Thursday, December 1, 2016

Tea house wraps! Not just 1 or 2, but 3 of them!

My latest finishes- 3 versions of the Tea-house wrap (Free crochet pattern by Lion Brand), commissioned by a buyer to use for Christmas gifts! I am working on 2 more versions, will share when I'm done! The color choices are the buyer's, I cannot take credit for them :)
I loved the pattern, it is super simple. And I love how the tassels turned out!! They add the perfect finishing touch to each of these shawls.


Sunday, October 9, 2016

Whale crochet blanket, plus free whale applique pattern!!

Pinterest-inspired whale crochet blanket! I wrote a pattern for the whale, and of course, I plan to share :) So, here it is,
WHALE CROCHET APPLIQUE PATTERN:

NAVY BLUE/ BLACK/ WHITE WORSTED WEIGHT YARN- SCRAPS
BUTTON FOR EYE
SZ 5.5 HOOK

17 ch,
1.     1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch to end (16 sc), turn
2.     ch 1, sc incr, sc in each sc, sc incr (18 sc)
3.     ch 1, sc incr, sc in each sc, 3sc in last sc (21 sc)
4.     ch 1, sc incr, sc incr, sc in each sc, sc incr (24 sc)
5.     do 3 rows of 24 sc.
6.     ch 1, sc incr, sc in next 15 sc, sc 2 tog, turn, leaving remaining 6 sc unworked.
7.     ch 1, Sc 2tog, 1sc next 14 sc, sc 2 tog
8.     ch 1, Sc 2tog, 1sc next 12 sc, sc 2 tog
9.     ch 1, Sc 2tog, 1sc next 10 sc, sc 2 tog
10.  ch 1, Sc 2tog, 1sc next 8 sc, sc 2 tog
Fasten off, leaving a ½ yd tail to sew.
11.  Tie yarn at beg of 6 stitches left unworked, ch 1, sc in each of next 5 sc
12.  1 sc, sc2tog, 2sc (4sc)
13.  sc decr, 2sc (3 sc).
14.  sc incr in 1st one, sc in next 3, sc incr(5 sc), turn
15.  ch 1, Sc incr, sc in next 5, sc incr (7 sc)
16.  ch 1, Sc incr, sc in next 7, sc incr (9 sc)
17.  ch 1, 1 sc in each sc
18.  ch 3, 2 dc in 1st sc, 1 dc in next sc, 1 hdc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, sl st in next, 1 sc in next sc, 1 hdc in next sc, 1 dc in next sc, 3 dc in last sc, tie off leaving a tail for sewing.

For the eye, I did ch2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, and sl st to form a ring.
For the fin, I did
Rd 1: 6ch, dc in 4th ch from hook, 1 dc in each rem ch
Rd 2: 3ch, 2 dc tog, 1 dc,
rd 3: 1 ch, 2sc tog,
Rd 4: 1 ch, 1 sc, finish off leaving a tail....
I did a black center on the eye, and also embroidered a mouth.
Let me know if you try it out! And enjoy :)

Sunday, August 7, 2016

The tailor's trash is my treasure!

It is customary to get women's outfits like the traditional sari blouse and shalwar Kurta stitched to your measurements  throughout India. As a result, there are tailor shops in almost every neighborhood. I talked to my mom's tailor, and got a bag of scraps from him for free. My mom bought me some zippers for the super-awesome price of Rs.3 each (approximately 4 cents). Compare that to my normal purchase price of $1.50 for a 9" zipper at JoAnn's, that too with a 50% off coupon! Wow, just wow. I am seriously tempted to buy at least 22 zippers for the grand price of $1. 
In addition, I needed some interfacing .....Rs. 15 for one meter (approximately 20 cents for over one yard), and I was all set to create zipper pouch wristlets! I used the awesome tutorial by thestitchingscientist.blogspot.com.
Here are the ones I made so far:
Yes, the tailor's trash has been transformed into treasure!
Well, I'm off to dig through the bag of scraps again, and make some more because now everyone wants one :) 
Leave me a comment, and let me know what you think! I would love to hear from you :)

Friday, July 22, 2016

Crazy quilting- my first attempt at it!

