My Updo Bag Project ~ The Knitted Bag Redo

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Just like R-Chee & I promised on Monday, here is the 4th bag we redid together while sitting in the Summer sun & shade provided by our patio umbrella!

We are having so much FUN making up new projects for us to learn things about and share with you!

Today, we are going to show you the new zipper we learned to sew into our already knitted bag!

You can use this tutorial we found to sew a zipper into any crocheted, knitted or fabric project!

All you have to do is measure the opening of your bag or pouch and buy a zipper that is 1" or 2" longer.
Then just follow the directions of the tutorial to pin and hand or machine sew in your zipper.

We chose to hand sew ours as I am not a super confident sewer on my sewing machine! :)

After I sewed in our powder blue zipper, I decided to sew some orange pom pom trim around the bag to give it a more whimsical look.

Ta Da!

What do you think?

I was so amazed at how easy it was to do!

Now I have a brand new purse or project bag to enjoy!

What new things have you taught yourself to do this Summer?

Please leave us a note and let us know!

We cannot wait to learn them too!

Thank you for always sharing with us!

R-Chee and I are so lucky to have friends like you that we can play with and have our own art camp with all year long!

xoxoxo

Melissa & R-Chee

Tunisian Crochet Project ~ Scarf

 

Happy Monday Everyone!

 

Archie and I are so excited because we have learned a new Craft that we just LOVE!

 

It is a form of crochet called Tunisian Crochet that is a marrying of knitting and crochet all in one!

 

It is so FUN!

 

We learned in our new Tunisian Crochet online class on Craftsy.com that once you  purchase the class, it is yours forever! 

 

The class includes amazing instruction through Video, PDF Lessons, Patterns and help from the instructor!

 

You take it on your own time and can never be behind in the lessons. :)

 

I love Craftsy.com and will show you another project next Monday from the Crochet Embellishments class I just took too! :) 

 

 

 

In addition to the class, I also bought this book on Amazon.com to learn each kind of stitch and use for a printed & bound guide.

It is a great book & is filled with patterns, photos and directions on how to make each stitch.

There are several stitches that you can master and choose to use for your projects.

So far I have learned the Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS).

Here are two great blog tutorials that I also found that I think are helpful ...

http://crochetingthedayaway.blogspot.com/2011/10/tunisian-crochet-how-to-basic-tunisian.html

http://thingsbright.com/welcome-to-tunisian-crochet-week/

For my first project in Tunisian Crochet, I made Fred a warm and wonderful scarf.

He just loves it!

 

It was so FUN to learn a new form of crochet that uses a longer hook that you crochet the stitches onto and off of like knitting and also has a structure when you form the stitches that is similar in appearance to knitting. :)

 

Here is a close up of the scarf where I used the Tunisian Simple Stitch for the long brown body part of the scarf and then added a row of crochet bobbles and several rows of single crochet at each end for a neat effect.

 

 

 

This is an example of a Tunisian Hook that is also called an afghan hook.

 

I purchased all the Tunisian hook sizes ~ F through K ~ (also called the Afghan Hook) that I will need for most of my projects on Joann's .com

 

My favorite brand of crochet hooks is Boye so that is what I chose but lots of companies make them in more than just aluminum.  You can get bamboo in these and even larger sizes and they have kits you can get for working Tunisian crochet in the round too.

 

The instructor of the Craftsy.com class, Jennifer Hanson, has a wonderful website called stitchdiva.com that has her original tutorials, classes, yarn, patterns and lots of hooks & supplies that you can purchase too.

To further celebrate my new craft and hooks, I purchased this neat vintage ceramic vase on Etsy.com that is the perfect container to hold and display all of my new hooks. :)

I love shopping on Etsy.com!

You can also find lots of hooks and patterns for Tunisian and traditional crochet & knitting on etsy.com!

Please let me know if you learn or already practice this fabulously fun art form.

I would love to hear all about your projects and favorite places to shop for lots of neat things to use to further learn and enjoy this craft!

