Minnie Mouse free graph

Thanks for the photo, Nancy!

Minnie Mouse was created (or "born" as her many fans say) in 1928. She is the pretty, peppy, perky girlfriend of Mickey Mouse, best friend of Daisy Duck, and Hollywood walk of fame star owner as of January this year! Congratulations Minnie!

Minnie Mouse has been immortalized in many forms over the years. This is the first time I've ever made her into a graph, though!  Will it be your first time crocheting her into one?  If you do, use an H hook and 2 dc per graph square to get about a 4.5 x 5 ft throw from this graph. For twin size, add 5 rows to all 4 sides.  Choose background color of your choice and send me a finished photo when you're done.  I'd love to see it!

To get the pdf of this graph, email me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com with "Minnie Mouse Face" in the subject line.  If you have any questions, put them in the body of the email.  Please share this post with the buttons below, or share the link from the address bar.  If you post this photo, please credit me with the design of the graph and tag #kendrascrochetedcreations on social media.  Leave your comments and thoughts below!

Autism Awareness Month

Autism Awareness Month is April.  According to the Autism Speaks website:

I'll be working this up again
and taking a better picture!

"Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences. We now know that there is not one autism but many types, caused by different combinations of genetic and environmental influences."

I made this tote several years ago for my cousin who has a daughter diagnosed with Autism. I liked it so much I decided to write up the pattern and share it on Ravelry!  It was the first pattern I ever wrote to sell and it had mistakes in it. It was too wordy. It didn't have pictures (it still doesn't, to tell the truth, but I added a graph!). I rewrote it to abbreviate the instructions and now I am sharing the link to buy the pattern here. For the month of April, if you buy the tote pattern, I'll include an Autism Awareness Scarf pattern for free! You have to put both items in your cart to get them both.  As always, I am here to answer any questions about the pattern. Leave your thoughts below in the comments, and feel free to share using the buttons below, or share the link to this post.

I also make the finished items if you'd like to purchase one.  Email me for pricing at kendrascrochet@gmail.com

Michigan State University Spartans (free graph)

There is an intense rivalry between the teams of Michigan State University and the University of Michigan (and their fans as well!). When the 2 teams face off, all sports fans in Michigan are in an uproar! Good-natured banter gets a bit out of hand in some sects (as with any rivalry) and best friends, siblings, and even spouses who root for opposing teams refuse to acknowledge each other during the game. Some will go so far as to refuse to watch it in the same room or even house as the rival team's fan! My cousin got a lot of ribbing when he announced his second daughter was planning on going to State when her older sister was at U of M.

Once the game is over, the winner gloats for a while, then friendships and family relationships return to normal.

When working this graph as is, use an H hook and 2 dc per graph square to get a twin sized afghan. If you'd like a smaller (about 5 x 6) throw, use a J hook and 1 sc per graph square, increasing the number of rows by 5 on top and bottom and 15 on each side.

If you'd like the pdf of the graph shown here please email me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com with "MSU Spartans" in the subject line (but be careful if you'd like to request the Michigan Wolverines graph as well, who knows how they  might behave in your email app!😉).

I'd love to hear your thoughts!  Comment or share below.  If you make this afghan, please credit me with the design of the graph and link to this page. Tag me in Instagram using #kendrascrochetedcreations and send me a finished photo to be featured here or on my Facebook page.

Crochet: Health Benefits to Relaxation

I am a clumsy person.  I fall up stairs.  I trip over nothing at all. I stub my toes on everything.  I once sprained my ankle kissing my husband (yes, I really did). I hurt myself constantly (not usually badly, though!) in new and unusual ways.  It's amazing that such a clutz could make something beautiful with just a hook and some yarn.  But I do. This is the first several rows of my Detroit Lions afghan.  It will be gorgeous!  Some may stress over the amount of work that goes into it (there is a lot!).  But for me, crochet is very relaxing.  When I'm stressed I can pick up a project and after a few stitches I can feel  my lower back muscles relaxing. A few more and between my shoulder blades start to unclench.  A few more after that and I can feel my face relaxing into a far more pleasant expression. After several minutes of crocheting, my mood improves considerably. Even after racking my shins on a shopping cart because my arms are too short  (like the rest of me) to hold it far enough away from me that that won't happen.

