Advent Crochet Meditation III

Hello!

Glad you are here for the third Crochet Advent Meditation! We hope you enjoyed last week's episode and are looking forward to see your pictures! There now is a Ravelry page for the coaster, so hop over there if you haven't already. 

Some people were wondering who  was reading the meditation - well that mystery is easy to solve! It is Michelle, the Australian part of Crochet Between Worlds. 

We are now little over a week away from Christmas. Time flies, doesn't it? We hope with meditation helps you to relax during this busy days and gets you in spirit for Christmas!

Like last week, there are several different ways available to access the podcast. Note that Googledrive will most likely be out of bandwidth at some point, so if that happens, use one of the other options. 

Youtube: Crochet Meditation III

We hope you enjoy this weeks meditation! If you have any questions, post them here or on Facebook. Please note that Anne - the German part of Crochet Between Worlds - is on holidays til Thursday, so there might be some delays. 

We tried very hard to eliminate any mistakes in the pattern but as you know, we are only human... if you find a mistake, tell us about it and we will start an errata list.

Take care, 
Michelle & Anne

Advent Meditation Part II

Hello lovelies!

We hope you have enjoyed making your first coaster and are ready for the second Advent Meditation!    We would absolutely love to see your makes from last week (well and the ones of these week as well), so post them on Facebook, Instagram or wherever we can see them (we might need the link...). 

Tomorrow is the second of Advent and we hope this meditation helps you to take some time out of your normal busy day and reflect.

This weeks download can be found in different place. As you might recall, we had some problem with the bandwidth of our google drive last week (a lot more of you wanted to download the meditation which made us very happy!) and this might happen again this week. Therefore we have prepared alternative listing/download ways for you ahead which can we found below! If one doesn't work, please try another one.

Youtube: Crochet Advent Meditation II

Enjoy this week meditation! If you need help, you can find us on Facebook. Just a quick reminder: We are doing this for free in our free time. We tried very hard to avoid mistakes but hey, we are only humans, so there might be some. If you find one, write us and we will start a errata list. 

Take care

Michelle & Anne

Advent Meditation Part I

Hello Hello!

The first part of the Advent Meditation is here! We are sooo excited about it and can't wait to hear how you like it! General information about the idea can be found here. 

For the first pattern, you need about 20 grams of DK yarn (we use Stylecraft Classique Cotton), a 4mm crochet hook, scissors and a yarn needle.

It is a very easy pattern, however you need to know how to crochet sc, dc and ch stitches. The pattern begins with a magic circle. We simply adore that technique but if you can't do a magic circle (yet), you can also crochet 4ch and close them to a circle. When you finished the pattern, remember to sew in all the ends securely! 

Remember to take your time, don't be afraid to pause or rewind if you need to, and above all don't get stressed about it - this is meant to be a relaxing, mindful, creative activity.


You can listen to the podcast via Youtube. The video can be found here. 

Please post pictures of your finished coasters on our Facebook page or on instagram (hashtag #cbwadvent)! We can't wait to see them. :) We do ask you however to wait for 1-2 days til you post pictures, so others will have the moment of surprise too! Thank you :)

Feel free to ask us questions, we will try to reply as soon as possible. Please note that we are doing this for free in our spare time for you to enjoy, that is please be kind and give us the time needed.

Should you find a mistake (we hope there are none, but we are only human after all), please message them to us directly. If needed, we will have an errata list here. 

Enjoy and happy first Advent Sunday!!

Take care

Michelle & Anne

FREE PATTERN: Enchanted Violets Scarf/Wrap

Hey everyone!

How on earth can it possibly be 5 weeks to Christmas!? 2017 has positively flown by. I am really looking forward to the holidays this year though, because my siblings who moved away from Sydney during the year will be back to visit :D Kathryn has been working in Japan for Google, and James and Jess moved to Melbourne for a Masters degree, and it has been very quiet here without them! 

We are doing something a bit special for the Advent season this year - a weekly Crochet Meditation Podcast! The idea is that you take half an hour out of your week during this crazy time to create something mindfully, with only a spoken pattern. No written pattern, no charts, no option to race ahead; you just have to hook what you're told, when you're told to do it, and at the end you'll have a neat set of coasters! If you are interested in taking part, all you'll need is about 100g DK cotton yarn and a 4mm hook. The first pattern will be posted on Saturday 2 December, but keep an eye out next week for more information.

But today, we have a special treat for you - a free pattern! 

Several months ago I was gifted this glorious cake of cotton/acrylic/filament yarn to play with, and it just immediately screamed FLOWERS at me, and I am not usually a flowery person! Sadly you won't be able to get this exact yarn, but any slow colour change yarn such as Wolltraum will have a similar effect! In fact, this pattern will work with any yarn - just change to an appropriate hook size, and you may also have to increase/decrease the number of starting stitches to get the right length. 

