For Keeps Pledge

Do you have too many hobbies? I do but I don't mind. It keeps me from getting bored with one medium. Well, maybe bored isn't the correct word here. I'm into sewing lately. Making tee-skirts, reviving the quilting mojo big time, and finding patterns that I will eventually sew into something fabulous. Let's start here - I came across this book (on some online rabbit trail) which I purchased

which led me to this (magnificent store!)

where I purchased this

then remembered my Craftsy Block of the Month I began back in 2012 (Amy Gibson is teaching it) and thought I better finish this first before I begin the Farm Girl Sampler

but I can't stop drooling over this quilt

so I went back to Millie P's and picked up some fat quarters.

I guess if I can have loads of UFO's in knitting projects it only makes it fair that quilting is the same way. At least Amanda can help me with my organization!

Let's go back to that thought about finishing my Block of the Month with Amy Gibson. I'm going to buy her new book today.

It looks fabulous. I took the pledge too. Check it out.

Happy New Rear

I would love a new rear for the new year. Always a resolution of mine.
The problem is that when I'm running, the ice always falls out of my glass.

Here's to ringing in the New Year.

Bottoms up to you!


(because I haven't been around much here's the owl costumes I made for my kiddos. to say it was challenging is an understatement. i'm making them be owls for the next decade)









(Simplicity pattern)

Let Us Sew

A few years ago I taught my daughter to knit. She picked up needles every now and then but the hobby never really took off for her. About a month ago I learned about a new sewing studio and discovered they offered classes for kids. I enrolled Ella in a four week introductory class and she has loved every minute of it. The name of the studio is Sewtropolis and is located quite a ways from our home but it was worth the drive. It also gave me some time to sit and knit while Ella was in class. A little "me" time was appreciated.



After she finished her first project, a drawstring sewing bag (which I will have pictures to share later) she has sewn a nightshirt and now is working on some pj pants.



I was not surprised when I asked what her favorite part of the class was and she responded with "the dog". Skilow (sp?) was a super friendly Golden Retriever who hung out in the store. Once you began petting her she was your forever friend for the hour.




I'm looking forward to sharing this hobby with her. I love sewing too. We also just discovered a new quilt shop that opened up within a few miles of us. Millie P's has gorgeous fabrics and classes for kids too. It's going to be a fun adventure with her.

Mittens and other stuff

I'm having some fun with the felted sweaters I've collected. These mittens are so warm and soft. They are lined with fleece to make them super soft inside. I know Betz White has a pattern in her Warm Fuzzies book but this was a pattern (very similar) from a friend who has caught the sweater-thrifting-felting-sewing bug. The first pair I made for myself. The second pair was a gift for a friend who generously loaned her sewing machine to me and I finally returned it to her because I bought one a couple months ago. Yipee! The third pair is a gift to have on hand. (no pun intended, ha!)

...and I made a couple 'custom order' photo albums.

So in the previous post I mentioned that we attended the Home and Garden Show and saw Shane Tallant. Here's what he autographed to my daughter. So true!!!

Finally, the birthday parties have come to an end and now we're left picking up the peanut shells, cardboard boxes, crumpled wrapping paper and empty cans. It was fun for all and many memories made.

Take care,

Annie

An African Safari

It was quite an adventure a couple of weeks before Christmas. I was knitting away creating these fun little finger puppets for an Etsy customer frantically trying to get them to her in time for Christmas. The pattern is from Raynor at Jellybums or you can find her patterns in her store. What darling little toys she's created and she was so kind to help me out when I needed it. She actually referred the customer to me to knit them and I really didn't think they would take me as long as they did. But lesson learned, now I know.

I'm curious and want to knit up a couple other patterns of Jellybums as a stuffed toy rather than a finger puppet and I have plans to knit the puppy dog to include in a Woolie Wrap quilt I'm making.

I haven't yet talked much of my Etsy store. Since I opened it I've sold almost everything. I was quite shocked at how quickly it went which made for a crazy December. I'm looking forward to adding more goodies and I have a "boy" quilt in the works.

This is a picture of the quilt I made and have sold. I learned that it was going to be a gift to a sister who is having a baby girl. I love to learn about the receiver of the items.
I have to give credit to Betz White whose book Warm Fuzzies got me thrifting for wool sweaters and going head over heels working with this stuff. I love, love, love it. (I contacted her to make sure my ideas were original enough so I wouldn't be infringing upon her designs for those of you wondering. She was cool with it.)

When creating quilts like this you end up with a ton of scraps and I am having a hard time letting go of even the tiniest scraps. They're in a bin for the "just in case" projects. It's been fun to create the "byproducts" of the quilts; felted photo albums, coffee cozies, and right now I'm working on some coasters. I have so many ideas but not enough time to execute. You all know how that is.

Take care

Prince Charming and the Fairy Godmother

The fruits of my labor...

Prince Charming
and

the Fairy Godmother

I'm looking for a princess, my true love. Might you fit this glass slipper?

"You're really going to grant me my wish?"

and they all lived ...

Looking forward to trick-or-treats on Friday. Between last weekend and this coming weekend the kids will have lots of wear out of the costumes. They were so fun to create. The Fairy Godmother's was from a McCall's pattern and Prince Charming's was a doctored up suit I found at a second hand store. As thrifty as we are trying to be, going this route did not help us out but I hope the memory of the homemade costumes will be there for my children like they are for me from my mom. I tried to find a photo of the year when I was Cookie Monster and my sister was Big Bird. I'll keep looking. I loved that costume.

Happy Halloween!

