Innovative Designs for Yarnivores
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Li’l Slugger Newborn Crochet Photo Prop
Ball Cap, Baseball Mitt, Catcher’s Mitt, and Bib
Birds of a Feather: 9 Birds from Granny Squares
Cardinal, Sunflower Chicken, Turkey, Robin and more
Basket Collection: 6 Styles, Sewing Pattern
Chevron, Strips, Quadrants and more
Part 2: After making a plan and creating colorful scrap triangles and rectangles, I sewed the triangles and rectangles together to make squares. The pieces were sewn together with the wrong side facing so the seam would be on the front to be ragged. I cut the seam with little slits about 1/8″ apart. I cut very close to the seam stitches. Once in awhile, I accidentally cut the stitches. I put a sewing clip on the cut section to remind myself to sew that area together as I sewed the large “X’s”.
Next, I began working on the second major part of the scrap rag quilt, deciding on the bottom fabric and layout, and cutting the center layer. I chose three colors of cotton for the bottom layer, and a random pattern. I sketched it out so I could place the colors in the correct place.
I decided on fleece for the center as an inlay. I cut the fleece squares to 12″. This meant there wouldn’t be fleece in the ragged seam.
Once all the top squares, middle inlays, and bottom squares were cut, I decided to stack all the square layers together square by square. I laid the bottom layer down, centered a fleece on that, then the top piece on top.
I made a nice tall pile of these layers to get them ready to sew “X’s” on them.
Before sewing the “X’s”, I made sure each layer was centered neatly. 2 Clips per side is a nice amount to keep the layers steady.
I kept the sewn layers in order so it would be easy to sew them into strips. Does this look like a CA king quilt?
The plan is to sew them into strips, rag them, then sew 2 strips together at a time so it isn’t hard to sew the whole blanket together. This step took about 2 weeks, bringing the total working time up to 8 weeks.
**Some people sew two straight stitches per square or strip for extra durability.
I am embarking on a large task, sewing a California king sized rag quilt! Do I have lots of time for this? Not really. I anticipate this quilt will take several months working in 10-30 minute snippets at a time. First, I made a plan.
I decided on a star image with border sections. I sketched out several stars to try out different color placements. Next, I measured the bed (top and overhang desired) to determine what sized squares and triangles I would need. The top measured 72″ wide x 84″ long. The length of the sides could be 18-22″ long. I already know that I do not want the sides to touch the floor. With these dimension in mind, I decided on 12″ squares after being sewn together. I decided on 1/2″ seams on each side, so the squares need to be 13″.
Next, I sketched out a design. Many quilts used as bedspreads have a bunch of extra fabric in the corners. I don’t want all that fabric, so I decided to leave out the corner sections on the bottom of the blanket. If the quilt doesn’t close in the corners after being placed on the bed, I will come up with a creative solution for keeping the corners closed.
With this design in mind, I began tackling the shapes for the top. As drawn, I would need triangles, squares, and rectangles. Rag quilts often have 1/2″ (5/8″, 3/4″, or 1″) seams on the front/right side of the quilt that are clipped 1/8″ apart to create the rag look. Therefore, I cut the squares at 13″ to allow for a 1/2″ seam on each side. I cut the triangles to 13 1/2″ lengths (on the two sides that make the right angle, not the hypotenuse), but that ended up being just a tad short when I sewed the squares together. I recommend 14″ right triangles. The border is rectangles, and those were cut to 7″ x 13″ I don’t have special cutting equipment, so I decided to make cardboard templates from cereal boxes.
In addition to being a rag quilt, this is a scrap quilt. I decided to sew my remnant pieces together to create the star and border sections.
Because I couldn’t wait to see the star come together, I started my scrap quilt with the colorful triangles. I organized all my scraps by color and used the cardboard templates to make the triangles, squares, and rectangles.
