Time to return from holiday!
I updated my handbook section and added a tutorial for all of you who don’t know where to slip stitch to when working tube like shapes in the round. If your seam is travelling sideways even when you do not increase or decrease you might want to check it out. Moreover I added two different slip stitch techniques, that change the look of the seam dramatically.

Sorry, the tutorial is only available in english language at the moment.

Many thanks to crochetville inhabitants corky264, nightowl and Aggie May, who helped me understand the topic of crocheting in the round much better.

Ahhh… 23rd of Dezember and you still need a present for a friend? No time to buy anything and money is running low?
Well, inspired by Vik’s flower brooche post, I decided to crochet some last minuit flower pins. The pattern is not my own idea but it is so old that I consider it “open source”and dare to write it down.

close each round with sl st in first st of round

1. With Yarn A: Ch 3, 17 dc in adjustable ring (18 dc), cut off
2. Attache yarn B: (ch 3, sk 2 st, sc in 3rd st) 6 times
3. (sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc) in each ch 3 sp, cutt off
4. At the flowers back attache Yarn C at any sc of 2nd round: (Ch 5, sc around next sc of 2nd round) 6 times
5. (sc, hdc, 5 dc, hdc, sc) in each ch 5 sp
6. At the flowers back attache Yarn D at any sc of 4th round: (Ch 7, sc around next sc of 4th round) 6 times
7. (sc, hdc, 7 dc, hdc, sc) in each ch 7 sp, Fasten off. Weave in loose ends

Sew flower to pin

X-Mas is near but no snow in sight, not in Berlin at any rate. Far from it, it’s raining - even worse - it’s mizzling! Lucky the person, who crochets and is able to create their own white christmas in this way. You even might want to make this a sport and join the Flake Race at crochetville. I would like to, but some unfinished christmas presents begin to gnaw my conscience finally.

For all those, who completed their christmas presents already:

Ch 7, join with sl st to first ch to create ring.

(Or: work Row 1 in adjustable ring)

Row 1: Ch 3, 2 dc in ring, (ch 3, 3 dc in ring) 5 times, ch 3, sl st in top of beg ch 3.

Row 2: Sl st in next 2 dc and in ch 3 sp, (ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc, ch3) in next ch 3 sp 5 times, sl st in top of beg ch 3.

Row 3: Ch 1, sc in next dc, *sc in ch 2 sp, dc picot, sc in same ch 2 space, sc in next 2 dc, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 2, dc in same sp, ch 4, hdc picot, tr picot, hdc picot, sl st in next ch (last of the ch 4 chain), sl st in next 3 ch, dc in same sp, ch 2, sc in same sp, sc in each of next 2 dc** repeat around and sl st in first ch to join. fasten off.

dc picot:
ch 3, dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, sl st in same st as dc

hdc picot:
ch 2, hdc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 2, sl st in same st as hdc

tr picot:
ch 4, tr in 4th ch from hook, ch 4, sl st in same st as tr

Stiffen the snowflake.

More snowflakes at this sites:

Picot Snowflake Ornament
Snowflakes and Thread Crochet
Snowflakes Directory of Crochet Pattern Central

I’ve been busy lately so there was no blog update for a while. I crocheted another sweater for Paul, who is still ill. Although I tried to write down the pattern. Well, it became more a kind of tutorial or shematic instruction and I don’t know if anyone can catch up with my rotten english. Have a look yourself.

I never thought, our dog would need a sweater, because his fur is long and dense. But since he has problems with his back for some time now, the vetenarian suggested he should have a coat. This is what I crocheted for him this weekend.

The yarn is Dasolo by Lana Grossa:

87 % Merino extrafine
13 % Polyamide

Length: 75m/50g
Size of Needles: 7-8

Update:
The pattern for my dog sweater is now online!