Squishy Mug Hug

Not to be confused with my cup cozy, this little squishy piece of knitting is made for your fav handled mug. Uses those odd ends of bulky weight yarn (the kind thats almost super bulky, not the heavier aran weight ones) and one funky button. We all have odd buttons, that one that was too pretty not to buy, but too pricey to buy an entire set of them. Or you might have re purposed them from that beat up blazer thats too worn for even donating. I've snagged some very nice buttons that way, even some from old coats. I had this ball of mystery yarn lurking in my stash for some time, no label, wound into a ball, thrift store buy. It mocked me forever, finally made a toddler hat out of it and had leftovers. Hated the idea of not using it, had yet to make a mug hug for myself, and voila an idea was born! This is easily adjustable to what you need for width, I like one wide enough to cup the mug in my hands painlessly. You may prefer just something to soak dribbles from the brim (it happens, not quite awake and that first cup of coffee).

bright and cheery, the red kind of dominates the pictures but it isn't that bad in real life

Now, I'm not sure what kind of yarn this is. It's either Loops & Threads Charisma or Deborah Norville Serenity Chunky. But any yarn of that comparable weight will work just fine. 

also needed:

• size 11 (8mm) straight needles
• one button (larger decorative, size depends on whats left over. you'll see don't rush me)
• matching thread or embroidery floss and needle for attaching button

Cast on 7sts (this depends on how wide you want your hug to be. Make sure it's an uneven number)

Row 1: K1, p1, rep to end of row, ending with a k1

Repeat row 1 til desired length has been reached. Now this should be the hug stretched around the mug itself, you want it nice and snug fitting. Once it reaches the perfect length, bind off in pattern. 

Button tie: 

This is where the creative part begins, you may only have a few inches of yarn left, thats plenty! What you do is draw the yarn through the edge of the mug hug, in the middle. Nobody likes an uncentered button. Don't pull it all the way through, thread it back through the other side of the stitch so both raw ends are on the wrong side of your hug. Knot the ends together, resulting in a loop large enough to accommodate you're chosen button. If not, might have to dig through the stash again, I did. Tada, matching loop for your mug hug!

see? nobody can tell you didn't icord, crochet a chain, or do any of that yarn wasting stuff

also can double as a large cuff bracelet 

Coziest Kindle

My mother gave me a kindle (yes, I'm all for my actual books, but i cant knit and read a paperback), but she  didn't have anything for it. To protect it, I've been lugging it in its box when I hunt for free wi-fi connections. My purse, while large, isn't quite that spacious at the moment. After a trip to Michael's for some hat yarn, I found a pretty skein of Loops & Threads Impeccable I liked. It wasn't my first choice, I spent a good 10 minutes fondling the yarns, but it was on sale and something I could use for multiple projects. Now anyone who's looked at ereaders or tablets knows the problem is all the different sizes. I snagged a few from Ravelry, but none of them were sized to what I had (or they had charts and my printer is currently out of ink lol). After doing some looking, it turned out I had the 4th generation kindle, also known as the kindle. Specific, huh? But I specify for you, dear reader, because so many didn't. I apologize ahead of time, this is a picture heavy post, but it helps to see what I'm babbling about.

To make this, I use a technique called double knitting. It sounds daunting as all get, but it really isnt too hard. This link shows you how to do it with 2 colours, and also right side out, but the way I learned was to make catnip bunnies. Lets get started, shall we?

You will need:

• Size 6 (4.0mm) straight needles, plus 2 spare dpns
• Loops & Threads Impeccable (shown in Earth) or any worsted with an 18st/24row ball band gage (Im horrid with gages arent i?)
• 2 buttons
• darning needle
• coordinating thread/needle to attach buttons
• small amount of ribbon (optional, I'll explain at the end)

Cast on 42 stitches (on the straight needles, the dpns are used later)

Row 1: k1, sl 1 purl wise

repeat row 1 till desired length, in my case about 6 1/2" 

Yep, thats all there is to it to make this a pouch with no seam at the bottom. You'll notice you are making it inside out, isn't that clever?

