Ten Minute Project Bag for Knitters

If you are a knitter you know that you can never have too many project bags.  These simple satchels are the perfect way to organize your current WIPs and notions.  This very simple tutorial is a great way to use up fabric scraps you may have on hand and can be tailor made in various sizes.

Not a knitter? 

This simple draw string bag can be useful in other ways and makes a great reusable gift bag.

Materials: 1/4" yard cotton fabric, scissors/rotary cutter, cutting mat, iron, kitchen twine or cotton ribbon

Maizy's Wiggle Mitts

The cool weather is upon us...  

This weekend I knit up a pair of Wiggle Mitts for Maizy and she is already putting them to good use.  

Living in California we rarely need to wear gloves or mittens and on the rare occasion the temps dip low my girls won't keep them on, as they like to have their fingers free.  I found Wiggle Mitts provide just enough warmth and coziness to keep the chill away yet they still allow my girls' the full use of their hands so they can carry on with climbing, playing with toys and whatever else it is little girls do. 

Link to my original Wiggle Mitts post and the pattern can be found HERE.

Happy Knitting!

Karyn

PS The gorgeous hoodie in these photos is by Evy's Tree and is a staple of Maizy's fall wardrobe.  Check out the entire Fall 2013 Evy's Tree collection HERE.

Maizy Moo Knits Facebook Fan Celebration! Win a custom dolly sized mei tai!

1,600 Facebook fans! Woot Woot!

How about a little giveaway to celebrate this milestone?  

Recently I made my daughter a dolly sized baby carrier (mei tai style) so that she could wear her favorite babies and stuffed animals.  I used the wonderful tutorial by the Mindful Mama to create my mei tai and found it to be a simple and fun sewing project (see Nicole's full tutorial HERE).  

My daughter loves her mei tai which made think I should celebrate hitting 1,600 fans by giving away a custom mei tai!  The winner of this give away will be able to pick fabrics from my (very) large fabric stash and the carrier will be made to order for your little one.

The carrier is fully reversible so you can pick three different coordinating fabrics for your custom mei tai.

Your mei tai will be made with quality 100% cotton woven fabric and the head rest is padded with cotton batting.

This carrier will fit most children from 2 to 7 years of age and is perfect for carrying dolls and stuffed animals that range in size from 8" to 18".

This carrier is NOT intended to carry a human baby (just dolls and stuffed animals please).  

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Karyn

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Quick and Easy Fabric Covered Headband Tuturial

This quick craft project is too easy not to try.  As a lover of headbands and easy hairstyles I can never have too many headbands.  This project is also a great way to use up those fabric scraps that have been piling up.  

Have fun and happy crafting!

Supply List: cutting mat, rotary cutter or scissors, (1) fat quarter of woven cotton fabric, blank headband (you can find these at your local drug store, big box or craft shop, DON'T use plastic headbands), Liquid Stitch permanent fabric glue, iron/ironing board

Let's get started... First cut (1) 14" x 5.25" piece of fabric and (2) 2.5" x 3" pieces of fabric.  Press your large piece of fabric in half with right sides together (as shown in the sewing photo below).

Sew down the side of your folded piece of fabric (1/4" seam allowance).

Press your seams (please ignore my ironing board and it's ugly water stains).

Turn the fabric right side out and press the fabric with the seam running down the center.

Now we will gather our ends.  This is not an exact science but rather you just fold in the edges of your fabric strip to create a gathered look.  Press down the folds so they stay put while glueing.

Using your Liquid Stitch permanent fabric glue, squeeze out a bead of glue from tip of headband to center of headband.  Now gently lay your fabric strip (seam side down) across the top of your headband, gently pressing the fabric against the headband (don't press too hard as you don't want to overly squish your glue).

Run a second bead of glue down the other side of the headband and continue to gently lay your fabric in place while gently pressing down.  When done with this step your headband should look like the photo below.

Now we will prepare our two small fabric pieces to wrap around the ends, giving the headband a tidy, finished look.  Fold your fabric in thirds lengthwise and press.  You can glue down the folds so they stay put if you choose (shown in the photo above).

