Knitting Punishment?

I feel like I’m on knitting punishment.  I told myself not to start any new knitting/crochet projects until I tied up some of the loose ends (literally) on some previously started projects.  I’m so bored with them all.  Part of the fun with crafting is starting something new!  It’s past time to get out of finishing mode and have a bit of fun with starting a few new projects.   I should really stop beating myself up about it the starting/finishing deal.

Speaking of finished projects, for that friend of a friend that just had a baby, I knitted the Baby Moc-a-Soc Booties.  These fall a bit into the ‘UGH’ category because of the twisted, grey yarn.  That crinkly yarn makes the stitches look so messy to me!  I would love to give them another try with something different.

And I am disappointed to find more yarn of this type in my stash.  I’m going to grin and bear it and see if I can make it into something I like better.   I like a challenge and apparently punishment!

I promise you this is also a sewing blog!  I’ve got a dress waiting to be photographed if only I can get the hem to work out.  I made a mistake in my pattern adjustments which doesn’t look like I can easily fix…without taking something apart!  Say it ain’t so!

I’ll leave you with a jewelry FO.  When I made this some time ago I found inspiration in the Steampunk movement, using gears and copper color.    It’s not all-the-way Steampunk, but it still has a little of that unconventional and irregular feel.

-Nizzy

Thursday’s Three Things: All about BOOKS!

I love books which I’m sure you readers know if you’ve seen my craft library.  I can read just about everything (except Horror genre).  That doesn’t mean I’ll like it or be able to get through it, but I’m always ready to give any book a try.

• One I finished: Gone Girl.  I was a little let down at the end, but still enjoyed the read.

• One I want to read: The Sari.  I am fascinated with the sari and some of the exquisitely beautiful fabrics used to make them.  I asked my husband (then boyfriend) if I would look crazy wearing a sari and with no hesitation he told me yes.   I had to laugh at that.   He knows I’m quirky enough to wear one anyway despite “looking crazy”.

• One I couldn’t get into:  Rachel Ray’s 30 Minute Meals 2.  I was a big Rachel Ray fan and I loved her 365: No Repeats cookbook.    This one just didn’t grab me.  The recipes are a little blah and arranged in a menu format, which I am not crazy about either.  However, from this book I did get the idea of sprinkling a little chili powder, butter, and a squeeze of lime over corn on the cob.  That is delish!

-Nizzy

A Bag in a Bag in a Bag

So instead of wardrobe building, I spent April purely focusing on my Craft Book Challenge craft: The Origami Bag from Amy Butler’s Style Stitches.

You know how you put small objects in a larger bag and they always seem to fall to bottom corners so you end up digging and digging or dumping the entire contents just to find the darn thing?  Yeah, I was in desperate need of something to solve this problem.

When I take my earrings off before my workout I can throw them in one of these bags and easily retrieve them without a hassle.  I can use the larger ones for toiletries, intimates, electronics, etc.  These bags come in 6 different sizes (extra-small, mini, small, medium, large, extra-large) so there is a size for just about everything.

Because I wanted to use up a little more fabric in the stash I even made a second set which I have hopes to offload to someone in need (or want!) of some catch-all bags.

I still have a few more to complete, but I am so ready to get back to more sewing for the wardrobe.

-Nizzy

Testing out Bloglovin’

Creatively Motivated is using Bloglovin’!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

While I do use the WordPress Reader and quite like it, it doesn’t always mesh well with feeds from other blog sites.  I’ve seen mention of Bloglovin’ on numerous craft blogs and I thought I would see how it works for me.

Right off the bat there are mostly things I like and some things I don’t.  I like that:

• I can keep track of what posts I’ve read
• All pictures show up
• I will see notifications when there are new unread posts
• I can search for similar blogs based on the ones I already follow

I don’t like the ranking.  It seems like it makes blogging more about gaining follows than sharing content.  I know every blogger wants more readers and visibility, but I would rather have (or in addition) a list of random content than have it show the same top 50 all the time.  I follow some of the heavily trafficked blogs, but I like variety and I like finding new people on the rise!

Anyway, I’m still in the early stages of using it.  I just signed up today so I have to play around with it a bit more to find out how much I really like it.   Please feel free to let me know you also use this site!

-Nizzy

Hoodies!

