The Crafter’s Thingy

You need

 a very small amount of thin yarn, about 20g. I used

self-striping sock yarn, but you could also use cotton or
thin acrylic
 something to stuff it with - enough stuffing to fit in
your fist
 a darning needle
 a folding scissors (I ordered 10 on Amazon for less
than $1.50 each)
 a round, retractable tape measure (also can be ordered
on Amazon for about $1 each or found at a local euro/pound/dollar store)
 something to attach the scissors to the ... thingie. I use a keychain, but a piece of ribbon
would do just as well

Front

Start with a magic loop and make 10 SC [DC] and join with a slip stitch to form a little circle.
Round 1: Ch 1, then 2 SC [DC] in the same stitch. 2 SC [DC] in next nine stitches (20 stitches in
total)
Round 2: Ch 1, then 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 1 SC [DC] in next nineteen stitches (20
stitches in total)
Round 3: Ch 1, then 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 2 SC [DC] in next stitch, *1 SC [DC] in next
stitch, 2 SC [DC] in next stitch. Repeat from * around, ending with 2 SC [DC] (30 stitches in

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total)
Round 4: Ch 1, then do 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 1 SC [DC] in next twenty-nine stitches (30
stitches in total)
Round 5: Ch 1, then 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 1 SC [DC] in next stitch, 2 SC [DC] in next
stitch, *1 SC [DC] in next two stitches, 2 SC [DC] in next stitch. Repeat from * around, ending
with 2 SC [DC] (40 stitches in total)
Round 6: Ch 1, then 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 1 SC [DC] in
next thirty-nine stitches (40 stitches in total)

At this point, stop and place your little circle over the tape
measure. It should cover it, but not be bigger than it. If you need
to make it bigger, do another round of SC [DC] with a double SC
[DC] in every fourth stitch.

After this point, you won't increase any more, just continue by
doing 1 SC [DC] in every stitch, so your work starts to form a
little saucer-shape:

When you are satisfied with your little dome (I normally

only do 3 or 4 rounds of SC [DC] to achieve it), continue:
Round 8: Crochet 3 chain, then 1 DC [TR] in next and
each stitch around till you come to the last three stitches.
Do not do any DC [TR], simply do three chain and join to
the third chain in your initial 3Ch at the start of the row.

Round 9: Do 1 SC [DC] in each stitch. Finish by doing 1

chain, cut yarn and yank tight.

When you fit this over the tape measure, you will see
that the hole formed by the 3 chain is designed to allow
the tape measure to poke out.

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The back (part 1)

Chain 8-9 stitches - large enough to form a circle around the

button at the back of the tape measure. Crochet a flat circle by
following the instructions above:

Round 1: 1 SC [DC] in each of the chain.

Round 2: Ch 1, then 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 1 SC [DC] in
each next stitch
Round 3: Ch 1, then 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 2 SC [DC] in
next stitch, *1 SC [DC] in next stitch, 2 SC [DC] in next stitch.
Repeat from * around

- in other words, every second row has a double stitch

spaced between 1, then 2, then 3 single SC [DC]. Do this till
your work covers the bottom of the tape measure.

Place some stuffing on the 'top' of the tape measure - not the
side with the button! - I hold it in place by just smearing a bit
of glue on the tape measure, then pressing the stuffing down,
till I have the little crocheted dome in place. Then I sew the
back to the bottom of the dome with a whipstitch.

The back (part 2)

Follow the instructions as per the front, but just before you finish the
final round, stop about 10 stitches before the end. Do 1Ch and cut your
yarn, yanking it tight. This creates one side that's a bit flatter than the
others and this serves as a kind of pocket flap. Sew this (almost) circle
over the bottom of the thingy, covering the button. It will create a
pocket to store the folding scissors.

And that's it! Now you simply have to attach the scissors to the thingy,
by using e.g. a key chain or tie it on with a piece of ribbon. Then you're
ready to go! Be warned, though: they are very addictive. Very, very,
addictive.

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 The legal bit:
This is my idea, my work, my photos, my pattern. You may not reprint it/them, republish it/them
in any form, or claim it/them as your own. What you can do is make them for friends and family,
and if you can make yourself some pin money by making them for sale - good for you. Just don't
go into mass production with them, though - not without my permission. It would be nice and
decent of you to credit me with their design, though - but I don't need to tell you that, do I? Only
nice and decent people read my blog :-)

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