ArachnaDemon Halloween Costume

This is a two-piece ArachnaDaemon costume. The oversized spider head hood is inspired by the costume-style hats and hoods by Crochetverse and Twisted Hatter.

Originally, I planned to wear the hood with a spider web "blouse" layered over a black T-shirt, but I was bogging down on doing the spider web sleeves, so I decided to change gears and instead of a spider web blouse, I would wear a spider web shawl layered over the dark shirt.

Spider web blouse: The white spider web blouse was made with a 4mm hook and Red Heart Super Saver yarn in the Soft White colorway and was based on the YouTube tutorial by A Perpetual Mess. I worked my panels to the 41 chain spaces size. But when I got to the point of doing the sleeves, I got about halfway done with the first sleeve and then just ran out of energy to keep going.

In all the history of knitting and crocheting, I wonder how many projects have been abandoned at the point of doing the sleeves. 😂 Because that's what happened to me here, and I'm sure I'm not alone.

Shawl worked to 20 rounds

Spider web shawl: The white spider web shawl is made with a 5mm hook and the soft white yarn. It's based on the design Spooky Spider Web Shawl by Melly-CrochetGirl of Little Bit of Foolishness. 🕸 I rejoined the circle at the end of round 15 and worked to a total of 20 rounds.

Hood: The long pixie hood in gray is made with a 6.5mm hook and has "evil" purple and green eyes plus spider fangs added. The brim of the hood is lined in purple. I used the Pixie Slouch pattern by Brenda Smith and the Short Pointed Pixie Hood pattern by Earth Tricks for inspiration for the hood's shape.

Head "bump": I wanted a dense fabric for this (to hide the fiberfill stuffing behind it), so I used a 5mm hook with the gray yarn and followed this tutorial on YouTube by For The Frills to make a large oval. My oval has 7 rounds, whereas the one in the video stops at 5 rounds. 

Hood, liner, and all the pieces

Main eyes: I used a 5.5mm hook and two strands of Ice Yarns Rock Star yarn in the Purple colorway and followed this tutorial for the Jack Skellington eyes by Sigoni Macaroni, except I wanted my eyes to be a bit larger, so I added one more row.

Using a single strand of Ice Yarns Rock Star in the Red Black colorway and a 5mm hook, I crocheted 8 SC into a magic loop to make the pupils and sewed them to the center of the purple eyes. Then using a single strand of Ice Yarns Rock Star in the Emerald Green Black colorway threaded onto a needle, I added a few contrasting stitches around the pupil.

Minor eyes: For each I used a 5mm hook and crocheted a 12 DC circle in gray for the base, then used a 6.5mm hook and a double strand of the purple yarn to make an 8 DC circle (which puffed up when cinched). Then I stitched the purple eyes onto the gray circle bases. I had to incorporate an 8-stitch *something* into this design, because it's a spider, after all. 🕷

Fangs: Using the gray yarn and a 5mm hook, I followed this YouTube tutorial by Meldy Crochet for her curved devil horns but made them a bit larger/longer to represent my spider daemon's fangs.

Hood lining: I started with 58-stitch DC foundation row using a double strand of the purple with a 6.5mm hook and worked increasing rows to correspond with the front part of the gray hood. I stitched the lining to the underside of the gray hood using a round of SC in gray around the entire opening with and also some running stitches in gray to "quilt" the large pieces together.

Hood pom: Using the white yarn and a 4mm hook, I made a crochet chain pom similar to what's described in this Chain Loop Yarn Pom tutorial by A Crocheted Simplicity. I made my pom with chain loops of 20 chains. The pom dangles from another long chain (26 chains) to represent the spider's silk in the process of being spun. These shapes are intended to echo the completed spider web of the shawl.

I started my costume too late to finish in time for Halloween 2023, and I had hoped to have it ready to go the following year, but it was actually not until November 2026 that I finished making the final piece (the spider web shawl)!! Sometimes, we just gotta be patient with ourselves. But now I'm ready for Halloween 2027!!! 😅

The finishing touch is these spider pins from Amazon, which were suggested by the Spider Web Shawl designer, Melly-CrochetGirl of Little Bit of Foolishness.

