versatile patriotic bunting

About a week ago, I posted this photo on my facebook page:

Well, those 80 some triangles were trimmed with pinking shears and exposed to spray starch for durability.

Hung on twine, they got lots of compliments at our Red, White, and BOOM! Summer Celebration at work (because, you know.... we can't have birthday parties anymore).. I forgot to take a picture of them hanging at the party, but they're now decorating my cubicle at work. I love it when things are festive and colorful!

And 80? That was waaaaaayyy too many for what I needed. Only a couple dozen were hung on the wall and a few more decorated the table under the cupcakes. (I even left about 20 un-starched.) But the best part? Because they're not sewn and just threaded onto the twine instead (I had good intentions to sew them up... I just ran out of time during the Weekend of All the Events), I can use them for lots of other holidays. Wouldn't those red and white polka dot ones be so adorable for Valentine's Day?

What crafty projects have you been working on this summer? Are you breaking out of your crafting comfort zones?

I'm sensing a theme here...

Apparently this blog has become a catalog of craft projects, at least for now... I'm ok with that! It helps keep me accountable, and gives me that extra push I need to work on projects after work in the evenings (honestly, I'd rather sit on the couch and do nothing sometimes. Good thing knitting is portable!).

First up, another soap sack, by request. This yarn isn't my favorite to knit with, but it works great for the finished product!

Pattern: His 'n' Hers Shower Soap Holders by Cathy Carron
Yarn: Lion Brand Martha Stewart Crafts Cotton Hemp, Picnic Green colorway
Ravelry project page here

An adorable little hat. The construction was really unique, using short rows to knit it flat instead of in the round:

Pattern: Poppy by Justine Turner
Yarn: CEY's Liberty Wool Light, in the Sonic Lavender colorway
Ravelry project page here

Then there's another Honey Cowl, this time for my dear friend Sarah. She lives in Chicago and needs something to keep her warm during the winter. This über squishy, wool cowl should do the trick! I love the color she picked out... it's got autumn written all over it.

Pattern: Honey Cowl by Antonia Shankland
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Tonal, in the Harvest Tonal colorway (2 hanks)
Ravelry project page here

I had a bit of leftover yarn from Sarah's cowl, so I made these Honey Cowl-inspired coffee cozies. They were super quick to knit up, I got them done in the car on our epic Chicago weekend adventure. I personally prefer the ones with the ribbed edge, instead of the rolled one.

Pattern: Honey Coffee Cozies (mine, based on Honey Cowl by Antonia Shankland)
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Tonal, Harvest Tonal colorway
Ravelry project page here

In my never-ending quest to use up the stash (hey, I think it's working!!), I dug out some cotton I've had for a few years. This color reminded me of Valentine's Day, and I wanted to make something sweet with it. Trusty dishcloths are always near-instant gratification projects, but I needed a bit of a challenge. I found this round dishcloth pattern and absolutely love the way it's striping! (And scones. YUM.)

Pattern: Round Dishcloth by Amy Carpenter
Yarn: Lily Sugar'n Cream in the Damask Ombre colorway
Ravelry project page here

Noticing a pattern here?? That fabric (along with a few others) became these over the weekend. Love both of them, apparently I'm in the mood for green and polka dots:

Pattern : (No Guts!) Boxie Pouch

SoChick! Handbags & Embroidery {Melissa Strong} (looks like she took down the link to the pattern. sorry, folks.)

More crafting in the works... no surprises there!

Pleated Clutch in an Evening

I pinned this project over a year ago, and tonight I figured it was time to try it out! This pleated clutch is simple and fairly quick to sew in an evening. It only took me about 2.5 hours, but that included ironing the fabric, cutting it out, mods, and a separate load of laundry. Less than two fat quarters and a 7" zipper later...

It turned out bigger than I expected, next time I think I would make it just a bit smaller. It could function as its own purse at this rate, but it is perfect for corralling items you don't want floating around your purse, like makeup or medications.

Mods:
- I added interfacing to the outer fabric for stability. This worked out great, until I wrinkled my fabric while ironing it onto the interfacing. Ooooops.
- I also did some top stitching along the zipper to help it the layers lie flat. In retrospect, this may be why it's pulling and curving a bit at the top, but it looks more finished.