The Mayo clinic says there are several health benefits to simple relaxation.  These include:

• Slowing heart rate
• Lowering blood pressure
• Slowing your breathing rate
• Improving digestion
• Maintaining normal blood sugar levels
• Reducing activity of stress hormones
• Increasing blood flow to major muscles
• Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain
• Improving concentration and mood
• Improving sleep quality
• Lowering fatigue
• Reducing anger and frustration
• Boosting confidence to handle problems

There are even claims by crafters that crochet can help with insomnia and depression!

I find crochet to be relaxing because of 1. the simple repetitive motions.  Once I get into a steady groove, it's almost meditative (perhaps this is a reason why it may help some with insomnia?) and 2. the feeling of accomplishment I get when I watch a project grow into something usable. Small projects that are finished quickly, like wash cloths, make me feel satisfied to complete and larger projects, like this Lions throw, give a sense of pride and achievement to watch it get bigger day by day. So we can make something useful for ourselves or others to enjoy while crocheting ourselves to a healthier stress level.

Besides the benefits you read above, there is another one for me:  I've never hurt myself crocheting. 😉

Spring Crochet roundup

Happy first day of spring!

It's still very cold here in the mid west.  I had to defrost my car this morning before I could drive anywhere!  But spring is officially here by the calendar and Easter is right around the corner. 

Spring, to me, means longer hours of daylight, flowers, baby animals and spring cleaning.  But we'll put the cleaning off for another day.

I'm "celebrating" the first day of spring by making up a list of things to do until I run out of time to do them (does anyone else have this problem?). I went shopping this morning, then sat down to have breakfast. I picked up my computer and read a bit of computer coding lessons online then picked up my paper to make some notes, coming up with an idea for this blog post in the midst of it.  I put down the notes, and opened my blog only to start writing and realize I never put my groceries away. I was putting my groceries away when I remembered I hadn't done laundry yet...  One of those days, you know what I mean? So I am going to finish something (this post) first before going on to the next thing (laundry) today. Just forget the list, Kendra, it does you no good!

This post is about spring. Spring crochet, to be exact.  There are a couple ways to celebrate spring with yarn.  Spring animal amigurumi and spring apparel are my favorites.  Here are a few links I enjoy:

• These free hatching chicks from Toma Creations
• This bunny bottom garland from Love the Blue Bird
• This amazing crocheted flowers wreath for £3.50 (Great Britain Pound) from Mandy O'Sullivan (that would be about $4.91 USD)
• This lacy poncho on yourcrochet.com
• This lacy lightweight scarf found on Yarn Obsession-this one has a video tutorial too!

There are hundreds of other patterns to be found, do you have a favorite?  Share your links in the comments below and let the rest of us see them.  Have fun with your spring crochet!

Colorado Rockies

The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team in Denver.   Their newest logo, the overlapping "CR" will be pretty simple to translate into yarn.

This graph was created to make a 5 x 6 throw when using 1 sc per graph square with a J hook.  If you like my method of 2 dc per graph square to make a twin sized afghan, then cut 5 rows off each side and 15 off top and bottom to work 2 dc per graph square with an H hook. 

What method do you prefer when crocheting an afghan?  Or do you like to play around with different stitches to make different textures?  Let us know in the comments below!

If you'd like the pdf of this graph, please email me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com with "Colorado Rockies" in the subject line. 

Please share this post using the buttons below to Pinterest, Facebook, Google+, Twitter. 

Have a wonderful week!

T.A.R.D.I.S graph-free pattern

We've recently become fans of Doctor Who. Well, a couple seasons or so into its reboot. It is so popular that our son started asking us about it, after seeing tee shirts and hearing things at school and we had no information to give him.  So we started watching and we love it!

Before that happened, I was asked to make a T.A.R.D.I.S. afghan.  I had no clue what that meant so I did some research and found out that it's a time machine-how cool is that!? "Time And Relative Dimensions In Space"=T.A.R.D.I.S. And... it is bigger on the inside!

