Buzy buzzing

Lots of lovely things have been hooked up here recently including this very cute little bumble bee (this lovely free pattern is by Emi Carmichael and you can find it here).

Bootie pattern version 2

Some of you may know of my pattern for Simple booties - it's my most popular pattern on Ravelry with 147 projects made from it to date. The only problem is that it was also one of my first patterns and when I wrote it up there was an error that has confused and baffled crocheters around the world.

Sorry.

To help make it up to you all I've spent quite some time rewriting the pattern, adding lots of photos and hopefully removing all the pattern errors. I've made the pattern available as a free Ravelry download (if you have a ravelry account then the bootie pattern page is http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/simple-baby-booties-4)

I'm also posting the pattern up on this blog (http://www.loopyjess.co.uk/p/simple-bootie-pattern.html) so that even people without a Ravelry account can access it. However, I'll be taking it down from the CrochetMe website where I originally hosted it as it's pattern page there has been spammed to death.

Happy bootie making all!

Flower brooch pattern

As promised last week I'm posting up the pattern for my crochet flower brooches. They are very simple to make and depending on the yarn and buttons you choose can be made to suit any outfit. Feel free to make up these flowers as gifts for friends and family. If you do want to make some to sell then I would appreciate being credited as the author of the pattern. Please DO NOT publish this pattern elsewhere. 

 

Materials list

Scraps of DK yarn

4mm crochet hook

Darning needle (to work in loose ends)

Pretty buttons

Glue gun

Brooch backs

Notes

This pattern uses American crochet terms. The abbreviations used here are:

Chain – ch

Slip stitch – sl st

Single crochet – sc

Treble – tr

* - shows where a pattern repeat takes place

Row 1:  Make a magic circle, ch 1, work 8 sc into circle and pull tail to close (8 sc)

Row 2:  Sl st into top of 1^st sc from the previous row. Ch 1, work 2 sc in each sc around (16 sc)

Row 3:  Sl st into top of 1^st sc from the previous row. *Ch 3, sl st into next 2 sc* repeat around (8 3 ch loops)

Row 4:  *Sc into 3 ch loop, ch 1, 3 tr, ch 1, sc* repeat around (8 inner flower petals worked) Sl st into first sc worked and finish off

Row 5: Join second colour to back of flower (see photo) with a sl st *ch 4, st st between base of next two petals* repeat around finishing with a ch 4 and sl st into first sl st worked. (8 4 ch loops)

Row 6: *Sc into 4 ch loop, ch 1, 5 tr, ch 1, sc* repeat around (8 outer flower petals worked) Sl st into first sc worked, finish off and work in loose ends

               

Attach button and glue clasp to back – finished!

Toddler handbag

As part of my quest to make all my friends and family handmade gifts this year I needed to come up with a suitable present for a few little toddlers that I know. One of the them loves bags and will unpack any bag she can get her hands on, especially her mum's handbag. So I thought it would be nice to try and make her a handbag that was toddler sized and this is what I came up with.

The idea is simple enough, I just made a front piece, back piece that was longer so that it would fold over to make the front flap and one long strip of crochet that became the sides and handles. Joining up the finished pieces was a bit tricker as trying to get it all to line up was not very easy so I strongly recommend that you pin the pieces together before you try joining them. I'm very pleased with how it has finished up and thought I would share my pattern with you here in case you also know some little toddlers that would like one.


Toddler handbag

Materials:

50g DK yarn in any colour you choose
1 large button to match yarn
4.5 crochet hook
yarn needle for working in loose ends

Finished size:

This will vary depending on how tight you crochet, my finished bag measured 14cm wide by 12 cm high (excluding straps)

Terminology:

This pattern uses American crochet terms. The following abbreviations used are

ch - chain
st - stitch
dc - double crochet
sl st - slip stitch
dec - decrease (working 2 dc stitches together)

Front:

chain 20
Row 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook and dc in each ch across (18 dc)
Row 2: ch 2, 2 dc in first dc, dc in each st across until working 2 dc in last st (20 dc)
Row 3: ch 2, 2 dc in first dc, dc in each st across until working 2 dc in last st (22 dc)
Rows 4-13: ch 2, work dc in each stitch across (22 dc)

finish off

Back: 

chain 20
Row 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook and dc in each ch across (18 dc)
Row 2: ch 2, 2 dc in first dc, dc in each st across until working 2 dc in last st (20 dc)
Row 3: ch 2, 2 dc in first dc, dc in each st across until working 2 dc in last st (22 dc)
Rows 4-18: ch 2, work dc in each stitch across (22 dc)
Row 19: ch 2 dec over first 2 sts, dc in each st across until working dec over last 2 sts (20 dc)
Row 20: ch 2 dec over first 2 sts, dc in each st across until working dec over last 2 sts (18 dc)
Row 21: ch 2 dec over first 2 sts, dc in each st across until working dec over last 2 sts (16 dc)
Row 22: ch 2 dec over first 2 sts, dc in each st across until working dec over last 2 sts (14 dc)

finish off

Sides and handles:

ch 9
Row 1: dc in 3rd chain and dc in each ch across (7 dc)
Row 2: ch 2, work dc in each stitch across (7 dc)

continue working rows of 7 dc until you have a strip that is 80cm long. Join ends of strip by sl st together.

