Love it! And I bet the recipients will love their blankets too. There's something so lovely about receiving a handmade gift 😊

Yep, just spray paint! They're so fun to decorate.

Something that helped me was to place a stitch marker in the first stitch of each row! The first stitch of the current row will be the last stitch you work into for the following row. The stitch marker will show you exactly where to work. hope this helps!

We used 6 strands of lights, and my sister thinks they were each 3 feet long. I see that the lights I linked to (which are the ones we used for this project) are no longer available on Amazon. I did find these - amzn.to/3YpvLaD since 6, 3 foot strands is a total of 18 feet of lights you could use one of these 20 foot strands. What I don't like about these compared to the ones used in the video is the battery pack calls for 3 AA batteries, which is much larger than the single button battery case in the ones I used. But, it would be just one larger battery pack vs 6 smaller battery packs.

Hi, Laurel! Yes, great idea to go up in hook size to prevent curling! Thanks for watching.

I'm not sure if you're asking about glue guns in general or the specific one I show in the video. What I've found is the glue gun shown in the video does a good job not leaking glue so long as I am using Surebonder brand hi-temp mini glue sticks. Probably other brands of hi-temp glue sticks would give similar results. If you're not using glue sticks specifically rated for a hi-temp glue gun, it could be that the glue is melting too soon and getting too hot, therefore gushing out the tip. With this glue gun, the tiny tip also seems to prevent/minimize leakage. I'll often get a small little drop when the glue gun first gets hot, but after that it usually doesn't leak anymore. Hope this helps!

Aww thank you for such a kind comment! So glad to have you here!

Great info! Thanks for sharing.

Oooh I love this idea! I used to finger crochet the thick chains when I was a kid too. Never came up with any use for them besides making the occasional toy leash for a stuffed animal. But I loved to finger crochet through a whole skein of yarn, and then finger crochet that to make it even thicker. I bet it works up into some thick sturdy baskets!

@@CraftersAutonomous it takes thin yarns and makes them useable for crocheting….but it gives her a sense of accomplishing a project together. We have used them to make plant hangers also.

What a fun way to bond! She will treasure those memories as she gets older.

I think you *might* be able to store it in the fridge for a little while? Not sure how long though. Besides using it to starch future projects, the only other use I'm coming up with for the leftovers is to add it to a soup to thicken the broth. But if you dipped the lace project you starched directly into the starch mixture, it's probably not the best idea to consume the leftovers 😆

It will depend on your individual tension! I have a video that goes through the math more in depth. Even if you don't track with the math so well, it also includes troubleshooting techniques and a way to test if your hook and yarn have the right tension for crocheting a flat circle. The short version is, you make a 10 sc wide by 10 rows tall test swatch, and measure the height and width of the swatch. Depending on your results, you may need to change your hook size. The video explains it more in depth if you want to check it out here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5Syh2CnbJikpqcsi=KfwC9TH1u6hBpWUs

Hi, Donna! Thanks so much for watching. I've heard from a number of people that the way I hold my yarn when I crochet looks like a knitter, but I actually learned crochet first! I dabble with knitting from time to time, but I'm a beginner at best. For whatever reason, I found it easiest to manage my crochet tension by "throwing the yarn" (not totally sure if that's the right term, but it's what a couple of knitters used to describe it haha) instead of moving my hook to catch the yarn. Ironically, yarn management is the biggest reason why I struggle with knitting! 😂 I have mad respect for all the knitters out there

This time my dad was right! haha

That's actually a video I've been wanting to make for a while! I've found a number of uses for them, and have played around with different ways to make loofah sponge products besides just leaving the sponge in its initial form. Maybe I'll get it put together sometime. So glad you enjoyed the videos! Hope you have an amazing harvest.

