"I am thankful" craft

Today for the Sunday School craft we made "Today, I'm thankful for:" boards.  These would make a great Thanksgiving project, too, or mid May.  :)  First we had the kids talk about what they were thankful for, and then we discussed when we are thankful, WHO are we thankful to?  We read three different Bible verses about thanksgiving, and then got busy on the craft.  The idea is that the kids can change the answer in the middle, and then the dry erase marker will erase right off for a new answer the next day.

The original idea was from Simple Home Managing.

Supplies:

• Frames (from the dollar store)
• White card stock, cut into 5x7's.
• Post-its
• Dry erase markers
• Printed on card stock and cut out:

                  "Today, I'm thankful for:" in white

                  Bible verses in various colors.  

                             (We used Colossians 3:17, 1 Chronicles 16:34, 1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Quick directions:

• Place the post it in the center of each, to create the future white rectangle.
• Color away!
• Pull off the post it.
• Glue on "Today, I'm thankful for:" and the Bible verses.  (We put a few on the front, and the extra on the back.)
• Reassemble the frame.
• Write the "thankful" item on the front.

Easter craft

This is a minor departure from my norm, but I've been in charge of a few craft days for Sunday School recently, and I thought I'd share our creations here.  We made these cross painting on Palm Sunday with all the Sunday school kids.  Here are the four from my kiddos. 

The idea came from a google search that landed me at a blog called Apples and ABC's.  

She has a great tutorial on her site, so I won't repeat it.  The only thing I would suggest to the kids is to be sure to paint all the way over the tape, either across or as a border, to make the best effect.  (Note the one on the right did not do this, and the cross doesn't show up as well.)

It is a bit hard to see from the picture, but each says "Jesus is Alive!" on the right side.  I did a few test runs, and found that doing it with a neon green worked the best.  It was hard for the kids to see it before we painting, and then as they started painting it "magically" appeared!

Crochet Christmas Ornament Stars

I made the kids' ornaments this year using a simple crocheted star pattern.  The original pattern is here:
http://www.favecrafts.com/Ornaments/Star-Ornament-Crochet-Pattern-from-Caron-Yarn

The only change I made was to add the loop by adding a chain of 10, slip stitched back into the same space, at very the end.

Trip Around the World Quilt

I finished up the quilt for Beatrix using a Trip Around the World pattern.  Here is the website I used for a tutorial, which was just great.  I did her variation using 9 fabrics. I used all flannel, and used the purple cupcake fabric for the back and binding.  It doesn't show well in the picture, but I quilted it by machine, following each fabric across the diagonal to make a diamond pattern.

The "Trip Around the World" comes together so quickly for the top.  I would do it again anytime.  My only suggestions would be to not pick directional fabric, or be prepared to seam rip and rotate a few squares!

Infinity Scarf #2

This was my attempt two at the infinity scarf.  This one was a bit fatter and shorter than the white one.  I used some chunky yarn and used the entire skein, using a N hook.  It was a simple V-stitch that just took a couple of hours during a movie to whip up.

(I pulled the pattern off the internet somewhere, but didn't write down the source, so apologies to the original poster.)

Infinity Scarf Crochet Instructions:

Chain 19

Foundation Chain:
In the 4th chain from the hook dc, ch 1, dc (all in the same ch.)  *Skip two chains and in the next chain work dc, ch 1, dc (all in the same ch.)  Repeat 3 more times from * to end.  In the last ch, work 1 dc.

Row 1:
Turn.  Ch 3. Work dc, ch 1, dc in each of the ch 1 spaces. (The center of each "V".)  At the end of each row do a dc in the last space (the ch 3 turning sp.)

Repeat until desired length.

Hold edges together and whipstitch ends together to form a loop.  Weave in ends.

Quilted coasters

I made these based on a tutorial from Martha Stewart.  The only thing I did differently was to use free hand quilting.  I figured this was a great size project to get in some practice machine quilting before working on wall hangings or quilts.  I love how quick they were to put together, how it used up some scraps, and how easy they are to toss in the washer when they get covered in coffee stains!

