Scrap Yarn Christmas Tree Ornament

I've been telling myself not to procrastinate on Christmas projects for weeks now. And where am I? Crocheting Christmas gifts at 11pm 4 days before Christmas.. I'm so excited to give some homemade gifts this season! But I really wish I had finished some of these before. 

Of course inspiration always has to strike at the last second!

Scrap Yarn Christmas Tree Ornament

 

Here is a great quick and easy way to add a little bit of fiber into your decorating! I save all of my scraps of yarn in a bin in my yarn room. Over the year I've built up a LOT, so I'm always looking to get rid of it somehow without throwing it away.

I was at Michael's buying yarn when I came cross these plastic ornaments for super cheap! I remembered seeing a lot of things on Pinterest with people putting things inside, painting the outside, doing hand prints, etc. and I knew I could use them for something crafty.

I chose some scraps from these owl hats I was making a few weeks ago, and put them inside one of the balls. I think for about 5 seconds of work it looks pretty cute! 

And whats even better is I can take the yarn out and change the color for next year! Yep. I'm definitely going back after Christmas and grabbing a bunch of these marked down.

 

Materials: Clear Plastic Bulb Christmas Ornaments

               Yarn Scraps in a Color of Your Choice

All you have to do is pop off the top and squish a handful of yarn in there! The amount is up to you. Now hang it on your tree and enjoy (:

 

The Limitless Infinity Scarf - Free Crochet Pattern

Can you believe Christmas is only 4 days away?! I've been soaking in the Christmas cheer since November 1st, and I'm still not ready for it to end! Another reason for that could be because I'm SO behind on crocheting some Christmas gifts, I'm getting nervous!

So I took all of that nervous energy, and created this infinity scarf. I called it the Limitless Infinity scarf because it is so versatile, it has limited possibilities. The stitch is simple, and easy to work up. The end result is a comfy, cozy, stylish infinity scarf for yourself, or whoever is on your list!

This scarf features the extended single crochet, here is a video if you aren't familiar with it. It's very easy to get the hang of!

 

Plain Jane Crochet Headwrap

Christmas is right around the corner! So along with the business of the holiday season, I have been wanting to hand make some gifts for friends and family this year. I just haven't had the time to sit down with a complicated pattern and make some big project. I needed something simple, yet versatile, that all the women would like. 

This pattern is so easy, a complete beginner could do it. I feel weird even calling it a pattern. It's that simple. You just need to know 3 things, the foundation double crochet, double crochet, and slip stitch. If you're new to the foundation double crochet (like I was), there is a great video tutorial here that I used to learn it.

Plain Jane Crochet Head Wrap Pattern

Materials:
Size H hook
A skein of yarn (You can make a couple of these with one skein)
Yarn Needle to weave in ends

Pattern
Row 1: Foundation Double Crochet 62 times (or until it wraps comfortably around your head)
Row 2: Ch 2 (does not count as DC), turn, DC in each stitch across.
Repeat row 2 five more times.
Fold piece in half, and slip stitch the ends together.

Ta-da! You now have a perfectly cute, wearable, and comfy Christmas gift for someone special! And it was so easy I bet you want to make another one for yourself, right?! I know I do.

Hopefully this helps some of you knock out a few Christmas gifts before your time is up!

Happy Hookin'!

My Recent Finished Projects #1

I've decided to group together the posts about my most recent finished projects, so I can make things easier for myself if I need to go back and find something. And also for my few readers out there too who want to keep up with what I'm working on! 

I realize I've already posted a ton of finished projects on here, since that's why I started this blog in the first place, but I've decided to start fresh, and do this as a consistent weekly thing. Hopefully it will help me stay more organized and on top of things, as I'm usually one to start something and then put it down and forget about it!

 

Jude and his Thomas Hat!

Going through my pictures tonight I didn't realize that I forgot to post pictures of Jude wearing his Thomas hat that I made for him! Better late than never, he decided to model it for me one day.

 

I probably could have done a better job sewing it on the hat, and I'm pretty sure I put too much stuffing in, but for a first try I'm pretty satisfied! I could still use some more practice, so I'm looking forward to seeing what other character hats I can make!

Get the free pattern for it here!

Happy Hookin'! 

Owl Hats, Beanies, and Pumpkins.. Oh my!

 My absolute favorite season is finally here! Bittersweet, because it's halfway through, but I'm trying to savor it everyday. The colors of the leaves, the cool crisp air, apples, pumpkins, football, I love it all!

