Crochet

Crochet Baby Blankets - All Photos © Amy Solovay

We love crocheting for babies! It brings us great joy to create beautiful crochet projects for tiny new arrivals.

We make all our crochet baby patterns available for free on our website; please help yourself to any of them. These patterns will come in handy, whether you'd like to crochet a baby shower gift, decorate a baby's nursery, or work on a charity crochet project.

To make it easier to find the baby patterns you're looking for, we've divided them into lists by type. Here are some links for you:

• Crochet baby blankets
• Baby blanket edgings
• Crochet baby booties
• Crochet baby clothes
• Crochet baby hats
• Crochet baby bibs
• More free baby patterns and more free crochet patterns

Links to Free Crochet Patterns for the Baby Projects Pictured Above:

• The heart sampler baby afghan is a patchwork-style blanket you'll make by crocheting multiple afghan squares and then joining them. Get the free crochet pattern here.
• Coral heart baby afghan
• Striped lace baby blanket - This pattern is worked in lacy interrupted v stitch, and then finished with an edging worked in vs and picots.
• Baby Afghans With Nested Checkerboard Patterns - These baby afghans are perfect for baby boys, but with a quick color change you could make them either unisex or girl-friendly.

Thanks for dropping by! Happy crocheting.

• View a larger photo of the beaded crochet bracelet
• Get the free bracelet pattern
• Check out more beaded crochet bracelet projects
• See more free crochet patterns for jewelry
• Find more free patterns

Photo © Amy Solovay

Scrap Afghan Square - Photo © Amy Solovay

This past week, I've been sorting my scrap yarn into piles, and working on new ideas for what to do with it all. I've already made bunches of daisies and flowers. I'm trying to decide whether to start on a scrap afghan, or finish the baby blanket that's been hanging around on my to-do-list forever.

I've already posted bunches of scrap yarn patterns, but there's always room for another project on the list...

See Also: How to save money on crochet

Red White and Blue Crochet Projects - Photo © Amy Solovay

Those of us in the USA have quite a few patriotic holidays to look forward to. Coming up soon:

• Independence Day is July 4, 2013
• Flag Day is June 14, 2013
• Memorial Day is May 27, 2013

Crochet:

If you'd like make crochet a part of your celebration, why not to crochet a special project with a patriotic theme?

Even if you don't live in the USA, you might enjoy crocheting some of our red white and blue projects (pictured.) Feel free to re-color them if you like.

Here are some ideas to consider:

• Red, white and blue potholder
• Blue, white and red potholder
• Red and white striped potholder with striped details worked in surface crochet
• Red and blue beaded bracelet
• Red white and blue crocheted heart shape
• Flag afghans and Americana afghans
• More free crochet patterns

Rag Ball for Crochet - Photo © Amy Solovay

Crocheting with fabric strips is a bit different than crocheting with yarn. The most significant difference: unless you buy ready-made rag balls or quilters' jelly rolls, you'll have to cut your fabrics into strips before you can start crocheting with them.

If you'd like to learn more about rag crochet, you're invited to take a look at the following pages:

• Fabric crochet necklace with wire-wrapped pendants -- This is a great starter project for learning the technique of rag crochet.
• Rag crochet flower trivet or coaster -- This is another small project that's great for getting started with rag crochet.
• Free crochet patterns for rag rugs
• Rag bag tutorials
• Suggestions for crocheting rag rugs

Double crochet stitch is an important stitch to know. It is one of the most essential basic crochet stitches.

Double Crochet Stitches - Photo © Amy Solovay

Here are some resources for learning how to work double crochet stitch:

• Lucille's double crochet stitch video
• My step-by-step double crochet stitch tutorial with photos
• List of double crochet stitch variations

Double Crochet Abbreviation

The abbreviation for the double crochet stitch is "dc." So, every time you see this abbreviation appear in your crochet pattern, you'll know that it means you're supposed to work a double crochet stitch.

Free Patterns for Practicing Your Double Crochet Stitch

• Crochet a granny square -- free pattern with tutorial
• Beginner's double crochet neck warmer pattern

See Also: How to crochet

A Necklace Crocheted With Wire, Freshwater Pearls and Glass Seed Beads - Photo © Amy Solovay

Did you know that you could crochet a pearl necklace? Sure you could. There are many amazing things you can do with crochet -- and that is one of them.

Of course, if you have budget limitations (and who doesn't these days?) you might want to make your pearl necklace out of affordable but lovely freshwater pearls. They won't break the bank, and their not-quite-perfectly-round-ness coordinates well with crochet stitches worked in wire, which can also have a charming but not-quite-perfectly-even quality.

I was so enthralled with this idea that I actually crocheted this design twice, changing out the wire colors to see which one would turn out nicer. I love them both.

If this is an idea you'd like to explore further, I invite you to check out my free pattern for a freshwater pearl wire crochet necklace. I hope you'll enjoy it!

See Also:

• Wire and bead crochet necklace patterns
• Wire crochet jewelry patterns
• Crochet jewelry

After you've learned the chain stitch, the next step is to learn the other basic stitches. Single crochet stitch is one of these; it is an essential stitch to know.

Single Crochet Stitch - Photo © Amy Solovay

Here are some resources for learning how to work single crochet stitch:

• Lucille's single crochet video
• Edna's single crochet stitch video
• My step-by-step single crochet stitch tutorial with photos
• List of single crochet stitch variations

Single Crochet Abbreviation

The abbreviation for the single crochet stitch is "sc." So, every time you see this abbreviation appear in your crochet pattern, you'll know that it means you're supposed to work a single crochet stitch.

Free Patterns for Practicing Your Single Crochet Stitch

• Beginner's single crochet scarf pattern
• Free crochet pattern for an easy baby afghan square
• Team spirit hat pattern
• More single crochet patterns -- The patterns on this list are all available for free.

Here's a note especially for the ladies reading. If you're looking to make something extra special to wear to a wedding, party or event, this list of free collar patterns may have exactly what you need. There are collars to suit many different styles of clothing, although most of them are lacy and suitable for wearing with dressy styles.

Many of these designs are inspired by vintage styles; some of them have retro charm and some of them look completely contemporary. There's a fantastic mix of designs to choose from, created by a wide variety of different designers.

See Also: Free crochet accessory patterns

Chain Stitches - Photo © Amy Solovay

Beginning crocheters usually start out by learning the chain stitch first. The chain stitch is one of the most important basic crochet stitches you'll need to know; chain stitches form the foundation of most crochet projects.

Here are links to a couple of resources for learning the chain stitch:

• Lucille's chain stitch video
• My step-by-step chain stitch tutorial with photos

Happy chaining!