Crochet Mini Swirl Flower Mat

Hello,

You know from my first post on Crochet Diya that I am again hooked to crochet... Here I am with my second small crochet project a "Swirl Flower Mat"

I developed this from a swirl flower pattern. Will be sharing the free pattern with you all soon. So stay tuned!

Used Anchor knitting cotton thread.

Ash Gourd Soup / Elavan soup / vellai poosani soup

Glad to meet you all so soon. Since my resting days are over, now I am trying to get myself engaged completely like before and that made me make and share this wonderful soup of today the 'Ash gourd Soup'

Ash gourd or Winter Melon (English) /  Safed Bhopla (Marathi) / Elavan (Malayalam) / Vellai Poosani (Tamizh) /

This vegetable is low in calorie and fats. More of watery type. Hence when cooked adding salt, they tend to leave water. They have Carbs, Protein, Fiber, Calcium, Iron, Phosphorous, Thiamin, Vitamin C etc.  The vegetable also help in weightloss.

They are used in cooking as a vegetable and also used in making a sweet called Petha  (Agra Petha).

The soup can be spiced up using green chilli or Black Pepper corn as per your preference.

To make the soup, you need:- [Serves : 2 ]

• Ash Gourd - 1/4 kg
• Green Chilli - 1 No. (or  few black peppercorn as per your preference)
• Curry Leaves - 3 Nos.
• Sugar - less than 1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Water

For Garnishing :-

• Coconut oil - less than 1/4 tsp
• Milk - 1 tbsp

• In a pressure cooker put the diced the Ash gourd along with other ingredients and pressure cook for 3 whistles. 
• Once the pressure settles down, let it cool and then blend in a mixer
• Heat it
• Mix in the garnishing ingredients and then serve hot.

A simple and Humble soup to satisfy the soul!

Important to note :-

1. Those who have lactose intolerance, can avoid milk and can supplement it with coconut milk (which is also good for stomach). 
2. Coconut oil adds a nice flavour to the soup. (do not add any other cooking oil. If you don't like flavour of coconut oil, just omit it from the ingredients list while you make).
3. If you are adding black peppercorn, add it while serving.
4. Diabetics can avoid adding sugar and Milk and enjoy the soup with rest of the ingredients.

Crochet Diya / Agal Vilaku

Hi,

It has been a pretty LONG time since I blogged....

Was facing some health issues due to which i was away from my hobbies, including blogging and I am trying to get myself back into action. So you can expect some frequent posts here may be not with such a long break ;-)

A Good Start with a small project to welcome the festival of Lights!

For the upcoming festival of Diwali, i joined a CAL (Crochet Along) and crocheted this Diya / Vilaku.  It is not my own pattern. Followed a pattern by a fellow Crocheter.

Made the Jyoti (Flame) using cotton and acrylic color and attached to the diya.

See you soon with my next post.

Till then, Bye !

Crochet Garland © - Malai - Mala

Hi Everyone,

Welcome you to the next episode of " © -Alluring Crochet"

After a pretty Long break, here i am back with my crochet post....

I was away from crochet and blogging for an year and finally i took my hook back from my treasure box and did a doily CAL, which i will post in the coming days... now i am happy that i could finally manage to make a post in 2016.

Made a crocheted Garland... a Malai / Mala. . Used my weekend free time and finished it in two days spending few hours everyday..... i was not out of touch!!! except the speed ;-)

© This is my own pattern. You can use this pattern and make things and sell it. But You cannot sell this pattern. 

Sharing the Pattern:-

total length : 37" approx

stitches - US

Material  :-

1. Acrylic Yarn 4 Ply - White , Pink, Green (double shade - light and dark mix)
2. Hook size - 2.75 mm

DC cluster :. 2ch, Yo, insert hook in st, yo, pull through st, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook, (yo, insert hook in same st, yo, pull through st, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook) 3 times, yo, pull through all 5 lps on hook, ch 1.

With White Yarn,  Leaving a yarn trail of  8", Start with magic circle

R-1 : Start making cluster stiches. 2ch, Yo, insert hook in st, yo, pull through st, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook, (yo, insert hook in same st, yo, pull through st, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook) 3 times, yo, pull through all 5 lps on hook, ch 1.,  Yo, insert hook into magic cicrle, yo pull loop through,... continue making cluster stitch with 1ch space in between....slst to top of the first 2 chains. . Pull the long tail from the magic circle tightly. [6 dc clusters]

R-2 : slst into 1ch space of R-1, 2ch,  start making DC cluster...... from here on every row, you will be making the clusters in the 1ch space of the previous row.....

Repeat R-2 each row till R-10.......

Change color.....

repeat the rows till the desired length changing color in the following manner :-

10 rows in white
3 rows in green
4 rows in pink

To fhinish, slst all the five 1 ch spaces together, after the last row...... make 10 chain, slstp to make a loop to hang it, fastern off... now with the 8" trial at the start, make 10ch loop. fasten off.

I didn't fill anything in. But if you want, you can use polyfill and keep filling after completing a color....

You can make your own centre flower pattern. I made a Rose flower with some leaves following this pattern :-

http://www.fabartdiy.com/diy-3d-crochet-rose-in-3-ways/

Attach this to the center of your crochet garland.

Now your crochet garland is ready !!

If you need any clarification, do let me know.