The Sky's the Limit!

Lea's May Dance was last night. A girl can't go to a semi-formal without a cell phone, but she doesn't want to carry a clunky purse. Lea didn't like the thought of a clutch, which is (or at least WAS!) my go-to bag of choice when the situation called for something a little fancier than an everyday purse. What to do, what to do?

Enter the zippered wrist purse. I found a pattern for this little bag in Stitch and Bitch Nation, by Debbie Stoller. I modified it slightly, adding a defined fold for the bottom.

It holds a cell phone and not a lot more. Lea got her cell phone and a lipstick in there. As I was making it, I thought about how handy something like this could be for me when I don't need the whole arsenal that I regularly carry in my bag. This holds my phone, a credit card, drivers license, a couple bucks and a key (but not my key ring...) Perfect for a night out! Perfect for a shopping day, when the bags get overwhelming (like I have shopping days when the bags get overwhelming anymore...). It would even be great just to hold credit cards or gift cards or a cell phone within a larger purse. How about feminine items? What a neat, cute way to keep those tidy in your purse (and eliminate embarrassment when they inevitably fall out).

I think this is really just a cute little bag with almost endless possibilities. I immediately whipped one up for myself using brown yarn and wood beads in place of the more blingy beads used on Lea's bag. I'm thinking for an even more casual look, I could eliminate the beads completely and do appliques (literally endless possibilities there... my head is spinning!). I could spell out initials with the beads rather than just going with a linear pattern for them.... Oh, I see every woman I know getting one of THESE soon!


They take very little time and very little yarn, so they're going to serve as stash busters, too. I tend to lean towards more neutral colors/schemes for myself - but for such a small project, I could actually go nutty! Make them to match specific outfits!

Lea all set to go to her big dance

We Heart Art!

Three Bay B Chicks, Domestically Challenged and I'm Living Proof that God has a Sense of Humor have been sponsoring "We Heart Art" week all week. For more details on this event, scoot on over here.

Personally, I have never had much luck with paper arts. Or clay arts. Or performing arts. But I took to yarn and needles like a duck to water. I was crocheting clothing items for myself when I was in fifth grade. (Of course I was in fifth grade in the era of crochet's hey day - potholder vests, crocheted suits and dresses, floppy hats. Yeah, I'm old. Whatever.)

I put crochet hooks and knitting needles in my kids' hands as soon as they had the fine motor skills to handle them. Both of them tried several times (with long lapses in between) before it really clicked for them. When crocheting clicked for Liv, it was like an artist's dream come true. You see, Miss Liv refuses to consult a pattern. She knows what she wants things to look like and she knows what she can do and she does her best to reconcile those two notions.

Here's a little showcase of a few of the things she's designed recently:

The drum kit was from a - well - a kit, but she did put it together. The doll is all her, baby. She crocheted the doll and then set to work creating a wardrobe. The above picture depicts her in her goth fairy ensemble. Dig the red wings!

This is the same ensemble, but with an added cape. (and an added proud artist)

This doll has several other outfits - fancy dresses, more capes, she's got a bangin' wardrobe!

Often Liv will become inspired by something I'm working on. That happened with my mushrooms. I found these awesome little felted mushroom patterns online and I knit one in every design. Super cute, right? Well, Liv thought that the little red and white toadstool looked like a good home for a fairy. I told her to knock herself out. Soon we had this little fairy taking up residence.


Isn't it awesome when you can make your own magic?


Not wanting her fairy to be lonesome, she quickly concocted a gloomy little friend for her to hang out with. There was a green-skinned Elphaba at one point, too, but a friend loved her so much that Liv gifted her with it.

Knitting and crocheting and other needlecrafts have brought me so much peace and joy; I am so thrilled to have passed that down to my girls.

And I am REALLY psyched to see where Liv's talents with the needle might take her.

CassCozie - Phase 1

This is what the CassCozie looked like after the raglan shaping was done and I slipped it off the needles to send it to Kim (as modeled by the lovely Lea)


Of course now Lea and I are both wanting one... you don't suppose we could get anyone to do half the work for one for ME do you? Those long rows were startin' to get MIGHTY boring... but when Kim sends it back it will be all shiny and new and I'll be anxious to work on it again.

What's on the Needles?

I haven't been updating much, because I've been working hard on my 'pay it forward' or 'first five' projects. I have several done, but I don't want to post anything until they're ALL done and received. It's driving me crazy, because I'm totally ready to show off the finished products. That will be one big show-offy post a few weeks down the line.

In the meantime, I got started on another time consuming project - the CassCozie. Another Facebook-driven project, now that I think about it! My friend Cass doesn't knit but a few of her friends do. She jokingly asked us to make her a snuggie. I said, "I think we could do this..." It's a serious stash busting project - my goal is to not spend a penny on it, we'll see how that goes. It's my very first round-robin type project. I'm knitting till I'm bored, then sending it along to someone else who will knit till she's bored then send it back or send it along to someone else. As a stash buster, it is taking on a serious 'coat of many colors' effect that I think is kind of cool. I think it will be even cooler when other people's stashes get thrown in. I imagine it will be quite a while before that one is completed, but it should be quite the thing when it's finally done!

Next quick project on deck: A little bag for Lea to carry to her May dance. I'm thinking a little drawstring bag she can wear around her wrist. Pics soon!

