Happy 50th Doctor Who!

My crocheted Daleks are getting in on the Doctor's 50th anniversary celebrations today - they've got their party hats on and they're having a great time! I've been enjoying all the celebrations so far - I loved the wonderful 'Adventures in Space and Time' about the beginnings of the series, and I'm looking forward to 'The Day of the Doctor' that's on tonight.

If you want to make yourself a Dalek, you can find the pattern in my shops on Etsy or Ravelry

If your Daleks want to get in on the celebrations, here's the pattern to make them tiny party hats:

Party Hat

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
st = stitch or stitches
sc = single crochet (US), double crochet (UK)
FO = fasten off

General instructions:
Work in rounds and 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 (ch 2, work 6 sc into 1st ch). If you work the 6 sc over the tail of yarn as well you can use that to pull the hole tight. Work through both loops of stitches.
You will need: 
Small amounts of two bright colours of yarn.
3.5mm (E) hook.
Tapestry needle.

Leave a short length of yarn when you start each colour.

Start using colour 1.
Round 1: Ch 2, work 6 sc into 1st ch - 6 st.
Round 2: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st] 2 times - 8 st.
Change to colour 2.
Round 3: Sc in each st around - 8 st.
Round 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st] 2 times - 10 st.
Change to colour 1.
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.
Change to colour 2.
Round 7: Sc in each st around - 12 st.
Round 8: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 st] 2 times - 14 st.
Change to colour 1.
Round 9: Sc in each st around - 14 st.
Round 10: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 6 st] 2 times - 16 st.
FO. Pull the start of the yarn for both colours and the end for colour 2 through the top of the hat to make little streamers. Cut to length.
Weave in the end of colour 1 or use it to sew the hat on (I just pinned mine on).

My Pet Caterpillar or Worm

It's that time of year again when I've been busy making lots of tiny things for the Christmas Bazaar at my son's school. These little caterpillars (which can be fuzzy or not as you choose) or worms, are very quick to make, they don't even need stuffing. I think it's cute to put them in little matchboxes, so they look like something that a kid would pick up in the garden.

My Pet Caterpillar or Worm
Use whatever colour yarn you want your worm or caterpillar to be. If you want your caterpillar to be fuzzy, you’ll need a little bit of eyelash yarn. You’ll also need some black yarn to make the face. 4mm hook.

Abbreviations:

ch = chain
st = stitch or stitches
sc = single crochet (US), double crochet (UK)
dc = double crochet (US), treble crochet (UK)

Special stitch instructions:

3 dc bobble: YOH (yarn over hook), insert hook into second ch from hook, YOH and pull through loop, YOH, pull through 2 loops, *YOH, insert hook into same stitch, YOH and pull through loop, YOH, pull through 2 loops, repeat once from*, YOH, pull through all 4 loops on hook.

 

2 dc bobble: YOH (yarn over hook), insert hook into next stitch, YOH and pull through loop, YOH, pull through 2 loops, YOH, insert hook into same stitch, YOH and pull through loop, YOH, pull through 2 loops, YOH, pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Ch 13, turn.
Miss 1st 2 ch and do 3 dc bobble into 3rd ch, (sc in next ch, 2 dc bobble in next ch) 4 times, sc in next 2 ch, ch 1, turn.
Sc in next 11 st, ch 2, turn.
3 dc bobble in next st, (sc in next ch, 2 dc bobble in next ch) 4 times, sc in next 2 ch, (change to eyelash yarn here if you’re using it) ch 1, turn.

Join the edges with slipstitch, putting the hook through back loop of current row and the other side of the original chain. Make sure you put the original tail of yarn in the inside as you join, you’ll need it to make an antenna. (Keep the start of the fuzzy yarn inside too, it’ll save tidying it up later). Finish off, leaving enough yarn to make the other antenna. This is the head. If it’s a caterpillar, the joined side is the top (I think the bobbles look like stumpy legs at the bottom), the other way up for a worm, so take that into account when you sew on the features. There is an open part at the front of the head, so tie a knot in the black yarn and sew it through from the inside to make an eye. Leave the black yarn hanging and use one of the ends to sew up the front of the head, then make an antenna by sewing once in the same place, tying a knot where you want the end of the antenna to be, and cutting off any excess. Do the same with the other end for the other antenna. Finish off sewing the features, another eye & a mouth (the creature is so small it doesn’t have to be very detailed), take the black yarn through the body & cut off.  You can also glue on small googly eyes instead of sewing features.

Party Time!

It was my son's 9th birthday not too long ago, and although he was only having a few friends round he wanted me to decorate a bit. I've been making decorations for his and his brother's parties all their lives - in fact I think that was the first thing that got me into being more crafty. That or the fact that I'm cheap, I hate paying for rubbish party stuff that won't last.

I've made rockets out of toilet rolls, a crocodile out of egg boxes, and a Dalek pinata that I liked so much I made sure only the bottom half got destroyed, and I made a Dalek costume later with the top half.

This year my son wanted a medieval theme - he was getting Little King's Story for the Wii so it seemed to fit. I painted lots of coats of arms a few years ago for a Knights and Princesses party, so I stuck those up, but I thought it would be nice to make something that could be put up for any birthday. So I crocheted some bunting (I'm not sure what else to call it). I already did this for Christmas in green and red, so I made this one multicoloured. It's pretty easy to make, so here's the pattern:

Crochet Bunting

You will need:

Yarn (cheap acrylic is fine) in whatever colour or colours you want. How much you'll need will depend on how long you make it, but if you use two colours, 100g ball of each should get you quite a long way.

6mm hook (US J/10)

Method (using US notation):

Using just two colours is the simplest way to do this.

Work 2 strands together to start.

Ch 48

* Using only 1 strand ch 16, turn.

Miss 1st ch, [sc, hdc in next ch], [2 dc in next ch] 13 times, [hdc, sc in last ch].

Join back into the double strand by working a slipstitch with both strands.

Ch 15 *

Work from * to *, alternating which colour you use to form the spiral, as many times as necessary to fit your room.

Ch 48, Fasten off.

The lengths of chain at the beginning and end are long enough to make loops to go round the end of curtain poles (which is how I secure them), or tie around whatever is handy.

For multicoloured bunting, I changed one yarn after every 4 spirals and simply knotted the new colour to the old, crocheting over the ends.

I also decided, the day before his birthday, that it would be cool for my son to have a crown, so he could be king for a day. I didn't think I had time to make anything so I went along to a toyshop to get a plastic one. Unfortunately it was just a bit too small, so instead I grabbed some yellow felt, sew-on jewels and gold braid and made one. I just folded the felt over three times, cut some points and glued those together, to make them a bit stiffer. I sewed on the braid and the jewels, and put a bit of elastic in the back so it would fit him for longer (and fit his little brother who has a bigger head!). I will sew the points together to make them a bit stronger, but I haven't had time yet.

He loved it and wore it all day, and has worn it several times since, so I was really pleased with my last minute crown.