sukigirl~~

MollieMakes vegetables (Craft Book Challenge)

2012-01-27T15:30:00.001-05:00

A while back I found a wonderful vintage bag

at my local thrift shop

and ever since then I have used it as my market bag.

But I've always wanted to gussy it up a bit and

when I saw issue 5 of MollieMakes mag

I knew how I would do it.

I also wondered what else I

could make with these cute veggies.

Then I started to think ahead to

spring when I could start planting

my garden and I came up with these

garden markers.

Pretend that the apples are lovely garden dirt.

I used chopsticks because I have a lot of them.

I'll have to make more with tomatoes, beans, etc.

The patterns were really easy and quick to make.

I subscribe to the emagazine

because here it is about a third of the price

of the printed version.

I've called this a craft book challenge item

despite the fact that it came from a magazine.

So for me, at least,

I'm including magazines and books

in both digital and print form.

stop SOPA

2012-01-18T10:15:00.002-05:00

fingerless gloves in tapestry crochet

2011-10-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

Here is a picture of my finished gloves.
I finished them back in April
on a beach in Florida.
It wasn't the best place to work on
them since I had to work from a chart
and keep track of a lot of different colours.
But it will be fun to wear
them in the chilly fall and think back to
where I made them.

Craft Book Challenge (CBC)

2011-03-16T11:08:00.000-04:00

I've joined the Craft Book Challenge.

In a nut shell....
Each month you make a project
from one of your craft books.
Doesn't have to be big project
and it's no big deal if you do miss a month.
It's a fun idea started by Liesl
(check it out by clicking the button in sidebar).

It's a great way to inspire everyone to take
those books off the shelf and make something.

When I crocheted my tea cosy

I needed some flowers

to embellish the top so

I chose three different roses from

100 Flowers to Knit & Crochet

by Lesley Stanfield

This one is my favourite, it's called Ruffled Rose.

Check out the back of it.
The last 2 rows naturally fold over to form
a really nice finish.

The red one is called Flared Rose,

the orange one is Centifolia Rose.
They are both made by crocheting a
long strip and then rolling it up.

I originally wanted to make
peppermint leaves since that is my
favourite tea but
I liked the look of roses better and
you can also make tea from rose hips.

My newest teacosy

2011-03-15T19:13:00.000-04:00

Here is a bit of a lop-sided picture

of my latest tea cosy

I made three flowers to go on the top

There is a bit of a story on how this cosy came about.

Back in 2009 I found this brown, green and orange cosy

at a garage sale.

At that time I had never seen a cosy like

this and wondered it I could make one like it.

I could figure out most of the pattern but

I really couldn't figure out how the ridges were made.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when

I decided to look again on Ravlery

and there I found a bunch of cosies that

were made from an Australian booklet.

A sweet Ravelry member explained how

the stitch was made.

Turns out it is a puff stitch which

is made around the back post

of another puff stitch.

It causes this lovely edge that

stands out nicely from the flat dc.

Here is a shot of my cosy from the

other side which shows the ridges better.

I have to say this was a fun project from start to finish.

Free Hobbes Crochet Pattern

2011-03-03T14:22:00.015-05:00

I've finally decided to write up my Hobbes pattern

and instead of selling it

I'd like to give it to you for free.

The reason he is free is because
the creator of Calvin and Hobbes,
Bill Watterson

did not want to commercialize his work

so keeping that in mind

Please don't sell this pattern

and don't sell the completed work.
I feel that part of enjoying Calvin and Hobbes
is also respecting the man who created it.
So this pattern is offered to people
who want to make Hobbes for themselves
or a loved one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I originally made this up for my son because

of his love for Hobbes (he's 23 now)

I armed myself with Watterson's brilliant
drawings as a reference.

I made this pattern to look as close

as possible to the Hobbes' drawings .

I realized that Hobbes could be
broken down into basic shapes.
His head is really just a fat cylinder,
his arms, legs and body are really
just cylinders with stripes on them.

He also had the muzzle of a cat
so I looked to the famous Amineko cat.
And despite what it looks like
that muzzle is just an unstuffed, flattened
cylinder too.

Once I got the shapes down I worked on size.
I had to make sure that each part was
in the right proportion to each other.
It was actually quite fun and challenging
to create a 3D yarn toy
from a 2D drawing.

Until I started making him I never realized how different

Hobbes looks from a regular cat.

His head and body are a lot longer than
an normal cat plus

he has the shortest fattest legs.

That caused me problems since

tubular legs and arms don't want to bend.

And if he can't bend then he can't sit

which means he couldn't sit under

trees waiting for Calvin to bring him to life.

So I compromised a bit by not stuffing

the upper parts of his arms and legs.

Not exactly perfect but the best that I could do.

I hope you enjoy making him

and I'd love if you left comments!
If you do make him please let me know.
Also please credit me as designer and
include a link to this post
when you do post pictures.

Resources:

Hooks and Needles have great tutorials on making amigurumi.

Make sure you check out their tutorial on making stripes,

you will get much cleaner changes..the technique is quite simple.

Here is the link that includes the color stripe tutorial.

Pattern notes

You will need:

Hook size: 4.5mm

Worsted weight yarn in orange, black and white (less than a 100 g ball each).

Black felt for eyes, nose and 2 stripes

A small strand of embroidery

Darning needle

stuffing

All stripes (except 2 on top of head) are made by changing

colours in the pattern.

The head, tail, body, arms and legs are all worked in the round

Head:

Using orange yarn
(1) 6 sc into magic loop, tighten loop (6 st)
(2) [2 sc in each stitch ] (12 st)

(3) [1sc into the 1st sc, 2 sc into the next sc] 6 times (18 st)
(4) [1sc into each of next 2 sc, 2 sc into the next sc] 6 times (24 st)
(5) [1sc into each of next 3 sc, 2 sc into the next sc] 6 times (30 st)
(6) [1sc into each of next 4 sc, 2 sc into the next sc] 6 times (36st)
(7) [1sc into each of next 5 sc, 2 sc into the next sc] 6 times (42 st)
(8) [1sc into each of next 6 sc, 2 sc into the next sc] 6 times (48st)
(9) Work even (48 st)

Now you start on the black stripes at the back of his head.

When you switch back and forth between black and orange you will have to fasten

off each colour. This will result in a lot of ends...I didn't weave them in since they

are tucked inside his cute head but that decision is up to you.
But don't worry...this is the only part of the pattern where this happens.

(10-11) make 16 sc in orange then 32 sc in black (48 st)

(12) work even in orange
(13-15) Same as rows (10-12)

(16-17) make 16 sc in orange then 32 sc in black (48 st)

The rest of the head is worked in orange only.

(18-21) work even (48 st)

(22) [1sc into each of next 6 sc, 2sc decrease] 6 times (42st)

(23) [1sc into each of next 5 sc, 2sc decrease] 6 times (36 st)

(24) Work even

(25) [1sc into each of next 4 sc, 2sc decrease] 6 times (30st)

(26) Work even

(27) [1sc into each of next 3 sc, 2sc decrease] 6 times (24 st)

(28-30) Work even, fasten off leaving long yarn to sew head on.
Stuff head

Muzzle: Do not stuff!
In white
(1) 6 sc into magic loop, tighten loop (6 st)
(2) [2 sc in each stitch ]       (12 st)
(3) [1sc into the 1st sc, 2 sc into the next sc] 6 times (18 st)
(4) [ 2 sc in first st, 1 sc in next 5 stiches] 3 times   (21 st)
(5-18) work even
(19) [2sc decrease , 1 sc in next 5 st] 3 times   (18st)
(20) [1 sc in next st, 2sc decrease]          (12 st)
(21) decrease in every stitch   (6st)
(22) decrease in every stitch (3 st).
If you rather you can skip this last row and sew the hole up with yarn instead.
Fasten off leaving enough yarn to sew muzzle to head.

Ears (Make two)
These are just 2 triangles
In black
(1) 4sc into magic loop (4 st)
(2) increase in every st (8 st)
(3) [1sc into each of next 3sc, 2sc into the next sc] (10 st)
(4) [1sc into each of next 4sc, 2sc into the next sc] (12 st)
(5) [1sc into each of next 5sc, 2sc into the next sc] (14 st)
(6) work even
Fasten off and leave enough yarn to sew to head.
Hand press them to look like ears

Putting the details on.

The eyes, nose and stripes on the top of his head are all made of felt.
Use the picture for placement...pin everything on first so you can make
sure that it all looks good. Take your time with this part.
This is the most important part of the whole pattern...it's what makes
your stuffed toy become Hobbes.
I take a picture of it ...that helps me a lot.

All the felt pieces are hand sewn on with thread, the muzzle is sew on with yarn.
Sew the nose onto the muzzle and add a couple of embroidery lines below the nose,
Put some stuffing behind the muzzle piece and sew onto head.
Sew the eyes on about the same level as the bottom stripe.
Sew on ears and 2 stripes using picture as help.

