Poppy inspecting some top shelf catnip buds.
Lavender Wand
I like the smell of lavender, but dried lavender is very fragile and tends to shed the wilted flowers and other bits as it dries. A common solution is to create a small sachet and sew the lavender inside, a less common (but more fun) solution is to make a lavender wand.
Start with fresh lavender. You want to select long stems with flowering ends. Depending on the thickness of the stems gather 7-21, it just has to be an odd number.
Take a foot or so of ribbon, and tie the heads together in a bunch.
Then turn upside down, and carefully bend the stems back over the flowers. Try not to bend them too sharply, and ease them into position.
Use the backward bent stems to create a cage with the flowers inside.
Carefully start to weave the ribbon over and then under each stem. As long as an odd number of stems are used, each round should be offset by one, making a basket weave pattern.
Continue to weave until the head of the wand is completed, and the flowers are encased. Then wrap the remaining ribbon around the stems to make the handle of the wand and tie off.
And hocus pocus, a la shazam, you have your very own wand, suitable for banishing stale drawer smells and for use as a ward against the anti kitsch.
Hand crafted items have a special kind of magic all their own, especially when made with love by someone you know. The time, effort and care that is put into a homemade gift adds something that just can’t be replaced by sweatshop mass production.
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Crochet – Simple Granny Square (Left Handed) Part 2
Start with a little square from part 1.
Chain 3 (just like earlier at the beginning loop).
2 double crochet (2 dc) in the same space created by the 2 ch hole in the previous row.
chain 2 (2 ch)
3 double crochet still in the same space made by the 2 chain hole in the previous row. This makes the first corner.
Chain 2, then 3 double crochet, 2 chain, 3 double crochet all in the same hole at the corner.
Repeat twice more for the other two corners, then connect at start with a slip stitch and fasten off.
Successive rows follow the same pattern, chain 3 to act as the first double crochet in the new row.
Then double crochet twice to complete the first triplet.
Alternate the 2 chain (2 ch) and 3 double crochet, using the holes left by the 2 chain in the previous row. At the 4 corners, do 2 groups of 3 double crochet with a 2 chain between them in the 2 chain holes.
Successive rows follow the same pattern.
As many rows as desired can be added. I find 5 rows make for a nice size.
Simple Granny Square
Start: 6 ch, join into loop with sl st.
Row 1: Through loop, 3 ch, 2 dc 2 ch. (3 dc, 2 ch) x 3. sl st and fasten off.
Row 2: Through 2 ch space in previous row, 3 ch, then 2 dc. 2 ch. (In next 2 ch space in previous row 3 dc, 2 ch, 3 dc, 2 ch) x 3.
Row 3+: Through 2 ch space center of the previous row, 3 ch, then 2 dc. 2 ch. At the corners 3 dc, 2 ch, 3 dc, 2 ch in 2 ch space at corner, and between the corners 3 dc 2 ch in each 2 ch space in the previous row.
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Crochet – Simple Granny Square (Left Handed) Part 1
A simple granny square is one of my favorite crochet patterns. They are great for using up scraps of yarn, and can be worked on individually and then assembled into a larger project at your leisure. There are many variations but this is the one I use.
Chain 6 (ch 6).
Join ends with a slip stitch (sl st).
Chain 3. The basic pattern is 3 double crochet, then chain 2, and repeat. This chain 3 will act as the first double crochet in a set of three.
Double crochet twice (2 dc), completing the first triplet.
Chain 2
3 Double crochet (3 dc). This will form the first corner.
Chain 2, 3 double crochet, chain 2, 3 double crochet, chain 2, slip stitch and fasten off to complete the row (2 ch, 3 dc, 2 ch, 3 dc, 2 ch, sl st fasten off).
For the first round, all four 2 chain spaces will form the corners. One nice thing about this pattern is that once the row is started with a 3 chain 2 double crochet, the pattern is 3 double crochet, 2 chain, repeat until you work your way back to the start of the row. The corners are formed by making 3 dc, 2 ch, and 3 dc in the same hole from the previous row.
This will form the inside of the granny square.
You may want to make them as you go, or in batches. I like to have some around to fill spare moments with.
Onward to Part 2
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Crochet – Double Crochet Stitch (Left Handed)
The double crochet stitch (dc) is twice the height of a single crochet stitch (sc), and has an additional yarn over (yo).
In this example, the stitch will loop the entire ring. An alternative would be to pass under only the top two strands.
Yarn over (yo).
Pass the hook through the material.
Yarn over (yo) again.
Pull the yarn over loop through all but the last loop.
Yarn over (yo)
And pull though to complete the stitch.
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Crochet – Slip Stitch (Left Handed)
A slip stitch (sl st) is often used to join two pieces together, such as when making a chain into a loop.
Here is a simple chain.
Put the hook through the end stitch in the chain, and yarn over (yo).
And pull through.
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