Diamonds Are Forever 12" Crochet Square

I must say, I'm really liking the design side of crochet. I especially love the challenge it poses for my easily distracted brain. My bestie recommended I design a square with a similar filet pattern to my Diamondhead Hat. This one's for you, Christine!

Supplies needed:
Hook: US I / 5.5mm
Any worsted weight yarn
Yarn needle

Terms:
ch = chain
dc = double crochet
sl st = slip stitch
sk st = skip stitch
ch sp = chain space

Gauge: 3 ¾” across (diameter) after 1st 3 rounds

Create a circle per your choice (join a small chain, magic ring, or ch 1)

Rnd 1: ch 5 (counts as dc, ch 2), (3dc in beg circle, ch 2) 3 times, 2 dc, join with sl st to ch 3 of beg ch [12 dc, 8 ch]

Rnd 2: sl st into ch space, (ch 3 (counts as first dc from here on), dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch sp, *dc in next 3 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc), repeat from * twice more, dc in next 3 dc, join with sl st in ch 3 of beg ch [28 dc, 8 ch]

Rnd 3: sl st into next dc, then into ch space, (ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch sp, *sk st, dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, sk 2 sts, dc in next 2 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc), repeat from * twice more, sk st, dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, sk 2 sts, dc in next 2 dc, join with sl st in ch 3 of beg ch [32 dc, 12 ch]

Rnd 4: sl st into next dc, then into ch space, (ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch sp, *dc in next 3 dc, ch 1, sk st, dc in ch 1 sp, ch 1, sk st, dc in next 3 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc), repeat from * twice more, dc in next 3 dc, ch 1, sk st, dc in ch 1 sp, ch 1, sk st, dc in next 3 dc, join with sl st in ch 3 of beg ch [44 dc, 16 ch]

Rnd 5: sl st into next dc, then into ch space, (ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch sp, *dc in next 3 dc, ch 1, sk st, dc in ch 1 sp, dc in next dc, dc in ch 1 sp, ch 1, sk st, dc in next 3 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc), repeat from * twice more, dc in next 3 dc, ch 1, sk st, dc in ch 1 sp, dc in next dc, dc in ch 1 sp, ch 1, sk st, dc in next 3 dc, join with sl st in ch 3 of beg ch [52 dc, 16 ch]

Rnd 6: sl st into next dc, then into ch space, (ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch sp, *dc in next 4 dc, ch 1, sk st, dc in ch 1 sp, dc in next 3 dc, dc in ch 1 sp, ch 1, sk st, dc in next 4 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc), repeat from * twice more, dc in next 4 dc, ch 1, sk st, dc in ch 1 sp, dc in next 3 dc, dc in ch 1 sp, ch 1, sk st, dc in next 4 dc, join with sl st in ch 3 of beg ch [68 dc, 16 ch]

Rnd 7: sl st into next dc, then into ch space, (ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch sp, *dc in next 6 dc, dc in ch 1 sp, ch 1, sk st, dc in next 3 dc, ch 1, sk st, dc in ch 1 sp, dc in next 6 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc), repeat from * twice more, dc in next 6 dc, dc in ch 1 sp, ch 1, sk st, dc in next 3 dc, ch 1, sk st, dc in ch 1 sp, dc in next 6 dc, join with sl st in ch 3 of beg ch [84 dc, 16 ch]

Rnd 8: sl st into next dc, then into ch space, (ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch sp, *dc in next 9 dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, sk st, dc in next dc, ch 1, sk st, dc in ch sp, dc in next 9 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc), repeat from * twice more, dc in next 9 dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, sk st, dc in next dc, ch 1, sk st, dc in ch sp, dc in next 9 dc, join with sl st in ch 3 of beg ch [96 dc, 16 ch]

Rnd 9: sl st into next dc, then into ch space, (ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch sp, *dc in next 12 dc, dc in ch 1 sp, ch 1, sk st, dc in ch sp, dc in next 12 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc), repeat from * twice more, dc in next 12 dc, dc in ch 1 sp, ch 1, sk st, dc in ch sp, dc in next 12 dc, join with sl st in ch 3 of beg ch [120 dc, 12 ch]

Rnd 10: sl st into next dc, then into ch space, (ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch sp, dc in each dc and ch 1 sp and (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in each corner, join with sl st in ch 3 of beg ch [136 dc, 8 ch]

Rnd 11: ch 1, hdc in each dc and 5 hdc in each corner, join with sl st in beg ch. Finish off.


Thanks to BlogStarr for her awesome test crocheting skills! Although this pattern has been tested, should you find an error, please email me or message me in Ravelry.

This pattern is free, but should not be distributed by anyone without my permission. Please feel free to make as many of these as you like for local craft fairs, auctions, raffles, etc., but please do not sell finished items online without my permission. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me via email at redcurlysuecrochet@yahoo.com or through my Ravelry ID redcurlysue. Thank you!

Created by Melissa Dalton aka redcurlysue © 2011

Diamondhead Hat (my first published crochet pattern!)

