Girl on the Rocks

Monster finger chapstick cozy September 30, 2007

Halloween is one of the most inspirational crafty-times of the year for me. I am still waiting the rare trip to Target to see which Halloween cuties they have out this year, but the gears are already turning. I am surrounded by ‘Lip balm for zombies’ from my friend Amanda. Then I saw an adorable severed zombie finger on etsy (I can call it adorable, right?). Then I realized the chapstick is the size of a finger, and viola! The monster finger chapstick holder is born!

If you have made any other amigurumi, you should be able to make this. I assume that you know how to increase, decrease, and start using a magic ring.
To make your own monster finger filled with chapstick you will need:

• Crochet hook – Size F
• Worsted weight yarn in three colors. I used Cascade 220 wool for the brown and green, and Caron Acrylic for the red.
• button (optional)
• key ring (optional)

This pattern has 3 parts. The fingernail, the finger, and the bloody severed top portion. I’ll give you the pattern for the fingernail first. If you are clever, you can make it first, and have it ready to sew on as soon as the finger is long enough. I always forget to do this.

Fingernail
The fingernail is worked in brown yarn, and is worked flat.

R1: Chain 5
R2 and R3: Sc into second from the end, Sc 3 more.
R4: Decrease twice. Pull end through.

Finger
Work 5 sc using the magic loop method.
R1: *sc 1, inc1 * repeat once. sc1 (7 sts)
R2: *sc2, inc1* repeat 3 times. sc 1 (10 sts)
R3-14: sc all the way around.

This is a big enough circumference for my standard sized chapsticks. After you are done with the increases, you might want to check to see if yours will fit. If not, sneak in another increase on the next row. Continue in the green color until you are just below the top of the chapstick. For me this was row 14. Change to the red yarn.

Severed top
There will be four loops that make up the severed finger top: one large one to wrap around the button, and three decorative – one of which can be used to attach a keyring.
R15: Sc in red
R16: chain 8, sc into base of chain to create loop (you just made the button loop). *Sc1, chain 3, skip1, sc * repeat 3 times (you just made the 3 decorative loops).

If you haven’t already done so, sew on the fingernail. Make sure to place the fingernail towards the “front” of the finger, which is the side opposite the large loop. I just whip-stitched along the edge with the chapstick in the finger so that I didn’t accidentally sew everything closed.

Use the brown yarn to add a knuckle. You can also use green to make some warts (french knots).

Attach the button to the front of the finger, at the top opposite the largest loop. Thread a keychain loop in one of the decorative loops if you wish. (detail photo of top loops)

Now you are ready to creep people out.

I expect that there may be errors in my pattern, so check back for updates (and let me know if my pattern doesn’t make sense!).

Pattern modifications

• Make a long grey fingernail to make it a witches’ finger!
• The fit of the finger is very snug. you might not even want a closure at the top. I think I like it best without one
• Some of the fingers in the pictures are constructed a little differently. Instead of a button closure, I threaded a crocheted chain through the loops to make a drawstring closure. you might prefer this if you aren’t going to attach the finger to a keychain. Plus it makes more creepy, bloody strings to dangle out of the finger.
• I have been addicted to softlips since high school. It is a more narrow chapstick than the standard size, I found that 7 stitches around was enough.

Amigurumi Swap and more May 31, 2007

I made a few tiny amigurumi’s and it was so fun, that I decided to host a swap over on swapbot.

From Ana Paula’s Pattern

Partners will be assigned on June 1st, so sign up before then. You will have until June 20th to make one large (~ 8 inches) or two small (4-5 inches) amigurumi creations to send to your partner.

I have had tremendous luck with most of my swapbot swaps. I was lucky enough to receive the most appropriate granny square in the fancy granny swap that I hosted:

Can you tell what the one on the right is?? Bacon. That’s right. A stranger crocheted bacon for me (thanks purplesparkler!). Awesome. I will have the most fantastic granny square afghan ever.

