EZhair Bun Maker (top secret!!)

So I did it again, I’m a  bad, bad, bad crafter. I bought something at a craft fair to “steal” the secret. Shhhh, I’ll share it with you, only if you keep it a secret!

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It’s the amazing “wonder bun, EZ bun, Bun easy… what ever it’s called, it’s genus!! Since it is mid-august, and its way too hot for long hair, you need any easy solution for your hair besides cutting it all off!  Years ago I had a couple of these thingys, but the holes stretched out, and I forgot how much I loved them. Until this past summer on our road trip, and I found them again in the Marketplace. I was so thrilled, I paid $20 bucks for two of them. Yes, twenty of my hard-earned bucks!! Well you know me by now, as soon as I got home I began “deconstructing” them to figure out what gauge wire, type fabric, size and began customizing them for me. (and you) hint: if you use it on wet hair, you get really nice curls when it’s dry!! Try it at the beach, and you’ll be party ready by night!

Materials Needed:

Cute fabric, stretchy worked best, but I also did a few with cotton (go 49ers!)

Think I might do some seasonal ones too!

12 gauge craft wire, it needs to be stiff but flexible

wire cutters

thread to match or compliment

sewing machine

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I experimented until I figured out the best measurements.

For adults cut fabric 16″ X 4″, children and those of us with really fine hair 10″ X 4″ rectangles. (cut 2). I used the rotary cutter and mat to cut multiples, because I can’t make one of anything!

Don’t worry about cutting the ends round, you can do this after you sew them, before you turn them.

I worked production line style once I figured out the dimensions. Sssshhh, there’s the original on top, just place the right sides together, and sew down the edges and “round” out the corners.

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I sewed about a dozen of each color, then trimmed the corners off. Fold them in half and cut a slit down the middle 4″ hole for adult, 3″ hole kids/fine hair.

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Use this opening to turn right side out.

Now to make the “magic” part. It took some shopping around, but finally found the correct gauge of wire. I found it sold as floral wire, 12 gauge coated. (it’s pliable but stiff enough to hold its shape.)

Cut the wire at 32″ for adults, and 24″ kids/fine hair and twist together to form a large oval shape. Make sure its tied/twisted securely, you are sewing it inside and don’t want it to come untied.

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Insert the wire into opening, and stitch it shut. If you have a “fancy” machine you could do a long button hole, but I just topstitched it shut. You won’t see it anyway, your hair goes through it, but neatness counts!!

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And Voila! easy, wonder, EZ bun maker.

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So to use it, you just gather up your hair into a pony tail, low if you’re adding a hat, or high if you’re going for naughty librarian. Give it a twist a couple of times to tighten the hole. pull down about 2/3 to 3/4 of the hair length, and begin rolling up.

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Wow. trying to take a selfie is harder than it looks!

Continue rolling the hair until up against the scalp, but not too tight.

Bring the ends together, and twist to secure. You can tuck them on top, or hide underneath the bun.

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I think I need one more hand…..

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Ta Daaa!! it’s a bun!!

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Here’s my 49er one too! You can do a double bun, just use two makers and roll half your hair at a time. You can do a half bun by only rolling the top and sides of your hair and leaving the lower portion out. Or try a pony bun by rolling the bottom half of your hair, and placing the top portion through the bun before you twist it closed. Since I don’t have a photographer on hand, and two hands aren’t enough to shoot properly, and for more professional styling instructions, please go online to youtube!

Enjoy

Debbie

Too Cool Pool Stools

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I think I fell asleep watching Flea Market Flip or Junk Gypsies… and the next morning I spotted a couple of plain, wooden stools on our local “needs” Facebook page, and felt the need to “fix “them up. Besides she only wanted $10 for the pair, how bad could they come out?

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They came as basic as you could get, still had a little lunch spilled on the tops. So sanding commenced once the food was removed. These have a particularly tough shiny coating on them that if you don’t get it all off, the new paint won’t stick or will be different sheen. It’s a really good upper body workout, and by the time I was done, I gave myself 60 mins activity on my fitbit!

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Started with the legs, taped the bottom to keep a clean edge. Not sure why because its underneath the top, but seemed like the right thing to do?

