Scraps for Dinos!

Over the course of the three or four years that I have been "playing with yarn", as some like to call it, I have accumulated many scraps of yarn that are too small to use in a full project. For a long time, probably about a year, I have thought about using these scraps for granny squares, but never got around to it and didn't know what to make with granny squares.

I have been watching some of my friend, Vivi's projects developing over the past couple of months. She has been making these African Flower Motif softies/toys and they look so beautiful and cuddly. The pattern calls for various colors of scrap yarn, which I thought would be an amazing way to get rid of some of my scraps in my yarn stash.

We have a niece and nephew in Texas. Our nephew just turned two and our niece is going to be four years old, this summer. I am not sure how long making these softies will take me so I'm planning on making one for each of them, as their Christmas gifts.

Right now, you may be saying, "Uhm, Cassie, it is only January, you have eleven months still." and to that I say "yeah, and?". I am trying my best to plan out my projects for the year. So far, that means me taking on five projects at once and making my rounds when I get bored with one. I wasn't able to make anything for Rebeckha and Ken, this past Christmas and I feel bad about that.

Today, I started working on the Puff the Magic Stegosaurus for Ken and I'm still trying to figure out which one to make for Rebeckha.

So far, this is all I have:

Thankfully, the motifs are quick work ups. I have finished all of the squares, triangles and Octagons. I'm working on the Heptagons and then all I would have left would be the hexagons and pentagons. Whee!

What projects are you working on? 

How do you use your scrap yarns?

Feel free to leave a comments below, I love hearing from you!
Remember that you are beautiful and well loved.

Treebeard has arrived!

 As you may, or may not know, I am a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's works. I have been ordering custom crochet hooks off of etsy with a Lord of the Rings Theme. My first one was the Eye of Sauron and I recieved Treebeard in the mail, yesterday!

I showed everyone at work and they didn't really seem to care.

Anyhow. The detail on these hook designs are amazing! There are little bark scratches on treebeard, his eyes, his little ears. I love it all!I love that the designer did not forget the back on either hook! I know several designers that concentrate on the front and not so much on the back. I love my hooks and I will be ordering sometime soon. I'm not sure what I'll get though...

Here are my ideas:
Hobbit Door
Gladriel's Phial
Gimli
Gandalf the Gray
Something to do with Aragorn (not sure yet)
or Gollum

Eventually I will have them all. I would like to figure out how to make a hook stand so I can display my LotR hooks when I'm not using them.

What do you think?

Feel free to leave comments below and check out my past posts! I always love hearing from you.

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved.

Gondor Scarf - Finished and New Pattern!

I finally finished both the pattern and the scarf! Whoo! There were only a couple things that I had to fix with the pattern which is a huge win for me.  The pattern is now avialable for download at $1.99 USD.

I am working on several other pattern designs, at the moment. I just started writing out the Lord of the Rings blanket design, and I'm waiting on the "TreeBeard" hook I ordered, so that I can start making the actual blanket. Hopefully, that means I will be able to start it on Monday. 

I'm sorry that my "Tapestry style" patterns do not have a graph. I haven't quite figured out how to manage graphs on my computer. 

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved.

Gondor Scarf (WIP)

Since the new year started, I have been able to draw out three new pattern designs. Two of them are blanket designs and one is a scarf. One of the blankets and the scarf are designs inspired by Lord of the Rings. Oh, yes, I'm going fan girl in some of my designs.

I was looking for Lord of the Rings patterns and there aren't very many out there. Most of what is out there, are knitting patterns. Trying to knit and not drop stitches frustrates the cookies out of me. So, I had this grand idea that I would come up with a few crochet designs for Lord of the Rings fans, or those who know someone who loves Tolkien's works.

I finished handwriting the pattern for the Gondor Scarf and now I'm testing it before it moves to a typed and published version. So far, this is where I am, and of course I had to use my Sauron hook for the project. I am hoping to have the scarf and pattern finished by Friday.

Just a heads up, this pattern will not be a free download.

