Single, Double, Half-Double and Triple Crochet - more learning

After my success last week feeling like I'd mastered Granny Squares, I wanted to keep learning and try something different this week.

I browsed through my Crochet Pinterest board - which is full of so many amazing things that I hopefully will one day be able to make!

First I tried this pattern to make a simple daisy (the yellow flower in the picture above). Then I tried a star using this pin (the link won't work but the pictures on the pin are pretty clear). Finally I tried a heart using this pattern.

I think they all turned out ok. I had to look up triple crochet and half-double crochet, but I understand them all now. They all seem to be basically the same basic 'stitch' but different number of times to yarn over and pull through a different number of loops depending on the length and size of finished 'stitch' you want.

So far the biggest problem I have is knowing where to put my hook into to start each stitch. If anyone has any hints or tips for learning this I'd much appreciate it!

5 Stunning Storage Solutions to Sew

Have you ever had problems storing particular items - maybe you have too many of them or you want to put them in an awkward place.  These are 5 solutions I've come up with over the years to storage problems I've had. Maybe they can help you too.

1. Magnetic Fridge Pockets 

If your fridge is anything like ours, there are endless small magnets holding up scraps of paper with notes on, vouchers, coupons etc.  To tidy up your fridge you can make these super simple and quick fabric pockets with a sewn in magnet. Perfect for slipping in all those coupons, notes, vouchers and even pens and pencils for writing more notes!

2. Hanging Hair Tie Holder from Jeans

I have 2 daughters who at an early age began to accumulate endless pretty clips, ties and bows to put in their hair. But where to keep them all?  Hang them up on the wall !  All you need is an old pair of kids' jeans, and some pretty pink fabric!

3. Cap Holder

 For some reason we have a LOT of caps in our house. To tidy them up and make them easy to find, I made this simple hanging cap holder with easy velcro straps.

4. Hanging Fabric In-Tray

Too much paper work for the space available? I created this hanging fabric in-tray from a wire coat hanger, cardboard and fabric so you can make use of the space under your shelves as well as on top of them!

5. Storage Jems

These are my favourite little storage solution - Little Jems. Made from sections of PVC piping and scraps of fur and other fabric, they are cute, cuddly and make great novelty desk tidies, jewellery holders or even drinks holders! They are also great gifts for kids who love to keep all their special trinkets in them!

Do you have any storage solutions? I'd love to hear from you and your ideas. Or perhaps you have a storage problem - maybe I can help you find a solution!

AND

I have over 100 more free sewing tutorials available here to share! 

Click here to see them all - there's something for everyone.

Mini Sundried Tomato and Fetta Dampers or Scones

In trying to find more lunch box snacks for my girls this year, I've started making these super simple 'Mini Dampers' which are a big hit.

Damper is a traditional Australian bread cooked on a camp fire with just basic ingredients. The very basic damper would be flour with butter rubbed in then mixed to a dough with water or milk and then baked in a large round. 

To me, this is basically a simple scone recipe like I grew up with in England - although we didn't cook scones on a fire and generally they were cut into smaller pieces rather than one large round.

So anyway, this recipe you could call a type of Damper or Scone.  It uses fetta cheese instead of butter and adds the extra flavour of sun-dried tomatoes, basil and onion.

Ingredients

2 cups Self Raising flour 

1 onion chopped and lightly fried

5 or 6 sundried tomatoes

1 cup fetta, crumbled

handful of basil leaves chopped

milk to mix (approx 1/2 cup)

Method

Preheat oven to 200C (400F)

Sieve the flour then add the onion, tomatoes, most of the fetta and the basil. Gradually add milk and mix until a soft dough is formed. 

Knead lightly on a floured surface.

Divide into 8 portions, shape into rounds and place on a baking tray.

Mark a grid - like a noughts and crosses (tic tac toe) grid on the top of each one and sprinkle with remaining fetta.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

These really are best enjoyed warm from the oven, but also keep a couple of days in an airtight container and make great lunch box snacks!

I like to cut mine open to eat!

Yum!

You could add really anything you like to these mini dampers - use butter instead of cheese, and substitute anything you like for the sundried tomato and basil - pumpkin, zucchini, other herbs, or even something sweet like sultanas or dates.

What kind of snacks do you put in your kids lunch boxes? I'd love some new suggestions and recipes to try with my kids!

I get it! Granny Squares decoded - and a Pentagon made.

So this year (2016) I've decided to really learn how to crochet.

I've made a start with Granny Squares and decided that I was doing ok with those after making a few, each one a little neater than the one before.

Next I decided to try something new. I'd found a tutorial  for making Granny Triangles so thought I'd give that a try.

After a first failed attempt when I'd been confused by the instructions talking about treble crochet. 

I thought treble crochet was a new stitch until I realised (and read the pattern properly) that the pattern was a UK pattern and that UK treble crochet is the same as US double crochet, which is what I'd just learned!

