CrochetDad Ramblings

Crocheted Shrug for Granddaughter

2012-01-08T16:30:00.000-08:00

When I received the Winter 2011 Issue of Interweave Crochet, I knew I had to make the Aslan Shrug. Here's the first one (for my granddaughter):

I'll be making more of these...

Ouch!

2012-01-08T08:56:00.000-08:00

Well, this is embarrassing - Broken ankle.

The good news is that the motorcycle looks worse. Long story short: someone stopped quickly in front of me and when I hit the brakes, the rear end slid out, and I tumbled off. I was only going around 10-15 miles per hour, but when I stepped off the sliding motorcycle, I broke my left ankle.

We're moving!

2011-12-20T06:52:00.000-08:00

When I started this blog, I thought it would be about my crochet, and it has been, mostly, but through the years, I've added some non-crochet topics as well.

This entry is one of those entries.

We're moving! But not far. We found a lot in a 55+ manufactured home community about 10 miles from our current house.

Here are some pictures showing the progression of the building process...

First, the lot - an unused lot - we couldn't believe our luck. This community has been around since the early 1970's and this lot was not developed. Until now...

Here is the lot as it was when we purchased it in March, 2011

The lot has a couple of advantages we love - the first is that it backs up to a canyon, so we have a terrific view to the rear (with no neighbors behind us)...there's even a stream at the bottom of the canyon.

Our view out the back of the lot

The view out the front of our house is unusual in this neighborhood, as well - the owner of the lot across the street actually purchased two lots and planted trees in the one directly across from our lot.

This view is looking from the rear of our bare lot back toward the street and the tree-filled lot across the street

The foundation has been poured and ready for the installation of the house. This picture was taken 1 week after lot improvement started.

November 22, 2011 - the day of installation - foundation footing is ready.

The house arrived in two sections. The first section with the main area of the front porch arrived first...

First section arrived at 10:00 AM (right on schedule)

Installing the first section

The second section arrived about 1:00 PM.

They make this look so easy

Over the next few days, the two halves were joined together, the foundation blocks were installed, steps were poured in front and on the side, the house was lowered onto the foundation and work began on the utility hook-ups and the driveway.

The two halves were joined

The block foundation was added and the house was lowered onto it

Steps were added to front, rear and side of house (these are in the rear)

The driveway was poured and railings were added to the steps

This is our back porch - overlooking the canyon

At this point, we're waiting for the completion of the hook-up of utilities and waiting for our wood floor to be installed, some minimal landscaping and the car port installation. Even though the house isn't ready to move into yet, I couldn't wait to share these pictures with you.

Win this Simplicity Boye Electric Yarn Ball Winder!

2011-11-09T11:34:00.000-08:00

Just received this in my inbox:

Enter for your chance to win a Simplicity Boye Electric Yarn Ball Winder.

Become a pro and wind your own balls of yarn. This fully automatic ball winder is convenient and quick. You can rule out hand winding from now on to give you less strain on your wrists and hands!

Enter for your chance to win. Good Luck!

Crocheted Cables Bracelet/Cuff

2011-08-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

Another bracelet/cuff - this one features a little simpler cable. Again, crocheted using off-white #3 crochet thread and a 2.5 mm hook.

The clasp is a heart/bar toggle I found at Joann's.

Crocheted Cables Bracelet/Cuff for my wife

2011-08-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

I'm on a bracelet/cuff kick, I guess, so I crocheted this bracelet/cuff for my wife using lavender-colored #3 crochet thread and a 2.5 mm hook. The decoration is a fancy button - the clasp is ½ of a heart/bar toggle clasp. I omitted the bar and used a crocheted loop to reduce the bulk. She loves it!

Bracelet Take 2

2011-07-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

I didn't plan my original bracelet very well, I just started crocheting to see what would come to my head.

This time, with a little forethought, I decided to crochet the bracelet in the round for a more finished look.

Here's the result, in Navy, Pale Blue, Off-white #3 crochet thread using a 2.0 mm hook.

A Bracelet for me

2011-07-11T13:23:00.001-07:00

A Bracelet for me
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

I'm not much for jewelry, but I saw a woven bracelet for sale on Etsy, and thought I'd like to try it in crochet. Here is my first attempt, in #3 Crochet Thread using a 2.0 mm hook.

Cotton Shawl from Drops Design

2011-06-30T15:12:00.001-07:00

Cotton Shawl from Drops Design
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

Cotton Shawl for my wife (model our daughter)

Father's Day Ride-along at the California Speedway

2011-06-20T09:35:00.001-07:00

Father's Day Ride-along at the California Speedway
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

I was treated to a Father's Day ride-along in a NASCAR sedan at the California Speedway in Fontana, California.

It was an experience I'll never forget.

More Covered Rocks

2011-06-08T13:31:00.000-07:00

In a previous post, I showed off my Crocheted Rocks, and recently I made a couple more for my two granddaughters, so I thought I'd share them here with you. For these, I wanted them to be more colorful - I think I succeeded:

Crocheted using #10 crochet thread in various colors.

Garden Party Chapeau

2011-03-01T07:57:00.001-08:00

Garden Party Chapeau
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

I can finally announce this - I've been published in Crochet World Magazine! The April 2011 issue was just announced and I'm in the feature called "The Winner's Circle". Note: the link points to the current Winner's Circle feature, so if you're just now clicking this link, you won't see my hat. You can view the pattern link in Ravelry.

The pattern is called Garden Party Chapeau.

This hat is crocheted with #3 crochet thread with a stiffener around the brim. I used nylon lawn trimmer line to stiffen the brim.

