Choke Me With Flowers Crochet Bandana Cowl

If you must, then please choke me with flowers!

I love flowers!

I love quirky names!

Being in lockdown had me deciding to use up some yarn that had been in the stash for a while. The brain cogs started to turn and the idea for this Bandana Cowl was the result. 'Choke Me With Flowers Bandana Cowl'.

This is a lovely warm addition to your wardrobe and comes with a stylish split neck.

You can find the pattern on Ravelry (click here), Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here.

Find Lion Brand Heartland yarn (click here).

Materials:

6mm/J hook for the main body of the Cowl

4mm/G hook for the surface slip stitch and flowers

C1-2 x Lion Brand Heartland in Mammoth Cave 251yd/230m per ball. 27-inch sizing: 382yd/350m.    30-inch sizing: 492yd/450m

C2- 1 x Stylecraft Special Dk in Cream. 322yd/295m per ball. Approx usage total. 27-inch sizing: 76.5yd/70m. 30-inch sizing: 87.4yd/80m

Tapestry Needle.

6mm Beads

Needle and Thread

Scissors

As per usual my hardworking and amazing pattern testers excelled and produced some incredible cowls.

Top Left: Kelly Thompson Shoemaker's test cowl made using Caron Yarn.

Top Right: Bronwyn Bellwood's test cowl made using Elle Gold Yarn.

Bottom: MJ Rose's test cowl made using Lion Brand Pound of Love.

You can follow me on the following:

Facebook: Auburncraft Crochet (click here).

Instagram: Auburn1414 (click here).

I also run a Facebook group in partnership with an Irish Designer: Two Redheads Crochet (click here).

Now to the boring stuff!

You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns. This post may contain affiliate links.

Dragonfly Hide n Seek Crochet Shawl

What fun it is to see the Dragonflies playing Hide n Seek amoungst the flowers and diamonds.

The pattern for Dragonfly Hide N Seek can be found on Ravelry (click here), Etsy click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

hide-9-wm-black-edge.jpg

Dragonfly Hide n Seek Shawl

If you have not noticed or maybe it is your first time visiting my blog, I kind of love dragonflies! I also love flowers!

Dragonflies have a habit of appearing in my work as I keep thinking up new ways to incorporate them into my designs.

The Filet Crochet Technique is used for this project and the stitches are basic. A need for concentrating is there due to the width of the shawl. You have over 300 stitches per row.

I used 2 x Scheepjes Whirl in Shrinking Violet (click here for yarn) for this project.

I worked from the inside of the first ball till completion and then from the outside of the second ball to keep the colours flowing. Once the main body of the shawl was completed, I then worked from the inside of the remaining ball to make the border along the bottom edge. This kept the colours all flowing nicely.

This versatile shawl can be worn many ways.

The testing process is so important to my designs and my hard working testers deserve credit for their efforts. You will always find a page on in my patterns dedicated to showing off their efforts. Some people find having extra pages to a pattern annoying, but to me these people deserve to be credited and so I do. You can choose to omit printing this page if you like. Below is some of their incredible work.

Test Shawl by Angee Hudson. Made using Cotton Kings Twirls Deluxe in Edcora Red.

Test Shawl by Michelle Ross. Made using Nako Angora Luks col 1915.

Test Shawl by Amy Elizabeth Peterson. Made using Redheart Its a Wrap in Rainbow.

Test Shawl by Asra Konzak. Made using Cotton Kings Twirl in Rainbow.

Test Shawl by Jamie Johnson. Made using Cotton Kings Twirl in Yellow Citrine. Approx 1748yds used.

Test Shawl by Stephanie Joann Nolasco. Made using Caron Cakes.

Test Shawl by Michelle Westwood. Made using Lalables

Test Shawl by Cindy Cary. Made using Scheepjes Whirl in Peppermint Patty,

I had someone recently trying to pick my brains about the stitch composition of my Dragonflies as they are (according to the person) neater and more defined than other patterns they have seen. Of course I am not going to state outright how I achieve this as it is in the pattern, but I do have my very own way of combining stitches to achieve my particular Dragonfly.

It may seem mean not to just openly share my method, but this particular shawl has taken over 200 hours from idea, to drawing and then to construction and slowly working its way through the pattern testing process. Imagine asking a plumber, doctor, architect, cleaner or anyone else to share their work processes or work for free! Yeah I don't think this is gonna happen!

You can follow me on the following:

Facebook: Auburncraft Crochet (click here).

Instagram: Auburn1414 (click here).

I also run a Facebook group in partnership with an Irish Designer: Two Redheads Crochet (click here).

Now to the boring stuff!

You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns. This post may contain affiliate links.

6 (un)Helpful Crochet Hints That Could Save Your Project! Maybe!

