Crocheted strawberry

Great as a summer treat! I have used bulky wool yarn and a 3.75mm crochet hook to make a  fairly large strawberry. Use thinner yarn and a smaller hook for a smaller berry :)

You will need:

* Red & green yarn

* A suitable crochet hook

* A little stuffing

* Needle for sewing

Berry:

With red yarn,

6 sc in ring

*1 sc, inc* three times - 9 sts

Sc around

*2 sc, inc* three times - 12 sts

*3 sc, inc* three times - 15 sts

*4 sc, inc* three times - 18 sts

*5 sc, inc* three times - 21 sts

*6 sc, inc* three times - 24 sts

Sc around

*3 sc, inc* six times - 30 sts

Sc around 2 rounds

*1 sc, dec* ten times - 20 sts

10 dec - 10 sts

Stuff the strawberry

5 dec - 5 sts

Break yarn, weave the yarn end through the last 5 sts and pull tight to close the hole. Weave in end

Leaves on top:

With green yarn,

6 sc in ring, sl st in first sc to close round

*chain 4, trc dec (the same as a trc cluster with 2 trc) in same space, chain 2, sl st in 2nd loop from hook, chain 4, sl st in next sc from first round* repeat five more times to make six leaves

Break yarn, pull the end through to the back and use this to attach the leaves to the top of the strawberry

Make a bunch of these and place them in a pretty bowl to decorate your summer table :)

Crocheted & felted Leprechaun hat

This hat will fit a small doll, or you can simply use it as a decoration for St. Patrick's Day :) I used a whole 50g ball of green for this hat, with only a yard to spare, so I suggest you have more than one ball at hand, or you can use a smaller hook. The hat is 13cm tall and the bottom opening is about 5cm across.

You will need:

* 8mm crochet hook

* Green pure wool yarn (bulky)

* Black wool yarn
* A scrap of yellow wool yarn

Pattern:

With 8mm hook and green yarn,

Sc 8 in ring

Inc around - 16 sts

*1 sc, inc* eight times - 24 sts

*2 sc, inc* eight times - 32 sts

*3 sc, inc* eight times - 40 sts

*4 sc, inc* eight times - 48 sts

BLO: *10 sc, dec* four times - 44 sts

*9 sc, dec* four times - 40 sts

*8 sc, dec* four times - 36 sts

*7 sc, dec* four times - 32 sts

*6 sc, dec* four times - 28 sts
Sc around 5 rounds - 28 sts
Change to black yarn
Sc around 3 rounds - 28 sts
Change to green yarn
*5 sc, dec* four times - 24 sts
FLO: *2 sc, inc* eight times - 32 sts
*3 sc, inc* eight times - 40 sts
*3 sc, inc* eight times - 48 sts
*4 sc, inc* eight times - 56 sts
*5 sc, inc* eight times - 64 sts
Sl st in next, fasten off

Finishing:
To make the buckle, slip stitch or embroider chain stitch with a scrap of yellow yarn. Using the picture as guide, make the buckle 5 sts wide and 3 sts high. Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Slip stitch or chain stitch with black yarn around the edges of the hat band. Weave in all ends.

Felting:

To felt the hat, put it in the washing machine on a normal cycle, 40-60 degrees C. If possible, reduce the amount of water to increase agitation. Add a pair of jeans or a towel with similar colors for added agitation. Skip the spinning cycle at the end because this can create creases in the hat and cause some areas to felt less than the rest. Repeat the felting if necessary, it's always better to felt several times than to felt it too much the first time :)

Shape the hat while it's wet and leave it to dry in shape.

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 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 :)

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 :)