Facebook is amazing. It provides a plethora of entertainment and ideas.

Hello all! I'm back again today with another pattern review, and it's for a lovely crocheted piece.

What's better about this pattern, is it's free. Who doesn't love free?  So the pattern is offered on Lion Brand's website for free as long as you register with them. I've given you guys a direct link to the pattern just to make it that much easier on you.

Key West Circle Top by Lion Brand Yarns

This was almost a completely free project for me, but I decided that I hated the cotton yarn I was using and decided that I needed a softer cotton yarn. I found the perfect yarn at Hobby Lobby, on the way home from Nashville. Yes, Mom and I stopped at a Hobby Lobby on the drive home, because that's what we do.

So the yarn I picked up was I Love This Cotton Yarn! in ivory, and it is pretty magical.

The pattern goes together super fast, and it only took me a couple of evenings while watching TV with the hubs to get it done.


I did have to move up a hook size, because I crochet on the tight side, but you could easily adjust the size of the finished top by adjusting your hook size and moving up or down a size in yarn.

I've been toying with the idea of making a girl size version of this top, by using up some #2 weight yarn I have, and then playing with the hook size.

So there it is! A super simple, yet elegant top that a beginner crocheter could easily complete.

Sometimes when genius strikes, you just need to share it again.

That's the case with these ornaments. They're simple to make, yet they're timeless and elegant. Don't you wish all things could be that way?

This will also start a short series about Christmas ornaments and decor. I hope y'all will enjoy!

---

Original Post from December 2013

---

Sometimes I think I ought to teach myself how to knit. I've tried knitting, but I just don't get it. I'm clumsy. I also have a mom that knits. She does my knitting for me.  *2 years later - I now know how to knit, and it's become one of my favorite tv-watching activities.

I do crochet. She knows how to crochet, and does it well, but she knits more. I crochet more. The problem is that she has her own knitting projects and isn't solely at my beck and call, so when I wanted sweater-like covered ornament balls, I was on my own.

I tried doing google searches, but nothing I found was right. It wasn't what I was looking for. I have 9 clear plastic round ornaments begging for some crafty love, and I had nada. Until the other night, when the hubs and I were watching TV and I was playing around with my yarn and crochet hook.

Then this happened.

Sometimes I think I ought to teach myself how to knit. I've tried knitting, but I just don't get it. I'm clumsy. I also have a mom that knits. She does my knitting for me. I do crochet. She knows how to crochet, and does it well, but she knits more. I crochet more. The problem is that she has her own knitting projects and isn't solely at my beck and call, so when I wanted sweater-like covered ornament balls, I was on my own.

I tried doing google searches, but nothing I found was right. It wasn't what I was looking for. I have 9 clear plastic round ornaments begging for some crafty love, and I had nada. Till the other night, when the hubs and I were watching TV and I was playing around with my yarn and crochet hook. Then this happened.

And this.

And these.

Look at all the red yarn-filled love! They also look pretty fabulous on my tree. Just sayin'.

So these are super easy and quick.

Materials:
Yarn - I used Red Heart Super Saver
I-9 crochet hook
3.5" ball ornament
Scissors
Blunt Needle

Instructions:

I don't know why some projects take so long to complete, because when you get right down to it they're so stupid simple that the 5 minutes it takes to actually get them done should inspire you to just get them done. Ha! Not so.

I had a pillow project for Reagan that should have gotten done months ago, but I got 90% done and then stopped. The last 10% only took 5 minutes, but it took 3 months to spend those 5 minutes to get it done.

On Reagan's window seat, I had (have) several pillow ideas planned, and I had two 12-inch pillow forms lying around, so you'd think I'd at least get those 2 pillows onto her seat before she got here. Nope! You'd be wrong. I decided to wait until the wee hours of the morning one day after feeding her to get the one pillow done. The other pillow did take some time, because I only had 5% of it done for the longest time.

So the first pillow I made for her is a simple blue chevron print with some crocheted flowers on it. Super simple. The flower pattern I used is {HERE}. I simply changed hook sizes to get the various sized flowers for the pillow.

