Day Nine of My Twelve Days of Crafting

Hello everyone!
Well, I had a great night at Woolly Lamb tonight! Yes, I was there on a Tuesday night! Brigitte had the first of three classes of Cat Bordhi's "Sweet Tomato Heel Sock." It's a new method of knitting heels and so far so good. I have the toe started and almost done. There's not much to show for my work but I did learn something new. We have to knit up to the "hinge of the foot" for the next class which is next week. I have a bit of homework to do with this sock. The class was full but Brigitte was still able to give each one of us individual attention. I felt bad because we stayed a extra half-hour over our time!

I love to knit and learn new techniques so this is the perfect combination for me!

I found a great new pattern today on line to make an "XL Hot Pad" which measures 10 x 15.5. It is designed by Vickie Eapen of Spun Sugar Quilts.  Of course, it's quilted! It's nice to put under a 9 x 13 dish. You can find this pattern and many others on their website. You can also find a tutorial for it on Pinterest.

If only I had to time to make everything I want to make.....

Well, off to bed for me. How come the evenings fly by but the days go like snails!

Day Eight of The Twelve Days of Crafting!

Hello to all my family, friends, and fans!
I'm so happy you're reading my posts and hope you are enjoying them! I'm having a great time doing this!


 
 

Today is Monday so that means a picture of the Flowers of the Week from the Firm. I'm not sure who the florist is but they do make a beautiful arrangement.

Also, Monday means my pick book of the week. I started reading Sylvia Day's book, Entwined with You. I really enjoyed with first two books of this series and couldn't wait for book 3. I accidentally found it at Target on Friday. As I mentioned previously, these books are on the same order of The Fifty Shades of Gray but not as much S&M. I really enjoy this author.

I also picked up a couple Andrew Greeley book but haven't started them yet. I really enjoyed his books and look forward to getting back into his writing.

 

Once again, I started a new craft project last night. What else would I do? I had an idea to use some of Mom's Yo Yo's for different things. These are some of the key chains I was thinking of making for my sisters and nieces from Mom's handiwork. When I was at the quilt and then the fiber shows, I picked up several old buttons to use for these projects. I think they are looking very nice. More projects to come using these Yo Yo's!

 

That's it for tonight.  Back to crafting for me!

 





Day Seven - Crafts are My Life

Good evening all!
I hope it's not as hot by you as it is by us! A real scorcher today! I saw my friend Renata from Woolly Lamb biking with her husband! I said she's a better man than me! I don't even want to walk outside let alone ride a bike!



Needle Holders

Pin Cushion

          

After a visit with my MIL this afternoon, I came home and started making my pin cushion (left). It's about 3 1/2 inches square and just adorable. It's filled with crushed walnut shells and smells so good! I had a fun time making it. This was very easy to make and I can see making sets with this pin cushion and the adorable needle holders I made previously (right). They're the same size and would make great gifts! More on this.....

 

Not too much else to report. Didn't do any knitting today but thought about it! Sometimes I just don't feel like doing anything but relax!

 

Sorry about the format of this issue. Still not sure how to space correctly so it looks like my draft when published. 

 

Until tomorrow.

 

 

 



                                                           



Day Six - 12 Days of Crafting

Hello!
Had an extra special day today. I spent the day with two of my dear knitting friends, Liz and Ro. We went to an art show in Evanston, visited a new knit shop, and went to Vogue Fabrics. We shopped til we dropped! We went to the art show in Evanston to see another one of our knitting friends, Sonia. She was selling her beautiful felted purses, knitted hats, scarves, etc. Her booth was so nice. I finally took some pics of some of my knitting friends!



Liz, Colleen, Ro (holding one of Sonia's bags) and Sonia - our Artist!
 

Sonia has been busy knitting up these purses and then felting them. This process of felting is like shrinking your wool sweater on purpose! You just put it in the washing machine in very hot water, let it agitate, check it regularly, remove, shape and then wait two or three days for it to dry! Very labor intensive but totally worth the resulting items! We've been watching her knit at Woolly Lamb and can now see the beautiful items she has completed. Her booth was beautiful and should surely win for the best booth!

We saw lots of jewelry, art work and many beautiful items for sale.

Ro, Liz and I walked all around the exhibits, looked at everything, stopped to eat lunch and enjoyed the day so much. And Ro only got lost once! (She claimed we were lost!) : )

Our artist, Sonia!

                  

And now, My craft of the day is the second sock of this pair. I finally turned the heel, picked up my stitches and am just knitting the foot until I get to the length I need. Then I decrease for the toes and Kitchener the toe closed! My goal is to finish the last sock by next week Friday. This has been an ongoing project that I'm glad is nearing completion. If I had to wait until I finished a pair of socks I would be walking around barefoot! Ha-ha!! I do love knitting socks and will be learning a new technique beginning Tuesday at Woolly Lamb Yarn Studio! More details to follow!

My latest book is the third book of a delicious trilogy. This is the third Crossfire Novel written by Sylvia Day, Entwined with You. These books are very similar to the Shades of Gray series but not as much S&M. Not sure if you think that's good or bad. I can say though, that the Crossfire Novels are very good! Glad I found this book and am looking forward to reading it.

 

That's it for tonight. Lots of fresh air, walking, and laughing have tired me out! Off to bed for me and looking forward to crafting SOMETHING tomorrow!

 

 

 

 

 

 



Day Five - Twelve Days of Crafting....

Hello all!
OK - I may have skipped one day but that's because I was so busy crafting! : )

So happy to have today off! It's been a great day and I've gotten a lot accomplished. I even treated myself to a mocha latte tall WITH whip cream at Starbucks! I was so happy that I actually lost weight this week I had to celebrate. Nose to the grindstone now again because I have one pound to lose and make my 50 pound weight loss goal! I can do it, I can do it, I can do it!!!!

