Crochet Peter Pan Necklace

Today, I am going to show you how to make this crazy cute peter pan necklace.  I know, I know, I am full of myself when it comes to crochet.  Okay, so the tools you will need to complete this patter are:

G6 size crochet hook or 4 mm
Yarn (I used Caron Simply Soft medium weight worsted yarn in Soft Green [a cute minty green])
Scissors
Needle/thread and One small button

I have not written many patterns like this before.  Mostly they have been for dolls.  What can I say... I am a juvenile delinquent att heart.  Hopefully this pattern will make sense and not be complete jiberish.

Here it goes.

Ch 28.

Row One: Sl St in second Ch from hook and then in the next 4 stitches. 4 Sc in each of the next four spaces.  Hdc in the remaining stitches of your foundation Ch.

Row two: Ch 1, *skip a stich and Hdc, skip a stitch Dc, Ch 1, Dc in that stitch, skip one stitch and *Dc, skip a stitch Dc, Ch 1, Dc in that same stitch, skip one stitch and Dc. This makes a V stitch. (Continue from * until you have four V stitches with the last of the V stitches ending in an Hdc instead of a Dc.) Then Sc and Sl st. **NOTE: You will still have eight stitches on the end of the row.  Don't worry, I'm not crazy, it will work out. Okay, I'm a little crazy but it will still work out! I have a tutorial on the V stitch on YouTube.

Here is a link to my very own YouTube channel.  I finally broke down and made one.  One of my FAVORITE passtimes is to watch random videos and then read the comments.  It is funny to me how worked up people get over the simplest of things. Anywho, here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPrrB5pbysI

Here's a closeup of the stitches: 

Row Three: Ch 1, flip, Sl st in the Sc of the previous row.  Hdc in the Hdc of the previous row, skip a stitch 2 Dc, Ch 2, 2 Dc in the center of the V stitch on the previous row then *skip a stitch and Dc. (Repeat from * until you have four Double V stitches.)  Finish off the row by doing a Hdc, and a Sl st.  

Row Four: Ch 1, flip, Sl st in the Sc of the previous row.  Hdc in the Hdc of the previous row, skip a stitch 3 Dc, Ch 2, 3 Dc in the center of the V stitch on the previous row. *Skip a stitch and Dc skip a stitch 3 Dc, Ch 2, 3 Dc in the center of the V stitch on the previous row. (Repeat from * until you have four Triple V stitches.)  Finish off your last V stitch by doing a Hdc, and a Sl st.  Then you are going to continue through the row by doing a Hdc, Dc, Hdc, in the next stitch.  *Sl st in the next stitch, Hdc, Dc, Hdc in the next stitch three times. Then Sl st in the remaining stitches.  The last thing you will do is Ch 25 and cut a tail about 5 inches long and pull the end through the last Sl st.  

Tah Dah! you now have one half of your crochet peter pan necklace.  For the second half you will chain 28 plus 5 for a loop to put your button through (with a tail of 2 to 3 inches) and then just weave in the ends and sew down to finish, making sure to make a loop at the corner of your collar.  

And, here's a few more pics of the finished product so you can bask in the glory of my workmanship... er maybe laugh at the shoddy workmanship if you are a more advanced crocheter than I.

Sunburst Art Project

I have seen a few sunburst projects on Pinterest lately so I thought I would give it a try myself.  I didn't want a mirror because I wanted it for my bedroom originally and I didn't want to accidentally catch a glimpse of myself in the morning and feel bad about myself all day. So i decided to just go to the craft store and figure out what to do.  In Los Angeles, in the Wilshire District, that is easier said than done. There are NO craft stores that are less than 1-1/2 hours away. Can you believe it? There are art supply stores but no real honest to goodness good old corporate America craft stores... What's a girl to do.  There is an art store on Beverly in Hollywood, which is close by so I decided to go with my husband, the artist, to check it out.  To my amazement there were dowels and paper and all sorts of things! I was beside myself.  No yarn... No for now I will have to stick with the expensive mom and pop shops/ordering online and paying exorbitant shipping fees for my yarn needs.  At least I can find pretty paper and paint now.  My anxiety is lessening.

Anywho I find some beautiful paper that is dyed and sold locally.  I figured I would give it a try to use this paper.   Here is a peak of the paper.

When I saw this perfect paper, my mind started racing thinking of all the possibilities.  Then I remembered my unused embroidery hoop.  I thought about it for a second and then decided how brilliant I was.  I skipped over to the area with the dowels and grabbed a package and ended up using 18, I think.  Then I picked out my paint and my husband and walked over to the cash register with our hands and hearts full.

The first thing I did when assembling my sunburst is I took apart my embroider hoop and traced it on a piece of cardboard that came with the paper pack and on the backside of the paper itself.

The next thing I did was measure out the dowels.  I started out with the four longest.  You can make it as big as you want but I wanted mine pretty large because I have big empty 15-foot plaster walls.  At first I cut three different sizes.  Four 16-inch, four 13-inch, and eight 11 inch.  I wanted the large ones to stick out 15 inches from the center, the medium to stick out 12 inches, and the small to stick out 10, so I added an extra inch to each dowel.  i.e. 16-inch, etc.  All I used was an old serrated knife to cut.