Want to guess how long these steps took? Between homeschooling my two boys, driving my kids to appointments and activities, creating other sewing, weaving, and crocheted designs, the above steps took 6 1/2 weeks. Did I get frustrated? Normally I would have, but I decided that this project is allowed to take as long as it takes.
Next steps: Decide on the bottom fabric and colors, cut the bottom squares, cut middle fleece, then assemble the quilt.
For the April 2025 issue of We Like Sewing online magazine, we wrote a sewing pattern and an article about doilies. We’ve grown to appreciate doilies more and more over the last few years. Back in the day, when our grandmother was crocheting them, we didn’t appreciate them, but now we do. There are so many new and exciting ways that people are using doilies, that it’s hard not to get excited about them.
As you can see in the photo above, we wrote a beginner friendly pattern for mug rugs. These are fun and quick upcycle projects that can be made in an hour. The denim is from upcycled denim jeans. The doilies were given to me by my aunt. Some had “Made in China” tags on them, so I felt comfortable upcycling them on the coasters.
Additionally, I, Dana, wrote an article with 11 ideas for upcycling doilies and lace in the article: Reduce, Reuse, Relace! In that I share ideas for decorating your home, updating clothing and creating useful items as well. I also share a few photos from my home where I’ve upcycled doilies and lace.
Check out our latest article and pattern on We Like Sewing April 2025 website.
The article I wrote is just a small sample of the amazing projects I saw online. I didn’t have time or space to share them all. But if you’re looking for a visual inspiration, check out the Pinterest board I created: Upcycle Doilies and Lace.
This article ramped up my appreciation of doilies so much that I sewed a doily on a playing card holder I made for my sister. This was also a denim upcycling project. Check out the doily on the Playing Card Holder Sewing Pattern.
We are thrilled to have 6 granny squares published in this new book: 60 Quick Granny Squares. In addition to the squares, we’ve written a pattern for a Dickie to wear under a shirt or jacket. 2 of our squares kind of made it on the cover…at the bottom left corner…how fun.
The 6 granny squares we’ve written include:
Above, I’m wearing the prototype of the Comfort Swirl Dickie made from 4 Swirl granny squares.
All of the projects are crocheted using 220 Superwash Sport by Cascade Yarn. I, Dana, am a big fan of this yarn. There are tons of colors and the thinner weight is great for getting lots of detail in smaller projects.
All the granny squares in the book measure 6″ x 6″ so you can mix and match designs to make larger projects like bags, clothes, blankets and more.
The first section of the book includes helpful tips on changing color, joining, etc.
The squares were designed by a handful of crochet designers, their names are listed with their square. Each square also includes charts…for those that like to stitch with those visuals.
60 Quick Granny Squares is published by Get Creative 6, an imprint of Mixed Media Resources. You can buy your copy of 60 Quick Granny Squares in your favorite yarn store or Amazon.
This horse drawstring backpack sewing pattern is great for beginners and fun for sewists of all abilities. The reason it’s so great is because it has step-by-step written instructions and a TON of photos. If you’re new to sewing, there are lots of fun techniques in this backpack sewing pattern.
What you’ll learn with this sewing pattern:
The Horse Drawstring Backpack sewing pattern is available as a PDF on Etsy.
Available now on Etsy.
Another awesome feature of this bronco bag is that it looks great with upcycled materials! The pink bag with tan pony was made from upcycled bed linens sourced at a second hand store. The bookbag on the right was made with old denim jeans. If you’re new to upcycling denim, let me share a secret. The inside/wrong side of jeans is a different color than the outside/right side. So, one pair of jeans gives you 2 different colors if you use the wrong side as a second color.
The materials needed to make your own horse drawstring backpack are pretty minimal. We recommend a sewing machine. We used 2 stitches for this project: straight stitch and zigzag. Other supplies include:
The sewing pattern for the Horse Drawstring Backpack has instructions for securing the drawstring 2 different ways. When you look at the picture above, you will see the drawstring secured to the bottom of the bag by either a grommet or a cloth tab.
