Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays to all my Family, Friends and Readers.

Almost last minute.

I have finished the last of the handmade Christmas gifts for this year.

Above is an apron for my niece. My model was a little reluctant.

The final gift is a purse. I used a pattern I had not tried before. It turned out fairly well.

Pixie house!

A place for the Pixies to call home.

Now we can start looking for found object to use as furniture.

My Husband helped to cut the floor tile today and I glued on all the leaves and grass and feathers. Myra was very good about waiting for me to get this done.

Handmade!

I could not find one... so I made one. A small stove that does not take up all the room of a big play kitchen.The stove is made of Plastic canvas, felt, re-cycled pillow stuffing, self cover buttons, and a little paint.

This is the first thing I have sewn in over a month. I hope to get several gifts finished this week and get back to sewing a couple times a week.

Yarn Ball Winder!

Look what my Dad made for me!
I got it in the mail this week. I have not got to try it out for myself but the ball my mom is holding in the photo looks great.

Happy Halloween

One pumpkin had to be scary, and the other scared.

Scary Flower!

Thanks to Bitter Betty for a great tutorial and idea.
I really had fun making this artificial plant.

Sweater Completed!

I found the Fitted Ribbed Turtleneck pattern in the Leisure Arts Leaflet, “It’s Your Time Sweaters for the Real You!” by Suss Cousins. It is also in the book "Hollywood Knits" by Suss Cousins.

Changes I made to the pattern included; working in the round from the bottom up, adding four stitches to the Large size to make it x-large, and changing needle size while making the collar to get the puffy looser look.
I also borrowed from the public library " Knitting Without Tears" by Elizabeth Zimmermann. This helped a lot in making the sweater seamless.

While working on it I was constantly afraid it was going to be too small. The knit 1, purl 1 ribbing was very deceptive. It turned out very comfortable. And is the main piece of my Halloween costume. But I think I will be wearing it quite a bit after that.

The yarn is Bernat Softee Chunky, Hot Orange(less than 6 skeins). Most of sweater was knit with US 9 needles. The collar was knit using US 9(5 inches), US 10(5 inches) and Us 10.75(7mm)3 rounds and the bind off).

Knitting My First Sweater

I am knitting an orange turtleneck. I have been working on it about a week.
I want to be able to wear it on Oct. 24th, I am busily knitting away.
I took me an entire day just to finish the first sleeve.

Also I am still working on the Through The Loops Mystery Sock Knit-a-Long.
One sock is caught up. The other is still just the cuff.

Cactus Pincushion

Cactus Pincushion Tutorial is located in my Picasa photo album. Just click on the image below.

Cactus Pincushion Tutorial

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think of the tutorial. If you make one please share a picture. I would love to see it.

Gumball Necklace.

Gumball Necklace.
Originally uploaded by flibbertigibbetbunny

A quick crochet project Idea I had this morning. This one I made using Red Heart Super Saver in Pink Camo. I think the next one I make will be with a no.10 crochet thread.

Black Capes...

...Or a puzzle.
I had two queen Size flat sheets from the clearance aisle and needed to cut out two capes. One in an Adult medium the other a child's size 3. The puzzle was to cut out all the pieces for both capes and still have all the grain line going the proper direction. I am happy to say that I did get all the pieces to fit. But the sewing will have to wait until my back recovers from the pinning and cutting.

I Know an Old Lady...

... Who Swallowed a fly.
I am glad it was not I.

(It was close though. I felt it before I saw. )

Socks!

The Through the Loops Mystery Sock KAL on Ravelry.
I purchased another set of needles so I could start both socks. The pattern suggested solid or semi-solid yarn, but this was the best I had in my stash.

Flower Fairy

Yesterday, A lot of rolled hems were done.

The dress was finished except for the Zipper. But I have the opening all fixed and awaiting the Zipper. and it is much easier to get on and off.

No sewing today. I am having a Yard sale. So I started knitting my second ever pair of socks. I Started the Through The Loops Mystery Sock Knit along on Ravelry.

Halloween Sewing

I am making progress, but it is going to have to be modified. I made one size larger than Myra's current dress size and it is really difficult to get on and off over her head as constructed. So before I add the skirt I need to decide how to add a zipper to the back. There is a seam down the back of the bodice but no seam in the back of the skirt. so...

Have I ever mentioned I hate Simplicity Patterns? I am starting to think they don't really test the instructions or the final product. and I Hate how they mix the instructions for the different views all together. And the fact that what kind of pieces to cut is very inconsistent. One piece says interfacing, another says tulle, and a third informs you that tulle is used for the interfacing. aack!

(Last year one one of the shirt patterns I used neglected to put the cuffs in the cutting layout. and it said cut two on the pattern piece, when you really needed four!)

Coming Soon.....

......Cactus pincushion tutorial.

Chocolate Cake!

Yummy and cute!
Sort of a Belated Birthday cake.

Love sweet love.

What I have I been doing?

I had a terrible Head cold for two weeks.