Once again, I had a wonderful time at Ro's house last night. Sonia, Liz, her husband Tony and baby Bianca sat on her deck and chatted, ate delicious food and enjoyed great company! We didn't even knit that much. There were a lot of fireworks going off and we watched some but mostly chatted and watched Liz's puppy Bianca! She is such a sweet doggie!

Once again, I didn't get any pictures of us or the fireworks. (Sorry Mandy!) Sometimes I just forget to take pics because I'm having so much fun. Ro, Liz and I (the three amigos!) will be going to see Sonia at her Art Fair in Evanston. We're also planning to take a trip to Vogue Fabric in Evanston. Why not, as long as we're there? I PROMISE I will get some pictures for my next blog!

Well, here is my craft of the day. This is a beautiful pattern I got for free on-line through Craftsy. I'm using a very soft yarn with a bit of sparkle. Hard to see on this picture but it's lovely. The pattern is a lace pattern and a bit challenging to me but very pretty. As you may have noticed, I suffer from a chronic case of start-I-tis. There is no cure for it but it is fun! It's so exciting to start a new project!

 

I just realized that I have to cook some kind of dinner. Tom had to work today so he's not home to cook like he usually does! : (Oh well, tuna and noodles for everyone! : )

 

I worked on a few things yesterday, as you know and got all my repairing done except for some of the repairing that needed to be washed first. I'll tackle that on Sunday. I also cut about 60 squares for a quilt I'm planning to make. I was very angry at myself because the squares were supposed to be 4 1/2 inches square but I cut about 1/2 of them 4 inches square. Sometimes I wonder about myself...Oh well, the squares will be 3 1/2 inches now! No harm, no foul.

 

Well, I'm itching to do a bit of knitting now. I picked up the other skein I needed for my blue linen cowl at, of course, Woolly Lamb so now I can start it.

 

Have a good day and look for me again tomorrow.

Day Four - Twelve Days of Crafting

Good morning all,
Happy Fourth of July! Seems like it was just Easter and now, summer is half over! I always felt once the 4th was over, summer just flies by! I'll be going to Ro's house tonight to watch the fireworks in Morton Grove. Should be a nice time! I'm looking forward to getting together with some of the knitting ladies.

I started sorting out some of my clothes today to take to the Thrift Shop in Norwood Park. I have sooo many clothes that I haven't worn in a long time and now are too big for me. I guess that's a good thing but some of them were really nice and I liked them! Oh well, a shopping I will go.

Tom and I went to our favorite restaurant for breakfast this morning and then I walked home. It's about 1 1/2 miles. It feels good to exercise and walking is my only form a exercise at this point. Then I took Sable for a slow walk around the block. She walks very slow!

I didn't take a pic of the ladies at knitting last night. We were so excited about the new things Brigitte got in that I forgot! So many nice things! I'll be sure to get some tonight.

Well, I finished The Perfume Collector yesterday and it was very good. I recommended it to all of the ladies last night. Brigitte said she is almost done with it so I didn't spoil it for her. : ) Not sure what I'll read next but I'll let you know. We're planning to start a book club at knitting and talk about the book while we knit. Should be fun.

Well, since I didn't blog yesterday, I'll show you two crafts I've finished. OK, it's the same thing but two different colors. This cowl was the Woolly Lamb Christmas club project for June. I made the navy one for Joanne and turquoise one for myself . I'm going to start another one in the same navy for myself. I couldn't wait until Christmas to give it to Joanne. She loved it! I put cream color linen on mine but I put white angora on Joanne's. It's so much fun to have a girl to make things for!

 

 

Here's a sneak peak for Maria  of the Yo Yo's I've sewn together so far. It's fun to coordinate the colors and put them together. I've got enough now to connect to what Maria and my Mother put together. I put a penny in the pic so you can see the size of the yo yos. At least they're not the tiny ones! I have so many ideas to make with some of them for all my sister's and nieces. Now I just need the time to do it! 

 

I'd like to start cutting some square for a quilt I'm planning to make as well as start some of the pin cushions I'm planning to make. I have all weekend so I'll pace myself. I have some hemming and repair work to do today so I'll try to get that off the books today.

I'll close for now so I can get started on my hemming and repairing. Have a safe Fourth of July and keep reading my blog!

Day Three!

Good evening!
So happy to hear that Woolly Lamb is open tomorrow night for knit night! Thanks Brigitte! Nice way to end this short week!

I am thoroughly enjoying my book; The Perfume Collector. This will be a book I don't want to end. So looking forward to reading another one of her books.

OK, for those who may have thought I'm not scrapping anymore, today's craft is scrapping! I made a beautiful graduation card for my Godson, Steven Rodas. Don't tell him because I haven't sent it yet! (I have to go to the post office as it should be put in another envelope because it's a bit bulky!) I had a nice time making it as well as another one for Joanne's niece. Unfortunately I didn't take a pic of hers. Here is Steven's card.

 

 

I also had another idea recently to make some cards for my fellow knitters. We always buy yarn for a specific project. Then when you see that yarn a year or so later (yes, a year or so later!) you wonder what project you were going to make with said yarn. So, I made some cards for them to use for that purpose! They are very cute if I must say so myself. I didn't buy anything - just used what I had in my stash of scrapping stuff. They say, "Now what did I plan to make with this yarn....." You can put the yarn name, pattern name/number, needle size, and any notes you want. Then you keep this card with your yarn and when you pull it out, you know exactly what you had planned to make!  A brilliant idea and everyone loved them!

 

 



Well, that's it for tonight. I'll take a pic of our knit night and post it tomorrow.