My crocheted doll house purses are truly a gift from the heart.  From the time I first saw knitted and other crocheted pieces, I knew I had to create my own crocheted versions.  I started with the house with the red roof that was crocheted to house a comfort doll family with coordinated red clothes.  When my four year old granddaughter saw the display, her mouth opened awe and glee.  "Is this for me? she inquired.  Indeed, it was.  However, I knew I had to create 2 more for her New York cousins.  Each doll house purse takes about 14 hours to create with all of the decorations.  This was going to be a big project.  I said that she could play with the pieces that day since it was going to be a while before she could take her set home.  She undertstood, and had great time with creative play that afternoon.

Okay, this was a great idea, but I did not have a pattern.  After the first house, my goal was to crochet two additional purses.  One girl would get a doll house purse with a blue roof to match that comfort doll family.  Her sister would get a doll house purse with a purple roof to match her family as well..  For each girl I also added an extended Granny Square for a blanket or carpet.  Again all of the colors matched the dolls and the doll houses.

Next, I built up the sides in white or off white. B​y the time I got to the third purse (with one do over), I calculated that I wanted 23 stitches on the long sides and 13 stitches on the short sides. this meant I had to make 2 stitches in each corner.  I found that I liked a Single Crochet
(SC) for the sides.  In the first model, I joined the rows with a slip stitch, but it became harder to align.  Therefore, I worked in a spiral without a join for the remaining houses.  I marked the beginning of the rows so that I had even sides.  I crocheted 10 or 11 rows before started the gables.

 To make the gables on the short sides I started (Row 1) with a ch1 and a SC in the same stitch.  Then I crocheted 12 more SC for a total of 13 stitches. In the next row (/Row 2) I decreased with a SC2tog on both sides so that the edges would be even (11 stitches). In Row3, I crocheted the same number of stitches as Row 2 (11).  In the following rows I decreased on the even rows and crocheted the same number on the odd rows. I continued to complete the gable with one stitch remaining.  I fastened off and cut the yarn.then I attached the yarn to the other short side to make the second gable.

The colored roof was made to be slightly larger than the gables so that there would be a bit of overhang. I chained 24 stitches and crocheted a HDC in the second chain from the hook.  
After 10 rows I crocheted an extra row with HDC form the Back Loop Only (BLO). to make a ridge for the top of the roof. Then I crocheted an additional 10 rows for the other side of the roof.  I fastened off and cut the yarn tail that would I would weave in with the rest of the tails.

 It is important to note that I only attached one half of the roof to one side of the gable and adjoining side of the door house purse. In that way the girls would be able to open the purse to insert the doll family and blanket.  Before I attached the roof, I  crocheted the strap with a Half Double Crochet Foundation Stitch (HDCF). Then I added an additional row of HDC.  I sewed the strap under the peak of the roof on both sides.Then I proceeded to sew the roof in place, starting at the peak row  and down the first gable, across the length of the house and up the second gable to the peak. Since I wanted to add buttons and button holes to close the purse cesucrely, I needed to add an additional row of SC to both long sides of the house.  On the loose side, I would make 3 buttonholes, evenly distributed along the side of roof. I started with 2 SC, CH2, skip 3, SC5, CH2, skip 3, SC5, ch2, skip 3,SC2. On the other secured side, I simply SC across.

To complete the doll house purse, I sewed the buttons directly under the button holes near the top row of these of the house.  Then I crocheted a small door and attached a buttoner a handle.The door was purely for decoration and does not open Embroidered flowerswerejust the right touch.  The coordinating Comfort Doll families that would make for hours of creative play were placed inside the houses and the buttons were closed.  I eagerly awaited family gathering so that each girl could receive her own house and family.  

The Comfort Dolls were displayed in earlier LilCreates articles. Here are the links to get that information so that you can knit or crochet your own Comfort Doll families:
http:/www./lilcreates.com/lillians-blog/comfort-dolls-made-with-love
http://www.lilcreates.com/lillians-blog/comfort-dolls-a-new-look
http:/www.lilcreates.com/lillians-blog/crocheters-can-make-comfort-dolls-too

Needless to say, the girls were overjoyed with their Crocheted Doll House Purses another ComfortDoll families.  They were all together for the Memorial Day cookout.  They displayed their houses and matching families and engaged to creative play before returning home with their gifts.  I was rewarded for the many hours of constructing the doll purses and doll families with smiles, hugs,and kisses.  Friends and members of my craft group have asked met make purses so that they could purchase them for the special children in their lives, but I had to say that I am finished for now.  I am sure that I can cut down on the construction time with more practice.  However now I feel closure and am eager to start on new projects.  We recently went on an fair garden tour, and I took many photos of the delightful creations.  Perhaps their is a Crocheted Fairy House in my future.

