Tree Hat Gnome Joins the Party!

 

I have been enjoying crocheting Gnomes. I've a good collection started of snow gnomes, and I'm not done with them yet, but I wanted to try one of the other patterns I picked up. This time, It's all about the tree hat gnome.

Snowy tree hatted gnome

This guy was relatively easy to crochet and construct. He stands up well, even. I think the less stretchy cotton yarn does the trick for these stuffies. This one took a skein plus some more because most of it, as you can tell, is done in the green yarn. I got the hat, the body (including the arms) done, but then ran out making the "tree" part that gets sewn to the hat. If there is a particular challenge to this gnome, it is getting the "tree" sewn onto the hat with the spacing to cover the hat well, and not let the hat show through.

Quick trip for yarn refill required

He's taller and bigger than the snow gnomes, so he takes a little longer to make than they do, but I thought he came together well. I do want to experiment with color schemes, though. Is it too much green? Should I try a darker green? Maybe matching tree and body is too much? I have questions! Of course, I do.

So, here is the next tree hat gnome in progress:

A little bit of an autumn vibe

The body is going to be orange, the nose and arms a little lighter brown, and the tree wrap will be the variegated green/gold with white for that early season snow. That will work, right? It isn't particularly Christmas-y, but I still want to see it put together.

I think the next gnome on my agenda is one of the nutcracker gnomes. They should be a hoot!

The Ladybug Challenge

 

Last year I started a challenge, using the crafting magazines that have been left to me. I have actually enjoyed looking through these magazines, with the thought of creating something. AND I've found them inspirational, as well. This issue has been traveling around with me for a while, with a gallon ziploc carrying some balls of crochet thread.

Annie's Crochet Newsletter Sept-Oct 1996

Inside, is a pattern for a pair of cute little crocheted ladybug earrings. Since I made those ladybug outfits for the stuffed bunnies, I was caught! No, I am not making earrings, but I thought they would be cute! cute! cute! on a hair scrunchie, or the like. Heck. They're just CUTE!

Ladybug Pattern!

  

Ladybug Pattern page 2

I've been busy making stuff, so these guys kinda have been biding their time, waiting patiently (since, like, 1996). But, last Thursday, I started one. Today, I finished the cute little guy. 

Top view

  

Side view

Small, and adorable. 

So, here's my take on these guys. The pattern was pretty simple, and easy to follow, and not super difficult with the small hook and thread. Even so, I am going to make another, and scale up the yarn and hook a little. Yes, I used beads for the spots. I have never gotten the hang of French knots. Even today, they were more like French nots! But I got to sift through my bead stash and found these guys, which I like the look of. A lot. The biggest pain in the butt was having to thread the needle to go through the ladybug to the next spot spot (hee hee) and then unthreading it, waxing the thread so it was stiff enough to go through the bead (and making it easier to rethread the needle, too) and then rethreading the needle.