Pencil Scarf

Every year for my son's birthday I give him something hand made. This year he told me he wanted a pencil bigger than him. So I was browsing some patterns and ran across this pencil scarf! He loves it! I have to force him not to wear it in the house! It was super easy to knit, the only thing I changed was I did a few less gray rows and a few more pink, I thought it needed less "metal" and more "eraser". I am very happy with the outcome! Here's where I found the pattern:

http://zakkalife.blogspot.com/2007/10/knit-pencil-scarf.html


Here's mine:

Little Legwarmers

These are the legwarmers I made for my niece. Her mother wanted white, so I added little buttons to give them some flare. They worked up super quick and look adorable on! Here's what I did:

Little Legwarmers

CO 32 sts on size 7 dpn's.

Work K1, P1 for 1 inch. Continue in St st until piece measures 9".

Switch to K1, P1 ribbing again and continue for 2". (I left the bottom a little longer to stay on her socks and to put over her shoes a tad) They really looked cute like that!

BO all sts. weave in ends. Sew on buttons or whatever other embellishments you'd like! I also thought they'd look cute with some of the decorative buttons you see everywhere, but I wanted a more vintage look for these ones!

Orthodox Advent Calendar

Since we are Greek Orthodox, we start our advent fast 40 days before Christmas and it is impossible to find an advent calendar with more than 25 days. So I created one of my own based on ideas I'd seen in different places. Here's what it came out like:






DIRECTIONS:

You will need:

1- regular large sized cookie sheet

3 - 12 x 12 sheets of Christmas themed scrapbook paper cut down to size.

2 - 12 x 12 red and green cardstock (I used textured)

I had 25 wooden nativity themed pieces already so I needed to find 15 other pieces to have enough for 40 days. I'd like to find some tiny wooden icons like pin sized of Sts. Savva, Nicholas, Katerina, Herman, etc. that celebrate during the Nativity fast to put on their dates, but for this year I just used snowmen, etc.

Permanent scrapbooking tape

40 magnets

various stickers and embellishments; ribbons, buttons, etc.

pack of letter stickers (number stickers optional) I used 3-D stickers

1/2" Christmas ribbon ( about 1 1/2 ft. long)

hot glue gun

permanent marker

ruler

drill

Directions:

First you'll need to size your papers, I made a border of about 3" on top and bottom in contrasting paper, to your cookie sheet (you'll be using the back; the right side will face the wall and will hold your extra pieces), then cut it to size and tape together on back of paper and place on cookie sheet. Then you'll measure out room for 40 squares for the days. I used the width of a ruler for the length and a $10 quarter roll (flattened) for the width of the squares. I did 5 per row, and pencil them in lightly in case you need to erase anywhere. Next I traced my lines with a permanent marker and wrote in the numbers from the 15th of November until Christmas. Then I put my stickers on the top and bottom (Christ is born! Rejoice!) and taped some decorative ribbon on the top and bottom of the these phrases. Next you'll cut out 40 red and green squares slightly smaller than the squares on your cookie sheet and glue your pieces to them and then glue the magnets to the back. Make sure you glue the magnet on the right side or it won't stick! Finally add whatever other embellishments you'd like, I used some regular stickers, some metallic ones and some 3-D ones. Last you will drill two small holes in the top of your cookie sheet and put your ribbon through to hang it. Put all pieces on the inside (front) of the cookie sheet and take off as you need them!

Now you have an Orthodox Advent Calendar!

Christmas Projects (to-be)

Well, I finally started working on the list of items that I'd like to knit for friends and family.

Brother - a tie (he thinks I'm nuts, but he's a young guy and I know he'll love it, if he doesn't he better wear it anyway)
My two boys - matching fair aisle hats
My Godson - a scarf in Buckeye colors!
My niece - leg warmers in asst. colors (she lives in NC and needs to keep those little legs warm under her dresses)
Girlfriends new little girl - cupcake hat to match the cupcake outfit I bought
My nephews (2) - crayon scarves

So far this is as far as I'm taking it. If I get these done, I'll be a happy camper. I do this every year, I make this long list of gifts I hope to knit and don't get halfway through. This year I have a new little one (4 months) with us, so between feedings I get 1 hour and 15 minute intervals to get everything else done. So I have down sized my list and am working realistically this year.

Does anyone else do this?? Hope everyone else is getting started! Happy Knitting!

Felted Bag

I love to felt and my felted bags end up being my favorite! They hold up great and you don't have to sew a lining inside!

This is before it was felted:



This is after it was felted:
Details of the embroidery before the felting process:

This pattern is also from Interweave knits, I believe it was the Fall 2006 issue. It was quick to knit, but the embroidery took some time! Well worth it though! It was fun to do and I get tons of compliments on this bag!!

Interweave Knits Summer Shawlette

This was knit in Ambrosia 'mulled wine' from Knit Picks. This is a fabulous yarn at a great price!

This pattern is from Interweave Knits 'Sweet Somethings' collection. It is an arrowhead lace pattern. This particular pattern was designed by Sandi Wiseheart, she designed it using the shawlette pattern from women of the Faroe Islands who knit them centuries ago.

http://www.interweaveknits.com/freepatterns/pdf/sum_06/Sweet_Somethings.pdf

Ann Norling's Fruit Hats

These are great gifts for people! They work up super quick, you can use cheap yarn and people LOVE them! I've done pumpkins and apples for fall, lemons for spring, and here is a blueberry and a strawberry! I was pregnant this summer and we didn't know what we were having so I made one for a boy and one for a girl!

Knitty has a great pattern for a berry tart hat. The brim is the "crust" and purple bobbles are the berries! It's awesome!
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter03/PATTbabytart.html