Quick gift idea

I found myself in a situation this week where I needed a quick and thoughtful gift for a friend and I did not want to spend a lot of money. So I dug through my over-flowing yarn basket and found 3 perfect yarn balls. I also pulled out my favorite washcloth pattern and away I went! I am pretty happy with how they turned out and hope that they were received with the love I put into them because although they were quick, I really enjoyed putting them together!
Here is a link to the pattern for anyone who is interested: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/grandmas-favorite-dish-cloth

Felted Yarn Bowl

I am taking a break from my shawl and working on a yarn bowl.  You may be wondering - what in the world do you do with a yarn bowl?  It does not seem appropriate for a bowl of cereal or serving peanuts, so... what is it?  These questions and more ran though my mind until I realized the genius of a yarn bowl.  It is a way to keep your yarn organized while working on a project.  Instead of it rolling around all over the floor tangling up while you are working on a project, the bowl will keep it all nicely together.
Here are a few pictures of the project so far.  I know it does not look like much yet, but trust me, it is going to be amazing!  I am using double yarn to create a unique multi-color pattern.  Once I finish the stitching, I am going to felt it which is a new technique for me so we'll see how that goes.
I will add more pictures when I start the felting and trust me... when I finish this project, you are so going to want a yarn bowl of your own :)
Here is a picture of my current "yarn bowl" and while practical, it is not ideal.

Here is what my new fantastic yarn bowl is shaping up to be!