Big granny, little bag…

I thought it would be fun to make a granny square handbag for a little girl. My inspiration came from Angie over at not the Office Type. I found that using bulky yarn to make up a granny square creates a nice squishy 6x6 square.  Ah, the perfect size for those sweet little hands. For this bag I used up bits of Lambs pride bulky. I made two 5-round granny squares (basic gs pattern).  I then slipped stitched three sides together. For the handles I made up two I-cords and sewed them in place at the sides of each square. The garter stitch button flap was added at the top center of one square. I used a crochet flower for the button to keep with the soft look and attached it to the opposite square. I hand stitched a bit of silk together for the interior lining using the whip-stitch to tack it down. The hardest part of this easy project was finding my sewing supplies. Now that I’ve gotten them out, I really should make use of them…

More creative spaces here.

Chirp...

Chubby Chirp, from Rebecca Danger of Danger Crafts fame, is so super cute...  You can get your copy of this free pattern over on Ravelry or at her website . It really is a very well written and easy to follow pattern. I used up a bit of left-over Cashmerino astrakhan (Debbie Bliss Yarns). I enjoyed this project so much that I must go make another.  Oh, and if you get a chance, take a look at Rebeccas’ shop over at Etsy where you can purchase one of her fun little monster patterns.

Prom

Today is Senior Prom here in Sunny So Cal and my son Robin stopped back by the house with his lovely date, Emily so I could see how beautiful they are and take a couple of pictures. I couldn’t resist sharing….. I am so very proud of my boy!  I hope they have a wonderful evening together…. 

Yum!

I just received this lovey package via Royal Mail from Glossop. Hazel sent me my winnings from her giveaway over at Quietly Stitching, Chocolate Limes all the way from the UK.   This is a sweet that I had never tasted before so I opened the envelope with delightful anticipation.  I was pleasantly surprised at how good these confections taste. Tart, sweet and chocolaty all at the same time. Thank you Hazel…I promise I will share with family and friends, wink, wink…

A pair of pink Pickles please…

Is that a mouthful or what?

Designer Beth LaPensee for Knitzi created the most adorable pattern for little girl leg warmers.  I was so happy to find it, as I wanted to make a pair for a special little lady to wear while on her way to ballet class.  I matched up the pattern with Rainy Days & Wooly Dogs yarn, Strychnine (self-striping) in Pink and Rowan Kidsilk Night in pale pink. I just can’t say enough about how much I loved watching the yarn change colors.  It was truly mesmerizing. Another thing that made this project so enjoyable was using my new Square shaped double pointed needles as they did a really good job of holding onto the yarns as I stitched away.

I hope to get a picture of her wearing them when she comes for a visit….Can’t wait!

More creative spaces here.

More fun with Madelinetosh

I was over at One flew over’s blog and enjoyed reading her post about the half granny shawl she had finished using Madelinetosh yarn.  I immediately pulled out my skein of Pashmina and decided I had to make one too.  What I really like about Kates shawl is how large and loopy the stitches are.  Using a larger hook really changes the texture of the typical granny. So pretty, soft and comfortable looking. 

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I ♥ Shelter Yarn+Boneyard Pattern

I just finished knitting up a Boneyard Shawl by Stephen West. A simple scarf? Yes, but oh so lightweight and warm.  Why? Because of the wonderful yarn that I used for this project, Shelter, from Brooklyn Tweed. It is one of my all time favorites to work with. Seriously, I love this 100% American wool yarn! It is a tightly spun yarn but once it is washed, blocked and dried, it expands and softens up beautifully. (3) skeins later, I have a cozy shawl/scarf to wear next winter.  I chose the color, Long Johns, which is a deep brick red with specs of darker tweedy goodness spread thru out the skein. Thank you Stephen, for creating such an easy to read and easy to follow pattern. He has made a copy of the pattern available at his website, West Knits or on his ravelry page.