Halloween Swap Package to Gekko

Here is the package that I sent to Gekko in Australia for Halloween.  I also included a Kool Aid juice pouch notebook, which isn't pictured here.  The small goodies are a stamp, a pencil, 2 spider rings, a parachuting black cat, and some Peanuts Gang activity pages.

Gekko was one of my Halloween ornament swap partners.  For her main ornament I made her this black cat.  It is a super easy pattern to make.  I made a different main ornament for each person according to what they said that they liked.  All of them liked witches.  Gekko liked black cats.

I also made her a cork witch as well. 

And this wreath ornament.  It was crochet around a plastic bottle ring.  You can find directions for this in any of my other blog posts about Halloween swap packages that I made.

Here are the 4 magnets that I sent out to my partners.  They are just pre-painted wooden pieces that I glued a magnet to.

I put a few of the small items inside of some of these toilet paper tube "pillow favors." 

Here are the 4 cards that I mailed to my 4 partners.  I just put some fun Halloween stickers on the folded card stock.

I hope that Gekko liked them, and I hope that she got them by now.

Halloween Swap Package from E.B.

I received my 2nd swap package a week or two ago, but I haven't had the chance to blog about it until now.  This package was part of the Halloween ornament swap.  My partner made me a temari ornament, 3 blank cards, 1 card for me, a spider web with a spider ring, and 2 chocolate bars.  The Peanuts Gang item above is an envelope.  She used one of the Peanuts activity pages that I had sent her to make it.  Very clever and cute.  I love everything.

The temari rattles, because she made a rattle out of beads and two bottles caps and placed it inside.  Plastic bags are also inside of it making it a very recycled item.  She chose Halloween colors (secondary colors) for it.  It is beautiful, and I have wanted one for a long time.

Halloween Swap Gifts for ElsieB

The 2nd of my 3 Halloween ornament swap partners received her package from me recently.  Inside was a witch's hat ornament, a wreath ornament, a cork witch, 2 toilet paper treat containers, a wooden Halloween magnet, some Peanuts Gang activity pages, 2 spider rings, a parachute black cat, a Halloween pencil, and a card.  There was a last minute addition of a juice pouch notebook as well.

Here is the free pattern for this witch's hat ornament by Lion Brand.

This wreath ornament was made by crocheting around a plastic bottle ring.

The pattern for this ornament is:

- Chain 20 stitches.

- Take a plastic bottle ring and half double crochet around it.

- Join with a slip stitch.

- Triple crochet twice in every stitch around, and join with a slip stitch.

- Chain 15 to 20 stitches, and tie to the other chain length.

- Then just add accessories.

These cork witches were based off of this  Korknisse pattern.  I just modified the pattern slightly.

Here is my video tutorial on how to make these toilet paper tube treat containers.  I put all of the smaller items in these containers.

I enjoyed making these items and I hope that ElsieB enjoys them.

Halloween Swap Gifts for LadyKatka

LadyKatka (ravelry) was my other partner in the larger Halloween swap.  She received her package recently (in Canada).  Here is what I made for her.

A treat bag / project bag made from 3 large M&M wrappers (donated from a restaurant) and skull duct tape (more pictures below), a knitted dish towel, a crochet plarn scrubby, a google eye picture frame, skull stitch markers, gauntlet style fingerless gloves, toilet paper tube treat containers, a cork witch...

Some small goodies like a skull stamp, parachute black cat, spider rings...

A magnet made from a wooden Halloween piece (the toad warts), a plastic bottle ring crochet wreath ornament, pumpkin decoration, a bat ATC, Halloween pencils, Peanuts Gang activity pages, and a card.

Here is my video tutorial on how to make this google eye picture frame.

Gauntlet style fingerless gloves, which I am currently making myself a pair.

This wreath ornament was made by crocheting around a plastic bottle ring.

The pattern for this ornament is:

- Chain 20 stitches.

- Take a plastic bottle ring and half double crochet around it.

- Join with a slip stitch.

- Triple crochet twice in every stitch around, and join with a slip stitch.

- Chain 15 to 20 stitches, and tie to the other chain length.

- Then just add accessories.

Here is my video tutorial on how to make this bag.

