Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Footballs Recipe

February 3, 2013 by ·

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Footballs Recipe

My husband and I are getting into the big game this year with chocolate covered peanut butter footballs. Truth be told, my dad is the only real football fan in the family. Yet we all come together to celebrate the championship game and to be entertained by the year’s best commercials.

chocolate covered peanut butter footballs

Video Alert: We created a short how-to video for these chocolate covered peanut butter footballs. See the embedded video below.

As I mention in the video, creating footballs is rather time consuming, so I’ll be bringing a mix of plain peanut butter balls and chocolate covered footballs. In the picture above you can see the peanut butter balls in the mason jars cozied with footballs!

Here are some links to these treats:

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls Video

We created a video on Google Plus in a Hangout On Air. We had fun with our guest panel. They recommended that bacon be added as a secret ingredient to these peanut butter treats. See what my husband thinks of the idea!

Watch the how-to video on YouTube.

Enjoy these treats…and may the best team win!

Filed Under: Recipe · Tagged With: , , ,

Cozy for Chinese New Year!

February 1, 2013 by ·

Twins in ChinaHappy Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year! This festive holiday has a special place in our hearts because Yarnovator, Deborah, lived in China for five years.

Deborah was a 5th grade teacher at an international school in Kunming, China. While there she enjoyed her first hand experiences of Chinese New Years well wishes, gift giving, loud celebrations with fire crackers, beautiful displays of flowers and fancy red and gold signs and lanterns.

Though not Chinese New Year, we are pictured right at the Dragons Gate. We are touching the top of the gate for luck. Deborah is on the left and I, Dana, am on the right.

Chinese New Years follows the lunar calendar so the date changes each year. In 2013, Chinese New Year is February 10. This is the year of the snake.

Chinese New Year – Plum Blossom Cozy

The plum blossom is a beautiful flower from the Chinese plum tree. It is in bloom during the Chinese New Year. That was our inspiration for our jar cozy. Below is the pattern for the jar cozy on the left crocheted in White with Soft Pink blossoms.

Chinese New Year

This is another great stash buster. The cozies are crocheted using Vanna’s Choice. Vanna’s color selection is great. The white cozy looks simple yet beautiful. The red cozy captures the vibrant colors found at Chinese New Year’s decorations.

Chinese Cozy Supplies:

  • Vanna’s Choice Yarn:
    WHITE, CHOCOLATE, RASPBERRY, SOFT PINK
    Chinese Option: Cranberry, Mustard, Taupe, Raspberry Soft Pink
    Straight Flower Option: Silver Blue, White, Raspberry, Aqua, Radiant Yellow, Radiant Orange, Eggplant
  • Crochet Hook: H, D
  • Yarn Needle for Sewing
  • Pint Size Mason Jar

NEW YEARS COZY INSTRUCTIONS:

white cozy and fortunesJar Cozy Instructions :

White

Hook: H

Ch 34, join with a sl st.

Rnd 1-12: Sc around. (34)

Join with a sl st. Cut yarn; weave in end.

Plum Blossom Flower Instructions:
(make 3)

Raspberry

Hook: D

Ch 2

Rnd 1: 5 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (5)

Join and change color to Soft Pink with a sl st.

Rnd 2: *Ch 2, 2 dc in same st, ch 2, sl st into same st. Sl st into next st* 5 times.

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing, weave in all other ends.

cozies and cookies flatBranch Instructions:

Chocolate

Hook: D

Ch 14

Row 1: Sl st in 2nd ch from hook. 4 sl st. Ch 9, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 3 sl st. Ch 10, sl st in 2nd ch from hook. Working back to start of ch, 14 sl st, 5 sc, 3 hdc.

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing, weave in all other ends.

Assembly Instructions:

  1. Pin then sew branch to cozy.
  2. Sew plum blossoms to cozy. Sew down the middle of the flower to get a nice 3D effect.
  3. Weave in ends.

Chinese New Year – Fortune Cookie?

making cookies and coziesWe’re mixing our cultures with this jar cozy. The traditional Chinese New Years gift would be a red envelope of money (i.e. $8 for luck…or increments of $8).

But in the USA, when many people think of Chinese good fortune, they think of forutne cookies. So, we’re crocheting some fortune cookies and stuffing them with Chinese New Years wishes.

To further mix our traditions, we’ll put 8 fortune cookies in the mason jar! If you pass these around at the dinner table and there are some left over…that’s a sign of abundance…a good sign for the coming year!

Fortune Cookie Supplies:

  • Vanna’s Choice Yarn:
    BEIGE
  • Crochet Hook: H
  • Printed fortunes (see options below)
  • Yarn Neeedle for Sewing

Crochet Fortune Cookie Instructions:

chinese cozy and cookiesBeige

Hook: H

Ch 2

Rnd 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: Sc inc around. (12)

Rnd 3: *Sc, sc inc* around. (18)

Rnd 4: *2 sc, sc inc* around. (24)

Rnd 5: *3 sc, sc inc* around. (30)

Rnd 6: *4 sc, sc inc* around. (36)

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Fold circle in half and whip stitch a little more than half closed…leave a hole so you can stuff the cookie with a fortune.

