Classic Simple Snowflake Pattern

As you can see, I am on a very BIG thread crochet kick lately! Here is another pattern i came up with while playing passenger on saturday during our usual errand running (J does all the driving, which is nice because i absolutely hate driving!! haha)

Enjoy, and as usual please feel free to use my pattern to make and sell items. Just remember that this is my own original pattern, and if you would like to post my pattern elsewhere please make sure you also link back to my blog and include this information somehow on the items you sell. thanks again!



with size 7 steel hook and #10 thread:

Ch8, join with sl st

Round 1:
In loop- Ch3, DC, ch2, 2DC *2DC, Ch2* repeat from * to * 5 times more for

a total of 6 ch2 spaces. Join with sl st to top of 3rd Ch in the beginning

Ch3.

Round 2:
Sl st over to first Ch2 space, Ch 3 and DC, Ch2, 2DC in same space

(creating shell over shell, or "SOS"). Ch5, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, Ch

2, SOS in next Ch 2 space (2DC, Ch 2, 2DC), repeat around for 6 SOS's and

6 picot chains, Join with sl st to top of 1st ch3.

Round 3:
Sl st over to first ch 2 space, Ch 3 and DC, Ch2, DC in same space

(creating SOS), Ch 7, sl st in 3rd Ch from hook, Ch 4, SOS in next ch 2

space, repeat around for 6 SOS's and 6 picot chains. Join with sl st to

top of 1st Ch 3.

Round 4:
Sl st over to first ch 2 space,
Ch 3 and DC,
Ch7, sl st in 3rd ch from hook,
Ch 8, sl st in 5th Ch from hook,
Ch 10, sl st in 7th ch from hook,
Ch 9, sl st in 9th ch from hook.
Ch 7, sl st in 7th ch from hook and base of first 7ch picot, sl st down 3

stitches,
ch 5, sl st in 5th ch from hook and base of ch5 picot, sl st down 3

stitches,
ch3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook and base of ch 3 picot, sl st down 3 st,

and ch1, 2DC in same ch2 space.
Ch 9, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch6, repeat SOS/picot and picot chain for

6 points and 6 picot chains. Join with sl st to top of 1st Ch3.

Sarah's One-Round Snowflake Pattern

Hello?? anyone home??

I know, i know. I haven't been here in awhile. I have a lot of updating to do!!

In the meantime whilst you eagerly await all that mess (hahahaa), here is a pattern for a snowflake i created today while adding to my piles and piles of holiday crafting that i've been working on for the past week or so:)


using a size 7 hook and #10 thread:

Ch 8, sl st to join.

SC in ring; *Ch 6, sl st in 3rd Ch from hook,
Ch 5, sl st in 5th Ch from hook,
Ch 7, sl st in 7th Ch from hook,
Ch 9, sl st in 9th Ch from hook,
Ch 7, sl st in 7th Ch from hook and base of 1st Ch7 picot,
Ch 5, sl st in 5th Ch from hook and base of 1st Ch 5 picot,
Ch 3, sl st in 3rd Ch from hook and base of 1st Ch 3 picot,
Sl st down 3 Ch,
SC in loop, Ch 6, sl st in 3rd Ch from hook, Ch 3, SC in loop*

repeat from * to * to create 6 points of each (large and small) type, sl st into first SC, fasten off.

Use your preferred stiffening method to block and allow to dry.

*** Feel free to use this pattern to make and gift/sell items. Please note that this pattern belongs to Me, Sarah Craig. If you plan to use this pattern to make items to sell please be courteous enough to include my blog address and name so as to continue to share the availability of the pattern. Please also link back to my blog if you choose to post this pattern elsewhere. It's a simple little pattern but it's one *I* designed and I would appreciate the recognition.


if you have any questions PLEASE do leave me a comment!
Happy crafting, honeys!

