Recipe: Make Ahead Christmas Day Brunch

This wonderful, filling but light pie can be made the day ahead and warmed up when ready to serve the next day.  I like to make it on Christmas Eve and refrigerate it until mid morning on Christmas when everyone is a little hungry and can't wait until Christmas dinner is ready to be served later that day.  It's filling yet light enough that it won't stay with you so long that you and your family won't be hungry by the time your Christmas dinner is served.  I love the color combination of the green broccoli in the pie with the red salsa served along side - it really makes for a Christmas-y, festive celebration brunch or luncheon.  This pie is also very, very good when served with Hollandaise sauce drizzled over it but, as you know, this adds a LOT of fat and calories to the otherwise light, healthy luncheon.

Broccoli Rice Pie

1 1/2 C hot cooked rice (if you're making this with left over steamed rice that is cold, simply heat it through in the microwave for about one minute)

10 - 14 oz cooked chopped broccoli, cooled slightly (I prefer the larger amount of broccoli)

3 eggs

1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained

6 oz. grated cheddar cheese (for persons requiring a low sodium diet, substitute with Swiss cheese which has far less than half the amount of sodium that most other cheese has)

1/2 C plus 2 Tbsp. whole (or 2 %) milk

salt, pepper (omit salt for low sodium diets)

Your favorite salsa, hot sauce, or Hollandaise sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Combine rice, one egg (slightly beaten), 1/2 of the cheese, and salt and pepper (if used).  Mix well.

Layer rice mixture in bottom of a 8" deep dish pie pan (or a 9" will do, if you don't have a deep dish 8" pan)

Beat remaining 2 eggs slightly; stir in (cooled) broccoli, the mushrooms, and milk.  Add salt and pepper (if desired).  Mix well and spoon over rice layer in pie dish.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes, until pie is firm in the middle and edges are slightly browned.  Don't over cook because you're going to bake it longer, see next step...

Remove pie from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over top of pie.  

Bake 10 minutes longer.

Remove pie and allow to stand for 5 minutes, it will continue cooking while standing.

Serve with Hollandaise sauce or salsa, or hot sauce (optional)

Merry Christmas everyone!

Crochet Pattern: Favorite Beanie For A Lady

Of all the hats I've made I think I like this one the best.  It's fast and easy to make if you already know how to do the cross stitch.  If you don't know how to make a cross stitch there are several video tutorials on Youtube but you ought to be able to figure it out from the written directions below.

If you haven't already guessed, the cross stitch is one of my favorite stitches to add a lacy, textured effect to my projects.  It works well with ombre and solid yarn colors, and can be substituted for other stitches in almost any pattern you might be following.

For this beanie I used the cross stitch to give it a more lacy, lady-like effect and it looks marvelous on.  It can be worn as most beanies are,

or the bottom can be turned up to make a cuff so more of your hair shows and giving the beanie an entirely different look.

Good Beanie, Bad Photography, Really Bad Hair

Pattern For Favorite Beanie:
(Note:  beg ch 3 of each round counts as a dc)

Using an H hook and worsted weight yarn (I use Painted by Red Heart - it's a pleasantly soft yarn in beautiful colors that my photographs do not do justice)

ch 5, join with sl st to fifth ch from hook to form ring
Round 1:  ch 3, 11 dc inside ring, join w/ sl st to top of beg ch 3 (12 dc)
Round 2: ch 3, dc in same st as joining, 2 dc in each st around, join to top of beg ch 3 with sl st (24 dc)
Round 3: ch 3, dc in same st as joining, dc in next st, (2 dc in next st, dc in next st) repeat ( ) around, join to top of beg ch 3 with sl st (36 dc)
Round 4: ch 3, dc in same st as joining, dc in next 2 st, (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 2 st); repeat ( ) around, join with sl st to top of beg ch 3 (48 dc)
Round 5: ch 3, dc in same st as joining, dc in next 3 st, (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 3 st) repeat ( ) around, join to top of beg ch 3 w/ sl st (60 dc)
Round 6: ch 3, dc in same st as joining, dc in next 4 st, (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 4 st) repeat ( ) around, join to top of beg ch 3 w/ sl st (72 dc)
Round 7 - 10: ch 3, (dc in next st ) around, join to top of beg ch 3 w/ sl st (72 dc)
Round 11:  ch 3, (skip 2 st, tr in next, ch 1, tr in first skipped st)  repeat around, skipping last st and sl st into top of beg ch 3 to join.
Round 12: ch 3, dc in each tr and ch 1 sp around, sl st into top of beg ch 3 to join.
Round 13-16: repeat rounds 11-12 respectively

Round 17-18: ch 1, sc in each st around, join to first sc with sl st
Fasten off, weave in ends, enjoy!

