Movie Monday: New Year's Eve

It's New Year's Eve and I don't know about you, but the fam and I plan on spending the evening curled up in front of a movie. In fact, some of us have already started. Appropriately, 2011's New Year's Eve played this morning on HBO. My eldest son joined me on the couch to watch it, and patiently waited each time I paused the show to take screen shots of the yarnwear with my iPhone. Here's a little, end-of-the-year knitspiration for you!

Katherine Heigl as "Laura", wearing nubby knit scarf.

Bonus: Get the look of this scarf by casting-on 22 sts of Baby Pompom yarn in color, Cream Puff onto size US 10 1/2 / 6.5 mm needles. Knit every row until scarf is desired length. Cast off.

Michelle Pfeiffer as "Ingrid", wearing textured stitch scarf.

 

Belly of Jessical Biel as "Tess", wearing lacy cardigan.

Recommended stitching: 

Puff Ball Scarf 

Colorama Scarf 

Soft Boucle Scarf 

Satin On the Lace Cardigan 

Penny Arcade Cardigan

Happy viewing; happy stitching; HAPPY NEW YEAR!

xx, 

Vickie

The Mothercraft: Swatch Doll Blankets

I 'm a bit sentimental about my knit and crochet swatches. No matter how ordinary the stitch pattern; regardless of the content of the yarn -- more often than not, I just can't seem to part with them. Since having my own yarn line especially, the swatches have become abundant! I'm definitely not organized enough to keep a scrapbook of them, but I at least have a drawer that I stash them in. After all, (I reason with myself) there are tons of potential uses for tiny, yarn fabric, right? Well, my stitching friends, today I have validated my swatch-hoarding, by repurposing (notice the "green" term which makes this notion appear modern) a few pieces-from-projects-past into dollhouse blankets. It's a day-after-Christmas miracle!

The master bed in my daughters new dollhouse is now covered with the knit-to-crochet conversion swatch I made for the Sheep(ish), Color Card scarf. It's the perfect size, and I *heart* how it looks. If I had a spare 80 hours in my life, I would definitely make a King-sized version for my own bed!

The top-bunk blanket, is a product development test swatch. The bottom bunk is the teaching swatch I used during the double-crochet lesson in Crochet Lab on Craftsy.

Tiny squares emerging from the dark depths of the craft closet to find a new life, makes both mama and girlie happy.

Stitch.Rock.Love,
Vickie

Dig these pictures? Follow me on Instagram (or @VickieHowell) and Pinterest!

The Mothercraft: Snowball Painted Gift Wrap

Keeping kiddos busy while us parental-types are trying to finish last-minute, holiday prep can be a challenge. Here's an easy activity that's fun for toddlers to tweens, and results in something usable: "Snowball" Painted Gift Wrap!

What you need:
Snowballs (Small & large, white pompoms --learn how to make your own here!)
Craft paint
Plain wrapping paper
Masking tape

How to:

• Lay out and tape down, plain wrapping paper.

• Place a small amount of a couple of colors of paint on a plate or foil, give your kiddo the snowballs and let 'em have at it -- dip, pounce and swoosh all over the paper!

• Let dry. 

Happy holidays!

xx,
Vickie

Gifts to Make in: 1 hour/1 day/1 Weekend!

Just because the holidays are crazy-busy doesn’t mean there isn’t time to get crafty. Knit and crocheted gifts are the softest way to celebrate the season, and I’m a big believer that projects should be attainable no matter what your schedule looks like! That’s why I’ve designed four, great gift items that can be made in a weekend, a day or even just an hour -- and all in Vickie Howell Sheep(ish) Yarn. Whether you’re stitching for officemates, teachers or your best friends, you’ll be able to fit these patterns into almost any time table. 

Crochet this cup cozy in an hour!

Knit these mitts in a day!

Knit this cowl in a weekend!

Crochet this shrug in a weekend!

Psst...Sheep(ish) is on sale at Joann.com right now for $2.79 a ball!

Happy holidays!,

Vickie

Gift Ideas: 7 Wrist Warmer Sets to Make!

Unisex Mitts for Joann.com

Hand Over Twist from Step It Up Knits

Mo' Warmers from Step It Up Knits

Wrist Factor

Hand-tastic! Warmers

Wristy Business for Petite Purls

Wristful Thinking for Knit Simple

Stitch.Rock.Knit-along: Smocked Wrist Warmers!

Just in time for last-minute-gift-making, the latest Stitch.Rock.Knit-along will begin on Facebook and Ravelry this Thursday, 12/13. This KAL's project is the Wristful Thinking hand warmers from Knit Simple, Winter '12. 

Shown in color: Magenta(ish)

What you'll need:

• 1 Ball Bernnat Sheep(ish) by Vickie Howell
• Size US 8 double-pointed needles
• Pattern from Knit Simple Winter '12 (available in print or digital version)

Smocked Stitch over a Reverse Stockinette Background.

Where to go:

• Join us on either Facebook or Ravelry. Just post an "I'm in"comment, and you'll be good to go. 

What to do:

• Post comments and photos of WIPs, FOs and supplies.
• Ask questions.
• Swap advice.
• Knit-along with us!

NOTE: There were some typos in the issue, so please go here for the pattern errata.

Hope to knit-along with you soon!

xx,

Vickie

Mothercraft: Felt Wall Tree

A drive-by post to share an activity craft I made for my 3 1/2-year-old daughter and 18-month-old nephew to play with over the weekend: a felt wall tree. I'd been pursuing the annals of Pinterest, looking at kiddo activities and came across this idea. It's so simple and brilliant, that I had to make one for the wee ones in my family! My version is just two pieces of wool-felt, cut into tree-shape and top-sewn together with a loop sandwiched in-between. For the ornaments, I took the easy way out. I cut out some motifs from a vintage, Christmas pillowcase I had. Then, I sandwiched some fusible bond between that fabric and some felt, and ironed them all together.

