CRAFTYisCOOL

Have a Heart!

2012-02-09T11:27:00.002-06:00

You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to start blogging every day! OK Let's start at every OTHER day. I know blogs are way more interesting when there is new content more frequently and that is my goal.
So for today's post, I want to tell you about a class I'm teaching this weekend at The Knitting Nest in Austin. It should be pretty fun, really easy, and you will go home with probably several projects!

If you're a mom, I KNOW you are busy. Working moms feel like they don't have enough time at home and stay at home moms feel like they are being pulled in all directions all the time too! As women we are caretakers, maids, chefs, school liaisons, and if we are lucky, we like to do fun things for ourselves.

This Saturday, indulge your crafty side and your mommy side. I'm teaching a crochet class to make teeny tiny crocheted hearts for Valentine's Day. That's not all. Stacy, the ultra-crafty mom and grandma, who also happens to run the Knitting Nest, will have cards and all the supplies you will need to make handmade Valentines so your kids will bring the most popular cards to the party! It will be really easy. Did I say easy? Even if you've never crocheted before, I promise, when I'm done with you, you will have a stack of little crocheted hearts to make Valentines with.

The little heart is attached to a jumbo paperclip and detaches from the card to use as a bookmark. Cute, right?? Inspired by a pin on Pinterest, these will be the coolest cards ever. All the kids will love 'em.

While this is an awesome class for the grownups (not just Mom, of course!), kids can get in on the action later in the day at a Friendship Bracelet class. I know when I was growing up in the late 80s and early 90s, Friendship Bracelets were HUGE. Every week there was some new design someone was making. We put one on and KEPT it on. Never took those things off, even in the shower. I remember pulling tights over my Friendship Anklets, feeling like such a good friend. :)

If you're interested in either of these classes, please call the Knitting Nest at (512) 291-8866 to sign up. I'm also continuing my Thursday morning classes (every other week) with my next class on Thursday, February 16th at 10:00. We're making amigurumi, of course!

Free Pattern Friday! Austin Owl Amigurumi

2012-02-02T23:19:00.001-06:00

Last year I participated in the Renegade Craft Fair here in Austin. It was so much fun and I hope I have time to do it again next year. (This year is definitely OUT--ahem...book....!) I wanted to design something with an owl since everything Renegade is represented by an owl. I put together about 150 kits each containing materials and tools to make a tiny Austin Owl amigurumi. I designed the pattern to be accessible to beginners and seasoned crocheters. They are fun and customizable since they can be made in any color imaginable and with teeny tiny fabric scraps. When I'm not crocheting I also like to sew (mostly Halloween costumes and the like) so I'm no stranger to leftover bits of fabric that I hate to throw away. It's fun to put colors together in unexpected ways to make these cute little guys. I've had this pattern in my Ravelry shop for a while now but I wanted to set the owls free! Get it?

Austin Owl Amigurumi

Here's what you'll need:

Materials:
Worsted weight yarn (any color)
Polyester fiberfill
Fabric
Felt
Two small (~ 3/8") buttons

Tools:
Crochet hook (I used size E, 3.5mm)
Yarn needle
Craft glue OR matching thread

Body:

Rnd 1: Starting at bottom of body, with yarn and Hook, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, and sc 6 into the ring. Pull closed.

Rnd 2: Work 2 sc into each st (12)

Rnd 3: Working in back loops of each stitch only (BLO), sc into each st (12)

Rnds 4-7: Sc into each st (12)

Rnd 8: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 5 st)* rep to end of round (14)

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Stuff the owl. Thread the yarn needle with the yarn tail. Flatten the top edge so that you have one long seam of 7 st to sew through. Whipstitch the seam closed, knot the yarn tail and hide within the body of the owl, clipping the tail close to the surface.

Finishing:

Cut a small egg shape from the fabric for the owl’s tummy. Glue or sew the patch onto the owl. Cut a small triangle from felt and glue to owl for the beak. Glue or sew two button eyes to the owl’s face.

Pick your colors!

Whooooo is making a whole nest full of these?

These would be cute little Valentine's day gifts! Once you get going on them, they are quick and fun to make. If you're not ready to commit to Valentine's, how adorable would these be in your Easter basket?
Hope you enjoy these little guys!

Leslie Hall is a Midwest Diva

2012-01-16T11:19:00.001-06:00

Please send a representative. I've just made the world's smallest gem sweater in the world. Seriously, it is small. And it has gems on it. And I made it. That's why it says "Crafty is Cool"!

Leslie Hall in her Crafty is Cool gem sweater. It needs a name.

The real Leslie Hall (photo from LeslieHall.com)

Leslie Hall in her signature gold lycra (photo from LeslieHall.com)

I mean, have you even seen her amazingly fantastically hilarious "Craft Talk" video??

I can watch it over and over and over (as well as Tight Pants/Body Rolls) and it does not get old. Speaking of "Tight Pants/Body Rolls", my kids also adore Leslie Hall. We've downloaded several of her songs onto their iPods and they know more of the words than I do.

Leslie Hall and DJ Lance Rock backstage at the Yo Gabba Gabba Live

When we went to see Yo Gabba Gabba and I brought all the amigurumi characters to DJ Lance, Leslie Hall asked when she was getting a Leslie Hall doll. Well, what a great idea! So, Ms. Leslie Hall, here she is!

The amazing Leslie Hall, amigurumi form.

Keeper of the gems.

Leslie Hall and the LY's are coming to Austin in March and I can't wait! Will there be a photo of Leslie and little Leslie soon? I HOPE!

*If you're wondering about a pattern for Leslie, I used several of my patterns together to create her, including Talk Show Host, Wonder Woman, and Pee-wee.

Free Pattern Friday! Valentine's Day Yarn Wreath

2012-01-13T21:54:00.005-06:00

Valentine's Day Yarn Wreath

As soon as the Christmas decorations come down in my house, I like to get things moving on to the next holiday. Sure I could try to decorate for "Winter" but I really love red and pink and hearts and all that stuff, so I go straight for Valentine's Day!
I'm sure some people would wait until February to decorate (if they decorate at all) but then what do you have? Two weeks? No way! I say decorate in January and revel in the awesomeness longer. (That is the reason I decorate for Halloween at the beginning of September, after all!)

I have a spot in my kitchen where I always hang a wreath. My front door is a craftsman-type, with windows at the top and a little ledge, so I can never quite figure out hanging a wreath there. I always look for a cute wreath for Valentine's day at the usual places: Target, Hobby Lobby, etc, but I never find the right one. So with all these awesome yarn wreaths I love to drool over on Pinterest, I thought I'd make my own! This one is super easy and the heart pattern is fun and quick.

Valentine's Yarn Wreath

Materials:
12" Styrofoam wreath form
Bulky variegated yarn (I used Hobby Lobby's First Love Yarn in "Kisses")
Any color worsted weight yarn (I used hot pink, pale pink, aqua, light blue, lilac, and purple)

Yarn, 16 gauge wire, 12 foam wreath

E Hook (or your favorite)
Yarn needle
Polyester stuffing
16 gauge wire (optional)
Decorative ribbon or trim
Stick pins

Key:
ch: chain
sc: single crochet
st: stitch
sc2tog: single crochet 2 st together (decrease)

* * *
Begin by tying the yarn around the wreath in one spot. Don't worry about hiding the knot, as it will be covered. Wrap the yarn all the way around the wreath, trying to not overlap the strands. This makes the yarn's color changes more even. When you reach the end, cut the yarn leaving a few inches and wrap the tail to the back. Use a crochet hook and pull the tail under a few strands to hide it.

Heart A (smallest--make 2):
R1: Starting at point of heart, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, and sc 3 into the ring. Pull closed.
R2: Work 2sc into each st (6)
R3: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next st)* repeat to end of round (9)
R4: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 2 st)* repeat to end of round (12)
R5: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 3 st)* repeat to end of round (15)
R6: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 4 st)* repeat to end of round (18)
R7: Sc into the next 9 st, skip next 9 st.
*You have now started the right side of the top of the heart.
R8: Starting at the first stitch of R6, sc into each st (9)
R9: (Sc2tog, sc into next st)* repeat to end of round (6)
Fasten off by slip stitching into the next stitch. Leave a tail. Using the yarn needle, weave tail through last row of stitches and pull tightly to close the hole. Use a stuffing tool or the eraser end of the pencil to stuff the heart lightly. Attach yarn back onto the open side of the yarn, starting on the inside and you will work around the opening. You can either tie a knot to attach the new yarn or you can insert the hook on the outside into the first stitch and pull the yarn up through the work, and sc for your first stitch. Repeat R7-9 on the other side to create the second top bump. Weave in ends and set aside.

