Imaginitive Creatures

It started with a book I got for Christmas, Edward's Crochet Imaginarium. This book is just spectacular. If you've ever wanted to jump into amigurumi I would strongly suggest you get one of Kerry Lord's books. They are so well written and they add a level of fun that other books just don't have.

This books pages are split into thirds, heads, arms, and legs. You can flip through and create millions of different creature options. From wild hair to webbed hands and feet. Furry bodies or striped. Polka dots or 6 arms, the ideas are limitless.

I really love this book in particular because it is not classic animals, although I have Kerry's book Edward's Menagerie and it is amazing in its own right, I like the creativeness of this book. It gives the crocheter or the person choosing the ability to express themselves through their choices. No two creatures ever need to be alike unless you choose them to be. I love how different all the creatures I have mad have turned out.

This book is written in UK crochet terms, but as you can see most patterns are done in a UK dc (double crochet) which is a US sc (single crochet) so converting the pattern while working them is super easy!

There are also sections on tails, stuffing and finishing, and a section telling what size hook to use with different weights of yarn. All these first ones I have made have been made with worsted weight Red Heart Yarn. This last one I did however was made using Lionbrand Mandala in the Gnome colorway. Her name is Matilda and my daughter just loves her! How could she not! Just look how cute she is!

She is quite a bit smaller than her big brother, Mr. Topknot. I love how different  a pattern can turn out just by changing yarn weight and hook size. 

My favorite section of this book is the gallery, which give a list of which features were used for ALL the creatures on the cover of the book as well as a little story/personal bio on each creature with their name and where they are from. It is really so cute and add such a fun touch to the book. This section inspired me to give a name and story to each creature I make. I plan on writing a little bio on a tag of any creatures that are order from me in the future. 

These creatures were truly a joy to make, I plan to make many more. If you want to try some amigurumi creatures I highly suggest you get this great book by Kerry Lord. You won't be disappointed I promise!

Habitat Cardigan

Habitat Cardigan by Make and Do Crew 

I absolutely fell in love with this pattern as soon as I saw it. It looked so simple and inviting in that beautiful charcoal color. (see the above blog link to see the amazing original) But alas I had no charcoal yarn. Actually I had no worsted weight yarn of any color in the needed amount; I was heartbroken.
However I did have 4 beautiful skeins of Lionbrand Mandala Yarn in Gnome colorway. I decided maybe it could work.
Have you ever tried substituting a yarn in a pattern? If you haven't here is a tip, generally you want to use the same weight as called for in the pattern.So this pattern called for worsted weight, and if you haven't guessed already, the yarn I had was not worsted....its acutally a dk weight.
One might think this was the end of my cardigan sweater journey, but its not, because Jess over at Make and Do Crew is pretty amazing!
I messaged Jess on Instagram and asked if she thought I could make the sweater work with dk. She suggested I just give it a try using a hook that I could match gauge with so that is what I did! And here is what you'll need if you want an awesome rainbow cardigan like mine.

• First go decide what size you want your cardigan Pattern is Here This is the free version of the pattern, for a small fee you can get an ad free pdf, either way its the same great pattern, I worked from the free version, but may buy the pdf if I decide to make another. 

 I wanted the fit of a medium so I chose the size large to make (this is important if you want to use a smaller yarn, pick one size larger or more depending on how loose you want your sweater to fit)

• Ok if you decide to use Mandala yarn I used about 2 1/2 cakes in the Gnome colorway. There are soooo many great colorways to choose from in this type of yarn. Fairy and Griffin are two of my other favorites in the Mandala yarn. 
• I ended up using a  L 7.0mm hook and my rectangle measured the medium size perfectly 
• I also used stitch markers from Joann's when I got to the putting it all together stage.

This is a really simple pattern, its hard to believe this simple rectangle creates such a cute sweater.

If you like the look of this sweater please go try out Jess' pattern at Make and Do Crew, you won't be sorry, I promise. 

Happy Yarn Mail

I decided to sign up for 3 months of Happy Yarn Mail at New Years. I was hoping it would be a bit of fun. I didn't expect a lot for the meager price of $19.99 a month. I mean really we all know how much cost goes into a really great project from yarn to pattern. I was expecting a small project I guess, something cutsie. I really didn't look into past projects just wanting to be surprised.

