How to Use the Hex Anvil - UPDATED!

Hex Anvil

When I first looked into how to use the Hex Anvil (sometime in 2015), there was a marvelous pictorial tutorial by FusionBeads, "Basic Riveting with Anvil" [discontinued]. However (as I noted in my earlier post, "How to Use the Hex Anvil", the link to that great tutorial was no longer available. Because FusionBeads was no longer available.

But through the wonders and magic of WayBackMachine (https://archive.org/web/), I found that FusionBeads tutorial again. In this post, I am just going to capture the images and steps as laid out, once upon a time, by the wonderful FusionBeads.com

So all credit for this useful info goes to FusionBeads, wherever they are now.

---

Fabric Twine - How-to

Making fabric twine is a good way to make use of scraps of fabric.

Just a ball for Fabric Twine from random fabric scraps

---

Crochet Stitch - Waistcoat Stitch, How to

I used to call the Waistcoat Stitch the Knit Single Crochet (ksc) but Knit Single Crochet Stitch is properly known as the Waistcoat Stitch.

Oops! Sorry – I didn’t know that when I thought I “invented” it!!! 😂😂😂

Waistcoat Stitch aka Knit SC Stitch

Note: This stitch is best suited for working in the rounds. Hence it is ideal for tapestry crochet bags and amigurumi projects.

---

Drawstring Tapestry Crochet Bag - Muted Hues of Myth & Fauna

As with the Cat & Fishes tapestry crochet bag, this Drawstring Tapestry Crochet Bag is also a one-time, one of a kind design. A large bag suitable for daily use, for packing some gear for a weekend away, or for the hopeful shopping trips.

DRAWSTRING TAPESTRY CROCHET BAG – MYTH & FAUNA (CH0418 – SOLD)

Ladder Stitch, Beading How To

The Ladder Stitch is generally used as a foundation (start) stitch for Brick Stitch and Herringbone stitch. This stitch can be done with either one (traditional way) or 2-needle approach.

This image will serve as reminder for those who already know how to weave the Ladder Stitch.

BEADING: LADDER STITCH
IMAGE SOURCE: HANDMADE-JEWELRY-CLUB.COM

S-Method How to get Thicker Yarn from Thin

I call this the S-Method because that is what it was referred to when I first heard about this handy trick of getting a thicker yarn (3x thicker) from thin yarn. And I continue to call this the S-Method because it serves as a useful reminder for how we start this process.

---

Wassily01A Boxy Japanese Jacket XL Extra Large (CH0526A)

When I gifted the first of this original Wassily01 Boxy Japanese Jacket to my friend last year as a belated birthday present, it was too small for her. So this year, I have used exactly the same pattern but with different yarns and hook sizes to create this Extra Large and roomy Japanese Boxy Jacket. I hope this time, we have a successful fit.

Wassily01A Japanese Boxy Jacket XL (CH0526A)

---

Oversize Top in Clean Mosaic Crochet (CMC) • pattern

A warm, easy, oversize top in CMC: It is winter, I am feeling fat but cold. I wanted an easy to put on top/vest that I can wear anywhere. Something that would hide my fatty bits while hopefully, look a bit flattering. All I can say is that I was so pleased with this pattern that (so far), I have made three 😀

Oversize Top in Clean Mosaic Crochet (CMC) • pattern

---

Glowing Miracle-Bead Crochet Bag - Beaded Crochet

This Drawstring Tapestry Crochet Bag is also a one-time, one of a kind design. This bag is crocheted with the super-intriguing Miracle Beads, aka Magic Beads. The 'magic' of these beads is that they will glow under natural light. So at the most unexpected, delightful occasion, your bag will seem to burst forth with an inner glow. Furthermore, they have the mesmerising illusion of a bead within a bead. This 'magic' has to be seen to fully appreciated.

Glowing Miracle-Bead Crochet Bag (CH0419)

Chart: Pillow Cushion Sizes Info

Another quickie article for convenient referencing only.

