An Introduction

Hi, hello! If you’ve found your way here from Alexi’s Traveling Afghans project, welcome to my little corner of the internet, affectionately referred to as Sewrella – but people call me Ashleigh! A bit about me: I love baking with my 4-year-old son Parker (you can often find us making Christmas cookies at all times of the year), I’m utterly and forever obsessed with Gilmore Girls, and I have a not-so-side biz hand dyeing yarn (check it out here!).

I’m so happy you’re here and hope you’ll grab a cup of coffee to join me on my fun crochet journey!

Traveling Afghans Project

The absolute gem behind the incredible design biz called Two of Wands, Alexi, created the idea of doing a traveling afghan project – think Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants – but better! It’s traveled by old school snail mail all across the world this year, with one granny square being added to the blanket by each maker it ventures to see. This project has been in the works for almost a year, and still has some special people to visit after me before it’s finished! I’m working on the crochet version, but there is also a knit traveling afghan if you prefer dusting off those needles.

To find all of the wonderful makers and patterns included in the blanket listed cumulatively over on Alexi’s blog, get the inside scoop on this unique project, along with all the details, click HERE.

Inspiration + Design

When it came time to design my square I knew I wanted to make something simple, therapeutic, and familiar. I love eyelet lace stitches and the way they add breatheability to a wool afghan like this one. So I went with the same eyelet stitch pattern as my Duo Poncho from last year!

I love all the textural squares on the crochet afghan and this easy square works up QUICK to offer some light contrast to the more dense stitches around it. I love that every designer brings something totally different to the blanket and it has so much personality!

Substituting yarns

For both the crochet and knit counterparts, we all used Lion Brand’s Wool-Ease, which is a medium weight 4 yarn. If you’re allergic to wool or have other yarns in your stash you’d like to use – go for it! Just use any worsted yarn and make sure to check your gauge. This blanket could be made in any colors, even multiple colors! Though I love that all the squares are in the same neutral because it makes this traditional sampler style afghan really modern and elegant.

PATTERN

Yarn

Lion Brand Wool Ease
(Weight 4/worsted, 3 oz/100g,  197 yds/ 180m)
Colorway: Natural Heather

Notions

-Size J 6mm Crochet Hook

-Darning needle

-Blocking mats and pins

Gauge

14 sts x 10 rows = 4″ in pattern

Notes

-This pattern is part of an ongoing project called the Traveling Afghans. See all the other squares, find the links to all other designer’s patterns, and make the entire sampler blanket here!

CROCHET TRAVELING AFGHAN SQUARE

Ch 34

Row 1: Starting in thrid chain from hook, Hdc across, chain two and turn <32>

Row 2: Hdc across

Row 3: Ch 3, sk 1 hdc st, hdc, *ch 1, sk 1, hdc; rep from * across, chain three and turn <16 hdc>

Row 4: sk 1 hdc st, hdc, *ch 1, sk 1, hdc; rep from * across. Finish last stitch with mc yarn, chain two and turn

Repeat Rows  1-4 until you’ve finished 24 rows.

Finish off, weave ends.

The shape of your square may be a slight bit slanted but this can be straightened out with blocking. I recommend soaking your square in a bit of wool wash or mild laundry detergent, pinning it to a blocking board (make sure it measures 10 x 10″ when blocking!) and letting it dry.

Sew square to the rest of your Traveling Afghans blanket with a mattress stitch for a seamless join.

The post Traveling Afghan Square – Crochet Eyelet Granny Square appeared first on Sewrella.

When I first started my blog, it was all crochet all the time. And while yarn is still my first and true love, there are a lot of things I consider my hobbies now and I love sharing them with you over on Instagram!

Over there I share everything from chocolate cake recipes to updates on my garden so I had an idea:

A weekly series with a short link roundup of all the things I’ve been enjoying that week.

These posts will be short and sweet – think a Buzzfeed list but with us crafters/moms/old souls in mind!

The Best Things on the Internet This Week

This smoothie that tastes like dessert has been awesome – even parker likes it!!

The video that taught me how to propagate my mint plants – and I’ve even done it successfully!

I got this yarn in the mail this week in the color Mahogany Rose and I love it so much.

I updated my online course with a module on April’s data on here on the blog – join the course here to gain access!

These hidden pictures sticker puzzles have kept parker busy this week and I love that he has to slowwww down to do them.

Here’s the new show I watched in less than a week – it was so good, just for adult eyes only!

I ordered this beach hat because someday I will go back to the beach and I can’t wait!

Stocked up on my FAVORITE baking ingredient ever, this vanilla bean paste. It’s good in everything, and it’s worth the money because it lasts a long time, I promise.

See ya back here next week!

The post Weekly Stitch appeared first on Sewrella.

A cute little crochet mint leaf!

I’ve been loving gardening lately, especially after being at home so much this year. I’ve started growing four different kinds of mint plants – peppermint, chocolate mint, sweet mint and spearmint!

I’ve been brewing lots of mint tea (recipe below!) with the cuttings from my plants and it inspired me to crochet some little mint leaves! I couldn’t find a pattern for any so I decided to make one up.

Uses for a crochet mint leaf

Little crochet accents like this are great for adding to larger projects. This leaf could be used alongside crocheted flowers for home decor projects like wreathes and tabletop arrangements or it could be sewn next to a crochet rose on a baby hat!

