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Organizing my knitting needles and crochet hooks is a battle I am constantly fighting. I am a 5-6 project at a time person so needles and hooks tend to be everywhere at all times. But despite this I still keep my needles and hooks organized so I know that if they are not wrapped up in yarn somewhere then I know where they are. However, It was only when I found some collecting techniques that worked for me that I became this organized. Here are a few that I use and some more that I love from the web that might work for you.

First, I made a needle/hook case (tutorial to sew your own here) and I love it. I made 2 sizes, the first is the full tutorial version and the second is a smaller, half version that I created using the tutorial but working around just the first set of pockets. I love both of my cases because together they fit all my straight needles and enough of my cable needles that I can take them anywhere. The smaller case also fits my DPNs and my hooks. The cases fold up small enough to fit into any knitting bag.

These glass mason jars (I am guessing 32 oz size) that I found on Pinterest work great for grouping all your needles and hooks together by size. Straight, DPN and cable needles of the same size all fit nicely into one jar along with the corresponding crochet hook. Plus they look divine along the top of a book case in a sunny spot. Pair them with this jar stenciling tutorial and you can grab the right size at a glance!

In my studio I love to use colorful ice-cream sundae dishes picked up from thrift stores to house my straight needles and hooks. These bright dishes are the perfect place because I can fit many needles and hooks in each, the cupped shape fans them out to mimic a floral bouquet and the bright colors are a great contrast for the mellow bamboo color or subtle brights of my aluminum needless & crochet hooks.

Last but maybe the most brilliant is this idea I found on Pinterest from Eve Barbour. She envisions using a flatware tray to house all her crochet hooks and knitting needles. When I saw it, I felt the urge to smack myself on the forehead because it is just so clever and so obvious that I can't believe no one has thought of it before. A flat wear tray is the perfect solution and could only be more perfect if it could be integrated into a set of drawers for extensive collections. Then you could have a set of them and pull out each drawer of flatware trays to check your inventory.

I love this pattern! Let's just get that out of the way. This playsuit was fun and quick with lots of room for modifications to make it custom to you or to change it up each time you make it. I am always hesitant when making nightgowns or Pjs of any kind because when I sleep in them I want to be sure ahead of time that they will be comfy as well as attractive. The Hot Patterns Retro Playsuit definitely fits the attractive bill but does it also meet the comfy qualifications? Only making one will answer the question.

I opted for a navy charmeuse satin because we all know dark colors make us look slimmer but I don't look good in black. I am a naturally pale Irish girl so I wanted something with a bit of color. The fabric arrived and it was dreamy (quite apt that it was destined for sleepwear). I then decided to trade the lace trim in for some cotton, ruffle accent. I loved the romantic look of the lace but I love the feel of cotton so much more. Using approx. ½ yd of 45 in. cotton, I cut 3 in. straight strips of quilting cotton (about 5 yds) and pressed it in half widthwise, wrong sides facing. I then ran it through my ruffler using the 12 st setting. This created about 4 yds of ruffle trim, just right to finish off my playsuit.

Overall this was a dream pattern. It went together exactly as instructed. The satin was not the hassle I was expecting. Just be prepared with a sharp needle and quality thread and it should be as manageable as cotton. The ruffle really worked well with the style of the playsuit. I attached it to the right side of the top and leg openings and then folded the raw edges toward the inside and topstitched the seams down on the right side. Be sure and finish off the seams with a zig zag or a serger otherwise your satin will fringe. The ribbon details are also a nice touch though you can create some spaghetti straps out of your satin. I picked one of the complimentary colors from my ruffle for my 1/4 in. ribbon. The lavender really works well with the navy and my skin tone. This is a great addition to my PJ drawer and I like it even more then my satin gowns because the shorts keep the playsuit from riding up in the night. A + in comfort! 

Cotton Cording is an essential Home Dec finishing notion that is as versatile as it is easy to use. Cotton Cording can be used for the typical piping and welting used in home dec applications to add finishing details and accents but it can also be used for non typical functions, such as bunting, purse handles and couched monograms. Today I am going to walk you through using cotton cording in its most applied purpose: bias covered piping for home dec projects.

Since I will be using my piping for my upcoming upholstery project, I am cutting my bias from scrap pieces cut into for specific chair parts. As long as the scraps are good size (I prefer at least 12 by 12 in. sections) then it is worth your time. You don't want to spend all your time sewing up tiny bias strips together. To determine the width of the bias strip you need, multiply the size of your cording by 8. Example: I used ¼ in. cording so I cut my bias strips 2 in. wide. Make sure you cut your fabric on the 45 deg.  angle to the grain for the best stretch.

