Adventures in Microwave Bowl Hot Pads in Different Sizes

Welcome back to another installation of interesting items!

Today we'll be looking at Microwave Bowl Hot Pads (MBHP), the things that help you keep from burning your hands when you microwave foods.

As a note, some of these are for gifts and some are for sale. See the information at the bottom for more details. Additionally, I used my own Fiesta cereal bowls (clean from the cupboard) to show how the large and medium sized MBHPs fit the same size bowl.

Above: The collection of my latest round of Microwave Bowl Hot Pads. This group contains 7 large MBHP and 2 medium MBHP. The two on top are the medium sized ones. (Also, this picture does not include all of the larger size MBHPs.)

Above: This little winter wonderland inspiration is also the first one where I experimented with a larger size base. I think it turned out pretty nicely, even though not quite how I envisioned. The walls are more vertical than intended, though it's still very much so functional.

Below: This picture is the second variation of the larger size option. They still have a more vertical wall, but it turned out nicely as well. I think this print would be a wonderful addition to a cowboy themed kitchen.

Above: This floral design worked up nicely with a wall angle that accommodates a bowl nicely. I especially like the complementary colors on the different floral prints here.

Below: Here I show how a cereal bowl fits in a larger size MBHP.

Above: I found this Christmas gift themed fabric too cute to pass up; a wonderful accent for guests.

 

 

Above: This pair of MBHPs features a geeky computer theme and complementary green reverse side.

Below: Here is what the computer theme looks like with a cereal bowl.

  

Above: These DC comics themed fabrics combined well together and will be a fun gift for my friends. (Note: These fabrics are specifically licensed and are not fore sale.)

Below: Again showing my cereal bowl in a large MBHP.

Above: I personally enjoyed the contrast of peaches and bananas from my fruit themed fabrics, so I combined them for this MBHP. As a note, this is a medium size MBHP.

Above: A medium size MBHP in brown polka dots and spots. I found this combination to be adorable. It is nice how the earth tones between the two fabrics complement each other.

Below: Here you can see how a medium sized MBHP fits my cereal bowl. (Yes, I used the same cereal bowl for each picture in this post.)

I hope you enjoyed this adventure as much as I did! Stay tuned for more!

Blessings and Peace!

Tabitha

Tabi's Creating Adventures

 

If you would like more information, feel free to connect with me at one of the mediums below:

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Adventures in Sack Socks

   

Do you collect grocery bags? They make great trash sacks, but it can be hard to keep them organized. Some people stow them under a cabinet, others put bags inside other bags, but I like to keep my grocery bags in a sack sock. I actually have 2 sack socks in use at the moment. Both were gifted to me. That's where I got the idea to make sack socks for others.

 

These sack socks were made from a stretchy nurses' uniform material. Originally, they were supposed to be sold  through a friend's shop, but she ended up not being able to continue her shop due to the demands on her from her main job. 

I used a 15 inch by 10 inch piece of fabric, 2 elastic bands to stretch to 10 inches each, and a strip of fabric 2 inches wide folded for the loop. While there is more than one way to construct a sack sock, I prefer to sew up the side first, then sew the elastic "pockets" leaving an allowance for the elastic to be run (placing the hanging loop at the top), running the elastic, then sewing the elastic together before closing the elastic "pockets" to finish. 

I hope you enjoy this product as much as I do!

Many Blessings,

Tabitha

Tabi's Creating Adventures

 

If you would like more information, feel free to connect with me at one of the mediums below:

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Adventures in Wood Crafts

Okay, okay... building shelves is outside my normal creative streaks, but hear me out... it's for the yarn and fabrics. Does that make it better? Maybe not, but here we are! I only wish I had taken more pictures of the process. That's the trouble with being goal oriented and on a time crunch, no time for pictures!

If you look to the right side of this picture, not on the shelves yet, I stacked most of my boxes of yarn and fabric so I could build the shelves where the boxes were stacked. Now that the boxes are stacked on the shelves, the rest of the garage is coming along nicely. I even managed to get rid of a few things that were hidden under a pile or two of boxes! By the way, this was all finished at the beginning of January 2023.

