The Tale of the Red Yarn! A crochet story.

Whenever I catch a flight anywhere, I take my WIP.

.I look at the poor saps in the seat across the aisle attempting to read the boring in-flight magazine, that is tucked into the seat pocket in front of you.  They look bored out of their brains.

.But not me I have my WIP.  I wile away the time getting in a few hours on whatever project I decided to take with me.  I can forget that the smiling toddler in the seat behind me, is setting a new record for how many times, they can kick the back of my seat.  The toddlers Mother and Grandmother are doing a stellar job of trying to keep, not only this toddler, but their tiny baby amused (maybe I should underline trying).

One particular day I was making simple headbands.  I had a very nice ball of brilliant Red Shepard Dk.  I don't work with Red very often and I am not really all that much a fan of red, but a friend loves it beyond anything and I was making it for her!.  It is an odd day if you catch her wearing an outfit that does not have red in it.  So I was whipping up this headband!

I was seated in an Aisle seat and as soon as my behind hit the seat, out came the crochet.  I popped the ball of yarn onto my lap taking care to ravel just what I needed, as I worked.  As we took off,  I continued working away, happy in my own little crochete bubble.

The plane was still climbing with everyone nicely strapped into their seats,  when I found, I needed more yarn off the ball.  I gave a gentle tug, hoping to unravel a bit more.  There was slight resistance and so I looked down at my lap.   The yarn was not there. This is right about when I started to have that 'Oh, no' feeling.With a sense of dread.

I looked down at my feet (hoping it may have just dropped and it would be sitting there), but the yarn had other ideas. It had fallen off my lap and had travelled under the seat.  I turned and followed its escape path, out from under my seat.

 It had made its way  down the aisle and right to the back of the plane. I was seated, perhaps just past mid centre of the plane.  The wayward ball was on a mission and with the angle the plane was on for take off, it had  started to roll and then, just kept on going.  I had visions of it yelling 'I'm free, I'm free, as it escaped to the back of the plane!

There at the back, centre, of the plane sat a male flight attendant, strapped in for take off. In his lap  was a fully unravelled  ball of red yarn. I  looked at him with horror on my face,  embarrassed beyond belief.  I mouthed the words 'Sorry!'   He just smiled.

Several of the aisle seat passengers behind me, had huge smiles on their faces, as no doubt they had witnessed the yarn's escape.

Once the plane had levelled out, I snuck another look at the flight attendant. He was busily  winding up my ball of yarn.  He then slowly walked back up the aisle, rewinding it as he went.

Thankfully he had  a sense of humour and found the situation to be quite funny.

I didn't!

So if you are travelling with your yarn, be sure it does not try to hatch an escape plan!

The Goldilocks Method of Designing Crochet.

You know that feeling! You get a brilliant idea and in your head it is epic!

This is going to be bigger than Ben Hur (Or that is what the saying is, I think?).

You map it out in your head and the sheer magnitude of just how brilliant this idea is, makes your head a few sizes too large for the gorgeous crochet beanie you made last week!

Of course whilst in your head this design works PER-FECT-LY.... Every stitch lines up and it all falls into place to create a piece of crochet that a Queen would wish to have adorning her in some manner or other.

Then you begin working on this masterpiece. You try one lot of yarn, and it doesn't work that great. Maybe the texture is too rough. You try another lot and it is way too soft. Then you try a third lot and it seems just right.

You grab your 5mm hook and do a few rows. Turns out it's too big.

You work a few rows in your 4mm and you guessed it, it is too small. By this time you can hear your 4.5mm grumbling from the hook storage. 'Told you I was the right size. You should have picked me in the first place'.

Sure enough the 4.5mm is just right and it did have a point, you should have listened.

Single Crochet.

You think you are now ready to whip up this masterpiece and begin using Single Crochet (US). You work up a large portion of the design, but the further on you get, you start to think that this stitch is maybe not right for the design. Maybe this will not work. You work slower, so you can ponder how you could possibly be wrong. It worked so well in your head. Eventually you are working one stitch a minute. Your brain is stating in loud terms that IT WILL NOT WORK. The realization dawns on you that it JUST AIN'T GONNA WORK, and a frogging you go.

Your vision begins to shift. This new idea will work, it will be super fabulous for sure. How could you have missed this?

Half Double Crochet.

Half Double Crochet may well be the way to go with this. This will work! This will be great! Fantastic! Fabulous! You may be awarded Queen of the world with this design, butttttttttt....... you get to about the same point you were at with the Single Crochet and just KNOW it is NOT SO!

By this time the new, fabulous, incredible design has had the gift of flight bestowed upon it (you chuck it across the room and leave it there for a few hours.)

Waist coat stitch.

Waist Coat Stitch. This is it! This is the one!! This will be raised above all others and become legend in this design. People will queue for hours to view the crochet artistry that you have designed with this stitch. As you work, you realise that this is quite true. It does work. It is right. Wonderful even. You work harder and faster knowing that those queues of crochet fans will be waiting to view your masterpiece.

Again your head has grown a few sizes too large for that beanie, and you realise the day is gone. It is late and suddenly you feel like eating a large bowl of porridge. You must have one! You have been working very hard all day on this so deserve it!!!!!

You are now so exhausted from your day of frogging that you also require a nap. You go looking for a bed, but you do need to find one that is JUST RIGHT!

