Avocado Doily (Finished!)

 I've been hoarding my Avocado Yarn for, uh, awhile now. Finally, in an effort to do something (we've been sickies over here for most of January), I pulled out my hooks, my avocado-yarn and a pretty pattern I've had stuck up on my wall in my studio.

Boom. Beautiful doily, complete.

But I had yarn left, and these colors are too perfect with my couch , so I went all out and made 3. I have a thing for motifs.

Now that you're all smitten with doily fever, here's where I have to, sadly, inform you that I have no idea where this pattern is from. I printed it years ago... I do remember that it was free... and it's in Japanese. SO.

Here's your close up of the visual pattern. It's incredibly easy to follow, and if you're not familiar with visual patterns, this is a good one to start with. To start off, check out this link... The Craft Yarn Council's Crochet Chart Symbols . They even offer a PDF, so you can download and print and keep it handy as a quick reference. Oh, internet, you are so wonderful.

Have a Lovely Day!
~Jess

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The Little Things (Inspiration)

My charming husband interrupted our conversation on the drive home from church without saying a single word.
He breezed through the EZ-Pass as I chattered away about something irrelevant and apparently unmemorable. Perhaps I can't remember the topic of conversation because of what happened next.
Rather than accelerating towards the exit ramp, he slowed down and pulled the car to the side of the road, raising his index finger.  Just one moment.
"What's wrong?" I immediately began to fret. He raised his finger again. Just one moment. He unfastened his seatbelt, opened the door and slid out while I conjured car-trouble scenarios before he'd even made it to the ditch. Wait- the ditch?
I suddenly knew. The man had interrupted me, stopped the car, and now crouched down in the ditch tugging at wildflowers. For me. Just because.

"What is Daddy doing?" my three year old son stretched his neck for a better view. His younger brother, not quite two, is partaking in a sweaty Sunday afternoon nap.

"Daddy's picking me flowers," I reply. I'm grinning like a fool now.
"Oh, dat's so kind," my little boy replies.
My charming husband returns to the car, obviously pleased with his surprise and passes me my fresh-from-the-field bouquet. I'm bursting with joy and I hope, so much, the two boys in the back seat grow to be men just like their daddy.

(But you're here for the crochet.)



As soon as I got home I snipped the ends off my flowers and placed them in a vase of cool water. Destined for the tabletop, I look around and spy one of my favorite crocheted items I've made, The Simply Elegant Motif. How do people display flowers without crocheted doilies? The effect is charming, and every time I walk through the dining room I'm reminded that the little things are life's big things and I am thankful, for much more than I can tell.

PS- What kind of flowers are these? I see them in peoples' gardens all the time. ***Thank you to Annette from Petunia Pill - they are Black Eyed Susans! 

Have a Lovely Day!
***

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Check, X, Strike Through! (Finished!)

So just yesterday, in a burst of ambition, I made a to-do list for the day. Yeah, it's more like a to-do list for the week. #2 on this Very Ambitious List was commit (and make) a couple berets for a friend.

CHECK!!! 
Or X!
Or Strike Through!
Depending how you work your ambitious lists.

Following the pattern for the Striking Doily Beret, I ended up with this:

So beautiful! I typically don't wear this style of hat... I typically don't wear hats at all unless the weather forces me to, but this one may have changed that for me. Slouchy and lacy? Yes, I'll take one of those!! And I'm just thrilled with this pattern, especially because the first pattern I attempted was nothing but trouble. Definitely check out Kristi's Blog and give it a go! You need 1 skein of yarn and a 5mm hook. Das it!

Have a Lovely Day!!

***

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I'd Rather Be Crocheting... (Inspiration)

I made a Treasury celebrating (what else) *Crochet* the other day! And I was so pleased with how it turned out I thought I'd show everyone here who may not have the benefit of knowing what Etsy is all about. 

You can see the real deal by clicking this link....

In a highly technologically advanced move, I took a screenshot (you can see my google-search tabbed above. Whoopsie. I am ashamed).

You can see the real deal by clicking this link...

Unfortunately I'm not techie enough to know how to zoom out of my screen to get everything in one shot. So I had to take 2. Ah, well.

That's my eye-candy crochet inspiration for the week! Not that I'm not making more treasuries (such an addicting process), but that's my only crochet-inspired one. Well... I can't say that....

But, speaking of eye candy. My cousin emailed me requesting a coffee cozy. She sent me a picture of a knit one and asked if I could make it?! Since I forgive everyone who thinks crochet is knitting (or knitting is crochet, in this case), I said "Sure!" and got straight to work.

Cabled Coffee Cozy

Presenting... the Cozy Coffee Trio!!

Spiraling HotPad

Charming Coasters

Pattern available at PurpleChairCrochet

 It was a fast project and easy, once I got the hang of the cabled-look, so I made a little hot pad (the purple round item) and a charming coaster pattern to go along with it.

3 for the price of 1, I love a sale! Speaking of sales, I have a Buy 3, Get 1 Free Policy in my shop. So, theoretically if you bought my 3 "trios" that I currently offer (Cozy Coffee Trio, Motif Earring Trio and Nesting Bowl Trio plus the free pattern that comes along with it you'd get 10 patterns for the price of 3. Not bad. Wonder if anyone notices this beside me.... =D

All Doilied Up (Fantastic Finds)

I thought for this post we'd get all doilied up! Have a look at all this fantastically gorgeous crochet-goodness!

Image courtesy of asuhan

I am forever in awe of the talent that people possess.

Image courtesy of NettiesCollectibles

After the first couple Etsy-searches I found doily hunting truly addicting.

Image courtesy of PickersParadise

But all my hunting was abundantly rewarded!

Image courtesy of sweetrice

I actually found a few of these guys with the ripple-ruffles on the edges. I hadn't ever seen a doily like this before,

Image courtesy of sweetrice

so it gets two pictures for being a novelty (to me, anyway). =)

Image courtesy of VintageKeepsakes

This one needs to be on my Thanksgiving table. Oh yes, indeedy.

Image courtesy of artemisiascloset

Or this one, perhaps? How do you choose?!

Image courtesy of EmmaDear

I believe last three pictures above the style of crochet is called a "Pineapple"? Has anyone done them before? I never have, but now I'm itching to try. But, I have a few other things to work on first!

(So I may be announcing some big news in the coming weeks. Be sure to hear it first by "liking" Purple Chair Crochet on Facebook!)