It may be out of the norm, but hope you enjoyed this little side-adventure, too!

Blessings and Peace!

Tabitha

Tabi's Creating Adventures

 

If you would like more information, feel free to connect with me at one of the mediums below:

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Adventures in Hats

As I have mentioned before, I tend to make things in batches. This time it's hats featuring bulky yarns. I experimented with a couple of different hat constructions and knitting patterns this time around. I especially like the pompom hats (pictured at the bottom) because they have a simple beauty to them.

This hat (above and modeled by Mani below) features a basic cable. Sized for a child, this hat would be a great option for a cozy princess.

On the basketweave kick, this pink beauty is sized for an adult large.  Accented with a knit one, purl one border, the basketweave pattern turned out cozy, too. I will likely make something similar to this one again.

Also, sized for an adult large, this one reminds me of cotton candy. Stockinette is probably my favorite visual texture. There's a reason knit beanies are so popular.

This pastel rendition is identical in pattern to the cotton candy hat immediately above. It's hard to decide which color variation I like better.

This slouchy beanie is sized for an adult large. What makes this hat different from the others is that it is crocheted instead of knit. Inspired by another design I found several years ago, I free-handed a loose, comfy version. I think it turned out pretty good.

While I enjoy making cables and basketweaves, there is something about a simple stockinette that really appeals to me. Even crochet doesn't compare to the simplicity of the stockinette stitch. 

 

I hope you enjoyed seeing this collection of hats as much as I enjoyed making them!

Blessings and Peace!

Tabitha

Tabi's Creating Adventures

 

If you would like more information, feel free to connect with me at one of the mediums below:

TabisCreatingAdventures@gmail.com

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Adventures in Kid Hats

After working up the blankets for my friend's kids, I still had some fuzzy-blue yarn left. So here are three kid-sized hats with three different patterns: simple cable, basketweave, and plain.

The method by which I worked up each of these hats definitely affected the size and overall shape. 

On the first hat, below, the simple cable was knit as a short pattern then joined together like a headband before picking up stitches around one edge to close off the top (with a pom pom). Making the cable pattern wider would have made the hat taller.

The basketweave hat was knit up similarly, with a slightly wider pattern, so you can see the difference that made in the height of the hat. 

Most simple of the three patterns, the plain knit hat is also the largest hat. 

While I certainly enjoyed experimenting with the different patterns and learning what affects hat size, I also have determined that I would like to make more pretty designs in larger sizes. 

I'm not sure where these hats will go, but I am certain that the recipients will have warm heads while they wear them. 

I hope you enjoyed this sampling of hats!

Blessings and Peace!

Tabitha

Tabi's Creating Adventures

 

If you would like more information, feel free to connect with me at one of the mediums below:

TabisCreatingAdventures@gmail.com

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Adventures in Kid Blankets

Welcome back, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! 

 

I made two blankets recently, and I am pretty happy with how they turned out. Normally, I would say that there are more than enough blanket makers to make the world go 'round, but these were inspired by the idea of play. Large enough to wrap around a little one, these blankets are still small enough for a little one to handle by themselves.

This beautiful variation of mermaid colors is a play blanket for my friend's toddler girl. I took a variegated pink yarn (without the green and purple) as a border for a bit of color contrast. It should be about the right size to lay on, lay under, or wrap her toys as she sees fit.  I hope she enjoys this colorful creation.

For my friend's little boy, I knit up this fuzzy-yarn blue blanket. The nice thing about novelty yarn is that it is usually very forgiving because of its thick nature. Even though I knit this blanket in a basic garter stitch all the way through it's hard to tell. Even so, I believe it turned out super cozy (even I had a hard time putting this one down)!

As far as design goes, knitting creates a different texture than crochet, so I selected the more smooth texture of knitting in hopes that the blankets will be more pleasant for my friend's kids to hold. Overall, I think both blankets turned out nicely.

