Sunny Sunflowers Square - Free Crochet Pattern

I am so delighted to share this crochet pattern with you.  It's a design I created and published in 2011 but i've been busy over the last two weeks adding additional rounds to change it from the earlier circle motif to a square motif, as well as taking photographs for the various stages. 

You'll be able to read all about it and get the pattern over on my blog Karen Wiederhold Designs where I share my work as a published freelance craft designer.

I'd love it if you would like, comment and share the link to my craft blog Karen Wiederhold Designs.

If you use this pattern and would like to show your appreciation,  please consider a donation to your local Samaritans or Mental Health and Wellbeing Charities.  

I wish you many happy hours crocheting this blanket pattern which has a very special place in my heart.

Karen x

Please note:  This design is an original, created by me and shared with you for personal use only.   Please do not make and sell items using this pattern.  Please do not sell or reproduce the pattern or use it to teach classes or run groups without my consent. 

A little magical Halloween crochet project.

Pumpkin Time Garland

Pumpkin Time Garland by Karen Wiederhold    © Karen Wiederhold

Knowing loads of you enjoy some crochet on the side I thought you might have some fun with my little crochet gift to you this Halloween.

The pattern is one designed and published on my freelance design site in 2011 and has appeared on other yarn craft sites and here on the blog a few times since then.  It's proven to be a favourite.

The pumpkins can be strung together to make a garland or used separately as coasters.  If you like the idea but don't crochet, pop down to the bottom of the pattern page for some alternative options.

Wishing you loads of fun and please share your pics if you make them on my Instagram Kaleidoscope Wellbeing and Tarot with the tag #kaleidoscopetarotpumpkingarland 

Get the Free Pattern Here

The copyright for this design is held by the designer Karen Wiederhold, publishing here as Kaleidoscope Wellbeing and Tarot.  Under no circumstances is the pattern it to be republished or sold.  Links to this pattern page are welcome.

Pattern and items made for personal use only, not for sale, crochet class tutorials, public events etc without permission.

What's in a blanket?

What's in a blanket?  Yarn of course - or is that really all?

For me there is so much more.  There's hopes and dreams, prayers and wishes, heartache and joy, searching and reconciling, stillness and meditation  - but most of all there's MAGIC.

Photo © Karen Wiederhold

The desire to gather together a huge pile of yarn and get out my hook is one of the things that runs through my veins and makes me who I am.  I've always been a worker of yarn, it's in my blood and in my genes.  My family tree is full of spinners and weavers from the Scottish Highlands and in later generations the tree became populated with tailors, cobblers and seamstresses.  My little leaf on the family tree adds published yarn craft designer to the line - although i'll probably be better remembered by those who follow, for wrapping most members of the family in yarn in some form or another.

I began work on this beautiful pattern, the details of which i'll share at the end of this post should you want to make your own.   It occurred to me as I pulled out the first ball of yarn that 2018 had been a relatively dry year creatively in comparison to all the years before.  Even thought i'd been colouring and knitting a few things it was not on the scale which was usual for me,  as evidenced when I looked through my journal and noticed the imbalance between creative time and things like screen time and social media.  But that's a post for another day.  The start of 2019 had found me restless and frustrated  - some things in the wider community were just not sitting right for me.  I was beginning to feel the need to have a place of stillness to settle into which would reveal what it was that I needed to know or understand and to receive clarity on how to make changes.

It had been ages since i'd worked on a blanket of this size and heavens how i'd missed it and heavens how wonderful it felt to be at the start of one again!  Yarn crafters will know the giddiness of ordering yarn, waiting for it to arrive and the absolute delight of squeezing it and oohing and oohing over it when it does.

Photo © Karen Wiederhold

While working with yarn, there is a stillness that descends with the rhythm and gentle movements of each stitch.  A sanctuary space begins to open and thoughts of family and friends draws them near and it seems as though they sit and stay a while.  This is where I hold space for myself and for them.  Each stitch and round of the blanket is woven with thoughts of hopes and dreams, heartache and worries, loss and achievement, tears and laughter for meditation and stillness in sending prayers and healing.  Each moment gathers here, together, acknowledged and not alone.  This blanket will provide warmth and comfort, it will accompany us as we enjoy picnics and journeys.

Those moments of holding space during the time spent working on it will keep the memories of the people who fill it alive.
This is where MAGIC is for me. 💜

Photo © Karen Wiederhold

Photo © Karen Wiederhold

Diego's Flowers by Jane Crowfoot

I'm using Stylecraft Special DK, purchased from Wool Warehouse.

The hook i'm using is my trusty 3.25 mm hook from back in 1972 when I first started crochet aged 4.

Mindfulness, Crochet Blanket Progress

Photo by Karen Wiederhold

I'm having such a wonderful time crocheting this blanket. Just working away, enjoying the colours and the rhythm as I work and letting thoughts and ideas run and settle.  Two thirds of it completed already.  The pattern is by Jane Crowfoot aka Janie Crow

Wanting a little magical Autumn crochet project?

Knowing loads of you enjoy some crochet on the side I thought you might have some fun with my little crochet gift to you in preparation for Autumn or Halloween decorating.  The pattern is one I created and published on my freelance design site and popular yarn craft sites back in 2011.  The pumpkins can be strung together to make a garland or used separately as coasters.  If you like the idea but don't crochet, pop down to the bottom of the pattern page for some alternative options.

