Anthro Inspired Ribbon and Beaded Necklace

Only 17 days into January and I am already starting Christmas and birthday presents!  YAY!  Might actually get everything made this year!

Last night, instead of just lounging around and watching television I decided to be productive!  I had been to Joann’s earlier and picked up beads and ribbons for an Anthro Inspired necklace by Flamingo Toes (one of my new favorite sites!). 

I followed Flamingo Toes’ tutorial step by step.  The only changes that I made/thoughts I had were as follows:

• Instead of stringing cord, I used Soft Flex wire
• My necklace only used ten strands like hers, but I think my beads were smaller than hers so it looks even less “strandy”
• I bought a strand mix that was $3.99 with a coupon.  My bead total was $2.00 for enough beads to make about 1.5 necklaces
• I didn’t bother pressing the ribbon once I had turned it…mainly because it was 11:00 at night and I was feeling lazy

I definitely plan on making half a dozen of these for birthday and Christmas gifts.  I was so impressed at how similar they looked to the original Anthro design and how beautiful they look on.  Flamingo Toes’ tutorial is comprehensive and easy to follow.

Get beading!

 

 

Linking to:

Beaded Lanyards

Note from Debbie :  I just thought I would share my great collection of lanyards (most of which have been made by Jen) and how they are stored. These pegs are right by the back door to the garage. The last thing I do on my way out the door on the way to work is grab a lanyard that matches the day’s wardrobe, snap on my photo I.D., and grab my purse.

Beaded lanyards are a great way to showcase that obnoxious name badge that you have to wear at work.  I made piles of these this year for Christmas for my mom and my son’s teacher.  Both of them have to wear name badges all day at their jobs and I thought that beaded lanyards would make a fun gift!  Even if you have never beaded jewelry before, you can do this quickly, easily, and with only a few tools.  There are tons of tutorials on the web for lanyards and jewelry.  They all include a few basic things while at the same time leaving room for lots of creativity.

What you need:

a crimper

wire cutters

2 crimp beads

a key ring

2 jump rings

beads of your choice (For the lanyard in the example, I used multicolored beads that were a little bit bigger than seed beads.)

Soft Flex beading wire (sold on a roll)

1.  Gather all of your supplies and choose your beads. 

2.  To get started, cut at least 36inches of Soft Flex beading wire.  You want your lanyard to be 32 to 36 inches long, depending on preference.  String a crimp bead on to the wire, string on one jump ring, and thread the wire back through the crimp bead.  Use the crimping tool to close the crimp bead.  You can find directions on how to use the crimping tool in the package it came from as well as by doing a search for “how to close a crimp bead“.

3.  String your beads.  For the lanyard in this example, I used multicolored beads that were a little bit bigger than seed beads.  By choosing multicolored beads, I eliminated the step of designing a pattern.  I just strung the beads in no particular order and it looks great!

4.  Before closing off the other side with a crimp bead, check the length.  You want the lanyard to hang below the bust.  I recommend at least 32 inches but no more than 36 inches.  Once you are satisfied with the length, repeat Step #2 on the other side so you have a long string of beads that look like this:

5.  Take your key ring and string it on to the jump rings (which are really just teeny tiny key rings).

I also attached the lanyard hook in case the recipient needed one.  That being said, most badge holders have a clip that the user can loop over the key ring.

I made a pile of lanyards in all different shapes and sizes: large wooden beads, small pink beads, red beads that resembled rocks, and more! 

Linking to:

Tags: Arts and Crafts, Jennifer, Jewelry

Perfect Little Leg Warmers

I have an adorable little ballerina at home.  I also have two adorable little niece ballerinas (at least I think they are both still ballerinas!).  What more could a little ballerina ask for then cozy little leg warmers to cover her skinny little legs in the wintertime?!  Leg warmers aren’t a tough pattern to create.  It really was just a matter of decided on the right number of stitches to cast on.  The rest kind of took care of itself!  So here is a quick and easy knit for anyone who knows how to knit in the round.

This is going to make a great gift for all the little girls in the family, even if they aren’t ballerinas.  I’ll probably knit a pair up for myself too!  Each leg warmer only took me the length of one movie to knit!

Leg Warmers

• Skill level:
  • Intermediate (knitting in the round with dpns required)
• Materials:
  • Size 8 dpns and size 10 dpns (US)
  • 2 small/medium skeins chunky yarn
• Directions:
  • Using size 8 dpns (US) CO 38 Stitches.  Join, being careful not to twist
  • Row 1 – 8: Knit rib stitch: *k2, p2 *repeat to end
  • Row 9 – 63 (or desired length): Change to size 10 dpns and knit every row
  • Row 64 – 72: Change back to size 8 dpns (US) and resume rib stitch *k2, p2 *repeat to end
  • Row 73: *K2tog, yo, p2 *repeat to end
  • Row 74: *k2, p2 *repeat to end
  • Weave in ends
  • Thread a ribbon or threads of yarn through eyelets and tie in a bow

Tags: ballerina, knit, leg warmers, quick.

