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Felted Cell Phone Cozy

September 17, 2010 3 comments
Felted Cell Phone Cozy

You know if you have been reading this blog site for awhile that I’m all into being practical and creating things I need. So I really wanted to have a nice little cell phone holder and I just love felting so I crocheted myself this little cell phone cozy from some scrap wool yarn.


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Free Felted Cell Phone Cozy Pattern

Crochet this cozy using about an ounce of 100% wool yarn with a G (4mm) crochet hook. Chain 14, single crochet (sc) in 2nd stitch from hook and in each stitch down to end of chain (13 sc). Working around the back side of chain, sc in each stitch to create a seamless cozy. Do not join. Continue working in rounds until your cozy measures 4-1/2 inches long before felting (approx. 19 rounds.) Slip stitch into last few stitches of final round so your finished edge is smooth. Fasten off and weave under ends on the inside of your cozy. Finished size before felting was 3-1/2 inches wide by 4-1/2 inches long.

Buttonhole Loop:
Join yarn with slip stitch in 5th stitch from edge and ch 15. Attach in the 2nd stitch over from loop base to create the buttonhole with a slip stitch. Then Sc back up the chain evenly (approx. 18 Sc’s.) Join with slip stitch back into the beginning with a slip stitch. Finish off and weave under ends.

Felting:
Place your completed cozy inside an old pillowcase and tie it closed with a knot. I felted my cozy 15-20 minutes on the hottest water. Check your cozy after 10 minutes of agitation to make sure it hasn’t felted too much to fit your cell phone. Mine needed more so I put it back into the washer. After a total of 20 minutes, mine was perfect. I pulled it out and cold water rinsed it in my sink. Shape your cozy so it’s square and check to make sure the opening is wide enough to insert your cell phone. If it’s a bit tight, just stretch the opening a little. Air dry and shape as it dries if needed.

My final felted cozy measures 3 inches wide by 4 nches long which fits my Motorola cell phone that is 2-1/4″ wide by 3-3/4″ long. This cozy is a great way to use up scraps of wool yarn you may have on hand. Just make sure you use 100% wool so your project felts properly.

Once your felting is done and its dry, add a 1 inch or larger button as desired to the front of the cozy. Voila you are done — Enjoy your felted cell phone cozy!

Crocheted Baby Poncho

September 11, 2010 1 comment
Blue Baby Poncho


Check out this cute baby poncho project I recently crocheted. This pattern is fantastic and works up so quickly with no seams to sew when you finish. Aggie May’s free poncho pattern makes about a 2T child’s size poncho using a G (4.25 mm) crochet hook. You could add additional stitches in your beginning row to make a larger size.

My poncho has 16 rows before the trim and it’s 16″ long at center from the top. 19″ across the top of shoulders. In case you are wondering, the yarn is some 100% mercerized cotton I found at my local thrift store. I used about 350 yards of the cotton to crochet the poncho.


Click to supersize the closeup photo above. I crocheted around the neckline to create eyelets for a drawstring closure. I worked a SC and chain 2 in each stitch around the neck opening. I then just made a long chain and threaded it through the eyelets to complete my drawstring. And that’s it — The poncho is finished!

Striped Wool Felted Purse

September 4, 2010 6 comments
3 Striped Bag Lining1


Here is my latest felted wool purse project. It’s crocheted using 3 different colors of wool yarn. I crocheted each section using the blue, teal, and then creme yarn. Below are my before felting pictures of the bag and a side shot.


I felted my pieces on the hottest setting on my washer for about 18 minutes.


Here is a picture taken after I felted the main bag.

Click on photos to supersize
Here are photos of each side of my strap which was crocheted using one of main colors on each side.


I finished off the felted purse by attaching the strap and lining my bag complete with a zipper. Here is a my purse lining tutorial if you need instructions for lining a crocheted bag. The full detailed crochet pattern is below — Enjoy!

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Free Pattern for Crocheted Felted 3-Color Striped Purse

Materials needed:
3) 100% Wool Yarn (100 grams/110 yard skeins each)
Blue, Teal, and Cream colors used
Small amount of fabric for lining and pockets
9 Inch Zipper

Hook: H (5 mm) U.S. size metal hook
Description: Felted Blue Striped Bag
After felting bag measures 13 inches wide at base and 9 inches long with 39 inches strap

Directions:
Using blue wool yarn, Ch 45.

Cross Bookmark

August 28, 2010 1 comment
Cross Bookmarks

Here are two thread crosses I crocheted with #10 thread. I used a “C” crochet hook (2.75 mm) for both. The first one I used a single strand of #10 thread and the larger one was crocheted using double strands of thread. The small one is 6″ long and the larger one is 7″. The pattern calls for a #7 steel crochet but it was too small for me as I tried to work the pattern. But now that I know how to work the pattern, I want to try it again with the steel hook.

The pattern indicates that you can use it to make a cross bookmark or ornament so I may just not add the tassel and use these for ornaments. Here is the free crochet pattern link for the cross bookmark.

This was my first real experience using thread to crochet. I got two small balls at the thrift store for 49 cents so I wanted to give it a try. I love the pretty and delicate look of thread but it’s a far cry from crocheting with recycled plastic bags like I usually do. I do love my thread crosses and hope to make more for Christmas gifts now that I’ve learned to crochet with the very thin yarn.

Felted Baby Slippers

August 6, 2010 9 comments
Felted Red Baby Booties

I crocheted these felted baby slippers using just a small amount of chunky wool yarn that I had left over from a thrift store purchase. I was inspired by the cute felted woman’s slippers that Guro created. Guro has a new blog site where you can find all kinds of beautiful new craft projects that she has created. I just love all her beautiful crochet projects. Click on over and check out her gorgeous designs.

