Birthdays Bring Crochet

My DH knows I love to crochet and always asks for a wish list to shop from for my birthday and other special occasions.

I am so thrilled to have new projects to work on:

For my 18" Doll projects:

Bobby Socks and Polka Dots

I had the Crochet Calendar version of the Bobby Socks, but the printed version is easier to read and I love the Skirt pattern.

Anastasia’s Ready for Spring

This one's been on my wish list for a while. It is a beautiful outfit.

Summer Styles for 18” Dolls

I have been afraid Annie's would retire this one before I got to it. I love the summer designs.

Barnyard Set

Mom and I are working on a farm yard set for a little one for Christmas so this is a great addition

Gnomes

I've been collecting garden gnomes for years, now I can make a crocheted family

Pilgrim Lovie Blanket
I'm looking forward to making a couple of these for the holidays

Halloween Cupcakes

These of course are for my Halloween box

I have several projects to post, but I keep getting behind with other things. Hopefully I'll find a better way to manage it all.

More Birthday Patterns

My Mom and my husband's Aunt were kind enough to give me money for my birthday this year. When possible DH and I have treated birthday money as our "mad money" free to spend it or save it for some future treat. Since I have been on a pattern binge, I decided to pull off a few more patterns on my wish list. I decided to divide my list into pre and post Christmas items. There are items I want to make before Christmas and those that will make great presents for after Christmas. As I keep finding new patterns, the list keeps growing and it is hard to choose.

Shortly after I gave my husband my wish list, I got notice that Planet June had published her third set of dino's. So the first item on my list was of course Dinosaur Set 3. This is the dino set I have seen with an ankylosaurus. It is on my Christmas project list.

The next item to make my list was a set of super heroes. This has a broad appeal across my gift list. This Set of 3 Hero has patterns for Superman, Spiderman, and Batman. I am looking forward to getting started on these.

The Pirates were actually on my birthday list and did not make the cut, so they were clearly going to make the list when I found I had extra money to spend. I love Craft Deb's items and cannot wait to get started on these.

Now I had to look more carefully at the money I had left and figure out which patterns would fit in to the money I had left.

Christmas Crochet Pattern Collection is a series of crochet Christmas characters and fits into my idea of making crochet Little People substitutes. Since they are Christmas characters having them before would make them more useful. Thus, they made the cut as well.

Last on the list was the Gnome Home. I love the idea of a crochet toy village for kids. The gnomes in this village seem to fit the Waldorf concept of creating play that is more imaginative. I am continuing to look for more village pieces and am considering changing the colors to try to make a Christmas themed child friendly village.

I am very grateful to Mom and my Aunt for letting me have these wonderful patterns to make items for family and friends. I am working on increasing my donations so this gives me more options to make toys as well.

Birthday Gift Card Presents

My MIL gave me a Michael's gift card for my birthday. I have a fairly good yarn stash at the moment so I decided to look at their book section. I picked up Simply Amigurumi: 10 Crochet Projects and 99 Granny Squares to Crochet (Leisure Arts #3078).

I have looked at the granny square book online and in person several times. It is always just off my top list of books to buy. However, with a limited selection at Michaels, I finally had a great excuse to buy it. I love the patterns and look forward to playing with them.

Simply Amigurumi was another book I had considered buying, but there were always other books ahead on my list. I love the food patterns in this book. I already have completed the hamburger and will be blogging about that this week. The animals are cute, but I would probably not have purchased it for the animals alone.

The unexpected benefit of buying this book was the directions. I have tried to master the magic circle for ages. I have looked at online videos, read several directions, and even had an instructor try to explain it at an amigurumi class I took at the local library. I would "sort" of get it, but not be able to replicate the circle again. When I saw the magic circle in this book, I figured I would substitute my alternate method for starting a circle. However as I looked at the pictures, something clicked and I decided to try it. I still cannot make one without looking at the picture. However, I am making Candy Corn Man from Crochet Village's Halloween Ghoulies using magic circles. I have to look at the book to do it, but eventually I think I will be able to memorize the process.

I still have a little money left on my card for some yarn or notions. Gift cards make for shopping fun.

Birthday Presents

We celebrated my birthday over the weekend. Since I have started crocheting my birthday lists I give to my husband have gotten more centralized, patterns, mostly e-patterns that I don't want to download myself. While he always finds ways to surprise me, he also likes a list. On birthdays, holidays, etc. he asks me for the list and then picks items off it to give me.

My birthday had a spectacular haul of wonderful patterns this year. I cannot wait to get started making them. I am sure my posts will include updates as I get them made.

If you read my blog, you will know my tastes run mostly to toys so you should not be surprised with the patterns I received.

From Planet June:

Dinosaur Set 1

Dinosaur Set 2

While I have purchased June's The Complete Idiot's Guide to Amigurumi these will be the first of her patterns I have received or purchased. I have a few younger relatives going through the dinosaur phase and currently only have Gourmet Crochet's Amigurumi Dinosaur patterns.

