Crochet Backyardigans Pablo Hair bow

My Daughter LOVES The Backyardigans, so, this is my latest experiment for her. Learning to crochet is a continuous thing, always picking up something new or figuring out a new design. Wanted to make her each of the backyardigans as a hair clip for her since she loves to where all different hair bows and she is so proud of them. Though I haven't completed the other ones yet, this is the first of them, Pablo.

There is not a pattern to this but I made an oval (belly), a round (head), 2 lines or rows (arms), 2 small ovals (legs), 2 small balls of white (eyes), bowtie, and small yellow ball (nose). Weaving in all loose ends to one another creating the body and design, and working in yellow for the belly. Then I took a hair clip (which I keep on hand for these things) and hot glued it to it. When she woke up that morning she was so excited, and yes she still loves it!

Crochet hello kitty pocket book for toddler

Crochet Hello Kitty pocket book for toddler.

This is not a pattern but an idea and tutorial to how I did it.

My Annabelle loves Hello Kitty ever since her daddy bought her a pillow for valentines day. She sees a Hello Kitty anything and gets excited.  

You will need:

Pink yarn 4ply

Black yarn 4ply 

White yarn 4ply

Sz. F crochet hook

and thing I always called a sewing needle but I know that's not right but it is a needle tip with an opening on back to loop yarn thru to help weave ends in. There is a picture of it later on. 

I will start by saying my grandmother taught me how to crochet when I was younger, I only wish I had taken more of an interest in it and pursued it the way I should have. Recently, I have taken back up with it and with the knowledge I still have from her wonderful teaching. Also, patterns are great but I tend to enjoy just trying to figure it out on my own and this is one thing that worked great.

First, I made the kitty, a white oval. Doing an oval is simple, you start with a chain, doing this and how long it needs to be depends on how big you want it. For this I did (leave a long tail) chain 5 turned and in the 2nd chain from your hook do a single crochet, continue that across, in the last chain, single crochet 3 and turn then single crochet in other side across, to the end, do 3 in end again, continue this around until you have completed enough rows to be the correct size. You can make ovals as big or little as you want but the chain in the beginning will depict how big it can get without starting to ruffle after so many rows. Once finished cut off leaving a long tail and pull thru last stitch. Then the ears, chain 5, turn and in 2nd from the hook do single crochet then in next chain, do a double crochet, then in the next chain I did what I'd like to call a triple crochet but I honestly don't know if it has a name (you yarn over twice before working into chain, then pull thru 2 at a time until all loops are gone). Make 2 of these and work into the top of the oval evenly from edges. The bow, with pink yarn chain 7, turn and in 2nd from hook single crochet across, turn & chain up 2, single crochet across again, finish off but don't tie in ends. Wrap black yarn around middle pulling it into a bow or do a short stretch of single crochet to tie it around. Work in black ends. Work pink ends into the bow while sewing into the ear on right side of the kitty. The nose/whiskers/eyes were weaved in with black yarn, No rhyme or reason just trying to evenly space and make the nose big enough. It will take some trial and error to get this how you want it probably(or maybe that was just me lol).

 

For the bag part I (leave a long tail) chained 85, turned and starting in 2nd chain from end did *single crochet in each chain across, turn (chain up 3) and do double crochet in each single crochet across*, turn (chain up 2) and do single crochet in each double crochet across. Repeat from *to* until bag reached height you prefer.Once you have reached the height you want finish off by cutting and pulling off a long tail thru the last stitch. Fold the completed work (with tails still loose) in half and using the long tails sew together the sides and bottom of bag. Weave in ends and finish off. 

 

You will notice the sides look rough, but, this will be the inside of the bag so it wont be seen.

Next, the straps, now I want to start by saying I wish I would have done these a little wider but never making a pocket book before I learned. It will work for now and if I need to I can strengthen them by working in more later. Anyhow, this is what I did, I chained 80, turned and in 3rd chain from hook double crochet in each chain across. Finish off. Make 2 of these. NOW, what I would suggest because if the one receiving this gift is anything like my Annabelle, they will want to put EVERYTHING in it, including the heaviest toy they can find. So, I suggest doing another row of double crochet and then a third row of only single crochet.

