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mandala-hearts-myth-letter-size.pdf
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It’s Pumpkin Crochet-Carving Time 🎃
Crochet Pumpkin Motif (c)mytrailinghobbies.wordpress.com 
Halloween Crochet Pumpkin Motif (c)mytrailinghobbies.wordpress.com 
Halloween Crochet Pumpkin (c)mytrailinghobbies.wordpress.com
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How to Spin Yarn like an Estonian
A lovely day filled with sunshine, birds singing cheerily all around, and fiber, and a drop spindle, and yarn, and a wonderful person demonstrating how to make yarn the Eesti way…
What a treat! A video is worth a thousand words. Enjoy 🙂
💙🧶💙
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DC Mandala
A Double Crochet mandala doodle ☀️🙃
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Winter Sunshine, from Words to Crochet Stitches
On a cold nordic, no snow though, December day I find my entertainment in playing a game of words and crochet stitches.
I pick 5 things that I like:
+ winter, sunshine, cornflower, blue color, mandala
and 1 thing that isn‘t quite my favorite:
– wind
and turn them into an idea for a happy, easy, simple, meditative crochet project.
The words merge into an image of a circular single and double crochet module I am calling Winter Sunshine.
My goal with this WIP is to keep it easy and simple, to effortlessly follow my own intuitive pattern while watching my fav show/listening to an audiobook. So here goes:
Part 1
Pattern Rounds 1-4
Abbreviations and Notes:
Color A – CA
Color B – CB
Magic circle/adjustable sliding loop – MC
Chain stitch – ch
Single crochet – sc
Double crochet – dc
Double crochet increase – dc inc
Front post double crochet – FPDC
Slip stitch – sl st
Round – rnd
(Sorry, the text formatting is wonky. How do I reduce the giant space between paragraph blocks??)
To change color, use a new color to pull a loop through at the last ‘drop two’ when completing a stitch. Begin each single crochet round by placing the 1st single crochet stitch in the same stitch as the slip stitch just made on the previous round. The pattern suggests using two colors, but you can certainly use as many colors as you wish. The nature of the pattern allows for a multitude of color rich variations.
Pattern instructions:
CA
0. MC
1. ch3 for buildup, 19dc in MC, sl st in top of ch3 buildup changing to CB, ch1, pull tight; = 20 sts;
CB
2. 20sc, sl st in 1st sc changing to CA; = 20 sts;
CA
3. ch3 for buildup, (dc inc, dc in next 2 sts) x9 around, dc inc in last st; sl st in top of ch3buildup changing to CB, ch 1, pull tight; = 30 sts;
CB
4. sc in each of first 2 sts of previous rnd; FPDC in 1st sc of rnd2<right under ch3 buildup of rnd3>, (sc in next 3 sts of rnd3; skip 1 sc of rnd2, FPDC in next sc of rnd2) around; sc in next st of rnd3; sl st changing to CA; = 40 sts;
End of Part 1 of Textured and Colorwork Crochet Pattern 🙃
The little motif you get can function on its own 🙂 as a face scrubby, a tree ornament, an element for a bunting, a 3D ornament if you crochet two of them together and stuff the bauble with some fiber…But, there are more rounds to come. My meditative crochet mandala is around 18cm/7in now, worked with a 4mm crochet hook and 75%wool sock yarn @260m/284yds per 100g.
If you like visual guidance, feel free to scan through my video, showing the process step by step, rounds 1-4:
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Lost in the Mists of Time
and then Recovered
This is what I call knitting pattern designing goals: coming up with an item to knit, knitting it AND recording a legible pattern AND then converting it into a lovely poem, like “A Stocking in Rhyme”.
I came across it when doing my research involving historical knit leaf stitch patterns. I hope, one day I’ll get around to testing this stocking pattern. The Eesti yarn from my stash might be a perfect candidate for the project. Regardless, I find the idea of rhyming knitting patterns fascinating. The only other piece I’ve seen so far is “A Knitting Drill“.