---

Chinese Box Top in Clean Mosaic Crochet (CH0352) (pattern listed)

Chinese Box Top is made for charm and comfort with a dash of stylised Chinese characters. This was made using the Clean Mosaic Crochet method, featuring a loose, comfortable shaping that I really appreciate.

Chinese Box Top in Clean Mosaic Crochet (CH0352) (pattern listed)

---

Yarn Weight Thickness

The different yarn weights and thicknesses. To be used only as a quick, handy guide – not as a limiting definition.

---

Cats Pocket Scarf in Clean Mosaic Crochet - 📗 FREE graph pattern (CH0351)

Cats Pocket Scarf is my first full project use of my Clean Mosaic Crochet (CMC) technique. And I think the test run turned out ok. While the pocket scarf is scheduled to fly off to USA, I will be offering the cats graph as a FREE graphed pattern.

Cats Pocket Scarf in Clean Mosaic Crochet - FREE graph pattern (CH0351)

---

Feedback & Comments on CMC Tutorial

This is a collection of users feedback and comments to the Clean Mosaic Crochet tutorial. I have moved hosting platform since I first published the tutorial and this was the only way that I could retain the many comments and feedback to the CMC Tutorial.

I apologize to all the people who originally left comments that there was no other way to transport your comments over to this platform. And I apologize to everyone that I have disabled comments on this platform due to time constraints.

Feedback & Comments on CMC Tutorial

---

Clean Mosaic Crochet Tutorial - CMC (no messy tails)

I call this the Clean Mosaic Crochet method because it is truly clean in a number of important ways. We do away with the pesky cut yarns at the end of every row that is typical in the overlay mosaic crochet method. We do away with the boring second row in the 2-row Chain-Space MC method (also known in places as the Inset method). And as a added bonus, we can have a clean border edging: you won’t see the yarns being caught and brought up along the edges.

Clean Mosaic Crochet Tutorial - CMC (no messy tails)

---

CMC - Advanced Tips

This follows on from the Clean Mosaic Crochet (CMC) Tutorial. These advanced tips for CMC should, hopefully, help you enjoy the CMC technique more.

Clean Mosaic Crochet: Advanced Tips

---

Happy Mikki Gloves and Wrist Warmer (CH0530) - listed pattern

Happy Mikki Gloves combines both the beloved warmth and functionality of fingerless gloves with the specifically designed feature of being an extra warm and cushy wrist warmer.

The colours in the first pair I made were inspired by the talented Mikki Ferrugiaro’s amazing use of vibrant colours in some of her magnificent beaded works. Hence, the name “Happy Mikki”. These gloves are not just meant for warmth and support but also for the often needed burst of happy colours.

Happy Mikki Gloves and Wrist Warmer (CH0530) - listed pattern

---

Mosaic Crochet Overview - the Different Methods

The main aim of this Mosaic Crochet overview is to clear up some persistent confusion I have noticed in crochet groups and discussions regarding the different ways of making mosaic crochet.

mosaic crochet - the Different Methods

---

Floral Pocket Scarf in C2C Crochet (CH0529) - pattern listed

Pocket Scarf seems to be the in thing this season. So I jumped in with my take on the pocket scarf (aka pocket shawl) in this Floral Pocket Scarf. The technique I used was LC2C (Linked C2C) crochet but you can as easily make this using the standard C2C (Corner to Corner) crochet.

Floral Pocket Scarf in C2C Crochet (CH0529) - pattern listed

---

Wassily02 Knee Lt Boxy Japanese Jacket - in LC2C (CH0527) (pattern listed)

This Wassily02 Jacket is a knee length jacket, styled in the comfy, free size, Japanese boxy jacket style. As with the first of this series, Wassily01 Jacket (normal length), this too is based on one of Wassily Kandinsky’s art pieces and created using LC2C (Linked C2C) crochet.

Wassily02 Knee Length Boxy Japanese Jacket (CH0527)

---

Wassily01 Boxy Japanese Jacket – in Linked C2C (CH0526) (pattern listed)

Wassily01 Jacket – the colours and illustration on this jacket are my abstractions from some of Wassily Kandinsky’s fabulous abstract art. Hence the name.

