Crochet Flowers

In my previous post, I shared some flowers from my garden. But today I want to show different kind of flowers – crocheted ones. They are so much fun to make!



This big flower-brooch was inspired by Danette from Tea Cups & Knitting Needles. She made two gorgeous felted roses, and as soon as I saw them, I knew I wanted something similar too. I used baby alpaca yarn that my sister-in-law sent me some time ago.

I just know this brooch will look great on a denim jacket. The problem is I don’t have a denim jacket. Of course, I am going to buy one now. I wanted a good quality denim jacket for a while now anyway; I just haven’t found one at a good price yet.



This second flower-brooch is made of cotton yarn. I made it for my eight-year-old cousin. These delicate pink and green colors will be perfect for a little girl.

I'm linking to my favorite Friday blog parties:

Home Sweet Home Friday @The Charm of Home,
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home,

Pineapples Big and Small

I can’t help it! I love crocheting doilies!
Here is another one that I recently crocheted. By the way, thank you so much for your sweet comments on my previous one. I enjoyed reading (and rereading) them. Some of you even encouraged me to open an Etsy shop. I am seriously considering that possibility. Thank you!

It was fun to crochet this pineapple doily, and I am very happy with the way it turned out. I found the pattern online, you can see it here.



Today, I’m joining Jami at An Oregon Cottage for Well-Made Wednesday, a link party to share handmade items and ideas on handmade gifts. Wouldn’t you agree that a doily can make a lovely present?

I am also joining

Home Sweet Home Friday @The Charm of Home,
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home,
Potpourri Friday @ 2805.

New Doily

Are you tired already of seeing my doilies?



I’ve crocheted quite a few of them this year, but my huge ball of crocheting thread (it’s cheaper if bought in big sizes from Michael’s) is only half gone!

Perhaps it’s a magical one that will never be over no matter how many doilies I crochet!

Doilies

I can’t believe the summer is almost over! It went by way too quickly…

I don’t have any projects or recipes to share with you today, but I love joining Friday link parties, so today I’m showing a few white doilies that I crocheted earlier this year.







As usual on Fridays, I am joining

Home Sweet Home Friday @The Charm of Home,
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home,
Flaunt it Friday @ Chic On a Shoestring Decorating,
Friday Favorites @ Simply Sweet Home,
Feathering Your Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage.

There is also a new link party at 2805 called Potpourri Friday.

Handkerchiefs with Blue Lace

A few months ago, I bought a bunch of inexpensive hankies with embroidered flowers. I picked different colors – pink, blue, and lilac.

I think a pretty handkerchief can make a lovely little present (especially if it has crocheted lace). So this is what I am working on – adding lace to the hankies.

You can see some with white lace that I crocheted earlier this spring here, and now I have three hankies with blue lace to show you.

The crocheted pattern on these handkerchiefs is different from those that I made before. I experimented a bit and came up with it myself. The blue crochet thread came from my mom’s craft supplies.



The link parties that I am joining with this post are:

Making the World Cuter Monday @ Making the World Cuter,
Made by You Monday @ Skip to My Lou,
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch.

Almost Vintage

This crocheted bedspread is quite old; in fact, it’s almost vintage. I started crocheting it when I was about twelve. But let me tell you the story from the beginning.



My mom started teaching me to crochet when I was about seven. By the age of ten, all my dolls had crocheted outfits. By twelve, I started crocheting doilies. My mom taught me how to “read” crochet-in-rounds patterns because that is how all the patterns in Russian and Ukrainian crocheting magazines are presented.

In one of my mom’s magazines, I found a picture and pattern for a beautiful bedspread. And I knew right away that I wanted to make it. I asked my mom if we could do it together. She replied: “Do you realize how much work and time it will require? No way.”

I was disappointed by her reply, yet I didn’t want to let it go. And I started crocheting it all by myself. I had to crochet more than a hundred small square doilies, which then were to put together.