Heart B (medium--make 1):
R1-R6: Work as for Heart A
R7: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 5 st)* repeat to end of round (21)
R8: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 6 st)* repeat to end of round (24)
R9: Sc into next 12 st, skip next 12 st.
*You have now started the right side of the top of the heart.
R10: Starting at the first st of R9, sc into each st (12)
R11: (Sc2tog, sc into next 2 st)* repeat to end of round (9)
R12: (Sc2tog, sc into next st)* repeat to end of round (6)

Fasten off by slip stitching into the next stitch. Leave a tail. Using the yarn needle, weave tail through last row of stitches and pull tightly to close the hole. Use a stuffing tool or the eraser end of the pencil to stuff the heart lightly. Attach yarn back onto the open side of the yarn, starting on the inside and you will work around the opening. You can either tie a knot to attach the new yarn or you can insert the hook on the outside into the first stitch and pull the yarn up through the work, and sc for your first stitch. Repeat R9-12 on the other side to create the second top bump. Weave in ends and set aside.

Heart C (large--make 2):

R1-R8: Work as for Heart B

R9: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 7 st)* repeat to end of round (27)

R10: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 8 st)* repeat to end of round (30)

R11: Sc into next 15 st, skip next 15 st.

*You have now started the right side of the top of the heart.

R12: Starting at the first st of R11, sc into each st (15)

R13: (Sc2tog, sc into next 3 st)* repeat to end of round (12)

R14: (Sc2tog, sc into next 2 st)* repeat to end of round (9)

R15: (Sc2tog, sc into next st)* repeat to end of round (6)

Fasten off by slip stitching into the next stitch. Leave a tail. Using the yarn needle, weave tail through last row of stitches and pull tightly to close the hole. Use a stuffing tool or the eraser end of the pencil to stuff the heart lightly. Attach yarn back onto the open side of the yarn, starting on the inside and you will work around the opening. You can either tie a knot to attach the new yarn or you can insert the hook on the outside into the first stitch and pull the yarn up through the work, and sc for your first stitch. Repeat R11-15 on the other side to create the second top bump. Weave in ends and set aside.

Heart D (extra large--make 1):

R1-10: Work as for Heart C

R11: (2 Sc into next st, sc into 9 st)* repeat to end of round (33)

R12: (2 Sc into next st, sc into 10 st)* repeat to end of round (36)

R13: Sc into next 18 st, skip next 18 st.

*You have now started the right side of the top of the heart.

R14: Starting at the first st of R13, sc into each st (18)

R15: (Sc2tog, sc into next 4 st)* repeat to end of round (15)

R16: (Sc2tog, sc into next 3 st)* repeat to end of round (12)

R17: (Sc2tog, sc into next 2 st)* repeat to end of round (9)

R18: (Sc2tog, sc into next st)* repeat to end of round (6)

Fasten off by slip stitching into the next stitch. Leave a tail. Using the yarn needle, weave tail through last row of stitches and pull tightly to close the hole. Use a stuffing tool or the eraser end of the pencil to stuff the heart lightly. Attach yarn back onto the open side of the yarn, starting on the inside and you will work around the opening. You can either tie a knot to attach the new yarn or you can insert the hook on the outside into the first stitch and pull the yarn up through the work, and sc for your first stitch. Repeat R13-18 on the other side to create the second top bump. Weave in ends and set aside.

You may now begin sewing your hearts together. Arrange them as you would like and stitch them in a line. It's easier to use one color and stitch through all of them across, keeping your stitches hidden, rather than changing yarn colors.

The next step is completely optional but I found that it really helped the hearts on my wreath stand up and stay in line. Once you've stitched the hearts together, start at the back on one side and feed a long piece of wire all the way through to the other side. After making it all the way through, insert both ends into the wreath form.

In a word processing program, print "Happy Valentine's Day" and trim into a banner. Curl edges and pin to wreath.

Cut a length of trim 24" in half, so you have two 12" pieces. Loop them around the top of the wreath and tie at the top. Hang her up! Easy right? Happy Valentine's Day! (or as my little boys say, Happy Valentimes!)

Book Review and Giveaway! Crocheted Softies!

2011-12-13T10:46:00.002-06:00

** Thanks for all the entries! Out of 123 comments, the winner was #51, CuCuCreates, who wants to crochet a crocodile! I bet it will be awesome! Thanks for playing!

I'm sure I'm like most people that crochet. When I started, it was all about gifts. I gave away pretty much everything I made, either to my kids or other people's kids. I loved finding cute patterns for stuffed toys that made great gifts. Gifts for kids, particularly stuffed animals, are so fun to make and usually take a lot less yarn and time than bigger projects (like afghans or sweaters!).

Win this! Keep Reading!

In Stacey Trock's new book, Crocheted Softies, you will find patterns for 18 adorable animals from around the world! These aren't just the typical teddy bears and bunnies, but awesome patterns with texture and detail that kids will love on for years. She starts off the book with a thorough introduction to crochet. You'll learn all the basics, plus special stitches Stacey uses for adding character to her crochet designs. I especially love the details she gave regarding making the toys child-safe (like crocheted eyes), and her diagrams for assembly are some of the best I've seen (and I've read LOTS of crochet books!).

She starts off with a basic animal shape, then elaborates with different animal patterns (her elephant is especially adorable) and goes all the way around the globe (continent by continent!) and then into outer space! Check out her hilarious alien! What little boy wouldn't think that was totally cool?

Zork the Alien! from Crocheted Softies

Another thing about the book that is really cool is just the way Stacey crochets. See how her creations have little ridges all around? That's because she crochets into the back loop of all of her stitches. Her book says that it helps hide stuffing. By doing it this way she can crochet with a larger hook, and I'm guessing it makes her toys larger in the end too. Interesting! I like the texture it gives to her toys!

My absolute favorite pattern in the book is Salty the Crocodile! It reminds me so much of a vintage handmade crocodile toy a friend had. All those nubby crocheted bobbles in rows on his back and those cartoonish eyes just bring this little guy to life. Love him!

Salty the Crocodile from Crocheted Softies

Stacey has done a great job using natural fibers throughout this book. You'll be inspired to try out new textures and materials when you're crocheting, I'll bet.

So now that you are all clamoring to get this book, who wants to win an autographed copy? I'm going to give away one copy of the book, which Stacey has signed, to one lucky winner. This would make a fantastic gift to anyone, since the projects are a great introduction to crocheting!

All you have to do to enter is to comment with an animal you'd love to crochet! Make sure you also leave your email address so I can contact you if you win. I'll pick a random entry this THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15th, around 5 pm central time, and ship the book asap so you can wrap it up or keep it for yourself! (But you better get some yarn because you'll want to make one of these cuties for the holidays!)

EDIT: Here's a list of animals inside!
elephant
giraffe
orangutan
panda
crocodile
kiwi
owl
snail
penguin
walrus
moose
crab
alpaca
snake
fish
jellyfish
alien
macrobe
microbe

I LOVE NY!

2011-12-09T14:33:00.001-06:00

By now I'm sure you've all heard about Martha Stewart's latest venture into the yarn world, right? Lion Brand Yarn has come out with a full line of Martha Stewart Crafts yarn and a Knit and Weave Loom.
Because I've designed for Lion Brand in the past, when the new yarns were going to be released, I was fortunate to receive a sampling of the yarns to try out. I make dolls. It's just what I do and what I think of first when I get a big box of yarn. When said yarn has the name "Martha Stewart" on it and the colors are reminiscent of Martha's understated and sophisticated style, how could I not make a Martha Stewart doll? Then there was the glittery eyelash yarn, in the perfect color for making a chowchow, which just so happens to be the breed of one of Martha's most famous pets, Genghis Khan.

Long story short, I made a Martha, wrote out a pattern, and shipped both off to Lion Brand. Little Martha made her way to the real Martha, who invited me to come out to New York and be on the show featuring projects and handmade gifts made from her new yarn.
Having never been to New York, I was thrilled! I visited surrounding areas when I was younger but had never ventured into the big city. My husband Paul and I booked a trip and we were on our way!
We left bright and early from Austin and the three hour flight was easy breezy. (I'm lying--it was raining a lot and really bumpy for at least an hour.)

We arrived at our hotel and got checked in, then took a walk around the corner to Times Square. It was surreal to be somewhere you've seen so many times on TV! It was so crowded! A little shopping and then some great Italian food at a little cafe on a side street, then more shopping!

Times Square!

Rockefeller Center!

Macy's -- and I could barely stand still for the picture!

