I really need to learn to bring my camera places. All the time. :)
This week has been busy, but not as busy as last. Firstly, I'm adjusting to the new schedule/routine. Secondly, Cerene and Caida have been spending a lot more time with my mom and my other sister in the afternoons, so I get more time to do things I need to.
Still, it's been fun. We went to our second week of aerobics in the mornings, and I'm hoping that it'll be SOON that we adjust to all this activity because we don't even last the full half hour that we stay! On Tuesday, it was hot and sunny enough that Charissa and I took Caida swimming--but the pool was SO cold that none of us lasted long! Yesterday, we took Cerene and Caida out for Thai food (our favorite!) and then to Coldstone. Cerene loved it SO much, and now it's her favorite food ever. We are so sisters. :) Caida was really brave and tried everything we all had, and liked it all, which is impressive for a 6-year-old. Kinda sad that I have to bribe them with food to spend time with me, but I'm not above that. :) In theory, later today we're going to walk the trails at Happy Hollow Park, and then tomorrow we're going to run some errands and do some shopping.
And, of course, the homeschooling has continued. I'm almost done planning the whole summer's lesson plans, so even if Cerene and Caida leave for home this weekend after all she'll have some structure and something to do each day. It's been really fun to see Caida learn and grow, even in this short time. Even though most of everything we're doing is a review for Kindergarten standards, it's amazing to me how much she can do now compared with how much she could do this time last year. She can add pretty much any two numbers in a variety of ways, and is starting to notice some patterns in addition and memorize some of those math facts. When she's really focused, she sounds out words SO well (for a kindergartener, she's impressive), and that goes for reading and writing. The biggest thing I've noticed is that she's just a fast learner. I can teach her something once or twice and it just sticks with her. Especially in math. I showed her how to use a number line to add or subtract, and then a hundred's chart...and she pretty much does it on her own every time now. Her teachers made her feel so stupid, and some people have constantly been telling her she's slow and too unfocused and pretty much making her feel like she isn't smart/good/pretty/fun enough to be worth anything, but I don't get that at all--and I'm saying that as objectively as I can, as a teacher instead of an aunt. So I'm working on building that confidence up by showing her what she can do instead of praising blindly. I wish I had more time with her.
Otherwise, this week has been pretty standard, and entirely craft free. (I know, crazy!) I have been reading Three Cups of Tea, and while I don't usually enjoy biographies (too much tooting of horns), this story is really quite interesting. I've been trying to get caught up on dishes/laundry/all those things that slip through your fingers when you're entertaining guests, and maybe by this weekend I'll be good. And my herb garden is mostly growing well...except for the lettuce in my flowerbed. Somehow it all died/disappeared between yesterday's watering and today. :)
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Why I Believe Wednesday: BYU
Once again, this week has slipped right past me! Sorry it's a day late!
When I was a senior in high school and trying to figure out where I wanted to go to school, I of course prayed about the major decision, in the most responsible way I knew how. I researched the facts about each of my choices, compared prices, considered my current family circumstances, and in the end it was down to two schools: Purdue, my parents' alma mater and in my hometown, or Brigham Young University, the Church school that was 1500 miles away from home but was pretty much Mormon Central. In fact, the reality of the situation was that I really wanted to go to BYU--to experience the mountains, be close to so much Church influence, and get away from my family to find out who I was without them (not to mention get away from the drama!) while still being in a very positive and safe environment. I know people have a lot to say about the bubble that is Provo, but it looked pretty darn appealing to me.
But I was scared.
I mean, it WAS 1500 miles away. And my family had become so crazy and enmeshed in some ways and I had been told so many times that I was the glue that held my family together that I honestly feared for not only myself but all of them...what would become of us all if I left? I didn't have a ton of friends in high school, but the ones I did have were almost all going to Purdue--including my best friend. Other than two people from my stake (who I pretty much never saw, anyway), I didn't know anyone at BYU. I knew what I wanted, but Purdue seemed more and more attractive the more I thought about all the scary, unknown things that would await.
