The Kelly bag

I admit it, I joined ravelry (everyone else it doing it) and now I can super organize my knitting projects and find new friends and patterns. BTW my user name is crafterella, if anyone wants to add me to their friends :).

To start off my new, super organized knitting I whipped up The Kelly Bag a super cute felted bag. I love the way the handle goes through the flap!

Here it is pre-felted (it's in the washer right now).I decided to add a swiss darned initial (can you tell it's a K?). I'm anxious to see how that felts up. If it looks silly Plan B is to put an applique or something over it. I also mitered the bottom corners of the bag to give it a little dimension. I am planning on lining the bag to give it a bit more structure, I have made felted bags before and they are just to floppy for me, and I need a little pocket on the inside.

This is a nice straight forward pattern and definitely easy to knit, it was really fast too! Once it's done drying and lined I post a finished picture.

Art Supply Caddy

First let me state that I am definitely not above dumpster diving or picking stuff off the curb. Before Christmas I just happened to notice this wine carrier sitting on top of the trash in my dumpster and knew immediately what I could do with it.
All it needed was a bit of black paint to cover the words and some disposable cups. I present the portable kids art supply caddy.

This was a nice quickie project that made our art cart a bit more tidy and a nice home for all those brushes, markers, scissors, and glue. I think it should hold up well, the cups can be replaced if they get stained or broken and if the carrier itself gets a bit worn I can repaint or decoupage it back to new. I could use a couple more of these, but I don't drink wine maybe someone will throw another one out!

Slither and Swell from Knitty.com

The minute I saw the pattern for "slither" the super long armwarmers on knitty I wanted to make them, but I wasn't sure that I was up for the challenge. I still think of myself as a beginning knitter and all those decreases, intarsia, button holes and the thumb gusset? I went for it, after all you can always frog the whole thing, right?

I knitted frantically for three days and then spent the forth day sewing on the buttons. I really like how they turned out.I love the shaping, it is one of the things that I find so fascinating about knitting. This pattern is really well written, it was a little complicated to do the shaping and the striping at the same time, but once I got the hang of it I did fine.

I also had enough yarn left over to make "swell" an earflap hat. I could actually make one in all three colors and I just might!

I had to go up two sizes of needle to get the proper gauge on this one and I also changed it up a bit. I didn't do the intarsia wave pattern or the peace sign purls on the earflaps. I also made the back longer than the front and didn't purl across the earflaps to make a ridge where they are connected to the hat. The hat turned out light weight and warm. I may add a fleece lining, but I think this may be the perfect earflap hat.

Yarn used Cascade 220 in black, dark plum, and cabernet heather.

Family Time

I will be posting sporadically, at best, while I spend some private time with my family. I want to thank everyone for their understanding and support and I will return as soon as I am able.

Pin Cushion Therapy

When I am stressed out or upset sometimes the best therapy is crafting. Crafting works well for me because it is something that I enjoy and it keeps my brain focused on creating instead of everything else. It has been a rough week and so every night, after the children go to bed, I make a bottle cap pin cushion. They are simple to make and the embellishment possibilities are endless. You can find instructions and inspiration on craftstylish.
I think that matching round dressmakers' tape measures and needle books are in my future.