We walked blocks and blocks just to see everything we could before it was time to head back to the hotel. I had an early morning and didn't want bags under my eyes for Martha!
The next day we took a cab to the Martha studios. Arriving early, we grabbed a delicious hot bagel and a cup of New York's finest coffee (that's an exaggeration, but it wasn't too bad) and ate our breakfast on the street. The misty morning air wasn't kind to my 'do, but when I got to the studio, I was sent to hair and makeup! I'll give you a little insider secret, too. That doll didn't talk until I got to the studio that morning! I'd made a recording on the little device but it just wasn't clear enough for TV. When it said "It's a good thing," it was a little muffled sounding and had music playing in the background. Simple solution: get Martha to record it herself! So that's just what happened! I sat in the dressing room and took little Martha's head off, unraveled the neck and chest of the doll, inserted the new device, and crocheted it back up. It wasn't until the VERY last minute that Martha's head was on. Even during the rehearsals there was a headless doll on the table and little Martha's head was at her feet.

Check out this action shot my husband took--poor little Martha's head just waiting for a body!

The show went great! I thought Martha was so easy to talk to and so "human" in person. She's an icon, but really in person she was friendly and personable. She complimented my AWESOME shoes (sorry but they ARE sweet shoes), asked me all about Austin, and told me she couldn't wait to put the doll in her grand baby's nursery. How sweet! We took some pictures together with the little Martha and Genghis. My husband and I got some cool gift bags and everyone was so accommodating and helpful backstage. I also got to meet Zontee Hou, who you probably saw co-hosting Lion Brand's fashion show on Martha. You may have also heard her on Lion Brand's podcast, Yarncraft! She was really cool and so great on TV.
After the show was over I could finally relax! I wasn't so nervous about being on live TV, but more about finishing the doll in time for the broadcast and getting there in time, etc. Answering questions about what I LOVE to do? Piece of cake!

Check out this video of my appearance!

My next stop was the Lion Brand Yarn Studio! I was dying to see the store in person, and feel all the LB Collection yarns, and take pictures in front of the famous display windows! I also wanted to meet Jess, the twitter "face" of Lion Brand. If you follow Lion Brand on Twitter, you've heard from Jess before. The store was awesome! It was a quick subway ride from our hotel. (did I mention how much I LOVED the subway? I think if you live in New York or have always lived there you may take it for granted, but it was greatest thing! So cheap and fast and easy!) We were greeted by the most amazingly adorable window! Here's me in front of the window. Could you just die??

Amazing knit and crochet window!

Color!

Martha yarn!

Inside was no less impressive: walls of beautiful, colorful, touchably soft yarny goodness. Jess was as nice as can be and even recommended a delicious cafe nearby for lunch (Cafe Medina--yum!).

More walking, more shopping, more subway riding, and we ended up in the West Village on Bleecker street for one of the city's highest rated pizza places, another recommendation, this time from my genius agent, and my New York expert, Kate McKean. John's Pizzeria was everything we were hoping to find in New York City Pizza. The place was what you could call a dive, with carved up tables and a HUGE menu of different pizza toppings. We chose pizza with black olives and sliced meatballs. I don't think you could make a mistake with any order. It was amazing. The brick oven baked crust was crispy with burnt edges and hot melty cheese covered the savory sliced meatballs and sprinkling of black olives. The sauce was just right, really tomato-y and not too salty or sweet. Dang, I wish I had that pizza I couldn't finish right now.

Beer and NY Pizza!

So more shopping, more subway riding, more walking, and we are back to the hotel.

Early morning up and at it again, looking for another great bagel! We went to Times Square Hot Bagel, where I was afraid to order a bagel toasted, so I got a cold bagel with the best cream cheese (strawberry) ever. I'd heard that some bagel places in NY just didn't toast their bagels and you shouldn't ask! Maybe that doesn't apply everywhere. Oh well. It was good anyway, and we accompanied that with a hot cup of Starbucks coffee. It was raining, cold, and what else could have made this last morning in New York more perfect? Andrea Bocelli singing Christmas songs just inside the Good Morning America studio. We stood and listened, sipping our coffee and eating our bagels. Perfection.

Our own private Andrea Bocelli Christmas concert

Being our last day in New York, we scheduled a walking tour so we could make sure not to miss anything. This was the BEST THING. If you are going to New York, I would HIGHLY recommend Real New York Tours. Our tour guide was Trey, and we followed him all over Times Square, the Village, downtown and the Financial District, Soho, Chinatown (and its infamous tunnels!), Little Italy, and Central Park!

Central Park

We got to see and learn about things we wouldn't have had a clue about if we hadn't been on the tour. He told stories about different events that had happened in certain buildings, told us the history of the different neighborhoods we visited, and explained so much about New York culture. We stopped for lunch during the tour and had the best cannoli EVER at Pasticceria Rocco in the West Village. The tour was so much fun!

Shortly after the tour, it was time to head to the airport. It was rush hour and took a while to get to JFK, but we finally made it. By that time, Paul and I were exhausted! The flight back was going to be much longer, over four hours, because of a strong headwind, and the plane was delayed about an hour. It was nothing a couple of drinks at the airport bar couldn't handle, so the wait wasn't bad. Our flight was smooth and easy (another lie, but I digress...) and we finally got back to Texas.

I want to thank all the great people at the Martha Stewart show, Jess from Lion Brand, Kate, the people who made the cheesecake at Juniors, Trey from the tour, and my wonderful husband, Paul, for making this dream come true! I was on the Martha Stewart Show! Woohoo!

Free Pattern Friday! Crafty Christmas Cottage

2011-12-02T19:08:00.002-06:00

Crafty Christmas Cottage Village

A few years ago I found a set of tiny cardboard glittery houses at the Salvation Army. Since then I've collected a few others, mostly new ones and not the vintage treasures with the little cellophane windows. I love those things! They give an instant retro vibe to our Christmas decor and a magical glow when they're lined up on a bed of plastic snow.

Working with yarn to make these little houses, you get to pick any color you want, embellish the outside with soft felt doors and windows, and trim them with icicles. I made three in my favorite retro Christmas color combo. They are crocheted in one long piece for the house, another piece for the roof, and the bottom is left open so that you can get fancy and put in one of those adorable little electric tea lights. I wish my camera would have captured the glow these little houses were giving off! Finish off with a good sprinkling of plastic snow and a dusting of fine iridescent glitter: magic!

Crafty Christmas Cottage

You will need...

Yarn (all worsted weight):

Your favorite color (for the house)

White (for the roof)

Hook:
Size E/3.5 mm (or your favorite! The larger the hook, the larger the house!)

Notions:
White felt

Craft glue

Electric tealight (optional)

Plastic snowflakes (optional)

Glitter (optional, but not really!)

Key:
BLO: crochet into back loops only

ch: chain

rep: repeat

sc: single crochet

sl st: slip stitch

st: stitch

House:

With your favorite color yarn and an E hook, ch 9.

R1: Sc into 2nd ch from hook and next 7 ch (8)

R2-8: Ch 1, turn. Sc into each st (8)

R9: Ch 1, turn. Sc into BLO of each st (8)

R10: Ch 2, turn. Sc into 2nd ch from hook and next 8 st (9)

R11: Ch 1, turn. Sc into each st (9)

R12: Ch 2, turn. Sc into 2nd ch from hook and next 9 st (10)

R13: Ch 1, turn. Sc into next 9 st (skip the last st) (9)

R14: Ch 1, turn. Sc into each st (9)

R15: Ch 1, turn. Sc into next 8 st (skip the last st) (8)

R16: Ch 1, turn. Sc into each st (8)

R17: Ch 1 , turn. Sc into BLO of each st (8)

R18-32: Repeat R2-16.

R33: Turn. Fold the piece into a house shape so that R1 and R32 meet. Sl st the edges together. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Roof:

With white yarn and an E hook, ch 12.

R1: Sc into 2nd ch from hook and next 10 st (11)

R2-6: Ch 1, turn. Sc into each st (11)

R7: Ch 1, turn. Sc into BLO of each st (11)

R8-12: Ch 1, turn. Sc into each st (11)

**If you'd like, you can sc around the edge of the roof to make a smooth edge, as I did with the pink and the red houses.

Fasten off and leave a long tail. Thread a yarn needle with the tail and sew the roof to the house. The roof will have about 1/4" overhang all the way around. Weave in ends.

**If you have a problem with the roof curling up, spray it with spray starch and let dry flat or iron with a warm iron before you sew it to the house. DON'T use a hot iron on acrylic yarn!

