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

Happy Crafty New Year.....

     It has been a great holiday season!  Lots of time with family and friends, good food and a general feeling of joy and peace!

      But it's a new year with new ideas and creativity.   I wish I could find more time to work on my crochet projects!  Yes, I am retired from my job, but I have so many things I would like to make!  My Pinterest boards are full of potential projects!  Where to begin?  

     My latest original YarnVarmint creation is pretty cute.

This pair of mischievous raccoons took a while to  design.  I ended up changing several of the features and still think I like the eyes on the left one better than the right.  But overall, they turned out pretty good.  They are both made using the same pattern with just a few minor variations.    

     I like that they are not overly big, but just a good size for little hands to hang on to.  Of course they could be smaller just by using a smaller size crochet hook.  This pair were crocheted with a #4 or G hook.  In a sitting position they are about 8 inches tall.

     If you would like to check out my original patterns, visit my Etsy store at: 
           https://www.etsy.com/shop/YarnVarmintsPlus

     Also, check out my Facebook page at:
        https://www.facebook.com/Renycrochets/

     Right now I am working on a couple of projects, one that has been in progress for several months, a kimono for my grand-daughter. It is crocheted in Cleo cotton yarn and has a gorgeous diamond pattern worked into the fabric.  It will be one of the finest garments I have made yet.  The cleo yarn has such a beautiful drape and sheen to it!  I will try to post a pic when it is finished.

 The other is this cute stuffed Pikachu for another grand-daughter. He was a bit of a challenge, even though the pattern is easy to follow.  I have made a couple more of them since this one, and they do get easier and better with each one.  I must say, though, that the tail is quite unique.  It has an armature of plastic canvas to help it keep it's shape.

 Since I have 9 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren you can understand why those Pinterest pins will have to wait.  

     All in all, I don't see myself running out of projects any time soon.  But that's OK with me.  I love blessing these kids!  It's my function!

     So I hope your new year will be filled with fun projects and lots of love.  Have a Happy, Crafty New Year!

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

Gorilla, Gorilla.....

Whew!  This guy really gave me a challenge.  The challenge was to keep him simple enough to be easily done and detailed enough to make him resemble a gorilla.  I repeated the pattern in full twice to be sure my pattern was correct, and repeated different parts of the gorilla several times before I was satisfied with the result.  The giggle criteria was finally met.  He has all the whimsy of my original 'Giggles' and the features of the wild that we expect in a jungle animal.  And with his silly grin, we couldn't help but smile.  'We' refers to my hubby (Mr. Loving) and I.  Mr. Loving is my main 'Giggle' critic and advisor.  His specialty is the 'cuteness factor', and no Giggle pattern get's published without his final approval.  He also helps with the pictures, as photography is not my gift.   Oh, and did I say he is also my main admirer?! Thanks, Loving, for your help and encouragement.   I don't know what I would do without you!

Wacky, Lovable Lion 'Giggle'

Another silly little 'Giggle' has emerged from my hook this weekend.  He is wacky and lovable and was re-done several times before I was satisfied with him.  Every amigurumi teaches me new things.  This guy taught me several things and almost made me give up!  Putting on the mane was quite a challenge.  I actually removed every strand at one point and started over.  There were also several re-dos on the facial features.  Finally he made me smile, and I knew he was done.   All my 'Giggles' must meet smile or giggle criteria!

So....What do you think?  And what should I attempt next?

This pattern can be found on Craftsy and Ravelry.  Check out my patterns there and leave me some feedback!

Blessings!

Reny

Eli the Goofy Goat

I'm not sure what it is about goats, but I love them.    My friend at Grimm Acres has some of the cutest ones!  Visit her website to see some pictures of her goats and other awesome livestock!

Eli is a bit on the goofy side, but I think he is quite adorable.   I especially love the little bit of wool roving I used for his goatee.    I think it adds an aura of 'wisdom' to counter-balance the goofiness.

You can find the pattern for 'Eli' on Ravelry.