Friday, December 31, 2021

Fabric bowl


My dog has a hard time eating from a solid bowl.. his nose is longer than the rest of his snout .. he is of a good size so most kibble is small enough to get in his nose.. 

 I saw a microwave bowl cozy.. this could work for both sending hot foods over to my parents house nextdoor and my dog.. made one for doggie first figuring I could tweet the pattern for my parents cozies in the process.. being 100% cotton shrinkage is going to play a part in overall size..

Had a few extra minutes the other day so put a simple 10 by 10 inch two layers of outer fabric and two of batting .. darts were 1 inch long by 2 deep ... used a cute dog lead fat quarter..

He loves it.. eating without any issues.. even asked for more.. will post a update with overall instructions after I get sizing worked out better. 

Thursday, November 11, 2021

New items

 Just added more winter hats to my Etsy shop.. check out the link on the side for more.  ( web version view ) Or click here

Longtail stocking caps.. 

This one is about the textured not the length



Look one of my labels lol.. 



This one is definitely about the length.. 49 inches without the pompom 



I had to make a couple of hoods.. totally freeform.. just had a general idea of what I wanted it to be.. 

So much fun to make 


Went to our first event since covid shut things down.. sold more than I was expecting.. it was really nice.. everyone was staying back a bit more than in the past but yet very relaxed.. definitely need to make more for online shop now though lol 

Sunday, September 26, 2021

Handmade labels

I decided I wanted to add labels to some of my items.. 
Didn't see any I really liked for sale..
I want a rustic feel, simple..
 non perfect.. you know not looking store brought..

Want everyone to be just a bit different.. even if it's just the way it's folded and seamed..
So set out to make my own.. 
While I want them to be some what individual in appearance I also don't want to spend too much time on just a label..

Checked out a couple of YouTube videos..
The ones I ran in to first used transfer paper for ink jet printers.. and ribbon..

Wasn't thrilled about the shininess of the over all look but thought I would give it a try.. got the transfer paper but couldn't find ribbon I liked.. so I was thinking of making bias tape.. 
I wanted the look of muslin if I could get it worked out .. should be able to make bias tape with easy enough..
then a older video popped up using freezer paper to print on fabric.. while I was working out how to mirror image my typing.. I don't have the programs or want to buy into any used in the videos so it was taking a bit.. I did work it out by jumping between a couple of free ones.. but that freezer paper one got me ..
No flipping the image.. no shinny plastic topping.. no edges to deal with..
I could use the muslin and get a rustic look.. plus I have freezer paper on hand for applique work.. 
It took a few trys to get everything worked out with my printer..
 the thinner fabric worked much better.. kept the heat light enough to not warp the freezer paper.. used Avery templates .. I have been using Avery labels for our egg cartons for years now.. perfect fit and easy to use.. plus no added cost.. 
I sell in person in my town as well as online.. my online shops and blog were started long before we started doing reiki at local events.. we are known as The Reiki Shack in town.. after a bit we added eggs and craft items to our events.. all charged with reiki of course .. people ask me where my crafts can be found online.. so for now I am adding labels that list my Etsy shop name.. 




 I just cut them out and press.. I used a bit of stick glue to make that easier.. 

I decided to over stitch longer ones on to my yarn items and add folded ones to seams on my cloth items.. 
Quick and easy to switch up.. doesn't take too long to make.. low cost.. and the look I was going for... 

Hat hair





 Needed a way to display scrunchies in action lol... 

DC hat.. started with 6 DC's .. 3 rounds of increases .. finished with a round of SC.. just added fringe long enough to pull back as a pony tail..

Thursday, September 23, 2021

HDC tip for even rows

I love the look of hdc tbl ( half double crochet through back loop USA term ) 

However it hasn't always been a mindless stitch for me..  I tended to skip the last stitch if I don't count every row.. 
Decided to place markers in the back loop of each stitch on the end of the row.. takes way less time than counting each stitch or frogging a few rows ...
 I am sure I'm not the first one to think of this but a reminder every now and then doesn't hurt lol 

Guaranteed not to miss the last stitch..


Just remember to put it in the right spot when you start your new row






 

Saturday, August 14, 2021

Sewing again


 Been picking up fat quarters when I see them on sale/clearance.. now the Halloween ones are out so I had to get a couple of packs of those, right ;)

some I plan on using for small quilts or pot holder and such but I thought I would keep mask supplies in stock just in case.. if for no other reason than personal use.. as it turns out sales on the limited number I have in my shop are ticking up again.. 

