My Crafty Corner - Crochet Votive Candle Holder

I haven't had much time for crochet lately, matter of fact I'm missing my African Flower Blanket and need to find some time to get working on it.

But last night, the family and I sat and watched Everybody Loves Raymond and as we did, I pulled out my crochet hook and a small ball of yarn I had laying around and whipped up this quick jar jacket, which turned into a votive candle holder.

I didn't really use a pattern but I did use inspiration from Lucy's Jar Jacket tutorial.

I ended up making two, one is a candle holder, the other is holding our pens and pencils on the homeschooling desk.

I'm planning on making a bunch more in different size jars, all in white yarn and making a collection for one of my shelves, I think it will look really pretty.

I didn't stick with a double crochet stitch.  I did the first row in DC but then switched to a series of 4 DC in one stitch, skipped 3 stitches, then another 4 DC in the next stitch etc.  Just repeated until the size I wanted, then ended with a single stitch all the way around.

Took me about 30 minutes to complete.

Love the candle glow.  I'm using little votive candles which burn out pretty fast.  I didn't want the jar to get too hot either.

I'm also thinking of buying the little LED candles and using those too.

So there you go, that's what was on my crochet hook yesterday and what will be on there for another day or two.  I'll come back and show you a picture of the finished jars when it's all complete.

My Crafty Corner - Crochet Edging Pillowcase

I had some fabric laying around a few months ago, and made this quick pillowcase for Jasmine, she loved it.

I do too but I've always felt like it was missing something, just SOMETHING.  Then it hit me, I've seen crochet edging done around napkins and tablecloths and even pillowcases.

That's what I decided to go with, a very simple scalloped edging around the opening of the pillowcase.

I did a simple basic blanket stitch all the way around, about 1/2 inch space between each stitch.

This was the hardest part for me because I seem to have misplaced my largest needle so ended up trying desperately to fit thick yarn through a tiny eye.  What a PAIN!

You wanna make sure that you don't end up with all these knots all over your work, so when cutting the yarn for the blanket stitch, cut a length that is about 15 times the width of your pillow.  TRUST ME.

I learned this trick a very long time ago when I kept running out of yarn in my projects and kept having to restart and it just made it look messy.  After researching around through various books I found this advice and have followed it ever since....never ran out of yarn again.  It WILL be a bit of a pain though cause it's super long and you have to pull and pull and pull.  You get the picture.



After the blanket stitch was done, I did a single crochet stitch all the way around, doing 3 single crochet stitches in every blanket stitch, or at least that's what mine worked out to.

Then do a scallop edge.  One single crochet in the first sc stitch, then skip two stitches, 5 double crochets into the next stitch, skip two stitches, one single crochet, skip two, 5 double crochets and so on.  Repeat until done.



I love it, I think it gives it such a sweet touch and it only took me about 30 minutes from beginning to end and that is mainly due to the whole threading of the needle thing.

I'm going to go through my fabric stash and make a whole bunch more pillows, but I need to use sturdier fabric, I don't like how it curls a little and doesn't fall exactly flat where the blanket stitch sits.

If you decide to try it yourself, I hope you'll come back and show me :)

My Crafty Corner - African Flower Blanket

I finished my Jar Jacket and I couldn't love it anymore if I tried.  It looks so darn cute and now I'm looking around the house at all my other mason jars and just imagining the possibilities.

What do you think?

It's one of those projects that comes together so quick and I just love the colors.  I'm thinking of making a few others for different rooms in the house.

Now let me show you my African Flower Blanket which has completely swept me off my feet.

It's in it's very early stages but it's coming together pretty quick too, these flowers are SUPER easy to make and I actually have the pattern memorized so I make about 6 a night. 

Oh I just love it so very much, the beautiful flowers design, the pastel colors, just everything about it is making me giddy with anticipation for the finished project.

So that's what is going on in my Crafty Corner.  For now I'm concentrating on the blanket but I have a few other projects I want to try too so I might take a shot at those in between making a gazillion little flowers.

What are YOU working on?

My Crafty Corner - African Flower

As I've said many times before, Crocheting is extremely therapeutic for me and right now I'm going through some family issues that have me needing some relaxation and something to keep my mind off the stresses.

I've found myself crocheting every single day, pretty much making a project a day and I am loving it.

This next project is one that I've seen floating around and have wanted to try for a while, I think what first drew me to it aside from the fact that it's gorgeous, is the fact that it's from South Africa and was first featured in Afrikaans in one of the South African magazines, Sarie.

Someone already translated it so I didn't have to do it for you guys, thankfully cause I'm afraid I would have messed something up and not done the pattern justice.

Super Super quick to make and they turn out just beautiful.

