Just Crafting Along...

Dinosaurs Everywhere...

2011-03-08T10:46:00.008-05:00

Today was a special craft for G. I made a dinosaur tail to wear for his many adventures throughout the day. He is very much into putting on plays with his sister right now and their most favorite one is knight in shining armor and slaying the dragon to save the princes. G now is the dragon and the knight in shining armor at the same time:) The pattern I made up on my own. Of course there are a ton of tweaks I would like to make to it and then maybe it will be a tutorial (my second one!) Stay tuned!
This dinosaur tail was made out of a flannel fabric (I only had yellow in the house) and the spikes were felt. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

2011-03-01T22:00:00.003-05:00

11 Dr. Seuss pillows for C's preschool class.

Weekend Away

2011-02-27T20:37:00.012-05:00

This weekend I traveled up to Lancaster County with four friends. We holed up in the Walnut Lawn Bed and Breakfast all weekend and "crafted". It was wonderful to be able to spend some time away relaxing and sewing all with some fabulous ladies. I can't say enough about the Walnut Lawn B&B. Innkeepers Tom and Sarah were fantastic. This historic house was so comfortable, clean, and interesting, I would highly recommend it to anyone that wants to visit Lancaster. Also, as a bonus, they let us use the whole B&B so we had it to ourselves all weekend. We just set up shop and crafted.

Saturday, I was able to visit a local quilt shop, Burkholders. It is FABULOUS. My mom has ranted and raved about it and she was dead on. This place was totally overwhelming. They had EVERYTHING and cheap too (well at least cheaper than I can get it around me)! I found some great Dr. Seuss material to make pillows for C's preschool class on Dr. Seuss' birthday, I found some beautiful springy material to make dresses out of, and I found lots of great circle prints. I am obsessed with circle fabric and think that I will make a quilt out of them someday:)

Everyone was working on something a bit different. There were two scrapbookers, a hair bow designer, and two sewers.
My first project was the Buttercup Bag. This was a great, easy project. I really like the fabric that I used and the finished product. I made one for myself and one for a friend for an upcoming birthday. I plan on making a few more of these, but maybe next time with a little heavier of a fabric. I used a cotton blend this time and I think I need something sturdier.

A twirly circle skirt was next. This was super easy. I used one of my new scores from Burkholders for this one. C tried it on tonight and was "in love". (Of course she did, it was pink;)

YAY! G finally gets something! This is the perfect present for a little boy that chooses his own clothes everyday and everyday he chooses a "workshirt" and neck tie. I LOVED making this. It was so fun and so easy. I can't way to make more fun ones for him to choose from. The pattern I used was one that I had bought from Dainty Couture on etsy.com. I did however, change the pattern quite a bit. Most specifically, instead of using a plain elastic around the neck, I chose to build a casing and attach velcro at either end to secure it. G has other ties that close this way and this and the clip close seem to work the best. He just loved his present!

Lastly, I started some more baby blocks. this time, I decided on making six half size ones. I did them in the same way as the Big Baby Block, only each of the six had it's own texture. These I cut out were 5"X5". They were slightly bigger than I imagined, so I think if I were going to do a number of them again, it would be a bit smaller. But really, they are turning out great!
Here is the first one (minus the stuffing):

We accomplished quite a bit this weekend, but the best thing was relaxing! It was so nice and cozy. I feel refreshed and ready to face the week! Thanks to the husband for the weekend off!

Getting Ready

2011-02-25T15:24:00.015-05:00

I sent off a very special package yesterday...I hope it is liked!
Now I can share my goods that were included. The first half of the week was spent creating and putting the finishing touches on it.
Here is the diaper holder/changing pad that I made, courtesy of Cluck Cluck Sew's tutorial found here. This project was super fast and easy. It is a GREAT gift idea. I would have loved one of these compact all-in-ones for C and G.

Then, there is the craft near and dear to my heart, knitting. I decided on matching knitted hats.
This pattern was Children's Cotton Hats by Kim Hamlin from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I used Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton yarn and size 7 dpns. This is a pattern I had knit before, but with a different yarn and color. It is so fast and simple. I love the look of the i-cord that circles the hat. I can't wait to see the girls. I hope their heads haven't grown too much yet:)

Lastly, there was the Big Baby Block. I am really curious to hear what they think. The babies are too small to play with it now, but soon enough...

I have spent the majority of the second half of the week getting ready to go away. Four friends and I are going on a fantastic, fabulous, crafting getaway. I have been attempting to organize. I have put all of the patterns I want to sew along with all of the materials and cut out material in ziploc baggies, I have printed off the templates I want to embroider, and I have packed some knitting and pictures to organize. Each of us does something different, there are scrapbookers, paper crafters, sewers, knitters, and those that are great with a hot glue gun! I am psyched. We leave this evening and come home on Sunday, so Sunday nights blog post should be WONDERFUL, stay tuned...

The Big Baby Block

2011-02-21T21:50:00.027-05:00

YAY!!! I created my first original pattern! This is too exciting. The fact that I get to finally develop my own tutorial is really awesome. Here is the start of it. Honestly, it is a super easy pattern, if you can even call it that. The idea was sparked by the birth of some new little ones. I was hoping to make a toy that they would love, but something different than a softie (which I do love making by the way). I figured that all babies love different textures, and that this pattern allowed lots of flexibility for creativity. No two blocks will be the same.
I really enjoyed picking the fabric. I loved the idea that scraps can be used from other projects. I then loved picking the textures that would go on each block.
Here goes...

First, pick out six designs of fabric. For this block, I used one corduroy piece, a terry cloth piece, a flannel piece, and three cotton pieces of fabric.I then cut each of these six pieces of fabric to a 10 inch by 10 inch square. I knew that I would be allowing for a 1/2 inch seam allowance on each side, so the finished project would be a 9 inch by 9 inch square.
After all the pieces were cut, I picked what the textures would be for each side.
For the first side, I used felt hearts, stitched onto the flannel fabric piece.

