Patterns

Where have you been, dude?

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Dude, where have you been?

Wow, over two years since I’ve posted… I’ve been paying to keep my domain, and with each renewal I’ve thought, “Oh yeah, I should start writing again.” But, alas.

A lot has happened since I posted last! Too much for one post. WAY too much for one post. But the plan is to slowly unfold the last two years, and get back into the swing of this Crochet-Hooker thing. To start, I’ve created a Facebook page at the urging of my lovely husband (Oh, yeah, I got married within the last two years! See? I told you I would slowly unfold what I haven’t been sharing.) And will soon launch that once I get some photos put together and whatnot.

For now, here’s my latest creation feat. Dixie. An old friend from Michigan reached out and asked if I could make two LEGO blankets for his sons. SHYEAH! I was super pumped at the prospect, and they were a breeze to make. I had to write my own pattern, because I couldn’t find one that made the dimensions I needed. So I did what I do best — I improvised. Click here for that pattern. The blankets were shipped off and delivered just in time for Christmas.

LEGO Blanket

That’s it for now. Merry Christmas, friends!

Jenna

Snow in Texas!

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Just kidding, it’s not really snowing in Texas.

I’m a little depressed about the lack of snowflakes down here. I figured I would be the happiest person on Earth to have a Winter without snow.

Wrong.

Surprisingly, I’m kind of sad I won’t have any snow. I love to see it falling from the sky! I turn into a little kid and say “ooooooooooooooooo.” It’s pretty when it first comes down, but then the day after a snowfall when it turns all gray and mushy, I’m all “Go home, snow, you’re ugly.”

Anyway, I’m trying to put together a Think Tank installation at the library to replace my current “Letters to Santa” room. Matt, Dixie and I are going home to Chicago on Saturday (hey, I might see some snow!) and won’t be here to disassemble the letters to Santa room after Christmas. I figured why not bring some snow to Texas! I’ve started prepping a Snowflake Creation Station that a co-worker can toss  in there until I get back =D. Not everyone knows how to make paper snowflakes, so I want to have simple instructions easy enough for anyone to follow. Who would have thought it would be nearly impossible to find simple, drawn instructions on how to make paper snowflakes?! I got fed up, and did what any good DIY’er would do.. Made my own.

So, here’s a PDF of my instructions which I drew out in Photoshop. Don’t hate on my artistic ability. I ran it by a few fellow librarians and the instructions seem comprehensive enough. Feel free to use them to your heart’s content! All I ask is that you let me know how your snowflakes turn out!

Download Snowflake Instructions PDF

Enjoy!

Jenna

Baby Blackhawks Gear!

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My fingers have been very busy now that I have so much more free time on my hands! Check out one of the items I’m selling made to order. Any Chicago Blackhawks fans out there?

The pattern for the helmet can be found here and the booties are just a regular bootie with an improvised skate.  I’ll just give you an empty promise of a future pattern 😉

Check out how great my friend’s baby (future Patrick Sharp perhaps??) looks in his helmet and skates!

JCH_9824JCH_9817photo 2

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I made a pattern?

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If you know me (aka read my personal info) you would know that I don’t always follow patterns. In fact, I kind of suck at following patterns.  So what I usually do is improvise, tear apart, improvise some more and then another couple of rounds of tearing apart and improvising.  But lately I’ve found how useful patterns are, especially when making booties. I just can’t seem to get the hang of those things!

I’ve had a couple of requests for a pattern for my leg warmers. But each time I’ve made them, I never took good enough notes to make a pattern from it. Ooops. So what I’ve decided is to finally start keeping track of my most popular items and writing down a pattern. So yes, the title of this post is true.. I wrote a pattern! The school librarian I’m working with right now asked if I could teach her how to make my coffee mug cozy so she could use it for a Christmas craft program with her high schoolers.  Being the over achiever I am, I even offered to write a pattern for her.  Though I shouldn’t give myself a bruise patting myself on the back, because, hey, this pattern is ridiculously easy. Like, REALLY easy. Easy.

So I would like to call on my pals to test it out before I publish it to Ravelry or anything.. Could you fine folks do that for me? I’m attaching it for the low low cost of $0, and I would LOVE for ya’ll to give it a try and let me know if I need to make any changes. Tear it apart, add to it, tell me to never make another pattern because I’m just that horrible. But any feedback would be much appreciated! Just leave your comments on this post so I can know how to make the pattern that much better =)

Thank you!!!

Crochet Coffee Mug Cozy Pattern

Jenna