Pompom-Trimmed Cowl

Here's a link to the cowl I had in mind to make:

Pompom-Trimmed Cowl. The link is to the great tutorial.


In my sewing room, this is not a good sign (but it's a great tip):

Damp sponge with little threads

I use a dampened sponge to "catch" or hold threads when the air is dry. The threads would rather stick to the damp sponge than to my fingers.

I wanted to make the cowl right away, so instead of ordering the trim from Purl Soho, I bought the size of black pompom trim that was available at Joann's. It's larger than the trim used in the tutorial, so I adjusted the width of the double fold from 3/4 in. to 1-1/4 in. to accommodate the larger trim. Because I'm so smart and can figure everything out.

I marked and pressed my fabric:

I used a denim size 100 needle because the border of the trim, which is stitched through, is quite dense, in addition to the multiple layers of fabric. Oh yes, all figured out.

Just fine until the tutorial didn't happen to take into account one of my little sewing quirks: I like to stitch from the right side of the fabric whenever possible. It usually results in a nicer finished look. In this project, however, after I sewed the pompom trim close to the edge of the double-folded edge, with the fold wrapped to encase the trim, it looked like this:

So I took out the stitching (see sponge at top), pressed the fabric again, and started over. I decided that one more row of stitching wouldn't hurt anything, and so, on to Plan B. I sewed the trim to the folded fabric, needle position far left, and sewed from the wrong side of the fabric.

Then I folded the fabric over, shown here to the left of the presser foot, to completely encase the trim. And, using my zipper foot, sewing through all layers, stitched the trim to the fabric again, this time with the needle in the far right position, close to the pompoms, again on the wrong side of the fabric.

I then sewed the third row of stitching through all layers, this time with the needle position at far left.

Ta da! Success! I pressed the sewn edge. I then repeated my revised process on the other long edge of the fabric. I followed the rest of the tutorial at Purl Soho Tutorial.

Here's the finished cowl:

I wouldn't want it even 1 inch shorter. I just ordered more pompom trim to make a few more.

Update: Karendee asked what size pom poms I used for my cowl. Here's a photo:

Those are 1-in. yellow-on-green grid lines, so, including the edging, each pompom is about 1-1/4 in. At Joann's, the rolls of this fringe are marked 3/4 inch, and as you can see, each pompom is (almost) 3/4 in. in diameter.

Blessings and peace...

Baby Surprise Jacket Sweater

I have knitted a lot of baby items, but seldom took photos of them. (Note: If you receive a handmade gift for your baby, it would be really nice and much appreciated if you were to send a photo of your baby wearing/using it to the person who made it. The knitter might have been weaving in the last ends in the car on her way to the baby shower.)

I showed you some hats for premature babies I knit one Lent:
Today I am remembering the Baby Surprise Jacket (BSJ), also known as the Baby Surprise Sweater. I lost count of how many of these I knitted. Plymouth Encore, a machine washable and machine dryable worsted weight yarn that is 75% acrylic and 25% wool, comes in solid and variegated colorways. (Why do some designers create patterns for cashmere garments for real live babies?)
So, about this BSJ sweater. It was designed by Elizabeth Zimmermann many years ago, and the pattern as well as a DVD that provides instructions for the sweater as well as many variations are available from her daughter's shop, Schoolhouse Press. It is knit all in one piece, and for a while, you wonder how you went so terribly wrong. Here's how it looks after it's knit but not sewn up:

And then when sewn up:

Oh and for this one I made a matching cap:

And here is one more:

And that same sweater on a friend's baby (Thanks, Kitty, for sending me the photo):

As Elizabeth Zimmermann wrote,
"Knit on, with confidence and hope, through all crises."


Blessings and peace...

I Make My Own Almond Milk

Why:
I'm following a fat-free vegan diet for health reasons. So that means no (cow's) milk.
Homemade almond milk contains no additives or preservatives.
It takes only a few minutes to make (not counting the soaking time).
It's so convenient to make it when you need or want it.
Homemade almond milk costs about half (or less) to make as it does to buy it. I will save more than $100 in the next year by making my own. The price of almonds varies, depending on where you buy it and whether you choose options such as organic. I recently bought a 3 lb bag of almonds in the baking aisle of BJs (similar to Costco). It contains 9-1/2 cups of almonds and cost about $11.00, or $3.66 per lb, or $.86 per quart of almond milk.

