Craft Day in Maadi

A friend that lives in Maadi had a Craft Day. The sceduled events was felting and pottery. These are two things that I have never did before and I was really excited. I took my two girls and we joined other families. We made felted balls and mats. It was a lot of fun. Felting is done in a couple of steps. I think I am going to keep on practicing to get the technique right. I might have to go to the village and see if I can buy some sheep or camel wool. They also can dye it for you. She has some nice warm colors. Brown, Burnt Orange, Burgundy, Black, Beige, and White. I believe that it is easier to knit or crochet the piece and then felt. We were separating the wool and placing in on a mat all going in one direction. Then we placed it the opposite direction. My daughter made a nice square and she will use it to hang her jewlery. I am going to use my square as a book cover. When we were done felting we ate a nice lunch. Then we made our way over to Ree Fee an educational studio for the arts. Oh yes, we sat at the pottery table and made some pretty plates and baskets. We had such a wonderful time. I am definitely going again. Next time I will bring the whole family.

Teaching my friends,

I introduced loomknitting to one of my friends and she has finally completed a project, yay! She made a pair of tube socks using the knit stitch on the yellow "In the attic looms". It's a perfect time when these tile floors are very cold. I posted a little pic. I also met a new friend from Spain, and guess what? She can knit! I am so happy!
I am making a hat to match my jacket on the kk yellow long loom. I have a little complaint. It seems that the pick that comes with the kk looms are not as sturdy as I like them to be, they bend. So if I am using double yarn I have to knit loose so that way it can be easy to make a stitch. I don't want to fight my way to make the hat. I found that the In the Attic pics are very sturdy and work very well with their looms. I tried to use them with the kk looms and it seems as though its a tiny bigger than the kk pic. Anyway, I am dealing with it. I am really interested in buying this new item from provocraft that brings a handle and different crochet hook sizes and even a pic. But I can also make and bake a big handle just like it out of polymer clay. I really don't need any extra crochet hooks. Did I mentioned I was stressed? I am so thankful for knitting, looms, hooks, pattern books and all these cool notions. Blogging is really cool, even though no one reads mine, this is a fun way to release stress and talk to myself.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup of peanut butter

1 cup of honey

1 1/4 cup of milk powder

1 1/4 cup of powdered sugar

Mix to form dough with wood spoon

Kneaded dough with chocolate chips

Roll and press dough on wax paper


Sumi and I made these quick peanut butter cookies. It was so easy and so tasty. We used honey in our mix and added chocolate chips. When we were done, we refrigerated our cookies and they tasted just as yummy and a little more firm. I am going to make these with my boys and use cookie cutters instead. I would assume you would dip the cutters in either milk powder or powdered sugar so the cookie dough won't stick. A great idea would be to make icecream cookies with these. I found this recipe on ReachOutMichigan website. Click the title, its linked!

ccccrochet...

My daughter started this poncho but became so busy with other things and gave it me. I crocheted about 3 rows and then I realized I was out of yarn. To finish it I would have to hope that his yarn shop still has it in stock which might not be a possibility. So if they don't have it, what else can I do with it?

Made these last night..

I have always wanted to make polymer clay handles for my crochet hooks. After crocheting for a while my hands start hurting, expecially when the hooks are small. I went on www.tapestrycrochet.com and found a video on how to do them. I went and dug out some polymer clay and made my handles. I tried mixing colors and making spiral designs, it was a lot of fun. I made a big handle for my size N hook, its so comfortable. I was up late last night watching "In the valley of Elah" and making my handles at the same time. I left the baking for morning. I put them in my toaster oven, baked for 45 minutes and here they are.

I caught the cold bug

First the kids got sick and them me. Today I am feeling much better than two days ago. I thought I would have to make that trip to the doctor. I was hoping not to. I have endured 3 days of chinese herbal tea. The kind that is so bitter that you can't do anything about it, just drink it. Yesterday I felt like I had a cold sweat, that's a sign that I am getting better. Well, it hindered my efforts to knit, but I did read. I am trying to learn how to knit cables on looms and needles, so I read a little on that. I also watched some videos too. Today I posted a little pic of a little bag I made for my friend from leftover yarn.

Weeee,this is fun....

Yay! I made my friends son this cool hat. I came home from school and just started loom knitting again. I looks like it has these cool blue and green swirls coming from the top.
Its time to try to "Learn to Knit cables on Looms". I think I am ready now. I have to read through the instructions and I will check on youtube if there is a video. That would be great. So lets see how my next hat turns out. I have to make one for my son Ibraheem. I think I am going to make another money bag for my friend Maryam. Go to go now.

I made a red hat.....

I loomed knitted this cute litte hat for my friends daughter. I finally made a brim. I didn't do it before,I was just do lazy. But it really adds a nice touch. I really like the color red.





I am currently working on another hat on the yellow kk long loom. One thing that I have been enjoying is using the little loom tool to e-wrap. It cuts time for me and I can knit even faster. Since three come in pack I was able to give some to my loom kntting friends. You really can't find looms or loom notions here is Egypt. I have to go and wake up the kids for school.

Mini scarf...

Here is the mini scarf I am making for my mom. Pretty easy. I am using size US 11 Bryspun needles. I really love these needles. They are so light weight and smooth.

Still Loom knitting...

