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Here is another quick and relatively simple kids' Christmas present by Noodlehead: Bicycle Bucket Tutorial. I say relatively because if you read the directions as written and trust that the author recommends the right products and don't try to "make it better" it will be a fun and easy project. That said let me tell you why I had to cut mine out 3 times and spent the better part of the day making one. Let me add that the mistakes were all mine and I regret using my phone to view the tutorial instead of printing it out so I could read the instructions.

First I decided that I wanted my bike bucket to be SUPER strong and durable so I decided to use Peltex to interface both the lining and exterior. This makes it too stiff and unsewable. I was seconds from smashing everything and jumping up and down on it (begin recut #2). Do not use Peltex at all. The medium weight is perfect even for quilting/light weight cotton. Also, if you do not have double fusible medium weight interfacing you can use one side fusible interfacing but make sure you interface the exterior and not the lining (begin recut #3). Please follow Noodleheads instructions and do not follow my example. Once I had it assembled according to the tutorial I discovered that it is very stable, durable and just right for holding rocks, sticks, buddies, and snacks. Oh, one more tip, sew on the handle bar attachment after you complete the top trim. It is much easier to navigate the around the top of the basket if you don't have the handle bar part getting caught up on your machine. If you want to add a monogram or name tag on the front like Noodlehead's boy version do it on the exterior piece before any assembly. It is easier to center and sew on when you don't have to worry about the basket structure. I really love the wide trim at the top. It really helps to hide any cutting errors but also adds extra color and pattern to make it extra special.

Overall I am very pleased with my bike bucket and next time I will print out the instructions and haul them up to my studio. If you follow the instructions it is a fun and worthy project that any kid will love to call their own. Thanks Noodlehead!

I have no idea why but whenever I plan to decorate for Christmas my first thought is: Pillow covers. I guess it is because being a knitter I spend a lot of time curled up on or staring at the couch so of course I want to decorate it first. AND I love a good cozy pillow, so this year when I planned my pillow covers for Christmas I was drawn to flannel. Flannel everything- background, appliqués, you name it. And no zippers as well, they ruin the coziness. No need to take notes, you can just add these pictures to your Pinterest boards. Last year I made a pillow from Velvet with I-cord embroidery and it was soft and squishable as a pillow should be but I was always worried about my little one pulling off the I-cord so this year I went all out. We are talking Heat n' Bond and zig zagging all over the place. I even managed to couch on some yarn for the ornament hangers. All easy and all so soft and cozy.

Materials:

1 yd of Flannel for pillow cover (I used Quilter's Flannel 90 in. Wide in Natural)

½ yd of flannel for ornaments (I used Cozy Cotton Flannel Grid Marine)

A smidge of wool felt for the hangers on ornament in Red

10 yds of wool yarn in Navy

Heat N Bond

Hot Pattern Giving Thanks Pillow Cover Pattern

Instructions:

First find an image of an ornament that you love and print it out. I did a quick search of Ornament Clip Art.

Trace this image onto the back of your Heat N Bond 3 times and cut  out all images in one big piece (don't cut out each ornament shape yet) and apply, according to instructions, to the back of your green flannel. Now cut out each ornament, peel off the paper and arrange on your pillow cover made from Hot Patterns Giving Thanks Pillow Cover Pattern in White Flannel. Once you have an arrangement you like, iron your pieces in place. Cut out little squares roughly ½ by ½ in. from some wool felt. Wool felt is a little too thick for Heat n Bond so I like to keep it in place with a glue stick. Zig Zag stitch around your complete ornament. Finish off by pinning some navy wool yarn from your ornament to the top of your pillow. Slowly Zig zag stitch over your yarn keeping an eye on it so it doesn't creep out of place. Trim all loose threads and enjoy!

With some simple modifications and one super-genius knitting pattern you too can knit your own knitted reindeer. I know it sounds too good to be true, but I speak the truth and here's what you will need.

1)      Danger Craft Tofu the Dachshund Knitting Pattern

2)      US size 7 needles (DPNs if you prefer or cable for your magic loop lovers)

3)      1 Ball of worsted weight yarn in an reindeer-ish color

4)      1 small pom pom (you can make or used a readymade)

5)      Size 6 mm safety eyes

6)      Contrasting worsted weight yarn for antlers, tail, belly button

To get started, follow pattern as written except for making the tail, ears and belly button.

I hand sewed my red nose on right after I light stuffed the nose. Then I added the eyes and finished stuffing. I found whip stitching gives the best finish for sewing on the arms. For the belly button, I didn't think an X was christmasy enough so I added a few more stitches to the X and made it a Christmas star.

The tail I cast on as described in the pattern but after 4-5 rounds, I started to decrease every 4 sts, skip a row and decrease again until there were 2 sts left and then I cut my yarn, wove it through the remaining stitches and pull tight and knot.

