Double Sided Chair Caddy Pattern

Materials:
Worsted weight yarn in 2 colors. I used a variegated skein (color 1) and a solid skein (color 2).
H crochet hook
Yarn needle to weave in ends

Chain 36 and turn.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd chain from hook, turn.
Row 2: Ch 2, dc in each st across, turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.
Repeat Rows 2 and 3, 7 times.
Fasten off color 1 and attach color 2, turn.

Row 1: Ch 1, sc in back loop of each stitch across, turn.
This creates a ridge to make the piece fold easier later on. Do not do this in any other rows unless told to do so.
Row 2: Ch 2, dc in each st across, turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.
Repeat Rows 2 and 3, 20 times.
Fasten off color 2 and join color 1.

Row 1: Ch 1, sc in back loop of each stitch across, turn.
This is the second place to do this to make the piece fold easier.
Row 2: Ch 2, dc in each st across, turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.
Repeat Rows 2 and 3, 8 times.
Ch 1, sc in each st across and fasten off.

You will now fold the piece with the ridges sticking out as shown in the photos below.
Starting in one corner sc the front and back together to work along the side.
Sc along the bottom in the loops left from the fold.
Sc along the other edge catching the front and back together.
Sc along the top in the loops left from the fold.

Weave in ends.








An option I did was to stitch one of the pockets in half (seen above) to make it easier to hold remotes and use the other pocket for notebooks or magazines.

Another option is to place a piece of plastic canvas in one of the pockets and stitch along the open edge. This will stiffen it so this part can slide in between a mattress for you to use for a book in bed or a remote.

My sofa has wide arms so I would need to do the repeats of the center color more times for it to hang better. I think I need to make one for my bed now.

Homemade Christmas Tree

With the help of my son's youngest children my tree is up for this year. I decided to use a 4 foot tree instead of my huge one I usually use. Every ornament on the tree is handmade and has a story. There are knitted and crocheted ornaments. My oldest daughter, Mandy, has a ceramic ball ornament that she made in girl scouts and a plastic canvas penguin she made a few years ago. My youngest daughter has a teddy bear she made in kindergarten and a bear spoon ornament that was made for her by my Mother when Cyndy was small. Mariah, my oldest granddaughter has a tiny moccasin to represent her heritage and a marshmallow snowman she made in Headstart. My son's tree holds his ornament he made in cub scouts and his children's ornaments.

Here in this close up you can see the polymer clay ornaments I made this year and a few of my mini hats, bells and winter wear I knitted and crocheted.

The angel at the top is always the crowning glory. My youngest daughter was killed in an automobile accident on November 17, 2001. This angel looks just like her and is always at the top of my tree. I made her out of porcelain and lace. You can see Cyndy's photo peaking out of the left side of the angel.

Tiny Knit Sweater for Barbie or an Ornament (or both)

I did one for my tree and one for my Granddaughter’s Barbie.

Materials:
WW yarn
Size 3 needles-1 set
Yarn needle

Cast on 14 sts and turn.
K1, P1 for 2 rows.
Work stockinette stitch (k1 row, p1 row) for 10 rows.

You will now be forming the sleeves.
K across row, do not turn, cast on 10 sts, now turn.
P across row, do not turn, cast on 10 sts, now turn.
K 1 row, turn.
P 1 row, turn.
K 1 row, turn.

You will now be forming the neck in 2 sections while still keeping all the stitches worked on the same needle.
P across 14 sts, bind off 6 sts, P across to end, turn.

You will now be working on the right side of the sweater.
K 14 sts, turn.
P 14 sts, turn.
K 14 sts, turn. Fasten off and weave in this end.

You are now working on the left sleeve.
Attach the yarn in the 1 stitch next to the neck and knit across, turn.
P 1 row, turn.
K 1 row, turn.

You will now be creating the back of the sleeves.
P 14 sts, cast on 6 sts, P 14 sts, turn.
K 1 row, turn.
P 1 row, turn.
K 1 row, turn.

You will now be creating the back of the sweater.
Bind off 10 sts, P across to end, turn.
Bind off 10 sts, K across to end, turn.
Work stockinette stitch (k1 row, p1 row, beginning with a p row) for 10 rows.
K1 P1 for 2 rows and turn at the end of each.
Bind of in k1 p1.
Fasten off.

Sew arm and side seams, weave in ends.

I then used wire to shape my own hanger.

Enjoy.


Here is the sweater before sewign the seams.

Here si the sweater sewn up.

And the sweater on my hanger.

Polar Express and waiting for the snow

Enjoying a day off from work by watching the Polar Express and designing a tiny knit sweater. One will go to my youngest granddaughter for her Barbie at Christmas and the other will go on my Christmas tree. As soon as I have it done to I can take photos I will post the pics and the pattern. I am doing a knit one right now and may try to do a crocheted one too later. We are supposed to have snow either tonight or tomorrow. We already have people in town with their Christmas lights up and going. I just love it!

A use for those triangular priority mail boxes

I get and receive at work the long, thin triangular boxes that I receive and ship employment law posters in. Carefully open the end so that you can re-close it. Then cut it in half width wise.

When you have 6 half sections put them together with duct tape to look like a lemon cane of clay or a citrus slice (for non- clayers) . Then cover the outside with a nice contact paper and you now have a compartment with six separate sections to store items in. I have one for yarn skeins I am currently using and and another for my 1 pound bricks of clay. You could do the same thing by alternating them with the point up, then the point down on the next and create a sort of shelf. Hold them together with the duct tape and then cover with the contact paper. I have one covered with a wood look contact paper. I can put tools in sections, my baggies of cane ends that are potential Natasha beads or my rollers.

I think that they need to update my posters now so I can have more boxes (legally) to cut up since you are not to get the boxes just for this reason. I just like a way to reuse them and not just throw them away, what a waste. I want to do one with the boxes cut into halves and then halves again the same way to make smaller sections. Then I can make a tool holder that stands up and holds my sculpting tools. Just cover the ends of the pieces that have open ends with a piece of cardboard since it will be covered with the contact paper anyway.

I have one down the hall that I can post but I am on a lunch break between training classes for work so I will post the photo later.

Here is the photo of the one I did before. I used masking tape and disney babies contact paper (allI had a the time). You can see my yarn in the openings.