Day 7 - Handmade Holiday Links

Today I just thought I would share a few interesting links

* Loads of Handmade Holiday ideas here at Plain and Joyful Living
* I know this isn't holiday related but I just love this idea a knitted wedding
* Magpie shares some great last minute knits
* A fun gift idea for the gardener in your life.
* A little inspiration for your sewing room

Be back tomorrow with another project, until then I'm off to brave the gusting wind to take the dogs for a walk and bring in firewood.

A Couple of Dishcloths - Day 6

This year we're not using any traditional gift tags, in place of paper we'll be using various handmade toppers two of them being these two dishcloths. A Luv Bug for my Mom in law and a Cheeky Monkey  for my sister.  Along with the bookmarks I already blogged about here I also still really want to make a bunch of these wishy washy fishy tawashi's.

Ughh it's hard to get a decent photo of a textured cloth isn't it?

Day 5 - Keeping it simple Christmas tree garland

This is the view I had from my kitchen window this morning so lovely and crisp feeling, than I thought if something as simple as snow can make a tree look so wonderful ...why every year do I spend so much money creating a "theme"?

 So keeping with the idea of keeping it simple I broke out my 4.5mm dpn's and set to work.

I cast on 4 stitches, started to work in I-cord and around 20 or so feet I realized this is going to take more time than I thought...I tried to talk N into it but he just wasn't buying my it's so relaxing speech (hmmm...) I guess I'll have to keep at it and in another 20 or 30 feet I should be done ...right?
 

The "almost 20' pile". Looking at this picture I think maybe I should wipe the toast crumbs off the table before knitting on it or at the very least before taking a picture.

Day 4 - Hand Sewn Ornaments

Just a quick post today to share a few of the felt ornaments I've been working on, I love to make these quick projects they involve such a small time commitment that once finished they always make me feel like I accomplished something!

Warmest weekend  wishes!

Handmade Gift with a Family Tie - Day 3

Following our rhythm N and I began our day together discussing our families before he left for work and I set about completing my daily tasks. Family is such an important aspect of our lives that for this reason I feel so strongly about this gift. As simple as it may be this all purpose salve has a history to it, N's Opa has always spent every moment of his life doing something to benefit his family, one of these pursuits happened to be Bee Keeping and until quite recently we have all enjoyed the lovely honey and beeswax which he harvested. Sadly he is no longer capable of such activities and we have all gently rationed out what is left of so may years of love. N and I happened to be in possession of one of the few liquid honey batches ( he usually preferred solid) that he ever made as well as a tiny amount of beeswax, this morning over our coffee we finally decided how best to share this gift with our families.

                           

Packaged along with small jars of honey I made a batch of all purpose salve simply by shaving the beeswax and adding the honey to an apricot oil over a double broiler until melted. This may seem basic and easy but I think it's rather fitting to make a gift that is meant to soothe and protect us when that's what he spent his days trying accomplish.

Day 2 - A little bit of knitting

So yes this post is about knitting but it's also a little bit about giving back to your community and sharing what you can. Even small things make a difference and this is one of my simple favourites all you need to do is knit squares! There's nothing easier than a 40 stitch square (4.5mm needles) right?

 I knit these out of 100% acrylic yarn for easy washing and care they're the perfect stash buster, I've already used up a couple of part skeins that were too small for other projects. I was originally just going to drop off the squares at the Huntsville (Ontario) Hospital where volunteers sew them together into blankets to take to the Chrysalis Women's Shelter, however I have so much stash yarn that I'm trying to work these up quickly so I can donate fully completed blankets instead. I'm really hoping I've got enough yarn and time to get at least two finished. If anyone is looking for an easy way to clear up some yarn mounds ;) .....just knit squares and make a difference!

 Of course that's not all I'm knitting I still have some Holiday gifts left on the needles like the Old Shale Blanket which is planned for some good friends who are expecting their first baby! I love how easy this is to work up, the pattern repeats are easily memorized and I can still cart it around with me in the car to work on because of it's tiny recipient's size.

 I'll have more projects to share in the coming days but for now of course I'm off to knit!

Handmade Holidays - Day 1

This year N. (Hubby) and I are making a fully committed attempt at creating a simple and joyful handmade holiday season. Throughout December each day I will post one or more of our ideas and projects in the hopes to eliminate some of the stress that seems to come during the season. Each year I always try to go bigger and better than the last...and the end result is always disappointment, stress and fights! Last year was the first year we decided to cut back and slow down and we had a much nicer holiday and really enjoyed each other and so this year we're going even further.

