Wasting Time: The Hooking Way

little green hat

After a long hard struggle to be a nonconformist I finally came up with a hat pattern I'm in love with it. ... lucky for me it looked nothing like the three patterns I put together to pull it off:

little ami girl

I finished my first amigurumi girl.



As you can see the little ami girl is barely taller than my ipod nano. She's also hiding little white bloomers under her skirt. So shy! So sweet and small.

poncho for a princess

My first attempt at munchkin clothing. I'm glad to see what a soft acrylic yarn and an evening or two can create.

baby blues

Finished my second baby blanket. A larger version of the coral and teal diagonal design:

baby blanket

Just found out that a good friend on the east coast is having their first baby.

Decided to do a teal and coral striped blanket since I'm not sure if it's a boy or girl. This couple seem to be the kind that would be perfectly happy in wrapping a boy or girl in pink or blue. It's soft and sweet and cuddly.

This blanket is done in a diagonal shell/basket weave style that I was shown by an aunt and I have yet to find online. Unintentionally it is also the same as Tara's Fab Blankie.

When I get the blanket done my next goal is to actually write out the pattern. I know, you are holding your breath in suspense.

the first pattern: gittle the turtle

Gittle was inspired by the Dastardly Bear I completed from the Stitch-n-Bitch pattern. At first I thought stuffed animals were one of the most horrid things to do. I had almost resigned myself to sticking to hats, scarfs, shawls and purses. Than I started tinkering around with a brown scrap skein and  the Puff Puff Puffin was born. Gittle was a bit of an homage to my friend and turtle lover Michelle. Gittle is also my inaugural free pattern for my blog! So - here goes nothing. If the directions are way skewed or something seems amiss email me and I will try and adjust it post haste.

Gittle was constructed of multiple parts: the head, the legs (4), the tail and the body. The legs, tail and head were the easiest pieces to come together. It took nearly two weeks to establish the best turtle shell. The puffin's hat in the photo was actually the first turtle top shell I completed. I attempted, quite unsuccessfully, to make a bottom shell that would also work with the legs, tail and head. In the end I figured out that I needed to make a circular body with holes and sew in the extra pieces. Thus the final result.

— PATTERN BASICS —

@ MATERIALS
Yarn: You can use any brand. I used generic polyester scrap pieces from my own collection. The soft kind from the baby section works really well. The body is a sage green (color 1) and standard black (color 2). The head, tail and legs are a buttercream yellow with a touch of ruby red for eyes. I don't have numbers because the tags are long gone.
    Quantity: I would have to estimate less than 6 oz of each would probably suffice.

Hook & Needle: Size 5 or F American hook and a yarn needle.

Stuffing: Enough to fill all the pieces. Possibly 1 oz.
    Cluster fill is downy and feathery. It's also very loose and fluffy for stuffing. Will shed a little bit.
    Polyester fill is stringing and stuck together. It does fill tightly and doesn't shed as much as cluster fill.
    Organic or Natural. Rice, legumes or precooked popcorn. If  going more natural the piece will need stitched very tightly with slip stitches instead of single crochets and possibly lined so the "stuffing" doesn't fall out.

Please Note: The exact stitches I used or size hook isn't that instrumental as long as the stitches are increased evenly as noted. If they aren't done evenly it will look a bit oblong like an overstuffed sausage in places. The bigger the hook the larger apart the holes where stuffing could fall out. For an extremely tight piece slip stitch in place of the single crochets. I also did this entire piece by crocheting in the back loop only for a ribbed effect. If you want a more knobby look crochet through both stitches.

Overall Assembly: Stitch the legs, tail and head first. (All as separate pieces.) As you work on the body you will join the legs, tail and head pieces. The tail is attached with the piece correct side out. The legs are attached with the torso inside out. The head is attached last, after all the stuffing.

The Jargon:
sc = single crochet.
sc2tog (decrease) = single crochet two together. put hook in stitch, pull yarn through the stitch, leave loop on hook. put hook into next stitch. pull yarn through that stitch. 2 loops should be on the hook. yo, pull through both stitches.
2sc (increase) = 2 single crochets in same stitch.
hdc = half double crochet.
sts = stitches
sl sts = slip stitch
ch = chain

—— LET THE PATTERNS BEGIN ——

LEGS: (Make 4)
    @ stitch - legs
    Row 1: Ch 13, turn
    R2-11: Ch 1, sc in next 10 stitches, turn (11 sts total)
    R12: Ch 1, sl sts entire row. Tie off.
    Leave 18 inch to 2 feet sewing length.

