FM 1/18/10

Hello again. I haven't printed out my groundhog pattern yet, but I got the eyes & the yarn & the stuffing, so I'm good to go. I need to organize my books and magazines do I have an idea of what I already own. There's an afghan from a 1997 issue of "Hooked On Crochet" I like and I bet I have that issue around here - somewhere. I've been making lots of preemie hats, but I will stop a little while to make the groundhog. I can't name it "Puxataney Phil" because I'd bet I didn't even spell it right. Oh well

I thought this was a really cute pincushion
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/01/free_tomato_pincushion_crochet.html


Some people like the ripple look, so how about a baby ripple hat?
http://www.toastyfrog.net/2009/12/25/baby-ripple-hat-crochet-pattern/



How about a sleepy sheep?
http://harugurumi.blogspot.com/2008/02/baby-sheep-free-pattern.html

What if you made these stars out of glow in the dark yarn - wouldn't that be cool?
http://theroyalsisters.blogspot.com/2009/11/grandma-twinkle-tutorial.html


Another scarf from Caron
http://www.naturallycaron.com/projects/gallup/gallup_1.html

Not a pattern, but a cute idea
http://glowacademy10.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-crochet-earrings.html


I'm not a shoe collector but I don't think you can have too many earrings so here's another earring photo, this time with a pattern to go with it.
http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Projects/Accessories/WC1930+Beaded+Fringe+Earrings.htm

As usual, I did not profit by posting these links. I just thought they were cool and wanted to share it with you.
_enjoy_

FM 1/11/10

oops, almost put 2009 on that one. It's cold in this neck of the woods so I dug thru my stash to find the (sadly discontinued) 2 skeins of Lion Brand "Big" I had to make the hat in the picture above. I put it on Etsy for sale. Red's not my color (except for my hair) and I have a totally different hat in mind for myself. But it was so quick to make - I used an "S" hook and chained 14, than single crocheted in every chain across. I continued that for 12 more rows. (This yarn is as thick as a finger, so that's why there's only a total of 13 rows.) I folded the material in half and single crocheted the seams together. Than I put a round of single crochet at the opening of the hat. As you can see, I put a tassel on the edges. If you wanted to recreate this hat with different yarn, I'd advise measuring your head from mid-ear to mid-ear. That will give you the circumference that you need to make the hat fit. Then you crochet until the material creates a square. Fold it over, seem it up and you're good to go. I can't claim it as a pattern as it's just a set of directions, but I did make it up myself.
Currently I am working on preemie hats for the NICU where my sister-in-law works. I love using the variegated yarn because I like the patterns. I try not to pick blue or pink because there's no way I can know how many boys or girls will be in NICU. So I just use bright colors.
But I am waiting for the pattern from Planet June to make the groundhog.
http://planetjune.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_17&products_id=104&zenid=96ba2cbcdcb0d22afb493d6d03d48139
It's not a free pattern (just so you know) but it's so cute, like all Planet June's work. And yes, I paid for it and I don't get any percentage out of what Planet June sells. (I'm just telling you this upfront so you don't think I get some sort of kickback.) The pattern is delivered in a pdf file and you can print it out.


On with the free patterns

Just for fun, a prune hat to look at (no pattern)
http://www.uniquedaily.com/prune-juice-crochet-hat/


Here's another just for fun to look at (no pattern)
http://www.threadbanger.com/post/15834/weekly-diy-roundup-knit-and-crochet-cephalopods-and-tentacles


Here's an article about "Brochet"
http://chronicle.com/article/Brochet-Rhymes-With/49438/

I am absolutely fascinated with this fish counting toy. I have no idea why, but I just think it's so cool.
http://suzies-yarnie-stuff.blogspot.com/2008/07/learn-your-colors-fish-counting-toy.html

This is just lovely - an angel afghan
http://www.crochetkim.com/patterns/angelafghan.html


If you are going to go shopping, this market bag will come in very handy - especially with some stores charging for bags:
http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet-Bags/Everyday-Market-Bag-from-Bernat

Hats for kids
http://www.crochetmagazine.com/newsletters.php?mode=article&article_id=515&key=NL00

Here's a frilly scarf
http://www.crochetmagazine.com/newsletters.php?mode=article&article_id=516&key=NL00

This is a simple crochet angel
http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet/Angel-Ornament-Pattern#


I really like this Scandinavian hat
http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet-Hats-Scarves-Gloves/Scandinavian-Hat-Crochet-Pattern-from-Red-Heart-Yarn

This is cute and a little silly - a striped cat
http://funmigurumiandkidsstuff.blogspot.com/2009/12/funmigurumi-stripey-cats-no-1-fletcher.html

As usual,I do not get a kickback from featuring any of these links. I'd take one, but it's not going to happen.

_enjoy_

the first FM of the new decade

I hope you had a happy and safe new years celebration. We stayed home and ate chicken and noodles and watched TV. We didn't have anyone come over - my sons had to work the next day and my brother and sister-in-law planned a mini-vacation. So it was just the two of us watching Dick Clark and Ryan Secrest ring in 2010.

I generally don't make New Years Resolutions because I break them almost immediately. If I resolved to "breathe in and breath out", you can bet I'd do something stupid and mess it up. But I do plan to use more of my stash. I just used the Lion Brand thick, bulky yarn to make one of those square hats. I used an S hook, but probably could have used a larger one. I did use a much smaller hook to weave the ends in because I do not have a yarn needle that has an eye big enough to hold the yarn.
A very long time ago, B(efore) C(hildren) I would make a list of what I intended to crochet as gifts and such the first week of January. Obviously, I was more together at that time;) But I do intend to keep track of what I make. I'm just nosy that way


Here's something cute and colorful to brighten up the cold days of January (and it's been cold here) - dish clothes
http://www.favecrafts.com/Kitchen-Crochet/Flower-Dish-Cloth-Crochet-Pattern#

Im my neck of the woods, it's a little too cold to think of wearing a shawl, unless you're wearing it underneath your coat. But it won't always be cold and not everybody is having this type of weather, so here's a shawl pattern
http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet/Flower-Lace-Shawl-Crochet-Pattern


These are cute, but they look like they need a back to be warm. Here's some flower slippers
http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet/Flower-Slippers-Crochet-Pattern

And here's a lovely rose slippers pattern -
http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet/Rose-Slippers-Crochet-Pattern


I'm not fond of turtlenecks anymore, they seem to bother my throat. But this is a smashing turtleneck pattern so I might reconsider
http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet-Sweaters/Easy-Pullover-Sweater-Crochet-Pattern

This does not look like a granny square tunic - at least not in the traditional granny squares I tend to think of
http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet-Sweaters/Granny-Square-Crochet-Patterns

I've never done any intarsia patterns, but I might try this one = spider intarsia pattern
http://www.associatedcontent.com/slideshow/39541/2_spider_free_pattern_chart_graph_crochet.html?cat=24


As usual, nobody's paying me for telling you about these sites. I don't know why they don't, I guess payola is illegal;)
_enjoy_