Body:
Starting from bottom up.
In orange
(1) 6 sc into magic loop, tighten loop (6 st)
(2) [2 sc in each stitch ]       (12 st)
(3) [1sc into the next first sc, 2 sc into the next sc] 6 times (18 st)
(4) [1sc into each of next 2 sc, 2 sc into the next sc] 6 times (24 st)
(5) [1sc into each of next 3 sc, 2 sc into the next sc] 6 times (30 st)
(6) [1sc into each of next 4 sc, 2 sc into the next sc] 6 times (36st)
(7) [1sc into each of next 5 sc, 2 sc into the next sc] 6 times (42 st)
(8) work even

(9-10) using black work even
(11-12) using orange work even

Continue working rows 9-12 until you have a total of 6 stripes of each colour.
(33) in black [1 sc in next 5 st, 2sc decrease] 6 times (36 st)
(34) work even
(35) in orange work even
(36) [1 sc in each of next 4 st, 2sc decrease] 6 times (30 st)
(37-38) in black work even
(39) In orange [1 sc in each of next 3 st, 2sc decrease] 6 times (24 st)
Fasten off

Legs (Make 2)

In white
(1) 6 sc into magic loop, tighten loop (6 st)
(2) [2 sc in each stitch ]       (12 st)
(3) [1sc into the next first sc, 2sc into the next sc] 6 times (18 st)
(4) [1sc into each of next 2sc, 2sc into the next sc] 6 times (24 st)
(5-9) work even
(10-11) in black work even
(12-13) in orange work even
Repeat rows 10-13 until you have 4 stripes of each colour
Fasten off leaving enough orange yarn to attach to body.

Arms Make 2

Work the same as the legs but skip row 9.
Also at the end, do another row of 10 and 11 of black.
Fasten off and leave enough black yarn to sew arms onto body.

Tail:
starting from the tip of the tail
In black
(1) 6 sc into magic loop, tighten loop (6 st)
(2) [2 sc in each stitch ]       (12 st)
(3) [1sc into each of next 5 sc, 2 sc into the next sc] 2 times   (14 st)
(4-5) work even in orange
(6-7) work even in black
Repeat Rows 4-7 until you have 13 orange stripes and 13 black stripes
Then add another stripe of orange (rows 4-5)
Fasten off and leave enough orange yarn to sew to body.

Belly Band.
Don't get scared off this section
His tummy patch is simply an oval.
If you know how to make one then just skip this section totally.
In reality ovals are very simple...(it's the written instructions that make them seem complicated
to make especially as you add new rounds.)
All the increases in an oval are at the ends.
The straight sides have no increases.

I'll give you written instructions for the first round since it is easy,
then I'll show you visually where the increases go for the next rounds

Ch 16 in white
Round 1:
Remember to mark your first stitch with marker
Starting in 2nd chain from hook sc 14, 3sc in last st.
Rotate work around and start working on other side of chain.
Sc 13, make 2sc in last st.

Now look at this drawing:

I've drawn out 4 ovals that represent the four rounds
The red arrows represent where the increases occur.

You should note 2 things
1-The number of increases stay the same during each round
            (3 extra increases at each end for a total of 6 increases)
2- There is one increase that always stays in the same place and the other two take
'steps' away from this centre increase. It's like they are getting mad at the bossman
and the longer they are with him the further they want to be from him.

In Round 1 all three increases were in the same stitch. (at each end)
They were friends.
Now for the rest of the rounds

Round 2:
Notice that the two side increases have moved away from the centre increase.
They now are 2 stitches down from it (separated by a sc)
So what you are going to do is first mark the centre stitch at both ends.
Just do it by eye.
Now count down 2 stitches on both sides and that is where your side increases will go.
Do that also for the other end.

Now crochet that row putting increases only in those places. (6 in total)
Every other stitch will be worked evenly..don't forget to put a sc in between those increases.

Round 3: Again mark your two centre stitches...count down 3 stitches on both side...that is where your increases go.
Every other place gets a sc.

Round 4; Mark your two centre stitches...count down 4 stitches on both side...that is where your increases go. Every other place gets a sc

For me 4 rounds fit Hobbes nicely but if you want it larger just

continue moving those side increases down a stitch for each round.

Putting the body together

Stuff the body and sew on the belly band.

Stuff the arms and legs but only stuff the joint area lightly as

you want to make him bendable.

Use yarn to sew on the appendages.

Sew head onto body adding stuffing if needed.

Pick him up, give him a hug!

Crocheting potholders/hotpads

2011-02-22T11:20:00.003-05:00

A couple of these will be sacrificed to the

coffee gods...they will be used as

cleanup cloths.

But the large ruffled one will be spared.

I can't bring myself to use it.

I had such fun making it and love the

colours in it.

It has a great vintage feel about it.

This picture shows the lacy base.

Here is a shot of the back

after the ruffles are added.

You can see how the rows are

made in zig zags.

I followed

this great 2 part tutorial

on the Royal Sisters' blog.

The patterns for the purple and brown

ones came from

Beyond the Square Crochet Mofifs by Edie Eckman.

This is really a wonderful book with

lots of great, quick patterns.

I adapted

this free pattern

to make the pink hexagon.

A garland of crochet flowers for my chandelier

2011-02-14T14:22:00.000-05:00

There is still a lot of snow on the ground
on this lovely Valentine's Day.
So I brought some spring into the house
in the form of crochet flowers.

Here is the free pattern
on Ravelry.
When I made it
it was only in German here

free German pattern.
It took me a while to figure
it out since google translate
doesn't include translation for
crochet stitches.
But it was a fun challenge.

You can make this garland as long

or as short as you like.

The flowers are made first and then

added as you make the vines and leaves.

It's the type of project you really

don't have to concentrate a lot on.

I'm in love with my Barista

2011-02-11T15:22:00.002-05:00

I'm also sleeping with him.

(okay....he is also my husband.)

We both love going to coffee houses so a few years back

he decided to buy an espresso machine for home.

It's a semi-automatic and produces

the most wonderful espressos

and cappuccinos.

So for Valentines Day I'm

making him some cloths to use

for clean up.

He doesn't care if they are cute

or not....they just need to be functional.

But that doesn't mean I can't have fun.

This first one was so easy to make.

It is basically an open mesh with

strips of crochet woven in.

I actually made it first with a white mesh

but changed my mind and made the grey version.

These next two are my favourites.

The are made in a lovely vintage cotton

that I found at the thrift store.

These I'm going to keep for myself.

I'm working on a few more so

will post those soon.

One glove syndrome? No way!

2011-02-11T12:43:00.006-05:00

I'm determined to finish the pair.

But I will take a wee break for a few days
to make some quick projects with heavier yarn.

This hasn't been blocked yet
so it's a bit wobbly.
I'll make the buttonhole later when

the second one is finished.

I must admit that I'm getting quicker

at jacquard crochet although

my tension is still uneven.

Practice hasn't made perfect

but it has made it easier.

Year of the Hare

2011-02-03T12:46:00.004-05:00

I haven't been able to start

making a bunny to celebrate

the Chinese Year of the Hare.

I promised myself that I could

only work on 2 projects at a time.

Since the New Year has officially started

I'll post my bunny projects

that I've made in the past for now.

A bunny rattle

A vintage-style bunny

An Ugly Bunny

My son's holey gloves got the Mario treatment...crochet style

2011-01-31T16:32:00.004-05:00

My son loves his gloves,

to the point where they now have large holes in them.

When I promised to fix them I was thinking

of simply crocheting a brown rectangle as a patch.

Then I realized that I could be more creative so

this is what I did.

He's had his gloves for years

and he is the type of kid

who would rather get something fixed

than buy something new.

(Takes after his mum :D)

He still really likes Mario so

he was really happy with them.

Also in this picture is my beagle

who was sick all day today and part

of yesterday.

I was so happy to see her sniffing around,
hopefully she

will be eating again soon.

Crocheting backwards without tripping

2011-01-24T11:42:00.003-05:00

I've made a bit more progress on my gloves.
The colour pattern on the decreases isn't perfect
but since they will be worn
by an imperfect person (me, me, me)
I'm happy.

I've reached the wrist stage which means

I'll no longer be working in the round,

I'll now be working in rows back and forth.

This means that I will need to use

another technique that's new to me:

backwards crochet.

The little piece at the bottom is my

practice piece.

Athough they sound similar

backward crochet is not the same as reverse crochet.

Reverse crochet or crabstitch is worked

with the right side facing you and results

in a twisted stitch.

Backward crochet is a little harder to explain.

Basically this technique

makes sure that the wrist (worked in rows)

will look like the rest of the glove (worked in rounds).

edit:
I forgot to distinguish which rows were made by which technique.
The glove itself was made with jacquard,
which is a colorwork technique where you
work the different colours and carry the
unused colour along the wrong side (in strands).

I used both jacquard and backwards crochet
in the red sample.
The jacquard is the green and red rows
worked on the right sides.
This is alternated with straight red rows
that are worked in backward crochet
on the wrong sides.

Tackling jacquard crochet

2011-01-15T11:46:00.004-05:00

It's halfway through January and I thought

by now I'd have done a lot of yarn work.

But I do have a good excuse why that didn't happen.

My oldest son has been home for the holidays,

and I drop everything anytime I've got my whole family together.

Things have now returned to normal so

I've picked up my hook again

and tackled a project that I've had on hold.

since 2009 (2 years!!)

This pattern is made mainly using a technique
called jacquard crochet.
It's basically a technique that works with
strands of colours hooked into the back loop.

When I first tried it I was having a lot of difficulty
with the tension since jacquard crochet

is much tighter and less stretchy than regular crochet.
I'm a tight crocheter as it is so
that didn't help.

I also found all the new techniques

a little overwhelming so I

put it aside until I felt more confident.

I've decided to start completely over again.

Here is a picture of how far I've gotten.

I'd love to say that the stitches are quickly sliding off my hook,

I won't even tell you

how many hours I've spent on this so far,

but what's different now is that it's a bit

easier and I now see it as doable.

Some things I'm still struggling with

and I'll post more specifics

about them in a later post in case

you want to give this a go yourself.

Happy 2011

2011-01-01T23:16:00.001-05:00

Mirror with vintage doilies

2010-12-21T09:15:00.000-05:00

I've been working on redoing my workspace,

painting walls, new storage units, etc

but with Christmas coming,

I have had very little time for crafts.

