Crocheted Strawberries

I've been thinking about making some presents for Christmas this year. My 2 year old grandaughter really enjoys playing with the Melissa & Dougs wooden food sets. But at $20 bucks a set, and seeing how I want to get her every single one... I thought I would try to divert my attention from buying all of them--- by making some things myself. Soooooooooooooo, I whipped up some adorable crocheted strawberries. Now, strawberries are not what I would consider "fun" to play with--- but these ones you can pull off the green part from the strawberry! (which is called a calyx)Here is the crochet pattern if you would like to make your own crocheted strawberries. They are extremely easy to make. If you don't know how to crochet, you can look on you tube for an instructional video.

This strawberry is worked in continuous rounds. You can either mark the first st of every round, or just keep count as you do each stitch of each round.
Using red worsted weight yarn and an "F" hook, crochet 2ch.
1st round Skip 1ch, 6sc in next ch.
2nd round [1sc in next sc, 2sc in next sc] 3 times= 9 sts.
3rd round [1sc in each of next 2sc, 2sc in next sc] 3 times. = 12 sts.
4th round 1sc in each sc, which will equal 12 sc stitches.
5th round [1sc in each of next 3sc, 2sc in next sc] 3 times. =15 sts.
6th round [1sc in each of next 4sc, 2sc in next sc] 3 times. =18 sts.
7th round 1sc in each sc, which will equal 18 stitches.
8th round [1sc in each of next 5sc, 2sc in next sc] 3 times. =21 sts.
9th round [1sc in each of next 6sc, 2sc in next sc] 3 times. =24 sts.
10th round 1sc in each sc, which will equal 24 stitches.
11th round [2-st sc decrease] to end of round. =12 sts.
At this point, I took out my crochet hook and held the loop in place with a safety pin. I then stuffed the strawberry rather firmly. Next, I used a double length of yellow thread to attach yellow/gold beads onto the strawberry randomly across the surface. I purchased the beads at Walmart, I didn't have to use a bead needle with these. I fastened off the thread securely by attaching it to the stuffing that was on the top of the strawberry.I pulled out the safety pin that held the loop open and continued to crochet the next round.
12th round [2-st sc decrease] to end. =6 sts. Fasten off.
Stitch from side to side of the strawberry to close the opening, tightening each stitch before making the next one. You now have a finished strawberry.
CALYX Using green worsted weight yarn and an"H" hook, I chained 3 and skipping one chain stitch I then sc in remaining two stitches. Continue with that pattern of chaining 3, skip one chain stitch, sc in remaining 2 chains until you have five completed "leaves" in a row. Then you slip stitch to the beginning chain stitch, and crochet around the opening of the green calyx pulling it tightly until the circle closes. However many single crochet or slip stitches you need to use to close the opening. For the strawberry stem, work your green yarn into the middle of the circle of leaves/calyx and chain 5, skip one chain, and sl stitch down the remaining 4 chains. Fasten off, leaving a long tail to work back under the existing stitches. Thats it... easy peasy.At this point, you can either stitch the calyx to the top of the strawberry, or add velcro to make them into something you can pull apart. I chose the latter. I used green and red permanent markers to color the white velcro circles that I was going to use for my strawberries.Next, I simply used hot glue and glued the round red velcro on the strawberry and the green velcro circle on the calyx of the strawberry.
Then I just pushed the two together, to create a "toy" Easy peasy! I'm going to modify this strawberry pattern to make some crocheted eggs next.