Strap cover

I have this great little Baggallini cross-body bag that I got before our trip to Germany several years ago because it is big enough to hold a passport, plus a few cards (ID and/or payment), my phone, a key fob, and a bit of cash. And it's RFID shielded. It makes a great alternative to carrying a full-size purse, and I have worn it many, many times.

My only complaint about it has been that the 1/2-inch wide grosgrain ribbon they used for the long (almost 56-inch) strap would start feeling uncomfortable against my neck when I had the bag loaded down with the weight of all my stuff.

The solution I came up with was to knit a cover for the strap. I wanted the cover to fit closely around the underlying strap and also be the same color (black) to draw as little attention to the cover as possible. 

I also knew that the cover needed to be knitted, because although I could have made it faster if I had crocheted it, I knew that the lumpier nature of crochet stitches would be a tactile issue for me while wearing it. Sometimes you just can't beat the smoothness of knitted stockinette.

The smoothness factor is also why I opted to knit this in the round on DPNs instead of knitting a long strip and then seaming it around the strap. Knitting it flat would have been easier, but knitting it in the round meant that it was evenly smooth all the way around (no seam), and knitting it around the strap meant that once the knitting was long enough, the project would only need a bit of finishing on each end to secure the ends to the strap, and then it would be done.

Yes, it absolutely was super awkward and fiddly to knit this around the strap with DPNs. But I think I saved myself a different sort of difficulty by not knitting the tube separately and then trying to thread the strap through it afterward.

Using Red Heart Super Saver in Black, I cast on 9 stitches, then divided those across 3 DPNs (5 mm size) with 3 stitches per needle. Then I joined to knit in the round and just kept going until the cover was long enough. I left a long tail at both the beginning and at the end to sew the ends of the cover together around the ends of the strap. Then I hid the tails inside the tube, and it was all done. It took me three days of knitting (with several hours of knitting each day) to complete the project.

But I am very pleased with how this turned out, and I know it's going to make wearing my little bag much more comfortable for years to come.

 

Little Crochet Skull

This adorable three-dimensional skull was designed by Kylie Slee of Complicated Knots. It is a quick, easy, and fun project. Kylie's video tutorial is very clear and easy to follow. 

I wanted to add a skull to my Halloween display, and I'm so glad that I found Kylie's tutorial, because I absolutely love the way this turned out. 💜💀👻🎃 Happy Halloween! 

 

Frost Guard Balaclava for Linda

I crocheted this Frost Guard Balaclava for my sister, Linda, who lives in snow country. Hopefully she will find it useful and cozy. It is the Adult S size. The pattern is a paid pattern by Marly Bird, and it's fun to make. 

Mint green is one of Linda's favorite colors, so I was glad to find Lion Brand Scarfie yarn in this Mint Silver colorway. Scarfie is a fiber blend that contains some real wool, which makes it a good choice for winter wear.

I knitted the 4-stitch i-cord drawstring on 5.5 mm double-pointed needles. I used 4 stitches because that's how many pins are on my French knitter, and typically I would use that tool for making the i-cord, but one of the pins has come loose, and I have yet to get it re-glued. So I knitted the cord with regular needles this time. It probably would have been better if I had used 3 stitches instead of 4, because this 4-stitch cord really fills up the space inside the casing and doesn't slide easily. A 3-stitch cord would probably have fit better (note to self for future reference!).

Marly shared a few quick videos demonstrating some of the fun ways to wear it: here, here, and here. This one below is my favorite. 

Jack-O-Lantern Donut Buddy

My collection of Donut Buddy toys needed a jack-o-lantern for some autumn vibes, so I made this little guy. The doughnut base is from Rachel Zain's Donut Buddies pattern collection. She doesn't currently have a jack-o-lantern design, so I improvised the other features for the face and the stem/vine. 