I hope that you enjoyed my general guidelines for the Crocheted Doll House Purses.  I can't really call them a pattern yet as there may be steps that I have left out. If I do formalize the guidelines, I will include diagrams, and photos.  My stitching journey continues.  I welcome you to join me. If you do try your own version of my Crocheted Doll House Purse, I would love to see pictures of your work.  Please add your reflections and feedback to the comments.

I am excited and ready for the national HATNOTHATE anti-bullying campaign to be launched on June 10 with a 24 hour streaming sponsored by Lion Brand Yarn.  

What is bullying and how can making and wearing a blue hat halt this noxious culture?Bullying may take on overt forms such as name-calling hitting, punching, or kicking.  However it also includes more insidious forms such as social ostracizing.  It involves the participation of others who enable the culture by failing to stand up to the perpetrator.  In the age of social media, the victim is even bombarded at home.  

To fight the cancer of bullying, the social culture must change.  This begins with awareness and solidarity.  We wear our blue hats to show kids that they are not alone.  We provide a platform for their stories and teach positive ways to improve the culture in their schools.  Victums of bullying frequently suffer depression.  There school work suffers, and they are more prone to self-harm and suicide.  This year It Gets Better joined forces with HATNOTHATE to uplift LGBTQ youth.

-If you enjoy crocheting and knitting , you can use your creativity to promote this important effort by sending hats to:
#HATNOTHATE
Lion Brand Yarn Co.
​140 Kero Road
Carlstadt, NewJersey 07072
Their goal is 100,000 hats, and every hat counts.  Send your hats by August 21 for distribution schools nationwide.  See the website hatnothate.org for more information about the program and for lists of local drop-off sites.  The organizers are asking us to wear our hats on June 10 and post our photos on social media with the tag #HATNOTHate.

The hats must be handmade with blue or mostly blue yarn.  Circumference ranges from 16 inches to 20 twenty inches to fit elementary, middle school, and high school youth.  Students wearing these hats support the antibullying campaign with the message of awareness and solidarity.

-Lion Brand offers free patterns for crocheters and knitters on the #HATNOTHATE website.  I have researched the internet through Pinterest, Ravelry, and other sources to select 8 others. All of the patterns are free and will work well with the campaign. Please note that I have included general descriptions of materials and directions.  For specific, detailed information, you must refer to the patterns or websites listed in this blog post.

My first hat is my favorite go to Lakeside Beanie by 5 Knots North. The beanie is crocheted in worsted yarn with an H (5.0mm) hook and is worked from the top of the crown down.  The crown of the beanie is formed with an expanding circle of Double Crochet stitches.  The sides begin with Double Crochet stitches and transition to alternating Front Post Double Crochet and Back Post Double Crochet to make a warm, cozy, comfortable beanie that covers the head and ears.  The blue and white pompom completes the hat.  The style is gender neutral and is suitable for all ages.

​

The Slouchy Hat Pattern can be found at Crafty Crochet and Things-blogspot.com.  It is crocheted from the bottom up with an I (5.5mm) hook from the bottom up.  Chain about 9-12 stitches to make band of desired with.  Crochet a Half Double Crochet into the Back Loop Only starting in the second chain from the hook.  Chain 1 at thebegining of each row and continue until you have the desired conference.  Join band short edges and pick up stitches for the hat.  The body of the hat is formed by making HDC in a spiral without joining.  Mark starting point with a place marker.  When you have achieved the desired height for the pattern size, you will be alternating rows of sc and sc2tog with all sc.  Use the long tail to make running stitch and to close the gap. The hat can be made with or without the pompom. I chose a yarn pom pom in matching blue. The hat is gender neutral, but I would go with a darker blue for males.

The Easy V Stitch Hat, designed by Nanay Madel, can be found on Cool Creativity. com or on Daisy Cottage Designs.net.  This hat is crocheted from the bottom up starting with a ribbed band.  Once the bands joined, start to pick up V-stitches in the same color as the bottom band.  Since I was using only two colors  (dark blue and white) I was able to carry the color yarn that was not in use up the back side of the hat.  In this way I could avoid having many pieces of yarn to weave in.  The hat was worked in worsted with an H (5.0mm) hook. I added a white pompom, but a dark blue is also attractive. 

