Every craft show I’ve worked, someone has asked if I make face scrubbies.  Well, after playing with patter ideas for a bit, I can now say that yes, I do make face scrubbies.  These are made with Hobby Lobby’s I Love Cotton yarn, because I really do love how that cotton feels.  It’s so soft, and let’s face it, who wants to use something harsh on their face?  To wash them, just toss them in a lingerie bag and wash in cool water on a delicate cycle.  You can put the whole bag in the dryer, or spread the scrubbies out and let them air dry.

These are simple to make, but if you’d rather, you can pop over to Hamlin Craftworks and buy a few.

I used a G hook, which gives me a scrubby that is approximately 3.5″ in diameter.

Using a magic circle, ch 1, 10 sc, slip stitch into the top of the chain.
Round 2:  Chain 2, 2 dc in same stitch, 2 dc in each stitch around, slip stitch into the top of the chain.
Round 3:  Chain 2, 2 dc in same stitch, *1 dc, 2 dc* around, slip stitch into the top of the chain.
Round 4:  Chain 2, 1 hdc in same stitch, ch 1.  *Hdc, ch 1* in each stitch around, slip stitch into the top of the chain.

Finish off.

Happy hooking!

Years ago, my grandmother crocheted Christmas doorknob hangers.  I was feeling a bit nostalgic this year and I asked my mother to send me a few photos so I could try and recreate the pattern.  When I showed her a picture of my work, Mom approved and said it looked just like the ones Ma made.

As always, you may use the pattern below to make your own, or you can hop over to Hamlin Craftworks and buy a few!

Materials Needed:
Jingle bells
Plastic ring with a 2.5″ inside diameter, which will fit over standard doorknobs
Red Heart Mistletoe yarn
Size H crochet hook
Yarn needle

Abbreviations/Stitches Used:
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
st = stitch
beg = beginning

The Ring:
Round 1:  Join with a sl st around plastic ring.  Ch 1, 76 sc around ring, join with a sl st to beg sc.  Do not turn.
Round 2:  Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 5, *sk next st, sc in next st, ch 5*, repeat from * to * around, join with a sl st to beg sc.
Fasten off.

The Spirals:
Make 3 pieces (2 with ch 50, 1 with ch 60).
Slip bell on yarn and push down.
Ch 50 (or 60), pull bell up to hook.
Sc in first chain, 2 sc in second chain, 3 dc in all remaining chains.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Attach the spirals to the yarn at the start/end point on the ring.  Weave in all ends.

Happy hooking!

Several months back, I was asked if I could make swiffer mop covers for a few friends.  Sure, I said.  Why not?  I did a little searching a found a pattern that seemed to be very popular – the folks I talked to liked it, anyway.  So I made several of the covers, and, as far as I know, my friends were quite happy with them.  The only problem was that I HATED making them.  The pattern was fairly easy, but I hated it.  I swore off swiffer covers and promised myself that I’d never make another one.

Well, one of those friends contacted me recently and asked for some more covers.  What’s a girl to do?  Go pattern hunting, of course.  After a bit of searching, I gave up.  I may not be a fancy pattern writer, but surely I could come up with something I liked for a mop cover.  And so I did.

As always, you may use the pattern below to make your own, or you can hop over to Hamlin Craftworks and buy a few!

For this pattern, I used less than one ball of Lily Sugar ‘n Cream cotton yarn and an H hook.  My finished piece is roughly 5″ by 9.5″, with plenty of stretch to slip over a standard swiffer/swiffer-type mop head.

Note: turning chains do not count as stitches.

Abbreviations:
Ch: chain
SC: single crochet
DC: double crochet
FPDC: front post double crochet

Chain 18

Row 1:  SC in second chain from hook and sc across.  Turn.
Row 2-7:  Ch 1, sc in first stitch and each stitch across.  Turn.
Row 8:  Ch 2, dc in first stitch and each stitch across.  Turn.
Row 9-25:  Ch 2, dc in first stitch, then alternate fpdc and dc across.
Row 26: Ch 2, dc in first stitch and each stitch across.  Turn.
Row 27-33:  Ch 1, sc in first stitch and each stitch across.  Turn.

