Posted on

wardrobe refashion: crochet top to tote bag

This top is one of my finds from last weekend’s garage sale bonanza. My friend issued an ultimatum: “If you don’t buy it, I will and turn it into a tote bag.” Well, of course I had to buy it. I couldn’t be out-toted!

crochet top to tote bag

It took me awhile to figure out what to do with it, though. I used my seam ripper to carefully remove the lining. Then I turned it inside out and upside down, literally, before it came to me. (Ribbon not part of the tote. How does one hang a one-handle tote?)

crochet top to tote bag

I was happy to see that the color on the inside wasn’t faded. The seams were also nicely done, so I decided to keep it inside out. I used some denim from a pair of jeans for the bottom. The inside was stash fabric from a garage sale. Can you believe how well it matches?

crochet top to tote bag

Everything was done on the machine except I hand-stitched in the lining. I didn’t want to lose that pretty crochet scallop edge. It needs a little something though. I have a few circles left over from the top. I think I might make them into a flower applique for the front.

refashion: Tank top 25 cents from garage sale. Lining from stash of garage sale fabric. Denim from some old pair of jeans. I think this would make an excellent knitting tote!

Posted on

east campus garage sales: new fabric and yarn!

Last year I barely made a dent in the east campus garage sales. I had no idea how big they were. I took my husband and daughter to the textile sale and by the time I made my fabric purchase, my family was ready to go.

This year I went with my friend Kelly. We shopped all morning and got some great deals! I bought lots of cool fabric at the textile sale and some really nice clothes for refashioning. I did get a few other odds and ends, like a cookbook and some baking pans, but I know you just want to see the fabric, right? Here’s a small sampling of my favorites.

hillestad textile saleI got a mix of textures. These feel like canvas.

hillestad textile saleThese feel more like traditional upholstery fabric.

hillestad textile saleIsn’t this cool? It’s yarn sewn to fabric! I bought yellow one, too.

hillestad textile saleI can’t forget this total deal, even though it’s not fabric. Sweater in progress plus all remaining yarn for 25 cents. Yes, 25 cents. It’s superwash wool.

I’m going to wait to post the clothes, because you’ll see them in the “before” pics when they’re refashioned.

I think this was my last garage sale of the season. Today the air feels a little cooler. The sun is setting earlier, too. I feel like a squirrel who has worked all summer on a healthy stash. Now it’s time to stay in and start sewing!

Posted on

handmade baby shower gift

My knitting group had a baby shower for my friend Tana last night. I couldn’t figure out what to make because she has already created so many beautiful sweaters, blankets and quilts herself. I decided to sew something instead. I figured her daughter is going to be the best dressed baby when the weather is cold, so she would need something for the warm weather.

mccall's m5083

I sewed the 12-month size with the hope that it will fit sometime next year between June and August. Estimating the size was tricky! I added a little extra elastic on the inside so Tana can adjust the waist if necessary. Luckily, the top ties in the back, so that should be an easy fit.

mccall's m5083

project notes: Pattern is McCall’s M5083. Fabric is from my stash. It’s one of my first and favorite purchases. I can’t believe it’s almost gone!

Posted on

twinkle, twinkle little chromium star

chromium star blanket

I won’t tell you how long it got me to get to this point in the Chromium Star blanket pattern. I’m not sure why I had a hard time following the instructions because when I look at them now, they seem so straightforward. It helped to put stitch markers at each adjacent dc stitch. Now that I have the hang of the pattern repeats, this is really addicting. I find myself sneaking in a few stitches whenever I get the chance.

stash: I went shopping for this yarn in my stash. It’s Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece and originally was going to be a sweater for my daughter. Too bad I didn’t get it done before she outgrew the pattern. I think it will make a lovely blanket. Pattern from The Kidney Bean.