A  Very Good Hat from Moogly.com is is crocheted from the bottom up with a J (6.0mm) hook.  Starting with a foundation chain in the main color (dark blue), the ribbing is achieved by alternating Front Post  Double Crochet with Back Post Double crochet.  The pattern calls for Half Double Crochet stitches and changes color  every two rounds. I spread out a multi-coloredself striping yarn and cut the yarn when it changed color.  Then I selected the colors for the colored rows.  In this way I could control the color distribution so that it did not stop or start in awkward places.  I collected all fo my left over pieces to make a multi-colored pompom.

The Winter Rays Ribbed Crochet Hat @ned and mimi.com uses an interesting stitch combination.  This bottom-up pattern calls for a band using a slip stitch from the back Loop Only, but a changed it to Half Double Crochet because it was easier to make the stitches.  The body of the hat is formed with rows of Five half Double Crochet from the Back Loop Only alternating with two Front Post Double Crochet.  The sequence creates a ribs that reach from the ribbed base to the top of the hat. I like the way the yarn color changes from a solid brand of light blue at the bottom of the hat to a darker blue at the top.  A dark blue Pom Pom works well with this style.

I found a Topper kit with a stuffed mimihippo head in my stash.  Although the enclosed pattern called for knitted style, I decided to crochet the hat with a combination of double crochet and V stitch.  The pattern was crocheted from the top down.  The blue topper and the matching blue ribbing worked well together.  This hat would be suited for an elementary age child.

The Mint Cluster Chemo Cap Pattern on Allcrafts blog.com starts at the crown with a Double Crochet.  I used a H (5.0mm) hook with a softer yarn.  After I crocheted a crown circle ending with 60 stitches I transitioned to cluster stitches separated by a single space. I changed the pattern to include a band of 4 rows of HDC to give shape to the hat.  

The Northern Exposure Pom Hat is demonstrated on You Tube.  After a foundation chain of 30 stitches, you make a Single Crochet and a Double Crochet in the second stitch from the hook. Skip a stitch and crochet the repeat across.  As you work the rows the stitch combo will look like it is stacked.  You will end with a rectangle that is about 20 inches wide.  Then you will sew the ends together with mattress or whipped stitch.  The stitching sides are slightly different.  Decide which you prefer before you stitch up your hat.  Use a running stitch to cinch the top of the hat together.  Reinforcewith additional stitches.  You can attach a pom pom or leave it plain as I did.

I am thrilled to join this worthwhile #HATNOTHATE campaign and to share my patterns with you.  On June 10,  I will wear one of my blue hats and post on Facebook and Instagram .  I hope you enjoy crocheting these blue hats with these patterns. I would love to see pictures of your creations.  Aga[n, please note that my comments and descriptions are general.  You have to go to the specific pattern for complete directions.

As always, I welcome your feedback and reflections.  Please join me on my stitching journey.

The Double V Fan Stitch consists of 2 DC, Ch I, 2DC in the same stitch .  There are 3 skipped stitches between the fans.  The fans are stacked on top of each other in following rows.

For specific directions and a video tutorial, see:  Autumn Symphony Shawl by Jennifer Dickerson on Ravelry.  I also located the pattern by searching for Free Pattern Autumn Symphony.  It popped up on the Fiber Flux website.

I did not want to work with chunky yarn .  I chose Caron Jumbo in a worsted weight Ombre called Faded Jersey. The skeins weight 12 oz and yield 595 yards. I needed about 1 and 2/3 skein to complete the project with 20" x 60 inches.  You will still need the second skein if you want only a 18 inch wide shawl.  My initial chain was 63 stitches (15x4 +3). Since I planned to donate my shawl to Threads of Love, an organization that provides shawls and blankets to cancer patients, I wanted a deeper, cozy garment.   Our group provides our pieces to Yale-New Haven Hospital,  New Haven, Connecticut.  To date we have created and dispersed about 850 pieces since we formed our group.  Thank you to my daughter, Robin for agreeing to model my work.

Given the repetitive nature of the stitching, this piece is the ideal project for crocheting in front of the television or for keeping busy on a long road trip.  I just have to check at the end of each row to make sure that I did not skip a part of a stitch as I am working.

As noted, the original pattern used chunky yarn with a K (6.6mm) hook.  My worsted adaptation used a J (6.0)hook.  However, I imagine that you could use an Mandala or other self striping yarn in DK or #3 weight with an I (5.5mm) hook. Just make the initial chain as long as you need while you maintain the multyiple of 4 + 3.  It is easy to customize this shawl for a shorter or taller person by chaining the number rows.  For a more slender person, I would probably make the shawl 18 inches while instead of 20 inches.

