Stormtrooper Amigurumi

My husband absolutely love Star Wars, I love crochet; put them together and what do you get? Star Wars amigurumi!

I recently bought a Star Wars crochet boxed set (by Lucy Collin), with 12 amigurumi patterns for:

1. Stormtrooper
2. Darth Vader
3. Luke Skywalker
4. Yoda
5. Princess Leia
6. Han Solo
7. Chewbacca
8. Wicket the Ewok
9. R2-D2
10. C-3PO
11. Boba Fett
12. Jabba the Hutt

The set includes everything needed to make a Yoda and a Stormtrooper. Here's the Stormtrooper I made.

Materials:

1. White yarn
2. Black yarn
3. 3.5 mm hook
4. Tapestry needle
5. Stuffing
6. A pair of eye beads

Stiches used:

• single crochet (sc)
• 2-dc bobble stitch (2dc bob)
• 3-dc bobble stitch (3dc bob)
• sc2tog

I won't go into detail on the pattern, but I'll clue you in on what special stitches were used on which part.

For the sides of the helmet, 2dc bob was used.

For the belt, a row of alternating 2dc bob and sc.

For the feet, 3dc bob on the front side only.

Stay tuned for Yoda!

Scarf for the Little Boy

My one year old son likes to put strings on his neck, I think he's trying to mimic his older brother when he has his school ID on. So I decided to make him a scarf. I can't post a picture of him wearing it though, he refuses to keep still when he's "wearing" the scarf.

Simple crocheted scarf for boys (or men).

The pattern is really simple.

Materials:

1. Yarn (2 colors) - I used a mercerized cotton yarn
2. Hook - I used a 4.5 mm crochet hook because I want my stitches bigger

Stitch used: half-double crochet

Yarn embellishments: fringe knots

Row 1 - Using color A, make a base chain row. I made at least 200 chains. Adjust your count depending on what type of yarn you will use and how long you want the scarf. Just remember to add 2 ch at the end. Turn.

Row 2 - On the third chain from the hook, make an hdc. Continue hdc on each ch until the end. Turn.

Row 3 - Ch 2. Hdc until the end. Turn.

Rows 4-6 - Repeat row 3. If you want a wider color A, make more rows.

Rows 7-8 - Repeat row 3, but using color B. Again, if you want it wider, just make more rows.

Rows 9-10 - Repeat row 3 using color A.

Rows 11-12 - Repeat row 3 using color B.

Rows 13-17 - Repeat row 3 using color A. Fasten off.

Add fridge knots of the same yarn color at the end each row.

Voila, you have a scarf!

Tutorial: Front/Back Post Double Crochet

There's this group in Facebook that hosts a crochet-along event every month, and this month's project is a Twisty Cabled Beanie (original pattern here). A special stitch (front post double crochet or fpdc) is used in this pattern, and I'm going to give you a visual step-by-step guide on how to make it.

Assuming that you already have a working row (not a base row):

Step 1: Loop yarn over hook

Step 2: Insert hook (from front) on the side of the stitch you are currently working on. Move hook around the back of the stitch and out the other side.

Step 3: Yarn over hook and pull loop through.

Step 4: Proceed as how you work on a dc (yarn over, pull two times).

If you wish to make it a front post treble crochet (fptr), instead of working on a dc, just work it as a tr. Same concept applies for back post double crochet (bpdc).

Here's a look of the stitch along side a regular double crochet.

Top: back view of an fpdc. Bottom: front view of an fpdc.

An instruction on how to make an fptr, fpdc, and bpdc are included in the pattern linked at the beginning of this post. When I first read it, I got confused and did it wrong. That is why I want to provide this visual step-by-step guide so you won't get confused like I did.

Tutorial: Modified Fan Stitch

It's been a while since my last post, been busy with work and the family. I also wanted to finish a crochet project first before I make another post.

This is what I've been working on for the past three weeks. It's a cowl. It's a shrug. It's a skirt. In other words, you can wear it anyway you like.

I won't dive into the pattern in this post. This post is a tutorial on the stitch I used for this project - a modified fan stitch.

Modified Fan Stitch (mfs):

Base row (chain stitches) should be in multiples of 7 plus 2.
Important note: This is the count when you're not going to round or connect your base chain. If you intend to make it in a round, you need to make it in multiples of 7 minus 1.

One cluster of this stitch is: dc, skip 2 st, 5 dc, sk 2 st, dc. At the very beginning, the first dc in the cluster is the first 3 chains from the hook. So you actually start at the 6th chain with 5dc.

