It's Bloomie Friday!

Hello all! Hope you have had a wonderful week! I don't know how many of you move and sway between your favorite crafts, but I know I do. During some seasons of life, I might spend most of my time stamping. During others, I might whip out the old sewing machine and start a quilting project. Or, most nights, when I watch TV, I have a knitting project in hand. So, for this week's Creative Confetti Challenge, I decided to mix it up and share two of my crafting loves! So, if you want to read all the deets on this week's Creative Confetti Challenge, all you have to do is click HERE!  I share how I not only combined stamping and knitting but did so for charity. And.... I encouraged you guys to give that a try!

On to my creation! 

You might be asking yourself what on earth does a knitting project have to do with this week's challenge? Let me explain! Last Friday, I got a note from my local yarn shop saying that they were going to start taking donations for a program called Casting For Recovery.  The non-profit hosts retreats -- fly fishing retreats -- for women with breast cancer who are on the road to recovery. Just a little bit about Casting for Recovery, did you know that fly fishing -- the gentle motion of casting can be a little like physical therapy? That, along with being with other women going through the same thing, AND being out in some gorgeous countryside is what the program is all about. 

So, to make a long story even longer, my local yarn shop was collecting cowls that the women could be gifted during their September retreat in Bozeman, Montana. So, I got knitting right away and whipped up this cowl using THIS pattern (Broken Rib Cowl) and it came together after just a few nights of TV watching. I will mention, the color scheme is not what I would have chosen but the yarn shop owner said it was earthy and even had some of the same colors as a brown trout -- so, I snatched it up! I am going to raid my yarn stash and whip up a few more. I'm thinking THIS one looks fun too! Or, maybe THIS one! ;-) 

And you can see, this is where my challenge comes into play! I wanted to make a tag to go along with my gift and I chose Power Poppy's Leapin' Trout digital stamp. I sized it so that I could use my 2-1/2" circle punch and added the words "Handmake just for you!" 

I colored the fish up with Copic Markers using YG91, YG91, Y32, R81, R83 R85, and BG72 and BG000 for the water. I also added some white gel pen for the splashes! 

And here's what I printed on the other side. Since the yarn is 100% Merino, I wanted them to know that this is a hand wash in cool, lay flat to dry kind of accessory. The good news is, it's soft to the touch and hopefully nice around a woman's neck! I will also add a nice little note letting her know I am sending blessings for her on her road to recovery. 

And that, my friends, is it. Just a little project that is super quick but from the heart none the less! So, take my lead -- create with nature in mind (like my leaping trout!), create a tag, or create with a charity in mind! Just that simple!

Thanks for stopping by y'all! I hope you have a fabulous week and remember, to play along, all you need to do is create, link up your card HERE. Once a month, Power Poppy draws one random and lucky stamper to win $25! Can't wait to see what you come up with.  

Want to see what one of my fellow Bloomies whipped up for all of you this week? Stop on over and see.....

Stacy Morgan!

I know you won't be disappointed that you did! 

Until next time!
~Julie 

Brewing Up Some Knitting FUN!

Hello all! Happy Wednesday! Gosh, it's been a long time since I've hopped on the blog to share a bit of what's on my knitting needles! The project I have to share today is one my son bought me for Christmas. He and his sister were in the knit shop looking for a gift idea when a finished sample popped out at him and he screamed.. "THAT'S IT!!!" He knows of my affinity for craft beers -- on a Friday night after work to unwind. So, he thought this would be the perfect gift! 

So, I started with some Cascade 220 in Hunter Green and Charcoal and this super fun pattern...

It's for a Growler Cozy! What's a Growler? Well, it's a 32 ounce jug that you can take down to your local microbrewery for some fabulous flavors that can go home with you! My friend, Linda, crafted this lovely pattern and you can find it HERE!

I wanted to show you the bottom of this pattern. It's started on 4 double-point needles and then transfered to a circular needle. so fun! And, while my finished project photo doesn't show the tint of green, you can see it in this photo pretty well....

And... here's my finished project, complete with a Buffalo Nickle Button! Now I am ready to rock and roll when it's time for a beer tasting event. We have those every now and then with friends. ;-)

Thanks for stopping by. Hope your "hump day" is off to a great start! See you back here soon!

~Julie

Stitching up some fun!

Hey all! As promised -- I'm going to shake it up here on the old Out to Impress blog and share other crafts here from time to time! 

One of the latest crazes seems to be boot cuffs. They started as all out book socks but many folks complained that stuffing pants and bulky socks inside a boot was, well, complicated. So, out came the boot cuff -- a little strip of knitting that can adorn the tops of boots without the bulk! Since winter weather sprouted, I've been wanting to make a pair and I wanted to do it with versatility in mind! 

