I came up with these cute little patterns a few years ago and published them on craftster, and still get requests for them! (And I also credit them for my opportunity to meet and work with the fabulous CrochetMe Kim Werker. ;) )
These work up fast and you can do many variations on both to the "flavours", add bead or sequin sprinkles to the cupcakes, change the fillings in the sushi, the possibilities are endless!
The instructions may seem a little bit wide open, but really, they are open for interpretation and your own ideas for colours and "ingredients!"

Hook size H or one to work with your yarns
Yarn needle
Sewing needle & thread (to make cupcake cherry)

Cupcakes: Various small amounts of worsted weight yarn in the "flavours" you need- ie: brown for chocolate cupcakes, pink for strawberry frosting
- any additional embellishments- beads, sequins
- small piece of red felt for the "cherry"
- small amount of batting/stuffing
- short length of thin ribbon to hang (approx. 5"-6")

Sushi: Small amounts of Black and White worsted weight yarn for the seaweed & rice
-small amount of coloured yarns, orange, green, etc. for your sushi fillings
- small amount of batting/stuffing
- short length of thin ribbon to hang (approx. 5"-6")

Approx. 1.5" tall

n/a

Special stitches:
BPDC: YO, insert hook from back to front to back around post of next DC, YO and pull up a loop, (YO and pull through 2 loops on hook) twice - back post DC.

FPDC: YO, insert hook from front to back to front around post of next st, YO and pull up a LP, (YO and pull through 2 loops on hook) twice - front post DC.

Cupcake:
Use hook size H
Using Brown(Chocolate cake!) yarn,
Ch 4, join with a sl st to the first chain, chain 3 to count as first dc.

I did this project for my husband's aluminum canister. I did some searching of different kinds of stitches and decided to use a raised/relief stitch, it is a kind of textured stitch which I believe is good if I want to not just to have a carrier but also protect my DH's aluminum from dent and scratch.

The stitches is adapted from 300 Crochet Stitches, hence used their definition and instructions on how to make the TR/RF stitches. I also posted the diagram from a chinese crochet stitches book to illustrate the instructions. Hope this will clear some of the confusion. Sometimes it helps to have a diagram together with instructions.

Yarn: Scheepjeswol Superwash Zermat or you can use any worsted weight yarn
Hook: 5mm
Tapestry Needle for weaving

depends on how tall is your aluminum

did use any gauge

Definition: Raised relief - inserting the hook around the whole stem of a stitch
TR/RF2tog - treble/raised (relief)
TR/RF - treble/raised (relief)

Base:
make an adjustable ring or ch 5 and sl st on the first ch. to form a ring.
rnd 1: make 8 sc

A week or so ago my lovely kitten Rogetts reminded me that every once in a while kitties need a new toy. Or they might riffle through your purse, steal you headphones out and pull the insulation off while leaving a big mess in at least 3 rooms of your house. Oh well I reward the little brat with a new set of toys made that day before she could find anything else to destroy.

I had been thinking about making toys for a while now and had been doing some research on the way the cats see and interact with the world. Cats do not see colors the same as people. Contrast and pattern are more important so I picked colors that contrasted with each other. I read that acrylic yarn taste bad to cats from some website of unknown credentials. But the idea stuck in my head and I have noticed that the cats only run off with wool and cotton. So they get cotton toys because it is so durable. Oh and the cats love to move there toys around so I topped it all off some monk cords on each end. The cats seem to love them. I am sure that catnip stuffing has something to do with it too.

• Small amount of two colors of cotton sport weight yarn (the photos is show with saucy sport yarn and sinfonia)
• size c crochet hook, or the smallest size hook you can use with your yarn (you want the stitches to be very tight so the cat nip does not fall out)
• yarn needle
• cotton balls
• catnip

1 inch

Gauge is not very important, just make sure that your stitches are tight enough to keep the catnip from falling out.

What is it that makes fungus so compelling? Mushrooms. They're yummy, they're deadly, they're an adventure at every step on the wet ground. And, darnit, they're cute. This one has a flip-top, which is a nifty added bonus.

• Worsted weight scraps of yarn
• Size G/7 (4.50mm) hook to make a 5” Shroom
• Size I/9 (5.50mm) hook to make a 7” Shroom
• 5/8” button
• Buttons of various sizes
• Sewing thread and needle
• Fiberfill/stuffing
• Stitch marker

If worked with a single strand of worsted weight yarn and smaller hook, 5".

