Crochet | The Whole Knit & Caboodle

Free Cupcake Pin Cushion Pattern

by wholeknitandcaboodle

What are your bad crafting habits? Do you leave yarn tails all over? Do you start a project only to abandon it when you find something new and exciting to work on? I’m not going to confess all my crafting sins but one of my biggest (and most hated by my husband) is that I stick pins in the arm of the couch.

Yesterday I decided to change this. Here’s my solution:

Cupcake Pin Cushion Bracelet

While I don’t see the cupcake bracelet catching on as a fashion accessory anytime soon, it’s perfect for keeping pins close ~~at hand~~ at wrist when you’re sewing or assembling a knitting/crochet project.

This is a great project to use up leftover yarn and it works up very quickly.

Here’s what you’ll need:

A size F5/3.75mm hook

Approx. 8 yds of worsted weight yarn in your choice of colour for the “”frosting”.

Approx. 4 yds of worsted weight yarn in your choice of colour for the cupcake bottom.

Approx. 6 yds of worsted weight yarn in your choice of colour for the bracelet.

A 3/4″ button

Yarn needle for weaving in ends

A small amount of polyester stuffing.

Gauge isn’t terribly important. Using a F5/3.75mm hook I ended up with a cupcake that is about 2 1/4″ wide and 1 1/2″ high.

Cupcake:

Rnd 1: Using frosting colour, make a magic circle. Ch 1. Work 6 sc in circle, pull tail to close circle tightly. (6)

Rnd 2: Work 2 sc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next* repeat ** around. (18)

Rnd 4: *Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next* repeat ** around. (24)

Rnds 5 & 6: Sc in each st around. (24)

Rnd 6: Ss in each st around. (24)

Rnd 7: (For each st of this rnd you will be inserting your hook up under both loops of the slip stitches from the previous rnd, NOT the single crochets into which you worked your slip stitches.) *2 sc in next st, ss in next* repeat ** around. Finish off, weave in end. (24 sc, 12 ss)

Rnd 8: Join cupcake bottom colour in any of the sc stitches from rnd 6. Ch 1 (counts as a sc). Sc in each st around. (24)

Rnd 9: Sc in each st around. (24)

Rnd 10: *Sc in next 2 sts, sc 2 tog* repeat ** around. (18)

Rnd 11: (Working in back loops only) *Sc in next st, sc 2 tog* repeat ** around. (12)

Stuff cupcake firmly.

Rnd 12: (Working in both loops). {Sc 2 tog} x 7. Finish off, weave in end. (5)

Bracelet:

With bracelet colour, ch until you reach desired length. I chained 34 and got a bracelet of about 7″.

Tr in 5th ch from hook and in each ch across. Finish off and weave in ends.

Sew bracelet to underside of cupcake.

Before attaching the button, stitch together two of the triple crochets at one end. This just reinforces the material beneath the button.

What I like about the bracelet is that it is adjustable- you just put the button through the spaces between the triple crochets and make it as tight or as loose as you’d like.

If you use pins with the coloured plastic ends, they look like sprinkles! 😉

I made a few cupcakes for my daughter (minus the bracelet and the pins), she loves them! They’re great “desserts” for tea parties!

**You are welcome to make and sell items from this pattern as much as you’d like, but please don’t sell this pattern or claim it as your own.**

*Pattern updated March 4/14 to correct error in round 10*

Crochet Free Patterns

9 Comments »

Pattern Sale/Fundraiser

by wholeknitandcaboodle

A lady on my street had her vehicle broken into last night. The thief made off with a backpack that was in the van and left her with the expense of replacing her window and the University library books that were in the backpack (which are not cheap to replace).

It’s sad that this happened to such a sweet lady. She’s got two young boys and her husband is currently between jobs. Like me she has a small business- she knits and sells her items from home but because she works outside of the home as well, she doesn’t have as much time as she’d like to be knitting items to sell.

You might think we would see each other as competition but it’s not the case. She’s bought items from me and has also sent customers my way. I actually bought something from her today.

To help her out I’m having a BOGO sale on all the patterns in my Ravelry store, the proceeds going toward replacing the broken window in her van. No coupon codes needed, discounts will show up at checkout. The sale will run until the end of the day on Saturday (Pacific time).