Cross Stitch Up Close

When making the cross stitch, hold the stitches on the hook together as you're yo and drawing through, that way your stitches won't become super elongated when back tracking to the previous skipped stitches (the cross over stitch that makes the X).  Also, be careful about which tutorial videos you watch for this stitch.  Here's one that is for a dc cross stitch but it's done correctly with the same idea in mind.  With a dc cross stitch you use a dc instead of a tr and skip 1 stitch rather than 2.  I prefer the tr cross stitch, it's a much more dramatic effect and being the drama queen that I am, well, you get the idea.  heh, heh.

Crochet News: Hats Off To Christmas

...or should I say "Hats On To Christmas"?  I've been doing a lot of sitting in our dear doctor's office waiting with my son and my daughter (each having malfunctions of their very own), and while sitting for a few hours waiting to see our beloved doctor, I crochet to keep myself from going nutso. 

I purchased a big backpack-type bag at a thrift store for a few bucks and it works perfectly to carry all my stuff for crocheting in.  (Only problem is, a lot of stores won't let a person carry in a backpack to their store while shopping and want me to leave it at a register while I shop.  Yea, R-I-G-H-T!  So for shopping, the pretend Prada backpack-type bag stays home but for a doctor's office visit and trips to  friends' houses, perfect.)

Hats are in.  If they aren't, they will be by the time I get through with Christmas this year.  They are easy and fast to make and there are so many ways to make each one special for the person who'll be receiving it as a gift this year.  Last year it was Fat  Bottom Bags which everyone loved but since I line them and shop for just the right embellishment for them, they take up quite a bit of time for each bag to be completed.  The hats are more practical because of the small amount of time they take to make and since everyone is getting a homemade gift this year, that time is very important.  There's not that many days left before Christmas!  I figure a hat takes only a couple hours of non-stop work, including the flower embellishments.

Here's another hat I've been working on.  I've gotten many compliments on it which surprises me because I usually don't go out of the mainstream solid color for hats.  I don't like attracting attention to myself and stick to black or grey.  Just wearing a hat is going outside my box so a hat that is multi-colored and adorned with flowers is really going hog wild in my world.  heh, heh.  Seriously.

 The only problem I had with this hat is that the yarn is too soft and the sides rolled up instead of staying put.  It's okay apparently, like I said I got a lot of compliments on it.  I lucked out with the thread for the flowers matching the colors in the hat.  That was not planned, believe me.  I am a lame-o when it comes to matching or blending colors.

I think this is hat number ten.  But who is counting?  I'd better start counting or I may come up short for Christmas!  MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Crochet Pattern: Easy Beaded Snowflake Earrings

I have not been posting much lately due to depression and grief for the loss of my mother.  I don't think it's something I'll get over but may overcome some grief at some point.  Whether I do or not is not the point.  The point is I've not been crocheting a whole lot, nothing to mention anyway.  I do not have the energy or motivation it takes to do much of anything at all.

I wanted to do something for Christmas and these are all I could come up with so far.  I hope you enjoy them.

For Beaded Snowflake Earrings:

Materials: 
Size 10 crochet thread
Size 11 steel crochet hook
36 tiny beads, 2 small crystals
2 earring hooks (get at Joanne's) or tiny studs (with clear stone)

Follow directions from beginning to end twice.

Begin by stringing 18 tiny beads and then one crystal onto the thread
Chain 6, slide the crystal up to your hook, sl st into first ch (6th from hook) to form ring.
ch 1, sc inside ring.
** Ch 6, dc in 3rd ch from hook, work triple picot* (see instructions below), sl st into top loop and front post of previous dc, make dc in same ch as previous dc, ch 4, sc into ring**  work directions between ** and ** six times total.  Instead of working sc into ring for last repeat, sl st into first sc made to join.
Fasten off, weave in ends.
Spray heavily with fabric starch  and press with hot iron to stiffen and block; be careful not to leave iron on work too long to avoid burning starch or melting beads if you used plastic beads.
Attach earring hook (or stud) into middle of one triple picot.  Enjoy!