finish off

Finishing:

Find the middle point of the bottom of the front piece (the end that you started working from) and with the join on the strap positioned to the bottom rejoin your yarn and sl st up round the side to join the two pieces together. Break the yarn off and rejoin again at the bottom this time sl st up the other side of the bag front. Do the same for the back of the bag but only sl st up as far as the front side goes so that you leave the top of the back loose as this becomes the flap. Sl st around the front of the flap and when you get to the middle point ch 10 (to make the button hole loop) and continue sl st across the rest of the flap. Weave in all loose ends and you're done!

Ponyo amigurumi

My little niece became a Studio Ghibli fan two years ago when I gave her a DVD of My Neighbour Totoro (as well as a crocheted Totoro to go with it) - according to her mum she would wander round the house sing the theme song to herself and would keep asking to watch it again and again. So when the new Ghibli film Ponyo came out I knew I had to get it for her. I also wanted to have a go at making her a little crocheted Ponyo to go with it and this is what I've ended up with. 

I had hoped that my Ponyo would turn out a lot cuter than this but to try and do a better job would involve starting back from scratch again which I sadly don't have enough time to do at the moment. For any of you Ponyo fans out there I've included my pattern - beware though the bottom of the skirt is very fiddly to make.



Ponyo

Materials:

DK yarn in pink, red, white, orange/brown, black
pair of safety eyes
3.5 crochet hook
fibrefill
yarn needle for working in loose ends

Finished size:

This will vary depending on how tight you crochet, my finished doll measured 10.5cm high.

Terminology:

This pattern uses American crochet terms. The following abbreviations used are

ch - chain
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
tr - treble crochet
sl st - slip stitch
inv dec - invisible decrease
rep - repeat

This pattern is worked in the round so use a stitch marker to show the first stitch of each row.

Eyes - make 2

- Using white yarn -

make a magic ring and ch 1
8 sc into ring, pull end to close (but not too tightly) sl st to first sc and finish off

Head

- Using pink yarn -

make a magic ring and ch 1

Row 1:  6 sc into ring, pull end to close (6 sc)
Row 2: 2 sc into each sc (12 sc)
Row 3: *2 sc into next sc, sc* rep around (18 sc)
Row 4: *2 sc into next sc, 2 sc* rep around (24 sc)
Row 5: *2 sc into next sc, 3 sc* rep around (30 sc)
Rows 6-11: sc around (30 sc)
Row 12: *inv dec, 3 sc* rep around (24 sc)

Row 13: *inv dec, 2 sc* rep around (18 sc)

attach eyes roughly halfway down the face


Row 14: *inv dec, 1 sc* rep around (12 sc)

stuff head firmly

Body

- Change to red yarn -

Row 15: work in front loops only *2 sc in sc, sc* rep around (18 sc)
Row 16: *2 sc into next sc, 2 sc* rep around (24 sc)
Row 17: *2 sc into next sc, 3 sc* rep around (30 sc)
Row 18: *2 sc into next sc, 4 sc* rep around (36 sc)
Rows 19-24: sc around (36 sc)
Row 25: *inv dec, 4 sc* rep around (30 sc)
Row 26: work into the front loops only *sl st in next sc, 2 hdc and 1 dc in next dc, 1 dc and 2 hdc in next dc* rep around

- Finish off red and change to white yarn -

Row 27: working into the back loops behind the red frill *inv dec, 3 sc* around (24 sc)
Row 28: work into the front loops only *sl st in next sc, 2 hdc and 1 dc in next dc, 1 dc and 2 hdc in next dc* rep around
Row 29: work into the back loops *inv dec, 2 sc* rep around (18 sc)
Row 30: *inv dec, sc* rep around (12 sc)

stuff body firmly

Row 31: inv dec around (6 sc) sl st to first sc and finish off with a long tail to sew close with

