Innovative Designs for Yarnivores
Vote for your favorite!
Mad Mad Makers is having a contest and giveaway. Vote for your favorite hand made item.
The Owl Set has been entered into the contest…might we suggest you vote for that?
Here’s how it works:
VOTE by November 30, 2014.
Owl Bean Bag Chair Crochet Pattern
This award winning bean bag chair is now available as a downloadable crochet pattern!
Kids of all ages go crazy for this chair. They love to sit on it, jump on it and fall over it.
Not only does it look great in vivid colors…but it looks fun in earth tones, too! The yarn used in both photos is Vanna’s Choice. There are sooo many great color in that line of yarn…the color combinations are endless.
The crocodile stitch wings and the spike cluster stitch transition give this design an extra feathery look and feel.
This is a bean bag cozy…meaning you crochet the owl and stuff it with a bean bag (we bought ours at Walmart).
Skill Level: Intermediate
Stitches Used: chain, slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, treble crochet
Techniques Used: crocodile stitch, spike cluster stitch, working in the round and in rows, crochet in both loops and front and back loops.
The owl bean bag chair won 3rd place in the Artistic Expressions category of the 2013 Crochet Guild of America Design Contest. Now you can have your own award winning owl, too! The pattern includes photos, written directions, supplies list, check boxes to mark your progress and more.
The owl designs are available as a set or as individual pieces.
Onesies pictured are from Chic Couture Boutique.
Frameable Non-Crochet and Non-Knit Yarn Project Challenge
Our local knit and crochet group came up with another quirky challenge. Here’s a list of the criteria:
Two people were up for the challenge and two people were up for the judging. Interestingly enough, each judge favored a different project…so in the end, it was a tie for first place.
Bamboo Plastic Canvas Project
This mixed media piece was inspired by the panda bear, a native species in China. The black and white background is made of yarn stitched on the diagonal over plastic canvas. The bamboo is created with scrapbook paper. The Chinese characters is the word “Bamboo”, which is the common diet for panda bears.
Yarn: Vanna’s Choice Black and White
Measures: 11″ x 14″
This project was designed by Deborah, who also designed the free panda baby hats.
Starry Night – Fauxchet Hook Rug
This hook rug project was created with a fauxchet tool and a variety of medium and bulky weight yarns. The image was drawn onto canvas with a marker, then hooked right from the skeins of yarn. The cut loops and the color and texture of the yarns simulate the impressionist style of the original painting.
This frameable piece would require the use of a 3D frame, though the judges thought the softness of the piece would make it better suited as a pillow.
Supercoloring.com has a free coloring page of Starry Night which was used as the template for this project.
Yarn: Lion Brand: Vanna’s Choice and Homespun
Measure: 8″ x 11″
This project was designed by Dana who also designed other free fauxchet patterns.
Published in Love of Crochet – Holiday Issue 2013
Once again we’ve got some cute crochet patterns published in the Holiday issue of Love of Crochet available in stores October 14, 2013. We are so thrilled to bring you these fun designs.
We’ve created some beautiful patterns that can be crocheted as gifts for him, for her and for dog lovers!
While all the patterns are easy, the his and hers cowl were specifically designed as beginner projects. With just a little tweak, the masculine gaitor designed for him transforms into a beautiful cowl for her.
If you want to pamper your pet and crochet something for those who love them, then there are a few patterns just for you.
His and Hers Cowls
We’ve created a simple cowl design for him and her that’s perfect for beginners. Check out the “Learn to Crochet” section for the “Ice Fishing Gaitor” and the “Grey Lady Cowl”.
We specifically wanted to make a pattern that a beginner could use for masculine and feminine projects. One that would be easily modified so that a new crocheter can get two very different looking garments from one simple design. Reading a pattern can be stressful, particularly for a new crocheter. We’re alleviating the stress this holiday season with this His and Hers design.
Pictured with the “Grey Lady Cowl” is an alternative yarn: Red Heart Boutique.
Pet Lovers Trio
Update 5/15/2014: These patterns are now available in the store as a set or individually!
