Tuesday 13 January 2015

small gifts

I cannot take credit for this idea.  I first saw these little pencil cozies on WhiMsy love (probably through Pinterest) but the etsy shop she linked to seems to be inactive.

My plan is to make a whole bunch of these right now for random little gifts throughout the year (and I think a few for stocking stuffers).  I am bound and determined to finish up a few tiny projects like this early on in the year and stash them away.
I have 12 so far, because I think 3 wrapped together will be a nice little gift.
They are on Ravelry over here if you want to add them to your queue.
I made mine using a ball of sock yarn from my stash, so without changing yarns, I get all these different little cozies.  I used nine stitches (in stockinette) on size 2.75mm needles.  They take around 15 or 20 minutes each with sock yarn, and I think I may give them a go with worsted too.
It took my about 4 or 5 tries to get the right size, and initially I was trying to do it with i-cord but it was a little too messy.  I switched to stockinette and I'm sewing them up in place on the pencil.
And here is my newest style of yarn bowl.  I like a yarn bowl that lets me rest my project in it, rather than just having the yarn in the bowl and the project on the side.  My little sock yarn ball is a little small for this particular yarn bowl (I think some tiny yarn bowls are in order).  It will be great for worsted weight.  
And incidentally, this bowl happens to be listed in my etsy shop if you need one.

Joining my friends today at:
Keep Calm Craft On, at Frontier Dreams
Yarn along at small things
 I just started Wuthering Heights last night...I have never, ever read it before.

11 comments:

  1. Those little cozies are the cutest things and an idea I will be trying out here. Thank you so much.

    ReplyDelete
  2. these are so cute, and yes, make sweet little gifts. love the bowl. i'll favourite it in your shop. i have one that is closed but a small dip, but too small for the yarn i tend to use. although i do like it sitting about to hold things. we should swap lol

    ReplyDelete
  3. The cosies are lovely and the bowl is gorgeous, will check out your shop!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Those are so cute! I remember using pencil grips in elementary school, and how much I loved them then. These would be even more fun!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love that idea! What a great gift idea. And in answer to your question about the mini spinner - yes it does have a brake. There is a pedal you press for on and off. Very easy to operate.

    ReplyDelete
  6. how cute!!!!!! something I never knew I needed!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love the bowl ... and that ball of yarn is very pretty. Looking forward to seeing the socks!

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a fabulous idea! I always hold my pencil too tight.

    ReplyDelete