FOX TAIL PATTERN (A Tail for Your Fox Bottom)

The fox critter hats are ever so popular.  I really do think they’re the cutest things!  My favorite pattern to use is by Theresa Grant.  You can find it here.

But, I like things in sets.  If there’s a top, there must be a bottom, right?  So, I decided to add some shorts from my favorite go-to pattern by  Veronica’s crochet.  You can find that pattern here.

However, every good fox needs and even better tail.  I looked and looked and looked for one and was unsuccessful.  So, what do you know, I made up my own.

Fox Tail Pattern

Materials Needed:

2 Colors of Yarn (I used Hobby Lobby's I Love This Yarn in Burnt Pumpkin and White)

Size H (5.0mm) crochet hook

Yarn Needle

Instructions

This tail is worked in the round without joining.  Use a stitch marker if you need to.

With WHITE yarn, chain 2.

HDC 6 in first chain.

One HDC in each HDC (Repeat 2 times more) – (3 rows, 6 stitches per row)

*2 HDC in next stitch,  1 in the next*, repeat around (9 stitches)

One HDC in each HDC (9 stitches)

*2 HDC in next stitch, 1 in next 2*, repeat around (12 stitches)

One HDC in each HDC (12 stitches)

*2 HDC in next stitch, 1 in next 3*, repeat around (15 stitches)

One HDC in each HDC (15 stitches)

Join to first HDC.  Fasten off.  Weave in end.

CHANGE to BURNT PUMPKIN color!

Join new color in first stitch.

*2 HDC in next stitch, 1 in next 4*, repeat around (18 stitches)

One HDC in each HDC (18 stitches)

*2 HDC in next stitch, 1 in next 5*, repeat around (21 stitches)

One HDC in each HDC (21 stitches) – repeat for a total of 10 times (10 rows, 21 stitches per row)

*HDC2TOG, 1 in next 5*, repeat around (18 stitches)

*HDC2TOG, 1 in next 4*, repeat around (15 stitches)

Fasten off, leaving long enough tail to sew onto your preferred bottoms.

Enjoy this!  Of course, feel free to contact me should you have any questions.

Loving a Lovey

When it comes to new babies and the gifts you give them, I think the greatest thing (outside of diapers) is a blanket...because that's something they can use for a very long time.

I work full-time though, and that makes crocheting a blanket a really tedious ordeal.  Working on that with all of my other orders could mean it takes me a month to finish one.

One day, while giving in to my pattern obsession, I stumbled across a pattern for a lovey...a blankie...a security blanket...a woobie....  There are so many different names for them, but they're cute just the same.  It's a stuffed animal and blanket combined, but at the same time, it's smaller than the standard 3' baby blanket.  I hit the jackpot!

Saturday, I started my first one, and I was done in two days.  Besides, it was exciting watching something so cute and squishy come together.

When I was done, I had an adorable little giraffe.  I so wanted to keep him...and give him a name, but sadly, I'll have to let him go to his new home.

Isn't he CUTE?!

Pattern by BowTykes Designs.  Visit her lovey shop right here.

Instructions for Zebra Ears

I ran across my Zebra Hat pattern the other day on Pinterest.  Wow!  I hadn't realized its popularity.

Since I posted the pattern, I have gotten numerous questions from people who were a bit confused (and understandably so) about how to make the ear.

Finally, I had a chance to make one (thanks to an Etsy order), and I took pictures.  Hopefully, these will make it a little clearer.  Please excuse the nasty quality.  These were taken with my phone.

This is the completed outer ear (picture taken from the bottom).  As you can see, it is a tube shape.

Another view of the outer ear from the side.

This is the completed inner ear.  As you can see, it is flat.

Another view, from the side.

Lay the outer ear flat, and place the inner ear on top.

Stitch the inner ear to the front of the outer ear.  Place your fingers inside of the outer ear if you're afraid of accidentally stitching them together.

Sewing finished.

Now, fold the bottom of the ear together (vertically) and stitch it together.

Your ear is now done!  Leave a long enough tail to sew onto your hat.

Thanks for using my pattern!!!

Holiday Insanity

It's been a while since I've blogged, but Christmas time is insane time as far as my Etsy shop is concerned.  I remember this time last year, I was panicking over the amount of sales I'd had.  Clearly, I had no idea what 2012 would have in store.

