Odor Neutralizing Fun!

Oh yeah, SOAP DISPENSER WEEK Bonus Day!!!  5 was just not enough! When I say a week, I mean a week!

I've learned a few things, spending this week decorating soap dispenser bottles.  I think, of course, the biggest thing being that I could do one of these weeks a year for the next decade and never repeat a bottle shape.  The other thing has to be that covered soap bottles are super cute and super cheap to make.  Which makes me think that this week should really have been labled PRACTICALLY PERFECT GIFTS FOR EVERYONE YOU KNOW!! week.

This is the last soap bottle for this series, but I think I might have saved the best for last.  I made it to go in my kitchen, but you can make it in any color that you like.

Softsoap Odor Neutralizing Kitchen Fresh Hands Hand Soap Cover

Supplies:

100% cotton worsted weight yarn, approx. 40 yards (I used Peaches & Creme in Sunshine)

Size G hook

Yarn needle

ch 27, sl st to first ch to join round (27 st)

R1: ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st to first sc to join round (27 st)

R2-3: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (27 st)

R4: ch 1,( 5 sc, sc 2 st tog) 3 times, 6 sc, sl st to first sc to join round (24 st)

R5-19: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (24 st)

R20: ch 1, (2 sc, sc 2 st tog) 6 times, sl st to first sc to join round (18 st)

R21: ch 1, (sc, sc 2 st tog) 6 times, sl st to first sc to join round (12 st)

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

I hot glued a button to the top of a ribbon, and then glued the button/ribbon to a bobby pin!  It's so simple, but it's absolutely adorable in person.  I'm not a cutesy cutesy kind of person, but I literally squealed with delight when I finished this soap cover.   

Okay, so even though this was the last soap dispenser cover, I do have a surprise for you tomorrow.  The last day of my SOAP DISPENSER WEEK extravaganza is going to be filled with hand sanitizers and hand towels.  So enjoy your lovely Saturday, Dynamos!  Come back tomorrow for this week's thrilling conclusion!

xoxo

Day Five of Soap Dispenser Week 2012!

Happy Friday the 13th everyone!  If you celebrate by enjoying some horror movie fun (might I suggest the 1992 classic, Army of Darkness?), you're going to need to scrub all that fake blood off with some good soap... Or perhaps just use the soap to get the popcorn smell off your fingers...  Luckily, I'm here with another awesome cover for SOAP DISPENSER WEEK 2012!!!

Today's soap dispenser cover is for my mom, because she requested one.  Her favorite color is green, and she loves turtles, so that's why we're doing this today.  I wish that there was more to it than that... but there isn't.  LOL!!!

Dial Complete Foaming Antibacterial Hand Wash Cover

Supplies:

100% cotton worsted weight yarn, approx. 40 yards (I used Peaches & Creme Scents in Soothing Aloe)

Size G hook

Yarn needle

ch 30, sl st to first ch to join round (30 st)

R1: ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st to first sc to join round (30 st)

R2-5: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (30 st)

R6: ch 1,(4 sc, sc 2 st tog) 5 times, sl st to first sc to join round (25 st)

R7-9: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (25 st)

R10: ch 1, (3sc, sc 2 st tog) 5 times, sl st to first sc to join round (20 st)

R11-19: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (20 st)

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

If you'd like to add a toy turtle to the front of your soap dispenser as well, I hot glued two bobby pins between two circles of felt, and then attached them to the underside of the turtle, making sure that the bobby pin by the turtle's head was in line with it's neck.  Once the glue cooled, I slid the bobby pins in between the crocheted stitches of the cover to attach the turtle.  This way, it's easy to remove, but the turtle won't just fall off onto my mom's kitchen counter.

I wanted to talk just a little bit about foaming hand soaps.  I adore them.  That's all we use around here.  But they can get a little pricey, since (for my family) they don't seem to last as long as the bottles of non-foaming soap.  Plus, until Bath & Body Works has some sort of return/recycling program, it just kills me to throw the barely used empties away (even if it's in the recycling bin).

I was browsing on Pinterest the other day and ran across a link to this post about how to make your own foaming soap refills (btw, Stephanie at Full of Great Ideas really is full of great ideas.  Someone called her the Mythbusters of Pinterest, and I have to agree!).  Anyhoo, I thought that I really should pass along the 'recipe' (which I have since seen on several other blogs too!) and maybe we can all save a few bucks.

Everyone in blogland seems to be in agreement that you should aim for a 2:1 to 3:1 ratio of water to liquid soap.  Some suggest using hot water.  Lots of people use yummy smelling expensive soaps, since it makes them last longer.  Other people use dish soap, and shampoos.  I am especially interested in the dish soap idea, since I think the extra yuck-removal power that those cleansers have might be beneficial for my family, particularly in the kitchen.  Everyone agrees, do not get creamy non-clear soaps since they will clog up your foaming dispenser.

