Crochet Pattern - LOOP Baby Toy

Now that my littlest is almost four months old, I've been working on some fun, grabby baby toys. This is a cute one that I'm calling "loop". I've sold a handful in the shop. They are super-easy to make, so I've decided to post a little tutorial so you can make them for the little one's in your life. Enjoy!
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"LOOP" - A Baby Rattle Grab Toy
by Amy Herbst

MATERIALS NEEDED:
-3.25 mm crochet hook
-Worsted weight yarn of your choice (here I've used Patons Classic Wool)
-1 or 2 small jingle bells (they just need to be small enough to fit in the large tube)
-Stuffing material

INSTRUCTIONS:
- Starting with the first small outer ring, chain 6.
- Slip stitch in the first chain you made to form a ring.
Stuff the tube lightly as you work
- Make 1 single crochet in each single crochet around until you have a little tube measuring 6 inches long.

-Bring the two ends of your 6" tube together to form a ring, stitch closed.
Repeat above instructions to make a total of two small rings.

For the large inner ring:
- Chain 12 (or 14, depending on your tension)--you want it to be nice and tight
- Slip stitch in the first chain you made to form a ring.
Stuff the tube firmly as you work, adding in a small jingle bell or two
- Make 1 single crochet in each single crochet (changing colors as desired) until you have a tube measuring 10.5 inches long.

- Slide the two small rings onto the large tube.
- Bring the ends of the large tube together to form a ring and stitch closed.

TA-DA! Easy-peasy. You just made a "Loop" baby toy!

Wow, has it been a year (almost)?...

I can't believe how time flies! It was almost a year ago that I called it quits on the ol' blog and took a much needed break from crafting.

Around the first of the year last year I got pregnant with our second. The second pregnacy, in some ways, was much more difficult than the first. I was just sooo tired all of the time. Growing a little person and chasing around a two-year-old at the same time is hard work! On September 22 we welcomed our new baby girl Aya Olive. :-)

Now that the baby is here I seem to have so much more energy (believe it or not!). I've found it difficult NOT to craft. So, among other things, I've been working hard to restock the shop .

I finally formatted my "Dot Dolly" pattern:

And a the little "Buzzy B. and Berry Bear" crochet pattern that I started working on eons ago:

I've also found myself recently addicted to knitting socks (something I thought I'd never have the patience for). Here's my third pair, in progress:

I just LOVE how those nifty stripes and patterns magically appear! And, surprise, this sock yarn is now available at Michael's.

Here's another tiny one that I made for Aya (below). Only it's too tiny for even her itty bitty foot, so I guess it's going on the Christmas tree!

If there's anyone still out there, I bid you a fond farewell...

Hiya. Well, my "make break" has gone on a little longer than I had planned. And although I wish I could report that all this time I've been secretly working on lots of exciting new items for my shop, alas, no. I've been chasing my little guy around the house, going for long relaxing walks, enjoying the freash air, catching up on celebrity gossip, and getting snuggled into bed BEFORE 10 p.m.. It's been dreamy. So dreamy, in fact, that I've decided to call it quits on the old blog (not that I was ever that on top if it anyway).

I'll still be around though. I've got loads of fabric and materials out in the studio that need to be used up, so I'm going to work on a shop listing from time to time. If you have any questions for me, want to chat, or just say Hi, you can always shoot me a convo over on Etsy. :-)

Thanks for all the support over the past few months. I wish you all the best in 2008!!

~Amy

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Wowee, I can't believe that Christmas is fast approaching! The shop is now 99% closed (my emailable PDF crochet pattern is still available) and I have to tell you as much as I appreciate all of sales this season (THANK YOU!), it's such a relief to not have to go to the post office again for awhile!! :-)

I'm going to be taking a break from Herbst Handmade during and after the the Holidays.... I'm not sure when I'll return. I plan to keep blogging, but I imagine the shop won't be restocked for quite some time. I've got quite a few projects for myself and our house that have been on the back burner for way too long. Also, I've got a growing list of changes I'd like to make in the new year, which are inevitably going to affect the way I work. I think it's going to be good. I just need some time to sort it all out.

We're heading to Ohio for Christmas so the next few days will be filled with last-minute planning, packing and all of the dread that goes along with traveling with a one-year-old during the Holidays. :-P (!)

I wish you all a wonderful, fun -filled Christmas!!!

BTW - The cute ornament at the top of this posting is a gift from my friend and fellow Etsian at Gemmielou. Thanks Gemmie!

Arggh!

So last night I sat down to crochet a little peppermint-striped Holiday monkey (in the shop today). Once I saw how the wide red and white stripes looked I thought.. "hmm,... sailor monkey?..." and then, of course, he just had to have an eyepatch! ;P

If you have my monkey + bear crochet pattern and you want to make a pirate version (and who wouldn't?), here's what I did:

Crocheted eyepatch to fit Lil' Monkey or Bitty Bear:
Using 3.50mm hook, with black yarn, chain 4
Row 1: Starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc 3 across
Row 2: Turn, skip first st, sc in next 2 sts
Row 3: Turn, skip first st, sc in next st. Bind off, leaving a length of yarn for sewing eypatch onto face.

Sew on eyepatch at the point in the pattern when you are sewing/embroidering the rest of the face/features.

Pirate monkey! :-)

Cuppy Cakes!

With a one-year-old, my husband and I are finding that everything we say lately ends in a "y" or "ie" (doggie, birdie, fishy, blankie...etc.) hence the term "cuppy cakes"... It just sounds CUTE doesn't it? :)

And they ARE (cute, that is)! This is a little wool cupcake ornament I made as a thank-you gift for my neighbors.

If you do a Google search for "crochet cupcake pattern" you'll find quite a few different patterns. For mine, I just used the same basic formula that I came up with for the little gingerbread house and added frosting instead of a roof.
I used a 3.50mm hook and only increased rounds to a max of 30 stitches for the base and the frosting. You could probably do the same with any of the free cupcake patterns out there to make a mini ornament size like mine. :-)

Hope you're all having a great week!

Nothing much new...

Another busy weekend!

I don't have much to report today, 'cept that Kai is getting sick and I'm trying not to. :-(

Sorry for being so boring...I'm hoping to have something more to share by mid week!

FINALLY...A New Pattern AND My First Giveaway!

I've been trying to find time to work on this crochet pattern for awhile now... well, It's FINALLY in my shop today! Now you can crochet your own Lil' Monkey and Bitty Bear rattle toys. They work up quickly (really!) and are easy enough for a beginner (and hey, I'm always here to help!) These would make supercute stocking stuffers for the little ones in your life.

AND, as a thank you to my blog readers...my first giveaway..YAY!
To the first 3 folks who comment, I'll send you your choice of the monkey or the bear pattern FREE. Just let me know in the comments below!

Happy crocheting! :-)

Addicted... ?

I think I might be addicted to crochet...

A little wool gingerbread house for the tree! Pattern from my imagination. I can invision a whole wooly gingerbread village, can't you?.... (gee, I guess I'd better get to work!)

OH! Also, a new monkey rattle in the shop today! :)