Little Flower Scrap-Along - WIP Wednesday

Wednesday really managed to run away from me......... I started out instructing the gardener to do this and that ..........then noticed that the roses needed deadheading and a light summer prune (I prefer doing this myself).   

By 11h00 I was only about a third of the way through the rose bushes, and was starting to MELT!       I spent most of the rest of the day in the pool trying to cool down and regain some energy after the morning's exertions.

Yesterday was too hot to even think about crochet or gardening!    I sat making cards for most of the day!   

Today is fixing to be another scorcher, so I thought I would quickly finish this post before I camp out by the pool with a light read and an iced mint coffee (YUM!)

Better late than never............ here are the WIP "Wednesday" snaps..............

Katie Garner was off to a good start, but had to take a break from crocheting as she has been under the weather!    Get well soon Katie!

Diane Bolt is using a more subtle palette for her scrapbuster blankie!

Gerda Collins is very serious about her scrapbusting and has almost finished her blanket!

I am adding motifs with the bits I have left as I finish other projects...

 

Such an explosion of COLOUR just makes me sooooo happy!

It is not too late to join in........ details of the Scrap-Along can be found HERE

Please post your progress photos on my Zooty Owl Facebook page so that I can share them in next week's post!

HAPPY SCRAPPING!!!!!!!

Kaleidoscope Blanket

During October I started making a Scrapghan using my POPCORN FLOWER HEXAGON!

I worked the scraps and leftover yarn from every WIP completed over the past few weeks into this kaleidoscope, retro-looking blanket!

Working on this blanket was so relaxing and so much fun!   Adding only a few hexagons every day as I finished other projects resulted in a complete mish-mash of colour!

When it reached a nice size for a lapghan I gave it a funky border, following the uneven edge made by the hexagons!

Voila!      A happy, retro kaleidoscope of colour reminiscent of the blankies my great granny used to make!

Love!   Love!   Love!

Little Flower Hexagon: Print Friendly Pattern

LITTLE FLOWER HEXAGON PATTERN

Pattern Terms:   US
  Foundation:  With Colour A -  Ch 4, sl st to form ring OR make a magic ring

Row 1:   Into the ring,  2ch 1dc (1st cluster), 2ch;   (2dc cluster, 2ch) x5 (6 clusters), ss into top of first cluser to close to close,  break off yarn

Note:   a 2dc cluster is formed as follows - yarn over hook, work the first part of the stitch leaving 2 loops on your hook, repeat this once more (three loops on hook) Yarn over hook and draw through the loops on the hook to form your cluster

 
Row 2:  Join Colour B in any 2ch space, 3ch (counts as 1dc), 3dc into same 2ch sp as join (4dc group);  (4dc into next 2ch space) x 5;  sl st into top of start 3ch to close.   Break off yarn

Row 3:  Join Colour C in centre space of any 4dc group,  6ch (counts as 1dc, 3ch),  2dc in same space as join;   [2dc into space before start of next 4dc group;   (2dc, 3ch, 2dc) into centre space of next 4dc group) x 5;   2dc into space before start of next 4dc group;   1dc into same space as start 6ch,   sl st into top of 3rd ch to close.

Row 4:   sl st into 3ch space   [3ch (counts as 1dc),  1dc, 3ch, 2dc into same space];  [(2dc into space between next 2dc group) x 2;   (2dc, 3ch, 2dc into next 3ch space)] x 5;   (2dc into space between next 2dc group) x2;   sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.   Break off yarn.

Little Flower Hexagon Scrap-along

How Does the Scrap-along Work?

You do not need to wait until you have "lots" of scraps - start with what you have (don't forget to include your variegated scraps) and add on as you go!

Post your progress photos on my Zooty Owl Facebook Page!

Every Wednesday I will do a WIP Gallery Post on my Blog to showcase your workpieces!

The goal of our scrap-along is to have FUN! FUN! FUN! to clear out our scraps and to have a warm and cuddly afghan to show!

Work at your own pace.   Each motif is only four rounds so you can easily sneak a few between chores and other projects!

I will be running this until well into 2015!

