Turkish Delight Cuff - a crochet pattern

 

 

 

 

 I present to you my newest pattern - the Turkish Delight Cuff.
Have you ever tried a delight? I am completely taken by their heavenly smell of roses and the delicious taste that is a feast to the palate. When I chose and combined the threads for this project I immediately thought of delights and the name stuck with me.

I used variety of beads to accentuate its layered look and make it unique.

The pattern is here and here.

 

Insta feel - Boho Jewelry

 

This is the time when jewelry comes to expression. Jewelry that best fits the beach, at least to me, is the bohemian, gypsy-like kind. Whether worn over tees and shorts / bikini cover-ups or only with a bikini, they give the appearance a free spirited, mystical and adventurous feel.

The collages feature artisans I found on IG. Check them out!
@omsahajewelry, @labohemejewelry, @mi_nuxa, @afroblue011, @thulumie, @isabellarae_jewelry.

The Azure Window Cuff

 

 

This is a cuff I made for myself. Being in love with summer which I always relate with the bluest seas, brightest and happiest skies and lots of sun, I thought it would be nice if I treat myself with a cuff that would bear all these qualities.

 

 

I didn't use any pattern for this - just made it up as I went along. The beading part was a little bit exhausting but when I finished it, I saw that all that effort was truly worth the trouble.

 

For the photo shoot we went to a beach at a place called Kalamitzi we previously discovered and stayed at. The scenery there was just  perfect for our little photo shoot.

 

 

 

 

 

The inspiration for this cuff was the breath taking Azure Window located in Gozo which we visited while in Malta.

The colors of Sarti

 

 

One thing is for sure when you enter this little picturesque village - you are immediately captivated and fall in love with it.  There are bougainvilleas blooming everywhere and I think they give the greatest charm to the place.

 



 



 

 

 

 

The streets where most of the shops and restaurants are located are narrow, busy and overcrowded especially in the evening so taking a walk  there is a bit annoying unless you want to squeeze yourself through. The best time to explore the wide offer of the shops is late in the afternoon / early evening, when the sun's blaze subsides and there are not many people out. 

 



 

 

 

What strikes you as curious is the mix of traditional and modern architecture. However, I am always drawn to old houses and I managed to snap a couple of them. You know,  the (old) people usually take their chairs out in front of the house and sit and watch the crowd go by - so I rarely found an occasion when there was no one so that I could take photos.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

There are tons of beautiful restaurants along the shore where people can enjoy Greek music and specialties, whereas the inside streets open up to a wonderland created by artists - and this is where I spent most of the time.

 

 



 

 

 

I hope I managed to show you a bit of Sarti's flair and that you enjoyed the selection of photos.

Greetings from Sarti

 

 

We are having our first week in the village of Sarti (Greece) and loving every minute of it. Sarti is located on the eastern shore of Sithonia peninsula. It is a famous holiday resort that combines the beauty of the mountains and the sea. The crystal clear waters and the white sandy beaches along with the numerous coves make one's stay enchanting and memorable.

 

Tomorrow I am going to show you the inside of this little picturesque village.

 



10 Free Crochet Beach Cover Ups

 

Cover up 1

 

 



Let us get back to summer crochet clothing - this time bikini covers. Aren't these amazing? Do you wear cover ups at the beach? I have a cotton tunic and a pareo I switch for the beach but one of these might get on the to do list for next summer.

In this roundup you will find diagrams / schematics and patterns I found online.

 

Cover up 2

 

Cover up 3   Cover up 4

 

 

Cover up 5       Cover up 6

 

 

Cover up 7                                 Cover up 8                                      Cover up 9

 

 

Cover up 10

 

Barefoot Sandals Pattern

 

 

 

 

We are at the beginning of our vacation at an adorable place I am going to write about in my next post. We used the beach to take some sandy photos for the catchy barefoot sandals  tutorial which is immensely easy and quick.

 

The pattern is here.

Filet Crochet

I have grown around filet crochet because my grandma was a master at it. She mostly made tablecloths and runners -some of which you may have seen in my pictures - I always have her crocheted tablecloths on my table.

Filet crochet is a type of crochet where you make a grid filled with various designs - from flowers and animals to texts and geometric shapes. 

It  mostly uses two stitches -the chain stitch and the double crochet. Monotone (predominantly white or ecru) crochet thread made of mercerized cotton is used for filet crochet to make window curtains, tablecloths and runners, placemats and coasters and clothes, although nowadays more colors are brought to it.

 I have composed a board where you can find filet crochet diagrams and instructions how to filet crochet, interesting designs and free patterns.

 

Crochet Mandala Free Pattern -{Honoring Wink's work}

 

 

When I learned about the premature departure of Wink from A Creative Being I was in shock. I think everyone who met her through her work - especially through her amazing mandalas was.

 

Taken by the initiative Kathryn of Crochet Concupiscence undertook with the #MandalasForMarinke project to raise awareness of depression, I decided to share the pattern for this lovely mandala chart I found online. I named it Joy of Life, because life is the greatest gift we receive and we should treasure it.

 

 

 

Translation of the Mandala Chart (with slight variations):

 

Ch 9 and join to make ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as the 1st dc) and make 23 dcs in ring. Sl st (with 1st dc) to end.

Rnd 2: Ch3, sk 1 and dc 1, ch3, "dc2tog (by  making the 1st dc in the same st as the one before it) sk 1 and make the second dc in the next st, then ch3". Repeat from "to". End with a sl st to the initial chain.

Rnd 3: Starting from the 3 chain, ch 4 then sc in the next ch. Repeat this to the end. End with a sl st.

Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc 1 on the chain, ch 3 and sc over the sc st from the previous row. Repeat this pattern to the end. End with a sl st.

Rnd 5: Over the first dc of the row below, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc) and make a dc (in the same st.) This is a 2dc puff. Next, ch 6 and make a 2dc puff over the dc st of the row below. Repeat pattern to end. End with a sl st.  

Rnd 6: Ch 3 and dc in every single stitch of the previous row. (a total of 84 dc including the 1st 3-chain).

Rnd 7: Ch 5, skip 4 (counting the first chain), sc in fifth ch. Repeat pattern to end.

Rnd 8: Repeat rnd 4.

Rnd 9: Repeat rnd 5.

Rnd 10: Repeat rnd 6 (a total of 140 dc including the 1st 3-chain).

Rnd 11: Repeat rnd 7.

Rnd 12:Repeat rnd 4 with the exception that over the dc st, you make a 3ch picot.

 

I am sending this mandala to Kathryn, and if you want to join the initiative too, click on the link above.

 

Celebrate life!



Welcome July!

 

 

 

 

I know, I know I missed the first, and almost the second of July, but we are deep into renovating the place and we have a construction site right into our living room, so it is challenging for me to keep up the blog. I want to wish you a happy July, the month I love the most not only because it is my birth month but also for all the fantastic memories it holds and all the fantastic memories I am going to make with my loved ones!