Supplies:
Vitamix (mine is Model 5200)
Strainer or nut bag (I use a paint strainer from Lowes that I triple-washed before using it for the first time)
Bowl
Pitcher

Ingredients:
1 cup dry roasted almonds
Water
Vanilla extract (optional)
Sweetener such as dates (optional)

1 cup almonds

Steps:
1. Rinse the almonds.

2. This next step is optional -- I like to do it because the resulting almond milk is as white as snow. Soak the almonds for an hour or more (or overnight in the refrigerator), then slip off the skins. If they don't slip off easily, you can place the almonds in a saucepan and cover them with water, bring to a boil, simmer for a few minutes, then turn off the heat. When cool, slip off the skins, keeping the unskinned and skinned almonds in water. Rinse the almonds again.

After soaking

Skins peeled

3. Place 4 to 5 cups of cold water into the Vitamix, add the soaked, rinsed almonds, add a few drops of vanilla and/or sweetener (optional), and cover.

4. Turn On, quickly increase the variable speed from 1 to 10, then turn on High. In a few minutes, the almonds are liquified.

Almost almond milk

Looking into the container

5. Pour the almond milk through a strainer into a pitcher or bowl. Pour into a jar and refrigerate.

Almond milk filtering

After filtering

6. Spread the pulp out on a baking sheet and dry it in the oven at the lowest setting. When completely dry, store it in the refrigerator and use it in baking.

Notes:
1. I don't add any sweetener; it's just my taste preference.
2. I used to squeeze the bag to get every drop of liquid, but that adds more of the almond solids to the milk. Now I just let gravity do the work.
3. The solids can be added to a smoothie, soup, or cereal; and they can be dried and used in recipes.

Easy-peasy lemon-squeezy. Fresh. Cold. Healthy. No milk cartons to throw away.

Disclaimer: I am an approved affiliate for Vitamix. You can get free standard shipping and handling (a $25 US/$35 CN value) by purchasing through Vitamix and using code 06-007841 when placing your order.

Blessings and peace...

Sewing the Easiest Ever Lined Drawstring Bag

Recently, Madeline (age 6) asked me to teach her how to knit. That will be so much fun! We'll probably start over her Christmas vacation; she's in first grade and is pretty busy right now. I already have the needles and yarn, and I'd like to make a bag for her to keep her knitting project in. I'd like for it to be easy to open and close and for her to be able to carry it by the straps on her wrist. It stays open when it's open, and it stays closed when it's closed. Before we get started, here are the needles and yarn:

Did you see the kitties on the ends of the needles? Here's a close up:

Supplies:
1 piece of fabric for the outside of the bag
1 piece of fabric for the lining
2 pieces of grosgrain ribbon
2 ribbons or cording or shoelaces (Note: It must be thin enough to fit through the grosgrain ribbon after the ribbon is stitched down.)

Here's a picture of grosgrain ribbon; you can see the "ribbing" texture and that the edges are finished. I always save grosgrain ribbon from wrapped packages to use in sewing projects.

Photo credit 

Before we start, I'm going to decide on the dimensions of the finished bag.
Finished length/height: 12 in. to accommodate her knitting needles and some yarn
Finished width: 9.5 in.

Math ahead (but easy):
Finished length x 2 plus 1/2 in. seam allowance x 2
(Mine is 12 x 2 = 24 + 1 = 25 in.)
Finished width plus 1/2 in. seam allowance x 2
(Mine is 9.5 + 1 = 10.5 in.)

So I need to cut 2 pieces of fabric (one for the outside and one for the lining) 25 in. long x 10.5 in. wide.

When I'm sewing, I like to think ahead at least a step or two. My next step will be to sew those two pieces of fabric together, right sides together, leaving an opening to turn. So after pressing the fabric, lay out the fabrics on the cutting mat as follows: lay the outside fabric right side up and lay the lining fabric fabric right side down, on top of the outside fabric.

Using my rotary cutter and ruler, I made four cuts so that I have two pieces that are 25 x 10.5 in.

Again planning ahead, before I lift the fabric, pin the two layers together. (Isn't that nice; now you don't have to match up the layers before sewing!)

The red clips are my reminder
to leave this part open.