After I had all those cut I used some spray adhesive and attached the paper to the round cardboard that I cut.  Then I set it aside and let it dry.  Once I had that drying, I started painting.  It took a few coats.  In hind sight, I might sand lightly sand the dowels and embroidery hoop before I paint them.   The sponge brush I used kept getting caught up on the rough edges.  I had to use a couple of coats to cover them completely.

While those were drying, I used my ruler and found the exact center of the cardboard and paper round.  I made a big X in the middle to use as a guide on the back for where to glue the dowels.

After the dowels and the inner part of the embroidery ring were completely dry, I hot glued all the pieces together.  First I glued the paper and cardboard round to the embroidery ring then glued the longest four dowels using the X that I made previously as a guide.  After that I eyeballed it.

Once I got them all on and took a look at it, it lacked something.  There was no real Umph to it so I decided to add more dowels.  These ones I cut at 9-1/2 inches.  When I was putting them in between all of the 11-inch dowels to see how more would look, I discovered I really liked the two-toned burst look.  This goes to show you that you should never have a completely unmovable picture of what you want made when you set out crafting.  It is only once I did this that I fell in love with the look of the thing! After I glued all 16 dowels between all the gray ones, I figured I wanted the ring to be two-toned as well so I dis-assembled the outer embroider loop.  All I did was tighten remove the screw all the way and take a blade and slowly and carefully lift the metal off of the wood.  Then I glued the outer one (with a little piece of dowel to close the ring) on outside of the smaller ring and vuala! Beautiful sunburst! The very last thing I did was to glue a small piece of dowel I had left over to to be a nail perch.  (This was only after I hung it on the wall to see how it looked to have it fall to the ground.  A dowel fell off and I had to re-glue it.  Bone head move... no doubt.)

There is definitely a sort of giddy delight I get when looking at a finished project that has turned out so well.  It is like falling in love only not... Okay, I know I'm getting carried away but you crafters out there know what I mean. Here is one more picture of the finished project.  I love it so much!

Crochet Stitch Tutorials

I haven't posted anything in a while so I thought I would post some explanations of how to do certain things that I found difficult when I first started out crocheting.  I may be dim-witted or something but there were just some things that I did not get until just recently even so here it goes.I haven't posted anything in a while so I thought I would post some explanations of how to do certain things that I found difficult when I first started out crocheting.  I may be dim-witted or something but there were just some things that I did not get until just recently even so here it goes.

Single crochet:  Let's say you have your foundation chain and you are about to start your first single crochet.  The first thing you need to know is if you are crocheting in a row for something like a scarf or a blanket, you will skip the first chain from your hook.  You NEVER count the chain that is wrapped around your hook as the first chain.  You will insert your hook into the second chain from the hook and go from there.  After you insert, yarn over or YO, which simply means to wrap the yarn around the hook then pull it through.  You will now have to loops on your hook.  Once you have the two loops on your hook then you will YO again and pull through both loops and there you have it, you have made your first single crochet or Sc.

Slip stitch (Sl St):  A slip stitch is used to close of a row.  All you do is insert your hook Yo, and pull the yarn through both loops on your hook then snip the yarn and pull the end all the way through.

Half double crochet (Hdc):  Remember the rule with the Sc, where you skip a chain?  Well you will do the same here when working in a row.  Similarly when moving to the second row in any work with any stitch, you will chain one or Ch 1 as your first stitch of the next row.  To start an Hdc, yarn over, insert hook, yarn over and pull through.  Then you will yarn over once more and pull through all three loops.  Now you have successfully created your first Hdc. Congratulations! 

Double crochet (Dc):  When starting out from a foundation row, you will skip two chains.  Yarn over, insert hook, Yo, and pull through.  You will have four loops on your hook.  Yo and pull through two loops.  Yo and pull through the remaining two loops.  This is a double crochet.  

Magic Ring:  This one threw me for a loop... No pun intended.  I could not figure it out from any of the diagrams or descriptions so I found this video that helped a lot! I was amazed at how easy it was.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLuSVyKvoUg

An increase or Inc is very simple.  All an increase is is crocheting in the same stitch that you crocheted on the previous stitch.  So you will be crocheting two stitches in one stitch from the previous row.  In other words, start by inserting your hook and make your first stitch of the increase then when you are finished insert your hook in the same spot as before and make your second stitch.  In a round, you will most commonly see a six Inc pattern that equal up to the total number of stitches for the row and  you will start with six stitches in your magic ring.  I.e.: 2 x 6 = 12.  So you will increase on every stitch around from your original six stitches.  Then the next would be 3 x 6 = 18, so you will Inc on the third stitch in the row.  The goal is a gradual widening of your round.

A decrease of Dec is the exact opposite of an inc.  All you will do is skip one stitch of the previous row.  This gives you a gradual narrowing of your round to close your sphere.  As with the Inc, you will work in multiples of six.

Chain 2 Method: The other way to start to work in a round is the Ch 2 method.  I like this method for beginners because it is easier to work with.  You have less of a chance of having multiple failures when first starting the ring.  What you do is create a slip stitch around your hook.  Then you will Ch 2.  In the second Ch from the hook, you will do six single crochets in that Ch then slip stitch to join the first and last Sc.  

If you are having any trouble with my descriptions, a website that I found helpful for most of these stitches is: www.stitchdiva.com

I hope this is helpful for anyone who is trying to learn how to crochet and I hope you grow to love it as much as I do!

