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How to Make the Perfect Prayer Shawl

Saturday, January 31st, 2015

*This post is sponsored by Walmart. Thank you for supporting the companies that support this site!

Many times in life I have felt like there is so little I can do when hardships arise for those I love. The gift of learning to knit though has been one of those skills that I have been able to share with others in their time of need and always seems to be appreciated, particularly during those difficult moments in life. Although I have talked often of my chemo caps I have created, one of the gifts I especially love to give is a knitted prayer shawl.

Have you heard of a prayer shawl before? It’s a special gift that you can knit or crochet that can be wrapped around the shoulders of someone who is need of comfort. As you knit or crochet it, you pray for the recipient…thus, its beautiful name.

Each shawl I create has a special personal touch for each recipient and I spend a lot of time crafting, knitting, and selecting a prayer to make each of these uniquely special. My patterns have come from an amazing book called THE PRAYER SHAWL COMPANION by Janet Bristow & Victoria A. Cole-Galo, who also happen to be the founders of the Prayer Shawl Ministry. Janet was kind enough to do an interview with me to help inspire you to create a shawl for someone in need.

How did you find your passion in knitting/crocheting prayer shawls?

I started making prayer shawls with Vicky Galo after we graduated from the Women’s Leadership Institute at the Hartford Seminary in 1997. We were challenged to use what we had learned and apply those insights to our everyday lives. We felt that making a shawl for someone through the work of our hands and the thoughts and prayers from our hearts was a loving way to reach out to others in need of comfort.

What types of yarn are your favorite to use in creating your prayer shawls?

I have no favorite yarn and use what appeals to me.

I am sure that all the shawls you have created are so special, but do you have one in particular that you are most proud of creating and who was it for?

Each shawl is special; but the ones I made to send to Newtown, CT to be given to the families of the children that were lost stay in my heart because I knew the comfort they would bring; but I also drew a lot of comfort in making them.

I love to weave in trinkets and charms that people can clutch, like crosses or pictures of their children/grandchildren on the edge of my shawl. What are some unique personal touches that can make a prayer shawl even more special that you like to use?

I always make sure to attach a charm or medal to the fringe and encourage the receiver to do the same and add their own trinkets as a source of inspiration and meditation.

Do you have a favorite prayer that you like to include or say while creating your shawls?

Many times throughout the making of a shawl and upon completion, I say the “Prayer of Blessing” I wrote:

“May God’s grace be upon this shawl, warming, comforting, enfolding, and embracing,
May this mantle be a safe haven…a sacred place of security and well being,
Sustaining and embracing in good times as well as difficult ones.
May the one who receives this shawl be cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace,
and wrapped in love.”

Like Janet, I have made many prayer shawls over the years and I wanted to share some answers to some questions that I have been asked about my prayer shawls to help you if you might be considering making one of your own.

What is your favorite type of yarn that you use for your shawls?

I am a big fan of the Lion Brand Homespun Yarn as my yarn of choice. I like the bulkiness of the yarn and that it has a lot of texture. The yarn is thick so it helps to knit the shawls quickly and I usually knit with size 15 needles so that I knit them quicker.

I always try to ask what the recipient’s favorite color is and weave that into the packaging in some way. I love a good neutral shawl that can be worn over everything, but if their favorite colors is purple, for example, I use ribbon to tie in that bolder color to attach my charms on the edge.

What types of charms do you love?

I try to be very personal with my gifts so I like to weave in an element of faith (usually a cross) and then a personal element. The other element I love to do is a photo element because it is a great visual for someone in their time of need. The jewelry section of your craft stores or the craft section of Walmart offer a variety of charms that you can use for photo storage. It depends on the person I am knitting it for though on what I choose to do.

When my grandfather passed away, I had the sweetest picture of him and put this in a charm for my mom & grandma as a gift for the holidays. For those that are fighting a battle of some kind (a miscarriage or cancer), I like to add a photo element that encourages them to keep fighting. Pictures of grandkids or their children offer a gentle reminder of all they have to fight for.