I refilled one of my old Bath & Body Works dispensers with B&BW's Pink Chiffon-scented body wash, with fantastic results.  I filled the bottle about 1/4 of the way with the soap, and then filled the rest of the bottle with hot tap water.  I gently swirled the bottle until the soap was mostly mixed in, but I wasn't too worried, since I know that eventually it will dissolve.  It works perfectly, and I am really happy, since it isn't a fragrance that they offer in their hand soap line (and it is currently my signature scent!).  So, I feel spoiled and happy, and I don't feel guilty that my empty foaming bottles are going to waste anymore.

Have a happy Friday, Dynamos!  Come back tomorrow for Day Six of soap dispenser goodness!

xoxo

Soap Dispenser Week 2012!

It was recently brought to my attention that my foaming soap dispenser cover only covered the one (slightly pricey) type of Bath & Body Works bottle.  "Well," I thought to myself, "that's just not going to do." So I took a trip to Target, because I wanted my Dynamos to be able to cover any soap that they wanted to cover.  I got to the handsoap aisle, and I had a massive soap bottle revelation.  How had this escaped my notice?!  There are, like, three different bottle designs (or more!) for each brand of soap that Target carries.  It was crazy!

I get it.  The foaming dispensers have to look different from the odor-neutralizing soaps which have to look different from the just plain hand soaps or we all might get confused.  LOL!!!  So I picked out a few different  types of bottles, since clearly I was not going to be able to design a one-size-fits-most cover.  But, the silver lining is that we now get to have:

SOAP DISPENSER WEEK 2012!!!

(and the crowd goes wild!! Yay!!!!)

I kept these simple, and in the same style as my previous covers, because I think that these covers are just a perfect neutral background for a really cool focal point accessory.  And since they don't use a ton of yarn, they are quick to make!

So, let's get started!

Softsoap Pampered Hands Foaming Hand Soap Cover

Supplies:

100% cotton worsted weight yarn, approx. 50 yards (I used Peaches & Creme Scents in Rose Garden)

Size G hook

Yarn needle

ch 30, sl st to first ch to join round (30 st)

R1: ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st to first sc to join round (30 st)

R2: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (30 st)

R3: ch 1, (4 sc, sc 2 st tog) 5 times, sl st to first sc to join round (25 st)

R4-5: ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st to first sc to join round (25 st)

R6: ch 1, (3 sc, sc 2 st tog) 5 times, sl st to first sc to join round (20 st)

R7-25: ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st to first sc to join round (20 st)

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

I hot-glued a bobby pin to the back of a flower I got at the Dollar Tree, to use as an embellishment.  You can, of course, put anything you like on the front, or leave it plain!  I like being able to wash the covers, which is why I didn't directly attach the flower.  The covers get surprisingly grubby! Or is that just me, because I live with a 5 year-old??

Okay!  I'll see you tomorrow for Day Two of Soap Dispenser Week!

xoxo

Thrilling Conclusion...

Well, I don't know about you, but for me this week has been challenging and exhilarating and so exciting.  It's the first time that I've tried to tackle a theme week, and I love it!  Today is the last day of my SOAP DISPENSER WEEK 2012!!  So today I'd like to share a little love to the periphery of the soap dispenser world.  Like the antibacterial gels, and the hand towels...

I know that antibacterial hand gels are a little controversial.  We don't use them on a regular basis, but for the occasional use they are really convenient.

Purell Advanced Refreshing Gel (8 oz bottle) Cover

Supplies:

100% cotton worsted weight yarn, approx. 40 yards (I used Lion Cotton in Purple)

Size G hook

Yarn needle

ch 28, sl st to first ch to join round (28 st)

R1: ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st to first sc to join round (28 st)

R2-17: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (28 st)

R18: ch 1,[(sc 2 st tog) 4 times, 6 sc] 2 times, sl st to first sc to join round (20 st)

R19: ch 1,[(sc 2 st tog) 2 times, 6 sc] 2 times, sl st to first sc to join round (16 st)

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

  

Skull Applique

Supplies:

100% cotton worsted weight yarn, approx. 15 yards (I used Bernat Handicrafter 100% Cotton in White)

Size G hook

Yarn needle

ch 5

R1: sc in 2^nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across, ch 1, turn (4 st)

R2: sc in each st across, ch 1, turn (4 st)

R3: 2 sc in next sc, 2 sc, 2 sc in last st, ch 1, turn (6 st)

R4: 2 sc in next sc, 4 sc, 2 sc in last st, ch 1, turn (8 st)

R5-6: sc in each st across, ch 1, turn (8 st)

R7: sc 2 st tog, 4 sc, sc 2 st tog, ch 1, turn (6 st)

R8: sc 2 st tog, 2 sc, sc 2 st tog (4 st)

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Skully eyes:

Size 3 crochet cotton (I used Aunt Lydia’s Size 3 Fashion Crochet Cotton in Plum)

Size D hook

Yarn needle

Small Eye

5 sc in a magic loop, sl st to first sc to close round. 

