Star Center Ruffles Doily

After my last vacation during July-August, I was really feeling bad for not touching my crochet needles and threads.  I collected some crochet threads via Pradhan Embroidery Stores, Mumbai. I ordered the threads through their Facebook  page and they sent me the yarns through Speed Post. I got the threads on the third day of my order. Their service was excellent.

Anyway, I came out of the laziness by the end of October. Did  two crocheted doilies for Christmas. The first one is the Star Center Ruffles Doily. The pattern is from Nima's blog.

Star Center Ruffles Doily

Thread : Size 10 crochet thread
Hook : 1 mm steel hook
420 Red beads

Star Center Ruffles Doily - Close up

The beading part was comparatively easy for me. Scatter the beads on any flat surface.  Use a beading needle. If you use the normal one, the beads should pass through the needle's eye smoothly. Thread the needle using normal sewing thread. Loop it through the crochet thread. Start beading.  With a soft touch of needle tip on the bead's hole, it easily jumps and places on the needle. To speed up, you may use your other hand's index finger to slightly push the just added bead on the needle.

After placing 8-10 beads, drag  them down to the crochet thread.  Count the the number of beads in one inch of thread. Then calculate the length of  beaded thread for the required amount of beads. Eg: This pattern needs 420 beads.There are 20 beads in one inch of beaded thread. So 420/20=21". Bead the crochet thread for the calculated length. You may add few extra beads for your peace of mind, if necessary.The advantage - no need of counting beads. Enjoy beading...

See you next time......

J i s h a 

Get Well Soon...

Malala Yousafzai

J i s h a

Pineapple Fans

Here is my new pineapple fans doily. 

It is simple and  easy to work on. 

Full of  treble crochet stitches. 

Just have a look at it.

Pineapple Fans Doily

Pattern : Pineapple Fans

Thread : Ecru

Hook : 1.5 mm

Pineapple Fans Doily

Pineapple Fans Doily - zoomed in

See you next time...

J i s h a

Double Pineapple Doily

Double Pineapple Doily

I completed this doily by the end of December 2011. But blocked it recently. The inspiration to do this one is from Ninu's blog. Enjoyed doing it.

Pattern : Double Pineapple Doily

Thread : Ecru

Hook : 1.5 mm

See you next time.....

J i s h a 

Pinwheel Doily

          Nothing more creative happened this month. My mind is more into sewing. Successfully stitched one churidar set for me.  Needs more perfection for the sleeves it seems. Will be trying another set  soon. Before going on summer vacation in July-August, there is a long to-do list with me. Have to work hard to complete it before leaving. 

          I did one pinwheel doily last month. Did a pinwheel for the first time. Interesting pattern.. Like that swirl in the middle. Wish to do more swirls when I come back after the holidays... 

Pinwheel Doily

Pattern :  Pinwheel Doily

Thread : Anchor knitting thread

Hook   : 2mm

See you next time...

J i s h a

Mantilla Doily

Recently I have crocheted a Mantilla Doily. I got this pattern from the Coats website. I would like to share it with you. I enjoyed doing it. Planning to give it to my cousin when I go to India during summer vacation.

Mantilla Doily

Mantilla Doily - Close up

Thread : Crochet size 10

Hook : 1.5 mm steel hook

Pattern : http://www.coatsandclark.com/NR/rdonlyres/EEBC2EC1-91B4-45B9-8455-E7DCD3F90FAC/35944/LC1555.pdf

 See you next time

Jisha

Cutie Pie Doily

Here is my Cutie pie doilies in size 10 crochet thread. There is a long story behind these doilies. Few months ago, I did a cutie pie doily with this thread. Then tried to add few more rounds to it. Added 10 more rounds but it was not so satisfactory. I removed all of the extra rounds added. 

Another day, may little brats removed all rounds of the above said cutie pie and rolled the thread nicely into a ball and gave it to me. I gave up the plan of doing it again. Last week when the thread ball came  into my hands again, I decided to try the cutie pie doily.

Cutie Pie Doilies

After finishing the doily, I felt like it was small in size. It was because that I used 1.5mm hook instead of the 1.75mm hook and missed one round in between. I realized it after weaving the ends. So did one more with 1.75mm hook. Don't want to feel guilty again for a cutie pie...

Pattern : http://pandacrochet.8m.com/cutiepie.html

See you next time...

J i s h a

Inji (Ginger) Curry

At first, I wish you all a very Happy Vishu.

