Friday, December 16, 2011

Hi all, I am taking a break for a while

Season's Greetings To One and All.

I am taking a break from my crochet and dabbling in some other crafty things.
I am temporarily off face book too.
I hope to be back in 2012.

Here is a picture of my grand daughter Cindy's first Christmas.

Here are some pictures of my current crafty adventures.



See you all in the new year, take care now.


Friday, November 4, 2011

Yarn Craft. Yarn Balls. Scrap Yarn Project.

I found a picture of a ball constructed with yarn, using a balloon and glue. I liked it! 
I had the image but no real instructions.
I have recorded my events for those of you who wish to make this fun project too.

I am not the first and will certainly not be the last to create one of these beauties :)


Materials needed:
Yarn of your choice, clear drying glue and a balloon.

This is how I first visualized how the yarn should be attached to the balloon. I cut lengths of yarn, put them into the container of glue, then pulled them out 1 by 1, ran my fingers down the piece of yarn getting out the excess glue, then roughly placed the strand of yarn around the balloon, piece by piece.


This was a slow and messy process, I also realized that I would not be able to turn the balloon over to do the bottom until the top dried as the yarn would slide off the balloon :(

So here is the balloon, sitting on my sink to dry, it is on a plastic lid so it will not stick to that and the excess glue is running freely onto my sink, more mess. I also tried using doilies, but I scrapped that very quickly, the doily medium was heavy and it slipped off. I had also made my glue too thin :(


The balloon took a couple of days to dry enough for me to be able to turn it to finish off the bottom part, too slow.

I had to rethink my approach, so I blew up a couple of more balloons in different sizes, BUT, this time I simply wrapped the balloon with the yarn, then brushed on the glue (which I had made stronger this time). The first one I wrapped was the little one and I wrapped far too much yarn on it, so the second one was the medium size and I took more care to wrap it thinner. After they were brushed with the glue on all sides and bottoms (yes the entire balloon in one go) I placed them in a sunny place to dry.

This is my experience with the popping of the balloons.



These are the balls almost dried.

This is how I hung my yarn balls as a decorative piece in my sun room.
This project is only limited by one's imagination, I see so much more that can be done with this technique, such as:

Make a ball for your garden, place small scraps of yarn into it, the birds can pull out the scrap yarn and use it to make their nest with.

Make small balls and allow an opening to insert a small led light into it and place these around your out door seating area.

By using sausage shape balloons you can make a plastic bag storage/dispenser.

Wrap only half the balloon for a decorative plate.

The list goes on and on.


I have mentioned in my video about using these for light shades or candles, I am not sure if these will be fire resistant, it could come down to your choice of fiber that is used, more research is needed here if  I am going to do that.


This is my next project for xmas, small decorations for my xmas get together, I am using cotton until I run out of that, then I will just use scrap yarn in xmas colors.


Home made glue to use:

Combine ½ cup flour and 2 cups cold water in a bowl.
Boil 2 cups of water in a sauce pan and add the flour and cold water mixture.
Bring to a boil again.
Remove from heat and add 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Let cool. The paste will thicken as it cools. 

Friday, October 7, 2011

Crochet Tunisian Entralac. Success of Failure?


My Tunisian Entralac journey began with some practice and more practice. I wanted to understand how it worked and why I needed the stitch count that was used. 
You need a vertical and horizontal stitch count, plus 1, for each square you begin with, you will count the last loop on the hook for the last square made as the plus 1.

Elizabeth Ham made a fantastic video tutorial that I first followed, I also watched some other video tutorials that came in handy.
So I had done my research, bought my yarn and began on my first project.

My first project was a couple of covers for the head part of my recliner lounge chairs.

The squares a 5x5.
These did take much longer to make than I thought they would. I was using a 4.00 mm, US G/6 hook and 8 ply, US 4 ply yarn.
Now because my hubby lives in his recliner, I made him some arm covers, but this time I used 2 strands of the yarn, a larger hook and I had a much larger working piece in no time.

Next it was onto a throw for the couch, I had cracked the stitch and understood it so much more, so I decided to make the throw with bigger squares, 16 ply, US 8 ply and an 8 mm US L/11hook. I'm still making this throw and need to stock up on more yarn for completion.

The squares are 10 x 10.

Now upon surfing crochet as I like to do at times, I came across a slipper pattern made with granny squares and the placement guide was this picture
which came from this site.

Well why not ? Was my very first thought!
That could be made with the Tunisian Entralac method.
I used what I thought would be a close st count for my size slipper, 12 x 12 squares and the same ply yarn and hook as the throw.
This is what it looked liked once I finished the squares.
The next step was to sew it together.
Top view
Bottom view
I could see I had made these too big for myself
But what the heck? I had tried and almost succeeded, back to the drawing board for measurements.
Waste not want not, they are now on display as a pot plant cover in my sun room.
I'm very pleased that I did try this method for the slipper, I can see myself trying this with other items too.
Thanks for reading my post and just maybe you have learned a lesson along with me.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Crochet Leaf On My Hat





Crochet Leaf On My Hat
Very suttle leaves in groups of 4 are spread over the hat in 2 pattern row repeats.

