Thursday, October 26th, 2023 10:14 pm
Five crocheted keychain-sized cat heads in different colors

I'm offering copies of this crochet pattern in exchange for proof of donation to organizations supporting Palestine and Israel in the current shitshow; you can find out more over here (Tumblr mirror), including links to suggested charities to support. Minimum donation for a copy of this pattern is $3 (or basic equivalent), and I'll throw in an additional pattern for a cute little flower if you donate $5 or more.

The cat pattern is primarily in US single crochet/UK double crochet, with the ears in popcorn stitches of US double crochet/UK treble crochet; I've got a popcorn stitch tutorial to go with the pattern for anyone who wants or needs it.

The cats themselves are basically keychain sized, and are super quick to make; they could make great gifts or decorations for upcoming holidays!

Please consider donating for a copy, and signal boost if you can!
Friday, June 18th, 2021 09:54 pm
But first, some puns!

Visual puns! )

Anyway, I first uploaded this pattern last year in response to a lot of aquariums (and zoos and museums) having to close their doors and losing a lot of the revenue that they needed to pay their staff and keep their animals fed. I asked folks who were comfortably able to do so to donate a few bucks to an aquarium, zoo, or museum if they liked the pattern. Most of the places that were able to do so have probably opened up again, but I imagine that they wouldn't turn their nose up at a few extra dollars here or there.

Pattern: US Stitch Version | UK Stitch Version

The pattern is optimized for chunky weight yarn with 12mm safety eyes, but should work okay for other yarn weights. My goal was to make the decreases roughly form a straight line down the stingray's back, if that helps at all.

Anyway, if you feel like donating anywhere, here's some suggested places:

National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium (This one is the closest to me, the pattern maker)

Monterey Bay Aquarium

New England Aquarium

Florida Aquarium

Waikiki Aquarium

I initially had plans to take the free download option down once aquariums could open again, but I haven't gotten off my butt to get my Etsy store back in gear, so I guess I'm leaving it up for now. Let me know if you have any problems or questions, and I'll do what I can to help!
Tuesday, June 15th, 2021 05:04 pm
Hi everyone! I hope people still follow this community. I was wondering if anyone had any pattern recommendations for projects that don't require lots of yarn—roughly less than 300 yards, maybe. (ETA: I'm not looking for anything in particular! Just curious about people's personal favorite patterns. ^^)
Sunday, March 14th, 2021 12:39 pm
Hello,

I journal over on the other one, but their groups leave a lot to be desired. I am an avid crocheter (is that a word?)

I am trying to do more challenging patterns. The majority of what I do are blankets and I donate most of them, too.

Here is my most recent project. This pattern is now my new favorite. It's called Hugs and Kisses baby blanket


https://www.instagram.com/p/CMNDZWCBhuS/
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020 01:33 pm
I tried to make a pair of foldback mittens, but accidentally made the tension on the second one higher than the first. At a glance there isn't a visible difference between the two, but when I put the second one on, it feels a bit tighter and the part that folds over the fingers doesn't sit quite right. The Internet suggests I might be able to fix it with blocking, but a friend who knits says I'd probably be better off undoing the whole thing and redoing it.

images:
mittens, back
(for some reason this photo makes the second one look longer, but it isn't)



mittens, front


The yarn is Studio Chunky from Neighborhood Fiber Company, which the site describes as follows:
Super squishy Studio Chunky has a 6-ply construction that keeps pilling to a minimum. Perfect for heavier weight sweaters and cozy accessories.
100% Superwash Merino
125 yards/4 oz
3-4 sts/inch US 9-11

The crochet hook I used is a size 9/I. I've both lost the original pattern and modified it, but if it's relevant I can write it out.

What should I do?
Wednesday, July 8th, 2020 06:16 am
An: A pillowcase inspired by Ed/Oswald. It’s Ed/Oswald because of the green and purple (which is why I bought the yarn

gotham inspired crochet )
Wednesday, March 11th, 2020 04:38 am
Hufflepuff Inspired Crocheted Diagonal Stripe Blanket (144 words) by look_turtles
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Additional Tags: Fandom Inspired Crochet, pattern included
Summary:

A blanket inspired by my house colors (pattern included)



An: On AO3
An: On Ravelry

Go Puffs )
Wednesday, October 9th, 2019 01:05 pm
Crocheted Hufflepuff Scarf (0 words) by look_turtles
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Additional Tags: Fandom Inspired Crochet
Summary:

A Hufflepuff crocheted scarf



hufflepuff )
Tuesday, March 5th, 2019 11:34 am
I have ... four new blankets in the works? Still have three WIPs I've been hacking away at for awhile. Starter-itis is real, kids. Here's my fav new project.

Sunday, September 30th, 2018 05:08 pm
I'm starting yet another project (I think I've finished one? I'm not sure -- I have a number that are using up old yarn and so I'm looping through the same set of tasks repeatedly). This time, I've two friends with the same name due to give birth in the same month. So I'm making them matching blankets! I picked a pattern, and then failed to find suitable yarn, so now I'm having a go at the so called 'Virus Blanket'. Written patterns are available for a fee via Ravelry, but I found a fabulous video and some variations at All Free Crochet. The video is just under half an hour, but I've stopped and started it so many times I've no idea how long it took me to get the ten rows done!
Saturday, September 8th, 2018 07:29 pm
image )

This amigurumi apple is stuffed with cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, whole allspice, and bits of crystallized ginger. It's a magic for good luck and prosperity. I used PlanetJune's amigurumi apple pattern, with one addition.

more images )

This crochet apple purse...well I don't know what to do with it, exactly, but the pattern was right there and so cute. I used Pattern Paradise's back to school apple purse pattern; the leaf from here is what I added to the amigurumi apple.

