African Flower (C)

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/LaurainVA/african-flower-hexagon

H Hook

1st Round: Chain 5 and join with slip stitch to form a ring.

2nd Round: Chain 3 (counts as first dc), 1 dc in ring, (ch1, 2 dc in ring) 5 times, ch 1 and join to first beg ch 3 beg. (6 shells). Fasten off color A.

3rd Round: Join next color in the ch1 sp and ch 3 (counts as 1st dc) add one more dc in that same st, ch 1 and 2 more dc in that st. (2 dc, ch 1, 2dc) in each ch1 sp around. Join with slip stitch to ch 3. (6 clusters)

4th Round: Join next color (or for a more flower look keep same color) attach yarn in any ch1 sp. Ch 3, add 6 dc in same st (total of 7). 7 dc in each of the ch 1 spaces. Join with slip stitch to first ch 3. (6 shells or 36 dc)

5th Round: Join next color in last dc of pedal, sc in that st, ldc in next st, 3rd row below between the 2dc,ch1,2dc sp sc in next 7 dc from prev round, ldc in 3rd row below between the 2dc,ch1,2dc sp (42 sc and 6 ldc)

6th Round: Join next color at 1st sc after the ldc. Ch 3 (counts as 1st dc) 1 dc in next 2 sc, dc, ch 1, dc in next st (top of pedal), dc in 7 more st across, (dc, ch 1, dc in next st)
repeat * to . Join with sl st in top of beg ch 3. Tie off.

NOTE: if you crochet tightly, these will tend to curl – make sure to block your work if this happens.

ldc – long double crochet
dc – double crochet
sc – single crochet
sl st – slip stitch
beg – beginning

Just FELL in love with these here is a whole site dedicated to them!)

http://www.flickr.com/groups/africanflowers/pool/

American Girl Dress/Shrug

Looking everywhere on the net for patterns, I ran across a few I really liked!

Here is one of them by Elaine Phillips

American Girl Doll Empire waist dress with ruffles

http://www.abc-knitting-patterns.com/1113.html

This is not my pattern, I simply tweaked it. Credit goes to Elaine for the wonderful inspiration.

I'm very new at writing a pattern out. I can do them in my house by trial and error. So please write me if you have questions.

Work the skirt as Elaine has said, but I only did about 18 rows of it. I wanted something more "tween"

I chose to do the bodice just a bit different. After Elaine has you do the opening part at the waist. (dc, ch 2, dc, sk 2, sc, sk 2) etc. I worked in the round for 3 rows of hdc. Then did a ch 2 and worked hdc in 9 stitches, ch 2 and turn. work 9 st of hdc for a total of 4 rows. finish off.

That made the left back. Then I went again to the start of the bodice and did the same thing on the right back. Finish off

Going back to the left back now, skip 5 hdc and attach yarn in the 6th st. Hdc across for 20 stitches. ch 2, turn. Repeat that for a total of 4 rows.

I didn't finish off at that point and instead ch 7 and attached it to the top of the back with sl st. and sc across the top of the back part.

ch 1, turn and sc across to the end of the front bodice part. Now we're going to do another ch 7 to attach the other back to the front. and then again sc to the end.

I chose to make that back open part a bit more finished off. (see photo) So from the point you are now, hdc down that opening flap and end there. This makes a sturdy area for you to put the buttons or velcro.

The front looked a bit plain so around the neck I took the color from the skirt and just added a row of sc to give it some color.

The shrug pattern I got from here.

http://www.jpfun.com/patterns/free/toys/f113012dollshrug.shtml

I used an F hook and I had to add a couple rows because Am. Girl dolls have chubby arms *grins*

I followed the pattern exactly until I got the slp st part. Before I did the joining I added 2 more rows like this...

row 10 - sc in next 8 st, slp st across to the remaining 8 sc and sc in each of those. ch 1 and turn. Repeat back across for Row 11.

Then I just followed her instructions again :)

I hope you understood this

Laura

A great designer is Darski at Crochetville forums.

Here is one of her amazing outfits!

http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=80007

Gig's photo to Justin

Yeah, I'm a fan. I love the show If I can Dream. I twitter the house mates and follow them. During Gig's twitter session she wanted to give Justin a photo of herself but had no idea what to write. So I gave her "J, you taught me how to drive a stick, hope this drives you." She loved it.

http://www.twitter.com/crochet_lover

This is his response to her photo! :)

xo Gig and Justin! Make it big!

Laura

Granny's Daughters Drive

Welcome to the new blog.

I am currently working on charity projects.

The local VA Hospital has requested lapghans.

If you are interested in helping out the Vets, you can find a VA Hospital near you through this great charity http://soldiersangels.org/crochet-craft.html

Currently I have 2 "Blankets of Gratitude" finished, one pair of Marine colored crocheted socks and I'm working on some granny's daughters to build my next lapghans.

Ch 5, sl st into last ch to form a circle

Ch 3 (counts as first dc) 2 more dc in same space (center hole), ch 2

*3 dc in center hole, ch 2 * (2 more times)

sl st into top of beg ch3

weave in ends

Joining the cause?

Send your daughter's to

Granny's Daughters

c/o 7630 Whittington Dr.

Richmond, VA 23225