Ars Longa Vita Brevis

Christmas Recap, Part 2

2012-01-17T17:43:00.000-05:00

Another Christmas project I enjoyed was this simple scarf. You need a TON of stitches on the needle, but they work up pretty quickly and they are pretty! I have already gotten requests for the pattern, which is a free one from Lion brand yarn!

With this blue one (for my Nana, she loves this color), I followed the directions exactly, and used just a little bit more than one ball of yarn. That annoyed me, since it meant I had to buy two! I made a second one, in red, and just reduced the number of stitches (I think by 20 or so) and then it took exactly one ball. I think a little bit shorter looked fine - maybe better, since it was a little less bulky.

Not the best picture I've ever had taken of me...but I was in a hurry to get things photographed and wrapped!

Christmas Recap, Part 1

2012-01-15T17:35:00.000-05:00

My brother is in the process of becoming an adult. This year, he bought his first condo...and the first time I visited, I felt like it was missing something. It was lacking a certain sophistication. And people were drinking wine out of coffee mugs.

So, of course, I bought him wine glasses for Christmas. But I felt like he needed something to go with them - cocktail napkins!

But of course, plain white wouldn't do. So I sought out this tutorial for a basic napkin, and then looked for some embroidery patterns to spice them up. I found the perfect patterns here.

And, voila!

Grownup (because they are cloth napkins) and still ridiculous. Perfect for my brother.

I love the way these turned out. I will definitely make more!

Back from neverneverland...

2012-01-12T17:25:00.004-05:00

Dearly devoted blog readers (few though you may be...)...sorry for my recent absence :)

However, I have a good reason.

We bought a house!

This has been a long time in the making. I don't want to go into all the details...but to give the short version of the story, we put our first offer in last may and close on December 30th.

So, we have been busy painting and plastering and having the floors refinished. Be prepared for before and after pics!

I want to show you all some of the things I was working on for Christmas and couldn't post before the holidays for fear that the recipients would see their gifts. So, although the posts may be a little sparser in the weeks to come - stay tuned!

And now, for something completely different...

2011-12-20T21:40:00.000-05:00

Christmastime is great, but it can be kind of stressful. Today, I needed a smile. I have no other explanation for this.

Moustaches are really funny. Even funnier? Things that don't have moustaches pretending that they do. Enjoy!

moustache gloves plpomegranates $12.50	Moustache Masquerade 'St... CannibalCrafts $16.50
Moustache - Neck Warmer - Gr... GoodYarns $20.00	Hat with moustache lmariann $9.00
moustache binky plpomegranates $10.00	Wooden Spoons with a Moustac... TreehouseIllus... $9.00
Fancy Moustache Pins yummypocket $10.00	Moustaches, Lips, Bowties an... sarahQhappyboo... $45.00
Moustache & Monocle Necklace MoustacheFancy $15.00	24 Month Long sleeve moustac... vintagebabyjan... $16.00
Moustache scarf lmariann $20.00	Moustache Pint Glasses - Var... modernmadness $28.00
Ceci n'est pas une moust... Mishler $15.00	Sophisticated : Whale with M... isabellsumbrel... $25.00
Pink Octopus Plush Toy with ... cheekandstitch $14.00	Lil' Man Moustache Binky... theliltwinkles... $10.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Happy holidays, all! One week to go!

Christmastime is here...

2011-12-18T13:04:00.000-05:00

So I thought I'd share a finish of a project I started forever ago :) I first blogged about it here...and finally finished up a few weeks ago. I followed a tutorial at Oh, Fransson! by Elizabeth Hartman, and although this project was time consuming, it was totally worth it!

Each square is a little pocket, so you can add a little treat for each day of advent!

(If you look closely, you'll see that this quilt, like everything else in my life, is covered in cat hair. Sigh).

Merry almost Christmas!

Giveaway Results

2011-12-16T20:47:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to comment on my Giveaway Day post! This is my first giveaway ever, so I was really excited to participate, and it was fun to check out all the different and new-to-me bloggers who linked up at Sew, Mama, Sew!

The winner of my giveaway was Michell, who has chosen this little bag as her prize:

Michell, you will hear from my shortly via email! Thanks everyone!

Basket update

2011-12-15T13:01:00.000-05:00

Here's what I've been working on in the basket studio:

This is one of a set of three glass canisters I'm making for the kitchen in the house I hope to shortly own (fingers crossed!!!)

And, because tinier is always cuter:

Happy crafting!

Giveaway Day!

2011-12-12T12:53:00.000-05:00

Edit: Giveaway is now closed! Thanks for all the blog love!

Happy giveaway day! I've never done anything like this before, but I think it sounds like a fun idea...so thanks to the people at Sew, Mama, Sew! for organizing!

For my giveaway, the winner can choose from any of the zippered bags in the photos below. All you have to do to enter is comment and tell me which one is your favorite! You don't have to follow my blog to enter, but I'd love it if you did anyway :)

The giveaway will close on December 16 at 5 p.m., and I will announce the winner here on my blog and by email. If your blog profile doesn't have an email, make sure to leave it in the comments so I know how to find you!

Happy giveaway day!

Penguins!

2011-12-11T12:47:00.001-05:00

I like the remnant bin at Joann Fabrics because you never know what you will find. Sometimes, I pick something up and it remains in my stash for awhile, waiting to be paired with something perfect. That's how this blanket got made.

I have seen these little taggie blankets before, and the penguins matched perfectly with that super-soft pink backing. I used a tutorial here for guidance, and then adjusted based on how big my fabric was.

Anyone who has read this blog at all knows that I like to make things more than once. I'm really not sure why that is...perhaps its the same reason I like to reread favorite books, rewatch favorite movies...in any case, I made two!

One will go to my cousin's baby daughter who is celebrating her first Christmas this year. The second I will donate to a local homeless shelter.

So here's a question about taggie blankets, from someone who has no kids...what's to stop their tiny fingers from getting caught in the ribbon?

In other news, I have decided to participate in this year's Giveaway Day! Check back later in the week for details :)

Zipper Pouches!

2011-12-01T16:12:00.000-05:00

I like to organize things, so I think zippered pouches are great. For cosmetics, or hair elastics, or pencils...anything, really! So, I made a few.

I always need help remembering how to do zippers, so I referred to this tutorial at SewHappyGeek as a reference, although I clearly didn't do the paper piecing part.

These kinds of pouches are also great for carrying around the bits of smaller projects...for the past few weeks I have been doing some embroidery projects, which are very portable.

Like this one!

The free embroidery pattern for the little owley is from here. Adorable! And fun to stuff as a Christmas gift!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2011-11-26T16:09:00.001-05:00

So, I made some Christmas placemats. Mostly, I wanted to practice my quilting, so I made each one like its own tiny quilt, binding and all.

I tried out a different pattern on each one.

It was a fun project. I made some matching trivet/potholder things out of scraps too.

In the pictures, they don't look quite square...but they are, I promise :) Although I think my camera has something on the lens...

In any case, happy Christmastime!

Christmas Inspiration...

2011-11-23T15:38:00.000-05:00

I like giving gifts, but I don't like the pressure to come up with the perfect gift for everyone I love all at the same time (that's why birthday gifting is easier). However, I've been cruising pinterest for inspiration...here are some great Christmas gift ideas!

For the chef in your life...

For the ladies...

For the home...

Source: ayumills.blogspot.com via Erica on Pinterest

For readers...

Source: hisforhandmade.blogspot.com via Erica on Pinterest

Source: skiptomylou.org via Erica on Pinterest

Of course, I won't have time to even attempt most of these...*sigh*...but it's fun to look! I always think I'll get started on Christmas earlier next year...

Stockings for Kids

2011-11-19T15:32:00.001-05:00

I mentioned last week that I had made a stocking to donate to the Stockings for Kids drive at Purple Panda Quilts. The stockings will be donated to kids in foster care to ensure that they all get thoughtful, individualized gifts.

Here's what I came up with:

Cute, right? I fussy cut some cute Christmas patterned pieces to make it more interesting. Then...I decided to make a few more, mini sized.

The little ones were definitely harder to make...also it was trickier because I added the cuff. However, the tutorials over at Purple Panda quilts were very helpful!

Happy Thanksgiving this week - I hope wherever you're traveling, you get there and back safely!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

2011-11-13T19:14:00.001-05:00

I love winter.

I know, a lot of people hate it. But I love the snow, and the pretty whiteness...I don't even mind the cold. I've been getting in winter mode for the past few days, putting a few things together for the Stockings for Kids drive at Purple Panda Quilts.

I'm not quite ready to post my finished product yet, but I've been getting into winter mode on etsy. Here are some lovely winter finds.

'Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...' by PegHallStudios

Vintage silverware Let it s... BeachHouseLivi... $9.50	Wasatch Mountains Sterling S... beaucoupdebijo... $154.00
winter wedding fingerprint g... dovelyday $14.75	Polar Bear GRAPHIC ART Illus... nativevermont $24.00
Crochet snowflakes decoratio... Woodstorming $26.00	Skiing(2) - Printed on a Vin... TheLittleRice $10.00
Plump Snowman- White and Blu... SimpleJoysDeco... $19.00	Black Lab Let It Snow Set of... blomma $12.00
30% OFF SALE Cardinal Photo ... ara133photogra... $7.00	Christmas Cards, Holiday Car... deanpennandpap... $18.00
Let It Snow Rustic Christmas... songbirdsandla... $30.00	Embroidered Hoop Art, Decor.... merriweatherco... $40.00
Red Fox in the Snow - Quilt ... ccollier $680.00	snowflake necklace let it sn... PureRoxInPrint $48.00
Merry Christmas Garland - wh... paperklipdesig... $17.00	Timeless Classics . Vintage ... ThePeachTree $22.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

The Harvest Fair 2011

2011-11-06T13:50:00.003-05:00

I have mentioned before that my church's Harvest Fair is one of my favorite fall things. Every year the church community comes together to create an amazing array of crafts, foods, baskets, and other things to sell, and donates items for a silent auction. The fair raises enough money to cover a lot of the costs of running the church.

I have been running the book room for the past few years. It's not a big money maker...but it's lots of fun. Usually I come home with a box full of books.

