Flower "Pin Up" Girl

Technique: crochet, general crafting

Materials:
clothespin
wooden bead for head
beading wire
flesh coloured embroider floss
white chenille stick
crochet thread size 10 in pink and white
acrylic paints
curly dolls hair


Tools:
scissors
hot glue
wire cutters
No 7 steel hook

Follow the directions here for how to create a clothespin doll.

For the dress you can download the pdf from here.

October Angels

Technique: Crochet

Hi and welcome, I am so glad you found me!

Every week I crochet an angel and send it off to someone who is need of hope through an organization called Angels for Hope. This is fantastic way to let people know that no matter what they are dealing with, that they are not alone. Each week I blog about it in the hopes that someone who wanders this way will read it and spread the word.

October brings with it clear blue skies and rather than the dark, heavy clouds of winter that promise rain, it brings white fluffy clouds that lazily float across the vast expanse of blue.  This was the inspiration for my angels this month.

If you like to crochet and would like to register for Angels for Hope you can do so here. Also, if you know someone who is need of an Angel, you can put in your request there.

Six Inch Crochet Blanket Sampler - Popcorn Flower

Technique: Crochet

Materials:
8 ply yarn in 3 colours

Tools:
4mm crochet hook

Finished Size:
6 inches

This is another of the blocks from Jan Eaton's book, I'm on a hectic schedule this week so I was thrilled when this block came together correctly the first time, no adjustments necessary!

October Angels

Technique: Crochet

Hi and welcome, I am so glad you found me!

Every week I crochet an angel and send it off to someone who is need of hope through an organization called Angels for Hope. This is fantastic way to let people know that no matter what they are dealing with, that they are not alone. Each week I blog about it in the hopes that someone who wanders this way will read it and spread the word.

October brings with it clear blue skies and rather than the dark, heavy clouds of winter that promise rain, it brings white fluffy clouds that lazily float across the vast expanse of blue.  This was the inspiration for my angels this month.

If you like to crochet and would like to register for Angels for Hope you can do so here. Also, if you know someone who is need of an Angel, you can put in your request there.

Six Inch Crochet Blanket Sampler - Dahlia

Technique: Crochet

Materials:
8 ply yarn in 3 colours

Tools:
4mm crochet hook

Finished Size:
6 inches

This is another of the blocks from Jan Eaton's book, I quite like this one, was quick and easy to put together.  

It's funny when I started the year blogging I did so with a new years resolution to daily creativity and I used the blog simply as a record of that.  I had no followers, I just used the blog as a daily journal.  Now that I have followers I feel a little embarrased some days, most of you probably don't care in the least that I made a crochet block for a blankie!  

September Angels

Technique: Crochet

Hi and welcome, I am so glad you found me!

Every week I crochet an angel and send it off to someone who is need of hope through an organization called Angels for Hope. This is fantastic way to let people know that no matter what they are dealing with, that they are not alone. Each week I blog about it in the hopes that someone who wanders this way will read it and spread the word.

To celebrate the start of Spring all of my September angels are made with  a soft baby weight yarn with beautiful pastel colours. I can't believe this is the last one for the month already!

If you like to crochet and would like to register for Angels for Hope you can do so here. Also, if you know someone who is need of an Angel, you can put in your request there.

Six Inch Crochet Blanket Sampler - Daisy Chain

Technique: Crochet

Materials:
8 ply yarn in 3 colours

Tools:
4mm crochet hook

Finished Size:
6 inches

This is another of the blocks from Jan Eaton's book, and this one was perfect, no adjustment necessary, the right size and right number of stitches first time!  I have over 20 squares now and have started blocking them, I'd like to get the blanket completed before the end of the year.

September Angels

Technique: Crochet

Every week I crochet an angel and send it off to someone who is need of hope through an organization called Angels for Hope. This is fantastic way to let people know that no matter what they are dealing with, that they are not alone. Each week I blog about it in the hopes that someone who wanders this way will read it and spread the word.

To celebrate the start of Spring all of my September angels are made with  a soft baby weight yarn with beautiful pastel colours.

If you like to crochet and would like to register for Angels for Hope you can do so here. Also, if you know someone who is need of an Angel, you can put in your request there.

Steptember Angels

Technique: Crochet

I can't believe a week has gone by already, I don't feel like I got anything done!

Every week I crochet an angel and send it off to someone who is need of hope through an organization called Angels for Hope. This is fantastic way to let people know that no matter what they are dealing with, that they are not alone. Each week I blog about it in the hopes that someone who wanders this way will read it and spread the word.

To celebrate the start of Spring all of my September angels are made with  a soft baby weight yarn with beautiful pastel colours.

If you like to crochet and would like to register for Angels for Hope you can do so here. Also, if you know someone who is need of an Angel, you can put in your request there.

