Showing posts with label easter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label easter. Show all posts

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Free Crochet Pattern for Felted Funky Owl Toy

Free Crochet Pattern for Felted Funky Owl Toy

My sons’ birthday is fast approaching and owls make him happy so I sat down and made him a little owl today. It took about 5 hrs total but wasn’t any harder than making a hat.

I used worsted weight wool and a sz J crochet hook. The colors are up to you but I have used a light brown, a dark brown, turquoise, black, and a tiny bit of yellow. If you doubled the yarn and used a bigger hook you could make this a pillow or a cute novelty purse. My finished owl is about 7.5″ tall.

Start at the base of the owl and work up in one body piece then do the eyes and nose separately then sew them on after felting. The buttons in the eyes are not recommended for small kids obviously.

Owl Body

With your dark brown color Ch 4 and sl st to form a ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 3 And do 13 dc stitches in the ring and around your yarn tail. Sl st to connect and you should have a little circle. Pull the yarn tail tight to avoid a hole.

Rnd 2: Ch 3. Make 2dc st in each st around, connect with a sl st to where you started.

Rnd 3: Ch 3. 1dc in first st (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next st) continue in this pattern to starting point and connect with sl st.

Rnd 4: Ch 3. 1 dc in next stitch (1 dc in next 2 st and 2 dc in the next st) repeat around circle and connect with sl st.

Rnd 5: Ch 3. Sc in each st around. Join with sl st to connect. You should have about 48 stitches now.

Rnd 6: Ch 3. dc in next 17 st. Join light brown and dc next 12 st. Carry dark brown over very loosely and dc in last 18 st. Do not join you will now be working in rows.

Row 7: Ch 3. Turn and dc in next 17 st. Change to light brown, 2dc in next st. 1 dc in each st to last light brown st 2 dc in last light brown st. Change to dark brown and dc in next 18 st.

Row 8-10: Repeat row 7.

Row 11 and 12: Repeat, but decrease instead of increase with dc 2 tog. technique.

Row 13: Ch 3. (Dc in next 4 st then dc 5th and 6th st tog.) Repeat to end.

Round 14: Ch 3. (Dc in next 3 st then dc 4th and 5th st tog.) Repeat to end. Join with sl st to work in rounds again for the head.

Round 15: Ch 3. 1 dc in next 2 st (2dc in next st, 1 dc in next 3 st) repeat around cir and join with sl st.

Round 16: Ch 3. 1 dc in next 3 st (2dc in next st, 1 dc in next 4 st) repeat around cir and join with sl st.

Round 17: Ch 3. 1 dc in next 4 st (2dc in next st, 1 dc in next 5 st) repeat around cir and join with sl st.

Round 18-20: Ch 3. 1 dc in ea. st around. Join with sl st.

Round 21: Ch 3. 1 dc in next 2 st. Decrease every 4th st by dc 2 tog. around and join w sl st. You should have about 40 st total.

Rnd 22: Ch 1. Sc in next 5 st. (Hdc in 7th st. Dc in 8th st. Htc in 9th st. Trc in 10th st. Htc, dc, hdc), sc until the 17th st and repeat pattern. Then sc to end and join with sl st. The bumps are the owls ears and they should be over the 10th and 30th st. Let me know if this is confusing.

Turn inside out and sew or sl st the top of head seam.

Eyes (make 2)

Repeat round one and two of owl body but sc instead of double crochet. Round 3, sc in ea st around with dark brown. Weave in loose ends.

Nose

Ch 6+3 for turning ch. Dc 6 st together. Sew side to form a triangle shape.

Finishing

Put all 4 pieces in a lingerie bag then do your laundry in hot water with detergent. When the buzzer goes off shape all the pieces and assemble. After the eyes and nose are on stuff the owl with poly-fill and then sew the back seam closed.

I can’t wait for my son to unwrap this on his birthday!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Free Pattern for Easy Crocheted Adult Mary Jane or Ballet Style Felted Slippers


I am a busy mom who crafts for cash so I don’t have time for tedious craft projects. I like to finish a craft in one evening or one naptime without a lot of stress. We can discuss my generations need for instant gratification some other time. The rest of my life is frantic, I craft to relax. I couldn’t find a pattern for slippers that weren’t a) ugly or b) mind-blowingly complicated. This afternoon I sat down and made this pair of slippers in about two hours not including the time it’s taking my washing machine to felt (shrink) ‘em.

All you need is one skein of Lamb’s Pride worsted wool, and a sz J crochet hook. I used Rosy Velvet for the color because it’s my new favorite.

All you need to know is how to sl st and dc which anyone can do with one YouTube video studying session.

Slipper (make two if you have two feet.)

Ch 4 sl st in first ch to form a ring or loop. Ch 3.

