Fuzzy Wuzzy Wrist Warmers

A couple of years ago, I made a set of wrist warmers out of chenille yarn for my step-sister. She has worn them out now, and this pair was designed to be a warm but sturdy replacement. (Hence the cotton cuffs)

Hook: 5.0 mm

Yarn: I love this Cotton (worsted Weight) and some sort of fuzzy yarn I had in my stash.

Gauge/Size: I tend to stitch large and this makes EXTRA SMALL wrist warmers for a small adult or a child size. If you want to make an adult size, you’ll have to modify to add stitches [just follow along in the brackets to adjust sizing]

TOP CUFF (Make 2)

Begin with the cotton yarn. Ch 7

Row 1: sc in 2^nd ch from hook and in each st across

Row 2-22: ch 1, sc in the BACK LOOP ONLY of each st across

[This should fit around your hand, or the hand of the person it’s for. Add more rows if the strip doesn’t wrap around. Your total number of rows will become N for the remainder of the pattern.]

Finishing Row: Sl st onto the back of the base chain so that it forms a loop. Fasten off or leave a large loop where you can join your fuzzy yarn later.

BOTTOM CUFF (make 2)

Begin with the cotton yarn. Ch 7

Row 1: sc in 2^nd ch from hook and in each st across

Row 2-20: ch 1, sc in the BACK LOOP ONLY of each st across

[This should fit around your wrist, and in general, the number of rows to achieve that is N-2]

Finishing Row: Sl st onto the back of the base chain so that it forms a loop. Fasten off.

FUZZY WARM PART:

Join your fuzzy yarn onto the top cuff where you fastened off the cotton yarn.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc 22 [or N] sts around. Sl st to join

Row 2: Ch 3, dc in each st around. DO NOT JOIN. Turn. (this creates thumb opening)

Row 3: Ch 3, dc in each st around. DO NOT JOIN. Turn.

Row 4: Ch 3, dc in each st around. Sl st to the top of the ch 3 to join for the bottom of the thumb.

Rnd 5: Ch 3, dc2tog over next 2 sts. Dc in each of the next 9 sts. Dc2tog over next 2 sts, dc in each of the next 9 sts to finish the rnd. Sl st to join. (20 sts) [N-2 sts]

Rnd 6. Ch 3, dc2tog over next 2 sts. Dc in each of the next 8 sts. Dc2tog over next 2 sts, dc in each of the next 8 sts to finish the rnd. Sl st to join. (18 sts) [N-4 sts]

Rnd 7: Ch 3, dc2tog over next 2 sts. Dc in each of the next 7 sts. Dc2tog over next 2 sts, dc in each of the next 7 sts to finish the rnd. Sl st to join. (16 sts) [N-6 sts]

[If you want your cuffs to be longer, add a round or two of *ch 3, dc in each st around, slst to join*]

Rnd 8: Pin or hold the bottom cuff in place, and sl st the bottom of the fuzzy part onto the top of the bottom cuff. Fasten Off.

Super Scrubby

“Yarn”: 6” wide Tulle, 12yds (I find spools of this in the $1 bin at Joann’s, sometimes the $2 bin)
Hook: 10.0mm (N)

Special Stitches: fsc (foundation single crochet)
See this youtube tutorial I found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZrabIcA8C8

Working with the tulle as opposed to yarn, you ‘ll need to pull it a bit tight to make it all work like yarn, but its very cool once you get the hang of it.

PATTERN:
Ch 4, sl st to form ring.

Rnd 1: 8sc into ring, sl st to join.

Rnd 2: Ch 3, 2dc into each sc of previous rnd. Sl st to top of ch 3 to join.

Handle: from where you’re at on the circle, fsc 9sts. Then ch 1 and turn, working back towards the ring, and sc in each fsc until you get back to the circle, and sl st into the back loop of the next st of the circle to join it.

You should now be looking at the wrong side of the circle. Push the handle strap to the back of your work and TRY to ignore it. (3rd pic)

Rnd 3: Ch 3 and *dc2tog over the next 2 dc of Rnd 2* repeat this around, ignoring the handle and using a sl st to join to the top of the ch 3.

Rnd 4: Ch 1, *sc2tog over next two dcs of previous rnd* repeat until you’re back to where you started. Sl st to the top of the ch1 (if you can find it). I sometimes have to add another sl st somewhere in the middle to close the hole, and then fasten off.