Every year I am amazed at the things people create!


Recognize those monsters?

I love those tiny hats that look like berries...must make!

Church mice!

Every year I donate some of my creations to the fair...and that got me thinking about my halfway successful charity resolution for 2011. I did end up making and donating quite a few things, but I didn't quite get in the groove of a project a month. I think there are two reasons:
1) I went overboard in the first few months, and then had trouble keeping up that momentum.
2) It was harder than I had imagined to find a DIFFERENT charity each month, which had been my original idea. A lot of charities wanted very specific things, which I just wasn't excited about making. In order for this to work, I had to be able to make things I wanted to make.

So, what did I do?
Hats in February
Squares in March and April
Socks in May
Sweater in June
Blanket in July/August
Fair Items in September/October

Moving forward...I think I need to keep my projects more manageable. Just because I decide on socks...or squares...or whatever...doesn't mean I have to make a million of them! Every little bit counts, and I think as long as I keep making and donating then I am at least making a difference.

Does anyone out there have any good crafty charities they would recommend?

Monsters, monsters everywhere!

2011-11-03T18:46:00.000-04:00

I mentioned in an earlier post that I am loving this book.

So, I've made a few monsters.

I have also mentioned in earlier posts that I have waaaay too much yarn. So, these guys helped me cut down on my stash.

Perfect for Halloween! Very scary. Or very cuddly. I can't decide.

Rufio dressed up as a bat for Halloween.

A vampire bat!

Hubby and I had to get in on the fun too, of course.

We also had fun decorating cupcakes, but they were mostly pretty ugly.Oh well, it's the thought that counts, right?

Happy Halloween!

Blogger's Quilt Festival

2011-10-30T18:25:00.004-04:00

Today I am linking up to the Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side. She has an amazing collection of quilts on display, submitted by hundreds of bloggers. Stop by and be inspired!

For my contribution to the festival, I want to talk about my favorite quilt I've made so far. I originally blogged about it here.

First of all, I love scrappy quilts. I love how the randomness of a million different fabrics comes together to create something that, amazingly, looks planned.

From a distance, they look like simple colored blocks. When you look close up, though, you see something new every time.

This was one of the first quilts I ever made, so I learned a lot from the process! It was the first time I had ever tried paper piecing, which was really fun. Thinking about this project makes me want to try it again!

This quilt is also special to me because I made it as a gift for a very special lady. Growing up, she was like my second mom, and I gave her this quilt as a thank-you gift because last year, when I got married, she hosted a beautiful bridal shower for me.

So, that's the story of my favorite quilt. Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to check out the other quilts showcased at the quilt festival!

One Happy Year

2011-10-28T19:24:00.000-04:00

For our first anniversary this year, hubby and I decided to return to the scene of our honeymoon - Nantucket!

Last year when we went, it was in the off season, so we weren't able to check out one of the places I most wanted to see - the Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum. Since I've been learning to make these myself, it was really interesting to learn about the history behind this particular art form. Because Nantucket is surrounded by dangerous shoals, over the course of its history hundreds of ships have been shipwrecked in the area. Because some of these shoals are miles off shore, it wasn't feasible to build a lighthouse to protect passing ships. Instead, Nantucket was protected by lightships, which were moored in strategic spots near the shoals. Men were out on these ships for months at a time with very little to do, so they started making baskets as a way to pass the time, and would give them as gifts or sell them when they returned home.

A Sailor's Life

The last lightship returned home in 1973 (I can't believe it lasted that long!) but the making of Nantucket baskets didn't stop then. They have become an art form particular to the island, and the Lighthouse Basket Museum showcases a wide variety of styles, from the very basic to the more...abstract...like this one below, which depicts a scene from Moby Dick!

Moby Dick

Lightship baskets are often decorated with ivory (or, these days, imitation ivory) which is sometimes engraved with scrimshaw images like "A Sailor's Life" above.

Some baskets are really tiny - these were made to be "Tooth Fairy" baskets!

This one was from a local gallery - a project I would like to try sometime! This basket below was my favorite:

It was made by one of my Nana's students!

I came back with loads of ideas for projects, some of which I will hopefully be sharing here soon....but we will be moving (again) in the next few weeks, so it's hard to say when that will happen for sure!

Happy Halloween!!!

Some more back to school goodies...

2011-10-20T17:05:00.000-04:00

Since I do love cute back to school things, I have kept making more...

Covered notebooks...I played around with a bunch of tutorials, found them all annoyingly complicated, and finally settled for doing it just like I had covered my textbooks with brown paper bags in school, except with fabric. That approach worked pretty well.
For the pencil case, I used a tutorial I found here .

I tried a different variation on the pencil case as well.

I really like the look of this one, but I found the tutorial (here) difficult. Not sure if it was me or the tutorial that was the problem :)

I-Spy Baby Goodness

2011-10-15T16:58:00.003-04:00

Two lovely ladies in my department are having babies this fall, and so I wanted to stretch my quilting skills and try a few baby quilts. I have liked the idea for awhile of doing an "I-spy" quilt, but finding all those fabrics and cutting them into tiny squares would be waaaaaay too taxing for me...so I bought some from Sew Together on etsy. They're adorable! I got a set of doubles, so I could make each quilt like a matching game (I'm a teacher, so of course everything has to be educational...)

My first quilt ever was a disappearing nine patch, and I used the same pattern here, based on a tutorial by Obsessively Stitching. (The same blog guided me through my first quilt ever!) Aren't they cute?

Since I've been reading about it so much lately in the bloggy world, I decided to sign them. It was quite tricky, but I figured out a method that worked for me.

It has become somewhat of a tradition in my department that I always knit little animals for my co-workers when they have babies, and I didn't want to disappoint on that front...but I went in a slightly different direction. For the past few months I have been obsessed with this book:

So I made some monster friends:

My mom gave this one as a gift to a friend's son who is welcoming a baby sister. This is my favorite.

After all, what could be snugglier than a giant monster? She's big enough to double as a pillow.

Knitting has been my go-to craft this month because hubby and I have been moving - we are staying with my parents for awhile while we finalize the sale on our (hooray!) new house. I just broke out the sewing machine today, so hopefully I'll have some new projects to share soon!

2011-09-14T21:09:00.001-04:00

And finished! My charity project for July...and August...and a little bit of September... for Project Linus.

It feels like I have been working on this forever! But I am pleased with the way it came out.

My charity project for this month will be my donation items to the church fair, which I blogged about last year...I've been finishing up a few small projects, with a few bigger ones to come.

Cute, right? And from a project that I was never satisfied with...

Much better, I think. Cute little slippers.

Hubby and I are moving in a few weeks, so things are a bit scattered...but I have a few projects to share soon. Happy fall!

The end of WIPs

2011-09-06T20:25:00.001-04:00

Having a few weeks between Middlebury and school starting, I worked on finishing up some old projects, including some embroidery. I think I finished this one in college, and finally got around to washing it and putting it in a frame.

This one too! I did this forever ago.

This one I just finished. Keith's mum gave me a kit for Christmas. There are matching pillowcases, but I haven't gotten to work on those yet.

~a tablerunner!~

And on an unrelated note...

~Rufio's favorite hideout...~

I have a bunch more finished projects to show off...but I'm waiting for a sunny day to take more pictures. We haven't had much good weather lately!

Housewarming

2011-09-01T11:21:00.000-04:00

My brother is in the process of buying his first home, so I made him a few little goodies to make it more friendly. Since I'm pretty sure he has no interest in my sewing blog, I'll post them here :)


coasters and a potholder - scrappy goodness!

I'm pretty sure he owns neither coasters nor potholders, so hopefully these will fill a need.

While I was making coasters, I put together these brown ones as well - I really like this fabric :)

Possibly the coolest thing I have ever made...

2011-08-29T11:12:00.000-04:00

Simple things amuse simple minds...and I think this toy is amazing :)

I bought this kit at a local shop called Knits and Bolts while I was up in Vermont. They had a sample of this toy by the register and I was mesmerized by it. It was actually easier to put together than I had thought, although the whole thing is finished with invisible thread from the outside. I have discovered that I do not like invisible thread.

I'm not sure the pictures can do it justice, but here goes:

The whole thing can be opened and closed different ways so that you get different fabrics on the outside. I just think it would be lots of fun for a kid to play with! Especially if you picked different i-spy type fabrics :)

Back to School, Back to School...

2011-08-27T11:01:00.002-04:00

Even as a teacher, my favorite part of back to school is new school supplies. Fresh pencils and pens, cute notebooks and folders...it makes the whole process a little nicer.

So, I've whipped up a few things to ease the process...

Scottie dogs!


Green is my favorite color :)

For these ones, I used a tutorial here. The way she installs her zippers is different from how I usually do it, and I think it maybe came out a little neater than usual.

I made a larger pouch as well, following instructions here.Currently it is holding my embroidery supplies.

Enjoy the rest of summer, and be safe - Irene is coming!

Domestic Goodness

2011-08-24T22:19:00.004-04:00

I've been home for about a week now, which means plenty of time for sewing, a bit of knitting, and even some needlework. I've also been making LOTS of peach jam - my parents have two peach trees, so for the last few weeks we have been drowning in peaches. It seems a waste to let them rot, so we've been preserving lots and lots.
Preserving peaches is messy work. The ripe peaches have to be skinned, and the juice gets all over the place. Ladling the jam into jars is a messy, sticky process as well. During the process, I discovered that my mother did not have a full apron - only half aprons, which just don't do the job. So, I made her one!

Rufio likes it.

This was really simple to make - I used an old pillowcase and a few kitchen-y scraps I had in my scrap basket. I used an apron I was given as a wedding gift as a template.

What do you think of the finished product?

Home Sweet Home!

2011-08-19T16:48:00.002-04:00

And back in front off my sewing machine!
I have a few projects in the works, but Rufio likes this one the best.

More to come!

Crafting on the go

2011-08-01T20:23:00.000-04:00

Since I have been away from home since mid-June, I have been working on some very portable projects in what little spare time I have. This spring I was inspired by this adorable quilt and this cute mug rug to do some hexagons...so I started with this...

And then I cut and basted and stitched...

and voila!
Not finished yet, since I will wait for home and a sewing machine...but I am hoping to make some pretty things to brighten up our home.

