Tunic - Finished

The Tunic is completed.  It took 3 skeins of medium wt., category (4) yarn, 236 yds. per skein.  I used Red Heart Super Saver "stripes."  Size of Crochet Hook used was 5.00mm.

The finished tunic is heavy to wear so next time I make this style, I would have to use a sports weight which is a finer yarn.  I liked that the lower part of the tunic flares but it made it heavy.  I have to modify this flare for the next tunic with similar style.

I would like to make this in solid and less bright color.

Designing Tunic #1 -- Making The Lower Bodice Of The Tunic

The photo below shows the back bodice being joined to the front bodice ( see where crochet hook is attached.  The other side of the bodice will also be joined together.  Then the crochet work will be done in the rounds. 

Photo below shows the back of the bodice

Photo below shows the front of the bodice.

From this point on, I have to crochet several rows until the tunic is long enough according to my liking.

Designing Tunic #1 -- Partial Front Bodice and Back Bodice

Front Bodice of the tunic is partially done up to the waistline as shown on photo below.  The back and front bodice will be connected at armhole point on each sides of the row of both back and front bodice.  I stopped working on front bodice at this point because once the front and back bodice are connected at the sides to form the armhole,  I will crochet in the rounds, working on both back and front bodice instead of working on front and back bodice separately.  This will avoid having to join the side seams later on.

The yarn is attached to the marked area of the back yoke to start crocheting the back bodice as shown on photo below.

Working on back bodice as shown on photo below.

House chores calling out so I have to stop for now.  Can't wait to get back to making this project!

Designing Tunic #1-- Neck And Front Bodice

I'm designing a cover-up or tunic to wear over leggings or exercise leotards.


The neckline shown on photo below is finished.

Photo below --- Making the front of the tunic.

Please watch the progress of this tunic on my next post.  I have to stop due to pressing errands but I'll get back to it soon.

Zumba Gold Are For Seniors!

I enjoyed doing Zumba exercise with a group of very friendly ladies today at Karns Senior Center.  I like Zumba because, the music motivates me to keep up with the exercise routine. When I'm doing Zumba, I forget that I'm doing exercise and I feel that I'm only dancing to the music, especially, after I get familiar with the dance steps.

We have a very friendly dance instructor that leads us through the Zumba dance routines.  It does not take long for us to work out a good sweat!

Zumba can be a rigorous exercise so it is better to consult your physician before beginning this type of exercise.  Zumba Gold is tailored for Senior citizens but again it is better to consult your physician first, especially if, you have some preexisting condition that may prohibit engaging in this type of exercise.

Let's get out there and join the Zumba group and exercise to maintain our health!  Please call the Karns Senior Center or click the link given above for schedule of activities.

Gardening In A Small Space

I thought I have to give up being surrounded by wildlife altogether when we decided to move back close to the city.  As it happens, I did not lose that joy of living in the mountains where I hear the wild birds singing each morning and the bees and butterflies hovering over flowers.  By planting flowering plants and putting out bird seeds and water in our tiny backyard, I'm inviting them to

to come.

Can you see a real butterfly in this photo?

The plant is a sweet potato which was bought from an Asian store. This is the kind that bears flowers and if given more space to sprawl, it will be all over the place and produce edible tubers on its many vines.   It's not an invasive specie due to the fact that it is very sensitive to cold weather.  Its tubers as well as its vines rot in the winter time when left outside.  If one wants to save the tubers for next year planting, one has to dig up the tubers and store them in a dry place, ideally in the garage.

The flower of a Sweet Potato is like that of the Morning Glory vine.

The plant in the foreground is yellow Coleus.   Bees, Bumblebees and Humming Birds love its flowers.  They have grown so tall and produced very large leaves in reaction to the absence of morning sunlight.  These area only receives sunlight from noon until dark.

The plant in the background with yellow flowers is Nasturtium,  this too produced very large leaves.

I even planted Bitter Melon, see the young fruit?  It flowered abundantly but most of its flowers were male flowers and only few female flowers that developed into fruits.

The plant in the center is Basil, plant to the right is Taro (Gabi), to the left is a mix pot of Nasturtium and Sweet Potato.

