creative jewish mom

Crocheted T-Shirt Yarn Flowers In Any Size

Need a bunch of sweet crocheted flowers that will make a statement and won't take a year to crochet? Try crocheting these simple one-round flowers using commercial t-shirt yarn (or super chunky regular yarn) and you'll have a whole tree full of blossoms  to celebrate the arrival of Spring, a wedding or engagement, or in our case, first a 3 years old birthday party this week, followed by the Jewish New Year for the trees, Tu B'Shevat, coming in a few weeks. Tu B'Shevat is generally the time when the first fruit tree, the almond tree, blooms, so crafts with pink blooms is perfect, and these crocheted flowers, now hanging over our dining room table are setting the stage for this lovely holiday.

When you plan ahead for your upcoming event, you can crochet some of these flowers on the go....you know, in line, in the waiting room, on the bus or train, you name it! So lets get crocheting!

Granny Square Trivet With T-Shirt Yarn

• Looking for a quick handmade touch to add to your holiday gift giving? This t-shirt yarn granny square trivet is perfect! Quick to make, useful and even easily re-purposed as a tiny crocheted wall hanging (that is my real plan for this one, if I can find the time to pull it off.) Depending on the content of the t-shirt yarn you use, and the thickness of the yarn, a little beauty like this one can also be a pot holder. Add a little loop at the corner and maybe it is a decorative crocheted pot holder? And trivets are great for protecting furniture, or using as a giant coaster to catch drips. Ah yes, you can also make a bunch and sew them together to make a granny square rug, or just make an extra large "trivet" to use as a granny square chair pad which looked great in my kitchen for years. Enough babble, let's get crocheting, shall we?

Crocheted Mini-Mandala With Star Center Pattern

With Hanukkah in just a week, I have been a bit busy whipping up some quick crocheted mini mandalas with a 6-pointed star center. Using pastel-colored t-shirt yarn, this mini mandalas work up quickly, and in just three rows you have something you could use as a coaster, or possibly as part of a decorative garland, mobile, or wall hanging. The jury is still out regarding how I'll be using these, but hopefully I'll figure something out very soon, and share the results with you. Truthfully just hanging these little crocheted circles from my dining room chandelier would do the trick, or maybe combining them with some pom poms, beads or tassels. Hmmm, all those ideas sound good, now just waiting for the inspiration!

And just by the way, of course this pattern can be used with any yarn, but you'll need quite a few more rounds than three to get something that is the size of a coaster, just sayin'.

Quick Crocheted Arches Bathmat Using T-Shirt Yarn

Ready to crochet the cutest little bathmat you ever did see in just a few hours? This quick t-shirt yarn crocheted bathmat is such a fun project that you'll want to make a bunch to always have a clean one one hand. Simply toss it into the laundry when soiled and you'll always have a sweet crocheted touch in your bathroom.Or if you decide to go with colors that one wouldn't describe as "sweet" but rather rustic, or even bold and modern, that could be great too! Try some of those daring color combos like millenial pink and dark green or any variety of rusts and mustards that you might not want to experiment with elsewhere, and enjoy! This stitch pattern certainly lends itself to an interesting color application of any kind, and with t-shirt yarn it works up quickly, so if you don't like it, just rip it out. Another great thing about t-shirt yarn, versus acrylic or wool yarn, is that you can tear out old projects and the yarn is just as good as ever!

Ah yes, and since gift giving season is approaching, this would be an amazing handmade gift together with some gorgeous soap or a set of matching towels, so go for it!

Rope Granny Squares Using Brightly Colored Clothesline

I love crocheting, and especially using the crochet technique to crochet with recycled materials and non-traditional materials. Recently I spotted this bright clothesline at the dollar store, and just had to buy some to see what would happen if I tried to crochet with it. It turns out to be a bit difficult to crochet with synthetic rope as it has no give and is on the slippery side, but I managed to use up my purchase by making these bright orange granny squares.

Now the question is, how shall I use them? They are waterproof, so could be used to make a garden or patio garland, or maybe something decorative for my son's room. Hmmmmm, they are too thick to use as coasters, but joined together they could make a mat of some sort. Maybe a trivet to put under a plant......? Any ideas?

