Archives for February 2013

Leprechaun Hat Jar Cozy and Green Food

Leprechaun Hat Jar Cozy and Green Food for St. Patrick’s Day

For St. Patrick’s Day, we’ve created a Leprechaun hat jar cozy.

leprechaun hat

This jar is the perfect way to gift green foods to your friends and family for the holiday! Our green food of choice…frozen lime flavored grapes. We’d call them sour grapes…but you might get the wrong idea. This is better described as a healthy version of Sour Patch Kids candy.

This hat design is quite versatile. The cozy itself fits a to-go coffee cup. And if you change the colors (to black, for example), this would be perfect for President’s Day or any special occasion where a top hat is needed.

Let’s start with the green food because it needs time to freeze.

Green Food – Sweet & Sour Grapes

Any green food would be cute stored in this festive Leprechaun hat jar, but we’ve got a fun, healthy and super easy recipe for you…Sweet and Sour Grapes. The green grapes are the sweet part. The lime Jello is the sour part. They are surprisingly delicious!

Ingredients and Supplies:

green food1 box lime jello

2 lbs. green grapes

Resealable bag – gallon size

2 Pint size mason jars

Directions:

  1. Pour lime jello powder into resealable bag.
  2. Wash your hands.
  3. Wash the grapes.
  4. Pluck grapes off of vine. Place in bag while still wet.
  5. Shake bag to coat grapes with jello.
  6. Place grapes in mason jars and freeze for a couple of hours.
  7. Serve frozen.
  8. Store in freezer or refrigerator depending on how cold you like them.

Leprechaun Hat Jar Cozy

st patricks day jar cozyThis crochet Leprechaun hat is also easy to make. And it whips up in a couple of hours. This top hat design is shown here in green…but with a simple color change, this cozy would fit any formal or patriotic occasion (a red, white and blue would be great for July 4th in the US – just sayin’).

Skill Level: Easy

Stitches Used: Chain, Slip Stitch, Single Crochet, Double Crochet

Techniques Used: Crochet in the Round, Increase

This is a great stash buster. We’ve used Lion Brand yarns. The Kelly Green and Black are Vanna’s Choice. The Gold is Vanna’s Glamour. We love the way the Gold sparkles next to the Kelly Green.

Leprechaun Hat Supplies:

  • Vanna’s Choice Yarn:
    KELLY GREEN, BLACK
  • Vanna’s Glamour:
    GOLD
  • Crochet Hook: H, C
  • Yarn Needle for Sewing
  • Pint size mason jar

Leprechaun Hat Cozy Instructions:

Kelly Green

Hook: H

jar cozy aboveCh 34. Join with a sl st.

Rnd 1-7: Sc around. (34)

Rnd 8: 33 sc. Drop Kelly Green and change color to Black with a sl st. (34)

Rnd 9: Ch 2, dc around. Join with a sl st. (34)

Finish off Black and weave in ends.

Pick up Kelly Green.

Rnd 10: Ch 1. Sc around. (34)

Rnd 11: 33 sc, sl st. (34)

Rnd 12: Working in the front loops only, sc around. (34)

Rnd 13: *Sc inc, sc* around. (51)

Rnd 14: *Sc inc, 2 sc* around. (68)

Rnd 15: *4 sc, sc inc* around. End with 2 sc, sl st. (82)

Finish off and weave in ends.

BUCKLE INSTRUCTIONS

Gold

Hook: C

Ch 18

Row 1: Dc in 3rd ch from hook. 2 dc, dc inc, ch 2, * 3 dc, dc inc, ch 1* 3 times. Join with a sl st. (16)

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Pin then sew belt buckle in a square over the Black “ribbon”. Weave in ends.

More Cozies in Store

coffee cup cozy patterns ebookLove this Leprechaun cozy? There are more seasonal, holiday and just for fun cozies in the store in our Crochet Cup Cozy eBook. We’ve created an entire collection with 28 designs one ebook.

Looking for the cup and mug version? They’re in the ebook.

Each design in the ebook has instructions to fit Mugs, Cups and Mason Jars. Every design has a delicious recipe or fun craft.

All 3 Leprechauns pictured at the beginning of this post are in this ebook! AND the ebook includes 4 new designs – Dracula, Vampire, Mummy and Blue Jeans.

Available in the StoreRead more about the set:

Blog: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection

Store: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection

Crochet Baby Monkey Hat Pattern Set

Crochet Baby Monkey Hat Pattern Set

Now available electronically!

baby monkey hat set

This adorable baby monkey hat comes with coordinating mitts, booties and diaper cover! This is a big crowd pleaser. Crochet this for your next baby shower and you’ll get lots of oohs and aahs. This baby set is a popular design at craft shows, too!

Each element is cute enough to stand on its own. The hat is adorable. The mitts are cute. But the tail on the diaper cover and the little booties get the most rave reviews. This is a delightful photo prop.

This design was featured in the 2012 Holiday Issue of “Love of Crochet” (without the diaper cover). Now the crochet pattern is available electronically.

Monkey Hat Set pattern also available on Etsy.

