New rug & new shirt

New crocheted rug for the bathroom!

This rug has been a long time WIP. Ever since we'd painted our bathroom I'd been meaning to make a new rug to match. Now, finally it is done. I'd scrapped the original idea I'd had because seriously, who wants to do many laborious bullion stitches for plumpness when you can do easy, sexy little single crochets with 3 strands of yarn for sturdiness? Much more practical I think!

~Specs~

Pattern:
I made it up. I seem to be doing a lot of that lately. Basically I made a chain to the length I wanted and single crocheted until I'd reached the desired width. Then I single crocheted around the entire thing for edging, finished by threading through around the entire edge to help the rug keep it's shape. Voila!

Yarn:
Bernat Handicrafter Cotton - 100% cotton /2.5 balls @ 340g

Needles:
10.00mm plastic crochet hook

Pros:
Easy and quick.

Cons:
The rug does not fit under the door when it swings open or close. Doh! Also, the edges of the rug were all rippled and loosey goosey until I threaded through the edge with leftover yarn.

My new tank top!

Love, love, love this shirt! In a frenzy of inspiration I whipped this baby up. I used one of my Fella's old shirts and a pair of lacy underwear that I had never worn but had kept around... which I can now justify!

Here is the how-to:

1) Using one of my well-fitting tank tops as a template I pinned the outline on the old shirt.
2)I cut following the outline, (though I free-handed the neckline, eek!) unpinned, turned the cut shirt inside out and pinned sides to be sewn.
3)Sewed up sides with a straight stitch then went over again with a zigzag for reinforcement.
4)Cut up lacy underwear and pinned around neckline on wrong side. Sewed on lace with straight stitch.
5)Went around back of neck line with straight stitch for reinforcement.
6)Sewed on ties at top of shoulder with zigzag stitch. Gathered fabric at shoulder and tied ties.

Honestly, this is one of the most comfortable shirts I own now.