crochet

So, I’ve been taking a summer knitting class and lovin it!  I’m saving the project for a seperate post since I don’t have a lot to show for it yet.  In the meantime, I’ve also started a long-term crochet project because having one project at a time just isn’t enough!

A couple of weeks ago Michaels was having a big yarn sale so I stocked up on my favorite Sugar n’ Cream brand cotton.  4 skeins for 5 bucks!  NICE.

I was inspired by Sarah London’s blog.  She always used bright, fun colors and works with granny squares a lot.  I’ve made several granny square projects (here, here and here) and even with the bright colors I still think they look um…well…granny? I’m just not feelin the granny love!  The thing I do like about granny squares is that you can make them in batches and sew them all together which makes them very portable.

So, I decided to give this hexagon tutorial a try.  It’s basically a granny square only the shape is different.  I like it, I mean “I like it a lot!” (in the voice of Jim Carry from Ace Ventura). Wow, was that movie really 16 years ago, seriously? 

Anyway, here’s my first stab at it:

I can easily make a few of these in one night. Instant gratification! There are some great examples on Flickr right now.  Here are just a few of my favorites:

African flowers bag

Hexagon Pillow 

Baby Blanket

Back in April, I put this cute little elephant project on my to-do list.  I thought it would be a good way to get back into crafting now that Jr. is on a regular schedule.  Even though it worked up really fast, I had all the completed parts just sitting around waiting to be sewn together.  So, over the 4th of July holiday weekend I sat down with my yarn needle and got to work.  Here is the final result.

I added some Amy Bulter fabric to the eyes for a pop of color.  But overall, the pattern could use a little work.  I think both the body and the legs could be a bit longer.  The way it is right now it looks like a giant elephant head on four little stumps.  Even so, he still looks kinda cute.  Not sure what I should name him but I’m open to suggestions.

What are your favorite summer craft projects so far?

One of the many projects I made while preggers is now paying off.  Some others never really worked out like the knitted pullover.  Note to self:  When making baby gifts be sure to make something like a blanket or in this case a toy where sizing isn’t an issue.   

I made this out of cotton as I assumed the first place this would go, once Jr. could grab things, is in his mouth.  Sure enough, one second after this was taken, he was sucking on the frogs leg.  Ha, how European of him!

Also, the texture of the crochet stitch seems to sooth his gums since he’s also teething. Next up: This little creature!

Lion Brand Elephant pattern found here

Wow, have the days since Thanksgiving just flown by!  Jr should be here any time and until then I’ve been craftin-it-up with some easy projects that can be completed in just a few hours for obvious reasons.

First up are these adorable crocheted loafers.  The pattern is by Hook Candy.  They work up really fast and make a great holiday gift for any new mom or mom-to-be.  The yarn I used is Red Heart’s new Eco-ways and the little buttons are genunie leather for an added dapper look!

For my niece, I whipped up this cute little reversible apron to go with some Easy Bake Oven accessories I purchased for her this Christmas. The fabric is part of the Wild Thyme fabric line by Carolyn Gavin.  Since my niece is only 8 I’m pretty sure she’s not reading this (I hope) so I thought I would share a pic before it gets wrapped.  The classic apron pattern is free and can be found here.  I made the child’s size but there’s also measurements for an adult size.  It was another quick and easy project.  The “B” monogram was made with felt and hand-stitched to the front before sewing.

My current and probably final craft project for a while is this knitted basketweave blanket.  Also a free pattern found on Lionbrand.com its being made with Vanna’s Choice in Silver Blue and Linen.  I chose to alternate the colors to make it a little more interesting. It’s only 18 by 24 and will make for a nice small car seat blanket.  Which given the impending winter will come in handy.

What are some of your favorite quick and easy craft projects this holiday season?

A while back Beth and I decided to do a trade after I fell in love with one of her necklaces that was on display at the Strange Folk Festival last month.

The necklace perfectly matches these earrings that are also from her collection.  So, when I asked Beth what she would like in return she suggested a crochet bobble pouch much like the one I made for her sister Holly last year.

