Urban Yarn Junkie

Bag Brag

2009-08-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

Another Crochet student of mine has finished her Bag...so it is time to Brag!! Angela finished her oversized bag in record time. She simplified the pattern on her own. Instead of two front, two back and one bottom panel, She made a front and a back and incorporated the two side panels into the bottom panel. She was able to save a few steps as she was joining the pieces together. I love the colors! Angela is super creative and makes beautiful quilts. She has also taken my knitting classes....she is one multi-talented lady!!

Visit Angela's Blog at www.moderndiary.blogspot.com

Everything But The Kitchen Sink Bag!!

2009-08-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

As a crochet and knit instructor I just love getting to see the completed projects of my students.

I want to take a few minutes and brag on one of my students, Stephanie. She made this wonderful crocheted bag with a double strand of cotton yarn. I believe it was made in seven separate crocheted pieces that she joined together. It is one big bag that will hold everything but the kitchen sink....maybe even that too if you just squish a little. I love the tassels she made to individualize her bag. She added a bit of bling and some flip flops which I found out she is a bit partial to. Stephanie is a busy lady...Wife, Mother, Sister, full-time teacher, and friend. Despite all her obligations she finds time for her "Crochet Therapy."....Way to go Steph!!

Crochet On my friend!!

Yarn Sculpture Bowl

2009-07-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

Yarn Sculpture Bowl

This is a wonderful way to use up those scraps of yarn!

I am teaching a kids craft class this week at the Community Center and this is what we are making....a yarn sculpture bowl! This is such a fun activity for anyone age 2 - 92! You really get to get all sticky with glue and just make a real mess! Isn't that half the fun of creating art?

This is really easy to do: Materials needed are a blown up balloon, 2 disposable bowls, yarn, scissors, and glue (I used Elmer's Glue)..

First, blow up the balloon and set it tied side down into the bowl. (This just keeps the balloon in an upright position and allows your hands to be free to create your magic.)

next, cut many pieces of yarn, at different lengths...cut more than you think you will need.

Then pour a good amount of glue into the remaining bowl. Dip each piece of yarn into the glue and place over the top of the balloon in any pattern you choose. Just make sure that the pieces of yarn overlap eachother.

When you have completed your design...allow the glue to dry overnight. After glue is completely dry pop the balloon and remove it .....and your masterpiece is complete!

Crochet Creations of one of my Students

2009-06-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

I wanted to highlight one of my student's work she has completed. Marsha and I have been meeting now for several months at least a couple of times a month. She and another student, Ella, and I meet at a local Barnes & Noble and make many fun items.

The first item is an afghan that she made using 3 different neutral colored yarns held together and crocheted at the same time.

This afghan is made from multi-colored yarn ...I believe she used 2 strands at a time...I love the Autumn Colors.

This is a cream scarf made from chunky weight yarn....very warm!

Another chunky weight yarn scarf in a beautiful rust color.

A trio of scarves...these make lovely gifts.

A close up of one of her afghans.

This was a fun little project. Ella brought a completed toilet paper cover to class without instructions for how to crochet it. We figured out how to make them just from looking at the example that she brought. This is the one Marsha crocheted. This turned out so cute....I just love the flower and ribbon she added.

I just love sharing my love of crochet with others!! What a great way to

meet people and make lasting friendships...

Cupcake baby set

2009-06-23T16:41:00.001-07:00

The newest addition to one of my Etsy Shops.... http://www.sewtuni.etsy.com/

The bib is backed with recycled denim and trimmed in hand crocheted lace. Onesie is appliqued with matching cupcake, sprinkle beads, and a button cherry. Socks are trimmed with hand crochet beaded lace. This would make a wonderful baby shower gift for any "sweet" baby girl!!

A little Quilt piece....of love

2009-06-17T17:26:00.000-07:00

This is a little quilt block I made to send to Spirit Jump. What is Spirit Jump you ask? It is a non-profit Charity that helps Cancer patients to receive a little Spirit Jump of their own. This block is for a quilt that is going to be made for a lady named Karen Jo. 40 individuals are making a 7" x 7" quilt block, (each their own design), and sending them to an individual who has offered to sew them together into a quilt. Anyone who is artsy or craftsy can make an item for someone and send it to them. Even if you aren't artistically talented, you can purchase an item and mail it or make a monitary contribution. This is such a wonderful program to help others get through the trials they are facing with cancer. All "Spirit Jump" purchases from my Etsy stores will receive a discount.

Visit http://www.pinkarmadillo.etsy.com/, http://www.sewtuni.etsy.com/, and http://www.urbanyarnjunkie.etsy.com/ for the details.

To join or learn more about Spirit Jump you can go to http://www.spiritjump.com/

A Tisket a Tasket....a little Easter Basket!

