Headbands!

Well the kids changed my plans again! Initially the kids were who got me making things in the first place, now I've changed my mind about what I "would make" and what I wouldn't! I tried to be unique and only make things that weren't on Pinterest 700 times, but my kid changed my mind! I'm not giving up on the unique items, but I'm adding some not so unique ideas and just making my different then others! My daughter asked for a headband for recess, so she chose her colors, and voila, another friend loved it and wanted one! It continues to surprise me what is not settled and what it just kind of liked. Here are my newest creations... Headbands!

Tablet case and cell phone case!

Hey guys! I've got new work! It's approaching Christmas time and my nephews put in their order! Cell phone case and tablet case! They specific on their colors so here is what I made:

Btw, shhh, it's for their Christmas gifts therefore a secret!!!

Crochet Viking hats!

Well I achieved another unexpected success! I was letting a friend know about creating my crochet business and she asked if I could make Viking hats! Since I'm just getting started, most things people ask for are new for me, but I'm always willing, so I agreed! The way I learned, and am still learning how to crochet is through YouTube, so it usually takes a while to find the right tutorial for the client's needs. After some trial and error, I was on my way, I found double crochet works better for hats and the horns need to be single crochet. After making those,  I just double crocheted some beards, and made some braids and voila!!!

Find me on shopify!

Ok everyone, it's official! I will start listing my items to share with you all on Shopify! So far the main items I'm making are water bottle holders, coffee cup coozies, and cell phone/sunglasses cases. Here is where to find me! I'll even do personalized orders!

Here:
http://nicholeseducationblog.blogspot.com

Shopify:
http://purple-redhead.myshopify.com

Here is a taste of my newest creations!
Come check me out!

Big things!

There are big things in my future! I have excitedly decided to start selling the items I'm making! At first it was fun, now it is necessary to keeping me calm and centered! It is my moment to chill, create and make something I can be proud of and add to my accomplishments for the day! I am the make and list and check it off person, and when I can create and finish an item or two each day, it just makes me smile! Keeping "the little ones alive" is always my goal for the day but when I even get some projects done, it's that much more satisfying! School is about to start so I'm anticipating some actual adult only crochet time! Which will be a first for me and so I am very excited and hopeful to be super productive during that time!

Another exciting event that I wanted to share was a craft fair! I am going to join a friend selling items at my first craft fair! She's selling some beautiful fine art and I will be selling crocheted water bottle holders, coffee cup coozies and sunglass cases! I am so excited to start this endeavor that just started as a hobby, that is now a true love and passion!

The last pictures on here are little baskets that I plan on using for my business cards at the craft fair! I thought I'd need something to put cards in and what better way to display my creations than MAKE a basket!

Water bottle holders!

So far, I've gotten really good feedback on my creations, but recently I made one that "takes the cake" as they say!!I have the coolest preteen nephews and I randomly tried a pattern that they watched me finish, and said that they could use one for Boy Scout camp! I was so thrilled, I love making things for them hand made, as they seem to appreciate and thoroughly enjoy it more than anyone else! So I got to work and even put their initials on the... WATER BOTTLE HOLDERS!

Yes sir, my newest creation is a water bottle holder! I have since make 10+ and an really getting them down to a science! The first ones had handles that were way too long, then I made smaller ones, but they were still too large for the size of person. I also started writing down exactly how many stitches for each one and have finally narrowed 2 different sizes, and I may end up with a third. This way I'll have a size for any recipient!

I'm pretty proud of my latest creations and the biggest reason is because everytime I give some one else one, I get 3 more orders, or 5!! 🥰😊🧶

Coffee cup coozie or cup label!

I have enjoyed this process so much! There are so many options to make, and I'm starting to figure out how long certain things take! I'm enjoying the thrill of "look at this neat crocheted item"! I've enjoyed it so much that my new item is a sleeve for either hot coffee cups or just to identify a cop from another person's! It's just a little off of the headband pattern, and poof! Another item maybe even more useful! I was even able to make it adjustable for different cup sizes! I'm so excited to show you some of my final projects!

My plan is to make tons of colors and even offer hand embroidery to personalize! 

Good enough for round 2!!!!

After getting my first crocheted crochet hook holder under my belt, and getting the word out that I'm willing to try new things, I got another friend that needed a holder! Woo hoo, I get to try another useful item, my friends can enjoy! So off I went picking out yarn, this time my friend was the not too girlie, but she does have 3 girls at home, type! I ended up finding a compromise that she would use but her girls would say it wasn't too many "boy colors". This one took a while bc I made it to fit tons of hooks as this friend has many hooks and is a variety crocheter. Here it is!

