My first completed knitting stuff

Hello everyone,

Hope you enjoyed a wonderful Christmas with friends and your loved ones!

I've finished this baby washcloth while relaxing over the holidays, it's also my first completed knitting projects :). Pattern is from the book I told you before. Some mistakes would be found on this garter stitch washcloth, but for the beginner like me, it's an achievement! :)I can see over the blogland, there are so many beautiful crafting projects you are sharing throughout the holidays, love to enjoy them so much!

Have a wonderful holiday!!!

Thanks for dropping in! See you soon... :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!!

Dear all my lovelies,

I would love to let you know that I do appreciate all your kind words and encouragements so far. Thanks for always making me smile and brightening my day with your lovely comments, I really enjoy them. Thanks ever so much for the bloggy friendship you are bringing, if only you know how much it means to me...

I wish you and your beloved ones a Wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

With lots of Love from heart,
Lovestitch,
xxx

Crochet Christmas Heart Granny Square

I found the pattern of this heart square by accident and love it, so I made one with christmassy colors and share you here. Hope you like it! For the pattern, come here.

Merry Christmas!!!

Crochet Lovely Bag - A Christmas Present

Finally I finished this lovely bag just in time for Christmas, it will be a Xmas present for a friend of mine. So exciting! I fell in love with this bag since I found it by accident at the first time, luckily I found the pattern then. I love the stitches, the shape... It has a lovely form for a girl's small stuff. I especially love the ribbon around, it's a Polka Dot, I used about 1 meter including the bow.

And the lining with the magnetic snaps for more secure, as always, I love sewing lining...

Hope my friend loves it, hope it brings joy to her this Christmas season. Who can refuse a handmade gift which comes from the heart? :)

Wow, Christmas is just around the corner, I'm sure you are very busy now for making/buying gifts for your beloved ones, preparing the celebration, decorating your Christmas Tree,... so many things need to do! Enjoy it my all friends!

Merry Christmas!!!

Update: There's an available link to the pattern right on the post above, you just click on the word "...the pattern..." and you will be linked to the pattern. For those who might not recognized it, please click HERE to get yours!

Thank you!!!

My First Knitting Book

Hi there, how time flies, it's weekend again and I hope you all have a wonderful time!

Did I tell you I'm learning how to knit? Yes, it's really my new fun. I have a big love with crochet, and now I think I should make friend with knitting. But honestly, I did not spend much time for knitting until now, well so many things to do and time has its limit.

I received the parcel from Amazon.com yesterday, my knitting book arrived! It's a "Teach Yourself Visually Knitting". Hope I could get help with this lovely book, for such a beginner like me.

The book has a colorful and visual design, I can find a lot of knitting techniques with picture demonstrations. Let's go through some pages:

So interesting, isn't it? Well, there's much more things I should do, but I will take it easy, will enjoy it at my leisure. Learning and enjoying the crafting feeling, what could be greater than? :)

Thank you so much for stopping by and see you very soon!

Crochet Christmas Flower Doily

This doily inspired me at the first time I saw it. I love the color, the stitches and the special feeling I had when making it. Thank you so much Glor at Crochet Galore for sharing such a beautiful pattern!


I added 2 dc more in the last round, just hope it will be thicker, but when I finished, how surprising it turned out ruffled, so there's a little bit difference from pattern:

But I love it. The ruffled edging looks like petals of a big flower. Glor, may I call it a Christmas Flower Doily? :)

Wish you all a fabulous weekend!

With love, xxx

Update: Christmas Potholder Crochet Pattern

Hello! It seems I am often here just on weekend, I've been quite busy these days, so it's really happy every time I can have a talk - or thought to you. But I always keep going around to enjoy your lovely worlds at any time I can. Thanks ever so much for all your lovely words on the Christmas Potholder from my last post, if only you know how it brightened my days!

Well, I promised to post the pattern for the Christmas potholder in my last post, I do it right now. This pattern is from a Japanese book, I found chart via Picasa. The problem is I could not find the link again to share you here, as I printed it out and lazy me did not save the link :(. So I've uploaded the one I have to my Picasa album, you can get it if you are interested in.

