Free Pattern: Crochet crayon pocket

Because sometimes, ziplock bags and cardboard boxes just won’t do for your traveling tot.

This entire project is worked as one piece until the top piece.

Starting with a magic loop, single crochet 6 times into the loop.

Bottom:
Rd1: 2sc in ea, (12)
Rd2: (2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in next 1 st), repeat 6x (18)
Rd3  (2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in next 2 sts), repeat 6x (24)
Rd 4 (2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in next 3 sts), repeat 6x (30)
Rd 5 (2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in next 4 sts), repeat 6x (36)
Rd 6-10 Sc in ea st. (36)
Rd 11 Sc in 1st 18 sts, ch 1, turn

Opening:
Row 12-23 Sc 36x, ch 1, turn.
Row 24 Sc 36x, ss to join. DO NOT TURN

Resume:
Rd 25- 30 Sc in ea st (36)
Fasten off.
Weave in the tail.

Top:
Repeat rounds 1-5 of the bottom. End with a long tail.
Use the tail to stitch the top onto the bottom using a tapestry needle.

Finished pocket should measure about 5 inches long and 2-3 inches wide. The gauge is not important as long as your stitches are tight and the crayons don’t fall out!

Next up: PLARN

As if my recycling adventures had not reached an all time high with my upcycled t-shirt yarn bag, I’m am now venturing into the realms of recycled grocery bags!

I never saw a tutorial for making plarn, so I figured it out just for you – all four of my dedicated readers. <sarcastic grin!>

Since WA has new laws going into effect soon about the use of plastic bags at stores, everyone is really into using the reusable grocery bags. Instead of throwing my plastic shopping bags into the recycle like I usually do, I’m now turning them all into plarn and I’m going to make reusable grocery bags out of the grocery bag plarn! (The irony here is killing me!)

Plarn is super easy.

1. First: be sure your grocery bag didn’t hold something gross like chicken because it’s not really going to be launder-able.
2. Next: flatten out your bag and pull the corners so the plastic is nice and square.
3. Then: fold up the sides so the handles are together.
4. Cut the handles off.   
5. Cut off the sealed bottom piece.
6. Cut 2cm “strips” from the folded bag.
7. Link the “strip/loops” together so they are one long series of loops.
8. Repeat with lots of bags. 50? 100? use your whole cabinet full.
9. Pretend they’re not loops, roll into a “plarn ball.”

How to make t-shirt yarn?

I’ve had a couple of requests for how to make t-shirt yarn. Its pretty simple and only a little messy. There are lots of tutorials made by fabulous bloggers out there. This is the one I used:

I usually do it at the table and then the little fuzzies that come off the t-shirt yarn as I’m pulling the strips into yarn fall on the bale instead of me or the floor. This makes clean up easier and faster. Of course if you have hardwoods instead of rugs then the floor would work fine and swiffer solves all measures of fuzzy problems.

Enjoy!

T-shirt yarn becomes a bag.

Wonder what I did with all that t-shirt yarn? Enter bag:



The bag took about 8 t-shirts worth of yarn and is about the same size as the purse I usually use (the one my grandma quilted for me!) See the fun tassle I added. Oh yes, I'm Really stylish now. Tehe.

What do you think?

More t-shirt yarn

Just raided the t-shirt drawer to make more yarn. Any ideas for what I should make?

Here’s my list of projects so far:

1. Tote
2. set of multi-colored coasters

I guess you could say it’s a short list?

T-shirt yarn experiment

This is my first time trying to make t-shirt yarn to crochet with! I found this lovely tutorial HERE and it was perfect!

Now if I could only find my crochet hooks I would be able to get to work! AHHh! Where could they be?

Café con leche

I swear that two years ago when I looked online for free crochet tutorials/patterns there were like 4. Literally – a lady bug, an octopus, and um… yeah. AND there were no pictures! Well ladies and gents, the internet is providing more and more interesting and free awesomeness right at your fingertips. Here’s my latest creation, courtesy of Ana Paula’s free pattern.


Oh and there’s more fun projects and links in crochet on the way – including the first pattern I’m writing! Stayed tuned for more yarn-o-licious fun!

Baskets of groceries, bundles of fun

As my Sweet Pea gets more and more excited about copying everything I do, I’m trying to keep up with her interest and make fun toys to go along with her age.

Right now I’m in the middle of a big project to make a bunch of crocheted food items for her before we get her a play kitchen. We’re thinking to get her the kitchen (or DIY make one!) before Christmas next year so I’m not feeling stressed at and just taking my time.

Here’s the first round up on free patterns I’m using:

 

1. Sandwich from Yummi-Gurumi by Craft foxes

2. Cupcake by Anapaulaoli

3. Pancake Breakfast by the Craft Frog

4.Eggs by Easy Makes me Happy

5.Sausage links by tots and bottoms

6. Sweet Little Cake by KTB Designs.

Crochet Hearts

I found this fabulous pattern to make crocheting festive for Valentine’s day and I wanted to share it!

The linked picture above give the pattern. SOOO easy. I’ve been making them while we watch tv at night. My husband thinks they’re cute. Here are the ones I’ve made:

I’m going to hopefully have enough by valentine’s day to fill one of my vases (so my hubby won’t feel the need to spend bunches of cash on flowers that will die)

5 down…. 50 more to go!