Before sharing it here, I, naturally, googled it :), and it appears that someone did complete a pair of lovely stockings using the pattern and posted it on Ravelry a few years ago. The stockings look quite comfy 🙂
And now,
Lost in the Mists of Time
and then Recovered
Enjoy:
A Stocking in Rhyme
To knit a stocking, needles four,
Cast on three needles and no more;
Each needle stitches eight and twenty,
Then one for seam stitch will be plenty.
For twenty rounds your stitch must be
Two plain, two purl alternately,
Except the seam stitch which you do
Once purl, once plain, the whole way through.
A finger plain you next must knit,
Ere you begin to narrow it;
But if you like the stocking long,
Two fingers’ length will not be wrong.
And then the narrowings to make,
Two stitches you together take
Each side the seam; then eight rounds plain,
Before you narrow it again.
Ten narrowings you’ll surely find
Will shape the stocking to your mind;
Then twenty rounds knit plain must be.
And stitches sixty five you’ll see.
These just in half you must divide,
With thirty-two on either side;
But on one needle there must be
Seam stitch in middle, thirty-three.
One half on needles two you place,
And leave alone a little space;
The other with the seam in middle,
To manage right is now my riddle.
Backward and forward you must knit,
And always purl the backward bit;
But seam stitch, purl and plain, you know,
And slip the first stitch every row.
When thirty rows you thus have done,
Each side the seam knit two in one
Each third row, until sure you feel
That forty rows are in your heel.
You then begin the heel to close;
For this choose one of the plain rows;
Knit plain to seam, then two in one,
One plain stitch more must still be done.
Then turn your work, purl as before
The seam stitch – two in one, one more;
Then turn again, knit till you see
Where first you turned, a gap will be.
Across it knit together two,
And don’t forget one plain to do;
Then turn again, purl as before,
And sew till there’s a gap no more.
The seam stitch you no longer mind,
That, with the heel, is left behind.
When all the heel is quite closed in,
To knit a plain row you begin,
And at the end you turn no more,
But round and round knit as before.
For this, on a side needle take
The loops the first slip-stitches make;
WIth your heel needle – knit them plain,
To meet the old front half again.
This on one needle knit should be.
And then you’ll have a needle free
To take up loops the other side,
And knit round plain, and to divide
The back parts evenly in two;
Off the heel needle some are due;
Be careful that you count the same.
On each back needle, knit round plain;
But as the foot is much too wide,
Take two together at each side,
On the back needle where they meet
The front to make a seam quite neat.
Each time between knit one plain round,
Till stitches sixty-four are found;
And the front needle does not lack
As many as on both the back.
You next knit fifty six rounds plain,
But do not narrow it again;
’Twill then be long enough, and so
Begin to narrow for the toe.
Your long front row knit plainly through,
But at its end knit stitches two;
Together and together catch
Two first in the next row to match;
Then to the other side knit plain
Half round, and do the same again;
That is, two last together catch,
Two first in the front row to match.
At first knit four plain rounds between,
Then two, then one, until ’tis seen
You’ve knit enough to close the toe;
And then decrease in every row,
Until to stitches eight you’re brought,
The break the thread off – not too short –
And as these stitches eight you do,
Each time your end of thread pull through;
Then draw up all to close it tight,
And with a darning needle bright,
Your end of thread securely run,
And then, hurrah! the stocking’s done!
Pattern #80 (pp55-57)
Knitting and Crochet. A Guide to the Use of the Needle and the Hook. Edited by Mrs. Croly (Jenny June). Lynn, Mass.:J. F. Ingalls, Publisher, 1886. A copy donated by Hope Wright can be viewed in the Antique Pattern Library.
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Mandala Doodle Love
Thinking of springtime sunshine, loving December cold; getting out my circular needles & alpaca yarn along with colored pencils! Love Garden Mandala. Download and print out a letter size or A4 pdf in Free Printable Coloring Pages.