Zooty's Tips on Getting Started

Working randomly from a tangle of random scraps can be very daunting so these are my tips for stress free scrapping:

Use a nice flat basket, tray or (even better) a container with compartments (I use an old cutlery basket).

Roll each scrap of yarn neatly.

Sort by yarn type:    Acrylics,  Courtelle, Chenille, Synthetic / Natural Blends (where the natural component is no more than 30%) can be used together.      If you are using Natural Yarns stick to the same type of natural material, otherwise you may sit with some yarns shrinking and ruining your hard work.

Sort by thickness:     Eg. DK (8 ply or light worsted weight);    2 strands of 4 ply can be worked together (=8ply).    Making sure you use the same weight / thickness of yarn will ensure that your work does not pucker and will give you a neat finish.

Sort the yarn into quantities:     
The teeny tiny bits will be used for the centres and the petals (rows 1 and 2);    
The larger quantities will be used for the border on each motif (rows 3 and 4)

Sort your colours:    
Reds, Oranges, Yellows together;     
Greens, Blues and Purples together;    
"Neutrals" white, cream; beige, brown, grey, black etc together

Start off by crocheting up the smaller scraps - making a few "Little Flower" centres (rows 1 and 2).    

If you have some really "ugly" colours rather use them for your centres!

Try to contrast your colours as much as possible to make the pattern "pop", eg:  light, dark, light or bright, pale, bright.

Don't be afraid to mix colours that you normally would not use together!   I do not follow ANY rules when it comes to mixing and matching my colours - that way you end up with a really funky retro end product and you discover some colourful surprises along the way!

If you suffer from a mild case of OCD - make a really pretty hexagon in a tried and tested mix and then arrange your motifs around that by alternating "like" hexagons opposite one another - continuing to build your blanket outwards   

The motifs are very easy to make I use three colours per motif and JOIN AS I GO!

My yarns are a selection of synthetic yarns and synthetic / natural blends, worked up with a 4.00mm hook.

LITTLE FLOWER HEXAGON PATTERN

PATTERN TERMS:   US

The "Print Friendly" version of this pattern can be found HERE 

Foundation:  With Colour A -  Ch 4, sl st to form ring OR make a magic ring

Row 1:   Into the ring,  2ch 1dc (1st cluster), 2ch;   (2dc cluster, 2ch) x5 (6 clusters), ss into top of first cluser to close to close,  break off yarn

Note:   a 2dc cluster is formed as follows - yarn over hook, work the first part of the stitch leaving 2 loops on your hook, repeat this once more (three loops on hook) Yarn over hook and draw through the loops on the hook to form your cluster
 

 

Row 2:  Join Colour B in any 2ch space, 3ch (counts as 1dc), 3dc into same 2ch sp as join (4dc group);  (4dc into next 2ch space) x 5;  sl st into top of start 3ch to close.   Break off yarn

Row 3:  Join Colour C in centre space of any 4dc group,  6ch (counts as 1dc, 3ch),  2dc in same space as join;   [2dc into space before start of next 4dc group;   (2dc, 3ch, 2dc) into centre space of next 4dc group) x 5;   2dc into space before start of next 4dc group;   1dc into same space as start 6ch,   sl st into top of 3rd ch to close.

Row 4:   sl st into 3ch space   [3ch (counts as 1dc),  1dc, 3ch, 2dc into same space];  [(2dc into space between next 2dc group) x 2;   (2dc, 3ch, 2dc into next 3ch space)] x 5;   (2dc into space between next 2dc group) x2;   sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.   Break off yarn.

Granny Star Pattern: Print Friendly Version

GRANNY STAR PATTERN

My patterns are all written in US TERMS

The Photo Tutorial for this Pattern can be found HERE


 


YARN:  Raeesah Cotton Soft DK
(This is a matter of choice - as gauge does not really matter here, you could use anything from cotton floss to t-shirt yarn, depending on how you are going to use your stars)

HOOK SIZE:  4.00mm
(here again use whatever hook you are comfortable with for your choice of yarn)

Foundation:   5ch, sl st into 1st chain to form a circle.

