Sew Crafty

Here is a fun quick gift item, you may want to make for someone who loves to sew, or for yourself!

They are pin cushion/sewing kits in a jar!  Cute!

All you need is a mason jar with ring (you won't need the middle seal), a scrap of fabric, some thin but sturdy cardboard and fiberfill.  I found this tutorial ( and great blog too!).

You could even dress it up with a little crochet edging, or paint the rings. Make sure to get some nice pins. Check these out!

Have fun!

Baby it's cold outside

Thought I'd share a few pictures of what a California central valley White Christmas looks like.

Sometimes it can stay like this for days and days.  It's damp and chilly and the tree branches drip all day like a runny nose. We just wait for a storm to come in and blow it all away.  But it's cozy inside with a fire and some cocoa.  Perfect time for some crochet or sewing.

This is Tea Scarf by Pixeldiva.  You can also find it on Ravelry.  I've made this before with acrylic, but I really like it better out of wool (Paton's).  The red is Cotton Ease.  If you make it, use a larger hook size for the starting chain so it won't curve.  I also crocheted into the back loop of my starting chain for row one, so there is a good stitch to work into when you come around to make the ruffle.  I added the red in single crochet, before I started the ruffle.  I'm thinking of another one in this colorway.

I also started this scarf from the book Cute and Easy Crochet.  I'm loving the puffy chunkiness of it!! If you buy this book, keep in mind it is written in UK terms.

And I finally decided what to make with my Hope Valley fabric that has been in my closet for a year.

 I bought the Swoon pattern from Camille Roskelley.  Go take a look at these big beautiful 24" blocks and tell me you wouldn't love this quilt!  It measures 80"x80" and you need 4 1/4 yards white fabric just for the front.  It's going to be a doozy!!

Stick a fork in me, I'm done

Thanksgiving morning....

The morning after....

I'll be back when I'm done cleaning up my mess.  Hope your holiday was a good one!

L is for Liam

Liam isn't here yet.  We are all waiting with excitement for his arrival, especially his big brother Logan. 

The baby shower is today, and while I had bought my niece the diaper bag she picked out, I also wanted to add something handmade.  So on Friday I whipped up a little quilt (31x36) out of leftover DS fabric.

Hope the boys don't end up fighting over this since their names each begin with "L". Ha Ha , did Auntie Lynne just start something?

The backing is a  nice soft flannel from Joann's. They had a whole wall of new flannels with many colors and designs to choose from.  This was a lucky match.  It washed up great, and now it's wrapped and ready to go.  I might make a bigger version for me next time. " L" is for Lynne too!

Granny wears linen

You never know what will inspire you when browsing through all the fantastic blogs out there.  For my blanket, I first spied this over at Suz Place.   You could sit for hours and look through all her pretty crochet.  Then I found this post and I was smitten.  I love linen.  And that just happened to be the name of the color I used for this afghan.

It's funny though, depending on the light, this color can look dingy, like a thumb sucking 3 year old has dragged it around forever, and you have to carefully pry it from their tight little fist while they are sleeping so it can be washed.

Or the colorful little grannies with their white centers can sparkle like Edward when he steps into the sunlit meadow with Bella (You will only get that if you have seen or read Twilight)

Either way I like it, right down to the cute little pink edging.  It's made entirely from my stash of Vanna's acrylic, with a J hook, so it came out nice and thick, and warm too!  Time to pick out the next project :)

Sunday Breakfast and a quilting update

This morning I made a Dutch Baby, courtesy of Angry Chicken. 

I added my own spin on this puffy pancake, by sauteing some chopped apples in butter and cinnamon before pouring in the batter.  It bakes in the oven for about 20 minutes, just enough time to make some bacon.

Oh yummy, and super easy.  I ate too much then I felt like this.....

I bet you didn't know I decorate with doggie gargoyles.  Really he is so ugly you gotta love him.  OK on to fabric.  I pulled out two quilts from last year that never got finished because the I just ran out of time somewhere around Thanksgiving( gee, kinda like this year).  Hopefully I can get these quilted soon.  I would hate for them to be stuffed back in the cupboard for another year.  One was for fall...

And this is a Christmas quilt with minkee in the borders and a flannel backing.

I also want to show you what I bought with my gift certificate from Green Fairy Quilts. 

Complete fat quarter bundle of Daisy Cottage by Riley Blake.  This is going to make a really cute quilt.  Almost as cute as this...

Better?  My "granny wears linen" blanket is almost done.  I should be posting about it in a few days.  Other than quilting those two blankets, I don't know if I'm going to start any new big projects between now and Christmas.  Thanksgiving is fast approaching and we are hosting dinner here.  My panties are already in a knot, even though I still have plenty of time.  I think.

Are you hosting this year? Just a quiet dinner with immediate family or a big blow out (like us).  Or do you go to grandmas house?  We used to cook two turkeys, one on the barbecue, and one in the oven, usually soaked in brine first.  But now I'm back to one giant stuffed bird in the oven.  We also have to make it buffet style, because we just can't get 16 to 18 people around a table.  I usually serve one specialty cocktail, along with beer and wine.  Last year it was chocolate espresso martinis. Yes. They were amazing.  I'm having a hard time choosing this year.  Anyone have a good holiday cocktail recipe?  I would love to hear your Thanksgiving plans!

Pieceful Weekend

I spent all weekend with my hook.  It rained and I put a fire on and a roast in the crock pot.  Heaven I tell ya.  I replenished my dwindling supply of dishcloths.  This is just a simple woven stitch and it goes super fast.

Then I finished up the edging on my half granny shawl with a small ruffle.  I love this yarn.  It's Misti Alpaca pima cotton/silk blend in the color grape.

Also when I got on my computer this morning I found out I was one of the lucky Blogger Quilt Festival winners!!!!!  I won a $25 gift certificate to Green Fairy Quilts.  Yaaaaay!  I have already been to their website to check out all the goodies they have to offer.  For a look at the other winners and their prizes go here.
Hope you all have a great week!

Bargain basement

I found these in the basement section of an antique store.  The plate is a Longchamp, but the pattern is no longer being made.  I hung it on the wall in my guest room.

The wicker box style purse is from the 1960's.  There are a few of these out there on ebay selling for around $30 to $40 dollars.  I bought this one for $12.

Most of them are lined with fabric.  This one was lined with some kind of plasticky vinyl. Yech.

Whoever did this was at least smart enough to save the label.

So anyway, I stripped this baby down and assembled my weapons of mass destruction.

I used the last piece of my Lecien fabric and went to work. 

Perfect for storing my latest stitching project.  I love a good bargain!