Pin Stripe Blanket

A new, custom couch was purchased for the "man cave". Lovely, soft greys and blacks. Of course, it needed a new throw in the same colors.

I love the soft variegated look! Masculine and soft at the same time.

Really easy project with terrific results! 61" L x 44" W

I used my Grey Gardens Baby Blanket (below) pattern for this project.  If you purchase the pattern, or if you already have my pattern, just send me a note and I will be glad to give you the specifics (yarn colors and amounts, size, edging etc.) on how to make this one.  

I always add my label, Creative Design on one side and my web address on the other side,  and "made with love" charm to every piece of knitwear whether it is for sale, a gift or an item I keep for ourselves.  The labels come from a lovely Etsy shop.  Owner Sasha is a jewel and you can find her here

The silver charms are ever so sweet and a real bargain!  36 charms for $7.50 and she even tossed in a few extra!  Find Hope here

Have a great week,
Sheila

A Break From the Needles and Hooks

Just LOOK at these cutest ever gingerbread cookies!  You can find the tutorial at Twigg Studios .  How sweet would they be for a little girly party, tea party or wedding or baby shower?  So simple with a food paint pen and green sprinkles.  If you don't like to bake, buy undecorated cookies!

Best,
Sheila

How To Install Safety Eyes

The eyes have it!

Watch this FREE, great video on Knit Picks.   How to install plastic eyes is perfect for all your toy knitting or crocheting!  Give your item personality and charm this holiday season!

Best,
Sheila

Charmed Hitchhiker

I found this great pattern on Ravelry by Martina Behm.  An easy pattern with spectacular results!  I used a worsted weight yarn...Queensland Rustic Tweed in color #916 that I found this summer in a lovely shop, The Woolie Ewe located in Plano, Texas. Wonderful shop owner who offered to cake the yarn for me!  Larger needles, US size 7 32" circulars give it great shape and size.

I added the charms, so beware, the instructions for that are not in her pattern.  I wish I would have taken a close up on those.  I found them on clearance at Hobby Lobby and attached them with a small crochet hook as I knitted up to that point.  The weight of the charms helps the points stay "pointy", which is great if you don't like blocking!

I ran out of Queensland yarn, but wanted to finish my last point, so I just added two rows of black.  It does not show too well in the picture, but it really takes it to another level!

I love all of Martina's designs, so be sure to pop over to see her!

Best,
Sheila

Project Cards

I created these cards for myself as I have many "PIGS" (projects in grocery sacks)!  The pdf is for sale if you would like to  pop over to  my Etsy shop.  I have many scarves started, but forgotten. A baby blanket that needs to be completed for a shower. A shawl put away for a rainy day.  You have them too, I know you do!

I was constantly saying....what needle went with this project?

I wish I wrote down what hook I was using for this!

What pattern does this project belong to?

What pattern book was this in?

How many skeins do I need for this?

You can print these cards off on your printer, punch a hole in one corner and attach it to you project!

Easy way to keep track of your PIGS!

Great gift for any knitter or hooker! Print them off, tie them up with cute ribbon, add a skein of yummy yarn, pair of needles or crochet hook and there you go....instant gift!

There are 10 on a page with all the information you need on one side, and plenty of room on the back to write down additional notes.

Rainbow Entrelac Blanket

I love a yarn with long runs and entrelac patterns. I'm not, however, too fond of lots of color changes. This yarn was just the ticket as it changes colors on its own. It is a kit from Mary Maxim that comes with 5 balls of yarn and the pattern.

This is not a quick knit and took quite some time....about a month/120 hours. I am a fast knitter and as I make a living selling patterns and finished items, I do spend a great deal of time in "my chair" knitting or hooking away!   The yarn in the kit is DK weight and I used my Knit Picks US size 7, 32" circular needles.

I love how it turned out. The pattern calls for an I-cord edging, but I wanted a slightly larger border so a crochet hook and some single crocheted rows provided a nice edge without taking away from the lovely blanket itself.

The pattern is very well written and the color changes keep it interesting. You are actually only knitting 10 stitches at a time, so if you find you need to frog back, it is not so daunting.

