Valentine's Day SALE

Now through Valentine's Day, use coupon code VALENTINE15 for 15% off your order!!!

I've been super busy adding new things to the shop this last week.  Lots of necklaces, bracelets, felted bowls, and a few new earrings as well.  Happy shopping lovies!!

valentine's day crafty round-up

love is in the air people... so go make something!  here's some tutorials i've gathered from around the interweb to get you started.  now go!

felt heart hair clips

crochet heart

crochet heart garland

embroidered gift bag

diy valentine coloring book

felt heart garland

tiny flower crochet necklace

i just finished this necklace and posted it in the shop.  i love the way it turned out.  it is soft and feminine without being overly girly.  and it is practically weightless so you don't even know you have it on.  i'm thinking of a red one with little hearts next!

new stuff in the shop

i've been working on a few things for the shop...

some earrings.  playing around with new designs.

and some valentine's day basket o' love!  i just think these are the cutest things ever.  dunno why, just do.  crochet hearts make me smile.

seeing red- gearing up for valentine's day!

maybe it's all the red, or the graphic simplicity of hearts, but i do love me some valentines!  i'm trying really hard this year to decorate for each holiday (or at least the one's we celebrate).  ani is at the age now (2.5) when the concept of decorations and parties is really sinking in and something as simple as a strand of felt hearts is really special.  especially when she gets to "help."

i think she's shocked that i'm letting her cut my precious felt!

this kept her busy for at least 20 minutes!

i cut random hearts from wool felt and sewed them together end to end.  i then taped them to the trim moulding above the sliding door.  simple. heart. bunting.  i smile every time i walk by it.

 

just for fun i whipped up a little red basket and some little crochet hearts.  ani carried the basket away and set about arranging a line of hearts on the floor.  maybe we'll string the hearts together for a little mini bunting?  perhaps.

crochet baskets- a free pattern!

i've been working on this pattern for a few days now, with a tweak here and a tweak there, and i think i have finally come up with the perfect little crochet basket pattern... think a few crocheted eggs tucked inside for easter (or a chocolate bunny!) or a whole pile of tiny crocheted hearts for valentine's day.  you could even fill them with little crochet finger puppets for a great birthday gift!  Ani has been filling them with polished stones, toy cars, shells, walnuts, yarn snippets, crayons... and the handles are just her size.  so without further ado...

crochet baskets

materials
worsted weight yarn (i used stitch nation full o' sheep)
5.5 mm hook
needle for weaving in ends

gauge
not important but mine is about 4 sc per inch

abbreviations
rnd- round
ch- chain
st- stich
sl st- slip stitch
sc- single crochet
dc- double crochet



Rnd 1- ch 4, 12 dc in 4th ch from hook, join w/ sl st in 3rd ch (12 stitches).
alternatively, you could make a magic ring, ch 3, 12 dc in ring, join with sl st in 3rd ch.


Rnd 2- ch 3, 2 dc in each stitch around, join with sl st to 3rd ch from prev. row (24 stitches).

Rnd 3- ch 3, *2 dc in next st, 1 dc*, repeat around, join with sl st to 3rd ch from prev. row (36 stitches).

Rnd 4- ch 3, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 2*, repeat around, join with sl st to 3rd ch from prev. row (48 stitches).

Rnd 5- ch 1, sc into back loop of next stitch, repeat around, join with sl st to ch 1 of prev. row (48 stitches).  this will give more of an edge to the bottom of the basket.  for a more rounded bottom edge, sc into both loops as you normally would.

Rnds 6-12- ch 1, sc into both loops of next stitch, repeat around, join with sl st to ch 1 of prev. row (48 stitches).  change colors after a few rows for stripes or leave it solid.  either would be lovely.  you can add or subtract rows here for a taller or more shallow basket.  you could also work in rounds from here on, marking each row with a stitch marker as you go.  this works best if working in one color, otherwise your stripes won't line up.


Rnd 13- ch 1, sc into next 5 st, ch 11, skip over the next 10 st and sc in the 11th from chain, sc into next 14 st, ch 11, skip over the next 10 st and sc in the 11th from chain, sc in next 7 st, join with sl st to ch 1 of prev row.  my chains are always tighter than my sc so i added an extra one to the handle to compensate.  feel free to adjust as you see fit.

Rnd 14- ch 1, sc into next 5 st, 10 sc around chain of prev row, 14 sc, 10 sc around chain of prev row, 7 sc, join with sl st to ch 1 of prev row.  bind off and weave in ends.


cute, right?

as this is my first attempt at writing a crochet pattern, any and all corrections and/ or suggestions in the comments will be gratefully received.

crochet bowls, both felted and not

taking a break from the tiny hook and thread and diving into my stash of wool.  i needed to use up the last of my purple, black and green to make room for some bright new colors... so i made bowls (found the pattern  here, but improvised once i got the idea).  

i felted the first batch, which made them sturdy and nice and fuzzy.  but they lose the definition of the stitches and the texture that i so love about crochet.  so i made a new bowl with my new wool yarn and i think i'm going to leave it as is.  maybe a new item for the shop?