My Hi Top Sneaker Slippers

I made these a few years ago, mainly for demonstration and advertising when I used to have a table at different craft fairs and bazaars. They were a big crowd attraction.

I only had a Polaroid pic of them (a bad one at that), so I decided to update the pic.

I thought the pattern was available online, but can't seem to find it.

Doily Shell Stitch Round Shawl

Got the idea from of doily vest I saw online.

Can be made with either any light or worsted weight yarn.

Quick & easy, great for that last minute Mother's Day present....or just for yourself!

Click link for pattern.

Here's some of my latest work.....and it's only April!!

Mary J Blige Cap

Here's another hat pattern.

I saw a photo of a knitted cap worn by the singer Mary J Blige.

You know me, gotta try it, right?

Click link for pattern.

Chevron Granny St Sweater

I just added a new pattern.

Actualy, I made this nearly 2 years ago. Got inspired by something knitted I saw online, and thought I give it a try in crochet.

It wasn't until someone ask me for the pattern (still getting used to that), that I even thought about writting it out.

So far, I've written about a dozen (it still takes me forever!!),but I'll still keep at it.

Tell me what you think. Click link for pattern.

Cluster Newsboy Cap

Just added another pattern.

I made this a few months ago, just getting around to posting the pattern.

Click link for pattern.

My First Podcast Interview

Well, I just had my first podcast interview!!

It was with Marly, from her blog, 'Yarn Thing', a really nice and fun lady!

Actually, it was 2 interviews, we had one the day before, everything went great, but one of her small children accidently shut down the computer, wiping out the whole thing.

No biggie, we just did it again the next day (when the little demons were asleep)...hee, hee!! ;-)

I really enjoyed it. I felt honored to be asked to do it. I'm one of the male crocheters she's speaking to. She's already spoken with Peter Franzi (Hooker Bear Creations and owner of Men Who Crochet, a Yahoo Group). Go there and check it out.

My interview won't be available for a few weeks, so I'll let you know when it's online.

Girl's Cocoon Collar Shrug

Someone recently requested the pattern for this Shrug.

I made it for young girls (mainly teenagers). I have a couple young pre-teen great nieces that made me come up with the pattern.

Click link for pattern.

'All About Eve' Duster

I made my first one a few years ago, and asked one of my crochet students (Eve), to try it on. She really liked it and has since been bugging me to finally write out the pattern.

I'm almost done, just need to decide if I should add the pocket section. I made inside pockets, but I'm thinking maybe that's too much for some people to figure out. Maybe I should just make the pockets seperate, then just sew them on.

We'll see.

Granny & V-St Bolero Jacket

Well I finally got around to writting out this pattern. I know, it took me awhile, but with only working with 2 fingers (I call it 'chicken' typing!!), one can only go but so fast, right?

Click link for pattern.

Scalloped Sweater Set

I've been wanting to make this for many years. I saw this in a old 74' issue of Woman's Day magazine (yes, I was crocheting when the issue came out!). It was part of a series called 'The Warm, Wonderful World of Sweaters'.

There was a men's striped sweater set I liked, started to make it, but thought all the colors (I was using different shades of blue, my favorite, of course)would make it too busy. Also, the fact that the entire thing was to be done in the (sc, ch1) seed stitch didn't help either.

Back to the woman's set......the ripple slipover is what really drew my attention. The cardigan was a V-neck made in plain dc.

One problem was that the slipover looked too small, and the different sizes depended on using different size hooks. Well, I tend to crochet tight, so that threw out that logic out the window, and the other thing was that they wanted you to change colors on every row...

UH, WHAT?.....Hell, I didn't like it thing THAT much!!LOL

So, I just put it on the back,(WAY, WAY, BACK!!)burner, forgeting all about it.

For some reason don't know why, I saw the pattern while looking for something else, and thought, hmmm, I'll give it another stab at it.

I did make a couple changes (put the 'KEN' spin on it!), and did my version of the matching cardigan (in one piece from the neck down!!The pattern will be available soon on Lulu.

The only sewing was the shoulder seams, how cool is that!!

So, what do you think?

Diagonal Box St Shrug

Wanted to try another way for a sweater-like shrug.
I choose this stitch pattern to give it a more textured look without looking and feeling bulky.

Click link for pattern.

Design 7539 Coat

I finally, FINALLY finished it!!!

I'm still not too happy about the opening. the pattern calls for just one button, at the collar...no clips, fasteners, nothing......

Thinking of adding hooks, but I'm not too sure about that. We'll see.

Vertical Shell St Jacket

Well, I finally finished it. A good online friend sent me the pattern from Germany while attending school a couple of years ago. It's from a magazine called Diana.

There was one problem, all the patterns were written in German!! OK. at least the pattern that I was interested in had a diagram, so I kinda could figure it out from that. But I decided to put the idea aside for awhile.

I finally picked it back up, mainly because, while browsing thru different Ravelry forums, I ran across a member whose ID was 'HilaryinGermany'. I thought I'd just ask if she'd translate it for me, and she did (thanks, Hilary!!). Don't ask me why I didn't ask the friend who sent the magazine, maybe I just didn't want to be a bother.

Anyway, after reading Hilary's translation, I wasn't too sure about it, especially the sleeve instructions, so I came up my own version.

I decided to choose the color 'Linen' so it could go with alot of different Fall/Winter colors (besides, I had alot of it). The original pattern called for 3 different colors, changing each every row (Yeah!, like that was gonna happen!!). The 3 colors looked too busy to me, and my taste leans toward the simple, basic side.I'd planned to put a accent color as a trim anyway.

The pattern says that this is made in one piece, from one sleeve to the other. OK, that might work, but that means that you'd have to work decreases in the opposite direction. HUH?.....we can forget about that idea.....

I just made 2 identical pieces, then just sew the pieces together at the back.
Hey! I already started both sleeves anyway, so I went with it.

I made the sides (front and back) a little longer, and planned to add side pockets (just gotta thing about jackets and coats having pockets), as well as buttons on the front too.

The next tricky part was figuring out the back collar/scarf. The pattern wasn't too clear, but I did figure it out (Personally, I think the scarf width is too wide, but it's have to do.....the brother ain't taken it out now!!)

So, onward I went.....what do you think? Click link to pattern site.

Ripple Lace Shawl

I saw this nice shawl on Etsy the other day and thought it was something easy to make. The pattern is available at:(click title).

I tried to figure it out from just the photo. I used 2 skeins of RH SS 'Pale Yellow'. I think it called for some thin, thin yarn (UGH!!)