The Goldilocks Method of Crochet Design is a patented method used by Auburncraft Design. No bears were harmed in the making of this method of crochet design, although several bowls of porridge were eaten.

Auburncraft Crochet Design Webpage is Open for Business

Quoting Forest Gump! Life is like a box of chocolates!

I guess that is true with most things although I do find that most times when I reach for a choccie from that box it is often a Turkish Delight. I don’t much like Turkish Delight!

I have the mind set that no matter what life throws at you, just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Small steps are okay as long as they take you where you need to be! Nothing comes easy and anything worth doing will take time.

But back to crochet. I really needed a new web page. The only option was to do it myself I have spent over 200 hours on this web page.. So what you are viewing on my new page is all my work. The clip art is mine. If something is too big or doesn’t work then that is mine too! If you find a link that doesn’t work then please let me know (gently though as I may cry).

I hope those visiting will enjoy my webpage and nosey around . Subscribe so I can keep pestering you!

Yep I drew this too!

You Know Your Yarn Stash is too Big When.........?

Who said that?

Totally not going to tolerate that sort of statement from anyone! My yarn stash is not too big, nor could it ever be too big!

Just because I have searched for two hours trying to find that elusive ball of pink Stylecraft Special Dk that I know I have somewhere, and I cannot find it, that does NOT mean I have a stash issue.

Sure I will admit I have more yarn than I can probably use in my remaining lifetime but how much is too much? And really what is the point of only buying one of something? I may need more than one and if I don't buy it then, the dye lot may well be different. Imagine all that work on something only to find it looks odd due to different dye lots! Unbearable!

And I actually gave this lot away to someone. I must get some points for that!

I can still get inside my front door and do have SOME room to move around. It is also great exercise leaping over tubs of yarn!

Is it really my fault that I think up a new design and none of the yarn I have seems to be JUST RIGHT, resulting in an order being placed or a trip to the local LYS?

No, it is not!

I have been extremely fruggle this year! I have only purchased 2 skeins of yarn!

I know I have used a ton more than that, so I could almost say my yarn stash is in deficit, comparing it to what it was, that is.

Maybe I should go visit the LYS and stock up! After all I wouldn't want to run out of yarn!!!

Disclaimer: The amount of yarn I have in my stash may have been grossly over exaggerated. Yes I do have too much but my house is not overrun with yarn! No Skeins of yarn were harmed in the writing of this blog post (but I did squeeze a few of them and exclaim how soft they were!).

Crochet It's a Fairytale!

My kids grew up with me reading them all the old Fairytale stories. They each had their favourites.

Well the older two did. The youngest took great pleasure in making me read a book about combine harvesters, tractors and potato harvesting over and over and over........................ till the very thought of potatoes made me ill. That book was a gift from a friend. Needless to say we are no longer friends! Trying to sound enthusiastic about a conveyer belt full of pototoes is pretty darn hard!

But back to the fairytales! Life is sure not like a fairytale for most of us, but maybe it should be!

I got to thinking about how much better life would have been for these fairy tale characters if they had, the ability to crochet?

Think about all the things they could have achieved if they had this unique ability to hook along with the best of us.

The Ugly Duckling would have been strutting around in a lovely crochet sweater. Not so ugly any more!

Hansel and Gretel could have left a long Chain of crochet to help them find their way back home.

The Emperor in the Emperors new clothes would not have needed fine invisible clothes. He would have had a drawer full of granny square outfits to wear.

Little Red Riding Hood's cape would have really popped, having been made from a lovely red toned yarn and any wolf would have been sure to get the yarn stuck in his teeth, making the idea of eating her a lot less appealing!

Rupunzel could have whipped up a nice rope ladder scarf to make her escape with. With the ability to crochet her escape would have been swift and assured.

She could make her escape by dantily climbing down that beautifully crochet scarf, head to the nearest Spa and get herself cleaned up and begin her own life (just thinking of all those years locked away in a tower that didn't even appear to have a bathroom). She could open a little business selling handmade crochet scarves and certainly would not have needed someone to save her!

Think about Sleeping Beauty! With all this social distancing the Prince would have been really frowned upon, just turning up and planting a kiss on a damsel sound asleep. Now if Sleeping Beauty had been a crocheter it would have been a simple thing to wake her. The Prince could have kept his distance and yelled 'HALF PRICE YARN SALE'. Sleeping Beauty would have jumped up and made a dash to her nearest yarn store and again problem solved!

The mind boggles with what these characters could have been with their hobby of crochet. They most certainly would have been a lot more chill with this calming ability.

Billy Thunder Crochet Tote

Sometimes when I design, I begin with an idea in my head and it tends to morph as it progresses. I may get an idea part way through, suddenly change course and the design changes.

This was very much the case with this design. I had already begun to make the Tote when I decided it needed beads. I found myself thinking of ways to stiffen the edges of the Tote by thinking a little bit outside the square. I ended up using plastic clothes line, inside the edges, and I added stiffness to the base of the design with a layer of pvc plastic, sandwiched between the crochet.

I am very happy with the end results!

I chose to use Patons cotton blend DK simply as I had some in my stash and I rather liked the idea of using black. I also wanted my beads to shine through and be a contrast to the black.

My only complaint with using black is the horror it is, trying to get decent clear pictures. The pattern has pictures of most rows to help with stitch placement and count.

Most rows of the pattern have pictures.