I am in New Delhi, India, spending part of my summer vacation here with my parents, and I normally transition into doing thread work here since yarn is too hot to handle! So no yarn crochet. 
I have been keeping my hands occupied making several pairs of crochet barefoot sandals with thread, and trying out crazy quilting! I took some random scraps of cotton fabric, sewed them together in a random manner, and started embroidering over the seams with floss. I did find lots of inspiration on Pinterest! Here is what my piece looks like.....
I don't know what to make out of my quilted piece, I might just have to frame my first one, and then maybe move onto making some into pincushions. If you have any ideas about these, leave me a comment, I would love to hear from you :)

Monday, July 11, 2016

Next refashion! More dress-making :)


I went through my closet, trying to find the perfect t-shirt to transform into the top of my next dress, and when I found this neglected, rarely worn black one, I knew this would work well as the top yoke for my paisley satin fabric, sourced from the LA Fashion District for the grand price of $1 per yard!

The shirt fabric wasn't too flimsy, which meant that it could support the skirt well, and it was a fitted shirt, which means that it would work well as the top of the dress. I did not like the 3/4 length sleeves, so those had to be cut off. After that, I marked the length of the sleeves and the start of my skirt with the help of safety pins while trying it on (be careful to not poke yourself :)).
Then I drafted my skirt, measuring my waist, dividing that by 4 to determine the top to cut off, measuring the minimum length that I wanted for the dress (I like my dresses to hide my knees), folded the fabric, and cut. There are several tutorials you can find on the interwebs  for making a hanky hem dress :) I would say it took me no more than an hour and a half from start to finish. I love the dress, and it got a lot of love when I shared it on my Facebook. 
I still have over one yard of this fabric left, and then 4 more dress fabrics from my LA Fashion district haul to work through, but I must say that I am quite happy with what I have accomplished so far! Let me know what you think about my dresss, I would love to hear!

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Another lace dress!

In keeping with all the refashioning that is happening on the interwebs, here is my latest dress- a white/ ivory lace number I whipped up yesterday from a lace tablecloth that I've owned for a gazillion years, and was probably sourced from a garage sale for a quarter......or if I was in a really generous mood, maybe 50 cents! This dress took me an hour max to do, I used an existing lace dress as my template, the only difference being that I left a side slit opening on this one. 
Next in line is this flamboyant satin I purchased in LA......I'm super excited about the possibilities for that fabric!
!Do leave me a comment if you liked my refashioning/ upcycling creation :)

Friday, June 17, 2016

Pusheen amigurumi!

I'm always posting Pusheen emojis on my FB responses, so when I saw Pusheen stuffies at Claire's, I was struck by a severe case of "crafter's syndrome"...."Oh, I can make this myself ". And so, I did. My Pusheen is adventurous and silly..... He sits in the pot, thinks he is a lily, and knows Mommy has a severe case of "OCD" :D
I hope to list one on my EBay, but this one is mine mine mine 

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Blue lace dress- done!!

One more finish from my LA Fashion District fabric haul! I stitched up this blue lace dress, fabric purchased for $1.99/ yd, pattern just worked off of an existing dress, plus the additional luxury of stitching it as per your own comfort. In my case, it meant a loose comfortable fit :) I am happy with how it turned out, and also happy that I'm paring down my fabric stash :)
On another note, my summer break started, which might mean a lot more crafting time, except I have lots of other plans to juggle, so keeping my fingers crossed!!
Hope you like my dress, I would love to read your comment!

Monday, June 6, 2016

SHARING FINISHES FROM MY LA FABRIC HAUL!


In April 2016, I went to the Los Angeles Fashion District and purchased quite a bit of fabric for $20, the video is posted here. My goal being to use up all my fabric by December 2016, which is when I go back to the Fashion District, I hurried up and got sewing!! 

I tackled the equations fabric first. I had purchased a half-yard of this drapery weight fabric (for the princely sum of $3), and ended up making 5 things from it!! I used up every tiny bit of that fabric! I made a lined tote bag, an envelope pillow, a zipper pouch, a boxy pouch and a coin purse. I think my daughter will be able to use all 5 items. And then I thought, why didn’t I buy more of this fabric?? I’m sure nerdy science-y type people would have loved to buy these items if I’d offered them in my Ebay store. Why oh why is hindsight always better than foresight :((
P.S. The boxy pouch tutorial is THE BEST! However, I made it with a 9" zipper, and not the best choice for this pouch...I think it looks better with the 12" one.

My second finish was this top made from a 50 cent remnant piece- all I did was cut out a neck, put bias tape around, sew the sides and hem- done in about 35 minutes! I love how it turned out!
I have also used up y blue lace fabric- I was able to get a dress for myself, and a t-shirt for my daughter – out of it. Not bad for $8 worth of fabric. Pics to follow later on!
What kinds of sewing projects are you working on?? Please share in the comments :)

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Some new pin cushions!


