Crochet Striped Fingerless Mitts

Stripey Happiness!

So, I have been working on these fingerless mittens for quite awhile (well it was only a month, but it felt like a long time).  All those stripes of color and ends that I keep forgetting to weave in as I go along!  (No seriously, I did most of them as I went along, I just forgot a few.)  Here is my Ravelry page for it.  I used leftover Knit Picks Wool of the Andes that I have from the hexie cushion that I’m making.  It doesn’t take a lot of yarn to make the mitts.  The pattern is based on Lucy’s mitts from Attic24.

I started off with a chain 34, as Lucy did, but they turned out a little big for me.  Not really in the start of it (I did try them on as I went along), but I have really thin wrists.  I think I would need to modify the pattern if I made another pair to go in a bit at the wrist.

Flat piece - not really straight, but no worries, you don't notice once you seam it up the side!

They are very simple.  Just make a flat piece that is the right length and width.  This is half double crochet (hdc) with Lucy’s bobble-shell edging on the top and bottom.  It would be even simpler using one color of yarn or variegated.  Each color consists of two rows of hdc.  Then, I just used single crochet to join it together along the side.  You could also do it so the seam doesn’t show, but I like the stripe of yellow color.  And you just leave a space for your thumb as you go up the side.

J loved them though and wants a pair of his own!  Not sure he would actually wear them however.  I think he just likes them because they are Mommy’s.

Yarn!

I’m almost as excited about this new yarn as I am about the eggs.  *Almost*

Yummy yarny goodness

It is Stylecraft Special DK that I ordered from Deramores in the UK.  Free shipping and only took a week to get here!  It is acrylic yarn, and such great colors.  I was inspired by all the wonderful color over on Lucy’s blog at Attic24.  Deramores also has a coupon that they advertise on Ravelry for 10% off.  Great service and I was so excited to open the package!

They sell it as a special colour pack – specifically associated with some of Lucy’s past posts.  The colors include the following.

From the top two/left: Shrimp, Aspen.  2nd from top row: Plum, Lipstick, Pomegranate, Lavender.  Third row from top: Spring Green, Meadow, Aster, Saffron, Magenta.  And the bottom row: Clematis, Cloud Blue, Sherbet, Fondant, Wisteria and Turquoise.

I’m going to have to double-check these colors in the daylight.  It’s hard to tell here in my nighttime office!  Funny how that is.  I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to make with it all, but I had some thoughts of a granny stripe blanket or pillow cover.  Then I thought that maybe I’d cover my rectangular ottoman with it.  But then I came across this great little cover for a short round footstool from the Crochet with Raymond blog in a mandala shape, and I’ve decided that I need to make it!  I love it!  Once I make the cover, Hubby is going to make a footstool that will fit it.  I’m thinking a short, round, three or four legged stool.  We’ll see how it all comes out.  I hope to get started with it this weekend.  I’m trying to finish one other project first.

Link to my in-progress Ravelry page:  

Crochet Hexagons

I finally started a crochet project based on the projects from Lucy at Attic24.  Her blog is so full of lovely crocheted rainbow-goodness.  Check it out!  I’ve been reading her blog and thinking about making something for at least two years.  I went back and forth trying to decide what I wanted to make.  I finally settled on the hexagon tutorial, and am going to make enough to make a pillow for the couch.  Hopefully two pillows.  I bought about 16 skeins of rainbow colors of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes (worsted) which is really affordable at $1.99/ball.

Yarn Goodness!

Let’s see if I can put these in order without getting up and referencing the yarn (from top, L to R): Winter Night, Hyacinth, Red, Lullaby, Rouge, Orange, Avocado, Caution, Calypso Heather, White, Semolina, Hyacinth #2, Grass, and Fairy Tale.  (Thankfully had the Knit Picks catalog sitting here!)

Here are my first two hexagons!  They will all have the yellow center (color=semolina), and then will hopefully all be unique for the other rounds.  I’m using a size G/4.25mm hook.

My first two hexagons!

The tutorial is very easy and clear.  The stitches are all variations of double or single crochet, so nothing too fancy to learn.  She also discusses how to join them as you go, but I’m going to make them separate and join them later for this first time.  I’m not sure how I want them to be organized since this is my first time making something like this.  I’m sure joining as you go is much easier in the long run, but that’s okay.  They are approximately 4.25″ across, unblocked.

