Showing posts with label free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Pirate Bay Rum Bottle Tutorial

Pirate Bay Rum!!!

I am starting to get ready for our first Pirate Rum Party for Halloween so I have been hitting the on-post thrift store to find things I can use. I was getting ready to check out when I noticed this beautiful brown bottle just sitting there screaming buy me, so I did. It was going to be a great prop for the tablescape or around where the food will be. I paid $4 for it, a bit much I know but didn't know where else to get a bottle this awesome.


The materials I used are:
Tim Holtz Distressed Ink in Walnut Stain
Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Ink Applicator
Mod Podge Gloss (I suggest using matte, but this is all I had on hand)
Brush
Computer paper
Large scrap paper to work on 
Bottle

The first step that I do is give the paper a distressed look before printing my label on it. Using the applicator I gently tap the ink pad and starting from the outer edge of the paper I work in little circles. Try not to press down too hard on the applicator or you might get dark blotches and lines from the felt fibers on the applicator. My tip is to avoid starting on the paper but on the scrap paper and work your way in, this helps to keep the really saturated blotches under control and allows you to build up the distress look slowly.



Now that, that part is done it is time to work on your label. I experimented with the fonts in Microsoft Word and found that Blackadder ITC worked the best for this project, next came the task of finding a picture to put on the label. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do so I just searched online until I found a suitable image (preferably black and white) to add to the label. The label I made is really simple since I don't have Photoshop or anything similar, feel free to make something more awesome if you have the skills. I did use the Pencil Grayscale Artistic Effect on the image so it looked like a hand drawn image.


Next print the label out onto your distressed paper, make sure to load the paper so it prints on the correct side. Each printer is different so if you are unsure refer to your manual or do a test print.


Once the label is printed carefully tear the paper around the printed area to give the label a more worn look.

Before and after final distressing

After that is done it is time to distress the label again, you don't want any of the white on the edge to show. You can keep layering the amount of color until you get it looking the way you want.

Four finished labels

Time to attach the label to the bottle. Using your mod podge, brush the entire back of the label so it is all covered. Then carefully apply to the bottle, I noticed after it was attached the edge of the label got a little messed up so I just used the applicator(with the remaining ink on it) and ran it around the label so the edges were fixed. Make sure to smooth the label down really well to make sure it sticks. Now if you want you can seal the label with a coat of mod podge but I skipped that since I only had glossy and I wanted the worn look.


It is now finished and ready for all you decorating needs!

Enjoy!


Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Cast Iron Handle Cover

This is a crochet pattern I had up on my first blog and I am finally moving it to this blog where it belongs.

*Pattern moved from Zorabell's Average Life* Originally Published on 9/20/2010


This pattern is for a simple plain handle cover for my new cast iron skillet. I needed one quickly last night so that I could use my skillet and I was unable to find a free one that I liked. The pattern fits a Lodge cast iron skillet snug, if you need to go up a hook size for your handle then please do so.


Materials:
Worsted weight cotton yarn
G hook

Pattern is worked in a spiral

Row 1- Start with a magic circle and sc 5 times, do not slip stitch into the first stitch- 5 sts
Row 2- 2 sc in each sc, around- 10 sts
Row 3- * Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc * rep from * around - 15 sts
Row 4- * Sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc * rep from * around - 20 sts
Rows 5-7- Sc in each sc around - 20 sts
Row 8- *Sc in next 8 sc, dec 1 sc in next 2 sc* rep from * around- 18 sts
Row 9- *Sc in next 7 sc, dec 1 sc in next 2 sc* rep from * around- 16 sts
Row 10- *Sc in next 6 sc, dec 1 sc in next 2 sc* rep from * around- 14 sts
Rows 11-29- Sc in each sc around- 14 sts

make long enough for your handle, bind off and weave in ends

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Lovers Knot Scarf

After seeing some pictures of a different kind of stitch/technique for crocheting I set out to make a new scarf. The Lover's Knot is sometimes also called Solomon's Knot, I fell in love with the way it looked so I hunted for a pattern that I could use. I came across a pattern called the Love Knot Scarf by Lucy Croft on Ravelry.com it is a free PDF pattern that I downloaded and went to look for a yarn in my stash that would work. I settled on this organic cotton, Nature's Choice Organic Cotton by Lion Brand Yarn in Strawberry. I only took a couple of photos but here is the scarf


I probably should have used a more delicate yarn or different hook size but I still think it looks great for my first try at it.


