One slipper SIX animals! free patterns!

Happy winter internet!

I'm really bad at keeping this up to date. Bad blogger! Bad!

There's a good reason for that, I promise. The reason is very simply that I haven't been creating anything, I have nothing good to share.

With cold weather in full swing here in Calgary and Christmas well on the way I've been working to fill a decent sized order of slippers, so I thought I'd revisit this old standby of a patten and share some ways to make them unique.

The link I posted above will take you to my family of slippers post, which will give you a pattern for a toddler size as well as a link to one of the many very simple slipper patterns online, which I'm not going to rewrite because they're already widely available and I'm pretty sure this method of slipper making is as old as crochet.  I will add though, I've started adding an extra row of half double crochet around the tops of the slippers, it just makes 'em a bit cozier.

Slippers are always better when they're a little bit fun. So, I'm going to share with you some of the designs I'm working on.

All of my animals have button eyes, I'm all for the button eyes but you don't have to use 'em.


ch= chain
sc= single crochet
hdc= half double crochet

Everything is made in worsted weight yarn with a 5mm hook. 

 1.Little monkey.
 Ears.  Make 4.
Start off with chain 2, 5 hdc inside a magic ring, slst into the chain.
Turn (don't continue around) your work and work 2hdc in each stitch. Do not join. Fasten off.

Then you just sew the ears onto the sides of the slipper, near the toes and add little button eyes to the top of the toes.

2.Puppy.
Tongue make 2. In red chain 6. Sc in second chain from the hook and down the chain. Work 3 SC in the last chain and continue to work around the back of the chain, Sc back up to the top of the chain and fasten off. Sew onto the bottom of the toe.

Ears: make 4. Chain 9, hdc in third chain from hook, hdc along chain, working 3 hdc into last chain, Continue around, hdc back to the top of the chain and fasten off. Sew 'em on near the top of the toes. Add button eyes and taadaa!

3.Mouse.
Make 4. Magic ring, Chain 2, 5 HDC, slst into the chain.
Turn (don't continue around) your work and work 2hdc in each stitch. Do not join. Fasten off.
These ones you sew on right on the top of the toes where the opening is, so that they kind of stick up.
Sew button eyes on and use a little extra contrasting yarn for whiskers.

4.Bunny.
Make 4. Chain 7, HDC in second chain from hook, HDC down chain, work 3 HDC in last chain, working around the back of the peice, HDC back up to top of the chain. Fasten off.
Sew 'em on the tops of the toes, right where the opening is (much like the mouse) add button eyes and whiskers.

5.Kitty
Make 4. Row 1:Chain 2, 2sc in second chain from hook, ch1, turn
 2sc, 1sc, 2sc, ch 1, turn
2sc, 1sc, 1sc, 1sc, 2sc, ch1 turn
2sc, 1sc, 1sc, 1sc, 1sc, 1sc, 2sc. Fasten off.
Sew on the tops of the toes, like the mouse and bunny add button eyes and whiskers.

6. Owl (Not pictured)
Eyes.Make 4. In white.
Magic ring, ch2, 6 hdc, Slst in chain.
ch1 2hdc in each st around, slst in chain. Fasten off

Beak Make 2 in yellow or orange
Ch2, 2 sc in second ch from hook, ch1, turn
 2sc in each sc across, ch1, turn
2sc, 1sc, 2sc, fasten off.

Sew the eyes on the tops of the toes wherever you like 'em. Add buttons for pupils, sew the beaks between the eyes.

Of course you can always whip up any old simple flower patten to pretty them up a bit too.

I hope this helps serve as a bit of inspiration!

It's fall again!

Happy back to school internet!


I haven't got much for you in terms of projects. It's been a busy summer.

I do have some WIP's that I'd like to share though. No pictures yet, but I'd love to tell you about them.

Firstly I'm working on an 8bit afghan. It's going to be sonic the hedgehog, for my little boy.
It was inspired by the amazing epic gamer afghan, all of the charts for which can be found on ravelry. I was mostly just interested in sonic so rather than figure out the math to make the square bigger what I did was count out how many squares or 'pixels' of each color.