Please head on over to my Ravelry store if you’re interested in picking up some super cute patterns for a really good cause. If you’re not in the market for new patterns or if you’re not a crocheter and would still like to help, please share and help get the word out. It doesn’t cost anything and you could help a very sweet person who is having a hard go.

Thanks ❤

Crochet

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Hooked on Clay!

by wholeknitandcaboodle

The last few evenings when my hands are sore from crocheting stuffies I’ve been playing around some more with polymer clay. It’s been a nice break for my hands and it’s a lot of fun.

For the longest time I told myself that I couldn’t use a crochet hook with a handle because I bought a foam one on a whim one time and it was awful! It covered the thumb rest and part of the throat of the hook, it made holding the hook feel awkward. It was change. And I didn’t like it.

I’ve been drooling over some of the amazing hooks put out by a couple of the pages I follow on Facebook and decided that my poor Red Heart hooks needed a facelift. I decided not to sculpt anything for them- I wanted a slim, streamline handle that I would be comfortable holding for a long period of time.

After some smooshing and mashing, wrapping and rolling, here’s what I came up with:

I think I may be “hooked” on polymer clay!

I should get close-ups of some of my favourites- I really love them and they’re actually really comfortable. The designs on some of them are really pretty and I know I’ll never be able to duplicate them, they sort of fluked into existence. Maybe with a little practice I’ll be making clay canes like a master and I’ll be able to create some really remarkable ones 🙂

On another note, I released my Shy Pig (Piglet) pattern last week and the response was astounding! In my short time as a designer who sells her patterns I’ve had the pleasure of being on Craftsy’s top 20 leaderboard a couple of times. Usually around #14 or #15 but it’s always a thrill to be up there with established designers such as Bonita Patterns and Frayed Knot.

When I released Shy Pig, he was #1 for about a day and a half! #1! It was amazing. I even took a screen shot (photos or it didn’t happen, right?)

The #1 Pig! For a day and a half!

Sure, he was on intro special while he was #1 but I’m still so proud of the achievement. When hubby came home from work that evening he insisted we order sushi in celebration (though I think he just wanted sushi 😉 ).

Crochet Polymer Clay

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This Little Piggy..

by wholeknitandcaboodle

Amis are your friends! At least they’re my friends. I’ve been making a LOT of amigurumi lately. My most recent guy is modeled after a certain storybook pig you might recognize. It all started when I was asked by a local photographer to make a Piglet hat and diaper cover that she could use in her newborn sessions. I poked around a little and looked at some really cute sets but (and being an indie designer myself I hate to admit this) I didn’t want to buy a pattern if I could come up with my own. I was so happy with the hat that I was inspired to create a Piglet “lovie” (a mini blanket with a head and arms). “How adorable would those cheeks be if done right?” I asked myself. SUPER ADORABLE. After I finished the lovie, I went on to write up a pattern for the rest of his body.

Pork 2 ways?

The pattern was sent off to my group of testers today and with any luck the pattern (which includes instructions to make both the lovie and the stuffie) will be up in my Ravelry and Craftsy shops around this time next week. As with any of the new patterns I release, there’ll be a chance to win a copy and I’ll have an introductory special running for a few days.

Another little friend I finished recently was Patchy Patch, the favourite stuffie of Binoo, the cat from the show Toopy & Binoo. I kinda love him too, even though we don’t often watch the show at our place.

He’s a happy little guy 🙂

If I’m not careful, I’m going to become one of those old ladies who drives around with a million stuffies in their car’s back window. You know the ones I’m talking about. 😉

Patchy Patch is now available on Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/stores/the-whole-knit–caboodle

as well as in my Craftsy store: http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/crocheting/toy/patchy-patch/45169

I’m also running a BOGO sale over in my Ravelry store, entere the coupon code MADBOGO to take advantage of it! Sale ends Sunday night!

Crochet

4 Comments »

Clayin’ Around

by wholeknitandcaboodle

Heaven help us, I’ve found another crafting obsession. So many people I know are into making polymer clay handles for crochet hooks. I’ve never used one (I like my hooks naked) but I’m taking part in a gift exchange and have decided to make a set of covered hooks for my “giftee”. I watched some tutorials, harassed some people I know who are into clay and picked their brains. I went to Michaels armed with a 50% off coupon and bought a big sample pack of Primo Sculpey. I was a little scared to open it- it sat on my kitchen table for days and I’d pick it up now and then, poke at the colours through the little windows in the box and set it back down.

