some of the latest FOs

I've been trying to wrap up some of my WIP lately, mostly to declutter the couch of half knitted items, make room to start on new projects, and keep my sewing room tidy. Since it's nice and bright (due to a blizzard!) I was able to get some photos in my sewing room this morning.

First up is a giant granny square blanket! The thought of making zillions of granny squares then sewing them together was pretty daunting, so after seeing Joelle's Giant Granny Square Blanket on The Purlbee I decided to just keep on going with round after round of color. My latest color combo fetish is pink and navy, so although this matches absolutely none of my decor I'm hoping to be able to use it in a baby's room someday.

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft -  Dark Country Blue, Ocean, Grey Heather,

Soft Blue, Coconut, Soft Pink and Watermelon

Amount: One 6 oz. skein of each.

Hook: Size H8

Pattern: Granny Square

Finished Size: 42" x 42" when slightly stretched

I just kept going until I ran out of yarn. There is probably enough for one more round of navy but I liked ending with the pink. I only have scraps of the watermelon left. I really enjoyed having this project to work on. It probably took a few weeks but I didn't work on it every night, and sometimes I just did a round at a time, especially towards the end. This is pretty loose and drapey, probably more of a spring or summer throw. My toes always seem to pop out between the dc's. Overall, I really enjoyed making this blanket and would definitely make another one. Just think of some of the color combinations!

My second blanket is also a Purlbee pattern, although technically this one isn't finished yet. I used the Bulky Baby Blankets pattern in seed stitch. I think this would look better in the recommended yarn, but I didn't want to shell out for the Spud & Chloe Outer when I don't even have a baby yet! This tweedy yarn was on sale so I picked it up with this project in mind. There must have been some extra yardage because I made it well past square before I even realized. I do like the yarn but I kind of wish I hadn't gone with the tweed. It's not very baby-ish. I think a bright color yarn for the binding will brighten it up. Oh yeah, did you notice it's not quite finished? I'm tucking this away for the future and I can choose the color when the time is right!

Yarn: Gedifra Riana Big in White

Amount: 8 skeins

Needles: Size 15, 29" circular

Finished size: haven't measured it yet but the width is about pattern size

Finally, something that's not knitted! My husband has an iPad for work (lucky duck, right?) and although he told me not to get too attached to it, as soon as he brought it home this case idea popped into my head.

I absolutely love the leather Apple logo applique!

I have a bunch of this tan leather but I don't sew with it often, so this was nice practice. I want to make a matching travel bag for myself for our London trip, so this was kind of a warm-up. The tweed has a great soft texture and holds its shape with some interfacing. The leather is very stiff and really provides support to the case. Also the lining is wool felt, which is soft for the screen and also adds a bit of thickness. I used a velcro closure...I was on the fence about this. I think it takes away some of the classiness but I wasn't sure about using a magnetic snap around the electronics. Does anyone know what the rules are for that?

I think I might make a few more of these for the shop. I just need to make sure I can still find the tweed fabric because it's very pricey, so I only picked up a yard. I wish my camera was better because the color is so much richer in person. There is a warm brown tone to the fabric with flecks of gold and orange throughout. I can't wait to use this tweed again! 

new items in the shop!

I've posted some new items in the shop! After renovating my sewing room (still not quite ready to post photos but soon, I promise!), I've been sewing up a storm and also I am finally able to take photos of some of my finished items. Snatch these up while you can! Also posted is a design your own Mini Bloomsbury, I've got a ton of canvas and cute prints to pair up just waiting for a new owner!

I've got a blank section of wall positioned where some light comes in...although it's only for about an hour on sunny weekend mornings...but in Ohio we take what we can get. There's only a couple items up right now but keep an eye out for another Sunbury in grey with a super cute apple accent fabric and also a new variation of travel bag - the Heathrow Carry-On - in black and white damask canvas on the body with black straps and accents. And the inside is pink!

Do you still do london purple?

That's the number one question I get these days. The short answer is yes, I do. I still love to sew and I do it whenever I can squeeze in time, but it's a matter of priorities. A few years ago when I was doing craft shows and purse parties every few weekends, all I did was sew. I hardly saw my husband, I never exercised, my house was a mess, and I never made time for anything else so sewing became a chore. I'm learning about balance so that it stays fun. So what have I been doing the past few months when not sewing? Things I love to do!

