Crochet Crazy!

I'm officially Crochet Crazy this week! But, finally, as promised, here are some other ideas for those Itty Bitty Hearts......


First, need a little green to wear for St. Patrick's Day? How about a Shamrock Pin?



Or for your little one, maybe a Shamrock Headband?



For the Shamrock Pin: Make 3 hearts in green pearl cotton, using the Crochet Valentine pattern on a size 2.75mm (C) hook. Make stem using a 2mm hook and the same cotton. Chain 11. SC in second chain from hook. SC in each chain across. Finish off. Sew the hearts and stem together to ressemble a Shamrock, then sew to a 3/4" pin back. Voila! You're ready for St. Patricks Day!


For the Shamrock Headband: Make 3 hearts in green pearl cotton, using the Crochet Valentine pattern on a size 2.75mm (C) hook. Make stem using a 2mm hook and the same cotton. Chain 6. SC in second chain from hook. SC in each chain across. Finish off. Sew the hearts and stem together to ressemble a Shamrock. For the headband, make a chain long enough to fit around the wearer's head. Sl st together and finish off. Sew Shamrock to headband. Easy Peasy! :D


I've had these done (mostly) for awhile now. I just had some assembly to do, but kept getting distracted by other things. Again with the distractions! ;) But this time it was legitimate.....well, mostly. I'm currently working on about 4 projects and 2 more waiting in the wings that all need to be done in the next 2 weeks. I'm submitting one for a competition to try to get a design automatically in the first ever Crochet Liberation Front (CLF) book! Another one is for a February Challenge. The other 4 are secret fun musings for our National Crochet Month (NATCROMO) party on Ravelry.


Unfortunately, I can't post any pictures of those projects yet. But I can show you what else I did since the last post. It took 2 nights of midnight crochet to produce......Miss Ellie Phant!


Isn't she photogenic? Believe it or not, this is my first amigurumi! And I fell totally in love with her while working on her. I'm even planning some accessories for her. I will have to make another one (or 3) for the kids...they can't have my Ellie!


I know what you're thinking....what about those knitted Christmas toys? Are they finished yet? NO! I'll get back to them in a little while. Well, since March is National CROCHET Month, maybe I should hold off on the sticks till April? Anyway, I promise I will get them finished! Someday. Before next Christmas! :D


Happy Crafting!

Distractions!

OK, last week, I said I was working on some more projects using the little Crochet Valentine hearts. And I am.....I've just been distracted this week.

My littlest ones have been extra clingy and started either coughing (DD) or having a runny nose (DS). So I've had to pay extra attention to them so that hopefully they will feel better and not end up with full blown colds. We've had enough of the sickies around here! :D

But I was also distracted with knitting mittens for my oldest son who was complaining about his fingers freezing and was constantly trying to "borrow " my wrist warmers! I need those! So I took him with me to the yarn store to pick out yarn for them that he liked, was machine washable (remember, he's only 6), and would also coordinate with his Noro Silk Garden scarf. We decided on Berroco Comfort DK in Primary Blue.

I used double strands and 1x1 rib on the cuff (since the scarf is also 1x1 ribbing). Finished them in a week! I know, I can't believe it either! That makes 2 projects I have completed, start to finish, in a week! Perhaps my ADD is getting better? No! I just wanted to have something finished to post! Well, that and he really needed them before the weather got really cold again. Still working on the scarf....it probably won't get much wear this season. And Hubby's will not see use at all till next season as I've only done a few inches on his.

Also, in case you didn't know, March is National Crochet Month (NATCROMO). And in the Ravelry group, Crochet Liberation Front, I've been appointed Chair of the Water Subcomittee for our NATCROMO party. This is fun! In the spirit of it, I have some really fun ideas that I'm working on. I can't say what just yet, it's a secret! (At least until I'm finished!) But......since you came here.....maybe I'll give you a special preview......

Any guesses as to what this will be?

You'll have to wait and see! But I promise to get back to the hearts this week! I really do have some other just for fun ideas for them. Until then, here's another "little" preview for you.....

Happy Crafting!

Hearts, Hearts and More Hearts

In perfect timing for Valentine's Day, I saw a crochet heart pattern on Ravelry that just looked too cute. I just had to try it. I had just finished feeding the babies and decided to try it out while they were watching Noggin on the laptop for a few minutes. The only thing I had handy was a size C or 1 (2.75 mm) crochet hook and some size 5 DMC Pearl Cotton . So, I made these.....

Too cute right? Well, these little things really inspired me. I had so many ideas come out of it, that I still haven't had time to make them all. However, I did make some of my favorites...

