Beat The Winter Blues - Crocheting

I crochet year round, but definitely more in the winter.  Crocheting is kinda therapeutic for me, I've been doing it for so long I can even crochet in the dark and feel my pattern once I've got it down.  So, when I heard about a crochet contest hosted by Andree, I had to jump on that... Crochet the Winter Blues Away!

The parameters of the contest said each of the 20 contestants had to create either a scarf, fingerless gloves or cushion cover using a specific stitch with 3 variations.  I played with this stitch a lot trying to decide what to make, it took a while but finally something came to me.  My finished piece is an infinity scarf that I am very pleased with.

It twists in the center, shown folded down.

 Here I twisted it into a rose and simply pinned it with a safety pin, held great all day that way.

To start, I chained 87 stitches.  Using stitch variation 1, I made my first row.  Just before joining my first row and making a circle, I twisted it one time.  Then I continued the stitch, because of that twist, there was no turning, just continuing around and around until I had a thickness I liked.

 Once I got to a thickness I liked, it still needed something.  The ruffle row is the same stitch but tripled.  Three of the same stitch in one place.

Not only does crocheting brighten my day, but keeps me warm as well.  How do you Beat the Winter Blues?

Peace be with you,

Creating Christmas - Mitten Pillow

Welcome to Day 3 of Creating Christmas with The Girl Creative.  Check out Day 1 and Day 2 if you missed them.

The point of Creating Christmas is to not just pin something, create something.  Like the rest of you, I've been pinning tons of things that give me inspiration and have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to all the awesome Christmas ideas that have inspired me.






One particular idea that I decided needed to be created is the mitten pillow in the back of this picture:

Source: ballarddesigns.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

The $69 price tag is a little steep for me and since mittens can go for the whole winter season, I'd rather go with my color scheme and my winter pillows that I made last year from thrift store sweaters

Originally I planned on going through my fabric scraps, but a fever left the little man in my lap yesterday and while I've sewed with him in my lap before, he just wasn't up for that... crocheting it is then!  Don't worry, I used yarn scraps.  Now, bear with me, I have never really written a crochet pattern before.  I made the first one up as I went along, wrote it down, and then tried to follow it.  Please feel free to ask any questions.

Crochet Mini Mittens:
With worsted weight yarn and an H hook, chain 12.
sc = single crochet, HDC = half double crochet, DC = double crochet
Row 1: in 2nd ch from end, DC, counts as 1st stitch.  DC to end, 11 stitches, turn
Row 2 of the thumb: ch 2, DC in next 2 DC, turn
Row 3: HDC, DC, HDC, turn
Row 4: Repeat row 3, turn
Row 5: 3 HDC, turn
Row 6: SC to the end and down around the inside of the thumb back down to Row 1 and slip stitch to connect, turn
Rows 2-5 of hand:  ch 2, DC to end, 8 stitches, turn

Row 6-7:  sc, HDC, 4 DC, HDC, sc, turn
Row 8: sc, 5 HDC, sc to end and down the hand back to the base (no real count, some DCs I did 2 stitches, some only 1, just watch that it lays flat).
Row 9-10: ch 2, DC to end, about 10 stitches, make sure it lays flat, this is the palm portion of the mitten.
Optional: add a row of fringe or an alternate color.

I love the burlap of the pinned version, but muslin was available.  Since I'm constantly stash busting and trying to use what I have and not buy something new, muslin it is!  Plus, it's softer anyways.  I'm thrilled with the result, yes, it needs a bit more stuffing, just have to find where I put it.

Plus, it looks great with my other pillows:

Now it's time to go back to Pinterest and see what else I pinned that needs to be created this week!

If you like what you see,

I’d love for you to follow me!

Peace be with you,

 

I'll be linking up to some of these parties, stop by and check out the talent!

M: Made by you Mondays, Made with Love Monday, Making the World Cuter, MMM @ CRAFT, Just something I whipped up, Organizing Mission Monday, Creative Me Monday, A Round Tuit, Motivate me Monday, Jam Hands, Must Try Monday T: Sew Cute Tuesday, Handmade Tuesdays, Tip Me Tuesday, TCB, Topsy Turvy Tuesdays, Take-a-Look Tuesdays, Too Cute Tuesdays, Giggles Glitz & Glam W: We Did it Wednesday, Night Owl Crafting, Sugar & Spice, Tea Rose Home, We’re Organized Wednesday, What I Wore Wednesday, What’s Up Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday, Share the Wealth, Real Momma Real Style, Your Whims Wednseday, Whatever Goes T: Make It Wear It, Frogs & Snails, It’s Stinkin’ Cute, Making it with Allie, Things I’ve Done, Everybody’s Creative Endeavor F: Fun Friday Finds, Fingerprints on the Fridge, It’s a Hodgepodge, Chic on a Shoestring, Fantastic Friday, TGIF, I’m an Organizing Junkie, Spunky Junky, The Shabby Nest, While He Was Napping, Upcycled Awesome S/S: Get Schooled Saturday, KISS, Funky Fresh, Weekend Wrap Up, Nifty Thrifty, Creative Bloggers, Six Sisters

Jumping on the Band Wagon... or Leader of the Pack?