Coleus plants and Yard Long beans are planted together on the narrow garden bed.

Do you have a garden?  How does your garden grow?  I'm happy with my garden this year.  It is very small (most of the plants are in pots), very easy to maintain.  Takes me about 10 minutes to water them all and it gives me the same joy without spending too much time and energy.

Happy gardening everyone!

Lacy Hat #1

Materials: 

• Yarn - Red Heart, Super Saver Strips- color of your choice, medim wt. (4), 1 skein.
• Crochet Hook -  1) 5.00mm,  2) 4.25.
• Yarn needle - with big eye
• Scissors
• Hairpin - to use as markers

Stitches Used:

Slst- Slip stitch - Insert hook on specified stitch or space, yo, draw up the yo through the stitch where hook was 

inserted and the loop on hook.

Sc - Single crochet -  Insert hook on specified stitch or space, yo and draw up yo through the stich  

 where hook was inserted so that there are 2 loops on hook; yo and draw up yo through 2 loops on hook.

Dc - Double crochet - Yo, insert hook on specified stitch or space, yo and draw up yo through the

stitch or space where hook was inserted so that there are 3 loops on hook; yo, draw up yo through 

2 loops on hook; yo, draw up yo through 2 loops on hook.

Fpdc - Front post double crochet - Yo, insert hook from front to back of the specified post and then 

back to front; yo and draw up yo around specified post back to front so that there are 3 loops on

hook.  Yo, draw up yo through 2 loops on hook; yo, draw up yo through 2 loops on hook.

Gauge:   Crochet hook 5.00mm - (round) R1 - R4 = 5 inches in diameter.

Characters And Terms used:

^ = Place after a stitch indicates the beginning stitch of the round to which a marker is to be placed and the ending slst of the round is to be made.

(  ) = Instructions inside the parenthesis ( ) is to be repeated as many times as indicated by the number following it.

* * = Instructions between these asterisks are to be repeated as indicated.

The Pattern:  Small Size

Use 5.00 mm crochet hook for Round (R) 1 to 10.

Ch 5.  Slip stitch (slst) to 5th chain from hook to make a ring.

R1:  Ch3^ (count this as dc).  15dc over ring. Slst on 3rd ch of ch-3.  (Dc=16)

Tip:  Mark (^) using hairpin or stitch marker a stitch  made at beginning of round where the slst at end of round is to be made. 

R2:  Sc^ on next st.  Ch3, skip 1 st, sc on next st. *Ch3, skip next st, sc next st.*  Repeat * * until there are 8scs and 8 ch-3 loops.  Slst on first sc made at beginning of this round.

R3:  Slip stitch on next chain of next ch-3 loop; sc^ on same
ch-3 loop, ch5, *sc on next loop, ch5.*  Repeat * * until there are 8 scs and 8 ch-5 loops.  Slst on top of next sc made at beginning of this round.

R4: Sc^ on ch-5 loop, ch1, 5dc on same loop, ch1, sc on same loop. One (flower) petal made.  (Sc on next loop, ch1, 5dc on same loop, ch1, sc on same loop) 7 times.  8 (flower) petals made.  Slst on first sc made at beginning of this round.

Note:  Check gauge before proceeding to next round.  If work is bigger than the gauge, then may need to use smaller size hook; if work is smaller than gauge then may need to use bigger size hook.

R5:  Slst on next 2 stitches, sc^ on next st, *ch5, skip 2 sts, sc on next st; ch5, skip 1 sc and 1 dc of next petal, sc on next st.* Repeat * * around and do ending slst on first sc that was made at beginning of this round.   ( 16 ch-5 loops; 16 scs).

R6:  Slst on next st, sc^ on next st,  *ch3, skip 1 ch, sc on next ch; ch3, skip 1 ch of next loop, sc on next ch.*  Repeat * *around and do the ending slst on first sc made at beginning of this round.
 (32 ch-3 loops; 32 scs).

R7:  Slst on next ch of next ch-3 loop, sc^ on same loop, *ch2, sc on next loop.*
Repeat * * around and do ending slst on first sc made at beginning of this round.  (32 ch-2 loops; 32 scs).