A quick post to share some pin cushions I stuffed up :) Some with embroidered felt patches, and other simple ones with fun owl printed fabric, just a great way to use up scrap fabric. These will be making their way to my store eventually.....
6 more school days, peeps :)

Sunday, May 22, 2016

My first GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment to win a FIREWORKS mandala!

When the scrap yarn vase runneth over, time to make mandalas!!! And that's what I did. My pattern of choice being the "Fireworks" mandala by ZootyOwlcards!
I was on a roll, have made about 6-7 of them so far, and decided to have one of them be the prize for a giveaway! 
 Each mandala is fairly large, roughly 19" diameter, made with all acrylic yarns, ends securely weaved in :) I will be listing them on Ebay pretty soon. In case you don't win the giveaway, and still want one, swing by my store to snag one!
 This is the one you will win, leave a comment and I will contact the winner by email to get your mailing address. Rafflecopter will pick a winner randomly for me :) Giveaway is limited to USA residents only, since I do not wish to ship internationally! Good luck, and keep on crafting, World!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, May 20, 2016

Finishing up my first year as an empty nester!!



I made it through my first year as an empty nester, and I have to say, it wasn’t as bad as it’s sometimes made out to be :) I sure had my fair share of trepidation before my younger one was about to leave, but I’m pleasantly surprised that I did not have too many days of melting into tears or feeling sadness. Here are some things I made an active effort to incorporate/ change during this past year…
1.     Grew my hair! After 15+ years of having “chicken feathers” 2” hair, I decided to let it grow because now I can actually have time to wash it, tie it, style it (??)….going great so far, but maybe one day, I will just get fed up and go back to chicken feathers. My older one was like “Mom, do you realize that this is the first time in our lives that you actually have longer hair than either of us!!”
2.     Started wearing dresses! I realized that I never took time to try on dresses, and just ended up wearing tops over capris all through the summer for so many years. That needed to change, and I’m glad that I’m trying out new things. My goal of sewing more for myself also helped contribute to this cause.
3.     Did more sewing for myself, and my daughters! Made 2 velvet dresses for myself this winter, and a fit-and-flare dress for my younger daughter, shared here. My new goal is to use up all the fabric I purchased at the LA Fashion District in April 2016 by December (which is when I go back to LA). You can see my haul video here!
4.     Attended more events at the Teachers Union, and participated in Teacher Forums. Got an article published!
5.     Went to my school’s Prom. I used to chaperone Prom all the time when it was part of the teacher contract, but 7 years ago, the Union negotiated to make it optional (and paid), and since then I never found time to go do it. So it was an empty nester goal, and now I feel that it might become an annual event!
6.     Became part of a knitting group, and attended a weekly session almost every week. I don’t knit, I normally crochet, and they’re OK with that. I might actually attend my first ever knitting/ crochet retreat with them Jan 2017!! Yay for that, since I might have to wait till I retire to attend one of the Crochet cruises, hosted by The Crochet Crowd (they are all scheduled during the school year).
7.     Went back to my Saturday yoga group.
8.     Cleaned out my kitchen pantry, and also my linen closet. Cleaning/ organizing is not my forte. /my kitchen pantry probs got claned out after 11 years (which when we moved into the house)….nuff said!
9.     Blogged fairly regularly (???)…questionable much?
And finishing up today's post with my latest completed project, a blanket with nice flower appliques sewn on :)

The pattern is a variation of this, and my blanket is listed for sale here!
Looking forward to summer vacation now!
Keep on crafting, world :)

Thursday, May 12, 2016

My first product endorsement (or two)!!!


I have not written about any products on my blog so far, but I used these two new things, and they were incredible!! So, of course, I have to share with the Incredible Internets. The first is Wet n’ Wild Gel nail color.  I received this as a free sample from Pinchme.com, and I was very skeptical!! Why? You ask….well, I have been using only Revlon ColorStay nail polishes for the past 10-12 years. I tried Essie, I tried Opi, but they did not match up to the long lasting-ness of Revlon. Revlon would last for a full 2 weeks for me, despite the fact that I wash dishes by hand almost every day.
So yes, I was not sure about Wet n’ Wild Gel at all, because in my mind, it was a “cheap” brand. 