Six Inch Crochet Blanket Sampler - Catherine Wheel

Technique: Crochet

Materials:
8 ply yarn in 3 colours

Tools:
4mm crochet hook

Finished Size:
6 inches

This is another of the blocks from Jan Eaton's book, and yet another pattern that took quite a bit of fiddling and fussing to get a uniform 6" in size.  Next time I am picking one block and making an entire blanket with the one design, that way I know without any fuss that all the blocks will be the same size!

Time to start blocking these, after which I will take more photo's, they will look so much prettier when they are actually square :o)

This week I discovered puppies like to play with wool every bit as much as kittens do!

September Angels

Technique: Crochet

Every week I crochet an angel and send it off to someone who is need of hope through an organization called Angels for Hope. This is fantastic way to let people know that no matter what they are dealing with, that they are not alone. Each week I blog about it in the hopes that someone who wanders this way will read it and spread the word.

A new month and a new colour, to celebrate the start of Spring I chose a soft baby weight yarn with beautiful pastel colours.

If you like to crochet and would like to register for Angels for Hope you can do so here. Also, if you know someone who is need of an Angel, you can put in your request there.

Six Inch Crochet Blanket Sampler - Granny in Chains

Technique: Crochet

Materials:
8 ply yarn in 3 colours

Tools:
4mm crochet hook

Finished Size:
6 inches

I've been working with Jan Eaton's patterns, which are all meant to be a uniform 6" in size and are not, which has (by necessity) taught me how to make little tweaks here and there to get right.  This led me to trying other patterns to see if I could adapt them.  The following was originally an 8" block that I have adapted to fit the 6" size I need for my sampler.  I chose the name Granny in Chains, because it is essentially a granny square in both the centre and the edges with two rounds of chain stitches in the middle.

Round 1:  With size G (4mm) hook, ch 4, 2 dc in rth ch from hook (first 3 chs count as first dc), ch 2, [3 dc in same ch, ch 2] 3 times, slip stitch into 3rd chain of beg ch-3.  Fasten off.

Round 2:  Join next colour in any ch sp, ch 3 (counts as first dc), (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same ch sp (corner), ch 1, [(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch sp (corner), ch 1] around, join in 3rd chain of beg ch-3.  Fasten off.

Round 3:  Join next colour in any ch-2 sp, ch 3 (counts as first dc), (2 dc, ch 2, 3dc) in same ch sp, ch 1, *3 dc in next ch sp, ch 1**, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch sp, ch 1, rep from * around, ending last rep at **, join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.  Fasten off.

Round 4:  Join next colour with sc in any corner ch sp, ch 5, sc in same ch sp, *[ch 5, sc in next ch sp] twice**, ch 5, (sc, ch 5, sc) in corner ch sp, rep from * around, ending last rep at **, ch 2, join with dc in beg sc forming last ch sp.

Round 5: Ch 1, sc in this ch sp, ch 1, *9 dc in corner ch sp, ch 1, sc in next ch sp**, [ch 5, sc in next ch sp] twice, ch 1, rep from * around, ending last rep at **, ch 5, sc in next ch sp, ch 2, join with dc in beg sc forming last ch sp.

Round 6:  Ch 1, sc in this ch sp, *ch 6, sk next ch sp and next st, sc in next st, ch 6, sk next 2 sts, (sc, ch 6, sc) in next st, ch 6, sk next 2 sts, sc in next st, ch 6, sk next st and next ch sp, sc in next ch sp, ch 6**, sc in next ch sp, rep from * around, ending last rep at **, join with sl st in beg sc.  Fasten off.

Round 7:  Join 3rd colour with sl st in any corner ch-5 sp, ch 3 (counts as first dc), (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in same ch sp, * ch 1, [3 dc in next ch sp, ch 1] 5 times**, (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in next corner ch sp, rep from * around, ending last rep at **, join in 3rd chain of beg ch-3.  Fasten off.

I think this makes around 20 blocks now, halfway to a blankie!

August Angels

Technique: Crochet

Hello to my new followers, I'm so glad you joined me :o)

Every week I crochet an angel and send it off to someone who is need of hope through an organization called Angels for Hope. This is fantastic way to let people know that no matter what they are dealing with, that they are not alone. Each week I blog about it in the hopes that someone who wanders this way will read it and spread the word.

I was inspired by an unseasonal bout of warm weather to make all of my August angels out of a white yarn that has flecks of pastel colours running through it, with a copper halo to signify the unusual sunshine.  This is the last angel for August, new colours next month to celebrate the arrival of Spring.

If you like to crochet and would like to register for Angels for Hope you can do so here. Also, if you know someone who is need of an Angel, you can put in your request there.

Six Inch Crochet Blanket Sampler - Solid Square

Technique: Crochet

Materials:
8 ply yarn in 3 colours

Tools:
4mm crochet hook

Finished Size:
6 inches

The original pattern comes from the book 200 Square Crochet Blocks by Jan Eaton. I have been regularly making one per week, with the goal that by the end of the year I will have enough to put together a blanket.  This block was a very simple construction, but like many of the patterns in the book (despite the claim that they are all six inches and totally interchangeable), it required an extra row to give it the correct number of stitches to make it a 6" square.

