Jun 23, 2013

Crochet Projects: or, The Marriage Blanket

Sometime around Christmas, two of my friends got engaged (I am in my early 20s, so these things are becoming daily Facebook news stories). These two are absolutely two of the best people I know, so I wanted to ensure that I gave them something wonderful for their future together. The result? A three month long crochet project which I have affectionately dubbed: "The Marriage Blanket."


The blanket is made up of granny squares in various combinations of red, off-white, hunter green, and chocolate brown. These colours were (for the most part) chosen by the bride. 



 All wool was RedHeart brand, purchased at good ole Walmart (because budgeting my hobbies is important).

The blanket began to take shape as I layed the squares on the floor. Each granny square was 8 rows, with chocolate brown in the middle and on the outside.



I attached the squares with a simple single crochet stitch going vertical first, and then horizontal. I finished the outside by single crochet stitching the white around the perimeter of the blanket, and then shell stitching around that to add a scallop. 


The blanket is actually big enough to fit a double bed and turned out quite heavy. It will be perfect for those cold nights after they marry in October.

What have you been working on? I love to look at other crocheter's projects.

Jun 8, 2013

Weekend DIY: Bottle Vase



What you need:

1. Old liqour bottle
2. Twine, string, or ribbon
3. A pair of scissors
4. A knife
5. A bowl of boiled water



First, you need to soak the old alcohol bottle in the boiled water for about twenty minutes. When the water has cooled, peel the packaging off the outside of the bottle. Use the knife to scrape off the glue and then wash the bottle thoroughly under hot water, using dish soap and a dish brush to shine the outside of the bottle. Allow to dry.

Next, choose your combination of twine/ribbon. One or both is fine. I ended up just using the twine because I liked the look of it better. 


I would also advise touching up the nail polish on the fingers before you take a photo of yourself tying a bow on the spout of the bottle. It makes for a more aesthetically pleasing picture, which obviously I did not do. 

Tie the bow tight. You don't want it moving around when you are using your vase for flowers. I also tied mine a little to the side to give the vase an assymetrical look. 


Make sure you fix the bow so that the loops are on top and the strings are on the bottom. I also cut my strings unevenly to give it more of a vintage feel. You can do whatever you like best. 

And voila! The perfect DIY vase for those springtime flowers.