Safety Cones

I made more safety cones from a free pattern during the down time cooking at Thanksgiving. They work up very quickly and I am thinking about adding some to a toy drive at the local high school. They are very popular among my younger relatives with their toy cars. I sent these cones home with my Aunt for her grandsons.

I was able to use scraps of Lily's Sugar and Cream Yarn I had left over from making Halloween and Thanksgiving projects to make these. I like finding projects to use up the ends of the yarn I have left over from dishcloths and this was a perfect project. I do not often find a call for bright orange cotton yarn.

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

Dinosaurs and Dragons

Knit and Crochet Food Patterns Great for Play Food

Hello Kitty

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

Teddy Bear Patterns and Clothes

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Valentines

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Visual Quick Tips Crochet

I have picked up Crochet VISUAL Quick Tips in the store a few times and even my husband has asked me about it a few times in his quest to create a Christmas list. I finally was able to get a copy through the reserve at our library to review prior to purchase.

I really like this book for the advertised purpose, quick tips and reviews. The Crochet Answer Book and the The Knitting Answer Book have always been my small "go to" guides for quick answers. The drawback was they use drawings not photographs and I cannot always tell what the drawings indicate. While they cover more information, if I cannot understand it, the information is not terribly useful. Since I am trying to improve my basic knitting skills I may consider finding the Knitting VISUAL Quick Tips to help me with my journey. Now if they only started one for looming!!!

Knook Patterns and Instructions

I have a The Knook Kit on Santa's Wish List and even took DH by the display in a couple of different stores to show him what they look like to make shopping easier. I noticed there are some new books out, but I thought I would start posting new free patterns and helpful hints as I located them, too. As always I will add more resources as I find them.

Patterns:

Butterfly Leisure Arts Free Download

Bobbles

Dishcloth



Granny Squares

Hat

Pig

Scarf free Leisure Arts Download

Square



Knooking Skills:

Binding Off

Casting On

Casting On Crochet Cast On

Casting On Long Tail Cast On

Decreasing



Garter Stitch

Increasing

Knit Stitch

Knitting

Leisure Arts Knook Videos

Purl Stitch

Purling

American Girl Blue Pilgrim Dress

I have been making Thanksgiving items in what I call decoration colors and then items for kids trying to work in traditional colors. This dress is actually far more traditional in color than most of the black, brown, and grey that you see in decorations of Pilgrims for the holidays. My goal is to make some of each so that the kids can compare and contrast the two.

This dress was made adapting Darski's free Pilgrim pattern. This is one of my favorite 18" doll patterns, but for some reason, I was struggling with it this holiday. It could be that I made three dresses in a short period of time and had to rush to complete this one. I was not as happy with the finished look as I have been with previous attempts. However, I was pleased that I finally figured out my challenge with one area that was a result of my bad crocheting.

This project was completed using Red Heart and Caron One Pound yarn.

Barbie and American Girl Doll Free Patterns are listed on my blog at these locations:

Barbie Crochet and Sewing Page

Barbie Knitting Page

Ken Page

Kelly/Skipper Page

American Girl Doll Crochet and Sewing

American Girl Doll Knitting

Additional Doll Patterns also Available on the Holiday Blogs:

Christmas

Valentines

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Pictures may not be used without written permission

Wordless Wednesday The Thanksgiving Edition

My Thanksgiving Favorites:

Turkey Knitted Dishcloth

I am determined to keep my minimum knitting skills intact. When I saw this free turkey dishcloth pattern, it seemed like a good practice project to work on.

My skills are still in need of work. I hope that I can get some classes in at Good Sheep LYS that opened near us. Success depends her class schedule and my timetable matching, but there is hope. I was pleased to find I could still cast on, knit, and purl. I was even able to recover when I made a mistake. I was able to pull out a row instead of frogging the whole piece and starting again. This is what normally happens after a knitting mistake, which is why I tend to crochet more than I knit. I can recover from my crochet mistakes.