Infinity scarf

This was my first try at an infinity scarf, as modeled by Abigail.  I used "brick" crochet stitch, using a K hook, and an entire skein of soft, white yarn.  (I tossed the label, but it was just regular worsted weight yarn.)  The brick stitch reminds me of a granny square, and is super quick to put together.  I did this entire scarf while barely watching Madagascar 3 with my kids. :)

I found the "brick" pattern in a book called "Crochet Stitches: Visual Encyclopedia."



Infinity scarf directions:

Chain 18

Foundation row:
SC in 2nd ch from hook. *Ch 3, sk 3 ch, sc in next ch; rep from * to end

Row 1:
Ch 3 (counts as dc), 3 dc in each ch-3 sp across, dc in last sc, turn.

Row 2:
Ch 1, sc in 1st dc, ch 3, sk 3 dc, *sc between prev and next dc, ch 3, sk 3 dc; rep from * across to turning chain, sc in top of turning chain, turn.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until desired length (or near end of the skein.)

Place ends together and slip stitch across.  Tie off and weave in ends.

Fall quilted wall hanging

I just finished this fall wall hanging for my house. I hung it up in the family room, in a spot I hope to switch out with other seasonal wallhangings.

I found the pattern online here.

Sampler Afghan

Another project I can pronounce finally done! I started it 5 months ago..... The squares came together quite quickly. Then we moved, and it sat. Finally I stitched the squares together, which only took a few sittings. Then it sat. And then today I finally did the dreaded weaving in of the strings and gave it a final single crochet around the edge.
 
Lessons learned for a sampler afghan:
Choose either to do lots of colors, or lots of patterns, but not both. I was doing this to use up scraps, but also picked almost all different patterns. I wish I had stuck with one or two.  But it will still keep toes warm, and help the lid fit back onto my yarn bin again, so I call it a success!

Front

Back

Rag quilt letters

I made a set of cotton letters for my niece Ella's first birthday.  I followed this tutorial from a blog called Happy Together.

I just grabbed a bunch of cotton scraps and made each letter a different fabric, the same front and back.  For the middle layer I used Warm and Natural batting.  I thought it "ragged" the best after a few washings.  I decided not to quilt the letters, like she did on the tutorial.  I tried one with quilting and one without, and liked them the same, so went with the easier style!  For the letters I used the font Ariel Black in size 500.  (Set them to "outline" style so you don't use up so much ink.)

Happy birthday, sweet Ella!

X-Stitch Afghan

Yoda says "Do or do not.  There is no try."  This should be my new craft project motto.  As in DO FINISH!

I've been working on this afghan since October, I think.  I did some here and there, but then it got set aside for other projects.  Chloe was quite helpful along the way.

Today I finally finished!  And then I immediately hopped online to find a new project.  I'm hoping for something to burn through yarn scraps so I can get the lid on my bin again.

Seth loved to help me crochet, too, but sitting on one side of me and then the other as the blanket moved back and forth with each row crocheted.

I found the pattern for this afghan in the book 7 Day Afghans.  I really like this book, it is the second project I've made from it, and I intend to use it more.  Plus it is fun to just flip though.  I do argue with the 7 day title on this one, though.  I know I was a bit distracted, but even working 24 hours a day I don't think it could be done in 7.  Anyways...

The pattern is basically one row of single crochet, and then the next row double crochet, but you cross the double crochets into little x's.  She named the afghan "Plum Pretty" since she used more purple and dark blues.  I think I'll name mine "done at last!"  Or maybe "Seth's eyes."  It matches him well!

Easy bird feeders

The kids made these super easy bird feeders this weekend. They have all been peeking out the window hoping some birds actually stop by for a nibble. 

Supplies:
Ice cream cones (flat bottom)
Pipe cleaners
Peanut Butter
Bird seed

1)Poke a small hole in the bottom of the ice cream cone.  We used a chop stick, but a pencil would work well, too.

