A cool front blew in last night, so it finally feels like Halloween. I miss the Halloweens when the kids were young, and I spent most of October sewing costumes for them. I think my favorite was the Jack Sparrow costume.
As a treat for you this year, I made a tutorial on YouTube for a black cat door hanger on the Addi knitting machine. It’s quick and easy to make and looks so cute hanging on the front door.
The cooler weather also gets me in a Christmas mood, so I have been working on ornaments for my tree. It may be too early for some people, but crafters know that it’s never too early to start making Christmas items.
Materials:
Worsted weight yarn – a few yards of light (CC) and dark (MC)
Crochet hook size G (4.00 mm)
Yarn needle
Black pompom
2 google eyes
Ribbon or cord.
Directions:
Rnd 1: With CC yarn, ch 2 (or magic circle), 4 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Do not join.
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st (8 sc).
Rnd 3: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st,* repeat around (12 sc).
Rnd 4: *Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st,* repeat around (16 sc).
Rnd 5: *Sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st,* repeat around (20 sc). Fasten off CC.
Rnd 6: With MC yarn, *sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st,* repeat around (24 sc).
Rnds 7-11: Sc in each st.
Rnd 12: Sk 12 sts, sc in 12 sts.
Rnd 13: *Dec, sc in next 4 sts* twice (10 sc).
Rnd 14: *Dec, sc in next 3 sts* twice (8 sc).
Rnd 15: Dec 4 times (4 sc). Fasten off with 4” length. Pull sts tight to close.
Go back to unworked sts of Rnd 11. Sc in each st. Repeat Rnds 12-15.
Glue on eyes and pompom nose. Cut a piece of cord or ribbon about 15” long. Pull through a stitch at the top of the back of the fox and make a knot.
There’s still time to make some cool sugar skull items. Paperback and Kindle versions of Sugar Skull Crochet Patterns is available at Sugar Skull Crochet Patterns.
My husband and I are slowly working our way through our travel bucket list, and July was a double. Not only did we get to see Queen in Houston, but a few days later we saw the Rolling Stones. It was one day after Mick Jagger’s 76th birthday and just a few months after heart surgery, but he hasn’t slowed down a bit which left us all wondering, where does he get the stamina? It was an amazing show. NRG stadium was filled to capacity. Opening act was Bishop Gun, a Natchez, Mississippi band, probably the first opening act I have ever enjoyed.
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Charlie Watts showed us that they have no intention of slowing down, even after 55 years of performing.
I’m not sure what will be next on the bucket list as far as music, but next week’s post will be about our trip to Los Angeles. What’s on your bucket list?
Football is back!
Last night’s game between the Texans and the Green Bay Packers didn’t turn out the way that I hoped, but at least it was an exciting game to watch. I love autumn – football, cooler weather, Halloween. It’s also when I get serious about crocheting items for my Christmas gift list. This week’s freebie is actually a knitting pattern, but it’s a simple pattern that works up quickly on a circular needle with worsted weight yarn. Use brown and white for traditional football colors, or use your favorite team’s colors. I would love to see photos of your earwarmer on my Instagram at http://instagram.com/myfingersfly.
I recently had the opportunity to visit Manchester for the first time. All my preconceived ideas of New England came true! It’s such a beautiful city, full of history. I only wish I could have stayed longer. The people, the food, the weather – everything was lovely!
I can’t believe that I’ve been crocheting for most of my life but only found out about the Crochet Guild of America a few years ago. The conference was so much fun – meeting other crocheters from around the world, seeing their creations, hearing their ideas for new projects. Talk about idea overload! I may not sleep for a month with all the designs floating around in my head. One of the classes I took was Irish crochet, and I have so many ideas for future projects. For anyone who wants to learn, Susan Lowman does beautiful work, and she explains everything so well. My class piece isn’t finished yet, but hopefully this weekend I can get to it.
