Blue Canary

April Showers

2011-06-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

Technically, we're having June showers at the moment. Temperatures in the mid-50's in June is not so great, BUT it means I can keep wearing scarfs. Like this. This is the April Showers scarf from the Purl Bee. It's an easy pattern to memorize and knits up pretty fast. I made it with some leftover sock yarn, but I think it'd be really lovely in some kind of airy, diaphanous mohair concoction.

Cardigan Redux

2011-03-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

I had this sweater kicking around that was pilled and unwearable, so that meant time to get out the scissors. Is it still pilled, yes, but now it's a cardigan with rick rack and beads and embroidery, so that kind of downgrades the issue of the sweater's condition. And the buttons are just for show, mostly because I was lazy and also because I realized I never actually button my cardigans.

Look On The Sunny Side

2011-03-07T19:07:00.000-08:00

One microwaved egg, some toasted ciabatta, scallions, salt and pepper -- a real tasty breakfast.

Redness

2011-02-10T14:40:00.000-08:00

Again, nothing real fancy, but it does the trick when it comes to staying cozy. I made this scarf over Christmas, while curled up on the couch with the flu. Size 13 needles, Lion Brand Thick and Quick Yarn, cast on maybe 10 stitches and just knit. It's mindless, yet satisfying. It's also deliciously warm and feels a bit like wearing a blanket around your neck.

Striped Stripes

2011-02-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

I have no good excuse for not blogging other than between work, life and occasionally needing to sleep, it just went by the wayside. But it's winter and pleasantly still and I just finished a pair of socks. So away we go again! The yarn I used for these is nothing fancy -- sock yarn from Joann's, (here) but I like how they knit up and they're nice and toasty. THAT comes in real handy with twenty million feet of snow on the ground.

Break Thru

2010-07-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

Early morning walks are doing a lot to help me keep my sanity in the midst of a crazy work schedule lately. Embroidery, glasses of wine and stacks of books are helping also.

I'm not one to mess with photos much, but I found a polaroid tutorial online. And the rest is history, you know?

Patterns

2010-07-26T16:09:00.000-07:00

There is a bumper crop of blackberries outside. Unbelievable. There's always been a few stray berries here and there, but never this many. I'm torn whether to a) bake or b) consume immediately. Decisions!

And then there's the vintage knitting pattern book I bought last week. It's Bernat, The School and College Look. Very chic. I would have liked to have gone to a school this stylish. I have a soft spot for the hoodies too.

Summer-y

2010-07-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

I've been slacking at blogging.

Commenting.

And crafting.

Sorry. But that's what Summer is for, right? A little bit of sliding and easing of rules. It's about staying up too late watching Gregory Peck movies. And spending time with visiting family. And messy ice cream cones. Messy ice cream cones is a definite.

Back on track though -- Whipup has had some great posts lately about wardrobe refashioning. Armed with two worn out t-shirts, I was going to try this rosette number (link), but it didn't quite work. Instead I decided to kind of use this Brassy Apple tutorial as a starting point and ruffled my way to a new shirt.

Take that 100 degree temperatures!

And I snagged the most awesome of vintage knitting books for the grand total of $1.50 yesterday. I'll scan a few photos from it because it is really delightful.

Everything in Its Place

2010-07-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

I finished this needlebook for my sister last week; whoops, sorry sis this won't be much of a surprise if you're reading. I was really craving working on something small and fiddly and this did the trick.

There's scrap cardboard in there to stiffen. The inside and exterior are felt that I had on hand. I'm thinking of making one of these for myself. They seem really handy.

And there are wildflowers growing up through the porch; that's a couple feet high! I love summer. Everything overrun and exuberant. What's not to like about that?

Gather and Pleat

2010-06-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

Elastic Thread is AMAZING!

I'd spotted some shirred fabric at the store the other week, but the price was a bit off-putting. Internets to the rescue! A little googling and after reading through some tutorials (link here), I was up for the challenge of trying to do my own shirred dress.

The fabric is an old bed sheet. What I really love about it is that the border of roses looks completely intentional and not like, well, a bed sheet. I was initially nervous about the elastic thread jamming up, but the stuff works like a dream. The only thing I learned with the test piece I did was that you REALLY have to mark your lines well, otherwise it's a pain.

So now I am hooked. I think it'll be an easy way to churn out a Summer wardrobe on the cheap.

It's Not Easy, Being Green

2010-06-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

I based this on the flower garland I made a few weeks back. The only thing I did different was to sew beads on a few of the petals. Sort of tough to see in the photos, but they're there if you squint!

Spaghetti

2010-06-05T07:03:00.000-07:00

Warm weather food: whole wheat spaghetti, tomato, onion, parsley, capers, olive oil, salt and pepper, served cold. So good. So good in fact, I ate too much.

Better Late Than Never

2010-06-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

It's finished! I started this cardigan in February and it's now, what, June? But since it's a cotton blend and I seem to be always cold, it's all good. To recap, the pattern I used is this vintage one (link here). For adjustments I reduced the back width by 10 stitches and subtracted five stitches from both the front left and front right. I also made the arm width slightly smaller, but should have made the armholes about a half inch lower/longer. All in all though, it's a fun knit. I like the button band facing and the ribbed yoke gives a nice shape.

