Crochet Tutorial: Butterfly Lovey

July 31, 2018 By Nadia Fuad in amigurumi, Baby Items, Blankets, Crochet Pattern, Crochet Projects, Video Tutorial Tags: afghan, afghan block, babies, baby, baby blanket, basic, beginner, character, crochet, crochet tutorial, crocheted, crocheting, fashion, fashion blogger, flower, free crochet pattern, granny, granny square, handmade, how to, how to crochet, learn, pattern, red heart yarns, square, squares, stitch, teach, tutorial, video, video tutorial, yarn, yarnie, yarnutopia 1 Comment

“Butterflies can’t see their wings. They cannot see how truly beautiful they are, but everyone else can…”

Today’s project is this darling Butterfly Lovey. I love the three dimensional look of this piece. You can get as creative as you like with this project! I can imagine the variety of vivid hues one can use to make this sweet lovey for a child or adult.

This could be a great scrap yarn project. Make one or more and attach them for a unique 3D blanket or throw by piecing these squares together. Match a nursery or bedroom for your child.

Butterflies bring out something in all of us. Maybe since they are often beyond our grasp. We love to watch them flutter through the air on the lightness of their wings upon which we can send out wishes out into the world.

Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make this lovey:

My dad will continue to be the videographer, editor, and photographer for our videos when I move away.
Support YARNutopia today so we can continue to bring you clear, quality crochet tutorials even after I move into my new home!
There will be an added expense of more travel and hopefully this won’t deter our ability to provide consistent videos on a weekly basis.

**You can always contact me via Facebook if you have any problems with the pattern. I am happy to help if you have any questions along the way.

***These patterns are copyright YARNutopia © so PLEASE DO NOT COPY, SHARE, ADJUST OR RESELL MY PATTERN. I wrote and tested this pattern myself, from beginning to end. It took a lot of time and work, and I would really like to have it remain “my pattern.”

***You can sell anything you make from my patterns, please just link back to my website YARNutopia.com. Thank you!

Teacher: Nadia Fuad
Video and Editing: Fuad Azmat (My Daddy)
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Pattern:

Designed by Nadia Fuad
You may sell items made from my pattern, but please reference my website YARNutopia.com.
Please do not copy, sell, and/or post this pattern and claim it as your own.

Materials you will need:
–Red Heart Super Saver Yarn (Any colors, but I used: Delft Blue, Royal, Black, White, Carrot, Redwood, Gold)
–Size G-4.25mm Crochet Hook
–Yarn Needle
–Measuring Tape
–Polyfil
–Scissors

NOTES:

-This lovey is approximately 18 inches wide/long
-Use a bigger hook to make this bigger, and a smaller hook to make it smaller
-This lovey has a lot of pieces to sew together, a good yarn needle is essential to use during this project

Special stitches:
Ch(s): chain(s)
YO: Yarn Over
St(s): Stitch(es)
Sl st: slip stitch
SC: Single Crochet
FLO: Front Loop Only
BLO: Back Loop Only
SC: Single Crochet
SC2TOG: Single Crochet Decrease
HDC: Half Double Crochet
DC: Double Crochet

Pattern:

Lovey Squares: Make 4
With Orange
Ch 4, Sl st to first ch to form a ring (or start with Magic Ring)
Rnd 1: Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch), 12 DC in ring, sl st to first st. (12)
Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 DC in each st around, sl st to first st. (24)
Fasten off orange and change color.
Rnd 3: Attach new color to any st, Ch up 2, [2DC, ch 2, 2 DC] in same st, *HDC in next 2 sts, SC in next st, HDC in next 2 sts, [2DC, ch 2, 2 DC] in next st, repeat from * around ending with HDC in last st, sl st to first st.
You will be working in Rows now:
R0w 4: Sl st into next st and into ch 2 sp. TURN, 2 DC in CH 2 sp, DC in each st to next corner, [2DC, ch 2, 2DC] in corner, DC in each st to next corner, 2 DC in corner, leave rest of the sts unworked. Turn.
Row 5: Ch 2 (does not count as st), DC in each st to corner, [2 DC, ch 2, 2 DC] in corner, DC in rest of sts on the row, turn.
Rows 6-13: Repeat Row 5, do not fasten off.
Continue to SC down the side, put 3 SC in corner, and work SCs down the next side. (See video tutorial for visual instructions)
Fasten off with a long tail for sewing.

Assembly step:
Sew all 4 squares together (See video tutorial to see how to sew the squares together)
Border:
With White: SC around entire lovey. Fasten off.
With Black: SC around entire lovey. Fasten off. Weave in all ends.

