Nesting love birds

Here's a cute, quick and easy Valentine's Day pattern for you, hope you like it :)

What you need:

3.75mm & 4mm crochet hooks

Bulky weight yarn in red, pink and brown

Scraps of orange felt

Two pairs of eyes (8-10mm)

Stuffing

The birds:

With red yarn & 3.75mm hook,

6 sc in ring

6 inc - 12 sts

*1 sc, inc* six times - 18 sts

*2 sc, inc* six times - 24 sts

Sc around 8 rounds

If you're using safety eyes, attach them now. Insert them between rounds 6 and 7, counting up from the edge

*3 sc, inc* six times - 30 sts

Sc around 4 rounds

*3 sc, dec* six times - 24 sts

*2 sc, dec* six times - 18 sts

*1 sc, dec* six times - 12 sts

Stuff the bird

*1 sc, dec* four times - 8 sts

Break yarn, weave end through the front loops of the remaining sts and pull tight to close the hole. Weave in end. 

Make the pink bird like the red. If you want it shorter, like mine, just drop one straight round in the head and one in the body. 

Beaks:

Cut small triangles of felt and glue them to the birds' faces.

Nest:

With brown yarn and 4mm hook,

make ring, chain 3, 11 dc in ring, sl st in top of chain to join - 12 sts

Chain 3, dc in same space as joining, dc inc in each st around, sl st in chain to join - 24 sts

Chain 3, dc inc in next, *dc, dc inc* eleven times - sl st to join - 36 sts

Chain 3, dc in next, dc inc, *2 dc, dc inc* eleven times - 48 sts

Chain 3, *front post dc, back post dc* around, front post dc in last st, sl st in chain to join

Chain 3, dc around

Chain 3, *back post dc, front post dc* around, back post dc in last st, sl st in chain to join

Chain 1, sc around, sl st in chain to join

Break yarn, weave in ends

Place the love birds together in the nest, and they're done :)

Crocheted & felted Easter basket

This can be used for an Easter egg hunt, or as a decoration on the Easter breakfast table. Change the colors, and you have a basket for every occasion :) Note that this basket is fairly deep (to have room for lots and lots of candy, of course!), so if you'd like a lower basket you can simply skip a round or two before the colored band.

You will need:

* 8mm crochet hook

* Brown pure wool yarn (bulky)

* A little green wool yarn (or the color you prefer)

Pattern:

With brown yarn and 8mm hook,

Chain 5, join with sl st to make a ring

Chain 3, 11 dc in the ring, sl st to close round - 12 sts

Chain 3, dc in same space, dc inc in each st around, sl st to close - 24 sts

Chain 3, dc in same space, dc in next, *dc inc, dc* around, sl st to close - 36 sts

Chain 3, dc in next 4 sts, dc inc, *5 dc, dc inc* around, sl st to close - 42 sts

Chain 3, dc around 3 rounds

Change to green yarn

Chain 3, dc around 2 rounds

Change to brown yarn

Chain 2, hdc around, sl st to close

Edge:

This is made with backwards single crochet, or crab stitch. If you don't know how to do it, check out this video tutorial.

Crab stitch all the way around the edge

Fasten off

Handle:

With brown yarn and 8mm hook,

Chain 8, dc in 4th chain from hook, dc to end - 5 sts

Chain 3, turn, dc across - 5 sts

Repeat the last row until the handle is 23 rows long

Fasten off

Assembly:

Sew the ends of the handle to the inside of the basket, leaving 16 stitches on either side of the handle.

Felting:

Put the basket in the washing machine on a normal cycle on 40-60 degrees C. Use a small amount of detergent, and if possible, reduce the amount of water. Add a towel or two to increase agitation, but I recommend that you use similar colors and towels that leave little lent.

Remember that you can always repeat the washing if you want it to felt more. It's better to felt it twice than to ruin it the first time :)

Shape the basket while it's wet and let it dry in shape. If you want a flat bottom, press it lightly against a flat surface and let it dry standing.

If you don't want to felt your basket you can just use a smaller hook to get firmer stitches. For this example (to the right on the picture) I have used a slightly thicker yarn and a 4mm hook, and the handle is also shortened by about five rows.

Crocheted marzipan cake

You will need:

* 4mm crochet hook

* brown yarn

* green yarn (or pink, white, yellow or purple)

Pattern:

With 4mm hook and dark brown yarn,

6 sc in ring

Increase around - 12

*1 sc, inc* six times - 18

*2 sc, inc* six times - 24

Sc around in back loops only

Sc around 3 rounds

Change to green yarn (or whatever marzipan color you choose)

Sc around 8 rounds

Change to brown yarn

Sc around 3 rounds

Work in back loops only: *2 sc, dec* six times - 18

*1 sc, dec* six times - 12

*1 sc, dec* four times - 9

Stuff the cake!

Break yarn, weave end through the remaining stitches and pull tight to close hole.