I would also love to hear what other new things you have been learning in classes, the kitchen, books, online or in daily life that you enjoy and want to share!

Thanks for taking the time to see what I have been working on in the evenings while relaxing with Fred & R-Chee.

Have a Super day everyone!

xoxox

Melissa & R-Chee

Wonderful Wee Weavers!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

I am so excited to introduce two very special people to you today!

They are my nephews, Isaac and Benjamin, who are 7 & 5 years old.

Fred's brother and his wife are so wonderful to share these photos with us of I & B showing off their new weaving and knitting projects!

I & B asked to learn how to knit for their holiday presents this year, and I was so excited I cannot even tell you! :)

I got them each a french knitter spool and a loom & loop weaving kit to make pot holders and other neat creations with.

I had so much fun teaching them how to weave in just about an hour!

Here they are showing off their pot holders!

... and my heart just melted when I got these beautiful handmade Thank You cards in the mail.

I have them saved in a special box where I keep everything they make!

How FUN!

What fun things have been up to so far this year?

Please leave us a note and let us know!

We cannot wait to hear all about them!

xoxoxo
Melissa & R-Chee

Friend's Fabulous Art ~ Sharing Smiles!

Happy Monday everyone!

Archie and I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday weekend filled with family, food & fun!

We thought today would be the perfect day to share with you the wonderful art our friends' have made and shared with us.

We LOVE seeing what you are up to and cannot wait to share the smiles with everyone!


Our friend's Laura & Salinger learned to knit this year and made this fabulous scarf!

We loved watching it grow and grow and grow!

Every photo made us smile!

Thank you for sharing them with us Laura!

... and my sister Melanie has been busy making her holiday gifts this year!

Look what she made for me!!!

I LOVE my mosaic trivet and Holiday Elf dolls Melly!

Thank you so much for making them for me!

I just adore them and you!

What gifts did you make, receive or give this year that gave you joy?

Please leave us a note and tell us all about it!

We cannot wait to see & hear!

xoxoxo

m & a

Fiber Art Show 2011

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Melanie and I love this time of year because we get to go to all of our favorite craft shows together!

We just went to our most favorite one ~ The FIBER ART SHOW! :)

My favorite teacher and needle felting artist Heide Murray was there!

Melanie was so sweet and bought me the snowman while I bought the lion and then I got a felted egg and a knit monster doll.

I get a doll from this artist every year to add to my Yarn & Sewing Room!

Look how happy they are sitting in my ready to ship sweater vests!

They are all so much FUN!

What fun Holiday Shows do you like to go to in your part of the world?

Please leave me a note and tell me all about them!

I cannot wait to hear!

xoxoxo

Melissa & Archie

Inspiration Unleashed ~ Friends' Exciting Creations!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

I am so excited to show you the projects my friend's have been working on and were generous enough to share with me and Archie!

The first one is from our friend Lynne in England.

She just created a bobble shade from our tutorial and I am so excited to share it with you!

Ta Da!

You can hang it anywhere!

It can be a window or wall display!

You can even hang it from the ceiling and make it into a mobile if you like!

I just love the colors she chose for her bobbles!

Thank you so much Lynne for sharing it with all of us!

The second project is this wonderful Easy to Knit Teddy Bear that our friends over at The Urban Hounds created!

She ingeniously made this into a cat toy by adding catnip to the stuffing!

How fabulous is that?!

I love seeing everything you are creating!

Thank you so much for including us in on your fun!

Please feel free to contact me anytime and to show me what you are up to!

We cannot wait to see!

xoxoxo

Melissa & Archie

Easy to Knit Teddy Bear Tutorial ~ New Updates!

Happy Monday everyone!

I am so excited to show you 2 wonderful teddy bears that people have sent me photos of that they created after reading my Easy to Knit Teddy Bear Tutorial.

Archie and I are so happy that our project inspired the creation of these wonderful toys!

Meet Bugsly

Knitted by Iris H.

Meet Madame Boo Boo

Knitted by Ritaestelle C.


Archie and I just LOVE seeing what you are all creating!