After finishing the turkey, I've started on the Christmas tree from Holiday Knit Dishcloths (Leisure Arts #5287) which I hope to finish soon.

Free Holiday Patterns Available on the Following Blog Pages:

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Valentines

St. Patrick's Day

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Shop Amazon's Holiday Toy List

Turkey Bell

This is last in my Thanksgiving bell series from Seasonal Bell pattern from the February 2001 edition of Hooked on Crochet (Number 85). Like the Pilgrim Hat bell this project combined the original pattern with a free Ken Doll Pilgrim pattern(for the turkey) to complete the project.

This project combine scraps that I picked up at various sales and left over Red Heart worsted weight and Caron One Pounder yarn. I am enjoying watching my bag of scrap yarn balls disappear as I work through these projects.

Free Holiday Patterns Available on the Following Blog Pages:

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Valentines

St. Patrick's Day

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Pilgrim Hat Bell

This is the second Thanksgiving bell in the set of three I made. This one combines the Seasonal Bell pattern from the February 2001 edition of Hooked on Crochet (Number 85)and a Ken free Pilgrim pattern for the hat.

This has been another project dedicated to using up scraps. The variegated yarn is Red Heart Super Saver left over from an afghan I made a while ago. The black is Caron One Pounder from a current afghan I am making for Christmas.

I made progress on my knitted dishcloth yesterday. I was actually able to pull out a row without having to start over from the beginning of the pattern. This is a rare happening for me. While I can pull out several rows of crochet and correct, one stitch can be the end of me with a basic knitted piece.

I am continuing to make progress on the last of the children's afghans I'm making for Christmas. I finished the chart for the first time through and am a couple of rows into the first repeat of the chart. Mom's suggestion of using yarn bobbins has been a huge help. I am using variety of brands since this afghan has lots of colors. The multiple sizes like the Boye Bulky Yarn Bobbins and the Boye Smaller Yarn Bobbins help to manage tangling and weight. I have picked up a few Susan Bates bobbins as well. I find they all work equally well. The important part is to have enough to make the changes you for the pattern.


Free Holiday Patterns Available on the Following Blog Pages:

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Valentines

St. Patrick's Day

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Pilgrim Man

This is the companion to the Pilgrim Woman I made from the Needlecraft for Today Sept/Oct 1984 magazine.

The pattern for the male was slightly more challenging as he had more details to complete than she did and his costume was more elaborate.

I like the face design of this older style, but I am still not crazy about the 2-D hands. It is something I will have to work on before making the next set of them.

I used up some of my Red Heart Super worsted and sport weight yarn for this project. I also had some scraps that helped finish it off.

This package should arrive by the end of the week.

Many of you that read this blog know knitting is not one of my stronger skills, but I took out my needles to work on a turkey dishcloth. A new yarn store offers knitting classes one town over and I am thinking about signing up after the holidays. I can do the basic knit/purl that allows me to finish something like a dishcloth. However, I can never figure out how to fix my mistakes, which I have some basic skills doing with crochet. I will say my wrists are far sorer than they ever are when I spend hours crocheting.

I am also planning on dusting off my looms, digging out the DVD's and books I have bought and working on learning looming in January. I have wanted to put some time into learning how, but keep getting distracted by crochet projects. I have promised this winter looming is a goal.

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

Dinosaurs and Dragons

Knit and Crochet Food Patterns Great for Play Food

Hello Kitty

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

Teddy Bear Patterns and Clothes

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Valentines

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Halloween Page

Pictures may not be used without permission.

Cornucopia Bell

This is the first bell I made for the Thanksgiving box using the Seasonal Bell pattern from the February 2001 edition of Hooked on Crochet (Number 85). For the first time I did not adapt the pattern very much. I left out a few items and I chose to sew instead of gluing as the pattern suggested.

I have been focusing on using up the small balls of yarn I have accumulated and this was a great project to help with that mission. I finally eliminated one color and several more are on their way out after finishing the other two bells in the set.