If worked with a double strand of worsted weight yarn and larger hook, 7".

Gauge is not critical.

Shroom is worked in continuous rounds. To help keep track of rounds, place a marker in the first stitch of the round. Move the marker to the first stitch of each round as you go. 

Ch - chain
Sc - single crochet
St - stitch
Sc2tog - single crochet two stitches together

Need practice seaming? Looking for something – anything – within your skill level that isn’t rectangular? Trying to find something to work on that you don’t have to think about? This attractive little pillow is just what you’ve been searching for. Simple shapes are sewn together to form a soft heart shape that makes a perfect accent for Valentine’s day – or any day that you want to say ‘I love you.’

I’ve also discovered that this pillow is the perfect size to wedge between your head and your shoulder if you’re trying to get some sleep in a sitting position. Make one for your favorite frequent flyer – now that’s love.

• Red Heart Super Saver (52 yds per ounce), 4 ½ oz Country Rose
• 5.00mm (size H/8) hook
• Fiberfill or stuffing
• Yarn needle

4 sts x 4 rows = 1” x 1”

Semicircle (make 4)

With Country Rose, ch 2.

Row 1: Make 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, turn.

Row 2: Work sc inc in each of the next 3 sts. (6 sc) Ch 1, turn.

No introduction is needed for this stunning pillow sham. Check out Josi's Spike Stitch Introduction if you'd like more information before diving in.

• 60 yards - color A, DK to Worsted Weight yarn
  (Shown in Patons Classic Merino Wool (100% wool; 223 yds/205 m per 3.50 oz/100 g) color #00240 Leaf Green)
• 240 yards - color B, DK to Worsted Weight yarn
  (Shown in Patons Classic Merino Wool (100% wool; 223 yds/205 m per 3.50 oz/100 g) color #00204 Old Gold)
• 45 yards - color C, DK to Worsted Weight yarn
  (Shown in Patons Classic Merino Wool (100% wool; 223 yds/205 m per 3.50 oz/100 g) color #00214 Dusky Blue)
• US-J hook (6.00mm)

Completed measurements, with edging 17" x 18.5"

Gauge Swatch
Start with 21 ch, and work for front of pattern repeating only 3 times between { } or 20 sc per Row. Follow pattern through Row 24 without changing color.

6 stitches (1 repeats of pattern) = 2"

12 rows = 2.5"

US Pattern notations used throughout
Ch – chain
Sc – single crochet

Front

(A) Base - Using color A, ch of 51

(A) Row 1 (right side) - 1 sc into 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc into each of the remaining 49 sc (50 sc total), turn.

(A) Row 2 - ch 1, 1 sc into each of the next 50 stitches, turn.

(A) Rows 3 to 6 - repeat Row 2, changing to color B at end of Row 6.

(B) Row 7 - ch 1, sc into first stitch, {sc into next stitch, SP-2 over next stitch, SP-3 over next stitch, SP-4 over next stitch, SP-5 over next stitch, SP-6 over next stitch} x 8, sc into last stitch, turn.

If you’ve ever staked plants in your garden, chances are you have a spool of jute twine lying around the house. Put it to a fun, new use with this beaded basket. If you don’t have any jute, you’ll find what you need with a quick stop by the twine section of your local hardware store. While you’re there, take a look at some of the other twine available; you may just find yourself crocheting with alternative materials you never considered before.

Approx 4½ inches diameter and 2 7/8 inches tall.

Rounds 1-5 = 4¼ inches

US Pattern Notations Used
ch = chain
ch-1 sp(s) = chain 1 space(s)
flo = front loop only
sc = single crochet
sl st = slip stitch
st(s) = stitch(es)

• Beads are sewn into the pattern with hemp cord after the basket is complete, not threaded onto the jute. Hemp jewelry cord is usually available in small quantities (about 10-yard bundles) at craft stores or anywhere jewelry-making supplies are sold.
• Some jute has an odor reminiscent of fuel while other jute is virtually odorless except for a very light scent of natural fibers. Give it a good whiff before you buy it. If it smells bad, buy it elsewhere.

Basket

Make an adjustable ring by placing tail end behind working end of yarn, forming a loop.

It’s jewelry -– or an altar cloth as the case may be -– for your coffee maker. Every morning it says “I love me” better than a thermal carafe model. Crocheted of colored wire and glass beads, this project is a good introduction to jewelry-making and the special properties of metal.

