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Throw Back Thursday Crochet….

Like many of you know,,, My Grandmother Beatrice Ryan Ramshaw was the one who taught me to crochet 40 years ago…  I thought it would be fun to show you one of her blast from the past Afghans…  She was such an avid crocheter… Mastering both yarn and thread techniques!!!  I often wonder  what it was like to crochet for her… She was born around the turn of the century… and lived until 1997…  The materials she must have learned with would have been hard to come by… She lived in a remote area of Northern Canada until the 40’s… But even when she moved to the United States and settled in Northern California,,, I think yarn and patterns would have been so much different from what we have now!!

This week the Afghan I am sharing was made for my favorite Great Aunt Velma… Velma was her sister-in-law, who also came to the United States in the 40’s… They were great friend too!!  I was blessed enough to inherit this afghan after Velma passed away about a decade ago…  I was amazed how well this beauty held up over the years…  My best guess is that Beatrice made it in the 70’s.  Amazingly this is one of the softest Afghans I have… I was a little surprised,  many of the acrylic yarns during that time were pretty scratchy and rough!  It definitely is a treasure!

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This Great Afghan appears to be completely done in single crochet, with every other row done in back loop only… It looks to be a dk weight and a larger hook like maybe a N size…  Gotta love it… And to top it off… it measures a staggering 9+ feet long and 4+ feet wide…  I think she made it so it would nicely drape over both ends of Velma’s queen size bed…

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Well, there you have a Throw Back Thursday Crochet treat!!!  What about you… Do you have any Throw Back Treasures??

..Happy Crocheting!!

Elena

 

Wednesday Facebook Fan Favorite… Week 21

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As the Arctic Vortex whips through the United States and freezes a large part of our country, many of us are crocheting to pass the time while we are trying to stay warm…What a way to start the new year!!!!  Today’s Facebook Fan Favorite it the first one for the year and it will keep you cozy in this chilly weather!  This design is from one of my favorite designers,,, Bonita Patterns… She is famous for her Crocodile Stitch projects and I have made several of her patterns!  This is a free one from her and well worth checking out!!!  So here it is… Our first Fan Favorite for the year… Reversible Textured Slouch & Crocodile Stitch DOUBLE LAYERED Flower by Bonita PatternsClick here for the Free Crochet Pattern.

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Don’t you love this hat?? I do and the flower is made from her signature Crocodile Stitch Pattern!!!  This will definitely be on my to-do a list for this year!!.

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On another note…. Are you ready for our Crochet-A-Long??? If you missed my last post containing the Material List… You can Click Here to see it… And at any time you can click on the Crochet-A-Long tab at the top of the page to see all the posts for this upcoming project… Each Saturday starting January 18th I will begin to post a pattern section for a weeks worth of crochet…  And every Friday Evening we will have a “Show and Tell” on my Facebook page where you can post your comments and progress pictures!!! And,,, Hang out on Ravelry too… We have a large group of you who have joined  over there… It will be another great place to hang out and crochet!!  I am beyond excited!! I have written and crocheted the first weeks section and will be taking the pictures this weekend…

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I think you are going to love it… It is a combination of all my favorite stitches and pattern pieces… Contemporary yet modern!!!  So get your yarn and hook… come hang out with me and crochet!!!

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Happy Crocheting… Elena

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Tuesday Tidbits…

Tuesday Tidbits…

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A quick tip… When you yarn seems to be dragging on your hook, it can really slow you down… And also cause hand fatigue!  Sometimes it is the yarn you are using and sometimes it is the hook…  A quick and simple tip: Take a small amount of household furniture polish and a soft cloth,,, Place a very small amount of polish on your cloth and polish the shank of your hook (the hook area).  Make sure to work the crevice and the tip thoroughly, and wipe all excess polish away. This method can be used on metal, plastic or wooden hooks.  A smooth hook makes for speedy crocheting!

Happy Hooking, Elena

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