Charlie the Dog

Introducing....

Charlie the Dog!

Left in Knots Water Balloons: Using, Washing, Making & Selling

There's a trendy new crocheted toy around this summer! They're fun, easy to use, environmentally friendly & quick to make. They're the incredibly creative Crochet Water Balloons designed by Megan Meyer of Left in Knots. I've seen a lot about them lately & just had to jump on the band wagon! I decided to make a batch for the craft fair I participated in last weekend & here I'm going to share what I learned from the experience!

Using the Balloons

The first thing I discovered is that there is some confusion about exactly how to use Crochet Water Balloons. A lot of people think that you need to put a real water balloon inside the crocheted one. I briefly considered making a comical video of me actually attempting to do so but decided it wasn't worth the trouble or confusion it might cause! Let me be clear, the crocheted version completely eliminates the need to use those awful little rubber balloons that are challenging to fill, difficult to tie & impossible to clean up! One of my favorite parts about the Crochet Water Balloons is the simplicity of them. Just dunk them in a pail of water, throw them at someone & repeat! The lack of little rubber bits lying around afterwards is reason enough to make the switch & the reason I call them "environmentally friendly."

Of course if I was going to sell these (& write about them) I needed to see them in action! So here are some things I learned when I actually tried them out!

• They can get you really wet!
• Don't want to throw them AT each other? Throw them TO each other! Playing catch gets you almost as wet!
• They sink slowly in the pool - try tossing them in the pool & diving down for them. They definitely won't scratch the liner & whoever retrieves them can throw them next. I see a lot of potential for creative new pool games with these!
• As soft as they are, if thrown too hard it can smart a little! Use the same rules as regular water balloons. Remember the goal is to soak, not injure. Aim away from faces & don't throw too hard. 
• They take a while to dry. Spread them out in the sun or hang them from a drying rack or clothes line after you're finished playing. *Update: I've been told that if you use them in a chlorinated pool they should not be left to dry in the sun, but instead washed immediately!* 

Washing the Balloons

Another great part of these balloons is that they are machine washable. After being thrown around & inevitably getting into grass, dirt, mud, leaves, etc. your balloons are likely to get a little grimy. Dunking them in a bucket of water between throws will keep them clean enough to keep playing, to a point. Eventually, they'll need a real clean. So, just toss them in with the next load of laundry! To properly test this aspect I did a little experiment. I washed 4 balloons - grey, pink, red & blue - 4 different ways. I used my front-loading washer on a normal, cold water cycle. The dryer was set on low heat & I used a dryer sheet. Turns out, there really wasn't much difference! I could almost even say that the ones that went through the dryer look a tiny bit better! Whether that would remain true over time is another question, so if you want them to last stick with a bag & air drying. If you just want them clean quickly, forget the bag & toss them in the dryer!
*Update: skip the dryer sheet (& fabric softener), they could make them less absorbent over time*

Grey Balloon: Delicates Bag, Air Dry, Pink Balloon: Delicates Bag, Dryer

Red Balloon: No Bag, Air Dry, Blue Balloon: No Bag, Dryer

Making the Balloons

If you've made these before, or are looking closely at Megan's pictures, you might notice that my balloons are a bit smaller. That's because I left out Round 4. It's a repeat round identical to Round 3 & leaving it out didn't affect how well the pattern worked. I left it out for completely selfish reasons - saving time & saving yarn - & the end result was still a good size & shape for the purpose. Whether you follow the free pattern exactly or not these are very quick (less than 10 minutes for me) & very easy. Megan even has a video tutorial! For materials, you'll need Bernat Blanket Yarn, a 9mm hook, plus a large finishing needle to weave in the end. With my version, each balloon used about half an ounce of yarn which means I can get 21 balloons from each 10.5 oz skein.

Selling the Balloons

Are you doing a craft fair this summer? Or maybe you have an Etsy shop? These balloons sold like hot cakes at my fair last weekend! I was sitting in my booth making more between customers to keep up with the demand. I sold them for $4 each or a set of 3 for $10. Most of my customers bought the set of 3 while many bought 6 ($20). I had all of my balloons in two large (dry) buckets & let customers pick any that they wanted. I recommend having a variety of colors (this is where Bernat Blanket Stripes comes in handy!) because customers never chose all the same color, no matter how many they bought. 

Just remember, if you're going to sell them make sure you give credit where credit is due! At your fair, have a sign (like the one below) that says the design is by Megan Meyer of Left in Knots. If you're listing them online, include a link to her Facebook page or Blog.

Overall I am very impressed by these balloons! They are fun to play with, easy to make & they were a great seller at my fair! Whether you're trying to entertain kids on a hot day or building inventory for your own fair I highly recommend visiting Left in Knots for this great pattern!

Happy Creating!

Free Crochet Pattern: Six Round Cowl

Looking for something cute & warm to get you through the last bit of winter?

I whipped up this cowl to match a hat I made earlier this winter. I loved the results so much I decided I just had to share! My cowl is only 6 rounds, is 6 inches tall, measures about 20 inches around the top & 30 inches around the bottom. It took me about half an hour to make plus 10 minutes or so to add the fringe.

