Good afternoon everyone! Phew, Friday has finally made it to Darn Good Yarn!

Chriss who has brought us amazing crochet patterns and fabulous crafting ideas on Darn Good Yarn (read more about her here)

Let’s support Chriss and her 30 day experiment of her experience of trying a lacto ovo vegetarian diet for 30 days. She will be posting her experiences daily, sharing recipes, and giving her honest opinion about vegetarianism. Here’s a link to her new blog: http://thezenveggie.blogspot.com/

Here’s the Instructions, (you need to follow all of the instructions in order to be entered, those who don’t will not be entered.  This happens way too often and make me sad….)

1.  Become a Follower on my Blog.  http://theartofzencrochet.blogspot.com/
2.  Go to my Etsy Shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/chrisssmith22 Find an item you would like to use the gift certificate on.
3.  Email me at theartofzencrochet@live.ca telling me what item you chose.

This giveaway will close on June 29 2010 and the Winner will be announced on June 30 2010.

Thank you to all who enter and support us!!

Absolutely anyone can enter!  Just visit my Blog for the Details:

http://theartofzencrochet.blogspot.com/2010/03/earth-day-giveaway.html

Free Scarf Crochet Pattern

To get the free pattern to make this scarf please visit my blog @
http://theartofzencrochet.blogspot.com/
BTW: I think this scarf would work up really lovely in any of Nicole’s Yarns, especially the Banana Silk!!! I am going to give that a go next and will post photos on my blog for you to see, (and admire!)
Have the best day ever!!

Not really a run of the mill resolution.  I decided I wanted to make my business, The Art of Zen…….Crochet, a lot more hmmmm….Eco friendly?  I know that seems a catch 22 phrase nowadays.  Anyways,  I want to put some serious effort into recycling, upcycling, repurposing!   So here is just the beginning of this.  I used some of the premium Recycled Sari Silk and some recycled T shirt Yarn to make this cap!

Enjoy and Happy New Years Crafting!

To see more Great Ideas and Items I make please visit my Etsy shop @

http://www.etsy.com/shop/chrisssmith22

Here’s one for a Bracelet:

Sari Silk Bracelet

20-40 yards of Recycled Sari Silk Yarn
An old bracelet of any width  I used a plastic one about 1/2″ wide
Size 4.5 mm crochet hook.
Darning needle.

Row 1: Make a slip knot as you normally would to start crocheting. With the inside of the bracelet towards you and the yarn on the outside insert hook to the inside (from top to bottom) of bracelet, yarn over and draw up a loop, bring yarn around back side of bracelet, yarn over, pull thru 2 loops on hook. You are going to repeat this until you have covered your bracelet.   Push your stitches close together to ensure you cover your bracelet fully.  Join with slip stitch to first stitch. Fasten off and weave in ends.   Please see the photos below for visual help.

Tip, work the tail from the beginning under as you go, then you don’t have to weave it in later.   Have fun! 

The Leftover's Purse

The new “scrap patterns” will be much smaller and will include recycling some household items or something you could find inexpensively in a second hand or dollar store. I am thinking stocking stuffers!!!
If you have any requests for patterns, please let us know, we are always looking for fresh ideas or new twists on old ideas.
DGY will also be releasing a lovely pattern (at a great price, of course!) for Sari Silk Fingerless Mitts! I wasn’t gonna post this picture, but I think I will! Here it is:

DGY's Premium Recycled Sari Silk Fingerless Mitts

Have the Best day ever and Happy Crafting!

Click Here For the Pattern

Click Here For the Pattern

This tam is stylish and warm. Like the matching scarf, the hat is lacey but not overly feminine. Instructions are included for 3 sizes of brims and the option to add more “slouch”. This is a quick project that can be crocheted in a few hours depending on your crochet level, so this is a perfect pattern for a last minute gift that definitely won’t look last minute! This pattern advanced beginner.

Click Here For the Pattern

Chriss: Well, that is a complicated question, sometimes I see an item on a person, such as a hat or a belt, and I haven’t seen it done in crochet, before. So I try it, and sometimes it works out horribly and sometimes I come up with a really awesome item or pattern.

Click Here for the Belt

My daughter, Billie, is a huge inspiration. She is such a huge help when it comes to being able to wear things in different ways. Sometimes, we talk about an idea that didn’t work out, and she can help me modify the idea. Not to mention, she is my resident model.

Click Here for the Pattern

Crochet had this bad rap for a long time as being, doilies, mile-a-minute afghans, bulky vests, and slippers. Not to say those things don’t have there place in crochet, its just crochet is so much more. A lot of people hear crochet and are immediately put off,then I show them and they are so shocked! So, I get inspiration thru breaking boundries or changing the way people think about crochet.

I have said this one before, knitters/knitting inspire(s) me. Why? There has been a major explosion of crochet patterns in the past 7-8 years, but before that it was hard to find cutting edge/ or even really trendy crochet patterns. There are so many really great knitting patterns, so sometimes I look to whats happening in the world of knitting.

The origin of yarn can be inspiring. I look at the texture, drape, and color of the yarn. We’ll use DGY Premium Recycled Sari Silk for an example: Well, first off its silk, and silk has wonderful drape. Color? Well, that one speaks for it self. Texture, I love to work with Sari Silk in fairly tight stitches, that way it stays put and doesn’t fray too much. Also I think that is one of the best ways to display the yarn.

Premium Recycled Silk Yarn

And lastly nature inspires me, sometimes its listening to the rain, an awesome sunset, being in my veggie garden, playing with my kids, or like many others the season inspires me.
You say, “why?” And I say, “why not?”