Earth Day Daisy April 22, 2007

I thought it appropriate to post this project today. Though it is not fully recycled it still has a bit of re-purposing, so that is good for earth day, right? Without further adieu, let me introduce to my little earth day Daisy.

She is quiet (I am too lazy to add a mouth) and she likes to spend her time hanging out on my knitting bag.

Though she is freshly crocheted on the outside, her insides started out as something else…

A failed attempt at a 1 1/4 inch pinback button. my button maker doesn’t mess up too often (when it does it is usually my fault) but I have many off-center or screwed up buttons that I don’t want to throw away. Turning them into sweet little flowers is so much better than throwing them in the trash. So I thought I would tell you how to make them too. but before I do, this pattern is inspired largely by:

- Jezze – She is highlyskilled at making delicate adornments from pins (go buy some from her shop, they are worth it).
- Crochet me – button cover instructions
- finally, the Sampler. Why the sampler? After just a few subscriptions to the sampler I have ended up with many pins that I don’t want to wear, and don’t want to throw away.

Okay, now I can continue. There are a few pictures here in this post, but there are more in my Flickr set.
You will need:

• A few yards of worsted weight yarn, two colors (I used scrap acrylic)
• a 1 1/4 inch pinback button (badge)
• crochet hook appropriate for the yarn. I used G. Keep in mind that the stitches should be tight
• eyes (optional)**
• craft glue (optional)

The center:
Round 1: Sc 6 using the magic loop method. Slip the first stitch to form a circle. Pull the magic loop tight.
Round 2: Sc 2 into each sc from round 1. Repeat all the way around. (Note: I only go through half of the stitch because I like the spiral pattern that it creates).
Round 3: *Sc 2 sc 2 sc 1* all the way around.

At this point my circle was just slightly bigger than my button, so I stopped. You might want to add one more round if yours doesn’t look bigger than the button.
OPTIONAL Round 4: *sc2 sc1* all the way around.

Now, to get the crochet to stay on the pin, we will decrease so it pulls tight around the pin.
Decrease round: *Sc two together* all the way around. It should look something like this

You are done with the center color. Fasten it securely and cut it leaving a long tail.

At this point, you button might still slip out of its newly made cover. This is okay. We will tighten it up later. You can take this time to add eyes easily, or make trouble for yourself by doing it later (which is what I do). Did you see that?

ADD EYES

Just thought I would give you fair warning since I always miss important little instructions like that.

The Petals:
The petals are attached by crocheting a chain around the center that is secured at several points. Each petal is then worked in the gap between the chain and the center.

Attaching the chain:

Attach the new color by slipping it together with one of the decrease stitches.
Chain 3 and then slip one together with another of the decrease stitches, pulling the chain taut.

You need to keep the chain as close to the center as possible, otherwise you will end up with a gap between your petals and the center. Now is the time to evaluate how many of these segments you think will go all the way around the center, as this determines the number of petals your flower will have. Too many? Then chain an extra stitch before attaching it to the decrease stitches.
Continue all the way around.

Now your chain is set up and you can make the petals.
Into each space between the chain and the center: sc1, dc2, tr1, dc2, sc1.

Repeat for each space.

Almost Done… Did you add eyes yet? this is your last chance. Add eyes if you haven’t done so already.
Weave in the ends EXCEPT for the long end you left on the center color.
now we will take the final steps to secure the flower to the pin. I chose to go au naturale and secure mine without the aid of glue. But a dollop of craft glue on the front of the pin would help keep the flower in place, and also help secure the ends. so go for it if you want. Make sure that before the glue is dry you rotate the button so the actual pin is horizontal.

As the last step, we will take the long end and use it to cinch up the back of the flower, pulling it snugly against the pin. Thread the long end on a tapestry needle and run it behind three opposing decrease stitches. make sure not to obscure the pin. pull tight and secure. Viola! Done!

