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Hello all! I've upgraded my blog software and now have a new RSS feed. Please update you blog readers to:

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I'm one of those Halloween nuts that starts planning well over a month in advance. I usually make most of my costumes as it's something I enjoy doing, only however, if I'm not rushing at the last minute. Hence I like to give myself ample time to complete things. That and I'm just a dorky planner.

For those possibly like minded- a past posts round-up of Halloween related ideas for costumes, DIY Halloween/costume pieces, and food.



From the top, left to right.

• Witch Doctor and Voodoo Doll - Lots of thrifted/$1 store materials, reused/re-purposed and DIY items.
  
• Medusa Costume - Make up and costume handmade, few purchased jewelry items.
  
• Classic Pirate - everything crafted by me or thrifted other than the corset, sword and boots.
  
• 1920's Flapper - thrifted dress with my Stella Cloche pattern.
  

• Tatted Skull Cameo - free tatting pattern
• Felted Wool Mustache Tutorial
• Tricorn Pirate Hat full size and mini version
• His and Her Skull wrist warmers - free knitting pattern
• Vintage/period style felt hat
• Celtic Tatted Pumpkin - free tatting pattern
• Sword Holder - free sewing pattern
• Tatted Skull Earrings - free tatting pattern
  

• Doggie Biscuits - good in any shape but especially little bats
• Candy Corn and Peanuts Cookies - a pieKnits original
• Meathead cheese"ball" - prosciutto covered with stuffed olive eyes
• Monster Cookies - the best cookier *ever*
• Bean Dip Web - with guacamole spider
• Eyeballs & Guts on Toast - or mozzarella and bruschetta

I've had a ball of some pretty mohair in the stash for awhile, waiting for the right pattern, when I found this one for a Mohair Corsage.



I made two lyers for this. First layer followed the pattern, for the second layer I cast on only 74 sts. Added some beads and sewed on the pin back and viola, super fast easy accessory.



I also recently went to a vintage market and came home with some goodies, including my first ever actual vintage hat. I love it! It's rather a tall tilt hat, with a 30s/40s look but also would, I think, work for victorian. Other finds include an animal print scarf and a sterling silver feather pin.

This little guy was so cute, I couldn't resist stitching him up.



There's just something in the pixel like look of simple cross stitch designs that always appeals to me. It's probably something to do with child of the 80's, working in the web area for the last 10 years, and all that.

A free pattern from this site, I'll probably stitch this little companion guy as well. I just raided my embroidery thread stash for similar colors, so they're not the exact listed in the pattern.

He'll probably be given to a friend as we do like to quote the movie Up and yell "Squirrel!" in moments of the others distraction.



A simple "finish" for the back. The fabric was folded over and secured with double sided tape and then a card stock circle cutout was just snapped into place to cover the back stitching.

I love my dog Aejaz. However I didn't fully noticed how much he really is like a furry satellite until I started trying to photograph things. I can't tell you how many outtakes I have with random fluffy ears or a tail in them. While attempting to snap a picture of my first finished "Bettie's Lace Stocking" I decided why fight it? At least he could be useful if he was determined to be in the shot. He made a pretty good foot rest.



For something a little different, I recently attended a BYOB painting class a friend and I had gotten a Groupon for. It was fun and nice to do a little more traditional art again (and while sipping my favorite Lindemans Lambic). While I never really painted on canvas (except for simple pieces for our bedroom) I have always done drawings.



This was a version of Van Gogh's "Almond Branch". It has me itching to break out my easel again! 



I also couldn't reisist showing off this hair pretty I got from a friend of mine while visiting my hometown Des Moines. We all know I can't resist a fun headpiece. She makes lovely hair fascinators and accesorries, check out her stuff at Heather's Haberdashery.

Inspired by all the fantastic hats of the 1930s-1940s, this tilt hat uses short row shaping and blocking to get its distinct vintage lines. The short rows flare out the front while the back brim is flipped up.



This design managed to felt up just right on the first go (after several ripping and recalculating during the knitting process). My felt hat obsession is starting to pay off, ha!

The real key in any fulled hat is in the blocking. I really recommend getting an inexpensive Styrofoam "wig form" head at a beauty supply store to block and pin the hat on it. You want to work with the hat still damp from the felting process, shaping it onto the form, and pinning the brim how you would like. For this hat the back is folded up and pinned through both layers. And in the front I put pins into the foam head under the brim to lift it up so it flares out from the body of the hat. Once it dries it will hold this shape (or with a little extra spray starch or fabric stiffener for more extreme angles/curves).



Any felt-able worsted weight yarn held doubled can be used for this, or equivalent one strand of super bulky yarn. Two strands of Patons Classic Wool was used here. I also like to give it a little shave post-felting, as I have previously posted about.