Fold the two ends together and whip stitch in the folded position.

crochet fortune cookie

Chinese New Year Wishes:

In addition to wishing friends and family a Happy New Year, below are some additional wishes for luck and prosperity. These make great “fortunes” for the crocheted fortune cookies above. Sayings are from Wikipedia 2/1/2013 and Welch, Patricia Bjaaland, p. 22

“May your wealth [gold and jade] come to fill a hall”
金玉滿堂Jīnyùmǎntáng

“May you realize your ambitions”
大展鴻圖Dàzhǎnhóngtú

“Greet the New Year and encounter happiness”
迎春接福Yíngchúnjiēfú

“May all your wishes be fulfilled”
萬事如意Wànshìrúyì

“May your happiness be without limit”
吉慶有餘Jíqìngyǒuyú

“May a small investment bring ten-thousandfold profits”
一本萬利Yīběnwànlì

“May your happiness and longevity be complete”
福壽雙全Fúshòushuāngquán

“When wealth is acquired, precious objects follow”
招財進寶Zhāocáijìnbǎo

A Glimpse into China

Just for fun, we thought we would share a couple of photos we took while in China. Deborah was an excellent tour guide and showed me several National Wonders of China.

Below left is the Great Wall of China. To the right are life size Terracotta Warriors.

Great Wall of China and Terracotta Warriors

Near Kunming, China is a lovely place called the Stone Forest. This is a beautiful place for hiking with tall pillars of rock and many beautiful formations.

Stone Forest Pair

Wishing you a happy and prosperous Chinese New Year!

More Cozies in Store

coffee cup cozy patterns ebookLove this plum blossom cozy? There are more seasonal, holiday and just for fun cozies in the store in our Crochet Cup Cozy eBook. We’ve created an entire collection with 28 designs one ebook.

Looking for the cup and mug version? They’re in the ebook.

Each design in the ebook has instructions to fit Mugs, Cups and Mason Jars. Every design has a delicious recipe or fun craft.

All 3 plum blossoms pictured at the beginning of this post are in this ebook! AND the ebook includes 4 new designs – Dracula, Vampire, Mummy and Blue Jeans.

Available in the StoreRead more about the set:

Blog: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection

Store: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection

Filed Under: Cozy, Crochet, Cup Cozies, Flowers, Great as Gifts, Mason Jar Series, New Years, Patterns for FREE · Tagged With: , , , , ,

Superbowl Snack Football Cookies Recipe

January 27, 2013 by ·

Superbowl Snack – Football Cookies

Need a Superbowl Snack? Football cookies are the perfect treat for the big game! These chocolate chocolate chip cookies are dunked in chocolate and accented with white chocolate threads. They are a chocoholics delight.

superbowl snack football cookies

This is the same recipe as the Valentine’s cookies, but without the peppermint. And the shape is different, too…obviously. I suppose you could add some hearts to the cookie platter to let everyone know you heart football! =)

If you like peppermint, I highly recommend that you follow the directions for the Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Recipe and Heart Cozy we blogged about for Valentine’s day. But if you don’t like peppermint…like my husband…than the following version of the recipe is for you.

Football Cookie Recipe

football doughIngredients and Supplies:

  • 1 ¼ cup flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 Tablespoons butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 Wilton Football Cookie Cutter
  • 8 oz. melting chocolate – chocolate
  • 2 oz. melting chocolate – white

superbowl snack football cookiesDirections:

  1. Wisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  2. In electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and egg together.
  3. Add flour mixture and beat until well blended.
  4. Add mini chocolate chips and mix until well blended. Dough will be crumbly.
  5. Kneed dough on counter top. Roll out dough to about 1/8” thickness. Cut out cookie shapes. If shapes stick to counter, lift with a spatula. Lay on cookie sheet (separate with wax paper if needed) and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  6. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
  7. Melt 8 oz. chocolate in microwave at 30 second increments until it can be stirred smooth. Do not over cook.
  8. Dunk the cookie into chocolate and remove and strain with fork. Lay on wax paper to dry and harden.
  9. Melt white chocolate in microwave at 30 second increments until it can be stirred smooth. Do not over cook.
  10. Pour white chocolate into disposable pastry bag or use one corner of a sandwich bag. Twist to seal white chocolate in corner. Snip a tiny hole in the corner of the bag. Draw football threads on cookies. Though footballs have 8 threads…we drew only 5. NFL footballs do not have stripes on the end like college and high school balls do.

football ice cream sandwich

Superbowl Snack – Three Variations for Football Cookies

These cookies are soo much fun. And they’re versatile, too. We prepared them three different ways. Pick the one that’s right for your party.

  1. Bake the cookies and only add white chocolate threads.
  2. Dunk the cookies in chocolate after baking and add white chocolate threads.
  3. Create ice cream sandwiches with chocolate ice cream and add white chocolate threads.

eating ice cream sandwichTo my surprise, my sweetheart requested chocolate ice cream in his chocolate chocolate chip cookies! I thought I was the chocoholic in the family!

As you can see…the ice cream sandwiches don’t have the extra dunking of chocolate…but they do have the white threads. After trying it…I have to agree that chocolate ice cream does taste amazing in the center of the cookies!

Superbowl Snack Served With Milk

cookies and milkCookies and milk are a great combo. So we recommend that you serve this superbowl snack with a tall mason jar of milk wrapped in a crocheted football cozy! You are getting into the spirit of the game, right? You need football decorations. You can crochet these and reuse them year after year…all season long!