Once I'd got that sorted, the pattern was easy to follow and my new Granny Triangle worked out just fine!

Once I'd made this triangle, I realised that it really wasn't anything new, but simple the same principle and instructions as for a Granny Square, but just 3 corners instead of 4! 

It was a real 'light bulb' moment.

The next day I got up and just had to put my theory to the test, and decided to try making one of these with not 3, not 4, but 5 corners...yes a Granny Pentagon!

I didn't use a pattern, just working from my new knowledge of how to make a Granny Square, but added and extra point and....voila.

Now to those of you who are expert crocheters, this may not seem very exciting, but to me it was! I really have learned something new here - I haven't just learned how to follow the pattern to make a basic Granny square - I understand the pattern and could see how to adapt it to make something new!

Now that I feel like I understand Granny Squares - I thought it was time to get a little creative. So I got a thin crochet hook and some embroidery thread and made myself a pair of earrings!

I feel like I've made a good start to my learn to crochet quest. Time to keep moving forwards onto something other than the Grannies now I think! Any suggestions?

Upcycled Flowers on Denim Peg Bag Tutorial

UPDATE!!

This tutorial is now available as a video tutorial on my YouTube Channel

Click here to see the video!

I've needed a new peg bag for a while now. Mine is getting a little bit worn...

It has lasted 3 years of constant use and being left out in the harsh Queensland sun means it has faded somewhat. Here's what it looked like when I first made it (that tutorial is here):

Anyway, I decided I wanted a change this time and I'd seen some pictures on Pinterest that inspired me to try something different.

So after a bit of puzzling, drawing and altering patterns and a couple of practice attempts..

I was finally happy with my new peg bag!

Once I'd figured it out and perfected the template, it was quite simple to make. Here's how you can make one of your own!

You will need

The templates - download the free PDFs here. You will need to print them then match up the main pieces where they are marked A and B, then fold your fabric to cut where marked as the templates are rather large!

Inner and outer fabrics - approximately a fat quarter of each (46 x 56 cm / 18 x 22") - cut two of each fabric from each template.

Small scrap of fabric, cord or I used a jeans seam strip for the hanger.

Metal ring or clip for hanging - I used a clip salvaged from an old keychain.

For the outer denim of my peg bag, I just cut strips of denim scraps from other jeans projects. They were varied in sizes and I just arranged then stitched them together so the resulting piece was large enough to cut out my two templates.

Embellishments

At this point you need to add any extra embellishments you want to the outer fabric of your peg bag.  I have a stash of small 

fabric yoyos that I wanted to add.

I stitched them on with buttons in the centre and used green embroidery thread and a simple chain stitch to stitch stems and leaves.

To assemble your peg bag

First take your hanging loop and hanging clip or ring and place them like this on the tip of your large outer fabric piece, right side facing up. 

Then place your two large pieces right sides together and pin, then stitch them around all edges except the curved base.

Turn right sides out, making sure to poke out the corners.

Now top stitch around all the edges you just stitched around - only the curved bottom edge should be open.

Now fold this whole piece in half with the outer fabric on the inside, and pin along the two straight edges.

Stitch along those edges. With the top edge, if your hanging loop is thick as mine is, you can just stitch up to that point and leave the rest open.

Now to attach the base. Take your outer fabric circle and the bottom edge of the outer fabric main piece you've just been working with.

With right sides together, pin the circle all the way around the base edge of your bag.

 Then stitch all the way around.

Now take your inner fabric circle and the inner fabric part of the main bag. 

Again with right sides together, pin the circle to the bottom edge of the bag inner. This time leave a gap of about 10 cm (4") so you can turn the bag right sides out when you're done.

Once you've stitched your inner base circle on, turn right sides out through the gap you just left.

Finishing off

Finally you need to reach inside your bag and pull out the inner base and find the open gap in your stitching.

Pin then stitch this gap closed. You can hand-stitch for a neater finish, but I just used the machine as this seam will be hidden at the bottom of the peg bag.

Push the lining back inside the bag, and you've now finished your new peg bag! Fill with pegs and hang out some washing.

I was very happy to transfer my pegs out of my old peg bag, which is definitely at the end of it's life!

When I was figuring this peg bag tutorial out, I did try making one with a layer of buckram in it (very stiff interfacing).

Although this helped the bag to hold its shape really well, I didn't like how bulky all the seams were so decided to leave this out in the final version. I like the softer feel of my bag, but you could just as easily add a layer of interfacing if you prefer a more structured look or bag.

Overall I'm really pleased with my new

 Flowers on Denim Peg Bag

It's nice to have a change don't you think?

For the free downloadable PDF version of this tutorial with the templates included, click here.

If you liked this tutorial, then do take a look at my other free sewing tutorials. There are over 100 to choose from to make all kinds of different things and for all levels of sewing ability.