AVA'S OFF THE HOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OPENWORK DRESS

2012-02-02T17:12:00.000-08:00

I used RH WW yarn for this dress, it is another spin off from the many open-work dresses that I've made in the past. I used more bright colors for this dress. It was completed January, 2012.

DOUBLE STITCH SUMMER TOP

2012-02-02T17:03:00.000-08:00

I got the pattern from the Double stitch twins website, I used RH WW yarn for this top. I really love it. It was completed January, 2012.

FLARE RED AND WHITE DRESS

2012-02-02T16:59:00.000-08:00

This is another one of my creations. This dress took quite a bit of yarn, I used RH WW yarn, I put elastic in the top for it to be extremely snug.

I completed this January, 2012.

COTTON HALTER TOP

2012-02-02T16:50:00.000-08:00

This is my own creation, I used Bernat cotton yarn for this top, it was very fast and easy. I enjoyed making it. I completed this January 2012

RASTAFARIAN BLANKET

2012-01-24T15:20:00.000-08:00

I made this blanket with worsted weight yarn by Red Heart. It was completed, January, 23rd, 2012.

I made this using the rastafarian colors of red, green, gold, black and white, it was done in single crochet in back loop.

STRIPED SLEEVELESS TURTLENECK SWEATER

2011-11-26T17:34:00.000-08:00

I just completed this sweater, I used RH yarn for this project. I got the pattern from a book called "CROCHET THAT FITS" by Mary Jane Hall. I love all the patterns in her book and they are so very easy to make.

COTTON TUBE DRESS

2011-09-15T18:19:00.000-07:00

I made this Tube Dress with RH cotton yarn. It is a very simple tube dress, with a draw-string at the top and a little flare around the edges with a split up the front above the knees.

CARON TOP, SUN HALTER TOP, APRON HALTER TOP

2011-09-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

These items flew off my hooks for your eyes.......I got the patterns for the halter tops from Double Stitch Twins website, and the caron top is from simply caron website.

They were so easy to make and quite enjoyable.

GRANNY STRIPE AFGHAN

2011-06-29T21:33:00.000-07:00

I made this afghan with all the scrap yarn I had laying around, I did it in the Granny stripe pattern, I must say, I am liking it, I will be making another one real soon. I will use this blanket when I am going to the park for my picnics, such lovely summer colors on this blanket, the pictures just doesn't do it justice, it is so much more vibrant.

CROCHET SUN DRESS

2011-05-21T22:15:00.000-07:00

This is another Sun-Dress that I made using cotton yarn, this is also the same pattern from the Double Stitch Twins, I love this pattern it is so fast and easy, and the compliments I get from wearing this it's amazing.....Thanks so much to the Double Stitch Twins Erika and Monica.

CROCHET COTTON SUN HAT

2011-05-16T17:19:00.000-07:00

I made this Sun Hat for my girlfriend Toni, I used Cotton yarn for this hat, she wore it to Turks and Caicos, she really love this hat, it really looks great on her.

VIA CONDETTI SKIRT SUIT

2011-04-25T20:46:00.000-07:00

This is a skirt suit I just completed. I used RH WW Yarn for this project, it was completed, April 25th, 2011.

CROCHET MESH OVERHEAD TOP.

2011-04-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

I used RH WW Yarn for this top, it took me 2 days to complete, it was fast and extremely easy, it is one of my own creation again. It was completed on April 12th 2011.

CROCHET SKIRT

2011-04-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

I used Cotton Yarn to make this skirt, it is my own creation, I half double crochet at the top and did a chain link design at the bottom, with ruffled edges. The color is purple, it was completed April 10th, 2011.

WEBBED SUNDRESS/SKIRT AND VERSATILE WRAP.

2011-04-01T21:28:00.000-07:00

I used Cotton yarn for these projects, I got the pattern from Red Heart which was from the Double Stitch Twins, Erika and Monica.

Modern Flapper Hat, Rolled Brim and Mesh Crochet Head Wrap

2011-03-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more items I made recently. Thanks to The Double Stitch Twins, Erika and Monica.

