Horny Werewolf Day!

Happy Horny Werewolf Day!

In the spirit of blood, wolves, and fucking, I crocheted lots of hearts. Maybe next year I'll make a werewolf, perhaps with a heart that has "I Wuf Awoooo" on it, and a fire for it to dance around. For those of you interested in ancient pagan things, search the internet or books for Lupercalia and enjoy.

The 'smile' is a heart bookmark from Suzie's Stuff. I used size 10 crochet thread, size 7 steel hook, and extended the chain a bit so it will fit large hardcover books.


These are made from a modified version of two patterns I found online: Heart Garland and Heart Ornament. I had fun with white and red crochet thread, size 10, and I think a size 7 steel hook.


In the red garland, I combined big hearts and little hearts from the ornament/garland pages. It is long enough to be a nice necklace. The ends are similar to the individual hearts -- a loop and a bulb.


White garland, made in 2 pieces to attach to red garland or attach to itself to make a white garland.


I found this heart pattern on Creative Yarn Source. I plan to starch the heart later this week. While following the pattern, I noticed a minor inconsistency. The fix is below.

Evil Bitch-Monster of Death's Row 12 correction: Sl st in 2nd dc, sl st in ch 3 space, Ch 3, (dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in same ch 3 space. Ch 4, skip ch 4, (dc, ch 1, dc) in ch 1 space Ch 2, skip ch 2 and sc, sc in next ch 2 space, ch 2, sc in next ch 2 space. Ch 2, skip next ch 2, (dc, ch 1, dc) in next ch 1 space, ch 3. Skip next dc, ch 1, and next 2 dc. (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in next ch 2 space. Turn.


I also made a key chain out of a book mark design from Donna's Crochet Designs. It will get sewn/crocheted onto a key ring soon.

All this red love in the air. If I could post an mp3 with this, it would be Type O-Negative - Wolfmoon (Including Zoanthropic Paranoia).
Read More......

Marshmallows 2 -- Lupercalia Edition

Tasty, squishy red-and-pink marshmallows with maraschino cherries, dipped in chocolate -- a festive treat for mid-February

Marshmallow recipe can be found on the first Marshmallows post.


For this batch, I used the syrup from the jar of maraschino cherries in place of the water and part of the corn syrup when making the sugar syrup mixture. It gave the fluff a nice pink color.


Buttered, corn-starched 9" x 13" pan.


Fluff, after 10 minutes of beating, poured into pan. I added maraschino cherries, mostly chopped in half, right before pouring the marshmallow goop into the pan -- but unfortunately also before taking a picture of the cherries. The jar in the picture is a stand-in. There are no stems in my marshmallows.


This is what the goop makes after setting for about 11 hours. One big 9" x 13" marshmallow!


Some marshmallows, cut into cube-ish shapes with one side dipped in chocolate.


More chocolate-dipped marshmallow cubes.


Serving tray loaded for sharing at work.

Evil Bitch-Monster of Death's note: I find the marshmallows too sweet with 2/3 c. corn syrup. In the recipes in which I replaced most of it it with something else (chocolate, maraschino cherry liquid), the sweetness came out great. For plain batches, I suggest using only 1/3 - 1/2 c. corn syrup.
Read More......

UM Crochet Ornament Balls

Ornament balls with the UM "U" logo, thread crochet over 2.5" styrofoam balls.

The original pattern from Michael's is here: Crochet Ball Ornaments.
I used a 2.25mm crochet hook because I have a tight stitch. My modified pattern for the UM ornaments shifts the sewing up higher on the ball to avoid sewing over the green and orange parts. This requires that the gauge be checked so that the bottom part will fit (with some stretching) over the middle of the ball. It is more difficult than fitting a top half and bottom half, as in the holiday pattern, but doable.

I got the orange crochet thread from Creative Yarn Source (amazing color selection) and the green from somewhere underneath my bed, where crafts and office supplies keep reproducing through mitosis (and sometimes meiosis - Jack-Jack's fine, but weeeeeird things are happening).

