I Really Have Been Busy

So I knew I'd been neglecting the blog of late, but I didn't realize I was 2 months behind until today - eek! So I'm showcasing some of my recent projects, sorry for the lack of details!

These are actually from this morning. My baby (sniff sniff) turns 2 tomorrow, and her present is a wooden kitchen set that daddy has been busy painting for her. So this morning I sat down and made oven mitts and a hot pad for her little set. I have also knitted a towel and washcloth for her to use with it. These mitts were so easy, and it was my first experiment with quilting - success!

These are 2 corduroy dresses I made for Lucy for this winter. Both use the same pattern and sewed up very fast.

Some of you know I have a much cherished Vera Bradley pink elephants bag and love it love it love it. When I had the opportunity to buy a yard of the fabric I jumped on it like nobody's business. I have several small projects in mind (and have a travel mug that now matches my purse), but this is one of my favorites I have done with it.
Here are 2 of the waldorf dolls I have been working on. Each of these has a firefighter outfit and an army outfit.
I have also made two dolls for my own kids, but alas, they are still naked. I have 10 days until Christmas, so I need to get hopping on some clothes for them! I spent 2 nights trying to knit up a sweater, but in frustration I threw that down yesterday and haven't had the patience to try again...it may not happen for a couple days.

And I will be working up a step by step process on the waldorf dolls - the pics have been taken, but that tutorial won't be available until next year!

These are some booties I knit for a friend

And a cashmere scarf I knit for a raffle...it is so soft...wish I could have kept it for myself!
Ok, all I used on this project was glue, but he was one of our Halloween decorations this year and I just adore him.
My first attempt at entrelac and I am in love! I also learned backwards knitting on this one and it was so smooth! I can't wait to do another of these, but I am waiting for the right yarn to come along.
A vest I sewed for my son...he picked the fabric and all :)
Ok, so I am caught up! Now I just need to finish these mittens, some clothes for the dolls, some handpuppets for Christmas present...oh dear, not enough time!

Autumnfest in Review

After months of prep work, Saturday was the big day - our local craft festival! I was not on my own - a couple friends and I went in together, and I was really happy with how I did.

These are some of the things I had up for sale:












The hats did well, so I know to keep up with those.

Now it's time to start thinking about Christmas!

Swallowtail Shawl

Posting pictures of the finished swallowtail shawl, after blocking.


The points are not as sharp after wearing it around the house for a day, so I may starch it a little after I block it next time. I am so pleased with it though, it turned out just lovely and the perfect size :)

Sneak Peak - Waldorf Doll!

First up, here's a sneak peak at the Waldorf dolls I've been working so hard on - this one is Tobys...and actually, while it was my first try at the head, so far I think it's worked out the best. Not sure what I did different, but the others just haven't come out as well.

And this is the Tirmisu Blanket I made...just because. No recipient in mind, just had the yarn at hand and loved the pattern!
Ok, off to more spinning and doll making!

I have been working....

Just not posting!

I haven't even been taking time to photograph my projects - bad, I know! But I have about 10 minutes before I need to leave this morning so I'll type fast :)

I am prepping for a craft fair with several of my friends, and my number one item will be swiffer covers...super easy, but they tend to bore me, so after doing 8 of them, I'm taking a break this week to finish up my swallowtail shawl for myself...need it before fall descends upon us anyway! It's made of cotton, so not too not, but a nice little layer over my arms when needed. I have another night, maybe 2, of knitting to finish it up. I'm also doing some baby items for the craft fair - hats, socks, etc. Just a little of this and that. I will be working a lot more on those, but I needed a break this week!

Earlier this week I tried a few reusable sandwich baggies for hubbies lunch...I just got them washed and ready to go, so they haven't been tried out yet, but they look nice! And if they don't work for bread, they'd definitely work for chips.

Here's a picture of the alpaca I've been spinning and the new spindle I picked up while in Ohio. The alpaca is working up beautifully - I've finished my singles and wound them into a ball ready to ply, but just haven't had the time to ply it up yet. I don't have a project in mind for this - need to see what my yardage is first - but it will be something special for me.
I'm working on 4 Waldorf dolls - just got my materials this week and have 1 half done already. I will be taking lots of pictures of the progress and sharing - they are just lovely, and the fabric is very high quality - a dream to work with. I ordered from Dancing Rain Dolls, and am very pleased with what I got.

