Crochet Grogu and Disney Visit

After two years of pandemic, we finally got to go back to Disneyland/California Adventure. I dusted off my Baby Yoda, put him in his harness and loaded him into the car.

Squee! I’m ready!

I also made a crochet lovey and he got to go too.

Don’t forget me!

My husband got us a reservation at Paradise Point, a Disney hotel, and we were super excited. He said every room had a nice view, either of the pool area or the parks. We packed our bags and were off on our adventure.

The Hotel

When we arrived, I carried my doll in his sling to check in, and the nice lady who helped us loved my Baby Yoda. That was a really nice start to our day.

During the check in process, she informed us of some “things”. She let us know that none of the hotel’s restaurants were open, but we could have room service from the other hotels. We probably weren’t going to eat there anyway, so no big deal. She then proceeded to let us know that the pool was under construction and that we could use the pool at the Disneyland Hotel instead and could take a shuttle. We probably weren’t going to use the pool anyway and certainly not if we had to take a shuttle to get to it.

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Crochet Devil doll

I’ve had a crochet focused Instagram account for quite a few years (@yochetcrochet), but then my friend had to go and introduce me to Bookstagram. I had to decide if I wanted to create a new account dedicated to my love of books and reading or combine it with an account I already had. I currently have a succulents account and a hiking account (@yolihikingandoutdoors) and I definitely didn’t want to create a fourth account!

In my infinite wisdom, I combined it with my crochet account since I sometimes post about the crochet book I wrote. Books and crochet seemed to go hand in hand. Right off the bat, I got involved with book challenges and of course, I wanted to include crochet. Mostly I used crochet pieces and dolls I had on hand, but occasionally I created something new for a challenge. This little devil was born because of Instagram.

I can’t even remember what the book challenge was, but the book I wanted to use was titled Devil’s Desire. It was a book I loved as a teenager and still owned. Making a little crochet devil seemed perfect.

I still use him in some of my Insta posts and he’s probably one I’ll keep.

Instagram accounts: @yochetcrochet @yolissucculentgarden @yolikingandoutdoors

Crochet Scrap Yarn Doll

After a year-and-a-half, I came back to work running an after-school program at an elementary school. I have students from Kinder to 5th grade. One of the things I love about my job is that, if they want to learn, I get teach the students how to crochet. In the process, I make them all sorts of items for the prize-box and ultimate prize-box (larger or more expensive toys).

The things I make are often based on what interests the students at the time. But sometimes, my creations are based on what yarn I have on hand. I checked our yarn drawer and decided to make a doll out of scraps. I had one little girl who had MANY opinions, and the doll reflects that. She was that same little girl who loved telling me about her brother’s SpongeBob crochet hat that I made.

I had a few small balls of white yarn I had rolled for another project a few years ago.

She’s almost there!

Ta-Da!

She needed some flowers apparently. And the heart eyes were a hit.

And of course she needed a shot with the big doll.

And when my little Kinder helper made it to ultimate prize-box, she picked the doll. I was surprised because I didn’t know how invested she was in the doll. Helping me create it didn’t necessarily mean that she would want to get it. In fact, she kept telling me how she wanted a mermaid backpack that was available. When she made it to the prize-box, I automatically reached for the backpack. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised when she snatched the doll instead. After all, She was so excited about her bro-bro and his crochet hat. She was so happy to have her very own crochet toy, just like her brother. The fact that she had a hand in making her was just extra special.

She was so excited about it that she took a picture of herself at home, with her doll and her brother’s doll…that he still has! It was soooooo cute and it touched my heart that she wanted me to see them together in her home.

My student with her new doll, her brother’s old doll, and a yarn bird I had made for a group project.

Here they are together.

SpongeBob Square Pants Crochet Hat

I had one of the sweetest things happen at work. One of my students in my after-school program brought back a blast from the past in the form of one of my crochet pieces that was out in the wild.

Back in 2015, I made a SpongeBob SquarePants crochet hat. That year, I was going to participate at the school’s annual craft fair and I decided to include the hat. I had a student boy who loved the hat, and when the fair came around, his mom sneakily bought him the hat for Christmas. I remember how happy he was when he got it.

All the craft fairs from back in the day. 😃

This year, I have his little sister (Kinder) in my after-school program, and my former student is now 16 and in high school. She loves telling me all about her bro bro and how he has the crochet hat of SpongeBob that I made. Apparently he also has other toys I had made for him.

My former student designed this one. It was one of my first posts.

That was cute enough, but imagine my surprise when she walked in on crazy hat day wearing that hat! More surprising was that it still was in excellent condition! She was bouncing off the walls, she was so happy. She told everyone she could about how that was her brother’s hat and that I made it, AND that he let her use it. It was so sweet.

I have made so many many crochet items for my students over the 11 years I’ve worked in the after-school program, I don’t remember the half of what has gone out. It’s really nice to hear about the items the recipients still treasure. It’s even more wonderful when I get the chance to see it again!