Soon to be named podcast 2

Felt Garland

It's September and autumn is in the air! This year I really wanted to decorate for fall so decoration crafting is underway. I just made this adorable felted garland for my little tree! I use this little tree to decorate for many different holidays so I think I will make felt garland for all of the holidays as well!

These little felt balls are so quick and easy. Also you can make a bunch at once so even a large garland would be simple! Let's get started!

Materials~
wool- batting or roving but my preference is batting
yarn
soap
hot water
needle
That's it!

You will start by pulling away a small amount of wool. Really the amount depends on the size ball you want. You can play around with this by rolling it up to get an idea of the size.

Now tightly roll a ball starting at one end and rolling and folding until you have a ball.

Once you have a ball, needlefelt it lightly just to hold it's shape while you make more.

Once you have all of the little balls rolled, place them in a container and pour a small amount of hot soapy water over the balls. Just enough to dampen them. I used Ivory dish soap.

Now place a lid on your container and shake the container for a few minutes. This will begin the felting. After a few minutes you can place the balls on a bubble mat with a bit more hot water and roll them with your hands against the mat. If you are only doing a few, you can just roll them in your hands after wetting them with hot water. No mat needed. With either method they will now felt down completely. I don't like to felt them too hard so that I can easily get a needle through when stringing them for garland.

After rolling them in your hands or on the mat to the density that you prefer, rinse them with cold water making sure that all of the soap is out. Next, toss them in your dryer. This will finish the felting nicely.

Now it is time to string them! I used a doll sewing needle because it has a sharp point and a large eye for the yarn. simply run the needle through the center of each ball to string them up.

At first I used this cotton crochet thread but them I switched to a brown acrylic. I liked the brown more for autumn and I found that the acrylic held the balls in place on the garland better.

Space the felted balls evenly apart on your garland and knot off both ends of yarn. Now hang and enjoy! Happy autumn!!!

Drawstring Bag

Do you go into fabric shops and absolutely fall in love with gorgeous fat quarters only to bring them home and put them away in a drawer for a year? I know I did! I used to sew all of the time. But it has been years since I have done any real sewing as crocheting and felting have taken over. But I still adore pretty fabric and I want the pretty fabric!

Well, I figured that a simple drawstring project bag for my crocheting would be better than beautiful fabric shoved in a drawer. So I looked up some tutorials and found this extremely simple one by Purl Soho. This goes together in 20 or 30 minutes. Truly!

You can keep it as is or add a lining like I did! To add a lining just make another bag that is about 1/4 smaller than your outer fabric. You will place your lining down into your bag with wrong sides together. So that you see only the right sides of both. Turn down the top of your lining until it is just under your folded drawstring section for the outer part of the bag. Pin that in place around the fold and stitch around the top of the lining as close to the fold as possible! Still only takes minutes and now you have a very nice and finished bag!

For my drawstring I chose some coordinating yarn from my stash. I cut my yarn 10” longer  than what is called for in the pattern. This is because I braided my yarn. Cut twelve strips of yarn all the same length (whatever is called for in the pattern +10”) separate into two groups of six as you will be making two drawstrings. Tape six pieces of yarn to a table from one end and braid the entire length. Pull up the tape and thread one end onto a large eye yarn (darning) needle. Follow the Purl Soho directions for threading through bag. Now hold the two ends together and wrap a long length of yarn around the top where the two braids meet leaving a 2” tail. Follow the wrapping directions for the top of the tassel from this tutorial. Just the last wrap because yours was constructed differently. Do this for both drawstrings and you are finished!

Now you can snatch up all of the pretty fat quarters and have project bags galore!

Miraz Cowl Free Pattern

Two of my favorite podcasters, Crochetcakes and Crochet Luna are hosting a CAL! It is the bad boys/girls cal. #srcal2018 on instagram. They each have Ravelry groups with threads for the cal as well. I usually don’t get in on these things in time but this time I did! Yay!

So, for my part I have designed a cowl using Yarn Bee Aspyn. It is a super soft and squishy single ply, bulky weight yarn. The cowl only takes one skein! Actually less than one skein, so it is a quick make! I loved working with it! And the colors absolutely remind me of Narnia and the Telmarines with their dreaded but awesome leader Miraz. My chosen bad boy 😉 Nobody has a cooler accent than a Telmarine!

It is very simple and mainly uses double crochet stitch. (US terms) You simply cross the stitches in the same manner you cable. Don’t let the cable word frighten you, it is just two dc stitches crisscrossed 🙂 I explain below in the pattern!

