Chunky Textured Fringe Throw Pattern by BrennaAnnHandmade

For my 2nd pattern tutorial for Hobiumyarns.com, I am super excited to share with you this cozy and chunky, textured fringe throw! This handmade cozy works up so quickly, and could easily become your favorite new piece of home decor. 😉 It also doubles as a lap blanket, and triples as a shawl! Let’s get started, shall we?

 

Chunky Textured Fringe Throw Pattern by BrennaAnnHandmade

 

Finished Dimensions: Approximately 36″ X 48″ (Without Fringe)

 

Materials:

9 Skeins Gazzal Pure Wool

15mm Addi crochet hook

Scissors

Ruler

Abbreviations:

Ch = chain

ESC = Extended Single Crochet

 

Directions:

*Ch 62

Row 1: Make an ESC by:

Step 1:  Insert hook into 2nd Ch from hook

 

Step 2: Yarn over

Step 3: Pull through 1 loop

Step 4: Yarn over again

Step 5: Pull through 1 loop again

Step 6: Yarn over 1 more time

Step 7: Pull through both (2) loops

*Repeat steps 2-7 across the entire row, by putting 1 ESC in each Ch across.

Row 2: Ch 1, turn work. Put 1 ESC in the 1st stitch from the previous row below, and in each stitch across.

Rows 3-42: Repeat Row 2.

Cut yarn, and weave in all ends.

Fringe:

Cut 10″ strands of yarn, fold 2 strands in half, and attach to one corner of the blanket as follows: (using the crochet hook to help you) insert crochet hook from back to front, wrap the middle (half point) of your yarn bundle around, & pull the loop through (not all the way). Then, take the “tails” of the yarn & pull them through the loop you just created, tightening to create tassel. Repeat in every other stitch across the 2 width sides of blanket.

Then, just trim all the tassels to make them all even.

You are all finished, enjoy! 🙂

 

Brenna Ann, is the designer and maker behind BrennaAnnHandmade. She crochets & knits cozy pieces of knitwear and accessories at her handmade shop on Etsy. She also has a blog, YouTube channel, and shares daily behind-the-scenes photos at her handmade life on Instagram @BrennaAnnHandmade.

 

 

 

DIY Valentine’s Day Bunting

DIY Valentine’s Day Bunting by LunarKnitsbyLori

Hi everyone! Welcome to my first tutorial for Hobium. I will be walking you through the steps to make your very own heart and tassel bunting, perfect for Valentine’s Day! 💓

The supplies you’ll need to complete this project are:

3 colors of Diva natural cotton yarn (this will be held double stranded through the pattern)

9mm crochet hook

7mm crochet hook (used for chain and weaving in ends)

Scissors

Notebook (this is used as a tool to make your tassels)

Stitch key:

Ch- Chain

Sl St- Slip stitch

Dc- double crochet

Lets get started!  (Make 7)

(Holding yarn double stranded, pulling from inside and outside of skein, and using your 9mm crochet hook) Ch 3, join.

Round 2: Ch 3 (this will count as your first dc), place 11 more dc in the center of the ring. Join to top of beginning ch 3 with a slip stitch.

Round 3: Skip first 2 stitches. Place 8 dc in next stitch.

Place 1 dc in next 3 stitches.

Place 1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc in next stitch.

Place 1 dc in next 3 stitches.

Place 8 dc in next stitch.

Sl st to starting point. Cut yarn and weave in ends. It is important to weave the ends on the center by pulling tightly so you get a nice dip in ends center of your two humps. This will give you the distinct heart shape.

Lets make some tassels! (make 7)

(Continue to hold your yarn double stranded by pulling from the inside and outside of your skein.)

Using your notebook, hold your yarn starting at the binding of your notebook, wrap your yarn around 5 times being sure to end on the same side of the notebook that you started on.

Next, cut 2 long strands of matching yarn. Using your crochet hook, stick it under your wrapped yarn on the side of your notebook with a gap. Pull one of the cut pieces of yarn under the yarn and tie a knot.

Gently pull the tassel off the notebook. Using the other strand of cut yarn, wrap it around the tassel about an inch from the top. I like to wrap my yarn 4 or 5 times. Secure with a knot. Trim tassels to desired length.

Time to attach all your pieces!

Attach your tassels to the ch 2 space that you made at the bottom of your hearts. I do this with a simple double knot. Trim the excess string.

Using the yarn color of your choice and your 7mm crochet hook, ch 15.

It is now time to attach your first heart. This is done by slip stitching to the top of your heart. You can do this in any of the stitches at the top of your heart.

Ch 5 and slip stitch to the top of the other side of the same heart. Ch 10 and attach your next heart. Repeat until all your hearts have been attached. Ch 15 to finish off.

