Crocheted Ornaments

I've been working on some Christmas presents for my nieces and nephews so I can't show those just yet - I'll try to come back next week and post photos of those.  In the meantime, here are some ornaments I made up.

The white snowflakes were for all the kids in Ajay's class.

Here is the pile of 24 of them.

This red Mary-Go-Round was for his teacher. You can kind of see the little charm in the center - I wasn't able to get a very clear picture of it, unfortunately.

This is one of two beards I made a friend for her to give as Christmas gifts.  I forgot to get a picture of the other one.

Paper Ornaments and Scraves

I started the previous post on December 10th and I just got it finished today!! Here is what else I have been up to.

I buy much of my scrapbooking and craft supplies from my friend Darcy who sells Stampin' Up. On the cover of their Holiday catalog, was a paper ornament and I was looking forward to making similar ornaments for Christmas gifts this year.
There are several steps and a ton of individual pieces to stamp and cut out to be glued together for just one ornament. I added buttons and snowflakes to the centers. I completed ten and love how they turned out!

The individual pieces being glued together.

A couple knitting friends have been making what they call dreadlock or spaghetti scarves. I decided to crochet a few and give them as gifts. They are super easy with just a crochet loop and long fringe added to one side....that's it! I used a flower loom and added a cute flower to each one.

Here are two of my completed scarves. I kept the red for me!



Just loop around your neck and thread fringe through the loop. Cute and warm!

Another Crafty Catch Up....

I have been busy....darn that Pinterest! My crafty bucket list keeps growing! I have been working on Christmas gifts and decorating. Here are a few things I have made recently.

Quilt block
I think I am behind posting about my quilt project. We are about half way done with  our 12x12 blocks and here is a picture of my completed blocks. I can't wait to put it together!

7 blocks done and 5 more to go!

Crochet Boot Cuffs
A friend told me about crochet boot cuffs that tuck into the top of your boot so, you are not wearing a big bulky sock in your boot. She had seen crochet ones and asked if I could make them. I found a pair at Studio 11, copied the pattern (shhhh) and have been working on a couple pairs for her.

Silly me forgot to take a picture of the pair I made! So,here is the pair from Studio 11 that I modeled mine from.


Christmas Window
I got this re-purposed window a year or more from Studio 11. I had good intentions of hanging it up with wedding or family photos...never happened. So, since we moved I rediscovered the window and decided to place some old Christmas cards in place of photos for December. Love how it turned out and it looks great hanging in our dining room!

Christmas Yarn Wreath
The Halloween yarn wreath was so fun, I made a Holiday wreath by wrapping another foam ring with green and red yarn. I got creative and added paper snowflakes and buttons to my crochet flowers....I call them snowflowers! It is hanging on our apartment door and looks very festive!

Here it is hanging on my tree before I placed it on the front door.

Wooden Signs
This idea came from Pinterest (you can look at my Christmas Board for the original designs). I made a sign at Studio 11, so I knew what to do. I recycled plywood from work and had my Dad cut the wood into workable sign sizes. I used the red Milk Paint from Studio 11 and several acrylic colors from my stash and the hobby store to paint the wood. I pulled out tools and paper from my scrapbooking stash to embellish the signs. Most of them are going to be turned into Christmas card holders once I get the ribbon attached to the back and clothespins. I might just add ribbon or wire to a few for wall hangings too.


Mixing the red Milk Paint with water in a jar.

 

During the painting process.

 

Most of my signs, before the ribbon and hangers. I added a few details before I gave them as gifts.

AND I still need to....make Christmas cards, make paper ornaments for Christmas and finish Christmas shopping, baking, wrapping and.......the list goes on and on. TOO MUCH CRAFTING and not enough time!! Happy Crafting!

Halloween Wreath

I have seen yarn wreaths on Pinterest and in gift shops for sale. I have been wanting to make one and don't know why I haven't sooner. It was fun and only took me a few hours to complete!

I started with orange, Fallish yarn I bought last year to make pumpkins. I bought a foam ring and some raffia from the craft shop.

I wrapped the foam wreath tightly with the yarn. It took a while to get it all covered and have no white showing. I do have yarn leftover, so depending on the weight of yarn you use, it shouldn't take more than one skein.

