Sewing Book Giveaway!

Not only do I enjoy crochet, but I love to sew. I have my mom's Singer 301 circa 1960's sewing machine and a machine she brought me from the 70's when I was in my 20's, and I love to use them. I had to order the bobbin rubbery thingy that spins the bobbin winder for my mom's machine and I'm anxiously waiting for it to come in. AllFreeSewing is having a book giveaway that I wanted to tell you about (plus I get an extra entry for posting this on my blog). Just go to AllFreeSewing and enter to win.

The Complete Photo Guide to Clothing Construction

Good luck!

This n That Square

I originally started this square to use as a corner 2 corner square Afghan, but I didn’t like the way they were coming together so I added some rows and made them into pot holders. You could also use them to make pillows, or leave off the edging and use several of them to create a throw or Afghan. Once you have all of the squares together you can then do the edging all of the way around the Afghan.

Use the colors you like, and be creative!

The first one I made had a white C2C center square.

The second I made had a variegated C2C center square.

Pattern Notes:

The first layer of the edging is worked directly into the square. The second layer is worked by ch3 and then bpsc (back post single crochet) around the sc stitch of the first layer of edging. To work a bpsc insert the hook from the back around the sc post, yarn over and pull the hook up around the sc post, yarn over and pull through the 2 loops on your hook. Here is a video from New Stitch a Day to show you how to work a bpsc stitch.

The center of the square is a block of corner 2 corner (C2C). If you’ve never done C2C The Crochet Crowd has a great video demonstrating this technique. Written instructions can be found on the Red Heart site. The written pattern is for a throw, but to get a square simply start to decrease after you reach 7 rows.

I changed colors every round after the dc and sc rounds, but it is up to you how many times you want to change color.

Square:

Make a C2C square which is 7 rows square. (Start to decrease at the point where you have 7 squares across a row.)

Round 1: Attach yarn at the corner of your C2C square onto a ch3 space. Ch3, sc, dc, sc, dc into the corner. Work a dc evenly across each side of the square. At the corners you will work (dc, sc, dc, sc, dc). Join in the 3^rd ch of the first ch3.

Round 2: ch1, 3 sc into each corner, and sc evenly across each side of the square. Join in ch1 sp.

Rounds 3-6: Repeat Round 2

Edging:

Round 1: ch3, sk1, sc, *ch3, sk 1, sc* repeat around square. Join in 1^st ch3 st.

Round 2: *ch 3, bpsc around sc post* repeat around square and join into 1^st ch3 st.

Work in ends.

Close up of edging

The pattern is complete and error free to the best of my knowledge. If you need help or have any questions please leave a comment and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. You may not sell this pattern, but you may sell any items you create with it. Please give me credit as the original designer if you sell items. If you’d like to share this pattern please share this blog post or you can also find it in my Ravelry shop.

Happy Hooking!

Working on New Patterns

Hi loyal readers! I wanted to touch base with you all and let you know I'm going to have a few new patterns coming out soon. I've got a really cute lingerie bag pattern that is super girly and frilly. I also have a doiley pattern I've been working on and trying to get it deciphered from my chicken scratches. I've also promised to come up with a free pattern to donate to a website to help fund care for preemies. So I haven't forgotten you all, I'm just busy trying to get my next crochet ebook out and working on some new patterns to share.

Have a safe Halloween and remember to keep your kitties inside, especially your black babies so nothing happens to them this year.

Take care!
Kat

Cluster Stitch Flower Headband

Have you ever had some yarn and didn’t know what on earth to do with it? I started making a scarf, frogged it. Then I started to make a shawl and frogged it, too. So finally I came up with this cute headband pattern. I’m not sure how much yarn this takes, I just crocheted until it was big enough for my head. Then I did a simply sc border and a cute little flower. The button in the center of the flower is an antique from my collection.

I hope you enjoy this pattern. To my knowledge it is complete and without error, but if you find anything wrong with it please leave me a comment. Feel free to sell any items made with this pattern, and please give me credit as the original designer. If you want to share the pattern, please share this blog link. Thanks for respecting my rights as a designer.