With 200g/800m, and at around 4ply/fingering weight, a scarf was the obvious choice, and I was inspired to adapt MyPicot's adorable butterflies into textured 5 petal flowers, which just worked so well with the yarn.

Without further ado, the Enchanted Violets Scarf!

You can queue or favourite this pattern on Ravelry here:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/enchanted-violets-scarf
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FREE PATTERN: ENCHANTED VIOLETS SCARF
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Finished Size: 165cm x 16cm (65" x 6")

Materials

200g 4ply long self-striping yarn such as Wolltraum (aim for 200g/800m)
3.5mm/E hook
Yarn needle
Scissors

All stitches are in US/American terminology

fdc - foundation dc (photo tutorial here) 
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
dc - double crochet
slst - slip stitch
fptr - front post treble crochet
ssdc - stacked standing double crochet (video here): sc into target stitch. Insert hook under two leftmost strands of sc, yarn over hook to do a second sc. 

Instructions

Row 1: 357fdc, ch1, turn. To make your scarf longer or shorter, add or subtract fdc in multiples of 11. 

Row 2: sc in each st. ch1, turn.

Row 3: ssdc in first st. dc in each st, turn. 

Row 4: (violet row - see below for detailed photo tutorial) sc in next 13 st. *in blo of next st, (slst, ch3, 3dc, ch3) twice, turn work clockwide and in flo, (slst, ch3, 3dc, ch3) 3 times. slst in flo. continue turning work clockwise and sc in next 21 st.* repeat * to * to end of row, omitting 8sc from final repeat. ch1, turn.

Row 5: ssdc in first st. *dc to violet st, fptr in same st as violet*, repeat to end of row. ch1, turn. (see below for photo tutorial). 

Row 6: sc in each st. ch1, turn.

Row 7: ssdc in first st. dc in each st, turn.

Row 8: (violet row) sc in next 24 st. *in blo of next st, (slst, ch3, 3dc, ch3) twice, turn work clockwide and in flo, (slst, ch3, 3dc, ch3) 3 times. slst in flo. continue turning work clockwise and sc in next 21 st.* repeat * to * to end of row, adding 3sc after final repeat. ch1, turn.

Rows 9-11: Repeat Rows 5-7

Repeat Rows 4-11 until you have 6 rows of violets, or to size desired! 

Weave in ends and block aggressively with many pins to spread the violet petals out properly.

VIOLET ROW PHOTO TUTORIAL

(note: I've worked this tutorial sample in two separate colours so it's easier to see the stitches) 

sc up to the stitch you need to work the violet into.

This is your target stitch - note the front loop and back loop, as you'll be working into each loop separately.

Work the first two petals into the back loop only. 

Now, turn your whole work clockwise, so it is upside down. You'll be working into the front loop next, continuing in in an anti-clockwise direction. 

Finish Petal 2 by slipstitching into the front loop only. 

Complete your last three petals in the front loop only. It'll look kinda stretched and crowded, and that's ok. 

Now keep turning your work clockwise so the working edge is up the top again. 

Fold the violet forward and locate the next empty stitch that you're going to need to sc in. If everything is a bit tight and squished, wriggle the violet stitches around until you can see that next stitch clearly.

Ta-dah! One violet completed :) 

ROW 5 PHOTO TUTORIAL

It can be a little challenging sometimes to locate the right dc to fptr into because working so many stitches into the top loops of that dc can make the post short, stubby and weird looking.

dc up to the stitch before your violet. Remember, because we're working back the other way, the top loops are to the left of the post, not the right (as they would be if we were working in the round). See that stumpy little post there under the violet? That's where to put the fptr. 

You can see it a bit more clearly here.

Just do your fptr arouns that post, and then carry on with your dc stitches. 

Easy peasy! 

Stylecraft Elements Blog Tour - Jewelled Pebbles Blanket

Hi everyone! 

We are so excited to be part of the Stylecraft Blogstars, and participating in this 2017 blog tour! Hopefully you all visited Polly Plum at Every Trick on the Hook yesterday and entered the yarn pack giveaway there ;)

As you know, we absolutely adore the Stylecraft Batik yarn, and the new Elements yarn is just as pretty and squishy! 

Our chosen pack for the blog tour is called Rainforest, using the Platinum colourway of Elements and matching and contrasting colours Teal, Old Gold, Pistachio, Violet, Plum and Raspberry.

We wanted to do something a bit quirky with this yarn, so developed a pram blanket that finishes about 80cm by 85cm, made from tesselating heptagons and pentagons. You could easily make it bigger with more yarn. 

The blanket is all Join-as-you-go, so no sewing a million motifs together, and we have provided a colour chart of the blanket to help you get the colour spread nice and random! 

