crochet

Crochet Vertical Rib Infinity Scarf

Posted on February 8, 2022 Leave a Comment

I have a fun crochet pattern to share with you today. A couple of weeks ago, Ballet Boy asked me to make him a long cowl, but I’ve been so busy with other projects that it took me a while to get done. I finally found the perfect yarn for the project and was able to get started. It only took a few days for me to make (it was one of two projects I had going at the time), and we are both so happy with how it turned out. He gets compliments on it everywhere he goes (so he tells me).

I used Big Twist Party yarn in the color Beach, but you could use any worsted weight yarn you’d like and it would turn out beautifully. The ribbing on the scarf is so well defined all the way through, and I think it’s a really nice texture for a scarf. It gives a lot of visual interest without being difficult to crochet. And because of the infinity scarf style, there are a thousand and one different ways you can wear it! Ballet Boy’s favorite way (which turned out to be a surprise to us both as it wasn’t something he’d been considering before I finished the creation) is to put it around his waist, cross it over his chest, and loop it over his neck. This gives him extra warmth around his body as well as up around his neck for those really cold days.

Crochet Vertical Rib Infinity Scarf

Chain 35.

Row 1: HDC in second chain from hook and each chain across. Chain 1; turn. (34)

Row 2: Slip stitch into the back loops only (BLO) of each stitch across. Chain 1; turn. (34)

Row 3: HDC into the BLO of each stitch across. Chain 1; turn. (34)

Repeat rows 2 and 3 until scarf is desired length. I made Ballet Boy’s 55 inches, using a size I crochet hook. You use whatever hook and yarn you like, though, so long as they play nicely together.

End the repeat with a row 3. Loop the two ends together, right sides out, and slip stitch through the front loop of one side and the back loop of the other side to join.

Blessings,

Crochet Pig (free amigurumi pattern!)

Posted on May 26, 2020 Leave a Comment

It’s no secret that I’ve spent much of April and May making crochet toys (also known as “amigurumi”). After making so many, I got the idea stuck in my head that I wanted to make a pig. I loved the patterns from Jess Huff so much that I decided to base my pig off of her design. Hers all follow the same basic pattern, and they really are some of the cutest I’ve ever come across. The parts of the design that are my own I will give a pattern for here. Those that are hers, I will link to (it wouldn’t be right to republish her pattern).

The pig can be made two ways: like a “farm” pig, or more like a “teddy bear pig.” Everything but the legs (and arms, in the case of the teddy bear style) are the same for both. The main difference is the direction in which you sew on the head. Whichever way you choose, it’s sure to be a cherished gift!

Crochet Pig pattern

Supplies:
Worsted weight pink yarn (I used JoAnn brand Big Twist in the colors bubblegum and light rose)
Worsted weight brown yarn if you’re making the teddy bear style pig (I used Red Heart Super Saver in the color cafe latte)
Size E (3.5 mm) crochet hook
Yarn needle
Fiber Fill (I used Poly-fil)
12-15mm safety eyes

Key:
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
inc = increase (2 sc into one stitch)
blo = back loop only (single crochet using only the back loop of the stitch, not both loops like normal)
flo = front loop only (single crochet using only the front loop of the stitch, not both loops like normal)
dec = decrease (one sc over two stitches – I use the invisible decrease)
R[number] = round

Note:
This pig, in either style, is made in continuous rounds (a spiral). In order to know where the beginning of each round is, you can count very carefully, or you can use a stitch marker to help you keep your place. I don’t recommend trying to find your spot based on seeing the increase pattern, because you can’t really see it due to the increases being shifted slightly from one round to the next. I used to just count really carefully, but now I use a stitch marker when I’m making amigurumi. It’s much less stressful to use the marker!

Snout and Head

R1: 6 sc in magic ring
R2: inc around (12)
R3: *sc, inc* (18)
R4: sc, inc, *sc 2, inc* 5 times, sc (24)
R5: in blo, sc around (24)
R6-9: sc (24)
R10: in flo, *sc 3, inc* (30)
R11: sc 2, inc, *sc 4, inc* 5 times, sc 2 (36)
R12: *sc 5, inc* (42)
R13: sc 3, inc, *sc 6, inc* 5 times, sc 3 (48)
R14: *sc 7, inc* (54)
R15: sc 4, inc, *sc 8, inc* 5 times, sc 4 (60)
R16-24: sc around (60)
R25: sc 4, dec, *sc8, dec* 5 times, sc 4 (54)
R26: *sc 7, dec* (48)
R27: sc 3, dec, *sc 6, dec* 5 times, sc 3 (42)
R28: *sc 5, dec* (36)
R29: sc 2, dec, *sc 4, dec* 5 times, sc 2 (30)

At this point, stuff head ¾ full and shape eye sockets (this post shows you how; just scroll down to the right spot on the page). Insert safety eyes (or embroider eyes).

