Dino-Fever

Classes have been crazy. Literally between the start of the semester and now, my program group has dropped from 108 students to approximately 95 students. That's an almost 10% decrease in my potential graduating class. And we still haven't gotten to the hardest semester yet! (Apparently, semester 3 is the worst).

On a happier note, I passed all of my midterms! I did really well on both of my practical midterms, Vital Signs and Medical Administration (inc. Inhaler), so I'm feeling pretty happy right now.

All this craziness is why I haven't been updating lately. I had all these ideas for crochet projects and I'm expected to make presents for several baby showers and I have classmates requesting things and it's all just been a little too much. Right before Christmas last year I got really into making patterns for dinosaurs. I made two Plesiosaur prototypes, a baby T-rex pattern, and I have a Parasaurolophus that's finished, but not yet sewn together.

My Plesiosaur is my favourite; they're my fave dinos ever! And it looks so cute with it's little head and little tail and little itty bitty fins, I just love it!

If anyone's interested in the patterns, I've been contemplating putting them in my pattern shops so let me know if that's something that I should do :)

~ Courtney

Christmas and finals and babies, oh my

Between first semester finals and the increase in baby announcements from friends and family, I've been completely swamped. Add to that the fact that I've hardly done any Christmas shopping and I'm a little stressed out right now.

I've been working on a few patterns and I know I promised an updated pattern for my Mermaid costume, but I haven't been able to get any pictures of it yet. It's all written up, just waiting on a baby model for some pictures.

My cousin and his fiancee just recently announced that they are expecting so I was super excited to start working on some new baby stuff (my favourite!).  They're letting the gender be a surprise so they asked for everything to be gender-neutral, and the theme they picked was owls and elephants (not sure how that's gonna work, but I shall deliver).

I decided to use some baby combo yarn I've been saving to make a baby blanket. It's pretty thin yarn and the pattern I'm using makes the rows quite short so it's definitely taken the longest time out of any baby blanket I've ever made.

The way it's working up makes it a pretty dense blanket but it's super soft. I'm excited to see how it turns out. I'm thinking about adding a sc border of yellow once it's done but we'll see.

Since they asked for owls, I figured it would be a perfect opportunity to test out my Hedwig pattern (although I changed the colours). I'm not sure what colour I want to make the blanket part yet (I'm thinking yellow, again, or maybe light green), but so far only the owl is done. I gave it brown wings to make it look more like the owls we have up here.

I've also been commissioned to make baby blankets and such for a few friends and some of my friends family so that will probably be taking up a lot of my Christmas break. Here's hoping that I get everything done on time.

Wish me luck on finals!

Eevee Lovey!!

I just wanted to let everyone know I have a new crochet pattern available in my Ravelry and Etsy stores!

It's an Eevee Lovey! Available for only $2.50!

Eventually, I will have the entire Eeveelution set in Loveys, but for now, Eevee's all I got.

Next up: Vaporeon! (Because it's my favourite ;D)

I like to plan ahead . . . years ahead

I've known for at least a few years that if I ever have a kid, and that kid turns out to be a girl, I want to name her Jensen. Regardless of my significant other when/if the time comes, it's happening. I will not budge on this.

I also recently added Spencer to my list of names-my-daughters-will-be-named

To make sure that no one can screw with my future life plans, I made this

Whoever I'm dating/involved with/married to at the time will have to go with it because fuck you this took me five fucking days to make and that's a huge amount of commitment for me so get used to the name because this is it.

I already started on one for Spencer, but three-quarters of the way through I decided I hated the colours I had picked (white and burgundy) so I had to take time out of my vacation and go buy some more yarn. I finally decided on pale gold and a dusty pink. 

I'll post pictures when I'm done!

I also plan on making a few of these blankets for my aunt (she already has a daughter and is expecting another little girl in October so I won't be starting on that one until the little one's born and officially named)

The pattern I used can be found here -> http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/personalized-baby-afghan

Wichecraft Shop Sale!

I'm having a sale at my Etsy shop - Wichecraft - right now through to May 26th

Everything will be 35% off when you redeem this code (JSW83JDW79) during checkout

cOME CHECK THIS SHIT OUT

Brynnleigh's Super Simple Socks

I recently got a whole bunch of balls of sock yarn for babies (thanks Grandma) and my 2 year old cousin Brynnleigh decided she really wanted this blue pair and a pink pair, so that's been my weekend so far. I wasn't really finding a pattern for toe-up toddler socks that I liked so I basically just winged it and here we go. Keep in mind this is my first knitting pattern so please don't hesitate to tell me if there's anything wrong. Here we go! 

