The Raven Cycle

I cannot wait for Maggie Stiefvater's new book, Blue Lily, Lily Blue. One reason why I absolutely love the series is how eloquent Stiefvater is; the language she uses is so smooth and poetic.

I'm jealous.

Impatiently waiting.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Raven-Cycle-Blue-Lily/dp/0545424968

Crochet Mason Jar Cozy-Mini Pattern

Hello again! It's been probably a year, but I just felt like doing something creative and decided to share it even if no one reads this blog anymore. I decided to make a mason jar cozy with a lot of scrap yarn lying around after I ordered some EcoJarz lids. They're these adorable lids you can pop on your mason jars so you can bring them on the go. The ones I bought from Amazon also come with stainless steel straws, and I am excitedly awaiting them.

Picture from EcoJarz.com

I figured a cozy could protect my hands from hot drinks and prevent a slippery, condensation-y glass. It worked out pretty well, I think!

My basic pattern used a size H hook, worsted weight yarn, and single crochet, as well as a magic loop, single crochet decrease and increase.

The sea foam yarn was Red Heart Soft in, I believe, sea foam, while the raspberry and pumpkin yarn are part of a vintage stash I received as a gift. I'm hoping the cozy will help with breakage, but I'm not sure. Has anyone had an incident dropping a mason jar, with or without a sleeve? I imagine that would be bad and always wonder how people bring around their jars so freely. I'd be worried about shattering it.

Basically, I chained about 26 stitches to see the amount it took to wrap, while stretched, around the jar. Undid those stitches, then started a magic loop. Single crocheted 5 sts and slip stitched the circle closes. Single crochet increased in every second stitch until the circle grew to have 26 stitches. I then added about five increases evenly around so the cozy would fit the larger middle, as I found it was a bit too tight at first. I crocheted to the top of the jar, switching colors for stripes, and then decreased five stitches to fit the tighter, contouring top. Fasten off and done!

It took me maybe 2-3 hours, and if I rated myself as a crocheter from 1-5 (with 1 being beginner and 5 being advanced), I'd consider myself a 2-3. Perhaps a 2.5. I got a lot of help from Ravelry and this site.

I might open an Etsy shop soon with these and some other things!

Thanks for reading!

Chevron Pencil Case Tutorial

This took me about an hour and a half. It shouldn't have. But I was distracted, the bag needed to be pieced together perfectly, and the zipper was metal and had to be hacked at with wire cutters and safety scissors. So yeah.

I didn't use a zipper foot because I'm lazy and I don't have one, but considering this is my first zipper project I think I did a pretty good job, eh? However, if you don't use a zipper foot, get a longer zipper because it helps sewing it on easier.

Anyways, this is what you need:

striped fabric, scissors, tape measure, sewing machine, thread, an iron (not necessary, but it REALLY helps. I almost never use an iron, but I did this time), 9" or longer zipper (I'd use plastic if you have it, and if you don't and are going to use a metal one, as I said before get it longer)

You have to cut out two 5" by 12" diagonally striped pieces. To do this, have your fabric in front of you with the stripes going up and down (vertically). Fold the two bottom corners up (use the stripes to make them match up). Now you can cut off the corners, and when you cut out a rectangle from them and line them up, they will make chevron stripes! You can look up a 'chevron fabric tutorial' on google if you're confused.

Now line up the stripes and sew down the center with 1/2" sa (seam allowance). Open it up, press the sa to one side, and press the rest flat. You should have a 9" x 12" rectangle.

Cut the rectangle in half so you have two 6" x 9" rectangles.

Take your zipper and put it face down on the top of your fabric. Sew it on, open, press, and topstitch. Repeat on the other side of the zipper with your other rectangle. To make sewing it down easier, pull the zipper pull all the way down, past the place you're sewing the zipper to, if that makes sense. You can pull the zipper back up later, and the pull doesn't get in the way of your sewing machine foot.

Now, with right sides together, sew around the 3 sides of the bag. To sew over the zipper, go slowly, and if you can't get past a certain spot, raise the foot and go over it. Make sure the zipper is unzipped at least half way so that you can turn it right side out.

Trim the zipper with wire cutters or heavy duty scissors.

Turn right side out, poking out the corners with a pencil, pen, chopstick, etc.

Voila! Done. If you want a lining, you can either make a separate bag and slipstitch it in, onto the zipper (that's what I did) or you can make the bag like this, with the lining pre-sewn to the zipper.

For more info on metal zippers and zipped bags, you can read this post here because as you can see this wasn't the clearest tutorial. :p

You can also change dimensions, too. Have fun with crazy fabrics and colorful zippers! It's a pretty fun and easy project. :)

Thanks for reading!

(o^__^)o

DIYs: Done

Well, I've made some bracelets from jersey scraps (ignore the scary monster nails)...

I finished a cowl. It's the scrunchable scarf pattern with the ends sewn together.

I refashioned a dress shirt (details on that in another post)...

...and my sister made a shirt with my tutorial! Didn't she do a great job? I used a strip of the fabric to make one of my bracelets. ;) Speaking of that very cool, stripey fabric, it was only $2.39 a yard.

That's all for today, folks. 

(o^__^)o

So I Got Some Yarn...

...and I think I may be in love. Seriously. The yarn is so soft and squooshy and cuddly... It's a DREAM to knit with. I got this totally gorg Malabrigo Rios, and I think it's the prettiest yarn I've ever knitted with. I also got some Malabrigo Merino Worsted and some Plymouth Encore Worsted. It's amazing. I'm currently working on a scarf. Whenever I get new fabric or yarn, i get the same thrill that some people get when they buy a new pair of shoes. Do you know that feeling?

o(^__^o)

DIY: No Sew Crop Top Tutorial

Yay! Easy tutorial today...

A crop top!

It's really easy and fun to make. You can wear it off the shoulder, cut off the sleeves to make a tank top, wear it over a camisole--it's a very versatile piece. My sister made one too (she's modeling the black shirt). Then we went and had a photo shoot, haha... 

(my sister's flower hair)

Except it didn't exactly work out. We always start goofing around and we run out of poses. Like in this photo shoot:

I can't believe I actually posted this picture (and I know, the outfit choice isn't the best).

And if you were wondering, yes, I got highlights. :D

(If you wanna see real photoshoots, though, go to Live Love Craft)

Anyways...

Materials: size L men's shirt and scissors

1. Cut off the neckband and sleeve hems.

2. Rotate the shirt so that the side seams/folds line up.

3. Cut a slope to make a high-low hem, making the shirt cropped in the front (or you can just cut straight across).

Yep, that's it. Easy.

We liked stretching and curling all the edges, and we also thought cuffing the sleeves looked better (I might tack down the cuffs with some stitches, but for now I just fold them).

That's it! You're done. Now go find some big tees that don't fit.

(o^__^)o

A Few Things...

Don't have many creative things happening... But I made one of these in a red, burgundy-ish color. Isn't it so cute? Go here for the tutorial.

Recently one of my friends gave me a chocolate crinkle cookie, and it was sooo good. I can't help but think about it at least twice a day. It was chewy and fudgy and scrumdiddlyumptious. So I found some recipes...

I might have shown you this one before... (recipe)

recipe

recipe

Plus I also want to make homemade MARSHMALLOWS!!! Spongy, springy, soft ones. 

Also, at the moment I think convertible hat-cowls are pretty cool right now even though it's getting hotter.

Howlcat Pattern $5.50

Free crochet pattern-could easily be used as a guide to knit in the round, or even with 2 straight needles

I'm super ready for summer!

(o^__^)o