Tighten loop.  Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Large Eye

10 sc in a magic loop, sl st to first sc to close round. 

Tighten loop.  Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Using photo as reference, stitch eyes to skull.  Embroider three lines across rows 1 and 2 of the skull, to define the teeth.

Stitch the Skully to the cover at a jaunty angle!

Or, if skulls aren't really your thing, the ribbon/button that we made yesterday also would look really cute.  I think this would make a cute back-to-school gift for teachers, especially in your school's colors.  

The other thing that I made today were some towels.  I found some dish towels at Target that I thought needed some decoration.  I chose colors that I love.  You can choose colors that match your kitchen, or your favorite soap dispenser cover! 

The turquoise/red towel was made by making 4 three-color circles.  I made it in Mims's favorite colors, so that she could use it as a face/toothpaste towel in the bathroom.  

Three-Color Circle Towel

Small amount size 3 crochet thread in 3 colors (I used Aunt Lydia's size 3 bamboo thread)

Size D hook

Yarn needle

Sewing needle

Sewing thread to match 

Hand towel/Dish towel

(make 4)

R1: Using Color A: 5 sc in a magic loop, sl st to first sc to join round (5 sc)

R2: ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around,  sl st to first sc to join round (10 sc)

R3: Switch to Color B: ch 1, (2 sc in next st, sc) 5 times,  sl st to first sc to join round (15 sc)

R4: Switch to Color C: ch 1, (2 sc in next st, 2 sc) 5 times,  sl st to first sc to join round (20 sc)

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

I would recommend pinning the circles in place before you start sewing them on.  That way you can try out the spacing of the circles before you commit to their final placement.  Hand stitch in place.

The Star Towel was made by making 4 of my mini stars using size 3 crochet thread and a size D crochet hook.  I sewed them onto my dish towel the same way that I sewed the circles onto the Three-Color Circle Towel.

I hope you enjoyed my first theme week, and of course, I hope you found at least one soap dispenser (or idea) that you found appealing.  If you'd like to look over them again, I've added a Theme Collection tab to my side bar and I've included all of the free pattens that I've shared this week.

xoxo

A Gift of Peppermint Soap and Quasi-Vintage Holly!

Sooo, you know how I adore Bath and Body Works foaming hand soaps?  Well, I do.  A lot. Did you know that they currently have TWO different peppermint foaming hand soaps?  I know, awesome, right?!  It's like infusing holiday spirit directly into my skin every time I wash my hands!!!  I love it!  

You know I love this soap when I buy them by the bag full!  In fact, one of my very first free patterns was a foaming hand soap dispenser cover, and I've been fine tuning it ever since.  Well, you will be happy to hear that finally I think I've broken the code and come up with a perfectly sized cover that's only 15 rows long!  Awesome!  I can whip one of these babies up so fast that I can change them out for every holiday, including Squirrel Appreciation Day (January 21st, but don't worry, I'll remind you when it gets closer!).

Or, I suppose, the quick pattern would make these into some pretty awesome handmade-but-not-TOO-handmade Christmas gifts that pretty much everyone on your gift list would adore... *wink!* So, if you'd like to make a bunch for your home, or for awesome holiday gifts, keep reading!

The Best Bath and Body Works Foaming Hand Soap Dispenser Cover (so far!)
Supplies:
Worsted weight yarn in 2 colors (I used Lily's Original Sugar N Cream 100% cotton in White and Sage Green)
Size G hook
Yarn needle
Scissors

**I alternated colors every row, starting with white.  I did NOT add the color changes in the pattern for pattern reading ease**

ch 26.  Being careful not to twist chain, sl st to first ch to close loop.
R1: ch 2, hdc in the back loop of each ch around, sl st to first st to close round (26 st)
R2-5: ch 2, hdc in each st around, sl st to first st to close round (26 st)
R6: ch 2, (hdc next 2 st tog, 11 hdc) 2 times, sl st to first st to close round (24 st)
R7: ch 2, hdc in each st around, sl st to first st to close round (24 st)
R8: ch 2, (hdc next 2 st tog, 10 hdc) 2 times, sl st to first st to close round (22 st)
R9: ch 2, hdc in each st around, sl st to first st to close round (22 st)
R10: ch 2, (hdc next 2 st tog, 9 hdc) 2 times, sl st to first st to close round (20 st)
R11: ch 2, hdc in each st around, sl st to first st to close round (20 st)
R12: ch 2, (hdc next 2 st tog, 8 hdc) 2 times (18 st)
R13: ch 2, hdc in each st around, sl st to first st to close round (18 st)
R14: ch 2, (hdc next 2 st tog, 7 hdc) 2 times (16 st)
R15: ch 2, hdc in each st around, sl st to first st to close round (16 st)
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.  Slip cover over soap dispenser and enjoy the pepperminty goodness!

But wait, there's more!  I live in an old farmhouse.  I think I've mentioned that before.  I love it, but we have push button light switches, 4 doors into (and out of!) the kitchen, and no central air conditioning.  The good part is that we've got some awesome crazy antique awesomeness, like a hair collector (never heard of one?  It's a little porcelain bowl that has a lid with a hole in it.  Women used to collect their hair every day after brushing it, and collect it in these little bowls to use later for stuffing pin cushions.), and some really fun vintage holiday ornaments.

I decorated our tree this week, and became completely inspired by the glitter and felt ornaments of the past and just desperately needed to make some of my own.  So, if you'd like to add some quasi-vintage flair to your soap dispenser cover (or hats, or packages!) you can make some too!  Honestly, the hardest part is waiting for the glitter glue to dry!

Quasi-Vintage Holly Decoration
Supplies:
Green felt - 1 sheet of eco-felt will make at least ten 2-leaf decorations
3/8" red pom-poms
3/8" grosgrain ribbon (I used red, but if you've got white it would look cute too!)
Red glitter glue
Crystal Gel fabric paint (or iridescent glitter glue)
Scissors
Hot glue (or fabric glue)
A bobby pin, safety pin, or other item to put on the back of your decoration to attach it to other things
Parchment paper (optional)

**Junior Dynamos, please don't use the hot glue gun without adult supervision! Be safe!**

 Cut some holly shapes out of the felt.  I recommend drawing several holly leaves onto a sheet of paper and then picking the one you like best to use as a pattern.  The leaf is really just a series of U-shapes that meet to form the spikey points. It's so simple, I didn't upload a template for you to print out.  This is a really simple, basic shape.

I made my leaves in a variety of sizes, with the smallest about 1 1/2" long, and the largest about 2 1/2" long.  They look better if you don't make the leaves all the same size.  Don't worry if your leaves look a little wonky, no one is going to even notice!  We're going to distract everyone with the next step.

This would be a good time to lay out a sheet of parchment paper, if you're using it.  It will protect your work surface, and if you get a little crazy with the glitter glue in the next step, the glue won't stick to the surface and you can just cut off any wayward glitter (instead of it being forever glued to the top of the table!).

Now grab your Crystal Gel fabric paint squeezy bottle (or iridescent glitter glue) and draw a holly leaf shape on top of the holly leaves that you just cut out!  Kinda follow the outline of the leaf, but don't worry if it's not perfect.  Once it dries, it will get all sparkly and no one will even notice.  Add a line in the center to finish the leaf.  Set the wet leaves aside and wait for them to dry (maybe up to 24 hours, depending on the weather).

Once your leaves are dry (don't they look awesome?!), match them up with another leaf and using your handy-dandy glue gun (or fabric glue for those of you who want blister-free fingers this holiday season) glue them together at the base of the leaves. Glue 3 of the red pom-poms in a cluster just above where you've attached the leaves together (leaving a small area below to attach a bow in the next step).  Once your glue is dry, and everything is safe to handle again, use your red glitter glue and add some glitter to the tops of the pom-poms and on the leaves underneath the pom-poms.  Vintage-y awesomeness!

Using your grosgrain ribbon, make a bow!  I used about 12" of ribbon for each bow, but if you'd like your bows to have shorter tails, you can use much less ribbon for each bow.  You can heat seal the cut ends of the ribbon by running the flame of a lit match over them for, like, 2 seconds.  That will keep them from fraying!  Attach your bow using hot glue (or fabric glue) in the little space you left below the holly berries.  You can actually attach the bow going either way, so that the holly sprig is up, or hangs down.  Whatever you prefer!  Both look cute!

Attach a bobby pin, or safety pin, or pin back to the back using whatever method your prefer.  I glued the bobby pins on mine, so that I could attach them to hats and soap dispenser covers.

You're done!  Attach away!  Show off your vintage flair and awesome holiday style!

xoxo

These FREE projects were sponsored by Crochet Dynamite ebooks!  Perfect for your new holiday tablets and ereaders!

Do you love my free patterns?  

Support an independent designer!  

My ebooks are available in the Kindle Store on Amazon!  

(And the Kindle software is FREE for your computer, tablet, smart phone and other techie devices!!!)

Go HERE to check them out! 
And, my books are part of the Kindle Lending Library,
so if you're an Amazon Prime Member, you can download them for free!
Check them out and try before you buy!!!

