paper turtles

My first froggie!

2009-10-13T17:24:00.000-07:00

Amazing baking site to check out!

2009-10-08T18:44:00.000-07:00

BAKERELLA

How to make a butterstick:

2009-10-07T18:03:00.001-07:00

another best idea ever...

2009-08-27T17:38:00.000-07:00

From the Lion Brand Yarn periodic email (8/27/09):

Tip of the Week
Tricks of the trade from customers like you

Join us every week for tips, tricks, and advice shared by customers like you. This week's tip is from Wendy D.:

"I use a [cleaned out] two-pound coffee can to keep my balls of yarn hair- and debris-free while knitting. I cut holes in the plastic top and use metal rings [grommets] (found in hardware stores) so as to not snag the yarn. Pop in a few balls of my favorite yarn, pull through the holes and ta-da! No hair or lint on my yarn while I am knitting and it is easy to take in the car too!"

Now, to find a coffee can... I think I have a Trader Joe's one around here somewhere. I abandoned it for bags of delicious Eight O' Clock Coffee. If you haven't tried that stuff, it rules... Go immediately to Amazon.com and sign up for Subscribe & Save with that stuff, you will not be sorry.

-M

Floaty Toes Dry Goods is now On ARTFIRE and FACEBOOK

2009-06-19T10:23:00.000-07:00

I am all over the place! Come and find me!

Monster Puppets in Seattle

2009-06-09T10:55:00.001-07:00

A cute little shop in Capitol Hill had these upstairs in their own wee gallery!

My crafting area transformation!!!

2009-05-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

best idea ever!!!!

2009-05-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

well, almost... notice the price says "Books start at $24.95"
submitted for your approval, i give you the knit book.
i'll need to investigate further for accurate pricing info...

here's a random picture, just for fun:

Softees Without Patterns!!!!!

2009-04-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

Scarf I just finished

2009-02-26T13:03:00.001-08:00

happy valentine's day!

2009-02-14T23:21:00.001-08:00

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'll post in red and detail my day a little bit. It was a things filled day. First, the I got this sweet litter box, delivered at about 10AM. I promptly put it together and waited for it's first use so I could test the awesomeness. Then, I took the little guy over to the cafe on the corner so he could make some juice and hang out with the dudes from his daycare. I came home and there was a little surprise for me to 'rollaway' out of the new litter box. Awesomeness confirmed! Later, I made a delicious breakfast for Nick and myself consisting of fried eggs, fried potatoes, turkey bacon for me, sausage for the big guy and English muffins. By the time breakfast was cooked, consumed and cleared from the table, it was time to pick up the little guy and send him off to Granny and Pappa's House. While exchanging Valentines and gathering overnight stuff for the little guy, my new camera arrived in the mail! I put it aside to I could open it after everyone left. Then, they left, so I opened all of my regular mail and left descended upon my little box from Amazon.com. I immediately put in the battery and card and began snapping pictures. We decided that we should finally exchange gifts... I got a sweet garden gnome and some new ice cube trays (not the first time I have received ice cube trays as a gift, incidentally). He got The Blind Watchmaker by Ric hard Dawkins. As I was playing with my camera and loading pictures onto my computer, the Nick said he wanted to go to The ReBuilding Center. So we hopped on the bus and went! When we were walking to The ReBuilding Center from the bus stop, we passed by a little taqueria called Por Que No and decided that we should eat dinner there later. The RBC was totally awesome and we will probably get a few things there when we move into our new place later this month.

Dudes, Por Que No was totally amazing. It was like Tiajuana style tacos but more fancy. I'm not much of a food reviewer, but I know good tacos when I eat 'em and these were good tacos!

Once back at home I decided that my new camera needed a cozy so I looked for some knitting patterns on ye olde internet and didn't really see anything that caught my fancy, but I did find a sewing pattern, Amy a la Mode's Cozy Camera Case Tutorial. I did modify it to make things easier on myself. Firstly, I did not quilt it, rather I used two layers of kids' flannel fabric. I also augmented the dimensions to fit my camera. I also did not do the binding thing because, well, I don't know how! I used a button for closure instead of a snap and added and extra button hole at the top to feed the wrist strap through. Oh, and I omitted the pocket because I couldn't figure out a use for it.

Some lovely pictures of the cozy with Nick's lovely camera doing the modeling:

Please also note that all images shown in this post were taken with the new camera. Kickass, right?!?!?!

A response from my congress person!

2009-02-03T11:36:00.001-08:00

I know this isn't the most exciting thing to read, but it's important. I wrote to my congressman regarding the legislation surrounding the homemade toys issue and he responded:

Dear Chloe:
Thank you for your recent communication regarding HR 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA). I appreciate the time you took to write.

As you may know, this bill resulted from the 2007 discovery that large toy manufacturers were importing and selling toys with dangerously high lead content, toys with unsafe small parts, toys with improperly secured and easily swallowed small magnets, and toys made from chemicals that could cause children to become ill. Because the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) lacked the authority and staffing to prevent dangerous toys from being imported into the US, new legislation was necessary to address this situation; the CPSIA was cosponsored by more than 100 members of the House of Representatives. Among other things, the CPSIA bans lead and phthalates in toys, mandates third-party testing and certification for all toys, and requires toy makers to permanently label each toy with a date of manufacture and batch number. On July 30, 2008, I voted with an overwhelming majority of my House colleagues to support this bill. The Senate approved this legislation on July 31, 2008, and President Bush signed it into law on August 14, 2008. The measure is codified as Public Law No 110-314.

Small toy manufacturers and others have expressed concern that the CPSIA will place an undue financial burden on small toy producers and those who resell toys and children's clothing. In response to these concerns, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which now has jurisdiction in this matter, is working to clarify particular language in the law, and to establish clearer rules for testing. Further, the House Energy and Commerce Committee will continue to oversee implementation of this legislation and, if additional legislative changes are necessary, I am confident the Committee will act in a timely manner to implement those modifications.

HR 4040 is important legislation which addresses a very serious and growing problem. The protections and enforcement authority of this measure will assure consumers that the toys and other products they buy for their children are safe.

Again, thank you for contacting me about this measure.

Sincerely,Jim McDermottMember of Congress

Loom!

2009-01-19T18:30:00.000-08:00

This is the third item I have made on loom, and I would actually wear this out into the world! I used two balls of yarn because I wanted it to be super long (it's almost 6 1/2 feet long!). It's super warm and I've been wearing it around the house. Oh did I mention I made it in one day? Looms rock.

