Love to stay home

Granny Square Flower Crochet Bag

July 26, 2022 2 Comments

This Granny Square Flower Crochet Bag is so cute and makes a great gift. It’s easy to make and it can be done in a couple of hours!

You need to know how to make puff stitches and cluster stitches. But it is very well explained in the pattern, so even if you are a beginner I think you can make this crochet bag!

This bag would make a nice gift for any little girl in your life!

I have always wondered why this motif is called a Granny Square! If you are also curious like me, here is an explanation by Confessions of a Yarn-O-Holic

Interesting isn’t it?!

If you do not know how to crochet and would like to learn, do check out my beginner posts:

Learn How to Crochet

Learn the Basic Crochet Stitches

Granny squares can be used to make blankets, bags, clothes, table cloths, and even bed covers!! They are easy to make and you can make them in different color combinations. You can make them with flowers in the center or just different colors, either way, they look great!

Here is a great tutorial from Spruce Crafts to make a beginner Granny Square.

This project has been on my to-do list for the longest time and I finally got down to making it. I am really happy with the way it turned out. The only thing I might add is maybe a lining for the inside of the bag with some cotton material.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS GRANNY SQUARE CROCHET BAG?

Crochet hook, size 5mm

Scissors

Yarn 3 colors ( You can use cotton or acrylic yarn) The yarn I used is I love this cotton yarn from Hobby Lobby.

Yarn needle

These are my Amazon Picks for this project:

(Disclaimer: These are affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I know to be of great quality and have great reviews. Thank you so much for your support!)

I am trying my very best to keep my blog ad-free, so it really does help if you can use my link when you are shopping on Amazon. Thanks for helping me out, I am truly grateful!!

If you are not a Prime member but would like to try Prime free for 30 days, please use my link to sign up. You can get all the benefits of being a prime member for 30 days, and cancel after 30 days without any charge! Do try it out. Thank you!

Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial

HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS GRANNY SQUARE CROCHET BAG?

Flower Granny Square Bag:

There are several free patterns on Pinterest. Believe me, I have looked and saved so many!! But in the end, I always share only the patterns I really like and are easy to make.

I followed this particular free pattern on Ravelry by Caitlin Simmonds, you can find it here.

It is a great pattern and has lots of positive reviews. The original pattern has a drawstring closure but I chose to leave this one open.

To put it very simply, just make 2 Granny squares and join them together. Next, make a simple handle. For the handle, I skipped the part of making single crochets in each stitch across, but next time I would do that as it makes the handle stronger.

It works up fast and does not use much yarn.

The finished bag measures 6inches by 6 inches. From the top of the handle to the top of the bag measures 22 inches. That is great for a cross-body bag.

Sunflower Drawstring Crochet Bag:

Who does not like Sunflowers?! Sunflowers are beautiful and brighten up anything! The original pattern by Caitlin is called Sunflower Drawstring Bag.

For this one, I followed the same pattern mentioned above but used different colors. The only other change I made was, that I stopped at row 5.

I added the drawstring closure like in the original pattern.

For the handle, I followed the exact instructions and it is definitely more sturdy. In all honesty, I found the row of single crochets rather hard to do as my stitches were tight. So, from my experience, make the crochet chains and slip stitches a bit lose so that you can single crochet into them easier.

This finished bag measures 5.5inches by 5.5inches. The handle measures 16inches from the top of the handle to the top of the bag.

If you are interested in making a bigger tote bag, check out this Sunflower Granny Square Tote Bag by CraftedbyCat.com. It is super cute and is on my list of “must try” patterns!

Hope you enjoyed reading about this cute little handmade crochet bag. If you do try it out, let me know in the comments below.

Also, do share a picture and tag the original creator of this pattern Caitlin Simmonds. Thank you to Caitlin for sharing her pattern for free!

I have lots of easy crochet projects on my blog, do check them out:

A lot of these projects are quick, easy, and make great handmade gifts!

Easy Crochet Bows

Sunflower Crochet Coasters

10 Free and Easy Crochet Flower Patterns

Spring Flower Crochet Garland

Crochet Car Coasters

Crochet Keychains & Wristlets

3 Easy Crochet Potholders

Mini Crochet Pumpkins

Easy Crochet Hair Accessories

Crochet Christmas Earrings (All free patterns!)

10 Easy Crochet Earrings (All Free Patterns!)

5 Useful Crochet Projects

Lovetostayhome is on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, please follow me to know when I have a new post out. Thank you for your support.

Come back again soon and check out my other posts, I have lots of crochet projects, macrame, DIY, and recipes.

Have a wonderful and creative day!

Photo by Katrina Wright on Unsplash

Art/Crafts & DIY

Embroidered Hoops

July 14, 2022 4 Comments

Embroidered Hoops are beautiful to look at and easy to make. You can display them in your home for a handmade touch. They make great gifts too. The fun part about embroidery is you can draw your own designs, and choose your own colors and stitches. In fact, the whole process is therapeutic from the beginning till the end!