The possibilities are endless and patterns like this crochet mint leaf allow you to get creative.

The Yarn

I used some scrap green yarn I had hanging around – one that’s my own hand dyed yarn in a color from last fall called Lodge and the other is a bit of Lion Brand Heartland in the color Kings Canyon. You could use any yarn to make this crochet mint leaf, I would just reduce the hook size by two or three sizes from what the yarn label recommends to make sure your leaf is stiff enough to hold its shape.

PATTERN

• Get the ad-free, large print, printable PDF pattern HERE.
• Grab the Ultimate Pattern Bundle that includes 150+ patterns just like this one on sale for $20 today HERE.
• PIN this pattern to your Pinterest boards for later HERE.
• Add this pattern to your Ravelry queue HERE.

DESCRIPTION

Free crochet pattern for an accent crochet mint leaf. Use for wreathes or tabletop decor, or to adorn hats, scarves and blankets.

YARN

-Lion Brand Heartland – Kings Canyon
(weight 4 / worsted, 5oz/142g, 251yds/230m)

NOTIONS

–Size H 5mm crochet hook
–Darning needle

NOTES

Finished size: 3 x 2″

Chain stitches and slip stitches do not count as stitches throughout.

Crochet Mint Leaf

Round 1: Ch 6, slip stitch in second stitch from hook, sc, hdc, dc, 4 dc in last, turn slightly to work down other side of foundation ch, 3 dc in same stitch, dc, hdc, sc, slip stitch in last, ch 2, slip stitch to 1st stitch of the round to join <13>

Round 2: Ch 1, slip stitch in next stitch (without skipping any stitches), repeat around, slip stitch to join, finish off and weave ends

Abbreviations (US terms):

ch – chain
dc – double crochet
hdc – half double crochet
sc – single crochet
st(s) – stitch(es)
<> – stitch count

Fresh Mint Tea

1. Pick 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, wash, pat dry, add to teacup or mug
2. Bring water to rolling boil, pour over tea leaves
3. Steep ten minutes
4. Strain or spoon leaves out
5. Add a teaspoon of honey or sugar and stir. Enjoy!

Other Free Crochet Patterns for the Kitchen

1. Crochet Ruffled Trivet / 2. Crochet Double Thick Potholders / 3. Crochet Betty’s Coasters

The post Crochet Mint Leaf (+tea recipe!) appeared first on Sewrella.

When I first started my blog, it was all crochet all the time. And while yarn is still my first and true love, there are a lot of things I consider my hobbies now and I love sharing them with you over on Instagram!

Over there I share everything from chocolate cake recipes to updates on my garden so I had an idea:

A weekly series with a short link roundup of all the things I’ve been enjoying that week.

These posts will be short and sweet – think a Buzzfeed list but with us crafters/moms/old souls in mind!

The Best Things on the Internet This Week

The gardening video that taught me all about hydrangeas – now I have 6 in my garden!

The silky new yarn I’m loving.

The mojito recipe I made with fresh picked mint.

Parker’s birthday is coming up – we ordered this!!

The chai tea I’m obsessed with.

Where I’ve ordered all my plants online while social distancing.

This article has really been helping me deal with working from home with a small child.

Trying to pick colors for a new project and I loved this palette!

The free printable coloring pages that have saved my sanity. There are also super cute paid ones here and here – support small business!

See ya back here next week!

The post Weekly Stitch appeared first on Sewrella.

The Inspiration + Design

I’ve always loved vintage silhouettes and making a baby set with a classic bonnet & bloomers is just my style! I wanted to make a couple of basic, classic pieces that are just the right thing for sweet new babies.

The bonnet is extremely simple in construction and works up very quickly in the round and then in turned rows.

The bloomers are also simple in the shape but with a textured waistband and secure drawstring. This allows for the fit to be adjustable when dressing and undressing the baby.

The perfect crochet baby set  – beginners included!

A simple pattern with video tutorials to help out the beginner crocheter make this crochet baby set with ease. Full videos are embedded in the written pattern below so just scroll on down for those!

I chose very simple stitches in order to keep this crochet baby set easy and beginner friendly. I believe an advanced beginner could easily tackle this project!

Vintage style with a classic craft

My favorite style of crochet pattern is a classic, vintage style that nods to the history of the craft. Crochet is something that has been around for generations and I love designs that acknowledge that history in a timeless and classic way. That’s why this crochet baby set is so timeless and elegant.

New baby gift giving is easy with this set

If you’re in need of the perfect baby shower gift, this crochet baby set would be a lovely gift along with a book of nursery rhymes!

It can even be worked up last minute! It took me less than two hours to make both the bonnet and the bloomers so as long as you have some weight 4 worsted yarn on hand (preferably of the baby variety), this crochet baby set can be done and ready to gift in an afternoon.

Super soft baby yarn

For this crochet baby set I chose to use Lion Brand Feels Like Butta yarn from Michaels. This yarn has a suede-like feel and is so super soft – the name really doesn’t lie! There are some gorgeous muted pastel tones in this yarn line that are absolutely perfect for our vintage style crochet baby set. They look almost worn in and aged in the most delicate way even when they’re fresh off the hook.