I still have more I want to try, but they may or may not get done in time for Valentine's Day. I was trying to get as many of them as I could posted to give people a chance to make some for themselves if they wanted. But with 3 little ones and 8 other projects currently in the works (not to mention all the other life stuff), I feel pretty good to have gotten these done. Also, my model wasn't cooperating! Can you imagine...an 18 month old who won't sit still!?!? :D

And in case you're interested, the pattern is Crochet Valentine by Sara Graham. All of the projects above were done useing the size 5 DMC Pearl Cotton and the size C or 1 (2.75mm) crochet hook.

For the Itty Bitty Heart Ring, make the heart according to the pattern, then before finishing off, add a chain long enough to fit around finger. Join with slip stitch to other side of heart, being careful not to twist the chain. Finish off.

For the Itty Bitty Heart Headband, make 3 hearts according to pattern. Make a chain long enough to fit the head of intended victim, joining ends with slip stitch. Finish off. Sew hearts slightly overlapping onto chain.

For the Itty Bitt Heart Bracelet, make 7 hearts (or whatever number is needed to fit wrist) according to pattern. Thread fastener of your choice through a strand of the pearl cotton (or sewing thread that matches), and tie knot. Thread spacer bead (again, of your choosing) and cover knot. Sew to one edge of one heart. Finish off and weave in ends. Thread through the other side of heart, add bead, and thread through heart again. Then thread back through bead and sew on to edge of next heart. Finish off and weave in ends. Continue in this manner until it fits around wrist. Don't forget to add the jump ring or whatever clasp you have chosen and a final spacer bead to the last side of the last heart. You could make this longer to make a choker or necklace too.

I do have a couple more things that just have some minor assembly needed. Maybe I'll get those done and posted before V-day. If not, I'll just post them anyway whenever they're done! They don't have to be just for Valentine's. And some aren't meant for that holiday at all......

Stay tuned! And Happy Crafting!

OMG! A project finished in a week?!?

Yes, that's right! Believe it or not, I actually was able to start AND finish a knitting project in a week, despite a 6 year old and 18 month old twins running around and screaming the entire time! I'm so thrilled! And if that's not enough for you to be impressed (if you know my knack for not finishing), it was also only my second time working with DPNs!

So what is this miraculous project you ask? It's the Spiral Rib Wrist Warmers from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. It's a pretty simple project, but like I said, it was only my second time working with DPNs, and really the first time (hard to believe I know) doing ribbing. TA DA!!!

Oh yeah, these are done in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino in Navy Blue. Sooooo soft! Even my little 18 month old daughter asks to pet them! :D

I was also able to convince my 6 year old not to use his draft stopper as a scarf. It took a little longer than I thought, so I was just able to felt it yesterday. And I forgot to pull it out of the dryer while it was still a little damp, so I'm going to have to spritz it with water again and block it. But my DH already got me the kitty litter to use to stuff, so I'm excited! Hopefully I'll be able to finish by next weekend.

Wondering how I got my DS to let me felt it? I thought you'd never ask! ;) Remember that blue Noro Silk Garden I wrote about in the last post? Well, I did it with this:

He LOVES it! In fact, he just went with me to the LYS to pick up 2 more skeins to finish the scarf and maybe make a hat. We also got some coordinating Berroco Comfort DK to make gloves or mittens. I wanted something machine washable for the hands, because lets face it....he is 6! The scarf is already half finished (done in the same week I finished the wrist warmers I might add), so hopefully I'll finish the second half this week as well. It would be nice for him to get some use out of it before while its still cold enough!

Now my DH has also stated that he really likes the scarf and would like one for himself! This makes me sooo happy! But I wasn't sure if he would really like that bright green after a while, so instead I found some Noro Silk Garden Chunky in a similar colorway, minus the bright green. It also has some darker, more muted blues in it. Anyway, I thought it would be a color he would enjoy more. We'll see.

I also whipped up some little hearts that have gotten my mind running! Now I have several designs I want to do using these little guys as a base. So stay tuned for that! :D

Edited to add: I forgot to mention the bookmarks! I was blocking them last post and now they are completely finished. My 6 year old picked out some Pearl Cotton today for a bookmark he has requested for his teacher. He hasn't decided on which pattern yet, but we have time. He wants to give it to her for Teacher's Appreciation Day which isn't until March (I believe). I told him I would let him pick out the colors and pattern and I would make it for him. So there will be at least one more!

All in all, it has been a very busy, and very productive week! What's that you say? What about those toys that were supposed to be Christmas presents for the kids? I promise I'll get back to them after all of these scarves are done! Which reminds me, I still need to block my Nutcracker Scarf! Looks like another blocking party is coming soon!

Happy Crafting!