Reader's Shawl

In the fall I decided for the first time to make something wearable for myself. I had looked at several reader's wraps and settled on one I found at Annie's called the Quick & Easy Cozy Crocheted Wrap. Quick fit my attention span and easy worked for my talent with wearables. I finished my shawl right after Christmas.

I thought I had enough Hobby Lobby yarn on hand, but found I had to reorder as one of the skeins was not the same color as the others despite the labels claims. I made mine slightly longer than the pattern called for, I wanted the pockets to fit comfortably. I find they are big enough they will even hold a skein of yarn while I'm crocheting.

I'm planning on experimenting with more wraps, but this has become my comfortable around the house warmer. I've never been a fan of sweaters, but this adds just the warmth I need on these cold days and when I'm too warm it shrugs right off.

AC Moore Rewards

My AC Moore $10 off rewards coupon arrived in the mail yesterday. All that swap shopping had rewards. I encourage people to sign up for the various store's reward programs, mailing lists, and email lists. I have benefited greatly from the coupons and special offers. If you buy craft materials, keeping it affordable means knowing about the sales and the deals.

Don't forget if you have not entered the Fashion Doll Leaflet Giveaway for a Leisure Arts crochet leaflet you can enter here.

I finished another dino for the donation project. I should have a picture to post soon. I put a T-Rex on the hook last night from a pattern I have not used yet. I am hoping to have this finished today, as I need to drop these off tomorrow.

I also realized that I started my afghans out of order. The Kitty blanket is going to be delivered Christmas Eve. The other one I need to make has to be shipped. Therefore, I began working on that one yesterday, too. I also read of a new technique to work with the yarn on the Kitty one so I may want to experiment with that to make the back of the Kitty blanket neater when it is finished. I am making the Sunset Throw from the August 2011 Crochet World magazine using Red Heart Super Saver Melonberry. It is an interesting look and I love the colors. It is working up quickly.

Work in Progress Friday

I have photographs to take and projects to finish so I decided today would be a good day to focus on what I am in the middle of instead of rushing to put something on the page.

After watching the success others have had with Rafflecopter I have joined and am planning on adding giveaways of out of print pattern leaflets and magazines that I find in my travels. I know I am not the only collector out there and recently picked up some while pattern shopping for myself to use for this purpose. Look for September's giveaway directions to be posted soon.

I am working on pieces for a Color Swap at Crochetville that I cannot post until the swap is over. I have been working out of my comfort zone trying new stitches and in one case working my way through a different kind of project. I have frogged it twice already so I am not certain of its outcome.

The Kitty afghan is my favorite piece right now. I love the way the colors blend. With a yarn sale last week, I now have enough yarn to finish the final afghan I have on my Christmas list. If I finish that one, I do have one in mind for my Mom. However, that could easily become a Mother's Day or birthday present if I do not make the Christmas deadline.

I have to get serious about dinos this weekend if that one dino is not to be an orphan. If I can finish the piece I keep frogging for my swap partner, it would free up more time to finish the dinos.

This weekend I also have to dig the Halloween stuff out of the closet that needs to be mailed so I get the Halloween box prepared. I have books and some items I got at the post Halloween sales last year that need to be added to my Halloween crochet projects. The stuff should arrive at the end of the month giving the kid a good start to the Halloween season.

Fall is Moving Fast

I truly cannot believe Halloween is over. It seems like I have been working on Halloween projects forever and poof the night flew by so quickly. Of course, I was working on projects at the time, but still it seemed so fast. I have so many new Halloween projects to start after the Easter projects are finished.

While one of our Shelties, Bailey, loves the excitement, our newest, Katy is terrified by all these people coming to the house and retreated to her crate for comfort until the invasion was over.

I should have some new project pictures up this week. I have a few loom projects completed for the American Girl Doll. I also have a new crochet American girl project I finished to put up on the blog this week. I am excited about the Loom items. I am terrible with knitting needles in my hands, but it was so exciting to see hats and now a scarf come off the loom for my Christmas box of gifts going off with a Springfield doll this Christmas. One of my early hats was too small but it inspired me to work on a new Hello Kitty winter ami so hopefully that will be around soon as well.

I am looking forward to writing about the crochet project as it is one I think I will be making a few copies of to share. I have been busy with online shopping as well. Annie's Attic and JoAnn's have both had been having sales lately. I got my Loom supplies through JoAnn's and many new patterns to try out from Annie's. This morning I ordered more Caron by the Pound yarn from JoAnn's. I have trouble getting much in the way of color selection to purchase locally. Therefore, I decided just to order a selection of colors while it was on sale online. When it goes on sale locally by the time I get to the sale what few colors they do normally carry are usually already gone. I only recently started using it, but it is softer than the Red Heart and with the number of ami's I make, the larger portions are handy.

