Homemade Birthday Presents: Part One

Over the last few years because of lack of money excess of creativity I have been doing homemade birthday and Christmas presents. Over the last few years I have been scouring the web for ideas for presents. I went here and here and even here with little success. I searched for everything from "homemade presents" even down to "what to make my 31 year old husband for his birthday". Some of the things I found were were fantastic while others were difficult, time consuming, and expensive. Over the next few months I am going to show you some of the ideas that I have come up with that have worked and were not too expensive

While searching oneprettything.com and ravelry...seriously if your not a member become one today then learn how to crochet because its awesome and you will be addicted. I found a pattern for a crochet hot pad. I bookmarked the pattern and thought about it for a good long time.

Lots of thoughts crossed my mind:
Is it lame?
Is this something that my grandmother would give me for a birthday?
Would I seem like a grandma giving it?
What if people don't like it?
What if people don't cook?

Then I stopped thinking and started making. Yes these hot pads are something my grandma would give out but who cares. I have yet to meet someone who didn't say at one point or another "I really could use a hot pad or two right now." I also found fun colors and yarn for my hot pads unlike the black and gray ones that I used at my mothers house for years (given to her for her wedding from one of my Grandma's friends). BTW they are my mother's favorite hot pads and are the most used in her home.  For my hot pads I buy Sugar and Cream cotton yarn. I have found some similar cotton yarn at Micheal's for like $1.00 per skein. Each hot pad takes one skein so that is like a 2 buck birthday present. In my book that makes this present pretty rockin'. If you wanted to spend a little more always attach it to a box of brownie mix or if your feeling very creative make a mason jar with a cookie mix in it like this.

Before I start there are a few things you need to know about crochet before you start. You will be using 2 kinds of stitches for this pattern a SC (single crochet). If you are new to crochet there are tons of videos online that will help you learn how to start and finish. This project is simple enough that most people could do it.

Starting Out-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NcOewm7qAA
Chain-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtmOEzm_OXQ
Single Crochet- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqhaQQajt0U

I started with this pattern but found out that the hot pad was all to small and difficult to use. Here is my revised pattern:

Single Crochet 37, Turn.
1: In 2nd chain from hook single crochet in each stitch (only going through front loop) repeat till end of row. On last stitch single crochet 2 times in stitch. Now single crochet in back loops so you will have a continuous round (note do not do 2 stitches in last loop).
2-20: single crochet in all stitches around. (Note:Only crochet around until the two edges meet.  Depending on how loosely or tightly you crochet you may need more or less rows.)

This will make the pot holder look like a large pocket (pictured above). Turn the pocket in on itself so that it looks like the 2nd picture down. Then take your tapestry needle and sew the opening closed.

Now you have an amazing birthday or Christmas present to give away.