Make it Monday // Classy Coral & Cream Knit Hat

If you haven't been down the crafty aisle at your local Target you need to run there!  If you haven't seen it, there is an aisle (or sometimes 2) with some really fun crafty and creative stuff.  I've seen yarn, washi tape, scrapbooking paper, and other little creative kits.  While this aisle may be aimed at crafty kids - I think it's great for the crafty kid at heart.  The majority of the creative products are under the brand Handmade Modern.

I picked up some fun yarn in a variegated coral and cream & a cream with a little bit of gold because I just knew I needed to have it in my life.  If you haven't noticed, around this time each year I pick back up my knitting and crocheting habit.  It is much easier to make yarny things when it's getting cooler out.  I've never been one to create any summer crochet projects...I just can't get behind them.

Anyway, this past week I sat down and made the easiest knit hat ever.  I shared 2 easy knit hats with out circular needles around this time last year....and this year I going to create the same thing.

If you know how to knit stitch, then you'll know how to make this hat.  You'll be making hat one from the post from last year using the garter stitch.  One of my favorite ways to change up the texture of the project I'm making when I knit is to use two different sized needles.  For this hat I held the two yarns together - both the variegated yarn and the cream/gold yarn - and used one size 10.5 needle and one size 13 needle.  This technique works better sometimes with really crazy yarn to enhance the fun texture but this technique gave a cool bubbly look to the yard from the bigger needle.

Pretty much you just knit a long rectangle - long enough to wrap around your head - then cast off and use the tail to sew it into a tube.  Use the tail to weave around the circumference of one end of the tube then cinch it up.  I also used the leftover yarn to make a huge pom pom.  If you make your hat long enough you can have a super slouchy beanie style or flip the brim up for a more traditional style!

If you're a beginner knitter, this project is super easy to whip up.  And the more fun yarn you use the better it will look.

I hope you pop by your Target to see if you can find this fun yarn!

Hope your fall is shaping up well!

xoxo, Moe

Resources to Learn to Sew, Knit, or Crochet

If there's one thing I'm passionate about it's making things.  Sewing, knitting, & crocheting are right there at the top.  I'd say I'm a pretty advanced crocheter but when it comes to knitting & sewing I'm pretty much a beginner.  The great thing about being a beginner is that you have so far to grow - you can learn to do just about anything.  But there are also a bunch of beginner resources out there that will have you making amazing, yet super simple projects in no time.  So if your goal is to get creative in the new year here are some of my favorite crafty resources:

Craftsy

Craftsy offers classes in nearly anything you can think of.  You get great, high quality videos & access to a virtual class room where you can find answers to your creative questions.  Some classes even come with downloadable patterns.  If you want something more in depth than a short YouTube video & something more hands on than a craft book, these virtual classes are a great option.  Here's the link for sewing, knitting, & crocheting.

YouTube

If you're pretty good at picking things up, you can search for YouTube videos that can show you the basics.  I even searched for how to use my brand of sewing machine - a Brother - and found some tutorials on using all the stitches available, different techniques, etc.  You can find some great, in depth tutorials for different crochet & knit stitches as well as some creative inspiration.  If you're ever stuck in your project YouTube is a great place to learn how to solve your problem.

Habitual Homebody Crochet Videos & Crochet Along

Find the above project instructions here

A wonderful blogger Alycia from Habitual Homebody has shared her own crochet tutorials & projects and has started a monthly crochet along.  Joining in on these crochet alongs is a fun way to meet other crocheters & crochet bloggers as well as connect with others who might be learning as well.  She also has a huge list of Crochet Resources on her blog featuring her own videos.  She's such a nifty crocheter!

Craft Books

Images from the book 1, 2, 3, Sew

Of course, the stand by resource are crochet books.  You can browse the bookstore, Amazon, or even your local library to find some easy instructions.  Books to look for if you're a beginner may feature words like beginner, or Sewing 101 type of things.  I also love books featuring one yard projects or one skein projects because let's be real I have the attention span of a goldfish!  These types of books are sure to give you a quick fix & teach you something new.  Here's a list of beginner sewing books, knitting books, & crochet books.  And if you're browsing on Amazon, a lot of books are available for Kindle!  So download those guys on your phone, ipad, or kindle & get to creating!

Actual In Person Classes

Many craft stores offer in-person classes in the evenings & on the weekends.  These are fun to meet new people, to get out of the house!  Oh, and you can learn a new craft.  Craft stores offer many different levels of classes so you can learn the basics or learn something specific.  A room mate of mine in college took a fun class on making a tee shirt quilt - it was simple enough to learn the basics but she also came out with an awesome product at the end.  If you have a museum or gallery near you, see if they offer specialty programs like making an art quilt or learning to work with different fibers.  Maybe there's even something like a mixed media class focused on fiber arts.  You can really get your creative side going with something like that!