After I crocheted more than a dozen, my mom realized how determined I was. And that is when she became interested too and joined me crocheting.

Even with my mom’s help, it took us a few years to get it done. At one point, we put our project on hold because we ran out of crocheting thread and couldn’t buy it anywhere (it was the early 90s, only a few years after the Soviet Union fell apart and lots of things were hard to get in Ukraine back then).

But we did finish it eventually. After all the hard work we put into it, it’s not just a bedspread. It’s a real family heirloom!



Perhaps you’ve seen this bedspread pattern before. A few years ago, I saw the same bedspread at my mother-in-law’s place in Norway. And just recently I found the same pattern online. You can see it here accompanied with a detailed description on how to use crochet-in-rounds patterns.

I'm joining these Friday parties:

Home Sweet Home Friday @The Charm of Home,
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home,
Flaunt it Friday @ Chic On a Shoestring Decorating,
Friday Favorites @ Simply Sweet Home,
Feathering Your Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage.

Lavender Sachet and Potpourri

A couple weeks ago, I collected and dried lavender from my garden. I asked my blogging friends for advice on what to do with it. After reading the comments, I decided to make a sachet and potpourri.



I cross-stitched a small lavender design earlier this summer, and now I used it for the sachet. I added a ribbon, so I can hang it in my closet.



I used the rest of my lavender to make potpourri. The small rose buds have no smell, but they are pretty to look at, so I added them to my potpourri too.

I have more lavender blooming in the yard, and I am on search for more ideas to use it.

I am joining all these wonderful Friday link parties:


Home Sweet Home Friday @The Charm of Home,
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home,
Flaunt it Friday @ Chic On a Shoestring Decorating,
Friday Favorites @ Simply Sweet Home,
Feathering Your Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage.

Hankies with Lace

Two weeks ago I posted about my new hankies with pink embroidery. I promised to show them again once I had added crocheted lace to them. Well, here they are!



I used crochet thread size 8 and a very thin crocheting hook (I have no idea what size it is) that my father made for my mom about thirty years ago. I didn’t follow any patterns, just experimented a bit and came up with my own. And I must say I am very happy with the results!

I'm joining these wonderful Friday link parties:

Home Sweet Home Friday @The Charm of Home,
Thrifty Things Friday @ The Thrifty Groove,
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home.

Cross-Stitched Thank You Note

Back in February, I posted about a cross-stitched Valentine’s card that I made for a friend of mine. I really like the idea of handmade cards, but since I haven’t tried myself at scrapbooking yet, the handmade cards that I make are cross-stitched ones.



I made this thank you note for a friend of mine. I used a very simple pattern and aida fabric count 14. The card is small and delicate, and I hope it will warmly express my appreciation.



The parties I’m joining today are:

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home,
Home Sweet Home Friday @The Charm of Home,
Friday Favorites @ Simply Sweet Home,
Hodgepodge Friday @ It’s a Hodgepodge Life,
Flaunt it Friday @ Chic On a Shoestring Decorating.

Gerbera Daisy Flower Pens

The 8th of March was International Women’s Day! Even though this holiday has its origins in the USA, it is not celebrated here. However, it is widely celebrated in my native Ukraine as well as some other East European countries.

My Russian-speaking girlfriends here in the USA thought the 8th of March was a good excuse for us to get together. One of the girls hosted a small party, and we all had a great time.

I wanted to show my appreciation to my friends by giving each of them a little present. I came up with the idea of making flower pens and giving one to each girl. And the ones that were left in the vase, I gave to the hostess.



You probably have seen this kind of pens before. They are very easy to make. All you are going to need for this project is:

Pens
Faux flowers
Green floral tape
A small vase or flower pot
Pebbles or dry beans



The pens that I bought had small holes on the top. All I did is cut off the flowers and inserted them into the pens. Then I wrapped the pens with the floral tape.





