how to: crochet or knit single row stripes

I first heard about this at knitting retreat. It’s a really simple idea and I can’t believe it has never occurred to me on my own. I love skinny stripes, but breaking yarn at each row leaves too many ends to weave. I always figured that I’d have to do two rows of each [...]

my farmers’ market tote is featuered in
greencraft magazine!

Sorry about missing Thrifty Thursday yesterday. I was planning to take photos and write my post in the evening, and right before dinner I found a copy of GreenCraft in my mailbox. I knew something was up because I don’t subscribe to the magazine, but I did submit one of my patterns and a sample [...]

how to: messenger bag refashion

It’s taken me awhile to write about this project because it’s not just a set of simple instructions. It’s more of a guide to what is possible. Before you rip one seam or sew one stitch, I recommend you sit down in a quiet place with pen and paper to plan. I know this is [...]

mother’s day idea: how to make a photo frame applique in 3 easy steps

A few years ago, my mother gave me a little photo frame change purse. I had been using it for knitting bits and bobs, but it’s kind of small. I decided to make a bigger one for myself.
This applique will add a great touch to any Mother’s Day gift. I love mine!
Materials
photo: 2 1/2 [...]

how to make a ruffle scarf in 3 easy steps

The other day I saw a woman wearing a cotton scarf that was layered and unfinished in the most beautiful way. She looked like she just walked off a catalog shoot. I’ve never been able to pull off that “I just threw it on and it looks perfectly ruffled” look, so I decided to design [...]

elephant blanket becomes a pillow

When my daughter was born, we received a sweet elephant Baby Gund blanket as a gift. It’s super soft and cuddly. It’s also pretty small.
The other day I asked her what she wanted to do with it. She definitely wasn’t ready to part with it, so I suggested making it into something else. Something [...]

tiny four-leaf clover pattern

I had this idea. The top of my tiny crochet hearts kind of look like half of a four-leaf clover. What if I added two more leaves and a stem?

After a few tries, I finally got it. Hope they bring you some good luck!
Tiny Four-Leaf Clover Pattern
worsted weight yarn
size G/5 (4.25mm) crochet hook
tapestry needle for [...]

tiny crochet heart pattern

I wanted to make some really small hearts for Valentine’s Day crafts, but couldn’t find any patterns online that I liked. After a few tries, I came up with these little cuties.

Tiny Crochet Heart Pattern
worsted weight yarn
size F/5 (3.75mm) crochet hook
tapestry needle for weaving ends
hdc: half double crochet
sc: single crochet
sl st: slip stitch
gauge: not [...]

how to make microwave crayon shapes
in 3 easy steps

Maybe I should call these Really Lazy Crayon Shapes. I’d been thinking of making them for awhile, but all of the tutorials I found online suggested baking in the oven, melting over a double boiler or melting into cups and pouring into molds. Those were just too many steps for me.
I found a silicone mold [...]

how to: recycled holiday card gift tags

Last year I saved a few of my favorite holiday cards for crafting. I planned to reuse the artwork to make new cards, but when I realized I didn’t have any cute gift tags in my stash, I started cutting! I began with 5 cards and ended with almost 30 gift tags in all shapes [...]

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