Scrappy Crochet Bear Pattern

Scrappy Crochet Bear

Supplies
Approximately 9 grams of worsted weight scrap yarn
size G/ 4.25 mm crochet hook
notions to make the face
stuffing
yarn needle

Start with the body, since it is the largest piece.
Body
Ch 60 in body color, work flat in sc until the piece measures about 3.5 inches. This will be the face. Switch to the scraps and continue to sc until the total piece measures 9 inches, changing colors and striping as you wish. Finished piece will measure approx. 14" x 9".

Arms
Ch 20 using the same color as the face. Join into a ring with a slip st and work in sc for half an inch. Switch to using scraps, changing colors and striping s you wish, until the arm measures 3 inches. Make 2.
Legs
Ch 25 (at this point, you may be out of face color. I used the same color to start each leg to give the impression of shoes) Join into a ring with a slip st and work in sc for 1 inch. Switch to your scraps, striping as you wish, until the leg measures 4.5 inches.
Ears
Using whatever colors you have left, Ch 2.
Round 1 - 6 dc into 2nd chain from hook. Join with a slip st into 1st dc.
Round 2 - switch colors, 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, {2 dc into next dc} 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc.
Round 3 - switch colors, 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, {2 dc into next dc} 10 times. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Finishing and Assembly
For the arms and legs, turn inside out and center the color jogs (think of this as a back seam) Tie off or weave in the ends, press flat and then stitch the end that is the hand or foot closed. Leave the other end open. Lightly stuff the arms and legs.

Add the Face


For the body, find the center of the rectangle and add the face. You can use safety eyes, felt, embroidery floss, whatever you have handy.

Add the Arms


Then fold the edges to the center and mark where the sides are. Lay it out flat again and stitch the arms on (arms should be lightly stuffed).

Add the Legs

Fold right sides together and sew the back seam closed. Center the back seam and then tuck the legs inside the body (legs should already be stuffed), aligning the open edge of the leg with the bottom edge of the body. Pin in place and sew closed.
Turn right side out.

Add Ears and Close
Stuff the body to the desired firmness. Sandwich the first ear between the front and back sides and stitch closed, being careful to pass through all three layers of fabric. Stitch the top middle of the head closed and then add the second ear as the first.

Enjoy your new toy!

Easter Bunnies

Pattern: Anything Animals(free!)
Yarn: Worsted weight scraps
Needles: 6

These little guys are even cuter in person! I made them for Ben and a friend's Easter baskets. They are quick, fun, and a little addictive...so quick that there's still time to make one or two before Easter. If rabbits aren't your thing, the pattern has instructions for making various kinds of ears or hair to create whatever creature you desire.

The tutu was my own adaptation.
To make the tutu, knit 7 rows in the shirt color in stockinette, then knit a row on the purl side. This will give you purl bumps on the right side.
Continue knitting the body per the pattern. (I switched to the tutu color at this point.)
When the body is completed, use a crochet hook to attach the yarn through one purl bump on the left side of the body.
Chain 5, then slip sts through the 3rd purl bump. Chain 5 again, and slip sts through the 5th purl bump. Continue to chain 5 and attach to every other purl bump all the way across and tie off.
I knit the legs in the same colors as well to give the appearance of stockings.

I didn't get a picture of it, but they also have little pom pom tails in the back.

Happy Spring knitting!

PLaydough Color Surprise Activity

I think you either love or hate playdough as a parent. I love it. It offers hours of endless, open, independent play. I extended the activity by adding an element of surprise. Here's how:

Make some natural-colored playdough. I use this recipe:
~ in a large sauce pan, mix together 2 c plain flour, 2 cups of water, 1 tbs of cooking oil, 1 tsp of cream of tartar and 1 c of salt. Stir over medium high heat until thick and dough-y. Remove form heat and let cool.

