From Pretzel Container to Yarn Carrier

 Look what I did! If you follow my other blog, Solar Cooking for Mainstream Cooks, you know that I started taking part in the Saturday morning Farmers Market at North Hills in Raleigh. Well, even though I would love to say I'm overwhelmed with visitors, the truth is that there's time to work on some easy crafts while waiting for the next group. That means projects that can be put down to greet new people, give them total attention, and not worry about losing stitches or where to lay my project. Knitting and crocheting work best, for me, but my knitting carrier was too big for my purpose. What I needed was something to contain the yarn and let it unravel as needed, not take up much room and be light. To help me focus, I was nibbling on pretzels from this gallon container, and fueled with sustenance from the last pretzel, it was but moments when I cried, "Eureka! [Cue: Lightning. Flashbulbs (for my Brownie). Fireworks. The Ascension...] Why not make my own carrier, using this very empty container?"  It's so much easier to be creative on a full stomach; don't you think? 

Grabbing my size H crochet hook and one 2.5oz ball of Peaches N Cream 100% cotton thread, I set to work. End result? A light as a feather portable yarn container that will hold a large ball of yarn that unravels without tangling, with plenty of room to hold my small projects, too. I purposely did not create a hole through the cap because the shoulders of the container prevent the yarn ball from popping out and the cap keeps everything dust free and clean. Best of all, I've saved money, too! The downside: I'm going to have to get some more pretzels...

Gallon Jar Crocheted Cover
Using crochet hook H, I started with a ch 6 circle, then, 12 dc in circle. Row 2: Ch 2, (2 dcs in each dc)* 12 times; sl st in first dc (24 sts).  Row 3: Ch 2, 2 dc in each dc, sl st in first dc (48 sts). Row 4: Ch 2, (dc in next 5 dcs, 2 dcs in next dc) 8 times, increasing to 56 sts, sl st in first dc. Row 5: Ch 3, tc in back loop of each dc, sl st in first tc. Rows 6 thru 8, dc in each tc, sl st to first dc.  Row 9 thru 17: Ch 3, sk next dc, (dc in next dc, ch 1)*, sl st in first dc. (filet stitches). Put jar in in cover, gently working it to fit. Row 18: Ch 2, dc in each dc, reducing to 48 sts evenly around, sl st in first dc. Bind off.  Create handle: (SC 7 stitches, ch 1, turn), to create any length handle. Attach with yarn needle to opposite sides of container.

OR, you can do as I did and do this tricky thing. Do not bind off, but turn piece and (sc in next 7 stitches, ch 1, turn) for as many rows as you want for handle length. Cut long tail and, using yarn needle, attach to opposite side of jar.

I'll hope you'll try this for yourself and then share with all of us. Just as I've shared it with the It's A Keeper Thursday folks.