Taurus: April 20 – May 20

So, this post got delayed by many things: First, I took way too long on Aries. Second, I had to take the equivalent of 4 tests in a month. All of those required driving anywhere from 2 to 4 hours away to take them. The stress of it all made me nearly sick to my stomach. I’m still awaiting results as I type this up. Third, I started moving and packing as I have to be out of my place by the end of May, which is actually the end of this week. It’s been a long couple of months. I actually gave away my light box in lieu of throwing it out or breaking it up (it was a cardboard box and some tissue paper) during the move. Sorry if my pictures aren’t up to my current standard. Hopefully next month’s pictures will be better, once I get resettled and make another one.

That being said: Here’s Taurus!

So the Taurus sign runs from April 20 to May 20th, and actually, my birthday also falls under this sign.

How to make your own Taurus:
What I used:
Lion’s brand: Vanna’s choice in Cranberry
Small amount of Vanna’s Choice in Dusty Purple
Small amount of Premier home cotton
D hook
G hook
Stitch markers
polyfil stuffing material
Wire for horns

Head: Cranbery
1. magic ring with 5sc
2. inc every stitch (10)
3. inc, sc. repeat around (15)
4. inc, 2 sc. repeat around (20)
5. inc, 3 sc. repeat around (25)
6. inc, 4 sc. repeat around (30)
7-9. sc around (3 rows)
10. dec, 4 sc. repeat around (25)
11. dec, 3 sc. repeat around (20)
12. dec, 2 sc. repeat around (15)
13. dec, sc. repeat around (10)
14. sc around.
T.O.

Body: (cranberry)
1. magic ring with 5sc
2. inc every stitch (10)
3. inc, sc. repeat around (15)
4. inc, 2 sc. repeat around (20)
5. inc, 3 sc. repeat around (25)
6-14. sc around (9 rows)
15. dec, 4 sc. repeat around (25)
16. dec, 3 sc. repeat around (20)
17. dec, 2 sc. repeat around (15)
18. dec, sc. repeat around (10)
19. dec around (5)
T.O.

Legs: Dusty purple:
1. magic ring with 5sc
2. inc every stitch (10)
3. sc around once.
Switch to Cranberry:
4 – 8. Sc around (5 rows)*
T.O

Ears: (cranberry)
ch5.
Starting in second chain from hook: sl, sc, hdc, dc, ch2 and turn.
2. dc, hdc, sc, sl then
sl along other side. T.O.

Horns:
Premier home cotton and size D hook
1. magic ring with 4 sc.
2. inc, sc. repeat. (6)
3. inc, 2 sc. repeat (8)
4 – 5. sc around (2 rows)
6. inc, 3 sc. repeat. (10)
7 – 8. Sc around (2 rows)

Tail: (Cranberry)
1. magic ring with 4 sc.
2. inc, sc. repeat. (6)
3 – 7. sc around (5 rows)*
I attached some yarn and combed it out to give it a bristly look..

nose: (Cranberry)
1. magic ring with 6sc.
2. 2 incs, 1 sc. repeat once (10)
3. 2 incs, 3sc. repeat once (14)
4. sc around
t.o

*you can increase or decrease the number of rows you sc around here to increase or decrease the length to your own discretion.

In case you missed it:
Aquarius
Pisces
Aries

Aries: March 21 – April 19th

This is third in my series of Zodiac signs, Aries!

Aries is also known as the ram, and this little ram took me a while!

The other thing is I forgot to attach his little tag, oops. I’ll do that soon.

What I used:
Lion brand: Vanna’s Choice in Dusty purple and a size G hook
Premier Home Cotton and a size D hook
Safety eyes
chenille stem (or pipe cleaner based off what I feel like calling it)

Lion brand: Vanna’s Choice in Dusty purple
Make 2 ears:
1. Magic ring with 4sc
2. Inc, sc. Repeat (6)
3. Inc, 2 sc. Repeat (8)
3. Inc, 3 sc. Repeat (10)
4. Sc around
5. dec, 3 sc. repeat (8)
T.O.

Head:
1. Magic ring with 6sc
2. Inc, sc. Repeat around (9)
3. Inc, 2 sc. Repeat around (12)
4. Inc, 3 sc. repeat around (15)
5. Inc, 4 sc. Repeat around (18)
6. Inc, 5 sc. Repeat around (21)
7. Inc, 6 sc. Repeat around (24)
8. Inc, 7 sc. Repeat around (27)
9. Inc, 8 sc. Repeat around (30)
10 – 11. Sc around
12. Dec, 4sc. repeat around (25)
13. Dec, 3 sc. repeat around (20)
14. dec, 2 sc. Repeat around (15)
15. Dec, sc. Repeat around (10)
16. Dec around (5)
T.O.