I used the colorways blossom and sage for my samples but all the colors of this yarn that I saw at Michaels would make a gorgeous vintage crochet baby set. Here are the ones that I saw at my local Michaels – you could even choose a color to match the nursery of the new baby!

PATTERN

• Get the ad-free, large print, printable PDF pattern HERE.
• Grab the Ultimate Pattern Bundle that includes 150+ patterns just like this one on sale for $20 today HERE.
• PIN this pattern to your Pinterest boards for later HERE.

Description

I’ve always loved vintage silhouettes and making a baby set with a classic bonnet & bloomers is just my style! I love how quickly these heirloom pieces come together.

Yarn

–Lion Brand Feels Like Butta yarn
(weight 4 / medium, 3.5oz/100g, 218yds/199m)
Colorways used: Blossom, Sage
Bonnet: 45 yds
Bloomers: 60 yds

Notions

–Size H 5mm Crochet Hook

–Darning needle

Gauge

14 sts x 9 rows = 4” in dc

Notes

-This pattern is written in newborn – 3 month baby size.

-Ch 2 at beginning of each row does not count as a stitch.

Vintage Crochet Baby Set

Baby Bonnet

Make a magic ring
Rnd 1: Ch 2, 10 dc in ring, sl st to join <10>
Rnd 2: Ch 2, inc around, sl st to join <20>
Rnd 3: Ch 2, *inc, dc; rep from * around, sl st to join <30>
Rnd 4: Ch 2, *inc, dc 2; rep from * around, sl st to join <40>
Rnd 5: Ch 2, dc around, sl st to join <40>
Begin working in turned rows
Rows 6-10: Ch 2, Dc in next 38 stitches, turn <38>
Row 11 (WS): Ch 1, Sc across, turn <38>
Row 12 (RS): Ch 36, sl st in back bump of each ch stitch, sl st across bonnet to end of row, ch 36, sl st in back bump of each ch st, sl st once more in final stitch of the bonnet row, finish off, weave ends.

Baby Bloomers

Abbreviations (US terms):

bpdc – back post double crochet
ch – chain
dc – double crochet
dec – decrease
fpdc – front post double crochet
inc – increase
rs – right side
st(s) – stitch(es)
ws – wrong side
<> – stitch count

OTHER FREE KIDS & BABY CROCHET PATTERNS

1. Crochet Lamb Lovey / 2. Crochet Parker Baby Set / 3. Crochet Happy Monkey

The post Vintage Crochet Baby Set appeared first on Sewrella.

The Inspiration + Design

I started hand dyeing yarn back in 2017 and I fell in love quickly. I started a business selling our hand dyed yarn and called it Sewrella Yarn! We open our store once a month for themed collections on the 15th of every month and it always sells out fast! (Follow us on instagram here to stay caught up). We have so much fun creating themed colorways around different collection ideas like Hocus Pocus at Halloween, Gilmore Girls (the TV show), and Disneyland to name a few.

View this post on Instagram

 

Color family planning for our February collection! What do you think the theme is based on this color mood? ???? If anyone gets it right I’ll give ya a shop credit!!

A post shared by Ashleigh • CJ • Parker (@handmadehomefibers) on Jan 31, 2020 at 7:21am PST

The two hand dyed colorways I featured here were sitting on my shelf after a batch of test dyeing. The recipes haven’t yet been released publicly in any way but I thought they were beautiful for this project. One was originally inspired by a golden peach and the other was a rosy clay style colorway.

Books & Blankets – a monthly series!

Crochet is obviously a big passion of mine (it’s why I have a whole blog about it, ha!) but another big passion of mine is children’s books. After a big pattern sale last fall, we actually took half of our proceeds and used it to buy children’s books for our local hospital. That sparked an idea – a collection of crochet patterns inspired by some favorite children’s books.

I’m so excited to bring these two passions of mine together in this series this year, the second of which is this crochet color block blanket! Check out the first one of the series here!

Creating a blanket from a children’s story

These two just so happen to perfectly coordinate with our featured book, Bagel in Love! I picked up this book recently as a little Valentine’s Day book for Parker’s collection and was actually kind of shocked by how much I loved it! It’s about a sweet bagel who want’s to enter a dance contest but can’t find a partner. By the end he falls in love with a cupcake and wins the Cherry Jubilee dance contest. The illustrations are vibrant and the story is full of happiness.

Creating a color palette to match children’s book art is so fun – when you find the perfect yarn for the blanket it feels like such a fun victory. Making this blanket in the baby size and gifting it for a baby shower with the matching children’s book is a perfect thoughtful gift that’s easy to customize to the baby’s nursery theme or other details.

High end + Affordable

I loved curating a color palette blending high end hand dyed yarn with more affordable yarn from Lion Brand. The end result is a wool blend, super soft blanket that didn’t cost a fortune to make. One could certainly make an entire blanket of this style in high end yarn and it would be gorgeous. However, this yarn is expensive when you’re making a large project like a blanket – those skeins add up.

When you make your blanket, use the tips below on looking at yardage to determine what yarns will blend well together in this way. Get creative and use up some of your stash and if you’re able, think about supporting an artisanal hand dyer (even if you only purchase one or two skeins for an accent in your blanket).

