Pattern Release: the Puppy Placemat

For my Pet Appreciation Month design, I originally planned to create a cute placemat in the shape of a dog bone.... that was a fail and a half! More than likely, I could have conquered this design if I had more time, but in true Malena fashion I failed to read the calendar properly and my deadline to submit the design to the Pet Appreciation Blog Hop was rapidly approaching by the time I sat down to start my design. Combine a tight deadline with a curious puppy who was pretty sure that I was making something neat for her and would NOT stop trying to remove the crochet hook from my hand with her sharp sharp teeth, and I resorted to designing something more simple that can easily be completed in just one day!

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Sweet Little Granny Square Baby Blanket- FREE Crochet Pattern

My friend Helen from Sunflower Cottage Crochet invited me to participate in the Preemie Crochet Challenge again this year, and of course I agreed! My niece was a micro-preemie born at 24 weeks gestation, so this event has a special place in my heart. (Plus I love designing baby things even though it really isn't in my normal niche of pattern designs!)

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Pattern Release: the Dolphins and Diamonds Shawl

The Dolphins and Diamonds Shawl uses the filet crochet technique as well as my signature Dolphin Stitch and works up quickly. This is a great pattern to work on when you have a few distractions but don't want to be bored from the monotony of the same stitch over and over again. My testers enjoyed working on their shawls and loved the results, which means you are going to love working on and wearing this design too!

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Storybook Scarf- FREE Crochet Pattern

When I saw the new Lion Brand Mandala Sequins yarn winking at me, I just couldn't help myself. As I was working up the Storybook Scarf design, the combinations of the bright colors, sequins and the texture reminded me of a book my daughter had so many moons ago when she a tiny tot. Does the scarf remind you of a specific book from the early 2000s? (I asked my daughter when she came to visit a couple weeks ago, and she did not think of it, so don't feel bad if it hasn't come to you yet!)

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Pattern Release: the Spiral Donut Cowl

I made my Spiral Donut Cowl using one ball of Lion Brand Mandala Sparkle in the Aquarius colorway. I absolutely love the Mandala yarn, and you will find that I use it in many of my designs. The yarn is super easy to work with, and I have yet to find a colorway that I dislike! The Spiral Donut Cowl is constructed from post stitches in the round, then joined together to create a donut shape.

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