I spent a bit of time looking at the Tote and trying to think of a name for it. Nothing was really jumping out at me and then I thought about the colour cotton I had used. This prompted me to choose a name.

So introducing the 'Billy Thunder Tote'. Named as a tribute to a squatter who decided to move into our house a few years ago.

The following is the story behind the name:

One very cold winter a few years ago we discovered that a stray cat had been sneaking into our house and curling up on one of the beds in one of our now grown childrens rooms. It was caught sneaking back out the door, which was promptly locked in an attempt to keep this interloper out.

The cat had a collar on, so we assumed he had owners. We discovered soon enough that he did not.

Over the next couple of weeks, we had a number of sleepless nights due to this cat crying outside our bedroom window. I vividly recall one night when the men in the family were away racing motocross, that I resorted to banging a saucepan outside the house in an attempt to get the cat to stop. The cat had no intention of doing so. It had already decided it now lived in our house and was letting us know, he did not approve of being locked out of his home.

My husband and I have always loved animals and at one stage in our lives had, two horses, three dogs, over a hundred very large goldfish and our property was and is the home of a mob of kangaroos. But we were now at a stage where we really only had the one dog and the fish (and the mob) and were happy with that.

I found myself leaving food outside for this cat without telling my husband. I then discovered my husband was doing the same. Both of us are softies when it comes to animals, and neither of us wanted the cat hungry.

Slowly the cat moved in! He already felt he owned the place and was allowing us to reside there with him.

He didn't have a name and my husband kept suggesting some pretty terrible names for him. I believe one of his first suggestions was 'Pushkas'. I remember just looking at him with a 'what the' expression on my face with that one!

We couldn't call him any of the names I had yelled at him during the sleepless nights and the saucepan banging. This name choosing went on for a number of weeks with me vetoing the suggestions put forward. I kept telling my husband that I refused to be seen calling out some of his suggested cat names. He eventually decided to name him 'Billy' as he would now come up and rub his head against him. He said it was like a billy goat head butting him.

I was still not totally wrapped with this suggestion until I remembered a children's novel all my kids had read named 'Billy Thunder and the Night Gate'. This is a brilliant book by Isobelle Carmody!

So I began calling OUR cat 'Billy Thunder' and the name caught on. It slowly got extended to 'Billy Thunder Cat'.

It also suits him as he was very vocal with his necessity (demand) to live with us.

Billy is a very plain, all black cat ( you cannot count the tiny smudge of white under his chin) with a lovely nature and so the black yarn made me think of him.

So this one is for Billy Thunder! Interloper, squatter and now (in his opinion) ruler of our house!

And yes I am quite happy to be seen calling out 'Billy Thunder Cat', it just seems right!

As for the Tote, it is now in testing and the pattern will be released on my Ravelry and Love Crochet pages in a few weeks. So stay tuned for the release!

This post may contain affiliate links.

Too many crochet design ideas!

My car NOT!

So there I am, driving to the gym in my little 4wd bomb (note in the picture I wrote blue on it as mine is blue, mine also has a roof and if you need more detail I have a sticker on the back that says 'help zombies ate my stick family').

Don't trust Zombies!

I should be focusing on the road ahead and just getting to the gym, but no..... I have this light bulb flashing on and off in my head. Stupid thing won't go away. The little creatures living in my brain are saying 'Don't think about driving the car. We have this great idea for a crochet design. Trust us it will be IN-CRED-IBLE! You need to think about this'.

Inside my head!

It is a lucky thing I can multi-task and think about this design, while managing to stay on the road at the same time. By the time I got to the gym, I had pretty well planned this whole design. I had the whole thing sorted in my head as to how I would make it. Sure I need another design, it isn't as though I have about 15 sitting partly done as I keep thinking of things and getting started on them, then swapping over to another design.

What I really need to do is clone myself a few times. The clones can be then forced to work in sweat shop type conditions, producing my ideas. Of course I will feed them if they work hard enough. This could all backfire! Knowing me, all the clones would have crochet design ideas of their own and down crochet hooks to ponder on them. Then they would all start making their own ideas, getting another idea, repeat, repeat, repeat!!!! It could be a nightmare. Something to think about I guess!

A Prison for Flowers Crochet Shawl

Where do flowers go when they misbehave? You will find them locked away in a prison made of diamonds.

Locked away inside a Prison of Diamonds the Flowers look to each other but cannot touch. They see beyond the filet fencing (filet holes) to the garden outside. Nestled in the centre of this garden (border), locked in their own triangle prisons are individual Tulips. Together but forever apart!

A Prison for Flowers Shawl. Woltraum My Melody.

A Prison for Flowers is a delicate shawl with a lovely lace edging. This shawl works up beautifully in many different yarns.

This was a lock down project for me and I used 2 different cakes of Woltraum My Melody with a total yarn usage of 1100 metres.

The pattern is also available formatted for use with Bendigo Woollen Mill 4ply Cotton. This wil be available soon at Bendigo woollen mill.

The pattern is available on Ravelry (click here), Etsy (click here), Bendigo Woollen Mills (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

Materials:

3.5mm hook

1x Woltraum My Melody 4ply.  Approx amount used 1000m/1093yd to 1100m/1202yd.

Tapestry Needle.

Scissors.

