Sunflower Dishcloth – A Free Crochet Pattern

September 13, 2023September 13, 2023 Sharon AndreaniLeave a comment

Sunflowers against a September sky. This sunflower stalk came from an envelope of seeds my husband brought home from his work. Those seeds had a late start this summer and only one sprout survived. Boy, has it grown tall! I can’t wait to see it with all the flowers blooming!

Sunflowers are one of my favorite flowers to grow and to use as decorations inside and outside in late summer and early fall. My love for this flower started when I was a kid. My dad would plant sunflower seeds along the back side fence in late spring each year. They would sprout and he would show me how to “thin” the sprouts allowing the ones left in place to grow strong, thick stalks to support their heavy flowers. His sunflowers would grow taller than the garage. I remember looking up at the huge sunflower heads against the deep blue sky and thinking how majestic they looked. Dad would cut them down before the birds ate all the seeds and would dry the sunflower heads in the garage. Then in the late fall and winter we would hang them outside for the birds to pick out the seeds. Dad would save some of the seeds for the next planting season and we would start over again with our bed of sunflowers along the fence.

I have watched an American Goldfinch every day trying to eat the seeds from this sunflower! Looks like he got about half of the seeds before I could get outside to cut the flower.

Early summer I found sunflower sprouts growing inside a flower box I keep on our patio. I didn’t plant the seeds there. It must have been the resident chipmunk storing the fallen seeds he raided from the ground below the bird feeders. He must have forgotten he had buried the seeds in the planter. I let them grow and was able to cut this bunch in August for drying. I’ll place them out with the feeders later in the fall for the birds to eat.

I’ve been thinking of my dad a lot this summer and I wanted to crochet a sunflower dishcloth to remind me of the sunflowers from my childhood backyard. I searched all the different patterns I could find and decided on making my own pattern. Below is my pattern for a sunflower dishcloth. Enjoy!

Sunflower Dishcloth Crochet Pattern by Sharon Andreani

All cotton yarn is used to makes this pretty dishcloth. To crochet rounds, I am going back to an old way taught to me by my grandmother. I learned a new way when I took a crochet course through the Craft Yarn Council of America and it has its purpose. But for something like this dishcloth, I like the definition of the rounds made by turning the piece to start the next round. I think it makes the back of the dish cloth just as interesting and pretty as the front!

This is the backside of the sunflower dishcloth. The scallops look so pretty!

Special Stitches:

This is an easy beginner pattern with increases each round to make an 8 inch across dishcloth. You will need to know the following stitches: chain, slip stitch, double crochet, and triple crochet. There is a change of color of yarn at the end of the 4th round. This is a good way to practice changing colors of yarn.

Scallop: Double Crochet x2, Triple Crochet x 1, Double Crochet x2 all in the same stitch. You will skip a stitch before and after each scallop with a single crochet stitch in between the scallops. Sounds a bit confusing, but it will make more sense as you work through the pattern.

Always read the pattern through before starting and have all of your supplies on hand ready to go!

Supplies:

Cotton Yarn in #4 weight. 1 ball in gold. 1 ball in brown.

H hook (5.0mm)

Yarn Needle

Scissors

Stitch Markers

Abbreviations:

Ch Chain

Sl St Slip Stitch

DC Double Crochet

TC Triple Crochet

Pattern:

Starting with the brown yarn.

Chain 5. Slip stitch into first chain to make a circle.

Round 1. Ch 3. (Counts as first double crochet stitch and throughout the rest of the pattern.) Double crochet 11 more times into the circle. Slip Stitch into top third chain of first stitch (first chain 3). Gently pull tail of yarn to tighten the circle. Turn.

Round 2. Ch 3. Double crochet again in the same stitch. Double crochet x 2 in each stitch around. Sl St in top chain of the Ch 3. Turn. (24 stitches)

Round 3. Ch 3. Double Crochet again into same stitch. ” Double crochet x 1 in next stitch. Double crochet x 2 in next stitch.” Repeat ” ” to complete the round. Slip Stitch into top chain of the Ch 3. Turn. (36 stitches)

Round 4. Ch3. DC into the same stitch. “DC x 1 into the next two stitches. DC x 2 into the next stitch. ” Repeat ” ” to complete the round. (48 stitches) THIS IS WHERE YOU WILL BE ADDING THE YELLOW YARN! Use the yellow yarn to pull through for the Sl St into the top chain of the Ch 3. There should be a loop of yellow yarn now on your hook. Cut the brown yarn leaving a 4-5 inch tail to weave in. (48 stitches) Turn.

