Craft. Crochet. Create.
Learn how to make this adorable southwestern-style crochet serape lovey, featuring a cute crochet coyote on top! The pattern is worked with Red Heart Baby Hugs, a soft, squishy yarn designed specifically for babies. Also included is a full video tutorial and a FREE crochet pattern PDF download, courtesy of Red Heart, who has graciously sponsored this post. The post also contains affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!
Do you lose your crojo (crochet mojo) a bit in the summer? I admit I do a bit. Summertime is my jam! I want to be outside, playing in the sun, digging in my garden, repainting furniture, sipping drinks and a million other things. When evening comes, I am not super interested in sitting under my large WIP crochet blanket. I have a feeling there are a few of you who are with me. But don’t worry, I got you! In this post are 16 fun summer crochet projects that are perfect for your summer crochet bucket list. Which one are you going to try first?
I have been meaning to rework my Baby Crochet Moccasins for a while now. In fact, this is the second time I have reworked them (the original post is here). I just couldn’t get it right. They fall flat on Facebook and Pinterest and I knew they needed some sort of fix. I inquired about how to make them better in my Facebook group (and in my newsletter) and I got a lot of really great suggestions. If you gave me some ideas, thank you very much! Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest through the trees. Quite frankly, these Oka Crochet Moccasins turned out compelely different than the original, but hopefully they will be something that you will swoon over ;)
My Crochet Snowfall hat is one of my very favorite crochet hats! This one and of course, my buffalo plaid slouchy are so fun to make and super cute to wear. It’s fun doing that little bit of fair isle color work, and the finished crochet hat is so pretty. I hope you aren’t intimidated by the color work because it’s not difficult to do! When you watch the video tutorial, you will see it’s not as hard as it looks, and I think you will be totally hooked (pun intended)! I followed up the hat with a snowfall mitten pattern, but due to the popularity of this hat, I decided to write more sizes.
This post is sponsored by Red Heart Yarns. All opinions and ideas are 100% my own. Thanks for supporting Whistle and Ivy!
I truly feel that inspiration is everywhere if you look for it. The inspiration for this cute crochet fox hat came to me in a picture book we found at the library several months ago (I sadly can’t even remember what it was). It’s interesting to see how an idea can take on a mind of its own. I am so happy that I stumbled on the inspiration for this Crochet Plaid Fox Hat and how adorable it turned out. I made one for me and of course I don’t look nearly as cute wearing it as The Boy does wearing his (for obvious reasons). I chose Red Heart with Love for this project and the colors are absolutely perfect. This hat is so soft and squishy!
This post is brought to you by Lion Brand Yarn. All opinions and ideas are 100% my own. Thank you Lion Brand for making this post possible!
Welcome to Plaid Week 2017! I have been working like crazy to get these patterns designed and polished for you, so I hope you have tons of fun this week. This free crochet pattern was made possible by Lion Brand Yarn, so if you can, quickly jump over and give them a shout out on Facebook or Twitter to let them know you appreciate them! We are kicking of Plaid Week with this adorable Crochet Plaid Baby Cocoon Set. Isn’t it so sweet? Now I just need a newborn to model it for me ;)
This post is sponsored by DMC. All opinions are 100% my own. Click here for more information. Thank you for supporting Whistle and Ivy!
I hope those of you who celebrated this week had a lovely Canada Day and Fourth of July! My kids are so funny, they preferred running around with friends to sitting and watching the fireworks. I’m not sure either one really watched them. I guess everyday glow sticks are more fun than giant explosions of colored fire in the sky (go figure). Regardless, a good time was had by all. I spent some of my downtime this week working on this adorable Crochet Petal Princess Set. Aren’t the colors perfect? I think I am really crushing on Peach this summer. And of course gray. Always gray.
Ugh. Being sick in the spring is no fun. I was finally starting to feel better on Monday and then I woke up Tuesday with a raw throat and scratchy voice. Round two. Growing up, my mom was never sick. I don’t remember once single time. I remember thinking as a kid that moms innately never get sick, like an awesome super power. Wouldn’t that be nice?! I was determined to get these Crochet Baby Loafers published anyway, and I am hoping my plugged-nose voice in the video tutorial isn’t too annoying. These cute little shoes are the baby version of my Women’s Loafer Slippers, so be sure to make yourself a pair too!