Inji (ginger) curry is famous for its taste. It is an inevitable item for kerala style sadya on special occasions like Onam and Vishu. Ginger helps in digestion and has many other medicinal qualities. Here is the recipe of Inji curry.

Inji (ginger) Curry

           Ginger  -150 gms
           Gingely oil   -   3 tbsp
           Rice flour   -  1 tsp
           Mustard seeds   -  1/4 tsp
           Fenugreek seeds    -  1/4 tsp
           Red chilly    -    2-3 nos
           Green chilly   -   3-4 finely chopped
           Turmeric powder   -   1/4 tsp
           Chilly powder   -   1-1.5 tbsp
           Fenugreek powder  -  1/4 tsp
           Asafoetida  -  1/4 tsp
           Tamarind pulp  -   of a lemon size ball
           Jaggery grated  -  1-1.5 tbsp
           Salt  -  to taste

Clean and wash ginger. Finely chop it. (You may slice the ginger and use the 'incher' of your mixer grinder for this purpose). In gingely oil, fry the ginger till golden brown and keep aside. Add the rice flour when  frying is halfway done. It will ease the frying process and will give thickness to the gravy at the final stage. 

Splutter mustard and fenugreek seeds  in the left over oil. Add curry leaves,  red chillies and green chillies. When it is fried, simmer the flame. Add  turmeric powder, chilly powder, fenugreek powder and  asafoetida (kaayam/hing). Fry for few seconds. Then add the tamarind pulp and salt. Add half cup water. Let it boil and add  the fried ginger. Stir for few seconds. Boil for few minutes.  Add grated jaggery and boil for few mins. Check the taste and adjust salt, tamarind and jaggery if needed. Sprinkle a pinch of asafoetida over the curry. Turn off the flame.  


Let it cool and store it in air tight glass container. You may keep this in fridge atleast for a month, if you won't finish it before that. Tasty and good for health.

See you next time...

Jisha

Happy Easter

Matthew 28:1-10

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Happy Easter to all of you....

Jisha

Makeover Dress II

Again, few more makeovers after my first trial. The first one is Helen's one year old T-shirt and the skirt part of her frock, she used to wear at the age of three. Combined together as a frock. Just sewed together at the waist line.

Make over dress II

I tried the raglan sleeve top for the first time. The material is from my old nighty. First trial. But turned out well, I think. My friend Maya acted as a  bulldozer force behind this creation.  The pattern idea is from this PDF file.

Again a cotton shirt of my husband turned into a frock. After sewing the Raglan sleeve top, the next day I tried this. First, I cut the sleeves from the same shirt's sleeve, but by mistake, cut it without seam allowance. Then I was searching for a suitable piece of fabric and I got the black check material from my suitcase. 

Frock with Raglan Sleeve.

See you next time....

Jisha

Shells and Chain Scarf

I tried a scarf for the first time. Shell and Chain scarf. Got the pattern from  http://anastaciaknits.net/?p=965. It is simple to make. I used acrylic yarn 1 ball with 3.5mm crochet hook. The scarf is 42" long 3.5" wide.       Here is the scarf in my ever time favorite blue colour.

The Shell & Chain Scarf

Shell & Chain Scarf Rolled Up

See you next time...

J i s h a

Makeover Dress I (T shirt & Shirt to Frock)

Nowadays, my mind doesn't concentrate on just one thing. It's roaming around. In the first week of January, we had a short visit to our hometown just for 11 days. After coming back to Muscat, there were lot of things to do.... Little ones missed one week classes after the winter vacation. On 24th January, my daughter  Helen celebrated her 6th birthday... January is passing so fast...... 

My daughter's two year old Tshirt became short in length. She is very fond of that red T shirt. Although she wears it at home, she is not ready to give it up. I was planning to do something with that T shirt. So I used an old shirt of my husband to makeover the red T shirt into a frock. 

The red T shirt &  shirt (sleeves and collar removed)

I cut the shirt below the armhole to get enough length, removed the pocket and then stitched the front portion (plackets) to close the opening without removing the buttons. Then attached  this piece to the bottom of the red T shirt as we do in normal pleated frocks. Took two heart shaped pieces from the shirt's material and tried to do some applique using my sewing machine. It ended up as a disaster. 

Anyway, the final outcome is shown below... Almost satisfactory.... Helen is very very happy for her mother saved her T shirt. And more than that, she is very fond of wearing her father's T shirts & shirts. That's another reason for her extra happiness........

T shirt + shirt = Frock....

See you next time...

Jisha