Embroidery is a great hobby to have, it’s very relaxing. There is just something about working with a needle and thread to create something beautiful with your hands. It is very satisfying and basically, it’s like painting with thread!

I love all things art and craft. In fact, I have a full blog post about 10 fun Hobbies to do at home, and embroidery is one of them. Check it out if you would like some ideas on how to spend your time creatively.

Bunny Blooms Embroidery — This pattern is Bunny Blooms by Julie of Clever Poppy

My Inspiration:

My love for embroidery was rekindled after I joined a free workshop by Julie, creator of Clever Poppy. She is a wonderful person and the workshop was a lot of fun, her pattern is adorable. It is called Bunny Blooms. She was so involved with the group and her skills are amazing. I highly recommend her workshops if you are new to embroidery, she is a fantastic teacher.

Julie has a Maker’s Academy where you could join for a monthly membership and she teaches embroidery, punch needle, weaving, etc. You can visit her website to see her beautiful work and learn more about what she offers.

After this workshop, I just started doing embroidery on my own and couldn’t stop! I have just loved creating more embroidered hoops. A big thank you to Julie for inspiring me and so many other women to take the time to be creative.

So I thought I should write about it, and hopefully inspire a few people to start their journey with embroidery! I assure you, that you will love it!

What do you need to start Embroidery?

Embroidery Floss ( I have a combination of DMC Floss and some floss I found on Amazon )

Embroidery Hoops ( You can find hoops at your local craft store. I found mine at Hobby Lobby and Micheals) The hoops I used are mostly 6 inches and 8 inches, the one pictured above is 3 inches as I only had that one left at the time of taking this picture.

Scissors

Cotton or Linen Cloth

Embroidery Needles

Heat erasable pen or Water Soluble Pen ( I found a water-soluble pen at Micheals )

Magnetic Needle Minder (optional but very helpful) (An alternative is putting a magnet on your scissors so your needles will always be with the scissors, that’s what I have done)

Needle threader (optional but helpful)

Here are my Amazon picks for this project:

(Disclaimer: These are affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I know to be of great quality and have great reviews. Thank you so much for your support!)

I am trying my very best to keep my blog ad-free, so it really does help if you can use my link when you are shopping on Amazon. Thanks for helping me out, I am truly grateful!!

If you are not a Prime member but would like to try Prime free for 30 days, please use my link to sign up. You can get all the benefits of being a prime member for 30 days, and cancel after 30 days without any charge! Do try it out. Thank you!

Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial

How do you start your Embroidery Hoop?

Design:

The first thing is deciding on your design. There are lots of free patterns to start off with. You could even design your own pattern if you like to draw!

Here are a few websites where you can find free patterns:

Diana Vingert has a Youtube channel and you can stitch along with her. She has some beautiful free patterns including the one that you see above. You can find her free patterns here.

The above pattern is free and can be found on PamashDesigns.com

Hoop:

Next, you decide on the size of hoop you need, which of course depends on your pattern. The most common are 6-inch and 8-inch hoops.

There are many options when it comes to hoops. There are different sizes and shapes. Also, you get hoops made out of wood, bamboo, plastic, etc.

So it is your preference that matters.

Cloth:

The cloth or material you use is really important. The most common and recommended material is cotton or linen.

Cut your cloth a little bigger than the size of your hoop.

Pattern transfer:

Trace your pattern onto a piece of paper the same size as your hoop. (This is how I did it.)

Or print out a free pattern and cut it down to the size of the hoop

Cut out your pattern. Stick the paper to the underneath of the hoop with tape. Using a pen, transfer the pattern onto the cloth. It will be easier if you hold it up against a light. I used a water-soluble pen for all my designs.

Another method is using carbon paper or a heat erasable pen.

Spring embroidery hoop — This was done by my 14-year-old daughter. It was her first embroidery project. I designed it myself by combining elements of different patterns.

Choosing your color palette:

Once the pattern is traced or drawn, it’s time to choose your colors of floss.

Flowers embroidery hoop — I just drew out this pattern myself, designing your own patterns is quite easy.

Picking the right colors makes all the difference! I am no expert at this and I am still learning. I sometimes just go with the colors suggested by the pattern creator.

Finally the most exciting part – Starting your Embroidery!

Start stitching your design!

You can use your own stitches, there are so many different types. The most common ones are backstitch, lazy daisy, chain stitch, satin stitch, stem stitch, woven rose, and french knots.

However, there are many more that you can learn as you go along. It is all about practice!

If you are new to embroidery, For basic embroidery stitches you can watch this video by DIY Stitching.