 I pull out the fat quarters to start ironing them.. 

when I buy them I spray them down with rubbing alcohol, after removing the label.. never do it the other way around... trust me on this... makes a mess of the glue ..Ugh 

 Let dry then spray with water and iron on high heat.. tightens the fibers up nicely but takes a fair amount of time to "dry" them with an iron.. especially with the high humidity not common in our area

personally I like masks, two January's running now I haven't had the flu..  or major allergies either spring.. we've been using them for yard work, cleaning out the chicken coop, painting anything that normally sets off our allergies, but I didn't think to put one on before ironing the new fabric.. why do people feel the need to scent everything anyhow.. 

add the wet weather to that, after a few hours of ironing .. I had way more than I realized ( clearance price of 25 cents a fat quarter for puppies and hearts and some pretty animal prints that will make a cute baby or lap blanket ) ... playing with a rotary blade or doing anything that was so detailed was out of the question at that point..

 to pass time while working on crafts I run YouTube videos, gave up cable and regular television years ago  ...  YouTube craft videos is a favorite pastime of mine.. 

this time I put in quick sewing projects.. stopped in the middle of pulling out the fat quarters to make a cute bag pattern I saw being made..

 

scrunchies are apparently a thing again.. 

I have never worn one, the last time I had my hair in a ponytail was like preschool.. when I couldn't get away from my mother fast enough lol

 normally I find it a painful experience .. I have super fine hair, lots of it but so fine it takes a tight band to keep it in place .. 

seeing all of these different techniques for making scrunchies with minimal cutting involved, with all my fabric sitting in front of me.. I had to give one a try.. 

Made a blue one using amounts called for... it was fun to make, fairly fast although I used the ladder stitch to close up the opening as I was not using a coordinating color of thread.. was just playing around so didn't bother .. even at that it was pretty fast.. nothing like doing the out of sashay yarn.. now that took time .. 

 

             not too bad for using black yarn

 

 

 took three wraps.. or is it twists .. around my hair to hold but it did hold.. without pain.. 

That of course meant I needed to try again, so I shortened the amount of elastic but added to the fabric both by two inches.. 

Having the Halloween fat quarters in front of me and intending it to be for me I had to go with skulls... with a black background.. so closing the opening was super quick this time.. using the method of seaming and stitching the elastic together at the same time, just leaving a small side opening to finish off.. 

 

left a bit of a flat seam but not real noticeable when wearing, only took two twists .. perfect .. 

 

side by side comparison of size and closing seams.. 

Got called outside to help out so I only got one done, but wore it for hours without an issue.. dang too bad I just cut off about 9 inches of my hair lol..

I am so going to be making more of these 

Scrap yarn

Another use for small bit of scrap yarn.. 
 
 
 ... use a fork to make small pom poms, mix and match colors

 
 
glue on some googly eyes ( clear drying craft glue )
 and some felt feet and you have a new yarn critter lol
 
 
 



add craft magnets or leave as is.. 
I might try adding a key chain to a few 

 

Saturday, May 22, 2021

Playing with beads

Strained my arm, elbow, neck, wrist  etc crocheting orders, a 20 hour day after a week of 12 hour days was enough to call for a long break.. thankfully it was at the start of warmer weather here so yarn item orders was at a stand still .. 

After making 1000's of masks I decided to put the cloth on the back burner for a bit and pull out my beads instead.. been too long.. I still plan on being able to get things set up so I can more easily jump between  crafts or more likely combine crafts.. but spring time means yard work is a must..so my craft room progress is on the slow side, still happening though so all is good :) 


I pulled out my little bracelet sized beading loom, decided to get one a bit bigger.. this was my first project on it...

First off just like yarn, the type of beads you use really matter.. 

for this project I went with some that are on the not so uniform in size.. while many had to be tossed as they were just to misshaped, you can see how much the size varies in this photo.. both are from the same tube of size 11 beads.. 


there is a place for these beads in my opinion in creating unique items, I normally use them when sewing on to fabric or buttons as I like the "boho" vibe they give projects, kind of a old world feel..

 

When working on a loom project plan on extra time for sorting through the beads though.. in this case a lot of extra time.. while I do like how the over all project came out I wasn't happy with the amount of wasted beads for the silver lined ones.. of course I picked those to be the main color before I realized just how misshaped they were... very glad I got them on a 50% off sale lol.. the other types were no where near as bad.. to be fair the price was really low even before the half off...  think it was $3.99 for a huge tube ( from hobby lobby ) . . and will work really well with a sewn on project.. I do like the over all look, however I doubt I will buy them again, patience is absolute must when using these.. 


