Peacock-Inspired Ring Pillow

A good high school friend of mine is getting married, and I wanted to create a special gift for her. The theme is peacock-inspired. No actual birds were harmed in the making of this ring pillow :-)

The pattern I used was by Lesley Teare: 101 Weekend Cross Stitch Gifts (ISBN 0 7153 1945-0), but I changed the colors in the pattern to reflect the bride's theme.

After finishing the cross stitch pattern, I added a long length of purple ribbon by cross stitching over the ribbon and trimmed it with a button to neaten it up (It didn't look so polished with the cross stitch in the middle of the ribbon. It looked like it was missing something).

 I finished it into a pillow by cutting around the design (with enough left for the back) and whip stitched it on three sides. I stuffed the it with polyfill stuffing that I bought at a craft store.

The colors of threads I used were purple, bright blue, and lime green. I like that I was able to incorporate the blue thread into the pillow, so it can be her "something blue" if she so chooses.

This was a relatively easy project to make. If I could make one change though, it would have been to have used my sewing machine to sew up the edges instead of hand stitching it. This is because the aida cloth I used was rather stiff, and it was hard to sew the corners where the fabric overlapped. I also think it would have been neater and quicker to use the sewing machine.

How to get candle wax out of a glass candle holder

So, I was burning a candle from my wedding (we used scented candles as wedding favors) and I wanted to get the remaining candle wax out of the glass holder. I tried tapping it out gently, but no luck (sometimes that has been enough to get the remaining candle residue out), so I had to take things a step further. 

I simply popped the candle holder into the freezer for a few hours, took it out, gently tapped it on the bottom, and the remaining candle wax came out! There was still a tiny circle of wax remaining in the bottom of the candle holder:

I took a butter knife and scraped it out in seconds:

Now all that's left to do is wash it out in some hot soapy water, and it should look like new (hopefully)!!!:-)...

Happy (Belated) 2014!!!

I just realized it has been a LONG time since I last posted anything on this blog! Time for a change... I'll be attempting to make chicken noodle soup later today.

Here's the recipe I'll be using: About 3/4 of an organic rotisserie chicken 2 cartons low-sodium chicken broth Carrots (as many as you'd like) One small onion Egg noodles Salt and pepper to taste

 Recipe:
1. Cut up the rotisserie chicken ahead of time into small, bite-sized pieces.
2. Prepare the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
3. Peel and slice the carrots into bite-sized pieces.
4. Peel and dice the onion.
5. Add the rotisserie chicken, cooked egg noodles, onion, carrots, and broth in a large pot, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20-25 minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste. I'll let you know how it all turns out!!!:-)...

Cross stitch wedding ring pouches

A lesson in creating wedding ring pouches

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A very good friend of mine is getting married, and I asked her how I could help. Turns out, she is having her attendants hold the rings, instead of a ring bearer, and she wanted them to be kept in ring pouches instead of on a pillow. I'd never seen anything like that done before, so I had to wing it.

I took an aida bookmark with lace edging, and folded it into thirds, creating 3 panels. I cross stitched a design onto the front of one of the 1/3 "panels." I then sewed up the side edges of each pouch.

I used blue thread to do some of the cross-stitch, so that it would be her "something blue."

This is a super easy project. A lot of the work is already done for you if you use pre-made aida bookmarks- the fabric is already cut into a size that works well for creating a ring pouch, and the one I chose already had decorative lace attached. This project also lends itself well to personalization: use blue thread for her "something blue,", use ribbon reclaimed from one of her baby outfits as her "something old", or use embroidery thread in their wedding colors, etc. You can also personalize it with the couple's initials and wedding date, as you can see I have done with one of the pouches in the picture. The sky's the limit when it comes to the actual motifs you decide to use.

Happy stitching!!!

Knitting/Crocheting Projects in Progress

• Snood for my sister
• Triangle shawl
• Crocheted daisy table runner

©2012 Arti Kochhar. All rights reserved. This blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. All images by Arti Kochhar, unless otherwise credited.
All materials on this site are available for scholarly and educational use only, via Creative Commons License Last update: August 22, 2012.