Strawberries at the beginning of June. While I love them, it just seems way, way too early for this sort of thing. However, I have to admit I am enjoying them on top of cereal. Fingers crossed it's a bumper crop and I can get enough for muffins or scones or something slightly substantial.

The Shape of Things

2010-05-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

I was cutting out some triangles for bunting yesterday and stopped to play with the shapes a bit. I'm usually so focused on the end "result" of a project I forget to enjoy the process. So, consider this process enjoyment.

Life Goes On

2010-05-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

Things I've been loving

Homemade Yoghurt: I tried JCasa's homemade yoghurt recipe. I love it. No, correction, I LOVE IT. I was nervous with the first batch. In this hyper-pristine world, anything that includes leaving a dairy product out for hours is enough to strike terror into this 21st century girl's heart. But guess what? Not only will it not kill you, it is delicious, economical and being made weekly in this here household. I've tried it with a few different toppings. So far I'm really enjoying honey and berries.

Early Morning Walks:

Clear my head. Get me going. Involves lots of bug swatting, but it's amazing what some fresh air does for your disposition before jumping into a busy work day.

New Sewing Projects:

While I don't have the guts to try out the Challenge of the Utmost Kind (yet), I am trying to work hard to incorporate handmade into my wardrobe more. Right now I'm working on a top that is part knitting/part sewing. It's taken a bit to get the two to mesh, but it's finally starting to come together. This is unlike the cardigan that didn't fit (due to me casting on too few stitches for the left front) AND THAT HAD TO BE FROGGED. That, is another story.

Take Heart

2010-05-07T20:24:00.000-07:00

I like dandelions. I'm sure the neighbors don't, but I do.

Flowery

2010-04-29T17:38:00.000-07:00

What to do with a small amount of leftover sock yarn? Make a flower garland! This was a fun, slightly mindless (in a good way) project. Lately I've found Stiff Drinks and Movies are not a good combination when crafting. Working on something repetitive and simple is the solution to the problem.

It's a bit off, but hung up over the window it's really cheery. My mom mentioned it would make a fun necklace and I think she's on to something. I'm going to have another go at this with some cotton thread and see what I can whip up.

Drama

2010-04-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

Rain, sun, hail, and wind, all in the span of two hours. It was a dramatic weather day, to say the least. I ran out to snap a picture as the front moved on, in love with the contrast between the grey sky and the budding trees.

Violets

2010-04-25T17:18:00.000-07:00

I had no idea violets were edible until I read this post on Resurrection Fern (link). Since then, I've been looking at the backyard in a whole new light.

In a similar vein, I watched Food Inc. the other night. It's really had me pondering what I consume and trying to think of ways that I can adjust my own eating patterns. I'm thinking there will be much planting of seeds in a few weeks.

But back to the cupcakes -- the batter and recipe are from an old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It's nothing fancy, but tasty and perfect for the weekend.

Pieces

2010-04-23T15:46:00.000-07:00

The thrifting stars aligned last week and this is what resulted: a vintage quilt top for $15. It was tucked at the back of the store, one of about a dozen in a pile.

What amazes me is that the entire thing has been hand pieced -- no signs of any sewing machine stitching. The combination of fabrics is really fascinating too. There's the typical small, demure floral prints, but they sit next to bold '50's geometric patterns. There's a few squares that I'd suspect are from some worn men's shirts.

I'm planning to back the quilt; hopefully I can make a run for batting this weekend, although my first inclination is to stay put. Seasonal allergies, bah.

When Life Gives You Lemons

2010-04-21T17:45:00.000-07:00

I made a dress. The dress did not fit.

Everything was picture perfect, except for armholes that pulled badly and no amount of adjusting was working. A deep breath, scissors and some bias tape saved the day.

So now I have a skirt and I will probably get more use out of this than a dress (truth be told). The fabric is from a bed sheet I found at Goodwill a few years back and love a lot.

So all in all, not a total waste.

Sweaters and Stars

2010-04-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

It's almost done -- gasp!

To be fair, I tabled this cardigan because the socks were calling my name. But now I'm getting down to business and I have just one arm to finish up and seam. The pattern I'm using is vintage, but quite easy (link here). I'm heading out of town to visit family soon, so hoping to have this done in time to go.

Right in time for Easter, the Star of Holland are out. The past few nights have been incredibly warm, so I've been sleeping with the windows open. Being lulled to sleep by the sound of peepers in the swamp is pretty nice, especially in the middle of a rather insane work-week.

Fresh Air

2010-04-03T13:33:00.000-07:00

Spring's arrival has been heralded by these fellows flitting about the steps. There's probably a few cold, wet days between here and true vernal bliss, but oh the joy that comes with a few glorious days of sun and warmth.

Pared Up

2010-03-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

And I la-la-la-love them.

