Shake Your Shaker!

I can't take credit for this cute little shaker. One of my sons' friends has one and I decided to make a couple for my sons.

Materials:
-empty can with a removable lid (I used a small container of Planter's peanuts)
-beads (or anything else that will make a noise when you shake it)
-1/4 yard fur fabric
-1/4 yard felt (in same color as fur fabric)
-glue gun
-glue sticks
-googly eyes

First, I washed and dried the empty peanut can, filled it with beads and hot glued the lid onto it. I didn't want to fill the shaker with rice because that seemed a little unsanitary to me. Does rice mold? I'm not sure, but I don't want to find out.

Then, I cut out 2 circles from the felt that were about 1" in diameter larger than the top of my can. I hot glued one felt circle to the top of the can, folding any excess felt over the side of the can and hot gluing it into place. I repeated this process on the bottom of the can.

Next, I cut out a piece of fur that was about 2" taller than the can and about 1" longer than I needed to wrap it around the can. Warning: the fur fabric will really shed if you have any unfinished edges. I laid the piece of fur on the table and centered the can over it. I folded over the edges about 1" on the top and bottom (so that the fur would be exactly as tall as the can) and hot glued the "hem" in place. Then I wrapped the fur around the can, hot gluing it to the can as I wrapped it around, folded over the excess fur and "hemmed" it using hot glue. I hot glued on the googly eyes and viola -- you have a shaker!

Free Crochet Pattern: Heart Shaped Cookies

This adorable little pattern was available in my Etsy shop prior to Valentines Day. Now that Valentines Day has past, I decided to save $.20 and not relist this pattern on Etsy but share it on my blog instead.

These cookies work up quickly. I hope you enjoy them :)

Materials:
Worsted weight yarn in beige, pink, white and red
Crochet hook size E
Crochet hook size H
Yarn needle

Abbreviations:
Double crochet (dc)
Half double crochet (hdc)
Single crochet (sc)
Slip stitch (sl st)
Triple crochet (tc)

Cookie:
Side 1:
With beige yarn and a size H hook
Rnd 1: 7 sc into a double loop start and pull the loop closed (7).
Rnd 2: sc/hdc/dc in next sc, 2tc/dc in next sc, hdc/2sc in next sc, hdc/2tc in next sc, hdc/2sc in next sc, hdc/dc/tc in next sc, tc/dc/hdc in next sc (21).
Rnd 3: sc in next two stitches, 2 hdc in next 2 stitches, sc in next 14 stitches, 2 hdc in next 2 stitches, sc in next stitch, sl st in last stitch.
Finish off. Decorate Side 1 with frosting using the pattern below.
Side 2:
With beige yarn and a size H hook
Rnd 1: 7 sc into a double loop start and pull the loop closed (7).
Rnd 2: sc/hdc/dc in next sc, 2tc/dc in next sc, hdc/2sc in next sc, hdc/2tc in next sc, hdc/2sc in next sc, hdc/dc/tc in next sc, tc/dc/hdc in next sc (21).
Rnd 3: sc in next two stitches, 2 hdc in next 2 stitches, sc in next 14 stitches, 2 hdc in next 2 stitches, sc in next stitch, sl st in last stitch.
Finish off leaving a 12" tail for sewing. With wrong sides facing, Sew Rnd 3 of Side 1 to Rnd 3 of Side 2. Weave in ends.

Icing:
With red, pink or white yarn and a size E hook
Rnd 1: 7 sc into a double loop start and pull the loop closed (7).
Rnd 2: sc/hdc/dc in next sc, 2tc/dc in next sc, hdc/2sc in next sc, hdc/2tc in next sc, hdc/2sc in next sc, hdc/dc/tc in next sc, tc/dc/hdc in next sc (21).
Rnd 3: sc in next two stitches, 2 hdc in next 2 stitches, sc in next 14 stitches, 2 hdc in next 2 stitches, sc in next stitch, sl st in last stitch.
Finish off leaving a 12" tail for sewing. Sew icing to Side 1. Weave in ends.

