Stepping Down

Well, folks, I’ve decided to step away from the world of pattern making.  It was a tough decision, but I decided that maintaining my little pattern business was taking too much time away from my family.  My patterns will still remain available on Ravelry, but I will no longer be offering any support for them nor will I be making new patterns.  Thank you all for your support and encouragement along the way!

Hooked on Owls – Cup Cozies

More owls!  This time they have landed on some cup cozies.  First, we have a cute little cozy for your to-go cups.  Much better than those ugly little cardboard ones they give you in the café, trust me.  Pair it up with a Starbucks gift card and you’ve got a quick and easy Christmas gift

Next, for those days when you have your coffee at home, a cute little mug cozy.  Pair this up with a nice little mug and fill it full of teas, chocolates or some of those cute little sample packages of coffee beans and you’ve got another quick and easy gift idea!

Even better…add some matching owl fingerless gloves!   Yes, it’s shameless self-promotion, but at least they really are some fun gift ideas =)

These patterns can be purchased as a set for only $.99 through my Ravelry store.

Week 10 – Christmas Gift Ornament

Abbreviations:
Sc: single crochet
Inc: increase
Dec: decrease

Items needed:
Worsted weight yarn in green and red
Size “G” (4.25 mm) crochet hook
Stuffing

Use green yarn, worked in a continuous round
Round 1: Sc 8 into a magic loop
Round 2: *sc, sc 3 into next*, rep 4 times (16)
Round 3: *Sc 3, sc 3 into next,* rep 4 times, sc 1 (24)
Round 4: Sc around, back loop only
Round 5-8: Sc around
Round 9: *Dec, sc* all around (stuff)
Round 10: Dec around
Round 11: Dec around, bind off and weave in ends

Using red yarn, tie a little bow around

YarnCraft Podcast

I have been featured on Lion Brand Yarn’s YarnCraft Podcast!  The podcast talks about Artfire.com and highlights several different ideas of yarn related products to sell online.  It also featured Tony Ford, EVP/COO of Artfire.com who was discussing how easy it is to sell for free on Artfire.com.  If you’d like to listen to the podcast, click here!

Sale!

Yep, that’s right, a sale!  From now through Nov. 10th the following patterns are on sale ONLY through my Ravelry Store:

Crochet Baked Potato $2.00 (normally $3.25)

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Crochet Fries and Shake $2.00 (normally $3.25)
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Crochet Hamburger $2.00 (normally $3.25)

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Lunch Time $2.00 (normally $3.25)

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Week 9 – Christmas Stocking Ornament

Christmas Stocking Ornament

Items needed:
Worsted weight yarn in white and red
Size “G” (4.25 mm) crochet hook

- Worked in a continuous round unless otherwise specified
With white yarn, Sc 6 into a magic loop
Round 1: *Sc 1, inc* 3 times (9)
Round 2: *Sc 2, inc* 3 times (12)
Switch to red yarn
Round 3-7: Sc around
Round 8: Ch 6, skip 6, sc in remaining 6
Round 9: Sc into chain and around (12)
Round 10-14: Sc around
Switch to white yarn,
Round 15: Ch 2 (counts as first dc here and throughout), dc around, slip stitch to join,  (12)
- You will now be joining each round, but will not be turning
Round 16: Ch 2, dc around, slip to join
Round 17: Ch 2, dc around, slip to join, bind off, weave in ends and fold over the white part to make the cuff
Heel:
Round 1: With white yarn, join to heel area and sc 12 around
Round 2: Sc around
Round 3: Dec around (6)
Round 4: Flatten the heel and slip stitch the remaining 6 stitches together to close it up, bind off and weave in ends

Week 8 – Christmas Candy Ornament

Christmas Candy Ornament

Items needed:
Worsted weight yarn in color of choice
Size “G” (4.25 mm) crochet hook

Candy (make 2)
Round 1: ch 2, sc 6 into second from hook (6
Round 2: Inc in each (12)
Round 3: *Sc 1, inc* 6 times (18)
On the first piece, bind off and weave in ends, after the second one, place the two pieces back to back, and begin to sc the edges together
Sc 9, *ch 3 and tc 5 times in same spot, slip stitch 3 down the side*, sc in remaining, repeat from * to

Week 7 – Poinsettia Ornament

Welcome to week 7!  We’re over halfway done, can you believe it?  Don’t forget, the pattern release day has been changed to Tuesday =)

Items needed:
Worsted weight yarn in red, green and yellow
Size “G” (4.25 mm) crochet hook

Round 1: With yellow yarn, ch 2, 5 sc into second ch from hook
Round 2: Inc in each (10)

Petal (switch to red yarn)

Row 1: On front loops only, inc 2, ch 1 and turn
Row 2-4: Sc across, ch 1 and turn
Row 5: Dec across (2), ch 1 and turn
Row 6: Sc across, ch 1 and turn
Row 7: Sc, ch 3, sc
Sc down side of petal and repeat rows 1-7 4 times for a total 5 petals

Leaf (switch to green yarn)
When the final petal is completed, sc into the very first unworked loop from round 2 (you will now be working on the back of the flower)
Row 1: Inc 2, ch 1 and turn
Row 2-6: Sc across, ch 1 and turn
Row 7: Dec across, , ch 1 and turn (2)
Row 8-9: Sc across, ch 1 and turn
Row 10: Sc, ch 3, sc
Sc down side and repeat rows 1-10 once more, bind off and weave in ends

Changing

Guess what?  It’s Monday and I don’t have my pattern ready to post!  I know, I know, I’m a slacker.  This is why I’ve decided to change the day to Tuesday.  So, starting tomorrow the 12 Weeks  of Christmas pattern will be posted on Tuesdays.   That way I won’t have to be a slacker every week!  See you all tomorrow!

Looms, Looms, and More Looms!

I’ve attempted to teach my (almost) 10 year old daughter to crochet and/or knit.  It hasn’t worked, so I’ve given up.  The other day she was complaining about Christmas.  See, we’ve told her that this year we’re going to do all handmade gifts for the two of them (previously we’d done a mix of handmade and store bought).  She didn’t like this much, so she’s been trying to convince me that there are so many reasons why it would be better to buy stuff rather than make it.  Now, don’t get me wrong, she loves it when I make her stuff, she just wants all the other stuff too.  So, I’ve been trying to figure out a way to teach her the value of not only receiving, but giving handmade gifts.  My solution?  The Knifty Knitter.

She loves this thing.  It’s simple enough for her to do quickly without getting frustrated and items work up really quickly.  So she’s making a hat for her friend, complete with fancy glow-in-the-dark beads.  Now, I’m loving these things too.  It’s so easy and mindless!  I knit a hat the other night while watching a movie and now I’m working on some slippers.  It’s rather strange, I’ve never liked knitting, mainly because it takes so much longer than crochet.  Well, for me at least =)   There are so many awesome knitting patterns out there, and now I might actually be able to do some of them!  And guess what?  They have looms for making socks.  Yep, socks.  I  have a strange desire to knit socks.  And a doily or two, but that’s not the point.  I have probably about 4 or 5 unfinished socks…all in different yarns and patterns.  They bore me so I never finish them.  The biggest problem is that I have to actually pay attention to what I’m doing while knitting, and when I crochet, I don’t.  So, I splurged yesterday and bought a sock loom.   It looks so cool!  It’s completely adjustable so I can make baby socks or I can make socks for my big old feet.  Pretty cool, eh?  Don’t worry, though, I’ll still be crocheting and making patterns =)