New Pattern News - Circular Needle Organizer

Hey everyone. I seem to be doing a great job keeping up with my 2-posts-a-year schedule, eh?.

I had to share some exciting news with you anyway...duh duh duh daaaah

 I finally got the new pattern tested and into my shop! It took me a whole year to get this thing tested and ready so I'm pretty darn excited. And just in time for me to leave on a little trip around the globe tomorrow. We're headed to England to find out if we're, gulp, moving back over there. Let's just say I'm not quite as excited about a transcontinental move as I am about the pattern.

I hope to blog about some stuff when I get back, but here are a few things I've been up to.

Someone in my house recently turned 4. We had a Doc McStuffins party and I got to make the costume.

 I recently made a ghost costume too. :)

I made a sweet baby blanket for a friend in Australia. I think the baby is about 4 months old now and still hasn't received said blanket. We'll see the daddy in the UK next week so I might as well hand deliver it, right?

Here's the bear I made for the same little peanut. I used this pattern from Amy Gaines, so cute!

A friend of ours from my husband's office also had a baby this past September. She told us she really likes giraffes so this is what I made for her little guy.

All scrap yarn too. Pretty good, huh?

And I guess this must be my biggest project lately. I had a huge bag of t-shirts in my hallway for about 4 years and finally opened it up. A friend of mine collected these Hard Rock Cafe shirts from all over the world and asked me to make him a t-shirt quilt. Let me first say, I hate t-shirt quilts. I'm sorry, I just think they're ugly. Not my thing. Anyway, I am pretty proud of this thing. It's a queen size and I think it turned out great. The owner is beyond happy too. The common color scheme of the shirts definitely adds to the quilt's success. 

Hope you're well and crafting.

Springtime Top from Little One-Yard Wonders

  I picked this book up not too long ago and decided that I'd actually make something from it! That's a rarity for me. I love pattern books, I never use them (except maybe the knitting ones).

 I went for the "Springtime Top" because I already had some fabric that was perfect and hadn't been allocated yet. It's a cute top, perfect for summer or as a jumper with a shirt.

Based on the measurements given in the book, I went with a size 4T. My daughter's measurements were an inch smaller than the chest size given. And just in case I decide to make it again in another size, I used my trusty carbon tracing paper (it's so old-school) to transfer the pattern onto my fabric.

I like this pattern because it only has 4 pieces. If you don't have a lot of free sewing time (in my case, non-Etsy related), 4 pieces is great. I was able to whip this top up in an afternoon while Pickles was at preschool.

It turned out ridiculously cute, even without the rickrack, I didn't have enough of the color I wanted.

I used white elastic for the button loop instead of fabric. I really despise turning tiny bits of fabric. It worked great.

Pickles called it her "new pretty dress" when she put it on. Then about 2 minutes later she wanted it off because it was too tight below the arms. Figures. I know I have a barrel chested kid...I know. I thought that I was rounding up on the size, but it turns out, I wasn't. I have to say, this book wasn't overly clear on sizing. I looked though the front sections to see what it had to say, but didn't find anything. Lesson learned, again. Make a size bigger than the size you think is bigger.

So, I made another one. Again, no purchase necessary.

Also cute.

Here it is in action, with some shorts I made from this pattern.

I made the second one in a size 5 with smaller seam allowances. She'll wear it this summer and that's about it.  By the way, she's laughing in this picture, and very hot.

Sewing Machine Solution or My Old Blind Eyes

Hey, it's me again. Are you impressed that I didn't wait a year to post this time? It's not a major post, but it's something.

I wanted to tell you a little bit about my sewing machine. It's a PFAFF something or other. The point is, I can't see the guidelines & numbers they put on the machine. I have been thinking for ages that I need to print out a little ruler to stick on the machine so I can see better. Well, I finally did it! Yay for me.

Cream marks on a cream background. Very helpful indeed.

 Here's what I have now...so much better.

Ahh, I don't even feel like I'm blind anymore. Hooray!

Umm What

I just realized I haven't posted since last June. June! That's like a whole year ago. ugh. I've definitely been getting those thoughts again. Those, "I should blog about that", thoughts. Really. 

I'm still knitting....

 sewing...

 

  crocheting...

and being a Mom. She's 3 1/2!

 

What I really need is some human contact. So if anyone is still out there I'm going to try really hard to write some posts so I can just know you're there. :)

Just note: Most of my time is taken up by a small human, so bear with my if all I can talk about is this kind of thing...

Hey, it's a craft!