Illinois Crafter

“The Office” Week One Panel: “Best Boss” Mug Here is Michael Scott’s “World’s Best Boss” Mug I am just loving this piece! My next piece is “The Dundies”  Until Next Time! 

"THE OFFICE" So I just started a "The Office" themed blanket! I am very excited for this project. I have been looking for a reason to make this item for a long time and its finally here. This is not my pattern (the photo above is not mine either) but I will be sharing my finished work with you. The actual pattern was made by Jessica from Psychedelic Doilies. You can get the pattern from either Ravelry or Etsy, I am not sure which one you would perfer so I will leave you a direct link to both sites.  "The Office" Ravelry  or "The Office" Etsy   For the Blanket I will be using a I or 5.5mm sized hook and Red Heart Super Saver yarn for the majority of the blanket. I will be working the blanket using Corner to Corner like the pattern is suggested. The first part that I am started is the "World's Best Boss" Mug. I started working on this a couple of days ago (5/8/19) and I just started to decrease two of the ot...

Hexagon Motif Progress  Here is a small sample of my work with the hexagon motif pattern I worked up last week.   You can find it here- hexagon pattern I will be adding my half hexagon motif and my join as you go method in the next couple of days!!! What I have done so far is make a half hexagon and 3 whole hexagons, but only attach 2 and set one a side to add later. In total I have made 9 regular and 3 halves join at random areas, also started on a second color! Hope you enjoy,  Until Next Time!

Hexagon Motif Pattern: I know there are so many different patterns and tutorials floating around already for a basic hexagon pattern but this is mine. Like any other crochet pattern out there, there is no "right" or "wrong" way to do to it! Here is my personal preference on it: Round 1: Start by making a magic circle, (you don't have to start your motif like this, but this is my personal preference when starting a "in the round" project) chain 1 to secure magic circle ends, single crochet, chain  4(counts as a double crochet and a chain 2 gap), *double crochet twice, chain 2* repeat from * to * 4 more times, double once more.  (You will have 6 clusters of two double crochets and chain gaps)  To end the round, single crochet into top of first double crochet (Second chain of first 4 chains) You can end rounds anyway you want, again this is just my personal preference! Round 2: Chain 2 [always counts as Doubl...

Winter is nearly over and it's been a long one. I have been keeping myself busy working in doors on my specialty items!!! I have become well know among my family and friends for my crochet name doilies. I have several styles, I would like to show you a few of them.  This WALLESER Doily was the first one that I have ever gifted. I was extremely nervous to give this to my cousin and her wife for a wedding gift. Some people find these doilies are boring, but I find that, as the years go by they become a cherished household item.  I am going to try to break down the price for everyone;   Side Lilly - (Edge #1) : $19   Plus $2 for each letter (Font #1) Click on the link below to head over to my Etsy Shop to order! Edge #1 - Font #1   This edge is my second most popular:     Small Dots - (Edge $2) : $12   Again- Plus $2 for each letter (Font #1)   Click on the link below to head over to my Etsy...

Happy 2017!  I have been on a VERY big coffee cozy/sleeve kick, I love them! I mean, why not everyone loves coffee. Here is one of my "Valentine" styles. My plan is to make at least 1 coffee cozy design for every major holiday!  I make with red or pink hearts. Band colors are grey, black or white! To get one for yourself visit my etsy shop here!  Halcraftem-Etsy Hope you enjoy, Until Next Time!

I know that I am a little late for the puff stitch band wagon and I know that their are patterns and tutorials out there but this is how I did mine. I used 2 colors of  Caron-Simple Soft(white and blue[Go Colts]), but you can easily use only 1, and a H hook. With White,  Row 1: Chain 10, Sc 9 across. Turn Row 2: Sc in front loops only.  Repeat row 2 for a total of 70 rows.  Cut yarn and sewn ends together.  With Blue, Row 1: Sc in between each side row around band sl st in beginning sc (70 sc)  Row 2: Pull up ch 1, Puff stitch in 1st sc, ch 1, skip stitch one sc, *puff stitch in next, ch 1; repeat from * across, sl st into top of first puff stitch.  Row 3: Sl st into ch 1 sp, pull up ch 1, puff stitch in same ch 1 sp, ch 1, *puff stitch into ch 1 sp, ch 1, repeat from * across, sl st into top of first puff stitch Repeat row 3 for 10 more rows (12 rows)  Cut yarn with 12" of end For closure fold...

This is a basic granny square with some flare, or should I say some ruffles. Is it fairly easy the only difference from a regular granny is the last two rounds...  The best part about this motif is you can make it as big or small as you want... I choose to do only 4 rounds of granny square.  Like I said above its you basic granny, but in case you don't know how to make one here is how I make my grannies... Make a double magic ring;  (but you can use your favorite joining method) Round  1: ch 3, 2 dc in ring, (ch 2, 3 dc in ring) 3 times. ch 1, sc in top of beg ch-3. Round 2: Ch2,2dc around sc.*Ch1,(3dc,ch2,3dc)in next ch-2sp.Repeat from* twice. Ch1, 3dc in next ch-1sp.ch1,sc into top of beg ch-2. Round 3: Ch2, 2dc around sc.*Ch1,3dcinnextch-1sp.Ch1,(3dc,ch2,3dc)in next ch-2sp.Repeat from * twice. (Ch1, 3dc in next ch-1 sp) twice. Ch 1, sc in top of beg ch-2. Round 4: Ch 2, 2 dc around sc. *(Ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp) twice. Ch 1, (3 d...

