Buy Hook or By Crook

Crochet creations, sharing and fun!

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ON THE HOOK

Like many of you who enjoy the fiber arts I have too many WIPs and not enough time!  I’ll show you mine if you show me yours. 

FOUR LITTLE BIRDS SWAP - RAVELRY VANNA’S CHOICE FAN CLUB

I need to have 20 - 9″ squares mailed out by 5/2/16.  I have 4 more to make and 4 more people to mail to.

Pictured pattern is Firenze by Julie Yeager

VORTEX THROW AND PILLOWS by Lisa Gentry

I’m making this as a wedding gift for a friend getting married in early June.  I better get moving!

BAMMM SHAZAAM CAL with Mugginsquilts (see previous post)

I’m falling behind but I’m determined to catch up as soon as possible!  I am really enjoying the colors I’m working with.  I don’t have anyone in mind for this blanket and it certainly doesn’t match any of my decor, but sometimes it’s just fun to work with bright colors.

Pictured is a 12″ version of Petal to the Metal by Melissa M. Martin (pattern currently only available for 9″ square). 

THE GARDEN STATE AFGHAN CAL with Julie Yeager

I’m also woefully behind on this, even though I started working on it before the CAL even began.  This is a gift for my niece’s birthday which was on April 13! Obviously I missed this deadline so now I’m shooting for Christmas. 

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES C2C PIXEL BLANKET

This is actually intended to be a birthday and/or Christmas present for my great nephew so I still have a lot of time to finish it.  This is my first time doing a C2C and working from a graph.  It’s fun and challenging and is going to involve weaving a TON of ends!

Graph patterns Turtle Power by F.P. Molina

Sadly this is just the tip of the iceberg!  I have many other projects lying about in project bags and at least 4 afghans worth of swap squares to assemble.  Am I the only one who feels like I may not have enough time left on this earth to make all the things I would like to make?

What’s ON THE HOOK at your house?

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BAMMM SHAZAAM CAL 2016 with Mugginsquilts

My extremely talented and generous friend, Margaret, is hosting a fantastic CAL. She has outdone herself, designing numerous, beautiful blocks, a special Canada Goose Border and a No-Hook-Out Continuous Join for the occasion. She has also invited a number of other accomplished designers to feature their squares. Come and join the fun on Ravelry or follow along on her blog, Designs by Muggins.  Don’t miss the mystery presentation of her newest creation, the Florentine 9″/12″ Afghan Block Square. Clue #1 revealed yesterday!

I have been participating, though at the moment I have fallen a bit behind. Here is a sample of a couple of the lovely designs, including the Canada Goose Border, I have worked up for my BAMMM SHAZAAM CAL afghan.

Puffed Wheat 12″ and Duckbill Dalliance

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*NEW PATTERN RELEASE! FREE DOWNLOAD ON RAVELRY!

Petal to the Metal 9″ Afghan Square  

I think you will enjoy making this textured square!  It is relatively easy but involves a variety of stitches and techniques to keep you interested.  Includes instructions for color changes but there is plenty of opportunity for you to change it up and make it your own.

12″ Version (second photo) in the works so be on the look out!

*Pattern offered for free through April.  

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FREE ORIGINAL DESIGN PATTERNS

I have just made all my pattern designs free @ http://www.ravelry.com/designers/melissa-m-martin!  If you are looking for some new Fall/Winter accessories check them out!

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One Less WIP!

I’ve been working on this blanket (along with plenty of other projects) since July 2014.  Finished it up just in time to deliver it to my good friend in person when I went for a visit over the weekend.  I think she really liked it. :)

Details, such as patterns and yarn used, can be found here.

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LIKE & SHARE BUY HOOK OR BY CROOK ON FACEBOOK  GET FREE PATTERN!  SEE OFFER HERE!

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Frosted Cookies Swap Blanket Complete!

If you recall, sometime back, I posted the squares I sent and received for the Frosted Cookies Mini Swap I participated in on Ravelry.  Well, I finally finished up my blanket which I plan to donate to the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness for a silent auction.  You can find all the details on my Ravelry project page.  I still love this color palette!

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Finally managed to make one of the lovely patterns from The Velvet Acorn. This is my version of the Cairbre Cardigan.  Her patterns are so adorable I’d love to make them all!  I’d also like to be smart enough to adapt this to adult size because I want one.