Wings: Make 8
Ch 4
Row 1: SC in 2nd Ch and next 2 chs, ch 1, turn. (3)
Row 2: 2 SC in 1st st, SC in next 2 sts, Ch 1, turn. (4)
Row 3: SC in 1st 3 sts, 2 SC in last st, ch 1, turn. (5)
Row 4: 2 SC in 1st st, SC in the rest of the sts on the row, Ch 1, turn. (6)
Row 5: SC in each st to last st, 2 SC in last st, ch 1, turn. (7)
Row 6: Repeat Row 4. (8)
Row 7: Repeat Row 5. (9)
Row 8: Repeat Row 4. (10)
Row 9: Repeat Row 5. (11)
Row 10: Repeat Row 4. (12)
Rows 11-15: SC in each st across, ch 1, turn. (12)
Row 16: SC2TOG, SC in 8 sts, SC2TOG, ch 1, turn. (10)
Row 17: SC in 8 sts, SC2TOG, ch 1, turn. (9)
Row 18: SC2TOG, SC in the next 7 sts, ch 1, turn. (8)
Row 19: SC in 6 sts, SC2TOG, ch 1, turn. (7)
Row 20: SC2TOG, SC in 5 sts, ch 1, turn. (6)
Row 21: SC2TOG, SC in 2 sts, SC2TOG, ch 1, turn. (4)
Row 22: [SC2TOG] twice. (2)
Fasten off.
Before attaching the wings together, make the mini circles and embroider the veins

Mini Circles: Make 8
With first color:
Ch 2
Rnd 1: 6 SC in 2nd ch from hook, Sl st to first st, fasten off.
Rnd 2: Attach black to any stitch, 2 SC in each st around, sl st to first st. Fasten off with long tail for sewing.

Assembly step:
Sew mini circles in place and embroider the veins with black yarn. (See video tutorial for visual instructions on this part)
After the circles and veins are on the wings, Attach the wings together by Single Crocheting around the wings and stuff them. Fasten off with a long tail for sewing. (See video tutorial for this part too), I know it’s a lot of sewing.

Body:
With Black Yarn
Work in Continuous Rounds and in the BLO
Ch 2
Rnd 1: 4 SC in 2nd ch from hook. (4)
Rnd 2: 2 SC in 1st st, SC in the rest of the sts on the round. (5)
Rnds 3-9: Repeat Rnd 2 until you have 12 sts.
Rnd 10: [2 SC in next st, SC in next st] 6 times. (18)
Rnd 11: [2 SC in next st, SC in next 2 sts] 6 times. (24)
Rnds 12-13: SC in each st around. (24)
Rnd 14: [SC2TOG, SC in next 2 sts] 6 times. (18)
Rnd 15: [SC2TOG, SC in next st] 6 times. (12)
Stuff your piece and continue with the next round.
Rnd 16: [2 SC in next st, SC in next st] 6 times. (18)
Rnd 17: [2 SC in next st, SC in next 2 sts] 6 times. (24)
Rnds 18-19: SC in each st around. (24)
Rnd 20: [SC2TOG, SC in next 2 sts] 6 times. (18)
Rnd 21: [SC2TOG, SC in next st] 6 times. (12)
Stuff your piece and continue with the next round.
Rnd 22: [2 SC in next st, SC in next st] 6 times. (18)
Rnd 23: [2 SC in next st, SC in next 2 sts] 6 times. (24)
Rnds 24-25: SC in each st around. (24)
Rnd 26: [SC2TOG, SC in next 2 sts] 6 times. (18)
Rnd 27: [SC2TOG, SC in next st] 6 times. (12)
Embroider eyes to body (Optional)
Stuff your piece and continue with the next round.
Rnd 28: [SC2TOG] 6 times.
SC 1st and 4th sts together.
Fasten off weave in ends.

Antenna: Make 2
With Black Work in continuous rounds and in BLO
Ch 2
Rnd 1: 6 SC in 2nd ch from hook. (6)
Rnd 2: 2 SC in each st around. (12)
Rnd 3: SC in each st around. (12)
Rnd 4: [SC2TOG] 6 times. (6)
Rnd 5: [SC2TOG, SC in next st] twice. (4)
Rnds 6-7: SC in each st around.
Fasten off with long tail for sewing.

Assembly:
Sew wings to body, sew antenna to body, sew body to lovey in the center.
Weave in all ends.

Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links, which I may be compensated for when you make a purchase. That means if you click on any link and buy from the linked websites, I will receive a small percentage of the value of your order. The amount you pay is not changed. Thank you for all your support in clicking the links in my blog!! You all are so amazing!! ~Nadia

The yarn provided for this pattern is courtesy of Red Heart Yarns

Help Make Turtles for Mental Health Awareness

July 24, 2018 By Nadia Fuad in Blog Posts, Crochet Pattern Tags: ace, agoraphobia, amphibian, animal, animals, awareness, babies, basic, beginner, cause, character, childhood experiences, crochet, did, disorder, disorders, dissociative, donate, donation, goal, good cause, health, mental, mental health, mental health awareness, mhat, ocean, ptsd, reptile, save the ocean, sea turtle, shells, turtle, turtles, yarnie, yarnutopia, zoo 3 Comments

Recently, one of our followers reached out asking for some assistance for an important cause. She is a mental health advocate and public speaker. She asked me for help to make small crocheted turtles.

