Pinterest Challenge #3 Cross Back Tank

Yay! I'm still on track with the Pinterest Challenge!

Confusion can be cured by clicking that link up there ^

Boring tank tops can be cured by doing this:

My Pinspiration:

I bought this tank at my favourite thrift store with the original intention of doing nothing to it. I get so excited about details and prints that I own very few basics. It turns out I can`t really handle basic.

Skull Stitch Markers and Crochet-Fixing

I just had to share my new crochet stitch markers with everyone. I bought them on Etsy from Hooray Crochet and am absolutely in love with them! I had been in need of stitch markers for a long time (I had been using paper clips) but I really didn't want to buy markers that I didn't love! I'm one of those people who likes everything little thing to be cool. If I don't love something, if it doesn't make me smile, there is not a heck of a lot of reason to own it. Speaking of which I'm on the look out for a cool teapot if anyone has any ideas...

Also!

Hubby and I have been together since we were teenagers and once, while at the mall, 16-year-old hubby with cash to burn bought this big fluffy red circle pillow for no apparent reason.

 

Now, I try not to be the wife who tells her husband what he can and cannot own, and he was oddly attatched to this pillow. But, I also spend a lot more time in our house than he does since I work at home and this thing was an eye sore in the eclectic brown and blue tones of our bedroom. So...I hooked the crap out of it and made it pretty.

 

 

I didn't use a pattern for this but if your even a little familiar with your crochet hook this is an easy project to pull off, and honestly if you don't even own one yet you could watch a couple youtube videos on how to cast on and do the puff stitch and you'd be golden. I just used leftover yarn from my stash and a matching hook. If you have the pillow you're covering on hand you can just keep checking to make sure that you're on thr right track. 

 

It's simply a round of single crochet, then half double, then single again to create that textured look on the top. Then I alternated puff stitch and single crochet around the sides for what I hope is a Morroccan feel. I used a hook that was a little small for the yarn so that my stitch was really tight as I didn't want the red to show through, but you could also line the case when you're done. I overlaped the top and bottom layers so that the pillow can be pulled out to wash the cover and there are no buttons are zippers to unepectedly poke at you when you're trying to nap.

 

This would be a very rewarding and only somewhat challening project for a beginner. I hope it inspires someone to de-ugly something their partner won't get rid of!

 

May the craft be with you!

Crocheting for my baby boy!

Hello foxy crafters!

The world seems rife with boring overly cutesy baby clothes and I'm just not cool with it. Luckily I have some craftiness up my sleeve. Here's what I've made so far. Click the pics to be taken to the patterns:

Nerdy Crochet!

Hey everyone!

I know it's been for-frakin'-ever since I've posted and I apologize. I've been busy being pregnant and allowed that to get in the way of my blogging (FOR SHAME) but certainly have not allowed it to get in the way of my crafting (WOOT!)

This is by far one of my favourite things I've ever hooked:

Who says crocheting can't be awesome?

The how-to is easy enough but I didn't have a pattern (naturally). I made my own and it`s acutally super easy to make your own crochet-by-numbers style pattern.

Step One:

Draw the outline (to scale) of your project on graphing paper.

Step Two:

Make your pattern by colouring in squares. You can use as many colours or as complicated a pattern as you want it just means you`ll be switching yarns more often.

Note:



For this project each square on graphing paper is acutally represented by 6 stitches done over two rows. On the bottom you have sc-dc-sc and on the top you have dc-sc-dc. It`s a technique I borrowed from groundhogpeggy on Youtube. She has a whole technique for crocheting images that look right from both sides. I`m not a fan of the overall technique as the contrasting yarns show through but the way she creates patterns on graph paper is really simple and easy to do.

Stay crafty!
M <3

Slippers!

Not too long ago I got these weird red bumps on my toes. They kinda freaked me out so I went to see a dermatologist about them. Apparently my toes are very sensitive to cold. A few pairs of warm socks and I would be all fixed up. Well, thanks doc, and that was all well and good until I attempted to wear those fleecy mountain man socks for more than an hour. And you know what? OW! So I asked the dermatologist about it but he turned out to be one of those asshats who don't believe FMS is a thing. I calmly informed him that it can be viewed on catscans and walked out.

Crocheting time!

These things are shockingly easy to make. I didn't follow a pattern so this tutorial will work for any yarn weight or hook size. Enjoy!

Ch enough to be as wide as three toes.
Crochet in the round (and stitch, I did dc), inc as you need to fit over your toes.
Measure against your foot as you go so they fit you perfectly.
Once you've reached the wide spot at the base of your toes stop increasing and crochet in roud as high as you want to go.
Then start crochet in rows so that you are creating the sole of the slipper and moving back toward the heel.
When you reach the heel decrease 3-5 with each stitch so that you create little half circle.
Tie off the heel and create two chains long enough to tie around your ankle. Single crochet them to the top of the heel in the cenre.

And VOILA! Slippers!

Wrap around earrings

Hey,

This is a super simple project and unfortunatley I forgot to take pictures (again) so you're going to have to image the majority of the tutorial but I'm sure you'll have no problem.

Here's the finished Wrap Around Earrings

Materials:

Hoop earrings

Yarn

Crochet hook

Hair spray

Step One

Crochet all round the outside of your hoop (actually took this picture).

Step Two

Wrap. Wrap horizontally until the yarn is as dense as you want it then wrap vertically. When you wrap vertically make sure you pull the yarn through the top of the hoop so you get that dip look (and a spot for you ear lobe to go). Then tie the yarn off and weave it in.

Step Three

Spray. The yarn's not super stable yet. I just hair-sprayed the earrings, pressed a tissue over them to get rid of the bubbles and let them dry. They're pretty firm now!

Have fun!



Crochet Earrings!

YAY! I have a new computer and I've finally figured out how to use it. When my computer died earlier this week I really thought I would be able to go a little while without it.48 hours was enough to have me nearly pulling my hair out, and lets face it, I don't really have enough hair to be pulling it out. SO, Sweet Talker (hubby) and I got down to the lovely people at Memory Express in Richmond and got ourselves the new Transformer Prime. Aside a from a very curved learning curve as I've been using Microsoft all my life it's working out pretty well. I have been bent shouldered and red eyes for days trying to figure out how the damn thing works so I haven't been very crafty. I thought I would throw up some of my old favourites.

So, without further ado I give you Crocheted Earrings:

Materials:

Yarn

Crochet hook

Bangle

Earrings hooks

How to:

This is a pretty easy and super quick project if you already know single crochet. If you don't I would suggest checking out a couple youtube videos on the subject. That's how I learned.

Step one:

Choose a bangle or ring of your desired size. I know mine is pretty huge. I made a pair of these for my sister and SIL with small rubber rings I found at a craft store.

Step two:

Crochet the magic circle. Sc 2 or 3 depending on how thick your yarn is. Then sc in the first stitch and start crocheting in the round. Continue to crochet in the round until your circle is about the size of the bangle or ring, just a tiny bit smaller.

Step three

Sc over the ring or circle all the way around. While you're doing this the circle may begin to look a little warped but it should even out once you've made your way around.

Step four

Attach the earring hook by the yarn and wear your super cool new earrings!

Thanks for stopping by crafty people!!!