Not that I'm complaining.  Not at all.

It's a wonderful blessing to be paid to do something you love.  No matter how weary I may become at times,  crocheting is a craft I very much love, and I still feel that if I don't have a hook in one hand and some yarn in the other...the apocalypse is near.

My plan this year was to make tons of Christmas items.  But, it turns out that I only crocheted - and fell in love with - this darling reindeer hat.

What a fun project this one turned out to be.  But, nothing was more darling than the pictures I received from a photographer of that very hat.  All photo credit goes to Alicea Rose Photography.

Just precious.  I love babies.  I love Christmas!

I'm wishing all of you a blessed and wonderful Christmas and a very prosperous New Year!

God bless you!

Loopy Flower Owl Hat

I was looking at Pinterest yesterday, and I saw the cutest owl hat.  But, there was no pattern.  So, I fooled around until I figured something similar out.

This is my interpretation of the hat I saw.  I did not take this from another pattern.  It is all trial and error.

I hope this makes some kind of sense.


Hat

Use any basic hat pattern that you may have.  I used the same one I've used for all my other hat patterns.  This hat is newborn size.

Ears

Attach yarn around the stitch where the red arrow indicates.  Chain 8.  Slip stitch around the same stitch where you attached yarn.  Chain 8.  Slip stitch around stitch on next row (yellow arrow).  Chain 8.  Slip stitch around the same stitch again. Chain 8.  Slip stitch and fasten off.  Repeat on the opposite side, but start on the lower row first.  You should have 4 chain loops for each ear.

Eyes

Chain 2

10 HDC in first chain

Slip Stitch to join

Chain 4, slip stitch in next chain all the way around (10 chain loops)

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Sew on to hat.  Sew black buttons in middle of eyes.

Beak

Chain 2.

Sc 2 in first chain.  Chain 1 and turn.

Sc 2 in each sc.  Chain 1 and turn.

Sc 2 in first sc.  Sc 1 in next two sc.  Sc 2 in last sc.

Chain 1.  DO NOT TURN.  Sc around entire triangle.

Attach to hat.

Bow

Chain 4 and join to make a ring.

Slip stitch into ring and chain 8.  Do this 8 times.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Wrap tail tightly around, hiding ring in middle, with 4 chain loops on each side.

Use needle to secure bow to ear.

Optional trim on bottom of hat:

Attach contrasting yarn at back of hat.  Chain 4, slip stitch to next stitch.  Repeat all the way around.

And, there you have it!  Hope you enjoy your hats!

How Precious!

My pictures are here!  My pictures are here!

Since I don't have any babies, and I love to make baby items (go figure), I needed some assistance. 

Thank God for those photographers who contacted me and followed through with pictures.  I was "oohing" and "ahhing" all day Saturday as picture after picture rolled in, and I watched these little bundles of joy transform my creations into something angelic.

Thanks so much to Alicea Rose Photography and K-Rae Images for the beautiful pictures that helped bring those giraffes, lady bugs, and zebras to life...and for giving us a glimpse of that oh-so-tiny football fan!

I love these pictures!  Y'all enjoy!  For more views, visit my Adorably Hooked Facebook page.

Not So Daunting After All

First of all, I'm a crochet pattern junkie.  I buy patterns like they're going out of style.  It's a very serious illness...that I love.  As a result, I've got patterns coming out of my ears.  Thank God for sites like Ravelry, where I can store them because I forget....

But, ever so often, I'll run across a crochet pattern that reminds me that I'm still very much a beginner.  I look at it.  It looks too complicated.  I file it away for a future session, when I can thoroughly torture myself with its difficulty.

Last Saturday, I woke up, wanting to crochet like I'd lost my mind.  I looked for a pattern I'd been putting off and ran across the Simply Summer sandals pattern by Two Girls.  I was determined to make them, no matter how hard it was, double soles and all!  

Well, wouldn't you know, the difficulty only existed in my head?  I guess I'm something of a mental drama queen.  I whipped those things up in no time at all, and I must say, I am thrilled with the results!  

If you're a crocheter, check out their site.  They've got some wonderful, darling baby booties!  You'll love them!