Used Pop Bottles Can Become Yarn Carriers
Gertrude C. Hoover of Columbus, Ohio, is a 50-year crochet veteran who has been reading our columns with tips from other readers. She would like to add a few tips of her own. She writes:
“I was glad to hear Joan Peidl’s suggestions for leftover yarn, and I took her advice by donating yarn to a senior center near my home. They were delighted to get this donation, as some of the seniors don’t have extra money for yarn and other craft items. They make things for themselves and to sell at their bazaars. The bazaar profits go into a fund to use for trips and parties for residents.
“Here’s a yarn storage idea. I like using two-liter soda pop bottles. I cut the bottle in half, wash and dry it. Then I place the yarn in the bottom of the bottle, pull the end through a hole in the top, and tape the bottle back together. The yarn stays clean, untangled and is easy to carry along in a tote bag. The boxes that hold these bottles make convenient storage for bottles of yarn. You could make the bottle shorter for balls of crochet thread. Smaller bottles can be used for lightweight yarn, such as baby yarn that soils especially quickly.
“I’ve currently been making crocheted hats for homeless shelters for the winter. I make what I call a toboggan-style cap using different weight yarns for different sizes from baby to adult. I have about 10 or 12 hats done and hope to have at least 20 more made by fall.
“All hats are worked by making double crochets in the back loop only, starting with the second row. I use a G hook for babies’ and children’s hats, and an H hook for adult hats. Here’s my formula:
Baby’s size: (baby yarn) Chain about 30 and work 25 rows.
Child’s size: (sport or worsted) Chain about 38 and make 30 rows.
Adult’s size: (worsted) Chain about 45 and make 38 to 40 rows.
“The side edges of the finished pieces are sewn together (fastening ends). Then run yarn through the stitches of one edge, draw up tightly and tie securely. Roll up a brim and add pompoms if desired. One skein is enough for a baby’s hat. I usually use 3-1/2 ounces for a child’s hat and 4 to 4-1/2 ounces for an adult’s hat.”
From Hazel LaFountain of Cambridge, Ill.:
“Awhile back I fractured my wrist and, having a cast on, I couldn’t bring my forefinger and thumb together to hold a crochet hook. I came up with a good idea. I used one of my sponge hair rollers, taking out the plastic frame. I just slipped the sponge roller over the crochet hook, and on the more slender hooks I wrapped a small rubber band over the upper end to hold it in place. It worked very well and if one got worn, it was an easy matter to replace the roller. By the way, the roller idea can also be used to cover a pen or pencil.”
From Sherry L. Dewey of Bellevue, Neb.:
“There is one item I wish to take issue with and that is the direction for framing needlework. When I began framing, I attended a class taught by Jeff Tichner, one of the top framers in the United States. One of the subjects he covered was needle arts. He told us that sticky boards, which are used to mount pieces, have an acidic glue that eventually eats through stitches. Plywood and cardboard are also very acidic, so the best alternative is acid-free foam core.”
MEMO: Our trans-seasonal vest designed by Traci Bunkers is knit side-to-side. It’s easy to make by hand or on a knitting machine. The yarn used is a wonderfully soft cotton/wool blend. The main color is a medium blue that is perfect for dressing up or down. The pattern, available in a large range of sizes, has finished bust measurements of 38, 41, 44, 47 and 50 inches. For more information on the pattern or a kit, call Bonkers Handmade Originals at (800) 447-5600.