What types of patterns do you recommend for creating a prayer shawl?

I feel like this is really a matter of preference, but since the object is to focus on the person you are creating it for through meditation or prayer, I love simple patterns and not anything too complex. As a busy mom, this is a project you will find me toting around back and forth from piano & dance lessons, so it needs to be one that I can pick up easily and come back to or be able to knit a quick row in the car while waiting for the kid’s bus.

My go-to pattern is in THE PRAYER SHAWL COMPANION and is called Alice’s Lace Shawl. I love it because there is just a single row of stitching (very easy to remember) and then the other two rows are a knitted row and a purl row. If you are a crocheter, THE CROCHETED PRAYER SHAWL COMPANION is a great resource & Janet recently added THE NEW PRAYER SHAWL COMPANION which I can’t wait to check out too!

You can also check Ravelry (you need to get your free membership to view the patterns) for a variety of shawl patterns.

How long does it take to knit a prayer shawl?

To be honest, many of the shawls I knit end up being needed urgently so I try to knit them quickly, often in a matter of three marathon knitting nights. Lately, with our family schedule, it takes me several weeks to get these done. I try to remember that the true purpose of this is to be in prayerfulness and to provide comfort, not be the quickest at knitting. The longer I have it in my possession, the more time I have to think on that person. Provided it isn’t an urgent situation, I can usually get these done in a few weeks!

If you have a special talent for knitting or crocheting, consider donating a little of your time to creating prayer shawls for others. Many of the people I have knitted these for, I have never met, but have discovered their struggles through mutual friends or family. This gift for people I know personally or not… it is just never forgotten. I still have some of the most heartfelt teary-eyed chats with family members or recipients of these shawls years and years after the gift is given.

In a world where we are expected to rush, rush, rush and hurried text messages sometimes replace our real & true presence, a gift like this is impactful in ways you may never realize.

Have you ever received or created a prayer shawl? Feel free to share your experience here! I’d love to hear your stories!

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Tags: Free Prayer Shawl Patterns, How to Make a Prayer Shawl, Knitted Prayer Shawl Patterns, Prayer Shawl Ministry
Posted in Gifts, Knitting, My Work | No Comments »

The MomAdvice Unique Holiday Gift Guide

Friday, November 28th, 2014

I have been jotting down ideas for this holiday gift guide over the year since each year I aim to create a really useful gift guide that you really will use and love when selecting your gifts.

This list is a compilation of my favorite things that have made me very happy and I believe they are the perfect gifts to share with someone you love.

I did not set a dollar limit this year on the gifts because I don’t get the opportunity to share some of the pricier things that I really have used and loved, but the list will offer a range of ideas for your own Christmas budget.

I also try to share if I have found them somewhere cheaper or where to snag a coupon to make these gifts more affordable.

Bluetooth Speaker

I absolutely love my Speaker for listening to podcasts and music through my iPhone or iPad.

This little guy is Bluetooth-enabled so it can connect with your device and charges with a little USB cable that it comes with.

The sound is really good- not Sonos quality, but really perfect for my laundry/making dinner/cleaning house needs.

I am one happy girl now that I don’t have to hold my phone to my ear to keep up with all my stories and to hear my music.

I really think this is a sweet little gift and I love the price tag.

Blanket Scarves

Blanket scarves are very trendy this year and are the perfect gift to give for the holiday season.

These are also an ideal gift for someone who travels a lot since they fit perfectly in your carry-on luggage and can be wrapped around you when you get cold on the plane or at the airport.

I have an easy tutorial to create a blanket scarf for gift-giving this year for the crafty and the not-so-crafty.

Head over here and check to see if flannel fabrics are on sale.

You will DEFINITELY want to use this because it makes these scarves budget-friendly for the holidays.

