Flowers in my window cowl crochet pattern

Namaste friends. Sharing my latest pattern - the Flowers in my window cowl crochet pattern.

Did you have pen friends when you were a teen? My brother and I had lots of pen pals all over the globe. Wonder where I am going with this? :)

Our European pen pals would send us beautiful photos in which the houses would have these beautiful boxes in the windows filled with gorgeous colourful flowers. Those lovely flowers were the inspiration behind the name of this cowl. 

Sadly, no one uses snail mail anymore and we are no longer in touch with our pen pals. Somehow an email does not have the same warmth as a beautifully written long letter filled with anecdotes and juicy gossip.

The inspiration for this cowl pattern was a small crochet chart diagram on Pinterest. It looked like small four-petaled flowers strewn across a lattice background.

At first glance, it may look like many motifs have been joined together, but the cowl is worked in one piece. And it is worked in the round no there is no seaming involved.

I modified the pattern slightly to make it seamless. And like most of my patterns, this cowl too starts with a round of foundation single crochet, so no long chains to count.

Yarn:  DK weight approx 150 gms *

Hook: 4.50 mm *

Size: 40 inches around and 10 inches wide. The pattern also has instructions to change the length and width of the cowl. 

The pattern PDF is available in my Etsy and Craftsy shops.

The cowl would make a gorgeous gift, just right for the coming festive season. Don't you think so?

Let me have your thoughts on this cowl pattern in the comments below. You can also get in touch with me on Facebook and Instagram. 

See you soon with some more crochet goodness...

* This post contains affiliate links which if you use for any purchase, may yield me a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you. 

Cupid's Dilemma Cowl pattern + giveaway

Namaste friends. February just flew by and we are already into the third month of 2017!

Are you aware that March is International Crochet Month? I am really excited as it means lots of informative posts, tutorials and free patterns across blogland. I have planned a few crochet posts myself which should hopefully see the light of day! While my mind is buzzing with tons of ideas on some days fatigue is the winner. (More about that later)

In February I released a new cowl pattern, but that is not the reason for the name Cupid's Dilemma :)

The cowl has a rich, elegant texture and will work wonderfully as a unisex pattern. 

Materials used:
Yarn:  DK weight
Hook: US G/6 (4 mm), UK 8
           and US E/4 (3.5 mm), UK 9 (optional)

As gauge is not very important for a cowl, substitution with your preferred yarn is easy as the pattern has instructions to modify the dimensions of the cowl.

Here's a look at the lovely texture and border,

The pattern is chainless as the first row is made up of FHdc (foundation half double crochet).
And seamless too, as it is worked in the round. So only two ends to weave in...Yay!

The pattern is easy and ideal for gifts for either sex. Six pages of photo tutorials are included so crocheting the cowl should be a breeze :)

Light coloured yarns will bring out the texture, but feel free to use your favourite yarns in the colour of your choice.

The pattern is available in my ETSY and CRAFTSY shops.

And now for the Giveaway.
I am giving away one Free copy of the pattern. And you don't even have to like, tweet and heart all over the internet to enter. :) Just let me know why you think the name "Cupid's Dilemma" is suitable for this cowl.

You can write your answer in the comments below OR better still write to me at crochetkari@gmail.com, that way no one will repeat your answer. 

The giveaway is open till 15th March 2017. The person with the most witty and appropriate answer will be the winner and I will announce the name on the blog. The pattern will be sent by email to the winner. 
So, come on start racking your brains :))

The year 2017 started with a bittersweet diagnosis. My doctor advised me a few blood tests for a fever that just refused to subside. And the verdict is that I have hypothroidism! Actually I am quite relieved because it explains a lot of my symptoms which did not seem to have a cause or go away, like the terrible hairfall which even caused a bald spot right on the crown, the excess weight which refused to budge, dry skin which soaked up tons of body lotion, the carpal tunnel pain which sometimes made it difficult to crochet (grrrr), and most of all - the fatigue and body pain which was unbearable sometimes. I believed all this was just part of growing old and to think that it was all treatable! The medication is for lifetime but I am feeling so much better now.
So friends I urge you to please go for regular check ups.  Take good care of yourself, after all you have only one body to live in ;)

Waffle Stitch Scarf - First pattern of 2016

Namaste friends. January has flown by so fast. I am not really on the dot with my goals for 2016, but there are eleven months to go and I am sure I will bring things up to date by the year end. :)

January saw a visit by my sister-in-law with her husband, for ten days. We had a very good time with sightseeing, karaoke singing and eating out. One of the places we visited was the Auto World Vintage Car Museum at Kathwada, Ahmedabad. It boasts an awesome collection of more than 100 cars such as Bentleys, Chryslers, Daimlers, Rolls Royce, Mercedes, Cadillacs, Buicks and many more. I will share the pics in my next post.

Now on to my first project of 2016 - the Waffle Stitch Scarf with Ribbed Border. The waffle stitch is one of my favourite crochet stitches and I just love the texture it produces. This scarf pattern was a custom request and I am quite happy with the finished product.