So I prayed. And I prayed and I prayed. I applied for scholarships, and got them at both places--enough that the prices of both ended up being fairly comparable. The answer never really came as I was trying to make a decision. I'd heard that not getting a clear answer could mean a few things...either I wasn't prepared enough, or wasn't listening hard enough, or maybe the answer was that either would be fine and it truly was up to me.
After talking with some mentors and friends, I realized that the only thing really holding me back was my fear. I vowed then and there to never let fear be a deciding factor in any major life decision, and so far at least I think I've done all right with that. So off we went, driving cross-country a few weeks before school started in the fall of 2001, to meet my roommates and start a new chapter of my life.
The really cool thing is that as we drove into the valley, and as I looked up and saw that great big "Y" on the mountain, I got the confirmation I had been looking for all along those months earlier. I felt excited and awed and listened to, and I just knew that I had made the right decision after all.
Years later, a bishop's wife told me that she had a similar experience in regards to marrying her husband--she never really felt strongly prompted one way or the other, and decided to take her chances and follow her heart, and the morning after as she looked over and saw his face she got her "two-by-four" answer, the confirmation she had been looking for all along.
I don't know all the reasons I was meant to go to BYU--I mean, I never met Mr. Wonderful there, and I didn't even get to finish my degree! But would I choose differently today? No, never! I made dear, close, forever friends there. I learned a lot about myself, and I got to get away from some pretty big stresses of my life. Maybe it didn't work out the way I wanted it to, but it worked out for the best in the end. And it was quite the ride.
I know for a fact that the Lord hears our prayers and answers them, "in His own due time." I'm grateful, though, that He lets us struggle through decisions sometimes. As a teacher, there isn't much to celebrate when I walk a student through every single step of something they've done a hundred times, and no one grows in that situation. Heavenly Father, the ultimate Teacher, gave me 18 years of practice in the decision-making department, and He knew that it was time for me to stop expecting Him to just give me the answers all the time and start thinking and acting for myself. It doesn't always FEEL like that in the moment, but hindsight...well, y'know. :) I know He's always right. And I know He's watching out for me. That's why I believe.
When I was a senior in high school and trying to figure out where I wanted to go to school, I of course prayed about the major decision, in the most responsible way I knew how. I researched the facts about each of my choices, compared prices, considered my current family circumstances, and in the end it was down to two schools: Purdue, my parents' alma mater and in my hometown, or Brigham Young University, the Church school that was 1500 miles away from home but was pretty much Mormon Central. In fact, the reality of the situation was that I really wanted to go to BYU--to experience the mountains, be close to so much Church influence, and get away from my family to find out who I was without them (not to mention get away from the drama!) while still being in a very positive and safe environment. I know people have a lot to say about the bubble that is Provo, but it looked pretty darn appealing to me.
But I was scared.
I mean, it WAS 1500 miles away. And my family had become so crazy and enmeshed in some ways and I had been told so many times that I was the glue that held my family together that I honestly feared for not only myself but all of them...what would become of us all if I left? I didn't have a ton of friends in high school, but the ones I did have were almost all going to Purdue--including my best friend. Other than two people from my stake (who I pretty much never saw, anyway), I didn't know anyone at BYU. I knew what I wanted, but Purdue seemed more and more attractive the more I thought about all the scary, unknown things that would await.
So I prayed. And I prayed and I prayed. I applied for scholarships, and got them at both places--enough that the prices of both ended up being fairly comparable. The answer never really came as I was trying to make a decision. I'd heard that not getting a clear answer could mean a few things...either I wasn't prepared enough, or wasn't listening hard enough, or maybe the answer was that either would be fine and it truly was up to me.
After talking with some mentors and friends, I realized that the only thing really holding me back was my fear. I vowed then and there to never let fear be a deciding factor in any major life decision, and so far at least I think I've done all right with that. So off we went, driving cross-country a few weeks before school started in the fall of 2001, to meet my roommates and start a new chapter of my life.
The really cool thing is that as we drove into the valley, and as I looked up and saw that great big "Y" on the mountain, I got the confirmation I had been looking for all along those months earlier. I felt excited and awed and listened to, and I just knew that I had made the right decision after all.
Years later, a bishop's wife told me that she had a similar experience in regards to marrying her husband--she never really felt strongly prompted one way or the other, and decided to take her chances and follow her heart, and the morning after as she looked over and saw his face she got her "two-by-four" answer, the confirmation she had been looking for all along.