While I was digging through my craft stash I found a couple packages of Sculpey III I bought a few years ago for another project. They had been opened and the clay was hard and crumbly but after kneading it for a while I got it to a state where I could actually do something with it. I figured it was good enough to practice with and when I’m confident I’ll open the pretty new stuff.

The lady I’m making the set of hooks for likes things that are sort of creepy-cute so I’m going with a skeleton/skull theme. When I was in elementary school my music teacher played “Danse Macabre” for our class. This little skeleton guy makes me think of that.

Still needs to curing and a coat or two of sealant but not too bad for a first attempt!

I definitely need a little more practice but I’m happy with my trial run. I’ll use this one for a little while and if I can get used to using a covered hook the next set I make will be a peacock set for myself 😉

I also found an empty Penaten Cream can that I may cover and pretty up. Ahhh!! SO many ideas for this clay. We’re in trouble.

Crochet Polymer Clay

7 Comments »

Free Skull Appliqué Pattern

by wholeknitandcaboodle

Whoo!! Orders are finished until after Christmas! I cut it pretty close and pulled an all-nighter last night (probably the first intentional all-nighter since my University days) and powered through most of the remaining orders I had. The last stitches were sewn this afternoon. Phew!

Two of the orders I had were for hats that were Monster High themed. I’ve seen commercials for the dolls but I don’t know if there’s a show about them or if they’re just a line of toys. They seem to be really popular- even my 4-year old niece was asking for “Monster Barbies” last year for Christmas.

It took me a couple of tries but I finally came up with a design I was happy with. It works up quickly and I thought it would be a nice “first free pattern” here on my blog. If you have any issues with/questions about the pattern, please feel free to shoot me an email at thewholeknitandcaboodle@hotmail.com

Please excuse the poor artificial lighting :S

Materials Needed:

Small amounts of white and black worsted weight yarn

Ribbon/yarn in your choice of colour for accents (if desired)

Gauge: Not terribly important. With a F/3.75mm hook, my appliqué measures approx. 3″ x 2.75″

With an F/3.75mm hook and white yarn, chain 4.

Sc in second chain from hook. Sc in each of the next two chains. Finish off (I’m sure there’s a better way of doing this but because I’m running on no sleep and my brain has gone to mush from all of the orders I’ve been working on I can’t think of one right now). This is the skull’s “chin”

With a new strand of yarn, chain 3. Picking up the “chin”, work 2 sc in the stitch you worked before fastening off (joining in this stitch will allow you to use one of the ends to secure the gap that is caused by joining the two pieces). Sc in next st, 2 sc in last. Chain 4, turn.

Working into the back of the chain, sc in the second ch from the hook and each st to the end of the row. Ch 1. Turn.

Sc in first st, skip next, sc in next 7, skip next st, sc in last. Ch 1. Turn.

sc in first st, skip next, sc in next 5, skip next st, sc in last. Ch 1. Turn.

2 sc in first st, sc in next 5, 2 sc in last. Ch 1. Turn.

2 sc in first st, sc in next 7, 2 sc in last. Ch 1. Turn.

2 sc in first st, sc in next 9, 2 sc in last. Ch 1. Turn.

Sc even. Ch 1. Turn.

Sc in first st, sk next st, sc in next 9, sk next, sc in last. Ch 1. Turn.

Sc in first st, sk next st, sc in next 7, sk next, sc in last. Ch 1. Turn.

Sc in first st, sk next st, sc in next 5, sk next, sc in last. Ch 1. Turn. Finish off.

Weave in ends and close gap made from joining chain with chin section.

Join black in any stitch and sc evenly around appliqué. Finish off, leaving a long tail if attaching to a hat or other item.

Eyes (make 2):

Ch 3. Sc in second ch from hook. Sc in last ch. Ch 1. Turn.

Sc in both sts. Finish off.

Attach eyes. Embroider nose and add eyelashes and a bow if you’d like.

What’re you going to do with your skull(s)? I’d love to see your FOs!

Crochet Free Patterns

11 Comments »

Gotta catch ’em all!

by wholeknitandcaboodle

Phew! Less than two weeks from Christmas and I’m still hard at it! I still have lots of orders but I know I’ll have them all finished in time. I’m very lucky to have so many trusting (and patient!) customers. I’ve been crocheting/knitting so much that my hands/arms/shoulders are sore but there’s no rest for the wicked right?