Helpful crochet hints

1: How to find the yarn tail to pull from the centre of the ball:

This really depends upon whether the Pixie living inside the yarn ball is in a good mood or a bad mood.  They tend to like biscuits, honey and warm milk and so if you speak to them nicely and offer them at least a nice biscuit they may offer the end of the yarn up to you.  Whatever you do, do not annoy them. Get them annoyed and you will end up with a tangled mess and may never find the end of the yarn.  Good luck!

2: How to deal with finding a mistake in your project and the need to Frog (pull the project back to before the mistake).

frog.jpg

Frog it!

There are several different methods that I have used/employed to deal with this situation.  I guess my all-time favourite is throwing the project into the open fire.  It solves the issue of having to Frog (see what that means above).  If you really cannot do this, I do recommend you throw the item across the room and call it names for several minutes.

3: How to deal with people who want you to make them items for nothing.

ugly-sweater.jpg

Perfect item to make certain you never get asked to make anything again!

This can be a really tough one as sometimes (just sometimes) you really don’t want to annoy your friends and family as you may need them at some stage,  so saying a firm ‘no’ may  not be the best answer.  The best thing you can do is make them the item and do a really, really bad job.  Make this the worst thing you have ever crocheted.  I can guarantee they will never again ask you to make something.

4: Those you live with are getting annoyed that you are using the dining table as a blocking board.

filet-shawl-blocking-1.jpg

My Fishing for Luck Shawl Blocking. Pattern available on Ravelry, Etsy and Lovecrafts

Of course, you could just go and buy some blocking boards but really that is just money you could have spent on more yarn. Yes, I do know that most of us have a huge stash that could sink the Titanic but that is another issue altogether.  I suggest visiting a thrift store and buying those little trays that you can sit on your lap, or even a stable table (those things were a fad back in the day and nearly every mother and grandmother ended up with one, so thrift stores are full of the things). Train your family/room mates to eat with their meal on their lap.  Problem solved and everyone is happy.  I think!!!

5: You made your starting chain or foundation row for your exceptionally large blanket too tight.

dog-clipart.jpg

Dogs have super powers

Yeah sure you could Frog the whole thing but who enjoys frogging. A tried and sure-fire method to fix this issue is to give your dog one end of the blanket and encourage a game of tug of war.  Dogs really do have super powers! Keep this up till your chain or foundation row has enough give in it.  If it has not worked then your blanket is probably ripped to bits by the dog anyway, so problem solved!

6:Your child or pet will not let you crochet and is insisting upon being on your lap!

Of course you could get rid of the offender but I know this is not an option for everyone. This is however a simple fix.  Go out and buy a large playpen.  Put your crochet chair inside the playpen and leave the child or pet outside of it.  If you also leave a set of textas with the child and perhaps a full bag of doggie food with the dog. Problem solved and a bit of peace to crochet. I cannot guarantee the condition of the house after several hours of free rein with textas and dog food (note: It is also not a good idea to get these two methods confused. Unless your dog is a budding artist). Crochet time is everything!!!

Disclaimer: No crochet items, children or pets where harmed in the writing of this post. If you took this seriously, then all I can say is 'Really!'

Fanatical Flower Fiend Bandana/Cowl

I decided it was time I designed a Cowl. I decided to use the flower I designed from my Clematis Shawl and turn it into a Cowl.

The results are just amazing and I am extremely pleased with the outcome.

I used Lion Brand Shawl in a Ball for the proto-type and feel this yarn is very suited to this design. Find Lion Brand Shawl in a Ball (click here)

The pattern is available in Uk and Us terms and comes in two sizes. Find it on Ravelry (click here), Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

Materials:

5mm/H hook

1 x Lion Brand shawl in a cake. Pastel Unique Unicorn 481yd/440m per ball.  Total used for 26-inch/66cm approx. 400yd/365m. Total used for 29-inch/73.6cm approx 460yd/420m

This pattern works up very quickly, which is a great bonus if maybe you want to whip something up as a gift for someone. It only uses the one ball of Lion Brand Shawl in a cake.

The process to get this pattern ready to publish is a rather lengthy one! I wish I was perfect but I am not! I make errors or what I like to call 'Boo, Boo's'. I have amassed a great pattern test team over time and I really make them work hard!

My testers are overworked (I work them 24 hours a day, or it seems that way as they are from all over the world, so at least one of them is working at any given time), they are underpaid (I don't pay them at all. They get access to my latest design and a final copy once completed). Even with these tough working conditions, they seem to keep lining up to test for me! I appreciate their efforts to get my patterns ready to publish, as without them they would really be a real mess!

You will notice in my patterns that the last page is always dedicated to thanking these hard working, underpaid heroes. I know some people don't like extra pages to a pattern, but to me it is very important to give credit where it is due.

Below are some of my testers makes:

Test make by Amy Jj. 26-inch sizing. Made using Lion Brand Shawl in a Cake in the colour Jade Pool

Test make by Karen J Best. 29-inch sizing. Made using Sirdar Colourwheel.