I usually incorporate several pieces in my blog articles. While the written work is not challenging, creating so many pieces takes a great deal of time and  effort.  When I think of a theme, I usually want to display the idea in several ways.  Earlier in my blog history, I exhausted myself and reluctantly stopped blogging for many months.  This Crocheted Shawl with a Double V Fan Stitch took several days to complete.  However, the stitches worked up rather quickly.  I have several shawls planned before my group does it is quarterly collection.  I am really pleased with myself when I can focus on one piece to illustrate one idea.  Alas, some of my future articles will not reflect such self control. As always, I welcome your reflections and feedback.  Please join me on my stitching journey.

Anyone who can crochet a rectangle can create a stylish purse.  The trick is 3 simple folds, two seams, and a strap of your choice.  Actually, once you decide how large you want to make your bag, take the shortest dimension of your rectangle and multiply by 3 for the length.  For example, the red ridged purse measured approximately 11 inches by 33 inches before I made the folds.  I used Sugar and Creme Red in worsted weight (#4) with an H (5.0) hook. I chained 33 stitches and began my Half Double Crochet (HDC) from the second chain from the hook for the first row.  In the second row I continued with the HDC but crocheted from the back loop only (BLO) .  I continued with the HDC in the BLO for the rest of the rectangle.  

Before I folded the crocheted piece, I tried out the folds with a piece of paper to make sure I got it right.

When the folds were made I was careful to make sure that the ridges lined up.  The HDC with BLO has a special feature of a raised ridge.  The lined texture works quite well in designing the Bento Purse. Pin the folds so that the pieces lie flat.  Seam together using the Mattress Stitch.  I consulted a You Tube video to do the stitch correctly the crocheted version of the mattress stitch  is slightly different than the knitted version. A large black button and a red loop was added for interest and security.  The black leather strap with metal clips complete the look.  The clips are secure, but the strap can be transferred to other purses if you do not want to purchase a separate strap for each purse.

I also tried a color blocking technique to get a unique abstracted effect.  Again I used a commercial handle for a white accent.  

Another way to create a Bento Purse is to crochet 3 Granny Squares.  Sew the side seams together to make the rectangle.  Since each of the Granny Squares has the same dimensions, it is easy to get a rectangle with 1:3 proportions. The navy, white, and turquoise purse includes traditional 3 Double Crochet clusters to create a square in each of the three colors. I crocheted the strap in navy yarn and attached it to the purse.

To achieve a firmer purse fabric with the Granny Square, I used a more solid rendition. Based on what I had in my cotton yarn stash, I selected white, pink and orange for the different colored square rings.  Two of the squares were identical.  The middle square had the same colors, but the color array was changed up a bit.  I was winging it as I worked, and I was curious to see how the finished product would line up. I was quite pleased with the cheerful, spring accessory.

The final Bento Purse was based on the granny square, Circle Dance by Carolyn Christmas Designs. The first part of the construction was to create 3 circles with different colored concentric rings.  Then each circle was converted to a square using different sizes of crochet stitches from triple crochet, to double crochet, to half double crochet to single crochet. Extra rows of single crochet were added to get a neater square look.  See www.carolyn christmas designs/blogspot.com for directions to make different sized squares. A black button was added for accent and security.  Again I used a black commercial strap for convenience. The effect is quirky and bold.  It will certainly brighten up my black or white outfits.

When I add my Bento Purses to my Crocheted Knotted Japanese Purses, I have quite a collection.  I will probably keep a few,  gift a few, and donate a few to my local Woodbridge Senior Center sale. I have one more set of purses planned to explore different closings and handles.  I still have several full and partial skeins of cotton yarn and a lot more experimenting to do.

As always, I welcome your feedback and reflections.  Thank you for joining me on my stitching journey.

While many patterns are available, paid and free, I found the following link from Knitting Universe to be an excellent option.  The written directions are clear, and the diagrams help you along.  See:  www.knittinguniverse.com/japaneseknotbag. The pattern calls for medium weight yarn to be crocheted in a Half Double Crochet Stitch with an H (5.0) hook. You will need 240 yards for the solid bag.  

Basically, you start with an expanding crocheted circle.  When you reach the desired diameter, keep the same number of stitches and build up the sides.  At the top, you divide the number of stitches in half and crochet several rows on each side.  Then you crochet the first strap. while the body of my purses were done in HDC, you may wish to switch to SC for the the straps.  Your first strap will be 12 stitches wide by 39 rows long   The diagrams show you how to attach the strap to the other side of the purse. The closure will be 12 stitches wide by 19 rows long.  Again, you attach the shorter crocheted piece to the other side of the bag.  The finished bag is shown below.  