Modfied Feather & Fan Hanging Dishtowel

The plarn scrubby pattern is just simply crocheting a basic circle:

- chain 2
- crochet 8 times into the 2nd chain from the hook
- single crochet twice in every stitch = 16 sts
- 2 sc in next stitch, 1 sc in next stitch, repeat = 24 sts
-  2 sc in next stitch, 2 sc in next 2 stitches, repeat = 32 sts- repeat until it is the size that you want. 

I used 1 Kohls gray plastic bag and 1 small black plastic bag to make the plarn.

These were the first stitch markers that I had ever made.  I loved them so much that I made myself a set.  The skull beads were found at Michael's Craft Store.

These cork witches were based off of this  Korknisse pattern.  I just modified the pattern slightly.

This artist trading card was made by watercolor painting on watercolor paper and then drawing on it with a black fine tipped sharpie.

Here is my video tutorial on how to make these toilet paper tube treat containers.  I put all of the smaller items in these containers.

LadyKatka said that she wants that skull duct tape.  She loved the skull stitch markers, especially since they are piratey.  She was hoping to get a cork witch and an ATC from me, so its good that I made some for her.  The magnet is already on her fridge.  Not pictured above, because it was a last minute add, was a red Kool Aid juice pouch notebook.  I had so much fun making things for her.  

Orange Cork Elves

I'm thinking that these guys will be good for Halloween.  I can add a little leaf to the top of their hats, and make a mini trick or treat bag for them.

More Cork Elves

I am loving these cute little cork elves.  In case you missed it before, here is the pattern.

I made this little guy during the tropical storm known as Irene (on Sunday).

My 4 year old is really into rainbows right now, and he asked me to make some rainbow elves.  I knew exactly what yarn that I wanted to use, and at the store my 4 year old was the first to find it.  Smart kid.  Here are the two elves that I made yesterday out of the rainbow yarn.  They don't look like a rainbow, but I'll be able to get a wide assortment of looks out of one ball of yarn.  The elf on the left looks like his clothes shrunk in the wash, so I had to tweak the pattern for the 2nd one (this yarn is a little thinner than the cotton).  For the sweater I knit 5 rows of stockinette instead of 3, and for the hat I added an additional knit row to every knit row in the pattern.

I'm co-leading and participating in two Halloween swaps next month.  I'm thinking of using black yarn and making cork witches using this pattern for the swap.  I'll make a little broom for it.  Maybe I'll also make a purple wizard with a beard, a cape, and a wand.  My husband wants me to make a Santa Claus one complete with a beard.  Maybe I'll sew in some fuzzy white trim on the clothing.

Christmas Cotton Projects

I started this white cotton Christmas scrubby a week ago.  It is a variation of the red scrubby pattern where I doubled every stitch.

The pattern for it is: 8 sc in loop, dc twice in each st for 2 rounds, sc twice in every st for 1 round, and sc 3 times in every stitch for remainder (about 3 or 4 more rounds). 

If you hold on to the center, it is perfect for scrubbing dishes or for the shower.

It reminds me of brain coral.

I made this little cork elf yesterday, and I plan to make more today.  Irene is coming to us today in the form of a tropical storm.  My little elf is watching it before it gets worse.  I hope that he doesn't get blown away ;)  The pattern for him is here.  He was super easy to make.  I used size 5 dpns and Christmas cotton yarn, but I am going to use size 4 for the next one.  I might glue his hat to him and turn him into an ornament.

Apples for Teachers

Here are the 3 apple ornaments that I made for my sons' main teachers.  My 3 year old gave the one above to his teacher today.  The pattern came from Tasty Crochet.  I just modified it slightly to turn it into an ornament.  For the stem, I chained 40 stitches, slip stitched in the 9th chain (from the beginning), and single crochet the remaining 8 stitches.  For the leaves I chained 15 stitch, slip stitched into the first chain, chained 15 more stitches, slipped stitch into the first chain again, and bound off.  They turned out pretty cute.  The bottom two will be given to my other son's teachers on Monday.

Amigurumi apple and Mistletoe Ornament

I made another mistletoe ornament today. The pattern can be found in the post before this one. I used Red Heart Holiday yarn for this one. The other one I used Vanna's Choice yarn.

Even though they are the same patten and colors, they look different from each other.

I also made an amigurumi apple today. The pattern can be found at lionbrand.com. I thought it would be fun to do a sock monkey version of the Twilight book cover. Next time I'll try to have a darker filling. The white shows to much.