Gingerbread Man Ornament

I kept seeing this ornament on e-pattern central here and something about it struck me as familiar and thus kept me from buying it even though I wanted to make it as one of my Christmas ornament patterns to go out with the Christmas box this year.

When I got the October 2020 Crochet World magazine there were several patterns I wanted to make and decided to see if I could print the pages for the patterns I wanted from the magazine from the website rather than flip back and forth through the magazine as the patterns are placed through the magazine. Not only was I able to get the pages I wanted from the current magazine but I realized I had digital access to my account going back to 2009 when I originally subscribed.

I began to look through the magazines and was able to locate several patterns I'd been considering purchasing through e-patterns as well as ones I had purchased previously. From now on I know to check my digital magazine account first. I love that e-patterns offers out of print patterns. I've been able to find many out of print patterns I'd only previously found at second hand sites at considerably higher prices. This is just a reminder to myself to check my Crochet World digital account before buying again.

For those of you interested this appears in the December 2018 edition of Crochet World. I've listed the link for e-pattern central if you want to purchase the pattern from them.

I generally prefer yarn to thread but I really wanted to make this project for the Christmas box. If I make it again I think I would use the sport weight cotton I've been creating ami's with lately. The project would still be ornament sized and I'd be more comfortable working with the slightly larger yarn.

The pattern called for Lizbeth size 10 crochet thread and I couldn't find any when I searched when I started the project. Oddly I had trouble finding the brown in Aunt Lydia's in a shade close to what I wanted. I eventually tried Hobby Lobby's artiste size 10 cotton thread in hemp and it worked out well. I had the red, green, pink, and off white Aunt Lydia's size 10 on hand from previous projects.

The two other items I didn't have on hand and had to find were beads for the eyes, which I also ended up ordering from Hobby Lobby and felt which is used as stuffing between the two pieces of gingerbread.

18 Inch Doll Girl About Town

This is another doll pattern I found in Crochet World's Best Animals, Toys, and Dolls and decided to add to the doll donation. You can purchase this digital magazine at e-pattern central here. As I mentioned in my previous post they have some amazing sales if you are patient.

I try to make a habit of listing where the patterns come from because when I go to a site I love knowing where the pattern came from so I can look for it if I choose. Free or paid, print, out of print, e-pattern or print it is nice to know where I can start the search for something I'm interested in making. When possible I try to pass this courtesy on by listing what information I have for someone else who may want to find the pattern.

Now on to my notes for the future.

This was a wonderful stash busting project. Many years ago as in the girls are now respectively in college and high school I crocheted Barbie clothes using sport yarn and I bought Red Heart Sport yarn because I could make some of the patterns with it. Eventually the girls outgrew Barbie and I had not real love for working with the tiny Barbie sized patterns which is why I don't donate the fashion sized dolls. However, the end of Barbie did not mean the end of her yarn stash. As I moved to larger dolls I had almost forgotten about this stash of yarn until I recently came across more doll patterns that needed sport weight yarn and realized that it was time to target this stash.

To get this pattern to fit with the old Red Heart Sport yarn I needed to move from the suggested g hook for the top to a G hook. I moved down to an f for the skirt but if I make this again I'd move back to the e hook. This dress works up quite easily and I would make it again and try different types of skirts to go with it. I think it is adaptable.

For the cardigan I also had to go to a g hook for the main body. However I had to return to the e hook to make the arms fit. I could see making the cardigan to add to other patterns. It works up easily enough.

American Girl Pussycat, Pussycat Where Have You Been?

As I mentioned last week I picked up the new Crochet World Presents Best of Animals, Toys, & Dolls magazine. The first item I attempted was the pattern called "Pussycat, Pussycat Where Have You Been?" by Sandy Abbate.

The pattern calls for Patons Astra light, a 3-weight yarn. I used Red Heart sport and other than having to change hooks to make gauge, I had no issue with the change. It also helped me use up some yarn in my stash. I found the hat, the pants, and the shoes worked up really well and will be making them again. I liked the hat without the face so I left it that way. The details didn't look like they'd be that bad to add if you wanted the kitty face.