For those who are not used to reading chart, I did "translate" it into US crochet term just in case. Please let me know if there are something unclear :).

You can use any yarn and hook.
Gauge: Not important.

FRONT:
With RED, make a magic circle.
1. Ch 1, sc in loop, (3 dc, 2 sc) 4 times, join to beginning chain.
2. *Ch 4, sl st in between 2 sc, repeat from * 3 times, join to beginning chain.
3. Ch 1, *sc into the ch-4 space, 5 dc, sc in the same space. Repeat from * 3 times, join to the beginning chain.
4. *Ch 6, sl st to the previous sl st, repeat from * 3 times. Join.
5. *Ch 1, sc into the ch-6 space, 8 dc, sc in the same space. Repeat from * 3 times. Join to beg ch and cut the yarn.
6. With GREEN, *ch 4, sl st to the previous sl st, repeat from * 3 times. Join to beg ch.
7. Sl st into space, *ch 3, dc decrease into the same space, ch 1, (cluster (3 dc joined), ch 1) 3 times in the same space. Repeat from * in each space around. (total 16 cluster ch 1). Join to the top of beginning chain 3.
8. Ch 4, dc in ch-1 space. *Dc, ch 1, dc* in each ch-1 space around. Cut the yarn.
9. With WHITE, sl st in to the ch-1 space, ch 3, dc in the same space, *ch 1, 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc* around. Ch 1, 2 dc in the first space, ch 1 (made shell), join to the top of beg ch3.
10 - 11. Repeat row 9.
12. Ch 3, 2 dc in the same space, *ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc* around. Ch 1, 3 dc in the first space (made shell), ch 1, join to the top of beg ch3. Cut the yarn.
13. With RED, Ch 3, 2 dc in the same space, dc in the ch-1 space, *3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc, dc in the ch-1 space* around. 3 dc in the first space (made shell), ch 1, join to the top of beg ch3. Cut the yarn.
14. With WHITE, Ch 3, 3 dc in the same space, dc in the previous dc, *8 dc in the ch-1 space, dc in the previous dc* around. 4 dc in the first space (made shell of 8dc), join to the top of beg ch3. Cut the yarn.

BACK:
With RED, magic circle.
1. ch 3, 15 dc into the loop. Join to the top of 1st ch 3 (total 16 dc).
2. Ch 3, dc in the same st, 2 dc in each dc around. Join to the top of 1st ch 3 (total 32 dc).
3. With GREEN, ch 3, *2 dc in next st, dc in next st* around. Join to the top of 1st ch 3 (total 48 dc).
4. Ch 3, dc in the same st, *ch 1, 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc* around. Ch 1, 2 dc in the first st, ch 1 (made shell), join to the top of beg ch3.
5 - 7. Repeat row 4.
8. With RED, Ch 3, 2 dc in the same space, dc in the ch-1 space, *3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc, dc in the ch-1 space* around. 3 dc in the first space (made shell), ch 1, join to the top of beg ch3. Cut the yarn.
14. With WHITE, Ch 3, 3 dc in the same space, dc in the previous dc, *8 dc in the ch-1 space, dc in the previous dc* around. 4 dc in the first space (made shell of 8dc), join to the top of beg ch3. Cut the yarn.

Edging and Hanger: With WS facing, Join RED yarn, ch 1, sc all around, join to the beginning ch. Ch 18, skip 8sc, join to the next sc. Turn and sc increase for the remaining chains.

Hope you enjoy your weekend! :)

Crochet Potholder for Christmas

How is your holiday, my lovely friends? Well, I bet you had a great great time, so I would love to enjoy your posts about it!

