Jamie

Free Crochet Pattern – Chevron Laptop Sleeve

May 30, 2018November 16, 2018 Jamie

Disclosure: CraftEaze is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliate sites.

I will be the first person to admit that I’m clumsy. I’m constantly finding new ways to break things or to hurt myself (I will find any hole in a parking lot to twist my ankle in). Just to show the magnitude of my clumsiness, here are a few examples. My first month of college, I broke my LG Shine cell phone (remember those phones that screen was supposed to be like a mirror but never really worked as a mirror) by walking into a table. This wasn’t just an excuse I gave my parents for needing a new phone, I literally walked into the corner of a table with the phone in my pocket and broke the screen. Then a few years back I hurt my foot getting out of bed one morning. I didn’t turn my bedside light on and walked straight into the corner post of my bed. Trust me when I say its pretty embarrassing to have to admit you hurt yourself getting out of bed when you are asked why you are limping.

So the reason that I told these two short stories is to give a little background information about why the chevron laptop sleeve was the inaugural CraftEaze crochet subscription box project. I made a few laptop sleeves in the past for my Etsy store and they sold fairly well. So when I mentioned the idea of CraftEaze to my boyfriend, he said the laptop sleeve would be the perfect first project! He thought the laptop sleeve looked cool and could be useful. If a person as clumsy as me can protect my laptop with a sleeve, then it should work for just about anyone.

This laptop sleeve pattern contains instructions for both a 14″ and 17″ laptop. It is also a suitable project for beginners as it is very repetitive. It is also a great project for more seasoned crocheter looking for a quick project that they can make in an afternoon. The laptop sleeve is soft and will protect your laptop from scratches. You can purchase a printable version of this pattern at thecrafteaze.com/patterns or a kit to make this project at thecrafteaze.com/individual_projects.

Feel free to sell any finished laptop sleeve that you make from this pattern, but I would appreciate credit as the designer of the pattern. You CANNOT use my photos to sell your laptop sleeve. Also please do not sell my pattern as your own.

Supplies

Size H – 8 (5.00 mm) Crochet Hook
~350 yards of Medium (4) Acrylic Yarn (I used 2 skeins of Premier Yarn Sweet Roll Yarn for this project because it naturally makes wide colorful strips)
4 5/8″ or 1″ buttons

Abbreviations

ch = chain
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
V-St = V Stich (1 dc, 1 ch, 1 dc all in same chain or space)
* * = work directions between stars the number of time specified.

My 17″ laptop in the chevron laptop sleeve I made myself.

For 17” Laptop:

Ch 71.
Row 1 (Right side): Work 2 dc in the 2^nd chain from hook, *dc in next 7 ch, skip 2 ch, dc in next 7 ch, V-st in next ch* 3 times, dc in next 7 ch, skip 2 ch, dc in next 7 ch, 2 dc in the last ch, turn.
Row 2: Ch 1, 2 dc in the first dc, *dc in next 7 dc, skip next 2 dc, dc in next 7 dc, V-st in ch 1 space* 3 times, dc in next 7 dc, skip next 2 dc, dc in next 7 dc, 2 dc in the last dc, turn.
Rows 3-44: Repeat row 2.
Continue in the Finishing instructions.

For 14” laptop:

Ch 54.
Row 1 (Right Side): Work 2 dc in the 2nd chain from hook, *dc in next 7 ch, skip 2 ch, dc in next 7 ch, V-st in next ch* 2 times, dc in next 7 ch, skip 2 ch, dc in next 7 ch, 2 dc in the last ch, turn.
Row 2: Ch 1, 2 dc in the first dc, *dc in next 7 dc, skip next 2 dc, dc in next 7 dc, V-st in ch 1 space * 2 times, dc in next 7 dc, skip next 2 dc, dc in next 7 dc, 2 dc in the last dc, turn.
Rows 3-40: Repeat row 2.
Continue in the Finishing instructions.

Finishing (for both sizes):

You should fold laptop cover like so. This will create a 2-row ledge that can be folded over and fastened with the buttons.