A simple holiday to us means no new ornaments except for the single yearly ornament we pick to commemorate a special memory from the past year, a major cutback in budget, a lower carbon footprint, less waste e.g. reusable wrapping and no paper gift tags (I'll share my ideas for that later).  And especially using what we already have I have so many stashed craft supplies and yarn that there is no reason why I need to buy more.

So that's our plan use less, buy less, slow down a lot, enjoy the season more, simplify and above all else appreciate the blessings of our home and families.

In preparation of this year's change I began very early to plan our budget, gifting and donation lists and decorating ideas. Which brings me to one part of our handmade gifts. This summer I made in addition to my regular batch of strawberry jam an extra batch to be stored and used as gifts for the holiday season.

These little jars will be topped with scraps of Christmas fabric and tied with ribbon as part of family gifts and unexpected guests and hostess gifts. And because I spent the preparation time in the summer, in less than an hour these will be fully ready to be gifted!  And really who doesn't love homemade jam?


Wishing you all a simple Holiday season!

The never ending queue

   Oh the Ravelry Queue ....yes all you knitters know what I'm talking about... the never ending queue, about once a month I get the bright idea that I am  going to clean up my queue get some of those long ago marked projects cast on and finished up.

   Well let's say that's a better idea in theory than in practice. In my head I say okay no more pattern searching for awhile and than my knitting heart says "wouldn't that Christmas stocking your working on be wonderful with some knit stars"... and off I go.

    Hours later with 4 new patterns added to my queue and a stack of knit stars sitting next to me I know for my sanity I need to just go with the flow and knit what the heart wants to knit and queue the rest for another day.

See knit stars attached with vintage buttons...right? I know.

New name and a new pattern!

I've decided to give my little blog a new name, knitting seems to have stolen my sanity so I might as well give in to it... it's always best to humour obsessions...especially ones as consuming as yarn and knitting. But I really do have to give credit to my hubby for the new name because he's the one who thinks I knit too much ( really what's too much?) and that I drink way more caffeine than I should (pshaw to that) so thus to him I became the Jittery Knitter and it just seems to have stuck.

Anyways on to the pattern bits, you know the good stuff. I was in Little Red Mitten and I happened to pick up the last skein of Wisdom Poems Yarn in colourway 172 ( they really are small balls at only a 109 yards) but it was sooo pretty in all it's pink and teal glory and I just couldn't leave it there alone now could I? So home it came and then I was left with the dilemma of deciding what to do with this lovely lonesome ball....and that's how My Poems Single Skein Wristlets came to be ( now don't get me wrong they are very simple to make so it's really a pattern in the loosest sense)

Poems

Materials: One skein of Wisdom Poems Yarn (109 yards), a set of 4mm size 6 dpn's and a needle for sewing in the ends.

For first cuff start working from inside the skein and cast on 44 stitches.
Knit in 2x2 rib for 5 1/2" inches.
At start of next row K2 P1 cast off 7 stitches continue in rib pattern for the rest of the row.  ( If you want a smaller thumb opening cast of a smaller number e.g. 5 stitches...just remember to cast back on the same number you cast off)
Next row K2 P1 re-cast on 7 stitches ( or same number you cast off) and continue in rib pattern for another 1" inch.
BO in rib pattern. Weave in all ends.

For the second cuff work pattern exactly the same only start working from outside of the skein.

Which will leave you with just enough to make two of these little guys! And no waste...even better! Perfect for gift tags which is what I'm intending to use this year.

I LOVE this thing/ AKA ereader cozy

I am absolutely in love with this thing! My sweet, dear hubby picked it up for my birthday and I haven't put it down since. Kobo ereader was just released from Chapters this month and has pretty much sold out everywhere and now having used it I can understand why. But of course thats not the point of this post...ok well partly anyways. Loving my Kobo so much I just couldn't toss him in my bag (p.s. he is now known as kobo jim....don't ask) knowing all the wear he would be exposed to, so I whipped up this cute little cozy in an evening and now he's safe and sound :) and that makes everyone happy right?

Basket Weave Dishcloth Pattern

This is the my pattern that I designed for my favourite knit dishcloth. At 9"x9" and textured makes it the perfect cloth for everyday use...plus it's kinda pretty too, and why can't functional be pretty?

Basket weave cloth pattern:
Materials: a set of 4.5mm needles and about 40-50g cotton yarn

Notes: ~Pattern Row 1 and Pattern Row 2 each consist of 4 repeat rows. So each set of 4 counts as 1 pattern row...does that make sense...I sure hope so.
           ~ Remember to keep first 2 stitches and last 2 stitches of each in garter

Cast on 40 stitches
Knit 2 rows in garter

Pattern Row 1: K2, *K3, P3*  repeat ** to last 2 stitches, K2
  Repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 rows

Pattern Row 2: K2, *P3, K3* repeat ** to last 2 stitches, K2
  Repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 rows

Repeat Pattern Rows 1 and 2 for a total of 12 Pattern rows
Knit  2 rows
Bind off in knit

Aprox 9"x9" when finished

I make these all the time to use as decorations on wedding or house warming gifts. Makes an excellent face cloth as well.