I don't know all the reasons I was meant to go to BYU--I mean, I never met Mr. Wonderful there, and I didn't even get to finish my degree! But would I choose differently today? No, never! I made dear, close, forever friends there. I learned a lot about myself, and I got to get away from some pretty big stresses of my life. Maybe it didn't work out the way I wanted it to, but it worked out for the best in the end. And it was quite the ride.
I know for a fact that the Lord hears our prayers and answers them, "in His own due time." I'm grateful, though, that He lets us struggle through decisions sometimes. As a teacher, there isn't much to celebrate when I walk a student through every single step of something they've done a hundred times, and no one grows in that situation. Heavenly Father, the ultimate Teacher, gave me 18 years of practice in the decision-making department, and He knew that it was time for me to stop expecting Him to just give me the answers all the time and start thinking and acting for myself. It doesn't always FEEL like that in the moment, but hindsight...well, y'know. :) I know He's always right. And I know He's watching out for me. That's why I believe.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Obi is a Daddy's Girl
 |
| She was so mad. |
 |
| But she sure looked ready for movie night in Daddy's shirt! |
 |
| ...for about 3 seconds. Then she tried to chew it off. |
Debbie the Dolphin
So, this is the 6th and last sea creature for my friend's pay-it-forward gifts. :) 2 people down, 2 to go! I'm a little disappointed that it didn't turn out like the pattern--mostly, it should have been fatter, which means either I didn't count the stitches right or I didn't stuff it enough. Thankfully, I bought the pattern so I can try another one again soon...it was SO fast to make! Seriously. Two hours tops. Without further ado, here's Debbie the Dolphin:
 |
| All done! |
Thursday, May 26, 2011
I Have a Life...I Promise!
It's amazing how quickly your life, routine, goals, relationships, health, and everything else important to you can change. :) Having Cerene (my sister) and Caida (my niece) here is WONDERFUL, and the changes we've had are GOOD, but the adjusting to the change itself is wearing me out--and left me with no time to cook anything fancy or do any real crafting! Once I get used to things as they are, I'll probably post a lot more.
Here's the typical run-down of my weekdays now:
6:30 Get up, eat breakfast
7:00 Get Paul up, check emails/blog/facebook/etc.
7:45-8:15 Take Paul to work
8:15-9:00 Make sure the girls are up, take Obi out, and get everything ready for Caida's schooling
9:00-9:30 Aerobics at the church with Cerene and Caida
10-2 Homeschool Caida
2-5:45 Clean, play with Caida, walk the dog, have friends over, visit with family, do lesson plans, read scriptures, plan primary lessons, run errands, job hunt, pack and prep the move, etc. MAYBE I'll sneak some crafting in here sometime soon!
5:45-6:15 Pick up Paul
6:15-7:15ish Make and eat dinner
7:15-8:00 Relax and hang with family until Caida goes to sleep.
8:00-whenever "Grown up time" with Cerene and Paul--I DID teach her how to follow a crochet pattern, and yesterday we got 3/4 done with her first ever turtle! Last night, because of storms and tension, I had a big headache, and went to bed early. I suppose I could do some crafting then, too...and all those things from 2-5:45 that I didn't get done yet.
I know what many of you are thinking--just wait 'til you have your own kids, Celeste, and several of them, and a job, and a house that needs fixed, etc. But, in my defense, at least when you bear children you have 9 months to prepare for a major life change. We had 7 hours. :) I actually really love my new schedule, it's just the abruptness of it all that is taking its toll and making me feel frazzled.
It IS fun, though. I feel healthier already, and I know I wouldn't go to aerobics without Cerene, or worry as much about not sneaking sugary snacks if it weren't for Caida always around and wanting some, too. I love those two! I have hardly watched Netflix all week. Obi has been SO GOOD with the new transitions, it's almost like she's a new dog...almost. :) Hopefully once the weather gets nicer (please, no more nights of storm sirens going off every 20 minutes!) then we can go swimming and take long walks and enjoy the sunshine and really get our SUMMER on! And Paul and I can really appreciate date nights now that we don't have each other all to ourselves already every day and night. And that is where we are at in the Fernandez home. :)
Here's the typical run-down of my weekdays now:
6:30 Get up, eat breakfast
7:00 Get Paul up, check emails/blog/facebook/etc.