Shirt Update

2009-01-13T20:44:00.000-08:00

I haven't done a whole lot, but I wanted to show that I really have been working on it! Actually so far all I have done is the stay stitching and the darts. Hopefully I will do some more over the long weekend coming up!

New Sewing Project!

2009-01-04T13:08:00.001-08:00

I haven't sewn an article of clothing in a long while, especially not for myself. I bought this pattern on etsy. I am such a sucker for the Peter Pan rounded collar! This is an old pattern (1963) and is a little harder to read than our modern counterparts (i.e. new Simplicity patterns). I am going nice and slow and making sure not to miss any tiny step. Sizes were also different. This pattern is for a size 16, which looks more like a modern 6-8 maybe? I will be adjusting it as I go anyway, so it will fit me well.
I spent a lot of time picking out the fabrics. I decided to use one fabric for the 'body' of the shirt, and a different fabric for the sleeves and collar. I am using a very soft corduroy with a green plaid print on it, and a japanese linen with piggies on it. For the armhole and neck facings, I am using a cream Kona cotton.
So far all I have done is cut out the fabric :o)

I got some new patterns!

2008-12-12T12:50:00.000-08:00

Okay, actually they are old patterns. Adorable, right?

I love Peter Pan collars!!!
If I saw this coat in a store, I would pay good money for it!
Empire! Raglan! Darts!
This is the best one. Coat for Mateo, maybe....?
Mateo, is that you? It will be!

apple cozy!!!!!!

2008-12-08T21:03:00.000-08:00

Floaty Toes told me about these so I went on a hunt for a free pattern and found it here @ Vegan Lunch Box - Apple Cozy Pattern. This pattern has a variation for pears at the end. That link will also lead you to banana and orange cozies. I will be gifting mine at the office holiday party this week. What's awesome about the red color is that it looks kind of like the marbling in a steak. I think I love it and will be sad to part with it, but, hey, I'm broke!

Apple cozy porn:

the first turkey

2008-11-28T20:46:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving it was just my son, my boyfriend and me. My parents just recently moved up here, but my Dad had a surgery scheduled in California for this week so they decided to spend Thanksgiving down there while they were in town. Turns out the surgery was canceled though because the doctor who was supposed to perform the operation had to have emergency hip surgery and my Dad will need to reschedule up here!

Anyway, that left me on my own for food preparations which was cool because I had been expecting t do it for almost a whole year anyway since my parents moving here was a big surprise. My boyfriend suggested we cook the turkey breast-side down to get juicy white meat. We decided that a flip toward the end would be good to brown up the skin.

I started it all with Martha Stewart's Perfect Roast Turkey recipe, hence the cheesecloth shroud:

This is the (almost) finished product:

We had to keep putting in back into the oven because the juice from one of the drumsticks wasn't running clear. Finally, we just cut off some breast meat and ate while the rest went back into the oven. I also prepared mashed potatoes, corn, stuffing, gravy, rolls, and pumpkin pie! It was awesome and we had some kickass leftovers sandwiches for dinner tonight. We love Thanksgiving!

Oh, and while we were eating my son said, "Thanks for Thanksgiving!" So cute! It warmed my heart!

the last dahlia

2008-11-28T20:44:00.001-08:00

This is my last dahlia of the season.

Enjoy:

best idea ever!!

2008-11-28T20:33:00.000-08:00

So, you know those new ketchup bottles that came out recently? The kind that you keep upside down and have a valve-y thing so they ketchup doesn't leak out? Well, I've come up with a great way to reuse these babies! Put your dish soap in them! I mean, I'm surprised that I came up with this before Palmolive did, but I did! I was just at the store on Tuesday buying Thanksgiving stuff and there was nothing of the sort in the dish soap aisle. I also use a giant bottle like this for my body wash in the shower. I think some of the body washes are using this type of bottle, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, here's my picture:

burrito head wrap!

2008-11-17T20:11:00.000-08:00

Long time, no post!! Hi!

I just made this hat thing based on Knitty: Winter 2006 - calorimetry pattern, but like double the size. I still plan on making another that is made directly from the pattern, but it's getting dang cold here and I needed a good head coverin'. I used dive Autumno 100% Merino Wool.

Notes:

I love how it crosses in the back rather than just buttoning at the tips.
I like how it covers most of my head, leaving whatever sweet hair-do I'm sporting exposed.
I like how I could wear it with a ponytail.
The wrapping/unwrapping feature is good for no f-ing up a sweet hair-do.
MY EARS STAY WARM AND I DON'T GET A COLD WEATHER INDUCED HEADACHE!!!!!!!

Pics:

I don't even knit!

2008-10-17T22:01:00.000-07:00

genius here

I've been blogged!

2008-09-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

Some lovely person blogged about something in my shop! Woot!

GO HERE!

My First CHOSEN Treasury!

2008-09-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

That means, instead of being chosen to be in someone else's treasury, I got my own treasury! I got to pick the items in it! It was really fun, and I liked seeing all my favorite things on one page. Yeah, I put one of my things there, heh. Take a look!!

Cranberry Necklace

2008-09-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

I rarely ever post about jewelry, even though it has taken over my life (in a good way)! Here is a necklace that I adore. My first one sold in a matter of minutes :oP

Flikr meme

2008-09-10T18:56:00.000-07:00

I totally stole this from here: Between Stupid and Clever

The rules are:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

sarah palin = super villian?

2008-09-08T18:25:00.000-07:00

please go read this article. i know this is a craft blog, but we agreed that this was necessary!!

america's little super villian

Pillow Case Project Day 2

2008-09-07T15:49:00.000-07:00

I received my Reprodepot order, hooray! The fabric that I am in love with, the one with the words on it...I know it doesn't match PERFECTLY or anything, but I still think it goes with the others pretty nicely. I also like the green Kona Cotton I picked out. I am still deciding if I want to use the sunflower yellow I bought.

So far I have 8 Kaffe Fassett flower triangles, 8 Kaffe Fassett twig trianges, 8 word fabric triangles, 8 green trinagles, and 16 cream triangles, for a total of 48 so far. I am just going to keep cutting and laying them out until they equal the size I need. A little bit of progress every day! That's how I keep a project from driving me nuts!

I also got a few little toys from Reprodepot, including a button covering kit, and a snap fastened kit. I'm sure I won't be able to resist playing with those this week.

P.S. I just hit my 400th sale in my Etsy shop! Thank you to all my customers!