Based on the size I'm looking at making I decided each square should be 2 inches by 2 inches. Then I'll put it all together and build sonic. Fun right? To finish it, I'm not sure if I'll just leave it shaped like sonic or lay it on a background.

I'll give you some more details in about 250 more squares. I'll add some pictures when I get a little further along.

The second thing I'm working on is a heart shaped blanket. I'm just using a basic heart shape and using a thicker yarn/bigger hook, as well as multiplying the number of stitches by 3. I'll try to give you a more concise breakdown of what I did when I finish.

Thirdly. Hooded scarfs with ears for the kids! I haven't started anything yet they're just so cute.

I also was gifted a sewing machine very recently, so expect the seamstress diaries to start soon too.
I'm already playing with some sewing basics and managed to turn out a couple of circle skirts and pj pants.

My granny square bag.

Happy Summer internet!

I know, I'm terrible, TERRIBLE for posting in the warmer months. I'm even worse because I don't even have a new pattern for you. (Bad blogger! Bad!) I hope you'll still stick it out with me. I've been gardening and cleaning up the yard for  the summer season.

I have been working on a few things though, not much. But a few things. I decided a needed a new bag and after much searching I decided to make this granny square bag. I figured it would be a good way to use up some yarns that have been kicking around my stash so away I went.

The pattern is charted out with minimal instruction but it's just a really big granny square that's lined and gathered at the sides. It does get a tad confusing when you get to the instructions for the sides and the pattern also suggests lining the bag after it's finished. But that didn't make sense. So I didn't do that. I lined mine first, then continued on with the sides and mouth. yarn over, pull through has a really awesome post that outlines this process. Including some great clarification on the sides/mouth charts

I also stuck a divider in the middle. I just cut a rectangle about half the side of the liner and sewed the bottom edge down the middle of the liner. Then since the divider is the same width as the liner I just pinned and sewed the whole mess to my granny square.

 For the straps I used 3 strands of the grey and one of the multicolored yarns I used for the bag and made a really long chain (I wanted it to be able to be a cross body bag) then I double crocheted back down the length of my chain with a 7.5mm hook. I think the straps are a bit thick though and would use 1 less strand of yarn next time.

I also added buttons to the end of each strap to make it adjustable. Boom.

Weekend slouchy hat - Free pattern

Good day internet.

 

 

I thought I'd share my latest little something or other with all of you out there.

I wanted a nice light slouchy hat, since the weather is getting warmer but I needed it to have a little warmth to it so I chose bernat's roving (in flint if anyone is interested)

This project uses pretty much an entire ball of yarn (I had a tiny tiny bit left over.) and a 6.5mm hook.

I also used some 1.5 inch ribbon  I had lying around.

 

The pattern:

Ch 6 sl st to form ring.
Round 1: Ch 4 (counts as first dc here and throughout) *dcin ring, ch 1,* six times, slst to ch 4 space.
Round 2: Ch 4, dc in same space, *ch 1, dc in next space, ch 1, dc in same space* repeat around  slst to ch 4 space.
Round 3: Ch 4, dc in same space, *ch1, dc in next space, ch1, dc in next space, ch1, dc in same space* repeat around. slst to ch 4 space
Round 4: Ch 4, dc in same space, *ch 1, dc in next space, ch 1, dc in next space, ch1, dc in next space, ch 1, dc in same space* repeat around, slst to ch 4 space.
Round 5: ch 4. dc in same space * ch 1, dc in next space, ch 1, dc in next space, ch 1, dc in next space, ch 1, dc in next space, ch 1 dc in same space* repeat around, sl st to ch 4 space.
Round 6 -11 : Ch 4, dc in next space, *ch 1, dc in next space* repeat around, slst to ch 4 space.
round 12: Ch 3 (counts as first hdc here and throughout), hdc in next space and each ch 1 space around (do not hdc in the actual stitched of the last round. just the chain 1 spaces). Slst to chain 3 sp.
Round 13-17, Ch 3, hdc in next stitch, hdc in each stitch around. sl st to ch 3 space. Fasten off at the end of round 17 and weave in ends.
I used 1.5 " Offray robbon in "mudpie" to embellish mine. Just use your crochet hook to weave your ribbon in and out of round 11. I went "over" 2 stitches, "under" 1 around and finished off with a little bow. Burning the cut edges of my ribbon with a lighter to prevent fraying.