For me, I have just attended a wedding party of my colleagues today, yes, they both are my colleagues! Wedding, what a happy time in our life! I don't know how my wedding will be, but every time attending, I always have a very special feeling. I am happy for them, and think of myself, about my man, my marriage life in future, kids, .... Oh forget it, I always have a big imagination in my mind! :)

Back home, I completed the last stitches of this Christmas potholder and must show you right now because I can't wait! :)

FRONTand BACK

Pattern will be posted as soon as I can. Creations for Christmas are so fun, and special to me! Hope I could make more and more!

Take loads of care everyone, and enjoy your time, no matter how!

Have a fabulous Sunday!
xxx

Crochet Christmas Ornaments

Hello my dear friends! I am here again, it's such a happiness to me as always! I do appreciate for all lovely words you have made on my blog, if only you know how it's meaningful to me, thank you! Hope you have spent a great week!

These days I really enjoy a lot of beautiful stuff for welcoming Greeting season from your wonderful places, they all are adorable, give me a very Christmas feeling!

I have just finished some little things for Xmas, very little, very handmade, and I am very please to share :).

A Christmas Card: I made this card for all of you, my so lovely friends, wishing you a very merry Christmas!
You'd like to have the pattern for this tree? You got it, right here, so simple, and so fun to make.

- The Xmas Tree:
With red, chain 14.
Row 1-3: 14 single crochet, turn.
Row 4: 1 sc decrease, 11 sc in next stitches (skip the last stitch and turn) (total 12 sc).
Row 5: 12 sc across. Change to Green, turn.
Row 6: 12 sc across, turn.
Row 7: 9 sc across, 1 sc decrease in the last 2 st, turn (total 10 sc).
Row 8-9: 10 sc across. Change back to Red, turn.
Row 10: 10 sc across, turn.
Row 11: 7 sc across, 1 sc decrease in the last 2 stitches (total 8 sc), turn.
Row 12-13: 8 sc across. Change to Green, turn.
Row 14: 5 sc across, 1 sc decrease in the last 2 stitches (total 6 sc), turn.
Row 15-17: 6 sc across, turn.
Row 18: 1 sc decrease, 3 sc across (total 4 sc), turn.
Row 19: 4 sc across, turn.
Row 20: 1 sc decreae, 1 sc (total 2 sc), turn.
Row 21: 2 sc.
Row 22: 1 sc decrease.
- The little star: I used the pattern here, but just made for 2 rounds.
- The base of the tree:
Row 1: skip 4 first stitches, work 6 sc across through the back loop of the beginning ch, turn.
Row 2-4: 6 sc across.
- French knot embroidery to make the snowy dots.
Make your own card as special as you want!

Star ornament: The lovely star, with very Christmas colors!And how it looks when getting along with the Christmas tree! Lovely friendship, isn't it?Pattern for this star is still from my fav book, making it made me really happy!

And, the last one I would love to share, a first piece of my knitting, my practice of stockinette stitch, it also has Christmas colors, oh a bit shy :)
I love to learn knitting, love to do crochet, and other lovely crafting, just wish I got much free time... But we seem hardly have enough time for what we want to do :)

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend, and enjoy it!!!

xxx

Crochet Apple

I really enjoyed making this lovely apple. Once found the pattern, I knew I could not wait. With a cup of coffee and a hook, I started right away. It turned out lovely, isn't it?
How nice it looks to be on a tree! I just love to give it to you all!
Oh, I nearly forgot, you can get the pattern here if you're interested in.

It's time I have to back to my knitting, I have just started and really love to learn.

Enjoy your Sunday, my lovelies!

See you soon, xxx

Crochet Another Pouch

Long time ago I gave a colleague of mine a little pouch as a gift. She loved it so much, and although it's now getting old and shaggy, she still brings it with her every day. I know it's time to replace it with a new one so I made this one for her.

How it looks like with the lining inside. Did I mention I love sewing lining for all my bags? My sewing machine seems just to be used for making that only thing! :)
Fastened it off by pulling the drawstring. Actually I prefer a zipper than a drawstring, but attaching a zipper always scares me! Anyway, hope it will be with her all the way!

Crochet Cute Little Doggie

Hi everyone! Long time no see! I miss blogging so much, miss all my lovelies and that's great to be here with you again!