Materials~ 

Yarn~ Yarn Bee Aspyn, 1 skein (141 yds)

Hook~ K~ 6.5mm

Ch 60

Join in round with ss being careful not to twist. 

Rnd 1- sc in first st, pm, sc in each st around

Rnd 2- ss in first st, ch2, dc in each st around

Rnd 3- ss in first st, ch2, 1 dc in second sc from hook, now go back and work 1 dc in first sc, now work 1 dc in fourth sc, now go back and work 1 dc in third sc. Continue in this same manner for entire round forming criss crossed dc’s.

Rnds 4-11- repeat rnd 3

Rnd 12- 1 dc in each st around

Rnd 13- ss in first st, ch1, 1 sc in each st around

Rnd 14- ss in each st around, ss to first st

Cut yarn and weave in ends!

Oh So Cute Bonnet

I have a sweet friend who is also a very talented photographer. She loves newborn photography and has commissioned me to crochet and felt different items for the newborns that come into her studio. One of these items is of course, an adorable bonnet 😊 I decided that I would like to design one for her and she absolutely loved it!

Now I am sharing the pattern with you so you can make this soft, squishy bonnet for a little one in your life or for those “oh so cute” newborn photographs!

Materials~
Yarn is Stitch Studio by Nicole- Chateau (super bulky)
Hook- N/P 10 mm

Begin by leaving a very long tail for seaming

Ch 22

row1- 1dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc in each st across (22)

row 2- ch 2 turn, * 1 fpdc in next st, 1 bpdc in next st*, repeat from * across

row 3- ch 2 turn, * 1 bpdc in next st, 1 fpdc in next st*, repeat from * across

Repeat rows 2 & 3- 2 more times, (7rows total)

row 8-  1 sc in each st across, at the end pm in working loop and remove hook. You will return to this loop.

Using tail left from beginning ch, ss up the back of the bonnet.

We will now make the spiral ties. Returning to working loop, remove place marker and ss across entire bottom of bonnet.

 Ch 20 from corner, work 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook,work 2 sc in each st. Finish and weave in end.

From opposite corner of bonnet attach yarn and repeat directions above for 2nd tie.

Weave in all ends.

Waterfall

                            ~Waterfall~

 I just completed this piece and I couldn’t be happier! The idea was inspired by woven tapestry. I realized that I could add fringe and use it as an element in my artwork too! Why not? The yarn is wool and will felt right in! Only I had the advantage and freedom of needlefelting my “painting”. Adding all of the depth and color I pleased, where I pleased, as I went along!
 At the bottom I was able to needlefelt my fringe directly to my artwork! I can do this because I needlefelt directly into foam. It is my canvas. Foam is sturdy enough to hold 3D elements and fringe. I use at least a 2” deep foam. I can cut it into any shape of canvas that I like as well, giving my piece the rounded top.

 This piece has definitely inspired me to do more using this technique and see where my imagination can take me!

Easy Peasy Scrubby!

I picked up some Red Heart Scrubby Sparkle while I was shopping at Hobby Lobby the other day. Some time ago I was watching the Yarn Hoarder’s podcast and she highly recommended it for scrubbing dishes. So when I saw it, I grabbed a skein.

Lately I’ve been working on felt and crochet commissions which have kept me busy, but today, I’m a little under the weather. I just need to take it easy this morning but wanted something to do while resting. So, I grabbed my scrubby yarn and started crocheting! I wanted brainless and quick crocheting for a morning like this lol!

And with that, I have this very easy, very beginner friendly scrubby pattern for you! It is worked in a flat spiral. That’s it! I have left it one layer because this yarn is already covered in little scrubby fringe so it’s heavy duty. And I think a single layer washes up cleaner than something doubled up.

You can make a bunch for yourself or have a stock pile for housewarming, birthday and Christmas gifts!

You will need~
1 skein Red Heart Scrubby Sparkle ( I’m using the ice pop colorway)
A 4mm or US G crochet hook
1 stitch marker

Begin with an adjustable loop.

Work 6hdc in loop, pull loop tight

Work 2 hdc in each st around pm in first st (12)

Work *1 hdc in first st, 2 hdc in next st* repeat to end of round (18)

Work *1 hdc in next 2 st, work 2 hdc in next st* repeat to end (24)

Work *1 hdc in next 3 st, work 2 hdc in next st* repeat to end (30)

Work *1 hdc in next 4 st, work 2 hdc in next st* repeat to end (36)

Work *1 hdc in next 5 st, work 2 hdc in next st* repeat to end (42)

Work *1 hdc in next 6 st, work 2 hdc in next st* repeat to end (48)

Cut yarn and finish off! It is that easy!