advent calender day 23

Im still full of cold so I've been unable to type up the pattern I planned for today. Instead I'm reposing this free pattern I did for Craftseller magazine. Link to magazine site at bottom.

Simple crochet bunting – by Liz Ward

Craftseller online exclusive free pattern

By Liz Ward

//Info box//

Time: 2-3 hours

Size: 25cm x 15cm per flag

Cost: £5

You will need:

Yarn; James c Brett cotton on DK cream c02, pink c08, lilac c09, blue c13 and green c16.

4mm crochet hook

Wool needle

Abbreviations

Sl st–slip stitch

dc – double crochet

tc – treble crochet

st/sts – stitch/stitches

Bunting flags

Make 2 in each colour

Row 1: Ch 3, tr in 3^rd ch from hook.2 sts

Row 2: Ch 2, 2tr in first st, tr in each st to end. 3sts

Row 3- 17: ch 2, 2tr in the first st, tr in each st to end. 20sts at end of row 17

Cut yarn and fasten off. Sew in any loose ends.

Bunting tape

Make in cream yarn

Row 1: ch 15, (dc across the 20sts at the top of the bunting flag, ch5) repeat across all flags, ch 15, turn.

Row 2: ch 3, tr in each st to the end.

Cut yarn and fasten off. Sew in any loose ends to finish.

 Link to craftseller website

advent calender day 22

Well its the start of the Christmas week and as seems to be my own special tradition I'm full of a stinking cold. I've had it for three days now and I'm at the stage where my face looks like its been attacked by an industrial sander. I would quiet happily go back to bed and stay there but its Christmas I have shopping to do and friends to see. I'm sure the mulled wine will do wonders :)

Today's pattern is an old one but its never been published before so I hope you'll like it x

The one thing with this pattern is you need to use a wool yarn not a cotton so you can brush him after and make his whiskers :)

Advent calender day 22

Little dog by liz ward

You will need:

Dk weight yarn in your choise of colour

3mm crochet hook

6mm black 

Wool needle

Toy stuffing

Stitch marker

Pipe cleaners

Tartan ribbon

teasel brush

Abbreviations

Sl ss–slip stitch

dc – double crochet

st/sts – stitch/stitches

dc2tog – double crochet the next two stitches together

BLO- work in the back loop of the stitch only

Body

Use 3 crochet hook and matching yarn

Start with 6dc into magic ring                6St

Rnd 1: 2dc into each st to the end. 12sts

Rnd 2: (dc in the first st, 2dc in the next st) repeat to end. 18sts

Rnd 3- 12 - dc in each st to the end. 18sts

Rnd 11: (dc2tog, dc in next st) repeat to end.           12sts *stuff the body now*

Rnd 12: (dc2tog) repeat to end                                    6sts

Cut the yarn leaving a long tail and pull through loop to secure.

Using a wool needle weave the yarn through the last 6 Stitches and pull tight to close.

 Head

Use 3mm crochet hook and yarn (B)

Start with 6dc into magic ring                6St

Rnd 2: (dc in the first st, 3dc in the next two sts) repeat to end. 14sts

Rnd 3: 2dc in the first st, dc in the next st, 3dc in the next st, dc in the next 2 sts, 3dc in the next st, dc in the next 3 sts, 3dc in next st, dc in the next two sts, 3dc in next sts, 2 dc in last st 24sts

Rnd 4- 6: dc in each st to the end.24 sts 

Rnd 7-12: dc2tog, dc in each st to end. 18 sts

Rnd 12: (dc2tog, dc in the next seven sts) repeat to end. 16sts

Rnd 13: (dc2tog, dc in the next six sts) repeat to end. 14sts *mark this round*

Rnd 14: (dc2tog, dc in the next five sts) repeat to end. 12sts

Insert the toy eyes now. These go on the round marked with a stitch marker,  8 stitches apart.

Rnd 11: (dc2tog, dc in next st) repeat to end.          

Rnd 15: (dc2tog) repeat to end                           

  Cut the yarn leaving a long tail and pull through loop to secure.

