Mother's Day Gifts

If you're looking for something besides a scarf or blanket for Mother's Day, here are a few ideas.

My bestie asked for some soup bowl cozies.  You know, something to hold under a hot bowl of soup instead of a tea towel.  This is what I came up with.....crochet a basket with cotton yarn and line it with fabric.  Now, you don't need to line it with fabric.  It works just fine without it.

Here's what I did:

Crochet a circle and start increasing using a soup bowl as a guide.  Keep doing that until you you get the size you want.  Just keep checking the fit after a few rows.

I cut the fabric in a circle, including a 1" hem.  I then just whip stitched it to the yarn basket.  

They're reversible too!

I really like them and so did my bestie!  As I said, you don't need to add fabric and they work just fine at keeping the heat off your hand using just yarn.  Also, the yarn has just enough stretch to fit many a bowl size.

Socks are a great gift too!  There's plenty of time until Mother's Day to whip up some in her favorite color.  I use a free pattern from Susan B Anderson.  Great "how I knit my socks" pattern can be found on her Rav page.

I love this pillow I crocheted for our couch. It's from Lucy of Attic 24,  You can use any weight yarn and she has the free pattern on her lovely blog.  In the above photo, I used Knit Picks Chroma in a fingering weight.  No need to change colors as you go if you have some long run yarn in your stash.  Again, another great gift for Mom.

If you know how to crochet some edging, just add it to some pillow cases as a gift.  Get out your crochet edging books and pick a pattern.  I like to do this using fingering weight or finer.

Crochet up a few little baskets for her to hold bits and bobs or place a little potted plant inside of one.  You might want to cover the bottom of the plant with plastic wrap or foil to protect the basket.

I used this pattern with whatever yarn I had and added fabric.

I'd love to hear about ideas you have for Mother's Day gift giving!

Best,

Sheila

Factoid:

In the 1950's, 75% of American households had sewing machines.  Now it's less than 5%.

NO TIME!

New Blanket Pattern, Prada Headband Pattern and a Sockhead Hat

 My latest blanket pattern is listed!  Yay!  Super easy to crochet with video links and loads of photos.  Here's the info from my Etsy shop:

I have included two edging options, loads of photos, video links for the blanket stitch and the popcorn edge so you can see how to crochet both of those.

I have included the brand names, colors and amounts of yarn needed for both the blankets in the photos above. The yarns are variegated so the color changes automatically....no need to change colors as you go!

Easily make it larger or smaller to fit your needs. Pattern is worked from the corner out to desired width, then decreasing to the end.

Skill level: easy: basic stitches, minimal shaping, simple finishing. I'm always available to help you along the way!

Abbreviations given for American and United Kingdom terms.

Materials needed:
*280 yards/256m (each skein), medium weight (4) {aran weight for my overseas friends}
* 7 skeins for 46” square (117cm) blanket with popcorn edge 
* 4 skeins for 33.5” square (85cm) baby blanket with a single crochet edge

*crochet hook size H/8 5.00mm for the body of blanket 
*crochet hook size G/6 4.25mm for the edging. This eliminates a ruffled edge.

Measurements:
Blue blanket: 46” square (117cm) blanket with bobble edge 
Autumn blanket: 33.5” square (85cm) baby blanket with a single crochet edge

Popcorn edge

Generous size

Simple single crochet edge for the baby blanket size included

I've updated the photos for my Prada Inspired Headband Pattern.  

Here's the listing info for that pattern:

This was inspired by the Prada Fall Fashion Show 2010. Every model was wearing one!

This pattern looks very intricate and difficult. I assure you that any advanced beginner knitter will be able to easily follow this pattern! You will need to know how to knit and crochet as both are used in this pattern. You can omit the crochet edge portion if you wish! The results will still be fabulous! Also, you will need to be familiar with cables.

When completed, it measures 19" around x 2 3/4" W. 

Straight needles make it easy to knit, the chunky yarn gives this headband great fullness! Any light colored yarn shows off the pattern beautifully! Black is classic and can never be wrong!

GREAT STOCKING STUFFER, TEACHER GIFT OR SECRET SANTA! DON'T FORGET YOUR BOSS, HAIRDRESSER, MAIL CARRIER, BABYSITTER AND NEIGHBOR!

**Selling the finished product is permitted**

Now, this Sockhead Hat pattern is free from Boho Knits!  Really fun and a great project for those one skein sock yarns in your stash!

I knit this using Knit Picks Hand Painted Imagination in Castle Walls.  Fingering weight (1) 440 yards total.

Find all my pattern links at the top of this page or in my 

Etsy shop

Craftsy shop

Ravelry shop

That's it for this week!  It's still very hot here in the midwest....over 90 degrees every day.  I must say, I do love warm weather but long for cooler days, cozy shawls, hot cups of tea and watching our beloved college football team the University Of Nebraska in Lincoln Cornhuskers!  Go Big Red!

Best,

sheila

Yarn tip:

When knitting cables, keep your yarn color light and solid (non variegated) to show off the cable pattern.