Well...Ashleigh at Sewrella has an amazing talent for designing, I have loved all her patterns on her blog and knew even if it was just a small project I would probably LOVE it.

When It arived I was just floored!!
First of all the package is sooo cute!!! I mean who wouldn't want to come home to this in their mail box??

I was so excited to open this and get started straight away, however I had a BIG afghan I had been dragging my feet on finishing so I used my Happy Yarn Mail as my incentive to finish it. I have to tell you I finished that afghan in record time!! I couldn't wait to open up that cute sprinkled package and see what was inside!!! And I was NOT disappointed at all!

Yes it's a smallish project or rather 2 smallish projects but they could not be any cuter for Valentines day!! 

It was great for a take along project for my lunch breaks at work, and guys if you are at all nervous about being able to complete these cute projects, do not fear, Sewrella has you covered! Each package comes with...

1. Yarn
2. Pattern
3. Password

Password??? Password for what you might ask? A VIDEO TUTORIAL!!! Seriously guys Ashleigh thought of everything!! 

This project pattern was very easy to read (there was typo which is addressed on the video tutorial page) Ashleigh is really on the ball, and the stitch was a beautiful texture which I am in love with!!! I think it would make a beautiful blanket!! 

So have you tried Happy Yarn Mail? Is it something you would love to try?? Each month's kit goes on sale on the 1st of the month, there is a limited supply so order quick or better yet just subscribe to the monthly program!! They ship out around the 25th of the month and mine was here pretty quickly!!  So I know what you're thinking...."where do I sign up??" thats easy...go HERE !!!

Oh and as for your other question "wait, what did you finish making??" It was two beautiful Valentine's Day pouches!! I loved them both, my daughter (12) claimed the white one before I even got it finished so it will be filled with goodies for her on Valentine's Day, the other will be mine. I decided this year to show my self some love by filling up a little treat bag for my self. Chocolates, maybe some lotion, a nail file...who knows the possibilities are endless!! I plan to keep something special in it for me all year long. Just to remind myself to be kind to myself. 

Thanks Ashleigh for such a fun project I can't wait to see what next months project is!!

Crocheting all the things!

I feel like lately I have been crocheting so many different things I just don't know where to start blogging. LOL So I have uploaded pics of all the crocheted things and I am just going to go by which ever picture is next! So first up is.....

The Homebody Sweater by Megan Shaimes of Meg made with love!!

This sweater was so EASY! Like a beginner crocheter could definitely make this! And its super comfy too!! Does it get any better than a simple comfortable sweater that you made yourself?? NO!!

Ok so materials needed

• DK (category 3) yarn - The pattern includes yardage needed for a range of sizes (Small-Large) I used a cotton bamboo yarn from Ice Yarns in light pink.
• Size K hook 6.5mm
• Yarn needle
• Sewing pins - I did not pin mine prior to sewing, I did use stitch markers at the neck so my neck hole was even. I also sewed my neck hole a bit smaller than Meg did on hers, but I wanted less slouch to mine so I felt more comfortable wearing it out. I am not as tiny and cute as Meg is. 

Ok so that is it. Short list right? Well I did say it was super easy didn't I! Seriously this sweater only uses half double crochet stitches. 1 stitch....EASY PEASY! 

My gauge was a bit off when I started but Meg was so very helpful. I just ended up dropping down a hook size and worked the pattern as written. I would definitely say do a quick gauge swatch just to make sure you're on gauge. I think part of it  for me was the yarn I was using, it worked up a bit looser than an acrylic in my opinion but it is silky soft and smooth. It made for a heavier sweater but its not overly hot at all. It breathes beautifully. I wore it out to dinner and a hockey game and got lots of compliments, the best part was saying "Thanks I made it myself." 

I want to take a minute and talk about doing a gauge swatch. I NEVER used to do a gauge swatch. and I still don't for the most part on hats, toys, and blankets, but on sweaters, tops, shawls, socks...anything I want to "Fit" well. I do a gauge swatch. It saves so much time in the long run. There is nothing worse than getting a sweater finished only to have it not fit. 

I hear all the time that "a gauge swatch is a waste of yarn!" well I suppose if you finish off on the swatch and cut it loose it could be but here are some things I've done. 