Embellishing:

Cut door and window shapes from white felt and attach to house with craft glue.

Cut long narrow strips from white felt. "Fringe" the edges by snipping in two directions along one edge to make a zig-zag pattern. Glue the strips to the edges of the roof as desired for icicles.

Hope you like these! I've been looking forward to this pattern for a long time!

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Holidays! God Bless!

One off my (Charlie) Bucket List!

2011-11-14T13:38:00.002-06:00

You all know by now that I'm obsessed with making dolls of famous people and then giving them to said famous people, right? That is the biggest thrill to me! Well, when I made characters from Willy Wonka I never really thought about giving those dolls to the real people from the movie, until this weekend!

There are some movies that I've watched since I was really little that I can pretty much recite line by line. The old Rankin-Bass "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer", "Pee-wee's Big Adventure", and "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" are three that come to mind. Willy Wonka is just one of my favorite things. I've made amigurumi Oompa Loompas, a blueberry Violet Beauregarde, and most recently Willy Wonka for Inside Crochet magazine. The others are sketched out in my notebook but have yet to be realized in yarn (all of which I've already purchased)!

I heard about the Austin Comic-Con last Friday. When I googled it, the first thing I read was that the Wonka kids were going to be there, along with the guy that played Chewbacca, Peter Mayhew, and Jake Lloyd, who played little Anakin in Star Wars. I knew the whole family had to go!

On my way out the door, I grabbed a handful of business cards and the Oompa Loompa and Violet Beauregarde I had made. I was so sad I didn't have a Charlie Bucket, Mike Teevee, and Veruca Salt!

As soon as we entered the Convention center, the first tables we walked past were the Wonka kids! We walked right up (why wasn't there a line?!) and I told Paris Themmen (Mike) that I had brought gifts. I handed the dolls to him and he laughed out loud and thought they were really cute. In turn, he signed a picture for me and he and Peter Ostrum (Charlie) took a picture with my Oompa Loompa.

Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca) was at the next table. She was really interested in the dolls and told me she was a "ferocious knitter." I told her she needed to learn to crochet too! She posed for photos and took a little video with the dolls. Ignore all my nervous giddy laughter and excitement!

Denise Nickerson (Violet) wasn't there when we first got to the show so I went by later. She told me she just loved the dolls and had gotten so many compliments on them. I blabbed on and on about how we all love the movies so much and how I loved her in the Brady Bunch (she had a part as Pamela, the daughter of one of Mike's work associates--I'll get into my Brady Bunch obsession another time).

These were some of the sweetest people! All of them were so nice and answered all of my dumb questions, posed for pictures, and were so genuine. Hooray for spreading the Amigurumi Love!

Free Pattern Friday! Squeeze n' Sniff Pumpkin Pie

2011-11-03T23:00:00.019-05:00

Squeeze n' Sniff Pumpkin Pie

November is here! And finally we are getting some cooler weather down here in Texas! It's not a snowstorm or anything but when we're below 70 it's fall!

I love Thanksgiving: the food, the singing (yes, my mother has us all sing Thanksgiving songs together!), the naps, and oh yeah, football, if you're into that sort of thing. It's also a good day for planning some Black Friday shopping (and oh yeah, I AM into THAT sort of thing)!

This year make dessert weeks in advance (and you don't have to clear out any room in your freezer).

I made a pumpkin pie! It is absolutely void of calories, fat, and carbohydrates. The whipped cream is optional (but how could you eat pumpkin pie without whipped cream?!).

This pumpkin pie has a secret. Tucked inside is an easy to make sachet filled with pumpkin pie spice so that your Squeeze n' Sniff Punkin Pie smells like the real deal!

You will need...

Yarn (all worsted weight):

Gray

Burnt orange

Tan

White

Hook:
Size E/3.5 mm (or your favorite!)

Notions:
Black safety eyes (10mm)
Polyester stuffing
Yarn needle

Plastic canvas circle measuring 2 3/4" (or cardboard) Embroidery needle
Black embroidery floss
Scrap of fabric

Thread

Pumpkin pie spice

Key:
BLO: crochet into back loops only

ch: chain

hdc: half double crochet
inc: increase within the round the number of times indicated

rep: repeat

sc: single crochet

sl st: slip stitch

st: stitch

Pan:

Rnd 1: With gray yarn, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, and sc 6 into ring. Pull closed. (6)

Rnd 2: 2 Sc into each st (12)

Rnd 3: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next st)* rep to end of rnd (18)

Rnd 4: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 2 st)* rep to end of rnd (24)

Rnd 5: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 3 st)* rep to end of rnd (30)

Rnd 6: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 9 st)* rep to end of rnd (33)

Rnd 7: Sc into the BLO (back loops only) of each st (33)

Rnd 8: Sc into each st, inc 1 (34)

Rnd 9: Sc into each st, inc 1 (35)

Rnd 10: Sc into each st, inc 1 (36)

Fasten off. Cut yarn tail short (will be tucked inside upon assembly).

Top of Pie:

Rnd 1: With orange yarn, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, and sc 6 into ring. Pull closed. (6)

Rnd 2: 2 Sc into each st (12)

Rnd 3: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next st)* rep to end of rnd (18)

Rnd 4: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 2 st)* rep to end of rnd (24)

Rnd 5: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 3 st)* rep to end of rnd (30)

Rnd 6: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 4 st)* rep to end of rnd (36)

Change color to tan at the last stitch of Rnd 6.

Rnd 7: Sc into each st around (36)

Rnd 8: Sl st into next st, (5 hdc into next st, sl st into next st)* repeat to end of round.

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.

Whipped Cream:

Row 1: With white yarn, ch 7, leaving a long (10") beginning tail. Work 2 sc into the 2nd ch from the hook, sc into the next 3 ch, sc2tog (6)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Sc2tog, sc into next 3 st, 2 sc into last st (6)

Row 3: Ch 1, turn. 2 Sc into first st, sc into next 3 st, sc2tog (6)

Row 4-9: Alternate Rows 2 and 3.

Row 10: Ch 1, turn. Line up Row 10 and Row 1. It will be on a diagonal. Sl st the rows together. You will form a tube.

Fasten off and leave a long (18") tail. Thread the tail onto a yarn needle and weave the tail through the row ends at the top of the tube you've just created. Pull the tail tightly to close up the top of the tube. Insert your hook into a nearby stitch and pull up a loop of the tail. Ch 3, then sc into 2nd ch from hook and next ch. Sl st back into where you started. This has created the "peak" of the whipped cream. Fasten off and weave in the ends. Use the beginning yarn tail to sew the whipped cream to the top of the pie in the center. Stuff sparingly as you go.

Sachet:

Create a tiny sachet to make your pie smell sweet! Fold the rectangular scrap of fabric in half and seam two edges either by hand or machine sewing. Fill the sachet with pumpkin pie spice (I used almost a teaspoon) and stitch closed.

Assembly:

Insert the safety eyes into the top of the pie as shown. Embroider mouth using two loose straight stitches in a "v" shape.

Insert the plastic canvas (or cardboard) circle into the bottom of the pie.

Place the top of the pie onto the pan and stitch into place using the tan yarn tail. Before you close it up, stuff with polyester fiberfil and insert the sachet. Continue stitching and fasten off, hiding yarn tail inside pie.

We have Winners!

2011-10-28T21:48:00.003-05:00

There was such a great response to my contest! I hope you all had a chance to go back and read the entries! There were some amazing stories and I'll admit several of them made me cry!

Using Random.org's Sequence Generator, the numbers chosen were 4 and 44!

#4 was Wimzie Prints with this:

When my husband and I were dating I made him a handmade card. I didn't think it was that big of a deal, since my family made handmade cards all the time. But when he opened it he started crying (wowsers!) He said nobody had ever made him a card before. Looking back I wonder if he did that just to make me fall in love with him even more. In any case, it worked!

October 25, 2011 5:10 PM

#44 was Alison with this:

Boy is it difficult to pick just 1. Coming from a crafting family there have been so many handmade gifts given & received. What comes to mind right now is the hand made silver bead rosary my brother & his wife made & gave me for Christmas last year. They also made them for my mother & 2 sisters, as well. I think it comes to mind because my sister-in-law passed away this week. When we opened the boxes on Christmas eve she was glowing with anticipation & pride. Being Jewish, she didn't use a rosary herself, but knew that my mother uses one everyday when she attends morning mass. It was a very beautiful & thoughtful gift.

If I'm chosen I think I'd love to make an Oompa-Loopma for my husband. C&tCF is his favorite movie of all time :)

BTW...I'm planning to make Chairy to go with the PeeWee doll I gave my nephew last year. Can't wait to get to it :)

Thanks so much again for sharing your amazing talent with so many people!

