Gingerbread Fun!

My family had a gingerbread contest on Thanksgiving. It was very fun! Everyone had very different gingerbread creations, and it was very hard to choose a winner. Here were the rules.
1: a premade gingerbread house that we provided had to be incoporated somehow.
2: Everything had to be edible.. except mechanical devices such as lights, and hinges etc..
3: All decorating had to be done on Thanksgiving evening when we were all together.

Here is a photo of each of the houses. From last place to first. P.S. all photos can be enlarged (alot) by clicking on them.


6th place: Uncle Mike... He was talking some serious game, but due to gingerbread malfunctions, could not complete his house. He decided to lend a helping hand to the rest of us contestants, but he is already plotting for next year. : )

5th place: Genevieve, and Ariana. They made a spooky gingerbread house, if you look closely you will see a little grave, some bones, and a couple of ghosts. Their house also had a blacklight shining on it for effect, and some dry ice (fog)
5th place: Mom, and I were going with a north pole theme. If you look closely you will see a polar bear, Penguins, and a snowman. We did not have enough time to finish. If I decide to finish it I will post Pictures on my next blog. 3rd Place: Eric and Amber. They were making an excavation site that they have been to in Egypt. there is a pyramid, an Obilisk, a caved in builing and an intact building. Cute little Gummy bears were their workers.2cnd place: Rob, Leanne, Matt, and Katie also did a nothpole theme. There are street lamps that light up in this cute village. There are alot of buildings, and people. Very cute : )

1st place: Jeffrey and Kellie went with an under the sea theme. They had an Octopus as Santa, and they are the mermaid, and merman. The mermaid has a pregnant belly, like my sister.

Hello again : )

I just wanted to share a bit about the designer, that let us use her Cabled Hat pattern for our last Mystery KAL. She is a wonderful designer, and her name is Meg White. She offers several designs on Ravelry.com. This designer spotlight is more of an interview.

You can find Meg White on Ravelry as Turbo. She also has a blog http://www.thekninja.blogspot.com/

Me: When did you start knitting?

Meg: My mother tried to teach me when I was very young, and a roommate in college showed me a hat she was working on, but it just didn’t stick with me. I didn’t quite get it, or maybe I wasn’t interested then. I think, really, it was a little knit bikini in “Bust” magazine that suck in my head.

One day, walking through a flea market, I picked up a ball of yarn and needles for $3. Why? I didn’t have any real intention of ever knitting at the time. That was a Sunday. On Tuesday I broke my leg. Lying on the couch, wondering what to do, I picked up the needles and yarn and started knitting. Yes, I just started knitting – and purling. Bizarre, huh? Somehow this latent knowledge had stuck in my brain along the way and came to me unexpectedly when I needed it most.
I bought more yarn and the “Stich’n Bitch” book, coincidently by Debbie Stoller also, clearly the godmother of my knitting. My first project was a scarf with random stripes and my second a baby blanket that turned out larger than expected. After the big blanket I figured I might as well go for a sweater and knit up a cabled pullover on the fly with some crappy acrylic, which ended up fitting my roommate better than me.
After the broken leg healed I found myself laid up again with a back injury. Well, rugby’s a heck of a sport. I’ve knit pretty much all day everyday since I started. Who would have known that it would become so important to my life?
I’ve made relatively few projects from patterns, although I like to read them and incorporate ideas and techniques from others’ work. Only recently have I started to record my work and offer it to others. I’ve actually written several sweater patterns that I don’t feel confident sharing yet. Does anyone want to test knit?

Me: How long have you been designing?

Meg: I’ve been designing since I started knitting, but I only began sharing my designs about a year ago.

Me: Do you have other hobbies?

Meg: I’ve practiced many textile techniques at some point, including sewing, quilting, weaving, embroidery, batik, and macramé. I crochet nearly as much as I knit now. I love to be outdoors hiking, playing Gaelic football, or working in my garden.

Me: Is there anything special you would like to share with my followers?

Meg: I’ve just finished reading “No Logo” by Naomi Klein. It’s about the invasion of corporations into the public realm, both aesthetically and politically, and the travesty of sweatshop factories in developing countries.
While reading it I felt a bit smug about being a hand knitter. To me knitting represents a lifestyle choice. I’m proud to be a knitter, to be developing a skill to extricate my life from mass consumerism, and to be able to share this ability with the people around me. I love being a part of our knitting community – meeting people who are similar to me or different, learning constantly, and admiring the art of all of our hands.

