The Mother Lode

Crafts and Crochet

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Finding Your Crochet Tribe

I’ve been crocheting for 7 years, but it’s only been about a year since I discovered some wonderful yarn communities online!!!! Basically, I thought there was Ravelry and that was it! I was wrong: there are so many small groups of crocheters and other fiber artists to join and gain inspiration from. If you are a serial Pinterest pattern hunter like I was, you’ve got to get into this action! It’s so much fun, you learn new things, and make connections with people. We all know connecting right now with people is harder than ever, so if you are looking for an online community, look no further! I’ve got a bunch of groups to share with you today so you can grow your crochet skills and make some yarn friends.

Yarn friends are awesome. They don’t judge your stash. They understand your language (sc, dc, knit, purl.) They appreciate the time and effort that went into your creations!!!!! Make some new yarn friends today!

Instagram

First, I discovered the beauty of the crochet community on plain ole Instagram. I tried using Instagram to grow this blog as a mom space in the past and it just didn’t click for me. I never felt like I fit in with other mom bloggers, I didn’t like moms who weren’t real about mom life but I also wasn’t willing to share all the deets of my own mom life (wanting to protect the privacy of my children.)

I completely by chance came upon some crocheters on IG last year and was amazed to find a huge community of crocheters. Why I didn’t think of IG before as a perfect place to share photos of your amazing crochet creations with people who understand them is beyond me. A few months after following crochet accounts, I decided to switch my own Instagram to a crochet account and I’ve loved it ever since. I am deep down the crochet hole and I’m not coming back haha! Some of my favorites to follow in IG that feel like they have awesome communities of followers: Toni Lipsey, Lee Sartori, Jessica Carey, and Amber from Divine Debris.

Facebook Groups

There are some great facebook groups out there for crochet!!!!!! Here are some to look for: Meghan Makes Crew, Relief Crafters of America, and KnitterKnotter Hangout. There are soooo many more. Seriously, type crochet group into the search box and there are many wonderful groups to join. If you are really looking for community, pick a smaller one. If you like seeing more ideas and trends, pick a larger one! All of these have different things going on, and some I am very active in, while others I just peek at once in a while to see what’s new. Check them out and see which one feels like your tribe!!! Relief Crafters is really cool, you can sign up to donate all kinds of crafts to charities across America.

Ravelry and LoveCrafts

Ravelry and LoveCrafts both have free patterns and patterns to purchase. On Ravelry, you can buy hand dyed yarn from many independent dyers, and on LoveCrafts, you can get many name brands of yarn from around the world. They also can offer a community feel, especially the forums on Ravelry. If you’ve never looked past a few free patterns, think about utilizing all the tools these sites have to offer to learn new things and meet new people.

ME!!!!

I’m happy to be your yarn friend! Follow me on Instagram, check me out on Ravelry and LoveCrafts!

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The Flower of the Sun Earrings

Get it?! Like the “power” of the sun? I’m too much, sometimes, I know. Anywayyyyyyyyyy this past Spring, E’Claire Makery had a cool blog hop with a free crochet pattern everyday. One of the days was the Spring Rain Earrings by Amber Bliss Calderon and I thought how fun it would be to make them for my mom for Mother’s Day! I ordered the supplies for them, but of course they didn’t have everything at Joann Fabrics due to Covid (it ruins everything.) I eventually got all the materials and now I can’t stop making crochet earrings! They are so quick and satisfying which is perfect for me. I’ve been testing earring patterns for the absolutely fabulous Chalia’s Craft and let me tell you, some friends of mine are getting some pretty earrings this Christmas!

Since I was making all these earrings this summer, I decided to design my own pattern! Originally I designed a flower with smaller beads, but because those beads were actually too small for the thread, I had to change my plan. In working with my materials, I ended up with this sun pattern that is so happy and pretty! I fixed the flower to work with the correct size beads, but I’m not blind, I know the sun is what shines in these two earring patterns!

The free pattern is below, and I’ve got a few pictures here in the blog post, but if you’d like the full photo tutorial, you can purchase the PDF here on Ravelry or LoveCrafts for $3! If you add that to the cost of some crochet thread and earring findings, you can make these earrings for only a few dollars a pair! (For the first pair I ever made, I was able to use the earring wire from an old pair of earrings that I don’t wear anymore to see if I actually liked doing it before I bought a pack of findings. Just a thought if you’ve got beads and crochet thread but no earring wires!)