I don’t think I’ve watched an episode of Pokémon since I was a teenager and was babysitting kids who watched the show but I was asked to make a couple of Pokémon hats- a Pliplip (penguin) and a Teddiursa (bear). Don’t ask me what they do because I honestly couldn’t tell you. I’m very pleased with how they turned out though.

With most of my character hats, I do the faces in appliqué. This is what makes them look so clean. It takes more time but it appeases my OCD.. haha.

Gotta catch ’em all! (And yes, I googled that.. haha)

This order will result in two happy little girls with very warm heads this Christmas! 🙂

Other than orders there’s just been a lot of the usual- tree decorating, card addressing, gingerbread house decorating.. although I think “On Top of the Microwave Dive” is a bad area of town, one of the gingerbread men has gone missing (perhaps he was enjoyed with a glass of eggnog) you’ll be seeing his face on little gingerbread milk cartons before too long!

Crochet Holidays

6 Comments »

“Making” Friends

by wholeknitandcaboodle

I’ve been crocheting hats for two years now, since my daughter was born. I’m quickly becoming well known in town as someone who does nice work and the orders start pouring in around the beginning of September. Living in a semi-arid climate (read: desert-like climate- there are times when you actually see tumbleweeds blowing around), I don’t get too many hat orders from April to August and I was wondering what I could make when the weather is too warm for them. Recently I found the answer. Plush toys.

I had a request for Pascal from Disney’s Tangled (the little chameleon guy) and after taking a peek around Ravelry and Etsy I couldn’t find a pattern I really liked. Come to think of it, this seems to be a recurring theme in my adventures in crochet. I think I’m going to stop looking for patterns all together. It will save me a step and I’m always happier when I come up with a pattern of my own.

Pascal almost seemed like a fluke. He worked up so easily and I don’t really remember having to “frog” anything while working on him. Before too long I had the pattern written up and it’s now one of the best sellers in my Craftsy shop. Here’s a picture of the little guy:

Don’t you just want to hug him??

He was really fun to make. A few months back I had someone ask me to make them a Toopy and Binoo plush set. Toopy and Binoo are characters of a French-Canadian children’s show called (what else?) Toopy and Binoo. I had been planning and pondering them for a little while, working on them on and off (a nice break between hats/rush orders/family/life). The customer who ordered them has the patience of a saint- she said she was not in a rush for them, she just wanted them for the end of the month. I was up until 2 the other morning working on them and YESTERDAY- the very last day of the month- I finished them. I’m really quite happy with both of them but Toopy took the most work and figuring. He stands about 15″ tall and though I’m not a fan of the show, I REALLY love him. I don’t have a picture of Binoo that I’m happy with so I’ll add one later.

Heeeeeeere’s Toopy!

Whenever I make something I’m particularly proud of (always for someone else of course), there’s always a fleeting moment where I think “I want to keep this!!” I have no idea what I would do with a 15″ plush mouse- it would probably end up going to my daughter who has too many toys as it is.

Anyway, he took a long time to make but looking at him now I’m glad I took the time, paid attention to the little details (ie the french knots by his nose) and really worked to make him as true to the cartoon as I could. Plus the lady who ordered him is THRILLED which really is one of the best feelings I can imagine. 🙂

***************

Just thought I would come back and post a photo of Toopy and Binoo together. I was able to get them to stand up together (the other photos I had of Binoo had him propped up with a copy of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy… haha. My customer stopped by to pick them up and her reaction to them in person was AMAZING. Definitely one of the highlights of my day! 🙂

Crochet

3 Comments »

My latest triumph!

by wholeknitandcaboodle

You know, sometimes the projects you dread most are the ones you end up being most proud of. I have so many orders lined up and a couple of them were for items I haven’t come up with patterns for. When I first started making hats, I bought a lot of patterns. As I grew to really understand my craft I started working out my own. I still use the other patterns but it’s definitely a proud feeling when you come up with one of your own.

I had a couple of orders for Lightning McQueen hats and because I’m so busy I was going to buy a pattern. I didn’t really see anything I was excited about so I bit the bullet and wrote my own pattern. The notes I made are barely legible so I’ll have to type them out properly when things slow down a bit. I’ll send it for testing and it should be for sale in my craftsy shop in the New Year. I’m pretty happy with him, what do you think?