Cushion Covers Continued

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I've been taking a few sewing classes at my local Joann's store. I recently purchased a sewing machine too. For this cushion cover, I used two types of denim: one printed with polka dots, and the other plain. This was my first time using a commercial sewing pattern.

Knitting/Crocheting Projects in Progress

• Snood for my sister
• Triangle shawl
• Crocheted daisy table runner

©2012 Arti Kochhar. All rights reserved. This blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. All images by Arti Kochhar, unless otherwise credited.
All materials on this site are available for scholarly and educational use only, via Creative Commons License Last update: July 12, 2012.

Embroidered Cushion Cover

My first cross-stitched pillowcase

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Here is a homemade pillowcase with a lotus flower cross stitch pattern that I embroidered onto it. Because I can't hem anything to save my life, I covered up the ugly hemming with some matching pink braid.:

Knitting/Crocheting Projects in Progress

• Snood for my sister
• Triangle shawl
• Crocheted daisy table runner

©2012 Arti Kochhar. All rights reserved. This blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. All images by Arti Kochhar, unless otherwise credited.
All materials on this site are available for scholarly and educational use only, via Creative Commons License Last update: June 26, 2012.

Loom Knit Pumpkin Baby Hat

Loom Knit Pumpkin Hat

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For a long time now, I've seen a lot of these pumpkin hats, and I've always wanted to make one. Well, today, while baking my sister's birthday cake, I finally made my very first one!!! I loom knit the hat itself using two strands of worsted weight orange yarn held together. The stem and leaves were crocheted.

Hat Recipe-Preemie/Small Newborn Size.

You will need:

• A 24 peg round loom, and the awl it comes with.
• Yarn needle
• Small amount of worsted weight orange and green yarns
• Crochet hook (size isn't too critical- you just want something that will work with a worsted weight yarn)

Loom knit 20 rows using two strands of orange yarn held together, and then cast off using the gathering method (run the yarn needle under each stitch, and then pull each stitch off the peg). Tie tightly and weave in ends.

For the stem, crochet about5 chain stitches. Single crochet till end, and then single crochet around the other side of the same chain. Weave in ends. Attach to top of hat.

For the leaves: Ch 6. Work each stitch as follows: SC in first stitch, then HDC, DC, HDC, SC. Repeat the stitch pattern working on the opposite side of the same chain. Repeat for additional leaves as desired. Attach to top of hat near base of stem.

Knitting/Crocheting Projects in Progress

• Snood for my sister
• Triangle shawl
• Granny Square Pillow

©2012 Arti Kochhar. All rights reserved. This blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. All images by Arti Kochhar, unless otherwise credited.
All materials on this site are available for scholarly and educational use only, via Creative Commons License Last update: June 15, 2012.

I've been busy

Mock Cable Rib Stitch Newborn Baby Hat Pattern

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This is my first original baby hat pattern. The stitch I used is a mock cable stitch. It consists of simple knit and purl stitches, so I would rate this as an "easy" hat.

PATTERN IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. PLEASE DO NOT REPRODUCE, SELL, OR OTHERWISE USE THIS PATTERN FOR PROFIT. YOU ARE FREE TO MAKE AS MANY HATS AS YOU WISH FOR PERSONAL USE, OR FOR CHARITY.

This was knitted on US 5 needles using sport weight yarn.

How to Make the Hat

Stitch Pattern

On a multiple of 4 stitches plus 2:

• Row 1: *Purl 2, knit 2* Repeat till end.
• Row 2:* Knit 2, purl 2* Till end.
• Row 3: *Purl 2, skip the next stitch and knit into the back of the next stitch, then knit into the front of the skipped stitch* Repeat till end.
• Row 4: *Knit 2, purl 2* to end.

These 4 rows form the pattern.

