Unbaked #7 - The Toy Mouse, for Mouse

See the cat?  Her name is Mouse.  She is the most needy, obnoxious cat I have ever met, but my hubby loves her, and well, that's the only reason she is still around!  Since I love my hubby (and not his cat), I made her a toy  to keep her occupied and out of my hair.  Here are the instructions for the crocheted toy...

What you need:
Cheap, scrap yarn, and not very much of it!
Size J Crochet hook
Stuffing (like you'd use if you were sewing a pillow, or shredded paper?)
Scissors

1. Chain 3 and slip stitch them together.
2. Chain 2 and turn.
3. Double crochet in each of the first 3 chain.
4. 2 Double crochet in each previous double crochet.
5. Double crochet around and around until your "mouse" is as long as you want it.
6. Skip every other double crochet until the backside is closing in.
7. Before closing it completely, turn it inside out and stuff with stuffing.
8. Slip stitch the "tail end" closed, add one more chain, snip about an extra 2 inches of yarn and pull your crochet hook through that last stitch to secure with a knot.

There you have it!  Something to keep the cat busy so you can blog, check Facebook, bake, nap, clean house, or whatever ;-)

Unbaked #6 - The Shell Scarf

I saw this scarf pattern in a craft store and wouldn't you know they had free copies hanging right next to the example scarf!  I thought I'd try it out & share.  Well, my first run was a bust!  So I searched for the shell stitch as the pattern suggested, and to no avail I just couldn't seem to find what I was looking for... but since my dear friend Google rarely leads me astray, I eventually found this Front Post Stitch link that looked like the scarf I saw hanging in the aisle!  Hooray!  So here it goes...  I changed it around a bit to make it work for me.  I used a large wooden crochet hook that was my great-grandmother's, and some "country blue" yarn that cost a whopping $2.97 (+tax) at Wally World.

If you take the instructions one step at a time with patience, you will be happy with the outcome.  I pulled out my scarf at least 5 times before getting it right!  Once you get it down, it's a piece of cake!

In the first three steps, every time you seen chain, it is referring to the beginning chain of 20.

SECTION ONE:

Getting Started:

1. Chain 20 stitches loosely
2. Going backwards down the chain from where your hook is, in 4th chain from the hook, create 2 double crochets, chain 2, and 3 more double crochets in same stitch (or 4th chain).
3. Continuing down the chain, skip 3 chains.  In 4th chain, create 3 double crochets, chain 2, and 3 more double crochet in same stitch (or 4th chain. 

REPEAT STEP 3, 3 TIMES.  You should be at the end of your original 20 chains.  

SECTION TWO:

For the remainder of the scarf:

From here on, you will continue to repeat the following instructions until the scarf gets to your desired length.

1. Chain 3, turn.   Create a front post double crochet in the next 2 double crochets of the previous row.  (This is where is gets tricky & you might need to glance at the link if you don't already know this stitch)  Chain 2, then 3 double crochets in the chain 2 of the previous row.
2. Skip the next 3 double crochets and skip that next chain 2 also.
3. In the NEXT set of double crochets, create a front post double crochet in each of the three double crochets, chain 2, and then 3 double crochets in the chain 2 of the previous row.  

REPEAT STEP 3, 3 TIMES.

REPEAT SECTION TWO UNTIL YOUR SCARF IS AS LONG AS YOU WANT IT TO BE!

Good luck and have fun!

Unbaked #2 - Baby Shower

I am a firm believer that life, much like the calendar, progresses in seasons.  For me, I have apparently graduated from the season of the wedding to the season of the baby shower... for what seems like the 8th year in a row.  Like a friend of the family told my hubby & me tonight "at least it's not funerals!"  Thanks for the perspective :)

So, here's the picture of baby blanket #3 in the last month.  It is 20 granny squares  "sewn" together with a border to pretty up the edges.  My mom showed me how to make granny squares.  I used a Size P Boye crochet hook with Bernat Spring Breeze and only went to the 3rd round of a granny square.  The blanket is perfect to keep as a carseat blanket according to one of the moms-to-be, so that's what I'm calling these now "The Carseat Blanket."

Unbaked #1 - Magnet Letters & A Crocheted Hat

Magnet Letters include:

Vase Filler "Glass Gems"
Magnets
Hot Glue

Stickers 

While I love being in the kitchen, I also love making crafty things... hence the "unbaked" title.  I have seen the magnet letters given as shower gifts, and birthday presents.  Who really has too many magnets?  I mean, really?  These are so easy, and you can use just about any kind of paper or sticker.  I have yet to try it with a picture since I have a feeling the hot glue would melt the picture, but who knows until you try!  I found the bag of glass gems (A LOT for $4) and magnets (50 for $6-something) at Wal-Mart!  The stickers I used for the project above were on the $1 rack at Target.

TO  MAKE:

1. Heat up that glue gun
2. Center your sticker on your magnet & stick it down
3. Put a generous glob of hot glue on top of your sticker
4. Quickly press a glass gem over the top
5. DONE!  Now, wasn't that too easy?!

Crochet Hat includes:

Navy Blue yarn

Sky Blue yarn

Boye Size K Crochet Hook

Red Hot Hat Pattern

Patience...

I learned to crochet at the tender age of 7!  My great-grandma taught me how to use my finger as a crochet hook since I just couldn't seem to grasp the concept of using the actual hook.  After a while I got the hang of it and graduated to a real set of my very own multi-sized pack of hooks!  Even after many years of practice, I would by no means call myself an expert.  So, on that note, I will guide you to my favorite videos.  My mother-in-law shared the Lion Brand site with me when she was teaching me to knit, and it is now my go-to for help on anything yarn related!  My variation on this hat included a "Ch 80" to begin since 60 was too small, and on "Rnd 2" I only "Ch 3" instead of 4 to make my pattern complete.  The flower was a creation of my own based on a pattern a friend had, so here are some flowers that are similar.  Crochet is a time consuming, patience trying art, and I ripped my hat out about 8 times before actually completing it!