Easy DIY dream catcher!!

 

 

Hiya guys!  Hope you are all having a great day! 

Sorry for not managing to get my post done for publishing last Monday…however it is up now and hopefully you will enjoy it!

 

So this week, I thought that I would add to a previous DIY post: ‘What you can do with leftover bits ‘n’ bobs’.  I had been meaning to make this at the time, but I ran out of material.  #craftyproblems!

 

Well, I managed to get my supplies and make this wee project!  So what I made was…a dream catcher!

 

 

It’s such an easy and fun DIY, as it you can design it any way you like and decorate it with bits and bobs you have lying around, like old jewellery/ribbons or string…and the usual feathers and beads associated with dream catchers.

  

So, other than that, all that was needed was: 

·        A round frame – can be anything, depending on the size of dream catcher you want to make.

·        Yarn – in any colour you want

·        Bits ‘n’bobs – feathers, beads, chains, string etc.

·        Glue

·        Scissors
 

 

Steps:

 

1.      For the round frame for my dream catcher I used a 25cm embroidery hoop, which I got from a haberdashery store for under a fiver (£5). 

 

 

 

 

I split the embroidery hoop into the two separate parts (basically loosening the outer hoop and taking the two hoops apart).  I decided to only use the inside of the hoop for my DIY, so I would end up with two hoops…and could make two dream catchers!! 

 

 

2.     I then chose the yarn I wanted for the inside of the dream catcher, the netting webby part, and cut a length to use. 
 

 

 

I didn’t measure the length I needed as I wasn’t sure.  But, if you end up with too short a piece then you can always attach extra to the end of the material by tying a square knot so the two pieces won’t come apart!
 

 

 

 

3.     The next step was to attach the yarn to the frame.  I did this with a square knot. 

 

 

 

Once attached to the frame, I wound the yarn around the frame and created several loops by single knotting the yarn on the frame (see picture below)
 

 

 

You can put as many or as little around the frame as you like.  What to remember is that the more you put around the frame, the smaller the loops are going to be when you get to the centre (which I found out the hard way!).    

So, the key is to make the loops loose and not to put a lot around the frame! 

 

 

4.     When that’s all completed, the next step is to put the yarn though all these loops and just go round and round until you get to the centre!

 

 

Make sure to tighten slightly as you go around.  That way you can see how the netting will look when completed.
 

 

 

5.     After the inside of the frame was finished, I went on to do the extra details of the dream catcher.
 

 

I started off by covering the wooden frame with white yarn, and I did this by winding it tightly, leaving no gaps, and using glue to keep the yarn in place. 

 

 

6.     Once that was done, it was onto the dream catcher details.  I decided to use green yarn, along with the pink and white, to create the strings. 
 

 

 

I wanted to do something extra with the yarn (as it would get all tangly since it is very thin yarn) so I made a crochet chain to create a thicker string of detail.
 

 

Another way to create the plaited look is just to do a regular plait! 

But, you can always just use thicker material, and just leave it as is, if you don’t want to worry about the strings getting tangled.   

 

 

7.     Lastly, to finish off the details I decided to add some old earrings to some of the strings and to the frame. 

 

 

  

 

And that was it!  Pretty easy!   

This was how my dream catcher turned out.
 

 

 

 

 

It’s quite a cool creative wee DIY as you can make it to suit your own style and décor of your bedroom! 

 

Anyway guys, I hope you enjoyed this post!  Thank you SO SO much for reading!! 

Have a fabulous day and as always, take care!! 
 

Lin xxx

DIY crocheted clutch bag!!

 

 

Hiya guys!!  Happy Friday!  I hope you are all fab! 

So, in my last post, I mentioned that I’m going to start posting every second Monday…however instead of posting this upcoming Monday, I am doing a post today, as I will not be near a computer on Monday!  I know, I’ve just made this totes confusing, but from the 10^th August I will be posting every second Monday!! 

Okay, now that’s out the way…today I thought I’d do a post about something I’ve been working on for a wee while.  Had this little project going for a couple months, but had to take a break from it as I had no time to finish it.  But as I had quite a few days free this past week I managed to complete it…yay!   So what was the project…a crocheted clutch bag!! 

 

 

 

I know, another crochet thing!!  But, you know what, I love crocheting so there probably will be many more crochet posts coming up!

 

So, this little piece of work was actually meant to be a tablet cover for my sister, but I just loved the stitch/pattern that I used and ended up just making it into a clutch bag for myself.  That’s bad isn’t it, haha!  To be honest, if I decide I don’t want it to be used as a bag anymore, at least it can have another life as a tablet cover!

 

This was quite an easy project as all that was needed was:

 

 

·         Yarn – I used a super chunky wool yarn

 

 

 

 

 

 

·         10mm crochet hook – as recommended on the packaging of the yarn

 

 

 

 

 

·         Zip – bought this in a haberdashery store

·         White cotton pillowcase – used for the bag lining

 

 

 

 

·         Needle

·         White sewing thread

·         Scissors

 

 

 

And this is what it turned out like!

