Well, the time has finally arrived to begin the Marguerite Crochet Blanket CAL! Let me just don a party hat and pull out some streamers, and we'll be ready to go! In this post, I'm going to break down the timeline for the CAL, and address some questions about the first part of the pattern. … Continue reading Marguerite Blanket CAL Part 1
February 8 is fast approaching, which means that the start of the Marguerite Blanket CAL is almost here! As I noted in my first post, this is the first CAL I've hosted, and even before it's begun, I've learned a lot about how this process tends to go down. Most notably, I've learned about all … Continue reading Marguerite Crochet Blanket CAL FAQ
Welcome to the first in a series of posts for my very first CAL! I'm nervous about putting this design out into the world in CAL form since it's something I've never done before. There's a certain kind of vulnerability around sharing work with the world in this way. But I know that the upside … Continue reading Marguerite Blanket CAL Introduction
It should come as no surprise that a lot of my designs are inspired by geometry. Patterns of shapes leap out at me from fabrics, art pieces, and even light fixtures and floor tiles. The Marguerite Motif is no exception. Thank you to Gabrielle @gabulledelaine for the name suggestion. She let me know that “Marguerite” … Continue reading Marguerite Motif Free Crochet Pattern
Fall is now officially here. Just a few days ago I felt the first bite of autumn wind and made the difficult decision to abandon my sandals for socks and boots. I’m always sad to see summer go, but the abundance of cozy crochet projects makes the arrival of fall much easier. Last month I … Continue reading Delicious Crochet Shawls Book Review
All the Granny Squares Fit to Print In her book, Granny Square Flair, author and master crochet Shelley Husband offers a stunning array of 50 granny square patterns. The humble granny square has been around since the birth of crochet, and sometimes I think I’ve seen all there is to see design-wise in this format. … Continue reading Granny Square Flair Book Review
One of the things I like the most about crochet is the infinite design possibility. Just when I think I’ve seen it all, something new will catch my eye, and I’ll fall in love all over again with the craft. Flipping through Round and Round the Crochet Hook by Emily Littlefair of The Loopy Stitch. … Continue reading Round and Round the Crochet Hook Review
In late September, I traveled across the pond to the Netherlands for the first time. The trip was a 40th birthday present to myself. Perhaps more importantly, it was also a chance to meet multiple crocheters whom I had admired from afar. I've expounded on the virtues of social media elsewhere, but without it I … Continue reading My Dutch Crochet Adventure
I've been listening to the audiobook Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's about the pursuit of creativity and covers both creative obstacles and also ways of transcending them. Gilbert speaks to topics such as fear, courage, permission, creative entitlement, and originality vs. authenticity. I don't know that I've ever truly connected with "magic" as part … Continue reading Big Magic Mandala Pattern
This past weekend, I was playing around with some overlay crochet techniques, and came up with a little motif that I’d like to share for free. It’s a granny square with an overlay center that reminds me of a spinning record, for some reason. Maybe it’s the movement illusion that the stitches create, or maybe … Continue reading Spin Me Right Round Crochet Square