Finished Object: Chiefs Gear Galore

One of my sweet coworkers is a diehard Chiefs fan. Every year, she puts up this hilarious Chiefs Morgue with rubber chickens dressed like their opponents. (Yes, the chickens even make it to the games!) She asked me to sew some coordinating curtains to complete her office decorations and give her storage cabinet a "door."

She was so excited when I brought in the finished curtains last week, right after the Chiefs became 6-0. What a way to celebrate!

These curtains were super simple to make. I just measured the cabinet dimensions, adjusted my measurements for two panels with some extra width, and gave a 1/2" hem allowance all around, plus a generous casing for the tension rod.

To attempt neat corners, I followed this tutorial I found via Pinterest. It wasn't hard to follow, but I probably should have measured the angle of some of my corners instead of eyeballing it. Next time...!

Once I sat down to work on these, it took about 4 hours from cutting out the fabric on my too-small table, to measuring and pinning the hems, to finishing the casing. Easy peasy, just needed to find that magical window of time where I could pull out my sewing machine and get it done. I love quick and easy projects like this that have such a huge impact on a space.

Stay tuned.... I've got another Chiefs-related project in the works for her, now that they're 7-0!

coffee and cozy and chicken, oh my.

I'm sitting here bundled up in my sweatshirt and pathetically warming my hands on my once-steaming hot cup of coffee. Apparently we decided to skip the majority of our lovely fall temperatures and go from the sweltering 90s to something much... chillier.

Supper tonight is going to be warm and delicious. Trying out this Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken recipe from Budget Bytes. It looks good, and anything that's easy and uses up what I've got in the fridge is a plus for me.

Lately, I've been on a real coffee cozy knitting kick. These varying patterns are great for using up little remnants of skeins leftover from other projects. I'm planning on stocking up on these -- they're great for gift giving and donating to church functions and auctions.

This pink Pumpkin Spice cozy was so much fun to knit with the braided cable. Can't wait to make some more of these!

These two pink cozies were based on the welted rib stitch pattern. Just figured out how many I needed to cast on and they were done before I knew it! The second one is a little smaller, because I was afraid I'd run out of yarn. (I didn't. It was the skein that keeps on giving, haha!)

       

This one is a basic seed stitch cozy. I love how the purple button coordinates so well with the fall colors. I completed this one during a mini road trip the other weekend, and that purple button happened to be the only one in my little project and notions bags at the time.. Next time, I think I'll make it just a bit longer so it won't pull as much at the button.

Project Bags Galore

I recently completed not one, not two, but six custom orders for project bags. This was such a fun adventure, and I'm considering building up some inventory of project bags, stitch markers, and other knitting-related items to sell in the future. Each customer selected their own fabrics from my stash and I love all the combinations they came up with. It's hard to pick a favorite!

Here are the fabric selections! Minus the Chiefs fabric, that's for a different, upcoming project.

Love the way they turned out! Their new owners love them too, which makes me very happy.

This final one was completed at the request of my friend for a swap she's in. It's traveling all the way to Canada, and I know it will be well-used and loved.

Absolutely love the fun, colorful fabrics she chose. They go perfectly together, don't you think?!

a few more finished objects

Here's a quick recap of a few more FOs I've completed this summer. :)

First up: Boxie Bag the Third. Same pattern as the other two, but this one is MINE. (I've now been asked to make two more of these for a friend. She says it looks professional and of selling quality. Yaaay! It's always lovely to receive compliments on your handiwork, isn't it? Makes me feel so accomplished and proud of what I can do.)

Awkward bag photo is awkward. I was trying to capture a photo of the lining.

I also made a small little gift for Brother-the-Younger's birthday this summer. A soap sack, which functions both to hold the soap bar and as a washcloth. Made from a cotton hemp blend, this should soften up with use and last for a while.

Pattern: His 'n' Hers Shower Soap Holders by Cathy Carron
from the book: 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders
Yarn: Lion Brand Martha Stewart Crafts Cotton Hemp (funny story, Mom and I found this yarn in the 90% off bins at Michael's, and paid for it with the parking lot change we found on the way in)
Ravelry Project Page

Some Grandmother's Favorite Dishcloths for a friend. Easy to make, and a great stash buster. I've got one of those huge cones of cotton to use up (but it's ok, because I bought it purposely for making dishcloths).

