Variety Stitch Crib blanket

Variety stitch crochet crib blanket. My own design. Completed 7/2014. #phoenixrosedesign #crochet #blanket #afghan #crib #baby #genderneutral #babylove #babygift #gift #fortheboss #babyshower #newborn #pastels

Back in July of 2014, I started work on a pretty pastel baby blanket that would be suitable for a boy or a girl. I had the prettiest butter yellow, pale green, and light lavender. It reminds me a bit of an Easter egg in how it turned out.

Variety stitch crib blanket completed July 30, 2014

The stitches done for this are a selection of triple V stitches, standard doubles, shells, and Criss-Crosses.

Variety stitch crib blanket completed July 30, 2014

The edging for it was done with a simple 5 double crochet stitch & chain 1, then chain 5, single crochet in each chain one around. It made for a smooth flat laying edge.

Variety stitch crib blanket completed July 30, 2014

I enjoyed making this blanket as it whipped up quickly and the colors are some of the prettiest I’ve worked with so far. Plus, because it was double strand, it worked up to a lofty thick blanket.

Variety stitch crib blanket completed July 30, 2014

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Weaving Sticks

About 3 weeks ago, I bought some weaving sticks after seeing a little video on how they worked on one of the crochet websites. I love yarn, and have been feeling that my crochet “mo jo” as it’s nicknamed has been kind of going to the wayside. No patterns inspired me, no stitches were kicking up my interest. And oh so many Works in Progress (WIPs) that just weren’t taking my fancy.

My first attempt at using weaving sticks. It is an ear warmer that ties at the back of the head in chunky actylic yarn. I like how fast it went - about an hour - and am liking the difference in texture and feel. It looks a bit rustic I think. #PhotoGrid #

I thought a change of technique might be just the thing, and it turns out, it was. What are weaving sticks? Well, they’re basically a series of dowels which have a hole in one end. You put a weft string through the hole, and then you weave in and out and out and in around the dowels. You push down the weaving as you go, and eventually, it ends up on the weft string you had put through the hole. Maybe this will help tutorial wise?

Anyhow, after getting the sticks, I decided to try my hand at it and experiment. My first attempt was with some chunky yarn in red and grey. I wasn’t sure how long the actual “weft” needed to be, so I started out with 5 strands at arm length. From there, the chunky yarn was added. I learned that the weft strands could have been a bit longer, but this made an ear warmer that ties at the back of the head in chunky acrylic yarn.

Stick woven ear warmer 2015

I like how fast it went – about an hour – and am liking the difference in texture and feel. It looks a bit rustic I think.

Stick woven ear warmer 2015
Close up on the texture and the end. I’m not exactly happy with the “end” on this first attempt, but I’ll keep trying – because I think this is more down to me and how I did it, rather than the sticks themselves. I think it will be neater on a second attempt.

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Recycled Christmas Card Bunting – How to

Christmas just isn’t Christmas without holiday cards. I’ve always loved to get mail, and at the holidays, I find the beauty of Christmas cards from around the world make me smile in their color, sparkle, design, and different languages. Some are elegant, others sparkly, some are celebrating winter and snowflakes, while others show off all the traditions of the holidays. Every year, I carefully pick out or make my cards and try to get them out the first week of December. And then.. the waiting begins. I practically stand at the door every day (hurry up postman!) waiting for the colorful envelopes. After all, no other time of year does the mail from my friends and family come in droves – out weighing the bills. (Who likes bills?!?).

Once they arrive, I carefully open each one, basking in the joy of the card (it’s like a little gift in each one) and then put it on the mantle or tape it up to the walls in a lovely display. When Christmas is over, I save each card – and try to find unique creative things to do with them later. It’s a great way to Upcycle, be eco-friendly, and keep memories intact from year to year.

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This year, I didn’t have much money for decorating my flat. I’d spent most of my savings on medical bills, and that meant that not only was I trying to do handmade items for Christmas (I had time – not money) for everyone, I had to find a unique way to decorate. This is what I came up with. A simple re-purposed series of Christmas cards that were a bit folksy, eco-friendly, and totally made me smile every time I saw them hanging across my mantle.

Here’s how I did it, so you can make your own Recycled Christmas Card Bunting.

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    Materials:

  • Old Christmas Cards
  • Round template – I used the top off of a Pringles Can
  • Oval Template – I used an old Scrapbooking shape
  • Scissors
  • Craft glue
  • Hole punch
  • Ribbon or String

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      Steps:

    Step 1: Take your circle or template and move it around on the card until you find a place you’re happy with. Depending on the card, you may be able to get two circles or ovals per card.

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    Step 2: Trace around the template and then cut out the shape. Repeat for each of your cards. Try to get an even number of similar theme or similar looking cards. Don’t forget that you may be able to use the inside wording from the card or back of the card may have pictures too!

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    Step 3: For double sided cards, match similar cards together – eg. The two snowmen on the far left came from the same card and look nice front / back. Add glue to the reverse of one of the rounds, taking note of which way is “up”.

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    Step 4: Attach the round to the other selection, again, being careful that they are both in the correct direction when looked at on the front and back.

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    Step 5: Squeeze out excess glue, wipe it off, and then weight the round with a book for a while until the glue sets. Wait for the glue to dry.

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    Step 6: Once the glue is dry, punch 2 holes in the top of each card.

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    Step 7: Thread the ribbon through the card, making a center and trying to balance the size / shape / color on each side of the bunting.

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    Step 8: Hang up across your mantle, on your wall, or anywhere else where you want the display.


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    A few other things you can do with the same technique – just punch fewer holes –

    Christmas Ornaments
    Mobiles to hang from ceiling
    Why not make a Rectangle from a card – and hang several different size rounds down from it like raindrops from a cloud
    Add some mod-podge and make necklaces
    Attach some flower wire and make centerpieces for the table

    What else can you think of? Share your ideas and how this turned out for you – I’d love to see it!

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