The invisible join is an easy to master technique that will give your crochet pieces the smooth finish they deserve.  I'll admit that I avoided it for a long time.  I thought, why bother with threading the needle and "sewing" my stitches together when a slip stitch/finish off does the job quickly and efficiently? I finally decided to give it a try last year when I was doing a lot of thread crochet.  After working so hard to create even, perfect squares I was frustrated by the obvious lump the slip stitch left behind.  Like everything, it takes a bit of practice, but once you've done it a few times you'll wonder why you procrastinated for so long!

I don't always use the invisible join. When I'm making grannies I only use it on the last round, since you don't see the others.  I've found it works well with most yarns and is ideal with thread.  Along with being smooth and well, invisible on finishing rounds, the other place I like to use it is when you have to count stitches to make a border come out right.  There's no fudging or trying to cram the hook into the joining stitch.

To help you on your way I created this tutorial.  Lots of the instructions I've seen try to show you in two or three steps. While that may be ok for some folks I prefer to see how-to in as much detail as possible. Including how to weave in the end to ensure a secure join. (That's the part no one shows you!!)  Are you ready?

That's all there is to it!  While it's not necessary for every join, it's nice to have an alternative that gives your crochet project a smooth, even finish. Enjoy!!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Color is one of the elements of knitting and crocheting that lots of us struggle with.  We know what we like.  We know the things that make us go WOW!  But ask us to go to our LYS and stand before the multitude of options and pick out the 4 or 5 colors we want to use to make that amazing afghan and we answer you with blank stares.  It's so hard!  I can stand in the yarn section of  a department store and struggle for hours.  Imagine what happens when I'm someplace like Webs (an awesome store in person and on-line). I'm overwhelmed, intimidated and volley between a drooling catatonic state and scurrying about from display to display like a meerkat after a double espresso! That's why I've come to rely on books like this one and the many others out there to guide me.  Even then it can be a challenge.  Because you know that the store will have an overstock on four of the colors that you need, but the fifth one will have been discontinued! 

That's when you go to the sale bin and soothe yourself with something luxurious!  Anyway, back to my thread squares!  What do you think of my frilly granny circle?  I got the colors almost spot on, except I used maroon instead of a darker pink. Can you see the mistake I made?  It's in the blue round.  Instead of 3dc's in the center of each petal, I did (dc, ch 1, dc).  Oops! I realized it after I finished, but I wasn't about to do it again.  Thankfully it was a happy mistake that you probably never would have noticed!!  I thought it was pretty cool how my thread granny ended up being the exact same size as the picture in the book. They're about 2 3/8 x 2 3/8 inches (6 x 6 cm).  I don't know how big the squares are if you make them in worsted wool and an H hook, but I imagine they're about 4 inches give or take.

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

It's official.  I'm hooked on making things for babies.  I had no idea how fun and satisfying these little projects could be.  It makes sense though.  They're cute and small.  They don't take that long to finish so you get to enjoy the feeling of accomplishment.  They're usually soft and cuddly and make you say things like, "Isn't that adorable!" and "I've never seen anything so cute!"

Thanks to a pregnant co-worker I've discovered a whole new world of yarns and patterns to explore.  My problem now is I want to make everything that I see.  This is dangerous for me.  Especially lately as I seem to be excellent at starting, but not so good at finishing!!

The other potentially problematic issue is a shortage of babies.  I'm from a very small family, my baby days are long gone and my son is much too young to make me Nana (please, oh please, please, please don't make me a Nana yet!!).  At the library there are a few other age appropriate candidates for mommy-hood, but given the other necessary components I don't see it happening any time soon!  So once I've overloaded Goisa with gifts for her first baby I don't know what I'm going to do.

Today, just for fun I started making a little penguin from the baby book.  He's more complicated than the kitty, but I feel confident that he'll be adorable when he's done.  So far the patterns that I've used have been accurate and easy to follow.  Now, if I can just get myself focused on her "real" present.  I have a tendency to keep starting new things before I finish the old ones.  While that's not usually a problem the baby is on his way, and I'd really like him to enjoy his gift before he heads off to college!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.  Don't forget about the giveaway!  You can enter once or once a day (check out the "tweet about it" option on the entry form). Good Luck!
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

100 Colorful Granny Squares to Crochet by Leonie Morgan
St. Martin's Griffin
March 19, 2013; 128 Pages

The timeless granny square has adorned sofas, armchairs, and bedspreads for generations. In this latest addition to our popular Knit & Crochet series, we feature a treasury of squares that are quick to make and sure to stand out—from tried-and-true vintage favorites to contemporary designs. Author Leonie Morgan uses her amazing eye for color to add a new and appealing twist to the perennially-popular granny square, presenting us with a fabulous collection of squares featuring delightful and vivid color combinations that are perfect for a new era of crocheters.

