Freebie Friday – Habitat Cardigan

Habitat Cardigan

That yarn (Red Heart Unforgettable in Tealberry) for the first cami kept calling to me. It’s so pretty, and now that I purchased more to finish the cami, I had extra. I had one full skein and one slightly used skein. I racked my brains about what I could make with it that I would actually wear, when I found a pattern for a nice looking cardigan. It’s the Habitat Cardigan and it looks easy to make. The site has a video and links to the printed pattern. Bonus!

Not my photos. I got them from her site.

My yarn isn’t the one called for so I’m hoping it works, but so far, I like how it looks.

This stitch reminds me of scales and waves. I might use it for another mermaid costume.

I knew I didn’t have enough yarn to finish this project so I hunted down a coupon that was 50% off one item and it was only good for one day! I figured out I needed 8 more skeins. I know, I know, I shouldn’t have started the cardigan with just one full and one partial skein of yarn. I realize it’s a dangerous thing to do. What if Michael’s runs out or the yarn gets discontinued? To add insult to injury, hubby loved how the pattern for my cardigan was working out. At the stage it was in, he said it looked like the kind of scarf he wanted. He said the colors were perfect. Ok, so now I needed enough yarn to make him a

Update on New Crochet Cami

New Crochet Cami

After finishing my Yarnspirations cami (and giving it away), I made a new one for myself using a skein of yarn given to me by my sis-in-law many moons ago. Luckily, there was plenty of yarn to finish the cami.

Loving these colors!

I only had the one skein (again) and I was guessing it was enough, as usual. But there was no need to panic, there was lots left over. That’s good because there was NO WAY I could have found more of this yarn. But all’s well that ends well. 🙂

Crochet Emoji Hand Puppet

I’m a sucker, I know. Wasn’t I the one who said I wouldn’t take anymore special requests from the kids? I would make crochet prizes and the kids could either pick what was available or not, but no more special request. Yeah, well…we all knew that wasn’t going to happen. I had made a crochet LOL emoji hand puppet for the Ultimate Prize-box and a student wanted it, but he said it looked like a girl.

Who you calling a girl?

Ok, I’m a girl.

He hinted he sure wished he could have an emoji puppet but with a red shirt instead, so it could be a boy. I didn’t want to work on the Charizard project I had going on anyway, so I agreed to make it for him.

Naturally, and in that case, he wanted a money emoji puppet instead, with shorts. Ok, ok, that would be fine. Blue shorts, with shoes. Uh huh. And with hair. Wait, what? It’s an emoji. Do they have hair? Or better yet, a green mohawk! Now I’ve heard everything.  🙂

Crochet Charizard

I’ve  been pretty crochet lazy around the house. I haven’t crocheted much of anything at home, but I’ve made a few things at work for the kids. Before Christmas, a student wanted me to make a Charizard for him. He had made it to our Ultimate prize-box and I told him I would try but that there was no guaranteed time frame. He ended up picking something else and I thought the need to make the toy had passed.

However, his little brother, who is an adorable little transitional Kinder, kept asking (pestering) me to still make it. I told him I’d try. Eventually, he wore me down, so I pulled out some orange and yellow yarn. I had it in my work bag but I didn’t start right away, even though he asked me about it every time I turned around. I told him I was thinking about how to start and that I needed time. Yep, I was bargaining with a four-year-old about needing more think time.

Did I want to make an applique, a simple amigurumi, or something a little more complicated? How did I want to actually go about making it? I ditched the applique idea. I looked at many pictures and finally gave it a go… and hated the results. I had the head done and half the body when I decided to frog it back. My little kinder was on me again about where it went. I explained I was going to try again. He sure is tenacious for a four year old. I’m always surprised that he is so focused on my crochet. It probably didn’t help that he thought Charizard was for him, even though I kept telling him it was for the prize-box.

I took more time to rethink my strategy and started again. I finished the head and was happier with it.

GRRRR

I took a new direction with the body as well. My first attempt was working it in the round and this second time around, I worked it in panels. Then I put it down for a long time. I wasn’t sure I was happy with this new direction.

Languishing away!

I left it in this state for a loooong time. The kids, and especially the kinder who started it all, were super excited about it. I was worried it didn’t look like a Charizard but they seemed to recognize it. I was close to ripping it back again but left it alone instead. I worked on other things while I waited for inspiration.

