Category Archives: Blog

How to Crochet: Open Heart
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Valentines day is coming up and with it comes my second crochet video! So here’s the plan for videos, I’ll be trying to post a new How to Crochet / Pattern video every other Friday on my Youtube, then I’ll post about them here and on my Facebook Sunday or Monday! If you want to see them first thing than please subscribe to my Youtube channel! It helps out a lot.
Without further ado heres the new video and pattern for a crocheted heart! 

Materials:
–Lion Brand Baby’s First Yarn
–6.5mm Size K/10.5 Crochet Hook
-Needle to sew in ends with

Abbreviations:
-sc = Single Crochet
-sl.st = Slip Stitch
-m.p = Mini Picot (ch 2, sl.st in first ch)
-Ch = Chain
-Rnd = Round

Rnd 1: Ch 8, m.p, ch 8. Connect ch with sl.st
Rnd 2: Sc 11 around chains, skip over m.p made in Rnd 1, sc 11 around remaining chs. Sl.st one into first sc made.
Cut and pull through.
Sew ends into heart in two different directions to get a pointed end.


 And that’s all! Pretty simple right? Check back next week for a new pattern!

iPhone Cases for all!!
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After a long time of perfecting it, I’ve finally come out with a pattern for my iPhone cases! The pattern has the instructions for both the iPhone 4/4s and 5/5s and tons of pictures to help along with it. I hope you guys like it, it obviously took me a long time to make/perfect.

You can get the pattern from my Etsy store here or my Ravelry store here for $5.

The plan at the moment is to make a bunch of additions to the pattern for instructions on how to make the covers into BMO and Pokeballs and loads of other awesome stuff! And keep a lookout for a video on how to do the Tunisian Simple Stitch later this week!

Pascal!
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Hey guys! Just wanted to share something I made for a friend of mines birthday a bit back! She loves the movie Tangled, so I made her very own Pascal the chameleon! I must admit though that this lovely creation is not my pattern but an awesome crocheter named Sarah Horrocks! She’s got some really incredible patterns in her shop. Check out her shop here and get the pattern for Pascal here!

I might be putting it up in my shop soon, but I’m not sure yet. Here’s some photo’s of the finished thing!

How to Crochet: Heisenberg
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So it’s been a while… I’d like to say a few things, but there’s no time, pattern time!!!

Halloweens coming up again, and theres nobody I can think of scarier than Heisenberg himself. Those who don’t know who Walter White is should start watching Breaking Bad… now. No seriously, stop reading this and watch all 5 seasons of Breaking Bad in one sitting and then come back here. Shouldn’t take too long.

So while those guys are gone, check out this pattern I made for a recent Breaking Bad themed Reddit gift exchange!

And check back soon for a long awaited video tutorial for the Bat Pin pattern I posted a while back! Yep, video tutorials, coming soon to a Louie’s Loops near you!!

Finally, you can buy this little dude in my shop HERE

 

Materials:
(basically any 100% cotton works)
–Needle to sew in ends with
-Three nickels or small coins
Abbreviations:
-SL.ST = Slip Stitch
-SC = Single Crochet
-dec = decrease
-inc = increase
-Ch = Chain
-Rnd = Round

Body and Head:

Ch 2 or use adjustable ring (Don’t Turn)
Rnd 1: sc 6 in 2nd ch from the hook (6)
Rnd 2: sc 2 in each st (12)
Rnd 3: sc in next st, inc in next st, Repeat 6 times (18)
Rnd 4: sc one in each (18)
Rnd 5: sc in next 2 st, inc in next st, Repeat 6 times (24)
Rnd 6: sc in next 3 st, inc in next st, Repeat 6 times (30)
Rnd 7-12: sc one in each (30)
Rnd 13: sc in next 3 st, dec in next st, Repeat 6 times (24)
Rnd 14: sc one in each (24)
Rnd 15: sc in next 2 st, dec in next st, Repeat 6 times (18)
Stuff here
Rnd 16: sc in next st, dec in next st, Repeat 6 times (12)
Change to white
Rnd 17: sc one in each [3 white, 9 black] (12)
Rnd 18: sc one in each [1 black, 1 white, 10 black] (12)
Rnd 19-21: sc one in each (12)
Stuff here and put in 3 nickels. These will help keep the finish piece upright.
Rnd 22: sc dec one in each. (6)
Draw last 6 stitches up and close tightly.  Weave in end.