Triple picot:  *ch 1, slide bead up to hook, ch 2, sl st in third ch from hook*  work between * and * three times total.

Crochet News: Flowery Snowflake For Mom; Free Pattern

Here's my first snowflake pattern, I made this for Mom with flowers, she loves flowers so much.  (And she's learning to love snowflakes, thank goodness!  ha ha)

Flowery Snowflake To Crochet
by Cynthia Luciene copyright October 2011


You may share the pattern but you may not sell it.  You may, however sell anything you make from this pattern.


Materials:  Size 11 steel crochet hook, size 10 (bedspread weight) cotton crochet thread


Instructions: ch 10, join with sl st to form ring
Round 1: ch 5 (counts as 1 dc plus 2 ch).  *dc inside ring, ch 2; repeat 10 times more, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch 5.
Round 2: sl st into next ch 2 space, ch 1, *sc, ch 1, sc in same ch 2 space; repeat from * 11 more times, join to first sc with sl st.
Round 3: sl st into first ch 1 space, ch 12, * tr in next ch 1 sp, ch 7; repeat from * around to last tr then instead of ch 7: ch 3, tr into 4th ch of beg ch 12.
Round 4: ch 11 (counts as 1 tr + ch 7) ** all between () in next loop: (3 sc, ch 7, sl st into 6th ch from hook, *ch 5, sl st into same 6th ch; repeat from * three times = four petals made, ch 1, 3 sc ), ch 7, tr in next loop, ch 7; repeat from ** around until last sc worked and then instead of last ch 7: ch 3, tr into 4th ch of beg ch 11 to join.
Round 5: ch 9, sl st in 3rd ch from hook,
** ch 9 sl st in 8th ch from hook, ch 4, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 11, sl st in 5th ch from hook, ch 8, sl st in 7th ch from hook, ch 6, sl st in 5th ch from hook, ch 8, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 9, sl st in 8th ch from hook, ch 4, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, tr in next loop,
ch 16, sl st in 4th ch from hook, ch 7 sl st in 4th ch, ch 4, sl st in same 4th ch,
ch 12, tr in next loop, ch 5 sl st in 3rd ch from hook; repeat from ** around until last ch 12 then instead of tr in next loop, sl st into 4th ch of beg ch 9 instead. 
Fasten off, weave in ends.


Soak in liquid fabric starch diluted with water 50 %.  Squeeze out excess water, lay snowflake flat on dry bath towel and roll up tight to squeeze out even more moisture.  
Place waxed paper on top of box top.
Using rust proof pins, carefully pin the outer points of snowflake to the furthest positions they will go without disfiguring them.  I liked to make every other one roundish, the others pointy for variety (see photo).  
Allow starch to dry completely before hanging.
Store in tissue rather than plastic baggies so your snowflake won't mold.
I use a piece of fishing line for hanging on the tree, sometimes I add a red ribbon to the top of the fishing line.  For hanging in a window and when I can't find my fishing line (MIKE!) I just hang it with those suction cup thingys you can get real cheaply this time of year at the Home Depot or Joanne's.  
Beads and crystals can be added if they aren't too heavy.  I would keep heavier crystals toward the center of the snowflake where it's stronger and use seed beads toward the perimeter of the snowflake so the points won't droop when it's hung on the tree.

Have fun!  

Crochet Review: Snowflakes Galore!

I stumbled upon a great site for snowflake pattern lovers everywhere!  Oh boy!  heh heh!  If you look around for snowflake patterns at all you may have already found it but just in case let me share it with you.


Snowcatcher's Snowflake Directory has a multitude of free crochet snowflake patterns that are beautiful and unusual.  I get tired of snowflake patterns that look just like the snowflakes I saw everywhere else.  These snowflakes are very unique and absolutely gorgeous.


There's a pink ribbon snowflake I would like to make that incorporates the pink ribbon symbol (not just tying a pink ribbon around the flake) into the pattern.  There's three dimensional flakes of several types, and beautifully colored ones as well.  There's solid flakes, lacy flakes and in between flakes.  There's beaded flakes and flakes without beads that don't really need beads because they're so pretty without the beads.


