Make it ! Full-lenght Rudi ornament !!!

Yes, today I'm sharing a whole Rudi, not just its head!!! ;oD

Both my boys were not completely satisfied (do you believe that???) with the first Rudi outcome and they described to me what they were wishing for.... I tell you, they wanted something more realistic, but I told them that was not my intention....

So, our shared brainstorming session gave birth to the following ornament ...

... both Matteo and Tobia like most the grey Rudi, as it has a better defined tummy !!!

They were even asking for hooves, but I said that suggestion time was expired, so .... ;oD

WHAT DO YOU NEED :

4mm hook
some DK yarns
yarn needle
scissors
buttons (eyes)
thread and needle to sew buttons and bells on
mini bells
pompom maker (optional)
baker's twine

Remember : I follow the US crochet terminology ! Thank you !!!


RUDI'S BODY

You can choose if you prefer a monochrome tummy or a bicoloured one : it's up to you!!!

In any case, pick up a colour of your choice and make a slip knot on your hook, then chain 12

first round : wrap yarn around your hook and insert tip in 3rd chain from hook and crochet your first double crochet (=DC). Work other 8 DC in the next chains. In last chain, instead, crochet 5 DC. Crochet 8 DC at the base of the previous ones, while in the last chain work 4 DC, then slip stitch in the top of first DC done.

second round : chain 2 and work 2 DC in same stitch, then crochet 8 DC in next stitches, while make 2 DC in each stitch (they are five) of the semicircle (tot : 10 stitches). Crochet 8 DC along the straight side, then work 2 DC in each stitch (they are four) of the other semicircle (tot : 8 stitches). Slip stitch in the top of the first DC made.

third round : chain 2 and work 1 DC in the same stitch, 2 DC in next stitch, 8 DC along the straight side, [1 DC+ 2 DC] 5 times along the first semicircle (tot : 15 stitches), 8 DC along the straight side and end with [1 DC + 2 DC] 4 times along the last semicircle (tot : 12 stitches). Slip stitch in the top of first DC done.
Cut yarn, fasten off and sew ends in.

If you like the tummy in a different colour from the rest of the body, remember to change colour in the last stitch of first round, as done HERE !!!

You can even sew on a mini bell on the tummy!!!

RUDI'S HEAD

Do you remember seeing this same face somewhere else ????? ;oD

Well, it was in my LAST POST that I gave you all the instructions needed to crochet one, right?

This time you don't need a pin, but some baker's twine to make a loop between Rudi's antlers and some yarn (and needle) to sew your head on top of Rudi's body, ok???

RUDI'S LEGS (make two)

You have to work along the other semicircle, the one opposed the head.

In our case, the semicircle is made of 15 DC. Counting from first stitch (red dot) on both sides, find the 7th stitch (twice!) and in each of them, follow these instructions :

Join yarn in the top of the 7th stitch and chain 18. Wrap yarn around hook and push the hook tip in the 3rd chain from hook, where you work your first half double crochet (= hDC). Crochet other 15 hDC along the foundation chain and slip stitch in the same stitch you've joined the yarn.
Cut yarn, fasten off and sew ends in.

Repeat the same pattern in the other 7th stitch !!! ;oD


RUDI'S ARMS (make two)

Luckily, nothing different from the legs' pattern, apart from :

you work in the 4th stitch, counting from the "neck" (valid for both sides)
the foundation chain is made of 12 stitches, not 18!!!


Both my ornaments (antlers not included) reach 23 cm in lenght !

xxxx, Alessandra

Make it! Rudi the Rainbowdeer !!!

Happy start of the week!!!

Here in Maputo, this morning, we are having a lot of rain, so outside is grey and a bit humid...

To brighten my day and yours I'm posting a new colourful pattern to add to the ones I'm linking on my Instagram feed, just to give you ideas for your Christmas crafts : ready ???

They put a smile on E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E face, right ???
It's all the weekend I'm smiling just making them !!!

WHAT DO YOU NEED ?

some colourful DK yarns
4mm hook
a pair of scissors
some buttons
a pompom maker : if you don't have it, note that the pompoms are 2,5cm in diameter
a yarn needle
thread + needle to sew buttons on
some safety pins
mini bells
baker's twine

Please remember I follow the US crochet terminology, thank you !!!


This is the first Rudi I made ...

