what's up

My knitting went from bad to worse.

When I very first started,

I planned to keep 

(maybe even frame!)

 my very first little square.

Except

it's not a square.

I had anywhere from 24 to 28 stitches on my needle

at any given time.

Apparently I have a knack for 

miraculously adding stitches.

So I would decrease

- at least I think that's what I'd do -

next thing I'd know,

I'd have an extra stitch or three.

And holes.

A couple of big holes, scattered here and there.

 ~sigh~

But I'm not giving up, I casted on (cast on? cast on-ed?) again last night.

I started with 26 stitches

and, after 14 rows, I still have 26.

So far, so good.

In addition to learning to knit,

this weekend I added another skill to my 

jack-of-many-trades master-of-none repertoire.

I like learning how to do new things,

or rather - I like being able to do many different things,

but I really want to find time to sit at my sewing machine

sometime soon.

I miss creating with good ole fabric.

And the speed of creating with fabric!

progress

finally yarning along

Every Wednesday,

I read Ginny's post,

then I spend the next several days visiting

all the fabulous knitters and crocheters around the world

and drool.

You see, up until yesterday,

I wasn't really a 'yarner'.

Pretty much the only thing I could do with yarn

was crochet a fun fringe on socks and blankets.

But thanks to Make it - Love it's new mini series,

Learn to Knit.

I

am now

a knitter.

Oh yes, I knit.

well, I cast-on....

(on my homemade knitting needles)

and yes, I know - they are much to big to actually use

but before running to town to purchase some,

I figured they'd be good for practicing...

Perhaps, someday, I will learn enough to be able to knit 

the booties I've been wanting to make for months.

A girl can dream, right?!

sewing sticks

Inspired by Aunt Leila's post,

I made knitting needles!!

Best I can tell

- what with my complete ignorance of the subject -

these are a US size 10,

meaning I used a 1/4 inch dowel rod.

I din't go to all the trouble of using a nail file; 

fine sandpaper seemed to work great.

Of course 

I have no clue how real knitting needles should feel...

They only took 5 minutes total 

including rubbing them down with baby bottom grease.

When Lily saw me hot gluing the buttons on

she said, "Oh! You're making sewing sticks!

Just like the chicken in Robin Hood!"

I figure

if a chicken can knit,

surely I can learn too??

when will I learn??

The pattern very clearly said 

to make a sample shoe out of cheap material

without interfacing.

Did I listen?

I also didn't put the sole lining in properly....

I thought I'd handled all sizing issues on the front end

and the sample shoe wouldn't be necessary,

and besides,

I'm no stranger to making shoes

(never mind I still haven't mastered them....)

plus

I'm not exactly a beginning sewer....

I should have made the sample!

grrr

My only consolation is

the second shoe isn't entirely made,

only mostly made....

this week's stitches

I have the hardest time laying out my blocks.

I knew I was going to be moving these blocks all around

so my usual lay-out-the-quilt-on-the-bed

wasn't really going to work for this quilt.

I calculated

and re-calculated (twice)

how much I would need, then I carefully cut my batting

and tossed it up over a curtain rod in the living room,

 stuck in a few pins so it wouldn't slip off

and ended up with a nice little temporary design wall.

I left it up several days and moved blocks around occasionally.

I got it to where I was satisfied.

Not thrilled, mind you, 

but satisfied.

And then 

Josiah

 knocked over half of my blocks off!!

and I was back to square one.

I ended up completely changing my plan

(again ~  this quilt has had a mind of its own)

and went with 6 x 9 rows

instead of 7 x 8.

Once I got them rearranged

I stuck a pin through each one;

they weren't going anywhere this time.

I got a little sidetracked in my sewing on Saturday

but then Saturday night, 

I sat down to put the white thread back in the machine.

I had to get those blocks sewn together!

As soon as I had my machine threaded though,

my stack of to-do's stuck behind the serger 

caught my eye.

That cheery sunshine started calling my name.

And before I knew it - I'd made this little number,

inspired by a little girl's dress I'd seen at church 6 days earlier.

When I showed it to Lex' in the morning,

she was so tickled!

"A tutu dress? Thank-you, Mommy!"

I love that she says thank-you without being prompted to.

Of course, Lily wondered where her dress was...

Taking some time here and there throughout the week,

I finally did get around to sewing those blocks together.

Then I added the horizontal sashing

and I'm getting close to getting the whole top sewn up.

I'm stuck on what to use as a border, though.

I don't typically do borders,

 but I think it'd add to the 'paintbox' feel if it had one.

Plus, it could stand a few extra inches;

I like my throws nice & big.

The back will be gray 

with one 3" block of each fabric.

Should I use gray?

Two narrowish borders ~ gray, then white??

Something different entirely???

Whatdya think??

it just sorta happened

It isn't as though I don't already have 

plenty of projects in the works.

This one just sorta happened though.

I have a book I've been supposed to bring to a friend 

for over 2 weeks.

It's waited patiently right by more door.

Since I've been so slow in getting it to her,

I thought I ought to make a little gift to go with it.

Months ago

she posted on FB that she needed a business card holder

kinda like this one.

Last time I checked, she hadn't ordered one.

I'm not sure that this fabric is 'her'

but I thought it was better than anything else in my stash.

Problem is, I don't really know her well enough

to know for sure.

It was fun to make 

and went together pretty quickly

even though I was figuring it out as I went along.

I'm a bit irritated with myself for having the curve on the flap

going the wrong direction.

Silly thing is - I had my fabrics cut for the other way

but somehow convinced myself I had it backwards.

So I changed it and guess what?

I got it backwards.

Oh well ~ it'll still work just fine.

in retrospect - I should not have used black thread!

It always amazes me how much mess I can make 

working on one little project.

You'll be happy to know, though

that my sewing desk is still clean :-)