 

I hope you enjoyed these little projects!

Blessings and Peace!

Tabitha

Tabi's Creating Adventures

 

If you would like more information, feel free to connect with me at one of the mediums below:

TabisCreatingAdventures@gmail.com

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Adventures in Cotton Cloths

In keeping with the crochet streak, cotton cloths! 

 

I decided to focus on cotton cloths when I dug out my boxes of cotton yarn. This set is the Handicrafters yarn by Bernat. I found a variety of colors, mostly variegated, that I liked and worked with a soap maker in Washington state (yes, we lived there for about 4 years). Between my soap maker friend and myself, we came up with a cute display. I bought her soaps wholesale and she bought my cotton cloths wholesale and we set up our displays in multiple places, though that was years ago now. If you'd like to see more pictures from then, feel free to check out my Facebook page (linked below). 

This round of cotton cloths started with a revisit to some dish cloth patterns I had found years ago and eventually settled into my comfortable favorite pattern I have lovingly referred to as "the Double Stitch," named so for the amount of double crochet stitches used to create the pattern. While I enjoy trying patterns I haven't really used before, sometimes it's better to stick with a tried-and-true, easy to memorize pattern. These patterns are out of a dish cloth pattern book I picked up at one of the stores I shop. (It could have been Walmart, Hobby Lobby, or another store with a yarn section. I don't remember exactly where I found it, but the front cover has red and white dish cloths on it. Also, the patterns are labeled "Dishcloth #_".)

Above and below: a sampling of the first cotton cloths I made this time around, one with scale and one without. The cotton cloths are all about the size of a standard wash cloth or slightly larger.

Above: This "Christmas Ripple" is on the smaller side of the cotton cloths and would be a lovely addition to a Christmas themed kitchen or bath (but only choose one!).

Above: "Watermelon Juice" is one of the larger sizes, along with the purple and white options. I found the stitch texture on these to be an eye teaser. Aside from playing tricks on your eyes, textured cotton cloths tend to be better for scrubbing and exfoliating the face.

Above: "Blueberry Ripple" is just a touch larger than the "Christmas Ripple." The additional border and corners adds about half an inch to the length and width. Also, the corners make for easy hanging so you're not limited to drawer storage. Plus, the blue, purple, and green combo is fun and could count for wall art.

Above: "Watermelon Ripple" is an echo of "Watermelon Juice" and "Christmas Ripple." I think I ran out of the Watermelon yarn, so I finished out the dimensions with white yarn. This cloth is actually pretty cute in person.

Above: "Lemon Lime Double Stitch" is one of the cloths I made using my favorite pattern. My favorite part about this pattern is being able to easily remember the pattern for a highly textured cloth. The variegated color adds to the enjoyment, helping to prevent boredom in the process.

Above: "Starburst Double Stitch" cotton cloth.

Below: "Blueberry Double Stitch" cotton cloth.

 

These two "Double Stitch" cloths include a shell stitch border, making them about 3/4 inch wider and longer than the "Lemon Lime Double Stitch" cloth. 

Above and below: "Grape Accent" Cotton Cloths. The final color design of this group is a simple alternating color pattern with reaching fingers creating color texture as well as tactile texture. The simple color design makes this pattern an elegant accent to any modern kitchen.

I hope you enjoyed reading about this set of cotton cloths as much as I enjoyed making them.

Blessings and Peace!

Tabitha

Tabi's Creating Adventures

 

If you would like more information, feel free to connect with me at one of the mediums below:

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Adventures in Hats (Featuring Mani the Manniquin)

Mani the Maniquin has made his return! Mani was gifted to me by a cosmetologist friend when we lived in Washington state. At the time, I was making school pride warmth sets which included a hat, a scarf, and a pair of fingerless mitts. Mani came in quite handy as I displayed these sets as well as other hats of different designs. If you go back on my Facebook page (link at the bottom) you can find more pictures of Mani modeling.

