Second Sock Syndrome

One down, one to go! I got one sock finished last night. Yay me! I immediately cast on for the second one before Second Sock Syndrome set in. I'm still at the 2x2 ribbing. The needles are so fiddly at first. Once I get a little more done, hopefully I can get on a real roll with the ribbing and get it over with.

How do you like those pretty beads in the picture? I fell in love with them. Had to have them. They look like little berries. I want to eat them.

I met my sister up at Joann's the other day. Last day of the flannel sale, had to get more! Pretty soon I'll have enough jammies for every day of the year, lol! I. Just. Can't. Stop. Making. Jammies. She made me buy that little notebook with the spider on it. Maybe I can keep track of my jammies with it! That little ladybug is a container, I think it would be good for keeping my berry beads in. I love the dollar stuff at Joann.

We have too much fun in Joann's. It's like kids in a candy store to us.

My Dad made me something! Check it out . . . the car from the movie A Christmas Story!

He loves to make these little cars. He carves them out of wood and then paints them to look like a car of that time looked. Very cool! Our family is obsessed with the movie A Christmas Story. Could probably recite it by heart, but yet we watch it over and over.

Cider Mill Season

The weather has been just beautiful lately. Cool nights, warm days. It's just about that time of year to go to the cider mill. I'm feening for some cider and warm donuts. Yummy! And I want to get some apples and make some homemade applesauce. Love that stuff!

I made some more jammies. I'm addicted to jammies. I can't stop making them. The pink ones I made for my daughter and I took them to her when I went and saw her this past weekend. She loves them! Once she tried them on, they stayed on. She said they were very comfy! The other ones are for me.

I'm so glad she liked them!

I've also been working on another little ragdoll and finally got her finished. I love how she turned out! She's very pink. Another little cutie to add to my stuff around here.

I just have to share this next picture my son sent me. It's my son's cat, Smoky. My son is a big U of M Football fan and even the cat has to get in on it. Smoky doesn't look like he's enjoying this too much, lol!

The little sweater did not stay on him long. Long enough for a picture and he had had it, off it came!

Ike

Wow, Hurricane Ike is so massive and it's hitting the Galveston/Houston area at the moment. I've been following the coverage of this storm as I have a very good on-line friend in Houston. He stayed in his home and will ride out the storm. He says he will be OK and I'm having faith in what he says. Can't stop thinking about him and I hope he's right and stays safe.

What I don't understand is why are the gas stations raising the prices so drastically? Yesterday the gas stations were packed, and anywhere that had gas under $4 a gallon had lines into the street. The hurricane hadn't even hit yet but of course a chance to make a profit and rip off the consumer happened. There is no shortage. The governor made a speech that anyone who is caught price gouging will be fined. A local station was found to be selling unleaded regular for $4.49. Come on! Really? $4.49 a gallon? That just pisses me off so much.

In the meantime we are going to have a rainy weekend here in Michigan. I plan on staying inside and relaxing. I have some sewing I want to do. Got some more jammie pants cut out. I want to cut out another doll. And I've been working on my glow in the dark ghost. So far it looks like a dishcloth, but that's how it will look until I finish and put it together. I'm still working on the socks too, but they are on the back burner for now.

Very easy knitting. I rented some videos from the library to watch, so I will knit and watch movies and listen to the rain fall. A very relaxing weekend it will be.

Fabulous Fabrics!

Thank you for the birthday wishes! I bought myself some goodies in celebration. Lately I have been totally in love with Matroyshka dolls, or Russian dolls or some call them Nesting dolls. I found this fabric and just HAD to have it. I'm going to make an apron from a pattern in this wonderful little book I got from the library, The Apron Book. A lot of interesting and wonderful information about aprons in the book. I may have to buy it someday.

I also bought some cotton calico and a new jammie pattern to make more jammie pants. I just can't stop making them. They are so incredibly comfy.

Then, I also got some fabric to make the witch for my door for Halloween time, and some bits and pieces of pretty fabrics to make little dolls called Dotee. My sister and I are in love with them and are going to have a craft night and make some. Stay tuned for that. I also found sequins and jewels and glitter and tulle and paint to decorate them with. I need to get some beads also. Can't wait! It will be a fun evening.

I have been working on my socks. I love to sit out on the deck in the evening and knit. I'm almost up to the heel on the second sock. The first one is waiting on old needles that I don't like. I'm hoping to do the heels one after the other that way I can see how much of the contrast yarn I'll be using before I get to the toes. So I'm just moving along on them. My daughter got me those two balls of Sugar & Cream for my birthday. I love that yarn!

And last, but not least, my daughter has been making beaded necklaces and I just had to show one off. I just love this one!

She's been getting very creative and enjoying her crafting time too. She won't have time for it once she goes back to school.

