Green Bags

I'm not sure how this fabric came to be in my collection. It could have been Aunt Betty. In any case, I had enough to back a quilt and enough to make two totes using the Green Bag Lady pattern. 

I didn't use my serger on these. I did make them with French seams so they are very tidy.

It was a good afternoon project. These fold up very nicely to tuck into your bag when going to the store. I've always got one in my bag. 

Then Green Bag Lady regularly gives away totes through random drawings. Follow her blog or the Green Bag Lady Facebook page. Great work keeping paper and plastic bags out of the landfill.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades

Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Fiskars 8-inch scissors

Juki TL-2010Q

Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion

Dritz Craft Pins, 1-3/4-Inch (250-Count)

Felted Slippers

I have this collection of blue yarn perfect for felting. 

I used the LK150 and a video tutorial to make some more slippers

I finished them what seems like ages ago but I didn't wash them to felt them up until recently. Here is how they compare to my earlier experiments. Felting is not very precise and more of an experiment each time I do it. 

They came out great! I still have yarn that will felt so expect to see more of these. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook
addi Express Hook

Knitting claw weights (5 each)

Silver Reed LK150

Garment Sewing

A friend pointed me to this simple pattern from Helen's Closet. There was a sale so I picked it up along with a couple other patterns. 

I wanted to save some time so I popped over to PDF Plotting and placed an order for pattern printing. If you like digital patterns but not the piecing together of pages you print on your home printer, check them out. They have very reasonable prices and usually print and ship the next business day. I had my patterns in a couple days. Make sure you add several patterns to the order to save on shipping. You'll pay the same to ship one page as to ship a dozen. I added five patterns to this order. They print patterns in both black and white and color.

I traced my chosen size onto paper and cut it out. I modified the pattern slightly to make it more A-line than the original. 

I grabbed a bundle of indigo denim that Aunt Betty gave me a couple years ago. I'm sure I'll use this fabric again. And maybe another time after that. 

I made my bias binding using this fun print. Sure, most people won't see it but I know it's there. 

I sewed French seams to keep everything neat and tidy. I will definitely make another. The next one won't be A-line and the hem will be somewhat shorter. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Creative Grids 4.5" x 12.5" Rectangle Quilting Ruler

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Fiskars 8-inch scissors

Juki TL-2010Q

Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion

Dritz Craft Pins, 1-3/4-Inch (250-Count)

Crochet Hexagons

I wanted to share the hexagon project progress. I've added more to my pile of finished hexies. These really are great as a carry-along project. They work rather quickly. 

Here are the finished hexagons. I have many more to make before I join them together into a blanket. At least the weather is changing so I won't feel smothered under a partially constructed blanket. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Crochet hooks: Clover Crochet Hook Set (10 hooks)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg 

Odds and Ends

I'm still working on my crochet hexagons. 

I've been reading. This was when I was finishing the Wheel of Time (affiliate link) series. I'm so excited about the Prime series that's coming out next month. 

I went looking through my notebooks and found the delightful little sea creature hiding in the pages. Sometimes I'm surprised by my own creations. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Crochet hooks: Clover Crochet Hook Set (10 hooks)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg 

Knitting Rainbows

I finally finished my little poncho. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. Maybe after I mend in the ends and block it I will. 

Yarn is sport weight from Freia Fine Handpaint Yarns.

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):

Needles: Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set - US 4-11 (Sunstruck)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg  

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)

RuMe Bags Baggie All (Aspen) (to hold my hand-finishing supplies: yarn needle, needle threader, scissors, Kitchener directions, stitch markers, etc) 

Large eye needles 

Clover Yarn Threader
Clear travel bag

24 Pack Metal Rectangular Empty Hinged Tins (to hold all those little markers, needles, and so on)

Knitting Rainbows

Check back in a week or two for the finish. I've almost reached the final color of this great yarn. 

Yarn is sport weight from Freia Fine Handpaint Yarns.

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):

Needles: Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set - US 4-11 (Sunstruck)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg  

Knitting Project

I'm still knitting on this... well, I'm not entirely sure what it will be. In the end, I hope it will keep a human warm and have some great color. 

Yarn is sport weight from Freia Fine Handpaint Yarns.

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):
Needles: Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set - US 4-11 (Sunstruck)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg  

Sometimes you just knit

I'm not entirely sure how this one will turn out. I started with a narrow crescent. No pattern, just an idea and a need to knit. Nothing but knit stitches.  

Then joined in the round. I'm using two cakes of sport weight from Freia Fine Handpaint Yarns. My hope is to end up with a small poncho. I think it more likely I will end up with a cowl. I'm going to soldier on in any case. I love watching ombre yarns change colors. 