Leave the purse open to fill with your belongings.  Then slip the long handle through the shorter loop.  Fit your hand through the open loop, and you are ready to go. You have an intriguing, flirty purse, ready for spring.  You do not need a separate closure since the purse is completely closed when you slip the longer handle through the smaller loop. I just aded buttons for accent.

A striped version starts with the darker color and alternates each row with a contrast yarn until you get to the handles. As noted above. you will need 140 yards off the darker yarn and 120 yarns of the lighter yarn to complete the pattern.  This purse came out a bit larger with a circumference of 20 inches and a height of 9 inches. I used Sugar and Cream white cotton yarn for the light color and Premier red for the darker red.  If you crochet the striped version you will need 140 yarns of darker yarn to include the longer handle and 120 yards for the contrast yarn for the loop close.

Cotton yarn is a excellent choice these bags.  Usually, I select Sugar and Cream, Lydia, or Premier yarns when I work with cotton.  However, Christmas Tree Shops had a surprise seasonal section this year.  When I visited the store I found a different selection.  The Summer Kiss Yarn  by Lion Brand came in neon bright and white variigated colors.  Although the labels stated that the yarn was a #4 worsted or medium weight, I found that the yarn was more like a light #3.  Therefore I doubled my strands to get the desired thickness and stiffness for my bags. Here I used a I (5.5mm) hook with the two strands.  Each skein weighed 3.5 ox. or 100 grams and contained 262 yards.

The Low Tide cotton yarn also by Lion Brand, came in softer shades.  I chose a dull rose for this bag and a sage green for a purse for a future article.  Again, I doubled the yarn to get a stiffer body for the ​Knotted Japanese Purse​ using this yarn.

As spring continues, I have two types of purses planned for future articles:  A Crocheted Bento Bag and Crocheted Bags with Varying Closures. As always, I welcome your feedback and reflections.  Please join me on my stitching journey.

Again, I did not find a complete free pattern for my men's cowl.  Since the stitch count for the hat was 96 stitches cast on, I figured that about 120 stitches would do the trick for the cowl.  I wanted a piece that would drape and be comfortable while still keeping the wearer warm.  The stripe design came from a photo on Pinterest titled Snood Pfit Gar.  My son-in-law, Gabe wears a black coat, and so the set would be styliish as he protected himself in chilly weather.

As I mentioned in my crochet article, I found a styrofoam head mannikin for posing my pieces. When Gabe saw his "understudy" he volunteered to pose in person. He is looking forward to taking possession of the pieces once I am through with my writing, photographing, and posting  this article. (http://www.lilcreates.com/lillians-blog/crocheted-gifts-for-men)

I focused my efforts to complete these pieces in a timely fashion so that my readers would've the option of making them for the men in their lives before Father's Day.  Enjoy your knitting.  I would love to see how you interpreted the directions to make a hat and cowl sets for yourself. 
while i created my pieces with grey and black, there are many color combinations that would be attractive.  How would the hat and cowl look in:   bone and coffee, blue and brown, black and red, sage and beige.  The possibilities are endless. I hope that the knitting tool from Bellish works for you now and in the future.  I was so happy to find the size and stitch chart (All Free Knitting), and I will keep it in my Knitting binder for future use.

As always, I welcome your feedback and reflections.  {lease join me on my stitching journey.

However, this time my son-in-law first requested a men's cowl or gaitor to go with the new beanie.  He wanted to keep his neck warm in winter weather without bothering with the ends of a dangling scarf.  Also, if the cowl fitted well, he could bring the top edge over his  mouth and neck if confronted with frigid blasts. I had some difficulty finding a pattern with the exact dimensions, style, texture and stitches.  Therefore, the resulting piece became a combination of photos, basic knowledge, and trial and error.  I started with a 3 pack of Lion Brand Vana's Choice worsted yarn in Grey Marble that I had ordered via the internet.  I really liked the black flecks that ran randomly through the yarn and decided to add comparable black yarn that I had in my stash for accents.  

