Here is a quick story about today’s free pattern. I have had some form of a skillet handle cover from the time that I have opened my business. They started as popsicle cozies, but I was told that they would work great for a skillet handle. Well, as my business has evolved, so have my handle covers. I have used a few different ways to make them through the years. However, this is by far my favorite design!
Previous to this design, my covers all had a rectangular shape. Now, I added a rounded end to match most skillet/pot handles. I have also tightened the stitches to better protect from the heat. Finally, I also extended the length of the pattern to help with hands bigger than my own. You could also add more rounds to make your piece longer if needed.
Okay. I promised I would be quick. So, here is the pattern:
Materials: Peaches and Cream Chocolate Milk Ombre Clover Armor H Hook 5.0 mm Scissors Yarn needle
Abbreviations: Ch Chain Inc Increase Mc magic circle Sc Single Crochet St Stitch
Measurements: 2“ x 5”
Pattern is worked in a continual spiral
Mc 1. Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch). 10 Sc into Mc. (10 st. Ch 2 does not count as a st) 2. *Sc, Inc* x5 (15 st) 3. Sc in each st around. 4-22 Or until your piece measures 5”. Sc in each st around. Finish off and weave in ends.
ENJOY YOUR CREATION!
Be sure to stay tuned for more free patterns! I also encourage you to follow my shop on Ribblr to keep up with all my patterns.
Hello, Sunshine! I hope that you like this simple scrubby pattern. This scrubber is the perfect for pots, dishes, and glassware. I have included the 2 different yarn types that I use with this pattern. Thank you and enjoy!
I use this pattern with Hobby Lobby’s Scrub-ology yarn or by double stranding Red Heart Scrubby yarn and Peaches and Cream cotton yarn together. Scrub-ology is the orange scrubber. The Christmas colored one is double stranded.
These are the scrubbies that our house uses for dishes, a little extra cleaning action, and bathtub grime. We absolutely love them and I hope that you do, too!
Materials Needed: Scrub-ology in the color of your choice (Bulky 5) -OR- Red Heart Scrubby Yarn (Worsted 4) Peaches and Cream Yarn (Worsted 4 Cotton) J Hook 6.0 mm (I love my Clover Armor Hooks) Yarn Needle Scissors
Abbreviations: Ch- Chain Hdc- Half-double Crochet Inc- Increase Mc- Magic Circle Sc- Single Crochet St- Stitch
Instructions: *****Ch 1 at the beginning of the rounds does NOT count as a stitch***** Mc. Ch 1. 10 hdc into Mc. (10 hdc) Ch 1. Using hdc, Inc in each st around. (20 hdc) Ch 1. *Hdc, Inc* x15. (30 hdc) Ch 1. *Sc, ch 1* x30. (30 sc, 30 ch) Finish off and weave in ends.
It is that magical time of year! Busy season is just over the horizon for me. I have a “slow” September to prepare for the rest of the ‘Ber months. Each month will bring 1-2 in-person shows each. Some are back to back weekends and multiple days. My van never seems to stay unloaded very long. I will also have Open Houses and exclusive on-line sales happening during monthly virtual shopping events. As you can see, the show season gets busy and quick!
My “slow” September is anything but actually slow. I may only have an Autumn Open House on the calendar, but there is a massive amount happening behind the scenes. Show season means that my yarn is headed everywhere with me. My backpack earns its keep between bus stop pickups, coffee shop sipping, passenger princessing, and sports cheering. My hooks are going about any time I have down time. It is a good thing that I can watch/listen to things and crochet at the same time.
Crocheting is not the only thing that is happening when I am not in my cozy corner of the internet. My Cricut is cutting everything from felt eyes to logo stickers to craft themed iron-ons. The heat press is warmed up and ready to create crafty t-shirts, eyes, tote bags, and more. Beyond the actual crafting, I have been expanding my digital footprint. I am currently working on 4 (hopefully, 5) series of patterns. They are being edited and published to Ribblr. There are scheduled to be at least 5 patterns in each series. (https://ribblr.com/shop/shinysunstar-creations-) I am also attempting to get into the Reels game. Yep, me attempting tougher social media. I am not one that remembers to video/photograph my progress. I will get there.
And…yes! You read correctly. I have even more amazing things coming your way this show season. In addition to what is listed above, I have a few things up my sleeve that I am not announcing. These NEW products will be geared more for my crafty friends and will make great gifts for the crafty people in your life. They will become public during my Autumn Open House or October’s virtual event. It is dependent upon how many curveballs life throws at me before that time.