Posted on

oversized swatch becomes cute wool clutch

Last weekend my friend Jennifer drove up from Kansas City to hang out. It had been over 20 years since the last time we’d seen each other. We had a lot of catching up to do. She wanted to learn how to knit, which is a great way to spend your catching-up time. I cast on some wool to show her how to start. We kept talking and I kept knitting. Without realizing it, I had knit all of my yarn. What was I going to do with this gorgeous rectangle?

Hand Knit Wool Clutch with Denim Lining and Zipper Closure

I folded my oversized swatch in half, whip stitched the sides and added a lining. The result: super duper cute clutch! The good thing about me finishing this so fast is that I got to show Jennifer how to bind off. She caught on quickly and is doing awesome with her first scarf. Another person successfully converted to the fiber arts. Yay!

Visit my etsy shop for close up pics of those lovely garter stitches.

stash: This is a great stash busting project. Yarn was gifted to me by a friend who was ironically destashing it. Denim lining from my garage sale stash. Thrifted zipper.

Posted on

inspiration: anthropologie tank top

I was browsing through the Anthropologie website and saw this cute top.

anthropologie transparency cowlneck

I immediately thought of a pattern I have in my stash. (View #2)

simplicity 4589

Then I thought of another one. (View #4)

simplicity 2593

Clearly I need to stop thinking so much and start doing. My list of potential and unfinished projects is getting much too long!

Posted on

remnants!

remnants

Last Saturday I discovered a little store called Stitches that creates custom drapes, valances, slip covers, etc. I found them through a garage sale listing on craigslist and I couldn’t resist the words “fabric sale.” I had originally planned to just look. I had no idea that things would be so inexpensive. I picked up a bunch of canvas remnants for 25 cents each (not pictured) and a few larger pieces for 50 cents a yard. I already have plans for the floral print flannel: pajama pants!

stash: Whenever I bring something new home I have to destash to make room. On the list this time: jeans I had planned to refashion into tote bags. I just don’t have time for all of the projects in my head!

Posted on

my first granny squares

granny squares

I needed a small, portable project for our trip to Kearney last weekend. In the past, my travel projects have mostly been socks. Now that my daughter is older, I prefer something that doesn’t require so many needles and won’t completely unravel if I throw it in my bag to chase her down.

granny squares

I decided it was time to try my hand at granny squares and I think they’re looking pretty good. I finished one in the car on the way out and one during the day. (That’s the president of the local BMW Car Club holding my square over a Porsche. Isn’t it great how the fiber arts bring us all together!)

granny squares

I’m planning to seam these together and make a scarf for myself. I’m really happy with the colors and the yarn is really soft.

stash: Yarn is Lion Brand Wool-Ease from a giant freecycle haul. Most of what I got that day has been given to knitting guild members to make squares for charity blankets. There were about five skeins of this colorway that I kept for myself. I’m not sure what I’ll do with the rest of it yet. Maybe matching wrist warmers?

Posted on

surprise for our recycling guy

bags of shredded junk mail

Our recycling is mostly made up of glass, aluminum and plastic. Since I’ve canceled most of our catalogs, our weekly paper bin consists of some boxes, a few days of newspaper and junk mail. Not tomorrow, though!

Believe it or not, the biggest project I worked on while my parents were visiting was non-craft related. I tried to regain some control over our filing. There are lots of reasons excuses as to why it was in such a state. I won’t go into them here. Let’s just say there will be a lot of paper at the curb tomorrow morning.

I’m still not finished. Most everything has been sorted into files. The next step is to go through each file and figure out what we need to keep. I’m going to work on that at a much slower pace, though. I need to get back to my sewing!

resource: The IRS has a guide for what kind of records you should keep posted on its website.

Posted on

my creative space

fabric for new tote bags

This morning I went to a few garage sales. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular — just trying to stay fresh with ideas. I found this cute cotton shower curtain that I think will make some really fun tote bags. There’s even more ric rac not pictured! Today I’ve been sketching and trying to figure out how I’m going to cut this up. There are so many possibilities!

More creative spaces over at Kootoyoo. Go check them out!