New Supply Shop Added

2008-09-05T09:14:00.000-07:00

Hello all! I just added a new shop to the list of 'Places we like to buy are stuff'. It's called Pink Chalk Fabrics. They have all the cool designers, and do something I REALLY LOVE, which is sorting by color! You can go on and see everything that is orange, or whatever your favorite color is. It's a nice tool for matching up fabrics for projects, especially quilts. Enjoy!

Pillow Case Project Day 1

2008-09-03T19:19:00.000-07:00

I recently bought a great memory foam body pillow and decided this would be the perfect opportunity for a small quilting project. The pillow measures 50 inches long by 19 inches wide by 11 inches deep.
I am using a quilt from the Denyse Schmidt Quilts book called Flock of Triangles. Mine will be a different size, but the design will be the same. I have picked out at least 4 fabrics that I will use for sure, and two more that I may throw in. Three of the fabrics I already have on hand, as you can see in the pictures; a cream colored Kona Cotton, and two awesome prints by Kaffe Fassett. I ordered two more colors of Kona Cotton from Reprodepot, along with a print that I ADORE and I hope will match the color scheme. When they arrive, I will take more pictures!
I used my rotary tool to make quick work of the triangles. I cut 10 inch squares, cut those into 4 smaller squares, and cut those squares in half. That's it!
Tune in for updates :o)

Another Treasury!

2008-09-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the cropped picture. They sure don't make it easy to snapshop these treasuries. But lookie! There I am, tiny lavender post earrings. It makes me so happy!

Artists that I am loving

2008-08-29T09:19:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share some artists that I have lately been drooling over. Etsy is a great place to find amazing art from people who aren’t quite discovered, and so have reasonable prices. A print for $20? I’ll take it!

The reason I like this artist is the same reason I like Marimekko: black lines and bright colors. To me it feels clean and brilliant. This print is called The Water Village and sells for $27.

I actually love this print so much that I bought it! It currently sits on my fireplace mantle, waiting for me to find the perfect frame. I love its absurdity and its refusal to explain (in a good way!). This print is called The Bird Bus and sells for $20.

This is quite different than any other art that I usually like. I find it disturbing in such a delightful way. This is a real painting, not a print! Alas, I cannot afford it in all its glory, at $750, but I’m sure it will find a good home. This painting is called Edward and Lola at Night.

Again, crisp black lines, clear colors. This artist uses a screen-printing technique. The style reminds me of old children’s books that used only a couple of colors, like this. This print is called Monster Attack and sells for $18.

This girl is incredible and the reason I love her stuff so much is because it reminds me of Edward Gorey. Lots of black, and lots of the ‘etched’ look (although not in this exact print). It’s a technique that not a lot of artists are using these days that I happen to miss. It definitely gives the pictures a darker feel to them. This print is called Mohair Horse and Rider and sells for $25.

I have to mention this person, even though she is not on Etsy. Her name is Lart Cognac Berliner (coolest name ever!). I don’t remember how I found her, but once I did I immediately bought a bunch of her stuff, including an amazing day planner, and this limited edition print that you see here. The detail is almost ridiculous. This print is called Cosmic Forest and sells for $18.

THANK YOU to all the artists for letting me mention you, use your pictures, and link to your shops. I love you all!

Quickest. Project. Ever.

2008-08-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

So, I was browsing on the internet looking for a heating pad and all of a sudden I thought, 'I wonder if there is a hippy homemade way to make my own heating pad?'

THERE WAS!

I introduce to you the RICE BAG.

It's just what it sounds like, a bag of rice. Seriously, that's it.

If you go on Etsy you will find a lot of people selling these in different sizes; some good for necks, eyes, wrist pads (like when using a mouse), tummys, and even booboo sized! You can make small square ones and put them in the freezer, and put them on booboos later. This would be an awesome (and super cheap) alternative for kids who hate ice packs.

For me, I like them warm. Pop it into the microwave for about one minute at a time. Each microwave is different, and the size of the bag and the amount of rice will also have an affect. For my bag, 2 minutes is pretty good.

What kind of rice do you use? Any kind! Brown, white, whatever. Some people use flaxseeds in there too, or a combination of both. And if you want, throw in some dried lavender or other scents you like!

How much rice do you use? I was using a pitcher when I poured mine in, so I only know the amount in fluid ounces, which turned out to be 55 fluid ounces. You don't want it to be too full...make it floppy so it can mold to your body.

What kind of fabric do you use? I would suggest 100% cotton, because it will be unaffected in the microwave. You could make the rice bag with muslin, and make a cover with another fabric, if you want the option of washing it.

How long will it last? You will notice, surprise surprise, that it smells like rice. If you use it a lot of have it for a while, it will eventually have a cooked rice smell. At this point you might want to open it up and switch it out for new rice.

This took me about five minutes from beginning to end!!!

P.S. I used Kaffe Fassett fabric :o)

Something to be proud of

2008-07-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

I made it to the front page on Etsy! There I am, bottom left hand corner!

The Debutante

2008-07-05T15:51:00.001-07:00

This is him. I made him for Nick's 25th birthday. My little one calls him "the sea turtle". The pattern is from Softies: Simple Instructions for 25 Plush Pals. If you haven't already, check that book out! The creatures are beyond adorable and there are patterns for all skill levels. The pattern called for a larger eye, but this one was the largest available at Joann.

Since I was making him for a grown man, I chose olive green and white fur rather than the suggested black-and-white-tipped green and turquoise furs. I thought an orange tutu would be about as manly as a tutu could be.

I think Nick likes him. He stuffed him in his shirt immediately after opening the gift. That's a positive reaction, right? =] He also said the the Debutante looked pretty manly and that he wears the tutu because he likes it and is comfortable enough in his manhood to not care what others might think about it.

Success.

What's it going to be then, eh?

2008-07-02T17:36:00.000-07:00

So, I finally made something but I can't post it yet because it's a gift. The items in this picture are clues. I have a few other projects lined up and I have my sewing machine out so I may have a burst a posts in the coming weeks. Yay!!

Small Closet Project

2008-06-20T20:03:00.001-07:00

It's not much, but I was so happy with my recent closet organization that I wanted to share it. I don't have a dresser, but instead have hanging organizer things in my closet. The only problem with these is that it's hard for things like socks, which would just constantly spill out. I found an easy and awesome solution...I took a box and cut off the top flaps, and the top of one side. Voila! A little drawer! It pulls out easily, and now no more socks on the floor!

Customers are cool

2008-06-17T23:56:00.000-07:00

I just want to say a few quick words about my Etsy customers. They really rock. They are so nice, say such cool things, AND the best part is that they have awesome ideas. Sometimes a customer will ask for something that isn't in my store, but they just had an idea. And that is SO FUN. I love doing that stuff. They give me a fresh perspective on my supplies.