October 26, 2011 11:43 AM

Congratulations! I will be contacting each of you to get your information. Thank you everyone for being a fan on Facebook and for reading my blog! The stories you shared mean so much :)

2,000 Facebook Fans Contest!

2011-10-25T16:43:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend my Facebook page got its 2,000th fan! To celebrate, I've come up with a contest to reward a couple of lucky people.

The main reason I started CraftyisCool was to make stuff for my kids. Then every time there was a birthday or holiday, I made something for someone. If you make stuff, you know the absolute feeling of joy that comes from using your hands to make something and giving it to someone you care about. The look on his or her face, the comments, the appreciation: they are the payoff for your hours of hard work.

I've been on the other end of this too. I have a big family and now that there are lots of grandkids, we adults draw names at Christmas to buy one gift for one person. Last year my twin sister knit me a pair of slippers. I cried! The sentiment was so touching. I know the hard work that goes into something like that and it just made me feel so special to know someone had spent the time to make something just for me.

So here's the contest!

FIRST: Like CraftyisCool on Facebook (if you haven't already)

SECOND:
Post a comment below telling everyone either:
1) the best handmade gift you ever gave to someone and their reaction;
OR
2) the best handmade gift you ever received and how it made you feel.
Also include your email address and your choice of prize (listed below).

On Friday, October 28, at 5:00 cst I will randomly select TWO winners from all of the comments and post them here and on my Facebook page. Each winner will receive a special CraftyisCool amigurumi kit! The kit will include a hard copy of a pattern, the yarn needed (a full skein in the colors I recommend), and any notions (eyes, thread, etc). If you crochet, you'll get a full project to make for the holidays! If you don't crochet, this will be the perfect jumpstart! Or you can gift your package to someone you love.

You will get your choice of these kits:

Alice

Oompa Loompa

Assistant Regional Manager

Pee-wee Herman

Conan O'Brien

PLEASE remember to LIKE CraftyisCool and PLEASE include your email address in your comment. I will not be able to directly contact you if you won unless your email address is included in your reply!

Thank you so much for liking what I do! Be sure to let your friends know too.

Conan in NYC!

2011-10-24T13:03:00.000-05:00

Today is the opening of the NYC MOCA (Museum of Conan Art)! Two of my pieces are in the show, the Conan Blimp and my little Conan doll! Anyone in New York should get over there. Besides the artwork there is an audio tour starring Conan and Andy, and a Conan "loveseat" that sounds amazing. Who's going??

Here are the details:

WHEN: October 24 -- November 3, 2011, 9am -- 9pm
WHERE: The Shops at Columbus Circle in the Time Warner Center, 2nd floor, New York
The NY COCO MoCA exhibit will feature:
•    More than 50 pieces of CONAN fan art in a wide variety of media;
•    An audio tour of select pieces, voiced by Conan O’Brien and Andy Richter;
•    An original, commissioned sculpture of Conan by artist Federico Uribe, represented by Miami’s Now Contemporary Art Gallery;
•    The CONAN Loveseat, Team Coco’s interactive robotic couch sculpture that talks to fans, hugs them and takes a picture for them to share through social media;
•    Numerous chances each day for gallery visitors to win special prizes, including autographed CONAN posters, museum buttons, limited-edition t-shirts and more (while supplies last).

The Conan Blimp and lil' Coco

Billy Wins! The King of Kong

2011-10-12T10:21:00.001-05:00

This summer I was invited to have some of my work in the iam8bit show in LA. It was a fun, crazy trip, and I realized I never blogged about my pieces!

I had two pieces in the show, and I'll show you the second at a later date. The first piece is titled, "Billy Wins!" Please tell me you've watched the documentary "King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters"! It is such a great film, full of fascinating people, one of whom is Billy Mitchell. Billy claims to be the reigning champ of the classic arcade game, Donkey Kong, and in the movie, his arch-nemesis, Steve Wiebe, attempts to pin him down to a championship battle. The highlight of the movie for me (and I'm sure many others) is Billy Mitchell. He is so interesting, in a cocky and self-absorbed way. I drew my inspiration for this piece from him. Billy Mitchell has conquered Donkey Kong and in an ultimate act of victory, lies down on a Donkey Kong-skin rug, giving his trademark thumbs-up sign. Of course Billy would not be without his favorite star spangled tie, and his long flowing locks and full beard complete the look.

Billy Wins!

Billy Wins! at the gallery

Me and Billy!

What I wouldn't give to have a photo of Billy Mitchell with little Billy!

I hope you like him too! If you really really like him, he is for sale on the iam8bit gallery website.

Free Pattern Friday! Spooky String of Sheep(ish) Spiders

2011-10-06T23:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Fall! My favorite time of the year starts in September at my house. I know the calendar says that it's still summer, but as soon as August is over, my kids are begging me to get out our big Rubbermaid container of Halloween decorations. Lots of the decorations are handmade, from paper plate Jack-o-lanterns to dried glue ghosts, and even though they're not store-bought, they are the ones worth the most to us.

When Vickie Howell asked me to do a guest blog post for Caron using her Sheep(ish) yarn, I knew I had to take advantage of the amazing color palette she chose for her brand. Usually Halloween is all orange and black, and more recently purple, but I decided to have some fun and take a few liberties. This is where you get to use your imagination (and your stash of Sheep(ish)!) to make as many brightly colored spiders you want. Mix and match pipe cleaners to give them creepy crawly legs of all sorts. Of course if you want your decoration a little scarier and a lot more traditional, you can make them all black.
You might be "spooked" to find out how quickly this decoration comes together! If you're a beginner, check out my Baby Monster pattern to learn how to do an adjustable ring.

Sheep(ish) Spiders!

You will need...

Yarn:
Stitch.Rock.Love Sheep(ish) by Caron
Red(ish)
Lime(ish)
Hot Pink(ish)
Magenta(ish)
Lime(ish)
Black(ish)

Hook:
Size E/3.5 mm
Size G/4.0 mm

Notions:
Black safety eyes (6mm)
Polyester stuffing
Yarn needle
Embroidery needle
Black embroidery floss
Pipe cleaners (I used silver)

Key:
ch: chain
sc: single crochet
st: stitch

Spider body

SPIDER:
Starting at top of head, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, and sc 6 into the ring. Pull closed.
Rnd 1: Work 2 sc into each st (12)
Rnd 2: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next st)* rep to end of round (18)
Rnd 3: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 2 st)* rep to end of round (24)
Rnds 4-5: sc into each st (24)
Rnd 6: (Sc2tog, sc into next 2 st)* rep to end of round (18)
Rnd 7: (Sc2tog, sc into next st)* rep to end of round (12)
*Insert safety eyes and stuff spider firmly.
Rnd 8: Sc2tog around (6)
Fasten off. Use yarn tail to sew opening closed.
Using embroidery needle and black embroidery floss, embroider a "v" shape with loose stitches where the mouth belongs. Loose stitches will make the smile curve. Knot the floss and hide within the body.

Insert pipe cleaners through last rows of body.

Cut pipe cleaners in half. The standard length of a pipe cleaner is 12", so just make sure you have four 6" lengths (two pipe cleaners) for each spider. Insert each half pipe cleaner through the bottom of the spider's body and out through the other side. Bend the pipe cleaners as shown above.

WEB
With Black(ish) yarn and a G hook, crochet a chain long enough to drape across the area you wish to hang your String of Spiders. I hung mine on the mantle and chained 275 stitches. Fasten off and set aside.

ASSEMBLY
With Black(ish) and a yarn needle, thread varying lengths of yarn into the tops of the Spiders' bodies. Knot close to the surface and pull tail to pull knot inside. Tie the other end of the yarn to the Web. Space the spiders evenly across its length. Hang as desired.

*If the spiders are to be given to children as toys, please omit the safety eyes and embroider them, and use strands of yarn for the legs instead of pipe cleaners.

Happy Halloween!

Lavender Lament

2011-10-05T16:34:00.002-05:00

This is the most random thing I have ever blogged about. That's a warning. It doesn't really have anything to do with crocheting, but I feel it needs to be discussed.

If you know me, you might know that I shop at Bath and Body Works. A lot. You might also know that I have a lot of candles. A lot. I don't want to go into that, but just understand that I know what I'm talking about when I say I found a good one.

I present to you, Lavender Caramel.

Bath and Body Works produced this candle as a test scent. It was only available in "test stores" across the country.

You might recognize the little sister to Lavender Caramel, Lavender Macaroon. (Um, check out all those reviews!)