If you love the look of a grommet or eyelet, we’ve included instructions for that option. If you don’t have and don’t want to buy grommets, the sewing pattern shows you how to make the cloth tab. Both are easy to make/install and both look great.
Buy your copy of the Horse Drawstring Sewing Pattern on Etsy.
Available now on Etsy.
What to personize this horse drawstring backpack a little bit? Here are some fun ideas:
Happy Sewing!
Keep your cards and money organized with this cute little wallet. There are 2 pockets and a fold over front flap secured with a button. Add a bit of whimsy to this mini wallet by embroidering a rose in the button hole.
This mini wallet is a great project for the confident beginner because it uses basic stitches. The wallet is crocheted flat and folded to make a wallet with 2 pockets.
The yarn is Lion Brand Cotton DK which is really nice to work with. It’s also durable and washable. This wallet measures 4″ wide x 2.5″ tall making a great size for stowing in a purse or grabbing for a quick trip out.
Quick to Stitch Crochet by Crochet World has 35+ designs that use a wide variety of yarn weights from sport to super bulky. It includes bags, scarves, shawls, blankets, baskets and more. This issue is available in craft stores until Jun 9, 2025. Learn more about Crochet World magazine at Crochet-World.com.
Another last minute addition to Birds of a Feather, Volume 2…a STORK WITH BABY BUNDLE!
Just when I think we’re done making granny square birds…we make another one. We really love this granny square Stork for celebrating new babies. The baby bundle dangling from the stork’s beak can be gender specific or gender neutral.
As with the other granny square birds from Volume 1 and 2, the stork is made with only 2 small granny squares. As illustrated in the photo above, the stork can be all white or have dark grey tipped wings. And the legs look great in yellow or orange.
The Stork with Baby Bundle is available in the Birds of a Feather, Volume 2 crochet pattern in our Etsy shop.
Available now on Etsy.
What are others saying about Birds of a Feather, Volume 2?
Birds of a Feather, Volume 2 has 10 new birds:
If that list of birds wasn’t exciting enough…Volume 2 includes step-by-step instructions for turning all the granny square birds into fun and practical things such as:
And on top of all that, Birds of a Feather, Volume 2 talks about yarn weight and whether you can use cotton thread, super bulky yarn and everything in between.
Birds of a Feather, Volume 2 is available now in our Etsy shop.
Crochet your snuggle bunny a cute photo prop this Spring. The crochet pattern is a fun way to capture the joy and love of your new infant.
This bunny photo prop includes:
All three elements are made with Lion Brand Heartland worsted weight acrylic yarn. This yarn is very soft and really enjoyable to crochet with.
Crochet World Spring 2025 includes this pattern for the Bunny Photo Prop crochet pattern as well as 28 dynamic projects for spring stitching. The magazine will be available at craft stores through the end of April 2025. Not familiar with Crochet World? Learn more about the magazine at Crochet-World.com
The latest in our granny square birds series is…the Flamingo!
The flamingo is a late arrival to the Birds of a Feather Volume 2 crochet pattern. It was added 2/26/25. Not only that…but both versions of the flamingo have been added to the pattern. Yep, the furry version and the crocodile stitch version.
The crochet flamingo is different enough from the other birds in volume 2 that we created a few videos just for it. The crochet pattern has links to the how-to crochet flamingo videos including:
The Granny Square Flamingo is now available in our Etsy shop in the Birds of a Feather Volume 2 collection.
Birds of a Feather Volume 2 has 9 granny square birds. Each bird is crocheted with only 2 small granny squares. Volume 2 includes all of these birds:
In addition to instructions for making stuffed animals, Volume 2 has a couple of very exciting additions. All of the birds from both Volume 1 & 2 can become useful items like:
As with the birds, there are step-by-step written instructions for making the cell phone holder, zipper pouch and bag charm. And each of these practical items have a TON of photos so it will be easy to customize your granny square bird.
