The end of September harvest season has begun... or in our own case ended. Our garden is well and truly done. But Crocheting or Knitting? Oh those are in FULL swing. I don't know how many of you fiber artists have tried to get supplies from various online or local craft/yarn shops but I'm finding it VERY difficult. I have yarn for a commission on back order. Supply and demand drove up the price of crochet hooks too. Good thing Make & Do Crew had that series on shopping your stash! Last week I shared the Fall Farmhouse decor. This week I thought I'd choose some fall clothing and accessories. Most of the patterns I'm going to share today came to the fore because I'm creating accessories for my daughter. She's fabulous. (as you can see) She's not only my daughter but we work together in our business. I wanted to choose those in a skill level most crocheters and knitters could manage. Obviously some of the patterns are such that one could wear through the Winter. Let's get straight into it. My daughter loves to accessorize her winter coat. It's a beautiful suede look (not real suede) coat with a faux shearling liner. However, it's not her color. We spice it up a bit with bright colors. This year it's red. We chose a set from Pattern Paradise. The Diamonds and Gems slouchy hat (completed) and I will add the cowl, fingerless mitts, and boot cuffs to complete the look. My daughter chose one solid red yarn for the hat and another "stonewashed" red yarn for the cowl, cuffs, and mitts. I added a picture of the completed hat and the cowl in progress. The yarn for the cowl, cuffs and mitts is no longer produced but there are several other good yarns that have that stone washed look. (ie., Lion Brand Mandala Ombre) An advertisement free version of the patterns are available for purchase. The next harvest haul pieces are wraps and ponchos. My daughter and I like to add knit or crochet touches to our clothing where we can. We found a couple of wraps/shawls/ponchos lately that are just so perfect for Fall. The open or "cold shoulder" look is popular right now. When looking for a pattern to suit a particular yarn, I found this cute poncho from Annie's Catalog I love the relaxed look! Next is a wrap that is somewhat more complex but still uses basic stitches. The Dragonwing shawl is just the sort of thing my daughter loves. A fashionable piece that adds to her outfit without being overpowering. In need of a go-to wrap for those cool Autumn days? Something that looks good and won't take forever to crochet? Check out Jessie At Home's Harvest Poncho. My daughter and I both like this piece but we are not entirely sure we'd get this made this year.
We can't ignore knit wraps/shawls/ponchos! In The Loop Knitting is my favorite place to hunt down the right patterns. Both paid and free patterns are listed on this great site. Upon which I found the perfect Autumn accessory. Two great things that go great together, a hoodie and a shawl combined beautifully by Yarnspirations! The Hoodie Shawl literally has you covered and it's considered an easy pattern! Instead of a poncho or a shawl how about a beautiful Ruana? Berroco has come up with the Dayleza Ruana made with a light, fuzzy yarn. Reminder of those comfortable sweaters worn in the winter. (Bulky or chunky weight yarn but light in weight). The pattern is free to download. (pro tip: if you can't find or afford the yarn listed use yarnsub.com one can usually find a suitable choice) This year blanket shawls became popular. Like the mega scarves of a few years back. Blanket shawls are very cozy and they help on those days when the buildings you frequent haven't turned off the air conditioners yet! My daughter and I haven't put a blanket shawl on the list yet but then the list is pretty long! I wanted to share some links because I think this is a great accessory for Autumn! The First blanket shawl comes from Sigoni Macaroni. Her Cozy Hygge Blanket Wrap is a simple pattern but no one will ever know ;). Crochet it Creations' Versatile Blanket Wrap is another crocheted pattern that will make you look like a genius! (personally, I love Crochet it Creations designs each one is tested, in fact I tested a couple myself) Knit patterns for blanket wraps? Yes! You can always count on Mama in a Stitch for garments that look great and are soft and comfortable, like the Sedona Serenity Knit Shawl and the Merlot Alpaca Wrap Knit Shawl. If you are looking for a gift that is somewhere between a blanket and a shawl these blanket wraps are a great choice! Well that's all the Autumn happiness I have today. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog in my little corner of the world. ~Lyn