I am excited for this season to kick off! I hope that I can keep up with it all. I have for the last 6 years, but this year, I seem to have taken on a giant endeavor. It promises to be a fun, exciting, and special season. Please, join me on this awesome ride!
It has been too long since my last blog post. Summer, softball, and sun ran away with time! Back to school is in full swing. So, I will be getting back into my new work/home balance. It is giving me a great opportunity to try things that I have been putting off for a variety of goofy reasons.
However, I have decided to commit to publishing some of the patterns. This is a giant step for me. I have a terrible habit of second guessing what I make, even when it is a pattern designed by someone else that the majority love. So, putting something out in the world that is purely my own…well, it is terrifying! It is my mind’s own creation from thought to paper to physical item.
My creative process for design is an on-going adventure for me. I used to just jot down notes and glance back at them when needed. Now, I am getting my intricate with my ideas, and they require more attention to detail. At this point, they are written for personal use. It is more than notes, but not as nicely written as I would like to see them. Once I have them perfected for public use, I will be featuring my paid and free patterns on Ribblr.
My free patterns will be available there and individual blog posts. Don’t worry, I won’t make you read through an entire blog post to get the pattern. I will keep the introduction short, sweet, and to the point.
In closing, I love that I will have another way to share my creativity with you! I hope that this new branch of my business will continue to serve my amazing followers.
This will not come as a surprise to the people who know me best, but I L-O-V-E random knowledge facts, trivia games, and word games. I grew up watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. My claim to household fame was knowing “The Invisible Man,” with only knowing the category of Title and having the empty tile blocks.
So, in the spirit of mixing things up, I have put together some crafty trivia for this post. There is no need to worry, as this will not be graded. I just wanted to have a little fun and games. Plus, it gave me a chance to do a little more research and expand my own knowledge of the crafty universe. I will post my questions followed by the answers I found with the sources. This will allow you to do some of your own deep diving, and I get to site my sources. Yes, I may be a nerd.
Questions:
1. What were the first sewing needles and thread made from?
2. Which craft helped families survive during the potato famine of Ireland (1845-1850)?
3. What form of crafting is know for sewing layers of material together?
4. Where was the oldest known pottery discovered?
5. What is the name of street art that involves using yarn to adorn a public environment?
6. Where were the oldest known knitted items found?
7. What ancient yarn technique is often connected to the Vikings?
8. Name 3 of the Top 10 hand embroidery stitches.
9. What year did Barthélemy Thimonnier patent the first mechanical sewing machine?
10. What is the most common type of fabric for cross stitching?
11. What craft is defined as a craft in which short segments of yarn are tied to the horizontal strands of a small- or medium-sized canvas grid?
12. How long did it take for Stephen Duneier, the Yarn Bomber, to complete the World Record Granny Square?
13. How old is the oldest know yarn?
14. Believed to have started in Japan, what decade did actual amigurumi dolls begin to appear?
15. Name one kind of wool that is most commonly used in needle felting.
16. What was the most expensive ever sold and what was the price?
17. What animal is represented in what is believed to be the world’s oldest known artwork, dating 45,500 years ago.?
18. What is considered the oldest fabric?
19. Who is named as the mother of crochet?
20. When it comes to yarn projects, what is blocking?
How are you feeling? Confident? A little unsure? Do not dismay. This is all for fun!
Drumroll, please…..
Answers:
1. Around 20,000 years ago, Ancient peoples joined pieces of material using bone and horn needles and animal sinew for thread.
4. Pieces of ceramic containers found in a Chinese cave date to between 19,000 and 20,000 years ago, making these finds from the peak of the last ice age the oldest known examples of pottery.
5. A yarn bomb is a form of street art where yarn in any form (knit, crochet, latch hook, cross stitch, amigurumi or simple wrapping) adorns an object in the public environment. Think of it as graffiti, just sweeter and kinder (yarn installations aren’t permanent or destructive).
7. Nalbinding is an ancient yarn technique. Nowadays people often connect it to Vikings and Scandinavia, and here in Finland it is sometimes thought to be a speciality from East Finland, although in reality nalbinding has been used almost allover the world.
9. In France, the first mechanical sewing machine was patented in 1830 by tailor Barthélemy Thimonnier, whose machine used a hooked or barbed needle to produce a chain stitch.
