Updated Crafty To Dos

Jenni inspired me to go through my crafty to do's. i've gotten more done on this list than i expected - i never think to refer to it. i'm really hoping to be inspired to stick to a few things on here that i've been wanting to try.

Sew

• figure out how to cut straight...
• still working on it, but getting better

• oven mitts and pot holders (here and here and here)
• bought oven mitts - this wasn't at all intriguing for me

• booties (for kelly mccaleb's project) 
• done here 

• recieving blankets (for kelly mccaleb's project) 
• didn't have enough fabric to fit the required dimensions

• pajama pants (from In Stitches by Amy Bulter

• purse for me (i have to choose???): pleated beauty handbag from amy karol's book, pillowcase bag, wasp bag, birdie sling, in LOVE with this one, but my sewing skills aren't there yet...
• tried two: the pillowcase bag and the buttercup bag , still want to make another that is bigger and more structured and possibly a messenger bag  for school. 

• knitting needle/crochet hook roll

• skirt for me (here, here, here, here, here, here, here , or here )
• whew! that is a lot of options! i might just have to make them all because i live in skirts in the summer.

• waldorf doll (i loved making these as a kid) and/or nutcracker doll from alicia paulson's book

• baby legs

• coasters & placemats to match
• Jess made me some coasters! i still need to find a place mat pattern i like. 

• bunting

• bedside book cozy
  

Knit

• continue practicing & learning the lingo
• doin' good on this one, although pattern reading isn't as easy as it seems! here here and here 

• eventually sweaters like katie makes!
• soon - after some more confidence and practice

• debbie bliss seed stitch baby shoes 
• cast on for these last night. i'm making them for our future baby. it isn't conceived and won't be for a long time, but the only yarn i have works good for baby stuff...and i need to learn how to increase and decrease.

• slouchy beret 
• not sure i can pull it off, but i love it. i also want to cut my hair like the girl in the pictures!

•  toy elephant
  
• i love love love this. i think i will have to improve, but i REALLY want to make it. 

• baby legs 
• i think the knit baby legs are the cutest, but the whole double pointed needle thing is intimidating... soon i will try

• coffee cozy 
• i have a friend getting married who LOVES loves starbucks - everyday in college she got at least one. it will forever remind me of her. i was thinking a gift certificate to her fav and two matching cozies would be cute for a shower or wedding gift. 

Crochet

• resume practicing & learn the lingo
• on hold for now

• booties from kelly mccaleb
• on hold for now

Quilt

• piece together my baby quilt kit from kelly mccaleb 
  
• i'd really like to get this started before school starts....

Embroider

• day of the week dishtowels
• just going to do two and not include the days. i have the towels - just have to transfer the designs and start stitching!

• snail onesie from alicia paulson's book

Paint

• freezer paper shirts (examples here & here)
• i have everything to do this except the freezer paper

• canvas silhouettes
• if we get a house i will FOR SURE be doing this, if we rent i will probably STILL do it!

Other

• ribbon organizer

• key rack 
• really want and need to do this!

Cabled Baby Bib

I have lots of Lily Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn in different colors so I decided to knit a little bib for Baby M. I'm slowly expanding my knitting skills - this included cables (ooh ahh!), seed stitch (more on that in a minute), and a button hole (i know you are impressed).

back to seed stitch... I LOVE IT. i think it is so soft and nubbly. i just can't get over how it feels! so so great. cables. intimidating, but SO not hard! 

i hate this picture - it shows all the flaws, but this was a really good learning project for me. you can see about two inches up where i started being able to knit more loosely - it kind of bulges. can i just tell you how much easier that made my knitting life?? 

a cute simple button from the flea market this weekend! now if i could only find (and afford) a rocking chair to knit in... 

details:

pattern - modern cabled baby bib from gibsongirl on ravelry  

yarn - lily sugar 'n cream 100% cotton in hot blue 

knit washcloths

these are for a special new homeowner.

i am the slowest knitter EVER. i've been working in these for about three weeks! in my defense i wasn't devoting all of my crafting time to them (mostly just knit when i watch a movie or tv) and we were traveling last weekend, but still. i think my slowness can mostly be attributed to the fact that i knit too tight. makes it difficult to maneuver so i go more slowly. i'm learning to knit more loosely and as a result my latest project is going much more quickly.

i love this checkered one. such an easy pattern, but i like the effect.

the solid green is just a simple garter stitch. 

i love the way the cotton knits up - it is firm enough to be kind of scrubby, but still feels soft and organic. 

details:

pattern - dirty-girl washcloths from The Chicks with Sticks Guide to Knitting 

yarn - sugar 'n cream 100% cotton in green & green twists

these will be on their way soon linz! 

love at first sight

this is a sewing book given to be my Grant's aunt (hi chris!!). i am SO in love with it. it is SO old and has been in Grant's family for a long time.

check this out - an inscription dated 1892. i can't make out all the words but it says Mrs. ______ and then Amsterdam under it. 

it seems that singing while stitching was important back then. more than half the book is songs and poems. i'll have to type some out - they are so great.

and now for the part that give me an indescribable amount of joy - the back cover. a little drawing of a sock being knitted with  "when daylight is flitting; we take up our knitting." written underneath. *swoon*

Chris - thank you so very much (for this and the knitting needles - I've already put them to work!)

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i've also been meaning to post a thank you to Jenni over at Simple Beans for giving me a little award! on monday she gave me the Kreativ Blogger Award!

Now I am to list 7 things that I love:

1. My husband - he is pretty freakin' awesome! 
2. Home - being in our little space is always so comforting. being home in Oregon is equally so. 
3. Creating - it really doesn't matter what it is, but as long as I am making something I seem to be happy. realizing this has made life so much better!
4. I have to second Jenni on Organization - it is extremely freeing and comforting when everything has a place. 
5. Blogs - i have benefited in countless ways from this oh so special community! 
6. Dutch Brothers Coffee - I miss you!! (making my own iced vanilla latte is pretty good, but nothing beats a DB)
7. Compliments and Comments - maybe it is vane, but it is so satisfying when something I do is enjoyed by other people! 

And its too hard to pick so if you are kreativ consider yourself awarded!!! 

animal silhouettes

 i made these a few months ago and forgot i had never posted about them! now i can't remember how i got to the tutorial for this project, but somehow i found it and knew it would be perfect for Baby M's nursery.

it was really easy to make the little animals. you just print out the template, cut it out, and paint it. you can be sort of sloppy as long as you get the paint all the way to the edges and have a scrap piece of paper underneath. once they dry the edges curl a little, but if you put them in the middler of a heavy book for several hours they flatten out. 

the hard part for me was writing straight and in french no less! it took me and my perfectionist self MANY times to be sort of satisfied and that was with giving in and doing one in english. so much easier to write fluidly in a language you know! after i was satisfied i glued the animals on with rubber cement - my all time favorite adhesive! i just love it.

from what i hear they have been successfully framed and hung in the nursery. easy, unique, inexpensive art - awesome!

happy birthday

to my sweet sweet husband