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I live in an old farmhouse. I have to say I'm seriously biased about the farmhouse style decor and even clothing choices. I won't belabor the point in this blog, I promise. However, Autumn leaves are appearing on our beautiful maple trees here in the Northern Adirondacks. We've even had 2 nights of frost/freeze warnings! While it is my favorite season of the year, it's also a very busy season. I know people decorate their homes to be fashionable. I decorate my home to make my family feel comfortable. The Farmhouse style in my own farmhouse suits us all. Cozy, warm and a bit eclectic. Antiques, leather chairs, Wilson Bickford paintings, throws, vintage touches in the china cabinets, the list goes on. When the farmhouse style came into "vogue" in the knit and crochet universe I was thrilled! From home decor to clothing, farmhouse is synonymous with a relaxed, cozy environment. To be clear Farmhouse is not the same as hygge even though there is a crossover between the two styles. Hygge beckons with the Danish style of simple pleasures while farmhouse is more of a balance between old and new in a room. Warmhearted, without clutter, and I'd say, largely American and Canadian in it's sensibilities. Hearkening back to a time when manners were very much a part of our culture. There are hints of the farmhouse style in many knit and crochet designs. My attention turns to the independent designers for my own inspiration. One of the first designers to jump to mind is Jess of Make & Do Crew . She's brilliant at creating warm, charming,home decor and clothing for every member of the family. In my opinion Jess has been able to put her finger on the pulse of simple sophistication.
Jessica of Mama in a Stitch Is one of those prolific designers that have you wondering: A. How in the world does she come up with so many great designs and B. How will I have time to make them all? A Colorado resident, Jessica designs patterns for both knitters and crocheters. With flexible styling and basic color choices Jessica offers the knitter/crocheter a plethora of classic designs.
Crocheted fall decor is very popular (especially if you have little ones). Here is a GREAT selection of Farmhouse style Fall decor from Highland Hickory Designs. Of course pumpkin is one of my favorite colors and flavors. I'm a bit biased about this collection. Last but absolutely not least is Maria of Maria's Blue Crayon. Maria's home decor designs are a bit more whimsical but still fit within the Farmhouse style. In fact one of my current unfinished projects is the Woodland Granny Square Afghan. It's so adorable! There are several pieces designed by Maria that I'd like to share but I will try to keep it simple :).
Finding Fall Farmhouse style this year should be as easy as finding cinnamon dessert recipes. It's going to be a gorgeous Autumn here in Northern New York. I hope you've enjoyed my short (shorter than I'd like) blog on the Fall Farmhouse decor. (who knows maybe I'll write a part 2?) Until next time join me over on Pinterest for some more great ideas. www.pinterest.com/outoftheparc/_created/ News from the Parc: Heather Davidson of Crochet 'n' Create a Multi-National, Operose Designer.9/6/2020 Heather Davidson, author and proprietor of Crochet 'n' Create is one of my favorite designers on the internet. I am amazed at how versatile and prolific she is as a designer while maintaining high standards.