Well, was I surprised after 2 weeks…..Not only did it chip minimally, it outlasted Revlon by 2-3 days for sure, gave a really nice salon-like finish, and I loved the color they sent me!!! So, yes, I may have to change my nail paint brand, go buy some more colors :)

I became a HUGE fan of another product- LANCOME Sleep perfector cream. Again, I got a sample in the mail. Have not used any Lancome products ever! No, I am more of a CVS-brand, Pond's cream kind of person. Yup, ashamed to admit it.....well, maybe not really, that's what us Mommy-type Asians do:)

 So I put this on at nght, just maybe 2 drops of it, and my face felt like butter the next morning- my pores looked like they had been evened out, there was a nice glow to my face, my fine lines (I refuse to term them wrinkles- I have noneJ) appeared “plumped out “/ less visible. Suffice it to say, I really could not believe it….the sample had about 3 uses worth, and my skin felt really good for about a week. I, of course, had to go online right away and check prices on Ebay, Macy’s etc etc…..Ebay had a lot of options, but I decided to go the legit way, did not want to risk getting a fake product, so went to Macy’s, splurged $94 (!!!!!) on Lancome Sleep perfector. I justified it to myself by calling it my Mother’s day gift, plus felt better because I was able to get a lot of other products from Lancome as free gifts- I think I got close to 10 smaller size products (including a tote bag and a cosmetics pouch). Now, now, I might just get hooked to all the other Lancome products, so I guess their marketing strategy is super successful :( 

On the crafting front, I have been crazy busy, but will have to wait till next time to share more finished products with you!! I can share one though....it is the VIRUS BLANKET by Jonna Martinez, she has an awesome video tutorial. I have also done the shawl version of this, no pictures yet though, it still needs tassels. The blanket will make it to my Ebay store soon, in case you would like to call it your own :)
Till next time, Keep on Crafting, world :)

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Another sea theme blanket, and a refashion!

 Here are my new (and almost new) finishes. The sea theme blanket is made off of a picture I found on Pinterest- no pattern for the appliques, I just made them along by looking at the photo, plus I used a basic ripple blanket base. The blanket is listed here in my Ebay store RetirementFunned.
 My next project is a refashion, because!!! Refashioning is the thing to do!! So I had this sheer skirt from Christopher & Banks that I wore maybe once...Inspired by so much refashion on the Internets, I decided to use this brand new tank top (I would've never worn it), and join the two together to make a cute shift dress. Awesome!! Now, I have a wearable piece of clothing that I love! I wish I had taken the time to show you a picture of me wearing it, but you just have to take my word for it I guess. It looks great! And all it took was about 20 minutes!
Here's another cute thing to look at...Pinterest-inspired of course! My crochet goldfish!
I just winged the goldfish. Realized it was getting too big for my tiny jar, had to make the fins quickly, so yeah, the fins are not anatomically correct, but shh shhh, we won't tell the biology teachers that :D
Take care, world! Enjoy the warmer weather, if you are in a cold place like Minnesota (like me!), and keep on crafting!

Thursday, April 14, 2016

LA Fashio District haul video, and a couple more finished projects.

We visited our daughters over my Spring break, and I had recently learned about LA's Fashio District, so of course, I had to make the trip. I did not do sufficient research, and ended up going on a Sunday, when it seems the stores with ready-made dresses are not open to the public. The fabric ones, however, were open, and so I had a great time shopping for fabric. I have posted my haul on youtube. Check it out!
Some recent finishes-

A carrot scarf and a zippered pouch looking like a candy bar! Both are inspired by Twinkie Chan's work- She is just so amazing!
It is finally beginning to warm up here in my part of the world- Minnesota- and I can't wait for it to be summer vacation- 8 more weeks to go!
Till next time, keeping on crafting, world :)

Friday, March 18, 2016

Going Lovey crazy!!!.....and FREE ladybug lovie pattern :)


 I have been making a ton of crochet lovie/ security blankets lately. What a fun quick project! The ones above, Hello Kitty and the owl one are from here! I got the free pattern for a basic granny square from here. If you would like to purchase a ready made item, my creations are listed here.

I wrote up my own pattern for this ladybug one, and I'm happy to share that here. As always, my disclaimer still applies: I am not a professional crochet pattern writer!