My favorite thing was this one pair of earrings. The original design sells REALLY WELL. They are probably my most popular item. They are called 'Protons Fig Neutons' and have this neat balancing mobile thing. One of my shoppers wanted them with different colors of pearls instead of the blue glass beads they normally have. I worked with her to get the color combinations just right, and they turned out phenomenal. She loves them, and I love them too!

And now I can put that new item in my shop, because if two people love them, maybe more will!
Here are pictures of the original design and the new design.

Props to great customers!!

What's in your tote?

2008-06-04T11:34:00.000-07:00

Have you been to Ikea lately? If you have you will know that not only are the chicken fingers in the restaurant delicious, but also that they are now charging 5 cents per plastic bag at checkout.
Or maybe you live in San Francisco and have to pay 17 cents per bag at your grocery store.
One by one, individual stores and whole cities are taking action on the bag dispute. That's why it's more important than ever for us crafty people to come up with cool reusable alternatives!
If you type "grocery bag" into Etsy at any given time, you are going to find about 2000 or so matches. How do you find the best reusable bag for you??? Not everyone is looking for the same things, but these are some of the features I look for:

1. The bag is durable/washable
This Etsy seller, cipolla, has made a tote with one of my favorite features, it is LINED. This means it's really strong and you can haul around your heavy groceries in it!

The Sunday Market Tote - Sliced Pear $40

2. The bag is large
This amazing Etsy seller, QwertyO, makes a tote with a very important feature...it's LARGE. It's wonderful to have a reusable bag but if you are stuck at the checkout and realize that only a few things fit into it, and the rest are shoved into paper/plastic, then why the bother? This one is awesome and huge, AND this seller makes a smaller for for the kids to like to emulate mom and dad. (p.s. her daughter also makes these sweet little bags for produce - replace those ziplocks!)

Market Plus Five $25

3. The bag is easily portable
Are you the type of person who already has a bunch of reusable totes but always forgets them at home? Me too! No one wants to have to remember to put a bunch of bags in our bag! That's why this tote is so awesome. This Etsy seller, Made By Molly, did something simple and brilliant, she made her tote COMPACT. Plus, it's adorable. Look at the little button!

Calorie Counter Market Tote Bag $30

4. The bag is itself made form recycled/upcycled materials
I love two birds with one stone! This Etsy seller, zJayne, made a tote that is clever and simple. They are totally functional AND they are made out of old shirts. Brilliant! Score BIG TIME for the upcyclers!!!!

   Six Pack paper or plastic No Thank You $24

5. The bag is attractive
To me, this is a big one. If you don't like the way that the bag looks, you will be less likely to use it! Who says that functional things can't also look cool? This Etsy seller, effie handmade, makes a BEAUTIFUL tote. The colors are beautiful and the pattern is simple. And there are BAZILLIONS of totes out there, so you are sure to find one that suits you (I like anything orange!). Or better yet, make one yourself :o)

Orange Flowered Tote Bag $23

Shameless Self Promotion

2008-05-31T20:11:00.000-07:00

I think there is probably an unwritten rule that you aren't supposed to blog about other people's blog post about you. It's confusing even saying it!
Still, how often does it happen! Maybe all the time to Angry Chicken, but only once for Floaty Toes Dry Goods.
This amazing stranger wrote about my shop, and I have never been more ecstatically proud or happy!!!!
Here is a link :o)

Shout out to Recycled Yarn

2008-05-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

Personally, I can't knit. Nor can I crochet. I have skeins, needles, patterns, how-to books. I was just never able to pick it up.
I'm sure I COULD, but I have so many other hobbies that my house is a bit overrun with those supplies as it is, without becoming a yarn collector.

Still, I want to say HOW INCREDIBLY COOL recycled yarn is. I was recently doing a search for lace weight cashmere yarn (which can be pretty pricey), for a project I wanted to commission from my yarn-arts friend. While I was on Etsy I discovered recycled yarn! It had been unraveled from clothing, washed, and made back into a skein. And the people who do it seem to have a great knowledge of their products, naming the material, weight, and washing recommendations of the yarn.

Here is a great shop, called Crafty Yarn. I like how the yarns are separated by material. This is such a great way to reuse old clothing in styles that NO ONE wants to wear anymore. It makes me want to raid the Goodwill for sweaters to unravel!!

Long Time No Post!

2008-04-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome back blog! I admit, I haven't been as crafty as I was before BUT! I started a new type of craft! The jewelry stuff. Now it's getting pretty fun, and I am just barely starting to get in the world. Okay so 45 or so total orders isn't exactly paying my mortgage, but everyone starts somewhere.

Teapot Cozy! Finally!

2008-03-10T15:18:00.000-07:00

Okay I know I have taken approximately one billion years to post these pictures, but seriously people, they are so cool that it was well worth the wait.

button hat

2008-01-08T20:59:00.000-08:00

I made this hat using the Robin's Egg Blue Hat pattern from I Dream of Knitting. The band is made using a seed stitch, the rest is done in stockinette. I was an easy to follow pattern an I used a pretty bulky yarn, still not sure what the yarn is made of because I got it as a gift from a nice gal named Ashley. I love the color.... nice bright red, and it is super soft! Thanks Ashley!

Rachel, if you're reading this, your pattern rocks!! I think I'm going to make about 1.5 million of these hats!!

The yarn I used was more bulky than the one suggested so my hat seems to have come out slightly big, but I like it that way because it covers my ears and will fit over a ponytail or whatever my hair is doing that day.

teapot cozy

2007-12-26T12:20:00.000-08:00

Now that the cozy has been received, I can blog about it! I scoured the internet looking for a nice teapot cozy that a person would not be embarrassed to display in their home. I found very few patterns that met this simple criteria. Knit or crochet, it did not matter to me! I first found this pattern which I figured I could modify to me more post-millennium-dweller friendly. No poodle, or rad flowers? The hook size was European but I found a conversion chart to US size and immediately began crocheting away. About 3 rows in, I decided that the color combo would not work and that the thing was coming out WAY too big. I frogged it. I'm not using a different hook, I'm going to find a better pattern, written in the last 20 years.

My search brought me to this beauty over at Lullabies and Lace. The instructions were great, I had no trouble getting through the pattern.
The cozy is completely awesome.

