How About a Mini CAL?

How would you all like to do a mini CAL? I have a pattern for a 6" square that I haven't posted here yet. I would love to use it for a mini CAL. The pattern has 6 rounds, so I would post 2 rounds once a week for 3 weeks. This way everyone has time to work it up. It's a lovely little square, and just in time for Christmas gifts too. Why don't you post a comment so I can gauge the interest in this project? Of course, I'll do it anyway, but I'd still like to see the interest. After we work up this square, I will post the entire pattern for you to print. Because I'll be out of state visiting my son (YAY!), the schedule is a little off, but here is the posting schedule for the CAL: 
            10/05, 10/12, 10/20.   Then I will post the entire pattern.
REMEMBER TO POST A COMMENT INDICATING YOUR INTEREST!!!

P.S. I will post the Word Search answers shortly. Hope you are having fun with it. :)

Happy Hooking!

Traveling Scarf

Today I'm working on a traveling scarf that I received in the mail yesterday. I'm a member of the traveling Scarf Group on Ravelry, and my group of 6 members send ours scarves round robin style to each other and each add a crochet section to it. By the time my scarf gets back to me, it should be a complete length with different stitch and yarn sections. I've done this once before with very nice results. This time I'm doing a hooded scarf in green colors for my mother. The person's scarf I'm working on now wants hers in blues. Here's a picture of hers so far:

This is done in the V-stitch. I think it looks light and lacey. It is Bernat Softee Chunky New Denim Heather #288432, and was the only blue I had on hand, so I needed an airy stitch so the fabric wouldn't be stiff. I think it turned out nice. The photo really doesn't show the pretty blue color either. It's kind of a light sky blue. I'm not a blue person, but I do like this blue. :) After frogging this project several times within the past 24 hours, I'm finally satisfied and ready to say "I'm done!" Wow - that sure feels good. :)

You all have a great Tuesday, and Happy Hooking!

Word Search

Here's a little puzzler for today. Who doesn't like a word search? This is a crochet themed word search that I made up last night. Just find the words and circle them. They can be listed forwards, backwards, up, down, or diagonally; but only once. I will post the answer grid at a later date. I hope I did this right and that there are no mistakes. After all, I am only human and I was sleep deprived when I wrote the word search. :) But lets have a bit of fun over here at MoCrochet today, shall we? Let's go for it!! Get your pens or pencils ready - get set - and go!!!!!! And have fun!!!!!!!
                                        
                                              CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Ida's Dishcloth

This pattern is named after my paternal grandmother, Ida Witte Krueger. It was her mother who planted the rose bush mentioned in my previous post. Granny Krueger sewed and cooked, but I always remembered her for three things. 1) She always cooked up what seemed to be a whole slab of bacon. Yum yum! The platter was heapin' full!!! There was always plenty of bacon to eat and she would save the bacon grease to cook with later on. 2) She sewed aprons to wear in the kitchen and bonnets to wear in the garden. My mother has some aprons (maybe I'll get one someday), but I do have a bonnet. I asked her to sew me one years ago and she did. 3) Granny taught me how to embroider. I remember hot summer days on her farm, sitting around embroidering with her and my sister Kathleen. What fun that was!! What memories!!! Granny is gone now, but she lives on forever in my heart and I have so many memories. This pattern is not embroidery, but it is sc on top of the crochet fabric. I think Granny would like it too.

SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate Beginner

FINISHED SIZE: 8” Square after blocking

MATERIALS: Worsted Weight Cotton

2 colors, 1 oz. Each

Color A = Red

Color B = White

Crochet hook, size G/4.0mm

Tapestry needle

STITCHES: Sc = single crochet

Dc = double crochet

BLO = back loop only

PATTERN NOTES: Work BLO only for the rows indicated and for the repeat rows indicated, otherwise work both loops as normal.

COMMENCE PATTERN:

With Color A, Ch 34.

Row 1: Dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch thereafter, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc now and hereafter), turn.

Row 2: Skip first dc, 1 dc in each dc to end, ch 3, turn.

Row 3: Skip first dc, working in BLO for this row 1 dc in each dc to end, ch 3, turn.

Rows 4 – 7: Repeat Rows 2 & 3, finish off.

Rows 8 – 14: Attach Color B to end of Row 7 and repeat Rows 2 & 3, finish off.

At this point you will have 6 rows of ridges on the right side of your dishcloth from working the BLO. These are the front loops. You will use the front loops to create the ridged stripes.

1.Beginning at Row 2, to the first free front loop (right-hand side), attach Color B (the opposite color) with a sl st, ch 1, 1 sc in same st, 1sc in next front loop and in each front loop to end, finish off.