The gold yarn is pulled through the brown loops on the hook to complete the slip stitch ending the round.

Round 5. With the yellow yarn Ch 3. DC again into the same stitch. “DC x 1 into the next three stitches. DC x 2 into the next stitch.” Repeat ” ” to complete the round. Sl St into the top of the Ch 3. (60 stitches) Turn.

The piece has been turned and a Chain 3 has been crocheted counting as the first double crochet for the new round.

Round 6. Ch 3. DC again into the same stitch. ” DC x 1 into the next four stitches. DC x 2 into the next stitch.” Repeat ” ” to complete the round. Sl St into the top of the Ch 3. (72 stitches) Do Not Turn.

Round 7. Ch 4 (Counts as a Triple Crochet). DC x 2 again into the same stitch. This is the start of the first scallop which will be completed at the end of the round. Skip the next stitch. SC into the following stitch. Skip the next stitch. “In the following stitch crochet the 5 stitch scallop (See instructions above). Skip the next stitch. SC into the following stitch. Skip the next stitch.” Repeat ” ” to complete the round. After the last scallop, SC into the next stitch. DC x 2 into the first stitch to complete the first scallop. Sl St into the 4th chain of the first stitch. (19 Scallops) Finish off leaving a 4-5 inch tail. Weave in ends.

Skip the stitch that is immediately to the left of the scallop (almost under the scallop) and single crochet into the next stitch. The yarn needle shows where the single crochet is placed.

Machine wash and dry. Please allow the dishcloth to dry completely between uses.

To make a hot pad, crochet two rounds consisting of the first six rounds. Pin the two rounds together with stitch markers and crochet the edges together with the scallop edging.

100% cotton may fade and shrink a bit, but it is a safer choice when placing hot pans and casserole dishes on a hot pad to protect your countertop or table.

New Sunflower dish cloths ready for my kitchen!

If you have a question about this pattern, please contact me at sharonscraftcupboard@gmail.com.

All Rights Reserved. This tutorial pattern and the images are property of Sharon Andreani at Miss Sharon’s Craft Cupboard, LLC and is for personal use only. Sales of the finished product are permitted with credit given to Miss Sharon’s Craft Cupboard www.craftcupboard.org. No part of this document may be reproduced, altered, distributed or otherwise shared in any form, or by any other means, without express written consent from Sharon Andreani. 09/13/2023

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Keep Moving Forward!

May 11, 2023May 11, 2023 Sharon AndreaniLeave a comment

Hello!

After a long pause from writing, I’m back. Last fall I was teaching group crochet classes and coordinating a local charity crochet group at the local senior center. I got so busy and so exhausted, I neglected my webpage and blog. Up through Christmas I was ignoring my increasing shortness of breath. Then reality struck in late winter when two blood clots formed in my lungs and I learned that the viral pneumonia I had in 2021 had permanently damaged my lungs and sped up the aging process in them. So, I put a hold on everything I was doing outside my home so that I could recover from the blood clots and decide how I was going to adapt to the changes necessary to maintain and hopefully, improve my health.

I sadly stopped teaching crochet classes and coordinating the crochet for charity workshops, but I did not stop crocheting. I’m crocheting more now, than ever -mostly small projects, easy to complete in a short amount of time. I think I’ve made over one hundred dishcloths and washcloths since the beginning of February. I’ve given away many to family and friends and will be selling them, too. I have to pay for my yarn addiction somehow! Seriously, crochet is my mind therapy.

In the next few months my goal is to add more handmade items to my Etsy shop @Sharon’s Craft Cupboard. I’ll be posting more about my shop, so keep an eye out! I have a few items already available online. If you are interested in buying any of the items listed and you live locally, save yourself the shipping charges and contact me through my email at sharonscraftcupboard@gmail.com to arrange a local drop-off or pick-up.

