Crochet Caboose Train

This was the last pattern I attempted from the June 2010 Crochet World Train Patterns for babies.

The Caboose and the Engine were the two most difficult to create without the foam to hold the form. However, I did like the both when they were done. They really are going to be great baby toys. I think they will be a great introduction to trains for the little boy they will be headed to this December.



I again changed the brown to black in this pattern and chose a generic brand of red to create the caboose. I reduced the end windows, even following the gauge they did not fit.

I already have made pattern notes for this project and will likely take another shot at it. It is amazing how much you can learn just going through a pattern about how to do better the next time. Each time through teaches you new things you just did not see the time before. In this case it will be even more important as I took out a main component of the pattern, the foam blocks that not only form the support for the crochet, but around which the patterns were written.


If you arrived here seeking free train patterns check out the Free Toy Patterns

See the Other Train Pictures:

Engine

Box Car

Coal Car

Crochet Train Set


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Patriotic Baby Blocks

As I mentioned in an early post about my Granny Square Ball I have wanted to make Granny Square Baby Blocks for a while. I just needed to work on getting my squares more square and my joining techniques. My blocks would benefit from "blocking" techniques prior to joining so the blocks would be flatter, but patience is not a virtue I possess when I want to see how things go together. The next batch I make I will force myself to take the time to block prior to joining. I think they will benefit from the effort. However, I am pleased that these are not balls, but squares this time and they even stack which is progress.



They will achieve the goal of providing soft fun toys.

I used an out of print pattern for the basic block, Chrocheted Favorites of Rita Weiss American School of Needlework, No. 19. However, I suspect any basic granny pattern would do the trick. This book provided three sizes, changing the size of the granny, changes the size of the resulting blocks. The turning point for moving from balls to squares was the directions I read in several different postings about the importance of sewing inner loops ONLY together. I had missed this in my previous attempts. The difference is dramatic.

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Granny Square Baby Ball

I wanted to experiment with granny squares and I need baby toys for Christmas. I started with the goal of making blocks. My first attempt created a toy ball. I am still working out the kinks to get square corners, but I really liked the festive colors and a ball is a customary toy for kids.

What I want to do is make a series of different colored blocks that would work for various holidays to add to the child’s supply. For instance, I am working on some squares now with fall colors and will experiment with a different method of getting them joined to maintain a square. I was thinking perhaps some Halloween and eventually Christmas colors again would make for some fun toys and decorations.

For my first step into the world of grannies I was not too disappointed.

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Carrot Rattle

With a new baby nephew I needed something to put in his Easter basket. I combined two bib patterns from the Daily Crochet Calendar and free Duck Bib pattern found in the free Easter Links to make one of the items I needed. I wanted something else. When I looked at the carrot rattle it just seemed cute and fun to make. This free pattern link can also be located in the crochet section of the Easter Links on this blog.

Oddly the most challenging problem was finding carrot colored yarn right after Christmas. The shade I used was not the ideal color I wanted, however, orange was not a popular post Christmas color in the stores I shopped at when I was ready to make this item. As many of us know, sometimes you use what you can find. The pattern was easy to follow and the directions were clear. The pattern did not include directions for creating a “rattle” noise, so I followed directions I had from other books about making child safe crochet rattles.






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