Cupcake hat

This is a knitted cupcake hat I made last year. All the patterns I found were for infants or toddlers. I adapted the pattern to fit a teenager/adult. I sew bugle beads on by hand for the sprinkles.

Free pattern for scarf

This is a scarf pattern I designed to use some Lion Brand Microspun yarn I had in my stash. I'm not sure how many skeins I used since it was leftover bits that I used up first. I'm pretty sure I used a size H hook.

Directions:

Ch 25.

Row 1: Sc in 2^nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (24)

Row 2 – 3: Ch 1, turn, Sc in each st across. (24)

Row 4: Ch 3, turn, *Skip next st and trc in next st, trc in skipped st, repeat from * across to the last st, dc in last st.

Row 5 – 7: Repeat row 2.

Row 8: Repeat row 4.

Repeat rows 5 through 8 for desired length ending with last sc row.

Fasten off and weave in ends. Add fringe.

Hexagon Bag

It took me less than a week but I finished it. All I have to do now is put in a lining. It is made with Sugar "n Cream 100% cotton. I saw it first here http://thekansashooker.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-hexagon-pursesummery-delightfulness.html
I really liked it. Had to have one!

Blue Rose Doily

This is the Blue Rose Doily. Except I didn't do it blue. I did it in lavender. You can get the pattern here: http://www.free-crochet.com/detail.html?code=FC00197&cat_id=309 .

Stripey scarf

This is a knitted scarf. Every stripe is done with a different yarn. The colors are wool, cotton, bamboo, viscose, acrylic. Some of them I'm not sure or I just don't remember. It wasn't difficult, just had a lot of ends to weave in.

Baby Booties

I wish the picture wasn't so dark but aren't they cute! Tiny booties waiting for tiny feet. There is elastic around the ankles so you don't have to worry about ribbons and they won't fall off.

Receiving blankets

I bought the flannel and hemmed the edges. Then I put crocheted edgings on with size 10 thread. My camera is not that great so the picture could be better. Maybe I'll try for a close up picture.

A new purse

I love purses! I saw this purse on this website http://shortylamcrochet.blogspot.com/2006/11/nordstrom-hobo-bag.html . I totally fell in love with it. I did it with worsted weight yarn since I don't like really big purses. I made this off-white one for myself along with a blue one. I made a tan one for my mom. Also an off-white one that my cousin-in-law bought from me and a black one that someone she works with bought from me. It looks good in every color I've tried. I put a lining with pockets and a magnetic snap to close it.

Christening Bonnet and Booties

It's been a little over 3 years since I posted anything. I thought it was about time I started up again. Here is something I made. I have a cousin who had a baby boy a little over 2 years ago. They wanted me to make the Christening bonnet and booties but I could not find a pattern I liked for a little boy so I designed one. After that I figures I might as well design one for a girl. I did not design the booties. They are from book. I have since sold a couple of sets of them and had the patterns for the bonnets published in the Mary Maxim catalog.

Baby Cowgirl Boots

I made these crocheted cowgirl baby booties for the cousin who I am giving the Flower Center Round Ripple to. She is pregnant with a girl. She has been riding horses since before she learned how to walk, so I thought these would be appropriate and appreciated.

I used a pattern from a book from Annie"s Attic. I used Simply Soft yarn and an F hook.

Stuffies

Little stuffed animals. Aren't they cute! Both are crocheted with worsted weight yarn and an F hook. The pattern is from an old Annie's Attic book. The elephant is 3 1/2 inches tall and the mouse is about 5 1/2 inches tall.

Flower Center Round Ripple

This is a Flower Center Round Ripple Baby Afghan I made. It is made from yarn I already had on hand. The white is Bernat Softee Baby and the pink is Red Heart Baby Sport. The pink yarn turned out to be thicker than the white. I am going to give it to my cousin who is expecting a girl.

Round Ripple Baby Afghan

This is a round ripple baby afghan I made. I used Bernat Softee Baby and an F hook. I love the way these round ripples come out. This is the 3rd one I've made. The first one I gave as a gift. It was blue and white Bernat Baby Coordinates. The second one was yellow, green, and white. I still have that one.

American Girl Gingham Dresses

Two gingham dresses to fit the American Girl Doll. One is pink and the other is yellow. I also made a blue and a green one. I sell them for $8.oo each.

Beaded Purses

These are little crocheted purses with beads crocheted into them. They are about 4 1/2 inches wide and about 5 1/2 inches tall. they have a drawstring top. They are crocheted with 100% cotton thread. I sell them for $15.00.

Thread Doily and Coasters

Square doily and coasters crocheted out of cotton size 10 thread. Wouldn't that make a nice gift?

American Girl Doll Clothes

This is a skirt and top set that fits any of the 18 inch dolls that are the same size as the American Girl Doll. I have other styles of dresses. too.
I also make Barbie clothes.
If you have a doll you found in the attic or somewhere else and needs an outfit I can do that too.

New Purses

These are two of the new purses I made. They are crocheted with 100% cotton yarn. They wash really well and I usually do not put them in the dryer. They have a fabric lining and a big snap to close. I put a piece of plastic canvas in the bottom so they stand up. They are approximately 9” across, 3” wide, and 8” tall. I am selling them for $20.00 each.

Doilies

These are 2 of my most recent doilies. The red one is from "A Year of Doilies Book 5" and the blue one is designed by "Panda Man" James Davis. As you can see, both are pineapple doilies. I really can't say which one I like better because I like them both. I had to stop crocheting with yarn for a while because my right hand was hurting so much. It doesn't hurt when I use thread, only when I use yarn.

baby booties

These are booties I made for Caleb. They are blue and tan. They match his little blue jeans really well. There is elastic in the ankles instead of ribbons so they stay on and there are no ribbons to lose.

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.