Hi, my dears,

how are you? Well, when I was thinking, what the new year will be, I really didn't imagine that the year 2020 will be full of fear, worries, and uncertainty. But also full of solidarity and kindness. Everyone who has a sewing machine is sewing the face masks for others because they aren't available to buy in the shops. 

I, as a patient with chronic autoimmunity disease, pecking up the immunosuppressants and other "treats", I do not want to admit, that I am in danger. But the truth is, that I can't listen to the news anymore. My heart is still beating as a race, so I thought I just had to try not to panic so much and try to calm myself. I'll try to stop worrying so much about our whole family and our friends. I believe I'm not alone in this and maybe this short article will help someone to realize that he's not alone in it either!

So I, as same as many other people in our small country, have pulled out my sewing machine. and I played with the colors again. I just changed the yarn for the fabric. I am in the little fight with the bottom thread, and I find that sew the mask is not as funny as it looks. I am sewing the protective masks for our family, friends, and their families. Perhaps colorful masks, decorated with polka dots, and flowers will serve them well. Yes, polka dots and flowers – what other fabrics would you expect from me? :-)

So if you would like to sew some masks for your family or as a volunteer, I really recommend these tutorials. Many thanks to all authors of these tutorials, so others can help also. A little advice – use 100% cotton fabric and if you will sew the masks for the hospitals, use the cotton threads, so the masks could be sterilized properly. 

And I can help myself and I am thinking about this coronavirus situation means for us. I don't want to think of the bad things. The sun is shining outside and I want to look at the situation positively. The first thing, that I have on my mind is, that families are together. And that's beautiful. I'm happy, that our family is together. I will not pretend, that this is a challenge and that everything goes smoothly. But I truly believe after this situation ends, that we will come out stronger as a people and as a family.

Yeah, and I also opened the list of WIPS I'd like to finish. Thanks to the home office I have more than 2 hours a day, which I spend on public transport on the way to/from work. So it would be a hell of me not to use that time to make something cheerful and colorful crochet. 

Last but not least. Stay healthy in these hard times! ♥

With love, Vendulka

Let's make this day special, my dear girls ♥ 

I wish you a lovely International Women's Day – 8th March 2020.

. . . . . ♥ . . . . .

Hi, my dears,

Holly flower brooch

I used my favorite 100% mercerized cotton Catania Solids by Schachenmayr.

Yarn details: weight: Sport / 5 ply (12 wpi), Yardage: 136 yards (124 meters), Unit weight: 50 grams (1.76 ounces). You can buy the yarn HERE.

I used these colors: 205 apple green, 412 moss green, 115 red
Size of the hook: 3 mm

Other tools: scissors, tapestry needle

The dimension of the finished placemat is 31 cm on average. Please remember that the size of the completed project depends on the used material and your own style of crocheting.

Level of the pattern: Beginner

Abbreviations used – US terminology:
Chain (CH)
Slip stitch (SlSt)
Single crochet (SC)
Double crochet (DC)
Treble crochet (TR)
Increasing (inc): crochet 2 stitches in one stitch
[ ] ...x times = repeat instructions in in brackets ... times
( ) = the number of the stitches at the end of the row/round

If you will need assistance, feels free and write to me at vendula.maderska@gmail.com.

Are you ready? So, let's crochet with me :-)

Placemats instruction

Use macrame cotton yarn and crochet in the circle rounds, don't turn the work at the end of the round. 

Round 1: CH 4 (first CH 3 will be counted as a 1st DC), 8 DC in the last stitch of the hook (9 DC in total).

Round 2: CH 3 (count as first DC), 1 DC in very first stitch, inc of DC in each stitch around,  join the first DC with 1 SlSt (you will have 18 DC in total).

Round 3: CH 3 (count as first DC), [CH 1, 1 DC in next stitch] repeat the group in brackets to the end of the round. Join the first DC with 1 SlSt (you will have 18 DC and 18 CH-spaces in total).


Round 4: CH 3 (count as first DC), 1 DC in very first CH-space from the previous round. [2 DC in every CH-space from the previous round] - repeat to the end of the round. Join first DC with 1 SlSt (you will have 36 DC in total).

Round 5: CH 3 (count as first DC), 1 DC in very first stitch, [1 DC in next stitch, 2 DC in next stitch] - repeat the group in the brackets to the end of the round. Join the first DC with 1 SlSt (you will have 54 DC in total).

Round 6: CH 3 (count as first DC), 1 DC in very first stitch, [1 DC in next 2 stitches, 2 DC in next stitch] - repeat the group in the brackets to the end of the round. Join the first DC with 1 SlSt (you will have 72 DC in total).

Round 7: CH 3 (count as first DC), [CH 1, skip one stitch, 1 DC in next stitch] - repeat the group in the brackets to the end of the round. Join the first DC with 1 SlSt (you will have 36 DC + 36 CH-spaces in total).

Round 8: CH 3 (count as first DC), 2 DC in very first CH-space from the previous round, [2 DC in next CH-space, 3 DC in next CH-space] - repeat to the penultimate CH-space of the round, 2DC in last CH-space of the round. Join first DC with 1 SlSt (you will have 90 DC in total).

Round 9: CH 3 (count as first DC), 1 DC in very first stitch, 1 DC in every stitch from the previous round. Join the first DC with 1 SlSt (you will have 90 in total).

Round 10: CH 3 (count as first DC), 1 DC in very first stitch, 1 DC in next 2 stitches, [2 DC in next stitch, 1 DC in next 2 stitches] - repeat the group in the brackets 28 times, 2 DC in next stitch, 1 DC in next stitch. Join the first DC with 1 SlSt (you will have 119 DC in total).

Round 11: CH 2 (count as first HDC), [CH 1, skip one stitch, 1 HDC in next stitch] - repeat the group in the brackets to the end of the round. Join the first HDC with 1 SlSt (you will have 60 HDC + 60 CH-spaces in total).


Round 12: CH 1, [2 SC in first CH-space, 3 SC in next CH space] - repeat to the end of the round. Join the first SC with 1 SlSt (you will have 150 SC in total).