Sharing Saturday And Sunday

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY SHARING

Have you created something awesome and want to share it? A new Recipe, Something in the Garden, Sewn something with your creative hands? Or maybe took a beautiful photo. Whatever the creation (G rated of course) please share it for us all to see.
Remember to share your blog post not just your blog address.

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WIP Wednesday - Knitted Shawl and Christmas Fairy

 My shawl is getting too big to photograph on my table...I am going to have to photograph it next week on my bed.

But at least it is growing, I should be starting on my next ball soon.  I am thinking of picking up the edge and adding some sort of ruffle or lace. I'm not sure what to do, maybe you guys could give me your opinion...Ruffle or Lace?

Here is a close up of the lace pattern, you really wont see it until I block it. It looks like popcorn stitches right now.

I have started on my next Christmas ornament...a snow fairy. I hope to have it done by Friday so I can post the directions to share with everyone.
My Son read this book "The War With Grandpa" in two days.  I could hear in laughing down the hall as he read at night.  I cant help myself, when I hear someone giggle I want to find out why...so I can giggle too.  But he just said, your gonna have to read it. So Its sitting on my night stand.

What is everyone reading?   Is anyone else getting started on Christmas like me?

Don't forget to stop by over the weekend and link up with me on Saturday and Sunday Sharing.  You can share anything you create, food, gardening, wood working, photography.....
As long is its G rated.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY SHARING

Have you created something awesome and want to share it? A new Recipe, Something in the Garden, Sewn something with your creative hands? Or maybe took a beautiful photo. Whatever the creation (G rated of course) please share it for us all to see.
Remember to share your blog post not just your blog address.

Grab my botton to share and link up...Thanks

Snowflake Christmas Ornament Pattern

Don't Forget to stop by on the weekend to share your latest creations no matter what it is as long as its homemade and G rated.

I warned everyone that I was getting started on my Christmas Stash...And that's not all.  I will share my Holiday Budgeting Secrets with everyone as well in posts to come.

This Ornament is easy to whip up...so you can have allot of them on hand for gifts. And it will use up those bits of yarn you don't know what to do with.

Snow Flake Christmas Ornament Pattern

MATERIALS

Needles:
4 double pointed needles (size 2)
Darning Needle

Yarn:

Finger weight in Light Blue and White
(or any colors in your stash)

Notions:

Wool for stuffing

DIRECTIONS

With LT Blue Cast on 4 stitches and divide between three needles

Round 1: kfb of all stitches (8sts)
Round 2: Repeat round 1 (16sts)
Round 3: K
Round 4: ^K1,kfb^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (24 sts)
Round 5: K
Round 6: ^K2, kfb^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (32 sts)
Round 7: K
Round 8: ^K3, kfb^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (40 sts)
Round 9: K
Round 10: ^K4, kfb^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (48 sts)
Round 11: K
Round 12: ^K7, kfb^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (54 sts)
Round 13: K
Round 14: Using white ^K8, kfb^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (60 sts)
Round 15: K every stitch in a 1sts white 1sts blue pattern to end
Round 16: Using white ^K14, kfb^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (64 sts)
Round 17: Using Blue K
Round 18: Using Blue ^k15, kfb^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (68 sts)
Round 19 – 35 follow chart

Note: On chart X are Lt Blue and the blank squares are white

Forgive my chart my printer wouldn't scan

Round 36: Using Blue ^K15, K2tog^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (64 sts)

Round 37: Using Blue K
Round 38: Using White ^K14, K2tog^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (60 sts)
Round 39: K every stitch ina a 1sts white 1 sts blue pattern to end
Round 40: Using White ^K8, K2tog^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (54 sts)
From rows 41 – 54 Use Blue
Round 41: K
Round 42: ^K7, K2tog^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (48 sts)
Round 43: ^K

At this point you will want to stuff your ornament.

To stuff an ornament and get a nice round shape (not all lumpy) make a round nest and put lavender in it, lavender will help keep the bugs away if you are using wool.

Pull the wool around the lavender making it a ball keep on making flat sheets and adding it around the ball until it is slightly larger than your ornament. Carefully stuff this in your ornament try not to let the stitches slip off.

Round 44: ^K4,K2tog^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (40 sts)

Round 45: K
Round 46: ^K3,K2tog^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (32 sts)
Round 47: K
Round 48: ^K2,K2tog^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (24 sts)
Round 49: K
Round 50: ^K1,K2tog^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (16 sts)
Round 51 K
Round 52-54 ^K2tog^ (repeat between the ^ ^ to end) (2sts)

With the remaining 2sts work in I cord for two inches

Break off yarn and thread it through remaining sts.
Weave it into you work
The I cord gives it a very nice finish, don't you think.

WIP-Wednesday

WIP Wednesday

Yes, I know it is June...but I have to fill up my Christmas Chest for gift giving. Plus I am thinking of re-opening the ETSY shop in the fall.  So I have started some knitted ornaments and I am reading over some ideas in The Christmas Craft Book.

This is a gift I am giving to my Son for Christmas...He is crazy over slippers this will be the third pair I have made him.  Can you see the little green bead marker?  My little girl made them...she is so talented.  I am going to put some on the ETSY shop for her.  She is so cute making them.  We went to the local KIP last week and she sat quietly making these and sold three pair.  Enterprising little minx.

This one is getting longer...it is my take with project. Its such an easy project and all my others are color working, so unless I am going to the local yarn shop to knit, I take this one.  Some people just don't understand that, yes, I need this much table space for my yarn (I have to switch them around so they don't get tangled) the chart and my little note pad so I can keep track.  My goodness don't they knit.