From Wolf Dreamer:

Dino Buddies

There is a theme here. I have been making the same dino patterns repeatedly and really wanted to see some other styles. I have followed Wolf Dreamer's blog and used some of her free patterns. This set has been on my list for a while. I am excited to try them.

From Crochet Village

Halloween Ghoulies

If you follow this blog, you know I make holiday packages to send out to the younger members of this family. I am currently working on the Halloween one. I saw this pattern and while I have some cute Frankenstein patterns, I really wanted to see this Mummy pattern. This is on my top list to start. My husband hit a free BOGO promotion when he was shopping so he got me a pattern that was not on my list but that I love because it gives me some new patterns for my Easter packages.

Eggheads

I love the hats on these. While they will be adorable for my Easter creations I can also see them having applications for Barbie and my other ami's.

Tobogganing Snowmen

I came across this pattern while searching on Etsy one day for holiday patterns. The author does not use a name but a handle bvoe688. Both sides of our family love snowmen so this pattern was necessary. My husband has already requested one for his office. After I finish the Halloween patterns, I will have to get to work on this pattern.

Crafty Deb:

Snap the Dragon

I have wanted to make a dragon for a while. This pattern looked like a good starting point. I have tried some of the free patterns and have not been happy with my outcomes. I suspect it has more to do with my talent then the patterns. This one looked like something I could manage and kid friendly when it was finished which was my goal.

Previous experience with Deb's patterns has made me feel that I can tackle this one.

The last pattern on my very generous birthday pile was from Lucy Ravenscar. I received her Star Wars patterns for Christmas and now that I have a young relative that loves the series, I am starting to work through them. However, her Witch/Wizard caught my eye not just for my Halloween project, but because it teaches one how to change the hair/clothing styles on the projects to create more toys. I usually end up working through this myself, so having some suggestions and new techniques is a welcome idea. I am looking for new little people to include in my packages. These may work.

Now I just need to get to work.

Birthday Goodies

My focus has been on buying vintage and out of print patterns. I have borrowed current books from the library, but kept putting off buying them because they are current and still in print. The vintage patterns are generally only available for a limited time.

My husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I realized this was a chance to actually get some of those books I had put of buying while I have been acquiring the old stuff. Yesterday he did not just buy a few off my list, but emptied my current list for my birthday.

I added several new titles to my collection.

Easy Crochet Critters (Leisure Arts #75266)

I have wanted to make the lion and the hippo in this collection forever. I have been tempted so many times to pick this up in one of my many trips to the craft store. However, I could never justify buying it when I was there making other purchases.

Crobots: 20 Amigurumi Robots to Make


I have taken this book out of the library several times. I love the robot patterns and have wanted to explore the patterns. Just as I have been ready to dive in, its been time to return the book. So when the time came to make a list, this book had to be on it.

A Zoo For You (Leisure Arts #5152)

This was another one of those books I have looked at several times and put back. It is not terribly expensive, but when I have been buying other things I just could not justify buying it. I love the polar bear. I am both anticipating and dreading the challenge of the zebra. I am not as crazy about the lion, but want to try the tiger and the giraffe.


Crochet for Bears to Wear: More Than 20 Perfect Projects for Your Favorite Teddies and Friends

I was reading every preview available for this before it came out. I have visited it every time we have been to the bookstore. I do not think my husband had any doubt this would appear on the list. What I really liked was the directions for adapting the patterns to fit different bears. I have been a bear collector since I was a child, so I have no doubt some of my bears will be sporting new outfits.


I also took the chance to build my travel bag. I have always had trouble just sitting without something to keep my hands busy. In years past, it has been needlepoint or embroidery projects. Now it is mostly crochet projects. I generally take a small project with limited directions, usually a dishcloth or a simple amigurumi. Recently I worked on a ghost ami at the July 4th parade. I worked on a ghost dishcloth at a college graduation. The problem is I have to pack the basic items each time I go and I often forget to unpack all the smaller items when I come home and find myself searching for a hook or a counter. So my husband kindly bought me extra g hooks and counters to add to my bag that can stay there. Most of my travel projects are g hook projects so this works perfectly.

Picture Credit: Aine D Flickr.com

Plastic Canvas Toy Patterns

Plastic Canvas toys make wonderful gifts for children. I came across patterns while searching for other items and decided to find more. I will continue to research and please feel free to leave comments with more.

Toys:

Baby Block Jingle Toys

Free Patterns

Kissin' Frog

Kissin' Lion

Krafty Kris' Frog Kisses

Nana's Baby Blocks Detailed Pictures

Race Car

Slavic Nesting Dolls Scroll Down

Tetris Magnets Tutorial

Train

Transportation Magnets

USA Magnets

Charts with Popular Children's Themes:

Bob the Builder

Blue's Clue's

Clifford Couple of Patterns Scroll Down

Curious George Scroll Down

Dora Several Patterns

Elmo Scroll Down

Harry Potter

My Little Pony

Scooby Doo

Picture Credit: Squirrel Cottage's flickr.com