 Using a wool needle weave the yarn through the last 6 Stitches and pull tight to close.

Sew the head onto the body

Ears – make 2

Use 3mm crochet hook and matching yarn

Ch 7

Starting in 2nd ch from hook and work as follows along ch, sl st, 2dc, 2htr,tr

Cut the yarn leaving a long tail and pull through loop to secure.

Sew onto the head. One on each side just above the eyes.

Legs make 4

Use 3mm crochet hook and yarn (B)

Start with 6SC into ring                6St

Rnd 1: (dc in first two sts, 2 dc in next st) repeat to end. 8sts

Rnd 2: ( blo dc in each st) repeat to end. 8sts

Rnd 3-6: dc2tog (dc in each st) repeat to end. 4st at end of rnd 6

Rnd 7: dc in each st to end

Cut the yarn leaving a long tail and pull through loop to secure.

Cut a piece of pipe cleaner to the same length as the leg and insert inside the leg to make it more stable.

Use photo as a guide and sew the legs onto the underside of the body.

Tail

Use 3mm crochet hook and matching yarn

Ch 8

Starting in 2nd ch from hook and work as follows along ch, 2sl st, 3dc, 2htr

Cut the yarn leaving a long tail and pull through loop to secure.

Sew in place on the body.

Wrap a piece of ribbon around the neck to form the collar and fasten in place with fabric glue.

Use a rough brush like a teasel brush to break the wool fibers around the face and create the whiskers. 

Advent calender day 21

This pattern is for a little coin purse. this came about as I had a commission to create a purse for a book project and I ended up buying a few of the purse frames to have a play around. You can get the frames of amazon or any good craft shop they are really cheap but make these purses have a great professional finish. I got slightly addictive to making them and came up with loads of different patterns for them so I thought I'd add this one as a little taster to the advent calender.

I hope you have a go at making this and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did x

Advent calendar day 21

Coin purse by Liz Ward

You will need:

Dk weight yarn in your choice of colour

4mm crochet hook

Lining fabric

Coin purse frame

Abbreviations

Sl st–slip stitch

dc – double crochet

htc – half treble crochet

tc – treble crochet

dtr – double treble crochet

st/sts – stitch/stitches

dc2tog – double crochet the next two stitches together

Popcorn stitch - To work popcorn stitch first work 5 treble crochet stitches into the same stitch. Next take the working loop off the hook. Thread the hook through the top of the first treble stitch in the group. Pick up the working loop and draw back through the first treble stitch.

Bobble stitch - Yarn over, insert hook in stitch, yarn over, draw loop through, yarn over, draw through 2 loops on the hook, (yarn over, insert hook in same space, yarn over, draw loop through, yarn over,  draw through 2 loops on hook)repeat 4 times, yarn over,  draw through all 6 loops on hook

Purse

Make 2

Rnd 1 – Ch 3, work 11 tr in 3rd ch from hook, sl st to join rnd. 12sts

Rnd 2 – Ch 2, tr in first st, ch 1, (2tr, ch 1) in each stitch around, sl st to join round. 24sts, 12 ch spaces

Rnd 3 – Sl st to next ch space Ch 3 counts a first tr in first bobble stitch (popcorn stitch, ch3) in ever ch space around, sl st to join round. 12 popcorns, 12 ch spaces

Rnd 4 – 4tr in each ch sp. 48sts

Rnd 5 – (bobble st in the first st, ch 1, skip next st, tr in next st, ch 1, skip next st) repeat around, sl st to join. 12 bobbles.

Rnd 6 – ch2, 2tr in the next nine ch sts, 2dc in remaining ch sts, sl st to join.

Fasten off leaving a long tail of yarn to sew together.

Making sure the treble stitches from round 6 are at the top. Sew together leaving a 10cm gap at the top of the purse

Lining

Cut two circles of lining fabric a few cms larger than the purse rounds ( I used a dvd as a template). Sew together leaving a third open at the top.

Place inside the purse, turn the hem at the top and sew in place.

Using matching thread sew the purse to the purse frame using the holes along the frame edge.

Weave in any loose ends and fasten off well.