New Pillows!

 Soo... it's been awhile and my throw pillows definitely needed some refreshing. I've had them for awhile and they just didn't match our home anymore. I think I'm happier with these new ones...the dogs sure seem to like them anyways lol.  A bit more relaxed and cozy thats for sure, our old ribbon and satin ones were stuffy and itchy and not so cozy.

I have to admit I used a thrifted bed sheet for the base of the blocks and it's sooo soft and worn in perfect for a cuddly pillow and even better for a sunny spring nap ;) I used raw edge circles for the quarters cut from scraps out of my bin and just made a basic envelope back to slide the pillow form in...easy right? 

Endless Spinning

Ooops a little posting lapse...but on the upside I've managed to get a ton of crafting done lately..yay for me! So lots to share in the coming days. I've been spinning like crazy my little spindle and bag of roving comes with me everywhere. Who would have thought you could get so much completed in a car ride?

This book Respect the Spindle: Spin Infinite Yarns with One Amazing Tool was really helpful when I was looking for help, although there is a lot of great information available on the internet this book really set me on the right track ...it's really not as easy as it looks let me tell you.

Unrelated Stuff:
~ Finally finished my Olympic Knitting Shawl...had to wait for more yarn but it was well worth it the shawl is the perfect weight for this weather and is always close at hand. Details and finished pics on my Ravelry page.
~ The baking soda shampoo thing and I did not a good match make, although my hair was clean and actually brushable I liked it but... and this is a silly but.. it wasn't as nice and bouncy shiny like it is with commercial shampoo :(

Going to enjoy the rest of this wonderful spring day!

Somedays you just need fudge

This in our house in the perfect bad day treat it's quick and easy but tastes just right. Known as "Cheaters Fudge" no candy thermometer required. All you need is:

1 bag good quality semi sweet chips

1 bag good quality milk chocolate chips

1 can condensed milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp orange ectract

Melt everything in a heavy bottomed sauce pan until smooth pour into 8" square pan and chill until set. Store in airtight container.

Enjoy!

2 Hour Headband

I love this headband! And the best part you ask? Well it only took a total of two hours to knit...now thats my idea of instant gratification. Plus it's super cute and goes with everything.

This one is perfect for cooler weather but a lighter one is definitely in order for summer. Pattern here.

Jumping on the no shampoo bandwagon

I've finally worked up the courage to try the no shampoo thing, this on my part has taken a lot of consideration. I am one of those people who has to wash my hair everyday, it's very fine and gets oily faster than you would believe.  After a lot of looking around and taking in a ton of information this is the formula I've come up with to suit me.

First I washed out really well two old shampoo bottles and got to work.

 For the first mixture add:

1/4 cup of baking soda

+

3/4 cups of warm water

Into one of your bottles and shake really well (make sure to shake each time you use it)

This one I apply to my dry hair and work it in really well and let it sit for a couple minutes than rinse well.

For the second mixture add:

1/4 cup vinegar

+

1 cup water

+

1 Tbs vanilla extract

Into second bottle and shake well.

This one I apply after I've rinsed out the first baking soda mix, work it in really well and let it sit for a couple minutes and rinse.

So far this is seems to be working and the vinegar smell is completely covered by the vanilla ( my husband says it smells like I've been baking all day lol). To make application easier I put it in as you would when colouring your hair line by line right to the scalp. That seems to work the best for me, hopefully this sticks, we'll see I'm still on the fence.

Useful Books

In the never ending search for helpful information about sustainable and simple living. I've come to rely on these books for everyday use.

The first  for it's wide coverage of topics, makes it is an excellent source for starting your journey. Each subject has some great tips and information, just keep in mind the book is more of an overview to get you started. I find myself turning to reference this often whenever we decide to tackle a new task.







The next being a more in depth look at raising animals on a small scale, we foud this the most useful when choosing to raise chickens.












No this book doesn't fall into the same category as the other two but is a beautifully written book. And is a wonderful way to learn to make do and work with all the many materials your home is already filled with. She also offers some great tips about thrifting.






What are the books you find useful around your home?

Olympic Knitting

In anticipation of spending many hours glued to my television this week with the Vancouver 2010 Olympics coming to a close I cast on a simple knit. In other words mindless knitting.

