what do you do when you decide you dislike the yarn you loved before?

when i bought the yarn, i was all, “OMG, THIS IS THE BEST YARN EVER.” i’d no idea what i was going to make with it, but i had to have it.  but then months went by and, apparently, my fickle nature set in and, while digging through my yarn stash, i decided i was no longer infatuated with it. 

...just before i tossed it out, it dawned on me…

MAKE A FREAKIN’ RUG!  cuz, yeah, the ol’ pink-towel-turned-rag trick was looking pretty abominable at the back door. 

my beagle, helping to test out the rug that i was eyeballing for size

I used: 4 skeins of Lion Brand Homespun - Fiesta and a size H hook, with 2 strands held together… (Note: not the best yarn for a rug, but it’s MUCH better than the pink towel!)

The Pattern:  (also, available for download here.)

Rug is made using 2 strands of yarn together.

Rnd 1: Ch 12, dc in 4th chain from hook, dc in next 7 ch, 7dc in last chain. Working on opposite side: dc in next 7 sts, 6 dc in last ch.  (28 sts)

Rnd 2: Ch 3 (will always count as last stitch in round), *dc in next 7 sts, dc in next st, 2dc in next 2 sts, 3dc in next ch, 2dc in next 2 sts**, dc in next st > repeat from * to **, slip st in top of beg ch 3.  (40 sts)

Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc in next 7 sts, dc in next st, (2dc next st, dc in next st) 6 times, dc in next 7 st, dc in next st, (2dc next st, dc next st) 5 times, 2dc next st, join with sl st to beg ch 3.  (52 sts)

Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc in next 7 sts, (dc next 2 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 2 sts) 3 times, dc next 7 sts, (dc next 2 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 2 sts) 2 times, 2dc next st, dc next st, join with sl st to beg ch 3.  (64 sts)

Rnd 5: Ch 3, dc in next 7 sts, (dc next 3 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 3 sts) 3 times, dc next 7 sts, (dc next 3 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 3 sts) 2 times, 2dc next st, dc next 2 sts, join with sl st to beg ch 3.  (72 sts)

Rnd 6: Ch 3, dc in next 7 sts, (dc next 4 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 4 sts) 3 times, dc next 7 sts, (dc next 4 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 4 sts) 2 times, 2dc next st, dc next 3 sts, join with sl st to beg ch 3.  (84 sts)

Rnd 7: Ch 3, dc in next 7 sts, (dc next 5 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 5 sts) 3 times, dc next 7 sts, (dc next 5 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 5 sts) 2 times, 2dc next st, dc next 4 sts, join with sl st to beg ch 3.  (96 sts)

Rnd 8: Ch 3, dc in next 7 sts, (dc next 6 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 6 sts) 3 times, dc next 7 sts, (dc next 6 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 6 sts) 2 times, 2dc next st, dc next 5 sts, join with sl st to beg ch 3.  (108 sts)

Rnd 9: Ch 3, dc in next 7 sts, (dc next 7 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 7 sts) 3 times, dc next 7 sts, (dc next 7 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 7 sts) 2 times, 2dc next st, dc next 6 sts, join with sl st to beg ch 3.  (120 sts)

Rnd 10: Ch 3, dc in next 7 sts, (dc next 8 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 8 sts) 3 times, dc next 7 sts, (dc next 8 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 8 sts) 2 times, 2dc next st, dc next 7 sts, join with sl st to beg ch 3.  (136 sts)

Rnd 11: Ch 3, dc in next 7 sts, (dc next 9 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 9 sts) 3 times, dc next 7 sts, (dc next 9 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 9 sts) 2 times, 2dc next st, dc next 8 sts, join with sl st to beg ch 3.  (148 sts)

Rnd 12: Ch 3, dc in next 7 sts, (dc next 10 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 10 sts) 3 times, dc next 7 sts, (dc next 10 sts, 2dc next st) 3 times, dc next st, (2d next st, dc next 10 sts) 2 times, 2dc next st, dc next 9 sts, join with sl st to beg ch 3.  (160 sts)

**Continue increases to make rug to your size – 12 stitch increase per round (6 increases each end).

tada! we haz finished rug! much better than the old pink towel!

