GREEN, DO WE REALLY NEED IT?

The colour green and I are not the best of friends!

I use it at times and I am actually using it at the moment as a request, but we will never really see eye to eye on life and things in general!

Sure I guess green has its place in the world, although personally I think that trees and grass would do very well in a lovely shade of purple!

Do we really need green yarn?

I do find it harder working in green as I tend to procrastinate. My eyes keep wandering to the partially done blanket sitting in the corner in lovely purples and pinks.

No! I must not pick it up! I must stay focused. It’s only a bit of green and I will get through this trial!

Bendigo woollen Mill 4ply Cotton in the colour fruit tingle

I can see myself dancing my way through life without the colour green daring to damage my eyes with its presence. Do we really need green? I think not!

Maybe I shall become like the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland and demand that all greenery be painted in a tasteful purple colour. Anyone caught consorting with the colour green and it shall be proclaimed ‘off with their head’.

It’s not too much to ask is it!

my latest design. flowers don’t tell but i do blanket.

The pattern is available on my webpage. Go to premium patterns and then blankets.

It All Starts Out So Innocently!

A Helpful Guide to Managing Your Yarn Stash Hobby/Addiction/Disorder/Problem!

And so the crochet JOURNEY begins!

You decide to take up a hobby and get creative! Crochet sounds good, doesn't it? You begin to search online for helpful tutorials and join a group of like minded beings who can guide you on this wonderous journey.

DAY 1: THE CHANGE BEGINS. After reading up on what you need to begin, you head to your LYS and frugally select a ball of yarn and a hook.

Day 3: After a couple of hours spent with your new hobby you decide that you don't have the necessary supplies in order to continue on this wonderful JOURNEY! Heading back to the yarn store you decide to treat yourself to several balls of yarn in several different colours. These will be all you need!

Day 13: By now you are feeling a bit masterful of this new hobby and feel that you need to expand your knowledge further. New stitches must be tried. None of the yarn you have is going to work. Back to the LYS you go and spend 2 hours fondling the yarn and exclaiming how wonderous it is. You end up selecting a trolley full of the wonderous fibre. You also stop and buy a number of storage containers to keep these treasures safe.

Day 21: You now belong to at least a dozen online groups for crochet. You have started trawling marketplace web groups and find several posts about private yarn sales which you feel you must attend. You rush to the address and manage to beat an elderly woman in a walking frame to the huge yarn collection and even though she is crying you know your need is greater. You also spot a tasteful yarn tote (which you ripped from the grip of the previously mentioned old ladies fragile grasp) so you can now take your crochet with you wherever you go.

Day 25: Today is dedicated to ensuring your yarn pattern library is equal to the yarn stash and 5000 patterns is NOT too much. You also managed a few hours of crochet and taught the whole family to NEVER, NEVER speak when you are counting.

Day 28: The last stage of metaphorphis. A few days back you discovered online yarn stores and very sensibly took out a loan from the bank to purchase while the yarn happened to be on sale. The truck arrived today with all your yarn. The metaphorphis is now complete.

Welcome to the Crochet Family!!!

Disclaimer: No elderly ladies with fragile hands were harmed in this journey, although some harrassment of yarn delivery drivers did occur!

Woo Hoo, It's A New Year! What Is In Store Crochet Wise?

Like many, each year I decide that this new year that has just begun is going to be better than the last. This year will be the one! I am sure to excel at everything I touch and the world will be my oyster!

Blanket coming soon

Sneak peek!

I have to say I am still waiting as each year ticks by for that one elusive year that everything comes up roses, but I am hopeful.

The year has started off busy and productive. I spent yesterday listing yet another free pattern and thankfully I am able to mulit-task as I was cooking a roast and playing online chess with my youngest son for 3.5hours while also helping someone with a crochet issue.

To this end I am hereby awarding myself the title of CROCHET SUPERWOMAN and my motto of course ‘SAVING THE WORLD ONE CROCHET STITCH AT A TIME!’

Shawl Coming Soon

Sneak Peek

But what will be on offer in crochet in 2021 you ask?

