Christmas Month and Wreath:

Till my daughter went to USA, I didn't know what wreath is? Wreath is a ring shape piece decorated with flowers, leaves etc and usually hang to the front door of the house. It creates cheerful and positive atmosphere just like festival. I also think that it's a kind of welcoming the guest as in Indian culture we have rangoli in the front yard which generates positivity and welcome the guests.

When my daughter owned home in USA after her education and her marriage, I saw that she had one small wreath on her front door (shown in the second photo) as per tradition in USA. After 5-6 years when she shifted in her new home, that wreath was quite fed up. I asked her whether I can remove that plastic flower and renovate it and of course she agreed.

Then I made one beautiful crochet flower from the wool remained from my grant- daughter's sweater, three small white flowers and some leaves of crochet. Then remove those old plastic flowers and with the same base of wreath and new crochet work I made this wreath. 

Big Red Flower: The main red flower is crocheted according to this video,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8V0beVp7oA

Small White Flower: With white yarn make magic ring of 5 chains,

Row 1: [Ch 4, sc in second chain, sc 2 in next 2 ch, sl st in the next st of magic ring], repeat this in all 5 sts of the magic ring. Close.

Make three such flowers.

Leaves: With light green colored yarn make ch 15,

Row 1: ch 1, sc 2 in next 2 sts, dc 1 in each of the next 3 sts, 1 double dc in each of 3 sts, 1 dc in each of the next 3 sts, 1 hdc in the next st, 2 sc in next 2 sts. 1 dc in the next st, 2 sc in next 2 sts, 1 hdc in the next st, 1 dc in each of the next 3 sts, 1 double dc in each of 3 sts, 1 dc in each of the next 3 sts, sc 2 in next 2 sts, close at the beginning ch.

Two leaves with dark green color, make 11 chains.
Row 1: Ch 1, sc 2 in the next 2 ch,1 hdc , 2 dc in the next 2 ch, 2 double dc in next 2 ch, 2 dc, 1 sc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 2 double dc, 2 dc, 1 hdc, 2 sc, close in the first ch.
Make two such leaves.
Bud: Magic ring of 5 ch close. ch 1 turn,
Round 1: sc in each ch, join with the sl st first ch, ch 1 turn,
Round 2: sc1, sc2, sc1, sc2, sc1, join with the first ch, ch 1 turn (7 sts)
Round 3: sc 2 in   the first ch, sc 3 in each of the next 3 ch, sc2 in the next ch, sc 2 in next 2 ch, join with the first ch, ch 1 turn, ( 9 sts)
Round 4: sc in 4 ch, 2 sc tog, sc 4, join. Ch 1 turn (6 sts)
Round 5: (2 sc tog) 3 times, join with sl st,
Round 6: Insert hook in all 3 sts and close.
Green Base of the Bud: ch 10
Rd 1: sc in each ch, ch 1 turn,
Rd 2: sc 2, ch 1 and sc 1 tog, turn and by sl st come to the base chains
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 four times more to get the base. Sew it under the bud.
Stem: Take two strings of dark red color yarn and make chains to reach the required length. Attach it to a bud. Make more stems of required length and join it with white flowers

Arrange the flower, leaves and bud as shown in the photo or as per your choice.

Crochet Toran , Door Hanging, Door Decor - Toran Patti Part 1

 

Hi,

Toran is a decorative door hanging usually seen in every house in India. Traditionally it is made of Merigold flowers and Mango leaves. The origin of torans can be traced to Puranas (Hindu mythological work). Torans are used to decorate the main entrance of the home. These torans are the first thing that welcomes guests. Just as in USA or UK we can see Wreath on every door, the idea behind both Toran and Wreath, is same to welcome guest. In India guests are always honored as God / Goddess. (Famous sentence for that is अतिथी देवो भव). 

This beautiful Toran is made in 4 ply yarn with 3.5 mm hook. 

Final measurements are: Length 37" and width 25".

Pattern: Make chs 21.

R1: dc 1 in 4^th and 5^th chs, ch5, skip 5 sts, ch5, skip 5 sts, dc 1 in last 3 sts, ch3 turn.

R2: dc 1 in 3 sts, dc2 in ch5-sp, sc1 in 3 sc-sts (skipping first and last sc-sts) ch5, dc 2 in ch5-sp, dc 1 on 3 dc-sts.

R3: dc 1 on 5 dc-sts, dc 2 in ch 5-sp, sc 1 in central sc-st (skipping first and last of previous row, ch5, dc 2 in ch5-sp, dc 1 on each dc-st.

R4: dc 1 on 7 dc-sts, dc 2 in ch5-sp, ch4, dc 2 in ch5-sp, dc 1 on 7 dc-sts.

R5: dc 1 in 3 dc-sts, ch5, sc 5 in middle ch4-sp, ch5, dc 1 on last 3 sts.

Repeat R2 to R5 till the required length. We made 36” strip.

Border: R1: Join pink yarn at any st. dc 2 in each dc along length, dc 4 at corner, dc 1 in each st along width. Similarly work on other side.

R2: Join green yarn at any st. dc 1 in each st, dc 2 extra at corner, cl.

Toran Patti is completed.

The following video 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.