My first double knitting project ... Retangly Hat!

I have been lacking in keeping up with this blog, but that doesn't mean I haven't been super busy! I knit, crochet and scrapbook and it seems that I don't have enough time to get to all the projects that I want to complete let alone start. Anyhow, I'd been dabbling in double knit and was intrigued with how you could knit a tube on 2 straight needles with NO purling! 

So, I finally decided to take on a REAL project and this is it! The pattern is by Catherine Hughes and is called "Rectangly Hat". It was a lot easier than I expected it to be and that was due in large part to the excellent way in which Catherine set up the chart. This was by far the easiest chart I have ever followed! Also, a big "Thanks" to Catherine for sharing the pattern for FREE.

 I knit this for my son Justin as he lives in NY and this will be his second winter there. I love how 100% wool keeps the wind out and repels the rain, so he should get lots of use from this hat. My husband is modeling it here and you can see that it's really 2 hats in one as it's totally reversible.

I'm already planning my next double knit hat and am going to try and chart a design myself. I had so much fun following this pattern and also the fact that it fits so perfectly that I asked Catherine if she could share where she got her blank chart for her design? She graciously shared it with me and I can't wait to get started. More on that later. Anyway, why don't you give double knitting a go? 

Click Here for My Ravelry Details

" Have a blessed day!"

1000 Fabulous Knit Hats .... and one of my designs is in it!

Carousel Beret! My hat design that is in the book!

Dear Contributor:
Congratulations! Quayside Publishing’s new book 1000 Fabulous Knit Hats by Annie Modesitt in which your work appears has arrived at our warehouse.

YIPPEE! The book has finally hit the bookstore shelves! I just got my email 

(first line above) that the book is ready for purchase! As a contributor I am able to purchase at 55% off... whoo hoo, and as a courtesy to their contributors I can purchase any other books from Rockport Publishers, Quarry Books, Creative Publishing International, Fair Winds Press, Walter Foster Publications, Voyageur and Quiver at a 30% off discount. So I am sure I'll be seeing what other books might tickle my fancy.

I am so tickled PINK to have one of my hat designs (Carousel Beret) featured in this book by Annie Modesitt! Look at this screen shot from a page peek on Amazon at the back naming the contributors! THATS ME!

I have ordered 4 copies and can't wait to see it in person. I feel honored to have one of my designs along side other designers who are way more talented than me!

You can find the link below to purchase your copy!

Purchase Here

Purchase Here

" Have a blessed day!"

I'm on the front page of crochet designers on Ravelry!

" Have a blessed day!"

First Knitted FO for 2010

Pretty in Pink

When I went to upload my photos for this project to Flickr I was surprised that this was my first knitted FO for 2010! Are you kidding? It's June and I am just now finishing a knitting project? Wow! I have been doing some crochet and I have been busy crafting more with my Cricut these days, but I didn't realize that I hadn't been knitting. 

I made this for one of my husbands employees who is having a girl in August. They are giving her a baby shower mid June, so I knew I needed to knit fast. I forgot how much fun these little BSJ's (Baby Surprise Jacket) were to knit. I did add a 2x2 ribbing to the sleeves and added a crochet picot edge around the front and lower back edge, neckline and sleeves. I also used an applied i-cord bind off. Another thing I did was to knit an eyelet row and then run an i-cord through it. It turned out very nice.

Ravelry details here...

" Have a blessed day!"

My gift to Jennifer and Sean

I can now share the secret project that I was working on the end of April. I crocheted this photo of my daughter Jennifer and her soon to be husband Sean. I made this as a wedding gift to the both of them and gave it to my daughter at her bridal shower this past Saturday.

It took me 2 weeks to complete it from start to finish. It ended up being 32" by 32" and had 107 stitches per row and had 125 rows total. The pattern was 25 pages long with 3 columns of instructions on each page. 

This was a CBN (Crochet by Numbers) pattern designed by Todd Paschall. You send him a photo and he turns it into a pattern for you for a $30 donation. Here is his website...

http://www.crochetbynumbers.com/

 He also has a group on Ravelry and you can find that here...

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/crochet-by-numbers

 

This was my first CBN pattern and although it's a lot of work to make one of these, it is very rewarding as the result is awesome! I know that I will be making more of these.

So if you would like to give this a try email Todd along with  the photo you'd like to use 

and tell him Connie sent you!

" Have a blessed day!"

An invitation to my new Scrapin' blog....

 

I have a new blog where I share my love of scrapbooking and cutting with my BugIt.

I'd love for you to stop by and visit. I'll be sharing my MTC files and projects there from now on...so if you

want to keep up with me, please follow me at Cut by Connie!

http://cutbyconnie.com/

" Have a blessed day!" 

Make the Cut

Remember that the MTC SALE price of an extra 25% off ends this coming Tuesday, February 16th! You'll never see this great of a discount again! Purchase using my link in the right sidebar, or you can download a demo to try before you buy!

