Has Me In Stitches

It all started with a simple Crochet-Along. A harmless little activity that brings fellow crochet fanatics together.  Rachel Choi, who runs a great website called The Crochet Spot put this together and offered up a free pattern for a cardholder .  If you're like me, your wallet is bursting at the seams with loyalty cards and gift cards.  This handy little cardholder pattern is just the ticket for organizing that pile of cards.  It also provides a unique way to package gift cards for gift giving, and it's the perfect project for using up scrap yarn.

I have a great nephew being born in a month and wanted to make a blanket for him. I don't remember how I managed to find this particular pattern but I loved the design and decided to recreate it in shades of blue, green, an white. I used Bernat Baby Coordinates yarn in white, soft blue, iced mint, a darker blue, funny prints (white, light green, light blue), and splash stripes (a darker green mixed with the darker blue). I also used a size H hook. The goal was to make 388 "snowflakes" in a variety of colors. I admit it...I didn't read the directions well and ended up having to modify the pattern (something I lovingly refer to as "research and development," which usually involves a lot of pulling out stitches and starting over, with some curse words tossed in). It was after I completed my huge pile of snowflakes and laid them out into my desired pattern when I realized I was supposed to be joining them as I went along. Oh crud...now what? I end

A friend happened to mention that she was cleaning out her yarn stash and was going to donate 3 large trash bags to the Goodwill.  I begged her to let me poke through it first and the result is this awesome assortment of yarn that will keep me busy through the coming winter! There is also an assortment of balls that I keep in a large basket.  I feel like I hit the yarn lottery!  The top shelf in this pic is actually some Cascade Yarn that I purchased from Craftsy.com at an amazing $1.30 per skein.  Not being able to resist a good deal, I bought 40 skeins of it.  At this rate I'm going to need a much bigger shelf...

I stumbled across this great crochet bag pattern .  I was drawn to the idea that I could whip it up with less than 2 skeins of "cheap worsted weight yarn" in a relatively short period of time.  The result was better than I anticipated! I picked up a skein of Craft Smart in Bright Red and another in Sangria at the local Michael's for less than $2 each.  I used some scrap yarn for the flowers and a couple of bright beads I had on hand. I opted not to add a button closure since I have a tendency to over pack any bag I carry.  :)   The finished product is approximately 16 inches tall, 11 inches wide, and 6 inches deep - and stretches very nicely.  For an investment of less than $5 this is a major win!  I will definitely be experimenting with other color combos and embellishments.  I think it would make a really cute beach bag or reusable grocery tote too.

I needed something to keep my sunglasses in so they wouldn't get scratched up. I wear the big "Jackie O" style shades and most store-bought cases are too snug, so I whipped this one up using Lion Brand Homespun yarn in Granite.  The stars were made with some scrap yarn I had in a soft mauve-pink. Pattern: Size H crochet hook Ch 30 Round 1: Sc in second ch from hook, then each remaining ch.  Ch 2 and turn. Round 2: Hdc in each sc across.  Ch 1 and turn. Round 3-17: Continue alternating rows of sc and Hdc. Add a row of edging or leave squared off (I added a row of scalloped edging) Fold in half and join both sides together using sc stitches along the seam and bottom edge. Fasten off. Turn inside out to hide the seams Embellish with your favorite appliqué. I used this star pattern .

I got the idea for these from a picture I saw of the penguin pillow on Pinterest.  There was no pattern, so I had to come up with my own.  I started with this basic flat circle pattern using double crochet instead of single.  I found 14" round pillow forms at Joann Fabrics and made 2 circles the size to fit the form. I had to get creative for the other parts; modified triangles for the penguin's arms and beak, a half circle for Elmo's mouth, and I can't begin to explain how I made the elephant's trunk and ears.  But I love how they turned out!