FO Friday...(sorta)...Pumpkin Pi!

So as you know, I've been working on some little pumpkins as part of my Halloween costume.  Well last night I finished making all 13 of them, in 3 different sizes.  I still need to sew them on my shirt...but I'm just too excited about them and need to reveal my costume before I actually finish it completely.

So,...I love math...and I intern at a company where I do Educational/Psychological/Statistical research.  Apparently everyone is dressing up this year, so I wanted to make something that would go with my math background and statistical themed internship :).  So...I decided to be....PUMPKIN PI! :)

I'm also planning on making some sort of headband with a dollop of "whipped cream" on it, to give my costume that "pie" look.  I'm thinking of using the topping portion of this cupcake by Lion Brand and then attaching it to a plastic headband or hair clip of some sort (maybe like a whipped cream fascinator!).  What do you think?  It's quite punny isn't it?

Oh! And Matt loved my Pumpkin Pi so much, he asked me for one for himself!  So I'm working on that as well.  I unfortunately ran out of the orange yarn 9 pumpkins in to his Pi.  I was using Knit Picks Comfy Worsted in Sweet Potato and that color is discontinued and wouldn't get here in time for Halloween even if I was able to order it.  So I need to see what other kinds of orange yarn I have.  It will work out just fine :).

I'm so excited!

WIP...Thursday (?): Little Pumpkins!

I have SO many things going on lately--craft related and school related.  It feels as if my head is spinning.  I'm doing my best not to neglect my blog :), but I feel like I have a bunch of posts that I want to write and not adequate time to write them!  I do plan on having 2 more patterns for items I designed a while back published sometime very soon.  In case you're curious, they would be for my crocheted couch caddy and my Snuggly Owl (which I apparently never posted about before...).

But...I'm digressing.  The real reason for this post is to share an ADORABLE pattern that I found for a little pumpkin applique.  I found the pattern on Ravelry and you can find it here.  They are cute and simple and quick--which is EXACTLY what I need for my last minute Halloween costume for work.  I'm not going to reveal my actual costume idea, but I did want to show you these cute little pumpkins!  I've made 3 so far and will be making maybe 10 more, I'll see ;).

FO Friday: Care Bear

Two Sundays ago one of my friends asked me if I would be able to make a Care Bear that was purple and that had a purple ribbon on the tummy.  He told me that the husband of one of his friends recently lost his battle with pancreatic cancer and that he wanted to give her a bear like this, but couldn't find anything online.  I got really excited at this request for a few reasons.  For one, I felt like I would be making this bear for a really good cause.  Secondly, I had a pattern for a Care Bear already that I had really been wanting to make.  Finally, it would be purple...and you know how much I love purple.  AND I love to help out my friends.

I made very few modifications to the pattern that I had.  The only things I did differently were the eyes (I just used buttons rather than fiddling with the felt) and I did not add the head tuff because it looked odd on this bear.  I also used a different heart pattern for the nose and the heart on the bottom.  I got some ideas for the ribbon on the tummy from other online patterns and then sort of made my own up as I went along--basically you just chain a large amount, figure out where the middle of the chain is, work double crochets up until like 1 or 2 chains from the middle, then make 2 or 3 double crochets in the next chain, more in the middle chain, and then the same number on the other side of the middle...and double crochet your way to the end of the chain.  Really simple.  I whip-stitched all the appliques to the bear and that was it!  I'm really happy and proud of the way it came out.  I hope that it brings some comfort and love to the woman receiving it.

Owl Cup Cozy

Lately I've been on a mission to try and use up as much of my yarn stash as possible.  I'm really liking the way that this task forces my creativity to flow since I can't just go out and buy the "correct" yarn.  I've been wanting to make myself a reusable coffee cup cozy for some time now, but just never got around to doing it.  If you don't know by now, I'm sort of obsessed with owls....(and purple! especially purple owls...ok, I digress..)...so what better to make as a coffee cozy, but something with an owl on it! To get REALLY creative, I decided to design my own owl, rather than use an existing pattern.  So on Sunday I got my bag of Vanna's choice out and got to work.  The main part of the cozy is a very simple pattern (just single crochets and some crab stitch) and then I made a little owl and sewed him on!

Here's the pattern for what I did...it hasn't been tested, so if there are any errors in it let me know and I'll fix it :).  Also, as always, feel free to use my pattern as you like, but please DO NOT copy my pattern, call it your own, or plagiarize me in any way...it will make me very sad :(...so link to my pattern rather than copying it somewhere.

Happy crocheting!

Owl Cup Cozy
Finished size: Fits around a paper coffee cup.  I used a Starbucks cup as a measure of the cup it fits.

Materials:
• Aran or worsted weight yarn.  I used leftovers, so I’m not sure of the exact yardage requirements.  Use up scraps and make it colorful!
• Size I and F crochet hooks
• Buttons for eyes.
• Needle to sew in ends.

Skills needed:
• Single crochet
• Double crochet
• Slip stitch
• Crochet in the round and by rows.
• Magic ring.

