Cute Ribbon Flowers made with a Flower Loom

Along with my knifty knitter set, there was a really small loom. According the the pamphlet it's a flower loom. Anyway, I thought I'd give it a shot. Turns out, it makes these really cute flowers that can be used for all sorts of things. I think I'll use them for gift embellishments. You can also use different materials for this loom. Instead of the standard yarn, I'm using ribbon that I found at a near by craft store on sale for 5 for $1 (woohoo).

Here's how you can create the cute flowers with the flower loom.

Materials:

- Ribbon (or yarn) two different colors work best.
- Small Knifty Knitter Flower Loom (peach with 12 pegs)
- Knifty Knitter needle (should have come with the loom)

How To:

1. Tie the end of the ribbon (the one you'll be using for the "petal" part of the flower to the side peg).

2. Loop the ribbon across the loom and around the peg at the opposite end (#6 peg - counting clockwise on the picture).

3. Loop again, across the loom and around the peg at the opposite end (#12 peg - if going clockwise from the side peg).

4. Loop again, across the loom and around the peg at the opposite end (#5 peg).

5. By now you should see a pattern. :-) Continue looping around the peg at the opposite end til you've passed thru 3 times. See the picture of what this should look like.

6. Once you've looped around 3 times, tie the ribbon to the side peg and cut it after the tie.

7. Cut the color of ribbon for the center of the flower to about 1 yard length.


8. Tie one end of the ribbon to the side peg, and thread the other end with the knifty knitter needle.

9. From the back of the loom, insert the needle between the ribbons looped around peg #6 and #7.

10. From the front of the loom, insert the needle between the ribbons looped around peg #12 and #1. Tighten and continue "sewing" between the looped pegs crossing to the opposite opening.

11. Once you're nearly out of ribbon (maybe 3 or so inches), make sure the ribbons end is at the back of the loom.

12. Untie the ribbon (ribbon for center), tied on the side peg.



13. Tie the two ends together using a double knot.

14. Untie the rest of the ribbon on the side peg. Tie these two together using a double knot as well. I also tucked in under the green knot for a cleaner look.

15. Remove the pegs (you should only need to remove half) and remove the flower.


Ta Da, you're done. Aren't they cute?

Check out my other Knifty Knitter projects.

Rad Linc Crafts' New Look

In anticipation for my very first blogoversary, coming up in a couple of weeks, I decided to make some change on the blog. Over the past couple of days, I've been tweaking things, here and there within the Rad Linc Crafts blog. What lies before you is the results of my recent tweaking. It feels nice to step away from the standard blogger templates, even if I only stepped a few inches away.

Some of my intentions of changing the looks of this blog was to allow for better/more inviting browsability as well as individualizing my blog to make it look more like... well, "my" blog.

You'll noticed that the right side bar is now dedicated to browsing around the blog with the "recent posts" area and the tag cloud being the predominant sections. The blog archive is still there, but with much less real estate.

You'll also notice the banner has changed from a flowery green picture to a personalized version created by yours truly :-), depicting my dogs as the inspiration of the name of this blog. You'll probably see changes occasionally as I continue to tweak the banner to my liking.

Along the left side bar, you'll notice things like my profile description, and a hand picked selection of the blogs that I read quite regularly.

So, browse around the "new" site and feel free to leave me comments on what you think. Also, I apologize in advance for possible changes in the next few weeks. Everytime I think I'm done with changes, I find one more thing I want to change.

Happy browsing, and thanks a bunch for reading!!!

Knot Friendship Bracelet

Wikipedia describes friendship bracelets as special bracelets given from one friend to another as a symbol of friendship. These kinds of bracelets are definitely known more by the name friendship bracelet, but it doesn't have to just be a symbol of friendship.

One of my friends recently shared a tradition with us about creating these bracelets before heading off to a journey. Thus allowing it to represent the memories of that journey. Along the same lines, the bracelet can represent a memorial or a remembrance of a passed away friend or loved one. It can be worn to represent your loyalty to a school or favorite team, or maybe to represent you by showing off your favorite colors.

Which ever reason you choose to make or wear one, this bracelet is quick and easy to make and looks good.

Here's how I made them.

Materials:
- DMC thread (two colors of your choice)
- Some way to hold it in place. ( I used binder clips and a candle jar)

How To:

1. Cut one of each color of DMC thread to the length of about 1.5 yards each and fold in half and place both threads together.

2. Holding both threads together make a knot about an inch away from the fold.

3. Loop thru a binder clip and clip somewhere, or find some other way to secure it to a place where you can begin making the bracelet.

4. Separate the two colors. It's important that throughout the process keep the colors on their correct sides. In this case, yellow on the left, and black on the right. If you don't, you get weird twists and irregularities in the bracelet.

5. Keeping the right thread (black) straight, make a knot (sorta like an upside down figure 4) using the left thread. Tighten knot to the top of bracelet.


6. Do the same as step 5 with the left thread (yellow) straight, and making a knot with the right thread. Tighten again.

7. Continue to do step 5 and 6 til the bracelet is as long as you want it to be.

8. When you've reached the desired length, remove the bracelet from however you held it in place. Don't cut the excess thread til you're ready to tie it on your wrist or someone else's wrist.


9. Tie it on someone's wrist. I find it works best to thread one of the sides of the bracelet (yellow or black threads) thru the top loop (the loop that was at the top of the bracelet), then tie knots. 3 knots work well. Then I make knots on each side (on the yellow threads, then on the black threads). Afterwards, I cut the threads just after the last knots.

Ta Da! The colors I chose, yellow and black are for the Steelers, my bro's favorite team.