To begin stitching your bias strips together, overlap by the seam allowance you will use. I like to use 3/8 or 1/4 in. Align them up right sides together and only stitch as much as you need. You don't want to end up with more covered cording than you will need. It is hard to find another project that will match. I like to leave my last 6 in. or so of the bias strip un-sewn uncase I need to add more. This extra bit will be enough to sew on another bias strip.

Fold the bias strip over your cotton cording with raw edges matching. Use a zipper foot to sew very close to the cording without sewing on it. You want the cording to be tightly stitched in the center. If it is too loose you will see bunching and shifting. Use a medium length stitch and back stitch at beginning and end to keep you piping from undoing before you can use it in your project.  

To recreate my cording you will need Dwell Studio Vintage Blossom Dove and size 2 cotton cording. 

A good cardi is always a pleasure to knit but I hated the buttonholes. "Too much math" I would to mumble when seriously considering another cardigan with delicate buttons. I hated knitting the button band because inevitability I would get the buttonholes wrong. By the time you figure out that your placement or buttonhole size is wrong you have worked two whole rows of knitting. However with this great tutorial, from Knitting Daily, for a one row button hole my knitting world became bright and sunny again. Once I had this handy technique under my belt I was planning cardigans left and right. I knew that I would only have work one buttonhole to determine if my sizing was correct and I would only need to work one row to see if my placement was right. It was amazing and very encouraging.

While the technical drawings included with the tutorial are nice, they don't follow all the steps and sometimes just seeing it worked in actual yarn as you go can really help master a new method.

I recommend practicing this method in your favorite yarn to learn and then adding it onto your swatches when you work it up before your project. This will help you plan sizing before you have 100 sts to work and will also help you visualize your buttons with your stitch pattern. Trying your buttonholes in your swatch can also help you work out how to incorporate your stitch pattern into your one row buttonhole row. You can practice how the bind off and cast on stitches in the buttonhole will affect your stitch pattern and how to work around it for the best finish. 

If you remember my embellished tank top with knit and crocheted doilies, you will know that I love to think of different ways to use classic motifs. Decorating your favorite ensemble is just one way to put a good doily to work, another is to put your creation to work in the kitchen and add some vintage modern style to your traditional tuna casserole. By working any doily pattern in a worsted or thicker gauge cotton (or wool) yarn you can turn a delightful lace doily into a glamorous trivet. When not in use hang your trivets on your back splash, cabinets or in an offset pattern on above your desk. Work several in different patterns, colors and sizes to accommodate all your needs. Choose colors to coordinate with your kitchen colors or servingwear or to bring in new colors.

Another eclectic idea is to crochet up 6-8 large doilies to use as placemats. When you use your matching trivets at your next big family meal, dinner party or coffee with the girls everyone will gush over your delicate and bold style. Doilies knit 15-17 in. can serve as chargers while doilies 12-14 in. are better placemats size. Since they are knit from cotton, they are washable and can be easily reblocked with a quick run of the iron.

You can create a traditional atmosphere by choosing a light neutral color like cream, white or yellow and sticking to the same doily pattern but adjusting the size by using a different hook size. If you are looking for a French bohemian style (think Anna Maria Horner) than choose many different colors from bright to mellow all mixed together. Pick all your favorite doily patterns to mix and match together. If you want a more modern manner (think Amy Butler) than choose 3-4 medium toned colors (not too bright but not too neutral) and 4-5 doily patterns. Mix up the colors and doily patterns and adjust the size as in the traditional style but don't get too crazy.

My crochet doily trivet was worked in Lily Sugar n' Cream Mod Green using the Mini Trellis Doily Pattern. Given that I am still a beginner this was a tricky pattern for me, mostly because it was in the round and there were a few stitches/ techniques I had not attempted yet. The outcome was more beautiful than I had anticipated and actually not as difficult. I love my trivet. While it is not as thick as I had hoped it will still protect my tables and counter tops and gives me just the look I was after in my kitchen. 

When winter's crazy weather gets you down, what do you do? Hibernate? Zone out on the couch? This winter, to overcome the cold-weather doldrums, I am making ridiculous hats that keep me warm AND make me smile. I like to run in my hats, so I make skull-cap style fleece headgear that I then add ears and other details to. This ensures a snug fit that stays put when I'm in motion. Here's the how-to:

First, you need a salad plate to make your pattern. Mine is 8" in diameter. I trace half of the plate, ending at the widest part of the circle.