I know we've all seen the simplicity of sweater sleeves turned into leg warmers lately.  The other day when I was wasting time on Pinterest, I saw a few more cute ones and thought, I need to get some sweaters to do this with.   A little while later, it dawned on me... I have a box labeled "Sweater Parts"...

Now, where did I put that and what is in it?

Turns out:

About 10 sweater sleeves!  Plus, I actually serged all the ends before packing them away... I should have labeled the box "Leg Warmers" since I didn't need to do anything to them... well, some the thread is really obvious (ie, the red ones there) so I need to fold that under and hem it.

And now a random picture my son says has to be next:

I've been busy making lots of hats for the etsy shop, O-man said I had to put this picture of he and "Georgia" in... "Right der, Ommy"... between his coughing and stuffy nose...

So, while I was going to jump on the band wagon and make myself some leg warmers, I should have put these on instead of putting them in the box and I would have been leading the pack!

Guess it's a good thing, since at this rate, I'm never going to get to crocheting or knitting the chunky, funky pattern I drew up... well, maybe by next July!

Peace be with you,

 

I'll be linking up to some of these parties, stop by and check out the talent!

M: Made by you Mondays, Made with Love Monday, Making the World Cuter, MMM @ CRAFT, Just something I whipped up, Organizing Mission Monday, A Round Tuit, Motivate me Monday, Sharing Monday, Jam Hands T: Sew Cute Tuesday, Handmade Tuesdays, Tip Me Tuesday, TCB, Topsy Turvy Tuesdays, Take-a-Look Tuesdays, Too Cute Tuesdays, Giggles Glitz & Glam, It’s Sew fun Tuesday W: We Did it Wednesday, Night Owl Crafting, Sugar & Spice, Tea Rose Home, We’re Organized Wednesday, What I Wore Wednesday, What’s Up Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday, Share the Wealth,  T: Make It Wear It, Frogs & Snails, It’s Stinkin’ Cute, Making it with Allie, Things I’ve Done, Everybody’s Creative Endeavor F: Fun Friday Finds, Fingerprints on the Fridge, It’s a Hodgepodge, Chic on a Shoestring, Fantastic Friday, TGIF, I’m an Organizing Junkie, Spunky Junky, The Shabby Nest, While He Was Napping, Upcycled Awesome S/S: KISS, Funky Fresh, Weekend Wrap Up, Nifty Thrifty, Creative Bloggers

Christmas Before Thanksgiving... Not for Me!

When it comes to holidays, I love Christmas as much as the next person, but I love Thanksgiving too and feel it gets totally jilted every year:

 

I don't decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving, I actually decorate for Thanksgiving!  I do however spread my gift shopping out all year and try to be done before Thanksgiving for the shopping portion, leaving me time to enjoy the Christmas season.  If I'm going to make gifts, which I try to do whenever possible, I try to spread those out over time also, but I like to leave "Christmas-y" things until after Thanksgiving...

But, I made an exception this year for my Etsy shop.  I got a custom hat request, ironically for something I was already working on... something Christmas-y.  I'm still working on "Angry Fowl" hats, filling orders and getting ready for a December craft show, but I've been trying to mix it up and throw in a few other hats.

   

   

What do you think?  I'm personally thrilled with the way they turned out and already have additional ones in the works.

Peace be with you,

 

I'll be linking up to some of these parties, stop by and check out the talent!

M: Made by you Mondays, Made with Love Monday, Making the World Cuter, MMM @ CRAFT, Just something I whipped up, Organizing Mission Monday, A Round Tuit, Motivate me Monday, Sharing Monday, Jam Hands T: Sew Cute Tuesday, Handmade Tuesdays, Tip Me Tuesday, TCB, Topsy Turvy Tuesdays, Take-a-Look Tuesdays, Too Cute Tuesdays, Giggles Glitz & Glam, It’s Sew fun Tuesday W: We Did it Wednesday, Night Owl Crafting, Sugar & Spice, Tea Rose Home, We’re Organized Wednesday, What I Wore Wednesday, What’s Up Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday, Share the Wealth,  T: Make It Wear It, Frogs & Snails, It’s Stinkin’ Cute, Making it with Allie F: Fun Friday Finds, Fingerprints on the Fridge, It’s a Hodgepodge, Chic on a Shoestring, Fantastic Friday, TGIF, I’m an Organizing Junkie, Spunky Junky, The Shabby Nest, While He Was Napping, Upcycled Awesome S/S: KISS, Funky Fresh, Weekend Wrap Up, Nifty Thrifty, Creative Bloggers