I found this little FREE pattern HERE.

I love the fact that it is super easy to knit with a kind of faux cable! Here's the start of my cuff....

And, although you can't see the stitch definition when it's not spread out -- it did turn out just like the picture. Super cute. I started with some heather grey sport weight yarn. (This was in my stash) I know I bought this yarn at Hobby Lobby, but I can't remember what it is! I wanted something inexpensive because I didn't know how these bad boys would turn out! ;-) 

I will warn you -- if you want to make this pattern, make sure to measure your calf and then figure out the gauge of your yarn. For instance, if your calf is 14 inches around, and your yarn knits 4.5 stitches per inch, you'll need to cast on at least 63 stitches (keeping in mind the pattern). The woman who wrote the pattern mentioned she has  -- her words, not mine -- "chicken legs." I had to add stitches to fit my calf. So, instead of knitting it all up and figuring out it doesn't fit -- just measure and adjust your stitches according to the yarn's gauge. 

And while the pattern called for the whole boot cuff to be made in the pattern, I decided to make half in the pattern and then make the bottom half in a simple rib stitch so that I could flip the boot cuff and have the rib pattern or the faux cable pattern.

And, here is the finished product! The cuff measures about 6 inches, which is perfect -- not too bulky and just enough of a design to show off above the top of your boots -- with either design! 

And that, my friends, is "What's on my needles" this week! My niece hinted that she would love a Fair Isle hat for Christmas. I found some fun and soft yarn and so I thought I better get knitting! I hope I can get it done on time. If I do, you'll be the first to see the finished project!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

~Julie

Knitting up some comfort!

Ok, I know this is a stamping blog but -- every now and then -- just like my post yesterday, I would love to branch out and share some of my other crafty passions! So, I bring you "What's On My Knitting Needles?" I'll share a snippet and the pattern, just to let you know what I'm up to! Plain and simple! I know that I love to see what other folks are knitting and if I can be inspired by a great pattern, I figured that I, in turn, would share! 

A few weeks ago, I started this pattern HERE by Kim Haesemeyer called Lauren. Here's a peek at the pattern front being modeled by Kim herself!!

My vest is being done in Lamb's Pride Worsted in the color Oatmeal. I wanted a vest that I could wear with jeans, layer over a cute and comfy long sleeve tee and dress up by draping a scarf over top. And so.... this is it so far! 

This will be super comfy! I love the stitch definition created in this pattern! The front is knit 8" in the pattern and the the rest is stockinette with a center band carried up through the middle. The back is all in pattern. 

Here's a close up!

And that, my friends, is "What's On My Knitting Needles!" Next week I plan to start a pair of boot cuffs (even though I won't be done with this project) -- and I'll be sure to share! I don't know about other knitters but I always have one big project and one small project going at the same time. Small projects get done quicker and give me that sense of accomplishment! It usually takes me a year (or sometimes longer) to finish a sweater! ;-) I laugh and tell folks I need to become independently wealthy so I can stay home and knit or stamp all day!

Hope your "hump day" is going great! See you back here soon!

~Julie

A little knitting diversion

JUST A NOTE: if you have any questions regarding this pattern, please feel free to email me at juliekoerber@gmail.com. This is an older post and I don't always see these new comments! :-)

Hey all! I have a fun little project to share that I call my less than 2 hour slippers. I was shopping the other day and found some bulky yarn on sale for $2.50 per skein and I thought -- I could make some slipper socks! I love, love, love slipper socks. I have I don't KNOW how many pairs and I usually try to make sure they are bright, fun colors to make my feet happy. I couldn't find a pattern that I really liked -- so I decided to "wing it!" and below -- I'm going to share my pattern with all of you!

Here's a photo of my finished slippers.... cozy as can be!

I had done a similar pair in a worsted weight and thought I could amend the pattern a bit. Well, because of gauge, I decided to wing it and start fresh! I wanted, instead of knitting a tube slipper and sew it up the center - I wanted to have some contouring to hug my feet. See?

And here, my friends, is the easy peasy pattern that creates a pair of slippers using bulky weight yarn in less than 2 hours! Mine took about an hour an a half with sewing!

Materials: 

• 80 to 100 yards of bulky weight yarn - I used Lion Brand Hometown USA in Portland Wine
• Size 11/8mm Knitting Needles
• Large cable needle
• Blunt-eyed needle for sewing when finished

Gauge:
9 stitches/12 rows per 4" by 4" square.

