blissful

Granny smith green - wrist warmers

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 00:20:00 +0000

My youngest likes green, vibrant green. During our last visit to Seattle (and finally realizing one can drool over Little Knits in person rather than just placing online orders), we purchased a skein of Cascade 220 Superwash. It is soft and spongy, but with a bit of an acrylic feel and susceptible to splitting.

Using an alterating 4-stitch cable pattern that crosses at different intervals (it resembles hearts) to make simple wrist warmers. Hopefully we can eke out a scarf as well. Unlike my daughter, I'm not a fan of vibrant green so crossing my fingers for no leftovers.

A doggy (diaper) bag

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 21:30:00 +0000

During our walks, we had been using an old fabric lunch bag to tote Bennett's necessities (extra leash, plastic bags, treats, water cup and water, tennis balls, Chuckit!). But it was unwieldy (especially with a non-compliant dog) and had pastel strips.

With a soft burlap (is that possible?) thrifted fabric, a slouchy messenger bag was created. It is basically a flat bottom rectangle with side straps. The placement of the straps allow the top to flop over for a simple closure.

There are french seams throughout for a neat finish.

My youngest gave immediate approval, stating it looks "urban". Yup, no one wants to look like a preschooler when dog walking. Hopefully this will translate to an immediate positive response to the constant request of "Bennett needs to go potty" (rather than "I did it last time").

My favorite feature is the extra wide D-ring loop where the Chuckit! can insert through. Yeah, no more flopping out of the bag!

I love the printed selvage so it was converted into the adjustable shoulder strap so the bag can accommodate the entire family :)

Stash buster: Adjustable pen holder for journals

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000

I am old school. No blackberry. No palm pilot. I'm still using paper planners and journals. Usually there is a pen crammed inside which eventually falls into the bottom of my purse.

I finally figured out a stash buster that solves that problem and makes use of those narrow strips that are too hard to throw away. It is a little pocket which attaches to a journal with an adjustable elastic cord.

Personally, I think stash busters should NOT be time busters, so this is a simple and quick project :)

Materials (for a 1" x 6" pen holder for books 6-10" in height):

Note: quilting cottons should be used for ease of turning

main fabric: 2-1/4" by 6-1/2"

lining: 2-1/4" by 7" (2 pieces)

elastic cord: 12"

shank button: 1

Hem one side of the main fabric by pressing 1/8-1/4" twice.

Knot one end of the elastic cord 1/2" from the end (helps cord to not slip out) and place on the right side of the lining #1.

Sandwich main fabric (right side out) between lining #1 and lining#2 (right sides of lining facing together) and pin in place. Make sure elastic cord is straight and parallel to the long side. Starting from the bottom right edge (the shorter end) sew around with a 1/4" seam (avoid the elastic cord!) leaving an opening at the bottom end.

Snip the corners and turn inside out. Press out top corners until square.

Turn bottom edge under 3/8" and sew opening close and top stitch all around.

At the free end of the elastic cord, make a slip knot (pull the cord end through the loop so it will be adjustable).

Sew button through the main fabric only (you can add the button before sewing the opening close).

All done!

This can be easily resized for highlighters, reading glasses, and etc.

I am not a dog person

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:00:00 +0000

I grew up with cats. I prefer cats. I enjoy the purring, the independence, the ease of potty training, the sleekness, and their association with knitters (there are so many cat avatars on Ravelry).

After going through several aquatic pets, our family was ready for mammals. Since doggies were undesired (by me) and my youngest has feline allergies, we went with hamsters. But after two unexpected hamster deaths, my immediate family began campaigning in ernest for a canine ("they live longer"). After much pleading, prayer, and hard core negotiations, we agreed with the following requirements:

the dog has to be:
- at least 12 months old
- potty trained
- under 20 pounds
- a non-sheddier (i.e. hypo allergenic hair)
- cared for by everyone (this obviously will last for two weeks and then mom picks up the slack)

After a visit to Rocket Dog Rescue adoption event, we ended up with Bennett (named after Jane Austen's heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, in Pride and Prejudice), which won over Frodo (my oldest is a Lord of the Rings junkie) and Buster (in honor of the 2011 Rookie of the Year, Buster Posey -- hope you are doing well in rehab).

Here are the deets on Bennett; he is:
- 6 months old
- NOT potty trained (we are now very handy with vinegar and baking soda)
- 24 pounds and counting
- a unrepentant shedder (what to do with my mostly black wardrobe?)