Finished size 9 by 5 in

It’s based on a pattern from the One Skein book by Leigh Radford but I made this version wider and a little shorter so it looked more like a clutch. I also added a patchwork lining with some Swell fabric I had in my stash. I thought the fabric went well with the grass green yarn from Knitpicks.com.   Their cotton worsted weight yarn named Shine is by far my favorite to work with.

I hope that Beth enjoys this as much as I enjoyed making it.  The textile of the bobble or popcorn stitch really makes this a sturdy and unique looking piece.

Amigurumi is what first got me interested in crochet a couple of years ago but its been ages since I made a crocheted little critter.  Since I had plenty of time to kill on the drive to and from Chicago, I was able to work on this little guy. 

It’s the perfect project for a road trip because it requires so few supplies.  The most time consuming aspect is sewing all the parts together and even that doesn’t take long.

If you’re interested in learning more about amigurumi the creator of this pattern has a blog and shares some free patterns. I found that starting with the simple snail project was a fun way to get introduced to this style of crochet. 

Other great amigurumi resources include:

Ana Paula’s Amigurumi Patterns & Random Cuteness

Gormet Amigurumi

Bittersweet (Crochet & Kitting patterns)

Wow…where has the time gone.  It’s been a while but we’ve finally been able to share big news with friends and family that a baby Buscher is on the way. YAY! 24 more weeks to go.

Once I learning the news of Baby B my first reaction after realizing I need to stop binge drinking and chain smoking (only kidding) was what can I make for this little girl or guy to be.  We wouldn’t know the sex of the baby for a few weeks so I started with a sweater since I’d made one before for a friend’s baby shower.

It’s funny how you don’t realize something until it’s right in front of you and that happened for me the other night.  I’ve been working on this little number.  I like the yarn and the tight weave of the pattern makes for a nice, chunky effect.  I thought the color combination is pretty neutral and could work for a boy or a girl.

Magi Knit yarn by James C. Brett

Once we started moving a few things around in the kitchen to accomodate some new appliances (let the nesting begin) I noticed something about our kitchen rug that I hadn’t noticed before…

OMG…the colors of the rug and the yarn are almost identical!  It’s one thing to have a matching scarf and gloves but how often does someone say their kid matched the kitchen rug.  Hum…I may have to rethink this one or get a new rug.

Anyway, since the word is out, it’s so great to finally be able to talk about it. So, for any of you that follow mommy blogs or mommy-to-be blogs if there are a few that I should add to my Google Reader, I’m love to hear about them.

I’m sure you’re wondering (Dad)…what’s the point of gloves with no fingers?  Well, other than being popular right now, they’re ideal for anyone who sends a crazy amount of text messages.

I made these for Elizabeth as I knew she would love them and they also match a scarf I made for her last winter.  The pattern found here works up super fast!  They took just 2 evenings while watching tv.  I made them a little larger than the pattern and added a single crochet row to the top and bottom to give them a more finished look.  Also, to tell the left from right, I embroidered an “L” and  “R” on the inside.  Probably not necessary but just a nice little detail.

I have plenty of the Autumn red yarn left over so the first person to comment will get their very own pair!

• Impact Pt II on dvd

Last winter, I found this pattern for a crocheted beer can hat.  My husband wanted me to make two styles as a gag gift for a family Christmas gift exchange. Granted, we weren’t anticipating minors being part of the gift giving fun so I ended up getting one back.  It was the “rob your neighbor” kind of festivity.  Anywho, the first attempt came out looking more like a train conductor’s hat than a baseball hat! So for this second attempt I took 1 inch off the height and flipped the label so it reads horizontally rather than vertically.  It looks much more like a baseball hat.  Granted, it still screams “hooiser” (urban dictionary definition No. 2) but that was clearly the goal of this project!

Lately, I feel like I’ve been in a crazy crafting frenzy…seriously I can’t stop making stuff!  Back in January I bought Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts!: Lacy Crochet.  As a Visual Designer, I truely appreciate the simple style in which this book is designed and the patterns are so user-friendly.

It’s been months since I picked up my crochet hooks but once I purchased this little number…it was GAME ON!

I made this for Colleen and it worked perfectly for her iPhone.  The pattern is a little big for a regular size cell phone so the pattern will need to be adjusted.  I have already received additional requests (thanks Mom!). Till next time!