Love you all,

Sharon

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It’s the small things that keep me going.

September 28, 2022September 28, 2022 Sharon AndreaniLeave a comment

This scarf was a small project that was fun, quick, and easy to make after a very busy September with more than one big project on my hook and my calendar. It was made with one skein of Unforgettable, a medium weight yarn by Red Heart in Stained Glass and a J (6mm) Clover hook using the Crochet V Stitch Triangle Shawl Free Pattern by crochetforyoublog.com. Additional skeins would make a full size shawl. Though listed as a #4 weight yarn, the J hook gives the fabric of the scarf a flowing drape that highlights the rich colors in the yarn. This scarf is lightweight, yet warm and will look great with a dress or a denim jacket this fall. Adding tassels to the corners of the scarf is optional and will take additional yarn. I may choose to add them to help keep the scarf in place when I wear it.

Many years ago when my girls were 4yrs and 7yrs, I stopped at Woolworth’s on the east end of town during my free hour and a half that I got twice a week when the youngest was in pre-school. That is where I found a crochet kit with supplies and a book that would teach me how to read a crochet pattern. I was off and crocheting small things one at a time.I eventually tried crocheting bigger things like sweaters and blankets for babies and adults- again, one at a time. What I learned about myself was I either took F O R E V E R to complete the big things or I didn’t complete them at all. The incomplete projects would be stuffed into a bin for later and then forgotten. It was easy to blame this on being a busy mom, wife, and nurse. I felt guilty. Later, I would come to realize, I wasn’t being truthful to myself nor knew what to do to remedy the problem.

Five years ago, I started crocheting more on a regular basis. I only crocheted small things avoiding anything big and the guilt from not finishing. Following a handful of crochet pages on Facebook, I learned that many a crocheter will have several WIPS (work in progress) at one time. What! Why? For multiple reasons I learned, it’s common to have multiple WIPS at one time.

I no longer feel guilty, admitting the truth to myself that I get bored crocheting the big things. 😮 It was ok to break up a big crochet project with smaller crochet projects. I have learned by taking breaks from a big project by crocheting smaller projects I am more likely to complete the big project in a timely manner. I have also learned switching out projects with different weights and textures of yarns can give my hands a break on those “arthritic” days when my hands and fingers hurt. I keep a tote to take small crochet projects such as soap sacks for charity with me. I work on them while waiting for appointments or when riding along in the car with my husband. And, to get through those bigger projects in life overall, small incentives like crocheting the scarf above helps a lot!

As for those unfinished big projects tucked away in bins….I sorted through them and unraveled and re-wound the yarn into balls that I either passed on to fellow crochet friends or repurposed for new projects. Having multiple WIPs at one time is OK especially when they help you finish the bigger ones.

Keep crocheting all those big and small projects- Sharon

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Unicorns and Rainbows

September 6, 2022 Sharon AndreaniLeave a comment

The unicorn hoodie cowl I made for my granddaughter.

Our 3 1/2 year old granddaughter loves unicorns, especially those displaying a rainbow of colors. According to the article, Unicorn Symbolism & Meaning (+Totem, Spirit, & Omens) by Garth C. Clifford updated on 9/24/2021 on http://www.worldbirds.com, “only those with the purest souls can see a Unicorn”, a symbol for purity, innocence, freedom, divinity, and magic. Small children do have the purest hearts. Maybe this is why they have such an affinity for these magnificent creatures.

I added a bit more hair to the mane than the pattern called for…ok, a lot more hair! And, yes it’s a mullet!

Several weeks ago I found this Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Retro Stripe and I instantly thought it would make a wonderful rainbow mane on a unicorn hoodie for my granddaughter. Next, I searched for a pattern. Many were for scarves or sweaters with attached hoods. I decided on a cowl with an attached hood. She’s too little to wear a scarf and a sweater with a hoodie could only be worn during the coldest months where she lives.

The pattern is the Unicorn Hooded Cowl by LovableLoops on Pinterest @ https://pin.it/6B49flX. I didn’t have any bulky yarn in white, so I used a double strand of Red Heart Super Saver worsted weight yarn and a 9mm hook. I made the hoodie in the child size, but it looks like there is plenty of grow room!

