Crochet Gift Item Part 1: Swan Pair Home Decor for New Year, Valentine Day

On the eve of new year I am writting this post. I made this Swan pair show piece specially for Valentine Day and I am publishing it on New Year's day so that if any one wants to make this. He/she can complete this before Valentine day. In India there are two differnt opinions about this day, whether one should celebrate it or not. But what I feel is, if this is the "Love Day" then as a human being we should live every creature in this world. In Maharashtra, there was a great poet, Kusumagraj, about whom I have written on 10th Feb 2018 (again on Valentine day occassion), please read, So definitely we love all beautiful creations. Above creation "Swan pair ahow-piece" is that which will be loved by everyone.This show piece consists of three parts, 1. two swans, 2. Big heart which is decorated by flowers and leaves and 3. Water pond for swans. When I searched for Swan pattern, I saw the German pattern of Swan which I liked very much. The wonderful Google gave me the translation of the page which is very useful for me. On that basis with some changes, I made this swan pair. Pattern: Body: Chs 31. R1: sc 1 in each ch starting from second ch . (30 sts) R2: ch 1, sc 1 in each st Repeat this row till total rows are 24.

Next we work in round. Join with first st as shown.

Neck: Round 25: dc 1 in each st (30 sts). Note that first dc means ch 3. R26: In this rnd we have to equally decrease 13 sts. Ch 1 sc 1 in same st, (2sctog) 6 times, sc 1 in 2 sts, (2sctog) 7 times, sc 1 in 1 st, (17 sts). Here onward we shall not close the round by sl st, go on working in spiral. So always place marker at the first st. R27 to R31: sc 1 in each st, cl

R32: sc 1 in 4 sts, (2sctog), sc 1 in 4 sts, (2sctog), sc 1 in 3 sts, (2sctog). (14 sts) R33 to R37: sc 1 in each st. R38: sc 1 in 1 sts, (2sctog), sc 1 in 3 sts, (2sctog), sc1 in 3 sts, (2sctog), sc 1 in 1 st. (11 sts)

R39 to R43: sc1 in each st. R44: sc 1 in 2 sts, (2sctog), sc1 in 3 sts, (2sctog), sc 1 in 2 sts. (9sts) R45 to R54 sc 1 in each st.

Head: R1: sc 2 in each st. (18 sts) R2 to R5: sc 1 in each st (18 sts) R6: (2sctog) thoughout. (9sts) R7: sc 1, (2sctog) 4 times. (5 sts) R8: sc1, (2sctog) 2 times. (3 sts) R9: sc1, 2sctog. (2 sts) R10: 2sctog, (1 st) Bind off.

Tail: Join yarn at one end at tail side. R1: (2sctog) in first and last 2 sts, sc 1 in between. Repeat this row till there is only one st.

Upper part: Join white yarn at the starting of tail part, R1: (dc 1, ch1 skip 1 ch sp) rep in each st of the upper portion only. We get boxes as shown.

R2: [ In next box make dc2, in next box make dc1, (ch4-picot, ch5-picot, ch4-picot), dc1] rep till end.

Wing: CO ch 7, R1: sc 1 in second ch, dc1 in next, (tr3) in next 2 sts, dc1, sc1. (10 sts) R2 to R4: ch1 turn, sc1 in each st. ch1 turn, R5: sc1, hdc1, dc1, (tr3) in each of next 4 sts, dc1, hdc1, sc1. (18 sts) R6: Work in back loop only, (sc1, skip 1 st) rep till end (10 sts)

R7: Cast on ch7, sc1 in each of 5 sts starting from second, skip last st, join by sl st with the next st in row 6 (5 sc-sts) R8: sl st 1 in each of the 5 sts, ch3, turn R9: sc1 in second and third ch, sc1 in each of those 5 sts of previous row, sl st in the next st of row 6. (7 sts) R10: sl st 1 in 7 sts, ch3 turn

R11: sc 1 in second and third st, sc 1 in those 7 sts, sl st in the next st of row 6 (9 sts) turn, R12: sl st in each st, extend 3 chs Repeat this till we reach the end of each st in row 6. We increased the sts till 21.

Another wing: R1 to R6 as in previous wing. R7: Make chs 22 instead of 5, because we have to make this wing as a mirror image of this wing.