That's it for now. It started pouring down rain a few minutes ago, just pouring. A good time to stay inside and sew or knit or craft. Have a great weekend!

I hate this muggy weather

It's been so humid lately. I get so lethargic when it's like this, don't want to move around, no ambition, haven't been doing much. Except for craft things! I made my very first pincushion. It was a fun little project. It's made with a cotton fat quarter and some felt. It's stuffed with a bamboo stuffing, very dense. I thought it looked plain on the top so I sewed on a button. The button is from my great aunt's button box which I received when she died. All kinds of wonderful old buttons in that button box!

The whole thing is sewed by hand, no sewing machine involved in the pincushion. I want to make more! I've been collecting all kinds of pincushion patterns. Fun little projects.

I did make another pair of jammie pants. Winnie the Pooh print! They are so comfy

I've made some progress with my sock. Even though it's wool, it's a small project so I've been able to stand touching it. A very easy pattern to memorize.

Just a couple more inches and I'll be at the heel. I'll learn how to do the wrap and turn technique. I'm pleased so far with the sock. The yarn is very soft and feels real nice.

And lastly, I picked my first tomatoes.

Cherry tomatoes. Nowhere on the stake did it say the plants were cherry tomatoes. I've been waiting all summer for a nice juicy tomato. Oh well, I guess I'll have to go to the farmers market for that. But I will enjoy the little tomatoes I'm growing.

Monkey Jammies

Not much going on here. I did a little bit of sewing and made another pair of jammie pants. Silly little monkeys! They make me smile. They are cotton flannel. I made them in the shorter length and didn't put in the drawstring. I was lazy. I added the elastic though.

And no, I didn't forget how to knit. Just haven't been in the knitting frame of mind lately. I did make another dishcloth. A log cabin! It makes me want to go on vacation.

Fabric Buying Frenzy

The sewing bug bit me again, so I'm back in the sewing mood. I bought some new fabrics:

Bathtub duckies, monkeys, and popcorn boxes. Those are all cotton flannels. The Easter bunnies are a cotton. I'm going to make a project bag with that one, it would make a cute container for Easter goodies when that time rolls around again. With the popcorn boxes flannel I made jammie pants! I altered the pattern and made it shorter, into a capri/pedal pusher length. Very comfy!

I think they're perfect to wear while watching a movie!

I also made a project bag out of a cotton flannel with purses on it. So cute! I just love this fabric.

I think I'll keep this one for me!

I was going through my stash and found some Christmas cottons I had. They would make great little gift bags. I don't have a lot of yardage on those to make much else. They were leftover from something else. And my cat is still sick. I'm supposed to be making her food now, she's on a bland diet. So I pulled out my cat food cookbook. Haven't made anything yet, I'm still following the recipes the vet gave me. She won't eat the stuff I'm making, she's used to cat food, not people food. I made chicken and rice. I feel like I'm feeding her Chinese food.

There is a small amount of knitting going on. A kitty cat dishcloth, pretty in pink!

It's so muggy today, can't stand it, don't feel like doing much. I think I'll turn on the AC and cut out another pair of short jammie pants. They sew up very quickly.

Another Little Ornie

I got another ornie done. I cut the pattern out wrong on this one, forgot to add the quarter inch seams to the body so this one is skinny. I call it my anorexic ornie. I still think it's so cute! I'm going to send this one to my aunt. She just loves Christmas stuff.

Kind of hard to part with these little cuties.

Another three day weekend for me, yay! I'm going to Joann with my daughter tomorrow. Flannel prints are on sale, time to stock up for some more of those jammie pants. Too hot to even think about sewing them at the moment. But so fun to buy and look at fabric!

My Katie went back to the vet today for a recheck. Her skin problem has resolved, but now we have new issues. She can't keep food down. It's been really gross around here, I won't go into details. More medicine, and another shot, and another bite out of the wallet. Getting old sucks whether you're human or animal.

I found this photo of her on the computer. My daughter must have taken it. Look at those eyes!

In Between Projects

OK, last pair of jammies, for now, lol!

These are a cotton/poly blend, more of that seersucker-like fabric. I've had so much fun making these. It was nice to sit at the machines and sew up a storm. I'm still being bit by the sewing bug, but I can't decide what to make. I bought a pattern for a laptop case, but haven't gotten the supplies yet. And I can't stay away from Etsy. I got this 1/2 yard of Japanese fabric in the mail that I bought from an Etsy store:

Isn't it cute? I'm not sure what I'll do with it yet. Maybe a project bag. I also have some new needles coming from an Etsy store, size 1 dpns, teeny tiny skinny needles for a future project.

I don't have anything on the needles at the moment. I finished a washcloth last night. It has Homer Simpson on it, but I can't get a good photo. It's for my daughter's Easter basket. Yes, she's 18 and I still make her a little basket.

