Basic Crocheting - Double Crochet



How To Double Crochet

To begin to Double crochet - you will chain the O train - the same as you did with your Single crochet.

* See How to Single Crochet Here:
http://intothekingsgarden.blogspot.com/2014/03/basic-crocheting.html

About 145 stitches to make a 54" wide afghan

* Remember, you will never work in the first chain from the crochet hook when you double crochet.


Row 1 of Double Crochet

Step 1:  After you have chained the first row of 145 - Turn your work. Bring the yarn over the hook, Skip the first 3 chains from the hook and then insert the hook in the 4th chain.

 

Step 1

 

 

* Then in each of the remaining O chains you will do the following until you get to the end.

 

 

 

Step 2 - A:  Bring the yarn over the crochet hook and draw it through the chain stitch. You now have three loops on the hook  

 

 

Step 2 - A

 



Step 2 - B



Step 2B - 3:  Bring the yarn over the crochet hook and draw through the first two loops on the hook. You now have two loops left on the hook.

Step 3

Step 4:  Bring the yarn over the crochet hook and draw through both loops on the hook

Step 4

* You have now completed your first double crochet and are back to only one loop on the hook. Continue this same method until you come to the end of your train chain and are ready to begin Row 2 



1st Completed Double Crochet

Row 2 of Double Crochet

To work row 2, you need to bring the yarn to the correct height for the next row. To raise the yarn, chain 3 single crochet O's

Row 2

The three chains just made count as the first double crochet of the new row - so skip the first double crochet  you made in Row 1 and work a double crochet into the second stitch.

* Be sure to insert the crochet hook under top two loops of the stitch.

Continue until you get to the end. Turn and chain up 3 and repeat until your blanket is as long as you want it to be.

Example of Completed 2nd Row

Slow Motion Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgA9KSJrgAc

Heeheehee!

Ohhh ... but ..... Honey ....

A man came home from work and found his children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn around yard, The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and no  sign of the dog.

Walking in the door, he found ...an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, the throw rug was against one wall, In the front room the TV was on loudly with the cartoon channel, the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.

In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened. He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel...

She looked up at him, smiled and asked how his day went.

He looked at her bewildered and asked, 'What happened here today?'

She again smiled and answered, 'You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world do I do all day?...

''Yes," was his incredulous reply..

She answered, 'Well, today I didn't do it.'

The Perfect Candy Apple

Red Cinnamon Candy Apples

Making candy apples isn't as difficult as one might imagine. The secret is in the use of a candy thermometer. If the candy doesn't reach the perfect temp then the result is candy that is either too soft or too hard to eat. Stirring the mixture brings the temp of the candy down slightly- so use your thermometer often to maintain the correct degree for perfect candy.

Ingredients:

8 apples (I like Granny Smith for their crispness)
8 wooden skewers (popcycle sticks work great)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup red cinnamon candies, like Red Hots
Candy Thermometer


Preparation:

1. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray or smear on butter.
* Parchment paper works equally well. In which case simply smear on a thin layer of butter

2. Wash and dry the apples carefully. Remove the stems, and stick the skewers firmly in the stem ends.

3. Combine the water, corn syrup and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then continue to cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 250 degrees with candy thermometer. Wash down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush occasionally to prevent crystallization.

4. Once the candy reaches 300, add the cinnamon candies and stir briefly to incorporate. Continue to cook, washing down the sides, until it reaches 285 degrees.

5. Remove from the heat and stir the candy so that it is smooth and even. Hold an apple by the skewer and dip it in the candy, tilting the pan at an angle and rotating the apple to cover it completely with a smooth, even layer. Bring it out of the candy and twirl it to remove excess, then set it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining apples.

6. Allow apples to cool at room temperature. Candy apples are best enjoyed within 24 hours but can last for quite some time if wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated.

Ghastly Hands and Pretty Gloves

Ohh How I Love You
My Pretty, Pretty, Rubber Gloves

Can I be honest with you? Yes of course I knew that I could. You are just so sweet that way and I love you for it.

I have the single most ghastly hands on the planet. True! They are always dry and cracked in spite of all of the lotions, potions, creams and ointments that I apply diligently before bed (and sometimes throughout the day if I can keep my mind focused). Not to mention that I almost always am in desperate need of a manicure.

My hands stay in everything. Things that would forever prevent me from becoming a ~hand model~ if I should ever aspire to such things as that- which of course I never would because I actually like using my hands.

During the course of a normal week I am scouring the tub with "Ajax" or "Mean Green" (or something equally hand harsh) for those hard to remove soap scum stains that men seem to insist on leaving behind after every shower. Not to forget the black ring around the bathtub left behind after giving the dogs a bath.

My husband ~Marvin~ was once quick to remind me that it would be one less chore I would have to do if I would simply give the dogs a bath outside instead of in the tub. I answered that clearly uneducated remark with your basic ~how can you even suggest such a thing~ glare. The next time I caught him sitting out on the patio; smoking a cigarette and thinking thoughts that only other men understand - thoughts of turtle wax, armor all, rain X, and so forth- I gave him a good spray with the garden hose and ask him "how'd that bath work for ya"? He never mentioned giving the dogs a bath outside again. Neither has he offered to give the dogs a bath for me ... but that's another story for another time.

