Spring Forward with Knit-Crochet Jewels!

Whoo-Hoo!  Spring has finally sprung!  Feeling a little sassy?  Want to take your knitting-crocheting up a notch?  Okay, so you're not into beading, sanding or drilling holes, but you've got plenty of yarn scraps.  



It's everywhere you look ...in your bed, in the bathroom and in more times than not, in your hair.

So why not gather them up and make some yarn bling for yourself, friends and family.  Hey, it's spring ...creativity and ingenuity want to play.  So let them play.  Especially if their playtime means a sharp pair of earrings, a one-of-a-kind necklace or a cool bracelet for you.  And let's not forget the bragging rights.   The Tiffany blue sky's the limit what you can create with yarn.

Can you hear it now?  
"I love your knitted necklace, where did you get it?"  
"Who's the designer?"  
You answer with modesty to spare ..."it's me.  I made it."  Oh yeah, Tiffany & Co. would have serious competition if these were diamonds or cultured pearls.
(crocheted necklace from best-handmade.net) 

But they're your diamond earrings and cultured pearls you made with your own hands and innovation.  How awesome is that?  Pretty awesome.  You can mix colors, textures and weights and create a masterpiece that you can wear for years to come.

(Color-blocked Crochet Necklace - Etsy.com)

I hear you knitters.  Did you forget the knitted jewelry?  Not at all.   You know, it usually goes hand-in-hand.  If you can knit an item, you can crochet it too.   Feast on these:  I like the mix of textures and the mix of pink pastel with grey.

 (Knitted beaded Necklace)

These knitted necklaces from Lily Lariat come with patterns.  So if knitting/crocheting jewelry doesn't come naturally, you can get a little help from a pattern.  I like to call it a road map to my knitting destination.  Unfortunately, I need a GPS to bypass some of the confusing stitches  and weaving.
(Knitted Flower Necklace Pattern - Etsy.com)

(Buttercup Knit Flower Necklace)

No Knitting or Crocheting Necessary

You don't even have to knit or crochet jewelry.  Instructables.com shows you how to create the first necklace you saw. (displayed on the left)

 Felt Balls from Scrap Yarn 

 Materials
wool & alpaca yarn scraps
dish soap
hot water
cold water

You do it in three steps.  Easy Peasy - just Click Here for Instructions.

(Knitted Flower Ring - Etsy.com)

Well, there you have it.  You can pretty much knit or crochet any type of jewelry or not knit and crochet, and still make great jewelry.  Or turn yarn scraps into a necklace with felt balls or even braid or loop the yarn.  As I said before, the Tiffany blue sky's the limit.  Enjoy!

First Tuesday-Third Wednesday Knitting & Crocheting Club at Elkins Park Library - Wednesday, March 19

We had a wonderful second session at Elkins Park Library.  Once again, we increased our craft fold by two.  Welcome, Mary Cocozza and Maggie Goldstein to our humble group.

Kathy was so kind to bake lemon, apple and cherry Hamantaschen to go with our Keurig coffee.  They were delicious!  Thanks again, Kathy.  We're happy to be your test subjects for any future baking projects. (smile.)  

As I said in the last blog, we are an eclectic and talented bunch.  Karen showed  us a felted handbag she made with Entrelac.  It's an intermediate project, but advanced beginners can take a stab at it as long as they follow the pattern, she advised.  Audrey's hat is coming along nicely.  And Joquina was finishing a pink & white baby's hat and blanket for her Einstein Hospital charity project for stillborn and preemie babies.  Whew!  I'm pretty sure she's completed one each session.

I'm sure you all will enjoy the longer days and warmer temperatures ahead.  We hope to see more of your beautiful faces at our next meeting on the First Tuesday of April, which happens to be April Fool's Day.  Be sure to bring your tricks and your projects.  Until then, happy crafting! 


 

Eclectic Skills Form a Beautiful Tapestry

Happy March! 
Can you believe it, Spring is only 15 days away and counting.  
Our First Tuesday-Third Wednesday Knitting & Crocheting Club has already bloomed with beautiful project flowers.


Yarn Artistry in Motion

It's amazing to watch the dynamics of this group--of talented knitters and crocheters from different walks-of-life-- gather to knit, crochet, sip and chat.  It's as if I'm watching a living tapestry unfold, each bringing a unique thread to this changing masterpiece.  

(First Tuesday member-Karen's knitted shawl - above
and Enrelac knitted hat - right)                

Like a kid at Christmas, I'm always excited a few moments before stepping into our meeting room and seeing what new faces are joining this living tapestry.

Their skills bring different textures, perspectives, new stitches, unique patterns and familiar designs to the craft table.  There's something new to learn and be amazed by at every glance.  
 (CO2 -right yarn tree)
 (Yarn Bombed Tree - below left)

Our First Tuesday-Third Wednesday Knitting & Crocheting Club reminds me of these yarn trees that soar into the clouds.  

Each stripe represents a different color, weight and texture--all contributing to the beauty of the yarn tree and the beauty of each individual project.  The sky's the limit when it comes to our imagination.

Our Glenside and Elkins Park Hangouts

Thanks for allowing me this philosophical journey.  I always have a wonderful time.  Speaking of wonderful time, the first session of our Third Wednesday Knitting & Crocheting Club was very productive in our second locale at Elkins Park Library.  Our next session twill be on Wednesday, March 19.

Here's a WARNING for those living outside of Pennsylvania, reading this blog.  You will be inspired to create your own First Tuesday-Third Wednesday Knitting & Crocheting Club.  (Of course, you can choose your own name.)  All it takes is a desire, a willing library or cafe ...a flyer ... and voila ... passionate knitters and crocheters won't be able to stay away.
(Laurie Jess)




Tuesday, March 4 - Together We Knit & Crochet

Welcome back, Alice ...and welcome first-timers Audrey, Tanya, Aisha and Erica.  

Here's a quick rundown of Tuesday's meeting.  
First-timers Erica and Aisha learned how to knit.  Eleven-year-old Sara was more than happy to also teach Aisha the art of hand knitting without needles.  

Veteran Knitter-Crocheter Alice demonstrated a new way to crochet a ruffled scarf, and shared her crochet wide-brimmed hat I was happy to model.  Hats are my thing.  Unfortunately, she didn't fall for my look over there routine.

The above hat isn't the one Alice made.  We'll have a photo of her hat and scarf in a future post, and hopefully, my version of the above knitted cloche.

Teachable Moments 

Audrey taught Tanya first how to knit.  A blink later, she was knitting as if she had done it for years.  Next, she showed her how to crochet.  Again, she crocheted like a pro, not like someone who just learned five minutes ago.  She's a natural and took to both skills fast.  Surprisingly, she favored them both, which is unusual.  If you know how to do both, you usually favor one.   
(Karen's Knitted Cowl - left)

Now you understand what I mean about the tapestry of talent in this group.  Oh, did I tell you that she's 14.  Meanwhile, our other teen, Lindsay, 17, another knit-crochet whiz, demonstrated her skill at making knitted wash cloths.  I love the texture and border she used.

Joquina's Preemie Baby Hats and Blankets

Joquina crochets beautiful baby hats and blankets for stillborn and preemie babies at Einstein Hospital.  This is one she recently donated.

 

More of Karen's Knitted Treasures


(Karen's Entrelac Knitted Baby Layette - right)

Thank you both for sharing your wonderful projects with our blog.