I usually have 12”-24” of tulle remaining at this point, which I use to knot the handle strap onto the other side of the scrubby.  The scrubby itself is essentially a little puff, so go ahead and jam your ends inside to stuff it up (once they’re tied off securely). These guys work REALLY well, plus the handle and the puffy aspect helps to keep your fingers from getting chewed up. They can also be run through the washer with the rest of your dishcloths and towels, though I don’t put them in the dryer.

Easy Kitchen Set

This is a great set that can be given in whole or in part as a gift, or used to add some color to your kitchen. My sister bought new plates in these colors, and asked if I could update her fabrics to match. It IS important to choose a cotton yarn for this, as it is absorbent and easily washable. The scrubbie, however, is made from tulle.
Check out the Super Scrubby Pattern.

SHELL STITCH DISH TOWEL

Yarn: Lily Sugar and Cream Cotton (120 yds each of Hot Orange, and Hot Green, 140 yds Red)
Hook: 6.5mm

Ch 61 (or any multiple of 6 + 1 for the turning chain)

Row 1: sc in 2^nd ch * skip 2 ch, 5 dc in following st, skip 2 ch, sc in next ch* Repeat from * to * until the end of the row. Turn.

Row 2: Ch 3, 2dc in sc from prev row. * skip 2 sts, sc in next dc (top of shell), skip 2 dc, 5dc in sc from previous row*. Repeat from * to * until the last sc. 3 dc into final sc. Turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, sc into first dc. * skip 2 dc, 5dc into sc from previous row, skip 2 dc, sc into next dc (top of shell)*. Repeat from * to * until the end of the row. Turn.

Repeat rows 2 + 3 until you have a total of 36 rows.

Finishing Row: Ch 1, *sc into first st (top of shell). Hdc in next 2dcs, dc into sc, hdc in next 2 dcs, and sc into the next st (top of shell)* Repeat from * to * until the end of the row. DO NOT TURN. Continue working around the edge of the dishcloth, adding a sc border around the remaining 3 sides (or 4 if you like). This will work in the ends of your carried or tied off yarn. Sl st to join once you get all the way around, and fasten off.

Notes: with 3 colors, changing colors every row allowed me to carry the yarn along the side quite nicely. With fewer colors or a different combination, you may have to tie off, leaving more bulk to cover with your sc border.

SIMPLE DISH CLOTH

Yarn: Lily Sugar and Cream Cotton (50-75yds Red)
Hook: 6.5mm

Ch 25, dc in 3^rd ch from hook and in each st across.
Rows: Ch 3 and dc in each st across.

Work row pattern until the cloth is square, then add a sc border around all 4 sides to add stability. Sl st to join border and fasten off. 


Using the 25 st base chain, you can add on any stitch you want, and edge it with a row or two of sc. This is a GREAT way to practice new stitches or patterns that you want to use for an afghan, without all the commitment.

Lilac Meadows Hobo Bag

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver (Stash scraps)
Hook: 6.5mm

Abbreviations:

YO: Yarn over
sc: single crochet
hdc: half-double crochet
dc: double crochet
tch: turning chain
xdc: crossed dc (see special sts below)

SPECIAL STITCHES:
dc2tog in same stitch (rnd 29): YO, insert hook into st, yo again and draw up a loop. YO and pull through 2 loops on hook. Yo again, insert hook into SAME st, yo again and draw up a loop (4 loops on hook). YO and pull through 2 loops. YO and pull through 3 loops.

dc2tog over 2 sts (handles): YO, insert hook into st, yo again and draw up a loop. YO and pull through 2 loops on hook. Yo again, insert hook into NEXT st, yo again and draw up a loop (4 loops on hook). YO and pull through 2 loops. YO and pull through 3 loops.

Crossed dcs or xdcs (rnd 30): skip next st, dc in following st. dc in the skipped st.

Half puff stitch (rnd 31): YO, insert hook into st, yo again and draw up a loop. YO again, insert hook into st again, YO and pull up a loop. This gives you 5 loops on your hook. YO and pull through all 5 loops. (You’ll have to do this loosely if you’re not used to doing puff sts.) . Ch 1 to close the top of the st.

PATTERN:

With Dark Green: Ch 4, sl st to join.

Rnd 1: ch 1, Sc 10 sts into ring. Sl st to join.

