Free Crochet Bullfrog Pattern!

Happy Spring!

I enjoy celebrating the seasons.  Not necessarily from a pagan perspective, but from a naturalist perspective. I love the changing seasons and all the natural cycles that are dictated by these changes.

As one season fades into the next, I feel an internal change; a shift towards something positive.

I like to think it is me growing more and more into myself as I age.

I made my toddler a Bullfrog amigurumi as a Spring gift.

I am sharing the pattern with my readers (few as they may be) in celebration of this beautiful season of life and new beginnings.

Enjoy!

Bullfrog Amigurumi

Materials:    yarn, safety eyes (or whatever you will be using for eyes), something to stuff your ami with (I used polyester fiber fill), and a crochet hook, yarn needle, and scissors

Gauge and yarn weight will determine the final size of your ami.  I used worsted weight and held two strands together throughout, and an H hook.  For eyes I used a pair of safety eyes that were gifted to me.  They seem to be a combo of googly and safety eye.  Regular safety eyes will also work.  You can use buttons or make eyes out of felt or yarn.  Be creative!

Head and Body:  worked in the round
Rnd 1:  6 sc in a magic ring (6)
Rnd 2:  2 sc increase in each st around (12)
Rnd 3:  sc in each st around (12)
Rnd 4:  (2sc increase in first st, sc in next st) repeat around (18)
Rnd 5: sc in each st around (18)
Rnd 6:  (2 sc increase in first st, sc in each of next 2 sts) repeat around (24)
Rnd 7: sc in each st around (24)
Rnd 8:  sc in first 6 sts, 2 sc increase in next st, sc in next 13 sts, 2 sc increase in next st, sc in last 3 sts  (26)
Rnds 9-12:  sc in each st around (26)
Place safety eyes between rounds 7 & 8
Rnd 13:  sc in first 7 sts, decrease, sc in next 10 sc, decrease, sc in next 5 sts (24)
Rnds 14-16:  sc in each st around (24)
Rnd 17:  sc in first 6 sts, decrease, sc in next 9 sc, decrease, sc in next 5 sts (22)
Rnd 18: sc in first 5 sts, decrease, sc in next 8 sts, decrease, sc in next 5 sts (20)
Rnd 19- 20: sc in each st around (20)
Rnd 21: (decrease, sc in next st) repeat 6 times, decrease in last 2 sts  (13)
Rnd 22: (decrease, sc in next st) repeat 4 times, sc in last st  (9)
Rnd 23 : decrease a final time and leave the rest of the round unworked, finish off & leave tail slightly long to sew body shut with
Stuff & weave yarn through last 8 sts, pull tight and tie off, weave in end

Thigh: worked in the round, make 2
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)
Rnd 2: 2 sc increase in first st, sc in remaining sts around  (7)
Rnds 3-5: sc in each st around (7)
Rnd 6:  2 sc increase in first st, sc in remaining sts (8)
Rnd 7-11:  sc in each st around (8)
finish off, stuff lightly, weave yarn through the 8 sts, pull tight and tie off, leave yarn long for attaching to body

Calf:  worked in the round, make 2
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)
Rnds 2-10: sc in each st around (6)
finish off, do not stuff, weave yarn through the 6 sts, pull tight and tie off, leave yarn long for assembly

Foot: make 2
ch3, turn
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, ch 1, turn (2)
Row 2: increase in first st, sc in next st, ch 1, turn  (3)
Row 3: increase in first st, sc in next 2 sts , ch 1, turn (4)
Rows 4-7:  sc in each st across, ch 1, turn (4)
Row 8: ch3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 4 sts, ch 1, turn
Row 9: sc in first 3 sts, ch 1, turn (3)
Row 10: ch3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in first st, (ch 2, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next sc) twice
finish off, weave in end

Arms: worked in the round, make 2
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)
Rnds 2-6:  sc in each st around (6)
Ch 1, turn, this begins the hand section
flatten opening of arm and work through both sides to close
Row 1: sc three times across (3)
Row 2: ch3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in first st, (ch 2, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next sc) twice (3picots)
finish off, weave in end

Assembly: use the images as a guide :)
The end of the thigh that was cinched closed is attached to the body at the rear with the other end pointing towards the front of the body.  The cinched end of the calf is attached to the magic ring end of the thigh with the other end of the calf pointing towards the back of the body.  It is easiest to attach these two parts while holding them next to each other or stacked on top of each other as opposed to holding them end to end.  The foot is attached to the ankle with the toes facing towards the front.  The arms are attached at the sides slightly towards the underside, but not quite underneath the body.  Try to hold them against his body with the fingers pointing towards the front as you attach them so that they point forward as opposed to straight out to the sides.