To thank all the wonderful people I met and learned from, My Fingers Fly is offering free shipping on t-shirts and leggings for crocheters. Just use code CGOA by July 31, 2019. https://www.myfingersfly.com/collections/t-shirts
This week’s free pattern is another Christmas in July theme. These little elf gift bags are so cute and versatile.
Materials:
Small amounts of worsted yarn – ivory, brown or black, red or green.
Crochet hook size H
Small pom poms, google eyes, 2 jingle bells
Directions:
Rnd 1: With ivory yarn, ch 2. Sc 6 in second ch from hook. Do not join.
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc (12 sc).
Rnd 3: 1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat (18 sc).
Rnd 4: 1 sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat (24 sc).
Rnd 5: 1 sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat (30 sc).
Rnd 6: 1 sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat (36 sc).
Rnds 7-13: Work even. Finish off ivory. Turn.
Rnd 14-15: With black (or brown) yarn, loop st in each st around. Join with sl st. Fasten off.
Rnds 16: Ch1, turn. Attach desired color for hat. Work even on 36 sc. Do not join.
Drawstring: Using same color yarn as hat, make a chain 12″ long and knot both ends. Pull through loops made in Rnd 22 of hat.
Ears: (Make 2)
With ivory yarn, ch 9, 3 dc in 4th ch from hook, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, hdc next ch, sc next ch, sl st next ch, ch 1, sl st in this ch. (This makes point of ear.) Working down opposite side of starting ch, sl st next ch, sc next ch, hdc next ch, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, 3 dc last ch. Join with sl st to beg ch-3. Sew one ear to each side of face from Rnds 9-13.
Glue on google eyes and pom pom for nose. Embroidery with straight stitch in pink or red for mouth. Sew a jingle bell to each side of drawstring.
Decorate hat as you wish with pom poms, rick rack, etc. You can sc Rnd 16 of hat with eyelash or bulky yarn to make a fringe. For the elf in the picture with the red hat, I used Yarn Bee Cameo Bulky in white.
This weekend I will be catching up on housework (and crochet) and resting a bit before we’re off to Houston next week to see Queen and The Rolling Stones. Hopefully I can get my Adam Lambert and Brian May dolls finished before we leave.
During the nearly 10 years that I lived in Queens, NY in the 80s, most of my yarn shopping was at Nelson Yarns in Ridgewood. Several years ago, I took my daughter to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and drove down Fresh Pond Road, but Nelson Yarns was no longer there. Fortunately, I found out that Lion Brand has a studio in Chelsea, so I jumped at the chance to accompany my husband on a business trip to New Jersey. For eight years, I commuted from Queens to Midtown on the subway, but riding NJ Transit trains was a new experience for me. We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott in Woodbridge, NJ, and the staff was amazing, as usual. Not knowing how far the train station was from the hotel, I took an Uber on Monday and took note of the streets along the way. Since it was only a 5-minute drive, I decided to walk on Tuesday. The weather was beautiful, and I thoroughly enjoyed the walk down Main Street.
As usual, Penn Station is a hive of activity with commuters rushing to catch their trains or enjoying a meal or coffee while they wait. There are shops that sell souvenirs, magazines, clothing, cell phone accessories, and so much more. Street musicians perform for tips, filling the area with their music.
Violinist in Penn Station
On my last trip to New York, the new buildings in the World Trade Center had not yet started. This week I was fortunate to be able to visit the new Freedom Tower and the Oculus. Another treat was lunch with some family members who I had not seen in many years.
Lion Yarn Studio is located on 15th Street in Chelsea, an unassuming little shop with an amazing window display. Inside, they sell Lion Brand products including yarn, hooks, and notions. Their “On The Table” display provides free patterns for Lion yarns. Classes and workshops of all types and for all skill levels are offered on weekends and in the evenings. It’s definitely a stop you’ll want to add to your itinerary if you’re planning a trip to New York. My next trip to the area will be to the Lion Yarn Outlet in New Jersey, but I will have to remember to take an empty suitcase with me to hold all the yarn I’m going to buy!