I am so grateful to people like the Snowcatcher for offering such beautiful patterns to us!  My favorites on this page are the Third Red Mug Snowflake,  the Pink Ribbon Snowflake,
and the Century Snowflake.   Go check it out and share which ones you like best, if you've made any of the snowflakes on this site, etc.  I am just about to start the Third Red Mug Snowflake - as soon as I post this~


Here's another snowflake I made - not from Snowcatcher's site, it's from Trish Kristoffersen's booklet South Maid #1410 Winter Jewels  Snowflake 6. Winter Lace:

PLEASE don't pay attention to my dirty windows!  hee hee! 

Crochet Review: A Great Snowflake Pattern Booklet

Last year I found a great snowflake pattern booklet called Winter Jewels: 16 Snowflakes To Crochet, a South Maid article J-14, Book 1410, CC-C.  (It's five books down in the list from that book link on her site and costs only $2.50 plus S&H from her site.  The South Maid books are listed under the Coats & Clark category)

The snowflakes in this book are designed by one of my favorite designers, Trish Kristoffersen and by ordering it from her website, I got it for a great deal and sent to my home within a few days of placing my order, autographed by Trish herself.  How very nice that was to see!


Here's Snowflake #6. Frosted Rose.  I added beads and crystals and more beads to the thread before I started the project.  The book says you can add beads and glitter later on but I happened to have some crystals I wanted to use and haven't had much luck trying to marry glue to crystal.  In fact, I could never get the glue to stick at all except to my fingers and anything else I didn't want it to stick to but that's just me.  It would probably work well for you. 
The lower photo shows the beads and crystals a bit better... I think...

I am finding the snowflakes in Trish's book fast and easy to make, and they come out really beautiful, are strong enough to hold up the little crystals I add to it.  They even look beautiful before I stretch and starch them (which I haven't done yet..)



Go check out Trish's website if you crochet - or even if you don't.  Her designs are outstanding and beautiful to look at and enjoy no matter what your crochet skill level is.

Crochet News: Snowflakes In September

As I said in an earlier post, Christmas is not that far away and now is the time to start making gifts and decorations.  Really, if you're more efficient than I, you probably started your Christmas crocheting months ago.  I normally put everything off till the last minute but after what I went through last year, trying to finish all the gifts I made at the last minute, I am determined not to put myself and my family through that stress again.  When I get stressed out like that my whole family suffers.  Not nice, but true.

I made this snowflake last night and finished it up this morning while Mom ate breakfast.  It's a gloomy day outside so Mom is sad today.  The weather affects her greatly I noticed.  On a sunny day she's up and cheery and smiley.  On a gloomy day like today she's down and out and can't say why, it's just that way for her.  Hopefully the sun will come out later on but until then we're stuck in the house so crocheting keeps me busy while we are confined to the living room again.

I may write out the patten for it, depending on requests I get for the pattern.  It'll be easy and won't take as long as the pattern I wrote for the bikini top, lol.  This one is beaded but easy enough it can be finished in less than a day.  I think it's kinda cool with the flowery middle that's round, turning into a squarish snowflake.  I wonder if snowflakes are ever square?  I don't know why they wouldn't be but I'm sure I can look it up on Google.  It seems like Google has links for answers to any question under the sun.


Off to Google, gotta find out more about snowflakes before I make any more of them.  There must be some kind of "snowflake rules" or something that a person ought to follow when making snowflakes, don't you think?


It's a low energy, high coffee intake kind of day so sorry for my babbling and rambling.  I'll start working on the pattern for this snowflake now, forget Google.  I am the creator of my snowflakes so I can follow any snowflake making rules I want and can make up my own rules as I go along.


Yea, it's a weird day alright, and it affects me a lot, which is very apparent in my writings today.  yikes.  Time to put away the keyboard.


Hope your day is sunny and warm,
cynthia

Crochet News: Snowflakes In The Works

 I found a beautiful snowflake pattern, well, actually two very similar patterns for snowflakes, in an old Crochet World magazine (12-2008 issue).  Since Christmas is coming faster than I am ever ready for, I decided to start my Christmas crocheting for decorations and gifts.

I haven't starched this yet, I'll wait till I have three or four snowflakes and do them all at once.  I just hate cleaning up anything at all so starching each one as I go along is something I wouldn't even consider.  heh, heh. 

