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Monday, April 28, 2008

Baby Bumpy Booties


These booties were designed to match the infants size of my Kid's Bumpy Hat. I have also made a matching sweater.
I used a J hook and a light worsted weight yarn to make the ones in the picture. They came out at about 3 3/4" long.
Directions:
Toe
Ch 3 at beginning of each rd counts as 1 dc
Ch 4 and sl st to form loop.
Rd 1 ch 3 and 13 dc in loop. (12 sts)
Rd 2, 3, 4: ch 3, dc in each dc

Heel
Row 1: ch 3, dc in all but the last 2 dc
Row 2 and 3: turn and dc in each dc and end leaving 6 in tail of yarn
Sew back of heel together by using the back loops only

Cuff
Join yarn at back where it was sewn together
Rd 1: ch 3, 7 dc evenly spaced down side, dc in each dc left open, 7 dc evenly spaced on other side and join
Rd 2: ch 3, dc in each dc
Rd 3: ch 3 and turn, working on wrong side, sc in same stitch as ch 1, *tr in next dc, sc in next dc* and join
Rd 4: turn to work on right side and dc in each stitch

Ties

Ch 70 and weave through 1st round of cuff tying in the front

Afghans 4 Afghans

Afghans for Afghans is an organization that sends warm items to the people of Afghanistan. These people suffer greatly from years of war and oppression. Our hand made items can help keep them warm as we reach out a hand for understanding and compassion. There are two campaigns for much needed items explained below. All items must be at least 75% wool or other natural animal fibers. (yes I know it's expensive).

The first campaign is for newborn items. They need hats, socks and blankets for babies. Please check the requirements for sizes and other details before starting anything.

The other campaign is for rectangular shawls. These need to be rectangular and bigger than what we would normally make. Again check the size and pattern requirements on the website.

Wowsers!!!! Thrift Shop Find



I just got back from my local thrift shop with over 70 skeins of yarn at 50¢ a skein and a large bag of fabric. They threw in the fabric for free because I bought so much yarn. A lot of the yarn is tans and browns so I guess I'll be making more lap-ghans for the elders at Pine Ridge Reservation. There was no wool in this bunch (boo-hoo) but it was still a great deal. Already making plans for what to do with it all. I guess I've got my work cut out for me.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Just Rambling 4/27/2008


I've had a busy week. I've been making infants hats for Afghans for Afghans and hat and bootie sets for a project for the Yahoo Group All_Crafts_4_Charity. I'm doing all of them in wool since they are going to really cold climates. I will admit I'm still gagging on the cost of the yarn from my LYS. I've been searching online for a cheaper source as well as checking at WalMart and other places and it seems the price I paid was actually a pretty decent price. I love the feel of the yarn as I'm crocheting and I love the way the little hats came out. The colors came out horrible, I'm going to have to break down and buy a real camera someday instead of using my cell phone. Most of the hats are made with my Kid's Bumpy Hat pattern or a variation. One hat and bootie set is made with my Newborn Sweater Set pattern without the sweater.

A word about the advertising on these pages. I've recently signed up for several new programs to try to make a little extra to defray the cost of yarn and fabric. Please take a few minutes and help by supporting the sponsors of this blog. Also, if you want to advertise here you can join ProjectWonderful (link under the advertising) or contact me. Thank you all for helping make this blog a success. Readership has increased markedly in the last couple weeks and I truly appreciate those that have posted links at other sites back to this blog.

I finally have the Buggy Finger Puppets done and will be posting the pattern soon. I also will be posting the pattern for booties that go with my infant size Kid's Bumpy Hat. I just need the time to sit down and do it. I have a little bit more time off this week and hope to get that done.

Until I post again, keep crafting!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Bumpy Preemie Hat Crochet Pattern

It's so sweet and done in Caron's Simply Soft yarn it's so soft. This little hat will fit a larger preemie around four pounds or so.
Pattern:
Small amount of Simply Soft yarn
I hook, you can use larger or smaller hook to adjust the size of your hat.
Ch 3 and join to form ring
Rd 1: ch 3 (counts as 1st dc) 11 dc into ring (12 dc in ring) join to chain 3
Rd 2: Ch 3 dc in same stitch, 2 dc in each stitch join to chain 3 with sl st (24 dc)
Rd 3: Ch 3 *2 dc in next stitch, dc in next stitch repeat from * to last stitch 2dc and join (36 st)
Rd 4: Ch 1 and turn (this row is worked on wrong side) sc in same st as slip stitch, trc in next stitch, * sc in next 2 stitches then trc in next. Repeat from * around, sc in last stitch. Join with sl
st to first sc
Rd 5: Ch 3 and turn (this row is worked on right side) dc in each st.
Rds 6 - 9: Repeat Rds. 4 and 5 twice
Rds 10 -12 Dc in each st.
Rd 13: Ch 1 and turn (this row is worked on wrong side) sc in each stich, end

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Just Rambling 4/19/2008

I finally joined Ravelry.com and I have become obsessed. If you don't know what that is yet, it's sort of the myspace for knitters and crocheters. It's awesome, I spend so much time there, there's so much to see and patterns to search and people to meet! If you already belong my user name is debscrafts55.

