Idea for purse

I have a couple of ideas for purses. The first is a purse like the blue purse I already made but do the star stitch row in a contrasting color and the beads will match the star stitches. The other idea is based on a little girls purse I saw in the shopping center. It looked like a small make up bag with thread motifs sewed to the front. There was no handle on it. I could make a round or small doily. Sew that to the front of a purse made out of fabric with a zipper on the top. There could be either 1 long strap of two short straps. The straps could either be made out of the same fabric as the purse or crocheted to match the doily on the front. If I do one I will put up a picture. Right now the 2 main things I am working on are the bear-ghan for Ayla and knitted cotton wash cloths for Katherine and Jeff's baby. I already made 4 for myself - 2 green and 2 yellow. I got blue for the baby. I'm not sure what color I will get next. I am using Cotontots. It is so soft. It is softer than Sugar 'n Cream or Peaches 'n Cream. If I were making dishcloths, potholders, or hotpads I would use one of those but Cotontots is better for washcloths. Expecially ones that will be used on a baby.

Long skinny scarf

Long skinny scarf for $6.00. It is about 2 1/2 inchs wide and about 80 inches long. The length may vary depending on each skein of fur.

Star Stitch Beaded Purse

I am calling this purse the Star Stitch Beaded Purse. There is one row of star stitches about 2 inches from the bottom and one row of wooden beads at the top.It is about 10 1/2 inches by 7 1/2 inches. I used 1 skein of "Reynolds Saucy" 100% Cotton. I think it is sport weight. It feels a little bit thinner that Peaches and Cream or Sugar and Cream Worsted weight. It has a fabric lining with a pocket on the inside and a zipper. I can sell these for $15. If it needs to be any bigger or the handles need to be longer I would have to charge more because I used up every bit of the yarn.

Another purse

Here is another purse I made. I really didn't have a pattern. I adapted one of the squares from the 63 Squares afghan book. I put a lining in and zipper and added ratan handles that I got from JoAnn's. I used white worsted weight. Probably Red-Heart. It washes really well, too. The body of the purse can be washed in the machine but I wasn't sure about the handles so I just did it by hand and let it drip dry. The rose pin on the front is my Mother's Day pin from St. Clement of Rome Church. Every year on Mother's Day they give out something different - a bookmarker, a keychain, etc. This year it was the rose pin.

Shell coaster free pattern

Here is another coaster that I designed. It is just an easy thread coaster with a shell edging. It has not been tested yet. So there may be mistakes.

Shell Coaster
By Donna Howard

Size 10 thread (2 colors)
Hook size: 6
Gauge: Rnd 1 & 2 – approx. 1 1/8”
Finished size: 3 ¾”


Beginning shell: Ch 3, (dc, ch2, 2 dc) in same space

Shell: 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc

DIRECTIONS

With main color, ch6. Join to 1st ch to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 3. 14 dc in ring. Join with slip st to top of ch 3 (15 dc)

Rnd 2: Ch 3. Dc in same space. 2 dc in each st around. Join. (30)

Rnd 3: Beginning shell in 1st st. * Skip next 2 st, shell. Repeat from * 8 more times. Join. (10 shells)

Rnd 4: Slip st in next dc and in ch 2 sp. Beginning shell. Ch 1. *Shell in next ch 2 sp, ch 1. Repeat from * 8 more times. Join. (10 shells)

Rnd 5: Slip st in next dc and in ch 2 sp. Beginning shell. Ch 2. *Shell in next ch 2 sp, ch 2. Repeat from * 8 more times. Join and fasten off main color.

Rnd 6: Join contrasting color in top of any shell. Ch 3, dc 5 x in same sp. Ch 2. *In top of next shell work 6 dc, ch 2. Repeat from * 8 more times. Join.

Rnd 7: Ch 1. Sc in same sp. Ch 3. Sc in next sp. (Sc in next sp, ch 3, sc in next sp) 2 x. 2 sc in ch 2 sp. *(sc in next dc, ch 3, sc in next dc) 3 x, 2 sc in ch 2 sp. Repeat from * 8 more times. Join and fasten off. Weave in all ends.

Purse - doily - afghan

A lot has happened in the last month. We had our dancing revue on May 20th. I'm glad it's over. We had to change locations so many times. Even on the day before the revue. The place was so small we almost didn't fit. But we did it and nobody got hurt, nobody fell off the little stage, nobody had missing costume pieces, nobody's costume fell off.

So now I can get back to crocheting. I made some little beaded purses. I used this pattern from HereandAbove.com
http://hereandabove.com/crafts/crochet/pinkprl.html
I used size 3 thread and a C hook.

I finished a doily. It is from the book Extra-Special Doilies from Leisure Arts. It is the doily with the title "Excellent."

I also finished an afghan. It is for Susan Dugas. I am almost finished one for her son Jeremy and I have all the squares for Jacob's.