Hat:
Ch 2 or use adjustable ring (Don’t Turn)

Rnd 1: sc 6 in 2nd ch from the hook (6)
Rnd 2: sc 2 in each st (12)
Rnd 3: sc in next st, inc in next st, Repeat 6 times (18)
Rnd 4: sc in next 2 st, inc in next st, Repeat 6 times (24)
Rnd 5: sc in next 3 st, inc in next st, Repeat 6 times (30)
Rnd 6: Working in back loops only, sc one in each (30) This will make the ridge for the top of the hat
Rnd 7-9: sc one in each st (30)
Rnd 10: sc one in first 15 sts, two in next, repeat once (32)
Rnd 11: sc one in each st (32)
Rnd 12: Working in front loops only, sc one in first 4 sts, inc in next, one in next 4, inc in next, one in next 10, inc in next, one in next 4, inc in next, and finally one in last 6 sts (36)
Rnd 13: sc one in next 5 sts, inc in next st, Repeat 6 times (42)
Cut and weave in end.
Bag of baby blue:
Ch 5
Rnd 1: skip first ch, sc one in next 3 chs, sc two in next ch, turn work upside-down and sc one in the 3 last chs so that your working back but never turning, sc two in the last ch (but first ch made). Don’t turn. (8)
Rnd 2: Working in back loops only, sc one in each st around (8)
Rnd 3: sc one in each st (8)
Change to white
Rnd 4: Here you’re going to be sc the piece together. In both the first and last sts together sc one, continue down the piece a total of 4 times. (4)
Cut and weave in the end.
For the goatee, I cut out a small amount of felt and sewed it onto the face along with some simple eyes. I’d suggest using buttons for eyes instead of the way I did it, but it’s all preference.
For the glasses I cut out two identical pieces of felt and sewed them together. I tried to make some crocheted glasses instead, but it never really looked right.
And that’s that! Now you can have the scariest and most dangerous drug dealer of all time sitting cutely on your counter!

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales!
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Hello fellow loopers!!

                    In honor of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, come check out the awesome sales on some of the Etsy shop‘s most popular items! Get up to 40% off of hats and and iPhone covers and over 50% off of patterns! On top of the sales, get the patterns, covers and hats even cheaper by using the coupon codes “CYBERMONDAY” for patterns to get an additional 25% off, and use the code “BLACKFRIDAY” on hats and iPhone covers to get FREE SHIPPING!! Come see the biggest sales in my Etsy shop ever!

Get brand new patterns like the Santa Hat pattern with instructions on how to make elf ears for an additional 25% off of the sale value with the code “CYBERMONDAY”
Get the new iPhone covers with FREE SHIPPING by using the code “BLACKFRIDAY” at checkout!

How to Crochet: A Triforce
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I used to (am) a big Nintendo fan.. I had it painted on my wall, every system, the works. Why do I mention that? Well because the new Nintendo system, the Wii U, just came out this week and because of my love for Nintendo I felt the need to come out with a new pattern.

One of my favorite game series, like many others, is The Legend of Zelda, and obviously, one of the best of them is the Majora’s Mask. Check out my versions of the Deku, Zora, and Majora’s Masks available now in the Ravelry, Etsy, and Craftsy Store!! But that’s not it, check out the free pattern below of how to make a simple, yet effective triforce!

 

 

 

You can get the Deku, Zora, and Majora’s Mask patterns all for $5 on Ravelry or Etsy, or by simply clicking –>HERE<–

But what good is Link without a Triforce, right?

Here’s how to make tiny but simple triangles, which when put together make a perfect triforce, as seen here on an iPhone cover (available in my Etsy store here).

So here’s the quick and easy triangle pattern:

Materials:
(basically any 100% cotton works)
–Needle to sew in ends with

Abbreviations:

-SL.ST = Slip Stitch
-SC = Single Crochet
-Ch = Chain

-Rnd = Round

Ch 4
Rnd 1: Skip first ch, Sc one in next 3, turn (3).
Rnd 2: Don’t ch, skip first st, sc on in next 2, turn (2).
Rnd 3: Don’t ch, skip first st, sc on in next, turn (1).
Here’s the tricky part…
Rnd 4: Sc one in each Rnd and st around the little triangle, and at the corners, sc 1, m.p. (ch 2, sl.st in first ch), sc 1. Continue this pattern around the triangle then, after your 3rd m.p, sl.st 1 into the first sc made in this Rnd.
Cut and pull through, leaving a long end to sew onto your project. Make three of these and put them together to form a simple, and tiny, triforce.

I know today’s Thanksgiving, and I need to apologize for not coming out with a new pattern related to that, but here’s a little gift. Tomorrow, as you may know, is Black Friday, and this Monday is Cyber Monday, you know… the days of the year where sales in store and online go out the ying yang. Check back tomorrow to get some coupons to go along side the awesome sales on my Etsy!

What Time Is It??
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A while back I joined a Craft Swap on the site Craftsy. A craft swap, if you didn’t know, is a program where you get teamed up with another crafter and send each other crafts based on the theme of the swap. The theme I joined was Adventure Time, and seeing as the new season started yesterday, I decided now would be a perfect time to show off some of the things I made and recieved as well as sport the new additions to the iPhone Case family!

