It’s been a super warm winter so far – but we finally got some snow! And I missed almost all of it. 🙂
Download your wallpaper below. There are options both with and without the March calendar, in case you want to keep that cuddly bear up during other months of the year. 🙂
(If you want to make that bear, you can get the pattern here.)
Stacey loves eating pickles, and is a Christmas Pickle Collector – so it’s no surprise that she designed a pattern for a crocheted Christmas Pickle! We’ve updated it here with some new tutorial links.
The skills you’ll need for just about any amigurumi are. . .
This pattern doesn’t specify a gauge. It’s a stuffed pickle, and you don’t need to be too picky about exact sizing. The most important thing is that you use a hook size that creates a nice looking fabric for your yarn. If you use the recommended hook size, and your fabric looks very loose (so that stuffing would show through), then you will want to use a smaller hook. Other than that, no measuring required!
Stitch into the Back
All stitches in this pattern (that are worked in the round) are worked through the back loop only, unless otherwise directed. Look at this picture.
See how one loop is highlighted in black? This is the back loop, and it’s what you’ll stitch into. Stitching into the back loop creates ridges on the right side of the piece.
Want to see crocheting through the back loop in action? Check out this blog post. It talks all about why Stacey crochets through the back loop and even has a handy dandy video showing how to find that loop.
You can go through all those posts now, or just hop to them as you get to those points in the pattern – whatever works best for you!
Yarn
This pattern can be used with any weight yarn. The sample is crocheted with worsted weight yarn to make a 3-inch tall pumpkin with a 10-inch vine. You can use thicker yarn/a bigger hook to make a bigger pumpkin, and thinner yarn/a smaller hook to make a smaller pumpkin.
Materials
Size H crochet hook (or size needed to get a tight fabric)
All stitches in this pattern (that are worked in the round) are worked through the back loop only, unless otherwise directed. Look at this picture.
See how one loop is highlighted in black? This is the back loop, and it’s what you’ll stitch into. Stitching into the back loop creates ridges on the right side of the piece.
Want to see crocheting through the back loop in action? Check out this blog post. It talks all about why Stacey crochets through the back loop and even has a handy dandy video showing how to find that loop.
And I forgot to mention the sale on awesome colorful tea towels in the video! There are perfect for stitching and giving as inexpensive handmade gifts and they’re all 20% off this week. More details here.
That fairy is the new Ami Club pattern for the month. Isn’t she adorable? I was so tickled when she was finished that I had to go out and photograph her in some greenery and flowers. And I loved the photo so much that I had to make it my desktop wallpaper for the month! 🙂
Download your wallpaper below – there are options both with and without the September calendar.
If you want the Flit the Fairy pattern, join Ami Club here. It’s just $4 a month and you’ll get immediate access to download the pattern. She’s easy to make!
Here’s what’s going on this month at Shiny Happy World.
And here are the links to some of those things I mentioned. . .
Walter the Water Buffalo is the August Ami Club pattern. Join the club here (it’s just $4 a month!) and you’ll be able to download the pattern right away.
Find all the Safari patterns here. The Safari Craft-Along will run for August and September, so you’ve got lots of time to stitch up some elephants and lions and zebras and rhinos and hippos and more.
Whoops! I misspoke here. The Safari Craft-Along will actually just be running in September, but you’re welcome to get a jump on making now. 🙂
I mentioned a bunch of free patterns that could be used with single block patterns – pillow covers and tote bags and placemats and bibs and Christmas stockings and more. You can find all of these here.
We just wrapped up a Beach Craft-Along so I had swimming on the brain – and decided I needed to make a water buffalo for this month’s Ami Club pattern.
A water buffalo who can’t swim yet, so he needs a swim ring. 🙂
I was so tickled with the results that I decided to make him this month’s calendar. 🙂
(I named my water buffalo Walter after my grandfather. That’s why he has the super high-waisted swim trunks. That was the fashion in my grandpa’s day. 🙂 You can, of course, switch to buffalo-colored yarn a few rows before I did if you want your buffalo to look a little more contemporary.)
Download your wallpaper below – there are options both with and without the August calendar.
