Great crafting weekend...

I finally got around to making a bag! I was so pleased how it turned out...where is the picture you ask??? Well....it is a bag for my mom and though I did take a picture of it before I sent it off I don't want to post it if she gets a chance to look at the blog. I don't know if she will since her and my dad are spending a week with my sister (and bro-n-law and niece) since she is having my nephew TODAY! I've not heard anything yet, so I'm sitting here frantically knitting up his blanket for good luck! Anyway, I promise to post a pic of it when I know she has recieved it...because I must admit I've very proud of how it turned out!

Embrodery sample

I was finally able to download my picture from this weekend. So here is what I've started doing. I especially like the one on the far right. It is a simple running stitch with another thread looped through the stitches. I like that a lot and will use that one something soon. I learned that I need to have two lines drawn for stitch patterns like the far left two. I'm doing this on felt, because I want to make some needle accessories out of felt. We shall see. I've got great ideas...but if I get around and do them will be another thing! If it cools down a bit this weekend I plan on spending at least a few hours in my room making a traveling knitting bag. I've got the concept in my mind...but lets see if I do it.

The gal at Moonstitches talks about stopping her downsizing projects. She wants to work on a big one...her quilt that she hasn't been working on. (You have to pop over see her lovely quilt!!!! It is a modern take on a quilt pattern I've seen many times. ) I need to do the opposite! I need to stop just working on the big knitting projects alone and actually do more playing like I did with the pincushion. I've got lovely fabric and I want to get to sewing some softies for my niece and nephews...bags....spinning...beading....braiding....Whew...I'm tired just thinking about it, and yet energized!

Pincushion Tutorial

So here is my tutorial pictures...(well as much as I could get on flickr)

Flickr Pincushion Tutorial

let me know if you can't get it and I'll try something else.

Weekend project....

it finally cooled down for little bit this weekend, so I did get a few things done. I worked on the tutorial for the pincushion. I decided to do it on Flickr, since it is difficult to download all the pictures on here....but Flickr isn't behaving tonight. So it isn't quite done yet. I also ran out of download space (I got rid of 4 pics but they still wouldn't let me download more....sheesh....). So you will get a shorter tutorial then I wanted to do....sorry.

I was trying to download a picture of a sampler I've been working on, but Blogger or my computer isn't co-operating....so you will have to wait to see that too....Jeez Man-netly....(Do I know how to spell or what.....;-D.)

I also have been working on Welsey's (nephew-to-be) blanket. It is coming along...but I found out that he is coming on the 31st of July...a bit earlier that I had heard last time....sooooooo I'm going to be late with it also!!!!

Ah well...best laid plans and all that. It is back to being really hot, so I will try to get on with something....we shall see......

To hot to craft....

I can't believe how hot it is here. I've not been able to get myself motivated to sit in my craft room with a fan blowing on me...blowing everything around. It would have been to much a struggle! Sorry about that. Will try to post the tutorial on the pincushion next week, hopefully it will cool down! They say that the UK is as hot as Bermuda and Brazil at the moment...UGH!!!! We have hit over 100F in the last couple of days.....

I did run across something really cool that I thought I would share with you all.
While helping out in the School Resource center I came across this book. I was entranced! It is a hard to believe how inspiring this book is. Though it is paper, the pictures have all been made on fabric. There is embroidery, applique, tatting, buttons, shells....etc.... I really would like to do even just one picture! It is so cool...so check it out. The ISBN is 1841480606 and it is illustrated by Rachel Griffin, retold by Tanya Robyn Batt.

Just goes to show that you should check out children's books sometimes for inspiration!

Rose pincushion

Here ya go..I finally did something creative! I'm so proud. It isn't anything I've had on my list...but it was good fun anyway. I made this one with poly felt, but I will make a few with 100% wool, now that I've found a source. This is actually a rather large cushion though it could be made smaller. I used some of the ideas for this from the Carol Duvall show: Episode CDS-554. I'm going to write to the lady who was on the show and see if she minds if I make a on-line tutorial for this. I've changed a few things because she made them with silk, so I didn't need as much fabric etc. Plus I filled it with poly and sewed it on to felt. So keep an eye out for the tutorial.

Not as good a weekend as hoped for!

I managed to only get a few cards done. I like these, they are felt on card. I'm not a great card maker, not liking paper craft as much as fiber. But I like the idea of the felt. I'm investing in some 100% wool, which I've had to buy from a children's craft shop on line??? Not sure why they don't carry it elsewhere...but there ya go! These are made out of poly though. I could get that here. Then I used a glue stick to stick it down. It didn't look to be sticking very good, but once I put a book over it and let it sit a bit, they did fine! I feel that I should send homemade cards when I'm sending off swaps and thankyou's...just doesn't feel right to not have homemade cards with/for homemade stuff!