Pattern: Grandmother's Favorite
Yarn: Lily Sugar'n Cream Ombres and Prints, Potpourri Ombre colourway
Ravelry Project Page

The Resurrected Blue Canaletto Cowl. I started this project last year, it messed up, I placed it in time out, and pulled it out about a year later, completely starting over. It is a lovely cotton-rayon-linen-silk blend, and I love it. This will get lots of time in the wardrobe rotation this fall and next spring.

Pattern: Canaletto Cowl by Megan Goodacre
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Amalfi, Denim colorway
Ravelry Project Page

 And finally.... a work-in-progress photo for a now-finished-object. This cowl is going in the pile of goodies to donate to this fall's church auction. I still need to block it, but that sounds like a good weekend project to me.

Pattern: a most perfect and forever cowl
Yarn: Paton's Lace, Bonfire colorway
Ravelry Project Page

Finished Object : Boxie Bag!

I accidentally kind-of-sort-of took a nap around 8 pm tonight, so I had this random spurt of energy tonight. A random spurt of energy that's now making it challenging for me to go to bed at a normal hour for someone who gets up at 5:30. Good thing tomorrow's Friday, because otherwise it might be pretty rough.

Pattern : (No Guts!) Boxie Pouch
SoChick! Handbags & Embroidery {Melissa Strong}

I took full advantage of feeling productive and creative tonight and finished this little project. I've got a few more fabrics picked out for it and in the works already, and this one is going to a good friend (unbeknownst to her, I just love surprises, don't you?!). It's very "her," and I hope she loves it.

One of my favorite things about this pattern was the minimal supply requirement: two coordinating fat quarters, a coordinating zipper, some thread, and interfacing. I omitted the clasp on the tab, because I couldn't find any that were the right size. If you do, it's handy to hang your bag up!

Not going to lie, I'm particularly proud of the awesome zipper job on this little boxie bag. Zippers and I have never really gotten along, and this time, I think I mastered it. Hurrah! (And seriously, doesn't that zipper just match perfectly?! *happy dance*)

All I need to do is stitch up the lining, and it's ready to go in the mail. I should have enough time during my lunch break tomorrow to accomplish that, so hopefully she'll get it early next week!

Once I figured out what was going on in the tutorial, it's really quite simple to put together . . . provided you pay close attention to the directions and make sure the fabrics are facing the correct way while stitching them to the zipper (oops). Hopefully the next two won't take quite as long to complete, now that I've got one finished. It makes a good sized pouch, ready for a craft project, makeup, accessories, or anything else you can fit in and want to show off in a stylish way.

Welcoming my Niece...

My little niece (but really, she's not so little!) was born over a month ago. I'd been planning and crafting since we found out my sister-in-law was expecting, and I finally finished up the last few things and got it sent off recently.

I've been waiting to post pictures of her awesome presents until I was sure the box arrived, and now I finally can post them!

I'm convincing myself I didn't go overboard, but seriously, how can you pass up all the cute fabrics and patterns out there for babies? I just couldn't...

Baby Surprise Jacket! My knitting group did this as a knit-a-long this past winter, and I had knit this with the intent of sending it for my niece to wear and enjoy the first few months after she was born. Ten pound newborns don't exactly fit in typical newborn clothing, but I wanted to send it anyway as a keepsake. And honestly, those crayon buttons are just the cutest thing ever. :)

Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Ravelry Project Page here.
Yarn: Knit Picks Felici Sport Self Striping, Boutique colorway

Then, there was the fabric buying spree. The animal ABC print was turned into a baby blanket, and the others became burp cloths. All of them were lined with various pastel flannel for extra softness.

Here's the finished burp cloths. Each of the cotton fabrics is lined with one of three colors: pink, purple, and yellow. You can never have enough burp cloths.

Meet Elijah. He's adorable, isn't he? I bought this yarn specifically for this pattern, and absolutely love the way it turned out! The pattern itself was pretty fiddly to knit, but you can't argue with the results!