Mystery Knit Along #4 Week #2

Welcome back!!
This will be the last week of this knit along. This pattern was shared with us by Meghann White. I will be doing a designer spotlight on her shortly.

Knit 8 rows or until hat measures 6 - 7 inches from brim.
(Knit 10, place marker) repeat 8 times (around 1 row of the hat).
(Knit until two stitches before the marker, K2tog, slip marker) repeat on all rows
until only 1 stitch remains before each marker.
Thread yarn through remaining stitches and tie off.
© Meghann White, for personal use only

Thank you again for joining me

Heather

Mystery Knit Along #4 Week #1

Thank You for checking in. This is the first of a two week mystery knit along. A wonderful designer is letting us use this pattern. She is also on Ravelry, and I will tell you about her at the close of this knit along.

Here is the first part of her pattern. I hope you enjoy it!!

Materials:
Cascade 220 (uses less than ½ a skein)
Size 8 16” circular needles
Gauge: 4 stitches per inch

Row 1: P1, K2, P1, K4
Row 2: P1, C2B, P1, K4
Row 3: Repeat Row 1
Row 4: P1, C2B, P1, C4B
Instructions:
Cast on 80 stitches (or some multiple of 8)
Knit 8 rows.
Fold the brim up to show the reverse stockinet, and knit through both layers to
create hem.
Follow the chart 10x for 5 repeats, plus an additional rows 1, 2, and 3.
Purl 3 rows

Mystery Knit Along #3 Designer Spotlight

Hello!! The wonderful designer that is letting us use this pattern is Diana Troldahl, she goes by Otterwise on Ravelry here is her profile link http://www.ravelry.com/people/Otterwise
I will share more about her after our finishing instructions for this project.




To finish this project, bind off at desired length and weave in all ends. Thank You as always for joining in this knit Along! I will provide a direct link to her blog with this pattern in the page section of our group. I hope you enjoyed this pattern.

Diana has been crocheting most of her life. She learned how to knit in Japan years ago, where she knit her first sweater. She did not really get serious about knitting again until 2001. Diana knitted Japanese style until she started pattern testing for her sis-in-love LynnH, a fellow designer. Here is the link to Diana's pattern page, where she has patterns for sale, and patterns for free. http://www.ravelry.com/stores/diana-troldahl-designs

Diana started making her own designs at age 8, making crocheted animal patterns. Her friend Lynn inspired her to start putting her patterns on paper. Diana has a blog here http://otterwise.blogspot.com/

Diana feels that knitting has been her salvation. She has a disability that has progressed, and it has left her less and less able to do things she used to, knitting has helped her calm her mind, and given her new purpose. She loves hearing how a pattern she created is used by the person making it (there are some great stories on the projects pages of her ‘Cloud On Her Shoulders’ pattern) and knitting has also introduced her to some amazing people.

Knitting also allows her to give back. About once a year she creates a new pattern, and designates a portion of the proceed throughout its life to go to a charity. Cloud on Her Shoulders helps fund the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research, and the Kiva Bag helps fund loans for kiva.org. she also likes to knit for Warm Woolies. Through knitting and designing, she feels a sense of purpose. I think she is an inspiration!!!

The photos I included here, can be found in her pattern shop on Ravelry.

What you see here are the Allison bag (fits a laptop perfectly), and the Kiva bag.

Mystery Knit Along #3 Week #2

Mystery Knit Along #3 Week #2

Welcome back!!
Not much to this weeks instruction. Just continue on in the same manner till desired length. By now I am sure you have figured out it is a scarf. I am only about half way done, so I will show you the finished photos next week.










I did want to share how I weave in my ends. I hope the photos aren't too confusing. I will put up a better tutorial in our Ravelry group soon. I weave in my ends using duplicate stitch. It is where you follow actual stitches in your knitting, with your yarn needle and yarn.







For a knit stitch you start by bringing your yarn needle up through the base of your stitch as pictured.


You will notice the stitch travels up, over to the left then back down to the base (where you brought your needle up. Now slide your needle under the base of the stitch right above the stitch you are working on now, but on top of the yarn in the stitch you are following.







The yarn now travels back down, where it connects to the yarn below it. You slide your needle into the base of the stitch (where you first brought your needle up), and up through the base of your next stitch to the left.















