Farmer's Field ...

So not too long ago I was knitting up a washcloth and the pattern and I just were not getting along. I wasn't home so I couldn't just pull up another pattern. So, I had to get creative, and thus this washcloth came into being

I really like how it turned out. Today, I pulled it out to photograph it. And also thought about weaving in teh ends, but alas, the ends are still there for you all to see =)

My oldest was hanging out with me and we decided we needed to come up with a name. We weren't really coming up with anything all that great. And as I was photographing, I realized what it reminded me of

As the daughter of a farmer, every spring it was a big deal to see who could spot the plants coming up in the fields first. I'm pretty sure only one year did I spot some sprouts before my dad - he was pretty good at it and spotted them first for sure. And when I turned the washcloth just so, it reminded me of the fields, freshly plowed and planted, and us anxiously awaiting to see the sprouts come up. So Farmer's Field it is. I wrote down the pattern (Okay, okay, I had to start knitting a second one because it is a million times easier for me to write what I am doing as I do it as opposed to looking back and seeing what I did!) So without further ado, I present to you, my first free pattern!

Farmer's Field

Supplies:
1 skein Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn
US Size 7 needle

Cast on 38 stitches


Knit 4 rows

row 1: k4, (p2, k2) 7 times, p2, k4
row 2: k6, (p2, k2) 6 times, p2, k6
row 3: k5, (p2, k2) 7 times, p1, k4
row 4: k5, (p2, k2) 7 times, p1, k4
row 5: k6, (p2, k2) 6 times, p2, k6
row 6: k4, (p2, k2) 7 times, p2, k4
row 7: k4, p1, (k2, p2), 7 times, k5
row 8: k4, p1, (k2, p2) 7 times, k5

Repeat rows 1-8 6 times

Knit 4 rows. Bind off. Weave in ends.

Enjoy! And if you do make any, will you please come back and share with me?

New blog!

I decided it was time to start a new blog last night, and so please welcome Journey of 1000 Books! (And yes, I realize that as this rate I could also start a blog called Journey of 1000 Blogs because I really enjoy starting new ones LOL!)

Anyway, hop on over if you get a chance - you can even learn why my new Nook has been nick-named Nookie (and no, not nookie like that!)  and say hi!

Hello!

So, I'm alive. This weekend was hectic and crazy to say the least - it was a good weekend though, and that counts for a lot in my book!

I worked the craft fair Saturday as planned. We won't talk much about this - I was working the booth for both my stuff and for another business. Well, the other business did fabulously. I sold nothing. Not a thing. Sigh. Oh well. What can I do? Not much at this point.

Anyway, got home. Change clothes and almost instantly turned right back around to head out with the family to a Chicago Rush game. What a nice family outing it was. I've never seen an arena football game myself and had no idea what to expect at all but it was kind of fun. It moves faster than regular football for sure. Sadly, our team didn't win - but we had a great time anyway!


When we got home, we all just crashed! We were tired. And then it was back up early on Sunday morning. Time to work the farmer's market. Where again I sold nothing. Again, oh well. And a sigh. After that I came home and napped. I was exhausted. I think I would have stayed in bed for the whole rest of the day - except, it also happened to be my birthday! I am now all of 31 years old =)



My dear husband made a fabulous dinner for us (my mom, dad, and sisters came over) and made me lovely cake! It was yummy. I am truly blessed by my family =)

Of course, the kids couldn't wait for presents - which cracks me up so much. But alas, present opening is a big deal.

So my baby sister game me a blanket she made. It's gorgeous and so soft!



I love it. Hubs completely surprised me with a Nook!



Very very fun. I've read one book on it so far (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency which is free should you own a Nook and go into Barnes and Noble with it this week! Which you should because the book was very good!) It's a fun toy. I think I've carried it with me everywhere since getting it. Because I never know when I'll be able to whip it out and do some reading (or play sudoku or need to get on-line).

Anyway, this week has been pretty ho-hum so far. Lots of softball. Lots of laundry. Lots of cleaning. But in between all of that, I've been cuddling under my new blanket and doing some reading =)

Pencil Bags

I haven't accomplished nearly as much as I had hoped to by this point. And to top it off I'm short on sleep, but I did manage to whip up some pencil pouches.



I kind of forgot about these until my mom suggested I make some. I've given them out as gifts in the past and they are always well received, so I figured, hey, why not?! I think they're pretty neat because of the way they can wrap around a notebook (or other things too!)



And they are all fully lined so they are all pretty inside too.



Never having made more than one at a time though, I learned a few things. Next time I want to make a large batch of them - pick fabrics in the same color line. I lost track of how many times I had to change my thread yesterday. Although I don't want 6 of the same exact one - I really do like making each one a bit different. But maybe 6 blue fabric and 6 reds so I only have to change thread twice.

Also, as I finished the last one, I think I thought of a better way to put them together. Now, I've never had a pattern for these, I saw someone talk about a similar idea on a blag and just set out to make one. I've made it the same way ever since. When you are only making one, it seems fast and easy. When you are on your 11th one, you start to wonder if there's a faster/better way. And I think I figured it out. So I'll definitely need to try out the new way to make it and then give a few to people to try to make sure they hold up. Although I think the new way I thought of will make them more durable than what I've done now, but these ones will hold up well too because my family - we test ours to the limit and not on purpose - my kids are just naturally rough with them LOL!

Anyway, I have a few more ideas floating around in my head - I want to make a cute Kindle holder. I was thinking I need to design an iPad case then beg my husband to buy one so I can test it out! No, just kidding, an iPad is not in my future anytime soon and I really am okay with that =)

Came back to add this - this morning my 10yo came down and was admiring them and telling me how great they looked. She told me that I could probably sell them for 3 dollars! Um yeah, they are 4.50 to make at this point LOL! Good thing she's not in charge of pricing I guess ;-)

Wish I were smaller ...

because then I could wear this gorgeous little dress:



I made this last week for a little birthday girl!



It was so fun to make. It really made me wish I still had a little girl to sew for. Of course, when I did have little girls I didn't have time to sew. So sad really.



Anyway, I loved working on this dress. I think what sealed the deal though - the little bloomers. Be still my heart!



Anyway, this week will be a very busy week around these parts. I'm doing a craft show next weekend! Yikes. What the heck was I thinking? Oh wait, I wasn't - my mom signed me up for it LOL! Anyway, next week my 10yo and I will put things up in our now empty etsy store which is also very exciting!!

And a belated mother's day wish to all the mothers and like-mothers out there =)

Skirt Apron ...

So not only did I play with a pillowcase last weekend, I also played around with a skirt. A skirt also purchased at Goodwill.



So I brought it home and stared at it. Them I held it up to all the fabric I own to see if anything matched. It didn't. Which bothered me because I was thinking for sure I needed more than just the skirt to turn it into an apron (okay, so I was hoping to get 2 aprons out of it). But I stared and thought ... and then I began to cut it up.



And somehow, using only pieces of the skirt, I managed to whip up this apron.



And oh yes. I am in love. I really am.



This is not at all what I had planned when I bought the skirt, but it is so much better than what I had planned. Sigh. I really made this with intentions to part with it. But I just don't know if I can.

Anyway, all this apron sewing has me back in love with sewing, so I'm hoping to have a few more projects to show next week. And I'm still knitting away when I get the chance to =) Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Aprons ...

So I'm on a major apron kick right now. I really do love aprons and think I can never own enough - ever. So I'm sewing lots - except really, I won't be keeping all of them. But more on that later - for now, let's talk aprons.

A few weeks ago I mentioned to you all that I bought some new fabric and some items from our local Goodwill and I've been wanting to play around with it, but didn't have time until last weekend.

So I pulled out one of the pillowcases:



and turned it into this:



I really do like it. It's simple and it was pretty easy to whip up. I took pictures of all the steps and might try to write up a tutorial. We'll see. I have a habit of assuming people can read my mind and not always saying all the steps/directions. I guess I can try and if it sucks, I'll have to trust you to tell me! LOL!

Also, keep your eyes open. I have 5 other finished aprons that I can't wait to blog about =)

I'm dreaming ...

of a new sewing machine!

In December when my sewing machine broke - again, I decided not to take it to get repaired. This is the 4th time the machine has had a problem with the bobbin. It would have been the 4th time I had taken it in to get the same exact problem fixed. And I just decided to not get it fixed this time.

Partly because I could use the machine my daughter was given (that she hasn't yet learned to use) and partly because the repair bill is about the same as the cheapest machines on the market, so if I had just bought a new one the first time we took it in to get fixed, for the same amount of money we spent on repairs I could have gotten a decent machine. Now, the machine also breaks about every 12 months - so I decided in December to wait a year and then buy a new machine.

Except I have been sewing. A fairly decent amount lately (and yes, pictures will be coming and I'm going to attempt to write my first tutorial!) And the machine I'm borrowing from my daughter is doing what it's supposed to do - but it's not doing all that I want it to do. It's really a great little, basic, starter machine - perfect for my daughter to learn on for sure! But I think I really need a more heavy duty machine.

And also, my daughter has now actually expressed an interest to have it back and has asked to take some local sewing classes. So, yeah, if she starts using it she might not be so willing to share with me LOL!

So I think, I think I will start shopping around for a new machine. I've been saving up for other things so I might have to shift that savings to the sewing machine instead. Which is fine. Clearly that is a bigger priority to me today than it was a few months ago.

Anyway, I'm sharing all of this with you with the hopes that you will tell me what machine you use to sew with and if you recommend it. Because I want a new machine, but not one I'll regret buying in a few months. And yes, I know, try it out in the store if possible but I want to know how it will work in a few months, in a few years, etc, etc =)