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):
Needles: Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set - US 4-11 (Sunstruck)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg  

Crochet Crazy

I'm still working on these hexagons. 

One row... 

On top of another. The stack of finished hexagons is slowly growing. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Crochet hooks: Clover Crochet Hook Set (10 hooks)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg 

Crochet Crazy

This yellow is so much brighter than it looks here. A real sunshine!

This is the latest crop of hexagons. I combine colors when I don't have enough of a single color to make the hexagon. I am hoping this will make the finished blanket more interesting. And, I won't have a bunch of short pieces of yarn leftover. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Crochet hooks: Clover Crochet Hook Set (10 hooks)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg 

Crochet Crazy

A friend gave me some Brava Worsted and I wasn't sure I would like it. It is a 100% acrylic yarn. I was pleasantly surprised. It is a great yarn to work with if you need something that is machine washable and wool just won't do.  

I've decided to make as many 6" hexagons as I can and stitch them together into a blanket. 

The pile of hexagons isn't very big, yet. These are great because I can make one in the evening after dinner and I feel like I have accomplished something. Do you have comfort projects like this? Something that you make that isn't too stressful but you feel good about it when you are done. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Crochet hooks: Clover Crochet Hook Set (10 hooks)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg 

Circle and Square Hat

Just a quick update today. I've had a busy workweek and it shows. 

I grabbed these two balls of yarn and got stitching on my third Circle and Square hat. 

I think these colors are really fun. I hope my family want striped hats for next winter because that's what they're going to get. 

Pattern available on Ravelry: Circle & Square by Martina Behm

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):
Needles: Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set - US 4-11 (Sunstruck)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg  

Crochet Crazy

I keep wanted to try another mosaic crochet project. I decided to give Tinna's Queen a try. I'm not making it blanket-size. If I don't run out of yarn (yeah, that might happen) I'm hoping to get something more shawl-sized. 

With only a few rows I thought it was coming along great!

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Crochet hooks: Clover Crochet Hook Set (10 hooks)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg 

Circle and Square Hat

This is my favorite step when making this hat. When you get to cut those worked stitches in half and double up the fabric. This really makes for a delightfully squishy and warm hat. 

I am having so much fun with this pattern. It is the perfect knitting while watching television project. What am I watching? Right now we're watching Schitt's Creek.

Another great finished hat. And yes, I have already cast on another one. I still have yarn. 

Pattern available on Ravelry: Circle & Square by Martina Behm

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):
Needles: Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set - US 4-11 (Sunstruck)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg 

Circle and Square Hat

Remember this little avocado from last week? 

Not so small anymore. These really are fun to knit. I wonder if I can make a marled one? Oh, the possibilities!

Pattern available on Ravelry: Circle & Square by Martina Behm

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):
Needles: Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set - US 4-11 (Sunstruck)
Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg

Circle and Square

This week I finished my second Circle and Square hat.

I ran out of yarn as I neared the finish line so I switched to another self-striping yarn from Knit Picks with brown. It isn't perfect but it is warm.

Then I immediately cast on another one. This start looks like an avocado.  

Pattern available on Ravelry: Circle & Square by Martina Behm

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):
Needles: Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set - US 4-11 (Sunstruck)
Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg

Circle and Square

I've been wearing my Circle and Square hat for about a week now. I decided to make another. 

This is one of the best television knitting projects. Very little counting and loads and loads of knit stitches.

I am almost to the fun bit of this project. The construction is fun because you work ever increasing rows until you cut that in half and then decrease to the end. I love projects like that!

Pattern available on Ravelry: Circle & Square by Martina Behm

 

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):
Needles: Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set - US 4-11 (Sunstruck)
Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg

Circle and Square

I finished my Circle and Square hat! I shared this about a week ago when I started. This is what I would consider the front of this hat. 

This is the back. I love working a project that decreases as you get to the finish line. It just seems to pick up speed at the end. 

I'm really pleased with how this turned out. It's warm and fun! I'm sure I'll make another one. Mostly because it was an easy knit. Also, I still have yarn.

Pattern available on Ravelry: Circle & Square by Martina Behm

 

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):
Needles: Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set - US 4-11 (Sunstruck)
Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg

Circle and Square

I wanted to try Circle & Square by Martina Behm for a couple reasons. Like Martina, I am not a fan of the purl stitch. Sure, I can do it but if I don't have to do it I am a much happier knitter. 

The self-striping yarn is doing most of the work on this one. I may have to make one using an ombre yarn. 

This picture makes it look somewhat egg-shaped. That's just how I'm holding it. It really is an oval. 

Check out socks in my Etsy shop: Socks

Check out knit/crochet project bags: Project bags

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):
Needles: Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set - US 4-11 (Sunstruck)
Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg