Winter Bunny Amigurumi with Carrot Sledge

When I first saw this pattern I fell in love with it, how cute is this little bunny pulling his/her little carrot sledge. 

The pattern is free (link below) from Amigurumitogo. Sharon creates beautiful amigurumi and her patterns are always free, no matter how complicated. How kind is that?

I did make a few slight changes to the pattern:

1: I didn't have enough yarn to make two sides to the sledge and sandwich plastic between to strengthen it.

So instead I used some fine wire and crocheted it to the edge to attach it to the carrot shaped piece, you can just see the wire on the wrong side, between the stitches. I was then able to pull and shape it to get the carrot look just right.

2. In the pattern Sharon says that the bunny will not stand up alone, she used pins to make it stand up for photos. I wanted to be able to make it stand as a Christmas decoration without pins as young grandchildren would probably be picking it up, so after a bit of pondering I decided to make the tail quite large and position it so that it acted like a third leg and supported the back, allowing it to stand.

I made it in two evenings, the pattern is very easy to follow with lots of photo help and instructions.

I used Drops Safran 100% cotton yarn and a 3.00 mm crochet hook. The finished size is approx. 6" long on the sledge (including the curve) and the bunny is 6" tall from foot to tip of ear.

Find the pattern here: https://www.amigurumitogo.com/2015/12/winter-bunny-free-amigurumi-pattern.html or on Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/winter-bunny

There is also a separate pattern for the hat and scarf which is linked from the bunny pattern.


Happy crocheting!

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Wild Wheat Shawl Pattern Review

I recently found this FREE pattern for a lovely little neck shawl.

It is by Johanna Lindahl at Mijocrochet the pattern can be found here:

https://mijocrochet.se/2016/12/29/wild-wheat-shawl-sjal/

It is available in English, Swedish, Dutch and Danish. Thank you Johanna for sharing your beautiful work for free!

 

I made mine in Boyes 100% mercerised cotton yarn, it took just under one ball. I used a 2.5 mm crochet hook.

If you print out the pattern I would definitely recommend printing in colour if you can because the pattern shows the stitches on the chart in different colours and makes it easier to see what stitches you are going to be doing. 

I would definitely recommend this pattern, very easy to follow the instructions and it grew very quickly.

I've also done a video review showing the shawl and explaining a little about my experience of using the pattern, just click below:

 

Happy crocheting!

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Ravelry: www.ravelry.com/people/pookiedoodle

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Summer Sun Hat in tape yarn

This was a new experience for me - using tape yarn.
I used Stylecraft Mystique Quick and Light in colour "Azul" (2565). It took exactly 2 x 50g balls to make the sun hat.

I used a 4mm crochet hook.


Yarn is currently available on eBay: http://bit.ly/2GVXvIw

Designed by Ashleigh Kiser the pattern is free if you use Ashleigh's blog post or you can buy a paid for pdf pattern, links available on Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/june-sun-hat

It was really easy and I made it in a few hours. The tape yarn is good to work with although I would advise against pulling to too tightly - like at the start when tightening the magic ring - it does snap more easily that some yarns.

I loved the idea of strengthening the brim with slip stitches! It really worked. I've made hats before but they always flop down in my eyes, this is flexible enough to fold into your bag but firm enough to have a good stand out brim. I added a little slip stitched contrast in white around the crown.

Big thank you to Ashleigh for sharing her pattern for free and for creating such a lovely sun hat that really works!

Happy crocheting!

Find me on:

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Twitter: www.twitter.com/Pookie_Doodle
Ravelry: www.ravelry.com/people/pookiedoodle

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Lacy Feather and Fan Shawl

I made this lovely lacy fan shawl for my daughter in law for a cruise she was going on.

Designed by A. Westbrook the pattern is a free download on Ravelry. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lacy-feather-and-fan-wrap

It was an easy pattern and I didn't particularly follow any gauge, I used a very fine cotton thread yarn that I had in my stash and used a 4.00 mm hook. It came out fine on the width and I just kept crocheting until it was the length I wanted. If you did need a wider shawl it would be easy to just add in another pattern repeat.

The pattern consists of two rows which you soon remember so you don't need to keep looking at the pattern sheet.

It looked beautiful when worn.

I also added some beads to the edges just to give a bit of weight. 

Although it was an easy pattern to follow I still made mistakes, I kept losing the stitch count and finding I couldn't fit in the required number of stitches so had to undo it sometimes. I think there are still mistakes in it, but you can't tell :)

I would certainly recommend the pattern. Thank you A. Westbrook for sharing it for free :)

Happy crocheting!

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Twitter: www.twitter.com/Pookie_Doodle
Ravelry: www.ravelry.com/people/pookiedoodle

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Bedbug Bear crochet teddy

I just loved this bear as soon as I saw it and the idea that it catches bad dreams and keeps them in it's hat is so cute.

A FREE pattern (thank you Nina!) and easy to follow although there are a few times that it does not actually tell you to repeat the instructions all around the row, but I think only a very new crocheter would be confused so bear that in mind. There is also a point where it does not tell you to stuff before finishing off, but again common sense tells you to stuff it!

I did mine in double knit yarn with a 3.5 mm hook, so it came out larger than the pattern suggests, mine are around 10 inches tall. The hats I did just like the pattern suggests by making some triangles of fabric and sewing to fit. I suppose you could crochet a hat too.

I made these for two of my grandchildren and in the stitches that you do to make it look like scars, on the rear ones - near the tail, I actually made it into their initials so they know whose is whose.

As I mentioned earlier, I also liked the idea that these bears catch bad dreams, so made a label explaining this to go with them.

Link to pattern:https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-bedbugbear

One of my favourite patterns. Thank you again Nina for sharing it for free.


Happy crocheting!

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Ravelry: www.ravelry.com/people/pookiedoodle

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Sleevless top - Drops Design 'Come Winter' 173-46

I bought too much yarn when I made the Rudolf jumper (you can see it here if you want) so wasn't sure what to do with the left overs, then I saw this pattern for a sleeveless top.

The pattern has open sides, like a poncho, but I didn't like that idea so simply sewed them up.

I didn't have enough yarn to do it all in grey so used the cream and made a split at the centre working one stitch out into the grey on each row to give a V design, I think it gives a nice effect and used up all the left over yarn. I also split the neck as I don't like roll neck, again I think it looks effective and looks nice when worn.

The yarn is Paintbox Simply Chunky and is lovely to work with.

Free pattern "Drops Design 'Come Winter' 173-46" can be found here: https://www.garnstudio.com/pattern.php?id=7528&cid=17

Happy knitting!

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Rudolf Jumper - Drops Design 122/1

I've been planning to do this since last year. Left it too late then so this time started in October. It only took a week to knit, it grew so fast being thick yarn on big needles.

The pattern calls for super chunky but I was worried it would be too hot to wear at Christmas especially if cooking so opted for just a chunky instead, I did a few test pieces to get the tension right for the needles I had. I used 6mm.

I used Paintbox Simply Chunky. First time I've used it and found it lovely to knit with. Unlike some acrylic which can feel quite rough this was very smooth.


Because it is worked in the round there are no side seams to sew (Yay!!) you might have guessed I don't like sewing up knitting :)


The pattern is easy to follow although one thing I would point out to a new knitter is that it says to work stocking stitch, which is one row knit one row purl, however as this jumper is done in the round you only need to knit each row to get the stocking stitch effect.

I changed the colours to my own design. I thought brown reindeer would stand out more and I also felt that as there is only one Ruldof that he should stand out on his own with a red nose while the others have small black noses. I also changed the neck as I don't like roll neck styles. I just did it as the pattern but folded it back and sewed it down.

FREE pattern can be found on Garnstudio https://www.garnstudio.com/pattern.php?id=4761&cid=17

Happy knitting!

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Ravelry: www.ravelry.com/people/pookiedoodle

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