It has been a week that I have posted but I am still making stuff. I had the pleasure of using my KK Corker and it was fun. I loom knitted a little money bag and I corked the strap. I am going to this shop to get a cool glass button for the flap. Next I loom knitted a hat for my husband from supper scrappy scraps. It came out really nice and he is happy!
I have to check and see what yarns I have left to use. I have a half way done crocheted poncho. This is the only project I will have to purchase new yarn to finish. So I guess I will make that my last project My daughter Sumi loom knitted a little pair of mittens. I will give these to my friend's little newborn to keep his hands warm at night. She used the In The Attic thumb loom.
Finally, I decided to give the hat that was for me to my mom. I can always make myself another one. I was knitting a little scarf to go with it but I was to tired to finish it in time. I will try to see if anyone else is leaving to the US so they can put it in the mail for me. My hubby left this morning to America, I am missing him too much already. I love you sugar.

I finished my wrist warmers. I didn't realize how cozy this yarn was. I love it. I had just bought 2 little skiens. I made these on the In the Attic purple mitten loom. I just don't know how to make a hole for the thumb. Maybe I will search for it today because I want to make my sons a pair. They always wear my old ones from last year. I want to make a sort of camouflage combination. I have to look in my scrap pile. On to the next project.

These are for me....

I bought this yarn and I just didn't know what to do with it so it ended up thrown in my yarn basket. I needed a new pair of fingerless mittens and already one is done. I love these colors.

Still Loomknitting.....

I just finished making these colorful fingerless gloves for my daughter. Made with the In the Attic small 18 peg purple loom. These were actually for me. While I was on my second one, she tried the first one and said, "OOh, can I have these?". Of course I said and I already have the scrap yarn I will dig up to make one for me. This yarn is almost done. Come to think of it, I have to make one more hat for my big boy, and maybe 3 more fingerless mittens for chilly mornings while waiting for the bus. I don't want to hear complaining about how come mom didn't make me a pair. Well anyway, on to the next scrappy project.

Mood:Stressed /Solution:Loom Knit like a Maniac!

This is going to be a nice warm one for me. Can you believe its to wear inside my flat when those nights get really chilly. I started to make myself some fingerless gloves. There are too colorful but again, it's using scrap yarn. I have to get rid of this yarn. It's been in this basket too long. I started making a granny square something and I am going to go around and around with all the little scrappy balls of yarn I have left. Who cares what it will look like. It will probably look like a mess but crocheted very neatly and I can sit and watch tv and be warm. So what.

You know, sometimes I feel I want to get in a car and drive. I miss my family.

Scrappy Hats, I'm addicted!

This one is for Sumaiyah!


This one is for Ameenah!


Whew, finished two hats with scrap yarn. Thankyou Barbie for modeling it! I have already started another one. I still have to make two more hats so everyone in the house will have one. This one is for me. HeeHee. I am thinking fingerless gloves next.

A hat for my little guy

It was fun loom knitting this simple hat. In the beginning I had made a huge pom pom. It was so funny, I had to get a scissor and trim it until it was just right. I am on my second hat now. I am digging out all this scrap yarn and making stuff with it.




I loomknitted "Lulu the loomknitted dolly". I forgot to stitch the mouth and bow. Doesn't her body look like a prescription pill? I found this pattern at "Bev's Country Cottage".

Ramadan is almost over....

It's been a while since I posted. I have had a long summer. It was so hot this August in Egypt that I was sweating standing still. I am so glad the summer is over finally. Now its getting breezy and its still very sunny. Ramadan is almost over and it has been a very enlighting month. Mostly all my friends came back from the UK from there summer vacations and children are starting school. I have been very busy teaching people how to loom knit this past summer. The craft shops don't sell looms or any new notions. I have only seen knitting needles and crochet hooks. My husband brought me some looms that I ordered over the internet to share and give to my friends. I crocheted one poncho and a loom knitted poncho, two hats and 2 pairs of mittens for my friend from France. I have to say it was fun loom knitting. I found it effortless. I am teaching my friend how to make a flat panel on the loom and she is loving it.

Mundillo (Lace Making)

I am from Moca, Puerto Rico. When the Spanish came to Puerto Rico they brought Lace Making with them, in spanish it's called "Mundillo". I remember as a young girl how my grandmother would make lace. She also did beautiful embroidery. At that time I didn't ask her how to do it, but now I want to learn how. My sister recently went to Puerto Rico in February. She went to the Museum of Mundillo "Lace Making" in our hometown Moca. She bought a Mundillo for me. I was so excited when I received it. She also bought an instructional manual all in spanish. Oh my, I can almost vision my grandmother busy twisting the sticks, which is what I used to say. Here is a nice pic. I promised my sister the first thing I make it will be for her. This is an incentive for me. A promise is a promise. I can't wait to get started.

In the process of moving...

Moving again, but still in the city of Rehab. I am happy, the apartment is only a 10 minute walk. So I am packing and getting everything ready. Well I got some new stuff and currently working on crocheting motifs. I am making a rug with my big red spool knitter. Hesitantly I am putting it all away until I get settled in my new place. By the way, I finished my tote bag. Had to, had to frog it half way, removed the strap and the pocket and made it into a small hand tote. I even added a lining so my stuff won't fall through the stithes. Love it so far.

Almost finished, (not yet)

I had originally made a strap for a tote, but after a days use I realized that it would stretch all the way to my knees so I had to undo the strap and make it into sling bag. My goodness, I can't believe how comfy my bag is. I made the strap wide and therefore I eliminated that sometimes annoying strap that digs into your shoulder and leaves a red mark when you are carrying books. I want to make a drawstring and a little button for the pocket. (After all this I realized I am not happy with a sling bag. It's not what I want, so I am frogging the strap and 1/4 of it to crochet 2 small handles then I hope I will be happy)