Needlecrafts - Knit, Up In Arms in Stitches

Basket stitch blanket | blanket kit available for purchase here

Blanket pattern | free pattern available here Premier Yarns - Couture Jazz | available for purchase here

Simply Maggie | How to Arm Knit a Blanket in 45 Minutes

When I first saw the arm knitting craze happening, I have to admit I wasn't impressed. Quickie ideas for knitting have come and gone in the past. One such fad was the "Condo Pattern". Sales of 12mm needles hit the roof to supply knitters wanting to make this open stitch pullover. At the time, I was working for a chain of yarn shops and, of course, we had to publish several patterns with this design to support our in-house brand yarns. Everybody was ecstatic with the results until it came time to wash the garments. Not everyone was careful with these very open and very loose knits. So, you guessed it, they stretched beyond belief, and you can see why I thought "Oh yeah another form of condo knitting!". But inevitably, cruising the web, I came across the blanket featured in the first photo and I was taken aback at how this design looked so finished and well made. I became a believer again. Really heavy yarn helps to fill in spaces, as shown in the second image but doubling bulky yarn and keeping the "arm gauge" consistent and tight helps to maintain an even fabric and, therefore, a beautiful finish. Finger knitting is a great way to get kids to understand and develop a love for knitting. Be sure to see several small accessory projects for arm knitting and very helpful tutorials and videos to get you started.

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DIY - Home Decor, Top of the Tree

Window inspiration | Pinterest

Holiday season is here in full swing. We've already had our turkey day up here in the "North" in October but our southern neighbours are just enjoying their feast today.
Black Friday fever is definitely pent up and ready to blow with thoughts about the house, gifts, and getting ready for the holidays.
One of my sisters-in-law happens to work at HomeSense (HomeGoods to the south). She explains the pattern of sales this way.
First Decor, then Presents, then last minute, Entertaining. Already there is madness in her store. Poor girl!
We are fortunate that we celebrate Christmas Eve with just the brothers and wives (no kids!) at our house - Christmas evening mass and afterwards lots of food and holiday "cheer".
The main events are bedlam as there's always a packed house with all the children and grandchildren. The numbers can easily swell to 30 or more depending on who's bringing who.
It's lovely to have a more calm experience with 8-10 people.
We have a relatively small home, so a grand tree is out of the question.
Finding ways to be festive and yet not take up much room needn't be challenging. Featured in this post are many ways to decorate without taking up precious space.
Getting the kids to help make decorations is fun and gives them a chance to create "souvenir" decorations they'll cherish in years to come.

Be sure to also read all the past posts further down for more creative ideas on decor and gifts.

Pvc pipe tree | free tutorial available here
Twig tree | Pinterest
Branch tree| free tutorial available here
Recycled boards tree | free tutorial available here

Birch tree stacked slices | free tutorial available here
Knitted cones | Finished knitted cones or pattern available for purchase here
Wood finials| free tutorial available here
Covered boxes | Pinterest

Video Tutorial | How to Make a Tree-Shaped Napkin Fold

Upcycled book page tree | free tutorial available here
Doily trees | free tutorial available here
Upcycled paper band tree | inspiration source here
Recycled card tree | inspiration source here

Pie plate tree | free tutorial available here
Cupcake liner tree | free tutorial available here
Popsicle stick tree | free tutorial available here

Click on images below for more of past posts featuring
stylish holiday decor ideas and easy-to-make gifts
Click on topreveal.com for more free projects and tutorials.

Top 20 Posts | Click on image below for posts

Happy DIYing!

Needlecrafts - Crochet, Beginning to Cable

Taupe headband | free pattern available here
Black hat | free pattern available here
Pink hat | free pattern available here
Bow Pattern - be sure to read complete tutorial | here

Cables in crochet can be quite simple and easy to understand. Unfortunately, so many patterns, especially afghan or throw patterns have complex combinations which, quite frankly, can be scary. When you break down the individual patterns, some are less intimidating. Another reason to look at throw patterns for inspiration. The simple bow cable is easy to make and great for embellishing other projects you may have made. Practice makes perfect as they say. Swatches are terrific for trying out a new stitch as you can see by the brown swatch I made taking a simple 4 stitch cable and working it into an uncomplicated pattern. Helpful videos and a step by step tutorial are featured further on to walk you through the front and back post stitches and how to work the front cross of the cable. Gifts for the holidays are the perfect way to perfect your crochet skills with quick to crochet accessories and how to get a new twist on the simple cable.

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DIY - Restyle, All About the Lace

Lace halter bustier | free tutorial available here

Gold lace cuff | free tutorial available here
Gunmetal lace neckpiece | free tutorial available here
Victorian lace neckpiece | free tutorial available here

Lace has always had great eye appeal but this fall there is a definite darker mood. Whether you call it Goth or Victoriana, in black it adds a glamorous edge to any holiday outfit. Think about kimono coverups this holiday season in sheer fabrics with black lace and velvet ribbon edging the kimono. The bustier automatically adds up to glamour and with a velvet tuxedo jacket would be a standout fashion ensemble for a party. For those who want a hint of lace, accessories are the way to add this season's trend. A soft scarf with black lace edging will provide the look you want. Yes this fall it's all about the lace.

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Needlecrafts - Crochet, Finishing Edges

All images | Pinterest

Knowing how to properly finish crochet pieces to be seamed is probably as important as the quality of your crochet work. A garment that is sewn together properly will hang better because the seams match and don't pucker. When I first started to crochet garments, I was always in a hurry to wear the garment so the garment was sewn up haphazardly and much to my disappointment didn't look handmade, just homemade. Throughout my career, I was lucky enough to meet people who would give me tips on how to make a garment look professionally finished. Some techniques I developed on my own through trial and error. This, in some ways, was the best way as it taught me patience and how to adapt what I already knew to different yarns and situations. Taking the time and yes it does take time to even out edges will in the end save you time and a whole pile of headaches when you go to sew the pieces together. Even though you add a bit of width, nothing to get too excited about, you now have the ability to match stitches from one edge to the other edge. Keep in mind to have the same number of stitches on each side. Read further for very helpful instructions, tutorials and videos. If you find that you would like to finish the edges with a more decorative finish, there are 21 free edge patterns that are easy and good to have in your library of stitch patterns.

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