Knitpicks Needles

I got a set of new interchangeable knitting needles for Christmas. Aren't they pretty?! These are the Knitpicks Harmony needles, laminated birtchwood. The joins are very smooth, the tips are just sharp enough, but not too sharp, and the needles themselves aren't too sticky, aren't too slick. Love them.

And the best thing is, they're so pretty that they actually make knitting more fun. If you can imagine that.

String Bowl

I had read an short how-to years ago on making a string bowl similar to this one. At work the kids were getting stir crazy after the fourth day of snow and ice, so I brought the materials for these bowls. Though they loved making them, this isn't just a kid's craft. The one I made really is a piece of art that could easily be sold at stores retailing upwards of $30. Check out the materials:

- 100% cotton string or yarn (I chose Lily Sugar 'n Cream yarn in a variated purple color)
- Elmer's glue (or similar off-brand)
- Bowl of any size for mold
- Plastic wrap to protect bowl from glue
- Bowl to put glue in

I would post a How-To PDF but have yet to find a good one online. Here are the steps to create one similar to mine:

1. Cover the outside of bowl or mold in plastic wrap

2. Pour a generous amount of glue into extra bowl

3. Cut desired size of string and completely saturate with glue (you can always add more string, the more you start out with the greater chance of it knotting in the glue)

4. Drape string around bowl in any desired pattern (if you want it to be sturdy, pay close attention to the bottom of the bowl and make sure it has a solid base)

5. Let glue dry for about 4 hours on the plastic wrap

6. After the glue dries on the outside, there will still be wet glue on the inside. To prevent the plastic wrap sticking to the glue on the inside I took the string bowl off the mold, took out the plastic wrap, and set it right side up to dry overnight.

The finished product is very impressive and I currently have mine on display on my dining table as decoration.

FairIsle Snowflake Earwarmer Headband

Well, I've been wanting to make a knitted earwarmer for a bit now, and since Jessica already got one for her birthday, I just went ahead and made one for myself. I've never used this method before and have been a little intimidated by it--following charts, keeping track... it all seemed so meticulous.

I found this pattern on Leandra George's website and it was so easy to follow. I softened the colors up using a lovely caramel base and a pale teal snowflake, using some homespun 100% wool yarn given to me by a friend. I love working with homespun yarn--the variations in texture and thickness make it so authentic. And the feel was wonderful; each time I worked it I could feel the lanolin on my hands.

I used my bamboo #5 US needles and it came out just a touch too big (I am *always* too lazy to knit a swatch first to check guage--that's what I get for it). I shrunk it a bit in the washer though, and now it's perfect.

It came in very handy today, as our first snowfall of the year started last night, having us up early for a long, long snow walk. Though I was covered in snow and got pretty wet, my ears stayed toasty throughout.

Sprucing Up a Card with String

Embellishing an otherwise plain (relatively speaking - check out that funky fresh medical tape!) greeting card can be as simple as tying a knot. This string was actually picked up at a local yarn shop in the clearance drawers. I found the colors and texture so interesting I had to have it, though I knew I wouldn't knit with it. Using it in small doses really shows off how unique the string is. I simply wrapped it around the fold of the card and double knotted it on the outside. It's not rocket science.

Knitted Leg Warmers

On cold winters days like these I have a hard time getting warm in our wood-heated house.  And SNOW is predicted for the weekend!  Yay!  It's days like this when I get my craft on.  No, literally.  I get my craft on.  Over my second-skin Polartec tights and thick socks, I pull my new leg warmers and then slip into my felted clog slippers.  Toasty.  Throw on a sweatshirt and my cabled fingerless gloves and I'm perfectly set to curl up on the couch with a mug of hot tea.  Wardrobe is 50% custom home made, 100% energy efficient heat source.  I guess it's Mom who cranked it into us--if you're cold, don't turn up the heat, just put more clothes on.

I originally made the leg warmers because one of my November resolutions (yes, I make monthly resolutions; check out The Happiness Project) was to pay more attention to my attire and wardrobe and to dress up more often. My tendency is pretty tomboy drab.  Less jeans, more skirts; less clogs, more boots.  Naturally, an adorable pair of leg warmers peeking over my boot tops was called for.  I had no idea that I would really wear them around the house, every single day, without fail.  I love them so much.

I'm pretty tall, about 5'10", and one skein of Cascade Yarns Lana Bambu made one pair of mid-calf height leg warmers.  The yarn, a wool/bmboo viscose blend, was an absolute DREAM to work with.  Loved it.  Grab a second skein if you want them longer.  I used my current set of bamboo US #8 double points for one of them, and knit the other simultaneously on a US #8 Addi Turbo circular (this was my first time using one of these, after hearing all the hype, by the way, and I'm a believer!).  As such, I finished each leg warmer at the same time and they came out matching.  So that's a plus.

It's a pretty simple pattern, but if you want a printable download, feel free to grab it here.  Happy knitting, happy warming.

Frame-less Photo Wall

When I first moved into my apartment, I started taping my favorite memories to one of the walls. Photos, ticket stubs, unframed art work, handwritten notes, even business cards. I had almost covered the entire wall. I thought it looked cool for a while until I realized it was so unorganized it made my whole apartment seem messy. This is an important thing to remember in small abodes - if one part of the room is distracting [in a negative way], it will affect the entire space. This week I took it all down and picked out my favorite 4x6ish sized memories and hung them simply using 8 tacks, 4 pieces of string, and some clothespins.

Drawer Liners (2 ways)

I have some ugly drawers in my kitchen. Here's the proof:





















So I decided to pretty them up with this cute fabric. I ironed stabilizer onto the back and sewed the edges with a zig zag stitch. I have 12 more drawers to go but this time I'll use the serger; this will make a neater edge.





















This is the drawer to my little side table. I lined this drawer using Mod Podge. I brushed it right onto the drawer, layed the fabric down and brushed more on top. It looks so cute I don't want to put anything in it.