Finished afghan by me

We have since gone back to the original series from the 50s and watched every episode from the very first.  We are extremely excited to find out if we like the new doctor (13th) and disappointed that we have to wait to find out! We did see the Christmas episode that introduced her, but she was on for about 10 seconds and said maybe 2 words.

For your Doctor Who fan, you can crochet this full-sized bedspread with overhang with 2 dc per graph square and an H hook, or if you would like a twin size, leave 15 rows off each side.  To get a throw size, use a J hook and 1 sc per graph square while decreasing the rows by 15 on each side and increasing by 15 on top and bottom.  Leave me your comments below or email me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com for the pdf of this graph with "Tardis" in the subject line.

How to crochet a graphghan-with FAQs

I post a lot of graphs on this blog, some free, some paid, and the questions I get asked most is how to actually create the afghan from the graph.  I try to post general instructions on each graph because there are several ways to crochet from a graph.  There's the newer C2C (corner to corner) method (no, I do not have any c2c patterns, sorry, but if you try to use this black bear for a c2c let me know how it works out and I'll try to make some! It may make a decent lapghan), you could sc each graph square, or my favorite, 2 dc per graph square.  That seems to be the confusing one.  Most graphs aren't worked that way.


Take this black bear graph above as an example. I made this graph to make my brother a pillow for Christmas a couple years ago (see photo below), so the graph is small and perfect for a practice project. (larger graph below) By the way, he loved it.  He even asked for a second one to match so he could have one on each end of his couch!

tunisian crochet pillow

Even though this pillow is in the tunisian simple stitch and that post about tunisian crochet was a couple days ago, I'm showing you this picture because it's what I made from this graph (thanks for the photo, big brother! I should have taken one before I gave it to you!).

*(the pillow seen here was made with 1 tss (tunisian simple stitch) per graph square with a size J afghan hook-the kind with the stopper at the end (see "that post" linked above).

The first thing you do is to count the number of squares along the side where you'll begin.  Some people like to work from top down, some from bottom up, and sometimes I tell you to work it from the side to avoid color changes all happening in the same rows.  On this graph, no matter which way you do it, there are 50 squares.  Double that 50 to make 100 and add one more for turning.  If you don't add that one to your total starting chain, when you dc in the third chain from the hook to start the row, you'll end up a stitch short. So we chain 101 with our tan and then dc in the third chain from the hook. Dc in each chain to the end.

FAQ: Do I put 2 dc in each chain?
Only 1 dc in each chain, a lot of people email me saying they put 2 dc in each chain stitch and it doesn't look right.  You don't need to do that.  That's why you double the chain count.  If you put 2 dc in each chain, it will ruffle and try to corkscrew. 

Now you've done the first row of dc.  That means you've also done the first row of graph squares.

FAQ: Do I double the rows as well?
 No.  This will make the afghan twice as long as you want it to be and skew the design to be tall and skinny.

From the bottom (where I like to start) there are 3 rows of tan before any color changes.  Go ahead and work three rows, 1 dc in each dc, counting the beginning chain 3 as a stitch (off topic a bit, but I prefer to chain 2 at the beginning of a row.  3 chain stitches makes my ends loose and baggy-yuck).  Now you come to a color change row.  When I get to a color change row, I start from the right and count to the left.  This makes sense to me because as I look at the work I've crocheted so far, my hook is on the right and I'll be crocheting to the left.  Left handers will probably read the graph the other way unless otherwise told.  That's fine. So there are 20 graph squares of tan before changing to black.   That means 40 dc stitches. So I will chain 2 (or 3 if you prefer)and dc 39 more because the chain stitch counts as one. The next one counts as the rest of the first graph square on that row. Then there are 11 black squares.  So you'll crochet 22 black stitches. And 19 more tan squares makes 38 tan dc to finish off the row.

*updated to add: the next row will be read right to left. this is a symmetric design, but in order to get an even 50 graph squares, I had to have one more tan on one side than on the other. The second row I would make 34 dc in tan, then 30 black, and end with 36 tan. Then back to reading from right to left on the next row.

Tip: Leave the tan behind instead of crocheting over it (tapestry crochet) with the black.  Start a second strand on the other side of the bear. This means you won't see the tan through the black and you will keep a crisp picture.