Free Crochet Pattern: Rocket Ship

I haven't blogged in a long time, but I decided to add a free pattern that has been available in my etsy shop for some time now. Here it is. I hope you enjoy it!

Materials:
Worsted weight yarn in light grey, white, blue, lime green, black, red and orange
Crochet hook size E/4
Polyester stuffing
Yarn needle

Abbreviations:
Chain (ch)
Single crochet (sc)
Single crochet together/ decrease (sc2tog)
Slip stitch (sl st)

Rocket ship is worked in the round starting at the bottom and working up to the nose.
With light grey yarn
Rnd 1: 6 sc into a double loop start and pull the loop closed (6).
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around (12).
Rnd 3: [Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times (18).
Rnd 4: [Sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times (24).
Rnd 5: [Sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times (30).
Rnd 6: [Sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times (36).
Rnd 7: [Sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times (42).
Rnd 8: working in back loops only, sc in each sc around (42).
Rnds 9-13: sc in each sc around (42).
Switch to white yarn
Rnds 14-28: sc in each sc around (42).
Switch to light grey yarn
Rnd 29: [Sc in next 5 sc, sc2tog] 6 times (36).
Rnd 30: sc in each sc around (36).
Rnd 31: [Sc in next 4 sc, sc2tog] 6 times (30).
Rnd 32: sc in each sc around (30).
Rnd 33: [Sc in next 3 sc, sc2tog] 6 times (24).
Rnd 34: sc in each sc around (24).
Rnd 35: [Sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog] 6 times (18).
Rnd 36: sc in each sc around (18). Stuff rocket with polyfil. From this point on continue to stuff as you go.
Rnd 37: [Sc in next sc, sc2tog] 6 times (12).
Rnd 38: [sc2tog] 6 times (6).
Rnd 39: [sc2tog] 3 times (3).
Finish off leaving an 8" tail. Weave tail through remaining 3 stitches and pull up firmly to close the hole. Weave in ends.

Wings: make 3
Side 1:
With blue yarn
ch 9
Row 1: sc in 2nd chain from hook and in each ch across, ch 1, turn (8).
Row 2: sc in next 6 sc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn (7).
Row 3: sc2tog, sc in next 5 sc, ch 1, turn (6).
Row 4: sc in next 4 sc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn (5).
Row 5: sc2tog, sc in next 3 sc, ch 1, turn (4).
Row 6: sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn (3).
Row 7: sc2tog, sc in next sc, ch 1, turn (2).
Row 8: sc2tog (1).
Finish off.
Side 2:
With blue yarn follow the pattern above for Side 1 but do not finish off at the end. With wrong sides facing, continue to sl st Side 1 to Side 2 leaving a small opening to lightly stuff the wing with a small amount of stuffing. Continue to sl st together. Finish off leaving a 12" tail for sewing. Using the tail you finished with and a yarn needle, sew the flat edge of the wing to the rocket between Rnds 8 and 16. Repeat for the other two wings.

Windows: make 2
With lime green yarn
Rnd 1: 6 sc into a double loop start and pull the loop closed (6).
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around (12).
Finish off leaving a 12" tail for sewing. Using a yarn needle, sew a window to the rocket between Rnds 19 and 23 and lined up with the center wing. Sew the other window to the rocket between Rnds 26-30 and lined up with the first window.

Blasters: make 3
With black yarn
Rnd 1: 6 sc into a double loop start and pull the loop closed (6).
Rnd 2: [sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] 3 times (9).
Rnd 3: sc in each sc around (9).
Rnd 4: [sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 3 times (12).
Rnd 5: sc in each sc around (12).
Using a yarn needle and a length of red yarn, insert the red yarn into the blaster leaving a 2" tail, secure to Rnd 1 of the blaster and bring red yarn back out the blaster leaving a 2" tail. Repeat with red and orange yarn to give the appearance of flames.
Sew blasters to bottom of the rocket.

** By using this pattern you agree to the following:
This pattern may not be sold in full or in part, and products made using this pattern may not be sold on-line. The completed rocket ship may be sold off-line (i.e., at craft fairs). All reproduction, publication, or distribution of this pattern without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.