Let's not get sidetracked on the inaccuracy of the name. The picture shows French macarons, something totally different from the sticky sweet coconut macaroons we all are familiar with. Anyway, the Lavender Macaroon mini candle was released as a part of the Paris Amour fragrance launch (which I LOVE). This was as big as Lavender Macaroon got. At 3 for $5, I tried it. It is amazing. There are comments all over the internet that it smells like a McGriddle, StoveTop stuffing, etc. but I think it's great. It's not too sweet, like pancakes (I'm talking to YOU, Pumpkin Caramel Latte!) and it's not too cologne-y, like Mountain Leaves. It's a really nice soft caramel scent with lavender. Just like the name implies.

The candle seems to be very popular. Google either name and you'll find message board posts and reviews begging the company to widely produce it. For some reason, Bath and Body Works has announced that it will not be sent to stores nationwide and will be discontinued after the supply is gone from the test stores.

This is my plea to Bath and Body Works! Please, for the love of all sophisticated candle fans out here, make this candle available to the rest of the nation!

Now for a tie in, here's some cute amigurumi posing with my un-lit Lavender Caramel candle. (No it isn't for sale, but if you know of anyone else selling theirs, please forward me their information.)

Kirby is sucking up the Lavender Caramel!

Pee-wee found a new friend!

Beets, Bears, Battlestar Galactica, and Bath and Body Works.

Max is WILD about this candle!

Oompa Loompa Doopety Do. I've got another candle for you.

Ms. Pac-man, that's not a ghost!

I promise my next post will be back on track. :)

Pee-wee for Wildfire Victims

2011-09-19T15:56:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post to let you all know I'm selling a Pee-wee Herman doll on ebay to benefit the victims of the recent central Texas wildfires. I live in Austin, just about 30 minutes away from where there has been a LOT of devastation, and I wanted to find a way to help out. All proceeds after listing fees will be donated to the Central Texas Wildfire Fund, so please check out that charity if you aren't able to bid. Thanks for visiting and if you know anyone who would like a Pee-wee, please direct him or her to my auction. Click on Pee-wee to check it out!

*The auction ENDS on Wednesday, September 21st in the afternoon, so please place your bids soon!

Help me help Central Texas!

For the ultimate girly-girl

2011-09-17T16:52:00.000-05:00

My niece just turned 9. Besides a Build-a-bear (which Grandma already got her) and a cotton candy machine (which I thrifted for $7.99 at Thrift Land here in Austin--woohoo!), there wasn't too much she'd asked for. That's where the handmade stuff comes in! Sacrifice a little time, some materials you already have (and BOY do I have some materials!), and you'll give a gift that will be cherished for years to come!

I have three boys. I do not get to buy stuff with hearts, rainbows or fluffy clouds. I went all out on finally getting to make a super-girly accessory. Browsing Ravelry I'd seen several rainbow scarves. They were all basically the same so I just winged it. I got out a rainbow of similar-weighted yarn, all washable acrylics, and got to work.

Here's a simple tutorial if you'd like to make your own!

Rainbow! Hearts! Fluffy Clouds!

Rainbow Scarf:

Materials:
Worsted weight yarns (any number of colors)
Fluffy white yarn (for clouds)-- I used Baby Bee "Lambie Pie" from Hobby Lobby
Pink worsted weight yarn (for heart)

Tools:
Size G crochet hook
Yarn needle

Scarf:
Ch between 152 and 252 ch (depending on child's --or adult's-- height).
R1: Dc into 3rd ch from hook and each subsequent ch. Change colors on the last stitch, using the new color to complete the stitch.
R2: Ch 2, turn. Dc into each st.
Repeat R2 until you have finished all the colors of your rainbow. Weave in ends.

Clouds (make 10):
With white fluffy yarn, make an adjustable ring and ch 1. Sc 6 into ring and pull closed.
R1: 2 Sc into each st (12)
R2: (2 sc into next st, sc into next st)* rep to end of round (18)
R3: (2 sc into next st, sc into next 2 st)* rep to end of round (24)
R4: (2 sc into next st, sc into next 7 st)* rep to end of round (27)
Fasten off and leave tails.
Using the yarn needle, overlap five of the circles to make a fluffy cloud shape. Sew them together with the yarn tails. Sew the assembled cloud to one side of the scarf end. Flip cloud over and sew the remaining circles to the back of the cloud, lining them up. You may lightly stuff the cloud if desired. Weave in ends.

Heart (make 2):
Refer to THIS pattern to make big pink hearts. Thanks Red Heart and fabulous designers!
Sandwich the hearts together and stitch the bottom halves together. Insert the end of the scarf and continue stitching them together through the scarf. Weave in ends.

Maybe I'll keep it...?

Just in time to make several for Christmas! Am I right?

Free Pattern Friday! Ms. Pac-man

2011-09-02T09:17:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! I love Friday before a long weekend! Labor Day is Monday, everyone can sleep in, there's lots going on and I should be getting a lot of crochet time in too!

This month's free pattern is inspired by the recent SUPER iam8bit show in LA. When I was little, the arcade on the square (yes, I'm from a really small town) had Ms. Pac-man. I always wished the in-game Ms. Pac-man more closely resembled the voluptuous technicolor creature painted on the side of the game console. The round yellow ball with a red bow on one side was just a tiny bit less realistic.

Ms. Pac-Man
Here's what you'll need:

Materials:
Worsted weight yarn (yellow, red and black)
Black felt
Polyester fiberfill

Tools:
Size E crochet hook (or your favorite size)
Yarn needle
Embroidery needle
Craft glue

Key:
ch: chain
sc: single crochet
sl st: slip stitch

Body:
R1: With E hook and yellow yarn, make and adjustable ring. Ch 1, and sc 6 into the ring. Pull ring closed.
R2: Work 2 sc into each st around (12)
R3: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next st)* rep to end of the round (18)
R4: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 2 st)* rep to end of round (24)
R5: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 3 st)* rep to end of round (30)
R6: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 4 st)* rep to end of round (36)
R7-8: Sc into each st around (36)
R9: Sc into next 18 st, sl st into remaining 18 st (36)
R10: Repeat R9
R11: Ch 18, skip next 18 st, sc into next 18 st (18)
R12: Sc into next 18 ch, sc into next 18 st (36)
R13: Sc into each st (36)
R14: (Sc2tog, sc into next 4 st)* rep to end of round (30)
R15: (Sc2tog, sc into next 3 st)* rep to end of round (24)R16: (Sc2tog, sc into next 2 st)* rep to end of round (18)
R17: (Sc2tog, sc into next st)* rep to end of round (12)
R18: Sc2tog around (6)
Fasten off yarn with a slip stitch. Cut yarn tail and weave into last row of stitches, pulling tightly. Set the body aside.

Mouth (Make 2)
R1: With black yarn, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, sc 3 into the ring, and pull closed (3)
R2: Ch 1, turn. 2 Sc into each st (6)
R3: Ch 1, turn. (2 Sc into next st, sc into next st)* rep across row (9)
R4: Ch 1, turn. (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 2 st)* rep across row (12)
R5: Ch 1, turn. (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 3 st)* rep across row (15)
R6: Ch 1, turn. (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 4 st)* rep across row (18)

After making the two mouth pieces, you will have two semicircles. Seam them together to make one larger circle.
Sew the seamed black mouth insert into the opening of the body. Stuff as you close up the last few stitches.
Cut two small circles (about the size of a pencil eraser) from black felt. Cut two eyelash pieces from black felt. They should be shaped as shown in the photo. Glue the eyelash pieces to the back of each eye, then glue the assembled eye to each side of the body.
Embroider lips onto the body. Starting in the middle of the mouth opening, make several long stitches going to the left and the right. Repeat for the bottom lip.
Use black yarn to embroider a beauty mark on one side of the body. A French knot will make quick work of this.

Red Bow Tie:
With red yarn, ch 4.
R1: Sc into 2nd ch from hook and each ch across, ch 1, turn (3)
R2: Sc2tog, sc into next st, ch 1, turn (2)
R3: Sc into each st, ch 1, turn (2)
R4: Sc2tog, ch 1, turn (1)
R5: 2 Sc into next st, ch 1, turn (2)
R6: 2 Sc into next st, sc into next st, ch 1, turn (3)
R7: Sc into each st, fasten off, leaving a long tail (3)
Weave long tail through to middle of bowtie. Wrap center of bowtie with yarn tail and then weave tail back into bowtie. Use the yarn tail to sew the bowtie to body. Weave starting tail through bowtie and hide within body.

