Strawberry Bag Tutorial

Way back last winter, I posted about these little crocheted strawberry bags. I had fully intended to eventually come up with a tutorial. The holidays came and went though, and I gave them away, and sort of forgot about the project.

I recently ran across one of the prototypes though, and decided to write up a quickie pattern. Here it is, for your own personal/gift giving/charity use.

Lousy photo of bag, shown with pen for scale.

 (I remember tinkering with the basic pattern last year, to make some larger bags, but here's the basic itsy bitsy one, big enough for a piece of jewelry, some candy, or some cash. I should also mention that I'm a pretty good crochet-er, but not a great pattern writer, so hopefully this makes sense. Please let me know if not.)

Using an H hook, and WW yarn, chain 4, and slip stitch to form a loop.
Row 1: Ch 3, and make 10 DC in the loop. Slip stitch to beginning chain.
Row 2: Ch 3, and make 1 DC in the same stitch. 2DC in each stitch around, and join to beg chain w/ a slip stitch
Row 3: Ch 3, and 1 DC in the same stitch. 1 DC in each stitch around. Join to beg ch w/slip stitch.
Row 4: Ch 3, 1 DC in same stitch. 1 DC in next stitch. Crochet next 2 DC together (decrease made.) 1 DC in each of next 2 stitches, and crochet the next 2 stitches together. Repeat around, and join to beginning chain w/slip stitch.
(Red part is completed. Attach green yarn.)
Row 5: Ch 3, and make 1 DC in each stitch around. Join to beg chain w/slip stitch.
Row 6: Chain 5, skip next stitch, and SC in the next. Complete around to form the ruffle-y "leaves."
Fasten off.
Crochet a chain of the desired length, and weave it between the green double crochet stitches as a drawstring.

These turn out super cute, and they work up quick.

Fruit Feltboard PDF

I've mentioned before that L and I are using various aspects of the Boca Beth Program this year. I was lucky enough to win a Boca Beth Gift set last year, and we've been combining that, with all the freebies on the Boca Beth website and youtube. Lately, we've been learning the names of fruit via the song located here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5F78m_b3zo. Even baby V has been practicing along. Anyway, I drew up a pattern, and made a fruit feltboard set to go along with the song. Obviously, I'm no artist, but the fruit turned out cute and functional. My son had fun with it, and having something to do while he practiced the vocabulary seemed to help him stay on task.

Larry the Cucumber Tutorial

I drew up a pattern to make a little stuffed Larry toy for baby V's stocking. He's about the size of my hand.
Here is a downloadable tutorial. You could use the same pieces to make an applique to put on shirts, bags, blankets, or whatever. Instructions are included for both.

(Click the picture below to download the pdf.)