For our last dinner in Woodbridge, we tried a local restaurant, Miller’s Ale House. We don’t drink beer, but the food was excellent, and so was the service. I look forward to trying more of their menu if I’m ever in Woodbridge again.
Pork Osso Buco
For the Father’s Day Friday Freebie, I chose a fish-shaped dish towel that I designed for my father last year to use when he barbeques.
Sugar ‘n Cream Cotton yarn – 1 oz MC (If you want to use a separate color for the tail and fins, you need 0.7 oz MC and 0.3 oz CC.)
Size G crochet hook
Yarn needle
1 ½” plastic ring
Towel measures approximately 11” x 7” (not incuding ring).
Directions:
BODY: Row 1: Work 5 sc through ring. Ch 1, turn.
Rows 2-6: Work 2 hdc in 1st st, hdc across to last st, 2 hdc in last st. Ch 1, turn. (16 hdc at end of Row 6).
Rows 7-10: Work 2 hdc in 1st st, hdc in each st across. Ch 1, turn. (19 hdc at end of Row 10).
Rows 11-20: Work even in hdc. Ch 1, turn.
Rows 21-27: Dec, hdc across to last 2 st, dec. Ch 1, turn. (5 hdc at end of Row 27).
TAIL: (If using contrasting colors, change colors here.)
Row 1: 2 hdc in each st across. Ch 1, turn. (10 hdc)
Row 2: *Hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st,* repeat across. Ch 1, turn. (15 hdc)
Row 3: *Hdc in next 2 sts, 2 hdc in next st,* repeat across. Ch 1, turn. (20 hdc)
Row 4: Hdc across. Fasten off.
LARGE FIN:
Row 1: Attach yarn at end of Row 11 of body. Make 12 sc evenly spaced across top of fish.
Row 2: Dec over 1st 2 sts, sc across. Ch 1, turn. (11 sc).
Row 3: Sc across to last 2 sts, dec over last 2 sts. Ch 1, turn. (10 sc).
Row 4: Repeat Row 2 (9 sc).
Row 5: Repeat Row 3 (8 sc).
Row 6: Hdc in each of next 3 sts, sc in each of next 3 sts, sl st in each of last 2 sts. Fasten off.
SMALL FIN: On bottom of fish, attach yarn at opposite end of row where the top fin ends. Ch 2, 2 dc, 2 hdc, and 2 sc evenly spaced across ends of rows. Sl st. Fasten off.
The end of May is graduation season, so I created this cute little owl to make for your graduate. He can sit on the nightstand in the dorm room and guard their eyeglasses. There are several variations of the crocodile stitch, so I have posted a video on YouTube for this version.
The owl works up quickly with worsted weight yarn using about 2 1/3 ounce of ombre or variegated and 1 ounce of a matching solid color.
Rnd 1: With ombre yarn, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Do not join.
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st (12 sc).
Rnd 3: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, repeat around (18 sc).
Rnd 4: *Sc in each of next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, * repeat around (24 sc).
Rnd 5: *Sc in each of next 3 sc, 2 sc in next st,* repeat around (30 sc).
Rnd 6: *Sc in each of next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st,* repeat around (36 sc).
Rnd 7: *Sc in each of next 5 sc, 2 sc in next st,* repeat around (42 sc).
Rnd 8: *Sc in each of next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st,* repeat around (48 sc).
Rnd 9: *Sc in each of next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st,* repeat around (54 sc).
Rnd 10: *Sc in each of next 8 sts, 2 sc in next st,* repeat around (60 sc). Join with sl st.
Rnd 11: Ch 4 (counts as 3 dc plus ch-1), dc in same st, sk 2 sts, *(dc, ch 1, dc) in same st (V-stitch made), sk 2 sts,* repeat around (20 V-stitches). Join with sl st in 3rd ch of ch-4.
Rnd 12: Ch 1, in first V-stitch, *work 5 dc around post of first dc of V-stitch, then work 5 dc around post of second dc of V-stitch (crocodile stitch made). Sl st in center of next V-stitch,* repeat around (10 croc st).
