Thursday, July 21, 2011

Crochet a Baby Mobile



Not a difficult project to make if you are familiar with making Amigurumi's (small crocheted toys).

First I had to select a few dolls to make and a color scheme, nice and bright to catch baby's eye's.
You can do a google search for many free crochet Amigurumi.

I found the 2 on the out side at this site for free, called sleepy sarah, the little girl was found else where, can't recall where right now.

Ella Phant was made from the pattern book, Amigurumi World.
Mona Key was made from the same pattern book. Not their names in the pattern book, I just made the names up for fun.

At this stage I was thinking about the construction of the mobile.
I knew I had some wooden hangers to use and tried to visualize the hanging of the dolls, it was then that I thought of it's balance! I did plan to make more dolls for the mobile but I was now, more aware of the space I had to use and how to balance the dolls.
I put the largest 2 at the very top.

Then the matching pair on the center hanger.

Then the single doll on the bottom hanger.
But before I attached the dolls to the hanger I crocheted a plain white cover for them.
I now needed the final touch and crocheted some colored cork screws to go in between the blank spaces. There is a you tube tutorial on how to make these.

My plan was coming together. I used clear plastic line to attach the dolls to the coat hanger, being careful of the balance of the whole thing.


I'm really happy with the out come and baby Cindy now 4 weeks old seems to look at it, once she has her eye sight fully focused I am sure she will spend many hours admiring her mobile. The whole project will take you a relaxed week of crocheting if you choose to make one for your self.
My little girl is growing.

If you crochet over a hanger, just make the chain about 1 inch longer than the hanger.
Once I made the row height for one facing of the coat hanger, I crocheted into the back loops of the next row to get a turning seam.
 My next side was done and I needed to crochet into the front loops for the next turning seam.
 I repeated alternating front loop and back loop for the turning edges and I closed it up with a simple slip stitch then inserted the hanger and sewed the ends closed.

Amigurumi is made in a circle with a sc and rounds are not joined, there is lots of counting to do and a stitch marker is your best friend to avoid mistakes. Below you can see an abacus that I use for counting, it also doubles up as a pattern book holder, very handy.
 
Amigurumi World Pattern Book.









Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Crochet A Flower

Not only did I crochet one of my favorite flowers, but I knitted one too.
I love the fuchsia flower and lavender amongst many others, the lavender is knitted, but I'm sure I could make it in crochet too, when I have time I will try to make a pattern for a crocheted one unless there is one on line for free.

I didn't realize at first the pattern book is written n UK terms, so my fuchsia may be a little large, but I will make more a bit smaller and arrange them some how.

The patterns came from the above book, it is loaded with flower patterns, enough to make a bouquet.

24/06/2011 My new baby grand daughter

I'm so pleased to introduce my new grand daughter Cindy

My new grand daughter Cindy Cathryn

Little Cindy C

Here she is wearing one of my beanie babe hats

Too cute in her Minnie suit

In her crib at the hospital

My daughter Casey, Cindy's mum

Too cute

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Cute Little Stay On Poncho




I have made this poncho once before, it's a good design as it stay's on and in place unlike the regular poncho. It's perfect for the toddler/child for this reason.
 For the top photo I used 110 gm's of yarn and a size 4.00 mm hook (US G/6)
The center length measure's approx 13 inches (with out the tassels).

You can find the free pattern here, but I did have some difficulty in understanding row's 4 and 14 for the size 12/15 months, I will include my revised steps below in red.


half shell: 2dc ch 1
Shell: 2 dc, ch1, 2 dc


Rnd4: Ch 3, dc, ch 1, 2 dc in same stitch, ch 1,** skip 2 stitches, 2 dc, ch 1 in next stitch. skip 1 stitch, 2 dc, ch 1 in next stitch ** repeat from ** to** for a total of 14 half shells.skip 2 st’s,  Shell in next stitch, skip 2 st’s, than repeat with half shells alternating with skipping 2 stitches and 1 stitch in between each around(14half shells) Join: total of 28 half shells and 2 shells