MHATs or Mental Health Awareness Turtles, will be distributed to patients who are dealing with traumatic experiences that led to their ongoing struggles with mental health. This individual is working to help others who, like herself, have endured horrific experiences and SURVIVED.

In the aftermath, they are now left with lifelong battles. We can HELP! These little turtles have provided big benefits to patients dealing with these traumas. The goal of the MHATs is to provide comfort and start conversations. A reminder for people to come out of their “shells” and discuss mental health openly without fear of stigma.

Patients who are living with ACE or Adverse Childhood Experiences, Agoraphobia, cPTSD or complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Severe Dissociative Disorders and many others both inpatient and out-patient will benefit from this project. She needs to meet her goal of 100 turtles by October 1st,2018. All the turtles we make and send to her will be 100% donated to this cause and help patients. If anyone would like to help, please read and follow the pattern below.

THIS IS NOT MY PATTERN AND THERE IS NO VIDEO TUTORIAL. I have provided photos of my own turtle which I made using this pattern to show you the end result. You can find the address to ship your turtles to at the bottom of this page.

I have made it big and bold so you cannot miss it! DON’T forget the deadline is OCTOBER 1st, 2018. She will be speaking at an event on OCTOBER 11th, 2018 and will need to have the turtles well in advance. MHATs Pattern is property of Erika Reva Memering.

Address to send your turtles to:

Erika Reva Memering
MHATs Project
2956 Allen Street
Lake Station, IN 46405

Pattern:

Body and Head: You can use any colors you want. Scraps of yarn even work, since this doesn’t take too much yarn to make this project.
Color I used photographed above: Red Heart Super Saver Freshmint

Shell: You can use any color you want. Scraps of yarn even work, since this doesn’t take too much yarn to make this project.
Color I used photographed above: Red Heart Super Saver Stripes Polo Stripe

Materials You will need:
Yarn (Any colors you want)
Crochet Hook Size G-4.25mm or H-5.00mm
Stuffing
Scissors
Yarn Needle
Stitch Markers

Special stitches:
Ch(s): chain(s)
YO: Yarn Over
St(s): Stitch(es)
Sl st: slip stitch
SK: Skip
SC: Single Crochet
HDC: Half Double Crochet
DC: Double Crochet
BLO: Back Loop Only
RS: Right Side
WS: Wrong Side

Body:
Using Your Main Color, work in BLO and in continuous rounds.
Put Stitch Marker at the beginning of each round to mark your rounds if needed.

Ch 2
Rnd 1: 7SC in 2nd CH from hook. (7)
Rnd 2: 2 SC in each st around. (14)
Rnd 3: [2 SC in next st, SC in next st] 7 times. (21)
Rnd 4: [2 SC in next st, SC in next 2 sts] 7 times. (28)
Rnd 5: *Ch 7, Sl st in 2nd ch from hook, SC in next 3 Chs, HDC in next ch, DC in next ch, Sl st into next st on body and next 6 sts, repeat from * around. (4 legs made)
Fasten off weave in ends.

Head:
Using Your Main Color, work in BLO and in continuous rounds.
Put Stitch Marker at the beginning of each round to mark your rounds if needed.
Ch 2
Rnd 1: 5 SC in 2nd Ch from hook. (5)
Rnd 2: 2 SC in each st around. (10)
Rnd 3: [2 SC in next st, SC in next st] 5 times. (15)
Rnds 4-5: SC in each st around. (15)
Embroider eyes on turtle (optional)
Rnd 6: [SC2TOG, SC in next st] 5 times. (10)
Stuff the head
Rnd 7: [SC2TOG] 5 times. (5)
Stuff head a little more if needed.
Fasten off with long tail for sewing.
Sew to body between 2 legs.

Shell:
Using Your Accent Color, work in BLO and in continuous rounds.
Put Stitch Marker at the beginning of each round to mark your rounds if needed.
Ch 2
Rnd 1: 7 SC in 2nd CH from hook. (7)
Rnd 2: 2 SC in each st around. (14)
Rnd 3: [2 SC in next st, SC in next st] 7 times. (21)
Rnd 4: [2 SC in next st, SC in next 2 sts] 7 times. (28)
Rnds 5-7: SC in each st around. (28)
Fasten off with long tail for sewing.

Be sure to have the Right Side facing out and sew shell to the body. Once you have it 3/4 of the way sewn closed, be sure to stuff the shell, but do not stuff too firmly.

Weave in all ends.
Enjoy!