Then, extend the line from the semi-circle down 2" on either side from the widest point, and connect the two resulting dots. This is the pattern for the sides of your hat. Cut two so the fabric stretches along the straight bottom edge.

You'll also need to cut a strip 5" wide by 15.75" long, so the fabric stretches across the 5" width.

The assembly is quick! Just use the long strip to join the two curved side pieces together with a 1/2" seam allowance. Try it on to check for any needed adjustments and to see how deep you want your hem. I just use a simple fold-up hem, and stretch the fleece very slightly while I sew to give it a little stretch.

You now a basic skull cap.

If you're not into whimsical animal hats, you can call it done. (I have about a dozen of these plain hats rolling around my house, for the record.) But come on! You want animal fun!

I like to just start cutting animal ears freehand,

but if you want some help with shapes, check out our Halloween ears and tails post for a few sample ear patterns. Unlike some of the patterns made for headband use, you want to leave the bottom edge of the ears open for this project.

Once your ears are cut and assembled (just a matter of stitching them together right sides together and then turn them right side out), you may want to shape them a little and baste any folds into place before you stitch them into your hat.

To place your ears, put your hat on (or on your model) and see where you like your ears. I like to mark mine with a small dot or two using a permanent marker.

Once the hat is off your model or self, use the width of your animal ear at its base to mark out a cutting line.

Snip your hat open along the line, then make the same cut on the opposite side.

Insert each ear into its opening and stitch it into place. Make sure to taper the edges of your seam into the curve of the hat, and check your stitching to make sure your ear is securely in place.

Flip your hat right side out, and get ready to model your toasty, cozy animal side!

This is a very, very simple hat, which means it's great for experimenting. Add eyes and a nose if you want a full animal face on your hat. Make a dozen different animals so you have one to match any outfit. This version is for a medium-sized adult head, but this method of making a hat is so simple that you could easily scale it down for a child. Just start with a smaller semi-circle, and measure your resulting side pieces to determine the length of your center strip. You'll also want to adjust the width of the center strip for smaller heads.

Here are a few samples of variations on this hat:

Kermit, just for giggles.

And the zebra I was threatening at the end of the Halloween ears and tails post. I used minky for this one, and while it's not as warm as fleece, it's still pretty darned cozy.

This last example is a hat I made a while back to mimic a character from a video game. It's a little more involved, but it's all fairly simple applique.

Recreating your favorite animal is as simple as looking at pictures to determine the right ear shape, and then experimenting with your scissors and your creativity. Have at it! It's cold outside!

When I watch my favorite TV shows lately I have noticed that the trend is leaning towards blousley tunics in geometric designs in a 2 color patterns. Whether it is green/white, black/ white or any other combination I was filled with desire to make my own.
                                                        

I picked out Joel Dewberry's Heirloom collection for my go at a bold pattern tunic because it had the bold geometric pattern I was looking for, the scale was right but it had 3 colors (purple, white and pink) where I wanted 2. I figured 2 out of 3 on my list wasn't bad and went ahead with my plan. I used Heather Ross' Summer Shirt Pattern from Weekend Sewing as my pattern because it had the silhouette I was looking for: long, loose and flowy.

I made the medium but ended up taking it in 1 in. on the sides and arm as well as adding a 3 in. band of linen to the bottom because the pattern was shorter than I wanted (the pattern hits at the top of the hip and I wanted mid hip). This last part turned out better than I imagined because the linen adds a nice contrast to the pattern and really mellows is out. The tunic ended up being too bright and bold so I decided to try a new bleach technique I discovered in Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts and it turned out great! It was nerve wrenching but fun and well worth the results. I started with a too bold print with 3 colors and ended with a mellower 2 color version. I added the linen hem after the bleaching.

I also made the bottom of the shirt straight from the underarms to the hem instead of the flare in the pattern and omitted the curved hem and made it straight.

You don't have to wait for spring to create and wear this look, these tunics are easily paired with a cardigan and leggings or belted jacket and riding boots. I love to wear my tunic with a skinny belt, huge scarf/cowl, jeans and flats on really chilly days. For a more romantic look, try micro floral patterns and really light weight fabric with lots of drape. For a more structure (hide your butt or hips) looks, try a crisper fabric such as medium weight linen or quilting cotton.  

UPDATED:

Here is my pic of my tunic straight off the sewing machine before I modified it at all. The sleeves are 5 in. too long and you can see that the tunic has come alive with the spirit of the 1970's. I must apologize for the bad lighting but I could not leave the tunic as is long enough to wait for daylight and a better picture. 