**Stay tuned for a tutorial on how to make your own eyes.

A Windfall of craftiness April 1, 2007

First, the bad news… I applied for a table to sell my craft wares at the SF Bazaar Bizaare in May, and I didn’t get accepted. ho-hum. I can’t believe they have chosen to leave themselves moustache-less. Now I wish I would have done something to get involved like drop spindle demonstrations, or crocheting with video tape or something but those deadlines passed long ago, and I was hedging my bets on the Bazaar…

But there are other things to cheer me up. I took some nice photos for the Bazaar application, and one features the newest item in my shop: The Old West Moustache Set.

Cookie A gave my stitch markers a mention and now they are selling as fast as I can list them. Thanks so much Cookie!

I have also received a bunch of swap goodies from swap-bot.
I really enjoyed the tea swap. I got these from Germany:

And my partner in the “Crafty Chick” swap really outdid herself.

A Martha Stweart Living, paper goodies, a hand sewn case, yarn, and more! See that green yarn in the top left? i immediately started using it in granny squares.

Those grannies are really starting to pile up, by the way….

The front two are from swap-bot swaps!

Just a reminder, if you would like to swap a few granny squares, sign-ups for my Scraptastic granny square swap are open until April 8th.

Scraptastic Acrylic Granny Square swap March 19, 2007

This could be you. I can help you get the variety of granny squares you need to reach this high level of fashion.

I couldn’t wait. I have the bug. My first granny-square swap is still underway, but partners have been assigned so we can’t take new members. And even though there is more than a week to go, I have my squares completed and packaged up for mailing. So I started another swap. The Scraptastic Acrylic Granny Square swap to be exact (say it out loud. “scraptastic.” fun to say, huh?).

Much like the previous swap, this aims to use up acrylic yarn in granny squares, and swap them around the globe. Based on some of the ideas of the previous swap members the number of squares that you send is increased to 3 squares to two partners (for a total of 6 sent and received). Six squares does sound like a lot, but the deadline is almost 6 weeks away. And I know you must have a few squares lying around. You can find more details (and sign up) on the swap-bot page.

Additional info
If you are digging granny squares, join the Granny Along. Or just pop by for a visit. It is an inspirational hang out.

If you need some instructions for knitting a traditional granny square, check out these links:
Martha Stewart has an illustrated granny square tutorial (i think these are “reversible” granny squares).
Crochet Cabana has an excellent tutorial with photographs.

I also found two videos on youtube that would be a big help for beginners.
The first shows how to get started with a square, and the second shows a great way to do color changes.

Acrylic Granny Square Swap February 25, 2007

Almost immediately after professing my love of SwapBot, I have decided to organize my own swap. For some reason I have been fascinated with granny-squares lately. I think they are the perfect destiny for acrylic yarn. Since I have been secretly dreaming of a granny-square afghan for myself I started making squares.

I want the final afghan to be washable and durable so I am using acrylic yarn. I don’t want to go the store and buy a bunch of acrylic so I am just using up what I have. Unfortunately I don’t have a wide color selection. That got me to thinking… Why not swap granny squares through swapbot?!

In this swap you make 3 granny squares, and send one to three different partners (so you will send and receive 3 squares). The squares should be made out of a durable, washable acrylic yarn. Just use some scraps that you have lying around. The finished square should measure 6 inches on each side. No need to add an additional edging, the new owner can edge as they like to incorporate it into their own afghan. Make sure to use at least two colors of yarn in each individual square. Sign up by March 15th, as partners will be assigned then. You will then have two weeks to complete your squares and swap them out on April 1. I will be filtering out partipants with ratings of less than 4, but will allow newbies with completed profiles to participate. Sign up now!

Granny squares use only basic crochet skills. I have compiled a few resources to help you if you need a pattern.

Martha Stewart has an illustrated granny square tutorial (i think these are “reversible” granny squares).
Crochet Cabana has an excellent tutorial with photographs.