Squirrel Picnic

Handmade with Love and Stuff

Tag Archives: crafts


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Challenge Me to Make Something Awesome

There’s no doubt about it. Friends of Squirrel Picnic, or fellow picnickers if you will, are some of the most creative, innovative, and humorous people I’ve ever met. You have big imaginations, and you’re not afraid to try new things. Best of all, you agree that the world needs a lot more fun.

Through the Make It! Challenge over the past six months, some of you have inspired me and pushed me to my craftiest. You’ve challenged me to make a toddler’s hat in the shape of a roast turkey, a felted sloth, and a Batman mask. And I’ve had a blast exploring your ideas and creating each one. But I want more! I have a few more challenges lined up for the rest of the year, but I also have several open slots. Now’s your chance to be included in this one-of-a-kind project.

The concept is pretty simple. If you have an idea for an awesome item that can be created through knitting, sewing, or crochet, email a detailed description and any sketches, photos, or links to me at squirrelpicnic{at}gmail{dot}com. Keep in mind, the more information you include, the better the chance that I will accept your challenge. And if I do accept your challenge, I’ll publish the pattern here at squirrelpicnic.com so that others can make my original design too. Best of all, I’ll send you the sample, free of charge, as a thank-you for your idea.

For more information and to see the Make It! Challenge Hall of Fame visit the new Make It! Challenge page. I can’t wait to see what you think up next!


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Easy to Crochet Butterfly Pattern

Butterfly Crochet Pattern by Squirrel PicnicAs I’m writing this, it is snowing for the third straight day here in Denver. It’s not uncommon for us to get spring snowstorms, but they always come as a shock to me. Just as you’re starting to get pumped about springtime, a foot of snow gets dumped on your excitement. Lucky for me, I have my own little patch of springtime at Squirrel Picnic, where the crochet garden continues to bloom.

This week I’m making butterflies. I found a lot of complicated butterfly patterns online and in books. Though the complex butterflies were gorgeous, I didn’t have time for all those steps, so I wrote this pattern for a simple and fast and cute little butterfly.

I can think of several great uses for these butterflies: Sew them onto bags, towels, pillows, or afghans. Glue a magnet on and attach them to your fridge door. Pin them to a bulletin board. They add a little touch of spring wherever they go. What will you do with your butterflies?

Easy Butterfly Pattern

Difficulty rating 1

Finished size: 1 3/4″ x 1 3/4″

Materials:

Small amounts of worsted weight yarn in any two colors you like.

(For this pattern, I’ll call the lighter color A and the darker color B.)

Size 00/3.50 mm steel crochet hook

Tapestry needle

Instructions:

Wings

With A, ch 11

2 dc in 4th ch from hook.

Ch 3 and slst in next ch.

Butterfly Step 1 (800x600)

Ch 4, 2 tr in next ch, ch 4 and slst in next ch.

Butterfly Step 2 (800x600)

Ch 4, 2 tr in next ch, ch 4 and slst in next ch.

Butterfly Step 3 (800x663)

Ch 3, 2 dc in next ch, ch 2 and slst in next ch.

Butterfly Step 4

Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Using the tail, loosely sew up the center of the wings. Work in ends.

Butterfly Step 6

Body

With B and leaving a tail at least 6″ long, ch 7. Sc in 3rd ch from hook, slst in each of next 4 ch. Fasten off, leaving another 6″ tail for sewing.

Butterfly Step 5 (800x797)

Finishing

Place the body on top of the wings so that the tail ends of the body and the smaller wings are on the bottom. Sew the body to the wings by using the left tail to sew the left side of the body and the right tail to sew the right side of the body. When you get to the head of the butterfly, tie the two strands together in a knot and trim to make the antennae.

Butterfly Step 7


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Hodge & Podge No. 3

Hodge: What in the world happened to your tail?

Podge: There was this one hair that wouldn’t go straight so I thought I’d just trim it off. But then that made these other hairs look funny, so I trimmed them too. That made my whole tail all uneven, so I cut a little more… But it doesn’t look that bad, right?

Hodge & Podge No. 3


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Things Are Blooming at Squirrel Picnic

You may have noticed the new spring diorama grants us a rare look through a garden of crocheted flowers onto Hodge and Podge enjoying a picnic. It will be an ongoing project throughout this spring and summer to update, revise, amend, and polish it. By the end of the summer, I’m hoping that every item in the diorama will be knit or crochet. Keep checking in each month to see how it’s changing. I’m planning on adding birds, butterflies, and a few more flowers. What else do you think I should add?

spring-summer-2013-diorama-1102x509.jpg