Most importantly though, I love to crochet around this time. I've already completed a couple hats for my boys, as well as a bunch to sell! My hook has been busy that's for sure, partly the cause of why I haven't been such a good blogger lately. ):

Jonah in his owl hat at 6 weeks old!

My Boy Is Turning Two! (Thomas Hat Free Pattern)

One of my favorite things about being a crocheter is making things for my littles! I just love being able to make something truly one of a kind and unique.

My son, Jude, turned two this week, and his birthday party is tomorrow. The theme of his party is Thomas the Train. Jude loves Thomas (what toddler boy doesn't?) and his face lights up when he sees anything with Thomas on it.

Fingerless Gloves! Free Pattern Link

I've been searching for a quick and easy pattern for some fingerless gloves, and I think I've found it! I made mine in a burnt orange color, and I can't wait to wear them! 

 

Newborn Pink and Brown Striped Beanie

Just thought I would share with you guys this adorable beanie I finished a few days ago! I love the brown and pink together, and the bow just pulls it all together.

The beanie was made using Repeat Crafter Me's owl hat pattern.
The bow can be found here. 

I also listed this hat in my Etsy shop here.

My Favorite FREE Patterns to give as gifts this season!

As the fall progresses, only one thing has been on my mind lately. Christmas! I've skipped completely over Halloween and Thanksgiving in my mind and have begun thinking about what I am going to make and for whom this year. I love, love, LOVE sharing my crochet products with everyone. I always try and make it something they will actually like and use.

Sometimes this can be a challenge, which is why I've decided to collect all of my favorite go-to free patterns to use for gifts. 

Chunky iPad Sleeve - Free Pattern

Do you ever find yourself with some chunky yarn and not know what to make with it? Sure you could do a hat or scarf, but how predictable is that? (not to mention I'm horrible at making hats)

So after searching and searching for something to make I decided to just make something of my own. I decided an iPad sleeve would be nice, something I can slip my iPad into and not have to worry about it getting bumped or scratched. The chunky yarn works perfect for this! It gives a lot more padding than your standard worsted weight yarn would.

The pattern is pretty simple, but I figured I'd share it anyways for those beginners that are looking for something quick and easy to make. You could easily resize this to fit a kindle, nook, or other tablet as well by chaining the width of your tablet instead of the recommended number of chains.

Chunky iPad Sleeve

Spicing up my kitchen with some dishcloths (Free Pattern Included!)

It's been a while since I made some new dishcloths for my kitchen, and to be honest I'm kind of sick of those plain old boring squares I made when I first started crocheting.

I stumbled across this free pattern on Pinterest (check out my crochet patterns board here ) and I knew I had to try it. Not only does it make a beautiful dishcloth but it could also double as a trivet or hot pad.

This pattern was so easy to follow, I was able to make 3 of these during my sons 2 hour nap this afternoon! Now that they're all done and ready, I can get to cleaning the kitchen. 

On second thought.. maybe I'll make just one more. (;

What Can You Do With 2 Skeins Of Yarn? (Free Patterns Included!)

I'm the type of yarnaholic that buys yarn without any specific project in mind. If I see a color combo that catches my eye I'll buy it, and then on my way home I rack my brain about what I should make with it.

This time around I ended up getting a hot pink/grey combo. Pink and grey are obviously a very popular color combination, and I knew I could come up with some great things that everyone would love.

I almost had a little competition with myself to see how many cute things I could make with just 2 skeins, and trying to use up all of it. I think I did a pretty good job! And I almost can't believe what I came up with.

First I made this slouch hat. I'm not a huge hat person, so I rarely do make hats, but it's been a while and I had the urge to try something new, so I went with it! You can find the pattern here.

Then I moved on to these 2 bags that are kind of like second nature to me when it comes to making them. I put on an episode of the bachelorette and before I knew it I had them finished! I know someone out there will enjoy these cute creations. I don't have the pattern for these, but I'm thinking I'll write one up soon for the smaller bag! The bigger one is a version of this pattern except larger.

And finally I made something that I've been meaning to get around to making since we moved into our new house in May, a plastic bag holder! I can see myself making many more of these in the future in various color combinations. Not everyone has one so it would make the perfect gift! You can find the free pattern I used here.

I almost cant even believe I made all 4 of these things with only 2 skeins of yarn. It makes me want to do this challenge all over again and see what else I can do! 

Which makes me curious, have you ever tried anything like this? 

If you have what did you come up with?

Plastic Bag Holder! Free Pattern Included

This plastic bag holder is awesome, I don't know why I didn't make one sooner! I like the handle on the top as it makes it easier to stuff bags in when you only have a second.