Flippers - make 2

- Using red yarn -

make a magic ring and ch 1

Row 1:  4 sc into ring, pull end to close (4 sc)
Row 2: *2 sc into next sc, sc* rep around (6 sc)
Row 3: *2 sc into next sc, 2 sc* rep around (8 sc) 
Rows 4-5: sc around (8 sc)
Row 6: *2 sc into next sc, 3 sc* rep around (10 sc)
Row 7: sc around (10 sc) finish off with a long tail

Hair

You may need to adjust where you put your hair spikes depending on where you've placed your eyes on Ponyo

- Using brown/orange yarn -

 make a magic ring and ch 1

Row 1:  6 sc into ring, pull end to close (6 sc)

Row 2: 2 sc into each sc (12 sc)
Row 3: *2 sc into next sc, sc* rep around (18 sc)
Row 4: *2 sc into next sc, 2 sc* rep around (24 sc)
Row 5: *2 sc into next sc, 3 sc* rep around (30 sc)

hair spikes: work 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 tr, ch 2, sl st  all into one sc

Row 6: work 1 hair spike, sl st into next 2 scsl st into next 4 sc then work 1 hair spike, work sc in remaining stitches with a hdc in the last st before the first hair spike
Rows 7-10: ch 1, turn, 1 hadc then sc across working 1 hdc into last st
Row 11: work a few more hair spikes in this last row and finish off leaving a long tail for sewing hair to head.

Tummy

- Using white yarn -


make a magic ring and ch 1

Row 1:  6 sc into ring, pull end to close (6 sc)
Row 2: 2 sc into each sc (12 sc)
Row 3: *2 sc into next sc, sc* rep around (18 sc)
Row 4: *2 sc into next sc, 2 sc* rep around (24 sc)
finish off with a long tail for sewing onto the front of the body.

Finishing

Use the photo at the top to help and carefully position hair on head and sew it in place. Embroider a mouth - either a nice big smiley one or a little surprised red 'o'. Sew flippers on at the sides and sew the white tummy circle on to the front. Sew in any loose ends and your done.

Finished at last!

Just thought I would show you quickly how my finished baby booties came out. After a suggestion from one of my followers (thanks Never Knew!) I added a crochet flower to the toe of each bootie in the contrasting colour from the other bootie and now they look much more like a pair

These flowers are very quick to make up and would be useful for so many different projects that need a little extra finishing touch. As I came up with the pattern for these flowers myself I've quickly written up the pattern so that some of you might have a go at making a few too:

Pretty little flowers

Terminology:

This pattern uses American crochet terms. The following abbreviations used are

ch - chain
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
sl st - slip stitch

Row 1: Make a magic ring, work 10 sc into the ring and then pull the loose end to close the ring.
Row 2: *3 sc into next sc, sl st into next sc* x 5
Row 3: *hdc in next sc, 3 dc in next sc, hdc into next sc, sl st into previous sl st* x 5

Finish off and weave in loose ends

Jayne Cobb hat - revisited

Two years ago I had a go at making up my own crochet version of the Jayne Cobb hat in response to a hat making request from Kim Werker at Crochet Me. For those of you who don't know who the heck Jayne Cobb is then I highly recommend that you go out and borrow a copy of the Firefly series or the film Serenity.

Now two years later on I've had a request to publish the pattern I wrote for this hat so I'm going back to my roughly scrawled notes to try and piece a basic pattern together for them and anyone else who is interested. However, there are a few other much better crochet patterns out there as well as a good number of knitted patterns too so be sure to do a Ravelry search to help you decide which pattern you want to use.

Now on to the pattern!


Jayne Cobb hat

Materials:

DK yarn in 3 colours or more. For a true Jayne hat you need red, orange & yellow
3.5 crochet hook
yarn needle for working in loose ends

Finished size:

I forgot to measure my hat before I sent it off to my sister but as it fitted me it was probably a size small. You may need to adjust the number of increase rows you work in the crown to get a perfect fit.

Terminology:

This pattern uses American crochet terms. The following abbreviations used are

ch - chain
hdc - half double crochet
sl st - slip stitch
tog - together (decreasing)

At the end of each row sl st to the first hdc worked in the previous row

- Starting yellow yarn -

Row 1: ch 3, join with a sl st to form a circle, ch 2 then work 8 hdc into circle
Row 2: ch 2, *2 hdc in each stitch* rep around (16 hdc)
Row 3: ch 2, *hdc, 2 hdc in each stitch* rep around (24 hdc)
Row 4: ch 2, *2 hdc, 2 hdc in each stitch* rep around (32 hdc)
Row 5: ch 2, *3 hdc, 2 hdc in each stitch* rep around (40 hdc)
Row 6: ch 2  *4 hdc, 2 hdc in each stitch* rep around (48 hdc)
Row 7: ch 2  *5 hdc, 2 hdc in each stitch* rep around (56 hdc)
Row 8: ch 2  *6 hdc, 2 hdc in each stitch* rep around (64 hdc)
Row 9: ch 2  *7 hdc, 2 hdc in each stitch* rep around (72 hdc) 

