FaveCrafts

1000s of free craft projects, home decor ideas and DIY tips

Don’t Forget to Enter FaveCrafts’ Pinning & Winning Contest!

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We’re halfway through our Pinning and Winning Contest – don’t miss out on the fun!

If you have already submitted a “Make It Wear It” Pinterest board, you are eligible to win. If you haven’t submitted your board yet,  start pinning before it’s too late!

 

 

To learn more about this contest and learn how to set up your own board on Pinterest, check out our Pinning and Winning blog post from earlier this week.

Also, check out the giveaway page for guidelines and a list of all the cool Red Heart Yarn products you could win!

 

 

Check out the pins on our Make It Wear It board for inspiration and in some of these wearables on your own board:

 

PomPomTrimmedFingerlessGloves  Knit-Ribbed-Beanie  

 

What would you make if you won the Red Heart Yarn Prize Package?

AllFreeChristmasCrafts Giveaway: Mini Christmas Crochet

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Teeny tiny, itty bitty, eensy weensy. No matter the term, there’s one way to describe the projects featured in Mini Christmas Crochet: adorable! The latest giveaway from AllFreeChristmasCrafts is a little book filled with little projects you can use to decorate during the holiday season.

With this easy-to-follow and fun to read guide, you can create cute little Christmas crochet projects using leftover yarn. Best off all, these projects don’t require a lot of time, so you can make a bunch for the holiday season. Hang a couple of these cute crochet projects on your tree, display them on your mantel or give them as gifts – there are so many possibilities! Kids and adults will love the tiny crochet penguin and the mini Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. In fact, you can make the projects featured in Mini Christmas Crochet and give them as holiday-themed toys!

Each of the patterns in this book includes a step-by-step tutorial, materials list and measurements as well as large color photos. The book begins with a quick introduction and a rundown of crochet terminology for both American and British crocheters. This is a great book for crocheters at every skill level!

Get a jump start on your Christmas crafting and turn your space into a winter wonderland. All you need are yarn scraps, a crochet hook and Mini Christmas Crochet! Before you know it, you’ll be surrounded by adorable miniature stockings, wreaths, reindeer, angels and so more!

Contest ends July 31, 2012. You can enter once daily, so return often to improve your chances of winning!

What’s Your Mad Men Style? 8 Retro DIY Fashions

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The season 5 premiere of the show “Mad Men” is this Sunday and I’m ridiculously excited! It’s been over a year since last season’s cliff-hanger ending and I know the premiere is going to be packed full of drama.

But even if you don’t watch the show (which you should) or have just tuned in a few times, there’s still one big reason why you should be excited about the return of this 1960s-set show.
What’s that, you ask?

The fashion.

Every single episode of this drama is packed with so many amazing retro and vintage outfits, you’ll feel like you’re actually living in 1960s New York.  Now doesn’t that sound like fun?!

From Betty’s full skirts to Peggy’s bow-accented cardigans to Joan’s sexy, curve-hugging dresses, the costumes on this show are spot-on period perfect in every way. The fashions are so visually interesting that they’ve inspired a resurgence of retro fashion. Stores like Banana Republic and Brooks Brothers now have their own “Mad Men” inspired clothing collections.

But what if you want to add some retro-vintage “Mad Men” fashion to your closet without going broke?  Since we’re all crafty people here, might I suggest making your own vintage-inspired clothes?  Plenty of craft bloggers and regular Janes have already started making retro outfits for themselves and are showing them off (and sharing their tutorials and tips) online.

I’ve rounded up some of the best DIY vintage styles I could find, but you should also check out all of the “Mad Men” fashion ideas on Pinterest. There are so many fabulously chic retro outfits you can make!

Betty Draper Inspired Outfits:

This Festival Fancy Vintage Top crochet pattern is actually from 1956 and is totally something Betty would wear, especially with that belt!


This full, gathered skirt is perfect for Betty, who loves showing off her figure with flattering waistlines.

This knit pullover sweater is just the sort of thing we’d see Betty wear on the rare occasion when she’s not out socializing.

Peggy Olson Inspired Outfits:

With its high waistband and big bow, this fitted pencil skirt is without a doubt something Peggy would have in her closet.


This pleated skirt is another item that would be straight out of Peggy’s wardrobe. It’s so playful and innocent and fits her character to a tee.

Joan Holloway Inspired Outfits:

This gorgeous, figure-flattering sweater captures Joan’s fashion sense perfectly. When you wear this knit top, you’ll feel elegant and confident, just like Joan!