UGG Slippers

I wish I could give everyone in the world a pair of UGG slippers because these make me that happy. Every year I buy a cheap pair of slippers from Target that I trash and then have to buy another pair, usually mid-season.

I discovered that UGG makes slippers (I know, I am so behind on the times!) and I decided to hunt on eBay to see if I could find a pair of slippers for myself.

I wanted something that looked like a shoe and not yo grandma’s slippers.

I found these Gray Suede Driving Moccasins that were brand-new (just missing their box) and bought them for $55.

Considering I am probably spending that much on two cheap pairs every year, this is a worthy investment.

The best part is that they have leather inserts for warm days and then they have that delightful furry insert for freezing days.

UGG Slippers bought from elsewhere might be out of the budget, but checking eBay might be a great option for brand new slippers at a fraction of the price for someone you love!

Fitbit Flex

I am one of those people that is slow to jump on the bandwagon when it comes to technology and gadgets.

Before the Fitbit Flex even launched, my husband knew about it and wanted to buy it for me.

Now that it has been enough time for the trend to pass, I figured I would look into getting one and I absolutely love it for motivating me to stay fit and hit the gym.

Several of my girlfriends have these and I tend to have an annoyingly competitive streak so being in a competition for the most steps has been pushing me to hit the gym and go on an evening walk so I can compete against my athletic friends.

The other thing that I love, not fitness related, is the silent alarm feature on the Fitbit Flex.

I have to be the first one up in our house and when my alarm goes off, it triggers my husband to wake up and our cat to start the annoying meowing baby cry reserved for the morning alarm.

You can set a silent alarm on the app and the bracelet vibrates to wake you in the morning.

I wake up happier, my husband continues to sleep, and the cat doesn’t start her annoying meowing baby cry until she realizes I am up.

Winning all around!

If you are gifting this, consider making a little DIY Fitbit Flex Leather Cuff to go with it- this has been one of my favorite things this year!

Logitech iPad Keyboard

I used to carry around my laptop when I traveled, but when I got my iPad, I knew that I wouldn’t need to carry that around with me anymore because HELLO…BROKEN BACK.

How many pounds is a laptop? Ouch!

Unfortunately, I couldn’t stand trying to type on the touch screen, particularly when sending lengthy emails or trying to conduct anything for my business.

I found this Logitech iPad Keyboard and it has been one of the best tech investments I have ever made.

It instantly turns your iPad into a mini-laptop that you can carry in your purse.

The battery life lasts forever before it requires a charge with a small cord, making it perfect for me to take to my conferences.

The outside of it is metal and durable, helping protect your iPad screen and it latches together magnetically, as though they weren’t meant to be together from the start.

The best part is that it holds my iPad up for me while I am laying in my hotel bed watching Parenthood episodes so that I can hold my Kleenex and cry without having to hold the screen at the same time.

Can you just imagine how hard that would be?

But it is also very important for business. Yes, for business.

This American Life App

An iTunes gift card makes the perfect little stocking stuffer for the holidays and may I offer a suggestion on how to spend it?

I am an NPR junkie and if you haven’t discovered it yet.

This American Life is mostly true stories of everyday people, and the best way I can describe it is that the show is like listening to a movie about these people.

It is typically told in three acts that all interact around the same theme. It is the best kind of storytelling and usually leads to a beautiful discussion about your own viewpoints after the show.

The app is wonderful for listening to all of the Staff Picks and the best of the best in This American Life offerings.

My husband and I sit in our respective chairs and hang on every word. Every. Word.

It’s become one of our favorite things to do in the evenings, further solidifying the exciting type of senior life you might expect from us in the future.

If you aren’t listening to NPR, you are missing the boat. And I can say this because I missed the boat for years and now I can’t imagine my life without it.

Faux Fur Blankets

I was hoping these blankets would be back from Better Homes & Gardens and spotted these faux fur throws back on the shelves this week at Walmart.

