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sweaterama

I got a bunch of new sweaters today. I’m getting better with my choices through experience. My first bags have helped me decide which sweaters will felt and sew up the best.

I also made a sweater bag for myself! I figured I should have some real-world experience with what I am making. So far I absolutely love it! It’s given me the itch to sew, but my walking foot broke when I was finishing my bag and I’m waiting on a replacement.

Also, I was really excited to get this feedback from my sage green bag:

LOVE this bag!!! I have been getting lots of inquiries and compliments on it, too. VERY well-made!! Thank you!!

There’s something about getting feedback like that from someone I don’t know that is really exciting. It makes me energized to get creating. C’mon walking foot! Get here soon, please!

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sewing for baby d.

I was invited to two showers for Baby D. and there was no way I could knit something for both, so I planned to sew something for the second one. Since Snoopy is his nursery theme, I went searching online and found the cutest fabric for a blanket! I was originally going to sew the Super Quick + Easy Baby Quilt, but I didn’t have the right embroidery stitch on my machine. I tried the zig zag workaround, but that didn’t work well with the fleece. After trying a few ideas, I finally decided on simple, parallel lines. I love the way this turned out and it was really fun to make.

blanket

I’d also been itching to make a Wee Bunny, and I thought it would be fun to make one out of matching fabric. He turned out so well, I think I need to make another one for me. (I had a hard time letting this little guy go!)

wee bunny

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cute as a button notecards

notecards

Have you ever had an idea in your head that won’t go away? These notecards have been buzzing around in my brain for months. I got the idea one day while sitting at my desk staring at a big bag of buttons. They were designed in my head for a few weeks when I finally needed to just sit down and get them out. I waited until M was taking a nap, did the layout, went to print them out and kablamo. Our printer jammed. Not just a little paper jam, but the ink carriage jammed. So then I had to wait for T fix the printer, which consisted of taking it apart, troubleshooting the RIP software and finally replacing a bad ink cartridge. Phew! I can’t believe how long it took me to finally get these cards out of my head and finished! Now they’re up in my shop. Price: $12.

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felted wool messenger bag :: stripes

messenger bag

Another one! In Valentine’s colors! I am totally in love with this pattern. It’s just something I whipped together after studying a lot of other tote bag patterns. My favorite part is no measuring! Well, I do measure the gussets to make sure they match, but that’s it. I vary size depending on the sweater, trying to get the most usable fabric out of each one that I can. I think my next bag might be something a little different. Stay tuned! Price: $30. Sold! Details at kundhicreative.etsy.com.

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felted wool messenger bag :: sage green

messenger bag

I am in love with this bag. It is going to be hard to let go of it! I really like its simplicity and how well the two fabrics work together. Sewing this bag was much easier than the previous ones now that I have a walking foot and rotary cutter. It’s amazing how having the right tools for the job can make all the difference! I hand stitched the lining and I think I’ve mastered the blind stitch quite well, if I do say so myself. Details are at kundhicreative.etsy.com. Price is $30. Sold!

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channa masala for dummies

We got the coolest Christmas present from Tanuj and Claire—a big basket of all kinds of Indian spices. They’re the pre-mixed kind that come in a box. Monday night I made my basic Channa Masala recipe, but substituted the box spices for my own blend. Yum! This was so easy to make. You could follow the recipe on the back of the box if you want to measure things out in grams or you can follow my basic combination:

Quick & Easy Channa Masala
double if you want to serve as a main course or want leftovers
(Who are we kidding? Of course you want leftovers!)

•one small onion, chopped
•1 1/2 T chana masala spice mix
•one can diced tomatoes
•one can chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
•one baking potato, peeled and chopped

Saute the onions in a little olive oil until they start to brown around the edges. Add the spices and stir them for a minute until they smell fragrant. Add the tomatoes, chick peas and potato. Bring to a boil and then turn to low and simmer until potato is tender.

For a really quick meal, microwave the potato first!

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knitting for baby d.

Last Saturday afternoon our knitting group had a lunch for Lauren and Baby D. I knew she’d be getting some blankets, a Baby Surprise sweater and a Hug Me sweater, so I had to find something different to knit. I chose the Heartbreakingly Cute Baby Kimono from Mason-Dixon Knitting. It turned out nice. I used Knit Picks Gloss in the Dusk colorway with two strands held together and velcro dots for the closures.

kimono

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mini santa hat pattern!

Last year I tried knitting a little stocking for our knitting group’s ornament exchange and it turned out really wonky. The night before the exchange, I whipped up this little Santa hat instead.

santa hat

For this year’s exchange, I knit the stocking from Last Minute Knitted Gifts and it turned out MUCH better. Tana, who picked my Santa hat from last year, picked the stocking this year. I knit them both out of the same yarn. Too funny! I should see if I can complete her set with a mini sweater next season.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the little Santa hat ornament. It was so cute and easy! So the other night I decided to knit another one for our tree. I love it so much! Here’s the pattern so you can knit up some cuteness for your tree.

Knitted Santa Hat Ornament

Yarn: Lion Brand Micro Spun colors red and white
Needles: I used size 3 dpns
Gauge: 6 stitches = 1 inch
Time to complete: Less than two episodes of the Sopranos.

Hat

Using white yarn, cast on 30 stitches and divide evenly over 3 dpns.
Join and knit 8 rows in white (add rows if you need to so it forms a nice roll brim).
Change to red yarn and knit 12 rows.

Begin decreases:
Knit the first two stitches on each needle together.
Knit a plain round.

Repeat these two rows until you only have 3 stitches left. Tie them off.

Pom Pom

Start with a slip knot of white yarn on a single needle.
Knit in the front and back of the stitch, increasing to 2 stitches.
Knit in the front and back of both stitches, increasing to 4 stitches.
Repeat once more for a total of 8 stitches.

Begin decreases:
Knit two together across, decreasing to 4 stitches.
Repeat, decreasing to 2 stitches.
Repeat once more and tie off.

Pull the two ends together and shape a little ball. With a darning needle, thread the ends through the top of the hat and tie a knot.

If you want your hat to hang straight, string it up from the top. If you want it to have a little curl, like mine, string it up from the middle.

Hang on the tree and admire your craftiness. Merry Christmas!

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getting ready for the holidays

I can’t believe it. As of today, I am all caught up on work. My newsletter project is finally at the printer and all of my other jobs are up to date. I might be able to finish up some holiday gifts today. I’m even going to make it to knitting tonight. Speaking of knitting, I know I said I was done with fuzzy scarves, but never say never.

scarf