Furry Crocheted Christmas Ornaments

It's beginning to look a lot like ... Christmas Ornaments! I know, crazy to be thinking about Christmas when the high today in Phoenix is 111 degrees, but I'm on to another destashing project. Glanced at a shelf in my craft studio this morning, saw these yarn scraps ...

and thought Furry Crocheted Christmas Ornaments would be just the thing to think cool!

I still consider myself a novice crocheter, not too confident with any pattern that has stitches to be counted but, I promise you, this is so easy -- seriously, if I can do it, I believe you can too!

The white yarn with a metallic strand shot through it is a #2 Fine/Baby on the Standard Yarn Weight Chart and must be left over from a baby item made years ago (I no longer have the identifying ball band). The fancy yarns are both Lion Brand: Martha Stewart Glitter Eyelash in Brownstone #526 and Fun Fur in Sapphire Blue #109.

Furry Crocheted Christmas Ornament

This ornament can be very organic with whatever yarns you like or have on hand but for the blue ornament, I used:

White #2 Fine/Baby Weight Yarn for the main color
Lion Brand Fun Fur in Sapphire Blue
H/8 Crochet Hook
Yarn Needle for weaving in ends

- - - - - - - - - -

With main color, chain 5 and join

Single crochet 12 times in circle and join end of round with a slip stitch

{I like to crochet over the tail of the yarn to omit weaving in the end later}

Chain 2 (which counts as first Half Double Crochet {HDC}

HDC in each stitch with 1 chain stitch between each HDC

Join end of round with a slip stitch

Chain 2

In each space, make 2 HDCs and chain 1 between each space

Pick up the strand of fun fur and, together with the main yarn, chain 3

Because the 2 strands of yarn together can be a little difficult, keep your stitches slightly loose to make it easier on yourself

{You will weave in the fun fur tail later}

Between every HDC, do a Double Crochet, chain 2

Here is the round half done ...

Slip stitch to join end of round

Bring both yarns through last stitch to knot them, but do not cut yet

Drop the main color yarn and chain 22 with the fun fur to make the ornament hanger

Connect the last stitch to the ornament at the beginning of the chain with a slip stitch to make a loop

Cut both yarns leaving a 3" tail, draw them through the working stitch and tighten to knot them

Then weave in all loose ends with yarn needle

Now wait patiently for the holidays to hang it on your tree or use as a present topper. The granddaughter asked if I could make her a black one with red fur. Hmmmmmm ... off to check my stash.

128 days until Christmas!

So many projects, never enough time ...

Great Tip for Flawlessly, Easily Connecting New Yarn in the Middle of a Row

My Mom sent me a link to this YouTube video recently that blew my hand-knitted socks off -- go take a peek, I'll wait ...

How to Join Your Yarn by Making a Double Knot

No kidding! You can connect new working yarn in the middle of a row and the result is fabulous. I have been working on a crocheted red and black afghan and this weird nubby chunk of yarn about 3" long appeared in the middle of a row.

I crocheted on with it and, believe me, it was super ugly. About 6" later *sigh, why do I do these idiotic things*, I realized I could not live with the bumpy blob and then, as if by magic, Mom's email appeared in my inbox. So I frogged back to just before the blob and tried the magic double knot join.

Here is the knot made after cutting out the blob and rejoining the yarn ...

The tip of the scissors points to the stitch where the knot is buried. It does not show on either side. If I squeeze the stitch between my fingertips I can feel it, but you would never know it's there to look at it.

Just had to share this amazing tip and give thanks to the clever Jane Richmond for providing it!

So many projects, never enough time ...

Patchwork Afghan

As I write this, it is 10:00 pm and over 100 degrees out. Still, I find myself imagining how cozy it would be to curl up under this handmade afghan with a book and a cup of coffee.

I started this patchwork afghan over 2 years ago with 7 blocks -- 6 knitted and 1 crocheted -- quickly got tired of it and shoved it in a bag. Then about a month ago, I found it again, started pulling all of my bits and pieces of leftover yarn off the shelves, picked up a crochet hook and can finally call it done. From this ...

to this ...

