How to Do a Slip Stitch

Traditionally this stitch is used for connecting rows or rounds, like on the first corner of a granny square or other types of squares. I have also used the slip stitch (abbreviated sl st) as a decorative stitch that went something like this:
Ch desired length +2
Rnd 1: Dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc across, turn
Rnd 2: Sl st across, ch 2, turn
Repeat rnd 1-2 until it reaches desired length

How to Do a Double Crochet

The double crochet uses a new method in crocheting that is yarning over before you insert your hook into the stitch, this may seem very odd if you've only been doing single crochets for a long time. Often times I use this stitch in making scarfs or in blankets such as this granny square afghan or this pumpkin colored blanket. This stitch is very useful and is abbreviated "dc" though in Europe it is abbreviated "tr" for treble crochet, but all my patterns are in US format.

How to Do a Single Crochet

The single crochet is the first stitch I ever learned, besides the chain stitch. It is used in many patterns e.g. my mouse finger puppet pattern has many single crochets which are abbreviated sc.

American Girl Doll Matching Hats

This is probably one of my favorite crochet projects yet. It fits the American Girl doll perfectly and turned out so cute. I made a matching kid sized one too. I designed it myself but unfortunately I didn't write down the pattern before I gave it away.

For the base of the hat I used Lion Brand Homespun yarn and then just worsted weight yarn for the flowers.

Mouse Finger Puppet

Colors: Pink and Blue

Hook size: I/9

Ch 10 join to 1^st ch w/ sl st

Rnd 1

Sc 10, don’t join to 1^st st

Rnd 2-6

Repeat rnd 1

Rnd 7a

(ch 1, sc1) 3 times, ch 6, sl st in 1^st ch of rnd 7a

Rnd 7b

You now have loop that will later be the nose, work around this loop. Sc 24, (sc the next 2 st tog, sc 1) 3 times, sc 18, (sc the next 2 st tog) 3 times, switch to pink, join to 1^st w/ st st, sk 1, dc 2 in next st, sk 1, sl st, tie off

Rnd 7c

Start in the 1^st st left of the nose (looking at the front) sc 8, sl st in the side of the nose, ch 1, turn

Rnd 8-10

Sc 8, sl st in the side of the nose, ch 1 tur

Rnd 11

Sc 8, sc over  the top of the nose, don’t join to the 1^st sc of this rnd

Rnd 12

Sc 12, don’t join to 1^st sc

Rnd 13-14

Repeat rnd 12

Rnd 15

(sc the next 2 st tog) 3 times,

Rnd 16

(sc the next 2 st tog) 3 times, sc the next 3 st tog, sk 1, sl st, tie off

Ear (make 2)

Start with pink,

Row 1

Leave 6in tail at the beg (for sewing)

Ch 3, turn, sk 1, dc 5 in next st, turn

Row 2

Switch to blue, ch 1, sc 2 in ea dc, sl st  in row 1, tie off,

Sew ears on

Add wiggly eyes (I didn't want to risk the glue on eyes coming off and I couldn't find sew-on ones small enough, so I took the glue-on ones and poke a pin through the back to turn them into sew-on ones.)

Weave in tails

It also make a cute "Breath Savers" cover :)

Basic Knitting Loom Hats

These are some of the first hats I ever made, at this point I was learning that I should use a double strand of worsted weight yarn. (On the black hat I did and on the purple hat I didn't)

 For the purple hat I used the green "Knifty Knitter" loom and used the yellow "Knifty Knitter" loom for the black hat.

Bright Hexagon Afghan

This is the first afghan I can call my own. :) It is very similar to a granny square. Of course it has six corners.

 

Hexagon

Ch 4, sl st in 1^st to form a ring,

Rnd 1

Ch 3 (this counts as a dc), [dc, ch 2, (dc 2, ch 2) 5 times, sl st in the top of the 1^st dc (or the 3^rd ch)] in ring

Rnd 2

Ch 3 (this counts as a dc), dc in the corner you just made, (ch1, [dc 2, ch 2, dc 2,] in next corner) 5 times, dc 2 in 1^st corner, ch 2, sl st in the top of the 1^st dc (or the 3^rd ch)

Rnd 3

Ch 3 (this counts as a dc), dc in the corner you just made, (ch 1, dc 2 in next hole, ch 1, [dc 2, ch 2, dc 2,] in next corner) 5 times, dc 2 in 1^st corner, ch 2, sl st in the top of the 1^st dc (or the 3^rd ch)

Rnd 4

Ch 3 (this counts as a dc), dc in the corner you just made, (ch 1, [dc 2, ch1,] in next 2 holes, [dc 2, ch 2, dc 2,] in next corner) 5 times, dc 2 in 1^st corner, ch 2, sl st in the top of the 1^st dc (or the 3^rd ch)

Tie off, weave ends in

Simply put

Ch 4, sl st in 1^st to form a ring,
[Ch 3 (this counts as a dc), dc, ch 2, (dc 2, ch 2) 5 times, sl st in the top of the 1^st dc (or the 3^rd ch)] in ring

*(Dc 2, ch 2, dc 2, ch1)in each corner, dc, ch1, in each hole, all the way around, for the beg corner start it by ch 3, dc 1, then once you’ve been around dc 2, ch 2, sl st, in the 3^rd ch from beg* do 3 rnd from *to* or repeat from *to* until it is the desired size

hint: you can get rid of the beg tail by crocheting over it in the first rnd

How to Do a Chain Stitch

The chain stitch is the simplest of all crochet stitches. I have yet to find a crochet pattern that does not include a chain stitch. The chain stitch is used to turn at the end of rows and on the base of many crochet projects. The abbreviation for this stitch is "ch" and the abbreviation for a "yarn over" is "yo".