I had a lot of fun making this rainbow unicorn hoodie! Tomorrow, I’ll pack it to mail to our granddaughter. I’ll post a pic if she likes it!

Happy crocheting! – Sharon

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Weaving in the ends….

August 31, 2022August 31, 2022 Sharon AndreaniLeave a comment

My last blog I wrote about crocheting a sweater vest. I finished it several weeks ago, but hadn’t woven the ends in until last evening. Thirty-some years ago I crocheted my first sweater knowing nothing about gauge or adapting a pattern for a better fit. Though the stitch pattern and the yarn used to make the sweater were very pretty, the sweater was a bit too long for my short stature and the sweater grew longer each time I wore it. I eventually donated the sweater to the Goodwill. Hopefully, someone a lot taller than me found it and liked it.

This summer I decided to jump back onto the path of learning how to fit a crocheted garment. I still have a ways to go, yet this time I know better where I need to improve and what questions to ask. And, practice, practice, practice.

Below are pictures of the sweater vest with a hoodie-with the ends woven in! I took the free pattern Happy-Go-Lucky Hoodie Crochet Pattern @ http://www.hookedonhomemadehappiness.com that I found on Pinterest and experimented with the stitch pattern and also added additional rows of HDC along the front edges. It was a good place to start my venture into garments. Now, I’m going to challenge myself by crocheting another sweater with sleeves and a neckline.

My hooded sweater vest. The front will lay more flat after blocking, I think.

Keep crocheting! – Sharon

Crochet

Speaking of sweaters…

July 28, 2022July 28, 2022 Sharon Andreani2 Comments

Hot, humid weather has me chillin’ inside where it’s easier for me to breath. We keep the air conditioning set at a reasonable temp and supplement with the ceiling fan. It’s comfortable while I’m up doing my work, but I need a light sweater if I sit for a bit.

Speaking of sweaters….I started crocheting a sweater vest with a hood yesterday. At the beginning of the summer I bought two skeins of the Lion Brand Pound of Love acrylic yarn in Antique White. I had purchased it for a different project, but was busy at that time making a baby blanket and bibs for a friend’s daughter who is expecting a baby girl. Then I started writing a pattern for a baby bandanna bib. After a couple weeks I finished the baby blanket and bibs and I’m almost done proofreading my pattern. So, getting back to the two skeins of yarn….

I had purchased a popular sweater pattern and thought the yarn would work for the pattern. I was wrong. The yarn, though a 4 wt. yarn, is more like an Aran than a worsted. It’s beautiful, soft yarn, but not what I wanted for the sweater pattern I had purchased. So, I spent a few evenings searching for a new pattern and found one on Ravelry.

The sweater vest is a sporty style and the pattern uses the half double crochet- my favorite crochet stitch. This morning I measured my gauge on the piece of fabric I started crocheting yesterday and I’m on target. Yeah! Many years ago I learned the hard way the importance of gauge- especially when putting a lot of time into making a garment. Always check your gauge! The yarn crocheted in this stitch is soft and the fabric drapes gently over my hand.

Pound of Love acrylic yarn by Lion Brand in Antique white in half double crochet stitch.

These skeins are huge! To keep the yarn clean and away from the cat, I placed it in a tote. I’ve learned if I remove the label and pat the yarn on one end to flatten the skein into a round, it’s easier to find that elusive end to pull it from the center.

Center pull from skein of Pound of Love acrylic yarn by Lion Brand Yarn.

I’ll post pictures when the sweater vest is done. If this hot, humid weather continues, that could be soon!

