Crochet Milk Jug Bottle Ring Frame Free Pattern

These are so simple to make and perfect to use as little frames, ornaments, gift tags and what not.

Here is how I made it:

Supplies:

Milk Jug Bottle Ring

Two different colors of worsted medium 4 ply yarn

A small wallet size picture, a cut out design from a card, your needlepoint work, for the opening in the center.

Fabric glue and some felt for the backing. (I use the felt backing and leave the top open so I can change out the picture).

F Hook

sl = slip stitch

ch = chain

sc = single crochet

dc = double crochet

This is written in American Standard Terms

Rnd 1:     

Sl your main color onto the milk jug ring and ch 1, sc 35 more stitches onto the milk jug ring, sl into ch 1 to join.

Rnd 2:     

*ch 3 (this represents a dc), dc 2 more time into same stitch as ch 3, ch 2, 3 dc in same stitch as ch 3 and 2 dc that you just made, ch 1, skip 2 stitches from previous rnd and complete 3 dc in next stitch, ch 1, skip 2 stitches, 3 dc into next stitch, ch 1*. 

Repeat in between * 3 more times but instead of  a ch 3 to start. you will make a dc. Once you have completed this 3 more times, sl into the top of the ch 3, fasten off and weave in ends.  

I then pressed my square with an iron on low setting and worked with the yarn a bit to give as perfect of a square affect as I could get.  

What I consider the wrong side, is the side that I turned and have facing me at this point.  This is a personal preference, but I like the affect that the yarn gave around the ring.  What I consider the right side did not have the depth I was looking for.  

Which ever side you choose to be the front, is the side you want facing you.  

Rnd 3:    

 Attach your contrasting color of yarn to your square with a sl and ch 1, single crochet into each stitch of previous rnd, when you come to the corners, complete 3 sc in each ch 2 space,  fasten off and weave in ends.  

Cut a square of felt backing  and attach your picture or embroidery work to the felt backing so that it will be centered to the opening of your crochet square.  You can glue with fabric glue or stitch this to your crochet piece.  

You could always make another crochet square and attach your pictures to the opening and then single crochet the two frames together with wrong sides facing each other.  

I use a soda can tab and attach that to my felt backing for hanging, or you could always do a simple chain stitch in the corner to use as an ornament or gift tag.  

Enjoy, 

Debra

Jewel Cases Made Into Cubes Recycle Craft

Here is a great tutorial on making photo cubes out of jewel cases.  I used some of my motifs that I am currently working on.  I'm still trying to decide which pictures to use.  I'm kinda liking the motifs though.

http://paperjewels.blogspot.com/2008/06/cd-photo-cube-tutorial.html

At the present time, I am heavily involved in making a daisy motif afghan, but I did want to share this tutorial I found.

I also have a new pattern I am designing, but I am sticking with one project at a time, next week I should be back on schedule

Thank you for visiting,

Debra

Room Scents All Natural

Fresh herbs always taste so much better then the dried herbs.  Only problem is, when I buy them, I can never get them used up in time, and then they become such an expensive commodity because I am throwing out more then I can use.

This year, I am planning on incorporating some herb plants in my flower beds. I like the idea of stepping right outside of my door and snipping what I need for my recipes.

I still have the issue of keeping the plants healthy and trimming them back and what not.

I came across this blog with natural room scents.  I thought to myself, what a wonderful idea.  When I go to prune my herb plants, I can make room scents.

Since Rosemary is going to one of the herbs that I want to plant, I thought I would give this a try.

Not only do I save money growing my own herbs but I also save money by making my own room scents.

What you will need:

1 glass jar that holds approximately 2 cups
2 lemons
3 sprigs of rosemary
1 teaspoon of vanilla

I'm recycling, so I used a glass spaghetti jar that I saved.  Just remove the label. In case you don't know, the glue they use to put the label on, remove it easily by rubbing just a little bit of cooking oil  on the glue and it takes the glue right off, like magic. Just be sure and soap it down afterwards, to remove the oil.

