Beginner Crochet Tutorial

Basic Beginner Crochet Tutorial - Slip Knot/Chain Stitch

Tat-ta-da-da! My new Youtube channel has just started.

     

I have been a lost soul lately.  My deepest apologies.  I have been really concentrating on creating a YouTube channel as well as trying to set up a work area and a good recording place.  I have been watching videos on the best way to go about it also.  Well, I finally uploaded my first video.  A simple intro to my channel https://www.youtube.com/user/crabbieme.  It is called "MyCrochetPlace". 

      I hope to be able to help friends and family learn to crochet.  I would really like to start a crochet class, but this is my first step.  Little by little, I suppose, many things can be accomplished. 

     Please stop by and check it out.  Subscribe for future video updates.  I truly hope to help (some"one") learn this beautiful skill.  It is very rewarding in so many ways.  I want to be able to share it. 

Here are a few things I have been working on. 

 I have been having a blast making crochet dream-catchers. 

I have also written a few patterns and listed them in my Etsy shop.  

You can check them out here:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SimplyDoneCrochet

This is a very simple crochet cowl.

Bow and more bow.  These are great for adding them to different accessories like headbands, hair-clips, or cute broaches.  The pattern makes for different sizes.  

My crochet poncho. 

Another very simple Valentine's Day cowl and a really cute chunky pom-pom hat. The hat is also available in various sizes. 

I have started something new.  I have not put these on my Etsy yet....... CAKE TOPPERS! I think they are just adorable.  I need to work a little more on these. Soon though, soon. :D   

If you know anything about my crochet life, you know that I am a Bates hooker at heart.  But I recently tried for a review of some ergonomic hooks that are Boye and I have to say I really liked them.  I may be the cushiony foam that is at the base.  It is suppose to help put less stress on your wrist. I don't know, but I was able to use them without any problem.  I have never enjoyed Boye because they don't flow as well as Bates in my opinion. Buy I know there are many folks that swear by them.  

What did I make with them you ask? 

BABY GROOT!

I still am a true Bates hooker though.  I love my Bates hooks. 

I also made a really cool banner with my shop name on it.  I like it "A LOT".  I absolutely love the colors and how it brightens up my work area. Yipee for me. :D  I think banners are just so cute in rooms.  Having your baby's name up on the wall with a beautiful colorful banner....AAAHHHHH....so adorable.  But, that's just me. ;) 

Well, that is all por ahora (for now).  

     Thanks for stopping by.  I hope to be posting again soon. Don't forget to check out my video and subscribe for updates. Thanks. 

May your yarn ball never run out. ;) 

Adieu for now!!!!!

keep

  

always in your life

&

   in your heart.

Let's see how this year ends.

I am taking a little time today to update my blog.  I have been neglecting it, sadly. I have been pretty busy.  Thankfully I have had a few orders for a variety of my crochet goodies.  I have made a few baby blankets and a couple of booties, not to mention, I have also been working on some Holiday gifts as well. 

Don't you just love the Holiday Season!!!  I am very happy that we have had very mild weather. 

I have also been writing up a few crochet patterns.  This is really something I would like to try to dedicate my time to.  I want to create a few patterns for different things in different difficulty levels.  I have three so far.  You can check them out below. 

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https://www.etsy.com/listing/255779005/crochet-bow-pattern-handmade-bow-easy?ref=shop_home_active_3

https://www.etsy.com/listing/249344749/crochet-pattern-boho-poncho-pattern?ref=related-0

https://www.etsy.com/listing/249579147/crochet-cowl-pattern-easy-cowl-pattern?ref=related-1

I would really like to try my hand or skill or however you word it, at maybe teaching the art of crochet. I really love it and would love to teach others.  It is a life saver for me.  Emotionally as well as financially.  Plus you feel so good when you accomplish making something.  I hope to make this happen.  I just have to figure out how to make it happen. 

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I have a wonderful friend that purchased the colorful poncho from me, and her baby girl loved it so much that she asked me to make her a mini one.  It came out so cute, if I say so myself.  Of course, she has another little beauty and I felt sad that she was left out so I made an even smaller one.  They are so cute!!!!!!  I just really love how they look.  I thank her very much for asking me to make those for her and letting me share her picture.  Check out these absolute beauties. <3 <3 <3 

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Another little project I worked on was the bearded hats. I think they are pretty cool. As a matter a fact, I was walking the other day with the hubby and the wind felt really nippy.  It dawned on me that had I been wearing one of these fancy and fashionable mustache/beard combination, it would probably help a lot with the cold wind freezing my face. 

 I love this little viking.:D 

I have also been working up these awesome chunky yarn pompom hats.  They work up really quickly and are sooooooooo warm. 

These two are on my Etsy page check them out here:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/261204664/handmade-crochet-cable-winter-pompom-hat?ref=listing-shop-header-0

https://www.etsy.com/listing/255424826/chunky-crochet-large-pom-pom-hat-winter?ref=shop_home_active_13

This is a premie set for a little baby boy.  GO BEARS!!!!!