Handmade Gifts

2011-07-26T20:13:00.003-04:00

For your consideration: (full article here)

"A wedding, the birth of a child, a new home, an important birthday... All of these are events that mark our lives forever and should be celebrated with a gift you can cherish for a lifetime. Although mixers and vacuums are invaluable tools in our society (as I learned while trying to clean the house with a broken vacuum and in-laws on the way) they just don't do justice to the important milestones of a life. Items that are handmade don't usually end up in the trash bin in five years once they break or become outdated. Handmade goods, like a beautiful clock I once received, become heirlooms that hold memories of special times and people.
Handmade goods also have a personality that a toaster can't really match, even if it is hotrod red. When an item is handmade, a little part of the creator of that piece goes into it. Artists put their ideas, personality, style, and often blood, sweat, and tears into their work. When you find a handmade gift that is just right, you find a gift that speaks volumes about who you are, who the recipient is, and the connection between you."

I have always loved giving and receiving handmade gifts, but recently I was given a gift that really hit home for me and reminded me why handmade things are important. A handmade gift is personal - as a crafter who cares more about process than product, I appreciate more than anything the time and effort that goes into a handmade gift. It isn't so much the thing itself as what it represents.

A handmade gift requires that you put a little bit of yourself into it. A student recently made me this beautiful bookmark as a thank you - and the fact that she would take the time to put her skills to use to make something for me means a lot.

Have you ever received a particularly wonderful handmade gift? What made it special?

Knitting in July

2011-07-13T14:08:00.000-04:00

Via pinterest.com, I stumbled across a picture of this blanket. Pretty, right?
And, luckily, my lovely mother-in-law gave me a big bag of worsted weight yarn last month, all matching.
So, this month's charity project (which actually might take two months because it is so big) will be a blanket for Project Linus.

Project Linus' mission is "to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer "blanketeers."

Instead of following the pattern attached to the original picture that inspired it (I never actually clicked to see where it went until just now...) I figured I would just wing it. So far, so good:

Not looking like much of a blanket yet, but it will!

Scrap Happy

2011-07-09T13:58:00.000-04:00

Today is a beautiful day in Middlebury, Vermont.

Last week, as I was leaving church, there was a box in the front yard labeled "Free to a good home". Since I like free things, I took a peek.

Scraps!!!

None of the pieces are very big, but there are some really cute ones.

Since I am still working on my scrappy quilt, I took them home to become part of my collection.

Then, today, I took a stroll downtown to check out the fundraising "Peasant Market" at the local church. There, I found...

More scraps!!!

　All this scrappy goodness for $3.

Just look at those little scottie dogs!!!

And, because I am a sucker for all things handmade...

Some pretty hand embroidered place mats and napkins.

A few years ago I would never have thought I could get so excited about a few scraps!

A few spare minutes

2011-07-06T21:23:00.000-04:00

When I finished this sweater, it just needed a little hat to go with it.

My little friend here agrees, although I am not sure exactly what he is yet. Lion? Giraffe? Sweater stealer?
In any case, he doesn't get to keep the sweater. I hope to donate it somewhere locally here in Middlebury!

In other news, I'm linked up!

There are lots of fun projects, so check them out!

Dress #2

2011-07-01T17:53:00.000-04:00

Ta-dah!
Don't know what is going on with the light in this picture, but it looks pretty fancy.

Dress #2

This dress also makes me feel pretty fancy :) Perfect for work in the summertime!

June's Charity Project

2011-06-28T17:51:00.000-04:00

I mentioned before that I loved the sock pattern I used in May, so I went with the same designer for June's project: a baby sweater. The pattern is here. The construction is very simple -top down, knit in the round, so there's minimal finishing at the end, which I love. It doesn't use a lot of complicated stitches - just stockinette and garter - but uses those simple techniques to create a sophisticated-looking final product.


baby cardi

I picked up the very cute buttons at a local yarn store here in lovely Middlebury, Vermont, where I am passing my summer as a teacher in the language schools. All this teaching is really cutting into my knitting time...but I still have some of this yarn left and that sweater really needs a hat to match!

Haven't decided where this should get donated yet...any suggestions?

Summertime...and the livin' is easy?

2011-06-20T17:58:00.000-04:00

Greetings from Vermont!

Summertime brings me to a new place...sadly, a place without a sewing machine and with only a very small very slow computer. But, I am going to try to keep crafting nonetheless.

I hope you will excuse the photography (it's poor even by my standards) and the backdrop of my dismal dorm room...but I wanted to share this because I am so proud of myself!

This is actually the third dress I have made from the same pattern, but I think this one is my favorite. My grandma guided me through the first one, and she has been helping me with the hemming (because how do you hem a dress you are wearing?)The best part is, the fabric for this one only cost me FOUR DOLLARS!!! How great is that? (Thanks to Carole Ann for showing me the best place to get fabric!!!)

I have also picked out some other patterns to try...but it will have to wait until I get home again in August! I rarely find dresses that I love or that fit me exactly right in stores, so I am happy to do some experimenting.

Happy summer to all!

Look what I made!

2011-06-05T14:25:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I tried to put a zipper into a dress I've been working on.

I put it in. Realized it hadn't gone in right. Took it out. Ripped about a billion stitches.

And then needed a reassuringly simple project, to make me feel better about the hours I had spent accomplishing nothing.

So I made one of these!

~grocery bag!~

But the best part is, it folds up into this!


~all folded up!~

Tutorial here. This was cute, fun, and easy. I'm thinking they would make great little gifts - you could keep one in your purse for an unexpected shopping trip!

Now, I'm going to try and put that zipper in. Wish me luck!

The end of sock month!

2011-06-01T18:08:00.000-04:00

~socks everywhere!~

May was sock month, and I knitted six tiny pairs (and one slightly larger pair). It reminded me how much I like knitting socks, and I got so I could do a baby pair without thinking about it too much. I also played around with different heel and toe methods, which was fun, and learned to do a three-needle bindoff (which isn't really very hard, but I had never done it before, so I can add a new technique to my repetoire).

I found that I really liked this pattern (shown above), with a cute garter ridge detail in front and back. I liked the pattern so much that I'm going to go with another pattern by the same designer for June's project, this baby sweater. The socks will be going to a charity very close to home: Sowing Seeds, which provides new and gently used clothing to local residents in need.

I am anxious to show off the results of my sewing lessons with Grandma, but I haven't gotten the chance to take good pictures yet. Soon, soon!

My New Obsession

2011-05-31T18:38:00.000-04:00

Has anyone been to pinterest.com?

It's addictive. And wonderful.

I've been pinning about books...projects I want to try...decorating ideas for the house I want to buy...

I have a few friends getting married in the next year or so, so I'm thinking about some gifts...how cute is this?

~love birds~

http://pinterest.com/edieselman/

:(

2011-05-28T18:30:00.000-04:00

So last weekend I was sewing along...and...CRUNCH!

My machine is busted. Or jammed. Or something. I took it to the nice repair man down the street and he thinks he can fix it, but in the process of trying to fix it myself, I lost the tiny screw that holds the needle in.

That wouldn't be a problem, except that my machine is a billion years old and not in production anymore. Nice repair man thinks he might have a similar model in his sewing machine graveyard to pillage for parts. I hope he's right.

However, before the crunch, I managed to piece together this top!


~quilted advent calendar~

I tried some "fusible" batting on it, which I have never done before. Thought it might be quicker because you can cut out the pinning step, but I'm not sold. It didn't fuse all that well...maybe I didn't set the iron high enough? Has anyone used this before? Have any tips?

Basket Progress!

2011-05-26T18:29:00.000-04:00

A sweet little basket...

With a tinier basket inside!


~sorry this one is a little blurry...~

I think I'm getting the hang of this!

SILHOUETTE MACHINE GIVEAWAY!!!!

2011-05-17T14:24:00.000-04:00

Wow, check this out! Looks like a great tool for crafting - I know I'd love to win!

There are lots of ways to enter this giveaway - check it out by clicking!

SILHOUETTE MACHINE GIVEAWAY!!!!

Inspiration

2011-05-14T17:12:00.000-04:00

I'm often inspired by my friend Carole Ann at Connect the Dots Crafts. She is creative, talented, and generally awesome.
Last year, while I was visiting, I saw some super cool things she had made, which she blogged about here. See those trees? AMAZING, right? So I asked her to teach me how to piece hexagons, which she did. And then, I completely copied her idea. Check it out!

It looks lopsided in the picture, but I promise it's not actually like that :) I bound it up like a little quilt, and as soon as I can get the hubby to break out a hammer and nails, I'll hang it on the wall.
Thanks, Carole Ann!

May Charity

2011-05-12T16:58:00.000-04:00

Since my April charity focused on people who are far away, for May I'd like to focus a little closer to home. I will be donating to a local homeless shelter...I'll have to make some calls and make sure they want what I have to give! This month's project will be socks. Why socks?
1. I really like knitting socks. It makes me feel really smart. People who know how to knit socks will know why.
2. Everyone needs socks!
3. I have lots of sock yarn in my stash.
4. Socks are cute and fun. For example:
Adorable, right?
After stumbling around a bit (I think I frogged three sock attempts before settling on a pattern that would work for me and the yarn I wanted to use...and then I contemplated how funny the word "frog" is) I found this pattern on ravelry.Happy Knitting!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2011-05-08T16:54:00.000-04:00


My mom, all fancied up for my wedding!

In honor of Mother's Day, of course I had to do some crafting. I made a few of these... (tutorial here) So cute, and so easy!

Tiny covered notebooks

One of these... (tutorial here) because my mom has a pocketbook full of cards...

Loyalty card holder

And some of these! (tutorial here) My mom has a blackberry, but she is notoriously bad about leaving it places. I thought maybe if she could attach it to her keys, she might be able to keep track of it :)

Cute little pouch

Finally, for my mom and grandmas, some sugar scrub. I have to admit, I was skeptical about this concept at first, but this stuff is AWESOME. Even my hubby loves it, because he comes home with gross rough hands and likes to smooth it all away! Tutorial here.

Sugar Scrub

To all the moms out there - Happy Mother's Day! Hope you have been having a relaxing day!

