Yarn party, and ideas for Christmas

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited along to LoveKnitting/LoveCrochet's Flock launch party, a get together for various craft bloggers. You can find more information about it here, but basically it was a great chance to meet the lovely people at LoveKnitting and other designers and bloggers - a real treat for someone who works at home, getting to chat to people who love crochet and knitting. Oh, and there was lots of prosecco!

That's me, checking out all the lovely yarn samples, chatting about crochet, and drinking prosecco!

I've been impressed with LoveKnitting as a company - they sell yarn and all the accessories you need to knit or crochet, but they also sell patterns, (you can find all of mine on there, just search for 'Lucy Collin') and now they've produced their own range of yarn, Paintbox.

Paintbox comes in acrylic DK, aran and chunky, and cotton DK, and all of them in a really good range of colours that makes them perfect for making amigurumi. If you want to try out the acrylic DK they are currently selling an advent calendar with a 10g ball of yarn behind each window (get it here in the sale that ends tonight). They had jars full of these tiny balls at the party, and I think everyone who saw them immediately squealed with happiness at seeing them, they look so cute! They very kindly let me have some to try out, and I really like the feel of the yarn for making amigurumi, soft and smooth.

The cute little mini balls with a 100g ball for comparison

You might be wondering what on earth you can make with such tiny balls of yarn, but apart from the free patterns you get with the advent calendar, I've got loads of free patterns here that would be perfect. There's a full list of my free patterns on the right, but here are a few that you will be able to make with one of those tiny 10g balls, with some of them you'd only use half of one, or even less. Of course, you could just use any scraps of yarn that you have.

Since the point of an advent calendar is to lead up to Christmas, any of my Christmas amigurumi patterns would be perfect to make as decorations, including my Little Christmas Mouse, Tiny Crochet Penguin, Mini Snowman, Tiny Christmas Robin and Mini Father Christmas.

Other cute little things to make, maybe as stocking fillers, would be my mini Teddies, Frogs, Monkeys, Octopuses, Elephants and Turtles.

Hopefully these little things will be quick and easy to make in the 24 days before Christmas. Have fun!

Mini Father Christmas - free crochet pattern

Here we come to the last in my collection of free Christmas crochet patterns, a miniature Father Christmas that you can make into a tree decoration, or add to a little festive scene. He’ll look sweet together with the penguin and snowman patterns I posted previously, though I think the mouse and the robin would look a bit giant next to him!

I hope you’ve been enjoying all the Christmas patterns, and found a few little things that you can make at the last minute if necessary. If you ever want to find them again, you’ll see a list of all my free patterns to the right of this page, just click on any that you’re interested in.

 

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
st = stitch or stitches
sc = single crochet (US), double crochet (UK)
dc = double crochet (US), treble crochet (UK)
tog = together
sc2tog = decrease by working two sc together
bob = bobble (see special stitch instructions)
BLO = work in back loop only
FO = fasten off

Approximate size: 6cm/2.5" tall.

General instructions:

Work in rounds unless otherwise stated and do not join rounds unless told to. Use a stitch marker to mark the start of a round - a small piece of different coloured yarn placed under the stitch at the start of the round will do. To start a round, you can use the magic ring method, but I prefer to ch 2, and work the appropriate number of sc into 1^st ch. If you work the sc over the tail of yarn as well you can use that to pull the hole tight.

When changing from one colour of yarn to another work the stitch before the change until there are two loops left on the hook. Then use the new colour for the final yarn over hook and pull through. When you use two different colours on the same round, as you do for the face, carry the colour you are not using behind the one you are working with.

Work through both loops of stitches unless otherwise indicated.

Special stitch instructions:

2dc bob: bobble stitch for beard. YOH, insert hook into next stitch, YOH and pull through stitch, YOH, pull through 2 loops, YOH, insert hook into same stitch, YOH and pull through stitch, YOH, pull through 2 loops, YOH, pull through all 3 loops on hook.

You will need:

Small amounts of double knitting or worsted weight yarn in red, white, black and skin colour.
A length of cotton yarn to hang as a decoration.
Small amount of stuffing.
3.5mm (E) hook.
Tapestry needle.

Pattern:

Start with red yarn.
Round 1: Ch 2, work 5 sc into 1^st ch - 5 st.
Round 2: 2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 st - 6 st.
Round 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 3 times - 9 st.
Round 4: Sc in each st around – 9 st.
Round 5: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st] 3 times - 12 st.
Round 6: Sc in each st around – 12 st.
Change to white yarn.
Round 7: Sc in each st around – 12 st.
Change to skin colour yarn.
Round 8: BLO Sc in next 6 st, change to white yarn, sc in next 6 st – 12 st.
Round 9: Sc in next 6 st, change to white yarn, sc in next 6 st – 12 st.
Round 10: Sc in next st, 2dc bob in each of next 4 st, sc in next st, change to red yarn, sc in next 6 st – 12 st.
Round 11: Sc in each st around – 12 st.
Round 12: 2 sc in next 6 st, sc in next 6 st - 18 st.
Round 13: Sc in each st around – 18 st.
Change to black yarn.
Round 14: Sc in each st around – 18 st.
Change to red yarn.
Round 15 - 17: (3 rounds) Sc in each st around – 18 st.
Round 18: [Sc2tog, sc in next st] 6 times – 12 st.
Round 19: Sc2tog 6 times – 6 st.