One blanket, so many sizes

Although I am in love with this crochet color block blanket in a baby size gifted to a new mom along with the Bagel in Love story that matches it so well, I have written this pattern to work for blankets of just about any size!

Within the pattern below you’ll find a table of blanket sizes that are included in the pattern as well as their measurements and the yardage required to make them (provided you’re using the yarn I used or a similar worsted weight yarn).

Another fun aspect of this blanket is that you can sort of create your own color block blanket! Using yarn of any weight, you can just follow the pattern making the foundation chain as wide as you’d like your blanket to be and continuing with row repeats until it’s long enough.

You could even make it in a solid color, different sizes of color block stripes, more or fewer stripes, a two-tone stripe effect, anything goes. The crochet color block blanket is totally customizable and my favorite kind of project!

Easy level & totally beginner friendly

This blanket is one of the easiest I’ve ever made. If you know how to half double crochet, you can complete this blanket. With the video tutorial embedded in the pattern, you’ll see the basic techniques I use to create this stunningly simple color block blanket.

Once you get past the first two rows you’ll be able to complete the blanket without counting or thinking much about it at all – just tune in to your favorite show or podcast and zoom along through the project!

Yarn + Substitution

I used a blend of Lion Brand’s Wool Ease in grey heather, fisherman, and navy and some of my own hand dyed yarn from Sewrella Yarn in a few colorways I created back in 2019. All are worsted weight and of comparable gauge. I just chose colors that worked well together to match my theme of Bagel in Love.

A note on substituting yarns and blending yarns for this project: there is a lot of variation in the yarn industry within the world of worsted weight category 4 weight yarn. The best way I know to compare yarns of different origins, fiber contents, and brand are to look at the yardage per gram. On the yarn label for any yarn (from a big box store or from an independent dyer) the yardage for the ball or skein is listed.

The Wool Ease yarn I used from Lion Brand is an 85 gram ball with 197 yards. 197/85=2.318 yards per gram.
The Handmade Home Fibers hand dyed yarn is a 100 gram skein with 218 yards. 218/100=2.18 yards per gram.
2.318-2.18=0.138 yards per gram difference

I try to make sure any yarns I’m blending within one project like this are absolutely no more than 0.5 yards per gram difference from each other. The lower this number is, the closer these comparative yarns will be in gauge, resulting in a seamless finished project!

PATTERN

• Get the ad-free, large print, printable PDF pattern HERE.
• Grab the Ultimate Pattern Bundle that includes 150+ patterns just like this one on sale for $20 today HERE.
• PIN this pattern to your Pinterest boards for later HERE.

Description

An heirloom blanket inspired by a favorite children’s book – the crochet color block blanket is simple and stunning. An easy level pattern using value and luxury yarns results in a colorful and versatile blanket that’s warm and comforting in all 12 finished sizes.

Yarn

–Lion Brand – Wool Ease
(weight 4 / medium, 3oz/85g, 197yds/180m)
Colorways: GREY HEATHER, FISHERMAN, NAVY
See yardage via table below

–Handmade Home Fibers – Classic Worsted
(weight 4 / medium, 3.5oz/100g, 218yds/200m)
Colorways: ROSY CLAY, GOLDEN PEACH
See yardage via table below

Notions

–Size J 6mm Crochet Hook

–Darning needle

Gauge

14 sts x 9 rows = 4” in pattern (blo hdc)

Finished Size

Notes

–See chart above to choose the size blanket you’d like to make!

-See chart within pattern below to determine your number of foundation chains (A), row stitch count (B), number of total row repeats (C), and number of row repeats per color block (D).

-Ch 2 at beginning of each row does not count as a stitch.

-Substitute other yarns of any weight by using it’s recommended hook size and following the same stitch pattern with a foundation chain that’s the width of your desired blanket size and working row repeats per color block until you’ve reached the length you desire. Alterations may affect yardage.

-Use worsted weight yarns following the yardage chart below. See “Yarn & Substitution” section above for additional guidance.

HAND DYED CROCHET COLOR BLOCK BLANKET

Ch A (or any number +2), sk 2 sts.

Row 1: Hdc across, turn <B>

Row 2: Ch 2, blo hdc across, turn <B>

Repeat row 2 until you’ve finished C rows, changing color every D rows.

Finish off & weave ends.

Abbreviations (US terms):

blo – back loop only
ch – chain
hdc – half double crochet
rep – repeat
st(s) – stitch(es)
<> – stitch count

OTHER FREE CROCHET BLANKET PATTERNS

1. Crochet Cake Stripe Blanket / 2. Crochet Mini Basketweave Blanket / 3. Crochet Homemaker Throw

The post Hand Dyed Crochet Color Block Blanket appeared first on Sewrella.

Scroll down for the free written instructions and video tutorial or read more below about how to crochet flat circles.

You got skills!

Skills, they’re the building blocks of knowledge. Right? Learning how to crochet a flat circle is one tool that every crocheter should have in their toolbox.

Crocheting a flat circle can come in handy when crocheting just about anything – often you’ll need to know how to crochet a flat circle to begin a crochet hat, to crochet amigurumi toys, to make baskets and other items. This technique is a very useful one to know as a beginner crocheter or for perfecting your skills to work on designing your own pieces.