I'm also doing some sewing for the kids. Last weekend I made Toby a fleece sweatshirt for fall/winter - need to photograph it yet, but it came out very nice. I have material for another sweatshirt and a fleece vest for him, as well as some cotton for button down shirts if I get to it, and some corduroy for dresses for Lucy. So the machine will be very busy in the next couple weeks!

Last week one of my jewelry-talented friends helped me make some stitch markers - they are lovely, but I haven't taken photos yet - need to do that!

Ok, I feel better now that I've updated!

Catch All

Here are some of the projects I've finished lately...

Sweater for Lucy

Blue soaker, Ultra Alpaca, Size Large
Soaker with yarn that I spun (roving was from KnitFit), absolutely gorgeous BFL.

Dolly I knit
Now I'm on a burp cloth/ washcloth kick...

Too many to post!

I have been busy, too busy to post apparently! On our recent trip to visit family I finished 2 soakers, a sweater for Lucy, a cardi for my mom, and a dishcloth (small, but it counts!)

This is the cardi, a DROPS pattern that was difficult to decipher, to say the least! But I did figure it out and was thrilled with the finished project. It looks even better on...less boxy.
Pics of the soakers and Lucy's sweater are still on the camera, but I will get them up eventually.

I am currently working on a commisioned Dolly, and am now working on styling her hair. They are always much cuter once they get some hair!

I visited an awesome fiber store while in Ohio - Fiberworks, in Beavercreek, OH. They were super helpful and let me try out all the spinning wheels! I think I know which one I am officially lusting after - the Kromski Sonata. So now I know just how much I have to save up to get it! I also walked out with a few new spindles to hold me over until I can afford my wheel and some BFL in a gorgeous colorway, as well as 7 beautiful ounces of natural alpaca in a gorgeous grey. It is spinning up gorgeously! I think I'm going to knit it into a scarf and matching hat for myself for this winter! Yum!

I also returned from Ohio with a huge suitcase full of yarn, a la Aunt Lisa and company! Thanks! I am perusing baby blanket patterns and am planning to do some knitting for charity with all my new yarn and awesome assortment of colors! Plus it gives me lots of color options for Dollys!

I will post more pics when I get them off the camera!

Embroidery

I posted this cris cross dress earlier but had been thinking it needed a little something to spruce it up. I know several people with embroidery machines so I was thinking of asking someone to do a little something on this for me, but...I am impatient. (blush) So I decided to do it by hand and I'm thrilled with the outcome!

It took 2 days, and I didn't work on it at all in the evening - just nap times, so I think that was pretty good timing on my part. And it was super easy! Lucy loves it - she's wearing it now.

In the evenings I'm still working on my first stash eating baby blanket, which I might give to Toby. The colors just aren't...babyish and I'm not sure I know anyone who would love it. But Toby loves anything I make and I know he would have a blast with it. I just have 1 more square to put on, weave in the ends, and maybe crochet a border. So it is coming along. I've found a couple other blanket patterns I'd like to try for my scrap blankets too.

A Rainy Day Update

It's a gray, drizzly day, so a good day to spend some time updating at the computer!

First up is a nightgown I made for Lucy. I LOVE it though and may end up using it as a dress. This design is super easy and fast and if there's interest I may start stocking them. I'm already eyeing some more vintage fabric for more of these!

Here is a detailing of the hand crocheted edging. I'm still working on the edging for the bottom, but the rest is put together.


Here is a criss cross dress with rick rack trim for the store (say that 5 times fast!)
And another for Lucy.
A soaker for Lucy.
And another soaker for Lucy. This one has ruffles on the bum, but I'd never done it before, so I put the ruffles too far down...it just doesn't look right on her. So I will probably take them off and try again...thank goodness they were just sewn on!
And that's it for right now. Several projects in the works right now, but first and foremost is finishing the edging for the nightgown/ dress :)

It's Raining Yarn

Hallelujah, it's raining yarn...

Not quite, but after my stern determination that I need to cut down on yarn, I returned from Ohio with a large rubbermaid tub full of yarn.

In my defense, it was free.

I love my hobby!

Bad Blogger!

