Sentimental Journey

Today I have a ticket that allows me to ride the Crochetville Express on the journey through the National Crochet month with the Crochetville Blog Tour and you are invited to join me. Today is my day to shine, but you really need to check out all the other great talent out there that are on the tour also this month.  

To find them and the other festivities, freebies and giveaways going on all this month to celebrate National Crochet Month, just follow this link Crochetville blog post to begin your journey. You can also follow the trail of the the National Crochet Month blog tour on their Facebook page and at Crochetville.com.

Don't you think journeys are wonderful? Full of surprises and fabulous things to see and do.  First steps on any journey are so important, without them we go nowhere. So I thought I would tell you my story of the beginning of my crochet journey

All my fellow designers who are reading this understand it really isn't the finished project that spurs us to pick up our hooks. For everyone else I hope this helps you understand where your designers hearts are. It is the journey to create something new, different, special, and unique. 
For me it is a journey to a magical place where my imagination gets free rein.

When we are struck by an idea, and for me that is sort of how it feels. Bam,,, and an idea is stuck in the brain and will not be happy until steps are taken to insure it goes someplace. Sometimes a sketch will hold the idea at bay. Other times nothing less than picking up a hook will appease the itch.

  But truly it is the process of creation that makes my crochet journey worth the time and effort.  

A story of  a journeys start:

 There once was a little girl who found a book in an attic. This book was full of treasures and magic that enchanted that little girl by the beauty she saw on those pages. Deep in her heart she knew she had to acquire the skills to be able to create these beautiful things on her own. She knew this was possible as it was a book on crochet. But it took years to find the right person that could unlock this world for her as she was left handed and lived in a right handed world. Believe me it wasn't for lack of trying. She tried to teach herself, but the only tools she had was a size 13 hook and size 50 thread and the book only gave instructions for right handed crochet. It was just too much for the little girl and she was sad, very sad………..

  Then one wonderful day a cousin came to visit with crochet hook in hand. The little girl was so thrilled to see this art form in person and when she realized that she was crocheting left handed she begged the kind cousin to PLEASE, PLEASE teach her this wonderful magic. The cousin never had a more avid pupil and within an hour the little girl was hooking away. She taught her to make a sc hot pad with yarn and a K hook. She even gave the little girl the hook and yarn. To this day that little girl says a silent Thank you to the kind cousin for opening up a world of magic for her.

  Well I am sure you have guessed by now that little girl was me and the magic of crochet is still a important part of my being. Of course one of the things I did on my journey was  I moved to crochet thread as soon as I could, as that is what truly called to me when I pursued the treasures in that book. I was so proud of myself when I crocheted a table runner for my mother that Christmas done in thread. That was the beginning of my fabulous journey into the world of crochet.

Now I create new and different ideas with cheerful glee. Letting the ideas and my hook take me to this magical world on a regular basis. I do write up the patterns which I hope are a map for someone else to use on their journey in the art of crochet.

To celebrate the joy of this month I am releasing a new pattern. This is my Rendezvous Victorian draw string purse

Crochetnbeads website

Ravelry 

Etsy
Craftsy
 I also have two patterns out in the 10th Birthday Collector's Edition of Interweave Crochet. In it you will find my Starflower necklace and my Arrowhead cardigan. I am always pleased to be part of such a great magazine.

Photo courtesy of  (Interweave Crochet / Harper Point Photography).

Photo courtesy of  (Interweave Crochet / Harper Point Photography)

 And finally a small free pattern. 

        My  favorite filet coaster pattern. I use mine very day.  