Crochet Jar Cover

I made this up the last few weeks while the boys were taking their swim lessons.  It’s just a starter row of single crochet in the size of my jar, and then rows of double crochet.  So cute!

The foundation chain is actually that top row of cream.  You see how the foundation chain is significantly tighter than the later rows?  I’ve been testing out using Futuregirl’s tutorial for foundation single crochet which would address that issue.

Crocheted birdie ornament

Although I should be working on Christmas presents, instead I’ve been in the mood to make Christmas ornaments.  Hence the half-eaten gingerbread boy, and I also started working on this little crocheted birdie decoration from Attic24.  I can’t wait to see how she turns out!  I just love the pattern and her little additions of the flower hanger and things.  I haven’t crocheted in awhile, and needed my friend to hold my hand a little bit, but then it came back to me.

Attic24 crochet birdie ornament

If you haven’t seen Lucy’s Attic24 blog before, definitely check it out.  Her work is gorgeous!  I love the colors that she uses and combines.  Her summer garden granny square blanket is high on my list of things to try.

Crocheted felted nesting bowls

So, I bought this cute pattern on Etsy for crocheted, felted nested bowls. I made bowl #1 (the smallest one) the other day in a nice red worsted weight wool yarn that I let my oldest pick out at AC Moore. Very cute and quick to make. Now, I need to make bowls 2, 3 and 4 and see how they nest.

And here it is after one run through the washing machine. I’m trying to decide if I should run it through a second time. I have a front loader HE machine and it’s not the best felting machine out there (to put it mildly).

(Inside the bowl are cute little wooden acorns from Caseys.)

It didn’t quite turn out as perfectly as it looks in the pattern, but that’s okay! I’m still a very new crocheter.

Speaking of crochet. Check out this totally cute and awesome Valentine’s Day crocheted heart garland on Skip to my Lou.

Crocheted mama octopus

Last week, I mentioned that I was crocheting a new project. My husband’s aunt taught me to crochet in June when we were visiting them out at the lake. It took all of about 10 minutes max. I was crocheting a dishcloth to practice, but practicing is so boring! So I bought Ana Paula Rimoli’s book, Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet, and set to making the penguin for my younger son who loves penguins.

Well, I had to put that on hold temporarily as I was crocheting while we were away for the weekend and I didn’t have any stuffing. So, I started an octopus for my older son. That one ended up being finished first, and now I’m back to making the penguin (with a slight detour to a very fun felting project that I will tell you about later!).

My legs are a bit lopsided (I think I miscounted on one or two of them), and they didn’t get spaced out exactly as they probably should, but it all adds to the charm, right? It is truly adorable. Unfortunately, my son’s only comment was, “no mama, I wanted the baby to be blue and the mama to be purple.” Uh thanks for the appreciation, kid. That’s okay, I will just have to keep it for myself!

Crocheted spaceship, astronaut and aliens

I have been crocheting amigurumi recently from Ana Paula’s Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet (I will share when I have one done!), so I have been looking at other crochet ideas as well. The amigurumi are a lot of fun because it’s a bit more of an “instant gratification” thing than some big afghan or something. In any case, I just saw this link posted for a free pattern for a spaceship complete with little astronauts and aliens. How cool would this be??

Rocket Ship with Astronauts and Aliens by Elizabeth Mareno.

Learning to crochet

We were visiting family this weekend at the lake in NH and I was given the opportunity to ask my husband’s aunt to teach me how to crochet! Her grandma taught her about 58 years ago, and she is definitely an experienced crocheter. Although I have tried to learn from books in the past, I never quite grasped it. It took her about 10 minutes to show me how, and I was on my way. I can now single crochet, double crochet and triple crochet! She even taught me how to make a ring. Now I just need to practice and figure out how to read a pattern! I’m currently making a dishcloth, and I will see it through, but it’s sort of boring. So, I’m already on the lookout for something fun to make. I think I’m going to make a little Amigurumi, like this little octopus on Ana Paula’s blog. Her book, Amigurumi World, is now on my Wish List!

More posts later. I did some fun craft shopping while we were in NH, and since I now have my trusty camera back (pretty quick service from Canon repair), I can post a much better photo of J’s birthday crown!