I cannot neglect to mention the help that was extended by the "boy in the house" over there. With a simple email, the dimensions of the teapot needing a cozy were relayed along with a nice description. This was a world of help since I have no teapot and am not familiar with the sizes and whatnot. I mean, I just started drinking tea like 2-3 weeks ago!! Geez!

Since I have no teapot to model the cozy, I'll leave it to Ms. Floatytoes to edit this post and add a photo as soon as humanly possible. I forgot to photograph it while I was there, staring at it. I am so proud and elated that my good friends actually like it! =]

No gnomes

2007-12-22T22:13:00.000-08:00

My dream induced gnome quilt was not approved, having a boy in the house. I understand. I do. But I must quilt. I am still going to plan this quilt so that I can work on it all year. I have decided after much deliberation that the best quilt for my skill level AND for the amount of fabric patterns I want to use, Denyse Schmidt's Flock of Triangles quilt is PERFECT. I found this site here, where it shows a picture. Of course, the instructions are for a crib sized quilt, and I am going to make a king sized quilt. My love of oranges and yellows and warm patterns are probably overwhelming sometimes, so I am going to try really hard not to make it orange. Even though I really want to. But perhaps I could compromise with greens, say from Joel Dewberry's Aviary collection?
YES.

yikes! double points!

2007-12-22T12:27:00.000-08:00

I decided to be ambitious last night. I opened my 5-pack of bamboo double pointed knitting needles. I am attempting to start and finish a Christmas gift by Sunday! Yikes! Anyway, using the double points to knit in the round is easier than I had expected because you only work 2 of the needles at a time, the other three just hang out until you get to them. I used this helpful article on Knitty.com to learn the proper technique. The picture is of what I have made so far. It's going to take some diligent work today and tonight to get this baby done!! The finished product will come in another post. =]

cookies and coffee

2007-12-22T11:53:00.000-08:00

Eight years ago, when I first started working for Starbucks, I found I could take coffee gift packs as my free pound for the week. So, I took the little 2.5 oz Christmas Blend bags (I could take 6, even though that was one ounce short of a pound) and stock piled them in my moms kitchen cabinet for a month or however long they were available for. I didn't really know what to do with them but then decided to bake chocolate chip cookies to go with the coffee. I packed up the goods in little plastic tin-like containers and my mom shipped them off to whoever they were going to, I think mostly my dad's family. I got a report back from my mom that my grandma opened her package and immediately brewed a pot of the coffee and then sat there and ate all of the cookies and drank the whole pot of coffee in one sitting (they are BIG coffee drinkers). I thought that was so awesome. My mostly homemade gift was a success! So this year I decided to do the same thing but on a smaller scale, just for the men in my immediate family because I had no idea what else to make for them. And minus the Starbucks (it gets expensive when you don't work there! geez). So, the pictures are of my cookie dough and the finished cookies. Yum!! I'll edit to add the coffees and tins later.

CD Pocket

2007-12-20T10:10:00.000-08:00

Burning CD's for someone for Christmas isn't nearly as fun without making them a CD holder to put them all in! I found this great tutorial and decided to give it a try. It was a great way to use up smaller pieces of fabric that I didn't know what to do with. The whole project took maybe an hour from start to finish. Mostly ironing and measuring, and a little sewing. Now it's a proper gift to give!

hoo...hoo!

2007-12-17T11:46:00.001-08:00

I made this little owl yesterday for my nephew's Christmas present. The pattern is from Crochet Today Magazine, Sept/Oct 07 issue. It is the "cutest little owl" pattern on page 75. It came together in about 3 hours with little fuss. I used some rice in a tied baggie to weigh down the bottom. I don't know if that was a good idea or not, but I didn't really have anything else to put in there! I think he came out a little larger than the pattern intended, but he looks fine and the stuffing isn't coming through the stitches or anything, so I'm happy with it. Next time, I'll just use a smaller hook!!

Last night, he sat up and watched "The In-Laws" with me. He's a pretty chill dude... I think I might make one of my own to keep me company when the boys are asleep.

Butterstick

2007-12-16T15:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's not the real Butterstick, but it's almost as cute. This little purse was inspired by Molly Chicken. I am delighted that a good idea can turn one dollar's worth of fabric and two hours into something so wonderful.
I used cream and black felt, cream and black embroidery thread, a small piece of fabric for the lining, and one small snap. That's it! I did a blanket stitch around the arms and legs and ears (they are all two layers of felt). I sewed the three sides together inside out on the sewing machine (make sure your arms and legs and ears facing inside when you do this!). Then I turned it right side out, and manually blanket stitched the felt to the lining on the open side, getting the arm in there. Then I added a tiny snap and I was done! I love love love this project. Thank you Molly Chicken!

Mouse in the House

2007-12-16T15:50:00.000-08:00

I had no pattern, I just guessed and trimmed and guessed and trimmed until it looked the way I wanted. This felt cat toy is basically three pieces, the two sides and the bottom. Plus the tail. I just did a simple whip stitch on all seams, french knots for eyes (I love french knots! I don't know why!), and I stuffed it full of polyfill and catnip. I also crudely whip stitched the ears on. This little guy is being sent off for Christmas, but I let my cat have a sniff to make sure it was cat-approved. From start to finish, even without a pattern, it took maybe a half hour to do.

Another corduroy bag

2007-12-15T10:23:00.000-08:00

Until it's actually Christmas, I can't seem to stop making presents for people! Here is a bag in black herringbone corduroy with a satin interior. I thought it was going to be complicated, but it turned out to be quite easy! This one is going to my sister. I know she likes to carry her school books in her purse, so I made the handles really strong. I love contrasting stitching!

Pink presents

2007-12-13T21:50:00.000-08:00

I finally finished my pig inspired by Wee Wonderfuls. This one is going to my mom, and I think I will make a brown one for my own tree.

And here is a new fabric silhouette painting series that I am really in love with. This idea comes from Anna Maria (see my previous post about these paintings). I had a lot of fun with these! I knew the paint would bleed a little around the tape, which gave me the imperfect circle shape I was looking for. Before and after pictures:

Getting closer!

2007-12-13T18:23:00.000-08:00

Here is the back of the red quilt, circles sewn but not yet washed of the chalk (so you could see the pattern). Came out great!

Home made Christmas pillows in snuggly flannel.

Stockings hung on the mantle.

And tree! See my new pickle ornament? Got that in Leavenworth.

Second scalloped quilt - almost done!