Chain stitch between the color changes (or slip stitch before you finish crocheting). Weave in all ends. Done :)

Crocheted saffron bun

You will need:

* 3.5mm crochet hook

* some brownish yellow yarn

* a scrap of brown yarn

Pattern for saffron bun:

With 3.5mm hook and yellow yarn,

6 sc in ring

Increase in every stitch - 12

Sc around for 21cm/8 inches

Stuff if you haven't already (it's best to stuff as you go)

Decrease in every stitch - 6

Break yarn, leave a long end for sewing

Fold the bun into the S shape, secure with a few stitches. Embroider the raisins with brown yarn, and the bun is done :)

Crocheted chocolate candy

Both of these candies are made with a 4mm crochet hook over the same basic ball pattern. The first is crocheted with two strands of yarn, one dark brown and one beige. The other is crocheted with two strands of dark brown. Change the colors and decorate them in different ways, and you have lots of different candy treats. The wrappers are also the same, but with different colors. One strand of wool/acrylic yarn and one strand of shiny metallic.

Candy pattern:

Ball:

With 4mm hook and two strands of yarn (the color of your choice),

6 sc in ring

Increase around - 12 sts

*1 sc, inc* six times - 18 sts

Sc around 4 rounds

*1 sc, dec* six times - 12 sts

Stuff firmly

Decrease around - 6 sts

Break yarn, weave end through the front loops of the stitches, pull tight to close up the hole. Weave in all ends. Embroider decorations if you wish, or sew on beads for sprinkles.

Wrapping paper:

With 4mm hook and two strands of yarn,

7 sc in ring

Increase around - 14 sts

*1 sc, inc* seven times - 21

Sc around in BLO

Sc around

*2 sc, inc* seven times - 28

*chain 3, sc in next* around for wavy edge (sl st in last st for a neater finish if you want)

Finish off...

Weave in ends, place candy ball in wrapper, and you're done :)

Crocheted Christmas pudding

You will need:

* 4mm crochet hook

* 3.5mm crochet hook

* brown yarn

* off-white yarn

* green yarn or felt

* three red beads

Pattern for Christmas pudding:

Pudding:

With 4mm hook and two strands of brown yarn,

6 sc in ring

Increase around - 12

*1 sc, inc* six times - 18

*2 sc, inc* six times - 24

Sc around 3 rounds

*3 sc, inc* six times - 30

Sc around 3 rounds

Finish off...

Bottom:

With 4mm hook and two strands of brown yarn,

6 sc in ring

Increase around - 12

*1 sc, inc* six times - 18

*2 sc, inc* six times - 24

*3 sc, inc* six times - 30

Finish off...

Sauce:

With 4mm hook and two strands of off-white yarn,

6 sc in ring

Increase around - 12

*1 sc, inc* six times - 18

*2 sc, inc* six times - 24

Sc around

Wavy edge:

Dc, trc inc, dc, hdc, sc, chain 4, **3 sc in 2nd chain from hook, sc to end of chain**, 2 sc in prev round, hdc, dc inc, hdc, sc, chain 6, repeat from ** to **, 2 sc in prev round, chain 3, repeat from ** to **, 2 sc in prev round, hdc, dc inc, hdc, sc, hdc, dc inc, hdc, sc, chain 5, repeat from ** to **, sl st in last stitch

Finish off...

Leaves (make 2):

With 3.5mm hook and one strand of green yarn,

Chain 10

Sl st in 2nd chain from hook, hdc, dc, trc, chain 1, sl st in front loops of trc, trc, dc, hdc, dc, chain 1, sl st in front loops of dc, (hdc, 2 sc, chain 1, sl st in front loops of sc, sc, hdc) in last stitch of the foundation chain.

You are now working on the other side of the leaf:

Dc, chain, 1, sl st in front loops of dc, hdc, dc, trc, chain 1, sl st in front loops of trc, trc, dc, hdc, sl st in last stitch

Finish off...

Assembly:

Attach the leaves to the white sauce, sew on the beads as shown on the picture. Sew the sauce to the pudding. Stuff the pudding, attach the bottom, weave in all ends, and it's ready to be enjoyed :)

Onion-shaped mushroom

You will need:

* 3.5mm crochet hook

* off-white yarn

* dark brown yarn

Hat:

With 3.5mm hook and dark brown yarn,

6 sc in ring

2: *sc 1, inc* three times - 9 sts

3-4: sc around

5: *2 sc, inc* three times - 12 sts

6: *1 sc, inc* six times - 18 sts

7: *2 sc, inc* six times - 24 sts

8: *3 sc, inc* six times - 30 sts

9: *4 sc, inc* six times - 36 sts

10: sc around

11: *5 sc, inc* six times - 42 sts

12-15: sc around

16: *5 sc, dec* six times - 36 sts

17: *4 sc, dec* six times - 30 sts

18: *3 sc, dec* six times - 24 sts

BLO: *dc inc, sc* around

Finish off...