An up close look on the stitch.

For my multi-purpose cowl/shrug/skirt, I worked on 210 chains in a round (update: make yours in multiples of 7 minus 1, I made a mistake in making my project). I just sc'd through all the chain and used the mfs on the succeeding rows.

Simple, right?

Ambition and a Two-Color Spiral Crochet

This past few days, I was having a hard time thinking of a new crochet project or a topic that I would want to blog about, so I thought to myself, "Hey, I need a business card!". Yes, I know. I'm being a little bit too ambitious, but this is where I want to head to eventually, so I want to be prepared.

Anyway, as I was making a draft for my business card, I realized that I needed a logo. I don't know why a turtle with a swirly back flashed in my mind, but as the saying goes, just go with the flow.

I made this two-color spiral after following the instructions here.

When I made this last night, I wanted it to be a turtle amigurumi or a snail applique but changed my mind after realizing that that would be the most obvious thing to do. My sister suggested that I use it to make a blanket. A blanket with swirls and circles. Another image flashed on my mind. Yes, I can definitely do that. I'm just going with the flow.

Simple Beaded Bracelet

I like keeping things simple, and that includes the accessories I wear. I created this Simple Beaded Bracelet because I wanted to learn how to incorporate beads with crochet without having to sew them on.

I'm not sure if a pattern already exists for this. I didn't use any reference for this one.

What you need:

• mercerized cotton yarn, any color (I used navy blue)
• 2.5 mm hook
• beads, number depends on the size of wrist
• tapestry needle

Stitches used (US terms):

• chain (ch)
• single crochet (sc)
• half double crochet (hdc)
• double crochet (dc)
• slip stitch (sl st)

The pattern:

Step 1:

Make base chain. I made 80 ch. You can make it longer, depending on the size of your wrist. Close off.

Step 2:

Mark 20 ch on each end. This will serve as the string to tie the bracelet on your wrist. Again, you can choose to make it longer.

Step 3:

Insert beads on yarn.

Step 4:

Starting on first chain of the remaining 40 ch, sl st yarn with beads. Ch 1, [hdc, use one bead, ch 1 tightly on bead, dc, hdc, sc, sc] *. Repeat * until you reach the marker. Sl st on other side of the chain. Ch 1 and repeat * until you reach the other marker. Close off.

Step 5:

Use tapestry needle to hide trailing yarn.

Tutorial - Basic Tunisian Stitch

I've always been curious about the Tunisian crochet. I've seen it in almost all of the crochet books I bought, but never really tried learning it. My brush-off actually paid off, because as it turns out, you need a special hook to work on this stitch. Now that I have the hook needed to work on a Tunisian crochet, I guess I have no more excuse not to learn it.

So what is a Tunisian crochet? Tunisian crochet is a mixture of crochet and knitting, kind of like knitting without the actual knitting.

Basic Tunisian Stitch

Before I show you how to make a basic Tunisian stitch, one important thing you have to remember is: work on the stitches loosely.

Step 1:

Make any length of chain. For my sample, I made 15 chains.

Step 2:

Insert hook on the second chain, yarn over hook and pull through the loop. Keep the loop on the hook. [Insert hook on next chain, yarn over hook and pull through, keep the loop on the hook] *.  Repeat * until the end. You should have the same number of loops on your hook as the length of your chain. Do not turn.

Step 3:

Working from left to right, yarn over hook and pull through first loop on the hook.

[Yarn over hook and pull through 2 loops on hook] *. Repeat * until the end of the row. You'll only have the working loop left on the hook. Do not turn.

Step 4:

Working from right to left, skipping the first vertical loop in front of the fabric, [insert hook (right to left, under) on the next vertical loop, yarn over hook and pull through, keeping loop on hook] *. Repeat * until the end.

You should have the same number of loops on your hook as the length of your chain. Do not turn.

Step 5:

Repeat step 3.

Step 6:

Repeat steps 4 to 5 to work on a row.


To "close" the Tunisian stitch, I slip stitched starting on the second vertical loop until the end.


A handy guide for Tunisian crochet can be found on this link.

I Taught Myself Crochet Beginners Kit from Boye

MMy mother-in-law bought me this kit while they were in the US. The kit includes complete instructions for 16 projects (there's also a DVD that I have yet to watch), 5 hooks (3.75 mm - 6.5 mm), an Afghan hook (size I), tapestry yarn needles, stitch markers, and cabone rings.