VERSATILE CROCHET SHAWL.

2011-02-28T20:43:00.000-08:00

I made this shawl using RH WW Yarn. I got the pattern from Double Stitch Twins.com, Monica and Erika Simmons website.

This was completed February 28th, 2011.

MY HATS

2011-02-15T18:30:00.001-08:00

These are some of the hats I made, I used RH WW yarn and Mills End yarn to make these hats, they were so much fun to make. I made a whole lot more but I couldn't possibly put all of them on my blog, I have to make another slideshow......"LOL"

MILLS END CROCHET SHRUG.

2011-01-17T20:00:00.000-08:00

I created this shrug, I used Mills End yarn which I purchased from my local Walmart, it was completed January 17th, 2011.

MY OWN CREATION

2011-01-11T18:49:00.000-08:00

This shrug is my own creation, I used Mills End and Red Heart Yarn, the color is so fabulous, it is like a purple-blue color, I don' think the picture did it justice.

It was completed January 10th, 2011.

JUST MEEEEE!!!!!!

2010-09-13T08:33:00.000-07:00

This is a pic of me just chilling, I haven't crocheted in a while, but I am planning on posting some stuff real soon.

X-STITCH BABY BLANKET.

2009-10-20T06:29:00.000-07:00

This blanket was ordered by a friend of mine. I used RH WW. Yarn, I got the pattern from a free site on the internet, it is called X-Stitch Baby Blanket.

It was completed October 19th, 2009.

THE BUBBLES AFGHAN.

2009-08-21T06:11:00.000-07:00

This afghan is called the Bubbles Afghan, I got the pattern from a free site on the internet, it was all done in single and double crochet creating a bubble effect. I used RH. WW. yarn for this project, it was completed on August 18th, 2009.

SHELLS AFGHAN

2009-04-29T06:31:00.000-07:00

I got the pattern for this afghan from a free website on the internet. It is called "Shells Afghan" because it is all a shell pattern.

I used shades of green plus white to make this afghan, it is not yet quite completed, but I decided to post it anyways.

I used of course RH WW Yarn. It is to be completed in a matter of days.

AN E-MAIL FROM SHARON (NONIE'S BLANKET).

2009-02-06T06:39:00.000-08:00

This is an e-mail I received from Sharon of Nonie's Blanket, thanking me for my donation to them. She took a picture of the blanket with the lady from the Bag Program.

Hi Ava,
The woman from the Bag Program, Linda, came and picked up blankets yesterday
and was thrilled to see yours. It is so pretty and again, we thank you so
much. I'm sure you will be hearing from her too, but wanted you to know,
again, how much your generosity was appreciated. You are a very special and
caring person.
I will be posting your blanket on my website in the near future. I want to
make up a new page for donations.
My girlfriend found some yarn in a thrift shop for me so I am working on a
bright orange one right now. There is always lots to do!
Keep in touch,
Sharon

P. S. I LOVE the new picture of your daughter, she is so beautiful!!! I
enjoy your blog.

2009-02-05T06:25:00.000-08:00

I made this afghan without a pattern I just made something up. It was done in single crochet, then I slip stitched, single crochet and stitched on top of the afghan, the sewing got messed up a bit, but hey, I'm human......"LOL" then I did a double crochet border and added the rose in the middle with a red button. I used Bernat chunky and Red Heart WW Yarn, this was completed February, 4th, 2009.

PSYCHADELIC BLANKET

2008-12-01T06:29:00.000-08:00

I really wasn't sure what to name this blanket. My boyfriend told me to name it the Spider Blanket, but there are so many Spider Blanket around, so I decided to call it The Psychadelic Blanket, because it looks really psychadelic to me.

I got the middle square pattern from a book I have at home, then I couldn't be bothered to join the squares together to make a complete blanket so I created this, I did double crochet around, then I did a front post treble crochet on the 6th double on the second row below, I did that for about 20 rows then I did 4 rows of front post back post stitches around, then I did 2 rows of double crochet, then the last and final rows I did shells, this blanket has so many different things in it, I thought psychadelic would be so fitting for it.