LADY BUG LOVEY BLANKIE PATTERN:
Cascade yarns 60% acrylic, 40% merino (you can use any worsted weight yarn)
1 SKEIN RED, SCRAPS OF BLACK, SCRAP OF WHITE.
Sz H/ 5.5 hook
Ch 5, sl st to form ring,
Rd 1: ch 3, 15 dc in ring
Rd 2: Ch 3, 1 dc in same st, 2 dc in each dc after, sl st to top of ch 3.
Rd 3: ch 3, 1 dc in same st, *1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc* repeat to end, sl st to top of ch 3.
Rd 4: ch 3, 1 dc in same st,  *1 dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc* repeat to end, sl st to top of ch 3.
Rd 5: ch 3, *1 dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc* repeat to end, sl st to top of ch 3.
Rd 6: ch 3, *1 dc in next 4 dc, 2 dc in next dc* repeat to end, sl st to top of ch 3.
Rd 7: ch 3, *1 dc in next 5 dc, 2 dc in next dc* repeat to end, sl st to top of ch 3.
Rd 8: ch 3, *1 dc in next 6 dc, 2 dc in next dc* repeat to end, sl st to top of ch 3.
Rd 9: ch 3, *1 dc in next 7 dc, 2 dc in next dc* repeat to end, sl st to top of ch 3.
Rd 10: ch 3, *1 dc in next 8 dc, 2 dc in next dc* repeat to end, sl st to top of ch 3.
Rd 11: ch 3, *1 dc in next 9 dc, 2 dc in next dc* repeat to end, sl st to top of ch 3.
Rd 12: ch 3, *1 dc in next 10 dc, 2 dc in next dc* repeat to end, sl st to top of ch 3.
Rd 13: ch 3, *1 dc in next 11 dc, 2 dc in next dc* repeat to end, sl st to top of ch 3.
Rd 14: (Do in black) ch 3, *1 dc in next 12 dc, 2 dc in next dc* repeat to end, sl st to top of ch 3.
Rd 15: 3 ch, sl st in 2nd dc, repeat till done around entire edge. FO.

Lady bug (Black):
 Rd 1: ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sl st to form a circle.
Rd 2: ch1, 2 sc in each sc (12 sc), sl st.
Rd 3: ch1, *1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in each sc*, to end, sl st (18 sc).
Rd 4: ch1, *1 sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in each sc*, to end, sl st  (24 sc).
Rd 5: ch1, *1 sc in next 3  sc, 2 sc in each sc*, to end, sl st (30 sc).
Rd 6: ch1, *1 sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in each sc*, to end (36 sc).
Rd 7: ch1, sc in each sc (blo), sl st.
Rd 8: ch 1, *1 sc in next 3 sc, sc 2 tog* to end, sl st
Rd 9: ch 1, *1 sc in next 2 sc, sc 2 tog, 1 sc in next sc, sc 2 tog* to end, sl st
Rd 10: ch 1, *1 sc in next sc, sc 2 tog* to end, sl st
Rd 11: ch 1, sc 2 tog  each 2 st , sl st
Sew on eyes, and stuff at this time (do not overstuff). Then sew opening shut and sew ladybug in the middle of the lovie. Attach optional red chenille stem antenna or crochet ch antenna.

EYES: (white) : ch 2 , 6sc in 2nd ch from hook, sl st to 1st sc.
Ch1, 2 sc in each sc, sl st (12 sc).
Sew black button in the middle of each. (MAKE 2).

SPOTS (black): MAKE 6: ch 3, in 3rd ch from hook- 12 dc, sl st to top of 1st dc,
Rd 2: ch 1, 2 sc in each dc, sl st to top of 1st dc, FO leaving tail to sew.
Space out your 6 spots symmetrically around ladybuy body and sew on. Weave in your ends , take cute pics and SHARE ON FB, INSTAGRAM, YOUR BLOG, PIN IT, PLEASE REMEMBER TO LINK BACK, LEAVE ME A COMMENT :) KEEP ON CRAFTING, WORLD!!




Friday, February 26, 2016

Yay, free pattern for horse scarf!!


I made about 4 of the horse scarves before I moved onto fresher pastures :) You can see the photos of my horse scarf in my previous post. This time around I wrote down my directions. 
Disclaimer: I saw this scarf first shared on The Crochet Crowd FB page, and do not know who is the original creator of this pattern. I just looked at some of the pictures shared by people and came up with my own directions based on inspiration from those photos. If you are the original creator, please contact me via this blog, and I will give you credit on my blog/ link back to you as the original creator of this design. Also, I am not a professional crochet pattern writer, so this is my amateur attempt at putting together followable directions. Please use EXTREME CAUTION when attempting to follow my pattern , and do so at your own risk (or the risk of messing up a skein of yarn and wasting an hour or so of your time??).
That being said, I was able to follow along and create 3 more scarves with no issues. Plus, if you leave me a comment/ question, I will try to help you out :) Lastly, if you do succeed in making one, I would be THRILLED BEYOND MEASURE to hear from you!!

