March 8th, 2013, Make your own Mini Bear Rug

I used to make crocheted and fabric minibears under the name of Meribears. And also I not only made them but i designed the patterns also. Then came  along a person who said that this was their pattern, even though she came on the scene 8 years after me and the pattern i created was the first one I had ever made. I would like to share some of the minibears i have made with my own patterns. and then below is the pattern for a bear rug for a dollhouse or just for fun for you to enjoy.

The Easy Bear Rug (for beginner bear makers)

Easy Bear Rug Body by Marylou of Meribears©

Use a size 10 crochet thread..with a size 11 or 12 hook...

Use white for Polar bears

brown for brown bears..

black for black bears

reddish brown for Grizzly bears..

***And** you don’t have to use thread..you can use yarn (The larger sized yarn or thread

the larger the rug will be and visa versa).. just make sure

When you size your hook there arent many gaps in the rug body itself..

If there are ..you need to downsize your hook and make your stitches tighter.

* ALSO* I have the rug in picture turned different than in the previous picture to show you

you can do it either way.. Put the head and tail on the long sides to make the rug stretch

out or put the head and tail between the two sets of legs..So its legs stretch out in front of

him. Either way is good..

ch - chain sc - single crochet

st - sttitch hdc - half double crochet

sl st - slip stitch dc - double crochet

sk st - skip stitch tog - take two stitches dec to one

dec - decrease. Make sure you see all the photos at the bottom of instructions, please

ch 29, do not twist the chain.

row 1 - in 3rd chain from hook start hdc.. counting the two start ch as one hdc.

hdc each st in the ch.. ch 2, turn over (27st)

row 2 - hdc across, ch 2 and turn over(27)

row 3 - hdc across, ch 2 and turn over (27)

row 4 - sl st 7 st, sl st in nx st and ch 2 (counts as one hdc), hdc 12, ch 2, turn over. This

makes the middle of the body. (13 st)

row 5 - 13 hdc, ch 2 turn turn over (13 st)

row 6 - 13 hdc, ch 9 turn over (13 hdc,9 ch)

row 7 - keeping ch straight, hdc in 3rd ch from hook (counts as one hdc, 6 hdc, 11 hdc, ch

9 turn over (18 st, ch9)

row 8 - hdc in 3rd ch fm hook(counts as one hdc), 6 hdc, then continue down the body part

and do 11 hdc, and over to the other leg continue and make 6 hdc , ch 2 turn. (24 st)

row 9 - hdc across, ch 2 and turn over ( 23 st)

row 10 - hdc, ch 2 and turn over

row 11 - 1st 2 hdc tog, 6 hdc, last 2 hdc tog, ch 1 turn (8 st)

DO NOT tie off.

OUTLINE

You want to give your rug a finished look.. so we are going to outline it.

First fold back legs to find a center and mark it with a small piece of different colored

thread for later.

*now go back to your hook and place a sc all around the exterior of the rug..when you

come to a corner.. 3 sc around each corner..

* * Tail.. when you come to that piece of string.. in one st, sc, hdc, 2 dc, hdc, sc and go on

with your outline.

This should be noted as the top of the bear body.

Now you have finished your body rug.. lets do the head.

Head of the bear for the bear rug

Leave a tail in string for pulling through and use for counting rows.

Row 1 - ch 2, in 2nd chain from the hook, 8 sc, continuous rounds.. (8st)

row 2 - 2 sc each st (16 st)

Row 3 & 4 - sc each st (16 st)

Row 5 - 4 sc, 2 sc each st x 8, 4 sc (24 st)

Row 6 - 8 sc, 2 sc each st x 8, 8 sc (32 st)

Row 7 & 8 - sc each st around

Row 9 - 10 sc, 2 sc tog, 6 sc, 2 sc tog, 11 sc (29 St)

Row 10 & 11 & 12 - sc each st around

Stuff partially

Row 13& 14 - Start decreasing.. * 2 sc tog, 1 sc* repeat from *

Row 15 - sl st every other st to close..tie off

Ears:

ch 2 - in 2nd st from hook; 2 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, 2hdc, 2sc, ch 1 and turn

row 2 - sc in back loop only to end .. tie off leaving a string tail of 12" for sewing onto bear.

