My first Scarf

I can't knit or crochet. Well I can crochet a single line but I've never been able to hook them together. A few Christmases ago a co-worker tried to teach me, but after a few lunch sessions it became apparent I was bad at it. I haven't tried knitting, but I suspect that it will be much the same.

When I decided to start a teen craft series at the library I work at in January, I thought of the perfect January craft- a scarf. But not knowing how to knit or crochet, I went on a hunt for a scarf I could make and teach to teens without these skills. Once again Martha saved me on my craft hunt and I ran across this awesome scarf. Tonight, I set about making a practice run to see if I could use it for my first craft program.


Martha's instructions called for a bulky weight yarn which is apparently listed on the package (who knew?!) so I picked out this extra bulky weight yarn.


It was super soft and a pretty mix of blue and green.









I started out cutting 12 pieces of yarn that were 140 inches each. I didn't realize how huge that was until I had the tape measure stretched almost the entire length of my living room! I'm glad that I did the cutting at home where I had plenty of space (and have recently vacuumed).








Then you make four bunches of yarn with three strands in each. Tie two of these bunches together with a square knot with about 6 inches left at the end. Then do the same with the other two. Secure it somehow. Martha suggests tacking it to a piece of foam board, I didn't have that at home, so I just picked one of my heavier books and used it as a weight to hold the ends in place while I continued.



Take the two center bunches and tie them in a square knot about an inch down. An inch down from that center knot, tie the two left most bunches together with a square knot and then the two right most bunches with a square knot. You keep following this pattern until you get the the end and have about 6 inches of spare yarn and two knots like when you started. Simple!




I think I started out with wider intervals in the beginning and it definitely looked a lot better when I was keeping my knots closer together. I also wound up with uneven strands at the end and had to trim a little to make the scarf even. You wind up with a beautiful and simple scarf. It's very thin and long so is easily wrapped around the neck a few times as you see in Martha's picture.



This would make a great gift, and fairly inexpensive if you get a skein of yarn on sale or with a coupon. Give it a try!

No Time for Creativity

Between school and work, I feel that I have no time for creativity (hence the not posting in almost 2 years). Unfortunately my crafting has taken a back seat to the more pressing activities in my life. I’ve been trying as of late to fit it in a bit more, squeezing a necklace in here and a cake there, but it is an uphill battle. I’m signing up for a craft fair in the beginning of August (with my best friend) in hopes that a deadline will encourage me to make the time for the things that I love. I also made a trip out to the Wilton Tent Sale where I picked up some new scrapbook supplies which also helped to spark my creativity a bit.

On Sunday I wound up making a few different cards (from my new stamp supplies) and a few pieces of jewelry (some mix and match earrings that I absolutely love!). Unfortunately in the process I also discovered how woefully low on supplies I am and I have to put in another order for rings for my jewelry. This means that I’ll just be delaying my craft time for even longer while I wait to get the pieces I need. With any luck I can work on getting ahead in my homework so that I’ll have some extra time to work with the supplies when they do come in.

Hopefully after this weekend, I’ll have a few pictures to show you what I’ve been working on, although nothing will be listed on Etsy until after the craft show. I need to save my stock so I have enough to sell!

Gotta love getting paid to burn things

So my library is entering a pimp my bookcart contest through www.unshelved.com and I got put in charge of making some scrolls that are supposed to look ancient. Over the past few weeks I've been coming up with creative scroll titles (with some assistance), writing them out, giving them call numbers, rolling them into scrolls, tying them with twine, crumpling them, and (finally!) burning them. Not the whole thing, obviously, but just the edges to make them look old and used.

I got to spend the whole morning outside the staff entrance, fighting the chill wind, and trying to burn 24 of these scrolls with a tealight. Thus far I've only made it to about 8 or 9. Just means I get to spread the fire around a bit more :D. I can only imagine what the patrons thought seeing a young woman huddled over a candle lighting paper on fire near the back door.

15 more to go and then I get to start dying them with coffee!