Cleaning Metal with Toothpaste

I started a crafting endeavor recently which I thought would be quite simple and straight forward as I have done it in the past; turning an old light fixture into a candle holder. I hope to later write a post about how I have done that.



This time was different. The old light fixture was not clean. It had old paint layered on top and layers of dirt on the underside. I thought a quite wash with soup would do the trick… It did not. So, I turned to my tried and go to method for cleaning dingy metals; toothpaste. I know it sounds odd, but I have also used this method when cleaning jewelry.



Here is how the light fixture looked before I started cleaning.

I first scrapped off as much paint as I could and did a cleaning with dish soap and water. This is the results.

Then it was onto the toothpaste. Look at how it came out! The left (gold) side is the side I cleaned with the toothpaste. You can see the difference from the tarnished right side. I originally thought this was silver, but after washing it with the toothpaste, I can now see that it is actually gold.

I was quite happy with the results and am excited to move onto the next step to turn this into a candle holder.

What you can make from crocheting squares/rectangles – Part 3: Scarves

In case you missed it, check out Part 1: Blankets, Towels, Pot Holders

https://mwlgoodies.blogspot.com/2019/03/what-you-can-make-from-crocheting.html

And Part 2: Ear Warmers and Headbands

https://mwlgoodies.blogspot.com/2019/04/what-you-can-make-from-crocheting.html

In this part of the series, I would like to share with you my newest winter scarf design.

I created this as a gift to a new co-worker who recently moved north and is experiencing his first winter in the northeast. Let’s just say he is not used to the cold weather up here.

This pattern is intended to be very thick and warm for the dead of winter so I used 4 ply acrylic yarn for this pattern. Of course, you can always make a smaller version of this by cutting down the dimensions to 22in x 70in to create a “skinny scarf”. Also, using a lightweight yarn will also make this pattern more suitable for lighter winters.

The stitches (st) I use for this pattern are chain (ch), single crochet (sc), and double crochet (dc).

I use 4 ply yarn with the hook suggested on the yarn label.

Start with ch 35

Row 1: 34 sc, turn

Row 2: ch 2, skip (sk) sc, sc in next st, sc across, turn

Row 3: ch 2, sc in ch space, ch across

Row 4 – 8: repeat row 3

row 9: ch 2, dc across,

row 10: ch 3, sk dc, ch, dc in next st,

row 11: dc across,

row 12: ch 2, sk sc, sc in next st, sc across, turn

row 13: ch 2, sc in ch space, ch across

Row 14 – 18: repeat row 3

row 19: ch 2, dc across,

row 20 – 21: repeat row 19

Row 22 – 121: repeat rows 12 through row 21

Row 122 – 131: repeat row 2 through row 8

Row 132: ch, sc across

ch, sc around edges, 3 sc in each corner stitch, tie off

Please comment below if you have any questions about my pattern design. And visit my store front to see what creations I have for sale today.

https://www.bonanza.com/booths/MWL_Goodies

What you can make from crocheting squares/rectangles – Part 2: Ear Warmers and Headbands

In case you missed it, check out Part 1: Blankets, Towels, Pot Holders: https://mwlgoodies.blogspot.com/2019/03/what-you-can-make-from-crocheting.html


To continue this series of posts, I will next be talking about ear warmers and headbands.


Like Part 1 of this series, we are going to crochet the ear warmer / headband by creating a foundation chain as long as the width of the headband then crocheting enough rows to create the length. For both ear warmers and headbands, the width is the size you would like to see on the top of the head and the length is the circumference of your head. After creating the rectangle, you sew the width ends together.


You can add a border if you would like after you have sewn the ends together. You can keep the headband flat or you can add a twist to the head band by flipping one end over before sewing the two ends together.


One of my favorites is a ribbed ear warmer, which the pattern is as follows:


I use 4 ply yarn with the hook suggested on the yarn label.


The stitches (st) I use for this pattern are chain (ch) and single crochet (sc).


Ch 16

Row 1: sc in second st from hook, sc across, ch, turn (15 sc)

Row 2: sc in back loop across, ch, turn (15 sc)

Rows 3 - 70: Repeat Row 2, tie off

Sew Row 70 and Row 1 together. Sc around in the side of each sc around both open edges.

Here is also a picture of one of the twisted ear warmers I have crocheted.