1. DO NOT finish off. DO NOT cut your yarn. When you get to the right stitch and row count for the swatch measure it. If its good frog it and start your garment. If its too big/small try a different hook size, check your yarn weight, double check the pattern and frog it and do it again. (see if you don't cut the yarn you can just use it again and again...) 
2. If you choose to finish off the swatches, save them. Turn them into a blanket. Turn them into a pillow. Turn them into potholders.... Do you see where I am going with this? Some yarns are a pain to frog and reuse; fuzzy yarns like Lionbrand Homespun, fun fur or novelty yarns, natural fibers can tangle a bit and be tough to frog also. 

Ok so back to the Homebody, this is the 2nd pattern of Meg's that I have done and I really really love how her patterns are written and that she is so helpful. Now the bonus info...this is a FREE pattern on her blog!!! Yep you heard me its FREE!! If you like having a pdf to print with out ads Meg's got you covered, for a small fee you can get a pdf from her etsy shop! (there is a link right on the pattern page on her blog) You can find this sweater and several others on her blog as well as some super cute hats, scarves and printable wrap labels and tags!! ALL FREE!!! 

Ok now stop reading, go check your stash for some DK yarn and run over to Meg Made With Love and start your Homebody sweater! You'll have it done and be wearing by the weekend!! 

Loves,

Um. 

Taos Slipper Boots by Make and Do Crew

Taos Slipper Boots

Materials Needed

1. Flip Flops to use for soles - I got mine on clearance at our little local Family Dollar Store for .50 I have heard some people by a bit more expensive ones that have thicker soles...I used what was available and totally in budget since these were to be gifts and I needed to make 3 pairs.
2. Worsted weight yarn (just a little for the sc round on the sole.)
3.  Super Bulky weight yarn - The pattern called for Lion Brand Thick and Quick. I used a Bulky weight yarn I ordered through Ice Yarns. It was not as bulky as I had hoped but It still worked up really well. I did not make any pattern changes and they fit the recipients great! 
4. HOOKS - Ok this pattern uses lots of hooks, it seems odd but there is really a reason for it I promise. So you need a small hook pattern called for a 2.25mm However I could not for the life of me get mine to hook and pull the worsted weight yarn through the sole and ended up using my 3 mm hook. You'll also need a K 6.5mm (mine is a 7.0 and worked fine), an L 8mm and an MN 9mm. 
5. A large needle or awl of some type for punching holes in the soles. The pdf of this pattern comes with a printable punching guide. I just eye balled it and punched about every 1/3 inch or maybe a little closer. I did count my punches and made sure each sole in a pair had the same number of punches. 
6. scissors and a yarn needle for weaving in ends.
7. E6000 glue for plugging the holes of the flip flops.
8. Patience. Loads of patience. Silence might help on the first pair too. Don't get me wrong this is an EASY pattern, just pay attention.

This is a great pattern. I love that its done in a bulky yarn, making the finished slippers nice and cozy, and I love the flip flop soles making them great to walk out to grab the mail or stand in the kitchen after kids have tracked in snow (maybe that's just my house). 

The hardest part of this pattern for me really was punching the holes in the soles. I tried to get a good angle and get the hole straight through to make the first round of sc easier. This is the part that requires patience. DON'T RUSH. Take your time so you don't make too shallow of holes and keep them spaced evenly. (That printable guide is probably handy to have) 

READ the pattern. Yes the whole pattern. I know a lot of you will just jump in like I did on the first one and then miss needing switch hooks or maybe not think to glue the holes shut until after you attach the slipper top to the sole....which I do NOT recommend because you might end up getting really goopy hands trying to glue them and not get glue on the inside of the slipper....

SO do the sole work first, or at least before you attach the soles to the slipper tops.

Have a pen handy to mark off the rows as you go. I got lost more than once and had a heck of a time counting rows to figure out where I was. By the 3rd pair my pattern is a mess of marks, 

The slipper bodies work up so fast!! Seriously once you have a handle on when to switch hooks these just FLY off the hook!! I made the 3rd pair in just 2 days, I did the bodies on my lunch break (30 minutes each day so about an hour total) then punched the soles the second evening at home and attached them all together. 

So if you've wondered about trying these, the pattern is really well written, the are pretty low cost, and they are fast to hook up. GO for it. You won't regret it. Go here for the pattern

Now I just need to find time to make me a pair!!! 