I'm pretty proud of this one, I added a top fold, Velcro, and just the same as the first one, have a lining so the hooks don't go straight through the crochet. And I made a variety of sizes on the pockets so she can put big hooks in a pocket or a bunch of hooks in each pocket, as I do with mine! She's a laid back/not picky person so she was very happy with it but even more, I was so excited to create something for my friend!

More baby, YES PLEASE!

After making the hats for my friend's baby, I really wanted to send them some more handmade things! Back to Pinterest I went! Ummm headbands, easy step, go around in circles,  (or back and forth then join) then just add a cute flower, poof, cute headbands! I just kept trying, got some that were way too big for babies, but, hey she has a big sister too! Finally got better at gauging how big to make them and could focus on the crochet style and accessories!

As per usual, the more I did the better I looked the outcome! My favorite is this last one, I love the colors and it's my best flower yet! And it's made with the super soft yarn... soooo ready for baby!

New baby!

Hello! So I have exciting news! My best friend is having another baby!! The new baby will be her third child, and we are soooo excited! Right after she announced it to me, I started looking on Pinterest for baby crochet ideas! OMG did I get re-overwhelmed! After we found out she was having a girl, I narrowed down the options a little. There are so many amazing crocheters out there, the options were endless! So I decided to start with 1 idea and YouTube the how to's and see where it took me. I was already decent at flowers, so I thought a sun hat would be appropriate as she lives in the tropics, and I could decorate it with flowers! It took a few weeks, 1/2 a hat at a time, but I finally finished a few hats and headbands too!

Once I got going, I learned more than just a new item to create, I learned how important the size of the hook is! The white hat was suppose to be an infant size and it fits my 3 year old! So that called for the orange hat that will for an infant, maybe not a newborn, but close after probably. Every thing I make is a first time experience, at this point anyway, so there is a large learning curve. I'm pretty happy about my first time hats, especially when my 6 year old just goes bonkers over how cute they are!! This is just the beginning! 😊

My first "order"

I was getting excited about making little projects, and as I stated bringing my yarn and supplies everywhere I went, I started getting really good reviews from everyone! "Wow!" "You made that!?!?" "That's really good!" I had no idea people would be so impressed with my hobby, my hobby that people have been doing for years, that I decided to try on a wim! Who knew!?!?! So I was showing off my sewing skills to a friend and she suggested I make one for her friend, that doesn't have a crochet hook holder! So I thought, sure I can do that, but by the time I started making her one, I decided that I REALLY liked crocheting, and was only like warm about sewing. So I decided to crochet her a crochet hook holder! This is what I ended up with:

My sewing holder had more pockets, and a buttoned pocket, but I liked my first hand lined crochet hook holder! Made me nervous that I was making it for someone else, so it took me months but I like how it ended up!

Daughter's request

Baby steps

I have enjoyed crochet so much that I practice just about every day! From the beginning, it just got easier and easier and I enjoyed it more each day! I went from very low confidence but carefree since it was fun, to proud when I shared my work!

I kept hearing, wow! Awww! Sooo cute! That made me think I could make some really neat things that people (besides my elementary school daughter) would actually want to wear/use! 

I used Pinterest so much to get ideas for my next project I thought, Hmmm, maybe I could be an online sharer or seller!?!?! 

As an example, here is where I started, some heart bookmarks and a Kleenex holder! 

Crochet!

Once I gave crochet a shot, I was hooked!! It was so neat to create something out of string, basically! So I furiously pinned future options but at this point was very overwhelmed. I saw these beautiful blankets, scarves, headbands that put my little strips of single crochet to shame!! No matter, it became my mission to get good at this new hobby! Then it morphed into a calming time for me, so no matter what I made, I was enjoying it!  I was going on YouTube nightly, watching videos 2 and 3 seconds at a time learning. There are some amazing people out there that go super slow and explain crochet so painstakingly, that I got the hang of it! I still go check out the newest, or on trend stitches, usually most of crochet is pretty old, my generation is just being introduced to it so it seems like brand new stitches 😂 We are this new group that have learned this amazing secret our grandparents had all those years ago, that is just fabulous! We can now create, relax and tune out anything that is bugging us and just yarn over and pull through! 🧶
After I bought some larger crochet hooks I made a new and bigger case for them, this is how it turned out:





I'm pretty proud, I use it daily and it makes getting out the door so much faster! Just grab one skeen of yarn and the kit, and your off! No more excuses of forgetting the yarn bag, one skeen and the kit fits in your purse, and your set, no more being bored waiting at the doctor's office, sports practice, or any other time that you would normally be playing candy crush, or words with friends!