2.Repeat with Color B on Rows 4 & 6, and then with Color A on Rows 8, 10, & 12.

3.Finish off, weave in all ends.

This pattern is dedicated to my paternal grandmother, Ida Louise (Witte) Krueger, who taught me to embroider.

Copyright - This Ida's Dishcloth Pattern and the pattern photo are copyright 2009 by Melinda Miller. Free for your own personal use only. Per copyright law, do not redistribute (with or without charge) in any form. (Redistributing to others includes by photocopies, scanning, emailing, putting on a CD, posting in Internet forum messages, putting on another web site and any other manner of distribution.)

A Rose By Any Other Name......

I'd like to explain my profile pic. It's actually a pic of my grandaughter Katharine. She is now 3 years old, but that pic was taken at about 18 months or so. It is very special. My mom, Audra, Katharine and I took a trip to the cemetary where all my dad's relatives are buried and we showed Audra around. We showed her my paternal grandparents graves. There is always something so humbling that comes over me when I go to the cemetary. It's my family. I don't want to leave them. I want to be with them. I want to know more about them. They had hopes and dreams and thoughts and prayers. What were they? I wish I knew.

One thing I do have is a rose bush. My great-grandmother planted it after my grandmother's baby sister died. We don't know how she died. It seems so sad. But the rose bush is still growing strong 100+ years later. That day we were there, Audra picked a rose and placed it behind Katharine's ear. It looked so beautiful. I snapped a picture of her. This is my inspiration for a 12" square I'm designing called Katharine's Rose. It's almost in the testing stage.  I can't wait to share it with everyone.

Hope you have a great weekend! Happy Hooking!

Kitty Faces All Done!

While watching the Game Show Network today, I finished up all the kitty faces. It was monotonous work for me, as I don't care much for the hand sewing. But I just enjoyed the game shows and patiently and diligently sewed the last 6 faces. Whew! I'm so glad it's done. Now I can relax. Just waiting on the teal & brown yarn to come in so I can finish the afghan. I'm not quite sure what kind of  squares I'll make yet, although I have a picture in my mind. I think they will be at least 14" squares and the afghan will be 3X4 squares so to measure at least 42"X56" without a border. The kitty faces measure 7" wide at the widest point, and 7" long at the longest point; so I think a 12"  square would be too small for it. I really want the teal and brown to show since those are Audra's favorite colors. I made a grid of how I might want the afghan to look. Now I can't wait to get my hands on the yarn.

Tonight is our yarn club at my LYS. There are mostly knitters - I am the resident crocheter. Some of the ladies crochet, but prefer to knit. My hubby knits. He was born in Idaho, and in the winter when they were snowed in, his mother taught him and his siblings to knit. He has made me a beautiful sweater - just needs to stitch the seams. He made his sister a sweater and it looks very nice on her. He also made his mother a sweater and it's in the same condition as mine. :) I can't wait to wear it this winter.It's made of purple marble chunky, and it's really scrumptous!!! Aaaand........I get to keep the leftover yarn for myself, for my own projects. (I get all his leftover yarn. ) Maybe I'll make me a pair of matching mittens, or a hat. Very cool.

Have a great day and Happy Hooking!

Nelda's Dishcloth

Here's a pattern named after my mother. She is my best friend. She taught me how to cook and I still love to cook today. Mama always fed us a good hot breakfast every morning before school. She would let us drink coffee with lots of milk and sugar added. I still love to drink coffee, just no sugar and not as much cream. I guess you could say we had a little coffee with our milk. :) 

One April Fool's Day, my brother Steven switched the sugar and salt. We ended up putting salt in our coffee. Yuck!! Mama made him sit at the table and drink our salted coffees! (I don't think he ever did. He probably just sat there and took a sip out of each cup.) What a trickster.

One time, mama was washing the dishes. Steven and I wanted to tape record her fussing at us. Don't ask me why - maybe in our childish way  we thought we could blackmail her in some way. Give us candy or we'll play this recording for grandma! The silly thoughts of kids. lol  Steven had the tape recorder on, hiding around the corner, and I was saying all kinds of things to try to make her mad. Finally, she did get mad. She flung her wet, soapy hands and said, "I'm so mad I could dance a jig!" THEN SHE DID!!!!!! Steven and I forgot all about the tape recorder and our secret mission, and we were all laughing and dancing. 

What a fun memory. I think of this incident often when times are hard. Instead of letting things get the best of me, I just dance a mental jig and laugh. What a spirit booster. Try it - it works. 