Please send your finished turtles to:

Erika Reva Memering
MHATs Project
2956 Allen Street
Lake Station, IN 46405

Treat Yourself to KnitCrate

July 19, 2018 By Nadia Fuad in Uncategorized Leave a comment

I’ve been receiving my KnitCrate for several months now and I cannot tell you how exciting it is to get a surprise in the mail every month! I have the KnitCrate Membership which includes free shipping, a knitting pattern, a crochet pattern, 2 skeins of premium yarn, and coupon codes for more yarn! As a member of KnitCrate, I automatically get 25% off all their merchandise featured on their shop! See more information about KnitCrate here!

Shipping is always free with every subscription, both domestic and internationally. The KnitCrate Membership is the most cost effective option at $24.99 per month. It includes 2 skeins ($48 retail), 1 knitting pattern by an independent designer ($5 retail), and 1 crochet pattern by an independent designer ($5 retail).

There are other Crates as well for knitters: The Artisan Crates and Sock Artisan Crates feature skeins of yarn by independent dyers and knitting patterns by independent designers!

Here are a few of my KnitCrate creations:

If you are interested in subscribing to this monthly yarn surprise, use coupon code YARNUTOPIA20 to get 20% off your first month!! You can cancel your subscription ANYTIME!! It’s so simple!!

Nadia Goes on a Yarn Hop

July 17, 2018 By Nadia Fuad in Blog Posts Tags: abacus dyeworks, angry pickle, art, artisan, basic, beginner, blue heron, blue heron knittery, caledonia, crochet, crochet tutorial, crocheted, crocheting, decorah, driftless, driftless region, ewetopia, fashion, fashion blogger, fashionable, fiber, fitting knit, fitting knit shop, free crochet pattern, free pattern, hop, iowa, just stitch it, knit, knits, knitting, la crosse, meisch upholstery, midwest, regional, shop, stitch, teach, unwound, viroqua, winona, wisconsin, wool, yarn, yarnie, yarnology, yarnutopia 5 Comments

With my move to a new city, much of my free time is spent exploring my new home. Nate has lived here for almost 10 years and as familiar as he is with this area, there are a lot of places in our city that I have discovered that he wasn’t aware even existed! One of the first places I wanted to scout out was the area yarn shops. Because it would be a travesty if my husband didn’t know where the yarn is!

You may recall in previous blogs how much I enjoy the quaintness and feel of a local yarn store. I love to support small businesses, and I will do my best to try to frequent them as often as I can. Fortunately for me, my city has a few in and around the area! Insert a visual of wide-eyed Nadia looking like a kid in a candy store each time she enters one of these shops running around squeezing all the yarn balls!

Last week, I popped into one of the local shops, Unwound Artisan Yarn Shop here in La Crosse, WI and found out they were having a Yarn Loop! Squeeee! How did they know I needed that in my life right now? What it entailed was a 200 mile route through three states, hopping from yarn shop to yarn shop along the route. Six shops in total were part of this event! You have no idea that I could hardly sleep the night before!! I was THAT excited.

The first thing I did when I found out there was a Yarn Loop was call my mom. Who better to join me on this adventure than my crafty partner in crime?? I was hoping she would be able to come the night before to have a pre-yarn-hop slumber party where we would stay up all night and plot out our plan and get an early start, but she was so busy she couldn’t make it until early that morning. She had over a two hour drive to get to my house, and of course I insisted we be ready to go by 8am. Even though the shops didn’t open til 9!

She was at my house by 8am the morning of the yarn hop and by 9 we were walking into the first shop! Our first stop was Unwound located right in Downtown La Crosse. I love their shop and how welcoming the staff is! The minute you walk in is a burst of warmth and color. Here we were given our “passport” to have stamped at each of the shops participating. Each shop was giving away some door prize swag, there were great deals and sales on yarn, and some had additional prizes and giveaways. Unwound had a nifty needle measure as their giveaway. I also scored some great purchases. I bought some wonderful yarn by Abacus Dyeworks. Along with fabulous fibers, I found some patches to add to my yarn bag. All in all it was a great start, despite the fact that as soon as we stepped out of the shop it was a torrential downpour! Meh, no rainstorm would dampen my spirit when 5 more shops await!

Follow Unwound Artisan Yarn Shop on Facebook!!

Check out their Instagram here!!

Next was Fitting Knit Shop, another store in downtown La Crosse. We arrived and had our passport stamped first thing. They were giving away free knitting patterns and I grabbed a couple skeins of Bamtastic Bamboo Yarn. I plan on trying my hand at knitting to see how I do. One really special point about this stop was the history of this little yarn store! It was established in 1946! They are still in business today. What a remarkable claim to be able to make! In the days of internet, it is pretty cool to see a business like this survive through so many decades.

Follow Fitting Knit Shop on Facebook!