Well! I have donned my superhero tights (made in a tasteful purple colour of course) and begun the year with a larger style filet blanket. And yes! Of course this blanket is in purple. The colour is called Fruit Tingle! This blanket is being done with the support off Bendigo Woollen MIlls and I am happy to say that it looks fabulous! But how could it not, done in the best colour ever! My pattern testers have this in hand and are working hard to make it look like I know what I am doing!

I have a fingering weight shawl almost ready for testing very, very soon.

I have put pen to paper and signed on with Yarnish Australia to produce one of my signature style blankets, to be released by Yarnish later this year and this is just so exciting.

I also have around 15 projects all drawn up and ready for their turn in the queue to make, as well as several items already started including a shawl which I think is going to be rather good.

I am also busy with online marketing and run/admin/jointly admin way too many crochet groups. My page is Auburncraft Crochet. I co-run a fabulous group on Facebook called Two Redheads Crochet, with my Superhero Side-Kick Fiona Campbell (yes Fiona if you are reading this, you have to be the side-kick as I believe it is your turn!), along with 2 other groups we co-run.

So if you haven’t already subscribed to my webpage then what are you waiting for? Subscribers get notified when a new pattern is published and they also get the best discount codes.

But, UP, UP and AWAY! 2021 awaits and saving the world one crochet stitch at a time beckons!

Auburn Flowers Soap Saver Discount Code!

Super fast little project that is a great last minute gift!

A little pre- Christmas discount for my subscribers awaits on ravelry. and get a huge 30% off. This is exclusive to my subscribers. Links to the pattern can be found via my webpage in the premium pattern section under the section ‘Other Patterns’ If you want to recceive discount codes for future pattern launches then please subscribe to my webpage.

I will also pop up a post in Two Redheads Crochet Group, with a code for a limited amount of freebies, but these will go quickly, so keep an eye out for the post if you are a member of Two Redheads.

I hope everyone has a wonderful break this Christmas no matter how you choose to celebrate and thank you for supporting me and my crochet this year!

A selection from my pattern testers.

Bethany Colhoff. (Top Right) Farmers Yarn Cotton 8/4 in bright pink from Hobbii.

Kristina Kirk (bottom centre right) Premier Yarn.

Jane Wynne (centre bottom left). Bendigo Woollen Mill Cotton 4 Ply (click here for supplier)

Shirley Anne Streep (top left). Made by me yarn.

Christy Allen (top centre). I Love This Yarn in Aqua Sparkle.

Bronwyn Bellwood (bottom left). Raseesh Bamboo

Sonia Scothern (bottom right)

Six Wishes for a Dragonfly Blanket Discount Code for use on ravelry for subscribers only

Materials
3.5mm hook
2x Scheepjes Whirl in Forbidden Fuschia 1000 metres/1093 yards per ball.
I had very little left of the 2 balls so check gauge to ensure you can complete your project with 2.

1. A wish for Change

2.    A wish for Adaptability

3.    A wish for Joy

4.    A wish for Deeper thought

5.    A wish to see through illusions of life

6.    A wish to experience the magic of nature

To say I am happy with this design would be an understatement! I have been not so patiently waiting for this to be through the testing process and launch day to arrive!

I love my dragonflies and many of my designs feature these. This blanket has my very own stitch combination for the dragonflies which is unique to Auburncraft Crochet Design.

I have been amazed at the incredible and diverse blankets that my hard working pattern testers have produced, during the test process. Each with their own yarn choice and yarn selection.

Head to my webpage and look in the premium patterns section under blankets or head to my ravelry store to get this one while it is at the discount as it won’t last.

I am mean with my dragonflies as I don’t really want to part with them!

Don’t forget to use the tags below when showing off your work. This way I can see all your efforts.

#sixwishesforadragonflyblanket

#auburncraftcrochetdesign

Victorian Christmas Bauble →

Put your hand up if you love a freebie!

The pattern for this Christmas bauble is now available on my webpage for free in US terms.