Woltraum My Melody

Yarn Substitutes:

Scheepjes Whirl (click here)

Scheepjes Whirl Fine Art (click here)

Lana Grossa Twisted Summer Shades (click here) 

Rico Creative Cotton Degrade Print (click)

I had some very capable pattern testers for this project and their work is just beautiful. These testers are what makes my patterns what they are. They find all my silly errors and show just how different a project can be in their chosen yarns and colour choices. They chose varied yarns to work in and have produced some stunning shawls.

I was also extremely fortunate to have Kerri Nosworthy in my test team working in Bendigo Woollen Mill yarn. This has meant I can also offer the pattern for sale through Bendigo Mill. So a massive huge thank you to Kerri.

Test Shawl. By Kerri Nosworthy. Gorgeous in Bendigo Woollen Mill 4 Ply cotton. Parchement and Teal.

Test Shawl by MJ Rose. Made using Yarn Bee Wrapsody in Crimson Poppies.

Test Shawl by Amy Elizabeth Peterson. Made using Rea Favourites Little Club Yarn.

Test Shawl by Sallyanne Fisher. Made using Yarn Bee Rainbow Wrapsody in The Slate Divide. Background is embroidery done by my Grandmother. She gifted this to me when I was very young and I have treasured it ever since. It hangs in a frame on my wall.

Test Shawl by Nikki Barker. Made using Red Heart It's a Wrap Rainbow yarn. I have never been a fan of the colour green but this work of Nikki's is bending my thoughts towards green, as this is gorgeous.

More photos of Nikki's shawl.

Test Shawl by Ruth Tipping. Made using Scheepjes Whirl in Turkish Delight.

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. You cannot manufacture and mass produce my designs for 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 or any part of it 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.

Auburncraft Crochet Design is moving

In the next few weeks I will be moving my online presence to a new webpage which will have a pattern store and blog all combined into one place. Wordpress can be challenging to use at the best of times and at the moment it looks like I will move to Wix. I will be keeping my domain name.

So keep an eye out for the move and please do follow me and subscribe to my site once I get it up and running.

I will no doubt still do the odd post here till I move but am focussing on working on the new page. Hopefully it will be bigger and better and much easier to manage.

A Bit of Luck for Sure!

Are you a glass half empty or half full type of person? I am a bit on the half empty side at times, but today I choose to see the glass as half full!

Photo credit and made by Purled Decay

To cut or not to cut!

On my hook right now, yep, this very minute, is a blanket design. I am closing in on the final stages of it and looking forward to getting it out to test.

At this point I have used almost 4 full 200g balls of Bendigo Woollen Mills Dk cotton. These balls have about 485 metres of yarn in each ball. That means I have worked my way through almost 1940 metres of yarn. I have around 150 metres left on the fourth ball and I have won the lottery! Yes, lucky me! Winner, Winner!

When these balls are manufactured, those making them are going to have to make a join somewhere. They kind of just have too! Finding one of these joins is like finding a needle in a haystack! Or maybe (for those Harry Potter fans) a Golden Snitch!

I had worked my way through around 1800 metres and didn't find a join. This was when my luck cut in. How did this luck manifest you may ask? I found a join in the fourth ball.

Imagine my delight! I could have found my way right through the entire project without finding an elusive join! Of course the obvious reaction to this (if we are being realistic) rather offensive join, would be to get annoyed. Curse my luck, thinking 'Why me', Why did I have to get a join?'

I decided that instead of viewing this as bad luck, I would choose to believe that I am extremely lucky. 'Oh, what luck, a join!'

Just think if you found yourself at the wool mill and were told to go find a ball of yarn with a join somewhere inside, the chances of finding one would be pretty slim. But I found one and I didn't even have to leave home!

Out of all those balls of yarn in production I managed to get the one with the little prize hidden inside!

Out came the scissors and a cutting I went. You just can't trust that those pesky little knotted joins will hold, so a re-join is a must. My mind then shifts to the thought that I now have 2 extra ends to sew in. How fantastic!

You just have to love those little joins! I am so glad I had the honour of finding one! I feel so special!

A Bit about this yarn!

Bendigo Woollen Mill yarn is super soft and incredible to work with. This is an Australian owned and made yarn!

I Want Flowers!

A world filled with flowers is a beauty to behold!

I have been making shawls and blankets of late. Occasionally I have added a few bandana cowls to mix it up, but I needed a break from the blanket I have been working on.

On looking around the room where I store my yarns, I viewed the mountain of what I would consider scrap yarns and decided I should make a bag out of scraps.

The bag on completion really needed a flower. This little flower is the result!

This has a raised centre for that 3D look.

US terms are used for this pattern:

Materials: (scrap yarn).

Flower Centre: Chunky weight.

Petals: Aran weight for the inner petal and Dk weight for the edge.

Abbreviations:

• Sc - Single Crochet

• Dc- Double Crochet

• Dtr- Double Treble

• St- Stitch

• Yo - Yarn Over

• Slst- Slip Stitch

Notes:

• Numbers in Red Italic represent the corresponding photograph.

• Numbers at the end of the rows represent the stitch counts.

