Nothing says thrifty like making your own diapers, and wool is hands-down one of the best diaper cover materials out there. If you are handy with knitting needles, you can make your own wool soaker, but you can skip all the work and make your own out of old wool sweaters. They look great, can come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, and cost next to nothing if you get your sweaters from the thrift store.
If you have a dog or cat, you may have noticed that some of the hairs in their winter undercoat are zig-zag shaped. Alternatively, you may recall the fad for using crimping irons to get the same effect in people hair during the 1980s! These zig-zags are called the "crimp" in fiber, and they have three main effects on the yarn it creates:
When my kids were younger, I used to have them make tie dye shapes that coordinated with the upcoming holiday. One of the shapes we use to make was a tie dye shamrock for celebrating St. Patrick‘s Day. They were always a big hit. Of course, once my girls reached the age of 10, they wanted to move on to something a bit more exciting (age appropriate).
You will need the following items to make your tie dye shamrock:
Although I have spent a lot of time on most of the other Ravelry areas (like the Stash and Projects pages) I had completely ignored the Library page until earlier this week. But then a friend told me that when you add a book or magazine to your library on Ravelry, it automatically knows all the patterns in that book, and adds them to a separate tally. 
I love Addi Turbos, but I can’t afford to buy each size I need. They are so smooth and quick to knit with though, that it’s a treat to my fingers to use them. I also like to switch projects frequently, so having a wide assortment of sizes is an absolutely necessity. Enter KnitPicks Options. These needles are like the perfect combination of Addi Turbos and Denise Interchangeables, but even better. You can change your needles out with a quick screw in or out, and you get the benefit of the speedy quickness of metal needles.
Once you have finished spinning up a bunch of yarn on your drop spindle, there is still one more step before it becomes yarn: plying. 
My sister loves to decorate her house for each and every holiday. She passed this love on to her children, who decorate their bedrooms instead of the whole house. One craft I suggested they make is a St. Patrick’s Day Wreath. The wreath can be hung from a bedroom window, or outside the bedroom door.
You will need the following items to make your wreath:
I'll be honest with you: no matter how much I read on the topic, I still get a little confused about "woolen" versus "worsted" spun yarns. The difference is not particularly relevant to knitters, but it becomes a very big deal if you (like me) begin learning how to spin your own yarn. 
I came across a clock tutorial on Pinterest, and can’t wait to try it out myself. Who would have thought that a simple paper plate could look so sleek with a couple of simple hands on it? I have never ventured into that world, but I guess I didn’t know you could make a clock so easily, either. This opens up so many possibilities! So many things can be made into clocks, it will be fun to experiment.
Now that I have my Valentine’s Day crafts all planned out, it is time to turn my attention to St. Patrick’s Day. I like to plan these activities ahead of time because I homeschool my oldest daughter. I enjoy adding a few crafts into her lesson plans, and she enjoys the break from her book work.
The first craft I plan to make with my daughter is a pot of gold. This craft reuses an old flower pot and makes for a perfect gift for a parent, teacher, or friend.
Thanks to my newfound addiction to Pinterest, I discovered this nifty tutorial on making tile coasters. These little guys are great to make for gifts – think housewarming or wedding gift – and can be customized to match any décor you can think of.
There are lots of animals that can be constructed from hearts, but the butterfly is perhaps the cutest-at least that’s what my girls think. This craft is easy enough for toddlers, and only requires a few basic craft items.
You will need the following items to make your butterfly:
Over the weekend I knit up a quick pair of fingerless mitts. The pattern couldn't be simpler - just knit in K2P2 ribbing for the arm, make a four-stitch buttonhole for the thumb, then K2P2 ribbing for the palm and bind off. This is a great pattern for novice knitters! And as you become a better knitter, you start finding your own little nice touches to add when you knit something. 
If you are just learning how to hand-spin yarn, your best bet is to find a yarn store with knowledgeable staff, and ask them to help you choose a roving that is suited to your skill level. Not all yarn stores stock roving, but those that do will usually stock at least one kind of fiber which is good for beginners. 
Having only just learned how to use a drop spindle, I find that I almost have more trouble with plying than I do with the actual spinning. When you spin yarn, what you are creating is called a "single." As in, a single ply of yarn. 
This craft project showed up on my Pinterest board, and I am so excited to try it! Using any kind of paper, you can create beautiful flowers to use as decorations. I can totally see decorating like the picture for a fall-themed party or just as part of your autumn décor. The kids would love to have these hanging in their rooms with papers made of bright colors.