But I did manage to make this quick

project for my wall.

This is made from an inexpensive Ikea

mirror and some vintage doilies I

bought at a garage sale ages ago.

Marie Claire Idees.....inspiration

2010-12-17T07:50:00.002-05:00

I'm always thrilled when I can find this magazine

since it is so difficult to find here.

I love these yarn related projects

especially the chandelier.

This lovely wreath is made with cotton cord,

buttons, cloth, snaps and other

sewing supplies.

These pots look wonderful decked out in

their knitted covers.

I can only imagine how nice it would

be to sit outside on these chairs

sipping hot chocolate.

How lucky are the birds that live in this house!

Last but certainly not least

check out this chandelier.

I may have to adapt this idea to

my bedroom light.

Making a few Christmas Ornaments

2010-12-16T09:29:00.000-05:00

I've noticed some really cute ornament patterns
this year and I've finally found some time
to make a few.
All of them are from free patterns.

First up is this pretty star that I
made for my friend Star
(also known as Coltpixy).
This one actually took a bit of work
but I'm really happy how it turned out.

The hexagon is a variation of Priscilla Hewitt's
sunburst granny square.
I used this great tutorial from Daniela Herbertz
to turn a hexagon into a star.

Aren't the mushrooms cute!
And they are easy to make:
pattern is from Drops 0-723
Drops are posting a free pattern
each day leading up to Xmas.

I've been seeing a lot of cute trees
and the good thing is that you
really don't need a pattern for these
since they are so simple.

The bauble is from the
very talented Lucy from Attic24.
I've never made anything from her site before
but I now know why everyone loves her patterns.
Here is the link
which includes step-by-step instructions
to guide you (including pictures).

This little gem I bought from the

talented Woolly Fabulous.

I love how she combines thrifted materials
with zippers....Brilliant!

A necklace of flowers

2010-12-07T09:42:00.002-05:00

Well.... it started out as a necklace.

But the flowers didn't want to lay flat,

they wanted to twist and turn as real flowers often do.

So I decided to turn it into a mini garland.
That way they can be used
to decorate a doll house,
or be draped over a window,
or circle the neck of a beloved bear.
I'll see what my 2 year old niece decides to do
when she receives it for Xmas.

Details:
I used this great free pattern:
http://www.brigitte.de/wohnen/selbermachen/haekeln-blumenkette-1021662/2.html
although I did use a different flower.
The pattern is in German but
there are pictures to help you.

I used a pretty, soft sock yarn which is probably
why the necklace wanted to twist.
I'd like to make this again but in a worsted weight.
It's a lovely pattern and
written so that the leaves, stems
and the base of the petals
are all worked continuously.
I think it would make a lovely
embellishment.

I'm in love with the monkey

2010-12-06T04:50:00.002-05:00

This little guy has been finished for quite a while.

He's been keeping me company while I finished up a few other projects.

I must say that....

"I've grown accustomed to his face

He almost makes the day begin
I've grown accustomed to the tune he whistles night and noon
His smiles, his frowns, his ups, his downs
Are second nature to me now
Like breathing out and breathing in
I was serenely independent and content before we met
Surely I could always be that way again and yet
I've grown accustomed to his looks, accustomed to his voice
Accustomed to his face"

My Grandma used to play 'My Fair Lady' on

her record player when I came to visit

because she knew I loved it so much.
I would stand in front of the mirror,
and twirl and twirl to the music,
(I was around 5 years old).

I adapted this little guy from this great free pattern.
I wanted him to be a lot smaller so I
used a fingering weight yarn and
went down a hook size.
I also changed his body shape.

A crochet monkey, a vintage curtain and ginko leaves

2010-11-08T13:26:00.001-05:00

Even though monkey is only partly finished

I thought he would enjoy going outside to

enjoy a beautiful autumn day.

Although monkey and I have spent only

a little time together, he and I have bonded.

Maybe it's because we have similar tastes..

obviously he likes vintage fabrics and

we are both fascinated by ginko trees.

But he is more impatient than I am.

I'm enjoying watching how his shape unfolds

as I make changes here and there.

But he is constantly rushing me to finish,

not concerned whether his legs curve

slightly inward,

or if his shirt should be striped or plain.

But I forgive his restlessness,

for he is young.

Help!......anyone know how to make these lovely thrift store coasters?

2010-11-05T09:47:00.001-04:00

Look at those lovely flowers all held together
with what looks like simple knots.
But how are they done and what is the technique called?
I'd love to know!

I flipped the orange one over so that you could see how it is tied together.

2 small crochet bags and a monkey head

2010-10-31T17:36:00.001-04:00

I've finished the green bag and

again I have to say how much I love this pattern.

You can find the free pattern for the flower burst bag here.

The designer is Yasmin Gamal and

her site is called "The C side of me".

She also has some lovely bag patterns for sale

at really reasonable prices.

The poor little monkey who has no body yet

will be a present for my new nephew

who was born in June.

I had a hard time deciding on what to make him

and then I remembered this monkey pattern.

I'm making him smaller than the original

and I'll probably change the shape of his body a fair bit.

Wrapped in yarn

2010-10-12T19:18:00.000-04:00

Can I please have this for Christmas, please!!

Instructions for making a scrappy teacosy

2010-10-11T18:38:00.000-04:00

Back in February I made the top cosy and was asked

if I could post the pattern (my apologizes for taking so long).

I made a second one for a larger pot (above)

and diligently wrote down each row and each stitch count.

But because there are so many different shapes

and sizes of teapots

I thought it would be much more helpful if

I explained the steps involved

instead of giving you a list of numbers.

That way you can make a cosy that fits

your pot instead of mine.

This cosy is made, starting at the bottom.

It's important to keep trying your cosy on
your pot as you work on it

so that you can make the necessary increases/decreases.

I flipped my teapot upside down on my lap

while I worked to make things easier for me.

At first, as you work the first few rows

the cosy will not want to stay on the pot.

I found that it helped to temporarily tie the opening

(under the handle) closed with some yarn.

As you get further into the cosy

it will stay on easier.

I untied it when I got nearer to the top

of the spout.

When you are finished the cosy
you will go back and add a buttoned closure
to this opening

so that it hugs the bottom of the pot snuggly

but still allows the cosy to

be easily slipped on and off the pot.

(If you prefer you can add extra chains in section one

so that the closure can be worked at that stage.)

Teacosy:

I worked my cosy in hdc but feel free to

experiment with other stitches.

I worked 2 rows of each colour for the body

and I ended rows with 2 chains for turning.
I do not tell you where to add the increases/decreases,
trust me.... your pot will let you know.

There are 4 sections to the body.

Here is a picture of the opening for the handle before the bottom tab is added.

And here is a shot showing the opening for the spout.

Body:

1. Bottom section: This is worked in rows leaving an opening only for the handle.

Make as many loose chains necessary to go from the the edge of the handle around the pot to the other edge of the handle. I found that my yarn stretched so I took that into consideration.

Add 2 more chains for turning.

Work rows of hdc turning at handle.

Your last row should just touch the bottom of the spout.

2. This section is worked leaving both the handle and the spout open.

You will now work 2 sides separately.

Each side will be worked in rows between the handle and the spout.

Work on one side first...making as many rows necessary to reach the height of

the top of the spout (on most teapots you will reach the top of the spout before the handle

....but not always).

When you are finished side one break yarn.

(If you finish on your first row of a colour then leave a longer tail (long enough to make a full row of hdc around the pot.
If you finished on your second of a colour then just leave the usual tail length.

You'll see why in section 3).

Join new yarn to second side and finish that side to same height as first. Break off yarn as usual.

3. This section is worked with an opening only for the handle.

You probably only have to work a couple of rows for this section.

Join new yarn to the first stitch on side one (handle side)...or use dropped yarn.

Work across side one to the spout, then make enough chains to go across the top of the spout, then join to second side ( I made a slip stitch in first st, ch 2 then put my first hdc into sl st)

Continue crocheting across second side turning at handle.

Continue working rows back and forth until you reach the height of the top of the handle.

4.This section is worked in rounds not rows.
Crochet across until you reach the handle top, make enough chains to go across the handle
then continue working in rounds

You should be making quite a few decreases in this part...

to give you an idea; I went from 68 st to 55 st over 5 rows.

I ended just under the ridge of the top opening. You might have to end with sc for the last row

if necessary.

Lid:

This is basically a circle with a hole in the centre for the knob

I worked the entire lid in dc.

I chained 16 joining with sl st.

Remember that you are making a dome so you really are just making less increases

to the normal pattern of a flat circle.

Finishing up.
I crocheted a small tab with a button hole for under the handle.

I also crocheted a row of slip stitches along the edges of the openings for the spout and handle.
I used the loose tails of the rows instead of using a new piece of yarn so that it wasn't
edged in a single colour.

Please let me know if something confuses you

and I'll try to clarify it.

As usual I ask that you do not reproduce this pattern

or claim it as your own.

Please feel free to link to my page.

postcards from around the world

2010-09-28T08:00:00.008-04:00

I was tired of only seeing bills in my mailbox
so a little while ago I signed up to a cool site called
Postcrossing.
Here's how it works.
You are given the name and address of
someone from around the world and
you then send them
a postcard.
Once they receive it your name and address is sent
to a totally different person who will send
you a card from their corner of the world.

It's a wonderful surprise to receive them.
I've gotten 4 so far...
from Germany, Slovenia, Belgium and Seattle.
All have written a little about themselves
and their area.

I have sent cards to Kenya, Taiwan, China,
The Netherlands and Wyoming.
The chipmunk card on the right is going
to a little 3 year old from Germany.
I hope she likes it.