But Bennett IS sweet, lovable, and loyal....so he's staying and I'm becoming a dog person.

Top down sweater for a baby girl

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 22:56:00 +0000

My favorite style of knitting is top down (starting from the collar and knitting downward). After figuring out your gauge (stitches per inch) and the size of the neck opening, the cast on stitches are calculated. I chose a simple lace pattern (deep fern lace edging) that looked well upside down (or you can rechart it wrong side up -- but I was too lazy for that). Actually, the pattern looks better when worked upside down :)

In generally, I love yoked or raglan cardigans for children and babies -- easy to put on (no pulling over a huge noggin) and to fit (the vague armholes can accommodate a larger range of sizes).

This cardigan is sized for a 12-18 month baby. This one has raglan sleeves, a v-neck, and

seed stitch edgings and straight sleeves.

Pattern: my own

Yarn: worsted cotton/acrylic blend in periwinkle (a lovely shade)

Needle: #7

Guage: 4.5 stitches/inch

Knits for upcoming babies

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:00:00 +0000

I'm planning a stroller blanket using Knitpicks Comfy, an extremely soft cotton/acrylic (75/25) blend. But which yarn weight? From left to right: Whisker in sportweight and Creme Brulee in worsted. After a machine wash and dry, the swatches did not pill or shrink. It was wonderful to knit with -- much easier on the hands than cotton ease or cotton fleece. This will probably become my go-to yarn for babies.

The winner is the sportweight since it has a lighter and more fluid drape. This swatch will become a coordinating washcloth.

Next is a little shrug (inspired by Stefanie Japel's Whirlygig) with a single button. I wanted something roomy and easy to wear. The ruffled bottom was replaced by a straight hem -- it was WAY too big with the wrong proportions. The increasing rate worked with the sleeves, but not on the bottom.

Pattern: adapted from Stefanie Japel's Whirlygig

Yarn: TLC cotton plus (cotton/acrylic blend)

Needle: #6

Back to school: Japanese lunch bags

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:00:00 +0000

This year, I handed this Japanese craft book (Heartwarming Life Series -- it's all lunch bags. ISBN: 9784529042642) and let them choose.

The winners were #8 and #14.

First up, is a tote style bag with a drawstring top. The fabric is from a sweet little store, Peapod. They have a nice selection of Japanese fabrics along with American designers (Amy Butler, Alexander Henry).

I think this style would work well for knitting projects.

The initial drawstring cover was too short so another layer of fabric was added. There was not enough of the apple fabric for the handles so I sewed them over cotton webbing.

Next up is a paper sack style one. After figuring out the highest height of the contents, the position of the straps and buttons were added.

Two sunshine-y buttons for a cotton twine to loop around like a manila envelope.

Along with the new bags are new food containers. We found these Aladdin thermos at Target. You can heat the food directly in them via the microwave, but the food stays hotter if they are preheated with hot water with hot food added later. I love the hidden spoon compartment - no more "mom, I ate with my fingers today".

Homemade freezer basil pesto

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

While cleaning out our freezer (there's no room for ice cream right now. SOB.) I realize we are running low on our pesto. A reminder it is time for our late summer ritual. A daughter is allergic to nuts, so we began making our own pine nut-less pesto.

First, you blanch the basil leaves (a great job for kiddies but if you're working with mass quantities you fingers will go green) -- a quick dunk in boiling water -- to decrease the amount of oxidation. I like my pesto to stay pretty :) You can also add citric acid (in the food processor) for an easier alternative. Drain, blot, and or squeeze to remove excess water (or use a salad spinner for larger quantities). Sometimes I save a unblanched leaves to dehydrate in the over for dried basil. You could use blanched ones, but it is a pain to separate them.

In a food processor bowl, add a handful or two (about a cup), a handful of parmesan cheese, a couple cloves of garlic, olive oil (a quarter cup to start) and a couple tablespoons of toasted pine nuts. Pulse until finely chopped; it should be fairly chunky. Add salt and pepper (and more cheese) to taste.

For long term storage, spoon into ice trays (you can pre measure them to better estimate the volume. Mine are about 1.5 tablespoons). After they are filled, whack the tray on the counter to remove air bubbles.