Bavarian Crochet Coffee Cozy

2011-01-19T16:31:00.001-08:00

Bavarian Crochet Black Brown Tan Coffee Cozy
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

The Bavarian Crochet Style creates a wonderful, textured coffee cozy. I used #3 Crochet Thread for these cozies. The pattern is available from my Ravelry pattern store

Crocheted Bead Earrings

2010-11-17T13:59:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to make these earrings for quite a while. I finally got around to buying the jewelry-making supplies and got to it. They're super easy and the pattern is FREE! I've posted the free pattern on my Ravelry store

Now my Ravelry Store can be accessed by non-Ravelry members. Take a look.

Crochet Thread Cup Cozies

2010-11-16T15:16:00.000-08:00

I designed these cozies to add a little class to my occasional coffee-to-go instead of the paper sleeves they give you at the coffee shop. I had previously made some cozies using worsted weight yarn, but the result was too bulky-feeling for my taste.

The cozies use either #10 or #3 Crochet Thread. The multi-colored one uses #3 size thread. When my wife saw it, she asked if I could make one in Red and White to match Starbucks new "Holiday" cup. I didn't have #3 thread in those colors, so I made her one using #10 thread from my stash.

I've added the pattern, which contains versions for both thread sizes, to my Ravelry and Etsy Stores.

Etsy
Ravelry

Hot Air Balloons from our backyard

2010-10-20T21:02:00.001-07:00

2010-10-20

We live in an area where hot air balloons are frequently seen, but usually too high to get a good shot. This was an especially foggy day and the balloons stayed low so they could still see the ground. I was fortunate enough to get this great shot from our backyard.

Cotton Crusher

2010-10-14T23:08:00.001-07:00

Cotton Crusher
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

My latest hat - a cotton crusher. Even though the brim LOOKS firm, it's only the edge being held firm by nylon trimmer line (like in your lawn edge trimmer) It's VERY comfortable - yes, I'm working on the pattern - which will be a very easy project.

Granny Square Blanket

2010-09-14T16:48:00.001-07:00

Granny Square Blanket
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

The yarn for this blanket came from my mother-in-law, who passed away 2 years ago. My father-in-law ran across her stash of cotton yarn earlier this year and asked if I'd like to have it. Coincidentally, my daughter was expecting a baby this year and asked if I could make a blanket with the yarn from "Grandma". I chose to make the blanket with granny squares because of the varied choices of colors. Join using the "join as you go" method. The border is two rows of single crochet followed by a row of *sc, 2dc in same stitch, skip two stitches, repeat from *

Grandma, Grandpa, and Sakinah

2010-08-25T17:43:00.001-07:00

Grandma, Grandpa, and Sakinah
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

Our new grandaughter, Sakinah at two days old 2010-08-25

Tip enjoying her new bed

2010-08-14T09:28:00.001-07:00

Tip enjoying her new bed
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

This is Tip - our last remaining cat from a litter of strays. Our daughter Ciera started feeding her mother (a stray she named Snowball) many years ago, and she took to sleeping in our garage when she became pregnant - Ciera insisted we leave the garage door open a crack to let her in when she wanted. Of course, she gave birth in our garage to six kittens. We found nice homes for three of them, and kept the others.

I named this one "Tip" because of the white tip at the end of her tail. She turned eight years old this year, and now she's the only one we have left.

We recently redecorated our home, which, of course included the bedroom - with new paint, and furniture including a new comforter for the bed cover. Since the cats had the habit of sleeping on our bed (whether we were in it or not) my wife insisted on a cat bed on top of the comforter to reduce the amount of hair left behind.

Anyway, here she is, totally relaxed in her new bed.

A Day at the Fire Academy

2010-06-25T18:41:00.000-07:00

My son, Christopher, is in the local chapter of Fire Explorers. He's also a licensed EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) and is a certified ambulance driver. He's pursuing a career in fire fighting.

The Fire Explorers is an organization run by the Fire Department to allow kids and young adults to learn fire fighting and to see if this could be a career path they are interested in pursuing. The Fire Explorer program also builds awareness (and appreciation) of the fire fighters. Christopher is attending a Fire Explorer Fire Academy this week. The aim of the Academy is to accredit the attendees in various fire fighting procedures. He invited us to attend a "Free Burn" yesterday. We had no idea what to expect.

It turns out there is a "car" - actually a steel structure in the basic shape of a car designed to be set on fire for training purposes. It is configured to allow fires to be lit in various parts of the car so the trainees can gain experience with different types of car fires. The tubes you see entering the left rear of the car in the picture below are actually the propane (or whatever flammable gas is used) and ignition lines that go to various parts of the car. The gas (and ignition) is controlled with a remote control (similar to your TV remote). A fire can be started in different parts of the car - under the hood, front or rear passenger area, and trunk. The picture below shows an engine fire.

Here's group of academy attendees getting instructions before putting out the car fire. This is the 3-man group my son was in for this activity. He's the handsome one facing the camera in the black helmet and the SCBA (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus). I feel like I'm learning a new language with all the things he talks about associated with fire fighting.

The next picture is the same as the one above, but showing a zoomed-out view. I would estimate there were approximately 80 attendees of the Fire Academy and this shot just shows the ones participating in the car fire instruction and free burn.

I thought the next picture was interesting. The time of day was late afternoon and it's within a few seconds of the previous picture, but I turned on the camera flash. There are reflective strips on the fire fighter "turn-outs" (that's what they call the protective outfit they're wearing) to enable the fire fighters to be located in complete darkness - this is how my camera interpreted the light situation because of the extreme reflective nature of the strips.

