Possibly the coolest thing I have ever made...

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...

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

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!

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

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

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

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!