I’ve only been crocheting for a little while, but I recently stumbled upon a wonderfully simple earring pattern that uses embroidery thread to create vibrant, eye-catching pieces—perfect for summer outfits. I’ve already made a few pairs and packaged them up for my daughters. Finding this free pattern from You Should Craft felt like striking gold!
You can also purchase earring cards and stickers online to personalize your gifts.
I love this idea for the kiddos going back to school or maybe heading to school for the first time. This “Pocket Pal” can be put into the backpack for a bit of plushie comfort while away from home. I used scrap yarn to make this easy amigurumi. I found the tutorial here. I’ll be making a whole bunch of these cute plushies. The creator of the tutorial calls them “Pocket Monsters”👹. Sooo cute!
Do you have scrap yarn that you need to use up in your stash? If so, this is a great beginner project for you. Depending on the size of your book, you can finish a project like this one in a few hours.
Scrappy Crocheted Book Cover
Measuring the length of my book, I used the half-double crochet stitch after chaining 40 stitches. The number of rows stitched depends on the size of the book. I used a 4.5 mm hook with 4 weight yarn.
CH 40 + 2, turn
HDC in to second stitch from the hook, continue across the row. Continue this pattern until you’ve reached your desired length to cover your book.
I ran out of the multiple-colored yarn before reaching my desired length so I just found a coordinating red yarn and continued stitching. For the scalloped edge, I used the following pattern- In the same stitch, put 1 single crochet, 1 double crochet, and 1 single crochet. Slip stitch in the next stitch. Continue across the row. To close up the envelope-style cover I used the half-double crochet stitch around the edges. I made a simple closure by chaining 12, tying off and stitching this into the center edge of the flap. I stitched on a button with a tapestry needle and added a “handmade” label. This cute cover will hold all of my cozy mysteries throughout the holiday season. Great gift idea!l
When on vacation or traveling, I like to have a few portable crafts on hand. An unexpected flight delay, a rainy afternoon, or a relaxing day at the pool are all part of the trip. Having a handy craft at the ready can be quite enjoyable. I look for projects that are compact and simplistic, without lots of parts and pieces.
Visiting the local Dollar Tree, I found a few Amigurumi kits that I would bring on my Disney Vacation Club trip. I usually take a day or two to just relax and stay away from the hustle and bustle of the parks and shops. These kits are $1.25, but remember, you get what you pay for… The pattern is VERY difficult to decider and I ran out of yarn for one of the petite pets (dog) and had to improvise with yarn I had left over for another part of the project. You’ll notice I have used gray yarn on the left dog ear because I ran out of brown.
Before leaving for vacation, I enlarged the pattern in my copier so I have a legible pattern to follow. (The pattern that accompanies the kit is very small and difficult to follow.)
I also found a YouTube video for compact Easter Crochet Flower that hold Cadbury Eggs for a cute co-worker gift before the holiday. I used Peaches and Creme yarn from Walmart ($1.99 at Florida Walmart) to complete the flowers. These cakes are compact and easy to pack. I also travel with a mesh craft bag that fits in my carry on. Inside I have crochet hooks, stitch markers, TSA approved scissors, tapestry needles, etc.
What crafts do you like to bring along when you travel?
Baby it’s cold outside! The midwest winter has returned to Indiana and it’s the perfect time to take on a crochet project. I loved making this boxy sweater as this granny square pattern uses up the many scrap balls of yarn I have hanging around in my yarn baskets. While I didn’t rely on a specific pattern for this sweater, I took some advice from YouTube crafters and used my daughter’s general body measurements to gauge the size for this garment. She is an extra small size but wanted a chunky, loose-fitting cropped style that she could wear over a long-sleeved t-shirt or turtle neck. Here are the two resources I used for general guidance.
Sasser House YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5Yo2Aogz-qQ
Adore Crea YouTube:
https://adorecrea.com/how-to-crochet-a-daisy-granny-square/
I am new to crochet so I enjoyed the ease of making simple, colorful squares and joining them together to make this youthful sweater…
I enjoy making handmade gifts so I’ve been crocheting items for the holiday season. Recently, I visited a local craft store to find buttons that would adorn some of my crocheted cowls and book covers. I was thoroughly disappointed with the selection and voiced my concern to my hubby. He quickly gathered up some fallen branches from our forested property and made me these fabulous buttons. He used a vice to hold the branch (circumference about 1”) and a hand saw to carefully cut the 1/4” buttons. Then he drilled holes using a 1/8 bradpoint drill bit to secure the buttons with yarn. (He often uses a radial arm saw to quickly made several buttons.). He then sanded the face and edges of each button. I will lightly finish these with mineral oil and our beeswax. I am in love with this rustic look! Can’t wait to attach them to my latest creations…
Every summer, I attend basket making classes at a local county park. I always look forward to the project at hand. This year, we made an adorable Christmas stocking basket. I’ll fill it with lots of dried or fresh flowers for all my Christmas events.