The elephant in the corner of very sewing space/room/studio seems to be thread organization. It has always been my nemesis but this year I am tackling it. If I can find a way to stop stacking them up next to my sewing machine as I change colors or tossing them into a HUGE zip top bag...  
The trick is the desire to change. A sure fire way to bring about change is to make it pretty. Pretty and sewing go hand in hand just as thread and organization should also go hand in hand. Let's make thread organization pretty and I am sure we will have our solution.

Now my mom prefers the old standard that can be found in most big box craft stores and it works for her but I need something with character, vintage and a little funky. I think I would really keep up with my thread organization if it were also art. So here are some of my favorite inspirations and tutorials for fun and original thread organization.

I love the free form shape of Copy & Paste's thread wall piece looks like a piece of seaweed floating through the ocean covered in thread barnacles. It appears that she cut the piece with a jigsaw, sanded it, added nails or added nails to a purchased or found piece. Either way it is amazing and stunning when fully decorated. You could create your own with a jig saw or wall letters that spell out "Sew", "Craft" or "Create".

I have been taken by this tutorial I found featuring Fold Over Elastic. It seemed to fun and easy and I loved that you could wear just the headband or add a little something whenever it suited. So I tried it though I was hesitant over using my glue gun. I wasn't convinced it would last but once I got that sucker heated up I couldn't stop. This was a fun project because the gratification was so instantaneous and the results were darling.

I used one package of our Babyville Fold Over Elastic in Red/Blue because I am hot for red polka dots at the moment. I made one headband for my little one (almost 3 yrs) out of each and cut them to 17 in. as per the instructions. Each took approx 5-10 (probably closer to 5 for just the headband part) and they looked super cute as plain headbands. The next part was the really exciting bit. I wanted to add something really fun but still sane enough that my daughter could still wear them out. Her new favorite activity is going through all my buttons (well, really dumping them out and then picking out the cute ones and putting them in a "mine" pile) so I decided to make an embellishment starring her faves. The shank buttons I lopped off the shank with wire cutters and glued them in place scattered among her other favorite buttons. The base can be downloaded here. Just glue the 2 felt pieces together, glue the buttons on top and use a running stitch to attach to the head band or you can glue a hair clip to the back. 

Her red head band features a collection of circles I cut while testing our Fiskars' circle cutter, linen and felt (well the felt I cut with scissors, see article for more info). The largest is 5 in. going down the to smallest at 1 in. They are all stacked and attached to the headband with a costume jewelry pin.

You can add your own embellishment to these great and comfy headbands (my little one asked to put her headband on as soon as she woke this morning!). Flowers are very popular but you can clip any of your existing hair clips or make something new. 

I am taking the Notional definition #3: indulging in or influenced by fancy. Fiskars' Circle Cutter is an indulgence in fancy but also a smart buy. I loved this from the first try. One of my biggest pet peeves is cutting circle and patterns that call for circle cutting. Why? Because it usually involves a random search all over one's house looking for any and all objects round that will create the size circle that is needed/called for. Plus, I can't cut circles out with my rotary cutter very well, somewhere around the hand switch I either bump the pattern object or I don't put enough pressure on the rotary cutter and all goes awry! These days are over and a new circle cutting era has dawned in my sewing studio- a glorious era of circles of all sizes (1in. to 8 in. that is) living in harmony with me.

1)      This cutter is designed for paper. Well, I say "pshaw" to that. You can use it to cut lightweight fabrics easily. Get yourself some freezer paper (I bought mine at Wal-Mart) and iron it, shiny side down onto your fabric. Now cut your circles out with the paper side up. Also keep some pressure on the paper/fabric with pattern weights. This will keep the paper/fabric from shifting when the cutter is moving.

2)      You can also cut lighter weight Home dec fabrics but you will need to press a little harder.

3)      This circle cutter does not cut felt. The felt is too thick and the blade is not long enough, plus the felt is loftier than a woven so when you press down on the gripper foot it raises the area around the blade making it difficult to cut. I was a bit disappointed by this but cutting circles from felt is not as bad as a woven for me.

4)      When you are choosing your circle size, line up the ruler with the center of the shaft. This will give you an accurate size (the instructions don't mention this).

5)      You can pop out a dull blade with the tip of a knitting needle or a turning tool. The slot is small so you can't use a finger and you might need more pressure than a seam ripper can give without breaking.

6)      Best on quilting cottons, shirting, apparel fabrics including bottom weight, lightweight Home dec (linen, light wovens, silks, drapery).

Lining up ruler for 3 in. circle

My failed attempt at cutting felt