Crochet your summer 'must-haves'

Those of us who can crochet, need not buy some of the staples for cool summer oufits. You only need to buy yarns or threads and sometimes you need to buy a crochet pattern.

Following are some of my suggestions from my own crochet designs. These have been around for several years, but I believe they won't go out of style.

Sea Star Cardi 

My latest design for a beach cover-up or a summer cardigan is published in crochet.com as Sea Star Cardi. You may visit their website to download the pattern for free.

Pattern and project details are here on Ravelry.

Le Tote

A yarny tote, that can carry your beach essentials, or your current project if you like to take it along with you anywhere. Another downloadable free pattern from crochet.com.  View the pattern and project details on Ravelry, and get inspired to make your own. I love my sample in blue. It is a practical everyday bag, soft and huggable too.

Hibiscus Tunic

A beach coverup I designed several years ago. If you love crocheting with thread, this will be quite doable for you. The pattern is available for sale at Interweave.com The price varies, and sometimes it is greatly discounted.

View this design on Ravelry.

Sienna Top

This is the Sienna Top from the book "It Girl Crochet". I used size 10 thread for my own top. I added a thin cotton fabric for lining. 

The pattern for this top is available for sale on interweave.com. It can also be found in the book and magazine where its published.

Thanks for looking, happy crocheting! 

Hearts Flower - free crochet pattern

Just in time for Valentines, I saw a fabric flower with heart-shaped petals, and got inspired to make a crochet version. So here is the simple crochet design that I came up with as a Valentine treat for my fellow crocheters. Most any yarn and corresponding hook can be used for this pattern.

Hearts Flower
by Mimi Alelis copyright 2017
Note: This pattern is for personal use only, not for distribution and not to be posted on any other site. 
Original link: http://mycrochetstuff.blogspot.com/2017/02/hearts-flower-free-crochet-pattern.html

Materials:
Worsted weight yarn, I used Premier Cotton yarn
Crochet Hook size 4mm
Finished size: 2.5 inches in diameter

Flower
Rnd 1: Start with magic ring, ch 1, 5 sc in  ring, join with sl st to first sc. 
Rnd 2: (Ch 1, sc in sc, turn, ch 2, 4 dc in sc, turn, ch 2, dc2tog, ch 1, sl st in next dc, ch 2, dc2tog, ch 1 sl st on top of turning ch 2 of previous row, 2 sl st at the side of dc row, sl st at the base of petal, sl st on the next sc) rep 5 times, making 5 petals. Fasten off, leaving 6" tail for sewing, if making this as an embellishment.
Center (optional - you may instead sew a button in the center of the flower)
With contrasting color yarn, make a magic ring, ch 2, 4-dc cluster in ring, fasten off leaving a 6" tail for sewing. Pull both ends tight, knot together, sew in center of flower. Weave in loose ends.

Crochet Stuff in 2016

Hello! Another year has passed....and as usual I blog about the past year's projects...even though there wasn't much :p I'm thankful there's Ravelry and Instagram, where I can post projects as they happen and review them anytime ;)

So here goes a summary of my crochet in 2016 -

The only original pattern I was able to share is the Open Weave Rattan Stitch Poncho. Since I had promised to make one each for a group of friends, it became my major project for the past year (that extended a bit this year...).

Rattan-stitch Poncho

Next on my list, is my most memorable design - made in 2015, but came out and got published in 2016. Its called Limpet Lace Top and its featured in Interweave Crochet Summer 2016.

Limpet Lace Top

On other crafting projects - these recycled denim placemats and coasters for Papa Diddi's ice cream restaurant. I enjoyed making these :)

 

Next is my favorite crochet project - the mini Hobbes amigurumi for my son, based on a free pattern by miahandcrafter. I wasn't able to take the actual measurement, but I estimate it at 5" tall.

Mini Hobbes

I also made several baby booties since I got excited for the arrival of my first grandchild last July and the birth of more babies in our clan.

Lastly, and this is also one of my favorite project - a crochet scarf for Jackie Lou Blanco. She liked a scarf I posted on IG, and inquired on how to order one. I took it as an opportunity to make her one as a fan gift, since I believe she's one of our best actress of all time, and I'd love to see a celebrity wear my creation :)

Happy New Year!!

Me and my sister-in-law

Pinwheel flower - free crochet pattern

I got the inspiration for this flower from a pattern in an old Japanese book. It is quick and easy to make, and a bit unusual ;) Hope you enjoy making these like I did! (Photos edited on PicMonkey.)

Pinwheel Flowers

Pinwheel Flower
original pattern and photos copyright  by Mimi Alelis, 2014 
http://mycrochetstuff.blogspot.com/2014/08/pinwheel-flower-free-crochet-pattern.html

Make several of these for fashion accessories or to decorate your home.  

Materials:
Cotton thread, size 10 (for the small sample)
Lightweight yarn (for the medium sample)
Worsted weight yarn (for the large sample)
Crochet hook size 1.5 for small, 3mm for medium, 3.5mm for large

Note: Finished size will vary with yarn and hook used. Most any yarn can be used for this pattern.

Pinwheel flower in progress

Flower pattern
Ch 5, join with sl st to form a ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, 10 sc in ring, sl st in 1st sc to join. (10 sts)

Rnd 2: Ch 6 (counts as dc and ch 3), (dc, ch 3 on next sc) repeat around, sl st on top of beg ch 3 to join. (10 dc, 10 ch-3 spaces)

Rnd 3: [Work the next sts on the post of dc of previous rnd - (sc, ch 3, 5 dc), then sc on the ch-3 space] repeat around, join. (10 petals)

Fasten off and weave in ends. For a better pinwheel effect, take the tip of each petal with your thumb and forefinger and twist petal to the left.