T-Shirt Quilt: Part 2

2011-05-01T19:24:00.000-04:00

I actually finished this ages ago, but didn't get around to taking photos because it was on our bed!

I made this using Maiden Jane's T-Shirt Quilt Pattern, which I highly recommend. I tried figuring it out on my own the first time I made one, but her way was much easier :) This one showcases some of my hubby's old t-shirts - mostly from high school.This one is my favorite...

Isn't she cute? And on the back...

smaller squares from old PJ pants with cute patterns.

In other news, my dear friend Carole Ann at Connect the Dots Crafts featured little old ME today as her "Creative Friend". I'm flattered! Check it out here. Thanks Carole Ann!

2011-04-28T16:22:00.000-04:00

A nice package of warm knitted lovelies, all ready to send off!


Hats and squares!

Hooray for hats!

These will be going to Knit-A-Square, where they will be donated to AIDS orphans in Africa. The squares will be sewn together to make nice warm blankets.

Honeycomb practice

Twigs

Vacation Time!

2011-04-20T17:36:00.000-04:00

This week is school vacation week. Honestly, I'm not sure I would have survived without it.

Vacation time means I've been able to put in some good crafting time...finishing up a few projects from the WIP pile, and, of course, starting some new ones :)
For my cousin and her husband, who will be welcoming their first little one in a few weeks - a changing pad! Tutorial here. I read all the way through the tutorial...including the part where she said she put the velcro on wrong and had to redo it...and then I did the exact same thing!
A nice little package for welcoming a little girl, don't you think?And, thinking waaaaaaaaay into the future...some progress on my quilted advent calendar. Appliqueing all those numbers is a HUGE pain! At the rate I'm going, I'll have it done in time for Christmas 2015 or so.

And, because I don't seem to be able to stop making these...

They've been a huge hit with my friends' kids!

As if he wasn't already cute enough...

2011-04-14T18:20:00.000-04:00

So, recently I stumbled upon this post. Adorable, right?
Only problem is, I don't have any small children to test this pattern on.

So...

It was hard to get him to sit still for a photo, but doesn't he look cute?

Or maybe just angry.

Anyway, the tutorial was incredibly easy to follow. I just adjusted the band size for a cat instead of a kid.

Here's what it looks like without the cat. Easy and adorable!

Yes, I'm aware of how ridiculous this is. And I don't care.

Happy (Early) Easter!

2011-04-13T16:52:00.000-04:00

Some little Easter surprises for some cute little boys I know...
Aren't they cute?

EDIT: I've been told by the mother of the adorable little boys who received these bunnies that the bags are as much fun as the bunnies - apparently the older one likes filling up his bag and carrying it around, and occasionally using it to whack his brother :)

I've also been experimenting with different knitting stitches in making the 8x8" squares to send to my March/April charity. I've learned some new stitches along the way.

Basic garter stitch (for when you need something absolutely brainless...)

Basket stitch...
Herringbone Twill...

And a linen stitch. This one is really solid when it knits up, and I think it will be really warm. Definitely took a little more focus than the other ones...you can see I switched right and wrong sides halfway through by accident...
Two more days until vacation!!!

Scrappy goodness!

2011-04-03T20:39:00.001-04:00

I love scraps.
So, when I came across this tutorial last week, I had to try it.
So I made one.

And then I made a few more...

I love the effect!
All in all, I have a dozen or so. But I think I'm going to hold out and make some more to do a bigger quilt. Problem is, I've used up most of my viable scrap bits...so I might have to wait until I've generated some more scrap material!

In other news, my grandma has agreed to guide me on my first foray into real clothes-making. Today we picked out a pattern and some fabric - stay tuned!

2011-03-29T19:23:00.000-04:00

Aren't the monsters cute?After I made my first batch of bibs, I realized that I didn't really know how big they had to be - I had just downloaded a template from the internet somewhere, and it seemed like the neckholes were really small. So, for this set I went with a different fastening method - pretty blue ribbon. I thought that might make it easier to actually fit them on a child.

Then, I realized that, having never put a bib on a baby, I didn't know if that would be annoying or not. So, to the moms out there - ribbon ties on bibs, annoying or not?

I've also been having some fun knitting squares for this charity. When I graduated from college, my grandmother bought me a copy of the Complete Guide to Needlework, and so I've been trying out different stitch patterns. However, I've had some trouble with my February charity, Knitting and Giving - their site says to email them for an address, and they haven't responded to my emails! Guess I'll just have to send the hats the same way as the squares. I've been having so much fun knitting squares, I've decided to make that one my April charity as well (I can still meet my goal of doing 12 different charities because of my unexpected donation to the Appalachia Service Project).

It has been fun to look into different charities - I'm keeping an eye on CraftHope, hoping they will begin a new project soon!

Happy Spring (almost!)

2011-03-28T15:57:00.003-04:00

Despite the fact that it snowed twice last week, the crocuses outside my door are beginning to bloom. So...
A happy spring bunny, and an improvised Easter "basket" for him. Here's what it looks like empty...

Tutorials here and here.

2011-03-17T19:14:00.000-04:00

I have to say, I'm pretty pleased with the result.

I donated this one to an arts auction - the proceeds go to send local kids on an Appalachia Service Project.

Babies, babies everywhere!

2011-03-14T18:24:00.000-04:00

Two of the lovely people I work with are having babies this spring...so last week we had a little department shindig to celebrate and, of course, give adorable baby-sized gifts. I had already shown you these a few weeks back:And I added these to a gift for my friend Jen, who had her baby boy this past weekend.
Bib and burpcloth - so easy, yet so cute!

My friend Andy and his wife are having a girl, so I went a different route for them.

I made this little blanket, and instead of cotton batting I used a fleece blanket I had in my stuff-to-be-crafted box. Warm and snuggly! I quilted over the little hearts on the design so you can see them from the back (picture, as usual, isn't great, but what can you do?)

I have always liked baby projects because there is instant gratification!

Creative Space

2011-03-07T19:18:00.001-05:00

One thing that I do not have in my current living arrangements...creative space. Hubby and I live in a one-bedroom condo, and my sewing machine sits in a corner, all alone.

I need a space like this one.
With a cute little dog!
This is my nana's studio. She lets me share sometimes.
Look at all the cool stuff she has made!
Feeling inspired...here's what I'm working on :)Doesn't look like much yet, I know...but I have high hopes!

March Charity: Knit-A-Square

2011-03-02T17:44:00.000-05:00

My camera is on the fritz, so I'll have to wait a bit before posting pictures, but I have a dozen hats to donate to knitting and giving. They'll be in the mail in a few days. My mom made one too! It was a lot of fun to play around with different types of yarn and different gauges to get different sizes and styles.

For my March charity, I've chosen...
Knit-A-Square asks knitters to knit 8" squares, which are then sewn together to make blankets which are given to AIDS orphans in South Africa. These children are often abandoned and live in abject poverty, so this charity looks to provide warmth and comfort.

Here are their goals for 2011:
I loved knitting hats, so I might make a few more of those, but I think I'll try some squares too. The blankets they make look so warm!
For these squares, you can use any type of yarn, and any type of stitch you like, as long as they are warm and cozy!I'm looking forward to getting into this one! For more information, check out http://www.knit-a-square.com/index.html!

Goal #2: Use what you've got!

2011-02-13T16:19:00.000-05:00

Goal number one, if you recall, was to give to charity.

I've made some progress on this one. At the end of the month, I will send a donation of hand-knitted baby caps to Knitting and Giving, who will distribute them to families in need. I like to think of these cute little caps keeping heads warm!
Given the ridiculous amounts of snow we've gotten this winter, I think these will be particularly helpful. I didn't bother taking pictures of the duplicates, but I've got 7 done to date. Not bad for the busiest month of my year!My favorites are these cute little cabled ones. They were sort of an improvised pattern, but I'm quite pleased with the result.

That takes me to Goal #2: Use what you've got!.
I've mentioned before that Keith and I live in a very small condo. So, the overflowing bins of fiber and fabric are getting a little overwhelming. These little hats are a great way to use up bits of leftover yarn.

I've also been working on some odds and ends for some friends having babies this spring - all from things I had around the house!
I used this tutorial for the bib, although I ended up improvising a bit with the edging. The author of the tutorial described using a zigzag stitch on the bias tape, but I couldn't get it to catch the front and the back evenly, so I went for a more time-consuming method and attached the bias tape the same way you would attach a quilt binding. Still, given the trial-and-error, the whole thing probably only took an hour. Then, I used an old towel to make a matching burp cloth. Perfect!

And today's project: a great scrap-buster for a Valentine's gift for hubby. I was inspired by my friend Carole Ann's beautiful quilt here, which directed me to this method for making improvised quilt blocks. I had also been thinking of making one of these, which led me to combine all these ideas.
Keith carries around an old composition notebook everywhere, so I thought I would fancy it up a bit. It's not perfect - I definitely learned from the process and when I do this again I will make some changes. But I think it's a cool combination of ideas anyway :)

Also in the works: a non-goal-related project, which is neither for charity nor makes use of my stash. But, I'm going to give this a try anyway.

Goal Number One

2011-01-25T15:03:00.000-05:00

I don't like to make New Year's resolutions.

I find them hard to keep, plus January is usually a VERY busy time of year for me, so it's hard to get started on new things. I just got back from a weeklong trip to Japan for work, and got back just in time to grade piles and piles of midyears. Instead of grading those midyears, I'm going to spend a few minutes thinking about what I would like to accomplish in the creative part of my life this year.

Recently, I've been thinking about why I like to make things. Sometimes, I make things that are useful. Often, I make things that are not useful, or in any case, not useful to me. Keith will often ask me what I'm working on, and then ask...why? Often, I don't have a good answer. I just like to make things. I find it soothing.

But then, what do I do with the things I make? Some people make things and sell them, but I don't think I have that kind of drive, at least not at this point in my life.

However, I think it would be nice to have a little more purpose behind my crafting. Hence, goal number one:

Every month, I want to choose a charity, and make a donation of something I have made.