Ed. Note: Please use common sense. If the wire you use is plastic-coated or if you're using beads, do remove the doily from the heating element before using your coffee maker. If in doubt, use the doily as a trivet only, and do not use it in your coffee maker.

A standard Mr. Coffee hotplate measures 3.75 inches in diameter inside its lipped edge; minimalists will prefer 5 rows of pattern, which will elegantly rest just inside the edge. The rest of us take the beaded edging option (Row 6); the fringe loops are long enough to hang over the edge of the hotplate so that they don’t interfere too much with sliding the coffeepot in and out. The fringe row is about 1 inch high for a total diameter of about 5.5 inches.

7½ double crochets = 1 inch and 4 rows = 1 inch. Tug on your stitches a bit both vertically and horizontally before measuring.

If this is your first time crocheting wire, congratulations on entering the unique world of metalworking! This project will be good practice because it’s all double crochets. Your first stitches are likely to be loose and irregular and messy-looking. Here are some tips:

1. Try looping the wire around an additional finger for more tension. Try to make tight stitches and small contained movements.
2. Think of wire as crochet thread that already has the starch in it because when you’re done crocheting, you can tell the stitches what to do, and they will behave.  Don’t worry if the shape of your doily is bent, crooked, rippled, amateur, or otherwise hopeless. There’s no way it will look neat and even and flat while you’re gripping it to work the stitches. It will shape up when you discipline it with the flattening tool of your choice at the completion of row 5 (before you add beads). Shape the stitches by nudging and poking them with your hook.
3. You must use 28 gauge wire. Do not substitute with the next larger size (26 gauge). It just takes practice and little rest periods because it uses new muscles that other kinds of crocheting don’t require. It’s more important than usual to avoid hunching your shoulders as you work. (If you really have trouble with the 28 gauge, experiment with 30 gauge.)
4. If you find that you use one of your fingertips as a backing when trying to poke the hook through a stitch, wear a thimble or band-aid on that finger for cushioned support.
5. Assume that you can’t rip out mistakes. Sometimes you can without breaking the wire, but you will still be weakening it. It’s best to leave tiny kinks in the wire; trying to remove them stresses the wire. Wire is weird because it’s so strong that you have to manhandle it, but it can snap, so you have to baby it at the same time. If the wire does break, it matters more when you crochet wire jewelry than with this project, so don’t worry. Twist together the broken ends and keep going. With some wire projects you don’t need to weave in a long tail, just try to keep ends from popping up and feeling prickly or snagging things (especially important with jewelry items).
6. The turning chain-3 counts as 1 dc.
7. All stitches are worked into the top 2 loops of the row below.

US pattern conventions used
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
dc = double crochet
st(s) = stitch(es)
rep = repeat

Instructions
If you will be adding the beaded edging as shown in the photo, string all beads now. String them in the opposite order that you’ll be using them. Either you can just string on a zillion, or you can be scientific about it and figure that 63 looped fringes will need beads. In the model, I just always made sure that I put a big red bead at the tip of the fringe, a couple of little beads on either side of it, and a couple more at the base of it. So I began stringing like this: *2 or 3 little beads, 1 big red, 4 or 5 little (includes 2 for the base of fringe loop), repeat sequence from * 62 times. Push all the beads way down the line because you won’t need them for 5 rows.

Ready?

I first saw recycled silk yarn in my local yarn shop. I was drawn to it because it was so different from all the other yarns. The beautiful colors, interesting texture, and randomness of it all was so inviting to be explored. The yarn is handspun in Nepal using fiber remnants from garments like the beautiful, colorful, luxurious saris worn by women throughout South Asia . The colors in each skein are hand twisted into a thick and thin yarn at random, so no two skeins are alike. When I first saw the yarn, all I could think of were pillows. This particular pillow design is done in the round, forming a long rectangular shape. The front is in recycled silk and the back in blended wool silk. This design is also very flexible in size and can be made to fit just about any pillow form, see notes below. If you don’t have a pillow form or can’t find one in a size you need, just whip one up using a fabric remnant and some polyfill.

