Adopt Don't Shop

   

 Adopt Don't Shop
      There are so many animals in this world who are homeless.   They end up in shelters alone and scared and many are euthanised because there are just too many.  Shelters are over run and have to turn many away.  It is heart breaking to see.  

     Alot of people want purebred animals.  Cats and dogs which is fine if you can find a reputable breeder.   Although pure bred animals have been overbred and many come with a lot of health problems.  For instance German Sheppards, beautiful smart well behaved dogs, their breed has been altered to make them bigger and stronger and it caused many ailments in the dog. The number one cause of shorter life span for them is hip dyplasia.  This is a really good article about the German Shepherd.  It will expalin why some purebred animals have so many health problems.

The History and Origin of the German Shepherd Dog 

  http://gsrelite.co.uk/the-history-origin-of-the-german-shepherd-dog/. 

     I did not rescue my girls from the shelter. Tiger came from a farm where the cats were not spaid and or neurtered.

    

Sookee came from a box on the side of the road with her sister Smokee whos is grey.  

     

    

      Her sister still loves boxes... 

     

     Although cats are jerks and if you own one or three, you know this is why we love them.  Jerks yes, but they are truly grateful for their warm home and well stocked food dish.   These girls are loveable, sweet, bad, short tempered, love me kinda cats. 

    

 As you can tell my girls love yarn.  Love it!  So to keep my yarn clean my husband has come up with this for me.  

      To me there is no greater feeling than cuddling up on the couch with my hook and yarn and cat purring beside me..  Now that it is not to say they dont try to steal the yarn sometimes.  Every now and then I get a wet spot where they have chewed on it.  That makes it all part of the adventure.

     I hope if you decide to adopt you try your shelter first or animals that are homeless on the street.  They are furever grateful.  

   Adopt Don't Shop

Christmas Table Runner

Christmas Table Runner

 

 

 

I designed this graph at Stitch Fiddle

Yarn Used:
Red Heart Super Saver: Hunter Green - The back ground.
Red Heart With Love Metallic:  White - Santa's hat and Beard
Red Heart With Love Metallic: Red - Santa's hat, Santa's nose and mouth,  Rudolph's nose, the sleigh and the words HO HO HO.
Red Heart With Love Metallic: Black - For the Runners on Santa's sleigh, Santa's and Rudoplhs eyes.
Red Heart Super Saver : Oatmeal - Santa's bag of gifts.
Bernat Baby Sport:  Peach Blossom - Santa's Face.  I had to use two strands together as this is a very thin yarn.  
Red Heart Super Saver: Coffee- Rudolph's antlers
Red Heart Super Saver: Gold for Rudolph.

Crocheting the back ground I used almost two skeins of the Red Heart Super Saver Hunter green.  There is a lot of color changing.

Material:
Yarn
Sewing Needle
Scissors
Crochet hook.  H 5.0

This Table runner is made using the corner to corner stitch or C2C.  I started at the bottom left corner.  If you do not know how to crochet corner to corner there are several youtube turtorials.  Just type in corner to corner crochet in the search bar.  Also you will definitly want to sew in the ends as you go.  There will be a lot of color changes.
I use the Susan Bates finishing needles.  They are plastic, easy to thread and makes the process move much faster.

You will want to print out the graph so that you can mark off your rows as you go.

For the Border I used what is called the Candy Cane Crochet Border.  I learned how to do this watching the Youtube video from RepeatCrafterMe-Candy Cane Crochet Border.  This just makes the Table runner look so festive and fun.

This is really a designers choice.  You can use any color you want and besides the back ground I pretty much used scraps for the rest of it.

I hope you enjoy making this.

St. Patrick's Day Table Runner

I designed this graph at Stitchfiddle.com

Yarn:

Red Heart Super Saver -Pumpkin- Stripe on hat and border.

Red Heart Super Saver - Paddy Green clovers hat and border

Red Heart Super Saver- Black buckle on hat

Red Heart With Love Metalic- White background and border

Hook: H 5.0

You will want to print out the graph so that you can mark off the rows as you go.

To make this I started in the botton left corner.  I designed it with the corner to corner stitch (C2C).

There are many turtorials on youtube that will show you how to do the stitch.  There are several color changes.  You will want to sew in your ends as you go.  I do not tie mine in knots. They come undone and they leave bumps and the table runner will not lay flat.

For the border: 

Round 1: Pumpkin.  I used double crochet all the way around.  The first row is always the hardest. You have to create spaces and you have to make sure you do not put in too many spaces so that the work does not bunch up.  

Round 2: White.  Single crochet in each stitch all the way around.

Round 3: Paddy. Half double crochet in each stitch all the way around.

Round 4: White. Single crochet in each stitch all the way around.

Round 5: Pumpkin.  Double crochet in each stitch all the way around.

This is really designers choice.  You can make it any color you want or use any border you want.. 

The orange yarn was left over yarn from another project.  So was the black I used for the buckle on the hat.  