Materials 

  • Aunt Lydia’s size 10 Crochet Thread (samples are color Maize and Wood Violet)
  • Fabric stiffener or starch spray
  • 1.5 mm steel crochet hook
  • Tapestry needle 
  • Scissors
  • Fish Hook earring findings
  • Small craft/ jewelry pliers
  • Pins and a blocking mat
  • 6/0 glass seed beads 
    • 64 for 2 flower earrings
    • 32 for 2 sun earrings

Abbreviations

  • Ch = Chain
  • Sc = Single crochet
  • sl st = slipstitch
  • st = stitch
  • sk = skip
  • Sc FLO = Single crochet, front loop only
  • Sc w/bead = Single crochet with bead
  • Ch w/bead = Chain with bead

Notes

  • There is no gauge necessary for this pattern, basically: crochet as tightly as you can to achieve the best look. 
  • Fabric stiffener and pins will really help the finish of crochet earrings.
  • There are a few ways to chain and single crochet with beads. For this pattern, you will use the back facing method, where you do not push the bead through the chain or slide the bead to the front, it simply stays on the back. When you finish the earrings, what is typically the wrong side (facing away from you) is actually the finished right side of these earrings. 
  • If you need help figuring out the beaded stitches, there are some great tutorials on YouTube. This one from Interweave Craft is helpful, and check out the tutorials by Chalia’s Craft.

Instructions

Before you begin, thread all the beads you will need onto the crochet thread. I like to thread 2 earrings worth at a time and put a few extra beads on just in case I counted wrong. If you don’t have a bead threader, you can moisten the end of the thread. You can also spray with some of the fabric stiffener, allow to dry, and then slide the beads on easily.

(Make 2)

Make a magic ring. Ch 1.

Round 1: 8 Sc into magic ring. Pull to close the ring and sl st to the 1st Sc. (8 Sc)

Round 2: Ch 1. 2 Sc in each Sc around. Sl st to the 1st Sc. (16 Sc)

Round 3: Ch 1. *Sc FLO in 1st st, Sc w/bead FLO in same st, Sc FLO next st. Repeat from * 7 times. Sl st to 1st Sc. (8 Sc with bead, 16 Sc)

Do not fasten off, continue with round 4 in either Sun or Flower below:

Flower:

Round 4: *Ch 1, Ch w/bead 3 times, Ch 1. Sk 2 st, sl st next st. Repeat from *7 times. Ch 4 and sl st in same st as last sl st. (20 ch, 24 Ch w/bead, 9 sl st) 

Sun:

Round 4: *Ch 4, Ch w/bead, Ch 4. Sk 2 st, sl st next st. Repeat from * 7 times. Ch 4 and sl st in same st as last sl st. (68 Ch, 8 Ch w/bead, 9 sl st)

Finish off and weave in ends on the back of the earring with a tapestry needle. Put some fabric stiffener in a paint cup and use a small paintbrush to apply to the back side of the earring. Pin in place as pictured.. Put two pins inside the little loop you made with the Ch-4 and sl st at the end of the last round. This will be where you attach the earring finding. Use paintbrush to apply the liquid to the front of the earring, going in between beads to reach as much of the crochet thread as you can to achieve the most structure for your earring. Allow to dry at least two hours. Attach earring finding to the little loop at the top. Wear your new crochet jewelry proudly!

 

The last few steps of making the Flower version. The PDF has photos like this of every step!
How to pin the sun in place to form the shape! So cute!

If you need any help with the pattern, feel free to leave a comment here or message me on Instagram: motherlodecrafts

I’d love to help you bring these earrings to your life!

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Almost Stripes Beanie

I’m still here making all the hats! I just love a quick project, because, as a stay at home mom, so much of my “work” is stuff that never feels completed: laundry, dishes, weeding the garden, etc. Crochet is something I can do in the evenings or during play time and get a sense of accomplishment from. I like expressing creativity through it, but the completion of it is something that really fuels me. So I am a big fan of hats and ear warmers that I can finish in a couple of days. One of my new favorites is crochet earrings, which are even faster! Make sure you sign up for my email list, because a pattern for those will be coming in the future, too! It’s so cute, you don’t want to miss it!

Back to today: I’ve got the Almost Stripes Beanie crochet pattern for you! This one is a little more complicated than my first pattern, because there are color changes and a few different stitches. I created it to be another rectangle that is seamed and constructed, though, so if you are not ready for crochet in the round, you can tackle this hat! I graded this hat to include 7 sizes, which was a challenge! I am not a fan of math in any way, but I managed. I know often people tease about the necessity of math in high school. I’m sure I said probably several times: “When am I ever going to need to know this?!” Well, the answer to 15 year old me was, “When you grow up and want to design your own crochet patterns and you have to multiply and divide and do percentages to figure out the stitch counts and yardage.” I didn’t even beg help from my scientist husband for the stitch counts. How about that?! 

 

almost stripes beanie pin

Alrighty, keep on scrolling for the pattern! I did make the pattern available for purchase here on Ravelry. You can get the PDF filled with photos and clear guides on each section of the hat for $4. I love being able to print out the pattern so it’s easy to use from the couch! 

