365 Crochet

This is my second hula hoop mandala that I've made from jute!  I made my first one last fall, when hula hoops were 'out of season' and it was almost impossible to find one!  When I did find one, it had a bend in the hoop, I bought it anyway at a discount, and tried to get the bend out, but it came back and sorta ruined the look of my mandala.... that being said, this is the best time of year to buy hula hoops (spring!) This lovely is hanging on my black wall right now.  Although it makes for great and interesting wall art, it is going to make its way outside and hang from my garden shed (that I need to paint first).  This mandala is not hard to make, just a bit rough on the hands! You can easily make one in a few hours. If I could give jute a yarn weight, I'd say it's bulky or chunky. The hula hoop is one of the larger ones, although you could use a smaller one and simply adjust the number of stitches, as long as it's in multiples of 5. You begin by working...

Spruce up your home decor this spring with some beautiful crochet mandala place mats!  This is such a great idea because you can use any color combination to match or contrast your room. But don't stop there, you could even make these for your outdoor space, these would also look great on your patio table. Designed By: Stitches and Supper Skill Level: Easy Materials: Catania in 4 colors (Sport; 5 ply); 137 yds by 1.75 oz, or 125 m by 50 gr.  crochet hook no E 4, or 3.5 european style Measurements : diameter will be about 14.5 inches, or 37 cm. Get the Free Pattern!

Summer is almost here, and you've probably already been making plans for your backyard, deck, patio, poolside, balcony, or whatever you call your outdoor space.  From gardening to barbecuing, and all of those accessories in between, did you know that there is plenty of room for crochet?! The greatest thing about crochet (besides the health benefits ), is that the sky is the limit.  You can make things in the colors and textures that YOU want, and use the style that YOU like!  You get to achieve a bit of uniqueness, and bask in the glory of your accomplishment... and bask in the sun... which leads me right into this first free pattern! My Hammock by JoAnne Leonard In fact, there are several ways of crocheting up your outdoor seating space, as in these free patterns...    (left) Crochet Stool Cover by Atty's (right) Seating Pad by Drops Design Chair Slat Back Cozies by peaceofpi studio But not to be limited to cozies for your seats, y...