Holiday Knitting & Crocheting Part 3

Part 3 of Holiday Knitting & Crocheting is all about the noggins and hands!  I so enjoy these sorts of projects.  Not too much money or time.  Perfect for all ages and you can get as creative as you like. 

 

My Prada Inspired Knitted Headband is a great place to start if you are new to cables!  They are so simple yet, so effective for the WOW factor.  You can easily make some for the little people in your life and get several out of one skein of Lion Brand Jiffy or any bulky weight (5) yarn.  If you are using your stash, that's 135 yards (124 meters).

I designed these knitted Christmas Hats Collection for a custom client and love them.  Store bought buttons and ribbons make them extra special.  Pom pom toppers are classic.  The ribbon on that last hat reads "naughty or nice"....which makes me giggle!  These would be cute in any color combination, like Easter colors, team colors or even neutrals.  You get all the patterns for the hats you see in sizes newborn to toddler!  I used easy to find worsted weight (4) yarn, Caron Simply Soft.

My Knitted Arm Warmers is another, very versatile project.  Men, women and teens like these.  Perfect for the beginner who likes flat knitting.  I also provide instructions for knitting in the round for those who hate seaming up!  No thumb holes and variegated yarn does all the work here so no color changing!

I also have kits available in my Etsy shop, in three colorways, which comes with the yarn, printed pattern in a page protector, tote bag and coupon for your next order!

Many of you might have this free knitting pattern....Sockhead on Ravelry.  One skein of any sock yarn gets you this perfect hat for men, women and teens.  The ribbed cuff makes it easily fit any size noggin!  I love this easy pattern and it's a great take-along project.

Mittens is (are?) another great project for stash busting.  This free knitting pattern is from Susan B. Anderson. I do so love using variegated yarn for many of my projects as the effect is beautiful!  Find the pattern on Ravelry here.

This pattern, from Patons, is on Ravelry as well.  It looks like the mittens and the arm warmer is separate.  How cozy do these look?  Light colored yarn really shows of the detail.

I adore the colors Natalia used here and the design is lovely.  I found this knitting pattern on Ravelry as well.  Comes in and ebook with lots of other great designs.

If crocheting is your thing, these ribbed beauties by Mary Jane Hall are for you!  She has loads of beautiful things in her Ravelry shop.

I have this pattern by Hand Knitted Things on Craftsy.  Julia has truly, lovely things.  She is in Scotland and as I am half Scottish myself, I have a warm spot for her.  I adore the little Croft Houses in her shop!  The headband is knit first then you pick up stitches along its side for the hat part.  I love the oversized top of the hat....not head hugging and not too fitted either.

How cute are these animal headbands by Sweet Potato 3 on Craftsy?  No crocheting of the top of the hat, just a headband with the sweetness of a little critter....brilliant!

There you have it!  Next week, sweaters!

You can find all my pattern stores at the top of the page or find my

Etsy store here

Craftsy store here

Ravelry store here

Yarn tip:

Here are some head measurements for you

A Decent Pair of Socks

This is the first decent pair of socks I have made....ever!  I've tried so many patterns, I can't tell you.  Maybe it's me....maybe I'm reading the pattern wrong....maybe I've picked the wrong yarn...maybe I ate something  bad!  Ok, maybe not that last one.  I finally found a great pattern!  Whipped up in Knit Picks Wild West yarn and size 2 needles produced this lovely pair.  However, the yarn is not very cushy, so, if you're like me and don't like to wear shoes around the house, these are not practical.

 Fiesta Baby Boom in Coyote delivered some cushy goodness and in colors I like....grey, black, cream and brown.

 The above and below are Fiesta Baby Boom in Harlequin.  You might remember my post using this yarn for Karen's Carnival Baktus Scarf, below.  Look how different the colors look depending on knitting in stockinette or garter stitch and dye lots.

 Knit Circus' Pixie Dust Fingering in Robin's Egg have a bit of twinkling goodness in them.  Gorgeous color and squishy soft!

Knit Picks Stroll Fingering in Frosting are a gift for one of my besties.  Her signature color is pink and she will love these.

Now, about the pattern.  Don't ask me why it took so long to get it out as I've had it for quite sometime!  It belongs to Susan B. Anderson.  I adore her and have all her books.  She has this easy way about her.  You'd want her as a sister, neighbor or best friend.  If you watch her teaching, she is relaxing and mesmerizing at the same time.  Patient and thoughtful in her delivery.  Her patterns are the same way.  Technically, beautifully written, but with that element that she is speaking to you from the page.  In this pattern, she makes it so easy to understand the dreaded turning of the heel!

The pattern is free.  Just pop over to her Rav page or blog.  

I'm working on her mitten pattern and will have a future post about that.  Another great and easy pattern.

Best,

Sheila

Yarn tip:  

If you have trouble getting started knitting socks in the round on those small needles, here's what I do.....work the 2 x 2 ribbed cuff back and forth on 2 of the double point needles leaving a tail long enough to sew it up when the sock is finished.  After you complete the cuff, start knitting in the round with the remaining needles.