Those who worked with a floral tape before know that it’s sticky on both sides. So my pens were sticky to touch. But I easily solved this problem by dusting them with corn starch (baby powder will work too) and rubbing them with a paper towel.

Then I arraigned a bouquet of flower pens in a small vase filled with clear pebbles.

The parties I’m joining today are:

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home,
Home Sweet Home Friday @The Charm of Home,
Friday Favorites @ Simply Sweet Home,
Hodgepodge Friday @ It’s a Hodgepodge Life,
Flaunt it Friday @ Chic On a Shoestring Decorating.

Hand Towels with Lace

On my last visit to a Ross store, I found two pretty and inexpensive hand towels. I liked them because of the purple embroidered flowers. The moment I saw these towels, I knew I wanted to buy them. And at the same moment I thought that they would look even better if embellished with crocheted lace of purple color. I remembered having a roll of purple crochet thread in my craft supplies. Thus, I bought the towels without hesitation.



On the following day I set to work. I tried three different lace patterns but didn’t like any of them, so I kind of came up with my own. It didn’t take me long to crochet two strips of lace, and this new project was finished quickly.
I think the lace made a big difference! What do you think? Here is the “before” picture.



The link parties I am joining today are:

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home,
Home Sweet Home Friday @The Charm of Home,
Friday Favorites @ Simply Sweet Home,
Hodgepodge Friday @ It’s a Hodgepodge Life,
Flaunt it Friday @ Chic On a Shoestring Decorating,
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage.

The Tablecloth Is Finished

Dear ladies,

Finally, I can present you my crochet tablecloth! As some of you know, I started crocheting it last summer. Along the way, I was posting updates on my work. There were times when I was about to give up, but so many of you encouraged me to continue. A heartfelt thank you to all of you!



As this was the first tablecloth I crocheted, I made several mistakes. The biggest one is that I didn’t take into account how much the tablecloth will stretch after I starch it. Notice how the row of “pineapples” begins below the edge of the table. It would’ve looked so much better if it began exactly at the edge. Also, the “pineapples” in the second row were supposed to be finished separately creating a scalloped edge, but I was thinking about adding a third row of “pineapples”, then I changed my mind and didn’t feel like redoing it.

Anyway, the tablecloth is not perfect, but I am so glad it’s finally finished.

I am joining all these wonderful Friday link parties:

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home,
Home Sweet Home Friday @The Charm of Home,
Friday Favorites @ Simply Sweet Home,
Hodgepodge Friday @ It’s a Hodgepodge Life,
Flaunt it Friday @ Chic On a Shoestring Decorating,
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage.

Crocheted Newborn Cap

About a week ago, from the blog “Home Sweet Homebodies” I learned about the program Caps for Good. You can read more about this project here. But basically, it’s about making a tiny baby hat that will be sent to newborn health programs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.



Of course, I wanted to participate!

It only took me one evening to crochet this baby cap. It’s about 12 inches in circumference at the crown (which was one of the specifications of the project). I also wanted to make a little flower decoration, but I thought I probably shouldn’t make it gender specific.

I am going to mail it to NY next week. And then it will be sent to its destination. I so hope this cap will keep a new baby warm and cozy.

Tonight, I will be linking to Show and Tell Friday, Hodgepodge Friday, and Flaunt it Friday.

The Tablecloth Update

This New Year, I got so many knitting, crocheting, and cross-stitching projects in my mind. But then I remembered that I have an unfinished project from the last year. The tablecloth!



I pulled it out and re-examined it. Should I tear it apart or should I continue? The spring is not too far away (at least here in California), and having a beautiful tablecloth for the garden table to have tea on would be so nice. Besides, I have already bragged about this tablecloth to my blogging friends!

Of course, I have to continue this crocheting adventure!

So I started to crochet it with new vigor and energy. Here is the update:

In August


In September


And here is what I have now. It actually starts to look like a tablecloth. Doesn’t it?


