The Evolution of the Button.......

The nut shells were so much fun to change into buttons. In this picture the first button on the left is what it looks like when we found them. The top is just one turned upside down to show the back. The middle one is after its been washed, sanded and the back cut off. The last one is a totally finished button. I used a homemade walnut oil and beeswax finish. Now to finish the rest of them!

Button, button whose got the button......

The most fun ideas hit when your not looking. While walking to the car after church a few months ago I noticed the parking lot was littered with nut shells. The birds drop them from high up to crack them open on the pavement below. A nice quick way for a snack. A lot of the shells were broken in half perfectly. With the natural heart shape in the middle and holes in them I saw buttons! So I had the kids gather some of them for me to play with. This is the happy result. I can't wait to sew them on to something.

Reviving the blog.....

What better time to revive knit blogging than World Wide Knit in Public week! The whole reason for my blog title is because I'm always knitting on the go (and I love gnomes). Having 5 kids and lots of activities means its rare to have time at home to knit. So I'm the crazy chick sitting the doctors offices, in store lines and at the park knitting away. Its ten times better than reading outdated gossip mags while waiting. Who cares if so and so thinks they are having an alien baby with three heads. I'm more worried about possibly having to frog yet another unknitable pattern. Trust me its more exciting.

Felted Pullip Gnome Hat pattern

I love Pullips. They are so beautiful and fun. This is my first Pullip pattern and my first written knitting pattern. So please let me know if I need to change anything.
Materials needed:
Lionbrand Lion Wool in Classic Bright Red (enough for a baby hat)
size 10 (6.0mm) double pointed needles
stitch marker if you need it to mark beginning of round

CO 60 sts
divide sts evenly on needles
join in a circle
Knit in round all sts for 2"
Decrease as follows
Row 1: k1, k2tog, k18, k2tog, k18, k2tog, k to end
Rows 2&3: knit all sts
Row 4: k1, k2tog, k17, k2tog, k17, k2tog, k to end
Rows 5&6 : knit all sts
Row 7: k1, k2tog, k16, k2tog, k16, k2tog, k to end
Rows 8&9: knit all sts
Continue decreasing row and knit rows until you have 6 sts left.
Cut an 8" tail and pull the tail through all 6 sts on the needles and take hat off the needles. Pull tight since Gnomes have pointed hats. (I made a knot which I know is a no no. But since it would be felted I didn't think it would matter. I just didn't want it to come part during felting) Weave in ends.

The hat will look huge next to your doll.
Now felt it in your washer, with hot water with an old pair of jeans (I have an old pair I only use for this so I don't have to worry about ruining a good pair), until it is the size you want.

If you want a shorter less traditional gnome hat then instead of knitting 2 rows between decrease rows knit only one row. But watch it carefully if you do this during felting so it doesn't get to small to fast.

I finally broke down and bought a Pullip. They have the most beautiful faces. Almost fairy like. This is Xiao Fan. I haven't thought of a name for her yet. I'm still looking for the perfect patterns for some welcome home clothes.

Kool aid Purse

I finally finished my Kool Aid Purse yesterday. I spent all day dyeing yarn and knitting it so I could use it. I didn't dye the black but the blue and green are Berry Blue and Lemon Lime kool aid.

For the love of Kool Aid

My favorite thing about wool yarn is that you can dye it with Kool Aid. Its like Christmas looking into the pot and watching it cook.