The Friendliest Little Zombie

I am working on a story for this little guy. It is going to be a children's story.  I will post progress on it when I have made it a little further along.

Here is my latest crochet project.  I made it for a friend who wanted to surprise her mom with it.  It is a crochet penguin pillow! As you can see I used the magic ring crochet six method on this.  I do not have a pattern made up yet, as I am not sure I will ever have a use to make another one but if you want to make one, I used bulky weight yarn, a size G hook, and a 10 inch round pillowform. I think my final increase row was 6 increases of 14 stitches and I used single crochet.  I made one in black and one in white so that would go something like this.

6 sc into a magic ring.
Inc. around to make 12.
Sc, Inc. around to make 18.
Sc 2 times, Inc. around to make 24.
Sc 3 times, Inc. around to make 30.
Sc 4 times, Inc. around to make 36.
Sc 5 times, Inc. around to make 42.
Sc 6 times, Inc. around to make 48.
Etc. until it is big enough around just increasing the amount of single crochets by one on each round and you will increase six times in each round.

When you are finished increasing, just sc all the way around for three rows. 

For the feet, I made another magic ring (for each foot) and then sc 6 then ch 1, flip, and inc in each stitch to make 12, then ch 1, sc, inc. around the half circle to make 18.

For the beak:  Chain 9.  In the second ch from hook, sc then sc across, ch 1.  Turn and sc across in each stitch.  *Then you want to flip without chaining one and sc in the second stitch from the hook.  Ch 1, sc in each stitch.  Continue from * and keep going until there is only one sc in the row.

The eyes are just a magic ring, crochet six.

The wings, are the same procedure as the beak just longer.  I just measured out a chain for how long I wanted the wings and then went from there. 

That is basically the pattern.  If you have questions, please let me know.

Crocodile Headband

--> This is my Crocodile Headband.  I saw a picture of one and I thought, ‘I can make that!’ I had to find a few tutorials because none of them were specifically for the shape that I was after and I am new to the crocodile stitch.  EEK! I decided to go with a two tone color scheme. The example I saw was three-toned.  VERY CUTE! They had a different headband piece than I have. The example had an open headband… I like mine better… I am a bit prejudiced, I suppose. I finished mine in an evening and it probably would have gone faster if I wasn’t figuring out what I was doing as I was doing it.  It was all worth it though!  Here is how you do it.

A closeup of the lovely headband or earmuff... whatever.

1. Ch 6 and joint at the beginning of the round.

2. Ch 3, 4 DC through the ring, Ch 1, 5 DC.  This makes your first crocodile scale.

3. Ch 3 (counts as first DC), DC in next stitch, Ch 2 *Skip two stitches then 2 DC, Ch 2.  Repeat from * to make six posts. 

4. Ch 3 (Counts as first DC) DC 4 behind first post, Ch 1 then put 5 DC behind the other post, Ch 1.  *Skip middle two posts and put 5 DC behind the second to last post, Ch 1, 5 DC behind last post to make two scales.

5.  Ch 3, DC in next spot, *Ch 2, skip two stitches, 2 DC and repeat from * to the end.

7. Repeat Step 4 to make 3 scales.

6. In order to decrease the amount of Crocodile scales, Sl. St. over two spaces until you are just above the inside edge of the first scale on the previous row then repeat step 4.  Continue repeating these steps until you have Three sets of two and three sets of three. 

If you are having trouble with the crocodile stitch, there is an excellent tutorial on youtube. Check it out!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUNtrp_Vj4o

8. The next step is just to ensure that you have an even number of stitches for your puff stitch.  There needs to be a multiple of two. So just sc across the top row.  There should be 18 across the top.

9. For the puff stitch all you do is ch 3, YO, insert hook into first stitch that is not part of the ch, YO, pull through, YO, insert hook, YO and pull through again.  Once more! YO, insert hook, YO, and pull through one last time.  Then you YO once more and pull it through all the loops on your hook.  There should be 7 loops on your hook.  Continue this step through the row making sure to skip a stitch in between the puff stitches.  To finish off the row, make a DC in the last stitch.

10.  Repeat this for each row.  I did four rows of the same amount and then I decreased one puff stitch and that gave it a gradual thinning. I ended up with 44 rows of the puff stitch. 

To finish it off, sew on a button and weave in the ends.  I made my button.  I bought metal button pieces and covered them in fabric.  You can pick them up at any craft store.  Now that you are done, go try it on and admire how cute you look in your new crocodile headband!

My Very First Big Crochet Project

I have always done small crochet projects. Dolls, baby shoes, hats, flowers, etc. For a while now, I have wanted to make something big but was afraid I would get sick of it and abandon the project. The way I have abandoned many other large projects. 

Recently my hubby and I moved to Los Angeles.  I am without a car all day and my studly husband works far away so I have a lot of time at home since I work from home. I needed a project so, I have decided to make a blanket!!! I am very excited about this blanket... three exclamation points worth, apparently.

It is a ripple pattern. I am doing thick stripes of leafy green and dark royal blue.  They are looking a bit like the chevron stripes that are so popular these days and it's turning out very nicely. I will post pics when it gets closer to being done. It is not one of my patterns but here is the link to the pattern that I am using: http://www.handcraftingwithlove.net/yarn/pat-ripple.html

Adventire time, common grab your friends. Let's go to a very distant land with Jake the Dog and Finn the Human, the fun will never end. It's Adventire Time.