Materials

  • Worsted weight (4) yarn (samples are Lion Brand Heartland and Basic Stitch) may use two colors for stripes as written if desired. Color A approx 200-250 yds, Color B approx 30 yds
  • Crochet hooks: 5.5 mm and 6 mm or two hooks needed to meet gauge
  • Scissors
  • Tapestry needle
  • Measuring tape

 

Gauge: 7 rows of 15 DC stitches = 4 in x 4 in with 5.5 mm hook (If you go up a hook size to meet gauge, you would use a 6 mm hook for the gauge swatch, if you need to go down you will use a 5 mm hook for the gauge swatch.) Alternatively, the length of the brim per size is listed in the notes section. You may complete the first three rows and check for length to match the desired size. 

 

Abbreviations

  • Ch = Chain
  • DC = Double Crochet
  • HDC = Half-Double Crochet
  • Sc = Single Crochet
  • LS = Linen Stitch (Ch 1, sk st, Sc)
  • FPHDC = Front Post Half-double Crochet
  • BPHDC = Back Post Half-double Crochet
  • DC BLO = Double Crochet Back Loop Only (the loop farthest from you)
  • DC FLO = Double Crochet Front Loop Only (the loop closest to you)
  • st = stitch
  • sk = skip 

Notes

  • The first section has the pattern for the baby/toddler sizes, the second section is the child/adult sizes. 
  • Parentheses indicate different stitch counts for different sizes: {newborn (3-6 months, 6-12 months, toddler)} and {child (teen/adult small, adult medium/large)} These stitch counts do not include the turning chain. 
  • Instructions between * are repeated
  • This hat is constructed by the brim first, the body of the hat is crocheted onto it, then the top of the body has decreases to allow for some shaping at the top. This will create a sort of rectangle-trapezoid shape which will turn into a hat with seaming and gathering.
  • The brim of the hat should be approximately the following in length:
    • Newborn: 11-12 inches
    • 3-6 months: 12-14 inches
    • 6-12 months: 14-16 inches
    • Toddler: 16-17 inches
    • Child: 18 inches
    • Teen/Adult small: 20 inches
    • Adult medium/large: 22 inches

Newborn (3-6 months, 6-12 months, toddler) 

With 5.5 mm hook and color A Ch 55 (61, 65, 71.). 

Row 1: HDC in 2nd st from hook. HDC in each st to end of row. Turn, Ch 1. {54 HDC (60, 64, 70)} 

Row 2: *FPHDC in 1st st. BPHDC in next st.* Repeat * to end. HDC in the turning chain. Turn, Ch 1. {27 FPHDC, 26 BPHDC, 1 HDC (30/29/1, 32/31/1, 35/34/1)}

Row 3: *BPHDC in 1st st. FPHDC in next st.* Repeat * to end. HDC in the turning chain. Turn, Ch 1. {27 BPHDC, 26 FPHDC, 1 HDC (30/29/1, 32/31/1, 35/34/1)}

Row 4: Repeat row 2.

Row 5: Repeat row 3.

Row 6: Switch to 6 mm (larger) hook. DC FLO in 1st st. DC FLO in each st to end of row. Turn, Ch 1. {54 DC (60, 64, 70)}

Row 7: sk 1st st, Sc in 2nd st. *Ch 1, sk next st, Sc* Repeat * to end, with the last Sc in the turning chain. Turn, change to color B, Ch 1. {27 Sc, 26 Ch (30/29, 32/31, 35/34)}

Row 8: sk 1st st, Sc in next Ch 1 space. *Ch 1, sk next st, Sc in next Ch 1 space* Repeat * to end, ending with Sc in turning Ch. Turn, change to color A, Ch 1.{27 Sc, 26 Ch (30/29, 32/31, 35/34)}

Row 9: Repeat row 8, without changing colors. {27 Sc, 26 Ch (30/29, 32/31, 35/34)}

Row 10: DC BLO in 1st st. DC BLO each st to end of row. Turn, Ch 1. {54 DC (60, 64, 70)}

Row 11: Repeat row 7.

Row 12: Repeat row 8.

Row 13: Repeat row 9. 

Row 14: Repeat row 10. (NOTE: For newborn size, skip to row 19 after completing row 14.)

Row 15: Repeat row 7.

Row 16: Repeat row 8.

Row 17: Repeat row 9.

Row 18: Repeat row 10.

Row 19: Switch to 5.5 mm (smaller) hook. Sc in 1st 3 stitches. *Sc 2 tog. Sc next 3 st.* Repeat * to end of row. {44 Sc (48, 52, 56)}

 

(NOTE: for toddler size, repeat row 19 for a row 20 and 21.) Leave a long tail, fasten off. Weave in the ends of the stripes that are hanging on the sides. Fold hat together with the wrong side facing out (wrong side has the DC near the brim in the back loop away from you.) Use the long tail you left to seam the hat from the top to the bottom with an invisible mattress stitch.  