You continue in this manner. It is much harder to see the body of the stitch in the purl. Feel free to pull on your work a bit the see the stitches better. The duplicate is worked the same way though.


Although you are bringing your needle through horizontal bars up through two, then down through the next two on the left

Mystery Knit Along #3 Week #1

Hello!!!

I am very excited to start another knit along. We have another designer that has let us use one of her patterns. I will share a bit about her at the conclusion of our knit along. This knit along will be 2 or three weeks.

This is a good stash busting project. You need around 200 yards of a main color, and scraps of other colors. Try to keep the yarns around the same weight. Enjoy!
**A note... The designer used the colors stated below. I will show a photo of her finished project at the conclusion of this knit along.

There are two 'mystic' bits about this project. One is how the appearance and intensity and color shadings of the main color change depending on which yarn it is paired with. The background color I chose is a light turquoise. If it is paired with a light blue, it appears a deeper teal, if it is paired with a green, it looks very blue. Each color changes the quality of the main color, producing a visual illusion of even more shades of color than I used. The second mystic bit is how this seemingly narrow project can expand to double its width due to the ribbing.

Size 8 needles (or needles of a size to work with your weight of yarns)

Gauge: not important

with main color, cast on 40 stitches.

row 1: k2, p2 across

row 2: k2, p2 across

row 3: begin new color, k2, p2 across

row 4: k2, p2 across

row 5: using main color, k2, p2 across

row 6: k2, p2 across

row 7: continuing with second (transient) color; k2, p2 across

row 8: k2, p2 across

Work in this pattern, changing between the main color(s) and transient colors, carry the non-working yarn up the side until its turn comes again. When the transient color you chose runs out, add in your next choice of color from the yarn scrap pile, maintaining pattern.

Work up to 30" this week.

Thanks for joining me again :)

Mystery Knit Along #2 Designer Showcase

Thank you so much for joining this knit along with me. I also want to thank April for providing such a sweet and wonderful pattern. I hope you all enjoyed knitting it.

This cute little pattern was provided by April Lowe. Here is the one I made, with my little guy.

I am going to provide some of April's links, and then I will tell you more about her.

April has a couple of stores on Etsy. Lillebarn http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5205516
and, Lillebarn Too
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6860556
Her blog is
www.lillebarn.blogspot.com

Lillebarn is Danish, it means unique and stylish handmade items for tiny babies and kids, including hats, blankets, stationery, wall art, onesies…


April has been knitting for 5 years. She is a self-taught knitter using books and patterns to figure things out. She had a hard time finding patterns for exactly what she was looking for. So April learned how to design her own patterns very early on. Then she decided to start selling her patterns because she couldn't keep up with her knitting Orders.

The three beautiful photos, are some of her products. The hat patterns are 4.50 each. The birth announcements cards are completely customizable.

April comes out with new patterns and products throughout the year, but especially at the start of each season. April is also going to offer us a 15% discount on a first purchase. All you have to do is enter mysteryknit in the notes to the seller, in Etsy check out.

April also enjoys photography, piano, SCUBA diving, traveling, cooking, and nutrition. She has two sons, ages 2 and 1.

April loves to design knits for her boys, and some of her friends baby girls. It gives her joy to be able to share the patterns she writes.

I did want to share something great about the pretty grey and white hat.... The pattern includes yarn suggestions, size variations from newborn to 4 years and up. I will probably be making one for Genevieve (my daughter) she is 8

Good night. I appreciate you all
Thank You again for joining me in this knit along.

Heather

Mystery Knit Along #2 Week #2

This pattern was provided by April Lowe. I will be sharing more about her in the designer showcase.

Here are the rest of our pattern instructions.

1. Using the long tail method, co 4 st
2. Knit across the top of the first ear flap
3. Using the backward loop method, co 7 st
4. Knit across the top of the second ear flap
5. Using backward loop method, co 3 st
6. Join round being careful that no stitches are twisted and work in garter stitch for 4
rows. When knitting in the round, make garter stitch by knitting one row and then
purling the next row. So for this part you will knit a round, purl a round, knit a round,
and then purl one more round.
7. Now knit every row (shows stockinette st when knitting in the round) until hat
measures 5 in from cast on edge.
8. Begin decrease sequence as follows:
1. *k5, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round
2. *k4, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round
3. *k3, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round
4. knit onto 3 dbl pointed needles as follows: needle 1; k 5st, needle 2; k 5 st, needle
3; k 6 st
5. *k2, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round
6. knit
7. *k1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. 8 st remain.