Photo Left: 26- inch size. Test cowl by Bronwyn Bellwood. Made using Elle Gold.

Photo Right: 26-inch size. Test Cowl by Jane Wynne. Made using Moda Vera Bouvardia in the colour Canyon Flight.

Test make by Amy Elizabeth Peterson. 26-inch sizing. Made

Lion Brand Shawl in a Cake in the colour Feng Shui Grey

Test make by Nikki Barker. 26-inch sizing. Made using Lion Brand Shawl in a Cake in the colour

Prism.

Test make by Bethany Colhoff. 29-inch sizing. Made using Namaste in Neutral colour.

You can find my patterns on Ravelry (Click here), Etsy (Click here),Lovecrafts (Click here) and Bendigo Woollen Mill (Click here).

Follow me on Instagram Auburn 1414 (click here), Facebook: Auburncraft Crochet (click here) and Two Redheads Crochet (click here).

Now to the boring stuff!

You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns. This post may contain affiliate links.

Pixies and Leprechauns stole my Crochet Hook!

I have a habit of misplacing things!

In reality I don't actually think that I misplace them; I am pretty sure that I have Leprechauns and Pixies that live in my house.

pot-of-gold.jpg

Maybe I could entice the little things with a pot of gold. If only I had one.

Note to self: Ask my Irish designer friend and partner in crime if she knows how to trap a Leprecaun!

These little creatures wait till I am asleep and steal the things they know very well I am going to want to use the next day. My fabric tape measure was missing for several weeks. I eventually found they had returned it and shoved it down the side of the couch. Very Sneaky!

I love my Clover Armour Hooks, but I only have one in a few sizes. My 6mm is gone. No doubt the Pixies found the shiny hook too much to pass up! They don't realise the imposition that they are putting me too. I have had to resort to using a cheap Aluminium hook for my latest design. It is equivalent to entering a Formula One race, while driving a Mazda 3, or attempting Brain Surgery with a Chisel.

6-mm-clover-hook.jpg

Clover Armour

The Clover Hooks glide nicely through the yarn seemingly with no or little effort. I feel like I am wielding a Jack Hammer having to use an inferior hook.

I bet those horrid Pixies and Leprechauns will wait till I have finished this design and then my Clover Hook will appear. I can just imagine their laughter having caused the chaos they wanted.

So if you happen to know how to trap a Pixie or a Leprechaun please let me know and if you speak to one, please ask them to return my 6mm hook.

Ice Queen Crochet Scarf/Cowl

Quote: The White Witch : I can make anything you like. (Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis)

And with that quote in mind, I did go right ahead and make anything I liked!

ice-queen-col-4.jpg

I like things that are unique, quirky and maybe a little odd.

I had this design rattling around in my head for weeks. I had seen a scientists graph somwhere online charting Icicles and instantly my brain decided that this would make a great idea for a crochet design. I did try very hard to resist the urge to purchase the yarn for this, but I already had the cream in stock, so what can a person really do? I gave in and bought a second ball of Bendigo Woollen Mill Luxury to start making it. This arrived by owl mail (yes a Harry Potter reference), but I still did not give in to the urge to start on the design right away.

The design idea refused to leave me alone. It was insistant upon being made. My brain had re-worked it a dozen times over. I had just completed another unique scarf (Moths Ate My Flower Scarf) and was trying to decide what project I would work on next. So I gave in and grabbed my hook and started to create 'Ice Queen'.

The base for this beauty is a simple Sc (US Terms) scarf with tapered ends.

The uniqueness is created with the layer of Surface Slip Stitch over this simple base. Icicles dance from the edges, created by simple chains, puff stitch and slip stitch.

When it came time to name my creation, I had a few names in mind. I wanted the Icicle theme to be apparent in the name and I kept thinking of the Snow Queen in C.S. Lewis Narnia Chronicles. Combining the two themes together created the name 'Ice Queen'.

The Scarf also doubles as a Cowl with the addition of a button and buttonhole. You can also add an extra buttonhole loop near the neckline if you wish to wear it just draped across your shoulder and buttoned at the neck.

So if you would like to feel like an 'Ice Queen', all snug and warm in your very own Scarf/Cowl, now is your chance.

If you have a fear of Surface Slip Stitch, all I can say is DON'T be afraid. It is easy.

The pattern is in written form and is available in both UK and US Terms and is available on:

Ravelry (click here), Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

It comes with many pictures and graphs for the Surface Slip Stitch as well as the written stitches.

Materials Required:(click here) for Bendigo Woollen Mill yarn.

I have some patterns available on Bendigo Woollen Mills Webpage and Ice Queen will be listed on their shortly as well.

