Be An Angel Day; Crochet Bracelet

I haven't posted anything for quite a while here. I've been working on this afghan (which is taking me forever and ever), and I tried hard not to start any other projects before it was done. Well, now I'm taking a break from the blanket and doing some smaller projects to gear up for autumn and winter, so I'll likely post more often.
Recently, my department had a surprise baby shower for one of my very expecting co-worker. I spent six hours (staying up until 3 am) to make her baby a hat. Gosh, am I a slow crocheter. Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo before I wrapped it up. Just imagine a baby hat. In yellow. There; you've got it.
Additionally, my place of employment celebrated Be An Angel Day, which was yesterday, August 22. Those who wanted to participate were given five dollars and could choose to spend it (or more or less money) on a gift, or not spend it and give something else. I wanted to make something for my recipient that would be interesting, cute, and useful (I will leave this person anonymous, because she doesn't know I'm her angel!)
I decided on this thick crocheted bracelet, since it followed with the style I'd seen her exhibit, and was neutral enough to go with a lot of things in any wardrobe. It was also a quick work, so I didn't have to stay up late this time!
Want to make a similar bracelet for someone you want to give a gift to? Here's how I made mine:

Materials:
Sensations Truly Superfine wool blend yarn in Truly Charcoal Grey
Caron CuddleSoft in White
Size G/6 -- 4.25mm crochet hook
Yarn needle

Directions:
Chain 34 using mc.
Row 1: HDC in 3rd chain from hook, HDC across, chain 1, turn work.
Row 2: HDC across, chain 1, turn.
Row 3: SC across, chain 2, turn.
Row 4: HDC across, chain 2, turn.
Row 5: HDC across, switch to cc, chain 1, turn.
Row 6: SC across, switch to mc, chain 1, turn.
Row 7: SC across, chain 2 (counts as first DC in edging row), turn.
Edging: DC in first stitch, slip stitch in next stitch, *2 DC in next stitch, slip stitch in next stitch*, repeat ** until end.
Tie off with 6 inch long tail. Using yarn needle, sew ends together.
Weave in any loose ends.

Notes:
I love this cute little bracelet. The use of HDC stitches give it a wonderful lacey quality (although the photo doesn't show it much.
A pattern like this has lots of potential; you could make it slightly longer, make it twice, and then you have wrist warmers. Make it even longer and you can make fingerless gloves.
Add details to your bracelet that make it visually appealing to the person you're making it for. Asymmetric patterns are really popular right now -- add a set of contrasting buttons of uneven sizes, add more stripes or colours.
As an awesome note, I found out later that my recipient really liked her gift! Yay!

Thanks for reading. If you have any questions or comments about this pattern, feel free to leave them below. Don't forget to subscribe to this blog for more inspiration and fun crafts!

Cowl!

So, I've fallen in love with cowls a little bit. I have this big brown one I got in winter, and it's so fantastic it almost makes me with it was winter again. Almost...
Anyway, I've never made one, and I wanted to find a colour that would be suitable to my personal style, and I decided on this nice rusty one from Lion Brand. It also gave me the chance to use my nice, big crochet hook, which I've fallen in love with since making the boot cuffs. What could be better?
I was able to work it up in a few hours (spread out over two days), and it's super cute. I decided not to twist this one in the work-up, so I could twist it on my own depending on my mood!
Also, I decided to work this in the round to eliminate any visible seams. I think it looks nicer that way.

Materials:
Crochet Hook US N15/10.00mm
Half Skein Lion Brand Vanna's Choice in Rust
Yarn needle

Directions:
Chain 60 (or more; you decide).
Join round using slip stitch, taking care not to twist (or twist if you want. I don't care).
Round 1: Single crochet in each stitch. Join round with slip stitch.
Round 2: Half double crochet in each stitch. Join with slip stitch. For tutorial on HDC, look here.
Round 3: Double crochet in each stitch. Join with slip stitch.
Round 4: Repeat Round 3.
Round 5: Repeat Round 2.
Round 6: Repeat Round 1.
Round 7: Repeat Round 2.

Continue this pattern for the desired length. Keep in mind that the double crochet round is repeat twice in a sequence, but the single crochet round is used only once.
When finished, tie off, weave in ends, and enjoy!

Notes:
This pattern was inspired by Amanda's cowl at Parent Pretty. Check out her site here.
You can change how this item comes out by varying a ton of factors. Change the hook size to give tighter or looser stitches. Change the weight of the yarn, or the length and width. The possibilities are there -- work with your personal style and wardrobe to design the perfect cowl!

If you have any comments or questions about this pattern, feel free to leave them below. Don't forget to follow this blog for the latest in crafting fun!

Craft Storage Boxes

                           

 

If you're anything like me, you have amassed some knitting and crocheting supplies without a place to keep them! I don't have a pouch or anything to keep my stuff in, so I devised a way to keep all of my supplies -- little handmade boxes! They're a little time consuming to make, but really nice once they get done.
I made one each for my knitting needles, my crochet hooks and double pointed needles, and my miscellaneous stuff, like my cable needle, stitch holder, and stitch markers.

Materials:
Plastic canvas -- two sheets
Sewing needle with large eye (a yarn needle will not fit in the holes of the canvas)
Scrap yarn

Directions:
This is mostly up to you. Size your plastic canvas pieces according to the size of your needles. Since my size 9 needles are really tall, I needed something to hold them without tipping, but not so tall as to hide the smaller eights and sixes. Sew a design into the plastic canvas first, and then fill in the background colour. Sew pieces together and outline the top of the box in yarn as well.
If you choose to make a lidded box, like my miscellaneous box, cut the bottom of the frame first, then the face of the lid with one box extra all around. This will give you an extra lip to sealed the box properly.

Notes:
My boxes are fairly small, so I didn't feel like I had adequate room to make an intricate design on the box sides. If your boxes are larger, or you're just feeling adventurous, plan your design carefully before executing.
Have fun with this project! It takes a long while to get everything sewn up, so mix up colours and designs, or make a neatly coordinated set, like mine.

If you have any questions or comments about this craft, leave them below! Don't forget to follow this blog and stay up to date on the fun projects happening at the StegoCraftasaurus!

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.
Don't forget to follow this blog to get all the latest crafty updates!

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!

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!

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.