Pictures of the pattern go here -- when I take them. A description of how I sew the two pieces together so that the stitches appear to be single-crochets will also go here.

My pattern specifies starting on orange, but I made about half of the 20+ incarnations starting on orange, the other half starting on green (see first pic for reference).


UM Logo Crochet Ornament Balls
Pattern modified by Evil Bitch-Monster of Death

2.25 mm hook
Size 10 crochet thread: white, orange, green
2.5” Styrofoam balls
tapestry needle

Half of “U” takes ~ 4.5’ – cut 2 of each green and orange
~ 3’ green or orange to sew together Bottom Bowl and Top Cap

GAUGE: 8 stitches = 1”
CHECK GAUGE – use any hook to obtain gauge and fit project over 2.5” ball

Bottom Bowl:
Begin: with orange, ch 4 – join with sl st to form tight ring -- or make an adjustable ring
Rnd 1: ch 1, 6 sc in ring, join – 6 total
Rnd 2: ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around, join – 12 total
Rnd 3: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next sc* repeat 6 times, join – 18 total
Rnd 4: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next 2 sc* repeat 6 times, join – 24 total
Rnd 5: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next 3 sc* repeat 6 times, join – 30 total
Rnd 6: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next 4 sc* repeat 6 times, join, – 36 total
Rnd 7: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next 5 sc* repeat 6 times, switch to green (tie off orange), join – 42 total
Rnd 8: with green, ch 1, sc in each sc around, join – 42 total
Rnd 9: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next 6 sc* repeat 6 times, join – 48 total
Rnd 10: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next 7 sc* repeat 6 times, switch to white (tie off green), join – 54 total
Rnd 11: with white ch 1, sc in each sc around, join – 54 total
Rnd 12: ch 1, sc in each sc around, join – 54 total
Rnd 13: ch 1, *white sc in next 7 sc, tie on green carry white sc in next 5 sc - drop, switch to white sc in next 2 sc, tie on orange carry white sc in next 5 sc - drop, switch to white sc in next 8 sc* repeat, join – 54 total
Rnd 14: ch 1, *white sc in next 5 sc, pick up green carry white sc in next 4 sc - drop, switch to white sc in next 8 sc, pick up orange carry white sc in next 4 sc - drop, switch to white sc in next 6 sc* repeat, join – 54 total
Rnd 15: ch 1, *white sc in next 4 sc, pick up green carry white sc in next 4 sc - drop, switch to white sc in next 10 sc, pick up orange carry white sc in next 4 sc - drop, switch to white sc in next 5 sc* repeat, join – 54 total
Rnds 16 - 22: repeat Rnd 15, on Rnd 22 tie off all colors
Rnds 23 - 24: repeat Rnds 11 – 12

Top Cap:
Begin: with orange, ch 4 – join with sl st to form tight ring -- or make an adjustable ring
Rnd 1: ch 1, 6 sc in ring, join – 6 total
Rnd 2: ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around, join – 12 total
Rnd 3: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next sc* repeat 5 times, join – 18 total
Rnd 4: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next 2 sc* repeat 6 times, join – 24 total
Rnd 5: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next 3 sc* repeat 6 times, join – 30 total
Rnd 6: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next 4 sc* repeat 6 times, join, – 36 total
Rnd 7: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next 5 sc* repeat 6 times, switch to green (tie off orange), join – 42 total
Rnd 8: with green, ch 1, sc in each sc around, join – 42 total
Rnd 9: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next 6 sc* repeat 6 times, join – 48 total
Rnd 10: ch 1, *2 sc in first sc, sc in next 7 sc* repeat 6 times, join, tie off , leave 3’ string to sew together – 54 total

Hanging Loop: put 2 strands together, ch 40, fasten off, secure through Top Cap center
Sew together Bottom Bowl and Top Cap over 2.5” Styrofoam ball: Bottom Bowl Rnd 24, Top Cap Rnd 10: *green 1 sc to 1, hide string – 54 total
Read More......