Mitten Garland

I could not live in a more perfect state for me than Ohio as I am someone who loves weather. Living in the Heart of Ohio, the weather can change drastically in a single day. In a single hour. Warm and 70 degrees one minute, 32 degrees and snowing the next. A garland of mittens tutorial and Giveaway is just right for today!

GOLDEN RULE - I love the paper packs and embellishments from K and Co. as carried by Michaels. They are all 40% off this week. Don't be overwhelmed by the array of patterns, they are all designed to go together. Instead think DARK, MEDIUM, and LIGHT. Each mitten will repeat this Golden Rule.

ONE VINTAGE FEATURE - added to each mitten will make modern papers take on a nostalgic feel. TIP: Look for plastic candle wreaths at your local Goodwill. Nothing says vintage like plastic! (Cardboard is "sandwiched" between front and back printed papers.)

TELL A STORY -  My mittens recall for me my first married Christmas. A corsage from my husband for my winter coat, greetings at my new In-laws doorstep, decorating our very first tree and the joy of a holiday now shared by two.

CREATE FOCAL POINTS - The eye will be drawn to embellishments or images that are clustered together. Here the pink rosette and leaf stems are my main focal point.
ANCHOR YOUR EMBELLISHMENTS Please never let them float! Notice how the lower leaf stem is anchored by the focal point rosette but leads your eye to another area of interest. The little blue flower is anchored to the greeting, the red flower "waterfalls". Had I placed them in the printed area to the left they would "float" and have no meaning.

REPEAT - Dark mitten cuff, Medium image and birds, Light mitten. Focal Point doorway, right bird Anchored to branch, greeting Waterfalling. I love this mitten!

CREATE MOVEMENT WITH DIRECTION - With each mitten I have positioned embellishments that lead the eye both upwards and downwards. This makes your paper art lively.

CREATE MOVEMENT WITH COLOR - Your eye will move from dark to light. By positioning my mittens Dark, Medium, Light, Medium, Dark, the eye will swing back and forth between the dark anchoring mittens.

With one paper pack and two embellishment packages, you can create this nostalgic garland..

CROCHETED GARLAND INSTRUCTIONS:
Chain (Ch) 32 stitches.
Leaf: Ch 8, Single Crochet (SC) in stitch next to hook. Half Double Crochet (HDC-Yarn Over, insert hook in stitch, pull yarn through all three loops on hook.) in next stitch, Double Crochet (DC) in next stitch, Triple Crochet in next stitch, DC in next stitch, HDC in next stitch, Slip Stitch (SlpS) in next stitch. Leaf made.
*Chain 16,  pull loop of yarn through hole in mitten Chain 16, Make Leaf*
Repeat between *'s until last mitten has been attached.Chain 16, make last leaf
Chain 32 stitches, cut yarn and pull through bottom of last leaf to create hanger. Cut yarn. Repeat at beginning of garland.

 Print/Full Size Paper


GIVEAWAY WINNER: DAMITA'S PRETTY WRAP - Holly