What I've been up to - getting organized

When I started all the mittens I told you about in the last post I had an awful time finding and matching my double-pointed needles. Most of the plastic envelopes they come in had ripped and the needles were loose all over my craft shelf and stuck in pattern books. I figured there had to be a better way to store them so I started looking for cases in stores. Nada. I looked on line and found a few for sale but they were all over $60. So I found a few tutorials on needle rolls, some scrap material and bias tape (leftover from making aprons) and got to work.

Here are the raw materials.

And the finished product! It only took a few hours and I am pleased with the results.

When I am done, I fold down the upper half, roll it up and tie it. No more lost needles!

What I've been up to - part 1

While you were knitting crazy hats, I was knitting mittens.

This is all Tori's fault. When asked what she wanted for Christmas, she replied she wanted me to make her mitts. So I did. Apparently mittens on strings are back so I fastened ribbons to them.

The above pair was done in her favourite colours but didn't really match her cape (or any other winter wear) so I made her a pair of flip mitts too. I was working like crazy on these and managed to finish them one hour after we dropped her at the airport. Canada Post must love me this year since I am sending parcels coast to coast regularly.

Then I took a break and did this puzzle that my parents gave me for Christmas. It was the hardest one I have done for a long time. Too bad Susan wasn't around to help put in a piece or two.

Connor really liked the colour of the first pair I did and asked for mitts with fingers. So I made him mitts with fingers (some of you may know them as gloves).

I have made many other items over the last month and I will share them with you shortly.

Stay tuned!

I've Been Busy

This is Tori's Christmas present. Due to kitchen renovations and sheer size of the cape I just finished it last week. It has 165 stitches per row so each row took about 15 minutes to knit. If you knit, you know patterns generally start at the bottom (for sweaters, hats etc) and at the top for socks. This is different. It was knit side to side. If you enlarge the picture, you may be able to see that. My girls have always loved capes or ponchos. I really liked them when they were little because they could put them on themselves and there were no buttons or zippers to fiddle with. I hope she enjoys this one and wears it in good health.

I have also been making diapers for a mission in Haiti. I was following their blog before the earthquake and when they asked for volunteers to make diapers I jumped at the chance. The sample they showed was very similar to diapers I designed and made for Connor so I had a pattern. I have limited access to supplies - I couldn't even get white flannel! Shown below are the finished pink diapers against the striped material I am still working on. The material cost roughly $20 and made 13 diapers. For the sewn in soaker pad I used terrycloth leftover from bathrobes I made years ago.