Here’s a selection of crafts that I’ve done in 2009, most of them are on this website.

Not pictured are approximately 30 pairs of earrings that I have not gotten around to photographing, maybe ~5 Blythe hats and another sweater, 2 scarves and the hat that I’m currently working on.

I wish everyone a happy new year and well wishes for 2010.

This is a somewhat delayed post for the pair of earrings that I designed and gifted to a friend for her 20th birthday! It went along with the Crochet Ribbed Cowl and was packaged in one of the new butterfly boxes I got for jewellery packaging (super darling boxes, they’re marketed for wedding favours, but because they came in an assortment of colours and don’t have a specific design, I use them for jewellery packaging).

I used a mix of green beads and star charms to go along with the ‘antiqued’ earring hooks (stainless steel that has been chemically treated, they go well with the star charms). They measure about an inch in diameter, if memory serves.

• Try to use materials from my stashes (beads, yarn or fabric) – A.K.A. spend as little as humanly possible on craft supplies for the year – Exceptions to this would be ‘necessary’ things like: wire (for making jump rings, eye pins, head pins, etc.), felt (for accents for amigurumis) and spools of thread (for the sewing machine, of course).
• If I have to spend money on craft supplies, I’ve decided on a $2 allowance per month (so a maximum of $24, including tax, for the year). I’ll be keeping track of this on the blog (guess that means no more buying wonderful handmade lampwork beads… I have a lot already, that haven’t been used yet!)
• To crochet and/or knit a minimum of 12 preemie hats for a local hospital as a donation (I was originally thinking of 52, one for each week, but I figured that would soon become more of a ‘chore’ than something I’d like to do – one per month should be a good amount) – I also want to learn “new” things for each hat (new stitches, new patterns, etc.)
• Utilize the wonderful crochet stitch dictionary that I receieved for my birthday! It’s The Complete Book of Crochet Stitch Designs: 500 Classic and Original Patterns by Linda Schapper and I haven’t gotten a chance to use it as much as I would have liked (used it as a reference so far and used one of the mesh patterns for my mom’s Christmas scarf). I love this book. It’s in need of a review for this site though!
• Do reviews! I’m planning to do at least 2 reviews per month – probably not in April or December, due to exams, but I figured I could ‘catch up’ or do some in advanced in the other months. This is where I plan on using (and slightly abusing) my local public library, as well as some of the books that my sister and I already own as well as maybe buying some magazines (I’m currently on the hunt for a new/recent copy of Crochet Today! – I’ve tried 3 different bookstores and haven’t had any luck yet)
• Get better at taking photographs. I own a point-and-shoot Sony Cybershot (DSC-W150) and have for almost a year (since January 2009). And on that note…
• Make a light box! I’ve been meaning to since forever. I even have some saved boxes just for the purpose of making a light box, I just haven’t gotten around to making it yet.
• And, lastly, but definitely not least, to be more organized with all of my craft supplies (I’m going to be cleaning out a few drawers so not all of my beading supplies are, ahem, everywhere – as well as getting a few bins to put my jointly-owned yarn stash somewhere besides in zipped plastic bags in a giant clear plastic garbage bag).

The Seafoam Drift Scarf was made for my mom for the holidays. She loves it! It’s a crocheted scarf in an open mesh pattern with a fringe added on. I’m toying with the idea of posting up the pattern for this. The open mesh pattern is really easy to do and it works up fairly quickly, because of all the open space. It took ~6 hours and it is about 5′5″ long.

Pattern: None used
Materials: Bernat Satin Sport in Jade
Length: ~5′5″ (without fringe)

The entire scarf, the fringe is actually even (it looks a bit uneven in this photo, probably because I didn’t arrange it very well on the carpet).

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Difficulty Level: Beginner

Materials:
Bulky yarn (~150g)
6.50mm hook (US K 10.5)
Yarn needle

Notes:
I used Red Heart Cozy Wool (70% acrylic, 30% wool) in Windsor Blue.
Any bulky-weight (5) yarn should work fine. To keep the stitch definition showing, I recommend not using a novelty or chenille yarn for this cowl and I do recommend using a wool blend.

Abbreviations:
Ch – chain
Tr – triple crochet

Notes:
Ch 3 at beginning of each row counts as 1 tr.
Number of stitches listed at end of row in the parentheses.

Directions:
1. Ch 25.
2. Tr in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across (22).
3. Ch 3, front post tr for each st across (22).
4. Ch 3, back post tr for each st across (22).
5. Repeat 3-4 until the length is the circumference of your head.
6. Hold ribbed sides together, slip stitch the two short ends together.
7. Fasten off, tuck in ends.

Click to download a PDF copy of the Crochet Ribbed Cowl – it’s printer friendly as it is text only.

This pattern is an original pattern by Michelle W. (December 2009). Please do not claim this pattern as your own. If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to this pattern but do not sell or distribute it on your site. Items made from this pattern may be sold with credit to Michelle and chelle-chelle.com.