Here’s a brief picture tutorial…
Happy Holidays!
Once again, I was able to join a great group of individuals at one of the local county parks for a day of basket making. I took several pictures throughout the day to capture the steps used to assemble this potluck or market basket. For those of you that are interested in basket making, I strongly suggest you find a class in your area. This is a dying art and learning the basic skills will build toward ideas for advanced methods. Local libraries, park district programs, and 4-H program leaders often offer hands-on opportunities to assemble basic baskets. Many basketmaking supply shops also offer classes. I really enjoy the process and certainly, the complete project. I always sign my baskets as I look forward to handing them down through the generations.
Sharing a few basketmaking tips…
We experienced some weather difficulties so we relocated to the interior of the old 1920’s barn. This June morning was cold and rainy. We usually meet in a covered pavilion but the winds were very strong and continued to blow away our supplies.
First, I measured 15 inches of weaving material (strips) for the length of the basket.
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I numerically marked all of my strips to help me weave a pattern on one side of the handle. Then, I duplicated the process on the other side of the wooden handle. Centering the project is very important.
Then, it was time to start working on the sides. I wanted to maintain my pattern up the side of the basket, so I used clothes pins to help me achieve this. The first row is always the most difficult to manage. The clothes pins act as another pair of “hands”.
Continue working up the side of the basket, adding any details desired. I added a colorful pattern of dyed strips. Make sure to alter the starting point for each strip, rotating the basket a half turn for an altered starting point for each row. Continue to shape the basket while building the sides.
Trim and bend alternate strips along the top edge of the basket making sure to leave enough length to insert strips under the existing basket weave.
Now it’s time for the finishing touches. An edge is placed on the top of the basket and sea grass is placed between the (half-round) edging strips. Once again, clothes pins act as extra “hands” to hold it all in place.
Lashing is used to complete the project and pull all of the finished edge pieces together.
A final dip in a black walnut wash finishes off the project by adding a weathered or aged look to the basket. Here the baskets dry in the shade of the old barn.
I love the size and shape of this beautiful basket. I can’t wait for our next basketmaking session!
My daughter had seen one of the famous Fixer Upper hosts wearing a sweatshirt with the words, “Book Club” screen printed onto the front of the garment. Being an avid reader, she immediately declared her desire to have a shirt like this for Christmas. After looking up the cost for said sweatshirt, I decided to make one of my own using my trusty embroidery machine. Carefully reviewing the garment, I quickly found a few heather colored sweatshirts at the discount store and identified a font that would work the the “Book Club” design. I didn’t care for the font used in the original design so I settled on a text style that looked just like one found when reading a book; a contemporary spin on Times New Roman. Here are the steps I used to embroider font or text onto the front of a basic medium-weight sweatshirt.
Use a temporary spray adhesive (found in the sewing department) to adhere a piece of medium weight stabilizer to the wrong side of the fabric. Make sure the stabilizer is large enough to cover and extend beyond the outside of your embroidery hoop.
Crease the sweatshirt to find it’s center and position the embroidery hoop paying close attention to desired design placement.
Audition various threads to decide which will work best for your design. I used a heavy weight black thread for the book style font.
After you have created your design (I use my laptop), send the design to your sewing machine and begin sewing.
I usually stay with the machine for a simple design and trim threads when possible.
When the machine has completed the design, remove hoop from the embroidery arm and trim any threads carefully.
Remove hoop and turn the garment inside out to sparingly trim threads from the back of the design. I usually leave connecting threads intact to further secure the design. Trim stabilizer, if needed.
With a thick pressing cloth or towel, carefully iron the crease out of the center front area.
Fold the sweatshirt neatly and get it ready for gift giving…
Have fun creating other “book related” designs…
Saturday’s unseasonable temperatures made for a very chilly (end of the summer) basketmaking workshop. Wearing several long-sleeved layers didn’t do much to shield us from the brisk winds during this cool and breezy day. It was hard to imagine that the temperatures had climbed to nearly 100 degrees the weekend before. Despite the weather, we happily socialized as we worked beneath a shelter at a local county park. The item that we were to assemble was a cute round, (continuous weave structure); a pumpkin-shaped basket. Here are the steps that our incredible instructor took us through during this four-hour weekend event.
Dividing the disk into 4 equal parts, place 23 spokes within the well of the disk; weaving while working in the spokes.
After weaving 6 continuous rows, gently begin shaping the basket upwards. Continue weaving upward for 14 more rows; loosely weaving to shape the belly of the pumpkin.
At row 19 or 20 begin to tighten the weave to form the top of the pumpkin.
At row thirty, the weave is complete.
Bend down, every other spoke. Clip; mark remaining spokes to bend under and secure under weave.
Secure wire handle before finishing rim of the basket.
Complete basket rim with sea grass and lashing.
We enjoyed a beautiful, but chilly, day at our local county park!
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