Cut yarn, leaving 8 in tail. Thread tail onto yarn needle and pull through remaining st.
Turn hat inside out and pull yarn through center of the top hole and pull to close tightly.
Tie knot at top of hat and weave in end.
Making up:
Weave in ends on ear flaps

Make 3 pom poms (approximately 2 to 3 inches) and attach to top of hat and bottom of 2
scarf ear flaps, weaving in ends. Pom pom can be left off the top of the hat if desired.
© April Lowe / Lillebarn 2007
To be used for PERSONAL USE ONLY. This pattern not to be used for resale of this
pattern or the finished knitted hat without written permission

Mystery Knit Along #2 Week #1

Mystery Knit Along #2

This pattern is provided by another talented designer. Next Monday after giving the next instructions, I will share some beautiful photos of more designs she created.

YARN: Thick and Quick in color of
your choice or other yarn of the same
super bulky weight. You need 2 skeins
of yarn.
TOOLS: Size US 15 16” circular needles
Scissors
Yarn needle
Pom pom maker or something to
make pom poms
4 Size US 15 Double pointed needles
Sizes: 1-2 years

Using 2 of the double pointed needles, co 2
st and work in garter stitch.
1. knit into the front and back of the first stitch and knit 1 stitch (3 st)
2. knit all st (repeat for all even rows)
3. k in front and back of first st, k 1 st, knit in front and back of last stitch (5 st)
4. repeat row 2
5. repeat pattern of row 3, k in front and back of first and last st of this row (7 st)
K all rows (garter st) for 40 rows and leave on one dbl pointed needle and set aside.

Make one more of these and set aside.


I followed these instructions exactly. I made no allowances for using a size 13 needle.

Heather

Mystery crochet Along #1 Showcase

We just finished our first crochet along. The pattern's name is Bobby blue, and was shared with us by Amy. She is a designer that sells her patterns on Etsy. Amy's shop is called Melbangel Crafts. You can also find her on Ravelry as melbangel. Here is her store link. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=87376


After telling you a bit about her, I will share my plans with these cute little guys we made these past two weeks... Very cool! Your kids will love them.

Amy has been crocheting for 6 years. She also enjoys knitting, making plush fabric, cross stitching, quilting, and plastic canvas.

Amy believes that crafting is a never ending learning process, and that passion
and patience are key. Amy has been designing for 3 years now. I have included some photos of some patterns she sells in her Etsy shop. Her patterns start at $2.50. There are 76 items for sale in her shop. My fave is the banana split. Just looking at it makes me hungry. ;) She has a great variety of fun stuff.

***Bobby Blue Remake. Do you remember that old carnival game where you try to knock over stuffed creatures with bean bags? This pattern is just perfect for that!!! But you can have sooo much fun with the different colors you can make them with to customize them.

I did them in two tone colors, but there are many options. You can make a little figure for each person in your family. You can make holiday ones. For Halloween make Frankenstien, a ghost, a jackolantern, or just in Halloween colors, etc... Christmas.. Make Frosty, Santa, or just red -white - and green combos. Or make this a fun thing to make and give a new one each holiday to add to the collection. Embroidery thread is stiff enough to be sturdy, has many colors, and will cost between $2-2.36 for each little guy. I am pretty busy but I do hope to make some holiday critters with the bobby blue pattern we just used. My little girl is horrified that I created little bean bags to knock them over, hopefully I can convince her to give it a try.. But she wants to use the mini bean bags as pillows for them to sit on.

I will put the patterns I wrote for the bean bags, in the page section of our raverly group.
http://www.ravelry.com/groups/cliodhna
Thank you so much for joining me again in this Mystery Crochet Along.

Heather

Mystery Crochet Along Week 2

Welcome Back!!

This week we finish this project. Before getting to the pattern, I wanted to share what I did differently. After finishing last weeks pattern, I made hair for these little guys. That is it. The original pattern includes crocheted feet, hair and eyes. The first photo is of the original pattern as written, then there are photos of the ones I made. There are great possibilities for these little guys. I will share what I am doing with them in the designer showcase for this project, I will also share some super cute ideas for other color possibilties.

