Hooray for the Internet!

The weather has been cooling down here in California; however, very far from you typical fall weather. I have been busy knitting to add some warmer pieces to my wardrobe for the winter! Here are a few lovely things I have found around the internet in the last few weeks. Enjoy.

Fall still hasn't arrived in California, but I am looking forward to it!
via Tumblr

Eight hands would help with so many daily activities.
via Dapper Toad

I am so in love with this quilt pattern, but it is definitely beyond my current quilting skills. Looks like I will just have to step them up a level! :)
via Hyena In Petticoats

Amazing collar embellishments.
via ... Love Maegan

Peanut butter and pumpkin dog treats.
via A Beautiful Mess

Such a gorgeous piece!
via Apartment Therapy

Such a beautiful chair!
via Skunkboy

Fall garland! <3
via A Beautiful Mess

<3 Amy

Hooray for the Internet!

We have been doing a lot of job applying and a bit of traveling which has left little time for blogging!  Hopefully, we'll get together our pictures soon and post them.  But for now, links!

-Colleen

An elephants and hot air balloons carousel!
via Lou et Tom

If you have not heard about the campaign for a Tesla Museum on Long Island, go read up on NPR!

Pickles has a new cardigan pattern.

And Knitpicks has a new bamboo/merino yarn that I can't wait to knit with!

Coffee Caviar without all the special equipment!
via Sprinkle Bakes

I want our next apartment to look like this kid's room!
via Vaiko

Hooray for the Internet!

Mid-spring and a lack of upcoming holidays means a significant slow-down in blogosphere but here are some of the things I came across this week.

Doily-Print Fabric  on How About Orange

This blogger, Jessica Jones, was a bit disappointed about how making doily prints on fabric with photo-sensitive dye turned out.  I love this faded result better than if it turned out to have perfect, crisp edges.  I want to do this myself!

Layered Skirt Tutorial on Dana Made It
Via Wee Wonderfuls

Obviously this is a tutorial for a kid's skirt.  Nevertheless, it could be converted to an adult and I am not ashamed to wear ruffles or seersucker.

Hazel the Humpback Whale Pattern by Bec Brittain

Who doesn't want to knit a humpback whale?

Maps of the USA by Relative Green-ness  on Upworthy

I like this one.  There's another one that's much less up-lifting. Follow the link at your own discretion. 

Vintage Kitchen on Heart Handmade
via Kireei

I could live here.

Stenciled Watercolors on Grow Creative

As a teacher, I am four square against using stencils with young children--limiting the creative potential and all that.  However, as an adult, I can use stencils all I want!  And I would do this for making stationary or something.  

Rainbow Connection on Handmade Charlotte

This image fills me with joy.  

Hair Bows, Two Ways

Knitting Patterns for Hair Bows

Two Ways to Knit Hair Accessories

After dyeing some yarn yellow with turmeric (see tutorial here) I had to come up with something to do with it.  I decided to knit some hair bows because I thought the yellow would go well with my dark hair.  I made up the patterns as I went along and here I am to share them with you!  I've never written a knitting pattern before, so feel free to make suggestions for changes.

Hair Bows, Two Ways

You will need for both patterns:

A small amount of light weight yarn (sock or sport works well)

Set of 4 DPNs of an appropriate size (this chart has great recommendations), I used 3mm

Yarn needle

Alligator clip or bobby pins

Both bows are knit in two pieces: a body and a center strap.  Finishing instructions differ for the two bows. Seed Stitch Bow is knit flat for both pieces while Stockinette Bow is knit in the round for the body and flat for the center strap.

Seed Stitch Bow

Make body of bow as follows:

Using two needles, cast on 7 stitches.

Row 1: k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1

Repeat Row 1 until work is double the desired length of hair bow.  Mine was about 18 cm (7 in) long.  Bind off.

Make center strap as follows:

Using two needles, cast on 5 stitches.

Row 1: k1, p1, k1, p1, k1

Repeat row until strap is desired length.  To check, wrap around the middle of the body.  The strap should gather the bow so should be tight around it.  Mine was about 5.5 cm (2 in) long.  Bind off.

Finishing:

Seam together cast-on and bind-off rows of body.  Lay body flat so that the seam is in the middle of the back.  Wrap strap around the center of the body, over the seam, and seam together cast-on and bind-off rows.  Weave in ends.  If you have an alligator hair clip, you can sew or hot-glue it onto the back.  If not, use bobby pins to secure bow in hair.

Stockinette Bow

Make body of bow as follows:

Using two needles, cast on 14 stitches. Distribute stitches onto three needles and join to knit in the round.  Place marker to indicate end of round.

Round 1: knit to end of round

Repeat Round 1 until work is double the desired length of hair bow.  Mine was about 19 cm (7.5 in) long.  Bind off.