I crocheted a few flowers, added buttons, and hot glued them to the wreath with a little raffia behind.

I used extra raffia and black yarn to make a "hanger". It turned out cute and I want to make more for other holidays. It is now proudly displayed on my front door!

World Card Making Day

Saturday, October 6th was World Card Making Day. Here is my Thank You card. I am sending it to a friend who gave me a beautiful angel figurine last week.

I love scrap booking and don't usually make cards expect at Stampin' Up parties. It was fun to try something different and I already have all the supplies to make cards. I used two of my new stamp sets, a new border eyelet punch, and leftover paper to make this cute and simple card. Maybe I will try making more than just one a year!

Crafty catch up!

The past month I have been busy with  quilting and crocheting projects! I finished my quilt block, a purse, fingerless gloves and our honeymoon album digitally! Today, I bought more yarn and supplies for a Halloween project to work on this month!

This block is for September and Nancy chose Nonesuch. It is a paper pieced block and has many variations by turning the smaller squares.



This is my version of the Nonesuch. Love all the color!

I have the pattern for this month's block called Corn and Beans. It also has many color and block variations...so I am having a hard time deciding on the layout. I think I will work on it some tomorrow.



I have had this crochet bag pattern for a while after finding it on Pinterest. (Have you been to Pinterest...if not it is addicting but oh my, there are so many amazing ideas, DIY, recipes, and more!!!) Here is the link from Pinterest, then on this gal's blog there is a link for the pattern from Ravelry. Look at both because there are examples of different purses made with the pattern.

http://sandra-cherryheart.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/eclectic-grannie.html

The pattern is a little hard to follow. I deciphered as I crocheted and did some ripping out, but finally got the basic idea. I used up yarn from my stash that I had collected on two different yarn hops. I finished it in a week and there are so many color options that I definitely plan on making more!



A large granny square turns into a open and versatile handbag!

 

The inside...fun lining! I chose a Batik fabric in similar colors to the yarn. I need to work on a better technique for sewing in the lining but it is okay for my first one.



Fingerless gloves have been on my Yarn Bucket List for a while. I found a simple pattern and used new fun yarn from Plum Bazaar and whipped these out! Which I am wearing right now cus it is cold in our house!

Red fuzzy, warm fingerless gloves!

The pattern is on Lionbrand.com....

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/80703AD.html?noImages=0

Crocheted in the round all the way up, they are fairly easy and again, the yarn variations are endless. I am going to make more pairs and I want to try adding the "flip top" to make it a mitten!

I have one more DIY project that I did this week (with help), but that is over on my family/personal blog!

 http://lostinthewoods-erin.blogspot.com/

Sun Bonnet Sue

Sun Bonnet Sue was our July quilt block. The fun of this group quilt project is that we are using techniques and block patterns we might not normally try.


Nancy's choice this month and  her completed block.



Here is my Sun Bonnet Sue!

 I had never appliqued or worked with Wonderunder iron-on stuff so, I was a little intimidated by this block. I wanted to use the black since that is my focal or background fabric, but trying to decide on her dress and hat color was the hard part. I like the way she turned out and I am still trying to think of something to embellish her block with, but I can always do that later! This weekend is the club meeting and we get our 4th block design!

Echo...echo....echo....

Anyone else have a few projects to put up here? 

Here are some items I've made over the past few months.  (I don't think any of these are already posted on this blog....)

Aren's sun visor.

A bonnet for a newborn baby girl....born in June yet I have not given it to her yet.  I don't even know if it will still fit!

Some popsicle cozies for the boys.

An owl lovey for a baby boy born mid-July.

A baby blanket I started then realized the holes were way too big and the baby would likely get his fingers and toes caught too easily.  I ripped it out.

Used that yarn to start another baby blanket and realized the yarn was too small/hook was too big for the pattern to read well.  I ripped it out. 

This is a scarf I made probably 3-4 years ago.  It was my first tunisian crochet project.  I never wore it.  I ripped it out last week so I could use it on another project.  (I haven't started that project yet.)

A cowl pattern I tested - love it!  Can't wait for cooler weather so I can wear it.  It isn't so bright in person.