Now that you have familiarized yourself with the pattern stitch, it's time to get started on the actual hat. Here's the pattern for the hat:

• Step 1: Cast on 66 stitches.
• Step 2: Knit in pattern until work measures 5 inches, or desired length.
• Step 3: Start decreasing:p2tog,k2tog till end. Continue decreasing for about 3 rows, or until you have about 8 stitches remaining on your needles. (There may be some rows where you have to k3tog or p3tog).
• Step 4: When you reach about 8-10 stitches left on your needle, cut the yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing up. Put the end of the yarn onto a yarn needle, and pass it through the remaining stitches on the needle. Slip these stitches off the needle, and cinch tight. Use the long tail to sew up the side seam.
• Step 5: Weave in all ends.

Optional

You can add other embellishments to the top of the hat, like an i-cord, or a pom pom. I chose to leave mine as is, because I feel the mock cable stitch is pretty enough on it's own. However, feel free to jazz it up however you like.

Knitting/Crochet Projects in Progress

• Snood for my sister
• Triangle shawl
• Purse with wooden handles

©2012 Arti Kochhar. All rights reserved. This blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. All images by Arti Kochhar, unless otherwise credited.
All materials on this site are available for scholarly and educational use only, via Creative Commons License Last update: June 9, 2012.

Baby Hat

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I made a baby hat today (hat pattern is from The Reading Hospital and Medical Center Friends' Knitting Guild). It's a light yellow shade, in a knit two, purl two rib stitch, with a little pompom on top. I knit this on straight needles.

This was knitted on US 5 needles. I did try knitting it on circulars, but gave up on that because knitting on straights is so much simpler...

How to make a Pompom

Wondering how I made my pompom? It's super easy, and it does not involve buying a pompom maker, or wasting your time with a piece of cardboard. Just wrap the yarn around your fingers until it reaches the desired pompom thickness. Then cut the top and bottom, wrap with yarn in the middle and knot. Let me know if you want me to do a photo tutorial on this, if you think it'd be easier to follow.

Knitting/Crochet Projects in Progress

• Snood for my sister
• Triangle shawl
• Purse with wooden handles

©2012 Arti Kochhar. All rights reserved. This blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. All images by Arti Kochhar, unless otherwise credited.
All materials on this site are available for scholarly and educational use only, via Creative Commons License Last update: May 25, 2012.

Lamb Roganjosh

Another One of My Favorite Recipes

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A modern twist on an Indian restaurant-staple. A jar of store-bought roganjosh sauce gets jazzed up with some simple spices to prepare one of my favorite all-time dishes.

Ingredients

You will need:

• One package of butterflied leg of lamb
• One medium onion -diced
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 10 whole cloves
• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• A few springs of cilantro
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• One jar roganjosh simmer sauce-available in the ethnic/international food section of your grocery
• Salt and pepper

Method

Prepare the lamb: First, trim the fat off the lamb and discard. Cut the lamb into approximately 1 inch chunks, and season with salt, black pepper and turmeric. Set aside in a bowl.

In medium sized cooking pot, add the oil and fry the diced onion until lightly golden brown; add in the garlic and cloves and allow to mix with the onions for about 2 minutes. Add the cubed lamb and cook until it is almost no longer pink. You want the lamb to be tender, not dry. So leave a little tiny bit of pink so it doesn't dry out completely. (Don't worry- it'll cook thoroughly in the simmer sauce).

When the lamb is nearly done cooking, add in the entire jar of simmer sauce, and, well, simmer. :-) I like to simmer on a low fire for about 30-45 minutes. This will most definitely get rid of any pink remaining in the lamb, but this is also what makes it tender. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, you can dilute it a bit with some water. Add it in small doses, until you achieve the desired consistency. Throw in the cilantro (I like cutting mine with a pair of scissors right into the pot!)

Serve with daal and naan or roti.

If you try this recipe, let me know what you think of it, and any improvements that you made to it!

©2012 Arti Kochhar. All rights reserved. This blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. All images by Arti Kochhar, unless otherwise credited.
All materials on this site are available for scholarly and educational use only, via Creative Commons License Last update: May 16, 2012.

My First Cable!!!

