Crochet

Happy Spring! Who knew 45* F would feel so warm? After a very long Wisconsin winter, it feels positively balmy!

Dave got home last night from visiting the University of Oregon. He said if Portland and Ithaca had a baby, it would be Eugene. That sounds pretty good to me! He really liked the campus and the architecture program, so we may very well be heading back out west. We’ll be making our final decision next week. While he was gone, I made him this amigurumi fox from Tiny Yarn Animals: Amigurumi Friends to Make and Enjoy. He is by no means “tiny,” but he’s still pretty cute.

I also made myself a present this week. I made this Buttercup Bag from a pattern by Made By Rae. I lined it with some great tiny heart fabric that I found at a garage sale years ago. The pattern is super simple, and it can be easily made in an evening.

Happy Easter weekend everyone!

I started noticing that every house that I go into has at least one granny square afghan slung over the couch. Who made all of these afghans? Why don’t I know all of these people who crochet large blankets as gifts for their friends and families? I guess since I don’t know any of them, I’ll have to make one for myself!

I’m using this great granny square tutorial from the purl bee. Granny squares are super easy and quick. I really love the rhythm my hands go into once I get started.

I started making my 3-round squares with Lion Brand Jiffy yarn in denim, violet, and country green. Then I realized that I would have to make approximately 1 zillion (or 168) of these squares to make an afghan. So I decided to add another round:

Now I only have to make approximately 1 billion squares (or 72). Twenty-one squares down, fifty-one to go!

Dave is off to Eugene, Oregon tonight to check out the University of Oregon’s architecture program. I wish I could go along! He’s taking our camera with, so I probably won’t post much until he gets back. But I will surely be filling my time by crafting the evenings away, so expect some craft-filled posts at the end of the week. Happy spring everyone!

I’ve been itching to learn how to crochet, so this weekend I headed to the bookstore to find a good book to help me learn. I was disappointed in most of the “Learn to Crochet” books there, but then I remembered that Klutz had a crochet book. I headed over to the children’s section and picked up Crochet: Learn to Crochet Six Great Projects by Klutz. The book is great!! I highly recommend it for anyone looking to learn. Plus it comes with a crochet hook, a yarn needle, stitch markers, and some yarn to get you started.

While in the regular craft section, though, I happened upon Tiny Yarn Animals: Amigurumi Friends to Make and Enjoy. Now this “amigurumi” word I had just heard for the first time the day before by a friend who said to me “You’ve never heard of amigurumi?? How have you been in the online craft circle and not seen it? It’s huge online!” Apparently I have been under a rock. I bought the book even though I thought it would take me a few months before I could master crocheting enough to make a doll.

But it was actually incredibly easy!! The day after I learned to crochet, I made this adorable octopus. Then last night I finished up the little pig. Mainly you just have to figure out how to read the patterns and know how to do a single crochet. I started with the single color ones that looked fairly simple, but next I think I’m going to try a fox or a lemur or something.

You can also get tons of free patterns online. Here are a few sites I found that have collected patterns from around the tubes:

http://www.squidoo.com/crocheteddolls

http://amilist.blogspot.com/

And here’s a great youtube video that helped me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hKBeu2BlhU&feature=related

Hooray for a new craft! Sometimes I feel like the Jack of all crafts, Master of none.