7:45-8:15 Take Paul to work
8:15-9:00 Make sure the girls are up, take Obi out, and get everything ready for Caida's schooling
9:00-9:30 Aerobics at the church with Cerene and Caida
10-2 Homeschool Caida
2-5:45 Clean, play with Caida, walk the dog, have friends over, visit with family, do lesson plans, read scriptures, plan primary lessons, run errands, job hunt, pack and prep the move, etc. MAYBE I'll sneak some crafting in here sometime soon!
5:45-6:15 Pick up Paul
6:15-7:15ish Make and eat dinner
7:15-8:00 Relax and hang with family until Caida goes to sleep.
8:00-whenever "Grown up time" with Cerene and Paul--I DID teach her how to follow a crochet pattern, and yesterday we got 3/4 done with her first ever turtle! Last night, because of storms and tension, I had a big headache, and went to bed early. I suppose I could do some crafting then, too...and all those things from 2-5:45 that I didn't get done yet.
I know what many of you are thinking--just wait 'til you have your own kids, Celeste, and several of them, and a job, and a house that needs fixed, etc. But, in my defense, at least when you bear children you have 9 months to prepare for a major life change. We had 7 hours. :) I actually really love my new schedule, it's just the abruptness of it all that is taking its toll and making me feel frazzled.
It IS fun, though. I feel healthier already, and I know I wouldn't go to aerobics without Cerene, or worry as much about not sneaking sugary snacks if it weren't for Caida always around and wanting some, too. I love those two! I have hardly watched Netflix all week. Obi has been SO GOOD with the new transitions, it's almost like she's a new dog...almost. :) Hopefully once the weather gets nicer (please, no more nights of storm sirens going off every 20 minutes!) then we can go swimming and take long walks and enjoy the sunshine and really get our SUMMER on! And Paul and I can really appreciate date nights now that we don't have each other all to ourselves already every day and night. And that is where we are at in the Fernandez home. :)
Why I Believe Wednesday: Girls Camp
I know it's Thursday, but my week is a little off...better late than never, right? :)
I L.O.V.E.D. young women's camp (camp for 12-18 year-old girls through church) every summer. It. Was. The. Highlight. Especially once I was a counselor, I went a little crazy planning fun activities and spiritual lessons--in fact, being an EFY counselor was pretty similar in that regard. Feeling the spirit wasn't always the focus of every activity when I was younger, but by the time I grew up the Stake had really pushed hard to make it not only a time of survival/first aid/hiking training but also a week where you felt the Spirit everywhere. Yes, there were silly camp songs, and weird camp crafts, always the drama between different youth and/or adults, and playing spoons or phase 10 while munching on "forbidden" snacks. All of that was precious, too. :)
I loved in particular the year that the adults and youth leaders put on a real-life walk-through of Lehi's dream. I was one of the guides, dressed in white and silent, while we led the girls through the mists of darkness, across gulfs, and past the great and spacious building, all while their friends pleaded with them to just let go of the iron rod and help them up. They begged and reached out to them, and it was a hard lesson to teach because you could just see the conflict in their eyes. Of course they wanted to help their friends, as we all should--just not if it means you have to pull away from the Lord and what you believe to do it. That building of people mocking also made quite an impact on me. I haven't been openly teased much in my life, but I sure can understand the pressure--sometimes more intellectual than social--to take your eyes off the prize. Then, when we ended up at the tree of life, and we shared hugs with friends and sisters and sang songs that invited the Spirit, you can't help but cry. I know, cliche, crying at girls' camp--but it does happen, and there's nothing wrong with that. :)
That's just one moment, of course--I remember being a first-year youth leader and my best friend and I had all these ideas about what we were going to do and how things were going to be...and then we found out we were in charge of two sisters with moderate physical and mental disabilities. What a tender thing it was to lead them, to see how wonderful being wrong about your ideas can be. Their sweet smiles, and easy laughter, and always giving out flowers, touched me. There was also the year that my friends and sister and I were on the music committee, and we were charged to rewrite the lyrics to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to make it about young women's. The four of us sat down and easily wrote the words--too easily for them to really be just ours. Another time, we sat in the woods and opened a meeting with the Stake President with the song "Joseph Smith's First Prayer," and as the verses drew to a close the birds and wind itself were still and you could just feel the spirit there, quiet, powerful, and true.