​Most of the patterns that I found called for bulky yarn or were too big to be comfortable or to fit his style.  I did find a couple of patterns with complicated stitches.  I tried them out, but I determined that I could not easily do the project and watch my nighttime programs with my husband.  Therefore, I resorted to my tried and true Half Double Crochet. Since I began my the cowl with a Half DoubleCrochet Foundation Stitch, I was off to a good start.  The initial Foundation Chain of 67 stitches was just right for Gabe.  For a larger man, you might want to go up to 70-75 stitches.  Actually, several times I chained and crocheted a few rows as I tried the piece on and looked in the mirror to get the right size. When I was pleased I continued on to complete the work.  After the foundation chain, I crocheted an additional row of black before switching to the Grey Marble for 19 rows.  I ended the cowl with two rows of black.
The dimensions for this rather fitted cowl were:  circumference = 22 inches and height = 7 1/2 inches).  For a man who wears large or extra large, I would extend the circumference to 24 inches and add another inch to the height for 8 1/2 inches.  

The accompanying beanie was also crocheted in Grey Marble with Black accents. Here I used my favorite Lakeside Beanie designed by 5 Knots North.  I adjusted the number of stitches in the crown from 70 to 66 to give a slightly tighter fit.  As I had made this hat for Gabe before, I knew what to look for. The hat starts with an expanding circle of Double Crochet stitches at the crown and continues with the same final number for three rows as you start to form the sides.  Then you transition to alternating Front Post Double Crochet and Back Post Double Crochet to achieve the ribbed feature. To get that cozy, warm feeling, continue to just below the ears.

I still had enough Grey Marble for a set of Men's mittens, and I was determined to teach myself how to crochet a thumb with a gusset.  Mastering this technique had been a goal of mine for several years, and now I had the perfect opportunity.  Again, size became a challenge as the typical men's mitten was much to large (9+ inch circumference below the thumb)  and I needed a circumference of about 8 inches.  The pattern I chose was Basic Men's Mittens- Free Crohet Pattern from Love Life Yarns. I  shortened the cuff as well as the length of finger portion.  Then I continued to round out the top. Once more, I added a black accent to be consistent with the other pieces. I crocheted a row of Half Double Crochet to the bottom of the cuff after I had finished the mitten.

As always, I welcome your feedback and reflections.  Please join me on my stitching journey.

My daughter, Robin, agreed to model the red and ecru V-Stitched Market Bag and Straw Hat.  I was delighted when she suggested that she would enjoy bringing the bag on family excursions to the neighborhood beach.  The beach market bag was crocheted from Sugar and Cream Cotton Worsted in red and ecru.  I used an I (5.5mm) hook throughout.  In general, I followed the Speedy V-Stitch Market Bag from www. LOOPS AND CROCHET.com with few modifications.  

The bag starts out with an expanding circle with the ecru yarn in a double crochet stitch (DC) After the bottom and sides are established. I switched to a V stitch (DC-CH-DC).  I changed to the color red and continued for about 7 inches.  Thern I switched back to ecru for three more rows in V-stitch.  Still in ecru, I began the base for the straps with several rows of Single Crochet (SC).  I added a few more rows than were called for in the pattern.  The straps for this bag are crocheted right into the top of the bag for a stable design.  For more detail, refer to the pattern noted above.

I included several accessories with the beach bag:  a basic cell-phone case, a coin purse, and a sun glass pouch.  I am still looking for a way to hook the cell phone case to the strap so that it can easily be retrieved without diving into the deep bag.  The bright flower flap on the sunglass case made me smile.  See:  Happy Daisy Crochet Glasses Pouch -- Pattern by Persialou.com.  The coin purse can be crocheted in stripes, solids, or in various combinations to match the bag.  See:  Crochet Coin Pouch/Crochet Air Pods Pouch - Free Crochet Pattern by Whistle and Ivy.com.

I was also tempted by The Easy Tote Bag (Crochet) by Naztazia.com.  There is a help video at Https://you tube.com/naztazia.  Look for Easy Tote Bag.  For this bag I chose Sugar and Cream Navy, Aqua, and a white based variegated cotton worsted yarn with an H(5.0) hook.  The pattern called for crocheting with double strands of yarn, but I stayed with a single strand.  The bag still had enough structure and was much easier on my hands.  The bottom was worked along a 41 stitch chain.  The instructions called for Single Crocheting along the chain, adding a few stitches at the end, and coming back along the other side of the chain.  This procedure continued with a few rows to establish the straight bottom.  Then I switched to Half Double Crochet )HDC) for the remainder of the bag.  I combined my yarns for a striped effect. The straps for the bag are crocheted right into the design, but you have to sew the straps together thet top.  A  white button closure adds both style and safety.  A navy and white wallet accompanies the bag.

 I am happy to gift the first bag to my daughter, but I think I will keep the navy, white, and multi-colored bag for myself.  With COVID restrictions lightening and the weather warming, I definitely see some beach days in my future.  

Please take time to remember a mother in your life:  a daughter, a granddaughter, a mother, grandmother, aunt, or special friend.

