dianacouture.com

Kady from http://takeamomswordforit.blogspot.com/ contacted me a couple of months ago interested in reviewing the Serena Bag for her blog.  Kady is a crocheter and was looking for a stylish bag for  her projects.   She has wonderful things to say about the Serena Bag, and I am thrilled she appreciates all its aesthetic and functional qualities.   Her experience with the Serena bag is what I hope for all my customers.  I want my products to make your hobby more enjoyable by adding beauty and fuss-free function to your craft. 

One thing Kady points out that I have heard from other customers is that zippers and yarn really don’t mix.  Zippers cause damage to yarn.  All my bags use industrial grade plastic snaps, applied with a professional-grade snap press.  They are easy, reliable and don’t “mess” with your yarn. 

In conjunction with the review, http://takeamomswordforit.blogspot.com/2010/08/diana-couture-review-giveaway.html you can enter for a chance to win a set of free Stitch Hoodies!  Read the blog post for instructions on how to enter the give-away. 

These are the Hoodies that will be given away on September 8th.

Click on this link to view the listing in my Etsy shop.  http://www.etsy.com/listing/52459049/stitch-hoodies-set-of-3-for-needles-4-to 

Stitch Hoodies are a simple solution to keep knitting needles together when not in use and to keep the work from falling off the needles.   I don’t know about you, but this used to happen to me all the time!  But not any more!  The Hoodies are easy to use, they snap shut and hold the work on the needles eliminating dropped stitches or lost needles and help prevent broken needles as well.

Stitch Hoodies work great on single pointed, double points or circular needles!  

The photo above shows circular needles with both needles held together (facing the same way) in the Stitch Hoodie.  I prefer to store the circular needles this way as it doesn’t stretch the work. 

 However, the circulars can also be placed in the Hoodie in the round, as shown above. 

The Hoodies are easy to use and easy to store when not in use.  They are available in 2 sets of 3 Hoodies. The small set accommodates circular needles and straight needles from 4″ to 9″ in length.  The large set accommodates needles 10″, 12″ and 14″ in length.  For needles size 13 and above, only 1 needle will fit in the Hoodie.

I have acquired 2 bag-sized knitting reference books and needed to pick The One that will go in my knitting bag.   The 2 books are:

The Knitting Answer Book by Margaret Radclife

and The Knitter’s Companion by Vicki Square

Neither of these books are new releases, but I want a small basics book that I can keep in my knitting bag, so hot-off-the-press isn’t as important as usefulness.  Either book will fit in the Serena Bag, but the Knitter’s Companion is hardbound spiral and is larger than the Knitting Answer Book.  At 4-3/4 x 6-1/2 inches, the Answer Book packs a lot of useful information. 

Also the presentation of the materials in these 2 books is very different.  The Companion presents information much like a conventional, larger knitting book, but in a more compact manner.  The Knitting Answer Book, on the other hand, is like having the guru from knitting group in your knitting bag.  It is a Q&A format that has all the questions I have thought about so far and a whole lot more that I haven’t thought to ask (which makes it interesting reading in addition to being a reference.)   

No matter what information is included in a book, the key to its effectiveness as a reference is being able to quickly find what you are looking for.  The Companion’s index is 1 page…yes that was not a typo…1 page.  The Answer Book has a 13 page index, making it so easy to find what I am looking for quickly. 

One thing I wanted to look up was joining in the round.   In the index of the Answer Book, I found “joining” and “circular knitting” and when I followed their lead to page 216, I found the question “What is the best way to join the beginning and end of a round?”  Followed by this intro paragraph “Each knitter has his or her own preference, but there are 2 ways to join…I prefer the first.”  Wow! Not only do I get instructions on both ways but a recommendation from an experienced knitter…just like that guru in my knitting group! 

I looked at the index in the Companion, and on quick perusal don’t see anything.  I go back and read each line and nothing on circular knitting or joining (except joining yarns).   I flip through the book and find “Knitting in the Round” and 3 brief sentences that are a little confusing.  No help. 

The Companion has color illustrations whereas the Answer Book has light purple/dark purple/black/white illustrations.  For comparison I looked up sewing pieces together.  The Companion has actual photos as well as color illustrations.  However, the Answer Book has very clear and concise illustrations that are easy to understand without taking up excess space.  The Answer Book continues its Q&A format and addresses seaming in answer to questions such as “How do I sew together the sides of a sweater?’  Both books cover invisible garter stitch joins and ribbing joins, in addition to other methods. 

The Companion has 136 pages, including the index (and an extra page with a knitting gauge and needle sizer).  The Answer Book has 400 pages, including the index.  So obviously it will contain more information. 