Dogs Days Trio – Dog Bone Pillow – Paw Purse – Pocket Organizer
Dog Days Trio pattern on Etsy.
Dog Bone Pillow pattern on Etsy.
Paw Purse pattern on Etsy.
Pocket organizer pattern on Etsy.
This set was born out of practicality and my (Dana) love for my dog, Joy – a white lab. The dog toys, treats and medicines were spilling out of one of my kitchen cabinets and it was driving me crazy. So, I created a pocket organizer that hangs by my back door.
Once I started crocheting dog stuff, well, I couldn’t stop. Thus the treat purse and dog bone pillow!
I chose pink to compliment the brown on the set because the dog and I both love pink. (Ok, she’s probably color blind, but it makes me happy.)
Choose Your Color
The great thing about all five of these projects is that they would look great in any color you or the guys in your life prefer. If, for example, you’re making a cowl for a boy…when they pick camo colors, the gaitor will look great! Or if they want team colors, it’ll look even better!
My sister and I attended the Knit and Crochet Show in Charlotte, NC last week which is sponsored and/or organized by the Crochet Guild of America (CGOA). Wow, what an experience. This was our first time attending such an event. Here were 6 of our favorite things about the show:
1: Design Competition
The CGOA has an annual design competition that is open to all of its members. And since friendly competition inspires us, we couldn’t resist entering 4 crocheted items.
Congrats to Deborah for taking 3rd place in the Artistic Expressions category with her owl bean bag chair. And for receiving honorable mention in both the afghans category (granny square blanket) and artistic expressions category (lamp and faun outfit).
The photo’s not great, but Doris is!
The event was organized/directed by Doris Chan. We tip our hats to her for making it a seamless and enjoyable event to participate in. Organizing 100 entries is a big task. And we are beyond thankful for her efforts.
Photos of all the entries and the winners can be seen at dorischancrochet.com.
2. The CGOA Dinner & Fashion Show
We were particularly moved by Rita Weiss’s acceptance speech as the newest inductee into the Jean Leinhauser Crochet Hall of Fame. She is truly a gifted writer and hearing about her advocacy of crochet was inspiring.
Rita Weiss (right) with Margaret Hubert
One humorous highlight in Rita’s speech was hearing her describe the different between crochet and knitting to a former boss as being a matter of working with one pencil vs. two. I’ve never heard it described quite like that. Her speech inspired us to want to pick up a pencil and crochet (or at least, write down a pattern or two).
The Dinner ended with a beautiful fashion show of crocheted (and knitted) pieces created by CGOA members. The diversity was splendid and included elegant wraps, intimate apparel and cozy afghans.
A special thank you to Marcy Smith for MCing the event and making us chuckle a time or two with her creative interpretation of the hand written descriptions of the fashions.
3. The Friendships and Comradery
Being a shy pair, the friendliness and encouragement everyone showed toward each other came as a bit of a surprise. And a pleasant one! It’s exactly what we’ve been needing and longing for…to be among people who understand and love being crochet designers.
The support and encouragement that CGOA members share with each other is, in a word, heartwarming. I arrived underestimating its value, but left understanding how priceless it is.
We met several well known designers and lots of lesser known ones.
Lilly Chin called us out in one meeting for not wearing a crocheted items at the event…but she was mistaken because we sported our “Twin 1” and “Twin 2” bags (inspired by The Cat in the Hat) with us everywhere we went. We love the spunk that this Queen of self promotion has.
Love that hat, Mikey!
Mikey from The Crochet Crowd was a lot of fun to chat with. The King of video impressed us with his business savvy. If he’s ever speaking at a crochet show…I definitely want to attend!
Forgive the crazy eyes! Dana apparently needs more sleep!
We stopped Margaret Hubert in the hall to rave about her sweaters…not realizing that we were talking to the Goddesss of free form. Her work is breathtaking and she is super sweet.
4. A Buddy for Newbies
Being newbies, we requested to have a buddy at the show, someone who could answer questions and show us the ropes. We thoroughly enjoyed our buddy group. We enjoyed lots of laughs and many pleasant conversations about crochet. We love these ladies and look forward to meeting up with them at future shows! Thanks, Nirmal, for taking care of us. It was great hanging out with you Barabara.