With right sides held together, sc the 3^rd row and the last row together. Sc the two sides together. Fasten off. Attach yarn to the other side on the last row, sc the 3^rd and last row together. Sc the two sides together. Fasten off. Weave in all ends. Turn the sleeve right side out. Add the buttons to the valleys on the shorter side between the top row and the 2^nd row from the top. The 17” laptop sleeve will require 4 buttons and the 14” laptop sleeve will require 3 buttons. The space at the top of the corresponding peaks are the buttonholes.

Cherry Limeade Wine Cocktail

May 24, 2018November 16, 2018 Jamie

I’m definitely looking forward to this weekend. First, it has been beautiful outside this week, and this weekend is also suppose to be beautiful. Secondly, I’m actually off work all weekend long! I have worked the last couple of weekends, so I’m pretty excited for the chance to sleep in a little. Finally, it’s Memorial Day weekend! Memorial Day weekend is the best because it’s a 3 day weekend and also the unofficial start of summer. It is finally time to spend time on the deck or by the pool with a nice cold drink and a good book.

One of my favorite summertime drinks is the cherry limeade. When I was high school my mom figured out how to make a Sonic cherry limeade lookalike, and we would make them in the afternoon after working in the yard. The other day when I was on Pinterest, I saw some wine slushie recipes and thought it would be cool to try to make a cherry limeade wine slushie. I looked and couldn’t really find a recipe for one, so I came up with this recipe. I used the Barefoot Moscato when I made this recipe because it was like $6. You can use any Moscato wine for this recipe. This recipe is easy to make and the result is pretty tasty.

Ingredients

1 bottle of Moscato (I used Barefoot Moscato)
1 can of frozen limeade
A little cherry grenadine

Pour the can of frozen limeade into the blender along with the bottle
The drink is colorful and looks tasty!

of Moscato. If you would like a drink that is closer to a slushie, then you can add ice to the blender.
Blend the frozen limeade and the wine using the slushie button.
After the frozen limeade and the wine are blended together, pour a little of the cherry grenadine in the blender.
Blend the drink for a 2 or 3 short pulses.
Pour the drink into your glass of choice and enjoy!

The 5 Things You Need When You Learning How to Crochet

May 23, 2018November 16, 2018 Jamie

Learning to crochet can be fun. I first learned how to crochet on a summer internship between my sophomore and junior year in college. A colleague who attended the same college taught me during that summer, and I was immediately hooked! In this blog post, I will talk about the 5 things that I feel you need when you are learning how to crochet.

1) Patience

Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t expect to be the best crocheter ever the first day. It will take a lot of practice and patience at first, but if you work hard and stick with it you will soon start to make some awesome projects.

2) Youtube

Youtube is a great resource when you are learning how to crochet or to learn how to make a new stitch. There are several great videos out there teaching the basics like how to make a chain, single crochet, or double crochet along with some more advance items like how to work corner to corner. I have recently been working on an outer space blanket corner to corner blanket. The pattern I am using for this blanket is from Whistle and Ivy (https://www.whistleandivy.com/, you should definitely check out this site because she has some really cute ideas. Since this is my first major corner to corner project, I have been utilizing Youtube a lot for refreshers.

This is a photo of my personal scissors. I love my flower scissors!

3) A Unique Pair of Scissors

You are going to want a good pair of scissors that is only used for your yarn. I personally like to use colorful items. The bright colorful items just have a way of brightening your mood. I currently have a pair of Fiskars floral scissors. Fiskars has floral scissors in pink and blue that you can buy on Amazon or at Joann Fabrics or Michaels. The scissors I own has large pink flowers on them, which makes it easy to use only for my yarn projects. And because of the large pink flowers, my boyfriend knows not to use these scissors to cut paper or tape.

4) A Pinterest Account

I know what you’re think, ” Jamie, where have you been the last couple of year, everyone has a Pinterest account today because where else will you find Joanna Gaines inspired decor projects or your DIY rustic wedding decor”. But it is also a great resource when you are learning how to crochet. There are tons of patterns available on Pinterest. Some of these patterns are for more experienced crafters, but a lot are simple projects for beginners. Its user interface also makes it super easy to search for particular projects. Like if you want to find a baby blanket, you can search for “Easy Crochet Baby Blanket Patterns”. You can also find crochet blogs that can teach you how to make different types of stitches.