This is finished with a grosgrain ribbon twisted around to conform to the hat shape and a vintage clear button.



The instant download rundown -after payment via Paypal you will be given a link to download the pattern. This link will also be emailed to you and will expire 30 minutes after the first time it is used. For any questions about the pattern or whole download process please shoot me an email me at- jen@pieknits.com!

Pattern: Evelyn - Vintage Tilt Hat (Ravelry link)
Gauge: 12 sts and 16 rows = 4" in St st on smaller needles before felting but gauge not important. Any worsted weight yarn held doubled will work.
Needle sizes: US Size 13 (9mm): 16" circular. US Size 11 (8mm): 16" circular and double pointed needles
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool (100% Wool; 210yds/192m per 100g/3.5 oz. skein) Color: #00226 Black; 1 skein (Yarn held doubled)
Skill level: Advanced Beginner (working in the round, short rows, felting)
Price: $3.75
Format: PDF instant download pattern

I received my swap package from my partner for the 1950s Inspired Swap I participated in on craftster.org! This was actually my first craft swap (an irresistible theme) and a great experience. I think it really helps to get some creative ideas going and to try a few different things too.

Fair warning, lots of photos to follow.

First up some beautiful cloth napkins, adorable crocheted flower (I'm so rocking this hair accessory) and the most amazing tie purse in a tiki-esque print. I love it! (This picture does not do it justice either.)



Vintage style romper, how cute is this?! Just in time for our seemingly never ending 100+ degree heat wave.



Embellishment detail



And an altered polka dot (my fav!) tee with bow sleeves.



And now the parade of items I made for the Swap.

Needle book from some thrifted vintage fabric I had. I'm getting more and more confident in my beginner sewing abilities. Now I need to make one of these for myself, handy!



Another pillbox version of my Dose design, this time in teal (my swap partner's favorite color). It's easy to play with the demisions of this pattern. This one is probably in between the original and the shorter, wider version I made before. It has loops sewn inside for bobby pins and little teal polka dot bows for trim.





A pair of lace and "pearl" earrings. The lace is needle tatted from fine crochet cotton. I acutally just free formed this simple design.



Retro makeup bag in Classic Elite's Sundance with a vintage glass button closure. This was a nice interesting knit that went relatively fast. It was great for traveling.



Another piece I may have to recreate for myself, it was hard to part with, haa. This little fascinator/cocktail hat was actually salvaged from a failed felting project that I had saved for that purpose. Cut the base out from it, attached the furry leopard print ribbon and made a little bow from ribbon and netting.





Aaaand the whole kit n' caboodle with some small gifties for her little boy and a teal flower broach.

While I've been finishing up several items for my 1950s craft swap I've also been working on a new design! It's all finished and I just need to write up the pattern and get some photos. It's for a 1930s/40s style felted hat (preview), an inspiration which I couldn't resist after how much I enjoyed doing the Tilt Topper hat.

In the meantime I've also casted on for Bettie's Lace Stockings, by Hana Jason from the Interweave Knits, Spring 2009 issue. I score around 12 skiens of this 100% wool fingering weight yarn at the thrift store (a rare find in Texas). It's a pretty, very slight heathered/kettle dyed looking grey.



I had gotten as far as past the heel and onto the ankle when I realized several things.

1. Despite adding extra repeats, after trying it on my row gauge was still way too small
2. I somehow got the instructions wrong and the heel was a few stitches off and not perfectly centered on the foot
3. After reading some of other people's helpful comments on the pattern (should have done that first) seems many recommended doing the sole in plain Stockinette stitch as the lace was uncomfortable while wearing
   

In conclusion I decided to rip all the way back to the short row toe and start over on US size 3s. I also added 4 stitches to the plain sole section to accommodate for the lack of lace stretch compared to the original design.

I love what you can do with a small stash of jewelry findings and feathers. I had a new shirt that was wanting some bright funky earrings for it and so I obliged.



These went together so fast I made them right before heading out to a birthday party, viola new matching accessories.



It's a little hard to make out in the photo but they have some black beads at the top as well. I see a lot more feather jewelry in my future.

In other news, I had a pattern accepted in the "Knitting Pattern A Day Calendar 2012". It's my good ol' Piece O' Cherry Pie pattern. Always fun to see your name in print.



I also joined my first ever Craft Swap. It's 1950s themed so how could I resist? So between all the traveling of late I've mostly been working on items for that so not too much to share yet. I have been working on a new design though! For a felted hat (yeah there's a surprise) but it has a great 1930s look yet very wearable. I'm excited to get that one finished up.