Scout's Honor

2010-03-24T17:42:00.000-07:00

My mother was getting rid of her childhood Girl Scout handbook, but I snagged it instead. I remember reading this as a preteen, utterly inspired by the take-charge/do-anything attitude presented. There was no way I'd allow this to get away; those drawings are classic.

Rethinking the Past

2010-03-21T15:55:00.000-07:00

The first "real" thing I ever attempted to knit was a tank top in Red Heart variegated yarn. Prior to that, I'd knit scarves and hats, but no actual garments and was ready for a challenge.

I stood in front of the yarn department at WalMart, attempting to find something that fit both my undergraduate tastes and budget. Armed with a few internet tutorials and needles my Mom had shipped out to me, I cast on in my dorm room. I think I may have had some delusional visions of me sashaying around campus wearing the finished piece. Those visions were short lived.

Long story short, the tank top attempt demonstrated the fact that at the time I a) really didn't understand gauge or fit and b) really didn't understand the way 100% acrylic yarn feels against the skin.

However, I'm giving Red Heart another shot and liking it, this time around using their sock yarn. So far, so good and I'm on to sock #2.

In Between

2010-03-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

My sister gave me this antique quilt for Christmas. Unfortunately, I couldn't fit it in my luggage flying home, so it stayed with her until the other week when my mother was able to fit it into her luggage following a recent visit. There's a few spots I'd like to patch up, so I've been reading up on quilt repair. But oh, those prints. Those colors. Those stitches. I'm infatuated.

I forced forsythia branches and they turned out nicely. I've never had much luck with this in the past; they just tend to shrivel up. A tip I read recommended slicing into the bark, allowing more water to be absorbed. This seems to have done the trick and it bloomed within a week or two. There's a quince bush outside that I'd like to have a shot at forcing next.

Lemon Goodness

2010-03-10T19:53:00.000-08:00

I've checked Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook out of the library at least three times in the past year. Each of those times, I've renewed the book at least twice. I really should just break down and buy it, especially considering how tasty the lemon sugar snap cookies are. The only change I made was to add some lemon juice (instead of additional zest that I didn't have), while adding just a bit more flower to compensate.

Spring

2010-03-01T16:54:00.000-08:00

I know the vernal equinox is a ways off, but in my book March 1st qualifies as Spring. The daffodils seem proof enough.

Begone Bad Hair Day

2010-02-25T15:57:00.000-08:00

I love headbands. I especially love headbands on days when my hair has a life of its own (which has been almost every day lately).

The headband is a long fabric strip sewed up in a tube. I had some leftovers from the duvet covers I made last year (an Anna Maria Horner print), so score one for thrifty recycling! I added some stitching and beads to finish everything up.

Cupcakes

2010-02-22T15:46:00.000-08:00

The cupcakes were for the weekend, but the sugar rush could last a lifetime.

The specs? The cupcake recipe was from the side of the flour box and the icing courtesy of The Gentle Art of Domesticity. There was also a package of Dots, a roll of Necco wafers and sprinkles galore involved.

And the last one was finished tonight. Mmmm.

Roaming the Woods

2010-02-20T14:05:00.000-08:00

The other night there were coyotes in the wooded lot across the street. After having poked around there the next morning I can see why they'd chosen that spot. It really is a picturesque piece of land.

Pink

2010-02-18T21:25:00.000-08:00

The color stars aligned and somehow everything (including the soda) was some shade of pink.

Everything in Moderation

2010-02-14T14:38:00.000-08:00

I started a cardigan last week. The yarn is from a sweater I bought at Goodwill for $2.50, then unraveled. The yarn is a delightful raspberry color and I love the feel, but I can't get gauge at all. Since the pattern calls for a myriad of double yarn overs and strange twists, the headache of that added to the stretch of the yarn was making me peevish. I grit my teeth and frogged it all (but not before taking a photo).

And then I ate this. It made everything a little better.

A Rose By Any Other Name

2010-02-08T14:48:00.000-08:00

Because there's nothing real in bloom right now, I'm making paper flowers instead. In college I used to help make corsages for a student organization fundraiser. I remember making boutonnieres in the dorm television lounge, trying hard not to impale myself with rose thorns and florist wire. Paper is so much nicer on the hands.

The leaves are pages I from an old paperback of quotes. There's some lovelorn lines from Romeo and Juliet in there.

It Must Be Love

2010-02-04T16:18:00.000-08:00

Valentine's candies are making my heart beat faster. So is Burt's Bees Soap Bark and Chamomile face cleanser. And reading in bed with a hot water bottle at my feet is blissful, (although the curlers in my hair probably detract from the overall picture).

Shroom

2010-02-01T16:02:00.000-08:00

Since I spent Saturday balancing my checkbook, I figured I deserved knitting on Sunday.

The second I spotted the "Shroom" hat in the Winter Knitty I was a goner. I ended up using some worsted weight wool I had on hand, two strands held together. Not the most elegant solution, but it worked in a pinch and I really love the pattern, so I might splurge at some point for the recommended yarn.