Pointy Locks ( make 5 pieces)
With dark blue yarn and leaving a
length of yarn for sewing later, make 5
similar pieces as follows:
Working in rows,
Row 1 : Ch 5. Sc in 2nd ch from hook
and in each ch throughout. (4 sc). Ch1,
turn.
Row 2 & 3 : 4 sc. Ch1, turn.
Row 5 : [ dec 1 sc over next 2 sc]2
times. (2 sc). Ch 1, turn.
Row 6 & 7 : 2 sc. Ch 1, turn.
Row 8 : Dec 1 sc over next 2 sc. (1 sc).
Ch 1, turn.
Row 9 & 10 : 1 sc. Ch 1, turn. Fasten
off.
Thread the beginning length of yarn
through a tapestry needle and sew each
piece of lock around the circumference
of the dark blue patch on the top of the
head.

Feet ( make 2)
With orange yarn and leaving a length
of yarn for sewing later, make 2 similar
pieces as follows :
Working in rows,
Row 1 : Ch 7. Sc in 2nd ch from hook
and in each ch throughout. (6 sc). Ch1,
turn.
Row 2 : 6 sc. Ch1, turn.
Row 3 : [ dec 1 sc over next 2 sc]3
times. (3 sc). Ch 1, turn.
Row 4 : 3 sc. Ch 1, turn.
Row 5 : Dec to 1 sc. Fasten off.
Thread the beginning length of yarn
through a tapestry needle and sew each
foot to bottom of body, aligning them
next to each other. (Please see pics).

Eyes ( make 2)
With off-white yarn,
Rnd 1 : Ch 2. 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook.
( 6 sc)
Rnd 2 : Work 2 sc in each sc around.
(12 sc)
Sl st to beginning sc and fasten off,
leaving a length of yarn for sewing eye
onto face.
Sew 2 big french knots using black
yarn into the centre of the off-white
eye patches.
Finishing
Thread neon pink yarn through a
tapestry needle. Embroider a heartshaped
mouth (or any other shape that
you prefer) onto the face.
Sit back and enjoy the finished toy!!!
-

My hair is just short lengths of my yarn tied in. I also made mini pom poms and tied them onto a couple. I hope you enjoyed this project!! As always, contact me if any of this is unclear.
heather_n_wells@yahoo.com
Heather

Mystery Crochet Along # 1

I am quite excited. This pattern has been generously donated to us by a wonderful designer on Etsy. I will tell you more about the designer at the close of this crochet along next week.

I wanted to say a few quick things before we get started. I am following today's portion the pattern exactly. I have decided to play with color for fun though. I will discuss any changes I have made at the bottom of the pattern. I will be discussing the places in the pattern where you see **
There are photos of this weeks work, at the end of this blog

*** Changing color properly in a Sc: insert hook into stitch indicated, yarn over pull up a loop, pick up your new color, and draw through the remaining two loops.

Materials **
· Acrylic Yarn (light blue, dark
blue, orange, black, neon pink
and off-white)
· Polyfill
· Tapestry/yarn needle
· Crochet hook (size needed for
your yarn type)
· A pair of scissors

Size
Height – 3.5 inches Width – 2.8
inches (Size will vary depending on
your crocheting tension and the type of
yarn used)
Things to Note
· This item is crocheted in the
rounds. Do not join rounds. Use
a scrap of different coloured
yarn to mark rounds.
· Work in loose ends as you
crochet along. Alternatively,
you can thread remaining end
of yarn onto a tapestry needle
and weave into the existing
stitches.

Abbreviations
Ch – chain
Sc – single crochet
Rnd – round
Inc – increase
Dec – decrease
Sl st – slip stitch

Instructions

Head/Body
**With light blue yarn,
Rnd 1 : Ch 2. 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook.
(6 sc)
Rnd 2 : Work 2 sc in each sc around.
(12 sc)
Rnd 3 : [ sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc]6
times. (18 sc)
Rnd 4 : [ sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next
sc]6 times. (24 sc)
Rnd 5 : [ sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next
sc]6 times. (30 sc)
Rnd 6 : [ sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next
sc]6 times. (36 sc)
Rnd 7 : [ sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next
sc]6 times. (42 sc)
Rnd 8 : [ sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in next
sc]6 times. (48 sc)
Rnd 9 to 16 : Sc in each sc around. (48
sc)