    @ assemble-n-stuff - legs
    Fold piece in half. Whip stitch narrow end and adjoining long end.
    Fill with stuffing. Finish sewing last side. Tie off.
    Sew in all loose ends and cut off excessive yarn.

-- TAIL:
    @ stitch - tail
    Row 1: Ch 20, turn
    R2: (Hdc in first stitch, sc in 2nd stitch, sl sts in 3rd stitch*) *repeat until end.     Tie off yarn. (Remember to stitch piece tight and it will make a curly loop.)

-- HEAD:
    @ stitch - head
    Row 1: Ch 15 stitches, sl sts to close ring
    R2-5: Ch 1, sc 14 stitches, sl sts to close ring
    R6: Ch 1, (2 sc in first stitch,1 sc in next stitch*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring. (22)
    R7: Ch 1, (2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next stitch*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring. (32)
    R8-14: Ch 1, sc around, sl sts to close ring (32)
    R15: Ch 1, (sc in first 5 stitches, sc2tog 6th and 7th stitch*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring.
    R16:  Ch 1, (sc in first 4 stitches, sc2tog 5th and 6th stitch*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring
    R17: Ch 1, (sc in first 3 stitches, sc2tog 4th and 5th stitch*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring
    R18: Ch 1, (sc in first 2 stitches, sc2tog 3th and 4th stitch*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring
    R19: Ch 1, (sc in first stitch, sc2tog 2th and 3th stitch*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring
    R20: You can either whip stitch the nose close or sl sts the nose close. Tie off and sew in excess yarn.

   

@ stuff - head
    Fill head with stuffing. Don't sew off neck. Neck will directly connect to body when completed.   

 @ the face: eyes, nose, mouth, ears:  You can either sew the features on the completed product once it's assembled to the body or sew them on now before it is attached. Buttons work good as eyes. I whip stitched little knots for eyes and didn't add a nose or a mouth on mine.

-- THE TORSO. notes
    @ colors- note
    Color 1 = Black. Rows 1-10, 22-31.
    Color 2 = Sage Green. Rows 11 - 21

    @ stitch - work in back loops only for ribbed effect.

-- THE TORSO PATTERN
    @ Begin with Color 1 (black)
    Row 1: Ch 6 - sl sts.
    R2: Ch 1. 2sc in each stitch,  Sl sts to close ring (12 sts)
    R3: Ch 1, (2 sc in first stitch,1 sc in next stitch*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring (16 sts)
    R4: Ch 1, (2 sc in first stitch,1 sc in next stitch*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring (24 sts)
    R5: Ch 1, (2 sc in first stitch, sc in next 2 stitches*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring (30 sts)
    R6: Ch 1, (2 sc in first stitch, sc in next 3 stitches*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring (36 sts)
    R7: Ch 1, (2 sc in first stitch, sc in next 4 stitches*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring (42 sts)   
    R8: Ch 1, (2 sc in first stitch, sc in next 5 stitches*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring (48 sts)
    R9: Ch 1. 2 sc in first stitch, sc remaining stitches. Sl sts to close ring (49 sts)

    @ add tail
     This is a good stage in the piece to add the tail. Work tail into the 1st Row hole made by the chain 6. Turn inside out to whip stitch in place.   

    @ turn work back to correct side out & continue stitching
    R10: Ch 1, sc around. Sl sts to close ring (49 sts)

    @ Change to Color 2 (sage green for "shell") for R11-21
    R11-12: Ch 1, sc around. Sl sts to close ring (49 sts)
    R13: Ch 1, sc in first 4 stitches. Ch 5, skip four stitches, sc into 5th stitch. Sc next 29 stitches. Ch 5, skip four stitches, sc into 5th stitch. Sc remaining stiches. Sl sts to close ring (49 sts) [*R13 and R19 create the holes that the legs will be sewn into.]
    R14-18: Ch 1, sc around. Sl sts to close ring (49 sts)
    R19: Repeat step 13.
    R20-21: Ch 1, sc around. Sl sts to close ring (49 sts)

    @ Remainder of the piece is worked with COLOR 1.
   R22-23: Ch 1, sc around. Sl sts to close ring (49 sts)
    R24: Ch 1, Ch 1, sc2tog in first stitch, sc around remaining stitches. Sl sts to close ring (48 sts) This begins the decrease for the head end of the shell.
    R25: Ch 1, (sc2tog in first stitch, sc in next 5 stitches*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring (42 sts)

