Bah! Humbug! (also holiday dinner menu)

If left to my own devices, I don't think I would end up celebrating the holiday.
But my Tyler really wants to celebrate it... in a low-key way.
So... since I am completely broke, I crocheted a tree. I used this pattern from Planet M as inspiration, but made it twice as big and complicated! At first I was just going to leave it plain, but it looked like a green arrow, so I added some garland in white and red. Now it is an unmistakeable holiday tree.
If anyone is interested in the pattern I used, I could probably be convinced to write it up and add it to the blog.

It's more square than it looks in this picture. The corner is just curled up.

For the Day itself, I have a menu planned. Is there ever a holiday where I don't have a menu planned?

Breakfast:
Pull-apart cake
Oranges
Hot Chocolate

Lunch:
Leftover breakfast and mixed nuts

Dinner:
Slow roasted leg of lamb with
carrots and potatoes
Baked sweet potatoes
seared baby bok choy
Apple Pie?

So, despite my Grinchy nature, that's my plan for the upcoming holiday. 
-Zay

Crochet Alien the 2nd

Crochet Alien needed a friend, and I was bored, and I have an embarrassing yarn stash, so now there are two Crochet Aliens.

I have been trying to make some clothes for #2 here, but nothing seems quite right. Also, I have no buttons, so a few things that are almost-right just don't work out.
Any suggestions are more than welcome.
-Zay

Another Crochet Alien

I like making Amigurumi aliens because you can't make them look wrong. Who's to say what an alien does or does not look like? This is probably a sign of laziness, but if so I'm too lazy to care!
Recently, I have been working on this little critter.

It's just about as basic a design as you can get. This is because I wanted the main attraction of this alien to be the clothes.

Here it is in a hoodie.

and a flower petal dress.

More outfits may follow. I have been trying a few other things, but nothing looks quite right and I am frustrated by lack of buttons. Just yesterday I was in a craft store, oogling the buttons and embroidery floss and felt... alas I have no money.  On the other hand, as I mentioned to Tyler, I kind of enjoy the limitation of using only yarn to make my Ami's.

Net and Fish

So,
Here are a few things I should have posted a while ago. First is the black dress I crocheted weeks ago, the first picture is it in the March 08' Crochet! magazine, the second is how it turned out. The lacy skirt part is much much shorter than in the picture, I don't know why.
The second object is a key chain I made for my Mother, she kept loosing her key for work, so I made her a fish to keep hold of it for her.
It took me just a few hours to make the fish from scrap yarn, it was a fun little project.
Now, back to the endless sweater-crocheting. I'll never get that thing done.

Green Ballerina

Here is Ballerina attempt #2, the first project I made with Suncatcher Eyes. I used the 12mm Blue eyes, and and very happy with how pretty they are.
I am happier with Green Ballerina than I am with Pink Ballerina.
Both she and #1 have been given away to a pair of sisters who collect dolls. I don't think I'm good enough yet to sell the pattern or the dolls, but maybe I'll get there.
Looking at my past three posts, it's easy to see what colors of yarn I have... but that will change on Friday.
Tune in next time for Blue Monkeys, if I ever finish them.
Sad, really. I crochet to procrastinate, and I procrastinate my crochet.

Moneystuffs

My littlest sister, (age 9) asked me to make her a wallet, after I made the Anteater. So I looked at some patterns with her and made up the Flower-Wallet in a few hours.
When I was done, my littlest brother (age 6) asked me to make him a wallet, showing me a handful of change he wanted to store in it.  It didnt take long to convince him that a small boy-purse would be better for it, and he helped me chose the yarn too. He immediately liked the fuzzy white yarn, and I thought a faux-sheepskin look would be good. It's quite small, so it only took half an hour to make.
I thought it looked medieval, my mother thought it looked scottish, a friend said it looked very "robin hood", and the kid likes it very much, so I guess it's a success.
Next time, tune in for green ballerinas (and maybe blue monkeys after that)

Pattern: Super-Easy Rolled Crochet Hook Case

I needed a crochet hook case. I wanted one that was quick and easy, so I could get on with making things for other people. I looked around and found a lot of beautiful crochet hook cases, but nothing that was quick, simple, or big enough for my purposes. I am almost embarrassed to post this because it's so simple, but I guess it could maybe help someone, someday. I would advise using this pattern for inspiration, and then make it your own. If you do happen to use this pattern, please send me a link or a picture.