The Thanksgiving package finally went out this morning with my husband. I think it will require a rush to get it to its destination on time. I was pushing hard yesterday to finish the last Pilgrim and the 18" doll dress. Skipper, Barbie, and Stacie never did get outfits this year. I need to start those in the summer I suspect if I want to have them ready in time.

Now it is time to finish the race to get the Christmas and December birthday gifts finished I want to finish the adorable tree bell from this pattern set as well.

Free Holiday Patterns Available on the Following Blog Pages:

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Valentines

St. Patrick's Day

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Stacey Trock Book Signing at the Good Sheep in Hudson, MA

As many of you know, I am a huge fan of amigurumis. I have not had the chance to meet many designers personally although I have had the chance through the Internet. This could change as on December 10 Stacey Trock is coming to the Good Sheep in Hudson, Massachusetts on December 10. She is on a book tour promoting her latest book, Crocheted Softies: 18 Adorable Animals from Around the World and will be signing books during her visit from noon until two. The link to the Good Sheep's page will give you the storeowner’s contact information for more details. It is suggested you call in advance if you plan on attending.

If you don't live in this area Stacey Trock has a list of her current stops with promises to update posted on her blog.

I am looking forward to meeting her and learning a bit more about the craft.

Pilgrim Woman Amigurumi

As part of an extra item in a recent color crochet swap, I got a Needlecraft for Today Sept/Oct 1984 magazine. People who follow this blog know I love old crochet magazines and patterns. As I flipped through the many fall toy patterns I could add to my holiday collections, the one that I knew would make it to my list for this year was the Pilgrim set.

This pattern is different from many of the modern ami's because the bottom is left open and closed by a round crochet disc to make a flat bottom that provides a stable means for the woman to stand. I actually like this feature as it provides some stability for the toy that I have to use creative stuffing with for the more rounded modern ami's. This pattern also used a triple crochet stitch to create a nose, which is a technique I have not seen used in many of my modern ami patterns. I liked the way it looks and may try it again in some of my other patterns.

I have finished the body of the 18" doll Pilgrim dress, so I have made significant progress on that leaving me three more doll dresses to complete. I have one Pilgrim to complete and one more to start. The last items should be the Thanksgiving bells. I think I have a shot of completing most of these items in time for the mailing deadline.

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

Dinosaurs and Dragons

Knit and Crochet Food Patterns Great for Play Food

Hello Kitty

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

Teddy Bear Patterns and Clothes

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Valentines

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Halloween Page

Pictures may not be used without permission.

Chester the Turkey Boy

I saw Chester the Turkey Boy while doing a search for Thanksgiving patterns to include in my Thanksgiving box. My husband kindly placed the digital order for him so I would have him in time to complete my Thanksgiving box.

This guy reminded me of the many Thanksgiving pageants I have seen over the years with the child dressed up as the Thanksgiving turkey. I do not know if that was the designer's intent, but it was my motivation for buying the pattern and wanting to make it.

When I approached the pattern I thought the challenge would be the head because it had the cover on it. That proved to be very workable. For some reason what I found hard were the directions for the wings. I suspect there was a disconenct on my part. I put aside the turkey after finishing the head and struggling with the wings and came back to so I could finish up my Thanksgiving box. This time I skipped the wings and went right to the body. The legs and body worked up quickly. The directions and pictures for the tail feathers used a similar technique to those of the wings, but for some reason I found them easier to understand. With the tail feathers completed the wings were no longer a major challenge.

I love this pattern and can see myself returning to make more Thanksgiving turkeys. This one will be headed off in the Thanksgiving box. I at least need one more for my house and I suspect my husband will want one for his office. While not likely to happen in time for this year, there is always next year.

Kelly Pilgrim Outfit

I am finally back in the groove of making Thanksgiving items again. Even before the storm I had gotten distracted with Christmas afghan making. The storm pulled me completely off course. This project got me focused again.

This project is based on the free Halloween Cat Costume pattern. Instead of breaking for the legs I continued the dress down until I reached a length I was happy with for her size. I used Red Heart sports weight yarnand a D Hook to make the dress and the cap. The collar and apron were made using fingering yarn.

