Summer Projects, Wind Sock, and Small Gifts

Outside my pond is flowing over with new growth....but I love it. All the butterflies and birds are flittering around and the sound of the water is oh so relaxing.... In my house I have an 80 gal fish tank...in it I have 3 fish, because they are so big, one is 18" long, I have had the Oscar since 1994...here 2 of them...

I made a post card for a swap friend for "at the beah" days....and she sent me one...I love hers...

it is old fashion with the girls swinging together, and on the back she even included a little song...I wrote a saying that I thought up about summer and the ocean...

“It’s hard for one to put into words

why you might be hypnotized by the beach,

the sound of the waves,

and the laughter of children distant in the wind.

Everything about it is refreshing,

regenerating, and almost like therapy...

Beach Therapy”
by PBD 6/2009

I love making these scrubbies....they are easy and fun to make and make wonderful little gifts...the napkin rings are too...in the little net bag is a flag pin made with pins...

I just made this last night, it is a Musical Flag Hanger it was pretty simple I followed this pattern and had fun putting it all together, I changed the stars as I actually was at JoAnns and found little star beads and they worked out perfect!!! Something else to add to my patio...

now I think I am going to make another wind sock from an ice tea can or you can use an oatmeal box too....I made one last year for a swap friend and I loved how it turned out...

Here is what you will need:

Crocheted Windsock

• one small round can [oatmeal or ice tea]
• yarn 4ply WW any color [I used a tan]
• some felt of colors you will use to make your designs [I made a house and birds and used blue,red,dark green, brown, yellow,blue, tan, black
• button flowers
• pre-cut flowers
• buttons for embellishments
• alpha beads
• ribbon
• glue
• a plastic tablecloth cut in 2" strips to the length you wish it to be [I made mine 5' long

1. Clean out your can and leave empty
2. **crochet a round see directions below
3. cut tablecloth into long strips 2" wide x 5' long
4. glue on precute felt flowers [JoAnns or any craft store]
5. cut out your bird and bird house from the felt and then glue onto can
6. cut out a tree from the brown and green felt and glue on can as shown in picture
7. glue on the buttons onto the tree to make your design
8. cut out bird house with red and beige felt and glue on other side of tree[see photo for pieces to cut] I made a round hole with black felt and cut a few yellow squiggly pieces to glue on the foof area, you can make it any way you want, personalize it and add a name on the other side, gluing alpha beads on a ribbon
9. attach cut plastic to bottom of can by tieing a knot in every 2 stitch,
10. cut strips to desired length
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. See how it moves when the wind hits it. This is an easy project and one that is fun and can be embellished any way you like. Try your artist abilities and make yours and be sure to post and link to your designs so I can see what you came up with!

**Crocheted windsock pattern:

• crochet a round with color of your choice, ch 4, ss to join, ch 1, 12 sc in circle, ss to join in 1st sc, ch 1, do not turn
• 2 sc in each sc around, ss to join , ch 1
• sc in same st, [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] repeat around, ch 1
• sc in same st, [sc next 2 st, 2 sc in next st]rpt around, ch 1
• sc in same st,[sc next 3 st, 2 sc in next st] rpt around, ch 1
• rpt around till fits top of can top you have used adding 1 more sc and then 2 sc
• next row sc around in back loops only around, ch 1
• sc in both loops around ss to join, ch 1
• rpt around till you reach the bottom of your can
• then sc in back loops only around ss st to join, ch 1
• sc dec in 1st 2 sts, sc around leave last 2 st then sc dec in last 2 st, ss to join, ch 1
• rpt last row around and then ss dec last 4 sts, fasten off
• at top of can attach with ss to any top sc st, ch 10, fasten off
• do this 3 more times spacing according to photo
• attach yarn to ring and sc around, 12-15x, fasten off
• attach 4 ch to loop with a ss joined in the middle, see photo