2) Roll up one end of the pipe cleaner into a ball.  Feed the pipe cleaner  into the cone so that the ball is inside.

3) Cover it in peanut butter.

4) Lick fingers

5) Roll the cone in the bird seed.

6) Hang on a tree with the other end of the pipe cleaner.

Rainbow Blanket Tutorial

I just finished making this baby blanket for my cousin's new baby boy.  The rainbow colors just make me happy! I spent the week singing "Over the Rainbow" and craving skittles!  I liked making a strip rag quilt, as opposed to a rag quilt with squares, because you don't have to deal with the tricky intersections.  It comes together really quickly, with all straight seams.  Below are my directions for making a rainbow baby blanket.  You could, of course, make this with any fabrics.  Just keep in mind that only 1" of each strip will show, so avoid big patterns.

Strip rainbow rag quilt tutorial:

Supplies:

3/4 yard each of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple flannel

Rotary Mat, ruler, blade

Ragging Shears

Iron your fabric, but DO NOT PREWASH
Using your rotary cutter, trim selvedge, and then cut 2" strips from (removed) selvedge to selvedge.

After you are done you will have a rainbow of fabrics.  You should have 12, 2" strips of each color, approximately 41", depending on selvedge size removed.  This will make 6 rainbows.

Match up pairs of strips, wrong sides together.  Sew them together, with right sides of different colors touching.  (An example stack of 4 fabrics would be red right side down, red right side up, orange right side down, orange  right side up.)  Use a 1/2" seam allowance.  It is easy to do but hard to put into words!  Basically the top and bottom layer of your quilt will be exposed, and you are sewing the seams so they all face upward.

I did all the red/orange together, then yellow/green, and finally blue/purple.  Make sure to put the first color on top each time, for example yellow of yellow/green.  You will have some length discrepancies, depending on the fabric and selvedge, but this will put them all on one end of the quilt, and it will be easier to even up later.

Finished strip pairs.

Next, lay out the red/orange and yellow/greens, with both seams sticking straight up.

Pinch the orange and yellow together, making sure to keep the seam upward.  Pin and sew orange/yellow together.  Repeat with all six sets.  Next add the blue and purple.

One of six completed rainbows.  Now sew the rainbows to each other.

Almost done with the sewing part!  The bottom corner is what the bottom of the quilt looks like; nice and smooth.  The top shows the seams that will be clipped and ragged.

Use your rotary supplies to even up the quilt.  I had quite a lot of size differences between the different colors.  The green, in particular, was a lot shorter than the other five.

Give the scraps you cut off to your kid for a kitty tail.

Now you need to top stitch around the perimeter of your quilt, still using a 1/2" seam allowance.  I just held each seam down before I went over it to make a smooth surface.

Now clip, clip, clip!  It feels like you are almost done, but this is actually the most labor intensive part.  You could use scissors, but I HIGHLY recommend getting ragging shears.  They are extra sharp, and have a spring so they bounce back after each snip.

Snip about every 1/4 inch, close to the seam, but don't snip through it.  On each row first snip next to the perimeter seam on each end, so that you can fold it over flat to snip easier.

This is the top clipped, but not yet washed.

And the smooth back of the quilt.  (Note, the green really is the same size as the other colors, but it looks smaller on the front.  I think the yellow is just a bully color and pushes it over.)

Now toss it in the washer!  Since you didn't prewash, be sure to throw in a color catcher sheet. (They are sold near the dryer sheets at any store.)  This will catch any colors that bleed.  I usually put just a tiny bit of soap in, and wash it on warm.

After the wash, but before the dryer, take it outside and shake as much of the loose frays off as you can.  Then into the dryer.  Check it every 5 or 10 minutes, because the lint trap will keep filling up.  Repeat the wash and dry at least one more time.  It will keep fluffing up every wash, but the majority will happen in the first two washes.