I’ve created all kinds of dolls over the years. I’ve even attempted a life-size doll (which is still missing legs). I’ve made small dolls too, but never a tiny doll. Well, I pulled out a ball of cotton thread that was lurking in a yarn drawer and thought it was about time to try it. I’ve been seeing these really cute miniature dolls created by other crocheters that have inspired me. I pulled out a C hook and went for it. Continue reading
In a previous post, I mentioned that I was looking for items to put on my birthday wish list when I came across some jewelry for crocheters. I was impressed by what I found but immediately thought I could make it. It was a tiny crochet ball with a tiny hook going through it. Some were yarn balls and some were small amigurumi balls.
I didn’t have a tiny hook so I created one out of a pipe cleaner wrapped in thread yarn. I made a small amigurumi ball and when done, I put a silver chain through it and had my very own version. Meh, I don’t hate it, I even like it, but I’m not sure I love it. I think what I need to do is take up whittling so I can make my own tiny, wooden crochet hooks. You might think I’m kidding but I’ve already hit up Ebay and Amazon for whittling knives and books. Don’t worry, I didn’t buy anything…yet. I could sell my tiny hook creations! Maybe I could make fairy wands too! Ok, ok, I’m getting way ahead of myself. I’ll probably just end up with a bunch of cuts instead of a bunch of tiny hooks but it’s fun to think about. š
Poop emoji, I can’t get away from it. The kids love it. Lately, it’s the biggest request I get from the students. They think it’s hilarious. I refused to Ā make it for the prize box. I could just hear all the silly poop jokes an inappropriate sounds. Let’s not even mention all the hijinks I’dĀ be subjected to in the name of comedy. I did relent for the craft fair though. Hey, if they wanted to buy it who was I to argue? The parents would have to deal with the shenanigans at home. I just needed to figure out how to make one.
I went online to find other crochet poop emojis and what I found wasn’t exactly what I was Continue reading
Leading upĀ to the annual craft fair at theĀ elementary school where I work is always insane, mainly because I usually decide to participate at the last minute (shame on me). This year I did the same thing. I wasn’t sure I had enough pieces to fill up a table and I certainly didn’t have enough time to make a bunch of new pieces. But a week before, I agreed to do it and then it was a frenzy of trying to create items the students would enjoy. In that week, I managed to make four Pokeballs, two poop emojis, eight doll purses, and two smiley emojis. That was it. Luckily, I still had some dolls and hats lying around that could fill up my half of the table. My lovely, artistic, amazing and super talented daughter had the other half filled with her artwork (bad mommy that I am, I didn’t take any pictures).
My booth at the craft fair at Promenade Elementary School
I noticed that there was another booth that was selling crocheted toys and they had a really nice setup with some really nice things. I felt too inadequate to actually go over there. I had a tiny table with a mish-mash of items. My daughter went over and checked out the competition and being the good daughter that she is, told me my stuff was more unique. Well, it was definitely that. None-the-less, I did better than I had in previous years. I only had a few pieces but I focused on things I thought the kids would like and I knew my students would come check out my booth no matter how small it was. Almost all the items I specifically made for the fair sold. I wish I had had more time to make more Pokeballs and emojis. Those sold out fast with the kids wanting more. The poop emojis didn’t last long either. But most exciting of all was that I sold the Elsa doll from Frozen and that red-headed doll in the top right of the picture (above).
Great picture of Elsa taken by a PTO mom.
I always get a little thrill when I sell one of my dolls AND no one tried to talk me down on the prices. One of the hardest parts for me is pricing my items. In previous years, people loved the work but thought they were too expensive. This year, the items just sold! I was so happy.
The making of some of the items on the table were chronicled onĀ previous blog posts. The tooth with the toothbrush (sold), the Pokeballs (sold), the purpliciousdoll in the top row, the Christmas doll with the purple hat, the face emojis, the Elsa (sold) and Anna dolls, and the superman doll.
An added bonus of doing the fair is that I get to see my students, past and present. Lots of hugs were dispensed that day. My favorite part is when they tell me they still have and value something I made that they either got from our prize box or that they purchased from a previous craft fair. How wonderful is that!