Without worrying too much about being precise, run a bead of glue along the back of your small fabric strip and then wrap the piece around the end of the headband.  Pinch and hold fabric and add more glue if needed.

Allow your headband to dry for 12-24 hours.  

Once dry you can gently re-press the gathers in the headband with your iron to get them to lay just right. 

I hope you enjoy making lots of pretty headbands!

(And yes, I'm learning to embrace my greying hair.)

Karyn

Maizy Moo Knits

5" Droplet Giveaway

This is a giveaway for a 5" Puddlefoot Droplet.  She is made from ultra soft orange and rust colored cotton velour, peach interlock cotton, and stuffed with ECOwool.  She has dark brown eyes and a fluff of yellow mohair.

The winner will receive this doll FREE in the US.  

**International winner will pay $5 to cover partial shipping.**

To enter, fill out the info in the Rafflecopter box below.

GIVEAWAY ENDS FRIDAY.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Little Moccasins for 15" Bamboletta Dolls

Because dollies deserve to have cozy toes too...

a free pattern by Maizy Moo Knits!

This simple knitting pattern was inspired by the adorable Baby Moccasin pattern published on the Purl Bee blog.  These moccasins are knit in the round using sport/DK weight wool yarn and finished with a leather cord tie.  

I hope you enjoy knitting these up as much as I do and please share your completed project on Ravelry.

Questions?  

Feel free to send me a message at maizymooknits@gmail.com

Happy Knitting!

Karyn

Bamboletta Moccasin

Materials:

2 colors of sport weight yarn (I used Knit Picks Wool of the Andes sport)

size 2 and size 4 32" circular needles for Magic Loop method (or a set of size 2 and size 4 DPNs) 

one stitch marker

sport weight yarn for duplicate stitch embellishment 

yarn needle

(2) 10" pieces of 1-2mm leather cord

Pattern:

Using your smaller needle and yarn A, cast on 32 stitches

Rows 1-6- Join in the round and work 5 rows of K1P1 ribbing to make the cuff of your moccasin.   Switch to yarn B and knit one row in stockinette stitch

Rows 7-17- Switch to your larger needle and continue knitting stockinette with yarn B for 11 rows

Row 18- purl 16, place stitch marker, purl 16 to the end of row 

** I pause here to do my Native American inspired duplicate stitch designs.  The stitch marker marks the center front of your moccasin so that you know where to place your decorative stitches.  You do not have to do your duplicate stitching now if you do not want to.  It can also be done when the mocs are finished.

Row 19- Switch back to yarn B for the sole.  Knit14, K2T *repeat to end of row (30 stitches)

Row 20- Purl

Row 21- K13, K2T *repeat to end of row (28 stitches)

Row 22- Purl

Row 23- Knit

Row 24- Purl

Row 25- K5, K2T *repeat to end of row (24 stitches)

Row 26- Purl

Row 27- K4, K2T *repeat to end of row (20 stitches)

Row 28- Purl

Slip the next 10 stitches onto one needle and the last 10 stitches onto another.  

Use the Kitchener Stitch to graft the bottom of the sole together.

Weave in all ends and your moccasin is done!

Feel free to sell items made from this pattern but please mention that the pattern was designed by Maizy Moo Knits in the listing.  Thank you.

Drizzle Giveaway!!

UPDATE:  We have a winner!  Congratulations Krissie Caldwell!!

This is a 1600 fan giveaway for a little Drizzle!  It measures about 4" tall and is made from felted wool, cotton interlock, and stuffed with ECOWool. It is lightweight and fits perfectly in the palm of your childs hand. It would look lovely in an Easter basket too!  

You must be a fan of Puddlefoot Dolls on Facebook to qualify.

To enter:
1. Comment on this blog post.
2. For an extra entry SHARE my giveaway post on FB.  Be sure to say "SHARED" as your second comment.

Super easy!

I will pick a winner next week.  Date and time to be announced.

12" Rena and Rocky

Upload today, February 12th at 7PM PST in my BC shop.

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE.