Wednesday, November 28, 2012

fabric gift bags

great way to use scraps!


3, 2, 1 Cake

Mary from PA shared this recipe and I think it's a wonderful gift idea!


Mix a box of Angel Food Cake Mix and a box of any flavor cake mix in a bowl or giant baggie.  Spoon it out into jelly jars.






Knitted Necklaces

I stumbled upon this cool, somewhat blingy yarn.  I just knitted 4 stitches and made it as long as I wanted and tied it together.  You can sew on clasps.  But I just made it big enough to go over a head.

I have added enhancers on a couple, and beads from the jewelry craft area of Michael's to it.


Monday, November 12, 2012

Sweatshirt/Ruffle Jacket



Use the Self Ruffling Yarn and follow directions below

1.  Wash and dry sweatshirt

2.  Cut off the bottom band and the neck band

3.  Using a dinner plate and rotary cutter, round off the top and bottom edges of the front slit




4.  Using a rotary skip-stitch blade, go around all the edges of the sweatshirt



5.  Crochet the self-ruffle yarn through the holes with a chain stitch pattern.  Doesn't matter what size hook you use.



6.  Have fun while you're at it!

I wadded up a little leftover yarn and stitched it to the jacket

Joan's finished product!
Edith in her new jacket
jacket for Odestine

Sherry in her new jacket



Kinda funny about Sherry's jacket.  I sent it to her by Crystal as a surprise.  Then I ran into her in Gander Mtn before she rec'd it.  She got to talking about how she wanted a lightweight jacket, but had decided against buying one since winter is so short-lived in Texarkana.  I told her that she just might like what I sent her to her via Crystal!  And I she did.  She's pumped about making some now!

Jerri cutting out her sweatshirt
Cindy and Sue getting started
cutting up (their sweatshirts)
Connie and Dawn (Connie wearing a sweater that Linda crocheted)
Dawn, it's only crafting
Linda stuck with crocheting sweaters
Cindy Lou Who wasted no time getting started with her ruffles
Dawn crocheting her ruffle in
Sue and Jerri focusing.  Shirlene socializing.
Tom would look good in Jerri's finished jacket -- pretty sure Stan is scratching his head in the background
Jasper thinking "Is Tom quir?" (Tom's spelling)
Sue's finished product.  Don't tell Tom, but she looks better in it than he does.
I took the black yarn out that Jerri had done (it was just practice for her) and  put in a wintery while and silver .
Gives it a Mrs Claus look for next Christmas. Guess who will get this one?
The blue doesn't pop like this in real life.  Lovely shades of earthy greens
I had a little yarn left over and made and infinity scarf

Dawn's finale
1-16-13:  Today in crafts at JCRV, I showed the ladies how to make these.  I think everyone had fun and liked the outcome!!  And I went home and did a couple more myself!

Connie's jacket
Getting ready for our photo shoot
Sue, Shirlene, Dawn, Jerri, me, Connie


Self-Ruffling Scarves!



David calls this a Painted  Bunting scarf



Addicting!!!  Great gift idea!

Chloe and Emily in their matching scarves
Vera's crocheted version
Gala picked out some great earthy tones from Hobby Lobby
Brenda in her teal ruffles


You can either crochet or knit these.  I chose knitting, because it's just easier for me.  I think they are a little fuller when knitted.  No knitting or crochet experience necessary.  And the size of the needles doesn't matter. The best way to learn how is to google a video tutorial.  Once you watch someone do it, it's a piece of cake! Just be sure you purchase "self-ruffle" yarn.  Some of the common brands are Sashay, Starbella, and Flounce.  There are others, but these are the ones you'll mostly see at Michael's and Walmart.

Marlyse, Laurie, Diane, and Sherry - Christmas 2012
Uhhh, Sherry, what the heck?
Lacey got one for Razorback game days
Andrew gave his Sunday School teacher a scarf for Christmas 2012
Asher gave his one, too ---- sorry for the sideways pic
Pam and Laci in their Christmas scarves
Macie modeling Dara's scarf

1-16-13:  After making the ruffle sweatshirts today at JCRV, I had a little yarn left over.  Not enough for a full scarf, so I made a short infinity scarf.  I like it!



Springy colors
Diane's pretty mom 
One of the rare occasions that I got to show Jerri how to make something!

She caught on fast
Dec 2013:  these 2 beautiful girls are still wearing their scarves a year later