Weave in any ends, and don't forget to kiss him!

Feel free to comment if you have any questions.

Jardin

I live in a small two bedroom apartment with my husband and two sons.

We have a small patio that doubles as a potted garden.  I don't have a knack for 

growing veggies, but I can keep plants alive, and 

I do enjoy potting, re-potting, pruning, and whispering sweet nothings to my lovelies.  

This time of year, things start to get a bit cheery out on the patio.

Fear not my craft seekers, I have been keeping busy on the crafting front, and will have something special for my next post.  Stay tuned!

Butterflies on a string!

How could I forget these lovely butterfly mobiles that I made for a swap last year!?  This is perhaps my favorite springtime crochet project that I have made.  Last year I decided I would make one for myself.

I do hope that I get around to it!

Artist Trading Cards

A while back I posted some of my very first artist trading cards.  For those who don't know, artist trading cards are baseball card sized original works of art that are traded amongst artists.  Well, it has become a full-blown addiction, and I have been happily trading away all winter!  I thought I'd share some of my favorite ones.  They are based on subjects that the artist that I'm trading with likes.  These appear slightly larger than their original size on my screen.  They are all 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches.

I started off doing watercolors, but I found that the set up and clean up time was interfering with my motherly duties to my 2-yr-old.  So I switched to using pastels, color pencils, and artist pens.

                                   A couple of the ladies I traded with this month REALLY like cats.

I'm not as gifted as I'd like to be, but I so enjoy creating these miniature paintings.

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you enjoyed my little pictures!

Spring is in the air!

As the days get warmer, I feel growing excitement for the upcoming Spring.  I love Spring!  I'm wondering what I will be making in the upcoming months.  

Two years ago, I made this bunny beanie for my then toddler.

Last year I made these striped Easter eggs.

Five years ago I made this hooded poncho for my niece.

It's time to start thinking about what I will make this year!

Hmmmm...

Spider Pavilion

I live about 40 minutes outside of the bustling city of Los Angeles, California.  Most of the time the spillover of urban issues bother me to the point where I want to move FAR away, but on occasion I am reminded of all the awesome things that also come part and parcel of being so near to "the city."

Over the past weekend my husband and I took our youngest son to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to experience the yearly Spider Pavilion display.  Basically they have an enclosure similar to a small aviary where they release a bunch of exotic, web building spiders.  There are no cages, and no glass or barriers between the visitors and the spiders.  It is not the place for an arachnophobe.  It is however the place for me!  If you haven't guessed yet from the title of my blog, I happen to have an affinity for spiders.  It's a strange thing, I know, but before you close this window in disgust, allow me to say a few words on behalf of the "lowly" spider.

Firstly, spiders, similar to bees, demand a certain amount of respect.  While the creatures never seek to cause us any harm, we are all too aware of their innate ability to do so.  Especially when they are as large as the ones that were lurking in this pavilion!  In the spring time, the museum hosts a butterfly pavilion in the same location, and let me tell you, the museum goers walk much more cautiously when the spiders are loose!

Secondly, I genuinely have admiration for spiders and the beautiful webs that some of the orb weavers are able to create. Nothing is more peaceful to me than watching a spider spin its nearly perfect orb of silk.  There's just something hypnotic about a spider going around, and around in ever shrinking concentric circles.  And did you know that some spiders have golden silk?  Scroll down to the second picture, and if you're lucky you may be able to just barely make out the golden hue of the threads!  I can see it, but my husband can't.

Argiope aurantia

Nephila clavipes

AND, since this post hasn't been very crafty, I've decided to post this little crochet spider & web bookmark in honor of our little family outing.

I hope you've enjoyed this slightly different post, and I hope that I didn't frighten any of you too much with my creepy-crawly, not-so-little friends.

:)

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone! 

 The crafting in my house is in full swing for this my most favorite of holidays.  However, I briefly wanted to share a trio of Halloween crocheted treats before I head out with the kiddos to collect our yearly bounty of candy goodness.

Have a good evening everyone!