What are you going to create this year?

xoxo, Moe

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Make it Monday // Two Easy Knit Hats - No Circular Needles Required

Well, I've picked up my yarn again & after posting my October wishlist featuring a knit, multi yarn scarf it's safe to say I'm back in the crochet/knitting mode.  I've so far made two knit hats, a knit scarf, & started yet another crochet blanket!  I can't stop!  It always seems to be the colder months that I crochet/knit.  I just don't know what to make in the warm months.  But anyway, I wanted to share with you some DIY inspiration if you're new to knitting.  I'd say that I'm much better at crocheting than knitting & consider myself still a beginner!  So this project is perfect.

This project involves no decreasing or circular needles - and for one hat, you don't even need to know how to purl!!  As a little preface to creating this hat, I did a video a few years ago for Hooray for a Handmade Holiday series I had on the blog.  This a different take on that, so you can see how to cast on, knit, & cast off with this video tutorial here.

Hat Number One

Supplies :: thicker yarn - I used two strands of Lion Brand Home Spun together & the orange was a really thick yarn with no label (it was on sale, fall colored, so I snatched it!), size 13 knitting needles, worsted weight yarn like Red Heart for your pom pom.

Make it :: Cast on 25 stitches with your yarn, knit stitch to end.  Then keep on knitting, pretty much you're doing the garter stitch!  If you're switching colors, make sure you either use the same type of yarn or have a pretty good grasp on how to match the gauge.  This orange yarn was pretty thick so to match the gauge I had to hold two of the Lion Brand yarns together.  You'll need a rectangular long enough to fit around your head (measuring from needles to the bottom you cast on).  Cast off, leaving a pretty long tail.  Use the tail to sew your cast on & cast off side together to create a tube.  Then weave the tail around the circumference of one end of your tube, then cinch it together.  Tie a knot to secure your tube.

You now have a hat!  The 25 stitches give you a bit of room to fold over & create a brim.  Or you can wear it a bit slouchy.

Hat Number Two

Supplies :: 3 skeins of worsted weight yarn like Red Heart, size 10 knitting needles.

Make it :: Cast on 20 stitches.  Knit 1, Purl 1, to end.  You should end on a purl stitch.  When you turn your work, instead of knitting 1, you'll purl 1 - so you'll be doing a purl 1, knit 1 to the end.  You want to do the opposite of the stitch in the row below to create a bumpy texture.  Repeat the rows of knit, purl then purl, knit until you have a rectangle to fit around your head (measured from needles to your cast on end).  Then cast off, leaving a long tail.  Same as hat number 1, sew your cast on & cast off ends together to create a tube.  Weave the tail around the circumference of one end of the tube, then cinch.  Tie a knot to secure it.  

Hat number 2 is done!

Pom Pom Time

This is simple - create a pom pom however big you want.  You can use a pom pom maker, but I do it th old fashioned way by wrapping yarn a million times around a sturdy piece of cardboard.  The only suggestion I have for this way, is to keep wrapping your yarn even if you think you're done.  I've made some limp poms in my day & I find you just have to wrap, wrap, wrap.  There are many, many ways to make a pom pom - it's a choose your own adventure craft, pick a way from here!

Then attach your pom by pulling the tails through the top of your hat.  I sort of pull one tail on either side of the hole cinched together so I can tie it off with out it falling through.

And there you have it!  Two easy knit hats no circular needles required.  I think these are great if you're a beginner & you don't really want to undertake huge projects!  You can get this done in probably an hour or less, it's so simple.  I hope you try it!

xoxo, Moe

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Tempted Tuesdays: DIY Stocking

So Anthropolgie has these amazing stockings that I recently saw on Skunkboy Creatures's blog.

via holiday @ Anthropologie

If you know how to knit this would be so perfect! I can also see a crocheted version in a whole bunch of scrap yarn (which I totally have!)

I've only ever crocheted 3 stockings in my life.  My ex-boyfriend & I traded gifts in them one xmas & then I made (a pitiful) one for my dog.  This has given me inspiration to make another one for my little pup. I hope I get it done in time for xmas!

I've also seen stockings made from a wool thrift store sweater.  Here's the idea from Crafting A Green World.  Use a crazy "Cosby" sweater or recycle that Ugly Sweater Party pullover you bought into a cool little stocking.

I am so tempted to buy these, but I know I can DIY!

What Christmas decor have you been tempted to buy but have DIY-ed instead?

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