Sunday, November 11, 2012

Amigurumi Elephant

*Pattern moved from Zorabell's Average Life*


Elephant

Materials:
K hook, I hook
Worsted weight yarn
2 safety eyes
Stuffing
Yarn needle


BODY- using K hook
Start with the magic circle, working in a spiral pattern, mark the beginning of each row with a stitch marker
Row 1-Chain 1, sc 6 - 6 sts Leave a 6 inch yarn tail and do not weave in (will come in handy later ;) )
Row 2- 2 sc in each sc, around- 12 sts
Row 3- * Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc * rep from * around - 18 sts
Row 4-* Sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc * rep from * around. - 24 sts
Row 5- * Sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc * rep from * around. - 30 sts
Row 6- * Sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc * rep from * around. - 36 sts
Row 7- 19 - Sc in each sc around - 36 sts
Row 20 - * Sc in next 4 sc, dec 1 sc in next 2 sts * rep from * around. - 30 st
Row 21 -* Sc in next 3 sc, dec 1 sc in next 2 sts * rep from * around. - 24 sts
Row 22- * Sc in next 2 sts, dec 1 sc in next 2 sts * rep from * around - 18 sts
Make sure to leave a long tail for sewing,

HEAD- using K hook
working in a spiral pattern, mark the beginning of each row with a stitch marker
Chain 18 close into a ring with a sl st in first ch
Row 1- * Sc in next ch, 2 sc in next ch * rep from * around -27 sts
Row 2- * Sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc * rep from * around. - 36 sts
Row 3-5- Sc in each sc around - 36 sts
Row 6- * Sc in next 4 sc, dec 1 sc in next 2 sts * rep from * around. - 30 sts
Row 7 -* Sc in next 3 sc, dec 1 sc in next 2 sts * rep from * around. - 24 sts
Row 8- * Sc in next 2 sts, dec 1 sc in next 2 sts * rep from * around - 18 sts
Row 9- * Sc in next sc, dec 1 sc in next 2 sc * rep from * around - 12 sts
Row 10- Dec 1 sc in next 2 sts * rep from * around. ( 6 sc ).
Row 11- Dec 1 sc in next 2 sts, sl st in next st. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Weave length through last rnd of sts, draw tight to close opening and secure.

LEGS (make 4)- Using I hook
Start with the magic circle, working in a spiral pattern
Row 1-Chain 1, sc 6 - 6 sts
Row 2- 2 sc in each sc, around- 12 sts
Row 3 -11 Sc in each sc around - 12 sts
sl st in next sc at end of last rnd, fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing

Ears (make 2)- Using I hook
Chain 5
Row 1- 2 sc in 2nd chain from hook, sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in last ch, ch 1, turn- 6 sts
Row 2- 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in last sc, ch 1, turn- 8 sts
Row 3- 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 2 sc, dec 1 sc in next 2 sts, sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in last sc, ch 1, turn- 9 sts
Row 4- 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 2 sc, dec 1 sc in next 2 sts, sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in last sc, ch 1, turn- 10 sts
Row 5- 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 3 sc, dec 1 sc in next 2 sts, sc in next 4 sc, ch 1, turn- 10 sts
Row 6- 2 sc in first sc, sc in next 3 sc, dec 1 sc in next 2 sts, sc in next 4 sc- 10 sts
bind off and leave a long tail for sewing

Trunk- Using I hook
using a magic circle
Row 1- Chain 1, sc 5 - 5 sts
Row 2- 2 sc in each sc, around- 10 sts
Row 3-7- sc in each sc around- 10 sts
Row 8-10- sc in next 4 sc, dec 1 sc in next 2 sts, sc in next 3 sc, sc in next 4 sc- 10 sts
Row 11- *sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc * rep from * around- 12 sts
Row 12- *sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc * rep from * around- 14 sts
Row 13-14- sc in each sc around- 14 sts
bind off and leave a long tail for sewing

Tail
Before stuffing the body pull the starting tail to the inside and make a good size knot at the base, then using the yarn needle thread it back through the center hole. The knot should keep it anchored nicely. Then depending on how long you wish the elephants tail to be make a knot 1/2 inch to the end.

Assembly
Stuff the body as firm as you would like. Then before stuffing the head sew the trunk to head, roughly in the center. Next place the eyes evenly above the trunk and attach them. Stuff the head to the same firmness as the body and sew the body and head together. Next attach the legs to the underside of the body evenly. Next attach the ears to both sides of area where the body and head meet up. Weave in all ends an voila! Elephant!!! Enjoy!!!