The crocheted football cozy is a free pattern. You can learn more about it on the Party Mix Recipe and Crochet Football Jar Cozy post we wrote about last fall.

Go team!

Filed Under: Recipe · Tagged With: , , ,

Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Recipe & Heart Cozy

January 18, 2013 by ·

Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Recipe with Valentine Jar Cozy

The heart shaped chocolate peppermint cookie recipe is so delicious…you may need to make a double batch! Wrap the mason jar with this Valentine cup cozy and you’ve got yourself a sweet minty gift!

chocolate peppermint cookie recipe and jar cozy

We used a Linzer cookie cutter  (you know, the cutter that makes jelly filled cookies). Check the seasonal/holiday aisle at your local craft store. Or, if you’re seeing this after Valentine’s Day, you may need to check the cake decorating aisle.

Fortunately or unfortunately, my hubby doesn’t like peppermint. So, this was a happy heart day to me…and my sister…and my parents…and my neighbors. Everyone else seems to like peppermint.

Let’s start with the cookie recipe. It needs to bake and cool and stuff.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Recipe

frosted cookiesThis chocolate peppermint cookie recipe makes crisy and crunchy cookies. They don’t raise too much in the baking which allows them to keep their shape. I found that the cookies with shapes cut out of the center hold their heart shape better than the ones that are solid hearts.

And if you do cut out a heart shape from the middle…you can bake those mini hearts for bite size minty treats!

INGREDIENTS & SUPPLIES:

Peppermint Chocolate Coookie:

  • 1 ¼ cup flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 Tablespoons butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ¾ teaspoons peppermint extract
  • 1 Wilton Linzer Cookie Cutter

Mint Chocolate for Dipping

  • 12 oz. chocolate – white or chocolate flavor
  • 3/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • Wax paper

cookie doughDIRECTIONS:

  1. Wisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  2. In electric mixer, beat butter, egg, sugar and ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract together.
  3. Add flour mixture and beat until well blended. Dough will be crumbly.
  4. Kneed dough on counter top. Roll out dough to about 1/8” thickness. Cut out cookie shapes. If shapes stick to counter, lift with a spatula. Lay on cookie sheet (separate with wax paper if needed) and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  5. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
  6. Melt chocolate in microwave at 30 second increments until it can be stirred smooth. Do not over cook.
  7. Stir in 3/8 teaspoon peppermint extract.
  8. Dip one side of the cookie into chocolate. Lay on wax paper to dry and harden.
  9. Store in mason jars!

Double Heart Cozy for Jar of Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Crochet your special Valentine a whimsical jar cozy. This fits a Starbucks coffee cup, too, so he (or she) will be able to carry your love with him (or her) on the go!

Valentine Heart CozyThe double heart cozy is quite simple and whips up in a jiffy. It’s designed to fit a pint size mason jar…which is the perfect size for storing chocolate peppermint cookies! Yum.

Stash buster! This is a great project to make with your remnants. We are using Vanna’s Choice. This line has a lot of great complimentary colors from which to choose.

Skill Level: Easy

Stitches Used: chain, single crochet

Techniques Used: increase, crochet in the round

Materials:

  • Vanna’s Choice Medium Worsted (4)
    CRANBERRY, RASPBERRY
  • Crochet Hook: H and F
  • Mason Jar

COZY INSTRUCTIONS:

Cranberry

Hook: H

Ch 34, join with a sl st.

Rnd 1-10: Sc around. (34)

Join with a sl st. Cut yarn; weave in end.

PAIRED HEARTS INSTRUCTIONS:

Raspberry

Hook: F

Ch 7

Row 1:Sc in 2nd ch from hook. 4 sc, sc inc. (7)

Row 2:Ch 1, turn. Sc inc, sc across. (8)

Row 3:Ch 5, turn. Sc in 2nd ch from hook. 3 sc. 3 sl st in Row 2. (7)

Row 4:Turn. Skip sl sts. 3 sc, sl st. (4) (First Heart Made)

Row 5:Ch 8, turn.

Rows 6-9:Repeat Rows 1-4

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Pin then sew hearts to cozy.

More Cozies in Store

coffee cup cozy patterns ebookLove this heart cozy? There are more seasonal, holiday and just for fun cozies in the store in our Crochet Cup Cozy eBook. We’ve created an entire collection with 28 designs one ebook.

Looking for the cup and mug version? They’re in the ebook.

Each design in the ebook has instructions to fit Mugs, Cups and Mason Jars. Every design has a delicious recipe or fun craft.

All 3 hearts pictured at the beginning of this post are in this ebook! AND the ebook includes 4 new designs – Dracula, Vampire, Mummy and Blue Jeans.

Available in the StoreRead more about the set:

Blog: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection

Store: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection

Filed Under: Cozy, Crochet, Cup Cozies, Great as Gifts, Kitchen, Mason Jar Series, Patterns for FREE, Recipe, Valentine's Day · Tagged With: , , , ,

Broomstick Lace Scarf and Cowl Pattern

January 17, 2013 by ·

Broomstick Lace Scarf and Cowl Pattern

Have you tried Broomstick Lace? It is a lot of fun. We’ve incorporated it into this scarf and cowl pattern. Not only does this broomstick lace use two different sizes of knitting needles, it has a repeated motif that includes single crochet and puff stitch.

broomstick lace scarf

This is an adorable scarf and attractive cowl. The design is so fun, you’ll want to make both the cowl and the scarf for yourself!