  • 5mm hook

  • C1=1 x Bendigo Woollen Mill Luxury 10ply Aran in Cream 300m perball. Approx 220m used

  • C2= 1 x Bendigo Woollen Mill Luxury 8ply Dk in Shadow 400m per ball.Approx. 350m used

  • 1x button approx 45mm/1.77inches (optional)

  • Tapestry Needle

  • Stitch markers

My pattern testers did themselves proud with their crochet abilities. They helped to fine tune the pattern and I know I would be lost without them!!!

Ice Queen Test Scarf by Amanda Haynes. Made using So Crafty Dk in Slate Grey and So Crafty Chunky in Cream.

Ice Queen Test Scarf by Cindy Cary. Made

Bendigo Woollen Mill Luxury in Navy and Aquarium.

Ice Queen Test Scarf by Kathy Mant. Made using Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury in Slate Grey and Cream.

You can follow me on Auburncraft Crochet on Facebook (Click here), Instagram (Click here) and join Two Redheads Crochet on Facebook (Click here). This is a group I jointly run with an Irish Designer, Fiona Campbell.

Now to the boring stuff!

You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns. This post may contain affiliate links.

Frustrations of a Hooker!

What is frustration to a Hooker?

Some actually find being referred to as a hooker a major frustration! Not me that is just fine! Call me a hooker all you want!

Others cannot stand that mess of yarn barf and will actually throw it away or pay someone to untangle it.

Yarn Barf!

My frustration for the day is reaching for a design I have partly done and then looking for the 4mm hook needed to do some on it. Mr. 4mm is in my favourite colour purple and you would think I would know his where-a-bouts given that. But, no, he has left the building. Maybe he got a better offer. Better work conditions. Someone with nicely manicured hands to hold him. Someone who will pack him away nicely into a beautiful hook case with tender loving care, instead of leaving him laying around till he is needed. He didn't leave a note to say he was leaving! Nothing!

Then to add to the frustration, all the silly red 3.5mm hooks and 3mm hooks that I do use quite often and have slowly lost, turned up in my search.

hooks-3.jpg

Red hooks everywhere!

So I am now in a sea of red hooks and not a purple one in sight.

Footnote: Major alert! Call off the search!!!

I found him... He was hiding in amoungst a bag of purple and pink squares I have been designing. Now we are going to have to have a talk about hiding. He could have let me know with a yell or a 'Hey I am here'. Typical male. he knows how much I want him and he is playing hard to get. Well he won't be happy once I give him a few hours of hard labour hooking away!!!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/703981100116431/

https://www.facebook.com/Auburncraft-Crochet-103007401116090/

On The Wings of a Dragonfly Crochet Shawl

Combining Dragonflies and Crochet have become a bit of a thing with me!

I truly love Dragonflies!

I have many designs that incorporate the Dragonfly in them. My Flight of the Dragonfly Blanket was such a huge success that I decided a triangle shawl using the same motif was in order.

On The Wings of a Dragonfly by Auburncraft Design. Made using 1 x Scheepjes Whirl in Salted Caramel Matcha. 3.5mm hook.

This gorgeous shawl pattern is available in Uk and US terms.

The pattern is now available on Ravelry (click here), Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

I used 1x Scheepjes Whirl in Salted Caramel Matcha, with approx 60 to 70 metres remaining of the one cake. To complete the shawl using a single whirl, you will need to meet gauge and keep your tension the same throughout. Two of my incredible pattern testers found that they required a small amount more than the 1000m that comes in one Whirl. Please keep this in mind when ordering yarn.

wings-col-1-1024x711.jpg

On The Wings of a Dragonfly Shawl by Auburncraft Design, Made using 1x Scheepjes Whirl in Salted Caramel Matcha. 3.5mm hook

I originally designed this for use with one Scheepjes Whirl but felt that a solid colour made using quality cotton would be a great use of the design. The pattern for the solid colour made using Bendigo Woollen Mill 4ply Cotton will be available in the next few days.

This pattern has been through the testing process and the feedback from my testers has been very positive. I always try to credit my testers in my patterns. Their work enbles me to offer quality pattern and I value their input greatly.

Below is some of their work:

On The Wings of a Dragonfly test shawl by Michelle Rose. Made using Nako Angora Luks.

On The Wings of a Dragonfly test shawl by Jamie Johnson. Made with Hobbii Twister using just over one cake.

On The Wings of a Dragonfly shawl by Bethany Colhoff. Made using Scheepjes Whirl in Blackcurrant Squeeze Me. Just over one whirl used. 3.5mm hook

On The Wings of a Dragonfly by Elika Rivera. Made using Caron Cotton Cakes: Hydrangea with a 5mm hook

On The Wings of a Dragonfly test shawl by Stephanie Joann Nolasco.

Made using Caron Simply Soft Ombre Teal Zeal. 3.5mm hook

On the Wings of the Dragonfly test shawl by Sandie Leach. Made with Little Favorites by Rea-Unicorn. G/4mm

On The Wings of a Dragonfly in Cotton by Cindy Cary. Made using Bendigo Woollen Mills 4 ply cotton in Parchment. 2.75mm hook. This version will be made into its own pattern for use by BWM. A huge thanks to Cindy for all her work to make this possible!

