Friday, April 24, 2009

Easy Mother's Day Projects


This knitted purse is as easy as knitting a scarf. Yes it is. You cast on more stitches than an ordinary scarf as some width disappears when you stitch up the sides, but it is a short scarf folded together (right sides in) and a large wool needle easily makes the seams, and the handle is simply plaited wool sewn into the seam.


These were wire hangers I revived from the shame pile in the bottom of the closet. Lovely sparkly and fluffy, fuzzy wools did a nice job. Though the photo doesn't do them justice. Your kids could easily make these for mum or grandma.


These balls of wool were left over from another project, one is very fuzzy and frizzy and not easy to knit, the ball on the right plaits up like chenille, so that is what I did, I plaited the chenille wool into a cord. Four strands plaited together, with a loop formed by my toe at each end. I prefer to plait from my toe as I control the tension, moving my foot further away from my body the longer the plait becomes, my leg is just the right length!



You can see the chenille wool does not look like a plait when it is done, it looks like a cord or one very thick noodle.
The loops are important, you simply hook the loops over the wire hanger top, and I twist two plaited cords around and around the hanger leaving no wire visible. If you have not made the plaits long enough it is no problem to tie off the ends of two plaits and then start again with another pair, you can even tie the new plaits through the loops of the old ones.
I finished the chenille hanger with a bow tie with champagne crystal drops on the ends.
The other hanger, which my mum prefers, has the chenille base, with plaits of rich fuzzy plum wool wound around it, for a stripey effect. The tops of the hangers can be covered with shorter plaits tied around the neck, worked up to the very end of the hook and brought back down to tie around the neck again. Trim the ends off close and you will never see any evidence of the knot.
The hangers are very cheap and easy to make.
I will be continuing with a series of mothers day posts, including a Gilmore Girls Tribute, Books for Mothers, Mothers Day Movies, Home Day Spa ideas, and perhaps some baking.


2 comments:

Jace said...

I can't knit and your bag looks so unique. :) Love the fuzzy yarn. I think the wire hangers are a great idea ... I'm sure I have some soft yarn lying around somewhere. :)

Starry said...

Well I can knit the easy things but I can't follow patterns as I daydream and lose where I am up to, I hate having to concentrate when I am creating. At least with scarves and the bag I just knit row after row, if I drift off I just pick right up and keep going. At least you can crochet, I haven't managed that yet!