The above free pattern is from Sublime Stitching, you have to sign up with your email address and you get a password to get free patterns. For this one, I stitched it differently than the original.

Finishing your embroidery hoop:

Once you are finished stitching your design. You have to erase any visible masks made by the pen. In my case, since I used a water-soluble pen, I just sprinkled water wherever I could see the marks, and they just disappeared like magic! If you use a heat erasable pen, just use a hair dryer to make the marks go away.

After that is done, the last step is making sure the extra fabric on the back is taken care of. For that, all you need to do is, thread a needle with some thread ( I used strong thread that you use with a sewing machine), tie a knot at one end, and make a series of running stitches all around the edge of the fabric. When you are done, pull the thread so all the fabric gets bunched together at the back of the hoop, end with a knot, and cut off the extra thread.

If you would like to go the extra mile, you could cut a round piece of fabric or sturdy paper and place it on the back of the hoop to hide the back of your work. Do this before you do the running stitch, so it is secure.

That’s it! Now you can display your work proudly or give it as a gift!

Here are a few YouTube channels to help you on your journey:

DIY Stitching

HandiWorks

Diana Vingert

I follow some incredible women on Instagram, if you are on Instagram, do check them out:

Clever Poppy

Matryoshka Doll Shop

Flynn and Mabel

Diana Vingert

Bek’s Stitches

Hope you enjoyed reading this post, I really hope you do get inspired to start your own journey in this art with all its amazing benefits. Take some time for yourself to create a masterpiece or many masterpieces!

Do share your finished projects on Instagram or Facebook if you can. Lovetostayhome is on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Please follow me @lovetostayhomeblog to know when I have a new post out. Also, you can comment below, I love hearing from you.

Here are some other easy DIY projects that you might like:

Small Embroidery Projects

Easy Felt Birds

Hand-Stitched Scrunchies

Hand Stitched Paper Gift Tags

DIY Decorative Macrame Jars/Vases

DIY Paper Boxes and Felt Baskets for Organizing!

5 DIY Jute Home Decor Ideas

DIY Faux Ceramic Vases

Thank you for your support of my blog. I am grateful to you for being here.

Have a wonderfully creative week!

Photo by Alexas_Fotos on Pixabay

Macrame

Simple Macrame Wall Hanging

June 24, 2022 2 Comments

This simple macrame wall hanging is easy to make. If you are looking for that pop of color and style for any room in your home, these mini wall hangings are perfect. They can be grouped together with other wall art to make a cute gallery wall too!

The color of the tassel can be changed to your color of choice or you can leave out the tassel for a neutral look.

Tassels are great and so easy to make, you do not need any special skills to make them!
You can check out my tassel earrings here, to see how to make a simple tassel. Use the same tutorial with longer macrame cords.

If you are new to macrame and would like to learn, I highly recommend Soulful Notions YouTube channel, she has great videos for a beginner and lots of beautiful easy macrame projects.

I also have also a list of other resources for macrame in another post of mine, where I have written about 10 Fun Hobbies to Do at Home.

WHAT SUPPLIES DO YOU NEED FOR THIS SIMPLE MACRAME WALL HANGING?

Macrame cotton cord ( The cord I used is a Natural color 4mm cord from Ganxxet.com)

Scissors (My scissors and brush are from MissKnottieMacrame.com)

Brush

Measuring tape

Dowel rod (I used one that is 6 inches, however I recommend using one that is 8 inches)

These are my Amazon picks for this project:

(Disclaimer: These are affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I know to be of great quality and have great reviews. Thank you so much for your support!)

I am trying my very best to keep my blog ad-free, so it really does help if you can use my link when you are shopping on Amazon. Thanks for helping me out, I am truly grateful!!

HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS SIMPLE MACRAME WALL HANGING?

For this project, you need to know how to tie larks head knots, square knots, and diagonal clove hitch knots.

Cut your cords. 8 cords, 36 inches each, and one cord 18 inches long.
Attach the 8 cords to the dowel rod using larks head knots.
Next, using 4 cord’s at a time, tie a row of square knots. You get 4 square knots.
Then leaving out 2 cords on either side, tie square knots using the remaining cords. You get 3 square knots.
Do the same 2 more times, until you tie one square knot in the middle.
The square knots form a v shape.
After that, tie diagonal clove hitch knots on both sides for 2 rows.
Brush out the cords and trim for an even fringe.
If you are adding a tassel, you just put the tassel in through the center where the diagonal clove hitch knots meet. And tie it at the back.
Add a cord of 12 inches long as the hanging cord. Attach it on both sides of the dowel rod using a simple knot.

That’s it! Your mini-masterpiece is ready!

If you like to watch a video to see how it is made, this is the one I followed from the Made by Hand YouTube channel. The only things I did differently were to add 8 cords instead of 10 and the addition of a tassel.