Square coaster free pattern

Square coaster
by Donna Howard
(This pattern has not been tested yet.)

Materials: Size 10 thread, size 7 steel hook
For 2 color coaster, work rnd 1 - 3, and rnd 7 in 1st colorl. Rnd 4 - 6 in 2nd color.


Special stitches
Beg cluster: Ch 3, *Wrap thread around, put hook through sp, wrap thread around and draw through sp, wrap around and draw through 2 loops. Repeat from * 1x. Wrap around and draw through all loops.

Cluster: *Wrap thread around and put through sp. Wrap thread around and draw through sp. Wrap around and draw through 2 loops. Repeat from * 2x. Wrap around and draw through all loops on hook.

Directions
Wrap thread around finger 2x. This is your starting loop.

Rnd 1: Sl st in ring. Ch 4, 23 trc in ring. Join to 3rd ch of beginning ch 4. (24)

Rnd 2: Ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in same sp, sc in next 2 st. *(sc, ch 2, sc) in next st, sc in next 2 st. Repeat from * around. Join to 1st sc. (8 ch 2 spaces)

Rnd 3: Sl st to ch 2 sp. Beg. cluster. Ch 6. *Cluster in next ch 2 sp, ch 6. Repeat from * around. Join to top of beg. cluster. (8 clusters)

Rnd 4: Sl st in ch 6 sp. Ch 3, dc 8x in same sp. Ch 3 [(cluster, ch 2) 2x, cluster, ch 3] in next ch 6 sp. *9 dc in next ch 6 sp, ch 3. [(Cluster, ch 2) 2x, cluster, ch 3] in next ch 6 sp. Repeat from * around. Join to 3rd ch of beginning ch 3.

Rnd 5: Ch 3, dc in same sp, dc in next 8 dc, dc in ch sp. Ch 4. [(Cluster, ch 4) in sp between clusters] 2x. *Dc in ch sp, dc in next 9 dc, dc in ch sp, ch 4. [(Cluster, ch 4) in sp between clusters] 2x. Repeat from * 2 x. Join in top of 3rd ch of beginning ch 3.

Rnd 6: Sl st in next dc, ch 3, dc in next 8 st. Ch 2, sc in ch 4 sp, ch 2. (Cluster, ch 4, cluster, ch 2) in sp between clusters. Sc, ch 2 in next ch 4 sp. *Skip next dc, dc in next 9 st, ch 2, sc in ch 4 sp, ch 2. (Cluster, ch 4, cluster, ch 2) in sp between clusters. Sc, ch 2 in next ch 4 sp. Repeat from * 2 x. Join in 3rd ch of beg ch 3.

Rnd 7: Sc aroundwith 4 sc in each corner sp and 2 sc in each ch 2 sp. Join. Finish off. Weave in all ends.

Celtic Crochet

This is a placemat from the book Celtic Crochet Home Accessories. I got the book from Annie's Attic. It's actually easier than it looks. It uses size 3 crochet cotton. I also made 2 potholders and 4 coasters. But instead of green, yellow, and white they are green, pink, and bridal white (kind of an off-white). I took a picture with the digital camera but it didn't come out very good. So, I put it on the scanner and it comes out really clear, you just can't see the whole thing.

Cro-Tat

I got the book Learn to Cro-Tat the New & Improved Way from Annie's Attic. I made the coaster. It really came out more of a hot pad because it is 8" across. It was a challenge. But, I'll keep practicing this technique so I can make the dragonfly in the book out of thread.

Purple afghan

Oh! I finished the purple afghan for donation, too. I have to mail it this week.

WIP's and PIG's

I made a list of all my WIM's and PIG's.

WIP's:
1. Mint green baby blanket
2. fingerless gloves for Stephen
3. Black & fushia suede purse
4. Thread tea set
5. Pale yellow doily
6. Fun fur Magic Scarf for Sam
7. Yellow & green afghan
8. Yellow booties

I finished the Mint green baby blanket last night.

I finished the yellow booties this morning. (No picture yet.)

Next, I will either work on the fingerless gloves, the black & fushia purse or the magic scarf. I ran out of the yellow yarn for the last square of the yellow & green afghan. I have to get another skein of that at Michael's.

Here are my PIG's.:

1. White baby hat

2. Yellow baby hat

3. Midnight blue afghan

4. Purple Microspun shrug

5. Purple Fun Fur Magic scarf for Vicki

6. Blue Fun Fur Magic Scarf for Katherine

7. Blue Fun Fur Magic Scarf for me

8. Pink & purple 7" squares (this should really go on the WIP list.)

9. More baby hats & booties

10. Blue rose doily

11. Lavender thread placemats

12. Pink hearts doily

13. Burgundy "Garnet Grandeur" doily from Crochet! magazine

I won't even begin to list all the WIM. So many projects, so little time.