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Think the gloss black was the perfect choice for the legs, classic style.

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The red on top is the same color as the accent wall in the game room. Wish I had extra, but alas, had to ask the hardware store to mix another batch. Its called rhubarb and dries much darker. You can use any color combination that matches or compliments your room.

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I used a couple 3″ wooden circles to outline the pool balls. I base painted them with pearl sheen white and used a quarter to draw the number circles.

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I thought they look good, but not great? It seemed like something was missing? Oh yeah, gold! since we have a loosely based 49er color scheme in the game room, I needed to add some gold.

So I painted the band around with metallic gold. Sparky!!

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Viola!! Red, Gold and black, Pool table inspired, too cool pool stools, for the Game room!!

You never know where inspiration and opportunity will combine….keep your creative eye out!!

Enjoy!

Debbie

Snowflake Christmas Tree Skirt

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I know it’s barely August, but I was inspired to make a new tree skirt this year for my christmas tree. Since I was trapped in the truck during my “awesome” road trip, I had plenty of time to crochet. It’s one of my favorite parts of traveling. I found a 12 point star pattern online, and decided to work it into a snowflake pattern for under my tree.

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Materials Used:

2 1/2 skeins White  (Hobby Lobby super soft – I love this yarn) (color A)

2 skeins White/sparkle (Hobby Lobby Metallic – I love this yarn) (color B)

2 skeins Yarn Bee Fetching pewter (color C contrast)

Hook size I 5.5mm

Since I do my Holiday dining room entirely of white/silver snowflakes the color was as important as the pattern. You can use whatever colors complement your decor. I’m planning on a blue/red/white one for my BFF who has a “Cubs” tree for her honey each year.

The pattern is fairly simple, you can change yarns whenever you like, keeping the basic stitch in mind, and do as many rows will fit your needs. I have my tree on a platform that is 36″ in diameter, so my finished skirt is approx. 45″ across, with each point measuring 24″ long. I kept adding rows until I had the size I wanted. You can do less, or more just follow the pattern once established.

A few pointers as I worked along, establish the “right” side of your work so that when changing colors you begin at the proper side. When you’re keeping with the same color, you can simply turn and work back. But if you’re adding a new color you want to start on the “right” side. Working in the back loops of the “right” side makes a nice edge for the color change. (If you look closely, you can see I didn’t figure this out soon enough) If you use different styles/types of yarn it will also make the lines cleaner between them. Once I was finished, I decided to “edge” the entire piece in the metallic pewter yarn. See the inner ring of the beginning, it was all white until I put the final edge completely around.

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Note: The pattern I started with was somewhat confusing, so I decided to modify it for us basic crocheters.

Shell = *2dc, ch 2, 2dc* (makes the point of the snowflake, adding 1 st to dc total between)

P-st = *dc, ch2, dc* (makes the point, without adding dc to the count)

Row 1: using color A (plain white) *(chain 5, dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in 5th ch) repeat 11 more times (makes 12 “bumps” ) with 2-dc, and 3 ch spaces each. (24 st) Mark as the right side….

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Row 2: pull yarn up in the ch3 space, chain 2, (counts as dc) dc, ch2, 2dc, in the same space. *2dc, ch2, 2dc* repeat in each of the 11 bumps. turn. (48 st)

Row 3: slip st in next st, ch 3, *2dc, ch2, 2dc* in the ch2 space, dc in next st, skip 2 sts, dc in next st, *shell* in the ch2 space, dc in next stitch, repeat 11 times, skip last stitch turn (72 st)

Row 4: sl st in next st, ch3, dc in next st, (counts as 2dc) *shell* in the ch2 space, dc in next 2 stitches, skip 2 stitches, *shell* in the ch2 space, repeat 11 times, skip last stitch turn (96 st)

Row 5: We’re going to start the “ripple” portion of the skirt working in all dc, skip first stitch, dc in each of next 2 sts. P-st in the ch2 space, dc next 3 sts, (sk 2 st, dc in next 3 st, p-st in ch sp, dc in next 3st) 11 times. (96sts) finish off. (I changed to pewter)

Note: when you’re working a color change row, remember to work in the back loops except when working the *shell* or *P-st* in the ch2 spaces. 

