Get Crafting!
Join me on a crafting adventure!
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
A quick incense burner
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Crochet Christmas ornaments
Friday, October 27, 2023
A variation
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
An experiment
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
Ponytail hat with reflective accents
I was able to do some actual crafting, today! I decided to crochet a ponytail hat, using the reflective thread my husband found for me, as an accent.
In this shot, you can see the hole for the pony tail to be pulled through. It was made in a single crochet round by chaining 5 and skipping 5 stitches. The next double crochet round was worked into, rather than around, the chain stitches.
The brim of the hat is just 4 rounds of single crochet.
I then wasted a bunch of yarn trying to make a pom pom, which I almost never do with my hats, on a pom pom maker, using templates from the card that each package of yarn came with. The templates are basically circles, with a chunk missing. The instructions said to wrap the yarn around the two, back to back templates, until the card could no longer be seen. Then the wrapped yarn would be cut by sliding the scissors between the templates. Yarn could then be wrapped around the middle to tie it off, and the templates removed.
Except that as soon as I started cutting the wrapped yarn, it basically started falling apart. I even tried to thread the yarn to tie it off with, in between the templates and try and salvage the uncut wraps, but ended up cutting the tying yarn by accident. So I ended up just using a rectangle of light cardboard, folded in half, with the tying yarn tucked across in the fold. Once I was done wrapping, using up the last of the yarn, I tied it off, removed the cardboard, secured the tying yarn some more, then cut the loops. It's looser and floppier than I originally wanted, but it works. After trimming the cut ends to make them neat and even, I used a crochet hook to draw the two lengths of tying yarn through the top of the hat, then just tied it off on the inside with a shoelace knot. This way, the pom pom can be easily removed for washing. I'm pretty sure it would fall apart completely if it went through the wash!
The finished hat has a cozy stretch to it, and is comfortable to wear. I plan to give it as a gift. I hope the planned recipient likes it!
Tuesday, December 6, 2022
Our 2022 Christmas ornaments: more berlingot made
Well, the entire household got hit with colds, and I wasn't able to continue working on the ornaments until yesterday. (You can see my earlier posts here and here.)
I made up for it a bit, but getting six berlingot (also called Dragon Boats) done last night.
I do wish I had more materials suitable for decorating the points, but otherwise, I'm quite happy with how these are turning out!
Thursday, November 24, 2022
Our 2022 Christmas ornaments progress
I was able to get a few supplies for our Christmas decorations, but not everything I wanted. So I will just have to improvise, since I'm not willing to drive to the city to maybe, maybe not, find what I want there!
Since I was planning to make larger ornaments for the tree, I had hope to find some nice Christmas yarn but, alas, there was none to be had in town. Not even in embroidery thread or craft cord! Bizarre.
I did have plenty to choose from at home, though.
Then I had to hang it in the tree (currently undecorated while the cats get used to it being there), so that the glue could dry without anything accidentally touching it. It will dry clear. I would have used silver head pins instead of gold, if I'd had any. 🤔
Which makes my third attempt today my first completed ornament!
For the next ones, I think I will stick to using squares to make the forms, instead of rectangles. It will be easier to have a variety of sizes. This finished one is definitely the largest I want to make for our tree. Any bigger would be just too much for it. Plus, smaller ones will need less yarn or thread to cover it, so those supplies will last longer, too.
I now also know that if I want to add a hanger to the top, or something like tassels to other points, those need to be added and affixed to the inside, before the form is folded and taped into place.
Hopefully, I'll be able to get back at it and more more of these, tomorrow.
😊