We were quickly on our way to Viroqua, WI to Ewetopia Fiber Shop. I love this shop! With wall to wall fiber and lots of fun products that go beyond the yarn, I felt my excitement rising! What made Ewetopia stand out was the fact that they farm their own woolly animals that provide them their own AMAZING yarn! You all know me, I had to try THAT yarn! I purchased their own yarn which was 100% Blue Faced Leicester Wool. How incredible to have a sustainable farm to provide your own wool and fibers to their customers as well as stocking additional fabulous fibers! The staff at the shop was so endearing and wonderful. I had my passport stamped and I met some friends along the way! They gave out stitch markers for free, and of course I had to purchase some of the other fun items they had in their shop! I can’t wait to go back!

Follow Ewetopia Fiber Shop on Facebook

My mom and I were now off to Decorah, Iowa to our fourth stop of the day. By this time it was closing in on lunch, but we decided to wait until we arrived in Decorah, made our stop at the yarn shop Blue Heron Knittery, before stopping for lunch. Oh. My. Gosh! What a wonderful city Decorah is! This was my very first time visiting and right away we noticed the strong Scandinavian heritage of the area! It was wonderful. What was even more delightful is the yarn store had a wonderful selection of yarns that were specific to Norway and Denmark. We marked our passports to make note that we found our way to the fourth place on our route. I picked up some Kauni 100% wool and some Rauma Finullgarn. The shop had some fun swag giveaways and I walked away with a cute notepad with sticky notes and a pen. A cute stash bag also caught my eye and I had to have it!

Follow Blue Heron Knittery on Facebook

By now we were starving and the Blue Heron Knittery shop staff recommended us to Ede’s Angry Pickle! Yes you read that right! It is a little sandwich shop right across the street a bit from the yarn shop. You can follow them on Facebook here! What a delightful diner! We had artisan sandwiches with fresh lemonade and it hit the spot! We even left a little bit of art behind to commemorate the day! My mom drew Pickle Art for the wall inside the diner which was filled with the art of past patrons.

By 3pm, we were on our last leg of the trip headed towards Minnesota. A little tired from all the day’s activity, we were determined to finish the yarn hop. The next stop was Just Stitch It Meisch Upholstery in Caledonia, Minnesota. As soon as we walked in the door, we were greeted by wonderful staff in a small shop inside what looks like a home. It was a combined fabric and fiber shop that was very cozy! They handed us wonderful pouches of swag as a sweet giveaway and had us register for a special giveaway of a bag, magazine and ball of yarn. A few days after the Yarn Loop was over, I received a phone call from this shop that I won their giveaway! They had some wonderful yarn selections and I was able to purchase their pattern selection they had featured which used Schoppel yarns. We wrapped up our visit and were on our way to the LAST stop of the day!

Follow Just Stitch It on Facebook

Winona, Minnesota was the next city on the map for our fabulous Yarn Loop Day. Yarnology was the last shop and last stop for us! And what a way to end the day!!!!! Yarnology was packed full of fun and fabulous products! I scored myself some Universal Yarns Bamboo Bloom Handpaints in the color Kanji and the swag they gave away was AWESOME!! They handed us gift bags upon arrival filled with lots of fun do-dads! One big highlight of the day was meeting Lisa who is the owner of Abacus Dyeworks! Remember, I bought that yarn from Unwound Artisan Yarn Shop from our first stop?! How awesome was it to meet the dyer of the yarn I purchased earlier in the day!! I also discovered the product SOAK Wash! You can learn more about SOAK and how awesome it is by following them on Facebook here! I absolutely loved this store, the atmosphere, the staff…the list goes on. It was THE PERFECT way to end this hop.

Follow Yarnology on Facebook

Follow Yarnology on Instagram

Follow Abacus Dyeworks on Instagram

Follow Soak Wash on Facebook

My mom and I had such a great adventure as we always do, and a yarn hop was the best way to spend a Friday. We met so many friendly and welcoming people. We enjoyed driving through the countryside, and when the rain cleared, the scenery was breathtaking. We found new places to go back to and explore. A special thank you to all of the participants in this 1st annual Driftless Loop Yarn Shop Hop! It was a blast! And I found out Yarn Hopping is as fun as it is exhausting! Until next year everybody! Share your yarn hop adventures in the comment section! I would love to hear from you!

~Nadia

Help Endorse me for a WEGO Health Award: BEST IN SHOW (Endorsements Closed)

July 12, 2018 By Nadia Fuad in Blog Posts, Health Update Tags: advocacy, advocate, award, awards, ceremony, colitis, crohn's, crohn's and colitis, crohn's awareness, crohn's disease, endorse, endorse me, nominate, nomination, nominee, recognize, sponsor, ulcerative colitis, wego, wego health, win, winner, winning 2 Comments

WEGO Health is a mission-driven company connecting healthcare with the experience, skills and insights of Patient Leaders. They are the world’s largest network of over 100k Patient Leaders, working across virtually all health conditions and topics. Their network collaborates with pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, agencies, consultancies, startups and all types of organizations across healthcare.

