Crochet Spa Basket Tutorial

May is a busy month at our house, and between my birthday, mother's day, my daughter's birthday and half my friends' birthdays, I have my hands full especially when it comes to gift giving. Today, I am sharing a simple tutorial on How to Crochet a Basket, which makes for a quick last minute and economical gift!

Crochet Spa Basket Tutorial

Supplies: cotton worsted weight yarn (I used Lily Sugar n' Cream) 5.5 mm hook needle for weaving in ends

Abbreviations: CH- chain ST- stich SL ST- slip stitch SC- single crochet DC- double crochet

Step 1: Make a magic loop (learn how to make a magic loop here or at Hip2Thrift). CH 3, 12 DC in the loop, join with Sl ST at the top of the CH 3.

Step 2- CH 3, DC in the same stitch as the CH3, 2 DC in each stitch around. Join with Sl ST to the top of the CH 3

Step 3: CH 3, DC in the same stitch as the CH3, *2 DC in next st, 1 DC, 2 DC*, all around. Join with Sl ST to the top of the CH 3

Step 4- CH 3, DC in the same stitch as the CH3, *2 DC in next st, 1 DC in the next 2 stitches, 2 DC*, all around. Join with Sl ST to the top of the CH 3.

You are basically making a flat circle. Keep adding 1DCs in between 2DCs, depending on how big you want the basket bottom to be. I stopped at the previous row. Make sure that your circle is flat.

Step 5- CH 1, SC into the back loop of next stitch and all around. SL ST to the beginning CH1. This step creates a ledge and makes for a good transition to the next rows that will all be going up, creating the walls of the basket.

Step 6 - regular SC all around. Join with a SL ST. You can make it as tall as you want here.

 You can make it taller and fold it over for an awesome cuff and more sturdy look.

Step 7- Weave in ends with your upholstery needle.
Optional: Depending on how loose or tight you crochet, you can spray the basket with a starch spray and iron. I love how easy these baskets are to make! If you use thicker yarn, or even t-shirt yarn, you can these up in no time. You can use two colors for an awesome color block look.

These baskets are versatile and can be used to hold spa essentials, make-up, or as storage anywhere in the house. Give it away as a gift filled with awesome spa goodies, or keep it for yourself. I have a couple that I use whenever I have guests and I fill them with washcloths, small size toiletries, and even some treats.

 Now that you know how to crochet a basket, go make some baskets now!

Hugs, Iuliana

Follow Hip2Thrift on Bloglovin!

Continue Reading ...

How to Make Easy Crochet Spa Baskets

Today you can find me over at Craftaholics Anonymous sharing How to Make a Crochet Spa Basket. It is a very quick project, so it can certainly be whipped up in time for Mother's Day for those procrastinators such as me.

Go over to  Craftaholics Anonymous to find the full tutorial and show some comment love...pwease.

Hugs,

Today is the last day to enter our awesome Mother's Day JoTotes Giveaway.

Continue Reading ...

How to make a Chunky Crochet Lampshade Cover

If we're gonna be friends, you need to know that I hate baking, and if we get to hang out together, the cookies will most likely be store bought. What does this have to do with this crochet lamp shade pattern, you ask? Nothing really, except to illustrate that when you bake you have to be exact, and like one of my awesome friends told me once, it is a science. Nuh-ah. Not with crochet! You can totally wing it so much of the time, and depending on how loose or tight you crochet, on the thickness of the yarn or the size of the hook (crochet hook...not Captain Hook, in case you too are obsessed with Once Upon a Time), your work can turn out to be completely different from whatever pattern you were following, which I guess can be frustrating sometimes, but totally awesome for me. I hate following exact recipes, patterns or directions (yeah...I do get lost a lot).

That, my friends is the case with this super simple and fast project.  You've seen lampshades covered with flowers, paint, burlap, fabric, washi tape...you name it...blogland has seen it. This is my crochet spin on it.

Crochet Lamp Shade Pattern

What you'll need

 - This pattern will work for any size/shape lampshade that needs a little makeover. I used a  13'' diameter JÄRA Shade from Ikea that I had gotten a few years ago - Any Super Bulky weight yarn. I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease

- Size N crochet hook

 Abbreviations

CH - chain

SC - Single Crochet SL ST - Slip Stitch (or join) DC - Double Crochet

Pattern & Tutorial Round 1: Chain enough chains to go around the top rim of your lampshade minus 5 stitches. For mine it was 55 CH. Making sure not to twist, make a ring by joining with a SL ST.

Round 2: CH 1. SC all around. SL ST to join (55 SC total)

Round 3: CH 1. Work a SC in each stitch. If your lampshade is a bit concave like mine, you'll have to  increase evenly 4 times during this round. An increase is 2 SC in the same stitch. (59 SC total)

If your lampshade is perfectly tubular, no increases are necessary in this round or any of the rest

Join with a SL ST. Round 4: CH 3. Work DC in the back loop of each stitch to make a ledge that will fold in. SL ST in the top of the CH3 (59 DC total)

Round 5: CH 3. Work one DC in the same CH 3 stitch. This will be your increase in every row. Join. (60 DC total)

Round 6-13: Repeat Round 5 until you get to the bottom rim of the lampshade. For mine it required 8 more rows.

Round 14: CH 1. SC in the back loop all around. This is a repeat of the little ledge we created for the top brim. Join.

Round 15: CH 1. Work 4 decreases dispersed evenly around.

How to do a Single Crochet Decrease:

Put the hook through the first stitch, wrap the yarn over and pull through. You now have 2 loops on the hook.  Leave both loops on the hook.  Put the hook through the next stitch, wrap the yarn over and pull through.  There are 3 loops on the hook. Wrap the yarn over and pull through all three loops.