Don't Forget to stop by and Link Up With me on Sharing Saturday and Sunday...show off Anything that you have created, from knitting, sewing, homemaking, gardening, photography, wood work...anything that you have made with your loving hands.
Well, what is every up to?  what are you knitting? are you causing as much trouble as I am knitting in public?

Fathers Day

HAPPY FATHERS DAY

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY SHARING

Have you created something awesome and want to share it? A new Recipe, Something in the Garden, Sewn something with your creative hands? Or maybe took a beautiful photo. Whatever the creation (G rated of course) please share it for us all to see.

Remember to share your blog post not just your blog address.

Fiber Art Friday - Big Red Barn

Big Red Barn

MATERIALS
Bulk Weight Yarn In barn colors One for sides and One for roof
Felted wool to make Barn Doors ( used black and white)
Cotton Floss To apply barn doors
Size 8 needles
Darning needle
Styrofoam Florist Block
Tape

SIDES (Make 2)
Cast on 34 stitches
Working in  K2, P2 pattern do 16 rows
Cast off

ENDS (Make 2)
Cast on 22 stitches
Working in K2, P2 pattern do 16 rows
Cast off the first and last stitch of each row for  the next 8 rows
Cast off

ROOF
Cast on 22 stitches
Working in K1, P2 pattern do 40 rows
Cast Off

BOTTOM
Cast on 32 stitches
Knitting every row for 38 rows

Sew the sides, ends and roof together

Cut foam into the shape of the barn this makes a big mess.  Cover with tape so the foam wont work its way through the yarn. Slip knitted barn over taped foam then sew the bottom on.

Cut out two rectangles of black felt 3 x 2
Cut out two white rectangles the same size as the black but cut out four triangles to make the classic barn trim. (see photo)
Sew these together using blanket stitch then attach to each end of barn

Penny Rug Pattern

Penny Rug Pattern

Materials
Various colors of felted wool
Cotton Embroider Thread
Embroider Needle
Stick Pins
Paper
Pencil
Scissors

The largest piece of wool should be for your backing. 
I have provided a chart you can print as a template or you can design your own sizes.  Honestly, I used a glass, lid and nickle to trace around for my template. You can see how technical this is.

Using your template, stick pins and scissors cut out your circles.   If you look at the photo below I cut out little bears instead of circles for some of my penny's.  And I also embroidered a design on several as well.  This is a place to use your imagination, there are no set rules. You can make it as big or as small as you would like it.  For me I had a certain table in mind...my camper "The Big Bear" But once I saw how much we used the table and how often I changed my mind.

As you can see blanket stitch is used to attach the penny's to each other and the backing.  I sat with two plastic bags, one held penny's I needed to stitch together and the other held finished ones.  This project is simple it just is time consuming and is a great take along project.

When attaching them to the backing I found the center of the wool, attached the first and working my way out.  You can look at my photos and see the placement of the circles next to each other.

A Bit of History
Penny rugs have been around since the 1800, about the time of the Civil war.  Women would take scraps of felted wool from old clothing and hats.  Then cut circles (penny's) out of the fabric in three different sizes.  The penny's were then sewn one on top of the other using a blanket stitch.   They were then sewn onto wool, burlap or a feed sack.  Though they were called rugs they were not used on the floor.  Instead decorative coverings for tables, dressers, beds and mantels.  To help it lay flat a penny was tucked under a circle when attaching it to the backing.

This was a fun project, I love bringing back to life crafts that women made up out of scraps.  For the simple need of having something beautiful to adorn there home with.  It just gives ya a warm fuzzy doesn't it.

WIP Wednesday Yarn Along

I am still working on my shawl...I am passed the point where I had to pull it out, thank goodness.  
I really like the yarns colors...I wear allot of blues, browns and olives in the winter. If you look really really close you can see the brown stripe.  So I will be all matchy, matchy this winter.  I'm not crazy about the texture its not as snugly as I would like it to be.  Its acrylic, wool and nylon by Red Heart, Called Boutique Eclipse. Its a medium weight yarn named "Starry Night."

I enjoy reading books that talk about the olden days and how they did things.  So I read allot of Wilder and Alcott.  And I am looking for other authors that offer the same type of read. So if anyone knows of any let me know...please.

I finished my penny rug, it was intended for our camper we named "The Big Bear"  But I decided to keep it in the house for now.

I am working on the pattern to share with everyone and hope to have it available tomorrow.

Tasty Tuesday - Strawberry Syurp

Strawberry Syrup Recipe

2 1/2 Quarts Strawberries
3 Cups Water, Divided
2 pieces of lemon peel (1 inch strips)
2 1/2 cups Sugar
3 1/2 cups corn syrup
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

After washing and drying the strawberries cut up and crush them with a potato mashers.  Combine them in a pot with 1 1/2 cups of water and lemon peel.  Simmer 10 minutes.  Strain and remove lemon peel. Combine sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in your pot stir until sugar is melting and is almost boiling, turn down stove to simmer for 10 minutes.  Add strawberries and corn syrup.  Boil 5 minutes remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.  Ladle hot syrup into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.  Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.  This made 2/12 quarts.

Note: I replaced the Corn syrup with agave nectar and it worked out very well.  I used 3 cups of agave. 

This syrup is great over pancakes especially with fresh strawberries and makes a tasty strawberry lemonade.  I also put it in our ice tea to sweeten it.

Saturday And Sunday Sharing

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY SHARING

Have you created something awesome and want to share it? A new Recipe, Something in the Garden, Sewn something with your creative hands? Or maybe took a beautiful photo. Whatever the creation (G rated of course) please share it for us all to see.
Remember to share your blog post not just your blog address.


Grab my botton to share and link up...Thanks