Elf Boot Cuffs

Cute little Elf Boot Cuffs I just made, I saw a picture on Pinterest and decided to create my own. They jingle as you walk and sparkle in the sun. They took about 3 hours per cuff(though it was trial and error) Her is my pattern if you want to try yourself. Read my After Thought at the end before you start. Enjoy.

Materials-

Size H crochet hook

#4 medium weight, 10ply yarn-
Caron Simply Soft Party in Spring Sparkle(green)

Caron Simply Soft Party in Red Sparkle

Caron Simply Soft Party in Snow Sparkle(white)

14 green small jingle bells 

With green Chain 51
Row 1- Hdc in 2nd Ch from hook and each across, Ch 1 and turn
Row 2- Hdc in each hdc across, change to white, Ch 1 and turn
Row 3 & 4- repeat row 2, change to green, Ch 1 and turn
Row 5 & 6- repeat row 2, change to white, Ch 1 and turn
Row 7 & 8- repeat row 2, change to green, Ch 1 and turn
Row 9 & 10- repeat row 2, change to red, Ch 1 and turn
Row 11- sc in each hdc across, Ch 2 and turn
Row 12- dc in first sc, Ch 2, sk 2  sc, *dc in next 2 sc, Ch 2 sk 2 sc repeat from * across til 4th sc from end, do those 2 dc in same sc and last 2 sc in same sc(the last of the row. Slst down post(@2)
Row 13-(Crocodile Stitch) 5 dc up post, Ch 1, *5 dc down next post, sk next 2 posts, in next post inserting hook facing start of row work 5 dc, Ch 1, repeat from * across, slst into end of row, Ch 40, bind off.
Pict up yarn at other end of red and Ch 40.
Lace up the 2 chs like a shoelace into each row of color til you reach the the top and tie(tighten) when worn.

Attach bells to each red point with yarn, I ran one piece of red yarn along each crocodile stitch adding bells at the points.

Repeat above to make your second cuff.

AFTER THOUGHT- If you were to start with the red row you can do the crocodile stitch like normal and work the green and white rows off of it.

Crochet Nativity Stocking

I made a new stocking for my sister-in-law for Christmas this year. I did the baby Jesus on the front and a white stocking on the back for "The Legend of the White Stocking" She loved it!. I will add the pattern onto my page with the Crocheted Christmas Stocking.

Crochet Santa Boot Cuffs

I wanted to make a pair of these last year but never got around to it but I finally did this year. I found a basic boot cuff pattern and modified it to suit my needs. I think they came out cute.

Crochet Beards

Last year my son asked me to make him a crocheted beard. So like any good mom, ...I did(the beige one), he started wearing it to school and his best friend asked for one, OK, why not(the red/orange one). They both wore them to school and church. So then my husband asked me to make him a lumberjack, so again I did(the black one). Now a year later and the weather has gotten cold again the boys have been wearing their beards to school and one female friends asked for one in teal and I found a great sparkly teal, she loves it. I also just made one for my son's other best friend(the blue and brown one), he has a blue streak in his hair. 

Now I just need a picture of the 4 kids together in their beards. (Update- I got the picture)

I have been using a 'Bobble Beard' pattern I found on Pinterest but modified it by putting a chain 10 loop at each end(the short ends). The loops go over the ears. If the beard feels loose around the face then get some string elastic and on the back side use a yarn needle and run it around the edge but avoid the ear loops.

Update-I had to make my son a gray beard for a Christmas gift exchange and I also had to make him a long white beard for Christmas. The long one was very trying on me and in the end I had to gather it here and there to look right but he loved it.

Alpaca Crochet Hat

Just finished a hat for my mom, special order with alpaca yarn that was a gift from my uncle. She likes her hats long like I do so they go over your ears and cover your neck.

I used a size F hook and a single crochet stitch. The border is a five stitch(sc) scallop. I added the flower and leaf for a little extra pizzazz. I think she will like it.

My new Odyssey crochet hook

I got my new Furls Odyssey crochet hook in the mail today. I ordered a size H as I am using that size a lot latley. I have NEVER spent this much on a hook and fought with myself about it. All in all I decided that if it really is easier on my hand that $30 is a small price to pay for that so I bought one. Well I had to take it for a test drive so I whipped up a quick little coffee cozy. This was just a small project but I did notice less wrist and knuckle strain. We will see how it does with my next larger project but so far I am happy with it.

Crochet Christmas Stockings

Here are some of my recent crochet Christmas Stockings.

My niece asked me for Beauty and the Beast so I did the rose incased in the glass dome for her, the whole stocking was done in sparkly yarn that really shimmers but it was really hard to capture that in a picture..

The baby Jesus stocking I made for my Church and will be sold at the Presbyterian Woman Christmas Luncheon in Dec.

The Santa and Tree  I have made 2 of now, one was for my niece and the other is for a friend, her baby is due in Jan but could come early so I am waiting to put the last number on til either the baby is born or Jan. rolls around. This stocking is a pattern I have been creating and as soon as I finish it I will post it here on my blog as a free pattern. It is inspired by a vintage knit pattern from 1948 that my uncle's mom made for me as a baby she made the same pattern for one of my son's. I love the vintage look and wanted to create not only a crochet pattern like it but one that would work up quicker than the original knit pattern which was made on size 3 knitting needles and a 4ply yarn. Mine is made on a size H hook and 10ply yarn. Pattern can be found here.  http://sunnysundays1.blogspot.com/p/patterns.html

Let Your Light Shine

Matthew 5:16 Let you light, in the wake of the fires this seamed like an appropriate image to do. This was done with colored pencils dry pastels and a white gel pen.

Rising from the Ashes

Needing a ray of hope while the wild fires were raging around us and needing a distraction from constantly scanning the news and internet for information I decided to do a bible page. I decided to do a Phoenix rising from the ashes symbolizing the strength and determanation that our community has. It has been a horrible time here but clean up and repair is already happening and we will rebuild and stand strong. Sonoma Strong!

I used colored pencils, white gel pen and dry pastels.

Isaiah 43:2 When you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you,

Starbucks Fall Cups #3

The last 2 of the 4 seasons I put on my Starbucks Fall Cups. Summer was done all in a black Micron pen and a white gel pen done in pointillism.  My spring cup had tulips and it had color added into it with colored pencils. I also used Pencil, a black Micron and white gel pen. All for are now on display at one of our local Starbucks.

Northern California Firestorm

      I haven't been on here for a bit because I have been sitting right in the middle of some of the worst firestorm ever here in the wine country. 42 people have died and 27 are still missing. Thousands of homes and building have burned down and over 200,000 acres have burned. We were lucky and never had to leave, we only had an advisory evacuation as did my mom however we were seperated by the fires. She had to make many trips in to town for Chemo. The fires are almost all out, the last 4, the Tubbs,  Nunns,  Atlas and Pocket fires are all at 97% now. Driving through town now it looks like a war zone. It is very sad. We are trying to get back to normal but it is tuff in the wake of this. I have a few new posts I will work on putting up in the next few days. After the first day or 2 you would go in the grocery store and row after row would be all empty, it was eerie. Whole neighborhoods are just gone.