Cut the lemon up.  You can cut them in slices, chunks, remove the pulp and use just the rind, it's really up to you.  I just cut mine in slices. If you use fresh squeezed lemons in your recipes, rather than throwing the lemon pulp and rind away, just cut it up and use in your room scents.

Then add your water.  I use very hot water, because I use my scents as soon as I make it, and it start working pretty much immediately with the hot water.

Add a teaspoon of vanilla, put the lid on and shake a bit to get the vanilla distributed evenly.

I put my glass jars on a coffee mug warmer.

As the water goes down, just add more hot water to replenish.

When not in use, you can replenish the water, put the lid on and store in the refrigerator.

This recipe has such a wonderful light , fresh scent.

Head on over to the link below to get more recipes and different ways to scent a larger room.

Adapted from: http://www.theyummylife.com/Natural_Room_Scents

Enjoy,

Debra

Bottle Ring Crochet Spider Web Pattern

My regular occupation is very black and white and in a box.  In other words, it is a set of rules with no flexibility.  That is defiantly not a complaint but just a fact and I love my career choice, but we also need balance and crafting and cooking does that for me.  

I think that is why I like to craft and cook so much.  It brings balance I need, there are no rules when creating and using your imagination and a great deal of flexibility for me, my time to think outside the box with no structure.

I say one thing, I do another, have you noticed that about me?

Wasn't I suppose to put up more vintage patterns and a recipe today?

I bought some pumpkins yesterday and look what happened.

The smaller pumpkins I bought are for cooking and I plan on making homemade pumpkin puree.  I will share that with you soon.  In the meantime, I bought a bigger one, and I am planning to make infused pumpkin vodka with it. They will make great Thanksgiving gifts.  I just like to make them, not drink them.

With that in mind, I don't want to carve into my bigger pumpkin this year, so I will do better and crochet all my Halloween decorations and dress that pumpkin right up.

I am going to try and recycle and share those patterns with you.

We can do a week long series of decorating a pumpkin by crocheting, how about that?

So the first thing I decided, I wanted to do with my pumpkin is put a spider web on.  Since spiders are my theme this year, why not?

Here is how I made the spider web covering for my pumpkin. I did make it larger than the pumpkin, because I want to stretch it out and lay the ends over smaller pumpkin and gourd stems that will be sitting in front of the big pumpkin, because my spider is a busy spider.  

These are really simple to make and easy to modify to your liking.

Supplies:

Plastic Bottle Ring -I used a bottle ring from a milk jug.  I tested it to make sure it fit on the stem.  You can use any size you like, just as long as it fits on the stem of your pumpkin.

This is written in American Standard Terms:

4 ply worsted yarn - you can use any yarn you like, that includes color.

F Hook - you can use any size you want.

Abbreviations:

sl - slip stitch
ch - chain
dc - double crochet
tr - treble crochet
dtr - double treble crochet
trtr - treble treble crochet

Here we go:

Place the hook inside your ring.

Slip knot your yarn onto your hook and pull it back through the ring and slip stitch onto the ring.

Row 1:     Ch 4, *dc onto the ring and chain 1*, repeat between * until your ring is covered, join with a sl into the 3rd ch on the first ch 4 made.  

Using an F hook and 4 ply yarn I made 20 sets of the (dc, ch 1), in row 1.  Depending on your ring, hook and yarn, there may be a variance for everyone and that's ok.

Row 2:    Ch 5, *dc into the next dc on previous round and chain 2*, repeat between * , join with a sl into the 3rd ch on the ch 4 made.

Row 3:     Ch 6, *dc into the next dc on previous round and chain 3*, repeat between * , join with a sl into the 3rd ch on the ch 4 made.     .

Row 4:     Ch 8, *tr into the next dc on previous round and ch 4*, repeat between *, join with  sl into the 4th ch on the ch 4 made.

Row 5:     Ch 9, *tr into the next tr on previous round and ch 5*, repeat between*, join with sl into the 4th ch on the ch 9 made.

Row 6:     Ch 10, *tr into the next tr on previous round and ch 6*, repeat between*, join with sl into the 4th ch on the ch 10 made.

