Dreamcatcher

Look what I found, hanging in my fig tree!

My wonderful son-in-law is a farmer and he was clearing away an old rusty fence. Knowing how much I love rust, he wrapped some into a Dreamcatcher for me and hung it in my Fig Tree.

He also left another bundle of rust for me to cut up and use.

I am so delighted with the thought and the time he put into this in his busy day.

When I thanked him for the time, the thought, the gift, he said, “I like supporting your crazy arty-crafty ways”!

How lucky am I!

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Calla

Another beautiful pattern by Zoya Matyushenko available on Ravelry

I wanted it to look a little more open so I made this small variation:

Part of Row

28:

FPDC in FPDC, BPDC in BPDC, – (ch3, skip one BPDC, BPDC in next BPDC) 4 times

29:

FPDC in FPDC, BPDC in BPDC, (ch1, sc in ch3space, ch1, BPDC) 4 times

30:

FPDC in FPDC, (3FPDC around the BPDC, sc in ch1 space, FPDC around sc, sc in Ch1 space) 4 times

~

This one is sewn onto a 50cm coated metal hoop from Glitterwitch.

First I attach the mandala to the hoop with stitch markers at each picot point, then I sew each point onto the ring going over the ring 3 times. I thread the yarn through the edge of the work along the back, to the next point.

Made with Scheepjes Sweet Treat 2ply cotton in Snow White and a 2.5mm hook

That is Crochet Mandala/Dreamcatcher number 10 made, 3 as presents for my grandchildren, 7 for me. The obsession continues!

 

Another Day Another Dreamcatcher

This is my second ‘Agnes’. (a free pattern) You can see my first one in Turquoise here.

I made it with Scheepjes Sweet Treat, Snow White and a 2.5mm hook.

It took 2 balls, with just one row to go, so I had to break into a third to do the last row and for sewing onto the 50cm hoop.

I first attach the completed doily onto the hoop with stitchmarkers and then sew each point onto the hoop, threading the yarn through the work to the next point….

like this one: Ruta

also in Scheepjes Sweet Treat, but this time in Tropic 

and a 2mm hook, attached to a 40cm hoop.

Onto the next one.

 

Crochet Mandala for Outside

Just a little bit obsessed with making mandalas at the moment and I am thinking about hanging this one outside on the wall of my garage to see how it is affected by the weather before making more.

I would really love to paint the outside of my house in bright zany colours, like Katwise, but my neighbours would ……. well you can imagine! So the next best thing might be to cover my house in crocheted mandalas

This one is in Stylecraft Special DK made with a 4.5mm hook and attached to a 70cm coated metal ring which I got from Dannells. I’m on the look out for larger hoops but so far have not found any in the UK. I might have to use some Hoola Hoops.

It is sewn onto the hoop with the same yarn

This pattern and yarn combination would stretch to a 1m hoop I think, if the edges did not cover the frame.

The pattern, Tuuli, is a free pattern by Zoya Matyushenko and I think it is my favourite of her designs. I have made it before in cotton thread, for Little Miss M, and one for myself.

I am sure to make it again – next time in white.

Please let me know if you know where I can get large hoops, maybe wooden, preferably white or a natural wood colour.

Yennefer completed

You can see the beginning of this mandala journey in this post. It took a while but at last I found a 70 cm metal hoop to attach the mandala to.

Using Scheepjes Whirl, Turquoise Turntable, and a 3.5mm hook, I cut the thread after Round 19, 24, 30 and 32 to wind off until the next colour join or two. I think I have used just over half the Whirl on this mandala and I will make another with the yarn that remains.

I didn’t block this one, I attached each point to the hoop with a stitch marker

and then using a needle and a length of the yarn, I sewed each picot point to the hoop, threading the yarn through the edge to get to the next point

It will hang on the wall above my fireplace, but I’m wondering if I should mount it on something first.

Yennefer

Sometimes to urge to start a new project is overwhelming and I have to set all of the WIPs aside and just go for it. 

Zoya Matyushenko’s new pattern Yennefer was irresistable.

The instructions are well written but do not come with a photo tutorial, so I make a copy of the photo on my laptop and then crop it and enlarge so that I can see the details as a guide.

I’m using Scheepjes Whirl Turquoise Turntable – ooooo – I just have to pause to delight in this gradient yarn – it feels gorgeous and looks so inviting – I had to stroke and squidge it for a few days before breaking into it. The photo does not do it justice. Oh the joy of the colour and how it fades from light to dark ………… ………… …….

