Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!

I have to admit, I’ve always thought of crochet as a little bit fussy. I’m a dedicated knitter and know the basics of crochet, but really only in terms of how I can use it in my knitting. But I think I’ve just changed my mind. Why? Crochet has gone cool. Oversized hooks and yarn, modern color palettes and patterns and new and funky ways of using crochet around the house has totally won me over. Everywhere I look I find interesting textures, unusual patterns and truly awesome projects. I can see that I’m going to have to learn how to crochet beyond my basic chains and stitches and figure out how to whip out something along the lines of these amazing crochets.

A Giant Crocheted Doily Rug - Creative Jewish Mom

I am SO in love with this oversized doily. I love doilies anyway but this takes them to a whole new level. This one is made with t-shirt yarn but you could also use doubled or tripled yarn for something like this. I like the use of it on the table but it could also make an amazing entry rug, or perhaps make them smaller and use them as trivets under hot pots.

Giant Crocheted Floor Pouf – Ajoure Blog

These poofs are amazing, and not just because they are so colorful, but also because they have bulk and texture and interest, just the thing to spice up your living space. I do love the colors though, how fun to have stacks of crazy colored foot rests hanging around just waiting for you to plop down on them for a rest?

Crochet Pattern: Jar Cosy - Lulu Loves

The idea of crocheted covered for jars had never crossed my mind, but now that I’ve seen them, I love them! The delicate stitches would make a beautiful pattern of light if candles were lit inside the jars. I’m probably a long way off from such beautiful work myself, but I know plenty of (much better) crocheters who could pull it off, and I’m totally jealous.

Giant Giant Granny Square - The Purl Bee

Wow, now that’s a granny square! Who knew the simple stitches of the traditional granny square could turn out like that! Love love love! (And I NEED some big bulky yarn so I can get going on one!)

Do you crochet? Have you done some modern, fun or funky projects with hook and yarn lately? Check out these and other modern crochet projects on our Craft Trends Pinboard!

By Crafts-a lot Contributor, Mable who is an avid reader of craft blogs & magazines and is always looking to improve her crafting skills. Join Mable on Facebook to socialize and share with other crafters!

I love t-shirt redos because they’re always super cheap and rewarding. When I heard that you could cut strips of t-shirts to create your own “yarn”, I knew I had to give it a try. It’s quick and easy to create your own yarn, your cuts don’t need to be straight, nothing has to be measured, you can just go! I sat around with my t-shirt yarn for a while, wondering what I could make out of it. A lot of people crochet rugs or pot holders and I love the chunky look, but I wanted something to wear. Then, I found this video for arm knitting, and I thought this would be a perfect way to show off my homemade yarn:

Simply Maggie

What You Need:

• 2 XL T-Shirts (I used 2 of the same color, but you could mix and match for a colorblocked look.)
• Scissors

Read the rest…

Say hello to our newest Think Crafts contributor Monica! She will be sharing crochet patterns, home decor tutorials, and more fun crafts with all of you.

Hi there, beautiful ThinkCrafts readers. My name is Monica Shanks. I’m a college student born and raised in the mitten state, and I could not be more excited to graduate this coming December. When I’m not working or studying, you can bet that I’m crafting while cozied up on the couch watching shameful amounts of TV on Netflix… I’m all about weekend marathons.  

By Crafts-a lot Contributor, Mable who is an avid reader of craft blogs & magazines and is always looking to improve her crafting skills. Join Mable on Facebook to socialize and share with other crafters!

From Knitted Cuff Bracelet

Are you ready to learn how to knit but don’t know where to start? Take some time to get to learn about everything to make your first knitting project a success. I’ll share the basic tools and terms you’ll need to know about to get started.

What You Need

All you need to start knitting are knitting needles and yarn. It is very important, though to make sure that your knitting needles are the right size for your yarn. The thicker the yarn, the bigger the needle needs to be. Craft Yarn Council has a great yarn weight chart to match your needles to your yarn. As a beginner, you’ll want to be able to see how your stitches are being created and more visibly see any mistakes you may encounter along the way. I always recommend a thicker, bulky weight yarn for beginners because it knits up quickly and you can see exactly what you’re doing every step of the way. Bulky weight yarns tend to use size 13 or size 15 needles. Check the packaging of the yarn or the product description online for the exact needle size you will want.

For information on knitting needle sizes and types, visit the Knitting Needles Buying Guide.

Straight vs. Circular Needles

The type of knitting needle you choose depends largely on your personal preference. Straight needles, or single point needles are considered the “classic” needles, with points at each end and some sort of wider end at the other side.  They are very easy to use, typically cheaper than other needle types, and come in a wide variety of materials. Circular needles are more versatile than straight needles. In addition to flat knitting, they can also be used to “knit in the round” to create hats, sweaters, and more.

Extra Tools

Point Protectors: If you want to travel with your knitting and you are using straight needles, you might need a way to ensure that your stitches do not fall off the end of your needle when you are not knitting. A point protector can be placed on the pointed end of the needle to keep the stitches from sliding off.

Yarn Needles: Yarn needles are important tools to make your projects appear more professional. They can be used to weave in your ends as well as sew pieces together.

Basic Terms

Knit stitch: a knit stitch is the most commonly used stitch. It is formed by pulling the strand of yarn through the back of a stitch.

Purl Stitch: a purl stitch is a backward knit stitch. It is created when the strand of yarn is pulled through the front of a stitch.

“Right” and “Wrong” side: The right side of a material is the outside of a finished product, or the side that will be seen the most. When knitting cables or patterns, it is very important to establish which is the right and which is the wrong side as only one side will have the design.

