Free pattern for crochet dishclothes

 I"m not sure what it is about the winter time, but when it gets cold, I just want to crochet:)  And as you all know,  I love handmade, especially when I can make it. 

I started crocheting my own dishclothes several years ago because I just had to crochet something at the time and my dishclothes were looking rather worn out.  I found several patterns, but this one is my favorite.  Its so easy that a beginner can use it. 

You will need:

1. 2oz of yarn.  I prefer soft cotton, but this project is great to use up those leftovers.
2. An "H" hook

To start, I chain 36.   The original pattern called for a chain of 30, but I crochet tight, so I had to make it bigger.  You can make yours smaller or bigger by adjusting the number of your chain.  Simple keep the chain an even number.  If you make the chain an odd number, it will throw your pattern off.

Row 1:  Dc in 3rd chain from hook,  dc in next chain, *skip next chain,(sc,dc) in next chain, repeat from * to last 2chains, skip next chain, sc in last chain turn.

Row 2:  Chain 1, dc in 1st sc * skip next dc, (sc, dc) in next sc, repeat from * across to last 2 chains, skip next sc, sc in turning chain.

Row 3- 31 :   Repeat row 2.  Here again is where you can adjust the pattern. You do not have to do 31 rows.   How big the washclothe is, is up to you. 

I hope that this will become your favorite pattern too:)

How to insert my corkscrew earrings

I am so excited!  I designed these one night in my head, while I was watching my husband use his torch on a pool table that we were putting together.  In my head I torched the end of the wire to a bubble and then pictured wire swirling out of the front of the ear.  I thought how neat.  Here are those earrings.  The reason why I think that they are so cool is due to the fact that the bubble holds them in place.  There are no earwires and no rubber backs to push in place.





    To insert these in your ear, you simply put them into your ear from the back of your lobe.

Now all you have to do is twist these earrings into your ear, just like a corkscrew.  Fun right:)

Keep twisting.  Once you have twisted them all of the way in, the little bubble on the end will hold the earring in place.  Cool huh:)  I have these for sale in my shop here.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/118514746/corkscrew-earrings

Homemade icecream sandwiches

This past summer, I was told by a doctor that I had cancer.  Scary huh?  Stunned was more like it.  I knew that I had been carrying my little companion around for 2 years, but lack of insurance stopped my from getting care that would've been given.  While driving to doctor appointments and waiting in line at doctors offices, I did alot of ,"am I happy with my life" questions.  The answer ,"no".  Spiritually speaking, I knew I needed to change some things, but the thing that I hated most about my life at the time was and still is, my job.  I have a decent paying job, and I do get all of the bills paid every month without too much difficulty, but yet I yearned to work less there and be at home more.  I started keeping track of bills and was angered by how much the grocery bill was.  Right then and there I went on a mission to get it lowered.   I know from growing up on a farm that cooking from scratch and making things at home was the key, but the mental exhaustion that I felt and still feel at times, just makes me want to head to the nearest drive thru or grab a frozen meal from the store and pop it in the microwave.  So I've been taking some of the favorite things that I buy prepared and finding through the Internet and magazines, recipes that I can make and that still taste great.  Hence, the homemade ice cream sandwich.  These are family favorites and while they are one of the cheaper items in the ice cream section,  I decided to find something still cheaper and even healthy. I normally make these from chocolate graham crackers, but my husband wanted to try the cinnamon ones this time.  Anyway you make them, they are easy, cheap, and fun to make. All it takes is

• 1 box of chocolate graham crackers and any kind you prefer.
• 1 container of whipped topping.  I buy the fit and active kind. 
• sandwich baggies.

Take a cracker, smear the topping on it, cover with another cracker, squeeze together(Not to hard now , lol or you will squeeze all the topping out) and put it in a sandwich bag and then throw it in the freezer. Let set in the freezer overnight. Now you have a ice cream sandwich that tastes great and is easy on the budget.  Next time I make these I'm buying the strawberry whipped topping and making some with that.  My mouth is watering already:)

How to make a handmade envelope?

I wanted to, on my last blog share with you the link on how to make the envelope, but I couldn't find the link.  (Could've swore that I saved it in my favorites.) So, I thought that I would show you how to make an envelope for any size card that you have. 

I usually make my envelopes out of construction paper, believe it or not.  Its much easier to work with and much cheaper than card stock.  I bought my construction paper at a goodwill for less than a $1.00.

The first thing that you will want to do is to take your card,  (In this instance mine says quarterfold envelope) and line it up at the bottom and side of your construction paper as shown below and then

take your ruler and make 3/4 of an inch away from the card.

While you still have your card in the same position.  Take and put a little dot by the upper right hand corner.  This will serve as a placement for you.  See picture to the right.

Next, take your envelop and move it up and put the bottom right hand side of your card, by the dot as shown below.

Now, I want you to put another dot at the top right hand corner of your card again.  I also want you to measure 3/4 of an inch on the right hand side of the card at the top, like you did earlier.  This is shown below.

Now I want you to take your ruler and put it on top of your card.  Don't move your card.  Find the middle of your card from the left hand side of the construction paper to the mark that you just put there. Put a small dot there to mark the middle.  See picture to the right.

Now I want you to turn your ruler and go to the top of the construction paper and mark the middle there with a small dot.

This is going to be the point on the flap of your envelop when we are finished.

Now take your ruler and draw a line from the top middle to the mark on the upper right hand side.  Do the same on the left hand side.  This will look like the shape of a roof.

11/26/2012
What happens when you sew together an envelope?


Received sad news about a friend dying and wanted to sent a card to his wife.  Right now I'm all about saving money and making handmade.  I feel that both are good for me.  One, it makes me feel good to save money and two,handmade says you are special.  And there's a plus for me.  It allows me to be creative and to destress.  Anyway I've started making my own envelopes.  I found this great tutorial on how to make your own envelopes and you usually glue the edges. This works great when you hand it to the individual, but we all have seen how the post office sends our envelopes through a conveyor system and I thought that an envelope made from glue just wouldn't stay together.  So I got this great idea to sew the edges together.  I just finished doing this, and I am pleasantly surprised with the results.  I had to do a few practice pieces and thought I had it under control, but found out that when you are sewing two pieces of paper together that there is a slide factor involved.  lol   Anyway my card is still cute and I believe is ready to withstand the rigors of the post office.  Yes I know its not straight lol.  Will work on that with the next one.
Anyway, I hope that this will give you some ideas on how to do your next homemade envelope.  Please share with me how you made yours special:)