I crocheted the orange doughnut base and the black triangle eyes using a 5 mm hook. I switched to a 4 mm hook for the stem and the vine. Originally, I tried to crochet a mouth, but that didn't turn out well, so then I tried to embroider a simple mouth on. I didn't like the way that looked, either. Ultimately, I cut the mouth out of a piece of black felt and stitched it on as an applique. 

Face, take 1

To crochet the oval stem, start with a magic ring. Chain 2 and work 1 DC, 1 HDC, 2 SC, 1 HDC, 2 DC, 1 HDC, 2 SC, 1 HDC, and 1 DC in the ring. Join to the first DC with a slip stitch. Chain 1 and work 1 round of SC-blo. Continue working 2 more rounds of regular SC. Finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing the stem onto the pumpkin. 

Stem & vine

For the curly vine, chain 13. Starting in the 2nd chain from the hook, work 2 SC in each chain. Finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing the vine onto the pumpkin at the base of the stem. 

 

At the fair

We went to the fair today to see how my entries did. I was surprised and excited to see that all four of my entries received a ribbon, so I wanted to make this post to update all y'all. 😊

My Boho Crochet Hexi Cardigan received an honorable mention ribbon. 

Montie's True Blues XL Blanket also received an honorable mention ribbon.

My Ginkgo Night Moves scarf received an honorable mention ribbon, too.

 

And Renee's Stitch Sampler Blanket received a third place ribbon! (The white ribbon is difficult to see against the light background of the shelf, and it's also kind of obscured from view in the angle of this shot. I'll add some better shots after I've brought my entries home.)

 

A funny Fidget Turtle for me

My back went out on me (yet again) on Monday. So, for the past 72 hours, I have been in so much pain that I literally could not walk a single step without using a mobility-assistive device like my rollator or (preferably) my wheelchair. But even with those, the pain is still excruciating, and thus I've been trying to move as little as possible.

My devices don't fit through the doors into our bathroom, so to go there, I just hang onto the door frames and/or walls.

It is not fun.

I'm scheduled for another MRI of my lower back in two weeks. So I'm just trying to survive until then. 

On the upside, I can tell that my back is feeling just a tiny, tiny, tiniest little bit better today. Thank goodness.

Anyway, I've been doing PT for my hips the past few weeks. My physical therapist loves turtles and has turtle iconography everywhere at her practice, including a pair of live turtles in a tank in the waiting room, which are so fun and relaxing to watch. So I decided to crochet some "fidget turtles" (meaning they have beads on them so they give your hands something to fidget with) as little gifts. I made three: one each for my PT, her office manager, and her student intern.

Today, I decided to crochet another fidget turtle for myself. This one (in purple) is slightly larger because it's meant to have a 3-inch mini whoopee cushion inside. It's a mashup between the Beaded Fidget Turtle pattern by Willow & Wild and the Tootie Cuties pattern by Stella Knight. 😂

The three little turtles don't have whoopee cushions inside them, alas. 

Beaded Fidget Turtles

This crochet Beaded Fidget Turtle, a paid pattern by Emily Nigro (aka Willow & Wild) is super cute and very quick and easy to make, and it requires just a small amount of yarn, 2 safety eyes, 16 pony beads, and a bit of stuffing. After you make one, you'll then want to make more in ALLLL the colors!! 😂

I crocheted it using a 4 mm hook and used a 2.5 mm hook for the bead stitches.

It even has a little tail!

This one is a gift for my physical therapist. Anyone can tell the moment they walk into my PT's office that she loves turtles, because turtle iconography is everywhere, and she even has a pair of live turtles in a tank in the waiting room. 🐢 The ambience is very calm and soothing, and it's fun to sit and watch the turtles swim or sun themselves on a rock.

BTW, my PT's name is Rey. It isn't every day that one gets to have a Jedi as one's physical therapist, eh?! She is excellent.

