Favorite Little Princess

There have been several funerals in our calendar this month, so I thought I would do something for those loved ones who are grieving. Hopefully, it will give them just a little comfort during this time. I've heard of the Prayer Shawl Ministry  before, but I never put anything into action.   The idea behind the shawl is to create a "hug" with the length of the shawl. With the traditional prayer shawl, there are prayers that can be said before, during, and after the creation of the shawl with the idea that those prayers are weaved in with the yarn and transferred to the recipient. It's really quite beautiful. For those who aren't religious, or if you are unfamiliar with the recipients belief, you can create a healing shawl. There are tons of poems that you can include with it - or write your own.  I found lots of patterns with fringe, but I wanted something different and classier.  Fringe can unravel over time and I wanted to ma...

My hubby's family is from Tennessee, so there are lots of Vols fans for me to crochet for. I thought I would be adventurous and try something new. Because I wanted to create a checkered pattern, I held the white and orange together and just dropped the one color every other stitch.  Note to self: creating checks isn't as difficult as it is time consuming. I used Red Heart Super Saver yarn in white and orange and and I hook (some men have big noggins). This yarn can be itchy, but softens up a lot when washed.  1. Using main color (orange)- Ch3, 11 dc in first ch, sl st in top of ch 3. 12 dc Now, pick up 2nd color and alternate each dc to create checks - or alternate row to create stripes. Be creative! 2. Ch3, 2 dc in each st, sl st in top of ch 3. 24 dc 3. Ch3, *dc in next st, 2 dc in next st* around, dc in joining st below, sl st in top of ch 3. 36 dc 4. Ch3, *dc in next 2 st, 2 dc in next st* around, dc in joining st below, sl st in top of ch 3. 48 dc 5. Ch3...

As promised, here is the 2nd half of the Mad Bird duo I introduced you to last week. The cute piggy was also featured at Joyful Stamper  - you just never know where I'll turn up! This one turned out so much better than I had ever anticipated.  I just love him.   Like before, I started with a photo for inspiration. On Amazon And then he just came to life!  Please note that this pattern has not been tested by anyone, so if you want to try it out I would love to hear back from you.  I hope you enjoy him as much I do. Mad Bird Materials: Size ‘G’ hook 4-ply worsted weight yarn in red.  I used some leftover Red Heart Super Saver – approximately 1 ounce. For the beak and breast, I had some leftover tan and yellow yarn. White and Black craft felt – small amount . Fiberfill stuffing – small amount Sewing needle and thread GAUGE: Exact gauge is not essential to this project. STITCH EXPLANATION: sc2tog (sc decrease) Insert h...

There is a man in my life who is currently infatuated with Angry Birds . This man happens to be all of 5 years old.  So, in honor of his recent birthday I created some special gifts for him, but I've been asked to call them "Mad Birds". These are done amigurumi style - which is a Japanese crochet meaning "in the round". Basically, you crochet continuously without joining each round.   W hen I decided to do these, I didn't even bother to look for a pattern because I'm cheap creative like that.  To begin, I found a picture online. http://gadgetsin.com/angry-birds-green-pig-plush-toys.htm Then I just started crocheting, but this time I remembered to write down the pattern as I went along. I typically forget to do that. Oops. Voila, here is my artistic interpretation of the pig for you. Please note that this pattern has not been tested by anyone, so if you want to try it out I would love to hear back from you. Cranky Pig Materials: Size ‘G’ hoo...