I originally made this little basket to test out a yarn that caught me by happy surprise and to try a cute new pattern at the same time. I wasn’t planning on blogging it, but I realized I used this little 4ish inch basket for a very important purpose: a catch-all for desk ephemera. For a crafter like me, it’s everything from a jump drive to miscellaneous craft supplies to a pack of cards.
How-to
The First Hands Occupied Knit Along!
I have a big announcement – I’ve decided to finally take the plunge and host a knit along right here on Hands Occupied! Starting April 15, we’ll be knitting a pair of socks, top down style, on double pointed needles (a.k.a. DPNs). This is a great knit along for intermediate knitters who want to try socks (or using DPNs) for the first time!
Dimensional Easter Egg Earrings
I feel like Ms. Frizzle would 100% wear these earrings given half a chance. They’re about as festive as it gets, and they involve ribbon and sparkle. I’m a huge DIY accessory lover, and part of what I love is making accessories you might not find in stores. These, admittedly are totally cray, but for something I’ll wear for fun to an Easter brunch or egg hunt? Heck yes I’m going to hang a couple of sparkle Easter eggs on my ears! Maybe I’ll even pair them with my astro turf Peter Pan collar…
DIY Eggshell Tea Lights
All right! It’s finally Easter crafts time on Hands Occupied! I’m starting things off with an easy (and a little adorable) tea light candle DIY. These sweet little dudes are made with eggshells and a combo of scrap wax from old candles and soy wax flakes. They’re a great way to recycle household items, and they are the perfect Easter table accent. Bonus: they don’t take long to make.
Knitting Needle Case DIY
These fun little knitting needle pouches can also be used as a pencil or crochet hook case!
Crochet Rings
These simple crocheted rings are made with a fun yarn and just a few rows of single crochet, and they’re completely addictive. Check out my free pattern for them as well as tips for getting started.
Stenciled Coffee Table Makeover
I got to try one of the new Stencil1 stencils this week, which I was really excited about because I’m a fan of Ed Roth, the designer behind the line. He’s known for bridging the gap between street artists like Banksy and craft world faves like Martha. In short, this line is right up my alley. I’ve had a sad, sad, sad coffee table lying around for years, and these larger stencils were just what the DIY doctor ordered for it.
How to Block a Knitting Project
Blocking is something I took years to start doing with finished knitting projects. Just like test swatches. It turns out that both can be pretty important as your knitting gets more sophisticated. Especially if you are making a wearable item, testing your yarn by knitting a sample swatch and blocking it is how you’ll establish a good fit. Here are the basics of how to block a knitting project.
These Colors Won’t Run
The basketweave baby blanket knitting pattern I shared recently was made with one of my favorite yarn colors ever. As much as I love the color, I noticed early on that it turned my fingers blue! Using a simple vinegar bath, I was able to keep my fingers dye-free and preserve the yarn color’s vibrance.
