Silver Thread Crochet Hoop Earrings

One of my favorite things to crochet is jewelry. Combining beads with crochet or just forming crochet stitches into necklaces, bracelets or earrings really allows your creativity to soar.

You don’t need to know any fancy stitches or techniques to try this. The basic crochet stitches like chain, slip stitch, and single crochet can get you a long way.

This article I wrote for eHow.com a few months ago shows how to create Crochet Hoop Earrings. The first design features a loop formed from crochet stitches. The second project shows you how to take an existing earring wire hoop and add crochet to it. I think the silver design is my favorite and perfect for a holiday party.

LINK: http://www.ehow.com/how_4854243_crochet-hoop-earrings.html

Bead crochet necklaces or bracelets don’t need to be difficult either. Try stringing a bunch of large seed beads on size 10, 20 or 30 crochet thread, then simply pull up a bead each time you make a chain stitch. One strand alone makes a simple piece of jewelry or you could combine several strands into one necklace or bracelet for a different look.

The pictures below are examples of what you can do by simply stringing beads on thread and using the chain stitch. Give it a try and see what you can create! If you feel more comfortable following a visual guide with project ideas, try Bead Crochet Basics by Mary Libby Neiman or Bead Crochet (Easy-Does-It) by the Bead & Buttons Editors.

Simple Crochet Bead Chain Necklace with Charms

Simple Bead Chain Crochet with Square Glass Beads

Two Strands, Crochet Necklace Using Stone "Chip" Beads

Multi-Strand Bead Crochet Necklace with Glass Beads, Uses Only the Chain Stitch

Bead Crochet Bracelet, Chain Stitch with Seed Beads, Bugle Beads and Lamé Thread

The key to interesting crochet jewelry isn’t always the stitches. You can create unique jewelry by simply varying the combinations of beads and thread. Experiment with different colors, sizes and textures of beads and don’t be afraid to try different types of fiber for the crochet stitches. The examples show above all use this wonderful shimmery thread called Lion Brand Lamé. It gives the piece just a hint of sparkle to complement the beads. You can also try novelty yarn such a eyelash or ribbon to create different textures in your jewelry.

It is also possible to crochet with wire, but that’s a topic for another day (which I will write about, I promise!).

Happy crocheting!!!!

Cathy

Fuschia and Silver Ice Cream Cone Earrings

Summer may be almost over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a little of it with you in your next beading project. Try these crystal ice cream cone earrings. They’re very easy to make and only require a few materials.

Earlier this year I wrote a step-by-step article for this craft over at eHow.com featuring Swarovski crystal beads, which are super-duper sparkly and wonderful to work with, but other brands of crystal beads, or even glass and acrylic beads, will work as well.

Enjoy this beading treat!

Link: How to Make Beaded Swarovski Crystal Ice-Cream-Cone Earrings

The format on the eHow materials list is a little wonky, so here are the basics of what you need:

Beading materials:

2 earring wires
2 two-inch head pins
2 12mmx7mm (approx) cone shaped beads
2 10mm crystal or glass faceted round beads
2 4mm crystal or glass faceted bicone beads
A beading board or towel (to keep your materials from rolling away — this is optional)

Tools:
Needle or chain nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Small wire cutters

What you will need:

Tools – Crimp pliers, Needle or chain nose pliers, Small wire cutters
Flexible beading wire such as Soft Flex, Accu Flex, or Tigertail
Findings- Crimp beads, Jewelry clasps, Jump rings (for hanging pendants)
Beads – any colors, any shapes, but large enough to fit over the wire you’ve chosen
Work surface – a beading board or cloth will help your beads not roll away.

All these supplies can be found at a general crafts store such as Michael’s Craft or JoAnn’s Fabrics, or online at bead retailers like Firemountain Gems and Beads and Fusion Beads.

One of the most enjoyable parts of stringing is picking out the beads. When you enter a bead shop or a craft store, you may be overwhelmed by all the varieties and tempted to buy them all. Who can resist? But you need to try or your wallet will be left with lint. Try to focus on one project at a time and buy beads that seem to coordinate with one another in color or shape. That way you’ll be more likely to use them, Many beads are sold in 16-inch strands, and one or two strands should be enough for a necklace when you are mixing them with other miscellaneous beads.

Consider including some metal beads to act as spacers between your other beads and break up the color, or try mixing some smaller beads like 4mm ones with larger ones (such as 12mm) to act as spacers and give your design some breathing room.

The basic process for stringing a necklace is to start with a crimp bead on your wire, then add your clasp and bend the wire so it forms a loop by putting it back through the crimp bead. Then use your crimp pliers to close the crimp and hold the loop and the clasp in place. Firemountain Gems and Beads has a great online guide for using crimp pliers. The important thing to remember with crimps it to buy pliers and crimps that go together. Some crimps are smaller than others and require a smaller (micro) set of pliers to bend them properly.

