Oktoberfest Socken

This beautiful pair of socks was one that I had tried to complete before my Christmas trip. Since the weather ended up being uncharacteristically warm (hence to the ATV sledding) while we were there, it wasn't a big deal that they weren't finished. However, as soon as we got home, I worked to get them off the needles as quickly as I could.

These are my Oktoberfest Socken, made with a free Ravelry pattern, and they are my first cabled socks. Even though they are a little big, I'm very happy with the results. I absolutely love the yarn, and since I got it for free at a yarn swap, I'm considering this a steal!

Autumn Sampler!

In the early fall, I posted about my completion of the Summer Sampler I started as a practice cross stitch for my Wedding Sampler. Well, I moved on to the Autumn Sampler, and, of course, finished it in early Winter. Noticing a pattern?

Here it is! It was my first time using cutwork, and I put the cutwork off for weeks, resulting in a completion date of January 2016, simply because I was too afraid to finish it during those last few days of 2015. Ah well - close enough!

Here's the end result. Though the lighting is a little off, I'm happy with the result! And I've placed it alongside the completed Summer Sampler for your viewing pleasure!

French Braid

As the holidays approached, I was panicked and overcome with the need to finish all of the gifts, but when I noticed that this was the November KAL pattern on the Ravelry Mega-KAL group, I could not pass the opportunity up. I was even able to use stash yarn from my Brantingham Tree Rings blanket!

I was not that difficult of a knit, and I even managed to get through most of the body before we left. After taking a break from it to finish up my brother's Christmas socks, which I had put on hold to do a heel-sizing test on the first one, I got right back on it, and I managed to finish on Christmas itself.

It wasn't blocked, of course, but I still wore it the next day, and while we were grass-sledding, it came in handy for my cousin Anna (very front - and yes, those are sleds being pulled by an ATV). I blocked it the minute we got home, and I've been wearing it ever since.

Hacky Sack - Kids' Puzzle Balls

And here we are - we've reached the end of the Christmas posts! This'll be the last one!

Today I present to you the hackysacks I made for the kiddos - they're all puzzle balls! Each one uses a different pattern, but they all come apart in a series of puzzles.

First, I made one for Owen using Dedri Uys's Mini Crochet Amish Ball pattern. Owen liked green, so I used a variety of green scraps for the inside, and made the edging in yellow. 

This one was completed in June.

Ravelry Project: Owen

Second was Ellie's flower ball, and this one was an adapted version of another one of Dedri's patterns, the Flower Crochet Amish Puzzle Ball. I adapted the pattern to try to make the ball smaller, and so the flowers only contained one row in the center, and the outside DCs were HDCs. I adapted the wedges accordingly, and though it worked, it still wasn't quite as small as I had hoped.

Ellie liked blue, but I also knew she really liked flowers, so this was a perfect fit for her, and I finished it in July.

Ravelry Project: Ellie

Third was Caleb, a kiddo who liked red, so I simply turned Dedri's Crochet Pumpkin Segment Ball into an Apple segment ball for a delightful finished product, completed in October.

Ravelry Project: Caleb

And finally, last but not least, I've got a Spikey Star ball for Grayson, whose preferences I never got, so I just made him a rainbow of color using an adapted version of Dedri's Crochet Star Ball. I simply made each of the wedges about half the size, and the end result works great, though it does tend to bulge in the center.

The best part is that all the rings are completely reversible, so he can decide which side he wants out!

Ravelry Project: Grayson

Stay tuned next week for the first non-Christmas post since December!

(Oh, and in case you were curious, yes, these are the same Ellie, Owen, Grayson, and Caleb as the quilt recipients!)

Hacky Sack - Fuzzy Bobble

A few of the Hackysacks I made were essentially pattern-less, in an effort to let the yarn speak for itself, and I present them to you today!

Peter's, which was finished in September, used a fuzzy blue yarn. Unfortunately, the fuzz didn't really show through in the final project, but I chose to make just a plain sphere in order to highlight it. 

Ravelry Project: Peter

Uncle Andy S requested purple and green, so knowing that I had this yarn, it was really a no-brainer. I worked another simple sphere, but after the boring results I got from Peter's, I decided to add a few bobbles haphazardly. When I finished it in October, I decided it had worked.

Ravelry Project: Quog

Finally, we have my hackysack. I chose a green fuzzy scrap for mine, and somehow mine came out much fuzzier than Peter's - go figure. Anyway, I finished in October, and packed it up with the others.