Now to the boring stuff!

You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns. This post may contain affiliate links.

Crazy World!

The world has finally gone crazy!

Things are not great no matter what part of the world you may be in!

The only thing left to do is CROCHET!

So many people are looking to their crochet as they know it is a great stress reliever.

Myself and with another designer, the incredible Fiona from Flo's crafty crochet, run a great little crochet group on facebook. So if you are looking to find a group that is still positive and a happy place, pop over to the group.

Click the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/703981100116431/

You can also follow us on our individual crochet pages:

https://www.facebook.com/Auburncraft-Crochet-103007401116090/

https://www.facebook.com/floscraftycrochet/?eid=ARDZYLPf_U1RS-6R88dE91rq3yxvXRWHv-qHUFWEc__kgz8NGVLEgAgjvq3k00JIiDVKK9IeTKaQoLwU

We run designer of the month focus takeovers and the odd giveaway. A new giveaway will begin tomorrow (20/19 March).

If you are a designer we allow self promotion on weekends.

Crochet is our Happy Place!

Moths Ate My Flower Scarf

This Scarf started out life as a plain old rectangle. I drew up my design and it was too perfect. Too symmetrical! My mind kept looking at ways to make it a little more unique!

Moths Ate My Flower Scarf. Made using Scheepjes Whirl in Night Time Bubbles.

Then the idea of a scarf that had been eaten by moths popped into my head. So this is my take on a shawl attacked my moths.

The result is a rather unique scarf which drapes nicely around the shoulders due to the Moth Eaten sections.

Designed for use with one cake of Scheepjes Whirl.

The pattern is now available on Ravelry (click here), Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts (clickhere).

Materials:

3.5mm Hook

1x Scheepjes Whirl Night-Time Bubbles. 215-225 Grams = 1000m/1093yd per ball.  Approx 150m/164yd of one whirl left over.

Finished Measurements:

63inches/160cm long.

13 ½ inches/34.2cm wide. Measured across widest section of the shawl.

This scarf has been in the hands of my capable testers and as usual they produced some fabulous test scarves. These testers make my patterns what they are, without them, those making this Scarf really could end up with a dress or jumper instead of the intended scarf. I feel it very important to show off their efforts and I also do so in my patterns. Some of their makes are shown below. As you can see, the scarf can take on so many different looks depending upon yarn choice.

christy-allen-moths.jpg

One of my incredible testers, Christy Allen, rocking her Moths Ate My Flower Scarf. Made using Lion Brand Mandala in the colour Wood Nymph!

michelle-westwood-moth-col.jpg

Looking great in Scheepjes Whirl, Black Forest Zinger. By Michelle Westwood

bethany-moth-col.jpg

Bethany Colhoff models her ve

rsion of 'Moths Ate My Flower Scarf'. Yarn: Redheart It's A Wrap in Rainbow. Bethany did less repeats of the pattern due to the yarn amounts she had available.

kelly-and-jeannette-moth-1.jpg

Taking on a beautiful Spring look here. Left: Jeannette Cripps used Scheepjes Whirl for her test Scarf. Right: Kelly M. Titus used Lion Brand Cupcakes.

hannah-moth-col.jpg

Looking very Autumn! Test Scarf by Hannah Schmuker. Yarn: Lion Brand Cupcakes.

Now to the boring stuff! You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns.

This post may contain affiliate links!

Vintage Bouquet for Bethany

I originally designed this blanket for use with a slow colour change yarn. Then I decided that it could look incredible with a Vintage twist to it.

Vintage Bouquet for Bethany Blanket. Made using quality Bendigo Woollen Mills 8 ply cotton in Latte Colour.

Vintage Bouquet for Bethany is a blanket that will stand the test of time. It would make a fabulous choice for a Christening or Naming Day Blanket and has an elegance to it that turns heads.

It uses the same concept as its sister blanket Bouquet for Bethany but made in a solid cotton with the added embroidery feature at the border.

I used Bendigo Woollen Mills 8ply Dk cotton. This is a super soft, quality cotton and well worth using.

The pattern can be found on Ravelry (click here), Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

Please give it some love and favourite or write a comment. The pattern is available in Uk and US terms and has photographs and graphs to help.

Materials:

3.5mm hook

Blanket:

  • C1=4x Bendigo Woollen Mill 4ply Cotton Latte 670 metres/732 yards perball. This is a Fingering Weight. Approx 2300m/2515yd total used

Embroidery:

  • C2=Approx 200m/218yd Bendigo Woollen Mill 8 ply Dk Pink Rose

  • C3=Approx 100m/109yd Bendigo Woollen Mill 8 ply Dk Pine Lime

I am extremely fortunate to have some incredible pattern testers. They help to make my patterns what they are. Below is some of their work on this patterns:

Test blanket by Cindy Cary. Made from Bendigo Woollen Mill 8ply Dk cotton in Parchment. The embroidery is done with BWM Blush and Pine Lime.