This particular hat was also a stash-buster project. I had this yarn left from another project and felt it was about right for a hat. The only thing left to decide was what design to use. After digging out my inspiration and patterns box, I found my favorite hat pattern book, In All Caps by The Crochet Dude. (I used several of the patterns from that book with different color combinations for the school pride warmth sets. It's also a great book for beginners.)

I especially like how the colors stacked and created a diagonal stripe. Also, the white border is a fun finishing touch I added to tie into the pom pom (because I didn't have enough yarn to make a full pom pom without adding something... oops!). Overall, it turned out much nicer than I expected.

Blessings and Peace!

Tabitha

Tabi's Creating Adventures

 

If you would like more information, feel free to connect with me at one of the mediums below:

TabisCreatingAdventures@gmail.com

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Adventures in Crochet Bags

Hello, again! This month's post is scrap-busting bags. I made these for my son's toys: a set of puzzle mats and stacking blocks. They were originally in the same plastic zip bag, but that did not work for our space, so I changed it. 

 

Originally, I had used these yarn colors for school pride warmth sets in Washington state. I made matching hats, scarves, and fingerless mitts for one of the local high schools where we lived. Since we have moved from that area I don't really need these colors specifically. Personally, I think they made great color options.

 

The first bag I made was the green, gold, and silver spiral bag on the right. I really enjoyed playing with this pattern, even though it did not turn out quite how I was expecting. (The top is rippled and it's supposed to be flat, but that's the nature of experimenting. The next one will be better.)

Second up was the blue and green bag. I had used a similar concept to make library bags for my niece and nephew. This variation has a top flap (the experimental part) as well as a shoulder strap instead of handles. In the top flap I alternated single crochet stitches and attempted to make a mini-checkered pattern. I think it turned out pretty good overall.

 

 

 

Top: the bags as completed.

Bottom: the bags with a sample of their contents. (The rooster does come apart and is a puzzle.)

I hope you enjoyed these bags and found them to be an inspiration. I enjoyed making them. 

Blessings and Peace!

Tabitha

Tabi's Creating Adventures

 

If you would like more information, feel free to connect with me at one of the mediums below:

TabisCreatingAdventures@gmail.com

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Adventures in Bowl Hot Pads

You may have noticed by now that I dabble in all sorts of fiber arts, from crocheting and knitting to sewing and quilting. This time around I am highlighting a simple quilting-type project: Bowl Hot Pads. 

In short, these bowl-shaped hot pads are made of 100% cotton and are safe for microwaveable use. Simply place your food to be microwaved into your bowl, place the bowl into the Bowl Hot Pad, set the entire ensemble in the microwave, microwave as directed (or as necessary for food safety), then remove the entire ensemble from the microwave. Ta-da! (It is always a good idea to watch what you're microwaving to make sure the contents of your bowl do not overflow.) They are also easy care and can be washed with similar items in your regular laundry. 

Instead of saying something about each pair of bowls in the pictures below, suffice it to say that these are very popular among my family and friends. Any time I make them I end up making a lot of them. This batch includes 17 individual Bowl Hot Pads, 8 pairs and 1 spare. (Haha!)

Typically I find fabrics I like for these in the "small samples" section of the fabric department or quilting store. I always use 100% cotton fabric, batting, and thread so they don't melt in the microwave, and the typical size of a fabric selection is 18x21 inches... just enough for 2 squares of the same fabric pattern. Additionally, I prefer to mix and match fabric designs (a solid with a print is the most straight forward) and make them in pairs. I have also found that I prefer the simple elegance of a top stitch over the more involved decorative stitching. It simply looks better.

At some point I intend to make similar products for instant soup bowls and other specific shape and size items. Stay tuned for those when they come about!

 

I hope you enjoyed this post!

Blessings and Peace!

Tabitha

Tabi's Creating Adventures

 

If you would like more information, feel free to connect with me at one of the mediums below:

TabisCreatingAdventures@gmail.com

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tenacious141b (Instagram)

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