Double Strand Bobble Slipper Free Crochet Pattern

This is a fairly simple, but warm pattern for slippers. It uses two strands of yarn OR 1 strand of bulky yarn. I used an N hook for this and I hope I've adjusted the pattern this time to take into account the guage I crochet. These should fit an adult foot. They're warm and comfy too, I made myself a pair!

Bobble Slippers

Toe and foot

With both strands of yarn held together or one strand of bulky chain 4 and join

Rd 1 Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc) 15 dc in ring and join for 16 dc

Rd 2 ch 3, dc in each stitch

Repeat row 2 -4 times for small -5 times med and -6 times lg

Heel

Rd 1 Ch3, dc in 12 stitches leaving 3 stitches

Rd 2 Ch 3 and turn, dc in each stitch

Rd 3 repeat rd 2

Turning the slipper inside out use a slip stitch to join the back of the heel. Slip stitch back up to top.

Cuff

Rd 1 Ch 3 work 6 dc evenly along one side, dc in each of 3 stitches left open when making heel, 6 dc evenly spaced along other side and join (16 stitches)

Rd 2 Ch 3 and dc in each stitch

Rd 3 Ch 1 and turn sc in same space as chain 1 *make bobble [ yo hook twice and insert in stitch yo and pull through yo and pull through 2 loops on hook twice (this should leave 2 loops still on hook) yo twice insert hook into same stitch yo and pull through yo pull through 2 loops twice yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook], sc repeat from * around

Rd 4 Ch 3 and turn dc in each stitch

Please let me know if you try this and how it comes out.

Just Rambling 10/30/07

I started sorting out some of my yarn yesterday. I had gone to a place called Leftovers and bought a bunch of grape boxes and its working out great for some of the smaller skiens and is perfect for a few balls of fun fur or small bits of other yarn.

Leftovers is store that collects ummm... well trash and then recycles it for craft projects and other stuff. Teachers and Scout leaders use it a lot. People take things like egg cartons, plastic boxes, odds and ends of craft supplies, yarn, even whole craft kits, magazines and more. They sell the stuff by the bag full for a nominal price. I've heard of other places like this in other areas so check to see if you have one near you.

I just finished another fun fur scarf. Now I need someone to model it so I can post a picture. I sent the other ones out for kids in a homeless shelter before I wrote that post, so I didn't have one to take a picture of. I'm going to make a couple more and they will be going to the Pine Ridge Reservation. I hope they're warm enough. It gets pretty cold in South Dakota. I'm also working on some slippers and other stuff, I really can't stay focused on one thing but that's ok because there are so many things needed and it's kind of fun making different things.

My Favorite Ebay Seller

Ok I have an ulterior motive here. This Ebay seller is a personal friend of mine and an awesome lady. I have never actually bought anything from her on Ebay. I just stop by and see what she has in her store. The ulterior motive is that she sometimes sells stuff for me. This money often goes to buy craft supplies (often from her) and yarn for my charity crafts. There is no way to tell you whats mine and whats not. That's really not the reason I'm posting this. But you really need to check out her Ebay store if your into crafts, she has a great collection of patterns and more!

Tonis-Craft-Room

The Never Ending Blanket

I call this the never ending blanket because another blanket is started before the last one is finished. I keep several bags of smaller balls of yarn in certain color combos. These may change as I get more of certain colors and less of others. The color combos I usually use are bright colors, pastels, and red, white and blue. I only use worsted weight yarn but even then some are too thick or thin so make sure they're all about the same although some variation can be worked with.

You can use any plain granny square pattern. I use one that doesn't have a lot of holes. I also use a K hook so these squares go fairly quickly. Since I am making them for Project Linus and kids come in all sizes I don't worry too much in the beginning about size and number of squares. I found if I have a lot of smaller balls making more small squares works. On the other hand, if you have larger balls you can make large squares and don't have to make so many.

The pattern for my square can be found here.

I have a few "rules" I follow, but you don't have to

1. Never change colors in the middle of a row. If I don't have enough I unravel and try on a lower row of another square.

2. Never do more than 2 rows with the same color in the same square.

3. Except in the very beginning where sometimes it's unavoidable, once I choose a ball to use , I use it up. In other words it may be big enough to make a row 7 and 8 of one square, 6 and 7 of another then maybe a 2 or 3 and finally to use it up I make one or two row 1's. This is the rule that makes it a never ending blanket, there are always squares started for the next blanket.

4. When first starting your blanket, start with the smallest balls first. This makes it easier to use up all those small balls and work your way up. If you want, save any pieces that are too small to make a first row for fringe.

5. As you get more scraps, small balls etc. add them to the squares you have made, at some point as your working on them, you have to decide how big you are going to make the squares and how many you are going to need.

6. Once you have enough join them together in a pleasing way. I often do all the last rows in the same color. In the picture above, if you can make it out, I did the last rows of all the squares on the bright ones in Red Heart Mexicali variegated. This can pull all those colors together. But again, you don't have to.

7. Do several rows of double or single crochet for the border.

Now that your finished, if you followed the rules, you should have at least a couple squares of the next blanket started. You don't have to do them all at once, or save up a lot of yarn. I usually add scraps as I get them so it can sometimes take a while to complete a blanket but of course I'm working on a lot of other projects so I'll have more scraps!!

Thing 1 and Thing 2

These are my "helpers" they are also my constant (and I mean constant) companions when I am home. They help me watch TV by getting in front of it. They help me read newspapers and books. They help me type, that needs no explaination, it usually looks like this 6666666690ikkkkkkkkkkkk. They also help me crochet, they see my hand moving and think it should be petting them instead. They also like to poke their heads through my knitting looms while I'm trying to make hats. Yes they are wonderful helpers and companions, I don't know what I would do without them. For future reference Thing 1 prefers to be called Smokey and Thing 2 thinks her name is Sammi.