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Row 6: Remember to start on the right side (color c) skip first stitch, join color C in back loop of next st, ch 3, (counts as dc) dc in back loop of next 2 sts, *shell* in the ch 2 sp, dc in back loop of next 3 stitches, (sk 2 sts, dc in back loop of next 3, *shell* in ch2 space, dc in back loop of next 3 sts) 11 times skip last stitch. finish off (120 st)

Row 7: Remember to go back to the right side again (color B) skip first st, join color B in back loop of next st, ch 3, (counts as dc) dc in back loop of next 3 st, *shell* in ch2 sp, dc in back loop of next 4 sts, (sk 2 sts dc in back loop of net 4 sts, *shell* in ch 2 sp, dc in back loop of next 4 sts) 11 times. turn (144 sts)

Row 8: skip first stitch, chain 3 (counts as dc) dc next 5 st, P-st in ch2 space, dc next 5 std, (skip 2st, dc 5 st, P-st in ch 2 sp, dc 5 st) 11 times skip last stitch, turn (144 st) no increase on the P-st rows.

Row 9: slip stitch in the first stitch, ch3 (counts as dc) dc in next 4 sts, *shell* in the ch2 space, dc in next 5 std, (skip 2, dc in next 5, *shell* dc next 5) 11 times, skip last stitch,  (168st) finish off.

Note: So, the gist of this pattern repeats with every third row. Shell rows add one to the count of dc worked between the points and dips, but the third row is worked with a P-st no increase.

Row 10: Remember to start on the right side, and work in the back loops if you are changing colors (color C) skip first st, join color C, chain 3 (counts as dc) dc next 5 dc, *shell* in ch2 space, sc next 6 sts, (skip 2 sts, *shell* in ch 2 space, dc net 6 sts,) 11 times. skip last stitch. finish off. (192 sts)

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Row 11: (color A) skip first st, chain 3, (counts as dc) dc next 7 sts, P-st in ch 2 space, dc in next 7 sts, (sk 2, dc 7 sts, P-st, dc next 7) 11 times, skip last st, turn (192 sts)

Row 12: slip stitch first stitch, ch 3, dc next 6 sts, *shell* in ch2 space, dc next 7 sts, (sk 2, dc in next 7 sts, *shell* in ch 2 space, dc next 7 sts) 11 times.  turn (216 sts)

Row 13: *shell* row, 8dc finish off

Row 14: (color C) *P-st* 9dc finish off

Row 15: (color B) *shell* 9 dc turn

Row 16: *shell* 10 dc turn

Row 17: *p-st* 11 dc finish off

Row 18: (color C)*shell* 11 dc finish off

Row 19: (color A) *shell* 12 dc, turn

Row 20: *P-st* 13 dc, turn

Row 21: *shell* 13 dc, turn

Row 22: *shell* 14 dc, finish off

Row 23: (color C) *p-st* 15 dc, finish off

Row 24: (color B) *shell* 15 dc, turn

Row 25: *shell* 16 dc, turn

Row 26: *P-st* 17 dc, turn

Row 27: *shell* 17 dc, finish off

Row 28: (color C)*shell* 18 dc, finish off

Row 29: (color A) *P-st* 19 dc, turn

Row 30: *shell* 19 dc, turn

Row 31: *shell* 20 dc, turn

Row 32: *P-st* 21 dc, turn

Row 33: *shell* 21 dc. finish off

Row 34: (color C) *shell* 22 dc when you come to the end of the row, *shell* on the corner, then dc along the edge in each of the ch3 spaces and each row. work *shell* around the corners and dc in each space around the top, around the corner and back down to row #33. finish off.

My color pattern was white for the first 5 rows, single row of pewter, 3 rows sparkle, pewter, 4 rows white, pewter, 4 sparkle, pewter, 5 rows white, pewter around the entire outside edge. You can certainly do any combination of rows, yarn textures, have fun!! Use up those scraps, or do it entirely of the same color and sew on some buttons, charms, or tassels. I think mine needs some snowflake crystals on the ends of each point. Hmmmm, think I need a trip to the bead store!

As Always, Enjoy,

Debbie