Crochet Puppy Ornament/toy, Quirky, Unique Handmade Amigurumi

I love searching out new and unique projects to work on!  I found one similar to this on Pinterest and searched in vain for a pattern.  Not finding one, I did the next best thing.  I developed my own.  It's not exactly like the one on Pinterest , but close enough to satisfy me.

I have made this puppy in a larger size, but wondered if I could downsize the pattern to make it more the size for a Christmas ornament.  While it turned out larger than I really wanted, I think it will work just fine.  

Below is the pattern for the puppy.  It is a little involved with the construction of it, but if you follow along closely, you should be able to make it.

For a downloadable pattern with photos plus the pattern for the cat, visit my Etsy shop.

The pattern in my Etsy shop also includes instructions to make the cat in this pic.  I thought they looked like best friends!

Puppy Pattern

This finished puppy is approximately 6 inches long from head to tail.  The size can be increased or decreased by changing the weight of the yarn and the hook size.  A heavier yarn (ex. worsted weight) and a larger hook will give you a larger puppy.  A thinner yarn and a smaller hook will give you a smaller puppy.

Materials:

DK or Sport weight Yarn  (I used Cleo Cotton)

2.75mm or C hook

Safety eyes

Polyfil stuffing

Yarn needle

8 buttons with large holes

12.5mm wooden or plastic beads  (12 of them)  Optional.

Crochet Terms:

CH- chain

ST-  stitch

MC-  magic circle

SC-  single crochet

INC-  increase (2 stitches in one stitch of previous round)

DEC- decrease  (one stitch made over 2 stitches of previous round)

F/O-  fasten off

Repeat instructions between asterisks ** to end of round.

Tips:

Worked in rounds.  I used a running stitch marker to keep track of rounds.  The easiest way to make this puppy is to complete all individual components and then assemble.  My method of attaching the legs requires securing them to the inside of the body before stuffing and closing it, but you could just stitch the leg balls together and then sew them to the body if you like.   If you use my method, be mindful of where you position the legs, as they cannot easily be moved after the body is stuffed and closed. The safety eyes are placed before the head is stuffed and closed.  If you prefer, you can embroider or use felt for the eyes.  Embroider on a mouth and eyebrows if you like.

Head:

 In a mc make 6 sc.

Inc. in each st. (12)

3.  *Sc 1, inc*  (18)

4.  *Sc 2, inc*  (24)

5-17.  Sc in each st.  (24)  Make color change at about round 8.  Place safety eyes at about round 12.

18.  *Sc 2, dec*  (18)

19.  *Sc 1, dec* (12)

20.  Dec x’s 6  (6)

21.  Dec till closed.  F/O

Neck:

 Mc with 6 sc.

Inc. in each st.   (12)

3.  *Sc 1, inc*  (18)

4-6  Sc in each st.  F/O

Stuff neck and stitch open end to bottom of head.

Ears:  Make 2

 Mc with 5 sc.

Inc in each stitch.  (10)

*Sc 1, inc*  (15)

*Sc 2, inc*  (20)

5-7  Sc in each stitch  (20)

8.  *Sc in 8, dec*  (18)

9.  *Sc in 7, dec*  (16)

10.  *Sc in 6, dec*  (14)

11.  *Sc in 5, dec*  (12)

12-14.  Sc in each stitch.

15.  Dec x’s 6.  F/O.

Stitch ears to head in desired position.

Nose:

 Mc with 6 sc.

Inc  in each stitch  (12) Stuff llightly

Dec  till closed.

Stitch to end of snout.

Body:

 Mc with 6 sc.

Inc in each stitch  (12)

*Sc 1, inc*  (18)

*Sc 2, inc* (24)

*Sc 3, inc*  (30)

6-25.  Sc in each stitch.

26.  *Sc 3, dec*  (24)  Attach legs at this point before stuffing.  (See assembly instructions)

27.  *Sc 2, dec* (18)  Stuff body.