Craftsy.com (you can find them on the right side of my blog under Lovely Sponsors) has some workshops/classes for you if you are new to entrelac and need to see the jist of how entrelac works. There is always YouTube for videos as well.

If any of you have entrelac projects to share, I'd love to see them.

Best,
Sheila

Granny Chair

I love this chair from sanna & sania!  How much fun would that be to have a chair like this in your craft room?  I can see myself snuggling up, knitting or crocheting away the latest ripple blanket!  There are many beautiful diy things on this site as well as books they have published. Have a great week!

Best,
Sheila

Free Pattern!

 I had remembered a baby shower about two hours before I had to be there! No time for a blanket, but plenty time for some simple booties! I do mean simple! Too simple to give by themselves! 

I always have these "take out" boxes on hand at Christmas time. There you go... Instant gift! I hand wrote a little fortune...."good things come in small packages"! Not very original, but it worked! The mommy loved them and that's all that matters!

You can find this FREE pattern here in my Craftsy Pattern store.  A sheet of cute "fortunes" are included for you to print off, cut and slip into each bootie!  If you are a "hooker" and not a knitter, you can easily adapt the pattern.  Just single crochet to the size given.  I'd love to see a photo of your finished "cookie".

Have a great week!
Sheila

DIY Knit Kit

Happy Thursday to you!  I'd like to share with you today my knit kit.  I do a fair amount of traveling and take my knitting/crocheting everywhere I go.  If you're like me you probably have something like this in your bag.  It has all the essentials for the knitter or hooker on the go!

Scissors, stitch holder, cable needle, safety pins, crochet hook, sticky notes and pen, tape measure, my business cards from Moo.com .  I love these cards, by the way.  They have my contact info on one side and a picture of a finished product on the other!  Also in the tin, extra reading glasses, stitch markers, ruler, row counter, bread bags ties (for intarsia...they work like bobbins), a mini tin to hold sewing/tapestry needles and the smaller items.  Oh, and hair barrettes to hold the tail on a ball of yarn!  Did I mention everything?

It all packs up nicely in this tin I found at a thrift store!  I'm going to make some of these for a couple fellow knitters/crocheters this Christmas!  One can never have enough knitting/crocheting goodies.

That's all for now!  Have a great weekend!

Best,
Sheila

Christmas Hats Collection

Hello my faithful followers!  Summer is over in the USA and needles and hooks are starting to fly as the holiday seasons begin!  Fall sweaters and blankets, Halloween projects, Thanksgiving decorations and, of course, Christmas projects and gifts!  If you own a knitwear shop as I do, or not, you have a list of yarnny projects to complete!  On my list every year are these Christmas Hats that I whip up every year for gifts and for charity.

Easy pattern to fit many a holiday noggin'!  I'd love to hear about what you are knitting or crocheting for the holidays.  Send me a photo and I'll get it featured in an upcoming post!

Have a great week!

Best,
Sheila

Kits Are In!

After MANY requests from satisfied customers, the kits are here! 

With this kit you get the fabric, crochet hook, care instruction card, a label to personalize yourself, a coupon for your next order and FREE pattern to complete a blanket approx 31" x 30" with two edging options! 

Pick out your own yarn to coordinate with the fabric! Chocolate would be yummy. A crisp white would look great too! Peaches and pinks are other colors in this fun fabric! Choose more than one color for a unique look!

I think a crisp white would be lovely with this kit. A shade of blue would look great too, or, choose both for a unique look all its own!

Pattern, below, is by far, my most popular pattern and included in the kit!  Easy and quick!  Whip one up in a weekend!

Grey Gardens Blanket is my latest pattern in my Etsy shop.  Easy pattern that's great for beginners!  Easily change up the colors, size and edging!  The crochet stitch reminds me of linen and it's a great size for a baby's crib!  Perfect colors for the modern mommy....shades of grey and yellow!

My niece and nephew are coming for Thanksgiving, so I think I will make one for each of them in their favorite colors.  They live in Texas, and will need something to snuggle under when they are here, as we are in Nebraska!  Oooo....red and black for the Cornhuskers!  We love our college football here!