The second pillow was inspired by a monogram I saw somewhere and I can't for the life of my find the blog post that inspired me. I designed the monogram and then drew it out on the pink fabric. Then several satin stitch sessions later, I had this really pretty outlined monogram. Another 5 minutes to sew up the pillow and VOILA! 2nd pillow is done.


I have more pillows I want to make for this window seat, but for now these 2 will have to suffice. At least until after Christmas. :)

So the other day I shared some of the hats I made for Miss Rae, and the problems I had fitting said hats to her head. I did not have such problems with her headbands.

The headbands I made her were much more forgiving. In fact, some of them fit better now than they did. Yay. I need more headbands for her, but luckily new head band ideas are occurring to me all the time. I just need to find the time to make them. This is a very busy time of year, between normal crafts and such and then the Christmas gifts I'm making......there is simply not enough time in the day!

Anyways, on to the little darlings I have gotten done. :)

I don't have patterns for these. I just kind of made it up as I went.


Maybe one of these days, I'll actually remember how I created some of these and share the pattern.

What is it about babies that brings about the need to have hats for them?

Even before we knew what flavor Reagan was going to be, I was planning on hats. Lots of hats. Babies need hats. Babies don't particularly like hats, at least not my babies, but they need hats because they're all born near or in winter.

Combine said need with the awesomely new found skill of crocheting and you've got a hat making monster on your hands.

There is a problem with hats tho. You never know how big the baby's head is going to be. Harrison had a evenly sized head. Right on track for his age. Devlin had a humongous head. Reagan takes after Devlin. She has a big head too. Its a cute head, but its still a big head. At 2 weeks old, her head circumference was 14". That's the size of a 3 month old's head!

So I have a bunch of hats that don't fit my baby girl's head, but that's ok, cause they're getting donated to local hospitals. I'm sure they'll fit some baby's head.

Of all the hats I made Rae, only 3 fit, and that's being generous. One doesn't fit that great, and she hates it. The other 2 she likes tho! Score 1 for Mom!

So the first hat I made her was this adorable ear flap hat from this Micah Makes Pattern. I love this pattern. I have made hats for the boys and the hubs from this pattern and its perfect every time. I've also started to change it a bit, because I like more pointy ear flaps, but that's just personal taste. So here's the hat I made for Reagan from this pattern. I love the pom pom!


The next hat is another one I love, but I did have to alter the pattern a bit (and I don't remember what I did) because it wasn't coming down far enough over her ears for my taste. Its inspired by this hat from Alli Crafts.

Obv, I had to add a little bling to it. I do love me some sparkly buttons! Its also fun playing dress up with the baby girl. Old Navy and I have been friends of late. Love the sparkly cords to go with her sparkly hat!


Ok so those are a few of the hats that have been made for miss. As she grows I guess I'll have to start banging out some more hats for her. :) Oh but I haven't even shown off the headbands yet, so I guess that'll be another post. :)

This week is Thanksgiving. What better week to introduce a whole bunch of ornaments I've made!

So while perusing Ms. Martha's site, I found some super cute crocheted snowflakes and really liked them. The problem? I don't  didn't know how to crochet.

Its one of the few crafts that up until recently I really had no desire to learn. But then I had to learn, because I need these little crocheted snowflakes for my Christmas decor. So on a trip with Mom to Walmart, we got my necessary tools. One crochet hook, and a thingy of crochet thread. Thingy is a technical term.

Want to see my first crocheted snowflake?
He reminds me of the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. He's not quite right, but there's something endearing about him. So I'm going to keep him.

Here are some of my later (and better) snowflake creations from Ms. Martha's site.

Starching and blocking is still not my favorite thing, but I am able to whip out 2 or so snowflakes in the time it takes me to catch up on two TV shows, so I'm thinking that I should be able to whip up enough of these beauts for the tree and maybe a garland or a stocking embellishment or two.

Anyone have any tips on starching and blocking? I'm all ears.



Linking up to: