About This Blog

In this blog, I will show you all the fun crafts I work on during my free time. All patterns, information, and ideas are available to the public for use for free. If you feature any of my crafts on your own site, please link to this blog. Please feel free to leave comments, and explore my other blogs, featured on the right-hand side of this page.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Olive Green Boot Cuffs


Boot cuffs are just fantastic, aren't they? Since I've got fat... well, everything, but calves are what's relavent here. Since the calves are big, I can't wear high-shaft boots, but luckily, I found some about a year ago that go up my legs a bit.
The key to making these is to measure how high up your boot goes, then find that height on your leg, and measure the circumference of that spot. For example:
My boots go up eight inches. At eight inches up my leg (starting from the heel of the foot), the circumference of my calf is 15 inches. Therefore, I know to make my cuffs 15 inches.

Materials:
Size USN15/10.00mm crochet hook
Olive green yarn from Lions Brand, Vanna's Choice
Needle for sewing buttons
Two buttons of contrasting colour (I used bright orange)

Directions:
Make 2
Chain 40. Join in a loop with slip stitch, taking care that the chain is not twisted.
Round 1: Chain 2. Double crochet in every stitch, joining with a slip stitch.
Repeat until cuff is of suitable length (mine measure 5 inches and required 12 rounds).
To create decorative edging: Chain 2. *(Single crochet, chain 2, single crochet) in same space. Slip stitch in next stitch.* Repeat * sequence until the round is complete and join with a slip stitch.
Sew buttons.

Notes: I completed this project very quickly; it took about half a day of on and off work, so faster individuals can probably finish this project in less than an hour.
The colour possibilities are endless! Experiment with colours that will go best with your boots, leggings, and outfits.
You can adjust the width and length of your cuffs based on your size and preference. Be sure to have some form of measure available, and try them on occasionally to see if they're the desired dimensions.
Get creative! Use multiple buttons, other design motifs, or multiple colours to make your cuffs as unique as you are!

If you have any questions or comments about this pattern, feel free to leave them below.
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Thursday, March 21, 2013

Little Crocheted Cthulhu!


Oh my goodness this is the cutest thing I've ever made! A little crocheted Cthulhu to be my little buddy.
This is also the hardest task I've undertaken. It took three days of intermittent work. I found the pattern for this little guy here, at Rural Rebellion. I had to make some small adjustments to the pattern, because some of the numbering is wrong. It should be apparent if you attempt it, and simple math will help you correct it. I also made the body one row longer.
One last thing I did was to sew the wings and arms on BEFORE attaching the head and body. Keeping that in mind, if you follow my method, don't stuff the body until all parts have been sewn on.
This is my first amigurumi plush toy, and I'm so happy with how it came out.
Now I torture my ratties by chasing them around the room with the Lovecraftian menace himself (kidding...)!
If you have any questions about the adjustments I made or any comments about my cute new friend, leave them below!

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Fingerless Gloves with Cables



So, I've been into this glove making thing for a while now. Additionally, I have this cable needle, and never really learned how to use it, so I taught myself how to make cables. They're a bit difficult to see with these photos, but I didn't really have any help with them...
I incorporated a couple of design motifs into this pair; I used cables of two different sizes in the same row, as well as some basic ribbing.
That said, I really like these. They're perfectly snug on my hands and wrists, they go down below coat cuff level, so I can stuff them for the really cold days, and they allow me full finger dexterity.
I should note that this yarn naturally has the three colours -- light blue, light brown, and dark brown, and I was given the yarn as a gift, so I don't know where I got it.
Again, since these are gloves, I did not gauge this.

Materials:
Less than one skein worsted weight yarn
Knitting needles, size 9, 5.50mm
Cable needle
Yarn needle, for weaving ends and sewing seams.

Abbreviations:
4CBF: Slip two stitches to cable needle and hold to front of the work. Knit the next two stitches, then next the two from the cable needle.

Directions: Make two
Cast on 34 stitches
Row 1: knit
Row 2: purl
Row 3: k1,p1; (k1,p1,k4) five times; k1,p1
Row 4: k1,p1; (k1,p1,p4) five times; k1,p1; k1,p1
Row 5: Repeat Row 3
Row 6: Repeat Row 4
Row 7: k1,p1; (k1,p1; 4CBF) five times; k1,p1
Row 8: Repeat Row 4
Row 9: Repeat Row 3
Row 10: Repeat Row 4

For longer cables, knit to Row 10, return to Row 3, and continue in this way. For shorter cables, knit to Row 8, and return to Row 3 (That is, the longer cables have two extra rows of stitching involved).
My patterning went as follows:  After first cable, stitch two short cables, followed by one long cable, followed by 2 short, and so on in this way until I felt it was long enough. At this point, I began the end cuff:
Row right after last cable: Repeat Row 4
Repeat Row 3
Repeat Row 4
Repeat Row 3
Purl
Knit
Bind off

When binding off, leave a long enough tail to sew the edges together twice (that is, once up the glove and once down the glove, for extra strength). Be sure to leave a two-inch hole for the thumb in each glove. Weave in loose ends.

Notes:
Be sure to test to be sure the glove will be wide enough by measuring against the target hands and arms.
Be sure to figure out how many cables you want in each glove, so you can plan accordingly.
You can make longer cuffs for your gloves if you wish, just extend the stockinette stitching to the desired length.
I recommend sewing the gloves on the target hand, if possible. It will ensure that the thumb-holes are in the right place for both gloves.

If you have any questions or comments about this pattern, feel free to leave them below!

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Extra Large Gloves, or the Gigantor Gloves

  If these look massive on me, it's because they are. They were made for someone with much larger hands than mine, i.e. my younger brother, Carlos. Turns out, they were a little big on him, so he uses them as wristlets now... oh well, lesson learned.

Anyway, if you need to make Gigantor Gloves, here's how I did it:

Materials: Some amount of yarn. I say some because I used less than one skein.
                  Size 8 knitting needles, or desired size
                  Yarn needle

Note: I didn't gauge this. I don't think that it's that big of a deal for gloves, since they'll end up fitted to the person you want to give them to, anyway. Just try to knit the same gauge for both gloves!

Directions: Cast on 50 stitches (this can be more or less depending on the size of your Gigantor Gloves, but keep it an even number).
                   St st for 8 rows
                   K2, P2 ribbing for 32 rows
                   St st 4 rows
                   Cast off, sew seams, leaving about two inches open for the thumb.
                   Weave in ends.


So this is a pretty simple knit, using very basic techniques. I swear I'm getting better...
As I said, I made these a little too big for my brother. Although his hands are definitely huge, they aren't 50-stitches-huge. To be fair, he and I live ten hours apart, and I don't know his hand size off the top of my head... It worked out in the end, though...
My next project will surely be sized correctly.