A while back, everyone on Facebook passed around this cute little crocheted owl cocoon that brought on the "awwws" and the "so cute!s". I was recently asked to make one and here is my finished product!



How I did it //

I decided that I did not want to pay for the ShiFio's Pattern and figured I could probably just wing it. However, I ended up finding a similar free pattern by Rebecca Sager from "Creative Crochet by Becky". (FREE Pattern) I used her pattern for the body and nose portion and improvised for the other appliques (eyes, feathers & wings). The hat was a combo of Rebecca's pattern and my own rib stitching.

Body  //  Free pattern by Rebecca Sager from Creative Crochet by Becky (FREE Pattern). Ribbon was my own addition.
Eyes  //  Essentially, I made a normal circle (switching between sc & dc to make the right size) and used Chiêu Nguyễn's "Sleepy Owl Sleeping Mask" from Firefly Crochet to come up with the   'sleeping eyes'.
Nose  //  Rebecca Sager's nose from her free pattern.
Feathers  //|  Tamara Kelly's Croccodile Stitch Video Tutorial from Moogly.
Wings  //|  Free pattern by Rachael Whitton Stegmoyer on Ravelry. 
Hat  // Start with a rib stitch (size is your choice, I used a chain of 5 with hdc stitches). Mine is about 14 inches long. I flipped it, then sc across. Turn, chain 2 and shell stitch across (5dc, sk 2, sc, sk 2, 5dc, sk 2, etc.) and in the following rows till you get your preferred size. Then I sc the top and sides together and fastened off. I slip knotted some strands of yarn to the points and added ribbon for the final touch.

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© Amanda Lanae Rothrock 2013 - 2016 All photographs taken by Stephen Rothrock and/or Amanda (Waugh) Rothrock. Please do not copy or use without permission. All patterns are copyrighted under their original owner. Please give credit where credit it due.

Disclaimer: If you like my original pattern or comments/critique on a particular pattern and wish to share or use it, please credit me (and comment below- I would love to see your work and/or input!). My original patterns are free to use unless stated otherwise; however, I only ask that you credit myself (as well as any original pattern author) . Please do not sell my patterns, but you are encouraged to sell or gift items made from the pattern. Thank you.

Button Up.

This time around, I want to introduce you to one of my favorite crochet pattern finds! The lovely Stephanie from allaboutami.com created this cozy number. I've been following Stephanie since I started this crochet adventure and a few weeks before Christmas 2013, I discovered her pattern. Since I needed to make a few presents, I decided to give it a try!

The results were perfect! I loved the length, the style, the easy customization, how it looked, how it felt and, of course, it was so warm! I was really excited to use a button that I bought from Supplies Sundries on Etsy. Well, let's get started!

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Materials Used //

• Super Chunky Yarn // I prefer Lion Brand Hometown USA | You'll need approx. 100-150 yards of yarn.
• N // 10mm crochet hook
• 1 Extra Large Wooden Button // Approx. 2" or 45 - 51 mm // Supplies Sundries
• Yarn Needle

Pattern Thoughts // For the complete pattern, please visit allaboutami.com.

The pattern is fairly simple.

ONE.  You start out the usual way by chaining 48 but the problem with that is that when you go back to double crochet (dc) your way across the row, the chain beneath serves as a very flimsy foundation.

OPTION 1 // I restarted the pattern and began with a Foundation Single Crochet (FSC) OR try Foundation Double Crochet (FDC) ( What's that?! )| This is just chunkier and you will need to smooth it out afterwards |. 

OPTION 2 // You can also choose to begin with a row of chains and when you go back to dc your shells, crochet into the BACK of the chain -- NOT the bottom or the top. The BACK. Flip your chain over and you'll see it.

TWO.  If you'd like to add some length to the neckwarmer, the formula is as follows //

8 x ___ = Amount of stitches. ___ / 8 = Amount of shells.

Basically, if you want to add length, you must crochet chains in multiples of 8.