Enjoy!

Loves

UM

Terrain Hat

Ok I know I have a ton of patterns to review since October, But I think I am going to work backwards from Christmas day.

On Christmas day I got to use my new Furls Odyssey in Purple and it is just amazing! Since I really wanted to use my new hooks I simply went to my Ravelry library and searched by hook size H and started the first pattern on the list!

I love the plethora of search options on Ravelry! I love that I can search my library of patterns by craft ( I also knit) then sort by yarn weight or hook size, or if I am making for someone specific I can search by gender, and age.
And you can search the entire Ravelry site that way too, plus options of free or paid, yarn yardage, needle or hook size its such an amazing resource!

Ha! But I am getting off track, so the pattern I chose is Terrain by Poise & Envy , it was a perfect pick since my husband gave me the hooks, I will give him the finished hat!

This hat is great for a quick finish project.
Materials needed were

1. An H hook
2. Worsted weight yarn 
3. Scissors
4. A yarn needle for weaving in ends

I think this hat looks amazing in a solid color, but I think it could be fun to use multiple colors too. I chose a simple heathered gray Red Heart Super Saver since it was for my husband who isn't big on fancy colors or stripes. The texture adds interest with out being too busy which makes it great for a mans hat. 

This beautiful Furls hook is like silk in my hand, so smooth and the yarn just glides across it like flowing water. It has a great weight and is nicely balanced. It is taking a little getting used to as it is a bit different to hold than my smaller ergonomic hooks, but I think I have found a groove with it, and the hat is already half done.

Ok finished the hat and it turned out great! The pattern was written differently than most I have worked up, this did cause me to mess up a few times and I had to frog some rows back, but I also didn't read the whole pattern before starting like I usually do because it was a hectic Christmas day and I just wanted to get it started so I could use my new hook and unstress a little.
Aside from the way its written I didn't have any troubles with this pattern at all. The "seam" created at by joining rows surprisingly came out nice and straight. I find joined rounds usually almost spiral the seam but this one really didn't which was awesome!
Hubby loved the end product and it really looks great on him! The sizing isn't great on me and since there's only one adult size I am not sure how I would work it to fit me.

Over all I liked this pattern I think it is a great design for guys, as it has great texture yet doesn't look lacy or feminine. 

As for the Furls hook I have to say it is the most comfortable hook I have ever used, I would highly recommend anyone with hand pain while crocheting to try one. I have Fibromyalgia and it was so nice to crochet with, it didn't cause me any hand pain, or numbness, and I was able to crochet faster than I have been able to in a long while.
Thanks for reading and I hope you'll try this pattern for a guy in your life and I hope if you get a Furls hook you love it as much as I love mine!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

My Hubby is the best! I am typing this on my new Acer tablet chromebook! It is beautiful and just what I needed to get this blog going again!
I can't wait to share with you all the great patterns I have worked since October, my laptop died on me so I haven't been able to blog.

I also received 2 beautiful Furls crochet hooks for Christmas! If you haven't seen these hooks you must go check them out  Here! I got a purple size H and a Streamline in size I. Seriously these are just gorgeous!

And now I wish you all a very Merry and a Happy everything!

With love always

UM

Halloween

HALLOWEEN IS COMING!!

I just love Halloween! It is bigger than Christmas around our house! We go all out with decorations and turn our garage into a haunted tunnel of creepiness! There are witches and bats, spiders and clowns, and all manner of spooky things. 

So I am sure it comes as no surprise that I love Halloween crochet patterns! This year there were so many good ones that came out! But I decided I really wanted to make 2 specifically for a Halloween blog post; the Rustic Doily Pumpkin by Meg Made With Love and the Halloween Sampler Headband by Snappy Tots! Both ended up being really great patterns! 

So first I made the Rustic Doily Pumpkin 

Materials needed for this pumpkin are

1. Worsted Weight Yarn 
2. Size I hook
3. Polyfil stuffing

For the Doily

1. Size 9 (1.4mm) hook Meg links to a great beginner set on her blog
2. Cotton Crochet Thread (size 10) I used black sock yarn (fingering weight) because I couldn't find my black size 10 crochet thread, the stash monster must have ate it)

To complete the project

1. Yarn needle
2. Stick or other "Stem" 
3. Hot glue gun
4. Any other decor you want to add (Raffia, Burlap, Ribbon...etc)
5. Sewing pins

So I started right in on the pumpkin....(Yes I know Meg, the pattern said to do the doily first) I felt like I could just finish the pumpkin really quick then tackle the doily....until I got to round 10....where it says to attach the doily before completing the pumpkin!! So then I set the pumpkin aside and started the doily! 