Then go on skipping last 2 sts each time thus decreasing from 21 to 19 to 17 to 15 and so on till we reach 5 scs.

Beak: R1: With red yarn in a magic loop, make ch3, dc 4, cl (5 sts) R2: with black, sc2 in each st, cl (10 sts) R3: ch1, sc1 in 2 sts, ch1 turn, R4: sc 1 in 2 sts, BO with 6” yarn end. Join black yarn exactly opposite to the first one. R1: Make ch1, sc1 in 2 sts, ch1, turn, R2, sc 1 in both sts BO with 6” yarn end.

Sew beads at the place of eyes. Also sew this part to the white head part.

Sew wings at proper place. Stuff in the body and pass a chain-cord through the windows close it. Also sew by one st neck with body. The swan is ready.

Make one more swan for the show piece.

The following video with English subtitles may help you. ETC: Enjoy the Creativity.

Crochet Gents Sweater

Hello friends, Last week I made this crochet gents sweater for my hubby. Before this, I have made so 4 knitted swaters for him. One of which I have posted here, This is the first crochet sweater I made for him. It's V-neck, sleeve less sweater. It goes very good in fitting and its ready measurements are: width 19", height 27", armhole 8". It's weight is 530 gm. I used Ganga's Glowing Star 4 ply yarn and 3.5 mm crochet hook. Pattern: Back side Make chs whose length will become 20". For the design which we have selected for sweater, we need multiple of 9+4. Moreover as we have to decrease 5 sts on both ends for arm hole, we keep 7-7 dcs on both end instead of 4, so that decreasing 5 sts will not disturb our design. Thus we need either (9x8)+4+6= 82 sts or (9x9)+4+6 (extra for ends) = 91 sts When I make 20" chs, I found them 89. So it is better to make 91 sts. Thus for final 91 sts, start with 93 chs. R1: Make dc 1 in each ch from 4th ch (91 sts).

R2: ch3, (fpdc1, bpdc1) rep till end, fpdc on last but one st, dc 1 on last st. R3: ch3, bpdc1, fpdc1) rep, dc1 on last st. Repeat these two rows till the height is 3.5". Next row: dc 1 in each st.

Design starts: R1: dc1 in 7 sts, (fpdc1, skip 1 st, fpdc 1 in next two sts, fpdc 1 in skipped st, fpdc 1 in next, dc 1 in 4 sts) rep, dc 1 in last 3 sts. (That is dc 1 in 7 sts in the beginning and at the end). Ch1, turn, R2: sc 1 in each st. From front and back side the design will look as,

Repeat rows 1 and 2 till the height is 18.5” - 19”.

On RS, Sl st in 5 sts, remaining as per pattern till last 5 sts, skip them without working on them.

Continue working on these 81 sts till the height from the starting chs is 27”, bind off. Front: Starting as back side, work till the armhole cut, decrease 5 -5 sts on both ends and work WS also. Now place marker at the central st, means 40-marker-40 sts.

Then work only on these 40 sts. Work as per pattern on RS till 4 sts to the marker, decrease 2 sts, making (2dctog) 2 times,

Then in next time working on RS again decrease 2 sts, Then go on decreasing 1 st each time on RS till 26 sts remain. Continue as per pattern till the total height is 27".

Also work other front part in the same way.

Join shoulders so that the design should match from front and back.

Armhole Border: Go on making dcs on both sides of arms ( nearly 40-40 from both sides). Then make (fpdc1, bpdc1) as the bottom border for 3-4 lines. Work similar armhole border on other side. Neck Band: Again go on picking sts and making dc 1 in each. Nearly 40 from both sides of V neck and 36-40 from back side but there are 30 sts on back only. So you may pick up more sts on V-sides.

Now start making (fpdc 1, bpdc 1) till 2 sts to the marker st but note that we start with fp or bp depending on the marker st should be front post dc. At marker st, make 3 st together (1 bpdc, 1 fpdc and 1 bpdc) remaing portion of the neck band as per border design. Repeat this in next round also. Lastly sew the two sides. The beautiful sweater is ready. The following videos with English subtitles will help you. ETC: Enjoy the Creativity.