The next picture shows the group that was getting instructions above putting out the engine fire. My son is handling the nozzle. Isn't he doing a great job? You can get a sense of the power that the water produces coming out of the nozzle by the way he's leaning into it. Each situation is done by the group 3 times to allow all 3 members of the group to experience each position: Nozzle-guy, Backup-guy, and Hose-guy. There's probably a proper name associated with each position, so forgive me if I got that wrong. The Hose-guy position is not visible in this picture - the third person here is the guy in the red helmet who is one of the instructors. The Nozzle-guy aims the nozzle, the Backup-guy assists the Nozzle-guy by helping to position the hose, the Hose-guy helps pull the hose into and out of the fire fighting position so the other two guys can handle the nozzle. The fire fighters go into the fire walking forward as you see below, and when they leave, they're in the same position and back out. The Hose-guy's job on the way out is to keep the hose out of the way of the other two so they don't trip on the hose as they back out. My son did the best at that position, too, by the way. I really mean it, even though he's my handsome son doesn't mean he can't be the best at whatever I say he's best at.

Here's a shot later that evening with a fire in a different part of the car. It's kind of hard to see detail in this picture - I didn't want to use the flash, since you saw what happened earlier when I did that...

Tomorrow (Saturday) is graduation day. We'll be going back for that, of course.

Father's Day Gifts

2010-06-18T15:34:00.001-07:00

Father's Day Gifts
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

A local (Temecula) customer requested these two hats for her Husband and Dad for Father's Day. Made from my Unisex Fedora pattern.

Tulip Baby Set

2010-05-27T07:41:00.001-07:00

Tulip Baby Set
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

One of my entries in the 2010 San Diego County Fair. This one's in the Baby Set competition - my first entry in this division.

Pattern available in Crochet World Magazine April 2010

Amaya with her latest toys from grandpa

2010-05-08T21:23:00.001-07:00

Amaya with her latest toys from grandpa
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

I was over on Crafster and ran across a cute bunny pattern made (almost) in one piece. I couldn't resist making one for my granddaughter...here she is with her latest toys from Grandpa

Here's the pink one!

2010-04-20T08:28:00.001-07:00

Amaya's Flower Hat
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

When my granddaughter, Amaya saw her new yellow hat, she asked "Can you make a PINK one?" Of course, I said "Yes" and asked if she wanted flowers on it. She responded "Yeah" with a big smile. Here's the result. I know she liked it because she wore it or carried it around the rest of the day. I'm definitely making a pattern for this one...

Crocheted Rocks

2010-03-29T10:32:00.001-07:00

Crocheted Rocks
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

I ran across some crocheted rocks on the Internet and decided to try my hand at it. It's relaxing, rewarding and FUN! A nice decoration for the home, too. Crocheted with #10 crochet thread and a #5 hook.

Amaya's new hat

2010-03-28T08:06:00.001-07:00

Amaya's new hat
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

My granddaughter, Amaya wanted a hat! Boy was I excited! I said "what color?" She said "Wellow". Since I'm a Los Angeles Lakers fan, I added a purple band. I might produce a pattern for this. It came out well.

Now she asked "Can you make a pink one?" Guess what? - I'm making a pink one, of course.

Sea Turtle for Amaya

2010-02-25T16:30:00.000-08:00

I thought it was time my granddaughter had a new toy, so I made this sea turtle for her. It's about 4½ inches across. The FREE Pattern is available here

Crochet Pattern finished for Unisex Ribbed Fedora

2010-02-21T14:23:00.000-08:00

After seemingly unending modifications, I've finally finished the pattern for my Unisex Ribbed Fedora. Sizes available for Toddler/Youth (18-19 inches), Small Adult (20-21 inches, and Large Adult (22-23 inches).

As many of you know, I'd rather crochet than write patterns, but I've had so many requests for this pattern, I felt I'd better get something out there or I'd lose some credibility.

This hat is now the hat I wear everyday. I've had many nice comments from people I meet.

The shape of the brim and crown shape is maintained by nylon line - you know, the kind that is used in lawn edge trimmers.

Knooking Hook

2010-02-19T08:32:00.001-08:00

Knooking L Hook

I recently discovered "Knooking". It's a combination of crochet (or "hooking) and knitting and uses a hook with a cable or line at the end.

The term knooking is used in a Ravelry group of the same name. Check out the blog http://knooking.wordpress.com/ for more info

Final Version of Fedora

2010-01-05T09:03:00.000-08:00

I think I'm satisfied with this version of my Fedora. Next comes documenting the pattern. The hat band will be different (this version was done hastily so I could wear the hat to my grandson's soccer game - team colors are Maroon and White).

White Fedora with stiff brim

2009-12-28T08:49:00.000-08:00

I've had many requests for this hat, which I've crocheted before, so I've decided to develop the pattern. I also wanted the brim to have some stiffness, so I'm experimenting with the nylon "string" that is used in my lawn edge trimmer. It's available at most hardware stores. Here is my first attempt...

Fedora made with crochet thread

2009-12-07T13:08:00.000-08:00

I've been neglecting my blog - but not my crochet, so I thought I'd update you on my latest project - a hat made from crochet thread. I know, you're saying "What?" Let me explain: I wanted something a little different, which may not surprise some of you.

I went to my yarn stash, (which my wife makes me keep in the garage, now) and picked out several colors of #10 crochet thread (red, orange, yellow, purple, and pale blue), a G crochet hook and started crocheting. I'm very pleased with the result. I had to block the brim (steam only, no starch or stiffeners used) to get the look I wanted.

CrochetDad's Wheel Stitch Block Tutorial - Foundation Round

2009-08-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

How to crochet a Wheel Stitch Block.

This block will be made in two colors. I'm using Caron Worsted in One Pound skein using Lace (A) and Taupe (B) with a K crochet hook. Crochet notations are U.S.