Tam Hat

Gift giving season is in the air…especially in my family!  29 years ago when I was born I did everyone a favor…I came in June.  Nice, simple, middle of the year.  No huge holidays around.  I was good.  The rest of my family (with the exception of my daughter who’s birthday is in July) was less considerate when they first showed their faces to the world.  Beginning at the end of August, we have 7 birthdays in four months.  Ridiculous.  I feel like as soon as I get one out of the way, planning for the next commences.  Not to mention this is the time I should be working on the billions of Christmas presents that I am trying to knock out.  Oh,and now would be a good time to mention that I also decided to make the kids Halloween costumes this year.  It really puts a damper on my social life.  Really.

This year I am doing my best to make as many homemade gifts as possible.  For me, of course, this means I am turning into the crazy old grandma who knits something for everyone.  At the ripe young age of 29.  Knitted socks, slippers, wash cloths, hats, scarfs, pot holders.  Oh yes, you guys had better prepare yourselves.  I think I may even knit my BIL a guitar strap or two.  Ssh.  Don’t tell him!

At the moment I have three projects going…one for myself (like that one will ever get finished!!!) one for my son, and one for – well, I don’t know who it’s for yet.  In the evenings after the kids have gone to bed and I have washed the dishes and cleaned the house, and made lunches for the next day and walked the dogs, and folded the laundry I REALLY look forward to picking up my knitting and relaxing with one of my Blockbuster mail deliveries! 

This hat was the result of some of that work and I think it is such a cute, stylish hat.  I was pretty tired of making the same old beanies every time I made a hat for someone…especially the ladies.  I had never heard it called a Tam hat before, but apparently that is the correct name.  The one in the pattern, found at Learning My Way Through is definitely easy enough to knit.  It is an easily memorized pattern, and after making three of them now, I feel like an old pro!  The one I have shown on my beautiful little model here, I adapted by simply reducing the number of stitches I casted on. Just be sure that the number of stitches you CO is in multiples of 8.  I think I CO 32 stitches using Lion Brand Homespun for this one.  I didn’t really care too much for the Homespun for this hat, but it worked well enough.  It just doesn’t look simple and clean, and I am usually pretty OCD when it comes to nice lines.  Maybe my mother will post a picture of the one she got for HER birthday! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: adult, Fashion, Hat, homespun, Kids, knit, Marissa, Tam

Knifty Knitted Headbands

I am so excited to post my most recent craft knitting project!  I have been knitting hats left and right for all sorts of babies and really, was quite tired of it!  But I have all of this yarn that needs to be used.  Really a ton of yarn that I can’t do anything with except for odd projects.  When I first started knitting several years ago I thought it was fun to just buy random yarn.  I thought one or two skeins would do it for a project.  Little did I know back then, that is no where near true.  I don’t every buy yarn anymore without a specific project and the exact number of skeins I need!  I still have boxes and boxes of this random yarn now.  The problem is, for the sake of being frugal, I do not want to start any projects that I have to go buy yarn for!  So I am forcing myself to go through the odds and ends.  Ugh. 

You guys are going to get some interesting gifts this Christmas, family!!!

My daughter has been begging me to knit her something so I thought what would be a better quick project than a little headband to keep all that hair out of her face!?  I knew it wouldn’t be too tough to make one up.  I went VERY basic for this first one.  All the little girls are going to be getting at least one of these for the next several holidays!  I should also say though, that this headband looked great on me too!  The size does not need to be changed for a child or adult.  ONE SIZE FITS ALL!!! Instructions are below.

 

Knit Headband

Materials:

• Light worsted weight 100% acrylic yarn (or whatever you desire)
• Size 6 US double pointed needles (or whatever you desire)
• Yarn Needle

i Cord Beginning:

• Cast on 4 sts.  With these 4 stitches knit an i cord for 10″ (don’t know what an i cord is? here is a great tutorial!).

Body Increase:

You will now turn your needle at the end of each row as usual for the body of the head band.

• Row 1 (wrong side): P4
• Row 2: K1, M1, K2, M1, K1
• Row 3: P6
• Row 4: K1, M1, K4, M1, K1
• Row 5: P8

Body:

You have now increased to begin the body of the headband.  Now work the body of the headband in garter stitch (knitting every row) until the body measures 9″.  When you have reach desired length you will decrease down and then work another i cord.

Body Decreases:

• Row 1 (make sure you are on the right side or the band will be curled in different directions!): K1, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K1
• Row 2: P6
• Row 3: K1, K2tog, K2tog, K1
• Row 4: P4
• Row 5: K4

i cord Finish:

Finish the band with another 10″ i cord and tie off.  Using yarn needle, weave in ends.

