Ice Cream puzzle

While looking through my crafty area, I found a puzzle that I had assembled and framed many years ago.  I had never known about saving a puzzle and having it on display until I saw one in an office at work.  I was happy to see this because I was always disappointed as a kid when disassembling a puzzle.  So, some years after I saw the framed puzzle, I purchased this ice cream puzzle from the Dollar Tree and was excited knowing I could save and frame it.  I don't remember the title of the puzzle and the brand could be Puzzlebug, but I didn't have any issues with the quality of it.  The puzzle size is approximately 8 3/4 x 11 1/4".  After I assembled the puzzle, I coated the top of it with puzzle glue.  Then I searched for framing options and bought a Timeless Frames 9x12 open back frame from A.C. Moore, a photo mat and foam core board.  After several adjustments to get the pieces to fit, I layered all the components together to create a fun little framed puzzle.  I like the natural wooden frame and think it looks fine unpainted.  

Berroco Mystery Blanket Knit Along - January blocks

My first two blocks for the Berroco mystery blanket knit along are finished.  It took some time to get them done (didn't get to knit each day) but it's not a race.  Working at my own pace is fine.  Also, they haven't been blocked, and my plan is to do that after all blocks are knit.  More details below.

Block 1

Yarn color:  Mochi

Needles used:  4.5 mm (US 7) [aluminum]

Unblocked size (approx.) 10 1/2 x12

CO 1/18/2025, BO 2/9/2025

Block 2

Yarn color:  Rye

Needles used: 4.5 mm (US 7) [aluminum]

Unblocked size (approx.) 10 x 11 

CO 2/10/2025, BO 3/18/2025

 

Next cast on is the February block.

Happy knitting. 

Berroco Mystery Blanket Knit Along

Today is the day that I will cast on for the Berroco Mystery Blanket Knit along!  This is a year-long project with one or two patterns being released per month for a total of 20 squares.

There were several bundles of five colors of Berroco Vintage yarn suggested and I chose the Neutral Comfort colorway. 

This made it an easy decision to join this KAL because I didn't have to worry about choosing my own colors (although you can) and I would have all the yarn needed to complete the project! 

For this month, there are two designs to knit up.  Now off to cast on!

Happy knitting!

 

  

Create Every Day cross stitch

My recent crafty creation is the fully finish of my Create Every Day cross stitch piece.    This is a freebie pattern designed by Teresa Kogut and can be found on her website here or also on the Fat Quarter Shop website here.

 

I stitched this design in 2020, set it aside, and last month finally had an idea on how to finish it.  The finishing piece is a wooden hanging plaque from Michaels that I painted using Folk Art wicker white acrylic paint.  I covered the plaque backing piece with fabric called Spools Allover Blue, from the Sew Little Time collection by Danielle Leone (Wilmington Prints).  I fused a piece of interfacing behind the stitching, backed it with a piece of chipboard and laced it up before gluing to the plaque.  Other details:

Fabric

14 count white Aida

Floss 

words - Sullivans 45226 (similar to DMC 825) (Note: lots of stitches-used almost the whole skein)

needle - Sullivans 45090 (similar to DMC 414)

thread details - Sulky petite 12 wt. blendable color 4030

Happy creating!

 

Sweet Summer cross stitch (Cherry Hill Stitchery)

Well, summer may be winding down but it was time for me to fully finish a cross stitch project I completed last September.  It's the Sweet Summer pattern by Cherry Hill Stitchery. 

The easy part of the process was picking a wall decor sign from my supply collection to use as the display piece, and painting it white.  However, it took me many days to decide on the materials and layout for this finish.  I auditioned several different fabric options for the backdrop and didn't like any at all so I thought well let me look through my collection of scrapbook paper.  Well that was it!  I found two pieces of coordinating paper by My Mind's Eye that complimented the colors in the stitched piece!  I cut the green polka dot paper for the bottom layer and the coral colored polka dot for the top paper layer.  After those were adhered to the sign base, I was then able to complete a final layout with added embellishments to display this project!  Following are the details of the supplies used.