Wonderland Blocks is a guest post written by Abbey from The Firefly Hook. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
These blocks make a sweet toy for baby. Light enough to be stacked or thrown, these soft playthings are safe for little ones and add charm to any nursery. Place a jingle bell or sound maker in the interior for a playful noisemaker!
Get the FREE PDF here:
Favorite or queue on Ravelry here.
The Wonderland Blocks pattern is one of seven designs included in the latest eBook by The Firefly Hook:
You can purchase the entire 35 page eBook for $10.50 on Ravelry and Etsy.
Single patterns are on sale at The Firefly Hook’s Etsy shop.
The Rock-a-bye-baby Bunting is a guest post written by Abbey from The Firefly Hook. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
Sweetly festive and as colorful as you choose to make it, this bunting looks like a celebration and this superwash wool launders beautifully. You can pull it out every year for party decorations or crochet it in the colors of baby’s room and leave it up for whimsical décor.
Get the FREE PDF here:
Favorite or queue on Ravelry here.
The Rock-a-bye-baby Bunting is one of seven designs included in the latest eBook by The Firefly Hook:
You can purchase the entire 35 page eBook for $10.50 on Ravelry and Etsy.
Single patterns are on sale at The Firefly Hook’s Etsy shop.
I haven’t done booties in a while. They are rather time consuming and can be frustrating to design. The break from booties has been really nice; so nice that I actually enjoyed making these crochet baby loafer booties! They resemble these Women Loafer Slippers (my first slipper design) and even when I designed them a few years ago I planned on making sizing for the whole family.
I am a bit behind…
But today I bring you loafer booties for baby!
What you need: (affiliates)
G hook (or hook to meet the gauge)
Medium Weight Yarn (Mighty Stitch in Oyster, Cotton Candy and Mint)
Darning Needle
Be sure to share your beautiful version in the group>>>
Like these crochet loafer booties? Subscribe!
(and get a free gift!)
You may also like these FREE patterns:
Cheers!
Happy midweek everyone! The snow in our area has been pretty awesome. Not only does it warm the air a bit, it’s very fun to play in (not so fun to drive in). The kids are fascinated as things in the yard disappear under a soft, white blanket. The cold calls for new hats! This particular hat was a request from The Boy. I am never sure if he really wants thing he requests because he changes his mind A LOT. This plush octopus and his baby brother are both things he loved, but he changed his mind about these Snowfall mittens. This Kid’s Crochet Robot Hat was a such a fun idea, however, that I wanted to give it a try!
Like this Kid’s Robot Hat? Subscribe!
(and get a free gift!)
You may also like these FREE patterns:
Cheers!
I hope you all have been enjoying your pre-holiday festivities. This is one of my worst years as far as preparation goes. I. AM. A. MESS. Luckily my husband has been on the ball with practically everything. I am so blessed to have him. So even though I am behind on everything, I promised many of you that I would have a Toddler Plaid Trapper Hat crochet pattern on the blog this week and I came through! You can find a version for babies here and a version for adults here.
Today’s project is probably my most favorite. The brilliant idea to add plaid to my Baby Trapper Hat was sent to me by a very clever reader, Brandi! I love the idea so much, and I love EVEN MORE how adorable they turned out. Seriously, this crochet baby plaid trapper hat is SO CUTE. I have a nephew coming soon, and it even though his due date is a ways away, I have one of these tucked away especially for him.
The past 2 weeks have changed me. If you are a newsletter subscriber or follow me on Instagram, you know my son was in a terrible accident on Labor Day. It seems like a year ago. Time is skewed and distorted. There have been a handful of times in my life when I felt scared for my own safety. Those feelings pale in comparison to the fear I felt for my son; I would willingly die if it secured safety for my son, without even blinking, without even thinking. As I threw items into a bag for our hospital stay, I knew I needed my crochet. I needed to keep my mind out of very dark corners and places. With agony and grief, I threw a project in my bag that I have been casually working on for a while, a project that my son had been asking for a few a months. He really wanted a baby to go with his Plushy Octopus he named Octsock. Though I fully intended to finish it for him, it never seemed as important as other things that needed to be done. My heart broke as I thought about all the other things that came before this little crochet baby octopus, symbolizing all the things in my life that I was putting before my son. What I wouldn’t give to turn back time.
The Occasional Cowl pattern is a guest post written by Abbey from The Firefly Hook. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
I live in a lovely little lake town in rural Minnesota.
It’s cute.
Really, really cute.
