crafty update and free pattern! (a LONG post)

what a day! we spent the day in parkesburg, pa, helping my folks remove carpet from their living room in preparation for some hardwood flooring. i say "we"...chris and my brother-in-law, chris (yep, right). my sister, lura, and i set up my grandmother's christmas tree. it was a really nice day. and then i checked out my favorite blogs. i have this routine now. goes a little like this: angry chicken, soulemama, wee wonderfuls, whipup, sewmamasew's handcrafted holidays, bandwidow, under the weather, my girl hazel...

so i begin that routine and come across this(page down a bit)! i was shocked to see my little name mentioned here! so excited to have so many new visitors today, yet horrified at the thought, "well, melis, you better get some photos and you BETTER finish those projects!!!" come to think of it...that's a good thing~~~accountability! so, thank you, sew mama sew, for mentioning my blog! and welcome visitors from so many places!!! hope you enjoy your time here!

AND... i finally have some photos to show off from my holiday gift-making, and one from my stella~~~

i've been dying to share this with you all. stella had asked for some clay a while ago and got it after being very brave getting the flu shot! anyway, she had very clear plans as to the first project with said clay...that being: baby jesus in a manger with mary and joseph. here it is:

stella's nativity made of clay and painted with tempera paints. yes, joseph is missing an arm (to be glued in the morning).


okie doke. how about those therapy bags i've been bragging about! tell me what you think... i wish we had scratch-n-sniff computers for this one, because they DO smell SO SO SO good...

small cold therapy bag for the freezer, filled with peppermint scented barley:


eye pillow, filled with eucalyptus scented flaxseed:


large heat therapy bag, filled with lavendar scented rice:


my wellness packs! all have removable, washable covers made of 100% cottons and linens (like the japanese prints? thanks superbuzzy!)


detail of my favorite print set!!!



and i decided to share a favorite knitting pattern of mine with all of you! it's my favorite scarf that i knitted two years ago and wear it ALL the time. the minute it is a bit chilly out...there it is. and it is loved by many...requested by my mom for christmas, infact! so as i knit hers (out of louisa harding yarn's "grace" - silk and merino! ooooh! aaah!), my friend, loren, will be knitting one out of blue sky alpaca's sport weight for a friend. feel free to knit along! and send photos of the finished product!! you WILL love this scarf!

here it is, modeled by me...headless!

My Favorite Scarf


How to Make It:
i have no idea what yarn i used for this particular one shown, but i recommend using any yarn suitable for size 10 or 11 needles. something a bit chunky, or use sport weight and hold two strands together (that's what i'll be doing with the silk/wool, and what loren will do with the alpaca). You'll need one ball of a chunky yarn and two of sport weight.

THE PATTERN:
CO 25 sts
Work in K1P1 rib (row 1: *K1 P1*repeat from * to end; row 2: *P1 K1*repeat from * to end) for 3.5"
End WS.

Make "holes" to tie scarf:
Next row (RS): K1 P1 K1, BO next 7 sts, finish row in pattern
Next row (WS): P1 K1 (7 times) K1, CO 7 sts, finish row in pattern
Continue in rib pattern for another 4 rows. finish WS)
Next row (RS): K1 P1 rib for 15 sts. BO next 7 sts, finish row in pattern.
Next row (WS): P1 K1 P1, CO 7 sts, finish row in pattern.

hole detail, keep in mind they have been worn for two years!:

Continue in rib pattern until piece measures 15" from beginning.
End WS.
Place 11 sts on holder. BO next 3 sts.
Working with last 11 sts, contine in rib pattern until this "tail" measures 12" from split. BO in pattern, weave in ends.
Pick up 11 sts on holder and work in pattern until this tail measures about 16" (or you run out of yarn...whichever!)
BO in pattern, weave in ends.

to tie it on, i hold it with the short tail on top. wrap it around your neck, put the short tail in the top hole, and the long tail in the bottom. i leave it just like that, but you can tie it in a knot, bow, whatever!

how to tie it on:


i have imagined this scarf for kids detailed to look like a monster with crooked eyes (the holes) a silly grin and two long legs...but have yet to make it that way.

anyway...hope you enjoy the pattern. it's my first one ever shared publicly...so please give me feedback! thanks so very much! stay tuned for more holiday giftmaking!

g'night!