Increasing the number of techniques you can utilize when crocheting makes following creative patterns more fun! Sometimes when reading a pattern or watching a video tutorial, the teacher may rush through how to crochet a flat circle as part of the project. So it’s really helpful to be able to understand how that shape is made and do it on your own!

Learning how to crochet a flat circle is just one of many techniques every crocheter should know, others include how to keep straight edges in crochet and how to change color in crochet.

What to make with flat circles

Once you’ve mastered how to crochet a flat circle you can put those skills to good use to make all sorts of projects.

I’ve rounded up some of my own favorite patterns using flat circles in the construction for you to peruse. Some of these projects have very obvious flat circle components but others are more hidden!

Just click the links to see the free patterns.

1. Crochet Circle Tote Bag / 2. Crochet Parker Hat / 3. Crochet Happy Monkey

4. Crochet Bunny Lovey / 5. Crochet June Sun Hat / 6. Crochet Rover Circle Bag

The Yarn

In this video tutorial I use Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick – one of my all-time favorite yarns! It’s great for myriad projects but also for learning new stitches and techniques, like how to crochet a flat circle!

Wool Ease Thick & Quick comes in a ton of beautiful colors and my favorite is the color I used called Fisherman. It’s a stunning off-white that’s not too yellow. It’s a beautiful cream color that fits just about everyone’s taste!

Shop the Wool Ease Thick & Quick yarn here.

How to Crochet a Flat Circle PATTERN

MATERIALS

-Any yarn and corresponding hook size

I used Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick yarn in the color Fisherman and a K 6.5mm crochet hook

-Stitch marker (a bobbi pin or spare piece of yarn in another color works fine for this)

NOTES

-See abbreviations below the written instructions.
-Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round. Be sure to move it up when you begin each round.
-Numbers within < > indicate the number of final stitches in that round. Be sure to double check your stitch counts so that you make sure you are on track to make a perfect flat circle.
-This pattern creates a circle working in continuous rounds without a seam. If you wish to join your rounds simply slip stitch at the end of each round and chain 1 stitch.
-When the pattern reads “inc, sec 2; rep around” that means: increase (two single crochets in the same stitch) once, single crochet in each of the following two stitches, repeat this entire sequence over and over until you’ve finished the round.
-Save this page to your Pinterest board if you need to watch it often to remember how to make a flat circle.

Video Tutorial:

Written instructions:

Make a magic ring

Round 1: Ch 1, 6 sc into magic ring <6>

Round 2: Inc around <12>

Round 3: Inc, sc; rep around <18>

Round 4: Inc, sc 2; rep around <24>

Round 5: Inc, sc 3; rep around <30>

Continue on in this method by adding one extra sc after the increases and make the flat circle as large as you like – it could keep going forever! I’ll take you through Round 10 here in the written instructions so you can get the hang of it.

Round 6: Inc, sc 4; rep around <36>

Round 7: Inc, sc 5; rep around <42>

Round 8: Inc, sc 6; rep around <48>

Round 9: Inc, sc 7; rep around <54>

Round 10: Inc, sc 8; rep around <60>

Continue.

Abbreviations (US Terms):

ch – chain

inc – increase (2 single crochets in the same stitch)

rep – repeat

sc – single crochet

st(s) – stitch(es)

The post How to Crochet a Flat Circle appeared first on Sewrella.

Read below about the inspiration, the perfect yarn I chose, the DIY Halloween costume for kiddos, or scroll on down for the free pattern, video and photo tutorial.

The Inspiration + Design

My three year old Parker is obsessed with Curious George – the books, the movie, everything. So when I thought about Halloween coming up, I thought surprising him with a fun costume would be just the thing!

I’ll be dressing Parker up as The Man with the Yellow Hat and he will carry around a monkey! Of course, I could just buy a plush monkey and call it a day but where’s the fun in that? I knew stitching up a monkey in the amigurumi style of toy making would be perfect!

This makes it such a special piece for his first Halloween costume (he didn’t dress up the last couple of years) and he can keep the monkey around to play or sleep with beyond just Halloween! Which means all my hard work making this little guy will be so worth it.

The Yarn

I knew I wanted to use a worsted weight yarn for this project because I love the way worsted works up in amigurumi. Due to using a small hook size to get a dense, tight fabric I didn’t want to use a light weight yarn that would take longer and I didn’t want to use a bulky yarn that would create more gaps between the large stitches.

I chose Lion Brand Heartland because of the color range and the heathered look that this yarn line presents! I love more dimensional yarns like this for all projects (they’re just more interesting to me) but especially for amigurumi as they look more like the actual variation of real animals. At least a little bit

This happy monkey pattern only took one skein of each color yarn! I had about half the ball of the lighter color leftover too – such great bang for your buck!

PATTERN

• Get the ad-free, large print, printable PDF pattern HERE.
• Grab the Ultimate Pattern Bundle that includes 150+ patterns just like this one on sale for $20 today HERE.
• PIN this pattern to your Pinterest boards for later HERE.
• Add this pattern to your Ravelry queue HERE.

DESCRIPTION

Ooh-ooh, aah-aah! This monkey is the silliest, happiest around and he’s sure to bring smiles to everyone he sees. Simple amigurumi techniques and whimsical features make this monkey cute and easy to make.