Be happy-crochet! – Sharon

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The Fairfax Coffee Cozy – Digital Crochet Pattern

July 12, 2022July 12, 2022 Sharon Andreani1 Comment

Sometimes out of necessity is born an idea. We always stayed at the same hotel when visiting our oldest daughter and her family when they lived in Fairfax, Virginia. This hotel was popular with travel groups – sports teams and international tour groups. We would see and meet people from around the world every morning getting breakfast in the common area of the lobby. It was fun, friendly, and busy!
Each morning at the hotel, we would start with a cup of coffee while scoping out a table. Fresh, hot, halfway decent coffee in a paper cup with a lid and one of those cardboard sleeves to protect your fingers from the heat. 0ne morning, after a particularly busy weekend at the hotel, we poured our coffee, placed the lids on and looking around, there weren’t any cardboard sleeves anywhere for our hot coffee cups!
We managed to get our hot coffees over to a table. While my husband watched the morning news, I pulled out my crochet. He looked at me and asked, “can you make me a cozy for my coffee cup? One, that covers the whole bottom?” Why, yes, I can! My husband has large hands. So, I knew why he wanted a cozy that covers more of the coffee cup than the usual cardboard sleeves. So was born that sunny morning in Virginia, The Fairfax Coffee Cozy.
The cozy is made from 100% cotton and fits snugly over a size small or medium “fast-food” coffee cup. Not only does it protect your fingers, but it also helps insulate the cup to keep your coffee hot longer. I keep extra cozies in our cars for road trips and give them to friends and family when they need to take a coffee for their trip back home. Since this time, more and more places no longer offer the cardboard sleeves. So, another reason to keep these cozies on hand. If you find the cozy you have made has stretched out, throw it in the washer and dryer. It will return to its original size.

The pattern includes tutorial pictures and a link to a video on how to crochet the reverse single crochet stitch also known as the crab stitch. One ball of yarn makes several coffee cozies and it’s a great way to use up cotton scrap yarn, too! The digital crochet pattern is available at Miss Sharon’s Craft Cupboard on Etsy.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1252718074/the-fairfax-coffee-cozy-digital-crochet

I’ve given away most of my Fairfax Coffee Cozies the past few months. Writing this pattern, I’ve re-supplied our own supply of them for our summer trips. Enjoy and happy crocheting! – Sharon

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Lavender….and drinking shrubs!

July 6, 2022 Sharon Andreani1 Comment

Through this new venture of teaching crochet I have met new people and have made new friends along the way. One of those new friends contacted me a few weeks ago. Her summer schedule filled with gardening, camping, and watching her grandson had not allowed time for her to practice her crochet. She asked, “can we start again in the fall? “Yes, we can!”, I quickly responded. I have not had much time lately for crochet, either. So, I was grateful for the break!

Knowing my new friend has a passion for gardening, I asked if I could come see her garden and flower beds sometime this summer. She responded, “come soon while everything is in bloom”. I actually went over to her house that afternoon. It was wonderful taking a stroll around her home and through the side yards and back yard looking at her flower beds and gardens. I asked so many questions and enjoyed learning from her answers! Along the way she shared berries from her strawberry plants and blueberry bushes with me. We finished our tour on her patio drinking a shrub made of berries from her garden. If you don’t know what a shrub is for mixing in drinks, I’ve shared a link below. It makes a delicious, refreshing drink that is healthy! And, she gave me a lovely bunch of lavender tied with a pretty ribbon to take home. This is exactly what I needed that day to clear my scattered mind! Enjoy your summer, new friend. We will crochet again together in the fall.

Here is the link on Pinterest for a strawberry shrub recipe that I tried this week. I want to make a watermelon with basil shrub next!

https://pin.it/6xLwNrd

Strawberry shrub mixed with plain carbonated water.

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Mom’s Potato Salad

May 27, 2022May 28, 2022 Sharon AndreaniLeave a comment

By Sharon Andreani

Summertime means family gatherings and cook-outs to me. I get nostalgic for “comfort” food which means I’m making my mom’s potato salad. My mom was a good cook, but she had her “short-cuts” in the kitchen. Considering the time it takes to boil potatoes, let them cool, then peel and cut them into bite-size pieces, I don’t blame her for using a short-cut when she made potato salad! Now, when I make potato salad, I use red skin potatoes so that I don’t have to peel them and I cook them in the microwave. Still, one has to cut up the potatoes, the onion, the green pepper, and the celery. If you like hard boiled eggs in there, too, you’re boiling, peeling, and chopping eggs. Homemade potato salad is a lot of work! But, oh so worth it!