And those colours... all we could think of was looking at pebbled pools through the water, with precious jewels instead of boring rock pebbles. Hence, the Jewelled Pebbles Blanket!

Want to win a Rainforest Yarn Pack to make this pram blanket? The giveaway is open until 10am GMT tomorrow!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For the next stop on the blog tour and another chance to win a yarn pack, make sure you visit Cherry Heart tomorrow!

All the blogstars are participating in the blog tour, and you can visit them at 

Get Knotted Yarn Craft, Every Trick on the Hook, Zooty Owl, Lucia's Fig Tree, Cherry Heart, Hand Knitted Things, Josiekitten, The Twisted Yarn, Annaboo's House, Crafternoon Treats, The Patchwork Heart, Emma Varnam, Attic24, Jane Crowfoot and Catherine's Crochet Corner.

Queue or favourite the Jewelled Pebbles Blanket on Ravelry here:

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/jewelled-pebbles-blanket

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FREE PATTERN: JEWELLED PEBBLES BLANKET
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Finished size: 80cm x 85cm

Materials:

One Rainforest Yarn Pack, including:

   4 balls Batik Elements in Platinum

   1 ball each of Batik in:

   - Teal

   - Old Gold

   - Pistachio

   - Violet

   - Plum

   - Raspberry 

4mm/G hook

4.5mm/H hook

yarn needle

scissors 

All Stitches are in US/American terminology

ch - chain stitch

dc - double crochet 

slst - slip stitch

Special Stitches

- Magic Circle (MC) - tutorial here

- JAYG - motifs are only joined in corners, not along sides. Replace one chain of corner with slipstitch into adjacent corner ch space (replace both chains when joining to two adjacent corner ch spaces).

Instructions

Pentagon (all pentagons are made with the Platinum Elements yarn)

Row 1 - MC. ch3, 2dc, *ch2, 3dc* four times, ch2, slst to top of first ch3. (5 x 3dc groups with 2ch between)

Row 2 - ch3. *in next corner space, (3dc, 2ch, 3dc)* 4 times. In first corner space, (3dc, 2ch, 2dc) and slst join to top of first ch3. finish off. (6dc per side).

Heptagon 

Row 1 - MC. ch3, 1dc. *ch1, 2dc* 6 times. ch1, slst to top of first ch3. (7 x 2dc groups with 1ch between)

Row 2 - ch3. *in next corner space, (2dc, 2ch, 2dc)* 6 times. In first corner space, (2dc, 2ch, 1dc) and slst to top of first ch3. (2 x 2dc groups on each of 7 sides)

Row 3 - ch3, dc in same sp. *in corner, (2dc, ch2, 2dc), 2dc in next space* 7 times, omitting final 2dc in last repeat. slst to top of first ch3. finish off. (6 dc per side)

Starting in top left corner, join each shape with JAYG during final row, in corners only. 

BORDER

The first three rows are crocheted in Platinum.

Row 1: Join the yarn in the pentagon on the left side bottom. 1ch and then 1sc into the same stitch. Crochet 1sc into every st, except into the tops of the heptagons and the pentagons. Crochet 3sc into these. At the end of the row, sl st into the first sc. 1ch.

Row 2 + 3: 1sc into every st with two exceptions: a) crochet 3sc into every top of the heptagons and the pentagons b) 2sctog across the 2st at every dip where two pieces very joined. At the end of the row, sl st into the first sc. 1ch. Finish of at the end of row 3. Weave in the ends.

Row 4: The row is crochet like row 2. You will change color in the middle of each side. Use the following color order: Teal, Old Gold, Raspberry, Plum, Teal, Old Gold, Violet, Pistachio. Finish off and weave in the ends.


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Muster: JEWELLED PEBBLES DECKE 
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Maße: 80cm x 85 cm.

Material:

Ein Rainforest Garnpaket. Dieses enthält:

   4 Knäule Batik Elements Platinum

   Jeweils ein Knäul:

   - Teal

   - Old Gold

   - Pistachio

   - Violet

   - Plum

   - Raspberry 

4mm Häkelnadel

4.5mm Häkelnadel

Nähnadel

Schere

Abkürzungen

Lm = Luftmasche

fM = fest Masche

Stb = Stäbchen

Km = Kettmasche

Besondere Maschen

Magischer Kreis – Hier findest du eine Anleitung

JAYG (Join as you go) – Die Motive werden nur in den Ecken verbunden und nicht an den Seiten. Ersetze eine Lm der Ecke mit einer Km in die angrenzende Eckenlücke (ersetze beide Lm mit einer Km, wenn du ein Motiv mit zwei angrenzenden Eckenlücken verbindest).