This is MY FAVORITE blanket and a great gift to give for the holidays. It is cozy fleece on one side and then the other side is a glorious faux fur.

They even had a free Better Homes & Gardens Magazine subscription attached to it which made the deal even sweeter.

Who wouldn’t love a cozy throw with a gift card to select a few favorite books to read.

Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions

Every year I ask for one Barnes & Noble Collectible Edition to read.

These books are so beautifully bound and I try to read one classic each year so these beautiful books add a lot of motivation to read them since they are such a treat to page through.

This year I have my eye on this Ernest Hemingway collection or to dig into this Laura Ingalls Wilder collection to read with my favorite little girl in the evenings.

You will never regret these purchases for our bookshelf. I love all of the Barnes & Noble Collectible editions and even treated myself to The Giver collection this year (which I can’t wait to read!) that I found in my local store. (PS- Check here for coupons!)

Sorel Boots

Five years ago I got my first (and only) pair of Sorel Boots and they still look just like the day that I got them.

They have a cozy layer of Thinsulate inside of them that keep my feet toasty and each year a little polishing and waterproof spraying helps them to go strong from year to year.

I have never spent a lot on shoes, but after the fifth year of these going strong, I can honestly say that they are a worthwhile investment especially if you live in the Midwest.

I am planning to ask for Sorel gift cards to put towards my next pair of boots from my family members so I can pool them together to get another pair.

Royal Fox Print

My brother is an artist in NOLA and when I came to visit we had the best time checking out all of the art that the street vendors offered as well as the galleries full of unique art.

I only brought home one souvenir from my trip and it was this sweet little Royal Fox print that I found at the Gallery Burguieres in NOLA.

The artist was as sweet as could be and has recently had a little drama going on with this fox that has made him rather famous in the Taylor Swift world.

This shop is a little NOLA treasure and was one of my favorite galleries we visited and this print makes me smile every time I see it.

Janet Hill Prints

My home is filling quickly with Janet Hill prints and every single piece just speaks to my soul in a way no other artist has ever spoken to me.

Each print tells such a beautiful and unique story that I think would resonate with just about anyone.

These beautiful prints would be lovely to share with someone you love particularly if you frame them with an inexpensive frame.

I took mine to Hobby Lobby to get a matte that would make each one stand out.

Of course, Janet Hill is just one of many talented artists that share their wares on Etsy so you if you are unsure of your recipient’s taste, consider a gift card to Etsy to make gift-giving easy and unique.

Knitted Boot Cuffs ($5)

Our most popular project on the site right now are these knitted boot cuffs that you can whip it up in a mere two hours. I gave these to my best friend Christmas last year and you can make them for about $5 in materials.

These are such fun toppers to your boots and would also make a sweet little stocking stuffer.

If you are new to cabling, this is an easy project to tackle to master cabling and you can’t beat that these can be created in such a short amount of time.

*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though. Check out past editions of It’s the 3 Little Things for more happiness givers.

I hope this little list helps as you plan your holiday shopping.

You can also find a great list of 54 handmade gifts you can make for those special people in your life!

What are your favorite gifts you have given or received?

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Tags: Christmas Gift Ideas, Handmade Christmas Gifts, Holiday Gift Guide, Holiday Giving, Holiday Shopping, Shopping, Unique Holiday Gifts, Unique Holiday Giving
Posted in Celebrations, Gifts, Holidays, It's the 3 Little Things, Knitting | No Comments »

Fun New Ways to Dress Up Boots For Fall

Thursday, November 6th, 2014

As soon as the temperatures start dipping, I know it is almost my favorite footwear season… boot season, friends!

There is nothing cozier than a warm pair of boots and this season, embellished boots and boot toppers are all the rage for making your boots feel fresh again.

Whether you score your boots at Goodwill or if you find the perfect pair elsewhere, I have some fun and creative ideas for making a tired pair of boots feel like new again with these 7 tutorials for fun ways to dress up your boots.