Flower Centre

Round 1:[1]Wrap the yarn around your finger 10 times.  Remove the circle of yarn from your finger, keep the circle intact. [2]Insert your hook through the centre of the yarn circle.  [3] Yo and pull up a loop. Yo and draw through both loops (doesn’t count as a St). [4]Work 12Sc into the circle.  Slst to the first Sc to close the round. Cut yarn and fasten off.  Leave a long tail for sewing the flower on. [12Sc]

Petals

Round 2: Turn the work over.  Attach a different colour yarn with a Slst into any Sc.[5][Ch5 (counts as a Dtr).[6]Work 3Dtr into the same St as Ch5. [7] Ch5, Slst back into the same St. Slst across 2 Sc]x6 omitting one Slst in last rep. [8]Fasten off and cut yarn.  Leave a long tail for sewing the flower on. [30Dtr]

Round 3:[9]Attach a different colour yarn with a Slst into any Slst between Petals on Round1. [10] [Ch5. Sc into the first Dtr of Round 2. [11] [2 Dc into next St]x2. [12]Ch5. Slst into next Slst of Round 1]x6. Fasten off and cut yarn.  [12Sc, 24 Dc, 12 Ch5 lengths]

Sew on to your project using the long tails.

The Stem:

I usually use surface slip stitch for most items like this, but this time I wanted it to really stand out. This stem is sewn on.

 I used the same Chunky yarn that was used for the centre of the flower.

Steps to making a flower stem.

Direction of work.

[1]Ch20. [2]Slst into the 12th Ch from the Hk. Ch12.[3] Slst back into the same 12th Ch.[4] Slst to the top of the Sp between the 2 Loops.  [5]Ch10.  Cut yarn and Fasten off.  Leave a long tail to sew the stem on. Sew on.

Now to the boring stuff!

Yes! This is free for your use but there are still some copyright legalities that come even with free!

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. You cannot manufacture and mass produce my designs for sale.

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

This pattern is 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 or any part of it 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.

LYS (local yarn stores) Are Great!

LYS are great! I love those wonderful shops that stock unique yarns, and don't stick to the standard selection that you find in many large companies. I want LYS to use my patterns and enjoy doing so, and will happily work in with them to achieve a great working partnership.

What I find annoying is when I google my designs to find one of my top sellers being advertised as a class in a LYS without any mention of whose design this is. The one particular LYS in this instance, claimed in their advertisment for a class to make my design, that for $15 dollars you could attend as many classes as you needed to make this pattern. This class comes with line by line instructions and graphs! All sounds pretty good doesn't it? But no mention of the Designer! No mention of each class participant paying for a copy of the design, but on searching I find the owner of this establishment has indeed bought my pattern.

Permission to use my design in this manner was not asked for, or granted. I am willing to give them the benefit of doubt that it was all a misunderstanding, but as you could imagine it sure didn't look good!

I encourage any LYS Stores who would love to feature my designs in classes etc, to please contact me. Apprise me of either the fact that class participants will be purchasing the pattern via one of the outlets I sell on: Ravelry (click here), Etsy (Click here), Lovecrafts (click here), Bendigo Woollen Mill (Click here) and coming soon Ribblr.

Or if you would like to pay a contract fee on an agreed amount for patterns, for each class participant, which will entitle you to copying the pattern for each class member. This could be arranged at a discounted price, if the conditions are right. So send me a message via my blog or find me on Instagram (click here) and Facebook (click here).

Any advertising of classes need to have the designers (Auburncraft Design) name and credit for the pattern attached to them. Class fee structure needs to clearly state that this includes a fee for the copyrighted pattern. Then we are all good. The LYS is happy, those attending the class are happy and most of all I am happy.

I take copyright seriously and expect the same in return. My blog posts and patterns all have the following copyright information on them.

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 or any part of it 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.

A Cotillion for Butterflies Scarf/Wrap

A Cotillion for Butterflies Scarf/Wrap. Made Red Heart Unforgettable Yarn.

You are cordially invited to the Butterfly Cotillion. Dress in your finest and come join the Butterflies.

Come dance the night away!

This is a whimsical scarf/wrap with three different size Butterflies competing for the best costume (wings) and the best dance moves. Large Butterflies in rows are lined up with their dance partners the medium sized Butterflies. The matriarchs of the Butterfly world stand aloof in the extended Triangle edging, carefully watching to ensure all is proper.

Smaller Butterflies dangle from the edging trying to get a peek at the dance floor, hoping one day it will be their turn.

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

Materials:

5mm Hook

3x Red Heart Unforgettable in Petunia.

20x Small seed beads.

20x 4mm beads.

Tapestry needle

Sewing needle and thread.

Scissors.

Gauge: Measured over double crochet stitches of the pattern. Measured while blocking.

11 Rows to 4 inches/10cm

16 Stitches to 4 inches/10cm

Finished Measurements:

69.2 inches/176cm long.

13.5 inches/37cm wide. Measured across widest section of the shawl.

Yarn Substitutes: (ensure to check gauge)

Lion Brand Mandala (click here)

King Cole Riot (click here)

Scheepjes Secret Garden (click here)

Sirdar Jewelspun (click here)

As always I like to show off my pattern testers hard work. They sure deserve the credit and everyone gets to see a little bit of diversity in yarn etc.

Test Scarf/Wrap by Sallyanne Fisher. Made using Lion Brand Mandala in Ombre. It looks fabulous!

Test Scarf/Wrap by Margo Mead. Made using Red Heart Unforgettable in Gossamer.

Test Scarf/Wrap by Amanda Haynes. Made using So Crafty Yarn

Test Scarf/Wrap by Bronwyn Bellwood. Made using Blue Label Cupcakes.