The texture makes it an ideal unisex pattern. The ribbed border looks lovely, don't you think so?

The pattern for this scarf is available on ETSY and CRAFTSY. 

A few more pics:

The scarf is made with DK wt yarn and a 4 mm crochet hook. The scarf measure 60 inches by 6.5 inches and I have included instructions to change the length and the width of the scarf. 

I think I will make one more scarf with this pattern and attach a fringe at the shorter ends for a different look.

Which is your first project for 2016? I am eager to know.

See you soon in the next post. Happy Crafting.

Rolls-Rocyces, Bentleys, Daimlers, Langondas, Mercedeces, Maybach, Packards, Cadillacs, Buicks, Auburns, Cord, Lancias, Lincolns, Chryslers - See more at: http://www.vccci.com/vintage-car-museum#sthash.u3p55xba.dpuf

Rolls-Rocyces - See more at: http://www.vccci.com/vintage-car-museum#sthash.u3p55xba.dpuf

Free Crochet Pattern - Slant n Stripe Scarf

This post contains affiliate links

Namaste, girls. I am sure all of you are busy getting ready for the holidays ahead. Some of you may be scrambling around for last minute gifts. Today I have something that is just right for you. An easy scarf pattern and it is Free too!!

Slant n' Stripe Scarf Pattern 

The pattern is very easy and requires knowledge of single crochet and double crochet only. The pattern is a one row repeat, yup that's right it is a one row pattern which can be easily memorized and worked up in a jiffy. Just right for those last minute gifts. :)

 The fabric produced is soft and flexible and has a lovely drape. 

Here is a close up of the pattern:

And another pic in a different colour:

The borders on the two sides are made by the pattern itself so there is no need of an edging.

I used a DK weight yarn (yarn brand: Shining Star) and a  4mm crochet hook.

The scarf measures 6.5 inches wide and is 60 inches in length.

The pattern is in PDF form consisting of 3 pages. The actual pattern is on one page with no pictures or colours so you can just print that one page and take it with you, if like me you crochet wherever you go. :D

You can download the pattern HERE

The geometric design should work out well even for a men's scarf in the right colours, don't you think so?

You can also get your free pattern in my CRAFTSY store. If you are not already a member of Craftsy, you will have to register yourself, which is very simple and Free. Once registered you will have access not only to my pattern but also tons of other free patterns and dozens of free videos for all kinds of crafts like knitting, crochet, painting, sewing, baking...you name it.

Please let me know if you face problems or are unable to download the pattern.

I hope you enjoy making this scarf. If you have any questions or find any mistake let me know at crochetkari@gmail.com.

Happy Holidays!

Crochet Waffle Stitch Hat Pattern

Namaste Beautiful! I hope you are feeling wonderful. Sadly I cannot say the same. I have just returned home from a seven day stay at the hospital. Yes...hospital, because I was down with dengue fever. By some weird coincidence my husband got the same fever and we were occupying two adjacent beds in the hospital room. Luckily for us, our son who had come from Mumbai to spend a couple of days with us, as it was my birthday on the 10th of September, stayed back for two weeks and took real good care of us. I guess everything happens for a reason, we were very fortunate that sonny boy decided to stick to his guns and insisted on coming to Ahmedabad. We would have been helpless without him.

As far as blogging is concerned, I cannot find any good reason for the delays/gaps in my posting. 2015 was supposed to be my year, with my blogging and my Etsy store going full steam. Well you know what they say, "Woman proposes, God disposes"!! I have just not been able to get into the swing of things and now the year is coming to an end!  :(

But I have tons of projects to share so hopefully the rest of the year should proceed smoothly. 

Today I want to share the latest pattern in my Etsy shop...the Waffle stitch hat pattern. 

This pattern is for a matching hat to the Waffle stitch cowl. 

The hat has a top down construction and is worked seamlessly in the round. The edge has a lovely ribbing pattern.

The pattern is in US terms and the special stitches required are Fpdc, Bpdc, Fphdc and Bphdc.

The adult sized hat is made using DK yarn and a 4.00 mm crochet hook.

The hat pattern is available on Etsy and Craftsy

Hopefully I should be back soon with a Free crochet scarf pattern.

Until then, buh-bye.

Halloween Decor with Craftsy

Jillibean Soup Halloween Kit

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Work with your frightfully fun kit and learn how to create stylish Halloween decor projects with exclusive video lessons. Paper crafts expert Ronda Palazzari will show you how to use Jillibean Soup's paper pads, black glitter beanboard alphas and festive embellishments to create a witch’s hat, pumpkin centerpieces and even a spooky banner!

Create seasonal decor with curated items from Jillibean Soup's Halloween Collection. Available for a limited time, this kit includes mini paper pads, die cuts, beanboard alphas, enamel stars and more. Mix and match with your stash for affordable decor that’s uniquely you. 

Disclaimer: All links in this post are affiliate links.  Thank you very much for supporting my blog by shopping at Craftsy through my affiliate links. Happy Crafting.