    @ add legs.
    This is a good stage to add the legs. The stitching around the legs is well supported and the piece can still be turned inside out.
    Step 1: One leg at a time: while piece is right side out push leg into the hole. All of the legs have a soft long edge and a stitched long edge. You may want to align the legs so all the stitched edges point towards the inside or the outside, first.
    S2: Turn piece inside out. With 12-18 inch piece of COLOR 2 whip stitch the leg into place.
    S3: Complete S1 & S2 until all the legs have been secured to the body. Tie off and trim excessive yarn. It's ok if there are ends because the stuffing will fill in the space later.

    @ turn work back to correct side out & continue stitching
    R26: Ch 1, (sc2tog in first stitch, sc in next 4 stitches*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring (36 sts)
    R27: Ch 1, (sc2tog in first stitch, sc in next 3 stitches*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring (30 sts)

    @ add stuffing.
    Before piece gets too narrow it's a good time to add the stuffing. Fill carefully than continue stuffing - try not to dislodge the stuffing as you go.

    R28: Ch 1, (sc2tog in first stitch, sc in next 2 stitches*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring (24 sts)
    R29: Ch 1, (sc2tog in first stitch, sc in next stitch*) *Repeat around ring. Sl sts to close ring (12 sts)    

    @ the head will be added after R30 - if you are a tight crocheter you may want to attempt to add the head after R30 instead. If you add the head after R29 remember to cut yarn and tie it off, leaving 12-18 inches of yarn attached to the body to use for stitching.

    R30: Ch 1, (sc2tog in each stitch around ring. Sl sts to close ring (6 sts) Cut yarn and tie off - leaving a small hole. Remember to leave 12-18 inches of yarn to use for stitching the head to the body.

    @ add head.
    Very carefully push the neck of the turtle into the body as far as it will go. With remaining yarn carefully ship around the neck and attach it to the body.

    R31: Sew in all loose ends and piece should be done.

inaugural post

My name is Gin and I've been posting at houseofhill.blogpost.com since 2002 and deardarla.typepad.com since February 2007. This blog is my attempt to separate out my crocheting or hooking and crafting from the daily drivel. You can contact me at deardarlasdiaries<at>gmail.com if you have any questions, comments, thoughts or suggestions. I would appreciate the feedback.

So here goes nothing.

As a child my grandmother attempted to teach me to crochet. I made a lot of granny squares knots and tried to emulate her quick fingers as she crafted dishclothes, towel tops and numerous doily, lacy things. I eventually gave up and stuck with keeping Grandma company with my sordid youth tales while she hooked away.

Fast forward about 15 years or so. In the fall of 2004 I was bit by the hooking bug again. I had this hankering to pick up a hobby. Some sort of hobby that produced results that I hoped to be good at and something to keep my hands busy with our frequent road trip habit. A girlfriend named Brenda was a crochet machine. She had stacks of afghans that made my mouth water. We decided to start with scarfs that fall. I started with the basics: a double crocheted line. over and over and over again. That Christmas the entire family got scarfs: wide, long, short, thin, fluffy.

The following spring I picked up some beanie tricks from my friend Hugh and I was off and running. I discovered that my husband has the perfect beanie head - and he doesn't like to share. Our house has close to a dozen beanies floating around that I crafted for me, or he refused to part with. Many, many others have been made and dispersed along the way.

Once I got beyond the standard single and double crochet work I started looking into books like Stitch-n-Bitch: The Happy Hooker and Not Your Mama's Crochet. I realized I could actually decipher the crazy language of the hooker. Little free pamphlets, magazines and  loose crochet patterns from fabric stores and websites started to pile up with yarn in corners of our home. I had the bug and it wouldn't let me go.

Over the past few years I've delved into purses like the Julie Holetz fat-bottom bag in the Happy Hooker book, and custom designs. I've also delved into shawls and currently some stuffed animals. I am still a bit leery about crossing into the clothing realm. Afghans taunt me and I've attempted to make, what I know call the never-ending afghan, about three times. The Husband has requested a 7-foot by 7-foot product. It hasn't been the happiest of projects. I also have to thank Chloe Nightingale for her fun inspirations at Crochet Me and her tips on things like how to hand-dye yarn. There is just so much to learn and so little time to do it.

In a battle of chores yarn beats chores every time.