Add Some Fringe

Fringe boots are quite popular this year, but buying fringe boots might be out of your boot budget.

Instead of buying a bootie for a passing trend, check out these DIY Fringe Shoe Clips from Clones N Clowns made from a simple shoe clip and a little leather or faux leather (depending on your budget).

These look like they are part of the bootie, but are removable.

I love these not only for how customized these look, but also for how much space you can save by not buying multiple pairs of boots for one trend.

Make No-Sew Sweater Boots

If last season’s boots are looking tired or if you find a pair of UGG boots at Goodwill (which I REALLY have, if you can believe it!) adding a beautiful sweater detail can be a great way to refresh them for another season.

Since this blogger does not sew, I really love this fun no-sew sweater cuff that you can create from la vie DIY that can hide any imperfections in your boots.

The button detail could also be created with brooches, pins, or earrings that you find in the store!

Add Embellished Boot socks

If there is one thing that you can find at Goodwill in these Fall & Winter months, it is definitely loads of cozy sweaters.

This fun tutorial from My Sister’s Suitcase showcases adorable embellished boot socks you can create from old sweater sleeves.

The picture highlighted here showcases a fun striped sweater sleeve embellished with a ruffled ribbon detail, perfect for a little trick-or-treat fun for Halloween!

Add a Knitted Detail

I can’t sew, but I can knit so this past Fall, I created these easy knitted boot cuffs out of chunky yarn and big needles.

Thanks to the needle size and yarn, this is a fast and easy two hour knit project.

I highly recommend this project for someone who is just learning to knit in the round or as a first-time cabling project.

I promise that cabling looks far more complex than it really is and this is such a fun project to master the art of cabling since it is so small and quick!

I gave these beauties away to my best friend and have promised a few pairs for myself this year when I get back to knitting again this winter!

Add Faux Fur

Not only is fringe in this season, but faux fur seems to be enjoying its time in the Fall spotlight too.

I love a beautiful fur detail and these faux fur boot cuffs can transform a tired pair of boots into something new and on-trend.

Clones N Clowns strikes again with this adorable faux fur addition to her boots.

Be sure to scroll down all the way through the pictures to see how she adds this same adorable detail to a pair of Converse sneakers.

Say what?!

Awesome!

Add A Legwarmer Layer

Many tutorials showcase how you can use the top of a sweater sleeve to create a boot cuff, but why stop there?

With Indiana winters, I love an extra layer around my legs so consider using that whole sleeve off a second hand sweater as leg warmers to add warmth in these colder temperatures.

I love to look for sweaters with lots of details like striping, as pictured here, polka dots, or ones with interesting cables.

You can get the whole scoop on these DIY legwarmers made from a sweater on Petit Elefant.

Add a Little Lace

My favorite trends are always the very feminine ones and you can’t get more feminine than a little lace.

That is why I absolutely love these boot cuffs made from lace doilies for a fast and fun DIY boot cuff project.

These “pretend frilly socks” from Blah Blah Magazine are fast to create and can be embellished with a beautiful button to finish.

What are some fun ways you dress up your boots for Fall? Feel free to leave your ideas in the comments section below!

Excited for Fall? Check out more Fall crafts on MomAdvice.com:

Apple Wreath Tutorial

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice Candles

No-Sew Blanket Scarf

No-Sew Scarf with Hidden Pocket

This post contains affiliate links

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Tags: Boot Topper Ideas, DIY Boot Socks, DIY Boot Toppers, DIY UGG Sweater Boots, Upcycle Sweaters
Posted in DIY, Fashion & Beauty, Knitting, My Work | No Comments »

Miniature Felted Pumpkin Tutorial

Friday, October 17th, 2014

Some people lean towards the spooky decorating for Halloween. This girl leans towards a more classic look from dressing up my front door for the season to the small nod to autumn through our home decor. I have loved our knitted leaf centerpiece so much that I thought it would be fun to add some knitted pumpkins to the mix this year. Since Walmart challenged me to take on a Halloween craft, I thought it would be the perfect time to try something new. Not only are these a knitted stuffed item (something new for me), but they are also felted.