After you have the clasp on one end of your wire, measure out about 24 inches of wire if you are planning a 16 to 20-inch necklace and cut the other end of the wire with your wire cutters. Now you’re ready to string.

A beading board can be very useful at this stage because you can lay out all your beads in the order you want to string them and adjust the pattern if you need to. Some beading boards, such as the model shown below, also have measurements on them to help you see how many beads you need to make a certain length necklace.

Once you know the order of the beads, start from one end of your design and string them on your wire. When your necklace is the length you need it, string another crimp bead, then your clasp and create the loop to hold the clasp and crimp as you did to start. Trim any excess wire from the edge of the crimp bead with your wire cutters. If you don’t like the look of crimp beads, bead covers are available that you can place over the crimp bead to hide it. The covers looks like small metal beads after you close them.

The links provide additional information you may find helpful and I’ve also listed some books about stringing that you may enjoy.

JEMLibrary.com: Beading Wire and Tigertail for Jewelry Making

Bella Online: Jewelry Making Techniques – Bead Stringing & Beadwork

How to Make Beaded Jewelry: How to String Beads

Yet something still drew me to knitting and it became like a yearning. Something I had to learn how to do. I liked the smooth texture of the knitted fabric; I loved all the beautiful sweaters I saw in magazines and wanted to make them. Crochet creates beautiful things too, but I found very few crochet sweaters that I liked.

So once again I picked up the knitting needles and my trusty copy of The All New Teach Yourself To Knit by Evie Rosen (Leisure Arts) and forced myself to learn. Third time’s a charm they say and this time more of the craft stuck with me. My determination to conquer it after all these years probably had a lot to do with it. After all, I was using the same instruction book, the same needles. Not much else had changed. I even managed to knit a few things that looked okay. Yay for me.

But the problem was that compared to crochet, where I could just grab a skein of yarn and a hook and casually make magic while watching TV, barely even paying attention to what my hands were doing, knitting stressed the heck out of me. I was a complete ball of tension every time I sat down to knit. Every muscle felt clenched; my palms were practically sweating. Why? Because of my fear of screwing it up.

You see, I learned how to make the knit stitches following the diagrams in the instruction book, but I didn’t really “understand” what I was doing. I couldn’t recognize and identify the stitches I was making the way I could with crochet. I didn’t know anything about why the stitches were on the needle in a certain direction, and I completely panicked if a stitch slipped off the needle.

But that was then.

A few years later, I have conquered my knitting fears (well, most of them!) and found a calmness, a confidence, a sense of “this is fun!” that I’m sure experienced knitters must feel when they work on a project. The secret? Learning to understand what knitting is (how it works physically on the needle), learning to interpret what I see on the needles (and allowing the stitches tell me what comes next), and exposing myself to enough new techniques that unfamiliar patterns no longer seem like a foreign language.

And I did it with the help of Fearless Knitting Workbook: The Step-by-Step Guide to Knitting Confidence by Jennifer E. Seiffert. This book builds your confidence and your skills in small increments from the very first page. It shows you how to knit, but then continues the instruction so you understand what you’re doing beyond making a knit stitch or a purl stitch. You learn to see a larger picture through studying what the needles and yarn are doing and how the stitches combine to form fabric.

The lessons in the book start with something very simple (but versatile), like ribbing, and slowly build on that, teaching you how to read chart, work cables and more. A whole new world of possibilities has opened up to me now that I can “read my knitting.” I feel more in control of my knitting and and more confident that I won’t lose my place or screw it up. And I enjoy it. It is a relaxing craft once you know what you’re doing. And dropping a stitch? While not exactly something I look forward to, it’s no longer a reason for a minor heart attack. And if I do drop a stitch, I get to use my favorite tool to rescue it–my crochet hook!

Don’t let your fears hold you back. You can do this!

Happy knitting, everyone!

Photo credit: ©iStockphoto.com/felinda

Vellum Poem Note Card

The idea is simple: select a poem you love during National Poetry Month then carry it with you to share with co-workers, family, and friends. (aka it’s a great day to share your paper craft skills, too!)

To celebrate, I crafted simple Vellum Poem Note Cards (pictured) to share with family and friends. A few brads, card stock, vellum paper, stickers, and an ink jet printer = viola! Easy card craft way to share your love of poems.

If you are looking for more ideas on how to celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day, visit http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/406

http://simplystated.realsimple.com/simplystated/2010/03/organize-with-handmade-bins.html

Rose Stamp and Rolled Corrugated Cardboard Stamp

After dabbling on scrap paper for a bit, I finally settled on a pattern and carried it out on cardstock (as pictured.) Not my all-time best design, but a pleasing effect for a spring-like notecard.

And since I still have plenty of corrugated cardboard to play with, I cut out a small piece and attached it upper center of the card with double-sided tape. I then used the rose stamp to create a single impression, cut it out, and attached it with double-sided tape to the cardboard. Viola!- instant pop out!