Abbreviations:
• CH – chain
• SC – single crochet
• HDC – half double crochet
• DC – double crochet
• TR – treble crochet
• DTR – double treble crochet
• SS – slip stitch
• SC2tog – single crochet two together
• RSC – reverse single crochet

Instructions:

For the cozy—CH 31 or amount to fit around cup, preferably at the thinner part of the cup.
Round 1: Join as a round and SC in each stitch around join with a SS to the first SC in the round (30 stitches or 1 less than your chain amount).
Round 2: Ch 1, SC in same stitch as SS of last row.  SC around (30 sc).
Repeat for 11 rounds.   For round 12, RSC (aka crab stitch) around.  Break yarn.  Now move to the bottom of the cozy, on the parts of the beginning CH that are visible, RSC around.  Break yarn and sew in ends.

Owl body:
Round 1: Using magic ring, CH2 (does not count as a stitch), 12 DC in ring.  Join with a slip stitch to the top of the first DC, NOT the beginning chain. Pull ring closed.
Round 2:  2 DC in each DC around (24 DC), join with a slip stitch to the first DC in round.
Now begin to work in rows.
Row 1: CH 2, (1 DC in next stitch, 2 DC in next stitch) repeat until the end, 1 DC in last stitch. (10 stitches)
Row 2: Turn, CH1, 2SC in first DC, 1 SC in the next 8 stitches, 2 SC in the last DC.

SS around the entire owl body.  Leave a long tail for sewing to the cozy later.

Owl tummy:
CH 3.
Round 1: SC in 2nd chain from hook and in next chain.  Then 3 more SC in last chain.  Working on the back side of the foundation chain, SC in each chain.  Then 3 SC in other end of the chain. (You’re making an oval.)
Round 2: [You’ll be flowing the same idea as the first round—SC in the “side” stitches and make more stitches at the end.] So, SC in next 3 SCs.  You should be at the 3 SC made at the end of the row in the previous round.  2SC in first stitch, 3SC in end stitch, 2 SC in third stitch.  Then 1 SC in each of the next 4 SCs.  Repeat the end 2-3-2 process at the other end—2 SC in 1st of the 3 stitch group, 3 SC in the next, and 2 SC in the last.  Then SC in remaining stitch.  Join together with a SS and fasten off.

Wing:
CH 8
SC in 2nd chain from hook, HDC in next stitch, DC in next two stitches, TR in next 2 stitches, in last stitch [2 DTR, 1DC, 1SC] fasten off.

Eyes (make 2):
Using magic ring, CHs 2, 7 DC in ring, join to top of the chain. Pull ring closed.  Fasten off.

Beak:
Using smaller hook CH 4.
SC in 2nd chain from hook (3 stitches).
SC2tog then SC in last stitch (2 stitches).
SC2tog (1 stitch).
Fasten off.

Assemble owl before attaching to cup cozy.  Tuck ends in.

Craftini Marini

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Happy Crafting!!!

Baby Football Hat

One of my friends at school/work asked me to make his 3 month old son a football hat.  He told me that his wife really liked the other two I made and is a big football fan.  I didn't see a pattern online that I liked, so I decided to make my own.  I think this will fit a baby up to 12 months because it is quite stretchy.

Baby Football Hat

Size: 0 – 12 months 

Finished dimensions: Height = 6 inches.  Relaxed circumference of about 13 inches, but stretches to over 16 inches.  

Gauge: 18 stitches by 24 rows = 4in on size 8 needles.

Material: 

• Aran or Worsted weight yarn in brown and white.

• Size 7 and 8 circular needles—either 1 long circular for magic loop, 2 circulars, or dpns—or sized needed to achieve gauge.

• Size F crochet hook

• stitch marker

• needle to sew in ends

Skills needed: 

• Knit stitch

• purl stitch

• knit two together (k2tog)

• color changing

• knitting in the round

• Surface slip stitch crochet. (You can find some good tutorials online).

Abbreviations:

• CO – Cast on

• K – knit

• P – Purl

• K2tog – knit two together

Instructions:

Using larger needles and white yarn CO 60 stitches, place marker, and join in the round.  

Switch to smaller needles.

Rounds 1-6: K2, P2 around (60 stitches).

At end of 6th round cut white and leave a tail.  Join brown yarn.  Switch to larger needles.

Round 7:  K all stitches around (60 stitches).

Repeat row 7 until piece measures about 3.5 inches from the beginning.

Switch back to white yarn.

Next 2 rounds: K all stitches around (60 stitches).

Crown shaping:

Round 1: (K8, k2tog) repeat this around (54 stitches).

Round 2: K all stitches (54 stitches).

Round 3: (K7, k2tog) repeat this around (48 stitches).

Round 4: K all stitches (48 stitches).

Switch to brown yarn.

Round 5: (K6, k2tog) repeat this around (42 stitches).

Round 6: K all stitches (42 stitches).

Round 7: (K5, k2tog) repeat this around (36 stitches).

Round 8: K all stitches (36 stitches).

Round 9: (K4, k2tog) repeat this around (30 stitches).

Round 10: K all stitches (30 stitches).