 

Cut a length of yarn about 10 inches. Weave back and forth through the single crochet at the top of the hat. Pull tightly to cinch the hat together. Tie two or three knots. Put the remaining tails through your tapestry needle and criss cross over the hole a few times if necessary to cover the top. Weave the ends in and cut remaining. Turn right side out.

Child (teen/adult small, adult medium/large)

With 5.5 mm hook, and color A Ch 81 (85, 91) 

Row 1: HDC in 2nd st from hook. HDC in each st to end of row. Turn, Ch 1. {80 HDC (84, 90)}

Row 2: *FPHDC in 1st st. BPHDC in next st.* Repeat * to end. HDC in the turning chain. Turn, Ch 1. {40 FPHDC, 39 BPHDC, 1 HDC (42/41/1, 45/44/1)}

Row 3: *BPHDC in 1st st. FPHDC in next st.* Repeat * to end. HDC in the turning chain. Turn, Ch 1. {40 BPHDC, 39 FPHDC, 1 HDC (42/41/1, 45/44/1)}

Row 4-9: Repeat Row 2 and 3, alternately.

Row 10: Switch to 6 mm (larger) hook. DC BLO in 1st st. DC BLO in each st to end of row. Turn, Ch 1.  {80 DC (84, 90)}

Row 11: sk 1st st, Sc in 2nd st. *Ch 1, sk next st, Sc* Repeat * to end of row. Turn, change to color B, Ch 1. {40 Sc, 39 Ch (42/41, 45/44)}

Row 12: sk 1st st, Sc in next Ch 1 space. *Ch 1, sk next st, Sc in next Ch 1 space* Repeat * to end, ending with Sc in turning Ch. Turn, change to color A, Ch 1. {40 Sc, 39 Ch (42/41, 45/44)}

Row 13: Repeat row 12, without changing colors.

Row 14: DC FLO in 1st st. DC FLO in each st to end of row. Turn, Ch 1. {80 DC (84, 90)} 

Rows 15-22: Repeat rows 11-14 twice.

Row 23: Repeat row 11.

Row 24: Repeat row 12.

Row 25: Repeat row 13. (NOTE: To add extra slouch, repeat row 14 again, followed by 11, 12, and 13.)

Row 26: Switch to 5.5 mm (smaller) hook. Sc in each stitch to end of row. Turn, Ch 1. {80 Sc (84, 90)}

Row 27: Sc in 1st 3 stitches. *Sc 2 tog. Sc in next 3 st.* Repeat * to end of row. {64 Sc (68, 72)}

Row 28: Repeat Row 27. {52 Sc (55, 58)}  

Row 29: Sc in 1st st. *Sc2tog. Sc.* Repeat * to end of row. {35 Sc (37, 39)} 

Row 30: Repeat Row 29. {24 Sc (25, 26)}

 Leave a long tail, fasten off. Weave in the ends of the stripes that are hanging on the sides. Fold hat together with the wrong side facing out (wrong side has the DC near the brim in the back loop away from you.) Use the long tail you left to seam the hat from the top to the bottom using an invisible mattress stitch. 

 

Cut a length of yarn about 10 inches. Weave back and forth through the single crochet at the top of the hat. Pull tightly to cinch the hat together. Tie two or three knots. Put the remaining tails through your tapestry needle and criss cross over the hole a few times if necessary to cover the top. Weave the ends in and cut remaining. Turn right side out. 

 

Ok, that’s all I’ve got today! Whew, I’m tired. I think I’ll be happy when my next pattern is a quick little pair of earrings with only ONE size! 

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5 Perfect Ear Warmer Crochet Patterns

One of the best beginner crochet items to make is ear warmers! Crochet a small, simple rectangle, and easily seam it together to make a cozy headband that keeps your ears toasty warm in the chilly weather. The first one I ever made was for my mom, who taught me to crochet in the first place. Worsted weight or bulky weight yarn is nice for keeping the cold out. My new favorite yarn for ear warmers and hats is Red Heart Soft: it’s a worsted weight that is true to its name and has a good squish to it.

This Twisted Step-Sister Headband from Yarnspirations is that first one I ever made for my mom. The twist is a little tricky, but once you get it the first time, it’s not hard. The body of it is all double crochet, so it’s fast and easy.

This Ribbed Velvet Twist pattern by Daisy Farm Crafts is so amazing! Truthfully, the velvet yarn is tricky to work with, so it’s not exactly easy, but the stitches are not complicated, it just takes a little extra hand strength. It’s so beautiful and soft, though, it’s totally worth the effort. I think I made at least 3 of these last winter as gifts. They have a BEAUTIFUL velvet hat pattern, too, that you should check out.