A Pillow and a Pie

2010-01-28T16:15:00.000-08:00

Granny squares are insanely addictive. I think I want to make a dozen more of these pillows. My wrist (ouch) might disagree, but this is seriously fun. I backed it with a leftover sheet and stuffed it with the insides of an old pillow. Is it lumpy? Yes. But is bright, colorful and flies in the face of all the snow outside? Yes, yes and yes.

I didn't make this pie. I wish I did. If I had made it the crust would be a) black and b) crumbling into disrepair. Instead I bought the pie at an indoor farmer's market last weekend. Held at a lovely warm greenhouse, this petite pastry was calling my name. At five inches wide it was almost too cute to eat. Almost.

Blooms

2010-01-22T16:38:00.000-08:00

I'm trying darn hard to stick to the "No New Projects Until the Old Ones" are completed campaign. It's easier said than done as evidenced by the pillow in the post below. But I'm getting there, bit by bit. I finished up some details on an old cardigan Monday night. My sister was getting rid of the sweater and there were holes where an applique had been removed. To cover up the holes I made yo-yo's from white lining fabric, appliqued these to the sweater and added beads to the center. I love the look of '50's style cardigans and was trying to imitate that feel. So no more holes and I snagged a sweater on the cheap.

Embellishment

2010-01-19T16:02:00.000-08:00

This past weekend my mom and I headed North to see the Victorian apparel exhibit at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine. The show was worth the long drive (and I loved seeing the snow covered farm fields). Luckily photos were allowed at the museum, but no flash of course. With minimal lighting I was 99.9% positive nothing would come out, but was thrilled that a few did. The blouse above was one of my favorites; that detailing is so gorgeous I'm just blown away. With everything being so "blah" lately, the show (and the mild weather that day) were a much needed pick me up.

Before leaving we stopped for coffee and sweets at the Pastry Garden on Main Street. If you're in town you really have to go there. I am still dreaming about my cappuccino brownie.

Squared

2010-01-17T16:34:00.000-08:00

I stayed small. Well, small-ish. Here's the makings of a pillow, one huge granny square I suppose? Alternating colors mean I don't fall asleep while working on it, but an easy to memorize stitch means I can hold a conversation while working without herculean effort. I have some cotton thread that I bought for about ten cents a piece at a yard sale and I'm thrilled to be able to finally find a way to eat away at the stash.

There's seems to be something a bit off about the way I'm adding the new colors. Rats. I'm not going to look at that area; ignorance is bliss.

And speaking of bliss, it's a three day weekend. I am celebrating with a stiff drink and catching up on "Cranford" tonight on PBS.

Wishing and Hoping

2010-01-11T14:47:00.000-08:00

While I am in the land of pink pajamas, this is what I'm really thinking about. All these vintage patterns are making me want to just throw responsibility to the wind and get stitching. I do have a vintage reproduction pattern that I worked on a bit this weekend; I started it a year and a half ago (ugh), but am just now getting around to putting in the zipper. One of my New Year's resolutions has been to weed out all the half-finished projects in my sewing basket, so this and the nightgowns are top of the list. Although that Simplicity 2498 at the front of the photo is calling my name and I'm not sure how much will-power I have left.

I totally forgot to show a photo of the second duvet cover I finished before the holidays. It's a mix of vintage sheets, as well as some Heather Bailey and Anna Maria Horner. All this grey and cold has me in a bit of a funk lately, so the bright colors give me something to smile about. Too much cabin fever I guess, which makes working from home interesting! I did go for a walk tonight and although chilly, it's amazing what some fresh air can do to re-calibrate you.

Hunkered Down

2010-01-10T12:34:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to knit granny squares really badly, but have been having serious trouble figuring the darn thing out. When I was at the library the other week though I spotted Maggie Righetti's "Crocheting in Plain English." I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I liked the cover so much I checked it out sight unseen. Chalk one up to being a graphic designer.

Last night I sat down (armed with a glass of wine) to try to figure out how to crochet a granny square. After a couple minutes it just clicked - something I owe to the crystal-clear descriptions in the book. Different strokes for different folks, but the whole thing finally made sense and I have been struggling for months to get this. Now I have visions of afghans and pillows dancing in my head. I probably should play it safe though and start out with a scarf or something.

And I am still working on the nieces' nightgowns. There is pink floral flannel everywhere. Two down, one to go is the status report. I was super disappointed I couldn't get them done in time for Christmas, but it actually worked out better perhaps because I got to check out how much the girls had grown since I'd seen them last and now I can adjust the hem-lengths accordingly. I'm hoping to get the nightgowns finished up before the end of the month. That's the good thing about a craft blog; the glaring reality of what projects I still have on my plate. Keeps me slightly more honest, right?

My Mom gave me a stem of tea roses from a bouquet she'd bought recently. Most of the buds shriveled up (*shakes fist at grocery store*), so I cut off a few stems before throwing the rest out. They're looking a little worn, but it's nice having something green and growing in the dead of winter.

Oh, and I just realized Spud and Chloe yarns has some free patterns on their site; super cute! I'm totally in love with the apple hat and am dying to knit one for my youngest niece.

