"Recycled Crayons"

We made some new crayons using old crayons, thanks to the help of this blog post at Lil Blue Boo:
http://www.lilblueboo.com/2012/03/recycled-crayons-a-tutorial.html

We had WAY more broken and unwrapped crayons than I thought.  For this entire project, I only used about half of what I ended up with here.

These silicone ice cube trays come in fun shapes and can be found for only $1! I also put foil underneath on the cookie sheet since it was one of my "good" ones. Don't forget to preheat the oven. I used the lowest setting on mine, which was "warm".

Little Miss R just had to peel more wrappers off. It was good help since she really wanted pink crayons.

 

I used a sharp knife and carefully cut the crayons into very small pieces. I think next time I try slightly larger pieces to see how the finished product looks.  They key, either way I think, is to put colors together that can go together.  Too many colors = brown crayons. Also, the washable ones leave a white wax on the top of each crayon, so I tried to mix washable with regular.

 

I tried to heap a pile in each spot, but in the end I could have used even more.  They really melt down, so pile it in there!

 

I checked on these often and left them in the oven until I couldn't see any more un-melted chunks. Once they were all liquid, I SLOWLY put the cookie sheet on  cooling rack until they were...

 

CRAYONS!

 

 

Wavy Cable Fingerless Mitts

Wavy Cable Fingerless Mitts by Erica Knudson

 

 

 

 

 

I designed these Wavy Cable Fingerless Mitts to compliment a hat from someone else’s pattern. There is one cable up the top of the arm & hand. The thumb gusset section requires a bit of concentration to count the increase rows and cable rows, but if you write down what row you’re on, you’re good to go! They are a size Women’s Medium.


Materials:

220 yards worsted weight yarn (photo here in Cascade Paints) This will most likely be too much yarn, but I wanted to give you a safe estimate.
Size 4mm (size 6) DPNs (5th needle used for cable, but you may also use a cable needle)
Stitch Markers
Waste yarn for holding stitches



Instructions (from the bottom up):

Cast on 40 sts, divide among three or four needles (your preference) and join, without twisting, in the round. If you prefer to use a stitch marker to mark the end of the round, place it here and move it up with each row.



Cuff FOR BOTH MITTENS:

Work k2, p2 ribbing for 8 rounds. – 40 sts

Next row; (k11, k2tog) 3 times, knit 1. – 37 sts

For the next 2 rows; k3, p1, k12, p1, k20. – 37 sts

Distribute sts on 3 needles as follows: Needle 1 = first 19 sts, Needle 2 = 9 sts, Needle 3 = 9 sts. The first needle, with 19 sts, will hold the cable pattern for both the right- and left-hand mittens, but the cable pattern is reversed for each mitt. For the cabling, you may choose to use the 5th DPN as a cable needle.

 

Arm, Thumb Gusset, and Hand FOR THE LEFT MITTEN:

Each row remains at a total of 37 sts until thumb gusset.

First cable row: k3, p1, C12F, p1, k2, k18.

For the next 8 rows: k3, p1, k12, p1, k2, k18.

Next row: k3, p1, C12B, p1, k2, k18.

For the next 8 rows: k3, p1, k12, p1, k2, k18.

 

Thumb Gusset FOR LEFT MITTEN:

For the next row: k3, p1, C12F, p1, k2, k17, pm, M1, pm, k1. – 38 sts

K3, p1, k12, p1, k2, k to end.

Next rows,

A. K3, p1, k12, p1, k2, k to first mkr, sm, M1, k to last mkr, M1, sm, k1. (The first time you do this, you will end with 3 sts between markers.)

B. For the next 2 rows: K3, p1, k12, p1, k2, k to end.


**Here’s the tricky part!!! You need to repeat rows A & B until you have 15 sts between markers, ending on the increase row A. AND…


While repeating these rows A & B, you need to include a Cable row on Needle 1, just like before, on every 9th row. Alternate Cable Front and Cable Back rows. It helps to have a note nearby to keep track of which row you are on. Here is an example of what would follow: 


A(5 between mkrs) 
B

B

A(7 between mkrs)

B(CB)

B

A(9 between mkrs)

B

B

A(11 between mkrs)

B

B

A(13 between mkrs)

B(CF)

B
A(15 between mkrs)


Hand FOR LEFT MITTEN:

Next row: k3, p1, k12, p1, k2, k to mkr, place the 15 thumb sts between mkrs on waste yarn or stitch holder, k1. – 37 sts

For the next 4 rows: k3, p1, k12, p1, k2, k18. – 37 sts

K3, p1, CB12, p1, k2, k18. – 37 sts

For the next 2 rows: k3, p1, k12, p1, k2, k18. – 37 sts



Arm, Thumb Gusset, and Hand FOR THE RIGHT MITTEN:

Each row remains at a total of 37 sts until thumb gusset.

First cable row: k2, p1, C12B, p1, k3, k18.

For the next 8 rows: k2, p1, k12, p1, k3, k18.

Next row: k2, p1, C12F, p1, k3, k18.

For the next 8 rows: k2, p1, k12, p1, k3, k18.



Thumb Gusset FOR RIGHT MITTEN:

For the next row: k2, p1, C12B, p1, k3, k1, pm, M1, pm, k17. – 38 sts

K2, p1, k12, p1, k3, k to end.

Next rows,

A. K2, p1, k12, p1, k3, k to first mkr, sm, M1, k to last mkr, M1, sm, k17. (The first time you do this, you will end with 3 sts between markers.)

B. For the next 2 rows: K2, p1, k12, p1, k3, k to end.

**Remember to use opposite cable rows for the Right mitt. Here is an example of what would follow: 

A(5 between mkrs) 
B
B
A(7 between mkrs)
B(CF)
B
A(9 between mkrs)
B
B
A(11 between mkrs)
B
B
A(13 between mkrs)
B(CB)
B

A(15 between mkrs)



Hand FOR RIGHT MITTEN:

Next row: k2, p1, k12, p1, k3, k1, place the 15 thumb sts between mkrs on waste yarn or stitch holder, k17. – 37 sts

For the next 4 rows: k2, p1, k12, p1, k3, k18. – 37 sts

K2, p1, CF12, p1, k3, k18. – 37 sts

For the next 2 rows: k2, p1, k12, p1, k3, k18. – 37 sts



Finish Hand FOR BOTH MITTENS:

(k11, kfb) 3 times, k1. – 40 sts

K2, p2 ribbing for 8 rows. – 40 sts

Bind off loosely in pattern.

Thumb FOR BOTH MITTENS:

Transfer the 15 sts from the waste yarn onto 3 needles. Join new yarn in-the-round and pick up 4 sts along the gaps. – 19 sts

Knit one round even until 2 sts remain, k2tog. – 18 sts

Knit 4 rounds in this ribbing; k2, p2 until last 2 sts of round, k1, p1. – 18 sts

Bind off loosely in pattern.



Finishing:

Weave in ends, using thumb ends to reinforce the sts around the thumb. Block if desired.



Key:

C12F = place the next 6 sts on the cable needle in front of the work, knit the next 6 sts and then knit the 6 sts from cable needle (cable appears to move to the left)

C12B = place the next 6 sts on the cable needle in back of the work, knit the next 6 sts and then knit the 6 sts from cable needle (cable appears to move to the right)

k = knit

k2tog = knit 2 together, a method of decreasing
 

mkr = marker

M1 = make one stitch, a method of increasing

p = purl

pm = place marker
 

sm = slip marker

St, sts = stitch, stitches