Sunday, October 11, 2020

It's pumpkin time, and 30 days to less - day 11

Today I'm combining my weekly YOP post with my daily "30-Day Minimalism Challenge" post.


First up, my YOP post:

I've had the body of these pumpkins finished for a week or so, but just yesterday got around to putting the button stems on so I can call this project finished.  



I've made bunches of these over the recent years and have given a number away - which has the added benefit of getting to make more!     

I enjoy using up small balls of yarn in various colors, as well as finding a fun way to use some of the 100's of old buttons I've inherited (both from my mother's things and more recently, my mother-in-law's things).

I posted this information in a previous post, but here are tutorials/patterns for making these - in case anyone is interested:

Similar crochet pattern here, video tutorials here  and here.
Different type of crochet pattern here.

And a few years ago I created a picture tutorial showing how I make the button stems.  Wow - I can't believe it was five years ago - but here that is.

Things I do differently from the patterns and tutorials above:  1)  I use a size G hook with worsted weight yarn.  If I use smaller yarn, I use a hook about 2 or 3 sizes smaller than what is called for on the yarn label.  2)  I begin with a magic loop, and 3) I keep a marker on my first stitch of each round and simply crochet in a spiral (this eliminates a join line).  

Once you make one or two, you'll probably see how you can make these various sizes, but it's really as simple as doing any combination of these two things:  

1)  for a larger circumference, crochet a larger circle of increasing rounds before crocheting the sides and when you begin decreasing just do so in reverse to the increasing rounds (i.e. sc2tog at the point in the round where you increased in the increasing rounds).

 and 

2) for taller sides, crochet more "straight" rounds - i.e. the rounds where there are no increasing or decreasing stitches.

And that should do it!   They're super easy, and the small ones really don't take all that much time to make - maybe an hour from start to stuffing.





And for my Day 11 Minimalism post today I did something different.  I just walked from room to room challenging myself to pick one thing to remove.  Some rooms didn't produce anything, and in some rooms I found multiple things.  Occasionally I opened a drawer or closet/cabinet, but I didn't allow myself to sort or sift through stuff.  I had to easily be able to put my hand on a thing and put it in the give (or throw) away pile.  Here's my haul:

  1. Clothespins I brought home from MIL's intending to use for making future yarn pegs, 'till I realized there are groves on the ends that make writing on them nearly impossible. 
  2. Another old throw pillow.
  3. A plastic apple. 
  4. Some hair elastics I bought at the dollar store to use as ear pieces on COVID masks, but these are really too small to be comfortable.  Just fine for holding back hair, but I don't need more than one or two for that purpose.
  5. An audio book
  6. A second audio book
  7. One cookbook
  8. Another cookbook (somewhere I have a 3rd cookbook in this series, so it will appear later, I'm sure.
  9. A plastic picture frame
  10. A binder I used years ago when I was buying and selling homeschooling materials and wanted to keep track of things.  Youngest graduated college 2 years so, and I haven't sold homeschool materials for probably 5 years - longer than that since I purchased homeschool stuff.  It's amazing what you see when you open your eyes.
  11. A little bottle of black stamp pad ink. We've had this little bottle for as long as I can remember.  I can tell it's been opened as there is a bit of an ink smear on the label, but I am 61 years old and I do not recall ever reinking a stamp pad.  Think I'll miss it?  

The added benefit of doing this fairly quick exercise is that lots of other little things got carried back to their rightful homes, and a fair amount of stray papers and inconsequential stuff got tossed.


Day 11:  95 things gone








 

27 comments:

  1. Your pumpkins always make me smile. They scream autumn to me. I too, tried the dollar store hair ties for ear pieces on the masks. Mine went to the grand daughter. Never realized there were different sizes.

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    1. These dollar store hair elastics were shorter than any I've ever had before. Pretty colors, but too small for ear elastics - for wearing too long anyway.

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  2. You are so inspiring! i love those pumpkins and the teal one is really pretty. I love the button stems especially as I have loads of buttons too. This afternoon I am going to de-clutter and try and catch up!

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    1. That teal color is Vanna's Choice in Sage. I only had one skein and Vanna's Choice is evidently not being produced anymore, so using this up on a couple of cute pumpkins seemed like a good thing to do. :)

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  3. Ooooh - those pumpkins are so cute! I think the button stems are absolutely wonderful. Such a good use for buttons (that I....ahem....simply don't have an overabundance of!).

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    1. I thought of you when I knew I was going to be posting this. :)

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    2. Well I guess there are worse things that could bring me to mind...

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  4. I love the button stems. They are adorable.
    The plastic frame can be handy to hold notes for important dates, appointments, TV shows and such. Put it someplace you will see throughout the day.

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  5. Those pumpkins are adorable and the buttons make very cute stems.

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  6. I've never seen button stems. What a cute idea. I'm enjoying the variety of things I'm learning from this Ravelry group and the Monthly Minimalist Challenge is one of them. What a great idea to start small and then grow over the month!! I might actually be able to handle that.

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    1. The decluttering challenge is really helpful for me - both in lightening my load, and in putting some breaks on accumulating. I need me some big breaks sometimes. ;^)

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  7. Oh the pumpkins are so cute Becki! I love the button stems, very creative! :)

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    1. Thank you, Rain. I'm not the originator of the idea, but I don't think the person who I saw do this even has a blog anymore - or you know I'd link to it. :)

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  8. I’m all over the place with reading everyone’s blogs and just clicked on the email I get from yours and didn’t realise it was also your YOP post...my inner voice screamed when I thought this was just a decluttering post and I thought you were getting rid of those beautiful pumpkins. I can’t tell you the relief when I realised they are new and not in the clear out pile...phew! I was needle felting some baubles today and have made 2 pumpkins that need some orange adding but now I’m thinking I may need to make ones like these crocheted ones. Well done on the challenge.

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    1. LOL You got me laughing with your description of your reaction when you first saw my blog post. The crocheted pumpkins are fun to make. At least I think so. :)

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  9. Love, love your pumpkins collection.

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  10. I applaude you on your minimalist challenge, I should find in me the discipline to do the same!
    Those pumpinks are amazing, thanks for sharing the tutorial!

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  11. Love your pumpkins! Great little gifty idea. Well done on the de-cluttering. I have a drawer in my craft room that I can barely open - it will get my attention tomorrow (even though with all the paintings I got rid of I am good until October 25th!

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    1. lol - that was an amazing stack of paintings!

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  12. Oh the pumpkins are wonderful. I'm going to see if I can knit a few, I don't think I have the headspace to learn how to crochet them yet!

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    1. Would love to see your knitted pumpkins if you do that. :)

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  13. Me again. Under the comment box the top option is Maureen D(Google). Maybe I had to "sign" in a few weeks ago when I had problems as I don't recall having a problem after that one time.

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    1. The suggestion I have for getting a link back to your WP blog, is to try commenting by choosing the Name/URL option (typing in your name and your WP blog's URL) instead of the Google option (these options are just below the comment box when you start typing, though you have to press the down arrow to get the Name/URL option). While it may not be a way you'll prefer to comment in the future, I'm curious if commenting this way actually works.

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