The WEGO Health Awards program was created to recognize and honor those making a difference in the online health community. It provides the opportunity for community members to thank and support the Patient Leaders and patient-centric initiatives they admire. I was nominated for Best in Show-for my blog YARNutopia.com.

You can see my Endorsement page to vote for me here

(ENDORSEMENTS HAVE CLOSED)

Since being nominated for this award, I need to get endorsements to help boost my chances at winning. There is an amazing plethora of individuals who are all using their platform for building awareness and I am privileged to be among so many wonderful nominees.

If you could take a moment to read more about my story here on my home page and also the following blogs listed below:

Keep Your Face To the Sunshine

Ostomy Awareness Day 2016

Yay! I did it!!

Broken Roads Point the Way

A Promise of Hope

Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Blog Post

World IBD Day 2016 Blog Post

World IBD Day 2017 Blog Post

Shenanigans the Sheep

My battle with Crohn’s disease is an ongoing journey. The latest news in my health update is that Nate and I started to discuss having a family, and we are on a new journey to someday maybe have a baby. It has been dramatic and a bit worrisome. I will be visiting a specialist who deals with very high-risk pregnancies and consulting about that. There have been many recent discoveries that will make things very complex moving forward, but we will get through this together.

Please consider endorsing me for this award, I would appreciate that gesture tremendously! It is wonderful to have recognition for crochet, but having a voice to spread awareness about debilitating diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis may bring us one step closer to a cure and makes what I do so much more meaningful. Thank you.

~Nadia

UPDATE:

The WEGO Health Awards program was created to recognize and honor those making a difference in the online health community. It provides the opportunity for community members to thank and support the Patient Leaders and patient-centric initiatives they admire. I was nominated for Best in Show-for my blog YARNutopia.com, and after the endorsement round was closed, the numbers were tallied, and I was notified that I am a FINALIST in this category!!! Thank you to everyone who has endorsed me to win this award!! It means so much to me to have the opportunity to use my platform and raise awareness and share the journey I have been through with Crohn’s disease. I know this isn’t a health blog, but it’s because of my health that crochet is such a huge part of my life.

What’s Next? WEGO Health will be announcing the winners live on Facebook during an online ceremony September 26-28^th. Winners will then be invited to an in-person ceremony during the Connected Health Conference in October. Stay tuned!

Crochet Tutorial: Autumn Nights Cardigan

July 11, 2018 By Nadia Fuad in clothing, Crochet Pattern, Crochet Projects, Video Tutorial Tags: autumn, basic, beginner, bistro, christmas, crochet, crochet tutorial, crocheted, crocheting, fashion, fashion blogger, fashionable, free crochet pattern, free pattern, handmade, how to, how to crochet, learn, night, nights, pattern, red heart yarns, stitch, striped, stripes, teach, tutorial, video, video tutorial, yarn, yarnie, yarnutopia 1 Comment

As summer is at it’s peak, it’s hard to imagine that in less than two months the weather will be quite different here in Wisconsin. I love the four seasons, but I am much more of a warm weather girl than one who embraces the cold. For that reason, I try to be prepared for the cold weather by having the warmest wardrobe ready!

Not much will be warmer than the Autumn Nights Chunky Cardi! This lush sweater will blanket you from the cold. It is about as cozy of a sweater that will ever find. The most wonderful part? You can make it yourself!

Using Red Heart Yarn Grande, I was able to design and make this project in less than one day. You can too! Here are my easy to follow instructions for this chunky cardigan along with the video tutorial on how to make one for yourself. Don’t get caught in the cold weather this fall and winter and make yours now!

Follow along with this video tutorial to learn how to make this cardigan:

**You can always contact me via Facebook if you have any problems with the pattern. I am happy to help if you have any questions along the way.

***You can sell anything you make from my patterns, please just link back to my website YARNutopia.com. Thank you!

Pattern:

Designed by Nadia Fuad
You may sell items made from my pattern, but please reference my website YARNutopia.com.
Please do not copy, sell, and/or post this pattern and claim it as your own.

Materials you will need:
–Red Heart Grande Yarn in Oatmeal, Teal, Apricot, and Chianti
I used 10 balls of Oatmeal, 3 balls of Chianti, 3 balls of Apricot, and 2 balls of Teal
–Size Q-16mm Crochet Hook
–Yarn Needle
–Measuring Tape
–Scissors

NOTES:

-This is worked as 2 panels sewn together then sleeves separate, and sewn to the vest.
-The measurements for the cardigan I demonstrate in the video tutorial are: 72 inch panels (36 inches (92 cm) in length from shoulder to bottom), Sleeves measure 20 inches (50 cm). You can make as many stitches as you need because this pattern goes off measurements and not stitch counts.
-On the front/back panels, To make this shorter, make less stitches on your foundation row.
-On the Front/Back Panels, To make this longer, make more stitches on your foundation row.
-On the sleeves, to make them longer, make more stitches on your foundation row.
-To make the cuff longer, add more rows on your sleeve cuff.
-I used 828 Yards of yarn in this project
-I used Red Heart Grande Yarn in this project, but if you cannot access this yarn, go to YARNSUB.com and search “Grande” yarn, and click on Red Heart Yarns Grande. It will list all the yarns that are equal to this yarn so you can find a similar weight yarn if you cannot get Grande.

