Santa Pants Purse Free Pattern

One of my lovely customers requested a custom Santa pants purse for her adorable granddaughter. I just love all of her wonderful ideas for crochet purses. So I came up with this adorable design. The pattern is so simple, I decided to share it with all of you. :)

Santa Pants Drawstring Purse

I used Red Heart Super Saver yarn in the colors red and black for the main part of the purse. For the drawstring, I used Red Heart Super Saver in white. For the top trim of the purse and pom pom balls on the drawstrings I used Red Heart Baby Clouds in the color white. For the belt buckle I used Sinfonia cotton yarn in yellow.

Starting at the bottom of the purse with the color red using a G hook, Form a magic ring or ch 4 and join with a sl st to form a ring.
Rnd 1: 7 sc into ring. (Do not join. Continue onto next row. mark rows as you go to keep track.) (7 st)
Rnd 2: 2 sc into each sc around. (14 st)
Rnd 3: Sc into next sc, 2 sc into next sc around. (21 st)
Rnd 4: Sc into next 2 sc, 2 sc into next sc around. (28 st)
Rnd 5: Sc into next 3 sc, 2 sc into next sc around. (35 st)
Rnd 6: Sc into next 4 sc, 2 sc into next sc around. (42 st)
Rnd 7: Sc into next 5 sc, 2 sc into next sc around. (49 st)
Rnd 8: Sc into next 6 sc, 2 sc into next sc around. (56 st)
Rnd 9-16: Sc into each sc around. (56 st) Sl st in next st and fasten off. Weave in ends. Using black join with a sl st and ch 1. This will start the Santa belt.
Rnd 17-21: Sc into each each sc around. (56 st) **Remember to not join rows unless it is stated to do so and to mark rows as you go so you do not lose track.** Sl st in next st and fasten off. Weave in ends. Switch back to red by joining with a sl st. Ch 1.
Rnd 22-31: Sc into each sc around. (56 st) Sl st into next st and fasten off. Weave in ends. Using White Red Heart Baby Clouds yarn, start with a sl st and ch 3. *sk next sc and hdc in next sc. Ch1 * Repeat from * all the way around. (28 hdc and ch 1 sp) Ch 1 **You have just completed the eyelet row for the weaving of the drawstrings**
Rnd 32: Sc into same st as sl st, *2 sc in ch sp, sc into next hdc.* Repeat from * around ending rnd with 2 sc into sp. (84 st) Ch 1.
Rnd 33: Sc into each sc around. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off. Weave in ends. (84 st)

Drawstrings (Make 2)

Using a G hook, Ch 100, using Red Heart Super Saver yarn in the color white. Fasten off. Weave one drawstring into the eyelet st all the way around. Tie both ends of the drawstring together into a knot. Do the same for the other drawstring on the opposite side of the eyelet row.

Santa Belt Buckle

Rnd 1: Using a F size hook, Ch 20. Sl st to beg ch. Ch 1 sc in first st and in next 4 st. 2 sc into next st. Sc in next 3 st, 2 sc in next st. Sc in next 5 st, 2 sc into next st. Sc into the next 3 st, 2 sc in the last st. Sl st to beg sc. Ch 1. (24 st around. 2 sc in each corner)
Rnd 2: Sc in first sc and in next 4 sc. 2 sc in next 2 sc. Sc in next 3 sc. 2 sc in next 2 sc. Sc in next 5 sc. 2 sc in next 2 sc. Sc in the next 3 sc. 2 sc in the next 2 sc. Sl st to first sc. Ch 1. (32 st around. 4 sc in each corner)
Rnd 3: Sc in first sc. Sc in next 5 sc. 2 sc in next 2 sc. Sc in next 5 sc. 2 sc in next 2 sc. Sc in next 7 sc. 2 sc in next 2 sc. Sc in next sc. Join with a sl st to first sc. Fasten off. Weave in ends. Sew onto the front of the belt. **I sewed it onto the center of the belt where I switched colors from red to black and then back to red again.**

Pom Pom Balls (Make 2)

Using White, Red Heart Baby Clouds yarn; begin wrapping around your four fingers 30 times. Cut the yarn, and using Red Heart Super Saver yarn in white, Tie a knot to the center and cut, leaving enough yarn to fasten to the end of the drawstrings. Trim the ends down to form a pom pom ball. You can leave them large or small depending on your preference. Fasten to the drawstring.

Now you are all finished! I hope you have fun creating this! It really is adorable!

