We do Secret Santa every year at work and I always like to make something for my Secret Santa. I usually put some lotion or a candle in along with it but I personally like homemade gifts so of course, I enjoy giving them as well.
This is what my Secret Santa got this year:
It took a lot of will power to give this away.
Pattern: Sideways Grande Hat from Interweave Knits~Accessories Special Issue 2009
Yarn: Jiffy by Lion Brand in 159 Dark Grey Heather
A friend of mine (who I’ve never met or even spoken to but is dear to me nonetheless. I love the blogging world!) just had a sweet baby boy. Luckily, I was able to finish these little gems for her before he came.
Pattern: Noggin, a free pattern found here.
Yarn: Classic Wool by Patons in Taupe
Spa by Naturallycaron.com in Naturally
Pattern: Rub-a-dub-dub Bootees, from Beautiful Baby Knits (I found this book at a used book sale)
Yarn: Spa by Naturallycaron.com in Naturally
These are my first booties! I think they turned out perfect. I couldn’t get over how tiny they were!
I’m trying to become more organized. Especially here in my dungeon. I have, for the most part, everything down here organized fairly well. I have several drawer carts where I keep all my scrapbooking things, my yarn, etc. I have my fabric stash somewhat organized into long rubbermaid bins but they are overflowing. My husband is going to build me some shelves with cubby holes to transfer the fabric to. Can’t wait for those shelves!
Anyway, I love anything that makes it easy to keep things organized. Like this, for instance:
Pattern: Butterick B4476
I had this pattern and thought it would be nice to have. It was EXTREMELY easy to make and now all those little things I like to keep handy while sewing are exactly that. Handy.
I have another pattern for a knitting needle organizer, which I desperately need. I plan on making that, but not until after Christmas. My plate is too full so I will suffer through until then.
So lately I’ve been in more of a knitting mood than a sewing mood but I’ve promised a few things that need to be sewn so I’m forcing myself to get them done. I’ve put them off for too long.
And so I present to you the monkey shoes. They are seriously cute.
I’ve stared cutting out the pieces for the romper and hat to go with the shoes so I hope to finish those tomorrow or Wednesday.
And I'm getting internet back! Can you tell how excited I am! At home, I post using Windows Live and with that program you can add watermarks to your pictures and it's just much easier than Blogger is. The Verizon FIOS people are coming out next weekend to get us all hooked up....can't wait!
This was the fabric she gave me. It's a super soft flannel with cute little froggies all over it.
This is the back. It is so soft...I love it.
The other fabric is a cute jungle/safari print and I basically used every last scrap of it.
First, I made some little booties. You can't see it but the bottom is made with the blue ribbed knit fabric from the pants.
Then I made a long sleeved onesie. I was planning on a sleep sac, but there wasn't enough fabric for that.
I had this blue ribbed knit in my stash and it matched perfectly so I made a pair of pants to go with the onesie.
This is a little blurry (sorry) but you can see the print a little better. This is the hat.
And finally, with the last little scrap of that fabric I made a bib.
I have a few more things to make for her, including a couple rompers/sleepers, some shoes (that look like monkeys...can't wait to see how those turn out!) and a mobile.
I rearranged my sewing room/dungeon. So now it looks more like a sewing/craft room and less like a dungeon. Now it won't be so embarrassing to take pictures of works in progress, which I plan to do from now on.
Also, I've been asked to sew a bedskirt and a window treatment for another client of my husband's. Does that make him my sewing pimp? Hmmmm.... Anyway, I've never done anything on that scale before but I'm going to give it a try. The sewing is easy enough, it's just the large scale that has me a little apprehensive. I told her I wanted to try it on some scrap fabric (and I have plenty of that...I'll have to post pictures of my stash) first before I try it on the expensive stuff. More to come on that later.
Stay tuned!
I have plans to attend a local flea market in a few weeks where I will have a table to sell some of the things I’ve made. I still haven’t bothered with my etsy store yet. Someday.
Anyway, in preparation for the flea market I have finished a few things and will be starting on (and hopefully finishing, but you know me…) a few more. Here a few of the finished items:
A cute little sunhat.
Another pair of felt baby shoes. These are a pair of moccasins. I don’t like these as much as the first pair I made, but they are still cute.
I LOVE these shoes so much that I’m contemplating on whether or not I really want to sell them. I took the pattern I had for the felt baby shoes and modified it a little to make this pair of Mary Janes. You’ve probably picked up on the fact that I do not care for pastel colors for babies. At all. I mean, a little pastel here and there is fine but a whole wardrobe? No thanks. And I love the white, black and red combination. Especially the peep show of red. Yeah, I’m going to have to keep these for myself.
“Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right….
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.”
Gotta love Stealers Wheel.
Anyway, that is how I feel when it comes to knitting projects: always stuck in the middle. I’m really good about starting a project. Finishing one on the other hand…well, not so much. Don’t get me wrong. I do finish things. Just not very often. Here are a few bunch of things I currently have on my needles.
This smurfalicious mess will be a hat for my husband. He gave himself a buzz cut since I didn’t feel like cutting his hair so I’m making him a wig. It’s basically a beanie hat but made with a fun fur yarn. I’ll take pictures of him wearing it once it’s finished.
This is going to be a shawl. It’s a mohair yarn with some rainbow glittery thread mixed in. Can’t wait to see how this knits up.
This is a baby blanket I’ve been working on for my godson. The sweet little face from this post. Keep in mind I started this blanket a few months before my friend’s baby shower. Last August. It was supposed to be a shower gift. I then said it would be a gift to him when he was born. He was born last September. Now it’s becoming a first birthday present. Hopefully. I came up with the design for this blanket myself and once it’s finished I will be happy to share the pattern.
This is another baby blanket that I’m making for myself. I’m in no rush to finish it seeing as I have no baby in my future. Not yet anyways. I just love the colors in this yarn.
This is how far I’ve gotten on the babylegs I started back in April. I think they will be too big for a baby so I’m thinking maybe I should turn it into a sock? I’ve never done socks before so what better time to learn?
And just so it doesn’t look like I NEVER finish anything…something that is actually finished! I found the pattern for this adorable doll in this book:
I realize she is naked and I am in the middle (surprised?) of making her a dress.
I finished something! I know you’re excited. I made a message board using the following items:
First, I covered the plywood with the batting.
And used the staple gun to staple it to the back. 
Then I laid the fabric on the table, face down.
I trimmed the fabric to fit the board and placed the board on the fabric. It is ready to be stapled.
This is how I did the corners….
They aren’t perfect but they are at least neat.
Now the fabric is attached, we are ready to put on the ribbon.
I used measuring tape to make sure each ribbon was the same width apart. You can use whatever width looks best to you.
You can see all the ribbons are pinned down where I want them. Now I will flip it over and staple them to the back.
All the ribbons are stapled to the back.
Next, I stapled where the ribbons crossed and made an “x” with the staples. This gives it a quilted look.
The finishing touch is the beads. I hot glued each bead where the ribbons crossed.
And there you have it! My husband finally hung it up for me over my desk and it’s looks perfect!
This boppy pillow cover has been wrapped up and shipped out!