Adventure Time with Jake and Finn

Finn:

Using flesh colored yarn, Ch 7.

Row 1:  SC six, starting in the 2^nd Ch from hook, Sc 3 then turn 180° and continue to work a second SC into each Ch so that you are working all the way around the Ch to make 12. 

I have included some pics to help you understand because when I first came across a pattern like this, I was dumbfounded.  I had no idea what they were talking about so I tried to make it in as clear English as possible in case anyone else out there has a brain dead moment like me.

This is a picture of how it will look when you are finished crocheting 6 across the chain.

This is what it will look like when you insert the hook to keep going around the chain.

Then you just keep crocheting across as normal.

Row 2:  Inc around to make 24.

Row 3:  *Sc 2, Inc; repeat from * to make 30.

Row 4:  *Sc 4, Inc; repeat from * to make 36.

Rows 5-8:  Sc in each stitch around then Sl St. 

-Attach the eyes and embroider mouth to liking. 

Rows 6-9: Sc in each stitch around.  Joint light blue.

Rows 10-22:  Sc in each stitch around and add a Sl St in the end.

For shorts (using dark blue):  Chain 36 then joint last Ch to the 1^st Ch to make a ring.

Row 1-4: Sc in each stitch around.

Row 5: Sc in back loops on each stitch around.

Row 6:  *Sc 3, Dec; Repeat from * to make 30.

Row 7:  *Sc 2, Inc; Repeat from * to make 24.

Row 8:  *Sc 1, inc; Repeat from * and continue until the hole is closed.

-Stuff head/torso and the bottom then sew together. 

For the arms, I started with a Ch 2, Sc 6 I the second Ch from hook method.  You can do a magic ring here if you prefer… My feeble mind could never get the hang of getting a magic ring to lay flat so I cheat.

Row 1:  Sc 6 in 2^nd Ch from hook.

Row 2:  Sc 1, Inc; repeat to make 9 stitches.

Row 3: Sc in each stitch around.

Row 4:  Sc, Ch 2 and Sc 8. (Do not Sc in the 2 Ch stitches that you made.  Leave those loose so that they form the thumb. At this point I snicker a lot because the thumb is just so cute!)

Rows 5-10: Sc in each stitch around Joint light blue yarn.

Rows 11-15: Sc in each stitch around.

-Sew the arms onto the body. Aren’t they so incredibly awesome? These are the first crochet hands that I really liked and I made the pattern for them up so I am just so amused whenever I seem them completed.  It doesn’t take a lot to entertain me.

For the feet, in black, use the Ch 2 method or the magic ring and make Sc rows of 9 the same way you would for the arms.  I did six rows but do whatever looks best for the yarn and gage you are using. 

For the socks: Ch 9 and joint the round then do 2 rows of 9. 

Legs:  Ch 9 with flesh color and joint at the round then Sc in each stitch around for 9 rows then switch to the dark blue for 5 rows. 

Sew the shoes, socks and legs together then sew the legs to the body.

For the backpack, start with light green and Ch 7.

Row 1:  Sc 1 in each stitch around (same way as head) starting from 2^nd Ch from hook to make 12.

Row 2:  Inc around to make 24.

Row 3:  *Sc 2, Inc; repeat from * to make 30.

Row 4:  *Sc 4, Inc; repeat from * to make 36.

Rows 5-9:  Sc in each stitch around then Sl St.

In darker green, repeat the same steps you just did for the light green.  Stuff and sew together. Then Ch 18 and attach to one side of the backpack twice.  Sew on button then slide onto Finn’s arms.

For the hat use white yarn and Ch 7.

Row 1: Starting in 2^nd Ch from hook, Sc in each stitch to make six, then continue around to the other side and make 6 more Sc in each stitch to make 12.

Row 2:  Inc around to make 24.

Row 3:  *Sc 2, Inc; repeat from * to make 36.

Rows 4 & 5:  Sc in each stitch.

Row 6:  Sc 3, Ch 13 and attach 9 stitches away from where your Ch started with a Sc and continue Sc around until you reach the Ch, which should be 30 stitches including the first 3 Sc before you made your Ch.  Then to finish this round, Sc 1 into the Ch.

Row: 7-10: Flip 180° and Sc in each stitch around and 1 Sc into the Ch.

Rows 10-12:  Sc in each stitch around; 36 stitches.

Ears:  Ch 2.

Row 1: Sc 6 in 2^nd Ch from hook.

Rows 2-3: Sc in each stitch around; 6 stitches.

Sew the ears onto the hat and then sew the hat onto the Finn head and wala, you have your very own Finn!

Jake: 

Using a mustard yellow yarn.

Row 1:  SC six, starting in the 2^nd Ch from hook, Sc 3 then turn 180° and continue to work a second SC into each Ch so that you are working all the way around the Ch to make 12.

Row 2:  Inc around to make 24.

Row 3: Sc 2, Inc; repeat to make 30.

Row 4:  Sc 4, Inc; repeat to make 36.

Rows 5-15:  Sc in each stitch around; 36 stitches.

Row 16: Sc 2, Dec; repeat to make 30.