You can see the slipped stitches with the varigated yarn, neat to watch it grow 

Keep working that same row till its the size of your kindle

  

Now take your dpns, and hold them both in your right hand, your left hand will be holding your needle with the live stitches on it. This is where the sides are split to make the pouch. I suggest sewing in that cast on tail now, before it gets flipped otherwise you'll have to flip and flop again.

All you need to do is alternate the stitches back and forth, feeding them onto the dpns.

And here's your pouch! Push it inside out to see how pretty it is

yes, I slipped it in to make sure all my hard work paid off

If you just want a pouch, here's where you stop. Just bind off all your sts and you are ready to go. You can add a button and crochet chain a loop for it or leave it open. If you want a flap, continue on (like a choose your own adventure thing huh?)

Flap:

Bind off 21 stitches, starting with whichever end your yarn starts

first few sts are a bit awkward, but it gets easier

see? halfway there!

omnomnom pouch

This is the end of the dps, you're going to be working on your straight needles again (just work off that one dpn and set it aside after). 

Keeping the 3 sts on either end in garter, middle in st st,  work back and forth in rows for 1 1/2" 

Buttonhole row:

k5, k2tog, yo, k7, yo, skpsso, k5

Next row: k3, p to last 3, k3.

Continue for another 2-4 rows (all depends on your buttons, big buttons give them more room. small ones, less).

Work 3 rows in knit, bind off (gives you 2 garter rows for an edge). Weave in your end. Attach buttons.

Now if you were like me, and made part after the buttonholes too long, and it started to curl a touch, this is where the ribbon comes in handy. Take a small piece, long enough to edge the flap with raw edges folded in, and pin it to the wrong side. Sew it with matching thread. Or if you arent happy with your hand sewing (like me, im terrible) you can always give it a quick run through a sewing machine.

And thats it! Would it have been faster to make it on dps? Probably. But I hate sewing that bottom seam. My pouchies use a bottom seam, but thats because they need the support. This is just to keep it from getting banged up in commute :)

Coffee Cozy

I've been unhappy with those cardboard sleeves coffee shops give you for some time. I bring them back to reuse them, but they still depressed me. So blah, boring, and not all that helpful (they were just as hot as the cup). So, finally created my own!

Ta dah!

All fancy right? Left over yarn from a hat project. The yarn itself is discontinued (or "vintage" as Ravelry puts it), but it's an easy enough yarn to substitute. I know, these patterns are a dime a dozen, but hey, who cares, because this one is mine. Onward to the pattern!

You will need:

size 7 (4.5m) dpn set of 4

Bernat Softee Chunky Twists (discontinued) #5 Bulky weight yarn

Ball band gage: 15 sts = 4" on size 10 needles (Ive found its easier to compare bands than swatches if im substituting yarn)

Project gage: Mine was about 4sts per inch on size 7 needles, but you may be a tighter or looser knitter. Width is what counts here, you can make it as short or as tall as you like. 

Cast on 30 stitches (yes, the gage makes that number sound strange but remember we want it to fit snug. Nobody wants a saggy cozy so we need some negative ease) and divide onto 3 needles. Work 2x1 rib (k2, p1) for 3 rounds (if you place the sts evenly it makes for an uneven knitting for the rib. Shuffle the work around if you want to end on a p for each needle). Work in st st for about 2" or however long you want your cozy to be. Work 3 rounds in 2x1 rib. Bind off in pattern. Weave in ends.

Now when you bind off in pattern, it makes that bind off a bit wider than the cast on, making it an idea top end. The picture above? Isn't blocked, increased, or anything, thats just how it turned out with the bind off. Slip it on your cup and show off your style. Make hoards of them to match your mood or stick them in a basket at work for when you need them.

lighting wasn't ideal, but i was excited and it was leaving me soon

Chair Booties

Yes, you read that title right. I'm making chair booties. A woman my mother works with asked me to replace some she has. Of course I agree, after all they couldnt be much worse than baby booties right? Yeah, they aren't all that difficult to make (especially with no pattern), but she needs 24 of them. No rush, but 24 booties. I think I'd just buy a darn rug. I swore I had a pattern (saw one on rav and thought I saved it) but turns out I did not. Luckily, she gave me one of her damaged ones to show me what exactly I was making.