The second side (my favorite) was a cotton flower fabric with minky fabric patches in it. I cut out the squares and then sewed the minky fabric underneath. One tip I have if doing this is after you cut the squares out, if you cut a slit at each corner so you can fold the sides under for a nicely
hemmed edge.

The third block was an ABC cotton fabric with grosgain ribbon tabs sewed on. I took the ribbon and sewed each end onto the fabric, making a loop. Each grosgain ribbon piece was 5 inches.

The fourth block was the terry cloth block. I scored some half off chunky ribbon trim at JoAnne's today. I made an "X" pattern on the terry cloth and sewed it on using the zig zag stitch.

The fifth block was the yarn block (another favorite of mine). I used the corduroy fabric as a base. Then I used a beautiful blue yarn. I stitched the yarn on in a swirling pattern. This one feels really neat!

Last but not least, here is the sixth block. I chose some satin ribbon (babies love satin, right?). I formed these loops, the same way as the third block, only I cut these pieces at 6 inches and after sewing them into a loop, I sewed down the middle to make two loops. This is the bright pink cotton block with off white satin loops seen in the first picture. (I forgot to take a pic at this step).

Now for the most difficult piece of the project. Let me start off by saying IT WORKS OUT, I PROMISE. Sew the first three blocks in a row, right sides together.

Sew the rest of the blocks, so that there are two stacked on the top of this center block in the main row and one stacked on the bottom. You will now have one funky tetris shape. After this, you literally just sew all of the right sides together, forming a square. Keep in mind that you will be using 1/2 inch seam allowances so that your end result will be 9X9. Piecing all of the blocks together will get more difficult as you get farther in, but it WILL ALL WORK OUT!
When you get to the last block, stitch halfway down, leaving a 4-5 inch opening.
At this point, flip your block right side out.

Iron each crease. Topstitch using a 1/8 inch seam allowance around all sides of the block (leaving the side with the opening unstitched at this point). The point of this top stitch is to form a more defined square so that when you stuff it, it will look like a block and not just a ball.
At this point, use a poly fill stuffing to stuff your block. Use a pencil or wooden dowel to get the stuffing in corners. I made my block fairly firm because I feel like stuffing condenses over time, but to each their own. Then top stitch your last side. Voila!

Please email with any suggestions or questions. I would be HAPPY to answer them as this was my first tutorial and I am sure I left something out: laurynrb03 [at hotmail.com]
Thanks so much for reading and ENJOY!

An Afternoon Photo Shoot...

2011-02-18T21:52:00.005-05:00

I finished my first "me" piece. I LOVE how it turned out (minus numerous flaws when looked at up close). I made a "Party Skirt" using the tutorial over at Creative Spaces. This was a great first piece. I am just getting into sewing, so I am far from experienced! There are lots of beginner techniques that I still need to learn. This tutorial incorporated a zipper into it as well as ruffling, which was great. Both were much easier than I thought they would be.
I used a pink linen fabric from JoAnne's that was on clearance. C is obsessed with the color and wants her very own Party Skirt, so I just may need to attempt the kids version. She was very intrigued by the whole process. C is definitely going to be my arts and crafts girl. It is such a THRILLING feeling to know that she will someday be so interested in learning how to knit and sew.

The only pieces of the tutorial that I changed or would change are:

-I used double my waist size in length of the fabric piece as suggested by the tutorial. Next time I would use less. After ruffling, it was super poofy.
-I would definitely make the bow detachable as suggested. It looks great that way!

After I finished the skirt today, C insisted that we have a fashion show. She took my pic and I took hers...Enjoy!

Photos courtesy of "C"!

Totally Outdone...

2011-02-15T13:00:00.004-05:00

My husband ROCKS! There are no other words to use. That Valentine's gift was the nicest, most thoughtful, beautiful gift in the world! He is SO sweet... The only bad part was that he totally showed me up. His post was awesome, along with his pictures and his idea!

Here were the small gifts that the kids and I made for him...a classic original scrapbook full of their valentines and artwork and a mod podged picture on wood for his office. It turned out great!

A Valentine's Day Gift

2011-02-14T17:30:00.003-05:00

This blog has been hijacked!!

Well, not really... This is Ben, Lauryn's husband, and as a part of her Valentine's Day gift this year I'm posting the craft I made for her.

Let me preface by letting you know that I am NOT a crafty person. Creative, yes. Thoughtful? I'd like to think so. But in the realm of cute crafts my skills have already been surpassed by our 4 year old daughter.

That's exactly the reason I think Laur will appreciate this gift so much; because it's a stretch for me. It pulls me out of my comfort zone and wasn't easy for me to do. Writing a song, a letter, or a note: no problem. Creating something real, and visually appealing is a different story. But seeing the smile I anticipate will be on her face when she receives this hand-made craft is worth 10 times the discomfort of doing something new and outside of my normal skill set.

I had the idea for "a craft" before I had any clue about what craft to pick. So after much searching around the interwebs, I came upon a project that seemed both feasible and a great way to express how I feel about my wife.

It's an accordion book that consists of words and phrases that describe what my wife means to me.
From the Marta Writes blog: http://bit.ly/fmbNz7

Marta doesn't give any instructions on how to complete this project, which is just my style. The idea was enough for me.

So here's how I did it:

1. I stole some crafty looking paper from Lauryn's stash and cut it into even strips that were about 6 inches in width.

2. Then, I taped them all together using clear packing tape (resisted the urge to use duct tape) so that I had one long paper, 6 inches wide and a lot of inches long that changes color and pattern regularly.

3. Next, I folded the long sheet into equal parts that made 14 "pages" for me to fill in content. So that gave me a pseudo book with which to work.