Attach the ears to head.. make sure they are straight.

sew on two black beads for eye.. Placement of eyes.. use 2 ball headed pins.. replace with

beads..

nose: use a straight stitch from: . _______ .

and then go around it: clockwise till full and give it a line in center down to a mouth..you

can add a small upside down " Y " or leave it straight.

Attach the head to body...place head on the top of the bear body.

Congratulations..you have made your bear rug...

You may use this pattern to make as many as you like.. and yes you can sell them.

But no part of this pattern MeriluOriginals© may be sold as it is copyrighted..by

Meribears™

March 2005

NOTE* Because a friend made a mistake and turned the body so its

outstretched arms were in front of the body instead of on the side..We decided this was

good too ./.. simply put the tail inbetween the two back legs like the directions state.. only

turn the body..* I liked this way so much better its how I make them nowadays.

Either way is great..ML

Please make as many as you want, sell them, trade them or give them away, just dont sell

my pattern.

February 27 2013

I didnt do much of anything yesterday because my son came to visit and we went to every thrift store in town ...
So last night i got a head start on crafts for today.. this is as far as i got.. more shrunken goodies from recyclable clear plastic containers and 3 Hitty collars made, adding buttons now. Then will poke holes  for necklaces in the shrunken tiny pendants..  These are sitting on top of one of these containers on its top and you can see thru to the bottom and see the larger seahorse. I took it and made another 2 from it to the size of tinier on top of the container.

February 25, 2013, fun fun fun

Im still having fun with this shrunken recycled plastic..
this is my treasure making for the day...
I've researched out what others do with Aileen's shrink-it and this stuff, some are pretty. Some have no imagination of what you really can do with this stuff. I'm like floored.
so in this next pix, I drew out the seahorse, but if you can't draw, use a picture. You know you could even trace a child's pix from under. Watch copyright laws but if you wanted to trace a pix from a special book or photo or picture published, (I like children's books) Its ok as long as you do not sell this or sell as your own..  Look up copyright laws. What I like to do is poke a hole with a red hot pin and add a chain loop and put it on a chain and wear it.. or a pin back glued on.. or charms on a charm bracelet.
That's why I draw my own, so no-one can say i stole it... 
So make things of for yourself... you can never have too many things you made yourself for yourself and the pride of doing it.
The others the dragonfly and butterfly were made from my Sizzix punches pictured so you can see the size of these tiny things that are fingertip tiny. There is about a 65 to 75% shrinkage from my recycled plastic containers. 

February 24th, 2013, Shrunken Hitty Heads

I've been playing with this clear recyclable plastic containers and shrinking it for other uses. So much fun. Yesterday I was making Shrunken Hitty heads. thought i would poke a hole in the top of the head where i have these small circles and add a chain loop for necklaces. Then I got the idea to try and make cameos . the first ones I added the head to a circle or mis-shapened square punch i had, and i painted them with pearl nail polish and the head stuck up too much, but it melted into one form alright, but the polish  turned yellowish in the oven. hmmm so next time i got the brilliant idea to paint the back of the so called cameo and put the silhouette on the front.. hmmm lets see what i can do with this? I will show the finished item later. the finished cameo came out to 3/8 of an inch after the plastic shrunk it. Tiny heh?

February 22, 2013, Rycyled products fun tutorial

From those things we always toss in the trash below.

 The kind food comes in from the bakery

mostly

To this below:

Did you know it shrinks like Aileens shrink-it?

Some work, some recycled product do not, I find the plastic boxes with the most crinkle do. Test them. Oven at 250°, it will have to shrink all the way so about 10 min, set a timer or watch the clock.
Do a test bake with a small  1" square, make sure it shrinks and see how much. Mine shrink to about 60% of size. 

To the left are made from a butterfly and dragonfly punch out. 
paint and glitter before baking, let the paint dry. Quick go dig in the kids room, find all those cute punches you bought them or your scrap booking stuff...
 Second one down is a 1 inch square, I drew a pretty rose on with a colored fine point sharpie, it shrunk too. Can't draw? Place a pix under and trace it. I burned a hole in all these with a hot pin made red-hot from a BIC lighter(not for kids project) use a pair of pliers to hold pin or burn yourself. What fun this is.