I wanted a handy reference book that can easily be carried, and the Knitting Answer Book was a delightful surprise.  I am sure there are many other reviews on these books, but I am so impressed with the Knitting Answer Book I had to tell you how wonderful it is; and at $10.17 on Amazon.com, it is much cheaper than the attorney fees you would accrue if you kidnapped your favorite knitting guru from your knitting group.

I have finally started the Jaquie Fingerless Flap glove pattern by Pepperberry Knits. 

When I envision a project bag, I think of a thing of beauty that has a style all its own and says “I am carrying something beautiful and important.”    A drawstring bag just doesn’t say that.   The Serena bag is a bag that your projects and even your most expensive yarns will be proud to  hang out in and be seen with in public. 

A great knitting bag should be beautiful…but it must be functional as well.  The Serena bag has an opening in center front for the yarn to feed through.  You can knit without taking out your yarn.  The small Yarn Owl or the Skeini-T’s fit well in the bags to keep yarn from tangling.  But the bag is not too big that the yarn will get lost rolling around, so an additional Owl or T are optional, depending on your preference. 

The bag has a new stabilizer/interlining that keeps its shape but is very flexible.  I love this stuff, and it makes a beautiful bag.  When the bag is opened, it stands on its own and has a large opening, like a basket. 

The bag can be expanded on the sides to allow it to hold more or allow the yarn to unwind out the sides. 

There are, of course, pockets on the inside.  The pockets extend across the sides of the lining. 

These bags are going fast!  I am listing more regularly, so check back often to find your perfect bag at my Etsy shop.

I finished this scarf last week and am very happy with it. The yarn is Wool Bam Boo by Classic Elite Yarns and the pattern is from the One Skein Wonders book. This is the second scarf I have made using this pattern. The first  was for one of my daughters.

This pattern says to knit in garter stitch; but in both of the scarves I have knitted, I changed to stockinette, as I think the smoother stitch looks more elegant than the garter stitch.

I used my small Yarn Owl for this project. The yarn and the scarf would have fit very nicely into the medium-sized Owl; but I worked on this scarf at home, so it was easy just to pick up and knit while the small Owl kept my yarn tangle free!

I am working on the French Press slippers now in a beautiful heathered lavendar wool from KnitPicks.  I can’t wait to finish!  With the weather we are having, I could really use them today.  We have had 8-1/2 inches of snow today and expect 1-2 more inches!  That is a lot of snow for a North Texan.  This photo of my youngest daughter, Alli, was taken around noon today at UNT.  

This year I wanted to make some felted pincushions to give as gifts.  I decided to try the Little Cotton Rabbits cupcake pattern for the project.  This pattern is not knitted in the round and has a separate base, but it knits up very quickly, and the piecing doesn’t take long either.  

Now these cupcakes are super cute, but I think felting is much better for a pincushion.   I didn’t make any changes to the pattern, other than the yarn and needles.  I used Pattons Classic Wool and US size 9 needles.    I did softly stuff the cupcake, as I wanted the shrinkage to compact the stuffing.  This is what it looked like prefelted.  

I put my washing machine on hot temperature, low water setting, placed the cupcake in a pillow case, washed it and then dried it in the dryer. 

 It came out really looking more like a ball than a cupcake, but there is no need to panic — you can always rewet and refelt to get it even smaller. 

I did this, and while it was still wet, I shaped it and  placed the cupcake in a muffin pan…

and put the muffin in the oven.  I preheated the oven to 350, turned the oven OFF and placed the cupcake in.  Note, I used a clay baking pan as opposed to metal.  If using metal, you should use lower temperatures, I would think. 

This helped to mold the cupcake into a more pleasing cupcake shape.  

I completely dried the cupcake by repeating the heating process for the oven and then finishing up in the dryer. 

No one wants a fuzzy cupcake, so I shaved it with a disposable razor.  You can use a sweater pill remover too. 

Now for the decorating!  I chose a fabric strip with gathered lace placed across the top.  I hand sewed this to the cupcake, added pins for “beads” around the strip and around the center of the frosting and topped it off with a vintage lace flower and sparkly rhinestone button! 

I am delighted with the way it turned out!  I like the neutral colors enhanced by a little bit of embellishment.  But I also want to try some with more color in the yarn, maybe some pink or blue frosting. 

This cupcake pincushion is for Chelsea,  my wonderful teaching assistant who helped in the Intro to Fashion Design Class this semester.  Not only did she do an incredible job but she is very talented and  a lot of fun to work with too. 

Of course I used my Yarn Owls to hold the yarns while I worked!  The medium/small project size Owl holds the Patons Classic Wool with no room to spare. 

Look at this Owl…isn’t it cuter than the money you could be saving with that insurance company?

Here are a few of the new owls

After finishing them I realized they remind me of the colors of my 2 favorite Bath and Bodyworks home scents, Leaves and Winter.  

I did get moved into the new place.  My studio is more organized.  I am working on more owls, T’s and knitting bags.   Check my Etsy site often for updates!