The feminine shape and bold color of this curve-hugging dress are so Joan! Nothing says the fabulous Ms. Holloway like a sexy silhouette!

More Mad Men Fashions:

This playful fitted cardigan is actually named after one of the “Mad Men” characters: little Sally Draper, Betty’s daughter.

After that little retro fashion show, now I’m even more excited for the season premiere (if that’s even possible)!  How excited are you?!?  Also, if you’re hosting a Mad Men party for the season premiere, be sure to check out these 60s inspired dishes that could have come right out of Betty’s kitchen!

 

What’s your retro style?  Are you a Betty, a Peggy or a Joan?

 

Yarn Love: 17 Fresh Patterns for Knitting and Crochet

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icarus-scarfDo you get twitterpated when you see pretty new colors?  Is there a horde of crafty yarn patterns online or in your home? When you leave a yarn aisle or yarn shop, have you mysteriously lost several hours? Does the repetitive motion of making loops with bright colors soothe your nerves? If the answer to most of these questions is yes, you obviously have some yarn love. And there’s no better way to express that than to work on some fresh patterns.

Your heart has snuggled itself up in a skein of yarn and there is no escape. Embrace that yarn!  Fresh patterns for yarn crafts are in abundance. There are so many amazing crochet scarves to twirl around yourself and plenty of knit shawls to work on your needles. There are dolls and bags to be made and granny square afghans to crochet! Encompass yourself with these simple pieces of yarny goodness. Yarn love!

Chain of Love

Crochet scarves and wraps can be airy, which makes them perfect for a dainty bit of coverage. Fresh patterns will let you keep your favorite yarns wrapped around you. The Papillon Scarf is a reader favorite, along with the Sweet Pea Shawl. To completely wrap yourself in yarn, crochet a blanket! Curl up into the Blue Squares Afghan or a luscious Irish Lace afghan. Find plenty of other patterns like these on AllFreeCrochetAfghanPatterns.com.

Try your hand at working up a beautiful Hobo Bag or a sassy “Make Mine a Double” cocktail purse. For more fantastic purses and bags, check out the free downloadable e-book for 6 Easy Crochet Bag Patterns on AllFreeCrochet.com.

If it’s toys you want, look no further than 16 Crochet Dolls: How to Make Cute Dolls and Accessories. It’s really hard to resist the adorable Quick and Easy Crochet Doll. And don’t forget to check out the many Amigurumi patterns for fun characters and cute animals to crochet.

Knit, Pearl, Love

Strut your stuff in a beautiful knit Peacock Jewel Scarf. This would look exquisite in shades of blue, green, or purple. The same color scheme goes for the Twist and Twirl Scarf which looks like a garland of flowers. And if you’re looking something with a hint of sparkle to it, consider making the Summer Shimmer Scarf.

For chillier evenings, knit yourself a few items that will cover more area. A Little Ruffle is a simple pattern and will keep your arms covered from small breezes. The Bamboo Wedding Shawl will do the same but is a fuller wrap. Or work up a blanket like the Dutch Tile Afghan or make a Cotton Chenille Baby Blanket for a wee one.

There are tons of fun knitting patterns floating around. These Bunny Hop Slippers are too cute to handle! And  Mary Jane slippers are perfect as gifts. Knit up an Anthropologie Inspired Headband as a quick and easy project. Knit accessories are running amok on AllFreeKnitting.com.

Show some yarn love! Are you a knitter or crocheter? Or is there another amazing craft you do with yarn?

 

GIVEAWAY
We are giving away a prize a day every day here on our FaveCrafts blog for National Craft Month. It is so easy to enter. Just go to our Project of the Day post and comment to enter! You have 31 chances to win and a new special prize each day.

Learn new craft techniques! This week on Cool2Craft TV: Prints & Patterns

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1-16-12 Cool2Craft FaveCrafts Prints and Patterns 3 up
Join host Tiffany Windsor for a new episode of Cool2Craft TV. This week’s show theme is Prints & Patterns. Tiffany creates Soda Can Goddess Wall Art, EcoHeidi Borchers shares how to Make Your Ow Craft Foam Stamp and Candace Jedrowicz creates a Fabulous Fabric Wall Clock.

It’s easy to watch the Cool2Craft TV Channel right from your computer. Monday January 16, 2012 at 9 am Pacific/ 10 am Mountain/ 11 am Central/ noon Eastern. Watch craft demos and join in the live chat at showtime at Cool2Craft.com. See you Monday!