Round 16: CH 1. SC all around. Join. Weave in tail.

Dress  your lamp with it's new coat making sure you use the skinnier part for the top of the lamp and match the folded edge with rims of the lamp.

You're done! Because of the chunky yarn and large size hook, this is a very quick project. I did it while I watched some NBA documentary with the hubs (and no...it wasn't my choice. It was documentary night and it was between that or one about how to armor an SUV). Also, if you've ever bought a lampshade from Ikea before, than you know they usually don't work with non-Ikea lamps. Check out the tutorial about how to hack an Ikea lampshade in order for it to work for all lamps.

Enjoy a whole new look for your lamp, added texture and character!

Hugs,

Don't forget to enter to win TWO JoTotes Camera Bags. Today is the last day!

Continue Reading ...

How to make a bed canopy with an Embroidery Hoop

My daughter has been making sure to remind me regularly that she is a a big girl and a princess. So, I've been working on making changes from a baby looking room to more of a toddler or as she reminds me - princess room.

Because we live in an apartment that we rent, where not much can be done to the walls, I decided to make this bed canopy, that provides a lot of impact for minimal wall or ceiling damage; also satisfying my daughter's pleading for anything princess related.

It is absolutely perfect and my daughter is absolutely in love with her 'princess bed'. Head over to Craftaholics Anonymous, where I am sharing how to make this super easy bed canopy.

Have an awesome weekend and lots of hugs,

 

Continue Reading ...

Chevron Wrapping Paper Covered Bookshelves

Though I love the look of bookshelves, decorating them is not my favorite thing. Why you ask? because I'm of the opinion that bookshelves should be practical, and used according to its destination...you know...holding books. However, if they hold only books and trinkets, they can look messy and chaotic.  I did my best at marrying practical, organized and pretty. I still have boxes full of books that haven't made the cut for displaying rights, but hopefully their turn is coming soon.

Here's what I started with...

                 

and here's what you'll need to achieve the same look:

• wrapping paper (when I saw this chevron one at HomeGoods I felt like the angels were singing Hallelujah and so I snagged 3 rolls (which is all they had)
• double sided tape 
• scissors and/or X-acto knife

Here's what I did:

• cleared everything off the shelves and dusted. This was the hardest or longest part of the project (you know...since I can hardly remember when I dusted there)
• removed shelves
• This is when you start measuring your wrapping paper. I was soo lucky because the width of the paper was exactly the same as the width of my bookshelves backing. Remember those angels I heard at the store?...yeah...now you know why - it was a match made in heaven.
• I actually didn't have double sided tape and tried using regular tape. That was a bad idea, as the paper would fall 2 seconds after i put it up and overall it made everything so much more frustrating, so I abandoned the tap route and went with push pins in the corners. You can barely tell they're there and most of them were covered by books anyway.

• After I attached with two pushpins at the top, I rolled out the wrapping paper all the way to the bottom of the middle shelf that doesn't come off, made a crease and used the X-acto knife to cut. I did the same for all the rest. 

It only took me one roll of wrapping paper, so for under $5, I was able to get a whole new look for the room. I like that it looks sort of nautical and will work out well for summer. 

What do you think? Do your books get dusted more often than mine?

Hugs,

 

Continue Reading ...

DIY Jewelry Display and Storage

When it comes to jewelry (and things in general) I am an 'out of sight, out of mind' type person. This means that I rarely wear jewelry, because I don't remember I have it. With so many ideas roaming around blog world, I had to make my own jewelry display and it only cost me $2 to make.

If you want to make your own, you will need:
- cork board (I got mine for $1 from the Thrift store)
- upholstery tacks ($1 from the Dollar Store)
- fabric (had this already)
- hot glue

All I did was take the fabric and hot glue it on the back of my cork board (sorry...no picture of this step). Make sure you stretch your fabric well, so that it doesn't hang loose.
 If you have a staple gun, you can use that instead.
I don't, so I used what I had.

I put upholstery tacks all around right up against the frame. This step is optional. I just liked the way it looked. You can stop now, and you'll still have a cute and functional jewelry display. I however drilled tiny little holes at the bottom of the frame and screwed in small hooks for more space to hang my necklaces. I use regular push pins to  hang the rest of the jewelry. The cork board makes it all stable, yet easy to change. I hung it on the wall with command strips and done!

Hugs,

Continue Reading ...

Small Apartment Holiday Decor {handmade&economical}

This is a repost from Holiday Season 2011.

We live in a small apartment, so even just having a Christmas tree sometimes seems like a lot for our small living room. That's why going light on decor seemed like a good and economical idea. Most things I made myself and just enjoyed having reminders for the reason we celebrate Christmas.

No mantle? No problem? I just hung a horizontal frame above the TV, attached a piece of ribbon and displayed my cards. I used a push pin to hang my peppermint wreath and double sided tape for the letters.

I framed my polka dotted wrapping paper and stuck a printable in the middle.

Since I was on the peppermint ball (pun intended), I decided to make a peppermint ball and then just placed

 it on a large candle holder.

Here's my hutch in the kitchen all dolled up for the holidays

This hutch is not only home to a lot of kitchen stuff, but also to my sewing machine. Tis the life in a small apartment with no storage space. I am grateful for what we have and most of all for the birth of Jesus Christ and the light it brings into our lives.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,

Would you like to see similar projects? Please consider following or subscribing 

to my blog by clicking on one of the icons below:

Continue Reading ...