2007-12-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

The early bird gets the worm, if the early bird is me and the worm is finished topstitching! This morning I ran my contrasting top stitch round my ironed quilt. I have to say, against all odds, this one came out better than the last one. It is far from perfect, but some of the valleys in the scallops came out darn right nice! Perhaps the third time will be the charm. Tonight I am going to do the quilting part, in the form of large circles of varying size in a lavender thread color.

Earrings!

2007-12-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

I was busy all weekend making earrings for my Etsy shop. Here are a few of my creations!

New Etsy Shop

2007-12-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

My Etsy shop is finally open for business. Please, come take a look! floatytoes.etsy.com

do the dishes!

2007-12-09T01:24:00.000-08:00

These sweet dishtowels are knitted with Lily Sugar'n Cream 100% cotton yarn. I used the Dishcloth pattern from the Knit Knack Kit by Kris Percival. These will go with the Market Totes to my familial gals. They come together pretty quickly and are a pretty and functional handmade gift!!

I went to a craft night tonight with a bunch of folks from our old neighborhood. The function was hosted by the good people at the Happen N Place on SE Gladstone and 42nd here in Portland, OR. I had a great time and everyone in attendance was super happy to be there. I encourage everyone reading this to start up or participate in a fun craft night with the people you enjoy surrounding yourself with.

Happy December!! It's cold!

totes, totes and more totes!!!!

2007-12-07T13:01:00.000-08:00

Again, with the totes!! I made two more using the Market Tote pattern in Amy Butler's Sew-It Kit. I love these things!!!

Christmas Cards

2007-12-07T12:51:00.001-08:00

This year I finally decided to make the Christmas cards that I have been wanting to make for so long, design inspired by Martha Stewart. I like mine better, actually :)

I sewed the satin and grossgrain ribbon onto the paper with a metallic red thread. Then I got a slightly larger piece of watercolor paper and painted red around both sides. When it was dry I glued the tree on on side. On the other side I used my Vintage Alphabet Stamps to write " XOXO, C AND J"(as in Chloe and John). It says it all.

Inspired to quilt!

2007-12-05T15:07:00.000-08:00

After reading Anna Maria's post today about the Uncommon Quilter book, I was inspired to do the quilt I want to do, mostly because I was reminded that you can take baby steps to eventually create something grand.

I told my friend Marissa about a dream I had, where I created a huge quilt (big enough for my California King sized bed) that was covered with gnomes and forests and gnome homes (I like that - gnome homes).

Of course, the quilt I envisioned looked like it would take a lifetime.

BUT!

If I did one panel per week, 4 per month, that would be 48 panels in a year, which would be a 8x6 quilt. I have to figure out how big each panel will be, but you get the idea. By the end of the year I should have my gnome fantasy quilt!

Fabric silhouette paintings

2007-12-04T11:53:00.000-08:00

This is one of the funnest projects ever, although it took a lot of sitting and thinking about what would be cool in silhouette form and not cheesy (like old timey face silhouettes) and not trendy (like something you might see at Urban Outfitters). I finally settled on three different ducks. I guess it's a little cheesy, but I love how they came out.

The idea comes from Anna Maria Horner, and you can see a video tutorial of her making them on the Martha Stewart Show HERE.

She uses canvas that is stretched over wood, and her tutorial requires a staple gun. I went an easier route. I got a three pack of flat canvas boards from Aaron Bros (so cheap!!!!), and I Mod Podged the entire front (like Anna Maria), AND used the same Mod Podge to glue the fabric around to the back of the canvas board. No staple gun necessary! Mod Podge is awesome and great for so many things. I used a glossy finish, but you could just as easily use a matte finish, which I would also like to try. I let that dry on the back for about a half hour and the front for another half hour. This project requires almost no patience :)

Then I printed out the silhouettes I found, cut them out, laid them on the fabric coated canvases, and drew around them with a pencil. Then I either painted in the lines, or on the outside of the lines. Voila! Done!

A few hours later I went back and did a second coat of paint, but the first coat looked pretty good by itself. I would also suggest going back and sealing the whole thing. Mod Podge is perfect for that too!

This is a great way to use a piece of fabric that is too small for any other project. I am excited to try several more themed sets of these!

Totes, revisited

2007-12-03T15:26:00.001-08:00

I was so in love with the totes that Marissa made that I had to make some of my own. I am incredibly happy about how they came out, I was giddy while finishing them. The only change I made to the pattern was to do alternating straps (to match the lining). I didn't get a picture of the insides but the bags are lined with the same fabric as the handles. I love the fabrics and now I have started to venture into the 'home decor' section of fabric shops....I never had a need before! Getting that stuff on sale is a big plus, it can be dreadfully expensive. The one tip I would give to anyone is to match up the handles on the bottom of the bag (see picture) so when they are sewed together it looks like one continuous line. If the handles are the same fabric, you won't really notice, but you surely will if it is an alternating pattern. Did I mention I was in love with these totes?

Sling Bag

2007-12-03T13:15:00.000-08:00

Otherwise known as a hobo bag, sometimes. This bag was made by request, sort of. I asked my sister what kind of bag she wanted and this is the closest thing we came up with. I started with a Vogue pattern, and altered it so that it could be lined. I love everything lined. Plus it gives you a chance to use a fun fabric on the inside. I used a nice soft 21 wale corduroy for the outside, and a cotton print on the inside.

5 victims in 4 graves

2007-11-30T11:27:00.000-08:00

As usual, the title has nothing to do with the post, I just watched Sleepy Hollow recently. Anyway, I finished a second baby hat for my old friend from high school. This is the first hat. They are both on my Etsy page in the sold section. If you want your own, let me know!!

So on to the technical stuff... I modified the pattern from Crochet Today Magazine mentioned in this post to accommodate for a 4-5 month-old's tiny head. Firstly, I used an I/9 hook and Red Heart yarn in Soft Navy. Then, on the band, I decreased the number of stitches wide and decreased the number of rows. I followed the same basic pattern for the crown and brim. The earflaps were freehand... I learned the basics of making them from past earflap hats: basically decrease at each end on every other row, if that makes sense.... Until I got down to 2 stitches and just built on those until they were long enough to be ties. So there you have it! Weeeee!!

New toys and new projects

2007-11-30T09:05:00.000-08:00

Well, they are toys to me anyway! I got a new iron (fantastic!), and cutting mat and a rotary cutter. This is my first rotary cutter. I'm basically just finding out what it can and cannot do. The iron replaced an old wonderful iron that just finally died. It had a great run. But this new one....wow. Upright steam rocks.