28.  *Sc1, dec*  (12)

29.  Dec x’s 6  (6)

30.  Dec till closed.  F/O

Feet top:  Make 4

 Mc with 6 sc

Inc in each stitch  (12)

*Sc 1, inc*  (18)

*Sc 2, inc*  (24)

5-8.  Sc in each stitch.  F/O

Feet bottom:  Make 4

 Mc with 6 sc

Inc in each stitch  (12)

*Sc1, inc*  (18)

*Sc 2, inc*  (24)  F/O

Balls for legs, tail and head bows.  Make 19

 Mc with 6 sc

Inc. in each stitch  (12) 

3-4  Sc in each stitch  (12)

Place a bead inside your work at this point. (Or you may choose to simply stuff the balls rather than use beads.)

5.  Dec x’s 6  (6)

6.  Dec till closed.  F/O

Tail:  Make 3

1.  Chain 15 or however long you want your tail to be.  

2.  Attach a ball to the end of each chain.

3.  Tie the ends of the chains together and attach to the backside of the puppy.

Head bow:  (optional)

 Make 2 chains about 40 stitches long.

Attach a ball to each end of each chain.

Tie into a bow and attach to head.

To assemble and attach legs and feet,  thread your yarn needle with some strong cord.  Thread through one of the holes on a button leaving a length of about 3 or 4 inches for tying off.  Thread through a foot top from the inside with the button resting against the inside top of the foot.  Next thread through 3 balls with the cord going through the center hole of the beads.  Thread through the body at your preferred position for the leg and through the hole of a second button inside the body.  Now, thread through the second hole of the button going back through the body and through each ball, down throuh the top of the foot and through the second hole of the button inside the foot.  You should now have 2 cord ends.  Pull the cord tight and tie into a tight knot to secure the leg to the body.    Repeat with remaing legs.  Now you can stuff the body and close it up.  Also stuff the feet and sc the bottoms on to the feet with all yarn and cord ends tucked inside.

Attach head and neck to front of body.   Add the tail and the bow.  Your puppy is completed. 

Christmas Nativity Play Set Part 4

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Sheep

This is the last section of this play set.   I hope you have enjoyed making it and that your littles will enjoy playing with it while they learn the Christmas story.

Sheep

With brown yarn, make 6 sc in a magic ring.

Inc.  (12)

3-6.  Sc in each stitch.  (12)

7.  To form ears,  sc in 4, ch 4, sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in 3rd and 4th chains, sc in ch. space, sc in 4 sc, ch. 4, sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in 3rd and 4th ch. sc in ch space, sc in remaining sc in rnd.

8.With fluffy white yarn,(I use Bernat Pipsqueak)  sc in each stitch folding ears forward and working around back of them as you go.  (12)

9.  Make 18 sc this round.  It is hard to see individual stitches with this yarn so just try to place them evenly around.

10-13.  Repeat round 9.

14.  Start dec when you feel your sheep is about the size you want him.  Fasten off and weave in yarn.

Legs.  Make 4

 With brown yarn, Make 5 sc in a magic ring.

2-5.  Sc in each stitch.

Fasten off, stuff and attach to underside of sheep.

If you feel really ambitious, you could make a flock of sheep and using the Joseph pattern make some shepherds.  I think that would be a cute addition to this play set.

Blessings!

Reny

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Christmas Nativity Play Set Pattern Part 3

Christmas Nativity Play set Pattern Part 3

                                         

Donkey

Head

 Make 6 sc in a magic ring.

Inc. in each st.  (12)

*Sc 1, inc*  (18)

4-9  Sc in each stitch.

10.  *Sc in 2, inc.*  (24)

11.  *Sc in 2, dec.*  (18)

12.  Sc in each stitch.

13. *Sc 1, dec* (12)

14. *Dec*  (6)  Stuff head.

15. Dec. till closed.  Fasten off leaving tail to sew to body.

Ears  Make 2.

 Make 6 sc i a magic ring.

Inc.  (12)

Sc in each stitch.  Fasten off, leaving tail to sew to head.

Pinchone end together and sew ears to head.

For hair, loop several strands of black yarn onto top of head.

Body

 Make 6 sc in a magic ring.

Inc.  (12)

*Sc 1, inc* (18)

*Sc 2, inc* (24)

*Sc 3, inc* (30)

6-10.  Sc in each stitch.  (30)

11.  *Sc 3, dec.*  (24)

12. Sc in each stitch.

13.  *Sc 2, dec*  (18)

14-16  Sc in each stitch.