For those who want some quicker projects,  please refer back to my Mother's Day Spa article.
Decorated flip-flops, a crocheted headband, floral scrubby puffs, and a mug holder can be used singly or in combination.  The  Scrubby Sparkle Yarn by Heart was easy to crochet with and much lighter than the typical cotton or regular scrubby yarns. See:  http://www.lilcreates.com/lillians-blog/mothers-day-gifts-with-scrubby-sparkle-yarn.

As always, I welcome your feedback and reflections.  Please join me on my stitching journey.

My original inspiration was an article with diagrams: Faire un bonhomme tout-en-un.  Although the labels and directions were in French, the diagrams and photos enable me to create my own doll.  With further research, I discovered Izzy Dolls, Peace Pals, and Duduza dolls.  Since most of my dolls would be going to nationwide and worldwide populations of color, I knitted most of my dolls with caramel, mocha, and coffee skin tones.  When I present the dolls to family and friends I customize the complexion and hair.

At first, I dove into my scrap pile to play around with color.  My dolls sported colorful shirts and pants.  Each doll sported a coordinated perky cap.  Along the way, I started to embroider more detail into the  doll faces so that the dolls would have more personality .However, as I discovered new techniques and looks, I found myself time and time again at the craft store,  so much for good intentions of working down my stash.

Then I started to switch from caps to doll hair.  The rough texture of Red Heart's Scrubby Yarn was ideal.  I continued with stockinette knitting , and still had a lifelike head of hair.  I also discovered that I did not have to bind off the last row before I gathered the stitches together at the top of the head.  Instead, I gradually decreased the number of stitches before I simply drew a needle through the loops.  The result was neater and less bulky.  Colored Sparkle Scrubby Yarns provided a playful top for my comfort dolls.  I like to knit a row of contrast color before I knit the bright hair.

However, my real discovery came when I learned to make coils of yarn for doll curls.  I wet the yarn for the desired hair color and wrapped it around the full length of a skewer.  then I placed the skewers on a cookie sheet and baked it at about 200 degrees F for about 30 minutes.  this hint came from Pretty Izzy Dolls by Esther Braithwaite.  When you see the photos, you can see why I was so excited by the transformation.

My four year old granddaughter stated that she wanted both a girl and boy doll to accompany the crocheted doll house purse that I had made. I wanted to surprise her with a complete family.  My first family set was done in red to coordinate with the colors of the doll house purse.  Since I planned to produce houses and families for my other 2 granddaughters, I began work on several doll families.

In order to complete my comfort doll families, I needed a baby that followed the comfort doll design principles, but was scaled down to the correct proportion.  

Free Pattern for Tiny Comfort Doll
Materials:
Worsted Weight Yarn: for skin tone and contrast yarn for clothes and hat
#5 or 6 straight needles (to knit a flat rectangle) or #5 or #6 set of double pointed needles( to knit in the round)
Tapestry needle for stitching seams and features

Directions:
My directions are for flat rectangle.   For double pointed needles, knit only.
Cast on 19 stitches in doll skin tone.
Row 1:  Knit
Row 2:  Purl

Body:  Change yarn to color of clothing.
Row 3:  Knit
Row 4: Purl
Continue with stockinette through row 14.

Face:  Change to skin tone color,
Row 15:  Knit
Row 16: Purl
Continue with stockinette through row 19.

Hat:  Change back to color for clothes.
Row 17:  Purl
Row 18:  K1, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K2, K2tog (14 stitches)
Row 19:  Purl
Row 20:  K1,  K2tog, K1, K2tog, K1, K2tog, K1, K2tog, K2 (10 stitches)
Row 21: Purl 2tog across row) (5 stitches)
Leave long tail and using tapestry needle, draw yarn through stitches on needle.  Pull through and stitch together.

As you stitch to form the body of the doll, follow the same principles for the standard comfort doll.  You just will be scaling down.  Turn the doll inside out to whip stitch or blanket stitch from hat to bottom.  Do not stitch the bottom at this point. Turn back to the right side.  Stuff with
polyfiber.  Use the eraser end fo a pencil to push the stuffing into the crevices of the head; When you stitch the bottom, make sure that you have the body aligned so that the seam is in the middle of the back.

To define the legs, backstitch along the back seam through all layers from the base to row8.Make sure that the legs are even in size. Your arms will be 4 stitches wide. To define the arms, press the dolls flat so that you can see 2 stitches from the side edge on front and back. Stitch from waist to neck  of doll. When you define the neck, use a double length of yarn to make running stitches 2 stitches wide.  When you complete the circle, pull the yarn tight and repeat.  Anchor yarn.  