The original pattern (which you may be able to get in the Dec. 2008 issue of Crochet World at your local public library, I'm thinking) did not call for beads but I am a lover of crystals and added them on my own:
Before I started this snowflake I counted the picots around the perimeter of the flake and noticing the group of three and then the single picot in between the 3-picots groups, I strung the crystals as follows:
(One tear drop, three small diamond shaped) six times.  I added the crystals to my stitches in the third ch of each picot so it would come out at the tip of each picot.
It'll be interesting to see if the starch I use will hold the crystals up properly.  I'll let you know about that after I block and starch it.

Sorry to bring up Christmas so soon, I can't help but wonder what everyone is making for gifts this year?  I have so many people to make gifts for I'd better get on the ball!

Crochet News:: A Great Site For Free Patterns

I stumbled upon another great website for free crochet patterns, a site I don't see listed in everyone's "favorite links" list on their blogs. It's Berocco.com, and has crochet and knitting patterns for free or booklets for purchase, a wide variety of absolutely gorgeous yarns to choose from in brilliant, dazzling color schemes.

One particular pattern that is included in one of the booklets for purchase, struck me as not only beautiful but unusual. A feminine scarf, lacy and flowery and is nice enough that anyone would love to receive it as a gift (I'm thinking Christmas but it would make a nice gift any time of year if you live by the beach in California that is. )

I do love scarves and am always looking for interesting and beautiful scarf patterns that look like they would be fun to make, not just the tedious dc across every row. A pattern like that is difficult for me to finish because I get so dang bored with it. heh. heh.

I'm definitely going to add this scarf to my que and probably a few more (if not many more) from the Berroco crochet pattern directory and I'll definitely be purchasing some of the crochet pattern books Berocco has for purchase.

Let me know if you've made any of Berocco's patterns, if you've used any of their yarns, etc. in the comments below. Have a great crochet day.

Signing off with a new handle (not another one! ) changed to The Mad Hooker! (That would be the crazy mad, not the angry mad. )

Cynthia

Crochet News: Snowflake Success!

If you've read anything previous I've written about my crochet projects or checked out any of the patterns I've posted, you know I have never blocked or starched any of my work and I've crocheted plenty of projects in the last twelve months.  Why?  I'm guessing that by the time I finish a crochet project I'm so happy it's done I want it to be DONE and give it away before I make it look neat and perfect with blocking and/or starching it.   Lazy.  That's what my problem is, I get lazy and bored with the thought of ironing or waiting for starch to dry, or the horrid idea of wetting a doily for fear I would screw up all that hard work somehow. 


This snowflake didn't take very long to make, not like a doily does for me to finish, of course.  I decided I am not making these snowflakes to lay in a plastic storage box somewhere.  They are going to hang on our Christmas tree - and not ten years from now, I'm determined to cover our tree in December with many snowflakes, all having their own personality and style.  That means I have to starch and block them.  Yikes! 


Well, I did starch and block this snowflake, scared for some reason I would botch it up and would end up with trashing my snowflake and forget the whole idea of a snowflake covered tree.   Fearfully, I submersed the snowflake in starch and even squeezed it and rolled it.  It still looked like a snowflake after all that, so I blocked it and let the darn thing dry.

Today I sprayed it with Scotchgard fabric protector (which, so far, did not discolor the bright white crochet thread that I used to crochet the snowflake).  After adding fishing line I hung the snowflake on an ornament hanger (see below) I picked up on sale at our local hospital gift shop.  (Weird where you can find things for crafts and arts!)


Here's the final outcome of my fear and procrastination and the nervous wait for the snowflake to dry:  (Sorry - again - about the horrible photography!  I'm still trying to figure out this digital camera.)

FYI (in case you missed the previous post about this project)
This is Snowflake 41 from the Big Book Of Thread Ornaments by Leisure Arts book # 4795
(the link will take you to Amazon.com list of that book for sale)

Crochet News: I'm Actually Blocking My Project!

Can you believe this?  I am actually blocking and starching (is that being redundant?) my snowflakes.  Well, one snowflake anyway:

I just finished crocheting Snowflake 41 from the Big Book Of Thread Ornaments

I strung tiny red beads onto my crochet thread before I started the snowflake and added them as I went along wherever I felt like.  Midway into crocheting and beading I had the thought that the beads could possibly weight down the ornament, making it droop when hung on the tree.  (I have no experience with this so bear with me).
I added many beads to the middle and less as I went along and actually like how it turned out.