MATERIALS

–Lion Brand Heartland Yarn

Weight 4 / worsted

1 skein each Sequoia and Great Sand Dunes

–Size F 3.75mm crochet hook

–Yarn needle (bent-tip preferred)

–Polyfil stuffing

–9mm safety eyes (this set comes with lots of colors, I used brown)

-Hot glue (optional)

NOTES

Finished size:

17 x 10”

-Yarn substitutions can include any yarn that is a category 4 worsted weight yarn. brands and colors may vary.

-Add embellishments like bowties, hair bows, or flowers.

-Pieces are worked separately (with the exception of the head/body which are worked as one piece) and sewn together to finish.

-Numbers listed within <> indicate final stitch counts for that round.

-When the pattern reads “sc 2” this means to sc one time in each of the next two stitches.

-When the pattern reads “4 sc” this means to sc four times in the next stitch only.

-When the pattern reads “3 inc” this means to increase (2 sc in the same stitch) in each of the next three stitches.

-Work in unjoined rounds (a spiral) unless otherwise directed.

CROCHET HAPPY MONKEY

Face

In “Great Sand Dunes” yarn

Make a magic ring

Rnd 1: 6 sc in ring <6>
Rnd 2: Inc around <12>
Rnd 3: Inc, sc; rep around <18>
Rnd 4: Inc, Sc 2; rep around <24>
Rnd 5: Inc, Sc 3; rep around <30>
Rnd 6: Inc, Sc 4; rep around <36>
Rnd 7: Inc, Sc 5; rep around <42>
Rnd 8: Inc, Sc 6; rep around <48>

Insert safety eyes between rounds 5 & 6 with 9 sts between them. Do not place backs.

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing. Weave magic ring end. Set aside.

Snout

In “Great Sand Dunes” yarn

Make a magic ring

Rnd 1: 6 sc in ring <6>
Rnd 2: 4 sc, sc 2, 4 sc, sc 2 <12>
Rnd 3: Sc, 3 inc, sc 3, 3 inc, sc 2 <18>
Rnd 4: Sc 2, 3 inc, sc 6, 3 inc, sc 4 <24>
Rnd 5: Sc 3, [inc, sc] 3 times, sc 6, [inc, sc] 3 times, sc 3 <30>
Rnd 6: Sc 4, [inc, sc] 3 times, sc 9, [inc, sc] 3 times, sc 5 <36>
Rnd 7: Sc 6, [inc, sc 2] 3 times, sc 9, [inc, sc 2] 3 times, sc 3 <42>
Rnds 8-10: sc around <42>

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing. Weave magic ring end. Set aside.

Head / Body (one piece)

In “Sequoia” yarn

Make a magic ring

Rnd 1: 6 sc in ring <6>
Rnd 2: Inc around <12>
Rnd 3: Inc, sc; rep around <18>
Rnd 4: Inc, Sc 2; rep around <24>
Rnd 5: Inc, Sc 3; rep around <30>
Rnd 6: Inc, Sc 4; rep around <36>
Rnd 7: Inc, Sc 5; rep around <42>
Rnd 8: Sc around <42>
Rnd 9: Inc, sc 6; rep around <48>
Rnd 10: Inc, Sc 7; rep around <54>
Rnd 11: Sc around <54>
Rnd 12: Inc, Sc 8; rep around <60>
Rnd 13: Inc, Sc 9; rep around <66>
Rnds 14-22: Sc around <66>

Place safety eye backs (while attached to face) between Rnds 15 & 16 with 9 sts between them. Place backs securely. Safety eyes are now anchored through both pieces.

Begin stuffing with polyfil stuffing and continue stuffing after each round until firm.

Rnd: 23: Dec, sc 9; rep around <60>
Rnd: 24: Dec, sc 8; rep around <54>
Rnd: 25: Dec, sc 7; rep around <48>
Rnd: 26: Dec, sc 6; rep around <42>
Rnd: 27: Dec, sc 5; rep around <36>
Rnd: 28: Dec, sc 4; rep around <30>
Rnd: 29: Dec, sc 3; rep around <24>
Rnd 30: Dec, sc 2; rep around <18>
Rnd 31: Sc around <18>
Rnd 32: Inc, sc 2; rep around <24>
Rnd 33: Inc, sc 3; rep around <30>
Rnd 34: Inc, sc 4; rep around <36>
Rnd 35: Inc, sc 5; rep around <42>
Rnd 36: Inc, sc 6; rep around <48>
Rnds 37-42: Sc around <48>

Begin stuffing with polyfil stuffing and continue stuffing after each round until firm.

Rnd 43: Dec, sc 6; rep around <42>
Rnds 44-45: Sc around <42>
Rnd 46: Dec, sc 5; rep around <36>
Rnds 47-48: Sc around <36>
Rnd 49: Dec, sc 4; rep around <30>
Rnds 50-51: Sc around <30>
Rnd 52: Dec, sc 3; rep around<24>
Rnd 53: Dec, sc 2; rep around <18>
Rnd 54: Dec, sc; rep around <12>

Finish off and sew opening closed by whip stitching through the front loop of each stitch of the last round.