-Start stuffing.

Row 17:  Sc 1, Dec; repeat.

Row 18: Dec around until closed.   

-For the arms Ch 7.

Row 1:  Sc 6 in 2^nd Ch from hook.

Row 2:  Sc 1, Inc; repeat to make 9 stitches.

Row 3: Sc in each stitch around.

Row 4:  Sc, Ch 2 and Sc 8. (Do not Sc in the 2 Ch stitches that you made.  Leave those loose so that they form the thumb.)

Rows 5-12: Sc in each stitch around.  Make two. 

Sew onto the body.

-For the legs Ch 9 and joint to form the first round.

Row 2-13: Sc in each stitch around; Ch 1 and flip.

Rows 14-15:  Sc 3; Ch 1 and flip and Sl St on the last stitch.  Make two.

Sew onto body.

-For the ears, Ch 5.  Sc 4, turn 180°, continue through on the other side and Sc 4.  Sl St.  Sew onto the body.

-For the snout, Ch 2.

Row 1: Sc 4 into the 2^nd Ch from hook.

Rows 2-9:  Sc into each stitch around and then Sl St on the last round.  Sew onto face then embroider mouth.

-For the tail I made a Ch of 5 and joined them to make the first round then on each row, Dec 2 until it is closed. 

For the eyes, I just used black and white felt and used fabric glue to adhere them.  I think they turned out well!

I have more pics of the backpack and some closeups of the face but for some reason my USB port is not reading my camera. I will figure it out and post the pics later.

The Princess and the Overlord

It has been a while since I have posted a short story so here is one.  I wrote it for a friend in a jiffy so it may not be great but I assure you it is entertaining!








 Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess named Ashlee Harper.  She lived in a magical land called Utah.  Ashlee loved living in her grand palace in Utah where everyone was golden of hair, rosy of cheeks, and silicone of breasts. 

Everyone was happy in the land until one day an evil retail store named RC Willey came along.  From the outside RC Willey seemed like an okay place; they offered electronics, appliances, furniture, and more.  From the inside, though, the people who worked there knew the truth about the dreaded RC Willey.  They would advertise for a sale and jack up their prices for two weeks before then lower the prices down to just below what they were asking before and their customer’s would say, “Oh my, what a reasonably priced love seat.  I must buy that for my home even though I don’t really need it.” 

RC Willey would say, “Don’t you have the money to buy that love seat? No, well here is a line of credit that will give you 18 months interest free.” 

The customers would say, “How generous of you.  I would love to pay my love seat off in 18 months.”

RC Willey would say, “Oh darn, you have to have $2000 or more to use the 18 months no interest.  I guess you have to pay interest on the love seat making it 21% higher in price than it was originally.”

The customers would say, “Oh well then, I guess I have no choice in the matter,” and then RC Willey would suck them into a never-ending cycle of bill paying. 

RC Willey was not only mean to the customers but to the people who worked there too.  It would hire desperate people to work long hours with no windows or joy and pay them very little.  Every day the people who worked there would come home and feel angry but not really know why.

Ashlee heard of this injustice and decided to apply to work there and destroy it from the inside.  She worked there for months gaining intell and coming up with a plan.  She decided the best thing to do would be to shut the power down for if there were no power to the store it couldn’t run.  She found out who the power supplier was and she paid them a great deal of leprechaun gold in order to shut the power off just at the perfect moment.  Her plan was to shut the power down exactly three minutes after the store opened on Black Friday.  This was the busiest day of the year and it would surely destroy the store. 

RC Willey spent thousands of dollars advertising for the big day.  It said, “Come one, come all to RC Willey on the Black Friday event and we will give you prices that you’ve never seen.  Also lunch is on us!”  RC Willey prepared its slaves… er employees… for the big day.  All of them were very nervous.  People would run into the store and be vicious about getting that last blue ray player that their 8 -year-old needs and then they would stand in a three-hour line and complain at whoever was helping them about the length of the line.  The employees… yes… employees, not slaves, were very nervous about this day.

Ashlee wanted to tell them that it would be okay and that they would never have to deal with the woes of this evil empire again but she could not for fear of RC Willey learning of her plan.

The big day came.  Ashlee came to work like normal.  She had butterflies in her stomach as she drove up and saw the line wrapping around the building 17 times!  She forced her way through the crowd and into the door.  She got herself all set up at her station and nervously waited with her cohorts.  They talked in hushed tones and tried not to throw up.  Then they heard it, “Attention RC Willey Associates, the store is now open,” and then a terrible shrieking sound as the intercom went off line.  They heard the hoards of people running through the store, pushing, slapping, tripping, and guillotining as they went.  They ran to the electronics department with their early bird coupons and ran around the furniture section like chickens with their heads cut off.  Soon they started to line up.  The cashiers shouted, “If you have to use your RC Willey Credit Card you need to stand in the credit line,” then it happened.  The whole store went pitch black.  All of the computer screens, TV’s, mp3 players, portable DVD players, and karaoke machines shut off simultaneously.  There was a gentle hum of the electronics shutting down then panic spread.  Every associate grabbed a flashlight and then the madness set in.

