Insta love: lovanii.design

Anna or known as lovanii.design on Instagram, is a designer from Birmingham, UK that not only makes magical  crochet pieces, but she creates magical wands to work with too! 

She makes these hand carved botanical hooks and they all have a unique painted design. The hooks are made from fallen branches and they all have their own enchanting charm and character.  

To see more of Anna's hooks and work, visit her instagram. 

African Violets Bracelet - free crochet pattern

 

The African Violets Bracelet is one of my oldest patterns which I decided to retire and offer it for free.  

 

Technicalities 

Skill level: easy

Yarn & hook: For this project I used sport yarn and 1.9 mm hook (B1/E4). For a greater and more impressive effect I recommend you use three colors / shades of yarn. 

Other: tapestry needle, scissors and fiber fill if you are making a crochet bead for the closure. 

Used terms: chain (ch), chain space (ch-space), slip stitch (sl st), single crochet (sc), double crochet (dc), picot. 

African Violets

Foundation and round 1: With color A, ch5 and join to make a ring. Make 4sc in ring. Next, "ch2 and sc in next chain". Repeat this pattern ("-") for all 4 sts. There will be 4 chains made (last pic).

Round 2: Ch3 and dc5 in the next ch-space. Next, "ch5 and dc5 in the next ch-space". Repeat this pattern ("-") for all 4 ch-spaces. When you come to the end, ch5 and sl st in the 3-ch you made in the beginning of round to end it. The finished round looks like a small granny.

Round 3: Insert color B in 1st of 5dc you made before and ch3. Then dc2 in the next stitch, dc1 in the next , dc2 in the next st and dc1 in the last. There will be a total of 7 st. Next, ch 5, skip the ch-space and repeat this pattern ("dc1 in 1st st, dc2 in the next st., dc1 in the next, dc2 in the next st, dc1 in the last one, ch5"). Repeat this pattern ("-") for the two remaining 'petals'. Ch5 and sl st to end round. 

Round 4: Insert color C in 1st dc of the dcs you've made before. Ch3 (for the next 3 petals you are going to change the 3-chain into a dc), dc2 in the next st, dc2 in the third st, dc1 in the 4th, dc2 in the next and dc1 in the last st (11). 


Now, making the next dc stitch will be kind of awkward but it makes all the diference for your violet. It is an elongated dc stitch. You are going to make the dc in the center just above the ring - it's below the chains you did in the beginning. 

Pull the yarn up. Note that the petal should be a little tilted - not completely distorted. Release tension and when you achieve the look you like for it - finish the dc. 

Next, ch4 then "dc1, dc2 in the next st, dc2 in the next, dc1 in the next, dc2 in the next st, dc2 in the next and dc1 in the last (11), ch4, make a long dc in the middle, ch4". Repeat the pattern ("-") for the other two petals. 


The Rose

 Foundation and round 1: Ch5 and join to make a ring. Sc6 in ring, Ch3 and sc in the next st. "Ch3 and again make a sc in the next chain". Repeat pattern ("-") for all 6 stitches. You have to have 6 such chains made. 

Round 2: The pattern you are going to work for all the petals (work in the same chain space): "ch2, make 4dcs, ch2, make a sl st to end it", next sl st in the next st and repeat the pattern ("-"). 

Round 3: Ch4 and make a sl st in the space between the two petals. That chain will actually come behind the petal. Make another 4-chain and sl st between 2 petals. Repeat until you have 6 such chains. The last picture shows the behind of the rose with the chains exposed. 

Round 4: Now we are going to fill those chains and make nice petals. Work this pattern: ch2, make 4 dcs, ch2, make a sl st to end it. Repeat this pattern for all other petals. Don't forget to start the second and remaining petals with a sl st. 


Bracelet

 
For the bracelet, ch43 and then sc1 in every stitch. Ch1 at the start of each row. It is approx. 6.7" / 17 cm long, which is quite comfortable for me because my wrists measure 5.09" / 15 cm in circumference. You should measure your wrist and make the foundation that works best for you. It is 1" / 2.5 cm in width, but this is also optional. You can make it wider - just continue making rows of scs. 


I like to add a bit of charm to my pieces, so on the upper side of the bracelet, I made a picot row. (How to make a picot: ch3 and sl st through the 1st of the chain, skip 1 st, st st in the next - 1 picot made.)

The loop: for the loop, ch9. Skip 2 stitches and join the chain with the main body with a sl st. Next, ch1, turn work and sc9 in the loop. End it with a sl st. 


