Future Wedding Gifts: Jute Coasters

I got a wonderful Suss Cousins knitting book for my birthday that's full of things to make for your home.  I finally tried her pattern for coasters made out of jute twine.  Last night Devin & I watched about half of Pride and Prejudice while I made this set of four.


In case anyone tries this, I'd recommend using smaller needles than the pattern calls for.  It said US 9, which I tried, but the coasters were too loose and ugly, so I tried US 6, which worked much better. I also only cast on 9 stitches instead of 11 to make the finished product a bit smaller.  Keep in mind this was my first time knitting with twine, and I had a bit of a hard time since there's no give like there is with yarn.  Maybe her size 9 stitches are just as tight as mine with size 6.


I bought two rolls of twine at a hardware store with the intention of making a few sets of coasters.  The total was $4.79.  These four coasters used about half of one roll (I'm guessing - hard to tell when it's all wound up).  So this gift's cost so far is about $1.20.  Now what to put with it?  I was thinking of a bottle of sparkling cider for a simple gift or maybe a set of tumblers if I want to spend a little more.  Any other ideas?

Making Cards / Am I Crazy?

When a gift isn't reasonable (too far away, or just not in the budget), I still like to acknowledge someone's birthday. So today I hesitantly plunged into the world of card-making. I know plenty of people make cards all the time and do just fine. But I'm just not sure I've got it in me. Anyway, this was the result of my first unguided* attempt (for my 7-year-old niece). I think it turned out alright, but what do I know?

Basically, I'm clueless here, so any help would be appreciated.

*I admit that I used a long-ago-purchased card kit, so I at least knew all the materials were approved by someone who actually knows what she's doing. Except the twine bow. That was my idea.

Gift #3: Chunky Baby Hat

I'm throwing a baby shower tomorrow for my neighbor. She's due really soon, so I'm hoping the baby doesn't come before the presents are unwrapped. For her little girl, I made this chunky knit hat (adapted from an adult earflap hat pattern) and added a flower to make it more cutesy. The great thing about this hat is that it's super fast to make. I watched a few episodes of Scrubs and was done. The flower took another 1/2 movie, since I had lost the pattern and had to make it up from memory, trial-and-error style.

My only regret is that I cast off pretty tightly, so the baby may not be able to wear it for very long. But it'll warm up soon anyway, and this is definitely a winter hat.


total cost: $0.00 since I already had all the yarn

Vote: Best Edible Christmas Gift

What was the best edible Christmas gift you gave or received in 2009?

Today my husband baked chocolate chip cookies. Our neighbors gave us a roll of dough for Christmas, ready to slice and bake. This gets my vote! Every house is so loaded with sweets during the holidays, so a gift that you can enjoy on, say, January 12th instead, is a very welcome variation. A few cookies will be savored and appreciated much more on an otherwise uneventful Tuesday than they would be amid the usual holiday parade of candies, chocolates and baked treats.

Canned salsa, jam, and fancy shelf-stable foods also make great enjoy-later gifts, but the cookie dough is my favorite because, well, it turns into chocolate chip cookies. Need I say more?

Gift #2: Foolproof Cookbook

My sister has recently been telling me about her cooking mishaps. She says she needs to be supervised in the kitchen because things always seem to go wrong. So for her birthday, I decided to assemble a cookbook from the easiest, no-fail recipes I could find. I emailed family and friends for input, scoured all my cookbooks, and went to work.

The trouble is, I only thought of this brilliant idea about two days before her birthday. Now that day has passed, and I still have yet to put everything together. I think she'll forgive me though, since I made chocolate silk pie for her party.

Feel free to share any easy recipes you have. Even if I've already made the book, I always need easy recipes for myself!

Gift #1: Dishwashing Gear

My good friend's little sister just got married. She was about the most gorgeous bride I've ever seen. She did her own hair, which had such a classic look, and her dress was amazing. If only I could get married again and again to try out different dresses and styles!*

Anyway, for their gift, I knitted three simple washcloths (2 blue and 1 off-white) and added a bottle of dish soap. It worked out well, but the washcloths took way longer to knit (and a little more yarn) than I thought they would. A slightly stressful beginning to the year.


$1.59  dish soap
$1.90  yarn, with leftovers (also used some I had)
$3.49  total cost

*Note: I wouldn't need to try out different grooms; I'm perfectly happy with the one I've got.