Photo Tutorial: How to Complete an Invisible Join

Ever get sick of those little bumps that you get when fastening off a piece you've crocheted in the round?  Through trial and error, I've found a way to join that last round invisibly.

Note: this works best if you're joining each round with a slip stitch throughout the piece.  If you're working in a continuous spiral, it's tough to get a completely invisible join.  I've found that it helps me to place a marker in the first stitch of each round to avoid accidentally adding or dropping stitches along the way.

1.  Work the last round of your piece.  Do not join with a slip stitch.

2.  Fasten off by pulling the tail end of the working yarn through your last stitch.

3.  Using a yarn needle, thread the tail through the first stitch of the last round, from back to front.

4.  Here's what your piece will look like when you've pulled the entire tail through the first stitch.

5.  Using your yarn needle, thread the tail back through the center of the last stitch (the one you fastened off).

6.  Pull to secure, but not too tight.  When done right, your join will look exactly like any other stitch on your outside round.

7.  Weave in the tail end on the back of the piece, and - voila  - you have a completely invisible join!

Thanks for visiting...hope you found this helpful!

'Til next time,

OCB

E's Sunday Swing Coat

Hey, y'all!

My super-sweet little goddaughter recently turned one, and we had a fabulous time at her birthday party.  I wrestled with myself about what to make her...she has so many toys to play with, and I really wanted to do something special.

Enter the Sunday Swing Coat from the March/April 2013 issue of Crochet Today.  It's a super-cute little number that works up quickly.  I finished the whole thing in two evenings after work.

Here's my version of the coat, worked in Red Heart Fiesta yarn.

I absolutely love Crochet Today.  Out of the three major US crochet periodicals, it is far and away the most relevant to younger crochet artists who like to add a modern twist to their work.  I'd totally recommend it to any of you who are considering a print subscription.

And here's hopin' my sis-in-law sees this post and remembers to take a pic of lovely E wearing her Swing Coat.  With her permission, I'd love to share that with all of you.  ;)


'Til next time,
OCB

Reunited and It Feels So Good

Hey, y'all!

This should be my last Christmas post, as far as I know.  I make no guarantees that I won't find something else down the line that was never documented.  :)

You all remember Sam the Dragon and Corny the Unicorn, right?  Well, this Christmas, they were reunited.  They now reside - together - with my lovely four-year-old niece, K.

K, kissing the new addition to her play-time family

The Hubbs, creator of the comic strip, hangin' with the boys.

And that would be me, showing off my handiwork.

Reunited and it feels so good!

Little does she know that she'll be receiving the last two pieces to this plush set during 2013.  I'm working on prototypes for Ms. Flutterby and Zen the goldfish so I can give them to her later this year.

Oh, and in case you've been living under a rock, these are all the characters from The Hubbs' comic strip.  Check it out, won't you?  Giggles are good for the soul.


'Til next time,
OCB

Striped Ear Flap Hats

Hey, y'all!

Back to the Christmas presents!  You didn't think I was done, did you???

Pop, Hambone and The Hubbs aren't exactly the wear-a-fuzzy-creature-on-your-head kind of guys, but I wanted to make hats for them just like I did for JAKE.  My solution: make the same basic pattern in a two-tone stripe without all of the extra doodads.

They loved 'em.  I'm super-entertained by the fact that they all made goofy faces and played around with the ear flaps.  The Hubbs was the only one who left 'em down for his picture, and I'm glad someone did...it's nice to have shots of them both ways.  :)

Pop

Hambone

The Hubbs

Each hat has been crocheted by hand using acrylic yarn and an I hook.  These, too, were made using scraps from previous projects, and I'm always excited to use up leftover yarn.

I also made one for The Hubbs' best friend, but - alas - I didn't get a chance to snap a photo of him before he left.  Rest assured, good ol' Uncle D knows how to make goofy faces just like the rest of the boys.


'Til next time,
OCB

Repeat Crafter Me's Owl Ear Flap Hats

Hey, y'all!

If you couldn't tell, it was a bit of a hand-made Christmas around here...just the way I like it!  One of my favorite gifts to give was this set of owl ear flap hats, which went to JAKE - my sis-in-law and her brood.

I found the pattern through Repeat Crafter Me, another blog I've recently discovered and come to love.

Each hat is hand-crocheted using acrylic yarn and an I hook.  All components are made from yarn, so there's nothing to it if you've got scraps in your stash like I do.

I'm looking forward to doctoring up this process to make different animals in the future.


'Til next time,
OCB

Bulky Fiber Necklace: Moss

Hey, y'all!

Here's something I didn't make as a Christmas gift, just to give you a change of pace.  One of my gifts is in the photos, though...how do you like my new model?

This necklace has been crocheted by hand using a P hook and super-bulky acrylic yarn.  It's available in a wide variety of colors, and it makes a perfect accessory for those chilly months when the HVAC systems in our homes and offices can't quite keep up with our needs.

