To Cool for School

My little girl is about to venture on her own into the magical world of Kindergarten, and as I am trying not to drive her crazy with tears of joy, sadness and all other crazy mom feelings and allow her to go forth and learn and have fun I am making as many handmade things for her so she will have a bit of me with her. Cardigans have flown of my needles this past summer like crazy and with my new found love of sewing I decided to make her a bag. Couldn't be hard right? I mean I have only sewn on one zipper and done the simple tote and farmers market bag, a backpack shouldn't be that hard. I went in search of a bag on many of the craft sites I frequent daily and there were a lot of really cute bags, messenger bags and backpacks but none where what I wanted, then I saw this bag in a Pottery Barn catalog and said that is perfect



I had some Duck Cloth and went to work on the measurements and design, it was quite fun, until I had to actually produce the bag. I finally sat down at my sewing machine and went to work, expecting a lot of trial and error, but it went a long rather easy. I did have to do some seam ripping to make my zipper just right, but over all it was rather simple, except I used a medium interfacing rather then a woven heavyweight interfacing so the bag has a droopy feel, but I can live with that for one year. So here is my first ever design.*








Since I already had the main fabric, lining fabric and interfacing (again should have used heavier or even batting would have worked)and used the O rings from a purse I thrifted, I only needed the zipper and the piping, so in total this bag cost me $2.00. I may make another one with the better interfacing just to see how it would work.

I didn't take any pictures as I was making it, its interesting how much confidence gets beat up with self doubt, but I will defiantly take pictures if/when I make the second bag. If anyone would like the tutorial of how I made this bag please leave a comment and I will be more then happy to share with you, just keep in mind that I am a newbie and you may find a simpler way to do what I did

*Sorry but the model is not available for any photo shoots

I love thrifting

I am a big Thrift store/yard sale girl, its the way I was raised, lol, and I love it. I have scored many awesome items on my adventures, particularly when I am not looking for anything, and I like it when I score something that I am currently wanting at my local craft store

Enter my new thrifty find,



Since I am teaching myself how to sew, me and every tutorial I can find on line, I am being careful about what I buy, not wanting to splurge on something I won't use as often, but this little guy I have a feeling I will be using a lot. For clothing, and quilts and just for fun now that I have him.

So thank you to the Thrift store fairies, my new little friend has gone to a good new home and will be much loved.

Next post will be about my baby and her turning 5. I am in a bit of denial about her growing up so fast so it will take me a minute to accept it.

Have a lovely weekend and Happy Crafting

Sew Many things

Okay so I have been a very busy Mommy/Auntie/crazy lady these past few days and I am loving every minute of it.

First after my Wittle baby nephew was born I went Auntie crazy and made him a ton of things that he need not wear now due to the retched heat, but Fall and Winter are just around the corner and this is Northern Idaho so I think they will come in handy soon. So rather then bombard his mommy with so many handmade gifts I decided to slow it down a bit, the giving not the making. introducing part 1 of 3 Christmas gifts to come



Debbie Bliss pattern and some machine washable Dk yarn, enough left over to make some booties, also a Debbie bliss pattern. He's gonna look so smart in this.

Now onto the crazy mommy aspect. I taught myself how to knit oh so many years ago and I have loved every minute of it, now I am onto a new learning experience. Sewing. My mother who is very good at getting people gifts bought me a sewing machine 9 years before I was born, lol, not really. She purchased a sewing machine, luckily a Singer way back in 1972, and never used it. I remember seeing it around growing up but always in its case. So about a year or so ago, I figured I would practice using it and fix and mend clothing, waste not want not right?

Well I got hooked and made a few things a tote bag for the Farmer's Market, a dress for my Bella and some christmas stockings, etc... but every project brought on a mini panic attack and I found myself buying a lot of sewing things without really doing much sewing, so I figured it wasn't meant to be, and I went back to what I knew, knitting, which I will always love. Then a few days ago I went through my very large stash of fabric, from yard sales, giveway from family and really good sales at the Fabric Stores, and I figured one of the reasons I wasn't sewing is I didn't know what I had so I turned my house upside down and did a little rearranging and the first thing I did, I should have done a year ago is get all my stuff out of the dining room. Yes like many people I don't have a designated space, so along with my projects in waiting other things would get piled on, bags, coats, toys, CATS... Then I figured where is the best place to work, my room. So like I said I turned the whole house upside down and moved things out, donated to my local thrift shop, stole furniture from my mother, she says I am just borrowing but come on we know I am going to keep it. And This is the end result,



It's a little messy and the left side is a bit chaotic only for what I am about to show you. So I got everything where I wanted and then I was worried, maybe this isn't for me, maybe I should wait and take a class, but then I sat down and I figured out something...Sewing is fun, and when you get rid of all the anxiety, http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifpretty easy. So here is what I have done in the week that I gave myself an actual sewing station,

These 2 shirts and the dress are from http://www.craftinessisnotoptional.com/ whom I am thankful for. Jess, this wonderful sewing mama makes sewing fun and easy, she has great tutorials and sew alongs, and I just am thankful to have found her blog





This dress is simplicity pattern 5785 and the first pattern I was able to follow



Ken came to us recently without any pants and I was determined to make him some. So I found this pants pattern online, while post website later, and had some cut offs from my nieces jeans and here you have it, even my brother, man of few words or inflictions was amazed by this



So one thing is for sure, I love making Barbie clothes and it will be a nice Christmas gift this year for both my daughter and my niece



This is the Tote from Weekend Sewing By Heather Ross and I have had the fabric cut and ready for quite some time, all I needed was some gusto and I used it today, doing what, buying more fabric



so there you have it, I am a newby, but I am loving this sewing thing. Luckily I have my favorite shows on Television every now and then so I will be able to knit.