I will be adding these to my shop soon and will update this post when I do, so you can see them in my shop.

NOTES:

This wall hanging can be made on a tree branch, a piece of driftwood, on a dowel, or even on an old picture frame! You can check out my post about Recycled Macrame Frames.

Dowel rods are usually long and may have to be cut down to size. I used a saw to cut the dowel rod to size and then sanded the edges using sanding paper. I might use a longer dowel rod next time as the cords just about fit.

You can even make this into a garland by repeating this pattern on a long cord. This will make a very pretty garland too!

Thank you for visiting my blog and reading about this Macrame Wall Hanging. Hope you feel inspired to make one for yourself! If you happen to make one, please share it with me on Instagram or Facebook @lovetostayhomeblog, I would love to see your lovely creations!

Do follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram @lovetostayhomeblog, so you can see when I have a new post on my blog.

If you like macrame, please check out my other easy Macrame projects:

DIY Decorative Macrame Jars/Vases

Macrame Flower Bead Keychain

Simple Macrame Feathers

Simple Macrame Statement Earrings

Macrame Feather Earrings

Macrame Tassel Earrings

Easy Macrame Coasters

Macrame Bookmarks

Macrame Keychains

Have a wonderful and creative day everyone!!

Photo by Hello I’m Nik on Unsplash

Recipes

Air Fryer Crispy Onion Fritters

June 15, 2022 No Comments

Air Fryer Crispy Onion Fritters are super easy to make and are the perfect snack for any time of day.

The fact that these are air-fried makes this a healthier and yummy treat without worrying about the extra oil.

If you do not have an air fryer and love fried foods, I suggest getting one. This gadget is definitely a game-changer! I love the air fryer and hardly deep fry anything anymore.

What are the ingredients for Air Fryer Crispy Onion Fritters?

(The exact measurements are in the recipe card.)

Red onions

Chickpea flour ( besan found at the Indian store)

Rice flour

Salt

Chilli powder

Oil

Chaat Masala powder ( optional)

Jalapeños or Green chilies (optional)

Cilantro (optional)

These are my Amazon Picks for this recipe:

(Disclaimer: These are affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I know to be of great quality and have great reviews. Thank you so much for your support!)

I am trying my very best to keep my blog ad-free, so it really does help if you can use my link when you are shopping on Amazon. Thanks for helping me out, I am truly grateful!!

How do you make these Air Fryer Onion Fritters?

Slice your onion in half and then in slices. Or cut the onion into rings.

Put them in a bowl. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil.

In a separate bowl, add the chickpea flour, rice flour, and spices. Mix with a whisk.

Mix this well with the onions using your hands or a fork.

Add a little water at a time and mix it till the mixture coats the onions. (I probably less than 1/4th cup of water)

Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees.

Put some onion mixture in little patties on the air fryer tray. I could put 4 at a time. Spray with a little oil.

Air fry them for about 8 minutes, flip in between, then turn the heat up to 400 and air fry for about 2 minutes.

Take the fritters out and enjoy your crispy yummy fritters with ketchup or sriracha.

Print

Air Fryer Crispy Onion Fritters

Crispy Onion Fritters made healthier in an Air Fryer! Simple and easy to make.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 6

Cook Time 10

Total Time 16

Servings 2

Author Nandini

Ingredients

1 Big Red Onion
Jalapenos or Green Chilies (optional)
Cilantro, a few leaves (optional)
⅓ cup Chickpea Flour (Besan)
2 tbsp Rice Flour
½ tsp Kashmiri Chili powder
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
¼ tsp Chaat masala powder (optional)
¾ tsp Salt (or to taste)
1 - 2 tbsps Oil

Instructions

Slice the onions. Put them in a bowl. If you are using jalapenos, green chilies, or cilantro, add them to the onions now.
In a separate bowl, add the chickpea and rice flour, turmeric, salt, and chili powder. Add the chaat masala powder. Mix everything with a whisk.
Drizzle or spray oil onto the onions. Mix.
Add the dry powder and mix it with the onions.
Add a little water at a time and mix with your hands or a fork. The mixture should coat the onions.
Preheat air fryer to 350°.
Make patties with the onion mixture and add them to the air fryer. I made 4 at a time.
Fry them for around 8 minutes turning once in between. For the last 2 minutes, turn the heat up to 400°.
Take them out and enjoy your healthier Onion Fritters with some Ketchup or Sriracha.

Notes:

If you like these really spicy, you can add green chilies chopped up.

Chaat masala, cilantro, and chilies( or jalapeños for a less spicy version) are optional but recommended.

If you do not have an air fryer, you could bake these in an oven.

Eat these immediately or they will lose their crispiness. Doubtful that you would have any left😁 but if you do, they can be reheated in the air fryer for a few minutes.