Snow Day

2010-01-06T16:50:00.000-08:00

I am cheap both by nature and necessity.

Take three skeins of oddball yarn, a pair of size 13 needles and an obscenely snowy weekend and you have this scarf. I cast on eleven stitches and used moss stitch to give the scarf a fabric-y texture and then zoned out with something mindless on television. It's interesting because I didn't care for any of the yarns by themselves. One is pilled leftovers from an unraveled scarf from high school. Another is chenille. And the third is really, really purple. But together, it all sort of blends.

I'm suprised this came out. My hand was jiggling because I was dying of cold. And then to add insult to injury I heard a neighbor coming down the street walking their dog. I do enough to make the neighbor's talk. I didn't need to really add "Takes photos of herself outside in the driveway" to the list. Close one.

Best Foot Forward

2010-01-04T15:44:00.000-08:00

They're finished!

The pattern is Bettie’s Lace Stockings from the Spring 2009 Interweave Knits. I was a little nervous starting out on this, mostly because of the lace and the toe-up sock construction, but it really wasn't that bad. After a couple reps., the pattern is pretty easy to memorize and looks way more complicated than it is. I substituted the called for yarn with a few skeins of some brown no-name brand I found at Big Lots (of all places). At $2 a skein, it was definitely pocketbook friendly and is surprisingly soft for a cheap-o yarn.

The only modification I made was to do some very loose ribbing at the top instead of the picots/ribbon the pattern had. I tried the picots on the first sock and wasn't quite feeling it; this is a bit more me I think.

And I get to wear them with my favorite shoes. In the snow. Good times.

Bright Paper Packages

2010-01-02T14:47:00.000-08:00

I'm not one to take down holiday decorations in a timely fashion. Around Valentine's Day I'll start to feel guilty (maybe). Till then, I'm going to enjoy the lights and ornaments.

The Shiny Brites are a gift from my aunt and this is the first year I've pulled them out. Usually I'm too terrified to use them, petrified they'll shatter everywhere. But what's the point of leaving them in a closet, right? I went with a Charlie Brown tree this year that I cut from the backyard. It's tiny, lopsided and bare, but with plenty of character. I like that.

The torte nearly turned into a disaster due to a seriously leaky spring form pan. Do all of these pans do this? Yikes. I ended up transferring the whole mess to a regular cake pan and it turned out fine that way. Dusted with confectioner's sugar and decorated with raspberries, it tasted delicious (despite some wonky looking sides).

Visiting Arkansas right after the 25th was terrific. There were lots of games of Pink Milk played and M&M's shared and when the nieces had settled in for the night, there were late night talk-a-thons with my sister. And Scrabble. Between sis and brother-in-law, I was totally schooled. Next time I'm bringing a dictionary.

Now I'm back home and finding it's tough coming off that holiday rose-y glow. It's storming outside and I'd really love to just flip the calendar to February and forget about this month. I'm trying to see January for what it is though; a chance to maybe pull in and take it easy, rather than a short, dark, icy 31 days. There's sewing projects to be finished and books to be read, so perhaps now is as good a time as any to dive right into all that. I'm thinking I'd really love to offer more in the way of freebies and tutorials in the upcoming year here, so snow-bound in January will give me no excuses to slack, right? I've finally finished the lacy socks (yes!), so expect some photos of those this week.

But for now it's a snowy Saturday night and knitting on the couch with some cocoa sounds perfect.

Cozy

2009-12-23T07:01:00.000-08:00

And now I'm ready for company!

Duvet cover #1 finished; I never thought I'd be so excited by mermaids at age 30, but I am. Heather Ross, consider me a fan.

And Duvet #2 is needing a backing at the moment. I snapped this photo while sewing the squares into strips. Like the first, it's a mix of vintage sheets and new fabrics.

My sister is catching a red eye flight bound from San Francisco to Boston tonight. I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep with all the excitement, which quite frankly works out perfectly well considering everything I have left on my to do list. I haven't seen her in six months, but it feels more like a lifetime. She's only here for a few days, then heading back out west while I'm flying down to Arkansas to visit my other sister and her family. Here's to frequent flyer miles!

But before that, there's much to be done. I'm planing to bake a torte for Christmas dinner at my Grandparents. I have assorted odds and ends to wrap. And there's sheets that need to be washed and rugs vacuumed.

But after that, I am going to kick back, drink large mugs of steaming hot coffee and enjoy the season. Oh yes, I am.

Happy Holidays!

Stay Warm

2009-12-17T18:21:00.000-08:00

One Christmas present down, fifty-gazillion to go!

This is the scarf I was working on for my Mom, finished in the wee hours of the morning. I used three skeins of Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo yarn (say that five times fast) in denim. It's soft and appropriately, well, snuggly. The color is sort of a cornflower shade, which is tough to tell by the photo which came out a bit washed out. Nice yarn, quick knit and the crochet edging gives it a little somethin' somethin'.

If it weren't for the fact this is for my mother, I would steal it. But seeing that she was in labor with me for 22 hours, I feel I kind of owe her one.