Foundation Rnd

Using A, let's start with a ring - pick your favorite method:

Method 1: ch 5 (counts as trc plus ch 1), [trc, ch 1] 11 times, in first ch, join to 4th ch with sl st, cut yarn, finish off.
Method 2: ch 4, join to first ch with sl st, ch 5 in ring (counts as trc plus ch 1), [trc, ch 1] 11 times in ring join to 4th ch of beginning ch 5 with sl st, cut yarn, finish off, weave in ends.
Method 3: (this is my favorite) Adjustable starting ring (a.k.a. Magic Ring) ch 5 in ring (counts as trc plus ch 1), [trc, ch 1] 11 times in ring, join to 4th ch of beginning ch 5 with sl st, cut yarn, finish off, weave in end. Pull ring closed as tight as you like, weave in end of yarn.

Here's what mine looks like:

Note: When joining in the round, I use the method described in Sarah London's blog. You can replace this method when I say "cut yarn and finish off" instead of the sl st method.

CrochetDad's Wheel Stitch Block Tutorial - Second Round

2009-08-29T05:59:00.000-07:00

Rnd 2: Join B in the top loops of any trc, ch 3:

trc cluster in next 3 ch 1 spaces

trc cluster = [trc in next ch 1 sp reserving last loop on hook] 3 times (4 loops on hook)

yo and pull through all loops on hook, ch 1 - trc cluster complete

Note: the ch 1 at the top of the cluster will be referred to as the shell anchor

ch 3, join with sl st in top loops of next trc.

CornerCluster complete

Recap: CornerCluster = [ch 3, trc cluster over next 3 ch 1 sp, ch 3, join with sl st in next trc]

CornerCluster over next 3 ch 1 spaces

continue around ring in like manner, doing two more CornerClusters

Rnd 2 complete

CrochetDad's Wheel Stitch Block Tutorial - Third Round

2009-08-29T05:58:00.000-07:00

Rnd 3: ch 1, [trc, ch 1] 8 times in next shell anchor, ( remember - the shell anchor is the ch 1 at the top of the trc cluster) join to next sl st of previous rnd with sl st.

CornerShell complete

Recap: CornerShell = ch 1, [trc, ch 1] 8 times in shell anchor

continue around doing CornerShell in each shell anchor

Rnd 3 complete - cut yarn, finish off and weave in ends

CrochetDad's Wheel Stitch Block Tutorial - Fourth Round

2009-08-29T05:57:00.000-07:00

Rnd 4: join A in top loops of the third trc of any CornerShell, ch 3 - beginning of CornerCluster

complete CornerCluster

trc cluster in next 6 ch 1 spaces - 7 loops on hook

yo and pull through all loops on hook, ch 1 (side shell anchor), ch 3 join to next trc with sl st to complete SideCluster

continue around, doing CornerCluster in corners and SideCluster in sides.

Rnd 4 complete

CrochetDad's Wheel Stitch Block Tutorial - Fifth Round

2009-08-29T05:56:00.000-07:00

Rnd 5: begin as in Rnd3 - CornerShell in corner shell anchor, ch 1, [trc, ch1] 5 times in next side shell anchor

SideShell complete

continue with CornerShell in corner shell anchor and SideShell in side shell anchor

Rnd 5 complete. Cut yarn, finish off. Weave in ends.

Repeat Rnd 4 and Rnd 5 until desired size.

CrochetDad's Wheel Stitch Block Tutorial - Ending Round

2009-08-29T05:55:00.000-07:00

You can end with the previous round, or, if you prefer a more square finish - continue one more round...

Ending round: Using B Repeat Rnd 4 - CornerCluster in each corner shell anchor, SideCluster in each side shell anchor, join with sl st.

First

Rectangular Wheel Stitch Afghan (progress)

2009-08-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

Progress at 6 rounds: approximately 12 x 36 inches

I'm attempting to crochet an afghan in the round, but achieve a rectangular finished product. In my last post, the foundation round was twice as long as the length (approximately 2 x 4 inches). By the 5th round, the measurement was 8 x 10 inches, still 2 inches different between the width and the length. If I had continued to completion, the finished product would still have the short side 2 inches shorter than the long side. This is not what I had in mind.

A good online friend reminded me that in this type of project (working in the round), as you increase the rounds, the length grows at the same rate as the width, so if, at the beginning, the width is 2 inches shorter than the length, after x number of rounds, the width will still be 2 inches shorter than the length, which is not what I intended.

When working a project in the round, to insure the proper aspect ration, that is width to length, you have to know the desired measurements at the end of the project to enable you to start with the proper sized foundation round. Subtracting the width (short measurement) from the length (long measurement) will give you the proper size of the foundation round.

I sat on my couch with a measuring tape across my lap and decided I wanted the width of the afghan to be approximately 30 inches and the length to be approximately 60 inches, so subtracting the width from the length gave me 30 inches. I started with a foundation round of 30 inches. Since the width was only 2 inches, the start of the project looked more like a strip or scarf than an afghan. As you can see by the picture above, the piece is beginning to look more like I intended, with the current measurements approximately 12 x 36 inches.

OK! I know! The difference now is only 24 inches instead of 28 inches. But after 6 rounds it's starting to look more like what I wanted than the previous attempt.

My next post will have the instructions, and some more verbiage about how to start if your desired finished product isn't what I had in mind for my finished product.

Wheel Stitch Afghan

2009-08-19T18:42:00.000-07:00

·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> U P D A T E <º)))><¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·

I'm working on an update to this after realizing that, since the width increases at the same speed as the length, you'll end up with almost a square if the piece gets anywhere near the size of a normal afghan. Of course, this might work well for a lapghan...

·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> U P D A T E <º)))><¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·

I found a really nice-looking afghan online based on the wheel stitch, but the afghan was square. I made one in baby size for a present, which you can see in a previous post here.