I was talking on the phone with hubby and my hands felt idle. It was the perfect opportunity to grab some yarn and make an emoji. I had the idea rattling in my brain since one of my students requested (turned into a suggestion, no more personal requests š I make one. It was an easy and quick project to work on while gabbing away. I almost got it done by the time we hung up. We do talk for a long time. Love my hubby.
This one didn’t last long in the prize box. It was snatched up right away. There’s nothing worse than making something I think the kids like only to have the poor item sitting in the box for months and, eek, forever. I always feel a little thrill when they pick one of my pieces and run around with it. It’s all about the little pleasures. š
I plan on making more and experimenting with different faces and edgings. These seem so natural for the prize box. Continue reading
One happy student walked away with this YouTube pillow. Unfortunately it wasn’t the student who asked for it. I didn’t think anyone else wanted it so I threw it in the prize box. I know I said I wouldn’t take anymore personal requests BUT I’m telling myself it isn’t a personal request just because I’m making a new one and hiding it until this student makes it to prize box and then I’ll sneakily put it back in. I’m innocent I say!
It’s super simple to make so I’m almost ashamed to call it a Freebie Friday pattern but still…here it is.Ā Continue reading
A sure fire way to get students interested in crochet is to make fun things in front of them. Since I tend to make fun and whimsical things anyway, my maniacal plan works perfectly. Just recently, I was making something for the prize box that many of the students wanted. A student who never expressed an interest in crochet suddenly wanted to learn the craft. Seeing me crochet helpsĀ them to envision themselves making all sorts of things they didn’t think were possible.
The students were all very excited when they saw me making these.
I’m not taking personal requests from the students anymore but I am taking suggestions (they are personal requests that I turn into suggestions) on what to make. So far, I have made an Ā emoji with sunglasses, Ā a YouTube pillow (I had to ask for clarification on that one), and a Pokeball (this was the project that inspired my student). They were all simple to make and worked up fairly quickly. Continue reading
My second attempt at a crochet tooth is more in line with the vision I had for the project. I shall call him Bumpy.
First off, I made sure I had plenty of yarn to finish him. Plenty of yarn! Bumpy was done in a similar way as Prototype but I added an extra stitch to my increases and had some strategic decreases. So instead of two single crochets in one stitch, I had three. To keep the pattern as I did with Prototype, I had to decrease some stitches in the next rounds. This had the added bonus of making the fabric pucker in just the right way. It was looking pretty good. I was falling in love with Bumpy. I added the face, made the chains that divide the head (for making the roots), added some stuffing and then started on the roots. I was still in love with Bumpy. Continue reading
In looking for ideas to make a crochet tooth for my son’s dentist, I looked over the patterns I foundĀ and Ā thought themĀ confusing. I probably could have figured them out if I had invested more time but I was busy (lazy). I watched some videos to seeĀ how others made a tooth. Ā I was inspired but decided to go my own way. I wanted to work in the round but didn’t want the rounded look for the molar. What I ended up doingĀ was clustering my increases together instead of evenly distributing them as you would typically do when crocheting in the round. I was hoping to get four bumps on the top but what came out was a more square top with no bumps.Ā I still like it better than if I had just crocheted in the round in the usual way (even though it still looks pretty round in the picture :-)). Ultimately, my tooth looks a lot like the other teeth out there but I think my pattern is simplerĀ than what I was looking at. One video I saw was pretty easy but I thought it was too easy. I’m satisfied with what I created.
I’m Prototype š
Recently I tackled aĀ Minecraft Villager one of my student’s requested. I thought it was going to be an easy task. My student showed me what it looked like and my initial thought was ‘easy peasy.’
OnceĀ I actually did some research on the character,Ā I found other pictures that showed a little more detail.
He had a large nose. Did I want to embroider a long nose or make a separate piece and sew it on? He obviously has a robe. Should I keep it simple with no robe or try for the robe? Arms crossed (in pictures of the game they seemed crossed) or hanging loose? Continue reading
yochet 