Same cowl, close up.

New Quilt Project

I am working to finish the first two quilts I made in time for the Lyon County Fair. They have been quilted with the backing and batting, but now I just have to finish the binding....which I have no idea how to do!!

In the meantime, my quilt group has started another project!! A 12x12 block is designed or chosen by one of us each month. Then, we will each complete that 12x12 block with the fabric we have selected. This is the second month and there are 11 of us...so this will be a long project and a large quilt when completed.

I purchased my fabric at Sarah's in Lawrence and here in town at Prairie Pieces. I chose a background fabric of Black with Coral/Red, Wild Circles, Lime Green, Sky Blue, and a Purple. Each block won't contain every fabric so, it has been fun to sketch out with my grid paper and color pencils how I want my block to look.

Here are my first two blocks completed.



World's Fair Puzzle Block



  

Almost all of the World's Fair Puzzle blocks from our meeting in June. Same pattern but it is amazing how different all the blocks turned out!

Four Winds Quilt Block

I always wait until the last minute! I have been sewing all day and tomorrow is our next group meeting. We will show off our Four Winds blocks and get to see the next month's block! Can't wait!



Mystery Quilt Completed!

A short time back, I posted about a new quilt project my little group was starting....well it is finally finished!
I should have finished a few weeks ago, but had Lily's 6th Birthday Party to attend instead of my quilt group! I missed out on seeing all the other ladies' quilts, but I hope to see them next month.
  
First, we cut out all the individual squares. Then, each month, received a new set of directions on how to sew them together. It was a fun project! The completed quilt is 40 x 40. I think I will have it quilted and hang in my future craft room!

We are starting our 3rd group project next month....each of us will design a 12x12 quilt block to share with the group. Our finished quilts will have one of each of the member's designs. Looking forward to more quilting and learning new sewing skills!

Extra Popcorn

Just thought I'd throw a few other pics of the popcorn project on here.

C'mon, ladies, let's see some crafty stuff here!!  :)

Not too pleased with the bottom :(

And just because I'm here, I'll show you what happens to a wool diaper soaker (the cover you put over cotton diapers) when it accidentally gets put into the washing machine.

This now won't even fit Aren bare tooshed.  It might fit on a newborn, though.  Maybe.  I'll tell ya, though, it is thick!  If it will fit on a newborn in a cloth diaper, it would be pretty bullet-proof!   No leaks there!



February Projects

In addition to the swap projects that I posted about in my other blog I did two other items. 

This one:

And this one:

Craft Sites and Pinterest

Anyone else signed up for Pinterest? I am toying with the idea...like I need another website to check and play on everyday! I hadn't heard of Pinterest until a friend mentioned it before Christmas. It is a website to "pin" favorite ideas, photos, quotes, etc to your page.

Any other craft websites you visit regularly? I have bookmarked many that Kalinda and Lisa have on their blogs. Today, I spent some time checking them out for ideas, then I get overwhelmed and maybe Pinterest would be a good way to save everything in one place!

Anyone working on anything fun!? I spent the weekend quilting on my mystery quilt project. I will post photos soon. And I am thinking about signing up for a block of the month at the quilt store. Casey got me a cool window pane/photo frame for Christmas. I just need to get the pictures in it and hung up. I will post that soon too.

Kalinda, here is a fun yarn crafty idea for you and the boys! Super cute, I might have to try it!

Happy Monday, Happy Crafting!

Crochet projects.

It has been quite awhile since anyone posted on here yet I'm pretty sure most of us, if not all of us, did some crafty stuff for Christmas.  C'mon, ladies, cough up those pictures!!  I want to see what everyone Has been working on!

I made these two neck pillows.  They are only two of the 12 I intended to make, so they will get put away and wait until next Christmas when I will, hopefully, have the rest of the pillows ready to give away.

You all probably saw these on my other blog.  I'm currently using the same yarn to make Aren a hat.

And here are the boys wearing their "monkey caps" with their matching coats.

I've signed up to be a part of a crochet swap.  I will be making a Valentine project for my partner.  I'm thinking either a little bag or maybe some arm/wrist warmers.  Anyone have any ideas?  I'll be sure to post pics when I'm done!