In some cases, a square afghan or blanket is just what you need, but there are times you want a rectangular one, right?. I liked the wheel stitch, so I decided to write out a pattern for a rectangular afghan using this stitch. I haven't completed the afghan yet, but I will share my progress as it goes along.

Here's what I've come up with so far with some pictures to help you along the way:

Wheel Stitch Afghan
© 2009 Gene Saunders, a.k.a. CrochetDad
Do not redistribute without permission. You may post a link to this article, but don't copy it and call it your own. Thanks!

For yarn, I'm using Red Heart Super Saver in several colors (actually, I'm starting with the left-over yarn from the Baby Blanket I made. The colors are six shades of blue, white, buff and burgundy. You can make this afghan with as little as one color - I'll tell you later how to use only one color without cutting the yarn...

Hook size will depend on the yarn you use and how tight or loose you want the stitches to look.

Notes:

The afghan is worked in rounds, don't turn unless instructed.
The finished size is up to you - just keep going until it's the right size
Instructions are in US crochet terms
These are not instructions on how to crochet
It is assumed you have basic crochet knowledge

Abbreviations:

ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
trc = treble crochet
bptrc = back post treble crochet

Afghan:
Rnd 1: This is the foundation round - ch 12, 7 trc in 4th ch from hook, sk 4 ch, sl st in next ch, sk 4 ch,15 trc shell in next ch, sl st in same st as last sl st, 7 trc in same st as first 7 trc shell, sl st in last ch (top of first shell, finish off.

Note: If you're doing a single color version, don't finish off - just keep going

You should have something like this:

Rnd 2: This round is the first half of the wheel stitch. It takes two rounds to complete the stitch.

(Note: If you are doing this in one color, sl st in next 3 sts, then continue with the next ch 3)

Change color, join yarn in top of first trc, ch 3, [yo twice, bptrc in next st, reserving last loop on hook] 4 times, (5 loops on hook) yo and pull through all loops, ch 1 (CornerCluster made). The ch 1 will be referred to later as the “shell anchor” later. Here's what you should have:

Now ch 3, and sl st under loops of current st and next st, like this:

ch 3, [yo twice, bptrc in next st, reserving last loop on hook] 6 times, yo and pull through all loops on hook, ch 1 (SideCluster made) (again, the ch 1 is the "shell anchor" for the next round). Here's what mine looks like at this point:

Now do a ch 3, CornerCluster, ch 3, sl st as before under the loops of the current and next st, ch 3, another SideCluster, ch 3, sl st as before, ch 3, CornerCluster, ch 3, join with a sl st to those two loops as before and you should have something like this at the end of Rnd 2:

Rnd 3:

This is the second half of the Wheel Stitch and you'll be staying with the same color as round 2.

10 bptrc in shell anchor (remember, it's the anchor stitch of the previous round's CornerCluster), sl st in next st (CornerShell made).

6 bptrc in shell next shell anchor (SideShell made). Continue around doing CornerShell in the shell anchor in the corners and SideShell in the shell anchor along the side.
..

..
Continue by repeating Rnd 2 and Rnd 3 with color changes on even rounds.

Beginning of Rnd 4:

SideCluster on Rnd 4:

Completed Rnd 4:

Completed Rnd 5:

Here's what I have so far:

When I get further along, I'll show you how I do the border (we'll end with an even round).

If you're having trouble, please post your comment and I'll try to help.

Wheel Stitch Blanket (a.k.a. Wooleater)

2009-08-18T17:25:00.000-07:00

I recently finished this baby-sized (34 inches) blanket for a relative. The stitch is called the wheel stitch, and I've had some nice comments about it. I'm showing the front and back for comparison of the appearance of the stitch. Interesting.

Here's the front:

And here's the back:

The pictures were taken on different days, hence the difference in contrast/brightness.

I made the blanket after becoming interested in the pattern instructions online, which are no longer available. This one's square, but I'm working on a rectangular version. I'll share the results of that soon.

Update: The instructions for this blanket have been moved and published in a more clear manner. New Wool Eater Instructions

Shades of Blue Baby Round Ripple

2009-08-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

Baby-sized Round Ripple in 4 shades of blue with off-white/gold/green center.

Caron Simply Soft yarn, L (8 mm) crochet hook

The pattern for this afghan is available for free at my Lulu Store:

lulu.com/crochetdad

My First Amigurumi!

2009-07-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

I just finished my first Amigurumi. It's a cute little (6 1/2 inches tall) Bear

I got the free pattern on Crochetville:

http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=31654

Earth Tones 9-Pointed Round Ripple

2009-07-30T14:51:00.000-07:00

I just completed another round ripple. This one's in "earth tones":

Detail of the points:

This one was a special order for an Etsy customer.

We Found Sunny!

2009-07-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

My son, Christopher, has a pet corn snake, "Sunny". During a moment of inattention, Sunny escaped from her cage, although we were pretty certain she was still in the house. She was missing for over a week, so she should have been getting hungry - we feed her about once a week. I was doing a load of laundry and spotted Sunny peaking out of the washing machine! I presume she hadn't been in the washing machine all week, since we had been using it regularly for several days.

She was careful not to expose herself too much as you can see in the shot above.

We waited a very long time, it seemed like a couple of hours, and decided to get her favorite food, a mouse, to persuade her to come out of hinding. As you can see below, she liked that idea!

I won't show the final resolution, in case you're squeamish about a snake devouring a mouse, but suffice it to say, Sunny is now back in her cage.

