I couldn’t resist designing a little something for Halloween. Then "a little something" turned into two little somethings, then three, and by the time I was finished, there were enough "little somethings" to populate a zoo! Brightly colored and whimsical, these little half-masks work up quickly with simple stitches. However, what with all of the shaping, the color changes, and the sewing of things together, I wouldn’t recommend these for the novice crocheter. Make one. Make two. Make the whole zoo!

• Small amounts of various colors of Red Heart Super Saver yarn (colors indicated before individual patterns)
• 4.25 mm (size G) crochet hook
• Yarn Needle

Gauge is not significant in this pattern as long as it is consistent.

Crocodile Smile (pictured above)

Colors required: hunter green, white

• Main Colour (MC): Jaeger Siena (153 yds/140m per 50g), Blush, 1 ball
• Contrast Colour (CC): Bouton D'or Mango (120 yds/110m per 50g), Prune, 1 ball
• 3.25mm (size D/3) crochet hook

When changing color you do not need to fasten off at each color change. Simply drop the last color and pick up and pull through the next color.

Tapestry crochet is similar to regular crochet, except that more than one yarn is used at the same time to create a colorful fabric. Actually, one or more yarns are carried while another yarn is single crocheted. The finished pieces look woven instead of crocheted. Tapestry crochet has been popular for a long time in several countries. Mayan men in Guatemala tapestry crochet shoulder bags with cotton thread or wool yarn. In other parts of the world, tapestry crochet is used to make yarmulkes and hats.

This purse begins at the bottom, then spirals upwards to the strap. The horse is 22 stitches wide. It is possible to make a variety of purse sizes by increasing or decreasing the length of the foundation chain by eleven stitches. Feel free to substitute different colors or another motif -- just be sure that the total number of stitches on the sides of the purse is a multiple of the number of stitches in your motif.

• Size 3 Senso Wool Cotton thread by DMC (100 yds per 29g / 91m – 1.02 oz); four balls of Bone (1302), 3 balls of Brown (1309), and 1 ball of Maroon (1308); (www.dmc-usa.com)
• 2.75mm (size 1) steel crochet hook, or the size that will give an acceptable gauge
• 1 1/4” diameter decorative button
• Stitch counter or marker
• Needle

Without the strap: 10 1/2” wide by 9 1/2” high

9 stitches equals 1 inch; 8 rows equals 1 inch

All stitches are single crochet stitches unless otherwise indicated.

Begin

Round 1: Starting with the brown thread, make a slip knot (leaving a ten-inch tail), th

I chose the title "Incognito Me" in imagining someone requesting to be costumed, and thought the "Me" part would charm the Ed. at Crochet me. Bootie-kisser I am, so long as it ends in fun. [Ed. note: I was charmed.]

The inspiration for the pattern came from the goodie bin at my son's pediatrician's office. He stuck in his thumb and pulled out a plum... no, wait... wrong story. He reached into the goodie bin and pulled out a flimsy set of Groucho Marx glasses. You know, those things with the plastic nose and moustache attached. I put them on and yelled at my son, "Hahhhh chachacha!" and then yelled, "AHA!", as I lightbulbed a crochet project from the experience. And people looked at me funny. And I thought, "Well, whatever. Look at me any way you want, but I get to make a super-dorky project, and y'all can't stop me." [Ed. note: I was also charmed by the use of "lightbulb" as a verb.]

• Lion Brand Jiffy - 1 skein of Black, 1 skein of Camel, plus 1 skein of any brand and color of eyelash yarn
• 10.0mm (size N) crochet hook for hat & nose
• 6.5mm (size K) crochet hook for brows & moustache

Gauge doesn't much matter, as the back of the hat can be adjusted with an added drawstring if necessary. The hat is large enough so that long hair can be stuffed up into it.

Mark the beginning of each round with a piece of scrap yarn or stitch marker.

Popcorn - 5 dc in st, drop lp from hook, insert hook in top of first dc of group, pull dropped lp through, ch 1.

The colors for this afghan (click the photo above for a larger image) are taken from the vivid, festive traditional hues of Mardi Gras. The pattern is based on a modified version of the Choctaw chevron, the basic shape which is used to build that tribe's famous quilts. Created in strips using all Tunisian simple stitch, this afghan works up quickly for its size and is large enough to cover a queen-sized bed.