I did however, struggle with the sweater. After two attempts, I couldn't get the pattern to work for me and opted for the "Cable Loop" Sweater from the out of print Fibre Craft's Springfield Collection Sweater Trio. When I'm working on my donation projects, if something doesn't work, I tend to move on to something I can finish as having a completed wardrobe is my goal and November is creeping up on me. I would love to hear from others that finished the sweater.


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

Doll Blankets and Pillow Patterns

Baby Doll Patterns:

Baby Doll and Cabbage Patch

Additional Doll Patterns also Available on the Holiday Blogs:

Christmas

Valentines

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Pictures may not be used without permission.

18" Doll Sweater and Hat Web Bonus Crochet World Pattern

If you subscribe to Crochet World and are looking for new 18" doll patterns check out the August bonus patterns that are now available. The sweater buttons in the front and the pattern includes a cute hat. The pattern uses Lion Brand Babysoft Yarn which is a sports weight (3) yarn.

Crochet World Digital Version Review

I just renewed my print version of Crochet World, but I have been thinking about the digital version as an option for a while now. When I renewed my print version for two years, I was able to avoid paying shipping costs. I also discovered that there was a reduced cost for the digital version. When bought alone, the digital cost of the magazine is about $16 and gives you the current year as well as two years of back issues. When purchased with a print version the cost is less than $11. Buying the two together also gave me access to the current year and four years of back issues. Since I have been buying old issues to get the patterns this will reduce the issues I need to find.

The ability to download old and current patterns was worth the investment. I have already begun printing patterns to add to my collection.

I was originally wondering if I would regret buying the digital and the print versions. After reviewing the online magazine, I am not regretting it. There may be better ways to read the online version I have not discovered yet, but my original experience was not as enjoyable as I had hoped. It was not as easy to negotiate as I had hoped. You can read the current magazine in "magazine format" online. However, it does not appear that you can directly print from there. You have to move to the PDF version, which is not as quick to negotiate. This magazine format does not seem available for the older magazines, which makes reading the articles more difficult. There is an option to skip from page to page. However, it does not provide the "feel" of reading a magazine.

There is a search function and this is limited. If you search for a term like "afghan" it will bring you to the issues that have afghan patterns. It does not bring you to the specific patterns themselves. You have to open the magazine to find them.

As I explore the magazine further, I may find there are better functions to make using this easier. I will post more about my experiences as I learn more. If anyone has any suggestions to improve negotiating the digital system I would appreciate them.

Crochet World Bonus Patterns Feb 2011

I was not thrilled with my pattern selections from Crochet World when the February issued arrived on Christmas Eve. I subscribe to the magazine because I love the toys and doll patterns they publish. This issue had a cute tea set, but not much else in the way of fun stuff. I almost forgot to check the web bonus patterns because there is usually some connection between the theme for the magazine and the web bonuses. I have found some wonderful pattern gems that extend my favorite patterns in this manner.

This month was a wonderful surprise. There was a beautiful 16" doll dress, bonnet, and shoes pattern. I am fairly confident I can get the bonnet to fit an 18" doll. I will have to see if the other items will fit with some adaptations.

I am not sure the second pattern will be something I can do, but I had to print it. The pattern is a thread pattern for a Voyage of the Dawn Treader ship and the dragon head on the ship is beautiful. I do not know if there is any possible way for me to adapt this to a medium I can work with successfully, but I had to print and save the pattern, just to try it. There is also a CD Coaster pattern and an afghan pattern that I did not bother to download for those who are interested. People can also access previous web bonuses when they log in to the site.

Subscribers have to provide their subscription information in order to access the web bonus patterns. However, if you purchase the magazine, a code is provided to provide access the patterns, too.

Crochet Train Set

I really did not think this was a project I could complete when I saw it in the June 2010 Crochet World. Finishing it and getting it on to my blog has been a great process. I am pleased I will have this to share as a gift.


This is likely the most challenging project I have taken on since I started crocheting. It also has required the most focus and determination to finish. I knew if I let myself get distracted with too many other projects, this project would not get finished. Unlike the small ami projects I am working on for Christmas, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, these were considerably larger and required more space to store the pieces while I worked on them and to hold on to the set until it was completed and I could photograph it. It needed to be completed as a set, photographed, and then stored until it is time to ship it in December.

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

See the Other Train Pictures:

Engine

Box Car

Coal Car

Caboose


Pictures may not be used without written permission.