Wishing you loads of fun and please share your pics if you make them on my instagram @kaleidoscopetarot and the tag #kaleidoscopetarotpumpkin  

Pumpkin Time Garland

The copyright for this design is held by the designer, publishing here as Kaleidoscope Tarot.  Under no circumstances is the pattern it to be republished or sold.  Links to this pattern page are welcome.

Pattern and items made for personal use only, not for sale, crochet class tutorials, public events etc without permission.

Foundation:   

Ch5, join with SS to first chain to form ring

Round 1:

Ch3 (this acts as first DC), DC11, join with SS to top of first DC.

Round 2.

SS into space between first and second DC's; Ch3, 1DC into same space; 2DC into each following space, join with SS to top of first DC = 24 DC's.

Round 3:

SS into space between first and second DC's; Ch3, 1DC into same space; *1DC into next space, 2DC into next space*; repeat * to * to last space; 1DC;  join with SS to top of first DC = 36 DC's.

Round4:

SS into space between first and second DC's; 1SC into each of next two spaces; *2DC into next space; 1DC into each of next two spaces*; repeat * to * 3 times more; 2DC into next space; 1SC into next 5 spaces; repeat * to * 4 times; 2DC into next space; 1SC into next 2 spaces; You are now back at the starting space.

Round 5:

1SC into next 3 spaces; 2DC into first "V" of previous round; 1DC into next space; *2DC into next space; 1DC into next space*; repeat * to * 6 times more; 1SC into next 9 spaces; work *to * 7 times; 1SC into next four spaces, SS into first SC of round.  Join on green yarn to begin stalk.

Stalk:

Ch9, Idc into 4th chain from hook; 1DC into each chain, SS into the top of pumpkin to join, tie off.

There are a few uses..........

Make as many as you like.  Join together into a garland by crocheting a chain attaching pumpkins to the chain as you go.

Use them as coasters during the the Autumn months.

Join them in a vertical line, intermingled with wood, beads and anything else that's autumnal and hang in a window.

If you like the idea but don't crochet then why not replace the pumpkins with cutouts from felt, card stock or patterned paper and tie onto a length of ribbon.

Crafty Time - Autumn - Pumpkin Garland

Knowing loads of you enjoy some crochet on the side I thought you might have some fun with my little crochet gift to you in preparation for Autumn or Halloween decorating.  The pattern is one I created and published on my freelance design site and popular yarn craft sites back in 2011.  The pumpkins can be strung together to make a garland or used separately as coasters.  If you like the idea but don't crochet, pop down to the bottom of the pattern page for some alternative options. 

Wishing you loads of fun and please share your pics if you make them on my instagram @kaleidoscopetarot and the tag #kaleidoscopetarotpumpkin  

Pumpkin Time Garland

Foundation:   

Ch5, join with SS to first chain to form ring

Round 1:

Ch3 (this acts as first DC), DC11, join with SS to top of first DC.

Round 2.

SS into space between first and second DC's; Ch3, 1DC into same space; 2DC into each following space, join with SS to top of first DC = 24 DC's.

Round 3:

SS into space between first and second DC's; Ch3, 1DC into same space; *1DC into next space, 2DC into next space*; repeat * to * to last space; 1DC;  join with SS to top of first DC = 36 DC's.

Round4:

SS into space between first and second DC's; 1SC into each of next two spaces; *2DC into next space; 1DC into each of next two spaces*; repeat * to * 3 times more; 2DC into next space; 1SC into next 5 spaces; repeat * to * 4 times; 2DC into next space; 1SC into next 2 spaces; You are now back at the starting space.

Round 5:

1SC into next 3 spaces; 2DC into first "V" of previous round; 1DC into next space; *2DC into next space; 1DC into next space*; repeat * to * 6 times more; 1SC into next 9 spaces; work *to * 7 times; 1SC into next four spaces, SS into first SC of round.  Join on green yarn to begin stalk.

Stalk:

Ch9, Idc into 4th chain from hook; 1DC into each chain, SS into the top of pumpkin to join, tie off.

There are a few uses..........

Make as many as you like.  Join together into a garland by crocheting a chain attaching pumpkins to the chain as you go.

Use them as coasters during the the Autumn months.

Join them in a vertical line, intermingled with wood, beads and anything else that's autumnal and hang in a window.

If you like the idea but don't crochet then why not replace the pumpkins with cutouts from felt, card stock or patterned paper and tie onto a length of ribbon.

The copyright for this design is held by the designer, publishing here as Kaleidoscope Tarot.  Under no circumstances is the pattern it to be republished or sold.  Links to this pattern page are welcome.

Pattern and items made for personal use only, not for sale, crochet class tutorials, public events etc without permission.

Bags and Pouches

This weekend just past, I finally finished the tarot pouch i'd been working on, or to be more precise,  faffing about with.

I wanted something that would hold the cards nice and snug without room to move around when in my handbag on ventures out the house.

The prototype was initially made as a knitted fabric but this proved to be too soft in structure and once the drawstring around the top was tightened the bag was a bit billowy and the cords could tangle on things.

Ripping this out, the bag was worked in crochet which gave a sturdier fabric though by now it was beginning to dawn on me that a bag was not my preferred choice because of the shape when drawn closed and the tangling cords issue.

A neat and tidy compact pouch or purse was what I was after.  Ripping out again but still working in crochet I made the pouch you see here with the flap secured with a button instead of cords.   No tangling issues, nice and compact and no cards moving about.  Success!

I'm working on another pouch at the moment but this one is worked in Tunisian crochet instead and with a side flap rather than a top flap.

Even better, i'm using materials and oddments from my yarn and crafty stash and what a stash that is I can tell you.