Thanks! xoxo Jaime

Dial L for Love

It's day three of my SOAP DISPENSER WEEK extravaganza!  Who knew covering soap bottles in crochet could be so fun?!  Wait, I think I got that confused with drag racing... Anyway, today's soap is a classic, non-foaming household staple:

Dial Antibacterial Hand Soap with Moisturizer Cover

Supplies:

100% cotton worsted weight yarn, approx. 45 yards (I used Peaches & Creme in Oasis)

Size G hook

Yarn needle

ch 27, sl st to first ch to join round (26 st)

R1: ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st to first sc to join round (26 st)

R2-14: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (26 st)

R15: ch 1,(3 sc, sc 2 st tog) 5 times, sc, sl st to first sc to join round (21 st)

R16-21: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (21 st)

R22: ch 1,(sc, sc 2 st tog) 7 times, sc, sl st to first sc to join round (14 st)

R23: ch 1, (2 sc, sc 2 st tog) 3 times, 2 sc, sl st to first sc to join round (11 st)

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

The finished cover reminded me of our last beach trip.  The beach sand had been warm and darkly speckled from summer-barbecue charcoal.   The seagulls had just finished feasting on muscles that had washed up on the shore, the empty seashells littering the damp sand at the water's edge.  The shells were so beautiful, deep blacks and purples, sometimes tipped in white.  I picked several up, and rinsed them in the tide, amused that the open shells resembled a heart.  I carefully carried them home, knowing that I wanted to do something special with them.

I decided that I wanted to use the shells to decorate my cover.  I cut out two felt pieces about the shape of the open muscle shells, and hot glued a bobby pin between the felt.  I then, carefully, split the two shells apart.  I glued the felt to the backside of the shells, working on one side at a time.  Now, I could attach my shell heart to the soap dispenser cover simply by sliding the bobby pin between the crocheted stitches.  

I love that the heart is removable, and that I can wash (and dry!) the cover when it gets yucky.  Because while this project wasn't expensive, to me it holds a pretty special memory...

xoxo

Blue Pearls

I can hardly believe that we're already on day FOUR of my Soap-tacular SOAP DISPENSER WEEK!!!


Mimsey is participating in our library's summer reading program.  Jake and I have been putting her in it since the first year she was eligible.  I like it, because it makes us prioritize library trips, and we read waaay more books to Mims (says her mom, hanging her head in shame).


The last time we were at the library, Jake wanted to get some books on shed construction, so we all walked over to the adult section of the library.  Mims and I wandered into the crafty section where I made a shocking discovery.  There were 3 books on crochet in my local library.  3!  Now, perhaps the library had just had a massive run on crochet books and these were the only 3 left, but I doubt it.  There were 3 large stacks (the bookcase kind) of craft books, and at least 4 shelves devoted to knitting books. Yet, there were only 3 crochet books?!  What's up with that?!
** to be fair, our library is part of a very large library system, and they do have a large selection of crochet books, they're just spread out between 40 different library locations, but I can order them to be delivered to my local library for a quarter** <-- That weakened my argument a little.  But I wanted to browse, so I say my argument is still valid...


So, I grabbed a DIY wedding book, since there were bound to be some fun and different ideas in there, and a book on jewelry making, and we went on our merry way.  Much later, when I finally got around to looking through my borrowed books, I found that while there wasn't anything in them that directly appealed to me, I did find myself inspired to create something wholly new based on some of the ideas in the books.


Particularly, I found myself drawn to the idea of handcrafted wedding favors.  There's just something so precious and intimate about creating something that you know your guests will treasure as much as you treasure their participation in your special day.  For days I've been dreaming about what I might create for my guests if I was planning a wedding (which I am not).  What I came up with was an idea for an ornament.  Certainly it could be hung on a tree at Christmastime, but I think it would be pretty hung in the home as well.  I was going to make one to hang from the glass knob of the medicine cabinet in my bathroom, and then I realized that I could use it to decorate the front of one of my hand soap covers!  Two birds, one stone!  


