Learning cables has been on my wishlist for years. Finally got around to teach myself this winter, and you know what? It's that easy!

I rediscovered this pattern a few years ago in the instruction booklet I had when I was 10. Translated it in English then more or less in my own words published it on my blog. That has been a hit ever since, thought I'd share it here too.

After practising on a few like these I was also able to work out a more complicated doily. Recommended for beginning doily makers who look up against it!

My abbreviations (in universal terminology; BE readers pls look up conversion charts USA>>BE):

ch - chain stitch (Dutch: losse)
ss - slip stitch (Dutch: halve vaste)
sc - single crochet (Dutch: vaste)
dc - double crochet (Dutch: stokje)

Start: 6 ch, close as a ring with a ss.

Row 1: 2 ch, 23 dc under the starting ch, close with a ss in the 2nd ch of the beginning of this row.

Tip: Find it difficult to fit 23 dc in? Make about 6 at a time then pull them back tightly between thumb an index finger, make the next 6 and repeat.

Row 2: 4 ch, 1 dc in the closing ss of the previous row; 1 ch. *skip 2 st; in the next st: 1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc; 1 ch*. Repeat 7x from *to*. Close row with a ss in 2nd ch (of 4) of the start.

Row 3: 2 ch; 1 dc, 2 ch, 2 dc under the 2 ch of the previous row; 1 sc under the 1 ch. *2 dc, 2 ch, 2 dc as before; 1 sc as before*. Repeat 7x from *to*. Close row with a ss in 2nd ch (of 2) of the start.

Row 4: No build up with ch as before; directly 3 dc, 1 ch, 3 dc under the 2 ch of the previous row; 1 sc to the left and right of the sc of the previous row. Repeat 8x and close with a ss in the first st of the row. Bind off or crochet a loop if you want to hang it up, then bind off.

A lady in my neighbouthood who makes beaded jewelry from time to time gives me sacks with scraps and leftovers or pieces of broken jewelry she deems 'trash', but I happily spend hours sorting it all out and still manage to create attractive items from it.
From several of her 'deliveries' - scattered all over - I selected a matching pair of fish earwires, hoops produced for DIY adornment with beads, a heap of fine chains in different lengths with an eye on top and a handfull of fine blue glass beads.
Not the most skilled project but time spent on selecting and putting it together makes it worth showing off here I hope!

I made this little pusrse to find out how much bag I could get from just one T-shirt. I'm quite happy about it but if I want something larger I'll need more T-shirts and will have to design something in more colours. Here's a how to in Dutch:

http://www.handwerkster.blogspot.nl/2012/07/gebreide-zpagetti-tas.html

Pictures of my work in progress are self-explanatory, you don't really need to read the text.

Etsy doesn't make http://'s automatically clickable, but I see some people have them anyway, to their blogs for example. Which code do you use for that? I find it so much user friendly than visitors having to copy the link first. And preferably in a way that opens a new window, so they don't 'loose' the shop after clicking.

Thanks for any help.

My next craft fair is in a large garden centre. I'm expecting at least a part of the public will be regular visitors of the shop. Does anyone have experience at selling craft on a garden show? What was your hottest item? You can see what kind of stuff I have in my Etsy shop (see sig).

I had a void transaction. Buyer never paid, never reacted to any of my emails. They had no feedback at all, it was their first order. After three days I canceled the sale and re-listed my item. On Etsy they say they will eventually remove the complete transaction, but other than an automatic email I've not heard back from them. The transaction is still listed and now I've paid double for my listing, sort of. Will I get that back too? How long does it take usually before the whole thing is undone? Does anybody have any experience with this?

Meld je aan of lees meer op: http://www.craftygardens.web-log.nl

Kom absoluut kijken als je in de buurt woont! Ik ben zelf aanwezig als deelnemer. Wordt volgens mij heel gezellig.

Does anyone read or subscribe to Imbibe Magazine? http://www.imbibemagazine.com
They asked me for a photo of one of my hand made tea cozies for their Jan/Feb issue article on tea, but the co-editor couldn't guarantee it would be used. The issue is out now, but that page isn't featured on their website. I'm in Europe and can't buy the magazine!!!
You can see the cosy in my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5125899
I would greatly appreciate it if anyone can tell me if it's in or not (before I start pestering the editors with emails). Thanks so much in advance!

If I'd known they would come out so cute, I'd have finished them earlier and entered them in the combined techniques crochet challenge... The trees are stencilled and the red balls hand painted on. Oh, well, so I post them here.