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custom wool felted bag :: gray

Who knew it would be so hard to find a plain gray wool sweater in the winter? When I got the request for this custom order, I had to visit a lot of stores to find the perfect sweater for the job.

gray wool felted sweater messenger bag

I’ve developed a new style strap that I really like, and I’d like to find a way to put a zipper in without hand stitching. I don’t want to compromise the beauty of the ribbing with a seam, though, so I’m not sure there is another way. Suggestions?

gray wool felted sweater messenger bag

While I was looking for this sweater, I picked up some new, spring colors and I’m looking forward to making some more felted bags. It’s time to experiment with some new styles and I can’t wait to get started! More pics of the gray bag are posted in my etsy shop.

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music class

We signed up for a music in motion class for the month of February. Last week was the first week, and it didn’t go so well. M was more curious about all of the teacher’s stuff on the table rather than listening to him. I did get her to try all of the instruments: tambourine, bells, shaker egg. She even danced a little bit. Mostly, she just wanted out, hanging on the doorknob whining, “I’m all done with music class! I want to get out of here!”

This week went MUCH better. She listened to the teacher and participated in all of the dancing, singing and playing. Most importantly, she didn’t try to escape! She even told anyone who would listen (dad, grandparents) that she had fun in music class. We’ve got two more weeks and I’m looking forward to it.

I have to mention that even though she likes music class, it’s not her favorite part of our trip to the Ager Center. After class, she and her friend Elsa head straight to the ball pit in the toddler area.

ball pit

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valentine’s crafting

After looking over this post, it seems like I was in full Valentine’s Day mode for the past week, but I really wasn’t. All of these were really fast and easy to put together. I had a pretty busy week, so fast and easy was just what I needed!

Last year we colored and put stickers on blank cards. This year we made cards out of M’s existing artwork. She’s been drawing with her magic markers on a stack of make ready sheets T brought home from work and one looked particularly valentine-y.

valentines

You can download my heart template here and if you print it at 100%, the cards will fit in standard invitation size envelopes. I also used the template to cut out some hearts for a garland. I always try to hang something in this window for holidays and birthdays. You can see it from both the living room and kitchen and it’s right behind our table. That little touch always makes our house feel festive.

garland

I also made some quick gifts for T and M. After falling in love with the ball I made for Brady, I felt like M needed one of her own. I made it with leftover fabric from her bibs.

bella ball

I also whipped up a quick sweater sleeve scarf for T, complete with a roundel. I’m not sure if he really likes it or was being polite. There is a fine line between cool and too crafty for T. I think the scarf is sitting on that line! (I really like it, though!)

bmw scarf

We had a really nice day. M played in the snow, I did some sewing, and T cooked up some awesome Valentine’s chili for dinner. The best part of the day was watching M open her gifts and give her dad his Valentine.

valentine

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birthday crafting

Last Friday was Brady’s birthday, and in keeping with my pledge, he received some handmade goodies from us. I had made him some Peanuts bibs for Christmas (which I forgot to take a picture of for the blog — you can see one in action here) and I decided to stay with that theme.

snoopy and ball

The ball is a pattern from the Purl Bee and was really fun to make. I used some leftover fabric from the bibs. I think I’m going to do the same for M with the leftovers from her bibs. She really liked it!

Snoopy is a pattern from Chibi Ami. I found it on ravelry. I think you can find a pattern for pretty much anything on ravelry!

It’s a great feeling to watch someone enjoy a present that you made by hand. Brady had a huge smile on his face when he pulled the ball out of the bag, and when we left, he was chewing on Snoopy’s ear. I’m pretty sure that’s a universal sign of toddler approval.

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Shop update: more felted heart coffee sleeves are up in my etsy store.

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lincoln safari: colonel dinsmore park

We woke up on Thursday to a beautiful day: 60 degrees in February! I looked at the Lincoln Safari map to see if there were any posts close by and there was one right up at the library. We pretty much dropped everything and just went.

It was hard to convince M to follow the clues. We haven’t done this before and all she knew was that we were at the playground. Why leave the playground to follow some clue? So, we stayed at the playground until she was all played out, which was almost two hours. She ran around and I followed her with my knitting. (Hey, there’s only so much for an adult to do at the playground!)

bella

After she was tired and ready to leave, I did manage to convince her to go do the rubbing. We hung out for a few minutes at the big rock before heading back home.

bella

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more felted wool coffee sleeves

I am overwhelmed at the response to my coffee sleeves on etsy. They are selling like hot cakes! I listed my last one yesterday. All of the others have sold out and I just finished up a custom order for three. I’ll be making more this weekend. I’m glad I went out and stocked up on sweaters last weekend. Thank you to everyone who has purchased one!

coffee sleeves

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retro photo: who is this little girl?

baby bella

Seriously! Is she my Mirabella? She’s so tiny! Her hair is so straight and dark!

This is another photo from my cell phone. It was taken in February 2007. It’s hard to believe that this is the same little girl who is sitting next to me at the kitchen table “doing her crossword.”

This growing up stuff is happening way too fast!

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eat cake

I wasn’t sure what this book was all about except that it had a lot of cake recipes. I’m not a big fan of cake. I’m more of a pie person, myself. So I didn’t go into it thinking I would like it too much. Boy was I wrong!




Eat Cake really isn’t about cake at all, except for the fact that it’s all about cake. Does that make sense? It’s about figuring out your dreams; a true “do what you love and the money will follow” kind of book. It just so happens that Ruth loves cake. In addition to main story, I also loved the side story of Ruth’s parents. They cracked me up!

I think I might try some of the cake recipes after all. The Oatmeal Stout Cake sounds awesome, as do the carrot and sweet potato cakes. I’d also like to try the Lemon Curd. Hmmm… maybe I’m not as much of a pie person as I thought!

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big bad parent blanket

I was updating my ravelry projects last night and realized I never blogged about one of my biggest projects: my parents’ afghan! It’s a pattern from Stitch ‘N Bitch called the Big Bad Baby Blanket, except mine is twice as big.

mom and dad blanket

This was another project that took a long time to complete, but not as long as M’s blanket! I’ve decided that any future blankets have to be knit in pieces and seamed up at the end. Once I get half way through them, they are just too big to take to knitting group, the car, the coffee shop, etc. When my knitting isn’t portable, it winds up in a bag in the closet.

mom and dad blanket

I used Mission Falls wool and loved how it knit up. It’s very soft and washed great. I got unlucky with knots, though, but I guess if you go through 32 balls of yarn, you’re bound to encounter some knots, right?

mom and dad blanket

I’ve been squirreling away skeins of Manos del Uruguay wool for a blanket for me. I’m not ready to start another blanket yet, but I’m considering Mitered Squares or Lizard Ridge. Any other suggestions for me?