And the stripes make it even better and more customizable. 
I chose hot pink and grey mainly because they were the only colors I had quick access to (aka: already in my bedroom) and I really like how bright and cheery it looks!

You can find the free pattern I used here. I made a few minor adjustments from what the pattern says by using double crochet instead of single and doing my own thing with the color combo. The handle is 2 rows of single crochet slip stitched to the top. Super easy and makes a great gift too!

Made myself some slippers... Finally!!

I've been crocheting for a little over a year now. And since I have started I always had slippers on my to-do list. I tried one free pattern last winter and it didn't go so well. I didn't even finish the first slipper!

However, when I saw a picture of some slippers posted along with a free pattern on Facebook, I knew I had to give it a shot again. So that night I snuggled up with some yarn and my iPad, and got to work.

The result, to my surprise, was a pair of comfortable, cute colored slippers. What do you think?!

Besides being super proud of myself, I love how comfy these things are! I can see myself making a bunch of them as gifts for all the ladies in my family, and even adding a flower or other embellishment.

You can find the free pattern here, and now you can begin making a pair for yourself! Be careful though, because once you show them off everyone will start asking for a pair! (;

Going Mug Cozy Crazy!

Hey everyone! Have ya missed me?

Turns out, being 7 months pregnant, caring for a 1.5 year old, and moving into our first home (!!) definitely takes a toll on ones body! We've been moved in for about a month now, and am finally getting into a new, hopefully more organized, routine. My family is loving the space, the garden, and (my favorite part) the house is all on one level! No more running up and down with laundry or to bedrooms or anything. It may sound lazy, but I'm excited to put those days behind me. ;)

My son, Jude, enjoying our strawberry patch at the new house!

In the meantime, and after unpacking my yarn stash (which happened right when we moved in of course), I got to work on some small easy projects that I could gift or possibly sell. Mug cozies have always been my go-to project when I have some cotton and don't know what to do with it. They're functional, adorable, and everyone loves them! Here is the pattern I used for the mug cozies pictured. I'm also selling these in my Etsy shop!

My work in progress

The finished product!

I also made some can cozies since its summertime and you could always use a way to identify your soda/beer from the other 4 sitting on that picnic table over there. The can cozies also fit on cups from almost any fast food place, so the condensation doesn't get everywhere! Or am I the only one that has that problem? Here is the pattern for the can cozies! 

Now I have made quite a few more cozies since these pictures, so make sure you check my Facebook page to see what I'm working on daily! I promise to be back soon with some more goodies. (;

Heres a peek at what's to come! I've been on a bag kick lately. To the left is a medium sized clutch, and to the right is a larger clutch with a handle. Stay tuned!

My journey into hand spun yarns

I've been itching to crochet with handspun yarn for a while now. Ever since searching on Etsy and seeing all the beautiful colors, styles, and weights had me chomping at the bit to buy some! The only thing holding me back was the price. Some of those skeins go for up to $50! I didn't have that kind of money, especially not to blow on yarn I wasn't able to see and feel myself.

Well the time finally came. Fate stepped in (okay, maybe it was me) and convinced my hubby to get me a $50 Etsy gift card for valentines day!

<3 <3 <3

I just about cried when I got the email. Then I spent all night on Etsy browsing all the handmade yarns from some amazing sellers!

I've 'liked' Spinning Wheel Studio a while back on facebook. They update almost every day with lots of bright and colorful new yarns on their shop! So I knew I HAD to go there first. I bought 2 skeins of two different colors. When I saw they shipped out the very next day I was jumping for joy (yes literally, if you're half as obsessed with yarn as I am you know what I mean!). I got it in the mail just a few days later and I couldn't have been happier!

I highly suggest buying from her shop. She does such great work, and my yarns came wrapped like a present! I had a great time opening the tissue paper wrapped skeins, it was like my birthday or something!

So, what did I make you ask? Well, it was intimidating at first, I didn't know what to make. at $18 a skein I had a heavy weight on my shoulders to make something awesome, something I would USE, and something I would love.

I eventually came up with this purse/bag. Its small enough to hold a few essentials and take with me on a quick trip, and its fancy enough to be able to take out to dinner or out with friends (but lets face it.. how often does that really happen? haha)

Stay tuned later this week for the pattern!

Have you made anything recently with hand spun yarn? Show me on my facebook page!

New Phone Cozy Free Pattern!

