Winter Berries ~ Crochet around a rock!
This is such a different idea, and it looks so effective. I love the idea of crocheting around a rock!
And now that we’re almost into Winter here in Australia, this tutorial is entirely appropriate.
That’s one furry baby!
Looking around on Ravelry the other night, I came across this image alongside a free pattern for a crochet baby hoodie.
I always wanted to make one of these for the Bump when he was a baby, but since the pattern won’t fit him anymore, I suppose Mr Underfoot might get cold this Winter…
Free Crochet Pattern: Amigurumi Hearts
Wren & the Bump absolutely loved these little smiling hearts when I made them the other week, and I’ve already got one tucked away as a gift for my mother for Mother’s Day next month.
{but don’t tell her}
Remember, this is only my second try at writing out a pattern, so if I’ve been unclear about anything, please let me know so that I can fix it up!
With your help, I’ll improve as I go along…
If you need help with the magic circle, I posted a great video about it here.
It should also jog your memory if you’ve crocheted before but forgotten how. 
Stitch Key
sc ~ single chain stitch
2sc into each sc ~ stitch 2 sc into each sc of the previous round (row)
sc2tog ~ decrease stitch
1st circle
Magic circle with 6sc
2sc into each sc (12)
2sc into 1st sc, then 1sc into next sc * repeat for entire round (18)
2sc into 1st sc, then 1sc into next 2 sc * repeat for entire round (24)
sc entire round
Finish off circle, leaving 3in tail.
2nd circle
Magic circle with 6sc
2sc into each sc (12)
2sc into 1st sc, then 1sc into next sc * repeat for entire round (18)
2sc into 1st sc, then 1sc into next 2 sc * repeat for entire round (24)
sc entire round
Do not finish off circle, and place a marker (even a wire bread tie will do) around the last stitch.
Joining
Lay circles on top of each other, with right sides facing inwards.
Using tail from 1st circle, sew through 4 stitches and secure firmly.
Make sure that the direction of stitches on your 2nd circle is moving towards the join, with at least 2sc to be done before you crochet across the join.
Unfold the joined circles, so that you can now crochet around both as shown below.
‘Body’ of the heart
sc entire round for 5 rows
sc2 together, sc 5 * repeat for entire round
sc entire round
sc2 together, sc 4 * repeat for entire round
sc entire round
sc2 together, sc 3 * repeat for entire round
Attach dolls’ eyes. These look best positioned on the first row, where you began decreasing (sc2 together)
Sew a little smile between and just below the eyes in a contrasting red, pink or black.
sc entire round
sc2 together, sc 2 * repeat for entire round
sc entire round
sc2 together for entire round
finish off, leaving a tail long enough to sew through each stitch & close the hole.
Stuff your heart very firmly & sew the hole closed, working the end inside.
Note:
The red & green hearts in the picture were made from 8ply crepe yarn, using a size 3 crochet hook, while the little blue heart was made from4ply wool, using a size 2 crochet hook.
Need help with hook sizes? Here’s a handy-dandy conversion chart.
Let me know how you go, I’d love to share the pictures of your finished work!
Ten uses for an unexpected Mulberry Tree
When we bought our new home back in October, one of the many surprises that came with it was a mulberry tree at the rear of the yard, beside the vegie patch.
WonderHubby {who takes Fridays off during school holidays, yet another way he’s worth his weight in gold} and the Bump were pottering in the yard this morning.
In between devouring tongue of fire beans and sweet lemons, they discovered that we now have some ripe berries on the tree, and proceeded to taste the merchandise there, too.
Since I always try to get the most use out of things, I decided to google uses for mulberry leaves and fruit, and was surprised at some of what I found.
- You can eat them ~ okay, no surprise there.
- The leaves can be used for raising silkworms ~ again, not a surprise, but now I know where to find them (at pet shops, apparently).
- You can make a tea of the leaves ~ not sure what it’d taste like, maybe WH will be adventurous and try it for me (I’m a wimp when it comes to trying new foods).
- The twigs are good for basket making, wood is sometimes used for furnishings.
- Mulberry tree bark can be boiled used to make handmade Japanese “shoji” paper, some European papers, and Polynesian “tapa cloth”
- Also in Japan, the traditional “chashaku” green tea scoop used in semi-formal tea ceremonies is made of mulberry wood.
- The leaves can be used as a vegetable ~ not sure about that, but the guinea pigs sure like them…
- We could build a chicken coop around it and eat them, as the fallen fruit provides very good fodder.
