Crochet Butterfly Appliqué

So after trying (and failing) a few different butterfly patterns, which were too small, had two sets of wings or wouldn't lay flat, I finally wrote my own pattern. The pattern I wrote uses a very similar technique to this pattern which was too small. (Note: the original pattern is on Ravelry so if you're not a member you may not be able to access it)

Here is the pattern I wrote:
Using an I/9 (5.5mm) crochet hook and worsted weight yarn
Make magic loop, chain 3,
Rnd 1: Dc 12 in loop, close magic loop, Do Not join, ch 3, turn, (12st)
Rnd 2: Dc 2 in each dc, Do Not join, ch 3, turn, (24st)
Rnd 3: (dc 2 in nxt st, dc 1) 12 times, Do Not join, turn, (36st)
Rnd 4: *sk 4 st, dtr 9 in nxt st, sk 4 st, sl st,* (sk 3 st, dc 9 in nxt st, sk 3 st, sl st,) twice, repeat once from * to *, tie off, (if you leave this tail long you can use it sew the butterfly on)

Antenna: Sl st in 2nd sl st of rnd 4, ch 3, sl st around 12th dc of rnd 2, ch 3, sl st in  magic loop, ch 9 very tight, ch 1 very loose, ch 9 very tight, sl st in magic loop, tie off, weave in ends, cut the loose ch, pull out short threads, pull others tight and cut them to be the same length.

Crochet Puppet Scarf

One day while causally browsing Ravelry's free crochet pattern data base, I ran across this adorable scarf which had puppets on the end. It was such a fun idea I instantly added it to my favorites and tried to think of someone to make it for. Eventually I thought of a little four year old girl who loves puppies (what four year old doesn't?) and rainbows. Since the original pattern didn't have dog puppets I had to tweak the ears and the nose a little to make them look like puppies. I also decided to add wiggle eyes instead of the crocheted eyes the pattern dictated.

 For the nose I just omitted round 29, and for the ears I wrote a new pattern:
ch 6 (leave a tail long enough to sew with)
Row 1: Dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc 3, ch 2, turn,
Row 2: dc 2 in next st, dc 2, dc 2 in next st, ch 2, turn
Row 3: dc 2 in next st, dc 1, (dc 2 in next st) twice, dc 1, dc 2 in next st, ch 2, turn,
Row 4: (Dc2tog) twice, dc 2, (dc2tog) twice, ch 2, turn,
Row 5: (dc2tog) 3 times, turn
Row 6: sk 1st st, hdc 3 in next st, sl st in next st, tie off. weave in this end only and use the other end to attach it to the puppet

I think overall after all my changes it turned out pretty cute. :)

Granny Square Bag

Here is a really simple idea that I found a while back...

 Just take three granny squares that are the same size...

 Fold them in half diagonally, sew the edges together (as shown below) and add a handle to make a bag! I'm sure you could use blocks other than granny squares to get a unique designs. For my squares I decided to change colors every two rounds...

You can also use an extra square to make a flap as shown  here (the place I originally found the pattern)

Crochet Puppy Dog Package

Spring is supposed to be coming and now it seems as though there is a baby shower every weekend...well I guess that means my crochet schedule will be packed with hats and booties for the little ones. I think it's time for some variety, so here comes my puppy dog package.

 Even though I did not use the yarn the pattern called for I still think it looks cozy.

 The cute, matching gift bag and tag are contributions of  Spare Thyme Ink.

Shells and Flowers hat

This is the pattern that really got me going on baby hats, and to write my baby football beanie pattern. I love the shells and the incorporated flowers. Unfortunately I ran out of yarn and had to omit/change the last few rounds. You can find the pattern here but I'm not sure if you'll be able to link to it if you don't have an account on ravelry.

Once again I made a matching fleece blanket with a crocheted edge.

Mi Ami Ami Dogs

   Okay the title to this post is somewhat misleading...these are not "my" amigurumi dog patterns, but I did follow the pattern to make these adorable dogs. For a Christmas gift I was given two books written by Mitsuki Hoshi Ami Ami Dogs and its sequel, Ami Ami Dogs 2.

 Mi Ami Ami Husky

 

Mi Ami Ami Labrador

 Mi Ami Ami Dogs Birthday Party

And last but not least Mi Ami Ami Cell Phone Charm.

Crochet Paper Valentines Edging

Only days before I realized that I needed to make Valentines, I gave away all my scrapbook paper because "I wasn't going to get into paper crafting". When I decided that it was time to make Valentines I knew that I wanted to crochet them, and after browsing through google images I determined that I would crochet around card stock... even though I had just gotten rid of all my paper. So I asked my mom (of SpareThymeInk), who daily swims in paper crafts, if she would help me cut out some paper hearts with holes around the edge on her Silhouette Cameo (a paper die cut machine...will try to post cutting file soon.)

