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spring break

This week was Spring Break and all productivity was tossed out the window. The weather was beautiful, so I guess if you had to toss something outside, at least it was warm and sunny.

Most of our days were spent hanging out with good friends for park dates, thrifting dates and lunch dates. My daughter and I even had a movie date. (The Lorax — it was ok. She would have preferred more screen time for the little orange guy.)

  • I spent a lot of time with yarn, most of it trying to knit something teeny tiny with sock yarn. I eventually gave up — too much concentration for a brain with spring fever.
  • I wound all of the sweater yarn into hanks, soaked, de-kinked, and rewound into yarn cakes. It’s all ready for a new swatch.

wound yarn

  • I found some new yarn for a project after my swatch didn’t felt and wound those hanks into yarn cakes, also. My swift has been getting a good workout.
  • I cleaned my office. Is there anything more wonderful than a clean work space? My desk is clear. My sewing table is uncluttered. The piles of abandoned yarn from past projects have been put safely back in plastic tubs.

Wow. After reading all that, it seems like I was pretty darn productive after all. I just need to get something back on the needles. Now that my sewing table is clear, maybe I’ll dust off my machine, too.

What have you been up to this week?

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projects in waiting

cars shirt before

I can’t believe a week has gone by since my last post. I don’t have much to show for it. A lot of projects are stalled for one thing or another.

  • The Cars shirt was a thrifty find. My daughter’s fabric bag for her matchbox cars is too small. When I saw this on the rack, I thought it would make a cute basket or tote for her ever-growing collection. I just need to get started.
  • This sweater was unraveled and ready to knit, but the swatch turned out lumpy. I have to straighten the kinks out of the yarn before I begin.
  • I’m still trying to swatch for another wooly project.
  • I have a whole slew of sewing ideas that are just bouncing around in my head.
  • I have been working on a little project that I hope to have ready next week. Fingers crossed.
  • I’m knitting a sock, which deserves it’s own post and picture.

What is everyone else working on these days? Share a link to your blog in the comments!

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before: hello kitty lunch bag

lunch bag refashion

I am crazy. I normally have no problem taking a seam ripper to anything. I cut up stuff and turn it into something new all the time.

Except for this lunch bag.

It fits a little too snug in my daughter’s backpack. Her teacher mentioned a bigger backpack or smaller lunch bag would be helpful. We actually have a Hello Kitty metal lunch box that she can use, but she wants this bag.

“You can fix it, Mama. Just make it a little smaller. Please?”

I texted a picture to my friend Kelly. “You can do it!” she said. I told my daughter it might not look exactly the same and I’d have to cut into the picture of the kittens on the back. “That’s ok, Mama. You can do it.” she said.

So I guess tomorrow I’ll be cutting up this cute little bag so it will fit in her backpack. Why won’t she just use the metal Hello Kitty lunch box you ask? Because that’s what she uses for her toy food, silly.

Wish me luck!

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thank you, odds + ends, free pattern

Thank you: for all of the sweet comments here and on facebook about my Farmers’ Market tote in Green Craft. I’m still super excited about it.

Odds + Ends: Last week I had a lot of freelance work, so there’s not much to report on the crafty front today. Too many projects started and no time to finish them. I’m unraveling a sweater for a blanket, finishing up another dishcloth, fixing another sweater and refashioning a pair of capri pants.

Free Pattern: If you knit or crochet, you should head over to Sarah London’s website and tell her about your favorite yarn. She’s especially curious about American yarns. Oh, and she’ll send you the pattern of your choice as a thank you. Sweet! I’ll be making the Green Grocer Tote soon!

Back tomorrow with pictures and something finished!

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progress report no.1

crafty to do list

Yesterday I made some small progress on my to do list.

  • removed the sleeves and collar from my shirt
  • pinned and sketched a (rough) line for the new side seam
  • chose some sock yarn out of my stash

Blog posts might be light this week, but I’m going to do my best to keep on track. Hope to post more progress tomorrow!

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things i would like to do next week

My parents are visiting this week. Usually when they are here I try to tackle a big project. The last one was a major destash and cleanup. Since then I went on a little spring cleaning binge. There isn’t a lot house-related stuff I need to do while my daughter has two super-fun playmates. I’m looking at some small, crafty projects instead.

Refashion some clothes. I’m planning to take up the hem on my linen skirts a little — they’re just a wee bit too long. I also want to work on this shirt. I love the print and fabric, but I’m not so sure about that collar and those scrunched up sleeves.

crafty to do list

List some items on etsy. I’ve got a few cute upcycled projects that aren’t going to get sold if they aren’t in my store!

Start a sock. It’s been too long since I have knit a pair of socks. Maybe since the 2008 Summer of Socks? Yikes! (Notice the “start” part. Some day in the future you might see a “finish” goal, but for now I’ll be happy just to cast on.)

