Looks like Hodge and Podge are already relaxing in the sun, while I’m still here stuffing my luggage full of yarn. It’s about time I join them for some much-needed R & R.
But don’t dismay, we’ll be back just in time for some Halloween fun. Join us on October 23 for an in-depth look at some of the creepiest crochet on the web and on October 30 for the very first Squirrel Picnic Halloween Comic!
In the meantime, I’ll be sharing lots of Hodge and Podge photobombs on Facebook and Twitter.
We’re ready for fall!
I was so busy this summer that I really didn’t find any time to play outdoors, so now that it is fall — my favorite time of year, hands down — I’m committed to getting outside and taking advantage of all that this season has to offer.
Autumn is a great time to explore the outdoors, and there’s no better place than colorful Colorado! Okay, I’m more than a little biased on that one. I’m sure many of you heard about the devastating floods we had throughout the Front Range last week. Although communities both on the plains and in the mountains were greatly affected and recovery efforts are ongoing, some parks, and the roads up to them, are still open. Here are some of my favorite parks that are currently open for business: Golden Gate Canyon, Rifle Falls, and White River National Forest. I would still recommend calling ahead as conditions could always change.
We’re looking forward to spending a night beneath the stars and pines later this month and hopefully get in a good hike too. Though I prefer hiking to skiing and snowboarding, it won’t be long before snow season is upon us, and from what I’ve heard, this could turn out to be a record-breaking ski season for Colorado.
It’s a bit of a sin to mention the S-word so early in the year, so I won’t get too far ahead of myself. While we’re here, I’m going to love the heck out of autumn! It’s the season for harvest festivals, amber sunsets, and of course, fall foliage (in some areas, the aspens are starting to turn!). And for the squirrels, it’s the season of acorn hording and — from the looks of Hodge and Podge — falling in love.
I hope you enjoy the new fall banner. In case you’re interested in making any of the components, here is a list of patterns and materials I used.
Oak Leaf
Made using the pattern in 100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet by Lesley Stanfield
with Vanna’s Choice by Lion Brand yarn in Rust.
Maple Leaf
Made using the pattern in 75 Birds, Butterflies & Little Beasts to Knit and Crochet by Lesley Stanfield
with Vanna’s Choice by Lion Brand yarn in Brick.
Aspen Leaf
Adapted from the large leaf pattern in 100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet by Lesley Stanfield
with Vanna’s Choice by Lion Brand yarn in Mustard.
Acorns
Made using my own pattern
with Vanna’s Choice by Lion Brand yarn in Chocolate and Bernat Satin in Sable.
Heart
Made using a pattern by K and J Dolls with Caron Simply Soft in Red.
Squirrels
Made using my own pattern
with Bernat Satin in Sable for Podge and my grandma’s old yarn in brown for Hodge.
I’m so very pleased to present a new and improved crochet Batman mask pattern, 
just in time for Halloween! The original pattern was published as Make It! Challenge #4 last March when Justin O’Neill dared me to crochet a Batman mask for him. Since then, hundreds of pretty cool people have viewed that post and several dozen very patient crocheters have made their own. Many were even gracious enough to give me some feedback. I have to admit, not all of it was good and not everyone was thrilled with the pattern. When I revisited it again a few weeks ago, I also was not thrilled. Why on earth did I do that? I found myself asking over and over again. I quickly decided that this pattern needed an overhaul and set out to make a Batman mask of my own this time, revamping the pattern as I went. Some things I changed completely, but some elements stayed the same.
What is different about the new pattern:
What is unchanged about the new pattern:
This may be the first year in a long time that I have a costume figured out for myself well before Halloween. But the holiday is fast approaching, so I wanted to give you the opportunity to make a Batman mask with my revised pattern too. I’ll leave the original pattern up just below it in case you still need it. Please feel free to contact me here or at squirrelpicnic{at}gmail{dot}com if you have any questions.
Happy crocheting!
Summer’s winding down, and I’m just not ready to change our website banner over to a fall theme yet. I love the summer banner with its hummingbird, flowers, and butterflies too much! So here are a few extra close-ups to enjoy before the season is officially over.
One fine summer day, two little squirrels named Hodge and Podge go on a picnic.
They love to picnic in a garden surrounded by yellow daffodils, red and orange geraniums, and bright white daisies.
Podge particularly enjoys watching the butterflies play among the flowers.
“Wait, is that a hummingbird I see?” Hodge asks Podge. “Look! I do believe she’s sitting on her nest. What a rare sight!”
“Can it be?” the hummingbird wonders. “Is that really two squirrels having a picnic? What a rare sight indeed.”
The squirrels invite the hummingbird to join them, and they all enjoy some cake.
Bill Brown’s comic The Evil Squirrel’s Nest, which he publishes on his blog 
weekly on Thursdays, features a ragtag group of squirrels, skunks, cats, and various other wild animals who are always getting into something interesting. The main characters – Hooly, Odyssey, Hottie, Mini, and Clem – were all inspired by people Bill knows in real life. But of all the characters, the one most loved by fans is Rainbow Donkey, who is also the subject of this Make It! Challenge.
The story of how this “donkicorn” came to be is just as interesting as the character himself. Bill says:
Rainbow Donkey’s debut appearance
“The very first drawing of the ‘unicorn’ that would become Rainbow Donkey was a small avatar for my message board…. It was one of my first attempts to draw any member of the equine family, and to say it looked like complete crap is an understatement. Even my online friends, who were very encouraging of me for what at the time was some really bad art I was drawing, couldn’t help but point out how ridiculously awful the unicorn looked — with most of the replies being that it looked like a cow. In fact, Rainbow Cow was the first nickname being bandied about for it, but being as taken in by the real life Hooly as I was at the time, when she began calling it Rainbow Donkey, the name stuck… as did the character.”
I accepted Bill’s challenge both because I 
admire his work and just really like him as a person and because, much like Bill had never drawn a horse before Rainbow Donkey, I had never crocheted a horse/donkey/unicorn before. It turned out though that crocheting a donkicorn wasn’t the most difficult part. The toughest thing about this challenge was trying to capture that rough but loveable charisma that has made his donkicorn character so popular among fans. It might have something to do with his illustration style.
Bill does most of his sketching by hand, then uses MS Paint (I’m so impressed by anyone who has the patience to draw a comic in Paint!) and Photoshop to bring the images to digital life.
Click here to see how he draws his comics.
Click here to see how he creates his single-frame images in Paint too!
This process creates scenes that are bright and lively and, he admits, a little rough around the edges. I think that’s what makes them so endearing, and it was my biggest hope that I would be able to capture that quirky beauty in my crocheted version of Rainbow Donkey. I hope that you, too, can see the charm in his stubby feet, giant ears, and crooked smile. Because like Bill says, it’s our flaws that make us loveable.
Click here to read more of my interview with Bill.
And as always here’s my free pattern to make your very own…
Squirrel Picnic 
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