A Birthday Boo

My little brother's girlfriend celebrated her birthday over the weekend. Being on a budget, I had to think of something I could make in the short amount of time that I had.

I know she loves Mario Bros video games and has told me she thinks Boo is the cutest thing under the sun.

I came across this pattern from WolfDreamer OffTheHook when I was looking for a pattern for a Link hat for my brother. This was the first thing that came to mind when I realized I needed a gift.
The patter is for King Boo, and I ended up tweaking it a little. I opted to skip the crown and the wagging tongue. I stitched the white teeth to the red mouth and then to the crocheted Boo. The eyes and eyebrow are embroidered with black yarn.

The pattern was clear and easy to follow and there is a long list of really cute toys - a lot of Pokemon and Mario Bros characters. This is a great resource for crocheters with little ones!

Taking a Wedding Break....

So for the last couple of weeks, I have taken a break from wedding items to focus on the gift I am making for my granddaughter's 4th birthday this month.


This little sweetheart has decided that she loves cooking. She is always coming to tell me that she is "making soup" or "making my lunch" which is just adorable. So after searching online, I came across the patterns of a particular young woman that were amazing. CrochetNPlay Designs makes patterns for all children, whether it is cooking items, food, a shaving kit or a hairstyling kit, there is definitely something for everyone.


Now, I will always be the first to say I am cheap. When you live on a budget, you have to be! So normally, I will not pay for patterns because I know I can either figure out or find a free pattern online. However, these patterns are not that expensive and (the part that makes it really worth it) the designer gives permission to sell the finished product. You can not resell any part of the pattern, but if you want to make ten pots and pans sets and sell them, she welcomes you to do it.


As a crafter, having that permission from the beginning can be a really good thing. It gives you an opportunity to earn your money back. Realistically, the patterns are not that difficult and can work up pretty fast. I know my granddaughter will love them!


Anyway, I've got to get back to work. Check out CrochetNPlay Designs and see if there is something there you can't live without!

Amigurumi Resources

So did I get you anxious to try some amigurumi? The patterns are simple and take only a few hours for experienced crocheters. For beginners wanting to try dolls and stuff animals, these are great starter projects.

If you want to try out a pattern or two, but don't necessarily want to invest in pattern books, there are lots of great free resources online. Here are just a few or the ones I really like:

Lion Brand Yarns: While it requires a free registration, you will have access to loads of patterns. There are lots of adorable amigurumi patterns, along with afghans, clothing, accessories and home decor items.

RoxyCrafts.com: This is Tamie Snow's home on the web. You can find both crochet and knit patterns, her blog, and patterns for sale.

Free Amigurumi Crochet Patterns: This is a great resource blog for patterns scattered all around the web. There are more than just adorable animals, there are also patterns for food, dolls and other toys.

Scarves, Scarves, Scarves

Maybe the middle of September is the wrong time to start thinking about this, but I love scarves! I love to crochet them and give them as gifts. They are so simple and quick to make, and now is really the perfect time to start thinking about them - and making them!

Holiday craft shows are right around the corner, and a what better item to offer is scarves that you've crocheted or knit by hand. Think of all the possible variations - school colors, fashion colors, so many different yarns offering different weights and textures. Not to mention, they whip up in no time!

Patterns for scarves are in abundance, but I couldn't help but write my own. Hopefully it will get you motivated to make some of your own! This is a one skein project, using Homespun yarn. I love Homespun yarn for scarves because it is so soft and warm, and it stays soft even after several washings. Watch for sales at your favorite craft stores and you should be able to find it fairly inexpensive.

Materials:
One skein Lion Brand Homespun yarn (6oz)
Size K (2.5 mm) crochet hook

Abbreviations:
ch= chain
dc= double crochet

Ch 21

Row 1: Dc in fourth ch from hook and in each ch across. .
Row 2: Ch 3*, turn. Skip first stitch, dc in next stitch and in each dc across.
Repeat Row 2 until you run out of yarn. Fasten off, weave in ends.

Fringe is optional.

*= ch 3 is the first dc in each row

Happy Crafting All!

Free Crochet Patterns

I'm always looking for new and fun patterns to work from. And free patterns are the best! Recently, I came across a great resource for crocheters in search of fun, functional patterns. Free-Crochet.com has a diverse collection of patterns for crocheters of all skill levels. Patterns are searchable and downloaded in PDF format, which makes them easy to keep track of and print. I love browsing their selection and downloading patterns for future use.

Check out their site: http://www.free-crochet.com/

Happy Crafting All!

Is It Time To Learn...

...To crochet? I love crocheting because I can create some really great gifts for the people who mean the most to me in my life. We have one friend of the family that still raves about the afghan I crocheted him for Christmas last year. Whatever you choose to make, the recipient will be touched that you made something by hand. The first step in making something, though, is knowing how to crochet.

So to help you get started, I've found some great teaching links. These sites offer detailed instructions on how to crochet, for the beginner!

http://learntocrochet.lionbrand.com/

http://crochet.about.com/od/learnbasics/a/beginners.htm

http://www.learntoknit.com/instructions_cr.php3

http://crochet-mania.blogspot.com/
This site offers instructions and patterns!

Happy Crafting All!