 

my special Kelly dress

Make this Kelly dress, my pattern (Aka Annie)
 Kelly Dolls are for the Toy Drive in Florence Oregon at Christmas time. I find them in Garage sales, in thrift stores and look for the great deals. People donate Kelly for me to make these clothes for good causes, for little girls who need a small friend. I make sewn clothing as well and putting them into packages. This is my cause for life, to make small lil girls happy, as I only had sons and doing this makes me happy.
I also make clothing for Barbie and Skipper and if they are decent and new looking or if I can clean them spotless. Some i have collected have been loved a bit too much... and stay with me.


The 3" to 4" Doll request to make clothes
Crochet by MeriluOriginals ( your lil ole Annie)
  
This is a Kelly Doll, she is 4"- inches small. 
Materials I used. You may want smaller hooks.
I have a sz 7 metal hook.
and I used fingerling baby  yarn in pink. 
*I also want to mention*: ****When you go down with st's and ch and then turn and go back, use a reverse crochet stitch. In case one does not know how to do this, its simple, go thru the post on the bottom row instead of thru the loop(s). I used this method on both dresses I believe, for sure the one on the right. This covers the ridge made when you leave the back open and ch1 and turn and go back...***


Ch 21 loosely, turn, skip 1st ch
R1 - sc back in each ch to end (you should have 20 sc's)

R2 - sc -sc- 2 sc in of the next 5 (this will make 10 sc in 5 st's) 6 sc's down the row and then again 2 sc in the next 5 st's, 3 sc's to the end, ch 1 and turn <30 sts>

R3- sc in each st across and ch1 and turn

R4 - Confusing, here's where you just do it, do not read ahead.. one at a time. 4 sc, 2sc in next st, sc,  2sc in next st, sc,  2sc in next st,  9 sc across the front,  2sc in next st, sc,  2sc in next st, sc,  2sc in next st, sc to end, ch 1 and turn

R5 - 4 sc, ch3, and skip 10 st,  8 sc, ch3, and skip 10 st, sc to the end. ch1 and turn (this sets the sleeves in. ) i lost count of st's, play it by ear.

R6 - This is the start of the skirt. You have to increase so it fits around and hangs right on the doll. So 2 sc in one st and then 1 sc, repeat. EXCEPT that ch 3 just make sc in each of the st in both of the ch 3. 
do that repeat across, now ch2 and turn

R7 and down thru all the rows, they are all te same. 1st - try it on your dolly. does it fit? like in my pix, that was what i was doing, making sure it fit.
Now I like to make HDC = yarn over and pull thru all three loops, still going thru the post for the reversed stitch. It looks nicer... repeat this R7 down, long as far as you like it to be.


The Last row
I like a finish look so i will scallop the bottom edge. in each st make sc-hdc-sc or every other st. up to you..I even sometimes go around the sleeve edge. Just to give that extra touch of finishing.
Annie

January 25th, 2013

Today has big plans of staying home (its  a rainy day) and working on projects. I have my bingo project to get ready...(No I'm not telling yet But I promise this is different and hopefully a fun bingo game in our dollhouse Yahoo group) I also want to make my own stamp with a Hitty Head on it. Something I can use a stamp pad over and over.. since I use this feature  alot on the back of my envelopes. So I learned how to do this on PINTEREST . They said go buy a block eraser and draw on your design and carve around it with a small scoop carving knife, which i just happen to have. you can see in my photo, I've started. Found the Erasers at the Dollar Tree Store. You really have to search them out and that's why I have included the package, an easier find. Carving on an eraser is easy, even my old sore hands can do this... go slow and be accurate.

And also Some nice member of our Group PIFFed us bingo players a small Glow in the Dark Fairy to go along with this Bingo story of fairies. So nice of her and I want to thank her.. She sent me 4 of them...I plan to make them into the Ice Fairies from the story today. I just figured out how to make them twinkle. 

And I want to start a new art brooch/pin today... I made another Dorset button last night while watching TV.So let's see what I can get done.

I did manage to finish this rubber stamp made from an eraser.. It came out GREAT

One project down.. more to go...

I love a rainy day!

Lora: a Friend of mine blog with crafties and art