Deck The Halls

2009-12-14T16:38:00.000-08:00

So this was a, "I need a craft project that takes less than two years to finish and offers some sure-fire instant gratification."

I've been eyeing all the lovely wreath projects on the 'net lately and been fixing to make one for awhile. I just don't think (right now) I have the attention span to tackle any of those. Enter this.

For materials I used a paper plate as a base. I found a tutorial online that used this idea, but for the life of me I can't find the link now. In that tutorial they'd used punched paper and covered the base in purple and blue circles. It was really nice, but I wanted something a little more traditional. I decided to cut "leaves" from recycled off-white paper in varying sizes. Once the leaves were cut out, I glued these to the wreath with SoBo glue, angling them so it didn't look too matchy-match. It was looking just so-so, so I brushed a real thin coat of silver acrylic paint over everything. Did the trick. To finish it off, I added some glittery spots to mimic holly berries, tied it up with some yarn and stuck it up near my computer. Finished. It did end up taking a bit longer than I thought, but when you've been knitting the same pair of socks since October, it's all relative.

And there have been cookies lately. Store bought, but they just taste better this time of year, right?

Soup's On

2009-12-11T09:09:00.000-08:00

Best soup. Ever. Maybe that's hyperbole, I don't know. I'm so in love with this it's hard to be rational.

I read a lot of magazines, but I throw them out as soon as I'm done otherwise my living space would be over-run with glossies. I have a red three ring binder though that I keep stuffed with torn out pages. I've got a section for home decorating, clothing refashion ideas, holiday crafts and yup, recipes.

While looking for something easy, fast and hot (because dang, have you been outside lately?), I found this one from Rachel Ray. You can get the recipe on her site here. The only thing I didn't do was put the whole thing through the food processor because I like my corn chowder chunky. And I am also inherently lazy and hate washing a food processor. The truth hurts.

Unfortunately the entire batch has been consumed and I am staring down a lunch of ramen noodles. Sob! I think I'll need to whip up another batch like now.

Pieces

2009-12-05T12:07:00.000-08:00

I am getting somewhere! Finally! And now all I want to do is use exclamation points! Yes!

Okay. Enough with the gratuitous punctuation usage. But really, considering I've bitten off way more than I can chew, I gotta' do a little cheerleader-ing.

This is the top to one of the duvet covers; it's a bit smaller than I need, so I'm going to cut some white strips to elongate the edges. Once that's done, I need to stitch up the sides and add some button holes to one end. Deep breath. I'm getting there but next year if I decide to take on a half a dozen craft projects someone needs to smack me. For reals.

And like 80% of the corners line up perfectly. I'm cool with that percentage.

And now I'm actually going to go back to finishing the edges. It's starting to snow outside, our first of the season. I'm eagerly anticipating some hot chocolate and "It's A Wonderful Life" tonight on television (I think Jimmy Stewart is pretty much the best thing since sliced bread). So, back to the sewing machine.

Give Thanks

2009-12-02T19:37:00.000-08:00

Over a week with nothing to say? Deplorable. What can I say. I've been busy packing away stuffing and cranberry sauce. And admiring my Aunt's glass turkey's. Gobble.

Duvet covers? First one cut and almost all assembled. Nieces' nightgowns? Two out of three cut and also almost assembled. Socks? I'm mired in second sock purgatory, but just passed the heel tonight. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. And I should get some photos of all of that. It would be nice if the sun would cooperate and stay out past 4:30, sheesh...

But I did get a quick one of this scarf in progress. It's part of a Christmas present. Shhhh!

Pinned

2009-11-22T19:37:00.000-08:00

Bright and early Saturday I started ironing. Pinning. Cutting. Cutting some more. Today I gathered, stitched, pinned and pressed.

And am I getting somewhere? Slightly.

Things I'm realizing - a bias tape neckline on children's garments is genius. Goodbye facings! Also, sewing assembly line style is the only way to get this done and not go crazy in the process. Sitting in a pile of pink fabric, stitching away while my machine rattles ominously (gulp, where is the machine oil), I've got my fingers crossed about getting this one done in time.

The Fruits of Your Labors

2009-11-21T17:46:00.000-08:00

The last of the quince are shriveling up. I took a photo the other week when they were still yellow. I know quince is edible in theory, but I've never been particularly sure about the flowering ones. Are they?

I'll have to check next year.

Hello Weekend

2009-11-20T22:05:00.000-08:00

I wrote half a dozen posts in my head this week. The only catch was none ever made it to this blog. Chalk one up to life just getting crazier and crazier, which always seems to happen this time of year. I mean, how is it Thanksgiving is next week? I feel like I was just wearing flip flops, drinking iced coffee.

But now that there's frost on the ground I am most definitely not wearing flip flops. But I am wearing slippers, oh yes indeed. In the spirit of stash busting, these are made from a felted rummage sale sweater and are so toasty warm. I'd seen this pattern over on Martha Stewart that I've loved forever, so that basic construction idea was my starting point. I used the sleeves of the sweater to avoid side seams (read: I am lazy), then only had to sew up the toes and a seam up the back by the heal. I finished everything off with some blanket stitch around the raw edges. They stretch out a bit after wearing, but a quick trip through the washer/dryer got them right back to wearable.