Hat Day

I recently read this post at The House of Heavy Sighs and I was quick to say, sign me up!

A couple years ago for Christmas, my lovely friends the Baskinds bought me the book Knitting for Peace. This is a book which I highly recommend, by the way. Not only are the patterns cute (my initial motivation for wanting the book in the first place!), but there is contact information for many charities who accept handknit items as well as guidelines. There are also inspirational stories, including my personal favorite, the story behind Peace Fleece (one of my favorite yarns now). So. A lovely and heartfelt gift that continues giving. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I made several of the Jester's caps for the cause (does anyone else think 'Gone With the Wind' when they refer to 'the cause'? Just me? Ok.)


I think they turned out pretty cute.

Here's the best part: As I was finishing up the last one, my youngest asked what I was doing. When I explained it to her, she said, "I wanna make a hat for the babies."

"Cool."

"These aren't the sort of babies that are obnoxious and get into things and chew on your glasses, are they?" (Olivia was disenchanted towards that sort of baby)

"Nope. These are teeny tiny babies who are working really hard to grow into that sort of baby."

"Ok. They should get their chance."

Olivia crocheted this.


Olivia is a good kid.

Here's one of mine on the doll, in case it was hard to imagine from the flat pics.


They are so wee. It is hard to imagine the head that will fit nicely into such a small article of clothing. I checked and re-checked my gauge and measurements. They were correct. I showed one to my sister, whose only daughter had been a preemie. She assured me that they looked just right.

I hope they are.

I'd forgotten how good it felt to knit for something beyond the sheer joy of it. When there was a purpose behind it, that joy was multiplied.

You worry about growing strong, little one. I'll worry about keeping your head warm.

Punk Rock Princess

Lea asked me to make her a tulle skirt to wear over jeans. (That's sort of a lie. She asked me to make her a tutu.)

I had some pink tulle lying around (don't you?) so I said, let's give it a shot. Keep in mind, please, that I am not a seamstress, so anyone who actually sews could probably do a lot better job of this, but this is what I came up with:


Cute, right?

Here's how I did it:

I had an approximately 2 yard length of tulle. I folded it in thirds lengthwise, then folded the top over about an inch and a half to form a casing. I pinned this fold in place and basted it down.

I cut along the bottom folded edge, now giving the skirt three distinct layers.

Then, along the lower edge, I used black crochet cotton to define and clean up the raw edges. Using a very small crochet hook, and working directly into the tulle, I created a simple single crochet-chain three border. I did this for all three layers.


I then fed 1 1/2 inch elastic cut to fit Lea's waist through the casing and she tried it on for size. It looked pretty cute, but there was a lot of bulk around the waist. Lea is quite slender, so she can sort of pull that off, but I still wanted to clean it up a little bit.

My first thought was a wide black ribbon belt, tied in a big pretty bow in the front. Every time we tried to use ribbon, though, it slipped and scrunched up. This called for something stronger. We found a black leather tie belt (from an old coat, I believe) and thought that would fit the bill. It worked pretty well, but we quickly realized we were going to need belt loops. I wanted to use black ribbon, but we didn't have any around the house, and at this point I was bound and determined that we were going to complete the full project without spending a penny. So we used a sheer pink ribbon. I cut four lengths of ribbon about the length of my arm and folded them over the casing. I held them in place by sewing some decorative skull buttons. (Which, yes, I also just happened to have lying around...)


I never DID do more than baste the casing down, but since Lea (and her friends!) love the skirt and it may see more than a little wear, I think I'm going to have to attach that more securely.


Here's the total look. Not bad for a mom who can't sew, eh?

Pay it Forward

A few days ago I received the following note from a friend on Facebook:


The first five (5) people to respond to this post will get something made by me.
This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully:

- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.

- What I create will be just for you.

- It'll be done this year (2009).

- You have no clue what it's going to be. It will be something made in the real world and not something cyber. It may be a mixed CD. It may be a poem. I may draw or paint something. I might bake you something and mail it to you. It may involve yarn. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!

- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

And in return, all you need to do is post this text into a note of your own and make 5 things for 5 others.

Now I was immediately intrigued, particularly since the person who posted the note is a gifted painter and I am not. Hoping for an original piece of art for my home, I quickly responded and re-posted the note. I almost immediately had my five responses.

My gut impulse was to find a satisfactory design and make it for all five. A purse, perhaps. Something pampering. Something like that. Then I re-read the post. What I create will be just for you. How could I, in good conscience, treat it like an assembly line project? Besides, it was supposed to be almost a surprise, even though they signed up for it. Give it some time to slip to the back of their mind, then when it arrives it will be a lovely surprise.

I posted a note with all of their names on it above my desk, where I look at it many times throughout the course of the day. As I learn things through their posts about these women, I write them on my notes. Interests, dreams, favorite colors... and the ideas started coming. I won't say they're coming fast and furious, but they're coming. I know for sure what I am making for two of these gals, and I am happy with my plan. I am sure I will become equally inspired by the other three as our conversations unfold.

I think this is an awesome idea! I love working on things for people that don't have that deadline of 'birthday' or 'Christmas' or anything else. Just within a year. When I think of the right thing. Just for you.

When I've completed all five projects, I'll post them, but not before. You never know who's poking around on the interwebs and I sure don't want to ruin anyone's surprises!