Now for the decreasing rounds.
Rnd 17 : [ sc in each of next 6 sc, dec
1 sc over next 2 sc]6 times. (42 sc)
Rnd 18 : [ sc in each of next 5 sc, dec 1
sc over next 2 sc]6 times. (36 sc)
Rnd 19 : [ sc in each of next 4 sc, dec 1
sc over next 2 sc]6 times. (30 sc)
Rnd 20 to 22 : Sc in each sc around.
(30 sc)

Now for the increasing rounds.
Rnd 23 : [ sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next
sc]6 times. (36 sc)
Rnd 24 : [ sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next
sc]6 times. (42 sc)
Rnd 25 to 28 : Sc in each sc around.
(42 sc)

Now for the decreasing rounds.
Rnd 29 : [ sc in each of next 5 sc, dec 1
sc over next 2 sc]6 times. (36 sc)
Rnd 30 : [ sc in each of next 4 sc, dec 1
sc over next 2 sc]6 times. (30 sc)
Rnd 31 : [ sc in each of next 3 sc, dec 1
sc over next 2 sc]6 times. (24 sc)

**At this point, change to dark blue yarn
and continue decreasing …
Rnd 32 : [ sc in each of next 2 sc, dec 1
sc over next 2 sc]6times. (18 sc)

**Stuff body/head with polyfill.
Rnd 33 : [sc in next sc, dec 1 sc over
next 2 sc]6 times. (12 sc)
Rnd 34 : [ Dec 1 sc over next 2 sc]6
times. (6 sc)
At the end of round 34, sl st in next sc
leaving a length of yarn, fasten off.
With tapestry needle, weave in
remaining length through sc of rnd 34,
pull to close opening, secure and fasten off.

My changes:
Feel free to follow the original pattern, or you can read below to replicate any of the changes I made.

Material changes:
4mm Safety eyes (instead of making them.. in next weeks)
Embroidery thread (makes them smaller)
Poly-pellets (to help them stand better)

Color changes:
*when changing colors carry yarn loosely.

Purple: I worked the pattern as is, but I alternated my light and dark yarn every three rows.

Aqua: After every Inc, I worked 2 stitches in the darker aqua. Then worked two rows of dark aqua after four rows of alternating colors. When Dec, work the two stitches after each Dec in the dark aqua.

Salmon: I aternated colors after every increase in the inc rows, and after every Dec in every dec row.

After the 33rd row that reads (3sc, dec) around, I stick in my safety eyes. I place them in the
row 28. At this point I also fill the bottom inch with pellets. Continue with pattern Instructions.

Mystery Knit Along Wk 5

Here are are on the last week of our first knit along. I hope that you have enjoyed our first project. Now lets give your purse it's finishing touches.

I start by cutting 6"-7 1/2" inch lengths of my thickest, or darkest color ribbon. Using a yarn needle I will thread the ribbon then draw the yarn through a stitch 2-3 rows above the top of your main fur area. I then tie the ribbon just pulled through into a knot, as shown in the first photo.


I tie the other ribbon yarns to the row directly
below the top fur row.

*** Try tying in 2 together for added depth. Or tie in three rows if you have more ribbons.

If you have upholstery trim sew that on. Beaded trim can look amazing. In my cream purse I tied in two rows of two yarns each. Sewing a button on the outside can also be a nice touch. Sew on a purse handle to finished off your purse.

I personally like to sew in a fabric lining, and a snap on the side to keep the purse closed.

For sewing in the lining lay the purse on my fabric, and fold it over the purse. Cut the fabric leaving an inch more of fabric on each side. You will have one long piece of fabric. I fold the fabric in half again and sew up the sides (with the right side of the fabric inside). I fold the top of the fabric down an inch, and iron it to create a crease. I measure the width at the top of the purse. Then sew the fabric at an angle on both sides, and trim the sides of the fabric. I hand piece and sew the lining in by hand. I hope to see all your finished purses. By mid week I will post photos here of my cream bag. Also for every knit/crochet along we do I will be highlighting a store or designer. Sometimes the pattern will be provided by them. I will also post a photo of my very favorite item or two from that store, or designer.

Thank You sooo much for joining me in this knit along.
Heather

Mystery Knit Along Wk 4

Welcome to week 4!!! We are almost done. Sort of.

Dec Rnd: K2tog, knit till you have 2 stitches before your next stitch marker, K2tog, slip your stitch marker to your right needle, K2tog. knit till you have 2 stitches left of round, K2tog

Now we decrease.
With felting yarn only, work 1 dec rnd. Work 1 knit rnd. Work one dec rnd. Work 1 knit round.
Work one dec rnd. Work one knit round. Adding any eyelash yarn Work 1 Dec rnd. With main yarn only, Knit 3 rnds, then bind off.