Love you mama!
Happy Hooking!

Materials:                  

Worsted Weight Cotton Yarn - I used Crafter’s Secret

Color A: Yellow (43)

Color B: Vintage Green (54)

Crochet hook size I/5.5mm

Tapestry needle

Size:                            

9” square 

Abbreviations:         

Ch/s = chain/s               

Dc = double crochet        

Hk = hook                        

Lp = loop                          

Rep = repeat                    

RS = right side                 

Sc = single crochet 

Sk = skip  

Sl St = slip stitch   

Sp = space 

St/s = stitch/es   

WS = wrong side      

Special Stitches:  

Shell: 5 dc in same st. 

Tutorial for Beginning Stitches: No More Turning Chains!

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Row 1: (RS) Ch 28, working in back ridges of chs, sc in 2^nd ch from hk and in each ch to end, turn.

(27 sc)

Row 2: (WS) Begdc in first st, dc in next 4 ch, [sk 2 sts, Shell in next st, ch 2, sk 3 sts, dc in next

5 sts] to end, turn. (2 Shells, 15 dc, 2 ch-2)

Row 3: Begdc in first st, dc in next 4 sts, [sk ch-2, Shell in next dc, ch 2, sk next 4 dc of Shell, dc in next 5 sts] to end, turn. (2 Shells, 15 dc, 2 ch-2)

Rows 4 – 12: Rep Row 3.

Row 13: (RS) Begdc in first st, dc in next 4 sts, [ch 3, sc in 3^rd dc next Shell, ch 2, sk next 2 dc of same Shell, dc in next 5 dc] to end, ch 1, turn. DO NOT FINISH OFF – DO NOT TURN.  (15 dc, 2 sc, 2 ch-3, 2 ch-2)

Border

Rnd. 1: Ch 1, 3 sc in corner – corner made, 25 sc evenly along side, 3 sc around corner in next

st – corner made, sc in next 25 sts, 3 sc in next st – corner made, 25 sc evenly along side, 3 sc around corner in next st – corner made, sc in next 4 dc, (3 sc in next ch-3 sp, sc in next sc, 2 sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in next 5 dc) twice omitting last sc, join with sl st to beg sc. Finish off. (25 sc per side, 3 sc per corner)

Rnd. 2: With RS facing, join B with sc to any sc, work 1 sc in each st around, placing (sc, hdc, sc) in each corner st. Finish off, weave in ends, block. (27 sc per side, 3 sts per corner)

© 2018 Melinda Miller – All rights reserved 

                

If you'd like a tidy copy of this pattern in PDF form to save on your computer or in your Ravelry Library, you can purchase it here for only $1.99:  

For the entire collection of 13 dishcloths, I have an e-Book available to purchase for $4.98. Each time a new pattern is added to the e-Book, you will be notified by email and Ravelry PM. Check it out here: 

You can CAL with me here, or for more personal interactions with like-minded souls, visit me here:

Ravelry: Melinda Miller Designs on Ravelry 
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Just answer a couple of simple questions to join my FB group.

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Alwine's Dishcloth

This pattern is named after my maternal grandmother Alwine Nauert Goerdel (pronounced Alween). She just recently passed away. I have so many fond memories of her. She taught me how to sew and cook. She sewed lots of clothes for my sisters and I. My favorite dress was a bright multi-colored polka-dot fabric that I chose myself. I had my third grade school picture made in it. I loved that dress. Granny worked as a seamstress for many years until she retired. She was also a farmer's wife. She was such a good cook. She was famous for her homemade pies. No one could reproduce her pie crust. To this day no one can. I miss her terribly. Guess I'll just get out my crock pot and make a batch of her sauerkraut soup - her own original recipe of course.

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SKILL  LEVEL:                   

Easy

MATERIALS:                       

1 oz. Worsted weight cotton

Crochet hook size H/5.0mm

SIZE:                                     

8” square after blocking

ABBREVIATIONS:                         

Sc = single crochet

Dc = double crochet

Sl St = slip stitch

Tch = turning chain

COMMENCE PATTERN:

Ch 27.

Row 1: Sc in 2^nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (26 sc)

Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc) , *skip next sc, 1 dc in next 3 sc, yo, with hook in front of work, go back and insert hook from front to back into skipped st before the 3-dc group; loosely draw through a loop and bring it up to the height of the 3-dc group; yo and complete dc; rep from * across, end dc in last st. Turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, 1 sc in each dc across including tch. Turn. (26 sc)

Rows 4 - 17: Repeat Rows 2 and 3, ending with Row 3. Do not fasten off.