Buy Birds of a Feather Volume 2 on Etsy in our shop: Yarnovationsshop.
We are thrilled to introduce Birds of a Feather Volume 2 of our wildly popular Birds of a Feather crochet pattern. This new pattern (written in USA terminology) has 8 more birds and several really awesome features including a lined zipper pouch and a cell phone holder! Each bird is made from 2 granny squares. But now they are so much more than a simple amigurumi pattern. Let me introduce you to the new flock in town.
Volume 2 has a new granny square chicken crochet pattern: the Black Breasted Red Phoenix Rooster. This rooster is best known for it’s big bushy black tail and long gorgeous red feathers. As you can see from the photo above, we’ve crocheted it in two different styles…a traditional crochet square and a primped and fluffed version. The crochet pattern will teach you how to make both styles.
The tail of the fluffy version pictured above also has a secret. It’s a cell phone holder! WHAT?!
Here’s a fun trio for your desk: duck, duck, goose! A fellow crocheter wrote to asked if we had a rubber duckie pattern in our granny square chicken collection. She is a jeep girl and apparently giving rubber duckies to other jeep lovers is a thing. Well, Melissa, here you go!
After a little trial and error, Deborah created a mallard with the iconic green head and white ringed neck. Not only that, she added the little blue tail feather. It’s amazing how much detail you can get in a small granny square! She did make a note that the mallard is more challenging than the other birds due to all the color changes. There are so many tails, she said she only had to add the tiniest amount of stuffing.
As a last minute addition, we decided we couldn’t have 2 granny square ducks without a goose. So the mother goose was added. As an aside, this would be a cute little bird to gift at a baby shower with a copy of nursery rhymes.
There are 8 birds in this granny square flock. The crow / raven is the easiest bird to make…if you don’t mind working with black yarn! If you’d prefer, you can make it in white to create a white dove. We include yarn colors for that option.
While on a walk one afternoon, we noticed a red-winged blackbird in the cattails along the stream. We love the bright contrast of the red and yellow to the black. If you’re not afraid to crochet in this dark color, this is another really fun and easy bird to make.
We love the little splash of grey that the European Robin has next to it’s chest. This is a gorgeous bird to make with heathered yarns. The flecks in the yarn give the feathers extra depth. And pictured above, this sweet little bird is also a cell phone holder. It’s the one I keep by my desk to hold my phone.
The Granny Square Seagull has big personality in this pattern. The knobby knees and dark grey tail really pop next to the white and grey granny squares. We selected the granny square seagull to be a lined zipper pouch and we love how the legs dangle from the zipper pull.
You’ve met the flock…and we love each and every one. But we are super thrilled to introduce them to you as either a lined zipper pouch or a cell phone holder.
Any of the granny square birds in volume 1 or 2 can be turned into a cell phone holder or a lined zipper pouch. I would venture to say any granny square chicken can be turned into a cell phone holder or zipper pouch so long as it’s the kind of chicken made from 2 granny squares that each measure about 4″ across. However, we recommend our version of the granny square as it has less holes, and will stand up better when stuffed or lined.
Because the lined zipper pouch includes elements of sewing, we turned that into a step-by-step photo tutorial with written instructions. This project is really a lot of fun to make. We sew fabric right to the granny square.
The cell phone holder has lots and lots of photos as well. You’ll be surprised at how simple the design is…yet so practical!
If all of that wasn’t enough…we also include instructions for how to turn your granny square birds into bag charms! There are two options in the pattern for securing birds to bags. We have a crochet loop or a strap for a swivel D ring.
Oh, and we talk about different yarn weights and share pictures and pattern adjustments for using various yarn weights from cotton thread to super bulky yarn.
Birds of a Feather, Volume 2 is now available in our Etsy shop.
Available now on Etsy.
All patterns are written in US terms.
*****9/15/23 Great news! We are moving our store to Etsy. Some of our links will redirect you there for your convenience.
Dana (left) with Deborah (right) and her two boys. 