Ok, here it is! My first published crochet pattern! Well, self-published anyway. Enjoy!

I really enjoyed making the hat after being inspired by one of my favorite designers, Anastacia Zittel. You can check out her beautiful designs on her blog or on her Ravelry designer profile. I test crocheted her Xcellent Scarf and immediately wanted to design a matching hat. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

To request a PDF of this pattern, please email me at redcurlysuecrochet@yahoo.com.

Supplies needed:
Hook: US I / 5.5mm or size necessary to meet gauge
Any worsted weight yarn (Pound of Love Denim used in photos)
Yarn needle
Stitch markers, if desired

Terms:
ch = chain
dc = double crochet
sl st = slip stitch
sk = skip
p = picot (ch 3 then sl st into 3rd ch from hook [aka beg ch])

Gauge: 3 ½” across (diameter) after 1st 3 rounds (for large child/small adult size hat)

Ch 3 (or, if you prefer, start with a magic ring/circle or join to make a circle)

Rnd 1: 12 dc in 1st ch of beg ch, join with sl st in 1st dc. (12 dc)

Rnd 2: ch 2, 2 dc in each dc, sl st in 1st dc. (24 dc)

Rnd 3: ch 2, 1 dc in same st, (2 dc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc) 15 times, 2 dc in last dc, join with sl st in 1st dc (36 dc)

Begin diamond-shaped filet
Rnd 4: ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same sp, *dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc, repeat from * 4 times, dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, dc in next 3 dc, join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch (42 dc, 6 ch)

Rnd 5: ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same sp, dc in next 2 dc, *ch 1, dc in ch sp, ch 1, sk dc, dc in next 6 dc, repeat from * 4 times, ch 1, dc in ch sp, ch 1, sk dc, dc in next 2 dc, join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch (42 dc, 12 ch)

Rnd 6: sl st in next 2 dc, ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), *sk dc, dc in ch sp, dc in next dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, sk dc, dc in next 4 dc, ch 1, repeat from * 4 times, sk dc, dc in ch sp, dc in next dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, dc in next 3 dc, join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch (42 dc, 12ch)

Rnd 7: sl st into ch sp, ch 3 (counts as dc), *dc in next 3 dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, sk dc, dc in next 3 dc, ch1, dc in next ch sp, repeat from * 4 more times, dc in next 3 dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, sk dc, dc in next 3 dc, ch1, join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch (48 dc, 12 ch)

Rnd 8: ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 4 dc, *dc in ch sp, ch 1, sk dc, dc in next dc, ch 1, sk dc, dc in ch sp, dc in next 5 dc, repeat from * 4 times, dc in ch sp, ch 1, sk dc, dc in next dc, ch 1, sk dc, dc in ch sp, join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch (48 dc, 12 ch)

Rnd 9: ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 4 dc, *ch 1, sk dc, dc in ch sp, dc in next dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, sk dc, dc in next 5 dc, repeat from * 4 times, ch 1, sk dc, dc in ch sp, dc in next dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch (48 dc, 12 ch)

Rnd 10: sl st into next dc, ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 2 dc, *ch 1, sk dc, dc in ch sp, dc in next 3 dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, sk dc, dc in next 3 dc, repeat from * 4 times, ch 1, sk dc, dc in ch sp, dc in next 3 dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch (48 dc, 12 ch)

Rnd 11: sl st into next dc, ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), *sk dc, dc in ch sp, dc in next 5 dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, sk dc, dc in next dc, ch 1, repeat from * 4 times, sk dc, dc in ch sp, dc in next 5 dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch (48 dc, 12 ch)

Rnd 12: sl st into next ch sp, ch 3 (counts as dc), *dc in next 7 dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, dc in ch sp, repeat from * 4 more times, dc in next 7 dc, dc in ch sp, ch 1, join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch (54 dc, 6 ch)

Rnd 13: ch 2, dc in each dc and ch sp, join with sl st in 1st dc (60 dc)

Rnd 14: ch 2, dc in each dc, join with sl st in 1st dc (60 dc)

Rnd 15: ch 1, sc in each dc, join with sl st in 1st sc (60 sc)

Rnd 16: ch 1, sc in same st, sc in next 3 st, *p, sc in next 5 sc, repeat from * 10 times, p, sc in next sc, join with sl st in 1st sc. (60 sc, 12 p) Finish off.

Thanks to gumby28, bjlark63, BlogStarr, anastaciaknits, honeystalks, NokturnalKnyts, and snapdragon928 for their awesome test crocheting skills!

This pattern is free, but should not be distributed by anyone without my permission. Please feel free to make as many of these as you like for local craft fairs, auctions, raffles, etc., but please do not sell finished items online without my permission. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me via email at redcurlysuecrochet@yahoo.com or through my Ravelry ID redcurlysue. Thank you!