Some people "geek out" over Star Wars, some over Dr. Who. Me? I geek out over Lord of the Rings.

What do you "geek out" over?

Feel free to leave a comment and check out my other posts! I always love hearing from you.

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved.

My first Toy!

 My last post was filled with my  New Year, yarn resolutions. Although I think I have a pretty good start, considering that it has only been a week into the new year, I don't count this project towards my goal. I decided to try my hand at making a toy, my new years resolution is to make a doll. When I looked at the doll patterns that I have, they seemed overly complicated and super tiny. I wanted to try something that I didn't think I could mess up. So, I tried this rabbit here.

At the time that I started collecting every free pattern there was, related to crochet, the pattern was free. Now, it is on sale for $4 USD. The pattern was mostly easy to work. The sewing instructions and eye instructions were vauge. I did not use saftey eyes as the pattern had called for. I don't know how to use them and I only have two pairs. Fun. So, I embroidered (which by the way I'm not really good at) the eyes. There were no instructions on how to make a pom-pom that the pattern called for so my bunny is tail-less. Poor bunny.

I would have liked to have a little more instruction in some areas, especially considering that this was my first toy pattern. In my future designs, I am going to try my best to have full instructions because you really don't know who has chosen your design as their "Learning Project". 

Speaking of new designs, I am working on two at the moment. The first is another graphed blanket but that probably won't be up for a long while. The second is part of me getting in touch with my Lord of The Rings geeky side and it is going to be, I think, a pillow. I have it drawn out. I was wanting to make a scarf but I think it is going to be too wide.

So, future designs: some will probably have something to do with Lord of the Rings, there aren't that many crochet patterns related to Tolkien's works and I really want to change that. I am going to work on other projects and get a hang of some more designs. I did design a shawl for a gift but didn't write down the pattern. I'm going to try and remember it and have that up soon. So, there are a few designs going on. Be on the look out for those.

Freddy has, apparently, claimed the bunny as his own. I'm surprised that he is not afraid of it. Ha!

What project(s) are you working on? Feel free to leave a comment below, I always enjoy hearing from you. 

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved

2016 Yarn Resolutions!

Every year, since I started to crochet, I have tried to learn something new. Granted, I have only been crocheting for a couple of years, so I have a lot to learn. The first year was just grasping the basic stitches. My new projects had something to do with learning a new stitch and I kept track of what stitches I learned. This last year, I wanted to start making my own pattern designs, which I did. I have even sold a couple of them.

This year, I hope to continue with designing, and possibly start a CAL (Crochet A-long) of my own.

I have so much that I want to do this year that I don't even really know where to get started.

First, the blankets. I have been able to add on one blanket per year that I have crocheted. Las year I barely was able to make three. There was the Ladybug blanket for Emeline, the diamond blanket for my swap partner and finally the Boston Red Sox Blanket for my hubby.

This year I'm going to try for four blankets.
There is one I already started, for a special someone who is getting married, this year. I joined another swap, so that is the second blanket. I want to make a Cathedral Rose Blanket for our living room, and then one for a Christmas gift. (Every year someone has received a crocheted blanket for Christmas and I would love to keep that going).

Blankets are things I already know how to make, so I'm not really learning anything there. I just added one for a challenge.

This year, I am going to learn multiple things:
I want to learn how to crochet:
Socks
Toys (more specifically dolls)
and some sort of wearable that isn't a poncho (like a sweater, dress or skirt)

Along with all of this, I am going to be making Christmas Decorations for 2016, because we have only a couple decorations. I have already started on a Tree Skirt and I'm trying to find a pattern that Jc likes for his sock. Ornaments are small projects and would be a marvelous break from the four afghan projects.

It seems like I have bitten off more than I can chew, but it is going to be a wonderful journey and I'm excited for it.

Do you have any resolutions this year?

Feel free to leave a comment below, I always love hearing from you. Also, check out my other posts!

Have a very blessed New Year and always remember that you are Beautiful and well loved.