Row 1:  3ch into same place as sl st (counts as 1dc), 2dc into the circle, 3ch;   (3dc into the circle, 3ch) x4;  sl st into the top of 3ch at start to close;   break off yarn

Row 2:   Join yarn in any 3ch sp;   3ch (counts as 1dc), 2dc, 3ch, 3dc into same place as join;   (3dc, 3ch, 3dc into next 3ch sp) x4;  sl st into the top of 3ch at start to close;   break off yarn.


Row 3:  Join yarn in any 3ch sp;   3ch (counts as 1dc), 2dc, 4ch, 3dc into same place as join; 1sc spike into top of "middle" dc on row 1;  (3dc, 4ch, 3dc into next 3ch sp;   1sc spike into top of "middle dc on row 1) x4;   sl st into the top of 3ch at start to close;   break off yarn.

Row 4:  Join yarn in space to the left of any sc spike; 1ch (counts as 1sc) in same sp as join;  1sc in space between next 2dc;   3sc into 4ch sp;   15ch, sl st into top of last sc; 3sc into 4ch sp;  1sc in space between next 2dc;  (1sc into sp before dc spike;   1 picot; 1sc into sp after dc spike;  1sc in space between next 2dc;   3sc into 4ch sp;   1 picot; 3sc into 4ch sp;  1sc in space between next 2dc) x 4;   1 picot, sl st into 1ch at start to close;   break off yarn

Note:   A picot is formed by crocheting 3ch then sl st into the top of the last sc, in exactly the same way as the 15ch loop is made.     The 15ch loop can be replaced with a 3ch picot if you want to use the star for an applique. 

Work in ends.  Depending on the yarn used and your tension you may need to block your star (a puff of steam and a gentle flattening with palm is usually sufficient)

Happy Days Blanket - Ta-dah!

I finished my HAPPY DAYS BLANKET almost two weeks ago, but due to rainy weather I have been unable to take photos outside!    

Monday we had a fabulously sunny day - so the first thing I did was run outside and start taking photos!

I added two rows of double crochet to each 28cm x 28cm square using a colour called "Storm" before joining them with the VISIBLE JOIN in Light Grey

 For the BORDER AND EDGING  I used Light Grey, Green and Orange

 I think the contrast makes for quite a striking finish

Liebster Blog Award

I have been nominated for the LIEBSTER BLOG AWARD by Anne and Michelle of the refreshing Blog CROCHET BETWEEN WORLDS

Thank you so much Anne and Michelle!

The Liebster Blog Award is a "chain mail" type award, where each nominee answers 11 questions about themselves and then in turn nominates a number of their favourite blogs and provides a set of questions to be answered.

These are the questions Anne and Michelle asked:

1.  What is the name of your blog?   And what does the name mean
 
     Zooty Owl's Crafty Blog - The name is a play on my initials ZO and a nickname my friends have
     for me.

2.   How many blogs do you follow?

      A few of the less "popular" blogs - the ideas are often fresher and more original.

3.   Do you have a creative soul?

      Most definitely!    I have been making and baking in some form or the other for as long as I can
      remember.    I cannot imagine a day without colour and crafting in some or other form!

 
4.   At what age did you learn to crochet / knit

      I learned to both knit and crochet when I was 4.     My great granny taught me to crochet and my
      maternal granny taught me to knit

5.   What are your future projects

       I have a list of 35 patterns which are in some stage of completion.    Getting these written and
       published is at the top of my To Do list.     A few outstanding WIP's from 2014 are also a
       priority for me!

6.   Why do you blog?

      I love sharing my crafty ideas with others!     A lot of folk miss out on the joy of crochet and
      craft because they think it is too complicated or expensive.     I enjoy designing patterns that are
      easy to make and use readily accessible, affordable materials.

7.   What will your Christmas look like this year?

      I am working like mad to get all my gifts made and packaged, but have not even started thinking
      about decorating or food yet!     It is usually very hot here in December, so our plans usually
      revolve around the pool and the barbeque!