Since the doll is small, you need to split the yarn into one or two strands as you embroider the face. Your eyes will take up 1 inch and will be placed 3 stitches apart.  Use 1 strand to center the mouth.  See photo as a guide for placement.

There are still so many dolls to try. My Pinterest feed is full of creative comfort dolls:  superhero dolls, gothic dolls, gingerbread dolls, snow babies, fairies, clowns, nurses and doctors, pirates, ninjas, barnyard or forest animals, valentine dolls, worry dolls, ballerinas, witches, princesses, fairytale characters, cartoon, characters  genies, avatars, star wars characters to name just a few. I could go on forever.

At this time, I believe that I can take a picture or a standard sized crocheted doll pattern and convert it into a knitted comfort doll with the hair, clothes and accessories that deliver the character's basic style.  Since my comfort doll population is exploding as I prepared for this article, I need to pause to take on other projects.  It is really hard to stop since pictures and ideas keep swirling inside my head,  However, I promise to revisit as I find time to produce the many dolls I have suggested.

 As you may have guess the crocheted dollhouse purse featured in my initial photo was a tease and a hint for a future project.  I am working on a pattern as I crochet additional purses for my New York granddaughters, For readers who are knitting only, I will direct you to a knitted purse link at that time.

Always, I welcome your feedback and reflections. I welcome you to join you to join me on my stitching journey.

The Nighttime Fairy has special powers to settle children before sleep and calm nighttime fears.  According to my daughter, these fairies went to school for special training to help their young charges  All that was missing was a personal fairy, and that was Nana's task.  I gladly accepted the job of making the Nighttime Fairy for my granddaughter.  She had been having trouble falling asleep and felt alone if she awakened during the night.

My go-to pattern for children's dolls is the Weebee Standard Size Baby Doll by Laura Tegg.  the pattern can be located through Pinterest and on Ravelry.com.  The Fairy Mod Kit, also by Laura Tegg, can be found on Ravelry.  I used this latter source for the fairy dress and fairy wings.

The Power Nighttime Fairy has been "performing" for my 4 year old granddaughter.  The fairy was placed in the pocket of a quilted pillow created by my son-in-law's aunt.  The pillow faced my granddaughter from a tall chest as she lay in bed.  She felt peace when she looked up at her doll and slept easily at night.

A few weeks later, we learned that her cousin, my son's 5 1/2 year old daughter was also experiencing similar fears at bedtime.  My daughter shared the story of the Power Nighttime Fairy's success with her sister-in-law.  I offered to make a doll for this young girl, too.  This granddaughter was very excited at the prospect of having her own personal fairy doll.  Her favorite colors of pink and purple were to be reflected in the doll's dress and hair.

When I made the first doll, I was "winging" it when it came to the hair, dress and wings.  She had a purple dress with pink flowers and wild blond hair.  However, when I made the second doll, I used a smaller G hook and worked more tightly. the result was much neater.  Also, the dress pattern by Laura Tegg was just perfect for the new doll. It was pink with purple trim.  In addition, I found it easier to crochet the shoes and panties right into the doll body instead of making them separately and sewing them on.

The blond hair from the original doll was voluminous.  I had used a combination of gold Homespun yarn combined with yellow worsted yarn. Perhaps, I did not leave enough space between the rows,  This time, I used purple Ombre yarn from Red Heart.  The head of hair was full, but more controlled. I especially liked the look of purple hair on the fairy.

Now I had to crochet a sister fairy for my the four year old.  She was happy enough with the original doll, but was happy to accept the more finished fairy to accompany the original.  Besides, this doll had a mane of pink hair.Her dress was purple edged with pink, and delicate white wings peeked out from beneath her hair.  The changes made thedolllook quite fairy=like.

The Power Nighttime Fairy with the pink dress and purple hair will be in the mail tomorrow.  I look forward seeing this granddaughter smile on FaceTime as she cuddles her new companion.

Every project brings learning opportunities.  This time, I included the shoes and panties on the doll body.  I worked on limiting the volume of the doll's hair.  Finally, I have been trying to improve my dolls' embroidered eyes.  After examining many photos of embroidered doll eyes on crocheted dolls, I was able to pick up some hints that make the eyes more lifelike.  The eyes seem to hold the key to the doll's' personality, and so  it was important to me to improve size, color, shape, and texture.  I know that I can give in and buy set-in eyes, but I am determined to accomplish my goal.  

As  always, I welcome your feedback and reflection.  I invite you to join me on my stitching journey.