Awesome buddy group: Barabara, Nirmal and us.
A big hug goes to Kate Steinke for coordinating the buddy groups. She is a ball of energy full of laughs and encouragement. Such a doll.
5. Knowledgable Instructors
We took a few classes while at the event. The instructors blew us away with their knowledge of their craft. The samples they brought that showcased the techniques we learned was impressive.
Jennifer’s designs are definitely beyond the basics!
A big thank you to Jennifer Hansen (Craftsy Instructor I’ve blogged about in the past), Vashti Braha, Karen Klemp and Dora Ohrenstein for sharing your passion with us!
6. Editor Meet and Greet
It was a treat to meet and chat with several magazine and book editors. We shared some of designs and learned a bit more about their submission process. We so appreciated that they took the time to attend the show to meet us newbies! Thank you Leisure Arts, Red Heart, Crochet! and Interweave Crochet!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you
A special thank you to all the sponsors of the show. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting several people from Lion Brand, Red Heart, Annie’s and Crochetville, as well as the goodies we got from several other companies.
I’m not quite sure who to thank for all the behind the scenes work. There were a myriad of volunteers who helped create a smooth and delightful experience. Thank you all for everything you did.
Smiley Face Sugar Cookie Recipe and Crochet Smile Cozy
Make any day a happy day with this smiley face sugar cookie recipe and crochet smile cozy!
With the wild and crazy colors available in food coloring and yarn…this project will have you grinning from ear to ear all day long.
If a friend or family member needs a little pick me up…this smiley face duo is sure to do the trick!
Let’s start with the sugar cookies because they need time to refrigerate before baking.
Smiley Face Sugar Cookie Recipe
This sugar cookie recipe is quite sweet so we recommend that you make mini sugar cookies (approximately 2” diameter). We used a champagne flute as our cookie cutter.
COOKIE DOUGH INGREDIENTS:
ICING INGREDIENTS:
COOKIE DIRECTIONS:
ICING DIRECTIONS:
Crochet Smile Cozy
You can’t wipe the smile off the face of this mason jar cozy! No matter what you say or do, it will keep smiling that cheeky grin.
This is a great stash buster for all of the bright and cheerful colors you have in your remnant pile. We’ve used several fun colors from Vanna’s Choice yarn.
Skill Level: Easy
Stitches Used: Chain, Slip Stitch, Single Crochet, Double Crochet
Techniques Used: Crochet in the Round
SUPPLIES:
COZY INSTRUCTIONS:
Duckie
Hook: H
Ch 34, join with a sl st.
Rnd 1-10: Sc around. (34)
Sl St. Finish off. Weave in end.
BlackEYE INSTRUCTIONS: (make 2)
Hook: H
Ch 3
Row 1: Dc in 3rd ch from hook.
Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.
MOUTH INSTRUCTIONS:
Black
Hook: H
Ch 8
Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.
ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS:
More Cozies in Store
Love this smile 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 smiles pictured at the beginning of this post are in this ebook! AND the ebook includes 4 new designs – Dracula, Vampire, Mummy and Blue Jeans.
Read more about the set:
Blog: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection
Store: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection
Puppy Chow Recipe & Crochet Dog Cozy for Boss’s Day (October 16, 2013)
Need a fun gift idea for Boss’s Day. Show the big dog how much you appreciate him (or her) with this puppy chow recipe and a crochet dog cozy. Gobble up the left over chocolate goodness yourself or share this treat with your coworkers and watch them drool in delight.
Let’s start with the puppy chow recipe…that way you can nibble on it while you make the crochet dog cozy!
Puppy Chow Recipe
You’ll have the boss eating out of your hand (or mason jar) with this puppy chow recipe! He will lap it up and return begging for more. (PS: if you don’t bring a doggie bag to refill his jar, you can always share the recipe with him instead).
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Place cereal in large pot. Set aside.Recipe is inspired by:
http://www.chex.com/recipes/RecipeView.aspx?RecipeId=45860
Crochet Dog Cozy
This crochet dog cozy is great for Boss’s Day or as a special gift for a dog loving friend. They’ll dig it and the treats that come with it.