17. *Sc 1, dec*  (12)

18. Sc in each stitch.  Stuff body.

19.  Dec till closed.  Attach head to body.

Donkey legs.  Make 4

 With black yarn,  Make 5 sc in a magic ring.

Inc.  (10)   Change to main donkey color.

3-8.  Sc in each stitch.   Stuff  Fasten off leaving tail to seew to body.

Attach legs as desired or as pictured.

Tail.

Chain 7, slip stitch in 2nd chain from hook and each chain.    Attach loops of yarn to end of tail and sew tail to backside of donkey.

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Blessings!

Reny

Christmas Nativity Play Set Crochet Pattern part 2 Baby Jesus and Manger

Part 2 

Baby Jesus and Manger

(See part 1 for the pattern for Mary and Joseph)                                 

Manger  worked in rows.

1,  Ch 13, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch.  (12)  Ch1, turn

2.  Sc in each stitch.

3  Repeat for a total of 24 rows.

Fold down 5 rows on each end and sew along edges.

Head and foot of manger

 Ch 7, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch.  (6)  Ch1 and turn.

2-5  Repeat

6.  Sc around 3 sides. Fasten off leaving long tail to stitch head and foot to ends of manger. 

Bed of straw

Ch 7, sc in 2nd ch and next 5 ch.  3 sc in next, sc in 5 chs on opposite side of ch, 3 sc in last.  Fasten off For straw,  cut abotu 50 strands oyellow yarn approximately 3 inches long.  Fasten loops of yellow yarn to each stitch around.  Trim if desired.  Place straw in manger.

Baby Jesus

 Make 6 sc in magic ring

Inc. each st.  (12)

*Sc 2, inc.*  (18)

4-6  Sc in each stitch

7.  *Sc 2, dec.*  (12)

8.  *Sc 2, dec*  (9)

9.  *Sc 2m inc.*  (12)

10-13.  Sc in each stitch.

14.  *Sc 2, dec.* (9)

15.  Stuff.  Dec till closed.  Fasten off and weave in ends.

Crochet a little blanket or make one of fabric to swaddle the baby in.

Blessings!

Reny

Here Fishy Fishy! Crochet Fish Pattern for a Christmas Ornament!

     I'm still working on Christmas ornaments, and I'm getting quite a collection!  My latest addition is this pair of crochet angle fish. 

      The larger fish is made from acrylic yarn and a G hook.  The smaller one is Cleo cotton and crocheted with a E hook.

     I found this pattern at Little Giggles Adventures  blog.  The instructions were easy to follow and I was able to finish a fish in a short time, so hop on over to Little Giggles and look over her selection of free patterns!

     I believe they will be very cute on our Whimsy tree!

Make your tree special this year with handmade ornaments, then give them away as  toys or family keepsakes!

Happy Hooking!

Reny

Free Crochet Nativity Play Set Pattern Part 1

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Christmas is coming!!!

My grandchildren have always loved playing with the nativity that is traditionally displayed at our house over the holidays, so I decided to design a soft, durable one for them.  

This pattern has several different pieces to it, so I will post it bit by bit over the next few weeks in the interest of space saving.  The entire pattern which includes several photos can be purchased in my Etsy shop if you want it all at once.

Crochet Nativity Playset

This crochet Nativity set includes Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, a donkey and a sheep.  Also included are the shawls, head pieces and manger.  While there are many parts to this pattern, the stitches are simple and the instructions are fairly easy to understand.  Both Mary and Joseph have round circles of plastic canvas in the bottom to give them a flatter surface to help them stand. 

Materials Needed:

Worsted weight yarn

Fluffy yarn  (I use Bernat Pipsqueak)

fiberfill stuffing

G crochet hook

yarn needle

safety eyes or puff paint

plastic canvas

Abbreviations:

sc-  single crochet

hdc-  half double crochet

dc-  double crochet

inc- make 2 stitches in 1 stitch

dec- crochet 2 stitches together

blo- make next stitch in back loop only

sl st- slip stitch

ch- chain

Mary and Joseph  

Both of these basic characters are made the same, but have different colors and accessories.  The bodies are crocheted in the color you choose for the clothes with a change in color for the head.  Arms are made to match the body.

 Make 6 sc in a magic ring.