Crochet Doily: Christmas Special

Hello friends, How are you? Hope that many of you are busy in Christmas decoration and in holiday planning. As my daughter, son and all three grandkids are in USA, I am also involved in Christmas festival through them. Once I was there in Nov - Dec and I made the Wreath for Christmas. I have written the post about that, Last year, I made Crochet Christmas Tree with Ornaments. Then I came to know that Red, Green and White colours have much importance in Christmas. Then I read, why it is so? I found that because green is the colour of life (Fir tree which remains alive even after so cold in winter), red is the colour of blood that Jesus shed while hanging on the cross, whereas white the colour symbolizing purity. Then I realized their importance. So this year I made Christmas special - crochet doily using these three colours. For all of us heart is a symbol of LOVE, the feeling which every man should have for other one. Secret heart of Jesus is the emblem of truth and love. So I decided to use heart shapes in this doily. Thus I made six big hearts for this doily and a beautiful little heart border. For this doily I used 4ply yarn and 3,5 mm crochet hook. It's diameter is 21" and weight 135 gm. Pattern: BIG HEART: R1: In a magic loop, ch3, tr 3, dc 4, tr1,this is central st, place marker, dc4, tr3, ch3, join by sl st in a loop.

R2: sc2 in ch3-sp, (dc3) in each of the next 3 sts, dc1 in each of the next 3 sts, (dc2) in next, (dc1, tr1, dc1) in next central st, (dc2) in next, dc1 in 3 sts, (dc3) in each of the next 3 sts, sc2 in ch3-sp, sl st and cl.

R3: sc1 in each of next 2 sts, (dc2) in 8 sts, dc1 in 6 sts, (ch1, tr1, ch1) at central st, dc1 in 6 sts, (dc2) in 8 sts, sc1 in 2 sts, cl.

Make 6 pieces. Then by white yarn make a border of single crochet to these hearts.

DOILY: Ring of ch 5, R1: Ch3, dc 17, cl R2: dc 2 in each st R3: (ch5, skip 2 sts, sc 1 in next) rep, cl

R4: (ch 6, sc 2 in the centre of next loop) rep cl

R5: (ch7, sc 1 in the centre of next loop) rep, cl. BO

R6: Join green yarn at centre of loop in previous round. Ch6, sc 1 in next loop

R7: dc 8 in each ch6-sp, cl.

R8: (dc 1 in each st also dc 1 at joint gap (this is extra)) rep, cl.

R9:[ (ch8 skip 4 sts, join by sc 1) 3 times, ch8 join by sl st to the centre of heart and skip 4 sts, join by sc 1 in next,] rep. Sl st till mid of the next loop.

R10: ( ch9, sc 1 in the centre of next loop), note that one ch9-loop will be on the back side of heart, rep, cl. Sl st till the mid of the next loop,

R11: { [Join the 7th sc-st of heart from back side, (ch9, sc 1 in mid of the next loop) 2 times] 2 times then (ch9, sc 1 in mid of the next loop) 2 times] on back side of heart join at 7th white st by sl st} rep 6 times, cl. Sl st till mid of the next loop.

R12: (ch10, sc 1 in mid of the next loop) rep, cl. Sl st till mid of the next loop.

R13: (ch 8, sc1 in the mid of next loop) rep. Sl st in next loop.

R14: dc 10 in each loop.

R15: [ch 1, sc 1 till 7 sts to the mid of heart position, join with heart by back loop and with next green st by sc, sc 1 in 2 sts, join with heart st, sc 1 in 7 sts, join with heart st, sc 1 in next 2 sts, join next st with heart st] rep 6 times., cl

R16: Join red colour, (ch8 skip 3 sts, sc 1 in next) rep, cl. Sl st till the mid of next loop. R17:( ch 9, sc 1 in the mid of next loop) rep, cl. Sl st till the mid of the next loop. R18: same as R17.

R19:(ch5, sc 1 in the mid of next loop) rep, cl.

R20: dc 5 in each ch5-space. BO

Initially I thought to make white border but as my white yarn is thin the little hearts were not remaining stiff, so I made green border instead of white. R21: Join green yarn, (dc 1 in 9 sts, make heart in next st) rep till end Making heart means make hdc 2 in next st, loop made, now on one side of loop make ch2, tr2, dc2, hdc 2 then dc1 for central st, then hdc2, dc2, tr2, ch2, join by sl st)

The following video with English subtitles may help you in making this beautiful doily.

ETC: Enjoy the Creativity.