R30: *sc 3, dec* (24)
R31: sc, dec, *sc 2, dec* 5 times, sc (18)
R32: *sc, dec* (12)

Finish stuffing

R33: decrease around (6)

Finish with ultimate finish.

Ears (make 2)

R1: 6 sc in magic ring
R2: sc, inc (9)
R3: sc (9)
R4: sc, inc, *sc 2, inc* twice, sc (12)
R5: *sc 3, inc* (15)
R6: sc 2, inc, *sc 4, inc* twice, sc 2 (18)
R7: *sc 5, inc* (21)
R8: sc 3, inc *sc 6, inc* twice, sc 3 (24)
R9-11: sc (24)
R12: inc, sc 23 (25)
R13: sc, dec over 3 stitches, *sc 2, dec over 3* 4 times, sc (15)
R14-15: sc (15)

To make an invisible decrease over three stitches instead of two, simply insert your hook into the front loops only of three stitches, yarn over, pull through, yarn over, and finish the stitch.

Fasten off. Flatten and slip stitch closed (do not stuff). Sew to head.

Body

Any of the bodies from Jess Huff (except the giraffe) will do. Although, I do recommend making the neck (the later rows of the pattern) shorter than written if you’re making the farm style pig. I didn’t do this, and I wish I had. If I make this again, I’ll likely stop after round 27.

Arms and Legs (teddy bear style)

Again, any of the patterns from Jess Huff will do; they’re all the same.

Legs (farm style) (make 4)

R1: 6sc in magic ring
R2: inc around (12)
R3: *sc, inc* (18)
R4: sc, inc, *sc 2, inc* 5 times, sc (24)
R5-9: sc around (24)
R10: sc, dec, *sc 2, dec* 5 times, sc (18)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing onto body.

Tail

Ch 29
dc into third ch from hook
dc twice into each chain all the way down. Fasten off, leaving long tail to sew onto body.

The tail can be made longer or shorter according to your preference (just chain more or fewer chains).

When all the pieces are made, stuff them and sew them all together.

I loved designing and making these pigs, and I hope someone out there will make one and love it too. If you do, would you let me know?

Blessings,

Crochet Dreidel (free pattern)

Posted on December 12, 2019 Leave a Comment

This year is our family’s first time celebrating Hanukkah, and I am trying to embrace that by making some decorations for our home. (Christmas decorations are easy to find; Hanukkah ones not so much.) Even finding patterns to make your own is difficult, so I created this dreidel and am excited to share it here today.

Crochet Dreidel

Gauge is not important to this project. Use any yarn you like and an appropriate hook for the yarn. The hook and yarn you choose will affect the size, but not in a positive or negative way. It’s all about preference. I used worsted weight yarn and a size H hook to get a dreidel about 3x3x5 (including the stem).

Side Panel: make 4

chain 11. SC in second chain from hook and each chain across. Ch 1. Turn. (10)

Rows 2-10. SC across (10). Ch 1. Turn.

Row 11: SC2tog, sc 6, SC2tog (8)

Row 12: SC2tog, sc 4, SC2tog (6)

Row 13: SC2tog, sc 2, SC2tog (4)

Row 14: SC2tog twice (2)

Row 15: SC2tog (1)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

On each panel, surface slip stitch a (stylized) Hebrew letter.

Top:

Chain 11.

Row 1: SC in second stitch from hook and all the way across. Ch 1 and turn. (10)

Rows 2-5: SC across. Ch 1 and turn. (10)

Row 6: SC in first 4 stitches. Chain 2. Skip next 2 stitches. SC in remaining 4 stitches. Ch 1 and turn. (8 SC + 2 chains)

Row 7: SC in all stitches, including the two chains. Ch 1 and turn. (10)

Rows 8-11: SC across. Ch 1 and turn. (10)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Into the buttonhole made in row 6, attach yarn with a slip stitch. Ch 1. SC into same stitch. SC in each of the other 5 stitches around the buttonhole (the two chains on each side, plus one side stitch on opposite sides.) Join with slip stitch to first stitch of round and chain 1 but do not turn. (6)

Rounds 2-4: SC around. Join and turn. (6)

Round 5: SC2tog three times. (3)

Fasten off and use the short tail to close the top of the “stem.”

