Root Beer Bottle Cozy

My husband likes to drink his root beer out of a bottle. I don't blame him, it tastes better that way! I wanted to make him a cozy to help him keep it cool and to keep his hands dry in this humid weather. Yesterday the Root Beer Bottle Cozy was born!

My husband doesn't drink anything stronger than root beer, so I thought it would be funny to make it look like an old-timey whiskey jug. Call me an ironic hipster if you want. I'll own it.

I wrote down the pattern while I was making knitting it up. I haven't test knit it so let me know if there are any problems! This is the first pattern I've submitted to Ravelry.

Root Beer Bottle Cozy

Supplies:
Small amount of Brown Worsted Weight Yarn (MC) (I used a Heather Brown color Lion Brand Wool-Ease from my stash. It lost its label a long time ago, but I think the color was called Mink.)
Small amount of Cream Worsted Weight Yarn (CC) (Again, I know this is Wool-Ease and I think it's called Wheat but it's also from my stash and without a label.)
Size 6 DPNs or long circular needle for working Magic Loop (I prefer Magic Loop.)
Stitch Marker (optional)
Blunt Yarn Needle

Instructions:

Cast on 10 stitches in MC and join for working in the round. Place the stitch marker to mark the beginning if you'd like.

Round 1: *(K1, KFB) repeat from * (15 stitches)
Round 2: *(K2, KFB) repeat from * (20 stitches)
Round 3: *(K3, KFB) repeat from * (25 stitches)
Round 4: *(K4, KFB) repeat from * (30 stitches)
Round 5: *(K5, KFB) repeat from * (35 stitches)
Round 6: Purl across
Rounds 7-20: K across

Switch to CC

Rounds 21-27: K across

Switch back to MC

Rounds 28-30: K across
Round 31: K 1, SSK, K 11, K2tog, K 2, SSK, K 12, K2tog, K 1 (31 stitches)
Round 32: K 1, SSK, K 9, K2tog, K 2, SSK, K 10, K2tog, K1 (27 stitches)
Rounds 33-34: K across
Round 35: K1, SSK, K 7, K2tog, K 2, SSK, K 8, K2tog, K 1(23 stitches)
Round 36: K across
Round 37: K 1, SSK, K across (22 stitches)
Rounds 38-39: K2 P2 across (You'll end up with a K2 at the beginning and the end.)
Round 40: SSK, P2 K2 to the last two stitches, K2tog (20 stitches)
Rounds 41-50: K1, P2 K2 to the last stitch, K1.

Bind off with a super stretchy bind off. I kind of made something up but any stretchy sock bind off should work. Just be sure the bottom of the bottle you want to use will fit.

Weave in the ends and use MC to embroider the three "X"s in the middle of the cream section.


Abbreviations:

MC = Main Color
CC = Contrast Color
K = Knit
KFB = Knit into the front and the back of the stitch
SSK = Slip, Slip, Knit. Slip two stitches as if to knit and then knit these stitches together
K2Tog = Knit two stitches together
P = Purl


*Please let me know if there are any mistakes in this pattern!!

Craftiness

I haven't forgotten about my blog! I haven't been lost, I've been busy!

Okay, I admit that last week I wasn't feeling very well so I went light on the posting. I was a little lazy.

I relaxing on the couch, trying to feel better, binge watching Netflix, and playing on the internet. Mostly Pinterest... as usual...

Then I came across a thread on Craftster. All about Harry Potter.

If you've been paying attention you'll know that I love Harry Potter. I have read all the books over and over, I've literally lost count of how many times. I've seen all the movies; first in the theater, then at home on DVD. I'm on Pottermore, proudly sorted in to Ravenclaw. I read the fan fiction. I named my cat Molly because my husband wouldn't go for Minerva. My kids and I all have wands. I've finished all the levels on Lego Harry Potter, all the years. I even won a trivia contest once.

I love Harry Potter.

So when I came across this thread on Craftster I got excited. Really excited.

It's all of my favorite things. The internet. Crafting. Harry Potter.

Photo taken from pinkleo and the Harry Potter Craftalong on Craftster

Basically it's Hogwarts. There are all the classes, each giving me an inspiration for crafting. Alchemy is all about peacocks. (You know how I feel about those!) Astronomy is focused on the Summer Night Sky. Care of Magical Creatures is about the Jobberknoll, so the craft needs to be blue or feathered. They go on like that.

Seriously cool! The wheels in my head are totally spinning. I have so many ideas!!

When you've finished a "class" you earn a badge and points for your house. I am way, way too excited about those badges.

I only have a month before this "semester" ends, then a new one will start with new inspirations.

I started two different projects over the weekend. This post is long enough for today, so I'll go into more details later. I'm really excited though, so stay tuned for more fun!

Cleaning the Cleaning Machine

I went to the Farmer's Market again on Saturday, but I totally forgot to take pictures! I was wearing shoes that while completely cute, were small torture devices. All I could think was how bad I wanted to get home and change my shoes.

The rest of the day was spent doing housework. Mostly dishes and laundry.

So much laundry.

I've been having a problem lately with my whites not coming out looking clean. It seemed like no matter what I used or how I used it they'd keep coming out dingy and gray.

While playing on one my favorite sites, Pinterest, I came across a tutorial for cleaning my washing machine. I clean the outside all the time, but I never thought to clean the inside. I mean, dirty clothes go in and clean clothes come out. I thought that meant the inside of the machine was getting cleaned too!

The dingy whites were proof that I was wrong.

I am a terrible blogger, and I didn't get pictures! You're just going to have to read my florid description.

The first thing I did was turn the washer on the highest load and the hottest water. While it was filling up I poured in about a pint of bleach.

After the machine was full but before it could start agitating I pushed the button in and made it stop while the barrel was full. I left it sitting like that for an hour.

When I came back after an hour the water was gross. Seriously nasty. It was gray and I couldn't even see the bottom of the machine. No wonder my whites were coming out dingy!

I pulled the button back out and let the machine run through the rest of the cycle.

Then I did it all again, only this time I poured in vinegar instead of bleach. When I went back after an hour the water was beautifully clear and clean!

The last thing I did was just run the machine one last time, no soaking, nothing added. Just hot water. I did this to give it a final rinse. I didn't want the next thing I washed to get accidentally bleached!

I haven't washed any whites in the clean machine yet. I'd just done a huge load the night before I washed it, so I won't know if it makes a difference for a while. After seeing that nasty water, I can't see how it wouldn't!

Easy Corn Shucking

Today was slightly better weather wise, we had some moments of sunshine. Overall still kind of dreary.

We didn't go anywhere or do anything special, but we had corn on the cob with lunch.

This might not seem like a big deal, but I really love corn on the cob. I'm slightly allergic to the corn silk (nasal allergy not food allergy) and so I hated buying the fresh husks and trying to shuck them through a runny nose. Frozen pre-packaged stuff just isn't the same. As much as I love corn on the cob we just never had it very often.

Well, break out the floss because last year I learned a new way of preparing it. Thanks to the magic of Pinterest, I learned that you can microwave the corn in the husk. Then you take it out, slice off the end, and shake the corn out. We have corn on the cob so much more often now! Especially when the fresh stuff comes out at the Farmer's Market.

The corn stays crisp and there is very little mess. Plus, it's a really cute older guy doing the demonstration.

Without further ado, here is the video of Ken teaching you how to shuck corn. (He uses gloves, I just use two dishtowels.)

The video is courtesy martincraid4 on YouTube.