Halloween is over, Makers. The skulls and cauldrons are being put away until next year, and turkeys and cornucopias are taking their place! Thanksgiving is a holiday that's meant for endless conversation over great food, and even better company. But there tends to be one thing overlooked every year when you plan for your grand feast : the decor! Decorations make or break the ambiance of a dinner, and for a meal as important as Thanksgiving, you definitely don't wanna drop the ball. Which is why we've got your back! We've put together a few fun projects in all types of mediums that will make your Thanksgiving environment so mesmerizing, no one will even notice that you almost burnt the sweet potato pie.

Look for your category, if you're craft specific, or dive in and try out a project in a new craft! The choice is totally yours.

Give Thanks With Crochet Goodies

Nature's Gifts For Baby Pattern

As any great craftsman knows, the best way to give thanks during the holidays is through home made gifts and trinkets! If you're a crochet lover at heart, then you've come to the right blog post. We've got some nifty patterns for you to try out, and give out to the people you love. Just look at the adorable fox hat and matching blanket pattern that you can make for the little ones in your life (above). This getup from Nature's Gifts For Baby  will be sure to get loads of attention for Fall, and your baby can be cute and comfortable as they're showered with cheek pinches and waves of "awww".

Little Animals Headgear - Turkey Beanie

Little Animals Headgear - Turkey Headband

If you've got someone a little older that you're making for, check out these Turkey Transformation patterns from Little Animals Headgear (Left). These cute and functional headband and beanie patterns are sure to be a big hit with the family during Thanksgiving Dinner. Plus, if you're not dying of cuteness overload from these pictures, then your heart is made of stuffing, and you didn't eat enough cranberry sauce. The pattern can be adjustable based on how big or small the person you're crocheting for is, so this pattern can be made for a wide age range! It's holiday gift patterns like these that really show that you're thinking outside of the oven for Thanksgiving this year. Not that there's anything wrong with thinking inside the oven, of course. Thanksgiving is supposed to be a day for eating! Which is why we have these next few patterns just for the kitchen.

Crocheted Lace Trimmings - Quick Thread Projects

If you've always been known for your upscale Thanksgiving soirees, then this is the project for you. Quick Thread Projects (above) is known for its fun and trendy projects for any occasion, and this Lace Trimming project certainly takes the cake (or pumpkin pie). The lacework can elevate the decor of your event, or give a little extra oomph to that store-bought Jam that you're trying to pass off as homemade (you can't fool me with that unmarked mason jar).

White Lace Runner - Filet Table Runners

This project is specifically for the table. Though your guests might not notice it immediately -because they're focused on the delicious buffet in front of them- it has been a traditional part of Thanksgiving decor for decades, and we can't not include tradition in a classic holiday like this one. We're talking table runners, makers! Specifically, this White Lace Filet Runner from Filet Table Runners (above). They've been the perfect pairing to that apple print tablecloth that everyone remembers they had for at least one Thanksgiving, I'm 89.9% sure of that.

Knit Some Handy Kitchen Helpers for Thanksgiving Dinner

Don't be fooled by all of our cool crochet crafts, we have some awesome knit stuff too. These Thanksgiving themed projects make the perfect handy helpers that are festive and functional!

Dishcloths for Special Days

Corn Cob Dishcloth - Make In A Weekend Potholders and Dishcloths

Apple Potholder - Make In A Weekend Potholders and Dishcloths

These crafty potholders and dishcloths from Make in a Weekend Potholders and Dishcloths (right) will brighten up any kitchen space, and make it look like you have an eclectic taste in home decor. That corn cob dishcloth looks good enough to eat! Let these little baubles be your good luck charms when cooking Thanksgiving dinner. If the funky patterns aren't up to your speed, then try these simple and subtle designs from Dishcloths For Special Days! Modern or Classic, you choose which style is best for you and your family.