Just laid out without blocking, it measures about 50" wide by 61" long. Each individual square took between 1-1/2 to 2 hours to make and there are 49 total. Made of worsted weight acrylic yarn, most squares are done in half double crochet with an H/8 crochet hook. I single crocheted each row together, then each column. Last, I went around the whole thing 3 times, in single crochet, then half double crochet and, finally, in double crochet. The outer black border is an inch wide and really brings the whole thing together. I love the way the black yarn borders make it look like stained glass.

I have to say, it has been a wonderful, satisfying project to work on. Making the squares was just plain fun, switching colors with each new block, and destashing my yarn-filled shelves. This afghan took me over 120 hours to complete, but every stitch was joyful and I would highly recommend making one if you have your own destashing to do.

Just for fun, I took pictures of my progress along the way and made a slide show so in 34 seconds, here is How to Build a Patchwork Afghan ...

I used the free ProShow app on my iPhone to create the slide show.

So many projects, never enough time ...

Patchwork in Yarn

Ashley was sweet enough to lay out the 49 squares of mostly crocheted patchwork. I tend to over think projects like this and want to rearrange and rearrange and it would never be done so I promised myself that I would run with her arrangement and not change a thing. Soooooo much easier this way!

I am so pleased with the the colors and variety and especially using up so much yarn left over from projects over the years.

And I have the first row crocheted together with black yarn ... love it!

Along with being a superb stash buster, I think this will eventually make a nice gift. And it's a great project to work on in front of the TV. I'm on season 3 of Downton Abbey -- spoiler alert if you haven't seen it yet -- I cannot believe they killed off Sybil, the nicest person on the show!!! I may have cried.

So many projects, never enough time ...

49 Squares

I have a Yorkie sized stack of afghan squares ... count 'em, 49!

This is a stash bustin' project that will result in a patchwork afghan and several empty shelves where yarn used to hang out.

Miles cannot believe his eyes. Seriously, this pile of tiny blankets is the reason you've been unable to scratch my ears while we're watching TV?

Now comes the laying out of all the pieces -- I'm hoping to coerce the granddaughter into this portion of the project. ;-)

Then the assembly. I'm going to try crocheting them together rather than whip stitching, but we'll see how it goes. I'll let you know.

So many projects, never enough time ...

Projects & Patterns in Progress - July 2013

Have a few projects and patterns in progress. Drafting a pattern for a smock-style apron based on those worn by my great-grandmother ...

Picked up a huge crochet hook and some chunky yarn and started blasting out these lush, gorgeous, fast full circle drape or double scarves. Working on this pattern as well ...

Went digging around in my UFOs (unfinished objects) and found 7 squares I had started knitting years ago to make an afghan. I've become so enamored with crocheting lately that I decided to pick up the project again. Been using up all the leftover worsted weight acrylic yarn on my shelves. The afghan is made up of 49 squares -- only 15 to go before assembly. I'm planning to put it all together with black yarn ...

So many projects, never enough time ...

Crochet Anon

Hi, my name is Jane and I crochet. *sigh*

I have nearly depleted my stash of cotton yarn in the last two weeks, enjoying every single stitch! I've completed a dozen dish cloths, trying different things like making them round or adding a scalloped edge.

I was working a square of Soft Ecru yarn and it was so beautiful that I kept making it larger and larger until the entire skein was finished. Then I connected some Hot Orange yarn and went around and around until that skein was finished, ending up with a table topper that measures 20" diagonally ...

I was considering embroidering something pretty in the center, but I have a feeling it will usually be covered anyway so I'm still trying to decide whether it's worth the trouble.

This is a nice change since we've been using the same table topper for two years -- a Dresden plate that I'm kind of tired of looking at, even though it works wonderfully on the round table.

I may have worked through this recent obsession since I found myself picking up a knitting project this morning instead of making another dish cloth, but just in case, I'll be checking the listings to look for yarn junkie meetings.

So many projects, never enough time ...