If you try this recipe, please take a second to rate it. Thank you so much. Leave me a comment if you can. Share a picture on Facebook or Instagram @lovetostayhomeblog, I would love to see it!

Lovetostayhome is on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook, please give me a follow if you can, then you will know whenever I have a new post up on my blog.

Check out my other easy snack recipes:

Air Fryer Tortilla Samosas

Air Fryer Okra Fries

Air-Fryer Cauliflower Manchurian

Crispy Zucchini Fritters

Air Fryer Salmon Fish Fry

Air-Fryer Potato Wedges

Fried Masala Mushrooms – Deep-fried Vs Air-Fried!

Thank you so much for reading.

Happy Cooking! And have a great day!

Photo by Ashwini Chaudhary(Monty) on Unsplash

Macrame

Recycled Macrame Frames

June 9, 2022 4 Comments

Recycled Macrame Frames are a great way to repurpose some old canvas frames. I had so many of these canvases that my kids had painted when they were younger.

Instead of throwing them out, I decided to take the canvas off, underneath is a perfectly good wooden frame that can be recycled.

Macrame is just such an awesome hobby that anyone can learn. I just started macrame about 10 months ago and just love it. You do not need any special tools, only your hands! With some cotton cord or rope, you can create beautiful macrame decor or accessories.

These frames can be used as tabletop decor or to style any shelves in need of some dressing up!

What do you need for these Recycled Macrame Frames?

Canvas frames or any old picture frames (You can find great options for cheap at any thrift store)

Macrame cotton cord or rope (My cord is from Ganxxet)

Scissors (The scissors and brush that I have are from Miss Knottie Macrame)

Brush

These are my Amazon Picks for this project:

(Disclaimer: These are affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I know to be of great quality. Thank you so much for your support!)

I am trying my very best to keep my blog ad-free, so it really does help if you can use my link when you are shopping on Amazon. Thanks for helping me out, I am truly grateful!!

How do you make these Recycled Macrame Frames?

The possibilities are endless with the designs you can create!

You can use as little as 2 knots and make a beautiful frame or you can use a combination of a few knots.

You can also attach macrame feathers. To see how to make feathers, I have a whole post about it. You can take a look at it here.

The Basic instructions are:

Attach your cord to the frame with larks head knots. Or use one cord to attach your cords.

Use even numbers of cords.

The length of cord you need would be about 4 lengths of your frame.

In case you are just making a design halfway, you can use 3 lengths of cord.

Frame 1:

For this frame, I used 1 cord, 14 inches long to go around the top of the frame.

I secured the cord to the back with a hot glue gun and some tape.

Next, cut 12 cords 26 inches each.

Attach these 12 cords to the top cord with larks head knots.

I made a very simple design with this one.

With the first 4 cords tie a square knot. Do the same across with the rest of the cords. Total 6 square knots.

For the next row, leave out the first 2 cords and tie a square knot with the next 4 cords. The square knot is tied leaving 2 finger space or around 1.5inches gap. Do the same with the rest of the cords leaving out the last 2. Total 5 square knots.

For the next row, it is a repeat of the first row, so 6 square knots in total. Leave a gap of 1.5inches from the previous row.

I left the remaining cords to hang down And trimmed the cords to the length of the frame.

TIP: When you need to leave a space between rows of knots, to make the knots at the same level, use a ruler or a long piece of cardboard placed in between the cords. This will give you an even row of knots.

Frame 2:

This Macrame Feather Frame is easy and the quickest one to make.

Cut two cords double the length of your frame plus 5 inches.

Tie these with a larks head knot to the frame.

Cut 40 cords of 5 inches each.

Use these to make the feathers. If you would like to see a photo tutorial please see my Simple Macrame Feathers Post.

You can make a small feather or a big feather, it is your choice.

Brush out the cords and cut them in a feather shape.

That’s it, your simple and easy macrame feather frame is ready to be displayed!

Optional: You can spray the feathers with some fabric stiffener, then brush them out and it makes it easier to shape them well.

Frame 3:

This frame has a few more knots than the previous 2. Apart from the larks head knot and square knot, I used diagonal clove hitch knots and regular knots at the end of the cords.

Attach 8 cords of around 40 inches each, with larks head knots around the top of the frame.

Make one row of square knots. (total 4 square knots)

Leave about 1 inch and make another row of square knots. (total 4 square knots)

Next, using 2 cords at a time, tie 4 diagonal clove hitch knots. Do this for the whole row.

After that, make 4 square knots using 4 cords at a time. (total 4 square knots)

Leaving around 1 inch, make the last row of square knots.

Optional: Make regular knots at the ends of the cord and cut the excess off. Or, cut the cords to an even length and then make knots if you would like them at the same level.

Now you can display your recycled macrame frame.

