End of May, Crochet Update ;)

Hello, how's the weather in your place? Rainy season has just begun here...summer was quite long and hot, so its a welcome change (hope it doesn't rain too hard, though).
Now I think I might be needing my crochet shawls and shrugs more often, and I'm glad to have different styles and colors to choose from ;)
I was able to finish my gray shawl a few days ago, but haven't been able to model it yet. If you want to know how it looks, its the same as this burgundy shawl which I gave to my friend, LV, early this May.

Oops before I forget, thanks to all who greeted me on my 5th blogiversary! To Rachana, Vik, Tin, Lisa, Mary Sarah, Saritha, Pearlin, Bheng, Tina, Christina, Chie, Lily, Yasmin, Daperfectmix and Sis - I really appreciate all your nice comments :)))

After many years of finding wonderful crochet patterns on books and on the internet, and even coming up with my own designs, I have tons of projects lined up. The list goes on and keeps on growing and changing. However, the sudden changes in plans have brought some interesting results ;)
Now I'm working on a Doris Chan design. My initial plan was to learn top-down construction technique no less than from the expert. A few weeks ago I came across her blog, Everyday Crochet, and found a very helpful lesson on the technique. Since I'm new to it, I really did not realize how valuable it was until I actually worked on one of her designs.

The design I picked was the Barcello Jacket. It was made with thicker yarn, so I had to make adjustments in using local cotton thread. It seemed to work, when I tried it on ;)
The lace stitch pattern became smaller with the use of cotton thread, so it can be adapted to make a shrug. I'm currently working on the edging rnds...will show you the finished garment soon!

2-TR TOG / 2-Treble together (or treble decrease) Crochet Stitch Tutorial

2-TR TOG / 2-Treble together (or treble decrease)

1. Yarn over hook twice, insert on stitch, and draw up a loop.

2. Yarn over and draw loop thru 2 loops on hook; 3 loops left on hook.

3. Yarn over and insert hook on next stitch, pull up a loop. (You now have 5 loops on hook.)

4. Yarn over and draw thru 2 loops, leaving 4 loops on hook.

5. Yarn over and draw thru 3 loops, leaving 2 loops.

6. Yarn over and draw thru remaining 2 loops.

Tr tog made.

Extended Single Crochet (ESC) Stitch Tutorial

ESC - Extended Single Crochet Stitch

1. Insert hook into stitch (or space) and pull up a loop.

2. Yarn over and draw loop thru one loop (as if making a chain).

3. Yarn over and draw loop thru 2 loops on hook to finish the single crochet.

4. Esc made.

I came up with this tutorial for the Kitchen Towel Topper free pattern

Free pattern and stitch tutorial - No-sew Crocheted Towel Topper

You'll need:

Kitchen Towel (sample used is about 15 1/2 inches wide, 25 inches long)
Ticket hole punch
Worsted weight yarn (sample used is Red Heart acrylic yarn)
Crochet hook size 4mm

This topper is crocheted directly on a kitchen towel, after punching holes on one short edge. I used my ticket hole punch. (Its a little hard on the hand, but I liked the result). I made it without adding a button or other closure, since I was going to hang it on a hook.

I didn't measure the holes or lined it straight, just eyeballed it about 1/4 inch from the edge, and 1/4 inch apart from each other. I made 41 holes. The exact number of stitches does not matter much.

Row 1: Join yarn on the 1st hole, ch 1, esc (see esc tutorial below) in each hole across, turn.

Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as 1st tr), (tr tog the next two sts) across, tr on the last st, turn. (see tr tog tutorial below)

Row 3: Repeat row 2.

Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each st across, turn.

Row 5: Repeat row 4, turn.

Row 6: Ch 4 (counts as tr), (tr tog next 2 sts) twice, ch 1, skip 1 st, (tr tog next 2 sts) twice, tr on last st., turn.

Row 7: Ch 1, sc in each st, turn.

Row 8: Ch 1, (sc tog next 2 sts) 3 times, sc on last st, turn.

Row 9: Ch 1, (sc tog next 2 sts) twice, sl st on last st. Fasten off and weave in ends.

ESC - Extended Single Crochet Stitch

1. Insert hook into stitch (or space) and pull up a loop.

2. Yarn over and draw loop thru one loop (as if making a chain).

3. Yarn over and draw loop thru 2 loops on hook to finish the single crochet.

4. Esc made.

2-TR TOG - 2-Treble together (or tr decrease)

1. Yarn over hook twice, insert on stitch, and draw up a loop.

2. Yarn over and draw loop thru 2 loops on hook; 3 loops left on hook.

3. Yarn over and insert hook on next stitch, pull up a loop. (You now have 5 loops on hook.)

4. Yarn over and draw thru 2 loops, leaving 4 loops on hook.

5. Yarn over and draw thru 3 loops, leaving 2 loops.

6. Yarn over and draw thru remaining 2 loops.

Tr tog made.

My 5th blogiversary!

May 17, 2010 marks my 5 years of blogging... I can't believe its been that long!

So much has happened all around, but as you can see my blog looks pretty much the same... I guess I myself haven't changed much, except grew older like everyone else :p
Anyways, if you're still here, thanks so much! 

I have a good number of visitors everyday, though I only know a few special people who read my blog.

I've met some of you online ever since I was new on the internet ;)

I'll take this opportunity to acknowledge the following people who motivated and inspired me to keep this blog and my crochet happenings alive for the past five years:

Crochet Pattern Central - owned by Rachel Geller, a directory for free crochet patterns found on the web

Crochetville - a neat crochet forum (no glaring ads back then) where I first discovered a crochet community on the internet ;)

Coats Manila Bay, Inc. - esp. to Yumi Aromin and Jackie Reyes, for providing materials and resources and for publishing my designs

Ravelry - the best website ever!...my crochet/knitting fantasy place.

Etsy - best online shop for handmade creations straight from the artists.

To my youngest sister (who's taller and mightier than me), for inspiring me and for modeling some of my creations (and for actually wearing them)!

To my crochet buddies abroad whom I've had the good fortune to know and interact with despite the distance. I have been the recipient of their warm wishes, support and even crafty gifts and special yarns :)

Tina -  Timeless Creations

Deneen - YarnsandMusings

                                                                               

Kimberly - The City of Crochet

Vik - Like Grandma

Chie - Chie Crochets

Pearlin J - Knottyville

Lily Go 

                                                       To my local crocheting buddies for patiently working on my designs 

                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                             Bheng - All Stitch Bright and Beautiful  

                                                                                              Claire - The Artful Hooker  

                                                                                             Tin - Stannum Reloaded  

                                                                                                                      Tok                    

To Fatima Lasay (korakora), for sharing crochet ideas, techniques and inspiration.

To the members of Crochet in the Philippines on Ravelry, thanks all for joining the group!

To many more friends I met online...those whose blogs I follow, those who sent me gifts, those whom I swapped crochet items and yarns;

To all my blog followers, readers and visitors, especially those who take the time to leave comments;

To all those who tested my patterns and given me added inspiration and ideas;

To all those who bought my patterns, used my designs, sent me feedback;

Thank you all!!!