GwenGoods Crochet

Happy Valentine’s Day

Most of my time is spent crocheting! I have tried other crafty endeavors such as needle felting, wet felting, spinning, knitting, cross-stitch, needlepoint, tye-dyeing thread and embroidery. I also love buying yarn acquiring a mega stash, a sable (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy) of stash along with so many design ideas, I stick to crochet!

The one exception is embroidery! This year, I joined the Embroidery Club available at Bzy Peach Yarns! Embroidery thread can be used for crochet as well as creating beautiful stitch pictures and all the gorgeous colors, Love! This last weekend I opened up my February pack of thread and took a crochet break to stitch up this fun picture in time for Valentines Day!

First, I added some muslin to a 3″ hoop. Then I cut out my template from a choice of 2.

February included a spectrum of red to pink along with skin tones!

I cut enough that I could place it into my hoop right behind the fabric and then I traced the design onto to the muslin with a pencil.

I wound the thread around a clothes pin. I let the thread hang from my wrist and wind it on the the pin.

This month included 2 templates! Winding threads.

Laverne also has this fun caddy for your colors. I primarily used the back stitch, stem stitch, and split stitch. It is fun to try different stitches, I used a satin stitch on the main heart. Then added some French knots.

Recently I checked out this gorgeous book from the library! If you enjoy embroidery or looking to add a craft to your life a took at this book! It is truly beautiful!

Wishing you a day filled with love! Spreading love and kindness! Back to working on my crochet projects!

Enjoy!

Starting the year finishing a project I started back in 2018. I spent some time scrolling back in time on Instagram and found this picture of when I bought a new color of Aunt Lydia’s Classic Crochet Cotton, Black Light. I thought it would be fun to mix natural and this multicolor together.

Then a year later, I worked up these on the plane home from a CGOA Conference in Manchester, NH. At the conference I took a class on Mock HairPin lace.

The fun thing about freeform it is something that you can work on bits and pieces at a time. Until you have a collection of scrumbles.

Then after a certain point you start to lay out the scrumbles and see what they could become.

Anytime is a great time to work on scrumbles, like Saturday morning while tuning in to Bzy Peach Saturday Morning Shenanigans.

Saturday Morning with BzyPeach and friends

Then all the scrumbles are laid out and joined together! Another color is added to create even more contrast!

Then it’s time to even out the edges, and weave in all the ends unless they have all been cleaned up as the work progressed.

And all that hard work turn out into something truly beautiful and a function art piece!

The perfect accessory for anytime!

Enjoy!

Left Hand Tutorial for Zaina Beanie

Left Hand Tutorial for Cross stitch pattern.

The Zaina Beanie has a beautiful visual texture, by crossing a stitch in front of 2 stitches. Working a crossed stitch in the last stitch of the previous round hides the seam creating a seamless appearance. Follow these steps to work the cross stitch pattern.

Thank you for your support! Enjoy!

Right Hand Photo Tutorial for Zaina Beanie

Photo Tutorial-Right Handed

Thank you for your support! Enjoy!

December Make Along

Are you ready for a Make Along? Starting tomorrow?

I am teaming up with some fabulous designers to make this December a whole bunch of fun! Most of the fun will take place on Instagram and the fabulous designers include, Ila Quinn @ilaquinndesigns, Morolape @thepurplecrochet, Naana @narosedesigns, Leah @iplaywithfiber, Talia @taliacrochetcreations, Teresa @fuzzywhatnots and yours truly @gwengoods. There will be free patterns and giveaways, so make sure you are following all of us and use #decemberMAL.

Now to introduce my contribution, Zaina Beanie!! Pick your style of making top down or bottom up this pattern has you covered. Either version works up in worsted weight yarn in about 120-150 yds! It’s a perfect stash buster or in these fun yarns from WeCrochet!

Zaina Beanie Worked from bottom up in Chroma Twist and from top down in Brava Speckle.