R8:  Sc^ on next ch-2 loop, *ch3, sc on next loop.*  Repeat * * around and do ending slst on first sc made at beginning of this round.  (32 ch-3 loops; 32 scs).

R9:   Sc on next loop, ch3^, count this as 1 dc.  2dc on same ch-3 loop.  (3dc on next ch-3 loop) twice Note:  One row of leaf which is made up of 9-dc made; ch3, sc on next ch-3 loop.
*Ch3, (3dc on next ch-3 loop) 3 times; ch3, sc on next ch-3 loop.*
Repeat * * around and do ending slst on 3rd ch of the first ch-3 made at beginning of this round. (Eight group of 9-dc-leaf ; 8 scs).

R10: Slst on next dc post, ch3^, count this as 1 dc.  dc on next 7 dcs. * Ch3, sc on next ch-3 loop; ch1, sc on next ch-3 loop, ch3, skip next dc, dc on next 8 dcs.*  Repeat * * around and do the ending slst on the 3rd ch of ch-3 made at beginning of this round. ( Eight 8-dc-leaf clusters; 8 scs).

R11:  Use 4.25 mm crochet hook from this round until finished.
Slst on next st.  Ch3^, count this as 1 dc.   dc on next 6 dcs. *Ch3, sc on next ch-3 loop; ch2, skip next ch-1 loop, sc on next ch-3 loop, ch3,  skip next dc, dc next 7 dcs.*  Repeat * * around and do the ending slst on the 3rd ch of ch-3 made at beginning of this round.

R12:  Slst on next st.  Ch3^, count this as 1 dc.  Dc next 5 dcs.  *Ch3, sc on next ch-3 loop; ch2, skip next ch-2 loop, sc on next ch3 loop; ch3, skip next dc, dc on next 6 dcs.*  Repeat * * around and do the ending slst on the 3rd ch of ch-3 made at beginning of this round.

R13:  Ch3, count this as 1 dc.  Dc on next 3 dcs.  *Ch2, sc on next ch-3 loop; ch2, skip next ch-2 loop, sc on next ch-3 loop, ch2, skip 1 dc, dc on next 4 dcs.* Repeat * * around and do the ending slst on the 3rd ch of ch-3 made at beginning of this round.

R14:  Slst next st.  Ch3, count this as 1 dc. Dc on next dc. *Ch2, sc on next ch-2 loop, ch1, 3 dcs on next ch-2 loop; ch1, sc on next ch-2 loop, ch2, skip 1 dc, dc on next 2 dcs.*  Repeat * * around and do the ending slst on 3rd ch of the ch-3 made at beginning of this round.

R15:  Slst on next st, sc^ on next ch-2 loop, *ch2, sc on next ch-1 loop, ch3, skip next 3 dcs, sc on next ch-1 loop; ch2, sc on next ch-2 loop; ch5, skip 2 dcs, sc on next ch-2 loop.*  Repeat around and do the ending slst on first sc made at beginning of this round.

R16:  Ch5^, count this as 1dc and 2 chs^.  Sc on next ch-3 loop; ch2, skip next ch-2 loop, dc on next sc,  (ch1, dc on this ch-5 loop) 4 times, ch1, dc on next sc.  Note:  One scallop made.  *Ch2, sc on next ch-3 loop; ch2, skip next ch-2, dc on next sc, (ch1, dc on this ch-5 loop) 4 times, ch1, dc on next sc,*  Repeat * * 6 times.  Ch2, sc on next ch-3 loop; ch2, skip next ch-2, dc on next sc, (ch1, dc on this ch-5 loop) 4 times, ch1, slst on 3rd ch of beginning ch-5.  8 scallops made.

R17:  Ch3^ , count this as 1 dc. *Dc on next dc, (ch1, dc on next dc) 5 times, note: one scallop made.*  Repeat * * around 7 times.  Dc on next dc, (ch1, dc on next dc) 4 times, ch1, sc on 3rd ch of beginning ch3.

R18:  *Sc^ on next dc space, (2sc on next ch-1 space) 5 times.* Repeat * *around.   Slst on first sc made at beginning of this round.
Fasten off leaving a 6 to 7 inches yarn tail.  Weave yarn tail within stitches on the wrong side of the hat.