The New Season Brings New Adventures

September 2023 Newsletter

Changing Seasons

Do you ever stop to think about your crochet journey and how far you’ve come from that first day you picked up a hook and yarn? As we move into a new season today, I’ve been reminiscing about where I’m at in my own personal journey and I can’t help but be amazed.

20 years ago I made my first granny square after my mom retaught me how to crochet while visiting me during my first year after college (I had learned when I was 6 but needed a refresher). I made so many granny square blankets after that!

15 years ago I made my first amigurumi – when a high school friend asked me if I could make them an ewok. That started me on an amigurumi adventure that lasted for almost a decade.

10 years ago I started an amigurumi blog called Squirrel Picnic where I offered free amigurumi patterns and webcomics that followed the adventures of two crochet squirrels named Hodge and Podge. (I retired the blog in 2016 but it’s still out there if you want to check it out – squirrelpicnic.com)

7 years ago I designed my first commissioned pattern for a magazine – the “Aspen Gold Afghan” for Crochet! magazine. I love designing for magazines. I’ve learned so much from every editor I’ve been blessed to work with over the years. In fact, I ended up hiring the tech editor who worked on the “Aspen Gold Afghan” to edit my independent patterns, and we’re still working together today. Randy Cavaliere has edited every pattern I’ve ever self-published. She’s a genius!

4 years ago I opened my Etsy shop and began self-publishing patterns there, in addition to Ravelry.

Today I sent you my very first email newsletter and uploaded my first tutorial videos on YouTube! Thanks for being a part of this monumental step in my journey. I would be honored to help you along your journey too.

Let’s crochet something together!

New Patterns & Tutorials

Very Merry Blanket

My favorite memory of our first winter in Pocatello is of watching the twinkling Christmas lights cast a sparkle on freshly fallen snow. It was this memory that inspired the Very Merry Blanket crochet pattern.

This blanket is made with octagon, square, and triangle motifs that are worked in the round. A simple tapestry crochet technique, requiring just two colors in each round, creates tiny blocks of color. Using double crochet stitches, the motifs work up in a snap! Motifs are joined with an invisible mattress stitch to create a festive design across the fabric. Finally, a wide block-stitch border is added.

Detailed, step-by-step photo and video tutorials illustrate the tapestry technique, as well as how to sew motifs together using the invisible mattress stitch.

Whether a treat for yourself or a gift for someone special, this blanket is sure to be an heirloom that will brighten the holidays year after year.

Use the subscriber-only coupon code MAKEITMERRY to get 20% off this new pattern on Etsy and Ravelry

How to change colors using tapestry crochet

Using double crochet stitches instead of the typical single crochet used with tapestry colorwork makes your projects just fly off your hook! In this video, I'll show you how to effortlessly change colors, ensure a seamless finish without any visible carried yarn, keep your yarns tangle-free, and select the perfect hook for your next masterpiece.

Watch the video on YouTube!

Join motifs using the invisible mattress stitch

The invisible mattress stitch is my go-to method for joining crochet motifs that are different colors or whenever I want a seamless join with no trace of a seam whatsoever. This video tutorial will walk you step-by-step through the process of joining two motifs and provide a few tricks to help speed up the task and get your motifs joined in no time.