Gryffindor Baby Beanie

In honor of the imminent release of the last Harry Potter movie:

Here's a sweet little hat pattern to keep your witch, wizard, squib, or muggle warm on a cold day at the quidditch pitch (well, I guess not if you're a muggle), or perhaps a stroll into Hogsmeade.

Size: 0-3 months
Knit in the round, size 5 dpns; Burgundy and Yellow yarn

Cast on 60 stitches (with Burgundy color) and join in the round.
Row 1-8 (approximately 3/4 inch) *k2, p2* rib, repeat around.
The rest of the hat will be knit in Garter stitch (knit 1 row, purl 1 row).
Row 9-14, garter stitch 6 rows (ending with a purl row).
Row 15-16, Switch to Yellow color, garter stitch 2 rows.
Row 17-20, Switch to Burgundy color, garter stitch 4 rows (ending with a purl row).
Row 21-22, Switch to Yellow color (I carried the yellow yarn up the inside of the work, so that there were less ends to weave in), garter stitch 2 rows.
Row 23, Switch to Burgundy color (I carried it up the inside), garter stitch until piece measures 4 1/2 inches from cast-on edge (end with a purl row).
Decreases:
*k8, k2tog* repeat around.
Purl 1 row (to keep the garter stitch pattern).
*k7, k2tog* repeat around.
Purl 1 Row.
*k6, k2tog* repeat around.
*p5, p2tog* repeat around.
*k4, k2tog* repeat around.
*p3, p2tog* repeat around.
*k2, k2tog* repeat around.
*p1, p2tog* repeat around.
*k2tog* repeat around.
You should have 6 stitches left. Run the yarn through the remaining stitches and gather together. Weave in all ends.

Obviously, you can substitute in the colors for the other houses, if you wish. I'll be making a larger version soon (which hopefully will fit my son, not that he needs a hat in the middle of summer), and I'll update the pattern with the directions for it.

Cashew Chicken Firecrackers

Here's a fun recipe from eatbetteramerica.com - Cashew Chicken Firecrackers.

I've made these for dinner and as an appetizer and they're pretty tasty. I did tweak the recipe slightly here and there. For example, I only use one sheet of fillo at a time and the sauce they suggest....wasn't very good. So I just use some Orange Marmalade as a sauce, straight up.

1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup shredded carrots (2 small)
1/3 cup coarsely chopped cashews
4 medium green onions, thinly sliced (1/4 cup)
4 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 teaspoon garlic-pepper blend
1/2 package (8 oz) frozen fillo dough sheets, thawed
Olive oil cooking spray or 2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix chicken, bell pepper, carrots, cashews, onions, marmalade and garlic-pepper blend; set aside.
2. Work with 1 fillo sheet at a time. On work surface, spray with cooking spray (2 seconds). Cut in half lengthwise, forming 2 rectangles.
3. Spoon 1 rounded tablespoon chicken mixture on short end of each rectangle. Roll up; twist about 1 inch from each end, sealing tube and forming firecracker shape. Place seam side down on cookie sheet.
4. Repeat with remaining fillo sheets and chicken mixture. Spray tops of appetizers with cooking spray (1 second for 2 appetizers).
5. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until crisp and brown.

Enjoy!

Construction Paper Flower Tutorial

For my first official Activity Days activity we made these construction paper flowers.

Here's what you'll need:

A hand (you should have one of those, right?)
Construction paper
Pipe cleaners
Tape
Something to trace with and add some color (Crayons, markers, pencils, etc.)

Step 1: Put your hand on the paper and trace around.




Step 2: Cut out your traced hand.


Step 3: Take your pipe cleaner and make a fun design at the end

OR twist several colors together and make your stem colorful!

Step 4: Take your crayon/marker/whatever and roll the fingers around it to give them a curl.


You could also color the petals at this stage if you'd like.


Step 5: Start rolling the pipe cleaner with the paper hand starting at the corner at the wrist.



Step 6: Tape at the base of the flower when finished.


My little helper with the finished product.

I also tried a different flower style by making two lily patterns and layering them:


The only difference in the method is that I attached the the two layers together with tape before I rolled them onto the pipe cleaner.



Enjoy your beautiful bouquet!

Easy Silk Flower Brooch Tutorial

Here's a SUPER EASY project to jazz up your wardrobe....silk flower brooches.



I went to Joann's and got a fake flower for $3. I cut off the stem and a leaf. Then I used a hot glue gun to re-attach any stray petals on the back of the flower and the leaf.

I cut out a small circle of felt and glued that on the back of the flower. And then I glued on the pin back(available at any craft store.)