Don’t be fooled…this is 100% crochet! It only looks like a knitted project!

Broomstick Lace and Puff Stitch Videos

red scarf folded in half

We’ve created a couple of videos to show you how easy those stitches are to crochet. So, if you don’t know how to crochet broomstick lace or the puff stitch…or if it’s been a while since you have…No problem.

The Broomstick Lace video shows traditional broomstick lace and single stranded broomstick lace like this pattern uses.

A link to the videos is in the pattern.

Broomstick Lace Scarf and Cowl Pattern Details

The scarf in the above photos is crocheted in Vanna’s Sequins. It’s a light weight yarn (3). The scarf is shown in Ruby.

The cowl is crocheted in Sensations Enchantment. It’s listed as a Medium weight (4) yarn but it feels similar in weight to the Vanna’s Sequins. The cowl shown below is crocheted in Pink Metallic.

pink broomstick cowl

The pattern includes lots of photos. It has all of our signature stuff like checkboxes to mark your progress, supplies list, instructions for special stitches, etc. And now, the special stitches have videos.

pink broomstickSkill Level: Intermediate

Stitches used: Broomstick Lace, Puff Stitch, Single Crochet, Chain

Once you learn the stitches, this scarf is super easy and fun to crochet.

The pattern is available in the store.

Broomstick Lace and Puff Stitch pattern available on Etsy.

****New photo 4-14-2013

We’ve whipped up this pattern using Milky Whey yarn. It’s sooo dreamy. You can read more about our thoughts on our post: Summer Scarf!

milky whey broomstick close Milky Whey is a yarn from Kollage yarns. It’s 50% Milk and 50% Soy.

Milky Whey is soft and dreamy. I love working with it and wearing it!

Alternatives would be bamboo or silk or some blend of yarn that has little elasticity.

Enjoy!

Filed Under: Accessories, Crochet, Girl, Great as Gifts, Scarves, Cowls & Shrugs, Yarnitect · Tagged With: , , ,

Mason Jar Soap Dispenser with Crochet Owl Cozy

January 4, 2013 by ·

Mason Jar Soap Dispenser with Crochet Owl Cozy

mason jar soap dispenserIt’s a hoot making this mason jar soap dispenser with crochet owl cozy! This woodland creature makes washing hands fun. Those great big eyes won’t miss a thing.

Dirty hands can spread germs. So take a few squirts of soap from this wise owl and wash that grime away.

This fun soap dispenser is great for bathrooms or kitchens. Crochet the cozy in colors that coordinate with your home décor.

Let’s start with the mason jar soap dispenser…and get our hands clean before we start on the crochet owl.

Mason Jar Soap Dispenser How-to

mason jar soap dispenser with crochet owl cozyWe’re taking the easy way out…and creating a mason jar soap dispenser from an existing soap dispenser. Its best if you select your yarn colors first…then you can bring them to the store to help select a dispenser pump in a color that will coordinate well.

SUPPLIES:

  • 1 pint size canning jar with lid
  • 16 oz liquid soap
  • 1 soap dispenser (we used Softsoap® brand)

TOOLS:

  • Knife and cutting board
  • ½” drill bit and drill
  • Clamp
  • Scrap wood
  • Paper, pencil and Scissors
  • Hammer and nail
  • Metal file
  • Glue Gun

soap dispenser lidDIRECTIONS:

  1. Trace the flat lid on a piece of paper. Cut out the circle you just traced with scissors. Fold the paper in half twice to find the center of the paper.
  2. Place the paper on top of the lid and clamp to a piece of scrap wood. With hammer and nail, put a small hole in the center of the lid.
  3. Remove the paper and reclamp the lid to the scrap wood. Drill a ½ inch hole into the center of the lid. You may need to move the drill around a bit to make the hole slightly bigger than ½ inch.
  4. If there are any sharp edges around the hole, sand down with a metal file.
  5. Remove the pump from its original dispenser and wash and dry it. Test to see if it fits into the hole in the lid. If not, repeat steps 3 & 4 as needed.
  6. Place lids and pump onto jar to make sure the parts fit. If the pump is too tall, cut the base of the stem off at the same angle using a knife and cutting board. You only want to cut off as much as needed to get the stem to almost touch the base of the mason jar.
  7. You may need to secure the pump to the lid. To do so, insert pump into lid and turn to the bottom side. Use glue gun to adhere pump to lid.
  8. Pour liquid soap into mason jar. Attach lid. Pump the dispenser several times until soap starts to come out of it.
  9. Wash hands…you’re good to go!

Mason Jar Soap Dispenser Owl Cozy

So you’ve finished your mason jar soap dispenser. Now it’s time for the crochet owl cozy!

