A new TOY!

I got a new toy!!!!  A ruffler foot for my ancient sewing machine!  Yippeee!!!  It was so much fun to play with, and works great!  I FINALLY got around to making this pettiskirt for Little S.  In Seussical colors for the PARTY!  She's going to be the belle of the ball!  Sweet Sweet thing!  I am SO excited to use my new foot for all sorts of things...  Once I get past the party explosion I'll get back to normal crafting, playing and experimenting.

DON'T don't do this at home

So today was just not my day. First this, and now a totally simple craft completely ruined because I'm lazy.  I wan't to make Dr. Seuss shirts for the family for the birthday party coming up.  I decided to try the freezer paper stencils that I've seen all over the place lately.  After reading these clear and simple instruction's from Dana at Made I went to collect supplies.  I got everything I needed, but when I was buying the fabric paint they didn't have red or black in the regular paint, only in the spray paint.  I figured it would be even easier and better so instead of trying another store I got them.  Apparently I didn't read Dana's instructions clearly enough...  BIG MISTAKE!  Don't EVER get the spray paint if you are using a stencil.  I'm sure they are great for certain looks, just not the one I was going for.

It started out simply enough.  I printed off the image I wanted and cut it out.  This was a bit on the detailed side, but I figured all the examples of freezer paper stencils' I've seen look so crisp and nice that it would be okay.  WRONG.

The ironing was the best part of the next few steps.  When I started to spray the color on I should have realized what would happen when I saw how thin it sprayed out.  But no!  I sprayed red first over a few key areas, then let it dry and added more freezer paper over the red to create the black lines.

I could see it soaking into the shirts, good, right???  Then it dried and I took off the freezer paper...

Mess, but at least you can tell what it's supposed to be.  I was scared to take the next freezer paper off.  I actually was able to get the right kind of paint in white so my circles worked out just fine, but the thinner black freezer paper over the top?  Not pretty.  You can't even read it!  It actually looks better in this picture than in real life~  Crazy.  So what next?  I'm going to give up on the shirts until some other stuff is done, and if I have time try again!  And hey, now my hubby and I have matching shirts for painting the basement!

Socks!

I started making these socks a few years ago for my daughter, nieces and baby shower gifts.  I can usually finish a pair while watching a show or movie.  Most of mine are packed up since my "baby" is turning 3 next month.  But she LOVED these, and so did everyone else.

These were my top 3 favorites: personalized socks.

Red (my favorite color to dress my kids in, easy to find them when we go out)

And Rainbow!  Anyway, I've added these socks to my Etsy store.
And the reason I still have some out?  My "baby" loves to wear them on her hands!

My husband is going back to school to get his PHD so I get to be the breadwinner for the next 6 years! I'm trying to find some great items to sell than I enjoy making.  One idea is to sell food grade silicone molds, like my Lego one (except I can't do Lego's because they are copyrighted).  What do you think?

#80- The Moebius Scarf!

I finished my first knit piece.  I love checking things off my 101 in 1001 list!  I made it on circular needles which made it was hard to gauge the right length (since I could never fully stretch it out).  So I went a tad bigger, starting with 170 rather than 150, than a few of the patterns I read said.  I wish it was just a TAD bigger around the shoulders, maybe a full 200.  Also seeing it on I might just take out the last row and add a few more inches.  But I like the color and pattern.  Oh, and I apologize now for my modeling "skills".  I am having a TERRIBLE hair crisis right now...  To keep growing out?  Or to cut...  Maybe on a good hair day I'll post some pictures and let you help me pick.  But for now, tired eyes and bad hair just get cropped to focus on the real fun...

There weren't any patterns that I fell in love with out there, so I kind of made up my own.  I based it on "4 knit rows, 4 purl rows, repeat" pattern.  And while I love stripes that sounded too boring.  So I did 2 knit, 4 purl, 6 knit, 6 purl, 4 knit, 2 purl, repeat.  I did that 4 times.  I'm thinking one more time ought to do it.  But for now it's done. 

I still can't believe I did it.  My first knit piece!  I actually picked up a learn to knit book a few years ago, but it was SO not helpful.  But this time I started with a book that I thought did a great job teaching.  It was the "I taught myself knitting" from boye.  I'm so proud!  It's so fun learning a new craft.  There are so many new things I want to make!  I already have a sweater picked out for #81, but I'm going to do a few other small projects before I tackle that one.  Also I need to find the right yarn for a full sweater.  Any advice?  The Moebius scar can be worn around your shoulders, around your neck OR

doubled up around your neck for especially cold days!I like all these ways.  I'm worried that with extra width I won't be able to do the neck versions, but it will make the shoulder version nicer.  Maybe I'll leave this one as is, and start longer for another version, and go super wide for that one.  I'll have to think about it.