12. It took over 2 years to complete. World Record Granny Square By the Numbers: 1,311 square feet Over 60 pounds Half a million stitches 30 miles of yarn 9 hours to lay it out
13. The yarn dates from 41,000 to 52,000 years ago and researchers said the cord is made from fibers taken from the inner bark of a tree, likely a conifer.
16. The most expensive painting ever sold is the Salvator Mundi, the Saviour of the World in English, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. It was painted in the 1500s and sold for $450.3 million in 2017.
17. Archaeologists believe they have discovered the world’s oldest-known representational artwork: three wild pigs painted deep in a limestone cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi at least 45,500 years ago.
18. Linen is the most ancient of fabrics, with a rich and romantic heritage. Its widely accepted birth as a textile was in Egypt some 10,000 years ago but there is evidence found in pre-historic caves in Georgia that suggests it might have been used as a textile some 36,000 years ago.
19. In 1829, the first crochet pattern was written by Mademoiselle Riego de la Branchardiere. The daughter of a French father and an Irish mother, she is known as the mother of crochet and said to be the creator of the Irish crochet style!
I hope that you found this trivia a bit entertaining! Please feel free to use these as an ice breaker, game, or other fun at your next craft or trivia night!
This week, I am taking a break from talking about myself and my crafting adventures. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce my partners in crafty crime, The Little Crafters!
These two cuties (I may be biased) have been making lemonade and bead bracelets since 2017. They started at the Pioneer Farmers’ Market with me. As you can see from this picture, they have expanded their inventory and creative ideas. For the last two years, they have paid for their own display area at the First Christian Church. In addition to the craft show, they set up their own folding tables during my garage Open Houses.
The Little Crafters feature a large variety hand crafted items. They have perler bead keychains, popsicle bookmarks, balloon stress balls, clothespin magnets, shaped crayons, phone charms, hot chocolate spoons, and more. Each time they set up, they have more and more ideas. They both have learned to browse Pinterest for designs, color inspirations, and new crafts.
Despite working well together, they both have a very unique creative style. The older one is usually more organized and particular about how her creations look. The younger one is much more whimsical and free spirited in her designs. Watching them choose colors, design, and assemble their crafts allows me a chance to see a different side of their personalities. I have enjoyed watching the grow and learn over the last almost 6 years of their entrepreneur journey, and I do not see them stopping any time in the near future.
With that being said, be sure to watch for The Little Crafters on future social media and blog posts.
My Grandma and Mom were the very special people that gave me my crafty start. Many summers of my youth, I spent a week or more at my Grandma’s house. While I was there, I gathered a vast arsenal of knowledge. We took care of the chickens, ducks, cows, pigs, and other random farm animals. I was, also, introduced to the world of growing our own food, canning it, and many recipes for both baking and cooking. However, I cannot claim that I learned to measure ingredients with the proper kitchen tools. I did get used to cooking with my heart.
Cooking and baking were not the only things that I became well versed in doing with my heart. Indoors, I was introduced to a wide array of crafting and creating techniques. My Grandma bestowed the basis of my crafting skills upon me. I was acquainted with sewing, embroidering, cross-stitching, crocheting, and knitting. While at home, my Mom was always nearby to help with my expanding skills. She took me beyond the basics by showing me new stitches, pattern reading, and anything that I forgot along the way. Our house had an old style picnic basket that sat near the fireplace. I was full of yarn, thread, knitting needles, and crochet hooks. Creating was always at our fingertips.
After a steady 30 years of crafting, I still possess the skills for all of those amazing techniques. My most used and most preferred one of them all should come as no surprise…it is crochet. I am easily able to carry with me, pick up and put down, and only a single hook to manage. I seem to have started this part of my crafting knowledge backwards, however. I began with doilies and moved on to dishcloths. I, normally, hear that people establish a basis in repeat patterns, i.e. dishcloth or blanket, and progress into more intricate patterns, i.e. amigurumi or doilies. My crochet expertise greatly exceeds all of my other crafting abilities. Currently, I am dipping into the art of pattern writing. It has been an enlightening path. Putting my mind to paper is not my strongest point. I will get there and plan to use this newly developed skill in my business.
My knitting is a little rusty, but I can do it if needed or desired. When knitting, I usually stick to simple scarves or blankets. Although my skills in knitting are limited, I did teach myself to do a simple cable a couple of years ago. That is a big achievement for me. I keep my knitting at home; so, the projects take me more time to complete. My Mom said, “don’t you ever knit in the car! You will put that d@*& needle in your chest!” I never pushed my luck with that advice.