The downtown is cozied up to the lake shore and nestled between two major highways. (And by that I mean they’re “major” for the country roads west of the big cities!)
There are big box stores strung along the highway, but just a few blocks south of the bustle is where all the magic happens.
Coffee shops, local shopping, the library, the little theater and… my favorite… the neighborhood yarn shop.
I’m a yarn snob, okay?
Don’t judge me.
I love wool. Beautiful, soft wool. Blends of fibers and combos that make me swoon. And I know local yarn shops have the goods. I have to show restraint!
My little town is also full of occasional shops.
I had never heard of them before moving here so let me explain what they are. I’ll give you my definition, but know others may explain it differently.
I think of them as awesome garage sales: almost like a pop up-restaurant for sweet finds. No junk. No dirt. No strange smell. People pricing the items actually know their value.
Vintage finds are speckled throughout each store.
Do-it-yourself and Pinterest projects finished and ready for you to display proudly in your home (without the tears).
Feel what I’m feeling?
Yeah.
So, imagine my delight when I stumbled upon locally handspun wool & silk yarn at one such shop.
Joy. Delight.
I wanted to buy it all.
Now.
But since my dear friend (who is also my photographer and business partner and one to whom I refer as the string to my kite since she is a bit more calculated and logical in her decisions) was with me, I couldn’t buy them all.
(Fine. I could have. I’m a grown woman. But it may have caused the friendship schism of 2016 had I filled my arms with yarn and marched to the check-out.)
I had to have a plan.
So I chose one skein for each of my kids. The string to my kite approved. Schism averted.
Enter these three lovely skeins:
Each skein perfectly reflects each of their personalities.
Benjamin is my eldest and “his color” has been orange since he was born. It’s bright and bold, just like his kind heart. If being a good friend could be a super-power, it would be his.
Naphtali is my pickle in the middle (and kindred spirit since I also grew up in the middle). He is serious and focused and seems to blend in until you get a little closer and then, like the yarn I chose for him, you can see the rich, regal colors of his heart.
While Benjamin is a lot like Daddy and Naphtali is a lot like Mommy, we call Iva our “Sparkle Fairy Princess” since everything she does is filled with glitter and performed in a sweet theatrical fashion. She is filled to the brim with pure joy, so soft pinks and pastels made the perfect yarn color choice.
When I got home with my treasures, the skeins practically jumped onto my crochet hook and begged to be turned into cowls. I wanted to design something flexible enough to work with any yarn and hook combo so you all can go find a yarn treasure and replicate the pattern.
So here’s a cowl in honor of the occasional shops and the joy of finding a perfect gift:
The Occasional Cowl
Materials: Bulky yarn (ounces needed per size indicated below)
Hook: 8 mm
Gauge: 11 sts and 12 rows = 4” in sc
Sizes, completed dimensions (lying flat, width x height) and ounces of yarn needed:
1 – 3 years 9.5” x 8” 3 oz
4 – 6 years 10” x 10” 3.25 oz
7 – 12 years 10.5” x 11” 4 oz
Teen/Adult 11” x 13” 5 oz
Skill level: Beginner
Necessary Skills: single crochet, working in a tube
Abbreviations:
ch—chain
rep—repeat
rnd—round
sc—single crochet
sl st—slip stitch
st—stitch
Notes:
Rnds worked in a spiral, do not connect rnds.
How to replicate with any yarn/hook combo: If your yarn doesn’t have a suggested hook size, you can find the right hook for your yarn by placing the yarn inside the crook of the hook and choose the hook that the yarn fills completely without popping out of the crook too much; chain the number of chains to get the desired width of the specific size you want and follow the rest of the pattern exactly from rnd 1.
Pattern:
Ch 52 (58, 62, 65) sl st in first ch to connect ch (careful not to twist ch).
Rnd 1: Sc in each ch around.
Rnd 2: Working in the back loop of the st, sc in each st around. (52, 58, 62, 65 sc)
Rnds 3 – end: Rep rnd 2 until cowl measures desired height/size, do not finish off.
To finish: Sl st in each st around, finish off.
To wear:
Iva (pink cowl) is wearing her cowl with the right side facing. This shows the loops left from the back loop single crochet stitches. (See photo below.)
Benjamin and Naphtali are wearing theirs with the wrong side facing. This shows off the little curly nubs from the other side of the back loop single crochet stitches. This is how I envisioned the cowl being worn. (See photo below.)