In a sense yes, and in a sense no! haha One of the big things blocking does is loosen/soften the fibers/stitching. This is why when we dry it flat, we can stretch out some areas if our stitching was a little too tight. When we wash, it doesn't "undo" that stretching from blocking. But it might not dry nicely after washing. I wash my crochet garments in a front load washer. Don't have time for any hand washing haha. Here's what I do to avoid the need to block garments every time I wear them: 1. Opt for fibers that handle a wash better. Personally I love using cottons and bamboo yarns. There are some good acrylic options too, I just don't like wearing acrylics as much. You can always check the wash symbols on the yarn label to know how well it will hold up in the washer machine. 2. Wash inside a garment bag. If you blocked the garment already, this will help the washer not stretch out the garment in any weird ways as it tumbles. Some yarns can get really heavy when wet, and tumbling in the washer can put a lot of strain and stretch on the fibers. 3. Pay attention to cold/hot water washing. Some stuff is totally fine in hot water. Other yarns recommend using only cold. In my experience, when I forget to wash the "cold water only" yarns in cold water, they don't wash as nicely. 4. Be intentional in drying the garment. This really is the big one. Some yarns can handle going in the dryer, but I typically don't dry all the way in the dryer even if the yarn label says it can handle it. Again, keeping it in the garment bag when in the dryer. Whether I let it air dry fully or air dry after going in the dryer for a little bit, I avoid hanging garments on a hanger. I learned this the hard way. The weight of the water will stretch the garment in not-so-desirable ways. If the garment is still super wet, I will roll it gently in a towel and squeeze to remove excess water. Or lay the garment between two towels and walk on them to press out excess water. Then, I allow it to dry lying flat. If you want to be really extra, you could repin the project to make it dry in the same blocked position, but I'm just not that extra haha Normally I set my garments on top of the dryer because the area gets sun, but you could also use a drying rack. At the end of the day, blocking is a personal preference. If you're not sure whether or not to block something, it's helpful to crochet a little test swatch and see how it holds up in the washer and dryer. Hope this info answers your question and helps you decide when and what to block!

Thank you for the kind words and for watching!

Thank you! I'll move those blankets higher up on my priority list. :)

Thank you for the kind words, Sue Ann! I'm sure the blankets will be a blessing to those moms!

Thanks so much, Ramona!

Thank you, Brooke!

While a similar concept, I find these soooo much better than the splash balls. I think the splat of water is better, and these hurt way less than the splash balls in my opinion. *flashbacks to childhood and that annoying kid at the pool beaming me in the face with a splash ball* 🤣

I've only played around with a few types of yarn, but I found the Bernat Blanket yarn to be hands down the best of the best for this project. Even other brand's copycat versions of Bernat Blanket don't work quite as well. I'm not sure how well velvet yarn will hold water. But it never hurts to try! I'd love to hear how it goes for you.

So glad it was helpful! I have zero regrets with my purchase, and LOVE using my Stanwood!

I used a 100% cotton from Hobby Lobby. It is their sugarwheel cotton, but I'm not sure if they've discontinued the line or not. It's a fairly standard weight 4 cotton yarn, a little bit softer than peaches and cream cotton yarn.

Ohh I bet they look so cute in their new basket home! Thanks for subscribing! You absolutely can use just one strand of yarn to make this project. If you use a thicker yarn that's the same thickness as using three strands of worsted weight/weigh 4 yarn, then it will work up quickly and be roughly the same size. Otherwise, if you use just one strand of weight 4 yarn, it will turn out smaller if you use the exact same stitch counts I used in the video. But the video shares the basic idea of how to adjust the size, so you can make it as big or little as you want.

OMG THE QUEEN ANSWERD

@@aroobamoin7061 I appreciate any chance I get to help out my viewers! Thanks so much for the support!

Ahhuhha

So glad you enjoyed this tutorial! That's the same thing I didn't like about other patterns, the carry thread was too obvious for my tastes.

Yes, it does make adding borders so much easier! Thanks for watching.

I was surprised how snug the boppy was on me, and I'm a featherweight haha! I'm glad you were able to find a solution that works for you. 😄

It's such a game changer, right!

