Celebration Square

I've got that app on Facebook that brings up your old memories for that particular date. Two years ago today I had shared a post from my page Get Knotted Yarn Craft saying that I was excitedly preparing for my second son's first birthday, and looking forward to reaching 200 likes on my page.

In 2016, I'm excitedly preparing for my second son's third birthday and the arrival of our daughter in just over five weeks. To top it off, overnight my page reached 10 thousand likes!! I'm so excited and thrilled, and so very grateful to you all for your support, encouragement and loyalty. So, to say thank you, here is my new pattern - Celebration Square! I can't wait to see yours! Happy Hooking. xoxo

Celebration Square
by Angela Armstrong

Copyright Get Knotted Yarn Craft

Material

Yarn: DK

Hook: 4mm

Stitch Notes

YOH: Yarn Over Hook

Standing Stitches: you can find a great tutorial here – http://www.petalstopicots.com/2013/10/crochet-standing-stitches/

FPDC: you can find a great tutorial here for left and right handers – http://www.crochetspot.com/how-to-crochet-front-post-double-crochet-fpdc/

FPHDC: is worked the same as a FPDC, except using the HDC stitch instead.

Spike Stitch: you can find a great tutorial here for left and right handers– 
http://www.crochetspot.com/how-to-crochet-spike-stitches/

Arched Cluster: Work the first part of a FPDC around the 2^nd FPHDC of round 4 (ie, YOH, draw up a loop in the FP style, YOH and draw through the first two loops). Sk1, draw up a loop in the middle DC of round 6 (3 loops on hook now). Sk1, work the first part of a FPDC around the 3^rd FPHDC of round 4 as before. (4 loops on hook now). YOH and draw through all four loops. DO NOT CLOSE WITH A CH – this occurs in the pattern itself.

Pattern Notes

This pattern is made using US terms.

In DK this should make a 6” square. In Worsted or Aran it should be 8”.

Each round is finished with a sl st into the first st, and then tied off. The next round is then started with either a standing stitch, or by joining and chaining to make the required height.

Colour changes and choices are up to you. I changed colours with every round and used three colours, I've indicated my colour changes as colours A, B and C at the beginning of the relevant rows. 

Stitch counts are for one side of the square only, rather than the total for the round.

Pattern:

1.        (Colour A) Magic Circle. Ch3 (counts as DC). DC, ch2. [3DC, ch2] 3 times. DC. (3DC per side)

2.      (Colour B) Standing DC into any corner sp. *3DC in next 3 sts. Into the corner sp work: [2DC, ch2, 2DC]. Repeat from * three times omitting a DC in the final repeat. (7DC per side)

3.       This round is worked alternatively in rounds 1 AND 2.
(Colour A) Standing *SC in the first DC of any side. Sk1, FPDC spike around 1^st DC of R1. Ch3. FPDC spike around 3^rd DC of R1. Sk1, SC into last st of R2. Into the corner sp work: [2SC, ch2, 2SC]. Repeat from * three times, omitting a SC in the final repeat. (6SC, 2FPDC spike, 1 x ch3 sp; per side)

4.      (Colour B) Standing *HDC in the third SC in round 3, of any side. Ch1, Sk1. Push the chain from R3 to the back and work 1DC into the next 3 sts of round 2 (ie in front of the chain). Ch1, sk1, HDC in next 3 sts of round 3. Into the corner space work: [2HDC, ch2, 2HDC]. HDC into the next 2 stitches. Repeat from * three times. (10HDC, 3DC, 2 x ch1 sp; per side)

5.      (Colour A) This round is worked entirely into round 3.
Standing *FPHDC spike around the first FPDC spike of any side in round 3. Ch3, sk3, FPHDC spike around the next FPDC spike of round 3. Ch3, sk2, FPHDC spike around the last SC of R3. Ch4, sk all corner sts. FPHDC spike around the first SC of the next side. Ch3, sk2. Repeat from * three times. (4FPHDC spike, 3 x 3ch sp; per side).

6.      (Colour B) Tuck the chains on the corners of round five, behind the corner stiches of round 4. Tuck the chains on the sides backward as well. This round is worked entirely into round 4, with the chain stitches tucked behind, and the FPHDC skipped over with chains.
Standing *DC into the middle of the three central stitches in round 4. DC in next. [Ch1, sk1, DC in next 2] twice. Into the corner sp work: [2DC, ch2, 2DC]. DC in next 2, ch1, sk1, DC in next 2. Ch1, sk 1, DC in next. Repeat from * three times. (15DC, 4 x 1ch sp; per side)

7.      (Colour A) Standing *FPDC spike around the first FPHDC spike of any side in round 5. Sk1, SC into the next. Ch1, arched cluster over the next 5 sts. Ch1, SC in next. Sk1, FPDC spike around the next FPHDC. Ch1, SC into the next 4. Put a stitch marker into the first st of the next side. Into the corner sp of round 6, work: [2 spike DC, ch2, 2spike DC]. SC in next 4, Ch1. Repeat from * three times. (4 FPDC spike, 1 Arched cluster, 4 spike DC and 4 x ch1 sp; per side)

8.      (Colour A) Standing SC in any st. Work 1SC in each st (cluster counts as 1) and in each ch sp. Into the corner space work: (SC, ch2, SC). Repeat for all sides. (23SC per side)

9.      (Colour C) Standing *SC in the third st of any side. [Ch1, sk1, SC in next] 10 times. Into the corner space work: [SC, ch2, SC]. SC in next, ch1, sk1. Repeat from * three times. (14SC, 11 x ch1 sp; per side)

10.   (Colour B) Standing *SC in the first ch sp of any side. [Ch1, sk1, SC in next] 11 times. Into the corner space work: [2SC, ch1, 2SC]. SC in next, Ch1, sk1. Repeat from * three times. (17SC, 12 x ch1 sp; per side)

11.     (Colour B) Standing *SC in any stitch. Work 1SC into each SC and 1SC into each ch sp. Into the corner space work: (SC, ch2, SC). Repeat for all sides. (31SC per side).