I was teamed up with the swaps organizer, GrindHouseHussy19. I’ll save the stuff she sent me for last because it was absolutely AWESOME!!! I made her a Finn hat and a cover for her Galaxy S3 phone themed from Jake the dog. Here are some photos:

GrindHouseHussy19, in return, made me some of the MOST AWESOME stuff. Probably the most awesome thing, though I don’t have a photo, were the groups of 6 giant stickers of Adventure Time charicters to put on the wall. In addition there was a clock, a cross stitched Gunter, magnets, a shirt, a pillow case. The list goes on. Isn’t that crazy?! Here are some photos of what she sent:

You can check out some more creations by crafters in this swap here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=412986.0

Finally I have some exciting new things in the shop revolving around the theme of Adventure Time. If you haven’t already seen the BMO case in the shop a few weeks back, check that out here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/112252720/sale-iphone-4-and-5-bmo-adventure-time?

Also check out the brand new Finn iPhone case!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/114962915/sale-iphone-4-and-5-finn-adventure-time?

All iPhone Cases are on SALE right now until Cyber Monday on November 26 (when a lot more of my shop will be up for sale as well!)

Makeably
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So I’ve got something really cool to share with you guys. A few weeks ago I got a message from some guys asking me to be part of a new website they were making, I happily abliged, and here I am to tell you about the awesome site: Makeably.


Makeably is a place where people go to buy handcrafted things from crafty people. Wait this sounds a lot like Etsy you say? Nope. The awesome thing about Makeably is that you make what you buy. Not literally, but you choose the idea. The sites really cool because it allows makers and buyers to work together to create something completely customizable for you!

Basically, how it works is you go to the site, see a template for something to be made, like… I don’t know.. a baby hat for example ;). This listing isn’t for the hat itself but for the idea. You see some stuff the maker can do in images and written down, then if you’re interested, you send the maker a message and say something like, “hey, I saw your stuff and I was thinking could you make a hat that looks like a purple pumpkin eater with wings and a horn?” and the maker says, “Heck yah! Send me some photos of what you were thinking and I’ll go see if I can find the right yarn for you and lets get this awesome hat made!”

The best part about this site is that it encourages makers like me and buyers to create not only something completely original, but also forces those creative juices to flow! Do me a favor and check out the site and if you like the idea sign up to be a part of it! It’s free of course and it’s way awesome, trust me.

You can check out my shop here: http://makeably.com/p/15

And the site itself here: http://makeably.com/

Thanks Ryan and Ana for letting me be a part of your site! I’m super excited to work with you and buyers from all over to make something awesome!

Featured on Handmade Men!
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Hey guys! I was featured on Handmade Men the other day! Handmade Men is a really cool blog that is specifically for crafts and Etsy shops made for men. In my interview I talk about my inspiration, some fun stories about how I thought about some of the things I make, and some ideas and plans I have in the future!

Check it out here: http://www.handmademen.com/featured-louies-loops/

Thanks Josh and the rest of the Handmade Men team!

ANFSCD: A Very Harry Halloween
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Warning ahead of time… it gets a bit.. um.. collegey in this post.

For this Halloween my friends and I decided to go a bigger then just a simple Halloween party. We decided, why not do a Harry Potter Party, and man was it a success. We had apple cider, butter beer, trivia, movies, expelliarmis shots, and of course… Quidditch Pong.

What’s Quidditch Pong Louis? Good question, Louis. Quidditch Pong is a personal invention that mixes the timely art of beer pong, and the amazing wizard sport Quidditch.

First you have to make the hoops. I made mine with hangers and yellow duct tape. Make sure you make them various sizes!

Then you have to make some butter beer. Here was my recipe:
           7 parts Rootbeer or Cream Soda
           1 part butterscotch schnaaps
           1 part vanilla vodka (for an extra kick!)

You can find some other recipes for butter beer, including non alcoholic, here: http://www.yumsugar.com/Hot-Cold-Butterbeer-Recipe-380247

The rules for Quidditch Pong are much like beer pong with a few changes:

  1. Choose what team goes first with your sorting hat!


  2. If the quaffle (ping pong ball) goes through a hoop and makes it in the cup it counts as two (much like if the ball were to bounce)
     
  3. If the quaffle goes through a hoop the enemy team is allowed to use there bludgers (hands) to knock it out of the way.
  4. When there is one cup left, the snitch must be used. Trust me, this makes things a lot more difficult. I made my snitch by just wrapping a ball in yellow duct tape and attaching a few wings made out of paper, but you could easily use a yellow ping pong ball with glued on wings.
  5. Enjoy!!
We split the party up into houses to make the game more competitive.
We finished the tri-wizard tornament off with some Expeliarmus Shots! You can find the instructions here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/michaelm70/the-official-harry-potter-shot-4cll

The party went awesomely. We’ll definitely be doing this next year!