Make center strap as follows:

Using two needles, cast on 5 stitches.

Row 1 (RS): knit to end

Row 2 (WS): purl to end

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until strap is desired length.  The center strap will not be used to gather the bow very much so should be as long as double the width of the body.  My body was 3 cm (1 in) wide so my strap was 6 cm (2 in) long. Bind off.

Finishing:

Seam together cast-on and bind-off rounds of body.  Lay body flat so that the seam is in the middle of the back.  Using scrap yarn, gather body around the middle using running stitch (good tutorial here). Wrap strap around the center of the body with WS down, over the seam, and seam together cast-on and bind-off rows.  Weave in ends.  If you have an alligator hair clip, you can sew or hot-glue it onto the back.  If not, use bobby pins to secure bow in hair.

Hooray for the Internet!

Another week, another collection of delightful things I've found on blogs and Pinterest!

Knitting the World Together by Bonnie Kate Wolf
found via CRAFT

I have obviously chosen the Atlantic Ocean view of the world because of my love of New York and Europe. There are plenty of other views on the artist's website!

Plain Tunic by Pickles

I'm always excited to see a new pattern from Pickles, one of my favorite knitting sites!  Their designs tend to feature double-stranded patterns that knit up quickly with a minimalist aesthetic.  Best of all, they are often free (at least in one size).  

Wood-burned Caddy by Becca Thornton
on Natural Kids

As a nursery school teacher, the uses I have come up with for a wooden caddy are endless. A touch of Peter Rabbit could never hurt, either!

Rolling Stamp from a Potato on Kireei

Another idea for nursery school teachers.  All you need to make rolling stamps is a potato, a straw, and a knife.  My children can never get enough of rolling stamps and this would be great for making all sorts of designs. 

Play House on Kaunis Pieni Elämä 

Another thing I would love for my nursery school is this child's room.  The play house and laundry accessories are just what my classroom needs!  Young children should live in a world of beautiful and useful things.

Floating Teepee on Tiny House Blog

Sometimes, students get sick of dorm life and decide to live in teepees on rafts made using a fair number of beer kegs.  Or, at least, one of them did.

Tin Tile Dishwasher on Restyled Home

Appliances need not be given a faux-cabinet look in order to get a visual upgrade! 

Doilie-inspired Embroidery on Cafe Cartolina

I cannot tell if Cafe Cartolina is the original source of this but let's just say it is.  To not state otherwise would just be bad manners.

Hope you find these links inspiring or at least entertaining!

-Colleen

Hooray for the Internet!

Some of these links are recent; some of these links are not.  Even if they are old, these are totally worth revisiting! 

Strawberry Cream Puffs with Milk Chocolate Sauce

This recipe calls for dried strawberries and you could probably substitute other berries.  Unfortunately, I  do not know where to find those here so this will have to wait until we return to the States!

Color Block Scarf from Ship & Shape

This scarf is rather expensive but the color combination of goldenrod and coral is my new favorite (see my post about spice dying in which my yarn ended up this combination).

Little Bird in Flight Free Pattern from While She Naps

I love these little birds!  I imaging making a mobile out of them would be amazing.

Needle Felted Bunny on Living Felt

I am getting sick of bunnies everywhere after all the Easter crafting, but this bunny is so cute that I had to share it.  Lifelike needle felting often looks like... well... taxidermy.  This one, however, does not go so far as to be creepy.

French Knot Sheep by Incy Wincy Stitches

This little flock of sheep gets me every time.  I do not know what to make them on, but I want to put them on something!  (Some day, I might do a "Hooray for Sheep" post because sheep are definitely second on my list of favorite things, right after hot air balloons.)

The Spring Cardi by The Handmade Dress

This dress and cardigan combo makes a perfect spring outfit for a little girl.  I'm also in love with this presentation!  I hope to some day photograph my crafts this well.

Finger Knitting//Garland and Necklace by Gussy Sews

This is a great tutorial for finger knitting.  Amy spend this winter "knitting tubes" (i-cords) for various projects and we could never figure out a good way to make them thick enough.  We should have thought of finger knitting them!

Hope you enjoy these links and find some crafty inspiration!

-Colleen

Baby Steps

Baby Socks:

A first attempt

Baby Socks in Progress

 This winter, I wrote about my scarf which I knit out of Jawoll Magic yarn.  When I was finished, I had quite a nice little ball of it left over that I decided I would use to start a new phase of my knitting education: socks.  My friend Nicole had given me a skein of sock yarn for Christmas that I wanted to make a cute pair of socks for myself out of.  I just did not have the confidence to begin.  I decided that the best solution was to start off simple... to take... baby steps, if you will.  Knitting baby socks would mean learning the necessary techniques but speeding up the process and not wasting a lot of yarn if the project failed.  

