Courtney Scrabeck: christmas

Pom Pom Club

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Need something to make when you've given up knitting? How about a garland of pom poms?!

I haven't exactly "given up" knitting, it's just that I've run out of things to make as I live in Southern California. How many scarves do I need, really? And I can only do like two or three stitches, so that cuts back on the patterns I can complete.

Luckily(?) I have a ton of yarn. And I saw this:

from a subtle revelry. How cute is that?! So. Now. How to make pom poms.

There are a like a ton of tutorials and videos. I tried a few and settled on this one. Using my hands. Start with some yarn, I got this from Big Lots for $1. (I'm pretty fancy).

Then you just wrap it around your fingers. I used three fingers. The end disappears inside, don't worry about it.

Now just wrap. For a while.

More...until...now. That's pretty good. You could keep going if you want, but this will work just fine.

Next you slide it off your fingers. I slip my thumb and forefinger into the middle and pull it off keeping the loop intact.

You'll also need two 8" pieces of the same yarn. I use two for strength. Some of the yarn I used doesn't want to be tied in a knot.

Lay the yarn bundle on top of the two strands of yarn and tie in the center into a knot.

The knot should be as tight as you can without breaking the yarn. I had to take the picture, so it slipped out a bit.

See? Nice and tight. And right in the middle. With loops on the top and bottom.

Now I hold it at the knot and snip all the loops in the middle.

Keep snipping until you get all the loops. And try to cut the loops in half.

Now you have a misshapen ball of yarn with a giant knot. Yay!

Next you trim the ends until it's a pretty ball of yarn. I turn it and flatten it at the top and bottom, press out the sides and snip in a circle. Then fluff it out and hold it up looking for strays. Then I keep turning it until it looks good.

See? Still a little uneven...

...and a cute little ball!

I put together a color palette I liked and made a bunch in different sizes. I used 2 fingers for small ones, 3 for medium and 4 for large pompoms. Then I used a big, fat needle and threaded them onto some yarn. (I used a strong wool for the garland).

I have no idea where it should live. I put it on my yellow cabinet, in front of the tv. Or maybe I'll put it on the bottom of a jacket or sweater. It was only outside so I could take its picture. The weather is so brooding and complex right now...so winter-y.

Which is not exactly what I'm used to in Southern California. Maybe I do need some more scarves.

Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

DIY Home Sweet Home The More the Merrier Monday

ModVintage Life Mod Mix Monday

The Southern Institute Creative Me Monday

Ask Anna Weekend Warrior

be colorful motivated monday

Skip to My Lou Made By You Monday

Making the World Cuter Monday

Inspired By Felicity Get Inspired Monday

I Should Be Mopping the Floors Mopping it Up Monday

You're Talking Too Much Meet Me Monday

Get Outta My Head Please Show it Off Monday

Flour Me With Love Mix it Up Monday

Bringing Beauty Beautify it Monday

Crafty Confessions Tuesday Confessional

My Uncommon Slice of Surburbia Tuesday's Treasures

Home Stories A to Z

Our Delightful Home Show Us Wat You Got Tuesday!

Reasons to Skip the Housework Time Out Tuesday

The Farmhouse Porch Cowgirl Up Tuesday

Thrifty Home Penny Pinching Party!

Someday Crafts Whatever Goes Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style Wow Us Wednesday

Rae Gun Ramblings What We Wore and Made Wednesday

Adorned From Above Wednesday Link Party

The Shabby Creek Cottage Transformation Thursday

Thrifty Decorating Thrifty Thursday

No Minimalist Here Open House Party Thursday

Fireflies and Jellybeans Show Off Your Stuff

The Shabby Nest

Fingerprints on the Fridge Feature Yourself Friday

Chic on a Shoestring Flaunt it Friday

Fridays on Remodelaholic

My Romantic Home Show and Tell Friday

Five Days Five Ways Friday

TaterTots and Jello Weekend Wrap Up Party

Funky Junk Interiors Saturday Nite Special

Sassafras Salvation Sunday Salvation Show

Under the Table and Dreaming The Sunday Showcase

My 1929 Charmer Sunday's Best

Boxes Day

Friday, December 23, 2011

I stitched these boxes up for our (monthly?!) Treat Yo'self Festivities. Whereupon my lady friends and I get together, (monthly?!) to exchange little nothings and talk about how awesome we are. It's a lot more fun if you're one of the awesomes...which is pretty easy: show up...and be awesome.

Each box was specific to the person. So, that's who my friends are: a diamond, a raven, an art deco tulip and a cameo.

Sublime Stitching Patterns: Roaring '20's, Gothic Grandeur, and Embroidered Effects.

Rockin' Around the Zippered Pouch...

Monday, December 19, 2011

We are giving our teachers gift cards this year and I thought it might be nice to have a little pouch to put them in. So I grabbed my infinite pile of felted sweaters and got busy.

After I added a needle felted design, I used some iron on adhesive to iron the fabric to the felted wool. It's paper backed so you iron one side to the fabric, peel the paper off and then iron the fabric to the felt. It's pretty and it keeps the wool from stretching as you sew.

Then I added zippers! Which was hard!

But they're cute, right?!

Circlie Garland: Holiday In

Sunday, November 27, 2011

I've had a bunch of felt circles sitting around my house for five years. I remember them being expensive which meant that I was waiting for the perfect craft idea. I couldn't just stick a needle in them! Do you know how much they cost?! So silly.

I originally wanted to blanket stitch around the outside and connect them to make a garland. I think I put that project off because it was a LOT of work.

So I decided to just sew them together.

First I had to figure out what order they were sewn in.

It actually took me a while...Then I got Hartwell to make little piles for me while I sewed them.

The sewing is the easiest part! The machine just sucks the circles under!

Here they are on the tree:

Full tree:

I would've loved a shot of the whole garland when it was finished. But this morning I was awakened by a bouncy four year old who asked, "Can we decorated the tree now?" So as soon as it was finished, it took about 30 minutes, it was wrapped around the tree. And then covered in ornaments.

Flowers of Felt

Yay!! Another felt ornament! Just something to do while I watch nonsense at night...

These petals are about 1-1/2" tall. (If you're wondering about the red line around the pattern, just remember, it's not too smart to use white paper on white felt).

First, cut an odd number of petals, I used 9, but 7 also works, (and 8 looks good, too, for some reason). I used wool felt but felted sweaters work, or anything else...

Now we just pinch the base in half and pull a knotted, matching bit of embroidery floss through all nine petals.

To finish, pull the needle through the middle of the floss by the first knot. Pull it tight and knot the thread but don't trim it. You can keep the needle threaded and use it for the next few steps.

You're left with a floppy little flower.

I fanned out the petals a bit, left side:over, right side:under:

Now you have a cute little flower! You could stop here and make a brooch or a headband or some pasties! But we're gonna sew it to felt circle. The circle I traced using a glass, the glass a former jar of Bonne Maman Jam.

Once the flower is stitched on, I just attached the flower at the center of the circle, you can attach buttons! Or felt balls! Or whatever!

Finally, I blanket stitched around the circle starting and ending with the bit of ric rac felt I used for a hanger. Then I leave my last knot showing because it's handmade! And we should be proud of our handiwork!

Just think of the excellent color combinations! The possibilities are endless!