Thursday, March 31, 2011

A Tisket a Tasket

Time to prepare your springtime baskets!
Eggs, bunnies, chicks, and lambs - Easter time is approaching.  And what could be more special than some handmade gifties for the people you care about?
Here are some great (and free) patterns to get you started:












Thank you to all of the great artists who provided these patterns!!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Spring is in Bloom

The sun is shining through the rain, the trees are covered with buds, and the first flowers have opened up.  It is Spring!
In honor of the season, I thought I'd do a post about flowers.  After all, they are one of my favorite things to crochet.  


There are some great books out there.  My two current favorites are:


There are a lot of free patterns available, too.  A couple of source sites are:
Crochet Pattern Central
All Crafts

Here are some that I've made:

And one of my own design:
Yarnington on Etsy
Yarnington on Ravelry

Happy crocheting, happy flower making, happy Spring!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Pretty Picot

I recently happened upon a cool site filled with great patterns.  They are in diagram format, but there is a tutorial.    Below are just a few examples - and they're free!  Check it out...
Thank you MyPicot!




Magic Stone

Why is it magic?  Is it the rattle?  I don't know, there's just something about it...

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Free Pattern: Applique Fish

Upon taking ownership of Gritty Kitty, my daughter immediately proclaimed a serious need of fish for her new yarn pet. I was short on time and without a pattern.  In the end, and after a lot of trial and error, I had two different styles. They were well received and kitty is appeased...for now.
Here are the patterns - a small and large version of a goldfish and a guppy!


Goldfish:

Small Goldfish:
1. magic circle 6
2. (inc) - 12
3. ss into 1st st of the round
4. chain 8, ss into the same st
5. chain 8, ss into the same st
6. fasten off and weave the loose ends into the back




Large Goldfish:
1. magic circle 6
2. (inc) - 12
3. (inc, sc) - 18
4. ss into 1st st of the round
5. ch 10, ss into the same st
6. ch 10, ss into the same st
7. fasten off and weave the loose ends into the back
*The fish in the pic was crocheted as per the pattern above.  For a more even circle, ss at the end of rd 2, ch 1, and proceed.

Guppy:

Small Guppy:
1. ch 7, ss into the 2nd ch from the hook, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sc, ch 1
2. working now on the opposite side of the chain, sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, ss
3. ch 3, hdc into the 2nd ch from the hook, sc, ss into the same st
4. ch 3, hdc into the 2nd ch from the hook, sc, ss into the same st
5. fasten off and weave in the loose ends
*it is helpful if you can carry the yarn tail in instruction #2

Large Guppy:
1. ch 9, ss into the 2nd ch from the hook, hdc, dc, dc, dc, dc, hdc, sc, ch 1
2. working now on the opposite side of the chain, sc, hdc, dc, dc, dc, dc, hdc, ss
3. ch 3, hdc into the 2nd ch from the hook, sc, ss into the same st
4. ch 3, hdc into the 2nd ch from the hook, sc, ss into the same st
5. fasten off and weave in the loose ends
*it is helpful if you can carry the yarn tail in instruction #2

How you embellish these little guys is totally up to you!  Add google eyes, X eyes, or embroider them however you'd like (like the skeleton fishy).  You can sew two together for a puffier (and more finished) 3D piece.  You can sew them to bags, hats, or whatever you'd like.  Make one, two, or a whole school.  Have fun!

Please do not sell this pattern or reproduce it in any way.  If you would like to share it, please do not copy & paste, but instead link to this page.  Items made from this pattern are not to be sold under any circumstances.  This is a pattern free for your personal or charitable use only.  Thank you!

Friday, March 25, 2011

Meet Gritty Kitty



My favorite yarn of the day is Vanna's Choice, Linen.  Such a cool color!  When I saw it, I just knew I had to make it into something special.  And thus, Gritty Kitty was born.  
I'd been wanting to try out a new technique - using mesh to make flat pieces for amigurumi.  This was the purr-fect project!  Mesh was used here, sewn on to the bottom of the head and the body.  The plastic mesh (I used Darice Clear Ultra Stiff 7) is sewn onto the inside of the crocheted piece, preventing it from bowing out when stuffed.  The outcome, I think, is very nice.  This is definitely a technique I'm going to keep in the mental file cabinet!
My daughter took one look at Gritty Kitty and fell in love, so I guess this feline's found a loving new home!








Cute Minis

I recently discovered these free patterns.  I can't wait to get started - they're absolutely adorable!  A giant thank you to  Genuine Mudpie and CRAFTYisCOOL!


Rabbit

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Riches of Stitches

Some stitch abbreviations:

ch: Chain Stitch
ss: Slip Stitch
sc: Single Crochet Stitch
hdc: Half Double Crochet Stitch
dc: Double Crochet Stitch
trc: Treble Crochet Stitch
sc inc: Single Crochet Increase
sc dec: Single Crochet Decrease
puff: Puff Stitch
pop: Popcorn Stitch
fpdc: Front Post Double Crochet Stitch
bpdc: Back Post Double Crochet Stitch
mc: Magic Circle/Adjustable Ring

A treasure trove of stitch tutorials:
Crochet Pattern Central

Yarnigan on Etsy