When frozen, pop them out and wrap them in foil; individually or meal size (for our taste buds, three cubes are enough for a pound of pasta). The foil prevents ice forming on the outside.

Pack into ziplock freezer bags and quick dinners are just minutes away :) When ready to use, thaw and thin out with olive oil, butter, or cream/milk. Enjoy!

Studio Organization: snaps and snaps

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

I am slowly organizing my studio space (translation: bedroom corner). My pearl and plastic snaps are stored in a leftover box with nifty compartments (the Rubbermaid plastic bottles were so-so) with the dies and other snap tools in a separate box. The depth was too deep and the sides were not fixed, so I found a compact storage set at Target.

There are lidded compartments on the bottom.

All the tools go on top. Note the broken crayon - I've been using it for FOUR years to mark snap placement. Maybe I should update to a newer one :) I'm not sure why the seam tape maker is mixed with these guys.

All ready for work for just $8!

Back to school: Gym bags

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Next on the to-do-list are gym bags to tote home for the mandatory weekend wash. They are similar to these but with the backpack straps. Sometimes, my girls use them for overnight bags.

You can vary them by adding a contrasting casing (to liven up this denim version).

An expandable pocket is nice for cell phones and keys. The bags were used frequently since the girls clocked 100+ hours of tennis camp this summer.

Not to be left behind, mom took up jogging and needed a lightweight version to carry paraphernalia (hat, gloves -- it was a foggy summer --, wallet). This one had a contrasting casing placed a few inches below the top edge.

A tutorial for these will be posted soon!

Back to school: Pencil pouches

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:35:00 +0000

My girls went back to school in the MIDDLE of August (something about wanting to align the semester finals with winter break). Since it was was one of the foggiest summers in recent memory, it meant they will be in the midst of homework, practices, and exams when the sunshine finally returns. Also, it meant mommy needed to hustle to provide back to school supplies. Starting with the cutest fabric first, we decided on these matching flat bottom denim pencil pouches. For awhile my oldest refused to have anything remotely the same as her younger sister. But after returning from a daughter and dad road trip wearing matching fuchsia T-shirts, I guess that season has passed.

It has a wide gusset so it can stand on its own. While thrifting I found a bunch of these handbag zippers with the extra large pulls and finally overcome the "hoarding" mentality and deemed these a zipper pull-worthy project. Yes, I love my girls (but I still can't share my "nice" yarn -- they get the acrylics from Joann's).

The insides are lined with a laminated cotton. I debated whether they should be washable, but every year we make new ones so it was unnecessary. There is also a big red loop on the side to make zipping and unzipping easier, but they did not survive the cropping.

The world's largest swallowtail shawl

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl (with 19 repeats and no nubbs)

Yarn: Meimei bamboo sportweight (about 3 skeins)

Needle: #5 (bamboo of course!)

Wow. I was shocked after casting off. It is so wide...my biggest shawl ever. I probably did not need the extra repeats, but I love the length.

I steam blocked with an iron just at the edges; the yarn has a nice heft and drape which helped open up the bud lace pattern naturally. I feared a hard block, it would become a bed spread!!

The chain style yarn has a nice sheen but it is a bit snaggy and super slippery.

If draped right, it can be a dressy cardigan.

I love it, but it seems too fancy for everyday wear. I'm predicting an upcoming date night with hubby :)

Tutorial: Drawstring bags with french seams

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

I'm having so much fun making these, I wrote up a simple tutorial. It's a simple and practical project, useful as a lunch or knitting bag. My favorite feature are the french seams throughout -- absolutely no fraying during machine washing!!

Materials needed:

* Note: using upholstery weight fabric and stiff cording helps the bag to stand on its own

Upper fabric (cotton): 2 pieces 13 1/2" x 8"

Denim bottom: 1 piece 13 1/2 x 9"

Cotton cording/twill tape: 1 yard

1) Going against most sewing instructions, with wrong sides together, sew the upper fabric with the denim (on the long side). Use a very narrow seam allowance (around 1/8" to 1/4")

2) Trim seam to 1/8"

3) Open and fold with the right sides are together. Press and sew with a 3/8" seam, making sure the previous seam is fully enclosed.

4) One french seam completed. Repeat with the other upper fabric and the other denim side. You should have one long strip with the denim in the middle. Fold in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together and stitch (with a 1/8" to 1/4" seam) starting 2" from the top. Trim seam to 1/8" and press. Sorry for the lack of photos -- I forgot :)

5) At the side opening (created by the 2" opening), fold 1/8" twice toward the wrong side. This forms an opening for the drawstring. Pin, stitch and press. Repeat with the other side.