Bits and pieces of my crafting space

Here are some items I picked for my crafting space. Its not much, but I like for now ;)

The Essentials

These are the handy 'must-have' accessories. The corkboard, glued permanently on the wall...The office table lamp which works just fine, even for thread crochet....The scissors, ruler, pen and pencil, are contained in a crocheted cozy (which used to be a camera cozy, stiff enough to stand on its own) ;)

Irish Crochet Motifs

The five Irish crochet motifs set in a frame and hung on the wall...

Butterfly motif

A butterfly motif made from this pattern by Chinami Horiba

Doll with crocheted dress

Lastly, this doll wearing a crocheted dress - a Japan Surplus Store find. The doll is just a bust with a head. It has no arms, only hands. Its propped up on an empty thread cone. It stands 10 inches tall on my table ;)

Crochet a Flower Accent - free pattern

Flower Accent
by Mimi Alelis, copyright 2011
Attach this flower accent onto a button on your clothes or accessories. The center hole is oval-shaped  so the flower doesn't easily slip-off.   

Materials:
Cotton thread, size 10
Crochet hook size 2mm

Finished Measurement: Approximately 1 3/4 inch in diameter, fits a button 1/2 inch or smaller
Note: Finished size will vary with yarn and hook used. Most any yarn can be used for this pattern.

Flower
Ch 8, join with sl st to form a ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, working in ring, 1 sc, 1 hdc, 4 dc, 1 hdc, 2 sc, 1 hdc, 4 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc, sl st on the 1^st sc. (16 sts)

Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in same st, (Ch 3, skip one st, sc on next st) repeat around, sl st on 1st sc to join. (8 ch-3 loops)

Rnd 3: [(Sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc) in ch-3 loop, sl st in sc] repeat around, join. (8 petals)

Rnd 4: Ch 1, still facing front, work the next stitches at the back of rnd 3 petals, (sc on the skipped st from rnd 2, ch 5) repeat around, join. (8 ch-5 loops)

Rnd 5: Ch 1,(sc, hdc, 5 dc, hdc, sc) in each ch-5 loop around, join. (8 petals)

Rnd 6: Ch 5, still facing front, work the next stitches at the back of rnd 5 petals, (skip one st, sc on the same st as the ch-3 loop from rnd 2, ch 5) repeat around, join. (8 ch-5 loops)

Rnd 7: Repeat rnd 5.
Fasten off and weave in ends.

(View pattern details and projects on Ravelry.)

Previous related post.

Crochet Flower Accent

Remember this crochet bracelet band?

...Now here's another way to wear it:

Add a crochet flower!
This pretty thread flower was made with a buttonhole. Its a versatile embellishment...that you can attach anywhere it fits ;)
Maybe add a touch of crochet to any of your buttoned tops:

Or, use your imagination to make the flowers in bright colors and attach to your kid's clothes, for an instant handmade accent.
Pattern in my next post.

Update: Pattern now available here.

Crochet a flower keychain

Again I needed a small project to work on to get me back into the groove of crocheting ;)
I rediscovered this site - a company based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I first heard about Pingouin from Beth (yarndiva) over at Crochetville. Lots of wonderful free crochet and knit patterns, though instructions are in Portuguese. Good thing they have useful charts, which makes the pattern quite understandable.
I found this flower keychain, and wanted to make it to embellish a plain sc purse I made. Here's what I came up with. I used either Anchor or DMC embroidery floss, from my stash, and a 2mm hook. I also used some beads from my stash.



Here's the bag that I made a few years ago, my sister used this for a while. Its quite small but can hold basic necessities.
I have not yet attached the metal keychain thingie when I took this photo.

Poinsettia Flower Crochet Patterns

I saw this beautiful poinsettia flower on Ravelry, and I thought about my own poinsettia design, which is a coaster.

I'm not sure what else to do with the pattern now...I have already submitted it to the crochet calendar.

Poinsettia Coaster

2006 Crochet and Other Stuff Review

Highlights per month in 2006
(first half)

January
• scarves I made for my sister

(its been a year now since she went to the U.K. and I miss her so much...)

• It was a colder January last year, so I was inspired to make a cap using acrylic yarn. I made a beret cap with brim and offered the free pattern on my blog
• Garnstudio designs offered their free patterns in English and most of us crocheters were thrilled. I compiled most of the links to the Garnstudio patterns.

February
• I joined the crochet Olympics at crochetville and took the challenge to finish a garnstudio cardigan. It was a breakthrough for me, since I have not tried before to finish up (with a deadline) something as big as this. I was so inspired getting all the positive feedback for this project!
• Two flower doilies
, and a pineapple bookmark (from Japanese books) inspired by the romantic air of Valentines.

March
• A hobo bag and several cell phone purses became my obsession for this month.


April
• I started making crocheted letters (from a Japanese book ;)

• I made up my first design for Coats Manila Bay which is a bolero .
• A lovely belt from a free pattern offered by Mani di Fata, the Cintura con Fiorellini
• The popular fan bookmark by Crochetroo
• Came up with a lip balm holder free pattern.

May
• For this month, made the computer bugs by Kristie , and the crochet necklaces by Rachel

.
• Made the Mani di Fata inspired crochet earrings
and flower keychain

June
•
I learned the bullion stitch by making Kathy’s Bullion stitch pincushion.
• I had my very first printed pattern available nationwide, when my Loopy Flowers free pattern sheet came out, I really got excited over it!

• Started on my first halter design.