 

 

 

 

I basically just did a ribbed stitch for the whole clutch bag!  To be honest, I came across this type of stitch when I was trying to crochet a beanie hat and needed to watch a video to see how to do that.

 

Originally I was aiming to make a beanie but halfway through I thought it would be quite cool to make it into a tablet cover/clutch bag!  As I used a super chunky yarn, it probably would have been a wee bit too thick for a hat anyway!!

 

(I have put the link to the video at the end of the post, so you can watch it, if you like.)

 

So, the only extra bit I added to the bag was the lining.  I just used a white pillowcase for this.  Another kind of material would be quite good for the lining, but I just stuck with a cotton pillowcase as it was handy for me.

 

 

 

 

How I made the lining:

 

 

1.     I measured the pillowcase against the bag to get the size for the lining.

 

2.     I made sure to use one corner of the pillowcase so I wouldn’t have much sewing to do.

 

3.     After sewing the open side and creating a pocket, I sewed on the zip.  

 

To be honest, this would be SO much easier to do using a sewing machine!!

I had to sew by hand and to be really honest, it was super difficult!  I just can’t sew.  I’ve tried so many times but I just can’t get it.  I can cross stitch no bother but that’s probably because of the wee squares and lines, haha.

 

So, if you are amazing at sewing by hand then you’ll manage this with no problem. 

 

4.     Next, I sewed on the pocket lining, with the zip, to the crocheted part.

 

 

 

 

5.     And lastly, I attached some scraps of grey yarn to the slider of the zip to make it easier to use as well as to add a little bit of extra interest to the bag!

 

 

 

 

 

And that’s all that was needed to make this clutch bag!

 

Even though attaching the lining to the crocheted part was a bit stressful for me…this was quite an enjoyable thing to make!  And now it’s all finished it looks fab!!

 

 

 

 

Anyway guys, thank you SO SO much for reading!  I really hope you enjoyed this post J and I’ll see you back here on the 10^th August when my new post will be up!

 

Have a great weekend and as always, take care and I’ll see you next time!

 

Lin xxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YouTube Sources:

 

Super Easy Ribbed Crochet Hat/Beanie by Amanda Lee-Roy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCIUAWfUCLU 

DIY Crochet Bunting!!

 

 

Hiya guys!  Happy Sunday!  Hope you’ve all had a good week!

 

I’ve had a busy past few weeks, and totally struggled to do a wee crafty project last week to post to the blog – which I’m totally gutted about L, naturally.  But I decided I’d rather post up something I enjoyed making rather than doing something in a rush just so I had a new post up!  I’m such a perfectionist and it’s rather annoying at times, ha!

 

Anyways…I had a few wee days off this week (yay!), so I had a good sit down and did this week’s project.

 

A couple months ago, when I went into town to do one of my crafty shopping sprees, I decided I’d get a couple crochet tutorial books.  I’m quite a visual learner, I’d rather watch a YouTube video tutorial about new stitches and patterns, but I thought ‘Why not get a book about crocheting instead?’  I did realise though, once I got home and tried one of the designs, that reading patterns is quite tricky!!  I got a wee bit stressed out to be really honest.

 

However, this was only because I was new to reading how to do a pattern.  Like anything you are a beginner at, it just takes time and a lot of patience - just keep at it and you’ll get there!!

 

And…getting back on track…when I was flicking through the pages of the book - which is listed at the bottom of the post, as usual – I came across this pattern that is really neat…bunting!!!  Those super-annoying but equally festive multi-coloured, decorative flags that you see everywhere at celebrations and outdoor events, as well as indoors for parties!

 

So, I made my own crochet bunting!  It’s really quite cool and definitely an alternative to the plastic versions. Plus, it adds a homemade touch if you use it for parties!

 

  

 

What I used:

 

 

·         A variety of bright coloured yarn: white, neon yellow, pink sparkle and blue sparkle.

 

 

 

·         4mm crochet hook

 

 

 

·         The book, bunting tutorial.

 

 

 

 

 

I’m not doing a tutorial for this wee crafty project as I’m still a beginner at crochet and wouldn’t be able to explain it properly, so it is just photographs of my finished bunting.

 

 

 

A close up of the yarn strands.

 

 

It didn’t say how to join the little triangle blocks, so just made a chain

then used the same stitch as was used in the main pattern

to attach the triangle to the chain.

 

 

The chain between the triangles.

 

 

The stitch attaching the triangle to the chain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here are some photos displaying the bunting in use:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have to say, I think the bunting is quite funky!  You can use any colour you like as well, which is fab!  I think next time, though, I will make the triangles a bit bigger?  Should be pretty easy(ish) to do ha ha!

 

Anyway guys, thank you SO SO much for reading!  I hope you enjoyed this post J and I will catch you all next time!

 

As always have a fab week and take care!  Xxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources:

 

500 Crochet Blocks by Hannah Elgie & Kath Webber