6) With right sides together, starting at the bottom point of the opening, sew a 3/8" seam capturing the previous seam. Repeat with the other side.

7) At a bottom corner, pull fabric until the side seam and bottom "seam" meet. Sew perpendicular to the side seam, 1 1/2" from the triangle tip. Repeat at the other corner. This creates a flat bottom.

8) At the top of the bag, fold 1/4" and then 1/2" to create a casing for the cording. Pin and sew around. I like to place the cording inside while stitching -- I never liked doing it afterwards. You can use a zipper foot or move the needle position to the far right.

9) Knot and trim the cord ends. To close, pull the cording from both sides. My cording is really stiff -- a thicker version of those strings/ropes (???) to open and close drapes. To allow for shrinkage, have the knotted end an inch wider than the bag.

All finished :)

New placemats

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

I love this Echino print, but the repeat is huge with a "dead space" in the middle. It would be nice for a blanket, not so much for new placemats.

By cutting it into strips and rearranging them helped to redistribute the blank areas. I used felt for the padding and backed it with a Joel Dewberry print.

I think they look well on our walnut dining table.

Removable cup holders

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:38:00 +0000

Rather than using ice packs, we freeze their juice cups to save space. But the kiddies complain about the drippiness as it melts so we designed these cup holders for absorbing.

A rectangular strip (about 3 inches in height) is cut 2 inches longer than the circumference of the container. It's slightly tapered at the ends for a neater look. One of the velcro strips is angled a bit so it's adjustable. Best thing: they are machine washable.

Scarves

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 23:03:00 +0000

Pattern: Woodland Shawl -- adapted to scarf width

Yarn: Malabrigo lace merino (polar moon) - 1 skein

Needle: #6

I love the halo created with these single ply lace yarn. Angora-like without the sneezing and shedding.

Ooops. Note the huge gauge change from the beginning (left) to the end.

Pattern: Meandering Vines Shawl - converted to scarf width

Yarn: Fearless Fibers Superwash Merino Light Fingering (sublime) - 1/2 skein

Needles: #8

The sublime colorway is...sublime. Absolutely beautiful varigation on colors.

With both, I just steam blocked with an iron since I wanted to preserve the gentle side curves. And it was a lot easier :)

Two kitchen towels = Three projects

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:40:00 +0000

I was gifted these Easter themed kitchen towels awhile ago. Since I have practical/traditional linen preferences, these were never used until this week, when they were converted into a couple of projects.

First up, a simple tote with a pleated bottom. Padded (and thrifted) lavender handles were used.

An elastic loop was was added so it could be bundled into a little burrito :)

Second, was a drawstring lunch bag (a spare is always needed). The flowers were oriented perfectly in this design (it would have have upside down in a regular tote bag).

While on its way to the scrap bag, the remaining piece was screaming to be made into....

...a short apron!

The pleated pockets are nice and roomy for my daughter's wire cutters and pliers.

I love it when every bit of fabric is used :)

Other uses for craft wire

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:30:00 +0000

My youngest loves making jewelry. Whenever I visit the craft store, she always requests a pack of craft wire (she has a set of cutters and pliers). Along with rings, ear wires, knitting markers, she has made gift tags (the person's name in cursive...yes, they are huge). One day, using the wire as a base scrap pieces of felt she crafted this adjustable (!!) bunny head band for....

our unsuspecting hamster, Trufflina. I can't believe how securely it fits. Both stayed still during the photo shoot.

Injecting culture in your children

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:00:00 +0000

This past spring and summer, I have tried to exposure my children with a bit of culture. We live in a major metropolitan city with world class museums and it was high time we took advantage of them. I don't know about your kids, but there is a lot of eye rolling when when mine realize we are going to an "adult" museum. Anyways, we have seen the Faberge exhibit at the Legion of Honor, King Tut at the DeYoung, and the photo galleries at the San Francisco of Modern Art. More often than naught, they end up enjoy it.

Sometimes, I wonder if it has any impact other than interesting dinner conversation. Then I found a display on their bookshelf.

What I really loved was the placard stating the artist and materials used. So sweet.

And another piece in the collection.

