One Hour Coffee Cozy

I'm not going to take a survey, but I'm willing to put money down that every knitter likes a project that can be done in one sitting.  One hour-long TV show, one (or two) cups of coffee or tea.  And for Mamas - one nap time.

These little coffee (or tea...or hot chocolate, or whatever it is you drink in winter) cup cozies are quick, easy and they use up scrap yarn.  Plus, they're pretty darn cute.

This is my second-ever attempt at writing a knitting pattern; so if you try it and end up making a headband...please tell me.

You will need:
5mm straight knitting needles
Worsted weight yarn
Tapestry or wool needle
Co-ordinating ribbon

Skill level: Beginner

Abbreviations:
k - knit
p - purl
yo - yarn over hook
k2tog - knit two stitches together
stockinette stitch - knit the 'right side' and purl the 'wrong side'

Pattern:
Cast on 30 stitches
Rounds 1 - 5: work ribbed pattern of k1, p1    
Rnd 6: purl, increase 3 stitches evenly across row; 33 stitches
Rnds 7 - 9: knit
Rnds 10 and 12: purl
Rnd 11: knit
Rnd 13: k1, *yo k2tog* repeat * to end.
Rnd 14: purl
Rnd 15 - 22: continue in stockinette stitch
Rnd 23: bind off, leave a long tail (30cm or 12") for sewing the seam.

When you've cut your long sewing tail, you'll have something that looks like the photo above.

Fold right sides together and sew seam.  Fasten off and weave in tail.

Weave your ribbon in and out of the little holes made in Round 13.  I would suggest sliding the cozy over a cup before knotting the ribbon; you don't want to tie it too tight!

To prevent the ends of the ribbon from fraying, melt the cut edge ever so slightly with a lighter.

Now that you're done, what will you do with it?  Gift it away?  Keep it?  Make another?  I think a little touch of homemade is on everyone's wish list for Christmas.  I would pair this cozy with a coffee shop gift card.  And just to be extra cute, ask for an extra cup, slide the cozy on and pop the card inside!

Infinity Scarf - The Knit

Is anyone else ridiculously obsessed with infinity scarves?  I'll bet the answer is yes.  I haven't met a person that DOESN'T like them.  Probably because they're the bees knees.

Thanks to Kennedy for snapping this photo!

If you're reading 'infinity scarf' and thinking "wha??", I'll explain.  They're scarves with the ends attached together.  That's it. 

This knit version I made is ridiculously simple; the perfect movie-watching project because you don't have to constantly refer back to the pattern.  If you haven't learned to knit yet, I highly recommend Very Pink's tutorials.  She's amazing and you'll have no problems following her instructions.

I decided I wanted a loose knit, so I broke out the 19mm (US 35) knitting needles to use with a worsted weight (medium #4) yarn.  I used one skein of Loops and Thread's Impeccable yarn in True Grey.  You'll also need a tapestry needle to join the two ends and weave the tails in.

Cast on 48 stitches.
Round 1: K across entire row
Round 2: K first 3 stitches and P until last 3 stitches.  K remaining stitches

Work these two rounds until desired length.  Just over a meter will give you enough to loop around your neck twice.  If you're joining two skeins of yarn, you HAVE to try this method called the Russian Join.  It's friggin' life changing, man!

To join the ends together I used a kitchener stitch.  I'm not very good at it yet, so I followed this tutorial from Very Pink.  She's demonstrating on socks....just go with it.  The only thing you'll need to do is pick up stitches from the end not currently on the needles. Weave in the tails and you're set.

Stay cozy my friends!

Fall Fair Fun!

This past weekend Rowan and I attended my hometown fall fair.  It was Rowan's first time at this fair, and his first time on a carousel!

A blog reader asked if I was entering anything in the craft exhibits.  Uhhhh...no?  I couldn't believe I had forgotten about that aspect of the fair!  Especially since I loved to enter my creations as a kid.  I didn't have time to make anything for a specific category, but I managed to scrounge up three items that I could enter.

0 - 3 month sized Big Butt Baby Pants.  I won by default.  There weren't any other entries in the 'boy's pants' category...I'll remember that for next year!

Super Cozy Sweater.  I was sort of surprised with winning second, this sweater was well worn and showed it!  And yes, there was more than two entries.  Boo-yeah!

I entered the mitts too (forgot to photograph the mitts with their sticker before giving them to their owner), and they took home 3rd prize. 

Next year, I'll be sure to get more things submitted.  So fun!  When was the last time you entered your handiwork into a fall fair?

Cafe au Lait Mitts

It's fall!  For me, fall = real apple cider, spiced molasses cookies, and knitting.

Remember this photo from a post in February?

I was knitting a birthday gift for a friend who was overseas for a few months.  Guess what!?  I FINISHED IT!!

Did you do the math?  It's taken me almost 8 friggin' months!  Well, to be perfectly fair, she didn't return until the beginning of May and it would have been sort of pointless to give them to her then.

I found the (FREE!) pattern on Ravelry, but if you don't have an account, it's also here.  The silk and bamboo blend yarn I used made them so luxuriously soft.  Seriously, if you don't say "Ooohhhhh" when you slip them on...there's something wrong with you.

The cross-hatch pattern is quite easy when you get the hang of it.  I will admit that I had to restart the whole mitt once or twice due to a few botched stitches.  There's always a learning curve!

I'm so in love with these fingerless mitts, it was hard letting them go.  Perhaps I'll actually take the time to knit another pair for myself....once my other knitting projects are bound off and finished!

KMS Slippers

aka HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATHLEEN!

Few people can say they've known their friends since the day they were born.  But that's honestly the case for Kathleen and I.  We were born two days apart at the same hospital!  We got to know each other better in pre-school and have been close friends ever since.  For her birthday, I thought I'd knit and felt her a pair of slippers because she told me (a few times) how much she loved the red ones I had made.