Flower burst bag

2010-09-27T16:29:00.002-04:00

First Christmas present done.
(Not the best picture as it is raining here).

I really like how this turned out.

It's the perfect size for a little girl to hold

all her treasures in.
It's 6 inches tall by 7 inches wide.

I made this one with Bernat Satin and used this

great free pattern by Yasmin Gamal.

It only took 3/4 of a skein so it cost

about $3 to make.

I've bought some green organic yarn

to make one for another niece
so I'm curious how different it will look
(other than one is pink and one is green :0)

Wip: a little bag for a little girl

2010-09-12T15:42:00.001-04:00

I'm starting on my Christmas presents earlier this year.

This way when I change my mind a million and

a half times it won't actually be late December

by the time I finish it.

I started off with a very simple but pretty bag for

my 2 1/2 year old niece.

She is a girly girl and I never know what she

will like. Also her mum really isn't a fan

of handmade things.

So I picked something that doesn't take a long

time to make.

So far I'm loving this bag!

The pattern is for an adult so I shrunk it down by

using a 4.5mm hook and crocheted really tightly

(hard on the hands).

You make the flowers first, joining them as you go.

Then you make the bottom part and

attach it to the flowers.

Then all you have left is to make the top.

Easy peasy!

Tea lover's roundup

2010-09-01T08:46:00.000-04:00

Most people know that although I love coffee,

I am a bit obsessed with tea.

So I was excited to learn that Ms. Muffin

over at the wonderful blog Muffins and More

is celebrating the month of September by

featuring tea related posts...cool eh!

I'm looking forward to pouring myself a cuppa

each morning (sorry coffee) and

seeing what goodies Ms. Muffin discovers.

And it's not too late to submit a tea related

project of your own.

So pop on over

(click on her cute button in the sidebar)

And what would a post be without a picture.

scrappy stool cover

2010-08-31T14:07:00.001-04:00

I've been looking for a small stool that was just

the right size for my husband to put his feet on.

I found one on the curb that was

a bit torn but was the perfect height.

I originally planned to sew a cover for it

but I've been looking for ways to

use up my stash yarn so that is when

I decided to crochet this cover.

The centre part is the free pattern

called Sunburst granny by Priscilla Hewitt.

Ravelry link here.

I continued working double crochet in rounds,
adjusting the fit as I went which was sometimes
difficult because my cat pounced on top of it
each time I tested to see if it fit.

I made 2 rows of each colour and when I reached
the edge I continued making double crochet but
with no increases.
I also worked the first row that went over the edge
into the back loops only so it would fold over nicely.

Here is a picture showing a peek at the stool
and also to show how it is removable so
that it can be washed.

stool wip

2010-08-02T14:20:00.001-04:00

stool wip
Originally uploaded by sukigirl74

Playing around with colours...not sure if the last blue will
work but it will be easy enough to rip out if not.
More details when finished.

Crocheting using a knitting pattern

2010-07-30T13:41:00.001-04:00

I borrowed Susan Anderson's cute book

Itty-Bitty Nursery from the library

and fell in love with her cute

pacifier clips.

I knew that there was no way that I could knit

them but I wondered if I could crochet them

using the pattern as a guide.
I chose the elephant because it's cute but
also because it is made up of simple shapes.
This is how it turned out.

I started by substituting a single crochet
for the knit stitches.
This worked well and even the gauge
came out the same.
Then I tried a couple of ways to handle the
increases/decreases, none worked.
Each resulted in incorrect stitch counts.

So what I did instead was

I looked at the stitch count at the end of each row.

and made the number of increases/decreases

necessary to get the right number of stitches.

I then spread out the increases and decreases

as evenly as possible in each row.

Obviously if you are comfortable with
knitting a small toy on DPNs then that's
the way to go.
But I'm not so I'm glad that,
at least as far as this pattern is concerned,
I was able to produce a decent crocheted clone!

Getting back into crochet

2010-07-28T13:02:00.000-04:00

I haven't crocheted since March for a few reasons.....

vacation, family get togethers, hot, humid weather, gardening,

and I've gotten back into reading every day.

(I just finished The Girl who played with Fire).

Great book!

I'm looking forward to reading the 3rd one which,

unfortunately, is also the last.

So I decided to start small by making these booties.

I changed them up a bit by slanting

the strap to the side.

I'm fairly happy with them although

the pattern has a mistake in it

and it took quite a while to get the correction.

I hope Sebastian likes them.

Cooking...... old school

2010-05-13T11:59:00.002-04:00

We made the most delicious pizza on this

lovely wooden oven.

It took us a little time to get

the temperature just right .
Once we nailed that down we were
in pizza heaven!

Of course it also helped that we used some of

the most delicious local ingredients.

View of Positano, Italy from our terrace

2010-05-12T11:39:00.001-04:00

Such a lovely place

A spring teacosy called Rosey

2010-03-30T15:15:00.001-04:00

Spring-like weather has finally arrived

so it's only fitting that flowers

should adorn my newest teacosy.

Crocheted red roses sit on top of

a knitted grassy green body.

The next time friends visit I'll spread out

one of my vintage cloths,

pop some peppermint leaves into

Rosey and set out a few of my Gramma's

lovely teacups and saucers.

And of course there will be

some cranberry scones.

The lovely free pattern can be found here.

Good bye February

2010-03-02T11:39:00.002-05:00

Positives from this month.

-I finally tried 2 new projects

(embroidery and stamp carving)

and I'm dying to do more.

-I set myself a challenge and completed it

even on those days

that I didn't feel like it.

-I made some projects that have been

on my to-do list for a long time.

-I used up a LOT of scrap supplies.

-I came up with a couple patterns

plus loads of ideas.

-I've always seen my 'slowness' of

completing a craft as a negative.

I now realize that it gives me

time to change the pattern around if I want

or to redo a part that I'm not happy with.

I'd like to do this again next
year but I would change a
few things to make it a

little easier on myself.
The most important would be
to line up all the project ideas
(plus a few extras)
and their supplies
well ahead of time.
This would help if the
unexpected happened...
like when my sewing machine
broke down or when
I underestimated how
amazing the Olympics would be!

Also I would start one day early
so that I could take project
pictures during the sunny hours
so that at least some of the
colours would be true.

So I would highly recommend
this to anyone who's considering it.
Next year I'd like to sign up for
the official Thing-a-day.

And thanks to my cheering section!!!

Last Day of the Month!!!! ...Matryoshka

2010-02-28T13:25:00.000-05:00

I was going to add some pink

cheeks but I haven't got

any felt in that colour.

And the felt that I do have tends

to pull apart when you

try to sew with it,

since it's the cheap acrylic kind.

I think that I really need to

order wool felt online

or make my own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Final tally

This project..no new supplies

Total month $21.38 and

the majority of that was on

two projects that were

new to me

(making stamps and embroidery).

Day 27: owl

2010-02-27T12:24:00.002-05:00

Today I'm off to see the Beatles,
actually I'm seeing a cover band,
a very good cover band called Rain.

So I picked this small knitted

owl as today's project.

It was very easy even for
a non-knitter like me .

I didn't have any owly yarn

so I mixed plain beige

merino with some leftover

dark brown kid mohair.
Free pattern here

Day 26: green chicken potholder

2010-02-26T21:08:00.000-05:00

I was really hoping this would be a

quick project but then realized it had 2

sides to be crocheted plus I decided to

watch the Olympics

while I was making it.

I was going to make some

green eggs to go along with it.

Oh well.

Day 25: Egg cosy

2010-02-25T21:37:00.000-05:00

When I sew on the blue door later

tonight it will officially be

a gnome house egg cosy.

Day 24: scrap happy teacosy

2010-02-24T21:16:00.001-05:00

I came up with this pattern while

watching the men's Olympic hockey

games today.

I wanted it to hug my teapot

and also to leave the knob

on the lid naked.

It was nice to use up a lot of scrap yarn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No new supplies

Day 23: 1951 Betsy doll and The Big Bang

2010-02-23T19:06:00.001-05:00

These are Betsy McCall paper dolls

that were introduced in the

McCall magazine in 1951.

One Pearl Button

came up with a tutorial to

turn them into magnetic

paper dolls.

Since I had been gifted with part of

a magnetic sheet, I set out to make a set

to give to my niece when

she is a little older.

Problem is ..the magnetic clothes don't

actually stay on the magnetic doll.

At first I thought I had done

something wrong and then

I noticed one of the comments

that said that the same thing

happened to her.

Brilliant idea but unfortunately

a bit of a glitch in the execution.

They will however work

if both the doll and clothes

are stuck onto a fridge

since the clothes tend to be a

bit wider than the doll.

I'll have to revisit this and

see if I can work around this

problem since I think this

project is worth it.

While I had the magnetic sheet out

I thought I'd make up some

magnets for myself of my

favourite characters on tv.

Actually while I was working

on this I came up with another

project involving

Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, and Howard

but it can't be completed

within a day so it

will have to wait.

Day 22: Gold medal

2010-02-22T23:01:00.001-05:00

Every morning my husband

makes me a delicious

cappuccino and for that he

definitely deserves

the gold medal.

I really had to make this

one on the fly but

thankfully hubby was still

happy with it.

Free pattern here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No new supplies today.

Total $21.38

Day 21: crochet Tawashi

2010-02-21T20:07:00.002-05:00

Tawashi is a traditional scrubbing brush

but the modern equivalent includes

anything from sponges to yarn
(crochet or knitted)
scrubbers like this one.

This free pattern

is in symbol form and the

written instructions are

in Japanese but, if you

are patient, it is not difficult

to figure out.