Test Scarf/Wrap by Ruth Tipping. Made with WI yarn

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. You cannot manufacture and mass produce my designs for 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 or any part of it 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.

I Should Have Used Mothballs Scarf/Wrap

Just doesn't pay to turn your back on your crochet! I put my Scarf/Wrap down for just a minute and when I turned back Moths had attacked it. The little blighters were all over it. They had devoured huge chunks of it and were hanging from the edges!

If you feel the need to own your very own moth-eaten Scarf/Wrap then follow these links to the pattern. Ravelry (click here),Etsy (click here) and Lovecrafts (click here).

This Scarf/Wrap is made from Scheepjes Whirl in Caramel Core Blimey. It works up into a very wearable, light-weight accessory to your wardrobe.

The pattern is in written format, with photographs and a graph to help along the way. It comes in UK written terms and US written terms.

Materials:

3.5mm Hook

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

68x Small beads.

Tapestry needle

Sewing needle and thread.

Substitutes for yarn:

Birdies Knits Hand Dyed Cotton (click here).

Rico Creative Cotton Degrade (click here).

Lana Grossa Shades of Cotton (click here).

Lion Brand Shawl in a ball (click here).

I Should Have Used Mothballs

The pattern has been tested by my dedicated team of pattern testers and some of their incredible work is below.

Test Scarf/Wrap by Stephanie Fitzgerald Hall. Made using Premier yarn in the colour Tulip. I have to say I think Stephanie only has herself to blame for Moths eating this. Keeping it in a tree has to have something to do with it!!!

Test Wrap/Scarf by Danielle Hanken Tetreault. Made using Birdies Knits hand dyed cotton in fingering weight. Colour Water Lily and Lemon Drop (see yarn substitutes for a link to this).

Test Scarf/Wrap by MJ Rose. Made using Yarn Bee Rainbow Wrapsody in Teal of Fortune.

Test Scarf/Wrap by Jane Wynne. Made using Bendigo Woollen Mills 4ply in Glacier

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.You cannot manufacture and mass produce my designs for 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.

Please and Thank You!

It has been a week of standing on the sidelines and watching many designer friends deal with situations very unique to designers. I decided that it was time for a blog post on the trials and tribulations facing crochet designers.

Find yourself a time machine and step back in time fifty years. To crochet you had only a couple of options. You would learn from someone else and if you needed a pattern you would either go to the library and borrow one (where no doubt the designer had been paid for the design in the publication) or the local store that sold a little bit of everything and buy one, along with your yarn and probably most of your groceries as those stores had everything.

Sneak peek of a design that will be listed this weekend

Of course most people didn't need to use a pattern as there was often someone around to help show you how to crochet, but then you were limited to their abilities.

Right now you can go online and learn to crochet for free and there is a huge amount of patterns for free. Many designers offer free patterns and I know I have a few myself. But these patterns don't magically make their way onto the web for everyones use. They take work.

This week I know of one designer who was almost in tears, due to having one of her patterns bought by one person and then placed for free on a website that is well known for doing this. Her pattern had then been downloaded over 5000 times for free. She complained about this and was told (by someone who claimed that they never bought patterns and all patterns should be free) that she was greedy. Patterns should be free. She pointed out that her crochet business was her only means of feeding her family, but the accuser did not seem to care. Patterns should apparently be there for everyone to just have. Doesn't matter the hours of work involved in this pattern. It should just be free!

A lot of the bigger name designers can offer free patterns and still gain income. They get kick backs from yarn companies and affiliate links. Smaller designers don't have these options.

Another designer friend did a giveaway to try and draw some marketing interest in her work. She gave away quite a number of patterns for free to people. Again, it was hard work for her. Out of all the people who took those patterns, only 6 bothered to say thank you!

Designers are mostly creative people with a love of crochet. But this doesn't mean they should not be paid for their hard work. If you are offered a free pattern by someone, when you know it is actually a paid design, think twice before taking it. You could actually be taking food out of some families mouths by doing so. You don't walk into a Bakery and just take the bread rolls. You don't ask a Tradesperson, Doctor or Accountant to work for nothing and give you freebies. So please do the right thing and pay for your paid crochet patterns, and be thankful for the free ones given to you by the designer.

Also if you have to contact a designer, please be considerate of their time. The stories some of us could tell you about customer contact. We love to help you, but if you just so happen to do a blanket with chunky yarn when it should be make in fingering weight and decide you have an issue, please realise that the issue is your own. If your printer won't work then call a tech person as a crochet designer can't fix your printer.

I will end with the fact that most people who designers have contact with are lovely. It is just not always the case. But designers need to eat too!!!!

Disclaimer:

No Designers or crocheters were harmed in the writing of this post!

Filet Crochet. Keeping it neat!

What is Filet Crochet?

Basic Filet Crochet is crochet made up of blocks, usually using two different stitches. Double Crochet (USA terms) and Chains form these blocks. They can be constructed with a Double Crochet each side of one chain. Or they can have two chains between the Double Crochets.

Sneaky peak at my latest design Mosaic Filet Blanket. This uses basic block Filet Crochet.

Many filet patterns come in graph form only. The graphs are worked with odd rows from right to left and even rows from left to right.

The heading picture is of my most recent design 'Filet Mosaic Lap Blanket'. This uses one chain per block. This pattern is still in the design stage and will hopefully be in the testers hands in the next few weeks. This is 125 rows of pattern. This comes in written form and graph. Stay tuned for the upcoming pattern.