Crochet Baby Monkey Hat Set – the Pattern

Monkey Full OutfitThe pattern for this newborn baby monkey hat set also includes directions for preemie hat and diaper cover.

Like all our patterns, this crochet pattern includes: written directions, lots of photos, checkboxes to mark your progress, materials list, etc.

Skill Level: Easy

Crochet Baby Monkey Hat Set – In the Store

This crochet baby monkey hat set pattern is available as a pdf. Pick up your copy of the Monkey Baby Hat pattern in the store.

Monkey Baby Hat Set pattern also available on Etsy.

Available in the Store

 

Lil Monkey blocks, security blanket and baby blanket

More Monkey Fun

This baby monkey hat set coordinates nicely with the toy set we introduced a few months ago.

For even more monkey fun, check out the matching Monkey Blankets and Blocks Set!

Monkey Blanket and Blocks Set pattern also available on Etsy.

Baby Pilot Hat, Scarf and Goggles

Baby Pilot

A new baby pilot…so sweet and adorable. Little ones like this fly straight into your heart with this hat, scarf and goggle set.

baby pilot hat goggles scarf

Cami Hickman-Adams crocheted this fun baby pilot set for photographer Megan Nagase. Cami modified the Bomber Hat Set a bit but kept the overall look and feel of the piece. Nice work Cami!

Baby Pilot Set Available For Purchase

Crocheted Set
Cami crochetes finished pieces at Cami’s Creative Commodities. Contact her on Facebook for your own baby pilot hat and google set!

Crochet Pattern Only
Buy the Aviator Set pattern in our store and crochet the set yourself. This sent includes 6 hat sizes, 3 adjustable goggles and 3 scarves. The whole family can take to the skies in this set.

Aviator Set pattern also available on Etsy.

Here are more fun photos of this adorable baby pilot.

Nagase Photography

Photography Information
A special thank you to Megan Nagase for sharing these lovely photo. Megan is located in Frisco, Texas and works in the Dalls/Fort Worth area. She specializes in children and boudoir photography. You can learn more about her work at Nagase Photography.

Newborn Baseball Outfit

Newborn Baseball Outfit

A new fan is born! This newborn baseball outfit is a beautiful photo prop. It makes me want to break out some peanuts and cracker jacks!

Newborn Baseball Outfit

Katrina Fox crocheted this for her grandson. We love how it turned
out. And the photo is absolutely darling.

Newborn Baseball Outfit – Available For Purchase

Katrina would love to hook up more new fans with this cute Newborn
Baseball Outfit. It’s available a couple of ways:

Crocheted Set
Buy the crocheted set (hat and mitts) at LissyLooBoutique on Etsy.

Crochet Pattern Only
Buy the pattern “Li’l Slugger” (hat, mitts, bib) in our store and crochet the set yourself.

Li’l Slugger pattern available on Etsy.

A special thank you to Katrina for sharing this lovely photo.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Footballs Recipe

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Footballs Recipe

My husband and I are getting into the big game this year with chocolate covered peanut butter footballs. Truth be told, my dad is the only real football fan in the family. Yet we all come together to celebrate the championship game and to be entertained by the year’s best commercials.

chocolate covered peanut butter footballs

Video Alert: We created a short how-to video for these chocolate covered peanut butter footballs. See the embedded video below.

As I mention in the video, creating footballs is rather time consuming, so I’ll be bringing a mix of plain peanut butter balls and chocolate covered footballs. In the picture above you can see the peanut butter balls in the mason jars cozied with footballs!

Here are some links to these treats:

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls Video

We created a video on Google Plus in a Hangout On Air. We had fun with our guest panel. They recommended that bacon be added as a secret ingredient to these peanut butter treats. See what my husband thinks of the idea!

Watch the how-to video on YouTube.

Enjoy these treats…and may the best team win!

Cozy for Chinese New Year!

Twins in ChinaHappy Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year! This festive holiday has a special place in our hearts because Yarnovator, Deborah, lived in China for five years.

Deborah was a 5th grade teacher at an international school in Kunming, China. While there she enjoyed her first hand experiences of Chinese New Years well wishes, gift giving, loud celebrations with fire crackers, beautiful displays of flowers and fancy red and gold signs and lanterns.

Though not Chinese New Year, we are pictured right at the Dragons Gate. We are touching the top of the gate for luck. Deborah is on the left and I, Dana, am on the right.

Chinese New Years follows the lunar calendar so the date changes each year. In 2013, Chinese New Year is February 10. This is the year of the snake.

Chinese New Year – Plum Blossom Cozy

The plum blossom is a beautiful flower from the Chinese plum tree. It is in bloom during the Chinese New Year. That was our inspiration for our jar cozy. Below is the pattern for the jar cozy on the left crocheted in White with Soft Pink blossoms.

Chinese New Year

This is another great stash buster. The cozies are crocheted using Vanna’s Choice. Vanna’s color selection is great. The white cozy looks simple yet beautiful. The red cozy captures the vibrant colors found at Chinese New Year’s decorations.