After much deliberation and a lot of searching for ideas on google, Pinterest, and many different Facebook groups, I finally made a pattern decision!!! I can't even begin to tell you know exciting this makes me. I had no idea how many different ways you can go about making temperature blankets. Between choosing colors template and picking out the pattern, and it doesn't just stop at blankets possibilities are endless.  Any way let's get back to my pattern that I am doing: Granny Hexagon Motif Okay, so this is not the best photo I know that. Darker yarn is always difficult for me to capture, and turn out to look decent. I probably should have made a different motif for this, but since I am already in the middle of this post I am just going to go with it. This is a much better photo then the first, but I just wanted to show that I will doing 3 round when the motif is finished. The first round will be the low of the day, second round will be the high of t...

This is my first completed project of 2016! I am going to try to keep count of every item I make this year. My cousin requested a Slouchy Hat, I am not a huge fan of how this one turned out. So I tweek aroundn with this hat to make the slouch, longer aso it looks "slouchier" I will repost a picture oncenit is finished. I hope someone likes it, because I am still unsure. Until next time!

2016 is here!!! So many goals, so many ideas, so many projects I want to complete. Hope I can show you some of them here. Here is my idea for a temperature blanket. Okay, complete on honesty it is not really my idea. I am just jumping into the band wagon. I first saw the idea on Facebook, the first place I saw the idea came from  Repeat Crafter Me Facebook . If you don't already follow Sarah you should check out her work. Here is her actual website  RepeatCrafterMe . I wasn't a huge template that was used in post  Bernat Colors . So, I decided to change it up, many times! Stage One: This is a few of the many colors that I have of Caron Simply Soft, plus more. I decided I wanted more colors to make it as colorful as possible. At this point I was going to do 10 colors red(hot) to purple(cold.) Stage Two:   This is what is came up with, but I didn't like it. So, back to the drawing board I went.  Stage Three:   Here are a few m...

So I finally finished the Hiaku Shawl! I think that it is so cute, I am having a very hard time packaging it up to send it to California. It was a very simple 3 row repeat. So pretty! It's a little late for her birthday but, I hope Mandy likes it! I know I do. Again to get this pattern -  haiku-crochet-shawl  also check out -  Rebecca Velasquez's  other patterns on Ravelry! Love that site.  Ravelry Until Next Time!

I was looking at some old photos and found a shot of the first afghan that I had ever completed. I originally made this as a wedding gift. I forgot that I had ever did this pattern: As a wedding gift I went with their fall themed colors and threw in something white something blue as well. I was a little sad to give this away being my first afghan but I am glad I decided to show off the love I have for my old aged hobby!  I found the idea for this pattern from a challenge from The Crochet Crowd. Mikey has some of the best ideas: Crochet Crowd Challenge  If I am looking for a ideas but not sure what hook up next I scan this page for hints.  Pattern for this awesome  Red Heart Afghan click here Ocean Waves I think that I just might have to make another one but this time I will keep this one! If I do I will keep you posted with updates! Until next time

In my last post I was torn between a couple of different shades of blue, green and yellow. I really wasn't sure what I wanted to use or what to make but here is what I decided to do: In several magazine over the last few months a have seen a couple projects using the "Spike Stitch"every pattern was a done a little differently from the next so I pulled my favorite parts from each and come up with this! Hope you like it, Until next time!

Have so many projects to get started on for this summer, between all the babies due and couples saying their "I Do's" I have plenty to do. There are tons of ideas rolling in my head right now, time to get started. These are the colors I have chosen for a blanket that I hope to keep you updated on. Notice a theme? Yellow to Blue to Green darker to light? I hope you do because that what I going for. I just cant decide if I should put white in with it or a black or brown? I love and have so much fun picking out the colors but I always have so many problems trying to figure out what order to put them in. Once I like how I have put them I seem to change again. Oh, the problems of creativity! Feel like I might do an extended double crochet pattern with these colors! Stay tuned for up dates.... Until next time!

With many encouraging words from friends I finally attempting to run a store front via Etsy. Now, I now everyone and their mom has shops on Etsy. I mean why not? Its so convenient and everyone does everything with the tip of there fingertips. I have see people order toilet paper online so why not my hats to. Keeping in mind I know that I will not become a millionaire or be able to quit my day job with this shop, but I am interested to see if I can sell a few items and with Christmas coming up the extra $5 cant hurt. I am always making something whether it is a DIY craft or knitting or crochet that I have bought I storage bin to keep all of my finished projects. when ever someone has a new baby I just pull something out and have an instant gift! I love coming up with new project to mainly this store is for an excuse for me to make something new. Here are a few things that can be bought from my shop:  Santa inspired baby booties~ These boots were inspired for the upcomin...

So... Halloween is coming fast! With me + 2 Kids = 3 outfits!!! How am I going to do this. I love group ideas so this is what I have come up with Cat and the Hat + Thing 1 & Thing 2. Here is William's (he will be Thing 2) so far:   After this photo was taken I didnt think there was enough "hair" so I went in and brought it down a few more rows. I will be posting Wyatt's soon and I am almost finish with my "Cat Hat."   Until next time!

So this is me entering the blogging world. I am so far behind on the internet trends! My hope is to use the social world to get my craftyness out there. I learned crochet a very long time ago from my Great Grandmother Halvorson when I was little. I played around with it throughout high school but never really got into crocheting until she passed away in April of 2013. I only wish that she should see what I do now, this is all thanks to her. I also knit but not as much as I would like to, I am still new to that world as well (since late 2012.) This week in the spirit of fall/halloween season I made up a couple of Pumpkin Hats for toddlers. So cute...   My next was going to be making Turkey Hats but I have MAJOR ADD when it coming to my crafting ideas so I started graphing out pattern charts for some of the SuperHero geeks in my family. So far I have made Green Lantern, Batman i had Superman done but I decided I didnt like it so back to the drawing board I go. ...