Before you run away, I was SO scared of felting that I have thought about felting for years and never tried it. Seriously, folks, could NOT be easier.

This project is super fast to create and will get lots of love in your home as a fun addition to a bookcase, a cute centerpiece for a Halloween party, or could even make a place card holder for the Thanksgiving table.

Supplies List

4- US Size 11 double pointed needles (I prefer bamboo for their gripping ability in this project)

4- US Size 6 double pointed needles

Natural Fiber Yarn (any color) that will shrink (Walmart offers this inexpensive option for wool)

Poly-fill Stuffing (something like this)

Free Miniature Felted Pumpkin Pattern FOR FREE HERE

Skills Needed to Tackle This Project

You need to be able to knit in the round- This is much easier than knitting a hat and can teach you how to increase and decrease your stitches. If you have never knitted in the round before, check out this picture tutorial that I created to help you navigate the tricky terrain of 4 needles. You will need to be able to knit both the body and the stem in the round. I actually find the stem to be more difficult due to its size.

You need to be able to i-cord- The first time I i-corded, I was like…”That’s it?” Seriously, it sounds complex, but it is just moving your stitches back and forth on a double-pointed needle. This is a fantastic video tutorial if you are trying to get the hang of it.

You need to be able to felt– Again, this one was a new one for me, but the pattern I shared offers some great tips for felting. I will note below how I did this in my front-loader.

Words from a First-Time Felter

As you can see, wool shrinks up beautifully. I wanted to still have a little bit of stitching showing, but you can continue to shrink your piece if you want it to be completely smooth. For these pumpkins, I knitted them loosely (advice given by my wise knitting pal, Deb) so that the stitches would shrink well. For my front-loader, I placed these in the washing machine with two pairs of my jeans to help create agitation and friction on the yarn. I used the Whitest White cycle (which is the hottest cycle on my machine) and let the machine decide the level of water. For detergent, I just used a small amount of Woolite (or you can use Eucalan Woolwash). To replicate this, I just ran the cycle for ten minutes and then hit cancel. I then ran a spin & drain cycle just for a few minutes to get rid of the excess water and then stuffed my pumpkins while they were still damp.

You can read more about felting in the pattern above.

Aren’t they adorable? Feel free to friend me on Ravelry and visit the Knitting section of our site for more cute yarn-lovin’ projects!

Looking for more great Halloween ideas? Check out my Knitted Princess Leia Hat, fun ideas for DIY Halloween Costumes, paint up some Chalkboard Pumpkin People, make pumpkins out of duct tape, throw some pumpkin chili in your slow cooker on Halloween night, and whip up some glow-in-the-dark JELL-O for dessert! Happiest of Halloweens, friends!

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Tags: Felting in a Front Loading Machine, Felting in Front Loader, Free Felted Pumpkin Pattern, Free Knitted Pumpkin Patterns, How to Felt, Knitted Felted Pumpkins
Posted in DIY, Gifts, Holidays, Home, Knitting, My Work | No Comments »

How To Make A Knitting Needle Holder From Vintage Linens

Monday, February 10th, 2014

From our managing editor, Jami Boys.

You may not know it, but Jami, from An Oregon Cottage, has been writing on here for a year now. She handles all of our regular features like our weekly notebook, the giveaways, freebies, and round-up posts that you see on our site. She has become my right arm and I would be lost without her. Jami has a diverse background in frugal homemaking, manages her own blog, manages this blog, and is my new managing editor. How is she managing it all? I have no idea! But, I am so excited she has agreed to share her expertise on frugal homemaking with us!

I love vintage linens, especially linens that women have used their time and talents on to create works of art using embroidery, drawn-thread techniques, applique, crochet edgings and other needlework crafts. Since cruising thrift stores is a major pastime of mine, I have amassed quite a collection because I have a hard time leaving such treasures in a heap on a table.