NOTES:

If you are using an old canvas frame, you will need to remove the canvas. This can easily be done by just pulling off the canvas.
You can also paint the frame any color you want to match your color scheme.
These frames can be used as wall art or just standing up on a shelf.
You can go a step further by adding some faux flowers, crochet flowers, or just some simple elements to dress up the sides of your frames.

Hope you enjoyed reading about this simple way of adding some decor to your home by recycling old frames. If you happen to try this, please share a picture with me on Facebook or Instagram @lovetostayhomeblog, I would be really happy to see your creations!

If you like macrame, please check out my other simple and easy macrame projects:

Macrame Bookmarks

DIY Decorative Macrame Jars/Vases

Macrame Flower Bead Keychain

Simple Macrame Statement Earrings

Simple Macrame Feathers

Macrame Feather Earrings

Macrame Tassel Earrings

Easy Macrame Coasters

Macrame Keychains

Macrame Spiral Wristlets

Thank you for your support of my little blog! Just by reading and being here, you motivate me to share more ideas and content.

If you have not already, please follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook to know when I have a new post out.

Have a wonderful day my lovely friends!

Photo by Mert Talay on Unsplash

Recipes

Green Chicken Curry

May 19, 2022 No Comments

Simple Green chicken curry is one of those no-fuss recipes where you grind a whole lot of ingredients and make the curry. No chopping required! Most recipes have a red curry or gravy, so this is something different.

Even if you are busy, you can certainly make this green chicken curry in a hurry!! I am always looking for and trying recipes that are quick and easy. This is not my recipe, but I wanted to share it as it turned out really good.

This recipe is by Chef Varun Inamdar from the YouTube channel Get Curried. You can find the recipe video here. I love this particular chef’s recipes, they are always simple and delicious.

It has been a while since I shared a recipe on my blog. From now onwards, I have decided to only share recipes that turn out so delicious that I cannot help but share them with everyone! So, you know this is a great recipe!

I adjusted the original recipe to suit my family’s taste. This is how I made it for my family.

What are the ingredients required for this Green Chicken Curry?

Chicken thighs

Turmeric powder

Oil

To grind:

Green chilies

Ginger

Garlic

Mint leaves

Cilantro

Yogurt

Onion

Curry leaves

Lime juice

Garam masala powder

Salt to taste

The exact measurements that I used will be in the recipe card below.

These are my Amazon Kitchen Picks for this recipe:

(Disclaimer: These are affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I know to be of great quality. Thank you so much for your support!)

How do you make this Green Masala Chicken??

Make the masala paste first, in a grinder jar add all the ingredients for the masala. Grind it well into a smooth paste. Keep this paste aside.

Heat some oil in a pan. Add the chicken along with turmeric powder and salt. Fry it for about 5 minutes, stirring it so it does not stick to the pan.

Add the green masala paste to the chicken, and mix well for a few minutes. Cover and cook till chicken is fully cooked about 15 minutes.

Add garam masala and salt to taste.

When it’s done garnish with mint leaves and thinly sliced ginger.

That’s it! Your delicious green chicken curry is ready!

Serve with peas rice, plain rice, naan, roti, or paratha.

Print

Green Chicken Curry

An easy and delicious green chicken curry that gets its green color from mint leaves, cilantro, and green chilies.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Ingredients

4 Chicken thighs, cut in half 8 pieces in total
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Salt

Green masala ingredients

1 onion
20 Mint leaves
1/2 Bunch of Cilantro
4 Garlic cloves
1 inch Ginger
2 Green chilies
1 Sprig of Curry leaves
1 tsp Lime juice
2 tbsps Yogurt

To garnish

A few mint leaves
Few slivers of ginger
½ tsp Garam masala

Instructions

Add all the ingredients for the green masala paste to the grinder/mixer and make it into a paste. Set this aside.
Heat oil in a wide pan. When hot, add the chicken pieces, turmeric, and salt. Keep stirring and let the chicken cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the green masala paste prepared earlier. Mix it well. Add a little water (about ¼ cup) to the mixer jar and add that masala water to the chicken.
Cover and cook for about 15 minutes. The chicken should be cooked well.
Lastly, add salt to taste and garam masala.
Garnish with chopped mint leaves and thin slivers of ginger
Enjoy this green masala chicken with rice, quinoa, naan, roti or paratha!

Notes:

You can adjust the spice by adding more or less green chilies. In the original recipe, Chef Inamdar adds 6-8 green chilies, but I just added 2 as my family prefers less spice. I also left out the green chilies in the garnish.

If you like it spicy, do follow the original recipe.

Use chicken thighs for the best taste. But you can use chicken breasts or chicken legs too.

Other options that you can use are eggs or mutton( goat meat).

Substitute paneer, tofu, or vegetables for a vegetarian version.

For the masala paste, I added a small-sized onion and 4 big cloves of garlic. If you get small garlic cloves, you will have to add more.