The trickiest part is figuring

how to put the 4 rings together.

I made this one with cotton yarn

with a 3.5mm hook so that

the fabric would be course enough

to wash dishes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Still $21.38 spent this month

Day 20: Kitty keychain

2010-02-20T20:11:00.001-05:00

Click here for free pattern

I'm always losing my
keys in my purse so I
hope this kitty makes it easier
to find them.
The designer made them into
juggling balls ...I really
like that idea too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No new supplies for this
so total this month $21.38

Day 19: an owl egg cosy

2010-02-19T20:09:00.000-05:00

This project was like a last

minute essay.

You finish it on time but

you really don't want

to hand it in.

I like some parts of it, namely

the pattern

(I did change the wings)

and I was happy with the fabrics

that I chose.

But I don't like the look

of leaving the edges raw and

I'm not happy with my

embroidery.

The back actually was going

to be the front and I had cut

out wings with Elvis on it.

I thought it would look so cool

but it just didn't work

although I liked the look

of the guitar.

Day 18: Red Riding Hood

2010-02-18T14:07:00.001-05:00

I had so much fun yesterday

making the Ninja , I decided

to see if I could come up

with a pattern of Red Riding Hood.

Day 17: Ninja love

2010-02-17T12:29:00.002-05:00

A cute fast pattern

for a busy day.

It looks like everyone

is getting into Olympic fever.

Day 16: my first stamp

2010-02-16T14:53:00.001-05:00

Oh I can see how making

these stamps can get addicting.

Yes there are a ton of mistakes

in this but I'm still really happy

with my little owl.

(Tell me you can tell

that it is an owl).

Today I was so busy,

actually this whole week will

be busy so I may have to

try my hand at carving again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carving tools $14.00

So far this week $21.38

Day 15: money pouch

2010-02-15T12:43:00.002-05:00

We will be going to Italy in

May so I made this pouch to hold

all the coins that we'll need...

for tips, for parking, for gelato.

Free pattern here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No new supplies.
This month $7.38

Day 14: part crochet/part fabric bag

2010-02-14T18:19:00.002-05:00

The whole time I was finishing this up

my sweet cat Oreo was on the floor

crying for attention.

I turned to get my camera from

the shelf behind me and

this is what I found when I turned back.

Underneath her is this bag.

I tried a couple of different
drawstrings but couldn't find one
that I liked so I'll find something
the next time I go to the fabric store.
Here is a wip where only

the bottom is finished.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No new supplies.

So far this month $7.38

Day 13: Mermaid

2010-02-13T18:55:00.002-05:00

This is my first embroidery.
Yesterday was a merfish and

today is a Mermaid.
The stitching is complete,

I just need to remove the clear

transfer sheet that has the

pattern marked on it

(you might see some of the blue

marker that should dissolve

in water).

The free pattern is here

and while you are there check

out the rest of this talented artist's work.

I'm so glad that I finally got

around to making this.

This challenge was the kick

that I needed...I'm hoping

to tackle a second embroidery

project this month (fingers crossed).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For this project I bought transfer

sheets and floss for $6.00

Total this month...$7.38

Day 12: merfish

2010-02-12T20:14:00.004-05:00

Here is my first modest attempt

at making a merfish.

This pattern comes from one

of my favourite blogs

resurrection fern.

Her blog is very unique and inspirational!

But actually the first time I saw

this pattern was on flickr

when I saw the work of AnniePurls.
As you can see I have a long way to go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zero $ were used to buy supplies
so total this month $1.38 cents

Day 11: a surprise for me

2010-02-11T22:58:00.004-05:00

A while back I found this

pattern that was in Japanese;

it didn't include a picture of the actual
project and only included charts.

So when I started it I had no

idea what I was making,

it was, in a way, an act of faith.

What I could tell was that it didn't involve

very many rows or stitches

so I knew it was probably

doable in a day.

This is what I made.

When I finished the individual

pieces and realized what they were,

I recrocheted the underbellies

of the mushroom caps in a

lighter blue.

I like how the other colours

worked out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today I unravelled some of my 69 cent
scarf to use for this project.
Total this month...$1.38

Day 10: teacosy made from thrifted hat

2010-02-10T12:20:00.007-05:00

When I found this hat yesterday

at the thrift store I didn't know

what I would do with it

but it was such pretty colours

that I couldn't resist.

Both the scarf and the hat

were each 69 cents.

Normally I would just wear the

hat but it was a toddler

size so that was out.

Then I realized that it

would make a perfect teacosy.

First I tried to sew a band of

stitches on either side of

where I would cut

(this technique has always

worked in the past).

But it was so thick it wouldn't

go under the pressure foot so

I sewed the rows by hand.

The second I started to cut I

knew I was in trouble because

all the stitches started to unravel.

So I put tape on the back to

temporarily stop more unraveling and

resewed the edges with yarn that

I had unraveled from the flaps.

Then I single crocheted over the edges

to clean up the mess.

I had been thinking of cutting

a hole for the spout but because the

side and top were made in one piece

I knew that I might ruin it.

I have to say that I'm very

chuffed at my new teacosy and

I'm going to be on the lookout

for other suitable hats.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cost 69 cents.
So far this month 69 cents

Day 9: I wear my heart on my sleeve

2010-02-09T13:11:00.001-05:00

Okay, so I wear it on my wrinkled shirt.
I know this is a ridiculously simple
project but hey... it's still cute.

But the cool thing about this project

is all the endless possibilities
and this would be great for
both adults and kids.

Can you imagine making little animals
(maybe climbing monkeys like in the
barrel of monkey game),
characters from books,
letters to spell words,
holidays (ghosts, black cats, xmas trees,
bunnies), flowers, pets,
the list goes on and on.
I think I'll make a batch
of book related ones for my nieces.
They would love Max (wild things),
hungry caterpillar, Charlotte,

Should I even bother with instructions?
Cut hearts from felt
(I made mine in in different
sizes with the larger at top.
Cut a slit in centre and then pop
it on after you have buttoned up.
Time-- 2 minutes
I found this idea in a Martha booklet
in thrift store.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No new supplies so zero $ so far.

Day 8: poppy coaster

2010-02-08T19:23:00.002-05:00

The front coaster is finished.

The black stamens are embroidered

using thread and, although you

can't tell, each petal is separated

by a ridge of backstitch

using the red yarn.

Finally the flower is backed with felt

held in place with a blanket stitch.

The great pattern here is by

Stephanie Garcia

I enjoyed making this one so

much I decided to start two more

to be finished another day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything used for today
was stash so zero $ on
new supplies so far this month.

Day 7: Korknisser

2010-02-07T20:47:00.005-05:00

These two guys look a lot better

than this picture reflects.

The one on the left is made
with Noro Kureyon,
it has beautiful shades of green.

After I took this picture I realized

that I hadn't given them eyes

so I'll replace this picture soon.

The original pattern for these Korknisser

is for knitting but I made

a crocheted version.

Day 6: Do you think this will get taken too?

2010-02-06T18:15:00.003-05:00

A while ago I discovered that

my front corner post was missing.

A week later I went out to discover

that someone had popped a broken

dog toy over it.

I left that toy on it quite a

while and then it hit me that

it would make a nice base

to attach a crochet project.

Today I made this.

Here is the top view.

Day 5: Flowers for her hair

2010-02-05T16:57:00.002-05:00

I knew I was going to

be busy today so I picked a cute

but fast project.

Here is the free pattern

for the flower part.