Embroidery and cross-stitch are two things that I would love to get back into doing. A couple of years ago, I taught the old kid to do a simple outline embroidery project. I stuck with her, and now, she has planned to make a multi-panel project cataloging the number and genre of books that she has read throughout 2023. I started my embroidery by doing tea towels with my Grandma. I have all the material that I need to do my own today but have been putting it off. When I get back to it, I will be sure to share my creations. My Mom was more of the cross-stitcher and loved doing Precious Moment projects. I have, always, taken on the much smaller patterns. One day, I will work up to her level.
My sewing skills are used more often than all the others, except for crocheting. I, often, make small projects or hand stitch stuffies back together. I, also, have to sew a lot of my crochet amigurumi animal parts to the bodies. I made my wedding dress almost 11 years ago, which was my last big undertaking. I have done many small projects for my kids from purses to little maxi skirts. Other small creations were the masks that I made for my family in 2020. Creative families do not know how to do boring; we had everything from sloths to Harry Potter. I have knit fabric headbands on my personal and Kid’s Korner (more on this soon) to do list. I am excited to get my sewing machine back in action.
I have enjoyed telling you the history of my crafting journey. All of these skills have brought me to where I am in my business today. Even though crochet is what shines through the most, I use all of the skills that I have acquired along the way. I hope that this inspired you to get back to a long unused craft or to pick up a new one. Creating is a great way to relax. Also, I intended for this post to show that I can fulfill more than just your crocheted dreams. We can work together to make more crafted creations to suit your needs. So, let’s get creative together!
It is time for that personal introduction that I promised you. As previously stated, my name is Kim. I am Iowa born, raised, and currently living. Go Cyclones! As you have probably already figured out, I am a create-from-home mom, think work-from-home mom but with a lot of crafting.
A little bit about the home life, I have been happily married to my amazing husband for almost 11 years. He blessed me with 3 bonus children and we added 2 more to the bunch. We love to do a variety of family activities from lazy Sundays to hockey Saturday nights. In the summer, you can catch us all in the pool. My husband and I have begun coaching/managing some of our kids’ sports. He had taken a 9 year break after his debut as a youth soccer coach until basketball this year. Luckily, my creations travel with me to cross country meets, basketball games, track meets, softball/baseball games, football games, music performances, and all the other activities in which my kids are participating. I am the mom that cheers really really loud for every kid. I try to never miss a chance to show some school spirit and sport some black and gold or blue and gold creations.
As for some personal preferences, I listen to a large library of true crime podcasts while I work. I am a true Crime Junkie…I have listened to every episode at least once. I, also, enjoy reading a good book. I have recently mastered reading an e-book on my tablet while working on a repeat pattern. I will say that I cannot read as fast, but I can still read! My genres of choice include historical fiction, thriller, true crime (I know that is a huge shocker), and history. My television watching ranges from Supernatural to Mysteries at the Museum to you guessed it, true crime. Other activities I enjoy include walking inside or outside, playing my Nintendo Switch, trivia games, and hanging out with the family.
I am sure that you will learn more about me and mine as I continue to add to the blog and explain the what, where, when and whys of my creations with you.
I have been putting off this introduction of myself and launching of my blog for far too long! So, welcome to the exciting world of ShinySunstar Creations, and I, Kim Vogt, will be your guide to all of the action.
As I said above, my name is Kim. I am the creator, owner, and brain behind ShinySunstar Creations. There will be more about me and mine in the personal introduction post, coming soon.
ShinySunstar Creations was born in 2017. My husband suggested that I join a local Farmers’ Market that was looking for vendors. I submitted my application and set off on this adventure That first Saturday was crazy; all of my customer service experience could not prepare me for the small business journey for which I was about to embark. I have been managing my business for 5.5 years by local craft fairs, social media, and word of mouth. I am finally taking the plunge into my website and soon pattern selling. On-line has been the scariest part for me; so, it may be a bumpy ride.
What’s with the name? Well, let me give you a quick run down. I love all things SHINY, bright, and colorful. My first born loved the song/book “You Are My SUNshine.” My youngest was the “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little STAR” fan of the two. As for CREATIONS, I don’t ever want to limit myself to just one craft. I keep an open mind, as not to limit creativity!
My intentions for this website are to have stories of my successes, failures, family, crafts, fun, and craziness. (We sure have plenty of that last one around here.) My own written patterns will be included along that way.
Please, join my journey! I have had an active Instagram and Facebook since the beginning of my business. You can check those out by looking me up @shinysunstarcreations.
ShinySunstar Creations 