Thus the beginning of the "simple yet effective shawl" from Laura Chau. Her original pattern calls for chunky weight wool, but I wanted an all season wrap so I used a worsted. Details and pattern link here at my Ravelry page. And true to my prediction I have been stuck to my couch I'm so proud of all our Canadian athletes they've been doing such a wonderful job, but amazing efforts from all countries teams really. (see including everyone...thats the Canadian way) By the end of the weekend this soft, simple shawl should be off the needles. Oh and speaking of needles I'm really liking the new circulars i picked up by chiaogoo.

            Happy weekending to you all!

YUM!

We're having company over this coming weekend, and I was looking for something to drizzle over grilled fruit for dessert and I finally tried this little bit of liquid heaven. All I can say is YUM. This butterscotch sauce  will now and forever be my go to sauce. Five ingredients + five minutes= amazing goodness.

 Obviously I had to try it... for quality control purposes of course. And again YUM. As a side thought, lately I've really come to understand how much of our monthly budget was spent on things I was quite capable of doing/making  for myself and at less than half the price I would have paid for them. Now not only do I feel more confident in my own home and abilities our rainy day savings is actually starting to grow. Two very good things if you ask me.

Beautiful Bread

There's something wonderful and rythmic to making bread isn't there? I look forward to bread days, when  the pace slows around our home even for a little while when the only thing to worry about is my hands in the dough, a little haven of simplicity seems to surround us.
I hope your weekend has a little simplicity too, no matter how small it may be.

Soooo much knitting

Everywhere I turn there's knitting.....

Some thats just getting started...

Some just need finishing touches....

Some still need a mate...

Others have a long, long way to go...

And others have yet to even be spun.

One thing is for sure during these cold winter days (we're having a cold snap here) there's been lots of knitting going on cozied up next to the fire..bliss don't you think? Hope your all  keeping warm.

Planning Ahead

Trying to live a deliberate life usually involves a lot of planning. I like to plan our meals fairly carefully, I always try to make 2 meals at once. One for that night the other for another evening. Having frozen dinner components makes planning so much easier and quicker. Whether it's pulling meatballs or a jar of pesto out of the freezer having a well stocked home saves us money and time in the long run. Also we're not relying on food full of preservatives and salt and that makes me happy.

This is one of several batches headed to the freezer for dinner at a later date.

Farm Fresh Dinner

There's nothing like the taste of a fresh egg and I don't mean fresh off the supermarket shelf I mean straight from the source fresh...yeah. In our house when dinner inspiration is in short supply we always turn to our tried and true standby, omelets.

Piles of yummy chopped veggies loaded in and topped with grated handmade mozzarella from our local co-op cooked in a little homemade butter turned a gloomy winter's day a little more sunny.

Is there anything more beautiful then fresh local ingredients simply prepared?

Easy Peasy Valentine's Chocolate

In the search for Valentine's day gifts I decided to skip our local box store and make what I could in my kitchen. Besides whats better then homemade chocolate bark I ask you? Nothing. It's the perfect treat and one batch makes a lot of gifts.

I used a 250g block of Joe's milk chocolate and a 250g block of Joe's white chocolate, broke each into separate bowls and melted over a double boiler. Stirred until smooth and glossy and spooned the milk and white chocolate in a checker pattern onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet. To finish just swirl the two together with a knife and let cool and set. Once completely cooled break into pieces, wrap in pretty paper, tie with a ribbon and add a handwritten note. Done, easy!


When it comes to holidays and gift giving I always have the urge to "bend" our budget, but in the end I know I can still give lovely gifts no matter how simple or easy they are. A little handmade love can mean a lot.

Take care all.

Sweets Mat

These little mats are just as the name suggests sweet... and easy too! I wanted a cute little mat for coffee that wasn't a coaster and not as large as a place mat so of course I turned to a Japanese craft book, makers of all things sweet and cute. Perfect.

Not only are they adorable and practical they're ridiculously easy within a couple of hours I had a set of 4 completed and ready to use and that's including interruptions.

I love these books "Linen Wool Cotton" by Akiko Mano and "Patchwork Style" from Suzuko Koseki are Japanese style craft books written in English. Both books offer plenty of inspiration and the sweet factor.

I hope everyone had a lovely, crafty weekend.

Lemon butter and Hope

Hello chicks! It would seem in the crazy days of this past year I have lost my blogging way. But I am back and have plenty to share....including this gem lemon butter...who would have thought? This is so creamy and wonderful I could eat it with a spoon, okay I did but still sooooo good.

The recipe made 2 half pint mason jars we kept one here to enjoy and the other went to my father in-law with a batch of fresh scones for his birthday which I might add were very well received.

Things are starting to look up around here we've recently embarked on quite the adventure and my hope has been renewed for a miracle. I'll share as we get farther into the process I just needed to pass on some good energy. Anyways the sun is rising and I'm off to start breakfast for Hubby.