I recently tested the Grace Ear Warmer pattern for Amy at Another Mum Fights the Dust and I fell in love. It is so dang easy and quick. The texture is awesome and the twist is so on point. Amy has bunches of other great patterns, too, you should definitely check her site! I made two of these in July and it’s my new go-to pattern when I’m not ready to start a big project but I need something in my hands.

So cute, right?!
No doubt about it, I am a HAM in front of a camera.

Here are a two more beautiful ear warmer patterns that are on my “to make” list!

  • Faux-Bow Headband Pattern by Mama in a Stitch: I love her patterns! I made one of her sweaters in January and it turned out so great. This ear warmer is crocheted by creating a tube, then cinching the ends of the tubes and attaching them together to create the “bow.” It’s so cute! I think the double fabric on it would make it extra warm!
  • Charleigh Twist Headband Pattern by Crochetastic Boutique: The texture on this one is great! This is one that I would love in a few bright colors. This beginner pattern uses simple stitches to create a unique texture. This talented designer has a variety of lovely designs, so far from her collection I’ve made mug rugs and a cute purse!

Now I think I need to design my own headband for the fall! Maybe something in a bulky yarn that is a quick make…… or maybe a stripey one…..

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Simple Ripples Baby Hat

I’m so thrilled to offer to you my first crochet pattern! I’ve been crocheting almost 7 years. On and off at first and now I am definitely a yarn hoarder. I just kept coming back to it as my craft of choice!

You know, it’s funny, I’m in my 30’s and really just now starting to dream of what I want to be when I grow up. Meaning, I never had much of a career aspiration. I liked French class in high school, so I decided to major in French in college. In college, I planned on getting married and starting a family, so I studied education as well, because I thought it would be a less difficult career to raise a family while doing (haha, oh young Priscilla, who knew nothing.) I intended to teach high school French. That never happened and I ended up teaching preschool, which I loved, but admittedly, wasn’t interested in doing long-term. I’ve now been a stay at home mom for almost 7 years. My little ones are getting older and I’m looking to the future. What am I going to do when they are all at school!?

Now don’t get me wrong, my buddy, laundry will always be around and the little boy pee around the toilets won’t clean itself, but, in between that stuff, I want some kind of creative outlet and some kind of part-time work. As I have grown my crochet skills in the last few years, I am seeing the potential as a career for myself that allows me to hop over to school for volunteering and throw dinner in the crock-pot while I’m at home testing patterns, creating my own, and sharing them on my blog!

I started testing patterns for other designers in January to get some practice. I needed to start understanding how pattern design works on the paperwork end. It’s been such fun being part of a community of crocheters and I’m loving it!

Okay, hold your horses, I’m getting to the pattern! One thing I’ve always made is hats. My boys all wear mommy-made hats, my nieces and nephews, etc. I like making them because there is SO much you can do from the very simple to the very complicated. They are generally a smaller project, too, so you get that feeling of accomplishment sooner. If you’ve ever crocheted and thought hats were hard, you’ve got to make this one! It’s crocheted as a rectangle, then stitched to form a tube, then cinched at the top to make a hat! No tricky rounds to count here! I hope you love this hat and I plan to make it in adult sizes in the fall if you haven’t little ones in your life to make for. The PDF is available for $2 on Ravelry! If you’ve never made this kind of hat before, it is helpful to be able to print the pattern. It has 12 progress photos and more detailed explanations to help you!

Supplies

  • Lion Brand Feels Like Butta yarn in color of choice (samples: Charcoal, Sage, Ice Blue) 2 oz; 130 yds (1 skein) 
  • crochet hook US size I /9 (5.5mm) or size needed to obtain gauge
  • pom-pom maker (optional)
  • tapestry sewing needle
  • scissors

Stitches

  • Ch= Chain
  • HDC= Half Double Crochet
  • DC= Double Crochet
  • SS= Slipstitch
  • BLO= Back Loop Only

Sizing in the pattern is marked as follows:

Newborn (0-6 month, 6-12 month, 1-3 years) Stitch counts marked as { } at the end of the row. Turning chain does not count towards stitch count.

Gauge: 16 HDC in 11 rows= 4″ (10cm) OR 15 DC in 8 rows = 4″ (10cm)

Instructions

Ch 26 (30, 34, 38).

Row 1: HDC in 3rd chain from hook. HDC in each stitch across. Turn. {24 (28, 32, 36) HDC}

Row 2: Ch 2, DC in BLO in each stitch across. Turn.

{24 (28, 32, 36) DC}

Row 3: Ch 2, HDC in each stitch across. Turn. {24 (28, 32, 36) HDC}

Rows 4- 24 (28, 32, 36): Repeat Rows 2 and 3.