Foot:

With 3.5mm hook and off-white yarn,

6 sc in ring

2: 6 inc - 12 sts

3: *1 sc, inc* six times - 18 sts

4: sc around

5: *2 sc, inc* six times - 24 sts

6: sc around

7: *3 sc, inc* six times - 30

8-11: sc around

12: 3 sc, dec, *2 sc, dec* three times, 13 sc - 26 sts

13: sc around

14: 6 sc, dec, 4 sc, dec, 12 sc - 24 sts

15: sc around

16: *2 sc, dec* six times - 18 sts

17: sc around

18: *4 sc, dec* three times - 15 sts

19-20: sc around

21: *3 sc, dec* three times - 12 sts

22: sc around

23: *1 sc, inc* six times in FLO - 18 sts

24: *2 sc, inc* six times in BLO - 24 sts

Finish off, leave a long end for sewing...

Assembly:

Stuff the foot, sew it to the hat through the back loops of both the hat and the foot using the off-white yarn. Stuff the hat before you close the hole. Weave in all ends.

Rattling ice cream cone

To make this ice cream into a rattling baby toy, you will need one or two small bells and a small plastic container. See this post for tips about how to make a rattle.

Cone:

With 4mm hook and beige yarn,

6 sc in ring
2:  sc around
3:  *1 sc, inc* three times (9)
4-5:  sc around
6:  *2 sc, inc* three times (12)
7-8:  sc around
9:  *3 sc, inc* three times (15)
10:  sc around
11:  *4 sc, inc* three times (18)
12:  sc around
13:  *5 sc, inc* three times (21)
14:  sc around
15:  *6 sc, inc* three times (24)
16:  sc around
17:  *7 sc, inc* three times (27)
18:  sc around
19:  *8 sc, inc* three times (30)
20:  sc around
21:  sc around in FLO
Wavy edge:
*dc inc, skip 1 stitch, 1 sc in next* around
Finish off
  
Bottom scoop:
With 4mm hook, attach pink yarn in one of the back loops from round 21,

1:  sc around (30)

2:  *4 sc, inc* six times (36)
3:  *5 sc, inc* six times (42)
4-7:  sc around
8:  *5 sc, dec* six times (36)
9:  sc around
10:  *4 sc, dec* six times (30)
11:  *3 sc, dec* six times (24)
12:  *2 sc, dec* six times (18)
If you want the ice cream to be a rattle, stuff and insert bells now...
13:  *1 sc, dec* six times (12)
Break yarn, weave end through the front loops of the remaining stitches and pull tight to close the hole. Remember to stuff firmly :)
  
Top scoop:
With 4mm hook and green yarn,
6 sc in ring
2:  inc around (12)
3:  *1 sc, inc* six times (18)
4:  *2 sc, inc* six times (24)
5:  *3 sc, inc* six times (30)
6:  *4 sc, inc* six times (36)
7-11:  sc around
12:  *4 sc, dec* six times (30)
13:  *3 sc, dec* six times (24)
Edge:
FLO:  *dc, trc inc, dc, hdc, dc inc, hdc* repeat around
Finish off

 Chocolate sauce:
With 4mm hook and brown yarn,
6 sc in ring
2:  inc around (12)
3:  *1 sc, inc* six times (18)
4:  *2 sc, inc* six times (24)
5:  *3 sc, inc* six times (30)

This next bit is a bit long, but don't worry. It is just made up of a few sections that are repeated more or less at random.
Edge:
1 dc, trc inc, dc, hdc, 2 sc, chain 2, 3 sc in 2nc chain from hook, sc in next sc from prev round, chain 3, 3 sc in 2nd chain from hook, sc in chain, 2 sc in prev round, dc inc, sc, dc inc, 2 sc, chain 3, 3 sc in 2nd chain from the hook, sc in chain, 2 sc in prev round, dc, trc inc, dc, hdc, sc, dc inc, 2 sc, chain 2, 3 sc in 2nd chain from hook, 2 sc in prev round, chain 3, 3 sc in 2nd chain from hook, sc in chain, 2 sc in prev round, sl st in next
Finish off
Embroider sprinkles with white yarn...

Assembly...
Stitch the chocolate sauce to the green scoop. Stuff the green scoop, fold the edge back to reveal the back loops. Sew the green scoop on top of the pink scoop through these back loops. To finish, tack down the edge of the green scoop with a few stitches to keep it from bending upwards. Yummy :)

Tiny banana frosted chocolate cupcake pincushion...

Bottom:
With 4mm hook and brown yarn,
6 sc in ring
2:  inc around (12)
3:  *1 sc, inc* six times (18)
4:  sc around in BLO
5:  sc around
Finish off

Frosting:
With 4mm hook and yellow yarn,
6 sc in ring
2:  inc around (12)
3:  sc around
4:  *1 sc, inc* six times (18)
5:  sc around
FLO:  *hdc inc, sl st in next* around
Finish off
Embroider sprinkles on frosting with blue yarn

Assembly...
Cut a small circle of cardboard and glue it in the bottom of the cake. This will make it flat, and will also prevent your needles and pins from poking all the way through the pincushion.

Sew the frosting to the bottom of the cake with brown yarn, stuff firmly. And you're done :)