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July 08, 2010 @ 10:55 am

crocheted flip-flop thongs

summer has all but officially arrived in houston… temps are well into the 90s.  hot hot hot! …and what better way to keep cool than these crocheted flip flop thongs!

i’m making a pair for my stepdaughter and now i’m glad that i bought enough to be able to make a pair for me as well.  i don’t often wear flip flops but these are just too darn cute!  anyone who has ever made those yarn covered coat hangers should have absolutely no problem making these thongs.  the technique is exactly the same.

materials:
pair of flip flops
2 skeins of lion brand “fun fur”
for crocheters, use a size J hook
for non-crocheters, you can easily do this by hand

instructions:

1. make a slip knot in the end of the yarn and, with the toe of the shoe facing you, bring the loop of the slip knot under the left strap.
2. bring yarn up and over the strap and pull through the slip knot.
3. with hook (or finger holding the loop), reach under the strap, loop yarn over and bring up (2 loops on hook, or finger).  yarn over hook (or finger) and pull through the 2 loops.
4. repeat.  alot.  and then some more.
5. when you get to the toe, you’ll flip the shoe around so that the heel is facing you.  work all the way to the top of the right strap, cut yarn, pull through and weave in ends.

note: as you do the stitches, push them together so that the strap is densely covered.  (you can make it as dense as you like, i went full on fuzzy!)

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June 04, 2010 @ 11:07 pm

crocheted asshats!

recently, i went to visit my aunt & uncle.  i was reminded of all the summers that i’d spent at their home in canyon lake, texas (beautiful, beautiful area) and during those visits, i learned to love heehaw (pfft! she was gone!), square dancin’ (yes, i CAN acey deucey AND load the boat!), and crocheting.  in all these years, i’ve never given my aunt anything that i’d crocheted and, wanting to send her something, i decided on a little donkey that i’d made not too long ago.  yet, it needed ~something~... and thus, the crocheted asshat was borned!

you can download the pattern for the donkey, here.

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June 04, 2010 @ 10:59 pm

Free Pattern: Crocheted Baby Snuggle

this isn’t a pattern of my own creation, but something i copied down YEARS ago.  it’s become my favorite baby gift because it’s just absolutely beautiful once completed.  i’ve made it so many times over the years that i now only use my notes as a rough guide.

For the Pattern…

yarn:
bernat’s cottontots - pastel dreams (approx 5 skeins? it’s yarn i usually have on hand so i’ve not ever really kept track of how much i used.  5 seems about right.)
1 skein of a contrasting cotton yarn (yellow, blue, pink, green, white?) for the trim.

hook:
size h

(i have never ever worried about gauge on this blanket.)

pattern:

blanket:
ch 115
row 1: work dc in 5th chain from hook and in each remaining, ch 3 and turn.
row 2: in 3rd dc, make a shell (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) *skip 3 sts, shell in next dc, repeat from *, dc in last dc, ch 3 and turn.
row 3 - 6: make a shell in the center st of each shell below, dc in last dc, ch 3 and turn.
row 7:  increase shell to (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) across, dc in last dc, ch 3 and turn.
row 8 - 12: repeat row 7.
row 13: increase shell to (4 dc, ch 1, 4 dc) across, dc in last dc, ch 3 and turn.
row 14 - 30: repeat row 13.
Fasten off.

hood:
in beginning row of blanket, join yarn with a sl st in the 28th dc.  (7 shells on blanket extend beyond either side of hood.)
row 1: ch 3, *skip 3 dc, make a shell (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc), repeat from *, dc in last dc, ch 3 and turn. (13 shells)
row 2 - 10: repeat row 1 from *.
Fold hood in half, sew across top edge, fasten off.

trim:
worked in contrasting color.
join yarn with sl st in beginning sl st of hood.
hood: skip the starting ch 3 of the 1st row, *make shell (3 dc, picot (ch 3, sl st through 1st st of chain), 3 dc) in ch 3 of next row.  repeat from * around hood.
left side: sc in each dc along front edge of blanket, 3 sc in corner, increase *shell (4 dc, picot, 4 dc), sc in starting ch of next row.  repeat from * down side of blanket, 3 sc in corner.
bottom: make shell over shell along bottom edge of the blanket (5 dc, picot, 5 dc), 3 sc in corner.
right side: repeat left side, *shell (4 dc, picot, 4 dc), sc in starting ch of next row, 3 sc in corner, sc across each dc along front edge.
attach where joined, fasten off.

drawstring:
worked in contrasting color.
double yarn and ch 120.
thread through first row of dc on blanket, going over and under 2 dc at a time.
make 2 tassels, attach to ends of drawstring.

(to make the tassels: i wrap lots and lots of yarn around my outspread fingers (making the tassel roughly 3 or 4 inches or so?), then feed a piece of yarn through the middle and tie it tightly at the top.  wrap another piece of yarn around the body of the tassel about a half inch from the top, tie that tightly, then cut the yarn at the bottom and trim the ends even.) - made in same color as blanket.

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February 25, 2010 @ 12:48 am