Barbie and American Girl Doll Free Patterns are listed on my blog at these locations:

Barbie Crochet and Sewing Page

Barbie Knitting Page

Ken Page

Kelly/Skipper Page

American Girl Doll Crochet and Sewing

American Girl Doll Knitting

Additional Doll Patterns also Available on the Holiday Blogs:

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Valentines

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Winner of the RoseRed Design Contest/Giveaway ME

When I heard about the giveaway over at RoseRed Designs I thought it was for multiple people. I could not believe the generous gifts. I must confess I entered for the hooks, but the yarn, the beautiful bag, and cup are amazing as well. I love rose themed stuff, so I am one happy camper.

I reassured my husband when he saw the large box that I really had won a contest, I had not ordered something and forgot to mention it.

I already have plans for some of the yarn and I am researching ideas for the rest.

I was not the first person chosen in this contest. The lesson is if you enter a contest, make sure you give the right email address and respond when you hear back. While I feel bad for the person that lost out. I am not feeling at all guilty as I try out my new crochet hooks.

300 Classic Blocks for Crochet Projects

I had heard a good deal about 300 Classic Blocks for Crochet Projects but had not seen a copy of it to look over in the stores. When I realize our library loan system had it I put in on reserve.

I like the wide selection of patterns. I thought the pictures could have been better. The attitude was a bit much at times. The author's assertion that one "had" to learn to read symbols seemed a bit much. I respect the concept of symbol crochet. However, for a variety of reasons, it is not my first choice in patterns. I do find it easier to follow written directions than symbols. I know many feel strongly about the subject, but we all process information in different ways and not respecting that seemed a bit arrogant to me.

One formatting issue I loved was the lines between the written directions. While the author may not be a fan of written directions, the person who formatted the book, loves those of us who do use them.

If I come across an inexpensive copy of this book, I might consider adding it to my collection as I am doing more blocks for others. However, I am not ready to put it on my must purchase list.

Crochet Techniques Stitches Patterns

I have been trying to avoid buying books on impulse or rejecting buying them because I'm afraid they won't be what I wanted and will sit on a shelf unused. As a result, I have been borrowing more crochet books from the library to preview when they are available. Crochet!: Techniques*Stitches*Patterns is a book I have flipped through several times, but had never had the chance to really explore in depth prior to my reservation at the library.

This book starts with beginner techniques and works its way through more advanced techniques. What intrigued me was the introduction to bags. As many of the swaps I am engaging in asks for bags, it is a talent I need to learn and have resources to improve on as I learn the basics. As a visual learner, I love that they use photographs instead of drawings. Everyone learns differently, but I learn better, when I can see what the crocheter is supposed to be doing.

This book also addresses symbol crochet giving a photograph and accompanying symbol representation in the index. The stitch section of the book also includes symbols to introduce and encourage readers to learn crochet symbols.

While I have several stitch guides and crochet guides in my collection, I am considering adding this one for its stitch guide and the instruction on symbol reading.

WIP Tuesday

Well it is voting day here in our fine City so I am not sure how much crocheting I will get done, but I have plenty to do.

I am working on a crochet mosaic cat afghan that I am loving. I have a granny stripe afghan started for my Mom that may end up being a birthday gift. I am getting myself organized and motivated to finish my Thanksgiving box now that my heat is back on. I have started a holiday swap at Crochetville so I have a couple of things to plan and one on the hook for that as well. I just need to pull patterns and make some choices. I am also waiting to hear back from my swap partner about a few other items.

I will say after crocheting in the cold without heat I have come to appreciate the Susan Bates Bamboo handled hooks over my collection of metal hooks. The metal hooks made my cold hands even colder, but the wood actually generated a bit of warmth as my hands slid over them. I am thinking about adding some of the Caron Tulip Bamboo hooks, adding to my Clover Bamboo collection, or maybe even branching out into Rosewood. With sales and coupons, I always have chances to experiment.