4. Now comes the thoughtful part: finding the words.
I grabbed a few magazines and began my search. I had a handful of words in mind that I simply had to have, but also left room for the available content to guide me. And since I only read and own music and pro audio magazines, I certainly had a different set of words and phrases than most magazine cutout scrapbooks I've seen. :-)

5. Once the words were cut out, I arranged them in a timeline for how they might appear in the book to tell the story I was after. Now that I knew what I wanted to say and in what order, I used this rolling adhesive thingy I found on Laur's craft table to paste the words in place.

6. Lastly, I cut out some nice paper to fill in the gaps and wrote using fancy pens and my best handwriting to expound on the words where needed and add some personality throughout.

7. One more thing, folded it back up and added a nice little ribbon for a touch of class.

And there you have it! I can only hope Lauryn likes it (and this blog post).

Wish me luck!

Happy Valentine's Day!

-Ben

Love...

2011-02-13T21:34:00.004-05:00

A week filled with love...and a nursing research paper, work, kiddos, chaos, and school board stuff...so, par for the course!
I will say that though I am a bit behind on posting, there has been a lot going on in this new craft year of mine. I have been sparking some creativity by reading some fellow bloggers (ones that are much more experienced than me). It has been working. Man, there are some ultra creative people out there. I am totally inspired! This week was a particular fun one to read up on blogs. Valentine's has such a crafty feel to it.
Many of my projects from this past week will be revealed after tomorrow of course. I need my valentine to see them first!
I tried my hand at mod podge. It is SO easy! Where have I been all these years? What a great way to spruce up any craft project. I made some "love blocks" after noticing that we are at a loss for Valentine decorations. Thanks to my trusty neighbor and friend, he made the blocks for me, a miracle woodworker. I then used some dollar bin scrap-booking paper and paper letters. Super quick too!

Next up...C and I made some crayons today. We put them into a heart candy mold and then refroze them. She has been saving all of the broken crayons for months now. It puts our little "Harry the Hoarder's" mind at rest to know that we will be reusing them! They go hand in hand with her hand painted valentine's for tomorrow's party at school. She did a beautiful job!
Though it isn't a craft per say, I made these ROCKIN' Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
from the blog Kevin and Amanda. They were SO good and such a hit. I can't wait to try these with brownie batter.

So...this week, we welcomed into our world some of our best friends new twins. They did not know what they were having, so I ANXIOUSLY (and patiently) awaited the news. Next week is dedicated to making BABY GIRL stuff! Welcome V and H. What a crafty mom you have (and a strong one too--kept them hibernating for 38 weeks)!

WAHOO!!!

2011-02-02T23:09:00.009-05:00

So today was a day of making my favorite project so far! Thank you for the idea The Long Thread! After reading her post on recycled Valentine's Day Softies, I decided to create my own! I used her heart pattern and arm pattern. C of course wanted a heart, but good old G wanted a monster. I had a couple of button down shirts that were in the give-away pile that I picked out and used the material. Then add some scraps of vintage fabric bought at my LYS, Remnantz, some buttons, and embroidery floss, some yarn scraps for the hair, and VOILA....a heart and monster softie! I can't wait to see the kids reactions tomorrow. One would think that I would just save them for a little V-Day surprise, but those don't know me very well. I am not the most patient gift-giver.
Anyway, I just LOVED creating these and think my mind could run away with it.
I will have to follow up with a pic of C and G holding these because they are going to LOVE them!
We have been cooped up inside for the last couple of days because of this crazy weather. First some snow, then tons of ice! It kind of stunk because at least with the snow, we can go out and play, but with ice falling from trees, probably not such a great idea. The kids are ready to be out and about again. We have exhausted baking (an apple cake today), paper crafts (Valentine decorations for the door), and dressing up as batman/batgirl and spiderman/spidergirl.

Leaving you with my newest cast-on...basic easy lace socks for C. Some red bamboo variegated yarn of course. I will say, C happens to be my biggest fan! She gets SO SO excited to get homemade items, from hair clips to dresses, she will be the one that follows in my footsteps. These will be her first handknit socks.

Hair Clips

2011-01-30T21:32:00.010-05:00

A wonderfully productive weekend!
After reading a blog post last week by The Purl Bee, I was inspired to make these awesome hair barettes. I added some different designs to the mix, running with the fabulous idea! This is a great way to spruce up a holiday outfit and I plan on using it more. I can't wait to try her rose barrettes next. While I was making these, G claimed that he wanted one, so I created a blue car one with a G so that he could wear it on his dress shirt (yes, G wears a dress shirt and tie everyday). He LOVED it! C's favorite was definitely the purple flower!

And to top off the weekend, C was supposed to have a Teddy Bear Picnic last week which got canceled because of the snow (after I had made the 3 dozen teddy bear cookies). So it was a repeat tonight...I think I got better;)

Week 1- A week of SNOW!

2011-01-27T12:04:00.009-05:00

Well, our first "big" snowstorm of 2011. A full 12-15 inches of snow. It wouldn't be complete without one incident of getting stuck in the snow by me on my way home from work last night and then getting bailed out by my husband, friendly neighbor and dad:) The kids had a great time this morning! It is so nice to be forced to remember how much fun it is to be so young and be able to just enjoy all of this snow with no worries. So in a blog of handmade things, I think it is only right to include Frosty the jolly snowman!

This week I had a realization...that the Apricot Jacket was not all it was cracked up to be for me. It was started at a time in my life (when C had just been born) in which I was just getting back into knitting. Apricot Jacket was a WONDERFUL journey for me in the sense that it brought back so many techniques and got me back into the knitting world. For this, it was all worth it.
However, when picking it back up to seam it, it was clear that after seaming together the first sleeve and shoulder that it wasn't going fit this body at all. In fact, I wasn't super happy with the way things were coming together. I made the tough decision to frog it. In a time in which I have so many projects to finish...it wasn't worth it to continue :(
So goodbye friend!