5) A Sense of Adventure

Once you start to crochet, you will be embarking a lifelong crafting journey. You will be looking for new patterns to try, new stitches, and new types of yarns. There are several times when I’m wondering around Joann Fabrics, Michaels, or Pat Catans where I will see a new or different type of yarn and will want to buy it just to see what I can make out of it. That’s the great thing about crocheting, you can always try new things. Here at CraftEaze we love this adventure so much that we created a monthly subscription service that will deliver a new project (with all of the supplies) directly to your door! These projects are good for beginners and also will introduce you to different types of yarn and patterns. Check out the subscriptions menu for more information.

Happy Crafting!

<3 Jamie

May Crochet Box Unveiling

May 23, 2018 Jamie

Hi! A few weeks ago we had a Facebook live video going over what could be found in the May crochet CraftEaze box. Going forward the May box will be a welcome box for all new subscribers! In case you missed the Facebook live video, you can check it out below. Thanks for watching!

Binge Worthy Netflix Series- Lovesick

May 21, 2018November 16, 2018 Jamie

As you know, each CraftEaze box comes with a Netflix suggestion. The May crochet box Netflix suggestion is Lovesick. This show was originally a British tv show for the first season and then Netflix picked up the series. Netflix has produced two more seasons of this show, with the most recent season being released on New Year’s Day. My boyfriend and I love to watch this show and typically watch the entire season within a day or so of it being released.

The storyline of the series is Dylan must contact all of his past girlfriends after a doctor’s visit. This may not sound like a very promising storyline, but trust me it is really an entertaining and relatable show. There are 3 main characters: Dylan, Evie, and Luke. Each episode contains a flashback to a past girlfriend of Dylan or an event related to the three main characters (like a friend’s wedding). So instead of giving any spoilers, I’m going to make a top 3 list of things that I love about the show.

1. The Characters

The number one thing I love about this show is the characters. Dylan, Evie, and Luke are relatable and so easy to like. Their friend Angus is hilarious. You can really see why this group of friends are together and why their friendship is definitely #friendshipgoals. It is also fun seeing how their friendship started and evolved over time.

2. Finding Love and Happiness

This show may not really sound like it will be about finding true love and happiness, but it really is. Dylan is really a hopeless romantic that is looking for the girl he will spend the rest of his life with., but he just seems to have bad luck when it comes to love. He jumps headfirst into almost every relationship, even if it really isn’t the best fit. Luke is who he is because of a girl in his past that really hurt him. Evie’s father died when she was young and this has affected who she is. All of the characters really just want to be happy and the viewer gets the opportunity to watch as they try to find happiness and love.

3. It’s Relatable

The third thing I love about this show is how relatable it actually is. Unlike other shows, the characters all have jobs that a person in their 20s might have (landscaper, app developer, photographer). They also do not live super extravagant lifestyles and almost everyone has roommates. Also unlike other shows that are romantic comedies, everything doesn’t always end up perfectly just like real life.

So these are the 3 reasons why I love the series Lovesick. Be sure to check it out on Netflix!

Winking Owl Moscato – Wine Review

May 21, 2018August 19, 2018 Jamie

Here at CraftEaze, we love crafts, Netflix, and wine. So each month our projects contain a wine and Netflix suggestion. Winking Owl Moscato was the May crochet pattern suggestion. You can find Winking Owl Moscato at Aldi. I love shopping at Aldi because they have some unique products and also have some good deals on essential food items like eggs. I remember growing up my mom would buy the pizza kits from Aldi and my sister and I would get to make our very own pizza.

The Winking Owl Moscato is a sweet white wine. The wine has a slight peach flavor. It pairs well with spicy food, cheeses, desserts, or a quiet evening watching Netflix. This is one of my favorite wines. This is my go-to wine to drink while binge watching Netflix and working on a craft project. Recently, I had a glass of this wine while working on a baby blanket for a friend.

For more information or to find an Aldi location near you with this wine visit: http://www.aldi.us/en/grocery-home/wine-cellar/white-wines/white-wines-detail/ps/p/winking-owl-moscato/