I wanted to make baby slippers to fit my Granddaughter who is 10 months old. So through trial and error, I finally came up with a pattern that after felting fit her feet.

My finished slippers before felting were 3″ wide by 5″ inches long with a toe depth of 2″. After felting the slippers are 2.5″ wide by 4.25″ long. Guro has graciously allowed me to post my baby version of her slipper pattern below. Enjoy and happy crafting to all!

Felted Baby Wool Slippers

Crochet hook: J (6 mm) crochet hook
Yarn: 2 ozs Bulky/Chunky weight wool yarn
2) small star buttons

Rnd 1
Ch 2, work 6 Sc in 2nd ch from hook. Don’t join as this pattern is worked in rounds without joining.

Stars & Stripes Felted Wheelchair Tote Bag

July 1, 2010 7 comments
Stars and Strips Wider Tote Bag


It’s nearly the 4th of July so I thought I’d post a fun stars and stripes project I did for charity. Crocheting for charity is very rewarding and enjoyable. It’s a wonderful way to give back a bit and pay it forward to someone that you may not even know.

I’ve recently crocheted a few wheelchair – walker tote bags for my local nursing home. Here is one of my stars and stripes tote bags I created from some vintage bulky wool yarn I found at a thrift store. Being wool I just had to felt this and I was really pleased with the results. Felted wool just looks so cool and I think it adds a special touch to the bag.

Please feel free to use my pattern to crochet for your local charities or organizations.
Enjoy and I hope you have a wonderful 4th of July!

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Free Pattern for Stars & Stripes Wheelchair – Walker Tote Bag

Materials needed:
Bulky weight wool yarn in red, white and blue, approx. 2 ozs in each color
2) 1 inch buttons

Hook:
N (9 mm) U.S. size metal hook

Description: Wheelchair – Walker Tote Bag
Bag measures 9 inches wide by 9-1/2 inches long with 8 inch straps after felting
Bag measured 11″ wide by 12″ long with 8-1/2″ straps before felting

Directions:
Using red yarn, Ch 27.

Crocheted Jar Helper

May 22, 2010 10 comments
Jar Helper Starting

This project is for a jar helper that I crocheted to help you open those tough jar lids. The center is a plastic mesh that is cut from a dollar store roll of shelf liner.

I cut down the middle of my roll which was 12 inches wide. So for every 12 inches from the roll, you can cut four squares.

Work with a smaller crochet hook around evenly with your cotton. I used a D hook for my base row and then you can change to a G hook if desired to finish off your crocheted edging. I made a number of these jar openers and plan to use them as gifts along with matching dishcloths.

Crocheted Jar Helper Pattern
Finished crocheted piece measures: 7 inch Square
Hook: Metal D USA sized crochet hook

Materials:
1/2 oz – cotton yarn
6 inches x 6 inches piece of plastic shelf liner

Cut a 6 inch x 6 inch square from the plastic shelf liner roll. I purchased my non-slip shelf liner from the dollar store. The roll was 5 inches x 12 inches so I was able to cut 20 squares from the 99 cent purchase.

Rnd 1
Using a small D crochet hook, attach yarn at a corner and ch 1.

Earthtone Crocheted Kitchen Sets

April 11, 2010 4 comments
Green RR Dishcloth & Plarn Scrubbie

I finished up this crocheted earthtone kitchen set for my Mom’s birthday. It includes a round ripple dishcloth that I made using Julee’s RR dishcloth pattern. I changed it up a bit and made the center flat.

Below is my open mesh magic dishcloth along with a scrubbie dot I crocheted using recycled plastic bags.

Click on photos to supersize them

Next is a hostess gift I put together for a friend. It includes another RR dishcloth and a plarn scrubbie dot. The little flowered tag is cut from a recycled greeting card. I thought it matched the gift and look perfect for a Spring gift so I used it as my gift tag.

Anyway just wanted to check in with everyone and show some of my recent crocheting. I’ve am busy finishing up a fat bottom bag I am crocheting from pink plastic newspaper bags and just started a special order purse being crocheted from vcr tape for a repeat customer of mine. I will be back soon to share all those recycled craft projects with you as soon as I get them done.
Happy crafting everyone!

Charity Baby Afghans

March 18, 2010 7 comments
Red and White Starghan

Here are my two latest baby afghans that I crocheted for the NICU Baby Blanket drive. The first is a round ripple afghan that I crocheted using reclaimed yarn from a thrift store sweater. The white cotton yarn was from a thrift store yarn cone I picked up.

Here is a before picture of the sweater and then a picture of one of the balls of reclaimed yarn I got from unraveling this thrift store sweater. My baby RR measures 36 inches across and I still have leftover yarn from the unraveled sweater for another project. I found reclaiming the yarn from this old cotton sweater fairly easy and very rewarding to create something new and useful.

Next is a starghan baby blanket I crocheted using some worst yarn from my stash. I had some issues with this pattern and it does not lay completely flat but still turned out okay.

Both of these blankets will be making they way to Kathryn who heads up the charity drive for the 4th Annual Baby Blanket Drive at her local hospital. It was a joy to crochet these blankets for the sweet little babies and I hope they bring comfort to the little ones and their families.



About Me

Hello, I’m Cindy or aka RecycleCindy. Welcome to my blog site that is dedicated to recycling and crafting. I love to crochet and create crafts and other useful things from recycled materials. I share many free tutorials and patterns for creating recycled projects as well as other handmade items.


Here is a direct link to all my free patterns available here on My Recycled Bags.


Thank you for stopping by to visit and for your interest in My Recycled Bags!