If you cut with a BugIt or any other cutting machine, you NEED this program! Never purchase another BugIt cartridge! Cut anything and use any font from your pc....unlimited possibilities!

Anniversary Explosion Box

I am having such a great time using my MTC (Make the Cut) and my Cricut for cutting and designing Word Books and these Explosion Boxes. This one is for a couple in our SS class as their Wedding Anniversary is this coming Sunday. The husband invited our entire class to a surprise lunch after church. He wants to surprise his wife. He said no gifts, but we can bring cards, so this is my version of a card. LOL I feel pretty safe that she won't see this, as I don't think she even knows about my blog and she isn't on FB.

I designed these to be cut with MTC so you don't have to cut out the box by hand. You can find all of those files here: EBox Files You'll notice that I turned each layer just enough so that it still fits on the underneath layer. I thought this made for a prettier open look. I decorated some, but also left places for the recipient to decorate! The flower petals I took from another box I am working on but haven't finished yet.

I also added a puzzle! I found that svg here on the web. I first cut the puzzle, then I left it on the mat, changed my blade for a cricut marker before I cut it again. I left the puzzle piece on my mat and made it not visible so it wouldn't cut. Then I dragged the dove picture on top and sized it the size of the puzzle then I re-cut. This drew the dove picture right on top of the puzzle. I colored it while still on the mat, then carefully removed all of the between tid bits before removing them from the mat. I then put them in a pocket on one of the box flaps. I printed out a small pic of the completed puzzle for the recipient so they know what they are putting together...LOL

I also added tiny white flowers to the center which are glued to long thin pieces of plastic so they float around in the middle. I just cut thin strips of clear plastic which I save from the backs of clear stamps, deco parts and other scrap book supplies that have that clear backing to hold the parts. Bend the other end slightly and glue to the bottom underneath the edge somewhere. They are really neat because they bounce around when the box moves.

I hope this inspires you to create your own explosion box!

" Have a blessed day!"

Valentine DEAL - extra 25% off!

I have become an affiliate seller of the Make the Cut program! I highly recommend MTC as I have purchased this program 2 weeks ago and have cut more things with my Cricut in these 2 weeks than in the past 2 years that I have owned it! NEVER purchase another Cricut cartridge!

Expires February 16th!

Bee Happy Designs 25% off coupon code – VALN-C0MU-TINE
Note: The number 0 is in the code, not the letter O! Do not copy and paste, type the code in for it to work.

Only $129.95

Only $77.97! 

Only $66.27!
Only $58.48

Purchase your Make the Cut program from Bee Happy Designs and receive an extra 25% off Make the Cut! Click the MTC logo to purchase now and enter the coupon code above!

Or if you prefer to try before you buy you can download a FREE completely functional demo copy of the MTC software by clicking  here! Demo copy will work just like the purchased version, but it will cut a diagonal line through your project until you purchase! This FULL VERSION demo will let you try before you buy!

Make The Cut! Features: 

• WYSIWYG Interface [image]
• Works with the Cricut™ Expression™, Create™ and Personal™
• Automated Cricut™ Driver Installation [image]
• Preview/Use Any SVG [image]
• Integrated SVG Gallery (Currently over 1000 free projects!)
• Work on Multiple Projects at a Time
• Choose From 3 Standard Mat Sizes [image]
• Use Any Installed Font or Import TTF Files [image]
• Convert Raster Images to SVG Format [example]
• Easily Create Lattices [image]
• Break/Split/Layer Shapes and Edit Them [image]
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• Export Shapes to SVG Format or Personal Library
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• MTC Forum  - Learn all about MTC!
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" Have a blessed day!"

Sharing a Michaels 60% off coupon.

This coupon is good through next Saturday, January 30th. Also, if you take in a competitors coupon, they will give you an extra 10% off!

Enjoy!

" Have a blessed day!"

My Newly Re-designed Craft Room

I took a week right after Christmas to re-arrange, re-organize and just generally clean up my crafting room. I used things that I already had, so I didn't have to spend any money which is always good. It still needs a bit of tweaking, aka cleaning out the drawers and tossing stuff I don't need, but overall I am very pleased with how it turned out. It was worth all of the time and effort it took as now I can spread out while I scrapbook and make cards.

I know I'll use my Cricut more now that it's easily accessible and I don't have to drag it out when I need to use it or drag out the cartridges because I have the Gypsy. I also purchased a netbook recently so that I can use the MTC (Make the Cut) software program to cut anything I desire with my Cricut. No more buying cartridges!

Here is a short video clip of my room...now to make something cool!

" Have a blessed day!"

Sharing some MTC Love!

If you own a Cricut and you are tired of purchasing cartrides, then you need the MTC (Make the Cut) program! I purchased mine last week and am very happy with it.
Download the demo or purchase at the top right of my sidebar!



" Have a blessed day!"