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 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 :)

Red heart

Start with one of the tops:

With 3.5mm hook and red yarn,

6 sc in ring

Inc around - 12 sts

*1 sc, inc* six times - 18 sts

Sc around 2 rounds

Break yarn for first top, make another following the same pattern

After completing the last st on the second top, jump to the first top and sc 15

Skip the last 3 sts of the first top and 3 sts on the second top, sc 15

You should now have a 6 st opening between the tops, use the yarn end from the first top to stitch it up

Sc around both tops - 30 sts

7 sc, dec, 13 sc, dec, 7 sc - 28 sts

6 sc, dec, 12 sc, dec, 6 sc - 26 sts

5 sc, 2 dec, 9 sc, 2 dec, 4 sc - 22 sts

4 sc, 2 dec, 7 sc, 2 dec, 3 sc - 18 sts

3 sc, 2 dec, 5 sc, 2 dec, 2 sc - 14 sts

2 sc, 2 dec, 3 sc, 2 dec, 1 sc - 10 sts

Sc around

Stuff the heart

5 dec - 5 sts

Dec, finish off - 4 sts

Weave in ends, it's done :)

Small crocheted dice bag

Holds a standard set of 7 RPG dice :)

Pattern:

With 3.5mm hook and yellow yarn,

8 sc in ring, sl st in first sc to join round

2: chain 3, dc in same space, dc inc in each st around, sl st to join - 16 sts

3: chain 1, 2 sc in next, *1 sc, inc* seven times, sl st to join - 24 sts

Change to orange yarn

4: chain 3, dc in same space, dc inc, dc, *2 dc inc, dc* seven times - sl st to join - 40 sts

5-6: chain 1, sc around, sl st to join - 40 sts

Change to red yarn

7: chain 3, dc around, sl st to join - 40 sts

8: chain 3, dc in next, dc dec, *2 dc, dc dec* nine times, sl st to join - 30 sts

9: chain 1, sc around, sl st to join - 30 sts

Change to orange yarn

10: chain 3, dc around, sl st to join - 30 sts

11: chain 3, dc dec, *dc, dc dec* around, sl st to join - 20 sts

Change to yellow yarn

12: chain 2, hdc, chain 1, skip 1 st, hdc in next, *3 hdc, chain 1, skip 1 st* four times, hdc, sl st to join - 20 sts (five holes)

13: chain 3, 2 dc, dc inc, *3 dc, dc inc* four times, sl st to join - 25 sts

Finish off...

Chain a cord with yellow yarn, weave through the holes and fill your bag with dice :)

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 :)

Skinny mushroom

You will need:
*3.5mm crochet hook

* red/wine-red yarn

* off-white yarn

* a scrap of beige yarn for spots

Hat:

With 3.5mm hook and red yarn,

6 sc in ring

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

3: sc around

4: *2 sc, inc* three times - 12 sts

5: sc around

6: *3 sc, inc* three times - 15 sts

7: sc around

8: *4 sc, inc* three times - 18 sts

9: sc around

10: *5 sc, inc* three times - 21 sts

11: sc around

12: *6 sc, inc* three times - 24 sts

13-14: sc around

15: *3 sc, inc* six times - 30 sts

16: sc around

17: *4 sc, inc* six times - 36 sts

18-19: sc around

20: *4 sc, dec* six times - 30 sts

21: *3 sc, dec* six times - 24 sts

BLO: *3 dc in same, skip 1, sc* around

Finish off...

Embroider spots (French knots) on the hat with beige yarn

Foot:

With 3.5mm hook and off-white yarn,

6 sc in ring

2: 6 inc - 12 sts

3: *3 sc, inc* - 15 sts

4: *4 sc, inc* - 18 sts

5-9: sc around

10: *1 sc, dec* three times, 9 sc - 15 sts

11-13: sc around

14: *3 sc, dec* three times - 12 sts

15-24: sc around

25: *1 sc, inc* six times in FLO - 18 sts

26: *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.