(Final row should be a row of double crochet BLO.)

At end of last row, turn and SS to seam the short sides of the rectangle with the wrong side (flat side) facing out. Finish off, leaving a tail of at least 12 inches. Use this long tail to sew with a tapestry needle every few stitches around the top, pulling tightly to cinch the top of the hat closed. Stitch back and forth across the top of the hat a few times to be sure the top is tightly closed. Weave in the remaining tail, or use it to attach a pom. Weave in any remaining ends.

Well that’s all she wrote! It’s been a crazy past few weeks getting this together, but I’m so happy I made the jump to do it! What is something new you are going to challenge yourself with?

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DIY Crochet Flower Wreath

The very first crochet item I ever made was a wonky scarf for my mom. It was uneven FOR SURE. I ended up crocheting a flower to add to it, and it did help it look a little better. It was still bad, though, haha. With practice comes consistency, and the last several larger projects I’ve made have really shown me how much muscle memory my hands have gained in keeping stitches even in size. So, if you are just starting out, or creating a project here and there, know that with practice and time comes consistency to make a beautiful piece!

In the meantime, there are many crochet flower patterns that are easy to follow and require only a few simple stitches. They are very forgiving since they are attempting to mimic real flowers, which aren’t uniform anyway. You can easily master a few different flower designs and work them up in your favorite colors to adorn anything! They are popular on headbands, pillows, and occasionally garments. I’ve seen a few wreaths out there that are entirely made from crocheted flowers. I wanted to mimic that but with a little less time and a little more simplicity.

Read on for how I created this Crochet Flower wreath!

stick wreath with crocheted flowers

I bought this gorgeous Lion Brand Yarn called Coboo made from cotton and bamboo. The colors are so pretty and it’s very silky soft. I bought three colors from JoAnn Fabrics to create this bold spring wreath and I’m so happy with how it turned out. The stick wreath form I got at Michael’s for like 5 bucks, and since I just attached the flowers with wire, I can use the wreath form again if I want to create something else!

Step One: Choose your yarn. Any yarn will do for making flowers. For these, I wanted smaller, tightly stitched flowers, so I used the Coboo yarn which is a weight 3 yarn. Coordinate your hook with your chosen yarn. Again, I was going for smaller with mine, so I went down a hook size from the recommendation on the yarn package. (I used an E hook.)

Step Two: Crochet flowers in varying sizes, about 6. Here is an easy pattern by Crochet 365. This tutorial from Love Life Yarn I used for the larger carnation flowers. Then crochet two leaves to go with the flowers. You can find a simple leaf pattern from MamaChee. Weave in the ends of everything and cut the excess yarn.

crochet leaf

Step Three: Arrange the flowers and leaves on the wreath so you can plan which shall go on first and which shall overlap on top. Attach the leaf at the top using floral wire. Cut a length of floral wire of about 8 inches. Bend in half and feed part of it through the back of your leaf. Once it feels securely part of the leaf, weave the wire onto the sticks of the wreath as you would a Christmas pick. For the flowers, I bent a bit of the length of wire at the top, then I stuck it through the center of the flower at the back sideways and bent it in the center of the flower, so as to have two lengths of wire coming from the center. These lengths I wound together and then placed into the wreath and wove a bit around the sticks. Continue attaching each element until your desired effect is achieved!

back of crochet flower

I hope you liked this project! I’m already envisioning a sunflower one in the height of summer, wouldn’t that be lovely!?

Front door wreath

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Simple Sewing Patterns for Beginners

So to let you know that I am not a sewing genius: my original intention for this post was to be a pattern/tutorial of my own! Alas the finished product does not look awesome, so it will be back to the drawing board, er sewing machine. In the meantime, I want to share these simple patterns that even I thought were easy! They can help you learn some sewing skills and feel the rush of accomplishment from making something yourself. (A feeling I am not having right now!)

First is this versatile and easy fleece hat pattern. I’ve actually even made it with a knit fabric once for a costume and it turned out nicely! This pattern is so easy to follow. The pattern pieces print on four sheets of paper. You trim and tape the sheets together. Then cut two pieces of fleece and follow the directions for sewing. It is a VERY forgiving pattern and one of the first things I ever made. I was making Pokemon costumes for my sons about 3 years ago and the pattern called for a complicated hood. I was having trouble with it and decided to hunt for an easy hat pattern and landed on this! There are many cool things you could do to personalize this hat. I just made a 101 Dalmatians one from fleece for my 6 yr old and it is becoming a favorite for wearing under a hood when it is very cold outside. The fleece website the pattern is from has many options, too!