Baby Socks!

I picked a pattern called Hunca Munca because it was very popular on Ravelry.  I chose to knit the pattern with a technique similar to cabling because that is also something I am not well-versed in.  I've had trouble getting good photos of them but I am really pleased!  They turned out the same size.  They have no big holes or obvious mistakes.  The only thing is that the variegated  yarn transitions so slowly that they look like a strange ombre.  I did not have enough to make sure I started both on the same color patch but I think it's fine.  

All these socks are waiting for is a friend to have a new baby who might want some tiny purple socks.  Feel free to request them if you fit this description!

Hooray For The Internet!

Welcome to a new weekly feature:

Hooray for the Internet!

Just your standard Links-Round-Up of neat things found around the internet this week. While we will try to stay topical and post recent things, sometimes one comes across an old blog post that is too good not to share. Amy and I will be taking turns posting our favorite finds of the week.  Expect mine to be mostly crafts.  Amy's will probably include a bit more fashion.  Without further ado, my links of the week:

Thirteen Ounces or Less on  Giverslog--What Amazing Things Can You Mail Without a Box?

Did you know that you can mail anything under 13 ounces (and within certain size parameters) without a box?  Just apply a packaging label and sufficient postage, then drop it in a mailbox!  Check out the 13 Ounces or Less tag over at Giverslog for all kinds of postal inspiration.  Spread some Easter joy by mailing plastic Easter eggs. 

Dutch Bike-Bus on Treehugger

Since I first saw the image of this bike-bus on Treehugger, I have been thinking about it all the time.  It is on my theoretical vision board for the future.  Could you think of a better way to get kids to school?  Exercise, green-living, teaching children responsibility and respect for the environment--you know, all those popular ideas--are all encompassed in this!  At only $15,000, I kind of want one.

BEES! by artist/blogger Hannah Haworth

These life-size bees by  Hannah Haworth are so adorable and intricate.  I have so much respect for her work!  Check out her website for other amazing (sometimes knit) artwork.

Paper Hot Air Balloon from Kiosk

I want one of these hot air balloons.  That is all.

Paper Flower Tutorial from Say Yes to Hoboken

This tutorial is from around Valentine's Day; nevertheless, I think it these flowers would be a beautiful spring/Easter decoration.  

Knishes on Smitten Kitchen

These potato knishes are a much classier, and probably tastier, version of my favorite potato snack that I could usually find at the back of our freezer.  I'm thinking about actually making some next week.  Smitten Kitchen always has such amazing recipes for comfort food that I often think the tag line should be, "tastes like childhood, only better."

Check back next Friday for Amy's links of the week!

I've Been Dyeing To Do This

An Introduction to Fabric Dyeing

About six months ago, I knit Amy this scarf with some cheap cotton yarn that I got from a bin at Lidl.  I bought a ton of white, generic yarn figuring that I could dye it to be whatever color I wanted later.  I knit up a Summer Flies Shawl, a pattern I'm a big fan of.  Then it sat for ages because dyeing is actually really intimidating, especially if the instructions are not in a language you speak.  

In a burst of productivity, I finally dyed it.  The results were satisfactory.  In the future, I will dye my yarn before knitting with it.  Nevertheless, you may find yourself in a situation wherein you have something that just needs color.  Do not be afraid--especially if you live in America where Rit dye is everywhere and easy enough to use that I was allowed to instruct small children in its application by the age of seventeen.     

Luckily, I had learned how to use this particular dye two years ago while making something for my last job.  It had been a while so I skimmed the instructions but there are those pesky things like grams and liters.  However, I knew that powder plus boiling water and salt made dye.  So, that's where I started.

Red and Blue Make...

Black?

I added the water to the dye and mixed in the salt.  I think that's what you were supposed to do.  Seemed right.  Each box contained two packets.  I figured one package of each color would equal one box of purple dye.  But the dye turned this horrifyingly dark shade of almost black.

Submerging Scarf

However, as I saw the dye work its way up the scarf by osmosis, I could tell that it was, in fact, a nice shade of plum purple.  

I set the timer for 20 minutes and waited anxiously.  We got this great little egg timer from a friend who left the city.  It has this unique function.  You know that time is up when you suddenly find you're not annoyed anymore because the ticking has stopped.  Some people might say this means it's broken.  To them I would say, "fair assessment." 

BLACK?! 

When I dumped out the dye and started to rinse out the scarf, it looked black.  Distinctly, not-purple-in-any-way, black.  But after much work rinsing, it did end up purple.  This is part of the frustration of dyeing yarn after knitting it.  It took forever to rinse out.  In the end, I threw it in the washing machine with some black clothing to get the rest of the dye out.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, though!  There are some patches that for reasons beyond my comprehension are a totally different shade.  Still pretty!