• Himalaya Recycled Silk (100% Recycled Silk, 100g/80yds, aran weight), Varying Shades, 3 hanks *Yarn available at kpixie*
• Himalaya Wool Silk (60% Wool, 40% Recycled Silk, 100g/175 yds, worsted weight), 10-Black, 2 hanks *Yarn available at kpixie*
• Size I (5.5mm) hook
• 5 Stitch markers (I used contrasting pieces of yarn)
• Yarn needle
• 8-10” piece of cardboard
• Pillow or fabric remnant & polyfill for insert

{Great thanks to kpixie for supplying the yarn for this pattern.}

14”l x 19”w

Using 5.5mm hook and sc:
Recycled Silk – 10 sc x 11 rows = 4”
Wool Silk – 13 sc x 16 rows = 4”

US pattern notations used throughout
Ch = chain
St = stitch
Sc = single crochet
Sl st = slip stitch
Blo = back loop only

This pattern is crocheted in the round, joining at the end of each round. Due to the thick and thin nature of the recycled silk yarn, you will need to use stitch markers at each corner and at the beginning of the round. The front of the pillow will be worked through the back loop only and the back of the pillow will be worked through both loops. The recycled silk yarn will occasionally twist and curl into itself. To maximize the yardage, you will need to unwind it as you go by gently pulling and untwisting. The wool silk may pull apart if tugged too hard. You can just knot the two ends together and leave the knot on the backside as you continue the pattern. Any knots will not be seen. The recycled silk will be a little more stretchy than the wool silk, so both sides of the pillow should be close to the same size before stitching together, but it doesn’t have to be a perfect match.

Changing size
To adjust the pillow size, simply figure the difference between the length and width of the finished size and that will be the number of inches your foundation chain should be. For example, for a finished size of 16”x10”, the foundation chain would be 6”.

Alternate design options
The pattern can be made without tassels. If you choose to omit the tassels, you will have enough recycled silk to make an additional round on the pillow.

There is enough of the wool silk yarn left over to make additional rounds around the edge. This option would give a contrasting border that will make a bolder presentation of shape and color.

Tip
Weave in any tail ends as you go by crocheting over them. Begin new yarn 6-8” before you want to add the yarn, crochet over it with the working yarn. Add new yarn and crochet over old yarn for about 6-8” and cut any excess.

It all started with a quest to find the perfect shower curtain. I was looking for a modern print in colors that would complement my bathroom tile, but it wasn’t to be found.

Determined to have my dream shower curtain, I turned to crochet. I decided to buy a plain curtain and embellish it with crocheted motifs. I had so much fun with the curtain, that I carried the crochet theme through to the hooks as well. I chose to use cotton, mohair, wool and acrylic yarns. I like the mix of textures as I feel it contributes to the modern look I was seeking. Feel free to be adventurous when choosing a color and texture combination for this project. There are just 4 simple motifs involved in decorating this curtain, so you can be hanging it up in no time!

• Shower curtain (it may be one you already have, or you can use this project as an excuse to get a new one!)
• If you want to cover your hooks as well, the pattern to cover them was created to fit “Forma” shower curtain hooks that can be purchased online.
• The yarns used for the pictured curtain and hooks are as follows:
  • Color A: 1 skein (98 yds) of “Punto” (an Aran weight cotton/ acrylic/ viscose/ and polyester blend) by Schachenmayr in light gold (12)
  • Color B: 1 skein (98 yds) of “Punto” in charcoal grey (98)
  • Color C: 71 yds of “Bravo Color” (a DK weight acrylic) by Schachenmayr in cappuccino (92)
  • Color D: 60 yds of “Paris” by Ormo (a lightweight mohair/acrylic blend) in cream (7810)
  • Color E: 1 skein (162 yds) of “Bravo” (a DK weight acrylic) by Schachenmayr in heather grey (8295)
  • Color F: 17 yds of “Summer Country” (an Aran weight cotton/acrylic/viscose/polyester blend) by Schachenmayr in off white with flecks of brown and gold (02)
  • Color G: 22 yds of tapestry wool (a light worsted weight wool) by DMC in light turquoise (7692)
• Crochet hook size F (3.75mm)
• Transparent nylon thread for stitching the motifs to the curtain
• Sewing needle
• Tapestry needle

US terminology is used in this pattern
st(s)= stitch(es)
ch= chain
sl st= slip stitch
sc= single crochet
hdc= half double crochet
dc= double crochet
tr= triple crochet
rvsc= reverse single crochet (here are instructions on this stitch)
lp(s)= loop(s)
beg= beginning
fol= following
rep= repeat
sk= skip