Test blanket by Kathy Mant. Made from Bendigo Woollen Mills Cotton 8ply Dk in Snow.

Also available is Bouquet for Bethany. This is made from Scheepjes whirl and whirlette and does not have the embroidery feature in the border. Follow this link (click here) to read about this Version.

Now to the boring stuff! You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns.

Bouquet for Bethany Blanket

Sometimes a pattern design comes out better than you could have ever imagined. this is one of those times!

Bouquet for Bethany Blanket uses the same concept as my Flight of the Dragonflies Blanket, but has the gorgeous stemmed flowers as a feature. It is worked in the round with the pattern being in written form, with added graphs and photographs.

Bouquet for Bethany in Scheepjes Whirl, Cotton Candy and Whirlette in Grapefruit

The pattern can be found on Ravelry (click here), Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts.

Please give it some love and favourite or write a comment.The blanket is available in two different version (purchase which suits your needs). This version was made from Scheepjes Whirl and Whirlette as I showcase it with a slow colour change yarn. It can look just as fabulous using yarns such as Hobbii Twister or Lola, anything with that lovely graded colour change.

Bouquet for Bethany in Scheepjes Whirl, Cotton Candy and Whirlette in Grapefruit

My hard working pattern testers did a incredible job as usual. They have spent the last 5 weeks pouring over the pattern and finding what I like to call my Boo, Boo's! They produced some incredible blankets, all with their own originality due to colour and yarn choice. Some of their work is featured below:

Test Blanket by Carrie Skach. Made using Scheepjes Whirl in Watermelon Hellraiser and Scheepjes Whirlette in Licorice.

simone-bethany-col-1.jpg

Test Blanket by Simone Howes. Made from Scheepjes Whirl in Licorice Yum Yum and Scheepjes Whirlette in Ice.

Test Blanket by Michelle Rose. Made from Nako Angora Luks Color 81909

Materials:

3.5mm hook

Colour 1-1x Scheepjes Whirl in Cotton Candy 1000m/1093yd

Colour 2-3x Scheepjes Whirlette in Grapefruit. 455m/497yd per ball.  Approx 1110m/1213yd of Whirlette used

Also available is Vintage Bouquet for Bethany. This is made from quality Bendigo Woollen Mill Cotton and has an embroidery feature in the border. Follow this link (click here) to read about the Vintage Version.

Now to the boring stuff! You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns.

Crochet Design is Hard Work!

Just ask my computer!

I am apparently quite hard on my computers (according to my tech guy). The hours I spend writing up patterns and editing pictures drives most of my poor computers right over the edge, so to speak!

In the past 18 months I have gone through two computers. They both died a slow painful hinge death. Once the hinge goes, the case cracks and it is all downhill from there.

I know I should have learnt my lesson with the second computer hinge and taken it straight to the computer techs to fix it. But I am sure everyone knows how things tend to creep up on you. I told my tech guy that I had dabbed a little bit of WD40 onto the hinge and he was less than impressed. This is (according to him) almost like sudden death to a hinge. It attracts more dust etc to the troubled spot. The look on his face, when I told him of my handwork with the spray can, was quite priceless. He was trying to be diplomatic and tell me of my error, but I could see he really just wanted to jump the desk and slap me a time or two.

The tech guys updated my computer with one that has an almost industrial type casing. Bet they think I can't break that!

I think they are considering me for a job as a product tester. If any computer can stand up to the punishment, I put it through then it must be GOOD!

broken-computer.jpg

So today, here I am working away on a new crochet design that needs to get to the testers. This pattern has a heap of pictures. I am editing this picture and so what does my idiot computer go and do? It froze! It would not unfreeze. Begging it to do so had no affect at all! Selfish thing! So I had to close it down and reopen. All the while I am thinking, 'did I save my work?' Apparently not! Why would I do something that sensible?

I lost 2 hours of work on my crochet design! The selfish computer should have thought of that, but no it had to go and freeze. I am quite sure it had nothing to do with the fact that I had approx. 45 open pictures in editing, probably around 30 different pages also open on the computer and I was also watching an episode of the Good Doctor and had not shut that. Still if the computer can't cope with that and doesn't want to work hard enough and do a good job, then I doubt this one is going to last all that long either. I thought about throwing it on the floor and jumping on it, but I could just see my tech guys face when I tried to explain that one!

Ah well, back to pattern editing!

red-yarn.png

A New Design is Coming!

Having survived Christmas and made my way into 2020, I was extremely happy to get two new blanket designs off to my testers. My testers were all really glad to be released from the locked room I keep them in and allowed to get to work on the roughly 28 pages of the pattern put in front of them. A couple of them complained about not being allowed to go home for Christmas, but I did allow them some turkey scraps, so they should all be good to work! If I can force them to all work really hard, not sleep and generally crochet 24 hours a day, I am hoping to have the designs really to publish towards the end of February.

