T-shirt yearn Part II

 So this is the tote I made with my t-shirt yarn. It is very thick and sturdy. I added a lining so that things wouldn't slip through the holes between the crochet stitches. The entire tote was made using a SC (single crochet) going round and round and round until the bag was the size I wanted it. I did crochet a flat bottom first. I made a chain of 6 and then just SC back and forth until I had a rectangle the size I wanted my bottom to be. I followed the directions on the blog I mentioned in my t-yarn post.

The straps were made on a round loom using 6 pegs and knit stitching a flat panel (not in the round). I slipped the first peg at the beginning of each row. That made the strap curl in but that worked out well. I let it curl then single crocheted fun fur through each edge to create a rope like strap (like an i-cord). I didn't use t-yarn for the strap. It was just too much for my little loom and I kept pulling the pegs off when I tried to knit off.

I used a blanket stitch to sew in my lining but I did a really BAD job so I will probably re-do it at some point. I was just too excited to get it all put together and show it off!

The entire project was done with recycled, found or already owned materials (except for the size P crochet hook I used).  The man says I can't buy more yarn until I use up what I have *silly man* but then I did start thinking about wasteful it is to keep buying buying buying to the point that I might never use it all *gasp* and that maybe he had a point.  Not to mention the whole REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE motto we try to live by.  So I am on a mission to craft without buying new supplies!

T-Shirt Yarn

From this to this:

 Yarn!  I am using it to crochet a bag I saw on this blog Anatomy of a Rag Bag  Love reading this blog.  Check it out!


To make the yarn I followed cutting directions I found on this blog:
t-shirt yarn

Dyeing for color!

I read about using kool aid to dye wool and I just happened to have a light cream colored wool that I only used a tiny bit of so I decided to jump right in and give it a try. My 'flavor' was lemon lime for the green and cool blue raspberry for the blue. I wanted a variegated result so I dipped half my skein in one color and half in the other. By the way, kool aid dye does dye fingers and finger nails! I am allergic to latex and was out of my 'safe' gloves so I just used my hands. Oooppsies.

I noticed that the under side of the yarn was not getting any color so I flipped it and smooshed it and added another packet of kool aid in each color. I dissolved in hot water with a splash of vinegar. In the left dye bath where the blue is I put a sample swatch of a green wool I have that I am not super crazy about. It came out a really pretty emerald green so I went ahead and made up a batch of blue and put my green yarn in using the microwave method.
Before starting the dyeing process I had to re-twist my yarn. It was in those center pull skeins from craft store and I had to wrap them in hanks so that the dye could penetrate.

This Little Piggy

This little piggy was suppose to be bunny but somehow it just squealed piggy piggy piggy. I ran across a cute style of crocheting called amigurumi and so I made up a bunch of fun little critters for the kids and cats to play with. I like amigurumi because it gives me instant gradification. I can finish in the time it takes to watch a show or movie.

This is a critter I made for my daughter and we think it is chipcat.  She has a swirly chipmunk tail but kitty ears and little paws.

Check out http://www.freshstitches.com/amigurumi.php for cute pictures and patterns.

Yarn Inspired

It's a new year and I haven't blogged in ages. We had to move to a much smaller home and give up many of our belongings to fit into this new home. It was tough but a bit freeing to feel so much lighter!

I have been adjusting to our new home, neighborhood and area of town. I have a tiny little garden, a little bit of earth to play in, wonderful neighbors and a roof over my head which I affectionately call "The Cottage" even though some might call it a Mobile Home.

Every winter I get yarn inspired. Maybe it is the idea if I make it (cold weather apparel) it will come. Surely if I knit everyone caps, scarves and mittens the snow fates will send flurries our way.

I love yarn.  Even as a mediocre crocheter and a basic knitter I just love it.  I love the feel, the colors, the smells, the way they are bundled, balled, skeined,  and hanked.  I wouldn't mind displaying my yarns as part of my home decor if I was sure my kitties wouldn't attack my lovely fibers!

So this year the deal with husband is this:  Finish all those UFOs (unfinished objects) and put a big dent in the yarn stash before you buy more.  Can you believe that?  Sure, it sounds logical but what if....sales, the perfect color, that lovely alpaca in a color only available today, did I mention sale?  What if there is a beauty and only a few available and it's now or never?  What if I just need a treat?  Ummmmm, well you up what you have and then you can shop!  Sigh, he is being so responsible and mature but if there is suddenly a zombie apocalypse and yarn is the only material we have to make clothing and keep warm and he wouldn't let me stock up he is going to be sorry!  He seems to think the zombies aren't concerned with alpaca vs wool vs bamboo vs green cotton.  I am so making him a scarf and hat out of scratchy yarn in ugly colors.  Shhhhh, just kidding.  I probably wouldn't do that.

 The top left is a felted water bottle I made for myself.  It helps my bottle not sweat on my papers and seems to keep it cool longer.  I got the pattern off gettinigpegged.com.
Next you see my LAL (loom a long) which is an oven mitt.  In this photo is wet and blocked into shape.  Once dried it looks much nicer.  It works great for light cookie sheets or pans but not as well for taking the hot cast iron dutch oven out of oven.
Below is a scrubby-0 all from http://gettinitpegged.com/.  I love it.  I have one in the shower and use it to scrub down walls and door before I get out.  We use in kitchen too.

And this water bottle cover I made from my mom for her birthday.  It isn't the first one I made.  The first one I made came out about big enough to keep a bottle of Tabasco sauce snugly!  It was my first attempt at felting.  

I'm on a roll.  I am finishing a UFO - a market bag that I am knitting.  The above projects were knitting using looms.