Bunny Round Up!

Blogging, Crochet

With Easter coming up, I’ve been inspired to make bunnies! Although, I didn’t realize how many different ones I’ve already made. So let’s see what we have so far!

The latest addition is these Chubby Bunnies. The crochet pattern in from Lauren over at A Menagerie of Stitches. It’s a free pattern, so they’re great if you want to try your hand at amigurumi.

I’ve also made this huge, long-eared bunny! So squishy! This one was harder on the wrists, but so worth it. Just take some stretch breaks. The pattern was a paid pattern from Etsy. But due to recent events, the shop is unavailable. Not to worry, Etsy still has many other crochet patterns for bunnies!!

This one is probably my favorite! I just love the embroidery and its egg shape! These Spring Bunnies were made using a crochet pattern by Lilleliis.

Lastly, one of the first bunnies I’ve made! Also using a crochet pattern by Lilleliis, this one just made more adorable with the felt details.

For more information on all of the above bunnies, check out their shop page here! And if you’re interested in taking home your own, please contact me soon as each one is made to order. If you need to fill a basket sooner, check out my Shop Handmade Hawaii storefront for ready-to-ship cuties!

Bonus Bunny!

Another favorite of mine! (Oh, I just can’t pick one!) This is Clover the Bunny, made using a crochet pattern from the book “Snuggle and Play Crochet” by Carolina Guzman.

And that’s all…for now. I’m sure more bunny styles and patterns will cross my path in the future!

Don’t forget to follow me on socials to see what else I’ve been up to!

Comet the Unicorn – Just in time for Unicorn Day

FO Friday, Look What I Made!

Happy Unicorn Day!

This one was quite the adventure to make! Having had quite the time making Apollo, I just had to make Projectarian’s other patterns! Of course a pattern sale just solidified that plan. Then being the yarn hoarder that I am, I also had yarn to burn through.

This particular one took me almost 3 weeks to make! The most time consuming part for me was the hair! After a few strands, I find I have to put it down and come back after a day or two. I don’t think the photos do the hair justice though. Using a “striping” yarn was definitely the right choice, and is now a must for any next Comets. This effect would definitely have been more difficult to achieve if I were to use solid colored yarn.

Materials and tools used:

Crochet pattern from Projectarian
Yarn
- Red Heart Super Saver in Aran Fleck, Black, and Pool
- Red Heart With Love in Baroque Stripe, Papaya, and White
- Knit Picks Brava Worsted in Cornflower and Clarity
Fairfield Polyester fiber filling
Clover Soft Touch crochet hook, 4.0 mm
Clover yarn needle

Want one of your own?

Send me an email or use the contact form on this page.
A ready-to-ship may be available through direct checkout on my Etsy page.

Meet the Maker: Tools and Materials

Blogging, Review

Today we meet tools and materials that I can’t live without. Staples in my toolbox are crochet hooks, yarn, and stuffing. Yes, I’d also need other things like scissors, needles, and measuring tape. But when worse comes to worse, I can improvise. I’ve used keys to cut my yarn, crochet hooks to tuck in yarn ends, and phone screens to measure. Here are some things that can halt production if I didn’t have them in my arsenal.

Hooks

Crochet hooks. This must be the most important tool one would need to start crocheting. It can be as expensive as something hand turned, or literally your hand (think finger crocheting); but you’re gonna need something if you want to crochet. My two favorite crochet hooks are from Clover USA and Furls.

From Clover USA, I use Soft Touch Crochet Hooks. They’re reasonably priced and accessible where I can buy multiples of each size, and they’re comfortable and lightweight enough for amigurumi detail work.

From Furls Crochet, my favorite is the Odyssey line. They are one of the cheaper lines that Furls has, so it’s easier to get a few sizes or if you just want to try out the brand. I love using these for when I know I’ll be crocheting for a long time. I’ve gone for hours at a time with these.

Yarns

The most common brand and line in my stash are Red Heart Super Saver. They come in a wide range of colors and my local stores stock them regularly. Sometimes, one can’t wait for an online order to arrive. Dye lot numbers are not a thing to be worried about, so colors are consistent and I can use up a skein knowing the next one I buy will not change the look. They’re economical, therefore I can offer my finished products at a more accessible price point. Red Heart With Love is a softer version I am also fond of, but does not come in as many colors as Super Saver does.

In a perfect world though, I would love to have Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn. It may be a little more expensive than Red Heart Super Saver, but I feel the quality is much better. The yarn is very smooth to work with and amigurumis come out squishier. However, there is no Hobby Lobby in Hawaii and they charge more than I am willing to pay for shipping to Hawaii (BOOOOOO!!!)

Filling/Stuffing

What’s a plushie without stuffing? I use quite a bit, so I purchase the largest box I can find. That would be Fairfield Poly-Fil. They are available locally in massive 10 pound boxes! It is also very easy to find online with free or cheap shipping, to Hawaii! I’ve been going through at least 2 of those per year. I like them because they’re easy to work with and hypoallergenic.

Again, if I had my way, my absolute favourite would be from Hawaiian Pillow Co.. It is very soft to work with, and almost no flyaway particles. It’s like working with a cloud! What stops me from using them all the time is that the largest they sell them in are 4 pound bags, and I have absolutely no room to store them in wholesale amounts!

What are some qualities you look for in your tools and materials?