2009-06-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

This is a super way to use up scraps of yarn left over from completed projects!!

Using 5 different strands of yarn at one time ,(I used 1 chunky yarn, 2 worsted weights, 1 baby weight, and a novelty fun fur yarn), I used a really large crochet hook and started at the base of the baskets and worked in a circular pattern using a double crochet stitch. When the bottom was completed, I worked into the back loop for one round which allowed for the basket to form a rounded shape. Then I started decreasing toward the top and stitched the handle right into the basket. I have 4 kids, but could only find pics of 2 baskets...go figure...the other two were done in oranges and purples....They are now nicely packed away to be used again next Easter!!

2 years ago this month I moved the the beautiful Valley of the Sun. I met my good friend, Jennifer...a.k.a. Jenn, through a mutual friend. I was so excited to meet someone who had such a passion for yarn and fiber as myself. She not only creates beautiful things through crochet, but she even dyes and spins her own yarn....(I wanna be just like her when I grow up!!) Shortly after we met she gave me the most beautiful little crocheted basket. I use it to hold small projects I have in the works. This last Easter I thought it would be fun to make some baskets for my kiddos.... the basket she gave me being my model and inspiration..... As a yarn junkie I have oodles of yarn just sittin' around waiting to be made into something decorative or useful.....these baskets fill both of those categories.

Jenn's websites are listed under sites I love on my blog (hers are the windrose sites)....check out her Etsy Shops!!

Aly's Cream Puffs

2009-06-12T22:59:00.000-07:00

My daughter, Aly, had to do a report on Iceland and make a traditional food to share with her 5th grade class. In Iceland they have "Bun Day", which is a pastry like cream puffs made from egg instead of yeast. She did a FABULOSO job!!!

YUMMO!

Woman can not live on yarn alone.......

2009-06-12T21:50:00.000-07:00

Woman Can Not Live On Yarn Alone

Sweet Roll Dough

1/2 C warm water (100 - 115 degrees)

2 pkgs active dry yeast

1 1/2 C lukewarm milk

1/2 C sugar

2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 C shortening

7 to 7 1/2 C sifted gold medal flour (add 1/2 of flour at a time.)

For excellent eating and keeping quality, keep dough as soft as possible, almost sticky.

Mix all ingredients with spoon until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to handle easily; mix with hands. Turn onto lightly floured board, knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 min.) Round up in a ball into a greased bowl, grease top of dough...Cover with damp cloth. Let rise in warm place (85 degrees) until double (about 1 1/2 hr). Punch down; let rise again until almost double (about 30min). Divide dough for desired rolls. Shape, let rise, bake according to following directions.

Makes: 2 Christmas Tree Breads

(Fun for kids to make and great gifts for friends at Christmas time)

After dough rises, divide dough in two (one for each tree). Form each into 17 (1 1/2 inch balls) Arrange on slightly greased baking sheet in a 5,4,3,2,1 pattern and with 2 balls rolled together for the trunk. Let rise until double (20-30) min.) Bake until golden brown. Decorate with Quick White Icing, candied fruit, and decorating candies

Bake 350 degrees for 15-20 min.

Quick White Icing:

Sift confectioner's sugar into bowl. Moisten with milk, add vanilla flavoring. Drizzle over warm rolls.

Cream Cheese pull-aparts (Makes 2)

Use 1/2 sweet roll dough. After dough rises, divide dough into 30-32 1/2" balls. Flatten, and fill with 3/4 tsp cream cheese filling, pressing edges to seal. Dip in melted margarine or butter, roll in mixture of 1 C sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Place in greased bundt pan. Let rise (covered) until double. Bake at 350 for 15-20 min or until done.. (For the ones pictured, I didn't use a bundt pan, I used a mini muffin pan and they turned out great...reduce baking time to 10 min or so....

Rich Cream cheese filling:

Mix together then whip:

(2) 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese (softened)

3/4 C sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

Bohemian Braid

Folow recipe for Sweet roll dough except, with first addition of flour add 2 tsp grated lemon rind

1/4 tsp. mace

1 C raisins

1 C chopped almonds

After dough rises, divide dough into 2 portions to make 2 braids. Divide each portion into 4 equal parts. Shape 3 of the parts into strands 14" long. Place them on lightly greased baking sheet. Braid loosely fastening strands at one end, then tucking under. Divide remaining portion of dough into 3 parts and shape into 3 strands 12" long. Make another braid and place second braid on top of the large braid.. Repeat for the other braid. Cover and let rise until double (45 - 60 min.) Brush with egg yolk. Bake until rich golden brown. Ice while warm with Quick White Icing.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 min

For special holiday touch decorate with candied cherries and pecan halves.