Now onto my handmade item of the week. I decided that to work on some baby bibs for all of those wonderful beings that are about to enter this world! We are super excited for so many of our friends to add to their families! This item is a work in progress, these are the beginning results!
The pattern is based off of on from ChickPea Studio with some tweaking, including enlarging the bib a little and changing the neck hole a bit. Loved the idea! I chose terry cloth for the back but I think I would stick to flannel in the future. I also would choose less of a pattern for the front so the embroidery shows up a little better. I know it is hard to see, but it says "I am a material girl" (just like my mom). This bib happens to be for a friend that is a fellow sewer. I LOVED embroidering and hope to to tons more with it. I am again super lucky to have my mom as the expert as some of the things that she has done are AMAZING!!! (I will try to get pictures later) I also have tons of ideas for these bibs, so be on the lookout for future bib creations....

A Year of Handmade Goods

2011-01-19T23:04:00.008-05:00

I have been thinking about a post like this for a long time, so here it finally is...A Year of Handmade Goods. What does this mean you ask? Well, here is my commitment to one full year, 52 weeks, of a new handmade item every week. I am hoping that this goal will get me going. I have so many ideas, now I am going to execute them!
What better first post than to take a look at MY NEW CRAFT SPACE!
Here it is...full of supplies, ready for this year!

Starting Fresh...or at least somewhat fresh

2011-01-14T22:43:00.010-05:00

Well, BACK AGAIN!!! 2011 means a whole new year and hopefully one filled with knitting and other crafts that I have come to enjoy. Since the day my daughter was born, I have dreamed of having just four more hours in the day. I thought about renaming this blog, but decided against it. There are too many memories!
I think what I really need is to just stop thinking about it and start blogging again. It was a time I so enjoyed!
There is so much to catch you all up on in lives of Baby C and Baby G and in my crafting adventures! Honestly, this post was all sparked by the creation of my new "crafting corner"! B was away all week on business in L.A. and my parents were visiting. This tends to equal...big projects being done on the house. I decided to reclaim a corner of the basement studio and put all of my crafts there. I am super happy with how it turned out, though there is still a lot to do! Specifically, I need a way to organize all of my knitting needles. I just ordered the circular needle case made by Namaste. And I plan on making dpn cases showcased in Hugs for Your Head with colored cardstock and hanging them from a string under my knitting space...

All right, now on to projects I have been working on. There have been many! Most recently I finished The Gap-tastic cowl (a ravelry free pattern) for my sister-in-law. I ended up using an acrylic yarn (I know, I know...) that was super soft and comfy. The cowl was knit in the round and the pattern called for 15 inches of width. I ended up only doing 8 or so inches and it was perfect for what I wanted! Here is a picture...

Of course as always, my intention was to make most of my Christmas presents, but I never get as much done as I hoped...maybe this year;) I did get around to making all of C's teacher gifts (3). I made these super cute mason jars filled with Gingerbread Scone ingredients.

This packaged with homemade packs of thank you cards turned out to be perfect! I hope they enjoyed them...

Next, I have entered into the world of sewing. My mom is a phenomenal quilter and sewer. She is so talented and full of ideas. I figured I better learn while the best is still teaching! She is so patient with me who has no idea where to start...I even inherited her old Singer sewing machine and some supplies too. So, nothing was more fitting than to sew her something for Christmas. I picked up a pattern at JoAnn's before the holidays and got working on a wall hanging that has picture slots. Here is the almost finished project:

She loved it!! The only catch was that she has to help me finish it. I need to learn how to do the binding and backing of it. Then we are going to quilt it.

Next comes the sunflower dress. C decided to, at the last minute, throw onto her Christmas list, a sunflower dress. It ended up being top 3 when sitting on Santa's lap. Well...you try finding either a sunflower dress in December or wearable sunflower fabric. It was HARD. Finally, I came across some beautiful pink sunflower fabric that was just C's style at my local quilt shop, Generations. I went straight to Etsy to find my pattern and then started. Here it is:

Continuing on with the list (and I promise, this is not how I intended this post)...a fun picture of C and G feeding the ducks in New Hope with B on New Year's Day. Those are their yearly winter hats.
The strawberry hat is a free ravelry download by Pony Knowles, but modified for a child and minus the bob at the top. I used KnitPicks Swish worsted. The dinosaur hat is a pattern by Kate Oates called Roar also using Swish worsted.

So I am going to end this post for now. I will post pictures of my "craft corner" later as I am sure you are all pictured out at this moment! For today... I am off to work on those dpn holders! Super exciting. Then I need to buckle down and choose my next knitting project (or maybe finish one I have already started).

Another one...

2009-04-08T14:41:00.008-04:00

So, the eyelet yoke cardigan was so successful (and easy) that I thought I would whip up another one for C for Easter. I made this one in 2T size. It is a perfect fit, so must run small, because 2T is still a little big on C. I made this one in Cotton Ease which is what the pattern calls for. It was way under 2 skeins. I love the feel and the fact that it is washable! It was a really nice yarn to knit with, I have to say.

Enjoy!
Here is a picture of C in the pillowcase dress and cardigan on Easter!
She is so beautiful...

A Questionable Project Turns Into a Great One!

2009-03-16T14:03:00.003-04:00

So, I needed to make a baby sweater for a friend. I went scouting for patterns online and came across the Eyelet Yoke Cardigan Pattern by Lion Brand. It looked adorable. I have to admit, I was REALLY hesitant. I am a bit of a snob when it comes to patterns and yarns. Really, anything that I can buy at Michaels, I usually snub my nose at (wrong, I know). I had some Encore, so I decided to use it to see if I liked the pattern. It turned out great. The pattern was SUPER easy and quick. It came together really nicely and there weren't even that many seams to sew...only 2. Not a huge fan of Encore, but I really never have been. It is much too scratchy and I don't like the way it looks, but, it is cheap and for a run through, it is perfect! I did love the color...
Here it is...Enjoy Baby Lily!!!

Snow Days!!!