I made a promise to one of my testers a few months back that I would name a design after her and so I named the two blankets, Bouquet for Bethany Blanket and Vintage Bouquet for Bethany Blanket.

The blankets are a mixture of Filet work and Popcorn stitches and I am really looking forward to publishing them. The patterns are similar, with one using a solid yarn and having a variation on the border to make it an individual design. The other a slow colour change yarn for a completely different look. Vintage Bouquet for Bethany is made using Bendigo Woollen Mill 4ply cotton and Bouquet for Bethany I have done in Scheepjes Whirl.

Yarn and colour choice can take a design and change the look of it completely. It then becomes an extension of the person making it with their choices.

bouquet-blog-wme-10.jpg

Sneak peek Vintage Bouquet for Bethany Blanket coming soon.

I have been using Scheepjes Whirl yarn a bit over the last few months and had some success with my Flight of the Dragonflies Blanket and my Fishing for Luck Shawl. Both have been accepted well and are proving to be my top sellers.

Fishing for Luck Shawl is available on: Etsy (click here).Ravelry (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

Flight of the Dragonfly Blanket is available on: Etsy (click here). Ravelry (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here)

Left: Fishing for Luck Shawl. Right: Dragonflies in Flight Blanket.

I have quite a number of partially completed original designs on the hook at present and should have some great things coming in 2020.

Thanks to everyone who supported my designs and patterns in the past 12 months. I appreciate it!

Now to the boring stuff! You are welcome to sell items made from my patterns, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work goes into the designing and producing of my patterns.

If you purchase/download my patterns, they are for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns.

As Australia Burns!

The fires here in Australia are of a magnitude that can only be described as a National Disaster. Many people have lost homes,property and some their lives. The fires not only affect people but have and are having a massive impact on our wildlife.

Many of us are not in a position to help in huge ways but little things count. So if you are asking yourself what can I do to help?

If you craft, sew, knit, crochet you can help. There are several organisations here in Australia that are working madly to make pouches for injured wildlife. Here are a couple of links to, two of these groups:

The Animal Rescue Craft Guild

https://www.facebook.com/arfsncrafts/?tn-str=k*F&hc_location=group_dialog

The Animal Rescue Collective Craft Guild

https://www.facebook.com/groups/arfsncrafts/

Link to Audio from 3AW radio with Spokesperson for one of the Australian Animal Rescue Guilds Avalon Llwellyn. https://www.3aw.com.au/knitters-from-all-over-the-world-unite-to-help-australian-animals-affected-by-bushfire/?fbclid=IwAR1cq7v0ngWbkx78VsZoOmMMlQdzsjIfnKKPYFsDy0aHEY8cqtnwkcMSDcw

wildlife-pouch.jpg

Shared post from Animal Rescue Craft Guild

One person from these groups that I had contact with, told me that wildlife carers are reporting things such as 1000's of bats just dropping from the sky. Those that survive need wraps to recover in.

These people are co-ordinating the making of pouches and wraps for injured wildlife. If you have the skill and ability to make pouches out of fabric, knit or crochet, you can then help in this way.

Not everyone has the ability or time for this but I know many of us have yarn stashes that we can never work our way through in this lifetime. The groups listed above have thousands of people who work making pouches etc, but many of these helpers are pensioners, so getting some free yarn helps. Any Wool, acrylic, cotton, bamboo, alpaca are all fine! The donated yarn is then distributed out to those who can make the pouches. So I encourage everyone to go through your yarn stashes and help in this small way.

I have already sorted through my yarn stash and sent a massive bag to them. Such a small thing to do to help and anything is better than nothing.

A few weeks back I gave my new crochet Hygge Shawl to a local radio station to auction or raffle to help the wildlife effected by the fires. Again this is a small thing but add all those small things together and we can make a difference.

Hygge Shawl

If you are able to help make pouches or donate yarn, click on one of the links in my post and message those in charge of these organisations.

Bendigo Woollen Mills have just announced that they will be donating $1 from every ball sold in the month of January to the bushfire disaster appeal. This is really nice yarn and many of my patterns use their yarns. So you now have the chance of increasing your yarn stash, while helping the bushfire victims.

One of my head warmers is made from Bendigo Luxury and my Mosaic and Dragonfly Patch blankets are made from their cotton. One of my flower blankets which will be up to test shortly is made from their 4 ply

https://www.bendigowoollenmills.com.au/

SMALL THINGS, WHEN ADDED TOGETHER BECOME BIG THINGS!

tawny.jpg

Tawny Frogmouth in a crochet nest

Two Redheads Crochet Pattern Give-away

This year, a designer friend and I decided to start a Facebook group which combines our love of crochet, our businesses and a whole pile of other people (including other designers) who share our interest.