Customers started screaming and managers came out of their holes and tried to calm them down.  They said, “Here is a free hotdog.  Please come back at a later time and our power should be on,” but the power never came back on.  All the employees sat there asking when they could go home but RC Willey would not let them go.  They had stay until the store closes at 9 o’clock.  Ashlee did not see this coming.  She had to revert to plan B.  She closed her eyes, said a little prayer, and then blew the place up with the bomb strapped to her chest.  The place was obliterated and everyone died.

The End.

Bertrand the Crochet Monster Pattern 

Rawrrrr!

SNARL!!!!

CUTE!

Want to make this cute little guy? Bertrand is about 6 inches tall and he is fierce! He has a lot of personality and would be a great toy for a boy of any age.  I have included a step by step pattern to make this small but mighty creature.  I hope you enjoy.

Key:  

Ch= chain

Sc= single crochet

inc= increase

dec= decrease

sl st= slip stitch

Supplies:  Blue and green yarn, black and white embroidery floss, doll safety eyes in two sizes, white felt, embroidery needle, 3.5 mm hook, thread and needle, and scissors.

Prepare by threading your needles.  Also cut out the teeth for the mouth.   

I like to make the body first incase my gage is different that day so when I go to attach everything, it all looks like the right size.    

Head and Body

Round 1: Ch 2, sc 6 times in the second Ch from hook.

Round 2:  Increase around to make 12 stitches.

Round 3:  Sc then inc. Repeat around to make 18 stitches.

Round 4:  Sc twice then inc. Repeat around to make 24 stitches.

Round 5:  Sc three times then inc. Repeat around to make 30 stitches.

Round 6:  Sc four times then inc. Repeat around to make 36 stitches.

Place eyes and embroider with white embroider floss around the small eye embroider mouth and use fabric glue to attach teeth.

Round 7:  Sc five times then inc.  Repeat around to make 42 stitches.

Rounds 8-17: Sc around to make 42 stitches.

Round 18: Dec then sc in next five stitches.  Repeat to make 36 stitches

Round 19:  Dec then sc in next four stitches.  Repeat to make 30 stitches.

Round 20:  Dec then sc in next three stitches.  Repeat to make 24 stitches.

Round 21:  Dec then sc in next two stitches.  Repeat to make 18 stitches.

Begin stuffing and add in more as the hole gets smaller.

Round 22:  Dec then sc in next stitch.  Repeat to make 12 stitches.

Round 23:  Dec around to close off body.

Spikes:

Ch 31, sc in second stitch from hook, hdc, dc, hdc in next stitch, sl st.  *Sc, then hdc, dc, hdc all in next stitch, then sl st; repeat from *

Tummy:

Round 1:  Ch 7, sc in second stitch from hook for the next five stitches and continue around to make 12 stitches; sl st to close round.

Round 2: Ch 1, inc in each stitch around to make 24 stitches; sl st to close round.

Round 3: Ch 1, *inc in first stitch then sc in next three.  Repeat from *; sl st.

Arms: 

Round 1:  Ch 2, sc 6 in second ch from hook.

Round 2-4:  Sc in each stitch.

Legs: 

Round 1:  Ch 2, sc 6 in second ch from hook.

Round 2:  Inc, sc in next two; repeat to make 9 stitches.

Round 3-7:  Sc in each stitch around.

Tail:

Round 1:  Ch 2, sc in next four stitches.

Round 2:  Inc, sc in next stitch; repeat to make 6 stitches.

Round 3:  Sc in each stitch around.

Round 4:  Inc around to make 12 stitches.

Round 6-7:  Sc in each stitch around.

Round 7-8:  Inc, sc in next two stitches; repeat to make 18.

Round 9:  Sc in each stitch around.   

Sew on the legs, arms, tail, and spikes.  Once you have all of these sewed on enjoy! 

Monster Baby Booties

This is a pattern that I developed from a picture of some booties that were knitted.  A friend of mine sent a picture of them to my phone and asked if I could make them for her. I took a quick glance at them and said sure no problem-o.  Later on when closely looking at them I shortly realized that they were knitted.  I do not knit.  I find it too complicated for my smallish brain so I figured that I could crochet them... Roughly nine consecutive days later, I had the pattern worked out.  My hands were sore and so was my smallish brain. It was grueling but it was worth it because I did it! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do... or as much as I will before I hand them off to my friend. 

Key:  Ch: chain.                         YO: yarn over              sc: single crochet            

Dc: Double crochet                    sl st: Slip stitch            inc: increase           

Hdc: Half double crochet

Supplies:  Yarn in two colors, pink for the mouth and the color of your choosing for the shoe.  White and black felt.  3.5 mm hook.  Pink felt and thread and needle.

Round 1:  Ch 5, YO, Insert hook into third ch from hook and dc, then increase in the next two stitches. around to make 6 dc.  Then continue around to the next side and inc in the next three stitches to make a total of 12 stitches.   Sl st to close round.

Round 2:  Ch 3, * dc twice in each st to make 24.  Sl st to close round.

Rounds 3-6:  Ch 3, *dc in each stitch around; makes 24

Rows 7-10:  Ch 3, dc 14, turn.

Row 11:  Ch 1, 5 sc in next 5 stitches.  Ch 3, 6 dc to make 7 dc, turn.

Row 12:  Ch 3, dc in each stitch across to make 7.

Row 13: Ch 1, hdc across.