And here's what I'm doing this weekend - sewing nightgowns for my nieces. I'm trying to get this done in time for Christmas which makes me think I might be certifiable. Bring it I say.

Snip, Snip

2009-11-15T11:08:00.000-08:00

Would you look at that, a rose from Wal-Mart that bloomed like nobody's business. I always get a little depressed when flowers show this incredible potential when brought home, then droop over and die tightly closed. But this one, oh it went above and beyond in floral awesomeness, and is still going strong a few days after taking this photo.

I've spent most of the weekend cutting out squares for a duvet cover. I have a lovely warm down comforter from IKEA that was a Christmas gift last year, so it's taken me almost 365 days to manage this, but hey, better late than never. Since my sister is coming home for Christmas I'm trying to get things looking tip top around here and this is part of the plan. I'm mixing new fabrics (like that Heather Ross/Mermaid piece above) with vintage sheets. I really like the contrast between the two and the vintage sheets give me a lot of yardage for a pretty good price. I have most of the squares cut out, but need to wash the new fabric. I'm always tempted to just throw caution to the wind and use fabric without washing, but then my left brain starts yelling "DANGER," so I never get much farther than reckless musings.

One of these days I will be crazy spontaneous and document the fact.

February Lady

2009-11-13T20:35:00.000-08:00

I love this sweater. Love. Love. Love. It's the February Lady sweater pattern by Flint Knits. Knit from the top down, this thing is a dream come true for someone who hates piecing together sweaters.

The yarn is from an old store-bought sweater from college. Being on a very strict budget at the moment, I'm kind of eyeing my existing wardrobe with an eye to what can be remade/repurposed. The unraveling took awhile (and I think I vacuumed up bits of navy blue fiber for weeks) but the end result was worth it.

The only change I made was to add ribbing to the bottom and cuffs. I didn't have a whole lot of yarn to work with and would love to try it again knit to the full length.

Things That Are Good

2009-11-12T16:51:00.000-08:00

Today I liked

1. Finding a forgotten bag of M&M's at the bottom of my purse, right when I was in dire need of chocolate.

2. Talking to my sister on the phone. Catching up on "Project Runway" gossip, house paint and all the news that's fit to print.

3. Color Me Katie's amazing street art. I want to run outside right now with paste and paper and paint the town red. Except it's dark. And I live in the suburbs. Minor details though, right?

4. Homemade apple pie that I made this afternoon when I needed a break. It looks like a disaster, but it tastes delicious. The crust is blotchy and broke off, the appley insides landed on the bottom of the stove and bubbled and smoked. I should have known better with the crust. Martha Stewart's pie crust recipe is the pie crust recipe to end all other pie crust recipes. Martha, I'm sorry I cheated on you. It won't happen again.

Frothy

2009-11-11T14:17:00.000-08:00

I made mocha au lait-s today for my mom and I. It's one of my favorite coffee drinks; it gives you a chocolate fix without the kick of the espresso shot you get in a cafe mocha.

Here's the way I make a mocha au lait. There's a lot of variety in recipes, but I like the way this tastes:

You need:

A coffee mug

Spoon

Milk Frother (you can try whisking the milk on the stove,

but I've never had much luck with this)

Ingredients:

Coffee

Milk

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 tablespoon sugar (alternately you could use chocolate syrup

in place of the cocoa powder/sugar)

Directions:

In coffee mug, mix sugar and cocoa powder. Pour in coffee, filling cup halfway, then stir. Heat half cup of milk in the microwave for one minute, longer if you like your drink hotter. You can heat the milk on the stove, but I'm usually too impatient to do this.

Once heated, froth milk until foam appears. Pour hot milk into coffee/chocolate mixture, using spoon to keep foam from pouring into the drink. Once the milk is poured in, spoon leftover foam onto the top of the drink. Garnish with cocoa powder.

Viola!

What Tangled Webs

2009-11-08T15:24:00.000-08:00

If you know anything about crochet, you can probably tell that I know very little about crochet. Let's just get that out in the open.

I've been knitting since I was a teenager, but been trying to teach myself crochet over the course of the past few months. Success has been limited. I managed a granny square a few weeks back, but that involved a lot of ripping out, gnashing teeth and general unpleasantness.

I've got a no longer wearable long sleeved t-shirt though that needs some revamping. I've cut it open to make a cardigan a la Angry Chicken and want to gussy it up a bit with some crochet. I'm in need of an instant gratification project and I think this fits the bill.

I'm stumbling along with the crochet making this up as I go. I'm trying to be less uptight with some of this stuff and just enjoy the process. I ended up stitching this to the back of the cardigan, then cutting away the fabric underneath. I'll get some pictures when the sun chooses to make another appearance (no, I'm not a fan of diminishing daylight).