I make my potato salad the day ahead so that all the flavors of the vegetables, potatoes and dressing marinate together. Below is my mom’s recipe in it’s original form, but feel free to update and use your short-cuts to fit your schedule and what your family enjoys!

Mom’s Potato Salad

6 hard boiled eggs peeled and chopped; set aside.

Boil until fork tender 3 lbs quartered potatoes. Drain and let cool. Peel and cut into bite size pieces. Place in a large bowl.

Chop one small onion. Add to the bowl.

Add 1 Cup chopped celery.

Add 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped.

Add the chopped eggs.

Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Gently combine all of the above ingredients in the large bowl.

Pour 2/3 of a large bottle of Marzetti Slaw Dressing over the potato salad and gently stir together. Yes, the slaw dressing was her “short-cut”! She would slice up rings of green pepper and decorate the top of her potato salad with those slices along with slices of hard- boiled egg and paprika sprinkled over the top. Her potato salad looked like a masterpiece when served. It tasted so good!

Immediately cover and place in the refrigerator. This potato salad must be kept cold at all times and returned to the refrigerator immediately after serving.

Have a wonderful start to your summer! – Sharon

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Crocheted Poppy Flower-Free Pattern

May 23, 2022May 23, 2022 Sharon Andreani1 Comment

Memorial Day weekend brings a flood of memories back to me from over the years. Visiting cemeteries to plant relatives’ graves, Memorial Day parades, going to the lake to swim, and cook-outs with family were some of our traditions when I was growing up in the 60’s and 70’s. Also wearing a red poppy from the VFW was our way of remembering those who had fallen in battle for our country. The Veterans of Foreign Wars still continue the Buddy Poppy program today and the donations help support veterans and their families. If you see someone collecting for the VFW Buddy Poppy program, please donate and wear your red poppy in remembrance. You can also donate to the Buddy Poppy program online @https://www.vfw.org/community/community-initiatives/buddy-poppy.

If you would like to make a few extras poppies to decorate a wreath or your home, I’ve written a free crochet pattern with pictures below.

Crochet Pattern for Red Poppy Flower

Crocheted Poppy Flower with leaf and attached loop.

by Sharon Andreani

Supplies needed: 100% Cotton thread in Size 10 in colors black, red, and green. I had the red thread size 10 in my stash. The black and green were thinner threads, 20 and 30 respectively. I doubled those threads to crochet the center, a leaf, and a loop using the same size hook.

C (2.75mm) hook

Scissors

Darning needle

Supplies needed for crocheting a poppy flower.

Stitches used: Chain, slip stitch, half double crochet, double crochet, and treble crochet.

Abbreviations Used: (American Terms)

Ch Chain

Sc Single crochet

Hdc Half double crochet

Dc Double crochet

Tc Treble crochet

Sl st Slip stitch

Instructions:

Round 1. With the black thread, chain three (counts as first stitch). Half double crochet into the third chain from the hook. Hdc eight more times into the same chain. Slip stitch to the top of the first chain. Total 9 stitches. Finish off and weave ends in.

Attaching red thread to Row 1 for crocheted poppy flower.

Round 2. Attach red thread into top of one of the Hdc in Row 1 with a slip stitch. Chain 2 (this counts as first stitch). In the same stitch, crochet 4 Dc for a total of 5 stitches. In the next stitch crochet 5 Dc stitches. Continue around repeating the 5 Dc stitches in each stitch until there are 45 Dc stitches. Slip stitch into the top of the first stitch.

Row 2 completed for crocheted poppy flower.

Round 3. Chain 2 (counts as first stitch). Dc in next two stitches. Tc in next three stitches. Continue pattern of 2Dc and 3 TC around. Sl st into top of chain 2 stitch. Finish off and weave in ends.

Crocheted Red Poppy after completing Rows 1, 2, and 3.

Round 4. Place hook behind and to other side of Dc stitch in the second row. Attach red thread around the Dc stitch using a sl st. Chain 2 (counts as first stitch). Dc around each of the next 4 Dc in Row 2. Tc around each of the next 5 Dc. Repeat 5 Dc and 5 Tc around and sl st into top of the Ch 2. Finish off and weave in ends. Flower should be about 2.5 inches wide when completed; 3.5 inches wide with leaf attached.