To make the antlers I used a 4 st i-cord. After working 4 rows, I slipped 2 sts to a cable needle, working with the remaining 2 sts on my working needles, increased using the Make 1 increase. The next row, I  increased again to regain 4 sts. After 4 rows, I repeated  the above and once I had regained 4 sts a second time I broke my yarn, wove it through my remaining sts and pulled tight and secured. I then picked up my first 2 sts from the cable needle and working in i-cord, increase using Make 1 (3 sts) work 4 rows and break yarn, weave through remaining sts, pull tight and secure. Repeat for 2 set of slipped sts on cable needle for 2nd antler branch.

Repeat all of the above for 2^nd antler. You can choose to thread pipe cleaners though your main branch of the antlers for shape. I didn't because I liked how silly and floppy they were but older children may prefer be able to manipulate the antlers.

Make 8 companions for your Rudolf so he doesn't get lonely and embroider their initials to their chests so you little ones can name their reindeer as they sing Christmas carols. 

I love a good juxtaposition of fashion, namely mixing men's suiting with a feminine silhouette. You will probably not find me in such a richly ruffled piece of clothing unless you can tone it down with some smooth, dark and simply decorated men's suiting. The combo is my cup of tea. I was looking for the perfect project to branch out our men's suiting and the overtly feminine design of the HotPatterns Cabriolet Dress/skirt was perfect. There are 2 layers of gathered ruffles that flow and drape to accentuate a woman's body coupled with a long tie to cinch in the waist and create a dramatic bow. If this design doesn't say "Woman" nothing does. The wool suiting I selected is dark blue with a simple and stark window pane detail in gold. That is it. It is rich and lightweight but dark and simple. The perfect fabric for a man's garment. The two together make for a striking combination that can be worn to a number of occasions. Paired with a fitted white button down shirt and red pumps makes a dramatic outfit for a work Christmas party. Worn as a dress with leggings and knee high riding boots and a fitted blazer can be fabulous outfit for Christmas shopping or an outdoor fall party. Or you can wear it as a dress throw on a shrug and a pair of bold heels for date night or girls night out!

I love this version and can't wait to wear it out. I might not be able to wait and will probably be seen sporting it at the grocery store and maybe down to the park. Nap time tomorrow might be spent finding new outfit combinations to post on Facebook!

Some tips on the pattern:

1)      Either cut a second tie as a lining or serge or zig zag all your pieces before assembly. You can also opt for a decadent bias tape like dupioni silk.

2)      Try using a second fabric for your tie to create interest or a color block effect.

3)      You can plan and add a long button hole to slide your tie through if you want since it is not in the instructions. 

I got so many compliments on the fabric wreaths, that I decided to use a similar concept to make little fabric trees for Christmas.

You will need a pinking shears/pinking rotary cutter, an awl or icepick, Styrofoam cones and some fabric glue for the top. This was an extremely quick project and took less than 30 minutes once I had pulled all my materials together.

For the Green tree:

I began by cutting 2x4 inch squares of fabric. I put them in the tree randomly and was deliberate about where I put them on each row. Once I completed going all the way around the tree, I moved up about a ½ inch and inserted another strip of fabric into the Styrofoam. I pushed the fabric in with the awl (no glue necessary). If the fabric did not stay, I pushed a little more in to hold it in place. I ran into issues at the top of the tree when I pushed too hard and the top break. With a little Arlene's Glue, put it back together and glued the last few pieces at the top together.

For the Scraps tree:

My mom helped with this one - we took scraps from other projects and then started randomly putting them into the tree. She cut strips of scrap fabrics and I inserted them into the tree, with no rhyme or reason. I started at the bottom of the tree and worked my way up. We used pins when I got to the top - the Styrofoam was weak there and the pins help the fabric in place.

Other thoughts and suggestions:

You could do an entire tree with pins which might allow you to make color designs with the fabric. I plan on adding a copper star to the top that I will be cutting out of a copper sheet of metal. For those that do not have a space for a large tree, this is a great way to bring a little holiday spirit to your desk or home.

Autumn and the Holidays. I've been seeing lots of wreaths in the stores, but nothing has caught my eye. I thought back to decorations that my mother used at the house or the office and remembered a fabric wreath that she used to make. After a quick call to mom, I was ready to make my own creation.

You will need fabric, a Phillips head screwdriver, a straw wreath (8 inch, 12 inch), a cutting mat and pinking sheers/rotary cutter. You will also need ribbon to tie a loop around the wreath to hang on the wall.

I began by cutting 4-inch by 4-inch squares with my pinking rotary cutter. It's the first time that I have cut fabric this way. For the 12 inch wreath, it took 350 squares and for the 8-inch wreath it took 220 squares. I wanted the wreath to look full. Since this was my first time, it actually took me six hours to cut the squares. After another consultation with Mom, it turns out not every square has to look perfect. With the next two set of squares, I was able to reduce my time significantly. I wished I had a 4-inch pinking block for my Big Shot machine!

Before starting, I added a second layer of plastic wrap to the wreath. This helped hold the fabric in place. I just used ordinary cling wrap from the kitchen. I took my Phillips head screwdriver and pressed the fabric into the straw wreath. This took a little strength in my hand to push it in. I used no glue or hot glue - the fabric will stay in unless you pull it out. I'd advise a Phillips head screwdriver to prevent a tear in the fabric. Anything sharper will cause a rip.

