Fade Into Summer Shorts

Happy Memorial Day!

Since this weekend is the official weekend that kicks off summer, what better way than to welcome the wearing of white with a bleaching project.  In Florida, we don't really abide by that whole only-wear-white-after-Memorial-Day rule.  This project is easing into the wearing white gradually, by doing a fade-out on a pair of cut-off shorts.  This idea came from P.S. I Made This. (Such a great site, you have to check it out!)

I took my really dark blue Gap pair of Long and Leans (I love my Long and Leans) and chopped the legs off.  I used a pair of shorts where I liked the length and used those as a guide in cutting the Gap jeans.

Once the shorts were cut, Vince and I made a solution of 2 parts water and 1 part bleach in a bucket.  We propped the shorts up in the bucket so only the bottom portion was dipped in the solution.

We let it sit there for awhile.  The original instructions said for 30 minutes at first but that it could take a few dips.  Well, we had it in the bucket for about 5 hours (it was about midnight at this point) and it was bleaching it, but it was not white as snow yet.  Good enough!

Next we took them out and dumped and rinsed the bucket of bleach solution out.  In the same bucket, we made a solution of 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar.  This will stop the bleaching process.  Completely soak the shorts in this solution for about 10 minutes.

Once soaked and completely stinky, the next step is to wash them in the washing machine.  Wash them alone for this first time only.  Then dry them as usual (alone this first time, too).

Guess what, my crafty peeps?  You are done!

Washing them made them a bit whiter, maybe because I was seeing them wet and these are now dry.

I will wear these shorts proud at a Memorial Day BBQ party tomorrow.  Thank you to all the military that had fallen to allow us to be free!  Rest in Peace.

Source: google.com via Nancy on Pinterest

Seafoam Lace Scarf - The Finish

Whoo-hoo!  I love finishing a project.  This scarf came out so nice, that I took time out from blogging on the weekend to finish it.  This is the third installment of the Seafoam Lace Scarf (Part 1 and Part 2 - click there, they have all the project details) and it will be the last.

I had finished the main body of the scarf for Part 2 and just had to crochet around the edges.  I say "only" but crochet is not my strong suit.

Crochet around the rosy

So, above, is my first round of single crochet (sc).  I went around once and then when I got to the short end, I crocheted the lace edging.  The lace edging is made up primarily of chains, connected to the edge by a sc.

SC close-up

As you can see, the main body was knitted with mohair (so soft) and the edging is crocheted with a hemp blend that feels like cotton.  I love the hemp yarn and really want to make a real garment with it.  (I already have a pattern picked out - alas, I have to buy a full book for the pattern though).

Lace edging - It's a chain thang

When the first short edge got it's lace edge crocheted on, then I did another sc down the length of one side of the scarf that brought me to the other short end.  I then crocheted the same lace edge on that.  Once the second edge was complete, I crocheted sc down the other long end and tied off once I got back to the first lace edge.

How romantic!

There it is - Complete!  The lace edging was a nice challenge for me, where it was not super hard, but I had to think a bit.  I will admit that Vince's mom had to show me what to do, I was counting the sc all wrong.

Very feminine, indeed

The instruction would state to do something in the first sc and then skip one sc and blah, blah.  Well, I was not thinking with my crochet hat on, so I was counting the stitches in the chain as a sc!  I had loops all over the place!  Vince's mom set me straight.

The scarf debut

I wore the scarf to work today, with the knot off to the side.  It was so nice: light and airy.

Scarf in action

I always buy too much yarn for projects.  I still have a full ball and a quarter of the mohair and about half of the hemp.  This project did not even take up one full ball of either.  I like having extra, but I feel like I must go forth in the world and make something else with it right away.  I could knit another scarf, but I hate repeating a project.

I am searching Ravelry and my current library of knit and crochet patterns for something to do with them.  These were my special luxury yarn buys from Christmas.  The project(s) I choose for these must be worthy.  I already have a few ideas....

Headbands-A-Plenty

Happy Mother's Day!

I was surfing the web of my favorite websites and blogs for some inspiration and I found some on P.S.-I Made This.  Today's project idea came from the braided headband all the way down the bottom of the page.

It is making headbands with covered elastic hair ties, scraps of fabric and odds and ends.  I not only braided some headbands but also made some from a bag of old neck ties I bought at a yard sale for a buck.

My odds and ends

Here is my collection of odds and ends: it includes neck ties, ribbon, yarn, lace and strips of fabric.  Yes, there is some feather boa in there, but it ended up being a bit too elaborate for a headband this time around.  I know, I'm no fun!

Good ol' Goody

First, I did the neck tie headbands first.  I used the skinny portion of the tie and cut a length that fit my head.

Making use of ugly neck ties

I knew these ties would come in handy!  I sewed one end around the elastic and pinned the other end to the elastic so I could fit it to my head perfectly.  I have a small head, so many elastic headbands slip off because they are too big.

Half done already

Once I got it where it fit the best, I sewed that end down.  Viola!  I'm done!

Ugly ties = chic headband

I made a few neck tie headbands, because they took no time to whip up.  I then made a few braided ones.  For the first one, I took a strip of denim, a green and white polka dot ribbon and a strip of black lace.  I sewed them around the elastic like I did the ties.

Neon is back!  Really!

That one had a very retro 80's feeling to it.  Very Debbie Gibson.  The second braided one, I took some brown chenille yarn, navy blue nylon cord and baby blue cotton yarn.

Skinny headbands are cool, too

That one is very skinny.  The chenille gives it texture that holds to your hair a bit.  The blue and brown together reminds me of Holly Hobby with her brown field boots and blue bonnet.

Love Holly Hobby! <3

So, all-in-all I made six headbands in the course of about an hour.  This was an easy project and you really don't even need a sewing machine.  You can just needle and thread the neck tie ones and then knot the braided ones.

Busy bee, I was

Show me some blog love and send me some pics or comments to let me know what your thinking!  I would love to see your WIPs or finished projects!

Seafoam Lace Scarf - Part 2

It's been awhile, but I have been working on my Seafoam Lace Scarf bit by bit over the weeks.  I started the scarf back in March.  I have finished the main scarf today and I'm loving it!  But, I'm not done yet though.  Here is what I have so far:

Scarf before the edging

The next step is to crochet an edging around the entire perimeter of the scarf with hemp yarn, Hempathy from Elsebeth Lavold. 

Light and airy

The hemp yarn feels like a thin cotton yarn.  I'm curious how this is going to work out because the weight of the hemp is a lot heavier than the mohair that the scarf is knitted with.

Hemp blended yarn

Mixing textures in knitting is always fun and adds interesting texture.  Stay tuned for Part 3.