I also got RAOK'd a few days ago!

These came the same day... Saturday, I think... but I waited until I had a chance to snap a pic before I posted anything about them.

One's a postcard from one of the 'ville members, and another was a nice package from a different member. The package included a bunch of patterns (and one can NEVER have too many patterns!!!!), a nice card, and a crocheted washcloth.

For anybody who doesn't know what an RAOK is... lemme give ya the low-down.

RAOK stands for Random Acts of Kindness. Over at the 'ville, we can put wish lists up, and anybody who wants to can spontaneously grant someone's wish... just because. Just because they want to, just because they can. I've been RAOK'd a few times now. Just little stuff, but you'd be amazed the effect a few free patterns that someone collected from a store and took the time to send to a person can do. It's the realization that somebody thought of you that day, and the excitement of "oooh... what'd I get???" It doesn't matter WHAT you got, you're just happy that you got SOMEthing.

It just brightens your day.

Swap Swap Swappity Swap!!!

I got my swap items today!!!! Yay me!

Actually, they came first thing in the morning. I'd thought it was my daughter's taxi to school - she did too; she was hanging by the front door waiting to go out - but it was Postman Pat with my box.

I was so excited I took it in my room, put it on the bed, and just pet the box for a while. Yeah, but I'm NOT kidding.

My swap partner absolutely spoiled me. If you click on the picture, you'll see everything she sent me - I even labelled it all. (Yeah, I know... could I BE any more geeky? )

I already used the purse. I immediately took the most important things out of the purse I was already using (wallet, keys, cell phone), and tossed it in my new GORGEOUS FELTED PURSE and took it out with me. The people who have noticed it have made some nice comments, and my neighbors even thought it was something *I* made. But I was gleefully honest. "Nope, *I* didn't make it, but somebody made it FOR me!!!!" All said with a HUGE grin on my face.

Now I really feel like a shit because I haven't even sent hers out yet. But I CAN'T send them out yet because - as my mechanic father would say - I'm waiting on some parts. Seriously, I've ordered something online - something absolutely vital for this particular item - for something I'm making for her, and it hasn't arrived yet. BUT, I do expect it pretty much any day now, so hopefully it won't be long. I don't like feeling like a shit.

Super Soap Saver

If you're Polish (like me) and you're reading this, it's going to make perfect sense. Anybody else might think I've gone crackers, but believe me... it's a serious problem.

Little bits of soap. You Polish people KNOW that you can't just throw away the little bits of soap! You can still use them!!!! But how? You try to use them and they just slip right out of your hand. You try sticking a bunch of them together and they just come apart when you try to use them. What do you do?

Well, if you're Polish and know how to crochet AND have a bit of cotton yarn at your disposal... you crochet the Super Soap Saver!!!

And let me tell you people, the Super Soap Saver is SUPER EASY!!!


SUPER SOAP SAVER

Materials Used: small amount cotton yarn
Size G hook

Chain 15, turn

Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each st across. Ch 1, turn.
Row 2: sc in each st across. Ch 3, turn.
Row 3: dc in each st across. Ch 1, turn.
Rows 4 - 34: sc in each st across. Ch 3, turn.
Row 35: dc in each st across. Ch 1, turn.
Row 36: sc in each st across. Ch 1, turn.
Row 37: sc in each st across. Fasten off, weave in ends.

Fold the material in half (right side together) so that the rows of dc line up. Use your preferred method to close up the sides (I sc'd up both sides - I hate sewing, and it was faster.) Weave in your ends. Turn the material right-side out.

Chain any amount of stitches - make it however long you want, and then fasten it off. Weave it through the dc stitches to make a drawstring. (I used 2, and weaved them in opposite directions.) Put your little bits of soap in, close your drawstring, and there you go!

Lexi's Water Bottle Caddy

This, like a lot of people's projects, came out of a need. A need for my 5-year old daughter to have some way to carry her water bottle back and forth to school by herself. She's a lazy little $#!t, and was always begging either me or her 9-year old sister to carry it for her (because it wouldn't fit in her book bag).

One night a few weeks ago, I couldn't sleep due to some pain I was in (abcess in my mouth), so I grabbed a ball of cotton twine I'd bought for the accessories swap (more on that on a later date) and whipped this up.

It's very simple. I just crocheted into a circle, making it big enough to cover the bottom of the water bottle, and then crocheted up, alternating dc rows and dc-ch 1 rows as I saw fit, adding a couple of sc rows to the top. I actually crocheted the strap into the top row, so there was nothing to attach later.

It's proven so popular that one of her teachers even said that I should make a bunch of them and sell them, because SHE'D buy one!

If anybody's interested in explicit pattern directions, let me know. I don't have it on me right now (because she's got it at school WITH her!!), but I can easily write a pattern down if anybody wants one.

Chopsticks Holder

Do you, like me, have chopsticks rattling around in your silverware or utensil drawer? Do you have to sift through chopsticks, recipes you meant to file away, can openers, rolling pins, and assorted kitchen tools to find what you're looking for? Ever wonder what the heck you could do with those chopsticks to keep them together and keep them relatively clean?

Well I did!!!

And inspiration hit me... make a caddy!!

So I did!




It's really easy to make, too... so here's the pattern that I used.

Chopsticks Caddy

Materials Used:
a few ounces DK yarn in 2 colors (of course you could make it all in one color, but I was using up scrap yarn and didn't have enough of one color to complete the whole thing)
Size G hook

Side 1

Chain 15
Row 1: hdc in 2nd ch from hook. hdc in each st across. (13 stitches) Ch 2, turn.
Row 2 - 41: same as Row 1.
Row 42: hdc in each st across, ch 3, turn.
Row 43: dc in each st across. ch 2, turn.
Row 44: hdc in each st across. Fasten off, weave in ends.

Side 2

Same as Side 1.

• Place both sides together, right sides facing each other.
• Use your preferred method of joining - whipstitch, slip stitch, single crochet... whichever you like, use it. Close up 3 sides, leaving the end with the dc stitches at the top open.
• Make a long chain to use as a tie. Weave it through the dc stitches.
• Put your chopsticks in, close, and the next time you get yourself a yummy chinese take-out, you won't have to go sifting through the drawer for the chopsticks!!

Now don't YOU feel clever?