Purple Crochet M&M Minis Cozy

I have been crocheting this cozy for a few weeks.  I finally finished it today.  It took a long time because I used thin crochet thread and a 1.90 mm crochet hook (size 5).  I used a modified spiral pattern to create the stripes, that way the stripes are seamless.  I slipped stitched the last round, which makes it stay on easier.  This cozy and empty container is for my swap partner who likes purple.  She can put small craft supplies in it, like sewing needles, buttons, stitch markers, etc.

The cozy was a little to plain, so I added a flower made on the peg loom to it.  I used the same 2 colors of purple, and wrapped them around the loom 3 times (thus getting a 6 layered flower).  Then I used 2 strands of the lighter colored purple thread for the center.  Next I added a dot of black glitter glue to the center of it.  My partner likes the color black as well.  

Here name starts with the letter B, so I turned the M on top of the M&M minis container into a B with some black glitter glue.  Why did I choose the lime green container?  I asked her grandmother (who I am friends with) which color she would prefer: red, light blue, green, or orange.  Those are the colors that I have been able to get a hold of with the M&M minis.  I hope that she likes it.  I really like it, and now I want to make one for myself.

Candy Canes, Wreaths, and Hats! Oh My!

I made some more crochet candy cane and wreath ornaments.  I'm going to donate a few of them to my church's holiday fair next month.

I signed up for another swap, this time it is a Christmas ornament swap.  My partner likes black, purple, and zebra striped things, so I made her some candy cane ornaments with those colors.

I also made her these two hat ornaments using parts of a toilet paper tube.  Here are the directions on how to make them.

Peppermint Ornament & Candy Cozy

Before making things for the Halloween swap took over my crafting life, I had started making a cozy for a plastic M&M container.  I thought that the container would make a good crafting supply container for things like needles, beads, and buttons.  I used some sock yarn and a size B crochet hook to make it.  I want to try and make different types of cozies for the M&M containers that I have been buying for this purpose.  My kids are very pleased with this crafting purchase, because they get to eat the chocolate candy.  On a side note, you can see our first snow of the season.  Its to early for snow!!!!  I've been told that tonight or tomorrow we are suppose to get more.  Yikes!

Christmas is the next holiday that is on my crafting radar.  Sure I would like to make a few things for Thanksgiving, but I really need to make some Christmas gifts.  I have some sparkly red and white cotton yarn that I wanted to make something small with, so I chose a peppermint ornament crochet pattern from Ho Ho Celebrations: 22 holiday projects to knit or crochet by Loops & Threads.  It was very easy to make, and I learned a new way of crocheting with 2 colors.  The pattern requires that you make 2 swirly circles and then crochet them together.  This just might be one of the things that I make for various people.  I could even put them on the outside of their gifts like a gift tag.

Halloween Kitchen Items

I finished crocheting this Halloween hot pad set this week for myself.  I was inspired by the colors of candy corn.

Here is the pattern for these hot pads.

Here is the pattern for these hot pads.

These Halloween coasters were easy to make, and took only 1 day to crochet.

Yesterday I knitted this candy corn dishcloth.  Here is the pattern for it.

Halloween Hot Pads: Orange

I'm continuing to make Halloween colored hot pads this week.

Right now I'm working on the orange ones.  Each one will have a different colored border.  I am mainly using orange, yellow, and white cotton.  However yesterday I bought some black and violet cotton, and I might add some green as well.

Fall Colors

I got an itch recently to make this hot pad in candy corn colors for Halloween.  I love the way it turned out.

I also made another chrysanthemum hot pad using the more neon yellow from the candy corn colors with the white cotton.  I'm thinking of making a Halloween set, much like the patriotic set that I made earlier this year.

We were at the park yesterday when I saw this tree in all of it's Autumn glory.

And I couldn't resist taking a picture of these rings on the playground.

Halloween Swap Gifts for LadyKatka

LadyKatka (ravelry) was my other partner in the larger Halloween swap.  She received her package recently (in Canada).  Here is what I made for her.

A treat bag / project bag made from 3 large M&M wrappers (donated from a restaurant) and skull duct tape (more pictures below), a knitted dish towel, a crochet plarn scrubby, a google eye picture frame, skull stitch markers, gauntlet style fingerless gloves, toilet paper tube treat containers, a cork witch...

Some small goodies like a skull stamp, parachute black cat, spider rings...

A magnet made from a wooden Halloween piece (the toad warts), a plastic bottle ring crochet wreath ornament, pumpkin decoration, a bat ATC, Halloween pencils, Peanuts Gang activity pages, and a card.

Here is my video tutorial on how to make this google eye picture frame.

Gauntlet style fingerless gloves, which I am currently making myself a pair.

This wreath ornament was made by crocheting around a plastic bottle ring.

The pattern for this ornament is:

- Chain 20 stitches.

- Take a plastic bottle ring and half double crochet around it.

- Join with a slip stitch.

- Triple crochet twice in every stitch around, and join with a slip stitch.

- Chain 15 to 20 stitches, and tie to the other chain length.

- Then just add accessories.

Here is my video tutorial on how to make this bag.

Modfied Feather & Fan Hanging Dishtowel

The plarn scrubby pattern is just simply crocheting a basic circle:

- chain 2
- crochet 8 times into the 2nd chain from the hook
- single crochet twice in every stitch = 16 sts
- 2 sc in next stitch, 1 sc in next stitch, repeat = 24 sts
-  2 sc in next stitch, 2 sc in next 2 stitches, repeat = 32 sts- repeat until it is the size that you want. 

I used 1 Kohls gray plastic bag and 1 small black plastic bag to make the plarn.

These were the first stitch markers that I had ever made.  I loved them so much that I made myself a set.  The skull beads were found at Michael's Craft Store.

These cork witches were based off of this  Korknisse pattern.  I just modified the pattern slightly.

This artist trading card was made by watercolor painting on watercolor paper and then drawing on it with a black fine tipped sharpie.

Here is my video tutorial on how to make these toilet paper tube treat containers.  I put all of the smaller items in these containers.

LadyKatka said that she wants that skull duct tape.  She loved the skull stitch markers, especially since they are piratey.  She was hoping to get a cork witch and an ATC from me, so its good that I made some for her.  The magnet is already on her fridge.  Not pictured above, because it was a last minute add, was a red Kool Aid juice pouch notebook.  I had so much fun making things for her.  

Floral Hot Pad Set

I finished the hot pad set for my grandma's sister-in-law.  I sent my mom the above picture, and she said that she will love them.  My mom will pick them up later this month and mail them to her.

This is one of my favorite patterns to crochet.

I used Bernat's cotton yarn for all of these hot pads.

Here is the pattern for this wonderful hot pad.