It is soooooooooo pretty.

I tried a 4mm hook, but it did not hold together, so I am using a 3.5mm hook to make a mandala which I will sew to a metal hoop and hang in the wall. You can see other mandalas/dreamcatchers I have made here , here, here and one for a wizard here.

I am not getting the stitches even but hope, by the end, they will look ok

Zoya is a magician with crochet and creates all sorts of amazing effects. Each round is an adventure and the sense of achievement is huge and so satisfying.

I am working from the pale turquoise on the outside and by the end of Round 14, I thought I would, cut the yarn and wind off some of this pale turquoise, in order to get the full range of the gradient colours into the mandala.

At each join another strand of darker turquoise is added, I wound the yarn past one join and cut it at the next

Round 15 is started with the slightly darker yarn.

Working these Rounds is like reading an exciting book, I’m eager to get to the end of the ‘chapter’ and to get onto the next one, a real page-turner. I want to see how the next bit of the story affects the last bit and see the story unfold, each new stitch, a new character. I can’t put it down.

Sometimes I wish there was a photo to explain the next Round, so for my own future reference, this is the beginning of Round 17.

I am often asked how long I take to make a blanket or a mandala and it is always a difficult question to answer as I pick crochet up in odd moments and never time myself. But I was interested to see how long each of the ‘Petals’ took to make so I set my Stopwatch

At least I have an answer if asked about this one – if only for one part of it.

The work is much softer in Scheepjes Whirl than in a finer crisper cotton, but I’m hoping that once stretched on a hoop the details will be defined enough for a pleasing effect.

Onto the next petal….

 

 

Crochet Mandala

Ever since making a dreamcatcher for Little Miss M, Another Birthday, Another Dreamcatcher, I have wanted a similar one for myself.

The design is Tuuli by Zoya Matyushenko.

I made this with Scheepjes Sugar Rush and Rico Essentials 2ply cotton yarn and a 2.5mm hook. Attaching it to a 50cm coated wire hoop from Glitterwitch.

If you make this design, don’t make the same mistake as me and make far too many loops and points on the final rounds – oops – when will I learn to constantly check the stitch count!

Here it is photographed against a turquoise background

Now to decide whether to hang it on the wall or dangling from the ceiling.

A Wizard’s Dreamcatcher

Another birthday and another dreamcatcher.

Master R, the Wizard and ardent Harry Potter fan, had his 9th birthday at the beginning of September. His sisters both had dreamcatchers for their birthday (here and here) and, when asked, he said he would like one as well.

My heart sank just a little bit as I know he likes purple and khaki green – not my favourite colours to work with. You might remember how I struggled to complete his blanket.

I searched for the right colours in cotton thread and found Willow in Scheepjes Maxi Sweet Treat  and Purple and Silver Grey in Rico Essentials.

Rico Essentials is a lovely cotton thread to work with. It has a slightly waxy feel – really nice.

Then I searched Ravelry for the right pattern – he likes Squares!

I found this paid for pattern by Svetlana Grebennikova on Ravelry, #1 Favorire

First I needed to work out which hook size to use

I went for 2mm.

The pattern, written in English (US crochet terms), is not the easiest pattern to follow, but Svetlana did respond to my emailed questions very promptly and helped me through it.

The corners were tricky

but I got there in the end.

This would make a cute coaster don’t you think.

It is a clever design and I love learning new stitches.

I attached the finished square to a 25cm gold painted metal ring that I ordered from a small independent online craft supplies shop Glitterwitch.

To get the piece taut enough it had to be turned into an octagon

I was a bit nervous about that. Would an octagon be acceptable to the Wizard?

I need not have been concerned – I was rewarded with the broadest of smiles and

“Oh! you made it to match my blanket!” and I got a huge wizardly hug.

There is nothing quite like the feeling of a little one being thrilled with something I have made. I am a very lucky Granny!

Happy 6th Birthday

I finished the Dreamcatcher in time for Little Miss M’s birthday!

Hurray!

She loves it, especially as her big sister has one, she seemed especially pleased about that. I love it so much I am going to have to make one for myself as well.

It fits perfectly on a 40cm coated metal hoop which I got from Glitterwitch.

The 2ply crochet thread used is Rico Essentials with the turquoise (Tropic) from Scheepjes Sweet Treat. I used a 2mm hook.