- Once your neighbourhood birds eat them, their poop can be used as a permanent purplish dye. - or is that “stain”?
- Mulberries have a laxative effect (which may explain the bird poop thing).
So next time you see me, I’ll be dressed in a purplish-dyed tapa cloth dress, toting a mulberry-wood tray with a mulberry twig basket of mulberries, cups of mulberry tea, mulberry leaf salad, and my hand-made mulberry paper notebook, on which I may even jot a few notes in boiled mulberry juice, if I can figure out how to squeeze it out of the birdshit.
And afterwards, you can help me out with feeding the chickens & guinea pigs.
I’m taking part in Sited & Blogged ~ Weekend Garden meme today, so please call by and check out the other participants’ posts.
My friends at The Mom Blogs
Just spreading a little Technorati linklove around… 
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How to treat Chicken Pox
Calamine lotion & bicarb baths are out!
We’ve all learnt something new about chicken pox this week, so I thought I’d share it in the hope that it would save your child some suffering.
The new information on how to treat chicken pox is to keep the skin moist, to avoid sores drying out and scarring. This also helps to stop some of the itching.
So, since calamine lotion and bicarb soda are drying agents, they’re no longer considered the best treatment.
We chose a combination of products to help the Bump get through this week of major itching.
1. An antihisthamine
This helps to reduce the rash by limiting the body’s reaction to toxins.
We chose Phenergan, because of its’ sedative qualities, and gave the Bump the recommended amount for sedation. It didn’t put him to sleep (but that’s just him), but it did relax and calm him.
2. A bath additive
Soaking in something to soothe and moisturise the skin will stop those itchy sores from becoming dry and itchier.
Pinetarsol was recommended by our local chemist (who is also a friend), and although it turns the bathwater a “pee-yellow” colour, it’s been very effective. It took the redness right out of the Bump’s sores, and he had a pretty good night’s sleep afterwards.
3. A lotion
Something to relieve the itch and moisturise the skin between baths is important, too.
Our chemist friend told us that Pine Tar is the best product for this, and we can use it afterwards to treat the kidz’ excema and mozzie bites.
Happy Easter, everyone!
Just thought I’d write a quick note to wish you all a wonderful Easter & a safe long weekend.
We’re all choc’d out here, and very little of what you can see on the right is left at this stage.
Better to let them eat them and get the chocolate buzz out of the way, I say.
By the way, does anyone know what a light rash of small, scattered blisters (mainly on the torso) could be besides chicken pox?
Yep, we’ve just all gotten over bad throat infections and now there’s something new to keep us occupied!
Bread Sculpting Dough Recipe
You Will Need:
- 2 slices of white bread with the crusts cut off
- 30ml glue
- Food colouring
What to Do:
- Crumble bread into crumbs (or put it into the blender)
- Add glue immediately & mix well
- Add water if needed
- Add a couple of drops of food colouring if you want to colour it
Free crochet pattern: Amigurumi Easter Eggs
If you’re thinking “Whatintheheck is amigurumi?”, then you need to read this.
Now that you’re up to speed on that, we can continue.
This is my first attempt at a pattern, and I’ve been making heaps of these cute little eggs for Easter gifts this year.
It only takes about an hour from go to woe!
If you have any trouble following me, just let me know and I’d love to help.
Materials
- 8ply wool / acrylic
- Size 3.50 crochet hook (USA size E)
- Stitch marker
- Polyfil
Pattern
Magic ring - 6sc
2sc in first sc, sc in next sc* repeat (9)
2sc in first sc, sc in next sc* repeat (15)
2sc in first sc, sc in next sc, sc in next sc* repeat (20)
sc round
2sc in first sc, sc in next sc, sc in next sc, sc in next sc* repeat (25)
sc round for 5 rounds
Decrease
sc2together, sc in next sc, sc in next sc, sc in next sc* repeat (20)
sc2together, sc in next sc, sc in next sc* repeat ()
sc2together, sc in next sc* repeat ()
Finishing
Finish off, leaving a 3in tail
Sew on eyes in black and a red or pink V for a mouth
Stuff egg very firmly
Thread tail though the remaining stitches and sew shut, weaving the end inside out of sight.
Note:
When decreasing, your egg will look neatest if you line up the decrease stitches one above the other.
Don’t worry if this means you have to add or skip a sc in places. The important thing is that you have 5 evenly-spaced decreasing stitches in each round.