Make 2 sc in each stitch.  (12)

*Sc 1, inc*.  (18)

*Sc 2, inc*  (24)

*Sc 3, inc* (30)

*Sc 4, inc* (36)

*Sc 5, inc* (42)

Sc in BLO of each stitch

9-11 Sc in each stitch

12.  *Sc in 5, dec*  (36)

13.  Sc in each stitch

14.  *Sc in 4, dec*  (30)

15.  Sc in each stitch

16.  *Sc in 3, dec*  (24)

17-22.  Sc in each stitch.

23.  *Sc in 2, dec*  (18)  Place 3 inch diameter circles of plastic canvas into bottom of figure to keep bottom flat. (I used 2 circles in each one.) 

24.  *Sc in 1, dec*  (12)

25.  Change to flesh colored yarn.  Sc in each stitch. (12)

26.  Make inc in each stitch.  (24)

27.  *Sc 3, inc*  (30)

28.  Sc in each stitch

29.  *Sc 3, dec* (24

30-32  Sc in each stitch

33. *Sc in 2, dec*  (18)

34. *Sc in 1, dec*  (12)  Stuff firmly.

35,  Dec. till closed.  Fasten off and weave in ends.

For the eyes, either place safety eyes before stuffing and closing or place dots of puff paint.

Joseph’s Headcover

 In a magic ring make a chain 3 and 12 dc.  Join with a sl st.

Ch. 3, dc in same stitch as chain,  *dc, inc, dc*  dc in same stitch as chain,   sl st in top of ch 3.  (20 dc +1 ch 3)

Ch 3, dc in each stitch.  (20 dc +1 ch3)

Work in rows now.  Ch 3, dc in same st as ch 3, dc in 9, inc in next st.  Turn.

Ch 3, dc in same st., dc in 10, inc in next st.  Turn.

Ch 3, dc in same st., dc in 12, inc in next st.

Continue around head piece to make edge.  sc up side of cover, sc in each dc across front  (10 sc), sc 6 down other side., sc 15 across bottom.  Fasten off and weave in ends.

For Mary’s head cover, repeat as for Joseph but add 1 additional row of sc.

For Joseph’s headband, ch 40, fasten off.  Weave through head covering stitches as shown in pic.

Arms  Make 2 for each figure

Using yarn to match clothes, 

 Make 6 sc in a magic ring.

Inc. each st.  (12)

3-5.  Sc in each st. (12)

6.  *Sc 2, dec.*  (9)

7-10.  Sc in ea st.  (9)  Stuff lightly.

11  Sc open edge of arm together with 4 sc.  Fasten off leaving a long tail to sew arm to body.

Joseph’s scarf

 Ch 6, sc in 2nd. ch from hook and next 4 chains.  (5)  Ch 1, turn.

Sc in each st., ch1, turn.

Repeat row 2 until you have the length you want, making color changes as desired for stripes.  Fasten off and weave in ends.

Joseph’s belt

Make a chain as long as you want the belt to be and tie it around his waist.

Mary’s shawl

 Ch 31, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch.  (30)  Ch 1, turn.

Sc in each stitch, ch 1, turn.

Repeat for a total of 9 rows.  Fasten off and weave in ends.

Check back next week for the Baby Jesus and manger pattern.  See you then!

Blessings!

Reny

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Week 6, Cute Little Monsters Christmas Ornament Crochet-a-long

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 What better way to decorate a Whimsy Tree than with cute little monsters with silly grins and crazy hair. 

In case you missed the beginning of this Crochet-a-long, check out this post for more info.
https://renysplace.blogspot.com/2018/06/christmas-crochet-long-new-ornament.html

This was my very first crochet pattern design and it was so well received that I have decided to offer it again to my readers!

    I absolutely adore bright colors and funny expressions. At our house we call it the 'cuteness factor'.  It is what I strive to achieve in all my varmint creations.  At times this means making several tries before it meets the requirements.  But the satisfaction of finally getting it right is so worth it!

   These little monsters are about 3 inches tall and are just the right size for little hands to carry around.  And I wish I could describe to you the delight we see in every child who has received one of these.  Big smiles, audible giggles as they toss them up in the air or hug them close to their little chests.    The wonder is that such a simple little monster could elicit all that.