PS Sorry for the not so awesome pictures. I posted them via my tablet.

Sweet Spring baby hat

It's been a while since I made a new post!

I haven't been working on new patterns lately but I did whip a little something fairly recently to go along with the little star blanket.

It's just a little hat, but it sure is some sweet - so I thought I'd share it with you, internet. 'Cause I love you like that.

What I used:

A small amount of baby weight yarn, doubled. - feel free to use sport or worsted weight

hook to match yarn wieght- I used a 5mm hook

yarn needle.

My hat measures about six inches long and about seven and a half across the brim.
It's meant to be a newborn to three month size. - you can adjust the size by adding or subtracting a few stitches in the beginning round or adding/subtracting a round of increases.

I used a contrasting color on round 9, if you want to do this just join the second color in the slip stitch of the previous round and change back to your main color when you slip stitch round 9 closed.

Chain 4 and slst to form a ring

Round 1: ch3, 14 DC in ring, sl st top of ch 3.

Round 2: Ch 3, Dc in same stitch, *DC in next stitch, 2 DC in next stitch* around. Slst in top of ch 3.

Round 3: Ch 3, Dc in same stitch, *Dc in next stitch, 2 DC in next stich* around. Slst in top chain 3.

Round 4: Ch 3, Dc in same stitch, Dc in each stitch around. Slst in top of chain 3.

Round 5-9: Ch 3, Dc in same stitch, DC in each stitch around, SlSt in top of chain 3

Round 10: Ch 4, dc in next stitch, ch 2, 2 DC in same stitch, Ch1, skip 2 stitches (2 DC, ch2, 2 DC) in next stitch - first shell made, *Ch 1, skip 2 stitches, shell in next stitch* repeat around, slst in third chain of ch4.

Round 11- 13: Chain 4, Dc in first chain 2 space, chain 2, 2 dc in same space *ch1, shell in next ch2 space* repeat around, slst in third chain of ch4.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

I used this pretty little flower to embellish mine and we're done.

A cute, quick little pattern for those warmer days ahead.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy 2013 everyone!

Life has been crazy this past year. I've learned so much experienced new things and am feeling better about myself, my life, my skills and pushing my comfort zone than ever before.

I've never been one for the new year's stuff. The sense of change, the resolutions, the notion of a "fresh start" has always seemed a little bit on the silly side to me. I seem to be changing in my adult years though. Maybe it's the fact that I  have children now, maybe it's experiencing a sharp, personal loss recently, maybe it's the fact that I've noticed my first grey hairs. Whatever it is, the passing of time is being more keenly noticed.


Since the birth of my daughter, it's been hard, financially spiritually, emotionally. The birth of my son made things harder, but all the more worth it. I feel like we're finally getting the hang of it, even if it did take a few years. The lessons those hard times have taught me will keep me moving forward. The hard times we've made it through, I hope, will keep me humble enough to stay open to the many lessons I have left to learn.

I finally have a clear idea of what I wish to improve about myself this year.

Here is my list:
1. I want to improve my health. Eat better, move more.
2. I want to improve my patience
3. I want to improve my mind, read more, learn more expose myself to more
4. I want to improve my self discipline, not one of my strong suits.

With all of that in mind, my New Years resolution is simple:  I resolve, this year to simply try harder to be better. That's it.

I think this is attainable, I think it's reasonable. Whenever "I don't wanna" I will simply remind myself to try harder at being better. I want to be a better, happier, more satisfied me. So, I will try harder.

Luck, love and happiness to each and every one of you in 2013. Let's make this year one of the best we've ever seen.  

Stay tuned for more crochet coming soon!