Construction:

Sew the top of the side pieces to the sides of the top piece, one at a time. (See pictures for clarity.) Starting at the bottom of each side piece, sew them together until you get to the upper corner of each one. Stuff lightly before sewing the final side closed.

I hope this blesses someone out there!

Purse

Posted on April 21, 2012 Leave a Comment

Here’s the purse I made as my first reintroduction to crochet. It’s great, and I love it, but I don’t use it often; I don’t carry much in a purse, so I don’t like the big ones. For one, they’re too cumbersome. For two, my husband seems to think if I have a large purse, he can just add things to it for me to carry for him, lol.

That big white-ish area on the front is a pocket for my cell phone; I’ve found that if I just put it in the regular pocket with everything else, I go through screen protectors too fast, so I always keep it separate now.

I didn’t use a tutorial for this one; I used the basic stitch that my mother-in-law taught me in 2003. This was made before I started experimenting with other stitches.

Amigurumi Elephant

Posted on April 20, 2012 Leave a Comment

In case you don’t know, Amigurumi is the Japanese word for a crocheted or knitted stuffed toy. I’m just beginning to dabble in that particular art, and the elephant here is my first project. You might notice that he doesn’t have any eyes. That’s because as soon as I finished the head, both of my older boys decided they wanted one of these cute little creatures, even though my intention was to have this one be for the baby (the nursery theme is going to be elephants and giraffes). Knowing that I’d end up making at least 3, maybe 4, of these (I love elephants, too, so I might make a fourth to put up on my own shelf!), I opted not to sew the eyes onto any of them until all of them were completed. My thinking is that they’ll all have different colored eyes based on who they belong to – my 8 year old has green eyes, so his elephant will, too; my 5 year old has blue eyes, so his elephant will, too… you get the picture – but I don’t want to give a toy to one kid and not the other, so they’ve been told that neither will get one until both are completed. Similarly, I don’t want to have them mocking each other with “Mom already made mine!” even if they don’t technically have possession of it yet. Make sense? 🙂

For anyone interested in making your own “Baby’s Elephant,” click HERE for the free pattern, courtesy of Red Heart yarn.

Afghan 1 for Small Fry

Posted on April 20, 2012 Leave a Comment

I’ve always been afraid of crochet; my first two experiences with it weren’t exactly positive. The first was when I was pregnant with my oldest son. My late mother-in-law taught me a basic stitch so that I could make a baby blanket. The project took me most of the pregnancy, so I didn’t keep up with it – I’m an “instant gratification” kind of girl. When I got pregnant with my second son, I had an urge to make a similar blanket for him, so I did – my second major project. That one didn’t go any quicker than the first, so I dropped the hobby yet again.

When I stopped writing around December 2011/January 2012, my husband noticed that I seemed “aimless,” so he suggested I learn to knit. In his opinion, it would be a good hobby that I could do nearly anywhere. I thought, “What the heck,” and picked up some yarn and knitting needles from our local Jo-Ann store. Well, it turns out that knitting was even harder than crocheting! I tried for hours with YouTube videos and couldn’t get anything to stay on the needles, so the next day I went back to Jo-Ann and bought a set of crochet hooks instead – even if it was slow, at least I already knew how to do it. I had two skeins of yarn to use up, after all. My “first” project was a purse (essentially a piece of crochet “fabric” about 12×19 folded in half and sewn up the sides to make a pocket with a 3×36 strap). I was able to finish the entire thing (including a zippered liner sewn into the crocheted shell) in about 3 days. Talk about encouraging! I’d never been able to crochet that fast before. That took one full skein of yarn, but I still had one more. I headed back to YouTube to find a pattern I liked for a baby blanket. This was the one I came up with. We found out we were having another boy shortly before I finished this, so I added a royal blue border when I was done, and voilà! A baby blanket that didn’t take the entire pregnancy to complete!

Here’s the video I used for making this one:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBWx_QXfX_M&list=PL608EA64FF1FB88F7&index=2&feature=plpp_video]