Happy Crayons

August 31, 2017

It’s back to school season, and that has me thinking about school supplies. There’s pencils, folders, glue sticks, crayons, and something that has become a tradition for me in my years as a first grade teacher – first day student gifts.

I enjoy sending a little goodie bag home with my students at the end of the first day, and I want to incorporate a homemade item this year. Something small would be nice, small enough that I can convert it into a keychain that can be clipped on their backpacks to be enjoyed all year long. That’s where these happy little guys come in…

I ordered some inexpensive key chain rings to attach, and I’m rather pleased with the resulting gift ready to be shared!

You can add this pattern to your Ravelry queue here or Pin It for later here.

Finished size: approximately 5 ½” x 1”

My Materials:

• worsted weight yarn, 1 color in 2 different shades (referred to as darker color and lighter color throughout the pattern)
• black worsted weight yarn
• 6 mm safety eyes
• fiber fill
• Hook F (3.75 mm)
• tapestry needle
• swivel lobster key chain

Abbreviations:

• BLO – back loop only
• FLO – front loop only
• ch – chain
• sl st – slip stitch
• sc – single crochet
• dec – (decrease) single crochet the next 2 stitches together
• inc – (increase) work 2 single crochets into the next stitch
• * – work directions between the 2 * on repeat, as stated for that round

Notes:

• Join at the top of the chain with a slip stitch to end each round.
• Do not count the join as a stitch.
• Stuff as you go.

The Pattern:

begin with darker color

Round 1: in magic ring, ch 2, sc 4, join in ch using sl st (4 sc)

Round 2: BLO ch 2, inc, sc, inc, sc, join with sl st (6 sc)

Round 3: ch 2, *inc, sc, sc* around, join with sl st (8 sc)

Round 4: ch 2, *inc, sc, sc, sc* around, join with sl st (10 sc)

Round 5: ch 2, *sc, sc, inc, sc, sc* around, join with sl st (12 sc)

Round 6: FLO ch 2, *inc, sc, sc, sc, sc, sc* around, join with sl st (14 sc)

Round 7: BLO ch 2, sc around, join with sl st (14 sc)

change to lighter color

Rounds 8-9: ch 2, sc around, join with sl st (14 sc)

change to black

Round 10: ch 2, sc around, join with sl st (14 sc)

change to lighter color

Rounds 11-14: ch 2, sc around, join with sl st (14 sc)

insert safety eyes between rows 12 and 13

Rounds 15-19: ch 2, sc around, join with sl st (14 sc)

sew on mouth using black yarn or embroidery floss

change to black

Round 20: ch 2, sc around, join with sl st (14 sc)

change to lighter color

Rounds 21-22: ch 2, sc around, join with sl st (14 sc)

change to darker color

Rounds 23-24: ch 2, sc around, join with sl st (14 sc)

Round 25: BLO ch 2, *dec, sc*4 times, dec, join with sl st (9 sc)

Finish off, close stitches, and sew in any ends.

Make your favorite color or make up a whole box of crayons. They are quick to make and sure to spread cheer!

Yarnfully Yours,

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Stu, the Blueberry

July 13, 2017

Meet Stu. Stu is blue. Stu is blue because Stu is…

…a blueberry!

Yesterday was National Blueberry Picking Day. Who knew? It wasn’t hard to honor this day, as I daily pick blueberries from a little patch of bushes in the family garden.

After I picked three quarts of these beautiful blueberries, I enjoyed cooling off with visions of blueberries dancing in my head…amigurumi blueberries that is! So I perused my yarn stash for a blueberry hue and grabbed my hook.

And Stu was born!

He’s a simple amigurumi and works up quickly. I hope you find some summer joy in him, just as I do!

Finished size: approximately 2’’ x 2’’, not including stem

My Materials:

• Hook F (3.75 mm)
• blue yarn (I used Lion Brand Pound of Love, Denim)
• small amount of green yarn, for stem
• small amount of black yarn, for mouth
• 6 mm safety eyes
• fiber fill
• scissors

Abbreviations:

• ch – chain
• sl st – slip stitch
• sc – single crochet
• sc2tog – single crochet the next 2 stitches together

The Pattern:

Blueberry

Round 1: working in a magic circle, sc 8 (8 sc)

Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around (16 sc)

Round 3: working in front loop only, *(sl st, 3 ch, sl st) in next stitch, sl st* around (8 sets total)

Round 4: working in back loops of round 2, *sc, 2 sc in next stitch* around (24 sc)

Round 5: *2 sc in next stitch, sc, sc* around (32 sc)

Round 6-10: sc around (32 sc)

Round 11: *sc2tog, sc, sc* around (24 sc)

Round 12: *sc, sc2tog* around (16 sc)

Attach eyes between rounds 8 and 9, approximately 5 stitches apart. Sew on mouth.

Round 13: *sc, sc2tog* 5 times, sc in last stitch (11 sc)

Stuff, making sure to not overstuff so the top stays fairly flat.

Round 14: sc2tog around, sl st in last stitch to fasten off, leaving tail for sewing (5 sc)

Close stitches and weave in end.

Stem

ch 8, sl st in 2^nd chain from hook and to the end (7 sl st)

Attach to the top and weave in ends.

And there you have your very own Stu!

Yarnfully Yours,

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