Festive Coloring - Fun For Everyone

Bountiful Wonders Coloring Sheet

Coloring! The craft that makes you feel like a kid again, but in the best and most relaxing way possible. Adult coloring has become one of those mindless and relaxing crafts that you can enjoy whenever and wherever you want. Which is why you need these festive coloring books for the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday. No one ever thinks about the down time during family get togethers - when you're waiting for the food to be finished. Even if you did think about it last year, it was probably already too late, and then you became stuck in between channels of boring small talk between your aunts and uncles that will just be repeated when Christmas comes (don't worry, we have Christmas coloring books too).

Color On The Go - Welcome Fall

Color On The Go - Gather Together

Adult coloring was made for down time, so this Thanksgiving, when you feel the need to be creative, check out the beautiful content in Bountiful Wonders (above header), Color on the Go - Fall, and Color On The Go - Gather Together (above).

If you're looking for ways to repurpose those pages after they're colored, check out our DIY Coloring Decor post we did for National Coloring Day.

Bonus : Thanksgiving Fun with Plastic Canvas

Holiday Fancies - Give Thanks Napkin Holder

This is for the festive turkeys that want to go the extra mile this holiday. Plastic Canvas is a fun and addicting craft to start, and what better project to start with than this adorable napkin holder, from Holiday Fancies, perfect for any table. Pair this with your table runners and lace trim, and you've got yourself a swanky Thanksgiving.

Share Your Projects With Us! 

Which of these projects do you want to try, Makers? Give us a shout out in the comments or on our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. We love to see what you're working on!

Happy Decorating!

-Leisure Arts Team

Hey Craft Family! 

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a cat or dog person, we all love our pets!”

Except for this post.  

Because dogs are going to be the star of the show today! 

Admit it, we’ve all been caught spoiling our dogs with whatever we can think of. Extra food, treats, our usual side of the bed, you name it! So, why can’t we spoil them with crafts? Pet clothing has been growing significantly more popular throughout the years, and people can’t stop finding new outfits to style their furry best friend in. So, we’ve made a few suggestions for your next gift for Fido! Let’s get started. 

Dog Royalty: Suave and Stylish Knits for the Park

Give your dog that extra pep in his step with the right outfit for the day! Like these designs: 

From Knits for Pets - # 75622

I know that it's summer, but this is the perfect time to start working on these patterns so they can be read by the fall. Plus come on, look at these dogs! They are owning it in their outfits.

Accessorize 

If your dog is anything like mine, then wearing an outfit is a constant uphill battle. Which is why when making crafts for your dog, you sometimes have to improvise. My dog won't wear a full coat, or any type of shirt without trying to eat it, so I make him small scarves, or cute collars instead! Other things you can make could be toys, or plush animals for them to play with! Here are a few examples of some accessories that you can make for your dog.

Knits For Pets - # 75622 

A New Twist on Macrame - # 75597

Learn To Crochet Toys - # 6188

Sweet Pet Comforts - # 36075274

Baby toys might seem like a stretch for dog gifts, but it's actually a great idea for puppies, who get easily amused and need a lot of attention when you first get them. The plush toys, like the one mentioned above, are just as important to puppy, and most of the time they'll become attached to it!

Dogs are companion creatures, which means that wherever you go, they go. You're the first thing they think about in the morning when they wake up, and the last thing they think about when they cuddle up right next to you and go to sleep. Why shouldn't we spoil them every chance we get? If you try out these patterns, it will be an extra special gift to them since it was made from your own hands.

Happy crafting, and good luck!

-Leisure Arts Team

This Valentine's Day, remind your friends, family, and loved ones how much you care for them with a handmade gift. Nothing says I love you like the careful knit stitches and personalized, cozy warmth of these great gifts! There are classic gifts like jewelry and snuggly teddy bears to knit, and hearts everywhere! Knit the perfect Valentine's Day gift this year with this helpful guide for all ages!

1. Knit Hearts For Baby: Any day of the year is great for showing your love for baby, but this Double Hearts Blanket knit blanket is especially perfect for a Valentine's Day Gift! Show your love for the little one with this sweet little gift from Dreamy Baby Wraps.