Work 2 more sc in last st (corner st made) (this will make a 3 sc corner), work a row of sc evenly across side of cloth to corner st, in corner st work 3 sc, work 1 sc in each ch across foundation ch of cloth, in next corner work 3 sc, work a row of sc evenly across side of cloth to corner st, in corner st work 2 more sc (there is already 1 sc present), join with sl st or *invisible join to beg sc. Fasten off.

Another Rnd. of sc in a complementary color may be added, if desired, to mimic photo. 

*For instructions on invisible join, see Tutorial Page in Melinda Miller Designs Ravelry Group.

Copyright - The pattern and photo are copyright 2013 by Melinda Miller. Free for your own personal use only. Per copyright law, do not redistribute (with or without charge) in any form. (Redistributing to others includes by photocopies, scanning, emailing, putting on a CD, posting in Internet forum messages, putting on another web site and any other manner of distribution.)

Kathleen's Dishcloth

Here's another dishcloth for today. I've worked up several and named them after family members. This one is named for my sister Kathleen. She is 2 years older than me and I always looked up to her. We were on the drill team together in high school and had a lot of fun. She now has a set of 3 yr. old twins. I have a granddaughter the same age. Go figure. :) We still have lots of fun together. I hope you enjoy this pattern. It's lots of fun to make, and very pretty too!

_______________________________________________________

SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate Beginner

FINISHED SIZE: 8” square after blocking

MATERIALS: Worsted Weight Cotton, 1 oz.

Crochet hook, size G/4.0 mm

Tapestry needle

STITCHES: Sc = single crochet

Dc = double crochet

COMMENCE PATTERN:

Ch 37.

Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in next ch, *skip next 2 ch, dc in next ch, ch 3, 3 dc around the post of last dc made, skip next 2 ch, dc in each of next 3 ch; rep from * across, turn.

Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 2 dc, *ch 2, sc in next ch-3 loop, ch 2, skip next dc, dc in each of next 3 dc; rep from * across, ending with last dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.

Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first dc, dc in each of next 2 dc, *skip next ch-2 space, dc in next sc, ch 3, 3 dc around the post of last dc made, skip next ch-2 space, dc in each of next 3 dc; rep from * across, ending with last dc in 3rd ch of turning ch, turn.

Rows 4 – 10: Repeat Rows 2 – 3, ending with Row 2. Finish off, weave in ends, block.

Finish with a round of sc in contrasting color around cloth if desired.

This pattern is named after my sister Kathleen, who had beautiful twins at age 49. Whew!

Copyright - The pattern photo is copyright 2009 by Melinda Miller. Free for your own personal use only. Per copyright law, do not redistribute (with or without charge) in any form. (Redistributing to others includes by photocopies, scanning, emailing, putting on a CD, posting in Internet forum messages, putting on another web site and any other manner of distribution.)

Color Wave Dishcloth

SKILL LEVEL: Beginner

MATERIALS: Worsted Weight Cotton

3 colors, 1 oz. Each

Crochet hook size H/5.0mm

Tapestry needle

GAUGE: 7 Sts = 2”

SIZE: 7 ½ “ square after blocking

STITCHES: Sc = single crochet

Dc = double crochet

PATTERN NOTES: Change colors every 2 rows for maximum effect.

Ch 29.

Row 1 (right side): Skip 2 ch (counts as 1 sc), 1 sc into each of next 3 ch, * 1 dc into each of next 4 ch, 1 sc into each of next 4 ch; rep from * to end, turn.

Row 2: Ch 1 (counts as 1 sc), skip first st, 1 sc into each of next 3 sts, *1 dc into each of next 4 sts, 1 sc into each of next 4 sts; rep from * to end working last st into top of turning ch, turn.

Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), skip first st, 1 dc into each of next 3 sts, *1 sc into each of next 4 sts, 1 dc into each of next 4 sts; rep from * to end working last st into top of turning ch, turn.

Row 4: Repeat Row 3.

Rows 5 – 6: Repeat Row 2.

Rows 7 – 8: Repeat Row 3.

Rows 9 – 10: Repeat Row 2.

Rows 11 – 12: Repeat Row 3.

Rows 13 – 14: Repeat Row 2.

Rows 15 – 16: Repeat Row 3.

Rows 17 – 18: Repeat Row 2. Finish off, weave in ends, block.

Copyright - The pattern photo is copyright 2009 by Melinda Miller. Free for your own personal use only. Per copyright law, do not redistribute (with or without charge) in any form. (Redistributing to others includes by photocopies, scanning, emailing, putting on a CD, posting in Internet forum messages, putting on another web site and any other manner of distribution.)