This is a fun little project that you can whip up in an evening. It’s a great stash buster, too. We used Vanna’s Choice because she’s got so many fun colors that work beautifully for a girl or boys room.

crochet owls

SUPPLIES:

  • Vanna’s Choice Yarn: Worsted Weight (4)
    Chocolate, Terracotta, Mustard, Black, White
    (other combos: Chocolate with Beige; Radiant Lime with Raspberry)
  • Crochet Hook: J / 10 / 6.00 mm
  • Crochet Hook: H / 8 / 5. 00 mm
  • Crochet Hook: F / 5 / 3.75 mm
  • Yarn Needle

COZY INSTRUCTIONS:

Chocolate

Hook: J

Ch 32, join with a sl st.

Rnd 1: Ch 1 (do not count as a st), hdc around. Skip the ch 1; join with a sl st. (32)

Rnd 2-3: Ch 1, hdc around. Skip the joining stitch and the ch 1, join with a sl st. (32)

Finish off. Cut yarn; weave in end.

Attach Terracotta to the back loop of any stitch.

Rnd 4: Work in back loops only. Ch 1, hdc around. Skip the ch 1, join with a sl st. (32)

Rnd 5-6: Work in both loops. Ch 1, hdc around. Skip the join and the ch 1, join with a sl st. (32)

Finish off, weave in end.

WING INSTRUCTIONS (make 2):

crochet wings

Chocolate

Hook: J

Ch 8

Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook (count first three ch as the first dc), 4 dc. (6)

Row 2: Turn. 5 dc down the post of the 3rd dc, ch 1, 5 dc up the post of the next dc, skip a dc, sl st in the top of the last st. (1 crocodile stitch made)

Finish of, weave in end.

Attach Terracotta to the last st made.

Row 3: Ch 4, turn. Dc in 4th ch from hook, work 6 dc across the top of Row 2, work a ncfdc in the last st, 2 nfdc. (11)

Row 4: Work 5 dc down the post of the 3rd dc, ch 1, work 5 dc up the post of the next dc, skip a st, sl st in the front loop of the next st, skip a st, 5 dc down the post of the next st, ch 1, work 5 dc up the post of the next st, skip a st, sl st in the last st. (2 crocodile stitches made)

Row 5: Ch 3, turn. Work 10 dc across. (11)

Row 6: Repeat row 4.

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.

EYES INSTRUCTIONS (make 2):

Black

Hook: F

Ch 2

owl in bathroom

Rnd 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Join with a sl st. (6)

Finish off, weave in end.

Attach Terracotta any stitch.

Rnd 2: Sc inc around. Join with a sl st. (12)

Finish off, weave in ends.

Attach White to any st.

Rnd 3: *Hdc, Hdc inc* around. Join with a sl st. (18)

Finish off leaving a tail for sewing.

BEAK INSTRUCTIONS:

Mustard

Hook: J

Ch 4

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, 2 sc. (3)

Row 2: Turn, sc the first and second stitches together, sc the second and third stitch together. (2)

Row 3: Turn, sc dec. Finish off. Cut yarn leaving a tail for sewing. (1)

Turn the foundation ch down under the beak.

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Sew Eyes on Rnds 2-4 so they are touching or as desired. Weave in ends.
  2. Sew Beak centered below and touching the Eyes.
  3. Sew Wings just above the unused front loops. Sew up to the stitch next to the Eyes and 8 other stitches. There should be about 5 or 6 unused loops in the back between the Wings.

More Cozies in Store

coffee cup cozy patterns ebookLove this owl cozy? There are more seasonal, holiday and just for fun cozies in the store in our Crochet Cup Cozy eBook. We’ve created an entire collection with 28 designs one ebook.

Looking for the cup and mug version? They’re in the ebook.

Each design in the ebook has instructions to fit Mugs, Cups and Mason Jars. Every design has a delicious recipe or fun craft.

All 3 owls pictured at the beginning of this post are in this ebook! AND the ebook includes 4 new designs – Dracula, Vampire, Mummy and Blue Jeans.

Available in the StoreRead more about the set:

Blog: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection

Store: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection

Filed Under: Animals, Bath, Child, Cozy, Crochet, Cup Cozies, Great as Gifts, Kitchen, Mason Jar Series, Patterns for FREE · Tagged With: , ,

Cake in a Jar Recipe and Crochet Cupcake Cozy

December 21, 2012 by ·

Turtle Cake in a Jar Recipe and Crochet Cupcake Cozy

This turtle cake in a jar recipe is extremely rich and moist. Truth be told…I don’t really like cake….but I request this chocolatey deliciousness every year for my birthday. It is so rich, you will definitely need a tall glass of white milk to go with it.

cake in a jar recipe

Speaking of birthdays, we’re dressing up this jar with a crochet cupcake cozy! It’s perfect for any special occasion where cupcakes are served (like birthdays). Cakes in a jar for everyone with the person of honor getting a snazzy cupcake cozy as well.

Let’s start with the cake and wrap it up with a crocheted cozy.

NOTE: We are not canning cake…simply serving cake in jars.

Turtle Cake in a Jar Recipe

INGREDIENTS AND SUPPLIES:

  • 1 Betty Crocker Super Moist Milk Chocolate Cake Mix
  • 14 oz. Caramels
  • 1 cup Evaporated milk
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • 8 pint size canning jars

DIRECTIONS:

step two of cake1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Grease all sides of inside of jar with cooking spray. Spread jars evenly on a cookie sheeet (for ease of taking them in and out of the oven.)