I crocheted a tiny basket. (I showed this before without the pattern information.)

27-G741K Mini Basket
by Pierrot (Gosyo Co., Ltd)

I knit an unoriginal hat.

An Unoriginal Hat
by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

and a My Melody hat. The motif for My Melody came from a Japanese crochet book. The rest of the hat was totally made up.













I Started on the Halloween costumes for this year.

I also decided to remodel my bathroom closet. It needed it! The 30 inch deep built it was just to hard to reach all the stuff in the back.

It has a proper door now and soon some shelves.

Vacation Memory Rock

I Picked this rock up in my parents driveway while we were visiting them on vacation. I used flowers I might see at their house to decorate it. Pansy, Daisy, Rose, Columbine with a leaf, and a Butterfly.

Crayons!

Teddy Bear crayons! Made from recycled crayons.
Idea found through The Crafty Crow. here

I used an ice tray for the bear shape. Only it was not silicone. I ended up cutting apart the individual bears and melting the crayons in my crayon maker, then pouring them directly into the bears.
This involved a little problem solving. I had to improvise a funnel system to get the melted crayon into the mold without spilling most of it down the front of the Crayon making machine. ( I had already altered my crayon maker so I can open it before the melted wax cools. My kids don't use this machine. They have another that still stays locked until it is cooled.)
This takes a lot longer than putting the whole Ice tray in the oven but I could not find a silicone tray so...

Fall Apron Swap

Simplicity 3752 view A

This was really a nice easy apron to put together. I used Three coordinating fabrics instead of just one print. The horizontal strip turned out fairly well but I don't think I would use it for the skirt if I made the apron again.

Fun Stuff

A shrunken head for a dice bag. This was really fun and quick to knit.
The pattern is Tsantsa by Beth Khan
I did do some crochet for the locks of hair, instead of the cast on method in the pattern.

I stitched up several ribbon cases for my double pointed needles. I think I did at least a dozen of these little cases. I will have to make up a few larger ones for anything over a size 6.

I came across a little photo tutorial of wire and bead rings. I gave it a try. Fun! although the one on the left might be a little too chunky.

These granny squares were a thrifty find last Thursday.
I have been chain stitching the green ones together for a girl size poncho.

Today I must make my apron for the Sassy Apron Swap. Yes I am almost out of time. I need to have it in the mail on Saturday. I am also still working on getting caught up on the Dear Jane quilt along.

August update

Stitch markers with dragons! I made these with beads I purchased on vacation.

Work in Progress: a My Melody address book cover.

A quick finish basket, I worked up to feel like I got something done.

I purchased a hand crank spool knitter, as a reward for spending three days cleaning up my craft area. (the mess is why you have not seen any "Dear Jane progress", (huge amount of clutter))

With the spool knitter I was able to put a quick finish to this amulet doll necklace. I had been putting off making the neck cord for several years. Yes I said years.

A new Sea Turtle

Noah requested a Sea Turtle. It seems that everyone but him had one. His only requirement was that it have wiggly eyes. i don't know why he thought of the eyes. None of the other turtles here have wiggly eyes.

The turtle itself is two different patterns combined. The shell from one and the body from another. The Buttons were a new idea I added. The are sewn on with a heavy craft/button thread and also served as how the shell is attached to the body. He does not have a lower shell, I will have to work on adding that to the next one.

G720-cap

G720-cap
Originally uploaded by flibbertigibbetbunny

As part of the surprise prize ( that I gave away last month) I knit this hat. and Now that Robin has received her package I can share this photo with you.

I used a free pattern I found here

Yarn used: Yarn Bee Mosaic Twist ( I forget the colorway.)
Needles: Us 11 (I guessed what size instead of looking up the translation for the needle size.)

A Fun Little Bird?

Part Duck...

Part Dragon...

And very Silly!

This was made for the "Salad Bar" Challenge Summer 2008, on the Silly String group, on Ravelry. Although I was not a full participant, (getting my list from another member of the group as part of a swap) I thought this looked like great fun. And it really was fun to make up this creature.

The list given to me by my son:

Bird type,
Head: fangs, beak, pointy ears, open mouth, tusks, visible tongue,
body: wings, scales, dragon tail
Extremities: legs bend backwards, pincers, flippers for feet
Extras: Glasses that serve as the eyes, shoes, and a “Mario” hat.

I think he was being purposely difficult.

I Just went with the list and whatever inspiration occurred along the way. I worked on it until inspiration stopped and the project seemed to be saying "I am done." I did not work in the tusks or scales. My son says the variegated legs look like scales.

Pixie Doll

This Little dolly is a Pattern test for Becky She is a very small doll with lots of tiny details. Love!

I think I must be procrastinating on my Dear Jane quilt. I hope to get back to it as soon as school starts. It will be much easier to work on those tiny quilt block with fewer interruptions.

Monsieur Cat

A knit kitty from Handknits for Kids, by Lucinda Guy.

I added a few small changes. Mostly texture and the crochet ears.

Lily Sugar & Cream and size us6 needles.