Recap: 1. Count the number of graph squares and double it.
2. put only 1 dc in each chain, starting in the third chain from the hook.
3. Count out 2 dc stitches (counting the beginning chain three as a stitch) for each graph square, changing colors as the graph changes.

That's it!  Can you crochet this black bear graph from these instructions?  It's just a sample so it's no matter if it doesn't work out for you, it will give you a place to start.  Let me know if you have any questions, either in the comments below, or contact me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com  Post a picture and let us see how you did!

Colorado Avalanche

I was asked to make a rug for my cousin a few years ago with the Avalanche logo on it.  I didn't have my software accessible at that time so i had y husband draw it on a piece of graph paper and blocked it out from there.  It was a small rug, about 2 or 3 feet wide.  I don't have any idea where that graph went, but when I got my PCStitch software accessible again I made a graph for a throw.  It's larger than my usual, taking a J hook and 1 sc per graph square to make a large throw (appx 5.5 ft x 6 ft).  If you want smaller, try using a smaller hook.  If you want it to fit a full sized (double) bed, use an H hook and 2 dc per graph square.  If you make this I'd love to see how it came out!  For the pdf of this graph, please email me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com wih "Colorado Avalanche" in the subject line. If you have any questions, please put them in the body of your email or in the comments below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Happy Pi Day-a nerdy crochet round-up

I know not everyone is a math  nerd like me, and not everyone loves crochet, and even fewer still who fit both categories.  But for us (and those math nerds we crocheters love) there is a surprising amount of Pi (3.14 in the math world-the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter) projects.

Before I get to those, may I just say RIP Stephen Hawking. For a world-renowned physicist to die on Pi day has a kind of poetic irony to me.  Oh, and in case you didn't know, it is also Albert Einstein's birthday.  (Where's the crochet, Kendra? Here it comes:)

• I think my favorite by far is this pi digits blanket found here, but unfortunately I could not find a pattern for it.  Look closely at the stitch she used-how cool is that!?

• A free pattern for the pi symbol is found at Alicia Kachmar's blog, Create! Look at the little guys face!  He looks so happy just to be Pi!

• I was excited to see this crochet c2c pi pillow at akimakes.com! So many things to love about it. It's C2C, it's the 𝜋 symbol on one side, and the numeric abbreviation on the other side. The pattern isn't written on the website, though, it's a downloadable pdf.

• I am glad that someone out there has a sense of humor like mine.  Rebecca Breed Pepper's blog has a whimsical little pun of a "pie" crochet pattern here.

What are your favorite pi crochet patterns?  Leave a link in the comments below!

Tunisian crochet-an overview

One stitch that I feel doesn't get enough attention is the tunisian stitch (also called the afghan stitch).  If you're unfamiliar with tunisian crochet, there is a great site for beginners here that covers the basics really well.

tunisian crochet hook with cable and stopper

In tunisian crochet, you work with a long crochet hook (the one I use has a cable attached to the end, with a stopper at the end of that) and load all your stitches on (like with knitting) and then work them off.  Sometimes when we crochet it can be confusing about which side of our work is the front and which is the back (sometimes it doesn't matter!), but with tunisian crochet, the front is always facing you.  You don't turn your work to go back across.  You can always tell which was is the right way!

There are different ways to create designs using tunisian crochet.  One is with different stitches. There are really only a few different tunisian stitches to learn.  See the link above for the different stitches used in tunisian crochet.   I recommend once you learn the basics, to check out crochetkim.com and look through her tunisian crochet section.  She also has hundreds of free patterns to look through-not just tunisian (and they're all very good!).  She's one of my favorite designers.

afghan with cross stitched design

I made a graph for someone a short time ago and she sent me a photo of her finished afghan.  She used tunisian crochet to make the entire blanket in a solid color and then cross stitched the design on it in the yarn colors on the graph (thanks for the finished photo, Charlene, I love it!). This is a fun and simple way to incorporate color work into your projects without the hassle of changing colors during the crochet process.  Less chance of a tangled up mess occurring, too!   The graph for this Texas afghan, by the way, is available for sale from me.  Email me for details.  (It doesn't have to be made with this crochet stitch.😉)

