Knitted Towel Toppers

Dee is always giving me beautiful crocheted dish towels with toppers and a matching dishrag.  Sooooo, I decided to try my hand at knitted ones.  I found a free pattern online and dove in. This is my first and it's going to Laura Lee.  As I was putting it together, I could see where I needed to make improvements.  But all in all, I think it turned out just fine for the first try!

Towel Topper

Take one end of towel and cut the stitchery tape the same width of hemline, fold hem to cover stitchery tape & pin. Steam Iron and press(do not iron back and forth)on both sides until tape adhears. Take out pins, wait until cool and sew a hemline. On the hemline just above sewing line, poke 40 even holes with the nail across. Thread needle with cotton and whipstitch from back to front to last hole. (leave a tail to secure & weave in afterwards)

With towel pattern facing outward, pick-up all 40 stitches.

Knit 10 rows. (all rows done in garter stitch)

Decrease Rows:

Row 1. K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, knit 2 together.
Row 2. Knit across row
Repeat Row 1-2.....until 12 sts left on needle.

Knit 30 rows.(hanging part)

Row 1. K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Row 2. K across row.
Repeat Row 1-2....until 6 sts left on needle.

Ending Rows:
K2tog, k1 st, yo, k 1 st, k2tog.(button hole)
Knit 1 row.

Bind Off remaining sts/weave in ends & sew button on.

The knitted topper

after stitching it to the dishrag (better size than using a hand towel)

the gift set

Birdnest Helpers

I saw this on pinterest and the quilters I met at JCRV say they do this.  Sometimes they'll just cut up the pieces and toss them into the garden for the birds.  I love to got to resale shops.  It's fun to see what kind of containers I can find for 50 cents or $1 that would work for these.

I've read that the first year the birds may not get them -- human scent or something?  But then they will snatch them and use them to help build their nests.

It'd just hang one in a bush or tree that I could see, so that maybe I could catch the action.  And won't it be fun if they build a nest nearby so we can see our fabric in the nest!

this one is going to Brad Cannon

Drop Stitch Scarf

Another pattern that Dawn shared with me.  Loving it! I made one for each sis-in-law and Linda Sue for the holidays.  And one for Sherryl at ORHF.

Pam's

Sherryl

Linda Sue

Linda Sue wore hers a couple of times, then used it to decorate a pillow.  Love it!

Sheila

Karen

CO 26 stitches (or any multiple of 10 plus 6) Knit 4 rows
Start pattern:
Row 1: K6, *YO, K1, YO twice, K1, YO 3 times, K1, YO twice, K1, YO, K6*, repeat between ** across. (On 26 sts, you will do the repeat TWICE)
Row 2: Knit across, dropping all the yarnovers as you go.
Rows 3 & 4: Knit
Row 5: K1, *YO, K1, YO twice, K1, YO 3 times, K1, YO twice, K1, YO, K6*, repeat between ** across, ending with a K1 instead of K6. (You will do the repeat one time more on this row than you did on Row 1.)
Row 6: Knit across, dropping all the yarnovers as you go.
Rows 7 & 8: Knit
Continue these rows until almost out of yarn, or until scarf is as long as you want it. End with another 4 rows of garter stitch.
Weave in your ends.
Wash and block the scarf to really open up the pattern!

Notepad Holder

 3-25-12:  Isn't this clever??  Karen from Belle Vista brought this to show us at crafts today.  It's one of those plastic picture frames.  Makes a great desktop notepad.  AND another use for old maps if you choose to use for the background.

Fans

3-26-12:  Jeanette, from Iowa on paper, shared a craft idea today that one of her friends made for her.  It's a fan made out of a calendar and a paint stirrer.  Cute!!

Potluck Placemats

My new TX friend, Sonia, with her new potluck placemats

Dee did some of these for me 3 years ago.  This week I found these placemats at a resale shop and used some scraps (sleeves from a big shirt) to practice making them.

Utensils go in the pockets.  Then I sewed a ribbon across the front of the pocket to put a napkin.  I sewed ribbons on the side so the mats can be rolled up and carried to potluck.

HOW TO:

first, get the type of placemat that will roll up easily & go thru a sewing machine
and a cordinating fat quarter or scrap, and matching ribbon

cut part of fat quarter and press edges under, then stitch around edge, and  stitch 2 vertical rows on top

Like so (you can see stitches here). Then sew a piece of ribbon horizontally across top to hold napkin

sew ribbon on one side of placemat to use as a tie

and there's your potluck placemat!

3-6-13:  Today in crafts at JCRV,  the ladies made their own Potluck Placemats from Dee's pattern.

Shirlene ready to sew

Connie's finished product

Carol's first one

Easy, fun, great gift!

for Justin, Brooke, and the boys

Kleenex Cozies

This is a fun thing to do with scraps.  I'm going to have to play around with the pattern size, because I can't get a whole pack of tissues in one of these. But a cute thing to have in your purse or car.

Ok, i figured out to measure the kleenex pkg and add 1/2 inch lengthwise and widthwise to the fabric