Rnd 14: slip stitch to center of shell, Ch 2, dc, ch 1, 2dc in ch 1 sp.** ch 1, 2dc in next ch 1 sp ** repeat till after you have done 6- 1/2 shells Now
skip 12 shell spaces,(armhole) 2dc,ch 1 in next ch 1 sp,  repeat 5 more times  (6-1/2 shells)    do a full shell, ** Repeat from** to last shell, join..
 24 half shells ,2 full shells.

 made this one 31/07/2013





Friday, June 3, 2011

Quick Crochet 3 to 6 month old Baby Beanie

Cat's Beanie-Babe #2
The above beanie-babe is a size new born to 3 months, pattern here.
Below is the beanie-babe size 3 to 6 months, displayed on the same doll, so you can compare the size difference.

Below is an absolutely gorgeous 13 week old baby wearing this hat design for 3 to 6 months, her Grand Mother made it for her and gave me permission to use the photo, thank you Chickie.



To fit: 3 to 6 month old
Hook size: 4.00mm US G/6
Yarn: 8 ply approx 50 gm’s US DK/Medium
US crochet terms used
Skill level: beginner +
Tension: medium
Time: approx 2 hours

Stitches used:
Sl st= slip stitch
Ch= chain
Hdc= half double crochet  
yo, insert hook into top two loops of stitch,
yo, pull through stitch (3 lps on hook),
yo,  pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Bl= back loop
Fphdc= front post half double crochet
Bphdc= back post half double crochet
Measurements:  
Head Circumference 15 inches, hat height 6 to 7 inches
 The beanie-babe is designed as a smart grow. 
It will grow with your baby by adjusting the ribbed edge.
The beanie begins at the top of the head and worked down to the ribbed edging, the beanie is worked in one piece using the hdc st, which makes a nice closed stitch.
Begin.
Beginning ch 1 of every rnd is not counted as a st.

Chain 4, sl st to first ch to form a ring.

Row 1 ch 1, work 12 hdc into ring, sl st to join in the 1st hdc (you will do this on every round until a ch 2 begins)

Row 2 ch 1, work 2 hdc into each hdc around to end, sl st to join (24 hdc)

Row 3 ch 1, *work 1 hdc into the next 2 hdc, work 2 hdc into the next hdc* repeat from *to* to end, sl st to join (32 hdc)

Row 4 ch 1, *work 1 hdc into the next 3 hdc, work 2 hdc into the next hdc* repeat from *to* to end, sl st to join (40 hdc)

Row 5 ch 1, *work 1 hdc into the next 4 hdc, work 2 hdc into the next hdc* repeat from *to* to end, sl st to join (48 hdc)
Row 6 ch 1, *work 1 hdc into the next 11 hdc, work 2 hdc into the next hdc*
repeat from *to* to end, sl st to join (52 hdc)
Stop increasing 

Row 7 ch 1, work 1 hdc in each hdc to end, sl st to join (52 hdc)

Rows 8 to 19, repeat row 7, or repeat row 7, until hat measure's 6 inches long


Row 20 ch 1, work 1 hdc in the front loop of each hdc around (52 hdc),sl st to join by going around the back of the sc (see image)

Making the ribbed edge:
Row 21 ch 2 (the ch 2 is now a new st),* work 1 fphdc around the post of the next hdc, work 1 bphdc around the post of the next hdc,* repeat from *to* to end of the round,  sl st into top of ch 2 to join

Row 22 , 23 and 24, ch 2, *work 1 fphdc around the post of the next fphdc, work 1 bphdc around the post of the next bphdc,* repeat from *to* to end of round, sl st to join, at the end of row 20, finish off yarn leaving a small tail to weave in 

Hide loose ends, fold up ribbed edge, add pompom if you choose, or my new beary easy bear applique, link here.

Good luck with your baby beanie, I’d love to hear your feed back.
Please do not sell this pattern, please link back to me if you use this pattern, I’d love to see this used for charity, and you can make and sell items from this pattern too.

Ribbed Look Bay Beanie