DOILY it can be a scary word for a crocheter, thoughts of intricate pineapples or rosette patterns that take hours and hours...DON'T PANIC!! Meg did an amazing job of writing up a beautiful yet simple doily for this pumpkin! I didn't find it to be difficult at all, every round uses very basic stitches and it actually made up very quickly. I finished mine in just a few hours and I think it would have taken less time if it weren't for my fibromyalgia making my hands hurt worse in the evenings. 

I did mess up in one spot on the doily but by the time I noticed there was NO way I was frogging 6 rows to fix it. I decided it was for me (not an ordered product) so it didn't have to be perfect. I know I can spot the error in pictures of the doily but after I attached it to the pumpkin and did the shaping it is well hidden. 

The pumpkin itself is super easy! Its worked with 2 strands of worsted and turned out really nice! I love how Meg did the shaping and it really is a stand out decor piece now! I hope to make the rest of her rustic pumpkins to create a center piece for my Thanksgiving dinner table. 

HALLOWEEN SAMPLER HEADBAND

I love this pattern! It was so easy! Snappy Tots is one of my favorite designers and always my go to when I need something fun! 

Materials for this project are definitely easy

1. Worsted weight yarn in a variety of colors
2. Size I Hook
3. 6 Tiny black buttons (I got some black sew on gems from Joann Fabric and I think they look great)
4.  Yarn needle
5. Sewing needle and thread ( to attach buttons) 

This headband was so fast and easy it took about 30 minutes to hook up the base headband, and I could probably do a single colored one in 20 minutes easy! If you need a quick basic headband this pattern is great!! The colors and features that take this from headband to 100% Halloween are so fun!! I loved doing the Bride of Frankenstein's Monster, her hair is just fabulous! I was very concerned when sewing it on that it would feel bulky or lumpy on that side with how it folds over the top, but It really isn't noticeable at all! 

The hardest part to do on this headband was with out a doubt the embroidery of the mouths and spider legs. Embroidery is not a strong skill of mine, that said these elements were simple enough that I think they turned out really nice! 

The buttons were tricky, not to sew on but to find. My local Joann's didn't have any regular buttons small enough, but I really like the sew on gems from Friendly Findings that I ended up getting. 

 Overall this is a very easy pattern. I think it would be a great first character project for a beginning crocheter. It's not overly involved with little pieces to attach, but it really ends up looking adorable!

I hope you enjoyed my little Halloween post! And I hope you'll go visit Meg Made With Love and Snappy Tots and give their patterns a try! I know I will be making Meg's Homebody Sweater and Heidi's Halloween Sampler Scarf Next!!

Jellybun Hat by Snappy Tots!

I love this pattern by Snappy Tots, my 12 year old was begging for a bun hat since she has started wearing high ponytails or a messy bun every day to school. Its getting cool and she wanted the warmth of a hat without having to take down her hair or try to stuff it into one of her slouchy hats.
I was really busy with knight hats and the baby aviator and really just wanted a fast, reliable, free pattern.
Now let me tell you there are A LOT of messy bun hat patterns out there! Search Ravelry for Messy Bun and you get 542 crochet patterns (oh there are knitted patterns too, over 100!) and then narrow it to free and there are still 168!! My mind was boggled!! How do I choose? I don't really want to look at each one and read the comments and project notes to find one that will be fast and well written.....

And then I remembered!! Snappy Tots did a bun hat!! YES!!! Oh I dearly love her patterns, this was the solution I had been needing! So off I ran to snappy-tots.com to find the Jellybun hat!
This was exactly what I needed! And made with very on hand items I jumped right in.

Materials Needed

1. Worsted Weight Yarn
2. Crochet hook size I 
3. A Yarn Needle
4. Scissors 

I love that this is worsted weight, I have tons in my stash! An I hook is a great size for late evening crocheting when my hands are tired and sore due to my fibromyalgia. 