☀️🍏🍎🌼❣️
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Crochet. Crocheting. Crocheter. Note 1
My Crochet Journal, Entry 1: Crocheter’s Warm-up
Crochet. Crocheting. My favorite way of creating handmade fabric. A hook and string (thread, yarn) is all I need to make something. Whether I’m following a pattern or creating a design of my own, I enjoy the process of making loops that flow into groups of stitches that form flowers and zigzags and waves and geometric shapes and so much more.
Crocheting can be very relaxing and meditative and it can be energizing and entertaining too. There is a range of health benefits attributed to crocheting as well.
I’ve come to realize it’s a good idea to start each crochet fun session with a quick set of warm-up exercises for hands&fingers. I’ve made a quick video of my fav ‘workout’:
The key is to place NO strain or pressure on muscles or joins. The workout should cause no pain or discomfort. The purpose is to warm up and relax hands, to improve coordination and to prep fingers for work. Also, I like using a super soft and squishy ball.
✏️📖
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. The information I am sharing here is based on my personal experience as a crocheter and is not intended to prevent or treat any condition. For professional advice, please consult a specialist/physical therapist.
Coming up next: crochet hooks I like using; ways to hold yarn to best control tension; ways to hold a crochet hook.
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Resentment
I wonder if there are folks out there whose spouses/partners/other family members resent and/or devalue their fiber art interests. Is there a stigma that knitting, crocheting, spinning is a waste of time and resources that a self-respecting professional in any other field would never do? Is there anyone who’s ever felt like they would have been better off sneaking past their loved one/s with their brand new stitch dictionary/yarn/hooks or needles and shoving them in the depths of their stash unnoticed? 😀
I do it all in the open 🙂 never sneak or shove. But sometimes I wonder, is it just me or am I indeed the only individual in the house so excited about my little finds and projects, and should I care?
Well, of course I care about how the loved ones feel about things I do, but whether I should care about anyone’s resentment towards my fiber hobbies is, probably, a rhetorical question.
Take a look at the pic:
What do you resent more: those stressed jeans or the knitting? 😀
The End.
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“I will wind them over my hand the way Aunt Maria does, so that the balls feel quite ‘spongey’. I wish that all yarns came from the factories wound in balls, though!”
“You are not the first person to wish that,” said the Yarn Baby. “Hanks and skeins are much harder for a child to manage than balls.”
This never gets old. Child or adult, take care that the yarn balls you’re handwinding are ‘spongey’ enough not to damage the fiber 🙂
Do you ever handwind your yarn into balls?
Jane Eayre Fryer. The Mary Frances Knitting and Crocheting Book. 1918. p.39.
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A Ball of Yarn
Meditative-Crocheting a Doily
Crocheting this little doily feels like meditative-drawing a mandala. It’s complex and intricate yet relaxing & easy – instructions are very clear and easy to follow:
I’ve stumbled upon Grace Fearon’s designs and Lorelei – a free pattern on Ravelry – is my first project – just to get a feel of her designs, which are quite fascinating!
💙Back to crocheting :)💙
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A Fairy Tale
In real life, spinning is certainly a treat 🙂
– 365 Fairy Tales, Rhymes, and other Stories. Parragon Books Ltd 2011.
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A Bunch of Tulips
Reversible Floral Crochet WIP 🙂 Mr. Fluffy approves my new project!
🌷🌷🌷
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Shawl WIP
I started a new shawl inspired by the Nordic design yarn I just got:
It’s another intuitive knit design WIP 🙂 The idea is to make a nice and soft wild-berry/spring-flower colorway spring shawl.