Since January has mostly gone by, for February I have chosen to make a donation to Knitting and Giving, a charity group based in Connecticut that collects hand-made items for homeless shelters and poor families. For my donations, I've started turning my leftover stash yarn into hats for newborns. They knit up quick, and it's easy to try different variations so you don't get bored. I found about a billion free patterns on ravelry - I liked this one, which was very simple and easy to experiment with.

I know not a lot of people read this blog, but would anyone out there be interested in crafting and giving this year?

A Travel Necessity

2011-01-10T17:55:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm planning on doing some traveling next week. And in the wintertime, Keith and I do a lot of back and forth between home and Maine for skiing. One of the biggest annoyances of travel, for me, is laundry. I always end up with random socks and underwear stuffed into corners of my suitcase.

Luckily, Keith has an abundance of super-large t-shirts, like this one.

And with a little bit of fiddling, I was able to turn it into this (apologies for my terrible photography!)

It slips easily over the doorknob, or on a towel hook, to hold dirty clothes. On the way over, I'll use it to hold my shoes so they don't mess my clothes up in the suitcase!

It's not beautiful, but it sure is useful. Want to see how I did it?

First, I cut the hem off the bottom of the t-shirt. Then, I cut off the sleeves. I angled the cut so that I'd have as much of the t-shirt body left as possible, like so:

Then, I cut off the top of the shirt just below the neckline:

I turned mine inside out, so the original t-shirt design is inside my bag. I put a little star on the new outside, because I wanted to. Then, I sewed up the bottom of the shirt, and the holes where the sleeves were. That left me with a bag that looked something like this:

(It's actually much more even than it looks in the picture!)

I cut off one of the sleeves and cut a strip out of it that was about 12x3". (That's the handle.) I folded it over and sewed up the long seam...

And then turned it inside out. To give it a more finished look on the inside (because I'm weird like that) I folded the ends in and sewed them as well, like so:
Now, back to the bag. I folded the top over, and the folded it again, so that the raw edge wouldn't show.I stitched over the fold, leaving quite a bit of space so there would be room for the drawstring. The first time, I didn't pin it, and then later wished I had.

And, voila! Time to attach the strap. I put mine in the back, and stitched over the existing seams (so there's room for the drawstring to go through!)

I cut a little hole between the two straps, and used a safety pin to lead the string around the top of the bag. For the drawstring, I just used the hem I had cut off the t-shirt.

Voila! Rufio approves :)

A million uses for an old T-shirt

2011-01-09T15:44:00.000-05:00

Since we got married, dear hubby and I have been trying to cut down on the clutter. We both came into this marriage with quite a bit of stuff, and now we have to combine.

However, I have a problem. I have a really hard time throwing stuff away.

I always think to myself...what if I need that again someday? Won't I regret throwing it away if I someday have to spend money to buy a new one?

But when you live in a one-bedroom condo, you can't keep everything. We have basically no storage space at all. We keep our seasonal decorations in the attic at my parents' house, and Keith still has loads of stuff that has never even made it's way over here.

The outgrowth of these two problems - overwhelming amounts of stuff, and inability to throw things away - has had some creative consequences.

Keith has more t-shirts than anyone I know. Most of them, I think, he has gotten for free over the years. So, a raiding of his t-shirt pile was an easy step to decreasing the amount of "stuff" in our home. I have already decreased my pile of t-shirts by making a T-shirt Quilt, and I'm in the process of making one for hubby as well. But in the meantime, I've found lots of uses for old t-shirts.

From a variety of old shirts, I knitted a rug for our kitchen floor. It's much nicer than standing on the cold tile, and washes easily.

From a too-small t-shirt with a cute logo, I made this little bag. It's perfect for storing the essentials in my big ski bag - deodorant, tape, batteries, for my boot warmers, etc. That way, the little things don't get lost.
Members of the ski team I coach tend to leave things behind - and once they've been in the lost and found for a whole year, I consider them fair game. Hence, a little coin purse.

I have a few more up my sleeve, but those will have to wait. I'm preparing for a big trip next week - going to Japan for a week! I'll be working most of the time, but hope I'll find some time to do a little sightseeing as well!

Green Crafting

2010-12-11T21:12:00.001-05:00

Today, I finally felt like I started to get into the holiday spirit. Keith and I did a little Christmas shopping, and I got to do a little bit of Christmas crafting!

Last week, my mother sent me an email suggesting fabric gift bags for holiday gift wrapping, with the idea that reusable bags would cut down on the time we spend wrapping gifts. Earlier this week, I read on MegaCrafty about all the waste that is caused by holiday gift wrap. According to the EPA, between Thanksgiving and New Years, Americans generate 25% more waste than normal. I read here that during this period, Americans buy 2.65 BILLION Christmas cards, and there is a 40% spike in the purchase of batteries. Most gift wrap, apparently, is not recyclable, so it all goes directly to the landfill.

So, I decided to take a tiny baby step towards reducing waste. (Side note: check out our baby tree! Our place is too small for a real one, but it doesn't quite feel like Christmas without one. For some reason, the cat LOVES this tree...by which I mean loves to eat it...which is odd because it's plastic!)

I looked at a tutorial here, but honestly, it was pretty easy to figure out. I had some holiday fabric left over from last year, and cut it to fit some gifts I have already bought. Then I made a few more for gifts I intend to purchase...or because I think it will be useful to just have some on hand. The most time consuming part was just cutting things properly, and that's probably just because I am completely incapable of cutting in a straight line. Each bag probably took 10-15 minutes to make.

So this year, after Christmas when holiday fabric goes on sale, I'm going to buy a bunch and make some more. They're just as pretty as paper gift wrap, and so much more practical!

Something I'd like to try...

2010-12-09T20:40:00.000-05:00

Anybody ever seen these before?

Sailor's Valentines were originally made (or brought home) in the 1800s by sailors traveling long distances who wanted something beautiful to bring home for a loved one. Sailors would decorate octagonal boxes with local seashells, often including a sentimental message ("Forget-me-not" was understandably a popular theme). The island of Barbados, often a stopping point on long voyages, became a popular place to buy Sailor's Valentines for those who did not make their own.

The one in the picture above was made by my grandmother, with a sailing ship scrimshaw in the center.This one is my favorite. The center is a picture of my grandfather, which was actually printed in National Geographic magazine after he went on a sailing trip with them. The shells spell out "Love is Forever".

As a history teacher, I love when creativity and history intersect. I like knowing that I'm part of a continuum of people who make stuff - although my reasons for making things might be different, I like to think about why people made things and what significance the things they made held for them. I can only imagine what a cherished gift a valentine like this would have been, brought home by a loved one who had spent years away at sea. I think the history of these beautiful valentines is fascinating, and I definitely want to try and make one - perhaps as a valentine for my sweetie?

Has anyone out there ever made one before? I'd love to hear about your experience.

Some other things I've been up to...

2010-11-28T17:05:00.000-05:00

The odds and ends of my craftiness...

This sweater started out as a baby size...it ended up almost big enough for me to wear. (Yet another lesson in the importance of knitting a gauge swatch...but since it wasn't intended for anyone in particular, I just left it). The yarn is nice and fluffy, though!

Some tiny socks for a friend having a baby!
And, to use up the last of that yarn, some tiny Christmas ornaments :)

I donated the sweater and ornaments, among other things, to my church's annual fair. It's the biggest fundraiser of the year for us, and I'm always amazed at the incredible stuff people make and donate!
I just love these little bags shaped like fruit!And personalized marshmallow roasters...Keith and I are in charge of the book room (I always take home boxes of them...which I mostly read and then give away or donate back the next year). Isn't he cute?
So many books...

The fair is, for me, the beginning of the holiday season, and one of my favorite parts of getting ready for Christmas. Anybody else out there in blogland have any fun, crafty pre-Christmas traditions?

2010-11-13T16:30:00.001-05:00

Today, I want to share a little bit about my crafty roots!

This is my nana in her studio.
Since 1984, she has been making and selling Nantucket baskets, as well as offering classes through her home studio, known as Peg Hall Studios. The name of her studio comes from her mother-in-law, Margaret (Peg) Hall, an accomplished author and artist in her own right (I'll have to blog about her another time).

Nantucket lightship baskets originated in the 1860s, when "light ships" were commissioned to warn ships of the dangerous shoals off the southern coast of Nantucket. Life on a lightship was tedious, so the men on the ships took up basketmaking to relieve the boredom. The resulting baskets are strong and beautiful, and are now made in a wide variety of styles and colors, including purses, often known as "friendship" purses. Nantucket baskets last so long that they are often described by the rhyme:

"I was made on Nantucket, I'm strong and I'm stout, don't lose me or burn me and I'll never wear out!"

I recently decided that I wanted to learn how to make baskets like my grandmother, and have been impressed by how detailed the work is and how strong the finished product is. I just finished my first basket! (Actually, I made one when I was a kid...I started it when I was 8, and finished when I was 18...so I don't really count that one :)

Here are some of my Nana's designs:

And here's the plug: Peg Hall Studios has joined the 21st century by setting up an Etsy shop! Please check it out here - Nantucket baskets make beautiful, timeless gifts for the holiday season!

Babies!

2010-11-12T19:07:00.000-05:00

Since lots of people I know are having babies this year, it's time to busy making presents!

These were easy to make, and all out of things I had in the house - a towel I no longer use, and some cute jungle fabric I picked up in the bargain bin at JoAnn's awhile back. Baby can never have too many burp cloths!

Wedding gifts

2010-10-31T15:34:00.000-04:00

The pictures aren't great, but these are the quilts I made for my parents and Keith's parents as a thank-you for helping plan our wedding.

I followed Obsessively Stitching's F irst Quilt Ever tutorial for both, and it made the whole process so clear! It's amazing what you can learn from the internet...

I also wanted to share some AMAZING wedding presents we received from Carole Ann of Connect the Dots Crafts...personalized aprons! Each one has an applique of our initials.

Rufio says, "Happy Halloween!"

Some fun stuff...

2010-10-26T16:59:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Maiden Jane for these awards!

I guess I'm supposed to share seven things about me. Hmmm...