Rnd 1: Double crochet in ring and around yarn tail 11 times. Join with sl st to where you started and you should have a circle. Pull yarn tail tight to close ring or your toes might pop out!

Rnd 2: Ch 3, (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next st.) Repeat pattern until you are back to the starting point and join with a sl st.

Rnd 3: The same as round 2

Rnd 4-8: Ch 3. Dc in each st around. Join with sl st.

Rnd 9: Ch 3. Do 19 dc for 20 st total.

Rnd 10: Ch 3. Turn work and dc across 19 st. ch 7. Sl st at the opposite side to form strap.

Rnd 11: Chain 3. Turn and work across ch and all other st. You should have a strap now. Sl st to join.

Rnd 12: Ch 3. Turn and work 19 dc st across.

Rnd 13-19: Repeat rnd. 12. I made these to fit my sz 10 feet. If yours are smaller just skip a row or two here.

Fold your heel area in half now and sl st the heel seam or sew it loosely. Weave in all loose ends.

Finishing

After you’ve woven in any loose yarn it’s laundry time. Throw these in with any clothes you don’t mind getting fuzzy and wash in hot water with detergent. Pull them out soon after the buzzer goes off and pull and stretch them into slipper shape. If they’re still too big you can felt them twice. Let dry overnight. Decorate them with ribbon, embroidery, buttons, sequins, etc.

Send me photos if you make these. If you like them they’re also for sale on my Etsy page.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/shannondzikas?ref=si_shop

I’m on Facebook too! Like ShannonDzikasArtYarnVintage



Monday, February 28, 2011

Free Pattern For Easy Felted Crochet Spring Flower Garland Scarf Decoration

Free Pattern For Easy Felted Crochet Spring Flower Garland Scarf Decoration

This is one of my favorite projects to make and they sell quickly on my Etsy site. It is an ideal project for beginners because mistakes are almost undetectable after felting. After you’ve done this once it opens the creative doors to use different flower or leaf combos. The color combinations are limitless so you can use what you have on hand. The yarn you use just has to be 100% wool.

The example in the photos was made with Lamb’s Pride Worsted in Forest Shadows and Rosy Velvet. You will also need 5 cool buttons or beads, and size J or K crochet hooks.

The flowers and “vine” are made separately and sewn together after felting.

Make 5 flowers. I like to have two medium ones and three small ones.

Ch 5:sl st in first ch to form a ring.

Small rose
Rnd 1:Ch 2 do 14 sc in ring and around yarn tail; join with sl st.

Medium rose
Rnd 1:Ch 3 do 14 dc in ring and around yarn tail; join with sl st.

For both sizes
Rnd 2: Ch 3, skip two st sl st in third st from ch. Repeat to form five loops which will be the flower petals. Join with sl st in first ch of first loop.

Rnd 3: (sc, 2 dc, trc, 2 dc, sc) around existing loops. Repeat four more times. Sl st to join and form knot then weave in loose ends.

Make Vine

Small leaf

Ch 4 sl st in 3rd ch from hook to form picot. Repeat two more times (3 picots). Pivot to work in “free loops” on opposite side of ch. Sl st in 1st free loop of ch, sl st picot, dc in second free loop, sl st picot, sl st in first loop of chain.

Medium leaf

Ch 4 sl st in 3rd ch from hook to form picot. Repeat three more times (4 picots). Pivot to work in “free loops” on opposite side of ch. Sl st in 1st free loop of ch, sl st picot, dc in second free loop, sl st picot, dc in free loop, sl st picot, sl st in first loop of chain.

Large leaf

Ch 4 sl st in 3rd ch from hook to form picot. Repeat three more times (4 picots). Pivot to work in “free loops” on opposite side of ch. Sl st in 1st free loop of ch, sl st picot, dc in second free loop, sl st picot, trc in free loop, sl st picot, dc in free loop, sl st picot, sl st in first loop of chain.

Vine

Start by making a (large leaf, ch 8, make medium leaf, ch 12, make large leaf, ch 6, make one large and one small leaf, ch 10 make one large leaf.) Repeat until it reaches about 90″ because it will be shorter after felting.

Finishing

Weave in all loose ends. Put your flowers and vine in a mesh lingerie bag thing or tie them loosely in an old tee shirt to keep fuzz off your other clothes. Do your laundry with detergent on the hot water cycle and remove soon after the buzzer goes off. Stretch and pull your flowers and leaves into recognizable shapes and let dry. I like to press the flowers under something heavy. Sew your flowers onto your vine in a random way, use coordinating thread (duh!) Sew your buttons or beads into the centers.

You can wear your garland like a lariat, a cowl, etc. When you aren’t wearing it it looks great draped above a window or mantle.

Send me photos if you make this. Thanks.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/shannondzikas?ref=si_shop

and Facebook page: shannondzikasartyarnvintage

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