Happy Summer and Vintage Doily

It's the first day of summer! Hooray! 

I'm in a very cheerful and high spirited mood! 

Look what I found tucked away in my craft box! A beautiful vintage doily that I made a few years ago!

I did a post about it and shared the free vintage pattern back in 2015. You can see it in this old post!

But I honestly don't like the pictures I took back then. So creepy! They don't do any justice to this beautiful doily!

Thus, I wanted to take new photos, bright and cheerful! And the first day of summer is perfect for it! 

The gladioluses are from my garden! Many years ago I bought five bulbs from a dollar store, and since then I have beautiful, cheerful gladioluses every year! Good investment! 

The apples are not from my garden! I just thought they would fit nicely in the pictures! 

But I do have some golf ball sized apples on the tree in my backyard! I'm so excited and cannot wait for them to grow and ripen! 

Happy First Day of Summer! 

What's going on in your garden? 

Katrina Doily, New Crochet Pattern

First of all, I want to thank you for your kind comments, advice, suggestions, and virtual hugs in respond to my previous post! 

I read and re-read your comments several times! It helps! Your kindness and support mean a lot to me! Thank you!

And now I want to share my new doily design! 

All those picots were very tedious to make. Then they were even more tedious to block!

But the final result is worth it! I love how airy and light my new doily is!

It's a medium size doily that measures about 15 inches across (after blocking). I used Aunt Lydia's classic cotton thread size ten and a 1.5 mm steel hook. 

The pattern is available in my shops: Etsy, Craftsy, and Ravelry. 

I'm linking this post to

Craft Schooling Sunday @ Crative Jewish Mom

Link Your Stuff @ Annamarie's Haakblog

Coloring to Keep My Mind Calm

When I started this blog back in 2011, I couldn't have imagined that crochet will become such a huge part of my life.

Back then it was simply a relaxing activity, something I did just for fun!

But now it's my job! I am grateful for my blog and my pattern shop, for people who follow me, buy my patterns, encourage and support me! 

Crocheting is still highly enjoyable for me, but it's no longer relaxing. Now there is always some pressure present - to make a new post with a free pattern, to release a new paid pattern, to get back to a customer who needs help as soon as I can, etc. But all of these issues are just a part of having a small online business, so I'm not complaining, not at all. 

But over the past year I've been dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety related to my personal life, which greatly impact my mental and emotional health. 

One of the biggest issues is that I have trouble sleeping at night. There are always so many thoughts racing through my mind, keeping me awake! 

I've been trying to find activities that could help me stay calm. 

I tried meditation, but it's very difficult actually. I do keep trying. 

And now I found one activity that is calming and enjoyable just the way crocheting used to be. 

Coloring! 

I find it very soothing. I do it just for the sake of doing it. No pressure! 

I bought a book of 20 postcards, and I color every day. When I finish a card, I write a short note and send it to a family member or a friend, just wising them a good day or thanking them for being in my life. That too helps to calm myself, just knowing that I am not alone, that I have a lot of people who care about me. 

I gave up drinking coffee, and now I mostly drink tea. A lot of tea! 

But black tea still has caffein, so I should probably switch to green tea.

I hope this post wasn't too depressing. If you have any advice, please do share. 

The doily in the photo above is the Spring Bloom Doily, a free design that I posted earlier this year. You can see my free pattern here.

Stay calm and happy!   

Lilacs in Bloom Baby Afghan, Baby Lace Blanket, New Crochet Pattern

I can't believe May is almost over! Where did it go? 

I had one post in the beginning of the month, and now I have another one at the end! 

A few several years ago, there actually was time when I was blogging twice a week. But back then, I was simply crocheting and sharing my projects. Now I design and write my own patterns, which takes way more time and energy. But no, I'm not complaining! Not at all!

I have a new baby blanket design! I named it Lilacs in Bloom! 

A simple lace pattern that works pretty quickly. 

Pattern Details

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner 

Finished Measurements: approximately 37 by 32 inches (can be adjusted to any other size)  

Materials:

US hook size G/6 (4.25 mm) 

Light worsted 100% acrylic yarn, about 1100 yards (I used Snuggly Wuggly by Loops & Threads)

The pattern is available in my Etsy, Craftsy, and Ravelry shops!