Magic scarf, purse, other stuff

I've been so busy I haven't had time to post anything. School started and dancing classes started. We got more registrations for dancing and acrobats than we expected. We got quite a few new students who used to go to other dancing schools but they didn't reopen since the hurricane. I am back to having 3 classes on Monday, 2 classes on Wednesday, and 3 classes on Saturday.
I finished a Magic scarf on the Knifty Knitter. I finished the whole thing then it wouldn't stretch on the end because of the way I did the bind off. So frogged the whole thing and started over. When I was half way through again Jessica noticed a spot where I had messed up so I had to frog again. The third time I was really careful and did the bind off the right way and it came out great. I am now in the middle of my second one. The first one is for Jessica. Her birthday was February 14th. The second one is for Samantha. Her birthday is at the end of the month. Vicki's birthday isn't until November. So I will make one for Katherine before Vicki.

I also made a purse. I got the pattern from the Lion Brand web site. It is made out of suede yarn and fancy fur. It came out so good that Cynthia wants one too. I finished that one and it came out better than the first. I will put a picture up as soon as I get it loaded into the computer. I started on some fingeress gloves for Stephen. I am using dark blue Simply Soft and a pattern from the Crochet-Pattern-a-day calender.

I also got a bag of 6-inch squares from Sandie to make into an afghan for Squares 4 Survivors. I went to her house to get them and we spent all afternoon talking about crochet. Stephen and her son are the same age so he went with me. They're also both homeschooled and they both like computer games.

I'm going to be a grandma

Yes, that's right, I'm going to be a grandma for the first time. Katherine called a couple of nights ago and told me. She hadn't even been to the doctor yet. She had done the at-home-test only an hour before. I've already made a pair of blue booties.

Cradle Purse

I made a little cradle purse. I used white and lavender Simply Soft Worsted Weight. The doll that is in the picture is the boy baby that comes with Barbie.

Doily and coasters

I made the Petite Pineapple Doily in burgundy and gold. Then, I designed some coasters with the same shells and I made a set of four in the same colors. I am going to send them to Katherine when she gives me her new address. I told her I would send her some book thongs so the doily and coasters will be a surprise.

Pineapple Tote bag and afghans

I found a pattern I really like on the Panda Crochet website. http://www.pandacrochet.8m.com/ It is the Panda Pineapple 12-inch square. I used Red Heart Super Saver Spruce and Pale Yellow. Then I didn't know what I should do with them. I wasn't sure if I wanted to make another afghan so I made a tote bag. I crocheted around the squares and made the handle of yellow and green. I lined it with some yellow material I already had. It came out really good. I will use it for books when I go to book club meetings.
I will be needing to make more afghans after all. On Thursday I brought Cynthia a bag of 11 hats, 11 scarves, and 2 afghans. Lawrence went to the 9th ward this morning and gave out a bunch of stuff. Everything in the bag went. Cynthia said one lady started to cry because she was so touched that someone made this by hand for her. Now that I know that it is still needed and appreciated I will make more.

Knifty knitter

I learned how to use the Knifty Knitter today. There was a class at Michael's Craft Store. I made a hat in green and yellow. After I finished the hat I made a green and yellow crocheted scarf.

WIP's:
gold and burgundy pitite pineapple doily
light green and cream thread tea set (pattern from Annie's Attic)
gerbera doily
mint green baby afghan - spiderweb pattern
blue afghan - only have to attach the last 4 squares

Doilies

I just finished 2 pineapple doilies for the crochet-a-long. I did one in white and the other in peach. I am also working on a Spiderweb Baby Afghan in mint green. I made a hat today, too, to match the curly scarf: lavender with the boa trim. I might make another scarf to donate or I might start on the crocheted tea set.

Afghan

I just finished an afghan to donate. The 6 inch squares are from "101 Crochet Squares" by Jean Leinhauser; published by American School of Needlework. I used a G hook for those. The plain squares are just granny squares. I used an H hook for those. Start with 4 chains. 2 chains at the corners and 1 chain in between the sets of double stitches on the sides. Keep going until you have 6 or 12 inches. I joined four 6-inch squares to make 12-inch squares. Then I joined the 12-inch squares with the lattice desing like on the Crochet Dude's Monet afghan.

Curly scarf

My first curly scarf. Also my first time using Bernat Boa. It's really long but it was easy to make. I used a K hook, Red Heart Lavender worsted weight, and Bernat Boa Toucan. I did 135 chain stitches with the lavender and starting in the 4th chain from the hook I did 2 triple-crochets in each stitch. Then, I did 4 chain stitches and did 2 triple-crochets in the top of each triple all the way back. Switch to the Boa and to a double-crochet in each stitch. It took one and a half balls of the boa, but I got it half price at Michael's.