Simply add a button on front

and a piece of felt on the back

and sew (or glue) it onto a

bobby pin.
~~~~~~~~~~~
$0 spent so far this month

Day 4: framing up vintage children illustration

2010-02-04T14:57:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the poor lighting (again)
but I wanted to show it in my room.

I have a couple of rooms in my house

that are bare of any artwork.

So today I'm framing a page from a

vintage children's book

that will go in my bedroom.

I chose an old Italian book

called Cappuccetto Rosso.

Isn't the illustration delightful!

Il Lupo, con un balzo divoro

Cappuccetto Rosso.

The wolf, with a leap, devoured

Red Riding Hood.

As you can see the picture

covered two pages so I scanned
it into Paint and blended

the colours over the centre fold.

The plastic frame was simply given a
lick of light grey paint.

I'm totally happy with the

result and I'm looking forward

to finishing more of these.

-----------------------------

Todays's supplies were all from

my stash :o)

Day 3: A spring bird

2010-02-03T17:00:00.003-05:00

I've been wanting to make this

for a while ever since I saw this

great tutorial by Attic24.

Today is overcast so
this pic isn't quite as cheerful
as in real life.
I had these tube shaped beads
which turned out to be
perfect for it's eyes.
I'll eventually make four birds,
one for each season.
This one is spring.

----------------------

New supplies for this project $0

Cost so far $0

Day 2: small notebook cover

2010-02-02T19:22:00.002-05:00

A while back I sewed some covers

for a few notebooks to send in a swap.

I had an extra notebook for
myself so I sewed up a cover
using some leftover muslin,
stamped it, and added a couple
of crocheted embellishments.

I think if this wasn't a day
project I would have spent
a little more time on it
but for now I will pop it
into my purse.

Also my sewing machine
is acting up and I
may have to take it in.

----------------------------

This project used all stashed items
so total spent so far $0

Day 1: Ugly Bunny Pincushion

2010-02-01T16:45:00.001-05:00

Actually I think he's quite cute.

Free pattern here

Pattern was really easy to

make... I'll put him to work as a

pincushion just for needles.

Supplies that I needed to buy- $0

February: A month of small projects

2010-01-31T08:00:00.010-05:00

I want to see if I can post a finished project
every day for the month of February.

Unlike this lacemaker I will be
making quick projects.
I know my limitations...

Also I'm hoping to avoid buying
any supplies but if I do I'll track them.
I have a little more than
a dozen projects bookmarked
(a mix of sewing, crochet and embroidery)
so if anyone wants to toss some simple
ideas my way, that would be great.
Wish me luck!

The above image is a painting done
by the great painter Vermeer
called The Lacemaker.

Green and red favourites

2010-01-28T09:11:00.001-05:00

Green and red favourites
Originally uploaded by Torirot

Daphne's moment of transformation

2010-01-19T15:43:00.003-05:00

Isn't this tree beautiful.

It is especially gorgeous in

spring when the leaves are out.

I pass it on my walks through

my neighbourhood and I always

stop and marvel at it's beauty.

To me this is Daphne,

the beautiful river nymph in

Greek mythology who was chased by the powerful

and often ruthless god Apollo.

She realized that she could not escape from

him so she pleaded with her father to protect her.

He changed her into a laurel tree

and wept knowing that

he had lost his daughter forever.

There are many beautiful interpretations

of this moment in art.

Apollo and Daphne by Bernini

I hesitate even posting a

picture of this statue since

it doesn't do it justice.

If you could see it in person

you could appreciate how each

delicate leaf that sprouts from

her fingers has been carved in marble.

Daphne's face reflects her

sorrow as she realizes her fate.

Beauty and sorrow together.

Apollo and Daphne by

John William Waterhouse

I've not always been a fan

of Waterhouse but he has started

to grow on me lately.

His subjects are often scenes from mythology

so it is always interesting to see how he

interprets classic stories

through his romantic style.

Yarn tagging around the city

2010-01-18T16:39:00.000-05:00

Can you tell where I

placed this yarn graffiti on?

Do you know how hard it is to

find a telephone booth anymore!

I would've rather put it in

an enclosed booth but I

couldn't find one nearby.

That meant I had to attach this one

right near a busy train station

and parking lot.

That also meant I got an

awful lot of strange looks

as I tried to sew it on

without drawing too much attention.

I ended up putting the phone

to my ear to make me look

a little less conspicuous.

I'd make a terrible spy.

Where in Toronto is Erica Strange?

2010-01-17T14:12:00.015-05:00

Being Erica is one of my favourite

shows, and is shot in different

areas of my city...Toronto.

So of course we've turned it into a game
"Where's Erica".

In a recent episode "E" was sitting on

a red park bench,

not much of a clue eh?

But something clicked and I realized

that I had taken a picture of that same

bench a few months earlier

(although they didn't show the art work

on the bench.)

They then showed a glimpse of a

brick wall..... this wall.

If they had turned their camera around

they would have seen this on a coffee shop,

and this on the ground.

Liberty Village is a cool part of the
city which has recently seen the conversion
of old factories into lofts,art and design studios,
independent restaurants and coffee shops.

Film crews are not an uncommon
site here but it is nice to see our city
as a setting in such a good series.

A small crocheted dog

2010-01-16T12:53:00.001-05:00

I'm still alive even though I haven't posted

anything for ages.

I've been busy with other things

and I really miss my creative time.

I don't have much to show for my time

away, just this simple dog.

It's funny how unfinished it feels to me.

Probably because I didn't alter

the pattern as I made it.

That's unusual for me.

Another crocheted Max from the Wild Things

2009-12-18T21:29:00.002-05:00

What is really cool about Max is that
he makes a great gift for both
a 25 year old male (my son) and
a one year old girl (my niece).

Again this is from this great pattern.

by Allison Hoffman from

Crafty is Cool (etsy).

I loved making him,

so easy, and so well designed.

I can see myself making this pattern again.

Related link: A Tale of Two Maxes

Hobbes.... waiting to come alive

2009-12-13T16:46:00.011-05:00

You can now find my free pattern here.

I've been waiting for a nice sunny day

to take a picture of my finished Hobbes

and today was the day.

How do you like him?

I decided to make the Hobbes that
the world sees, not the one Calvin sees.

I wanted to remain as true to the original

drawing as I possibly could.

I'm pretty sure by son will
be happy with his Hobbes.

A Tale of Two Max's

2009-12-10T14:59:00.005-05:00

I made the bag on the left to hold

the crocheted presents that I made

for my darling new sweet niece.

You could also use it as a Xmas stocking.

I really love how it came out despite the fact

that my sewing machine had major problems

and that I could only find the acrylic felt

and not the nice wool felt.

This great free pattern comes from

the totally cool blog Meet Me at Mikes.

Click here for free pattern

I crocheted the little Max figure from

this wonderful pattern that I bought on Ralvery.

I found him easy to make and

only changed his nose.

His crown comes off and his

hood comes down, how cute is that!

I'm part way finished making a second

one for my son.

Related link: Another crocheted Max

We interrupt this program for a short announcement

2009-10-24T08:00:00.002-04:00

knitted breast
Originally uploaded by acechick

As you probably already know
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.
This year it was a little more personal to me
as my annual ultrasound showed a
small lump...
thankfully my results turned
out to be negative.

So a small reminder.
Take the time to perform
breast self-examinations.
Check with your doctor whether
you should be getting a
mammogram and/or ultrasound.

Tasty Crochet

2009-10-23T13:18:00.004-04:00

Tasty Crochet
Originally uploaded by sukigirl74

I've been working on a batch of crocheted
food for my 2 nieces.
These are some of the snacks I've made so far.
The patterns are easy to make and
are from the great book called
Tasty Crochet by Rose Langlitz.

How I came to love tea and their cosies

2009-10-21T13:38:00.004-04:00

You can never have enough cosies
Originally uploaded by sukigirl74

I was first introduced to tea time
and all it's grand traditions
through the English side of my family.
Every summer our family and
my aunt's family would visit my
Great Aunt for two weeks at her
place by the beach.
Twice a day we were summoned
to tea time by the ringing
of an outside bell.

The grownups including my grandmother
would carry the trays of teapots,
teacups and slices of cake.
We children would carry the
trays of cheese and crackers
and pop since we weren't
old enough for tea.

During the rest of the year
we often didn't get to see our relatives
because we were scattered across the country
so these times were very special to us.

The teapots at these gatherings were
covered in knitted, well worn cosies.
They looked like hats that
our mothers
had popped on them,
and unlike us, they accepted
their adornments without struggling.

Years later I visited England,
and saw all the beautiful cosies there...
it brought me back to those wonderful days.
I bought my first teacosy (made of cloth)
and since then have made a point
to indulge in teatime at least once a day.

Related post: My first knitted cosy

Great Malabrigo Giveaway

2009-10-20T08:58:00.000-04:00

Salihan Crafts is having another great giveaway!
This time it is for 2 skeins of lovely Malabrigo yarn,
how nice is that!
All you have to do is pick out which
Malabrigo yarn you'd like to win
and then leave a comment on her post
Yarn & Kisses Malabrigo Giveaway
Last day to enter is October 25.

And while you are there check out the
rest of Salihan crafts.
It is filled with lots of yarn, diy, recipes
and other goodies.

Have you seen a teacosy like this before?

2009-10-19T09:12:00.009-04:00

DSC02291
Originally uploaded by sukigirl74

Isn't this a beautiful tea cosy!
I really wish that I could take credit
for making it .
I bought it at a small garage sale put on
by a group of lovely older Polish women.
I'd be curious to know how old
it is and if there is a pattern for it
floating out there somewhere.

It is crocheted with loops pulled through
and as you can see,
is made with the most glorious colours!
The flowers are simply made
from loops of yarn tied in the middle
and are laid on a bed of pale green yarn.

If you've seen one like this
I'd love to hear about it.

A Knitted Cosy fit for a teapot

2009-10-18T16:02:00.004-04:00

Although this isn't a great picture I
thought I'd post my finished cosy.

I feel fairly happy about it,
I didn't drop any stitches,
it didn't end up half finished
stuck in a drawer somewhere
and it fits my teapot.
Not too shabby.

At first I did make it way too tall
so I managed to rip back a few rows
and make it shorter.
This pic shows it's true colour...
but I wish I could photoshop my
cosy so that it was bluer.

I used 4mm circs and one
skein of Noro Kureyon 163