This is the needle I was referring to above.

Next, using the 2 tails you should have from the end of the strap sew in to the body of the bag about an inch from the end (the bag still needs to be inside out so you aren't making any work seen on the outside of the bag). Making sure the strap is straight line up the other end about an inch from the other end of bag (same side of the bag) and use a strand of yarn about 6 inches long to sew this end of the strap in. Repeat on the other side of the bag.

Then the fun part, the KITTY! Now, depending on what is easiest for you to work you may want to turn the bag right side out for this part so you can see where it is laying on the bag easier. That is what I did, I found it easier. Using the long tails you left loose on the kitty sew in to the bag centered the best you can. When I got to the bow part I just made sure to go in to the back of the stitches to work into the bag so that the white yarn wouldn't be seen in front.

 

Now, this is my first tutorial so I could have very easily left something out. Please comment and let me know what you think or if you have any questions. This was so fun to make and even more fun to finish to see her face and excitement when she got it (she just woke up from her nap so got to love the bed hair:). She takes it everywhere now.

Crafting and Cooking. The story of my week.

Last week I had a blast, I got to try some things in the kitchen I've been wanting to try, I was able to craft some new crochet projects and I also got some great quality time with my niece, nephew and sister in law. Here is a look at my week, my latest projects (the successes and the failures as well), enjoy and maybe you can take something from this and enjoy some new ideas with your family. Oh, and I'll be sharing the recipe that worked soon so keep an eye out!

Well, here goes, I want to start with my favorite, I think, I can't really decide this week was so much fun. This was my daughters favorite too though by a long shot, HEALTHY cheese crackers, she helped make them and was so excited as they came out of the oven. Cheese crackers are most definitely a favorite with most kids, especially mine. These have very few ingredients including grated carrots that create a great filler and integrate vegi's into a wonderful kids snack. The recipe will be up soon so check it out, they are GREAT!

The first thing I tried was homemade gummy candies for my daughter since she loves them so, I was so excited about this, it is healthier and cheaper. Juice, gelatin, just some simple ingredients. Well, this I will say was in fact the project that FAILED this week. Not that I'm giving up, I'll be finding a recipe that works and hope to soon but they were gooey and sticky, my daughter is quite the prissy little thing so anything that makes her hands dirty she doesn't like to touch. Also tried with my son, since he doesn't care if he gets messy and he didn't like it. I don't know why but it just didn't work, hopefully the next attempt will!

 

The next thing I want to share is homemade Velveeta, (this recipe will also be up on the blog soon) my husband LOVES Velveeta cheese dip, but have you bought that stuff lately? It is HIGH, seems like the prices keep going up and up! Well, this was something extremely fun for me, not only does it give my husband something he really likes for a little cheaper and to us an even better flavor but, it is much healthier too, no preservatives all real ingredients! 

Apparently I didn't take a picture of the finished product, sorry!

Next, I crocheted a really cute bow holder for my niece for her birthday to go with some bows I had crocheted for her. See, I have been doing so many different projects, including a hello kitty hair bow I made for my daughter who is slowly becoming a great fan of all hello kitty products. My grandmother taught me how to crochet when I was younger and I regret not taking more of an interest until lately, see, I have gotten pretty good at this and enjoy making things without patterns and with them. This bow holder that I didn't have a pattern for turned out really well and I hope to get it pinned down to stitch numbers and all so I can post the pattern soon as well as the bows that are on it.

 

And, last but not least, although I enjoyed all my new experiments with crafting and cooking, this picture below sums up the greatness of my week last week. My daughter, niece and nephew were all so tired from playing together that they actually decided to tell us "night night" and go pretend to sleep in my daughters room. They weren't actually sleeping but they were so sweet together and such a joy to be able to watch them together, if only my son was in this picture too! 

Left daughter Annabelle, Middle Luke, Right Julia