creative jewish mom

Crocheted Doll Bassinet With Changing Pad

The best present you can crochet for a little three year old who loves baby dolls is this moses basket or baby bassinet crocheted using t-shirt yarn. Fun to crochet and the results are just too adorable. I followed an existing pattern more or less, and felt like adding a little mattress/changing pad, which give the bassinet that little extra something. Of course that is only if like me you tend to get obsessed with the crocheting, the bassinet alone is fantastic too! And if you don't know how to crochet, well maybe this project is the one that is going to get you inspired? Crocheting with t-shirt yarn is so much fun, and think of all the rugs and baskets that are waiting to be made, right? Okay, lets get this project started......

Crocheted Doll Bassinet Using T-Shirt Yarn

I needed an adorable handmade gift for a sweet three year old girl who loves her "babies" and this crocheted doll bassinet usingt-shirt yarn seemed simple enough, and with great results, so why not give it a try? And, great news, the gift was received with much excitement, and the little three year old told me "I told you to give me this" meaning "this is exactly what I wanted, though I didn't know I wanted it." Soooooo, fellow crocheters, give this project a try, it is really quite simple, and you too can delight a little baby doll lover in your life. And of course while you are at it, don't forget to make a simple no-sew fleece doll blanket to complete the gift! Ah yes, and just by the way, this was crocheted with t-shirt yarn and a relatively smal hook (6.5mm) but you could also crochet this pattern using cotton rope, which would be great as well. I love that the t-shirt  yarn bassinet is machine washable, which will likely be necessary after carrying around all those baby dolls! Okay, lets get crocheting.....

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 Stars Using T-Shirt Yarn

Hanukkah is coming in just a week or so, and now is the time for some quick crocheting to use as gifts or decorations! Lucky for you I have given this two-row star a run for its' money using t-shirt yarn, and the results are great, so now I'm sharing them with you! T-shirt yarn is a delight to crochet with, but not every pattern works due to the bulkiness and stretch of the yarn, so always a good idea to make a sample before going to town. I'm not sure exactly how I'll use these stars, but at the very least as a crocheted bunting, and if there's more time as part of a a Hanukkah wall hanging. Ah yes, and depending on the thickness of your t-shirt yarn, some stars might even be big enough to use as coasters, or sew a few together to make a table protector or mat of some kind.

Crocheted Potato Sack Scrubby With T-Shirt Yarn

I love using those mesh potato sacks to make kitchen and bath scrubbies, and since I have some very thin t-shirt yarn on hand, I decided to give it a try. I usually use mercerized cotton for this project, but I love the chunkier edge that one gets with t-shirt yarn. And just saying, one could use homemade t-shirt yarn, or commercial t-shirt yarn, whichever you have on hand!  These photos are so pink as I ran to take them at sunset, and can't quite figure out how to correct for that and need to post somethiing, so in the mean time, enjoy the pink glow! Want to make some kitchen scrubbies from potato sacks? Lets do it!

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 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!