My Foray Into Cable Knitting

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I have been knitting for several years, and I have never ever knitted a cable stitch before. All that changed tonight- Take a look at my first attempt at cable knitting below:

The yarn was is Lily's Sugar n Cream yarn in Pastel Delight. I got it on clearance at Walmart for a whopping 75 cents! I plan on making a crochet dishcloth out of it, but the mood struck me to try something new, so I tried cable knitting. It's gonna get frogged and turned into a dishcloth, but at least now I know I can cable knit!!!:-)...

The swatch was knitted on US 8 needles, and the stitch is called "Six Stitch Cable" from "Beginner's Guide Knit Stitches & Easy Projects" by Leisure Arts Little Books.

Knitting Projects in Progress

• Snood for my sister
• Triangle shawl
• Purse with wooden handles

©2012 Arti Kochhar. All rights reserved. This blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. All images by Arti Kochhar, unless otherwise credited.
All materials on this site are available for scholarly and educational use only, via Creative Commons License Last update: May 6, 2012.

A Recipe Surprise!!!

My Taco Pie Recipe

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This easy-peasy taco pie recipe is fast becoming a favorite of mine. It's quick and easy to prepare, and is vegetarian.

Ingredients

You will need:

• 9 inch frozen pie shell
• One can refried beans
• One can corn kernels (washed and drained)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese blend (as much as you'd like)
• Cilantro
• Other veggies (optional): add whatever you like- red onions, tomatoes, olives, etc
• Salsa

Method

Preheat oven to 425F. Pre-bake a 9 inch frozen pie shell for 5 minutes at 425 F. In a large bowl, mix the refried beans,corn kernels, about 1/4 cup sour cream, as much cheese as you'd like, cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste; be generous with your favorite salsa! Stir until mixed completely- you can add some tomatoes, red onions, pretty much whatever veggies you want...Pour the mixture into pre-baked pie shell, top with a layer of cheese, and bake at 425F for 30 minutes.

I've been toying with the idea of adding tortilla strips to the top for some added crunch. Let me know what you think of this recipe!!!

©2012 Arti Kochhar. All rights reserved. This blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer. All images by Arti Kochhar, unless otherwise credited.
All materials on this site are available for scholarly and educational use only, via Creative Commons License Last update: May 6, 2012.

Cross Stitchery

Cross Stitching Fun

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It took me a while, but I finally completed this lovely cross stitch sampler I got as a present when I went to Valley Forge National Park. If you've never been there, you really ought to go- it's a historical treasure!!!

A Cushion Cover Re-do

If you've been following my blog, I once posted about creating a cross-stitch pillowcase. Well, after some deliberation, I decided I did not like the pattern I had started out with, so I ripped it out stitch by stitch, and am now stitching a lotus pattern onto it. I still have to decide on a border...

Knitting Projects in Progress

• Snood for my sister
• Triangle shawl
• Purse with wooden handles

©2012 Arti Kochhar. All rights reserved. This blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer. All images by Arti Kochhar, unless otherwise credited.
All materials on this site are available for scholarly and educational use only, via Creative Commons License Last update: May 11, 2012.

My Christmas Goodies

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I know it's been a loooong time since Christmas has passed, but I finally got ahold of the pictures of some of the items I made.First up is this Christmas-themed tea cosy I made for my cousin as a present.

My second Christmas project was a set of hand-embroidered handkerchiefs for my uncle.

A little bit of baking

Here are some pics of some fun cakes I've made in the past. The first one is a red-velvet cake made from a Paula Deen recipe, with a cream cheese frosting.
The second cake is all dressed up with fruits to make it appropriate for a 4th of July birthday.

Just look at that vivid red color!!!

Here's the 4th of July birthday cake, made with strawberries and blueberries.

Knitting Projects in Progress

• Snood for my sister
• Triangle shawl
• Purse with wooden handles

Check out my Library Thing book list and reviews:

This is my first blog post that I've created using html.

