Radiance

Radiance is a free 6 inch crochet square pattern and devotional about shining our light. I love the radiance that you can visibly see on a person’s face that loves the Lord with their whole being. I want that radiance- and so I wanted to study radiance and where it comes from.

Ecc. 11:7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.

A huge thank you to my fabulous testers and sisters in Christ; Linda Nelson, Kelly Youngblood, Joanne Jones, Bekah Doughty, and Carmen Carpenter.

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft

Hook: I

Abbreviations:

beg- beginning

ch-chain

dc-double crochet

hk-hook

hdc-half double crochet

lp or lps-loop or loops

rnd- round

sc-single crochet

sl st- slip stitch

sp or sps- space or spaces

st or sts- stitch or stitches

tr- triple/treble crochet

yo- yarn over

Special stitches:

Dtr- Is a double triple/treble.  Working as a tr, wrap your hook with yarn 3 times rather than just 2, and pull through 2 loops 4 times rather than just 3.

Begin ♥

Rnd 1-Starting with Color A,  ch 4, sl st to first st to create ring.  Ch 3, (hdc, ch 1) 7 times and join with sl st to 2^nd ch from beginning ch3. (8 hdc, 8 ch1 sp)

Rnd 2- Sl st into first ch1 sp.  (Ch3, 2 dc) in same sp.  (Sk next hdc, 3 dc in each ch1 sp) 7 times and join with sl st to top of beginning ch3. (24 dc)

Rnd 3-  (Ch3, sk1, sl st to next st) 12 times. (12 ch3 sp)

Rnd 4- Sl st into ch3 sp. (Sc, dtr, sc) in each ch3 sp.(When doing the dtr- push the stitch which will project outward into a loop to the front before making the sc after it) Join with a sl st to first sc. (24 sc, 12 dtr) Finish off with color A if using more than one color.

Rnd 5- Change to Color B if desired and make 2 sc in between the 2 sc stitches from the previous row, and 2 sc in the st that you see behind the dtr (this is actually the top of the dtr- but is behind because the sc pushes the stitch down into a nupp) shown in photo below, continue around, and join to beg sc with sl st. (48 sc)

Rnd 6- Ch 3 and dc in same st.*  Dc in next st, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 4 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next st, 2 dc in next sts, ch 3,** 2 dc in next st. * Repeat(from *)  3 more times ending at the ** on the final rnd.  Join with a sl st to top of beg ch3. (24 dc, 4 ch3, 16 hdc, 16 sc)

Rnd 7- Dc in each st and (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in each corner ch2 sp. Join with a sl st to beg sc. (72 dc and 4 ch2sp)

© Copyright February 2013 by Cynthia Boylan, all rights reserved. This pattern, in whole or part, may not be reproduced – mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying -- without the written permission of Cynthia Boylan. Projects made from this pattern may be gifted, swapped or sold. If you use this pattern to sell items on the internet, kindly credit Cynthia Boylan as the designer.

Psalm 34:5 Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

Radiance

Have you ever had a solar garden light that you put along a pathway either to the garden- or to the house? I had a set of them leading from front porch to the driveway so that our path would be lit when we had to either leave or return home in the evenings. The solar light charges from the sunlight in order to glow that night- giving off a radiance of light.  When not charged that day, or if the day is overcast and the solar panel cannot be in the sunlight then the light wanes if it shines at all. It needs to be recharged each and every day to be at peak brightness when darkness comes. It is hard to walk in the darkness without our path lit- we end up fumbling around and tripping, bumping into things that are in the way; but when the light shines, we can easily see obstacles, go around them, and be a help to others.

John 8:12b “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

We too have that same radiance- when we spend time with our Light Source, God.  Every time that Moses spent time with the Lord in Exodus, his face shone visibly. We have all seen people who have a glow about them no matter the circumstances.  Their faces light up when they talk of their First Love, their Light Source; their King - undeniably they spend time with the Lord on a regular basis. This is something that we can experience- we charge up by spending time with God, and then shine in the darkness of all that is in the world.  We must continue to charge ourselves up or become a dim bulb and blend into the darkness.  We cannot shine on our own.  We need to be refilled each day with His light, or we won’t have the light to see things clearly and will be fumbling around in the darkness and may even stray from our path.

Charge up! Spend some time with Him today. Start a habit on spending time with Him daily- and you and others will notice a difference not only on your face but in your life.

 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Lord, we just love You so very much- and want to seek You.  Charge us each day so that we can live our lives for Your glory.  We know that “Thy Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path”, and we want this light to see our pathway to You.  We thank You for what You are doing in our lives and for Your love, in Jesus Name we pray.

Is 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

Some ideas of spending time with Him are reading and studying His Word, praying, and listening to or singing praise songs.  Share some ways that you spend time with Him.

Numbers 6:25  The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee.

For those that would like to download the pdf- here is the link to my ravelry page.

Knitting with Wire- A Shawl Pin

I had wanted to make a shawl pin not too long ago for a friend, and so searched through patterns.  I saw one that I liked, but couldn't afford the pattern right then.  I looked at the picture, and came up with a pattern. I have included pictures of my second pin. 
It is harder to work with wire- the wire does not want to go in the direction that you want it to- you could use a smaller gauge wire, however, it may break or bend easier. I used 22 gauge non tarnished brass wire for my second pin, and my first pin was just some wire that I had in my jewelry kit (I think it was 22 gauge also but in a silver color).  I knitted in a shawl pin that I bought from an Amish store, but you could always just use anything for closure and not even knit one in- search shawl pin patterns for examples..
I took size 4 metal dpns (any size that you want will do) and I threaded several beads on the wire- I alternated the colors, as I wanted my second pin two toned.  My first was just different shaped red beads spaced 3 stitches apart.  On the one that I show you, there is a small bead for every cast on, every stitch, and every bind off.

Here is my wire already beaded and my  needles.

First I made a slip knot in the wire leaving about 4 inches for a tail.  I inserted one of the dpns, slid a bead down the wire to my knitting needle and cast on loosely 6 more stitches on this needle with one bead in between using one wire to cast on. 

I then added a second knitting needle and cast on 7 stitches with a bead in between, and then a third needle with 7 stitches and a bead in between, and to end- leaving 21 stitches on 3 needles with 21 beads.

You will then knit your first stitch on the first needle, making a circle (no need to join- these stitches aren't going anywhere) using a small crochet hook (I used a D) to pull the stitches through your knit loops.  Make sure to knit very loosely or you will have trouble the next row.  Yes, this is very time consuming and hard to work with- but it is worth it :)  Knit all the way around all three needles, slipping another bead in between stitches. Also add in your shawl pin if you are planning on using a premade one- I just knitted it in between the stitches on either side.

Your next row- you are going to bind off- bind each stitch off using your crochet hook and sliding a bead between each stitch.  When you have your two knitted stitches on your hook- just pull stitch number 2 through number 1 :)

Continue binding off all the way around incorporating your beads until you come to the end- and snip your wire 2 inches from your last stitch and pull through your loop. Snip and wrap your wire tails into the wreath to hide and keep from snagging on your shawl.  Form your work into a wreath like shape and you are done :)

Jeremiah 1:7-10

"But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.  Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will resue you," declares the Lord.  Then the Lord reached out His hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put My words in your mouth.  See today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."