Here is a great throwback for Thursday! I used to make so many of these braided bookmarks. This picture is from December of 2014, and I love the way the red and white book marks have a secondary pattern effect.
Photo description: six green and yellow braided bookmarks, and four red and white
I make these with 1/4” flat ribbon and usually braid a long length, then iron the long ribbon before applying more ribbon as a band with some white glue and cutting sections a good bookmark length, usually about 8”. The trick to these is that the ribbon is never folded as I braid. The seven-strand plait stays flat and the bias weave of the ribbon lets it lay in smooth curves.
It is a fun braiding project, and inexpensive. Materials needed are: 1/4” satin ribbon, scissors, white glue, parchment paper (to protect the ribbon while ironing), and an iron.
I read that Sally Pointer, an expert in Heritage Education in the UK, had developed a new pamphlet on making cordage and although I know how to make cordage, I wanted to see how she recommends construction. Since the kit is coming from the UK, with air mail prices, I maximized my kit to mailing cost ratio and bought four kits for the same mailing cost as one kit. So excited.
Photo description: string bag kit, braided belt kit, flax cordage kit, and hemp cordage kit from Sally Pointer
I follow Sally on Facebook and YouTube and thoroughly enjoy seeing the historic recreations she makes and appreciate her dedication to education.
Back in December of 2014 I decided to combine crochet and jewelry making to create a light weight but bold necklace with pearlized cotton in shades of purple.
Photo description: crocheted circle necklace with hand made button clasp using four shades of purple pearlized cotton on a leather couch cushion
In 2014 I really had started to embrace taking pictures of my creations. I even took a picture of the CD case I repurposed into a guess-thwarting jewelry box.
Photo description: same purple crocheted necklace in a clear double CD case to keep it flat and give the recipient a moment of “hm?” before opening
I’m pretty sure since this is purple it went to my Mom. I’ve done more crocheted jewelry since. It is much lighter than traditional bold jewelry pieces, but does have to be laundered, starched, and laid flat to dry on occasion. I can personally tolerate a crocheted necklace for a little longer, if it isn’t too tight.
I found a skein of acrylic yarn with a long color repeat in a recent stash clearing. I love making worry worms from these kinds of yarn because I get one or two or three color worms in all different combinations.
Photo description: crocheted worms of varied colors on the left and the label for the yarn on the right: Bernat Super Value Stripes
The color repeats were more exact than I expected, and I started getting the exact same colored worms, so I pulled out the other end of the skein and mixed and matched different colors together.
Photo description: red and blue crocheted worm in progress that used yarn from both ends of the skein, calico cat as backdrop
I like that these little bobbles bring people genuine amusement.
I originally purchased the Loopity Loops yarn for my kids. I thought it would be a less frustrating introduction to knitting, as you don’t need needles and don’t have to worry about tension. My eldest fully immersed in the project, made a small blanket, then bought enough yarn for a large throw, and finished it within a couple days.
Photo description: small rectangle made from Loopity Loops yarn
My youngest struggled with the project, and after sitting in a box for months, I picked it up and gave it a go. This is not knitting. The end result looks similar, and it is loops going into loops, but it takes a completely different set of skills to find and link the loops than it does to make knit and purl stitches on needles. It takes fine motor skill and careful attention to detail to not miss loops. I had to rip out a couple times because I skipped a loop on accident. The yarn is not robust enough to take too many rip outs, and stretches out after washing. The actual loops are just big enough to get a finger into to pull a loop through, but are too big and make a loose knit. If it were regular yarn, I would use a smaller needle size.
But cats love it. I put the small rectangle I made in a basket.
Photo description: Loopity Loops yarn rectangle in a basket
It didn’t take long until the basket sprouted a feline.
Photo description: calico cat in a basket with a Loopity Loops pad
Cats like my eldest’s blanket too, to the point of destructive loving. It had to be washed and put away due to drool and pulled loops.
So this is a mixed review. The loop yarn is an interesting concept, comes together quickly, and cats love it, however it is fiddly, easy to miss loops, isn’t robust, and cats love it.
Critters and Craft 