FIRST STEP : CROCHET 2 CIRCLES

Choose a colour and make a slip knot on your hook.
chain 4 and insert hook in first chain to obtain a ring.

first round : chain 2 (if you prefer, chain 3), work 12 double crochet stitches into the ring, slip stitch in top of first DC (= double crochet stitch) to end first round. (12 stitches)

second round : chain 2 (or 3! ;oD) and work 2 DC in same stitch. Crochet 2 DC in every next stitch and slip stitch in top of first DC to close second round. (24 stitches)

third round : chain 2 (or 3) and work 1 DC in same stitch and 2 DC in next stitch. Repeat [1 DC + 2 DC] other 11 times, slip stitch in top of first DC to end this round. (36 stitches) Cut yarn, fasten off.

You need to crochet a second circle in the same way and this time leave a long end, to use it to sew together, back to back, the 2 circles!!!! ;oD


SECOND STEP : POMPOMS as noses

Well, to make a lot of pompoms of same size I find very useful to use the pompom makers by Clover.
I've been using the smallest one, which allows you to have pompoms with a diameter of 2,5cm.
If you don't have it, just use traditional methods (as HERE), or a fork (as HERE) or your fingers (as HERE) !!!

Once you have done, pass the tails (with the help of the yarn needle) through the hole in the center of one of the circle and pull them to make the pompom adhere well on the surface. Make some knots on the back and cut the excess of yarn.


THIRD STEP: BUTTONS as eyes

Simply choose a couple of buttons and the right needle and thread. Just position the buttons over the nose and decide the right spot to sew them on! Easy-peasy !!!


FOURTH STEP : MOUTH

You need to choose a new contrasting colour and just under the nose, between rounds 2 and 3, make some slip stitches (12 in my case) to shape a big smile !

When done, cut yarn and leave a tail to fix the yarn in the back, but mostly to add the vertical line in the middle of the mouth !
When you reach the middle of the mouth, let the yarn needl pass from back to front...

... and pull the all the yarn and make the needle enter a space just under the pompom and go to the back again, where you complete the sewing !!!

FIFH STEP : ANTLERS

In any top stitch (just above the eyes) insert the tip of your hook, where you have just made a slip knot with a new colourful yarn!
In this stitch make a single crochet stitch (=SC) and chain 3 (or more if you like). Chain 5 extra stitches and insert hook in 2nd stitch from hook and make 1 slip stitch. Work other 3 slip stitches in the next 3 chains. Chain 5 again, insert hook in 2nd stitch from hook and work other 4 slip stitches. You will have something like in the following picture ...

... then, slip stich again in the same chain of 4th slip stitch of first point made, work 3 SC in last 3 chains. Slip stitch in same stitch of starting SC.
Make 4 slip stitches along the top of the circle (or more, or less : it depends how wide you will love the gap between the 2 antlers!) and in the same top stitch of last slip stitch made work 1 SC.
Repeat the same pattern given for the first antler and when completed (just after the last 3 SC), slip stitch in same starting stitch, cut yarn and fasten off ! Antlers done!!!

LAST STEP : SEWING and PIN


Sew in all the ends of both circles and put them back on back. Using the yarn needle with the long tail left on the second circle, sew them together with simple stitches. Cut all the excess of yarn.

Then add the safety pin on the back ...

Open the pin and push the head in one of the stitches between rounds 2 and 3, from right to left, and let it come out when the pin is covered enough, see ?? ...

Not difficult at all !!!


So, if you are crocheting a lot of  Rudis, you will be surrounded by a happy group of rainbowdeers, like myself ...

Would you love a complete Rudi, instead ???

... Next time, maybe ????? ;oD


xxxx Alessandra

Make it ! Mini mandalas hanging decorations !!!

Hi my dear friends!!
I have to apologize for my long absence from the blog, but we had a lot of problems with internet (will they ever stop????) and my laptop is almost dead, so I'm using the one of my husband...
This is even the reason, you will find me more often on Instagram, as you need just a photo and a little caption.... the right solution for me, at least for the moment!
I really miss my blogging activity, but my internet reality is not easy!
Anyway, I did a photo tutorial for you and I hope you will love it!!!

It's all about my mini mandalas (shown for the first time HERE) and they look like the followings

I think you got the idea, right? ;oD

WHAT YOU NEED:

• some colourful yarns from your personal stash. I was using acrylic leftovers from other projects and still have some, so other decorations are on the way!!!!
• a hook, in my specific case : a 4mm hook
• a pair of scissors
• a yarn needle
• a tape measure
• some stitch markers (optional)

Please, note that I follow the US crochet terminology!
The project calls for different sizes of double crochet (abbrev. DC) circles : the bigger is made of 5 rounds, then we have one circle of 3 rounds, one of 2 rounds and the last one is just made of one round!
You can choose to work these 4 circles separately and then sew them together. I prefer to join them as I go.... It's up to you and, honestly, the final result doesn't change because of the sewing or joining method!