Tags: Fashion, hair piece, headband, kid, knit, yarn

Garter Ridge Baby Hat and Booties

So I have finally rejoined the world of the “threaded” part of together as well!  I wish I could say I have taken a break from baking to pursue my other crafty interests.  Unfortunately, I have created a monster in my husband who now expects dessert  after every meal pretty much!  Our favorites that we have revisited at least once from 30 Days and 30 Bites: Chocolate Bombs, Pistachio Muffins (made with a chocolate topping this time!), peanut butter cupcakes, and Grandma Johnson’s Scones (a vanilla thyme variation and a completely chocolate one).  They are all so yummy and fantastic and we just cannot get enough!  Naturally, this is cutting into the other projects I want to complete and I have had to spread them out so it takes quite a while to finish them!  I finally finished another one last night that I have to get in the mail ASAP for a great friend in California. 

I am at that age in my life where EVERYONE around me is pregnant!  Yes, it often feels like even the men themselves are popping children out left and right.  All of my high school and college friends have tied the knot in the last year or two and I swear to you every other day I find out a new one is PREGGERS!  My poor husband has to deal with me oooohing and aaaahhhhhing over these wonderful little bundles of joy and staring at them with googly eyes.  He constantly reminds me that he doesn’t have to change the diapers of our 8 year old son and 5 year old daughter!  Alas, I have to settle with the tough job of keeping up with these baby-factories and trying to get the gifts made in time (hopefully at all!).  It feels like 9 months is not long enough to make a homemade present from the heart.  This is, of course, my chance to officially apologize to those of you that I did not crank your gift out in time.  Remind me (6 months in advance) of your child’s first birthday and I will do my best to get on top of this!!! :)

Luckily, I have found a good project recently that isn’t TOO time consuming and I can knock out in a few nights of knitting and watching TV after the kids go to bed.  I made a few changes to the original pattern that I found and fixed a few problems.  Also, it came from a “Page a Day” calendar that I received as a Christmas present.  I tried finding the pattern online to link to and was unsuccessful, so I am going to just rewrite it with the changes I made.  I hope I am not breaking any copyright rules but when it comes to knitting patterns  (with the changes and the fixes), I don’t think I am.  Let me know if I’m wrong!  Sorry for a lack of models, but the only "baby” I have around my house is a Cabbage Patch Kid!

GARTER RIDGE BABY HAT AND BOOTIES

• Skill Level: Intermediate
• Finished Dimensions: Newborn to 3 months
• Yarn: Sport weight soft yarn in a sold color (MC) and a multi-color (CC) or vise versa.
• Needles: Set of dpn: 3.5 mm/U.S. 4
• Gauge: 6 sts = 1” (2.5 cm)

Directions:

HAT:

With MC, cast on 68 sts.  Divide among three needles, join, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Knit 10 rounds. 

Garter Ridge Pattern:

Round 1: With CC, k.

Round 2: With CC, p

Round 3: With MC, k

Round 4: With MC, k

Repeat these rounds of the Garter Ridge Pattern 9 more times for a total of 10 repeats.  Then rep Rounds 1 and 2 once more.

Decrease for Crown:

Round 1: With MC, *(k6, k2tog), rep from * to last 2 stitches, k2 (60 stitches)

Round 2: With MC, k.

Round 3: With CC, *(k5, k2tog), rep from * to last 2 sts, k2. (52 sts)

Round 4: With CC, p.  Cut CC, leaving an 8” tail for weaving

Round 5: With MC, *k2tog, rep from * around. (13 sts)

Round 6: K

Round 7: *K2tog, rep from * to last st, k1. (7 sts)

Round 8: K

Round 9: K1, (k2tog) 3 times. (4 sts)

Round 10: K

Arrange all 4 sts onto one needle and work I-cord for 1.4”.  Cut yarn leaving an 8” tail and thread tail back into center of I-Cord.  Tie I-cord into overhand knot.

Weave in all ends.

BOOTIES:

With MC, cast on 24 sts.  Divide sts evenly among three needles.  Join, being careful not to twist the stitches.  Knit 8 rounds.

Garter Ridge Pattern:

Round 1: With CC, k

Round 2: With CC, p

Round 3: With MC, k

Round 4: With MC, k

Rep rounds 1 – 4 three more times for a total of 4 repeats.  Cut CC leaving an 8” tail for weaving.

Heel Flap:

With MC, k6, turn.

Sl1, p5, then with same needle, p6 from next needle.  You will now have 12 sts on this needle.  These are your heel flap sts.  You will work back and forth on these sts.  Rearrange the remaining 12 sts onto 2 needles (6 sts each).  These are your instep stitches.