I have not been able to post for a while because of (A) not having a working camera and (B) being on vacation. But that doesn't mean I wasn't busy! I bought a new camera (sorry I can't take a picture of it, ha! It's a Canon 720). Here are some works in progress.....
An embroidery project for a Christmas gift...I'm not going to say to who!

The beginning of the felt garland. The pattern is here, from the lovely Anna Maria.

The beginning of a purse for my sister, which I could have finished in one sitting, had I not decided to make it lined. I didn't have a yard of anything suitable, so it's off to the fabric store tonight! I rarely go shopping for fabric with a specific project in mind; this should be fun.

And lastly, some fabrics with destinies! Brown corduroy for another purse, holiday plaid for pillows, and a beautiful brocade for another (commissioned!) bag. So many projects, so little time!

Itty Bitty Tree

2007-11-26T09:48:00.000-08:00

Step 1. Cut out a piece of felt that is shaped like a slice of pie, NOT a triangle. The bottom part must be rounded, as if you had drawn it with a protractor.
Step 2. While it is still a nice flat little thing, run it through the machine with any fancy stitches you like.
Step 3. French knots for the 'ornaments'. I wound the thread around the needle TWICE to make them slightly bigger. It's all just what you like. Here is a tutorial on how to do french knots if you have never done them before.
Step 4. Turn right side in and sew along the side.
Step 5. Stuff with stuffing!
Step 6. Lay your cone on another piece of brown felt (or whatever color you like) and trace around it with chalk. This will be your bottom.
Step 7. Sew bottom on to the cone. Any stitch will do! It doesn't matter if the stitches are visible...I think it looks cute.
Step 8. Before sewing the bottom completely on, find something to shove into the bottom to keep it 'bottom heavy'. Otherwise this wee thing will want to just blow away. I simply wrapped about 2 tablespoons of rice in a paper towel and crammed it in there. You could use dry beans too.
Step 9. Sew up the opening and you are done!
Step 10. Give to loved one :o)

pumpkin cupcakes!

2007-11-22T14:37:00.000-08:00

Mateo is turning two tomorrow and we had a party for him last weekend, as my co-blogger mentioned. We made some awesome pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting for the event. This was my first attempt at baking anything that required sifting as my only escapades into baking in the past were cookies.

The only advice I have is to really let the cream cheese come to room temperature before attempting to make the frosting.We were approaching the 2 o'clock hour (AM) and I think my judgment may have been a little foggy at that point.

As you can see, they came out beautifully and were as delicious as they were cute!

john's eyeglass case

2007-11-22T14:22:00.000-08:00

I made this eyeglass case for John's birthday using the pattern from Denyse Schmidt's Quilt-It Kit. The pattern is also in the Quilts book, but i liked having the little card from the kit to take back and forth with me from cutting table to sewing machine to ironing board. It was a lot of fun because it wasn't a rigid pattern and it was easy to machine quilt in a not-so-parallel fashion. The only hard part was hemming the opening with all those layers!! I think I achieved as manly a quilted eyeglass case as possible. I used fabric from those little quilting bundles sold at Joann Fabrics.

The interior is freakin' sweet too! Too bad I couldn't get a good shot!

The Story of You and You

2007-11-20T17:04:00.000-08:00

I have been working on this for about 3 weeks. It is a small story book for my dad, for Christmas, and tells the story of him and his wife (sort of, I mean, it's a story book; plus most of it is an inside joke sort of thing). Each page was hand drawn, and then painted in watercolors. The cover was also hand embroidered, using a design from this amazing crewel book called The New Crewel. Then I sewed together the cover and bound the pages in. Please excuse any picture blurryness...I had to borrow an unfamiliar camera. Here is the story from front cover to back:

Framed stitchery

2007-11-20T16:57:00.000-08:00

I had an idea for this last weekend, and it came out exactly how I pictured. Simple.

The doll

2007-11-20T06:42:00.000-08:00

Finally I can post pictures of the doll! It was Mateo's birthday last weekend, and this is what I made him. The pattern is from Wee Wonderfuls, for the little boy named Archie. It took about 2 weeks or so, and doing the bottom and the legs lent to hours of cursing. Well, maybe minutes. Here he is making friends with Phoebe:

Here is the back where you can see the acorn backpack, also from Wee Wonderfuls.

I used kona cotton for the face and hands, wool for the body and arms, poly blend for the legs, and regular craft felt for the hair, eyes, and shoes. With this project I learned how to do stitches in the middle of the face without leaving a visible starting knot! Of course, I learned the hard way, and here is a great tutorial posted just a few days later.

Oh! I almost forgot. I stitched up this card on the way to Portland :o)

Finished Hankie

2007-11-16T06:29:00.000-08:00

I finished the hankie I started for my mom. I decided to go with an understated cream for the initials. Anything else paired with the magenta just looked too 'My Little Pony'.

Scalloped Blanket MADNESS

2007-11-14T16:36:00.000-08:00

When I say madness, that goes both ways. I started this scalloped blanket from Amy Karol's book a little while ago. I was very excited to use some new Kaffe Fassett fabric I got. I used Heirloom Organic batting in the middle. When I turned it right side out, I thought I had made a mistake, because in the valleys of the scallops, the material was bunching pretty badly. I went back and made sure to snip to allow the fabric to curve. But it still bunched.

I searched other people's pics for this same project, and it looks like some people had the same problem as me, and a bunch of people had no problem at all. I ironed it down, top stitched the whole thing, ran some stitches on the top both ways, and threw it in the washing machine! I remembered what Amy Karol said, washing and drying can forgive small mistakes, and after a few weeks, all the mistakes are forgotten.

I was determined to make another one right away, because I thought I could do it better this time. I am far enough along to know that the same thing happened! It's still cute, but I wonder what I am doing wrong? Next time I think I will try flannel as the batting...perhaps a thinner blanket will bunch less? One side is another Kaffe Fassett fabric, and the other side is an AMAZING Kona Cotton by Robert Kaufman. This stuff is truly incredible, and I can't use anything but this stuff for my quilt solids. I also used it for a few other crafts with great results.

Cookies and stitches

2007-11-14T16:00:00.001-08:00

Last night I was graced with a bag of butterscotch chips, and decided to do something I almost never do...make the recipe on the back of the package! They were oatmeal butterscotch cookies, nice and crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. I didn't follow the recipe exactly, I cut out about a third of the sugar. Before and after pictures:

Then I started a new hankie project, intended for my mom for Christmas. I used a template from Sublime Stitching. You can barely make out the design on the fabric, with her initials (t.q.) and I am very happy with the color I chose. Although these hankies always turn out nice, they are very delicate and probably will never be used as intended. I am now on the hunt for a nice handkerchief weight linen that can be both dainty and practical. Here it is so far:

sunglasses cozy

2007-11-14T13:08:00.001-08:00

This is my sunglasses cozy so I don't lose the suckers in my gigantic bag. It is stretchy since its a knit so should accommodate even Paris Hilton's sunglasses! So, here's how to make it! I used size 9 needles and Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Earth & Sky.