All Wrapped Up

I've spent two days struggling with my copics.  I usually buy my blending card from a local store, and it's sold unlabelled so I don't know what brand it is, but I like it.  When I visited a different store they sold the branded Xpress card so I bought some of that and I hate it!  I feel like it is less 'absorbant' than the other, so it doesn't take long for the ink to start pooling on top of the page, and then once that happens it starts streaking.  As I was working with brown all I achieved was various shades of mud, streaky horrible mud.  I should have been colouring pigs!  

So time to put the pens down for a bit.

This little guy is made from crochet, but he is dead easy (I made a punny!).  The body is done in crochet then slipped over a champagne cork, so he is only a wee little thing.  A cute little desk companion for halloween, or lovers of old spooky movies and all things generally macabre.

You will need 8ply wool in white and grey and a 3mm crochet hook.

To begin start with a magic circle in grey wool.

Round 1: 1 6 sc Round 2: 2 2 sc in ea sc (12)
Round 3: 3 [2sc, sc] x 6 times (18)
Round 4: 4 sc around (18)
Round 5: 5 sc around (18)
Round 6: 6 sc around (18)
Round 7: sc around (18)
Round 8: sc around (18)
Round 9: sc around (18)

Switch to white yarn
Rounds 10 - 17: sc around

Instead of binding off at the end of round 17, chain 400, this will form the bandage wrap that goes around the mummy.  Bind off.

Slip the body over a champagne cork, it will be a tight fit but the yarn will stretch.  Once he is all snug and cozy start wrapping the bandages around the mummy, securing with a few small pins or dab of glue.  I used 7mm plastic eyes that I bought at the local craft store, the kind intended for making soft toys.  Use an old knitting needle to poke holes in the cork where you want the eyes, and then just press into place.

If you don't have an old champagne cork, well, this is the perfect excuse to buy a bottle, I know I need to!

August Angels

Technique: Crochet

Hello to my new followers, I'm so glad you joined me :o)

Every week I crochet an angel and send it off to someone who is need of hope. This is fantastic way to let people know that no matter what they are dealing with, that they are not alone. Each week I blog about it in the hopes that someone who stumbles across my blog will read it and spread the word.

I was inspired by an unseasonal bout of warm weather to make all of my August angels out of a white yarn that has flecks of pastel colours running through it, with a copper halo to signify the unusual sunshine.  After a few days of wet weather the sun is out again, the puppies are out playing in the long grass and I'm about to go out and join them!

If you like to crochet and would like to register for Angels for Hope you can do so here. Also, if you know someone who is need of an Angel, you can put in your request there.

Six Inch Crochet Blanket Sampler - Spinner

Technique: Crochet

Materials:
8 ply yarn in 3 colours

Tools:
4mm crochet hook

Finished Size:
6 inches

The original pattern comes from the book 200 Square Crochet Blocks by Jan Eaton. I have been regularly making one per week, with the goal that by the end of the year I will have enough to put together a blanket.  This block came together pretty easily, which unfortunately cannot be said for all of Ms Eaton's patterns, either I am terrible at crochet or her patterns are rife with errors, and many take a lot of adjustments to get a uniform 6" in size.

Six Inch Crochet Blanket Sampler - Seville

Technique: Crochet

Materials:
8 ply yarn in 3 colours

Tools:
4mm crochet hook

Finished Size:
6 inches

The original pattern comes from the book 200 Square Crochet Blocks by Jan Eaton. I am a bit behind on posting my blocks, although I have been regularly making one per week, with the goal that by the end of the year I will have enough to put together a blanket.

August Angels

Technique: Crochet

Every week I crochet an angel and send it off to someone around the world that I don't know who is need of hope. This is fantastic way to let people know that no matter what they are dealing with, that they are not alone. Each week I blog about it in the hopes that someone who stumbles across my blog will read in the hopes that word will spread.

As we had an unusual stretch of sunshine for what is supposed to be the coldest month of the year, I was inspired to make all of my August angels out of a white yarn that has flecks of pastel colours running through it, with a copper halo to signify the unusual sunshine.  The red heart is a glass bead, and is part of the Angels for Hope symbol, to let the recipient know that someone loved them enough to send them an angel. 

If you would like to register for Angels for Hope you can do so here. Also, if you know someone who is need of an Angel, you can put in your request there.

July Angels

Technique: Crochet

Every week I crochet an angel and send it off to someone around the world that I don't know who is need of hope. This is fantastic way to let people know that no matter what they are dealing with, that they are not alone. Each week I post about it in the hopes that someone who stumbles across my blog will read it to continue try and raise awareness of this wonderful organization.

All of my angels in July featured white yarn with a green halo.  The red heart is a glass bead, and is part of the Angels for Hope symbol, to let the recipient know that someone cares.  Last angel for July, looking forward to a new colour scheme for August!

If you would like to register for Angels for Hope you can do so here. Also, if you know someone who is need of an Angel, you can put in your request there.