Crochet Necklace Pattern

So right now I'm buried in a pole of sparkle yarn. Well, not literally, but there is a large pile on the couch from earlier this evening. What am I doing with this yarn? Necklaces! I love making these, because they whip up so quickly and it's really hard to mess them up. No real counting required!

Materials: Lattice yarn or thin ribbon. (My favorite lattice yarn right now is the "City Lights" brand); J hook

Tie a slip knot a good distance from the end of the yarn. This will become the side of your necklace, so you want enough room to give it length and still be able to tie a knot.

Chain about 60. This number can go up or down, depending on how long you want your necklace to be.

Fasten off. Cut the yarn about the same distance from the end of your chain as you left at the beginning. It doesn't have to be exact.

Repeat about 6 times. You can add more for a fuller look and/or vary the amount of stitches for a tiered necklace.

When you've completed all the chains, gather them all by one end. Make sure you line up the knots! (This is about the only part you have to be somewhat precise). Tie all the chains together, forming one large knot over the small knots. (This sounds confusing, it's really not)

Repeat on the other end. 

Determine how long you want you necklace to be, make it even, and tie the ends together. Trim off the excess yarn. (It makes a great cat toy)

Let me know if you have any questions!

If you want to win one of these, pop on over to the Toasty Toes Facebook page and enter the giveaway! I'll be picking a winner Saturday night!

Stay Crafty!

CR 

The Epic Quest

So these braided scarves I've been "hooked" on are great for stash busting. Well, until you run out of the color you are using half a row from the end. 

I thought it would be no big deal. Berry tones are in again this fall, so the mulberry shade I needed should have been a simple find. Ha!

Store 1: I went to Hobby Lobby. Nothing came close to the required color. I had a coupon, so I bought the best option (it was pretty!) and tried the next place.

Store 2: I thought I'd found it at Joanns. The lighting in the store showed the colors as the same hue. I happily bought the yarn and headed home.

 I showed M my purchases and the yarn I was trying to match. In the lower light of our living room, I realized my yarn was most definitely a different shade than what I had purchased, so the next day it was back to the craft stores. 

Store 3: Michaels didn't have anything close to what I needed, but it did have a large clearance section, including $0.99 hippo color yarn. I'd still call that a win.

Store 4: My last try was Walmart. This is what I found there:

I figured that the Joann's yarn would be my best option, since I had originally thought they were the same. While trying to take a picture of the two yarns, I couldn't find a way to show there difference. I took that as a good sign. 

At any rate, the scarf is finished and I can't tell where the yarns switched colors. Crisis averted!

Stay Crafty!

CR

The Scarf

So I'm trying something new and posting from my phone. We'll see how this goes. 

I finished a super cool scarf the other day and wanted to share some pics. It's a braided infinity scarf. I'm really liking infinity scarves, since you don't have to figure out what to do with the ends or how best to tie it. You just throw it on, wind it around a time or two, and go. Brilliant! 

The finished product! 

Basically I made three really long strands of double crochet, braided them, and stitched the ends together.

Not only am I loving the infinity scarf trend, I'm also a fan of mustard and grey. 

To give you an idea of the length...

This one is 375 stitches long. It seems to be about the right length for a few twists.

These next pics are of the works in progress:

Funny story about that pinkish yarn...but I'll get to that later. 

Stay Crafty!

CR

Catching up

Sorry I've been a bit quiet the past week! The official "end of summer" arrived, and with it, my summer routine. Although if I'm honest, my routine hasn't changed much except that I'm dragging myself out of bed before 7:30 so I can attempt to whittle down my to-do list.

It's been an odd week, what with everyone else returning to school and me not returning. My initial response is to ignore it. Pretend like nothing has changed and life has always been this way and I've always been jobless. But Friday I had an epiphany: I quite enjoy my life right now. So far I've been kept extra busy with etsy and craft shows and friend orders and new pattern designs, as well as training for a new job to begin at some point in the future. I'm sure things will settle down after I catch up with the changing seasons and restock all the fall and winter patterns, but in the meantime I've constantly got a crochet hook in my hand. (Except for now. But it is sitting right beside me.)

I'm also trying to become a better housewife. M is cool with me setting up "work hours" and sticking to them (for the most part), but I can tell he also appreciates the fact I've been able to keep up th the dishes and laundry and actually have dinner made on a consistent basis. Alright, I lied. The laundry is still in a GIANT pile in the laundry room waiting to be folded and organized, but at least it's all clean! (That's been my excuse for how long now?)

I also enjoy the freedom to socialize. I can stay out past 8:00. I can meet up for coffee in the middle of the day. Someone needs a sitter for an hour or a ride to the store? I can do that! This past Sunday we spent the entire afternoon and evening with good friends, and not once did I have to worry about the next days lesson plans or what I had to do before duty the next morning. I was able to focus on the people around me and invest in the relationships. This may very well be my favorite part of life right now.

Best of all, I'm not as bitter as I was before. I'm still not ready to return to the world of teaching, but I'm at peace with it. I'm hoping and working towards a position as a brain trainer, and enjoying the process. It's not totally outside of education, but the setting, context, and purpose are different. M is the one who suffered the most from my bitterness and anger, and I'm trying to reverse those patterns and create new ones, such as a clean house, smiling wife, and dinner. It's only been a week, but so far it seems to be working.

Ultimately, I feel as if I've reached a place of peace and trust. It's scary not knowing when the next order will come in or how well we will do at a show, or if there will be enough money in our bank account if I don't start work for another two months. But God is faithful and continues to provide in unexpected ways. If nothing else, I am thankful for a chance to relearn trust and reliance on God, even though it makes me so uncomfortable. He has never let me go before and He never will.