Super Mario Brothers blanket

If you're comfortable with the tunisian simple stitch (usually the first stitch you learn) and ready to  move on to color changes, what fun you can have!  I graphed out a bunch of Super Mario Brothers characters for my son for an afghan for Christmas.   Unfortunately, he doesn't like "blankets with holes" as he calls afghans, so I used tunisian crochet to create this blanket for him.  Each character is in its own block, and then sewn to the block next to it. It forms a solid, squishy fabric without gaps between the stitches so I figured it would be perfect for him.  What I didn't think about was the back of the design.  With tunisian crochet, you don't cover the unused color with your working yarn like with tapestry crochet.  It hangs behind the work and gets picked up again later in the row when you need to switch back to that color.  This leaves a strand looped behind the work.   2 problems: 1. it looks ugly and 2. it catches your toes every time you move.  Solution?  I took an old sheet we didn't use anymore and sewed it to the back. Then I covered up the edges with quilt binding.

*designs do look a bit tall and thin when worked in tunisian simple stitch.  The stitch is taller than it is wide so it doesn't make a nice square like the graph square shows. I had to adjust some of my graphs to accommodate the nature of the stitch.

close up of design on block

A couple tips for the first time you use color work in your tunisian projects: 1. twist your yarns together once before changing colors. Otherwise, there WILL be a gap where the colors change. 2. give the unused yarn a little tug to firm up the stitches or it will be loose and baggy.  Not to tight though or it will warp the fabric a bit (look at the right side of the game controller in the close up picture.  See how it dips in? My fault.  Pulled too tight.  Don't do that.

 Have fun with your crochet!  Learning new stitches and trying new methods is a great way to improve yourself and your crochet as well as keeping it interesting.  I love learning new ways to crochet.  What is a stitch you've been wanting to try?

Free Koala graph

Koala

Koalas are just about my favorite animal. You'll probably  notice me saying that about a lot of animals!  But koalas are special.  They're marsupial, so they have pouches like kangaroos, they are adorable and ferocious at the same time (like me! 😉),  and they carry their growing babies like a backpack! They sleep up to 20 hours a day to conserve energy from their low-nutrition diet of eucalyptus leaves, which are tough and fibrous and often toxic to other animals.

Did I mention they're adorable?  This one sure is!  Clinging to a tree with a sweet look on her face, just begging to cover you with warmth and snuggles.  Best of all, she's free (for now).

Should I name her?  What do you think?  Give me your suggestions in the comments below, along with your thoughts on the pattern.  Feel free to share with the buttons below.

If you want her for yourself, email me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com with "koala" in the subject line.   If you'd like me to make it for you, I can do that too.  Email me for pricing.  If you make it yourself send me a photo!  Share it to instagram and tag #kendrascrochetedcreations in it!

Use an H hook and 2 dc per graph square for this throw sized blanket.

Whitetails Unlimited

Here in the mid west, we take hunting very seriously.  There are businesses and schools that even close for the first day of deer season! They figure since so many of their employees and school children will be out in the woods, they may as well not conduct business or classes. We teach our children to hold and shoot guns safely (and to never even aim it unless you intend to use it-NEVER at another human being!),  we believe that keeping the population of the deer down through humane hunting practices (go for the shot that kills, not injures or maims) will help those remaining to have a better life in regards to food supplies and overcrowding, and we believe that venison burgers, venison sausage, and venison steaks are a great way to feed our families!.  Whitetails Unlimited is an non-profit organization that promotes conservation. They raise funds to support educational programs, habitat conservation (including habitat enhancement and acquisition), research, wildlife agency assistance, and cooperative projects with conservation organizations.  

Because there is text on this graph, I'd suggest working it from the short side to avoid all the color changes in the lettering happening at the same time.  If you like the deer only, simply omit the text!  If you'd prefer a smaller throw (as is, working this graph with an H hook and 2 dc per graph square will give you an approximately twin sized afghan), then use a J hook and 1 sc per graph square, increasing the top and bottom by 5 rows and each side by 15.

If you'd like the pdf of Whitetails Unlimited for your favorite hunter (yourself included!) please email me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com with "Whitetails Unlimited" in the subject line.  Any questions should be in the body of the email.  If you'd like me to make it for you, please contact me for pricing.