So I'm off to pick out a pattern and some yarn and needles and sit and watch TV tonight. Big American Idol fan here, can't miss it!

More Jammies!

The sun is shining brightly today, the snow is melting, I can even see patches of grass, yay! We're not out of the woods yet, we could still get snow, but we sure needed this nice day. In the meantime my daughter is on spring break, out of town, in Florida. She sent me this picture of the beach . . . sigh

I could use a spring break. Instead, I've been home. Still sewing. I got the fishy flannel fabric sewed up. Very comfy! I wish I could wear these to work.

So, yep, I'm still having fun sewing. I ordered some Japanese fabric from some Etsy vendors. So cute! Can't wait until it comes. Not sure what I'll make with it, but I HAD to have it. I may make a laptop sleeve with some of it, not that I ever take my laptop anywhere, but I may some day.

While I was sewing yesterday, Katie thought she'd curl up in my sewing machine cover that I just threw on the floor. She fit into it nicely.

Cats. They don't leave anything alone.

I'm still working on the beret. Finally made some progress and I'm decreasing. I'm worried that I don't have enough yarn to finish, which will make me really sad. I hope I don't have to order more. So, now it's time for The Great Yarn Race. Hope I win!

I Can't Stop Sewing

I just can't quit sewing! It's been fun. I got another pair of pajama pants done:

They are a cotton/poly blend, kind of a seersucker feel to them. Nice and lightweight for spring. Here's a close-up:

The ducks below are the first pair I made from this pattern. I made them a couple of years ago. They are like a stretchy terrycloth fabric. Very, very warm. I love them! It is from pattern Simplicity #4418. A very easy pattern. It's one of those patterns that's on the rack at Joann, not in the drawer. The cheap patterns, lol! I haven't done much sewing in the past few years. I'm totally shocked at how much patterns cost now.

I'm not even sure if they make this pattern any more. I've had it for two years, but don't know how long it was around before that. It takes me about an hour to make a pair of pajama bottoms.

So . . . I bought more fabric! I just can't quit. I'm having so much fun with these. So colorful.

Check out those fish, lol! I love them. That's a cotton flannel. The bright flowers are a cotton/poly blend, the same puckered seersucker type stuff as the striped ones I already made.

I got the flannel fish cut out and they are ready to head over to the sewing machine and serger.

I've been working on the jammies and browsing Japanese fabrics on Etsy. Oh my gosh, such fun fabric. Just might have to get me some for something, maybe a project bag. I've been knitting just a little. I'm still working on the beret. It's boring me so much at the moment. 192 stitches on size 3 needles with sock yarn. It takes forever to see any progress. I have no new pictures of that as you really can't tell that I've made any progress. I've got not quite an inch to go then I can start the decreasing. Maybe tonight I'll get that little inch done.

Is it spring yet?

More snow yesterday. It snowed all day. So what do I feel like doing when it snows? Baking cookies! This went into the oven:

And this came out:

mmmmmmmmm! Yummy peanut butter cookies! Something about a snowy day makes me want to bake.

I also got some knitting done on the beret. It's slow going. Sock yarn on small needles = slow knitting. But the yarn is so so so gorgeous, I don't mind. Here's my progress:

I've got about 2 1/2 inches done so far, I've got about 2 more inches to go then I can start decreasing. Today is a good day to sit and knit. This is the yarn I'm using and I'm still in love with it:

I would like to say Thank You for the kind comments on my jammies! I bought more fabric today at Joann to make myself another pair. Nice and bright!

I also got a matching T-shirt and string tie for the waist. It kind of will go with the colors of the beret. Won't I be stylin'!

So tell me, what are you working on?

Sew a Needle Pulling Thread

My daughter arrived home for her spring break. Yay she made it safely! And in between snowstorms too. She's planning on going to Florida with some friends. I'll miss her, but you're only young once and it's a good opportunity. So I hope she has fun! For her trip I made her some summerweight jammie bottoms.

A cute yellow polka dot seersucker type fabric. Here's a close-up.

I gave them to her when she got home and she loves them! She loves when I make her stuff. And it's appreciated. So while I was sewing, I also made a pair for me, all in fun, just had to have this fabric. Very piratey with the skulls and crossbones.

It's a cotton/poly blend. Still too cold to wear them, but they'll be waiting when spring ever gets here. It was fun doing some sewing the other day. I just may have to go back and buy more fabric and make some more stuff.

I got started on the knit-along beret last night. I just LOVE this yarn. Oh it's so nice, and the color . . . fantastic! What a joy to work with.

Now I'm going to go sit on the couch and knittle on the beret and watch American Idol. They are finally going to be down to the final 12. This is when I like watching it.