Curls of Sunshine Crochet

For our family summer is here. Kids are out of school and I am heading home to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for awhile. I read a quote a couple days back. I cannot remember who said it but it stuck with me.

"The zip-code of where I grew up was EIEIO" That definitely describes where my mom lives. Her road does not even come up on our navigation system. I even tried to find her on Google Earth...no luck.

I do get excited about trips though. I get to spend time sitting and working on my sewing. I already have a bag packed. What is in my bag?

1. Sketch pad for new ideas
2. Notebook to write down patterns
3. Scissors
4. Knitting needles and crochet needles
5. Pattern for a scarf I am working on
6. Several pencils and pens
7. Tapestry needle

It was a quite weekend in our household. My sons’ friends moved. One would think they moved to a different country the way my kids were pouting. They just moved down the road but it is far enough away that they cannot ride their bikes.

I was trying to decide whether I wanted to send a gift or not. Moving is not fun. I know that from experience. The last thing one wants to do when moving into a new house is find a spot for something else. Therefore, I will not be taking a plant or a fruit basket. I am going to crochet a couple dishcloths from cotton yarn.

It is a perfect gift for the new homeowner because:

1-You do not have to find the perfect place for it. It goes in the kitchen.

The current crochet craze in the blogging world is amigurumi. What is amigurumi? Amigurumi is the Japanese technique of crocheting dolls. By crocheting a chain, a few single crochet stitches, and creating some increases and decreases, different shapes are created. These different shapes are put together to make an animal or doll.

In order to start a cute little amigurumi one needs basic crochet skills. Besides knowing how to crochet a chain and single crochet stitch, one also needs to know how to make a crochet chain circle.

There is more than one way to accomplish this technique. However, I will start with what I believe is the easiest.

Chain two stitches. Then crochet six single chains in the second chain from the hook. This will give you the base of your circle.

This little dog is only about 2.5 inches tall when seated. She is made with an alpaca/wool blend

1. I do not have adequate storage for my supplies. I have collections of yarn stuffed under the bed, in the bedroom closet, in the laundry room and in the hall closet. I think my daughter even has some under her bed.

2. I do not want the kids to know I bought more yarn. For some reason they love to tell their dad that "mom bought more yarn".

3. I have two cats. If I do not hide the yarn properly they will play with it. They wait until nighttime and use it as toys.

I think Stephanie Pearl-McPhee best summed it up in her book Knitting Rules. She states that the reason she has a yarn stash is:

"It's a way better alternative than drinking heavily or doing drugs, which is probably the way I'd spend my time if you took my knitting away".

Yes, I am claiming to have seen many UFO's around my home. What kind of UFO's have I seen? I am surrounded by several Un-Finished Objects. I am known to start crocheting or knitting a project then lying it aside. Then I start something else.

I have several doll(amigurumi) heads in various places. I bet I could scare my kids by putting unfinished doll parts in a bowl. One of my sons already thinks my creations are "freaky".

Amigurumi dolls are quick to make though and usually hold my attention.

A beginner could have a doll done in a couple of days. A seasoned crocheter or knitter could finish one in a day.

Why do I like to crochet so much? To keep my sanity maybe. This morning on our way to school someone nearly hit me trying to beat the light. I still can not fathom why people are in such a hurry. Why do people take the chance of hitting someone? Why can they not wait a few minutes longer?

Simple things in life. That is what I like to focus on. The sounds of the birds in the back yard. The wind blowing through the trees. The slow steady tick of the clock. My nice hot cup of coffee.

Sitting on my back porch with my yarn and needles helps me to focus on the simple and forget the rest. Little things like the toys I crochet make me smile.

If you want to learn to crochet, need inspiration for a new project, or just want to make a sweet gift for the new baby, you have come to the right place. Here you can get free instructions, patterns, and ideas.

Happy Crocheting!

Amber

Sometimes in today's world it seems difficult to stay inspired. Creativity in the world today is smothered with the need for speed. Everyone is in a hurry. How can I be creative if I am rushing to my next appointment?

When life gets to fast slow down. My mom always tells me "just go sit outside with a glass of ice tea". Good advice.

When I need inspiration for a new project, I like to read blogs. There are so many talented blog writers. I have found that many of them are looking for the same thing in today's hectic world. A little piece of silence to restore the creative process.

Craft books provide inspiration. My favorite are Japanese craft books. They are gorgeous and are full of so many simple but elegant projects.

I do not think my grandmother ever thought that I would want to learn anything beyond making a crochet chain. I think she secretly thought that would keep me entertained for a suitable amount of time.

I mastered the chain and my grandmother had to teach me the next step. The single crochet stitch.

When reading a pattern single crochet is abbreviated like this (sc).

If you do not know how to make a chain refer to the Start Crocheting Today article. After you are done making a chain, insert the hook in the second chain from the hook. Note that when you are reading a pattern, the pattern will tell you which chain to start in. For practice we will start with the second chain.