3. Mix cake batter according to cake mix directions.

4. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into each jar. Wipe away any batter that’s on the sides of the jar.

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

6. Melt Caramels and milk together in a pot on low temperature, stirring constantly.

baked cake7. Pour 1/4 cup of caramel and milk mixture into each jar.

8. Sprinkle 1/8 cup of chocolate chips into each jar.

9. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into each jar. Wipe away any batter that’s on the ides of the jar.

10. Bake for 25 minutes or until done.

11. Allow to cool completely before serving.

NOTE: To learn about canning foods, visit the National Center for Home Food Presevation. Read why the University of Georgia does not recommend canning (preservation) of cakes.

Cake in a Jar Crochet Cupcake Cozy

Now we’re ready to crochet a cupcake cozy for the cake in a jar. Bright colors work great for this project. This is a great stash buster, too. We’ve used a colorful selection of Vanna’s Choice.

3 Cupcake Cozies

In addition to being fun for birthdays, a cake in a jar makes a tasty gift idea for teacher, women’s retreats, bridal showers and more. The cupcake cozy can even be used as a coffee cup sleeve!

SUPPLIES:

  • Pint size canning jar
  • Vanna’s Choice Yarn: Medium Worsted Weight (4)
    CHOCOLATE, RASPBERRY, RADIANT LIME, RADIANT YELLOW, AQUA, CRANBERRY, WHITE
  • Crochet Hook: H, F
  • Yarn Needle

COZY INSTRUCTIONS

Chocolate

Hook: H

Ch 8

Row 1: Hdc in 3rd ch from hook. Hdc across. (6)

Row 2-22: Ch 2, turn. Hdc in back loops only across. (6)

Row 23: Turn to side of Rows 1-22. Work 34 sc across. (34)

Row 24: Fold cozy in half and join Row 22 to foundation ch with sl st across. (6)

Finish off and weave in ends.

CUPCAKE INSTRUCTIONS

cupcake close upRaspberry

Hook: H

Attach Raspberry to any st.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc around. Join with a sl st. (34)

Rnd 2: Working in the back loop only, sc around. (34)

Rnd 3-5: Working in both loops now and until specified, sc around. (34)

Rnd 6: 33 sc, sl st. (34)

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Attach Raspberry to any front loop of Rnd 2. Hold your work so that the Raspberry is closest to you and the Chocolate  farthest away from you. This way the shell st you are about to work will lay flat.

Rnd 7: Working in the front loop only: Ch 2, 5 dc in same st, *skip a st, sl st, skip a st, 6 dc in next st* Eight times. skip a st, sl st into base of ch 2. (62)

Finish off and weave in ends.

CHERRY INSTRUCTIONS (make 2)

Cranberry

Hook: F

Ch 2

Rnd 1: 8 hdc in 2nd ch from hook. (8)

Rnd 2: Sc around. (8)

Sl st. Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Pin then sew cherry to cupcake. Pull tail out the top. Tie a knot about 1 ½” away from cherry. Trim yarn at knot. This represents the cherry stem.
  2. Tie little knots of yarn around the cupcake to represent sprinkles. Ours are Radiant Yellow, Radiant Green, Aqua, White, and Chocolate. Trim to desired length.

More Cozies in Store

coffee cup cozy patterns ebookLove this cupcake cozy? There are more seasonal, holiday and just for fun cozies in the store in our Crochet Cup Cozy eBook. We’ve created an entire collection with 28 designs one ebook.

Looking for the cup and mug version? They’re in the ebook.

Each design in the ebook has instructions to fit Mugs, Cups and Mason Jars. Every design has a delicious recipe or fun craft.

All 3 cupcakes pictured above are in this ebook! AND the ebook includes 4 new designs – Dracula, Vampire, Mummy and Blue Jeans.

Available in the StoreRead more about the set:

Blog: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection

Store: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection

Filed Under: Birthday, Cozy, Cup Cozies, Great as Gifts, Mason Jar Series, Patterns for FREE, Recipe ·

Tuxedo Chocolate Covered Almonds Recipe & Crochet Jar Cozy

December 7, 2012 by ·

Tuxedo Chocolate Covered Almonds Recipe & Crochet Jar Cozy

Tuxedo Chocolate Covered Almonds Recipe and Recipe CozyWe’ve cooked up this Tuxedo Chocolate Covered Almonds recipe with coordinating Tuxedo Jar Cozy…’cause it’s party time!

And we have a video! (below the recipe)

It’s a little nutty, but we love these tuxedo almonds. They’ll definitely dress up your special occasions. They’re perfect for New Year’s Eve parties, Weddings, Anniversaries or any event where you want to impress your guests.

Let’s start by covering the almonds with chocolate…so they can cool while you crochet.

Tuxedo Chocolate Covered Almonds Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

  • 16 oz Whole Natural Almonds (unsalted)
  • 12 oz Almond Bark – Chocolate
  • 12 oz Almond Bark – Vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

1st Step – Vanilla Shirts

Melt 4 oz of Vanilla Almond Bark in microwave (stirring every 30 seconds). Holding an almond at the widest end, dip into Vanilla Almond Bark. Scrape excess off back. Lay on parchment paper to cool and harden. Make as many as desired.