Brynnleigh’s Super Simple Socks

© Courtney Wiche 2013

Materials

US 3 (3.25mm) 24” circular needles

Yarn: My First Regia by REGIA (25g ball, col. Marco, approx 105 m)

Gauge: 7 stitches, 10 rows = 1”

Finished size: 4.10” long x 3.5” tall (approx 1-2 years)

This pattern is created toe-up using Judy’s magic cast-on

R1: Using Judy’s magic cast-on, cast on 9 stitches on each needle (18)

R2,4,6,8,10: knit

R3: [k1, m1, k7, m1, k1] twice (22 sts)

R5: [k1,m1,k9,m1,k1] twice (26 sts)

R7: [k1,m1,k11,m1,k1] twice (30 sts)

R9: [k1,m1,k13,m1,k1] twice (34 sts)

R11: [k1,m1,k15,m1,k1] twice (38 sts)

R12-36: knit (38 sts)

Work short rows splitting heel in 5-9-5 sts

                Basic How-To Tutorial -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu5YAKsAEpY

R37-45: knit (38 sts)

R46: knit, decreasing 3 sts (35 sts)

R47-50: [k3,p1,k2,p1] around

                You can continue rib for as many rows as you’d like to increase height of socks

BO loosely (very loosely; I did it too tight the first time and then I had to take it apart and redo it which is a pain in the ass)

Viola! I hope you enjoy it. :)

I finally got around to putting up an Etsy shop

If anyone's interested, you can find it here -> Wichecraft

I'll be selling completed crochet items, jewelry, all my nerdy creations, and other random things that I decide to post.

The money I make will go directly back into more yarn/crafting supplies, and also my University fund seeing as it costs an arm and a leg (and my soul).

AKGHFAH;ALK;DG JUST LET ME CROCHET YOU THINGS

Hunger Games Katniss Everdeen Inspired Girl On Fire Beanie

Hunger Games Katniss Everdeen inspired Girl On Fire Beanie

(also, I apologize in advance for the horrific pictures of me; it was a stay-in-bed-until-noon kind of day) 

REVISED *JULY 2013*

Inspired by Cinna’s many designs (I hope he’d be impressed)

6.00 and 5.50 hooks

Sensations Angel Hair yarn (I think the colour is called Berry?)

                This is more of a colour/yarn-specific pattern, so I highly recommend using the exact yarn

Using 6.00mm hook

Magic circle

1: ch 3, dc 11 in circle (12)

2: 2 dc in each st around (24)

3: *dc in next st, 2 dc in next st* around

4: *dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st* around

5: *dc in next 4 sts, 2 dc in next st* around (you’ll find that there won’t be enough stitches for the last few sts, so dc in next 2 sts, then 2 dc in next st)

6 -10: dc around

Switch to 5.50mm hook

11-14: *fphdc in next st, bphdc in next st* around

                To fasten off, skip a st and then slst

And there you have it!

(Not gonna lie, I’m really tempted to use it for part of a Katniss/Peeta Victory Tour cosplay and take pictures, except for the obvious fact that I’d need a Peeta . . .)

District 12 Inspired Headband

District 12 Inspired Headband

3.75mm

You know, I don’t even know what kinds of yarn I’m using half the time, so I can’t tell you . . .

Primrose Flower:

mc

1: ch 2 (count as first st), 5 dc in mc (6)

2: *hdc, ch 2* 5 times (6 spaces) sl st to last st

3: ch 1, *dc, dc 2, tc 3, ch2, dc, sl st to hdc of previous row* in each space

                Fasten off

Leaves (make 2):

1: ch 10, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sl st, sl st, sc, hdc, dc, tc, dc, *hdc, sc, sc, sc, hdc* in final ch

2: (on opposite side) dc, tc, hd, sc, sl st

3: (to make the band) sc in next st, ch 66

                Fasten off

Attach the leaves between the petals on opposites side and voila! 

District 4 inspired Baby Hat

Perfect for your own little Finnick or Annie!

