I had planned to write about my new Renfrew shirt I was going to make today, but it appears I was overly optimistic. Tomorrow, maybe? I’m making it in stripes, which is a whole new challenge. I followed Tasia’s tutorial on sewing with stripes and prepared all the pieces, and I’m hoping it comes together quickly (and with matching stripes) when I sit down at my machine tomorrow.

So, taking the spot of Thing 64…

This is another one of Lucy’s patterns, the Incy Wincy Elephant. I used the silver grey cotton I bought for Darth, and crocheted with a 2mm hook. I added a loop and hung him from a keyring.

I started a pale pink sister for him but only got as far as the trunk before I abandoned her. Next week, maybe. No promises. I have a striped shirt to finish.

Cost of this Thing: 0
Cost of all Things to date: €88.61

A few weeks ago, at the request of my oldest daughter, I started a crocheted panda (pattern from Angie’s Art Studio). I  wasn’t really enjoying it. It’s a good pattern, but it was a bigger project than I realized. It wasn’t enough instant gratification. Also I don’t like crocheting with black — I can’t see what I’m doing.

I like small amigurumi projects that finish up in an hour or two. (Darth Vader was the exception, of course, and he had the virtue of having not too many pieces to attach.)

However, the end result is just what it’s supposed to be, so I should stop complaining.

I crocheted it in white and black acrylic with a 3.5mm hook. The eyes are little patches of black felt pierced with a 9mm safety eye.

If it weren’t for a promise made to Martina I’m not sure I would have finished this, but she loves her new panda so it was worth it. 🙂  Martina named her Mei-Lin.

Cost of this Thing: 0
Cost of all Things to date: €88.61

A few years ago, two very special little girls were born. As their first birthday approached, I wanted to make them a handmade keepsake. I bought a pattern for monogrammed crocheted baby blankets, picked a soft cotton yarn, and got to work. My optimism and enthusiasm were short-lived. I was a few rows into the first one, an A, when I had an honest conversation with myself. There was a small chance I might finish the A, but there was no chance I was making a C.

So the started blanket, rolled up and tucked in the bottom of my yarn basket, was mostly forgotten. Every once in a while, while digging about in search of yarn, I would see it and my conscience would suffer a pang.

Then recently another little “A” baby girl was born, and I was offered a chance at redemption. I seized it.

I finished that A blanket, a few rows at a time, and delivered it when Baby A was just over a month old.

I didn’t notice until I looked at these pictures a week later that there is a slight colour change near the end. I ran out of yarn and had to buy two more balls to finish it off. The yarn lady warned me that unless the yarn is from the same dye lot there would be a difference in colour. I held up the nearly completed blanket to the new yarn and said “Pshaw.” It looked like an exact match to me. Turns out my yarn lady knows a thing or two about dye lots.

With some of the leftover pink I whipped up a duck. I can almost make these in my sleep as long as they’re not of the micro-variety.

The ducky is for Baby A’s big sister.

What an accomplishment to finally finish this! I wonder which half-finished project will prick my conscience next…

Cost of these Things: €4.60 (2 more balls of yarn)
Cost of all Things to date: €88.61

Today’s Things were made in honour of St. Patrick’s Day. Actually, that’s not true. I made these before I even realized what day it was.

I went back to Lucy’s blog, this time for the Mini Frog. Using cotton and a 2mm hook, I finished these two little guys in just under two hours. Ribbit.

And because I’m on a keychain kick, I crocheted a loop to the the top of each frog and added a key ring.

I said to Martina and Esther, “Look, tree frogs!” They weren’t amused.

Never mind. I laughed.

Cost of these Things: 0
Cost of all Things to date: €84.01

I have the menacing theme from Star Wars running through my head. Dum dum dum dum de dum dum de dum…

Because this is how I spent my day:

It’s birthday season, and this time I needed a gift for a 10-year-old Star Wars fan. I’m sensing a theme.

I’ve been using a lot of the free patterns from Lucy’s blog, but today I went to her Etsy shop and bought the Darth Vader pattern.  Check out her Star Wars collection!

I used black cotton and a 2mm hook and got busy. Then I reached the waist and realized I didn’t have the silver grey for his midsection and had to pop over to my yarn lady around the corner. I used 9mm safety eyes for Darth’s cold, soulless glare and black felt for his cape. I like the pattern because Lucy doesn’t design with lots of loose bits that need to be sewn together. The arms and snout are the only extras, and they’re easy to place and attach.

As with the golden snitch, I added a loop to the top of his head and hung him from a keychain.

Darth took the better part of four hours to make, but isn’t he worth it? (Black is slower to crochet because I can’t see what I’m doing.)

Next I’m going to buy the R2D2 pattern. I love the Princess Leia and Yoda, too. And Obi-Wan. And the storm trooper. If the budget allows, maybe I better spring for the whole set.

Cost of this Thing: €5.05 (pattern & yarn)
Cost of all Things to date: €84.01

This evening we are going to a birthday party for an eleven-year-old Harry Potter fan. The young lady in question is saving up for a Kindle so we are giving cash, but I wanted to add a personal touch. I googled “harry potter crochet patterns” and found this one over at Inner Child Crochet. Have I mentioned how much talent is out there in the internet? Every time I go out on a google journey, I alternate between inspiration (people are so creative!) and despair (I’ll never be that creative!).

I crocheted this golden snitch up in under an hour with cotton and a 2.5mm hook, and added the loop on top to make it a keychain.

Here it is flying in our garden:

And hanging out on the lilac tree:

Just waiting to be caught!

In other crochet news, the Olaf and Elsa patterns I used for Things 13-15 are now available in English. Merci, Tout un Fil!

Cost of this Thing: 0
Cost of all Things to date: €78.96

Today I went back to my favourite crochet blog of the moment, this time for a creature of the deep: mini baby octopus.

I used the blue acrylic of Elsa’s dress and a 3.5mm hook and he was done in under an hour.  I finally opened a package of safety eyes I bought awhile ago. I like the glassy look it gives him.

His name is Inky, which is appropriate because a) he’s an octopus and b) he looks like the blue ghost from Pac-man.

Esther made a bed of shredded yarn for Inky and crocheted a little hat for him.

Cost of this Thing: €7.13 (2 packs of safety eyes, 30 pairs)
Cost of all Things to date: €78.96

Okay, now I’m really done with spending for a bit!