Free Pattern For Easy Felted Crochet Spring Flower Garland Scarf Decoration

Free Pattern For Easy Felted Crochet Spring Flower Garland Scarf Decoration

This is one of my favorite projects to make and they sell quickly on my Etsy site. It is an ideal project for beginners because mistakes are almost undetectable after felting. After you’ve done this once it opens the creative doors to use different flower or leaf combos. The color combinations are limitless so you can use what you have on hand. The yarn you use just has to be 100% wool.

The example in the photos was made with Lamb’s Pride Worsted in Forest Shadows and Rosy Velvet. You will also need 5 cool buttons or beads, and size J or K crochet hooks.

The flowers and “vine” are made separately and sewn together after felting.

Make 5 flowers. I like to have two medium ones and three small ones.

Ch 5:sl st in first ch to form a ring.

Small rose
Rnd 1:Ch 2 do 14 sc in ring and around yarn tail; join with sl st.

Medium rose
Rnd 1:Ch 3 do 14 dc in ring and around yarn tail; join with sl st.

For both sizes
Rnd 2: Ch 3, skip two st sl st in third st from ch. Repeat to form five loops which will be the flower petals. Join with sl st in first ch of first loop.

Rnd 3: (sc, 2 dc, trc, 2 dc, sc) around existing loops. Repeat four more times. Sl st to join and form knot then weave in loose ends.

Make Vine

Small leaf

Ch 4 sl st in 3rd ch from hook to form picot. Repeat two more times (3 picots). Pivot to work in “free loops” on opposite side of ch. Sl st in 1st free loop of ch, sl st picot, dc in second free loop, sl st picot, sl st in first loop of chain.

Medium leaf

Ch 4 sl st in 3rd ch from hook to form picot. Repeat three more times (4 picots). Pivot to work in “free loops” on opposite side of ch. Sl st in 1st free loop of ch, sl st picot, dc in second free loop, sl st picot, dc in free loop, sl st picot, sl st in first loop of chain.

Large leaf

Ch 4 sl st in 3rd ch from hook to form picot. Repeat three more times (4 picots). Pivot to work in “free loops” on opposite side of ch. Sl st in 1st free loop of ch, sl st picot, dc in second free loop, sl st picot, trc in free loop, sl st picot, dc in free loop, sl st picot, sl st in first loop of chain.

Vine

Start by making a (large leaf, ch 8, make medium leaf, ch 12, make large leaf, ch 6, make one large and one small leaf, ch 10 make one large leaf.) Repeat until it reaches about 90″ because it will be shorter after felting.

Finishing

Weave in all loose ends. Put your flowers and vine in a mesh lingerie bag thing or tie them loosely in an old tee shirt to keep fuzz off your other clothes. Do your laundry with detergent on the hot water cycle and remove soon after the buzzer goes off. Stretch and pull your flowers and leaves into recognizable shapes and let dry. I like to press the flowers under something heavy. Sew your flowers onto your vine in a random way, use coordinating thread (duh!) Sew your buttons or beads into the centers.

You can wear your garland like a lariat, a cowl, etc. When you aren’t wearing it it looks great draped above a window or mantle.

Send me photos if you make this. Thanks.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/shannondzikas?ref=si_shop

and Facebook page: shannondzikasartyarnvintage

Posted in art, business, crafts, crocheting, fashion, knitting | Tagged alternative, beginner, craft, crochet, easter, easy, felt, felted, flowers, free, funky, pattern, punk, roses, scarf, spring, wool | Leave a comment | Edit

Selling on Etsy for Beginners

Selling on Etsy for Beginners

Have you crocheted more hats than you can wear? Do you trip over paintings you have stacked up against the wall? Is your closet bursting at the seams with vintage clothes? This is how it all starts. I had too much in my small apartment so the night I found Etsy and realized there was actually a market for this stuff I got to work. It’s been five years now and due to recently being fired, my full time job is making, selling and marketing my crafts and vintage clothing.

In this post are some of the things I have learned in my time selling. I made so many mistakes in the beginning that could easily have been avoided with the tiniest bit of research.

I’ll put this in a Do’s and Do Not’s format to make it easy to understand and to prevent me from rambling.

First, DO take the time to read the rules and guidelines. On Etsy you can only sell handmade or vintage items.

Do not waste your money on anything you don’t need in the beginning like avatars, fancy mannequins, a huge inventory etc. Start with what you have and make do until you know if this is a long-term or short-term project. Just start and go from there.

Do take interesting, bright photos on the lightest background in your home at the brightest time of day. Photoshop the photos if necessary, study the photos that get your attention. A good photo is over half the battle. Etsy gives you 5 photo spots, use them all. Take a picture of the back of what you’re selling too.

Do not screw yourself by not charging enough. I used to guess on postage and often guessed wrong. The post office website is very easy to use and very accurate, use it! If you’re trying to figure out how much to charge for a handmade item a good formula is $10/hr + the cost of supplies. I sell hand crocheted hats for $24-$28 because they take about two hours to make and the yarn is between $4 and $8.

Do take advantage of the community forums and blogs. They are chock full of valuable information. Comment on the blogs daily if possible. Join teams of like-minded people. Support others and they’ll support you. There is the concept of “Etsy Karma” I believe in.

Do research your target market. Are you selling to high-end designers or poor college kids? Make sure your prices fit within their budget and that they will be interested in your photos. This concept is key to your success!

Do not make your avatar photo lame! Sorry, this is the first thing people see often and it has to reflect the spirit and quality of your shop. Make it bright, unique, and think about the branding direction you want to go in. Walk 10 ft. away from your computer and see if it stands out to test it.

Do tell the truth in your descriptions. When selling vintage items this is even more important. You want positive feedback from every customer. If a dress has been repaired or you replaced a button, say so.

Do not list items all at once because you’re excited. You will get more exposure if you list one thing a day or so. List your items when your target market is home and awake. I sell to mostly 20 somethings who are awake at night like I am. Weekends are obviously better for sales and listings than weekdays.

Do not worry if you sell in more than one category. You do not need to open multiple Etsy shops. In fact, the opposite is true. It is a good idea to have items listed in different categories because it brings in more traffic. I sell art, knits, and vintage clothing and just have my one shop divided into logical sections.

Do not get discouraged. It can be an emotional roller-coaster online. One day you may set a new sales record and then you might go a month without a sale. Look at the overall picture and not the minute details. It will be slow at first for most people, be patient.

Do your best to make every customer happy but do know that you cannot make everyone happy all of the time. There are cranky and crazy people out there! Accept it.

I am continually learning new things and improving my Etsy shop still.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/shannondzikas?ref=si_shop

Find me on Facebook too, ShannondzikasArtYarnVintage

Be your own boss, secretary, and janitor!

Paper Mache Dress Form Instructions

Hello

I shared these instructions for how to make a paper mache dress makers mannequin on Facebook already but I thought I'd share them here too. Enjoy! Send me photos if you attempt this.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=58858&id=192564100770141&l=cc9c3f5f6c

If you like it but aren't crafty it's for sale on my Etsy shop

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68511647/ooak-table-top-dress-form-paper-mache