When the dough is cool enough to handle, divide it up into small balls (I would guess about the size of a lime.) Put a dent in each ball with your thumb and fill with a few drops of food coloring. Pinch the dough closed over the food coloring, careful not to squeeze it out. Let sit 5-10 minutes for the food coloring to slightly absorb.

Hand over the dough balls to your little ones and encourage them to knead them around. The color with slowly work its way out, marbling the dough and eventually becoming all one color.

This is a great way to build hand strength, especially if you make the balls too large - you'll be the one working those muscles while your toddler repeats over and over, "What color, Mommy?"

Happy Hooking

This have been busy around here lately. A birthday, a craft fair, the usual life stuff. But I have managed to find a bit of time to do some of the Crochet School lessons...I'm woefully behind the class, but I can actually crochet things! Like that happy green pear for Ben's new play kitchen. It took less than a day to make, even with my newbie skills. I want to crochet a whole cornucopia for him to play with now.
Find the pattern for the pear and other fruits and veggies here. This guy has some holes in him where you can see the stuffing, but I imagine that's from needing to use a smaller hook. I used some random worsted weight cotton for both the body and the stem (which is navy blue, but oh well!) I apologize for the less than gorgeous photo, but well, it's cold today, I'm tired, and I can't be bothered to find my camera right now.

Crunchy Play Clay

Between a bout of stomach bug and extreme temperatures, we've been imprisoned in the house for what feels like years. I've been trying to fight the cabin fever with some creative play activities. The biggest success by far was an afternoon spent with homemade play dough and all the fixin's. It was inspired by this post over over at An Amazing Child.

*blurry with excitement*

The only modification I made to the dough recipe was to add about 20 drops of yellow food coloring at B's request. The color is not awesome, but he didn't seem to care.
We made the dough together, me scooping the ingredients and him dumping them in and stirring the dry mixture. The downside is that it needs some time on the stove and is too hot to play with for a while. That's the tough part, managing an excited toddler and hot goop. But the entertainment-to-hassle ratio was high on the entertainment side for both of us.
This is a great multi-sensory, open-ended play activity that he was very happy to explore independently.
Best of all, it granted me 20 minutes to clean the kitchen unmolested by tiny hands trying to help. And that, dear friends, made me feel like I earned a badge for my SuperMom cape.

All-Natural Robot

From a 6"x3"brick of natural latex foam and wool batting to a cuddly, squishy robot!

WHY did I have a 6"x3" block of natural latex foam to make said robot? Well, we were in the market for a new mattress and being the super shopper that I am, I started researching mattresses. Healthy sleep makes happy people, right?
Our old bed was well, old. And really lumpy. Anyway, it doesn't take much research to come across what I felt were valid concerns about the safety of the chemicals used in making mattresses flame retardant. If you want to freak yourself out, just Google "flame retardant chemicals in mattresses". (Don't do it if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, you don't need the stress)
My basic "good quality, affordable price" research turned into a full-blown hunt to find a natural but competitively priced option. During said hunt, I came across The Natural Bed Store. They generously offer a sample of their mattress making materials.

In the end, we went with a Natura Green Spring and are very pleased. But I couldn't let such nice materials go to waste! Ben loves his little "woe-wot" and I loved exercising my creative muscles. I used all of the sample...the ribbon tied around it turned into the robot's face and arms. His body is black corduroy for the seemingly endless supply in my fabric stash, and the star is from an old moth-ruined cashmere sweater. I'm proud of myself for making something using only what I have. I need to make an effort to do that more often!

I've Been Busy

*busy making babies*

I am selling at my first ever craft fair next weekend! I am very excited and very nervous. What if everyone laughs at me? It's junior high all over again, really. In addition to a pile of sweet little star babies, I will be selling the ribbon wands and pinwheels from the previous post. The fair is part of a neighborhood festival, and I'm not sure what to expect. I think if I break even, I'll be really happy. If I actually make some money, I'll be deliriously excited. And then I'll go buy some boots.