Nothing helps you believe more than feeling the Spirit testify of Christ. While I don't have any great and singular story to tell about girls' camp, I love the memories and the friendships I made there, and I love most of all that I always came away from that too-short four days with a renewed desire to keep close to the Lord and to do His will. Especially at a difficult time in my life, learning the temporal and spiritual survival skills and then getting to teach them to others really shaped a large part of who I am and what I know today. I just know that Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, are real. They live, in bodies of flesh and bone, and love us more than we can really ever understand in this lifetime. But I love that they provide moments like those--choice human experiences--that help us along the way. That is why I believe.
I L.O.V.E.D. young women's camp (camp for 12-18 year-old girls through church) every summer. It. Was. The. Highlight. Especially once I was a counselor, I went a little crazy planning fun activities and spiritual lessons--in fact, being an EFY counselor was pretty similar in that regard. Feeling the spirit wasn't always the focus of every activity when I was younger, but by the time I grew up the Stake had really pushed hard to make it not only a time of survival/first aid/hiking training but also a week where you felt the Spirit everywhere. Yes, there were silly camp songs, and weird camp crafts, always the drama between different youth and/or adults, and playing spoons or phase 10 while munching on "forbidden" snacks. All of that was precious, too. :)
I loved in particular the year that the adults and youth leaders put on a real-life walk-through of Lehi's dream. I was one of the guides, dressed in white and silent, while we led the girls through the mists of darkness, across gulfs, and past the great and spacious building, all while their friends pleaded with them to just let go of the iron rod and help them up. They begged and reached out to them, and it was a hard lesson to teach because you could just see the conflict in their eyes. Of course they wanted to help their friends, as we all should--just not if it means you have to pull away from the Lord and what you believe to do it. That building of people mocking also made quite an impact on me. I haven't been openly teased much in my life, but I sure can understand the pressure--sometimes more intellectual than social--to take your eyes off the prize. Then, when we ended up at the tree of life, and we shared hugs with friends and sisters and sang songs that invited the Spirit, you can't help but cry. I know, cliche, crying at girls' camp--but it does happen, and there's nothing wrong with that. :)
That's just one moment, of course--I remember being a first-year youth leader and my best friend and I had all these ideas about what we were going to do and how things were going to be...and then we found out we were in charge of two sisters with moderate physical and mental disabilities. What a tender thing it was to lead them, to see how wonderful being wrong about your ideas can be. Their sweet smiles, and easy laughter, and always giving out flowers, touched me. There was also the year that my friends and sister and I were on the music committee, and we were charged to rewrite the lyrics to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to make it about young women's. The four of us sat down and easily wrote the words--too easily for them to really be just ours. Another time, we sat in the woods and opened a meeting with the Stake President with the song "Joseph Smith's First Prayer," and as the verses drew to a close the birds and wind itself were still and you could just feel the spirit there, quiet, powerful, and true.
Nothing helps you believe more than feeling the Spirit testify of Christ. While I don't have any great and singular story to tell about girls' camp, I love the memories and the friendships I made there, and I love most of all that I always came away from that too-short four days with a renewed desire to keep close to the Lord and to do His will. Especially at a difficult time in my life, learning the temporal and spiritual survival skills and then getting to teach them to others really shaped a large part of who I am and what I know today. I just know that Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, are real. They live, in bodies of flesh and bone, and love us more than we can really ever understand in this lifetime. But I love that they provide moments like those--choice human experiences--that help us along the way. That is why I believe.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Kids Say the Darndest Things
So, for lunch Caida insisted that she make the sandwiches. I'm all about letting kids do the very most they can without my interference, so I let her. Ham, cheese, and spinach. Yum.