I still am planning on making my wedding favor ornaments, but I'm glad that I got a chance to try one out before I committed to making a dozen of them.  I think the cover turned out really pretty.  If you'd like to make one too, here's the pattern:

Softsoap Hand Soap Cover

Supplies:

100% cotton worsted weight yarn, approx. 40 yards (I used Peaches & Creme in Bright Blue)

Size G hook

Yarn needle

ch 25, sl st to first ch to join round (25 st)

R1: ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st to first sc to join round (25 st)

R2-7: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (25 st)

R8: ch 1,(2 sc in next st, 4 sc) 5 times, sl st to first sc to join round (30 st)

R9-14: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (30 st)

R15: ch 1, (4 sc, sc 2 st tog) 5 times, sl st to first sc to join round (25 st)

R16: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (25 st)

R17: ch 1, (3 sc, sc 2 st tog) 5 times, sl st to first sc to join round (20 st)

R18: ch 1, (2 sc, sc 2 st tog) 5 times, sl st to first sc to join round (15 st)

R19: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (15 st)

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

To add the fancy-schmancy star on the front, I crocheted a mini version of my star pattern out of white worsted weight cotton yarn.  I sewed two layers of tulle and some plastic pearls and glass beads in the center.  Then I used white cotton yarn and stitched it on the front of the cover.  If you turn it wrong side out, I think it will go through the wash with no problems, but I wouldn't recommend putting it in the dryer.


Mini Star Pattern:
You can use any weight yarn, with an appropriately sized hook.  It also looks really cute in size 3 crochet thread... I made my star out of worsted weight yarn and a size G hook.

R1: 5 sc in magic loop, sl st to first sc to close round (5 st) 
R2: ch 1, (2sc in next st) 5 times, sl st to first sc to close round (10 st)
R3: [(hdc, dc, trc, dc, hdc) in next st, sl st] 5 times

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Come back tomorrow for some more good clean fun!!!  (Ahahahaha, I know it's dumb, but I crack myself up!)


xoxo


Sorry about the all white text background today on this post.  I can't for the life of me figure out how to make it go back to normal... LOL!!!!

Mini Wishing Stars!

I was making several dozen stars to fill a jar for Mims.  Okay, that's a lie.  I was making several dozen stars for the front of my new business cards, and then I was going to give them to Mims when I was done shooting pictures.  I think that still makes me a good mom...


I thought I was making my regular stars, but they were turning out so small, I went back to the pattern to see what I was doing wrong.  Turns out, I was starting out with too few stitches.  Still, the stars are adorable.  I like them better for this purpose.  So now I've got two different, but very similar, star patterns...


This is the pattern I used for the star on the front of the blue Softsoap dispenser cover and the Star Towel from my SOAP DISPENSER WEEK 2012.  But that was just the instructions for a single star.  This is the instructions for a two-sided puffy star.  The big difference between the patterns, you'll see, is the cleverly parenthesized 'make 2'...

Wishing Stars (aka Mini Stars):
You can use  any size yarn, with an appropriately sized hook, to make these stars.  They also need a small amount fiberfill, if you'd like them to be puffy.

(make 2)

R1: 5 sc in magic loop, sl st to first sc to close round (5 st)
R2: ch 1, (2sc in next st) 5 times, sl st to first sc to close round (10 st)
R3: [(hdc, dc, trc, dc, hdc) in next st, sl st] 5 times

Fasten off.  Leave a long tail for sewing sides together.   Weave in center tail.  Sew sides together.  Add stuffing before sewing last 1/2 inch, if a puffy star is desired.

When I was in a speech class in college, one of my classmates gave a speech on how to make origami wishing stars.  I thought they were absolutely adorable, and I liked the idea behind them, that they bring good luck when they are made and then given away. No, I don't think that they are magic.  I do think that they are really sweet, and that the time and energy that you put into making a jar full of them for a special present would be a beautiful expression of love.  I would give these.  I would also be excited to receive a jar of them.  (and, okay, I'd hope that they'd bring me good luck... Kinda the way I always hope that my fortune cookie fortune will come true...)

I spent a couple of days crocheting and putting these little stars together.   They have completely grown on me, and I've been inspired to do a couple of other projects with them.  So, while it's not a theme week, I hope you'll be as excited as I am to spend a couple of days Crocheting With The Stars!


If you'd like to fill your own jar with wishing stars, it took about 30 stars to fill the jar.  I made mine out of size 3 crochet thread, and used a size D crochet hook.


xoxo

Up & Up...

Welcome to day two of my SOAP DISPENSER WEEK!!!! (yay!!!)

Here's the deal:  I love to crochet.  I love to spend hours working out crochet design problems.  Most of the time I can rip it out three or four times and then, finally, solve the problem.  But sometimes it just doesn't work.  Like this time:

See, I wanted to do a happy sun  for the cover.  Odd numbers look better for most things, so I made five points (ahem, 3 versions of 5 points, to get them pointy enough...) Do you know what a 5 pointed sun is?  A star.  Yep.  A happy faced star shining brightly in the cloudy daytime.

