Pee-wee for Wildfire Victims

Just a quick post to let you all know I’m selling a Pee-wee Herman doll on ebay to benefit the victims of the recent central Texas wildfires. I live in Austin, just about 30 minutes away from where there has been a LOT of devastation, and I wanted to find a way to help out. All proceeds after listing fees will be donated to the Central Texas Wildfire Fund, so please check out that charity if you aren’t able to bid. Thanks for visiting and if you know anyone who would like a Pee-wee, please direct him or her to my auction. Click on Pee-wee to check it out!

*The auction ENDS on Wednesday, September 21st in the afternoon, so please place your bids soon!

Help me help Central Texas!

For the ultimate girly-girl

My niece just turned 9. Besides a Build-a-bear (which Grandma already got her) and a cotton candy machine (which I thrifted for $7.99 at Thrift Land here in Austin–woohoo!), there wasn’t too much she’d asked for. That’s where the handmade stuff comes in! Sacrifice a little time, some materials you already have (and BOY do I have some materials!), and you’ll give a gift that will be cherished for years to come!

I have three boys. I do not get to buy stuff with hearts, rainbows or fluffy clouds. I went all out on finally getting to make a super-girly accessory. Browsing Ravelry I’d seen several rainbow scarves. They were all basically the same so I just winged it. I got out a rainbow of similar-weighted yarn, all washable acrylics, and got to work.

Here’s a simple tutorial if you’d like to make your own!

Rainbow! Hearts! Fluffy Clouds!

Rainbow Scarf:

Materials:
Worsted weight yarns (any number of colors)
Fluffy white yarn (for clouds)– I used Baby Bee “Lambie Pie” from Hobby Lobby
Pink worsted weight yarn (for heart)

Tools:
Size G crochet hook
Yarn needle

Scarf:
Ch between 152 and 252 ch (depending on child’s –or adult’s– height).
R1: Dc into 3rd ch from hook and each subsequent ch. Change colors on the last stitch, using the new color to complete the stitch.
R2: Ch 2, turn. Dc into each st.
Repeat R2 until you have finished all the colors of your rainbow. Weave in ends.

Clouds (make 10):
With white fluffy yarn, make an adjustable ring and ch 1. Sc 6 into ring and pull closed.
R1: 2 Sc into each st (12)
R2: (2 sc into next st, sc into next st)* rep to end of round (18)
R3: (2 sc into next st, sc into next 2 st)* rep to end of round (24)
R4: (2 sc into next st, sc into next 7 st)* rep to end of round (27)
Fasten off and leave tails.
Using the yarn needle, overlap five of the circles to make a fluffy cloud shape. Sew them together with the yarn tails. Sew the assembled cloud to one side of the scarf end. Flip cloud over and sew the remaining circles to the back of the cloud, lining them up. You may lightly stuff the cloud if desired. Weave in ends.

Heart (make 2):
Refer to THIS pattern to make big pink hearts. Thanks Red Heart and fabulous designers!
Sandwich the hearts together and stitch the bottom halves together. Insert the end of the scarf and continue stitching them together through the scarf. Weave in ends.

Maybe I’ll keep it…?

Just in time to make several for Christmas! Am I right?

Free Pattern Friday! Ms. Pac-man

Happy Friday! I love Friday before a long weekend! Labor Day is Monday, everyone can sleep in, there’s lots going on and I should be getting a lot of crochet time in too!

This month’s free pattern is inspired by the recent SUPER iam8bit show in LA. When I was little, the arcade on the square (yes, I’m from a really small town) had Ms. Pac-man. I always wished the in-game Ms. Pac-man more closely resembled the voluptuous technicolor creature painted on the side of the game console. The round yellow ball with a red bow on one side was just a tiny bit less realistic.

Ms. Pac-Man
Here’s what you’ll need:


Materials:
Worsted weight yarn (yellow, red and black)
Black felt
Polyester fiberfill


Tools:
Size E crochet hook (or your favorite size)
Yarn needle
Embroidery needle
Craft glue

Key: 
ch: chain 
sc: single crochet 
sl st: slip stitch 


Body: 
R1: With E hook and yellow yarn, make and adjustable ring. Ch 1, and sc 6 into the ring. Pull ring closed.
R2: Work 2 sc into each st around (12)
R3: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next st)* rep to end of the round (18)
R4: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 2 st)* rep to end of round (24)
R5: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 3 st)* rep to end of round (30)
R6: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 4 st)* rep to end of round (36)
R7-8: Sc into each st around (36)
R9: Sc into next 18 st, sl st into remaining 18 st (36)
R10: Repeat R9
R11: Ch 18, skip next 18 st, sc into next 18 st (18)
R12: Sc into next 18 ch, sc into next 18 st (36)
R13: Sc into each st (36)
R14: (Sc2tog, sc into next 4 st)* rep to end of round (30)
R15: (Sc2tog, sc into next 3 st)* rep to end of round (24)R16: (Sc2tog, sc into next 2 st)* rep to end of round (18)
R17: (Sc2tog, sc into next st)* rep to end of round (12)
R18: Sc2tog around (6)
Fasten off yarn with a slip stitch. Cut yarn tail and weave into last row of stitches, pulling tightly. Set the body aside.


Mouth (Make 2)
R1: With black yarn, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, sc 3 into the ring, and pull closed (3)
R2: Ch 1, turn. 2 Sc into each st (6)
R3: Ch 1, turn. (2 Sc into next st, sc into next st)* rep across row (9)
R4: Ch 1, turn. (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 2 st)* rep across row (12)
R5: Ch 1, turn. (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 3 st)* rep across row (15)
R6: Ch 1, turn. (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 4 st)* rep across row (18)


After making the two mouth pieces, you will have two semicircles. Seam them together to make one larger circle. 
Sew the seamed black mouth insert into the opening of the body. Stuff as you close up the last few stitches. 
Cut two small circles (about the size of a pencil eraser) from black felt. Cut two eyelash pieces from black felt. They should be shaped as shown in the photo. Glue the eyelash pieces to the back of each eye, then glue the assembled eye to each side of the body. 
Embroider lips onto the body. Starting in the middle of the mouth opening, make several long stitches going to the left and the right. Repeat for the bottom lip.
Use black yarn to embroider a beauty mark on one side of the body. A French knot will make quick work of this.

Red Bow Tie:
With red yarn, ch 4.
R1: Sc into 2nd ch from hook and each ch across, ch 1, turn (3)
R2: Sc2tog, sc into next st, ch 1, turn (2)
R3: Sc into each st, ch 1, turn (2)
R4: Sc2tog, ch 1, turn (1)
R5: 2 Sc into next st, ch 1, turn (2)
R6: 2 Sc into next st, sc into next st, ch 1, turn (3)
R7: Sc into each st, fasten off, leaving a long tail (3)
Weave long tail through to middle of bowtie. Wrap center of bowtie with yarn tail and then weave tail back into bowtie. Use the yarn tail to sew the bowtie to body. Weave starting tail through bowtie and hide within body. 

Cute, right? You want to PLAY Ms. Pac-man? Here you go!