Elijah by Ysolda Teague
Ravelry Project Page here.
Yarn: Bernat Baby Jacquards, Berries & Cream colorway

 And finally, a photo of all the goodies sent to E. I found a cute elephant outfit to coordinate with her new stuffed toy, and it should fit her all summer long. The cookie monster bib was too cute to pass up. But one of my favorite parts of the entire box is the book. During our annual Children's Literature Festival, I had the pleasure of hearing one of the book's authors speak. I had purchased a copy of the book, and after Marie Smith's talk, asked her to autograph the book for my niece. She was delighted to do so, and I hope E comes to love the book as she gets older.

Welcome to the world, E. Can't wait to finally meet you!

Birthday Presents!

Now that both of my family members have received their birthday presents this month, I'm excited to show them off!

Mom had requested some warm mittens sometime this winter. I had the perfect yarn in the perfect color, and even have enough left over to make myself a headband! Alpaca mittens are sure to keep your hands warm even on the coldest days. She loves them, as I knew she would. :)
Raveled here: Some Birthday Mittens for Mom

She also got this pair of earrings I made out of some leftover beads used for stitch markers.

Don't they remind you of Easter eggs?

She claims it was overkill, but I think she deserves it for being the best mom ever!

D's birthday present was a fairly easy project to put together, and I didn't even need a pattern! (O.K., so I used one to reference material yardage, but after that, I just used one of our old pillowcases as a template.) Seriously, from cutting out the fabric to ripping out seams to sewing up the final seams, it took maybe an hour. I'm quite pleased with the result, even if I don't approve of his team choice! ;)

Mostly, I love how well those two fabrics coordinate. :)

He loves them, and I love that he doesn't think it's lame or dorky at all to get new Vikings pillowcases for his birthday.

My sewing machine has seen quite a bit of use during these snow days. (Seriously, because of all this snow that's been dumped on the midwest, I've worked 1 day during the past week! Crazy!) I'll have more sewing projects to share next month...

Still behind, but catching up

 A few quick photos of some crafty goodness that's been waiting to be shown off... I'm feeling very behind on all my crafting lately (and a few other aspects of life, as it always seems to be). Slowly, but surely, things keep chugging along and projects keep appearing off the needles and from the machine.

Hopefully by Easter I'll be all caught up... wait. That's only 6 weeks away!

A late Christmas present for brother-the-younger. Beer pajama pants! Perfect for the beer snob that he is. :) When I kept telling him that it was taking a while because I was making beer, I'm sure he thought I was kidding. How clever, right? The best part? They even have pockets! (I can't be the only one who gets ridiculously excited about pockets, can I?)

Pattern: Butterick 5572

A little Pinterest-inspired Valentine's decorating. Super simple and cheap! It's amazing how much lighter it is in our living room when I took down the curtains (even though they were sheer and pale yellow). I like having more light, but it really feels so bare... It did give me a good excuse to thoroughly dust the blinds though!

One of my favorite things to look for at the after-Christmas sales are red, gold, or silver ornaments. I use them throughout the year: Valentine's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, New Year's Eve... you name it, I use them. (I also tend to stockpile tissue paper, ribbon, Christmas cards, gift bags... lots of things that aren't necessarily Christmas-specific. Being thrifty and crafty makes me happy, can't you tell?!) The red shatter-proof ball ornaments I picked up last year on the after-Christmas clearance, and I found those heart ornaments in the clearance bins this year. As soon as I saw them (they're glittery, by the way!), I knew they would be perfect for a bit of Valentine's Day decorating, and I couldn't pass up the price. They're tied onto the tension rod with gold curling ribbon, doubled up for extra strength.

(Disclaimer: Yes, I fully admit I'm turning into my mother and hanging things like this in the windows. She loves hanging her snowflakes and beads during winter.....)

Multi-purpose ornaments! Capital!

More to come in the next few weeks!

- Mom's birthday present is currently blocking in the sink, and I just need to wrap up the other goodies I have for her (after taking pictures, of course!), then send them off in the post.

- D's birthday present arrived yesterday in the mail, in "unpolished form" as I told him. He  naïvely thought that it would take only a few minutes to polish it, but... it may be a few days before I can finish it up and gift it to him. 

- A few other projects I'm working on for friends that have no deadline.

- And of course, a few small baby items for my niece due in just a few short weeks... although I'm sure my sister-in-law's opinions differ on just how short these weeks are... :)

Here's to a continued flurry of crafty goodness in 2013!