I'm Posting a Day Early Because. . .

It's Christmas in July! that time of year when some of us are panicking because we only have five months left to make all those homemade gifts. Others are just beginning to make them and completely relaxed. So who will still be hooking away on Christmas Eve?

My advice? I tend to go by the KISS rule: Keep It Sweet and Simple. Along that vein, I leave you with a Christmas in July present for those oft forgotten fur babies. My roommate's kitten loves these things. So much so, that she keeps stealing my samples before I can photograph them.

Keep it Simple Cat Toy

by Laurie Laliberte Designs

This fun and simple project is a great pick-up gift to sell at craft bazaars or just to make for your favorite fur babies. I use a single plastic grocery bag to stuff the ball*, but a small amount of polyester stuffing works well too.

The design includes a reinforced chain with a finger loop at the end to make it an interactive toy, but many cats are just as happy to knock it around the house without any prompting from the people they own.

Finished Measurements:

ball, approximately 2" in diameter

string, approximately 12" long

Supplies Needed:

size G-6 (4.0mm) crochet hook

small amount of worsted weight yarn

small amount of polyfil or one plastic grocery bag for stuffing

small hook or yarn needle for weaving in ends

All instructions use American Terminology.

Instructions:

Round 1:  sc 6 in magic loop (6 sts)

Round 2:  2sc in each st around (12 sts)

Round 3:  [2sc in next st, sc in next st] around (18 sts)

Round 4:  [2sc in next st, sc in each of next 2 sts] around (24 sts)

Rounds 5-9:  sc around (24 sts)

Round 10:  [sc dec in next 2 sts, sc in each of next 2 sts] around (18 sts)

Note:  Now is the best time to stuff the ball, just be careful that you keep your stuffing inside as you close the ball.

Round 11:  [sc dec in next 2 sts, sc in next st] around (12 sts)

Round 12: [sc dec in next 2 sts] around (6 sts)

Continue sc dec until the top of the ball is closed OR close by stitching with a yarn needle.

Optional play string:  

chain 50, sl st in 10th st from chain and in each chain back to the top of the ball, end with sl st to top of ball, fo, weave in ends

*While this item is machine washable, if you choose to stuff it with a grocery bag, make sure you wash it in cold water and DO NOT tumble dry it.

Missy the Toy Thief keeps swiping my samples. I think I've made seven so far.

Merry Christmas in July!

What I've Learned

I wrote this post way far back when I began this blog and never published it. I came across it a few minutes ago and now I wonder why I never shared it with my readers. These are a few tips I picked up while working my very first amigurumi project, way back when, and yet they're wise words for any beginning crocheter.

So, better late than never, I thought I would share them with you now:

• Read your pattern before you begin stitching -- I will usually skim through a pattern before I even make a trip to buy yarn for it. Some designers give instruction differently than others, so it's important to make sure you understand the project before you begin.
• Count your stitches often -- Few things are more frustrating than getting half way through a project and discovering that your stitch count is off. Although many mistakes can be easily corrected, many others can not.
• Use stitch markers -- I usually use just a piece of scrap yarn to mark stitches. This is most important when working in continuous rounds as you would when making mittens or amigurumi.
• Take a breath -- If I become frustrated or overwhelmed with a project, I'm more likely to finish it if I fold it up and set it aside for an hour, a day, or even a week than if I force myself to continue working through the problem. Many times I return to find that I just misread an instruction or messed up one stitch.
• Know when to walk away -- If you've started a project that turns out to be more than you can handle, allow yourself to let it go. Remember that crocheting should be a stress relief, not a cause for stress. You can always try again when you feel better prepared to handle it.
• Ask for help -- There are so many designers/bloggers out here on the www who are very willing to lend an ear and help teach the next generation of crocheters. Drop an email to someone who can help you solve your dilemma. Mine is BigGirlJewelry (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Happy Crocheting!

My first amigirumi project, the (free) Toad and Toadette patterns by Wolfdreamer, can be found here.

Conclusion--"Get It Together"

*I began learning to machine sew when I was in the fourth grade. I took lessons after school at the Girl's Club. Years before that, my grandmother taught me to sew by hand. Having those skills has helped me immensely, but I really hate to sew.*

It's my intent to use felt for the characters' eyes, but I can't find my felt stash that was so handy just a few days ago, so I opt to embroider the eyes rather than waste time searching anywhere and everywhere for my bundle of scrap felt. I choose to use yarn for the assembly process instead of the recommended traditional sewing thread because I like the homespun look that yarn stitching gives to a piece. I suppose I'm something of a purist; I believe a handmade item should look professional, but still handmade. I'm also afraid the kids will tear apart the finished dolls if I use thread.

I sit down at about 8:00 a.m. and begin assembly. Being the organizationally challenged person that I am, I bounce from part to part and put together pieces willy-nilly. Although I really begin to lose steam by 10:00, I'm dead set on finishing at least the two Toads before my nephews get home from school at 2:30.

I catch a second wind as the dolls begin to take shape. I begin to zone out and start composing this commentary in my mind as I work. All in all the assembly is fairly easy but very time consuming. I'm able to finish both Toads and assemble most of Toadette by 2:25, just in time to stage the pieces for the boys so they see them immediately when they walk into the house.

My back aches; my hands hurt; and I really need to have lunch (chef's salad). The squeals of delight and hugs make the pain worth it, but I vow never to do a marathon sewing session like that again.

The following morning, I start right after breakfast and finish Toadette for my niece. She's more interested in her teddy bear. Oh well, you can't win 'em all.

The best thing about the assembly experience is that I now know how the pieces fit and, if I ever decide to make this pattern again, I have devised a plan that will cut down on the hand sewing immensely. It has also given me a better understanding of amigurumi patterns so I can confidently move on to other projects of this type.

What would I change? That's easy. I've learned to be more trusting of the pattern/designer. Looking at the finished pieces, I can see how the larger cap would have worked, but I would still need to adjust the last row to fit it properly to the head. I think I may have overstuffed the cap a bit because it's a little too tall. I'll chalk it all up to experience and move on.

*One last plug: You can find the pattern for Toad and Toadette along with a bunch of other great patterns by Linda Potts (WolfDreamer) on her blog http://wolfdreamer-oth.blogspot.com/2009/08/toad-and-toadette.html.*