A look into the Journey

I've been doing a combination of the natural method, backcombing, and twisting and ripping...and i know that dreads don't just up and lock up overnight. But every time i wash my hair most of it just falls out again! I use a veggie glycerin soap- which i just found out has added saponified coconut oil (someone on another board i joined mentioned that saponified coconut oil is another name for sodium laureth sulfate- the stuff that helps keep your hair "shiny" in regular shampoos)... i'm really mad at myself for not catching that, and i'll be going to a regular ol' clear glycerin bar shortly...

but until then i'm becoming more and more disheartened. I know this is a looonnnnng process but i almost believe my hair will never lock up naturally on its' own, or even by using the methods i've already tried. Every time i wash my hir about 90% of my efforts are lost. I do wash it every day, or every other day, depending, so i know that in and of itself isn't helping things along. It's fine, very very very straight, super slippery (naturally) hair. And it is a bit onthe short side, the shortest lengths are just about to my chin now, i think, undreaded.

As it is right now i've got a few fairly decent mats in my hair but i can see it's going to be pretty painful to separate them so i don't have just a bunch of matted hair. I've separated a few of the mats but they keep trying to rejoin and i haven't quite found a solution for that yet. John (who had dreads using the neglect method for 4-5 years) keeps telling me to just leave my head alone and once a month he'll help me separate what needs to be separated. talk about a test of my WILL. lol

i just can't seem to make my mind up about what to do. I definitely am not quitting... i just can't decide if i should try to seek out someone to assist me (i'm most interested in the crocheting method) or just... let it be. lol. I'd love to just let it be...

and maybe i should, i definitely need a strong lesson in patience and to learn to curb my impulsive side. *sigh* i guess this was more of a "i'm talking just to talk, don't mind me" post... It's definitely opening my eyes to a lot of things in my life. How in the hell does dreading ones hair become such a life-changing thing? you ask... it just does. I can't describe or really get into details here right now, but it is definitely forcing me to see alot of stuff about myself and my life that most of the time i refuse to see because its not a pleasant aspect of me or my life.


hmmm.

HM blogroll

Come meet one of the most Interesting People of the Week EVER on BunnyGlitter: Nova Rimone Newman!

LadyHawk has some Calming Winds to share on the topic of Receiving Nature's Messages.

Gray Gaia is sharing her love of technology and her nifty new template.

A Hippy Chick has a new blog format, and a few thoughts about the Matthew Sheperd Act.

Grabba Cuppa Joe and sit down for a full update on Sarah's life!

Melia Lore has her kundalini risin' as she ponders the value of Passion in our lives.

In My Crazy Life shares her Memories and some Firsts.

Updates updates updates!

So the dreading is coming along... well... slowly. LOL. i had to take matters into my own hands and help things along a bit because i'm kind of impatient and honestly, i don't thing truly neglecting my hair will ever cause it to dread... ever. So i backcombed here and there and will continue to do so over the weeks to get things moving. Here are a few progression shots:

last week:

as of this morning (after washing it last night and sleeping on it slightly damp... lol)
you can bet your bottom dollar i hide that mess under a hat or bandana when i'm out in public;)

In other news....

I am currently working on stock for my etsy shop. I know i have been slacking but sales have been nowhere to be had so I kind of just let things go.

However... i have had a sudden surge of interest and demand and am now on a supercharged creative streak. I will admit; it will be at least 2-3 weeks before i have anything ready to be listed for sale- i simply cannot keep up with making one thing, listing it, having it sell and then trying to scramble to make another to take its' place.

Therefore i am working on building up stock. In addition to my shop i have two other potential sales-related things to create items for that are needed like yesterday. So i WILL NOT be able to do custom orders for at least the next two months. If i am able to catch a break sooner than the 2 month time frame i've blocked off i will let people know:)

here are some of the things i've been working on:

scrubbies! great for your body, your dishes, your bathrooms... anything that needs a good yet ohso gentle scrub. i of course would recommend buying one for each of those different uses if you wanted to use one for all of the above. scrubbing your body with something that you also used to scrub your toilet is not very... hygenic. I will have an assortment of colors to choose from. Made from 100% cotton yarn and tulle netting. washable, dryable, reuseable.

Hats and Tams! since my current obsession with dreadlocks has started i have also discovered a need to hide my rats nest until its actually formed into sweet little dreads. So using that as inspriation i've made a few tams. Two in a chunky acrylic/wool blend- sooo soft, easy to (hand) wash, and pretty damn warm. Of course, these wouldn't be too appealing on those 90+ degree days with 85 % humidity but keep them in mind when winter rolls around! I also have some skull caps and mesh-style hats and tams that are easily wearable in the summer when you need to keep your hair under wraps but hate baseball caps. These will be cotton, cotton/acrylic blends, etc for easy wash and wear.

