New web pages and email

As of Nov. 15th the older sites for CrochetMaryEllen's Free Patterns will be deleted.
The new link is : MaryEllen's Web Pages.
My new email address is mariyel@verizon.net
Thanks

Here's a quick and easy Fall project

Instead of trimming the pumpkins as decorations, try using black felt, cut into jack-o-lantern face shapes and glue them on with white craft glue.

Pumpkin Centerpiece ( size is approx. 3" tall, depending on yarn and hook used)

Materials:

Small amounts 4-ply worsted weight yarn in orange, sage green and hunter green.

2” plastic ring

“H” hook

Small amount of scrap yarn or Fiberfil for stuffing

Assorted fall silk flowers and leaves as desired

White craft glue, hot (or cool) glue gun

Pencil

Yarn needle

Pumpkin:

Row 1: Leaving a 24” tail and using orange, chain 17. Work hdc in 3rd stitch from hook and in each stitch across. Chain 2 and turn.

Row 2: Working in back loops only, work 1 hdc in each stitch across. Chain 2 and turn.

Row 3-15: Repeat row 2, ending without chain 2 and turning. Leave a 20” tail.

Folding short ends together and using 20” tail, whip stitch to form a tube. Using beginning 24” tail, weave through one open end creating a drawstring. Pull drawstring tight and fasten off. Cut another 24 “ length of orange and repeat with remaining open end, stuff before pulling tight and closing. Weave any loose ends to inside of pumpkin.

Stem:

Round 1: With sage green, chain 2. Work 6 sc in 2nd chain from hook.

DO NOT JOIN, BUT CONTINUE WORKING IN ROUNDS MARKING 1ST STITCH OF EACH ROUND AS YOU GO.

Round 2: Work 2 sc in each stitch around.

Round 3-5: Work 1 sc in each stitch around.

Fasten off leaving a 20” length of yarn. Whip stitch the stem over the gathered top of pumpkin.

Taking a 20” strand of sage green, pull it through the base of the stem. Thin white craft glue with a few drops of water and saturate the strand. Wrap the strand around the pencil to form a curl. Set aside to dry. Remove pencil when thoroughly dry.

Base:

Using sage green attach to 2” plastic ring with a slipstitch. Sc around ring covering completely (approximately 30sc). Fasten off and weave in ends.

Using hot (or cool) glue gun, glue pumpkin to base. Add silk flowers and leaves as desired.

(c) MaryEllen Stover 9/12/02

A big ole NOTE OF APOLOGY!!

BLOG is supposed to notify me when anyone leaves a comment, so I haven't been checking on the comments myself. Tonight I found half a dozen that were never forwarded to me or that I had never been notified of. These comments were for specific pattern requests. I have answered all of them now, but if you need a specific pattern, first check for the pattern thru my web page at : www.crochetmaryellen.com.
If you still cannot find the pattern you're looking for, please e-mail me directly at mariyel@crochetmaryellen.com. Put the words" pattern request" in the subject line.
Again, I'm sorry for the delay to those who have been waiting and sour raspberries to "BLOG".
MaryEllen

New Free patterns on my Cross Stitch Page

I've just added some new, FREE, patterns to my Cross Stitch page. Click on the picture.

Please give this a read.

Please check out this article on the proposal to allow "Drive-Thru" mastectomies and consider signing the petition against this practice. If it was a man having penile surgery, it would be a no brainer!
http://www.lifetimetv.com/reallife/bc/pledges/bc_mast_thanks.html

What's New

My newest pattern and project is now posted on my web page. Check out the Square Ruffled Baby Blankie.

Jen's Stuffed Toy Archive - New Patterns

Jen's Stuffed Toy Archive - New Patterns

This is a wonderfully talented Crochet Artist. Give her site a look see. Her "stuffies" are great!

2006 Crochet Olympics

2006 Crochet Olympics
You really need to check this out! It's a wonderful idea!
Here are the rules:

1. The project must be a challenge for you to complete in the specified time frame.
2. You can NOT start until opening ceremonies (Feb 10, 2pm Eastern Time)
3. You MUST finish by closing ceremonies (16 days later, Feb 26th)
4. You can do prep work before (guage swatches, winding, etc), but no working on the actual project.
5. Pick something that is doable, but challenging. Do not set yourself up for failure.

Yarn Comparisons (IMHO)

Red Heart Regular = good basic worsted weight yarn; a little stiff, but great for crafts and most crochet; super color range.
Bernat Super Value = much softer than Red Heart but still a great value for the cost conscience crocheter. Good color range. Good price.
Red Heart Soft = lovely soft & silky feel, slightly lighter worsted weight, great stitch definition, fair color range.
Bernat Satin = super softness and silkiness, slightly lighter worsted weight, great stitch definition, fair color range.
Caron Simply Soft = soft & silky feel, slightly lighter worsted weight, great stitch definition, good color range. Good price.

Here's a pic of my second Round Ripple Baby Afghan. The first one sold quickly on eBay!
This second one is now available for sale.
White with pastel bands, Round Ripple Baby Afghan

I've finished both of my round ripple afghans. They worked up so fast!
The Baby round ripple is currently for sale on eBay: Variegated Round Ripple Baby Afghan
I working on another Baby Round Ripple. This second one will be mostly white with narrow bands of blue, yellow & pink. I'll post a pic when it's done.

What I'm working on:

I'm currently working on 2 afghans.

The first is the "Round Ripple".
I'm using Bernat's "Satin" yarn for this. It feels soooooo nice. I'm using 4 colors: Wheat, Admiral, Bordeaux, and Evergreen. These colors almost match exactly, the colors in my sofa. I just have to do 1 more row Evergreen and then 10 rows of Wheat.
http://www.sewonfire.com/round_ripple_afghan.htm


The next is the "Granny Ripple" afghan pattern from Project Linus.
I'm working this is Lion Brand Wool Ease in Rose Heather and Pale Rose with bands Bernat's Dark Teal. These are the favorite colors of the person I'm making it for. It's a lovely and rich combo!
If you've never visited the Project Linus site, please do. They offer some wonderful, free patterns and are a worthy cause as well.




http://www.citiusa.com/grannyripple.html

New Year's Resolutions?

Have you made any Crochet resolutions for this year? There are only 361 days until Christmas!

I've resolved to try out some of the new "fashion yarns". Since the price on some of these lovely yarns can be prohibitive, try using them as a accent. I made a very simple hat into something sensational. I used Caron Simply Soft for the hat and Red Heart Symphony (a textured fuzzy yarn) to create the cuff around the bottom. I did 3 rows of front post and back post stitches. It turned out like fluffy band around the base of the hat.

Let me know how you use some of these yarns as accents and I'll post them here on the BLOG.