Tag Archives: handmade

Story Book Parade Costumes (Pete The Cat, Poppy Hat (from Trolls)

Happy to start blogging again and I hope this will be a more regular thing for me. I really enjoy writing and sharing all my creations with you. For my long time readers, thanks for being so supportive through out the years, even when I was out for like a whole year with barely any updates. This is a very happy new year update for me, I have been trying a lot of new things and crafts, designing some new and fun things, even attempted to make characters costume. I made my girls Pete the Cat hat and tail (“Pete the Cat” is a super fun series children books, the girls and us love it) and Poppy (from the movie Trolls) hat and dress for their school story book parade. I never do characters or cute crafts (just not great at them, so didn’t even bother to try). Surprisingly, they all came out pretty well and I actually enjoyed creating them. Lily (my younger daughter) even won 1st place for the costume contest for first grade. (Hurray!) She is super excited.

Alexis modeling her Pete the Cat hat, having a lot of fun reading the book while pretending to be Pete.

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She is taking the modeling job really seriously, hid the mouth and pretended Pete.FullSizeRender 8

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Crochet Big & Fun Basket

It’s 2nd week of Yarntober (see last paragraph to see what is Yarntober), presenting Simply Crochet – Big and Fun Basket on Skillshare. You can take this class and thousands of other classes on Skillshare for only $0.99 for 3 months. Here the class link: skl.sh/2e4iuN0 . [announcing mode is done]

I saw these huge yarn balls called Bernat Blanket Big in Michael’s Store doing my regular shopping. Bought quite a few (a basket full and a little extra) of them, brought them home and made a couple baskets (still need to go back for more). The basket is big, fun and unique,  it’s also very easy and quick to make. Perfect for a beginner and for anyone at home, great for decorating while have very good storage build in (t’s a basket after all), your pets may ask for one or two too. After the first basket, I decided to make it into a Skillshare class and teach you how to make one.

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[Whispering voice: I do not have regular shopping trips but more like yarns hoarding collection trip, my husband will totally verify me on this one since I made him went with me (I was saving money by double saving with his coupon). I told him Fall is here and Winter is coming (any Game of Thrones fans?), holiday seasons are one after the others, I just need to get some more yarns. (I see you nodding right there.) ]
As a result of yarns collection, I borrowed a few of his new plastic bins for storage. He was giving me a hard time/ motivation to get more patterns and Skillshare classes out (how much I love him for this and hate to admit he is a teasing genius at times), he suggested to make October into “Yarntober” – everything about yarn. I take on the challenge happily and play with all my yarns every minutes I could squeeze in my busy mom schedule. The result is, I succeed on delivering one class or one pattern per week in Yarntober. The best part is, I got this crochet basket class out on “I Love Yarn Day”, YESSS! Hurray for me. I got this taped a few days ago and did all the editing and voice over, then something went wrong and I had to redo most of them.
Little Panda Mommy Creations
Copyright 2016. All rights reserved.

Crochet Tartan Scarf with Planned Color Pooling 

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I always love tartan scarf but too lazy to do all the color changing while knitting or corcheting. However, when the planned color pooling tartan scarf became a phenomenon in the crochet world lately, I decided to give it a try.

Well, I didn’t just I give it a try, it was more like 10 tries to get it started right, then another 10 tries of crocheting and ripping half the scarf apart and restarting.

Even though it was frustrating how it worked for 10 rows and showed the tartan pattern then suddenly went bananas on me, I am glad to finally crossed the tartan scarf and color pooling off from my to-do list.

After all the intense practices for single crochet and chain stitch, this scarf was made with crochet moss stitch, also known as granite stitch.

How to make moss stitch?

  • Sc – single crochet
  • Sk – skip
  • Ch – chain
  • St(s) – stitch(es)
  • Ch sp – chain space

Cast on multiple of 2 (mine was 24).
Row 1: Sc into the 4th st, * sk 1 ch, ch 1, sc into the next ch. Repeat * to end. Turn.

Row 2 to end: Ch 2, sk 1 st, sc into next ch 1 sp, *ch 1, sk 1 st, sc into next ch 1 sp. Repeat * to end. Turn.

I found a few tips to share with you if you wanna give it a try or more than a few tries.

For materials, you need some variegated yarn and the suggested size hook (probably a few smaller size hooks also). I used Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Camouflage colorway with a 4mm hook.