1. I just got married!!! 10/10/10 :)
2. My hubby and I have a giant cat named the baron Rufio Houdini von Wolfenbach (the middle name comes from his amazing ability to escape...)
3. I got a slowcooker as a wedding gift and it is AMAZING.
4. I love crime tv shows - Law and Order, NCIS, Bones...
5. I teach high school. Kids are hilarious.
6. I love snow and can't WAIT for ski season.
7. I love a neat house, but hate to clean. This is a fundamental problem with my life.

I would like to pass this award along to the bloggers listed below. If you wish to participate, the rules are:

a) Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award.
b) Share 7 things about yourself.
c) Pass the award along to 10 bloggers who you have discovered and who you think are fantastic.
d) Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award

Connect the Dots Crafts
My Inner Old Lady
Obsessively Stitching
Sewtakeahike
The Train to Crazy
TikkiFabricAddict
Adventures in Dressmaking
MayaMade

Ok that's only eight but I'm picky :)

Clicky clicky!

Some little things...

2010-10-19T17:46:00.000-04:00

I like things that are small.
So it does not surprise me that I ended up making so many of these tiny wallets :)

I found the tutorial here at the Mad Quilter's blog...and made a whole bunch!

It was a great way to use up some cute scraps, and for the outside I used denim from some of my hubby's discarded jeans. He works outdoors and a lot of his pants get pretty messed up, but once he's deemed them too gross to keep wearing I try to save the bits that aren't worn through.

I haven't been knitting too much lately, but yesterday I was at the Christmas Tree Shops (love that place!) and they had this funny yarn on sale for cheap. I'm not sure you can tell in the picture, but it has a really interesting texture, so I picked one up and I'm knitting a little scarf. I had almost forgotten how relaxing it is...

I'm Back!

2010-10-18T17:54:00.000-04:00

Back from my blogging hiatus with a new husband and a new name :)

It was, in all honesty, the most perfect day of my life. It was absolutely wonderful to be surrounded by all the people we love best and celebrate the beginning of our life together. And it's so funny to think that now, I am a Mrs! I keep giggling when the kids at school call me Mrs. P :)

Then, I was surprised when I got back by a lovely crafty wedding gift from Carol Ann at Connect the Dots Crafts! You can check it out here. Carol Ann even made herself an incredible dress to wear to the wedding! Check that out too.

I actually have been doing some crafting, too...I'll post soon!

A few little things...

2010-09-03T12:20:00.000-04:00

Ever since coming across this tutorial I have wanted to make one of these adorable clutches! Well, I finally did it. I love the little whales - they came from my Grandma's stash. For some reason, the lining came out a little bit too big, so it bunches inside the bag. I want to try this one again and see if I can do a little better. Also, I learned how to shorten a zipper!

It is nearly impossible to take good pictures in my dark apartment!

This little sweater is for a friend of mine who just had a baby. Found the pattern here. This is my favorite kind of knitting - completely seamless, all you have to do is weave in the ends and you're done!

Quilt #3 is in the process of being quilted - the end is in sight!

Tah-dah!

2010-08-30T20:04:00.000-04:00

This weekend, my wonderful friend Debbie hosted a bridal shower for me. I couldn't think of a good enough way to thank her, so I decided to make her a thank-you gift!
I followed this tutorial.
And here's the back, with a little help from my dear husband-to-be (I really like the stripe):

My dear friend Carole Ann of Connect the Dots Crafts came to celebrate with me and she made me a beautiful clutch for my wedding day! It is absolutely wonderful and even more special because she made it herself! You can see lovely pictures here. I was inspired to make this quilt by seeing the one she made a few months back!
I am feeling a little overwhelmed (in a good way) by all the kindness people are showing as my wedding approaches. Just a little over a month left! I will have two more finished quilts to show off soon.

2010-07-16T15:34:00.001-04:00

More blog silence...because I am, sadly, very far away from my
sewing machine AND my knitting needles, and instead devoting my time to study. Lame. However, in about a month I will graduate (hooray!), go back home, and quickly (hopefully) finish the three WIPs I left behind...three quilts for some very special people who are helping me plan my wedding. The first one I have already sh0wn pictures of, and that one actually traveled with me to Vermont...I am slowly but surely hand-finishing the binding in my off moments, which are sadly few and far between.

However, I now know an awful lot about deixis, especially in Chinese. I'm still not sure precisely how that will help me do my job better, but knowing is half the battle, right?

I decided to take a study break and revisit my crafty goals for this year.
T-shirt quilt: done! yay! Want to make another one for my dear husband-to-be, who owns more tshirts than anyone I have ever known.

Fusing plastic bags. I did do a brief experiment with this, but had trouble finding the right iron heat to make it really work. I could only succeed in very small pieces...I will have to ask my friend Carole Ann, who I know has had some success with this. On a side note, I really want to make one of those gathered clutches she has on her blog...

A new hat for the boy...definitely a necessity. Any good suggestions for hat patterns? Maybe this one...or this one...or pretty much anything listed here.

T-shirt tote bag: again, tried this, but had a hard time with sewing the tshirt material. Grandma suggested I needed a different kind of needle, but by then I was already distracted by something else...

Sigh...back to learning about speech act theory...

2010-05-28T06:19:00.000-04:00

I have been following along one of the BEST TUTORIALS EVER at Obsessively Stitching:
I suppose that, technically, this is not my first quilt ever, but the t-shirt quilt is so unique that this is a whole different type of project. This tutorial (really, set of tutorials) is amazing! The whole process is laid out step by step, from what fabrics to buy straight through finishing it off...any questions you might have had about making a quilt, answered. I have the top almost finished. I'm so glad there are people out there in the world so willing to share their talents! Many thanks to Care!

Tah-dah!

2010-05-23T16:11:00.000-04:00

This is so satisfying!Since it is so nice and springy outside, and my condo has almost no natural light...I decided to venture outside to take a few pictures of my work. I love the finished effect! I was partway through this project and trying to figure out how to do this on my own, when I saw this post from Maiden Jane and decided, like my boss always says, there's no use reinventing the wheel...so I bought a wonderful pattern from her and learned from her experience! I'm really glad I did, because her way was SOOOOOO much simpler than what I had been planning on doing. I won't give away her secrets, but it was definitely a worthwhile purchase.

And the final result? I have comfortably napped under it several times already, and found it to be very satisfying. Is it perfect? No. But it's mine :)

A (failed?) experiment

2010-05-04T19:14:00.001-04:00

My trip to China went amazingly well. The kids were well-behaved, the tour guides were knowledgeable - altogether, I loved the tour, the company, and the experience.

On the crafting front, I've been making good progress on my quilt. The top is almost done!

I love the effect - it's like my life story in a quilt! Of course, cutting up all those t-shirts left me with lots of scraps, so I tried to come up with some ways to use them, including these coasters below.
Last week, I saw this tutorial at an amazing blog called Adventures in Dressmaking. The tutorial explains how to turn a man's shirt into a skirt. The attempt was not flawless - I didn't make the waistband wide enough, so there wasn't enough space to fold it all the way over, so you can see the unfinished edges on the inside. I also attached the waistband backwards, so I had to do a quick switch with the button and buttonhole to make it work.

Despite it's flaws, I think it's really cute, and I would love to wear it - but, sadly, it's WAAAY to small for me to every dream of wearing :( Next time I'll have to get a much larger shirt to start with!!! At least now that I've done it once, hopefully I'll be able to attempt it again and get a wearable result. Not sure what I'll do with this one!

Spring has sprung!

2010-04-12T16:42:00.000-04:00

The weather here has been absolutely beautiful for the past few weeks. The flowers are blooming, the trees are blossoming...and I am taking seventeen students to China for spring break in three days. Crazy? Probably. But I'm sure it will also be fun.

So, what have I been crafting?

I have been making some progress on my t-shirt quilt. This is one of the largest projects I've undertaken, and it has taken a lot of time! First, I had to pick the shirts. And figure out how they would lay out and look nice. And I realized I have way too many shirts.
Then I had to cut them all (and find a size that worked...)...and iron on the interfacing....I am almost finished sewing the quilt top together, but that project will have to be on hold until I get back from China. I have learned some important lessons from this project so far:
1) cutting straight lines is hard (is that hard for other people, or just for me?)
2) I am bad at math. I totally failed at figuring out how much fabric I would need for the sashing and backing and will have to go back for more.

For my birthday, my grandmother bought me an awesome book called "How to Sew a Button (and other things your grandmother knew)" by Erin Bried. It has all sorts of tips and tricks in it, from cleaning to sewing to organizing and cooking and gardening, budgeting, taking care of kids, entertaining...and the first project I tried out was "How to Make an Apron from a Pillowcase". Ta-dah! (Ew, you can see how messy my house is!!!) Picked up a cute pillowcase at a thrift shop, and a few quick seams later I had a new apron! I have since picked up several more cute pillowcases because this was a fun project and I think they would make nice gifts, especially for housewarming or something like that. The whole project took me about an hour, but I think I could do it faster next time.

Finally, I made myself this cute little bag. The instructions came from "Sew What! Bags" by Lexie Barnes, a book I adore. It has little pouches for my cell and, most exciting of all - it has a zipper!(Note to self: Work on taking better pictures, and read the cleaning section of that book Grandma gave you...although if it's any excuse, Keith was finishing the tile in the kitchen yesterday so the house is recovering from that project).

Rufio says, "Happy Spring!"

A Good Reason For Blog Silence...

2010-03-27T10:17:00.000-04:00

So, lately I haven't had time to do much crafting or blogging...because I got engaged!

So we've been busy looking at places for the wedding and doing assorted planning! It's all very exciting - we're hoping to get married over Columbus Day weekend next fall.

So, getting married means I need bridesmaids. Of course, I couldn't just ask them. That would be boring. So I looked around and found a really cute idea at Project Wedding. And then I made one of these for each of my bridesmaids!

Now, I just need to track them down to give them away...

I also made several very cute penguins. My husband-to-be says he thinks they're the coolest thing I ever made. The pattern comes from Amy Gaines' Etsy shop - I just love her patterns and have made several of them in the past. This very cute penguin was a gift for a friend of mine who is having a baby:

Now that ski season is (mostly) over I'm hoping to start sewing more - and my Spoke sweater, in the works since just after Christmas, is blocking as we speak!

2010-02-26T19:55:00.000-05:00

The last few weeks have been a bit crazy, but good. I went on an excellent (and free!) trip to Paris...

