Tag-Archive for » crochet «

Dec
31
Posted by Michele on December 31, 2009

After four straight days of shoveling, chopping and otherwise hacking at the snow and ice in our driveway, my hands, wrists and arms complained terribly every time I tried to do any crocheting. So what if it was the week before Christmas and Mom’s hat wasn’t done. So, what else is new? Mom getting something half-done for Christmas is pretty much routine around here.

I did finish her hat yesterday and hopefully will have pictures tomorrow. For a teaser, here’s a link to what I used to base my pattern on – Crochet Ridged Hat.

I was also trying to come up with a simple stuffed crochet heart pattern for Valentine’s Day. I figured that I could spend a couple of hours and would have a pattern that I could actually post on The Crafty Tipster. Well that was the plan anyway. My last pattern for a pinecone was really cool but I kept changing it every time I made one and never actually got around to posting anything. Hopefully, one day soon the pine cone will be unveiled.

The heart didn’t come out like I had planned. It just didn’t look right. crochet heart. Yeah, I know you can see the white stuffing. It is only a prototype. I would definitely use some cheap red acrylic yarn to stuff a final piece.

My poor little heart seemed a bit too pointy to me and was definitely not something worthy of sharing with the world – at least not yet.

But, while trying to figure out where I was going wrong, I realized – hey those make cute little legs.

I love making little critters and things and thought my failed heart was turning into a cute Amigurumi something.

red amigurumiAs you can see my little oops doesn’t have a face yet. And I’m thinking of adding a bit of hair. But overall, I think it’s kinda cute for a boo-boo. (The green yarn is there to mark the “front” side.)

I figure if it weren’t for those projects that go wrong somewhere that the world would be missing out on so many great works of art and inventions.

After all, Post-It notes are made with a failed glue and who would want a glue that doesn’t stick?

A bit of creative thinking took that failed glue and gave us Post-Its. Not that I’m comparing the genius of those little notepads we all know and love to my little crochet critter but both take a perceived failure and turn it into something useful.

So, what great cleverness has come from one of your oops projects? Care to share?

Dec
23
Posted by Michele on December 23, 2009

sharing loveSomeone shared this story of giving with me and I thought I would help to spread the world.

Krista Shugart, a high school student in New Jersey was inspired by her volunteer work in a local soup kitchen to do something more. People would come to the soup kitchen without scarves and hats and Krista decided that she could offer the patrons something more.

Knit/Crochet for a Cause was born and Krista, along with 24 of her friends and fellow students began meeting once a week for an hour and a half. In seven weeks, the group has already produced six baby blankets, six baby hats, 24 teen/adult hats, and 23 scarves. The group is still growing as is their at knitting and crochet abilities.

I love that along with the picture of Krista which accompanies the story is one of a young boy carefully knitting a blue and white scarf. I’ve always known boys knit too, but it’s always fun to see the young ones doing it.

Learn more about Krista and how you can help Knit/Crochet for a Cause by visiting the original news story in her hometown paper – Helping Hands Knit for a Cause. They are looking for more volunteers and new or clean used yarn to continue their efforts.

Sep
27
Posted by Michele on September 27, 2009

I have often told people that with enough trial and error I can pretty much crochet any stuffed shape I see.

So, it is more than a bit ironic that I am having so much trouble duplicating one of my own designs. I even took notes the first time. And yet, like Charlie Brown, I find myself in the search of the great pumpkin.

more…

Jul
09
Posted by Michele on July 9, 2009

For one of our kitties, her favorite toy is a little finger puppet with a stuffed head and floppy ears. She throws it around and loves pushing under our TV stand and then digging it back out.

Not to be outdone by a child’s toy; I thought I could certainly make up something she would find more interesting.

So, I thought, what would be better than an octopus. It would have a stuffed head and eight great legs to grab on to. I made up the pattern and posted a more human-toy-like version on Free Amigurumi Octopus Pattern.

The cat toy version is a little smaller and doesn’t have any eyes. I also opted not to stuff the head to make it more human-foot friendly.

What I thought would be the ultimate cat toy appears to have been the ultimate snooze for our two girls. Neither one of them seems particularly interested in playing with it. They will swat at it if we annoy them with it but otherwise they don’t think all that much of my creation. Go figure.

I guess we could always use it as a stylin’ kitty hat…

Apr
10
Posted by Michele on April 10, 2009

There’s often very little news after a major natural disaster that makes you smile but one story amid the ruins of the town of Tempera Italy certainly made me smile.

Trapped after her own house collapsed upon her, one 98-year-old woman found herself with nothing but time as she waited to either be rescued or die in her home. Being from that generation that has seen so much, she spent her time with her wool and her hook. Buried alive and she just calmly sat among the debris and crocheted for 30 hours!

Sounding much like my own grandmother, who were she alive would be 101, Maria D’Antuono had a final request from her rescuers before being taken to an area hospital – a comb. She, like so many of her generation could not consider going to the doctor or hospital without first putting herself together.

I always knew crochet was a good way to relax but one plucky lady in Italy has surely proven it to the world.