Learning to crochet-how frustrating!

Have you ever taught anyone to knit or crochet?  I have.  I got a lot of  "I thought this was supposed to be relaxing!" complaints through their gritted teeth.  Well, it is!  After the learning curve, that is.  There is a process. (S)he who would learn to crochet one day must first learn to pull up loops and chain and yarn over and SC and DC and FPTC; one cannot simply crochet into crocheting.  Well, Nietzsche said it better, but you get the point.

My advice to them?  Keep trying!  Remember how hard it was to learn anything new as a kid?  How long did it take you to learn to tie your shoes? How many times did you fall while learning to ride a bike? But you try again till you get it!

 The first thing I ever crocheted was a granny square afghan.  I kept it for about 17 years before donating it. I could always tell which square was my first.  It was fully twice the size of the other squares, which were mostly the same size once I got my tension evened out.

Once I figured out my tension, learned a few more stitches, and taught myself to read patterns, I loved what I was doing!  I wanted more!

After you learn the different stitches and how to keep your tension steady, you can work on designs. Mixing different stitches to create a unique look  is one way.  Changing colors is another way.  Do both and be careful, because you can create rather a mess of things.  Not to say it can't be done well, it can and does and is!

But first, you need to start at the beginning.  Learn to chain stitch, learn to single crochet, do a project that give you lots of practice on them, then move on to the next thing.  I found a scarf pattern here, for a very basic scarf. I think that scarves are the best project to start on because they are finished quickly and give a feeling of accomplishment while giving you lots of practice on evening out your tension and creating the stitches.  Plus, the greatest thing about scarves is that it doesn't matter if your gauge is off!  Who cares if your tension is so loose that your scarf is wider than it "should" be?  Who cares if it's so tight it's a bit more narrow?  If you do, you can add or subtract stitches from the row and no one need ever know! Also, you can make it as long or as short as you want. And, it doesn't matter what size hook or what kind of yarn you use. Scarves are just about the greatest beginner project ever. After you master the stitches and reading patterns, you can move on to color work and more complicated stitch patterns.  First, start at the beginning!

Detroit Tigers

Old English D

Tigers are my favorite animal.  Michigan is my home state.  So of course I favor the Detroit Tigers over all other teams! The official logo is the Old English D you see here, though that has changed over time.  When the team first formed, they were cutting the logos out by hand and sewing them on to uniforms and caps, but the caps and uniforms were made by 2 different companies so they didn't match! Now, we still see different versions on caps and on banners and on uniforms...you get the idea.

Tigers are majestic, graceful, and beautiful. Another great thing about the mascot, PAWS the Tiger, is his affinity for social events!  He loves coming to office parties, community events, birthday parties (he can bring gifts from the Tigers!), weddings (he even has a tuxedo he'll wear-how cool is that?), special deliveries (I would dearly love to have a bouquet of flowers delivered to me by PAWS!), and school events.  What a great guy!

Tiger face

In the partial logo of the tiger's face, he looks strong, ferocious, and a little bit scary!  I haven't worked this one up myself but I might someday!  I do love him.  I spent a lot of time getting his face symmetrical, pixel by pixel.  If you want the pdf of either graph, please let me know at kendrascrochet@gmail.com with the photo caption of the graph you want in the subject line.  Any questions should be in the body of the email.  If you make an afghan from these graphs, please send me a photo to be featured here or on my Facebook. page!  Also, I really love seeing the work you do send to me.

Both graphs should be worked up using an H hook and 2 dc per graph square. The tiger face is larger than my usual graphs, and more squared off, so I would work a couple rows before deciding if the size will be right for you.  If you need help changing the size of your finished product, let me know and I'll do my best to help.  If you want a 4 x 5 throw of the Old English D, add 15 rows to top and bottom and 5 rows to each side and work up using 1 sc per graph square with a J hook.

Chocolate bunny pattern tester needed

Scene from Peter Rabbit

looks cute, doesn't he?

