CalPatch

i love this! i need to make one as soon as i get all my stash out of storage...

added to previous comment: i just noticed i did say to only use one row of gathering stitches. that's because the ruffle strip is so narrow. either way works; two rows are just stronger when you're sliding the gathers around to distribute evenly!

sokkertenngrl: well, the length of each ruffle strip is exactly the width of the shirt, so it will vary depending on the shirt. and you mentioned that the shirt is long, but fitted, which means you might need more ruffle since your strips will be short but you have a long distance to go around. so it may be a situation where you need to use fabric from another T or some jersey to make the ruffle...
and i always to two rows of gathering stitches, though i don't necessarily know that it'll keep your stitches from sliding after the seam is sewn; that sounds like your tension may be off. i would edgestitch the seam to secure it. the two rows of gathering is mainly to prevent the thread from breaking as you gather.
good luck!

JennieC: yes! this is the reversible tulip hat. good eye!

iloveyorkies: DEFINITELY backstitch to anchor the elastic at the beginning and end of each seam. i usually go back and forth at least twice at each end!

sarsar67: i still haven't finished this rug (shhh, don't tell!) but i can send you a photo of another one if you send me your e-mail address. mine is cal[At]hodgepodgefarm.net

wow, this is a paper project i can relate to; it's being used like a textile! amazing!

super cute, linda! can't wait to have my very own clothesline so i can make one of these!

oooh, i need to make a few of these! very cool...

awww, thank YOU wendy for using the tutorial! and congrats on winning the contest! can't wait to see what you do eith your Yudu; i'm jealous ;n)
your bolero is really lovely... i love the Alabama-style embellishment!

great job, and i love the photo!

love the cans! i am such a jar and can lover, i am always choosing my groceries based on future plans for the containers ;n)

maureclaire: yes! i turned it inside out because i didn't like the graphic, though i often do it anyway because i like the raw seams ;n)

and noa: yes, you could really go all-out and crochet all the edges! i'd love to see yours if you do it...

hi BridgeStTSC! i know what you mean about the tight neckbands; i usually cut them off and just leave the edge raw! but i've written about a bunch of ways to re-style the necklines of t-shirts that should be helpful to you. see them all on my profile page here: http://www.craftstylish.com/profile/CalPatch

this is the first crochet one i've seen amongst the 'fascinator' craze! brilliant idea linda, and i love your color combo!

i LOVE this idea! as soon as i find a house to live in, i am SO making this!!!

these are amazing, and i've never seen the likes of them before! thanks diane; i'll have to try them out!

aaawwww! those look great! i can't wait to have some goats so i can make them some hats ;n)

so adorable! i want to make some with all of my scraps. did peanut like her mice and make peace with you?

so lovely... i've 'hearted' these on etsy before too because the combo of ceramics and crochet is just too dreamy!

awww! i've always wanted to make a draft snake (well, now i want to make a dog!) but never had the need... my old apartment was so hot in winter i had to keep the windows open! now i'm house-hunting and i can't wait to have some real drafts so i can make one of these!

hi SweetPrincess, as long as your sweater is wool (or another animal-hair fiber) and you run it through the washer and (if not felted enough from the washer) the dryer, it should be fine when you cut it. if it still seems like it may unravel, do a row or two of zig-zag over the raw edges (after sewing the seams), or bind them with bias tape. hope that helps!

oh, these are really cool, and i love that they work for guys too. the fleece you used almost looks like suede which gives them a moccasin vibe. i'll have to get this pattern; i love slippers!

hi thread123, don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong! a lot of T's don't have enough length to get all the ruffle fabric you need, so just find a matching or contrast T for the ruffles, or use some knit fabric.

that is a very cool idea! i always treasure my chinatown bags ;n)

yes, mibren, i left the ruffle edges raw. you could hem them or make them out of a folded strip too, but you'll probably need to use a second T or scrap fabric to have enough for these options.

thread123: what's your question? ask it here and i'll respond ;n)

gardenparty: it's really not difficult at all; try it! just practice on a scrap of the same fabric to get the tension right. the tension is controlled by how tightly you hand-wind the elastic thread onto the bobbin. have fun with it!

CayleMandy, you absolutely could! I used this same idea on a hooded sweatshirt and crocheted a 3" ruffle all around it. It's one of my favorite pieces of clothing!

hi valorietx! my fave way to start a circle is:

chain 2
round 1: 5 single crochets into the 2nd chain from hook, (do not join)
round 2: into the first single crochet of round 1, do 2 sc, and continue around putting 2 sc in every stitch
round 3: 2sc in first stitch, 1sc in next, repeat around
round 4: 2sc in first stitch, 1sc in next 2 sts, repeat around
round 5: 2sc in first stitch, 1sc in next 3 sts, repeat around

and repeat accordingly until the rug is as big as you want. in general, for every round you will put one additional sc between the increases.

to finish, after my last sc, i do 3-4 slip stitches to blend in to the edge. then finish off.

good luck and happy hooking ;n)

GORGEOUS linda! i will have to try this; it would also make a great rug... and i love your little pincushion too ;n)

hmmm, good question, SewMuch1920! i got about 2 square feet out of an XL men's T, or maybe a little less. it will depend on the thickness of your strips, too...

long live Mod Podge! this is a great idea.yours look beautiful! i've always meant to re-cover those round cardboard containers (i eat a lot of oatmeal) too...

my newfound fave is http://resurrectionfern.typepad.com/ . margaret's photos of nature are truly awesome and so inspiring, and i love what she does with natural objects. and i SO can't wait to see the movie! docs are my favorite and one about the indie craft world? a must see!!!