Basic Sweet Bread Dough Let rise and then punch down

Separate dough into 3 different types of bread:

1. Christmas Tree Bread

2. Bohemian Braid

3. Cream Cheese filled mini muffins

So I don't always crochet or knit....sometimes I like to have another creative outlet....one of which is baking. I think I come by it pretty honestly. My Grandma Urban was an awesome baker. I use to love to watch her bake. She never measured anything...just went by look and feel. She made the BEST kolaches in the world!!! (A Czech pastry) I have her kolache recipe and a few others that I hold dear to my heart :) The above are not her recipes...but they are yummy just the same.....

bAby BoOties.....

2009-06-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

I teach crochet lessons each week to a couple of ladies at a local Barnes and Noble bookstore.

Although my student Ella is a beginner, she wanted to make a baby hat and booties for a friend of her daughter who was expecting her first child.

The pattern said it was a beginners pattern, but as we got into the construction we soon found out that it was not so......

the top of the hat and the sole of the booties

were fairly easy. The lacy edges

were really a bit confusing even

for me and I've been crocheting for

30+ years....We eventually figured the funky little stitch out and

she completed a lovely project.

She made another set just like it

in pink for another friend.

I think she did a superb job!!!

Way to go Ella!!!

bloom where you're planted

2009-06-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED!!

Just a little twist on the plain knit and crochet dish cloth....

I made these for Teacher Appreciation Week......

They make great gifts for just about anything.....

Made from 100% cotton yarn they are very absorbent and are just the
best dishcloths ever....

I wrote a little poem to go with the flower and attached as a gift tag.....

I almost always have a little ziplock bag in my purse filled with cotton yarn and a crochet hook......

Just the perfect project to carry along wherever you go....

Chain 25 with size G or H hook,
single crochet across first row,
then single crochet into back loop only
creates a dishcloth that has ridges....the texture help for scrubbing dishes....

Have fun creating your own flower garden!!

Felting Fun 101

2009-03-21T19:56:00.000-07:00

Although this wasn't actually my first felting project it was just
as exciting as if it had been.
The anticipation of what the project will look like after

being felted is half the fun.

I used 100% worsted weight wool that I had hand dyed with kool-aid.

I crocheted cuff bracelets that were large enough to slip over my wrists easily. (Allowing for shrinkage during the felting process.)

The first thing is giving the bracelets a hot bubble bath in the sink.

I let them soak just a bit.

The next step was the agitation process.
I just rubbed the crocheted bracelets between my hands and fingers
squishing water and bubbles through the wool fibers. The water turned the
color of the kool-aid dye, as I did not rinse the yarn after I dyed it.

The next step is to rinse in cold water and squeeze out the excess water.

Let the projects air dry. Then they are ready for wearing!! They can also be

embellished with almost anything you can imagine....

embroidery, beads, pearls, crystals, or buttons

just to name a few.

These are so fun to wear and go with just about any

ensemble!!

Dishcloths for Divas

2009-03-20T17:24:00.000-07:00

Most women would not list doing dishes in

their top ten favorite things to do.

So call me strange but I actually enjoy

doing dishes ..."by hand even" if I am

using one of my hand knit or crocheted

dish cloths. There is just something about

how the warm, sudsy water soaks up

into the dish cloth that feels a bit luxurious.

100% cotton is the only way to go with

these little babies. They grow in a

diamond pattern, increasing in width

until half way through the project.

Then decrease one on each row and

bind off.

(Just let me know if you want the

pattern and I'll shoot you an email.)

These are a great little projects to carry

in your purse for those times you

are sitting in the car line at school or

waiting at the doctor's office. I wish

I had a nickel for every one these I've

made. I'd be one rich lady!!

When visiting my sister I discovered

she had not been using the ones I had

made her because she didn't want them

to get yucky....I told her that
she simply had to use them or

she wouldn't ever get any new ones from

me....(That goes for any of my friends too :)

Here are a couple of crocheted

dishcloths I made.These work

up in about a third of the time for me.

I personally like the knit ones

better for dishes, but either one is

a fun gift to give.

Either one also works great for face cloths

or baby washcloths. I just make them a bit

smaller. I usually use cotton tots

for the baby washcloths as it just has a

softer feel. Chenille works wonderfully

for face cloths. Just a word of

caution if you have teens that use cleansers

with benzo-peroxide, colors will bleach

so it is best to make them white.

Items made with Koolaid Dyed Yarn

2009-03-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

Here are three pair of fingerless
mitts that I knit on 14 inch long
number 8 needles.

When I took a trip home to Arkansas

last October, I took about a dozen pairs

of these with me. My niece is a competitive

figure skater and I gave her and her sister

a pair and all the other skater girls wanted

some too. They sold like hotcakes.