When they were finished drying, I thought they looked a little...lumpy.  I was a little concerned at first (all that work down the drain!?) until I remembered that the red slippers were stretched and shaped by my feet while they were drying.  Kathleen's slippers were stuffed with some rags to hold shape, hence the bumps.  Hopefully they will smooth out over time! 

I hope the Birthday Gal had a great day!

Happy Birthday Deanna!

 My dear friend Deanna is celebrating her birthday today!  And since she's very far away (spending a few weeks in France before jetting to Indonesia....I know!) , I thought Rowan and I would sent her a shout out over the blog:

Dee, that flower was sacrificed for you...it lost half its petals and was nearly ingested :)

A little while ago, I told Deanna that I was knitting her something for her birthday.  I saw this yarn...

 

...and it spoke to me.  A beautiful, silky grey/blue was just perfect for the project I had in mind.  

 

 

 Uhhhh, yeah.  It's not done yet.  And I'm not disclosing what it is because that would ruin the surprise!  I will confess, I kept pushing it aside in favour of finishing other projects because I knew it would be a little while before she would be back in the country to receive her gift.   Forgive me, Dee! :)

"Hey Anne, why'd ya take a picture of your breakfast?"  You might be wondering.  Well, I decided to have a very French breakfast this morning in honour of the Birthday Girl.  After I collected everything, I realized that I had made 3/5ths of my breakfast myself.  Also very French!  I made the strawberry jam (after picking those berries while 8 months pregnant),  the yogurt (from 3% milk; because French women don't believe in non-fat...haha) and the bread.  I started making yogurt a few years ago when the accumulation of plastic containers started to get to me.  Not just in my house, but also in the recycling bin.  Recycling is great - but it uses up a lot of energy!  I like to put more emphasis on the first 'R' (reduce...in case you've forgotten!) whenever possible. 

Off to the post office - we've got Valentine's to mail :)

I Heart Slippers

 How cold are your toes?  If you're currently in Ontario, my guess is pretty darn cold.  The old mercury dipped down to -34'C last night - Brrrr!  I am so, SO very thankful I completed my slippers a few days ago.  It's been heaven.  On my feet.

Have you ever felted wool?  It's quite easy.  I used a pattern from French Press Knits (you can see the pattern for purchase on the upper right) and I'm so pleased with the results!  I've never felted anything before, so I was a little nervous...

Above is what the slippers look like pre-felting.  I liked knitting them because I didn't have to worry about 'perfect' stitches...all is forgiven during the felting process.

Felt is simply matted wool.  It's important to use only 100% wool for felting projects.  Any yarn with the tiniest bit of synthetic material will not work.  After the slippers were knit and sewn together... 

...they were popped into a pillow case and tied shut.  Then, the little tootsie warmers were tossed into the washing machine on the hottest setting.  It took about 35 mins to felt the slippers and 20 mins for the straps.   I have a top loading machine, which works best for felting.  The pattern suggested adding tennis balls or old shoes to increase the amount of agitation.  I had neither....but I did have rubber dog toys :)  Front loading machines will work, but I am told it takes longer. 

 

Here they are drying!  I stuffed some rags in them at first to hold their shape for a few hours.  Then I decided that I wanted my slippers to be shaped like feet, not like mushed up rags...so every few hours I'd put them on my feet and walk around in them.  It took 3 days for them to dry completely. 

 Once they were completely dry, I sewed the straps and buttons on. 

I heart slippers!  You know what else helps to stay cozy?

Baking some banana chocolate chip muffins.  *Insert Homer Simpson-esque Drool*.  I'm in love with the recipe from Canadian Living.  Actually, I'm in love with 99% of the recipes from Canadian Living.  If I'm looking for a recipe, I search there first!

Happy Monday!

Give a Hoot!

I've decided that I absolutely MUST get an owl hat done for Rowan (great name for a UK yarn brand!) before winter is over.  It's been something I've wanted to complete for months, but *surprise!* I could never find the time.   Seeing this hat posted on a fellow blogger's site reminded me of this coveted project.

Great hat, eh?  I'm mostly knitting these days, but I liked the crochet patterns better.  Better dust off the crochet hooks!

In my search for the perfect pattern on my favourite knitting/crocheting site, I discovered that I can adorn MUCH more than my child's head with owls....  

 

And there's so much more!  Mittens, coffee cup cozies, bibs, bags, and on and on and on.  500 pages of owls!!  So far, Rowan has only one owl in his room...

 ...not for long!  One things for sure (get ready for a gratuitous pun), these next few days will be a HOOT! 

The Yarn Obsession

Whether you knit or crochet (or both!), you need to know about Ravelry.  My sister-in-law introduced me to this wonderful place a few months ago and I'm thoroughly addicted.  After creating a *free* account, you can search for thousands of patterns using the 'pattern browser', a genius filter method that lets you find the sort of project you want quickly and easily.  You can even type in the yardage and yarn weight you already have to help find a project for all those extra bits of yarn that accumulate so quickly.

 1. Elefante by Susan B. Anderson
 2. Ruby Bear by Michele Wilcox
 3. Perfect Baby Booties by Ruth Bennett

Above are just a small sample of what I've found on Ravelry.  The baby booties are one of my favourites.  We have cold floors, and I wanted Rowan's feet to be a little warmer while jumping.  I added some dots of fabric paint (not shown) to the bottoms of the booties so they're a little less slippery.

Alright, for all you non-knitters out there, I promise I'll have a different post next time!  I finished a sewing project a few days ago, but I would like to wait until the Birthday Girl receives it before I post it.  I also foresee some spray paint and picture frames in my future :)