The end of sock month!

~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

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/

:(

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!

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!!!!

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

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

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!