And then spent a relaxing week skiing (translate: picking up small children and carrying them around) with my family.

Nothing earth-shattering to report on the knitting front, but I thought I'd post some pictures of my latest finish - a baby gift for a friend. She doesn't know if she is having a boy or a girl, so I went with gender-neutral green :)

I'm not sure if I'm completely satisifed with how he came out - I knit him with bulkier yarn and larger needles than the pattern called for because I wanted a bigger toy. Regardless, I think he's very huggable, and the yarn is very soft.

Yesterday I went to my parents' house to dig out some old t-shirts for a quilt. Turns out that my mother has been saving them since I was very small (with what goal in mind, I'm not sure) and I have enough t-shirts to make several quite large quilts. I suppose there are worse problems to have - now I have to pick my favorites!

Thanks to all have been reading and commenting - it's nice to know there are people out there!

Thanks,
Erica

2010-02-18T21:16:00.000-05:00

I have felt so craft-deprived lately! I have been so busy the past few months that I haven't touched my sewing machine since before Christmas...but I have been doing a bit of knitting. (This week on vacation I have been knitting an adorable penguin for a friend who is having a baby). Now that ski season (at least the competetive part of it) is mostly done, I should be having some more time. So, some of the things I want to try this spring:

fusing paper bags. I think I'd like to try making some reusable sandwich bags, although it seems like the possibilities are endless.
a dress like this one. I know, I don't have any kids. But I picked up a cute pillowcase at a shop called "Repurpose" and I think this would be a good use.
a t-shirt quilt (I have so many old t-shirts I can't bear to part with...but I'm scared because I have never tried to make something so big before! Has anyone tried this/have any suggestions?)
a t-shirt tote. This seems incredibly simple but really fun. And a good way to clean out the closet of old shirts...
A new hat for my favorite boy. Haven't decided on a pattern yet, but I've been searching the possibilities on ravelry.

In the meantime, I love the Olympics!

Winter is both awesome and terrible...

2010-01-11T18:09:00.000-05:00

In the wintertime, I coach the ski team at the high school where I work.

This means that around this time of year, my free time goes down to zero. This means, sadly, that there has been very little crafting going on in my house :(

However, I do want to post a few little things:
I made these handwarmers and the matching scarf (mini-scarf? I'm not really sure what to call it - it fastens with a button around your neck, it's very cute) for my brother's girlfriend for Christmas. I was very pleased with the result, although the pictures are not so great.
And then I got quite a bit of work done on my rug!My grandmother's house is full of these braided rugs, and I just love them. They seem so homey to me. I particularly like that the ones in her house are all made from old clothes. She can look at her rugs and remember that the blue is from an old bathrobe, and the white strips came from a pair of my grandfather's old dress pants...I've wanted to make one for a long time, but never quite got around to it. A few months back, I was at my grandmother's house and asked her about it, and she brought out a whole box full of braiding supplies, including wool she'd had cut to make a rug. She gave me some directions, and with some trial and error, I think I'm getting the hang of it.
This project got me thinking about why it is that I like to make things. When I was a kid, my grandmother taught me how to embroider and to knit, and both of my grandmothers have supported themselves by making things - one by sewing, the other by making baskets. So these kinds of crafts have always seemed to me to be a tie to my family and to my past (which, as a history teacher, I cannot fail to appreciate). Knitting and sewing and rugmaking are all part of that historical continuum that connects me to the women (and men) who have made things before me. Making things helps me to feel connected to that past, where making your own was a way of life.
In some ways, I think that a simpler life would be better. One of my grandmothers once told me a little rhyme that I think should inform the way we live: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do; or do without." This year, I hope to do a little more living that way.

That ended up being a bit more philosophical than I intended, but that's ok. If I can't "think out loud" here, where can I?

Post-Christmas Awesome

2009-12-26T13:39:00.000-05:00

I love Christmas. My family and I are relaxing slopeside at the lovely Tenney Mountain - skiing, riding, and, if you're me, knitting. Best Christmas present ever: a tiny Dell netbook from which I am currently blogging. This will be super-helpful for my part-time job at the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School. My brother is my Christmas hero.

The day before Christmas, I stopped by the local knitting shop to start a new project. In the months before Christmas I was knitting gifts...so now I'm ready to knit for myself. I chose this pattern from knitty. I picked out the yarn I wanted...but sadly there wasn't enough for my sweater, so I had to make a special order. In the meantime, I thought I'd get a head start on a gift for a friend who is having a baby this spring. I found some really soft and fun yarn in the bargain bin - it's actually not so much yarn as fleece cut into really thin strips. I love it, and immediately started making a stuffed elephant. I like to give stuffed animals as baby gifts because, unlike clothes, they never outgrow them! For this friend's first baby I made a stuffed panda, so I wanted to keep going with the exotic animal theme :) My camera is back home, so I'll have to wait until later to show pictures. By the time I get home, I'm sure it will be done, and maybe I'll have gotten some work done on the sweater!

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas! Happy New Year!

Handmade Holidays, Part 1

2009-12-06T19:33:00.000-05:00

This year, I want to give as many handmade gifts as possible. I feel like there's something so personal about a handmade gift...but it does take up a lot of time!

First, I had to get in the holiday spirit. So I made some Christmas stockings. Since this is the first Christmas that Keith and I will be living together, I thought it was suitable to have new, matching stockings.
This project reinforced to me the importance of planning out the WHOLE project before you dive in...I think it ended up being harder than it needed to be because I didn't think it through. The stockings came out smaller than I'd hoped (I seem to keep forgetting that seams make things smaller) but I'm pleased with the final product. Keith and I went together so we could each choose fabric for our stockings...mine is the green one (of course) and Keith, also predictably, chose one with penguins. My favorite, however, is the one we chose for Rufio...

Now, on to the presents...

I had planned on making Beth a paintbrush roll for Christmas, but I finished it early and got excited so I gave it to her for her birthday, which was last week. She was really excited! Up until now, she's been keeping her paintbrushes in plastic bags...now it will be much fancier.

My grandmothers are two wonderfully crafty women who will truly appreciate a handmade gift. They are each getting one of my snowme n, and I've made tote bags to hold them. I recently acquired a copy of a great book called "Sew What! Bags" by Lexie Barnes. The projects vary from very simple to "pro" difficulty, and the best thing about it is that it gives directions on how to make various types of bags without patterns, and great instruction on how to customize projects to your needs. It also gives lots of basic sewing tips, which are great for a beginner like me, but I suppose someone more advanced could just skip them.
Anyway, I used this book to make a collection of tote bags from various Christmassy fabrics.

This gift package went today to my Aunt Helen, a master knitter and crafter extraordinaire. She is 105 this year, and can't knit anymore because of her arthritis (a fact which bothers her to no end!)Usually I hate putting faces on my creatures, but I think this one came out pretty well.
I'm going to round out my gift bags with star ornaments and hand warmers, made from a pair of (sadly) defunct jeans and some scrap fabric.These aren't stuffed yet, because I haven't decided what to put in them yet. I got the idea and directions here, and they were remarkably simple to make.

Next up: a few manly catchalls for Keith and my dad, possibly from the other leg of those jeans...

Patchwork and my first zipper!

2009-11-27T11:28:00.000-05:00

I wanted to make a grocery bag as a Christmas gift, and I thought it might be fun to make it in patchwork. I am pleased with the result, but I have learned several things:

when working with patches, the final product comes out MUCH smaller than the sum of it's parts. I forgot about seam allowances!
it is hard to make all those little seams match up. Boo.
Interfacing is cool, but hard to put on the back of a patchwork piece. I think if I were to do this again I would interface the lining but not the patchwork - it came out a little wrinkled because it didn't lie completely flat.

So, although the final product is pretty, it's too small to put groceries in!
Then, I attempted to make a bag with my first zipper! It was easier than I thought it would be.

Last weekend I went down to Providence to spend the afternoon crafting with Carole Ann (you can see her cool stuff here). I am working on making a braided rug, and after several false starts, I think I've figured out how to work it so that it's really reversible. I'll write more about the process and post pictures soon...but I haven't had too much time to work on it since I've been thinking about/making Christmas presents! (Yes, I know...Thanksgiving was yesterday...but if I want to be done on time, I have to get started soon!)
I have been making several snowmen as gifts for my grandparents, and I'm going to make a paintbrush holder for my brother's girlfriend, who is a painting major at RISD. In my immediate family, we pick names from a hat and buy presents for just one person...and this year I got my dad, which means I have some serious thinking to do. I'd like to make him something, but he's a hard guy to give things to...any suggestions for brilliant gifts for the man who has everything? I think I will make him a set of microwaveable handwarmers...he teaches skiing in the winter, so that should be handly for the ski lift.

Happy crafting!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

2009-11-18T19:58:00.000-05:00

I love winter. I love snow, and I can't WAIT to go skiing.

So, in order to occupy myself before there's snow...I have been knitting snowmen :)

And here's how I did it. I've made these snowmen in two sizes: large (pictured above) and small (about half that size). They are exceptionally easy to make.

I used a bulky yarn (it's nice and fluffy, like snow) and size 10.5 needles. It could be done with any kind of yarn as long as it knits up tight enough so the stuffing doesn't show.

Cast on 6 (12) stitches.
1. K1, Inc1 all the way across. (9/18 stitches)
2. Divide the stitches onto three needles.
3. Knit 1 round.
4. K1, Inc 1 all the way around. (13/27 stitches)
5. Knit 1 round.
6. K1, Inc 1 all the way around. (19/40 stitches)

At this point, if you want to make your snowman fatter, repeat rows 5 and 6 again.

Knit even in the round until the snowman measures about 5 (11) inches.

Begin decrease:
7. K1, K2tog around.
8. Knit 1 round.
9. K1, K2tog around.
10. Knit 1 round.
11. K1, K2tog around.
12. Knit 1 round.

Cut off the end and pull it through each of the remaining stitches. Stuff.

Once the snowman is stuffed, thread a yarn needle with a bit of white yarn. Tie it around the snowman's "neck" and pull it tight.

The scarf can be made in any variety of ways. For the large snowman, I make it ten stitches across, for the small snowman, five stitches. You can add stripes or ribs or whatever makes you smile.