 

Watch live streaming video from cool2craft at livestream.com

Top 10 Crochet Afghan Patterns of December

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For the last month, we’ve been counting down the top 10 crochet afghan patterns from December and updating the list every single week. What you see below is the most accurate, definitive list of popular patterns. In December, leaders loved everything from granny squares to baby blankets. Before you kick off 2012, take a look back at the month’s best crochet afghan patterns.

  1. 10 Free Patterns for Crochet Afghans
  2. Crochet One Skein Throw
  3. Thick Twist Basketweave
  4. Arcade Stitch Baby Blanket
  5. Hugs ‘n Kisses Square
  6. 18 Modern Granny Squares
  7. Super Easy Granny Afghan
  8. One Skein Baby Blanket
  9. 6 Hours or Less Throw
  10. Aunt Dot’s Afghan

Find all ten of these fabulous crochet afghan patterns in our Top 10 of December collection.

Which of these top patterns is your favorite?

AllFreeCrochetAfghanPatterns Giveaway: Lion Brand Silky Twist Yarn

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I have to say, I am so excited about this giveaway. Not only is this the very first giveaway for AllFreeCrochetAfghanPatterns (so exciting!) but this yarn is absolutely amazing. What a way to kick things off!

Lion Brand Silk Twists Yarn is unbelievably soft but extremely durable. Frankly, I can’t stop reaching over and touching a skein during the day because it feels so good. This super bulky yarn is ideal for warm afghans, baby blankets and throws because it’s so heavy. On a cold night, you’ll want to curl up with an afghan made of Lion Brand Silky Twist Yarn. Boucle yarn can be tough to use, especially if you don’t have a ton of crochet experience, but I can tell you that the overall look and feel of of the finished project greatly outweigh the extra time it may take.

Each yarn color is vibrant but not headache inducing. For example, you’ll find that the skein of blue yarn has shades of gray and green mixed in. Conversely, the brown yarn is a deep chocolate color that doesn’t mix in any other shades. It’s a great neutral that is soothing to look at. The texture and color of each skein of Lion Brand Silky Twist Yarn make it easy to match your new crochet projects to your overall decor.

Create something that looks and feels great. Curl up with this yarn and stay warm during the upcoming winter months.

Learn more about this product.

 

Contest November 22, 2011. You can enter once daily, so return often to improve your chances of winning!

Crochet Snow Flakes

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Snow flakes are usually in order around the holiday season. The snowflake I am showing here will take a few days to complete from start to finish. It requires glue and glitter to turn the yarn into a hardened snowflake that can hang freely. It is beyond spectacular when you are done. These are very much in high demand for giving away as gifts. They are so unique to themselves.

START THIS TUTORIAL NOW

Deborah Atkinson has many free tutorials on AllFreeCrochet.com

 

Learn To Crochet – Your Starting Point

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Heya Folks,

After getting started on You Tube and realizing that I could teach… I really started to focus in on teaching tutorials for a complete aspect. In the beginning you would have noticed that there was no introductions to what I was doing. However, I still filmed a complete version on the inside tips on starting right from scratch.

After filming this version, this honed my skills when teaching people in person. What was shared during this tutorial would become a signature teaching milestone for me.

This video is viewed several hundred times per day with comments or emails generated from this one tutorial. It has been viewed over 229,000 times since it’s creation less than 2 years ago.

Start Learning To Crochet Video Tutorial Here.

Without realizing how powerful this video would eventually become, this tutorial’s popular prompted a re-filming for better clarification on the getting started process. The re-filmed version also prompted the getting started process in many steps would included the basics of Chaining, Single Crochet, Half Double Crochet, Double Crochet, Triple Crochet and Granny Squares.

Start the Re-filmed Version of this classic tutorial here.

You can apply any of your new skills with these free crochet patterns.

20 Lovely Crochet Flowers

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How To Make Your Own Flowers using Crochet Techniques from Tipnut.com
This website is stuffed full of flower patterns. Really exciting and bright colours.

The Crochet Crowd viewers are raving about a new find online at Tipnut.com

I’ll be honest, the blog is really well laid out with invaluable close up pictures of how to make the flowers and adornments. The author has found great free links online that have paid extra attention to showing you how its done.
As the author states:
Use these little charmers to embellish totes, bags, hats, headbands and whatever else you like. They can be made with cotton yarn, wool, crochet cotton and even embroidery thread. Lots of different styles and patterns to choose from in this collection, many including nicely detailed instructions. I’ll be adding more over time so you may want to bookmark this page for reference, enjoy!
 

Crochet

Jewelry

Knitting

Paper

Sewing

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