Today, I filmed a few clips in an Q & A format about my experiences as a crochet designer and how I have dealt with the issue of my creative work being stolen and distributed online without permission. If you’d like to hear my thoughts & tips on the topic, I have compiled the clips into a video you may watch on YouTube.

Q & A Video

As is our tradition, I often make a crocheted gift for my daughter’s exchange-student friends. This time, fittingly, I was asked to make a crocheted pumpkin. I happen to have a really great Cabled Pumpkin pattern, so I used that for this adorable creation. My daughter suggested that I add a vine to the stem, so I did. To do this I worked with the green as follows:

Vine: Ch 10, 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook, (3 sc in next ch) 5 times, sc in last 3 ch.

Then I continued by joining the green to the top of my stuffed orange pumpkin and worked the instructions for the stem (or my own variation of it.) The 3 sc in each ch at the start of the vine causes it to curl up neatly, then working 1 sc in the last 3 chs makes that section straight.

We think it turned out very cute and we hope Pumpkin will think so too!

Looking back at my project notes on Ravelry (a great place to keep record of crafting projects!), in February 2012 I began to design and create what became my Flower Motif Baby Blanket crochet pattern. It was a very special project since I was pregnant with my 3rd daughter, due in May 2012. I completed the blanket consisting of 30 motifs on April 10, about 6 weeks before she was born.

The yarn I used for this was so lovely and the fiber has stood the test of time. I used a now discontinued yarn called Naturally Caron Spa - an acrylic and bamboo blend. If you have not worked with bamboo yarn before, I highly recommend it for its smoothness and softness.

Fourteen years later, this blanket, although generally tucked away in the closet, is still a treasured possession. Recently, Miss 14 pulled this blanket out and decided to fashion it into a shawl by wrapping it around her shoulders and tying it at the front of her waist. I had to capture her at this lovely age, “growing up beautifully”, as my Mom used to always say, still wrapped up in something made, especially for her, with love in every stitch.

Ever since I originally designed the pattern, I thought about how fun it would be to just make the crocheted collars and sew them to pretty fabric bibs…but I didn’t have the expertise with the sewing machine. Recently, a young crafty friend from Australia came to visit us and she is both a talented dancer and accomplished seamstress. She teaches Highland Dance and also makes and sells custom outfits and accessories for Highland Dancers. While she was visiting, she kindly made a few of these fabric bibs for me using some pretty cotton fabric squares I had collected. She also embellished some with lace and I think they turned out so beautifully. It has been nice to finally see this idea come to life.

The sample bibs will be sold at a local boutique where I often sell some handmade crocheted items, or also some of my designer samples. Perhaps if you have both the crochet skills and the sewing talent, you might find yourself able to make similar-style bibs for your local craft fair or handmade crochet business. The pattern is now available for free to any who would like it: Ravelry: Dolled Up Bibs pattern by Lisa van Klaveren Enjoy!

I made 2 styles for this particular pattern. The original sample has 10 rows for each color stripe. I used a pretty combination of 8ply or DK weight yarns in colors cool blue, pink petal, mauve, silver gray and fawn. The unique zigzag style edging was done in the same pink petal color.

The sample baby blanket was approx. 32” x 40”. I generally design all my blanket patterns so they may be made to any desired size and often using yarn and hook size of choice.

Before I released this pattern, I was inspired to create a 2nd version, done with approx. 6” squares with the same border. Sewing them together creates a gorgeous “rag quilt” style blanket. This is also a great stash-buster pattern.

Ravelry: Knit-Look Broken Rib Stitch pattern by Lisa van Klaveren

Ravelry: 2026 Afghan Club