Fold at DC row on each end. Starting in the corner, use a slip stitch or single crochet to hook the sc and dc sections together on one side. SC down the side, then work through both layers again to the corner. Repeat on the other side.

Finish off.  Weave in ends.

Happy hooking!

I do love a simple pattern for dishcloths.  This is a variation of my go-to pattern, which can be found here.  As always, you may use the pattern below to make your own, or you can hop over to Hamlin Craftworks and buy a few!

For this pattern, I use Lily Sugar ‘n Cream cotton yarn and an H hook.

Chain 29

Row 1:  DC in third chain from hook and dc across.  Turn.  (27)
Row 2-12: Chain 2 (doesn’t count as a stitch), dc in first stitch and each stitch across.  Turn.  (27)

For the border, you can change colors or not, whichever you prefer.  Work sc around the edges, with 1 sc in each stitch along the top and bottom, 3 sc in each corner, and 2 sc in each dc along the sides.

Finish off.

For me, this pattern works up to be roughly 9″ by 8″, which I think is a good size for a dishcloth.  The size is easily adjusted by adding or removing chains or rows to get the size you desire.

Happy hooking!

As much as I like the Magic Potholder, I decided I wanted something with a bit more texture.  It occurred to me one evening – why not use the moss stitch?  And so I did….

As always, you may use the pattern below to make your own, or you can hop over to Hamlin Craftworks and buy a few!

I used a J hook and one ball of Lily Sugar ‘n Cream yarn.

Chain 40 (or however many you like – this just happens to be my preference when using this particular stitch)

Round 1:  SC in second ch from hook.  SC across each chain and along the backside of the chain.
Round 2:  Back at the start, sc in the first stitch.  *Ch 1, skip 1, sc in the next stitch; repeat from * along both sides.
Round 3-20:  SC in the first ch-1 space. *Ch 1, sc in the next ch-1 sp; repeat from * around and around.  Generally speaking, you want to do half as many rounds as you do chains.

Fold the potholder in on itself to form a square.  At the top of the square, ch 10 to form a loop, and slip stitch to join it at the start of the chain.  Cut the yarn, leaving a tail roughly twice as long as the potholder.

Line it up stitch for stitch and whip stitch a seam, going through both loops.

Happy hooking!

I was looking for a quick and easy pattern for potholders that I could make and sell at craft shows.  I stumbled across several variations of the Magic Potholder, which is worked in rounds and provides a lovely double-thick potholder.  I played with the pattern for a bit and finally came up with a texture I like.  The other patterns I’ve found are very tight and, to me, a bit of a pain to work.  So, here is my version of the Magic Potholder.

As always, you may use the pattern below to make your own, or you can hop over to Hamlin Craftworks and buy a few!

I used a J hook and one ball of Lily Sugar ‘n Cream yarn.

Chain 36 (or however many you like – this just happens to be my preference)

Round 1:  SC in second ch from hook.  SC across each chain and along the backside of the chain.
Round 2-18:  SC around and around.  Generally speaking, you want to do half as many rounds as you do chains.  The corners will be a bit tight to start.

Fold the potholder in on itself to form a square.  At the top of the square, ch 10 to form a loop, and slip stitch to join it at the start of the chain.  Cut the yarn, leaving a tail roughly twice as long as the potholder.

Line it up stitch for stitch and whip stitch a seam, going through both loops.

Happy hooking!

I make a ton of cotton dishcloths.  Most of them I sell or give away, but I always keep a few for myself.  I love looking for new ideas, but I definitely have a couple of go-to patterns that are easy and work up fast.  In fact, I’ve been known to make some of these while passing time at a craft fair.  You may use the pattern below to make your own, or you can hop over to Hamlin Craftworks and buy a few!

For this pattern, I use Lily Sugar ‘n Cream cotton yarn and an H hook.

Chain 29

Row 1:  SC in second chain from hook and sc across.  Turn.  (28)
Row 2-12: Chain 2 (doesn’t count as a stitch), dc in first stitch and each stitch across.  Turn.  (28)
Row 13: Chain 1, sc in first stitch and across.  (28)

Finish off.

For me, this pattern works up to be roughly 9″ by 8″, which I think is a good size for a dishcloth.  The size is easily adjusted by adding or removing chains or rows to get the size you desire.

Happy hooking!