Spiral Flower - International Crochet Day 2012

Today is the 12th September so it's International Crochet Day, as in previous years here's a new free pattern a Spiral Flower. This is a fast and easy pattern, make the chains than only 2 rows super speedy, crochet, roll and sew.
Add one or more flowers to a bag, hat, shoes, headband, clothes, cushions or make into a brooch/ es, hairpin or necklace.
Play with the colours and have fun :)
Happy International Crochet Day 2012

To make this more international and includes everyone I have added the pattern using symbols also.
If  you are unsure of the stitches just click on the links under stitches used :)

Stitches used
ch - chain (UK and USA)

tr - treble (UK) / dc - double crochet (USA)

dtr - double treble (UK) / tr - treble crochet (USA)

Materials
Yarn - Double knit (DK) / Worsted weight in 2 colours I have called them colour A  and colour B. Pick matching colours or contrasting colours (you can use just one colour if you prefer)
4mm / G hook
Needle to sew together

(Pattern will work with other weights of yarn just remember to use the hook that matches the yarn thickness for best results)

Pattern (UK terms)
Chain 20 using colour A
Row 1: 2 tr into the 4th ch from the hook, [miss 1 ch, 1ch, 3tr into the next ch] X 8, change to colour B

Row 2 : 3 ch, 1 tr into tr, 3 dtr into next tr, 2 tr into next tr,[1ch, 2 tr into tr, 3 dtr into next tr, 2 tr into next tr] X 8

Pattern (American terms)
Chain 20 using colour A
Row 1: 2 dc into the 4th ch from the hook, [miss 1 ch, 1ch, 3dc into the next ch] X 8, change to colour B

Row 2 : 3 ch, 1 dc into dc, 3 tr into next dc, 2 dc into next dc,[1ch, 2 dc into dc, 3 tr into next dc, 2 dc into next dc] X 8

Spiral completed length of crochet loosely around, sewing into the back to hold all the layers together using the yarn ends.





For these who prefer to follow the symbols :)










Let me know how you get on with this pattern, I'll put a link to ravelry also so you can share your finished flower photo's

Busy busy busy summer update

I am trying to get as much done as I can before going back to teaching later this month, then paperwork will take over my life, or that's how it usually feels to me. The knitting, crochet & crafts course is running again also machine knitting, beaded jewellery making and photoshop. The last few weeks have flown by so fast but have been very busy and fun. I have been updating the NezumiWorld site new filet designs and how to's (hoping to add more also video's soon) getting away from the computer and into the "real" world I went to a few trade shows, including the jewellery show i'll post about that next week, visiting friends not just talking on the phone and making a few things for myself. 
I have entered a few of spoonflowers weekly contests zig zag cheater quilt (I did a Celtic woven zigzag design and ordered some of the fabric for myself to make up into a quilt, I'll post that as I make it) and the current contest typewriters (no colour just black and white only was allowed)  that brought back memories of trying to type when I was a child, the letters hitting each other, plus no spell checker!
I have had so many emails requesting PDF files of my filet charts, even though they are free people have requested and offered to pay. Well I have listened and have started to make more of my filet designs into PDF files. There are some already some of the most popular ones free on ravelry these new ones include new patterns as well as related old ones and have a small cost but I have tried to keep it affordable.The new charts added to ravelry so far use American terminology I am working on the UK terminology and hope to add them very soon. 
The files added so far are The Garden Collection this has the very popular 3 free patterns butterfly dance, ladybird ladybird and here come the bees from the NezumiWorld website but also includes a new matching chart dragonfly dance. The Garden Collection matches the fabric prints of the same name on spoonflower.
Apple chart and Peach chart both have small free patterns from NezumiWorld but also a larger matching chart.
And the first of a group of charts I have not released before "Irish family crest charts" this is the first one
Ryan Family Crest Chart it's a large chart with the classic 3 griffin heads.
More charts will added in the coming weeks including more filet charts, both crochet and knitted patterns. I'll post here as I add them not forgetting a free pattern next week to celebrate International crochet day.
Don't forget to check out the NezumiWorld food blog also as more recipes have been added there also :)

Strawberry Plants

Last year we planted tomatoes and strawberry plants the tomatoes grew well and produced lots of mini cherry tomatoes that were very sweet and tasty, but the strawberry plants just looked small and sad and never produced any fruit. This year no tomatoes but last years strawberries are growing, not a giant crop yet but more flowers and little strawberries are appearing every day :)

Olympics

Living in London you can't help but notice the Olympics are here. The day of the opening ceremony I was in the garden and the red arrows flew over on their way to Stratford with coloured smoke so this got me in to the Olympic spirit.

I could not afford any tickets for the events but we went to watch the free outdoor screens in Hyde Park. It was airport security to get in, no food, water, suncream over 200mls, NO Crochet hook! there was a very long list of items that could not be brought in, plus a really good bag search and screening for metals.

Worse food I have ever eaten

The queues were large but well organised. We brought some mats and cushions to sit on and watched the athletics, there are 4 screens to choose from and all had 100's of people watching and cheering it was a very good atmosphere. The only down to it all was the prices of the food and drinks, a small diet coke cost me £2.50 but the weather was very hot and drink very cold and I needed it to take the taste of the worse food I have ever had but that's another story even thinking of the taste of that food makes me feel ill.



On the way out of the park we saw this very cute little grey squirrel he came over to say hello (or check us out for food)

Cogs the Mouse

Got my new batch of swatch samples this week still waiting for 1 final batch, its so exciting to see if they have printed correctly or not (so far its been good). Was very happy as this batch as it contained my new cut and sew little mouse patterns. I hand sewed this 1st mouse "Cogs". I may adjust his tail a little (add more seam allowance) but I am very happy with the outcome. Now to make his friend "Dandelion"

Spoonflower Contest

Spoonflower Mid-Century Cocktail Dress Prints Fabric Contest

Here's the brief for this contest from spoonflower - "The costume designer from one of our local theatres, the Cary Players, is looking for a print to use for a vintage pattern cocktail dress in an upcoming production of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. To help them out -- and because it's such a fun theme -- we're asking designers to come up with a print for a mid-20th century cocktail dress. Entries will be previewed at the scale of a swatch (8" x 8")"

So here's my entry for this week's contest, with an idea of how the fabric could be used for the a cocktail dress. Check out this weeks contest there are lots of great entry's :) 

Not forgetting NezumiWorld.com I have been adding some new pages including a new free chart Cogs & Gears, a little bit of steampunk Chart can be used for filet crochet, beading, fairisle, cross stitch.

New fabric design samples

Very happy got the first of a new batch of fabric proofs yesterday, Spoonflower recently changed their colour profile for printing, this is a good thing as hopefully there will be better reds and fabrics should print more like those on screen, but it also means that some old colours may now print differently. So far this batch have printed to the colours I was hoping. Two more batches to arrive soon so fingers crossed they will be OK as well :)