Lovely, Free Scarf/Shawl Pattern

I found this Lollipop Shawl Pattern on Ravelry!  After my Knit Picks order in Chroma in Roller Skate  arrived I couldn't wait to get started!

Easy pattern and well written!  I'd like to try using worsted weight yarn and larger needles next time!

Now that fall is here, all the scarves and shawls I have been working on can finally be used!

What are you lovelies working on?

Best,
Sheila

New Patterns

New patterns are ready for purchase in my Etsy shop! Giant Fall Granny uses super bulky yarn!

I would rate this as an advanced beginner crocheter. 

It's no secret that I love oversized scarves and super bulky yarn! 

This is a great project to use your yarn stash of single skeins. You can’t go wrong with color choices here. Try black and white! All one color would look stunning. Add fringe to the edges or one big tassel at the bottom!

Color photos included! I am always available for help!

My Orange Smoothie is the perfect, easy pattern to hook away while watching t.v., at the pool, beach! Going on a car vacation? Be sure to take this along! Going on an airplane trip, easily pack it in your purse or carry on!

Try using your yummy sock yarn or hand painted scrumptious skeins that are screaming to be shown off!

Whip one up quickly using worsted weight yarn and a larger hook!

Make it larger or smaller easily by stopping at your desired width! 

Pick an edging out of your stash of crocheted edgings books!

I’m not sure there is anything cuter than an animal hat! Ok, maybe a baby wearing one! You don’t have to make your Zebra Hat in black and white! Brown and white would be cute too! Or, any two colors in the rainbow! A two tone in cream would be perfect for the modern mom who likes a neutral!

Perfect on any little munchkin or toddler noggin! 

Great photo prop for boys or girls! Thank you to Mary at Hidden Expressions for the great pic! See Mary's work here
http://www.hiddenexpressions.com/#!


Easily change the color combo! Brown and white, two tone cream for the neutral lover! Or any color combo in the rainbow! Change the black rolled brim to hot pink for girls or to blue for boys!

Soft acrylic yarn will make it easy to machine wash, gentle cycle, tumble dry low or lay flat to dry.

This is an advanced beginner or better pattern. You will need to know the knit stitch, knit 2 stitches together, make one, joining another color yarn, knitting in the round on double pointed needles.

Color photos included! All my patterns give options for yarns available in your local Hobby Lobby, Michael's or Wal Mart! You can certainly use your yummy stash for any of my designs and I am always available for help!

My Blanket Kits are available in three different sets!  After MANY requests from satisfied customers, the kits are here! Finding just the right color to go with the fabric is the hardest part of this project! I've done all the work for you to complete my most popular pattern!

With this kit you get the fabric, yarn, crochet hook, care instruction card, a label to personalize yourself, a coupon for your next order and FREE pattern to complete a blanket approx 31" x 30" with two edging options! 

I'm working on a much requested kit for my Etsy shop for the most popular pattern in my store called Crocheted Reversible Baby Blanket.  Fabric, yarn, hook, your own label, free pattern and more!

Here's just two rough samples of the kits!  Heading off to the photographer tomorrow for the shoot and will have them for sale next month!

Many of my customers do not have the best access to shops that sell yarn or fabric!  Personally, I would go mad without my favorite shops!  So, this is for them and for the crocheter that would like it all in one bundle.

I do plan on selling the kits with an option to purchase without the yarn, for those who like to pick colors themselves!

I also will be getting into dying and selling my own yarn!  Can't wait to get started on that!

It's starting to cool down a bit here in the midwest after 3 months of 90 plus degrees!  My fall scarves and boots await and I have missed them so!

Best,
Sheila

Pretty Pillowcases

I stumbled on to a lovely blog and so admired her hand sewn pillowcases! I, too, love fabric but really must be in the mood to sew! Off to the thrift store to find "vintage" pillowcases! These were anywhere from $.99 to $2 each and I used sock yarn, cotton crochet thread and a few unlabeled yarns!  All were weight 3 or so and I like a D/3 hook!

Easy pattern with lovely results!

Great for the teenage girl who has blemishes and needs a clean pillowcase each night at bedtime! Perfect hostess gift....you can always use extra pillowcases!