My daughter especially enjoyed decorating and un-decorating the tree with the felt ornaments. Definitely a mothercraft worth making!

xx,
Vickie

Pompom Tree

Shown in colors: Olive(ish), Chartreuse(ish) and Lime(ish)

My friend, Noelle made this adorable, hanging pompom tree for me out of 3 colors of Bernat Sheep(ish) by Vickie Howell yarn. It looks so sweet hanging on one of our inside doors, that I thought I'd share.

To make your own, simply make three poms in graduating sizes and shades (make sure to leave 'em shaggy!); tie together; hang.

Need a pompom making refresher? Check out my video tutorial here.

This is a great project to make with kids for them to hang in their bedrooms, or even give to their teachers as gifts!

Enjoy!,
Vickie

Gift Ideas: 7 Scarves to Knit or Crochet

Star Stitch Scarf
Yarn: Softee Chunky

Cable Ace Eternity Scarf
Yarn: Sheep(ish)

Biased Opinion Scarf
Yarn: Sheep(ish)

Thankful Thursday Scarf
Yarn: Bernat Mosaic

Color Card Scarf
Yarn: Sheep(ish)

Brioche the Subject Scarf
Yarn: Sheep(ish)

Subway Scarf
Yarn: Sheep(ish)

Movie Monday Flashback: Posts of Christmas Past

December rings in the season for knitwear galore in movies and on TV. It seems fitting that the first Movie Monday entry of the month focus on posts of Christmas movies past. So here goes: three yarn-tastic flicks: A Christmas Story, Elf, and Surviving Christmas, plus knit and crochet pattern recommendations to get you in the spirit!

A Christmas Story

Peter Billingsley as "Ralphie", wearing a Ribbed Hat with Pom-Pom

R.D. Robb as "Schwartz", wearing a Striped Stocking Cap

Ian Patrella as "Randy", wearing a Ribbed Scarf

Recommended Knitting: 

Bernat Satin: Textured Toque 

Bernat Soft Boucle :Long Scarf 

Bernat Mosaic: Thankful Thursday Scarf

Elf

Zooey Deschanel as , wearing a Crocheted Stripe Scarf, and Knit Hat

Honeycomb Stitch, Knit Hat

Background player, wearing a Striped, Rib Beanie

Recommended Stitching:
Bernat Sheep(ish) by Vickie Howell: My Guy Beanie 
Bernat Satin: Striped Scarf
Bernat Softee Chunky: Golden Glow Earflap Hat
Bernat Roving: Pompom Souffle Hat  

Surviving Christmas

James Gandolfini as "Tom", in a traditional Christmas Fair Isle Pullover

Christina Applegate as "Alicia", in a Garter Stitch Hat

"Alicia", wearing a Fair Isle Turtleneck Sweater.

"Christine", wearing a Crocheted Stripe Scarf.

Recommended Stitching:
Bernat Sheep(ish) by Vickie Howell: Subway Scarf
Bernat Super Saver: Snowflake Sweater
Bernat Satin: Other Snowflake Sweater
Bernat Roving: Cowl & Hat

 Happy viewing; happy stitching!

 xx, Vickie

Tonight (possibly) on Extreme Makeover Home Edition!

Me wearing the official EMHE volunteer blue shirt, sewing a knitted piece to one of the trees.

Well, it's been almost a year since my buddy Noelle and I drove out to Bastrop, TX to participate in the shoot for this amazing build, and it's finally time for the episode to air! I'm not sure whether or not we ended up on the editing floor, but keep your peepers open for some of us volunteers and our yarn bombing. Also, maybe making an appearance is the Sheep(ish) Zig-zag Stocking that will hopefully be hanging on the Zdroj family's mantel. Tune in to ABC at 8pm/7pm CT to check it out! Oh, and to see more of my behind-the-scenes photos, go here.

Below I've pasted the original post about this particular build and shoot. If you feel inspired to add a little yarn bombing cheer to your house (or maybe someone's who could use some extra, holiday love), please also visit Joann.com where my tips and a recipe for a trunk cozy are posted. Enjoy!

xx,

Vic

Originally posted 12/16/11
This week I was honored to be able to participate in Extreme Makeover Home Edition's build of a local, Texas home. The efforts were to benefit a much deserving family of five who, while working as volunteer fire fighters to help relief efforts, lost their own home in the devastating fires that struck Bastrop in September. 

The mother in the family is also an artist and crafter, who loves the D.I.Y aesthetic, so the producers called me (thanks to a hook-up by my former Knitty Gritty executives who now work on the show) to see if I'd be willing to help. I jumped at the chance.

Thanks to Caron, we were able to donate a bunch of Sheep(ish) for volunteers to make ornaments and these stockings for the family. They also asked if I would yarn bomb a few of the trees that although charred by the flames, will apparently triumph come Springtime. The day before the shoot, I whipped up a few pieces on my Ultimate Sweater Machine. Even though we had only minutes to put them on the trees so they look a wee bit janky, the site of the warm, bright colors--symbols of hope-- on the wounded trunks is pretty beautiful. 

Here are a few, iPhone shots from the experience.

Designer/co-host Tracy Hutson & volunteer crafter, chatting in front of the cameras.

A little lumpy, but extra cozy.

Stay tuned for this episode, so you can see the amazing home & studio the team built for this family. It'll air next year for Christmas. 

Stitch.Rock.Love, 

Vickie