Not a big list. I should be able to get these accomplished, right?

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thrifty finds: advent calendar

I’ve also been kicking it into high gear for the holidays. Unfortunately, that means it’s hard to show you work-in-progress pictures. I’ve knitted quite a few gifts over the past year and spent yesterday weaving in ends, soaking them in wool wash and blocking.

I’m also trying to play catch-up for Advent. Two summers ago I found this wooden L.L. Bean Advent calendar at Goodwill. I couldn’t help noticing how cute it was—especially for $4.99. Then the Goodwill lady told me everything in housewares was 50% off, so I bought it.

wooden advent calendar ll bean

It’s pretty much in mint condition except for a bit of double-sticky foam tape in a few boxes that needs to be removed. Here’s what it looks like when you open the little door.

wooden advent calendar l.l. bean

It came with a little bag of holiday trinkets. Most of them are ornaments with the strings removed. I guess they stuck them in the boxes with the sticky tape.

wooden advent calendar l.l. bean

I’m going to re-glue the thread loops and turn them back into ornaments. My daughter has a little tree in the kitchen and each day we’ll take an ornament out to decorate her tree. We even have a Joseph, Mary and little baby Jesus for December 25th!

wooden advent calendar l.l. bean

I know I am late getting started, so I’d really like to get it finished this weekend. It will be my second project using hot glue. Wish me luck!

thrifting: Sometimes I can’t believe the little gems I find at the thrift store. I think I even like it better than the one they sell now.

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project to do: beach blanket to go

amanda soule mama handmade home beach blanket to go

Have you read Amanda Soule’s new book Handmade Home? I love all of her projects, but the Beach Blanket to Go really got my attention. I’m going to a beach wedding in October and have been wondering what to make for a gift. I think this will be perfect! I’m going to add a label that marks the date and place, too.

Finding the bedspread and sheet for this project was like a little bit of crafty kismet. Friday morning I was searching vintage fabric on ebay and put a red bedspread exactly like the one above in my watched items list. That evening, I headed out to a few thrift stores to see what I could find. I wasn’t planning to go to the store where I found these, but I felt a pull toward that direction.

I decided to follow my instincts and was shocked to see the same exact bedspread that I had bookmarked earlier that day. What’s more, this sheet was right next to it on the rack. I opened them both up and they were in excellent condition. It was almost as if they were destined to become this blanket. Now all I have to do is figure out my binding and put it all together.

Do you ever get that thrifty feeling? Like something is pulling you to a particular store because the exact thing you are looking for is there?

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project to do: crochet jar jacket

crochet jar jacket

This yarn has been sitting in my stash for over a year waiting for the right project. I have six balls total and got them all for $5 at a garage sale. When they passed the burn test for wool, I was even more excited! I was thinking of making a blanket because they are so close to the color of our walls.

Since then, I have found Lucy over at Attic 24. Every morning I look for her latest post. The colors of her projects and photos are like a little dose of sunshine, which has been nice these past few cloudy days! Now, I’m planning to make some crochet jar jackets. The flowers are starting to bloom and I could use a fast and easy project to brighten my day. After a few of those, I’m planning to make this bag. I like the idea of having a place for my current projects to live that also matches my living room. After all, that’s where I do most of my knitting and crocheting!

I’m almost ready to start working on my to-do projects. I’ve finished the wedding, annivarsary and birthday gifts and should be able to post them on the blog next week. All I’ve got left are a few things for Father’s Day. Next week will be filled with finished photos!

stash: I’m so glad I didn’t walk away from this yarn when I found it. The colors are just perfect. I knew I’d find a project for it eventually.

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project to do: rugs

We have a sisal rug as a door mat that we bought from Restoration Hardware more than 10 years ago. I love the look of sisal, but it’s a little expensive. I thought it would be easy to reproduce by knitting with sisal. I got a ball of it at the hardware store a few years ago. It’s still sitting in my stash. I’m just not motivated to knit a big rectangle with scratchy twine.

In the meantime, I found a natural colored rag rug at Target a few years ago on clearance for $5. They only had one. We’ve been using it by our garage door and it works fine, but I don’t really like the look of the tassels. I do like that it is softer than the sisal. It feels a little nicer in our kitchen area.

rugs

Then one day at a church sale (have I mentioned how much I love church sales?) I found three more rag rugs that matched ours. The colors are all slightly different, but they are in the same family. I got an idea. What if I cut the tassels off and added fabric trim. I get the look of my favorite rug, but softer and cheaper. (I got all three rugs for $1.)

I’ve washed all of them and I’m just waiting for a little bit of free time to dive into this project. I don’t expect it will take long, but I think there will be some hand sewing involved. I don’t know about putting these under my presser foot, even if they do fit.

refashion: Refashioning isn’t just about making over your clothes. Try refashioning items for your home, too. Sometimes the best way to find the perfect accessory is to make one yourself.