Hat Update

2009-07-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

An update on this hat:

I posted a previous picture of the hat I made on a trip when I forgot to pack a hat. The resulting hat has had a good following with nice comments. I've since updated the brim. This picture is the result. I'll be working on the pattern to satisfy many requests. Thanks to all who encouraged me to "get with it".

If you have a suggestion for a name for the hat, please let me know.

We're gonig to the Fair!

2009-06-29T17:23:00.001-07:00

I discovered PLARN (PLastic yARN) a couple of years ago and have had some fun with it...

In case you're not familiar with PLARN, it's plastic yarn made from those plastic shopping bags you get at your local retailer. Instead of throwing them away, I reuse, recycle or upcycle them. In this case, you might call this an upcycle.

Tomorrow, I'll be entering the one-day contest "Recycled Wearable Art" at the San Diego County Fair. Here's what I'll be entering:

Yes, they're wearable!

This particular PLARN is from The Home Depot!

There is no pattern for these - I just winged it!

Oh, did I say that contestants get into the Fair for FREE?!! An added bonus!

That Crochet Guy meets CrochetDad

2009-06-26T23:14:00.001-07:00

That Crochet Guy (Ken Jones of Philadelphia, PA) and CrochetDad (Gene Saunders of Temecula, California) finally meet.

Ken and I belong to a fairly exclusive club: Men Who Crochet

We've admired each other's work, so when our trip was in the planning stages, I contacted Ken to arrange a meeting when I got to Philadelphia.

Here we are at the Starbucks on 19th and Chestnut in South Philly.

Traveling to Philadelphia

2009-06-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since my last post, so this one will be a little longer than usual. Stick around, I'll try not to bore you.

We (my wife and I) drove from California to Philadelphia to attend our daughter's college graduation.

Some pictures along the way:

Our first stop was to visit my wife's brother in Lyons, Colorado.

Elk in Estes Park, Colorado

Another stop was in Aurora, Nebraska. We arrived early in the afternoon, and decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. My wife spotted this house for sale and wanted me to take her picture. The asking price was $89,900. It was built in 1900. It needs some fixing up, but that seems like a great price (if you want to live in Aurora, IL).

909 L Street, Aurora, CO

While driving on the way to Aurora, we spotted a wide load on the freeway. It turned out to be windmill propellers (the kind that are used to generate electrical power) - I estimate they were at least 100 feet long.

Wide Load in Nebraska

The next stop was in Wilmette, IL to visit the Baha'i House of Worship. An impressive building and the only Baha'i Temple in the North American continent.

CrochetDad at Wilmette

I took this great night shot of the Temple

We brought along some of our own food which required a blender. We got tired of trying to find a rest stop with an electrical outlet, so we stopped at a Target and purchased an inverter to power the blender from our car. It turns out the inverter had insufficient power, so we took it back. We'll have to look for a more powerful model...

The inverter worked just long enough to make one shake.

Here's the blender in a rest stop restroom

Our next stop was Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. I took so many pictures, I knew my wife was getting impatient to leave. Here's a couple of pictures of the American and Canadian (Horseshoe) Falls:

American Falls

Horse Shoe (Canadian) Falls

We stopped at an Arby's Restaurant in Pulaski, NY. Outside, in the parking lot, there were these two spaces marked "Buggy Parking" ostensibly for the local Amish. I asked one of the servers inside if they were used much, she said "No, they go to McDonald's". I thought that was ironic, since McDonalds didn't have reserved spaces for Buggies.

Reserved Buggy Parking

My crochet project (Alpine Frost Scarf) was completed, although I don't have a decent picture of the whole thing yet. Here is a closeup of the stitch pattern.

Alpine Frost Scarf (closeup)

Mother's Day Flowers

2009-05-15T08:59:00.001-07:00

Mother's Day Flowers
Originally uploaded by CrochetDad

My wife received a beautiful bunch of flowers from our daughter, Ciera. I had to share this beautiful picture with you.

Cooling our heels

2009-05-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

Our sanctuary...
The umbrella pole is in the way, but the "stream" is a pondless waterfall in our backyard. I made this myself, and we love to sit in the backyard to listen and watch the water flow. It's truly relaxing.

San Diego County Fair Entries

2009-05-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

I'm entering some of my crochet items in the San Diego County Fair again. Here's a slideshow of my entries:

Mary J Blige Bulky Crochet Cables Hat

2009-03-05T18:51:00.000-08:00

I've finally finished the crochet pattern for the Mary J Blige Bulky Cables hat. It's available on My Lulu Store and My Etsy Store. Finished hats are also on Etsy.

Cotton Unisex Fedora

2009-02-03T17:49:00.001-08:00

I've created a new hat! This one's a unisex fedora made from cotton yarn. The crown is made from two strands and the brim is three stands. The color is "Camel" with a black band.

Mary J Blige Reflections Hat (CrochetDad version)

2009-01-05T08:45:00.001-08:00

I was inspired by the hat worn by Mary J. Blige on the cover of her "Reflections" album. Her hat was apparently knitted, but since I don't knit well, I decided to try one in crochet. This is the result, in cotton yarn.

My daughter, Cambria has claimed this one, but I've had requests for more. The pattern is in the works, which I'll hopefully be selling on Etsy and Lulu.

I forgot to pack a hat...

2008-12-31T17:10:00.000-08:00

I forgot to pack a hat on a recent trip, so I crocheted one. I like this hat, so I'm working on the pattern to sell. Made with 2 strands of cotton yarn, it's very comfortable.

Matching Hat and Mittens

2008-11-05T17:19:00.000-08:00

The hat and mittens shown are for a customer who ordered the hat for her granddaughter after buying one for herself.

The mittens are my first attempt at making mittens. Enjoy.