It was completed Nov. 29th, 2008, and I used RH WW yarn.

HARMONY AFGHAN.

2008-09-29T06:16:00.000-07:00

I am making this for my daughter's queen-sized bed. I thought it was best to take a pic of it before it got too hard to handle.

I got the pattern from The American School of Needlework, Great Big Crochet Afghan Book, page 121, Harmony Afghan Designed by Denise Black. It was all done in single crochet and front post treble crochet.

RAINBOW BLOCKS AFGHAN

2008-08-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

After a long two weeks fun filled vacation, I am now back!!!!!! I made this afghan called Rainbow Blocks Afghan, it was one all in single crochet, I got the pattern from a small booklet named "Over The Rainbow Baby Afghans" by Liesure Arts. It was done in strips looped in through the blanket, it is such an awesome pattern I will be making another one but larger, it is very thick, warm and cozy.

It was completed August 17th, 2008.

2008-07-16T06:41:00.001-07:00

Ok, I gathered all the yarns I had laying around and decided to make a scrap ghan with it. I did not end off at the end of each row with a different color, what I did I joined a new yarn at the end of the yarn that was finished and continued, in that way I did not have all the loose ends to weave in.

This was done in all single crochet and front post double crochet, it was fun and easy to do, and the border I did 2 double crochet, chain one. It was completed July 15th, 2008.

ENTRELAC TUNISIAN CROCHET

2008-06-16T06:45:00.000-07:00

I’ve been seeing this Entrelac Pattern around on the internet for quite some time. I’ve always wanted to do this pattern but was afraid I would screw up royally…”LOL”

Then one faithful day, my girlfriend introduced the pattern to me again, and I decided that I am gonna be brave and try it, and to my surprise after numerous frogging and frustration, I finally understood the pattern. It is a knitting pattern I got to understand, but it was written in crochet using the tunisian stitch.

I did a small swatch and I think I understood the concept of the pattern, so at the end of each square I made a chain 9 and did 10 rows in the tunisian stitch and this added an extra square to the end which makes each row grows longer and increases the afghan.
A pic of my sample swatch is here for you to see.

Entrelac is a knitting technique used to create a textured diamond pattern. While the end result resembles basket-woven strips of knitted fabric, the actual material comprises interconnected squares on two different orientations.

Unlike many textured knitting techniques, Entrelac allows for colorwork as well. Though single-color entrelac is the norm, it is often used to create colored patterns.

JACOB'S LADDER AFGHAN.

2008-05-02T06:09:00.000-07:00

I just completed this Jacob's Ladder Afghan. I got the pattern from a free site on the internet. I made it for a chair I have upstairs in the hallway on the landing....(sort of decorative). The colors are RH Black and Dark Brown/Gold. It was completed May 1, 2008.

The pattern was very easy, and it worked up real fast.

MOOD INDIGO AFGHAN

2008-03-31T06:22:00.000-07:00

This is the Mood Indigo Afghan, I got the pattern from one of my closest crochet friends. I used RH blue, white, gold and black, it was completed March 28th, 2008.

This afghan was made for the Street Festival I have coming up in June in Aurora, Ontario. This afghan was done using all front and back post stitches, needless to say it is extremely warm and cozy.

SPLENDOR AFGHAN.

2008-03-26T06:22:00.000-07:00

This afghan was made and sold to a co-worker of mine, she's taking it to London, England to give to her grandma as a gift.

I used RH Dark Brown yarn, it was completed March 25, 2008. The pattern is from Leisure Arts small booklet I picked up at Walmart a few years ago.

AFRICAN HEXAGON AFGHAN

2008-02-14T06:39:00.000-08:00

I made this afghan for an up-coming African Arts and Craft Show, scheduled for March 2nd, 2008.

I will be donating this afghan to them. They wanted it in the African colors and I made it in a large Hexagon, it was completed February 13th, 2008.

I used RH WW Yarn and the border was done in the rib-stitch.

GRANNY DESIGN SHAWL.