2009-01-28T12:27:00.001-05:00

I am sitting here in my double chair next to the window looking out into our beautiful backyard at the 4 inches of snow that fell last night. There are so many things on my mind and any other day, this would bring on so much stress for me. For some reason, the gloominess of the day combined with the untouched snow outside brings this calming feeling. I made an extra cup of coffee to drink (although now I wish it was tea!). Baby G is crawling around on the floor playing and that is so fun to watch. I just wonder what goes through his head. I had him and C out in the snow this morning while I shoveled. They were FASCINATED by the snow plow. It is the little things!
These snowy days make me think of knitting. I think of just curling up in a ball on the sofa under a blanket in front of a fireplace and just knitting. Ahhhh, what a nice dream, haha....
Anyway, enough sentiment. I finally got around to taking a pic of the Booga Bag I am working on for my mom. It is intended as a bag to put some of her sewing gadgets in, but we'll see. Here it is. I am knitting it in Noro Silk Garden:

Such an easy knit, I am ashamed to say, but I started it literally 3 years ago and it is another one of those projects that has been sitting there 3/4 done for years. Time to finish and gain some more space!!!!

Next on my list to cast on is The Cambridge Jacket for the hubby. I am quite nervous. I have knit him one sweater before but the complaint was that it was too itchy and we ended up giving it to a good friend so it could actually be worn. So, he is picky...it is actually probably good for me. I will have to learn how to do a lot of pattern rewriting. Here is a pic of the yarn I am going to use. It is Cascade 220 in a taupe color. Also thrown in is a beautiful bag that "A Mingled Yarn" made me for a sockapalooza a couple years ago. I just LOVE it and use it for all of my knitting notions!

The plan is to put my hanks into balls and do the swatch sometime in the next couple of days!

February Baby Sweater

2009-01-12T12:58:00.010-05:00

Well, I finally finished it! Actually, it is kind of a funny story. It had been sitting up in my yarn room for just about a year. I kept knitting other things thinking that I wasn't in the mood to pick up in the middle of a pattern, trying to figure out where I was. The other night I kept to my resolution of finishing the things that I was in the middle of working on and pulled out the sweater. Well, it was finished. I must have forgotten that all I needed to do was add the buttons. I still need to add those buttons, but I took pictures of the rest of the sweater. It turned out beautifully, I think. The only problem is that now, the sweater is too small for C.
I just love the color and the feel. I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in a deep burgundy/red color. It was a wicked easy pattern to knit and interesting too. B had a great idea... to give it to his brand new second cousin in England. She will appreciate it!
I often find that that is my struggle with spending so much time on a project. I find that there are few people that appreciate the work as much as you.
Now, on to finishing more old projects. Next up is Apricot Jacket. I am so close...just one more sleeve and then seaming together and buttons....

So, I am BACK....

2009-01-08T14:40:00.003-05:00

I have been gone for a long time. Okay, a REALLY LONG time. But, I have started knitting on a pretty consistent basis now AND the kids are finally giving me some time (while sleeping) sometimes when I can sit down and unload. So, yes, I said kids, plural with an "s". That means I have two now. Baby C, and now, Baby G. He came along a short 16 months after C was born and he is AWESOME. The two of them together are so great. Yes, there are times, but those times are becoming few and far between now.
Anyway, there is an extra person to knit for and I have SO many ideas for 2009. What a great time to start writing again. I also have some new work to post...I just finished the Baby Fairisle Cardigan in Debbie Bliss' Simply Baby.
I made this sweater for Baby (I guess now toddler) C. I made the 18-24 month size since she is a little on the small side. The size turned out perfect...although I lengthened the front and back a little bit (by an inch or so). There was one flaw in the pattern (or at least that is how I see it). It was in the neck. When finished, which is when I realized the flaw, it looks like a mock turtleneck. It goes on too long after finishing the fair isle AND, I think there is probably a decrease row or two missing. I let C wear it today and it rolls slightly at the top. I wanted her to wear it, but it is something I am going to have to go back and take out and fix though. The rest of the sweater fits perfectly. I used Knit Picks Shine Sport to knit it and the feel of the yarn is perfect. It is machine washable, which is great, and the colors look so nice on her. All in all, I am very happy with it, with the exception of the neck! Here is a picture:There are a ton of patterns that I would like to complete in 2009, so I need to get working! First, I think, is a pair of socks for my brother...for some reason I have always wanted to knit him socks.

Things other than knitting....

2007-08-10T19:40:00.000-04:00

I have decided that I would love to become a sewer as well as a knitter and so I have been trying new things out lately. My mother is an amazing sewer and quilter and she is teaching me as I go. She has given me a wonderful sewing machine and now I am off. I think that knowing how to sew is something that is always useful...especially when you are 5'1" and ALL of your pants need hemmed.
First on my list of projects was a pillowcase dress for Baby C. I finished it today and I am in love. It is exactly what I was looking for. I can't wait to make more for her and for gifts. Here is a pic:

I cheated and didn't use a pillowcase on this one because I didn't want to ruin it on my first stab at this. I just used about 1/3 a yard of quilting fabric and that was it. I bought a spool of ribbon and some frill for the bottom of the dress to spruce it up some. Here is another picture of my photogenic daughter. After 1400 pictures, she has learned to smile when we bring the camera out. Next up on the sewing list besides more pillowcase dresses is a soft book that my mom bought me a kit for. Baby C can chomp on this!