A pdf copy can be purchased on my webpage or on ravelry in both US and UK terms.

This is a great stash buster to use up those part balls of yarn you may have floating around.

You can really play with being creative by adding artificial flowers, glitter and anything you can fit inside these glass baubles.

The patttern is designed to suit a 4 inch glass bauble, but do check your gauge to ensure your work will fit.

The free pattern can be found via my Freebies section on my webpage.

Enjoy!

Because I Can Hooded Pocket Wrap →

'Because I Can Hooded Pocket Wrap' Pattern released today

So you thought it was safe to venture back online to places such as ravelry, etsy etc, perhaps thinking that all the designers had finally made one of these things. Well you were wrong!

So here is another one. In my defence I started this at the beginning of the year prior to all the Pocket Shawl here and Pocket Shawl there. I almost didn't finish it as they were just everwhere. But I put on my big girl bloomers and made the effort to get it done.

The pattern can be found in all the usual places if you just wade your way through all the thousands of other ones.

Visit my webpage for links to the pattern if you dare! The pattern can be found in the premium pattern section under shawls or click on the heading to this blog post to be taken there.

You can’t have too many Pocket Wraps!

A Crochet Roundup- 8 Fabulous Fall/Spring Shawls →

Depending upon where you find yourself in this vast world of ours, it is either Fall or Spring. Regardless of which, it is time for Shawls!

I have complied a list of 8 simply fabulous shawls designed by some amazing designers from all different parts of the world and yes, I threw one of my own favourites in there for good measure.

Click on the heading of this post in purple, to be taken to the dedicated roundup page which features each shawl and provides the links.

Designers featured in the roundup:

1. MTP Designs

2. Flo’s Crafty Crochet

3. Auburncraft Crochet Design

4. The Crochet Fix

5. The Naeve Collection

6. Through The Loop Yarn Craft

7. Briana K Designs

8. Jolie Knots

So let’s go around the world in 8 Shawls!

I hope you find one that is just right for you!

Click the purple Heading to be taken to the roundup page and pattern links!

If I Want Flowers I Shall Have Them Blanket Blog Post

A bunch of flowers will eventually wilt and die, making them an unpractical gift.  But the pleasure they bring makes them a treasure to behold. Flowers make us smile!

I am super excited about this blanket! The pattern can be found in my premium pattern seciton under blankets. I am having issues with linking the blog to the main pages so cannot link it.

Several months in the design stage. Then in the hands of my very capable testers for 5 weeks and here it is!

I do have to say that I think a new crochet hat is going to be a necessity as my head has grown a few sizes, simply due to the feedback from all of my hard working pattern testers. Yes, I do know a couple of them did feel a bit like throttling me at times but we all got there in the end.

Now let’s get back to how incredibly puffed up with my own self importance I am feeling with this beauty. I really must get all this down in writing before I have to start fielding calls for Tv appearances etc as they are bound to be knocking down my door just wanting a glimpse of this blanket for themselves. Maybe I need to hire guards for it!

Oh, dear, does that mean that paranoia is beginning to creep up on me! Of course not!

But in all seriousness I am rather happy with the end results on this one.

About The Blanket:

I used 6 balls of Bendigo Woollen Mills Dk cotton in approx.  2700m/2952.7yd total.

If you have not tried this yarn then do think about it as this is lovely to work with and super soft. I would rate it as a thinner Dk yarn.

The blanket is comprised mostly of simple stitches. The flower stems are made using front post stitches in an overlay. Popcorn stitches form the flower heads.

Now a bit about my pattern testers!

I am blessed with a bevy of super, incredible pattern testers, who go above and beyond to ensure any silly boo, boos (errors) I may have made are eradicated from the pattern.

The blankets they have produced during this test have their own personal stamp on them. Colour selection, yarn selection and one industrious tester used colour change on the flower with brilliant results. So thank you to:

MJ Rose, Elika Rivera, Stephanie Joann Nolasco, Sallyanne Fisher, Cindy Cary, Simone Howes and Amanda Haynes

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.