Dreadlocks Wig for Halloween

2008-10-23T08:17:00.000-07:00

My son asked if I could crochet him a dreadlocks wig for Halloween. Never one to turn down a crochet project, I started immediately. That was back in June. This seemed to take forever.

I started with a net-type cap and added a chain of 50, then crocheted slip stitches back down the chain for the dreads.

He's pleased with the result.

My New Favorite Hat

2008-10-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

I just finished this hat, and it's a keeper! I wear it all the time, and have gotten many complements and even a request for one!

When my son-in-law saw it, he called it my Riverboat Gambler. I like the name, so that's what I'm calling it, too.

New Pattern Available

2008-10-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

I've added a new pattern to my Etsy Store .

The pattern can be made as a beanie or a cap with brim. The bling band is made from soft drink pull-tabs.

I've shown some examples of the color changes to make your hat unique.

The pattern is also available on my Lulu Store for direct download.

How to Add Comfortable Handles to Crochet Hooks

2008-07-24T12:31:00.000-07:00

I ran across a video tutorial on how to add polymer clay handles to crochet hooks on Carol Ventura's Tapestry Crochet Web site. The handles help with the tight stitches required with tapestry crochet, but also eases the cramping and slipping I was experiencing with a plain hook. I even bought a set of bamboo-handled aluminum hooks, which work great, but they didn't come in the smaller sizes that I use for thread or tapestry crochet.

I thought you'd like to see how I've improved (in my opinion) Carol's technique. Carol inserts the bare hooks into a roll of clay. I've added some texture to the handles before inserting into the clay to allow for a more secure fit.

To document the process I used, I started with two hooks: an aluminum size K and steel size 1:

I used some glue meant to bond to metal (Liquid Nails is the brand I used, I'm sure there are others) and a short piece of #10 crochet thread. I didn't measure the thread, but you can see from the picture below, I didn't use much:

Lightly coat the handle up to the flat thumb rest with the glue and wrap the thread down and back the handle, leaving quite a bit of space between the wraps. You can go further, covering up the thumb rest, but you'll have to mark the hook size on the handle. Here are the hooks drying after coating with glue and wrapping with the thread (it only takes a few minutes to set up):

When the glue is wet, don't lay the hook down because it will stick to whatever you lay it on. If you use your fingers to spread the glue, be sure to wash off the glue immediately, because it really sticks quickly.

I added the polymer clay in the colors Gold and Burnt Umber to give the handles a wood-like look. You can choose your favorite colors. I've seen the handles with a lot more clay than I used, you can make the handles much fatter than these. Mine were made for my comfort. Be sure to squeeze the clay securely around the handle so the clay doesn't have any gaps. Here mine are ready for the oven:

Bake in the oven according to the instructions provided with the clay, and you've got some nice comfortably-handled hooks. I would have added another picture of the hooks after they came out of the oven, but they look the same as they did when they went in. They're nice and hard.

The pictures above have links to the larger versions, if you need more detail.

The clay I used comes in 2 ounce (56 gram) packets. Use your imagination to combine and mix colors to your taste.

I'm loving mine!

Hat for Gift

2008-07-19T07:46:00.001-07:00

I just finished this hat. I made it for my son-in-law's sister's 2-year-old son. He may have to grow into it.

Added "Wood" Handles to some crochet hooks

2008-07-11T09:52:00.000-07:00

I found these instructions (which includes a video) on adding polymer clay handles to crochet hooks. This eases to strain on my old hands for doing some tight stitches required for tapestry crochet and some other special stitches with smaller hooks.

I think the effect worked well - I used gold and burnt umber colored polymer clay. I'll be converting the rest of my metal hooks with the same method soon.

Lacy Crochet Earrings

2008-07-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

I've had numerous requests for the pattern for these earrings, so I created a free download. Just go to the pattern in my Lulu store and click "Download Now".

Enjoy!

San Diego County Fair Ribbons

2008-07-07T17:47:00.000-07:00

I picked up my entries from the San Diego County Fair today, so I thought I'd gather them all together for a group shot with their ribbons.

On the left is the red cabled hat with brim (1st place).
The hat on the right is the one made from plastic bags made into PLARN (PLastic yARN) which came in 2nd place in the Recycled Wearable Art contest.

The two ribbons in the middle are for the afghan in the background (3rd place) and the crochet speed contest I entered (2nd place). I'm very pleased with my first attempt at entries in the Fair. The afghan and both hats are my own design, which made the wins even sweeter.

Recycled Plastic Bag Hat

2008-07-04T09:51:00.001-07:00

I finally got around to taking a picture of my prize-winning hat.

I added a crocheted sweat-band of cotton thread for wearability.

This is the second-place finisher in the "Hat" category of "Recycled Wearable Art" at the San Diego County Fair, mentioned in an earlier post. Needless to say, I'm very proud of my first entries in the Fair.

Another Day at the Fair, another ribbon

2008-07-01T21:37:00.000-07:00

We went to the San Diego County Fair again today. This time it was for another of the Fair's "One Day Contests". It's pretty cool - if you bring the entry form (and your entry, of course) you can get into the Fair for free! Today (July 1st) the contest was "Recycled Wearable Art". When I saw "recycled", I immediately thought of my tote made from recycled plastic grocery bags. Since the contest was for "wearable", I decided to crochet a hat out of the PLARN (PLastic yARN! A plastic hat didn't sound great, so I also decided to make a sweat band out of cotton thread. The contest rules specified that 80% of the article must be made from recycled material, so making only the sweat band from new material seemed acceptable.

OK - I'm rambling...we got there, I entered, and won 2nd place!

First place in the same category (Hat) was more of a head decoration than a hat, but I don't want to sound like a sore looser. I'm very excited about my 2nd place ribbon. I don't have a picture of it yet, but I probably will get one up tomorrow! Come back and see!