Arms
*make 2

In “Great Sand Dunes” yarn

Make a magic ring

Rnd 1: 6 sc in ring <6>
Rnd 2: Inc around <12>
Rnd 3: Sc around <12>
Rnd 4: Inc, sc <18>
Rnd 5: Sc around <18>
Rnd 6: Sc 4, 4 dc, sc next 13 <21>
Rnd 7: Sc 4, 2 dec, sc next 13 <19>
Rnd 8: Dec, sc 4; rep around, sc in last st <16>
Rnds 9-10: Sc around <16>

Change color to “Sequoia”

Rnds 11-31: Sc around <16>

Weave magic ring end. Stuff with polyfil stuffing until firm.

Flatten the arm and work the next round through both layers to close.

Rnd 32: Sc across <8>

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing. Set aside.

Legs
*make 2

In “Great Sand Dunes” yarn

Make a magic ring

Rnd 1: 6 sc in ring <6>
Rnd 2: inc around <12>
Rnd 3: inc, sc; rep around <18>
Rnd 4: Inc, Sc 2; rep around <24>
Rnd 5: Inc, Sc 3; rep around <30>
Rnds 6-9: sc around <30>
Rnd 10: sc 9, 6 dec, sc 9 <24>
Rnd 11: sc 6, 6 dec, sc 6 <18>
Rnd 12: sc around <18>

Change color to “Sequoia”

Rnds 13-17: sc around <18>
Rnd 18: dec, sc 16 <17>
Rnds 19-20: sc around <17>
Rnd 21: dec, sc 15 <16>
Rnds 22-23: sc around <16>
Rnd 24: dec, sc 14 <15>
Rnds 25-26: sc around <15>
Rnd 27: dec, sc 13 <14>

Weave magic ring end. Stuff with polyfil stuffing until firm.

Flatten the leg and work the next round through both layers to close.

Rnd 27: Sc across <7>

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing. Set aside.

Ears
*make 2

In “Great Sand Dunes” yarn

Make a magic ring

Rnd 1: 6 sc in ring <6>
Rnd 2: Inc around <12>
Rnd 3: Inc, sc; rep around <18>
Rnd 4: Inc, Sc 2; rep around <24>
Rnds 5-7: Sc around <24>
Rnd 8: Dec, sc 2; rep around <18>

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing. Weave magic ring end. Set aside.

Nose

In “Great Sand Dunes” yarn

Make a magic ring

Rnd 1: 5 sc in ring <5>

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing. Weave magic ring end as best you can on the back of the nose stitches. Set aside.

Tail

In “Sequoia” yarn

Make a magic ring

Rnd 1: 6 sc in ring <6>
Rnd 2: Inc around <12>
Rnds 3-25: Sc around <12>

Flatten the tail and work the next round through both layers to close.

Rnd 26: Sc across <7>

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing. Set aside.

Assembly

View the real-time video tutorial on assembly here.

Sew around the edge of the face piece to secure to the head.

Sew snout centered on the face just below the eyes.

Sew nose over last Rnd of Snout (the nose should overlap the face just a bit).

Sew ears on either side of the head. Top of ear should align with the eyes – between Rnds 15 & 16 of the head. Count 8 sts over from the edge of the face and begin sewing.

Sew other ear in the same fashion.

Sew arms on either side of the body right at the neck. Arm placement should line up with the ears.

Sew legs on either side of the bottom body. Sew each leg at a slight angle toward the front center body.

Sew tail at back of the bottom body along Rnd 50 of the body.

With a spare piece of “Sequoia” yarn embroider a smile with the lowest part at Row 1 of the Snout and the highest part between Rnds 6 & 7 of the Snout. Use hot glue to secure in place if you desire.

ABBREVIATIONS

ch – chain
dc – double crochet
dec – decrease /sc 2 together
inc – increase / 2 sc
rep – repeat
rnd – round
sc – single crochet

OTHER FREE CROCHET KIDS PATTERNS YOU MIGHT LOVE

1. Crochet Frankenstein Trick-or-Treat Bag / 2. Crochet Little Lamb Lovey / 3. Crochet Pumpkin Trick-or-Treat Bag

The post Crochet Happy Monkey appeared first on Sewrella.

Read below about the inspiration, the monkey pattern I made, and the materials, or scroll on down for the free pattern, video and photo tutorial.

The Inspiration + Design

My three year old Parker is obsessed with Curious George – the books, the movie, everything. So when I thought about Halloween coming up, I thought surprising him with a fun costume would be just the thing!

I’ll be dressing Parker up as The Man with the Yellow Hat and he will carry around a monkey! I made the monkey myself and even designed a pattern for you guys to make your own Monkey! I made him in about a week with just two skeins of yarn so you still have time to throw this together before Halloween!

See the free Happy Monkey Crochet Pattern HERE!

This makes the monkey component such a special piece for his first Halloween costume (he didn’t dress up the last couple of years) and he can keep it around to play or sleep with beyond just Halloween! Which means all my hard work making this little guy will be so worth it.

The Materials

(links below)

In the way that I wanted the monkey to be multi-purpose, the components of the outfit needed to be useful too! I hate spending money on a costume to wear for two hours and then the entire thing is wasted. Drives me nuts!

So instead of a big honkin’ yellow hat that he’ll never wear again, we opted for a yellow baseball cap.