Sorry for the very un-yarn centered post! When I get a chance (by Friday, I promise!) I'll be putting up pictures from my current project: Braided Infinity Scarves. I've got one finished, and I think I'm in love!

Stay Crafty!

CR

Boot Cuff Pattern 2.0 (No pics)

Materials: Worsted Weight Yarn, Size J hook

Stitches: sc, slip stitch, hdc, dc, fpdc, bpdc

(Don't worry, they're not as complicated as the abbreviations look!)

 Chain 13

Starting in the second chain from the hook, single crochet (sc) across. 12 stitches total.

When you reach the end of the row, chain 1, turn. Repeat for +/- 38 rows.

(I use 38 rows for a "generic" size boot cuff, but you can make them smaller or larger as needed.)

When you're done, it looks like a short scarf.

When you're cuff is long enough (it will fit around your leg without needing to stretch too much or being too loose), chain one. Without finishing off, slip stitch row 1 to row 38 across.

Chain 1, sc across the top edge in the end stitches of each row.

When you have made your way around (+/- 38 stitches) (I never count), join to the chain 1 you began the edging with.

I use one of two edgings for my boot cuffs. I'll show you both, starting with the scalloped edge.

Chain 3, skip one sc, slip stitch to next sc. Repeat around. If you end up with an extra space, you can either make an extra chain 3 loop OR make one chain 4 and skip two stitches. It won't make a huge difference.

Chain 1. Sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc in each chain 3 loop around (5 stitches in each loop).

When you reach the end, slip stitch to chain 1. Fasten off, weave in ends, turn the boot cuff right side out (so the seam is hidden). Tada!

Version 2: Ripple edge (Bubble edge? Poofy edge? Traditional Sock edge? I really need to work on naming things better!)

This is what the cuff should look like after you finish the sc along the top edge.

Chain 2. Fpdc, bpdc around. Join to chain 2.

You should have a good bumpy pattern going. When you reach the end of the row, chain 2.

Fpdc in fpdc, bpdc in bpdc around. Join to chain 2. Fasten off, weave in ends, turn right side out.

Boot Cuff Pattern

I've heard rumors of this thing called "fall" that should be showing up sometime in the near future. I hope it comes soon! Overall the summer has been mild and rainy, but it feels like all the heat and humidity has been crammed into this past week. Despite the sunshine and 90 degree temps, I'm ready for boots! And that means it's also time for boot cuffs! Bear with me, since this is the first pattern I've actually designed and then attempted to write it down in such as way that others can understand it. I tried to take pictures at each step, but I make no promises of the quality. 

One quick request: By all means use this to make boot cuffs for yourself or to give as gifts (Christmas will be here sooner than I realize!), but please don't sell these! If you want the boot cuffs but don't want to do the work, you can buy them from me (https://www.etsy.com/listing/121830541/crocheted-boot-cuffs) 

Feel free to comment with questions and/or comments and/or pictures of your boot cuffs!

Materials: Worsted Weight Yarn, Size J hook

Stitches: sc, slip stitch, hdc, dc, fpdc, bpdc

(Don't worry, they're not as complicated as the abbreviations look!)

On the left: Cuff with scalloped edge. On the right: Cuff with Ripple/bumpy edge

 Chain 13

Starting in the second chain from the hook, single crochet (sc) across. 12 stitches total.

When you reach the end of the row, chain 1, turn. Repeat for +/- 38 rows.

(I use 38 rows for a "generic" size boot cuff, but you can make them smaller or larger as needed.)

When you're done, it looks like a short scarf.

When you're cuff is long enough (it will fit around your leg without needing to stretch too much or being too loose), chain one. Without finishing off, slip stitch row 1 to row 38 across.

It should look like this when you get across.

Chain 1, sc across the top edge in the end stitches of each row.

When you have made your way around (+/- 38 stitches) (I never count), join to the chain 1 you began the edging with.

I use one of two edgings for my boot cuffs. I'll show you both, starting with the scalloped edge.

Chain 3, skip one sc, slip stitch to next sc. Repeat around. If you end up with an extra space, you can either make an extra chain 3 loop OR make one chain 4 and skip two stitches. It won't make a huge difference.

Chain 1. Sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc in each chain 3 loop around (5 stitches in each loop).

When you reach the end, slip stitch to chain 1. Fasten off, weave in ends, turn the boot cuff right side out (so the seam is hidden). Tada! 

Why yes, that is the 2nd season of Big Bang in the background. 

Version 2: Ripple edge (Bubble edge? Poofy edge? Traditional Sock edge? I really need to work on naming things better!)

This is what the cuff should look like after you finish the sc along the top edge. 

Note: I'll be honest, I can't ever remember which is fpdc and which is bpdc, but alternate in each sc along the top edge. Basically, you are adding a dc around the body of the sc, either in front of the stitch or behind. I tried to get good photos, but I'm not sure how successful I was.

Chain 2. Fpdc, bpdc around. Join to chain 2.

You should have a good bumpy pattern going. When you reach the end of the row, chain 2.

Fpdc in fpdc, bpdc in bpdc around. Join to chain 2. Fasten off, weave in ends, turn right side out.

This is after the first row of fpdc/bpdc. You can see the "bumps" forming. This is what you want.

I'll post the pattern sans photos later. Hopefully this is easy to follow, but please let me know if you have any questions.

Stay Crafty!

CR

PSA

Just so you all know, pizza crust made with gluten free flour will not act the same way. My plan for stromboli rolls quickly became stromboli casserole. Tasty, but not the original plan. Oh, gluten. There are days I miss your elasticity.

Stay Crafty!

CR