Lucky Ladybugs

It seems my creativity is making a comeback because this week, I wrote my very first, very own crochet pattern! Woo-hoo!

I give you - Susan the Ladybug (a coaster)







Now - I know it's not a complicated pattern and I'm sure the majority of experienced crocheters could look at it and figure it out. But I made it from scratch as I could not find a pattern listed on the web or on Ravelry so I'm claiming it as an original idea. And I'm damn proud of it!

Background on coming up with this design - I work with a wonderful woman named Susan and because she helps keep my sanity at work, I wanted to make her something for her birthday. She has various ladybug knick-knacks in her office and she is always using a napkin to catch the condensation from iced coffee - and thus, sitting in her office for a meeting and observing this, the idea was born.

During a later (very boring) meeting, I sketched out some designs and thought about stitch size and counts. That night at home, I found some spare red and black yarn and got to work. And it just all came together! The pattern came along great. The number of stitches worked, the stitch size worked, the colors worked - it was awesome. And during my train ride the next day, I wove in the ends and had a finished coaster.

Susan loved it! She then explained why she has this thing for ladybugs. She has always had ladybugs around her. They were in her childhood bedroom and every bedroom since (even college), they live in her gardens, they show up randomly on buses or in her car - they seem to always be near her. When I thought I would publish the pattern, I knew I just had to name the pattern, Susan the Ladybug.

The instructions for the coaster are still on paper and I need to type them into the computer and double check that they are 1) accurate and 2) easy to understand and follow. I may need a tester or two to help me out when it's done (any volunteers?). I also have 3 additional coaster ideas in the works which I'm hoping to sell all four designs together on Etsy or perhaps through Ravelry. (I know - free would be better, but I have a yarn habit and a trip to Ireland to finance.) But selling patterns is a whole other lesson to learn. Right now, I've got to make sure I can write a pattern for others to follow.

Ladybugs really are lucky...I feel like this ladybug coaster brought me out of my creatively funk. :)