This pattern has not been tested. If you find some mistakes, please let me know. If something is confusing, I'd be more than willing to clarify for you. Click on a picture to make it bigger.

Materials,

Worsted Weight Yarn, I used some ugly stuff hidden in a bag of yardsale yarn

size H crochet hook (or smaller if you crochet loosely)

Step 1, Make a rectangle.

Row 1: Ch 44, Sc in second Ch from hook and in each Ch across. Ch 1, turn

Row 2: Sc in each Sc across, Ch 1, turn

Repeat row 2 until you have
10 rows more than twice the number of crochet hooks you want to keep in the case. ( 30 rows for a set of 10 hooks, 34 for a set of 12, etc..) Fasten off.

Step 2, Fold over the ends

Fold up about 8 stitches perpendicular to the rows to make a pocket, so the ends of the rows meet themselves about 16 stitches higher. Fasten onto the crease with a slip stitch. Sc up the side of the pocket, making sure to crochet through both the upper and lower row. When you reach the end of the pocket, continue to Sc up the side of the case until 16 stitches from the other end, then crochet both rows together again. Fasten off. Repeat with the other side.

Step 3, Hold the hooks in place

Hold your crochet hook case upside down, so you see the side without pockets. Does one side look better than the other? Which side do you want to see when it's rolled up? Work on the side you like less. With your case pockets-side up again, notice how there are grooves every two rows. Fasten on with a Ch around the post of a stitch near the middle of the groove nearest the edge. *Ch 2, Sl St around the post of a stitch in the next groove* across the middle of the space between pockets, leaving the last 8 rows unworked. There should be as many Ch2 spaces as there are hooks for the case. Fasten off.

Step 4, Make it stay closed

There are several ways you could chose to close the case, you could sew on a few buttons or some ribbon, or you could crochet a few ties to keep it closed. Roll the case up, decide where the ties would look good. Fasten on to a stitch on the outside row, ch 20 (or more if your crochet hook case is bigger.) Sc in the second Ch from the hook and in each Ch down. Sc in the stitch next to where you fastened on. Ch 20 again, Sc in the second Ch from the hook and in each Ch down. Join with Sl St in your fastening on st. Fasten off.

Repeat for second tie.

Finishing.

Weave in ends, put your hooks in, take a picture, and send it to me!

THINGS #1 - Gray Kitty

There seems to be a vast dearth of  internet information about people making the Annie's Attic Purr-sonality cats. My
plan is to make three cats with two outfits each, for my little sisters for Christmas. The pattern says to use a sports drink bottle for the body, but that is anti-snuggly so  I am using fluff.

-Picture 1. Here we see Gray Kitty sans tail. I had to decrease my hook size twice on the tutu so she wasn't swimming in it, and then I felt the skirt was too short. Her ears are lined with the afore-mentioned silver furry yarn, and look like some bizarre old-lady wig. The reason she has no tail is because the silver furry yarn is impossible to work with.

-Picture 2. Here Gray Kitty still has no tail. I added a row of cathedral edging from the charitable ladies at halfknits.com, which adds a petal-like appearance to the tutu. I added ribbons as directed in the pattern, but chose to leave out the flowers because I thought they looked too busy. I completely redid her ears, lining them with white eyelash yarn instead. I have started her tail in white too, but I would like to finish it in a gray eyelash yarn that matches the rest of her body.

-Picture 3. How she looks on the pattern book. I apologize for the poor quality image, But I have no scanner and my camera isn't very good.