This hat took about an hour! Start to finish! and my daughter loves it and all her friends want one (I learned long ago to just say no to all the friends!!) 

So if you need a fast, reliable bun hat pattern I highly suggest the Jellybun Hat! To add it to your ravelry queue click here. 

I have made quite a few projects in the last month and I am excited to share the patterns with you and let you know how they worked up for me!

First was Little Lindy's Aviator By Salena Baca. It was a free pattern offered by Red Heart Yarns on their site here. It can also be found here on Ravelry.

It worked up really nicely. I like the layout of red heart patterns. I worked the forehead flap in pipsqueak by Bernat, it turned out super super cute! It was a bit difficult to see the stitches in the pipsqueak yarn but totally worth it for how it turned out!

Some things to know about this pattern

1. There really isn't a yardage given. It just says you'll need a skein of the heather gray and one of soft white. I made the largest size, child, and I didn't use even half of the heather gray, which was 236 yds total. The pipsqueak I maybe used a quarter of the skein. It really doesn't take much. I think you could easily get 2 complete hats from the yarn required. 
2. The way the pdf opens in landscape view makes the print very small which can be hard to read if you print the pattern, I chose to save the download on my ipad so I could zoom in to make the print larger. 
3. You may just squeal at the cuteness of this hat! I really can't wait to see this on the baby it was ordered for!! And because it looks silly on my adult foam head.

Over all I really liked this pattern and will definitely use it again. 

Ok this order also included a couple of knight helmet hats! I love how these turned out!! 

The pattern is Knight Hat by Adriana Bon which I found on Ravelry. This is a free pattern. Now normally I have a few things I look for when picking a pattern

• What the customer asked for - This may sound simple but really its the first requirement for a pattern, how well it fits what was asked for. Sometimes I will get sent a picture of a cute knitted hat....then I have to find a crochet pattern that is as close to the knitted picture as possible. And that isn't always easy to do!
• The designer - This is a biggie for me, I like to use patterns by designers I know. This makes it easier to work up because then I already know their writing style and what mistakes to watch for (yes even the best designers sometimes make mistakes...it happens...I don't judge too harshly on that) it seems like 4-5 new designers pop up every day so I really try to go with tried and true designers I have worked patterns by before, just to save myself from headaches and repeated frogging.
• Projects made from the pattern - especially when I am looking on Ravelry I look for patterns with at least a few finished projects, or for the pattern photos to be of different projects made from that pattern (this lets me know its been tested) If a pattern has no finished projects and only one set of photos it concerns me that it is not a well tested pattern and may have errors. 
• Cost - I know for a lot of people cost is first priority, but for me I would rather pay for a well tested pattern from a reputable designer than grab the first freebie I find. However I have found some of my very favorite designers by trying one of their free patterns!! 

All these things taken into consideration and I still ended up using 

• a free pattern
• an unknown designer
• with no photos of finished projects
• only one pattern photo (which suggests to me no testing)

But this is not a horror story! Were there some errors? Yes. Were they deal breakers? No!! This pattern is a pretty straight forward beanie pattern with some shaping around the neck. It is offered in 2 styles; using hdc or dc, and offered in a wide range of sizes. 

I chose to use the hdc style and made it in two different sizes as was requested in the order, adult small and adult large.

Some things I liked about this pattern were; It was written out nicely, it had stitch counts at the end of each row, it had clear notes about it not being worked in joined rounds, rather it was worked in a spiral, I really like how the crest is worked and folded in half, making it nice and stiff on top of the hat, and it had a nice drawing of how to rejoin in the right place to do the neck piece. 

However there were a few things that were issues for me. The stitch count for the increases on the adult small were off. It said the last increase round (rnd 9) leaves you with 70 stitches however the math doesn't add up to 70 it only works out to 68. I did finish the hat at the 68 stitches and it still fits nicely.

Also the yardage states 300-400 yards, this hat maybe used 200 yards and that was at the largest size. 

For the crest there is multiple stitch counts given depending on the hat size, I found that the medium length (toddler) was fine for both the adult small and adult large. 

Over all I am very glad I gave this pattern a try! I will let the designer know about the error on the stitch count and let her know how much I enjoyed her pattern! I am always glad to find a free pattern that works out so nicely. 

If you are ever in need of a Knight Hat I highly recommend this pattern!