    So I invite you to  enjoy this free crochet pattern.  I suggest you make several for adorable Christmas gifts.  And keep some extra's around for little visitors.  I try to do this and it is such a great help to parents when their child has something special to play with during the visit.  And then I send it home with them!

    All you need to make this free crochet pattern are some bits of leftover yarn, stuffing and some felt for the eyes.  Be sure to stitch eyes, arms and legs securely if you plan to give one of these to a baby.

   Once you have completed one, it's hard not to make more.  And the more you make, the more delighted your littles will be!

                                 Giggle Monster Pattern

Materials:

Worsted weight yarn

G crochet hook

fiberfill for stuffing

felt for eyes (or may use safety eyes if you like)

needle and thread to sew on eyes

yarn needle for weaving in ends

   This pattern is worked in rounds and I used a running stitch marker to keep track.  An understanding of basic stitches and general crochet terms is helpful.

    If you are not familiar with how to make a magic ring, this is a great tutorial to explain it.

  http://www.instructables.com/id/Crochet-Magic-Ring-Adjustable-Ring/

Rnd 1:  In a magic ring make 6 sc.

       2:  Make 2 sc in each st.  (12 sc)

       3: *Sc in next st., 2sc in next st.* Repeat to end of rnd.  (18 sc)

       4:*Sc in next 2 sts., 2 sc in next st.*  Repeat to end of rnd. (24 sc)

       5 *Sc in next 3 sts., 2 sc in next st.* Repeat to end of rnd.  (30 sc)

       6:*Sc in next 4 sts. 2 sc in next st.* Repeat to end of rnd.  (36 sc)

      Rounds 7 through 11, Sc in each stitch around.

Rnd 12: *Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog*  Repeat to end of rnd.  (30 sc)

       13 and 14  Sc in each stitch around..

       15: *Sc in next 3 sts.,  sc2tog*   Repeat to end of rnd.  (24 sc)

       16 and 17  Sc in each stitch around.

       18: *Sc in next 2 sts., sc2tog*  Repeat to end of rnd. (18 sc)

        19: Sc in each stitch around.

        20: *Sc in next stitch, sc2tog*  Repeat to end of rnd. (12 sc)

        Stuff your ‘Giggle’ and then sc2tog around until opening is closed. 

        Fasten off and  weave in the yarn end.

   To make the arms and legs visit this website for a great pictorial tutorial. 

 http://www.fiberfluxblog.com/2012/07/how-to-crochet-curlicue_31.html

   Attach your finished curlicues to the sides and bottoms of your ‘Giggle’ for arms and legs.

   Now, let your creative juices flow as you envision and create unique facial expressions.  I used felt shapes for the eyes and stitched them securely onto the ‘Giggle’.  If you decide to use safety eyes, attach them before you stuff and finish off your ‘Giggle’.  I used yarn to embroider on the mouth.  You can make the face as simple or as detailed as you like.

   For the hair I attached strands of yarn as if attaching fringe.  This tutorial does a great job of showing how to do this.

http://rescuedpawdesigns.com/2014/07/10/how-to-add-fringe-to-crochet-projects/#_a5y_p=4486753                            

     So there you  have it!  Happy little monsters that are sure to make you smile!

Blessings!

Reny

Babies, Babies, Babies!!!

Babies are such adorable little humans!  Such tiny little beings that just captivate nearly everyone in their immediate environment and cause even the most reserved and proper adult to revert to extreme silliness and gyrations trying to get that cute little baby grin response!

Every few years we seem to get  another one of those cute little critters welcomed into our family.    Since we have several grown up grand-children now, it's always possible that we could have another baby to love and adore!

In preparation for this anticipated event I have been looking at a lot of baby items on Pinterest.   And of course, anything that I make has to be totally cute and colorful!  One of my favorite things to do is to get me some inspiration and then add my own special style in the way of features and colors to the crochet project.

Last week I worked on a couple of teething rings and this week I made a nursing necklace.  I know that most crocheting grandma's like to make booties and blankets, but I'm so much more into different and fun things.

This is the first teething ring I made.    I borrowed the idea from this Pinterest pin 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/175992297922792125/

and then added some cute little eyes and a rattle inside the head.

He turned out so cute that I decided he needed a companion.   So I whipped up this lovely little lady!

And then I ddesigned this  'Little Monster' Nursing Necklace.