I have worked the pattern from top down in Kim Dyes Yarn in Cannoli Worsted in colorway Cathedral Windows.

Kim Dyes Yarn, Cannoli Worsted in Cathedral Windows

Another version, worked from the bottom up from Fuzzy What Knots, Zebra Worsted in colorway, The Witching Hour.

Fuzzy What Knots, Zebra Worsted in The Witching Hour

I am so excited to see what you all make!! Zaina Pattern will be posted right here tomorrow!

Enjoy!

Zephyr 2021 Snowflake

Happy Holidays!! Today I share my 2021 Snowflake with you!

Every year, I make snowflakes to giveaway to friends, family and my co-workers. These little snowflakes make great little ornaments for a Christmas tree or to decorate a snowy window. This snowflake works up quick in 3 rounds.

Finished Size 2.75” diameter

Materials

Aunt Lydia’s Classic Crochet Cotton, Size 10, 100% Cotton Thread, White or color of choice
Size 7 (1.65mm) Steel Crochet Hook or size to obtain gauge
Tapestry Needle
Glue & Water
Craft Paintbrush
T-pins

Gauge It is not critical for this project.

Pattern Notes

Join with slip stitch as indicated unless otherwise stated.
Round 3 alternates working in back or in front of round 2.
Stiffen with 1:2 parts glue to water and brush with paintbrush on back side of snowflake.

Special Stitch

Picot (picot): Ch 5, sl st in 5^th ch from hook.

Instructions

Rnd 1: Make slip ring, ch 3 (counts as a dc), 11 dc in ring, join. –12 dc

Rnd 2: *(Ch 4, picot, ch 4), sk next dc, sl st in next dc; rep from * 5 times, working final sl st in the first dc of round 1. –6 picot stems

Rnd 3: Ch 1, *working behind previous picot stem, sl st in next skipped dc, (ch 7, picot , ch 7), working in front of next picot stem, sl st in next skipped dc, (ch 7, picot, ch 7); rep from * 2 times, sl st to first sl st of round. Fasten off. –6 picot stems

Round 3, alternate working in front of and behind previous round picot stems.

Finishing

Stiffen by brushing on the glue/water mixture and pin to shape.

Abbreviations (US Terminology)

ch: chain

dc: double crochet

sp: space

sk: skip

ch-sp: chain space

sl st: slip stitch

rep: repeat

st(s): stitch(es)

lp(s): loop(s)

yo: yarn over

Rnd(s): Round(s)

Pattern for personal use only.

Happy Holiday! Enjoy!

Perla Top

My brand new design available today! The Perla Top is an easy to intermediate pattern depending on your skill level. It is worked up in Pima Cotton, DK weight from BzyPeach Yarns. It is a lace crochet pattern that works up in 2 rectangles working lengthwise. The rectangles are then pieced together in the front and back, working the neckline at the same time. Then folding it in half the sides are seamed, then working around the armhole begins the sleeves. It is a size inclusive design, sizes range from 34 to 66″ bust.

It looks fabulous in a range on yarns from cotton blends to acrylic blends.

One the left Erin’s is a pretty blue yarn! In the middle is Gwen in a gorgeous shade Yarn Bee Soft and Sleek! Indraja made hers in a beautiful blue cotton yarn!

I am so thankful to my testers of this design! Each sample is truly beautiful!!

On the left Naana made hers in a a lovely Lion Brand Yarn! In the middle Raji made hers in a beautiful yellow cotton yarn! Rosayln worked her sample in a gorgeous multicolor yarn!

Today I wound up some yarn from Mitchell’s Creations to make another! Now to block my gauge swatches!

Pattern Now Available on Etsy, Ravelry and LoveCrafts! Save it to your favorites!

Enjoy!

