Simple and Pretty

Here's a pattern for a simple and pretty bracelet that is a VERY easy knitting project and yet looks good enough to actually give as a gift to someone. I recommend at least a medium weight yarn with size 9 or larger needles. The pattern is as follows:

Cast on 8 stitches.
FOR ALL ROWS:
Right side: Knit.
Wrong side: Knit 2, purl 4, knit 2.

Do this until you have a bracelet-length piece, and then just sew it up using a tapestry needle to make a circle.

It is a simple but delicate looking pattern. My favorite thing to do is put a big decorative button over the seam. You can also weave a ribbon around and tie it in a bow at the seam.

Pics to come!

Hi crafters. Sorry I haven't written- I've had various camera issues in the past couple of weeks and one of them died altogether. I resurrected it with the help of Mr. Tabletop and Ms. Hammer. Surprisingly it works great now, as well it should since it was a Christmas gift.

When I read about the Snuggles Project, I knew it was something I had to do. The project, essentially, involves knitting/crocheting blankets for homeless cats and dogs. You donate the Snuggles to participating shelters and the dogs and cats can sleep on something other than a cold stone floor. I've lost both a cat AND a dog since October of last year, and have wanted desperately to get more pets; this lets me get involved with animals in the time that I have and somewhat calms my desire to own an entire farm. ^_^

Here is my first snuggle, ugly as poo in Easter colors but soft and cuddly:
Another project I undertook the other day was *gasp* a knitting project; don't fret, I held to my oft-observed stereotype of having an extremely short attention span and no knitting skill by knitting... a bracelet.

It is, however, cute.
I'm actually giving it as a gift to someone, but I was glad it turned out cute and not looking like the slacker project I considered it. I promise I'll try something more complicated later. I'm thinking of just doing knitting blocks to practice patterns... but god... that sounds like effort! ^_^

Oh yes, and with the success of my Kissuptopus I thought I'd try my hand at something cuter- and instead ended up with something creepier. I present to you, the only crochet project I have finished the past couple weeks: Creepy Cat.
It's cute to me, but realised it might be too voodoo-effigyish for the person I was intending on giving it to as a gift- and that person would be too polite to tell me so, leaving it sitting on her desk for weeks, staring at her with satanic yellow wool eyes...

So it's watching me at my desk. I dig it, at least.

Kissuptopus

So I tried to make this bird as a gift for my boss. It didn't work because I'm impatient. Halfway through the pattern I got bored and decided to turn it into an octopus. So here it is... the Kissuptopus!

I stuffed it with a failed hat I was making for J. I made it with Caron SimplySoft Eco and a G hook. The eyes are little felted wool balls that I made myself from wool yarn. It's very cute, except the head is enormous! I think my boss liked it. Maybe not. She's not very good at showing emotion other than social perk.

Oh well. At least it kept my hands busy. I'm currently making a neckwarmer and crocheting a blanket for the Snuggles Project for PAWS Chicago. I went to their website the other day (PAWS)- I have to remember not to do that- it makes me want a property where I can own 50 cats and dogs!

Sigh...

Simple Tam Pattern

Tams are stylish and preferable for people with locks and without. Tam patterns abound across the internet, and I have tried several of them without getting the results that I want. This is a simple pattern for a pretty tam big enough to hold hair and cover ears. It is NOT a pattern for an enormous tam and a lot of locks (although I will tell you how to increase the size in the pattern, should you want to.) This is my first time writing a pattern, so if something is confusing or just plain wrong for you, please let me know. Thanks!

Tofu Cutie's Basic Tam

Supplies needed:
Worsted, medium or bulky weight yarn
J hook (for worsted or medium) or K hook (for bulky)
Scissors!

Note: This pattern can be worked in a spiral if you prefer, but is written for the last dc in a row to attach to the first with a slip stitch. The first ch-3 always acts as a stitch- so, for example, in the first row, where 12 dc are needed in the first stitch, the first ch-3 acts as a stitch and only 11 more need to be made.

Rows
1. Ch 3. Dc in 4th ch from hook. Dc 10 more around for a total of 12 dc. (12)
2. Ch 3. Dc in same stitch (2dc). *2dc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (24)
3. Ch 3. Dc in same stitch (2dc). *Dc in next stitch. 2dc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (36)
4. Ch 3. Dc in same stitch (2dc). *Dc in next 2 stitches. 2dc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (48)
5. Ch 3. Dc in same stitch (2dc). *Dc in next 3 stitches. 2dc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (60)
6. Ch 3. Dc in same stitch (2dc). *Dc in next 3 stitches. 2dc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (75)

If you need your hat to be very big, you can continue as many rows as you like with this pattern:

Ch 3. Dc in same stitch (2dc). *Dc in next 6 stitches. 2dc in next stitch. Repeat from * around.

Otherwise, continue:
7. Ch 3. *Dc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (75)
8. Ch 3. *Dc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (75)
9. Ch 3. *Dc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (75)
10. Ch 3. *Dc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (75)

You can continue this for as long as you like to make the hat long (like a sack.)

11. Ch 2. *Sc in next stitch. Sc dec over next 2 stitches. Repeat from * around. (50)
12. Ch 2. *Sc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (50)
13. Ch 2. *Sc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (50)
14. Ch 2. *Sc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (50)
15. Ch 2. *Sc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (50)
16. Ch 2. *Sc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. (50)

Front Post Double Crochet

Um, how did I not know that this exists?

I accept that despite doing it for forever, I am a novice crocheter. I constantly have to look up stitches. The most adventurous thing I've tried is a Y-stitch. I stick to safe projects that involve double crochet and granny squares. But I was amazed when looking at a pattern on Ravelry today and saw that it called for a front-post double crochet, which I've never used. So I did, and voila! Enlightenment!

This will definitely provide fertile ground for new projects...