Free Bumble Bee Appliqué Pattern

My cousin has started making and selling beeswax candles. She had asked me if I could crochet a bumble bee appliqué to put onto her beeswax candle lids. I couldn't find any patterns I really liked so I decided to create my own little bees.

I went ahead and wrote the pattern out and decided to share it with all of my beloved crocheting followers and lurkers, (you know who you are. ;) )

Bumble Bee Appliqué Pattern

Using an E hook, starting at the stinger with the color black

Row 1: With black, ch 2, sc in 2nd ch. Ch 1 and turn. (1 st)

Row 2: 2 sc in st. Ch 1 and turn. (2 st)

Row 3: 2 sc in each st across. Ch 1 and turn. (4 st)

Row 4: Sc in each st across. Change to yellow. Ch 1 and turn. (4 st)

Row 5: With yellow, 2 sc in first st. Sc in next 2 st. 2 sc in last st. Change to black. Ch 1 and turn. (6 st)

Row 6: With black, hdc in each st across. Change to yellow. Ch 1 and turn. (6 st)

Row 7: With yellow, sc in each st across. Change to black. Ch 1 and turn. (6 st)

Row 8: With black, hdc in each st across. Change to yellow. Ch 1 and turn. (6 st)

Row 9: With yellow, sc in each st across. Change to black. Ch 1 and turn. (6 st)

Row 10: With black, sc in each st across. Ch 1 and turn. (6 st)

Row 11: Sk first st, sc in next. Sc in next 2 st. Sk next st and sc in last st. Ch 1 and turn. (4 st)

Row 12: sk first st, sc in next st. Sk next st and sc in last st. (2 st)

Fasten off and weave in ends

Wing (Make 2)

Ch 2, dc in first ch 5 times. Ch 2 sl st in first ch. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Assemble and sew wings on. French knot on eye and tie on antennas. Trim antennas to measure 1/2 inch.

(Will measure approximately 3 inches in length when finished.)

I hope you have as much fun as I did creating these! Happy crocheting!

First Free Pattern: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Hat

This past weekend I had a request for my Very Hungry Caterpillar Hat pattern. I have actually never written a pattern before and do most of my patterns from trial and error and recreate from memory and measurements. So I took on the challenge and wrote my very first pattern, so please bear with me if it is hard to follow, but I did try to be as thorough as possible.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Crochet Hat Pattern

I use Sugar and Creme Cotton Yarn For this Hat and some scrap yarn for the the eyes.

Starting with your basic white color and using a g hook for small children sizes and an h hook for adult sizes, or hook needed for gauge. (infant hats will need a smaller gauge, or larger gauge for larger adult size.)
1. Ch 2, work 8 hdc in 2nd chain from hook;do not turn. Cap is worked in a round. You can place a marker on the last stitch of each row to keep track. (8sts)
2. Work 2 hdc in each st around. (16 sts)
3. (2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next) around. (24 sts)
4. (Hdc in next 2 sts, 2 hdc in next) around. (32 sts)
5. Repeat row 4, hdc in last 2 sts. (42 sts)
6-11. Hdc in each st around.
Changing to lighter grass green
12-14. Sc in each st around. Fasten off. Weave in all ends.

Depending on the size you can add extra rows or take a few out as you are working the rounds of the hat.

For the hungry caterpillar I made smaller circles in dark emerald green and grass green, and one larger red circle for the head. I made two tiny yellow circles for the eyes. I used a basic circle stitch for the caterpillar's body segments, head, and eyes.

Using a g hook or size needed for gauge. Starting with dark emerald green. Make 3.
1. ch 2, insert hook in first chain and sc 4 sts. (4 sts) Circles are worked in rounds, do not connect. You can place a marker on the last stitch of each row to keep track.
2. ch 1, work 2 sc in each st around. (8 sts) fasten off and weave in ends.

Using a g hook or size needed for gauge. Starting with lighter grass green. Make 2.
1. ch 2, insert hook in first chain and sc 4 sts. (4 sts) Circles are worked in rounds, do not connect. You can place a marker on the last stitch of each row to keep track.
2. ch 1, work 2 sc in each st around. (8 sts) fasten off and weave in ends.

Using a g hook or size needed for gauge. Starting with red.
1. ch 2, insert hook in first chain and sc 4 sts. (4 sts) Circle is worked in rounds, do not connect. You can place a marker on the last stitch of each row to keep track.
2. ch 1, work 2 sc in each st around. (8 sts)
3. ch 1, (sc in first st and 2 sc in next st) around (12 sts) fasten off and weave in ends.