Abbey Swanson is a crochet designer and teacher of The Firefly Hook.
You can see more of her work over on her website: thefireflyhook.com
If you live near Minneapolis, MN you can find all the classes Abbey has to offer in your area on her facebook page!
Favorite or queue on Ravelry here.
It’s really nice when the baby outgrows the diaper bag. I won’t lie, I hate carrying that big thing around. It’s obviously essential when the baby is small and you need everything except the kitchen sink to run to the grocery store. However, once I switched over to a smaller bag, I noticed another problem: mashed diapers. I don’t know why this bugs me so much, but when I put a flat, crisp diaper in my bag, and pull out a mashed, matted diaper only hours later (that can NOT be re-flattened) I get super annoyed. This happened, of course, with my first which is why I made myself a crochet diaper pouch to carry my crisp, fresh-from-the-package diapers in my not-diaper bag.
Unfortunately, the first one never made it on the blog. I am not quite sure why not, but I was looking through a folder on my computer labeled “Working on Patterns” and found it! I had lost my original diaper pouch, so I was happy to find the pattern and make another one.
Warm weather is finally in full swing here, and we have been outside enjoying the beautiful weather. My peas, carrots, onions and broccoli have all made an appearance in my garden, so I am hoping everything will continue to go smoothly on that front. Last night I was looking at my yarn stash brainstorming patriotic ideas, and I thought of my Baby Strap Flip Flops. I thought maybe they would be cute in patriotic colors…and they are! Show off your American pride (or use your country’s colors!) with these Patriotic Baby Flip Flops.
Learn to make this adorable crochet baby blanket in the cute Puppy Love Stitch! This pretty stitch resembles adorable little hearts. The look is easy to achieve and is done in simple rows. Get the free crochet pattern for this cute heart crochet baby blanket! The post contains affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
The Boy has been feeling neglected in the crochet arena. He has been asking me to make him something, but I admit I was hesitant. I have made him a few thing before: Muno, a stuffed Sea Turtle and this Button Trapper Hat. However, I completely take it personal when he doesn’t treat these handmade items with the utmost care and respect. You would think my 4-year-old could appreciate the art and work that goes into any crocheted creation (maybe I am asking too much?).
I guess I decided to get over it…kinda. He is a child, after all. I decided to make him one of his requests, a plush crochet octopus amigurumi (not his exact words).
I am not an advanced toymaker by any stretch of the imagination, so this octopus is made very simply with simple construction, so I think anyone can do it.
Social media can be so awesome.
Star Wars Day, May the 4th,( be with you) is an awesome pun that was starting in the UK in 1979 (you guys are so punny!), but due to social media has become a globally observed holiday.
One of these years I am going to go all out; I will plan a party, have a movie marathon in the backyard, and make lots of themed snacks and desserts. I swear I will share every detail with you.
But for this year, I went small and made this adorable crochet Yoda amigurumi.
This post contains affiliate links –I earn a small commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for supporting Whistle and Ivy!
Sis is getting SO big. This morning she grabbed a large pink comb from a bathroom drawer as I was blowdrying my hair and starting combing her wispy curls. I stared at her, realizing my baby is now a fiercely independent toddler. And it happened in a blink of an eye. As I was looking through some photos from last year, I found some patterns that didn’t get published. I simply ran out of summer! These adorable Crochet Tassel Barefoot Sandals are SO cute. And now I get to reminisce about last summer, when my baby was still a baby and she would sit in her Bumbo seat while I took pictures of her chubby little toes.
You know how I feel about quick projects! These adorable sandals do not disappoint. If you are wanting a baby project that literally take MINUTES, this one is for you. They only take a few feet of yarn, so they are a perfect stash-busting project, and I think they would sell great at summer markets and fairs.
This post contains affiliate links(click here for more info), which means I earn a small commission should you make a purchase. Thanks for supporting Whistle and Ivy!
Happy Saturday everyone! Today’s pattern has been a long-time coming. I have been working on this Baby Boardwalk Slip-Ons crochet pattern here and there for over a year. I am terrible with time management, and other things always seemed more important. With some encouragement from my extremely supportive husband, (and some tremendous help from my awesome pattern testers!) I was able to meet a goal and get the pattern finished this month. It has definitely been a labor of love, and I am pleased with how they turned out. I really wanted to create a cute bootie pattern that could be used for boys and girls, and I think this one fits the bill. Sis wears hers all around, and I love how they look on her.
