Tooooo HOT!

It's too damn hot - driving me crazy!

Owl Keyring Pattern

This is a pattern I've designed for a very simple cute owl keyring.  You will need a keyring base for it; they are usually on sale at hobby or yarn shops.



REQUIRES
Yarn -  about 5g of any fine crochet cotton,  plus small amount of white
Hook / Needles - 1.25
Sundries - small amount of black cotton for eyes, contrast colour for beak, basic keyring, small amount of toy stuffing

INSTRUCTIONS (Given in UK notation)

Begin with main colour, make a magic ring.  Work 6 dc into this.  Do not join at end of rounds.  Rd 1; inc in each stitch.  12.  Rd 2; (dc 1, inc 1) to end.  18.  Rd 3; (dc 2, inc 1) to end.  24.  Rd 4 - 5; dc.  Rd 6; (dc 2, dec 1).  18.  Rd 7 - 12; dc.  Rd 13; (dc 1, dec 1).  12.  Stuff now.  Rd 14; ch 3, dc into 1st of 3 chain.  Now fold top of owl together and slipstitch from front to back so as to close the opening.  On last stitch, chain 3 and dc into 1st chain, ss into same stitch and fasten off.

To make the eyes, using white make a magic ring and work 6 dc into it, ss to join and fasten off.  Now embroider the centre of the white circle for the pupil, and stitch to face of owl.  Finally embroider a small v or triangle for the beak between and just below the eyes, and stitch the keyring loop to head using main colour yarn.

This variant uses small black beads for the pupils of the eyes.

Hope you enjoy making these; they really are so quick and easy.

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The Little Yellow Duck Project

It's occurred to me that this is a good way of publicising a charity I've been trying to promote, one which could help save a lot of lives.  The Little Yellow Duck Project was set up in memory of a young lady with a great fondness for ducks in all shapes and forms, who passed away while waiting for a transplant donor to be found.  The idea is to get people to sign up as donors, not just of organs but of blood, stem cells, and other tissues that might save lives, all over the world.  We do this by leaving ducks in various places, with a label inviting the finder to adopt the duck and visit the project website to put their find on the global map and maybe check the links to donor registers all around the world.  It's fun making the ducks (and you don't have to be able to knit or crochet, we have people sewing ducks, folding them with origami, all kinds of handmade duckies!), rather exciting waiting for them to show up on the map and it's a great feeling helping to publicise a great cause.  If you want to set a few of your own ducks free, or maybe sign up as a donor, or just learn more about the project, visit www.thelittleyellowduckproject.org.  No money is asked for, only your time and support, and in this case five minutes really could save a life.  

Hello Cthulhu Pattern

This is the first pattern I'm posting here, and it's an old favourite of mine, for a slightly creepy crochet toy.  The copyright is mine, so don't sell the pattern, but you can sell toys made with it.  All notation is in UK terms.


HELLO CTHULHU

Requires approximately 50g green double knitting yarn, 25g black double knitting yarn, toy stuffing, two suitable eyes (or in my case flat black noses) and a 3.5 mm hook.

Head
Using green, make 11 chain.  
Round 1; miss first chain, 1 dc into next 9 ch, 3 dc in next ch.  Working into back of chain, work 1 dc into next 8 ch, 2 dc into next chain. (22 stitches)
Round 2: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 8 dc, 2 dc into next 2 dc*.  Repeat from * to * (28)
Round 3: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 9 dc, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next dc, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next stitch*.  Repeat from * to *. (34)
Round 4: *2 dc into next stitch, 1 dc into next 10 stitches, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 2 stitches, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 2 stitches*, repeat from * to *.  (40)
Round 5: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 11 stitches, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 3 stitches, 2 dc into next dc,  1 dc into next 3 stitches*, repeat from * to *. (46)
Round 6: * 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 12 stitches, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 4 stitches, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 4 stitches*, repeat from * to *.  (52)
Round 7: *2 dc into next stitch, 1 dc into next 13 stitches, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 5 dc, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 5 stitches*, repeat from * to *.  (58)
Round 8: *2dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 14 dc, 2 dc into next stitch, 1 dc into next 6 dc, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 6 stitches*, repeat from * to *.  (64)
Rounds 9 - 15.  Dc into every stitch (64)
Round 16: *Decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 14 stitches, decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 6 stitches, decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 6 stitches*, repeat from * to *.  (58)
Round 17: Dc into every stitch (58)
Round 18: Decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 5 dc.  Into next dc, work 1 dc, ^make 6 chain.  Miss first 3 chain, 3 dc into next 3 chain^ (one tentacle).  Into same dc, work another tentacle.  Work 2 tentacles into each of next 2 dc.  1 dc into each of next 5 dc, decrease over next 2 stitches, 1 dc into next 5 dc, decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 5 stitches, decrease over next 2 dc.  I dc into next 13 stitches, decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 5 stitches, decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 5 dc. (55)
Round 19: 1 dc into each stitch to tentacles.  Work 1 dc into back of each pair of tentacles, making sure you push the tentacles to the outer side, dc to end. (52)
Round 20: *Decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 12 stitches, decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 4 dc, decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 4 dc*, repeat from * to *.  (46)
Round 21: *Decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 11 dc, decrease over next 2 stitches, 1 dc in next 3 dc, decrease over 2 dc, 1 dc into next 3 dc*, repeat from * to *.  (40)
Round 22: *Decrease over next 2 stitches, 1 dc into next 10 dc, decrease over next 2 stitches, 1 dc into next 2 dc, decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 2 stitches*, repeat from * to * (34)
Round 23: *Decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 9 stitches, decrease over next 2 stitches, 1 dc, decrease over next 2 stitches, 1 dc*, repeat from * to *.  (28)
Round 24: *Decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 8 stitches, decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 2 stitches*, repeat from * to *.  Slip stitch to first stitch and fasten off, leaving long tail.  (24)
If using toy eyes, set them in position before stuffing the head.  Place eyes a couple of rows above the tentacles, leaving a gap of about two stitches at each side of the tentacles cluster.