Row 7:     Ch 12 *dtr into the next tr on previous round and ch 7*, repeat between*, join with sl into the 5th ch on ch 12 made.

Row 8:     Ch 13 *dtr into the next dtr on previous round and ch 8*, repeat between*, join with a sl into the 5th ch on ch 13 made.

Row 9:     Ch 14  *dtr into the next dtr on previous round and ch 9, repeat between*, join with a sl into the 5th ch on ch 14 made.

Row 10:    Ch 16, *trtr onto the next dtr on previous round and ch 10, repeat between:, join with  sl into the 6th ch on ch 16 made.

That is as far as I took mine.  I did not want to cover to the bottom because I have other plans.  Keep in mind that you may buy a different shape of a pumpkin and want your gaps to be different, just remember that on your next round that you want to increase a ch between each st, or maybe not depending on your pumpkins shape.  Just play with the stitches and get a feel for it then you can decide how you want the web to spread on your pumpkin.

My pumpkin is about 12" tall and 33" in diameter at the widest point.

We need a spider for the web.  If you haven't made my bottle cap spider yet, go to search this blog at the top and search for spider pattern and make yourself a spider and place it on your web.

I want my pumpkin to to have character, so tomorrow we will make eyes for the pumpkin.   Then we can start filling the spider web with crochet goodies for the spider...........

Snowflake Patterns

It is currently 107 degrees where I am.  I have worked on snowflakes all day and still have a few days to go with modifications and fine tuning the patterns.  Snowflakes for some reason cool me down.  I am able to walk outside and convince myself the dry heat wind that is blowing is a nice icy cool breeze, well, for about 15 seconds anyway. Always reminds me of the cartoons growing up, that showed an oasis with someone hallucinating that they were by an oasis drinking water and being fanned with a palm leaf, only to realize they were crawling a long through a sand storm and drinking sand or something to that nature.  

I am invited to apply for a spot in a Holiday Craft Fair this year and hopefully my application will be accepted.  These snowflakes will defiantly be one of my selections for my booth.  

I was going to wait until October to present the patterns, but with craft fairs in mind, I need to get them out by the beginning of September for those that would like to make snowflakes and need a pattern.  

Easy and fun to make they are perfect for ornaments, gift tags or appliques as gift or for yourself.  

I hope your day and evening are a delightful one.  

Chillin in the dry heat,  

Debra

Straw Sipper Jewelry

I have to remind myself to drink lots of water.  I am the worst about keeping myself hydrated, until the headache comes on and I wonder why I have a headache.

This summer I vowed to drink 4 canning jars a day.  I always end up putting tons of ice in the jar, because crunching ice is always amusing.  Coffee I can drink all day but when it comes to the water, that is a whole different story.

We have a heat wave coming in, so I thought to encourage myself to drink more water, I would make some straw sipper jewelry.

Since Independence Day is coming up, what better theme to create for at the given moment.  The possibilities are endless.

My bottle cap straw sipper ornament.

Grocery Bag Holder

I'm done for today.  I am going to take the rest of the day off to spend with my Daughter. I wrote a new pattern today, and my hands are numb, but I think the results are well worth it.

I try to work as much as possible with the grocery bags because I don't want them to end up in the land fills and you can't put them in your recycle bin.  And they are harmful to our ocean life and animals, not to mention us and the land.

They have estimated that it takes 500 years for a plastic grocery bag to photodegrade and they do not biodegrade.  So being that these are in our land fills it probably takes longer than that.

I usually make plarn with mine and then incorporate it into my crochet.  It is such a strong material that it is just indestructible.

So, I take what ever grocery bags one will give me.  I see them in the grocery store in the recycle bin as well, so it won't be long before I will ask them if I can have them.

They really do add a nice texture with the yarn and a firmness that I like.  They come in handy for making bowls, scrubbies, or anything that needs to keep it's shape.  Someday, I will attempt a huge floor rug, if I can ever decide on the colors.

Well, here comes the hoarder part of me.

I have a beautiful kitchen nook in my kitchen and I like to sit in there in the morning and drink my coffee and go though my mail or make a to do list, but lately I have not, because I just see tons of these plastic bags and I am tempted to just throw them away.  I know I won't do that, but to avoid the issue, I just haven't sat in there.