Chinese Cozy Supplies:

  • Vanna’s Choice Yarn:
    WHITE, CHOCOLATE, RASPBERRY, SOFT PINK
    Chinese Option: Cranberry, Mustard, Taupe, Raspberry Soft Pink
    Straight Flower Option: Silver Blue, White, Raspberry, Aqua, Radiant Yellow, Radiant Orange, Eggplant
  • Crochet Hook: H, D
  • Yarn Needle for Sewing
  • Pint Size Mason Jar

NEW YEARS COZY INSTRUCTIONS:

white cozy and fortunesJar Cozy Instructions :

White

Hook: H

Ch 34, join with a sl st.

Rnd 1-12: Sc around. (34)

Join with a sl st. Cut yarn; weave in end.

Plum Blossom Flower Instructions:
(make 3)

Raspberry

Hook: D

Ch 2

Rnd 1: 5 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (5)

Join and change color to Soft Pink with a sl st.

Rnd 2: *Ch 2, 2 dc in same st, ch 2, sl st into same st. Sl st into next st* 5 times.

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing, weave in all other ends.

cozies and cookies flatBranch Instructions:

Chocolate

Hook: D

Ch 14

Row 1: Sl st in 2nd ch from hook. 4 sl st. Ch 9, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 3 sl st. Ch 10, sl st in 2nd ch from hook. Working back to start of ch, 14 sl st, 5 sc, 3 hdc.

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing, weave in all other ends.

Assembly Instructions:

  1. Pin then sew branch to cozy.
  2. Sew plum blossoms to cozy. Sew down the middle of the flower to get a nice 3D effect.
  3. Weave in ends.

Chinese New Year – Fortune Cookie?

making cookies and coziesWe’re mixing our cultures with this jar cozy. The traditional Chinese New Years gift would be a red envelope of money (i.e. $8 for luck…or increments of $8).

But in the USA, when many people think of Chinese good fortune, they think of forutne cookies. So, we’re crocheting some fortune cookies and stuffing them with Chinese New Years wishes.

To further mix our traditions, we’ll put 8 fortune cookies in the mason jar! If you pass these around at the dinner table and there are some left over…that’s a sign of abundance…a good sign for the coming year!

Fortune Cookie Supplies:

  • Vanna’s Choice Yarn:
    BEIGE
  • Crochet Hook: H
  • Printed fortunes (see options below)
  • Yarn Neeedle for Sewing

Crochet Fortune Cookie Instructions:

chinese cozy and cookiesBeige

Hook: H

Ch 2

Rnd 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: Sc inc around. (12)

Rnd 3: *Sc, sc inc* around. (18)

Rnd 4: *2 sc, sc inc* around. (24)

Rnd 5: *3 sc, sc inc* around. (30)

Rnd 6: *4 sc, sc inc* around. (36)

Finish off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Fold circle in half and whip stitch a little more than half closed…leave a hole so you can stuff the cookie with a fortune.

Fold the two ends together and whip stitch in the folded position.

crochet fortune cookie

Chinese New Year Wishes:

In addition to wishing friends and family a Happy New Year, below are some additional wishes for luck and prosperity. These make great “fortunes” for the crocheted fortune cookies above. Sayings are from Wikipedia 2/1/2013 and Welch, Patricia Bjaaland, p. 22

“May your wealth [gold and jade] come to fill a hall”
金玉滿堂Jīnyùmǎntáng

“May you realize your ambitions”
大展鴻圖Dàzhǎnhóngtú

“Greet the New Year and encounter happiness”
迎春接福Yíngchúnjiēfú

“May all your wishes be fulfilled”
萬事如意Wànshìrúyì

“May your happiness be without limit”
吉慶有餘Jíqìngyǒuyú

“May a small investment bring ten-thousandfold profits”
一本萬利Yīběnwànlì

“May your happiness and longevity be complete”
福壽雙全Fúshòushuāngquán

“When wealth is acquired, precious objects follow”
招財進寶Zhāocáijìnbǎo

A Glimpse into China

Just for fun, we thought we would share a couple of photos we took while in China. Deborah was an excellent tour guide and showed me several National Wonders of China.

Below left is the Great Wall of China. To the right are life size Terracotta Warriors.

Great Wall of China and Terracotta Warriors

Near Kunming, China is a lovely place called the Stone Forest. This is a beautiful place for hiking with tall pillars of rock and many beautiful formations.

Stone Forest Pair

Wishing you a happy and prosperous Chinese New Year!

More Cozies in Store

coffee cup cozy patterns ebookLove this plum blossom cozy? There are more seasonal, holiday and just for fun cozies in the store in our Crochet Cup Cozy eBook. We’ve created an entire collection with 28 designs one ebook.

Looking for the cup and mug version? They’re in the ebook.

Each design in the ebook has instructions to fit Mugs, Cups and Mason Jars. Every design has a delicious recipe or fun craft.

All 3 plum blossoms pictured at the beginning of this post are in this ebook! AND the ebook includes 4 new designs – Dracula, Vampire, Mummy and Blue Jeans.

Available in the StoreRead more about the set:

Blog: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection

Store: Coffee Cup Cozy Collection