2. A Cozy Zippered Hoodie: This adorable Zippered Heart Hoodie is a great way to show a young girl your love on Valentine's Day! Customize it especially for her with nearly fifty different sleeve styles, pockets, necklines, edgings, and other features! This customizable sweater is a perfect, personalized gift - start on it now with Pick The Pieces.

3. A Beautiful Beaded Bracelet: Ladies of all ages will love to receive a beautiful, handmade bracelet on Valentine's Day. Learn to use your knitting skills with embroidery floor and beads to create this unique knit gift! All of the designs can be custom-fit for any wrist size, making these bracelets a great gift for anyone! Learn how to create them now with Beaded Bracelets To Knit.

4. A Cozy Afghan: Give a cozy, heart-adorned afghan just in time for wrapping up during winter. This chill-busting cover-up is perfect for adding cozy warmth to a loved ones life! Knit the heart motifs in their favorite color as a special touch, and they'll think of you every time they curl up with this afghan! Start knitting this great Valentine's Day gift now with an instant digital download of the Afghan Medley To Knit eBook.

5. A Knit Heart Hat For Baby: Let your playful side show when you're knitting this cozy cap for the babies in your life! Heart Hat is a perfect gift for Valentine's Day. Both new parents and baby will love the dangling hearts, and it will make for the cutest pictures. Plus, it's perfect for keeping baby's ears warm on cold February days. Knit this great Valentine's Day gift now with Knit Hats For Babies.

6. A Classic Teddy Bear: Teddy bears are a classic Valentine's Day gift for all ages - and these cute little ones are perfect because they're quick and easy to knit!  Give this oh-so-sweet teddy to someone special in your life to remind them that they are loved. Plus, you can get started NOW with an instant digital download of the Oh-So-Easy Knits eBook.

7. The Gift Of Relaxation: Treat your loved ones with something they really need - relaxation. Everyone loves a nice hot bath and some pampering! Knit a complete spa set: a bath mitt, headband, drawstring soap sack, and facecloth. Start knitting this great Valentine's Day gift set now with Spa & Bath Sets To Knit.

8. Fun Knit Outfits: Sugar and spice and everything nice - These sweaters, caps, and cardigans will be a favorite of children with their fun colors and details! The heart patterns (worked in Stockinette Stitch on a Garter Stitch background) adorn all the designs - perfect for reminding the kids in your life how much you care for them! Give these great knits, found in Lots of love Knits For Kids.

9. Valentine's Day Dishcloths: These charming dishcloths make a great small and quick gift - perfect as an add-on, last-minute gift, or simply as a small reminder of your love! Knit a rose, Love, or Be Mine - Or Knit all three! Chances are, your loved ones will enjoy them so much they'll be looking for more knit dishcloths. Get started now with Dishcloths for Special Days.

Need more gift ideas? Check out our Gifts To Knit.

I love Halloween. It is my favorite holiday. I have a friend with a new baby. So, I thought I would crochet him a cute little Pumpkin Hat. I used Crème de la Crème 100% cotton. I used three different colors orange, brown, and green. This pattern will fit an infant/toddler. I didn't get this pattern from a Leisure Arts book. 100 Hats to Knit and Crochet has hats that you could modify to work for your needs.

With a size G hook. Chain 60 stitches. Join in the round with a slip stitch. Be careful not to twist!

Row 1: With main color (orange) chain 1, single crochets all the way around, and slip stitch into the chain 1. Row 2: Chain 3, double crochets all the way around. Continue Row 2 until the hat is about 3.25(3 ¼) to 3.50(3 ½) inches tall.

Decrease is chain 3, 7 double crochet, and crochet 2 together, then 8 double stitches and crochet 2 together. You are going to continue decreasing by 1 stitch until you finish the chain 3 and 3 double crochet and crochet 2 together, 4 double crochet and crochet 2 together.