As we were enjoying our sandwiches together, she decided that it was a mistake to have put the heel of the bread on her sandwich, and the top part of the crust that was covered in oats was gross and needed to be thrown onto my plate. In a rather polite voice, I told her that that wasn't very nice.
In a tone that I *know* came from mimicking her mother, she turned her chair to me and said in a stern and lecturing voice, "Celeste, I made this awesome sandwich for you, so you don't get to talk to me like that. Just enjoy your sandwich."
Trying to keep in a smirk, I told her that I wasn't being rude or disrespectful (which she can be at times), just that I didn't want her to throw her food onto my plate.
She asked me, again in that lecturing tone, "Well, how would YOU like it if I threw my bread onto YOUR plate?"
...ummm....
I told her, "You did!"
Sheepishly, "Oh yeah."
Then we giggled.
As we were enjoying our sandwiches together, she decided that it was a mistake to have put the heel of the bread on her sandwich, and the top part of the crust that was covered in oats was gross and needed to be thrown onto my plate. In a rather polite voice, I told her that that wasn't very nice.
In a tone that I *know* came from mimicking her mother, she turned her chair to me and said in a stern and lecturing voice, "Celeste, I made this awesome sandwich for you, so you don't get to talk to me like that. Just enjoy your sandwich."
Trying to keep in a smirk, I told her that I wasn't being rude or disrespectful (which she can be at times), just that I didn't want her to throw her food onto my plate.
She asked me, again in that lecturing tone, "Well, how would YOU like it if I threw my bread onto YOUR plate?"
...ummm....
I told her, "You did!"
Sheepishly, "Oh yeah."
Then we giggled.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Homeschooling!
So, my sister and her daughter are living with us for a while! It's been fun to spend so much time with family and we're excited to have them stay as long as they need. Also, because Caida missed some of kindergarten due to her seizures as well as Cerene's commitment to have Caida study all summer long so she doesn't get even more behind, now I get to put my degree to use and homeschool Caida during the week! I've been giddy with excitement planning lesson plans again, even if it has been a rushed process. :)
Here are a few things that, personally, I think make homeschooling (or study time after school) a little smoother:
(1) A personal study center.
Not only is this center (made from half a trifold display board) portable, but everything from it detaches thanks to my good friend Mr. Velcro and a few 7/8" brass cup hooks (reinforced with hot glue)! I love that she'll have everything she needs (pencils, safety scissors, sight words, etc.), as well as some things to reference (I still want to put up a 100s chart and a moveable clock, etc.). Also, I have space to add things like a calculator, extra flash cards on those extra hooks, etc. as she gets older. TIP: use hot glue to cover the poky parts of the hooks if you use them, and make sure the SOFT side of velcro is on your actual materials so when they take them away and use them your kiddos don't get scratched!
(2) A special place for everything school-related.
I'm still figuring this space out, but in a day I think I did a fine job. :) I used a 2-shelf end table, and on top I have a file folder for each day's worksheets. Underneath, in a wooden bin, I have MY supplies and things we'll need during the week, and her backpack and extra books rest against another bookshelf, like so:
Then I added my felt dice, and a large whiteboard with magnetic letters. (In my opinion, with children 2nd grade and lower, at least, a magnetic letter work center is a MUST...the numbers aren't awful, but the letters are SO VERSATILE and key to all word work. Have AT LEAST 3 sets of magnetic letters, but more than that if you're working on sentences...I have 5 which is enough to spell each person's name.)
Linking up HERE.
Here are a few things that, personally, I think make homeschooling (or study time after school) a little smoother:
(1) A personal study center.
 |
| Sorry it's fuzzy, I don't know why it did that! |
(2) A special place for everything school-related.
(3) A routine! Schedules are important in all schooling, but especially homeschooling. Especially if, like Caida at the moment, their routines are all over the place already...or if you're usually their fun aunt instead of their teacher. I break the four hours (10-2, with a 45 minute lunch/recess in the middle) into 15-minute lessons, and we pretty much do the same things every day (not EXACTLY the same, but I mean we start with her sight words, move on to magnet letters, do some worksheets, play a game, read a book, read independently, eat...you get the idea). Here's what our week looks like (I thrive on the grid lesson planning system, though with older kids it ends up being two pages) :
I'm sure I'll post more about Caida later. :) Right now I'm just enjoying being a teacher again, even if it is just to one adorable kiddo. :)
Linking up HERE.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Crocheted Starfish
This is another original pattern. :) I'm kinda proud. Look how cute this starfish is!