Chaining 48 ( as the patterns calls for ) will get you 12 shells | 8 x 6 = 48 |. Crocheting 56 will get you 14 shells... and so on.

I chose to make mine using 18 shells | 72 ch // 8x2 |. I began my FDC // normal chain and just measured it by looping it around my neck to check the size.

THREE. Follow the rest of the pattern as explained on allaboutami.com.

You can easily add extra rows as you go to make it wider. Just keep checking it around your neck.

Keep in mind that adding more rows will cause the neckwarmer to start folding over around your neck and under your chin line. It can be cute but also can be overdone. { see image }

FOUR. Finish off. Weave in those pesky ends. 

FIVE. Attach your oversized button! 

It doesn't matter what side you sew the button onto because the neckwarmer can be flipped to meet the needs of a right-hand dominant or a left-hand dominant. 

On one project, I sewed the button in the middle of the neckwarmer close to the edge. On the second, I sewed the button toward the edge {flat edge) of the scarf so that when it buttoned, the neckwarmer laid more to the side. {see image}

Enjoy! Don't forget to like and share this with your friends! Oh, and visit Allaboutami.com and give her some love! 

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© Amanda Lanae Waugh 2013 - 2014 All photographs taken by Stephen Rothrock and/or Amanda Waugh. Please do not copy or use without permission. All patterns are copyrighted under their original owner. Please give credit where credit it due.

Disclaimer: If you like my work/comments on a particular pattern and wish to share or use it, please credit it me and comment below. My original patterns are free to use unless stated otherwise; however, I only ask that you credit myself. Please do not sell my patterns, but you are encouraged to sell or gift garments made from the pattern. Thank you.

Christmas Gifts!

This past Christmas, I enjoyed crocheting gifts for almost everyone on my Christmas gift list. I know this seems a little late but I couldn't post what I had made until the recipients had opened their gifts! Now it's time to share the gifts I made and the fun patterns I used to make them! Enjoy!

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1. Diamond Trail Scarf Pattern //by Paula, a retired Etsy Seller and Blogger. 

This free pattern can be found on her now dormant blog: Hookandyarn. The scarf modifications I followed are provided by Esther Chandler in her blog post on makemydaycreative.com.

Esther said that she added a few rows of the diamond portion of the pattern to the middle to make the scarf wider. I followed her example and also added some length.

Materials Used // 

• Red Heart Shimmer yarn in Peacock Blue
• Size G crochet hook
• Large yarn needle

2.  Chunky Cowl // Please see my previous blog post on this particular cowl. 

3. Buttoned Shell Stitch Cowl //  by Stephanie on her blog allaboutami.com.  

A bog post on this lovely neckwarmer to come soon! It will also be featured on my Etsy store!

3. Black Hole Cowl // by Laura Jansen on her blog redribbonfox.blogspot.com.  

Check back later for my blog post on this item. It will also be featured on my Etsy store!

4. Hooded Cowl // by Melissa on her shop Well-Ravelled.

I loved this pattern! It was a bit challenging at first because I didn't know how to crochet a "chainless" foundation row but after a few Youtube videos, I am pretty much expert (wink). The hooded part was a bit pointy for my liking but that can be worked with. Next time, I would crochet it with the same yarn but a larger sized hook. 

Materials Used //

• Super Bulky Lion Brand Hometown USA brand in Fort Worth Blue
• Size N crochet hook
• Large yarn needle
• Three silver buttons // Approx. 1"
• Smaller metal yarn needle for sewing on the buttons

5. Modern Lace Scarf Pattern // from the Martha Stewart Crafts™ Lion Brand Yarn Collection. 

This pattern is pretty simple and I was able to make a lovely scarf out of it.

Materials Used:

• 3 Skeins of Loops and Threads: Charisma yarn in White
• Size N crochet hook
• Large yarn needle

I do not have a picture of it but if you click the link above, you can view the one on Lion Brand's website! 