 Easy peasy, so here I am knitting booties while playing that time consuming game zynga calls Castleville. Don't start it, stay away, it will suck your soul. Anywho, looking again at the pattern, it uses sock yarn. I sadly don't own that much sock yarn, and plus I want mine to stand up to a bit more wear and tear. So, dear readers, you get the benefit of having my chair bootie pattern using (bum bum BUM!) ACRYLIC YARN! Yes, that horrid stuff just about everyone has lurking in their stash (I have oodles because a) its washable b) its durable and c) its cheap). Perfect for this project right? Right. So, here we go:

You will need:

Small amounts of Red Heart acrylic yarn (any colour will do obviously, it's all your preference)
Size 4dpn (gage really isnt crucial here, just needs to make a nice tight fabric that fits around your chair leg)
Darning needle (just for weaving in ends and whatnot)

Cast on 21 sts

Work in k2, p1 rib for however long you want (mines about 2 1/4)

Next rnd: K1, k2tog; rep around
Next rnd: K
Next rnd: K2tog; rep around
Next rnd: K

Cut yarn, draw through remaining stitches and fasten off. Weave in ends.

Voila, you have a chair bootie!

Make 3 more if you don't want your one chair leg to feel different.

it's a little scrunched in due to the rib, but it fits my chair perfectly

bottom view

chair bootie in action! dark action, but its a black chair leg

If you want to make it a bit more durable (and I aim to attempt this) you can crochet a small circle to stuff inside the bottom of the bootie. Any colour is fine because nobody but you will see it. Secure it with a few stitches (thats why I made mine a bit taller than the original). Let me know how it works!

Pouchies

New pattern! Been a while, and I'm very sorry. I'm not really much of a designer, I mostly tweak other patterns to fit my style. Been debating on posting this for a while, hoping to get the hat and mug cozy finished first but they went into UFO limbo for a bit and it's depressing digging through that. As for all these patterns, feel free to make them as gifts, but please don't charge for them or claim them as your own design.

This is designed to be worn across the chest so the strap lies on the shoulder and the pouch sits on the opposite hip. Holds your immediate essentials like a cellphone, cash, and lip balm for those trips when a bulky purse really isnt desirable (like concerts, craft fairs, or regular fairs)

You will need:

• size 8 dpn (set of 4)
• Red Heart Supersaver (one skein makes more than one pouchie)
• small button (maybe half an inch? never measured, just matched them to the yarn from my stash)
• sewing needle and thread for button
• darning needle or crochet hook for weaving in ends and attaching strap

My gage was the 17/23 listed on the ball band, but yours may vary. It isnt critical to this project, but it shouldnt be terribly loose. This does have a bit of stretch to it, so account for some give.

Cast on 30 sts, and divide onto needles (10 on each), keeping a long tail for sewing up the bottom later.
Work in the round for 6".
At the beginning of the next row, bind off 15 stitches.

Flap: working on 2 dps back and forth

Work the remaining 15 sts in st st, making sure to work the first 2 and last 2 stitches of each row in garter (prevents curling).
Work for 2" from the bind off.

Buttonhole:
RS row: k7, yo, k2tog, k to end of row
Next row: k (garter edge)
BO
Weave in flap ends

Use the long cast on tail to sew the bottom together (I used a fake grafting to sew mine, adds that little bit more support)

Strap:
Cast on 3 stitches, leaving a tail for attaching
Work in i-cord for 48" stretched, or for however long you wish. Make sure you account for stretching! The weight of your phone and goodies will pull the icord longer than you made it. To make mine, I kept stretching it around a wooden ruler, make measuring easy too.
Bind off, leaving a tail for sewing.