The button: Ch4, join to make a ring. Sc4 in ring, continue by making 1 sc in the 1st st, 2sc in the second, 1 sc in the next, 2sc in the following (6). Then sc1 in every stitch for 1-2 rows. Measure if it fits the loop! Leave bead open, fill with fiberfill to make it puff and as such, sew it onto the bracelet. It is easier to sew on a button or a bead for this purpose, but again - measure to check if it fits the loop!
After that, position the flowers on the bracelet. Pin them so they stay put while you sew them onto the bracelet. Fasten them nicely. Enjoy your bracelet!

On Crochet Trends & Inspiration

Read about the crochet trends I am inspired to try this fall and winter in my post here

Craft Business Magazine Feature - September 2019

 

Guys, I am thrilled to be in the Craft Business Magazine again! My dear Angela Sara West invited me over to talk about the past year, the use and influence of social media and the trends in crochet that have been tickling my heart and hook!

Read on if interested.

 

You can download a free copy of the magazine here. You will find a ton of varied, interesting content and many exciting articles!

Happy Autumn

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Happy Autumn guys! Although we had such a severe transition, one would think winter is coming and we could have actually changed our flip flops with our boots.  

Still, the everlasting optimist I am, I hope for a true, real autumn, like the one we had back in the days when I was a kid. 

Instagrammers  were quick to show their autumnal makes, so enjoy my selection and click away!

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Back to Basics: Crochet & Wooden beads

 

 

Hello, hello!

Well, this has been a thoroughly exhausting week. My unplanned pause has come to an end (hopefully?) and I hope I can actually finish the gazillion projects I've started this summer. 

One of those projects include a short series I called back to basics. It includes simple necklaces similar to the ones I made in the past,  composed of flowers and wooden beads. And I loved making those.

This one was the first to be made. I used the necklace I created with this pattern and played with greeno-bluish and mustard beads. 

Have a happy Saturday!

Insta love - Flor Samoilenco

 

Happy Monday guys! 

Here's another of the inspiring accounts I love following on instagram.

flor.samoilenco is an economist by profession and a crafter by passion. She designs wall hangings with tapestry crochet and intarsia, in which she pours her favorite inspirations: geometric shapes, nature, abstract art and architecture.

"With tapestry crochet or jacquard I found the way of combining crochet with home decor, in a modern and kind of minimalist way that separates from the traditional. 

This technique came to me in a time of my life where I was struggling a lot with anxiety and stress, and it really is amazing how creating something with our hands can help. 

Making something that I love helped me feel better to make decisions that change my life for the better. I decided to leave behind my 9-to-5 job to focus on working freelance on stuff that I actually like doing, anywhere in the world (and I feel incredibly lucky for being able to do this)."

Peacock Feathers Necklace #2

Important: This is an affiliate post. If you buy through any of the links in this post, I will earn a percentage from The Sewing Box Magazine.

The English digital version of the Sewing Box Magazine has already been out and if you missed it - we have a great offer for you. 

For a pack of Sewing Box Magazine, including the newest issue with my Peacock Feathers Necklace pattern, with a discounted price, click here.

I made a slight variation of the Peacock Necklace using ecru thread and I cannot get over how beautiful and vintage looking ecru gives to projects, especially jewelry. When it was finished, I contemplated adding it as a trim to a straw bag and I got all starry -eyed at the image. So, my necklace might be the bag's necklace too :)

But on second thought - I put it into the shop.

The Sewing Box Magazine #8

Crochet Summer Jackets - free patterns

 

 Blossoming Beauty

Ros

In line with my last post, I am sharing some crochet jackets /cardis eye candies - all free patterns. My personal favourites are the first two by Drops Design. They do make fantastic designs. 

Do you make crochet jackets? My grandma used to make us a lot - as soon as one got smaller, she was already chaining a new one - it is a sweet memory to me. I did make jackets for my kids when they were babies and surprisingly -mostly knits, but I haven't made one in ages. Not that I am not tempted, mind you :)

Temptations lurk in every corner....

 

The Alchemy

 

 Boho Duster

 

 The Perfect Spring Sweater

 The Waffle Cardigan

What I Have Pinned Lately #18

 

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My pinterest feed has been swarmed with so many gorgeous patterns and ideas, it simply makes me sad I don't have extra hands I could crochet everything I see. It's just so frustrating :P. Is it the same with you??

I still don't want to shake summer off, especially now when the temperatures have dropped to the lower 30s (we had them in the upper 40s Celsius, if you are wondering what I am talking about) and it is actually bearable to go on and about one's day, hence my choice for today - a summer dress and a top, but also summer jacket ideas for the early mornings and late summer evenings. Some are just ideas, for others there are free patterns. 

 

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Do follow me on pinterest if you like the type of crochet I pin.