Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Out of Hibernation

On Monday night, I finally tried out the Christmas present from my wonderful husband.

Two Tone Tote Lining 1

Believe it or not, I got the darn thing threaded on the first try. I was quite impressed with myself given it's been over 3 years since I last sewed on a machine - and it had been 10+ years since the time before that. I LOVE my sewing machine. It's simple, lightweight and has enough fun attachments to make it seem fun but not overwhelming.

So what was I sewing???

Right there on the ironing board...

Two Tone Tote Lining 2

That blue cube of fabric is the inside lining for the eight pocket two-tone carryall tote. Yep - the tote bag has emerged from hibernation.

I got the lining instructions thanks to the tutorial by Cocoa Cream. Now - my lining is nothing fancy and my sewing skills are less than expert. My lining looks NOTHING like Cocoa Cream's as she took the time to measure and cut straight. I, on the other hand, was not so neat. Some would call it sloppy or unfinished or mediocre. Let's just call my lining "organic", shall we? And no close ups of it either.

All the lining pieces are finished so now comes the time consuming task of hand sewing them all into place. Plus I need to assemble all the bag pieces together. So while the project is out of hibernation, there is still much to be completed. But stay tuned - the end is in sight!

Monday, February 18, 2008

The MS&W Countdown




As of today (2/18/08) there is 2 months, 2 weeks and 1 day until MS&W 2008.

You may be wondering why I choose a turtle on the ticker. First of all, there was no sheep or alpaca to choose. Secondly, time seems to be ever so slowly passing by until the festival. And the festival not only means acres of fabulous fiber, it also means a wonderful weekend with my girls. :)

Completed Project: Chemo Cap

It must be a 2-for-1 Monday special here at the blog...another F.O. to share.

Thanks to "C" for recommending the site, HeadHuggers.org. I'm not sure if I'll mail the cap now or wait until I have 1 or 2 more done before I send it.

This was my first ever hat and I found the pattern to be very easy, though I am no fan of reverse crochet. It slows me down too much. Overall, I'd make this pattern again, though probably with a bigger hook so I could wear it.

Here are details - also available on Ravelry.

*********************************
Chemo Cap 02

Chemo Cap 01

Pattern: Homespun Crochet Hat Pattern

Hook: K (6.5 mm)

Yarn: less than 1 skein of Lion Brand Homespun in Sierra (? - this is questionable as I used yarn from my stash and I know I bought this yarn eons ago. Could be a color that has been discontinued.)

Size: It's too small for my Irish melon. (Hence, no photo of me wearing it. It's too funny.) I'm just hoping it fits whomever receives it.

*********************************

PS: Make that 3-for-1. Though I won't post details because it was an easy project. My hairdresser loved the Oscar Scarf (related post or details on Ravelry). :)

Completed Project: Purple Dream Blanket

The latest Christmas gift I've ever completed. It went in the mail today and should be with its receipient before weeks end. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. The border gave it a finished look and a run through the washer and dryer made it extra soft.

Here are the details - also available on Ravelry.

The completion of this project means another item crossed out on my list of 2008 crafty resolutions. Yay!

***********************************

Purple Dream Blanket 08

Purple Dream Blanket 05

Close-up of the border:
Purple Dream Blanket 06

Pattern: Improvised - double crochet for most of it with a ribbed border

Hook: J (6.0 mm)

Yarn: approx. 12 1/2 skeins of Lion Brand Homespun in Grape

Size: approx. 67 1/2" x 61 1/2"

***********************************

Monday, February 11, 2008

I'm here...

I may be MIA from the blog, but I am out here. Work and life has been busy so it has taken my time away from posting.

Good news is that the purple dream blanket is only a skein and a wash from being completed and I'm finishing up my first ever chemo cap for charity. Sadly, the sewing machine still hasn't been used so the tote bag remains in pieces. Maybe this weekend...maybe.

This week will be equally as crazy as I have to travel for work but I will try my best to at least post by the weekend (and with photos!).

Happy Monday, y'all!