Special stitches:
Ch(s): chain(s)
YO: Yarn Over
St(s): Stitch(es)
Sl st: slip stitch
SC: Single Crochet
FLO: Front Loop Only
BLO: Back Loop Only
FDC: Foundation Double Crochet
DC: Double Crochet

Pattern:

Front and Back Panels:
Make 2
(Measure the length from the front of your knees, up around your shoulder, down to the back of your knees. This will be the length of your Foundation Row)

Row 1: With Oatmeal, Foundation Double Crochet 85 (measures 80 inches) (or however many you need to make the length you need), turn, fasten off and change color.

Row 2: With Chianti, Ch 3, DC across, turn. Fasten off and change color.

Row 3: With Oatmeal, Ch 3, DC across, turn.

Row 4: Ch 3, work in FLO, DC across. Fasten off and change color. DO NOT TURN.

Row 5: Attach Apricot to the Ch 3 stitch, Ch 3, DC across, turn. Fasten off and change color.

Row 6: With Oatmeal, Ch 3, DC across, turn.

Row 7: Ch 3, Work in FLO, DC across. Fasten off and change color. DO NOT TURN.

Row 8: Attach Teal to the Ch 3 stitch, Ch 3, SC across. Fasten off.

To make larger sizes, add more rows repeating Rows 3, 4, and 5.

Assembly Step:
Sew up half the stitches of Row 8 on each piece. (see video tutorial for visual instructions)

Sleeves:
Make 2
Measure the length from the end of your shoulder to right above your wrist, This will be the length of your foundation row.

Row 1: With Oatmeal, FDC 18 stitches (measures 15 inches) (or however many you need to make the length you need), turn.

Row 2: Ch 3, Work in BLO, DC across. Fasten off and change color.

Row 3: With Chianti, Ch 3, Working in Both loops of the stitches, DC in each st across. Fasten off and change color.

Row 4: With Oatmeal, Ch 3, Working in Both loops of the stitches, DC in each st across, turn.

Row 5: Ch 3, Work in FLO, DC across, fasten off and change color.

Row 6: With Apricot, Ch 3, working in Both loops of the stitches, DC in each st across. Fasten off and change color.

Row 7: Repeat Row 4

Row 8: Repeat Row 5

Row 9: With Teal, Ch 3, work in Both loops of the stitches, DC in each st across. Fasten off.

Assembly step:
Sew first and last rows together.

Cuff:
Attach Oatmeal to one end of the sleeve.
Round 1: Ch 1, Evenly crochet 18 SC around. Sl st to first stitch, change color to Teal.

Round 2: Ch 1, [SC2TOG, SC in next st] 6 times. Sl st to first stitch, change color back to Oatmeal. (12 sts)

Round 3: Ch 1, SC in each st around. Sl st to first stitch, change color back to Teal. (12)

Round 4: Ch 1, SC in each st around. Sl st to first stitch, Change color back to Oatmeal. (12)

Round 5: Repeat Round 3

Round 6: Repeat Round 4

Round 7: Repeat Round 3
Fasten off and weave in ends.

Assembly:
Sew sleeves to Cardigan
SC 3 rows across the outer edge of the cardigan. Oatmeal, then Teal, then back to Oatmeal.
(See video tutorial for visual instructions)

Enjoy!

The yarn provided for this pattern is courtesy of Red Heart Yarns

Crochet Tutorial: Dual Sided Washcloth

July 3, 2018 By Nadia Fuad in Crochet Pattern, Crochet Projects, home decor, kitchen, Video Tutorial Tags: basic, beginner, block, blocks, crochet, crochet tutorial, crocheted, crocheting, fashion blogger, free crochet pattern, free pattern, granny square, handmade, how to, how to crochet, learn, pattern, red heart yarns, square, squares, stitch, teach, tutorial, video, video tutorial, yarn, yarnie, yarnutopia 1 Comment

My Dual Sided Washcloth is a great multipurpose solution for all your cleaning needs. From cleaning to scrubbing, this versatile project will be useful for everything in between!

Using these two yarns by Red Heart Yarns, I created a unique product that is not only a handy cleaning solution, it also makes great gift ideas for wedding showers, office parties, giveaways and many other activities.

Pair this with bath and spa products and you can give a gift that’s not only special for being handmade, but also very thoughtful. Who doesn’t want products that can induce relaxation?