So, back to the drawing board.  I had wanted this cover to be for a kid's bathroom, which made me think that I usually create my kid projects for Mims.  I should do something different!  I just recently got to hang out with my nephew, DC, and so I took some inspiration from him and decided to re-do the cover for a little boy's bathroom (or a really hip kitchen).

up&up (Target Brand) Foaming Hand Wash Cover

Supplies:

100% cotton worsted weight yarn, approx. 35 yards (I used Peaches & Creme in Bright Aqua)

Small amount of 100% cotton worsted weight yarn for clouds (I used Bernat Handicrafter 100% Cotton in White)

Size G hook

Yarn needle

Small toy airplane

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

ch 29, sl st to first ch to join round (29 st)

R1: ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st to first sc to join round (29 st)

R2-12: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (29 st)

R13: ch 1,(4 sc, sc 2 st tog) 4 times, 5 sc, sl st to first sc to join round (25 st)

R14: ch 1, (3sc, sc 2 st tog) 5 times, sl st to first sc to join round (20 st)

R15: ch 1, (3sc, sc 2 st tog) 4 times, sl st to first sc to join round (16 st)

R16: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (16 st)

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Clouds 

Sm cloud

ch 9

R1: sc in 2^nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across (8 st)

R2: -do not chain- skip 1 sc, sl st in next 2 sc, 5 dc in next sc, skip 1 sc, sl st , skip last sc

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Lg cloud

ch 11

R1: sl st in 2^nd ch from hook, sl st, 7 sc, sl st (10 st)

R2: ch 1, skip 1 sc, sl st in next st, 3 sc in next st, sl st, skip 1 st, 4 dc in next st, 2 sl st, skip last 2 st

Fasten off. Weave in ends

I got out my trusty hot glue gun and glued the airplane and the clouds to the cover.  I know what you're thinking, "But I'm never going to be able to wash it when it gets dirty and gross!" and to that I say, "Yup."  

I love recycling and reusing and keeping handcrafted treasures as much as anyone else, but I was faced with a challenge that made me question my priorities, and after careful contemplation, here's what I've come up with:  I spent fifteen minutes crocheting a cover for a $1.50 bottle of soap, with $1 worth of yarn.  I glued a $0.50 toy to the front (two for a buck at the dollar store! score!).  So really, including the soap, we were dealing with $3.00 in materials.  And, not to toot my own horn or anything, I think it turned out super cool.  If I had seen that in a baby boutique, I would have expected to pay $35 or more for it EXACTLY THE WAY I GLUED IT.  We have a very generous family friend that, if I had received that as a present from her, I would have assumed that she had spent at least $50 on it... Once again, glued exactly the way that I glued it.  

I get really hung up on the idea that the things I create need to stand the test of time, but in this case, sometimes it's more fun to just finish the project and move on.  I am confident that my sister-in-law is going to change the decor of DC's bathroom at least two times before he'll even be old enough to be able to stand at the sink and wash his hands on his own.  This isn't an heirloom.  It's a really cute soap bottle cover.

By the way, I really think you would knock the socks off of any baby shower by making this.  It's so stinkin' cute in person, I hate to give it away...

xoxo

A Gift of Good-Looking Presents!

I made some holiday bows last week!  And look at my normally-dead lawn!  I was so excited that it's green right now, I had to run out and take pictures on it.  Uh, if the picture above looks weird, I took it myself, of my feet, and then flipped it around so that it didn't look like that was what I did... Don't the bows look Photoshopped?  I swear, the bows are really on my sneakers, I think it came out weird because I pumped up the color and fixed the exposure a little on PicMonkey...

So this all came about because my friend Teeni, over at the Mad Crochet Lab, hosted a holiday collaborative project this year called the Virtual Handmade Holiday Craft Collaboration, where she helped us all create an amazing Virtual Holiday Wreath!  Awesomesauce!  I loved that while it was a holiday project, she specifically mentioned that this was a non-denominational wreath, and not to create any religious holiday ornaments.  Not that I would have chosen a particularly Jesus-y project anyway, but it was fun to stretch my imagination to create something new that said "Holiday Spirit" without screaming "Christmas"!!!

At first I considered 'winter-themed' projects, but crochet snowflakes boggle my brain.  I put them in the doily category, beautiful thread, starchy and COMPLICATED.  I wanted to make something easy and fun, and most of all, FAST!  I just got my shipment of holiday wrapping paper from the fundraiser at Mimsey's school, so I've been thinking about getting started with the oodles of wrapping that I'm going to do over the next couple of weeks.  That, of course, got me thinking about decorating the packages, and a really cute bow I saw on Pinterest that was made out of strips of paper cut from kid art.

I had to try it in crochet!  Like, right that minute!!  And it worked! Yippee, it was a holiday miracle!  I shot some pictures and sent them off to the Mad Crochet Lab!

Then I started the process of fine-tuning the pattern to be able to write it out for you.  I think I've make nearly a dozen, trying to figure out the best way to put them together.  But I think I've finally got it, and I took a TON of pictures to help clarify the instructions.   So, if you'd like to make a holiday bow (or ten!) read on!