This is a bad result...almost as bad as the US did in the World Cup! I didn't complete it! But...like the US is wasn't really my fault...though I can't blame Italy. I can blame the fact that I lost two of the needles! Very important needles too! So I've had to order a new set. Problem there is these are US size 1 which can be either 2.25 or 2.5...hopefull I'll be ok with what I bought (since they don't do 2.25 where I bought them from.) The good news is, I was able to slip them on and they fit...so far!





OK...OK....I couldn't resist and went ahead and unrolled and rerolled my ball of yarn. There are all kinds of little goodies that I'll have fun playing with! You can't see the cut purse and jacket charms very well. and the pink blob in the back is beautiful pink ribbon. A couple of the little beads have US and UK flags on them. I'm torn between making a small envelope bag with the embrodiery floss or use it for the embrodery on felt I'm going to do....we shall see! Thanks again Alyshajane!

Vacation pics

I've posted my vacation pics on my other weblog...

www.roomswithbooks.blogspot.com

Have a look if you would like!

I've been working in my craft room today so I should have a couple pics of some of my playing with stuff tomorrow!

Thanks for the Magic Yarn Ball Alyshajane

I was so surprised to get a package from Australia! The fabric and the scarf she didn't want to mush up in the ball so she put those in another package. They are lovely...and you can almost see the dragon fly buttons on the blue ribbon. The little gold charms didn't come out too well in the picture; there are two ballarinas, two flowers and a set of keys. I can feel beads and see lots of embrodery floss. I'm tempted to unroll the yarn to see what else is there...or should I just wait and make the wristlets that are on the summer Knitty.com with the yarn....Hmmm....the is an idea!

I should have taken a pic of the ball I sent my pal...but I was on vacation and I had so much in the ball I could only roll half of the yarn! Hopefully my pal will get it soon and show it on her blog so that I know she got it and liked it!

I'm going to do another Swap on Swap-bot. This time it is something homemade. I think it doesn't close until sometime in Aug, so go on over to www.swap-bot.com and check out the different swaps they have!

I've got so many ideas going on in my head at the moment. I've more time at work at my desk, so I've been listening to Craftypod. Wow...I keep thinking that I would just listen to it even though I'm not that interested in what they are doing...and it gives me these great ideas!!! It is great. I've also been listening to Craftsanity...which is also very good and give you ideas! I've promised myself craft time this weekend! I will also post so more of the ideas I have that I want to make.

I hope everyone had a good 4th of July in the States! I really miss the 4th and Thanksgiving! Ah well....one year we will go home for both of them...I hope so anyway!

Thanks Secret Pal!

It was a pleasure to go back to work to see a wonderful box from States full of Sugar n' Cream. Thanks so much! I love the Yarntainer, what I wonderful little devise! For those that haven't seen one, the yarn comes through the black hole in the top so that you can knit without the ball rolling all over!

I am so enjoying doing the secret pal.

I'm back!

Finally! I can show you a few things...above is one of the only projects that I have finished. this is the washrag from the Mason Dixon Knitting book I've raved about. Since I don't have any of the thread they used, I went for some Debbie Bliss cotton. It was too thick for a dish rag, but it has made a nice wash cloth. I like the colors, I'm working on some different colors together and see what they are like. Thought washrags were a good place to try colors out. As I said I finished my blanket for Tobin also. Thankfully! Especially since I have two more baby blankets to get on with.

Below is a book I picked up on our last day, when I told my hubby I wouldn't buy any more BOOKS...HA and he had believed me! Anyway, this is the Coolest book with more wonderful motifs inside. It talks about the cut paper method of design, which I liked very much. Winsome Douglass the author says that it is often easier to cut paper into a shape instead of drawing one. I'm going to try that out, because I know that I was able to make much better snowflakes cut from paper then I can actually draw! Anyway, hopefully I will be able to show you some of my designs soon. I think some felt embrodery is in my future.















This is my craft box I took with me on the trip. It was filled on the way home with great craft supplies I bought. I found a great place for cotton fabric, another for sari fabric, and yarn! I also got lots of wonderful plastic bags that are in wonderful colors with no printing on them. They will be good for the bags I want to make.

Anyway, it is hot, hot, hot here. It wasn't that bad while we were on vacation, but it is really hot now...well it is July isn't it. But I'm not looking forward to heading in to work tomorrow in the heat! Oh well...more pictures as I start unpacking the crafts stuff!