These hounds are a great stash busting project. We’ve used Vanna’s Choice yarn. This line of yarn has lots of fun brown tones to choose from.
Skill Level: Easy
Stitches Used: Chain, Slip Stitch, Single Crochet, Half Double Crochet, Double Crochet
Techniques Used: Crochet in Rows, Crochet in the Round, Increase, Decrease
SUPPLIES:
COZY INSTRUCTIONS
Ch 34, join with a sl st.
Rnd 1-10: Sc around. (34)
Sl St. Finish off. Weave in end.
SNOUT INSTRUCTIONS
Ch 9
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc across. (8)
Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Sc across. (8)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc dec, 4 sc, sc dec. (6)
Row 4: Repeat Row 2. (6)
Row 5: Ch 1, turn. sc dec, 2 sc, sc dec. (4)
Row 6: Repeat Row 2. (4)
Rnd 7: Turn to sides of Rows 1-6. Work sc across (a sc on the end of each row). Turn to foundation chain, sc across. Turn to sides of Rows 1-7. Work sc across (a sc on the end of each row). Join with a sl st. (20))
Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.
NOSE INSTRUCTIONS
Ch 3
Rnd 1: In the 3rd ch from hook work 2 hdc, dc, 2 hdc, ch 2, sl st to same st as all other sts. (7)
Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.
SPOT INSTRUCTIONS
Ch 3
Rnd 1: 12 dc in 3rd ch from hook. Join with a sl st. (12)
Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.
EYE INSTRUCTIONS (make 2)
Ch 2
Rnd 1: 5 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Join with a sl st. (5)
Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.
PUPIL INSTRUCTIONS (make 2)
Ch 2
Rnd 1: Work sc and sl st in 2nd ch from hook. (2)
Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.
EAR INSTRUCTIONS (make 2)
Ch 2
Rnd 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6)
Rnd 2-3: Sc around. (6)
Rnd 4: *sc, sc inc* around. (9)
Rnd 5-10: Sc around. (9)
Rnd 11: Sc dec. Pinch ear closed so there are 4 sts across. Work sc through loops of two sts opposite each other to close the ear. (5)
Finish off leaving a long tail. Whip st from inside to outside of all front loops and cinch closed.
ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
More Cozies in Store
Love this dog 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 dogs pictured at the beginning of this post are in this ebook! AND the ebook includes 4 new designs – Dracula, Vampire, Mummy and Blue Jeans.
Read more about the set:
Blog: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection
Store: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection
Crimson Cowl in Love of Crochet – Fall 2013 Issue
We have another scarf / cowl featured in Love of Crochet Magazine. The Fall Issue 2013 is available in stores until October 21.
This Crimson Cowl is a great 1 skein project! We’ve used Boutique Changes by Red Heart. There are 6 different yarn fabrics in one skein.
For anyone learning how to do broomstick lace, this is a great first project. This stunning cowl looks more complicated than it is because of the yarn changes.
Update 5-15-2014
We have the rights back on this beautiful cowl pattern. You can now get the free Crimson Cowl pattern in the shop.
Magazine Errata: On Row 3, the ch 1 is only done at the beginning in order to lock your yarn at the top of the loops. Here’s the correction:
Row 3: (broomstick lace row) insert hook in 5 loops, yo, pull through loops, ch 1, work 5 sc in same group of loops. *work 5 sc in each set of 5 loops* across.
Please also note that the tassels are just one strand of yarn folded in half and attached with a lark’s head knot.
Lil’ Pumpkin Halloween Outfit Crochet Pattern – Pumpkin Hats, Pants and Trick or Treat Bag
Dress up your Lil’ Pumpkin this fall in this adorable pumpkin set. It’s perfect for cool fall weather and special occasions like Thanksgiving, Harvest Parties, Halloween and trips to the pumpkin patch!
We’ve got the whole family covered with pants for babies and hats for everyone in the family. The bag is one size fits all…perfect for trick or treating.
