The NaturallyCaron.com Notebook

Welcome to the official start of summer – the week of the Fourth! A great week to bring out those needles and hooks for some lolling at the pool, in a tent – or under the stars!

New Featured Patterns
I’ve been intrigued and inspired by the amazing crocheted lace designs I’ve been seeing, especially from our designers, so wanted to do one myself (though certainly not what I’d consider amazing – just easy). I love subtle colors, as you can see in the NaturallyCaron.com shades, but I also like to do crochet projects that are easy and fast – that don’t require much thinking when I’m traveling with hook in hand – and that are colorful.
I was attracted by a chart in an Italian crochet book (and I don’t speak Italian), so I followed the chart (with one unintentional minor modification) and this is how it came out, above left, the Kigali Wrap in Country. Since I’m becoming such a devotee of crochet charts, I asked our tech editor to create a chart for this design, to the right (you can see a much larger chart here. Try looking only at the chart (no peeking at written instructions) and creating the wrap. You’ll see just how easy it is!

Darlene Dale created the Felicita Ruana, to the right, in Berry Frappe Spa. When making summery lace projects and shawls, using a much larger needle or hook size than what would normally be used for these types of projects makes your work go faster, makes the finished project drape particularly well – and uses much less yarn. AND it packs SO well in your carry-on

Now I invite you to join Liz Walsh as she learns to write her first pattern for this charming sunflower…

Lizzie’s Summer Sunflower Crochet-Along
I have been crocheting for years but I work using a couple of simple stitches and my imagination. But I’m not really sure what I’m doing; I shape by instinct. However now that I’ve joined the Caron team I think its time for me to learn to crochet by the book, (or by the pattern)!

This sunflower came out of a pile of odd balls of yarn that were leftovers from other Country projects and I was trying to find something to make with the colors I had, hence the sunflower.
Over the next couple of weeks, join me as I learn to write a pattern & crochet chart. This crochet-along features my “Lizzie’s Sunflower.” Each week we’ll work on the next step in the process until you’ve created a great sunflower and I will have written my first pattern! This pretty flower is created out of NaturallyCaron.com Country. This week I will focus on getting the materials together and starting the center of the flower. At the end of the crochet-along, we’ll post the full pattern and a printable pdf, too!

Materials List:
NaturallyCaron.com Country in
#0023 Chocolate Truffle (A), 1 oz
#0011 Gilded Age (B), 3 oz
#0019 Vicuna (C), 1 oz
#0020 Loden Forest (D), 2 oz

Crochet Hook:
One size US G-6 (4mm)

Additional Materials:
One ½ x 48″/13mm x 122cm dowel cut to lengths between 18-24″/45.5-61cm
Polyester fiber fill
Yarn needle

Project tip: Crochet a bouquet! Make a few flowers at a time, cutting the dowels different lengths, to create a stunning bouquet.

STITCHES USED
Chain (ch)
Double crochet (dc)
Single crochet (sc)
Slip stitch (slip st)

SUNFLOWER
Center
With A, chain 4; join with slip st in first ch to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch 3, work 12 dc in ring; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—12 sts.
Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc.
Round 3: Ch 3, *2 dc in next 3 sts, dc in next st; repeat from * around; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—21 sts.
Round 4: Ch 1, sc in first st, *2 sc in next st, sc in next st; repeat from * around; join with slip st in first sc—31 sts.
Round 5: Ch 3, dc in each st around; join with slip st in top of beginning ch.
Fasten off.