Cute, right? You want to PLAY Ms. Pac-man? Here you go!

Back to crocheting!

2011-08-20T12:31:00.000-05:00

Before I get started on some major writing time, I am finishing up some new projects!

A while back I had a contest on my Facebook page to come up with a new design. I chose ten "finalists" and the winner, ultimately, was Sue Sylvester. I made Sue and sent her away to the winner, Jennifer. After that I had a list of dolls I had sketched and planned out that I still really wanted to make! Dwight Shrute, from the Office and played brilliantly by Rainn Wilson, was one that I just couldn't leave as a drawing.

The pattern is available here and the doll is now up for sale too!

A custom order that I really LOVED doing recently was that of Bob Ross. Everyone knows Bob Ross, right? The Joy of Painting on PBS is one of those shows that suck you in. Before you know it, you're yearning to get out a canvas and decorate it with happy trees and fluffy fluffy clouds. Bob's soothing voice and amazing talent have cemented his status as a modern-day pop culture icon. I was thrilled to recreate him in yarn.

I don't have a pattern for Bob out yet, but I'm working on it today (and I'll announce when its ready on Facebook and twitter). Until then, you may see Bob on stage with the musical group We Are. Yay Bob! And here's a ton more photos of him! Do you notice anything different from the photos below and the one above? Eyebrows! Yes, I forgot his eyebrows until after I took most of the photos. Bob Ross has expressive eyebrows and I couldn't leave them off.

Thanks for dropping by my blog!

What a trip!

2011-08-19T23:03:00.000-05:00

I've got to share some highlights of my trip to LA last week. When I was asked to submit artwork for the iam8bit show, my husband and I decided to make a trip out of it. As soon as the opening date was confirmed, we booked our hotel reservations, bought plane tickets, and secured spots at a taping of Conan!

Here's a quick video of me being interviewed by Aaron Bleyaert for the Team Coco Fan Friday! Everyone at Conan was SO NICE. That's what stuck with us. Here you go...

Instead of boring everyone with a play by play, I'll just share some photos of the trip.

Alice has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. So there.

This is something I had to see in LA. It's a wall that Elliott Smith took a photo in front of for the album "Figure 8". I stood there and cried like a baby! All the lyrics people had written up there...it was touching.

Here's a photo of me and "Billy Wins", one of my pieces in the SUPER iam8bit show featuring Billy Mitchell on a DK skin rug.

I'm playing Galaga, projected onto a giant screen at the SUPER iam8bit show! The high score won the actual game, and I was just a *little* short!

"Dust of Hyrule", my other piece in the SUPER iam8bit show. It played ocarina music from the very first 8bit Legend of Zelda NES game.

My Andy and Conan dolls were hoping to meet Team Coco!

Paul and I on the set of Conan!

Look! Aaron Bleyaert (Bley) and I after he interviewed me for Team Coco's Fan Friday!

Oh yeah! Those smiles started to hurt after a while and lasted for hours!

This is just a random RED VELVET PANCAKES shot. The Griddle Cafe in LA: you must go.

Do you know how long I had to wait to take this picture? OK, two minutes, but it seemed like a while.

It was an amazing trip! I loved LA. Coming from Austin, where the high was 107 all last week, the weather was absolutely spectacular and all of the places we went were beautiful. I'll go back anytime!

First Friday Free Pattern and BIG surprise!

2011-08-05T02:00:00.003-05:00

Happy birthday to my husband! It's a milestone birthday, and a big deal, so this post is dedicated to him. Did you know it was his idea to start writing my patterns? He's the one that suggested I make a Conan! I owe him a lot, and he's given me a precious little family along the way. So happy birthday, Paul! I love you and you are an amazing husband and father.

In other news, it's Free Pattern Friday again! I'll tell you the truth: I've had this pattern and little book made for weeks, just itching to post it, but I want to stick to my schedule, so here she is!

This is no ordinary little crocheted book. She has a face, super cute lining, and even little pages inside. You can personalize your little stitch-a-book however you want. Is it someone's birthday? Stitch, "Happy Birthday, Paul!" Someone get a new job? "Congratulations, Kendra! You're awesome!" Tired of waiting on your boyfriend to pop the question? "Marry me already, won't ya?!"

Whatever you make and whatever message you put inside, could you PUH-LEEEEZE post it on the CraftyisCool facebook page? I'd love to see them and I'm sure others would too!

My own? My Stitch-a-book has a special message for you all...

Yes, I'm writing a book! Since I started writing patterns it has been my long term goal, and now it's happening! I can't give you too many details, but it is going to be amigurumi (duh), it is being published by Lark Crafts (hi Thom!) and it won't be out until Fall of 2013. That seems so far away, huh? That's the way things work in this business, apparently, and I can't complain. I will have plenty of time to make sure it's the best book we (Kate and Thom and I) can come up with! I'll still be putting out new stuff all the time, free patterns and tutorials, designing and blogging. I can't wait! Thank you all for your support and helping me get where I am now. Totes 'preciate it. ;)

Now here's that pattern...

Stitch-a-Book

Here's what you'll need:

Materials:
Worsted weight yarn (I used Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Baby in Aqua
White, black and red felt
Coordinating fabric for lining and matching thread
Black embroidery floss

Tools:
Size E crochet hook (or your favorite size)
Yarn needle
Embroidery needle
Craft glue

Key:
ch: chain
sc: single crochet
sl st: slip stitch
FLO: crochet into front loops only
BLO: crochet into back loops only

Book Cover:
R1: With E hook and yarn, ch 15. Sc into 2nd ch from hook and next 13 ch (14)
R2-13: Ch 1, turn. Sc into next 14 st (14)
R14: Ch 1, turn. Sc into FLO of each st (14)
R15: Ch 1, turn. Sc into BLO of each st (14)
R16-27: Ch 1, turn. Sc into both loops of each st (14)
* You will now crochet along the outside of the book cover to make a clean rounded edge.
R28: Work 2 more sc into the last st of 27, turning. Sc into next 26 st along edge, work 3 sc into last st, turning. Sc into next 13 st along edge, work 3 sc into last st, turning. Sc into next 26 st along edge, work 3 sc into last st, turn. Sl st into next 12 st, fastening off at last st. Weave in ends.

Lining:
Lay book cover out flat. Cut a piece of fabric a little smaller than the cover, rounding the corners. Pin to inside of cover and stitch or glue around edge.

Pages:
Cut two long rectangles slightly smaller than the book lining. These are the pages of the book. After embroidering your message you will glue or stitch them together to hide thread ends.

With a pencil or very faint pen markings, write your message on the inside pages or the outside of the bottom piece of felt. Use black embroidery floss to straight stitch your message.

Glue or stitch the layers of white felt together. Using the thread that matches your fabric, stitch the pages together at the center fold, then stitch them into the cover of the book along the inside spine.

Cut two small circles from black felt and glue to the front cover. Cut one half-circle from red felt. Glue to front cover. Ta da!

Hope you like this one! It's very dear to my heart ;)

My Salacious and Flaming Creations

2011-07-21T00:32:00.000-05:00

Have you heard of the Bear and Bird Gallery's Stitch Wars Strikes Back? I was honored to be invited to contribute to this year's show, opening August 12th in Lauderhill, Florida.

See what I made? Jabba's annoying maniacally laughing little court jester, Salacious Crumb!

While he may not be the most BEAUTIFUL thing to look at, I think he's kinda cute. He is fun to play with, for sure, since his limbs, tail, and ears are all poseable. Wanna know how I did that? Check out my past tutorial. This time I used 12 gauge wire because he's HUGE! I construct everything, then feed the wire through one arm, through the body, and into the other arm; same with the legs.

Tomorrow he's off to Florida (sniff sniff). My little boys are sad about that! But go see him if you're able to. The show should be awesome!

Aren't I lucky?? Salacious Crumb isn't the only one of my creations that will be in a gallery! This week at Comic-Con, in San Diego, the amazing Team Coco and TBS are hosting a Flaming C exhibit and I was asked to add my crocheted Flaming C to the Coco MoCA (Museum of Conan Art)!

Since I had already given away my original Flaming C, I made another, and I liked this one even better! On the original, poor C didn't have his Blackberry. This time, there it is, ready for Flaming C to answer very important calls for help. So will you be in San Diego for Comic-Con? Go see my Flaming C and the rest of the amazing artwork in the gallery!

How about that? Being crafty IS cool, and sometimes craft=art!

First Friday Free Pattern!