I do love a bit of Filet Crochet. Watching the pattern slowly appear is very satisfying. It can look fabulous if done in a neat manner, but getting those neat little blocks can be tricky. So if your Filet work is looking more like a Maze no one is ever going to get out of, below are some helpful little tips to keeping it neat.

1. Your initial starting chain needs to be the same tension your rows will be. If you feel you tend to work your chain a lot tighter, then go up a hook size. If you don't the beginning or bottom of your blanket with have a bow in it.

2. Keep your tension the same throughout so your stitches can form the blocks in a neat manner.

3. Keep your stitch height the same throughout. Tension and stitch height are not the same thing. If you have issues with stitch height, there are many helpful tutorials online.

4. It is very tempting to use that chain loop to crochet around instead of into. If you want your Filet to really pop, take the time to work any stitches that are placed as solid blocks into the chain (not around)

5. Ensure each Double Crochet sits squarely on top of the Double Crochet of the row below.

6. Chaining 3 at the begining of a row for that first stitch can look messy. A Standing Double Crochet (USA terms), Treble Crochet (UK terms) can add neatness to your edges.

7. Count your stitches each row and section. Finding out you have missed a stitch 10 rows back is no fun at all.

8. Think about your yarn choice. Some colours tend to show the Filet work better than others and fibre content can also make a difference. A flat yarn such as cotton will show more defined stitches.

Filet Crochet does not have to be just open and closed blocks. Once you get past the basics of Filet Crochet, you can step into slightly more advanced patterns such as adding blocks that span two normal sized blocks, with chains and Single crochet (USA terms). Below pictures showing a close up of this as an example.

An example of more advanced techniques that can be incorporated into Filet Crochet,

One of my designs yet to find its way to the testers. I decided that the original (that I made a number of years back) needed improving on. It now sits half done, waiting for me to finish it. It shows more advanced filet squares, nestled inside basic blocks.

You can also learn techniques to increase and decrease blocks. An example of this can be seen in the picture below. This is my 'Fishing for Luck' Shawl/Wrap, which is now in the capable hands of my testers. I will be publishing this pattern early to mid-September.

Fishing for Luck Shawl/Wrap showing increasing Filet Blocks

If you have not tried Filet Crochet, grab your hook and give it a go.

Below my Butterfly Diamond Filet Blanket This pattern is available on Love Crochet (click here), Ravelry (click here) and Etsy (click here).

Butterfly Diamonds Filet Blanket. This is an easy blanket and part of a series which includes, Butterfly Diamonds Blanket, Flower Diamonds Blanket and Dragonfly Diamonds Blanket.

Flower

Diamonds Filet Blanket. This is an easy blanket and part of a series which includes, Butterfly Diamonds Blanket, Flower Diamonds Blanket and Dragonfly Diamonds Blanket.

Above my Flower Diamond Filet Blanket This pattern is available on Love Crochet (click here), Ravelry (click here) and Etsy (click here).

Lace Me Up Bandana Cowl.

This Bandana Cowl is made using Ice Yarn Kuka 100% wool. I have had this yarn quietly hiding in my stash drawer for some time. I made a pact with myself, that I would attempt to use stash yarn for a few projects and resist the urge to get more. Lockdown sure helped with this and Lace Me Up is the result.

This is a fun design made using mostly basic stitches. The neck has a unique laced effect and this does take some patience.

Lace Me Up Bandana Cowl by Auburncraft Design.

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

Materials:

5mm/H hook

27-inch size: 2 x Kuka Magic Wool Deluxe 251yd/230m per ball. 27-inch sizing: 382yd/410m.  

30-inch sizing: 3x Kuka Magic Wool Deluxe. 251yd/230m per ball. 27-inch sizing: 430yd/490m.  

Tapestry Needle.

Needle and Thread

Scissors

Stitch Markers

Substitutes for yarn:

Red Heart Unforgettable (click here).

Katia Azteca (click here).

Adriafil Zebrino (click here).

I am fortunate to have some amazing pattern testers who help to make my designs become reality. Below is some of their work.

Test Bandana Cowl by Sallyanne Fisher. Made using Lion Brand Mandala yarn in the colour Troll

Test Bandana Cowl by MJ Rose. Made using Premier Everyday Baby yarn in Black, white and green.

MJ managed to capture a real hippy vibe with this one!

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.

But I Don't Want Gaps! A Linked Double Crochet How To!

It all starts with an idea. You want to make something, but you have a few things you want this item to have. You start a checklist:

1. No Gaps.

2. You don't want it to take forever.

3. You would prefer fewer stitches.

4. You find single crochet (US) rather annoying and when it comes in abundance it is enough to make you just want to sit down and cry. You don't feel a great deal different about Half Double Crochet (US).

Never fear as there is an answer and it is Double Crochet (US). Not ordinary Double Crochet but Double Crochet with super powers. Linked Double Crochet ticks all the boxes and is actually a fun stitch to do. It isn't hard and can be rather addictive.

How do you work this amazing stitch you ask?

Just keep scrolling and all will be revealed.

The concept is really quite simple. Double Crochet (US) has those tiny little bars that sit across the centre of each stitch. To get rid of that gapped look between the stitches you just join those little bars.

But let's start at the beginning of the row!