Gauge: Gauge is the amount of stitches and rows create an inch of material with a given needle and yarn. Gauge can vary based on the knitter, some people knit tighter or looser than others, so it is important to find your gauge when knitting a pattern. The best way to find your gauge is to knit a swatch or a 4 by 4 inch sample. Count the stitches and rows used and divide by 4 to find your 1 x 1 inch gauge.

Learning to knit

Design Sponge’s How to Knit the Basics article is perfect for beginning knitters with clear diagrams for casting on, the knit stitch, and casting off. It’s a great way to learn how to make your first knitting project.

Once you gain experience, Martha Stewart’s How to Knit series includes the purl stitch, cabling, color changing, and more helpful information with easy to follow diagrams.

For community support, patterns, and more, join the Ravelry Community.

By Crafts-a lot Contributor, Mable who is an avid reader of craft blogs & magazines and is always looking to improve her crafting skills. Join Mable on Facebook to socialize and share with other crafters!

If you have a creative child around, there are many great craft supplies to keep them busy, and keep you worry-free. Keep the right supplies on hand, and crafting with your kid can be fun and help you build memories that can last well into their lives.

School’s Out Summer Fun – Think Crafts

No matter how old your child is, they will have a blast playing with big, colorful yarn. In addition to stringing, yarn can be used for finger knitting (as seen below), stitching, basket weaving, and plenty of other fun and unique crafts.

Sticky Hands, Warm Hearts – Spoonful

Let your kids get a little messy with this fun yarn craft. You can use any shape cookie cutter you want to create the shapes, and create a garland, a mobile, or some fun wall art.

More Yarn Crafts…

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Happy Monday! It’s time to announce the winner of the Petaloo Prize Pack! Congratulations to… Kelle!

This prize pack includes 11 packages of glittery, silk, cotton, and crocheted floral embellishments of all different types. You’ll have what you need to dress up your projects for every occasion!

The winning answer to “If you could plant anything in your garden and didn’t have to take care of it, what would you plant?” is…

“Purple hull peas yum yum I love em’”

Every Friday we’ll post a giveaway on Think Crafts and all you have to do is comment on the blog post answering the question of the week.  Check back on Friday for your chance to win!!

By Guest Blogger Monica from the blog Mon Makes Things

In addition to her crochet skills that can be seen at her Etsy Shop, Monica shares her craft inspiration for home decor, recipes and other crafty notions on her blog.

So, if you’re anything like me, all your holiday crafts seem to go unfinished until the very last second. You have a great idea months in advance, you feel super on top of things, and yet, the holiday sneaks up on you. Or maybe that’s just me.

I’ve been dreaming up these wooden crochet eggs for a while now, and am here to share the pattern with you! It can be a bit tricky to crochet around an object at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a breeze. I promise! The real trick is being a little flexible in the pattern, adding or skipping a stitch at times to make the crochet work really fit around your egg… Or perhaps adjusting your tension, making the stitches tighter or looser. If you’ve never crocheted around an object before, you can find some step-by-step photos here.

This pattern is for the 3-inch medium sized wooden eggs (pink and blue in the photos). If your eggs are bigger or smaller, you may need to add or subtract a few rows accordingly. Like I said, it’s all about being flexible.

You will need: 3 inch wooden egg, size 1.65mm crochet hook, size 10 thread, large embroidery needle

Time: 1 – 2 hours

Skill Level: Intermediate

Make a magic ring

Rnd 1 - ch 4(=1dc+ch1) inside the ring, [dc + ch1], repeat 8 times, slpst to join = 10 dc

Rnd 2 - ch 5(=1tr+ch1), [tr + ch1] in each sp and dc of previous round, sk last sp, slpst to join = 19 tr

Rnd 3 - ch 5(=1tr+ch1), sk 1 sp, [tr + ch1] in each sp and tr of previous round, sk last sp, slpst to join = 36 tr

Rnd 4 - ch 5(=1tr+ch1), [tr + ch1] in each tr of previous round, slpst to join = 36 tr

Rnd 5 - ch 5(=1tr+ch1), [sk 1 sp, tr in next sp, tr in skipped sp, ch1], repeat around, slpst to join = 37 tr

Rnd 6 - ch 6(=1tr+ch2), [sk 1 tr of previous round, tr in next tr, ch2], repeat around, sk last tr, slpst to join = 18 tr

Rnd 7 - ch 4(=1dc+ch1), [dc in sp, dc in tr of previous round, ch1], repeat around, slpst to join = 36 dc

Rnd 8 - ch4(=1tr), [sk 1 sp, sk 1dc, tr into next dc of previous round, tr into skipped sp], repeat around, tr into last dc of previous round, slpst to join = 36 tr

Rnd 9 - ch5(=1tr+ch1), [sk 1 tr of previous round, tr into next tr, ch1] repeat around, slpst to join = 18 tr

Rnd 10 - ch5(=1tr+ch1), [tr in next 2 tr of previous round, ch1] repeat around, slpst to join = 18 tr

Rnd 11 - ch4(=tr), [sk 2 sps, tr in next sp, tr in previous sp, ch1], repeat around, slpst to join = 13 tr

Rnd 12 - ch4(=tr), [sk sp, sp 1 tr of previous round, tr into next tr] repeat around, sk last tr, slpst to join = 6 tr

Fasten off, weave in ends with a needle

I promise you that that pattern looks more intimidating than it actually is. If you can chain, double and treble crochet, you can easily tackle this pattern! I think these make the sweetest handmade Easter decorations, personally. What do you think? Will you whip some up for your coffee table or the Easter basket of a loved one this weekend?

Happy crocheting, friends! ♥♥

**Note: The green egg pictured is a 2-inch white egg. The pattern is very similar, but largely improvised.