Cast on 22 stitches

Work even in stockinette stitch until piece measures 7-1/2"

Bind off 11 stitches

Work even with remaining 11 stitches in stockinette, forming a flap, until the whole piece measures 10-1/2" in length.

Bind off remaining 11 stitches, fasten off.
Fold the piece in half lengthwise with right sides together. Sew bottom and side up to where flap begins and fasten off.
Weave in loose ends.
Can be finished with a button or velcro to keep flap closed.

If you want to keep nicer glasses in this cozy, I would suggest using something softer than Super Saver.

The End!

HAT!

2007-11-14T12:43:00.000-08:00

I made this awesome hat for a friend's baby. Its the Lil Critter Hat pattern from the Knit Knack Kit by Kris Percival. When I casted on, I guess I had too much tension going and was afraid that the hat would come out small. So, when binding off, it let it be a little loosey-goosey and it came out fine. I added a stripe of blue/brown variegated yarn on the front so that it wouldn't look like weird hair, hahaha.... it happens! I have no babies in the household small enough to model the hat, so Food the bear will have to do!

Gnome-arama!

2007-11-13T12:54:00.000-08:00

I must have this gnome pattern!

Charming Handbag II

2007-11-13T06:45:00.000-08:00

I started a second handbag on Sunday, but this time I used a thicker twill for the outside. I had fabric left over from a pair of pants I started years ago, and then lost some of the pattern pieces! When I turned it from outside in to inside out, it was difficult because the fabric was so thick. The result: my seams opened up at the curves, where there was the most stress.
Last night I revisited the handbag and added a trim to the top...I know it has an unfinished look but that's what I was going for. I still need to add the handle strap.

Stitchery!

2007-11-12T16:38:00.000-08:00

One day all of a sudden I got the stitchery bug and immediately had to have supplies! I was fortunate enough to come across this amazing book, Sublime Stitching. It has lots of colorful pictures and information, which was great for me as a beginner, but would also be nice for someone more skilled who is just looking for cool patterns. In the back are tons and tons of patterns, it's a pretty good portion of the book! They iron transfer onto your fabric and can be used more than once. Here was my first attempt. The front looks pretty good, and the back is ridiculously messy. My first hankie from scratch! I did a simple straight stitch around the edges. Very pleased.

The lined zipper pouch

2007-11-12T16:23:00.000-08:00

Like many people, I have attempted the lined zipper pouch without a good tutorial, and ended up wanting to tear my hair out. Then I found this, a beautifully illustrated step by step showing how to do it. The result was this lovely pink creation you see, complete with confusing felt appliquéd hills and a moon and stars on the side.
The outside is all felt, and the inside was from a fat quarter from Joann's, along with 7" zipper, making this a pretty inexpensive thing to make.

the importance of making a gauge swatch

2007-11-10T16:42:00.000-08:00

So, I made a hat using the "newsboy cap" pattern in Crochet Today magazine from Feb/Mar '07. It is for my friend Amanda's birthday. I followed the suggestion of the pattern to use a size J/10 hook and made no gauge swatch. It came out kind of squat and too big around.

I waited a few days and decided to try a again with an I/9 hook. This time I made a gauge swatch and it matched up the the specifications in the pattern. The hat came out perfectly and will definitely fit a human head (see photos) unlike the previous attempt which will most likely be a better on a bovine.

Also, please excuse my modeling, I will get a wig form for future hat/ head wear photos. =]

totes!

2007-11-07T21:53:00.000-08:00

This is the Market Tote project from the Sew-It Kit by Amy Butler. Supplies- check!

These are all of the straps pinned up....I did 2 bags.

The dotted one has paisley interior and the paisley one has dotted interior!

I accidentally laid it out sideways, but things seem to have come out ok. These babies will be Christmas gifts, so if you're on my gift list, pay no attention!!

These are totally cool and I need to make at least five more! Then I get to make some for myself! You know, for groceries and stuff!

I love these fabrics and I love funky interiors. I attempted a hand-sewn red interior in a black medic bag when I was in high school. It came out ok for my skill level and for having no pattern, but these totes far surpass.

Yay!

Super Top Secret

2007-11-07T17:16:00.001-08:00

I'm working on a new project for a certain someone's little two year old, and I would LOVE to post pictures, but that would ruin the surprise! Let's just say the pattern is from Wee Wonderfuls, and I am finally able to utilize this amazing brown wool I've had for a while. Once the cat is out of the bag on November 17th, I'll post pictures of the project.

New bag just finished

2007-11-06T18:28:00.000-08:00

I've been working on this bag for about a week. It's from Amy Karol's Bend The Rules Sewing book, which is a cool book. The pattern is for the Charming Handbag. I'm really pleased with how it came out! I plan to give it to someone for Christmas, but I don't know who yet. I already started a second one. I used a felt in between the outside and lining, which makes it cozy and squishy.
*I wanted to add some info, about the strap or casing, the dimensions for which are missing from Amy Karol's book for some reason. They are:
Handle fabric: (1) 2” x 22” (5.1 x 55.9 cm) piece
Casing Fabric: (2) 1 1/2” x 6” (3.8 x 15.2 cm) pieces

chicaligwats- quilted heating pad cover

2007-11-06T15:43:00.001-08:00

folded

front

back

The modified heating pad cover is awesome. It is modified because I was using a pattern from Quilts by Denyse Schmidt and the finished product was for a smaller heating pad than I have. I had to add the 2 side panels on the front and an extra panel on the back. I used fusible Velcro instead of the sticky back stuff and it really worked out great!! I can't stand trying to sew through sticky back Velcro. Also, I ended up short on muslin because I bought the amount specified in the pattern and ended up just using the ugly blue cover that came with the heating pad as my quilt back and size template. All in all, it came out pretty spectacularly.

Now I can have the heating pad out on the couch and it looks nice, not like, well, a heating pad.

Picture test

2007-11-06T14:14:00.000-08:00

look, ma! no hands!

2007-11-06T13:30:00.000-08:00

hey look! my first post!

First Post Ever!

2007-11-06T13:18:00.000-08:00

This is pretty much just a test, to see if I can follow simple directions.