The 2014 winter holiday banner shows Hodge and Podge getting in the spirit of the season. After making snowsquirrels and wrapping them up with scarves they crocheted, our two favorite squirrel friends decorated a Christmas tree, complete with miniature Christmas lights! They did this all very quietly, so they wouldn’t wake the dove sleeping nearby.
This diorama took me about two months to complete. First I created the form for the holly wreath by crocheting two frames in black and sewing them together around a cardboard form. This gave it stability while also providing a surface that I knew would be easy to attach my crochet holly and poinsettias to.
Then came the real fun — designing the diorama and choosing all the patterns to create the scene I was looking for. One of my main goals was to use only free crochet patterns that are simple, clear, and thorough, so you all would enjoy using them too. I spent several weeks trying out different patterns before finally making my selections. I want to give a sincere thank-you to each of these designers for creating such lovely items and gifting the world with their patterns. So without further ado, here they are… Continue reading →
The choice is yours! Would you like your squirrel with a crochet tail or a faux fur one? Now the pattern includes instructions for both.
The biggest dilemma in Squirrel Picnic’s history has finally been solved! With my new and improved crochet squirrel pattern, we can dress our squirrel friends up in fancy costumes and clothing without their pesky tails getting in the way. Now we can all sleep at night. Continue reading →
Super Bowl fever has made its way to Squirrel Picnic, which is after all located just outside of Denver. Hodge is planning a Super Bowl party for next Sunday and requested that I make an Elway jersey for him and a Peyton Manning jersey for Podge (she was torn between #18 and #24 for the longest time because she really thinks Champ Bailey is the cutest, but Hodge talked her into a Manning jersey). And I’m sure you’re not surprised that Eric wanted a Seahawks jersey. Currently no one at the picnic is talking to him, but that’s not much different from how things usually are around here. If he wants to be invited to the Super Bowl party, I think he’s going to have to do something extremely nice for Hodge.
Now you too can make a football jersey for your squirrel friend in time for the Super Bowl!
Note: This is one of those accessories for your squirrel friend that requires a detachable tail. My squirrel pattern includes instructions on how sew buttons to the tail to make it detachable. This way you can take the tail off, slip on your squirrel’s jersey, and reattach the tail to the squirrel’s bottom and head with the buttons.
Football Jersey for Your Squirrel Friend Crochet Pattern
Materials
(A) Small amount of worsted-weight yarn in your team’s color (for the Broncos use Caron Simply Soft in Pumpkin and for the Seahawks use Caron Simply Soft in Dark Country Blue)
(B) Small amount of worsted-weight yarn in your team’s second color (for the Broncos use Caron Simply Soft in White and for the Seahawks use Caron Simply Soft in Limelight)
C-2 (2.75 mm) crochet hook
Tapestry needle
Gauge
5 sc = 1 inch
5 rows = 1 inch
Instructions
Front:
With A, ch 12.
Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in ea ch across, ch 1, turn. (11)
Row 2: Sc in ea sc across, ch 1, turn.
Rows 3-5: Rep row 2.
Beginning divide for neck:
Row 6: Sc in next 5 sc, turn. (5)
Row 7: Sk 1st sc, sc in next 4 sc, ch 1, turn. (4)
Row 8: Sc in ea sc across, turn.
Row 9: Sk 1st sc, sc in next 3 sc, ch 1, turn. (3)
Row 10: Sc in ea sc across, turn.
Row 11: Sk 1st sc, sc in next 2 sc. (2)
FO.
Second side of neck:
With RS facing, pull up a loop at the end of Row 5, ch 1.
Row 6: Sc in next 5 sc, turn. (5)
Row 7: Sk 1st sc, sc in next 4 sc, ch 1, turn. (4)
Row 8: Sc in ea sc across, turn.
Row 9: Sk 1st sc, sc in next 3 sc, ch 1, turn. (3)
Row 10: Sc in ea sc across, turn.
Row 11: Sk 1st sc, sc in next 2 sc, ch 1, turn. (2)
Row 12: Sc in next 2 sc, ch 7, sc in next 2 sc, ch 1, turn.
Back:
Row 13: Sc in next 2 sc, sc 7 into ch-sp, sc in next 2 sc, ch 1, turn. (11)
Rows 14-21: Sc in ea sc across, ch 1, turn.
Row 22: Sc in ea sc across. FO.
Sleeves:
Pull up a loop at the end of Row 6, ch 1 and sc in that st.
Sc in the st at the end of ea row over the next 12 rows, ch 1, turn. (13)
Sc in ea sc across.
FO, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Repeat on the opposite side.
Finishing:
Using the long tails, sew side and sleeve seams.
Using B, add a sc edging around the neck opening and a slst edge to the sleeves.
It seems like it’s snowing all across the U.S. this weekend, so I thought what better way to pass the time indoors than to crochet some snowsquirrels and snowacorns like those on our new winter banner. Read on to discover how you can make snowsquirrels and snowacorns out of yarn (in case you’re just not in the mood to make them out of snow).
P.S. It’s been brought to my attention that the New Year’s video didn’t show up in the email last Wednesday, which is a shame because it really is rather cute. If you’d like to see how Hodge and Podge and the fatimals rang in 2014, you can view the short film on the website. Sorry about that.
Snowsquirrels
To make snowsquirrels, use this snowman pattern by The Dapper Toad. To make a snowman into a snowsquirrel you’ll need a tail and ears too.
For the tail, make another snowman but replace “Rows 11-13: sc around” with “Rows 11-15: sc around.” Then continue pattern as written. Stuff lightly. As you’re stuffing the tail, rework the shape by flattening the bottom and rounding the top. Sew the tail to the back of your snowsquirrel.
Make 2 ears from my squirrel pattern and attach to the top of the snowsquirrel’s head.
I also used The Dapper Toad’s pattern for the snowsquirrels’ scarves.
Snowacorn
To make snowacorns, use white worsted-weight yarn and my pattern for acorns.
Hats for Your Squirrel Friends
To make hats for your squirrel friends, follow my pattern for a squirrel head, Rows 1-8. Use a slightly larger hook: size H-8 (5.00 mm) or I-9 (5.50 mm) should do.
The 2014 winter holiday banner shows Hodge and Podge getting in the spirit of the season. After making snowsquirrels and wrapping them up with scarves they crocheted, our two favorite squirrel friends decorated a Christmas tree, complete with miniature Christmas lights! They did this all very quietly, so they wouldn’t wake the dove sleeping nearby.
Squirrel Picnic 
You must be logged in to post a comment.