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Socktoberfest!

I participated in my first Mystery Knitalong at Through the Loops, and finished these Socktoberfest socks not a moment too soon!   

On a (needle) roll

I've acquired quite a few knitting needles lately, and aside from keeping track of what sizes I've got, I want to mitigate heartbreak by trying to curb my habit of...well, loosing things. 

I've seen knitting needle rolls all over the internet, and while I can already tell it's not going to solve my problems, it's at least a step in the right direction.  All my needles are in the same place, and they're fairly well contained. 

I think some elastic (or maybe putting a little more thought into measuring the pocket sizes?) would keep everything a little snugger and more secure, and maybe I'll try it out in Needle Roll v2.0.

This one here is a plain linen, and the inside print is a fat quarter of unknown origin.  Maybe I need a better fabric tracking system, too?

My mantel's first bunting

In my new place I have a fireplace.  I don't really know what the heck to do with it, and I'm pretty certain I'll never have the nerve to actually light a fire, but with a fireplace comes a mantel. 

Since I'm still a few months away from hanging stockings, the only thing I really know that is required of a mantel, I dressed it up with some bunting.  I saw a tutorial on Saltwater Kids this morning, and found myself at Jo-Ann this afternoon picking up floss, denim and ticking.  I found the denim in the remnant bin, which was a pretty good find, and was able to make the entire bunting with only a quarter yard of ticking. 

Then I snapped one picture. Then my camera died.

I made the flags a bit bigger than the tutorial called for, but that was about the only variation.  That and she is obviously way better at embroidering flags than me.  The whole project only took about an hour, and most of it can be done in front of the TV.  And, really, can there be a better barometer for how cool a project is?

I think this is best served as a July 4th decoration, but with tomorrow being Memorial Day, which is pretty damn American, I'd say I'm well within my rights to leave it up tonight.  You'd better believe I'll drag it back out for the 4th, though.

Giveaway winner and a tutorial to come

It's 11:34, so it IS still May 20, and I'm skidding in to end this thing right at the deadline. 

I had to watch Grey's Anatomy.  And I'm still not sure if it was worth it.  Whatever.

The winner of the totes and scraps is Breanna, who, when I looked at her profile, introduced me to freezer cooking.  At first glance it looks like cooking once a month or so and freezing everything so that it can be thawed, dressed up or sauced, and then eaten.  This is interesting to me because I, on average, am only super motivated about once per month, so the idea that I can get all my work done on that day and then lazy around the rest of the month is pretty rad.  Thanks, Breanna!  I'll email you tomorrow for your mailing address.

AND!

I asked for details about what everyone's favorite crafty posts were, and about ninety-billion percent of you said tutorials.  Bag tutorials, to be even more precise.  I was really only asking to be nosy, but because now I feel pressured, I'm going to put together a bag tutorial.  Maybe in a week or so, because I don't want it to suck and I'll need time to think about it.

Thanks, really, all 259 (!!!) of you that stopped in to comment. 

Oh, and for Miss Crafty, that commented that I should chat about my favorite notions?  Seam ripper.  The end.  Goodnight.

Giveaway Day

Well, hello!

I'm stopping in to brush the dust off this blog to participate in the Sew, Mama, Sew! giveaway day.  Since last posting I've moved, finished unpacking, hooked up the wireless and have even managed to sew a few things.  And, I can't think of a better day than Giveaway Day to start this thing back up.  

I've got a tote bag full of fabric scraps and some other sewing related accoutrements looking for a new home.  The fabric is mostly quilting weight and has some sizeable scraps, from 2 inch strips to quarter yards, buttons, thread, an infamous tomato pincushion and some trims. 

We'll play this by the rules of Giveaway Day.  The giveaway will stay open until May 20, international readers are welcome to play along, and I'll use everyone's best friend, the random number generator, to pick the winner. 

Since I'm still a bit rusty and might need some help getting back into the swing of blogging, leave a comment with your favorite types of crafty posts to read, tutorials you'd like to see, project suggestions, blah blah.

One comment per person, and pretty please make sure that I've got a way to contact you if you win!

Today it was 80 degrees. I knitted a scarf.

ETA: Wha? I scheduled this to post last weekend.  It was not 80 degrees yesterday, but the universe decided to kick my in the behind today, and I am sad, and I can't be bothered to change it. 

My mom bought this yarn at Jo-Ann a month or so back.  For being a cheap inexpensive acrylic, this yarn has a beautiful color (way more so than you can tell in my crappy photos), it's super bulky and super soft. 

I only had one skein, and after trying a cable pattern that I found on Ravelry that seemed so simple but was either flawed or flew right past my comprehension (guess which one I'm betting on?), I let it sit around because I wasn't sure what to do.  Since I was taking a long car trip last week, and wanted to finish the scarf in time to toss it in an Easter basket (don't worry, I see the jerkiness of gifting someone something they technically bought, there's more stuff in the basket) I had to come up with something. 

So, in lieu of following an actual pattern, I used one stitch the whole way through. 

Pattern: Seed stitch
Size: About 3 feet
Needles: 13
Will you turn it over so we can see the weaving in of the ends?: Not a chance