Placement of hook to begin Row 4 for crocheted poppy flower.

Optional: attach a free form leaf in green thread to the back of the flower and chain a loop of 20 and attach. The flower can be worn over a button or attached to a small decorative wreath.

Have a safe Memorial Day weekend, enjoy those family traditions, and remember, freedom is not free.

Be happy – crochet! – Sharon

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Crochet Pattern Published -Done!

May 13, 2022May 18, 2022 Sharon AndreaniLeave a comment

We can have goals, even dreams, and sometimes life gets in the way. So, we pick up the pieces and get back on the path. Despite a steep climb this past year and a fork in the road, I arrived at my destination today. I published my first instructional crochet pattern. It’s beginner friendly and includes written stitch instructions and pictures for the alternating half double crochet stitch and also instruction on how to crochet into the back bump of a beginning chain. The very affordable pattern is available as Pattern Only-Soft Textured Washcloth on Etsy at Sharonscraftcupboard.

You can also find me on Ravelry at CraftCupboard. Be happy-crochet!

Have a great weekend!

Sharon

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Miss Sharon’s Tea Cake Recipe

May 4, 2022May 11, 2023 Sharon Andreani1 Comment

Hello Everyone!

Miss Sharon’s Tea Cake -A Gluten Free Recipe.

We went to bed with thunderstorms last evening and woke to another cool, damp, rainy day. Oh, Spring where are you? I am grateful for the beautiful flowers blooming in our yard and garden, but warmer temperatures sure would be welcomed here! This morning I felt like baking. So, I made a loaf of tea cake. The recipe I used is one I developed from a basic soda bread recipe. I make our bread gluten free, but regular flour can be substituted. My understanding is when nuts, berries, eggs, and sugar are added to a soda bread recipe, it becomes a “tea cake”. I’m okay with that! In fact, I enjoy a slice of my tea cake with my coffee about 4 o’clock in the afternoon. And, so does my husband, Alan! So, this Mother’s Day weekend, consider making a loaf of tea cake for your mom or for yourself. Slice it while it’s still warm, slather it with butter or your favorite spread and enjoy with your tea or coffee!

Miss Sharon’s Tea Cake Recipe

Utensils Needed:

5 quart French or cast-iron oven, well-oiled with cooking oil ( a pre-warmed baking stone with parchment paper can also be used)

Parchment paper

Large mixing bowl

Measuring cups for dry ingredients and wet ingredients

Measuring spoons

Fork or large spoon

Ingredients:

4 cups gluten free flour with xanthan gum already added. I like using King Arthur Gluten Free Flour

1 3/4 Cup buttermilk

1/2 Cup dried cranberries

1/2 Cup chopped walnuts

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

4 Tablespoons sugar

4 Tablespoons oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat over to 400 degrees.

Measure the flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Blend together with a fork. Add the dried cranberries and chopped walnuts and stir into the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dried ingredients in the bowl. Measure and pour into the center well the buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla. With a fork slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir until the dough comes together. If it appears to be a bit dry, add 1-2 Tablespoons of buttermilk and stir. The dough should come clean from the sides of the bowl and there should not be any dry ingredients left on the bottom. Take a length of parchment paper, enough to cover the bottom and up the sides of a French oven, and lay it flat on the counter. Sprinkle the parchment paper with flour. Turn the dough out onto the floured middle of the parchment paper. Sprinkle the dough with flour. Knead the dough 2-3 times and form it into a slightly flattened ball. Lift the parchment paper with the ball of dough on it into the French oven. Take a sharp knife and cut a cross into the top of the ball of dough. I tend to cut my cross about a third of the way down to ensure the cake bakes all the way through to the center. Place the French oven into the oven with the lid on for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Remove the tea cake gently from the French oven by lifting the sides of the parchment paper. The tea cake can completely cool on the parchment paper or be moved to a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Slices of the cake can be warmed up in the microwave or in the toaster.

If you’re like me, just reading a recipe is fun! In the meantime, watch for my new crochet pattern to make soft, textured, all cotton washcloths. This pattern will be beginner friendly and teach you a new stitch pattern and a new skill.

Be happy- crochet!