The blanket in the photograph is up for auction through Mission Fish, where 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Habitat For Humanity, a worldwide charity dedicated to safe housing to those with the most economic and social needs. Made from 100% cotton yarn, this all-weather blanket is squishy soft and machine washable. Please bid on this blanket and help us support the continued efforts to repair the US Gulf Coast and rebuild homes for its residents.

• 1024 yds Color A, DK to Light Worsted Weight Yarn
  shown in Knit Picks Crayon - Green
• 768 yds Color B, DK to Light Worsted Weight Yarn
  shown in Knit Picks Crayon - Yellow
• 768 yds Color C, DK to Light Worsted Weight Yarn
  shown in Knit Picks Crayon - Purple
• 5.50mm (US-I) afghan hook
• 5.00mm (US-J) standard hook
• 4.0mm (US-G) standard hook
• Darning needle

70" x 45"

My mom gave me a velour apple with a worm poking out of it to sell at my yard sale last weekend, but it was so dang cute I decided to keep it instead. Then I (like all obsessive yarnfolk) decided to crochet it, and I did so in the car on the way to Los Angeles (passenger, yes). Trying to write that pattern in a little book while we drove along hitting potholes and speed bumps was an adventure, but that apple was desperate to be made. So here ya go.

• 2 skeins of Caron Simply Soft (one Deep Crimson, one Limelight)
• a yardlong scrap of any brown or tan yarn
• something to stuff the apple with (fiberfill, cotton balls, shredded plastic bag, whatever you want)
• Hook size: G (4.25mm)
• Stitch marker
• Yarn needle

Mark each round/row (MR) religiously. Marking rounds makes counting so much easier. Sometimes I'll tell you to MR just for the helluvit (annoying, ya?)

Do you drool over the awesome sweater patterns for knitting? I do! So instead, of just sitting around getting frustrated that I couldn’t find patterns for crochet, I decided to come up with one of my own. My favorite sweaters are the ballet wraps, for the simple reason that no matter how much you eat you always look good in them. This sweater can be dressed up with ribbon ties or button closures, the choice is yours. I challenge all of you to come up with your favorite crochet fashions, so that we, too, can have mouth-watering patterns.

• 8(9,10,12,14) balls of Patons Kroy Socks, Norfolk Blue #54110
• 1-inch wide ribbon, 3 yarns or 3 buttons of your choice
• 3.25mm (US D) hook
• Yarn needle

XS (S, M, L, XL)
Actual bust measurements: 32.5 (35, 37.5, 40, 42.5)"
To fit bust measurments: 34 (36, 38, 40, 42)"

One full block, see diagram (diagram.pdf) or pattern stitch = 1.25” x 1.25”

• This pattern was initially designed in diagram form, so please consult diagrams in case of a written error. There is a PDF of each diagram for sizes exTRa small, small, medium, large, and exTRa large.
• Before jumping into crocheting, I really urge you to create a quick mock-up of the size you want. Ballet sweaters are known for fitting differently than normal sweaters. Please see the feature from last issue on how to create a quick mock-up.
• Kroy sock yarn is very cool yarn. You can wash it in the washing machine and it doesn’t shrink! I recommend washing and air-drying each piece before you sew them together. It really makes the piece a lot softer.
• The turning chains in this pattern have an additional chain to help loosen up the shells. If you find your shells are too loose you can simply decrease the turning chains by 1.

Pattern Stitch:

See stitch diagram (PDF).

CH 12.

Row 1: SC in second CH from hook, CH 1, skip 4 CH, 1 TR (CH 2, 1 TR) 4 times in next CH, CH 1, skip 4 CH, SC in next CH. CH 6 (counts as a TReble and chain 1), turn.

Row 2: DC in first CH-2 space, CH 3, SC in third TR, CH 3, skip next TR, DC in last CH-2 space, CH 1, TR into beginning SC. CH 7 (counts as a TReble and chain 2), turn.

Row 3: (TR, 2 CH, TR) into CH-1 space, CH 1, skip CH-3, SC into SC, skip CH-3, CH 1, 1 TR (2 CH, 1 TR) twice into CH-6 space. CH 1, turn.

Row 4: SC into TR, CH 3, DC into second CH-2 space, CH 2, DC into next CH-2 space, CH 3, SC into 3rd CH from the top of the t-CH. Finish off.

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