Filet Coaster Set

Materials 

Thread:  size 10 ( 200 yards) enough for 4 coasters

Hook:  size  8/1.5mm

Mics: 4 pieces of 2mm thick craft foam each cut 3.75 inches or size to fit coaster. ( Note, design will stand out better if foam is a strong contrast from the color of thread chosen. )

Dimensions: 4.25 inches across

Standard Abbreviations 

ch = chain                                           

sl st = slip stitch                                

sc = single crochet

dc = double crochet                       

tr = treble crochet                          

hdc = half double crochet

dtr = double treble                         

cl = cluster stitch                              

p = picot                                              

st = stitch                                            

lp = loop                                              

sk = skip                                              

sp = space                                          

tog = together                                  

yo = wrap yarn over hook           

rnd = round                                       

dec = decrease                                

inc increase                                                       

rep = repeat

(  ) = repeat between as indicated                                           

* = Repeat from as indicated

Filet Stitches

edc  = extended double crochet  which is done in this manner, Begin normal double crochet until three loops on hook,  instead of yo and drawing through 2 loops, yo and draw though 1 loop, you will still have 3 loops on your hook when you have done this, proceed to finish the stitch in the normal manner. This will give you a slightly longer than normal dc,  

Meshes = edc, ch 2, sk next 2 sts, edc in next stitch makes up one mesh  When one or more meshes are side by side they share the center stitch between them,  So 2 meshes will = 1 edc, ch 2, 1 edc, ch 2, 1 edc,

  Blocks =  4 edc make up one block  When one or more blocks are side by side they share the center stitch between them,  So 2 blocks will = 7 edc, 3 blocks = 10 edc, 4 blocks = 13 edc.  

Pattern starts here: With color of choice ch 44.

Row 1 edc in 8th ch from hook, ( ch 2, sk next 2 ch sts, edc in next ch st ) 12 times. [ 13 meshes total ] 

Row 2  ch 5, turn, edc in next edc, ( 2 edc in next ch 2 sp, edc in next edc ) 4 times, ch 2, edc in next edc, 2 edc in next ch 2 sp, edc in next edc, ch 2, edc in next edc, ( 2 edc in next ch 2 sp, edc in next edc ) 4 times, ch 2, edc in 3rd ch of ch 5 at the beg of previous row.

Row 3  ch 5, turn, ( edc in next 4 edc, ch 2, sk next 2 edc ) 2 times, edc in next edc, 2 edc in next ch 2 sp, edc in next 4 edc, 2 edc in next ch 2 sp, edc in next edc, ( ch 2, sk next 2 edc, edc in next 4 edc ) 2 times, ch 2, edc in 3rd ch of ch 5 at the beg of previous row.

Row 4-13  ch 5 to turn for each row, follow chart placing blocks and meshes as indicated.

Rows 14- 26  ch 5 to turn for each row, follow chart for rows 1-13 placings blocks and meshes as indicated. End off,

Assembly and Edging  Fold piece in half, working over both halves of the piece around, attach thread in what would be row 12 and row 15 so that you will be working towards the folded edge, ch 1, sc in same sp, 9 dc in corner sp, sc in next ch 2 sp on folded edge, ( 7 dc in next ch 2 sp, sc in next ch 2 sp ) 5 times, 9 dc in next corner sp, sc in next ch 2 sp on next side making sure you work over both halves of the coaster, ( 7 dc in next ch 2 sp, sc in next ch 2 sp ) 5 times, 9 dc in next corner sp, sc in next ch 2 sp on next side making sure you work over both halves of the coaster,  ( 7 dc in next ch 2 sp, sc in next ch 2 sp ) 3 times, Insert your piece of foam at this point, working it into all the corners that have been done, The foam may buckle slightly at this point, This will even out as your finish your piece, ( If it really buckles, then remove and trim enough that it fits snuggly into the coaster, again a slight buckling at this point is acceptable. ( 7 dc in next ch 2 sp, sc in next ch 2 sp ) 2 times, 9 dc in corner sp, sc in next ch 2 sp on next side making sure you work over both halves of the coaster, ( 7 dc in next ch 2 sp, sc in next ch 2 sp ) 4 times, 7 dc in next ch 2 sp, ending with a sl st into 1st sc of rnd. End off, weave ends in.

Chart for Coaster