HORSE SCARF FREE CROCHET PATTERN:
USE SZ 5-5.5 HOOK, WORSTED WEIGHT YARN 1 SKEIN, AND SCRAPS OF CONTRAST COLOR. 
GAUGE IS NOT IMPORTANT FOR THIS PATTERN.
YOU START THE HORSE SCARF FROM THE SNOUT/ NOSE PART, END WITH THE LEGS, THEN CROCHET ALL THE LITTLE PIECES TO SEW ON LATER. MAIN BODY OF SCARF:
SNOUT (DO IN WHITE OR YOUR LIGHTER COLOR)- 10 ch, HDC in 2nd ch and each after that (9 hdc)
Next row- 11hdc (one increase at each end)
Next- 13hdc
15hdc
15hdc
13 hdc
13hdc, fasten off,
tie rust color (OR DARKER COLOR OF YOUR CHOICE)
3 CH (1st dc), 12 dc (one in each hdc),
13 dc
(one incr at each end) 15 dc
17 dc,
19dc,
21 dc,
21 dc,
23 dc,
23dc,
decr at each end for next 3 rows (17 dc),
17dc for next 3 rows,
1 more decr- 15dc- for next 75 rows (main length of scarf),
Starting legs-
Increases at each end for next 3 rows (23 dc),  split into half- do 2 rows as such, then 2 rows of decr, 7 more rows, last 2 rows white – 1 decr in each.

Ear: Leave a 9-10” long tail at the beginning for sewing the ear on. ch 7, dc in 4th ch from hook, and in every ch after ( 5 dc total)
Dc incr, dc in each, dc incr (7 dc),
9 dc
7 dc
5 dc
3 dcr,
3 hdc tog
white ear inserts: Leave a 7” long tail at the beginning for sewing the ear on. 6 ch, dc in 4th ch from hook, and in every ch after (4 dc total)
6 dc
8 dc
6 dc
3 dcr
3 hdc tog
WHITE SNOUT TOPPER- Leave a 12-14” long tail to sew. 7 CH, DC IN 4th ch from hook, 4 more dc,
Incr (7 dc), 3 more rows of 7 dc, 1 decr, 6 rows of 6 dc, done.
Nostrils: ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, join rd and leave a long tail to sew ( make 2)
Eyes: 8 ch, sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, sc
do one row of sc on top with one incr
Mane: Cut 5” pieces of yarn, about 30, and hook up for mane.
Make a tassle for the tail, and YOU’RE DONE!


Saturday, February 6, 2016

A horse scarf, another owl and a couple patterns tested :)

 
 The Crochet Crowd folks posted on FB that these horse scarves were selling like hot cakes, so of course, I had to jump on the band wagon and make some! I was my true cheapo self (and of course, super talented self too), and decided to figure out the pattern just by looking at photos of this scarf. I am happy to report that the outcome was not too shabby, especially given that this particular scarf sold within 3-4 days! So yes, now I am making another one. I did write down a pattern of sorts, so I would not have to do all the figuring out every time, but my pattern is currently such that it would probably make sense only to me. :(

 Lastly, I tested 2 patterns - the Ode to Winter scarf and the Bohemian Hat from Sheri Ann Weber of thecountrywillow.com......Turned out beautiful, if I might say so...love the fringe along the long side of the scarf.....Listed here on Ebay in my store RetirementFunned!!!



Stay warm, if you are in a sub-zero Tundra zone like me :) Drink lots of masala chai :)

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Some more finishes!


 This turtle blanket is my first finish being shared for 2016!!! The inspiration for this blanket came from here, she used a Ravelry pattern for the turtles, but me being the cheapo I am and not wanting to spend $4.99 for the pattern....or let's give it a positive spin and say, me being super talented where I can look at a crochet item and come up with my own pattern....I decided to make my own. It has been shared earlier on my blog....just scroll down :) Well, this one got sold in no time at all, so now I need to make another one!

Then a bit of sewing to share! An upcycle/ reuse/ refashion project.....a garage sale pillow recovered with a felt leaves applique cover! UMM, yeah, why spend $8 on buying a pillow insert? Who does that... not me, that's for sure :)

 And my last finish to share today. It is the Zooty Owl Trivet from here. Turned out super cute, I must say, and was easy enough to put together, and a fabulous scrap buster to boot :) Could it get any better?
Of course, I will need to make a ton more of these! Listed here on Ebay.
I'm looking forward to more sewing projects, and then planning my summer projects! What crafty endeavors are you planning? Do share :)