Hmm.hmm.hmm.hmm.hmm.hmm.hmm

That's the sound in our house lately. It comes from two sewing machines in operation. My daughter and I have taken over the formal dining room (who needs one anyways, right?) and have set up shop. I haven't purchased a machine yet but a sweet friend of mine is loaning me hers. My daughter got right into it. She started making things. I should really share what she has made so far. I'll do that in another post. Quite inventive I have to say. I found a cheap, working sewing machine at a thrift store for her and she just loves making "stuff". We have been sewing much and knitting not so much. This year for halloween I decided to sew the kids' costumes and it's been fun, challenging and definitely a chance to see what I really want in a machine when the time comes.
So how many three year olds do you know that want to be Prince Charming for Halloween?? That's what my little guy requested to be. He came up with the idea too. (I think from watching too much Cinderella, but he LOVES that movie :) Don't worry dear hubby, he did mention we wanted to be a pirate and some kind of superhero but that is not allowed at his preschool so Prince Charming it is! And I guess I'm supposed to be Cinderella (what a sweetheart) which leads us to my daughter's costume. I thought it would be cute for them to coordinate but since she has already been Cinderella in the past and she's way too cool for that now we opted for the Fairy Godmother. I've got to pull this all together in the next week. Halloween is celebrated big time here in the "Halloween capital of the world". Parades, Boo Bashes, 5K Gray Ghost Run, pumpkin carving contests, etc. etc.


Another sewing item completed is the bag I mentioned in a previous post. Love the fabrics but not so crazy about the functionality of it. Actually, it will make a nice small knitting project transporter. I just don't want to go digging for a cell phone, wallet, or keys in the thing.

Soccer has come to an end. She really enjoyed playing but has told me that she loved it because it's getting her in shape for the 5K Gray Ghost race!! She's going to run that with me.


Lastly, a picture that closes the chapter on summer and our garden. Did I mention what a flop our garden was? Some kind of mold or a white powdery substance took over. We picked a few cucumbers (that we never ate); there is tons of basil that's still there; beans that turned yellow (oops, I should have picked them on time); tons of carrots (why did I plant so many? Bandit, the guinea pig neighbor will love us though); one pea pod (mmm, that was good, for about a second); but thankfully we did have lots of yummy tomatoes and about ten zinnias that were cut and placed in vases. Live and learn.

Win some....Loosen some

I will be loosening this one. Not a winner. Loved the sample in the store, even tried it on but just don't love this one on me. It's cute on her but not so much on me. So there it sat on my closet shelf for the entire winter season. Unworn. Sad. Lonely. Did you hear that noise in the background (ribbit, ribbit) I will be frogging this to make a cabled scarf instead, I think. It's too expensive to just sit on a shelf. Love the yarn: Chunky Misti Alpaca. It's so soft and squishy. Maybe I'll have to buzz over to Ravelry to see what else I might be able to make with this yarn.
I've noticed a theme in bloggyland lately. So many projects and ideas but so little time. I, too, have a list of things to knit, crochet, sew, paint, craft etc. but not enough time to begin or finish. High on my priority list right now is making a reversible purse I saw in the last issue of Sew Simple magazine. Hopefully I find it simple to make. My sewing skills are a bit rusty. I've borrowed a sewing machine from a friend and it's time to make use of it. Here's the scrumptious fabric I'll be using:

I want to bathe in it it's so divine. In fact her whole line is yummy. LOVE pinks and oranges right now. And it has a cute name ;) ha As I said earlier, the pattern is in the magazine and they give you a pattern but say to enlarge it by 400%. So I just measure all sides of the pattern and multiply each by 4 right? to give me the actual dimensions???? TIA

Then there's more sewing to come...have you seen Heather Bailey's new store and more specifically her patterns? Even though I'm way in debt I had to have this and this.
Ok, the last thing I'll mention about projects is that I want to make a recycled sweater blanket. I've been pretty lucky to find lots of woolly goodness at thrift stores and garage sales but I've come across a few cashmere sweaters and so now I'm on the lookout for more. I want a big throw for cuddling so I need a few more. It's going to be so snugly.

Lastly, we returned Monday evening from a mini trip to Duluth. We brought the kids to see an airshow featuring the Blue Angels. But I think the highlight of the trip for them was swimming in the pool at the hotel, and the big inflatable airplane they climbed and slid down (which lasted all of 15 seconds). It's the little things, I guess.

Easter Weekend Projects

A while back I purchased a Cup O Joe pincushion kit from Betz White and finally assembled it this past weekend. You don't have to use a sewing machine to assemble it but I wanted to use one (because I want one so badly) and don't own one yet so I used my mother-in-law's trusty Singer from the '60's?? She's an awesome seamstress and still sews and I can't believe she hasn't treated herself to a new one yet. But it does what she needs it to so I'm sure she doesn't think she needs to upgrade. I'm not sure what machine to get and I know eventually I'll be quilting again so keeping that in mind do any of you have a favorite? I had an entry level Husqvarna but sold it a few years ago. It had one of those upright bobbins and I never could get the tension right so I know I want a drop in bobbin for sure. The purse strings are a little tight right now so I need to find one under $400 which I think is doable and I'll even consider used. I probably don't need another hobby but there are so many cool projects I've seen that require one like this and this and this and this. The hunting begins... Here's how my pincushion turned out. Makes me want to take a sip.

Another project I closed the book on was the felted eggs. I didn't embellish them because they turned out more like dinosaur eggs rather than cute little chicken eggs. But I know now next time to knit only the small pattern. My little guy is having fun with them; of course, pretending they are rockets and flying them all over the room. I'll have to sew them shut and let him play. Note to self: for next year pick 5-6 colors all at once, in same brand of yarn and knit small pattern:)