Rnd 2: ch 1, 2sc into each sc of prev rnd. Sl st to join.

Rnd 3: Ch 1, *2sc in next st, 1sc in following st* around, Sl st to join.

Rnd 4: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, 1sc in each of the following 2 sts* around. Sl st to join.

Rnd 5: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, 1sc in each of the following 4 sts* around. Sl st to join.

Rnd 6: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, 1sc in each of the following 5 sts* around. Sl st to join.

Rnd 7: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Sl st to join.

Rnd 8: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, 1sc in each of the following 6 sts* around. Sl st to join.

Rnd 9: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, 1sc in each of the following 8 sts* around. Sl st to join.

Rnd 10: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, 1sc in each of the following 10 sts* around. Sl st to join.

Rnd 11-12: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, 1sc in each of the following 12 sts* around. Sl st to join.

Rnd 13: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Sl st to join.

Swap colors to light green.

Rnd 14-16: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Sl st to join.

Rnd 17: Ch 2, hdc in each st around. Sl st to join.

Rnd 18: Ch 3, dc in each st around. Sl st to join.

Repeat Rnds 17+18 (alternating hdc and dc rows) for rnds 19-27 or until your bag is 2/3 as deep as you want it to be. (you NEED the hdc rnds to add stability here, since one comment I have seen on many hobo bag patterns is that the dc rnds alone make it “bowl shaped”)

Swap colors to Dark Green.

Rnd 28: Ch 2, hdc in each st around. Sl st to join. (At the end of this rnd, you want to have a multiple of 5 sts, so somewhere along the way you may have to add one or hdc2tog. Sorry to make you have to fudge it, but I messed around with the pattern so much at this point, I had to as well.)

Rnd 29: Ch 1, *sc in next 2 sts, ch 1. Skip next st. in the following st (dc2tog, ch 1, dc2tog). Ch 1 and skip next st* repeat from * to * around.  Sl st to join.

Rnd 30: ch 3,*xdc over the next 2 sts, ch 2, dc into the st from rnd 28 where you already did (dc2tog, ch 1, dc2tog). The stitch will be crowded, but its ok. Ch 2.* repeat from * to * around. Sl st to join.

Join Lavendar yarn, but carry it behind for a few sts.

Rnd 31: ch 1, *sc in each of the next 2 sts with dark green, skip the 2 ch sts of the previous rnd, and do 3 half-puff sts into the top of the tall dc using the lavender yarn* repeat from * to * around, and sl st to join.

After this rnd, switch to the light green only.

Rnd 32: ch 3, *dc in each of the next 2 sts, ch 1, skip the first half-puff, sc in top of the center half-puff from the previous rnd, ch 1 and skip the third half-puff st*.

Rnd 33-34: ch 2, hdc in each st around. Sl st to join. (yay for simple things!)

(if you want your bag to be deeper still, you can add a few more rnds of hdc sts at this point, otherwise, continue on to the handles)

Handles will be 16 sts wide, so mark where you would like them to go with safety pins. For the first handle, I just continued working from where I was at, but you can always fasten off and re-join the yarn wherever you want it.

 

HANDLE:

Row 1: ch 1, sc in next st, hdc in following st, dc in each of the following 12 sts, hdc in next st, sc in last st.  Turn

Row 2: Sl st into the top of the sc and hdc from the prev row. sl st + ch 3 into the top of the first dc from the previous row. dc2tog over the next 2 dcs. Dc in each of the next 7 sts. Dc2tog over next 2 dcs. Dc in last dc.

Row 3-6: Ch 3, dc2tog over next 2 dcs. Dc in each st across until the last 2 sts. Dc2tog over last 2 sts, dc into tch.

Row 17-16: Ch 3, dc into each st across (but NOT into tch). Fasten off leaving a long tail.

For the second handle, join the yarn and repeat the pattern. Once both handles are made, sl st them together at the top of the handle using the long tails you left.

Using the dark green (or lavender), join the yarn at the base of one handle and sc around the edge of each handle and along the top of the bag.

Tatting - yet another insane craft

So I visited St. Louis the first weekend in December, and yes, my craft enabler Vicky helped me get hooked onto another craft: Tatting.

So tatting is the "lost art" of making knotted lace. You use the same lace weight cotton or bamboo threads you would use for crochet lace, but its much more sturdy and requires less starch. I'm slow moving with the project, and even worse because I'm making an item for myself, and those tend to not rank so highly on the priority list at holiday time.