Chubby mushroom

You will need:

* 3.5mm crochet hook

* red yarn

*off-white yarn

* a scrap of white yarn

Pattern:

Hat:

With 3.5mm hook and red 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

Sc around

*4 sc, inc* six times - 36

Sc around 3 rounds

*5 sc, inc* six times - 42

Sc around

*6 sc, inc* six times - 48

Sc around 2 rounds

*6 sc, dec* six times - 42

In front loops only: *dc inc, skip 1, sc* around

Finish off...

Embroider spots (French knots) on the hat with white yarn

Foot:
With off-white 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

Sc around

*4 sc, inc* six times - 36

Sc around 3 rounds

*2 sc, dec* six times, 12 sc - 30

Sc around

*3 sc, dec* six times - 24

Sc around 2 rounds

Sc around in back loops only

*6 sc, dec* three times - 21

Sc around

*5 sc, dec* three times - 18

Sc around

In front loops only: *2 sc, inc* six times - 24

Work remaining rounds in back loops only:

*3 sc, inc* six times - 30

*4 sc, inc* six times - 36

*5 sc, inc* six times - 42

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

Frilly thing:

Attach off-white yarn in the first round worked in the back loops,

Chain 3, 2 dc, dc inc, *3 dc, dc inc* around, sl st in top of the chain 3

Finish off...

Stuff the foot, sew it to the hat in the available back loops on the hat. Stuff the hat firmly before the hole gets too small :) Weave in all ends.

Knitted & felted Christmas tree cone

This is meant to be a small thing, but the pattern is easily converted to make any size you want! Fill it with nuts or candy or leave it as is is, it makes a cute ornament either way :)

You will need:

* pair of 6.5mm knitting needles

* 4mm crochet hook (optional)

* small amount of red pure wool yarn

* scrap of white eyelash/fuzzy yarn

Pattern:

Cast on 8 stitches with red yarn

Knit 2 rows of stocking stitch

*Increase, knit to end of row, increase in last stitch - 10 sts

Purl

Knit

Purl*

Repeat from * to * until you have 18 stitches

Cast off with white fuzzy yarn, leave a long end of red yarn for the handle

Finishing:

Sew up the cone. With the red yarn end, chain 20 and slip stitch in the edge of the cone to make the loop. Weave in all ends. Felt in washing machine (40-60 degrees C) along with a pair of jeans (or a towel of similar color). Shape the cone when wet, leave to dry. Tamtadam :)

Crocheted & felted napkin ring

This is a very simple, but cute design. My example is made in red with Christmas in mind, but you can make them in any colors to match the seasons :)

You will need:

*pure wool yarn

*4mm crochet hook

Pattern:

Chain 27, slip stitch in the first chain to form a ring

Chain 2, hdc in every stitch around, - 28

Repeat first round five more times (6 rounds total)

*Chain 3, 2 dc in same space, 3 dc in every stitch around, join with a slip stitch in top of the chain 3

Break yarn, fasten off

Attach yarn to the other side of the ring, repeat from *

Weave in all ends before felting

Felting:

Felt in washing machine on a normal cycle (40-60 degrees C) and a small amount of mild detergent (no bleach), and less water if you have the option. Pull into shape when the rings are wet, leave to dry. All done :)

Tiny knitted santa hat

Flattened out the hat measures about 5cm across and 8cm from top to bottom. It sort of bends backwards a bit, but it is stretchable. Attach a loop of yarn to the top of the hat to make it into an ornament :)

Here is what you need if you want to make your own:

* a pair of 3.5mm knitting needles

* small amount of red yarn (wool or acrylic)

* a scrap of white fuzzy or eyelash yarn

Pattern:

Cast on 25 stitches with white

Knit 2 rows

Change to red yarn

Knit 2 rows of stocking stitch, start with a knit row

*K1, decrease (knit 2 stitches together), knit until 3 stitches remain, decrease, k1

Purl*

Repeat the last two rows until only 4 stitches remain (from * to *)

Change to white yarn

Knit

Increase in every stitch (knit front and back of all stitches) - 8 sts

Repeat the last row - 16 sts

Knit

Decrease until end - 8 sts

Break yarn, pull end through remaining stitches, pull tight and shape the top into a ball

Sew the hat together with the seam at the back, weave in all ends, and you're done! :)