Halloween Table Runner

 

 

 

 

I designed the graph at Stitch Fiddle.  

Yarn used:
Red Heart Super Saver: Coffee- for the stems
Red Heart Super Saver: Black - for the Boo and the shoes and stripes.
Red Heart Super Saver: White- for the ghost.
Red Heart with Love: Mango for the Pumpkins.
REd Heart Super Saver: Pumpkin for the stockings.
Red Heart Super Saver: Lavender for the back ground.
Red Heart Super Saver: Bright Yellow for the eyes and mouth in the pumpkin.
Red Heart Super Saver: Glow Worm for the leaves.

This is really designers choice.  You can choose any color combination you want.

Hook used:
H 5.0

You will need:
Scissors
Yarn needle

I designed the graph at Stitch Fiddle.

You will want to print out the graph so that you can mark off your rows.

I crocheted this using the Corner to corner stitch or C2C.  I started in the bottom left corner.  There are many tutorials on youtube how to crochet this stitch.  There will be many color changes also so you might want to weave in your ends as you go.  I do not carry the yarn through because I want the back of the project to look clean and also I want it to sit flat on the table.

Spider
Yarn Used:
Red Heart Super Saver: Black
Red Heart Super Saver: Glow Worm

Magic circle
Rnd 1: Double Crochet 16. Slip Stitch to the first chain one.Close the chain and weave in tail.
Rnd 2: In the first stitch put 4 double crochet and one slip stitch.  That makes the head.
Slip stitch into the nixt stitch. Now to make the legs.  Chain 8. in the 2nd chain from the hook slipstich back down the chain [7] and slipstitch into the next stitch. Repeat 3 times.
you should have four legs.
now slip stitch in the next 4 stitches and in the fifth one repeat 4 times.Chain 8. in the 2nd chain from the hook slipstich back down the chain [7] and slipstitch into the next stitch.

For the eyes I just used the Glow worm yarn and sewed in two small eyes.

His and Hers Crochet Football Beanie

Materials needed:

Red Heart Super Saver Coffee

Red Heart Super Saver White

Yarn Needle 

Scissors

Football Button

Hook H 5.0 mens hat

Hook I 4.5 womans hat

     The best part about this beanie is, that you do not have to use the brown and white yarn.  You could always color cooridnate it to match your favorite teams.

      I made two hats with this pattern.  The men's hat I used the H hook and the womans hat I made ear flaps and a flower with a football button.

Abbreviations:
st= stitch
sl = slip stitch
dc = double crochet
inc = increase
ch = chain
sc = single chain
hdc = half double crochet
rnd = round
**repeat
[ ] number of stitches in each round.
At the start of each round you will chain 2.  It will not count as a stitch.

Magic circle
Red Heart Super Saver Coffee
Rnd 1: ch2, 12 dc. sl to first st.  Close the magic circle and weave in tail. [12]
Rnd 2: Ch2 inc. 2 dc in each st. around. sl to first st. of the rnd [24]
Rnd 3: ch2  *1 dc in the first st. inc. 2nd* repeat this pattern all the way around sl to the first st of the rnd. [32]
Rnd 4: ch2 *1 dc in the next 2 st. inc. in the 3rd* repeat this all the way around sl to the first st of the rnd. [48]
Rnd 5: ch2 *1 dc in the next 3 st. inc. in the 4th* repeat this all the way around sl to the first st of the rnd. [60]
Rnd 6: ch2 1 dc in the next 4 st. inc. in the 5th* repeat this all the way around sl to the first st of the rnd [72]
Rnd 7: dc in ea. st around [72] insert hook into first st. change color to white.
Red Heart Super Saver White
Rnd 8 & 9: ch 2 dc in each st around [72] insert hook into first stitch and change back to brown
Red Heart Super Saver Coffee
Rnd 10-14 Ch 2 dc in each stitch around [72]  insert hook into first stitch and change back to white.
Red Heart Super Saver White
Rnd 15-16 ch2 dc in each st around [72] insert hook into first st and change back to brown.
Red Heart Super Saver Coffee
Rnd 17:  ch2 dc in each st around [72]  sl to first st of the rnd and tie off and weave in all ends.

This is where I stopped for the men's hat.  

Ear flaps

Lay the hat flat with the seam facing you.  I counted 8 stitches to the left and 8 stitches to the right and placed stitch markers. So you have 16 stitches from stitch marker to stitch marker.
Row 1: In the st. after the stitch marker double crochet it the next 14 stitches [14]
Row2 : Turn your work ch1 skip the fist stitch and dc in the next 12 stitches. [12] The first and last stitch should be unworked.  
Row 3 : Turn your work ch1 skip the first stitch and dc in the next 10 stitches [10] The first and last stitch should be unworked.
Row 4, 5 & 6 keep decreasing until you are left with 4 stitches.

Repeat for the other side. 

After the ear flaps are done. I single crocheted in each stitch completely around.  This made the ear flaps look more rounded.   When working the sides of the ear flaps, I placed the stitches wherever they fit.  