The little monster is a Yarn Varmints original character which I  affectionally refer to as a 'giggle' because they just make you want to giggle each time you look at them.  I crocheted him in miniature just for this project.  He is so cute that I think more miniatures are going to be cropping up in the future.

So, who knows what my next project will be.  I have so many ideas that I want to try!  Be sure to check back in often to see whats up at Yarn Varmints.  And if you see something here that you like, you can most likely find it in my Etsy store.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/YarnVarmintsPlus.  

Oh, and I love doing custom items, so contact me if you want a special color or style.  

Have a great and crafty day!

Blessings!

Reny

For the Love of Cats....

I know, I know!  I've been missing in action for a few weeks.  Truth is, I've been pretty busy and my crochet hook has been hot with activity.  I have crocheted 2 shawls, 2 pair of wrist warmers and twisted headbands and 1 adorable fat cat for a wonderful cat-loving friend.

I don't have pics of all these things, but I do have a pic of the cat for you.  While I did not actually use a pattern, I did get inspiration from this awesome Etsy shop.  Her cats are definitely
the cutest I've ever seen and this one doesn't come close to capturing the cuteness factor of hers, but I do think that he is kinda cute anyway.

I hope my friend will like him.

Seeing Stripes...

Making a crochet zebra look authentic is quite a challenge.  Lucky for me that my characters are not supposed to look authentic!  They just need to look cute and be easily identified as the animal they are meant to represent.   The fun thing about 'Giggles' is that they are intended to look goofy, silly, colorful and happy.  I invite anyone making these little critters to let your imagination run wild and make something unique!

While I intended the arms to be striped, they turned out to look more checkered.  Interesting.  I did single rows of single crochet on the arms and used 2 rows together on the stripes of the body.  I must remember this in the future.  That checkered effect may come in handy on a different project some day.

I love the googly eyes on this one!  He's a bit cross-eyed on purpose.  It just adds to the 'giggle' factor.

However, I'm just not quite satisfied with him.  Let's see if I can make him look better.  I'll shorten the ears and change the arms.

                    Hmmm,  still not exactly what I want.  Think, think, think!    Oh, I know!

There's just nothing like a big toothy grin to elicit a giggle from even the most somber being.  Leave a comment and let me know which one you like the best!

The pattern for this guy can be found here at Ravelry or at Craftsy.com

A Mischievous Menagerie...

     The invasion of zoo animals continues!  My goal is to design a new amigurumi pattern each week.  Is that too lofty?  Perhaps, but I think I'll still give it a try.

     The stripes on this little guy make him quite handsome!   I hope his friends don't tease him too much for looking a bit like a bumble bee.  ;-)    He looks so cute and innocent, but I do believe he has a mischievous streak.  And I know some of his friends are little pranksters!  I hear strange noises in the night and I suspect this gang may be responsible.

     I'm not sure I trust that Lion and Elephant to behave themselves.  Things may get interesting around here!

Here's a Happy Little Hippo for you!

In keeping with my crocheted 'Giggles' characters, this week I have created the cutest little hippo!
The ears and nose were a little tricky and required a couple of redos, but I am satisfied with the end result.  I really love the color combination on this one!  The pattern can be found here at Ravelry and on Craftsy by searching Hippo 'Giggles' Amigurumi.   So, I now have 3 jungle animal 'giggle' patterns published.  What should I design next?

Spring headbands anyone?

This week I got a request for some spring headbands for little (and big) girls.  I really haven't made many headbands, so it's a new project for me.  Here's what I have come up with so far.  I'm still thinking on the 'big girl' headbands.  There are lots of patterns out there to choose from, but I would love to come up with something original.  I'm thinking of something boho/hippie style.  We'll see if my boho mojo kicks in.

Flowers and butterflies.  

Love the sweet little rose on this one.

This one is my favorite so far.  Love the
adorable little daisies.  This one is for
my sweet great-granddaughter, Maddie.

Giggles!

    While working from patterns is very rewarding, there is also great satisfaction in working up my own designs.  I love making cute, whimsical little creatures that bring a smile to faces.  ‘Giggles’ is one of those creations, and I offer this free pattern to all my fellow crocheters.  This little creature is pretty simple and works up fairly quickly.    I think these would make an adorable addition to an Easter basket or any festive occasion.  I may decorate my tree with them this next Christmas.