I wanted variety so I didn't use any particular pattern in my wreath. I was worried as I was putting it together, but by the end was pleased with the results.

Safety first! Pinking rotary blades are extremely sharp! I learned this the hard way - make sure you cut away from your body.

Too early for Christmas? I think not. Christmas projects and crafts often get brushed to the side once the full spirit of the season arrives. Shopping, parties and cooking bring about all those woulda-coulda-shoulda thoughts of holiday sewing. So I'm starting now! I've had this idea for these organza ornaments ever since I came across pieces of organza and tulle in my stash!

These are pretty easy and fun to make. A 2'' white foam ball is the base, which you can purchase by the pack at your local craft store. You can leave it white, or paint it if you like for extra pizzazz.

You will need to cut the circles, and don't worry- they don't have to be perfect!

• About 26 circles measuring 1 ¾'' - 2'' wide

• About 13 circles measuring  1 ½'' wide of a coordinating color ( I used glitter tulle for this middle circle)

• About 26 circles measuring  ¾'' wide

I know what you're thinking... This is a lot of circles, this is gonna be time consuming! Not true. Just layer the fabrics before you cut out your circles. Especially if you're using tulle or organza-  the thin, lightweight nature of this fabric makes it really easy to layer 7 at a time.  Or if you have a die-cut machine that can cut fabric, now is the time to whip it out!

First, attach your hanging thread. Doll Needles are great, because they are long enough to go through the foam ball, with a wide enough eye to use embroidery floss, fishing wire, etc. To attach the circles, layer them smallest to largest on a sewing pin. I picked these Dritz Ball Point Pins because I could use the assorted colors to match the color fabric I was using. Just poke the pins all over till you don't see any white foam. Usually it's about 13 pin/circle combinations total.

And wha -la! You have your own ornament creation! Use for giftwable wrapping accents for presents, make lots in assorted colors to put on a mini-tree, make really big ones to put on your big Christmas tree, or leave off the hanging attachment altogether and put a few in a glass vase for year-round decoration.

We still have plenty of time to finish our Holiday gift list but most of us will procrastinate or worse overestimate our free time and fill the list with complicated, involved masterpieces worthy of induction in MOMA. Not everything needs to be 100% knitted or works of art incorporating 14 different stitch designs. Most, if not all, of your gifts just need to be from the heart and well thought out. You can achieve both of these goals by knitting parts of your project and adding them to completed items. Since I love ruffles (along with the rest of the fashion world) and know from my window shopping that they can make anything look better, I decided to add ruffled project to my Christmas list. All I need do is knit the ruffle and add it to my gift. Since I am knitting such a small part of my gift and will be saving so much time, this leaves me with the freedom to spice up the ruffles and try something new. It is ok to complicate it up if you are going for something small because mistakes will not put you back very far.

I am gifting a friend a set of vintage dish towels I found at a local antique store but since her taste is a little funky I knew a knitted ruffle would be right up her alley. The towels are in a gingham style so I decided not to make my ruffle too fancy since the towel was so busy but I did knit it in a contrasting color cotton yarn, like Lily Sugar n' Cream Yarn. To make my ruffle, I worked up a swatch to find my gauge and then multiplying by the width of the towel calculated how many stitches to cast on. I worked my first 4 rows in garter stitch to give me a solid flange to attach to the towel.

Row 5: *knit 1, yo; repeat to last stitch, knit 1

Row 6: purl across all stitches

Row 7: knit across all stitches

Repeat Row 6 & 7 for 1 in.

Work 4 more rows in garter stitch

You can make your ruffle as long or as wide as you like by adjusting the number of rows worked or stitches cast on, respectively. You can layer your ruffles for a bolder effect or knit them with a fine gauge yarn for more flutter. You can add ruffles to shirt necks, capes, placemats and pashminas. You can spice up new store bought items or scored vintage treasures. Adding ruffles can not only save time but also increase your stitch library since they are a great way to experiment.

To attach my ruffle, I pinned the flange to the wrong side of the dish towel, letting the purl bumps peak out just a little. Then with a size 12 needle and a straight, medium length stitch, I sewed 2 lined of stitching, one at the top edge of the flange and the second at the bottom edge of the flange. These two stitches secure the ruffle in place and keep it from flipping over to the back side. A stretch stitch is not needed since we are attaching to a woven but if you are attaching your ruffle to a knit, a zig zag stitch is needed in a size appropriate to the density of your knit and knitted ruffle. 

It is important to note that you should match your yarn to your gift by taking the washing instructions into consideration. Since a dish towel will be washed a lot, choose a washable yarn like cotton or acrylic. If your gift is delicate like pashmina it is appropriate to choose an equally delicate yarn like silk or cashmere. For a knitted ruffle added onto a top, choose a non-irritating fiber like superwash merino which can still be blocked to the right shape.