy.

Thanks for looking and have a super crafty day!

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

Susan

Crocheted Kitty with Santa Hat and Please Test my Horse design!

My Kitty Comes with a Teeny Tiny Santa Hat! Here's the pattern on etsy, and it's coming out in the next two days on Barnes and Noble's Nook Store and Amazon's Kindle Store. I'm so happy!

I've been trying to finish my pony and bunny appliques and lots of other stuff, but I can't seem to get them done! Actually the pony should be out this week too, but only as an ebook, not for sale on Etsy : ( 

If you want to see my ebook patterns you can

look at my items on Amazon or see the same ebooks on Barnes and Noble.

The farther into winter I get, the more I want to crochet scarves and shawls! But I'm trying to finish what I have which is halfway done. Ha!

The first three people to send me a note can get this pony applique pattern for free, if they'll just - ahem - proof it one more time for me!! I need testers! Do send me an email to susanlinn @ bellsouth.net (you have to take out the space) rather than just commenting, I can let those comments sit without noticing them.

Anyhoo, here's the pony:

Best wishes to all, and thanks for your kind notes and interest!

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

Susan

How to Weave a Scarf, Free Scarf Flower Pattern And Coupon For my Etsy Patterns!

Crocheting Friends, I've been maniacally working up new patterns! I have halfway written patterns for nature-based scarves, a very cool ruffled flower (see the photo above) which I'll give you the pattern for below, two horse appliques and a camel applique which was just a failed horse attempt, ha!! You can check out my new "Muscadine" scarf pattern which would work well with the "Woven Tie" treatment I'm going to show you below, AND type in "WINTER2012" at checkout at my My Etsy Crochet Pattern Store to get 16% off of any of your pattern purchases for all of those gifts you're making! I chose 16% because 15% sounded cheap, so there you have it.

I've been enjoying "Impeccable" yarn by Loops and Threads. It has such a nice feel, and you can fly when you work with it. It just wants to cooperate! You know what I mean. Kindof like wool feels, but that wonderful-to-work-with wool hates my skin, and my skin hates it. One of these nature based scarf patterns is worked in a grey in the "Impeccable" Line, you can see how it looks when it's all woven in that cool pinterest way (check out the photo below)

The first step in tying a winter scarf in this doubled over "Woven Tie" method is to fold your scarf in half and lay it across your neck, with the ends on one side, and the folded over loop on the other side (see below)

The next step is to draw only one of the ends through the loop which is opposite it.

(see below)

The third step is to stretch that loop part down so you can insert your hand and twist it halfway around

(see below)

And the last step is to reach across, grab the other end of your scarf, and draw it through the now twisted loop (see below).

You end up with a nicely woven neckwarmer, it has some interest and flair! Of course, I can't let it alone and have to top it off with a flower tie, (below) which I'll tell you how to make if you scroll down. 

You can do this "Woven Tie" treatment with any reasonably long scarf, and you can add the flower which is detailed below. BUT if you want the pattern for this ruffly-twisty-seaweedy scarf which I am calling my "Davy Jones" scarf because it's so macabre and creepy....you'll have to wait until I write it up! It's supposed to look like something Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean would have worn, and it's also supposed to look like a natural form, maybe even a little like freeform crochet. But with a pattern.

So here's how to make this ruffly, thick flower, which you top off with two chained ends so it becomes a scarf tie (again, you'll have to get the pattern when I put it in my store, if you want step by step photos and a diagram):

Ruffled Davy Jones Flower

Start with a chain 3 and a join to form a small ring. This makes a tiny circle which will give you a little more working room, which is needed for the long double crochets. (here's a youtube video showing you a long double crochet stitch)

Rnd 1: Chain 2 and work a circle of 12 dc in the small ring just formed. Join.

Rnd 2: Work 18 long double crochet stitches, working completely over the 12 dc, inserting your hook into the center of the circle. Join.

Rnd 3: Ch 1 and work *(3 sc in next st, 3 dc in next st) around the circle, inserting your hook into the round below once again, which forms the distinctive holes in this flower. Join.

