So, I had a busy summer. I spent a lot of my time volunteering for Craft Lake City, a non profit organization that supports and promotes Utah crafters and artisans. Primarily what I have been doing for them is helping to fill plakats (the German word for billboard) that are stationed along the sidewalk on 300 South near West Temple in Salt Lake City. Click on the picture below to see the blog post at Craft Lake about this project.

Lets get real, the holiday season is upon us and Christmas isn't really that far away. If you have high hopes for a handmade Christmas, now is the time to get started on those one of a kind gifts. The great news is that there are a LOT of gift ideas out there that really don't take much time. Today, I am going to highlight some from this very website to get you jump-started.

This first group is for all of the knitters out there.
1. T-Shirt Yarn Star Bracelet - The great thing about this gift is that you don't even have to make a trip to the craft store, just make your own tarn from your closet!
2. Fancy Spats - Liana - Use some left over yarn from your stash for this adorable fashion statement.
3. Baby Bear Hat - Made with chunky yarn and few embellishments, this darling hat is incredibly quick and easy to make.
4. Tractor Hat - This is a great hat for the boys in your life. Plus, it is a great base for an earflap hat, just swap out the chart.

Now to some lovely crochet projects.
1. Fancy Spats - Cathedral - These little shoe collars are the perfect gift for that person with a unique style.
2. T-Shirt Yarn Cluster Bracelet - If you are low on cash, then this is the item to give to your friends. Not only is it adorable, but you can make it from t-shirts in your closet.
3. Ruffle Wreath - Perhaps you would like to add to your decor stash or maybe you just aren't sure what to buy for someone on your list. This gorgeous wreath is easy to make and fairly inexpensive too. (You can make the flowers from old sweaters!)
4. Broomstick Lace Headband - Really, does it get any easier?! Make these as stocking stuffers and use up some of your left over yarn or even make some tarn to create this headband with.

Ok Sewers, here are some ideas for you. 
1. Poinsettia Stocking - So, the stocking itself is pretty cool, but you could use the same technique for a pillow, which would also be adorable.
2. DIY Library Bag - This bag is so easy and doesn't take much material. It would make a great gift for friends and family. You could make it on a smaller scale and fill it with homemade soaps and scrubs.
3. Custom Stuffie - Here is an outline for how to make your own custom little stuffed animal for the little cutie in your life.
4. Men's Dress Shirt to Baby Dress - This would be awesome out of a great red or green plaid shirt!

Here are some random crafts that don't necessarily fall under a specific category.
1. Pallet Growth Chart - This would be a great gift for someone with growing children or grand children
2. DIY Bath Crayons - Can we say stocking stuffers?
3. Olliblocks - So fun, so quick, so easy.
4. Nativity Puppets - Switch up the telling of Jesus' birth with some simple felt puppets

If you are not so much into making things, but want the look of handmade, check out my Etsy Shop.

Here is another lovely crochet bracelet made from T-shirt yarn. The pattern is available on Ravelry. If you need some T-Shirt yarn/tarn, head over to my tutorial on how to make some.

This bracelet is written using US standards. The yarn for this bracelet is made from a T-Shirt cut into one long continuous ½” strip. Just a couple of notes about tarn; not all tarns are made equal and the type of T-Shirt you use can greatly affect the outcome of your bracelet. I originally made this using a thinner shirt that was 60% cotton and 40% synthetic. Generally, I have found that the pure cotton tarns stretch and will give you a greater quantity, but are also harder to work with. That being said, if you are using a typical, run of the mill, 100% cotton T-Shirt, go down a bracelet size and use a G hook. This may still be tough, if you go up another size hook, go down another size for the bracelet. Also, practice a bit to get the hang of the tarn if you have never used it before.

Sizes:
X-Small (Small) (Medium) (Large)
Materials:
10-15 Yards (10-13 meters) T-Shirt Yarn (WPI = 7)
D (3.25 mm) or G (4.0 mm) Hook
Yarn Needle
1 Button at 1/2” (1.3 cm) diameter


Only $3.00 for a PDF download.

Alright, as promised, here is my next post which is another t-shirt yarn bracelet, but unlike the Cluster and the Circle, this one is knit instead of crochet. However, just like the others it is a really quick project. Enjoy!

This bracelet was written using US standards. The yarn for this bracelet is made from a T-Shirt cut into one long continuous ½” strip. Here is a tutorial on how to make tarn. Although this bracelet is pretty easy to knit up, working with tarn can be tricky. If you are using purchased tarn, check the width of the tarn. The original was knitted with tarn that is ½” wide.

Gauge:
In stockinette stitch, 2” = 9 stitches X 14 rows, however, this may vary based on the thickness of the T-Shirt you use, as well as how close you cut to ½” for your strip.

Sizes:
Small, approximately 6” long (Medium, approximately 7” long) (Large, approximately 8” long) 

Materials:
* 10 - 15 Yards T-Shirt Yarn (WPI = 7)
* Size 6 Needles
* Yarn Needle
* 1 Button at 1” diameter or 2 buttons at ½” diameter
* D Hook

Only $3.00 for a PDF download.

Here is another quick project to add to the collection. It is a bracelet made from t shirt yarn or tarn. I have a tutorial on how to make this yarn. The pattern is for sell on Ravelry.

Gauge:
In single crochet, including foundation single crochet, 2” = 9 rows x 10 Stitches

Sizes:
The size for this bracelet is adjustable. Each circle is approximately 1” in diameter, add more for longer bracelets and less for shorter bracelets.  
 
Materials: 
10 – 15 Yards T-Shirt Yarn (WPI = 7)
D Hook
Yarn Needle
Tapestry Needle
1 Button at 1/2” diameter

Only $3.00 for a PDF download.

In an effort to save money, I have been looking at alternative materials to crochet and that's when I came across tarn or t-shirt yarn. 

The yarn for this bracelet is made from a T-Shirt cut into one long continuous ½” strip. Here is the tutorial for creating t-shirt yarn. Just a couple of notes about tarn; not all tarns are made equal (obviously) and the type of T-Shirt you use can greatly affect the outcome of your bracelet. I originally made this using a thinner shirt that was 60% cotton and 40% synthetic. Generally, I have found that the pure cotton tarns stretch and will give you a greater quantity, but are also harder to work with. That being said, if you are using a typical, run of the mill, 100% cotton T-Shirt, go down a size and use a G hook. This may still be tough, if you go up another size hook, go down another size for the bracelet. Also, practice a bit to get the hang of the tarn if you have never used it before.

This pattern uses a foundation single crochet. If you are not familiar with this stitch, check out a great tutorial by future girl.

Gauge:
 In single crochet, including foundation single crochet, 2” = 9 rows x 10 Stitches

 Sizes:
 Small, approximately 7” long (Medium, approximately 7 ½” long) (Large, approximately 8” long)

 Materials:
10 – 15 Yards T-Shirt Yarn (WPI = 7)
D Hook
Tapestry Needle
2 Buttons at 1/2” diameter

Only $3.00 for a PDF download.