by M. J. Joachim I debated a long time about making a wider ecru border on this particular doily. I chose to keep a narrower border, as I visualized joining multiple squares to make a larger project – perhaps a tablecloth or dresser scarf. If I were to do so, I might incorporate a 5th color, leaning toward a deep blue or rich brown, to make wider bands joining all motifs together. You Will Need 1/2. 75 mm steel crochet hook Size 10 doily thread – orange, pink, red and ecru Step 1: Make on...
by M. J. Joachim This post has been inspired by Tina’s question on my last post. Tina over at Life is Good shares some amazing stories on her blog. I’m sure you’ll have fun following her if you don’t already. She’s wondering how well Lots of Crochet Stitches kitchen washcloths do on greasy pots and pans, or if they are just for wiping counters and the like. A photo speaks a thousand words… The kitchenwashcloth set pictured was made a year ago last April. It has been used heavily since that tim...
by M. J. Joachim It’s been a while since I last posted. During that time, my oldest daughter graduated from college and family played center stage. One of the things I did during our family time was start teaching my son’s girlfriend how to crochet. We went shopping for yarn and hooks and spent a few hours at my kitchen table working on kitchen washcloths together. The pattern is simple enough. Begin by taking one of your standard washcloths. Measure it and make a foundation chain that is approxi...
by M. J. Joachim Happy May Day everyone! Here it is, a vase full of A – Z flowers per +Glory Lennon'srequest. See you again soon. Thank you for visiting Lots of Crochet Stitches. M. J. Photo credit: M. J. Joachim (All Rights Reserved) ©2013 All Rights Reserved
by M. J. Joachim It’s hard to believe the A – Z Challenge is finishing up today. I’ve had a grand time sharing so many flowers with all of you, many that I will use as guidelines for future projects, so please stay tuned. Your comments have energized me through this process. My brain is on overload with so many ideas for future projects, and I love getting your feedback on my work. Zinnia is my z post – not my last flower. There were a few others I found while working on these that I’m excited to...
by M. J. Joachim Yucca is a desert plant and the flowers are positively gorgeous! My instructions for making the yucca plant are general. You can make yours any size, by using materials dependent upon your needs and desires. The yucca plant pictured is a small plant. I used 6 inch pieces of pipe cleaner for the flower strands. These worked well for the Cup of Leaves I made to go with this post. I used a baby soft cream colored yarn and a size G hook. I also used branch colored pipe cleaner, becau...
by M. J. Joachim I have to say, X is one of my favorite flowers for this challenge. Funny that last year’s X post is also a favorite of mine. This little flower is so bright and cheerful, plus it’s one of the easiest patterns I’ve made. Of course by the time I got to X, I was getting pretty good at designing flowers. But still, this little flower makes me smile and I want to make whole vases full of them, to brighten up dull spaces in my home and bring a little sunshine to inconspicuous corners. ...
by M. J. Joachim When it came to preparing my W post, I couldn’t help but start humming a song from way back when, Windflowers. Once that happened there was no stopping me, as I curiously started looking for pictures to see if I could design and make one. Turns out, they’re not that difficult to make at all. I used 4-ply cotton white yarn, a small yellow bead and yellow embroidery floss for the center and green pipe cleaner for the stem. Step 1: (Foundation chain) Chain 7 Step 2: Single crochet...
by M. J. Joachim More than ten years ago, when we were living in another house, another city, we had vincas displaying beautifully in our front yard. They were pretty pastel purples and pinks, delicate salmons and various shades of creams and white. Their blooms never seem to fade, regardless of the extreme heat in summer. They were drought hearty and thrived in almost any weather condition. You Will Need Crochet yarn and hook – I used 4-ply cotton yarn and a size D hook Yarn needle + yarn...
by M. J. Joachim Uva-ursi is best known for its berries. Consequently, not many flower blooms see the light of day. It is a flower shrub, with pinkish-red berries that are used for homeopathic and medicinal purposes. As a shrub, its stems are short. You can use floral foam to make a beautiful uva-ursi plant. Simply cover the floral foam in decorative leaves like this broad leaf crochet pattern and add pretty uva-ursi flowers to accent your new crocheted plant. Instructions to make 1 Uva-ursi flow...