To get started , casted on 24-36 stitches. I tried 24, 28, 36 and after switching hooks from a size 5mm hook to 4.5mm to 4.25mm, I finally got it worked with a 4mm and chain 24 cast on combination.

If the color pooling is working, you should notice the tartan pattern start to show about 2- 3 inches length, be careful because it could work it way out of alignment if your tension changed just the slightest bit, then the once beautiful tartan pattern would be gone and you will be wondering what is wrong. I almost fell for the white lies my husband kept telling me: “it was the yarn, not you. It just wasn’t the right kind of yarn.” However, I am stubborn and couldn’t hide from the fact that there were two perfect tartan patterns on the scarf.

Lesson learned, if you are going to pick up and put down the project a lot like I do, as a busy mom with a baby and two school aged girls, 2 dogs that are getting old and need to go outside every 2 minutes, you will need to re-adjust every now and then as you go. Or try your best to find some uninterrupted time to sit and crochet, therefore you will have a better chance to keep the tension precise and consistent.


Tension plays a key role in color pooling. This scarf you see now made with the same hook same yarn but had been unraveled multiple times. It wasn’t fun and super confusing as I looked at the scarf when it went wrong, it had the perfect tartan pattern for 5 inches long and all a sudden it looked nothing like tartan, not even remotely have the possibility to be tartan in anyway.

Somehow my stubbornness won and I unraveled the same messed up part for 3 more times and magically it became tartan again. I was so mad at the crazy rows (at least 15, if not 20 rows) I didn’t have the heart to took a picture last night (I really should have). I just unraveled it and left it there for another tryout this morning. Thanks God, it worked.

If time available, I will make a Skillshare class about how to spot a mistake while color pooling and how to fix it before you need to rip apart half the scarf. Subscribe by email to my blog or follow me on facebook and Intragram to receive update.


All rights reserved. ©2016-2018 Littlepandamommy.com

Quick & Easy Crochet Scarf

My second Skillshare class is published: Simply Crochet – Quick and Easy Scarf. This scarf is gender netural and looks great on everyone. I will teach you the basic of crochet including slip knot, chain stitch, slip stitch and how to weave in the ends. Enroll now.

If you just want a copy of this simple and easy pattern, grab it at my Ravelry store.

My two little girls are both making their own in different colors with their choices of yarns. My oldest loves this scarf when she modeled it for me, so we went to the store and let her pick out her own yarn to make one herself . Little sister saw it, sure wanted to join the crochet club and picked her own yarn too.

Happy crocheting!

Little Panda Mommy Creations.

Copyright 2016. All right reserved.

Simply Crochet – Finger Crochet Scarf

After weeks of planning, filming and editing, my first class “Simply Crochet – Finger Crochet Scarf” is finally published. In this class, I will teach you how to crochet with finger, no hook needed. It was a quick and easy project. Super bulky yarn was used and you know it means this shouldn’t take long to finish. Join my class by clicking here. Use this link and you will get 3 months of Skillshare Premium for only $0.99 for unlimited access to this and thousands of online classes.

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In this class, students will learn the basic of crochet. Instead of using a crochet hook, they will learn how to use fingers to crochet.

Things you need for the class:

Heave weight yarn: Bulky Yarn / Super Bulky Yarn
For kid/ short scarf : 1 skein (6 ozs, 106 yards)
For adult/ long scarf: 2-3 skeins (12-18 ozs, 212-318 yards)

You will learn how to do the following:

Pattern Reading
Slip Knot
Foundation Chain
Single Crochet
Double Crochet
Weave in Ends

By the end of the class, students will acquired the skills to make a scarf. They are encouraged to share they finished assignments on class discussion board and social media.

I can’t believe I will teach one day, it just never occurred to me. This happened because Skillshare contacted me out of the blue. I was approached by some brands, marketing agents and companies before, all about wanting me to promote their products on my social media. I only did it once and I am not going to do it again. However, I did agreed to write recipes for a parenting website that I visit regularly.

After I looked into the Skillshare online learning platform, I decided to give a try. When I was told that I need to present in front of a camera, the class will be available online and needed to be taught in English (which is not my 1st language), it just added that much more to this unforeseen and impossible opportunity. I finished the challenge and I am planning to teach more classes in the near future.

Little Panda Mommy Creations

All rights reserved. 2016