©2012 Arti Kochhar. All rights reserved. This blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer. All images by Arti Kochhar, unless otherwise credited.
All materials on this site are available for scholarly and educational use only, via Creative Commons License Last update: May 6, 2012.

What am I working on now???

Hey all,

It's been a hectic quarter for me. I'm taking my first ever web-designing class, and it's pretty challenging, but a lot of fun too.

I am starting work on a new knit bag. I'm using a rich, eggplant colored yarn, and I'm using wooden handles I got for free with one of my knitting magazines.(Say hello to Owlie- he's also a freebie...lol...)

Owlie is actually a row counter: If you look carefully at his eyes, you will see little numbers. For those of you not familiar with knitting, a row counter helps me keep track of all of my rows. All I have to do is click the counter once each time I'm done a row. This is especially helpful in this pattern, because it is a complex pattern, with lots of different stitches, and even some bobbles thrown in for good measure! I can't wait to see what the finished product looks like!

In terms of cross-stitch, I've been working on this project:

I got this tiny cottage project as a free kit from a magazine (are you sensing a pattern here with me and free kits lol???) It's almost done. I just have to finish the backstitching in black, and then frame it.

What are you all out there in cyberspace working on?

Baby stuff

Yuppers, you guessed it!!! One of my friends is pregnant again, so I got the chance to experiment with making a baby sweater (I also made booties). The baby sweater is done in a toddler size, so that the baby will have something to grow into. The booties are newborn/infant sized.

On vacation

Hello folks...long time since I've blogged on this thing. What have I been up to? Well, right now I'm on vacation escaping the cold winter weather...I've read some interesting books, and worked up a pair of booties and a tea cosy. I will see if I can post some pics later...

Another baby gift set!!!:-)...

A relative of mine is pregnant, so I am off to making another gift set!!! I have already made the hat and one bootie...just have to get the other bootie finished up. I am doing the set in white, because even though they know the gender of the baby, I still am never 100% sure until it is actually born...

I will be posting pics soon!!! The pattern for the booties is a free one from Vanna White off the Lion Brand website. It is a simple garter stitch bootie. I think it took me about 1 hour to do one. The hat pattern is from a local hospital that I knit for... Speaking of which, I need to post some of the hats that I have made for them!!! lol...

In other news, I taught myself how to knit in the round...I ordered the wrong size needles, and had to re-order and return the incorrect needles. Lesson learned- do not order knitting needles in the middle of the night!!! lol...

I also tried working a pair of booties in a pattern from my grandmother, but unfortunately some of the writing on my copy was not legibile, so I will have to have a look at the original, or else try again at some point.

In other news, I plan on taking my knitting on some adventures in the next couple of weeks. When I was at the art museum with my sister and cousin, I realized that the weather is so nice right now, and there are so many nice park benches, that I have decided to treat myself to a day out by taking my knitting with me, and relaxing around the art museum area. I will pack my lunch, and just enjoy the day sitting outside, soaking in the sun!!! Will let you all know how it turns out, and what I decide to knit up!!!:-)...

That's all for now folks!!!:-)...

Baby's layette/gift set

Hi all,

Happy (belated) new year! How is everyone doing? It's been a long time since I last posted, and I have something new I am working on right now. I am knitting a baby's layette. The set will consist of a pair of baby booties, a loom knit hat, a ball/rattle, a bib, and a blanket. The blanket is not knitted- it is a receiving blanket from the dollar store, to which I added an iron-on transfer, and am embroidering over top of that.

I will try to get some pictures posted later.

Now, why don't you tell me what you are working on??? :-)...

Things I've been up to lately...

Sorry I've been away for so long- I went on vacation for a bit. While on vacation, I picked up yet another interesting hobby- latchhooking!!!:-)... I also learned how to use a sewing machine!!!:-)... That was a lot of fun.

So, what have I been up to? I've been working on an embroidered pillow. I've done the first flower, and already made a mistake...lol...I ripped out the first mistake, but I'm leaving the other one in, b/c it doesn't really show lol...

What have you all been up to? I'd love to see/hear :-)