Body
Using black, make 2 chain.  
Round 1: into second ch from hook, work 6 dc.  (I advise you to mark the beginning of each round from this point; I used a ring marker, but a bit of contrasting yarn works as well)
Round 2: 2 dc into each dc. (12)
Round 3: *2 dc into next stitch, 1 dc into next dc*, repeat to end.  (18)
Round 4: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 2 stitches*, repeat to end. (24)
Round 5: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 3 stitches*, repeat. (30)
Round 6: *2 dc into next stitch, 1 dc into next 4 stitches*, repeat.  (36)
Round 7: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 5 stitches*, repeat.  (42)
Round 8: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 6 stitches*, repeat.  (48)
Rounds 9 - 12: dc into every stitch.  (48)
Round 13: *Decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 6 stitches*, repeat.  (42)
Rounds 14 - 16: dc into each stitch (42). (I recommend you part-stuff the body at this point, as the opening narrows).
Round 17: *decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 5 stitches*, repeat.  (36)
Round 18: dc to end.
Round 19: *Decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 4 dc*, repeat.  (30)
Round 20: dc to end
Round 21: *Decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 3 stitches*, repeat.  (24)
Round 22: dc to end.  Fasten off.  
Finish stuffing the body (you may find it helps to take a small amount of stuffing at a time and push it into the opening with the blunt end of your hook).  Attach head to body using long tail left on head, and couching stitch.

Arms (2)
Using green, make 2 chain.
Round 1: 6 dc into second chain from hook.
Round 2: 2 dc into each stitch (12).  Mark start of round.
Round 3: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next stitch*, repeat.  (18)
Round 4: dc to end
Round 5: *decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 4 dc*, repeat. (15)
Rounds 6 - 9: dc
Round 10: *decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 3 stitches*, repeat.  (12)
Rounds 11 - 12: dc
Round 13: *decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 2 stitches*, repeat.  (9)
Round 14: *decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc*, repeat.  Fasten off leaving long tail to sew on to body. (6)
Stuff arms and attach to body.

Feet (2)
Using green, make 9 chain.
Round 1: 1 dc into next 7 ch, 3 dc into end chain.  Working down back of chain, 1 dc into next 6 ch, 2 dc into next ch. (18)
Round 2: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 6 stitches, 2 dc into next 2 dc*, repeat.  (24)
Round 3: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 7 stitches, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next stitch, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next stitch*, repeat.  (30)
Round 4: 1 dc into next 9 dc, decrease over next 2 stitches, 1 dc in next dc, decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc in next stitch,  decrease over next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 13 dc, fasten off. (27).
Stuff feet and stitch to body.

Wings (2)
Using green, make 4 chain.  
Row 1: miss 1 ch, 1 dc into next 3 ch, ch 1, turn.  
Row 2: 1 dc into next 3 dc, ch 4, turn.  
Row 3: Miss 1 ch, 3 dc into next 3 ch, 3 half trebles into next 3 dc, ch 1, turn.  
Row 4: One dc into 3 half trebles, 5 ch, turn.
Row 5: Miss first ch, 1 dc into next 4 ch, 1 half treble into next 3 stitches, ch 1, turn.
Row 6: 1 dc into next 4 stitches , 6 ch, turn.
Row 7: 5 dc into next 5 ch, 4 half trebles into next 4 stitches.  Ch 3.
Work 8 dc evenly along top edge of wing (opposite the points).  Ss into first ch, fasten off leaving long tail.  Stitch to body.

Bow
Part 1: using black, make 10 chain.  Work 9 dc into next 9 chain, 1 ch, turn.  Work 5 more dc rows, fasten off.
Part 2: using black, make 13 chain.  Work 1 dc into each of 12 chain, 1 ch, turn.  Work 1 more row, fasten off.
Attach part two to centre of part one and stitch firmly to it at the narrow end, then wrap free end around centre of part one until you have a bow shape.  Stitch together, then attach to head on right at top.

Welcome to my World

Hello!  Welcome to my world and to that awkward first post which attempts to set out some reason why I am launching my bletherings on the world and why anyone should bother to read them.  As a relative newcomer to the world of blogging I will be feeling my way somewhat blindly, so please bear with me.  My primary aim is to have a platform for the patterns I create for my hobbies of knitting and crochet (far more knitting than crochet, I warn you) and perhaps to show off the things I make from other people's patterns.  I have been putting them on a webpage elsewhere but I'm not altogether happy with that arrangement, so this will be my new gallery - at least for now.  I also may be tempted to blog about other things that interest me, like horror movies, current affairs or bumblebees.  But that's getting a bit daring, so for now it will just be yarn-based.  Like this.

These chaps are part of a set I'm working on, crocheted versions of great British fictional detectives, and I hope the finished pattern will be one of the things I post here.  I hope you'll enjoy yourselves while you're here!