8.   What are your plans for 2015?

      Getting my online shop up and running.    I had planned to have this done by August 2014 but
      have been too busy with other things.     I also plan to publish a book of all my patterns.

9.   If you could travel anywhere, which 3 places would you visit and why?

      There are three River Cruises that I would really like to take:    Jewels of Central Europe;
      Grand Danube and Christmastime on the Danube (Vienna to Prague).    River
      Cruises  are a wonderful, scenic and relaxed way to explore many places on one trip!

  
10.  What made you smile today?

11.  What do you do on a rainy Sunday?

       This image (found on Google) sums it up perfectly!

MY "LIEBSTER" BLOGS ARE:


Pat from SUNSHINE AND A SEWING BASKET

Anneke from CROCHET IN PATERNOSTER

Clare from THE SUMMERHOUSE BY THE SEA

Iin from CROCHET ROCKSTAR

Zana from ZANA'S HOMEMADE

Hannapat from COSMOS AND COTTON


I would like to have the following questions answered:

1.       What is your favourite yarn?
2.       Your go-to colour palette?
3.       How many hours a week do you spend crocheting?
4.       What other crafts do you practice?
5.       Where do you crochet?
6.       How old were you when you learned to crochet?
7.       Who taught you to crochet?
8.       Which is your favourite season, and why?
9.       Favourite place to go on holiday!
10.     What is the coolest thing you have crocheted?
11.      Why do you blog?

Fireworks Doily / Mandala

Last Friday an idea for a Doily / Mandala popped into my head.........

 

Doodling the design just was not enough and I had to get crocheting on the idea immediately (completely ignoring the heaps of WIP's staring at me accusingly!!)

My friend Angela said that this reminded her of FIREWORKS!

I wrote up the pattern, hooking up another doily and doing the tutorial at the same time!

Due to a supply problem  my dwindling stash of Raeesah Cotton cannot be replaced.   I love the "rustic" look and feel of the Raeesah, even though it is really splitty and a bit of a pain to work with.   Using a crochet hook with a short rounded hook seems to minimise this problem though.

I topped up my stash with an order of MERCERIZED COTTON  (Elle Premier DK) instead (dance of joy!!)

Determined to finish the few odds left over from my previous stash of Elle Premier,  I made three more "Fireworks" doilies / mandalas (this pattern is addictive)...... 

a blue-ish one

 a pinkish one

and a purplish one

"FIREWORKS"   PATTERN:

Pattern Terms:  US 

Yarn: 
1.  Raeesah Cotton Soft DK (100% cotton)
2.  Elle Premier Cotton DK


Hook:  4.00mm 

(Use whichever yarn blend or thread count you like)
 
Size:    43cm (17 inches)

Skill Level:  Intermediate

The print friendly version of this pattern can be found HERE

Special Stitches:  

Triple Triple Crochet Cluster (trtrc cl) = yoh (yarn over hook) x4;   insert hook into correct space, yoh, draw back through space;  draw through 2 loops four times, leaving last two on hook;   make the second trtrc the same way;   three loops on hook, then draw through last three loops to form your cluster. 

Triple Crochet Cluster (trc cl) = yoh x2;   insert hook into correct space, yoh, draw back through spacedraw through 2 loops twice, leaving last two on hook;   make a second trc the same way;   three loops on hook, then draw through last three loops to form your cluster.

Foundation:  7ch,  sl st into 1st ch to form circle OR make a magic ring

Row 1:  3ch (counts as 1dc);  23dc into circle;  sl st into top of 3ch at start to close (24dc).   Break off yarn.

Row 2:   Join yarn into top of any dc;    6ch, 1 trtrc (1st cluster), 6ch;  (skip 1 dc,   trtrc cl into next dc,   6ch) x 11, sl st into top of 1st cluster to close (12 x trtrc clusters).    Break off yarn.

Row 3:   Join yarn in any 6ch space;    3ch (counts as 1dc), 5dc into same space, 2ch;   (6dc into next 6ch space, 2ch) x 11 (12 x 6dc groups);   sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.    Break off yarn.

