CROCHET Archives | jakigu.com

January 8, 2021January 8, 2021

handmade crochet baskets

In all the hustle of changing from the holiday routine back to Month 10 of home learning (not to mention the disturbing events in Washington DC this past Wednesday), I was still somehow able to tap a magical source of inspiration, motivation, and determination. Not only that: I have somehow found the time to crochet. And – most surprisingly – not get tired of the repetitive nature of crocheting a dozen handmade crochet baskets in the past two weeks.

September 20, 2020December 29, 2020

rainbow pinwheel coaster: free crochet pattern

I have a quick yet unique rainbow pinwheel coaster pattern for you today. It’s an ideal stash-buster that works up quite fast. But what I love about these pinwheel coasters the most is how versatile they are. The color combinations in which they can be worked are virtually endless! Can you imagine them worked in red, white, and blue for Independence day? Orange and charcoal grey – or purple! – for Halloween? In the colors of fall foliage for Thanksgiving? Red, green, and gold for Christmas? Or, why not go ahead and plan for next Easter right now? Think lovely spring pastels, mixed-and-matched to make them look like spring flowers. Aw! Wouldn’t it be cute?

You be the designer: let the pattern inspire you and then run wild with it! Make something truly yours; to fit your mood, home decor, or current season. One can never have enough coasters – and if they do, crochet coasters always make thoughtful, handmade gifts.

July 4, 2020December 29, 2020

boxing ball crochet pattern

Tetherball; boxing ball; kicking ball; punching bag; kick-boxing ball; ball-in-a-sock: it matters not what your child calls it. Just know that you as a parent will refer to it in your mind as the “magic ball.” The magic ball that burns all the extra energy before bedtime, and then some. The added bonus for you? Making one is super easy and quite relaxing with my free boxing ball crochet pattern, and it gives you a unique opportunity to bring your crochet creation outside. I think we need more outdoor crochet projects, don’t you?

This was truly one of those “real life crochet” projects I never planned to share with anyone. My husband had a basket ball that had a barely-noticeable lump. Other than not being able to play basketball with it (duh!) it appeared perfectly fine to me and I refused to throw it away.

Despite my best intentions, though, I had no idea how to repurpose the basket ball. Not until I saw an old picture of a DIY sock ball. That was my light bulb moment. From that moment on, my mission was clear.

June 13, 2020December 29, 2020

crochet pattern: rainbow bag

How is it mid-June already? It’s almost time for another quarterly newsletter! But first, here is the first free pre-release crochet pattern: a rainbow bag. You can read more about why I am publishing my patterns temporarily for free in this blog post.

Rainbows make my soul smile. And since real rainbows are hard to catch, I like to surround myself with as many rainbow colored items as I can. After all, one’s soul can never smile too much. This particular rainbow bag is the perfect size to store my journal and pens, but I’m sure you’ll find countless other uses for it. I’d love if you shared them in the comments!

February 25, 2020December 29, 2020

hanging basket net: free crochet pattern

In my recent Crochet: Just for Me blog post I shared with you a simple hanging basket net.

Unsurprisingly, you liked the net as much as I do. And because it is the simplest design from the bunch, I am delighted to share the pattern with you right away.

February 21, 2020December 29, 2020

crochet: just for me

Even though I design all my crochet items with functionality in mind and use vast majority of them daily in our home, every now and then I make something just for me. It may or may not be practical or needed, but it makes my heart smile.

Usually, these items are the easiest to create. Perhaps it’s because there’s no second-guessing myself when I crochet something just for me. I know what I want, and I know how to create it – or I keep on trying until I get it right. Without the need to take meticulous notes, the process is quick and almost effortless, and thoroughly enjoyable.

So, allow me to share with you a few projects I completed over the last three months. They were all designed with one customer in mind. Me.

January 7, 2020January 22, 2020

jute crochet: start here

Whether you are curious about jute crochet or searching for specific jute crochet patterns or inspiration, this dynamic blog post is a great place to start. I will update this visual catalog regularly as I add new designs and knowledge base articles. Ideally, this post will help you navigate my website and easily discover all of my available jute crochet resources: my current and past projects, available patterns, jute decor inspiration, or crocheting with jute tricks. Go ahead and Save this post on Pinterest so you can always come back and see what’s new.

December 3, 2019December 29, 2020

crochet snowflake 2019: free crochet pattern

jakigu.com | snowflake 2019 | free crochet pattern

It’s December and that means it’s time for Crochet Snowflake 2019.

Like every year, I am eager to welcome winter. The start of every season brings a tingle of excitement and December is no different. The cool, shorter, darker days that replace the bright weeks of autumn mean only one thing: the nature is getting ready to rest, and so should we. Though it may seem hard to do, having wrapped up one holiday only to start getting ready for another, but December is the perfect month to slow down and enjoy the small things.

November 13, 2019November 13, 2019

crochet rainbow wall hanging pop up shop

I’ve been wanting to publish a pattern for a simple crochet rainbow wall hanging since I first wrote about macrachet last winter. Back then, I almost absent-mindedly crocheted a simple rainbow, more to illustrate the concept than to create something particular. The rainbow came together so quickly and effortlessly I didn’t bother taking any process notes. After all, it’s a rainbow. An arc. A half-circle. Who needs to take notes on that? Plus, I thought to myself, if it turns out well, I will surely write and publish the pattern within a few days. There’s no way I’ll forget between now and then.

October 29, 2019December 29, 2020

wraps per inch method of yarn identification

What are wraps per inch?

Wraps per inch is a simple method of measuring yarn thickness and determining yarn weight. It can be equally helpful to crocheters, knitters, weavers, or spinner. Professionals often refer to it simply as wpi.