One of the next things on my list is to update my Etsy shop, which has been empty for the last few months.  If you're interested in one of these necklaces, feel free to contact me directly for pricing and options.


'Til next time,
OCB

Moogly's Artfully Simple Infinity Scarf

Hey, y'all!

I'm gonna try something new here in 2013.  I tend to use a lot of free online patterns for inspiration and to make the actual projects.  Starting now, when I use someone else's pattern that I found online, I'll link to it so you can make one of your own.  Deal?

I may even start publishing some of my own patterns...stay tuned for updates on that front.

First up is Moogly's Artfully Simple Infinity Scarf.  I chose to make this in a luxurious ribbon yarn I've had in my stash forever...it seemed like it would be the perfect use for a special yarn.

 

I also chose to omit the button-tie, not because I didn't love it, but because I ran out of yarn.  I love the versatility of this piece; it can be worn so many different ways.

And if you're not already following Moogly's blog, I have one question for you: WHY?

'Til next time,

OCB

Massaging Soap Savers

Hey, y'all!

Christmas on a budget is never easy, but I was really excited about these little gifts this year.  I made one for everyone in my office and all the gals in the immediate family.

I originally saw these on Moogly's blog and made them what I thought was loosely based on her pictures.  Turns out all I really changed was the number of bumps on the front side.  For the original pattern from Moogly, click here.

Each soap saver is crocheted by hand using 100% cotton yarn and an H hook.  They're just the right size for a bar of soap, and each one has 15 little massaging bumps on one side.  I used scraps from old projects, and one of the fabulous things about the construction of this is that there is virtually no waste.  Oh, and they cost me nothing in materials, though I did have to buy the soap to put in them.

We use ours at home for old soap chunks...you know, the ones that are too big to throw out but too small to use effectively by themselves?  We're all about reducing waste around here, seeing as how we can never even seem to remember to take our garbage cans out to the street.  :)

'Til next time,
OCB

Rudolph the Wine Cork Reindeer

Hey, y'all!

Hope you had a great Christmas!

While I was typing last week's post about the wine cork crochet evergreen trees, I got to thinking.  I couldn't remember if I ever showed you the little reindeer I made, and it turns out I hadn't.

Back in 2009, I got a bug up my butt to bring something small for everyone who would be at The Hubbs' family Christmas (which is a lot of people, y'all).  I had wanted to try this for a while, and Nana had a bag of wine corks that she gave me to try it out.

Materials: wine corks, a bunch of those decorator curly stick things that people without little kids stick in vases in their homes, pins, glittery berries from the floral section, construction paper, tacky glue

I was very happy with how these turned out, and they were a big hit at the party.  I do have to say that I'm rather disappointed, though, that I didn't save any for myself.  I found the materials in my craft area when I went looking for the corks, so I think I'll be sitting down and making some more of these to go in my crochet forest for next year.  :)

Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve, y'all!  I'll talk to you next year.


'Til next time,
OCB

Crochet Wine Cork Evergreen Trees

Hey, y'all!

We're all about finding different uses for things around here.  All kinds of things, really...but this time it's about the wine corks.

They're pretty and rustic, and - though I don't care for wine myself - I know a lot of folks who go through these things on a pretty consistent basis.

I've been trying for a while to figure out what the heck I can possibly incorporate them into with my crochet, and I think I finally found it: miniature evergreen trees!

The little guys measure about 3" tall, and the bigger ones are approximately 5" tall, give or take.  All have been constructed using acrylic yarn, wine corks and tacky glue.

The super-cool part?  I can use old yarn scraps that are too big to throw away but too small to start a full-sized project.  It all comes full-circle, I guess, with this desire to minimize waste.  :)


'Til next time,
OCB

Corny the Unicorn Amigurumi Plush

Hey, y'all!

(Jello - you might not want to look at this with K-Bear around...don't want to spoil the surprise! )

If you're not already aware of The Hubbs' comic strip, you've apparently been living under a rock or you've bumped your head.  It seems like Sam the Dragon is all I talk about these days.

We have a 4-year-old niece who is absolutely in love with the characters from Sam the Dragon.  For her birthday this year, I made her a stuffed Sam.  For Christmas, she'll be getting Sam's bestest bud, Corny the Unicorn.

If you're not already familiar with the boys, here's a photo from a recent camping trip of theirs:

And here's the stuffed Corny that I've made especially for our little buddy, K.

 

I'm absurdly happy with how this little guy turned out.  When I made Sam for K's birthday in August, I wasn't entirely happy with the head and eyes...but it looks like I've corrected that issue with the Corny prototype.  I think I'll be making at least a couple sets of these guys in the near future.

For those who may be interested, I used Red Heart Super Saver acrylic yarn, embroidery floss for the nose and mouth, safety eyes and polyester fiber filling.  All of the stitching was done by hand using an aluminum G hook.  Corny measures just over a foot tall including his horn, and the widest part of his tummy is a little less than four inches across.

Here's hopin' all of your holiday crafting projects are going smoothly...only thirteen more days until Christmas!


'Til next time,
OCB