Bye

I am abandoning this blog, and heading over to https://beckymadeit.wordpress.com/.
See you there.

Kid's Crafts 1-2-3 and Me!

I'm in print!

One of my lovely friends, Jennifer Perkins of Naughty Secretary Club, has invited me to be a part of a really neat magazine called Kid's Crafts 1-2-3. This magazine is such a wonderful treat that is full of projects by some truly creative people.  I am so honored to be a part of it, and flattered to be included!  If you have kids, or know someone who does, this magazine really has loads of fun things to make together.  Kid's Crafts 1-2-3 is exclusive to Walmart, and can be found in most stores, or there is a subscription option here.

I have a project in the current issue that is available now, and I will be in the next one too. I hope to be a regular contributor, it is so much fun!

For this issue, I made a yarn painting of Thomas Turkey. Cracks me up.  It reminds me of those kitchy 1970s shag art pieces that you might find in an old greasy-spoon restaurant. I used yarn colors that were totally of that era.  I am kicking myself for not taking more photos, or if I did, I have no idea where they went.  Boo.  Once again, I am apologizing for my cruddy photography.

Jennifer blogged about making her own version of my project here.  Her interpretation is perfect.  You can't have Thanksgiving without a classic 'turkey-hand'.  I love it.

Appliqué Monthly Bday Onesies

Every month I will appliqué or decorate a onesie for P to wear and be photographed. Eventually, I'll have his whole 1st year in photos(and spiffy outfits). Can't say I came up with this idea, but I think it's really cute.
I wanted to share with you my method.
Materials:
Shirt or onesie, which you can dye with Rit if they are the plain white ones.
Felt bits for appliqué design
Fusible Web
Embroidery floss and needle
Paper Scissors

Materials

Directions.
1. Make a drawing, print, or trace a design. Remember numbers and letters will be reversed, so if you need to adjust that, work it out in the sketch.
2. Place the sticky side of the web onto your sketch. You should be able to trace each part of your shape onto the paper. Spread them out so you have cutting room around every shape.

Tracing each part. 

Shapes all traced, except for the number 9.  I just drew that later onto the felt. 

3. Sloppy cut around each shape from the webbing. Place them on felt and press for about 5 seconds, or enough for the paper/web to stick. Don't press too long or the paper will be forever stuck.

Webbing fused.

4. Neatly cut out each felt shape along your pencil line.
5. Peel away paper, leaving glue onto each shape, and arrange them onto the onesie, glue side face down.
6. Press until all pieces are nice and stuck.

Ready to iron, I tucked the fin edges under the blue. 

7. Stitch around the outside edges if each shape. I prefer the blanket stitch because it outlines and defines all in one. Plus it looks waaaay fancier than it really is. Thread your needle, and come up from underneath, right along the appliqué edge. Then skip over a bit, dive your needle into the shape and pop the tip out right in the edge(but on the shirt side). Wrap thread under needle, hold with your thumb and pull through. Repeat all around.

You could totally omit any fancy stitching if you'd prefer (and I've seen tons of similar onesies for sale sans stitch), but I think it's much more permanent and nicer with it. If hand stitching isn't for you, a machine can do the trick.
8. Finally, put a cute kid in it, and photograph.

Nursery Room Cowl

P is a wild man! We spend a TON of time in his little nursery so that he may rumble and play until he wears himself out. Toys everywhere. It has become my habit to listen to Pandora and work on something while supervising the mayhem. In fact, this is happening right now as I am blogging away on my phone.

Coincidentally, in an effort to streamline and simplify classes at Stitch Lab, I have been thinking about revamping the Crochet 101 project. Nursery time has come in quite handy for this very thing. And so, I bring you the oh-so-simple Nursery Room Cowl.

Materials:
J Hook
Malabrigo Merino Worsted yarn. Since this cowl is SO simple, it's all about the yarn. So, splurge!

Chain 31
In 3rd chain from hook double crochet, and dc across. You should have 28 dc stitches.
*Chain 3, turn. Double crochet in each stitch across.
Repeat from * until piece is as long as you want. I completed 43 rows.

I have also entertained the idea of making this really long and wrapping it around my neck twice for a bulky look, but my yarn only went so far. Just try it on as you go.

Once it's as long as you like, don't break yarn, don't tie off..yet.
Instead of seaming with a darning needle, single crochet the ends together like this:
Chain 1. Align your two ends, one on top of the other. Stick your hook into the first stitch of both ends, pull up a loop. Yarn over, pull through both loops on hook. Repeat to the end, tie off. To disguise the ridge that's created, flip it inside out. No one will ever know!

Cha Cha Cha Changes

Yes, it's been about 9 months since my last post.
Yes, I now have a 7(!) month old.
Yes, I am blogging from my phone while P rumbles on the carpet amongst a plethora of toys..and yet he chooses my flip flop to chew on.
Needless to say, life is different. I am getting a little better at time management. I am just now feeling ready to get back into blogging and serious art/craft things. Time is an issue, as access has also been.
But I'm baaaaack!
I have been working on small projects here and there. Like a set of blocks and balls for P, zipper bags, diaper/wipe travel packs, hemming thrifted skirts, fitting a dress (er.. hum, my bust measurement is quite different these days), a daily sketch journal, and now the perfect baby cardigan pattern. I will post my pattern version soon, with many more pics. As for now, I leave you with this photo of my cardigan in progress with P demanding my attention.