Needless to say I sold them all.

A little tip I learned from another knitter:

When making two of something, either gloves, sleeves, vest fronts, etc. , you can make both

of them at the same time. These worked up

in about 3 hours on 14" long number 8 needles.

Simply make two balls of yarn and only use one

ball for each glove and drop that yarn and pick

up yarn from second ball for second glove. The

advantage to doing this allows you to complete

both items at the same time and also keeps you

from having to recount and measure second item

to ensure even lengths upon completion.

I crocheted a bunch of

flowers to embellish

future projects.

Just a mix of items made with

Koolaid dyed yarn.

Crocheted jewelry

2009-03-14T17:31:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago I had an idea to try something new. Instead of using yarn for crocheting I thought it might be fun to use wire. I had done a few beaded crochet projects and decided that it would be simple enough to add beads in with wire. I found different gauge wire ranging from 18 to 28 gauge. Of course the lighter gauge wire was much easier to crochet and allowed for a very delicate piece of jewelry upon completion. However, I found that some items really needed a heavier gauge in order to carry the weight of the beads. Lighter gauge wire lends itself to a more elastic product whereas the heavier gauge will uphold the original shape longer. You'll definitely want to use a metal crochet hook for these projects. And for the heavy gauge wire, don't be surprised how the wire will chew up the hook....so, I recommend using an inexpensive hook.

As in any beaded project, you will want to load the wire with all the beads (selecting your pattern beforehand if applicable). To allow the beads to show on the right side of you project, you will only want to incorporate the beads on each right side row...so, in other words every other row. Have fun with your designs as they will truly become wearable art.

A word of warning: Be ready to receive attention from others when you wear your jewelry. Everyone will want to know where you got it!!

Couture Bows by Lizzie Larue.....Love Life

2009-03-13T21:38:00.000-07:00

I have to tell you about something I am so excited about....hair bows. Not just any bows mind you. These are made exclusively for Lizzie Larue. These are creme De la creme in the hair accessory world. I have to say, these are the most delicious little bows I've ever seen. Each bow is handcrafted in the U.S.A., has a So-snug grip, and is topped off with not a cherry, but something even yummier..... a Swarovski crystal jewel. Their collection includes Lizzie Larue, Little Lizzies, headbands, and clippy couture. You can check out all their beautiful couture bows at www.lizzielarue.com

Oh Baby Two....

2009-03-11T15:17:00.000-07:00

So, I added the swarovski crystal beads to the onesie and socks. I think it is just the right amount of baby bling!

Dyeing for Koolaid!

2009-03-10T20:14:00.000-07:00

I remember sitting by the sidewalk in front of my house on a hot summer day with entrepreneurial dreams of earning a fortune from my koolaid stand. My friends and I usually drank more ourselves than what we actually sold, but what a fun way to spend a summer day as a kid. Those days are some of my favorite childhood memories.

So when I found out koolaid could be used for dyeing yarn I have to say I was a bit jazzed. Who would've thought a grown woman in her 40's would be so giddy from going shopping for a fruity kid drink. I was pleasantly surprised by all the colors there were from which to choose. I made my selection from the rainbow array and went home to mix up the powdery concoction. I have to admit it was a bit of a nostalgic moment for me when I opened up the small packages and smelled the aroma of flavors...cherry being my favorite.

Thus, began my adventure of painting plain white wool yarn into deliciously vibrant colors. I set them outside on my deck and let the colors bake into them with the help of the hot Arizona sun. Oh they smelled so good!!

They are now dry and wound neatly into little colorful balls all ready for me to create something cool and refreshing!

Oh Baby....

2009-03-09T09:51:00.000-07:00

This idea came to me a couple of days ago and I had to go work right away on it. Many of my ideas are like that. They pop into my head and won't go away until I've at least started on them. So I wanted to design a crochet embellished onesie and matching socks to sell on my Etsy site. One thing I think I will add is a pretty crystal bead to the center of the flowers to add just a bit of baby bling....

This was such a fun little project. I'm thinking of making a cute matching floppy hat to match.

My fav part is the little ruffle on the bum. I'm such a sucker for the cute little baby bums!

I am going to make a few more in lavendar, white, yellow, and solid pink.

Day one in blog world.....

2009-03-07T19:49:00.000-08:00

I am about to enter the world of blogging. Am I crazy or what?? I am absolutely addicted to yarn and fibers.... and have to have a project close at hand, (always). Don't believe me? Just ask anyone I know, my hubby, my kids, friends, and relations. It is something that runs through my inner soul. I have always had a love for creating things and working with my hands. It is much easier for me to express myself thru things I make than thru written or verbal expression. I have just finished making some hair clips that I love.