I made this pink and grey set for my beautiful grand-baby Luna. <3 <3 

I will hopefully be visiting with her real soon. 

This is one of the blankets that I made -"Fishing theme". 

The other blanket  the I made. 

I made a couple of other hats too.  This green and grey one is for my son-in-law, whom I owed a hat to. Lol.  He would not let it go until I got him one. 

This one I have on my Etsy page. 

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/260331188/crochet-puff-stitch-slouch-beanie-purple?ref=shop_home_active_7

Well, this is all I can do for now.  I hope to make my next blog a little more interesting.  This was all me, me, me.  I want to share some stuff. UUUggggh. Next time. 

Stay safe and Happy Holidays to ALL!!!

.....may your yarn ball never run out. ;) 

Adieu for now!!!!!

keep

  

always in your life

&

   in your heart.

Welp!!!! Summer is gone.

     It has a been a while since I have posted.  This Spring things got a little difficult for my family.  My husband had a sever heart attack that almost took his life.  He is very lucky to be alive today. 

    

     It was Thursday morning April 16, his birthday.  He woke me up early that morning, about 4 am.  He was complaining about pain in his chest.  He thought it was indigestion, so he took a few tums.  That didn't help, so he took a pain killer.  Finally clutching his chest in pain, he tells me that he needs to go to the emergency room because his heart feels like it will explode!!!!  What a way to wake up......:/  "Let me call an ambulance", I say.  "NO!!!! That's going to cost too much. Just drive me. I'll wait in the car." I rush to get what I need and get to the garage, what is my lovely hubby, who is having a heart attack at the moment, doing?   He's taking out the garbage because he remembered it's Thursday, "Garbage Day".  I yell at him to get in the car, drive him to the closest hospital, which is literally 2 minutes away - less, since there was no traffic at 4 am, he jumps out and runs into the emergency room by himself leaving me desperately looking for a parking spot and trying to get to him.  Yes.......that was the beginning of a very, very long and emotionally draining summer.  (He doesn't remember any of this of course.)

We went from this.....an early birthday celebration........

to a month of this.............medically induced coma. 

     During this time, he had three episodes where his heart actually stopped.  One where he was shocked back to life.  All the while I sat there, all day, waiting and watching.  I don't know where those days went.  Day after day we waited.  One whole month, in one hospital where he seems to have contracted everything there, from pneumonia, e-coli and some other bacterial diseases that I can't remember the names of.  I became familiar with all the medications, all the equipment and much of the staff.  After that month he was transferred to another hospital. The one we should have come to originally, but luckily didn't or else this story would have a very different ending.  He spent another 4 weeks there and was transferred yet again to another hospital where they helped him come of the trach and get of ALL those crazy debilitating meds he was on.  To be honest, those were for me the worst nightmare.  Finally he went back to the second hospital for physical,cognitive and occupational therapy.  It is amazing what happens to your body when you don't move it.  CRAZY!!!!!!!!

     The months of April, May and June were spent at these three hospitals.  Finally in July he was able to come home.  After having2 stents put in his heart, three weeks of intubation, leading to a tracheotomy and then to having a defibrillator/pacemaker put in, he came home a very skinny and weak man who now needs tons of therapy to make up for all those days of being bed ridden. It's been a long, long ride, but we're still here and given a chance to continue. So that's exactly what we will do. 

Coming home from the hospital AT LAST!!!!!

     During this time I had to take time off work, because who else was going to take care of my hubby.  I do not in any way regret being there with him every single day.  Believe me, whenever you have a loved one in the hospital, I recommend being there as much as you can, because no one knows your loved one like you do. They will give them all kinds meds for any little thing.  What easier way to deal with someone but by keeping them nice and sedated. 

     Because of my time off I had to ask for help financially. I created a gofundme account (http://www.gofundme.com/tzeukw) because desperate times do call for desperate measures.  And many, I mean many wonderful people came to my aid.  And for that I will forever be grateful.

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     To add to the misery which came with this Summer, I lost a very special member of the family.  Our beloved Cheyenne got very sick and left us.  She was 12.  We got her in PR.  She was just an adorable little pup when we found her.  She was so smart that she was potty trained in one day.  She just followed our others dog's lead and whallllaaa!!

 I love that big girl soooo much!!!  I miss her immensely. <3   She was such a good girl and such a sweet heart.  Anyone who came to the house ended up with her big ol' scruffy head on their lap.  

She was so compassionate. When we found our little kitty Zombie, she took him under her wing and became his mama.  He loved her too.  That was his mommy as far as he was concerned.  She was the one who scolded him if he got rough with Kachi.  For Kachi, she was the love of his life.  He imprinted on he as soon as he saw her.

 We all miss her very much.  Unfortunately, Tony was not able to say goodbye.  That was pretty hard on him.  He still gets choked up sometimes. 

