My favorite free patterns: Farmyard Finger Puppets

I found this free pattern almost 3 years ago -- adorable rooster, cow, pig and duck finger puppets. The pattern includes instructions for a dog finger puppet as well. Making items as small as finger puppets is a little tedious but they turned out so cute :) I've had it on my list to make a pattern for hand puppets for years. Maybe this will be the year that I actually get around to it!

My favorite free patterns: Loop baby rattle

I found this pattern for a baby rattle about a year ago. Even though I didn't have a baby to make it for I had to make a few anyway!!

And I loved the color combination that the designer used :) None of the other color combinations that I made were nearly as attractive.

Free Crochet Pattern: Heart Shaped Baby Doll

I am having so much fun with this 3D heart pattern!! One of my sons just loves carrying small toys around so I decided to turn it into a miniature doll.

Materials:
Crochet hook size E/4, 3.50mm
Worsted weight acrylic yarn in red (or pink or purple) and peach
Polyester fiberfill
Embroidery floss in dark brown and dark pink
Sewing needle
Yarn needle

Heart Body:
To make the heart I followed the pattern in the link above, but I didn't use the tail of Top A to sew the hole closed between Top A and Top B. I left the hole open because this is where the doll's head will be.
I followed the pattern up to Rnd 7.
Rnds 8-9: sc in each sc around (24).
Rnd 10: [sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog] 6 times (18).
Rnd 11: sc in each sc around (18).
Rnd 12: [sc in next sc, sc2tog] 6 times (12).
Rnd 13: [sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog] 3 times (9).
Rnd 14: [sc in next sc, sc2tog] 3 times (6).
Finish off leaving a 6" tail. Weave tail through remaining 6 sc and pull up firmly to close the hole.
Stuff the heart through the hole in the top of the heart.

Head:
With peach yarn
Rnd 1: 6 sc into a magic ring (6).
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around (12).
Rnd 3: [sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times (18).
Rnds 4-6: sc in each sc around (18).
Rnd 7: [sc in next sc, sc2tog] 6 times (12).
Pause to embroider eyes and mouth onto face.
Rnd 8: [sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog] 3 times (9).
Rnd 9: [sc in next sc, sc2tog] 3 times (6).
Finish off leaving a 12" tail. Stuff head. Weave tail through remaining 6 sc and pull up firmly to close the hole. Sew head to opening at top of heart.

Cap:
With red yarn
Rnd 1: 4 sc into a magic ring (4).
Rnd 2: [sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] 2 times (6).
Rnd 3: [sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] 3 times (9).
Rnd 4: [sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 3 times (12).
Rnd 5: [sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times (18).
Rnd 6: sc in each sc around (18).
Rnd 7: [sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times (24).
Rnd 8: sc in each sc around (24).
Finish off leaving a 12" tail. Sew cap to head. Weave in ends.

I planned to stop after making the red doll, but they were so much fun that I made the pink and purple ones too :)