Pumpkin Pattern Includes:
Skill Level: Intermediate
Stitches Used: Chain, Slip Stitch, Single Crochet, Half Double Crochet, Double Crochet, Treble Crochet, No Chain Foundation Single Crochet, No Chain Foundation Double Crochet
Techniques Used: Crochet in Rows, Crochet in the Round, Crochet in Back Loop, Increase, Decrease
Crochet this design for a fun photo prop or as a cute outfit for taking the Lil’ Pumpkin to a party.
The pattern is available in the store! Learn more about the Lil Pumpkin crochet pattern.
Lil Pumpkin Set pattern on Etsy.
I Love Yarn Day (October 11) – Heart Cozy and Yarn Keeper Jar
Yes, I have “I love yarn day” on my calendar. A few years ago I would have scoffed at such a “silly” day. Not so any more. This is an important day to celebrate!
In support of this momentous day, I’ve created a special mason jar cozy and yarn keeper. Let’s get started with the mason jar then work our way to the cozy.
Mason Jar Yarn Keeper
This mason jar yarn keeper is similar to yarn bowls and yarn keeper bags. The mason jar version has the added benefit of looking adorable on a shelf stuffed with yarn in a kaleidoscope of colors.
Benefits: A mason jar yarn keeper helps keep remnants of yarn clean and tangle free. It can hold a small ball of yarn that has either a center pull or is pulled from the outside. The biggest benefit is that the ball of yarn won’t roll away while you work. The tail is fed through a hole in the lid which helps it unwind smoothly which will help with consistent tension.
We have filled our jars with hand wound balls of yarn. We’ve written a post on how to make a center pull ball of yarn by hand if you’d like to create balls with your remnants.
There are three options for the lid. Supplies and directions for all three are listed below.
SUPPLIES:
Option 1:
Option 2:
Option 3:
INSTRUCTIONS:
Option 1:
This is the quickest method. It works great for papercrafters who already own the Crop-A-Dile, a special hole punch and grommet setter that can reach 6”.
Option 2:
This is a fun option if you want a transparent lid. You can us use the fancy Crop-A-Dile tool or a single hole punch.
Option 3:
This is a cute option for coordinating the lid with elements inside the jar. This also uses common elements you’ll find around the house.
Feed the yarn through the hole, place lid on jar and screw the lid to lock it in place.
I Love Yarn Day Cozy
I couldn’t resist creating a heart shaped yarn ball for I Love Yarn Day. This quick cozy will help you flaunt your love of yarn.
Though we’ve used Vanna’s Choice for this project, this is an awesome stash buster. If you love yarn, then no doubt you’ve got a stash!
Skill Level: Easy
Stitches Used: Chain, Slip Stitch, Single Crochet, Double Crochet, Treble (Triple) Crochet
Techniques Used: Crochet in Rows, Crochet in the Round, Crochet in Both Loops, Crochet in Back Loops Only, Embroidery
COZY SUPPLIES:
COZY INSTRUCTIONS:
Radiant Lime
Hook: H
Ch 5
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook. Sc across. (4)
Row 2-28: Working in the back loops only, sc across. (4)
Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.
Sew ends of cozy together with whip st across.
HEART INSTRUCTIONS
Terracotta (shown here in Silver Blue)
Hook: H
Leaving a long tail: Ch 5
Rnd 1: In the 5th ch from hook work: 3 trc, 4 dc, 1 trc, 4 dc, 3 trc, ch 3, sl st into the same stitch. Pull tail tightly to close the hole. Finish off leaving a long tail for to drape across cozy. (17)
With tail from beginning ch, sew yarn ball looking stripes (sewn in groups of four or as desired). Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.
Sew heart to cozy covering up the whip st join. Weave in ends.
With tail left over from Rnd 1, create a curl in the yarn and sew to cozy as desired.
More Cozies in Store
Love 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.
The ebook includes 3 new designs – Dracula, Vampire and Blue Jeans.
Read more about the set:
Blog: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection
Store: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection
All patterns are written in US terms.
*****9/15/23 Great news! We are moving our store to Etsy. Some of our links will redirect you there for your convenience.
Dana (left) with Deborah (right) and her two boys. 
