Crochet Coffee Sleeve and Coaster

Hello Friends-

Ok, so today's post doesn't have any fun before or supply pictures. The reason for the lack of pictures is because I made this project in the car on the way to my hometown because of a family emergency. Needless to say my mind was on other things. But that should tell you how easy this project is.

Supplies-

Crochet hook-I think I used an I-but it doesn't really matter

Yarn-I used Peaches and Cream cotton yarn, but again it doesn't really matter.

A coffee sleeve to use as a template

I started a project and then found that it was much too large to fit any normal coffee cup so I took it all out and reduced the size. I would suggest making a couple rows and then testing the fit to see if it will work. I didn't have a coffee in the car so I just tested it against the coffee sleeve I keep in my purse. Yes, I keep a reusable coffee sleeve in my purse, sometimes two. The only time I don't have them with me is when I take them off my cup in my office and forget to put it back in my purse. Then I have to get a paper sleeve which I tend to save for next time. Last time I cleaned out my desk drawer I found like 10 sleeves. I probably don't need to save the paper ones. And yes, I could just use a reusable cup, that would be greener. But, cups don't smoosh up to fit in your purse/pocket, and they get messy when you leave it sitting on your desk and forget to wash it for a couple weeks. Well, that is what I've heard, I don't know for sure because I would never do something like that.

Anyway, the pattern I used can be found at http://www.crochetspot.com/crochet-pattern-absolutely-easy-coffee-cup-sleeve/

I did a chain of 30 to start and 9-10 rows. It fits a standard 16 ounce cup pretty well and a 20 ounce really well. I think it might be too big for anything smaller, but why are you drinking anything smaller?

To make the coordinating coaster I just made a square about the size of a coaster. This one isn't rocket science, just make sure you don't loose stitches at the end.

This just in...I really need to learn how to fasten off better. The sleeve started coming apart while I was counting the stitches. But I fixed it, no worries.

I like this sleeve but I'm going to try another pattern sometime. This one doesn't reduce the number of stitches as you go down (or add as you build-depending on the way you look at it) so it doesn't fit the same as a commercial one. But it works and it actually insulates better than I expected. I would totally make these as gifts for friends, book club members, coworkers, daycare providers, or really anyone that drinks coffee from paper cups.

I think my favorite part of this project was the fact that I was able to get a large Fa La La Latte from Caribou for $2. Two of my favorite things together at last-eggnog latte and a coupon. :)

Football Hat

First things first, and second things second. First-I need to make a little bit of a clarification. My blog is called "52 Weeks of Crap I Make" but that doesn't mean that what I make is really crap, nor should it be taken as a disparaging comment to anyone that I steal inspiration from. Actually, I think I make a lot of fun stuff and usually it turns out pretty good. Ok, if not usually, sometimes. So, really you should just take the title of my blog as my attempt at humor. And just like is the case for my projects, sometimes I'm successful, and sometimes I'm not. But really if you can't see the humor in the title or relate to refering to your projects as crap in someway (either by yourself or someone who loves you) this is probably not the blog for you.

Second-As I write this blog I realize it is probably also not the blog for you if things like grammar and punctuation are important. I try, I really do, but I was never an English major. Also, I tend to ramble and have a pretty stream of consiousness style of writing. So, beware. But stick with me becuase I always get back to the point.

Now on to the fun part. The inagural project. My little man loves football. I mean LOVES football. He loves watching football on tv and cheering for Big Brother (all football players are Big Brother) and when Big Brother isn't at home he is at football. Little Man loves to wear his football shirts. Now, this one is funny because he really only has one shirt with a football on it but he has several football shirts. I don't know, I gave up trying to figure him out a long time ago. And we have about 348 footballs around my living room. Ok, maybe not 348 but at least 5, which at times seems like 348. Little Man (and his sister Little Princess) also love hats, or "hots" as they like to call them. Yeah, that is fun when they are sitting in the backseat yelling "Hot! Hot!" and you think they are hot and are turning up the air conditioning and starting to shivver but really they just can't reach their hat. Anyway, their birthday is coming up so I thought I would make Little Man a football hat for his birthday. Here is how it went.

The Supplies:

My football hat pattern which was purchased from Posh Patterns at http://www.poshpatterns.etsy.com/ Let me just tell you I have had the most amazing experience with Posh Patterns. Not only was delivery of my patterns incrediblly quick the coustomer service has been awesome. I had a question about the pattern and got an almost immediate response. So, if you need any hat patterns, check this site out.

A skein of brown and white yarn.

A crochet hook (I can't remember the size)

A glass of wine (this particular wine was the Sutter Home Pink Moscato)

Not pictured-a yarn needle. I didn't think I would need this...I did.

This project was actually pretty easy. It took me two evenings to complete but I think I'll be able to make the next one in about 4 hours if I don't get distracted by things like Grey's Anatomy. Also, I needed to refresh my memory on a couple crochet techniques (slip stich, joining colors) so I had to watch a couple YouTube videos. Seriously, what did we do before YouTube?

The pattern was really simple to follow and repetitive so it didn't require a whole lot of thought once you got going. I did have a few problems. I totally forgot how to get started using a ciricle so I had to redo that a few times so I could get the right number of stitches. I also needed a reveiw on how to join colors. Once I got past that I was good to go. As I was doing the white boarder I did enter the land of "Oh crap! Are you serious." When I found I didn't tie off correctly on the ear flaps and they started to unravel. But I got them fixed. It happened again when I got to the very end so I think I'm going to have to watch a YouTube video on signing off.

The only issue I had is that my hat turned out very small. I made the largest size (2T-4T) and it just fits on Little Man's head, and he doesn't have a big head. I e-mailed Posh Patterns and got some tips on increasing my size. Next time I will use a larger crochet hook and try not to be so tight with my stitches. I will also follow the suggestion to use double crochets instead of single for the ear flaps to make sure they cover the ears. We do not need more ear infections.

I do plan on making a couple more of these hats. I want to see if I can make a bigger one for Little Man and based on her reaction to the hat I'll need one for Little Princess as well. Hubby and Big Brother want one too, but I'm not sure how to make adult ones so I'll have to find a pattern for that.

Here is the final product...