Making, Tying, and Buying Bow Ties

With prom season upon us, here is some information on bow ties for men, including links to free patterns:

 Make a Statement with a Bow Tie.

Knitting Shawls

Check out this article with links to free patterns for shawls to knit.  A simple shawl pattern is included in the article, too.

My Potter-Inspired Knitting Spree

What happens when you cross a librarian with a knitter?  Me!  I have been thoroughly enjoying Charmed Knits by Alison Hansel.  In reading the Harry Potter books, I naturally identified with Mrs. Weasley: she has 7 children and knits sweaters for them every Christmas.  I have only 6 children and tend to knit scarves and socks rather than sweaters, since North Carolina's climate does not require sweaters as often as the British Isles; still, I think Mrs. Weasley and I could be great friends. 

I have adopted the Harry Potter scarf as my favored carpool/waiting room knitting for this season.  Miles of stripes are simple and calming to the frazzed nerves and unfocused mind.  I am, however, branching out into sweaters as well.  One child has requested Mrs. Weasley's outrageous sweater with the multicolored crocheted ruffle sleeves--and Alison Hansel has generously included an interpretation in her excellent book.  If only my boys liked sweaters, I would love to try the handsome ribbed Quidditch sweater, too.

Check out this article with pattern links.

 

 

Bridal Sewing Questions?

Check out my new Bridal Sewing lens on Squidoo. If you leave a question in the "comments" I will try to answer within a day.

I'm having fun collecting great wedding gown patterns whenever JoAnn has 99 cent patterns! 

Helpful Sewing Tips

Here are links to some articles that offer solutions to common sewing problems:

Help! I Don't Have Enough Fabric : creative strategies for those times you are just a few inches or feet short of the fabric you need for a pattern layout

Handy Substitutes for Expensive Sewing Notions : Use items from your kitchen or workshop in the sewing room

Professional Dressmaking Tips : It's all in the details.

Custom T-Shirts

For an easy summer project, go online and design a custom t-shirt using CustomInk.  I used them to design a shirt for a school's LEGO robotics team and was very pleased.  Give it a try for a family reunion, a day camp, Vacation Bible School, or just for fun.

Custom T-Shirts designed by you!

Three Top Cotton Yarns For Dishcloths

I took the time to try various brands of cotton yarn and have evaluated their suitability for dishcloths in this article: Three Top Cotton Yarns For Dishcloths.  Let me know if you agree with my assessments and please share if you have found other great yarns for dishcloth knitting or crocheting.