Looking to adorn your phone in something not quite ordinary? Why not keep it protected and scratch free in a phone cozy?! It makes it easier to find in your purse (especially if you love huge bags like I do!), and you can pick any bright, dark, or multi color you want!

I made this one with a small amount of sock yarn I had left over from another project.

Sock Yarn Phone Cozy Free Pattern

Materials

Small amount of sock yarn

Size G (4.25mm) Hook

Chain 10

Round 1: SC in 2nd chain from hook, DC in same space. *Skip next chain, SC, DC in next stitch*. Repeat ** to end of row. Begin working on the other side of the foundation chain, repeating SC, DC in one stitch, skip the next, until you reach your first SC. Slip stitch into your first SC to finish the round.

Round 2: Chain 1 and turn. SC DC in same space as ch. *Skip next st, SC DC in next st.* Repeat ** around. Join with sl st to first SC.

Repeat round 2 until you reach the length of your phone.

For the button loop:

Slip stitch into the next 5 stitches.

Chain 10-15 (depending on the size of your button and the width of your phone) and slip stitch into the same stitch.

Fasten off and weave in your ends.

Just add a button and your done!

This took me about 15-20 minutes to whip up. Super quick, easy, and fun to do!

I hope you enjoy and I always love seeing what you make so be sure to 'like' me on Facebook for daily updates of what I'm doing and to show off your work as well!

Getting Back In The Groove

With me being sick for a month straight, I didn't get to do much, if any, crochet! Luckily, I'm feeling a million times better, and have started to get back into the swing of things.

I haven't had the time or patience to sit down and read a new pattern, so I've just been working on some things I already know how to make off the top of my head. 

These headbands are truly addicting to make. I can usually make 2 or 3 from the start to finish of a Grey's Anatomy episode (yeah, i'm a little obsessed with that show). 

I started digging through my yarn bin(s) for some random colored yarn to work with, and I found this beautiful coral color! I can't help it, it makes me smile when I see it.

I tried to get some good pictures to show off the color, but it really doesn't do it justice.

I also got a request to make one in black. Not only did I make one in black, but I also made a grey one with a black flower. Perfect for those of you afraid of a little color (although I LOVE bright, random colors!).

I think adding a flower gives it that nice little touch, dont you? (;

You can find the pattern for the headband here. Or if you're too lazy to make it yourself or don't know how to crochet, pick one up for only $10 in my Etsy shop! 

Where Have I Been?!

You know, I've been wanting to make a post for a really, really, long while. The only thing was, I felt I needed this amazing pattern (or even just a pattern..), and I still haven't come up with one. It was time for me to realize I don't need to have a reason for posting, it's my blog, I can do what I want! (; 

So instead of a pattern I figured I'd share with you all what I've been up to the past month. Now I do have a little explanation about why I haven't been blogging at all in 1 month (bad, bad self!). Halfway through December, I found out we are expecting our second child! Thrilled and excited, my head filled with tons of adorable baby things I could create.

Then the fatigue set in... and the nausea. When I was pregnant with my first, morning sickness was my biggest problem. I was nauseous all day and all night, and even had to receive fluids through an IV twice.

I kind of thought things would be the same this time around, only it was worse, way worse. See, now that I have a 1 year old to chase after, it's not so easy to spend the whole day throwing up. We started watching more and more TV (which I tried to limit before), and I started spending all day in bed.

The worst part was, the drugs that I had taken last time to combat the nausea (Zofran), had NO effect on my state. I was still sick as ever.

Now for the good news!

 After going to the ER twice, and being hospitalized the past 5 days, I'm feeling almost normal! Now that I'm properly hydrated and my electrolytes are as they should be, I can continue taking my medication and eating a simple diet and hopefully all will stay well.

I'm really looking forward to spending more time with Jude, as that is my number one priority these days. I've missed him so much, I feel like I need to make up for all the lost time!

I just don't want you guys to think I'm abandoning this blog (which let's face it.. I am). I have BIG plans for this place in the future. I just ask that you hang tight for a while. I really do have some awesome ideas for great free patterns.

In the mean time.. Here are some pictures of the things I've been working on this month!

I made myself a ribbed ear warmer, using this pattern, and I love the way the colors turned out! I wish I could remember the brand of yarn I had used, but I got it as a gift. 

While in the hospital, I made a few newborn hats to donate to the hospital for the new babies! I also got to work on a baby blanket, using this super easy pattern! 

Be sure to head over to Facebook and 'like' my page! I share pictures of everything I work on as I do it, as well as some awesome giveaways!