2008-01-03T06:17:00.000-08:00

I made this shawl with Cotton Variegated Yarn. It is the granny pattern. I put beads running down the centre back of the shawl, hopefully you'll be able to see the beads, I turned the shawl to the side to show that it can be worn that way as well, this was also completed January 2, 2008.

CROCHET KNIT GRANNY AFGHAN.

2008-01-03T06:02:00.000-08:00

This afghan was made using RH WW Yarn. I started the middle of the afghan using my Mo-Ez Hook, (the red tip hook), I was gonna do the entire afghan in the crochet knit stitch, then I ran out of yarn. Instead of frogging it, I decided to finish it off doing the granny pattern in black.

That's how I came up with the name for the afghan "Crochet Knit Granny Afghan". It was so much fun to do and it also worked up real fast. It was completed January 2, 2008.

BIG BASKETWEAVE AFGHAN.

2008-01-02T07:08:00.000-08:00

I completed this Big Basketweave Afghan January 1, 2008. I used Red Heart WW Yarn, the color is Rose Red.

I really enjoyed making this afghan, it worked up so fast, and I am in the process of making another but with two colors.

MY MO-EZ NEEDLES.

2007-09-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

These are my Mo-Ez needles. These are the needles I use for my graph ghans. The most commonly used needles are the red and yellow long tip ones.

Purchasing those needles were the best thing I've done, I enjoy using them, and they make my crocheting life so EASY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JUST ME FEEDING MY FACE!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-05-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

This is just me feeding my face at my office barbecue for 2006, I am just now receiving the pic. I know I look like I eat a lot check out the amount of grub in that plate, my eyes says it all......"LOL LOL LOL"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FREE PONCHO PATTERN

2006-01-30T05:59:00.000-08:00

GLIMMER PONCHO PATTERN

Please note, every effort has been made for the pattern instructions are clear and concise, if not, do drop me a note at:

avas@ca.trenchgroup.com;

ROW 1:

Chain 4, (2dc, ch 2, 2dc) in fourth chain from hook, chain 2, turn;

ROW 2:

2 dc, in first dc, dc in each dc to center ch 2 space, (2dc, ch 2, 2dc in chain 2 space; dc in each dc across to end, 2 dc in last dc; chain 2 turn;

Repeat row 2 for pattern, continue in this manner until desired length.

Lay poncho on a flat surface, bring two points together in front, fold over to form collar, then with tapestry needle threaded sew the front folded section down. Then bring front pieces together and stitch from bottom up, "remember to leave opening for neck". Add tassels if required.

CROCHET ACCESSORIES.

2006-01-27T12:59:00.000-08:00

This is a matching hat and scarf set I made for myself. I got the pattern from Lionbrand Website.

TUNISIAN CROCHET

2006-01-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

TUNISIAN CROCHET

This is some information on one of my favorite crochet stitches, it is called the "Tunisian Crochet", this stitch is so versatile you can create so many things using this stitch, for example; outerwears , blankets and so much more.

Tunisian crochet has a two step method in forming stitches. The first step is known as forward, where the loops are gathered on the hook working from right to left. The second step is known as the return where the loops are connected to one another and dropped off the hook. The return is worked from left to right.

The tunisian crochet has tight dense stitches that are well designed for winter blankest and outerwear as I mentioned earlier, that will keep the cold out. To soften the stiff nature of tunisian crochet you must use a larger size hook, possibly three time larger than the regular size tunisian hook.

To get these large size hooks, there is a website called Mo-ez unlimited, which makes these large size hooks just for tunisian crochet. These hooks are specially made by Monte and his wife Val, these hooks are not sold in stores, you would have to order these hooks through their website.

When working the beginning chains of the tunisian crochet, always add 2 chains to the desired number of chains. This will allow you to create the edge of your piece using the basic stitch formation on the first and last stitches of the row, so you don't break the pattern of your piece.

Tunisian crochet is well adapted for changing colors of yarn. With practice and patience, you can use cross stitch patterns to create designs in the crochet.

In conclusion, many people will work the main piece in one color and then cross stitch the pattern on top, which I have also done with one of my blankets below; however; the pattern can actually be crocheted into the piece, much like those fancy machine knitted garments you see in the stores.