FO, leaving a length of yarn, and stuff. With the cotton yarn, sew a loop at the top of the head if you want to hang as a decoration. Using black yarn sew eyes and a little mouth on top of the beard. Finish stuffing and sew up bottom neatly.

 

 

Little Christmas Mouse - free pattern

My next free pattern for Christmas is a slight variation on my Little Kissing Mice pattern, so you can make a cute little mouse with a Christmassy red and green stripy sweater. You can add a loop so you can hang it on your Christmas tree, give it as a sweet little stocking filler, or fill it with catnip as a present for your cat.
 

Abbreviations:

ch = chain
st = stitch or stitches
ss = slipstitch
sc = single crochet (US), double crochet (UK)
dc = double crochet (US), treble crochet (UK)
tog = together
sc2tog = decrease by working two sc together
FLO = work in front loop only
FO = fasten off

Approximate size: 5cm/2" long without tail.

General instructions:

Work in rounds unless otherwise stated and do not join rounds unless told to. Use a stitch marker to mark the start of a round - a small piece of different coloured yarn placed under the stitch at the start of the round will do. To start a round, you can use the magic ring method, but I prefer to ch 2, and work the appropriate number of sc into 1^st ch. If you work the sc over the tail of yarn as well you can use that to pull the hole tight.

When changing from one colour of yarn to another work the stitch before the change until there are two loops left on the hook. Then use the new colour for the final yarn over hook and pull through.

Work through both loops of stitches unless otherwise indicated.

You will need:

Small amounts of double knitting or worsted weight yarn:
A natural fur colour for the head and tail.
Two colours of yarn, such as red and green, for the body.
Small amount of black yarn to embroider eyes.
Small length of cotton yarn.
Small amount of stuffing.
3.5mm (E) hook.
Tapestry needle.

Pattern:
 Start with natural fur colour yarn.
Round 1: Ch 2, work 4 sc into 1^st ch - 4 st.
Round 2: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 2 times - 6 st.
Round 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st] 2 times - 8 st.
Round 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st] 2 times - 10 st.
Round 5: Sc in each st around – 10 st.
Round 6: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 st] 2 times - 12 st.
Round 7: Sc in next 6 st, [ear, in FLO of next st: ss, ch 2, 5 dc, ch 2, ss], sc in next 3 st, [ear as before], sc in next st – 12 st (counting each ear as one st).
Round 8: Sc in each st around, working into the back loop behind each ear – 12 st.
Stuff head and use black yarn to sew eyes.
Change to first yarn colour for body.
Round 9: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 3 times, sc in next 6 st – 15 st.
Round 10: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 st] 3 times – 18 st.
Change to second yarn colour for body.
Round 11: Sc in each st around – 18 st.
Change to first yarn colour for body.
Round 12: [Sc in next 2 st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st] 3 times – 21 st.
Change to second yarn colour for body.
Round 13: Sc in each st around – 21 st.
Change to first yarn colour for body.
Round 14 - 15: (2 rounds) Sc in each st around – 21 st.
Change to natural fur colour yarn.
Round 16: [Sc2tog, sc in next 5 st] 2 times, sc2tog, sc in next 2 st, [tail: ss in next st, ch 20, miss ch next to hook, ss 19, ss back into original st], sc in next 2 st – 18 st.
Round 17: Sc2tog 2 times, sc in next 6 st, sc2tog 4 times – 12 st.
Round 18: Sc2tog 6 times – 6 st.
FO, leaving a length of yarn. Using cotton yarn, sew a loop behind the head if you want to hang your mouse as a decoration. Finish stuffing and sew up bottom of mouse neatly - if you stuff the body well it will sit up nicely.

Another simple idea for a little tree decoration is to make one of my Little Teddies using white yarn and give it a red scarf.

For more Christmas crochet ideas, I also have a Chubby Gnome pattern in my Etsy shop which includes instructions to make these Christmas characters - a cute little Santa and Elf.

If you especially love mice and would like to make some slightly larger ones, try my Wee Mousie pattern.

Keep an eye out here and on my Facebook page as I'll be posting four totally new mini Christmas patterns.

Chubby Santa and Christmas Elf

It's that time of year again, when Christmas starts to invade my life. In a good way - it can be a bit hectic, but it's overwhelmingly fun. I was looking at my Chubby Gnomes pattern, when I realised that it would be very easy to adapt to make a little Chubby Santa to add to my decorations. I made him, and then I had to make him a little Chubby Elf to help him out.

They were quick and easy to make - I've added the details to the Chubby Gnome pattern that's available in my Etsy shop and on Ravelry. If you already bought the pattern, just contact me with all the details of your order, and I'll send you the updated version.