Following the instructions I've read on many a crochet blog or craft web site, I:

• soaked my snowflake in fabric starch (100% strength for maximum stiffness)
• squeezed out the excess starch
• laid the snowflake flat on some paper towels and rolled it up to get a bit more of the extra starch out
• placed waxed paper on top of a sturdy cardboard box lid
• used nickel plated pins to shape and hold the snowflake
• waited
• and waited 
• and waited for the dang thing to dry!  
• ate dinner
• went to bed
• woke up in the morning
• waited for the starch to dry
• decided the old saying "watched water doesn't boil" is TOO true
• started working on a completely different project knowing that if I forgot about this one completely it would magically and suddenly dry when I wasn't looking
• realized I was right about the last bullet-ed step above
• forgot what I was doing and started pattern browsing

When I remember what I was blogging about in this post I'll let you know how it turned out.
Signing off to pattern browse some more and try to remember what the heck I forgot about and to practice being a serious grown-up, a discipline I never mastered, thank goodness.

UPDATE:
Here's the finished, almost dry product of all that waiting and wondering and worrying...

This last photo was taken before the snowflake was dry after starching.  For a follow up on my first block and starch project, see next newer post....

Crochet Pattern - Sunny Snowflake

For ease in printing this pattern or others I've posted,  or elsewhere on the web, here's a comment Viola left on one of my patterns that may help you:

"...As for the printing, if you do a "print preview" first, you can select only the pattern pages. I just tried it and the print is small, but nothing in the pattern was cut off...."
(signed),
Viola's Hook
----
Thank you Viola!
-----


Sunny Snowflake Ornament


Small amount size 10 crochet thread (Aunt Lydia's or other)
Size 10 steel crochet hook,
Size 7 steel crochet hook
Small beads, optional


I already had some beads on my thread and used what I had (6 beads) for this project, kind of by accident.  Beads are optional, you can place them anywhere you like while working along to give your sunny snowflake some shine.




String desired number of beads before beginning work.


With size 10 hook, ch 2


Round 1:  (sc, ch1) inside second chain from hook 6 times.  Join with sl st to first sc.  (total 6 sc, 6 ch1)

Round 2:  ch 4, dc in first st, *ch 1, dc in next st; repeat from * around, ending round with ch 1, sl st into third ch of beg ch 4 (top of ch dc)

Round 3:  ch 6. * tr in next ch 1 space, ch 3, repeat from * around, ending with tr in last ch 1 space, ch 3, sl st into third ch of beg ch 6 to join

Round 4: ch 1, * sc, hdc, sc in first ch 3 space and in each ch 3 space around, join with sl st to first sc this round.

Round 5: Use size 7 hook for this round! sl st to first hdc;  *sc in hdc, ch 3,   tr in next st, ch 3, skip 1 st,  sc in next, ch 3; repeat from * around and join with sl st to first sc and fasten off.

Weave in ends, block and starch as desired, attach red or white ribbon and hang!
In case you didn't click the previous link "starch as desired", it is a link that will take you to Crafters Love Crafts site page that tells several different ways to stiffen your crochet projects including instructions for using liquid starch or fabric glue (recommended), spray starch, sugar (low recommend), salt, etc.

Crochet Snow Flower Ornament Pattern

For ease in printing this pattern or others I've posted,  or elsewhere on the web, here's a comment Viola left on one of my patterns that may help you:

"...As for the printing, if you do a "print preview" first, you can select only the pattern pages. I just tried it and the print is small, but nothing in the pattern was cut off...."
(signed),
Viola's Hook
----
Thank you Viola!
----


Crochet Snow Flower Pattern by anitalite
copyright 2010 Cynthia Luciene
For personal use only.  You may sell your work but not this pattern.


Size 10 crochet thread
Size 11 steel crochet hook


chain 6, join with sl st to form ring


Round 1:  14 sc inside ring, join to first sc with sl st


Round 2: ch 4 (counts as 1 dc, 1 ch) ;  *dc in next st, ch 1; Repeat from * around, join to third ch made in beg of this round with sl st (14 dc, 14 ch 1 spaces)


Round 3:   *ch 3, sc in next ch 1 space ; Repeat from * around until last sc made then ch 3, join with sl st to beg ch of this round.



