Boxed Bag

I made this fully lined boxed bag today, using this tutorial.

I use it to store my small knitting projects which are in progress. It is large enough to fit DPNS, or circular needles.

Climbing Leaves Fingerless Gloves

I knit these just in time for the cooler weather.

 They were knit with Nashua Knits, merino and alpaca blend, in brick.
 

Fall Napkin Rings

I made these napkin rings for Thanksgiving using leaves from a dollar store, natural pine cones and acorns found during a walk in the woods, and tied them up with raffia.

In Vogue Lap Blanket

I finished knitting this lap blanket yesterday.

I used the Boxed Cable design from the Vogue Stitchionary Volume 2: Cables, found on Page 141.

I Cast on 214 stitches, using the first four and last four stitches to knit a right leaning cable and a left leaning cable on either side to create an edging.
I repeated the 28 row pattern until I ran out of yarn.

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted

7 Skeins = 1400 Yards

5mm 40 Inch Circular Needle

Travel Bags

I sewed this set of travel bags using some vintage sheets that my boyfriend's mother gave me.  She had held on to them since the '70s. Love. Them. The top sheet was pristine but the fitted sheet was threadbare in areas.

There is a duffle bag that holds tall items, a cosmetic bag, a bag that I use to hold jewelry, and a tissue holder.

I machine quilted all around the flowers to give the fabric some structure and lined all the bags.  I drafted my own patterns. 

I'm planning to make a zippered bag at some point, large enough to hold adequate clothing for a weekend getaway, I travel light.

50s Housewife Style Apron

I sewed this cute apron today using a pattern I drafted, tracing around a small bowl to achieve the tulip edging.  I chose three fabrics that look similar to April Cornell designs after seeing one of her too expensive for me aprons at a shop.

It really makes me feel like whipping up a batch cookies, but not so much like scrubbing the kitchen sink.

Chinese Lanterns

These made me happy today for a few reasons.  They had been growing against a fence for decades, and then two years in a row, bugs got to them and ate the leaves in early summer, not allowing them to bloom.  I dug them out of the garden and this year, they surprised me by creeping over to the garden swing and setting up shop there, much to my delight.

They served to cheer me today, and remind me that sometimes the sick and downtrodden are stronger than we give them credit for.  It made me realize that there are times we just shouldn't give up hope.  That there are times that things can work out well in the end, when we least expect them to.

Fall Wreath

I made up this fall wreath using leaves from a Dollar Store, acorns I collected during a walk in a tree lined path, and a vine wreath that had been decorated previously, and which I dismantled.

The cost to make this was $3.00, yay for cheapness.

Tinkerbell Knitting Tote

I sewed this Tinkerbell tote last night, this is what I do with insomnia.  It's just what I needed for carrying larger projects like sweaters.  I lined it using the same fabric used for the handles and upper edge trim.  This was leftover fabric from a chemise I made a few weeks ago.

I found this image of Tinkerbell and printed it onto 100% pure cotton and then stitched it onto the tote fabric, outlining her wings.

I love her. I guess I never grew up.

Pet Bed From Repurposed Blankets

I made a pet bed today using a queen sized vellux blanket (as the insert) I didn't have need for anymore, and a fluffy throw (for the cover) that is being replaced by a hand knit cabled blanket I have in the works.

A few photos showing how I did it are after the jump.

A Little Birdie Told Me

I created this little thing today with materials I had on hand.

The base was the leftover part of a piece of oak that was used to transition the hardwood floor to the kitchen tiled floor.  The birds were made with a heavy coarse weave cotton and then were dry brush painted with acrylic. The branches fell out of our trees during yesterday's storm.

Oh the Thinks You Can Think!

I might be late to the party but did you know that you can transfer images onto fabric directly from your printer?  Yes we can. 

I just finished this project doing just that:

I used broadcloth fabric which is a poly/cotton blend lightweight fabric and ironed it,  then cut it out to fit on a sheet of cardstock.

I taped the fabric at the edges on all sides, chose some images, then hit print.

I cut out the images, then used spray adhesive and smoothed them down over the covered board that sits in the frame.

Done!

I can see a lot more of this type of printing in my future.  Think of the possibilities! Endless!  <3

Necklace Organizer

I put together a necklace holder similar to the earring holder I posted last week.  I'm putting a few tips and a close-up behind the cut.

Me And My Shadow

I cast a shadow of Justin and traced it, then painted it on a wall.  I'm going to be painting a few of the beginning notes of St. Louis Blues cascading out of the trumpet. It's sentimental to me because that's the first song he performed as a duet accompanied by piano in public.  He was 16 at the time.

 

My Sweet Rufus

Glass Vase Grouping

I gathered clear glass vases that have accumulated over the years and poured about 1/4 cup of white acrylic paint inside each one, and rolled them around until the paint completely covered the glass.  I then inverted them onto a paint tray and let the excess paint run off for a few hours.  The last step is to remove the paint that's left on the rim and then you're done.

You can still use these vases for fresh flowers by putting a small glass inside. 

This project cost me nothing which is my favourite amount to spend.  Little things like this ramp up my happiness more than I can say. 

Earring Organizer

I put this together today using a frame that I painted then distressed, a leftover scrap of fabric that I used to make some accent pillows for my bedroom, and regular window screen.

Simple Pleasures Brought To You By China

I just can't tell you how many shades of happy I am when I relax with a cup of blooming tea.  It's 3:00 am and I haven't slept yet with this on-again off-again insomnia, and I'm not going to drift off any time soon, but I have all the windows open and I can hear the wind blowing hard through the leaves outside. The fresh air has just a touch of coolness to it. It won't be long before fall takes root and bursts with colour and I can go to the mountains and pretend I'm a tourist.

It's so very peaceful, there is no traffic on the street, there are cats sprawled about and napping, Jazz is beside me purring his face off, and I have soft jazz playing on a vintage cathedral radio and you know?  Life is simply just good at this moment in time.

 I had my mother over this week, and I served her a cup of the Jasmine tea - she'd never heard of it and she couldn't believe her eyes. She thought it was so pretty that she took the flower home in a glass that I covered with plastic so that it wouldn't spill in the car.

She called me yesterday, I guess it would be three days now, and she says that the flower is still holding up.  I had thrown my first flower away, but I'm going to keep this one in water like she did because I like pretty things in my life that make me smile.

Faked Out Philodendron

I love houseplants but I just can't seem to keep them alive unless they are cacti. I decided to try to find something that could pass for a real leafy one and put together this today.

I found a styrofoam ball, Spanish moss, and Philodrendon clusters at the dollar store and got busy with a glue gun.  There had been a live plant in the clay pot but I sort of killed it slowly, like every plant I try to make friends with.  


I'm not sure if I should thin out the leaves though. It seems to me that when I lived in a sunnier house, the Philodrendon I had was bushy like this. 


This project cost four dollars.

I recovered this lamp shade with sisal cord and spray painted the stand black today.

Here's the before:

I needed 100 feet of sisal cord and applied it with a glue gun.