Try Out A Pattern From Crocheting Clothes Kids Love!

I just noticed that my Hopscotch Legwarmers pattern from Crocheting Clothes Kids Love, is available on the Craft Foxes Website. Our publisher, Creative Publishing International, graciously gave them permission to post this pattern. So, if you would like to try out a pattern from the book, this is a fun one! They are shaped just right to fold over nicely and and the ribbed effect of the stitching helps them to fit a range of sizes. They are easy to make larger or smaller because they are crocheted lengthwise from top to bottom. The pom poms are my favorite finishing touch. If you have never made multi-colored pom poms, you must try it, they are thrilling to make! The yarn I used for these leg warmers, Cascade Yarn's "Pacific", is so perfect for this project. It is soft and has a little sheen to it that makes gorgeous pom poms. If you make these leg warmers, we would absolutely love to see photos of your projects on Ravelry. What colors would you choose to make them in???

My Wish List of Yarn Craft Notions and Gadgets for 2016!

Instagram is my favorite form of social media, as I discover so many new and wonderful things there. Just when you think you have enough tools and gadgets! 

Recently I came across a post about glass yarn darning needles by Moving Mud. I was so intrigued I found their website, which includes even more wonderful things such as cable needles for knitting, knitting needles, and these fun stitch markers:

I am also a big fan of Clover products! Always so clever, and such good quality! I have two items on my wish list from them this year. The first is this handy yarn needle threader. I think it would be a  real time saver when working on a project with a lot of ends to weave in. I also love the way it looks, and it will fit nicely into the zippered pocket of my Athena's Elements crochet hook case!

The second item I am really excited about is their tassel maker. I usually just use a piece of cardboard, but this looks so much more efficient, and you can make tassels in 3 different sizes from 1 3/16"-2". There is also a large tassel maker that makes 5 larger sizes from 2 3/8"-4"!

My Latest Cross Stitch on Tunisian Crochet!

This is the second piece in my little Mini Masterpiece series of cross stitch on a Tunisian Crochet simple stitch background. You can see the first piece in my previous post. There is something therapeutic about working the simple stitch, and combined with a variegated yarn, it produces a beautiful fabric!

After crocheting the background I decided on the tree theme. I loved the yarn and was anxious to start stitching, so I didn't take the time to decide what would be stitched on the background. I let the finished crochet fabric do the talking! 

After I decided on the tree I got to work stitching the trunk:

Then I decided how to make the foliage of the tree. I had some lovely soft chenille in my yarn stash, so I combined it with a coordinating wool to make different sized crocheted circles. My original idea was to place a circle at the top of each branch, like a Bonsai tree, but it looked a little odd. I  like how they look layered on top of each other much better. It gives it more of a 3D effect, and I love this mix of textures in the different types of yarn. I think the mix of textures emulates nature.

I am really enjoying stitching these Tunisian pieces, and I think there will be more to come in 2016!