As a pattern designer, I find that I don't often make things using other people's patterns anymore. I can't always find the things I'm imagining (my brain can be a strange place, people) or if there's some particular style I'm interested in, I might just make up my own version. But while it's sometimes more convenient to be the one woman yarn show, I do think that it's good to branch out and try to work from someone else's pattern every now and then. I always learn something new: a new stitch, a new construction, or even a new way of writing out something. It's like a mini class from a fellow designer. So when I first learned about the Scheepjes 2017 Crochet Along (CAL), I knew I wanted to join in. 

Decorating the Christmas tree has always been one of my favorite childhood memories. Some people have fancy trees, but ours tended more towards the eclectic; we always just stuck up all our favorite random ornaments. You wouldn't see our tree on any magazine cover, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. As such, I've always had a fondness for unique homemade ornaments. They're like little bits of love, wrapping the tree in memories (how's that for cheesy?). I designed this little sun ornament as a gift for a friend who radiates goodness and sunshine. I hope that it brings a little bit of extra joy to her home, and maybe it can bring some to yours as well. 

When I'm designing a new crochet pattern, my number one inspiration would have to be my kids. I love to make things for them, both practical (like a warm hat) and fun (like my Cuddly Camera toy. And now that my oldest is big enough to give me ideas, he can actually help design things, which is awesome. The other day we were playing an animal pretend game and he started describing a red and green zebra. Sounds like a Christmas zebra to me! Once the idea popped into my head, I knew it was too fun to ignore, and thus this little amigurumi came to be.