• I run when the weather is nice, and when it's not I exercise indoors a couple times a week.
• I am participating in the 52 Weeks to an Organized Home Challenge at Home Storage Solutions 101. Believe it or not, this is fun. I love to be organized and it's much less daunting one week at a time. Never having Tupperware crash down on your head again = priceless.
• I knit and crochet so that I can spend time with the hubby, catch up on some TV and craft simultaneously! Go multi-tasking!
• The hubby and I are planning our first trip to LONDON! Soon we'll be spending 8 days in London with side trips to Scotland, Wales and Paris! Can't wait to bring back real London pics!

I do still sew, although I never seem to have time to take pictures before I send the items off to their new homes. I did manage to actually make something for myself which means I have a picture! Here's a cute little flying geese pillow cover, in pink of course (which is actually my favorite color).

One other reason I haven't been sewing as much is that it's given me a lot of back problems. Yeah yeah, I'm only 26 so I shouldn't be complaining. But like I said, all I did for months and months was sit at that sewing machine. It was bound to have an effect. It's gotten better with physical therapy and simple changes like this, adding a pillow to my desk chair for some lumbar support. I still have to watch the amount of time I sit at the machine though. Gone are the days when I can get home from work and finish a whole bag in one evening. My maximum time limit is about two hours on a really good day, or about an hour after a full day at work. Really cuts down on productivity, but a benefit is that I get to spend time on all my hobbies, not just one.

I have a few more projects that are in progress, including a quilt for a friend, a bag for a customer and a travel set for myself for my London trip! Photos are to come, I promise this time. I also need to take photos of my newly renovated sewing room! The colors are below. The swatch on the left is the wall color, which looks a little more grey here. In real life it has a nice bluish tone. The baseboards and as many accents as I could paint are the color of the almost white swatch on the right. Nice light colors to keep the room bright and finally give me a place to take photos for my shop!

Still a couple items left to go on the room renovation. This was a DIY project for the hubby and I, so of course the last minute items that we don't quite have the experience or tools for are dragged out. When ripping out the carpet, I accidentally cut a little too much back at the doorway. Also I bought a chandelier that requires some actual wiring and attic exploring. Both these items will be contracted out. But I did mount some shelves and curtain rods myself, and I can't wait to get some hooks up to take photos of purses and quilts! More pictures soon, I promise!

secret crafty hobbies

I have a secret. I <3 yarn crafts. Crochet and knitting are my private craft enjoyment. My great-grandma taught me to crochet when I was about thirteen and rekindled my interest in college (lack of space in a dorm room for a sewing machine!) A coworker my senior year saw me crocheting and asked if I wanted to learn to knit. Of course! So now I do both, although I still haven't gone much past basic stitching in either.

I read some awesome advice somewhere in blogland (sorry I can't remember where) that said when you run your own craft business, you should always save one aspect of craftiness for yourself and don't try to sell that product that you make. So when I'm starting to feel burnt out, I create with yarn! Don't get me wrong, I'm not awesome. Far from it! But it's fun and I love it, plus I actually get to craft and hang out with my hubby at the same time!

Usually I pick up knitting in the fall when there's a chill in the air and I start to realize that if I want to make Christmas gifts, I better get started! Most people get stockinette scarves, they're easy to work on during craft fairs because you don't have to remember how many dc's or purls you've already done. Lately I've been gathering patterns and practicing for some gifts. This year it's cowls! They're great because they don't bulk you up like tucking a scarf into your jacket would, plus they're a lot quicker to make! I love to use super bulky yarn because it works up so quick. I started early this year for some reason. Here are a few completed projects from this summer.

The first one is knitted and is going to be part of a gift set for my BFF! The rest are crocheted using varying size needles to try to get slightly different sizes. The patterns are both from Lion Brand's website. I think the ivory and green ones might end up being gifted. The striped one is for me! I was actually able to use remnants from a scarf I made a loooong time ago for a swap on crafster.org. Can you tell I accidentally twisted my chain when joining the loop? I think it makes it look cuter! No?...I have enough yarn for another.

So the reason for this yarn-y post is actually not the projects I've been completing lately. Do you ever pass something everyday without truly seeing it? Turns out this adorable yarn shop, Cornerstone Yarns, has been located on my way home from work for over a year!

I had just been thinking how I wanted to immediately buy yarn for this little girl vest pattern I just downloaded from Ravelry, first seen here at One Flew Over.

Photo courtesy of Georgie Hallam

I can't wait to try to knit one up for my niece! I actually bought the pattern because it looked SO adorable in newborn size. No, nothing to share with you all yet! But I want to be prepared. I'm going backwards here and making the 6-year old size first as practice and gifting the vest to my niece. Maybe some progress photos soon? Luckily this yarn shop is less than three miles from my house and they offer free help, yay!



finally, my work is complete!