Today I would like you to meet my Little Puppy, he's very happy to meet you!

"Hello! So nice to meet you!"


A smile is a good sign of happiness, isn't it? "Yes, I am smiling, and welcome you to my close friend's blog!"


"I was watching and listening her carefully when she was telling me about some lovely things in life, and about how she's happy to have you here!"


Oh my lovely Puppy, what are you thinking? You seem staring into space! "No, I just feel sad a little bit, as it's time I have to say goodbye my new friends, I will miss them!". Don't worry little Puppy, you will always in our hearts!

So, take a rest Puppy, have a good sleep, and beautiful dreams will come....!
Oh what a lovely Puppy! I love him so much!

You love him, too? And you also love to have the pattern for your own? I knew I did, when I first saw the pattern here and bookmarked it. But this time, by clicking the link above, you will see nothing on the page, I don't know why too. Luckily, I did make a copy on my hard drive, so I can share it to you all now, please come here HERE to get yours!

Have a wonderful Sunday!
xxx

Beautiful Blogger Award

It's soooooo happy to me when I was given this lovely award from Clara and then Hayley, thanks ever so much for thinking of me "Beautiful Blogger", you really made my day! :)

Well I'll tell you 10 things you don't know about me, keeping with the award conditions:

1. I am a Vietnamese girl, also the only girl in my family.
2. I am 25% French, from my grandfather.
3. I haven't got married yet.
4. I love dogs and other animals, so much.
5. I learned to crochet about one year ago, and deeply fall in love with it.
6. I bring home a ton of yarn and thread but when starting a new project, I bring another one :( .
7. I just started to learn knitting yesterday, and found it's really fun!
8. I go jogging 4-5km every morning.
9. I love coffee and enjoy it every day.
   
10. I also love Louis Vuitton bags but never think about buying one!
    

Phewww, done! Now it's my turn to pass it to 10 blogs, such a hard job! I have to choose only 10 of 10 millions beautiful blogs! So some of them are:

• Penelope from L is for Love
• Casey from plus3 crochet
• Susie from Uit het breitaske
• Sonia from Raine and Sage
• Jacquie from Bunny Mummy
• Teje and Nero from Nero's Post and Patch
• Mopo from La tana di...
• Nélia from Magia do Crochet
• Ames and Tash from Le Tigre Papillon
• Glor from Crochet Galore

I just wish I could write down my list as long as I love, not have to stop at 10, very sorry for that. And, it's my big fun if you take this award and pass it to the other blogs, but please don't mind if you don't want to. :)

Love the Sunshine

It's been quite some time since my last post, about ten days, hasn't it? It seems like ages to me!!!
I was a little bit busy these days, so now I am back to say 'Hi' to you all, hope you have a wonderful time!
This lovely heart motif is from "Beyond the Squares" - Edie Eckman - I mentioned in my last post. It's also the first time I tried a thing with my favorite book. And I love it. Do you think "Sunshine Heart" is a good name? :)

Enjoying flowers in sunshine is really great, they are so bright and beautiful. I took some "Sunshine Pics" today and would love to share you.

This lovely flower is quite popular in tropical climate areas, so once I saw it from Attic24, I just love to tell her there are so many such flowers in my garden. I knew them when I was just a very little girl, and now they're still there, as from all my childhood...
These flowers have just come to my garden recently, and I have no idea what they are called, just love them, the tiny flowers look bright and lovely in sunshine!
These flowers are always growing in clusters, so once they are in blossom, they look like to be in a vase!
And here, also in sunshine, a washcloth with sc cluster edging for my friend, she loves pink, and really loves it. Ah, it's also a big surprise to her knowing I can crochet! :)

Crochet Colorful Bracelets

These bracelets are what I did on the rest of last Sunday, after "Coffee Break!". Once I found a very beautiful and easy-to-make tutorial on The Purl Bee, I knew I could not miss these lovely things, now here they are! Thanks for sharing!

