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KNIT: Save the landfills BOOT TRAY & WELCOME MAT

nicole — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:21:14 +0000

It’s getting to be that time of year again, especially if you live in a climate where you go through the slushly periods of snow and mud. So Faith put together this great simple welcome mat pattern that you can make out of plastic bags. It’s nice because you can just rinse it off! In case you’re not familiar with how to make plastic bag yarn, Click HERE, to view my other free pattern where I have a few videos on how to make it!

Materials: 12 mm (US 17) needles
1-2 100g balls Darn Good Yarn Hemp yarn

Click Here to Get the Hemp

Cut up plastic shopping bags

(Note: the amount of yarn and number of plastic bags needed depends on how big you want the mat to be. The mat in the picture is 32 stitches or eight squares wide and 48 rows or 12 squares long and measures about 18 inches square. It took about 15 bags of assorted sizes and two half-balls of hemp.)

Using the cut-up plastic bags and two strands of the hemp, cast on a number of stitches that is divisible by eight.

Rows 1 to 4: Knit 4, purl 4 to the end of the row.

Rows 5 to 8: Purl 4, knit 4 to the end of the row.

Continue in a four by four checkerboard pattern until the mat is as big as you want it to be.

Sample Boot Tray/Welcome Mat

CROCHET: Free Scrubby Pattern

nicole — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:45:02 +0000

Who wants a easy crochet pattern? Who needs a quick gift? Who needs it to be cheap? Who needs it to be easy?

If you answered yes to any of these questions.. well thanks for sticking around:)

No, seriously, I have a great easy pattern for a hemp scrubbie for all of you crocheters out there!

Use it in the shower or on your counters. I actaully love to use mine in the kitchen because they take grit up super quick.

We all need to thank Melissa, one of Darn Good Yarn’s Sponsored Etsy Artists.

Click Here to Buy the Yarn

Here’s the pattern:
You’ll need one ball of hemp which will yield a couple of these puppies for you!
Finished size = just under 5 inches, round
Hook Size = E (3.5 mm)
Start chain 4, leaving a really long tail
Round 1: 16 dc in 1st ch, use tail to pull first chain closed, slip stitch to join. ch 3 (if you have a “hole” don’t worry, we can fix it later)
Round 2: 2 dc in each stitch, slip stitch to join, ch 3
Round 3: repeat round 2 (scrubber won’t be flat it will be “wavy”)
Round 5: 1 dc in each stitch, slip stitch to join, finish off leaving long tail.

Using yarn needle, weave in tail at center. If you have a “hole” use the tail to cris cross and pull the stitches together. Trim excess. Repeat with outside tail.

Another note: This is a free pattern which is not to be used for commercial gain. Feel free to tell your friends and use it how you like but respect the artist!

Click here to get the yarn!

A special thanks to Melissa. Visit and support her sites which are:
http://madebymelissa.etsy.com
http://madebymelissa.blogspot.com

http://etsynj.blogspot.com

KNIT: Hemp Washcloth

nicole — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 04:44:30 +0000

So, do you ever have a project that you just don’t take too seriously… for me washcloths are like that. While they were good for teaching me stitches back in the day, sometimes I get a little lazy and while the intent is there to make something super cool…my creative juices run a little dry (it’s because I’m always looking for new yarn for all of us to enjoy!)

So, all you’ll need is a pair of 5 needles and
1 ball of The Natural

CO 36 sts and make a square… crazy complicated stuff!!! Woooo!

But it is worth noting a few things:

I didn’t even make a dent in that ball of hemp
It got softer as I washed it in my machine
It would make a nice gift if you made one of these and made a soap. But a nice little bow around it and don’t you look all Martha-ish!

And yes, please excuse the pricing in the video too. The pricing in the store is current and accurate.