Lay your purse out, like pictured in the first photo. *You will notice that the decreases are on the sides the purse.
If you had left over yarn from casting on, you can start sewing the bottom of your bag with it just working your way across. If you didn't have extra from your cast on, cut a length of your felting yarn and start sewing the bottom of your bag. Start from the begining of your cast on, finishing on the other decrease side.

I sew the bottom of my bag with ladder stitch (shown above). Whip stitch works just as well


Flip your bag inside out... if it isn't already.

Lay your bag upside down. Flatten the bottom, it will form a triangle on both dec sides of the bag.
Sew a running stitch across these triangles as shown left. Sew the running stitch anywhere from an 1 1/2" to 2 1/2" in from the tip of the points.

This will give your bag a flat bottom.

Weave in any super long ends if you wish. Flip the bag right side out again. Use a crochet hook to pull flagged yarns through to the outside. weave in your bind off yarn.
Now place your bag in the washing machine. Some people put their bags in an old pillow case, to protect the washing machine. put in a cap full of dishwashing liquid. You only need a little. Wash it in a hot cycle. If you have a top loader you can keeping checking on your purse and pull it out when you like it. I personally have a front loader... and have to wait for the full cycle to be over. I washed my bag twice, in two quick cycles. After removing it from your washer stuff your purse to your desired shape, as I have done below. I stuff them with old grocery bags. I have seen them stuffed with newspaper too, but I would want to risk staining the inside with newsprint. We will finish with more finishing instructions next week... get your ribbons and your handles ready :)
Heather

Mystery Knit Along Wk 3

Happy Monday!!!!!!
Congrats to our 5 winners from last week. Winners please email me with your address if you have not done so yet :)


Here is week 3 instruction to our first mystery knit along. Remember we are holding our felting yarn throughout.
Cut the first eyelash yarn, and continue knitting with the second eyelash yarn for 6 rows. Add your 3rd eyelash yarn, and knit 1 row. Cut your 2cnd eyelash yarn, and knit 3 more rows.
Cut your 3rd eyelash yarn.


Now add your 1st eyelash yarn and your flagged or boa yarn. Knit 1 row. Cut your 1st eyelash yarn, and continue knitting 1 more row with your flagged or boa yarn. Cut your flagged yarn. Knit two rows holding your felting yarn only. Next week we will finish the knitting portion of this project. The first photo is our project up to this point. Start looking through your stash for your novelty ribbon yarns. The other two photos are the yarns I will be using in our finishing. You can get creative here, If you have trim or even other fabric ribbons we can use those.
Hope you are enjoying this project :)
Heather

Contest Day!!

Here is how it will work. I am going to ask 5 questions. You may only answer 1 question. This way we will have 5 different winners. The first answer to each question wins. Answer in the comment section of this blog. Write the question #, then the answer.
This way you can see what questions have already been answered .

Winners email me your address. Ringmarkers@yahoo.com
1. Shawshank Redemption: What kind of animal was Brooks pet? Nalamienea answered and won this question.

2: Gone With The Wind: What did Scarlett and Rhett name their daughter? Tracy answered and won this question...

3: Dark Crystal: What was the name of Kiras pet? Knit-o-matic wins this question

4: Big Street: Who is the leading actress in this film? Linda wins this question

5: French Kiss: Who is the leading actor of this film? Vickie answered and won this question


Good luck all!!

Mystery Knit Along Wk 2

Week 2 instructions:

Welcome back, I hope you are having fun :)

For this week we will be using our base yarn (you are already using it), and 2 eyelash yarns.

Note: Your base (felting) yarn will be used throughout the whole project. When adding a yarn, just hold the new yarn together with your old yarn. Wrap it the same way would would for working with one yarn.

Knit another 2 inches of your project. Add your first eyelash, and knit 3 rounds. Now add your 2nd eyelash yarn and knit one round. At this point you are knitting with your first yarn, and both eyelash yarns.

This concludes this weeks instruction. For next week have one more eyelash yarn, and a flagged .. or boa yarn.


Remember to come back on the 16th... I will be asking five trivia questions. For prizes.

