Tuesday 27 March 2012

Monday 26 March 2012

March in Spring

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Vernal Equinox


Here in the northern hemisphere the vernal equinox for this year 2012, took place on March 20 at 1.40am.

YES it is the spring equinox, it is the start of spring, signs of spring, and stunning spring photos!

Ah, wonderful spring!  This blessed season brings increasing daylight, warming temperatures and the rebirth of flora and fauna.

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"equinox" is derived from the Latin word meaning "equal night".

The spring and fall equinoxes are the only dates with equal daylight and dark as the Sun crosses the celestial equator.

CROCHET TALK

AND IN MY WORLD, it is a time for the birth of new ideas and new ???   
yes, you guessed it, new crochet patterns.

I have been busy designing and creating, a definite sign of spring fever, so many ideas and sketches and not enough hours in the day to crochet them all. A time when I wish I could split myself into 4 or more of me, so I can get on with all the ideas I have squirrelled away for the right moment in time!

OK, enough of wishing and dreaming, there is only one of me and this me also has a life outside of crochet, so NOW, let's get on with the crochet talk, SHALL WE?

Do you remember this pattern?  Crochet Hat VALENTINA

I designed it for cool spring wearing and wrote the pattern for Rowan Wool Cotton DK and/or James C. Brett Pure Merino DK. 

You can also make this lovely spring hat in cotton, check it out BELOW

Made with Debbie Bliss Eco Baby 100% Organic Cotton and I added a different flower brooch.




OR HOW ABOUT making the hat with Rowan Pima Cotton And White/Metallic Gold cotton thread held together.

Looking good AND SUPER SPECIAL with the delicate metallic gold thread shimmering in the daylight, and ever so easy to wear!


Now you can do just the same using the original pattern, just adjust total stitch count to match head circumference and add or subtract a row or two, super simple. Go ahead have a play and have some fun with the Crochet Hat VALENTINA Pattern.


It's amazing how many different crochet hat looks you can achieve with just one pattern.
YOU CAN:-
  1. change colour
  2. OR use one colour
  3. OR two colours
  4. OR three or four colours
So let's get creative and have a PLAY.



AND you can also DO THIS (SEE PHOTO ABOVEmy version of a LOVELY CROCHET SUN HAT using the Crochet Pattern for the VALENTINA Hat.

This time I crochet the sun hat using Bendigo 8ply Cotton (also known as Heirloom 8ply Cotton)

I am not sure when I will be adding this pattern to the collection, but for now that is all.

I am currently in catch up mode with crochet pattern writing, so hopefully I will have more by next week.

Ciao, Ciao,  enjoy....
crochet patterns, hats, sun hats,

Crochet Hat VALENTINA
is available from my online stores

  ETSY        RAVELRY      CRAFTSY



Copyright © 2008
Barbara Summers Hand Knit and Crochet.
All rights reserved.


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Monday 12 March 2012

EASTER EGGSTATIC

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WHAT DOES EASTER MEAN TO YOU?

When I was a child, Easter for me was all about:

1. looking forward to LOADS of chocolate eggs;
2. PAINTING eggs, my favourite;
3. eating loads and loads of wonderful home-cooked traditional Polish Easter cuisine.





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Easter Sunday Brunch in our house looked something like this: Cold meats - ham, kielbasa wiejska, (smoked sausage), pasztet (home-made liver pate), Fish - roll mops, Eggs - boiled.


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Cakes - makowiec (poppy seed cake), sernik (baked cheesecake), Breads - rye and wheat, and best of all - bigos (Hunter's stew of cabbage and meats).

WOW my mouth is watering just writing and thinking about it, how long is it till EASTER?


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Let's get back to talking about CROCHET.

A dear friend asked me for some crochet Easter decorations, and my first thought was OMG where is this taking me? Anyway it wasn't as bad as I was imagining, all she wanted was a few crochet EASTER eggs and egg cosies. Simple right? 

Well it was so easy and simple, I designed these little crochet amigurumi eggs and crochet egg cosies to match.



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PATTERN DETAILS:

Skill Level: Easy - knowledge of surface crochet required
Yarn: DMC Petra 5 or similar yarn
Hook: 2mm
Stitches: single, half double and double crochet; surface crochet
Gauge/Tension: Not crucial - approx. 10dc to 4cm
Measurements: Cosy H2.5in X W3.5in; Egg H3.5in X W2.5in
Terminology: USA - American crochet terms

I had so much fun crocheting these little amigurumi eggs and delightful egg cosies, I am definitely making more for myself.

I hope you enjoy these egg cosies and amigurumi eggs too and may you have fun making them for yourself and for your friends.


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ALLELUJA EASTER Eggs and Egg Cosies 

CROCHET PATTERN 
is available from my online shop


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FREE PATTERNS 
FOR 
EASTER BASKETS 

1. JUTE BASKETS

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2. JUTE2 BASKETS
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Saturday 10 March 2012

MY PERFECT HEART IS HEXED


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From my crochet design room rises another creation...


The HEXED HEART


THIS PATTERN features my Perfect Heart SUSPENDED in a HEXAGON.  It is the natural progression from the Perfect Heart CAPTIVE in a square.  I know, I know, I can't help myself, these crochet hearts are all consuming.   OBVIOUSLY,  I am having LOADS OF FUN playing with all the ideas.  Sometimes, the ideas are flowing fast, way too fast, for me to keep up with crocheting them.


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Crochet Heart HEXED - samples crocheted in DMC Natura Just Cotton, DMC Petra 5 and BENDIGO Cotton 8ply.

AND then of course EASTER is just around the corner, and Easter treats are constantly on my mind. 


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PATTERN DETAILS:

Crochet Heart “HEXED” Pattern ©  Barbara Summers Design 2012 


Description: A pattern featuring my Perfect Heart suspended in a HEXAGON. The Crochet Heart "hexagon" can be crochet in three (3) sizes.  Each hexagon grows in size with extra rounds and extra stitches. 

Make the hexagon in one colour or change colour every round or every other round, choice is always yours.

Make as many as you like for a COLOURFUL HEART THROW using any size hexagon. 

Join the hexagons and make a scarf, headband, wristband, handbag, placemat or wherever your inspiration takes you.

Use a variety of yarn weights and hook sizes and you will get a range of sizes.

Skill Level:  EASY

Yarn:  Bendigo Cotton 8ply OR DMC Natura 4ply OR DMC Petra 5 OR any other yarn
Hook:  BENDIGO/NATURA yarn use 3.5mm; PETRA 5 use 2mm.
Stitches:  single, half double, double, treble crochet and Bobble
Gauge/Tension:  Not crucial - use hook half to one size smaller than recommended on yarn label
Measurements:  varies depending on yarn and hook used
Terminology:  USA - American crochet terms

THIS PATTERN IS SUITABLE FOR OTHER YARNS.

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Pattern is available from my online stores

CRAFTSY      RAVELRY      ETSY
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Enjoy!
ciao, ciao!
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