However, I’m not a purist and I recognize that since we don’t use doilies, table runners and other small linen items in our homes anymore, I need to find other ways to be able to use and appreciate these little pieces of art once again. In the past I have made cafe curtains from old tea towels, pillows and tote bags from tablecloths and attached small embroidery pieces to the tops of ready-made pillows. Reusing these special pieces is also a way to use worn or stained linens that still have useable areas.

Since one of my other favorite hobbies is knitting, today I’m sharing how I transformed two vintage linens – a table runner and a pillowcase – into rolled knitting needle holders to organize and carry both my straight and circular needles. And the best part? It’s super easy and uses only straight line sewing!

Supplies Needed

(same for all types of linens)

Vintage linens – table runners and pillowcases for this example worked best because they were long enough for 13″ straight knitting needles (if making a needle holder for crochet hooks, tea towels would be long enough).
Coordinating ribbon – a 32″ piece of ribbon for tying in a bow. A grograin ribbon where both sides are the same is best.
Fabric marker – either vanishing or eraser style
Straight pins, sewing machine & coordinating thread

How To Make A Needle Holder From a Vintage Table Runner:

1. Fold linen piece with wrong sides together, using the needles you want it to hold as your measuring guide. Leave a top flap for folding over either over the needles or the other way, depending on if you want to see the tops of your needles (this example has the flap cover the needle tops, the next goes the other way leaving them visible). Pin edges where they meet.

2. Fold ribbon piece in half and insert folded edge 1/4″ into pinned edge; pin in place.

3. Set your machine to a longer stitch length (3.0) which makes a cleaner stitch for decorative sewing and doesn’t bunch as much as smaller stitches can.

4. Sew a straight line right along the edge of your linen. My embroidered runner had a crochet edge, so I sewed right where the crochet started.

5. As you come to the ribbon pinned to the edge, make sure it is straight and sew right over it, catching it in the edge.

6. Use a fabric marker to mark where the needle pockets will go.

7. Start at the bottom of the folded pocket and make marks at intervals for the individual needle pockets. For the 13″ bamboo straight needles I used here I made 1-1/4″ pockets which held sizes 13 to 5. You can make the pockets all different sizes as well for a custom needle holder (see below).

8. Use the marker and a ruler to make marks evenly up the inside pocket at about 3-4″ intervals – just enough that you can follow with the sewing machine.

9. Starting at the bottom of the large pocket, sew from the first mark straight up to the top of the pocket, using the marks as a guide. Bar-tack at the beginning and end to lock in stitches (sew back and forth one time before starting and ending the seam). Repeat to make remaining individual needle pockets.

Add your needles to the pockets. I like to organize them from largest to smallest.

Fold the flap over the needles, roll up keeping the embroidery visible, and tie with the ribbon. That’s it! Pretty easy, huh?

I also made a needle holder from a pillowcase that had embroidery and a scalloped crochet edging. The benefit of using a pillowcase is that it comes out thicker, liked a lined fabric.

How To Make A Needle Holder From a Vintage Pillowcase:

1. Follow the same steps outlined above, but make sure that your pillow decoration will fold over the way you want – either covering the tops of the needles or leaving them visible. You can see above that I left mine visible as I usually have the sizes marked on the needle tops and being able to see them will make them easier to find. If you plan on traveling with them and think they may fall out, cover them with the top flap.

2. Sew right along the edge of the case to make the seams for the large pocket before marking for your needle sizes. I made this case to hold some smaller 9″ bamboo needles and some circular needles.

3. When making custom sizes like this, it’s best to start measuring from each edge the sizes you want and work towards the center, so the last center pocket can be a larger or smaller size. In my example, the two outside circular needle pockets on each side (4 total) were 2-1/2″, the next three pockets on each side were 1/14″ and the center pocket is 2″ which ended up being perfect for the size 15″ needles.