What You’ll Need:

Size G/6 (4.25mm), and D/3 (3.25mm) crochet hooks (If you use a worsted weight yarn increase your hooks sizes to Size I/9 (5.50mm) and G/6 (4.25mm).)

1 ball of bamboo yarn in main color and a small amount of contrasting color for edging and flower

1 decrotive button

1 button for closure

Sewing needle and matching thread to sew on buttons

Tapestry needle to work in tails

Pattern Notes:

I've included videos at the end of this post for a magic circle and the following stitches. 

Cluster Stitch: yo and insert hook into specified st, yo and pull through, yo and pull through 2 loops on your hook. Insert hook into same st, yo, pull through, yo and pull through first 2 loops on your hook. Repeat this process two more times until you have 5 loops on your hook. Yo and pull through all 5 loops, ch 1 to lock.

Sc2tog: Insert hook, yo, pull through, insert into next stitch, yo, pull through and yo and pull through all 3 loops on your hook.

Work headband in rows and end with button loop. Turn the headband around and attach the yarn to create the tapered end for the button. Flower is worked in rounds. Slip stitch into center to create inner petals, and then slip stich back out to outer loops to create outer petals.

Headband Pattern:

Ch8, in 2^nd ch from the hook sc, sc across row, turn

Row 1: ch1, in 2^nd ch from the hook sc, sc across row, turn

Row 2: ch 3, cluster st into next st, sk 1 st, cluster st into next st, sk 1, cluster sti into next st, dc into last sc, turn.

Row 3: ch 3, cluster st into ch st, sk 1 st, cluster st into ch st, sk 1 st, cluster st into ch st, sk 1 st, dc into last st, turn.

Repeat Row 2 and 3 until desired length. Do not break yarn.

Headband Ends and Button Loop:

At the last row turn and ch 1, sc across row, turn.

Row 2: Sc2tog, 3 sc, sc2tog, turn

Row 3: Sc2tog, 1 sc, sc2togh, turn

Row 4: 2 sc2tog, turn

Row 5 Sc2tog, ch 6 (or chain enough to fit snugly around your button) sl st into last st of headband, turn sc 7 into loop, join and break yarn.

On the other end of the headband join yarn onto corner of foundation chain, ch 1 sc across foundation ch.

Repeat Rows 2 – 5 of headband end but do not work loop.

Edging:

With smaller crochet hook attach contrasting color to one edge of the headband, ch 1 and evenly space sc all the way around headband, join. Break yarn and work in tails.

Flower:

With smaller crochet hook make a magic circle and work 8 sc into circle.

Rnd 1: 2 sc into each sc, join

Rnd 2: Ch 3, sk 1, sc, *ch3, sk 1, sc* join

Rnd 3: Sl st into center of the circle, sl st around the base of a sc st, *ch 3, sc around base of next sc* join. (You will end up with 6 loops in the center of your flower.)

Rnd 4: sl st into first loop, *sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc* into each loop, join.

Rnd 5: sl st into outside loop of flower,  *sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc* into each loop, join.

Sew a decorative button into the center of the flower, and then sew flower onto the headband. Sew button onto the end of the headband without the loop. Work in tails.

Post your versions of this project and let me know what you think of the pattern. If you find any errors, or have any questions please leave me a comment and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks for checking this pattern out, and feel free to share it with the share buttons or by copying and pasting this blog post link. Please give me credit as the designer, and you may feel free to share any items you make from this pattern as long as you give me credit for the design.

Happy Hooking!

How to Crochet a Magic Circle

How to Crochet the Cluster Stitch

How to Crochet the sc2tog Stitch

Black and White Long Double Crochet Slouchy Beanie

I started this hat this afternoon because I was bored and my daughter loves hats. I worked it up in a few hours and thought the long double crochet added just the right bit of style to the basic black and white pattern. The edging is made with the crab stitch. I really like to use this stitch as edging because it gives the hat a polished look. If you want to share this pattern, please use the link to my Raverly page or to my blog. Feel free to sell any items made with this pattern, just please give me credit as the original designer.

