I first tried this hat when I first learned to crochet.  It, in few words, failed.  I learned to crochet in February of this last year and with my nephew's birthday party tomorrow, I thought I should try once more...Guess what! It turned out so much better!!!!


I was so happy!  Feels like I really have grown in my little craft since this was my first attempt:

And my second came out more like a beret that isn't really functional:


This one though, I'm thoroughly proud of

My dog's new doggie bonnet!  I got the idea from this post: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=83035.0.  Its a knit pattern but I was able to develop it into a simple crochet thing.  I used a single crochet stitch the whole way and did the string pieces individually and then top piece.  Then I sewed the pieces together.  My dog isn't able to get this off easily like the headbands so thats a plus.  Shes a bulldog and they cannot get too cold or too hot, its bad for their already severe breathing problems.  Here it is!
http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20111122_145738.jpg
http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20111122_145713.jpg
http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20111122_145654.jpg
http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20111122_145720.jpg

I currently have three projects in the mill, only one worth showing so far...Its my mom's Christmas present, an afghan.  Sadly, I've tried and tried and tried to find a granny square I like enough to crochet but honestly, I can't...But I did find this wavy pattern: http://bit.ly/tC6Kra
I followed the first part of the pattern but then the start of row 2, I just really didn't understand what the fifth thing meant...It also never specified if I cut my yarn or not!  I know I'm not a pro crocheter or anything but I would expect better instructions all the same....Oh well, I like it better than a normal square but I do eventually wanna do a square thing, just need to find the perfect square first...
But this is what I've got after starting at 11 AM to 12 AM:
http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20111115_001700.jpg
Its not really that long, its 38 inches long...
Here is a picture to show more detail:
http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20111115_002321.jpg

My other projects are a plushie of my dog and a Doctor Who cyberman beanie...The dog is needing a bit of development since the book I won from dogster.com (Ami Pups 2) doesn't have a bulldog.  The cyberman beanie is also a creation I'm slowly working out in my mind...I think it will be awesome once I get it totally envisioned in my mind.  Its a basic beanie and I gotta just add the cyberman do-dads...Hehehe I love being a crafty geek!

This is my 3 year old Belladonna dressed up in her finest Doctor Who cosplay: http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20110619_033108.jpg

I am unsure if I have shared this previously but it is my darling in her crocheted headband I made during an 18 hr power outage! If I have shared before, I reshare because she is in a contest at BBC America for most hilarious costume! This being the only (known to me) homemade crocheted part of the contest*, I appeal to my fellow crocheters and crafters to vote for my adorable Belladonna!
http://blogs.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2011/10/19/vote-in-the-bbc-america-costume-contest-most-hilarious/

(*I see a fourth doctor scarf but I am unsure if that is homemade or a bought item...)

Made this around the same time as the Conan Statue but I had to postpone it when I ran out of what I call "Android Green".  (Its Red Heart Spring Green actually.) I started schooling back for a computer degree (what I should have done 5 yrs ago) and met a fellow google fan.  So I was looking over some stuff and realized, an Android Beanie would be pretty simple!  I found a general hat pattern on here and then used pipe cleaners for the antennas.  I think I'll make him one for Christmas or a TARDIS plush, he likes that too...hehe  So here they are, I wanted to take the pics but didn't feel like putting much effort into my appearance so just my beautiful eyes on display!

http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20110828_195406.jpg

http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20110828_195412.jpg

I am interested in making beanies for my Christmas gifts.  I was wondering how most people do color changes for hats.  Do you usually go through the process of cutting the current color and changing or do you just stitch over the color, putting in what you need, where you need it to be.  I have so great ideas but most require color changes...Thanks for any answers I can get!

I was browsing my facebook recently and came across a post from Team CoCo about a contest...They were looking for New York-themed Conan fan art...Well I hadn't crocheted much lately so I thought about what I could do New York-themed with a splash of CoCo love...Then it hit me, what is more iconic in NY than the Statue of Liberty?  So I started working...And I have the process documented in photos as I went bc I was showing a reall obcessed CoCo fan for her opinion:

Crocheted Body: http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20110825_232132.jpg

Crocheted arm w/ torch added: http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20110826_220428.jpg
Added 2nd arm with special orange book: http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20110827_232301.jpg

Added head which I crocheted around a styrafoam ball: http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20110828_130733.jpg

Pinned fabric to make the robe (also orange/ginger) and added base of his hair: http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20110828_221232.jpg

Finished Conan pompadore and orange lips: http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20110830_004837.jpg

Slight tweaking of hair as well as making sure stuffing was not seen: http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20110830_010145.jpg

I am a web design student so I thought I should place my art in a more appropriate background to really show off her regalness:


So there you have it  I stuffed her arms with cotton balls but I thought I should do the body with something that wouldn't take as long so I got actual like doll stuffing.  The fabric is 2/3 a yard so it was $1.  I have submitted it to the contest.  The contest is for a special trip, hes taking the show back to New York in November (for just a visit I think?).  I'm excited to see what they say!  Also, the title of this post is what I called it for the MoCA (Museum of Conan Art)!  

Forgot to add I did all this without a pattern!

This is a hank of yarn I found at my local yarn shop.  I did not think of how it was on discount when I bought it (it was about $5).  I'm using it to make a shrug for my dog for a costume for her.  I really didn't think I would need more, very stupid observation on my part but I'm fairly new to crocheting so let me just blame ignorance.  I went back to the store one day to get another and there I was, feeling so stupid that they didn't have anymore because it was a discontinued yarn with no more hanks and no way for them to order it!  So now I'm trying to find it online...I have found it on two sites but lordy, its $20 and $18! Would anyone know a website that has reasonable prices for this type of yarn? I've searched ebay and Amazon but I don't see it...I don't want to give up this project but I'm not in the financial ways of spending $20 for a hank of yarn that isn't even that large....Thanks so much for your help!

Well my dog wasn't too good trying to get this picture...

http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20110619_033108.jpg

But it is adorable! This is the beginning of my newest geek project.  I'm making her a K-9 costume, the robot dog from Doctor Who.  This is the start with the headband, I make her lots of headbands actually, its the easiest way to primp her even if she dislikes wearing them...I can usually snap one picture before she tears them off! hahaha

http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20110526_230110.jpg

Here she is showing off her favorite Monty Python shirt! And boy does she fart! She is a victorian bulldog so they are especially lethel!  But back to the crochet! I started this because the power was off here and I didn't feel like going to bed so I stayed up til 5 AM waiting for the power....Yeah...It didn't come back on til 11:45 am...It was off for 18 hrs...Lord...I mean our ENTIRE town was out!  Some are still...But I crocheted by candlelight, a first but a bit fun imagining crocheters of yesteryear doing the same to finishing their afghans and other projects...Lemme show you the design for the body part of her costume.

http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt171/RazyCal/Phone%20Pictures/IMG_20110619_025852.jpg

With my J hook, 4 stitches equal 1 inch as well as 4 rows equal one inch...Currently have 13 rows of 20 inches...My first short term goal is 24 rows, 25 starts the K-9 part where I have to change yarn.  I'm excited though...Have nothing for her to wear it for so I'm not pressured to finish quickly which feels good.  But if you want to see how I spent my 18 hrs of no connection, check out my blog here: http://bit.ly/js6dX0  Quite a tale!

Ok! My latest Doctor Who crochet! I did a Cyberman, it took about...3 days cause I had to pause to work on an afghan square for a charity.  I think it worked well but I cant get a good picture.  Its a little Chibi-Cyberman really and I like him hehehe