I used nymo sized D .. jumped between needles... using an big eye needles for the main weaving and an inch long one for the weaving in of the warps and tails 



 weaving in the ends took even more patience.. I did set it down more than once lol .. next step will be to add it on to the front of a bag.. I have yet to create.. over all happy with it.. 


Since I finished the weaving of this one I have made well over a dozen bracelets, some are completely done but most are waiting for the gluing of the warps and ties to be added.. that will require setting up outside so I want a bunch to do at once, I am working on the color charts for them... will have the written out instructions as well as lettered chart.. still working out how I want them laid out.. 

I really like the written patterns for larger pieces.. earrings are easy enough to just use a chart but some of what I have in mind definitely need it written out..  







Wednesday, February 17, 2021

The Mittens Fingerless Gloves





 


This pattern requires the knowledge of color work and working in the round

Yarn

All yarns used are by Red Heart Super Saver worsted weight (4)

Coffee

Cafe

Buff

White

American terms used.

I did not keep track of yardage, I am making them for myself then thought others might like a pair, I have one done right now so I might get to that if time allows other wise it didn't take large amounts. 

 The ribbing is made working flat, turning after each row, using single crochets working in the back loop only. Then seaming closed picking up stitches along one edge.

The body is worked in the round in spirals ( don't join at the end of rounds, placing a stitch marker helps with keeping track ) using the center single crochet ( CSC )... sometimes call the waistcoat stitch or the knit stitch, this stitch creates a tight thick fabric perfect for warm mitts... there are many videos on YouTube as to how the stitch is made but pretty much you go through the center of the single crochet instead of the top loops... I had never tried the stitch before as if I wanted a knit item I would just knit it, but after playing with t for a bit I realized how wonderfully thick it is. Not the easiest stitch  but worth the effort. 

The thumb gusset is worked at the end of the rounds, then the stitches are joined over top of it.

I used a size 7 US 4.5 mm hook with a pretty tight tension. In CSC it works out to 7 sts by 10 rows per 2 inches.

Both gloves are made the same.

Ribbing

Using the color coffee 

1) chain 12, leaving a long tail for seaming, 10 inches works well for me, single crochet into second chain from hook, single crochet to end, chain 1 and turn

2) going through back loop only single all stitches, chain and turn 

repeat row two until about 7 inches long don't fasten off just place a stitch saver or bobby pin in stitch to secure until seaming is done, use tail to seam ends together. 

still using the color coffee, chain 1 then pick up 32 stitches along the edge of the ribbing rows, don't join at the end of round, switch to the color cafe, work in ends as you go

Of those of you who like prefer written patterns over charts  continue on below, otherwise jump to the color chart

 

Body of Mitt

In color Cafe work

 ... all gusset and increase stitches will be done in cafe ...


1-5 ) in CSC ( center single crochet ), work in spirals placing maker at the of round to keep track

6 - 7 ) CSC to last st., increase   

8 ) CSC to last 2 sts., inc x 2 ( I like to put a stitch marker at the beginning of my gusset stitches as well as the start of the round )

From this point the color work begins , all stitches will still be worked in CSC however I will refer to them by their color now... so .. cafe1, white 3 .. would mean do one center crochet in color cafe and the next 3 in the color white

9 ) cafe 1, white 1, ( cafe 3, white 1 )x 7, cafe 2, inc 1, cafe 2, inc 1

10 )  cafe 1, white 1, ( cafe 3, white 1 )x 7, cafe 2, inc 1, cafe 4, inc 1

11 )  cafe 1, white 1, ( cafe 3, white 1 )x 7, cafe 2, inc 1, cafe 6, inc 1

12 ) white 3, cafe 1, ( white 3, cafe 1 )x 8, inc 1, cafe 8, inc 1

13 )  white 3, cafe 1, ( white 3, cafe 1 )x 8, inc 1, cafe 10, inc 1

cut colorway cafe and pick up colorway buff 

14 ) white 1, buff 1, ( white 3, buff 1 )x 7, white 2, skip 14 sts. ( gusset sts. ) join with the start of next round

15 ) white 1, buff 1, ( white3, buff 1 )x 7, white 2

16 ) ( buff 3, white 1 )x 8

cut colorway white and pick up coffee 

17 - 18 ) buff 1,  coffee 1, ( buff 3, coffee 1 )x 7, buff 2

19 - 20) ( coffee 3, buff 1 )x 8  

21 ) buff 1, coffee 1, ( buff 3, coffee 1)x 7, buff 2

22 ) ( buff 1, coffee 1 )x 16

cut both buff and coffee, pick up cafe

23) cafe to end

24 ) cafe to end, fasten off 

weave in any ends