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


Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Crochet Coal Car Train

When I saw June 2010 Crochet World this was the train car I most wanted to make. I loved the way they created the coal on the top of the train car and was excited to try the pattern. I substituted stuffing for the foam blocks the pattern wanted cut. I would not want to imagine the joys involved with cutting foam to fit the coal pattern. While the crochet does create a pattern for the coal "bump," stuffing is critical to getting a coal pile on top of the coal car. The foam might have been an advantage if one had the patience to cut it correctly to fit the form.

The color on this car is fairly close to the pattern. I used Red Heart and other scrap yarn for making the train cars. It was all yarn I had on hand. I believe the pattern calls for Vanna's yarn. I did not notice a significant difference in changing yarn varieties. I suspect the Vanna's yarn would be softer, however, because I was not using foam, that could actually have made the situation worse, not better.

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

See the Other Train Pictures:

Engine

Box Car

Caboose

Crochet Train Set

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Crochet Box Car Train

The June 2010 Crochet World gave me the chance to create a baby safe train set. I made the engine first. Once that was completed, it gave me the confidence to move on to the other train pieces.

The Box Car was the easiest of the train cars to make. The pattern required creating a rectangle box and adding wheels and the end pieces to complete it. As I mentioned in the previous post about the engine I had to alter the directions to use stuffing instead of foam to fill out the train. The main color is close to the suggested color in the pattern. The secondary color was changed from brown to black.

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

Based on a suggestion from my husband, when I make this pattern again, I would likely make two wheels and crochet or sew them together to give the wheels more stability. Either the single wheel needs to be sewn directly to the train to keep it from bending or it needs more support. I am not that the foam would make a difference in my choice.

See the Other Train Pictures:

Engine

Coal Car

Caboose

Crochet Train Set

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Crochet Train Engine

As I mentioned a previous blog post, I opened the June 2010 Crochet World when it arrived and was so excited to see patterns for toy trains for babies. After reading the patterns, I put the magazine away with the idea that the patterns were adorable, but not something I was going to put on my list of projects. The patterns required precision cutting of foam. The foam was required not just for the main body of the train, but all the little features as well. I realized I would never have the patience to work through such a project in addition to all the work required to crochet and assemble the trains.

As I worked on more toy projects, I realized a compromise could be made. The trains would not be as form fitting as the trains in the magazine, but they would still be fun first train toys for a young relative I had first thought of when I saw the magazine. The toys could be crocheted, sewn together, and stuffed with traditional stuffing. It required a few minor adjustments, but it was worth it to be able to make the trains.



I started with the engine because I realized that if my plan did not work for the engine, than making the other cars was pointless. I used colors I had and I changed the brown to black intentionally. I did not like the way the brown I had looked with the colors I selected. I also changed the windows on the engine to a brighter color. I wanted something cheerful for a baby toy. As I post the pictures of the other trains, you will be able to see I reverted to black windows when the color combinations looked good. I also reduced the number of windows when it became too crowded.

See the Other Train Pictures:

Box Car

Coal Car

Caboose

Crochet Train Set

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

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Crochet Train in Crochet World

I am always looking for new patterns to create for birthdays and Christmas. This year I am in need of baby toys as it is the first year I will be crocheting for a little one. Trains have always been a popular item in our family and I like the idea of big crocheted trains designed for baby.

These are not Amigurumi trains. They require creating separate pieces and sewing them together. The foam blocks are a bit intimidating at my current project level. I am considering trying the first set and just stuffing them and seeing how they come out. I understand that the foam will make them a better toy, I am just not sure that I am ready for that level of project, yet.

The pattern is in the June 2010 edition of Crochet World. If you do not subscribe or do not wish to purchase, check out your local library. Many libraries have interlibrary loan even for magazines if your library does not purchase Crochet World.

Another item I explored after reading the magazine this month was the web bonuses patterns that are available each month to subscribers. You need to go to Crochet-World and sign up by giving them your subscriber information. There is a note, this month people who purchase the magazine can use a code from the magazine to register. The patterns go back to 2008. I sent several to my email to download later. A castle with finger puppets is most definitely on my project list. The dragon puppet is actually different the one I currently have published on my blog. It will be fun to provide the recipients with multiple beasts.

I promise to post pictures of the actual train when I get to it.










Picture Credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pietromotta/ / CC BY-ND 2.0