Row 1: Sl1, k.

Row 2: Sl1, p

Repeat these 2 rows 4 more times for a total of 5 times.

Turn Heel:

Row 1: K7, ssk, turn

Row 2: Sl1, p2, p2tog, turn

Row 3: Sl1, k2, ssk, turn

Row 4: Rep row 2

Row 5: Rep row 3

Row 6: Rep row 2

Row 7: Rep row 3

Row 8: Rep row 2

You will now have only 4 sts on the Heel needle.

Gussets:

K across the 4 heel sts.  Pick up and k6 sts along the side of the heel flap, plus “fudge” 1 st in the gap before the instep stitches.  With free needle, k across the 12 instep sts all onto one needle.  With free needle, make a “fudge” stitch in the gap and pick up and k6 sts along the other side of the heel flap and k2 sts from the next needle.  You are now at the center bottom of the /Heel/Foot and should have 9 sts on the first needle, 12 sts on the instep needle, and 9 sts on the last needle. (30 sts)

Gusset Decreases:

Round 1: K6, k2tog, k1, k12 instep, k1, ssk, k6. (28 sts)

Round 2: With CC, k

Round 3: With CC, p

Round 4: With MC, k5, k2tog, k1, k12 instep, k1, ssk, k5. (26 sts)

Round 5: With MC, k

Round 6: With CC, k4, k1, k2tog, k12 instep,k1, ssk, k4. (24 sts)

Foot:

Resume Garter Ridge Pattern at Round 2, working only the last three rounds of the pattern.  Repeat Garter Ridge Pattern 2 more times.  Work rounds 1-3 once more.  Cut CC leaving an 8” tail for weaving.

Toe:

Round 1: With MC, k3, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k6, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k3. (20 sts)

Round 2: K

Round 3: K2, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k4, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k2.

Round 4: K

Round 5: K1, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k1. (12 sts)

With the same needle, k across the 2 sts of the first needle.  You will now have 6 sts on each of the 2 needles.  Graft together.  Weave in ends.

Tags: Baby Hat, Booties, Garter Ridge, Knitting, Pattern, Simple

Christmas Crafts Week #1 – The Easiest Dress I Will Ever Make

So week #1 of my Christmas Crafts challenge is coming to an end and I have actually completed a Christmas gift!  Hopefully this momentum will keep up! 

For this week’s project, I made a few dresses.  One of them went straight to my daughter, but the rest are going to be put away.    The one my daughter is wearing in this picture is a long dress, but the majority of the other ones are shorter in length.  Even though they are summer dresses, they will still be perfect in the winter with a pair of leggings and a sweater.

Too cute, right?!?!

I am not a person who sews regularly, so I try to keep my sewing projects as easy as possible.  I know that there are some crafters that make their own shirred fabric, but I am not that ambitious!  I bought several cuts of fabric that already had the shirred bodice.  Some of the fabrics even come hemmed too!  Here are the steps I took to create the dress:

1.  First, I pinned the fabric around my daughter to size it.  Then I sewed down the edge of the fabric.  My daughter has a little curvy figure so I made sure that I did not sew a straight line down the dress. 

 

I had a lot of excess fabric because I wasn’t sure exactly how much to purchase, but I just cut it off when I was finished sewing.

2.  If the fabric needed a hem, I hemmed it.  Some of the fabrics already had a hem…those are my favorite!

3. For the straps, I sewed two pieces of ribbon on each side.  When she wears the dresses, we tie the straps at the shoulders!

It is really that easy!  

 

Tags: children, Jennifer, Kids, Sewing

Dressing up a T-Shirt

I borrowed this idea from my friend J.  She sent Little S a Halloween shirt that was just adorable.  It was green and had black ribbon and little Halloween buttons decorating it.  I took the idea and made this Christmas shirt.  I had plans to get Valentine’s and St. Patrick’s shirts done but at the rate I am going, I should probably skip Easter too and just head straight for summer and Fourth of July!  I love that this shirt can be created for any holiday and it washes great! 

To create this t-shirt:

1. Find any type of shirt (tank top, long sleeved, short sleeved).
2. Choose your matching ribbon and buttons.  The ribbon can be any size you wish.  For this shirt, I chose to make all of the ribbon the same size, 3/8, and I used plain round buttons.  For Valentine’s Day, you might choose hearts.  For Easter, you might use eggs or little chicks!
3. Next, I sewed the ribbon.  Instead of folding one big piece of ribbon, I found that it worked best for me if I cut three equal pieces, folded them over, and stitched them together separately.
4. Place the bow where you would like on shirt.  Sew the button to the middle of the bow while at the same time sewing the entire thing to the shirt.
5. Repeat for each bow/button you will place!

 

Tags: Jennifer, Kids, Sewing, T-Shirt