Size: Medium Adult
Main color approx 60 gm’s
Hook size 4.00 mm. US G/6
Yarn, 8 ply. US 4 ply
US terms used through out pattern
St’s Used:
Sl st = slip stitch
Ch = chain
Dc = double crochet
Special Notes:
Dc 3 together = yo hook, insert hook into st, pull up a loop, yo pull through 2 loops on hook,(2 loops on hook) yo hook insert hook into next st, draw up a loop,(4 loops on hook) yo hook draw through 2 loops on hook (3 loops on hook), yo hook insert hook into st, pull up a loop, yo hook, pull through 2 loops, (4 loops on hook) yo hook, pull through all 4 loops on hook
Skill = beginner +
Time =leisurely 4 hours

Special notes: You will need the 72 dc, basic dc crown pattern to begin making your hat, which is in written form and a video tutorial, located at this link.


Complete your basic dc crown. The chain 3 is the first st of every round

Pattern rows:
 Row 1: ch 7 (ch 7= 1dc and a ch 4), skip 5 dc’s, work (3 dc’s, 3 ch, 3 dc’s) in next dc,  ch 4 , skip next 5 dc’s,  *work 1 dc in next dc, ch 4, skip next 5 dc’s, work (3 dc’s, 3 ch, 3 dc’s) in next dc, ch 4, skip next 5 dc’s,* repeat from *to* to end, sl st to top of beginning ch 3 to join round ( 6 groups of (3 dc’s, 3 ch, 3 dc’s) 6 single dc’s)

Row 2: ch 5 (ch 5 = 1 dc and a ch 2), work (2 dc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc,) ch 2, work 1 dc around the ch 3 group, ch 2, work (2 dc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc,) ch 2,  *work 1 dc in the next dc, ch 2, work (2 dc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc,)  ch 2, work 1 dc around the ch 3 group, ch 2, work (2 dc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc,) ch 2,* repeat from*to* to end, sl st to top of beginning ch 3 to join round

Row 3: ch 5 (ch 5 = 1 dc and a ch 2), work (1 dc in each of the next 5 dc), ch 2, work (3 dc in the next dc), ch 2, work (1 dc in each of the next 5 dc), ch 2, *work 1 dc in next dc, ch 2, work (1 dc in each of the next 5 dc), ch 2, work (3 dc in the next dc), ch 2, work (1 dc in each of the next 5 dc), ch 2,* repeat from *to* to end, sl st to top of beginning ch 3 to join round

 At the end of row 3, your hat may look like a little out of shape, just like this picture


Dc 3 together over next 5 st’s, see special notes above:

Row 4: ch 4 (ch 4 = 1 dc and a ch 1) work a dc 3 together this way (dc decrease over the 1st, 3rd and 5th dc of the next 5 dc group), ch 3, work 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, skip next dc, work 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, (dc decrease over the 1st, 3rd and 5th dc of the next 5 dc group), ch 1,* work 1 dc in next dc, ch 1, (dc decrease over the 1st, 3rd and 5th dc of the next 5 dc group), ch 3, work 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, skip next dc, work 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, (dc decrease over the 1st, 3rd and 5th dc of the next 5 dc group), ch 1,* repeat from *to* to end, sl st to top of beginning ch 3 to join round

At the end of row 4, your hat will come back into shape, just like this picture


Row 5: ch 7 (ch 7= 1dc and a ch 4), skip over the dc dec st, skip next dc, work (3 dc’s, 3 ch, 3 dc’s) in the ch space, ch 4, skip next dc, skip over the dc dec st, *work 1 dc in the next dc, ch 4, skip over the dc dec st, skip next dc, work (3 dc’s, 3 ch, 3 dc’s) in the ch space, ch 4, skip next dc, skip over the dc dec st, * repeat from *to* to end, sl st to top of beginning ch 3 to join round

Row 6: repeat row 2

Row 7: repeat row 3

Row 8: repeat row 4

Hat before, making the hat edging
 
Hat edge:

Row 1: ch 2 (ch 2=1 hdc), work 1 hdc in the top of the dc 3 together space, work 2 hdc in the ch 3 space, work 1 hdc in the next dc, work 2 hdc in the ch 3 space, work 1 hdc in the next dc, work 2 hdc in the ch 3 space, work 1 hdc in the top of the dc 3 together space, *work 1 hdc in the next dc, work 1 hdc in the top of the dc 3 together space, work 2 hdc in the ch 3 space, work 1 hdc in the next dc, work 2 hdc in the ch 3 space, work 1 hdc in the next dc, work 2 hdc in the ch 3 space, work 1 hdc in the top of the dc 3 together space,* repeat from *to* to end, sl st to top of beginning ch 2 to join round (66 hdc)
if your stitch count is out a couple of  st’s, that’s okay, you can add or decrease anywhere on the next row, this is not an exact size, try your hat on and see if you want it smaller or larger, make adjustments on the next row

Row 2: ch 2 (ch 2=1 hdc), work 1 hdc in each hdc around, sl st to top of beginning ch 2 to join round

Row 3, Row 4 and Row 5: repeat Row 2, finish off weave in ends. But if you want your hat longer add a few more rows of row 2:



Please do not sell my pattern or claim it as your own. You can make and sell items from my hat pattern, I would be most pleased if this pattern was used for a charitable event. I would love to see your completed items.

I hope that you have found these instructions useful.
Please like me on face book or and comment on my face book page for more user information.
I am always more than happy to help
.