You can make holders for all your needles – double pointed, circular, crochet hooks, or any others that you use. And wouldn’t these make a sweet gift for the crafters in your life? I know they would appreciate not only having their needles organized, but also the beauty of the original handiwork.

Not a knitter? If you have paintbrushes to organize, you can make holders this same way for them, as this example from Jeannie Oliver showed on Instagram.

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Tags: Crafting, DIY, Gifts, Knit, Knitting Crafts, Organizing
Posted in Crafts & Celebrations, DIY, Gifts, Knitting | 6 Comments »

Knitted Princess Leia Hat

Tuesday, January 21st, 2014

Oh, you know I love a good knitting project! Today I am showing off my Knitted Princess Leia baby hat that I made. Not only that, but I am going to walk you through how to knit in the round for my favorite beginning knitters.

Walmart let me choose any craft project I wanted this month and since I am in knitting mode this winter, I have been dying to make this cute little hat ever since I saw it on Ravelry.

Supplies Needed

1 Skein Red Heart With Love in Chocolate ($3.84)
US 10.5 Straight needles (for knitting flat option)
US 10.5 Circular needles and set of 4 US 10.5 DPNs (for knitting in the round option)
Measuring Tape
Clipboard
Stitch Marker
Tapestry Needle
Scissors

Although, this hat can be knitted flat, I would love to challenge you to give knitting in the round a try. For a long time, I completely avoided projects that you had to knit in the round.

Four needles?

NO THANKS!

Unfortunately, if you never knit in the round you miss out on a lot of amazing patterns, particularly hand-crampingly tiny knits that would be stretched out when placed upon circulars.

I decided to create a picture tutorial for you to help guide you through your first knit. A quick search on YouTube should also yield great video tutorials. Let’s begin with this easy diagram.

1. Cast all of the stitches onto one double pointed needle.

2. Using your strong math skills (ahem) divide the cast on number by three and begin knitting that number on to your second needle. Be sure that you are beginning your stitches as the pattern states and not just knitting them. For this pattern, for example, you are doing a K2 P2 rib. You will want to be sure you are staying on pattern with your stitches. Place a marker on that second needle (at the end of the stitches) so it marks the beginning of your round.

3. Knit, in pattern, onto the next needle. You should now have three needles with stitches! Yay!

4. You will now be scooting and joining stitches on your needles, like in the triangle of needles above. You will use a FOURTH needle though, to begin knitting in the round. Just begin where you have placed your marker and begin knitting. Because I only have two hands, I am just showing how to set it up. You will use that fourth needle to begin. Continue knitting and scooting things, making sure your stitches are all facing in the same direction, particularly in those first two rows.

I love that these Princess Leia braids are not knitted. In fact, all we are doing is gathering yarn and braiding it like hair. I used a clipboard to clip the my hair to the top so that I could get nice and even braids.

Although the pattern says to measure these at 36″ long, I will admit that I am terrible measurer. If you are terrible like me, be sure to make both the braids and then trim them to be approximately the same length, otherwise Princess Leia is going to look a little lopsided!

Once I had the braid all gathered up, I trimmed all those loose pieces down and then secured it to the hat. These braids double as delightful little ear warmers.

The pattern gives you the options to make it for a Preemie all the way up to an Adult. I admit, after I made this tiny hat, I felt the impulse to make one for myself. I mean, who doesn’t dream of being Princess Leia?

With this large amount of yarn, I can easily make three to four hats for less than $4! Score!

Thank you to Fiber Flux… Adventures in Stitching for sharing her pattern with the Ravelry community! Be sure to friend me over there- I love sharing & seeing your projects!

Grab the Pattern HERE.

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Tags: Braiding Yarn Tutorial, Free Princess Leia Hat Pattern, How to Knit in the Round, Knitted Princess Leia Hat, Knitting in the Round Tutorial
Posted in Knitting, My Work | 1 Comment »