I could go on all day with the various categories of patterns designed by Heather Davidson. However I promise I won't do that to you LOL. Therefore I decided to keep the discussion to the pattern types and features I use the most often. The first feature I particularly appreciate is the stitch tutorials. I have a mad love for trying new stitches and stitch combinations. There are a variety of crochet stitch styles for which Heather gives clear instructions. I've created blankets, wash and dishcloths out of these stitch instructions. If you crochet check these stitches out. The instructions are written in both USA and UK terms. Those who have read my original (now Tabitha's Mountain Rhapsody Family Artists) blog or visited my Facebook page are keenly aware of how much I love crocheting for babies. Heather Davidson is a prolific designer of baby clothes/sets. Baby boy, girl, and unisex patterns (many free!) are written for premature to 18 month sizes. There is a large array of pattern styles too. Whimsical to sporty fashion patterns to suit almost anyone's taste. My personal favorites? The Butterfly Baby Crochet Jacket and the Knobbly Baby Jacket. Both of these sweater patterns can be paired with other patterns on Crochet 'n' Create making them a great gift. Besides being super cute each has a lovely texture fantastic for developing brains. Baby blankets are a big part of my work. Both in my business and in my gift giving. Heather has designed many beautiful (and I mean beautiful) blanket patterns. In fact just this evening I bought the Crochet Pattern Bundle of 20 Crochet Patterns from Heather Davidson's Etsy page. (For a small fee crocheters can purchase Heather's patterns in an advertisement free format from the Etsy page. A worth while expenditure.) The patterns from Heather Davidson are well written and easy to follow for both UK and USA crocheters. Even if you don't crochet looking over the many ideas on Heather Davidson's website is worthwhile. Gift giving is much easier if you have ideas in your arsenal! If you do crochet I hope you'll give Heather Davidson's pages a look. You'll note she's on social media. Why not give her a follow?! That's it for the blog this week. Thank you for spending some time with me on this week's blog. I truly appreciate it. Happy Sunday! It's a beautiful day here in the Northern Adirondacks. Yesterday it was raining and chilly. Hard to get motivated to do much of anything. However, today is a different story (or blog). Sunshine and bright blue skies change things don't they? Speaking of a little slice of happiness today's blog is all about Daisy Farm Crafts. Daisy Farm Crafts main driving force is Tiffany. Mom of 4 beautiful daughters. Each of her daughters have learned to crochet and to design. I like the idea of mother/daughter teams as my daughter and I often create together. (Though our pattern writing remains largely for personal use.) If you read last week's blog you know that I've had a rather long list of projects to complete (no surprise there). I've needed some well written, modern designs but with a classic look and I needed them quickly. No time to waste scouring the internet or my library. I had to put my hands on the right designs... yesterday. The team at Daisy Farm Crafts has come to my aid. (Tiffany and Hannah the oldest daughter, specifically) The projects occupying my crochet hooks are, to a large extent blankets for babies and toddlers. At this point in time I have one really fantastic baby blanket project that I found on Daisy Farm Crafts. daisyfarmcrafts.com/crochet-woodland-heather-baby-blanket/ The finished product will look like an airfield (hopefully). This little guy's mom completed her Personal Pilot's License not long before her baby boy was born. Thus the airplane themed blanket. Since mom picked the theme I'm sure it will be perfect for her baby boy. I love the colors and the texture of this blanket pattern. Since this blanket is to As you can see the rich deep colors of grass green and heather gray are a fine compliment to each other. This creates the look of a grassy edge to an airport runway. I am taking a cue from the width of the stripes on the "Woodland Heather Baby Blanket" It does help to get perspective. There is an excellent video tutorial to teach the herringbone double crochet stitch on the same page as the pattern or you can find the video on YouTube. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kis3DqDSbmg I had done the herringbone half double stitch but needed clarification on this stitch. Obviously Tiffany is very good at video instruction because my stitches turned out even.
There are many excellent patterns on the Daisy Farm Crafts website. I have a few favorites but this one is next on my list I do believe: daisyfarmcrafts.com/crochet-colorful-polka-dots-baby-blanket/Wouldn't this be a fun project for a Christmas baby? Main color in bright red with bright dots that look like Christmas lights. :) I very much enjoy the blog that Tiffany and her daughter Hannah maintain on the Daisy Farm Crafts website. daisyfarmcrafts.com/category/blog/ The blog contains great ideas, pattern links, roundups and thoughts on crocheting, and that crocheters are one big family. When Tiffany needed support during a fight with cancer she received it... from a world of people. We feel passionately about offering help when the chips are down. What about social media? Yes, you'll find Daisy Farm Crafts all over social media!