I hope you enjoy making this square as much as I enjoyed designing it. xoxo

Copyright Snazzy Cuddles

Mandela Mandala

I believe in kindness, that we should love one another, and that we should stand up for what we believe in with grace and dignity. These are all qualities embodied by the late Nelson Mandela. He's one of my heroes. So, I decided to make a mandala in tribute to him.

My first task was inspiration. Had other people made mandalas in his name? Yes they had, and there is a wide variety out there. However, as Google does, it found some other images of mandalas that were line drawings, and one just called to me, so I decided to use it loosely as a base of inspiration.

found here: http://www.123rf.com/photo_12227481_mandala-round-ornament-pattern.html

With this design in mind, I looked through my stash, found myself a colourful palette, and started hooking. At this point I have to thank my testers Courtney and Oona for persevering through the edits in this pattern. When I get excited about something, sometimes my pattern writing skills cannot keep up with my hooking ones {giggle} and being seven months pregnant isn't helping with the thought process either. Having said that, the pattern should be straightforward now. There's a mini tutorial on the final page for round 11 - so you can choose whether to print it or not.

So, what do you think? I started with a flat center, but I changed my mind and put popcorn stitch in the center, it balances it out a bit more, but I still like the original center. You'll get to see the popcorn one once I release the square version. That will be one of a dozen squares that I'm still in the process of designing. I hope to run a BAMCAL (block a month crochet along) with them.

I made mine using DK yarn, and it's 14 inches (about 36cm) across. Courtney made hers with worsted yarn and it came in at a lovely 22 inches (about 56cm) across.

I'm really pleased with how it has come out, and I hope that you like it too. You can find it here in my pattern store: Click here to purchase the Mandela Mandala

Happy Hooking!
xoxo

May the fourth be with you! - Top Ten Star Wars Patterns

Hello everyone, it's the fourth of May today - Star Wars Day! What, you say? Say it aloud - May the fourth be with you. Giggle.
How could I not post about one of my favourite cinema sagas? So, today I've rounded up my ten favourite Star Wars patterns on Ravelry.

1. Well, we just have to start with a cuteness factor! This sweet wee scoodie by "Smushed Squirrel" is free in both baby and adult sizes. Soooo cute!

You can find the baby pattern here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-yub-nub
and the adult one here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/yub-nub-scoodie

2. For seriously awesome Star Wars loving, you can't go past Courtney Laube of Spin a Yarn 32 and her amazing blanket. Another fabulous FREE pattern. Head over here for your copy: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/a-galaxy-far-far-away

3. For a bit of lighthearted fun these Lightsaber Cozy's are a great idea. Fast and easy gift to make, and bound to be appreciated by anyone who's ever had an uncomfortable moment while eating an Ice Block. The pattern is in three different sizes to accomodate different aged hands (great thinking)

and you can find the pattern here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lightsaber-ice-pop-cozy

4. If you want to express your dark side a little, then how about this fabulous Tusken Raider hat! What a beauty - guaranteed to scare the local bully at thirty paces I think. ;)
And you can get your FREE copy here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tusken-raider-hat-with-scarf-thingies

5. & 6. The next two patterns are from Nancy J of DefectiveGeeks. So very clever and richly done too.

Whether the Queen catches your eye, or the AT AT takes your fancy, both of these are a must have in any collection!
You can find Queen Amidala here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/queen-amidala---red-invasion-dress
and the AT AT walker here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/star-wars-at-at-walker

7. The list is filling fast, and really, there are so many fabulous patterns for Star Wars fans out there. I like this one because not many people think of characters other than the main protagonists, and I love the amount of detail in him. This is Blizz the Jawa by MostlyNerdyCrochet, and he's just fabulous.

You can pick up your FREE copy of his pattern right here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/blizz-the-jawa

8. When I saw the name of this site, I laughed so much I snorted! R2D2 by Let's All Get Knitfaced is fabulous. How can you have a Star Wars collection without one of the quiet heroes?

You can find out how to make him right here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/r2d2

9. I've yet to see the latest Star Wars movie (NO! Don't tell me what happens, lol), but there are lots of patterns out there for this wee guy, so he seems to be rather a hit! 

Head over here and start on your FREE copy today: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bb8-from-star-wars

10. Finally, last but not least - I've saved the most comprehensive one of all. Unlike the others this is a PAID pattern, but I truly believe it's worth the money.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/star-wars-crochet/patterns

A collection of 12 patterns, this book is available on Amazon.com . If you want to have a great collection, then this is the place to go. ;)

Happy Hooking, and May the Fourth be with you!!