Tea Swap

2007-08-09T21:10:00.000-04:00

All right, so I decided to join the Knit One Tea Too Swap. I am pretty psyched since these are two things that I love and I could always use a cup of tea! Here is the questionnaire that we were asked to post:

Do you like loose tea or bags, or both – something you want to try?
I like tea bags... I am not such a fan of loose tea, I know I know, it just takes too much time!
What is your favorite kind of tea (Brand, flavor, variety, etc)?
So I love English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, Earl Grey like teas and Raspberry Bigelow, but mostly the non flavored varieties.
Favorite color in regards to tea or one you would like to try? (black, green, red, and white) (keeping in mind that this is how this swap is set up).
I am up for trying anything, but I mostly just drink black tea now.
Would you say you were a tea pot kind of person or just a hot water heater kind?
I love my electric tea kettle that I scored for Christmas last year.
What tea accessories would you like but have never purchases for yourself?
Hmmm...Scented tea coasters, any kind of honey....
How do you prefer to be pampered? (examples: mani/pedi, bubble bath, yummy treat, etc).
Mani/Pedi Absolutely!
If you were a kind of yarn what would you be and why?
I would be a soft merino yarn, worsted weight, nice and cozy.
If you had to knit/crochet baby booties, a fun fur scarf, or a fair isle sweater, which would you choose and why? Ooh, that is a toughie. I am split-part fair isle for the challenge, part baby booties for my love of knitting baby things.
What other event would make you skip a tea party? (A garden party? A book club meeting? A yoga class? Opening night for a new action thriller? etc?) A nice power yoga class.
What treat would you consider essential at your tea party? (Sweet? Salty? Scones? Those petite pastry trays with a couple of all sorts of things? Little crust less sandwiches?)
Definitley sweet no doubt.
When buying yarn for a project how do you choose - do you buy the one called for or do you substitute? I usually substitute with a yarn on sale. I am not rich yet, haha
What do you carry your knitting/crocheting in when on the go?A Vera Bradley Tote or a nice small shopping bag with handles.
Favorite movie to watch while knitting/crocheting? A good drama... maybe historical drama.
Are you a traditional tea cup kind of person or a mug type of person? Do you care if they match? I love a good set of non-matching mugs. Particularly the oversized mugs...has to be oversized!
Favorite childhood birthday party? Strawberry Shortcake
Favorite type of scone and jam?A buttercream scone with strawberry jam.
If you use candles, what is your favorite scent? Vanilla, lavendar, citrus
If you could choose 3 people to have 'tea' with, who would they be and why? (famous or not, living or dead). My mom, my nanny, and my Aunt Jackie or my Aunt Kate
You've been invited to a tea party, what 'props' will you wear (formal or casual)? Definitley casual jeans with birkenstocks and a t-shirt or comfy sweater.
Any allergies/preferences you have or are willing to admit to? Just bees
Anything we missed that you want your pal to know? Nope thats all!

Sockapalooza Comes to an End!

2007-08-06T19:41:00.001-04:00

Well, they are finished and sent and awaiting approval. I finally finished my Sockapalooza socks after many times of starting over and switching yarns... I ended up using Reynolds Soft Sea Wool in a mustardy color and a pattern that is out of a Reynolds sock pattern book. It was called Barber Pole Socks. I ended up really liking the pattern with the exception of it looking a little more bulky than I had anticipated. As for the yarn, it was a really nice feel. The color is a great fall color too. Anyway, I hope she likes them and they fit too! I can't wait to hear. Here are some pics of the socks:
I also included in the package 2 skeins of a reddish-orange blend of Lorna's Laces as well as some stitch markers...you can always use those right? Here is a pic of the whole package:
As for my Sockapalooza 4 package....IT WAS WONDERFUL!! I received it today from Gloriana and I loved the socks! They fit like a glove and were perfect. She used Koigu in a bluish-purple-green shade and I loved it. I can't wait to wear them this fall/winter with my Birkenstock clogs! She also included in the package a great pouch that she sewed out of some fabric from London and the book Knitting Rules by the Yarn Harlot! Here is a pic of all my goods:
So, that is it. It was a great experience and I loved knitting my first pair of patterned socks and I would do it again in a second. Now, onto other things. Next on my craft list is to make a pair of curtains for Baby C's room... They are waaaayyy overdue and need to be done. As far as knitting goes, everything is a Christmas present for the next few months. Tata

I'm back....

2007-06-05T19:47:00.000-04:00

So, it has been a long time since I have blogged....Things have been busy here. I say that like they will ever not be busy anymore. Little C is doing fantastic. She is sleeping a little better thanks to the discovery that she has acid reflux pretty bad and is now on Zantac. We are all a lot happier. I have decided that this is the most fun age so far, but that said, everyone tells me that from now on, every age is the best for different reasons.
I haven't had a ton of time to knit...mostly just on my way to and from my parents house and on any other car rides that we take. So, here is where I am:

-The Branching Out Scarf never made it in time for Mother's Day, but it is now finally done! Well, the knitting is done...all that is left is the blocking. It will now be a Christmas gift. Yay, I am done my first Christmas gift.

-Mock Cable Socks: I have turned the heel on them. Actually, I did this this morning while I was driving home from night shift...well, sitting in traffic with the car in park. There was a trash truck that caught on fire. I sure am glad that I had my knitting in my car!

-Apricot Jacket: So that is another story. To be perfectly honest... I have had such trouble picking it up. I don't have a lot of time to concentrate for a period of time all at once. I have been just knitting a little here and there. The other night, I finally got some good knitting done on it. I found that I need to do the left front over again because of a mistake. I am all ripped out, now I just need to reknit from about halfway on. I finished the right front though and it turned out good. Here is the progress:

So, what is next? I always have to have at least two projects going at once. I get bored easy. February baby sweater...in Flake Cotton. What a lovely yarn. I can't wait to see what it turns out like. I will be starting this or at least working on it at Tuesday's Pitch in Stitch where the Phillies meet the Reds.
And also, to my knitting pen pals....your letters will be in the mail by the end of this week. I am so enjoying getting to know you!

Sockapalooza 4

2007-04-30T15:49:00.000-04:00

So, I just got the sockpal that I will be knitting for. I am really excited about this. I have never participated in a knit along before and can't wait to start. Browsing all of the fun sock yarns on etsy is wonderful and I am already having trouble deciding just which yarn to pick. I can't wait to knit with a hand-dyed yarn, something I haven't done before. I can feel myself becoming addicted to knitting socks...uh-oh.

