in which kim apologizes profusely for her long absence

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Let me say up front that I really do not like blog posts beginning with “Sorry I’ve not written a blog post in such a very long time!” or something to that effect.  But it looks like I’m going to have to write one of those.

I won’t bore you with the details, but let’s just say that 2013 got off to a bumpy start for me and mine.  Though I love my little shop and my blog, and the friends and acquaintances they’ve brought my way, I had to take a break from all that and just be wife and mommy for a while.  Not an excuse, just an explanation.  But things are (hopefully) settling down for a while, so I can turn my attention to making fun things again.

First up are some jar cozies.  You may recognize these from the free pattern I offer here.  I normally don’t make them to sell.  But we took a long trip (that hopefully I’ll have time to tell you about, because it was great) and I needed a project to take along.  Because if you know me in real life, you know that I don’t sit quietly very well without a project in my hands.  And what I felt like making was jar cozies.  Since I doubt I’ll have time to make them to sell ever again, Maya suggested I call them a “limited edition”.  Here they are in the shop, if you’d rather buy one than make your own.

Speaking of Maya, she has a fantastic new endeavor!  Take a look at her new shop:  French Honey  She’s making pendants, and I think she really has an eye for it.

I’ve also listed a few bags, and there will be more and different things to come.  Thanks for your patience!

 

Kim’s Bulky Yarn Two-Needle Cap

Here’s another pattern from my old blog that I’ve moved here for your crocheting pleasure.  Original date of post was 12/29/09.  Once again, while I’m at it, I’ve put the pattern instructions into an easier-to-print PDF:  Two-Needle Cap

Here’s one of my favorite Christmas gifts – no, not the hat, the knitting needles! My dear, sweet husband went to an unfamiliar store and asked around to try to find a good Christmas surprise for a knitter. He’s a keeper! The needles are bamboo, my first pair, and I really like them.

 So that’s how the hat project started – a new pair of needles I wanted to test out. My mother-in-law works with a program called Look Good Feel Better, and I wanted to make a chemo cap for them. I had some Serenity Chunky Weight yarn left over from my Wild Thing hat that I intended to use. But could I find a hat pattern, suitable for chemo patients, for two needles, size 11, and bulky yarn? Of course not. So I made up my own. And since I could not find such a pattern when I needed it, I thought I would share it here so that maybe someone else could use it.

 Kim’s Bulky Yarn Two-Needle Chemo Cap (for lack of a better title)

 Size 11 needles, Serenity Chunky Weight yarn or other similar bulky weight yarn; small amount of worsted yarn, button, and size J crochet hook for flower; yarn sewing needle.

 Gauge: 3 stitches and 4 rows to the inch in stockinette stitch

 Cast on 63 stitches.

 Rows 1-9 – work in seed stitch, *k1, p1* across.

 Rows 10-21 – stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl one row)

 

Begin decreases:

Row 22: *knit 7, knit 2 together*, repeat across

Row 23: purl

Row 24: *knit 6, knit 2 together*, repeat across

Row 25: purl

Row 26: *knit 5, knit 2 together*, repeat across

Row 27: purl

Row 28: *knit 4, knit 2 together*, repeat across

Row 29: purl

Row 30: *knit 3, knit 2 together*, repeat across

Row 31: purl

Row 32: *knit 2, knit 2 together*, repeat across

Row 33: purl

Row 34: *knit 1, knit 2 together*, repeat across

Row 35: purl

Row 36: *knit 2 together*, repeat across

 You should end up with 7 stitches. Break off your yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing. Thread the yarn through the remaining stitches and pull up tightly. Sew the seam and weave in ends.

 For the flower, I use the flower in this pattern, omitting the felting and adding a button in the center. They are unreasonably fun to make. If you only knit and do not crochet, here are some knitted flowers you might use.

And of course, if you prefer knitting in the round without a seam, just switch the purl rows to knit rows. You’ll also need to *p1, k1* on the even rows on the seed stitch portion to make it come out right (knit the purls, purl the knits).

 Happy Knitting!

 Note:  I am hearing from a few knitters that this hat has turned out short.  There is at least one reason for this:  It was first designed as a chemo cap, and therefore needed to be a bit small.  Chemo patients do not have the bulk of hair to fill out a cap.  So by all means, if you have hair, and if it looks short to you, work a few more rows before beginning the decreases!

Also, different types of yarn will have a different gauge on the rows per inch, so if you use a different yarn you may want to account for that as well.

water jar cozy

 This is a post from my old blog, on Feb. 21, 2011.  I re-post it here for your crocheting pleasure.  I’ve also put the instructions into an easier-to-print PDF – you’re welcome.  🙂  Canning jar cozy PDF pattern

We’ve recently stopped buying bottled water, and bought a pitcher to filter our water instead.  I have reusable bottles for water, but honestly?  When I’m just hanging around the house, I prefer a pint jar.  The water seems to taste cleaner out of the glass, to me.

Then we were at Starbucks the other day, and I saw a glass water bottle sheathed in some sort of plastic or silicone, to be less breakable.  So I thought, why can I not make a cover for my humble canning jar, so it can go places with me?  And the idea for a water jar cozy was born.

So I’m putting the (very simple) pattern here in case anyone else would like to make one.  You will need about an ounce of worsted weight cotton yarn, a size F crochet hook, and a hair elastic.

Gauge is 15 stitches / 8 rows to 4 inches, in double crochet.

Abbreviations in this pattern:
sl st = slip stitch
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet

Round 1:  Sl st into hair elastic, ch 3, then dc 35 into hair elastic.  Sl st into top of ch-3.  You should have 36 stitches if you count the ch-3 as a dc.  (This is the top of your cozy.)  Do not turn your work at the ends of the rounds.

Rounds 2-8 – Ch 3, dc in each dc, sl st into top of ch-3.  Again, you should have 36 stitches counting the ch-3.

Round 9:  Now we begin decreases for the bottom.  Ch 3, dc 1, dc 2 tog;  *dc 2, dc 2 tog* to end of round.  Sl st into top of ch-3.  (26 stitches, counting ch-3.)

Round 10:  Ch 3, dc 2 tog; *dc 1, dc 2 tog* to end of round.  Sl st into top of ch-3.  (18 stitches, counting ch-3.)

Round 11:  Ch 3, dc 2 tog; *dc 3 tog* to end of round.  Sl st into top of ch-3.  ( 7 stitches, counting ch-3)  Fasten off.  Use yarn tail to sew up the hole as you weave it in.  Weave in top tail also.

I like a handle on my water container.  If you would like one as shown, make a chain about 2″ longer than you want your handle to be.  (Mine is about 15″.)  Now you’re going to sc on both sides of your foundation chain:  Sc in the back loop of the second ch from hook, and in back loop of each remaining ch.  Sc 5 in end ch.  Turn and sc in the remaining loops of your foundation chain.  Sc 4 in the end loop, and sl st into first sc.  Fasten off.  Stitch the ends very securely to sides of your cozy – if you made your yarn tails long enough, you can just use those for the sewing.

I like this one so much, I think I’m going to make several of them.  I think next I’ll make one in a solid color, with an applique of some sort.

If you make one of these, then you are a pattern tester.  🙂  Let me know if you find any mistakes, or if you think of a way to make this clearer.

Update:  here’s the second, in ecru, with a leaf applique.  The leaf pattern is from Crochet with Raymond, and can be found here.  Here’s the ravelry link, if you prefer.