The book teaches you everything you need to crochet beautiful granny squares—from the basics to embellishment techniques that will really make your work pop. The possibilities for square designs are endless, with an in-depth overview for how to successfully mix and match colors, plus step-by-step instructions for a variety of embellishments including tapestry and surface crochet, cross-stitch, and appliqué. With all this technical and professional know-how, crocheters will be inspired to get adventurous with their colorways and decorations for an array of projects from heirloom afghans, to quick cushions, to baby blankets, and more!

Now you, too, can create a granny square showpiece that can transcend the ages and add a fantastic burst of color to any household. (from Amazon.com)

Granny Squares.  They're timeless. Classic. A simple design that transcends all styles. They are both old fashioned and modern finding a welcome spot in most any home.  You decide what the style will be.  Will you make something using the classic pattern and your stash of scraps? Or will you push the design envelope and and use unexpected techniques like cross stitch and surface crochet with your hand dyed yarn? No matter what you choose the granny square is one of the most versatile crochet elements you can make.

It's hard to believe that I made my first granny square a little over a year ago.  In that time I've learned so much about them. (Check out my series The Granny Square Project, the links are in the sidebar.) And just when it seems like there couldn't possibly be something fresh and different a new book arrives on my doorstep!  The folks at St. Martin's sent me the latest in their crochet/knitting series to review and share with you. 100 Colorful Granny Squares to Crochet is bright, cheerful and overflowing with great ideas.

As I've come to expect with the books in this series, the photography is terrific presenting clear, consistent shots of each design.  The patterns are accurate, easy to follow and are accompanied by charts/diagrams.  This makes any questionable instructions easily understandable.  I find myself volleying back and forth between the words and diagrams.  Because of using both I'm certain that my chart reading skills have really improved.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a number of squares using cross stitch, surface crochet, applique elements (including beads and ribbons) and embroidery to create beautiful and interesting designs.  There are also squares that use color in a technique that is basically the crochet equivalent to intarsia knitting.  The two hearts that I made show a few of these.  They were challenging, but fun to make.  The challenge being in using new techniques.  I've never done any cross stitch before, so it took me some time to get the feel of it.  I'm quite taken with the look and am glad to have it in my crochet toolbox!

Another nice feature of this book is the inclusion of yarn requirements to make various size throws using each square.  I've never seen that before and can imagine it being helpful in planning a project.  In addition to the squares there are a handful of projects scattered throughout.  Since this is primarily a book of squares it makes sense that it's not saturated with projects.  There's a bit about designing your own as well as a section devoted to edging and border patterns.  Of course these are all in addition to overviews of tools & techniques, joining & blocking and caring for your projects.

Can you tell that this one is a hit with me?  I'm flipping through it to see if I missed anything important, and to see if there's anything that I don't like about it. The only thing that could potentially be improved is the binding.  This is a paperback and the pages have a tendency to flip closed while you're using it.  A spiral binding would take care of that, but it's hardly a deal breaker! I'm sure over time and from use the pages will relax and stay open more easily.

Now let's get to the good stuff!  That's right, the giveaway!  This time I have something special in store for you.  Not only am I giving away a copy of the book (thanks St. Martin's!), I've collected a few other goodies that I think you're really going to like.  First there is the rosewood crochet hook from Boye.  It's a US size H/ 5.00 mm.  I have a few of these myself and they get better every time I use them.  Plus, I love the warm feel of the wood.  Next is this adorable pair of scissors.  The cast filigree design makes them lovely addition to your kit.  They're sturdy and sharp with a slightly round tip that won't poke into things should you decide to carry them with you.  And finally, a one of a kind set of handmade stitch markers.  They have the lobster claw head that you need for crochet, and their size makes them easy to manage but not overwhelming on delicate work. They're from our soon to be open Etsy shop - Nirvana Designs.  For now though, the only way to get them is to win them!  The drawing is easy to enter, and the Rafflecopter gives you lots of options for multiple entries.  I do have to limit this one to residents of the US only (sorry!), but I promise there will be more that are open to everyone coming soon!

Well folks, that's all for now.  I hope you enjoy the review and that you take a few minutes to enter the drawing.  I'm excited to have such a wonderful prize package for you.  All you need is your favorite yarn and you'll be ready to make granny square magic!  The contest ends at midnight on Wednesday, May 29 and you can even come back and enter everyday if you want!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!