How to Make a Slip Knot

Many people just tie a knot around their crochet hook when beginning a crochet project, but this is lumpy and tends to stick out in the final product. Here are three methods of creating a slip knot. To test any slip knot you can pull both the working yarn and the tail, if the loop disappears then it was done correctly.

Cute Baby Hat and Booties

These make the cutest little shower gifts. It's a simple, quick working and a very forgiving project, Perfect for beginners.

I used Red Heart Baby Clouds yarn for both the hat and booties. The hat was done on the blue knifty knitter loom (could also be done on a bulky weight, 24 peg knitting loom. Cast on 24, knit 3in (approx. 12rnds), reach inside the loom and place each loop from the first rnd over the corresponding peg, knit 6.5 to 7in more (approx. 26-28rnds), finish off with a draw string (to make a draw string simply cut the yarn leaving a 18in tail, thread a yarn needle using that tail. Go through each loop on each peg going from the bottom up. Once you have done so take each loop of each peg, then pull thread tight) secure with a knot . Feel free to add a pom-pom. Note this is just the instructions that came with the knitting loom, not my own pattern.

 The baby booty pattern was also not my own, but here's where I found it http://bevq.blogspot.com/2010/01/bevs-baby-clouds-booties.html

Together they look adorable in pink or in blue.  The booties fit perfectly into the hat for storage or shipping purposes.

Enjoy!

Cute Turkey Pillow/Square

This is the first pillow I've made...the only reason I made it into a pillow is because I didn't have any other patterns that measured up and I thought a whole afghan of turkeys would be overwhelming. Here's where I found this adorable pattern http://dayna.tdgservices.com/ShowPattern.aspx?PatternID=34

 

 Enjoy!

Pumpkin Afghan

I first began to crochet this afghan for someone who loved orange. By the time I finished it he was 6 and already had two crocheted afghans. So I decided to add the black picot border.

To begin ch136 turn (dc in third ch from the hook and all the way across, ch 2 turn) repeat until you reached the desired size (I just used four skeins of orange red heart yarn)
Note: you don't have to ch exactly 136 that was just my desired length.

For the picot edge you (Sc 1, sl st, ch 3, sl st in the same spot) repeat as many times as needed. I did not write this pattern. Here's the video I got it from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgqBr3vmlmE

Simple Cutesy Afghan

This was my first afghan with squares. It is very simple, easy but also tedious because you have to sew a lot of seams.

My favorite effect is the scallop border. It was not my own pattern. “(sk 3, dc 5 in next st,)as many times as needed."

Here's the link to the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgqBr3vmlmE

 My aunt taught me how to make the granny squares orally and then I wrote it out. Here it is:

Size: 4x4

Tools:

Crochet hook size I/9

Scissors

Yarn needle/darning needle

Supplies:

Approx  12yds of worsted weight yarn

Abbreviations:

Chain=ch

Slip stitch=sl st

Double crochet=dc

Ch 4, join w/ sl st

Rnd 1: Ch 3, dc 2 in loop,  ch 2, *dc 3 in loop, ch 2* repeat from * to * 3 times,  join w/ sl st

Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc 2 in loop under  3 ch, ch 1, dc 3 in corner loop, ch 2, dc 3 in same corner loop, ch 1, *dc 3 in next corner, ch 2, dc 3 in same corner, ch 1,* repeat  from * to * once, dc 3 in next corner, ch 2, join  to beginning w/ sl st

Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc 2 in loop under 3 ch, *ch 1, dc 3 in middle loop, ch 1, dc 3 in corner, ch 2, dc 3 in same corner,* repeat from * to * twice, ch 1, dc 3 in middle loop, ch 1, dc 3 in next corner, ch 2, join  to beginning w/ sl st, tie off weave in ends

You may notice in this pattern that it is actually just "Dc 3, ch 2, dc 3" in the corners holes, dc 3 in the other holes and ch 1 in between." you can continue this for as many rounds as you like, this just happens to be for the 4" square.

Butterfly Afghan

This is probably my favorite afghan so far. It was a really quick and easy pattern.

I did tweak the first corner of each round "Ch 3, dc 1 in corner hole" and then finish the round as if this were the entire corner, when you reach the end of the round you won't have to slip stitch instead "dc 2 in corner hole, ch 2, sl st in the 3rd ch from the beg." just as you would with a granny square, this also makes it so you can't see the slip stitches in the final product. Although the first corner hole will be a slightly different shape. (in the 2nd picture, in the bottom right you may notice that those holes are a little bigger) Note: this is a 12in square

The square is not my own pattern. Here's where I found it along with other inspiring patterns. http://yarncrazy.blogspot.com/2009/05/butterfly-garden.html

This is the video for the 3-D Butterfly to sew on to it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_0L152d1oc&p=C8B6ACC17E98D42C  (also not my own pattern) I hope you enjoy!