Reduce, Reuse, Recylce and ....

......organize my knitting and crocheting tools.

I made these two carry with you knit/crochet tool rolls from placemats I picked up at the thrift store. This one I kept for myself and did use a brand new button. The crocheted closure I used frogged yarn given to me by my Dad, so another reuse.



As you can see there is room for a gauge check tool (a small ruler), scissors, stitch markers attached with a large coilless safety pin, crochet hooks for hookin' or picking up dropped stitches, a pencil for making notes, sticky notes, and I think small calculator could fit in here as well.




The on below I made for a Knit and Crochet Goodie Bag on Craftster.



This can store all the same things but I also included a small mini m&m tube with needles for weaving in ends. I'd like to come up with some other additions to this design to create a pocket for needles. I used a crochet closure as well. The "button" is a glass bead I crocheted around with #10 thread and a #6 hook.



These are really easy to make.

Just go find the things you know you will put in your on the go project bag and fold over and pin together. I try to place things in such a way that it works easily to have it fold up like trifold book, which is why the larger pocket seem to work better on the outside and the smaller pockets on the inside

If you plan to add a pocket to hold needles take that into account when you layout how you want your tools to fit then sew that on first.

Then with a some kind of washable marking pin or even tape mark where you want the sewing lines to go.

I picked up the larger coilless safety pins at Michael's, I am sure you can find them elsewhere, to store stitch markers.

I crocheted the closure by making a chain then skipping several chains to make a loop. I just put it up against the button I planned use to make sure it was large enough. I used #5 crochet thread and fairly small hook maybe a D or an E. Then I crochet back down the opposite side and into the loop then slipped stitched to join.

You cab buy buttons for your closure but you can also crochet a cover of anything just the right size. It could be a great way to cover up a not so pretty button you have around. I use #10 thread and a #6 hook for that.

If you don't crochet I am sure you could find a way to use velcro, some kind of clasp closure or ribbons to tie.

I think more than one of these could be useful and a great gift for your fiber geek friends.

I may not have been posting but I have been busy...

This week I've been doing lots of cleaning. I'm trying to get better at keep things clean AGAIN. I love the results but I have never been good at keeping up with it but here's to keeping up with it this time!

I've been de-cluttering like crazy. I have loads of stuff to take to the thrift store and I have been brutal in that I'm even throwing things away that have no use, things that I'd be embarrassed to give them away. I'm de-stashing yarn and fabric. I've decided I'm a yarn geek not a sewing geek although I can sew and do sometimes, it's more on an as needed basis than a love. I now admit to being a yarn snob. I won't refuse some acrylic if it's colors I love because acrylics do have benefits. I love yarns that drape and feel lovely to touch.

Now that I have made some room, I made myself a spinning corner in the living room.


Just above the chair you can see some recycled sweaters bags I finished a few weeks ago. They are a bit warm for the summer, but I will love using them this fall and winter to hold works in progress.



A current crocheting project in some absolutely divine yarn, Frog Tree Alpaca. It will be a spiral shawl.



Neither of these gets across the color very well but does show what it looks like in different lighting.

More sewing goodness ....

to support the hookin' habit. Every good hooker needs a tote or two or three to hold his or her many WIPs.




Lots of pockets to hold other hookin' tools like post it notes, pattern books, hooks etc. The tote it my own design and I kind of wing it when I make them.





A hook case to store the many hooks you have



All the above and a few other things went off to my crochet swap partner on craftster. I have a smaller but similar bag in the works for my Mom who's into knitting socks. I need to make me one next.

I made the following hook cases for me while I was working on stuff for my swap partner.



I found a tutorial to make the hookcases here I followed the instructions loosely.



I really like how this one turned out, 'cause it's my favorite color and because the hooks fit perfectly in it.


Here they are all rolled up.

It's an Apron(s)

I got this one this weekend as a part of a swap on craftster. I can't show you the one I made for my partner as I have not sent it off yet. Here's the springy one I got:



The colors are bit washed out but you can see more in my swaps collection.


This one is a bit more true to color.

I made one for me, or whoever wants to wear it.

Remember this work in progress made with thrifted fabric and fabric I dyed myself:



It became this:



The towel, I have hooked through the ties, my son helped me tie-dye. I like having a towel handy on my aprons, so I don't dirty up my aprons when my hands get dirty.

Here's a shot w/o the towel:


And a shot of the lining on the back also dyed, doing low water immersion dyeing. I used left over dye I had around for months! It didn't dye very true to color because of it but the colors turned out kinds of fun.



Do you think aprons might get more more excited to cook? I can only hope.

What's this?

It's a sewing machine.



I've dusted it off and have been sewing some things recently. It may seem odd but it's to support my addiction crocheting.

I made a tote bag and a few other things that I will share later 'cause they are a surprise for someone. Here's a few things I can share:



I made the tote from an old vinyl(or plastic) table cloth I found at the thrift store. It's great to keep things dry when it's raining and good for the beach swimming pool. Behind it is a work in progress apron made from some thrifted star and moon fabric and some fabric I low-water immersion dyed yellow. It looks almost to pretty to wear in the kitchen. I need more blue thread to finish it and some fabric to line the back. So it's off to the fabric store this weekend. They are having a sale this weekend on vogue patterns, this could be a problem.

More W(h)ims

Dye/Tie Dye:

• Dye some fabric and make something
• a few more tea towels to tie dye
• a table cloth to dye
• dye some yarn (maybe some of my very own homespun)
  

Sewing:

• crochet hooks cases
• totes - basic ones and "quilted"
• quilted place mats
  

Love it - T-shirt Underwear

T-shirt underwear.... you know you want a pair!

Check out this link here and get your sewing machine revving.

Now, I know what to do with unwanted tie dye t-shirts! Woot!