Ravelry Project: Lily

Hacky Sack - Easy Peasy Baby Ball

Another one of the patterns I used for this project was the Easy Peasy Baby Ball by A la Sascha. I absolutely love this one, and though I adapted the pattern a few times by adding rows or changing needle sizes, it was still one of my favorites.

Dad's was first, and his selected color was blue. For a man known for wearing only blue for years of his life, this was not a surprising choice, and I striped his ball accordingly, with two of his favorite shades. This one was completed in September.

Ravelry Project: Gary

Aunt Jody requested red, green, and blue, so this stripey duet seemed perfect. Hers was completed in September as well.

Ravelry Project: Jody

Also a September ball, this one was for Elizabeth S, and she liked the colors green and grey, so hers was the perfect excuse to use up some scraps. I am particularly proud of this one because I only had a few yards of the light green left, and I was able to use it up almost perfectly, with less than 10 inches to spare.

Ravelry Project: Elizabeth S

Finally, I made one more as an extra, and quite frankly this might be my absolute favorite of all the balls I made. This one was finished in November and just might end up in my classroom.

Ravelry Project: E1

Striped Double Crochet Ball - Pattern

Once again, I present to you the pattern for the hacky-sacks I previously posted.

Materials:

• Yarn in chosen colors (worsted)
• size F crochet hook
• scissors, darning needle, filling (stockings, stuffing or rice)

Directions (Detailed):

• Round 1: With color A, create a magic loop. Into the magic loop, chain one, and then make 6 single-crochets. Slip-stitch to the top of the first SC. (6 stitches)
• Round 2: Make a standing DC, and in the same stitch, make two more DC. Make 3 DC in each stitch around, and slip-stitch to the top of the standing DC. Cut and bind off color A. (18 stitches)
• Round 3: With color B, attach to first stitch with a chain, and sc in the same stitch, and then sc in the next stitch. (sc twice in one stitch, sc in next two stitches) around, and then sc twice in the last stitch, and slip-stitch to the first sc. (24 stitches)
• Round 4: Make a standing DC in the first stitch, and then two DCs in the next stitch. (DC in one stitch, make two DCs in the next) around, and slip-stitch to the standing DC. Cut and bind off color B. (36 stitches)
• Round 5: With color C, attach to first stitch with a chain, and sc in the same stitch, and then sc in the next four stitches. (sc twice in one stitch, sc in next five stitches) around, and then sc twice in the last stitch, and slip-stitch to the first sc. (42 stitches)
• Round 6: Make a standing DC in the first stitch, and then DC in the next five stitches. (DC twice in the next stitch, DC in the next six stitches) around, and then DC twice in the last stitch, and slip-stitch to the standing DC. Cut and bind off color C. (48 stitches)
• Round 7: Attach color A, sc around
• Round 8: dc around
• Round 9: sc around, cut and bind off color A
• Round 10: With color C, make a standing DC, and DC in the next 5 stitches. (DC 2 together, DC 6) around, Dc last two stitches together, and slip stitch to standing DC. (42 stitches)
• Round 11: Chain one, sc in same stitch and next four stitches. (sc 2 together, sc in the next five stitches) around, sc the last two stitches together, slip-stitch to first stitch. Cut and bind off color C. (36 stitches)
• Round 12: With color B, make a standing DC. (DC 2 together, DC 1) around, Dc last two stitches together, and slip stitch to standing DC. (24 stitches)
• Round 13: Chain one, sc in same stitch and next stitch. (sc 2 together, sc in the next two stitches) around, sc the last two stitches together, slip-stitch to first stitch. Cut and bind off color B. (18 stitches)
• Note: At this point, you should stuff the inside of the ball in whichever way you choose, before attaching the last color.
• Round 14: With color A, Make a standing DC 3 together, and DC 3 together around. Slip stitch to the first stitch. (6 stitches)
• Round 15: Chain one, sc in each stitch, slip stitch to the first stitch, and bind off. (6 stitches)
• Sew all ends in

Directions (Simplified):

1. (A) magic loop, 6 SC (6 sts)
2. (A) DC 3 in each sc (18 sts)
3. (B) SC 2, SCinc across (24 sts)
4. (B) DC, DCinc across (36 sts)
5. (C) SC 5, SCinc across (42 sts)
6. (C) DC 6, SCinc acorss (48 sts)
7. (A) SC all
8. (A) DC All
9. (A) SC all
10. (C) DC 6, DC2tog across (42 sts)
11. (C) SC 5, SC2tog across (36sts)
12. (B) DC, DC2tog across (24 sts)
13. (B) SC 2, SC2tog across (18 sts)
14. (A) DC3tog across (6 sts)
15. (A) SC across (6 sts)