Happy weekend and happy crafting

For my little man

I have been a very busy Auntie, I have been making many things for my new little nephew and here is a small showing of what I have made for him



The booties are the Quack booties from the book Cute Knits for Baby Feet and the yarn is Berroco Comfort Dk, it is my fav Dk so far it is really soft, I had enough yellow yarn leftover so I made him a hat, Baby earflap hat by Bobbi Padgett

Then of course I made him a little Pumpkin hat, all babies should have a little pumpkin hat



Then here is my favorite so far, its a baby skater brim hat from Coffeebra(Ravelry Name) and I love. I used from my stash some cotton yarn so it can breathe, but its a bit to big for him right now



and then I did my first non baby knit, and its these adorable baby booties that remind me of Spats, from Shwinandshwin.blogspot.com so much fun all it is is a little seersucker and some felt, I used the cheap stuff for now which worked but will use the better felt stuff in the future and these were so easy and fun I plan on making more and in many more styles, Holiday inspirations and so on. So Cute



love making things for babies.



I will soon be posting what else I have been knitting, I have been very productive this summer.

Happy Crafting everyone

The worst thing to happen in a year

I have many things I love to knit, socks, anything for my daughter, and I have added Shawls to the mix. I have made shawls with worsted and fingering weight yarns, but I wanted to do lace. I figured it would take time, and I was right, but not because of the yarn or even the pattern, but because of a stitch called a NUPP.

A Nupp to anyone who has not tried it, is a stitch where you increase 1 stitch into 5,7 or dare I say 9. then you continue the row, and when you turn your work to purl you have to purl every single nupp together with all the stitches you increased.

Now if this were a larger weight yarn even fingering weight it would be I feel rather simple, still time consuming yes but no big deal, but when you are working with yarn that is the width of dental floss or even a strand of hair, it gets a little challenging, but I did it anyway, I took several pauses throught the year, made many a more things, that where nothing but simple, however everytime I looked into my yarn basket there it was staring at me, the continuous rows of nupps left to do, and I tried to bury it under many a more projects but I couldn't it would poke out at me and taunt me as an unfinished project.

Finally when it was one of the few UFO's I had left, I would sit and just bear it, and the nupps even as annoying as they were got a little easier, I did my best to make it not so chanllenging, I put markers after every nupp so I could find them when I had to purl, I used the smallest DPN I had to help me purl the stitches together and low and behold the rows of nupps where soon staring behind me and all that was left was to finish the shawl and I did, staying up well past what I should have and waiting for the moment I would block it and wear it.

That moment came to me last night, as I was so proud of my accomplishment, and as I went to bed with my new shawl drying on the dining room table I couldn't wait till morning to try it on.

Then morning came and what do I see when I go straight to my shawl, a hole, a rather large space where there shouldn't be. I am freaking out, I am looking to see what the problem is, did the yarn break? did a cat lay on it and break my yarn? did I pull it to tight when blocking? No none of these things happened, I do not know how I do not know when, but there was a live stitch undone some how some where and I was so mad. I couldn't undo the shawl, frogging lace you got to be crazy.

I did what I could only think to do, I got one of my crochet hooks and I fixed the hole and got all the stitches back to where they belonged and I did the only thing I could, I cut the stitch and tied it, then I took my clear nail polish and I basically glued it in place and it looks just fine now ( I took no pictures for I was in too much distress to worry about pictures) and now I have the final result



I am very pleased with the end result of both the shawl and of fixing of the shawl, I am going to do another lace shawl here in a bit, but let me tell you it will not have any NUPP's

Evan James

Meet my new Nephew Evan James, born July 10th.



Yes that is a sweater he is wearing made by Auntie Sarah, I had to knit it up pretty fast, its hard to decided what to make a summer baby.



To my beautiful boy you are loved so much, you have blessed our family with your presence and I can not wait to see what wonderous things you will do. Love always and forever your Auntie Sarah

P.S. I am working on your current winter wardrobe, you will be decked out here pretty soon in booties and hats and some other fun stuff.

Oh My Rhubarb

What do you do when some one gives you A LOT of Rhubarb?



I will tell you what you do with A LOT of Rhubarb,

First you wash it



then you chop it,



and chop,



and chop,



and chop some more,



then you will have a huge bowl full of Rhubarb ready to go,



and still a whole LOT more Rhubarb left, giving some to a neighbor is highly recommended, thankfully I have a great neighbor who took some off my hands,



Then you get all your ingredients ready,



and your mixer and bowls,



and of course the pans you plan to bake everything, yes that is a cast-iron skillet,



and of course you must have all your recipes handy,



then you mix and measure, bake and bake for several hours until your kitchen is a sauna and you have been standing on your feet until midnight and this is what you have,... a beautifully empty bowl that was once over flowing with rhubarb, and ...



... Two rhubarb pies and two rhubarb coffee cakes. One of the pies is for my Aunt, and one of the coffee cakes is for the person for whom gave me the rhubarb, I think he got the better deal.


and just to mix everything up I decided right at the end to make these cute little banna breads, I love banana bread.



But don't think that is the end of the rhubarb, this weekend I will be baking again, and this time I will mix things up and make a Rhubarb upside down cake, that was what the cast-iron skillet was ment for and maybe a crisp.



Hope you are enjoying your summer's bounty, and would anyone like some rhubarb?