So Its Been a Long Time...Lots To Do

2007-04-24T20:33:00.000-04:00

All right, so it has been forever since I posted. A lot has been going on. Baby C started solids last week, she stopped breastfeeding, I started working again, and I have a ton of knitting projects to work on.
First and foremost, Apricot Jacket. I have finished the back, one sleeve, and the left front. Here she is so far:There a couple of flaws, but I think it is more of my own perfectionism and really unnoticeable. I have been jotting down some comments about the pattern, so I will post them when I finish. I have started the right front and so then I will only have a sleeve left. I do have to say that it is a really quick knit. I can't wait to finish it.

The other project I worked on was a sweater that I began knitting for Baby C almost a year ago. It was supposed to be the sweater she came home from the hospital....BUT...I never finished it in time and good thing because it never would have fit her. Now it is done and it fits. I think we will have a few more cool days that she can wear it. Here it is:

Pattern: Cashmere Sweater from Simple Knits for Cherished
Babies by Erika Knight
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran
Needle Size: 8
Start to Finish: You don't want to know

Next project is a pair of socks that I started with a mock cable pattern and Tofutsies yarn. It is a soy silk yarn and I am in love with it.
I also just received Knitting Without Tears and Knitter's Almanac in the mail the other day and I am so excited to start the February Baby Sweater. I just love reading Elizabeth Zimmerman. I have to admit, I have never been the best at figuring things out on my own and I am hoping that by trying these Elizabeth patterns will help me to really learn the art of knitting. Don't get me wrong...I feel like I can conquer just about any pattern, but, I want to really know what I am doing and why I am doing it. That being said, I was at The Lamb's Wool today for the first time in a long time. I bought a bunch much to my husband's dismay. For the February Baby Sweater, I bought Reynold's Soft Sea Wool in a rose color. It feels so nice knit up. I also bought a couple skeins of this for a pair of socks. Then I bought some bamboo to make a combination knit/fabric dress for Baby C. Also, some Stork yarn to make a cardigan for Baby C's baptism gown for May 27th...better get on that. So, I continued my bad habit...to buy much more than I can chew.

Fun Blog Stuff

2007-04-11T21:14:00.000-04:00

So, I am pretty excited about all of this blogging stuff. I just signed up for Sockapalooza4 on the blue blog. I can't wait. It is another reason to start knitting socks. Then, a couple of weeks ago, thanks to Domesticat, I signed up for the knitterly letter swap. I just sent off my first letter today to my pen pal. Now I have all the more reason to go but more stationary and more sock yarn!

A New Yarn Store...ahhhh

2007-04-07T20:43:00.000-04:00

So, I broke away from the house today to scope out a new yarn store closer to this house. Since we moved, I had still been traveling back to Lansdale to go to The Lamb's Wool. I love The Lamb's Wool, I love the ladies at The Lamb's Wool, and I love the big table in the back of The Lamb's Wool where we sit and knit and chat about everything, but it is far away and when you need a quick yarn fix, it is hard to get out fo that long. So, anyway, I found The Yarn Gallery in West Reading, PA. It is a nice shop with a really nice shop owner and TONS of great yarn. I just had the best time there and probably could have spent hours (and millions of dollars). There were yarns I hadn't ever even seen before. The only downside to the shop is that there is only a small round table that fits about four. It would be nice if there were a group of women to knit with. Anyway, my finds were great. I picked up the edition of Knitscene with the Central Park Hoodie that I have been wanting to knit. It was in the sale bin for $1. Then there was the Summer Vogue magazine that has some really cute baby patterns and a couple of cardigans I like. I found a really cute short sleeve baby sweater pattern by Oak Couture that I can't wait to knit for C. As far as yarns go, I got a skein of Tofutsies for a pair of socks for me and 3 skeins of a really soft, fun cotton...Flake Cotton. Not sure what I will use that for, maybe C's sweater. So there it is, another load of stuff to add to the stash (like I needed it).

To the back...

2007-04-06T19:49:00.000-04:00

So, I finished sleeve one and the ribbing on the back and now I am to the pattern. I know, I know, it has been slow. My only excuse is the fact that my 3 month old daughter still wakes up 7-8 times a night and I am now and anxious wreck and exhausted which makes it hard for me to concentrate. So there it is, my pity party. I am done now. The sleeve went well. I am enjoying the yarn for the most part. I can't wait to put it on to see the fit. I think that it will be a nice weight for spring/summer if it ever gets here (it has been 40 degrees the last couple of days and things aren't looking up). The back is going well too. My camera is downloading pics right now to add to the 800 we already have of our daughter, haha, so I will put a picure up when it is finished.
The other new is that I think I am going to start the sweater on the front of the Interweave Knits Spring issue soon. I have decided to use Shine from Knitpicks. I got a color card of them the other day and it feels super nice, so I can't wait to knit with it. I am hoping the sweater looks as good on me as on the model although I am sure it won't work out that way, that is why they are models right?

The Knitted Tie Comes Back

2007-03-31T21:52:00.000-04:00

So, my husband and I went on a little day trip today to see our friends Jenn and Jay in Baltimore. They were having a couples baby shower for their baby girl who is due in May. It was a nice day. I gave Jenn the Debbie Bliss Baby Shrug that I knitted a couple of weeks ago. She seemed to like it. I ended up knitting a cute pair of baby socks our of the Rowan Cashmerino yarn that I used to make the shrug and they turned out adorable.

But, the funny part of the trip comes when Jay gets dressed to go to the shower. It all started a couple of years ago when Jay, who is a diehard Florida Gators fan, graduated from UPenn Law School. I, as a joke, knit him this bright orange and blue Gators tie with a Gators patch on it. It turned out really good and now holds its place on the stuffed gator that he has in his basement along with the ear flap hat that I made him. So, Jay gets dressed and as we are leaving, grabs the tie from the Gator and puts it on. This is a huge deal; one, because it is a ridiculous looking tie, and two, because Jay is ultra superstitious. You see, Florida is playing in the semifinals tonight, actually right now, and if they don't win (which of course they will win), it is the end of the tie. So, GOOD LUCK GATORS!