Anleitung 

(Grafik zur Anordnung der Motive weiter oben in diesem Blogpost)

Fünfeck

(alle Pentagone werden mit Platinum Elements gehäkelt)

Reihe 1: Magischer Kreis. 3Lm, 2Stb, *2Lm, 3Stb* x 4, 2Lm, Km oberste Lm der Anfangs-3Lm. (5 x 3Stb-Gruppen mit je 2Lm zwischen ihnen)

Reihe 2: 3Lm. *in die nächste Ecke: (3Stb, 2Lm, 3Stb)* x 4. In die erste Ecke: 3Stb, 2Lm, 2Stb) und dann Km in die oberste Lm der Anfangs-3Lm. Abmaschen (6Stb an jeder Seite).

Siebeneck

Reihe 1: Magischer Kreis. 3Lm, 1Stb, *1Lm, 2Stb* x 6. 1Lm, Km in die oberste der Anfangs-3Lm. (7x 2Stb-Gruppen with je 1Lm zwischen ihnen)

Reihe 2: 3Lm. *in die nächste Ecke: (2Stb, 2Lm, 2Stb)* x 6. In die erste Ecke: (2Stb, 2Lm, 1Stb) und dann Km in die oberste der Anfangs-3Lm. (2 x 2Stb-Gruppen an jeder der 7 Seiten)

Reihe 3: 3Lm, Stb in dieselbe Lücke, *in die Ecke: (2Stb, 2Lm, 2Stb), 2Stb in die nächste Lücke* x7, überspringe die letzten 2Stb in der letzten Wiederholung. Km in die oberste der Anfangs-3Lm. (6Stb an jeder Seite)

Beginne in der oberen linken Ecke und verbinde die Motive jeweils in den Ecken mit dem JAYG in der 3.Runde (Siebenecke) bzw. 2.Runde (Fünfecke).

Umrandung
Die ersten drei Reihen werden in Platinum gehäkelt.

Reihe 1: Beginne in der unteren linken Ecke. 1Lm und dann 1fM in dieselbe Masche. Häkle 1sc in jede Masche, außer an den Spitzen der Fünf- und Siebenecke. Häkle dort 3fM in die Spitzenmasche. Am Ende der Reihe: Km in die erste fM. 1Lm.
Reihe 2 + 3: 1fM in jede Masche mit zwei Ausnahmen: a) Häkle dort 3fM in die Spitzenmasche der Spitzen der Fünf- und Siebenecke. b) 2fM zus abm in jedem Tal, d.h. dort, wo zwei Motive verbunden wurden. Am Ende der Reihe kM in die erste fM. Am Ende von Reihe 3 abmaschen und Enden vernähen.
Reihe 4: Die Reihe wird wie Reihe 2 gehäkelt, aber du wirst die Farbe jeweils in der Mitte einer Seite wechseln. Benutze hier die folgende Farbreihenfolge: Teal, Old Gold, Raspberry, Plum, Teal, Old Gold, Violet, Pistachio. Am Ende abmaschen und die Enden vernähen.

PATTERN: Bargello Wave Baby Blanket!

Hey everyone! 

My brand shiny new Bargello Wave Baby Blanket pattern has been published!!

You can find it, buy it, queue it and favourite it here on Ravelry:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bargello-wave-baby-blanket

There is a discount coupon running until Monday night, you can find it by checking out Crochet Between Worlds on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/crochetbetweenworlds/) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/crochetbetweenworlds/) ;) 

But for now I'm just going to post heaps of photos, because I am so in love with this design and the pretty colours <3 <3 <3

July's Corner to Corner Blanket

Hi there!

As life is incredible busy at the moment, I needed an easy going crochet project to calm my mind and keep my hands busy in the evenings. So - of course - I turned to the corner to corner blanket pattern. My favorite blanket pattern of all time and my "meditation pattern". And since a very dear friends of ours told us that they expect a little girl later this year, the idea of a corner to corner baby blanket was born!

I finished the blanket last week and since then I can't decide if I should add a border or not. A border gives the blanket a neater look and also it may last longer. So that would speak for a border but... the blanket is so colorful, I can't quite decide which color to use. Usually I would add a moss stitch border but for this colorful blanket, it would be too much. Hmm. 

So for the moment the blanket remains "un-bordered". What is your take on this? 

I choose the colors for this blanket from my yarn stash. At first I wasn't 100 % sure they would work together but now I am very happy with it! I didn't note down the color names but if anyone wants to know, I will look it up. Just drop me a line! Oh, the yarn is Stylecraft Special DK of course. My favorite yarn for baby blankets because a) there are so many colors to choose from and b) it washes very well. 

Life is calming down a bit at the moment and man, I need that. Fingers crossed I can regain some of my energies over the next couple of weeks. At the moment I am working on a new amigurumi design idea. There is a vague notion that it might work, but I won't know until I crochet it up. Cross your fingers! What is on your hooks at the moment?

Take care

Anne