If you haven't checked out Daisy Farm Crafts before, I hope you will now. It's a really enjoyable experience if you are a crocheter or if you are looking for a handmade gift to commission. Thanks for reading today! Recently 3 Bloggers have captured my attention. Most of their sites are devoted to crochet, crochet stitches, crochet patterns, tools and yarns. These 3 sites alone have quite honestly saved my bacon over the last few months. I am fairly sure not the only one who needs a fast resource for nearly everything crochet, I wanted to share my experience with you though a series of blog posts here on News From The Parc. I begin with Daisy Cottage Designs. Between anniversaries and impending births I had a lot of crocheting to do for gift giving. (the commissions were another thing altogether) I needed some great patterns and I needed them quickly. To the rescue? Daisy Cottage Designs. I've been watching this wonderful blog change and grow with every year that passes. Designs, photos, and layout of the blog becoming ever more sophisticated. While the blog looks sophisticated there is a classic feel about the patterns that Lauren Brown designs. I became a Great Aunt again this year and I now had not only my gorgeous niece to think about (and pray for) but also a beautiful baby girl to welcome into the world. I wanted to make something special to match the nursery decor my niece and her husband chose for the baby. (only hampered slightly by the unfortunate shortages of my favorite Lion Brand baby yarn) I was blessed to have many of the yarns on hand but what about a pattern? That was a hard choice. Then while looking through some pinterest pages I found this beautiful blanket pattern by Lauren Brown. A bit of a twist on the traditional crochet v-stitch pattern, the Daisy Cottage Bold V-Stitch Blanket has an airy but cushy feel. The minute I started stitching the sample I knew this was the right stitch for the project. For me, as I'm rather set in my ways, it took some practice to get used to this V-Stitch pattern. (pictured here laid out on my Great Grandfather's chair) However, once I got the pattern down there was no stopping me. The pattern is easy to memorize and in any color you choose, sure to be a favorite! The anniversary gift for my parents took a bit longer to sort out. First there was the color, never an easy choice for me. Then of course there was the stitch. I wanted a stitch would highlight way the Caron One Pound is spun. The twist of the yarn is well defined giving it an almost rope like appearance. After several tries with various stitches I still had not found that one perfect stitch. (both my parents would be using this blanket, naturally the stitch had to be neutral looking) Daisy Cottage Designs offered the answer once again. This time it was the more traditional V-Stitch. This time the Half Double V-Stitch Crochet Pattern daisycottagedesigns.net/half-double-crochet-v-stitch-crochet-pattern/ This was exactly the right stitch for the yarn. The up close picture gives you a look of the detail. Lauren Brown not only creates beautiful, classic, crochet patterns for crocheters but also shares her thoughts in her blog. You can find her "merch" for those like myself who... ahem... collect yarn (not hoard... LOL) Find her merchandise here: www.etsy.com/shop/DaisyCottageDesigns. Fantastic right?
On a strictly personal note Lauren Brown and I share not only a love of all things yarn and crochet. I know that she and I share the same belief on eternity. I couldn't improve on her thoughts in any way. I encourage you to read for yourself: daisycottagedesigns.net/eternity/ Okay, I'll admit it... I did miss writing my own personal blog. Don't get me wrong I love sharing Tabitha's Mountain Rhapsody with my 2 adult kids. I was feeling a little burnt out when I turned the blog into a family platform. However, I believe I really DO need to write about my own experience with my art/craft.
I expect writing this blog will keep all of my skills sharp. I enjoy writing. Up until I started my original blog, (now Tabitha's Mountain Rhapsody Family Artist blog) my work was mainly poetry. (free verse). Writing the original blog also helped push me to take bolder steps with my art, to push my limits and to stay on the look out for fresh ideas. My readers were (are still) incredibly encouraging. I hope, now that I've undertaken to start the blog again, the relationship between all of you who read my blog and myself will be increasingly comfortable. Thanks for taking the time to read the first installment of the new blog :) Lyn |
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