Tag: free patterns

Cozy Bear Hat

Now that the cooler fall days are here I find myself wanting to use the heavier, warmer yarns and one of my favorites is always Bernat’s Blanket Yarn. I love this yarn because not only does it feel extra soft and cozy in my hands as I’m working it up, but also it makes for fast projects.

The Cozy Bear Hat came to life when I realized I had made everything with Bernat Blanket Yarn except for a hat. I know it’s not the most traditional type of yarn so a hat needed to have a little creativity to it and instantly I thought of a bear hat. With this yarn’s texture and warmth, it just works! The ears stick straight up and its form never collapses making it an ideal addition to any bear costume you might be dreaming up this Halloween! It’s also great for little ones who need to stay cozy in the cooler months. But I opted not to just limit it to babies and children because honestly it’s just so cute who wouldn’t want one for themselves?

Enjoy!
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Basic Bear Security Blanket

Is there anything better than crocheting a gift for a soon to be born baby? One of my very good friends is due to have her very first child this September and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on some new crochet projects for the occasion! Of course I bookmarked dozens of cute baby patterns I found online and I scoured my crochet books repeatedly for the exact right idea. Nothing felt right though. I really wanted to make her baby something special  with a nice classic feel. I thought of my own two children and those early baby years, drawing on experience to bring back memories of what their little hands and hearts cherished in those days. Then it hit me. A security blanket! My oldest daughter could not leave the house without her beloved pink crochet blanket. For years and years we traveled with this mangled, falling apart, shredded crocheted  blanket. God forbid we forget it! Tears fell like waterfalls from her eyes in those instances. A great amount of comfort came upon her every time she snuggled or wrapped herself up in the blanket. Instant soothing. It always warmed my heart to see how much joy that blanket gave to her, but sadly because of how large it was and all the years of extra love, it eventually succumbed to its wounds and could not be saved. I remember thinking then that I wished her baby blanket would have been smaller and more easily transportable. It would have avoided us a great amount of sadness. These days, of course, she is just fine and the days of longing for her beloved pink blanket are far gone and out of the mind of a big 10 year old, but the sentimental side of me really would have loved to have been able to keep that blanket for her.

And so I opted to design a security blanket pattern to make up a gift for my friend. I designed the blanket portion of this pattern off of the exact cluster stitch that my daughter’s blanket used to have (again, the sentimental side of me is showing), and off of a classic teddy bear for easy cuddles and gripping. With cotton yarn, you can’t go wrong, and with the finished size of this piece, it’ll be sure to have many years of love ahead of it! Little hands are going to love this one!

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Breakfast Play Set

If there’s one thing being a mom of nearly 10 years has taught me it’s that kids LOVE play food. The amount of play food we’ve gone through over the years is countless! My kids had a great play kitchen equip with pots and pans for cooking their beloved play meals where countless hours were spent pretending to be masterful chefs. Now that they’re older, the kitchen is gone as are most of their plastic play foods, but one thing that’s always remained are the crocheted fruits and vegetables I made for them many years ago. My youngest cherishes them the most, and while she may be becoming a bigger kid these days, I can still peek into her bedroom at any given time and find her hard at play with those well worn play foods.

And that is exactly what inspired me to create a crocheted breakfast play set! My daughter absolutely loves breakfast. One day she approached me and being the keeper of the BEST ideas ever, she threw this one my way. “Mom, why not make a crocheted breakfast set?” Naturally, it had to be done! And so we brainstormed together our favorite breakfast foods and what truly would complete this fantastic set and here it is for me to share with you. I hope you and the littlest people in your lives enjoy it as much as we have!

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The Super Soft Pumpkin

I am a sucker for Halloween. I’m that person who is obsessively scouring the store aisles in August, waiting for school supplies to vanish from the shelves and Halloween decor items to take their place. I’m yearning for pumpkin spice lattes in July, practically beating down Starbucks’s door come September when they finally roll out. Once even a hint of Halloween rolls up into town I am in constant ghoulish party mode!

Sadly though, it’s still only August and fall is a ways away. People around me are telling me to cool it and let summer live out its final days. I can’t seem to find my balance with waiting out those long, hot days when my mind is constantly playing Halloween tunes and my house is already giving off the scents of cinnamon and pumpkin though. So what to do? Well, make a pumpkin pattern, of course!  Continue reading The Super Soft Pumpkin

Theodore the Super Soft Teddy Bear

My first best friend was my beloved light brown teddy bear named Teddy, gifted to me by my late Nana. As a child I remember Teddy tagging along with me everywhere. He went on every wild adventure my little mind could come up with and protected me from all of the evil monsters under my bed every single night. There was such a deep comfort in holding Teddy in my arms, one I can still recall to this day each and every time I pick up a teddy bear. I always wonder if each bear I see will provide a child with as much happiness as my own Teddy brought me…  I feel like all teddy bears are made to have a story of their own. Being a creator of toys, I figured it was definitely time to try my hand at a good old fashioned teddy bear pattern. After all, handmade toys get to have the best stories of all!  Continue reading Theodore the Super Soft Teddy Bear

Adventure Time BMO Doll

One of my favorite things about working the farmers market each summer are the many people I get to interact with and meet. People of all ages pop into my booth, most with something to add to my day. Many times there are compliments over my work. Other times there is kind critique, much that I take in thoughtfully to improve designs, set up, etc. My favorites though are always the ones who come in and decide to ask for a custom request. I absolutely love custom requests. They always tell so much about a person! What their interests are, why they are gifting a certain item to another close friend… That one little inside joke you’re let in on. The gift that says more about their love language or that little plushie that acts as a special comfort tool. All custom requests are fun for me. I have yet to find one that hasn’t inspired me in one way or another.

One day last summer a teenage boy nervously approached my booth asking me to make this Adventure Time BMO doll. He was so shy. His body language seemingly shouted, “Will she think I’m weird asking for this doll???” I didn’t. Everybody has their own interests and I knew some of mine were a lot crazier than that of an Adventure Time fan! Ha! The biggest thing understood though was how it felt to be a fan of something, and wanting something to deeply reflect on said interest.

Naturally I was enthusiastic to take on the challenge. I knew BMO wasn’t going to be the easiest to make and would require a lot of pieces, but I was determined to make it work. I really wanted to make a fan of the show happy, so I got to work. In less than a week a pattern was written out and BMO was finished. The teenage boy met me at my booth bright and early that weekend for his BMO doll and he was no longer nervous but elated with joy over my creation. His grin could be seen from miles away! He kept in touch with me after that and enthusiastically rattled off multiple other fan favorites I could create in the future. Anytime I can bring a nervous kid out of his shell is such an awesome feeling! The best part of crocheting is giving away the creation and seeing the happiness it brings.

And so here today I offer the totally free Adventure Time BMO pattern so that it can be passed on and shared with other fans of the show!

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