Please note that this is not a sponsored post. I’ve purchased the items mentioned on my own and am not receiving any compensation for a good review.

The Project that Tested Me?

Blogging, FO Friday, Uncategorized

Let’s start off this post with the one photo I have of this thing…

This is called the Trifle Tumbler. The sewing pattern is by Sara Lawson at Sew Sweetness. It’s part of her Minikins Season 1 collection of pouches and small bags. The Trifle Tumbler is available in 3 sizes, but my patience at the time only managed to make the two larger sizes. This particular one tested my skills in sewing along curves and using binding.

I may have gained experience working with circles, zippers, and binding, but the most important lesson I learned here is that your project is limited to the size of your sewing machine’s bed.

The fabric is another (shorter) story. I was in line for the fabric table at Walmart, when I saw the person before me was buying this fabric. It caught my eye coz it was a cute “Hawaii” themed design. At the time, I was in a souvenir making frenzy. So I thought this would make a great addition. So a few yards were purchased.

Anyways….I may not make this one again (unless specifically requested). I still have the last size unfinished. We’ll see.

New Menus, New Projects!

Crochet by the Book

The holiday rush is over and I’ve gotten a chance to work on patterns I’ve been hoarding! With this, a new menu sprouted to share with you all projects that go together. Part of my pattern hoarding includes a collection of physical (and sometimes digital) books.

First project I want to share is from a new book Snuggle and Play Crochet by Carolina Guzman Benitez. I’ve already made three out of excitement! You can see the details here. And a preview photo here…

I have lots of books I want to crochet through, so be on the look out!

FO Friday: Magikarp Hat

Blogging, FO Friday

This one was a fun one to make! Magikarp hat! As seen on the Pokemon Go game! It helps that the pattern was very well written (link below). I set aside nearly a week to work on this hat, but it only took a couple days! I think if I sat down longer for it, I could have finished it in 24 hours.

The pattern tells you exactly where to place each piece, which I think helps if you are not very familiar with this creature.

It was a perfect day for a photo shoot, the lighting made the hat pop!

Pattern by Becca de Kroon
Materials: Loops and Threads Impeccable in Orange Crush; Red Heart Classic in Sea Coral; and Red Heart Super Saver in Bright Yellow, White, and Black.
Order yours here.

FO Friday: Oleg the Octopus

FO Friday

This week’s finished project is one that has been in progress since maybe September of last year! It is Oleg the Octopus! The pattern is from Lalylala and can be found here.

Crocheting the body can take some getting used to because you’d be working with the tentacles already attached. The other parts are pretty typical for a Lalylala pattern; the arms, the hood, and the face.

One thing I changed is how I made the head. The pattern calls for the head to be worked in the round continuously from the body. I personally found that this method made it difficult to stuff the neck firmly enough to not be floppy. Instead, I used a head pattern from a different Lalylala doll. One that makes the head a separate piece you sew on later. A problem I found with this change is the hood seems to be too big.

For my next Lalylala, I’m planning on trying another modification.

The little one wanted to go the big mall, so off we went into town. Luckily, the weather was really nice, so we went across the street to Ala Moana Beach Park for a photo shoot.

Pattern from Lalylala
Yarn used: Red Heart Super Saver in Spa Blue Fleck and Eggshell, Loops and Threads Impeccable in Royal
Other materials: 12 mm plastic safety eyes from Glass Eyes Online, polyester fiber filling, pearlized beads
Order yours here.

FO Friday: Beach Ball Pillow

FO Friday

This week’s featured finished project craves for the summer! Luckily, I live in Hawaii where it’s summer year round. Yay?

For this project, I used a mix of yarn brands (see below) and fluff. This makes a great beginner project or even a scrap buster!

My daughter already claimed this one and the crafter in her wanted to add a face. I didn’t get a photo, but I used black buttons for the eyes and just sewn on a smiley mouth with yarn.

The creation of this also sprouted a new category for the shop!

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver in Aruba Sea, Red Heart With Love in Aran, and Loops and Threads Impeccable in Bright Sky Blue
Hook: 4.00 mm Odyssey crochet hook by Furls
Pattern: Beach Ball Pillow at Persia Lou
Other materials: polyester fiber filling, yarn needle
Order yours here.

FO Friday: Magic Rainbow Baby Blanket

FO Friday

Let’s make this short and sweet, coz the photos say it all!

This was a custom order that I was very excited to make! I just love making blankets more than I can use them. The hardest part was picking the colors. So many to choose from, but could only fit 8!

44×44

Yarn: brand and colors listed here if you really wanted to know.
Hook: 5.00 mm Odyssey crochet hook by Furls
Pattern: Magic Rainbow Baby Blanket at MooglyBlog.
Order yours here.

FO Friday: Color Pooling!

Blogging, FO Friday, Look What I Made!

I may be a bit late posting about this, but I finally have this ready! Color pooling infinity scarf using moss stitch.

Making this is way simpler than it looks! You’d think you need the perfect tension, hook size, yarn type, and so on and so on……but my favorite technique is just making sure the color you are currently stitching is the same color as the stitch diagonal from it. Another technique that works for me is for beginning your project. Make your slip knot right where the color changes, and try to end your chain at a color change.

I used this tutorial by Moogly to learn how to do the Moss stitch.

What are your favorite projects for color pooling?