Thank you so much for sharing your art and stories with us!

Please feel free to contact us anytime with your projects and inspirations!

We cannot wait to hear all about them!

Have a super day!

xoxoxo

Melissa & Archie

A New Addition to my Pug Art Collection ~ Knit Pug Doll

Hi everyone!

It is me... Archie!

Look what my momma just got!

A knit puggy and little green monster from our friends Michele and Ruby in CA!

They have a fabulous etsy shop filled with amazing knit monsters and puggies!

Do you think I look like the puggy or the green monster?

I think I look like both!

Tee hee!



We are having a party here today to welcome them home.

You are all invited!

More Great News...

Angel Emmitt's Easy Bake Oven has been beeping all morning, spitting out mini meatloaves for all of us to enjoy!

Come hungry and leave happy!

We cannot wait to see you!

xoxoxo

Your Pal,

Archie Poo Pants

Over & Out

Feature on Charity Wings ~ Easy to Knit Teddy Tutorial

Hi Everyone!

Happy Happy Tuesday!

Baby Archie and I are having so much fun together!

I am on cloud 9, and we can feel Angel Emmitt's paws and wings clapping for joy!

He shows me everyday that he is around me!

Today, he showed up through this wonderful honor and surprise to have my Easy to Knit Teddy Bear Tutorial featured on CharityWings.org.

Hop on over with me to CharityWings.org to learn how to make one of these fun teddy bears of your very own!

Please let me know if you make one!

I would love to see and feature it on the blog!

xoxoxo

Archie & Melissa

FaveCrafts.com Blog Hop ~ Easy to Knit Teddy Bear

Hi Everyone!

Happy Tuesday!

What a fun day!

FaveCrafts Blog is hosting a blog hop today for people to post about their favorite craft projects!

I just loved making these easy to knit tube teddies and wanted to share the tutorial again with all of you!

Please click here to read the whole "how to" on knitting your very own teddy bear!

and be sure to hop on over to the FaveCrafts Blog Hop to see everyone's favorite projects!

I cannot wait to see what everyone made and make some too!

I love to learn and try new things!

Please email me anytime with any questions about my project or to send photos of your finished bears!

I would love to see and share them with everyone!

xoxox

Melissa & Emmitt

Mother Bear Project ~ Ornaments 2010

Hi everyone!

It is me...

Emmitt!

I am so excited to show you the Mother Bear Ornaments we got to help the Mother Bear Project raise funds to send the handmade bears to Africa for children whose families have been afflicted with HIV & Aids.

Each one is lovingly hand knit by the founder of the Mother Bear Project, Amy B.

Every dollar raised will be used to ship the thousands of donated handmade bears to Africa.
The ornaments are approximately 3 x 4 inches tall and come in cheerful multi colors.

Please click here if you would like to learn more or purchase these special ornaments too.

Do you have any favorite charities that you would like to tell me about?

Please leave us a comment, we cannot wait to learn all about them!

xoxoxo

Emmitt

Fabulous Find ~ Yarn Project Bags!

Oh my gosh!

Have you ever found something in a store that was made for one purpose, but you saw a totally different and exciting use for it?

Well, I had one of those exciting moments this weekend at Crate and Barrel and the best part is that they were on sale to boot!

I cannot wait to show you what I found...

See these "potato and garlic" storage bags? I took one look at them and saw "yarn project bags" with drawstring openings on both ends to pull yarn from your center pull skeins!

They are bright, cheerful and the pefect size to keep your yarn, hooks, measuring tape and pattern with you wherever you go without the yarn getting all tangled up while you work!

I have always wanted yarn project bags like these but they can be very pricey! Guess how much these are? They are under $10 each even before their current sale price!

Aren't they fabulous?

I got a set for myself and one for Melanie too!

All 4 bags cost less than one bag that I have seen made for this purpose!

Fun Fun Fun!

They can be purchased online at CrateandBarrel.com or you can find them at your local Crate and Barrel store.

Let me know if you get one too. I am still giddy with delight from finding them!

xoxoxoxo

melissa