Created by Melissa Dalton aka redcurlysue © 2011

Mothers and daughters

I have been thinking about my mom a lot lately, so much so that you would think its almost Mother's Day! Well, her birthday is just around the corner, so I do have that excuse. Regardless, she has been on my mind frequently, so I wanted to take a moment to say how grateful I am to have such a wonderful mother. She has stood beside me through thick and thin. She has loved me when most wouldn't. She has believed in me when most haven't. But most of all, she has been a pillar of strength and love whenever I've needed her, even when I didn't know I needed her. If I can be at least half the mother she has been to me, then I know I have done my best for my daughters.

There is a special bond most mothers and daughters share that cannot necessarily be explained, but exists nonetheless. And I have seen this bond first hand with my mother, with my children, and with the other mothers and daughters in my life. This bond is not tied to blood, but rather to the actions and relationships developed between woman and girl. So I ask you this, what is your definition of a mother? What does mother mean to you?

Now, I will be the first to admit that my mother is human, as am I. But to me, my mother is a super (reference to The Incredibles. If you haven't seen it, you need to). With that, I leave you with a cute picture and a lovely poem:

Mothers and Daughters
Anonymous

You can see it in their eyes,
in tender hugs and long good-byes,
a love that only moms and daughters know.

You can see it in their smiles,
through passing years and changing styles,
a friendship that continually seems to grow.

You can see it in their lives,
the joy each one of them derives,
in just knowing that the other one is there...

To care and to understand,
lend an ear or hold a hand,
and to celebrate the memories they share.

Have Mixer, Will Bake

I recently received the best back-to-school gift (or maybe it was a graduation gift) from my parents (yes, after all these years, my parents are still buying me back-to-school items) - a Sunbeam Mixmaster stand mixer! No, its not a Kitchenaid (those are a little too pricey at this time), but it has a lot of power, which is just what I need. You see, I jammed the beater connection on my Black & Decker hand-held mixer during my second Wilton Cake Decorating class, Flowers and Cake Design. It made it through all my previous batches of buttercream icing, but the royal icing was too much for it. And when I tried to use it with just one beater, the sound the motor made was, in a word, awful. So I made do with the icing I had left over, as well as borrowing from others (thanks BlogStarr!). My parents took pity on me (they usually do) when they found out, and this is what they sent home with me:



So, here I am, up at all hours, finishing my cakes and icing for my Tiered Cakes Class tomorrow, and I am loving my mixer. Have mixer, will bake! Any special requests?

Life's short. Eat dessert first!

Let Them Eat Cake!

This last Spring, my friend Christine (aka BlogStarr) and I started taking Wilton Cake Decorating classes at her local Hobby Lobby. We have had great fun learning a new skill and our families have enjoyed devouring the fruits of our labor. That is, when they finally got to cut into the cakes we made. You see, after spending hours putting them together, it was nice to just enjoy the finished product. Our families, of course, had other plans. They wanted to eat the cakes immediately upon our return from class each week. It isn't that they didn't appreciate the beauty of the finished product. They just wanted to enjoy the taste as well! Unfortunately for them, saying "cake" a hundred times didn't help their cause any. In fact, it pushed the inevitable cake cutting out to a later date each time the word "cake" was uttered. I enjoyed sharing my masterpieces with them, honestly, but the constant asking/reminding grew quite irritating. So, instead of letting them consume the final product, I stewed and made them wait. Looking back, I know they weren't intentionally being irritating (well, except maybe one of them). They were just showing their appreciation. You see, if they didn't really like the cakes, they wouldn't want to eat them, now would they? So in the future, I say Let Them Eat Cake! Bon Appetit!

My Very First Post!

At the behest of some of my very best friends, I have started a blog. I hope to fill it with useful information as well as entertaining anecdotes from my everyday, not-so-ordinary life. I also plan on posting pics of my various crafting/hobby endeavors. So, without further adieu, my first official blog is as follows:

I am totally and thoroughly obsessed with crochet. Really. I never thought it would happen, but since Christine and I took it up after the first of the year, it has consumed a large number of hours of my life. Laundry has gone unwashed. Kids and hubby have had to wait longer than necessary for dinner, and I have stayed up until all hours of the night working on and/or researching projects. What can I say? I LOVE IT! It is challenging, relaxing, time consuming, and provides a great feeling of fulfillment, especially when I complete a project (or, at a minimum, figure out a complicated stitch).

I am a member of Ravelry, an online social network for handcrafts and fibers, and have recently joined an exchange group that will allow me to share my work in 12-inch squares with 12 other enthusiasts. I have made a number of bags and hats for my kids and was recently asked to make a baby blanket for one of my mother's employees who gave birth to a preemie baby girl. My mother is a hard sell on any hobby she is not interested in, so you can imagine the rush I got when she expressed her appreciation for the quality of work I had produced. Its funny how her approval still means so much to me after all these years.

So, as you may have guessed by now, a great many of my blogs are likely to be about crochet. But rest assured, I will also grace you with humorous anecdotes from my crazy life, as well as dish unsolicited advice about various things like parenting, employment, and friendship. I look forward to sharing and hope you do, too!

Until my next post,
Live Laugh Love