Squid Motif

Squidling Motif

Here is a little guy that you can whip up fairly quickly with little yarn. He is good as a bookmark, pin, applique or as I'll show later, add-on to one of my favorite patterns. (not mine) 

 Materials:

G hook

worsted yarn (red heart in examples) in body color

second color scraps for eyes

optional buttons or felt for eyes

Stitches:

dc  -  double crochet

hdc - half double crochet

sc - single crochet

ss - slip stitch

ch - chain

1- ch 3, 2dc in furthest chain (3dc)

2- ch 3  turn dc in same stitch, 2 dc in each dc across (6dc)

this makes the pointy bit at the top of our squid's head.

3- turn, ss in first two stitches. chain 2 hdc in same stitch, hdc in next stitch (should end up with to centered hdc)

4-ch 3 turn, dc in same stitch, 2dc in next stitch (4dc)

5- ch 2 turn, hdc in same space, hdc in next two stitches, 2 hdc in last stitch (6hdc)

6- ch 3 turn, dc in each hdc across (6dc)

thats our body.

now we move on to the tentacles. Sorry, our squidling only has five. :) 

chain 20

sc in first chain from hook

hdc in next chain

sc in next chain

now we'll work back toward the point through the opposite side of the same chains.

sc in bottom loop of last sc

hdc in bottom loop of hdc

sc in bottom of sc 

ss to point, cut and finish off.

should have one tentacle with a pod on the end. 

second and third tentacle are made together. 

chain 5

sc in fist chain from hook, hdc in next chain, sc in next chain ss to last chain

come back down toward the point using the bottom loops of stitches we just made

sc, hdc, sc, 

ss together and chain 15

ss to body beside first leg. 

ss to next legless stitch at bottom of body.

ch 25

sc in first chain from hook

hdc, sc, ss down chain (back toward body) 

then work back toward point through bottom loops of previous stitches

sc, hdc, sc, ss  cut and finish off.

Now your squidling should have three legs dangling from the bottom of his bod. 

chain 5

sc in fist chain from hook, hdc in next chain, sc in next chain ss to last chain

come back down toward the point using the bottom loops of stitches we just made

sc, hdc, sc, 

ss together and chain 10

ss to body beside first leg. 

ss to next legless stitch at bottom of body.

ch 20

sc in first chain from hook

hdc, sc, ss down chain (back toward body) 

then work back toward point through bottom loops of previous stitches

Now, if I did this right, squidling should have five legs. 

You can move onto eyes and weaving in ends. 

(But, if I want to morph him into a badass necklace, I modify the legs making only three spread out more so that one is on each outer edge and one is in center. then I attach him to this pattern: (which I make in the same color) instead of the called-for flower. That gives him an additional three legs and makes him wearable!) 

Squidling's eyes can be buttons, felt circles or crocheted. If I stitch them, I just do six sc in a magic ring and then leave a long tail to whip them onto the body with. 

He's very easy to modify or tweak! 

Stash Attack!!

Because my mum is awesome, she came back from her two week vacation with a scad of souvenirs and goodies for the kiddos...and because she's also the BEST, she knows exactly what sort of goody to get her somewhat yarn obsessed daughter.

NEW STASH!!

 That's Baby Alpaca there on the right. :)












Thanks, Ma

I Can't Quilt

I've tried to quilt. I really love them. Something about the patterns, the little bits of cast off fabric all reassembled into a thing of beauty...it gets my happy going. I've been known to participate in bidding wars with little old ladies when the hand stitched quilts come up at auction. I took a class on the history of fiber arts and swooned over every crazy quilt.

But I just can't do it.

I have a quilting block or something. Pun intended. So when I had my kiddos, I really really wanted to make them quilts...and I didn't. I imagined it, making a block for each milestone, every birthday, etc. The finished, gleaming quilt would be presented at graduation or possibly on the eve of their wedding (which had damn sure better come after graduation) and lovingly received.

Yall know I write fantasy right?

Okay, so what's a mom who can't quilt to do? Well, this one is going to crochet. It's all I've got, really. My eldest grub was reading a story last week, Josephina and the Story Quilt, for lit class, and since we home school, that meant I was reading it too. It got those old quilt pangs going again, and I decided if I couldn't sew them a memory blanket, I could certainly crochet them one.

So we're off. One square per year so far and I'm up to four each and counting. I'm hoping to have all five of the youngest's done this week and finish up eight for my boy before long. It's a ton of fun.
Why would I do it if it wasn't?