How to create that first linked stitch.

Linked Double Crochet (US). How to start a row. Steps outlined below:

Step 1: Chain 3. This counts as your first stitch.

Step 2: Insert your hook into the 2nd chain from the hook and draw up a loop. This has created the connection to the first stitch.

Step 3: Insert your hook into the next stitch and draw up a loop.

Step 4: Yarn over and pull through 2 loops on your hook.

Step 5: Yarn over and pull through 2 loops on your hook.

Now for the rest!

Continue creating Linked Double Crochet (US). Steps Below:

Step 1: The orange line indicates the bar that sits in the middle of each Double Crochet.

Step 2: Insert your hook down through this bar and draw up a loop.

Step 3: Insert your hook into the next stitch and draw up a loop.

Step 4: Yarn over and pull through 2 loops.

Step 5: Yarn over and pull through the remaining 2 loops on your hook.

And done! You have created a Linked Double Crochet (US)!

Linked Double Crochet is a very useful stitch. Any time you want a solid look but dread the thought of working in Single Crochet (US), think of this stitch instead. It is so versatile and can be great for anything from basic wash clothes to clothing. It can be worked flat or in the round and the little line of bars that form in rows give it a unique look.

Linked Double Crochet (US)

Now to the boring stuff!

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 any of my work 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.

I Talk To Yarn!

Like a lot of crazy crochet people during this difficult worldwide pandemic, I have been locked away with my quite substantial yarn stash, whiling away the time crocheting and whipping up designs.

I have been drawing up quite a few new designs as my head just refuses to stop doing so. If I am out on my lawn mower I find by the time I am finished, I have a new idea all formatted out in my head and I am reaching for a pen and paper to jot it down. This happens no matter what I am doing. I just try to remember my ideas for a more appropriate time.

I have truly done my best to use stash yarn for many new designs, but sometimes it just is not enough.

I have one new idea that I have been itching to start. I then start to think about what yarn I need for it and of course colour!

If I had my way every single design would be made in the only colour truly worthwhile of being named Overlord of all Colours! Yes. Of course I am talking about PURPLE! I would truly make everything in purple if I could, but being a designer I do try to be a little bit diverse. Just don't suggest I work in GREEN (yuck) and we will probably get along fine, and don't get me started on RED! Red I only use very, very occasionally. One of my only designs in red is my Frankie Drake Cloche Hat (click here for a link to the pattern).

Frankie Drake Cloche hat. Pattern available on

Etsy (click here)

,

Ravely (click here)

and

Lovecrafts (click here).

Suitable Yarn to Make

Frankie Drake (click here).

For this new design, I had a NEED, LONGING, NECESSITY, UNDENIABLE URGE for Scheepjes Whirl yarn and thankfully my LYS has finally re-opened with a 2 person limit on how many people can be in the store at any one time.

I pondered long and hard as to which colour I should use. Of course I truly wanted to use Whirl in Lavenderlicious, but I have recently done a blanket in this and so I knew I must resist.

I looked at many items made in all the colours, trying to decide what colour would be just perfect. This had me rushing for the anti nausea pills as I came across Peppermint Patty Cakes (Green YUCK!). Once my stomach had finally calmed down, I narrowed the choice down to Mid Morning Mocha'roo and Licorice Yum Yum. Trying to decide between two colours totally does my head in at times. I find myself swapping and changing my mind over, and over, and of course the Lavenderlicious keeps popping into my head as the ultimate choice.

Find Scheepjes Whirl Click Here

The outing to the LYS was a real treat after being stuck in for so long, but my trusty little car had not forgotten the way there. I could hear the joyous hum from the motor as it knew just where to go. I soon found myself stepping over the threshold into yarn heaven. I didn't let any of the other yarns entice me to stop and adore them. Don't you worry, they were really trying. I could hear them whispering, 'Look at me, I am so soft'. 'Come on over here, you know you want to squeeze me! I told them to leave me alone in a harsh tone and they did quieten down considerably.

I stayed focused on my mission and headed straight for the Whirl section. I quickly scanned the shelves looking for the Mid Morning Mocha'roo and finally found one lone cake sitting all by itself as though being shunned by the other cakes. Normally this find would have had me singing BUT.... I needed TWO. My bottom lip dropped to the floor and I had to resist the urge to cry, or throw a tantrum. I managed to hold it all together as the last thing I could want is to be banned from the yarn store. Looking again for the Licorice Yum Yum my eyes landed on the LAVENDERLICOUS! I slapped myself a few times and forced my gaze to move on. 'My eyes, oh my eyes'. My gaze had fallen into the abyss, landing on the PEPPERMINT PATTY CAKE. This had me staggering to hang onto the shelves as nausea took hold.

Regaining my composure and averting my eyes from the hideous green, they finally landed on several cakes of Licorice Yum Yum. I reached for two cakes and headed to the checkout. The Mocha'roo was taunting me as I passed it 'You know you really want me, I'm much better than Licorice, C'mon buy me'. 'You know I can't' I muttered to it. I held my head high and kept walking. The store owner did give me an odd look as I paid for my purchase, but doesn't everyone talk to the yarn? Surely they were standing well back simply due to the covid restrictions and no other reason. Oh, well back to my designs!

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 my patterns, but please credit me as the designer and add a link to purchase my pattern in your sale.

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

You are purchasing/downloading my patterns 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.