I'll Meet You in the Lab

I recently had the opportunity to test a crochet pattern for the very talented Lauren at A Menagerie of Stitches. Lauren designed an incredible chemistry set where the beakers, test tubes, and flasks have cute smiles and loads of personality.

The pattern was well written, with loads of helpful photos and tips. One of my favorite tips was to make a little bean bag to put in the bottom of the beaker and the flasks before stuffing them to help them stand up; a brilliant idea that would have come in very handy for some of my previous amigurumi makes, and one that I will definitely be using for future projects.

There are way more pieces to the pattern than I had time to make....more test tubes, bigger beakers and flasks, a Bunsen burner, and even instructions to make stands to really create the whole lab bench.....I just may keep going and make a few more pieces..

In the meantime, my girls are really enjoying playing "Scientist".

This pattern was so much fun to make. Thanks again to Lauren for the opportunity to test her pattern. 

Pattern: A Menagerie of Stitches
Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter Cotton
Cuteness Factor: 100%

New Crochet Books

I love crochet pattern books. I love to look through them at all the stunning projects and the beautifully styled photographs, and I love how they look all lined up on my bookshelf, or, as is more often the case, stacked on the end of the sofa next to my basket of yarn.

With some money that I got for Christmas I purchased three new crochet books for myself. I purchased them online, never having actually paged through the books themselves, and was thrilled when I got my happy package in the mail. The books were every bit as wonderful as I had hoped they would be. Buying books online can be a tad uncertain - the cover looks lovely and the write up sounds good, but you never know for sure if the patterns will live up to your expectations. Well these recent book purchases did indeed live up to my expectations and I have spent many hours pouring over the pages of wonderful project ideas.

Enough rambling then. Which books did I buy? Let me show you.

1. Granny Square Crochet by Catherine Hirst

In my mind, granny squares = love. I have already bookmarked many of the patterns in this book. I especially love the pillow on the cover; I think it would be a perfect project to use up the leftover yarn from my Garden Patch Granny Afghan.

2. Amigurumi Toy Box by Ana Paula Rimoli

I have another similar book by the same author and the patterns are so simple to follow and the toys are so cute. I love the little unicorn that you can see on the cover; definitely making that one.

3. Crochet Garden by Suzann Thompson

The flower patterns in this book seem hard. Almost every pattern calls for a stitch I have never even heard of, and most patterns are rated as Intermediate or Experienced. That being said, I look forward to challenging myself to try some of the new stitches and techniques in this book.

Needless to say that with these new books in my hands my head is spinning with all kinds of project possibilities....which is so very fun and exciting. That is one of the great things about new pattern books, so many ideas!

I should also mention that I had a very difficult time selecting these three books from the many incredible crochet books that are available. It was so hard to choose!

I would love to hear about the crochet books on your shelf. If there are any that you absolutely adore, please let me know - because a yarn-loving girl can never have too many pattern books.

Vintage Pattern Jackpot

A few weeks ago I was in a local used bookstore browsing through the crafting section for some vintage crochet patterns.

I always enjoy looking at these patterns because while the color schemes may be a little dated, the patterns are still valuable and can easily be worked using modern color combinations.

Plus, they are cheaper than buying current patterns...and I always find it interesting how cheap these patterns were to begin with.  I mean, $0.95 for a pattern book???

Anyway, I had no luck in the crafting section, but on my way out of the store I hit the jackpot.

In a large box, destined for the trash, lay this pile of vintage crochet books.

I rummaged through the box quite enthusiastically to find each and every crochet pattern book that was in there, and yes, the store owner looked at me like I was a little nuts.

Oh well, I brought home a pile of vintage crochet patterns.

For FREE!

Sure the colors are dated, and I can not imagine crocheting a chair for my living room....

But there are some beauties that could easily be updated to a more modern look by changing the color scheme....like this table cover.

Or this afghan...

I would definitely suggest looking for vintage patterns the next time you are in a used book store, or even a thrift shop.  You never know when you might hit the jackpot.

While I have yet to make anythings using one of these patterns, I certainly have plans to - I really like the table cover (shown above) and think it would look great on my kitchen table.

Do you search for old crochet patterns?

Have you ever made something using an old pattern?