Free stuff! From now until the day before Easter (April 7) buy one of my pattern/video tutorials, and get my Learn to Felt – Easter Basket pattern/video tutorial free!

The Easter Basket pattern includes links to a six-part video tutorial to get you through the tricky parts. The pattern has instructions for two sizes (the picture above is the small size), and it knits up quickly with double-stranded worsted yarn.

To get your free pattern, just buy a pattern/video tutorial ($6 value or greater), then drop me a note at [email protected]. I’ll respond to your email with your free pattern ASAP!

I want to share more free Easter stuff with you. These fair isle Easter eggs are designed by Little Cotton Rabbits, and she offers the pattern for free on her website.

Have fun with all of the Easter knitting, because you know I’m going to start pestering you to get started on your Christmas knitting soon. 🙂

When I was knitting my Log Cabin Blanket, I noticed that after I had completed the first five strips, the work was the exact same size as my iPad. (I noticed this because there is a high counter in my house where I put all of the precious things I don’t want the dogs to touch – which includes my knitting and my iPad.)

I didn’t pay this much attention until I started noticing scratches on my iPad screen. I know it has to be from stuffing it into my knitting bag, where it then has to fight with Addi Turbo needles.

Then the cartoon light bulb went off over my head! I decided to felt a sturdy, soft case for my iPad.

Here’s a rundown of how I did it –

Using 100% wool, follow the Log Cabin Blanket instructions, stopping after completing Strip 5.

Follow the instructions for knitting a border – 10 ridges each side.

Make a second one of these, and seam them together on three sides, leaving one of the short sides open.

Felt in a hot washer – mine took about 35 minutes. Check the felting process frequently. You want it to felt down to slightly smaller than your iPad, so that you can stretch it into a snug fit. Once the size is correct, run the washer on “spin” for about 30 seconds to spin out most of the water.

Put your iPad in a plastic bag, and slide it into the case while it’s still a little wet. Shape the corners, giving it a good tug wherever it needs it.

Some of the wools I used turned out to be pretty fuzzy. I took a little pair of scissors and gave it a haircut wherever it needed it. Also, the fit on mine is snug enough that I really don’t need any kind of fastener at the open end.

Okay, enough playtime for me. Back to work.

Have to share this! From the artist’s mother –

I watched this tutorial with my 9 year old daughter. We’re working on teaching her to knit. She sat next to me, enthralled with you, and went so far as to draw a picture of you doing your tutorial video, complete with the coffee cup (that is identical to some we have), and the quote “Weaving ends is fun”. Anne makes an appearance in her rendering as well.

Love the level of detail, including the camera and the dog in the bed on the floor. Thank you, Feisty Irish Wench, for scanning this and sending it to me! Delightful.

It’s a fact. Two of my favorite things make my body hurt – knitting and running.

I knit for a living, sometimes more than 10 hours a day. I get tendonitis in my right elbow (I think it’s commonly called “tennis elbow”), and I get pain in the back of my right hand. One time a massage therapist told me that I have the forearms and hands of a world-class athlete. Yay, me!

And then there’s running. Ah, running. After the plantar fasciitis healed, my hip started popping. That healed and currently my hamstrings are so tight that I wince ever time I sit down. (For the past couple of weeks, I’ve taken it down a notch to just walking.)

I’m not about to stop doing either of these things, because I love them so much. My go-to solution for every single ache and pain in my life? Ibuprofen. Has been for years.

I buy the jumbo, 750 tablet bottle. It works so well that I try not to think about how bad it is for me. But I know it’s going to eventually ruin my kidneys.

From Drugs.com: “A case-controlled study suggested that patients who consumed 5000 or more pills containing NSAIDs during their lifetime may be at increased risk of end-stage renal disease.”

5000 pills? Ummmm, yeah. I just did the math, and I’ve certainly bought more than 6.6 jumbo bottles in my life.

I’m really trying to cut back. (I’m also trying to kick the habit of drinking a giant Diet Coke every afternoon, but that’s another story.) So I’m trying something new and having really good results with it. I know other knitters get these pains, too, so I’m excited to share.

Who knew rubbing stuff on your skin actually changes what’s going on inside? This is new to me. For the past several weeks I’ve been using Snake Oil products, and taking fewer ibuprofen.

Amy, the co-owner of Snake Oil, is a great gal. I love it when I can buy stuff I need from other small businesses, especially when they’re run by cool people. Here are the Snake Oil products that I’m using daily –

Rosy Boa –

This is what I’m using on my hands. I put my knitting needles down and rub this stuff in right where it hurts. I take my time and give myself a little hand massage, which also must be beneficial. It’s amazing how quickly it works.

Sidewinder –

This stuff is like a volcano of pain relief. It’s what I’m using on my hamstrings and elbow. Again, I give myself a little massage (gently on my elbow, deeper on my hamstrings), and let it get to work. I adore the spicy scent.

Amy is a knitter, too, and she and I have gotten to know each other over the last couple of months. I told her that I wanted to share her products with other knitters, and she suggested offering a coupon code for verypink readers. Love her! Through March 31st, enter “VERYPINK20” in the promo code field at checkout, and get 20% off everything on their site. Such a generous offer.

Aaaaaand here’s a totally unrelated sleepy Tippy photo.