3 Unusual Materials To Use For Your Next Craft Project

Image © Homestead Weaver Blog

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but sometimes it’s fun to try something new just because. This month, we’re exploring ways to think outside the box, no matter which craft you prefer! While commercially-available yarns and fibers are always a wonderful choice due to their plentiful supply and ease of use, perhaps it’s time to shake up your usual routine with these three unique materials you most likely already have lying around the house!

1.  Plastic Bags: Plastic bags kind of have a bad rap; many cities have voted to ban them completely, and it’s true that they can cause quite a problem for wildlife and vegetation if they are improperly disposed of instead of being recycled. However, this clever tutorial shows just how easy it is to turn an ordinary plastic bag into a ball of “yarn” ready to be woven, crocheted, or knitted. A rug made from plastic bags can not only be chic, but it’s a wonderfully waterproof way to greet visitors at your front door! Click here to see more examples of rugs which are woven out of plastic bags.
2. T-Shirts: Breathe new life into old t-shirts by converting them into a long continuous strip of fabric which can then be woven, crocheted or knitted into a variety of useful items! Rugs, baskets, and more will look just dandy in those colorful tees you no longer wear. Here are a few free project ideas to get you started: Knit T-Shirt Rug, Braided T-Shirt Rug, Crochet T-Shirt Basket.
   

   Image © Callaloo Soup

3. Newspaper: This one even took us by surprise, but newspaper can be spun into some rather striking yarn! We first came across this idea here on the Resourceful Nomad blog. While it does take quite a bit of time and patience (click here for a step-by-step photo tutorial), the resulting yarn is pretty nifty. From there, it can be integrated into a weaving project (click here for some inspirational ideas), used to knit or crochet a variety of objects (click here to see a crocheted paper necklace on the FreshStitches blog), or just put on display because it looks so lovely on the bobbin!
   

   Image © Green Upgrader Blog

All the best,

Chris, Nancy, and the entire Woolery team

Handmade Holidays

The Christmas Countdown is on! For crafters who enjoy making handmade gifts for loved ones, this can be a busy time of year. Quite often, we have the best of intentions to start our holiday crafting early, but sometimes, a last-minute craft crunch simply can’t be avoided!

Let the Woolery come to the rescue this year! We have plenty of thoughtful gift ideas which are quick to knit, crochet, and weave to keep everyone on your list happy!

Gifts to Knit

The popular Rikke Hat by Sarah Young is a simple, unisex beanie that knits up quick in DK weight yarn. It’s available for free here on Ravelry!

Washcloths are certainly useful gifts, but they aren’t always fun to knit again and again. Megan Goodacre’s Leafy Washcloth is a fun, free pattern you’ll enjoy making each time! Click here for the free pattern on the Tricksy Knitter blog.

Image © Jane Richmond

A chunky-weight cowl will fly off the needles, and Jane Richmond’s Marian is a mock-mobius which can be worn in a variety of ways. This design would look fabulous knit up in handspun yarn, too! It’s available for free here on Ravelry.

Gifts to Crochet

The Triangle Christmas Tree ornaments by Sarah Freeman are a cinch to make! Based on the traditional granny square motif, they will stitch up quickly and are great for detashing. Click here for links to the free pattern and video tutorial on the Ravelry pattern page.

It’s always good to have a few hats on hand for last-minute gift emergencies, and this unisex design is a great choice which is easy to customize. The Urban Slouchy Beanie is available for free here on the Little Things Blogged blog.

Stripy Mitts by Sandra Paul are a colorful gift to make for the style maven on your list! This pattern is available for free and is a great way to use up leftover yarns in your stash, too.

Gifts to Weave
When it comes to speedy weaving , Schacht’s portable Zoom Loom is bar none. We have plenty of free patterns (courtesy of Schacht) to put those woven squares to work this year – click here to view them all! Below are a few of our favorite projects for woven tree ornaments which use just 1 or 2 Zoom Loom squares – click each image below to view pattern instructions!

Evergreen Dream

Santa Sock

Snow Bird

To add a festive touch, why not embellish your ornaments with sequins, beads, or needle-felted fiber designs? Let your creativity flow as you put your own unique touches on your Zoom Loom projects!

2014 Fiber Toys of Christmas

Our annual holiday promotion, the 12 Fiber Toys of Christmas, is in full swing! Each Friday, we feature a favorite fiber toy with a special deal and a chance to win that particular toy (tool). Weekly specials and giveaways will be posted on our Facebook page, Twitter feed, and it will also be included in our newsletter.

These are weekly specials which expire every Friday (when the new one starts), so be sure to check the links above so you don’t miss out!

All the best,

Chris, Nancy, and the entire Woolery team

 

Caring For Your Hand-Made Treasures

We are often asked how to best preserve the handmade items our customers have created. At The Woolery, we believe that each item you’ve lovingly crafted deserves the finest care – ordinary dish soap simply won’t do! We recommend wool washes that are formulated especially to care for these delicate items. Not only will your finished projects last longer, but you’ll be surprised at how easy and inexpensive it is to properly care for them!

When selecting a wool wash, be sure to look for ingredients that condition and soften fibers naturally – a good example is the lanolin-enriched formula from Eucalan. Harsh additives and dyes (such as you would find in Woolite) damage fibers, so you’ll want a formula that is free of phosphates, ammonia, and other chemicals, too. Finally, a no-rinse formula will not only save water, it will also save wear and tear on your handmade treasures!

We prefer the biodegradable, earth-friendly formulas from both Eucalan and Unicorn Fibre Wash. Each of these wool washes softens fibers, prevents static, and features other benefits such as naturally antibacterial essential oils, all in a no-rinse formula. In the video below, Deb Robson (coauthor of The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook) explains the benefits of using a dedicated wool wash to care for breed-specific wools:

Now that you know why proper care is important, we’ll show you how to care for your finished projects! You can watch the short video tutorial from Eucalan below, or follow these simple instructions:

1. Fill a small basin with tepid water and add the recommended amount of your preferred wool wash.
2. Place the item into the water, gently squeezing with your hands a few times to make sure the soap and water is soaked through.
3. Allow garment to sit for about 30 minutes, then remove garment and remove excess water by squeezing gently.
4. Lay a dry towel on the floor and place the garment on top of it, then roll it up to remove excess moisture.
5. Lay item on flat surface to dry.

Join Us for the 12 Fiber Toys of Christmas
It’s Toy Season! This Friday, we’ll be featuring a new favorite fiber toy with a special deal and a chance to win that particular toy (tool) – click here for more details!

Chris, Nancy, and the entire Woolery team!