Photo credit: Michaels

What I love about the kit:

1. Afghan hook - What is an Afghan hook? An Afghan hook is a special hook that allows you to make an Afghan stitch (or Tunisian stitch). Okay, I admit that the first time I encountered the Tunisian stitch, I didn't know that there's a different hook for it. I only put two and two together after browsing through the book and reading an article about the above mentioned stitch. Insert facepalm emoticon here. From this alone, I already loved the kit.
2. Detailed instructions - Because it's a beginners book, the instructions are really detailed. And the most amazing thing? There's a guide for lefties too. Most tutorials I see online are for right-handed people only. I'm not a lefty, but I appreciate the fact that they considered the lefties in this book.
3. Projects - The difficulty of the projects included in the kit ranges from beginner to intermediate. You'll be able to work on more advanced patterns in no time.
4. Stitch markers - Stitch markers are really handy, especially when working on rounds/rings. I also use stitch markers to hold the end loop when I pause for a break.
5. Tapestry needles - Makes it easier to clean loose ends.
6. Hooks in 5 sizes - It allows you to work on different gauges and yarn.

What I don't like about the kit:

1. The instructions come in three languages: English, French, and Spanish. It takes too much space, space that they could have used for more projects. I think it would have been better if they just make the book available in other languages.
2. They included cabone rings but did not include a project that will utilize it.

Simple Bracelet

This is a round bracelet, so make sure that the size is big enough to insert your hand through.

What you'll need:

• Yarn - I used mercerized cotton, red and black
• Hook - 0.8 mm or any smaller hooks
• Needle - you can use a needle to make the zigzag design; I used a slip stitch when I made the bracelet because I didn't have one during that time

Stitches used on this pattern (US terms):

• chain (ch)
• double crochet (dc)
• slip stitch (sl st)
• backstitch (if using a needle)

The pattern:

Row 1: Make a chain to your desired length, sl st into the first chain.
Row 2: Make 2 ch, dc until you make a round; close round with an ss on top of the 2 ch's.

Repeat row 2 pattern until you got the desired thickness. Close off.

Sl st around the bracelet in a zigzag pattern.

Chevron Bag

I consider this Chevron Bag as both a failed and a successful project. I'll write about that later, but first, the details on the pattern.

What you'll need:

• Yarn (at least two colors) - I used three colors of mercerized cotton yarn (red, white, and black). In the video tutorial, a thicker cotton yarn was used.
• Hook - Since I used a thinner thread, I picked a 4mm hook as my tool.
• Scissors and needle - For switching colors and hiding tails.

Stitches used in this pattern:

• chain (ch)
• single crochet (sc)
• double crochet (dc)
• clusters of three dc's
• joining 3 dc's into one

What you need to know about the pattern:

• Make your base chain in multiples of 14 then add 2 more chains.
• One cycle of the pattern consists of 3 dc on same stitch, dc, dc, dc, [join 3 dc over next 3 stitches] * 2, dc, dc, dc, 3 dc on same stitch.
• Your rows should always start and end with a cluster. For row 2, make 2 dc's on third ch. Then at the start of each succeeding rows, ch 2 before making 2 dc's on third ch from the hook.

The video below is the tutorial I used to learn how to make the bag. I did not follow this tutorial to a tee. For one, I did not use the same type of yarn. I also made my base chain stitches longer since I was using a thinner yarn.

The back story

So as mentioned at the beginning of this post, I consider this project as both a failure and a successful one. The main objective of this project was to create a bag that I can use. I followed the steps (with some modifications) and voila, I made a bag! Mission accomplished. So why did I consider it as a failure?

When I started making this bag, I envisioned a big shoulder bag where I can put all of my bag essentials: my wallet, a pack of wet wipes, a comb, a hair tie, and my phone. But since I used a different thread and my base chain was relatively shorter, I created a smaller bag, that can only carry a coin purse, a small comb, and my phone.

Little Owl Bookmark

I love reading, and a reader's best friend is - yes, you got that right - a bookmark. I created this cute bookmark for me and my book buddies.

I won't go into detail on the pattern, but here's a summary of what you'll need to make this bookmark:

• at least 7 colors of yarn - for my bookmark, I used white, baby blue, dark blue, ecru, black, brown, and gradient green (I didn't have a solid green on hand)
• hook - I used a 1.9 mm
• needle - you will need to sew the eyes, leaves, and branch together
• iron - yes, after you have assembled the parts, you need to iron it out

The 4 components of the bookmark before assembly.

The Little Owl Bookmark pattern can be downloaded for free on Ravelry, by Jelly Designs. Click here to download.