Today, I did something about it,  I designed a grocery bag holder out of plarn and yarn to hold the bags, until I can get around to making the plarn.  I designed mine a little bit small and rolled the grocery bags so that they can be dispensed like the cleaning wipes that come from the plastic tube dispensers.

One could always make it longer or wider and just stuff the bags in there.  I will probably make mine bigger for the craft room since I work with it as a craft, but for the kitchen small is perfect, in case I need one to pack a lunch or I am on the way out the door and I need to carry a few items that my hands can't hold.

This one holds 15 bags and is perfect for the kitchen.  My hands need a rest before attempting a larger one for the craft room, but this defiantly gets me back in my nook.

I rambled today.  Did anyone just pass all the words and look at the picture?

Bottle Cap Seahorse

I have friends vacationing in California and they posted pictures of the them at the ocean.

All I could think about were seahorses.

I have a ways to go on this, it's just not quite the way I see it in my mind.

This will be a part of my sea life series for my bottle caps.

Bottle Cap Ring Snowman

Christmas always seems to be the time for me to create. All the decorations and ornaments just make my mind tick for whatever reason.

Since I am having difficulties in the morning with starting my day, pulling out the hook and yarn seems to give me something to do until my body is ready to get started.


Do I really need to add the eyes, arms and nose?

Merry Berry

I know I have seen this concept somewhere but I just can't seem to find it. There are probably a few concepts out there, but I just like to make sure I give credit, where credit is due. The pattern I did design and I would like to share this with you.

Every year, I give a recycle craft to my co-workers in hopes that they will think before throwing something away.

This year I created a bear ornament made from a plastic bottle ring and plastic grocery bags called plarn.

My projects with plarn are very small. I find that it is really hard on my hands. I have learned how to cut the grocery bag strips a little smaller to avoid to much pressure.


So here is my Merry Berry pattern:

Supplies:

Plastic ring from a plastic bottle
Plastic grocery bags
Wiggle eyes
Red yarn
Yarn scraps of your color choice
F hook

If you don't know how to make plarn, I am sure there are some good tuturiols online to assit you with this.

Plastic bottle rings sometimes have the sharp prongs on the inside, I use fingernail clippers to clip them off.

What you will want to do is attach the plarn to the ring with a slip stitch.

Once attached, here we go:

Chain 3
Double crochet 19 times onto the ring.
Slip stitch to the top of the chain 3, this gives you 20 doubles on the ring.
Skip two of the double crochet and double crochet in the next double crochet 7 times.
Skip two double crochet and slip stitch into the next.
Skip two double crochet and double crochet into the next double crochet 7 times.
Skip two double crochet and slip stitch into next double crochet and fastnen off.

Add two wiggle eye a little below the ears.

I use a small pinch of red yarn and rolled into to a small ball to give a pom pom effect and then glued on.


You could use different colors of plarn or yarn. Different types of embellishments, for Birthday's, Christmas, Bear lover.


In between the ears is where you could add a bow, bells, whatever suit your fancy.

I know, I know......it's been awhile. Most of my creations these days are repeats, so I really haven't created new. My niece has been making mini crochet stockings. It reminded me of a pattern I received back in the 70's. Crocheted paper clip ice skates. It encouraged me to start making them again. I have modified the pattern over the years to suit my taste. It is a good recycle craft. Some paper clips just don't always work so well on paper when they are just too bent, so what better way to reuse them. When our office moved a few years back, I remember boxes and boxes packed up of the unwanted and I remember the huge bowl of paper clips. How can you not need these, I thought to myself? I should have recovered them, but I am sure they are being reused somewhere else. This year, I am wrapping all my presents in brown paper bags or packing paper. I see packing paper thrown in the trash so much that it just makes me cringe. With all that I have recovered, I don't need to buy Christmas wrap. I can certainly doll up the brown paper. The main reason to collect the brown paper is I plan on laying one of my bedroom floors with the brown paper and epoxy over it for a floor covering. That particular room is what we call the dogs room. Accidents happens and they are good dogs, but at times I feel bad as I clean up and they are watching me with their ears down....Saddens me... My days are so busy this year, that I have committed to find a way to slow down and really enjoy the everyday, Holy, Ordinary and Amazing Grace of this life. I have posted a favorite link A Holy Experience which Ann Voscamp post daily which speaks of this, and I am grateful that I have found her blog..... Until next posting, I wish you health and happiness......