Using an f hook or size needed for gauge. Starting with yellow. Make 2.
1. ch 2, insert hook in first chain and sc 4 sts. (4 sts) fasten off and weave in ends.

For the inner pupils of the eyes I use emerald green and embroider the eyes into place. I do a technique that is a bit different than what others may do. First cut a 24 inch piece of emerald green sugar and creme yarn and split the yarn fibers of 4 in half so you have two strands of thickness to work with. Thread this through the eye of a yarn needle and fasten it underneath one of the yellow eye circles with a small knot. Then come up the middle of the yellow circle with needle and pull the yarn all the way up and then make a knot close to the circle. Do this knot twice to make it large. (So make a second knot around the first.) Then wrap the yarn around and around the knot 2 or 3 times to get the size of circle you want. Then once you have your desired size of the eye pupil, insert the needle back down a side of the green pupil into the yellow circle. Then come back up near the middle knot with the needle and go back down near the middle edge of the pupil. Do this about 3 to 4 times until the pupil is securely fastened down into the center of the yellow circle. You will do this particular stitch 3 times. Twice for the pupils of the eyes on the 2 yellow circles, and once for the mouth of the caterpillar on red circle. Fasten off and weave in all of your ends.

Sew your eyes onto the red circle head of the caterpillar. After this step I make the mouth of the caterpillar using the above technique used for the pupil of the eyes.

Using the other 2 emerald green strands leftover from when we split the fibers for the making of the eye pupils and using an f gauged hook, insert the yarn into the top side of the caterpillar's red circled head and chain 3. Fasten off and leave a little bit of yarn left out to make the antenna. Do this again for the caterpillar's other antenna on the other side of the top of the head.

Now it is time to sew!

Position all of the circles the way you want along the bottom center of the hat right above the grass green edging. Starting with the emerald green circle first positioned to the farthest left and then the grass green next and so on and so forth. Sew the red caterpillar head on last leaving the antennas not sewn on so it has a 3d effect. You can sew the circles straight across or in an up and down pattern as I have done to make the caterpillar look like he is walking along.

So there it is! I hope you have a lot of fun and if you have any questions at all regarding this pattern please feel free to email or message me. Thanks and happy crocheting!

Friday Pattern Finds

I just stumbled across the cutest patterns and wanted to share!

Look at this darling little purse! Wouldn't this be the perfect touch to accessorize that spring outfit? You can find the pattern which is available for purchase on Etsy HERE!

Something fun for the kiddos! And who doesn't like a freebie? You can find this adorable kitty cat neck pillow for FREE HERE!
These next pics have given me a little inspiration for my next project.


Can you tell I have a case of the spring fever?

And a Snowman Was Born!

I just made him last night! Isn't he cute? Want to make one too? You can find the FREE pattern HERE!

With love,
Lindsay

Making Ornaments and a Kitty Dress

Xiera and I made a few sweet ornament gifts to give to her teacher this week. For all my crocheting friends; I found the Christmas Tree, Snowflake and Sugar Cookie patterns all free online.

Normally I would hand sew all buttons and beads on myself, but I thought it would be fun for Xiera to use fabric glue to glue the buttons onto the tree, sequins onto the snowflake, and beads onto the sugar cookie. They turned out super cute! The sugar cookie is my absolute FAVORITE! It almost looks good enough to eat.

Also this week I finished the cutest dress for a baby Sphynx kitten a customer of mine is getting as a gift for her daughter. I used one of Xiera's stuffed kitty cats to model it for me. ;)



With love,
Lindsay

Baby The Pretty Pony Purse

I was so excited when my good friend and amazing designer Sally of Loveland*Avenue asked me to collaborate with her for Wisterialane's Duet Launch. We chose the song All The Pretty Little Horses to inspire us for this launch. She made the sweet horse/pony lounge set, and I made Baby The Pretty Pony Purse to match. For all of my crocheting friends, you can find the FREE pattern to make one yourself, HERE. I had the pleasure of working with mom/daughter modeling team Robin and Natalie of lonnierobin on Ebay for this launch. These two were an absolute joy to work with. Natalie is a living a doll and Robin's photography is just amazing. Just look for yourself!


You can find Baby The Pretty Pony Purse HERE!

With Love,
Lindsay