Crocheted Beard Is A Perfect Addition To Your DIY Costume

Awww, isn't he just the sweetest? Well four years have passed since I crocheted this beard for my youngest son, and I'm happy to report that the costume did rub off on him and he has become quite the tzaddik, working really hard to learn lots of extra Torah in preparation for his upcoming bar mitzvah, as well as entrance exams for his next school phase.

The crocheted beard for this Mordechai HaTzaddik costume was a huge success! Not only did it complete his costume, it was comfortable to wear, and even kept him warm as the Purim party/barbeque we attended went into the night and temperatures dropped!

Crocheted Flower Pillow With Applique

Here is the perfect home decor item to bring spring into your home, introducing the crocheted flower applique pillow. Hmm, or maybe it is called the pillow with crocheted flower applique, not quite sure, but in any case this one is a winner and I'm so happy that I've actually managed to complete a project that is going to great use in my home! Oh, and of course there isn't really a greater stash buster than this as you can mix and match as many colors as your little heart desires!

I don't know about you, but I'm a bit wary of crocheted pillows as far as wear and tear, not to mention the time involved, so this idea of crocheting flowers and then using them as applique on a woven pillow cover is just perfect. The pillow won't loose its shape and this can be quick or not so quick, depending on the size of your pillow and how many flowers you decide to crochet. Ah yes, and while you are at it, do take advantage of the fact that this is applique, and be sure to use some flowers with lots of depth, like these, as that really truly makes the pillow special.

I've been wanting to try this idea for years with a simple crocheted doily applique, but somehow this one snuck in at the head of the line, and I'm not arguing! Keep reading for some useful tips, and lets get crocheting!

Crocheted Heart Wall Hanging

Phew, I finally figured out what to do with my crocheted cherry blossom heart! Ta da, it makes a really adorable little crocheted wall hanging, or maybe it is really a vertical garland, hmmm, not quite sure what to call it, but nonetheless it is truly sweet and quite simple to make. This is the kind of pattern that will look entirely different depending on your choice of colors, so go pastel or bright or even neutral, and the results will be a great way to spread the love.

While you are at it whip up a bunch so you'll always have a little homemade gift on hand, ah yes, and while you can't tell from the photos I did actually stiffen this piece with glue to keep it nice and flat, more on that in another post. First we've got to get crocheting, so here we go......

Crocheted Plush Popcorn Stitch Flower Pattern

Looking for a gorgeous crocheted flower that is fun to make, has lots of plush dimension and looks fantastic? Here it is, the crocheted popcorn stitch flower that could be called a dahlia or even a chrysanthemum. And as you can see from this photo this flower is the perfect partner with the simple 2 row crocheted popcorn stitch flower, and in fact they are siblings!

I do have to say, this flower is unlike most crocheted flowers as it is very plush! So I'd say that the wisest thing to do is to use it as an applique of some kind (which is what I have actually done, project to come.....) or as a raised element in a granny square. A bunch of these crocheted flowers could also look great as a vertical garland, glued to a frame or ring. Whether you have a plan, or not (which is always the case in my creative world) start crocheting some of the beauties and you won't regret it!

Simple Crocheted Flower Pattern Using The Popcorn Stitch

The almond trees are now in bloom here in Northern Isreal, so it is a great time to whip up some simple little crocheted flowers that can be used in so many ways for spring crafting. Now let me tell you, this little 2 row flower is no ordinary crocheted flower as it is puffy, on account of the popcorn stitch which is used to form the petals, and since I used chunky yarn, these little guys have a depth of around 1/2", which means they make perfect appliques for all kinds of decorative accessories such as pillows, wall hangings, garlands, you name it!

Looking for a stash buster project, this just may be it! These little puffy flowers work up quickly, and of course are a great take-along project. So grab all those little left overs and be sure to put a hook and some small balls of yarn in your bag for using up all those spare moments here and there! Speaking from experience I'd say with these flowers the more the merrier and come to think of it they would look fantastic randomly placed across a coverlet or bedspread, with some areas tightly packed and some with lots of space around them. Sounds dreamy, so lets get started!