Make sure you check out today’s video and pattern to try this fun and easy project now!

Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make this washcloth:

**You can always contact me via Facebook if you have any problems with the pattern. I am happy to help if you have any questions along the way.
***These patterns are copyright YARNutopia © so PLEASE DO NOT COPY, SHARE, ADJUST OR RESELL MY PATTERN. I wrote and tested this pattern myself, from beginning to end. It took a lot of time and work, and I would really like to have it remain “my pattern.”
***You can sell anything you make from my patterns, please just link back to my website YARNutopia.com. Thank you!

Teacher: Nadia Fuad
Video and Editing: Fuad Azmat (My Daddy)
Share your work on Facebook!
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Enjoy this video and subscribe to my channel on YouTube for more tutorials on how to crochet!
Leave a comment, and share with your friends!

Pattern:

Designed by Nadia Fuad
You *may* sell items made from my pattern, but please reference my website YARNutopia.com.
Please do not copy, sell, and/or post this pattern and claim it as your own.

Materials you will need:
Get the supplies individually by clicking the links below
–Red Heart Yarns Scrubby Smoothie (Color: Popsicle Brights)
–Red Heart Yarns Scrubby Cotton (Color: Coral)
-G-4.75mm Crochet Hook
–Yarn Needle
–Scissors

NOTES:
-Use a smaller hook to make these smaller
-Use a bigger hook to make these bigger

Special stitches:
Ch(s): chain(s)
YO: Yarn Over
BLO: Back Loop Only
St(s): Stitch(es)
Sl st: slip stitch
SK: Skip
SC: Single Crochet
DC: Double Crochet
FPDC: Front Post Double Crochet

Pattern:

If you have any confusion or difficulty with reading this pattern, please watch the video tutorial to have visual instructions.

Side 1:
Using Scrubby Cotton Yarn:
Row 1: Ch 26, DC in 4th Ch from hook and across, turn. (24 sts)
OR
Row 1: FDC 24 sts, turn.
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as DC), DC in each st across, turn. (24)
Rows 3-14: Repeat Row 2
Fasten off, weave in ends.
Go onto making side 2

Side 2:
With Scrubby Smoothie Yarn
Row 1: Ch 26, DC in 4th Ch from hook and across, turn. (24 sts)
OR
Row 1: FDC 24 sts, turn.
Row 2: Ch 3 (Counts as DC), DC in next st, *FPDC on next 2 sts, DC in next st, repeat from * across, ending with DC in last 2 sts. Turn.
Row 3: Ch up 3, DC in first 3 sts, *FPDC on next, DC in next 2 sts, repeat from * across, ending with DC in last 4 sts. Turn.
Rows 4-14: Repeat Rows 2 and 3, ending with a repeat of Row 2.
Fasten off with long tail for sewing.

Assembly:
Sew Side 1 and Side 2 together using the whip stitch and the pieces inside out, when the edge is almost closed, put the right side out and sew up the rest of the washcloth.

Homemade Soap Recipe:
To make the soap I showed in the video tutorial, follow the instructions below.
First layer of soap: Melt Double Butter soap base in a measuring cup, add a few drops of Red and Yellow liquid coloring to the soap base to make an orange swirl, then Pour it into Silicone Mold.
Spray with rubbing alcohol right away to remove any bubbles forming on top.
Leave to dry for about 2 hours. Before adding the second layer of soap, spray with alcohol to help with bonding.
Second layer of soap: Melt the Glycerin Soap Base and add more Red and Yellow liquid coloring, pour a thin layer over the top of the Double Butter Soap Base.
Let dry for 2 hours. Remove from silicone mold.
Cut into soap bars.
Enjoy!!

Enjoy!!

The yarn provided for this pattern is courtesy of Red Heart Yarns

YARNutopia & More

All things Yarn Related: Crochet, DIY, and Crafts

Monthly Archives: July 2018

Crochet Tutorial: Butterfly Lovey

NOTES:

Help Make Turtles for Mental Health Awareness

Address to send your turtles to:

Erika Reva Memering
MHATs Project
2956 Allen Street
Lake Station, IN 46405

Pattern:

Erika Reva Memering
MHATs Project
2956 Allen Street
Lake Station, IN 46405

Treat Yourself to KnitCrate

Nadia Goes on a Yarn Hop

Crochet Tutorial: Autumn Nights Cardigan

NOTES:

Crochet Tutorial: Dual Sided Washcloth

Pattern:

NOTES:

Address to send your turtles to:

Erika Reva Memering MHATs Project 2956 Allen Street Lake Station, IN 46405

Pattern:

Erika Reva Memering MHATs Project 2956 Allen Street Lake Station, IN 46405

NOTES:

Pattern:

Erika Reva Memering
MHATs Project
2956 Allen Street
Lake Station, IN 46405

Erika Reva Memering
MHATs Project
2956 Allen Street
Lake Station, IN 46405