for the His Holy Name Challenge

I am doing a 3x5 card box and filling it with the names of God. There isn't a lot of room for embellishments, so I am having to try to simplify!

Almost "Patternless" Easy Knit Bag Pattern

This is really an almost "patternless" pattern because it is so versatile. You can change the yarn & needles and make it any way you want. I made one quick & easy with two strands of worsted weight yarn and # 13 needles but you could use any yarn and needles, just change the number of stitches on rows 2 and 7 to make a larger or smaller bag. I adapted this from a dishcloth pattern. You may recognize it :) I will give the stitch numbers I used.



Cast on 4 .
Row 1: Knit 2, increase by yarn over, knit to end
Row 2: repeat row 1 until you have 26 stitches on needle
Row 3: knit 1, knit 2 together, yarn over , knit 2 together, knit to end of row
Row 4: repeat row 3 until you have 4 stitches on needle
Row 5 (handle) : knit across all stitches until handle is desired length- mine was 20 inches for a shoulder length strap
Row 6: Knit 2, increase by yarn over, knit to end
Row 7: repeat row 6 until you have 26 stitches on needle
Row 8: knit 1, knit 2 together, yarn over , knit 2 together, knit to end of row
Row 9: repeat row 3 until you have 4 stitches on needle
Bind off.

With right sides of bag together, making sure not to twist handle, sew together with a blunt yarn needle. I sewed up the bottom sides of the diamond shape and halfway up the top sides to make a little opening for my daughter's hands.

Here are some pictures I took in the process of making a mini bag for an American Girl (using size 10 needles and 16 stitches on rows 2 and 7). You can make these any size by changing the needles or number of stitches on rows 2 and 7. You could also do a seed stitch or alternate knit and purl rows for a different look. This would be great felted too!

A Simple Challenge

Not only was this simple it was from the Simple Scrapbooks Studio blog. I love the simplicity and the ability to capture a moment. Here is my page for the challenge:


edited to add: I just found out that Simple Scrapbooks will be no more :( I am so sad.

The Barn- A haiku

I was inspired to write this by a blog entry at poetry and hums. Thanks for the inspiration!

red and worn from time
it stands as a sentinel
protecting the farm

January Challenge Project

This was a quick and easy one. So easy I almost feel guilty- but I may make up for it in a future project, so I will hold back on the guilt- LOL It was a partial project intended to be a bag, but i just didn't like how it turned out. I would have preferred larger seams so I could snip them for a more ragged look. But since I didn't want the panels to go to waste, I kept them. And lately I have been wanting a fabric bag for trash in my car, so... I finished it up without handles and viola! I have a handy trash can!

Challenges

May Britt and Kris Meares have started a challenge to finish a project a month. I am going to play along and see if I can get some of my unfinished things to become finished items! Want to play along too? This one is my sewing challenge.

I am doing a scrapping challenge with Faith Sisters called His Holy Name to scrap the names of Jesus for the next year (every two weeks). Check it out if you are wanting a faithbooking challenge!
Here is my first try at something small (3x5 card). It was more difficult than I anticipated!

One Word Challenge from Ali Edwards

I loved having one word last year to be my "theme word" and spur me on to action and becoming more of who I am meant to be. Ali Edwards has a word she selects every year, and in the same fashion, I have selected "choose" to be my word. I want to make more conscious choices in my life. I want to choose family above business. I want to choose faith as my strength. I want to choose the best life has to offer. I want to choose joy and peace in my life and give it to others as well. I want to choose to serve. I want to choose. I just want to choose.

from Merriam-Webster Online:

Main Entry: choose

Function: verb

Etymology: Middle English chosen, from Old English cēosan; akin to Old High German kiosan to choose, Latin gustare to taste

Date: before 12th century

transitive verb
1 a: to select freely and after consideration <choose a career> b: to decide on especially by vote : elect
2 a: to have a preference for b: decide <chose to go by train>

intransitive verb
1: to make a selection choose
2: to take an alternative

Flag Football

This is the last week of flag football. I thought I would post a few photos :) I am so proud of the progress DS's team has made!

Latest Project

Here is a photo of my latest project! A Christmas dress for DD :)

Christmas Blessings!

We are so blessed this Christmas. We have such wonderful friends and family! Last night we had a church dinner and I sat there amazed at what God has done in our lives in the last year. A year ago we had 20 people in this little church plant and now it has grown to close to 200. What an amazing ride it has been! We are blessed to have seen so many come to know Christ in a new way and to see change in people's lives. God is doing amazing things.

We received gifts of goodies from several people and an awesome card from our middle schoolers. The kids sang a few songs and then the high schoolers sang a few songs and we all closed with Silent Night. It was a wonderful evening for which I am so thankful. We are truly blessed.

Saturday's Schedule

Wow, did we ever have a busy Saturday! I went to a women's group Christmas breakfast with Mollie this morning. It was wonderful to share Christmas memories and traditions that we are passing on to the next generation. After breakfast, we went to Charles' football game. And they had their first win of the season! Yeah! Then we came home and did a thorough cleaning, as we are hosting a Christmas Party tomorrow for our "life group" from our church. It is basically a group of 12 - 14 people who get together for fun and to grow together spiritually as well as pray for each other and be a real community for each other in this age of isolationism. Anyway, we set up the tree last night and tidied up the house today. We got a little crazy and even did the garage! (Which means I can now get to more of my fabric stash - lol).

And with all the busyness, I went to the mailbox and what did I find? My Secret Santa package from the Bee Sew Whimsical Swap! It came all the way from Australia from the wonderful Bronwyn. She doesn't have a blog, so I won't link her :) . I already put the ornaments on the tree and have hung the banner in my kitchen! It was such a beautiful package with many wonderful items inside, two beautiful handmade ornaments (I wish I could do embroidery stitches that small!), a card, a banner, a magazine, candies, a beautiful Christmas cracker, and an adorable tape measure. I am getting ready to sit down for a spell and read the gorgeous magazine that was in the package. This swap was so much fun and now I have a new friend too :) Thank you so very much for the awesome package! All in all a busy and wonderfully full day. Life is good.

Giveaway at Daisy Quilts

There is a gorgeous package being given away at Daisy Quilts, go check it out!