Body:
1. Magic ring with 5 sc.
2. inc around (10)
3. Inc, sc. Repeat around (15)
4. Inc, 2 sc. Repeat around (20)
5. Inc, 3 sc. repeat around (25)
6-14. Sc around
15. Dec, 3 sc. repeat around (20)
16. Dec, 2 sc. Repeat around (15)
17. Dec, sc. Repeat around (10)
18. Dec around. (5)

4x Legs:
1. Magic ring with 5 sc.
2. inc around (10)
3. Inc, sc. Repeat around (15)
4. Dec x4, sc rest of the way around (11)
5. sc, dec, sc rest of the way around (10)
6-11. Sc around and tie off.

Tail:
1. Magic ring with 4sc
2. Inc, sc. Repeat (6)
3. Inc, 2 sc. Repeat (8)

Horn: in Premier home cotton and D hook
1. Magic ring with 4sc
2. Inc, sc. Repeat (6)
3. Inc, 2 sc. Repeat (8)
4 – 6. sc around.
7. Inc, 3 sc. Repeat (10)
T.O.

To finish, sew pieces together using a little wire for the horns if you desire. I did so I could spin them around like I did…This is in no way 100% necessary. You can use a little wire as well in the feet/legs, but most of mine usually stand up on their own so I don’t worry about it. (The wire is the chenille stem/pipe cleaner. I find it to be the easiest way because I have those little buggers EVERYWHERE… yays for loving crafts!)

I hope you enjoy Aries and I’ll get started on Taurus soon so that it won’t be as delayed as this.

In case you missed it:
Aquarius
Pisces

Happy Valentine’s Day (Or Single’s Awareness Day)

Hey all! I hope you are having a great Valentine’s day.. or if you aren’t in a relationship, Single’s Awareness Day.

So, if you want a flower that’s long lasting or if you’re looking for something to give to someone, try making a rose:



I used a sized 7 crochet hook, some crochet thread, and a chenille stem.

For the stem:
1. Magic ring with 5sc
2. Inc in every stitch (10)
3-29. Sc around (you can increase or decrease the length depending on how long you want your stem to be)
30. dec, 3 sc. Repeat (8)
31 – 38. Sc around (again, you can decrease how many here depending on the length you want.
39. ch3 – (sc, hdc) dec, sc, ch 3 – (sc, hdc) dec. sc. T.O. (here the sc and hdc are in teh chains. The ones not in () are in the round like normal.. this just puffs it out a little so that you can have the stem come up onto the rose and hide your base)
T.O. leaving a long tail.
I shoved a pipecleaner down the stem and used it to bend for the pictures above. You can use some fiberfill if you like, but I didn’t bother. Also, I only bent mine so it would stand up, you don’t have to.

Rose:
1. ch. 62
2. sc61 ch2, turn
3. Skip first sc, 3 doubles in next st. ch1, skip next stitch, sc into next. Ch. 1. Skip next stitch, 4 doubles in next. ch1. skip next stitch, sc, ch1, skip, 4dc in next, ch.1 skip, sc, ch. 1 skip, 4dc in next stitch, ch.1, skip, sc, ch.1, skip, 5dc in next stitch, ch.1, skip, sc., ch,1 and keep going with the skip, sc, skip 5 dc skip, until the end, but you want to end on a sc. With this, I had 15 petals. T.O. leaving a long tail.

So the idea here is the 3 dc side is your inside as its smaller petals. Roll on this side along and tug it down slightly as you go. you want an almost dome shaped flower. Sew all this together as tightly as you can. You’re then going to take the stem and the petals that are open you’re going to position them on either side and sew them onto the stem.

And there you go! Have fun with your little roses.

Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year! So, following a bit in my theme this year of Zodiac, I was looking up the Chinese one. It’s one of my favorite zodiacs, actually, as there was a festival for it in a local museum where I grew up. I went two or three years in a row and people would make all sorts of crafts and it was a blast.

I don’t know how much you all know about the Chinese Zodiac, but this year is the Year of the Monkey.

And for your own little monkey:
You will need: two colors of yarn
Hook.
Small amount of black embroidery thread
Stuffing
safety eyes
and a chenille stem.
(I generally use worsted weight yarn and a size G hook)

Eyes: (x2)
1. Magic ring with 5sc – don’t pull super tight as your safety eyes will go through there
2. inc in every stitch – 10st
T.O

Nose:
1. Ch. 4
2. Starting in the second chain from the hook: 2sc, 3sc in next stitch, 2sc, 3sc in next st – 10 st
3. sc around
T.O.

Ears:
1. Magic ring with 5sc
2. inc in every stitch – 10st
3. inc, sc. repeat around – 15
4 – 6. sc around
T.O.
Don’t stuff these. you’re going to sew them flat to the head.

head/body:
1. Magic ring with 5sc
2. inc in every stitch – 10st
3. inc, sc. repeat around – 15
4. inc, 2 sc. Repeat around – 20
5. inc, 3 sc. repeat around – 25
6. Inc, 4 sc. repeat around – 30
7 – 9. sc around. – 30
10. dec, 4 sc. repeat around – 25
11. dec, 3 sc. repeat around – 20
12. dec, 2 sc. repeat around – 15
13. dec, sc. repeat around – 10 —> place your eyes somewhere in rows 7-9 and stuff at this phase as it finishes your head
14. inc, sc. repeat around – 15
15. inc, 2 sc. repeat around – 20
16 – 21. sc around – 20.
22. dec, 2 sc. repeat around – 15
23. dec, sc. repeat around – 10 – stuff here.
24. dec around. – 5

Arms:
1. Magic ring with 5sc
2. inc in every stitch – 10st
3 – 9. sc around – you can use less rows here too if you’d like shorter arms.