Well, not everything. But I did finish a few WIP in the past few weeks. I've bought a TON of new fabric lately but I was waiting to post until I had a completed project to go with it. First, the fabric-y goodness!

A few weekends ago I visited a local fabric shop that I absolutely adore called The Polka Dot Pincushion. How could I not be drawn to a store with the phrase "polka dot" in the name?! The purpose for my visit was to increase my stash of red fabrics. I'm trying to be a little more well rounded with my use of fabric. Prior to this shopping trip, this was my stash of red and orange:

Most of those pieces are even just scrap size! I think I did well in choosing some great new red fabrics...plus a few extras! The top two green fabrics on the stack on the right are actually hard to find fabrics I purchased at the very same shop about three years ago, and I always wished I had more. When I saw those half yard pieces I had to pick them up. Those have been tucked away, probably to remain in my stash for years to come because they are too precious to cut.

The reds are coming up soon on the list though. I was resistant at first, but I think I'm going to have to hop on the red/aqua bandwagon. I'm envisioning a paintbox style quilt...we will have to wait and see!

And now for the finished project! Remember when I posted about this quilt top back in May?

 It lingered all neatly folded up on the edge of my ironing board for months, basted and even partly - if horribly - quilted. Finally I ripped out the wonky lines, ordered a walking foot, and today I got some time to test it out! I loved it so much I finished the quilt today. Now it just needs to be washed and dried to get that awesome crinkly look (and get out any dust it may have picked up from the back of my sewing desk). This one is going in the shop!

I also made a present for the kittehs, a kitty tunnel from the book In Stitches by Amy Butler. The recipients don't seem to be fans so we don't have any actual photos of them enjoying it. Here is a placeholder!

Somebody totally loved this box. :)

new purse design

I've created a new purse design that I'm confident will be a huge hit! This one was made for my best BFF ever D$, who is also my photographer hence the awesome photo.

She loves red so I used sturdy red duck cloth, of course, for the exterior and straps. The bag zips closed and the bottom has a little bit of depth to it to hold all the necessities. The patterned sections on the front hide two slip pockets. I added the white ring to the strap for a different and fun element to the bag.

Although this will be a london purple bag, I designed it specifically with her needs and tastes in mind because they're so different from mine and can offer a customer perspective that's hard for me to see sometimes. I love big bags that can hold everything including the kitchen sink, which you'll see in my next blog post showcasing the prototype I made for myself. Although D$ claims to love all my designs, I've watched her preferences over the years and she usually just carries a few things with her - keys, wallet, cell phone. This purse will hold exactly that!

I plan to make these in a wide range of colors and prints, it can be a bold everyday bag for girls who love color and a minimalist style, or the perfect standout accessory for a night on the town when you're only carrying the basics. I'm thinking of coining it the Camden Town Bag, any other name suggestions?

projects for my home

Ok, I've been a little selfish lately. While I should be making new bags for my shop, I've been only sewing things for myself and for my home. But I can check items off my to-do list and that's always good!

Here are some Nine-Patch Doorstops made using Oh, Fransson!'s tutorial:

I made these because in the summertime we have problems with doors suddenly slamming shut due to the slightest breeze. The green one is for our green and white first floor guest bathroom, and the yellow and grey one is for our master bedroom. I haven't actually filled them with the beans yet, have to run to the grocery first. And I just realized while taking the photos that I forgot to quilt the yellow/grey one. Oh well!

A note about the tutorial - as always her tutes are super simple and easy to follow. She recommends to interface linen, I did not. I felt like it would have enough substance with the fusible fleece you add later. If you know how to install a zipper, do it your own way because I didn't realize how odd it was until I was already past the point of no return. But overall a great tutorial, I would love to put some of these in my shop!

Next project, two pillows! Also made using a tutorial from Oh, Fransson!. The large pillow is from her Chopped Vegetables tute (available for sale in her shop), and the small one is just made from leftover pieces. There are a TON. I wish I had known, I could still make another mini pillow or two with all the extras.

And here they are in their new home! I plan to fill this chair and a half with tons of quilted pillows.

As far as my sewing time, I haven't been completely selfish. I made a gift for a friend (a new style purse!) and a doll quilt for my niece, photos to come after the gifts are given. And I do have a few completed bags to go in the shop but all I have is a crappy camera. I would love to save up to get a new one! Any recommendations?