Round 14: Sc in each stitch around to, making sure to joint the three edges together, sl st to close round and join the pink.  This row is going to even out your work, getting the shoe ready for the mouth.

Round 15:  Ch 1, sc around and sl st to join the round. 

Weave in all the ends and then take some matching thread and sew down the end of the yarn to hold it in.

Cut out eyes and sew together the pupil onto the eye.  Sew eye onto the shoe.  Weave in the pink and hold it down with some fabric glue.  Then take some matching thread and sew it down. 

Cut lining into the same basic shape of the shoe (before the edges were crocheted together).  Sew the lining so that the edges are together then sew the lining into the shoe. 

As always if you have questions feel free to ask and do not sell these or post this pattern without linking this page!

Picture Frame Collage

I found these picture frames at a local thrift store. They ranged in price from $0.75 to $1.50. I decided to get them and see what fun I could have with them.










1. I sanded them down to remove any deformities. Since they were second hand they had many scratches and dings in them. Some may prefer to keep these to give extra character. I was looking for a more uniform look and since they are all different frames, I wanted them to all have a newer look.

2. After sanding, I applied a base coat of white paint. You can use a primer or just regular white paint. I have not found much difference. If you are using the frame on a table top or a high traffic area, primer may keep the paint sticking to the wood longer than white paint will.

3. While waiting for the paint to dry I cleaned the glass in the frames. Since the frames were mostly older, they had a thick film of dust on them. You can use a glass cleaner to clean them but I have found that a solution of 2 parts water and 1 part cider vinegar works very well without streaking.

4. I painted a base coat of black (or color of your choosing). It will take more than one coat to cover the wood completely. If there are unpainted spots on the surface this can lead to peeling and it will not look proffessional.

5. While the first coat of paint is drying I used my die cutting machine to cut out the images. For image size, you will measure the glass of the frame and decide what size of image you would like from there. If you are going to use patterned paper, I find it is best to use very subtle patterns. If you cannot resist a strong pattern, try alternating the prints. Use a bold pattern for the background a faint pattern for the design. Using a bigger pattern paper for the cutout can be distracting. It can also make it so the pattern on the paper is lost.

If you do not have a die cutter, you can use pictures of flowers, or birds, or free stencils for download online. After you have the images of your liking, take the glass from the frame and trace it on the back of your background paper. If you have a square or rectangular picture then you can just measure and cut with a paper cutter. After you have the traced image on the back of your patterned paper, cut it out.

6. After the first layer of paint is dry, you will want to paint a second coat. Make sure you cover it well. I have often just tried covering the spots that didn't get covered well the first time but inevitably, I always miss spots. I like to use a nice even layer so that the paint doesn't gather in one spot or dry unevenly.

7. After the second coat is dry, I like to take another color and gently dry brush it over the detail work on the frame. This makes the detail pop and gives it more visual interest.

8. Once the frames are completely dry, assemble and hang.

Reupholstering a Chair

I have reupholstered this chair. I found it at the local thrift store. When I saw it, I almost passed by it because it was just a boring blue fabric but when I took a closer look, I noticed it had a really simple frame that gave a retro modern style. When you buy a second hand chair, make sure to check that all the joints are solid, i.e. that the wood is not split at any joints, that they are not wobbly, and that they come firmly together. Also, you want to make sure that the cushions are in good condition. You can replace them but in order to give it a more professional look, you want to use the originals.

Supplies you will need:

• Staple Gun
• Quilt Batting
• Fabric
• Metal Upholstery Buttons (make sure kit if you have never bought these)
  
• Power Drill
• Decorative Upholstery Tacks (If back of chair shows)
• Spray Adhesive & Fabric Glue
• Screw Driver (flat head or Phillips)
• Rubber Mallet
  

1. First, I removed the seat from the frame. This particular chair had four screws holding the seat on and three holding the back on. The seat cushion and the back cushion on this chair were connected. This made it easier to reassemble in the end. Do not throw out the fabric or the cheesecloth (if applicable) because you will use it as a pattern.

2. After I removed the fabric I used the pieces as a pattern for the new fabric. This chair has three upholstery buttons on it. This helps give the chair some shape once it is fully upholstered. I used the previous back cushion fabric as a guide in marking the location on my new fabric for the buttons. You can use a fabric pencil or a regular ball point pen to do this. Repeat steps for the back for re-attaching the chair to the frame.

3. Once I had the pieces cut out, I began attaching them to the chair. I laid the batting out smoothly over the foam cushion. I attached the batting to the chair. Using the manual staple gun took some getting used to. There is a tension adjuster on it. I tightened the tension all the way and tested an area that was hidden to see how far it would go into the wood. The harder the wood, the stronger the tension you will need.

4. I Covered the upholstery buttons in a matching fabric. There will be instructions on the the packaging. Then I threaded some strong twine through the whole in the button.

5. The fabric is the next step. I started with the seat back because that was easiest for me. Again you want to make sure to lay the fabric out smoothly. I stapled one complete side and then did the opposite, smoothing after each side and then did the same for the seat cushion.

6. Once the back cushion was upholstered, I took a power drill, with the drill bit already in motion, I drilled three holes in the areas I marked previously. Make sure to have the drill going before you touch it to the fabric. If you do not, the fabric will just get caught on the drill head and rip. I took an embroidery needle and threaded the twine, attached to the button, and then pulled the twine through the drill holes. I took the staple gun and in a zig zag pattern, stapled the twine to the back of the chair. Repeat process for other buttons.