Color change/Stem: To join the brown yarn slip stitch where you slipped the last stitch, chain 2, double crochet around. I didn’t crochet 2 together on the first round, because I did 2 regular double crochets into the next two stitches. The 3^rd and 5^th stitch a double into the middle of the lower stitch, and the 4^th double crochet I went into the lower stitch. Continue this all the way around. The next round start your decreases chain 3, 2 double crochet and crochet 2 together, 3 double crochet and crochet 2 together. Continue decreasing by 1 stitch until you get to six stitches left and do double crochets until you get the stem length that you want then crochet 2 together 3 times.

Green curly cue: Chain 35 stitches or however many you want to do. Do 6 double crochets into the 2^nd stitch and 4 more stitches into ever chain stitch. Bind off when you get to the end. With a darning needle or crochet hook attach where ever you want it.

I needed a quick project to take on the go this week. I looked through all my Leisure Arts books and I saw these really cute Boot Cuffs in Cool-Weather Family Fashions. I used a bulky wool yarn. I have no idea what the name of this cream colored yarn is. I hate when my labels fall off. It was a yarn that I had in my stash.

Use a place marker on the knit row side. This is the right side.

I knitted the Boot Cuffs on size 11 straight needles. I love the pattern that this makes. It is quite a lovey stitch. One row is a rib stitch and the next row is a knit. I’m going to do a scarf or a cowl next with this stitch. If you want to knit this and you don’t like sewing up the sides you of your projects. You could cast on the number of stitches that you need for the size you require onto double point needles. Join in the round making sure not to twist. I know that is what I’m going to do next time I knit these. Remember Christmas is just a little over 3 months away. These would be a quick and easy project for someone who loves to wear boots.

Or a boot cuff for a dog cowl or earmuffs. Just kidding!!! I am not that bad!

One of my favorite storybooks as a small child was the Three Little Kittens that lost their mittens. Well I found my mittens. But something is missing. It is missing the fingertips and thumb coverings. I like finger less mittens because you can still use your fingers for texting; I even knit and crochet with my finger less mittens. I found this quick and easy pattern in a Leisure Arts book called Cool-Weather Family Fashions the pattern is called Hand Mitts.

I used size 11 straight knitting needles and I know that the pattern calls for chunky yarn but the only chunky yarn that I had in my yarn stash is a ½ alpaca and ½wool. I know that the pattern calls for two different colors but I just used the one.  It took an hour to knit one finger less mitten and that included stitching up the side. Now I am ready for cooler weather. Finger less mittens are great ideas for gifts.

This is my favorite sock pattern. I have knitted many socks with this pattern and other patterns. This is just a simple tube sock. Much easier than other sock patterns because it doesn’t have a heel flap or gusset to knit and no Kitchener stitch on the toes. I didn’t get this from a Leisure Arts book. But here is a good starter book by Leisure Arts that is very helpful How to Knit Socks: Three Methods Made Easy by Edie Eckman.

Patons Kroy Sock Yarn

I used Patons Kroy sock yarn for the finished pair of socks it’s a wool and nylon blend yarn. The other photo is another pair of socks is a self-stripping yarn wool yarn by Feederbrook Farms that I discovered at the new yarn shop in Little Rock called Yarn Kandy. Also Leisure Arts has a few sock yarns that you can order from their sight. A Lion Brand yarn called Sock Ease a wool and nylon blend yarn.

Feederbrook Farms

I used size 5 double point knitting needles. I casted on 48 stitches, joined it in the round did the rib stitch which is knit 2, purl 2. I put a place marker to show where I joined it in the round this way I know where to start when I start my decrease. I continued with the rib stitch for 1 inch to 1½ inches. The knit in the round stockinette stitch til the sock is 14 to 15 inches. When you are ready to decrease knit 6, knit 2 together the next round knit. Decrease one row and knit the next. Do this until you have 8 stitches. Cut a good size tail 6 to 8 inches. With a darning needle weave it through all 8 stitches and bind off. I like to go around the stitches twice this makes it a little stronger. Have fun knitting. I know I do. Socks make a great Christmas gift.