Of course, you can also make thinner head bands by making a smaller foundation chain.


Please comment below if you have any questions about my pattern design. And check out my store front if you would rather purchase an ear warmer / headband that I have created!  https://www.bonanza.com/booths/MWL_Goodies

What you can make from crocheting squares/rectangles – Part 1: Blankets, Towels, Pot Holders

This post series is for those who crochet but think that they are limited in what they can do because they only know a few stitches. Well you can stop believing that now.

Knowing how to just chain your foundation and then using any given stitch that you are comfortable with, you can create anything that can be formed from a square or rectangular shape.  I used to think I could only make a blanket if I didn’t have a specific pattern first but thankfully, somewhere along the way, I realized that I only needed to know the dimensions of the squared item and using the stitches I already knew, I could create my own design. I will post instructions for my own designs in future postings, but for this post I will be focusing more on the structure of many of these square items which you can create just using what you already know about crocheting.

I am going to group blankets, towels, and pot holders all into one basic set of instructions, since they are easily seen as square or rectangular. Create a chain in the width you wish to create, then create enough rows using whichever stitch you want in the length of the item. Sounds simple enough, but what does that really mean?

Let’s take a throw blanket as the example. Since the two dimensions are different it will be easier to understand which length we are discussing. The approximate throw blanket size we will use for this example is 52”x60”. Because we are crocheting using size instead of stitch number, you do not have to worry about the weight of the yarn or the hook size you will be using. You can use whichever yarn and hook you are most comfortable with or for whatever thickness of blanket you prefer.

First, create a foundation chain that is approximately 52”. Add enough turning chains for the stitch you will be using to create the blanket. I use a double crochet most often when I create blankets, so I will continue this example using a double crochet (dc). At the end of my 52” chain, I would crochet 2 more chains (ch) and then dc into the 3^rd ch from the hook.

Then dc across to the end of the chain. Ch 2, dc across. Repeat with rows of ch 2, dc across until your blanket is 60” long.

If you would like, you can create a border around the blanket or change up your design by changing the stitch you use for some of the rows.

It’s as simple as that. Now you have a blanket that is 52” x 60” and created by you.

You will just need to adjust the dimensions of your crocheting to create other sized blankets, pot holders, or even towels. For towels and washclothes, I recommend using cotton yarn.

Other items that I will be discussing in this series are scarves, shawls, sweaters, vests, pull over tops, headbands, and maybe more.

DIY Dryer Sheets

For my first DIY blog post, I will be starting off with something easy: DIY Dryer Sheets!

Since I crochet a lot of items that I wear and use around the house, I tend to have a massive problem with static cling. I find that buying dryer sheets all the time begins to become uneconomical, so I have had to find a more practical approach to dealing with my static cling problem.

All you need for this is fabric softener, water, extra pieces of cloth, and an air tight container to hold everything. I use an old pickle jar that holds about 3 cups of liquid. I also crocheted my own "dryer sheets", but you can certainly use any cloth you have around the house or cut an old towel into smaller squares.

 

First I poured 1 cup of fabric softener into the jar.

 

 

Then I added 1 cup of water and mixed. 

 

 

I use a mixture of 1:1 for the softener and water. But you can experiment with the exact ratio depending on how thick the fabric softener you use is. You just want to make sure that the fabric softener is watered down enough for the cloth to be absorbed easily, but still be opaque. 

Next, I rolled up my crocheted cloth and submerged them into the mixture.

For the cloth I crocheted a few different versions of granny squares with extra yarn I had from previous projects.

Background

Since this is the first post, I will try to keep this short. I started this blog page to share some behind the scenes of my creations as well as how-to's that I have tried.

MWL Goodies is my business name. I'll include links to my website, all my social media,  as well as the site where some of my creations have been listed for sale.

I have been crocheting and crafting for as long as I can remember. I'm fairly certain my grandmother taught me how to crochet even before I learned how to write. I used to only sell my crocheted items but at some point I started getting asked to share my skills in other areas, so I've expanded the type of products I have started to list for sale.

I will also be posting some how-to's or tips and tricks for DIY projects. I just can't resist a good re-purposing of items that I have around the house that are not being used to their full potential, especially since my husband cannot resist a good freebie and I need to find a way to use all of it.

MWL Goodies Links:
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