Stitch all around with a 1/4-in. seam allowance, leaving a 4 or 5 in. opening for turning. Be sure to secure the stitching at the beginning and end. (I backstitch.)

Needle position is one notch to the right of
center position for 1/4 in. seam allowance.

Trim corners.

Press to set the stitches into the fabric. At the opening for turning, fold back the fabric even with stitching line and press along the 1/4 in. fold line. Repeat with the other side.

Reach into the opening with your hand and turn right side out. Use a skewer or something similar (I used a Size 15 knitting needle) to push the corners out. Be gentle; don't push too hard.

Push the knitting needle into the corner.

Press. Stitch the opening closed, very close to the folded edge.

This is how it now looks:

Cut two pieces of ribbon, each the width of the lined fabric.
Turn under and press 3/8 in. at each end.
Zigzag the folded ends to secure the raw edges.

Pin the grosgrain ribbon to the outside of the lined fabric. (I pinned mine 1.5 in. from the edges.)

Stitch along both long edges of the ribbon to the fabric, very close to the edges, leaving the ends open. Reinforce the stitching at the beginning and end of each row of stitching. I double backstitched mine. Repeat at the other end.

The stitching is very close to the edges.

Fold the bag in half, right sides together, and pin, then sew each side from 1 in. from the top to the bottom. Reinforce the stitching at the beginning. Repeat on the other side.

The arrow points to where
I begin the stitching.

Turn the bag right side out. Use a skewer or something similar (I used a Size 15 knitting needle) to push the corners out. Be gentle; don't push too hard. Press.

The grosgrain ribbon is close to the seam
but not included in the seam allowance.

Cut 2 pieces of cording, each the width of the finished bag x 2 + 6 in. I cut mine 25 in. for my bag, which is 9.5 in. wide.

Thread one piece of cord through the grosgrain ribbon and continue around and slide it through the second grosgrain ribbon. Slide until both raw ends are even. Tie the ends into a knot. Repeat with the second cord, but this time, begin at the halfway point side of the first cord. As for the first, slide the cord until the ends are even. Tie the ends into a knot.

One cord (upper) starts at this seam allowance and
the other cord starts at the other seam allowance (lower).

I'm ready when you are, Madeline!

I'll also include this little poem in the bag, laminated, with one verse on each side:

How to Knit
In through the front door
Once around the back
Peek through the window
And off jumps Jack.

How to Purl
Under the fence
Catch the sheep
Back we come
Off we leap.

~ ~ ~

Of course, this bag can be made in any size. What size will you make? What will you use it for?

Note: I edited all of my photos to be 325 pixels wide, but they appear all different widths here. If anyone knows what I need to change to get my intended result, please share. Thanks!

Blessings and peace...

It's Time to Sew

How do I know this? Because my new and newly decorated clock says so.

I was at Joann's yesterday, with a 50% off coupon in my purse. I didn't find what I was looking for, but I spotted a plain wall clock that would work for my clockless sewing room. It was $19.99, but with my coupon, just over $10. Hmmm...

Harris White Wall Clock

Plain, really plain. Which almost suits me. Okay, I've got an idea...

If you look really closely, you can see the blue thread taped down.

Here's a close up.

I've gathered my supplies: clock to decorate, 12 buttons, glue gun, and tile (not pictured: rubbing alcohol and Q-tips). I am all thumbs when it comes to glue guns. How do people manage all of those wispy threads of glue that appear everywhere? Oh, here's my tip about glue guns. Use a tile (leftover from your most recent remodeling project) to set your glue gun on while it's heating up and in between uses. That will minimize the number of glue gobs you'll have to clean up later.

After cleaning the back of the buttons and the edge of the clock with rubbing alcohol, I glued the buttons on. Inserted a battery, set the time, and it's ready to hang on the wall. Almost.

Reset the time, now that Daylight Savings time is over.

Louie, will you please hang my new clock on the wall?

What other ways could you use this idea? How about sport-theme stickers for a sports fan, kitchen/food-theme stickers for a gourmet cook? Or instead of stickers, pictures cut from magazines glued on. Pictures of books...gardening-theme stickers. Pink and purple glitter glue shapes (stars, circles, etc.) for a sweet little girl. Stickers or pictures of favorite saints. As long as it's lightweight and can be glued, you can make it!

Blessings and peace...