Duly inspired,  I got this far.

Don’t frog me back! I look like Charizard!

Then I dumped him again. Another student made it to Ultimate prize-box and he wanted an emoji puppet. I should have made him wait but I didn’t need much of an excuse to put the Charizard down again. A parent that probably doesn’t know I crochet saw this guy sticking out of my bag and exclaimed, “Is that Charizard?!” I was super happy he was recognized without any introduction so I guess he’s coming out fine.

I’m still finishing up the puppet but once I’m done, there will be no more deviations. This guy is going to get finished!

Off to the Renaissance Faire!

A mere hour before I was set to leave for the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Irwindale, I was tenacious in my determination to finish a few more pieces for my outfit. I know, craziness, but it was absolutely going to happen. It should have happened before but life sometimes gets in the way. Plus, I wasn’t inspired like was I was that hour before we were supposed to leave, honest.

I wanted to have a true mermaid necklace, and I already had a table full of shells and beads strewn about so I knew it wouldn’t take me long to quickly piece something together. I already had the shell picked out, namely because it was one of the few that already had holes in it, but it was pretty too and would look perfect as a mermaid necklace.

All I had to do was string some beads. Plenty of time!

Look at all that mermaidiness!

The next priority was a mermaid purse. I obviously couldn’t make one from scratch and I had planned to throw my stuff in my hubby’s bag, but when I woke up in the morning, I had a stroke of genius (or insanity). I remembered my first attempt at a Bavarian square that wasn’t much of a square. I’d had no idea what I was going to do with it but now I knew! The colors were even close, not exact, but close enough. I sewed up the sides and added a handle and voila!

Just big enough for my phone, my comb and some makeup. The rest still went into hubby’s bag. 🙂

I finished it all off before hubby woke up. Score!

And then it was off to the Faire.

I always love going to Ren Faire. There are so many things to look at from the wonderful outfits, the booths, and the fun performances. I’ll post about our trip soon. 🙂

Denial: Crochet Mermaid Crown for the Renaissance Faire

It’s Renaissance Faire time! We are going this Sunday and I want a mermaid crown. I’ve been seriously considering my outfit options. I usually sew (I use the term sew loosely) or crochet something new. I start off in denial about how much time I have to make something as I almost always wait till the last second to actually start. But this year, I think I just want to wear something I already own. You see? No one is in denial here. Considering I only have three days before we’re going, I think I’m making a pretty smart decision here.

I decided my mermaid outfit can once again appear at the fair. However, I never really liked the head-dressing I originally made for it. Sooooo, that means I need to make a new crown/headband/tiara thing to complement the outfit. I see all the head shaking already. It’s only three days! But I can do it! Seriously, I’m not in denial.

I moseyed on over to my friend, the internet, and did a little search on crochet mermaid crowns. I’ve been drooling over photos on Etsy for a bit. Mainly, I was looking for inspiration. I was hoping lightning would strike me with some amazing (easy) idea on how to make one. I wasn’t finding anything at first, but then, I found a really pretty one that I thought I could emulate.

This mermaid crown is gorgeous!

Purple Crochet Dolls

via Daily Prompt: Purple

Purple! My favorite color is purple so it’s no surprise that I gravitate towards purply yarns. My other love is dolls, so naturally, they end up having a lot (A LOT) of purple on them somewhere. There are two dolls in particular that I think of when I think ‘purple’.

We are so purple!

But while fishing these out for a photo, I found some more! See, I really do love purple!

We’re purple too!

Purple reigns!

Freebie Friday – Tiny Crochet Doll

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.

Freebie Friday -Unique Egg Apron

Ok, so not everyone needs an egg apron (admittedly I don’t either) but kudos for originality! I saw this on Pinterest and had to share. Maybe it’s just me but I’ve never seen anything like it. So maybe I don’t need it to collect eggs but an apron with pockets like that does open up other possible uses. I kept looking at it, loving it, and automatically trying to think up other uses for it. I couldn’t think of anything concrete but the possibilities of possibilities was infinite! Hmm…maybe I could adapt the pattern to have bigger pockets to hold yarn and other yarny supplies. That way,  I could walk while I crochet. I can’t even think straight to other possible uses but I know there ARE other uses. Surely, others will have ideas of their own. I have to go give this some more thought. All I know is that I love it!