How to Crochet a Dish Cloth

I've been crocheting with cotton balls. Oh, all right, I admit that is a little bit misleading since I am actually referring to these cotton balls ...

Balls of Lily Sugar 'n Cream 100% cotton yarn. I have a bag full of this stuff that I've collected in every color of the rainbow. In 2007, I started knitting again when I saw the TV show "Knitty Gritty" and they were making bar cloths. I immediately drove to Michael's to buy cotton yarn! My personal favorite project to make with this yarn is a dish cloth, which I usually knit, but last weekend I had the urge to pick up a crochet hook.

I decided to finish off some of the partially used skeins of yarn left over from other projects. I started by making a single crocheted center square and then changed yarn to add a border around it in a different color. The border is done by single crocheting all the way around the square, then again in double crochet or half double crochet or whatever stitch you like. I am a left-handed self-taught crocheter and I really don't know what the particular stitches are, usually just winging it until I get something I like. I tend to have the most fun when things are a little loosey goosey and, believe me, there was plenty of ripping out and redoing until I got into a comfortable rhythm.

Here is my first completed dish cloth ...

Is it just me or do you obsess by doing the same thing over and over? You know, get on a kick that just keeps repeating itself because it's enjoyable ... chicken salad sandwiches for lunch every day, reading the same author one book after another, wanting to wear the same outfit repeatedly because it's so comfortable? Well, I also do this with crafting ...

Somebody stop me ... except I'm having so much fun amassing a nice little pile of dish cloths as we watch TV during the evening. They make great gifts, are wonderful not only for dish washing but face washing too, and the cotton yarn is soft and natural so great for baby wash cloths.

This project is made with just a few inexpensive supplies and very basic stitches so it's a great way to teach yourself to crochet and make something wonderful in the process with your own two hands!

Here is my basic method for making one of these dish cloths:

Crocheted Cotton Dish Cloth

1 or 2 skeins of 100% cotton yarn (use coupons at Michael's and Jo-Ann's - around $3 for a 120 yard skein or you can buy larger cones)
Size H/8 crochet hook
Yarn needle for weaving in ends

To help you get started or if you need a refresher, great instructions for basic crochet stitches can be found at About.com: http://crochet.about.com/od/crochetstitches/tp/basic-stitches.htm

• Chain stitch 25
• Skip the first stitch and single crochet in each of the remaining 23 chain stitches
• At the end of each row, chain 2, then turn and single crochet across the row
• Single crochet in the front loop of each stitch - this keeps it light and lacy
• This will give you a width of approximately 6"
• Continue to single crochet back and forth until you've made a square

Here is where you begin with new yarn if you're changing color for the border. You will cut your first yarn, leaving a 3" tail, then pull it through the loop to fasten it off. When you start the new color in that same corner, hold both tails against the edge and enclose them with your single crochet to eliminate having to weave them in later. (This is probably my favorite trick because I hate weaving in ends!)

Or you can continue on with the same yarn and make a single color dish cloth ...

• Single crochet all the way around the 4 sides of the square but this time insert your hook under both the front and back loops together -- this makes a heavier border
• When you crochet over the beginning point where you started your chain, hold the beginning tail next to the edge and enclose it with your single crochet stitch -- this eliminates having to weave in the tail end
• When you've made it all the way around, chain 3 at the corner, then start a round of double crochet (okay, I caved and looked it up and apparently the stitch I use is double crochet), again inserting your hook under both loops

• When you reach each corner, double crochet 3 times in the same stitch/hole to help you turn the corner nicely
• When you've made it all the way around to the beginning, chain 3, then slip stitch your original corner stitch together with the last stitch to complete the round
• Cut the tail at about 3", then pull through the loop and weave it in with your yarn needle. Finished size is approximately 8" square, but you can make them any size you like. You should be able to get two dish cloths from each skein of yarn or four if you're using two skeins of yarn and changing color for the border.

Dish washing is a lot more fun with a pretty little dish cloth that you made yourself. Or it should be anyway!

So many projects, never enough time.