Posted on

project done: crochet jar jacket

crochet jar jacket

I love this little jar jacket. If you remember, the yarn was from a garage sale. I’m so glad it was wool, because it was worn in so many places. I did a lot of splicing it back together. It makes me think that it is recycled from something, but the wool is so straight. Usually recycled wool is wavy from being knit. Did someone actually take the time to unravel, steam out the kinks and then sell it? Or was it so old that the kinks just fell out? I wish I knew its history.

It turned out a little big, so I wound up putting it around a larger jar. (Smuckers natural peanut butter, if you must know.) I also had to crochet with two strands held together because the yarn weight is so fine.

stash: I have lots of yarn left to make this crochet bag. You can find the jar jacket pattern here.

Posted on

project to do: crochet jar jacket

crochet jar jacket

This yarn has been sitting in my stash for over a year waiting for the right project. I have six balls total and got them all for $5 at a garage sale. When they passed the burn test for wool, I was even more excited! I was thinking of making a blanket because they are so close to the color of our walls.

Since then, I have found Lucy over at Attic 24. Every morning I look for her latest post. The colors of her projects and photos are like a little dose of sunshine, which has been nice these past few cloudy days! Now, I’m planning to make some crochet jar jackets. The flowers are starting to bloom and I could use a fast and easy project to brighten my day. After a few of those, I’m planning to make this bag. I like the idea of having a place for my current projects to live that also matches my living room. After all, that’s where I do most of my knitting and crocheting!

I’m almost ready to start working on my to-do projects. I’ve finished the wedding, annivarsary and birthday gifts and should be able to post them on the blog next week. All I’ve got left are a few things for Father’s Day. Next week will be filled with finished photos!

stash: I’m so glad I didn’t walk away from this yarn when I found it. The colors are just perfect. I knew I’d find a project for it eventually.

Posted on

recycling sweaters from my stash

I’ve had a shift in focus over the past few months. I’ve been slowly moving away from felted wool bags to try new things. I’m not completely abandoning them, but I need room for my new adventures. This hit me over the head on Saturday when I found some really nice things at a local church garage sale. I have a small amount of storage space, so whenever new stash comes in, other stash must go. I packed up three bags of sweaters, which I’m putting up on freecycle today if you are interested. Some are already felted!

recycled yarn

I’m spending most of the long weekend sewing and last night I needed something to help me unwind. Ha! I’ve always wanted to unravel a sweater, so I grabbed one from the giveaway pile and went to it. It was very relaxing. I find desconstructing  just as exciting as making. My mind starts racing with the possibilities: a baby blanket? matching scarf and hat? thick, wooly socks?

I have no idea what I am going to with this yarn. I certainly don’t need any more in my stash. There are knots at the end of every color change. I was thinking it would be cool to work them into the design. Something in seed stitch might be nice. What do you think?

recycle: There are so many beautiful wool sweaters that have been discarded. Try unraveling one for your next project. Where else can you get yarn to make an entire sweater for just a few bucks?

Posted on

coffee sleeve of the month giveaway:
spring flowers

I must have been really tired when I wrote my last post because when I came home from my weekend away the coffee sleeve looked totally fine. Sometimes we just need a little distance from our work to give it some perspective.

felted wool coffee sleeve

I know April is all about showers, but I lately I have been obsessed with flowers, especially little crocheted ones. I’ve tried a few different patterns, but keep coming back to this one by Mimi. The stem is a simple chain stitch.

crochet flower applique

Would you like these little flowers for your cup of java?

How to enter: Mention this giveaway along with a link back here in a blog post, twitter update or facebook status and then leave a comment telling me you did so. If you don’t have any of the above (really? are you serious?), then leave a comment here and tell me what’s your favorite spring flower.

Since I didn’t get this post up until late on Monday, I’ll give everyone until Thursday, midnight CT to enter. Cool? Good luck and Happy Spring!

recycle: thrifted wool sweater sleeve, thrifted yarn

Posted on

thrifty yarn ideas

Hey all you knitters and crocheters! Vickie Howell has posted some creative ideas on how to keep those needles and hooks going in this crazy economy. My favorite suggestion is recycling sweaters for the yarn. I tried this once, but had a tough time picking the seams. I wound up giving it away to someone with more patience. Next time, I’ll check out the seams more carefully. You can read her entire list of ideas here.

resource: Vickie has lots of eco-friendly project ideas. I’m saving my Amy’s burrito wrappers to make this cute purse.

Bean bag update: I finished these, but it’s too late for a photo shoot. I wound up making little change purse zipper pouches. They are so cute! Details after I get some pics.

Posted on

doll for shelley

It’s getting harder and harder to come up with something original to make for all of the baby showers we’re having at knitting group. I wanted to give something different than the expected blanket, bib or sweater. After I found this little doll on ravelry, I grabbed my yarn and started right away. For those of you not on ravelry, you can find the free pattern on Owlishly. Isn’t she adorable? She looks tiny in this pic, but she’s actually about six inches tall. I think she turned out perfect.

sleepy sarah

stash: I used new materials for the doll, which I usually do for baby gifts, but the yarn, embroidery thread and stuffing all came from my stash.

Posted on

coffee sleeve of the month: lucky shamrock

felted wool coffee sleeve

It seems like I can’t stop making felted wool coffee sleeves, so I’ve decided to start a feature cozy of the month!

March is all about St. Patrick’s Day and basketball. I don’t know much about hoops, but I used to be quite the little Irish Dancer. My Girl Scout troop had to learn an ethnic dance and we picked The Walls of Limerick. I remember that we performed on the stage at Golden Ring Mall.* A few of my friends and I stuck with it until high school. We competed, performed at Irish festivals and even walked in the St. Patrick’s Day parade. So in honor of my “Irish” background, this month is all about green!

Two sleeves are available in my etsy store.

*Sadly, Golding Ring Mall has since been leveled and replaced with big box stores.

Posted on

birthday crafting

Last Friday was Brady’s birthday, and in keeping with my pledge, he received some handmade goodies from us. I had made him some Peanuts bibs for Christmas (which I forgot to take a picture of for the blog — you can see one in action here) and I decided to stay with that theme.

snoopy and ball

The ball is a pattern from the Purl Bee and was really fun to make. I used some leftover fabric from the bibs. I think I’m going to do the same for M with the leftovers from her bibs. She really liked it!

Snoopy is a pattern from Chibi Ami. I found it on ravelry. I think you can find a pattern for pretty much anything on ravelry!

It’s a great feeling to watch someone enjoy a present that you made by hand. Brady had a huge smile on his face when he pulled the ball out of the bag, and when we left, he was chewing on Snoopy’s ear. I’m pretty sure that’s a universal sign of toddler approval.

………………..

Shop update: more felted heart coffee sleeves are up in my etsy store.

Posted on

more felted wool coffee sleeves

I am overwhelmed at the response to my coffee sleeves on etsy. They are selling like hot cakes! I listed my last one yesterday. All of the others have sold out and I just finished up a custom order for three. I’ll be making more this weekend. I’m glad I went out and stocked up on sweaters last weekend. Thank you to everyone who has purchased one!

coffee sleeves

Posted on

felted wool sweater coffee sleeves

I think I have officially made use of all of the sweater parts I recycle into felted wool accessories. Here’s my latest, made from the leftover cuffs of my sweater sleeve scarves. More photos in my shop. I have a few more I’ll be posting over the next few days. These were fun, small projects to do after finishing up M’s blanket. I also have one more project idea up my sleeve (ha, ha) that uses the neck ribbing of the sweater. Stay tuned!

felted coffee sleeves