- Change to orange yarn -

Row 10: ch 2  *8 hdc, 2 hdc in each stitch* rep around (80 hdc)
Row 11: ch 2  *9 hdc, 2 hdc in each stitch* rep around (88 hdc)
Row 12: ch 2  *10 hdc, 2 hdc in each stitch* rep around (96 hdc)
Row 13: ch 2  *11 hdc, 2 hdc in each stitch* rep around (104 hdc)

if you want a smaller or larger hat then either work a row or two less or do a row or two more of the increase rows.

Row 14- 21: ch 2, hdc around (104 hdc)

- Change to red yarn -

Row 22- 24: ch 2, hdc around
Row 25: ch 2, 65 hdc, turn
Row 26: ch 2, hdc across, 1 hdc in top of 2nd ch (66 hdc)
Row 27: ch 2, hdc across (66 hdc)
Row 28: ch 2, 21 hdc, hdc 2 tog, 20 hdc, hdc 2 tog, 21 hdc (64 hdc)

First ear flap

Row 29 - 35: ch 2, 18 hdc, turn
Row 36: ch 2, 2 hdc tog, 14 hdc, 2 hdc tog (16 hdc)
Row 37: ch 2, 2 hdc tog, 12 hdc, 2 hdc tog (14 hdc)
Row 38: ch 2, 3 hdc tog, 8 hdc, 3 hdc tog (10 hdc)
Row 39: ch 2, 3 hdc tog, 4 hdc, 3 hdc tog (6 hdc)

- Finish off and repeat ear flap on other side of the hat - 

Make up a nice big pompom for the top using all three of the yarn colours and stitch it on to the top of the hat. Sew in any loose ends and you're done!

Panda love

You may recognise these colourful fellows as being related to the little panda I made up for my most recent blog giveaway. These two ended up being more colourful as I've run myself out of white yarn and had to find an alternative in a hurry.

As these were to be part of a present for my little niece who is going to be having a baby sister soon I thought it would be a nice idea to make up a mummy and a baby panda. I adjusted the original Lion Brand pattern to come up with a smaller version and I thought that you all may be interested in knowing what my pattern for the mini panda was.

Baby Panda

Work as a continuous spiral without joining rounds. Keep the gauge tight so that the stuffing doesn't show through.

Body

Using white (or a paler shade if you also want a colourful panda)

Row 1: ch 2 and work 6 sc into first ch
Row 2: work 2 sc in each st (12 sc)
Row 3: *work 2 sc in first sc, sc* rep 5 times (18 sc)
Row 4: *work 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 2 stitches* rep 5 times (24 sc)
Row 5: *work 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 3 stitches* rep 5 times (30 sc)
Row 6-14: sc around

Change colour to black (or a darker shade if you also want a colourful panda)

Row 15 - 17: sc around
Finish off leaving a long end

Eyes (make 2)

Row 1: ch 2 and work 4 sc into first ch
Row 2: work 2 sc in each st (8 sc)
Row 3: *work 2 sc in first sc, sc* rep 5 times (12 sc)
Finish off leaving a long end

Legs (make 4)

Row 1: ch 2 and work 4 sc into first ch
Row 2: work 2 sc in each st (8 sc)
Row 3-5: sc around
Finish off leaving a long end

Ears (make 2)


Row 1: ch 2 and work 4 sc into first ch
Row 2: work 2 sc in each st (8 sc)
Row 3-4: sc around
Finish off leaving a long end

Putting him together

Sew the eyes onto the body using the photo as a guide and then insert safety eyes through crochet eyes and secure at back. Embroider nose details on face. Stuff body firmly and sew close using long end. Sew ears to head without putting in any stuffing Lastly stuff and sew on arms and legs. Ta da - your baby panda should now be all done!

Newest arrival

This little curious alien got completed yesterday evening after a good few evenings of frenzied crochet. When I started work on him I really had no idea how he was going to turn out, I just got my hook out and started with only a few vague ideas.

My lovely husband would like to be mentioned as the co-creator of this yet unnamed fellow. His input really did change how this little guy turned out - the alien that I had in my head was a very different alien... but not nearly as cute as this one.

I've just finished writing up the pattern for this little guy and you can find it for free at: http://crochetme.com/patterns/curious-alien