Best part so far has been picking out the specific squares for each year. I've found some great ideas! (bless you, Ravelry) And planning the ones I might do next. I'll get pictures up as soon as possible, and hopefully, show as I go.

:)
Happy hooking
Frances

A Natural Pairing

I love it when two seemingly unrelated things come together into a beautiful blend...almost as if they were made for one another. This is probably why I write toward the romance end of the fiction spectrum. However, today a friend emailed me this link: http://www.reikilifestyle.com/uploads/downloads/articles/ReikiAndKnitting0309.pdf

and I was completely swept off my feet. In a totally non-romantic way.
Reiki is something I have practiced, taught and lived for years, and to find it blended with fiber arts should not have surprised me, but it did.

Anyway, I wanted to share it, in case someone else is as unaware as I was of the nice dovetail. If you like prayer shawls, friendship scarves or any of the numerous versions of healing and fibers then the above link is definitely worth your time.

Namaste and happy needles.

It's a Polyp...really.

THIS is what happens when I procrastinate:

ALIEN POLYP PATTERN

Okay, I used regular red heart worsted weight scrap yarn and an F hook. 

This is amigurumi style so count around in a spiral and don't ss join your rows together. I also used safety eyes, which I got in a swap and am now IN LOVE with. You can do whatever you like for embellishments etc. 

stitches:

ss slip stitch

sc single crochet

dc double crochet

hdc half double crochet

f/o finish off

BODY

round 1- do six single crochet in a magic ring

round 2- 2sc in each sc (12)

round 3- 1 sc in first sc then 2sc in next sc around (18)

round 4- 1 sc in first 2 sc then 2sc in next sc around (24)

round 5- 1sc in first 3 sc then 2sc in next sc around (30)

round 6- 1sc in first 4 sc then 2sc in next sc around (36)

round 7 working in back loops only 1sc in each sc around (36)

round 8-16 (both loops) 1sc in each sc around (36)

(I attached my eyes between row 10 and 11)

F/O

BASE

make bottom exactly as rounds 1-6 and then F/O

ATTATCH

hold flat bottom to bottom edge of body. with complimentary color join with a ss. 

working in one loop from each part do:

hdc, 3 dc, hdc, ss, all the way around. 

stuff before you get too far! 

If you want the wavy bits to be bigger, go around again in the same pattern. 

F/O and weave in tail. 

CURLY HAIR

chain 11 

3 hdc in second chain from hook

3hdc in each chain to end of chain

attach to top of moster head. 

MODIFICATIONS

Aside from colors and size of hook, you can pretty much do anything with this one. More curlies on the head, arms, fins, flippers.... go crazy! 

Swaptastic!!

Well, we know I'm a Ravelry addict, but I've just ventured into SWAP land and I'm hooked...again.
I'm still learning, and need practice packing my own packages with such fiber goodness, but I'll get the hang of it in the end I'm sure. The above is an amazing swap package I received from a fellow amigurumi aficionado, and below are a series of pix of the package that arrived today from another Star Fleet Fiber Corps Officer.
Thanks ladies! I love it all.

Rough and Tumble Coaster Set

I'm not exactly sure where the idea for this one came from, except that I needed coasters...my nice, glass set had so many chips around the edges that our fingers were in danger every time we used them, and I wanted to make them sturdy and able to be used outside for picnics/bbq or just having some coffee on the patio. 

So I sent my husband to the store with a request that he bring back a "big ol ball" of sisal garden twine, followed by an assurance that there was such a thing, and yes, it would be easy to find. 

Eureka. 

With a ball of sisal garden twine and a size K crochet hook.

dc- double crochet

ch-chain

ss- slip stitch

sc-single crochet

12 dc in a magic ring ss together

ch 3 (doesn't count as dc) 2dc in each dc around (24 dc) ss tog.

ch 2 *sc in next dc then 2sc in next dc* around. ss together 

cut sisal finish off and weave in end.

With scissors, trip all the long stings that stick out (give them a quick shave) for tidiness.

The sisal can be rough on your hands. You have to really work it but it can take a beating. After four, my  hands were getting sore, but it wasn't too bad. The coasters will curl up a little at the edge which works great with small galsses and coffee cups. If you are a giant mug drinker (like me) they are perfect sized and the mug of coffee will quickly flatten them out. They're flexible and easy to mold/manipulate because of the sisal.