African Flower 

1st Round: Chain 5 stitches and join with slip stitch to form a ring.
2nd Round: Chain 3 (count as first dc), 1 dc in ring, (1 chain stitch, 2 db in ring) 5 times, 1 chain stitch, join with slip stitch to first dc (6 shells).
3rd Round: Join next colour and crochet in each of the 6 chain spaces: (2 dc, 1 chain stitch, 2dc). Join with slip stitch to first dc.
4th Round: Join next colour and crochet 7 dc in each of the 5 chain spaces. Join with slip stitch to first dc.
5th Round: Join next colour and crochet 1 sc in each of the next 7 dc, except between the 2 dc of the third row where you do a dc which you join to the 3rd round in order to form the petal - (7 sc and 1 dc) 6 times.
6th Round: Join next colour and crochet 1 dc in each sc, except for the middle of each petal where you crochet (1 dc,1 sc, 1dc) in each petal. Tie off.

*dc: double crochet, sc: single crochet

If you're more of a visual person, then I would suggest following Heidi's tutorial which can be found here.  Very helpful!

Now the directions I'm giving you are JUST for the inside flower, the rest of the pattern comes from Crochet with Raymond, she turned these into Potholders, so just follow her directions for that.

As always, if you decide to make some for yourself, I would love to see them :)

My Crafty Corner

The creative juices have been flowing here at home and all because I've been so under the weather.

Truthfully, I don't like being sick I'm a very impatient person when it comes to that, I find it a nuisance and get frustrated because I have no time to be sick.  How ridiculous is that?

Anyway, I've got a few projects going on but one I had my eye on for quite a while and just couldn't wait any longer.  I kept seeing these beautiful Granny Mandalas popping up all over the place, matter of fact you can find quite a few stunning ones on Flickr.

In my mind I was thinking that it would be quite intricate and I may just not be able to get it done, but boy was I wrong and I LOVE when I'm proven wrong.

I found and totally fell in love with a new blog, well new to me, called Crochet with Raymond.  Oh the goodies this woman makes has me salivating and dreaming of colors and yarns and crochet hooks.

The pattern I followed can be found at Alice's blog. Now mind you I followed her very first Granny Mandala Tutorial BUT my next one I'm following her update version which is here.  I'm giving you both and you can decide which to make, or try one of each?

I didn't make mine as big as Alice's, matter of fact I finished it off a few rounds before and I also did my color changing a little different. 

You can see that I did 3 rounds of the mint green at one point, just because I absolutely love the pastel color and wanted more of it in. It's up to you, the whole point of these Mandalas is to have fun and use whatever color strikes your fancy.

Now I haven't yet blocked by Mandala so it does tend to curl up a little. For blocking the finished product, here's what Alice suggests:

I lay gladwrap on my carpet in a sunny spot and wet the mandalas, then pin them to the carpet gently stretching them out to their full size and leave to dry! 

Enjoy and if you do make one or a few, won't you come back and show me?

{ My Crafty Corner }

 
I'm a little under the weather, whatever Nicholas has and half the school had, has been graciously passed onto me and since I never say no to a free gift, well, here I am.  Congested, feverish, sore throat and just down in the dumps, which makes it perfect for some much needed down time in order to whip up some handmade Christmas gifts.

I've decided to add this little feature to my blog, it's not going to be a daily thing, or even a weekly thing, may not even be a monthly deal, it's just whenever it strikes my fancy.

So I've pulled out my hooks and my yarn stash and I'm getting to work, laying in bed with my cup of coffee, my laptop and surrounded by beautiful colors to inspire me.

If my kids read my blog, I wouldn't be showing you what I'm making for them, but since they don't it's safe to post.

For Nicholas:::::

 Image Credit: Julie K

Tiny crochet spider - pattern can be found here at Julie K's blog.

 Image credit: Julie K

Baseball bookmark - pattern is also from Julie K's blog, it's from her ornament bookmark which I'm using for Jasmine.

Image Credit: Roman Sock

Tree frog - you can download the pattern here  in PDF format.

These are all little things to add to his Christmas gifts, I like buying presents but I also like including a few handmade ones and usually my kids appreciate those even more than the rest.

For Jasmine:::

Image Credit: Julie K

Ornament bookmark - she loves reading and I thought this was just adorable.  Pattern Here.

Image Credit: Julie K

Contortionist Crochet Cuff - she loves stuff like this and I think for a tween girl it's adorable, another great pattern over at Julie K's.

 Image Credit:  Roman Sock

Greek Tortoise - she loves turtles and this one is so cute, you can download the pdf pattern here.

For Me:::::

 Image credit: Julie K

Fire Blossom Wash Cloths - so cute, you can find the pattern free on Ravelry. 

Image Credit: Julie K

Crochet Jar covers - I've had my eye on these since I first saw them on Attic 24, but I've tried making one before and it didn't turn out how I wanted it.  I'm going to follow Julie's directions and see if I strike gold this time.

Image Credit: Crochet with Raymond

Granny Mandala - I've been looking for this pattern for quite a while and was so happy to find it this morning over at Crochet with Raymond.  I can NOT wait to start.

As you can see I have quite a few projects to keep me busy today, I just hope I feel well enough to get through them all or at least a few.

There's nothing more rewarding than putting the time and effort into making something with your own hands and watching the smiles and joy it brings to the recipient.

Do you hand make gifts for the holidays too or do you prefer to leave that to others?  


If you do make your own, what do you make?  I would love to hear.