creative jewish mom

Crocheted Mini-Mandala With Star Center Pattern

With Hanukkah in just a week, I have been a bit busy whipping up some quick crocheted mini mandalas with a 6-pointed star center. Using pastel-colored t-shirt yarn, this mini mandalas work up quickly, and in just three rows you have something you could use as a coaster, or possibly as part of a decorative garland, mobile, or wall hanging. The jury is still out regarding how I'll be using these, but hopefully I'll figure something out very soon, and share the results with you. Truthfully just hanging these little crocheted circles from my dining room chandelier would do the trick, or maybe combining them with some pom poms, beads or tassels. Hmmm, all those ideas sound good, now just waiting for the inspiration!

And just by the way, of course this pattern can be used with any yarn, but you'll need quite a few more rounds than three to get something that is the size of a coaster, just sayin'.

Quick Crocheted Stars Using T-Shirt Yarn

Hanukkah is coming in just a week or so, and now is the time for some quick crocheting to use as gifts or decorations! Lucky for you I have given this two-row star a run for its' money using t-shirt yarn, and the results are great, so now I'm sharing them with you! T-shirt yarn is a delight to crochet with, but not every pattern works due to the bulkiness and stretch of the yarn, so always a good idea to make a sample before going to town. I'm not sure exactly how I'll use these stars, but at the very least as a crocheted bunting, and if there's more time as part of a a Hanukkah wall hanging. Ah yes, and depending on the thickness of your t-shirt yarn, some stars might even be big enough to use as coasters, or sew a few together to make a table protector or mat of some kind.

Crochet Arcade Stitch Pattern

The Jewish holiday season is over and the first thing I just had to do (after 8 days of holidays and no crafting) was pick up some colorful t-shirt yarn and make something! Truthfully I needed to crochet a swatch to photograph for application on a product, and this arcade stitch just seemed so very perfect! The edges of the piece were photo-shopped a bit, meaning I took out the bulge of the turning chain, so do keep that in mind, otherwise, you can expect gorgeous results like this, especially if you choose to crochet in bulky yarn, or t-shirt yarn, which is just too fun for words.

Arcade stitch is perfect for crocheted trim, pillow covers, blankets, rugs, table runners, scarves, and of course garments so give this stitch a try! I was just thinking that a chunky baby blanket in pastel colors using the arcade stitch would be just dreamy and so simple to whip up!

Crocheted Sunburst Granny Square Pattern

At long last I was able to purchase some chunky acrylic yarn at my local fabric shop that seemed like something worth trying out, (There is one other brand of chunky that starts to pill while you are just looking at it.....well you know what i mean) and at only 10 shekels a skein of course I scooped up a bunch of pastels to make something for my daughter. My first project, crocheted hand warmers for my daughter. A few years ago I did crochet basic crocheted hand warmers, but those were for the boys, and my daughter never actually received any. So, with her in mind, I've been dreaming of crocheted hand warmers made with granny squares, so I decided to design one myself, starting with this sunburst granny square, which I just loooooove.

In chunky yarn, the results are so cozy and plush, and perfect for so many winter crochet projects. So lets get started with this granny square pattern, which you've just got to try!

Crocheted Wagon Wheel Granny Square Pattern

For a moment there I thought I might not do any crocheting this winter, but ha ha, that certainly would be a very strange thing around here! And rather than take down boxes from the attic, I figured I'd whip up a few simple crocheted accessories for myself with some yarn I had on hand, which is how this wagon wheel granny square pattern came to be. I love this granny square as it is quick to work up, about 15 minutes for one square, looks great, and of course can be used in so many ways. I always favor circle within a square motifs, and this one that is wagon wheel and starburst at the same time is just simply wonderful. So far I have used this pattern to make a neck warmer and hand warmers, which I'll be sharing with you shortly, here's to a cozy winter!

Okay, lets give this granny square a try, shall we?

Front Post Double Crochet Stitch Creates A Deep Raised Rib

Hey fellow crocheters, isn't it fun when you come upon a new stitch that you really ought to have know, but didn't? That is what happened with me and the front post double crochet stitch, which produces a deep raised ridge. Of course I have heard of the stitch, as it is used quite often to create crocheted cables and such, just never tried it. In the past I created ribbed crocheted fabric for my ribbed crocheted cowl, and ribbed crocheted hand warmers by simply crocheting in the back loop of the stitch, which is nice, but not enough of a rib for my current needs. If you are up on the trends in the crochet world you can surely guess what I'm going to use these pieces for, if not, well stay tuned!

Want to learn how to crochet the front post double crochet rib? It is so simple, just keep on reading.......