Next is this pattern for an adorable super hero cape for your little one! I had so much fun making these for my kids. The first one I made out of an old Virginia Tech shirt of my husbands and it was so cute! Since then I made a few for my nieces and I just made one this past Halloween to dress up my 4 year old like Batman. It was so cute and he just told me the other day he wants to take it for his next show and tell at school.

Baby items are fun to make and personalize them with funky fabric. I made a Mickey Mouse lovey blanket for a family member and it was very simple and one of my favorite makes. I also liked making this pacifier clip for my own baby and I think we actually used it with my third one as well. I liked the clip on it because it was strong but not easy for them to get pinched with.

My kids still love this tiny pillow I made for the first long car ride when they were little! It’s so easy and cozy. They play with their stuffed animals with it, sleep with it occasionally, and we’ve used it in the car many times. Somehow I’ve managed to not make anymore of them, but we are heading to the Outer Banks this summer for vacation and that means at least an 8 hour car ride so I think I better get busy!

My last one to share is a heat pack! I love this pattern and I’ve made so many. You can make them in all different sizes. In the fall, I made a new one for my dad and with the leftover scraps, I made two little bean bag sized ones for when my boys get an ear infection. My 3 year old won’t sleep without it right now as he and I both just can’t kick the sinus congestion from a cold!

What are some easy sewing patterns you like? Share them with me in the comments!

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DIY “Beautiful Stuff” Bird Feeder

DIY bird feeder
My DIY bird feeder made of recycled materials!

One of the things I love about our home is the trees in our yard! We have such a variety and I love how it feels like a forest in parts of the yard. I also really enjoy the birds! We’ve seen woodpeckers on the pine trees in the front yard, blue jays, chickadees, robins, and cardinals in the backyard. We’ve even had wild turkeys in our backyard! In the fall, the kids made pine cone bird feeders at school, and we used almond butter, pine cones, and birdseed to make some more to go with them. They look cute hanging from the magnolia tree in the yard. They are all nearly empty, now! It’s been great to watch the birds from the windows.

What seems like forever ago, I taught in a daycare in Virginia. The school was “Reggio-Emilia” based, which is similar to Montessori. We had a great art teacher there who taught me about “beautiful stuff.” This is a teaching idea from the book Beautiful Stuff: Learning with Found Materials by Cathy Weisman Topal and Lella Gandini. The gist of it is that found materials in nature, leftover scraps, recyclables can all be made into beautiful stuff: art, usable items, sculpture. I had students making cars from cardboard with milk top wheels, teachers used drink caps to create mosaics with their classes, etc. I loved it then, and I still love it. I am in the habit of keeping what I think of as beautiful stuff. Basically, if it can be hot-glued, painted, or colored with Sharpie markers, I will keep it for a “project.” (Honestly, I’m lucky my husband doesn’t throw my “beautiful stuff” out when I’m not home.) I love to make things out of old packaging like yogurt cups, soda bottles, clementine boxes, cardboard, etc.

burlap

So my love for the birds and beautiful stuff collided this week to make a cute bird feeder! Last year I made a bird feeder from a soda bottle and a spoon and it turned out decent, but it didn’t work perfectly. This week, I made a better one! The kids and I used old yogurt cups to hold the bird seed, and the top from a plastic candy container (those hard plastic Ferrero Rocher ones.) It turned out so cute and it lets the bird seed out better. I’m hoping it keeps the birds coming and my boys happy as we watch them having a snack.

Materials list

  • empty, clean, yogurt cups (2)
  • bottom from Ferrero Rocher chocolates (anything that you can use as a tray for the birdseed to spill onto)
  • burlap (probably about a 12×12 inch square piece
  • hot glue gun
  • x-acto knife (you could probably use a box cutter razor, too, if its very sharp.)
  • sharpie markers
  • sequins
  • picture hanging kit pieces, yarn
  • birdseed
sharpie marker on yogurt cup
My little one’s Sharpie art. These picture hangers worked great for this project.

First, I let the kids draw on the yogurt cups with Sharpie markers. While they did that, I hot glued the burlap along the bottom and up onto the “tray” where the seed will spill. I didn’t worry about it being neat, as the birdseed will cover it. Once the kids were finished with their drawing, I used an x-acto knife to cut two triangles on each side of the bottom cup. The top cup got one triangle cut and bent instead of cut entirely out. This is where you can refill the feeder. I used picture hangers because that is what I had, but you could also cut small holes in the top and string the yarn through. I hot glued the bottom cup to the tray, then the top cup on top of that! I finished by hot gluing some big sequins that I bought simply because I have no self-control at the craft store. The kids immediately wanted to feed the birds, so we filled it up and went outside to hang it! I strung it between the branches so hopefully more birds will eat it and not just the fluffy tailed rats, I mean, squirrels. Have confidence in your crafting and you can DIY anything!