Pukey Yellow Yarn

On my last yarn safari I came across a large bag of yellow yarn. The label said it was baby yellow but it has a greenish cast to it that makes it look sickly. Now I have nine skeins of this stuff and am wondering if anyone has any bright (or brightening) ideas.

Think I can dye it somehow?? How about tie-dyed yarn?

BTW it's 2 ply sports weight 100% acrylic

Kids' Bumpy Hat

I've reworked this pattern to try to make the sizes more uniform. The changes didn't change how the hat looks. Sizes in parenthesis are for

(Infant, Toddler, Child)

Photo on right is courtesy of a reader who made this hat. (Thanks Karla)

Kid's Bumpy Cap

Sweater to match

Booties to match

Using J hook Chain 4 and slip stitch in first chain.

Rd 1: ch 3 (counts as 1st dc) (13, 15, 17) dc for (14, 16, 18 dc in ring) join to chain 3

Rd 2: Ch 3 dc in same stitch, 2 dc in each stitch join to chain 3 with sl st, (28, 32, 36) stitches

Rd 3: Ch 3 *2 dc in next stitch, dc in next stitch repeat from * to last stitch 2dc and join (42, 48, 54) stitches

Rd 4: Ch 1 and turn (this row is worked on wrong side) sc in same st as slip stitch, tr in next stitch, * sc in next stitch then tr in next. Repeat from * till end of row. Join with sl st to first sc

Rd 5: Ch 3 and turn (this row is worked on right side) dc in each st.

Repeat rds 4 and 5 (3, 4, 5) times

Next row, repeat row 4

Turn work to work on right side again. Ch 2, hdc in each stitch for next 3 rds. Finish off

Grape Boxes

Yes, I said grape boxes. You know the kind, plastic, with lots of holes to keep the grapes fresh. They're a great way to keep the yarn balls your working with from rolling across the floor. They also keep my cats from unwinding the balls in wonderful patterns all over my living room. Any plastic container with holes that's large enough will work but I find the 2 lb. grape size is just right for a lot of my projects. Right now I'm loom knitting hats with three strands of yarn for the Pine Ridge Reservation and it's working great the yarn feeds out through the holes in the box with no fuss and no muss.

Project Linus

The first charity I made anything for and still my favorite is Project Linus. As I'm making each blanket I imagine a child reaching for it. Children in hospitals, scared and sick, happy to see the bright colors of my blankets. That may seem a little odd to some but that's what keeps me going. I'm also constantly thinking (and sometimes starting) the next blanket. Every color combo, every pattern I use inspires more ideas for more blankets. I will never be finished because I will always be planning the next one.

If you would like to help too, the rules are really simple. The blankets must be new, handmade and washable. They also ask that the colors be kid friendly. My favorite blankets to make are my rainbow blankets, sounds kind of fancy but they're just done in all the colors of the rainbow.

The national website can be found here, they have a listing of all the chapters across the country. Find the closest one to you and donate a blanket now!!!

The pattern for the granny square I used to make all these blankets can be found here.

Local Charities

I started a list of local charities that collect and distribute hand made items. I think I may have worded it wrong on the posts I made asking for help. Or maybe I just didn't comprehend the scope of what I was trying to do. I have been receiving lists of hopitals, nursing homes etc.. Thats not exactly what I was looking for, I just wasn't clear on what I was asking for. I would go nuts listing everything just in the St. Louis area, let alone every city in every state. What I am looking for is groups that make or collect these items to distribute to the hospitals, nursing homes etc. Project Linus or Head Huggers would be more along the line of what I was trying to do. Of course they list all their chapters on their national website, so I've just provided a link for that.

So now that I have (hopefully) made that more clear I would like to ask for your help. If you know any organization or group in your area that you would like to have listed just leave a comment. You can see the list I have so far by clicking the link on the right for the state listings.

Fast and Easy Fun Fur Scarf (Crochet)

I hardly consider this a pattern but it's something really easy and fast to do. With winter coming, this is a great time to make a few of these and donate it to a local charity that serves teens and pre-teens. These scarves are fun and warm.

You will need:
2 balls fun fur (depending on how big you're going to make it you may need another ball)
1 skien matching worsted weight yarn (I tried a contrasting color and didn't like the effect)
N crochet hook

Using one strand of each yarn Ch between 12 and 15 ( this depends on how wide you want to make the scarf, you can make it wider or narrower but these sizes are what looks best to me), dc in third chain from hook and in each chain. *Ch 3 and turn dc in each stitch, continue from * until scarf is as long as you want it.

See?? told you it wasn't much of a pattern but with the fun fur you don't need any fancy stitches and this goes really fast.

Introduction and other stuff

I have been knitting and crocheting since I was a teenager. I can also do other needle crafts such as embroidery, cross stich , needlepoint and quilting. My favorite, though is crocheting. Something about the soothing rhythm of the hook going in and out I guess. I hadn't done anything in ages though and then one night when I was watching the news they had a piece on Project Linus. As I watched them give out the handmade blankets I was thinking "I could do that" So I did, I ran to Walmart (OK, so I drove the car, running just sounds more urgent) and bought the brightest colored yarn they had and started making blankets. Since then I've branched out a bit and have now made infants hats and booties, hats and scarves for homeless teenagers, squares for afghans for the Ships Project, and have just started on some chemo caps for cancer patients. I am going to use this blog to inform others of these programs and also give you links where you might find free patterns and such for your projects. It's going to take awhile since my job takes me away from home a lot, so consider this a work in progress.