Rnd 13: Ch 4, dc in same st, *V-stitch in center of croc st, V-stitch in center of V-stitch,* repeat around. End with V-stitch in last croc, sl st in 3rd ch of ch-4.
Rnds 14-20: Repeat Rnds 11 & 12 three times, then repeat Rnd 12 once more. Fasten off ombre yarn.
Rnd 21: Switch to solid yarn, ch 1, *sc in V-stitch, 2 sc across first half of croc st, sc in center of croc st, 2 sc across 2nd half of croc st,* repeat around (60 sc).
Rnds 22-26: Sc in each sc. Do not join.
Rnd 27: *Dec, sc in next 8 sts,* repeat around (54 sc).
Rnd 28: *Dec, sc in next 7 sts,* repeat around (48 sc).
Rnd 29: *Dec, sc in next 6 sts,* repeat around (42 sc).
Rnd 30: *Dec, sc in next 5 sts,* repeat around (36 sc).
Rnds 31-33: Sc in each st. Join with sl st at end of Rnd 33.
Insert pantyhose into body to prevent stuffing from showing, stuff pantyhose.
Rnd 34: Holding both sides of Rnd 33 tog, sc through both thicknesses to close. Fasten off.
EYES: (Make 2)
With ombre yarn, ch 23, Join with sl st in 1st ch. Ch 1, hdc in each ch. Join with sl st. Fasten off. Sew eyes to top of body and glue googly eyes inside.
WINGS: (Make 2)
Row 1: With solid yarn, ch 8, hdc in 2nd ch and in next 6 chs. (7 hdc).
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, 2 hdc in first st, hdc in remaining sts (8 hdc).
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, hdc in each st with 2 hdc in last st (9 hdc).
Row 4: Ch 1, turn, sc in 1st st, *sk 1 st, 4 dc in next st, sk 1 st, sc in next st,* repeat once. Fasten off leaving 12” length. Sew to sides above top croc st row with scalloped edge toward the front.
BEAK:
Rnd 1: With orange yarn, ch 2, 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Do not join.
Rnd 2: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 2 sts (4 sc).
Rnd 3: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 3 sts (5 sc).
Rnd 4: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 4 sts (6 sc).
Rnd 5: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts (8 sc). Fasten off leaving 6” length. Sew beak to face between eyes.
Cut 4 pieces of yarn 3″ long. Fold 2 in half, insert hook into top corner of head, pull loops through, then pull ends through loop. Repeat on the other side of the head.
For a book containing all 15 eyeglass holder crochet patterns (available in Kindle and paperback formats), please visit my Amazon author page. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P3WPQ2K
Last year I had the opportunity to work with a home builder to coordinate a house for Operation Finally Home that was donated to a local Marine veteran who was injured while working as a police officer after returning home. My contribution was a Thin Blue Line afghan created on the Addi Pro knitting machine.
As a follow-up to my recent post regarding TSA rules and what crafters can carry on a plane, yesterday I found this great pair of travel scissors that are TSA compliant. There’s even a keychain hole, so I can carry them everywhere!
Also released this week is the Sugar Skull Purses Crochet Patterns. Instructions include three different versions – waist bag (fanny pack), messenger bag, and neck wallet. Two versions require an approximately 4″ zipper which is very difficult to find, so I made a YouTube video on how to shorten a zipper. https://youtu.be/s8fyr_As-tA
Stay tuned for Sugar Skull Crochet Patterns ebook which will be available also on Amazon in Kindle and paperback formats. I am also working on some California-themed patterns and hope to visit Los Angeles next month to snap some photos.
To celebrate my new line of crochet-themed clothing, I will be giving away one free pattern for each t-shirt or set of leggings purchased through May 31, 2019. Simply place your order, then email me at lisa@myfingersfly.com with the name of the pattern you would like (ebooks not included). I will email you the requested pattern with 24 hours.
Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