I know, I know, I'm such a bad blogger lately! I have been busy, just not good at getting my pictures up to day. But here's a little of what I've been working on lately:

1. Spinning - I have finished 2 skeins since last posting, have taken pics, but not on the computer yet. I'm working on my next skein now, a Blue Faced Leicester (bfl) wool in the wicked witch colorway from KnitFit Knitting.

2. Knitting - Been working on shorties and soakers- finished a pair of shorties, then used the leftover yarn to make a coordinating soaker. The soaker isn't quite finished yet, but close.

3. Sewing - Made myself a new skirt, and have 2 cross cross dresses for the store in progress.

4. Organizing - I actually went through all my yarn last night and sorted it by fiber - Fun! I also see that I have Too Much Yarn, so I'm now on a destashing frenzy. It's time for some odds and ends projects, because I really don't have room to be buying any more yarn or fiber right now.

BUT

I already have 1 lb of roving coming my way (blush). So I need to find somewhere to stash it!!!

So I'm looking at some scrap afghan patterns right now. I have tons of acrylic, but really prefer to knit with natural fibers, so I'd like to get rid of the bulk of my acrylics. I like to keep odds and ends on hand for stuffed dolls and animals, but I don't need anywhere near the amount that I have on hand right now! And that will free me up with space for the wools and cottons that I really love. So starting tonight is project SCRAPS! We'll see what we come up with!

Oh, and I found an alpaca farm nearby that I can't wait to visit! I already have a couple friends who want to work out a field trip for the kiddos, so it should be a blast. I'm hoping to get my hands on some roving - I know they have the whole fleece, but after reviewing my stash last night I really think I have enough on my hands without cleaning and processing an entire fleece...that just seems a bit...much. But I have a habit of jumping in with both feet, so we'll see...

April Showers...

Means more time for knitting!

I finished up a few small projects last week.

First up is a baby bonnet knit with Panda Bamboo Silk. A fingering weight yarn, it is a DREAM for knit with...very soft and smooth! I still have a skein and a half left after making this bonnet and a pair of booties, so I have cast on a lace scarf for myself.

This stretchy newborn hat is also knit out of bamboo. These projects were my first foray into bamboo, and I gotta admit, it's not my favorite fiber. The bamboo and silk was a nice combo, but I guess I didn't like the way the strands tended to separate on the bamboo.

These are the booties to match the bonnet above.
Ok, I'm not sure how this one got turned sideways, but it is a 3/4 length sleeve shrug for my 15 month old daughter. She wore it to church this morning and it was darling! It was a super quick knit with worsted weight yarn and size 7 needles.
This has also been a do-it-yourself weekend. I have been slowly but surely spinning by spindle. I decided to make two little helpers this weekend - first up, this is my niddy noddy, a handy little skeining machine...I wind on 2 yard skeins with this.
Ok again, not sure what Blogger is doing to my photos because this one is sideways too, but this is my makeshift Lazy Kate. I slid my singles off my spindle and onto a straw, then slid the straw onto size 2 straight knitting needles and poked them through a shoe box. Then I was able to ply the two singles together while keeping my singles nicely seperated. It worked fantastically and I was able to ply these two together last night into a 180 yard skein of blue-purple yarn (pictures to come, it is still drying).

So that is what I've been up to lately...lots of different odd projects! I started spinning a new yarn today - Blue Faced Leicaster, and this roving happens to be superwash so I can machine wash whatever projects come out of it! I bought this from a new source and it seems to be losing some color on my hands, so I'm not really thrilled about that. But it is fun to try a new fiber!

Toys, toys, toys!

These have been my main project for the last two months - a donation to my local MOPS group for the meeting raffles! I am so excited about all three toys...I hope they make 3 kids very happy :)

First up is another Dolly, Dolly, like the one I made Lucy for Christmas, using scraps of acrylic. I adore her.

Next up is a giraffe made with Lion Brand Microspun...he's super soft and cuddly!


And last but not least is this Construction worker from the book Knitted and Felted Toys, by Zoe Halstead. Once again, Blogger screwed up the order of my pics, so you have to look at the close up of the tools before you get to see the whole little man.



The construction worker is 14 inches tall, so quite larger than I imagined! But I love all three...the last one took quite a while to make, though.