Cross stitch fabric: 14 ct. Beautiful Beige Aida cloth

Floss:

Sullivans 45339 (substitution for CC Ladybug)

Sullivans 45279 (substitution for Steamed Broccoli)

Sullivans 45002 (substitution for DMC B5200)

DMC 729

DMC 310 

Other:

wall decor sign

white acrylic paint

rick rack

My Mind's Eye patterned paper

ribbon

Happy finishing!

 

A little bit of Spring

 

To add a little bit of Spring indoors, I stitched the letters from the design Spring Freebie by Little Stitch Girl.  The size of the finished stitched piece measures 6 1/8" tall by 2 3/4" wide.  I added a strip of batting behind the stitching and adhered the two layers to a piece of chipboard.  I used the crop-a-dile corner chomper tool to round the edges of the chipboard pieces to make it easier to wrap the fabric.  I added white rick rack that I colored using Copic marker Y13, color name Lemon Yellow, behind the stitched panel.  I was happy to find use for some crafty items that have been sitting on my shelf of craft supplies.  I pulled some Prima flowers and floral brads (used for the flower centers) that closely matched the thread colors.  The flowers and finished stitched piece was adhered to a piece of chipboard that I covered with fabric.  To add a bit more embellishment, I adhered a ribbon bow to the top of the stitched panel

Cross Stitch Supplies

Fabric:  14 count white Aida cloth

Floss:

Sullivans 45338 (equivalent to DMC 3326) - used for letter S

Sullivans 45172 (equivalent to DMC 727) - used for letter P

DMC 3348 - used for letter R

Sullivans 45468 (equivalent to DMC 153) - used for letter I

DMC 3825 - used for letter N

DMC 598 - used for letter G

 

 

 

 

Knitting project - Goldenrod towel

Last year some time, Lion Brand was having a sale and I purchased yarn of various fiber content to try out.  One skein that I bought was a Touch of Linen, which is part of the Touch of Luxe yarn collection, in the color stone.  This is a plied yarn and can split but I was careful to make sure the needle was inserted under all plies of the stitch.  It's made of 51% cotton and 49% linen and feels nice and soft.

I read somewhere that linen is absorbent and dries faster than cotton so I thought knitting a small hand towel would be a good project and a way to get familiar with the yarn.  I had the pattern Goldenrod Towel in my craft file for quite a while and although it calls for Chenille yarn, I used the Touch of Linen yarn.

I started this project in January and worked on it as time allowed and finished it last week.  I used size 7 (4.5 mm) needles [made of bamboo] which is the suggested needle size listed on the yarn label.  I followed most of the pattern as written except I knit a shorter length of the body pattern stitches.  I knit approximately 13" of the body pattern before adding the ending border stitches.  The finished size of this project was approximately 19" long x 8 1/4"-8 1/2" wide.  I could tell the width was off a little in some areas of the length so my tension must have been off.  However, it still turned out nice and not too noticeable.

The knit fabric produced by this yarn feels nice to the skin and I now want to try knitting my first garment with it.  So with that idea, I decided to experiment and try the blocking technique to see how the yarn would react.  I soaked the towel for about 20 minutes, squeezed out the water and set it out as evenly as I could and pinned to the blocking boards to dry overnight.  The dried size was approximately 18" long x 9 1/2"-9 3/4" wide.  After that, I took it a step further and machine washed and dried the towel.  Always double check the yarn label for directions.  The Touch of Linen yarn is machine washable and indicates to lay items flat to dry.  Since I'm experimenting and this project is a hand towel (a machine wash and dry kind of item), I wanted to see the effects of machine drying the yarn.  Well, the towel may have shrunk a little more but is still soft and looks fine after its first machine wash and dry cycle!  The final finished size is about 16" long x 9"-9 1/2" wide.