And weebitties! I've been working on these for the past two days. I will be attaching them to hair clips and headbands when i complete enough of them to make full sets.

Also planned for the shop:
*mesh market bags
*felted coffee cozies (these are still great to use in the summer when you have an ice cold drink 'sweating' all over the place!) in a few sizes/types
*infant and kids felted slippers- great stocking stuffers!

i'm workin' hard!! stay tuned:)

A new Journey

After about a year of debate (with myself) i have decided to finally take the plunge and dread my hair. For most of you who've known me for awhile you know I am no stranger to adventure when it comes to my hair. Black, blonde, hot pink, shaved, platinum, shaved, hennaed.... it's been awesome. So much to try, so little time to do it, especially when your hair takes forever to grow.

After a bunch of research... and then some more research... and with John's expertise... I have come to the final decision of letting my hair dread naturally. Why naturally? well, for a few reasons.

In my initial research I found quite a few 'tried and true' methods for (almost) instant dreads. It involved hours and hours and hours of time, backcombing, palmrolling, and lots of wax. First of all, when am I going to have a block of 8 hours of free time to sit and rat and roll my hair myself? I don't have anyone locally to help me do this, nor do I have anyone who would help me take care of the kids when my arms feel like jello from all the backcombing, ripping and rolling i'd have done for the past 6 hours by myself.

J, in his typical bratty fashion (i love you, honey:)! ) had a fit and did some more research for me, insisting that the method i was going to use was not going to work, and most of all, was CHEATING.

SO, after looking at the links he found i've decided that yes, this is a 'journey' and not some instant gratification. Now, don't get me wrong... i'm not dissing the people who HAVE seen the knottyboy and dreadheadhq sites and followed their tips and tricks... i've seen some faaaabulous dreads on their 'pics' pages and i'm quite envious of their beautiful outcomes. But in my case i think that allowing nature to take its course and gradually ending up with some knotty goodness of my own will be the best choice for moi:)

Let's get it goin'! here's my head as of last night. I washed my hair, no conditioner, let it air dry (can you see how utterly stick straight, fine, and thin my hair is?? this is going to take FOR-EV-ER). I did start one dread on my own using the ratting/rolling method. As of now, though, i have made the commitment to leave my hair alone. I will be continuing with my 'no poo' regimen: baking soda rinses, and leave out the ACV conditioning... air dry, and wrapping my hair during the day (once it's dried, of course) to encourage it to knot up.


I'm wondering if uing certain essential oils in m baking soda rinse will help alleviate the potential scalp itchies without providing that 'conditioning' factor. I know TTO may be ok to use but i'm not very fond of the scent of it itself. peppermint, maybe? I've heard rosemary is a good one to use for scalp irritation, i just dunno what it smells like. I'm off to research that as well, though if anyone has any recs or tips please feel free to add yours in my comment section!!

anyway.

Keepin' warm when it's cold

We needed a level place to keep our garbage cans and recycling bins, so john built that...

then he decided the laundry room needed a little something to keep stuff from falling behind the machines...

(yeah, sorry that one is sideways...) We also needed to keep little hands out of the potting soil. works quite well and is a great way to recycle larger cardboard boxes!

Planted our seedlings! (our chamomile is already sprouting!)

Also built by john (designed in his head nonetheless!):
* 3 planter boxes for our kiwis and hops
* a huge firewood 'keeper' (as tall as me!) to keep firewood near the house when it's too cold to tromp down the hill to get an armload
* a fireplace mantle (or at least we hope it will be if it cures well enough) that he hewed (is that a word??) from one of the very large trees we cut down in the front yard,
*our compost cage
*repaired the sandbox he made for asher after one of the trees we cut down fell on it.
*hauled a hot tub down from MD and sloooowwwly got it on the back porch under the deck
*replaced the struts on his car
*replaced a lot of junk in my jeep
*built asher a computer
*put up another shelf in the kitchen for me :)


in addition to all of that he takes care of all the miscellaneous repairs around the house. What a handy guy! I think i'll keep him, eh? ;)