and this lovely free
pattern by aemmeleia
.

This next pic shows how the needles
are positioned using the magic
loop technique.

I actually made this for my
sister for Xmas but it may
be too dark for her.
Also, the last time she visited
I asked her if she wanted tea and
she said "oh good god no!"

Today's Problem & Solution...knitting

2009-10-07T10:32:00.001-04:00

My problem:
I want to try knitting
a teacosy and the pattern
calls for 5mm small circular needles.
I am a beginner knitter.. I don't have any.

Solution:
When I checked my free needles
(given to me by my sweet mum)
I only found some really large
circular needles in that size.

So I went to my favourite
knitting help site
(aptly named knittinghelp)
and found a video demonstrating
a technique which allows you to
do small diameter circular knitting
on larger diameter needles.
Magic Loop Knitting

A sad goodby

2009-09-29T14:06:00.003-04:00

Comet

Today I said goodbye to the sweetest,
and gentlest dog that I have ever known
and it broke my heart.

Crochet Apple Cosies

2009-09-14T17:25:00.004-04:00

No... these apples aren't wearing
sweaters to keep them warm.
These cosies actually have a practical
purpose...keeping them from getting bruised.

I'll be curious to see if they work ...
don't they look pretty!

Link to free apple cosy pattern.
Link to leaf pattern

A vintage style crochet bunny

2009-08-25T09:06:00.002-04:00

For a long time I've had an image of a bunny
in my head that I've wanted to make .
It has floppy ears, arms and legs,
so that a little girl could easily grab it
and carry it around.

I came across a pattern very close to it,
this is the result.

It's not exactly the same as the bunny
in my head but he's pretty close.
When I completely finished him I
couldn't figure out why I wasn't happy with him.

That's when I realized the reason.
It was because my imaginary
bunny was a girl and although I
tried, there was no way this guy
wanted to be transformed into a girl.
He did, however, keep his wee granny
square scarf in pink and purple.

Maybe someday I'll make
a female version but for now
he'll do.
The pattern came from a book
called Vintage Crochet by Susan Cropper.
The errata, which includes
the entire pattern
is here.

Peter Rabbit embroidery

2009-08-19T15:48:00.009-04:00

I was cleaning out the crawl space in

my laundry room today and found this.

In 1977 ( pre-children, pre-husband),
when I had loads of time,
I decided to try embroidery for the first time.
Being young, I decided to tackle a fairly large project
so I bought a this crib sized Peter Rabbit cover.

My stitches aren't too bad for a beginner
but I only managed to embroider this one panel
but I did finish all the words in the other panels
Then I quit.

Here is an overall picture of what
it could look like.

I still have all the embroidery thread
and the instructions so I'm going to
set this aside for a winter project.

I have no idea how far I'll get but
hope springs eternal.

Free knit and Crochet patterns

2009-07-14T09:32:00.005-04:00

I'm the administrator for a great group
over on Flickr called
FREE KNIT AND CROCHET PATTERNS
where members
post their projects along with the
links to the free patterns.

It's a great resource.
Right now we have over 2500
of some of the coolest projects.
Some are perfect when you want
a little instant gratification.
Others take longer, but the results
are so beautiful that it is well worth it.

Check it out...grab some patterns,
and make something!

The first figs of the season

2009-07-13T10:03:00.002-04:00

Would you like one?

Every year I wait for the figs.
Only then can I have my favourite meal...
figs wrapped in prosciutto
cooked on the bbq.
In one bite you get that smokey, salty flavour
mixed with divine sweetness.

Add a glass of a good Italian red wine,
some crusty bread and olive oil for dipping
and dine outside in the garden.
Close your eyes and you
are suddenly in Italy.

And when fig season is over?
You still have your cute little crocheted fig
to keep you company until next year.

wild tea cosies

2009-07-10T16:48:00.003-04:00

I just picked up a copy of Wild Tea Cosies
by Loani Prior.
It has some wonderful cosies
AND is reasonably priced
(I paid $16 Cdn on Amazon new!)

She has included a mix of crochet and knit
patterns and to quote the author
"these outrageous cosies....
are inspired by everything from coral
reefs and flowering gardens to geometric shapes,
scrumptious food and even chickens!"

Here is a shot of the back cover with
pics of the cosies.

I'm so looking forward to making some of these cosies,
but how do I choose...
the Carmen Miranda on the cover,
the Rosie Posy, or the Liquorice Allsorts?
What a great book!

Comparing crocheted and knitted baby booties

2009-07-05T07:31:00.007-04:00

I've never made the same project before
in both a knitted and crocheted version.
But these booties came in both
so it was interesting to compare them.

This isn't a totally fair comparison
because the knitted did get an unfair advantage by
getting the better yarn and the smaller size.
I''ll take that into consideration.

Crocheted version

Knitted version

Looks:
I think if they were both made with identical yarn
and identical sizes
then they would be EQUAL in cuteness.
The knitted version was made with
some lovely soft wool in a smaller size
while the crocheted one was a test run made
with acrylic in a larger size.

Seams:
The crocheted version gets big points for no seam
up the back. It looks better and is much faster to make.
I think this is the biggest difference between these two patterns.

Price:
The big advantage for the knitted version
is that
the knitted version was free while
the crochet version cost $5.95 (US)

Fit:
The knitted one stretched more because
of the stocking st.
This could be seen as a plus or minus depending
how closely the fit matches the baby's feet.
This was an advantage for me because it turns out that
the baby had bigger than average feet.
Not sure if there is a downside to this stretchiness.

So the winner?
Both have advantages and disadvantages so
it really comes down to personal choice.
For me, it's the crochet version because
I can't knit that well and I'm willing to pay
for the advantage of seamless.

Summer pleasures

2009-07-04T20:40:00.007-04:00

Comet, my 13 year old border collie,
and I take quiet morning walks.

I spend time in my garden

For supper I have tarragon chicken salad from smitten kitchen
and fresh fruit salad..mmnnn.

And I even find time to make some booties,
these are crocheted ones based on the knitted Saartje's booties.

Would you pay $182.14 US for this USED softcover book?

2009-06-17T10:22:00.013-04:00

That is what someone on ebay is asking.
On Amazon, someone has it listed at $156
and a while back I saw it for $220....all used.
I'm sorry but that's just nuts.

I have only seen one project made from this book
a cute, retro style, crochet owl cosy.
So I was always left with the impression
that this book must be full of amazing little projects.
Well I discovered this is NOT the case.

A couple of days ago I found a copy
at my local bookstore for $4.99.
You can imagine how thrilled I was....
until I opened the book.
There are only a couple of cute tea cosies
the owl and the one on the cover.
The rest are either boring or just plain ugly.
Honestly, I think $4.99 is about the
right price for this book.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE tea cosies, so I it kills me
to diss one of the few cosy books out there.
But there are 2 books that I would recommend,
both have gotten good feedback and are priced right.
This first is called Wild Tea Cosies
and the second, which I have,
is simply called Tea Cosies.

Also, here are a couple of sites that
you might enjoy.
Check out Handmadelife
for her version of the owl cosy from the Killer book
and Wild For Tea Cosies
which is a wonderful site penned by Loani Prior,
the author of Wild Tea Cosies .
Here you will find pictures of some beautiful cosies ,
some from her book and some from other sources.
And last but not least Ravelry has a great
group called Cuppa Tea.
Check out their completed cosies and also their
great forum!

How to crochet Eve from Wall-e

2009-06-15T10:27:00.024-04:00

I wanted to see if I could come up with
a pattern for Eve.

She is actually quite simple to make;
she basically has an egg-shaped body and
a squished sphere for a head.

This is what I came up with,
she is 4 1/2 inches small.

Pattern

-White worsted weight yarn and 4.mm hook
-blue embroidery floss plus needle
-black felt
-polyfil for stuffing
I worked her in spirals and marked the beginning of each row with a marker.

Head:
Work 6 sc into magic ring. (6)
Round 1: 2 sc in each stitch (12)
Round 2: *2 sc in first st, sc in next st* repeat (18)
Round 3: * 2 sc in first st, sc in next 2*repeat (24)
Round 4: *2 sc in first st, sc in next 3* repeat (30)
Round 5: *2 sc in first st, sc in next 4* repeat (36)
Round 6: sc in each stitch (36)
Round 7: * sc dec in first, sc in next 4* repeat (30)
Round 8: * sc dec in first, sc in next 3* repeat (24)
Round 9: * sc dec in first, sc in next 2* repeat (18)
Round 10: * sc dec in first, sc in next * repeat (12)
Fasten off leaving a long tail.
Stuff firmly with polyfil

Body:
Work 6 sc into magic ring. (6)
Round 1: 2 sc in each stitch (12)
Round 2: *2 sc in first st, sc in next st* repeat (18)
Round 3: * 2 sc in first st, sc in next 2*repeat (24)
Round 4: *2 sc in first st, sc in next 3* repeat (30)
Rounds 5-10: sc in each stitch (30)
Round 11: * sc dec in first, sc in next 3* repeat (24)
Round 12: * sc dec in first, sc in next 2* repeat (18)
Round 13: sc in each stitch (18)
Stuff firmly with polyfil
Round 14: * sc dec in first, sc in next * repeat (12)
Round 15: sc in each stitch (12)
Round 16: sc dec in each stitch (6)
Fasten off and weave in ends.

Arms: Make 2
Again you are working in rounds.
-Try not to work your stitches too tightly especially at the beginning
since you are only working into a small ring of stitches.
It will get easier as you go.
-Make sure you use a marker to mark your first stitch (moving it each row).
- Check your stitch count after EACH row (shown in brackets).

Work 3 sc into magic ring. (3 st)
Round 1: 2 sc in first st, sc in next, 2 sc in last st (5 st)
Round 2: sc in first, * 2 sc in next, sc in next * repeat from*to* twice (7 st)
Round 3: 2 sc in first, sc in next 5, 2 sc in last. (9 st)
Rounds 4-7: sc in each (9 st)
Round 8: sc dec in first stitch, sc in next 2, sc dec in next, sc in last 3 (7 st)
Fasten off and leave a long tail. Stuff lightly to form an arm shape.

Assembly:
Using picture as a guide cut out a faceplate in the black felt.
If your felt is thin then cut two faceplates and sew them together using a blanket stitch.
Embroider eyes using blue floss: I used a backstitch to outline and then satin stitch to fill in.

Using black thread sew on faceplate to head.
Sew head onto body then arms onto body.
If you find her arms stick out from her body too much
put a couple of stitches a bit lower from her shoulder into her body.
I attached fishing line to hang her because I didn't want to change her shape
just to make her stand.

Please note that all content and images are mine and are protected by
copyright.
I love to share my patterns but, as usual, please do not claim them as your own or publish my patterns in any way ....you are more than welcome to link to it. Do not sell any items made from this pattern. Also I ask that you credit me as the designer when posting your pics of any items you make.

