Butterfly

PATTERN TERMS:  US

Yarn:  100% DK Cotton

Hook:  4.00mm

Foundation:    3ch, sl st into 1st ch to make a ring OR make a magic ring;

Row 1:   3ch (counts as 1dc);   11dc into ring (12 dc),   sl st into top of start 3ch to close.

Row 2:   sl st into first space between dc;   [1ch, 1sc into same space as join;  8ch,   skip 1 space between dc;  2sc into next space (top left wing)];   [5ch,   skip 1 space between dc;   1sc into next space,  1ch, sl st into same space (bottom left wing)];   [3ch, 4hdc into 3rd ch from hook;   skip 1 space,   sl st into next space,   1ch, 1sc into same space (lower body)];    [5ch,   skip 1 space,   2sc into next space (bottom right wing)];  [8ch,   skip 1 space,   1sc into next space, 1ch, sl st into same space (top right wing)];   [8ch, 3sc into 2nd ch from hook;  1sl st into each of next 6ch, sl st into next space between dc (right "feeler")];  [8ch, 3sc into 2nd ch from hook;  1sl st into each of next 6ch,   sl st into next sp (left "feeler)].   Break off yarn.

Left Wings:    With right side facing join yarn with a sl st in 1st sc directly to the left of the "feelers";  [(1sc, 1hdc, 3dc, 5trc, 3dc, 1hdc, 1sc) into 8ch space;   sl st between next 2sc (top left wing);   [(1sc; 1hdc; 5dc, 1hdc, 1sc) into 5ch space;  sl st into top of sc to close (bottom left wing)].   Break off yarn.

Right Wings:  With right side facing join yarn with a sl st in sc directly to the right of the lower body;  [(1sc; 1hdc; 5dc, 1hdc, 1sc) into 5ch space,  sl st between next 2sc (bottom right wing)];  [(1sc, 1hdc, 3dc, 5trc, 3dc, 1hdc, 1sc) into 8ch space.   sl st into next sc to close (top right wing)].    Break off yarn. 

A great big "THANK YOU" to my fabulous friend Lori for testing this pattern for me!!

Sunflower for Mom

One of the GIFTS I made to hand out on the day of interment of Mommy's ashes was this little Sunflower Mandala design (I made one for the table next to Mom's chair).

I call it "Sunflower for Mommy"

The pattern can be found on RAVELRY

To celebrate the release of my new pattern I am offering a 30% discount on the purchase of all or any of my three Sunflower Patterns - using Coupon Code SUN0002.    This promotion is valid from now until Sunday, 23 August 2015.

I am working on a FREE pattern for a little butterfly which looks lovely sitting on the corner of the mandala - so keep an eye on this and my Zooty Owl Facebook Page!

My wonderful crochet buddy Lori Brozo tested this pattern for me (she also made quite a few)!    Thank you so much Lori - I can always rely on you to get the testing done swiftly and accurately!    You ROCK!

 

Have a wonderful, sunshiney weekend!

Gifts

On Saturday afternoon, just before sunset, Mom's ashes were interred at the Holy Rosary Garden of Remembrance.

I have been making gifts from MOM'S YARN STASH to work through my grief and to spread a bit of comfort to family and close friends:   a "MAGIC" COMFORT BLANKET for my brother,  a HUGE COMFORT BLANKET for my dad, (as well as a few hot water bottle covers and some baby blankets to donate).

For each of the girls I made a super chunky ROAD TRIP SCARF!

Blues for my brother's girlfriend, my mom's best friend, and me:

Pinks for my eldest daughter and my sister:

And purples for my niece, and one extra in case my dad remembers somebody I forgot (oops)

(I will make my son a pair of gloves and a scoodie for my youngest daugher)

Each gift was hand-packaged

 with a special little tag:

These Road Trip Scarves were very quick and easy to make and are super warm - with a few twists on my original pattern:

YARN:   16ply (Super Chunky) - I wound various weights of yarn together to get 16ply.

HOOK:   9.00mm

NUMBER OF ROWS:    25

EDGING:   a simple 3ch picot

Of course, even though Mom is no longer here, I know she is here in spirit - so I made a special mandala and butterfly for the table beside her chair!

(My wonderful friend, Lori, has already tested both patterns for me - I am in the process of editing the photos so that I can publish them.    The Sunflower pattern will be for sale on Ravelry.   The Butterfly pattern will be a freebie on this Blog!)

Comfort Blanket for Dad

I cannot believe my mom has been gone for just over a month - it still feels so unreal!

I have been working through MOM'S YARN STASH - what a wonderful gift from the "afterlife" as it were.      A beautiful way for me to meditate, grieve, reflect and remember my precious Mommy!

When I received the stash I decided that I would not "hoard" it but would immediately set about making meaningful things from it!

So far I have made a few baby blankets, a "MAGIC" COMFORT BLANKET for my brother, for each of the girls I have made a super chunky ROAD TRIP SCARF!, and this HUGE comfort blanket for my Dad. 

We are scattering Mom's ashes on Saturday and I wanted to have these comfort gifts finished by then (I nearly crocheted my fingers off!)

Yarn:  Acrylics, Courtelles, Acrylic / Wool Blends

Yarn Weight:  16ply (Super Chunky) - obtained by winding strands of odd weights together to get 16ply (eg 2ply + 2ply + 4ply + 8ply = 16ply)

Hook Size:   8.00mm

Colours:   Blues, Turquoises, Greens, and a few odd colours in between

Foundation Chain:   180 plus 2 (this gives you 180dc)

Number of Rows:   102 rows of Double Crochet

Border:   1 round hdc,   1 round dc.

Edging:   A simple half shell made as follows (2ch, 2dc, skip 2 spaces, sl st into next space) repeat all around the blanket ending with a sl st into the base of the start 2ch.

The blanket will fit very comfortably on a double bed.  

It's soft and thick and warm and was made with loads of love with good memories of my mom in every stitch!

"Magic" Comfort Blanket

I wanted to make "meaningful" things with the YARN STASH mom had left me:      baby blankets to donate;   a comfort blanket each for my brother and my dad;   and a scarf each for all the girls.

My brother's favourite colours are red, grey, black and white so when I sorted the stash I kept aside these colours to make my brother a "MAGIC" Comfort Blanket!

Last week we went up to Modimolle (formerly Nylstroom) in the Limpopo Province,  for a few days R&R

  The reds, blacks, greys and whites went with so that I could make my brother's blanket!

Yarn:   Acrylic, Courtelle, Acrylic / Wool Blends (less than 30% natural fibres)

Yarn Weight:   2ply, 3ply, 4ply, 8ply, 10ply and 12ply - strands wound together to give me 16ply (super bulky) yarn.      (eg 2 + 2 + 4 + 8 = 16)

Hook Size:   8.00mm

Foundation Chain:   170 plus 2 (172)

Stitch:   Double Crochet

Size:   Three Quarter Bed

Border:   a few rows of double crochet around the blanket.  I measured the blanket so that the stripes would be vertical and added a few extra border rows at the top and bottom (my brother is a big guy!)

Edging:   1 row of single crochet

Washed and tumble dried the blanket as soon as we got back from our little vacation!

My brother loves it!!!     Made me feel so happy that I could make something from mom's yarn to give a bit of comfort to my baby brother (he is 18 years younger than me)!