7. Once I had the seat and the seat back covered, I began ironing the edges of the back of the seat back fabric. To make a good line, you will want to use steam. Once those were folded, I just used fabric glue, you can use any brand of your choosing, and then followed the fold. Once that was dry, I attached the fabric and the batting together with spray adhesive. I used this on only the back of the seat back so that when I was attaching it later, the two pieces wouldn't slip around.

8. I used the spay adhesive to attach the batting and fabric to the back of the chair to hold it in place while I attached the decorative upholstery nails. Once the glue was tacky and holding the fabric in place I used a ruler and marked the areas I wanted to use the nails in. I chose to space mine because I liked the look better. You can always use them all the way around. I took the drill, using a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the nail, and drilled holes through the wood and fabric. Again make sure the drill is going and in full speed before you touch it to the fabric. You will want to make these starter holes because the decorative nail heads are weaker than regular ones and you can break them too easily. Once I had drilled starter holes for all of the upholstery tacks, I can began hammering them in.

9. Once the nails were in place I drilled the holes in the back for the screws to go through and then attached the chair to the frame.

Harry Potter and the Crochet Pals

Here are my Harry Potter crochet dolls. They are probably the cutest thing I have ever seen. The pattern is pretty easy. Here is the pattern for free. Feel free to make these little guys and give them away but absolutely do not sell them or post my pattern without giving a link to this page.

The Head:

Ch 2

6 Sc in 2nd Ch from hook.

Inc in each Sc to make 12

Inc, Sc around to make 18

Inc, Sc 2 around to make 24

Sc 24 in each Sc 2 times, for three rows

Sc, sc, Dec around to make 18
Sc, Dec to make 12,

Begin stuffing head and adding on embellishments, i.e. sewing on button eyes, sewing mouth, freckles and glasses, and hair using lace pin.

Dec around to make 6

Slip stitch to close.

Body:

Ch 2

6 Sc in second ch from hook

Inc in each sc

Inc, Sc Around to make 18

Inc, 2 sc around to make 24

Sc in each sc around to make 24, repeat row twice

Inc, 3 sc around to make 30

Sc in each sc around, repeat row twice

Inc, 4 sc around to make 36

Sc in each sc around, repeat row twice

Inc, 5 sc around to make 42

Sc in each sc around, repeat row twice

For the flat bottom of the body:

Ch 2

6 Sc in 2nd ch from hook

Inc around to make 12

Inc, 1 Sc around to make 18

Inc, 2 sc around to make 24

Inc, 3 sc around to make 30

Inc, 4 sc around to make 36

Inc, 5 sc around to make 42

Stuff body and attach bottom to body.

Robes:

Ch 48 and join last ch with first ch. Make sure that rows are not twisted.

Sc each ch around

Repeat twice

6 sc, Dec around to make 42

Sc in each sc around

Sc in each sc around

Sc in each sc around

5 Sc, Dec around to make 36

Sc in each sc around

Sc in each sc around

Sc in each sc around

4 Sc, Dec around to make 30

29 Sc, turn

ch 1, 29 Sc, turn

ch 1, 29 Sc, turn

3 Sc, Dec around to make 24

Sc 24 around.

Scarves:

Using embroidery floss,

Ch 9, flip
sc in each ch

repeat row till you have four rows then join different color. Keep making four rows of each color til you have a long enough scarf.

That is how you make the Harry Potter dolls.

Cozy Crochet Cowl

Materials:

- Yarn in size 6 in whatever color makes your heart sing or, you know, whatever color will go best with your wardrobe. You should be using just about the whole ball of yarn.

- 9 mm Crochet hook

- Sharp and trusty scissors

- Thread in color of your heart singing yarn and a needle.

- Big buttons with large button holes.

- A couple straight pins.

Term Guide:

ch= chain

sc= single crochet

dc= double crochet

sl st= slip stitch

If you don’t know a stitch, don’t freak out! There is a great website with wonderful pictures on how to do all these stitches. Here is the link:

www.stitchdiva.com/

Row 1

Ch 50.

Row 2

Join Ch with sl st being careful not to twist yarn.

Row 3

Ch 1 and then sc in each ch around; making 50 sc.

Row 4

Ch 2 (counts as first dc) then dc in each sc around; making 50 dc.

Rows 5-8

Continue rows 3 and 4 three more times.

Row 9

Ch 1 then sc in each dc around; making 50 sc.

To Finish:

Sl st and pull yarn through. If you have a lot of yarn left over, you will cut a tail about 4 inches long before you pull it all the way through.

Weave in ends and sew in place with some thread in the same color as your yarn. Some people like to use fabric glue to keep their work from unweaving at the ends. I don’t like to on things I wear because it’s scratchy and it smells bad. Who really wants to walk around smelling like fabric glue? Not me.

Try on the cowl and figure out where you would like the buttons placed. Use a straight pin to mark where you would like them. When removing the cowl be careful not to stab yourself in the eye with the straight pins. It’s best to insert pin so that, from the front, you can see both ends of the pin.

Sew on buttons.

Congratulations you have completed a cute and cozy cowl. I hope you love it and stay warm!