So this is me "not getting into paper crafting"

The pattern is actually very similar to my fleece baby blankets...except that (depending on what edging you do) it matters where you start.

With crochet thread and any crochet hook that will fit through the hole you punched, (I used a #2),
Rnd 1: sc in the start stitch, ch 1, (sc, ch 1) in each st until you get to the corner stitch.

(sc, ch 1) 3 times in the corner stitch

(sc, ch 1) in each st until you get to the start stitch again, then sl st in the 1st sc, (NOTE: For the rest of the pattern you will only be working in the sc sts.)

Rnd 2: (Hdc 5 in nxt st, sl st in nxt st) all the way around (NOTE: you don't have to do anything different for the corner st), sl st in 1st sc of rnd 1, fasten off, weave in ends. Write your message. (I tied to refrain from using the ones I marked the stitches on.) <3

Baby Football Hat

My very first crochet sports item... I generally don't care for football nor almost any sport, but even so I am very pleased with how this pattern turned out. I had looked at a few different patterns that were similar on Ravelry but couldn't find one that was free (yes...I'm a penny pincher...hey, why buy something that you can easily do yourself for free?) and in the right size. So long story short... I ended up writing my own pattern. Pretty much the most complicated thing in this pattern is the magic loop or switching colors.

Size: 0-3months

Tools:

I/9, 5.5mm crochet hook or size needed for gauge

Large Yarn/darning needle

 Gauge:

9 rows of 14 dc each (ch 2 at the beginning of each row)  = 4" square

Materials:

Brown worsted weight yarn (MC)

White worsted weight yarn (CC)

With MC make a magic loop, ch2 (if you would like to avoid the magic loop, ch 3 and pretend the 1st ch is the magic loop)

Rnd 1: dc 12 in magic loop, sl st in 1st dc,

Rnd 2: ch 2, dc 2 in ea st, sl st in 1st dc,

Rnd 3: ch 2, (dc 2 in nxt st, dc 1) repeat around, sl st in 1st dc,

Rnd 4: ch 2, (dc 2 in nxt st, dc 2) repeat around, sl st in 1st dc,

Rnd 5-6: ch 2, dc around, sl st in 1st dc,

Rnd 7: ch 2, dc around, switch to CC (by doing the last dc as follows: yo with MC, insert hook into nxt st, yo with MC, draw through st, yo with MC, draw through 2 loops, yo with CC while holding the tail, draw through 2 loops, DO NOT cut the MC), sl st in 1st dc

Rnd 8: ch 2, dc around, switch to MC (by doing the last dc as follows: yo with CC, insert hook into nxt st, yo with CC, draw through st, yo with CC, draw through 2 loops, yo with MC from the last time you changed colors, draw through 2 loops, cut the CC)

Rnd  9-14: ch 2, dc around, sl st in 1st dc,

Rnd 15: ch 2, dc around, switch to CC (by doing the last dc as follows: yo with MC, insert hook into nxt st, yo with MC, draw through st, yo with MC, draw through 2 loops, yo with CC while holding the tail, draw through 2 loops, DO NOT cut the MC), sl st in 1st dc

Rnd 16: ch 2, dc around, switch to MC (by doing the last dc as follows: yo with CC, insert hook into nxt st, yo with CC, draw through st, yo with CC, draw through 2 loops, yo with MC from the last time you changed colors, draw through 2 loops, cut the CC)

Rnd 17-19: ch 2, dc around, sl st in 1st dc, fasten off after Rnd 19 and weave in tails with darning needle

Lacing: make a ch at least 6in long, fasten off leaving a 6in tail, attach the beg tail to the top of rnd 14 (I just tied a knot), thread the ch on to the needle and complete the stitching as shown...(If you need more instruction for the stitching or otherwise please leave a comment and let me know)

Cozy (Pink/Blue) Baby Layette

     If you have followed my blog for some time you may think this looks familiar and it should because I've posted the hat and booties before (here), since that post I have added to the set a blanket and a matching gift bag that I absolutely love!

     For the bag I use a hole punch to make the holes, and then I sc in each one all the way around, then I sl st to join the end.

      The blanket is very similar to the other fleece blankets I've made in the past (here) except I found I could "cheat" (because of the fluffy yarn) by only doing a single round and not doing a ch in between each sc.

     I think using  Red Heart Baby Clouds definitely ties the whole set together and allows me to make a matching baby girl set.

     Because I used the Provo Craft Knifty Knitter blue round loom for the newborn hat it was easy to adjust the size (by switching to the green loom) of it when I had the opportunity to make a matching "big sister" hat! :)

    The gift tag below was done by the author of Spare Thyme Ink who does many beautiful things in the paper crafting world!