Pictures may not be used without written permission

If you arrived here looking for free toy patterns please see the following pages:

Crochet and Knit Puppets

Crochet Amigurumi Animals and Stuffed Animal Free Patterns

Knit Amigurumi and Stuffed Toys

Crochet and Knit Amigurumi and Other Dolls

Knit and Crochet Toys

Dinosaurs and Dragons

Hello Kitty

Teddy Bear Patterns and Clothes

Knit and Crochet Food Patterns Great for Play Food

Friday's Crochet Round Up

I cannot believe how fast this fall season is moving. Monday we will be off to King Richard's Faire for our annual visit. That is always the mark for me that the Fall Season is moving towards the holiday rush. I hope to get our Halloween decorations out of the attic this weekend so we can enjoy them.

Trading off on my crochet projects is proving to work out as I planned. I finished the second farm horse I needed yesterday and began work on the triceratops. He needs legs, horns, and a tail. Then he too can join the finished pile. If I can get photographs taken before Monday, I can pass them on to my Aunt for their eventual trip to New Hampshire. Once I have pictures I can start posting them again.

Once the triceratops is completed, I need to finish the goose and the cow for the farm and have several more dinosaurs to finish the set.

I am thinking about experimenting with the Halloween characters to make some Pilgrims for Thanksgiving. As I mentioned in my previous post my first attempts were not successful. However, I was pondering how to combine the patterns to create little Pilgrims that would be a good size and something I have had success creating. The real issue will be creating the clothing as the Halloween characters had very simple outfits. However, half the fun is experimenting. If I have success, you can expect to see the results here.

If you arrived here looking for free toy patterns please see the following pages:

Crochet and Knit Puppets

Crochet Amigurumi Animals and Stuffed Animal Free Patterns

Knit Amigurumi and Stuffed Toys

Crochet and Knit Amigurumi and Other Dolls

Knit and Crochet Toys

Dinosaurs and Dragons

Hello Kitty

Teddy Bear Patterns and Clothes

Knit and Crochet Food Patterns Great for Play Food


Pictures may not be used without permission.

Projects Moving Along

I started the Barn Silo free pattern from Bizzy Crochet and it is almost done. This is going to be a cute addition to the barn bag pictured above. I found after completing the castle that the trick in doing these bags is working the projects in stages and adapting the pieces to my purposes. I am going to use the plastic canvas siding that was in the castle to prop up the farm bag as I think it could use the additional support. I do not see it listed on the pattern, but it seems like a good choice.

I just packed up the two packages that have to be mailed for Halloween and those are off to the post office today. I was happy, but the piano looks sadly empty without all the Halloween creatures covering it. I also gave my Aunt some of the birthday and Christmas items headed to New Hampshire so that also decreased the pile. However, with the holidays coming and my love of decorating it was necessary. It also inspired me to get to work on finishing those holiday projects. Last night I completed most of the horse that needs to head to New Hampshire with that farm. Then I will switch off to the dinosaurs. I am hoping to have the full set of dinosaurs and farm animals done by the end of the month.

Then of course comes Thanksgiving. I started on Pilgrim lady, but she didn't come out as expected. I will have to try again. I also have some holiday themed dishcloths to make. I want to make some for myself and at least one to ship. I have two Barbie Pilgrim outfits to make as well. The plate is full, but I am enjoying it. I am glad I took on the challenge of learning even if knitting has not worked out as well as I hoped.

If you arrived here looking for free toy patterns please see the following pages:

Crochet and Knit Puppets

Crochet Amigurumi Animals and Stuffed Animal Free Patterns

Knit Amigurumi and Stuffed Toys

Crochet and Knit Amigurumi and Other Dolls

Knit and Crochet Toys

Dinosaurs and Dragons

Hello Kitty

Teddy Bear Patterns and Clothes

Knit and Crochet Food Patterns Great for Play Food


Pictures may not be used without permission.

Time for Crochet

As I have mentioned my freelance work has picked up which is always a blessing and never something to whine about. I will save the whining for when it falls off again. As a result I have had little time to pick up my crochet projects. I have a half done dragon and a castle still waiting for assembly.

However, since it is almost the end of September I am selfishly putting both those projects aside today to work on some Halloween projects. I have most of the items I need to ship ready, but I also would like some for the house here and if I do not get started I will never finish.

We are going to see Celtic Thunder next week and going to King Richard's Faire over Columbus Day Weekend in Carver. So I know that my crochet time is going to be limited by those events.

So today, since my next articles have a longer lead time I am taking a crochet break. I hope to enjoy the warm fall day and have a few Halloween creatures to show for it.

If you arrived here looking for free toy patterns please see the following pages:

Crochet and Knit Puppets

Crochet Amigurumi Animals and Stuffed Animal Free Patterns

Knit Amigurumi and Stuffed Toys

Crochet and Knit Amigurumi and Other Dolls

Knit and Crochet Toys

Dinosaurs and Dragons

Hello Kitty

Teddy Bear Patterns and Clothes

Knit and Crochet Food Patterns Great for Play Food


Pictures may not be used without permission.