Cheyenne you made a big impact in our lives.  WE LOVE AND MISS YOU !!!!!

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     So........ now to better news. Yes!!! GOOD NEWS!!!!! YAAAAAAY!!! As the days passed and we sat and waited in the  hospitals wonderful things were still happening in our lives, because life does go on.  

     On May 11, our family became a little bigger.  We welcomed on this day a beautiful baby girl.  

"Aela Jolie"

Happy birthday baby girl!!!!!!

     I am very grateful to my wonderful daughters to give me a nice break and take me down to meet and visit with my new grand-daughter.  It was a wonderful car ride because I was squished between two of the cutest honeys. :D 

     Then when times got a little calmer I was able to drive grandpa down to meet his new grand-baby.  And look at how big and gorgeous she has gotten. 

Happy Mommy and Daddy!!! <3 <3 <3 

Proud Grandma!!!!!! IN LOVE!!! <3 <3 

Meeting Grandpa for the first time. <3 <3 

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     Not too long after that, on May 13th, our BIG BOY Elias turned 2 years old!!!!!!!  Happy birthday baby.  Grandma couldn't make it to his birthday and she still owes him a nice present.  I haven't forgotten baby.  It will come. 

He got a haircut too!!! My handsome Big Boy!!!!

     I am also very happy and grateful that my Beautiful Moon (Luna Bella) was able to be with me during those hard days.  She sure knew how to make grandma smile.  With her shakey butt and coconuts jokes.  This little girl is HILARIOUS!!!!!!  Thank you to daddy for letting her and mommy come out to be with us during this difficult time.

     Meanwhile mommy was almost bursting with another bundle of joy.  So let me now introduce to you, Luna's little sister!

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!

"Scarlet Rose"

Happy birthday sweet baby. <3 <3 

Luna absolutely adores her baby sister. <3 <3 

     Luna also had a birthday in May she turned 3!!!!!  Can you believe it?!!!  Our little Luna Bella is 3 already.  Where has the time gone?  Grandma owes her a gift too.  

Happy 3rd birthday LUNA!!! I love you so much. <3 <3 

What a beautiful smile. Always smiling. :D

     And of course I can't forget our beautiful precious Kacey!!!! Her mommy and Daddy had a wonderful BBQ for us so that we can just sit and relax.  It was fantastic.  

Such a heart melting smile that girl has.  CUTE!!!!!

Playing catch with grandpa!!! <3 

     The food was great and than Grandma and Grandpa got a delicious chocolate cheesecake to make up for missed birthdays and Mother's and Father's Days passed. YUMMILICIOUS!!!!! (Did you know they now sell Cheesecake Factory cheesecake at Walmart?!!!) AAAHHHHHH!!!

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     Awesome!!! If you are still with me, let me show you some of the stuff I have been working on the keep myself sane. You know that crochet is my therapy.  If I just sit when I get home, I will shut down very quickly.  I don't like that feeling so I pick up my hook and start hooking away. ;) 

     While I was sitting in the hospital with Tony I was working on some flowers for a blanket and one of the nurses loved the way they looked and asked if I could make one for her baby girl that was due in July.  That was one of the first projects I started working on.  

These were the flowers I was working on. 

This is the blanket I made for her.  She requested the color. 

     These are a couple of other blankets I made using that pattern.  It's called the Maybelle square. I absolutely love it and the varieties of colors are endless. 

You can find that pattern here:  http://myrosevalley.blogspot.ie/2013/06/maybelle-square-crochet-pattern.html

Her website is great.

     Try it.  It's really fun to make.  The only thing I hate about granny squares is joining them later, but they look so gorgeous after, that I go through the pain. 

Alright then, here was a super fun project that I did.  Seriously, who doesn't love dream catchers?  I made a few of these. I posted them on the previous blog. This is the latest one I made. They are so fun to make because you can go nuts decorating them!!!! That is the best part.  I used yarn, feathers, string, ribbon, beads, sequins, little glass mirrors.....I could go on and on.

Isn't it AWESOME!!!!!!

In keeping with the Bohemian theme (which I am absolutely obsessed with) I made this hippie bag.  

I went to Target with my daughter and saw this really cute tassel bag, and I just had to make it......so......I did. Funny thing is, after I made it, I found a pattern for it on-line.  Too late. I figured it out myself.    haha...

I also made these cute place-mat sets. They were very festive looking.  

     I made a couple of mermaid baby photo prop sets.  This came out adorable if I say so myself.  I just loved how thick yet delicate they look.  

     And....finally for now,  I made this cute summer crop top.  This was super simple to make.  You can find all kinds of patterns for them on YouTube.  Lucky for me, I know Spanish so I have a bit of an advantage when the tutorial is in Spanish or Portuguese. Teeheeee ;D 

Royal Blue is such a pretty color. <3 

.....may your yarn ball never run out. ;) 

Adieu for now!!!!!

keep

  

always in your life

&

   in your heart.