Gift Card Holder

I didn't realize I had been gone for so long. I got so involved with crafting, I forgot to blog about them. I need to work on getting caught up with my postings. I have always dabbled in decoupage, but nothing serious. I always used a white glue and water for my mixture. Then I came upon a site that is in my favorite links that shows work with Mod Podge. I thought to myself, what can possibly be the difference. Well, I bought a bottle and I will never go back. This stuff is fantastic. I am working with toliet paper rolls and designing ways to recycle them. So here is what I came up with. I took a toliet paper roll and a used dryer sheet. I used the Mod Podge and decoupaged the dryer sheet to the roll. I let it dry and then used dried flowers to decoupaged these to the dryer sheet. Hole punch on the side and some plastic bag plarn for ties, and I believe I have the perfect gift card holder. I think what encouraged me to do this was the price of gift card holders. I really love it..... I will get back to posting on a regular basis and bring everyone up to date. On occassion, I become a recluse and just need my space.

Crochet Plastic Beads

Yes, I am one of those people that wear a Lanyard. If I don't, I will forget my badge, and that my friends is a very uncomfortable feeling for me. I was thinking that I would crochet some beaded necklaces or straps in different colors to go with my attire. As I am fumbling for my thread size needles, I ran across a bag of those plastic mardi gras bead necklaces that my Mother won while playing bingo.

I opened the bag and, wow, I couldn't believe it, I could still smell her. Granted, I did go ahead and cover one of the necklaces, but I think I will probably place it back in the bag, and keep the presence of my Mother.

I am very much impressed with how it turned out. You could use this with the plastic beaded garland as well. This is the basic pattern I used to make this.

I used a cotton tread size 10 and a US hook size 6.

My philosophy on the hook size is what you feel comfortable with and what works for you.

The plastic bead necklace is of your choice and they just need to have a gap in between them to be able to single crochet.

Keep in mind, this is very basic, so you could always continue around and add a more dramatic border.

Slip stitch in between two of the beads.
Chain 3
Single crochet between the next two beads
Continue to do this until you finish completely around the necklace.
What I found is once I finished around the necklace it naturally just rolls and you can continue the process and complete the other side of the necklace without ending off.
Once you have completed both sides, slip stitch in between two beads and fasten off.

Depending on size of the bead and your tension you will chain stitch so that it covers half of a bead so that you are able to single crochet between the next two beads.

I am real simple, but you could use your imagination and continue on with this process once this base border is establish and create a more dramatic border.

Any of you out there that attempts this, let me know it these instructions are clear and concise. This is the first that I have written and I want to start writing some tutorials to share.

Plarn and Yarn Coasters

I am into so much color right now, it is just unbelievable. If I could learn how to combine all colors like the Fiestaware, I think I would be in heaven. I have started collecting the Fiestaware and I can not believe how all colors go together. Being colorblind has always been a challenge to me, but as time goes on, mixing different colors becomes more and more acceptable and easier for me. Today, I am working on pattens for coasters. What could be do difficult about that? Using a regular 4 ply yarn and plarn is my challenge. Getting that perfect stitch so that the plarn and yarn look balanced. Plarn, I find is very hard on the hands but I think the results are just fantastic. So here is a sampling of my recycle crafts using plastic bag yarn. You could also use these as scrubbies for dishes or in the bath as well.

Wine Bottle Covers/George Cross

Last weekend was spent trying to clean up the yard and figure out what to do with those branches and weeds and cutting that we all love. A compost would be the ideal solution but no, I always have to figure out how to bring everything in the house. On top of it, I have collected a few wine bottles and the glass is such a nice thick glass that I can't help but rescue them from anyone who will give them to me. I did finally come up with a pattern for the wine bottles and resolved the issue on what to do with the branches from the trees. A perfect decoration for me, because I like to have those one of a kind items.