For the hat: The number of stitches you use will depend on the kind of yarn you want to use. Since I am using up scraps, every one comes out a little different :)

Cast on 45 (60) stitches.
Work in K1, P1 rib for 5 rows in the round.
Work even in the round for another 5 rounds (more if you want to make the hat a bit floppier).
Decrease rounds - alternate the following two rows until 6 stitches remain.
K1, K2tog across
K across.

Cut the end and pull it through the remaining stitches. Voila!
For his cute little nose I used an orange pipe cleaner. Embroider on some eyes and he's done!

Think snow!

Any comments on my pattern would be appreciated - I don't usually write things down, but I'm trying to start. Was it clear?

Belated Halloween...

2009-11-08T15:30:00.000-05:00

Keith and I were Halloween-inspired to make these excellent Jack Skellington cupcakes. We found that drawing with frosting was more difficult than we'd thought...but it was fun anyway :)

2009-11-08T15:20:00.001-05:00

I made two bags from leftover fabric a few months ago using this tutorial. I wasn't completely satisfied because I thought they were a little boring. So, I spruced them up using embellishments inspired by these. I made circles instead of butterflies, but the idea is the same - I was amazed what a difference such a simple change made!

I also made a whole bunch of ornaments using t his tutorial. Some of them are Christmassy, some not. So cute and so easy to make! I think I'll make more to give as Christmas gifts.

Adventures in Craftland...

2009-11-08T15:12:00.000-05:00

The church fair was yesterday, so for the last few weeks I've been doing lots of knitting and sewing so I'd have things to donate. Here's what I've been up to...
Two sets of mittens and scarves (child sized, mostly because I didn't have much of this yarn left)

This next one is my personal favorite. Last winter, Keith's mom made a snowman using some sort of kit she got at work. I thought it was really cute, but it would be easier to knit one instead. So I sort of made it up as I went along. I think it came out really well. Now that I have a general idea, I'm going to work up a pattern. It was really simple to make, so I'll see if I can explain it on paper.

I also made another reversible purse. I like this fabric a lot. Think I'll make a few more to give as Christmas gifts.

And I almost forgot...

2009-10-19T17:40:00.000-04:00

I almost forgot the cutest pictures of all! Rufio in his Halloween costume!

I love Halloween!

2009-10-19T17:17:00.000-04:00

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays ever because it's so silly. I love the decorations - ghosts and pumpkins and monsters...so we've been getting into the holiday spirit lately. I found this excellent little guy to hold our Halloween treats, and some cute little ghostie candles.

And then, inspired by a fabulous pattern by Marie-Jolie at Permission to Unwind, I made myself a pumpkin patch!

I love this pattern!!! It felt a little empty at the top, however, so I made a tiny leaf to go on my pumpkins. Here's how I did it:

1. CO 2.
2. Inc in each stitch (4)
3. Divide stitches evenly on 2 needles (from here, the leaf will be knit in the round on two needles).
4. K 1 round
5. Inc in each stitch (4/needle)
6. K1, inc1, inc1, k1 (6)
7. K2, inc1, inc1, K2 (8)
8. K3, inc1, inc1, K3 (10)
9. K4, inc1, inc1, K4 (12)
10. Knit 2 rounds.
11. Ssk, ssk, K1, inc1, inc1, K1, K2tog, K2tog
12. Ssk, ssk, inc1, inc1, K2tog, K2tog
13. Ssk, ssk, k2tog, k2tog
14. Ssk, k2tog
15. Knit 1 round
16. K2tog
Knit remaining two stitches together and draw the end through to finish. Voila!

And a tiny mouse, pattern here :)

More tiny projects...

2009-10-12T15:58:00.000-04:00

I'm in full craft mode for the church fair, so I've been making lots of little projects. I found this cute pattern for hearts at Ravelry (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/little-hearts) and I think I'll make them into Christmas ornaments.

Each one takes only a few minutes to knit, and it's a great way to use up odds and ends of yarn. However, looking at those pictures makes me realize that cushion is really dirty. Eew.

I also knitted this cute little guy (pattern here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/stuffies). I can't decide if he's really ugly, really cute, or so ugly it's cute. You decide.

Finally, today is my grandmother's birthday, and I wanted to make a little gift bag for her present. I got the idea here. However, my first attempt came out way too small, so I tried again, slightly larger. Here are my two attempts, plus the gift for Nana. She loves that color blue (her whole kitchen is that shade) so I picked up that ornament while I was in the Netherlands this summer.

I was pleased with the result - it gives a nice homemade touch to the present.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

2009-10-12T15:56:00.000-04:00

Ok, not really. But I made a Christmas stocking anyway. A woman my grandmother knows was collecting handmade Christmas stockings in red, white, and blue to send to soldiers in Iraq, and since that seemed like a good cause, I made one too.

Here it is.

Being Sick Stinks.

2009-10-01T19:25:00.001-04:00

I've been sick in bed for the past two days, and pretty much going out of my mind with boredom. I haven't gotten much done in the way of knitting, but I thought I'd post this old project anyway. Mrs. Pollard gave me this pattern for a cute mouse mat for Rufio (for more info, look here). The idea is that if he sits on it instead of on my furniture, it will keep the cat hair contained... although Rufio only seems to like to sleep on hard surfaces, so that hasn't really been a problem. But in any case, it's cute.

I've been busy lately.

2009-09-28T20:29:00.000-04:00

By which I mean I've been finishing a lot of half-done projects! Like these cute sea animals. I wanted to make more turtles so I'd have sets of animals that go together...

I'm debating about frogging the sock part of the baby booties in the last post. I'm just not satisfied with them...but of course I can't change the fact they seem to be made for a baby with two left feet. However, maybe if I just repositioned the buttons, you wouldn't notice unless you looked really hard. I'm going to have to be making lots more baby gifts soon - lots of people at work are having babies this year! Last year I made a panda bear (which turned out HUGE) and a turtle (another design - here), and before that a monkey and a bear. So I'd like to try something a bit different...I'll have to give it some thought.

I've also been doing a bit of sewing lately. I made this market bag from a tutorial here from some leftover bits of fabric scavenged (like most of my fabric, and my yarn for that matter) from my Grandmother's closet. She's a bit of a pack rat, and a lifelong crafter, so she lets me steal her leftovers. I think this fabric was probably used to make pajamas at some point. It's very soft. Why would someone want a market bag made of pastel flannels? That I don't know. I was thinking it might make a cute overnight bag for a kid's sleepover. Too bad I don't have kids. Like most of the things I make and can't use, it'll get donated to the annual fair at my church, and hopefully someone will find a use for it.

The church fair is also the destination for this next bit, a really cute little handbag made from a tutorial at MarthaStewart.com. Carole Ann gave one as a birthday gift to a friend earlier this year and I've wanted to try it ever since, so she pointed me in the direction of the pattern and I gave it a try. Again, note the interesting fabrics... I wanted to try a sample on some leftovers before I tried it on anything new (I'm fairly new to machine sewing and I often make mistakes...). It took me a few tries to get the last step done, but eventually I figured it out. It was actually a pretty quick project, so I made another one out of some cute green fabric I picked up earlier this week. That one I'm going to keep for myself :)

Rufio, apparently, liked the bunnies.

I've got a few more small projects in the works... (The fact that it's football season doesn't hurt because Keith is often gone or distracted for long stretches of time). Of course, I've also picked up some light reading: 汉语可以这样教。It's required reading for my courses next summer, and I'm thinking maybe if I get it done ahead of time...slowly...next summer won't seem so overwhelming.

2009-09-27T12:31:00.000-04:00

Consider this post as a warning against starting a project, abandoning it for about a year, and then trying to finish it.

I got this pattern for super-cute baby shoes from Bekah Knits. I like it a lot, but I'm not terribly satisfied with the results.
One of them came out slightly larger than the other (the difference isn't as pronounced as in the photo, one of them is slightly in front). I think it's because I knit one of them almost a year ago, and maybe my knitting is looser now? I don't know. Also, once I had finished putting them together, I realized that instead of making two different shoes for two different feet, mine are both the same. Unfortunately, I'm out of this yarn, so I can't make another set to match them with.

I also think if I were to do this again, I would pick up the stitches to start the sock (the lighter green part) lower down inside the shoe part. I think this would make it lie flatter, and mine needed some creative finishing to lie flat.

Also, the socks were supposed to be ribbed. I have no explanation as to why I did not rib them, but for some reason I did not, and I had already finished the first one before I noticed the mistake, so I just knit the second one to match.

Ah well. Live and learn :)Rufio says hi!

And a sweater :)

2009-09-14T20:52:00.000-04:00

And now, for something completely different: a child's sweater. I got the pattern here from The Complete Fabrication. I loved knitting this. It's seamless, so when you finish the actual knitting, you just have to fix on the cute little flowers and it's DONE. It knit up fast and looks ADORABLE. I liked it so much that I have almost finished another one (a habit of mine: I find a pattern I like, and knit it repeatedly).

Rufio wanted to get in on my blogging action too. Here he is, being all adorable:

Trying to figure out this blogging thing...

2009-09-14T20:46:00.000-04:00

Ok, user error. Here are my wh ales and one lonely crab:

General Craftiness and the beginning of a blog

2009-09-14T20:31:00.000-04:00

Following in the footsteps of a particularly crafty friend, I've decided to start a record of my own craftiness. (Her blog is here, check it out!) If nothing else, I'll have a record of all the (often silly) things I try to create and I can keep track of what works and what doesn't.

So here's what I've been up to lately. I just finished up a bunch of these (I am terrible at finishing things I start...) The pattern comes from AmyGaines at etsy.com (here) and I think they're just adorable. I made a set last winter as a baby gift, but I don't have any sea turtles at the moment - I'll have to make more because I'd like to have a full set to donate to the church fair in November. The octopus is the most fun to make, so I have lots of those - many still almost finished...

There's a white one...

And a red one...

And a blue one!

I think they're great. Silly and cute and fun to knit. Also they don't take too long so that's another plus in my short-attention-span book.

There are also whales. Easier to put together because there are fewer pieces, but somehow less satisfying.