Labor Day Projects, Crochet Bunnies, Flowers, Hair Pins and Cuffs

One of my little one's had a birthday this weekend...she turned six!  Time goes by faster than you think...I still remember her as a laughing baby kicking her feet and propelling herself across the kitchen in her car seat lol.  She used to suck on her two middle fingers.  Too funny!  Anywho she has grown into a beautiful little girl who loves to laugh and who loves bunnies!  Now I had come across a free pattern for Love Bunnies not too long ago and I knew this would be perfect.  True to form I naturally could not stick to a pattern.  I don't think it is possible for me to do so.

This is my rendition of the Love Bunny.  The ears and body are bigger and I used a larger hook to make it pretty solid.  For lack of pellets or beans I filled a stocking with rice to stuff the bottom.  A nice solid, squishy feel.  I didn't put on a face...children have great imaginations.  She loved it!  I didn't finish them until Monday night.  On her birthday I got her what she had wanted, a Ni hao Kailan doll.  Ironically enough when she got a hold of this bunny she pretty much abandoned Kailan lol.  She plays with them both now.  The bunny is the baby!

I also worked on some crochet flower hair pins.  I am contemplating putting them for sale in my artfire.  I made them in a bunch of colors in different sizes.  I love how they came out and they would look lovely in anyone's hair.  I placed claw clips in the back anchored with jewelry glue and felt.  This is a lot cleaner and doesn't disturb the stitching.

I also worked on some arm bands/cuffs.  I rather like them and so do the kids.  I am working on helping them improve their crochet skills so they could make their own to sell if they like.  They like the idea of being little entrepreneurs (so do I!).  I've been very busy over the weekend and Labor Day.  We had a blast on Sunday for my six year old's birthday.  We went to the flea market, the park, and to Frankie's Fun Park.  We ended the day shopping for her cake and toy.  My feet were killing me lol.  My husband had been playing football with the older ones...the little ones could run forever it seems.  A good day.  THe girls below (birthday girl is in yellow).

Crochet Ying Yang Bag Update

The crochet ying yang bag is near completion.  I stopped on it earlier tonight to work on other projects.  The only part left is the strap.  I'm going to make it pretty long with a single crochet edge around.  It will be embellished with polymer clay ying yang buttons (after I make them).

I also made more....you guessed it, more flowers.  I had some pink tags I had made some time ago that go great with the pink baby hats and hair bows I had been making. Completely and utterly addictive.

Soft Swirls hat and Free Flower Tutorial

Last night I drew out the diagrams for the bag I am going to make.  It will be a challenge, but one that will be well worth the effort.

I did start on a soft swirls hat, which I finished today.  I wanted a removable flower embellishment for it.  The ones previously were sewn onto the hat.  I made up a pattern as I went along and here is what I came up with.

I was working on the swirls hat pattern here.  I used Caron Simply Soft in autumn red.  I began the weave too tightly.  I didn't remember until I got to the latter rows that this should be done a bit loosely for the "drapey" effect.  Below is the finished hat with the flower embellishment.  Pardon my camera's colors.  I am using my camera phone...it takes pretty decent pictures without the hassle of removing sd cards (I can just email/upload them).  The autumn red looks more fuschia here but you get the idea.  This hat is smaller because I didn't crochet it loosely.  The flower is removable.

Now onto the flower pattern.  It is simple enough to whip up a few while traveling and versatile enough to change the pattern up if you get the notion.  Anywho here we go.


Materials
Small amounts worsted weight yarn
     I used Caron Simply soft in Autumn Red and Bone
H hook

Abbreviations
Ch= chain
Sl st= slip st
Sc= single crochet
Hdc= half-double crochet
Dc= double crochet
Tr=treble crochet
Beg= beginning
*= repeat
Rnd= round

3 layers, 3"

Start with main color (mine was autumn red)
Ch 5, join with sl st to form ring
Round 1- Ch 1, sc in the ring 11 times; join with sl st in beg ch. (12 sc)

Round 2- Ch 4. *Chain 3, skip a sc and sc into the next sc.*  Repeat from * - * 5 more times; join with sl st in first sc of starting ch. (6 ch 3 spaces)

Round 3- Sl st into first ch 3 space, ch 1, (sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc).  Repeat (sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc) in each of the next 5 ch 3 spaces (First six petals created)

Round 4- Sl st into back of sc on the first petal.  Ch 4, sl st in sc on the next petal.  Continue around 5 more times for a total of 6 ch 4 spaces.

Round 5- Sl st into first ch 4 space, ch 1, (sc, hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, sc).  Repeat in each of the next 5 ch 4 spaces (second set of six petals created).

Switch out to second color (mine was bone)
Round 6- Sl st into back of sc on the second petal.  Ch 5, sl st in sc on the next petal.  Continue around 5 more times for a total of 6 ch 5 spaces.

Round 7- Sl st into first ch 5 space, ch 1, (sc, hdc, dc, 2 tr, dc, hdc, sc).  Repeat in each of the next 5 ch 5 spaces (third set of six petals created).  Fasten off.

I attached a clip to the back using a jewelry and fabric embellishing glue so it could be used as a hair clip.  I may make a matching scarf to go with the hat and  more flowers that could be used as embellishments for it.  Buttons could be sewn into the middle for added interest.