Alright the knitting part of my baby washcloths is done. What am I going to do with all 9 of them? I am going to crochet them together and make a baby blanket. I got the pattern for the washcloths out of the book from Leisure Arts called Baby Washcloths to Knit by Melissa Bergland Burnham. It took me a few tries to get it all worked out and it to look how I wanted it to look. It only a couple hours to finish it once I sat still long enough. A lot of procrastination went into this project. I started this project back in May. Then my ADHD kicked in. I think that I was worried how it would turn out. I get ideas for projects some work out some do not. I am so happy that this one turned out so well.

After I tucked in all my ends on the washcloths, I placed all 9 washcloths out and into 3 rows. Again I used white Egyptian cotton for this project. Then I began crocheting the sides of the washcloths together with a single crochet until I had 3 panels. I then crocheted again using a single crochet a panel on the top and the bottom through the cast on row and cast/bind off row. Make sure before you crochet together that once not upside down or wrong sided. When all this was done I then used a yellow Egyptian cotton to do a simple border. I did a single crochet around the blanket and 3 single crochets on the corner turn and 3 single crochets into the first stitch. This gives it a nice rounded edge. This is for a boy so I didn’t want to do anything frilly.

Front

Back

There is another washcloth book that I want to make a blanket out of and that is Dishcloths for Special Days by Julie A. Ray. I thought how cool it would be to make a baby’s first blanket. Do it in all different colors like a patchwork quilt. The important thing to remember is to make sure that you buy and use the same type of yarn but in different colors. Why? It is important because all your pieces will be the same size and easy to piece together.

When I found this book by Leisure Arts called Baby Washcloths to Knit by Melissa Bergland Burnham I wanted to knit them all for my new baby cousin. So I set to work with knitting all 9 washcloths it take me about 6-8 hours to knit a washcloth but doing all 9 took more time because I get bored, busy with everyday tasks, and/or I work on other projects. But the one thing that I like about knitting washcloths they are small projects and you can take them everywhere.

When I started I used 3 stitch markers or place markers and placed them after the first 5 stitches on the start of the wrong side, purl until you get to the last 5 and place the second marker. The third I used to mark the right side that is the side that is your pattern side. I like using these because sometimes I get so busy knitting away that I will knit straight across or purl, when I am supposed to be doing the opposite, and then I have to back out and try again. My favorite out of all 9 is the Sailboat and the Butterfly. I used Egyptian cotton on all 9 washcloths. Stay tune for tomorrows post to see what I plan on doing with all of these washcloths. I am super excited. I thought about doing this the moment that I saw this book.

All 9 Baby Washcloths

When you are knitting, it is really important to get the correct gauge that the pattern calls for especially if you are knitting some sort of garment. I have a friend who once knitted a dress for someone and followed the pattern to every letter and it was 3 sizes too big. I have other friends that have knitted sweaters that were too small, too short in the waist or sleeves, or the pieces didn’t fit. So you want to do a gauge swatch and get your ruler out to measure your stitches. You want to know how many stitches you get within an inch.

I used these Sailboat washcloths to show the difference in what I am talking about. I got the pattern for this adorable Sailboat out of a Leisure Arts book called Baby Washcloths to Knit by Melissa Bergland Burnham. I know with washcloths you don’t necessary need to worry about a gauge swatch. That said, the sailboat on the left is much smaller than the one on the right. I used two different yarns. The sailboat on the left was knitted in 100% Egyptian Cotton and the one on the left in regular Lily’s Sugar n’ Cream USA 100% Cotton. Both are cotton but totally different sizes of yarn. The sailboats were also knitted on different sized needles. The washcloth on the left was knitted using size 6 needles, and the one on the right was knitted using size 8. Why two different sized needles? I used the needles that the yarn specified. If I had used a size 8 with the Egyptian cotton, then it would have been really loose and you would not have been able to make out the pattern as well.  If I had knitted the Lily’s Cotton with size 6 needles, the washcloth would be really hard to have knit up because it would have been very tight.

Left Sailboat knitted in Egyptian Cotton and Sailboat on the right Regular Cotton

Good Luck on your gauges. I feel your pain when you have to do a gauge swatch. I do not like doing them either. I like them like I like tucking in all my ends in at the end of projects.