Get Hooked
This was a request from my daughter – a pink beholder with eyelashes. I used some fun fur for eyelashes. It was multi-colored but that seems to help this clearly girly beholder look even girlier. She was happy with it so that is all that matters.
After running across a great deal on Webkinz, I decided to buy a few for Christmas gifts and to make it a special gift by crocheting a purse for each stuffed animal. After searching in vain for a pattern, I just winged it. I love using the thick yarn as these purses went way faster than the others. I was getting tired of making them as my order came in about a week before I needed to have them all made.
I started with an oval shape for two rounds – increasing on the second round. Then an even round in the back loops. From there I just added even rounds until the purse was the height I needed it to be. The handles are chains (51 total) then slip stitch back to the first one.
Also this was a good use of some stash yarn as each purse takes less than one skein.
Here is an easy project that makes for a great Christmas gift. It’s a crocheted kitchen towel holder. This is very simple. Just start with a chain of however long you desire the holder to be – probably around 12 inches. Then do a row of double crochet to the beginning. Then chain two and do one more row of double crochet.
You can sew a button on one end to make it attachable to a handle or do what I did. On the second row with about 15 DC to go, chain two and skip one double crochet. Then double crochet until the last two of the row. Chain two and skip the next to last DC and double crochet into the last DC of the row.
Then you can loop the other end through the two holes like a belt. You can attach it to a handle without worrying with a button. It works well. You might even consider stitching together the threading end to make it more compact and easier to thread through the holes.
It takes a small amount of yarn and can be used with any towel. It would make a great, fast gift.
My daughter wanted me to crochet a hermit crab. She has been all about hermit crabs since we saw them for sale – correction the cages were for sale and came with a free hermit crab – at the mall. I did the shell first and then the crab. The shell is a little big – so the next time I will do the crab first so the shell is a bit snug. I would like to write down what I did and make a little pattern for it. Oh so many things I want to do but never seem to get around to doing. But this is one cute little guy so I am happy the way he turned out. Let’s hope I can reproduce it.
Plants vs Zombies is a favorite game in our house. When we first started playing, I attempted to crochet a pea shooter and got most of it done but then dropped it for some reason. Since our interest in the game has recently been renewed, I thought about crocheting some of the plants again.
My daughter’s favorite is cattails – so I decided to try it. It was fairly easy. I put pipe cleaner in the tail for support. The next one I will place the tail a little higher so the cattail will sit flat on the lily pad. I’m thinking I need a few of these and some other plants. Make our own scene from the game. Could be fun.
To celebrate I Love Yarn Day, I bought yarn! Not much though. Just one skein. In Mango for Halloween and other amigurumi.
Kind of fitting that it’s the With Love brand from Red Heart.
This week at school, they are learning about the Constitution. Each day has a different theme and today’s is wear camouflage or a yellow ribbon. Well we didn’t have any camouflage but I have plenty of yellow yarn. I remembered this pattern for an awareness ribbon – so I whipped up one for my daughter.
I can’t find the link to the pattern sadly. I was actually glad I remembered enough to make it since this was one of the first crochet items I ever made. I remember the directions being so foreign to me at the time – when I learned to crochet I didn’t learn to read patterns. But now that I can remember the pattern, it shows me how much I’ve grown in my crochet skills. I still have much to learn but it is nice to reflect on something that once was confusing and now is very easy to remember.
Since our move to Texas this summer, I have been wanting to capture some of Texas through crochet. It’s a beautiful state rich in history and culture. I have a few ideas for some big projects but want do a free, weekly project. Up this week is a red chile pattern.
Even before the move, I had wanted to crochet red chilies for my kitchen. This pattern is simple, fast, and just downright cute – not to brag or anything but I am quite pleased at how it turned out.
I’ve only tested the pattern but I worked through it a few times trying to catch mistakes so if you see anything that doesn’t make sense, just leave a comment. I really should do some videos, too as it is so much easier to show technique than trying to explain it.
Red Chile Crochet Pattern
What you will need
Small amount of red and green yarn
Size 3.0 MM crochet hook
Abbreviations used
SC- Single Crochet
DEC – decrease
sl st – slip stitch
Start with magic ring
Round 1 SC 4 into magic ring
Round 2 2 sc into next sc, 1 sc, 2 sc into next sc, 1 SC(6)
Round 3 2 sc, 2 sc, repeat until end of round(8)
Round 4 2 sc, 3 sc, repeat until end of round(10)
Round 5 2 sc, 4 sc, repeat until end of round(12)
Round 6 2 sc, 5 sc, repeat until end of round(14)
Round 7 Even sc (just one sc in each sc in the round)(14)
Round 8 Even sc(14)
Round 9 Inc 2 sc, inc 2 sc, sc next 5, dec , dec, sc next 3
Round 10 Inc 2 sc, inc 2 sc, sc next 5, dec , dec, sc next 3
Round 11 Even sc
Round 12 Even sc
Round 13 Dec, sc in next one, dec, sc in next one
Stuff
Round 14 Dec over next 2 sc(3 times)
Sew close with a yarn needle , pull yarn through bottom of pepper to make an indent in top of pepper
Stem
The stem isn’t very hard but I’ve put in a few pictures since it’s not really done in a round or rows. Basically you will work away from the foundation(main stem) to branch off to make the leaves and come back to that same point.
with green yarn , chain 10
slip stitch into 2nd chain from hook until the last chain (9)
sc 5, sl st into next two single crochets from hook, sc into next two. Sl st into last sc
sc 5, sl st into next two single crochets from hook, sc into next two. Sl st into last sc
sc 5, sl st into next two single crochets from hook, sc into next two. Sl st into last sc
sc 5 sl st into two, sc into next two. Sl st into first leaf(go behind stem)
I love donkeys and could not believe that I hadn’t crocheted one yet. I had looked at a few patterns but didn’t see anything that was what I was looking for – so I just winged it. This is the little guy that I came up with.
I made him so he is sitting down – perfect for a desk buddy. I finally got to use some yarn from my stash. He turned out pretty cute especially since it was my first attempt. I may try another one soon since I do adore donkeys. If I do then I will have to take notes so it will be easier to recreate and I can share how I made him.
Here is a little amigurumi I have been wanting to do for a while – peas in a pod. I’m not quite finished as my peas have no faces but really liked how they turned out – especially on my first try!
I used the pea pod pattern and the ideal sphere pattern. I think I will make a few of these for Christmas since I can whip it up in a day – plus it is too cute especially when I add some facial features.
We moved this summer to a new city in another state. We are now Texans in the beautiful city of San Antonio. This is the first project I have completed here and am hopeful that many more projects will be completed before the end of the year.