2011-07-01T02:00:00.000-05:00

When I first started learning how to crochet, I scavenged the internet for all the free patterns I could get. I looked through crochetpatterncentral.com daily, always checking the "What's New" page first. I loved that all these people had worked on something and shared their knowledge for free. Then I started buying patterns from Ravelry and discovered all the work that went into both the free patterns and the pay patterns. Really I wasn't deterred either way, and would gladly pay for a pattern I really loved.
I always love to give away free patterns or tutorials here on Crafty is Cool, and I thought if I gave myself a schedule I'd be more inclined to keep doing it! So here you have it: First Friday Free Pattern! On the first Friday of every month I'm going to post a free pattern. I hope you enjoy the first one!
This Tiny Penguin has a special place in my heart. My sweet cousin Marissa collects penguins. When she saw the pictures of the Nesting Penguins I had made for Spool magazine, she loved them! When her wedding day came, my mom and sisters and I all went to see the bride before she walked down the aisle. I took her a pair of these Tiny Penguins, one with a black bowtie and one with a little white veil. She flipped. I was so happy for her that day and was so glad I could make her so happy. I hope this little penguin makes you or someone you know that happy too!

You will need...

Yarn:
Cascade 220 -- Desired color for body, yellow, and pink for bow

Hook:
Size D/3.25 mm

Notions:
White felt
Black safety eyes 6mm
White thread
Yarn needle
Embroidery needle
Polyester stuffing

Key:
ch: chain
sc: single crochet
hdc: half double crochet
dc: double crochet
tr: triple crochet
st: stitch
sc2tog: single crochet 2 st together (decrease)

Tiny Penguin:

Body:
Starting at top of head, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, and sc 6 into the ring. Pull closed.
R1: Work 2sc into each st (12)
R2: (2sc into next st, sc into next 3 st)* rep to end of round (15)
R3-7: sc into each st (15)
R8: (sc2tog, sc into next 3st)* rep to end of round (12)
*Insert safety eyes as shown and stuff firmly.
R9: sc2tog around (6)
Fasten off. Use yarn tail to sew opening closed.

Wings (make 2):
With main color yarn, ch 6. Hdc into 3rd ch from hook, sc into next 2 ch, and sl st into last ch. Cut yarn and weave in ends. Use yarn tail to sew wings to body. The top should be at eye level.

Tummy:
Cut a small oval from white felt, using the penguin’s body to help measure the size. Sew to penguin’s body with white thread.

Beak:
With yellow yarn, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, and sc 3 into ring. Fasten off and use the yarn tail to sew beak to penguin’s face just above the tummy.

Feet:
With yellow yarn, ch 6. 2hdc into 3rd ch from hook, sl st into next ch, 2hdc into next ch, and join with a sl st to first ch. Fasten off and use yarn tail to sew to the bottom front of penguin.

Bow:
With pink yarn, ch 8. Dc into 4th ch from hook, ch 1, sl st into next ch, ch 1, skip next ch, dc into next ch, ch 1, sl st to first ch. Fasten off and use yarn tail to sew to top of penguin’s head.

If you liked making this penguin, please check out the full pattern for all the penguins that nest around this tiny one. Its now available here in my shop! Click on "Shop for Craftyiscool Patterns" above to see it and all of my other patterns!

I love that story.

2011-06-13T22:09:00.000-05:00

School's out, kids are home, and mommy plans lots of day trips. At our house if we stay in one place too long, someone is going to get into a fight. So instead of waiting for the inevitable, we are out the door, visiting a bounce house, swimming, checking out library books, heck, even Ikea counts as something to do. Every day when we drive into the neighborhood its a contest to see who will get the mail. Usually before I can get the words out, "Who wants to get--", I'm cut off by three little shouts of "ME!" Its the ultimate reward when one of them gets the mail and there's a key inside the mailbox. That means there's.....a PACKAGE.
So today when we got the mail there was that extra little key to the extra big mailbox. And what was in that package?

It was the Interweave Crochet Amigurumi Calendar! Look right there in the middle. See that stripey pink monster? That's Lovey and she's mine! I wasn't expecting it yet so when it came I was so surprised! All the stuff in the calendar is really adorable. I'm not sure when it will be available to order but my guess would be before 2012. Ha.

See all those other cute toys in there? Pretty neat, huh?

Besides admiring my monster in the glossy new calendar I got today, I'm working on more iam8bit stuff. This is totally NOT giving anything away if I show you these sneak peeks of what I'm doing for a new project for the show. Really. You will probably think its one thing but it will be something totally different. So here....

Pac-man ghosts and a little Kirby! I jotted down some patterns as I went but I'll get to that another day. They are small parts of a bigger picture. Hopefully I'll finish in time and you'll get to see them! Otherwise they will probably make cute Christmas ornaments.
Hope you are all having a great summer! What are you working on? I'd love to hear in the comments below!

Feeling Sheep(ish) GIVEAWAY!

2011-06-03T07:30:00.000-05:00

A couple of years ago I was asked to do a demonstration of creating amigurumi at the Alamo Drafthouse screening of Handmade Nation. I loaded up a ton of free patterns and yarn, some toys I had already made, and set up shop. It was so fun. The first person to sit down for help was a man that was left-handed. Challenging, but we muddled through! Sometime during the day, here came Vickie Howell with her little boy. I didn't even notice, but started to hand her a free pattern and looked up. "Oh, you know how to crochet!" I said, a little starstruck. (I'd seen her forever on Knitty Gritty!) So she got a little mushroom pattern and kit for her son and was super sweet.

So when Vickie was looking for designers for her new yarn, Sheep(ish), imagine how happy I was when she asked me to design an amigurumi pattern for the launch! I obliged, and got to work. I can't show you the finished toy yet, but here's a sneak peek...

The yarn is soft and shiny, so unlike a lot of the yarn I started out crocheting with. I think sometimes people are drawn mainly to color (and ignore the feel of the yarn) when they're making amigurumi because so many of the wool or wool blend yarns come in mostly muted colors. This is why I think Sheep(ish) works so great for amigurumi. Its a 30/70 wool and acrylic blend that is worsted weight and washable. The worsted weight is what we want as amigurumi-ists because the crocheted fabric shows fewer holes and it holds its shape better. Sheep(ish) has all the bright colors and they all coordinate beautifully. I made a lot of Baby Monsters for Renegade Craft Fair and by far the softest and shiniest ones were the Sheep(ish). Usually a soft yarn has a gauge that I just can't work with. I either have to use a tiny hook to get a really tight gauge or I have even had to use two strands together. With Sheep(ish) I have the softness and gauge I need.

I'm sure you'll love Sheep(ish) as much as me! I'm so sure, in fact, that I'm going to give one of you a skein of this awesome yarn along with a kit to make your own Baby Monster! Not only will you get the tools and materials to make your own, but you'll also get a Baby Monster keychain I made out of Sheep(ish) in one of my favorite colors, Red(ish). All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below, telling me your favorite Sheep(ish) color. Check them all out here! Monday morning I'll pick a random number and that lucky person will get everything pictured below!

Can't wait for a giveaway? Sheep(ish) is available to order now on Buy.Caron.com and Joann's superstores all over. If you're not sure if Joann's near you carries it, Vickie has provided a Sheep(ish) Finder App on her website.

Make sure you follow the rest of the Sheep(ish) blog tour. I've put the whole list below so you can read everyone's take on this. Interesting how knitters and crocheters and amigurumi-makers all find things they like in this yarn, albeit very different qualities.

May 25th: BlogHer.com (Kathy Cano-Murillo)

May 26th: LindaMade.com (Linda Permann)

May 27th: Kitschy Digitals (Danielle Thompson)

May 28th: DOUBLE POST DAY: CraftyChica.com (Kathy Cano-Murillo) + JustCastingOn.net (Deb Steenhagen)

May 29th: Susan B. Anderson

May 30th: CrochetbyFaye.com (Robyn Chachula)

May 31st: CathieFilian.com (Yarn Wreath Project by Cathie)

June 1st: Craftzine.com (Review by Sister Diane)

June 2nd: Knitgrrl.com (1 Skein Project by Shannon Okey)

June 3rd: CraftyisCool.com (Allison Hoffman)

June 4th: Coquette Blog (Natalie Zee-Drieu)

June 5th About.com (Sarah White)

June 6th: Manhattan Craft Room (Brett Bara)

June 7th: BetzWhite.com

June 8th: TheCrochetDude.com (Drew Emborsky)

June 9th: Naughtysecretaryclub.com & Ilovetocreate.com (Dual post on the same day.
Yarn-wrapped mobil by Jennifer Perkins)

June 10th: Craftzine.com (Ladybug Outfit Pattern by Vickie)

June 11th: StephanieJapel.com