A Pixie Hat

I think I'm getting the hang of this knitting thing.  I've figured out circular needles, double pointed, decreasing, and I've sorta figured out increasing.  But patterns??  Not even close.  I'm sure it's just a matter of cracking the code (or even trying) but it seems I'd still just rather wing it at this point. 

I started making hats a couple weeks ago.  They are pretty quick and easy and portable.  Well this one turned out so cute I just had to share it.

The beginning.  I'm almost always knitting like this. 
With a kid going to sleep and a dog and various stuffed animals.

Just switched from circulars to double point.
FYI those are my homemade double pointed needles.

She likes it.

Dang she's cute.

I used size US13 circular and double pointed needles with bulky yarn.  I think I'm a fan of fat needles and fat yarn.  It just makes things so much faster.  Coming from crochet (which is much faster anyway) I needed some nearly instant knitting gratification. 

I suppose I could be convinced to make another one and keep notes for directions (how ironic - I'm offering a pattern when I can't even use a pattern?  Ha ha.) if anyone would like.  Just let me know.

I'm yarning along with Ginny and the gang at Small Things today as well.  I'm reading Fifteen Minutes Outside: 365 Ways to Get Out of the House and Connect with Your Kids on my Nook. 

** P.S.  Coming up I have a tutorial for making your own knitting needles so stay tuned.

Repost: An Easter Craft

**This one was originally posted over at The Fipper Show on April 25, 2011 while we were travelling in Germany.  Sorry if I'm a little repost happy but they were all done before the crafty blog.  Plus...Easter comes around every year.**

While packing for this trip I realized we would be celebrating Easter while we were here. I talked a little to Fisher about it and we were trying to come up with a solution that didn't involve bringing their Easter baskets and eggs from home. I have really gotten myself into something here because any time we are faced with a problem like this his answer is always "you should just make it mom".  But this time we did. I had planned to bring some felt with me anyway for my mental health crafting. So here's how it went down.

Baskets? Check.

But what to do about the eggs? I refused to haul plastic eggs all the way to Germany!! So I decorated some felt eggs with embroidery.

I made the back out of two pieces that overlap like a pillow sham. Then they can be stuffed with candy.

All candy filled and nestled in the basket.

They each got 6. Here are Piper's.

Two of my favorite ones for Pipey.

Boy colors for Fisher.

Two of my favorites for him.

This one is my REAL favorite. Fisher did this one himself. His first time EVER sewing with a needle and thread!

Unfortunately I don't have any action shots for you. The way we are set up here they sleep in the living room. And the Easter baskets were set out for the Easter bunny in the living room. Late night pictures of filled Easter baskets + sleeping kids = bad Easter experience. But they enjoyed finding their "stuffed" eggs and eating all the goodies.

Happy Easter

Kristin

Basket Case: Repost

**Another repost!  Originally posted June 2, 2011 on The Fipper Show when my sweet husband was working out of the country.  This is a fantastic project for springtime. **


I discovered pretty early on that the best way to not get so depressed about James being so far away was to keep busy. I have completed close to a million sewing projects since he's been overseas. Well, maybe not that many. Lets go with a bunch. So here's a little project for you.

In Germany we were strolling around Marburg and I came across this little kitchen shop. In the window (like I'm going to take my children in a cramped kitchen store!!) I saw these great fabric bowl type basket things that were apparently used for rolls. After the sharp intake of breath, (cause seriously, those were cute) I started to figure out in my head how to recreate it at home. I can sew after all.

My first attempt was a little...large. That's a dozen muffins in there. I figure it'll be okay at family gatherings to hold rolls, hamburger buns, chips, etc.

Like large.

This is a much better size. Again with a dozen muffins.

Then I went a little crazy.

The smaller two are a different design and WAY easier to make. The bottom here is rectangular instead of round.

The possibilities are endless really with what to do with them. Flowers? I'd even put a jar in the taller (of the small ones) and put cut flowers in it.

But here's what I do with them. Cotton balls and q-tips. A nice way to brighten up a bathroom!

So there you go. My fabric basket making craziness.

Note:
I now use the large one in my daughter's room to hold her little socks and underwear.  It works out really well and she can easily reach everything.  I think they would work well for small toys too.  The medium size one is now on my kitchen counter holding all our vitamins.  Let me know if any of you are interested in some sort of tutorial for these. 

**Bonus**

Here's a bonus for you. I'm in love with this fabric. Can you tell? Anyway, I have an e reader. A Nook to be specific. My nightstand is basically shelf that is pretty far away from my bed. It's fine for a clock but a little tricky to reach to put away glasses and the nook when I'm finished reading at night. Solution: A nook and glasses pouch that hangs on the side of the bed.

I've been thinking for a while about having a separate craft blog. What do you guys think? Would you follow that one? Should I just keep posting crafts on here every once in a while?

Craftastically yours,

Kristin