Slouchy Cotton Beret/Tam

2008-06-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

This hat has been a WIP for months. I just finished it yesterday and posted it to Etsy. My first attempt at a slouchy beret. It turned out pretty well, at least I think it did. Here's a picture:

Tapestry Kitty Bag

2008-06-29T11:03:00.000-07:00

I just finished this Tapestry Crochet Kitty Bag for my granddaughter.

I modified the pattern slightly:

I opted for a shoulder strap with a stripe instead of the wrist strap specified
used Caron Simply Soft in Black and White
Added a white weave at the top of the bag

It was fun to make because I kept thinking about the hug I'll get...

Bragging...

2008-06-19T06:58:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! My entries in the San Diego County Fair both won ribbons!

A round ripple afghan of my own design won 3rd place in the afghans category for entrants 62 or older. A hat won 1st place in the miscellaneous crochet for entrants 62 or older. There was no category for "hats". These were my first ever entries in any competition, so I'm obviously very proud.

On top of that, we went to the fair yesterday to see if they had won anything, and I entered a speed contest - speed is not my strong point. I won second place! Think I would have won first, had I not been so nervous and made a couple of errors, which counted against me.

Lacy Crochet Earrings

2008-05-19T06:08:00.000-07:00

I created these crocheted hoop earrings with a small amount on #10 crochet thread and a #7 steel crochet hook over a pair of hoops. Versions shown are crocheted over 2¼ and 2½ inch hoops.

Instructions:

Materials used:
small amount of #10 crochet cotton
#7 steel crochet hook
Hoop Earrings - those pictured are 2¼ inches and 2½ inches across

Instructions:
Rnd 1: Make a loop around the hoop and sc around to cover the hoop. Crocheting over the loose end for several stitches will eliminate sewing it in later. You can cover the hoop completely, or to your taste.

Rnd 2:. Turn, (do not ch 1) sk first ch, * sc in next ch, sk two ch, sc in next ch, repeat from *. You should do these sc's a little loose to reach the next st.

Rnd 3: Turn, sk first st, * sc in next st, sk 1 st, repeat from * around.

Rnd 4: Turn, sk first st, * sl st in next st, sk next st, repeat around.
At this point, you can fasten off and sew in the loose end, or add another round. The white hoops above were done with 3 rounds and the black hoops were done with 4 rounds. The more rounds you add, the lacier the look becomes.

Enjoy!

One-Day Contest at San Diego County Fair

2008-04-29T16:19:00.000-07:00

I mentioned I was entering a couple of items in the San Diego County Fair this year. Additional features of the Fair will be a speed contest - well, not just speed - you have to follow a pattern and the winner will be determined by the most correct number of rows. Also a "wearable recycled art" contest. I'm going to try to enter both events, both are one-day events, which includes entry to the Fair on the day of the contest.

Should be fun.

County Fair Entries

2008-04-27T17:45:00.001-07:00

I've decided to enter a couple of crochet items in the San Diego County Fair.

I've chosen the 9-pointed popcorn round ripple and the burgundy cable hat. There are a couple of one-day competitions as well, one is for recycled wearable art and a crochet contest following a pattern.

Wish me luck!

Hard Crochet - Stetson-style Hat finished

2008-03-05T22:08:00.000-08:00

I recently purchased the book "Hard Crochet" by Mark Dittrick. The book was published in 1978, and documents a crochet technique using extremely tight tension and a small hook to create a very firm fabric. One of the projects in Mr. Dittrick's book is a Stetson-Styled hat. You can see the results here on my granddaughter. I'm keeping this hat for myself.

New Hat by request

2008-01-08T07:51:00.000-08:00

I received a custom request for a hat for a friend of a potential customer based on another hat I had made, but in a different color (black) and "flatter on top". Never one to back away from a challenge, I spent several days getting it to look the way the potential buyer described it. Well, after finishing the hat and sending pictures to the potential customer, she notified me her friend had already found a hat. Too bad for me. Oh well, this cloud has a silver lining because I like the new hat so much, I'm attempting to duplicate it and will eventually create a pattern for this one.

Pattern Finished - Adult Cable Motif Beanie with Brim

2007-12-14T18:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally finished my hat pattern. It's available on Etsy or Lulu. Lulu is pretty cool, because you can download the pattern directly from that site. With Etsy, I am notified by email that someone has purchased something, then I have to send it myself. I've sold several patterns, and am encouraged to produce more. The only problem is that I enjoy making the hats more than making the pattern. Oh, well. Whatever works.

Anyway, I'm now working on another hat pattern. When I finish all the Christmas gifts I've started, I'll concentrate on that one.

'Til next time.

First Hat Sold

2007-11-15T07:10:00.000-08:00

I sold my first hat this week, so I decided to list some more on my Etsy Store. The original hat.

I've had some nice comments about my hats and requests for patterns. All I've got to say is I prefer to do the hats than write down how I do them, so progress is slower than I'd like on the hats.

9-pointed Popcorn Round Ripple Afghan Pattern

2007-09-17T21:22:00.000-07:00

I've been active on Crochetville for a few months now, joined a few CALs (Crochetalongs to the uninitiated). One of the CALs was for making Round Ripples, which are easier than they look. Anyway, after making a few RRs, I wanted something different, so I designed my own version. It was received very well by the members of Crochetville and it was requested I write down how I did it. The result is my very first attempt at selling at crochet pattern.

You can see the the afghan (and buy the pattern) at my Etsy Store. The pattern is the only thing there as I write this, but if it goes well, I intend to add more items for sale soon.

First Post!

2007-09-07T15:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I did it - I started a blog. I'm not sure why, though. I've never done a diary or a journal. We'll see where this leads.