I made both of these as gifts for a friend who perhaps does not wish to be publicly named. It's funny 'cause they work in elementary education :D
Sunday, August 12th, 2018 05:00 pm
Photos of the two finished cat blankets, now that I've blocked them:

pictures behind cut )
Wednesday, July 18th, 2018 07:40 pm
Today, I've finished up two cat blankets, both of which turned out to be the desired finished size once I'd finished the current row*. I've steam blocked one (and let it dry), and got halfway through setting up the second one for blocking before I got interrupted.

What this means is that I'm in the market for a new project. I'm thinking about this rather cute urchin (free pattern at ravelry), but I'm not sure what I'd do with it once I'd made it. I've downloaded the pattern, and the same artist's tubular coral pattern, and I'll see if inspiration strikes. I've a vague idea that I might see if I can make it into a pin cushion, given I've got some bits and pieces for filling pincushions, and then haven't done anything with them!


*once they are nearly done, I measure, put them in the traveling craft basket, do a row or two, repeat. So I often have more than one travelling with me, because I'm often swapping between projects.
Sunday, June 17th, 2018 07:38 pm
This place has been a little quiet lately, so I'm going to try and remember to post occasionally. Maybe each week, if it turns out I've remembered to take progress photos. The photos below are in progress of the edging that I'm adding to a baby blanket. The blanket is a standard giant granny square, using up 8-ply yarn from my stash -- turns out I had rather a lot of reds and pinks. Edging idea came from here. However, I loathe making slip stitches, so I've adapted it -- I started each of the chain rows with a standing single; then four chains, and then a single into the space. It looks like I'll only be doing the two chain rows (although that looks pretty enough) because there was a lot less yarn in the ball than I thought there was.

Crochet blanket in progress Crochet blanket in progress
Saturday, February 10th, 2018 09:41 pm
I'm trying to work out how to crochet—if you think of astragaloi as the great-grandmothers of modern dice, you'll be right on the money. Envision a rectangular prism; the ends are too small to land on when rolling the thing. The sides are two wide and two narrow, and each pair has one convex and one concave. (I'm not trying to design the crochet pattern any closer than that to actual astragaloi. It's not happening.)

The main design problem here, as you might guess, is keeping the concave sides concave even after sewing the sides together and stuffing the thing with polyfill. I'm wondering if thick-gauge jewelry wire threaded through the stitches would work out okay. But the gauge of the wire would have to work with the gauge of the crochet...

Opinions?
Wednesday, August 16th, 2017 03:09 pm
"A welcome blanket is traditionally created to lovingly mark the arrival of a new person into the world. In the Welcome Blanket project, each handmade blanket is a physical manifestation of this celebration of new refugees and other immigrants: “Welcome to the United States and your new life here! We are so glad you have arrived.”"

The Smart Museum of Art of Chicago is asking for donations of handmade blankets (40"x40") to welcome families coming to our country (the USA), but also to try and make a GIANT blanket equal to the size of the proposed wall between us and Mexico. As a way to protest the wall.

The museum is going to display the blankets (and notes if you include one) from now until December when the blankets will be delivered to families. The deadline to send blankets to the museum is November 4.

https://www.welcomeblanket.org

Here's the start of my blanket!
IMAG1354.jpg
Wednesday, August 9th, 2017 01:18 pm
So I have this 1947 book of American crochet patterns with a lot of really styling vintage women's jackets and cardigans that I need, but the one I want to make first* uses Afghan crochet (what's currently called Tunisian). I haven't done enough Afghan to be confident winging it and I don't know anyone in RL who does Afghan crochet, so I am relying on you, DW.

Specifically, the pattern calls for a "10-inch medium hook". That is the only hook sizing information it has.

The google is being unhelpful in terms of telling me what size 10-inch Afghan/Tunisian hook corresponds to a vintage pattern's "Medium."

The gauge is supposed to 6 stitches to the inch with 3-ply sport yarn (assuming sport weight was the same in 1947) if that helps?





*it's based on a WWII-era battle jacket redone as women's crochet businesswear and called The Warrior's Jacket so obvs I need it for work and I happen to have all this khaki cotton sport yarn sitting here...
Tuesday, July 25th, 2017 11:30 am
So I bought three small skeins of yarn for a prayer shawl. Bulky acrylic, variegated blues, fuzzy texture. And then I thought, hm, that doesn't really seem like it's going to be enough yarn; I'll go get some more. And then I got that home and discovered that though it is indeed bulky acrylic, it's variegated blues and blacks, and it's smooth texture, and not the same thing at all. Also, smaller skeins.

So now I have 210yd of the fuzzy blues and 180yd of the smooth blue-blacks, and indeed 210yd is not enough to make a shawl out of. Not even a shawlette, Ravelry assures me. And I'm totally blanking on what I could do that 180yd or 210yd of bulky yarn is enough for.

Help? Thanks.
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