Fulfilling a plege

2009-06-10T16:56:00.007-04:00

Yesterday my sister came over for a visit
and I took the opportunity to teach her how to crochet
as part of a pledge that I made here.
It was a short visit so I figured it would be best to keep
it simple and show her just the basics.
She caught on quickly, so I promised her another
lesson when we get together next
(she lives in another city).

It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon
and I'll update with pictures when I
get them from her.
Thanks Knitluck
for starting this great pledge!!

a boy with a dinosaur suit (times 2)

2009-06-05T13:18:00.005-04:00

I have the cutest neighbours.
Finn is 2 years old and his brother Leif is 4 years old
They often stick their heads out their window and have a little chat with me.

Today for example I learned from his brother that 2 year old Finn was in trouble because he had started saying the F word and the X word (I don't know the X one but since they are Finnish maybe it is something that they picked up from their dad.)
I stopped myself from laughing... it was hard to picture the F word coming out of that sweet child's mouth.

They both love dinosaurs and Halloween and I've been wanting to crochet them something for a while. I finally saw this wonderful pattern by Owlish and knew that it would be perfect.

I made 2 'brothers', one slightly smaller, both with their initials on the bottom of their feet so that they don't mix them up.
I gave it to them today and was rewarded with big smiles.
I probably should have waited until Finn wasn't being punished but that is the advantage of being a neighbour and not a mother to them.

7 random things

2009-06-04T13:10:00.007-04:00

I have been tagged by coltpixy
to write 7 random things about myself.

1. I eavesdrop on people all the time, mostly at out-of-the-way coffee shops. I think I would make a good spy.

2. I never have less than 30 library books checked out and 40 on hold. The ones I have out now are a mix of yarn, mythology and art.
I love being cheap!

3. I like people who are slightly out of step with the mainstream.
Trust me, there are a lot of eccentrics in a city of 2 1/2 million.

4. I'd much rather have something used than new. I love that it has a history to it.
(Again this works into my cheapness factor).

5. I have started writing children stories just for the pure pleasure of it.
I do it just for me and I love the freedom and joy that comes out of this process.

6. I think I have entered my second childhood, how else can I explain this trend toward crocheting amigurumi toys.

7. I'm always trying to learn how to read lips.
It's actually very difficult to do, I thought it would be easier since I took linguistics in university but it's not. Sometimes I'll try to figure it out from watching tv and once I got so involved that I tried to read the Muppets' lips.......duh.

Tag you're it...but only if you want to play!

Howie Woo
salihan crafts
Mette
Nena

If birds could crochet....

2009-05-27T19:08:00.005-04:00

they would make tiny nests like this.

How to make wee crochet clothes

2009-05-26T08:39:00.023-04:00

I hope you have fun making these clothes.

All of the patterns are made in the round and are
unjoined (worked in spirals).
Let me know if you have any problems with the instructions
as they have not been tested.
Please let me know if you make any.
If you want to make the bag click here.

The dress on the right is made in worsted weight
and the one on the left is made with sock yarn.
The skirt and the top are about 1 inch tall,
the pants and sundresses are all 2 1/2 inches tall.

Dress pattern:

Worsted weight and size 5.5 mm hook.
Work in rounds and use a marker to keep track of rounds
I made this in 2 sections, top and skirt.
This makes it is easy to also crochet the tops and bottoms as separate pieces.

Top part: (starting at waist)
Ch 13, sl st to form a ring.
Rounds 1 to 3: sc each round.
Bind off.
Make 2 straps by ch 7 and attach them to the top
(by sewing or sl st).
Or you can not bind off and sl st to the point where you want the straps and then work them directly on the top. Whatever works best for you.

Skirt part:
Flip top upside down and attach yarn with sl st to the waist.
Rounds 1 to 2: Sc each round
Rounds 3 to 5: Sc around but increase 1 st on each 'side' of skirt to cause it to flair.
(I put a safety pin on each side and when I got to it I worked 2 sc into a st.)
Bind off.

-------------------------------
Red skirt with grey edging:
The main skirt is worked in a DK weight (Zara)
and the grey edging is closer to a sock weight. I used a 4.mm hook)

Using red yarn Ch 19, sl st to form ring,
Rounds 1 to 3: sc each round
Rounds 4 to 8: sc each round but increase 1 st at each side to cause it to flair.
Bind off.
Edging: Attach grey yarn to skirt hem with a sl st.
Work pattern [skip next st, 5 hdc in next st, skip next st, sl st in next]
working the last sl st into first st. Bind off.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Skirt pattern: (not pictured)
( worsted weight)
Ch13, sl st to form a ring.
Work rounds 1 to 5 of dress pattern (skirt part).
----------------------------------------------------------------

Pants pattern
(I used sock weight yarn and size 4.mm hook)
Starting at waist:
Ch 18, sl st to form ring
Rounds 1 to 5: sc each round.
Round 6: First pant leg...this is completely worked first, then you will reattach the yarn to make the second leg.
Sc in the next 8 st, then work next sc into the first sc of this round to form a ring.
Leave the other 8 stitches unworked for now.
Rounds 7 and up:Continue working in rounds until you reach the length that you want. For the last 2 rounds I increased a stitch on each side so that it would flair out like bell bottoms.
Bind off
Reattach for second pantleg and work the same as first.
---------------------------------------------------------------
I also made a second dress using sock yarn with a hook size of 4.mm
I used the same pattern but added extra rows. Sorry I didn't keep track of the number, I just added extra until it looked right using the dress made out of worsted as a guide.
-------------------------------------------------
Grey top:
I used Marci Senders' great pattern and adjusted
the template so that the sides would flair.
--------------------------------------------
Working in ends:
You don't need to take much time with the ends, I quickly secured the ends on the inside and cut them to a short length so they wouldn't be seen.

Please note that all content and images are mine and are protected by
copyright.
I love to share my patterns but, as usual, please do not claim them as your own or publish my patterns on your site without my permission ....you are more than welcome to link to it. Do not sell any items made from this pattern. Also I ask that you credit me as the designer when posting your pics of any items you make.

How to make a crochet clothespin/peg bag

2009-05-25T14:56:00.020-04:00

I use my outdoor clothesline a lot and when my store bought peg bag finally fell apart I decided to crochet one.
It seemed natural to make little clothes for the front of it so I ended up designing some that are very close to what I wore when I was around 20 years old.

Today I'm posting the pattern for the bag.
You can find the free patterns for the clothes here.

Bag:
Yarn: Bernat cottontots, colour sweet cream.
Hook:4.5mm
Finished dimensions 12x20 (w x h)
Beginner level

You will make a large rectangle( with an opening) which you will later fold in half.
The width of the rectangle is the width of your hanger plus 1 inch and
the length is 2 times the height you want your bag to be.
I made my rectangle 12 inches by 20 inches.
I placed my opening 16 inches from the bottom of my rectangle.

For my yarn and hook size:

Make 53 chains.

Rows 1 & up: sc each row to end, ch 1 turn. (52 st)
Continue crocheting rows until you have made a length of 16 in.

You will then make a row that has an opening for the pegs as follows:
Sc in the next 15 st, make 22 chains, skip the next 22 st, sc in the last 15 st.(52 st)
(Basically you want to divide your width into 3 parts ...2 sides and an opening.
First decide how wide you want your opening ..this will be the # of chains that you make and # of skipped stitches. The remaining # of stitches will be your two sides.)

Continue again with single crocheting each row for another 4 inches, Cast off.

Lining: You don't have to line it but I wanted to stop my bag from getting stretched out too much. I took the easy path and simply cut a piece of fabric that was 11 inches wide by 16 inches tall. Pin this as shown below and sew all edges using the same colour of thread as the bag itself.
(I ended up changing the fabric after I took this picture).

Now is the time to sew on any embellishments.
I simply used thread to sew mine on.

Next fold the bag lengthwise and either sc or slip stitch the side seams closed.
Next insert the hanger through the top opening and crochet that closed leaving the hook part sticking out.
Add your clothes pegs and you're good to go!

Please note that all content and images are mine and are protected by
copyright.
I love to share my patterns but, as usual, please do not claim them as your own or publish my patterns on your site without my permission ....you are more than welcome to link to it. Do not sell any items made from this pattern. Also I ask that you credit me as the designer when posting your pics of any items you make.

Little crochet clothes

2009-05-17T10:40:00.005-04:00

These little crochet clothes will be part of a larger project.
I really enjoyed making up the patterns for these and when I get them typed up I will post them as free patterns.

How little are they?
The skirt is 1 inch, the pants and sundresses are all 2 1/2 inches.
I may play more with the patterns and I have some other ideas in my head that I want to try.

A box of possibilities

2009-05-13T12:41:00.009-04:00

Today I decided to clean up and organize my workspace a bit. I came across this box (formally filled with chocolates) and now used for holding little crocheted items.

You know the kind.... those odd things that aren't really a project on their own but are fun to make.
Mine include various parts of flowers (stems, leaves, petals), small granny squares, partly finished projects that were rejected because they were too small, too big, misshapen, or the wrong colour.
This last catagory includes half of Cartman's head, a half finished bird shaped egg cosy that I tried to design but looks nothing like a bird, an extra cup-shaped sweater for my little owl that I made that didn't suit him... things like that.

The glove is a bit of yarn graffiti that I haven't put up yet. This past spring I gathered a bunch of lost, holey gloves from the nearby school when the snow melted. When I looked at it laying in the gutter I wondered what it would look like if it was left there. I'm sure Mother Nature would have eventually added some leaves and flowers, so that is what I did. I have a bunch more gloves and mittens that I want to play with.

Not everything in this box will end up as graffiti.
A lot of the flowers will be added to the street memorials put on poles and trees by friends and relatives to honour those who have died in car accidents.
I'm hoping it will bring a small bit of comfort; that even a stranger can recognize the sacredness of that spot.