💐
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BSC
Playing with single crochet: Braided Single Crochet, BSC –
If you ever get bored with the standard set of spots you normally place a crochet hook to make a crochet stitch, try new ways, find new ‘spots’ 🙂
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Knitting with Kids
I’ve stumbled upon this bit of info re knitting and instruction dating back to the mid 1800s. The intro sounds a little funny/dated. The rest sounds like an answer to my question, ‘at what age it would be appropriate for a child to start learning how to knit/crochet.’ I am more comfortable with the idea of teaching children hand-knitting and finger-crocheting. But, here it goes:
“Knitting is a most universally popular employment, and has this great advantage above others, that it affords a useful occupation for the old, when the failure of eye-sight obliges them to lay aside all other work. But to knit well in age we must be diligent in youth; and it is surprising how early children may be taught, and how much pride and pleasure they feel in knitting their first garter. I visited an interesting little school the other day in which children of three and four years of age were taught this useful work, and saw some nice little socks of their knitting. On asking the obliging and clever governess how it was possible to train such little creatures, even to perform the first step in the art; she most kindly sent me the following rules, at the same time allowing me to print them for the benefit of my scholars: –
“When teaching little children the art of knitting, I take them by my side, and cast up a garter. I then show them how I knit the simple stitch, saying whilst I do so, ‘put in the needle, put up the cotton, turn in the stitch, and slip it off.’ The repetition of these rules not only instructs, but at the same time amuses my little scholars. I then put the work into their own hands, and at first guide their fingers, repeating the lesson until they have learnt it, which they do in a surprisingly short time, together with the stitch it is intended to teach. I have girls of four years of age who can knit their own socks, as well as supply their little brothers and sisters with these useful articles. At five they can knit ‘antimacassars,’ and other fancy stitches; and in teaching these, I follow the same plan, and make them learn the receipt by heart before putting into practice. I also teach my little boy-scholars to knit; as, besides the advantage it may be to them in after life, it amuses and keeps them quiet in school.””
The Industrial Handbook…Part II.-Knitting. London, 1856. pp5-6.
Wow, 3-4-year-olds knitting their own socks. I have trouble picturing this as possible nowadays. It probably is. But, I could not recommend having knitting needles around a child or even an active pet that age 🙂 I did my very first bit of knitting, I believe, in middle school. It was not an ‘antimacassar’ 🙂 I’ve been working on this one for over a month now:
But that has nothing to do with my age 😀
I am wondering if it would be ok for a child to knit with these new prym “ball-point” needles that I keep wanting to buy for myself, but haven’t figured out how/where.
It’s certainly an interesting insight; explains a lot. Just look at all those amazing knitting patterns published in the 19th century.
How old were you when you first picked up knitting needles and made your first knit stitch? What brand needles would you recommend for a knitting session with a kid?
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Crocheting in Circles
Just felt like crocheting a few plain circles playing with different basic stitches, relying heavily on simple math. Was curious to see if geometry formulae would fully apply in each specific case.
Do you normally use formulae to come up with specific circular designs or is it all intuitive for you?
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A Knit Hat, Crochet Swans, and a Cat
I’ve finished and test-worn my nordic inspired knit hat. There’s no lining, yet the hat is super warm. With just 20% of alpaca there’s no need to add insulation at all. Can you tell the hat is on a snow blanket? 🙂 There are a few snowflakes on the hat too; – took the pic before it got covered in snow – it’s snowing out!
I’ve knitted it using Mountain Bluebird, Aspyn, Yarn Bee yarn. Love the soft fabric it makes!
How do you like working with alpaca?
Oh, and I could help, but share a couple pics of this super cute kitty and an amazing crocheted curtain with gorgeous swans on it!
There was as person in the room, who, I assume, ‘s the owner of the kitty and possibly the author of the crochet work. They are probably used to people taking photos of their awesome pet and the crochet masterpiece and didn’t mind that I was standing there admiring the view and taking a couple pics (Thank you!). 🙂
❤️❄️✨
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Love Mandala
Love mandalas? Color the Love mandala 🙂 I did just that. Begin coloring at the center and proceed outward. Continue beyond the graphic adding your own hearts radiating love in all directions!
Love Mandala | MyTrailingHobbies
❤️
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Scrubbies of Hearts
I did some crochet – yeeey!
– a face scrubby, a dishcloth, and a washcloth. I was playing with front- and back- post double crochet (FPDC and BPDC) to get textured hearts + nice and scrubby background ribbing.
How do you like working with FPDC and BPDCs?
❤️
My Trailing Hobbies 