Using the tails, attach the icord to either side of the flap, to the bound off stitches not the flap itself. Weave in ends,

Sew on your button, add a motif if desired (one that stretches 15sts by 15 sts fits best, I have some drawn up. Soon as I figure out how to plot them, I'll start posting :) )

Show off your pouchie!

Rain, rain, go away...on second thought, stay a while.

June 3rd. Monday (still may) was hot, sunny, and we were all breaking in flip flops. Sunday (now June), pouring rain, wrapping in blankets, and drinking hot chocolate to warm up. Insanity. But at least we have the rain and the nice weather for Memorial Day. Lots of people got their gardens in, planted flowers, we made our annual cemetary run. The last one nailed me with a tick in my leg (oh the joys). Ever wanna scare yourself, research Lyme Disease and tick bites. It was a rotten deer tick too, I've had dog ticks bite me but this is a bit more serious. Everythings looking fine, obviously red but it's not getting worse just..there. Along with black fly bites which take FOREVER to heal. Heard a neat trick for those though, clear nailpolish. The air is what makes the itch reaction so no air no itch. Meanwhile, I'm using my Aveeno anti itch stuff. Highly recommend it for anyone with kids, no stinging, stinking, and no itch. Back to the rain and the fact that its cold and sucky. Stick around rain, means no annoying children running rampant in the parking lot. Not to mention, end of hard yellowed grass and hopefully means we get grass instead of that sickly green seed/fertilizer we have now. I've avoided the forcast, worried it will put a damper on my week planning (ha, like I plan anything!). National Running Day is June 6th and to promote healthier habits, the school is having the kids run. Parents invited. Me + running = pain and painful to watch, but I love my kid enough that I'm going to try. Eep. Friday will be the Family Fun Night (pack a lot into the last month of school don't they?) so there's a reward for good behavior on both our parts. I need to start buckling down and get serious about my weight and my diet. I've developed a pattern and its not good at all. I'm starting with soda vs water intake. Bottle of water when I get up instead of can o'soder (except this morning, alternated). Eating breakfast foods early instead of grabbing a handful of something salty (like chips) or whatevers leftover in the fridge at 9 30, 10. Lunch when I'm hungry, not because it's noon. Dinner at a decent hour, not right before bedtime. Cut soda intake down from umpteen million to two cans (still sounds like a lot but thats a huge cut for me). I'm even keeping a mental food diary, it's hard not to cheat though. I keep "forgetting" i ate a fun size candy, or cheese and crackers. But theres a certain amount of effort in writting it down that keeps me from doing it, that and the worry of someone finding it. I don't count calories, fat, or anything of the sort, just what I eat. This cruddy weather really isn't instilling any fasting thoughts so I'm distracting myself with rotten facebook games. Carry on lovlies!

Monday is new web comic day, Tuesday is new yarn day

Ok, only the first part of that is true. I haz new yarn! Granted, its a lot of Bernat Bling Bling and some odd balls of super bulky but yay! Why yay? Because it means I get to look them up on Ravelry and discover some new ideas for projects. Like a crochet pattern that I'd like to test even though I can't follow a pattern to save my life (nice picture though). In other boring news, skipped the breast cancer walk (long drive for a minimum of walking), my other projects are at a total standstill (other than dishrags), and the house is a disaster. Part of the last is not my fault, rotten kitchen drain had a clog and it of course chose after hours to blow. Literally. Flooded the cupboard. So I've been waiting for it to dry, all the stashed junk got to see the light of day, and my kitchen is inaccessable till it dries. Otherwise I'm ducking lysol, dishsoap, and vases. So I sorta have an excuse right? I did laundry at least! Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner, this year like every year I join my mother and aunt to take care of the family plots (plant flowers, add statues, etc etc). It's gotten to be something I look forward to. I enjoy seeing the two of them together, my mother seems so different but when they start interacting it's funny to realize they are sisters. Its kind of nice seeing that, my mother tends to be a bit standoffish. More good news? My grandma will be up next month! Yay! Not long, but long enough to see her and hug her. Which is always something :)