I will make some more for matching my dress colors. Size S or M fix my hand well (for brown and blue one), but I also made size L for the red one, so you will see the button was not placed right at the edge as the others.
But look, it's still OK on my hand! :)
Hope you all have a new wonderful week!
xxx

Coffee Break!

Hi all, how are you? I guess you all have a very wonderful weekend!

It must be great to relax with a cup of coffee, in the fresh Sunday morning, how peaceful it is! And I know, I got that feeling, this morning, with my coffee and a hook :).

Getting the small table-cloth completed is also my big fun this morning, so I would love to share it to you all, hope you enjoy your weekend, and enjoy a Coffee Break! :)

Some small pouches

I love to crochet some small things for my small stuff, and when I saw the pattern from Miva Crochet, I started to give it a go! The blue pouch and the pink cell phone case were made with the same pattern.
Opened them:
And here is another tiny pouch I made for my Mum to keep her some change. It came with no pattern, just work single crochet all around, adorned with some spike single crochet.

Crochet Bag in Blossom

I think about this lovely bag all the time since I first found the pattern on Crochet me. Thank you Julie for sharing it!
When starting, I worried a little bit about the color. But you see, it's beautiful in its own special way! I love it, so much.
Lining inside. I always love sewing linings for all my bags. It's really really fun!Enjoy your new day, friends, and happy hooking!

Crochet Shell Bag

This shell bag pattern comes from a Japanese book I have read long time ago. I decided to give it a try with the variegate color yarn, and it came with surprising design really impressed me!The lining in the same tone of crochet fabric, and the magnetic snaps as well.I and my new bag are going out, ah hah... :)

Morning in the garden

When getting out into the garden this morning, a very comfortable feeling came to me. Fresh air and cool weather, green trees, colorful flowers, ... everything is perfect! Today I would love to share you something about my Dragon Bean trellis.

Few months ago, my Mom sown some seeds in our garden, now they're growing and in bloom. It's a kind of bean, mainly grown in Asia plants like green beans, soybeans... and perhaps its shape looks like the scales of Dragon so it is called "Dragon Bean"! :)

Observing its normal growing process within the morning you will feel so interesting. Buds are just showing...

Then blooming...

In purple...

And in white

So beautiful! So soft! So bright! So much I love...!!!

And where a flower is, there come a bee right away!!! A natural rule...

OOhhhh, so strange!!! There was a strawberry on my bean trellis!!! :)

I took it on my hand... (but cannot eat!!!)

Do you love to get pattern for this nice strawberry?
You get it right here:
Fruit body:
Make a magic circle
Round 1: chain 1, 6 sc in the loop. Do not join. Add a marker in your beginning stitch.
Round 2: 2 sc in each sc around (12 sc total)
Round 3: *1 sc in next stitch, 2 sc in next stitch. Repeat around from * (18 sc total)
Round 4: sc increase every 2 stitches (24 sc)
Round 5-7: 1 sc in each sc around (24 sc)
Round 8: sc decrease every 2 stitches (18 sc)
Round 9-10: sc in each sc around (18 sc)
Round 11: 1 sc, 1 sc decrease (12 sc)
Round 12: 1 sc in each sc around (12 sc)
Round 13: 1 sc decrease in each stitch around (6 sc decrease total)
Stuff and sew shut.
Leaf:
Magic circle.
Round 1: chain 1, 6 sc in the loop.
Round 2: 1 sc increase in each sc around (12 sc)
Round 3: chain 1, * sc in the same stitch, chain 3, skip 2 stitch, sc in next stitch. Continue from * all around, join at beginning chain (4 chain-3 total)
Round 4: chain 5, sc in the 2nd chain from hook, 1 half double crochet in next chain, dc in each of next 2 chains, slip stitch in the next sc (total 1 sc, 1 hdc, 2 dc total). This will give you a leaf triangle, continue for the remainder.
Sew the leaf to the top of the strawberry body. Make a chain loop on top of the strawberry if you want to use it for a key. Secure and sew in the tails.