So here is the pattern. Use it however you want. :)
If you have any questions, just ask. I'm still new to writing out these patterns, so there could very possibly be a mistake or something unclear. Enjoy!
 |
| I needed something yellow to round out the color palette here. This is more the color he actually is. :) |
Sc=single crochet; hdc=half double crochet; dc=double crochet; tr=triple crochet; st=stitch; ss=slip stitch; ch=chain; inc=increase (2 sc in a stitch);
The first part of this pattern is worked in a spiral, so don’t join unless indicated.
Starfish (make 2):
Row 1: 5 sc in magic circle. Pull tight. (5)
Row 2: Inc each stitch around (10)
Row 3: Inc each stitch around (20)
Row 4: (leg) *Ch 8. In 2nd ch from hook, sc. 2 hdc. 2 dc. 2 tr. Back at base circle, skip 3 st from where leg began, ss into next ch (so leg is anchored beginning to end over 5 st. )*
Repeat * 4 more times.
Secure legs to base by ss each st. (The ridge that forms will be inside) Fasten off, tuck tails in.
Assembling:
Put starfish together, with ridges inside facing each other. Pull a new piece of yarn through both stars at the base of a leg.
Sew together 3 of the 5 legs by sc around, making sure you’re matching stitch for stitch (this gives the border), and stuffing each leg as you go. Stuff center after 3 legs are finished, and each of the two remaining legs after you’ve finished one side of them.
Finish off, weave in tails, and add any facial features you want (I used felt and hot glue, it’s easier for me).
Baby Seal! (ORIGINAL pattern!)
Here's my baby seal!
Look how it is so tiny next to the others...that's because it's a baby. :)
It fits in the palm of my hand.
Yeah, I know, it's not that complicated, but it IS adorable and easy! :) I saw a picture of something kinda similar and thought it was cute enough to try and copy...well, it turned out a little different, but that's what makes it my own, right? My second-ever original amigurumi pattern (first was the cookies).
So, without further ado, here is my baby seal!
 |
| Top view |
 |
| Look at that face! |
Look how it is so tiny next to the others...that's because it's a baby. :)
It fits in the palm of my hand.
Yeah, I know, it's not that complicated, but it IS adorable and easy! :) I saw a picture of something kinda similar and thought it was cute enough to try and copy...well, it turned out a little different, but that's what makes it my own, right? My second-ever original amigurumi pattern (first was the cookies).
So, without further ado, here is my baby seal!
Sc=single crochets; st=stitch; ss=slip stitch; ch=chain; inc=increase (2 sc in a stitch); dec=decrease (pull yarn thru st, then pull yarn thru next st, yarn over [y/o] and pull thru all 3 loops); *=what to be repeated
This pattern is worked in a spiral, so mark the ends of each round to keep track.
Head/Body
Row 1: In Magic Circle, 8 sc. Pull circle tight. (8)
Row 2: 2 sc in each st around. (16)
Row 3: *sc, inc* repeat around (24)
Row 4: *2 sc, inc* repeat around (32)
Rows 5-10: 32 sc (no inc or dec)
Row 11: *2 sc, dec* repeat around (24)
Row 12: sc around (24)
Row 13: *sc, dec* repeat around (16)
Row 14: sc around (16)
Row 15: dec around (8)
STUFF
Row 16: sc around (8)
Row 17: dec around (4)
Row 18: ss in st across, pull tight and fasten off. Weave in tails.
Tail/Flippers (make 4)
Row 1: In magic circle, ch 3. Pull tight. Turn (3)
2: Inc each stitch (6), JOIN with ss into 1st st.
3: Inc each stitch (12). JOIN.
4:6 sc, 3 dec (9) Fasten off.
Weave tail thru each of the 9 stitches, pull tightly. Fasten off, weave in tail.
Sew/Attach 2 to back (above the nub) of body for tail, side-by-side. Sew/attach 1 to each side of seal body, with point towards the front, for flippers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)