PATTERN

I always start with the bigger one (5 rounds). The smaller ones follow the same pattern, shortened!

Select two colours to work with. I prefer to start with the darker one (name it "A") and then use the lighter one (name it "B"). You are not obligated to follow this rule and feel free to use more than two colours, if you like! This choice of mine, is just a simplification for the project to follow.

Pick the first colour (A) and make a slip knot on your hook. Chain 3 and insert the tip of your hook in the 1st chain made to crochet one DC (= double crochet). Make other 11 DCs in the same chain. Slip stitch in top of first DC to close the round. Your first round is done! (12 stitches)

second round : join colour B (do not cut colour A!), chain 2, work 2 DCs in each stitch. Slip stitch in 1st DC to close the round. (24 stitches)

third round : rejoin first colour A (do not cut colour B!), chain 2, repeat [1 DC + 2 DCs in same stitch] 12 times. Slip stitch in top of first DC to close the round. (36 stitches)

fourth round : rejoin second colour B (do not cut A!), chain 2, repeat [1 DC + 1 DC + 2 DCs in same stitch] 12 times. Slip stitch in top of first DC to close the round. (48 stitches) Now you can cut yarn B!

fifth round : rejoin colour A, chain 2, repeat [1 DC + 1 DC + 1 DC + 2 DCs in same stitch] 12 times. Slip stitch in top of first DC to close the round. (60 stitches) Cut yarn, fasten off and trim in all ends.

Once the big circle is completed, you can crochet the other ones (3 rounds, 2 rounds and one round) individually and then sew them together : the "2 rounds circle" at the bottom of the decoration-to-be, while the "3 rounds circle" will be at the top of the bigger circle and the "one round circle" will be at the top of all them, as the hanging loop will be at its top!!!

I prefer to work differently! Follow me, if interested in this alternative way to join!

I have to prepare my big circle

I use 4 pins as stitch markers to mark the stitches I will use for the joining. A total of 4 stitches are involved at the top of the big circle and the same amount of stitches are considered at the bottom of the same circle.
As the last round of the circle is made of 60 stitches, the stitches left free on both sides are 26 : 26+26+4+4=60 !
I start the joining at the bottom of the big circle, while working a "2 rounds circle"
Once the first round is done, I start the 2nd round and the first two stitches of it are joined to the two stitches (of the bigger circle) on the left

It's not difficult! When you are starting to work the second part of your DC, before wrapping the yarn around your hook, push the tip of your hook under the top of the Dc of the bigger circle, then wrap the yarn around the hook and pull it to the front of your work and the two loops of the DC to complete!!! Join and DC done at the same time!

After the first two DCs are joined, continue to work the round as usual and stop before the last two stitches are done

These last two stitches will be joined with the tops of the two DCs of the big circle as the first two

See?
Cut yarn, fasten off and trim ends in !

This time, we have to do the same with the top 4 stitches of the big circle and the bottom 4 stitches of the "3 rounds circle"

In this situation, you need to join the stitches 17, 18, 19 and 20 to the 4 stitches of the big circle

and this is how the 3 circles appear joined together

Now, to complete the body of the hanging decoration, we need to join the last circle (made of just one round) to the top 4 stitches of the "3 rounds circle"

You start to work the first 4 DCs of the last circle and you will join the following 4 to the other DCs of the "3 rounds circle"

As the "one circle" is made of 12 stitches, after the joining you need to work 4 more DCs and then slip stitch in the top of the first DC.
Work extra 20 chains and slip stitch in the first chain made and then slip stitch in the top of first DC : the loop is done, too!!!

Cut yarn, fasten off and trim in all ends!

You need to embellish your decoration!
To make a tassel : I cut 10 lengths of one colour + 10 lengths in a different colour (each length is about 30 cm long). Fold together these lengths in two , pass two strands under the fold and knot them together. You need other two strands to knot around and form the "head" of the tassel. Knot the tassel at the bottom of the last circle. Trim it.

Before adding the tassel, you can embellish your hanging decoration with some slip stitches in contrasting colours and add an extra edging at the bigger circle, made of single crochets or even picots!
Have a look :

Have fun, xxxx Alessandra