More Garage Sale Finds!

We went to more garage sales last weekend and I found more stuff. I found 8 more old crochet magizines, and some yarn. I think the magizines were 25 cent each, and I don't remember how much the yarn was.

All of the magazines

I got this red, white and blue yarn to make granny squares with for the Contest (see last two posts).

Why to weave in your ends instead of cutting them off!!

I am making some squares for the Red, White, and Blue Contest (see post before this), and now since I am done with them, I have to weave in the ends and get them sent in. But did I ever tell you how much I weaving in ends? (You can't crochet ends in on a granny square.) And 6 ends a square (because I am switching colors so much) is a lot of ends for a 6 inch square! So after weaving in the ends of two squares, I tried just cutting the ends off with out weaving them in. Thankfully I only did it on one, and that one you can see pictures of above. I have learned my lesson, and now since I have to fix this one, and them weave the ends in, I'll never do it again! :-)

Subway Gift Card Contest! - Red, White and Blue Granny Squares

I follow several crocheting blogs (ok, not several - a lot), and one of them I follow is Deb's Crafts. She is hosting a Subway Gift Card contest on her blog. For every red, white, and blue granny square you make and send her by June 30, she will enter your name once in a drawing for a $10
Subway Gift Card. She is going to sew the squares (like we did for the Block Party) together to make lapghans (lap blankets) for the veterans in her local nursing home. Her requirements are - they MUST be a traditional granny square, they need to have 5 rounds, and be 6 inches square. Please keep in mind the American flag when choosing your colors and use only acrylic washable yarn. This is the link she posted for a pattern for the granny square, but you can also use this YouTube video to learn how to make the Traditional Granny Square. You can email Deb at debsstuff55 (at) yahoo (dot) com for the address to send your squares to or if you have any questions. You can read the rest of her post, and find out more information about it here.

Pot Holder/Hot Pad - Free Crochet Pattern

Pot Holder/Hot Pad - Free Crochet Pattern

These pot holders work great because they are so thick, and they make great gifts.

The pattern looks more complicated than it is because of the colors. It is actually really simple!

You hold three strands of cotton yarn together throughout the whole thing, and that's what makes it so thick. In the example above, I used two strands of white and one strand of black in the one on the left, and on the one on the right, I used two strands of black, and one of white.

Important Notes:
*You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern, but please do not sell this pattern. I would love it if you linked back here though!
*If you think any corrections should be made to this pattern, please let me know!
*All abbreviations used in patterns are explained here.

Finished Size:
About 9 inches wide

Materials:

-J hook
-3 balls of Sugar'n'Cream or Peaches'n'Cream 100% cotton yarn in colors of your choice
-Yarn Needle

Pattern:

Pattern Notes:
*Exact gauge isn't necessary for this project.
*Hold three strands of yarn together throughout as if they were one.

Pot Holder:
ch 23
Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook, sc in ea ch across. (22 sc)
Row 2-26 (Or until square): Ch 1, turn, sc in ea st across. (22 sc)
Border: Ch 1, sc down left side, 3 sc in corner, sc across bottom, 3 sc in corner, sc up right side, 3 sc in corner, sc across top, sl st in first sc made at beginning of border, fasten off.
Weave in any ends. You're done!