The picture in the background is a self portrait that my Daughter drew. She is a true artist and I really admire her work. I have always considered myself a crafter. The other day, she mentioned that I should degree in fiber arts, it was such a compliment, because I have such respect for her art, that I was overwhelmed that she considered my hobby as an art. With that in mind, it is something that I will consider pursuing, she definitely motivated me.

The past few years for me with crafting, is creating. I have always used patterns, bought kits and made things based from others creations, but with my motivation to not fill up the land fills, I have actually had to create and think of new patterns on my own.

Today, was about making the George Cross motif, one of my favorite and from the pattern, came a new idea for a flower. That is what I am finding out about myself, everything I touch or see, leads me to see something else and the the process of creating begins. I can't think of anything more rewarding.

Plastic Bottle Ring Hand Towel Holder

I love, love, love this one. The most difficult part of the plastic bottle is the middle section of the bottle. I struggle with what to create with the part of the bottle in order to keep it out of the land fills. When, I do think of something, I am right on it.

One could also hang it over a hanger and use it to hang their scarves and belts or even jewelry.

I am trying to write my first tutorial and I believe this one will be the one to try and write.

Blue Jean Rag Rug

I don't know about you but I wear my blue jeans until they just can't be worn anymore. They are so worn that I can't even sale them at a garage sale. There has to be something you can do with the material, right.....

Since my living room is so dark, this is a great way to brighten up, through color, lighter coolers. Cut off the legs to the jeans and make yarn with the material and crochet away.

With year end at work, I just don't have a lot of time to craft but this is a project I can pick up and work on for a couple of minutes to satisfy that need. Sometimes we have stopping points with our crafts and for me that is ok, because it never fails, that if I am not crafting I am thinking about it and that is when all these new ideas come to mind. I would have to say, there is a reason things happen the way they do.

Hopefully by this weekend, things will slow down and I will have time to create some new ideas that are stewing around in my head.

Bringing in the Year

December went so fast and before you know it, Christmas was over. I decided that I would keep the tree up until the end of January to inspire me to make new ornaments. I am so much into recycling plastic bottles that it has actually became an obsession. The center of the bottle is what I tend to struggle with.

I finally think I found something to do with this section of the bottle. I think the most time consuming part of recycling crafts is the preparation of the product you are using.

This project is fun that this is what I have been making for several weeks now. These are made from the center of the plastic bottle and cut down into ring strips to the size I think will be appealing. I just love the fact that I can crochet over these strips and keep the plastic out of the landfills and also practice different crochet stitches.

I am going to use these as a frame for my Christmas cards that I receive. I really don't like to throw the cards out because they hold memories but sitting in a drawer is just not getting it anymore. You can do so many patterns and colors, it is just limitless.

I love them and they have brought in the New Year with passion and fresh new ideas.

I hope that everyone has a joyous and prosperous New Year.....

Cork Gnome

It is so busy that I am pulling things together at the last minute. As I fill the empty wine bottles with cranberries and water and place a long stemmed flower in the bottle, I realize that my Holiday is coming together just fine.

I have the task of what to do with the cork. I think just placing them in one of the apothecary jars would suffice. These are funner though. Wine cork crochet gnomes.

Of course, by now everyone knows I love mushrooms and I have had this vintage glass mushroom sitting on the counter for probably close to year or more and haven't done a thing with it.

Fill with some ornaments and pine cones and I am set. Now to make some Christmas color clothing for the gnomes.

Light Bulb Ornament

I just don't have enough time in the day to accomplish what I want to do. I'll get what I think I should get done but the rest will have to fall on another day.

I really did need to go into today, but with the car accident on Friday, I am just a little sore and it will have to wait until tomorrow.

I haven't accomplished much today but rest and work on a few projects.

My intentions were to give everyone an ornament from a burned out light bulb. That just isn't going to happen, so I have came up with something else which I will share later.

I suppose I could give the team I work with the light bulb ornament instead.

This is what I came up with.