Red Heart Super Saver Black

Red Heart Super Saver White (I used leftover yarn from another project. A skein each will make several hats. You can also use any color combination you like.)

Size K/10 ½ (6.5mm) crochet hook

Tapestry needle

Gauge: 10 sts and 6 rows = 4 inch square

Hat measures 12 inches across widest point, 21 inch circumference at opening, and is app. 10 inches long. It is designed to fit the head snug and then be very slouchy in the back.

Special Stitches:

Longdc: yo, insert hook into st below next st, yo, pull back through, yo pull through 1^st 2 loops, yo, pull through last 2 loops

Crab stitch: working left to right insert hook into next st on the right, yo, pull thorugh, yo and pull through both loops. Insert hook into next st to the right and repeat the process. Also called special single crochet stitch.

Step 1: Make a magic circle and work 8 sc into circle. Pull circle up and join into first sc.

Rnd 1: With White ch1, sc in same space, 2 sc into each sp around, join.

Rnd 2: Ch3, dc into same sp, *1 dc into next st, 2 dc into next st* repeat around join into 3^rd st of ch3

Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc into same sp, *1 dc into next st, 2 dc into next st* repeat around and join into 3rd st of ch3

Rnd 4: Switch to Black – Ch1, sc in same sp, *sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc into next st* repeat around join into 3rd st of ch3

Rnd 5: Ch3, dc into same sp, *1 dc into next 2 sts, 2 dc into next st* repeat around join into 3^rd st of ch3

Rnd 6: Ch3, dc into same sp, *1 dc into next 3 sts, 2 dc into next st* repeat around join into 3^rd st of ch3

Rnd 7: Change to White – ch3, 1 dc into next 2 sts, 1 longdc into st below next st, *1 dc into next 3 sts, 1 longdc into st below next st* end with 1 dc in each of the last 2 sts, join into 3^rd st of ch3

Rnd 8: Ch3, 1 dc into each st around join into 3^rd st of ch3

Rnd 9-10: Repeat rounds 7 and 8 using White

Rnd 11-12: Repeat rounds 7 and 8 using Black

Rnd 13-14: Repeat rounds 7 and 8 using White

Rnd 15: Switch to Black – ch3, *dc2tog, 1 dc into next 3 sts*, dc2tog, join into 3rd st of ch3

Rnd 16: Repeat round 15

Rnd 17: Switch to White – ch3, *dc2tog, 1 dc into next 3 sts* dc2tog, join into 3rd st of ch3

Rnd 18: Ch3, 1dc into each st around, join into 3rd st of ch3

Rnd 19: Switch to Black – ch1, sc into each st around, join into ch1

Rnd 20: Switch to White – ch1, crab st in each sc around and join into ch1

Work in ends.

You are free to sell items made with this pattern, just please give me credit as the original designer. If you find any mistakes in this pattern please let me know. To my knowledge it is error free and complete. Enjoy!

Crisscross Phone Holder

I have a habit of carrying the phone around with me all over the house. It seems every time I get 10 feet away from the darn thing it rings. I also needed a place to keep it and my reading glasses safe from my cats that like to get up on my nightstand and knock everything off. So I took some scrap yarn from a hat and made a swanky phone holder. I don’t have a cell phone so this holder is large enough to hold my cordless phone, my reading glasses, and anything other little item I might want to squirrel away. I used an antique mother-of-pearl button from my collection to set it off. I’m really happy with how it turned out and I hope you like it too.

Close up of the back of the flap

Close up of Crisscross DC stitches

Check out my antique mother-of-pearl button!

Feel free to share this link to share the pattern. You can sell any items made with this pattern, just please give me credit for the original design. To my knowledge the pattern is complete and error free. If you do have problems with it, please contact me and I’ll do my best to help you out.

Be sure to like my Facebook page, Kat’s Crochet Creations where you’ll find tips, free pattern finds, and great instructional video links I’ve found. You can also share your works in progress, ask questions, and just come by and say hi. Also come by my Raverly page and check out my other free patterns. I don’t have much on there yet, but check back as I’m adding new patterns quite often.

