Handmade Halloween, Part 1: Ollivanders

A friend linked me to this awesome DIY Harry Potter wand instructible and despite the fact that my crafting skills are generally limited to yarn and fabric, I think they turned out pretty awesome!  Now, Fanboys take note: we did not make any efforts to make our wands look like the ones belonging to the characters in the movie.  We just had fun with the design and colors.   

L-R: Hermione, Ginny Weasley, Harry, Mad Eye, Snape

Here are some in progress pics:

Adding glue designs to the rolled paper wands

My husband, who usually mocks my harebrained ideas, even got into the fun.

Fun with paint!

My wand:  Before Paint

My wand:  After paint (My daughter says it looks like chocolate..works for me)

A close up of the details

I did add a thin wooden skewer inside the rolled paper to add some durability to the wands.  My kids are not gentle. Additionally, one step I would add would be to put some sort of clearcoat over it when done, because the paint does chip off easily.   If time permits, I may go get some, but seeing as these only have to survive through Monday, I'm not that worried. 

Stress makes me a milliner

Yes, I have been on a hat making tear in the last month.  Look at this mess of hats! 

It started with the monster hat I made for my neighbor's child, so I decided to create another monster hat to while away the hours I was spending at the theater for my daughter's play rehearsal:

Which led to kids begging for hats.  I didnt really want to take money from kids but I also couldn't keep up with the demand likely to be generated from giving away free hats, so I told them to donate to the theater if they end up taking one of my hats.  Before the show was over, I got one more theater-hat knocked out:

Bad pic, but its not my kid, so I didnt want to show a face.

Then there was a hospital stay for my son,  doctors' appts and general stress related to my son's medical condition, so more hats were made in a frenzy of yarn and hooks...

Crazy Cat Lady needs make up

From cats to birds to pigs, oh my...

That's my family in Angry Bird.  We havent been able to schedule a photoshoot yet, but it will happen and it will be made of awesome!  Although cannonball bird came out a bit small for my son and I wasnt feeling it for him, so I made him Yellow Bird.  

Definitely feeling it now.

Oh and in the midst I tried a Dr Seuss inspired stocking cap that turned out cute and made another to use up some babyish yarn I had on hand.  Which prompted my 3yr old to ask "Who that hat for, mama?"   I replied, "No one, I just needed to use up some yarn I had."  She then said, "So you can buy some more yarn!"  Yes, child.  You get me.  You really do!  (Now dont tell Daddy!)



Oh and I also knocked out a couple AB hats for a friend, coming up with the features for Girl Bird on my own.  That was fun.

And I have another monster hat in progress (got another play gearing up, need to keep my fans happy!) and I finished an owl hat that had been waiting for a face for months.

And the heavens opened up and shone their approval upon the crocheted owl, and there was joy and stuff.

Also mixed in that pile are 3 random hats that may become monsters or owls or puppies or some random critter whenever the fancy may hit me.  

Yeah, I'm crazy.    But I suppose its a better outlet for my stress than barbituates.

Cute Hats!

First up, monster hat for a friend's 3yr old son's Bday gift.   Boys are harder to crochet for, but man...this monster hat was just loads of fun.  Once I got the head sizing right.  I swear I started and ripped and restarted 3-4 times, even following a pattern stitch for stitch.   It's still too big for a 3yr old, but he'll grow.   I ended up using the Super Quick Beanie hat pattern and embellishments from this Dino Hat pattern.  BTW, all the tween girls in my daughters drama class were Squeee-ing over it, as I worked on it during rehearsal.   So I'd call this an ageless and genderless gift idea!

Second up, Angry Bird hat.   Totally cute and still not sized right.  This one was made in the child/tween size and I think its def more sized for a young 4-5 yr old child at most.  I honestly have no idea why I cant properly size hats.    But right now, they are my current obsession, so mayhap one day I will be able to make hats to actually fit their intended recipients.

The top feather is a little interesting in that its a long tub that is folded over.  I think it looks unique, but it definitely adds complexity (and time) to the project.  I may try a future hat as just a beanie and make some sort of feather to add later.   But then it may flop more.   Either way, I totally love this hat!  

Wig of Doom!

So I made a cute little crown for a friend's 1yr old's Birthday but it needed something to go with it.    All day I mused and finally decided on a princess doll.   The problem started when I decided that 10pm, the night before the party was the best time to look for a doll pattern.    But feeling overly confident in my quick crochet skills, I went with it.    Here is the account, with a special emphasis on Wig of Doom!

10:05pm, Friday night - Found pattern!

10:22pm - Whipped up a head & torso.  Oh yeah, I'm awesome.  What can't I do?  Hah!  Time for a FB break. 

What do you call a doll with no arms and no legs near the kitchen sink?  Dawn!

10:30pm -  Time to stat that wig.   Amigurumi hair is a royal PITB but this curly headed style looked quick & easy.   