AND speaking of excited, my supplies have arrived for my first custom order!

Waldorf - Inspired Doll Take 2

Taller but daintier than her older brother, and sewing-wise, this little girl is a vast improvement on my first attempt. She's a full 12 inches tall, made from a pattern I drafted. Her hair is 100% sport weight alpaca and is so soft! I had an easier time on the eyes this go-around too, but they're still not quite where I want them to be.

Making doll clothes without a real pattern tries my patience severely, so I kept it simple. Once I settle on a body pattern I'm 100% happy with, I'll officially draft more sophisticated clothing. I made her for a friend of a friend that is having a little girl in September. They have a bumblebee theme going and I just happened to have some bee fabric scraps leftover from the Loose Change Quilt I made a couple of years ago.

*I'm slowly making a doll army*

Sneak Peak

My First Waldorf - Inspired Doll

*What's up?*

I made this little guy for my son after coming across Waldorf dolls while I was searching for safe, non-toxic baby toys. 

(Side Note: My personal crazy is worrying about toxic toys and house cleaners. I have a theory that China is slowly trying to take over the West by giving our children toys with heavy metals. Again, this is just my own personal crazy, no need to comment.)

Ben likes him, he started waving at him when he was just a head. He likes to play with him, but the last time he did, he pulled out a few strands of the hair that I spent so much time carefully tacking down. So, the little guy is on the shelf for now. (I guess I'm one of those moms.)

The pattern I used for the body can be found here. Everything said and done, the doll is 11'' tall.

The t-shirt was made from this pattern.

The pants I made on my own, that pattern needs work.

This website has the best list of doll-making resources that I've seen out there.

*Goodbye!*

Cuddlefish, aka Nautie from Knitty

Pattern: Nautie from Knitty.com (free!)
Yarn: O-wool Balance (in my top 5 favorite yarns of all time!)
Needles: size 6
Made for: My baby-to-be (about a month away!)

This was a fun and weird knit. I like making toys...there's also a Mr. Dangly 2.0 waiting in the wings for his photo shoot.
I don't have all that much to say about this project. It wasn't boring, wasn't too hard, and make people laugh. All in all a good deal. Also, my poor future son will realize that that his mom has always been a little odd early on. : )

Hopefully I will get my other creations blogged about and current projects finished before d-day. Only a month left!

Mr. Dangly

Pattern: Mr. Dangly
Needles: size 6 dpns
Yarn: O-wool Balance in Graphite & Peridot

*this is how monkeys are made*

I love, love, love this pattern. Knitting everything in pieces makes it feel even faster than it already is. I modified it to knit in the round, so the only seaming I ended up doing was attaching everything. Speaking of, there are no real instructions for the part attachment. I winged it and hopefully the intended recipient won't quickly tear his head off.

*what up?*

I want to make more. Many, many more. A dangly army. It's an excellent stash buster. The yarn was left over from Turn a Square (about half a ball of each color). I used it almost all up - I didn't mind throwing away the little bit that was left.

And I've mentioned before, I love teh o-wool.

I've had good knitting luck lately...I htink I might press it by knitting something large (gasp!) and wearable (eeek!)

Sppikey, Yet Soft

Pattern: Celestine
Needles: size 6 dpns
Yarn: a mystery

It's hard to get an idea of the size of this thing. I forgot to put in a reference object. It's huge. 12 inches in diameter. i like it, but I'm not sure what purpose it could ever serve.

It could be a fun baby toy. It's pretty hugable, despite the points. It was a really fun knit and a great stash buster. I could imagine doing one and felting it for a whimsical decoration or doing one in a bulky yarn to make a weirdo couch pillow.

When I first started knitting, I was anti socks and toys. I thought they were kind of stupid. Then I realized sweaters tended to be boring, expensive, and rarely fit the way I wanted. Although I am hankering for a bigger project...we'll see.