Fancy Star Update

FYI, I found an error in the Fancy Star Snowflake pattern (in row 9) and have corrected it. I really do go over these things carefully before I post them; I guess sometimes it just takes some time away before I can see them. Anyway, it's fixed in both the blog post and the PDF. Sorry!

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Good as my word (don't get used to it)

In Monday's comments, I said that after I got through with my school-
related craziness this week, I would post the pattern for the
snowflake I made up last weekend. Well, I actually did, and did it in
a timely manner. This is not the way it usually works. Just so you know.

So here it is (props to Becky for the name, which I'm totally using
without asking her -- hi, Becky!!)! You can also get a PDF version here.

Fancy Star Snowflake

      Materials

This can be made with larger yarn and a larger hook, or with finer thread and a smaller hook. The snowflake pictured was created with:

Size 10 crochet cotton
Size 6 (US) steel hook
sewing needle (eye just large enough for crochet cotton)
stiffener

a good overview of stiffeners can be found at http://crochet.tangleweeds.com/stiffeners.html

      Directions:

Stitch guide:

Tr decrease: YO twice, insert hook in st indicated, YO
and pull up a loop, (YO and draw through 2 loops on hook) twice, * YO
twice, insert hook in next stitch nd pull up a loop, (YO and draw
through 2 loops on hook) twice, repeat from * once more, YO and draw
through all four loops on hook.
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Ch 5; join with slip st to form a ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 6 (counts as first dc plus ch 3), (dc in ring, ch 3) 5
times, join with sl st to third ch of ch-6. (6 dc and 6 ch-3 sps)

Rnd 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in next ch-3 sp, ch 5, dc in
same ch-3 sp, (dc in next dc, dc in next ch-3 sp, ch 5, dc in same ch-
3 sp) 5 times, join with sl st to first dc.

Rnd 3: Ch 4 (counts as first tr, now and throughout), tr in next dc,
ch 4, sc in next sc, ch 4, tr in next dc, (tr in next 2 dc, ch 4, sc
in next sc, ch 4, tr in next dc) 5 times, join with sl st to first dc.

Rnd 4: Ch 4, tr in next dc, ch 7, sc in next sc, ch 7, tr in next dc,
(tr in next 2 dc, ch 7, sc in next sc, ch 7, tr in next dc) 5 times,
join with sl st to first dc.

Rnd 5: Sl st in stitch to right, ch 4, * YO twice, insert hook in
next stitch and pull up a loop, (YO and draw through 2 loops on hook)
twice, repeat from * once more, YO and draw through all three loops on
hook, ch 9, sc in next sc, ch 9, (work Tr decrease in next tr, ch 9,
sc in next sc, ch 9) around, join with sl st to top of first st.

Rnd 6: Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 6, sc in same st, * ch 9, sc in next
sc, ch 6, sc in same st, ch 9, sc in top of next Tr decrease, ch 6, sc
in same st, repeat from * around, join with sl st to first st.
Fasten off and weave in ends using sewing needle.

Block and stiffen using a six-point blocking pattern.

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Bag o' bags

My New Friend Veronica wants to learn to crochet. Yay! She also said the other day that she wanted a grocery bag holder. "What a great first project!" I thought. Alas, I don't have a copy of the only bag holder pattern I've found that isn't mesh (who wants to see the bags? I thought that was the point of making something to put them in!), shaped like food/barnyard animals, or otherwise annoying to me in some way. That pattern may not be exactly what's needed in this case anyhow. How do I remedy this situation? Design my own galdarned bag holder, that's what! This is intended as a first project for a beginning crocheter, but as I've never designed strictly for beginners, I'm unsure that's strictly the category. I do think it's simple and straightforward, with just enough variety to hold interest without being frustrating. That's a pretty good goal, dontcha think?

I see a lot of potential for cool color combinations. For this one I used yarn from my stash, so you gets what you gets. Oh, and V -- if you don't like this one, never fear! I'll design something else. It's pretty fun!

So, without further ado...



Front Post Stripes Grocery Bag Holder

View pattern as a PDF file.

Materials:
--Main Color (MC): 2.5 to 3 oz. worsted weight yarn (about half a
skein of Red Heart Super Saver)
--Contrasting Color (CC): Approximately 20 yards worsted weight yarn.
--Size G crochet hook
--Tapestry needle

Gauge:
--Not important

Directions:

Rnd 1: With MC, ch 44, join with sl st in first st, being very careful that chain is not twisted. Do not turn. Ch 3 (this counts as first dc now and throughout), dc in each ch around, join with sl st to first dc. (44 dc)

Rnd 2 (eyelet row): Ch 4 (counts as first ch-1 sp), sk next dc, * dc in next dc, ch 1, sk next dc * around, join with sl st to third ch of beg ch 4. (22 ch-1 sps)

Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc in next ch-1 sp, * dc in next dc, dc in next ch-1 sp * around, join with sl st to first dc. (44 dc)

Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc in next dc and each dc around, join with sl st to first dc.

Rnds 5-8: Repeat rnd 5.

Rnd 9: Switch to CC (do not cut MC, rather leave it behind work and pick it up again at beginning of next rnd), ch 3, FPdtr in dc below next dc, sk next dc, * dc in next dc, FPdtr in dc below next dc, sk next dc * around, join with sl st to fist dc.

Rnd 10: Switch to MC, ch 3, dc in next FPdtr, * dc in
next dc, dc in next FPdtr * around, join with sl st to first dc.

Rnds 11-24: Rpt rnds 4-10 twice more.

Rnds 25-28: Rpt rnd 4.

Rnd 29: Rpt rnd 2.

Rnd 30: Rpt rnd 3. Fasten off. Weave in ends.


Handle:

Row 1: Using MC, join with sl st to 11th dc, ch 50, st st in 33rd dc, making sure chain is not twisted.

Row 2: Turn, sc in each ch to end, join with sl st in 11th dc. Fasten off. Weave in ends.

Drawstrings (make 2):

Ch 100, fasten off. Make sure both ends are securely knotted. Beg in 11th ch-1 sp of top eyelet row, use tapestry needle to weave drawstring through eyelet. Cut yarn ends to approx 1 in. Draw up and tie in a bow. Rpt for bottom eyelet row. You will probably want the top drawstring fairly loose and the bottom one tighter.

Fill with plastic grocery bags and hang. Stick a fork in you, you're done!