You can add potatoes too. I always love adding potatoes to any curry as they really absorb the flavors and taste really good.

Do try this recipe, you will not be disappointed. Please leave a comment below if you try it out., I would love to hear from you! Or you can share a picture on Facebook or Instagram @lovetostayhomeblog

Check out my other easy Chicken recipes:

Easy Butter Chicken

Spicy Indian Chicken Fry

Ghee Rice & Kadai Chicken

Easy Indian Chicken Stew

Chicken Shawarma Pita Wraps

Instant Pot Spanish Chicken Pulao

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Instant Pot Chicken Pulao

Quick Chicken and Egg Noodles

Thank you for reading! Hope to see you back here soon!

Lovetostayhome is on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, Please follow me to know when I post something new.

Have a wonderful day!

Photo by Hello I’m Nik on Unsplash

Crochet

Easy Crochet Bows

May 14, 2022 No Comments

These Crochet Bows are so easy to make and look so pretty! To make these you only use the double crochet stitch, so it is a beginner-friendly project.

You can use these bows on clips, hair bands, and hair ties to make cute hair accessories. Apart from that, they can also be used when wrapping presents.

Make them in different sizes and colors. They can be made in less than 15 minutes!! These crochet bows make great gifts too! Just make them in a set of 2 or 3.

There are a lot of patterns available, but I choose the easiest 2 in my opinion, as I always love quick and easy patterns!

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE THESE CROCHET BOWS?

Yarn

Crochet hook

Scissors

Yarn needle

Here are my Amazon picks for this project:

(Disclaimer: These are affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I know to be of great quality. Thank you so much for your support!)

HOW DO YOU MAKE THESE CROCHET BOWS?

For the big bows, I followed this tutorial by Kim Layton at Everything Etsy.com, You can find the pattern here.

Basically, crochet a rectangle using double crochets. Then fold and stitch it up. Next, you wrap yarn around the center making it in the shape of a bow.

So easy!

I made some with cotton yarn from Hobby Lobby and also tried some small bows with velvet yarn.

For the smaller bows, I followed this simple pattern by Daisy Cottage Designs.

Thank you to these makers for sharing these free patterns with us!!

If you do not know how to crochet, I have some beginner posts, do check them out if you would like to learn:

Learn How to Crochet

Learn the Basic Crochet Stitches

As I have said many times before, crochet is a wonderful hobby to have and easy to learn. The things you can make are beautiful, useful, and decorative. Most importantly crochet, like any other hobby is a stress buster.

If crochet is not for you, I have a post about 10 Hobbies that you can check out. You might find your next favorite hobby!

10 Fun Hobbies to do at Home

Hope you liked this post, if you do try out some bows, do share a picture with me on Facebook or Instagram @lovetostayhomeblog, I would love to see your creations! Please tag the pattern writers too!

Thank you for reading! I am grateful for your presence here.

Here are some other easy crochet projects you might like:

Sunflower Crochet Coasters

10 Free and Easy Crochet Flower Patterns

Crochet Car Coasters

Crochet Bath Scrubbers

Organizing with Crochet Baskets!

10 Easy Crochet Earrings (All Free Patterns!)

Crochet Keychains & Wristlets

Do follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram @lovetostayhomeblog to know when I have a new post.

Please visit my blog again soon.

Thank you, and have a wonderful day!

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Crochet

Sunflower Crochet Coasters

April 24, 2022 No Comments

These Crochet Sunflower Coasters will certainly brighten up any space in your home for Spring and Summer! The Sunflower is such a beautiful vibrant flower, so why not have these sunflowers in your home, they will never fade away! 😁

Coasters are so versatile. Apart from the most common use for your cups/mugs, these coasters can also be used for other things like candles, small plant pots, jewelry trays, little trinkets, etc.

They just liven up any space that they are in.

This is a simple crochet pattern. Easy enough for beginners too! If you would like to learn crochet, do check out my two beginner posts:

Learn How to Crochet

Learn the Basic Crochet Stitches

What are the supplies needed for these Crochet Sunflower Coasters?

Brown yarn (The yarn I used is from HobbyLobby I love this cotton, Brown)

Yellow yarn (This one is from Hobby Lobby too, its name is Curry)

Crochet hook size 4.25mm or 4.5mm

Scissors

Yarn needle

Here are my Amazon picks for this project:

(Disclaimer: These are affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I know to be of great quality. Thank you so much for your support!)

How do you make these Crochet Sunflower Coasters?

The pattern I followed is from a video tutorial on YouTube. It is from the channel Butterfly Craft DIY. You can find it here.

There are many tutorials on Pinterest and YouTube for Sunflower Coasters, believe me, I tried quite a few! In the end, I liked the look of these coasters. They are easy to make and are just the right size. (They are actually bigger than regular coasters, but since sunflowers are big flowers I think they look nice bigger.)