Either make your flower into a pin by sewing it to a pin back, or attach two lengths of 45 chains to either side of the flower to make it into a tie which can encircle a scarf and give it a floppy, flowery point of interest. 

Enjoy!!

If you would like the formal pattern for this flower or for its matching scarf, I'll hopefully have them written up and available soon.

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

Have a super crafty Christmas and thanks for checking out my blog!

Piles of Messy Curls, strangely wonderful to make!

My New Curly Vines Muscadine Scarf . This is one I was talking about in this blog a few weeks ago, and the pattern is finished and on etsy at the link above.

I have some people testing it still, but so far so good with this messy pile of curls scarf. I love it!! It looks like seaweed or vines, irregular and ruffly yet not too too feminine. And it's not just a bunch of strands that you have to untangle and deal with, the strands are linked together as you work, so that the end result looks like a piles of chained ruffles, but is actually a netted whole. The best way to wear this messy scarf is to double it and thread the ends through the loop formed, but I'm thinking about making a chunky beaded band to tie it with.

I'm not sure why I'm liking more "messed up" or irregular natural shapes, but they are speaking to me lately. Maybe the aesthetic is 'imperfect, but beautiful" or "damaged, but beautfiul", and I'm liking either. Many times crochet is too perfect, too regular, too uptight. That's why freeform crochet fascinates me, as do irregular designs like this. Got another one on the way!!!

I'm finding that obsession with particular forms or themes in art and design is perhaps not good for mental health, but very good for the creative process. Who knew? (Besides every tormented artist out there) Here's hoping you find your theme!

You can see my original designs at My Etsy Pattern Store - www.susanlinnstudio.etsy.com  OR on Amazon, ready for your Kindle OR on my Ravelry Storefront

Get a Super Size Hook for Super Fast Scarves!

This is one of my Etsy Store Scarf Patterns , but I'm going to tell you its secret here: use a huge crochet hook!! the battery in my camera is dead, so I can't snap a photo of my big N size hooks, but there they'll be in the crochet section of your craft store, and I'm going to try to persuade you to get your hands on one! (No, I don't sell crochet hooks, ha!)

An N hook is 9 mm in width, almost a centimeter, which is really really chunky. At first, it's quite unwieldy and might tire out your wrist as you work. 

So why use this monster hook? SPEED! The great thing is that for a scarf or shawl, it makes your work go so quickly!! The pattern above only took an hour or so to make, and I'll give away my secret and tell you right here that you'll get a similar effect if you just make a classic shell stitch in that super large hook. A soft slinky yarn helps, too. 

Another benefit of stepping up to that huge hook is that when you super size your hook, you also update the look of that homely crochet stitch, whatever it may be. Not every crochet pattern for a scarf or shawl will work with an N size hook (my patterns which use an N hook are designed to work out well), but you can use your judgment and translate many ordinary stitches for a plain rectangular object into these large lacy interpretations. 

So go big!! It's awesome!

If you would like to see my crochet patterns, you can visit my Etsy Pattern Store or check out my Amazon Kindle Store pattern ebooks. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Ridiculous Workspace

Wow, I think I need to spend a couple of weeks organizing. It's embarrassing, I'm even embarrassed when I'm just sitting in this trying to work.

I've reached the conclusion (like lots of people who write articles in magazines) that a messy workspace keeps me from getting anything done. A dedicated room would be nice, but I hope to show some improvement in making my corner of the kitchen work for me. If someone renting a micro apartment which totals 150 square feet can make things work, so can I.

I'm going to start by setting modest boring and responsible goals (like keeping up with listings and communicating), then I'll add back in the fun creative tasks, as they get untangled. It's way too much, I'm living proof that too many choices paralyze a person!

I hope to make my next two posts about two patterns which are almost written!!

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Check out my pattern store at www.susanlinnstudio.etsy.com or the kindle pattern ebooks I offer on Amazon.