Flower

Rnd 1: Magic ring with 12 hdc , sc to beginning st to complete circle close circle.
Rnd 2: sc1, *ch3, skip 1 sc and sc in the next stitch* repeat 5 more times
You will have 6 ch3 around the flower.
*Sc to the first loop, dc 5 times sc* repeat in the next 5 loops.
Sc to the last loop to finish it off.  Tie of and leave a tail for sewing

Flower 2

Rnd 1: Magic ring with 12 dc , sc to beginning st to complete circle close circle.
Rnd 2: sc1, *ch3, skip 1 sc and sc in the next stitch* repeat 5 more times
You will have 6 ch3 around the flower.
*Sc to the first loop, dc 6 times sc* repeat in the next 5 loops.
Sc to the last loop to finish it off.  Tie of and leave a tail for sewing

I then sewed both flowers together and then sewd them onto the hat.  I put a button in the middle of the smaller flower

Fall TAble Runner

Yarn Used

Red Heart With Love Mango for the pumpkins.

Red Heart Super Saver Oatmeal for the back ground

Red Heart Super Saver Paddy Green for the leaves on the pumpkins

Red Heart Super Saver Coffee for the stems on the pumpkins

For the leaves:

Red Heart Super Saver Mushroom

Red Heart Super Saver Cherry Red

Red Heart Super Saver Cornmeal

Red Heart Super Saver Hunter Green

Red Heart Super Saver Coffee

For the vine:

Red Heart Super Saver Hunter Green

Hook:

H 5.0

Materials needed:

Hook

Yarn

Sewing Needle 

Scissors

You will need to print the graph out so that you can mark off your rows and keep track of your progress easier.

I made this graph using Stitch Fiddle.  It is a free online program where you can design your own graphs.www.stitchfiddle.com

These are the links that I used for the leaves:

How to crochet an Oak Leave by HappyBerry Crochet https://youtu.be/RCZ9zIJVJqU 

How to Crochet a Maple leaf by The Crochet Crowd https://youtu.be/XtDTioi99uM

Small Maple Leaf by Yolanda Soto Lopez https://youtu.be/3sK9a6mDy9A

I made this graph using the corner to corner stitch.

I started in the bottom left corner to crochet the graph.  You can find many tutorials on youtube to learn how to crochet C2C or corner to corner.

For the border I did a single chain all the way around.  Then I followed it by a double crochet in the Red Heart Super Saver Mushroom.  The 3rd row I did half double crochet in the Red Heart Oatmeal Color and for the 4th row I did another row of double crochet in the Red Heart Super Saver Mushroom.

The Vine.  I made several strands.  I would single chain so many then I would slip stitch back to the beginning and leave a tail for sewing.  

How you make your leaves and vine is up to you.  This is really a designers choice.  

Sewing:

When you sew the leaves and vines onto the  table only go thru the top part of the stitch.  This does take more time.   I sewed on vines and leaves for about 9 hours but the back of my table runner has no stitches showing thru... 

If you have any questions you can message me on here.  

Water Bottle Holder

Materials needed:
5mm Crochet Hook
1 skein of Peaches and Cream, Sweet Pea Stripes
Sewing Needle
Scissors
Button
Red Heart Super Saver Yarn White (I just used scraps for the flower)

Abbreviations:
st= stitch
sl = slip stitch
dc = double crochet
inc = increase
ch = chain
sc = single chain
rnd = round
**repeat

Making this water bottle holder I never count the ch 2 as a stitch.  I use the chain 2 to make the seem look invisible. I always start the row or the round in the same st as the chain 2.

Rnd 1: Create a magic ring and 12dc around sl into first st (12)
Rnd 2: Ch 2, dc (inc) repeat 12x's sl st into first st (not the ch2) (24)
Rnd 3-11 Ch 2, dc in each stitch around sl into first dc (not the ch2) (24)
Do not fasten off.
Now we will start the shoulder and we will be working in rows now and not in rounds.
Row 1: Ch 2 dc in the next five stitches. Turn your work
Row 2-74: Repeat row 1
Continue working the rows until you have the desired length.
I am 5'4" and I made mine 51" long. 74 rows.
To connect your water bottle to the strap.
Count 7 stitches from where you ended the first row and attach the strap with sc to connect to the water bottle holder. Tie off and weave in ends.

Flower
I used red heart super saver white yarn, just some leftover yarn.  You do not need very much for the flower. 
Rnd 1: Magic ring with 12 sc , sc to beginning st to complete circle
Rnd 2: sc1, *ch3, skip 1 sc and sc in the next stitch* repeat 5 more times
You will have 6 ch3 around the flower.
*Sc to the first loop, dc 6times* repeat in the next 5 loops.
Sc to the last loop to finish it off.  Tie of and leave a tail for sewing on to water bottle.
When you sew on the water bottle... add the button to the flower also.
I sew my flower completely to the water bottle holder.

If you have any questions on how to make the water bottle or flower.  Please ask.