Coin Pouches

I have seen a few coin pouches that the Japanese have had over the years, and it got me thinking "What if I made one by crocheting?" So a few weeks back, I made two different pouches about the size of a wallet that I like to call Generation I. Each is slightly different, the brown one is made with acrylic yarn with a spiral threading, while the other is made with wool yarn and had a different style of threading that was easier to thread. With Generation I, I learned three things, a spiral threading is harder to do, I needed a button to keep the pouch closed, and I needed a stronger material to loop over the button. As for the material of the pouch itself, it didn't seem to matter.

Generation I with drawstring loops

Next came Generation II, where I used leather lacing for the thread, loop, and to hold the button in place. As for the button, I wanted a natural material, so I chose the cheapest wood button I could find. This time I found out that yarn works best to thread together the sides of the pouch, and that the loop should have its ends closer tot he middle, otherwise the coins might fall out. So for Generation III, I plan on doing just that. Once my parents have their cows butchered next month, I plan on buying the cow hides back for $25 each to turn into leather for an all-leather pouch with a wooden button.

Generation II with button and loop

Four more pot holders

For the last few days, I decided to make some more potholders as a gift idea. I would love to sell them someday, but until I learn accounting and start a business, I will continue to do it as a hobby. Each of them are made from 100 % wool. I decided to go with that material for it's heat resisting qualities.

 

 This yarn is called 'Wedgewood.'

  

 Although it looks like camouflage, it actually is called 'Forest.'

 This yarn is called 'Harmony.'

 This hot pad has two yarns in it.

The blueish one is called 'New Denim,' while the greenish one is 'Jade Heather.'

You can really see the blue/green combo in the lower left of this picture.

I now have a matching pot holder

As I posted back on December 5th, I made a round hot pad with lime green and peacock blue yarn holding it together. To remind anyone who saw that post of what it looks like, and anyone who did not see that post, here it is:

 

 

Using the same colors of yarn, I made a pot holder to go with it as a set.

As I continue to experiment with rope hot pads, I plan on making matching hot pads for those who would like to buy them.

A new kind of hot pad

A few weeks ago, I was thinking about what I could try creating with rope when the idea of making a hot pad came to mind. So I went down to Home Depot to get myself some Manila rope due to its heat resistant properties. I also bought some wool yarn from a fabric store to fasten the rope together...

This was the first one I made

Yes, I know that it isn't perfectly divided into four equal quarters, but as the Amish say: "Man cannot be perfect." I will be making a pot holder with the same two colors to go with it. I decided that I wanted to try to create a set.

This is the second one I made

The second one was supposed to be round also as I made it on a round loom, but when I took it off the loom, it tried to become square. Lesson learned: just use a square or rectangle loom next time.

Which one do you like best?

Three potholders in three days

I have been trying to find which patterns work for potholders. The first pattern was one I made before, and is a simple weave design.

The next one, I made on the 4th. I wanted to use the same colors but a different pattern. After making it, I decided that I would abandon that pattern as it allowed some of the strings to be too loose.

The third pattern, I did yesterday. I wanted to see if I could thread a simple design into the potholder before finishing up the edge. In this case, the design was a cross. I also used a piece of thread along the edge for this one to give it a clean look.

The final pattern was one I did today. I chose the Oregon State University Colors and weaved a different design than I have before. I like this design, and will do others similar to it.

I will be giving the last two (along with several others) to my church's parking lot sale near the end of the month. The proceeds will go to benefit mission projects. It will also give me an idea of how much to sell them for.

Finally, some pictures of the fruit that is ripe

We have two small patches of strawberries that are of mixed variety where I live. I know that some of them are the sweet and juicy Hood variety (my favorite). [By 'We' I mean my parents as I am living with them while paying off my student loans and trying to get back on my feet so-to-speak]

 

 

We also have several rows of blueberries (of which only three bushes are producing ripe berries so far)

The cherry trees are starting to produce quite a bit, but it is always a battle between us and the birds to get them first. One year the birds ate all of the cherries off of our old tree while we were on vacation. Sadly, we had to cut that big tree down as it was rotting from the inside out.

I also made another hotpad this morning (the harvest colored one) since I need something to keep me busy until I go back to the cannery. The other one I made on Memorial Day.

 

A Dead Baby Chicken & A New Hobby

I went out to check on the new baby chickens this morning and found that the runt had died within an hour before I went out there. So now I am down to five Welsummer chickens. I also decided to start a new hobby today. I went to the local Joann Fabrics and bought myself a loom, weaving needle, and some yarn made from a blend of lamb's wool and easy-care acrylic. Since I wanted to make a bi-color hotpad, I chose black and pumpkin color since I knew the first one I made would be mine (I went to Oregon State). It turned out quite nice and now I have a hotpad for a Halloween party or a football party if the Beavers ever make it to the Rose Bowl again. It is about 6" by 6", and I plan on making a slightly larger one.