Materials:

Worsted weight yarn

G crochet hook

fiberfill for stuffing

felt for eyes (or may use safety eyes if you like)

needle and thread to sew on eyes

yarn needle for weaving in ends

This pattern is worked in rounds and I used a running stitch marker to keep track.  An understanding of basic stitches and general crochet terms is helpful.

   If you are not familiar with how to make a magic ring, here is a great tutorial to explain it.

Rnd 1:  In a magic ring make 6 sc.

       2:  Make 2 sc in each st.  (12 sc)

       3: *Sc in next st., 2sc in next st.* Repeat to end of rnd.  (18 sc)

       4:*Sc in next 2 sts., 2 sc in next st.*  Repeat to end of rnd. (24 sc)

       5 *Sc in next 3 sts., 2 sc in next st.* Repeat to end of rnd.  (30 sc)

       6:*Sc in next 4 sts. 2 sc in next st.* Repeat to end of rnd.  (36 sc)

      Rounds 7 through 11, Sc in each stitch around.

Rnd 12: *Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog*  Repeat to end of rnd.  (30 sc)

       13 and 14  Sc in each stitch around.

       15: *Sc in next 3 sts.,  sc2tog*   Repeat to end of rnd.  (24 sc)

       16 and 17  Sc in each stitch around.

       18: *Sc in next 2 sts., sc2tog*  Repeat to end of rnd. (18 sc)

        19: Sc in each stitch around.

        20: *Sc in next stitch, sc2tog*  Repeat to end of rnd. (12 sc)

        Stuff your ‘Giggle’ and then sc2tog around until opening is closed. 

        Fasten off and  weave in the yarn end.

To make the arms and legs visit this website  for a great pictorial tutorial. 

Attach your finished curlicues to the sides and bottoms of your ‘Giggle’ for arms and legs.

Now, let your creative juices flow as you envision and create unique facial expressions.  I used felt shapes for the eyes and stitched them securely onto the ‘Giggle’.  If you decide to use safety eyes, attach them before you stuff and finish off your ‘Giggle’.  I used yarn to embroider on the mouth.  You can make the face as simple or as detailed as you like. 

Tip: I have found it easier to sew on the face before stuffing the 'giggle'.

For the hair I attached strands of yarn as if attaching fringe.  This tutorial does a great job of showing how to do this.

I hope you enjoy making these as much as I did!  I would love to see pics of your ‘Giggles’ in the comments below.

                                                                                    Blessings!

                                                                                       Reny

Poetry

I've been writing poetry since I was in grade school. Just a little hobby of mine that only a few close friends and family knew about. Here are a couple of poems I wrote in recent years for my children. I have four fabulous sons and one beautiful daughter.

My Son
My son, what will your life be like,
What will your future be?
What untold joys and sorrows wait,
What wonders will you see?

Have I prepared you well enough
To deal with what's ahead?
Have I imparted courage
That will chase away all dread?

Will you be strong in troubled times,
Yet tender in your heart?
When others look to you for help,
Son, will you do your part?

When temptations beckon you
Will honor be your creed?
Will you give up your own desires
To fill another's need?

Will you look at your children
As a blessing from above?
And be to them what they need most,
A father full of love?

I pray your life be kissed by God,
No matter what may come,
And that He'll be your strength and shield
When all is said and done.

I know that seeds of greatness
Have been planted deep in you,
And what the Lord has promised
Is the thing that He will do.

So listen closely for His voice,
And do not fail to hear.
A whispered prayer will move His hand,
For He is always near.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

My Daughter
I remember well the day you arrived,
A tiny, pink bundle of love.
No doubt in my mind as I looked in your face
That you were a gift from above.

You fit in my arms so perfectly then.
You still fit there perfectly now.
I'll cherish and treasure each loving embrace
As long as our Lord will allow.

In watching you grow, and watching you bloom,
I know just what I am to do.
By God's grace and love, for the brief time you're mine,
I'll plant seeds of Jesus in you.

I know that one day you'll be leaving this nest
And the shelter of this 'mother hen'.
God, give me the grace to allow you to fly
As I offer you back to Him.

(Thank you, Jesus, for my wonderful children!)