Easy Yarn Swatches

Ok, so I have a problem.... I'm a crochet-aholic! I'm addicted to everything relating to crochet!! From hooks to patterns to... yarn! I find myself pulling out my bins of yarn over and over to find the perfect colors for almost every project. That turns into a big mess. So I've come up with a solution and its helped me several times!

I've made myself some yarn swatches!! Perfect for matching colors, taking to the store to restock or even take to craft fairs for customers to see what choices you have to offer. With a few dollars, you can make swatches for all your yarn easily!


What You'll Need:

1. Glue Gun and extra glue
2. Plastic or cardboard bobbins
3. Permanent marker
4. Yarn
5. Yarn needle
6. Scissors
7. Metal Rings
8. Chocolate ~ as long as your not working with white yarn! He he, in my case, yarn and chocolate always seem to go together!

Step 1) Preheat your glue gun.

Step 2) Write the name of the color/brand of yarn on your bobbin. This can be done after but is easier to do before wrapping your yarn.

 Step 3) Taking a small amount of yarn, loop it around one slit at the bottom of the bobbin. Wrap it 5-7 times. (More times for thinner yarn, less for thicker.) From the back of the bobbin, loop the other end around the opposite slit.

Step 4) Using your yarn needle, weave the yarn ends behind the wrapped yarn just as in picture shown to the left. 

Step 5) With the glue gun ready, place a small amount between and around the ends. This will secure it.

Step 6) Let the glue dry.

Step 7) Snip the ends to give more of a neat appearance.

Step 8) Insert bobbins on metal rings. I have mine according to brand and weight. 

Keeping the colors somewhat together give a nice appearance as well! 

And there you have it! Just don't forget to eat your chocolate! 

Until next craft....

After Chirstmas Sales that Benefit Crafters!

It's that time of year, Christmas is over and everything is discounted!! That's great for stocking up on new decorations for the next year but it can also benefit us crafters!

If you're out and about, take a look around. There are so many things we can create with this decor. Ornament are one of them.

I love to go out and purchase ornaments, and I try to keep them unrelated to Christmas. This is perfect for making refrigerator magnets!! And here's how...

Supplies
Magnets (any kind will work but make sure your using an appropriate size for the ornament you're using.)
Ornaments
Hot glue gun (other glues can be used but I prefer the glue gun.)
Hot glue sticks

Prep your area.
(If you want to protect your surface you're working on, place card board or newspapers down.)

1) Heat your glue gun with glue in it.
2) Remove any straps or hooks that make it an ornament. (I left my hook on. I was afraid to crack the ornament and its so small, I'm not concerned with removing it.)
3) When the glue gun is ready, glue a magnet on the back side of the ornament.
4) Set aside until its cool.

That's is! Simple, fun and makes for unique magnets!

The one I used is from my sister. We both love owls and while we were out shopping, we found these. We decided to buy one for each other! I really didn't want to put it away with the rest of the Christmas things, and instead keep it out all year round. This is the perfect way!


~ Crystal