These Crochet Sunflower Coasters are available in my Etsy shop! If you would like to check them out, do visit my shop, HappyKnotsandLoops.

If you try out these coasters, please share them with me on Instagram or Facebook. I would love to see it! Also, be sure to tag the ButterflyCraftDIY Youtube channel on Instagram.

Lovetostayhomeblog is on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Do follow me on any or all of these platforms to see when I post something new. Thank you all for your support, it really does mean a lot to me!

Here are some other Coasters that you might be interested in making:

Crochet Car Coasters

Independence Day Crochet Coasters

Crochet Christmas Star Coasters

Easy Macrame Coasters

5 Useful Crochet Projects

Have a wonderful and creative day friends!!

Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash

Crochet

Velvet Crochet Peep Bunnies

April 15, 2022 No Comments

Velvet Crochet Peep Bunnies are so cute and soft! They make a great gift to put in an Easter basket.

These bunnies are easy to make and take about an hour. It may take longer if you are a beginner, but that being said it is easy enough for a beginner too!

The velvet yarn makes it so cuddly and soft. You can make it in cotton yarn like in the pattern I followed.

I decided to go for velvet yarn as I love the softness of it. I definitely think it is more challenging to work with velvet yarn but the end result is worth it!

If you like velvet yarn projects, Check out these, Velvet beginner soft and cozy Crochet scarves!

What do you need to make these Velvet Peep Crochet Bunnies?

Velvet Yarn – I used velvet yarn from Hobby lobby which I had in my yarn stash

Crochet hook – size 4.25mm

Scissors

Beads or safety eyes – I used black beads as that’s what I had. However, If you are making these for a young child I suggest using safety eyes.

Stuffing – I used polyfill which I had. Alternatives are cotton, felt scraps, or yarn scraps.

Yarn needle – To weave in the ends.

Here are my Amazon picks for this project:

(Disclaimer: These are affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I know to be of great quality. Thank you so much for your support!)

How do you make these Velvet Peep Crochet Easter Bunnies?

I followed this pattern by Heather Corrine.

Her pattern is very clear and I followed it exactly as she explained. She even has a video to make these, so if you like to watch and learn, she has got you covered!

I have previously followed a mini pumpkin tutorial from Heather and wrote a post about it. You can find it here if you are interested. Her patterns are simple and easy to follow.

Thank you to Heather for the free patterns!

Notes:

As mentioned earlier you can use cotton yarn. Your bunny will not be as soft and cuddly but still as cute!

For the eyes and nose, you can use beads as I did. I sewed them on with a yarn needle and thread. Alternatives are safety eyes or stitching the eyes and nose with black thread.

When stuffing the bunny, I did not stuff the ears, just the body, and face. Do not overstuff.

Hope you liked reading about these cute bunnies! If you try them out please share a picture with me on Instagram @lovetostayhomeblog. You can tag Heather as well @heathercorrine

Thank you for being here and I appreciate your support! Please come back soon to check out all my other posts.

If you are interested in easy crochet projects, here are some that you may like:

Crochet Chain Decorative Easter Eggs

10 Free and Easy Crochet Flower Patterns

Spring Flower Crochet Garland

Crochet Car Coasters

Crochet Bath Scrubbers

3 Easy Crochet Potholders

Beginner Velvet Crochet Scarf

Easy Crochet Hair Accessories

Easy Crochet Chain Earrings

5 Useful Crochet Projects

Have a wonderful and creative day!!

Image by Pooja S from Pixabay

Crochet

Crochet Chain Decorative Easter Eggs

April 12, 2022 2 Comments

Crochet Chain Decorative Easter eggs are a great DIY idea for decorating your home this Easter. I am all about making your own decor as much as possible. First, it is cheaper than buying and secondly, you feel good that you have made something with your own hands and you can be creative about it. Finally, you are reusing/recycling which is always better for the environment.

I had made a lot of crochet chains when I posted about learning crochet last year on my blog. You can see that post here. Here is another way of using crochet chains!
I had a lot of plastic Easter eggs lying around, so instead of throwing them out, repurposing them for this project seemed like a good idea. So, I wrapped them with the crochet chains to see how they look. The end result surprised me. They look really nice and textured.

So easy and quick to make, make a whole lot and put them in a nice bowl on your table for a nice centerpiece! Or use them in a vase as fillers.
You can make them in any color you want, pastel, neutral, or bright. Considering the color choices of yarn available nowadays, you can match the colors to your decor.

What do you need to make these Crochet chain Easter eggs?

Yarn

Crochet hook

Scissors

Hot glue gun or regular glue

Plastic Easter eggs

Here are my Amazon picks for this project:

(Disclaimer: These are affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I know to be of great quality. Thank you so much for your support!)