this is fantastic nicole! what a perfect gift. he must have been thrilled!

hi josefly! i do mean both; i use 1.5mm for the length AND width. it just makes a good stretch stitch without all the back-and-forthing of a real stretch stitch.
and for the shrinking, ususally only once is enough, but if you want it more felted, doing it two or three times may increase the felting (or it may not). every sweater is different, and sometimes the fibers are coated to PREVENT shrinking, so it won't work on every sweater.
thanks for your questions ;n)

the store is now open... a friend of mine just told me about it yesterday and the 'yarn swatching' area sounds amazing: you can wind off small amounts of the yarns onto a card, so you can knit or crochet a test swatch before you commit! genius! can't wait to check it out myself.

oh, this is so sweet! i'm not all that into holiday decor (oops, did i just admit that?) but this makes me want a tree to decorate. i think it would be a great room-perker-upper for any time though...

you can use a straight stretch stitch, but a regular straight stitch won't usually stretch enough, and the stitches may break. if the neckline is big enough to fit over the head, it might not be a problem though!

ooooh, this is super cute and looks like an ideal quick gift! i'll have to try one out...

very cute! great job ;n)

i got mine at one of my local haunts, Daytona Trimmings in New York; not sure if Jo Ann has it or not since we don't have one here.
you can also get it online at SewZanne's in lots of colors, for $.50/yd:
http://www.sewzannesfabrics.com/e-foldoverelastic.html

hi rachel! this dress is an above-the-knee length so it's not a problem, but adding triangular inserts (godets) is a great way to add more flare when you need it! and i usually prefer the cut-off rolled hem look too; i just left this one on because some people like a finished hem, and it happened to be a nice one. thanks for your comments!

wow, this is an insanely cool idea! i've never played with water-soluble stabilizer, but i think i have some lying around somewhere... i keep thinking of all kinds of other fun stuff to add into it too! can't wait to try it out.

you've inspired me to pull out my Gocco and stock up on supplies while i can! i always mean to use it more. and i love the tip of using a credit/ID card as a mimi-squeegee!

it would work in jeans; you might just want to do the first round in a blanket stitch (embroidery) with a needle and yarn, as the hook can tear holes in the denim... show us if you try it!

hi linda! i'm not exactly sure which type of puckering you mean (is it the straight stitches or the zig-zags?), but here are a few thoughts that might help:

1. if you take too big a "bite" into the fold, it can cause a pucker, and also the stitch will be bigger than a dot on the right side (more like a LINE).
2. you might need to adjust the machine tension if the zig-zag is causing a pucker.
3. often, when i flip the hem back down, it does still look pucker-y and/or the hem wants to flip back up, but after a good pressing it usually stays nice and flat.

let me know if any of that helps, otherwise you might need to send me a photo ;n)

i only punch it through one layer, just barely beyond where the second layer ends. have fun!

thanks! can't wait to see yours... post it in the gallery when you're finished!

i do realize how lucky i am to live near a Kinokuniya, but thanks for all these great links to online sources! another great one that has been translated into an english version is Sock and Glove, published by Penguin. super-cute stuffed animals made out of socks and gloves, in the spirit of the sock monkey!

so cool! i've tried the same tying-around-objects technique for dying, but not (yet!) felting... now i'm thinking you could throw some dye in the washing machine and do it all at once! (sigh, can't WAIT to have my own washer one day!!!)

those are great! i haven't Shrinky-Dinked since i was a kid, but have been meaning to for ages. thanks for the inspiration!

great idea! i have so many tea towels and i hate to wipe my hands on them when they're really nice ones... this is a cool way to display them. and with those clip-on rings you can change them up all the time!

these are fantastic! i've reconstructed lots of T's but haven't made too many dresses out of them. i especially love your hooded one!

oh my oh my oh my! i LOVE! so graphic and modern... my walls are begging me for these! how can i say no?

ooh ooh ooooh! i always love a new crochet resource and this one looks really good from my quick perusal! that butterfly is so fresh and different from the usual fare. thanks for sharing! gotta go back and look at more stitches...

hi Josefly, that sounds like a great idea! and if you're not wearing it anyway, what have you got to lose? it's hard for me to advise without seeing the sweater (is it hand-knit or machine?), but stay-stitching the neck couldn't hurt. i assume there's already a neck seam? and i don't see why using the unravelled yarn should be a problem; it'll be cool that it matches. you may just need to use it 2- or 3-ply depending on how fine the knit is... good luck and post a pic when youre finished!

i like debbie stoller's Happy Hooker and kelly ronci's Kids Crochet (meant for kids = big, clear illustrations!), but i would spend some time in the bookstore or library and find a book that really speaks to you. also one that has projects you really like, so you'll be excited and inspired to make them ;n)

hi crafty gal! i use a very small steel hook for the first round, and it is fairly pointed so it pokes through quite easily. but if you don't have a good pointy hook to use, or if you're using bigger yarn that a tiny hook can't grap, you can poke your holes first (or as you go) with a darning needle. hope that helps!

this is so cute! you should post a macrame tutorial ;n)

great list, kayte! you covered just about all of my faves too. the only one i might add is Daytona Trimming, on 39th between 7th and 8th. it's a lot cheaper than M&J;, though not as beautiful! they do have a good selection of fold-over elastic in lots of colors though, and they have yarn upstairs which might make it the only yarn shop in the Garment District. also, Fabric Warehouse was once higher up on Broadway, near Spring Street and the dearly departed K. Trimming, and at that time it was called Long Island Fabrics. i can never remember the new name!