So glad you enjoyed! I've been very happy with my Valari too.

lol! I forgot to mention, I googled how to fix unraveled crochet projects!

I'm so glad this video resonated with you! I don't think you can go wrong either way. If you're able to repair the section, now you've got your sweater back! And if unraveling is the route you go, you now have potential and can give your yarn new life. (Which is extra important with the fancy pricey yarns 😂) Whether you figure out how to fix your project or you decide to unravel and repurpose, I hope you have a great experience giving new life to your yarn.

@@CraftersAutonomous I decided to give it new life! Now I have yarn to try something new, once I get over tendinitis! Ugh!

@@staceytisler3574Aw, hope the pain clears up for you soon!

Sounds like a great deal! And once you grow your first loofah, you'll have more seeds than you know what to do with and will never need to buy seeds again haha If you've got enough, I'd start a couple seeds outdoors now just to see how far along they get. Not sure how long you have until first frost, but getting a feel for the vines (albeit late in the season) can be great hands on experience even if you don't have enough time for loofahs to ripen. Plus, they're just fun to grow! Whatever you decide, hope you have a blast growing loofahs!

@@CraftersAutonomous hah! Yes, I've heard about all the seeds they produce. Luckily I've got gardening friends and local seed giveaway spots! I think I've got around 90 days till frost, and no place/trellis to grow them on prepared this year, so they'll probably wait till next year. I am definitely worried about deer eating them all, where I'm planning to plant is right where they go thru..

@@heyits_cat8966 Your mileage may vary, but I've found loofahs to be one plant the deer won't touch. Every few years, one comes along and nips off a couple leaves. But given the high deer population in my area (very rural) and their tendency to snack on plants right next to the loofahs, I've found them incredibly deer resistant! I wonder if it's the flavor or something? haha

I hope you love your yarn winder as much as I've loved mine! It's been such a great product to use.

You're very welcome! Thanks for watching.

You will use the same concept to make this bracelet design, only change is what slot numbers you start the strands in. The first 2 strands go in slots 1 & 2, next pair goes in slots 7 & 8, 3rd pair in slots 13 & 14, and last pair in slots 19 & 20. Essentially, the 4 pairs are evenly spaced around the loom. Then, to work the pattern, simply move the top right strand over the right pair down to the notch on the right of the bottom pair; and the left bottom strand over the left pair up to the notch on the left of the top pair. Rotate 90 degrees, and repeat! So if you start with your strands in the numbered slots above: First move the strand in slot 2 down into slot 12, and then move the strand in slot 14 up to slot 24. Rotate 90 degrees. Move the strand from slot 8 to slot 18, and the strand in slot 19 to slot 6. While the numbers are different than I showed in the video, the movement of the strands follows the same pattern. You'll just have more blank notches in between your strands than I did. Hope this helps, and have fun bracelet making!

@@CraftersAutonomous Thank You!

Hi, Betty! Glad to have you here! I've never been a fan of my single crochet edges either. The traditional way of working always left me wanting a cleaner look, and this hack has helped me neaten my edges a lot.

I'm so glad to hear this tutorial was helpful, and I'm especially glad to hear you got a sense of validation about the way you crochet! Sometimes other crafters can be downright rude when people do things differently, but the way I see it is if it works it works! That's one of the things I love about crochet - as long as it works, we can do whatever option is best for each of us! Sure, some things have a precise definition. For instance, a single crochet means inserting the hook, pulling up a loop, and then pulling another loop through both the loops already on the hook. But as long as you follow those steps, I don't think it really matters how anyone goes about it. There's more common ways, and perhaps one method is objectively faster than another. But for me, my tension is terrible if I just catch the yarn with my hook! So for me, wrapping the yarn is the best option. Sounds like the same is true for you! I didn't realize I did my yarn overs differently until I started posting videos online. Sometimes people get snarky about it, but I remind myself I've got bigger problems in my life than a stranger on the internet lecturing me about my crochet preferences 😂 Thanks so much for watching!

I bet she'll love that!