Round 4: sl st to first ch 3 space, * (ch 4, 2 tr, ch 4, sl st into same ch 3 sp) all in first ch 3 space; ch 1, sl st into next ch 3 space, triple picot (ch 3, sl st into first ch made), sl st into same ch 3 space, ch 1, sl st into next ch 3 space; Repeat from * around, join to first sl st made with sl st,


Round 5: sl st into middle of next picot, * ch 7, tr between next 2 tr, picot, sl st into top of tr just made, ch 7, sc into top of next picot, ch 7, tr between next 3 tr, picot, sl st into top of tr just made, ch 7 ; Repeat from * around, joining to first sl st in picot made this round.
Fasten off, weave in ends.
Block and starch as desired.  Go to Crafters Love Crafts site to learn how to stiffen your crochet snowflakes.


Attach hanger to use as ornaments or hang on suction cups to use for window decorations.

Big And Chunky Fat Bottom Bag

 I made this bag for my friend with this chunky yarn - Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick And Quick - not called for by the pattern for the Fat Bottom Bag which you get in the book "Stitch and Bitch Crochet, The Happy Hooker".  (It's a fabulous book with detailed, funny instructions on each stitch, gauges, yarn weights, and has many wonderful, diverse patterns in the book that would make any "Hooker" Happy. )


Back to making the bag with chunky yarn.  To use the heavier weight yarn I omitted some of the middle rows  the body of the bag because the result would have been too chunky to gather and look nice. Also I had to dec the amount of gathering stitches and add one extra row of gathering stitches in order for the handle flaps to fit the small handles I bought and for the dec in rows of the first piece.

Before adding the handle flaps I lined the bag with 1/4 yard of matching fabric, cutting the fabric to fit the bag while easing it inside the bag and adding a few pleats where  necessary.  The lining is sewn in with heavy duty thread using a blind hem stitch.




Next I added the magnetic snap closures.

I hot glued the handle flaps in place to the handles themselves in order to keep the oblong handles from sliding around and getting sideways while the bag is carried.  I discovered why the pattern calls for round handles. heh, heh.  Being the weirdo that I am, not liking to be told what to do I thought I would get creative and use these different handles to go with each bag's personality.  Well, I should have stuck to the round handles but using the hot glue to anchor them in place, I am glad I didn't conform only to what the pattern called for.  That's the rebel in me I guess.

After sewing the flaps and adding the embellishment I am done but for a cell phone pocket that I'll make out of the lining fabric.  I tried to crochet one but the thick and chunky yarn wasn't suitable for making such a pocket.


And that's it.  Now, if you don't already have the book, go to Amazon and order it!  It's the best!

UPDATE!!  I finally found the link to a blog that has a photo tutorial for lining your fat bottom bag...  Here it is, it adds to this one, and this one adds to hers, so definitely check out this link if you wanna line your bag.  It will save you a lot of time, believe me! 
Go HERE

Heart Ornament - Free Pattern

I started out using the granny heart pattern by decafgreentea on Ravelry** which can be found for free, here

With a size 7 steel crochet hook and some red bedspread-weight cotton crochet thread, I made the first two rounds as the pattern goes. 
when the pattern calls to change color, I attached white, did the next round...

Wanting the heart to be more lacy to go with my other ornaments, I chose not to do the fourth round in that original pattern.

Here's what I did instead:

(Instead of changing color, stay with white and)
 
 sl st to the ch 3 space at top and left of heart. 

*(ch 3, sc in space) twice. 

 (ch 3, sc in next sc) 8 times
(you'll be about midway to point of heart)

(ch 3 sk 1 sc, sc in next sc) 4 times

ch 3, dc in point of heart, picot (ch 3, sl st in first chain), sl st in same dc, dc in same sc as first dc,

(ch 3 sk 1 sc) 4 times

(ch 3 sc in next sc) 8 times

ch 3 sl st in V of heart (top) and then sl st to join to last sl st in beg of this round.

fasten off and weave in all ends.

After this round the heart will measure approximately 2" X 2".


I looped red satin ribbon (1/8") through the space in the dip in top of the heart, tied a tiny bow, and instead of letting the ends hang down (which took away from the heart itself) I tied the ends in one slip knot above the heart for a loop to hang on my tree this year.
(I can't wait for Christmas.  Our tree is going to be even more beautiful than it was last year!)