Free Pattern

I found this pattern on Purl Bee via Susan B Anderson's blog!  Don't you love it?  Super easy and you  use just one skein of your yummy yarn!

I purchased this vibrant Baah! La Jolla yarn from Craftsy.com's Deals and just had to whip up one for myself!  I don't knit or crochet for myself as often as I should as I have an Esty shop that needs to be stocked with creative goodness!  So, it was a real treat to crochet along knowing it would be around MY neck!

Beautiful Burmese Ruby Superwash Marino yarn!  If you are stuck on what to do with your hand painted stash, this is a great project!  One skein @ 400 yards makes a great cowl for yourself or a wonderful gift!

I just noticed.....the cowl is upside down in the photo!  Ha!  Have a great weekend!

Sheila

Grey Granny

I must admit that in my 20+ years of knitting and crocheting, this is my first granny blanket! I am a child raised in the 60's and 70's, so, you can hardly blame me! ARG! If you were raised during this time, you know what I mean! 

Granny squares are making a wonderful comeback....in a big way! All the terrific colors and designs! WOW! While I am not a fan of the traditional granny, I have come up with a style and version that suits my fancy!

Shades of grey are HUGE right now!  I get so many orders for baby blankets done in this colorway!  I am happy to oblige as my closet is nothing but black, white and grey!  As a 50something woman, it has come down to that!  So much easier to get dressed!  

I digress!  A baby blanket done granny style is perfect as it does not take forever to assemble and sew up!  And, if you crochet over the tails, that makes for less work at the end!

I have the blanket for sale here if you would like to see!  The pattern is here !

Have a great weekend!

New Missoni Inspired Pattern is available here!  Thank you for all the requests for the pattern!  This is a very easy, chevron pattern!  Great for beginner crocheters!


The Stitches West in California last month was a great experience!  I was very privileged indeed to be a guest of Craftsy and talk about my Classic Cabled Cowl Workshop, give two demonstrations and be a cheerleader for this great site!


The booth was the best with their comfy chairs, yarn tasting, demos and big screen show! The knowledgeable, fun team greeting and educating knitters and crocheters with all that Craftsy has to offer with workshops, classes, deals and upcoming surprises!
If you have never been, don’t miss it! The yarn is not to be believed! People shopping with empty suitcases instead of shopping bags! Needles, books, hooks, demonstrations and nice people everywhere! Of course, non nicer than in the Craftsy booth!

As spring approaches, I look forward to granny squares and lace knitting!  Much cooler projects to work on as the weather heats up!

Let me know what you are working on!  I would love to read and see photos on what's "in your lap"

Best,

Sheila

Stitches West

This is the latest baby blanket in my Etsy Shop!  I love classic black and white!  The chevron stitch is also classic and the tassels add something extra!

I'm getting ready to travel to Santa Clara, California for the Stitches West event this week!  Can't wait, however, flying is NOT one of my favorite things to do!  As I have gotten older, I'm talkin' only early 50's here, I get motion sick, have claustrophobia and sometimes suffer from anxiety attacks!  I will be suffering from them all on the plane ride as it is the size of a Greek elevator!  ARG!  For those of you who don't know about Greek elevators....they are only 4' x 4'!  I kid you not!  I got stuck in one in Greece a few years ago that seemed like an hour, but it was only 10 minutes!  When we came back to the US, I was never so glad to see the words OTIS on the next elevator I encountered!

I digress...Stitches West with Craftsy will be great fun!  And all the YARN!  Oh, my poor pocketbook!  I post pics and all the dish when I get back next week!

Craftsy Pattern Store Now Open

If you are a crafter of any kind, check out Craftsy.coms Pattern Store here.  They have EVERYTHING there.  Knitting, crocheting, sewing, baking, quilts, jewelry, gardening and more!  Classes and tutorial workshops galore (rhyming unintentional :D) !

This is one of my patterns in the new pattern store, Chevron Ripple Baby Blanket!  You can find it here, as well as all my other patterns.    I still have my Etsy shop if you would like to stop by!  My patterns on Craftsy are less expensive than my Etsy store, but still the same pattern!