And there you have it! 💓

LORI is the maker and owner of Lunar Knits. She enjoys making fun and colorful pieces of yarn art and sells them in her etsy shop! You can find more fun things on her Instagram @lunarknitsbylori

 

How to personalize an amigurumi pattern

If you love amigurumi, I can probably guess this: you have a folder on your computer or on your desk, stuffed to the brim with more patterns than you could ever make in your life! Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone, I’m guilty of this myself as well. Despite having such a variety of patterns to choose from, sometimes you just don’t know what to make or how to make use of all these patterns you already own.

Hopefully this blog post can give you some ideas. I aim to show you how you can get the most out of every pattern by personalizing them, so every pattern will feel like a perfect fit for you. This way you can work with every pattern multiple times in many different ways and never get bored of them.

These rabbits were made by valea80 and elu_tejidos_con_amor on Instagram. Pattern by Little Bear Crochets.

 

Size

One of the easiest things to adjust to your liking is the size of the amigurumi doll. There are two ways to do this. If you want to change the general size of the plushie, try and adjust the type of yarn you’re using and the size of the hook that goes along with it. Although most crochet patterns come with a recommended yarn brand, almost all amigurumi patterns can be made with any type or thickness of yarn. Small patterns can be made bigger by using a yarn of worsted or bulky weight. Large patterns can be turned into hand-sized toys if you swap the yarn for some fingering weight alternative.

The second way to tailor the size, is to add or skip rounds while you’re in the process of crocheting. This is a great way to alter only certain parts of a pattern, but it is a little more advanced. Be sure to not skip any rounds that are essential for the structure of the amigurumi doll. Generally, these rounds can be spotted by watching for special techniques like increases, decreases or other advanced stitches. It’s easiest to add or remove rounds in which the guideline says to ‘sc around’. Be aware of a potential repeating design though! If a pattern has a certain sequence of ‘sc around’ rounds alternated with structure-essential rounds, pick up on the algorithm and make certain the ratio stays intact to prevent drastic changes in the doll (unless that’s what you’re going for, of course!). After trying it a few times, you’ll get the hang of it.

These giraffes were made by mariabocci and createdbyhilda on Instagram. Pattern by Little Bear Crochets.

 

Color & Effects

Another easy aspect to play around with is the color of your amigurumi. Like mentioned earlier, you can use almost any yarn in your projects. Besides simply changing the color of the doll, look around for what kinds of effects you can emulate. Changing a horse’s colors to black and white can suddenly turn it into a zebra. Switching colors around the chest area and the upper arms, can make any naked animal look like it has put on a sweater. Sometimes switching up colors and yarn types can even make plushies from ordinary patterns look like the famous comic book characters you love so much. There are also fuzzy yarns that will make your amigurumi animal look like it has actual fur, if you want to go for a more realistic look. The mixing possibilities are never-ending.

These bears were made by cotuitbayknitter and beehsweet on Instagram. Pattern by Little Bear Crochets.

 

Accessories

If you don’t mind crocheting a little extra, you could even add accessories to your amigurumi friend. Some ideas are bow ties, hats, skirts, bags or even eye patches if you prefer your plushies to pursue a career in pirating. Many of these types of additions can easily be improvised if you have been crocheting for a long time. If you’re not that handy with yarn yet, you can turn to Google or other patterns you already own to spot some nice little decorations for your toy.

These rabbits were made by varblas and grevvysvirkning on Instagram. Pattern by Little Bear Crochets.

 

The makeup of the body

You can really go all out with how you organize the body of your plush. You could add some wings to your amigurumi, from tiny angel wings to gigantic draconian ones. If you wish to invent a new alien race, simply play around with the amount of limbs or eyes. Do you like the head of one pattern, but the body of a doll from a different pattern? Simply combine them! As long as you watch the general size of all patterns you’re fusing, you will be fine.

This is also a great opportunity to make a custom doll for someone with a visible disability. People who have to use mobility aids or people who look different from the average able-bodied people are usually not represented, especially not in toys. It could mean a lot to a child who might deviate from the norms to see a plushie that looks like him or her!

These bears were made by mommivabrik and lisejshaya on Instagram. Pattern by Little Bear Crochets.

 

Let’s go!

I hope by now you will feel at least a little inspired to fine-tune a pattern to your liking for your next crochet project. Don’t feel insecure about your skills or the potential outcome, there’s no need! There are no restrictions or expectations, so go for it!

If you have made something wonderful out of a pattern, be sure to show us. Comment below and tell us about it! Be sure to give credits where they are due, and don’t forget to show the pattern’s designer your own project as well. As a designer myself (you can find my patterns at www.littlebearcrochets.com), I can honestly say that it is a lot of fun to see everyone’s personal spin on a pattern!

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