I may try adding one more round (or two?) to make it a bit bigger but it's very cute as it stands at 2".

Note:  If I need to make corrections to this let me know, I'm not very experienced with writing patterns and I'm horrible telling people how to do something.  lol.

** Ravelry is a wonderful site that unites knitters and crocheters (some call us "hookers" - tools of the trade, lol) in a close knit (trying to be punny) community that offers solutions to your yarn obsessions (knit it! crochet it!) and a multitude of awesome free patterns, groups that cater to a specific interest or need, designers, tipsters, forums, and a way for you to easily (I MEAN EASILY!) post your own yarn creations, keep track of your progress in a project, save favorites to your own file so you can get back to them after you've gotten through the fifty projects you already have going, interaction with a lot of really cool people (NOT just ladies, men too.)  There are female, male, teenage kids, elderly, middle age, you get the idea.  There are over 2500 members online at any one given time and there are over 10, 000 members in all!    That makes for a lot of people to meet, patterns to download and try, projects to discuss, designers to get to know, and friends to make who share the same intersts as you do. 
If you haven't checked it out already I strongly suggest you do.  Someone spent a lot of time making sure this site is extremely user friendly! 
There's so much at Ravelry that is awesome, helpful and beautiful, I can't get it all down here so you'll just have to see for yourself.  (smile)  Go Here

Goofin' Off; Christmas Ornaments And Snowflakes (Already!)

 

Okay, I know it's only February but I have a passion for Christmas decorations.  The more the better, as long as they go along with my Christmas color scheme of the year.  Last Christmas, 2009, I gathered all the poinsettia items I could find in storage, along with anything that was red or white, some golden.  Red round ornaments, white lights, baby's breath, any angel I could get my hands on including fabric angels, glass and crystal angels, and some pearl beaded angels.  Poinsettia ornaments that were big, red, and clear like glass, glass icecicles, more white lights, and pearl beaded garland along with anything else I found that was white or red.

Oh yea, red bows everywhere, on the tree, on the fireplace mantle, on the china hutch, attached to the evergreen garland that hung any place I could make it stick.

  It was a remarkably beautiful tree, all said and done and I loved sitting in the living room with the tree and a fire in the fireplace and just soaking it all in.  Made me feel warm and (ugh) fuzzy.  I felt comfort, love, family togetherness, and accomplishment.  I can't find a photo that does the beauty of last year's tree any justice at all so the one without a flash, that shows off the lights a bit will have to do.

This year I'm starting ornament making early because all those gooshy feelings I had before last year's tree turned brown and was cut up into little pieces and jammed into the Green trash can for removal, all those feelings are still gushing and I have to do something about it.  I figured making ornaments for this year's Christmas tree would help keep the gooshy feelings alive and well.

I was right.  I'm oozing with gooshy feelings.  (That song "Feelings, nothing more than feelings"..  keeps running through my head).  No matter what you or anyone else thinks, those gooshy feelings improve my days and spark creativity for me.  Even if my new creative experiments aren't perfect, they are inspired by a Christmas past that I will always cherish for my own weird reasons.

Here's the beginning of my creative genius at work (j/k):

The ornament in the upper left corner of this photo was made with some left over lace I had from fiesta queen bags I made for the queen's court, and some beads and satin rosettes.     The ornament in front has part of a doily pinned to it.  (I start things, don't keep the pattern, hook and project altogether, and don't finish them because I don't remember what's what.) 

 

This ornament (front) was made with beads and a snowflake I crocheted from this free snowflake pattern on MarthaStewart.com. 
I don't have starch and wanted to see my completed project (even small) at it's best because that's how I get my thrills (at my age it doesn't take much to get a thrill). 
I like how this turned out but I can see I really do need to starch it so I can use less straight pins to hold it in place.  I don't like how the pins show so much.  Maybe I'll try hot glue for the next one? 

And lastly, for now, this golden one was made for my friend who had a golden and white tree last year.  The hearts are a store bought ribbon (99 cent store) pinned on with straight pins and clear beads.  I topped it with a white satin rosette but I'm thinking I should have used a cream colored one instead.

Nice thing about these ornaments is I can change them around at will without destroying the ornament or having to start from the beginning to make the change.

More to follow one of these days.