If you are a fan of Susan B Anderson, Itty Bitty Hats, Itty Bitty Toys, Spud & Cloe On the Farm, she is teaching two classes on Craftsy!

Lots to see and do there!  Please stop by and support indie designers!

Best,
Sheila

Zoe's Zebra Hat

I can't resist a little animal hat!  I am working on patterns for my Little Animal Hats Collection, here is the first...a little Zebra Hat with a feather topper you can find here!  A little Calico Cat is next!   I know it seems a bit late in the season, but I have a nice following in Australia and the beautiful places around her!  Their winter is coming up as we, here in the States, head into spring!

Simple striped hat with a rolled brim and slightly oversized ears!  It would be a great photo prop!  As a matter of fact, I'm giving it to a newborn who will soon start her journey in front of a camera!

I would love to know what you are working on if you do any kind of craft!  From cooking, to sewing to knitting and beyond!

It's hump day and 50 degrees here in Nebraska!  Unheard of in this part of the country!  We are lovin' it!

Tips for knitters and crocheters!

One of the blogs I follow, Knitspringodyssey, shared two great tips if you crochet or knit!  The first is the magic knot method for knitters, which is great if you do not want to dig out your tapestry needle for a Russian join!  The YouTube video is easy to follow!

This is a great one for crocheters!  The invisible join is a pictorial tutorial (say that three times fast)!  You will still crochet in your ends, but it's a nice way to join a new color!

Would love to know what you all are working on!  New knitting or crochet patterns?  A new recipe?  Maybe a new diet!  Is there really such a thing?

Free Pattern!

Happy New Year! I have a free pattern to share with you all!


I had remembered a baby shower about two hours before I had to be there! No time for a blanket, but plenty time for some simple booties! I do mean simple! Too simple to give by themselves! 

I always have these "take out" boxes on hand at Christmas time. There you go... Instant gift! I hand wrote a little fortune...."good things come in small packages"! Not very original, but it worked! The mommy loved them and that's all that matters!

Just hop over to Craftsy.com to get your free pattern!  FREE PATTERN 

Crochet Hoot Owl

I've just listed my latest pattern!  http://www.etsy.com/listing/89771063/crochet-hoot-owl-toy-pattern-advanced


Any adventurous beginner crocheter will be able to easily follow this pattern! 

When completed, it measures 3 1/2" tall by 3" wide!

This stuffed hoot owlet (baby owl) is soft, squishy, sweet and looking for a child to love! His, or her, big eyes have sweet little buttons! 

Try it in brown with white eyes and black buttons! 

Make a parliament (group of owls)! Try a Mamma owl with fatter yarn and a larger hook and her babies!

For baby or toddler in the bed, crib, stroller, car or just for play! 

Great one of a kind shower gift, birthday present or for any special child in your life! 

Any worsted weight (4) cotton yarn will work for easy care and washing! Holding up to lots of hugs and kisses! 

Make him or her as firm or squishy as you like!

New Year Resolution!

Happy New Year to all on this New Year's Eve!  


I have had a fun filled year with great success at my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/sheilalikestoknit?ref=ss_profile and on Craftsy.com  http://www.craftsy.com/join which has graciously invited me to join them at the Stitches West in California in February!  It will be my great honor to talk about my Classic Cabled Cowl Tutorial (http://www.craftsy.com/ext/SZ_Cowl) and Craftsy.com!  


If you have not visited Craftsy.com please find them here http://www.craftsy.com/join to see crafts from cooking to quilting!  Papers crafts, felting and jewelry making are just a few of the fun things you will find there!  Knitters, crocheters, sewers and gardeners share photos and skills!  They offer tons of workshops and classes of all kinds too!  Buy yarn, fabric and tools, all in the same spot!

Our daughter, and Etsy model, Zoe, (in the middle with her lifelong friends and hand made scarves pattern here) is in her second year of college studying Costume Design and loving it!  My husband, Brian and I are healthy and happily married 20 years this year!  Travel is in our future to see family in Florida, Texas, St. Louis and Oklahoma!


My resolution is the same every year.....to be a better person!  To be kinder, more generous and a better listener, which means trying to keep my mouth shut!  That in itself is a challenge for me! :)  Would love to hear what your year was like and any resolutions you might have!