Anyways, I can't wait until after Christmas, because then I'll be able to share with you all the cool crochet/knit patterns I've been using to make presents, along with 3 or 4 original patterns I've come up with to make gifts! I can't wait!

Oh, and I just added some new links to the side bar to the right! So check out the "How much yarn do I need?" yardage chart from Lion Brand, and the Craftyminx Crochet School tutorials!

Telephone Pictionary

This is one of those games that I can't help but share. Its a combination of Pictionary and telephone (as the name suggests) where the starting phrase will get transformed by way of drawings and guesses. You don't need any skill at the actual game of Pictionary in order to play. All you have to be able to do is draw a stick figure. Poorly.
Everyone wins, everyone laughs, and everyone has fun.

Supplies:
5+ Players (More is fine, but it doesn't work with less)
One sheet of paper per player (per round)
One pen/pencil per player
Writing surface for each player (that's not too crowded, you need a bit of room)

Gameplay:
1. Each player gets a sheet of paper and writes their name in the lower right corner. Then, within the top 1" of the paper, they write their starting sentence. It can be a quote, a song lyric, a song title, a random phrase, or anything else you so please. Minimum of three words is suggested.
2. Each player should then fold over the top of the paper so that it just covers the writing. Everyone should then pass the folded paper to the player to their immediate left.
3. As each player receives the new game paper, they will unfold the flap to reveal the phrase. FOLD the flap back down FIRST, and then use the next 1"-2" of paper to DRAW the phrase you've just read. Pictionary rules apply (no words, etc). Be quick. Use stick figures. You don't need to be an artist.
4. Once you've finished drawing, you'll fold over the paper again (leaving the initial fold shut) so that the picture you just drew is hidden. Pass left again.
5. This time, you open the paper to reveal the picture (you should not be able to see the original phrase). Fold the paper back over, and in the next 1" of space beneath THAT fold, you'll write what you guess the picture means. Sometimes you can guess the original phrase, but oftentimes you just have to write what you see. Not having a clue is part of the fun!
6. After writing the new phrase, fold the paper so that it covers the phrase (by now the folding starts to get awkward, so just do your best to keep it so the next person can see the phrase you wrote, but not the picture before it.) Pass left again.
7. Repeat the drawing phase outlines in step 3. Fold again and pass left.
8. This is the last stage. This person will repeat step 5, creating the final interpretation phrase. Once everyone completes this step, you can unfold the whole page to see where the phrase got started. Laugh at the changes the phrase went through and then pass it back to the person who started it.

Game Notes:
This game is better when nobody is easily offended.
Please recycle your game papers! Use the backs even!
If you have more than 5 people, you still only want to pass it 4 times (as described above).
If someone mucks up the folding, which they will, just try not to peek at the words/pictures that you're not supposed to see.
Have a few drinks while you play, it gets far more entertaining.
Before you write down a phrase, keep in mind that someone has to try and draw it. (And that you'll end up seeing that picture. And that you can't un-see something.)
Pictionary rules apply, but we allow "house rules" where you can use symbols, roman numerals, etc to help you. No English letters or words!

Baby Blankets

It always seems like its that season, time to make baby blankets for my friends who are expecting. I have a BUNCH more to get made after the holiday season, but these were the only two that needed to get done pronto!

I found both patterns through Ravelry, and I think they both worked up quite well.

Sweet Baby Boy Blanket
Pattern Link: http://crochet.about.com/od/babypatterns/a/simple-baby-blanket-free-crochet-pattern.htm
Hook: 5mm
Yarn: Bernat Baby Sport Solid in Baby Blue + Scraps of Acryllic off-white yarn from my stash.
Pattern Modifications:

Added 10 extra sts to base chain. Doesn’t change stitch pattern.
Border Rnd 4:
The pattern as written added lots of ruffle. Since I wanted it to lay flat, I modified it a bit.
On the sides, puff st in every ch 1 sp, and dc2tog over the 2 dc sts between spaces. On the corners, dc in each dc of the previous rnd, and puff st into each ch 1 space.
(Puff st = yo and pull up a loop 4x then yo and pull through all 9 loops on hook, ch 1 to finish off puff)

Cross & Cluster Blanket
Pattern Link: http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/one-ball-baby-blanket
Hook: 6mm
Yarn: Caron One Pound
No Pattern Modifications
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