Okay now on to the pattern!

You will need some scarp yarn. I used Red Heart Super Saver in ID# E300_3972 Mulberry Mix and a size I/9 (5.50mm) crochet hook. (You can use any medium weight yarn you like.)

You will also need a button, a sewing needle, and some thread to sew the button on.

Gauge: 12 stitches and 10 rows in dc equal 4 inches square. (Gauge isn’t really critical for this pattern.)

Pattern Notes:

The pattern starts with a foundation chain of 10, one row of sc, and then one round of sc. You then work the first row of dc into the back loops of the last sc round and work in the round from then on. You need to end up with an even number of stitches on the last sc round. To form the flap I did a round of sc and then worked the flap on the back of the holder using decreases until I reached 2 stitches and then formed the loop, joined it and worked in the tails.

Special Stitches:

Double Crisscross Stitch (Also called the Cross Double Crochet): From the last stitch worked skip one stitch and dc into the next stitch. Yarn over, insert the hook into the skipped stitch, and work a dc into that stitch. The dc stitches crisscross each other. Here’s a really good video tutorial from Johnny at New Stitch a Day to learn this stitch.

Sc2tog: Insert hook into next stitch, yarn over, pull through and insert into next stitch, yarn over and pull through. Pull yarn through all 5 loops on your hook. (This is also a decrease stitch.) Watch Mikey from The Crochet Crowd’s video tutorial series to learn how to do this stitch. It is also known as the crochet 2 tog decrease.

Phone Holder Body

Chain 11, sc into 2^nd st from the hook and sc across, 10 stitches, turn

Row 2: ch1, sc into 2^nd st from the hook and sc across, 10 stitches, turn

Row 3: ch1, sc into 2^nd st from the hook and across the row. When you get to the end work 5sc into last stitch working around the end. Sc across the bottom of the piece of fabric and end up with 5sc in the last stitch. Join. You will now be working in the round from this point on.

Round 1: ch3, dc into the back loop only of each sc, join in the 3^rd ch of ch3.

Round 2: ch3, insert hook into the st to the right of ch3 and dc. *Working right to left skip st, dc into next st, insert hook into skipped st and dc* Repeat around and join into 3^rd ch of ch3.

Round 3: ch 3, dc into each st around and join into 3rd ch of ch3

Repeat Rounds 2 and 3 three times

Round 10: ch3, dc into each st around and join into 3rd ch of ch3

Round 11: ch1, sc into each st around and join in ch1

Flap and Button loop:

Row 1: ch1,sc into 11 sc – 12 stitches, turn

Row 2: ch1, sc2tog, 5sc, sc2tog – 8 stitches, turn

Row 3: ch1, sc2tog – 4 stitches, turn

Row 4: ch1 sc2tohg twice, ch10 (or create a chain large enough for your button), join chain into top of 2^nd sc2togh. Work 10 sc into loop and join. Break yarn.

Sew button onto the middle of the front, weave in tails and you’re done.

If you’d like to share this pattern please use the link to this blog. You can also sell any items made with this pattern as long as you give me credit as the original designer. Make this larger or smaller by adding or subtracting rows. You can also change the gauge with a different size crochet hook, or a different weight of yarn. I hope you like it and please share any pics of your projects on my Facebook and Raverly pages. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to use the comments section below. I will get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks!

What Prompted Me to Pick Up My Hook Again

My mother and grandmother were the ones who taught me the love of all needle work and yarn crafts. My mother was an avid knitter and could crochet, but my grandmother was the master crochet expert of the family. She used to crochet intricate borders on her embroidered scarves she made. I honestly don't remember how old I was when they taught me to embroidery, crochet, and knit. I will admit my knitting skills are lacking. I could never get my tension right, but for some reason I picked up crochet very easily.

Well life has a way of moving on and with marriage, two kids, divorce, a second marriage and all of the responsibilities of adult life I quit crocheting. I'd pick up an Afghan my aunt had started when I was a teenager, but I never really got back into it. Then one day I found The Crochet Crowd's website. Mikey is such a great video host, and he explains things so well that I had to get some more hooks, a skein of yarn and get back into it.