Legs:
1. Magic ring with 5sc
2. inc in every stitch – 10st
3. inc, sc. repeat around – 15
4. dec x4, sc the rest of the way around – 11
5. sc, dec, sc the rest of the way around – 10
6 – 12. sc around. again, you can use less rows here if you’d like shorter legs.

Tail:
1. magic ring with 4sc.
2. inc, sc. repeat – 6
3 – 22. sc around (you can use less rows if you want a shorter tail.)
DO NOT stuff the tail. I placed a chenille stem in it and trimmed a bit off the end. This gave adequate stuffing.

There you have it! Sew together and enjoy your little monkey. I puffed the nose out with some fiberfill and sewed a tiny nose on the top of it with a little embroidery thread.

Week 4: puff balls!

Oops! Totally forgot to post this yesterday. I swear, it was written, but I hadn’t put the picture in. (Even though it was taken, see, I procrastinate!)

I’m totally obsessed with making these little guys. Last week, I made 24. This week, I’ve made 22.
I use fun fur for it, but you can use any sort of eyelash yarn.

Then for the soot sprites (the black ones) I use a little bit of extra white for the eyes. Along with black safety eyes.

Pattern:
Eyes:
5 sc in a magic ring. Don’t pull the middle super tight cause you want to be able to shove the safety eyes through that hole.
2 sc in each stitch (10 st). Tie off leaving a long enough end to sew it to the body.

Body:
5 sc in a magic ring
inc all around – 10
inc, sc. repeat around – 15.
inc, 2 sc. repeat around – 20
inc, 3 sc. repeat around – 25.
3 rows sc around.
dec. 3 sc. repeat around – 20.
dec, 2 sc. repeat around – 15
(you may wanna stuff and place the eyes now)
dec, sc. repeat around – 10
dec around – 5
tie off.

Don’t worry too much if your numbers do not match up. As long as you get a ball shaped blob at the end, you did it. XD It took me forever to get used to working with fun fur, and there are still times when I completely mess up adn I end up with too many/too little stitches for that row. I just keep going and try to adjust accordingly as it becomes nearly impossible to tear it out.

One little tip, at least for me working with fun fur, the fur tends to go in one direction on the ball when you pull the ends, right? I try to use the end with the fur going away from me instead of towards.

Another thing, is that I had been looking at something called The Crochet Light
It’s literally a hook that lights up when you work.
I read a review on it a while ago, and had been thinking about it since then. Mostly in the mindset of, “I don’t think I’ll ever need that.” When I was working on the little soot sprites, the black fun fur is nearly impossible to see to crochet. Something about darker yarns and the lighting needing to be better. Anyway, I had a coupon and decided to go hunt it down at my local craft stores. I knew I saw it at one. It took me a while to find it, really, but I did.

So the review I read said that the hook was “bendy”
I didn’t find this to be so. It’s not as stiff as an aluminum hook, but the review said that they were worried about breaking it. Maybe because I wasn’t trying it on a thicker, heavier yarn, but I definitely didn’t feel like that. It bends slightly, but so slightly that if I wasn’t looking for it, I probably wouldn’t even notice.

The other thing is that the light isn’t SUPER bright. Oh, it is totally bright enough that it completely helps with seeing the stitches for the black fun fur, but I don’t know if I could see enough to crochet with only it as a light.. maybe for something that isn’t pitch black, but I tried the other day with the black fun fur to see how it would work, and it did, but i definitely didn’t feel that comfortable working completely.

The other thing that really surprised me, maybe because I’m so used to my aluminum hook that I decked out with fimo clay, is that the crochet light is light. I honestly had to hold it for a moment and twist it around trying to get used to the lack of weight of it.
They are rather expensive though, I do have to say, which is why I only picked up one in my favorite size. To me, it might be good for long car rides and it is definitely worth it for the black fun fur, but I still go back to my nice thick heavy hook all the time, so it is not replacing my regular hook.

The one thing I do dislike about it though is that when I use it, the yarn rubbing against the plastic (is it plastic? it feels like plastic) hook makes a strange sound. Nothing obnoxious mind you, but enough of a sound that I do notice it. I also worry about the battery life of the little batteries inside of it (another reason why I go back to my hook all the time) and the priciness of the single hook just makes me cringe when I think of owning a whole set. Maybe one day, but as of now, I’ll stick to my one novelty hook for projects where there is no way I can see the yarn without it, even in the brightest of lights.

Anyway, I hope that helps anyone who has been thinking about these. It is rather nice, and it does work. I also like that the handle is nice and thick (and a bit flat) so that it’s not too much of a jump from my fimo adjusted hooks to use this.

Happy crafting everyone and I hope you have fun with your own little soot sprites/puff monsters