The pattern is Tuuli by Zoya Matyushenko, a free pattern if you join her Facebook Group

Zoya’s patterns are a delight to work, at almost every row you could stop and have a finished design

I’m tempted to try one in DK to see what size it would be, but just at the moment it is so hot here I don’t even feel like crocheting – now that is seriously hot!!!

Little Miss M’s birthday party was yesterday – on the hottest day so far this summer in the UK (according to the News) – the theme was ‘The Greatest Showman’, there was a bouncy castle, dressing-up, a Mum brought a rainbow coloured parachute for parachute games, circus skills eqipment to play with… it was fun! It was HOT! I got out my little indoor watering cans and sprinkled the children on their heads, wrists and the backs of necks to keep them cool.

Rain is forecast for Sunday – yes please!!!

Another Birthday, Another Dreamcatcher

Looking for a slightly cheaper cotton yarn than Scheepjes Sweet Treat, I am trying this Rico Essentials 2ply cotton yarn which comes in 50gm balls rather than 25gm.

The colours above are from the Orange going clockwise: Orange, Fuchsia, Emerald, Orchid, Purple, Turquoise, with Yellow in the middle.

There are fewer colours to choose from in this range and the yarn seems ever so slightly thicker than Sweet Treat, but other than that I am pleased with the quality of the Rico and see little difference so far.

Little Miss M also has a birthday this month and after seeing her reaction to the Dreamcatcher I made for her big sister, I thought I had better put other projects to one side and see if I could make another dreamcatcher in time for her 6th birthday.

Her favourite colour is orange, with pink coming a close second – one of my favourite colour combinations.

You might remember the Mandala Madness bedspread I made for Little Miss M

I want to make a dreamcathcer to go with it, so I started with the gorgeously vibrant Orange

to make Tuuli,  another free pattern from the brilliant Estonian designer Zoya Matyushenko. Oh how I love her patterns, each round is a gem.

After the pink I wanted to add a turquoise, but which one?

I went for the Scheepjes: Tropic

You don’t see much of it at the front, but if the dreamcatcher dangles from the ceiling, it will show more at the back

It seems perfectly ok to mix the Rico and the Scheepjes yarn together.

I’m using a 2mm hook.

If you are tempted to have a go, you can find Zoya’s free patterns in the Files on her Facebook Group Page.

Now I’m off for a yarny natter with Cathy and her Crew over on Nanacathydotcom, always a treat on a Friday.

Edit: Here is the finished Mandala Dreamcatcher.

 

A Dreamcatcher for Miss E

A certain special person has an 11th birthday this week and I made her this dreamcatcher

Using one and a half balls of  Scheepjes Sweet Treat, Chrystaline and a 2mm hook.

I’m waiting to see if Miss E wants it hanging up on the wall or twirling free like a mobile before I add any dingle-dangles, and something to hang it up with.

It is a free pattern by Zoya Matyushenko from Estonia, if you join her Facebook Group.

It is not as complicated as it looks, and Zoya’s instructions are very clear and easy to follow, but I did find Round 25 a bit of a struggle which was also the round when the first ball of yarn ran out. Thank goodness for Facebook Groups where everyone is so helpful with handy hints and advice on how to get through the tricky bits.

 

There is only one photo for this pattern (her paid for patterns have a photo for each round), but I had the photo enlarged next to the pattern on screen and that worked well. ( I have obscurred some of the instructions)

 

Zoya’s patterns are a delight, each round creates beauty

Stopping here would make a sweet little coaster or mat.

(or in yellow a little Sun to applique onto a fabric collage)

I must discover how to join foundation rings in a neater way – any tips?

It was blocked to pull out all the picot points – I love my new blocking pins –

before attaching it to the 45cm wire ring with stitch markers

I try to use small independent suppliers when I can and found Glitterwitch, based in Kent, UK. A very efficient service and nice friendly communication with Jan the owner.

After attaching the mandala to the ring with the stitch markers I sewed each point on individually with the same thread, going over the ring 5 times, and sewing through the picot, working from the back.

Here it sits on a nail in my hall.

Of course it is also Teddy’s birthday and since she is part of the family, she got a couple of new dresses, with a bag to keep them in.

The little Tote Bag comes from my Society 6 Shop

It is one of my paintings photographed and printed on fabric.

Can you guess what Miss E’s favourite colour is. 😉

I’m in the process of writing a pattern for the dress, but in the current heatwave, my brain is not co-operating very well.

There seems to be a heatwave in most of the Northern Hemisphere this Summer – how are you all doing? I’m loving the early mornings and glorious evenings.

Happy Friday!