District 4 inspired Baby Hat

Size: 0-3mo

5.0m hook

Abbreviations:

mc - magic circle

ch - chain

dc - double crochet

hdc - half-double crochet

st - stitch

R1: using magic circle, ch 2 (counts as first stitch), dc 8 in mc (9) (DO NOT JOIN)

R2: 2 dc in each st around (18)

R3: *2 dc in next st, dc in next st* around (27)

R4: dc around (27)

R5: 3 dc in next st, *skip a st, 3 dc in next st* around

R6-11: skip a st, 3 dc in next st around (you can change colour here)

R12: skip a st, hdc around

Fasten off

If you find the pattern is too small (I used a bamboo yarn that stretches a lot) you can add this between R3 and R4 -> *2 dc in next, one dc in next 2 sts* around

Mermaid Costume Pattern

Mermaid Costume Pattern

I made this costume for my cousin Brynn last Halloween.

NOTE: I put a lot of time into creating this so that I wouldn't have to pay for it, so I'd really appreciate if you didn't sell what you make from it. Personal use only, please!

Size H hook
Worsted weight yarn
       This makes a size 9-12 months approximately. If you're looking to make it smaller, try using baby yarn and a G hook. To make it bigger, chunkier yarn and an I or J hook.

Starfish Top:

Mc

R1: sc 5 times in mc, sl st to join (5)

R2: ch 1, 2 around, sl st to join (10)

R3: ch 1, sc in same st, dc, tr, dc in next st, *sc in next st, dc, tr, dc in next st* around, sl st to join

R4: ch 1, sc in same st, hdc in next st, hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc in next st, hdc in next st, *sc in next st, hdc in next st, hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc in next st, hdc in next st* around, sl st to join

                Fasten off

Make four ties approximately 35 chains in length and attach them to your preference

Mermaid Tail:

(This is made by joining at the beginning of each row and ch 2 (this does NOT count as a stitch!). You can also try making it without joining it, but at the time that I made this pattern, I wasn't really comfortable with marking stitches, but have at 'er!)

Mc

R1: 12 dc in circle (12)

R2: Blo, dc 12 around (12)

R3-9: dc 12 round (12)

R10: dc 1 in next 3 st, dc 2 in next st* around (15)

R11: dc 1 in next 2 st, dc 2 in next st* around (20)

R12: Dc around (20)

R13: Dc 1 in next 2 st, dc 2 in next st* around (28)

R14-17: Dc around (28)

R18-19: Dc 1 in next 2 st, dc 2 in next st* around

                For optional increase, repeat R13 (48)

R20-45: dc around

R46-47: sc around

R48: sc in next 2 st, ch 1, skip a st, sc in next 2 st* around

R49-50: sc around

                Fasten off

Make a chain long enough to form a drawstring around the waist (you’ll weave this through the spaces in R48)

Fins (make 2):

Ch 23

R1: Dc across

R2: Ch 2, dc2tog, dc across

R3: Ch 2, dc across

R4: Ch 2, dc2tog, dc across

R5: Ch 2, dc across

R6: Ch 2, dc2tog, dc across

R7: ch 2, dc across

                Fasten off

If the fins are confusing, you can try using these:

You should only sew the fins together about three-quarters of the way

Fold the corners over and sew the corners to the end of the tail (sew around; make sure it's connected)

And there you have it!

For everyone who was waiting a really long time for this pattern, I'm sorry, but I didn't have access to the costume for the longest time so I couldn't try and write it down. 

This pattern hasn't been tested except for by me, so any feedback or revisions would be appreciated. If something's unclear, feel free to ask me about it. The beading and sequins wasn't done by me, it was done by my aunt.

Mustache Necklace Disguise

Mustache Necklace Pattern

Courtney Wiche

This is honestly probably the most simple pattern I have ever made, and I absolutely love it. It looks complicated (lord knows I had to unravel the thing at least ten times during the process) but it's fairly straight forward and totally worth it! You can literally make these for an army of hundreds in a matter of a few hours! (Not that that's what I'm doing . . . *coughMisha'sMinionscough*) I mean, what?

Ch. 12

R1 – sc, dc, 2 trc, hdc, slst, hdc, 2 trc, dc, sc

R2 – ch2, turn, slst in 2^nd ch from hook, sc till middle three stitches (slip stitch 3), sc til end, ch 2, slst in 2^nd from hook, fasten off.


For the chain, I just used a really fine yarn, the smallest hook I had (which was a 3.25mm, I think) and crocheted it until I could fit it over my ears and have it not fall off. I don't remember how many I ended up with, but I don't think that makes much difference, seeing as everyone's head is a different size anyways. And then I connected the ends to the back of the mustache, near the top. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to message me! (The messages make me feel as if people actually care)

I also wanted this just because of Gabriel's mustache . . . because reasons.