NEW PATTERN and CAL – “FADED LOVE”

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Introducing my new crocheted blanket pattern – “Faded Love ” – now available for purchase on Ravelry.com .

Stunning in its simplicity, this versatile granny square blanket can blend in with any decor, from vintage to modern.

The square itself is easily learned, with basic crochet stitches and a few front-post stitches. For a 47” x 56” throw, you will need 20 skeins; for 56” x 83”, you will need 36. Once you master the pattern, sit back and enjoy many evenings of relaxing crochet with an impressive result. Suitable for the beginning crocheter.

Use your artist’s eye to put together your own color combinations, or follow my lead with the luscious shades of Stonewashed XL, a chunky cotton/acrylic blend.  Update:  Yarn Packs in the Stonewashed XL are available at Deramores.  Use this link (US) or this (UK) or this (Canada)  and I will get a commission. (Use the pulldown menu for other countries.)  Try mentioning my name at checkout for a 20% discount too.  If you purchase the yarn pack through my link I will send you the pattern for free  – send me a private message or email with your order number and Ravelry name.

Directions for a stretchy join are included; this join is excellent when squares vary a little in size. ”

I used 36 skeins of Stonewashed XL for this blanket in the following amounts:

18 skeins Crystal Quartz, 2 skeins Corundum Ruby, 2 skeins Amazonite, 1 skein each Red Jasper, Yellow Jasper, Garnet, Deep Amethyst, Lemon Quartz, Green Agate, Smokey Quartz, Boulder Opal, Blue Apatite, Canada Jade, Coral, New Jade, Lilac Quartz, Brown Agate

Or put together your own combination.  If you purchase from Deramores using this link US or UK or click the banner on the right side of my blog I will get a commission on your purchase.  Thanks!  First-time buyers can mention my name at check-out for a 20% discount.

I am planning to start the CAL on September 21, 2015, with pattern support on my Ravelry board, and also in my Facebook CAL group.

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Summer Mosaic Clue 3 Photos

Ignore my colors.  In this piece, the MC is green.

Round 3, Turn your piece and see the 12 stitches of Round 1.  Slip stitch into one of these. IMG_1303 IMG_1306

 

Round 3 complete.IMG_1307

Round 4 complete:IMG_1308

Round 5 BeginningIMG_1310 IMG_1311

Trying to show that pesky treble in the corner in Round 5.IMG_1313 IMG_1314 IMG_1316 IMG_1317

End of Round 6.IMG_1318

 

 

Round 7:IMG_1319

The skipped stitches of Round 6 that you skip in Round 7.  You will not use them again, just leave them be.IMG_1320

Round 7 corner with fpdc, fptr, fpdc all around the same st.IMG_1322

End of Round 8.  IMG_1325

Round 9:IMG_1326 IMG_1328

End of Round 9. IMG_1330 IMG_1331 IMG_1332 IMG_1333 IMG_1334

New Mystery Lapghan CAL

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I am excited to be participating in a new Mystery Lapghan CAL with Crochet Memories and The Country Willow, in which 36 designers will offer a free 6″ afghan square over a period of 3 months (on second thought some are doing more than one so maybe not 36 but a bunch.)   My square will be coming up September 14, but go now to see more information and the first square of the CAL by Cylinda Mathews at crochetmemories.com.

I’m planning to participate with this CAL – three 6″ squares a week shouldn’t be too bad!   I am going to choose my yarn now – always the fun part. 🙂  How about you?

Sunday Crocheting

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Today I’m taking a break from designing to crochet something fun and learn new techniques.  I’m following Chi-Chi on her keitopalette blog as today is the first part of her new pattern release called Around the Bases.  I thought it would be a good way to use some of my Vanna’s Choice Baby Colors, since they are being discontinued and I can’t use them for designing anymore.  For my center square, I’ve chosen the square from The Enchanted Garden by Courtney Laube as it combines the work of two of my favorite designers, Joyce Lewis and Dedri Uys.  There is so much exciting crochet these days!

Summer Mosaic Clue 2 Photos

Where to join yarn in Round 10.

Some people joined with invisible join and cannot find the first stitch of the round.  I usually say to join to the first stitch of the round or the first stitch of any increase for ease of directions, but since the last two rounds had no increase stitch it is a little tricky.

So let us join to the third stitch to the right of the stitch that goes into the fpdc. Line it up over the increase in Round 7. There is no increase in 8 and 9 which makes it tricky but go to your first st of the increase in 7, move your finger up to 8, then to 9.  It’s the 3rd st to the right of the stitch that goes into the fpdc.  Thanks to Brittany Perrin for this photo:

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If you start Round 10 in the wrong stitch you can adjust in Round 12. Round 10 is even, Round 11 is an increase round with 2dc in one st, dc in next 7. Once you get going in Round 12 you can easily see if you’re in the wrong place and you can adjust.

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Round 12 can get a little tricky; read the directions carefully.  You are increasing in this round, and also placing the post stitches a little off-line.   Reading from right to left, each repeat consists of a fpdtr around the fptr below in Round 8, then you skip the st behind the post, sc in next 2, fptr around 3rd of 7 sc below in  Round 9, DO NOT SKIP, sc in next 3, fptr around 5th of 7 sc below in Round 9, skip the st behind the post, sc in next 2.  So each repeat contains 3 post stitches and 7 sc for a total of 10 st, x 12 repeats is 120 st.  Remember, you only skip behind 2 posts.  This is how the increase is made.  2 sc, 3 sc, 2 sc.