I LOVE Hoodies!  If I could have one in every color I would.  There really isn’t anything that spectacular about them other than I’m always cold so they come in handy.

Source: http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m4261-products-1839.php?page_id=118

A while back I purchased enough sweat suit material to make both the pants and jacket from McCalls 4261.     I made the pants  years ago and the remaining material was recently rediscovered in the stash.  Since I am in “fabric-stash busting mode” this year, it was this fabric’s turn to get used up.

Unfortunately, after resizing the pieces I found that I did not have enough material to make long sleeves.   I solved that problem by cutting them shorter and adjusting the cuffs to fit my bicep.  I also couldn’t find a matching zipper so I used a neutral.  Problems galore, right?

The pattern instructions wanted me to leave the pocket edges and the shoulder piece edges raw and I didn’t want that look so I just top-stitched all the seams on the inside.  Everything else worked out well.  I just wished I cut down some of the seam at the cuff so it’s not so bulky on the inside.

As a bonus, I made the yoga bag.  I haven’t been to yoga in quite some time, but I’d love to take some classes again.  Now, I won’t have hand carry my mat anymore!

-Nizzy

Another Nomination!

Emilybev nominated Creatively Motivation for a Leibster Award.  Thanks again!  She’s got some really cool crochet projects going on so head on over and check out her stuff!

This time it comes with a different set of questions since Emilybev’s spot is mainly a crochet blog.  Here goes…

1.  What was the first thing you ever crocheted?

The first thing I ever crocheted was (going to be) a blanket.  In the fifth grade I learned how to crochet from a teachers aid I met with after school hours.  I only learned single crochet stitch so you can imagine where that blanket went…nowhere. 

2.  What is your favourite type of food?

I’m a Greedy Gus.  Trying to narrow eating down to one selection?  Impossible.  However, one of my favorite cuisines is Indian.  I love the spices and flavors.

3.  Who is your favorite band/singer?

I couldn’t choose one so I pick both Mint Condition and Linkin Park.  I know, always breaking the rules.

4.  Summer or Winter?

SUMMER!  I find it easier to cool off than it is to stay warm.

5.  What is the main purpose of your blog?

The main purpose of my blog is to share my projects so that I can connect with others bloggers/crafters who share the same interests and keep track of what I’m working on for myself.

6.  When not blogging, what are some of your favorite websites to visit/hang out at?

FoodGawker, CraftGawker, Artist-a-Day

7.  Favourite smell?

Ripe Nectarines!

8.  You have £100 to do with as you wish. What do you spend it on?

Nevermind the exchange rate: Yarn and Fabric!  What else?

9.  If you could go back in time and talk to anyone from the history books, who would you choose and why?

Ummmm….I don’t know!  I’m just starting to get into history so I haven’t figured out yet who I find most interesting.

10.  What makes you laugh?

Being completely silly with friends

11.  What is your favorite memory?

That feeling when you were a kid on the first day summer day after school is out for the year.   The next couple of months you knew you were going to do nothing else but sleep in, hang out, and have fun all day long. 

On a completely different note, I’m behind in sharing some of my finished projects so I’ll leave you with a little jewelry-making that I haven’t posted about in a while.  I wasn’t always a necklace kind of gal, let alone a BOLD necklace kind of gal, but here is a little something different and I’m liking it a lot!  Now, I’m all about the big, the bold, and the beautiful!

-Nizzy

Can I Make These in My Size?

I love little baby feet…and fat little baby knees…and their cute little hands, but the poopy diapers really kill it for me!

A friend of a friend just had a baby and I was asked if I could make a few pairs of baby booties for her brand new baby boy.  Of course!  I like making baby items, but so sad to see them born out of the size or grow out of things so soon.  Let’s just hope this time the little one can get some wear out of these Little Mister Loafers.  So cute I want a pair in MY size, but big feet aren’t as cute.

I also made a pair of the Boot Scoot’n Booties and again they are too adorable.  The yarn, Caron Simply Soft was a little difficult to crochet with as it splits so easily.  I’ve knitted with this yarn before with not too many problems.  It also fuzzes up fairly quickly after a lot of handling, but the yarn is nice and soft.

I’ve got a few more pairs of booties to make in larger sizes and then back to the sewing lab.  It’s past time to share some old finished projects!

-Nizzy