DIY BIRD FEEDER PIN

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5 Beginner Crochet Patterns

1.5 Hour Beanie by Make and Do Crew

I love the patterns from Make and Do Crew! They are fun and this one is so quick, you won’t believe it! I did change it a bit to use Caron Simply Soft yarn instead of the bulkier yarn that they used in the original pattern. This did make it take longer for me, but it was still quick to me! I usually make hats in the round which sometimes feels like it takes all of forever.

shows my version of the 1.5 hour beanie by Make and Do Crew
My oldest in the hat I made for his cousin that he desperately wanted for himself!

Waffle Dishcloth by Hooked on Tilly

I love this dishcloth as practice for Front Post Double Crochet. Since it is a dishcloth, I feel like the pressure is off to be perfect with your stitches, so this project is great for learning the Front Post Double Crochet (FPDC.) When you progress to making more complicated projects, particularly hats in the round and sweaters, the FPDC stitch is wonderful for adding ribbing at the edges, and is commonly used. I’m working on the finishing touches on my own hat pattern right now that has ribbing and it is turning out so cute!

Waffle dishcloth by Hooked on Tilly
My curated Instagram post, haha!

This one that I made has two extra rows of single crochet to make it a little bigger. I made it for my mother-in-law and she likes larger dishcloths.

Velvet Scrunchie by RthingsCreations on Sierra’s Crafty Creations Blog

Love these scrunchies! Velvet is definitely having a moment again and these scrunchies are a great way to wear it. I’ve made several and they are a quick, satisfying project. I will say that they are pretty tight on your hair when you make them with a regular hair-tie in the middle. You can make them a bit more loose by tying or sewing a length of elastic instead for the middle. That’s what I did. I actually intended to give them to my niece, but they are so comfortable, I may have to make more for her because I keep wearing them!

velvet scrunchie
My scrunchie selfie!

Chi-Town Crochet Cowl by Kathy Kelly (crochetbird)

I adore this pattern. It is so easy, particularly because gauge is not important, so if you are just starting out and learning the right tension, it is a great pattern. You only need two stitches: double crochet and single crochet. Another reason I like this pattern is that you can really use any yarn to make it! Seriously, I’ve used Lion Brand Homespun which is a bulky yarn as well as the Caron Simply Soft with lovely results.

my version of cowl by Crochet bird
Love the bright colors on this cowl. This yarn is from a Caron Cake.

Crochet Triangle Wrap by Mama in a Stitch

This wrap is a great starter pattern. The gauge isn’t super-important and the stitches are easy. It is one of those projects which after a few rows you don’t need to look at the pattern anymore. (These are my favorite kind of patterns!) This wrap looks wonderful in a variegated color yarn. I also made one as a stash buster, using several leftover colors I had in the same type of yarn. I made two wraps this past fall and loved the way they turned out. One of them I made fairly small, then seamed the back to create a cowl and it turned out so pretty.

Granny triangle wrap
LOVE the way this one turned out. I particularly like the tassels, I have one more skein of this yarn somewhere and I want to make a matching hat!
granny triangle cowl
This is one of my favorite yarns (Lion Brand Homespun) and I had several small balls of it leftover from various projects which turned into this soft and beautiful cowl!

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The Tooth Fairy

Well, it happened. My oldest started losing his baby teeth and my husband and I started losing our minds that the kids are growing up.

A couple of months ago, the first one started wiggling. As the weeks went on and it became more loose, my 6 year old became more anxious. He often experiences nerves for unknown firsts like this. He was nervous that it would hurt, wondering when it was going to come out, etc. In order to turn his fears to excitement, my husband decided that the tooth fairy would bring our son a special “ticket” for a sleepover at my in-laws. I remember explicitly saying, “Oh is she?! Wow, that’s a pretty cool tooth fairy.” As I was inwardly thinking, “Well there has been neither consultation with the tooth fairy nor my in-laws on this ticket thing!” I will say that this did seem to calm my son’s fears and he thought it would be so awesome to get this “ticket,” which he mentioned repeatedly in the following weeks.

The tooth loosened even more, and one day my son came home from school with a little tooth locket necklace from his teacher. I knew my evening would now be spent on the computer to make sure the tooth fairy could bring him this “ticket.”

A week later, he lost his 2nd tooth and was rewarded with another “ticket,” this time for a trip to the park with his dad to play Pokemon Go. (You see what that tooth fairy did there, turning it back to the dad.)

I’ve decided to allow the tooth fairy to continue bringing “tickets” for teeth. (She also leaves a dollar.) I think it’s something that can grow with my children and can be easily done at the last minute which is in my wheelhouse! If you think the tooth fairy might want to bring your child a “ticket,” too, you can get the PDF, just click the image below!

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