Tool Organization Tip and another Quick & Easy Valentine!

Howdy folks! I hope all of the folks in the Notheast are enjoying the snow today, I’m glad I don’t have to drive in it, it is pretty though! Everything around here is getting cancelled ahead of time, it is going to be a nasty storm so do be careful out there…or better yet cozy up in front of the fire and play with yarn! Here are some easy crochet valentines I taught my beginner knitting class to make this week:

If you want to see the video tutorial on making them you can on this post. So naturally, being the professional teacher that I am I prepared my students for the class by sending them the video and asking them to bring a crochet hook to class…the only problem was that I told them the wrong size and there was no way in H-E-double-hockey-sticks that those hooks were gonna fit through the holes I punched. Luckily I realized this BEFORE the class, and Joann Fabrics was having a sale on crochet hooks so I picked up a few extra to share with the class. The good thing is that the size hook I had them bring (I) is a good size for small children to begin crochet with.  That brings me to my organizational tip for today…

Paint the ends of your crochet hooks, paint brushes, pens or other tools with a vivid color of nail polish so at the end of a class or crop you can tell what tools are yours! On larger items I might write my initials with a sharpie or stick an address label on them but the nail polish trick is perfect for stuff too small to write on. Now all I have to do is give the hooks a good Lysol wipe down as many of them came back quite sticky…why are small children so sticky anyway?!?

Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Free Crochet Tutorial: Lip Balm Amulet

OK, I think we all need to buy shares in the Chapstick company! Man, I am constantly buying and doling out tubes of lip balm to my kids. where does it go? I think it ran off with socks that always go missing. Am I the only one with this problem? Well, I for one have had enough of the kids losing their chapstick (oh and for those of you who say “just have the kids carry it in their pocket” you obviously have never experienced the chapstick-in-the-dryer scenario) so I crocheted them chapstick holder necklaces:

These were fun and easy to make! I used sock weight yarn (#1 weight) and a #3 (C or D) crochet hook. I also added a ribbon drawstring, beads (to keep the drawstring from pulling through), fray check (or you can use clear nail polish) to keep the ends of the ribbon from fraying and a homemade tassel.

This project is worked round in a spiral  I don’t often use patterns so my writing of one might be unconventional. I will explain how I made it and if you have any questions you can leave a comment. Really, though, you can kinda make it up as you go along, I always do. 🙂

Round 1. Start by wrapping the yarn around your left index finger (if you are right-handed, if you are a leftie I have no idea), slip the hook between the yarn and your finder and draw up a loop. Now single crochet 12 stitches in the finger hole. This is starting a round with the magic loop method. Once you master this you will never go back to making a chain and joining it for a foundation round!

Note: If you are using thicker yarn, use fewer stitches!

Round 2. OK folks, here is where it gets real easy. Double crochet in each stitch until you have made a tube a bit longer than a tube of chapstick, you are working in a spiral, you don’t need to join rounds with a slip stitch (you can if you want to, it’s your bag) and do not increase, you want the sides of your pouch to go straight up.

Step 3. Once the bag is as tall as you need it make a chain of crochet long enough to slip over someones head. This is all worked as one piece so you want to start this stitch straight from the last double crochet you made.

Step 4. Join the end of the chain on the opposite side of the bag with a slip stitch. You will notice that one side of the bag is a bit lower than the other because we worked in a spiral so to even it out make a row of slip stitches on that edge, as a bonus it will make the necklace more secure. Cut and secure the end.

Step 5. Add a tassel. Use the string hanging from the bottom to bind the tassel so it is strong and secure.

Step 6. Use your hook to insert a length of ribbon to the top of the bag. Tie beads on the end and add a drop of fray check (or glue) to both the ribbon ends and the knot. Insert the lip balm and give it to your daughter.

So, if you have boys I will be making a camo belt loop pouch later and I will share that with you after I work it out!

Again, if you have any questions (you should probably consult a reputable crochet website LOL!) just leave a comment. It is really easy. I plan to sell these at next years craft fair. I was working on one at a basketball game yesterday and the other moms thought it was brilliant, so it gives me hope that they will sell! thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!