I went to a local yarn store yesterday. I'm not ashamed to admit I buy most of my yarn at Walmart and thrift stores, the cheaper the yarn the more I can make for charity. But the yarns there were awesome, I wish I had more time to spend there. I wanted to buy some wool for hats to send over to Afghanistan. Acrylic doesn't work for this, the extreme cold makes the yarn brittle and it will break so it has to be wool. Bought some that was like a dark peach, very pretty.

I'm working on yet another finger puppet pattern, this one's a bug and I'll be posting it soon. I really like making them, they're a great small project and I can make several in just a little while.

I've also got a new preemie hat pattern that I may be posting later today or tomorrow. I made several yesterday for Cooper Hospital and they came out really cute.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Pink Flower Blanket


I made this using my Sunflower Lap-Ghan pattern. I changed the colors (of course) and used a K hook which gave me 7" squares (in case anyones crocheting squares for a group project). I also arranged 25 blocks 5 X 5 to make a square baby blanket instead of a lap-ghan.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Stripey Worm Finger Puppets Free Crochet Pattern

These guys are so easy to make I can hardly call it a pattern. This is such a great way to use up all those really small balls of yarn. Even the smallest pieces can be used to embroider the facial features or make the topknot. A lot of charities that deal with children take small gifts like these for the kids so make a bunch and donate them.
Stripey Worms
These are made with worsted weight yarn and a G hook. If you are making more than one stripe with the same yarn do not cut yarn after each round but carry it inside the worm and pick it up again at the next color change. This decreases the amount of ends you need to work in. When to change color is up to you, but if you like the hat look of the middle two change color after third row.
Pattern
Ch 4 and join
Rd 1: 6 sc in loop and join
Rd 2: 2 sc in each sc and join
Rd 3 - 10 or up to 15: sc in each sc changing colors as the mood strikes you, make as many rounds as you would like, you can make short or long worms like I did above
Last Rd: sc, sc DEC in next two st, 2 sc, sc DEC in next two st, 2sc, sc DEC in next two st, sc and join
Embroider facial features
Topknot: (optional) Use 2 - 4 strands of yarn and attach to top of head as if you were making fringe, trim to the length you would like it and separate strands to fluff them up.
I also have pattern for:

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Just Rambling 4/8/2008

Thing 2 is trying to make it difficult for me to type but I'm going to try anyway. She thinks the only reason I exist is to feed and pet her.

I've been kind of busy with the finger puppets and have some more patterns to post later, just too lazy to do it right now. I have jury duty Friday, I wonder how much yarn I should take with me? I guess I'll just make sure I have a lot to do in the car just in case I have a lot of waiting around to do.

I've been making little hug pillows today for Cooper Hospital in Camden, NJ. They're small pillows for new moms that had a C-section. They're held over the stitches when mom coughs. Having been there myself I remember holding a pillow there made it a lot less painful.

Even though I live in MO now, I grew up in NJ. My mom went to nursing school at Cooper and met my dad while she was there. She never finished her training because married women weren't allowed to back then. So there's family history there which is why I chose to support this particular hospital. It is also the April project in my All_Crafts_4_Charity Yahoo group. For more info on the hospital you can go here. You can also join the CaringForCooper Yahoo group.

I was talking to a friend of mine today and hope I might have interested her in doing some charity crafting, since (hopefully) she'll be visiting here soon I thought I'd say Hi, Hi Nanette!!

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Boy and Girl Finger Puppets



OK, so I've gotten a little obsessed with the finger puppets. And of course once I start trying a few patterns for something I have to create my own. So I made this little girl in her bonnet and ruffled dress and little boy in his ballcap. The directions are below:
I used a G hook and scraps of yarn, I used a fuzzy baby yarn for the blond hair and mohair-look yarn for the brown.
Basic Body
With skin color yarn :
Ch 4 and join
Rd 1: 6 sc in loop
Rd 2: 2 sc in each sc
Rds 3 - 5: sc in each sc
Rd 6: sc DEC in next 2 sc around and end color
Changing to main clothing color
Rd 7: sc in each sc
Rd 8: 2 sc in each sc
Rd 9: sc in next 3 st. , (ch 4 sc in second ch from hook and next 2 ch). sc in next five stitches and repeat ( ) , sc in next 4 st.
Rd 10: sc in 3 st, [3sc in foundation ch of arm, 3 sc in the 3 sc of arm], 5 sc, repeat [ ] for other arm
Rd 11: sc in the 12 sc of body moving arms out of the way
Rds 12-17: sc in each sc
Rd 18: sc, sc DEC in next two sc, 2 sc, sc DEC, 2 sc, sc DEC, sc and end
Hats:
In yarn to match clothing color Ch4 and join
Rd 1: 6 sc in loop
Rd 2: 2 sc in each sc
Rd 3: sc in each sc
For girls hat
Rd 4: 2 dc in each sc and end
For boys baseball cap
Rd 4: 2 sc, 2hdc, 2 dc, 2hdc, 2sc, join and end
Sew hats to top of head
Hair
Join hair color yarn to one side of forehead right under brim of hat ch 4 and join in next stitch until forehead is covered for bangs, you can end here for boy, for girl ch 10 and join until you reach the other side of the bangs again.
Girls ruffly skirt,
Using dress color join yarn to post of any stitch three or four rows from bottom. Do 3 dc in the post of each stitch all the way around.
Embroider facial features
I also have patterns for: