Dying Yarn

I have decided to try my hand a dying yarn. So I went and bought a cone of Lily Sugar 'n Cream 100% cotton, White. We used Tulips One-Step Tie-Dye Kit and we watched this video how to first
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSzM28hB87o   We did it both was and we weren't as happy with the results of the ball method as we were the other way.

 

Plastic Canvas Tissue Box Covers

I made another Bare Bones Skull hat in shades of blue and now have to make one in orange and black. You can buy the pattern here   http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bare-bones-hat-crochet

I also finished 2 plastic canvas tissue cover boxes. I got the kits from Mary Maxim
http://www.marymaxim.com/crafts/plastic-canvas/plastic-canvas-kits.html

I have created a new pattern that I call 'Butterfly Bookmark Pen/Stylus Holder". You can find my pattern here listed under "Crochet Patterns" or on Ravelry.

 A big thanks to Suzetta Williams for testing this pattern for me and for allowing me to base my tail on the tail of her Fan Bookmark pattern. You can find her pattern here
      http://suzies-yarnie-stuff.blogspot.com/2010/12/fan-bookmark.html    

Butterfly Bookmark Pen/Stylus Holder

Butterfly Bookmark Pen/Stylus Holder                                 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/butterfly-bookmark-pen-stylus-holder

MATERIALS: Red Heart Super Saver I used Sherbert Print, Orchid and a small amount of Black
Size E (3.5 mm) & D (3.0, 3.25 mm) crochet hooks, Stitch marker, needle, large button and white glue

Stitch:  Ch-Chain,  DC-Double Crochet,  HDC-Half Double Crochet,   SC- Single Crochet,   

*SC Dec- Single Crochet Decrease,   SS-Slip Stitch,   TR-Treble Crochet

Special Stitch: *SC DEC- Insert hook in next stitch, draw up a loop, YO and draw through 1 loop. Insert hook in next stitch, draw up a lp (3 loops on hook), YO and draw through all 3 loops.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Using E Hook
TAIL: Ch 80, sc in the 5th ch from hook. *Ch 4, skip 4 chs, sc in next ch.  (Do not let chain twist.) Repeat from * until 5 chains remain, sc in last chain.

Pen/Stylus Holder

Ch 8, slipstitch through the top of last sc and threw to the chain it was done, to form loop. Ch 1, turn.

Black thread shows where to insert the hook for joining.

For the next 22 rounds, or however long you need it to be for your pen or stylus, pattern is worked in continuous rounds.

Rnd 1: sc in each stitch around (8sc)

After doing this first round take the tail and insert it into the circle of sc’s of rnd 1 and pull it all the way through.

Rnd 2-22: continue sc around.

Rnd 23: sc, scdec  3 times around

Rnd 24: 3 scdec around, ss to next stitch.

 Fasten off and leave a 4 to 6 inch tail for sewing on Butterfly, you can weave this through the stitches about 1 inch up from the bottom.

Butterfly

Using D Hook

Rnd 1: Ch 8, ss to first ch to form a ring.

Rnd 2: Ch 2 (ch 2 counts as a dc), dc, ch 1 in ring. *2 dc, ch 1. Repeat from * 6 more times. SS to top of chain 2. (16 dc, 8 ch 1)

Rnd 3: SS in next dc and into chain 1 space. Ch 1, *sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc in this chain 1 space and repeat from * in next chain 1 space.  In the next 2 chain spaces work the following **sc, hdc, dc, tr, ch 3 and ss into the first chain forming a picot, dc, hdc, sc. Repeat from * in the next 2 chain 1 spaces and in the last 2 chain 1 spaces repeat from ** . ss to chain 1.  Fasten off.

With Picots on both sides, see photo below, fold in half. Tie black yarn around center. Cut yarn and if you want the antennae to be stiff put drop of white glue on them and work it in with your fingers.

 Sew Butterfly about 1 in up from the bottom of the holder.

Alternate version; sew a large button (I used a decorative button) on instead of the butterfly.

To get the butterfly through the chain 4 space openings pass the bottom of the wings first then the top over the center of the butterfly and then the bottom of the other side and then the upper wings. You may have to pull the antennae through afterwards.

Enjoy

Pumpkin Bag

Pumpkin Bag
MaterialsWorsted Weight Yarn
Orange, black, green, light green and warm brown
H Hook
yarn needle
NOTES:
1. Read through all instructions before beginning.
2. Beginning ch 2 doesn’t count as a stitch.
3. Pull the joining slipstitches tight, so that they don’t get counted as a stitch on the following round

Bag
Rnd 1: with orange Ch 3, 6 hdc in 3rd chain from hook, ss to first hdc.

Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 hdc in each stitch around, ss to first hdc.