Thank you
Heather

Mystery Knit Along Wk 1

Remember to tune in 7/16 for the questions of the contest.
You can post pictures of your projects here http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/cliodhna/688421/1-25
Are your needles ready? ; )


A few notes on my materials before we begin. My needles are a size U.S. 11 -16" circular needle. You could easily use a 24" circular as well. I found some Angora Super from Anny Blatt left in my stash so I am using that. It also felts beautifully. You can use any yarn that felts. If It is less than worsted weight, you will be working with it doubled.

Cast on 100 stitches loosely. Now here is where you have to be careful. Join these stitches, by knitting into the first stitch you casted on. *** make sure the cast on is not twisted before you do this. The easiest way is by keeping the knotted edge of your cast on is on the inside of your circulars, like the first photo shown.

The second photo is me knitting into the first stitch I casted on.

Knit one round, then place a stitch marker before your first stitch on round 2. Knit 50 stitches, then place your second stitch marker. Continue knitting around, until you have 3 inches. Make sure when your knitting is at rest you slide your stitches towards the back of your circulars

Note: If you are using a 24" circular, the first row will be tight knitting on, but will loosen up signifigantly by your third row.

This week choose an eyelash yarn ... We will be using it in next weeks instructions
Enjoy
Heather

contact me if any of this is unclear

Stories Update

Hello everyone. There is an update of Stories Of The Traveling Stitch Markers at the bottom of this blog.

Mystery Knit Along

We will be starting a mystery knit along on July 6 2009. Every Monday starting the 6th, I will be giving instructions for the following week. The will be no more than 1 hour worth of work a week. The group http://www.ravelry.com/groups/cliodhna on Ravelry will have a thread called Mystery Knit Along. There we can show our progress. Feel free to join in. The first materials you will need is 100% wool (must be able to felt) "Natwolle" from muench is good, "Fishermans wool" from Lion brand is also good. You will need 200 yards. Make sure not to use wool that is bleached white. You will need a size 11 U.S. circular needle.. not longer than 24", and 2 stitch markers.

Stories Of The Traveling Stitch Markers

I know it has been awhile. I will try to be better. I will just run thru the states that have had recent activity.

By Mail Rock candy: In it's first part of the Journey. A photo has been added of their very first project.

Stripey Blanket: These markers are on their 5th journey. They have been in CA, TN, MASS, NY,OK there are 13 photos in this thread.

California: The markers are on their third journey. There are 6 photos so far.

Alabama: These markers are on the second part of their journey. There are 3 photos so far.

Oregon: These markers are on the second part of their journey. There are 3 photos in this thread.

Canada: These markers are on their fourth journey. This thread has really taken on a life of its own. There are a couple of really great women that are organizing and moderating. Thank You!!
There are 21 photos in this thread. Field trip photos included.

North Dakota: They are on the 5th leg of their journey, there are 7 photos so far. Field trip photos too.

Montana: These markers are on the 3rd part of their journey. There are two photos.

Texas: The markers are on their second part of the journey. There are two photos.

Virginia: The markers are on their 3rd journey. There 34 photos.. Along with field trip photos.

Getting Excited

I am getting very excited about the contest!!! I will share a little now about how it will work exactly. On July 16, I will post 5 movie questions. Each question will have a corresponding prize. The first answer to each question will get that prize, but you may only win one prize. To answer the questions, click on comment.. below the blog, and leave your answer there. This way you can see what questions have already been answered, and choose a different question to answer. The names of the movies are hidden in my Etsy store if you want to prepare. :)


I did decide to start a group on Ravelry called Cliodhna. http://www.ravelry.com/groups/cliodhna I thought that we can all share photos, ideas, and do KALs

Speaking of knit alongs, I started a thread in the cliodhna ravelry group for the entrelac, if you would like to join in. If you don't have the pattern already, please email me your personal email address.

The photo to the right is the group thumbnail image. OOPS The photo traveled up



I do want to start a mystery KAL . The knitting time of this project is about four hours, so it isn't a huge time commitment. I wan't to break it up over 4-5 weeks. I you have bits ands pieces of novelty yarns, it will be very inexpensive. It is a great gift too if you are trying to start on those Christmas gifts early. I would like to start The first week of July. I just thought it would be fun to do a knit along, where you have no clue what you are making ; ). All I can say is trust me it is a cute project!!! I will start a thread called Mystery knit along.. check in there if you want to join.

In the next day or so I will edit this blog to include any updates to Stories of the traveling stitch markers... Baby boy is upset... Take care
Heather