I Will Survive!

Hello, people who read my blog.

Though I am sure my blog has had a total of 290 pageviews since, well, ever, I thought I'd drop in and apologize for the long wait between patterns. School life has taken its toll, as many can relate, and my interest in crochet was dwindling.

Fortunately I can, however, say that I'd like to get more involved in this blog now that my interested and creativity has taken flight. Recently I began a pet project that turned into what will soon be Christmas gifts for all, which have taken the form of: no drumroll for lack of originality here...

HOGWARTS HOUSE SCARVES!

Yes, yes, boo, bleh, carry on. I know what you're thinking: "Geez, she couldn't have done something more fun and interesting like the adorable Captain Harvey the Penguin?!"

Well, yes and no. I've put away a less long term project a month or two ago (I was working on an amigurumi version of Jareth the Goblin King from the old 80's movie Labyrinth. L-O-V-E David Bowie) so at least I have been THINKING about developing a pattern to post online, but unfortunately it just never worked out. Oh, well.

Anyhow, the first scarf I'm making is that of Ravenclaw, and I have less than five days to finish it so my older sister can take it to a Potter-themed party. Thanks for these fun themes, Rowling.

My sister is going as Luna Lovegood, and I'm more than excited because she is even taking the time to make radish earrings.

I'm using the blanket (Tunisian) stitch on these, so prepare to go to the craft store and spend five bucks on those ridiculously long blanket stitch hooks. I'm using size H with Caron Simply Soft (My personal favorite yarn of all time, ever) and so I'll provide a list of things you'll want to gather before my 'pattern' comes out officially.

Yarn, all Caron Simply Soft:

• 'Autumn Red'
• 'Dark Sage'
• 'Honey'     <--- that one I bought accidentally, as it turned out to be Simply Soft 'light.' Cross your fingers that this won't turn out to be a yellowy, hufflepuffely disaster.
• 'Black'    <--- really? Least original yarn name ever.
• 'Grey Heather'
• And the last one is some dark navy blue, a color for which I have lost the label.

Now, I have bought only one skein for each of these colors, and hopefully that will be enough. Hopefully.

Love,
Lacey :)

Introducing, Captain Harvey the Penguin!

So, of the FIRST pattern posted free for you guys here on Captain Hook's Crochet Hotspot, I've created a special mascot just for us- CAPTAIN HARVEY!!!

Avast! Land ho! (Of course, land here means 'a paradise where I would kill to go to.')

Anywho, here's the pattern! Yay.

MATERIALS
Size F crochet hook
Black, white, & magenta Red Heart acrylic yarn
Scrap of orange construction paper
Silver chenille stick
Feather
9mm safety eyes
Tapestry needle
Stitch marker (could be anything, even as simple as a paper clip will do).

WINGS (make two all in black)
Ch 2.
1) Sc 4 in 2nd ch from hk. [4 sts]
2) *Sc 2 in next sc. Sc 1* rpt 2 times around. [6 sts]
3-6) Sc 1 in each st around. Join to next stich with sl st, FO. No need to stuff. [6 sts]
*NOTE- On second wing, curve chenille stick into small hook and stick inside center of wing*

BODY (start with black)
Ch 2.
1) Sc 6 in 2 st from hk. Place marker. [6 sts]
2) 2 sc in each st around. [12 sts]
3) *Sc 1. Sc 2 in nxt st* Rpt 6 times around. [18 sts]
4) *Sc 2. Sc 2 in nxt st* Rpt 6 times around. [24 sts]
5) *Sc 3. Sc 2 in nxt st* Rpt 6 times around. [30 sts]

Join this round with a slip stitch and chain one.

6) Sc in each st around in BLO. Join and ch 1. [30 sts]
7-8) Sc in each st around. Do not join or chain any more. [30 sts]
9) *Sc2tog. 3 sc* Rpt 6 times around. [24 sts]
10-11) Sc 1 in each st around. [24 sts]
12) *Sc2tog. 2 sc* Rpt 6 times around. [18 sts]
13-14) Sc 1 in each st around. [18 sts]

Temporarily cast off. Join hook to exposed sts at base of body (bottom) with white yarn. This will be the belly.

~1) Join at exposed st in front of body with sl st. Sc 6 across. Ch 1, turn. [6 sts]
~2-7) Sc across. Ch 1, turn. [6 sts]
~8) Sc2tog. Sc 2. Sc2tog. [4 sts]
~9) *Sc2tog* Twice. FO. [2 sts]

Sew the flap onto the front of body with white yarn and tapestry needle. Pick up with crochet hook where you left off on the body.

15-16) Sc 1 in each st around. [18 sts]

Attach wings here to opposite sides of body. Make sure they line up with top of white belly. Also, begin stuffing body. Make sure it is packed tight. Continue stuffing as you go along.

17) Sc in each st around. [18 sts]
18) *Sc2tog. 2 sc* Rpt 6 times around. Sc2tog in last 2 sts. [13 sts]

Join row with sl st. Switch to magenta yarn. Attack 2 9mm safety eyes wherever desired, or as shown on image above.

19) Sc in each st around BLO. Sl st to next st at end of rw. [14 sts]
20) Sc in each st around. [14 sts]
21) Sc2tog the whole row. Finish stuffing. [7 sts]

Repeat row 21 until hole is completely closed. FO. Sew in ends.

HAT RIM (in magenta)
Join at beginning of top of head's exposed sts from where you crocheted in BLO with sl st.

1) 2 sc in each exposed st around. Make sure you are crocheting counter-clockwise so you expose the right side of the sts. [26 sts]
2) *2 sc in nxt st. 1 sc in nxt st.* Rpt 13 times around. [39 sts]
3) Sc 4. Hdc 1. Dc 6. Hdc 2. Sc 9. Hdc 2. Dc 6. Hdc 1. Sc to end of rw. Join with sl st, FO. Weave in ends. Shape hat to preference.

Place feather in left side of hat. If you are unable to poke it through one of the sts, feel free to glue it- preferably with a hot glue gun. Those things are rather therapeutic.

BEAK
With orange construction paper, construct small cone. Hot glue together and then hot glue to front of face, between and slightly below the eyes.

Make sure all ends are woven in!

So that's the end of your own Captain Harvey the Penguin... Feel free to share photos, I'd LOVE to see them.

With much love,
ME :)

Hey, guys! *waves*

So, as you probably already know, I'm starting this blog just to be sort of a nice place for you to hang out, crochet some stuff, and share your thoughts. I love getting comments, and it shouldn't be long that I have my first drafted pattern out. Drafted here is a term meaning, 'I need you all to test it out and tell me how much it sucks,' because I hate doing patterns twice. So much so that if you asked me I'd probably say no... unless you count the octopus pattern I found on another awesome person's blog. I'll link it if you ask me nicely. I made three of them in the last two days that I have been ill with strep, so that's lovely. I also made a narwhal to complete it. There names are (starting with the octopuses)  Spam, the pinkish octopus, Bacon, the purple octopus, and Turkey, the cream octopus. Their special friend is Ham, the blue narwhal. And together they are.... THE MEAT QUATRO!!!! So in case anyone was interested, I spend my life on crochet pattern central. Also, I plan on designing a layout for my blog, and if any of you have ideas, I'd love to hear 'em. I'm pretty handy with photo editing. So..... yeah. Uhm. Yeah. Goodbye, and hopefully I'll post again spoon!

-The Teen Who Loves Nothing But 80's Music, Healthy Food, and Crochet.