My name is Diana, and I knit  small projects.  Why is that so hard to say?  I love knitting and like what I knit, but I want to believe there is an amazing sweater or 2 or 3 inside me just waiting for the right time to fly off the needles.

When I look at my friend’s Ravelry pages or talk to my daughter-who-I-taught-to-knit, I can’t believe some of the amazing things they have knitted…big things like sweaters and even…gasp…that beautiful Tree of Life Afghan by Nicky Epstein and free from Lion Brand yarns.   I have knitted a sweater and 1 sweater sleeve (yes, only the sleeve) and then there was that felted bag that was actually as big as a sweater before I washed it down to size.    But for the most part, I like projects I know I can finish at some point in the foreseeable future; and I have decided to accept the fact that, at least for now, I am a small project knitter and I love it.  

I love starting new projects.  Knitting small things lets me start more projects and that is fun.  I love yarn (don’t we all).  Knitting small projects allows me to work with a lot more types of yarn.   I love finishing projects, possibly more than starting them, and again, small projects let me have that satisfaction more often than a larger project would.   

I also feel knitting small projects makes me a good friend to the sweater knitters.  They can assume an air of superiority over my small scarves or knitted cupcakes.    They can chose  function over frivolous knitting and I will forever be in awe of their talent.  Maybe I will knit them a Venus de Merino for Christmas. 

You may be asking (or maybe you know) what or who is the Venus de Merino? 

She is a wonderful knitted fertility goddess.  Perhaps she will make my yarn multiply!   She is designed and sold by darktwist.com.  I will have to save her for after Christmas, as I am getting ready to knit some cupcakes using the pattern by Little Cotton Rabbits.   I am thinking they will make cute pincushions. 

I normally am content to follow other people’s knitting patterns, but a few weeks ago I found a H&M ad with a beautiful mobius shawl, and I fell in love.  It looked easy and quick, so I decided to give it a try!

I found a beautiful synthetic yarn by Deborah Norville, Serenity Chunky, at Hobby Lobby.  This yarn was perfect for my scarf.  I decided to add a little interest by knitting 7 rows, purling 1, knitting 5, purling 1 and repeating.   I used 3 skeins of the Premier chunky on size 11 needles.   I cast on 41 stitches, and the completed scarf is 47″ long.    I cast off, added the twist and joined my circle. 

To make the scarf comlpete, I want to add a very big pin, or multiple small pins.  I have a vintage 50’s sweater that is pretty moth-eaten.  I have washed it several times and am going to make flowerettes, add beads and brown silk ribbon flowers. 

I used the Skeini-T to hold the yarn for this project.  I started out using the yarn without a holder, as I knew it would make up quickly.  It didn’t make up quick enough to prevent my yarn from getting completely tangled!  I then put the yarn in the Skeini-T and no more tangled yarn for the rest of the project.   The Skeini-T is $10.00 but knitting without having to stop to untangle yarn is priceless!

Unfortunately, I am having to move this weekend (actually just across the street)!  I rent and the lady who owns the house is moving back to town.   Fortunately for me the house across the street came up for rent.  I love my location and am excited to be staying in the neighborhood, but I HATE to move!  I hope to get back to this project next weekend, but that may be optimistic.  As soon as I complete the pin(s), though, I will post a photo of the completed look.

It is a sale so good it’s scary! 

Buy 3 Yarn Owls, get 1 free! Your choice!!!!  If you don’t see a color or fabric choice you like, let me know and I will make yours to order! 

Buy 2 Yarn Owls, get a Skeini-T for free!  Your choice of design and size!

Add the qualifying items (purchases) to the shopping cart and then tell me your choice for the free item in the notes section on check out, or send me an e-mail.  

I am working on a collection of fancy owls that come in solid colors and suiting fabrics.  The first in this collection is for sale in my Etsy shop.   It is a teal-colored project bag made of dupioni silk.  Truly beautiful! 

I have other colors of dupioni, and all sizes will be available in each color.  Watch for the more to come soon!  Also, what about some fancy, fancy Owls adorned with beads and beautiful trims?  Coming soon!!!

Owls are just like us, they like to dress up, dress down and dress for the holidays.  Get into spooky yarn project this month with a hauntingly unique Yarn Owl.

You don’t have to stop at the yarn owl, get knitting needles and stitch markers to match.  Here are some of my favorites from other Etsy Shops.

These knitting needles and stitch markers are from ScaryMerry’s shop!

My favorite part of Halloween is the candy corn.  These cute stitch markers are from RY Crafty’s shop.

Last but not least are YarnDemon’s adorable pumpkin stitch markers. (She has candy corn stitch markers too!)

How cute would any of these be with the Spooky Owl project bag!  Treat yourself to a little fun this month.