My Lovely Husband Modeling the Tie

Apricot Jacket...the first night

2007-03-25T21:51:00.000-04:00

So, I have finished the first night of the Apricot Sweater. It did not go as smoothly as I would have liked. Mostly because I have a 3 month old baby who doesn't take naps anywhere but my arms and doesn't sleep for more than 2 hours at a time at night. Any suggestions? I am pretty exhausted. Anyway, I finished a little bit of the sleeve:

It isn't too bad. I am sure that it isn't perfect, but I like the feel of the yarn. I am knitting in Cotton Fleece on size 7 needles. I decided to do a sleeve first (thanks to Goodkarma) so I could get the diagonal pattern down. I am glad I did because I definitley started over once or twice. I also took down the amount of ribbing...I am pretty short, so I am just assuming that the sleeves will be way to long. Well, I am happy with it so far. It seems like it will be a pretty quick knit. I am liking the pattern, it keeps it interesting. Now I just have to finish it in time to wear it for spring.

The Start of the Apricot Jacket...dun dun dun

2007-03-25T12:01:00.000-04:00

All right, so I have started the Apricot Jacket. I know that I am a little behind on this craze, but I have seen the FO on so many blogs and it looks just gorgeous on everyone and seems like a bit of a challenge. Well, I got my Rebecca 27 magazine from Yarnmarket the other day in the mail. I had some Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in cream in my yarn stash from years ago that wants so badly to be used and so now I am ready to go. Everything that I have read about the pattern says that it is quite confusing so I have decided to do my research before jumping in. So, thanks to all of the knitting blogs who have posted their hints, they are certainly coming in handy. I started one of the sleeves last night and I think that I have already messed up the pattern, so I am heading for the graph paper to map it out. I will keep you posted. Here I go!

What's New

2007-03-25T11:51:00.000-04:00

So, I have finally added another finished piece of work. It is actually a simple one...a pair of socks. It was the first time in a long time that I knitted socks, so I figured I would go simple and just do the traditional style. It was so much easier than I remembered. I guess turning the heel scared me off before, but now, after getting more knitting experience under my belt, the task was not so frightful. I actually can't wait to add some style to my next pair. These socks were for my niece Isabell whose birthday is on Tuesday. She will be six, so I did a lot of guessing at the size. They turned out fine. I used KnitPick's Memories Sock Yarn that I had hidden away in my stash.

Pattern: Just the Classic Sock Pattern
Yarn: KnitPicks's Memories Sock Yarn
Needles: Size 3 dpn's
Start-Finish: March19-March 21

So, now that I am back on the bandwagon for socks, I want to try out cabled socks and dyeing my own yarn for socks....Stay Posted.

Some Thoughts On Past Projects...

2007-03-15T20:23:00.000-04:00

All right, so I am a little late on the bandwagon and so I thought that I would post a little about some of the past projects that I have done.

One thing that I have to say is that I love Dale of Norway patterns. They are so intricate and have so many details. Their yarn is so lovely too. I knitted a beautiful hat for my daughter that was in three colors of Dale's Baby Wool. I am blanking on the colors at the moment, but will post when I go upstairs to look. The pattern was a bit confusing at first until I realized that the at had a hem in it which makes it oh so much more comfy. She loves wearing it. It was a first attempt at fairisle as well and it was fun. I enjoyed the continually changing pattern. It keeps it interesting.
The pompom is to die for...probably a little big for the hat, but cute as anything.

Pattern: Baby Hat out of the Dale of Norway Book #110

Yarn: Baby Wool by Dale

Needles: circular and dpn sizes 0 and 2

Getting Back Into It....

2007-03-15T16:45:00.000-04:00

Well, I am glad to say that I have gotten the bug for knitting again. It has been 3 months since the birth of my daughter and I am ready. While on maternity leave I have had ample time to browse some fine knitting blogs and it has lit the fire. Believe it or not, this is the first time that I have browsed through any sort have blog and I am amazed at what they have to offer. I can't believe that I am starting my own. I am no computer genius by any stretch, but my husband is and has agreed to help me with the blogging lingo.
So, I had made plenty of baby things prior to Caroline's arrival, but we didn't know that it was a she at that point and I have not had the opportunity to make anything specifically for her yet. First on the list was Baby Shrug shown in Debbie Bliss' Simply Baby. I decided to knit it for my friend Jenn who is due with her first baby girl in May. I just finished this last night. I started it on Saturday morning, so it knit up really fast. It was an easy knit, nothing much to it, but looks adorable when finished. I ended up using some Rowan Cashsoft Aran that I had stashed away and it is now on a favorites list of mine. I loved the feel of it and I know that Jenn's baby will too...it is soooo soft. I had Caroline try it on last night before her bath....it is a little big and Caroline is a little small.

Pattern: Debbie Bliss' Baby Shrug
Yarn: Rowan Cashsoft Aran in
Start/Finish: March 10-15
Size: 3-6 months
#skeins: 2 and 1/4

The Start of a Blog

2007-03-09T15:51:00.000-05:00

All right, so this is clearly something I never thought that I would do, but, now that there are enough things in my life that I have to talk about, here I am. I am on maternity leave and I like to think that I will have time to blog...we'll see. So, I am sitting here writing my first post as my daughter sits in her rainforest bouncy seat, staring at me out of the corner of her eye. She is 11 weeks old and just now really starting to look at her surroundings. Because of this, I have the ability to put her down for short amounts of time.
My husband Ben and I live in a new house with this new baby and we are starting to get used to this life. Although, can you really ever get used to it. Our beautiful baby girl is the apple of my eye and she is nothing like I expected, especially since we were convinced that SHE was going to be a HE. Nothing of motherhood is as I expected it to be, but it is starting to become much better than I expected.