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crochet pincushions in spring colors + etsy shop update

crochet pin cushions in my etsy shop

I had a hard time figuring out what to do with the Easter egg yarn. Once I saw the colors, I immediately wished I had dyed more. I wanted to use every last bit of it, so I decided to make something that I could start from the bottom and go until I ran out.

I love, love, love how these turned out! They were a lot of work, and I don’t think I’ll make them regularly. The pink one with flowers is my favorite.

These are too pretty to just sit around in my “finished” pile of projects so they’re available for sale in my etsy shop.

I also spent the weekend working on a crochet pattern for tiny flowers. Stay tuned!

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mini hanks of easter yarn

dyeing yarn with easter egg dye

I have never considered myself a yarn dyer. I have so many odds and ends in my stash, I can’t imagine ever needing a specific color for anything. But while I was cleaning up from Easter egg dyeing last Saturday, I decided to dunk a few balls of yarn in the leftover dye just for fun.

dyeing yarn with easter egg dye

It was a really sloppy attempt. I soaked my yarn under the kitchen faucet before plopping it into the cups. I let them sit for a long while before I remembered to microwave them. Some of the mini-hanks were wound too tightly and are pale on the inside. The colors, however, are absolutely beautiful! They make me want to try my hand at dyeing a larger amount.

I’m not sure what I’ll do with this little bit of yarn. Maybe I’ll crochet some eggs.

details: The white yarn is from my stash of unraveled sweaters. I didn’t follow a tutorial for dyeing the yarn. If you google “easter egg dye yarn” you’ll get a bunch of links.

I haven’t been spending a lot of time in front of my computer lately. Thanks for putting up with all of my instagram photos.

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instant cowl

cowl from unraveled sweater

Yesterday I started unraveling this sweater. When I detached the neck, I thought, “This would make a beautiful cowl.” I slipped it around my neck. Lovely. I doubled it up. Toasty.

cowl from unraveled sweater

It’s the fastest cowl I’ve ever made. In fact, it kind of looks like the Burberry-inspired cowl by The Garter Girl, which just happened to be on my to-knit list.

Sorry for the mobile phone pics. It’s been a busy week.

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speckled shrug: before

speckled shrug before

I love this sweater. I found it at the thrift store during a 99 cent sale last year. The colors are so pretty: light gray blending into warm oatmeal. It’s a soft wool acrylic blend that doesn’t need to be hand washed.

It’s too big for me, so I knew I’d be unraveling it, but to make what? It took along time, but I finally found something: the Speckled Shrug. I’ll admit that I’m not a big fan of how it looks finished on Lion Brand’s website, but my friend Jess knit it up and I love hers.

I’m so excited to have a project for this yarn. Let the unraveling begin!

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felted wool sweater mug cozy

felted wool sweater mug cozy

Why yes, I did make a wool sweater for my mug.

Even though the Autumn temps are still beautiful here in Nebraska, the mornings are a bit chilly. My tea needed some help staying warm.

I tried not to over think this project — it is a mug cozy, after all — but a quick search on Pinterest and Etsy turned up so many cool ideas. Only problem was that while I was lost in cozy-land, my tea was getting cold.

So I dug into my stash of felted wool sweater bits and found a piece long enough to wrap around my mug. I secured it with a few buttons and embroidery thread. The buttonholes are just little slits. (You can cut felted wool and it won’t unravel.)

So there you have it. Cozy morning tea.

* * * * *

Thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts on decluttering and congratulations to Erica Arehart on winning the sewing book. I’ll have a knitting book up later this week.

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how to: sew a reusable filter for cold brewed coffee

how to make an cold brewed coffee toddy filter

When I first moved to Lincoln, it was a no-Starbucks town. As I explored the local coffee shops for my daily iced latte, one of them recommended an iced toddy. It was love at first sip.

If you’ve never had cold brewed coffee, let me tell you it’s the most amazing thing ever. It’s less acidic than the hot stuff and therefore easier on your stomach. It also has a subtle sweetness that’s just about perfect, and I say that as someone who cringes at the thought of adding sweetner to a cup of joe.