And voilà, you're done and you look fabulous!

Easy Cap Sleeves

Today I've got an easy way to add some cap sleeves to a sleeveless child's dress. (Note: You could do the same thing with an adolescent or adult dress as well if you can find lace trim wide enough).

I bought this lovely purple dress (pictured to the left, sans the sleeves) on Walmart.com for $5.

Alas, there were no sleeves, but I bought it knowing that I am capable of making sleeves if I put aside my laziness. Still, I really wanted to do this the easiest way possible (read: laziest way possible - I mean, the dress has been hanging in the closet unaltered and unworn for a month).

So to minimize effort, I thought that if I could match the lace trim around the neckline with some trim I have in my lace hoard I wouldn't have to 'make' my own sleeves - I could just sew the lace in place and voilà!

And this is what I found in my lace box, right on top:



I thought it was pretty much perfect and I only had to spend a total of two minutes in what I have endearingly christened 'the Pit of Hell' - our storage unit - finding it.

Double win.

I took a few minutes to position it the way I wanted it (you can gather it if you want - I didn't on this one. You can see in the picture that this particular lace already has gathering stitches in it - a lazy sewers dream). I just laid it in there straight and tapered the ends in at the underarms so there wouldn't be chafing.

Tapering under the arms:


I actually sewed it to the little lip on the innermost edge of the hem fold, if that makes sense. It only gave me about 1/8 of an inch worth of fabric to work with so it was pretty tight. But you can't see the stitching from the outside, which is exactly what I wanted!

Serger-like stitch on hem fold:



Front:


Back:


Sweet and perfect. My girl just looks radiant in purple.

The Infamous Cupcake Hat

Ah, the infamous cupcake hat. I'm told by Stacy that the ones I've made for her two daughters always get compliments (I've made five of these hats so far, I think). To my knowledge, the original site where I found this pattern (several years ago) is no longer up. I've reproduced the pattern below, and subsequently left out all the crap that didn't need to be in there.

It should be noted that the pattern below calls for a red pompom for the cherry. The original pompom I made for my niece fell apart (her doing, no doubt), so I replaced it with a knitted cherry of my own design. The cherry and strawberry design are proprietary (i.e. secret, and what makes my hats special), so alas, you'll just have to make due with a pompom. I also have a blueberry design, but haven't actaully put them on a hat yet (everyone always requests the other fruits).

SIZE 1-4 years.

MATERIALS

Acrylic yarn in the following colors:
Cup: 1 skein gold or tan, Worsted Weight
Frosting: 1 skein pink or cream or brown, Worsted Weight
Cherry: Scrap Red Yarn, preferrably Chunky Size
You'll need: US 7 (4.5 mm) Circular Needle (16") and set of DPNs, OR SIZE TO OBTAIN GAUGE; Large-eyed, blunt needle
Optional: Buttons, scrap yarn, beads, safety pins
GAUGE 16 sts and 22 rows = 4" in St st BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR GAUGE.

Special Stitch: (MN) MAKE NUBBLE - Pull loop through the next st as if to K, then place this look on the left needle next to the original st(2sts). Pull new loop through the second st as if to K, then place loop on the left needle next to the second st (3sts). Repeat twice¡(5sts). BO 4 kwise. The fifth stitch is now on the right needle.

DIRECTIONS
With Cup Color and circular needle, cast on 80 sts. Work in k2 p2 ribbing for 1 row, join in the round and continue k2 p2 for 2 inches. Switch to Frosting Color. K one row. Next row, *K1, MN. Repeat until you made one row of nubbles (40 times total). K until entire piece measures 5 1/2 inches.

Then start the decreases (switch to dpns when necessary): *K 6, k2tog. Repeat from * 9 more times. *K 5, k2tog. Repeat from * 9 more times. *K 4, k2tog. Repeat from * 9 more times. *K 3, k2tog. Repeat from * 9 more times. *K 2, k2tog. Repeat from * 9 more times. *K 1, k2tog. Repeat from * 9 more times. *K2tog. Repeat from * 9 more times. Continue to k2tog until 5 stitches remain. Break off yarn and thread the end through the remaining 5 stitches.

With the chunky red, make a pom pom, about 1 inch wide. Whatever looks best on your cupcake. (You should be able to find a simple pompom tutorial by Googling.)

**NOTE: If making this hat for a child 2 or under be sure to attach the beads, buttons, etc very secure. Otherwise, do not include them.


Mr. grumpy modelling a cupcake.

Check it ~~>

My Sunhat post was featured on totalclasscreativeblog.com today!

Go check 'em out!