Rnd 3: Ch 2, 1 hdc in same stitch as joining

I had a friend over a few weeks ago and I was teaching her how to work with polymer clay. She loves it and is going to be getting her own supplies so she can make a polymer clay nativity. This is what we made when she was here

 I got a order for 2 more crosses along with the crosses I made a egg, there is a real egg under the clay. This is how they came out

Knit Puppy Lovey

My niece has created another GREAT knit lovey pattern. Check this out

Puppy Lovey

By Rachel Hill

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/puppy-lovey

Materials

Worsted weight yarn in 4 colors:

MC: 1 skein of pink  (blue)

CC1: 1 skein of tan   (brown)

CC2: small amount of white  (tan)

CC3: small amount of brown  (black)

24in. US #6 circular needles

Set of 5 US #6 dpns. to switch to when stitches no longer fit on circs

US #3 dpns

Safety eyes or black embroidery thread

Poly-fil

Embroidery needle

4 stitch markers, one should be a different color to mark beginning of round.

Size: approx. 12" square 

Gauge is not really important but mine is 4"= 20sts and 24 rows in stockinette.

Abbreviations

B/O = bind off

CC = contrast color

C/O = cast on

DPN = double pointed needles

K = knit

K2tog = knit two stitches together

MC = Main color

P = purl

PM = Place marker

Rnd = round

SSK = slip, slip, knit (slip stitches one at a time knitwise then knit them together through the back loop)

Sts = stitches

 [ ] = repeat between brackets specified amount if times

Main blanket:

With CC1 C/O 220 sts on circular needles

Join to work in the round being careful not to twist sts.

Rnd 1: pm, p55, pm, p55, pm, p55, pm, p55

Rnd 2: [ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog] 4 times.

Rnd 3: p around

Rnd 4: [ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog ] 4 times

Rnd 5: p around

Rnd 6: [ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog] 4 times

Rnd 7: p around

Cut working yarn and switch to CC2

Rnd 8: [ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog] 4 times

Rnd 9: p around

Rnd 10: [ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog] 4 times

Rnd 11: k around

Cut working yarn and switch to MC

Rnd 12: [ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog] 4 times

Rnd 13: k around

Repeat rnds 12 and 13 until you have worked a total of 53 rnds. You will have 12 sts left your needles. Switch to dpns when you stitches no longer fit

comfortably on your circs. I had to switch around rnd 30. You will now begin increasing for the head.

Head

If you are a loose knitter you may want to consider going down a needle size so that your stuffing doesn’t show through the stitches of the head

Rnd 1: k1fb around (24)

Rnd 2: k24

Rnd 3: k1, k1fb around (36)

Rnd 4-20: k36

Stop here to make and sew on eye patch, place safety eyes (safety eyes are not recommended for babies as they could come loose and be a choking

hazard) or use embroidery thread to make eyes, embroider on nose and mouth and stuff head. For the nose I used satin stitch and I used duplicate stitch for the lines of the mouth. I would encourage you to do what looks best to you; you may know a better technique then me. Also I found it easier for me to place my live stitches on some scrap yarn while I worked the face, my dpn’s were just getting in my way.

Rnd 21: k1, k2tog around (24)

Rnd 22: k24

Rnd 23: k1, k2tog around (16)

Rnd 24: k16

Rnd 25: k2tog around (8)

Rnd 26: k8

Cut yarn and thread through remaining stitches to fasten off

Eye patch:

With your size 3 dpns and eye patch color of your choice C/O 6 sts divide stitches evenly onto 3 dpns and join to work in the round being careful not to twist sts.

Rnd 1: k1fb around (12)

Rnd 2: k12

Rnd 3: k1fb, k1 around (18)

B/O all sts

Ears:

Make 2

With CC1, or color of your choice, C/O 12 sts onto size 6 dpns. Divide stitches evenly onto 3 dpns and join to work in the round being careful not to

twist sts.

Rnd 1-2: k12

Rnd 3: k1, k1fb around (18)

Rnd 4-30: k18

Rnd 31: k1, k2tog around (12)

Rnd 32: k12

Rnd 33: k2tog around (6)

Cut yarn and thread through remaining stitches to fasten off. Sew ears onto your puppy.

Finishing:

Turn your puppy upside down and through the hole in the bottom add any additional stuffing you may need. Once your puppy is stuffed to your liking put a few stitches in to close up the hole. Weave in any loose ends, and congratulations you have now finished your puppy lovey!

You may have noticed that my blue puppy is slightly different than the pink, that's because I made the blue one first and decided it needed slight modifications. Just in case you want to know here are the things I did different on the blue puppy.

I only c/o 180 sts so you would place markers every 45sts.

I only did 7 rnds of garter stitch border and used only one color.

Since I cast on fewer stitches I only worked 43 rnds before beginning head increases.

I used safety eyes because my 4 year old son decided it was for him and I don't have to worry about him getting the eyes out and choking on them. Thatis it, the only differences.

Happy knitting!