6. Lovely Buttoned Shell-Stitch Infinity Scarf // by myself. 

I wish I had a picture of this lovely gem! I wanted to make a cute infinity scarf that buttoned together to form a ring. I found a nice looking pattern to use but it was just too confusing and I figured I could make one from scratch without getting frustrated. I will duplicate the pattern soon and make a special blog post explaining my pattern! I may even offer the product on Etsy! 

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Well, that's about all! I'm pretty excited to continue learning more about crochet and expanding my collection of patterns. If you have any fun suggestions, let me know!

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© Amanda Lanae Waugh 2013 - 2014 All photographs taken by Stephen Rothrock and/or Amanda Waugh. Please do not copy or use without permission. All patterns are copyrighted under their original owner. Please give credit where credit it due.

Disclaimer: If you like my work/comments on a particular pattern and wish to share or use it, please credit it me and comment below. My original patterns are free to use unless stated otherwise; however, I only ask that you credit myself. Please do not sell my patterns, but you are encouraged to sell or gift garments made from the pattern. Thank you.

Chunky Cowl.

When I first started crocheting fun things to wear other than headbands, I found a lovely blog by an Amigurumi fanatic named Stephanie. If you didn't already know, Amigurumi is the art of knitting/crocheting stuffed animals founded in the Japanese culture. On top of her love for crocheting cute little animals, Stephanie also crafts patterns for scarves, cowls, neck warmers, mug cozies, etc. My very first cowl was created using her Chunky Double Crochet Cowl pattern. (Scroll to the bottom for my Pattern Thoughts)

Black Chunky Double Crochet Cowl //

Materials Used //

• Lion Brand's Hometown USA^® Yarn in Oakland Black
• Size K // 6.50 mm crochet hook
• 4 silver pearl buttons from Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store (plastic)
• Yarn needle

Now, the biggest problem with the first cowl I made is that it is a tad small and doesn't lay exactly like hers does but I still like it. In fact, I liked the pattern enough that I made one more as a gift. 

Blue Chunky Double Crochet Cowl //

Materials I used //

• Lion Brand's Hometown USA Yarn in Detroit Blue
• Size P // 10 mm crochet hook
• 45 mm // Approx. 2" dark wooden button {purchased on Etsy.com}
• Yarn needle

I did, however, change a few things about the pattern.

My Pattern Thoughts //

ONE. I started the pattern like normal but added two rows of single crochets on top of the chain before I began using double crochets.

TWO. I also ended the pattern with two rows of double crochets and decreased stitched A LOT. I didn't want a gaping hole at the end.

THREE. I also added a large 45 mm (about 2 inches) wooden button for decoration and to help with the gaping hole. Buttoning one side to the other helped keep in the heat. The button, sewed to the left side of the cowl,  fit right through the gaps created by the pattern.

FOUR. When I made the black cowl, I chose NOT to crochet it in a round. Instead, I sewed the ends together and added four buttons for decoration.

Let me know how it goes! 

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© Amanda Lanae Waugh 2013 - 2014 All photographs taken by Stephen Rothrock and/or Amanda Waugh. Please do not copy or use without permission. All patterns are copyrighted under their original owner. Please give credit where credit it due.

Disclaimer: If you like my work/comments on a particular pattern and wish to share or use it, please credit it me and comment below. My original patterns are free to use unless stated otherwise; however, I only ask that you credit myself. Please do not sell my patterns, but you are encouraged to sell or gift garments made from the pattern. Thank you.

Little Gem.

I thought I'd share this lovely little gem with you just in case you wanted to try it for yourself!

Now, according to Kimberly Crowther's "Headband and a Button" tutorial, this is the pattern you should follow. However, I found that a few changes had to made in order to create a headband that looked just right (My problem could also be that I was using Super Bulky yarn rather than Worsted Weight...#firstworldproblems). Anywho, my "thoughts" are below each step in italics. 

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Materials //

Crochet Hook // H/8 or 5 mm hook, I/9 or 5.5 mm hook
I used hooks from K to N to complete this headband. 