To make this cowl you need:
80 yards bulky yarn (I used Loops & Threads Charisma in Taupe)
9mm hook (N or M depending on brand)

Stitches used:
Foundation Double Crochet
Extended Double Crochet




If you haven't used these stitches before, this small project with easy-to-see bulky yarn is the perfect opportunity to learn! Foundation Double Crochet (or any foundation stitch) can be a little tricky to get the hang of, but it makes such a lovely stretchy edge that once you master it you'll never want to go back to working into a starting chain! As for Extended Double Crochet, it's super simple. It makes just a slightly taller more flexible stitch than regular double but is tighter than a treble. The result is a fabric with nice drape & a project that grows quickly!

For a PDF that includes instructions for additional sizes visit Featherby & Friends on Ravelry.

If you'd like to make the hat I'm wearing it's a free pattern from Bernat Design Studio called Stepping Texture: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/stepping-texture-hat

Made this cowl? Add your project to Ravelry! Click HERE for a step-by-step guide!

Free Crochet Pattern: Pumpkins!

Now available as a free PDF download on Ravelry!

Materials:

Hook Size G (4.0mm)
Worsted Weight yarn in Orange, Green and Brown
(I used RHSS in Carrot/Bronze, Tea Leaf & Cafe Latte)
Yarn needle
Stuffing
Stitch marker (I use a scrap of yarn as a running stitch marker)

Abbreviations:
sc - single crochet; hdc - half double crochet; dc - double crochet
inc - single crochet 2 in one stitch
dec - single crochet 2 sts together

*Pumpkin is made in continuous rounds*

Making the Pumpkin (using orange):

1. sc 6 in magic loop
2. inc around (12)
3. (sc, inc) around (18)
4. (sc 2, inc) around (24)
5. (sc 3, inc) around (30)
6. (sc 4, inc) around (36)
7. (sc 8, inc) around (40)
8.-10. sc around
11. (sc 8, dec) around (36)
12. (sc 4, dec) around (30)
13. (sc 3, dec) around (24)
14. (sc 2, dec) around (18)
15. (sc, dec) around (12)
16. dec around (6)
Cut yarn & thread tail through remaining 6 sts. Pull tight & tie off.

 Making the Stem (using brown):

1. Cut 3 strands of yarn about 24 inches long (each)
2. Fold in half and knot yarn together very close to fold

3. Thread half the strands onto a yarn needle & poke through center of pumpkin. Do the same with the other 3 strands starting in a different stitch so the knot stays on the outside of the pumpkin. (The side with the knot will be the bottom of the pumpkin)

4. Divide the strands on the top of the pumpkin into 3 groups of two. Braid tightly (pulling a bit to start, flattening the ball into a pumpkin shape), for about 2 inches.

5. Tie an overhand knot on the braid, pull very tight, then trim so the stem is about 3/4 inch.

 Dividing Lines (using orange):

1. Cut a long piece of yarn the same color as your pumpkin.
2. Thread the yarn through the pumpkin from bottom to top staying close to the center.
3. Wrap the yarn around the outside of the pumpkin, inserting the needle back through the pumpkin (bottom to top). Pull tight to crease outside of pumpkin.

4. Repeat until your pumpkin is divided into 6 sections. Tie off and weave in ends.

Making the Leaf (using green):

1. ch 7
2. sc 2, hdc 2, dc 2
3. dc 5 around end of chain
4. Working down other side of chain: dc, hdc 2, sc 2, join with slip stitch and tie off.
5. Attach leaf to pumpkin

I hope you enjoyed this free pattern!

Please visit me on Facebook for patterns, finished items and more!

www.facebook.com/featherbyandfriends

Make a cute Pumpkin Costume for your Little Sister Doll for more Autumn fun!

Knitted Headband Pattern

Here are a couple of headbands I made last fall. They worked great and with the chilly weather setting in it's about time to get them out again. Perhaps I'll even make some more!

What you need:

Needles: US size 7 (4.5mm) *at least 10 inches long*
Yarn: Worsted Weight - I used Red Heart Super Saver
Yarn needle

*Finished size - about 19.5 inches around (it stretches!)

Checker Headband:

Checker Headband in action.
I paired it with my visor/ponytail hat on this very cold day!

Cast on 90 stitches

Row 1-4: Knit

Row 5-9: (K5, P5) repeat to end of row

Row 10-14: (P5, K5) repeat to end of row

Row 15-19: same as 5-9

Row 20-24: same as 10-14

Row 25-27: Knit

Bind off loosely – it is very important to bind off loosely so your headband can stretch.
Using the same yarn and a yarn needle sew short edges together to form headband.


Dot Headband:

Cast on 90 stitches 

Row 1-5: Knit

Row 6: Purl

Row 7: Knit

Row 8: (P1, K1),((P3, K1) repeat until 2 stitches remain),(P2)

Row 9: Knit

Row 10: (P3, K1) repeat to end of row

Row 11: Knit

Row 12: Same as 8

Row 13: Knit

Row 14: Same as 10

Row 15: Knit

Row 16: Same as 8

Row 17: Knit

Row 18: Purl

Row 19-23: Knit

Bind off loosely – it is very important to bind off loosely so your headband can stretch.
Using the same yarn and a yarn needle sew short edges together to form headband.