I found yellow shirts and shorts in all different styles and just picked what I thought he would like to wear and would fit together with the theme. Again, he will re-wear the shirt and shorts after Halloween is over just not in one big yellow ensemble.

I found a yellow toddler sized tie on amazon and drew black circles with sharpie to make it look like The Man with the Yellow Hat’s from the books. This may not be worn again but that’s still only one item from the whole costume that won’t get reused! WIN!

PATTERN

• Get the ad-free, large print, printable PDF pattern HERE.
• Grab the Ultimate Pattern Bundle that includes 150+ patterns just like this one on sale for $20 today HERE.
• PIN this pattern to your Pinterest boards for later HERE.
• Add this pattern to your Ravelry queue HERE.

DESCRIPTION

Ooh-ooh, aah-aah! This monkey is the silliest, happiest around and he’s sure to bring smiles to everyone he sees. Simple amigurumi techniques and whimsical features make this monkey cute and easy to make.

MATERIALS
(click the links below to find all my sources!)

–Crochet Happy Monkey Pattern

–Yellow baseball cap

–Yellow button down shirt

–Yellow shorts (Parker loves these ones!)

–Yellow tie

-Black Sharpie

NOTES

-The only required assembly (other than creating the Monkey) is as follows:

• Draw 1″ circles on tie with black sharpie.
• That’s it!

OTHER FREE CROCHET HOME DECOR PATTERNS YOU MIGHT LOVE

1. DIY Yarn Loop Wreath / 2. Crochet Double Thick Potholders / 3. Crochet Cake Stripe Blanket

The post DIY Halloween Costume: The Man with the Yellow Hat & Curious George appeared first on Sewrella.

Let’s talk babies! Baby things are amongst my favorites to have working up on the hook, for so many reasons! 1. They’re adorable and tiny and cute. 2. They’re small projects, meaning they work up fast! *yes!* 3. …okay maybe only a couple reasons, but I don’t need any more convincing than that!

Plus, I always seem find an excuse to make all things baby: either someone I know is having a baby soon, already has a kiddo, or I can simply donate to my local hospital! Whatever the occasion, everything is cuter miniaturized – including humans. You can’t change my mind.

So to bring you all the squeal-inducing joy, I hunted around the vast internet to bring you the best variety of crochet patterns I could find. There’s toys, hats, blankets, and more! Scroll on down to check them out.

Warning: Please proceed with caution, as the cuteness might be overwhelming to some.

PATTERNS

Click the photo or link below to check out these patterns & kits! Don’t forget to shop my favorite tools and materials HERE!

1. Crochet Parker Newborn Baby Set – This set is the perfect thing for a baby shower gift! All three pieces are a super quick make and beginner-friendly. Need I say more?!
2. Bernat Loopy Llama Crochet Blanket from Yarnspirations – I’m low-key obsessed with llamas, so I had to include this one! I am in love with the texture the loops make, not to mention it would be warm and cozy. Unique textures are also always a must, making this a fun play time blankie.
3. Crochet Hedgehog Taggie Baby Toy from One Dog Woof – Taggies are simple, easy to make toys for newborns to learn new textures, and to use for teething! This hedgehog edition is adorable and gender neutral for all babies!
4. Crochet Baby Mary Janes from All About Ami – I love me some teeny baby booties, but baby Mary Janes?! Cuteness overload. These would be so cute in all kinds of different colors!
5. Crochet Little Lamb Lovey – If you ask me, every kid needs a lovey. They’re squishy little blankets for your child to carry around and snuggle for years to come. My now 3 year old has had one since I brought him home from the hospital and still loves it to this day!
6. Crochet Bold & Bright Chevron Baby Blanket from All About Ami – Need a cute and simple baby blanket? Here’s your solution! This one is a great size to grow along with your baby and can be customized. Use several different colors, a duo-toned stripe, all one color – it’s all up to you!
7. Crochet Jellyfish from One Dog Woof – These fun jellyfish are a great donation gift! Newborns tend to find the tentacles comforting to hold, as it can be reminiscent of the umbilical cord from when they’re in the womb. Plus, if you haven’t tried amigurumi, this is a great way to get started!
8. Bernat Crochet Ice Cream Cone Rattle from Yarnspirations – Who doesn’t love ice cream?! These little amigurumi cones are just darling! Place some bells inside, and you’ve got the perfect toy for newborns.
9. Crochet Baby Aviator Hat from All About Ami – I love this as an alternative to the tried and true basic baby beanie. Especially if your baby is born in the winter or somewhere cold! The buttons and fluffy edging are adorable, eye-catching details that would make a unique baby shower gift.
10. Crochet Baby Penguin Amigurumi Toy from One Dog Woof – This fluffy little guy would be great for both babies and kids, and so much more! It could be used as a toy in a nursery, or as a holiday decoration on your mantle during winter time. You could work up several, making a little penguin family with different colored scarves – how cute! *heart eyes for the rest of time*

I hope you found a new baby pattern to love!

OTHER FREE KID’S CROCHET PATTERNS YOU MIGHT LOVE

1. Crochet Little Lamb / 2. Crochet Snuggle Bunny Baby Lovey / 3. Lola the Crochet Plushy Unicorn

The post Cute Crochet Patterns for Babies Roundup appeared first on Sewrella.