Quick Link: How to Make a Potluck Dish Cozy (from a felted sweater)

Hey! What a great idea!

Cruise on over to craftypod.com for details!
On CRAFT: How to Make a Potluck Dish Cozy (from a felted sweater)

Upcycle of the day

A great way to use empty laundry bottles!

from craft magazine

10 uses for plastic bags

1. Fuse them into a thicker plastic, and make bags and other items out of them. Tons of folks have made some really neat things out of this material. Mostly bags, but I've seen raincoats, bibs and hats too. Top of the google link to etsy's tutorial: right here.

2. Cut them into yarn. This has been going on for ages, long before 2007 when this link was posted. Still, that's a great, easy visual tutorial for ya. Then, pretty much anything you can do with yarn, you can do with plastic bag yarn. (Some folks call it plarn, but that just makes my ears want to bleed a little).

3. Use 'em to pad your fragile gifts in the mail. This especially works with produce bags and the bags that newspapers are delivered in on wet days; gently blow the bag up like a makeshift balloon, tie the end, and put it in with your item. I don't think you need a link for this one really.

4. Use 'em for pet cleanup. As in poo. It cracks me up that people buy plastic bags specifically for this purpose. I don't think you need a link for this one either. If you do, you probably shouldn't have pets anyway. :D

Okay, so it's four uses. But it's four uses I've done in the past, they're four uses that are pretty easy, and uh... you should try them too.

A contagion

Everywhere I turn, Twilight Fever seems to have spread. Not to pandemic levels, but enough that one might be moderately alarmed. Or nauseated.

In this case, I can't really say I feel too queasy, because that tutorial is by one of my favorite crafty Portlanders, a generous lady who has an awesome crafty podcast. Check her out!

note to myself, a shampoo recipe from craftster

dear hybridhopes,

don't forget to figure out the link for this.

Both nettles and rosemary are good for any sort of hair, and rosemary tends to darken it slightly over time. I simmered 1/4 cup dried nettle leaves and 1/4 cup dry rosemary in about a cup of water, then mixed the resulting tea with about 1/2 cup castile soap and added in some cedar essential oil. It's a little runny, but works well anyway.

Got old computer software?

reuse your floppy disks, and make a nifty Moving Turntable Greeting Card

Shoe Submarines?

These are perfect and completely one of those "Why didn't I think of that before?" kind of things. The fiance's totally getting a pair, my brother needs a pair because he has to stand ankle deep in the Delta's kitchen ooze whilst washing dishes, and, as a favor/gift to my fiance, I'll make a pair for me and my stinky shoes. Jennifer Worick, you are brilliant.

Get off the internet

For my fourth post of the day, I'd like to share more craftster stuff!

Go here to see an img of the cute little whale that you can make if you follow these cut and paste instructions!

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Thank you gnathalie2!!!

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size F hook
ww yarn in blue, black and white (i used Caron Simply Soft)
yarn needle
fiberfill


Body:
rd1: 4 sc in a ring
rd2: 2sc in each sc around (8sc)
rd3: 2sc in each sc around (16 sc)
rd4: 2sc in first sc, sc in next sc around (24 sc)
rd5: 2sc in first sc, sc in next 2 sc around (32 sc)
rd6-19: sc in each sc around (32 sc)
rd20: (2sc in first sc, sc in next 15 sc) 2 times (34 sc)
rd21-23: sc in each sc around (34 sc)
rd24: (sc2tog, sc in next 2 sc) 3 times, sc in next 8 sc, (sc2tog, sc in next 2 sc) 3 times, sc in last 2 sc (2
rd25: sc in each sc around (28 sc)
rd26: (sc2tog, sc in next sc) 3 times, sc in next 8 sc, (sc2tog, sc in next sc) 3 times, sc in last 2 sc (22 sc)
rd27: sc in each sc around (22 sc)
rd28: (sc2tog) 2 times, sc in next 14 sc, (sc2tog) 2 times (18 sc)
rd29: (sc2tog) 2 times, sc in next 10 sc, (sc2tog) 2 times (14 sc)
rd30: (sc2tog) 2 times, sc in next 6 sc, (sc2tog) 2 times (10 sc)
rd31-36: sc in each sc around (10 sc)
rd37: sc in next 4 sc, dc in next 4 sc, sl st in next 2 sc (10 sc)
rd38: sc in each sc around (10 sc)
rd39: sc2tog, sc in next 6 sc, sc2tog (8 sc)
r40: fold rd together and sc across both thicknesses (4 sc), do not fasten off!

Fin:
chain 4
r41: *2sc in 2nd chain from hook, 2sc in next ch, 3sc in last ch*, sc in next 2 sc, sl st in last sc.
r42: chain 4, repeat from * to *, sl st in next 2 sc, **sc in 1st sc, hdc in next sc, 2dc in next 2 sc, hdc in next sc, sc in next sc**, fasten off.
r43: reattach yarn at base of next fin, repeat from ** to **, fasten off, weave in ends.


Side fins (make 2)
Chain 4
r1: sc in 2nd chain from hook and in next 2 chains, ch 1, turn (3 sc)
r2 & 3: sc in each sc across, ch 1, turn (3 sc)
r4: 2sc in first sc, sc in next sc, 2sc in last sc, ch 1, turn (5 sc)
r5 & 6: sc in each sc across, ch 1, turn (5 sc)
r7: hdc in first sc, dc in next 3 sc, hdc in last sc, sl st and fasten off.


Eyes (make 2 of each)
With white, 4 sc in a ring
rd1: 2sc in each sc around (8 sc)
rd2: (2sc in first 2 sc, sc in next 2 sc) 2 times (12 sc)
rd3: sc in first 2 sc, 2sc in next 2 sc, sc in next 4 sc, 2sc in next 2 sc, sc in last 2 sc (16 sc)
rd4: sc in first 4 sc, 2sc in next 2 sc, sc in next 4 sc, 2sc in next 2 sc, sc in last 4 sc (20 sc)
fasten off

With black, 6 sc in a ring
rd1: 2sc in each sc around (12 sc)
fasten off

Finishing:
1. Sew on side fins to the sides of the whale.
2. Sew the pupils (black) onto the eyes (white), then sew the eyes on the sides of the head.
3. Using yarn needle and whatever mouth color you like, embroider the mouth onto the whale.
4. I also used a tiny amount of black yarn and embroidered a small ‘x’ on the top.

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Notes: I haven't made this yet. I believe WW is probably worsted weight.