I watched Peter Rabbit with my son and my parents at our local movie theater and fell in love with Peter's cousin, Benjamin. That's him in the brown jacket, with the flop ears.  He just looks so cuddly I can't stand it! I decided to try crocheting a flop eared bunny for myself because I love the way this little guy looks!  I've decided to call him chocolate bunny since I used brown yarn. I wrote up the pattern, but didn't take any in progress photos so have no pictorial to share.  I'd like help tweaking the pattern and making sure it is correct as far as numbers, counts, and ease of readability is concerned.  Please contact me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com to volunteer your pattern reading services.  At the very least, you'll get a pattern for a bunny just in time for Easter!😃

Hmm...maybe I should make him a little jacket. He looks odd on the same page with these well-dressed rabbits!

Mug shot, see the little tail? 

Crafter self-care

It's getting toward spring here in Michigan, though this has been a rather wonky winter!  It's this time of year I am more aware of my vision.  After being cooped up inside (by choice, really, I'm quite a homebody!) for months with the doors and windows shut and curtained off (my husband suffers from chronic migraines and the light coming in from outside makes him miserable-I tease him about being a vampire 😉 ), I realize that my eyes sting a bit when I look into the distance.  I have to start doing my neglected eye exercises again. Look into the distance, look at something close, rinse, repeat.

In case you missed it, my original post on eye care is here.

What I also need to take care of is my wrists.  Never mind the recurring tendinitis or the fact that I sleep with my hands balled up against my chest, crocheting and knitting can hurt if we don't take care of ourselves!  With doctor permission, especially if you have arthritis, joint injury, or inflammation, try these exercises to stretch your wrists and keep flexible so we can craft longer!

1. Do with each arm:

• Extend your arm with your palm facing up toward the ceiling.
• With your free hand, gently press your fingers down toward the floor. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
• Turn your arm over.  Gently pull your fingers back toward your body.  Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
• Do this with each individual finger, one at a time.
•  Pay special attention to your thumbs!  Rotate each thumb in a circular motion clockwise and counterclockwise 3 times each direction. 
• Touch your thumb to each individual finger. Repeat with both hands.

Also important is to give yourself breaks.  I crochet for hours at a time, but I take several breaks each session so my wrists don't get tight and painful.  If this does happen, a heating pad works wonders for me!  What I actually have is a neck pillow filled with some sort of seed...flax, I think (it was a BeautiControl product my friend was selling in the early 2000s) that I put in the microwave for a minute or 2 and position it on my couch cushion just so and lay my wrist across it to take the stress off the joints and tendons.  Ahhh...it feels great!  I'm a bit of a wimp though, so I take care to stop crocheting as soon as any pain or discomfort occurs.  Maybe this is why I never get bad enough to need a doctor!

What do you do to keep your wrists and fingers agile enough to keep on crafting?

Buffalo Sabres

updated logo

Did you know that they had an awful time coming up with a name for the Buffalo Sabres?  They had this "thing" back then (early '70s, I believe) where they named all Buffalo teams "Bison."  The owners had a "name the team" contest and amongst all the obvious rejects someone had entered "The Sabres."  The owners thought thought it was appropriate because a sabre was carried by a leader and could be used on offense and defense (although not in hockey, thank goodness!). They have a large Canadian fan base, being just a few minutes away from Canada, and the winner of the contest was from Canada so they kept the spelling the way our Canadian neighbors spell it.  The Buffalo Sabres are a member of the National Hockey League based in Buffalo, New York.  I can't even remember how long ago I made this Buffalo Sabres graph!  They have since updated their logo to the one below, but I still like this one!  Does it matter to have the most recent logo on your afghan, do you think? Or is it ok to have an outdated logo that you like better, as long as the team name stays the same?  Please, put your opinions below in the comments!

If you would like the pdf of the graph above, email me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com with "Buffalo Sabres" in the subject line.  Any questions should be put in the body of your email. 

Washington Redskins

I always wondered who the Washington Redskins primary logo was modeled after, but after finding out one of the prominent Native American leaders at the time helped design the logo, I'm not surprised how well it looks!  The "tucked" feathers were a result of the helmet decals not sticking properly on the "hanging" feathers.