Mismatched

2009-11-05T16:42:00.000-08:00

I had coffee out with my mom this week. We both ordered the same thing (raspberry scone and a coffee), but got drastically different plates, which I love. Life is too short for matching china patterns.

The only thing I really don't like about this time of year is the lack of flowers outdoors. I'm trying to appreciate more what is in season though, hence the leaves brought indoors. I spotted witch hazel down the street on a walk today and want to snip some of that, but I need to scope out the area for poison sumac. There's also some gorgeous checkerberry in the woods right now and I'd like to put some in terrariums before the snow starts to fly.

But for tonight, I'm going to knit some more. Sock number one is finished and I want to keep moving before the dreaded second sock-itis starts. Add "The Office" and "Project Runway" to the mix, and I foresee some serious knitting going down.

Autumn Leaves

2009-11-02T16:49:00.000-08:00

Bright blue skies and vibrant yellow leaves; it makes me wish Fall would last another few months. I'm ready to bypass snow and ice.

Flowery

2009-11-01T16:05:00.000-08:00

I told myself absolutely NO more sewing projects until I finish what I have in my basket. Viola, Exhibit A. Excuse the beleaguered expression. It was end of day Friday.

I don't know what it is, but this shirt was jinxed from the start. Everything that could go wrong did; arms seams didn't match up with side seams, the facing ended up botched, I flipped the fabric upside down when cutting, I could go on and on. I'm kind of hoping I've gotten all my bad sewing karma out of me. Oy.

The fabric is a vintage sheet I scored at Goodwill this past Spring (I'm hoarding the leftovers, needless to say). For the pattern I used McCall's M5627, which I liked a lot. The only change I made to the pattern was to shorten the back measurement (I'm just under 5'5, so this seems to help with fit a lot).

So what's on my plate next? I have a ton of vintage patterns accumulated while going to yard sales this past summer. I'm itching to start those, but I've got a plan to sew three nightgowns for my nieces (!) by Christmas, so we'll see...

Mushrooms In Your Hair

2009-10-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

Awhile ago I was browsing D. Blümchen & Company's website and stumbled across the miniature mushrooms they had in stock. Um, hello awesomeness.

I've been thinking about what to do with them for awhile and finally decided on a headband. The base is crocheted with black thread I found at a yard sale and the rosette is a yoyo made from scrap black lining fabric I had on hand. Some glue, and voila, the finished product.

Orange & Black

2009-10-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

Only about two weeks 'till Halloween! I haven't even thought out a costume yet. This is going to be an 11th hour project apparently.

But, I am getting the house looking seasonal. I made bunting last week and it's quick to put together. The mini pennants are printed out on an inkjet printer, cut, then the tops glued and folded over onto black cotton thread. If you'd like to make some yourself, I uploaded the file to Scribd.com, so feel free to download here.

Spin a Yarn

2009-10-15T15:59:00.001-07:00

I would have shown these sooner, but I ripped out/re-knit the heel more times than I'm going to admit.

The pattern is from the Spring 2009 Interweave Knits, Bettie's Lace Stockings. It's a fun pattern; I was worried it was going to be beyond what I could hack, but it's not that terribly frightening. After a couple rounds the pattern is easy to memorize and goes fairly quickly.

I took the socks along with me to knitting group last night. I was kind of concerned amidst discussions of pythons, banned books and mittens I was going to loose my train of thought, but thank goodness for small wonders, there's no glaring crazed inadvertent yarn-overs.

See The USA

2009-10-11T17:18:00.000-07:00

What to do with a three day weekend? Roadtrip!

I took a drive with my parents up to Camden, Maine this weekend. Eating donuts and knitting socks during the drive up (but not both at the same time) is the perfect way to spend a Saturday morning.

During a stop at the state park in Camden we took some time to meander down the paths that lead to the ocean. The restorative power of a little greenery is astounding and I took some time to snap a few photos and then just sit on the rocks and stare out at the sea. And that little mushroom above? I want to adopt it, seriously.

Driving through Rockland I was completely won over by all the coffeeshops and stores. By late afternoon the wind had kicked up and it was getting a bit chilly, so we popped into the Black Bull Tavern for some sustenance. And I think I had the best raspberry pie in existence. Just maybe.

All in all, the perfect way to spend a long weekend. And maybe, with tomorrow being the holiday, I can get some photos of the above mentioned socks!

One Step

2009-10-09T10:51:00.001-07:00

Hello.

It's the first word that's the hardest, right?

I blog, I craft, but I've rarely combined both. This is a place to rectify that situation, with equal parts abandon and anonymity. I wanted a place to wax poetic about all manner of crafty things, just for fun. And this might be the spot I think.

So I:

Knit, sew, crochet badly, bake sometimes, embroider and probably several other things I'm forgetting. Chalk that up to the fact that it's 5 PM Friday.

I love:

Rummage sales, magazines, black and white movies, scratchy records and I-Tunes equally, bookstores, tea, and saturated hues, to name a few things.

I am:

A graphic designer (with a recent shift to the title of "freelancer") and colors and fonts make me happy. Very.

So nice to meet you.