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Palette Picking Time!

Twice a year one of the Ravelry groups I belong to brainstorms palettes for upcoming granny square swaps (gallery of beautiful afghans resulting from swaps can be seen here).  We are only allowed to submit three per person, which becomes a challenge given all the inspiration one can find online.  As I find possible palettes throughout the year I save them to a file in preparation for these brainstorming sessions.  I love them.  However, I must admit that my competitive nature takes over and my main goal is to have my palette chosen for a swap because it feels like winning!  Of course, I adore my swap mates and find they are difficult to “beat”, many of them being much more seasoned than a novice like myself. The yarn must come from the Lionbrand Vanna’s Choice line and only as many as 6 colors can be utilized per palette. This time around I had no less than 7 that I really wanted to submit. It is common to make sample squares of chosen palettes because often what looks good in theory does not necessarily translate well to yarn, especially with a limited number of colors from which to choose.  Case in point:

Photo Source Unknown/ Square Pattern Purple Passion by Jean Leinhauser

I nixed this one.  It could very well be the color placement of the square that makes it less appealing but I found it too dark and lacking the contrast I was looking for.  I still believe it is a palette with potential but if I had it to do over I might tweak it a bit to include a brighter blue or red.  I simply found I could not find the blue in Vanna’s Choice that, in my mind, best represented the photo.

I offer you up my submissions for this round with the disclaimer that although I tried mightily to find sources for all the photos I simply could not locate the sources for some of them.

Photo Source Unknown/Square Pattern - More Vs Please by Melinda Miller

Photo Source Jane Sassaman/Square Pattern - Nosegay by Priscilla Hewitt

Photo Source William Morris

I did two versions of this palette, changing out the lighter blue.  I prefer the first one. when seen in person, but it did not translate well to the photo as it does not capture the contrast between the light blue and white.

Pattern - Eight Pointed Flower by Julie Yeager

Pattern - Firenze Jr. by Julie Yeager

Which of these do you like best?

If you’d like to see more of the palettes I love you can check out “Palettes I Like” on my Ravelry page. I have many more safely tucked away that I just have not gotten around to adding yet. 

To this point I have only had one of my submitted palettes, Frosted Cookies, make it into an actual swap and I had some help from my friends refining the palette.  Now I have a multitude of random, non-matching squares I have no idea what to do with. Maybe I can find a charity to send them to.

How do you choose the palettes for your projects?

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Awesome Freeform Knitting and Crochet

http://www.tafalist.com/profile/rensfibreart/

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Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show 2014: Elena Rosenberg

Elena Rosenberg, wearable fiber artist and knit designer, invited to participate in the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show 2014, as an emerging artist.

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(via Photo Tips for Wearable Art by Ariane Mariane)

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2 PATTERNS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!

Enter CODE: BOGO @ http://www.ravelry.com/redeem/buy-hook-or-by-crook-designs

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Scarf Pattern Coming Soon!

The scarf pattern to match my Modified EP Boot Cuffs will be released very soon.  Until then whip up a pair of the boot cuffs so you will have a matching set!

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On My Hook Today

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I’m killing two birds with one stone today by hooking a mobius to match my Modified EP Boot Cuffs.  I’m making it as a gift to the 500th fan of my Facebook page while putting the finishing touches on the pattern before it is ready for testing.  What’s on your hook today?

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New Boot Cuff Pattern Release -free for a limited time!

I have finally finished my pattern for the Modified EP Boot Cuffs!  You may get a copy for free through the offer at Buy Hook or By Crook on Facebook.  I am just a few Likes shy of 500.  When I reach that milestone the promotion will begin and will go through Midnight 3/23.  While you are there please give my page a LIKE and help me renname the new pattern by leaving your suggestion in the comments. 

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Adventures in Mosaic Knitting - Part II

I have finished Section 2 of the Mosaic Baby Blanket, "Watch Dog".  I was a bit apprehensive about reading the chart for this and the upcoming sections but I must say I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was!  

Previous to 1976 this type of knitting was referred to as "slip stitch knitting". That was the year that Barbara Walker coined the phrase "Mosaic Knitting" when she published her book of the same title.  Some of sections of this blanket are Barbara Walker's designs, including the next section. Before proceeding I need to pick another contrasting color to use with the Lamb. Hmmmm.....what will it be? Stay tuned!