This graph will create a twin mattress top sized afghan when using an H hook and 2 dc per graph square.  To make a 4 x 5 throw (or maybe it's a 5 x 6...I honestly don't remember my dimensions!) use a J hook and 1 sc per square after adding 15 rows to each side and 5 to top and bottom. If you'd like to create your own afghan with the pdf, please email me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com with "Washington Redskins" in the subject line. Any questions should be in the body of the email.  If you'd like me to make you one, I can do that too!  Email me for pricing.

Have a fabulous day!

Mermaid graph for sale

It wasn't till Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" that these mythical sea creatures became known as helpful and benevolent. The legends and stories before them  depicted them as evil, luring sailors into dangerous waters like Greek sirens, or dragging them underwater to their deaths. Personally, I prefer the Disney version.

I know I say all the patterns I post are free, but this isn't a pattern post!  I mean, it is, but the pattern itself isn't posted.  This is a gridless image of the graph I made.  I think she's adorable!  The pdf with gridlines and line numbers is $4 (no written pattern) and I can adjust the size to make any sized afghan you prefer.  Email me for info regarding payment details if you'd like to make this little cutie for yourself. Or, I'd love to make one for you, email me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com for pricing.

Leave your thoughts in the comments below and share using the buttons under this post.

Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings logo

Another hockey team logo today.  From my home state of Michigan, the Detroit Red Wings  They are one of the original 6 teams of the league.  As of 2018, the Red Wings have won the most Stanley Cup Championships in the United States.  They are 3rd overall in total Staley Cup championships.(Go Wings!) The Red Wings have made the playoffs 25 straight times from 1990!  They have tallied 6 regular season first place finishes and won the Stanley Cup 4 times in 6 Finals appearances.  Michigan has a team to be very proud of (and we are!).

Al

The unofficial mascot of the Detroit Red Wings is Al, the purple Octopus.   The octopus, having 8 arms, symbolizes the number of wins necessary to win the Cup (at the time the tradition of throwing dead octopuses on the ice was formed).  Even though fans had since developed "octopus etiquette" for launching the creatures onto the ice, the practice is discouraged, with expensive fines for anyone daring enough to try it.




If you'd like to sport your team pride in an afghan, use an H hook and 2 dc per graph square to get  large throw.  If you'd like a smaller, squarer one then add 15 rows to each side and 5 to the top and bottom while using 1 sc per graph square with a J hook.  Email me for the pdf at kendrascrochet@gmail.com with "Detroit Red Wings" in the subject line.  Any questions should be in the body of the email.  If you'd like me to make it for you, I can do that too!  Email me for pricing.

LSU Tigers

Louisiana State University is located in Baton Rouge.  It is as of now, rank #6 in the Best Colleges for Athletics, according to niche.com. The Tiger logo is a bit complicated to work up, not that I'm not up for it, but my Louisiana State fan wanted this one with the text. I like it!  Do you?

Work this graph up with an H hook and 2 dc per graph square to get a 3.5 x 6.5 ft throw (about the size of a twin bed), or add 15 rows to the sides and 5 to the top and bottom and work up with 1 sc per graph square and a J hook to get a 4 x 5 ft throw.

I'd suggest using the intarsia method described here starting from the short side, to keep the colors separate and the knots away.

If you want a pdf of this graph, please email me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com with "LSU tigers" in the subject line.  Any questions should be in the body of the email.

If you'd like me to make this for you, I can do that too!  Email me for pricing.

Miami Dolphins

A friend wanted this graph made, deciding on the alternate logo instead of he dolphin, "T.D." himself.  I think he would be cute in a blanket, but love the lean of the letters and the colors of the team and how they work together to give the illusion of waves in the ocean.


This graph will create a twin mattress top sized afghan with using 2 dc with an H hook. If you'd rather have a 4 x 5 foot throw, add 5 rows to each side and add 15 rows to the top and bottom. Use a J hook and 1 sc per graph square.

I'd suggest using the intarsia method that I've briefly described here, starting at the short end. It cuts down on color changes and saves time and tangles.


If you'd like the pdf of this graph, please email me at kendrascrochet@gmail.com with "Miami Dolphins" in the subject line.  Leave your thoughts in the comments, and you're welcome to share using the buttons below.  If you make this, please credit me with the design, and tag me #kendrascrochetedcreations on instagram.