I'm joining a link party at Tea Rose Home. Please, come and see more craft ideas there.

I also link to several Friday blog parties: Show and Tell Friday, Favorite Things Friday, Hodgepodge Friday, and Flaunt it Friday.

Cross-Stitched Christmas Stocking

The poinsettia and berries stocking is finished! I’m so glad I finished it before Christmas because otherwise Santa Clause wouldn’t have a place to leave Viktor’s present.





I'm linking to Rednesday at It's A Very Cherry World! and Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home.

Ukrainian Folk Outfit

August is a special month for many Ukrainians as on the 24th they celebrate their Independence Day. For centuries, Ukraine struggled for independence from Russia, but only in 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed, Ukraine became an independent country.

I no longer live in Ukraine, but every year on the 24th of August I celebrate my Ukrainian heritage. This year I want to share it with others through my blog. I am going to make a few Ukraine related posts.

This first post is on Ukraine national (or folk) costume. Such outfits were worn by peasants back in the 18th-19th centuries. People in Ukraine no longer wear traditional outfits except for performances and special occasions. A female outfit consists of blouse, underskirt, outer skirt, vest and apron. There is lots of embroidery in the costume. In fact, the amount and sophistication of the embroidery showed the prosperity of the person who wore it.

A few years ago, I received a Ukrainian folk outfit as a present. Of course, it is only a contemporary imitation and the embroidery is not handmade, but the costume itself is hand-sewn. Nevertheless, I am very proud to wear it once a year on the day when I celebrate my cultural heritage.



Today, I’m joining a new blog party. It’s is called Fabric Fun Thursday and is hosted by Kim at Cheap Chic Home.

Cream-Colored Crocheted Doily

Recently I’ve seen many round lacy tablecloths, which look very beautiful for a little tea table, so I really wanted one too. I got this project in mind to crochet one. I found several interesting patterns. Then I thought it could be a good idea to start with something smaller. Making a tablecloth is a lot of work, and I was afraid I might get bored with it. So I decided to make a doily first.



It only took me three days to crochet it, and I just loved the process. Now I know for sure I won’t get bored making the tablecloth of my dreams. I still need to shop for threads though.



I present for your judgment my cream-colored round doily.



I’m joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.

Another Handmade Summer Top

We’ve been having very hot weather here in California. I love wearing white on sunny summer days. Today, I want to show another one of my handmade tops that is simply perfect for such weather.
My mom crocheted it for me a few years ago. What I like about this top is that it could be worn both dressy (with a skirt and high-heeled shoes) and casual (with jeans and flats). I also adore the delicate lacy pattern of this top.



For the first time, I’m joining Kathleen at Faded Charm for White Wednesday.



I’m also linking to My Romantic Home for Cindy's Show and Tell Friday.

Starching Doilies

In a comment to my post about crocheted bookmarks, Pag @Bloomfield Farm asked me what kind of starch and what technique I used. So I thought I’d make a little post about it.
I use potato starch, but I believe corn starch will work just as well. The measurements are approximate. In a pan, mix together about ¼ cup of water and 1 tablespoon of starch (you will need a bit more or less depending on how stiff you want your doily). Heat it over medium-low heat stirring constantly until it thickens. Let it cool. Place doily in the starch making sure that it’s completely wet. Squeeze doily to remove access starch. Place doily on towel and straighten it out. Let doily dry.
It’s that easy!

In the picture above is the doily made by my mom. I call it “pineapple doily” as its pattern reminds me of pineapples.

My New Summer Top

My birthday is coming up this weekend, but I am already receiving gifts. This crocheted summer top is from mom. I already have a few crocheted tops from her as she makes me a new one every year. Some of them have elaborate patterns, others are not so fancy.
The pattern of this particular top is quite simple, but I think it’s all right. The top has such a vivid color that an elaborate pattern would probably overdo it.



Here I am “modeling” my new top ;-)



I'm linking to Cindy's Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home.