Best and Happy New Year,
Sheila

Creative Design is in Australia

It is my very good fortune to be selling in two online shops1  One in Austin, Texas at LemonadeCouture.com and Sahani Designs www.sahanidesigns.com.au in Australia!  Please stop by these two beautiful shops and see ALL the great artists and their beautiful work!

I am still at Etsy @  http://etsy.com/shop/sheilalikestoknit happily working on my winter line!  My daughter, Zoe, is my beautiful model!  I know...a very proud Mom!

Hope you are are well and surviving the summer heat!

Best,
sheila

Reversible Toy

The Owl and the Pussycat!  I've added a line of toys in my shop!  Please stop by for a look and tell me what you think!  There's nothing so cute as a squishie, hand made toy!  Have been wanting to do something to add to the baby and toddler items and I think this is it!  TOYS!  Also added to the line, Plush Pachyderms,  Squishie Balls; and Nesting Boxes!

Lists and lists and more lists!

I am thinking of all the lists I make in a day!  Sometimes I can't remember things without my lists!  I have post is notes everywhere with reminders!  I leave my husband and daughter little notes....take out the trash, turn down the thermostat when you leave the house etc!  I even write little knitting notes and leave them on my patterns, or knitting books and magazines!

I'm only 51!!!  (but I tell everyone I'm 58...then they say "God, you look GREAT"!)  Does anyone else have this problem?  With the notes, not the lying about your age!!

Here are the latest lists!  Well, sort of!

My college aged daughter, made the Dean's List!
I have some new listings in my shop!
I will be making a list of spring cleaning chores!
I'm creating a list of toys to knit for my shop!
and
I can start by birthday list!

What are your lists?

Sheila

p.s.  it's going to be near 70 in Omaha, Nebraska on Thursday.....I'll be doing the laundry and hanging it out on the line!  Can't wait!  Will have to put laundry detergent on the grocery list!

Time to Think Spring!

As Valentine's Day approaches, that means spring is around the corner!  While I have been happily busy these last months knitting scarves, baby stroller sets, blankets and cowls, I will welcome a little change!

Mini dresses of fabric and a crochet bodice are calling me!  Fabric to runs my hands over and cotton yarn to wrap around my fingers!  Doing my part to reuse the scraps of fabric from my Stroller Set orders, they will be the little dresses.  On the hunt for the matching cotton yarn is half the fun!  Matching colors and fabrics....ooooo.....love that!

Still snow on the ground here in Nebraska, but spring is coming!

Best,
Sheila

All About Babies

It's all about babies!  Now that the holidays are over, I look forward to Spring and new life!  After knitting a zillion hat orders for the last few months, I have been busy with baby blanket sets!

I love to get my hands on fabric and yarn together!  New color combos, thick chunky yarns and some hand sewing bring it all together!  I have also found that covered buttons are THE BEST!  They really give a hat, blanket or cowl pizazz!

Thanks for reading, and please stop by my shop for more!  Just click on any photo!

Best to you and yours for a healthy and happy New Year,
Sheila

Happy Shopping!

Tis' the season to be shopping!  I have done much of my shopping this holiday season on line!  So many great artists on Etsy.com!  Everything from food to fashion!
I have some new scarves and cowls in my shop, as well as baby to teen items!  Please stop by and take a look!
I have acquired two new clients in Texas with terrific on line shops and my fingers have been flying for the past three months!  I hope you all have a safe and healthy Christmas this year!

My best to you and yours,
Sheila

New Patterns

I have some new patterns for sale at my Etsy shop!  Please stop by and take a look http://www.etsy.com/listing/57810020/prada-inspired-headband-pattern The Prada Inspired Headband is very popular!  The Fall Prada Show had these on every single model!  Really cute!  I also ordered some new Mini Moo business cards! You can upload your own photos and contact info!  You don't even have to have your own business!  They are super cute just to hand out to your friends!   If you haven't stopped by there, you must this weekend!
You can find them here http://us.moo.com/en/?gclid=CPHB2YjisqQCFQHW5wod73Uwyw

Have a good weekend!  Thanks for reading!

Sheila