10:40pm - This wig involves my least favorite thing in crochet - single crocheting into a chain.   Over and over and over again.   OMG, my wrist hurts and I already have a callous.   Six done.   That's 1/3 of the wig.  I'll save the rest for tomorrow. 

This could also be the start of a great Halloween spider.

11:05pm - I'm still wide awake.   Maybe the skirt is easier than the wig.     Yes, yes it is!

11:21pm - Still awake enough to attempt a teeny, tiny crown.

11:30pm - Tired.   Should work some more on wig, since party is at 11am tomorrow.  But surely the rest of it will go quick, right?  I only have 12 more curls to go.    Off to bed with my still aching wrist and calloused fingers.

8:30am - A leisurely Breakfast. I've got plenty of time.  

9:00am - Force myself to work on 6 curls.  OMG.   Hands already hurting.  Made it through 3 and had to talk myself through the other 3.   "Just 3 more and you get a break.  You can do it.  OW OW OW"

9:15am - Setting aside Demon Wig, I knock out the arms, legs, ears.   Easy, peasy.   

Dismembered body parts,  crocheted Jeffrey Dahmer not included.

9:40am - Decide that its time to assemble rather than finish last 6 curls of wig.   After seeing assembled, hairless doll, I briefly consider leaving her like this.    Bald is kinda hip these days, right?  Edgy?  Like Brit Brit when she told the paparazzi to get bent and shaved her head.   Surely that's what every one year old hipster needs, right?  A bald, edgy doll?  

9:51am - After a bolstering cuppa Joe and a self-pep talk, Wig of Doom is finally complete!

Don't look directly at it, you may turn to stone!

10:05am - Final assembly and a quick pic before I hid the doll in the gift bag, lest my daughters insist that I make them each their very own princess dolls!

Well, I guess I could make them their very own princess dolls.   "Here you go, sweeties!  This one is Edgy Brittany and this one is Sinead.  Enjoy!"

10:31am - After a quick shower and kid wrangling, we somehow make it out the door.

11:05am - Only 5 minutes late.   Oh yeah, I'm awesome.  What can't I do? Hah! 


PS:  Is there anything cuter than a Beanling in a crown?

Stars and Stripes forever

And by that I mean "OMG it took me forever to finish this freaking flag square!"

Whew.  The pattern was hard to follow, probably because I kept starting and stopping (and working on it through 3 Harry Pottters and the first Narnia movie..no wonder it felt so epic!), so I attempted to wing it.  Which resulted in thin stripes, fat stripes, 12 stripes....grrr.   

Dropping and picking up three different yarns was definitely a learning curve, too!

Frog and frog and frog...and Old Glory is finally done.   Albeit, a bit wonky.  Even with 39 stiches across the top and bottom, she still looks a bit trapzoidal.   Oh well, nothing a little border can't hide, right?   Uh...maybe not.    But eventually, she will be stitched into the Hot Mess Calendar Blanket, so I cant imagine a stitch or two of wonkiness will detract from this disaster of color and design, this nightmare of feng shui, this granny square afghan that would make granny cry.   

When the muse knocks...

Sometimes you just have to drop everything and answer the door. 

While browsing for Christmas ideas last night, I stumbled upon the crocheted eyeballs (best not to ponder that association too much, there's no accounting for post-midnight pattern browsing).  

My kids are just getting into Harry Potter mania and my daughter fell in love with the character of Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody after watching Goblet of Fire.

So on an otherwise lazy Sunday morning, instead of schoolwork or dishes, the muse instructed me to crochet a Mad Eye Moody eye patch.  And I listened.  

These are a few of my favorite things...

OK, fine they are Maria Von Trapp's favorite things.    I needed a costume for the Sound of Music Sing-Along at the Fox Theater in Atlanta this weekend and didnt feel like making a plus sized dirndl from curtain fabric or wearing a nun's habit.   A hat seemed the perfect One Sized Fits All solution. I had a great time hunting through thrift stores and craft stores (and one trip to Home Depot) to collect the Favorite Things with my kids.  I did manage to crochet the Schnitzel with Noodles and the Warm Woollen Mittens, so I can post it here on my crochet blog without being a total cheater.

So I present to you....The Hat of Awesome!

Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens

Despite my children's repeated efforts, that doorbell does not ring.

Bright copper kettles, warm woolen mittens


Brown paper packages tied up with strings


These are a few of my favorite things

It's not as easy as you think to turn a miniature loaf of bread into an apple strudel.

Cream colored ponies, crisp apple streudels


Doorbells and sleigh bells, schnitzel with noodles


Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings


These are a few of my favorite things

Mitten pattern

Lyrics not included in Hat of Awesome:
[When the dog bites, When the bee stings, When I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things, And I don't feel so bad]





You like the schnitzel?  I'm proud of that!

 Freehand schnitzel.  No pattern.   Sorry.  I know you are heartbroken.

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes


Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes


Silver white winters that melt into springs  (how does one put this on a hat?)

These are a few of my favorite things