Anywho; there are ovens to be cleaned, toilets to be cleaned, floors and baseboards, walls and windows, dishes completely out the wazoo and that's ever before I get to my crafting. Whereas then we have paints, glues, turpentine, glitters, more paint, more glue, more turpentine and the occasional nick from the needle when I am hand sewing. All which ultimately end up with my having a pair of hands that look like I work as a welder in a steel mill rather than being a happy homemaker.

My daughter Misty; who has lovely hands, ~glare inserted here~ is always buying me something precious to help restore some balance of moisture back into my hands but the problem is that I can't ever really quite commit to the process. For example: I received the most precious hand kit made by Burt's Bees from her. Have you heard of them? Simply fantastic company with the most divine products made from well ... organic bees wax and honey and so forth. Lovely! In my kit were things for the cuticles, wax's and a buffer for the nails, banana scented thick, luxurious overnight cream for the hands and a dainty pair of tight'ish fitting white cotton gloves with the cutest little bumble bees printed in the fabric. I must admit that it was a joy to use and the following day (after having slept in my bee gloves) my hands did look remarkably healthier.

I made a vow to continue to use it each night but eventually found myself pulling the gloves off in my sleep and then in the morning I had to spend a half hour trying to locate where I had tossed them during the night. Eventually our wheaten terrier "Mr. Doogles" ate one of the gloves (no doubt because it had the scent of banana- a fruit that he particularly enjoys eating) So; my ~vow~ to use the Burt's Bees nightly pretty much went out the window. If it's any consolation I do upon occasion slather up my hands and cover them with a pair of my husbands cotton socks while I am watching a late night movie. We'll let him ponder the mysteries of why his white cotton socks sometimes smell like bananas. It'll do him good to broaden his mental horizons ...

Naturally 90% of this could be avoided if I would simply don a pair of rubber gloves while cleaning but honestly... they are just so ugly. Listen; I don't have a vain bone in my body but really! who wants to be caught wearing a pair of those ghastly yellow gloves? They came out with a red pair years ago but ruined them by topping off the cuff in the same shade of horrid yellow. ~blah~

Next we come to the crucible of this note. Which is a simple tutorial on how to decorate a pair of rubber gloves that you won't be embarressed to be seen in and you'll be more apt to wear often simply because you'll look so dang cute in them. The tutorial with photos! will follow this post so stay tuned. You are just going to love them! And of course, as always, they will be ~sew~ easy.

Tata!

“Let your beauty be found in “the hidden person of the heart,
with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,
which is very precious in the sight of God.”
1 Peter 3:4

Housekeeping Tips

TIPS! Every Woman Should Know

Your Basic un-Housekeeping

1. Vacuuming too often weakens the carpet fibers. Say this with a serious face, and shudder delicately whenever anyone mentions Carpet Fresh.

2. Dust bunnies cannot evolve into dust rhinos when left undisturbed. Rename the area under the couch or bed "The Galapagos Islands" and claim it as an ecological exemption.

3. Layers of dirty film on windows and screens provide a helpful filter against harmful and aging rays from the sun. Call it an SPF factor of 5 and leave it alone.

4. Cobwebs artfully draped over lampshades reduce the glare from the bulb, thereby creating a romantic atmosphere. If your husband points out that the light fixtures need dusting, simply look affronted and exclaim, "What? And spoil the mood?"

5. In a pinch, you can always claim that the haphazard tower of unread magazines and newspapers next to your chair provides the valuable Feng Shui aspect, thereby reducing your vulnerability to bad moods. Roll your eyes when you say this.

6. Explain the mound of pet hair brushed up against the doorways by claiming you are collecting it there to use for stuffing handsewn play animals for the under-privileged.

7. If unexpected company is coming, pile everything unsightly into one room and close the door. As you show your guests through your tidy home, rattle the door knob vigorously, fake a growl and say, "I'd love you to see our den, but Fluffy hates to be disturbed."

8. If dusting is REALLY out of control, simply place a showy urn on the coffee table and insist that  "THIS is where Grandma wanted us to scatter her ashes..."

9. Don't bother repainting. Simply scribble lightly over a dirty wall with an assortment of crayons, and try to muster a glint of tears as you say, "Johnny did this when he was two. I haven't had the heart to
clean it..."

10. Mix one-quarter cup pine-scented household cleaner with four cups of water in a spray bottle. Mist the air lightly. Leave dampened rags in conspicuous locations. Develop an exhausted look, throw yourself onto the couch, and sigh, "I clean and I clean and I still don't get anywhere..."



Top Ten Uses For Fruitcake  

1. Use slices to balance that wobbly kitchen table.
 
2. Use instead of sand bags during a pending flood or El Nino.
 
3. Send to U.S. Air Force, let troops drop them.
 
4. Use as railroad ties.
 
5. Use as speed bumps to foil the neighborhood drag racers.
 
6. Collect ten and use them as bowling pins.
 
7. Use instead of cement shoes for those folks that have plucked your last nerve.
 
8. Save for next summer's garage sale- to wedge the wood post sign into.
 
9. Use slices in next skeet-shooting competition.
 
10. Two words: pin cushion.