Aliza Beanie

Today is pattern release day for the Aliza Beanie! As the days keep growing cooler and the trees are sharing their fall splendor, you may need a new hat to make! As I was making hats for the Hat Not Hate campaign my mind was thinking of new designs! I thought is would be fun to use front post stitches and a front post cluster. And this hat will look great in a solid color but in multiple colors it is spectacular!

This sample is worked up in WeCrochet Brava Sport using Sky, Denim Solstice Heather. And even with all this color changing you will still only have 2 ends per color!

This sample is worked up in StyleCraft Special DK in Silver, Magenta, Khaki and Aspen.

And to celebrate the release of this pattern and all my other hat patterns, it is 50% off in my Etsy Shop! Or use coupon code hatnothate on Ravelry for 50% off! It is time to get started on making hats for Hats Not Hate!

Introducing…

the Regina Pullover Top! It is a lace Tunisian Crochet top worked from the hem up to the shoulders in 2 pieces; front and back. The yarn used for this design is fingering wt. It starts at the hem with reverse stitches, then transitions into the lace stitches in a two-row repeat for the body.

Then back to working reverse stitches for the neckline and shoulders. After the first shoulder is worked, stitching continues down the first shoulder working across the neckline to work the second shoulder. Once the pieces are blocked then the seaming begins, first the shoulders, then the sides including the sleeves. I think one of the best things about crochet is lace and how it makes a light weight gorgeous design that dresses up a tank top or a dress…

Ila Quinn made her Regina Top in Woolike

I love how Ila Quinn (@ilaquinndesigns) from Ila Quinn Designs is modeling her Regina Top over this beautiful dress. She made hers in Woolike by Loops & Thread an acrylic blend fingering wt.

Heather (@hstitches81) made hers with 2 bright beautiful colors creating this two-tone top…

Harpreet (@karta_n_krit) used a multi-color yarn for her Regina Top…

Multi-color in a slightly thick fingering wt.

Susan (@nozbelekb) is working up hers in this beautiful blue shade…

Marialaina (@hookedbyhoot) is working on her Regina top in this beautiful multi-color fingering wt…

So far I have made two tops and thinking about making another…

The Regina Top is an intermediate pattern but even a beginner can do it too! Links to shop this pattern are available on the home page!

Spread love & kindness!

Enjoy!

FreeForm Crochet

Have you ever tried FreeForm Crochet? I first learned about Freeform Crochet when I checked out from the library, the book, The Crochet Workshop by Sylvia Cosh & James Walters which then lead to The Art of Crochet by Del Pitt Feldman. These books have become a part of my personal library. I have also taken a few classes from Myra Wood, on Craftsy and at Crochet Guild of America Chainlink Conferences. So eventually I joined the International FreeForm Fiberarts Guild (IFFFG), anyone can join and create art in Crochet or any Fiberart, and I have been contributing to their yearly challenge for the past 6 years! This year the challenge theme was Architecture, Buildings & Cityscapes.

As soon as the theme was decided, I knew I wanted to create a piece that represented our collective humanity, all of us together, every shade of skin! The first skin tone yarns I bought were from Mitchell’s Creations featured on Crafty is Cool. Originally, I thought I would make my piece with only Terra’s (Mitchell’s Creations)yarn, but…

My idea thought was to build community and to do that I needed to include all the skin and skein tones of yarn. So I bought all the skin tones from Crafty is Cool…

Then all the skein tones from Lion Brand…

And all the Afro Melanin Magic from Bzy Peach…

For my interpretation of this year’s challenge, I chose to build a representation of our collective humanity. To celebrate our diversity as well as our continual fight to complete and total equality.

Humanity

Every shade of skin

Represented Within

Standing Together in

Unity for Equality

Our fists raised high

To be Recognized

Our voices heard

And Acknowledged

In Community

We are better together

Standing Side by Side

Embracing our Diversity

And at the

center is

LOVE.

Everyone is welcome and celebrated at our table!

Find more about the IFFFG on Ravelry or Facebook! Be Love and Kindness!

Enjoy!