Flower Stamp and Corrugated Cardboard Stamp Design

I’m continuing with card creations for now, though, and next week will see what I can come up with just using the corrugated cardboard and craft paper. Join me for some more cardboard recycling fun!

Make flower impressions on paper crafts with curragated cardboard and paint.

Join me on a journey this week fellow paper crafters as I test out ways to use corrugated cardboard for paper crafts.

Got a lovely corrugated cardboard envelope in the mail this week (containing a great read btw, “Corked” by Kathryn Borel) and instead of recycling in the paper pile, I’ve decided to challenge myself to find a way to use this box in creative ways for paper crafts.

Starting with today’s experiment… corrugated cardboard flower impressions. This technique for embelishment has probably been around for eons, but it’s new to me, so, here we go!

Corrugated cardboard flower impressions are uber easy. All you need is a rolled piece of currugated cardboard (pictured) and a little paint. I used a pearl pink fabric paint to start to add a little texture to the flower.

Use rolled corrugated cardboard to create a flower impression.

As you can see in the picture, it makes a pretty neat impression. I’m still testing the technique on scrap paper, but I’ll return to show you the results of a finished product (I’m thinking card or gift bag.) If you are inspired to try this technique out, too (and I hope that you are) send a link to your creations, I’d love to see them!

Also stay tuned for more experimentation with currogated cardboard paper craft embelishments. If you have any suggestions or ideas, please post them in the COMMENTS section and I see about giving them a go!

Stickers, Ric-Rac, and a little imagination make a heart-felt Valentines Day card.

It only takes a few minutes and a little creativity to arrange a few stickers, add a little ric-rac (or ribbon) trim, and create a hand-crafted card that looks like you put a lot of time and thought to it.

In the pictured example, pink linen card stock, a floral vase sticker, a series of heart shaped stickers with complimentary colors to the vase, a clear “sayings” sticker, and a white ric-rac trim glued on to the top and bottom with an inserted bow to finish the topping… create a very simply, yet elegant Valentines Day card suitable for a friend or significant other (just change the “sayings” sticker to reflect your sentiments!)

Make a matching envelope… or, dress up a plain white card envelopes to match. TIP: Keep a box of white card envelopes on hand always. They work with any card color and are great to turn to in a pinch when time is short and you don’t have the luxury of crafting a matching envelope or have a pre-cut card set on hand.

Put your “creativity” cap on, grab your paper supplies, and challenge yourself to create a Valentines Day card in 10 minutes or less! You’ll be surprised by the beautiful creations that come together quickly and you’ll have plenty of time to get your Valentines in the mail or hand deliver them on Valentines Day.

Knit or Crochet a Heart for Valentine's Day

In honor of Valentine’s this year I’ve drawn a simple heart chart to inspire your next knit or crochet project. The panel can be  a wash cloth, the start of a potholder/hot pad, or even a block for a blanket. I saved the chart as a PDF file you can download and print.

For our knitters out there, the edges are 5 rows/stitches in garter stitch (knit both sides). This not only adds a nice frame to the piece, but it also stops it from curling. If you’d like the final product to be a wash cloth, use 100% cotton worsted weight yarn. For my sample shown here, I used Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice in Dusty Green and Cranberry and size 8 needles. The interior of the square is stockinette stitch (knit right side, purl wrong side).

Stitching Chart

The graph can be knitted as shown, changing yarn colors for the heart. Or if you’re not comfortable yet with changing colors, knit the panel all in one color, then use Duplicate Stitch and a second color yarn, as I’ve done in the sample, to add the heart.

If you would rather crochet the heart, use the single crochet stitch throughout. You can single crochet in back loops only for the border stitches, to give the edges a slightly different texture than the main body, and single crochet in both loops for the interior. When you need to change colors for the heart, use the tapestry crochet technique of carrying the unused color along the tops of your stitches and crocheting over it as you go. This way you don’t need to worry about weaving in cut ends or attaching multiple balls of yarn as you move back and forth following the chart. It also gives you a firm fabric, which is nice if you plan to use the square as a pot holder or hot pad.

Just as with the knitted version, there is a stitching alternative if you don’t want to change colors while crocheting, and add the heart design after the piece is finished. With crochet, you can cross-stitch over the single crochet rows with your second color, following the blocks on the chart.

These links below provide additional information to help you with this project:

Sweaterscapes.com: Changing Yarn Colors While Knitting (Intarsia)

Squidoo.com: Intarsia Knitting Tutorial and Video

KarensVariety.com: Knit Duplicate Stitch

Videojug.com: Changing Yarn Colors while Crocheting (Video)

iWeb.tntech.edu: Tapestry Crochet Technique For Working With Two Colors

CraftStylish.com: Cross-stitch on Single Crochet

Additional inspiration for your crochet this Valentine’s Day–frame a heart shaped doily:

Valentine's Day Crochet Framed