After I saw how adorable the first turtle for Rey turned out, I realized that I also had to make one for Rey's office manager, Hannah, and for Rey's student intern, Cheyenne. So I did. 😊 Now there are three widdle turtles for me to take to my next PT appointment, and each one is slightly different. 💜

I have also made the Beaded Hedgehog Fidget by Willow & Wild. Her patterns are always fun, well-written, easy to follow, and result in some really adorable critters. She has tons of amazing patterns to choose from, so you should definitely check them out. I'm sure I will be making more in the future!

Frost Guard Balaclava

I can tell already that this is going to be my new go-to winter accessory! The Frost Guard Balaclava by Marly Bird is one of those projects that provides ultimate comfort and versatility for the wearer while looking so stylish and cute. And because it's crocheted, it's very quick and easy to make. After you make one for yourself, you'll want to make one for all your loved ones too! 😊

Marly included so many thoughtful details in this design. It can be worn with the hood down as a cozy cowl. The ribbing is long enough to tuck inside the collar of your jacket, to keep those chilly drafts from getting to your neck. With the hood up, you get coverage to keep you protected from your neck to your ears to the top of your head, AND the hood is shaped to preserve your peripheral vision while you're wearing it. And for those extra-blustery days, there is a cord for cinching the hood down tight around your face. You can also opt to fold the ribbing up inside the hood to cover your nose and mouth like a scarf. And because it pulls over your head and sits around your neck, it won't slip off like a scarf does. This piece is just the perfect all-around cold-weather accessory. Marly shared a few quick videos demonstrating some of the fun ways to wear it: here, here, and here.

To me, one of the best features about this piece is that it keeps your head warm and protected without needing to fit snugly like a hat, so you can stay cozy without ending up with the dreaded HAT HAIR!!! 😂 Plus, since my typical daily hairstyle is wearing it up in a messy bun, this hood is sized to be large enough to fit over my hair without my having to have a hole in the back for my bun to poke out of, which is how I wear most of my regular hats. 

Marly designed this to be made with Caron Macchiato Cakes yarn, but I used a skein and a half of Lion Brand Scarfie in the Eggplant Taupe colorway, because it's a similar weight to the Macchiato yarn, and it's what I had on hand. I absolutely love this colorway and wish it hadn't been discontinued. 💜 

For the i-cord, I knitted that using my French knitter (the yellow tool seen in the above photo).

Kawaii ghost keycover

I needed a cover for my car's key fob/remote to help protect it while it was inside my purse. This adorable little ghost key cover is ready to go to work! 👻

I made this based on the Crochet Cute Ghost Key Cover design by Kukkacrochet by Putri on YouTube. I modified her design to fit over my car's key fob, and I didn't include the hat or bat topper portion.

For the face, I used these safety eyes (which I found on Amazon). After securing the backs to the eye posts, I used a lighter to carefully heat the eye posts and pressed them flat using the flat side of a hammer head. (You just need any heat-resistant flat surface to press down on the hot plastic, and a hammer head is what I had handy. I didn't actually "hammer" the eye posts to flatten them. 😂) This step usually requires a few separate times of heating the plastic and pressing it down until it's shaped the way you want it. The taller the eye posts, the more times you'll need to heat and press them. Don't try to do it all at once. Just take your time and work at it gradually, and eventually they will flatten out. You definitely want to be extra careful to NOT burn your yarn as you work!!

To secure the crochet chain to the split keychain loop, I added a pony bead. Any pony bead will do, but I happened to have a glittery purple heart-shaped bead in my stash, so of course I used that one. 😍  To slip the pony bead onto the chain, use a 2.5 mm hook. Place the bead on the hook, catch the crochet chain in the hook, and pull the chain loop through the bead.

I don't remember anymore where I got the colorful split keychain rings from (that was at least 10 years ago), but it might have been the craft section at Walmart. They came in a bag of about 100 (basically a lifetime supply for my craft room) in two different sizes in four different colors: purple, blue, green, and red. Naturally, I used a purple one for this project! 💜 Happy Halloweeeeeeen!!

My little keychain ghost also matches with my ghost wheelchair wheel covers! 😁👻💜