That was nearly a year ago and I'm now designing and publishing my own patterns on this blog and on my Raverly page. I have also written a three volume crochet, a three volume knitting series, and a two volume sewing series under the pen name of Kathy Wilston. I had recently been approved for disability because of back problems, and I had to find something to keep me busy. Crochet has helped me keep my mind and fingers busy, and to find purpose. It is great therapy and I've watch countless Netflix movies and caught up and discovered many new series on there while hooking along.

If you need to learn how to crochet, or like me you need to refresh your skills be sure to check out The Crochet Crowd's website and subscribe to their YouTube channel. You will be glad you did. And to Mikey and Diva Dan I want to say thank you for helping me rediscover my love of crochet.

Crossed Double Crochet Stitch Soap Bag

This is a pattern I just designed. It is free, all I ask is you give me credit as the designer. Enjoy!

Pattern is worked in the round. I used small amount of cream cotton yarn, and lime green cotton/silk blend and a size E/4 (3.5mm) crochet hook. (You can use any cotton yarn or hook size you like.)

Special stitch: Crossed double crochet: Step 1 Dc into the second st in the row. Step 2 yo and work a second dc into st that was skipped.

To learn how to do a cross double crochet stitch, watch this video from New Stitch a Day

Create a magic circle

Rnd 1`: 8 sc into circle, join in first st, ch1

Rnd 2: Sc 1 into same st as ch1, ch2 in each st around and join

Rnd 3: sc 1 into joining st, 2 sc in next stitch * 1 sc in next st, 2 sc in next st* repeat to end and join

Rnd 4: sc 1 into joining st, 1 sc into next 2 st, 2 sc in next st * 2 sc in next 2 st, 2 sc into next st* repeat to end and join

Rnd 5: ch 3, 1 dc into the back loop of each st around and join

Rnd 6: ch 3, dc in st to the right of ch 3, * sk 1, 1 dc, 1 dc in st behind 1^st dc* repeat to end and join (you will end up with 2 dc in the joining st)

Rnd 7: repeat Rnd 6

Rnd 8: Attach lime green, ch 1 and sc in each st around and join

Rnd 9: repeat Rnd 5

Rnds 10 & 11 repeat Rnd 6

Rnd 12: ch 1, 1 sc in each st around and join

Rnd 13: ch 4, sk 1, dc, * ch 1, sk 1, dc * repeat around and join

Rnd 14: ch 3, dc in each st around and join.

Rnd 15: ch 3, 2dc in same st, sl st into next st, * 3 dc in next st, sl st into next st * repeat across, join and break yarn.

When you get to the end of Rnd 15 break yarn and weave in the tails. Take a small amount of white cotton yarn and thread through Rnd 13, gather evenly and tie white yarn into a bow.

To my knowledge this pattern is complete and error free. Feel free to share this pattern or sell items made with it. All I ask is that you give me credit as the original designer. Enjoy!

Learn a New Stitch a Day

One of the things I really enjoy about crochet is learning new stitches. I'm on several email lists and like to explore YouTube and see what I can learn. One site I really like is New Stitch a Day. When I wrote a crochet and knit series for a client (available on Amazon under the pen name of Kathy Wilston) I used New Stitch a Day a lot for reference. Sign up for their newsletter and receive an email each day with a link to learn a new stitch.

The videos are easy to understand and the host always tells you what yarn he's using. I've found some great yarns from his recommendations. On the website they also give written instructions for each stitch. You can search their crochet and knit Stitchionary and explore their site. Check New Stitch a Day out and let me know what you think.

Happy Hooking!

Hi and Welcome!

Hi there and thanks for visiting my site! On this site I plan to share tips about crochet at all levels from beginner to advanced, share links to informative videos and free patterns, projects I'm working on, product reviews, and just generally ramble on about crochet.

Please be sure to go to Facebook and like my Kat's Crochet Creations page. Share your projects, ask questions, and share your tips. I plan on highlighting projects from my readers here on this page as well as sharing free patterns I come up with.

Check back often, more good stuff is on its way!