Monday, December 6, 2010

4 new pairs of earrings for $5 and some change

Hi Everybody!

This weekend, my husband and I were watching an old Christmas episode of The Office, when I realized that I don't have any holiday earrings. I told this to my husband and he looked over at our newly decorated Christmas tree and said something to the effect of "yes you do."



Of course! The tiny Target dollar spot ornaments we just bought! So off we went to Michael's for earring wires and some little ring things (yes I think that is the technical term, why do you ask?). I bought 8 earrings and a bunch of little ring things for $5 because they were on sale!

I came home and whipped up some sparkly holiday earrings in no time!

But now I had a new problem. I still had enough earring wire things for 3 more pairs of earrings, so I couldn't rest yet. I whipped up another pair of Christmas earrings from some jingle bells. They go really well with a ring (also pictured) that I got at Pier 1 a year or two ago. 
I love earrings that coordinate but don't necessarily match. I love how festive these are, but I didn't anticipate how loud they would be when I wore them. 

You know that book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Well, that's sort of how these next earrings came to be. First, I decided I needed a new sweater, but we don't have much money for frivolous things, so we went to Goodwill. I found exactly the sweater I was looking for (black, slightly off the shoulder, and it's cashmere for only $4!) except for the hole in the back near the armpit. I knew I could patch it since it was on a seam. After I repaired it, I decided to mend a button on a dress that snapped off ages ago. When I got out my emergency sewing kit and spare buttons, I thought of this next pair. 
It's super easy to make and it uses up buttons from sewing kits and the extras that come with clothes that I never end up needing. 

Ok, for those of you keeping track at home, that's 3 pairs down, 1 to go! 

I crocheted two miniature motifs using crochet thread and a size 00 hook. I think it's 3mm. I used a pattern from my favorite source book The Ultimate Sourcebook of Knitting and Crochet Stitches. I accidentally bought closed rings (that I had to cut open and pinch closed for the first two) but that worked out for the button and crochet earrings. I don't have to worry about the thread working it's way out. The only trick is to thread the ring thing onto the crochet thread before you start and then crochet it onto the edge of the motif as you go. I'm not sure if that made any sense, but maybe the picture will help. This keeps the ring securely in place. 
I have a black knit dress that I think would work well with these earrings. 

The earring wires simply bend up to hold the dangly part (again, I'm pretty sure that's the technical term) in place, so I might make more dangly parts and switch them out once in a while. I've still got a bunch of ring things to use! 

I made another version of the gift bow. I crocheted one using gold crochet thread. I think it looks a little more polished. I'm not sure what size thread I used, because I don't have the label anymore. I used a 00 hook. My starting chain was about 240 stitches. The rough pattern is this: Row 1: single crochet, row 2: double crochet, row 3: double crochet, row 4: single crochet. Anyway, you want it to have the same dimensions as in the other pattern. I didn't include the twists when making the loops, so this one was folded just like ribbon candy. The twists made it look really scrunched and awkward. I think I'll wear this one as a brooch. It's about 3 inches in diameter in real life. 

I haven't been this excited for Christmas since last year! We made gingerbread men too. My husband bought the kit at Michael's with baked cookies, candies, and frosting mix. He went on his own to get me some yarn for Christmas (yes we already opened presents, what's your point?) and came back with the kit too. It was really fun and took exactly the amount of time we wanted to spend on gingerbread men. 

Happy Earring Making! 

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