Row 4:    Join yarn in 1st dc of any 6dc group;    3ch, (1dc into next dc) x5,  4ch;   [(1dc into next dc) x 6, 4ch] x 11;  sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.    Break off yarn.

Row 5:  Join yarn in any 4ch space;   6ch, 1trtrc (1st cluster), 13ch, 1trtrc cl into same space;   [(1trtrc cl, 13ch, 1trtrc cl) into next 4ch space] x 11;   sl st into top of first cluster to close.   Break off yarn.

Row 6:  Join yarn in any 13ch space;   3ch (counts as 1dc), 11dc into same space (12dc group), 1ch;  (12dc into next 13ch space, 1ch) x11;  sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.   Break off yarn.

Row 7:   Join yarn in 2nd dc on any 12dc group;   3ch (counts as 1dc);  (1dc into next dc) x9 (10dc group);   (4ch, 1sc into 1ch space between 12dc groups,  4ch);   [1dc into 2nd dc on next 12dc group;  (1dc into next dc) x9;  (4ch, 1sc into 1ch space between 12dc groups, 4ch) x11;  sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.    Break off yarn.

Row 8:   Join yarn in 2nd dc on any 10dc group;   3ch (counts as 1dc);  (1dc into next dc) x7 (8dc group);   (4ch, 1sc into 4ch space) x2, 4ch)   [1dc into 2nd dc on next 10dc group;  (1dc into next dc) x7;  (4ch, 1sc into 4ch) x2, 4ch) x11;  sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.    Break off yarn.

Row 9:   Join yarn in 2nd dc on any 8dc group;   3ch (counts as 1dc);  (1dc into next dc) x5 (6dc group);   (4ch, 1sc into 4ch space) x3, 4ch)   [1dc into 2nd dc on next 8dc group;  (1dc into next dc) x5;  (4ch, 1sc into 4ch) x3, 4ch) x11;  sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.    Break off yarn.

Row 10:  Join yarn in 2nd dc on any 6dc group;   3ch (counts as 1dc);  (1dc into next dc) x3 (4dc group);   (4ch, 1sc into 4ch space) x4, 4ch)   [1dc into 2nd dc on next 6dc group;  (1dc into next dc) x3;  (4ch, 1sc into 4ch) x4, 4ch) x11;  sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.    Break off yarn.

Row 11:  Join yarn in 2nd dc on any 4dc group;   3ch (counts as 1dc);  1dc into next dc (2dc group);   (4ch, 1sc into 4ch space) x5, 4ch)   [1dc into 2nd dc on next 4dc group;  1dc into next dc;  (4ch, 1sc into 4ch) x5, 4ch) x11;  sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.    Break off yarn.

Row 12 (Edging):  Join yarn in centre of any 2dc group   [4ch, 1trc (counts as trc cluster),  (4ch, trc cl) x3] into same place as join;

{1ch, skip next 4ch space, 1sc into next 4ch space, 1ch;  [(1trc cl, 4ch, 1trc cl, 4ch into next 4ch space);  (work 1st stitch of trc cl into the same space;   work 2nd stitch of trc cl into next 4ch space);   (4ch, 1trc cl, 4ch, 1trc cl into same 4ch space as 2nd part of last trc cl);  1ch 1sc into next 4ch space. 1ch, skip next 4ch space;  [(1trc cl, 4ch) x3;  1trc cl] into centre of 2dc group} x11;

1ch, skip next 4ch space, 1sc into next 4ch space, 1ch;  [(1trc cl, 4ch, 1trc cl, 4ch into next 4ch space);  (work 1st stitch of trc cl into the same space;   work 2nd stitch of trc cl into next 4ch space);   (4ch, 1trc cl, 4ch, 1trc cl into same 4ch space as 2nd part of last trc cl), 1ch 1sc into next 4ch space, 1ch,  skip next 4ch space, sl st into top of start cluster to close.    Break off yarn

*******************

A huge thank you to the wonderful ladies who tested this pattern for me:

Laura Brozo:   "Just Laura" on Facebook

Michelle Westlund:   CROCHET BETWEEN WORLDS

Eleanor Thomson:  NELNANANDNORA