Itchin' for some Stitchin'

Hello Reader, You know, it's strange. I am not a frilly girl. I would mostly describe myself as a "plain Jane". I wear solid colors with almost no embellishments or patterns. No flowers, no lace, no bows, no ruffles, etc. And yet, one of my favorite things to crochet and adorn my crochet projects with is ruffles! How to Crochet Tutu-Style Ruffles I discovered what I like to call "tutu" style ruffles several years ago. You see, I may not consider myself a "girly girl", but my little Yorkie fur...

It seems like nearly yesterday that I began my journey into crochet design in earnest. It's hard to believe that it was actually about 2 - 3 years ago! I remember how it all happened. I had created a handful of patterns before. Coats for my dogs, a small little heart appliqué, a couple of baby patterns, etc. They were small things really. And then one day I simply decided, quite out of the blue, that I wanted a sweater. But not just any sweater. Not one I could buy at the store, but something...

Hello Reader, Like most crochet beginners, I first learned the single crochet and then the double crochet. As a self-taught crocheter trying to figure it all out on my own by consulting the great and all-knowing Google, I didn't even know there were more "basic" stitches out there for quite some time. My third stitch was actually a stitch pattern made entirely of the only two stitches I knew at the time. SEED STITCH It was the crochet seed stitch and I learned it from a group of ladies in an...

Hello Reader, Years ago I decided to dip my toes into crochet design. I never would have believed then that I could make a career out of it! The first thing ever "designed", not simply crocheted or created, but truly designed completely on my own without using another pattern as a base, was a dog sweater. A far cry from the designs I make today, and yet it remains one of my most popular patterns! People really do love their fur babies. I do too! 😃🐶❤️ QUICK & EASY SMALL DOG SWEATER I designed...

Hello Reader, When I first started teaching myself to crochet, I was completely lost. In fact, I actually tried to learn crochet nearly 15 years before I actually succeed! The first time I picked up a crochet hook, I was working from small pamphlet of crochet projects. It was a coaster pattern. Easy enough, right? I couldn't be more wrong! My coaster only got smaller and smaller with every round - EVERY. TIME. I. TRIED. Eventually, I threw the pattern book & hook in the attic. They have both...