I immediately purchased a Toddy Coffee Maker so I could make decaf at home and drink it all day long. That’s only a slight exaggeration. My only frustration was the darn filter. They’re supposed to last a few months in the fridge, but mine were only making it through 2-3 brews. Then one day, the Pioneer Woman posted her recipe for The Perfect Iced Coffee and a lightbulb went off. I could make my own reusable filter!

how to make an cold brewed coffee toddy filter

Here’s how I did it:

  1. Grab a tea towel, the thinner the better.
  2. Fold in half and trace the top of the toddy maker as your pattern.
  3. Cut through both layers of the towel to get two circles.
  4. Sew circles together right sides facing, leaving a gap for turning.
  5. Turn right side out, tops titch around to close up the gap.

I’ve used this a few times and it works great. I just rinse off the grinds and throw it in the wash. If you cold brew at home, quit buying filters and make your own!

project details: I used the tea towels from my failed attempt at coffee grind dyeing, and yes, they’re still blue. I bought my toddy online, but a lot of local coffee shops carry them. Buy local if you can. Here is Ree’s recipe for the Perfect Iced Coffee. Note: I just use coffee and almond milk, but her concoctions sound sinfully delicious.

This is not a product endorsement or paid review. The Toddy folks have no idea who I am. I just love cold brewed coffee and dislike buying disposable filters.

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finished: wagon wheel baby blanket

this moment

I am so excited this is finished because I’m really ready for a new project. It turned out just as beautiful as I had imagined the day I found the sweater.

this moment

I couldn’t wait for it to dry, so I took pictures while it was blocking. I don’t normally block blankets, but because this is a gift, I wanted all of the squares to look perfect.

this moment

Some friends have asked me about my seaming technique on this blanket. I took pics along the way so I can post a tutorial. My next blanket will be joined as I go. Maybe it won’t take so long to finish.

original post: You can see parts of the original sweater in my first post about this project.

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easy kids bike shorts pattern

wardrobe refashion

The bike shorts pattern is finished and ready for download! It’s been over two years since my original Easy Kids Shorts pattern and I do a few things differently now.

  • These days I sew the inseams first, then the rise.
  • I almost always use a 1/4 inch seam allowance instead of 1/2 or 5/8 inch, usually because I’m trying to squeeze as much as I can out of a piece of fabric or t-shirt.
  • 3/4 inch elastic seems to be more comfortable around the waist than the smaller widths.
  • Now that I have a serger, I finish my raw edges and just fold the waist over once. You can finish your edges with a zig zag/overlock edge or adjust the pattern to accommodate the double fold waist.

I recommend you pay attention to the type of knit fabric you use. The original piece I traced for this pattern was a tightly-knit jersey. The t-shirt I used was a loosely-knit jersey and the shorts turned out a little big. Not big enough to re-sew, but definitely roomier.

Finally, my daughter is long and lean: 20 inch waist and 14 inches from waist to knee. Adjust seam allowances and elastic size to get a better fit for your child. Want them shorter? Trim off the bottom of the pattern an inch or two.

Please leave any questions in the comments. Download the pattern here. Enjoy!

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wardrobe refashion: t-shirt to bike shorts

wardrobe refashion

My daughter loves wearing dresses. She also loves to climb tall jungle gyms and roll around in the grass with her feet in the air. She understands the concept of modesty, but she’s too busy running, jumping and playing to be worried about such things right now. I get it. I want her to have fun and not be self conscious. So the new rule: bike shorts under dresses.

A few years ago, I posted a pattern for easy kids shorts. I followed the same basic steps to come up with the bike short pattern. I had also planned to share the template with you, but it’s gone missing. Whoops!

I have a few more to make, so I guess I’ll be redrawing the pattern. I’ll let you know when it’s posted. In the meantime, I’ll be outside teaching my daughter how to do cartwheels.

stash: One of my t-shirts rescued from the donation bag. Thrifted elastic.

A seriously fast, easy and inexpensive project. Plus, they go under a dress, so they don’t have to be perfect!