Round 11: (K3, k2tog) repeat this around (24 stitches).

Round 12: K all stitches (24 stitches).

Round 13: (K2, k2tog) repeat this around (18 stitches).

Round 14: K all stitches (18 stitches).

Cut yarn and leave a long tail.  Thread the tail through all of the stitches on the needle, pull tightly, tie securely, and tuck ends in on the reverse side.

Lace detail on hat:

Using white yarn, tie a slipknot in the yarn and place yarn inside the hat (right side of hat is facing you).  

Two brown rows up from the ribbing begin surface slip stitch crochet and slip stitch until you’re two rows of brown away from the white stripe. 

Cut a white leaving a VERY long tail, and pull the last loop of white out towards you.  

Thread needle and bring the tail back inside the hat so that the working yarn is now on the wrong side. 

Working about 2 stitches away from the slip stitched line bring yarn up to outside of the hat, under the slip stitch in that row, and down inside the hat two stitches away from the slip stitched line.  This makes one of the laces.  Repeat this as many times as you’d like, equally spacing the laces.

Secure end when you’re done.

Tuck in all ends on inside of the hat.

Bottle Boobies

This weekend I crocheted something that I think might just be the silliest thing I have EVER made.  However, it is fitting that I made it during October, since this is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Well, this past week, as I was pouring over the patterns in Ravelry I somehow stumbled on a pattern for a can cozy that was the torso of a woman (sort of) complete with boobs and a bikini top.  Of course I immediately started giggling and sent a photo of it to my boyfriend.  I knew this was right up his ally.  Of course I got a reply about how funny that was.  So I told him I'd make him one if he'd like--his reply was "yes! and make one for Myles (his friend) too!"  

So being the good girlfriend that I am, Sunday I went to Michaels to find some Caucasian flesh colored yarn.  I was torn between a Loops and Threads Incredible color and a Red Heart Super Saver one.  After much deliberation and some in-aisle opinion asking I settled on the RHSS in "buff."  I went home...and got hooky!  About an hour later out popped a bottle cozy with boobs!  Later that evening I made the second :).

Seriously this is the funniest thing I've ever made!  If you want to see them...um...topless, you can click on THIS LINK to view them in my Ravelry project page. :).

Blocking makes all the difference...

Remember my Summer Vest? After I wrote my FO post about the vest I decided to see if I could block the vest to make it stop rolling and give it more flow.  I used wet blocking and stretched it out on a big beach towel using my blocking wires.  It surprisingly dried over night :).

And the result?  PERFECT!!

Crafting for preemies

This past weekend was the North Jersey Fiber Arts Festival held in Ridgewood, NJ.  This is a yearly event that is now in its fourth year and it brings together crafters of all different fiber arts.  There are knitters and crocheters, hand and wheel spinners, lace makers, sewers, quilters, etc. and it keeps growing every year!  I've visited the festival each year since it began and I must say that it is always a nice time.  

I think my favorite thing about the festival is that each year they have a different charity project that they ask festival goers to donate to, if they have the time.  I actually had not decided if I was going to have the time to make it to this years festival until maybe a week and a half ago.  I decided that I would definitely make the time to get to the festival because I really wanted to donate something to the charity.  

This year the charity they were collecting donations for was Care Wear.  Care Wear is an organization that collects items for preemies and newborns (and I think maybe even older children) and donates them to local hospitals.  They look for hats and blankets as well as kimonos, toys, burial gowns, and other handmade items.  So, to benefit Care Wear, the festival asked for donations of preemie hats and blankets.

Prior to a week and a half ago I had never made an item for a preemie.  Once I started making a few hats I was amazed at how TINY they were.  It totally touched my heart that a baby could be born so small and still be alive--and not just living, but fighting for his or her life!  I knew that I had to make as many items as I could in the weeks time before the festival.  I was able to knit and crochet 7 hats and 3 blankets by the deadline that I set for myself (Saturday morning).  I also had found something in my closet I had made a few years back that was going to be a blanket for myself...but that I fell out of love with...and it seemed the perfect size for a preemie blanket!  I donated that one too.

So in total I gave 11 items! 7 hats and 4 blankets.  I used up yarns from my stash that were really soft and of course washable.  I tried to make the items as pretty as I could.  Starting clockwise below you see a knit square blanket that is striped and made up of left over baby yarns, next is a pink flower blanket (that's what I made years ago and fell out of love with), then a pastel granny stitch blanket with a purple ruffle, and finally a knit square blanket with multicolors, green, and a heart.

I made two different sized pumpkin hats (itty bitty preemie and larger preemie), a teddy bear hat (the ears were just too cute), a pastel colored knit umbilical cord hat, two crocheted hats with little loops on top, and a simply blue and white beanie.  These hat patterns (minus my little embellishment of ears and top loops) are available on the Care Wear website in this lovely 70+ page book of guidelines, patterns, and stories.

I plan on making more items to donate to hospitals.  I really enjoyed doing this.  Each little hat or blanket I made, I stitched with love hoping that it would help a little baby get stronger, healthier, and be able to come home to their families.