Abbreviations: 
CF4 = slip 2 stitches to the front to cable needle, knit 2 off needles, knit 2 off cable needles
CB4 = slip 2 stitches to the back to cable needle, knit 2 off needles, knit 2 off cable needles
K2tog = Knit 2 together
M1 = Make 1: take the left-hand needle and pick up the bar between the stitches from front to back, use the right needle to knit this bar through the back loop.

Pattern:
Cast on 20 stitches
Row 1: K5, P1, K8, P1, K5
Row 2: P5, K1, P8, K1, P5
Row 3: K5, P1, K8, P1, K5
Row 4: P5, K1, P8, K1, P5
Row 5: K1, CB4, P1, K8, P1, CF4, K1
Row 6: P5, K1, P8, K1, P5
Row 7: K5, P1, K8, P1, K5
Row 8: P5, K1, P8, K1, P5
Row 9: K5, P1, K8, P1, K5
Row 10: P5, K1, P8, K1, P5
Row 11: K1, CB4, P1, K8, P1, CF4, K1
Row 12: P5, K1, P8, K1, P5
Row 13: K5, P1, K8, P1, K5
Row 14: P5, K1, P8, K1, P5
Row 15: K5, P1, K8, P1, K5
Row 16: P5, K1, P8, K1, P5
Row 17: K1, CB4, P1, K8, P1, CF4, K1
Row 18: P5, K1, P8, K1, P5
Row 19: K5, P1, K1, M1, K6, M1, K1, P1, K5
Row 20: P5, K1, P10, K1, P5
Row 21: K5, P1, K1, M1, K8, M1, K1, P1, K5
Row 22: P5, K1, P12, K1, P5
Row 23: K1, CB4, P1, K12, P1, CF4, K1
Row 24: P5, K1, P12, K1, P5
Row 25: K5, P1, K12, P1, K5
Row 26: P5, K1, P12, K1, P5
Row 27: K5, P1, K12, P1, K5
Row 28: P5, K1, P12, K1, P5
Row 29: K1, CB4, P1, K12, P1, CF4, K1
Row 30: P5, K1, P12, K1, P5
Row 31: K5, P1, K12, P1, K5
Row 32: P5, K1, P12, K1, P5
Row 32: K5, P1, K2tog (6 times), P1, K5
Row 33: P5, K1, P6, K1, P5
Row 34, K2tog on all stitches to end

FINISHING: Sew toe and using a mattress stitch, sew up the top of your slipper until it comfortably hugs your ankle. I had to try on my slipper as I was sewing to make sure it fit properly. After you sew the top, you'll need to seam the back heel. To keep this easy, I flipped the slipper inside out and just sewed up using the chain stitches as my guide.

READER TIP FROM MARIA BOVA: To avoid the point that is created completing the heel, don't sew the seam completely. Leave about 4 stitches on each side. Secure the last stitch by going through again. Then, weave the yarn in and out of the 8 stitches and pull to close the ring. This rounds off the heel.


PLEASE NOTE  This pattern fits my feet--- I wear an 8-1/2 shoe. If you want to make this slipper bigger or smaller -- note -- the distance between the heel and the shaping on my slipper pattern is about 5". So, you can adjust the rows (make less or more depending on your foot size) between the heel and the shaping to account for your foot size. Finished length of my slipper from heel to toe is 10".

An hour and a half later, here's a peek at my now happy tootsies..... Can't you just see them smiling? :-)

Hope your week is off to a great start! If you make a pair, please, please, please let me know and if you can email me a picture to juliekoerber@gmail.com so I can update this post! :-) I'll see you back here real soon!

~Julie

This one for coffee & sock monkey lovers!

Ok, I know that I normally reserve my blog posts here for stamping projects with a little family flavor mixed in every now and then. But, those of you that know me, know that I love to knit as well. Well, here is something else about me -- I love sock monkeys!!! I don't have a sock monkey collection. I have made a few for my kids but -- honestly -- I can't see one without going.. "Awwwww! How cute!!!!" So, when I saw this project on Ravelry.com (a knitting community/forum) I had to give it a try. If you click on the link, you'll see that each one really has his own personality! Too cute, I say!

Well, here's my finished Java George! ;-)

Isn't that hysterical? It's a sock monkey java sleeve? I put it on a normal glass for show and tell but will keep this in my car for those java runs while I am busy being a kid taxi service! ;-) It's hysterical because I downloaded the pattern last night while watching TV and had it done before I went to bed. I assembled today by sewing on the mouth, ears and button eyes! 

I thought I would share because I know some of you ladies out there in blogland like other crafts and might get a kick out of something like this. If you've never checked out Ravelry -- you really need to! It's a wonderful knitting community with forums, patterns, and the ability to create your own library of projects (kind of like Splitcoast does for card making!)

Hope you are having a great week! See you back here soon! :-)
~Julie