The Designers in our group are welcome to post their patterns on weekends, using the tag #wickedweekend. This is great for the Designers and also prevents the group being over run by Designer posts every day.

The group is slowly growing and we have implemented a Designer of the Month program. Each month a new designer has free reign to run giveaways and promote their patterns whenever they want.

My partner in crime in this venture is an Irish Designer who runs Flo's Crafty Crochet. Our partnership works well as when she is awake in Ireland I am sleeping in Australia. So one of us is usually around to tend to our group.

To get our Designer focus months started Fiona became Novembers Designer of the Month. This month I am Decembers Designer (Auburncraft Crochet).

It has been a fun month with pattern give-aways and competitions. At present I have a competition running for a copy of my Flight of the Dragonfly pattern. So if you would like to join in and win a copy of my Flight of the Dragonfly Blanket Pattern, join Two Redheads Crochet on Facebook (click here).

Flight of the Dragonfly Blanket

Two Redheads Crochet on Facebook

Auburncraft Crochet on Ravelry (click here).

Flo's Crafty Crochet on Ravelry (click here).

Flight of The Dragonfly on Ravelry (Click here)

Flight of The Dragonfly on Etsy (Click here)

The Dragonfly Patch Crochet Blanket

The Dragonfly Patch Crochet Blanket

What could be better than a patch of dragonflies? I love dragonflies and am always looking at new ways to incorporate them into my designs.

I really have a thing for Dragonflies! I love days where you see them! A buzz of wings and they are gone on their way, about their day! You can try to chase them but they are not going to be caught!

I have to say I am pretty pleased with the end result of this design. The motif squares measure roughtly 25.4cm/10 inches (depending upon hook, yarn choice and tension).

The sky is the limit for how large you want this beauty to be, as it can easily be made larger with more motif squares added.

I used Bendigo Woollen Mill 8ply Cotton for this. The BWM cotton is a super soft yarn which is lovely to work with. Many different yarns could be used as a substitute.

The pattern can be found on Ravelry (Click Here), Etsy (Click Here) and on Lovecrafts (Click Here). I also have a pattern giveaway happening on my Facebook group, Two Redheads Crochet (Click here).

Materials
3.5mm hook
C1=1 x Bendigo Woollen Mill 8ply/Dk Cotton in Daffodil 485m/530yd per ball. Approx 400m/437yd used.
C2=1 x Bendigo Woollen Mill 8ply/Dk Cotton in Honeydew 485m/530yd per ball. Approx 400m/437yd used.
C3=1 x Bendigo Woollen Mill 8ply/Dk Cotton in Kiwi 485m/530yd per ball. Approx 400m/437yd used.
C4=2 x Bendigo Woollen Mill 8ply/Dk Cotton in Parchment 485m/530yd per ball. Approx -650m/710yd used.
Scissors
Tapestry Needle

The pattern comes with separate copies for Uk terms and USA terms. It has many photos to help along the way.

Pattern testing is a huge part of getting a design ready to publish. I am lucky enough to have some really incredible people who test for me. They have amazing patience and tolerance to my errors, or what I like to refer to as my boo, boos. Below is a few examples of their work.

Test Blanket: Made by Cindy Cary using Bendigo Woollen Mills 8ply Cotton in Daffodil, Pink Rose, Artic and Teal.

Test Blanket by Debbie Schell Kirkland, made using Bernat Baby Sport in Lavender and Cream.


left: Test Blanket by Kathy Mant.  Made using Bendigo Woollen Mill 8 ply cotton in Artic, Daffodil, Cream and Pine Lime.
Centre: Test Blanket by Lindsay Broussard Silvestrini. Made using Caron Simply Soft.

Right: Test Blanket by Elika Rivera. Made using Red Heart with Love in Grape Jam, Boysenberry, Lilac and White.


Test Blanket by Michelle Westwood.  Made using Paintbox Simply Dk and a 4mm hook

Yarn Suppliers:

Bendigo Woollen Mill 8 ply Cotton. This was used in the main design and by two of the testers, (click here).

Caron Simply Soft. This was used by one tester, (click here)

Red Heart With Love. This was used by one tester, (search google for closest supplier).

Bernat Baby Sport. This was used by one tester, (click here).

Paintbox Simpy Dk. This was used by one tester, (click here).

Now to the boring stuff! You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

Many hours of work has gone into the designing and producing of this pattern.

You are purchasing/downloading this pattern for personal use only. Please note my patterns and my images are copyright protected, please do not use my images to sell your items. No pattern or photograph may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission of Auburncraft Design. Please do not copy, rewrite, or redistribute this pattern as your own or otherwise. Just because you can copy does not mean you should. Please do not resell my patterns.

There will be a giveaway of one copy of the pattern in the next few weeks in my crochet group Two Redheads crochet on Facebook (click here).

This post may contain affiliate links.