The shape was inspired by the easy, casual, and comfy Japanese-style boxy jackets. It is generally free sizing, which is very convenient.

Wassily01 Japanese Boxy Jacket (CH0526)

---

Mosaic Crochet - How to do Overlay Mosaic Crochet

This tutorial is another way of doing Mosaic Crochet. I am calling this the OVERLAY Mosaic Crochet because this method employs the main characteristics found in Overlay Crochet: namely, working in the BLO (back loop only) and dropping down to pick up the front loop of stitches in lower rows.

Mosaic Crochet - How to do Overlay Mosaic Crochet

---

Crochet Join: Raised-Chains Join

I don’t have a name for this particular crochet join but I do like it.

And you can clearly see, it yields a dense & lovely line of raised chains. So for simplicity I just refer this to as the Raised Chains crochet join.

---

C2C Straight Diagonal Edge - How To

In C2C Crochet, how do you make a straight diagonal edge? That was exactly what I had to do recently to make pockets that had a slanting top edge. Here is a quick tutorial on how to make a straight diagonal edge in Corner to Corner crochet.

---

Border - Cushy, Double Layer Crochet Edging

This is a double layer, cushy crochet border (aka crochet edging, crochet trimming) I used in my Artist Trio Blanket. This crochet edging gives a firm yet flexible border, and offers a professional finish.

Border - Cushy, Double Layer Crochet Edging

---

Join: Linked Half Double Crochet (LHDC) for a wider join

This LHDC Join (Linked Half Double Crochet join) gives a sturdy yet flexible, medium-wide crochet join. I first used this crochet join, which I call the LHDC Join (Linked Half Double Crochet join) for my Artist Trio Blanket. There are number of nice, flat crochet joins but most of them use either sc (single crochet) or filet crochet method. The former was too narrow and the latter was too holey and fragile for my blanket.

Join: Linked Half Double Crochet (LHDC) for a wider join

---

Artist Trio Blanket, Klee O'Neal Kandinsky, a No-Hole C2C Crochet Lap Blanket (CH0525)

This Artist Trio Blanket is based on the (partial) works of 3 inspirational artists: Paul Klee, Janet O’Neal, Wassily Kandinsky. At this stage (before the blanket is made), I don’t know if I will list the resultant graph (aka graphan) for sale. If it all works out ok, I probably will just in case someone wants to give this a try too.

Artist Trio Blanket, Klee O'Neal Kandinsky, a No-Hole C2C Crochet Lap Blanket (CH0525)

---

Blanket Sizes Info

Quick and Easy Blanket Sizes Guide

This is just a quick, rough guide for blanket sizes. There does not seem to be definitive sizes. I got tired of trying to determine an approximate size each time I wanted to make a blanket. So I am putting this here for quick easy reference.

This blanket sizes chart is from Good Knit Kisses.

Blanket Sizes Chart from Dora Does (UK)

---

LC2C (Linked C2C) or No Hole Corner to Corner Crochet - How to

Linked C2C (LC2C) crochet? What is it?

I talked about the Basic and most common form of C2C crochet before. But my preferred C2C crochet is this Linked C2C crochet, which I also sometimes refer to as No-Hole C2C. I have currently not as yet come across anyone doing this so this term “Linked C2C (LC2C)” or “No-Hole C2C” are my own labels to indicate:

• LC2C is made of linked stitches (LDC – Linked Double Crochet. That is a standard and pre-existing crochet terminology) and..
• that with this method, there are no pesky holes in the final fabric

Linked C2C (LC2C) vs Basic (with holes) C2C

Sumptuous Beaded Earrings (CH0538) 📝

In my Beaded Circles and Rings, I started a compilation of various samples that resulted from a tutorial on how to bead in circles around metal rings.

(That source tutorial was YouTube video by C y L Accessories, Tutorial Aretes de aros decorados con cristales y mostacillas.)

This is my photo tutorial (which I find is often easier and quicker for referencing than videos especially when you only want a refresher) based on those same principles. Specifically for how to make this pair of earrings.

Sumptuous Beaded Earrings (CH0538)

---