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Here is a nice photo by Brittany Perrin:

round 12

 

 

Summer Mosaic Clue 1 Photos

Here are a few photos for Clue 1.  Round 3 Front and Round 3 Back which also appeared in the mini-clue are a little tricky.  In Round 3 Front you have to put a front post single crochet  around the post of the stitch below in Round 2, then chain 2, then another front post single crochet around the same post.  Without skipping or chaining, you move on to the second stitch with the same (fpsc, ch 2, fpsc) around the post, and repeat for each of the  remaining 22 st in the round.

I changed color to make it more clear.  This is the ch-1 to start the round (but in a different color.)

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After the ch-1 you insert your hook from front to back to front around the post of the first st of the round (in this case the first st is the ch-3 which counts as a dc.)

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Here is what it looks like after the first fpsc around the ch-2 post:

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After the (sc, ch 2, sc) around the first post:

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Here we are going right on to the second dc from Round 2, and working the fpsc around it:

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Here are 6 stitches with the (fpsc, ch 2, fpsc) worked.IMG_1188

 

Completed Round 3 Front:

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Now for Round 3 Back, hold piece toward you and peek behind these last completed stitches.  This is in two colors so it is easier to see, but you can see the unworked loops of Round 2 behind.  It is into these unworked loops of Round 2 that we will work Round 3 Back.  Easy peasy.

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Now join your yarn with a slip stitch and carry on.

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Later in Round 8, here is a photo of where you place your Fptr.  If you find it hard to keep your post stitch loose, you can add an extra “yo” and make it a Fpdtr.

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Summer Mosaic Mystery Clue Schedule

DERAMORES UPDATE JULY 24, 2015 – Some yarnpack orders were delayed due to a huge warehouse move. I have been assured that all pending orders were being worked on today and that further orders are available for same day dispatch.

It is almost time for the beginning of our Mystery Afghan Crochet-a-Long!  I will start sending out the clues at the end of next week.  I had originally said August 1, but then I thought of changing to July 31 so that everyone would have the clue on Friday for weekend crocheting.  So I think I’ll actually send it out Thursday night my time (EST – New York) so everyone will have it on Friday (Hello, Australians!)

I will post photo tutorials for the tricky parts here on the blog. (Not too many; it is an easy pattern.) We can discuss the pattern here, on my Facebook page (CAL group,) and on my Ravelry board.  On Ravelry I have a Spoiler thread where photos are welcomed, and a No Spoiler thread for people who have questions but do not want to see yet how the mystery develops.

I hope you enjoy the Mystery aspect; I’m trying to keep you on your toes and guessing as long as possible as to what the afghan is going to look like.

Please “LIKE” my Facebook page ( I have 4,500 likes and some crochet bloggers have 200,000, so I am seriously slacking here,) post photos everywhere, and spread the word about Julie Yeager designs!

Clue 1:  July 31, 2015

Clue 2:  August 7, 2015

Clue 3:  August 14, 2015  (short clue, catch-up time)

Clue 4:  August 21, 2015

Clue 5:  August 28, 2015

Clue 6:  September 4, 2015

Clue 7:  September 11, 2015 (short, optional clue, catch-up time)

Clue 8 (Final Clue):  September 18, 2015

 

 

What is a Mystery’Ghan?

What can be expected with a Mystery’ghan? Well, this is the Fifth year I have designed a Mystery Afghan. I release the pattern a little bit at a time, over a period of 6 – 8 weeks, in a series of “Clues.” The clues are carefully written to preclude the use of photos. You will feel a sense of accomplishment as you complete the clue without any idea of what it is supposed to look like! It is great fun if you enjoy mysteries! If you can’t wait, photos show up within a day or so! I am going to have dedicated threads on my Ravelry board for “spoiler photos” and for “no spoilers.” After the clues are released, I can’t control that spoiler photos won’t appear, especially since we are on Facebook and other social media outlets now, so if you do not want to be spoiled, you have to be careful just to download your clue and avoid Ravelry and Facebook until you are done! I will post tutorial photos for tricky parts (if any) and you can always ask for help and you will always find an answer with all the helpful people in my group.

Mystery Afghan 2015 – Get your yarn ready!

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Now is a good time to prepare for our MysteryGhan as we still have ample time to stock up on the yarn needed.   I am very grateful and excited to have my design vision supported by a major yarn company, Scheepjeswol.  Not only do they produce gorgeous yarn, but they are very supportive of independent designers.  They’ve made arrangements for two sizes of custom yarn packs with the recommended Scheepjeswol Stone Washed XL to be available at  Deramores.com now.  This is a yarn super-store website based in the UK with an established track record of selling a fabulous array of yarn brands to the US and all over the world .  I have ordered from them many times and I’ve received my order in New York within 7 to 10 days.  The large size pack contains the yarn to make a 48″ x 72″  (122 cm x 182 cm) afghan.  The medium size contains the yarn to make a 48″ x 48″ (122 cm x 122  cm) afghan. If you order  from Deramores using these links – large pack, medium pack,  I will receive a commission on the purchase.  Thanks!

Download the mini-clue using the directions in the post below for more information.  Clues will begin on August 1!