Next up for my enthusiastic kids, the Samurai exhibit at the Asian Art Museum.

Back to school: Drawstring lunchbags

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:01:00 +0000

Every year my girls ask for another lunch bag, even though their previous ones are still in good condition (I end up reusing them for portable knitting bags). This time, we opted for these unlined (but with french seams) drawstring bags. I love the sturdy cords (from thrifting) which hold their shape and provide enough friction that the bag stays closed.

The cotton fabric was bought during our summer trip to Japan for my youngest, who loves sushi. We had a sushi making party for her last birthday (just imagine seven girls and a tub of sticky rice!).

Here is another one with a denim bottom so they would be distinguishable from each other. They wanted an embroidered label, but I'm always leary of public monograms on personal items. Knowing a child's name is power. Enough of the scary talk...

It has a little gusset.

They are super roomy for all their plastic containers...

and their huge Aladdin thermos (I love these! Basically, the food is heated via the microwave in the am and stays hot until lunch time).

And next year, they will want something different...

Back to school: Pencil pouches

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:30:00 +0000

My girls went back to school this week. Along with gathering basic school supplies, my oldest needed a replacement for her vinyl pencil pouch (the zipper went kaput).

I was planning on making mini button holes or eyelets, but the original holes still looked good. So it was sliced off and sewn onto the vertical edge of the pouch. It's not washable now, but it saved some work and the fit is perfect!

Here is a piggy one with botton holes (it is lined and has french seams so it is machine washable). Hopefully these will be more durable :)

Back to school: Pencil cases

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:00:00 +0000

I have been wanting to make my version of these baguette style zippered pouches. Something chunky and cute. There are little ribbon loops to make zipping and unzipping easier.

I found this stiff, water resistant twill while thrifting and thought it would be the perfect lining/interfacing. It's heavy hand made pining difficult but it was worth it. The case holds it shape and stays open when unzipped.

Eco bags or reusable shopping bags

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Last year, our city declared that plastic bags are no longer allowed in large supermarkets so there has been an increase interest in eco/reusable shopping bags. I wanted something prettier (no pharmaceutical logos please), machine washable, and compactable (folds up neatly without a little pouch).

When a friend who was downsizing offered these vintage fabrics, I immediately thought of this project.

The pattern inspiration came from a great japanese craft book (#439459628618, I'm not sure if this is the ISBN#. It was purchased in Japan for like half the US price ), Eco Bags.

Here is the pattern: a pleated bottom drawstring bag.

My version is horizontal rather than vertical, because it's roomier and more accessible. I love how the handles "hides" when the bag is open and closes the bag when in use.

After several variations, I ended up adapting the amount and width of bias tape needed. I love the elastic loop which wraps around the folded bundle for easier storage. The seams are all finished (french) so it would be machine washable.

I love having these tucked in my handbag!

Creating your own rubber stamps

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:00:00 +0000

My youngest took an art class this summer and became enamored with rubber stamps. After finding Lotta Prints at the local library we decided to make our own. Using foam sheets, we cut out our our designs and glued them onto foam poster board. A spray adhesive was used instead of Elmer's because it was faster drying. My daughter made the "penguins in love" while I tried a cherry blossom branch.

I tried to add veins to this leaf using an exacto knife (making parallel lines and them cutting between them with scissors. The foam seems to really absorb the ink so the prints look uneven, but it looks more organic. They were loads of fun :)

Organization: knitting needles

noreply@blogger.com (blissful) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:00:00 +0000

My straight knitting needles usually sit in a vase on my worktable, where they are constantly being knocked over (it's top heavy). So I made a hanging holder for them. It has two pockets, one for the 10-12 inch lengths and another for the 6 inch ones and crochet hooks. Two holes were punched for hanging. The fabric is Heather Bailey's Fresh Cut, an oldie but goodie.

By adding a couple of elastic loops on the side and buttons on the other, this holder can be rolled neatly into a carrying case. I always thought having ties was cumbersome.

For my honking sized needles, I make a simple drawstring bag which is hung on a door knob.

For my circular needles, another wall hanging was made (this one has a wide button hole to fit my over the door hangers). There is a separate sleeve for each size (16 inch on the bottom, 24 inch in the middle, and 29 inch on the top)

Yes, I have a lot of needles and can never justify buying those Denise/Knit Picks interchangeable ones to replace them. Sigh. But at least I can find them easily :)