Key Sweaters

I found this idea on Pinterest and fell in love. Not only do I have a fondness for sweaters, but I adore all things tiny.


However, the original pin was just a photo, not a pattern. My friend Tamra also loved the key sweater and said she would find me a pattern if I agreed to knit one (or ten) for her. Deal!


She found this blog for me that had a pattern for Cozy Keys and I was off and running ... err, knitting.


My first attempt turned out the wrong size and shape, so I made a few modifications.

My son wearing my first attempt - I just added a face and hair.

My version goes something like this:
CO 12 sts, distribute evenly on 3 DPNs (size 0) and begin working in the round.
Row 1:  K2, kfb, repeat around
Row 2-3:  Knit
Row 4:  K6, kfb, kfb, repeat
Row 5:  Knit
Row 6:  K8, kfb, kfb, repeat

Row 7:  Knit
Row 8:  K10, kfb, kfb, repeat (28 sts)
Row 9:  K2, P2, K2, P2, slip 6 to cable needle, repeat
Row 10-12:  K2, P2, repeat around
Bind off.


Sleeves (same process for both):
K6 from cable needle in the round
Knit 6 sts for 4 rows.
Bind off.



Now my desk key is nice and warm in my cold office and Tamra was repaid with these cuties.

I made the one in the top picture with some fun shiny yarn that is sport weight.

Enjoy making yours!  I would love to see them.  Come back when you are finished and post a link to a photo of yours.

Earbud Cord Wrap

I whipped this up (okay, knitted) one night when I decided I needed something to control the cord on my earbuds.


The yarn I chose was a sport weight (2 Fine) by Lion Brand that had some sparkle to it. I used size 2 or 3 needles.

I cast on 24 stitches loosely. I knit about 12 rows in a 2x2 rib (knit two stitches, purl two stitches, repeat across). Bind off loosely in rib pattern. Weave in loose ends.
You could use other yarn or other needles or a different stitch pattern. This is just what I did and it worked for me. I chose the rib to make it have an elastic quality.
My finished product was about 1 1/4" by 2 1/2".


Then I took some thin black elastic about 5 1/2" long and folded it in half. You might want to tie a knot at the very end to hold the two cut ends together. Sew that to one end of the knitted piece so that it lays across the whole piece. Sew it on securely so that it doesn't come off when you pull on it. This I where that knot might come in handy.


See a button on top of the end of the elastic. I used a 3/4" button. Use any size you want. It just has to be big enough to hold your elastic.

And now it is time to wrap up your unruly cord. I wrap mine around my fingers, then wrap the knit wrap around that.

I hope it works for you. Enjoy!

Rapunzel Cake

Before you even look at the photo, I need to offer a disclaimer...I am not an artist.  I am not a sculpter.  I just enjoy making things.  

My daughter LOVES the Disney movie Tangled and everything Rapunzel.  If you haven't seen the movie, stop reading now and go rent or buy the movie and watch it.  It is really good.

I made three cakes, iced them, and stacked them up.  Round, square, round, decreasing in size.  The cakes were box mixes and the icing was store bought, too.

Now here is where the hard part starts.  I made Candy Clay in various colors using Wilton Candy Melts.  That recipe is for a whole bag of candy melts, but you can scale it down.  My calculations have it at 10 candy melts per 1 teaspoon of corn syrup.  I used the clay to make a (not-very-pretty) Rapunzel, Pascal the chameleon, a frying pan, a hair brush, my version of the sun symbol, lots of flowers and leaves, and then a Rapunzel-supply of hair.  I wrapped the "hair" around all the layers of the cake and then used my super-rusty cursive-writing skills to spell Hannah's name across the front of the cake.  (The "6" is the candle, not edible.)

I was a little disappointed in my Rapunzel-sculpting skills, but other than that, I love how it turned out.  And most importantly, my daughter thought it was the most awesome cake ever.

Flower Pot Dirt Dessert

For my first post, I chose something I have made pretty recently.  Since I didn't have a blog yet, I didn't take step-by-step photos while making them.  


For my daughter's 6th birthday, I made Flower Pot Dirt Dessert cups for her snack to share at school.  All it takes is chocolate pudding, whipped topping, Oreos, gummy worms, green spoons, pipe cleaners, and some cups that can double as flower pots.  I used the recipe from Kraft, but then modified it some. I made the instant chocolate pudding according to package directions and mixed in the Cool Whip and crushed Oreos, but I used more pudding and Oreos to make darker "dirt".  Top with more crushed Oreos and then put in a gummy worm or two.

I used cups that I bought 10 for $1 at a dollar store.  You could use anything that looks remotely flower-pot-ish.  I found green plastic spoons at a party store and topped them with a flower made from pipe cleaners.  

All the children loved them.  And even the boys wanted to keep their flower spoons.


I realize that many schools don't allow homemade treats, but luckily, my daughter's school still does.


Good luck and enjoy!


UPDATE:  Here are the instructions on how I made the flower spoons.

I bought green spoons at a party store and pipe cleaners (aka fuzzy sticks) at WalMart or Target.

 I bent the flower blossom color into a W shape.  I cut the flower center in half then bent into a V.

 I then took the points of the W and bent them to the center, forming the straight sides into the four petals.

 Now you have a flower shape and a V.

 Next, place the point of the V over the center of the flower, catching the bends that are across from each other, not the open side.

 Place on top of spoon, tucking the loose ends under the flower.

 Wrap and twist tightly around the spoon.

 Come back to the front, twist and go to the back and twist tightly again.

 Tuck in all loose ends and you have a flower spoon!

Welcome!

I decided to start a blog for the sole reason of having something to link to when I post my own creations on Pinterest.  Now I just need to find time to actually post something.