Crochet Granny Squares Blanket

Since December, I've been working on crocheting 2 blankets simultaneously. I really love to crochet all the time but don't have the time to during the school year -- once I get started on a project, it takes a lot to stop working on it. I found this image that sums up my feelings pretty well:

I had a lot of yarn in different colors that my mom found at my grandpa's house that my grandma was using maybe 20-30 years ago, so I wanted to make a blanket out of that in memory of her. I followed a video on YouTube to learn how to make granny squares, and decided to make a checkered pattern of alternating colors of squares. I had just enough yarn in the colors I wanted to make a blanket that fits a twin-sized bed pretty well.

 

top side of blanket

underside of blanket

When I was buying yarn for making stockings, I found some really soft, pretty yarn in colors I loved, so I bought some yarn to make another project. I really liked the feel of this yarn and the way the colors matched with each other, so I just decided to make another blanket. This blanket is slightly larger, and fits between a full-sized and queen-sized bed.

dropped some stitches

I completed these blankets just in time for the end of winter... but they'll be perfect for snuggling up with next winter or while it's still cold for the next couple months. They also make beautiful bed covers or decoration for chairs or the couch. I plan to build some blanket forts too. Maybe one day I'll knit and crochet enough large pieces to make tapestries for every wall in my house.

<3 Mandy

Amigurumi Taiko No Tatsujin

I play taiko drums.

In our group at school, we are doing Secret Santa. Everyone likes playing a video game called "Taiko No Tatsujin", especially the girl whose name I drew for Secret Santa.

Rather than getting a stuffed animal for her online, I thought it'd be nice to crochet one (amigurumi is the art of making crocheted stuffed animals).

Here's how I made it:

crochet circle

add white border for each taiko face

winking face sewn on

with red body

I cut foam (from making chair cushions) into small pieces for filling

legs

 

<3 Mandy

Personalized Knitted Holiday Stockings

I thought it would be cute to make each of my housemates a Christmas stocking, complete with each of our initials on the ankle of the sock. I chose 2 color schemes of color-changing yarn, and used about one ball of yarn for each sock. The socks are knitted from ankle to toe (using crochet hooks because I still can't find my knitting needles).

 

 

  
 

Morgan, Amanda, Sequoia, Claire

<3 Mandy

Cable Knit Ear Warmers

I'm not a huge fan of hats, but it's nice to wear something to keep your ears warm during the winter months. I've wanted to learn how to cable knit for a long time, and I finally figured it out! I actually used 2 crochet hooks instead of knitting needles for all of the projects because I didn't know where my knitting needles were.

using an extra needle to hold the cable

front of cable

back of cable

Using some leftover fall-colored and black yarns, I knitted an ear warmer with a twist at the front (one cable). I wasn't sure how much I liked the color blocking style, and also didn't have enough yarn to make a wider headband.

I also found some leftover soft lavender yarn from another project, so I made another ear warmer with cables along the entire length of headband. My mom really likes the color purple, so I gave it to her.

Using some thick orange spice colored yarn I bought, I made another cable knit ear warmer.

 

Stay snuggly and warm this winter!
<3 Mandy

Halloween Costume: Gumball Machine

For my Halloween costume every year, I love being able to craft something myself instead of buying a pre-made costume. One of my friends gave me the idea of being a gumball machine, and I thought it would be cute and fun to make!

She told me she had seen the costume online, and that someone had glued pom poms all over a shirt and wore a red skirt with it. Another friend suggested I glue actual gumballs to a dress. I found that pom poms are more difficult the get ahold of than anticipated - I tried several stores with no luck. Online, I found that they were expensive, would not come in the mail in time, and did not come in packs large enough or in the right colors. I decided to use some leftover felt I had from other craft projects - I had several colors to use, and figured it'd be a lot easier to glue or sew onto my costume anyway.

This is how I made it:

I bought a red dress,

traced circles onto different felt colors (pink, yellow, gold, pale lavender, purple, dark green, and dark blue) to cut out,

 and sewed the circles onto my dress.

Using black and silver duct tape, I made a quarter slot and place for the gumball to come out of.

 

I also made a pair of fun dangly earrings using red pipe cleaners - I rolled one into a ball for each gumball, and attached a ball to a head pin, and attached the dangle to an earring.

The whole costume was only $5! I found the dress on sale, and already had the other materials (tape, needle and thread, and leftover felt).

 

Have a safe and spooky Halloween!
<3 Mandy

Laminated Pressed Flowers

I love flowers. And to think there's a way to preserve them for *almost* forever, of course I'd jump at the chance.

When I was 6, my parents got me a pressed-flower kit for my birthday, complete with wooden boards, tissue paper, mounting cardboard, and metal fitments. I used to go around picking flowers in the backyard, press them, and then glue the flat flowers onto cards a couple of weeks later.

Today, I still do the same thing.

Using clear contact paper, I laminated flowers from special occasions.

 

 Here are some unlaminated cards I made last year.

Picking Flowers in Galway, Ireland

Ironing flowers: the fast way to press and dry them

 

<3 Mandy