The Holiday Bow
Supplies:
I used worsted weight yarn and an F hook for most of these bows, but it is completely adjustable to the size of whatever yarn you choose.  For a sport weight yarn use a D hook.  For a Bulky yarn, I would try an I hook to start.   You pretty much can't screw this one up, but tighter stitches will look better than loose ones.  The bow above was made with cotton yarn, but for the tutorial, I used Red Heart Shimmer in Red.

**A quick note about the pattern:  The bow is made up of three long strips of 3-stitch-wide crochet and one short strip.  I have chained between the strips to keep them all together in my project bag, and so that I remember that I've done all of the strips before I switch to another yarn.  Do not let the chains confuse you, it's just so that the strips don't get lost, and it saves time from having to finish off and weave in ends between strips. Okay? Okay!***

ch 4
R1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across (3 st)
R2-8: ch 1, sc in each st across (3 st)
R9: ch 10 (this will leave a gap between strips), sc in 2nd ch from hook, 2 sc (3 st)
R10-32: ch 1, 3 sc (3 st)
R33: ch 10, sc in 2nd ch from hook, 2 sc (3 st)
R34-56: ch 1, 3 sc (3 st)
R57: ch 10, sc in 2nd ch from hook, 2 sc (3 st)
R58-80:  ch 1, 3 sc (3 st)
Fasten off.  It should look like this:

The first time you make this, you should cut the strips apart, and weave in all the ends.  Your strips should now look like this:

Kinda looks like crinkly bacon, huh?

Start with one of the long pieces.  See how it's twisting?  We're going to use that to our advantage!

Start with one end.  Using the 'natural' twist of the strip, curl the top around and down onto the back of the piece.  It will look like this:

Ooh, did you notice my fancy nails?
Mims got fantastic grades on her very first report card, so we had a special Mommy/Daughter manicure day!
I got the gel polish, so we'll see how long it lasts... It was AWESOME to leave with DRY nails, though!

Stitch it down on the back of the strip.  It will look like this on the front:

Following the twist of the strip (which should twist the opposite direction this time!) twist the other end of the strip around and down onto the back of the strip.  It won't quite meet in the center, there should be a little space between the ends.  Stitch it down so the piece now looks like this:

Repeat with the other 2 long strips, so you've got three pieces that look like this:

Now you're ready to start putting your bow together!  Stack the strips on top of each other, little pockets UP.  You may have to do a little fiddling with this part to find the combination that looks best.

Once you've got them the way that you like, stitch them in place!  When you're done, it should look like this:

Now grab your center piece!

Fold it around so that the two short ends meet, and it makes a little tube.  Tuck it into the center of the bow so it looks like this:

Stitch it into place!  Weave in any loose ends! Add a bobby pin on the back (or safety pin!) so that you can attach it to everything!!

**Okay, so now that you know the 'right' way to make the Holiday Bow, I'm going to tell you the cheater way.  You don't actually have to stitch any of this if you use a hot glue gun.  Just glue all the ends down, glue the long strips together, glue the little strip into the middle.  You can crank them out in a couple of minutes!

And when you get REALLY good, you don't even have to cut the strips apart before you assemble the bow.  The last 5 bows I made I just covered up the extra chains by hiding them between layers.  I swear, they don't show at all!  It will cut another 5 minutes off your production time if you don't have to cut all the pieces apart and weave in all those ends.  Awesome, right?  But so confusing for a first timer!!  So make a couple the 'right' way, so that you get the hang of it, and then cheat, cheat, cheat away for the rest!  I promise, I won't tell!**

Why would you need more than one bow?  Because you can use them for everything!!!

So, going clockwise from the top, you can:
-add a bow to a crochet hat (like my ebook exclusive, Prim's Hat)!
-wear a bow as a festive pin!
-attach a bow to a headband (looks cute on adults too!)
-attach a couple bows to the laces of your sneakers!
-put a bow on the front of a soap dispenser cover!
-sticky-tape a pair of bows onto your fake Costco Uggs!
-hang bows from your artificial Christmas tree that your husband bought you the first year you guys were married!
-use bows to top all of your gifts!

I hope you have a ton of fun with this one!  I know that I have!!!

A special thanks goes out to all of the other Virtual Handmade Holiday Craft Collaborators:
-Teeni from Mad Crochet Lab
-Kim from Kim's Sticks and Strings
-Kim from Wolly Toons
-Liz from Crochet Creations by Liz
-Janice Howe-Palmer
-Amanda from Itchy Crochet
-Kate from Crafted Whimzies
-Amiguruthi

xoxo

Update 12/10/12:  Teeni, from Mad Crochet Lab, posted a video on how to make the bow loops.  It's mind blowing!  And she made a cute lariat using the bow as a focal point!  I wrote about it HERE with all the links!