2nd Step – Chocolate Jackets

Almonds Dressed UpMelt 4 oz of Chocolate Almond Bark in microwave (stirring every 30 seconds). Holding the Vanilla coated almond at the widest end, dip the side edge of the almond into the Chocolate Almond Bark, turn and dip the other side edge. Scrape excess off back. Lay on parchment paper to cool and harden.

3rd Step – Bow Ties and Buttons

Melt 4 oz of Chocolate Almond Bark in microwave (stirring every 30 seconds). Pour Chocolate Almond Bark into a sandwich bag (to act as a cake decorating icing bag). Twist bag to lock chocolate into corner. With scissors, cut off a tiny bit of the corner (as small as you can). Squeeze bag and practice making bow ties and buttons on a scrap of parchment paper. When you are happy with the look, create bow ties and buttons on the almonds.

Cool for a couple of hours (in refrigerator if needed).

tuxedo almonds step by step photo

Creating Bow Ties

How to Make a Bow TieLightly squeeze bag as you create bow tie following the arrows. Stop squeezing at the bottom of the right most arrow. As you pull up and away from the almond, move the bag toward the start of the bow tie (top left).

Creating Buttons

Do no squeeze bag. Simply tap bag to surface of almond and pull straight up. This should leave a dab of Chocolate.

Video: Tuxedo Chocolate Covered Almonds
Click the image below to watch

If you’re having trouble seeing it here, check out Tuxedo Chocolate Covered Almonds on YouTube. The crochet pattern for the snazzy tuxedo jar cozy is below.

The Tuxedo Chocolate Covered Almonds Jar Cozy

Now you need a tuxedo jar cozy for the chocolate covered almonds. These are fun to crochet and will jazz up any party or gift. Crochet a top hat for an extra touch of class!

The cozy and hat are crocheted in the round. The shirt details are crocheted separately and sewn on…as is the hat ribbon.

This is a great stash buster. We are using Vanna’s Choice yarn because we think the Charcoal Grey looks snazzy next to the Black and White.

SUPPLIES:

  • 1 Pint size canning jar
  • Vanna’s Choice: Medium Worsted Weight (4)
  • BLACK, WHITE, CHARCOAL GREY
  • Crochet Hook: H, F
  • Yarn Needle

TUXEDO COZY INSTRUCTIONS:

Tuxedo Crochet Jar Cozy

Black

Hook: H

Ch 34, join with a sl st.

Rnd 1-12: Sc around. (34)

Join with a sl st. Finish off and weave in end.

WHITE SHIRT INSTRUCTIONS:

White

Hook: H

Ch 2

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook. (1)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Sc inc. (2)

Row 3: Turn. Sc inc twice. (4)

Row 4: Turn. Sc inc, 2 sc, sc inc. (6)

Row 5: Turn. Sc across. (6)

Row 6: Turn. Sc inc, 4 sc, sc inc. (8)

Row 7: Turn. 3 sc, 2 sl st, 3 sc. (8)

Row 8: Turn. Sc inc, 2 sc, 2 sl st, 2 sc, sc inc. Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing. (10)

Sew white shirt to the front of the cozy with row 8 sticking out above the top of the cozy.

TUX LAPEL INSTRUCTIONS:

Charcoal Grey

Hook: F

LEFT LAPEL

Ch 13

Row 1: Dc in fourth ch from hook, dc inc, 3 hdc, 3 sc, 2 sl st, ch 1. (11)

Finish off leaving tail for sewing.

Pin then sew over the left edge of the white Shirt and on the cozy.

RIGHT LAPEL

Ch 13

Row 1: Dc in fourth ch from hook, dc inc, 3 hdc, 3 sc, 2 sl st, ch 3. (14)

Finish off leaving tail for sewing.

Pin then sew right lapel over the right edge of the white shirt with the last 3 ch stitches sewn vertically to represent the jacket opening.

TIE & BUTTONS INSTRUCTIONS:

Black

Hook: H

Ch 6

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook, 4 sc. (5)

Row 2: Turn. Sc across. Finish off. Cut yarn leaving a long tail for sewing. (5)

Using tail, wrap yarn around the middle of the tie and pull tight. Secure with a knot. Sew tie to white shirt below the sl sts on row 7. Weave in ends.

Whip stitch two buttons below bow tie with black yarn. Weave in ends.

TOP HAT INSTRUCTIONS:

Tuxedo and Hat Crochet PatternBlack

Hook: H

Ch 2

Rnd 1: 8 sc in second ch from hook. (8)

Rnd 2: Sc inc around. (16)

Rnd 3: *1 sc, sc inc* around. (24)

Rnd 4: *2 sc, sc inc* around. (32)

Rnd 5: *3 sc, sc inc* around. (40)

Rnd 6: Work in back loops only. *3 sc, sc dec* around. (32)

Rnd 7-12: Work in both loops. Sc around. Add more rounds for a taller top hat. (32)

Rnd 13: Work in front loops only. *3 sc, sc inc* around. (40)

Rnd 14: Work in both loops. *4 sc, sc inc* around. (48)

Rnd 15: *5 sc, sc inc* around. (56)

Rnd 16: *Sc inc, sc, sc inc, 3 sc* 3 times, 7 sc. Repeat from beginning. (62)

Add more rounds for a larger bill.

Finish off and weave in end.