Yarn Weight // (4) Medium Weight/Worsted Weight and Aran (16-20 stitches to 4 inches)
I used a little over half a skein of Lion Brand: Hometown USA brand Super Bulky yarn.

Additional Materials //

• Needle and Thread
• Large Button (My button was about 2"-3" wide)

Pattern //

Ch 75

(I chained 55-60ish. One thing to keep in mind is that you add length with each round so make a chain that at least reaches around your head)

ROUND 1 // sc in next ch from hook, sc in each ch across.
3 sc in last ch.
Working along bottom of chs, sc in each ch across.
3 sc in last ch, sl st to first sc. Ch 3. (154 sc)

(When I got the the part where you work along the bottom, I actually worked the "tail" into the stitching so I didn't have to weave it in later.)

ROUND 2 // Repeat ROUND 1 using dc in each sc st. Note | Each round will gain stitches. Continue to work 3 crochets in end stitches.

(My only problem with her "note" is that the three sc didn't allow my headband to lay flat so I improvised. I added about 3 or more dcs at each end and even more the following round)

ROUND 3 // Repeat ROUND 1 using hdc in each dc st.
Continue working ROUNDS using hdc until desired thickness. 

(For this round I actually used sc again because the headband would have been to wide with the type of yarn I used. Again, I added more sc at each end. If I remember right, I sc twice in 4-5 dcs at each end of the headband. The key is to get your headband to lay flat.)

FINISHING // Fasten off and weave in ends. To connect, overlap ends 1-2 inches or desired fit size. Sew button and edges together.

...And enjoy!

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© Amanda Lanae Waugh 2013 - 2014 All photographs taken by Stephen Rothrock and/or Amanda Waugh. Please do not copy or use without permission. All patterns are copyrighted under their original owner. Please give credit where credit it due.

Disclaimer: If you like my work/comments on a particular pattern and wish to share or use it, please credit it me and comment below. My original patterns are free to use unless stated otherwise; however, I only ask that you credit myself. Please do not sell my patterns, but you are encouraged to sell or gift garments made from the pattern. Thank you.

What I'm famous for...

I love headbands! Beanies usually don't fit my small head very well so I began crocheting headbands in an attempt to find something that fit better. This pattern is my version of most common headband patterns. I can't really say I own the real pattern but this is the one I usually use.

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Materials Used //

• 1 Skein of yarn of at least 60-70 yds worth of yarn (I prefer super bulky labeled "6") // My favorite yarn for this project is Lion Brand: Hometown USA.
• Size K (10 1/2 or 6.5 mm) OR size N (15 or 10mm) crochet hook.I tend to choose the hook based on the yarn type as well as my stitch size preference. In fact,  I made one the other day with a P sized hook. You decide which is best and let me know how it goes!

PATTERN  //

Base Row //

Chain 50-60 (I usually measure it to my head and make it long enough so a few stitches overlap) The length will vary depending on your head size. This number of stitches is your base row.

Chain 3 more stitches (this is your first "double crochet"). Don't include these three in your base row stitch count.

Row 1 //

DC into 4th stitch from hook.

DC all the way to the end (count as you go to make sure your DCs match your base row number).

Chain 3 and turn.

Row 2 //

DC into 4th stitch and continue to the end. Don't forget to match the number of DCs with your base stitch number again.

Repeat Row 2 until you have the desired width. I usually crochet 4-6 rows total.

Finish //

When you're finished. Weave in the ends and sew on your buttons using matching yarn of your color choice.

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© Amanda Lanae Waugh 2013 - 2014 All photographs taken by Stephen Rothrock and/or Amanda Waugh. Please do not copy or use without permission. All patterns are copyrighted under their original owner. Please give credit where credit it due.

Disclaimer: If you like my work/comments on a particular pattern and wish to share or use it, please credit it me and comment below. My original patterns are free to use unless stated otherwise; however, I only ask that you credit myself. Please do not sell my patterns, but you are encouraged to sell or gift garments made from the pattern. Thank you.