Slouchy Hat Pattern

As I've said before, I just opened a new Ravelry shop, and I currently have... 2 patterns! My newest one is a slouchy hat. I did this 'photo shoot' on Christmas day, which was fun. I may have mentioned before that I knit this for my sister's Christmas present. I knit it with 2 strands of worsted weight yarn held together in a teal color with cheapy Red Heart Super Savers. I don't really like it, as it's scratchy and stiff, but I'm not willing to spend a ton on something amazing like...mmm...Malabrigo? I don't know; I use mostly yarn you find in a craft store. However, after blocking and washing it'll loosen up.

This is the perfect project for a beginner, as it's super duper easy. It's knit with big needles and super bulky yarn, or two strands of worsted weight held together. It can be knit in the round, too, for an even quicker knit. You could start in the morning, finish by noon, and wrap it up for your friend's birthday present in the evening. Well, I don't know if I could go that fast, but... maybe you could? I'd use a more quality yarn, however, like Wool-Ease Thick & Quick (yes, to me that's extremely good quality). It's super long so if you're not 'digging' the slouchy look, you can fold up the brim for a beanie.

Yes, I know, I look creepy from the side with my nerd glasses on like that... like some creeper... but I promise you, I'm smiling.

This is really fun to knit; instant gratification. Please take the time to look! Thanks! :)

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Merry Christmas!

Hope you all had a great one! Spent yesterday playing Just Dance 3 on the Wii. :) For my mom I made her some fleece boot liners (tutorial here),

and for my sister I knitted this teal slouchy hat (I'm modeling in this pic). The sweater and sweatshirt I'm wearing were Christmas presents, too.

Also, for my friend I knit a pocket scarf. The pockets close with two little wooden buttons. Wish I could get a better picture...

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!

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Brown Paper Packages tied up w/ String: Tutorial

Dunno why I'm posting this... Guess because Christmas is coming!!! This is an easy way to wrap a gift without tape. I love the vintage look the twine and brown paper provides. I know I'd want a package wrapped in brown paper and string...

Materials: brown wrapping paper (kraft-type paper), string, scissors

Cut out a large sheet of paper. Place your gift in the center.

Fold the sides in towards the center over your gift.

Fold the bottom up.

Fold the top down.

Tuck the bottom flap into the top flap and wrap with string.

Go give someone a present.

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Tis the Season of Christmas (5 things)!

Love Christmas. Makes me think of plush blankets and cocoa and thick coats and cozy sweaters. I get to wear boots and sweatpants and lots of warm sweatshirts. Things I want/need to do + winter pinsperation:

1. Drink hot chocolate out of a jar. (frozen is fine too) The recipe's there if you click on the link. It looks lovely. However, I need a jar first.

Source: dineanddish.net via Naomi on Pinterest

2. Knit my sister's friend a bow earwarmer.

Source: dearfriendrebekkaseale.blogspot.com via Naomi on Pinterest

3. Sneak around and make presents behind everyone's back.

Source: prettypetals.typepad.com via Naomi on Pinterest

4. Knit a sweater.

Source: pickles.no via Naomi on Pinterest

5. Comfy winter outfit.

Source: weardrobe.com via Naomi on Pinterest

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

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Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Was so busy over the weekend... Went to my aunt's house on Christmas Eve, and we had a wrapping paper fight (like a snowball fight, but I imagine less painful, due to the fact that I've never actually participated in a good snowball fight), then we had a Nerf gun fight. It was fun. On Christmas yesterday I went to my Grandma's house and we opened more presents. Presents include DS games, iPod touch (!), fingerless Nordstrom gloves with crocheted flowers, Vans t-shirt, and some other cool stuff. What did you do over the holidays?

Rosette Jersey Headband

This headband doubles as a neck and ear warmer. I'm making it for my sister for Christmas. Unfortunately, I don't have any of that colored jersey (well I do, but it's very thin). So I used some periwinkle colored jersey.

Materials: jersey, scissors, needle and thread

I love that casual look about it. It's nice and soft. It keeps my ears warm.

***I have decided to give a basic how-to for those interested . The headband is very easy. It is a strip of 5.5" x (your head measurement) piece of jersey. Sew the ends together, and then sew a running/basting stitch along the seam. Pull to ruche, and go back over it with a line of stitching to keep it secure. The flowers are 1.5" x 5" strips with a running/basting stitch along one 5" edge. Pull tight to ruche into a circle shape and sew the ends together. Make another flower and sew along the seam of your headband.***

Christmas...

Is almost here. I can't wait! I have no idea what I'm getting for presents, though. For my sister, I think I might give her my orange juice carton wallet (if I can find it) and some jewelry or an ear warmer or something. For mommy, giving her the movie Eat, Pray, Love, and maybe knit some slippers. No idea what I'll get for Daddy. But for Grandma, I want to give her a sweatshirt jacket. What are you making people for Christmas?

Plastic Bottle Flower Tutorial

Yesterday I went with my mom to a nursing home to visit, and one nice lady, named Gloria, taught me how to make a flower out of a plastic bottle. She was doing art projects with the seniors. I kind of liked the flowers even without the paint, but they were nice painted, too. I liked it with gold paint. In the middle of class today I took someone's empty water bottle and used my (safety) scissors to make myself a flower. Everyone kept saying, "Whoa! That's so cool. Is that, like, an octopus?" To which I responded, "I guess. It's supposed to be a flower." Everyone told me to put a candle inside, or some candy for Christmas. I like the candy idea. Maybe some Lindor chocolates... Nom, nom, nom. For your viewing pleasure, I used scrapbooking paper for background. Oh, and when I refer to 'line,' I'm talking about those creases on the bottle. You know, the lines that wrap all the way around the bottle?

1. Starting from the top, move down one line on the bottle and cut it. You now have something that looks like the pic above. I'll call it the top half.

2. Now mark three lines up on the bottom piece. Cut one long line down till you reach your mark and stop. Cut six more lines so you have a kind of fringe. Cut these into tapering triangles, like petals. You will have 6 petals.

3. Now stuff your top half (with the cap that you made in the first step) into the bottom half--the one with all the petals that you made in step two. Now spray paint it, put some candy inside, and stuff the top half back on. If the top half doesn't fit, then cut some notches into the bottom, and cram it together. Now stuff with candy and give out for Christmas.

I suppose in these pictures they do kinda look like some mutant squids or octopi. But they're cool, nonetheless.