TOP HAT RIBBON INSTRUCTIONS:

Charcoal Grey

Hook: H

Ch 34

Rnd 1: Join with a sc. Sc around. (34)

Join with a sl st. Finish off and weave in ends.

TOP HAT BOW INSTRUCTIONS:

Charcoal Grey

Hook: H

Ch 6

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook, 4 sc. (5)

Row 2: Turn. Sc across. (5)

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Using tail, wrap yarn around the middle of the tie and pull tight. Secure with a knot.

Sew tie to Top Hat Ribbon.

Slide Ribbon on Top Hat. Secure if needed.

More Cozies in Store

coffee cup cozy patterns ebookLove this tuxedo cozy? There are more seasonal, holiday and just for fun cozies in the store in our Crochet Cup Cozy eBook. We’ve created an entire collection with 28 designs one ebook.

Looking for the cup and mug version? They’re in the ebook.

Each design in the ebook has instructions to fit Mugs, Cups and Mason Jars. Every design has a delicious recipe or fun craft.

The ebook includes 4 new designs – Dracula, Vampire, Mummy and Blue Jeans.

Available in the StoreRead more about the set:

Blog: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection

Store: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection

 

Filed Under: Cozy, Cup Cozies, Great as Gifts, Mason Jar Series, New Years, Patterns for FREE, Recipe, Wedding · Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Free Crochet Santa Hat Pattern

December 1, 2012 by ·

Free Crochet Santa Hat Pattern

santa hatThis free crochet Santa hat pattern is festive and fun. It’s one-size-fits-all, fitting both men and women! Per my husband’s request, we crocheted ours in green. (Caution: someone called him a Grinch because his hat is green!)

This hat is perfect for office parties, wearing at school and even as a warm winter hat! Crochet in red for a traditional look or go wild and crazy with an untraditional color that makes you feel the most jolly.

Santa (and the Grinch) wears a red and white hat. Elves wear green and white or green and red hats.

Free Crochet Santa Hat Pattern Details

The ribbed brim on this free Santa Hat pattern makes the hat naturally adjust to various sizes of heads. Though designed for a man (with 23” head), I’m often seen around town wearing this hat.

The pattern is worked from the bottom up in half double crochet with decreases each round.

Add a 3” pom pom to the top and you’re ready for Christmas!

Free Crochet Santa Hat Pattern Available Now

Just in time for the holidays! The free crochet Santa hat pattern is available in the store or on the Free Crochet Patterns page.

Ho, ho, ho….and Merry Christmas!

FREE Patterns

 

Filed Under: Adult, Christmas, Hat, Patterns for FREE, Yarnitect · Tagged With: , ,

Beyond Broomstick Lace – A Review

November 23, 2012 by ·

My Review: “Beyond Broomstick Lace”

Online Crochet Class

Riveting…that’s how I’m describing the class, Beyond Broomstick Lace, at Craftsy. I’m a little bias…I’m a crochet addict, after all. So I’m already predisposed to like the class. But it is a combination of many, many factors that lead me to describe this class as riveting.

The instructor, Jennifer Hansen, was entertaining to watch and the subject matter, Broomstick Lace, was spellbinding.

This class has ignited my passion to make something lacey and fun. I want to drop everything else I’m working on and work up some broomstick lace!

Jennifer’s presentation style is relaxed yet her content is comprehensive. As an advanced crocheter, I learned a ton of great tips and tricks in addition to Broomstick Lace. The newer crocheter will be equally comfortable in this class because every stitch, join and component is demonstrated.

I Give “Beyond Broomstick Lace” An A+

Great Instructor:
Jennifer Hansen knocked it out of the park with this class. She was personable, professional, organized, informative and funny. I feel like we could be best buds…only we’ve never met…Drat!

Here are some of my favorite items Jennifer covered:

  • Removing the awkwardness of crocheting around the #50 knitting needle
  • Traditional Broomstick and a lot of beautiful variations
  • A seamless way to decrease on tall stitches
  • Tips for washing (without rinsing) and blocking
  • Tutorial on different hooks and needles
Those are just a few of my favorites. There are really too many to list!

Amazing Projects:

The main project, the Rebel Lace Cardi, is truly inspirational. The garment beautifully displays traditional broomstick lace and a ton of variations to the stitch. I never tired of looking at it. It seemed a special treat to see Jennifer wearing it at the end of the course.

I thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the other Broomstick Lace projects as well. It felt like pure eye candy. It’s amazing how diverse broomstick lace can be. I can’t wait to incorporate it into my own designs.

Fantastic Website:

Craftsy is a wonderful platform for learning. The video player is top notch and worked great on my laptop, tablet and smart phone! I watched several segments of the class while traveling and enjoyed taking the class and Jennifer with me on multiple devices. The video quality is very clear and the close up shots of the stitches were beautiful.

I love that we can take notes, ask questions and upload photos, too. Craftsy is easy to navigate around….I loved that the videos remembered where I was and picked up right where I left off. And the class doesn’t expire…so I can rewatch any portion I want. Oh, and I’m looking forward to connecting with my fellow classmates, too.

If you’re looking for a riveting good time, take Beyond Broomstick Lace on Craftsy!

Online Crochet Class

I’m a Craftsy Indie Designer and Affiliate.

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged With: , ,
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