Lime Riot

Mitered Corner MADNESS

2012-02-24T09:57:00.000-08:00

I recently challenged myself to increase my sewing fundamentals by working my way through the 1-2-3 Sew book. I've made it through the first chapter with mediocre success.

I really got hung up on the napkin project that was attempting to teach me how to make mitered corners. I've actually done mitered corners on quilts but that is an entirely different process than what's being taught with this project.

I got very stuck and very frustrated. These are the not-so-shining results of hours in front of the machine.

I was reaching a point of frustration that had me swearing that the sewing machine was going in a landfill for good. That's when I decided that I don't need to know how to do mitered corners :). I'm moving on!

The next chapter is all about pillows and I've already started on one that I'm really happy with. I'm not following the projects in the book exactly but the tips and techniques are very helpful.

While I was a little disappointed with the confusing instructions for mitered corners, I still think this is a great book and a valuable challenge.

It's also been really fun watching Nancy progress through her challenge that originally inspired me. She's a great support and motivator. I'm excited that Lindy is going to start working through the book too!

Stamping on Fabric Tutorial

2012-02-19T17:04:00.000-08:00

If you've poked around on my blog much you probably know that I'm a little obsessed with stamped fabric. I love the touch of personalization it adds to any handmade item, like this simple tissue holder. Today, I'm sharing the technique I use for stamping!

Start with your supplies; a set of alphabet stamps, permanent ink pad and the fabric you want to stamp on.

When making a sewn item, or plan to embroider or add other embellishments to stamped fabric, ALWAYS stamp first and sew later. You don't want to spend hours making something only to goof it up with a misplaced letter.

Consider the layout of the fabric and mark where you want the lettering to show up in its final state. If you're making a sewn item like this, put the pieces together loosely so you can determine where to stamp. Be sure to add space for any seams!

Before you stamp on your cut fabric, do a bit of practice. Get a feel for how the ink looks on the fabric you're working with and how much pressure you should apply.

I like to lay out the letters in advance so I can stamp a letter and move right on to the next. I think it helps to get in a rhythm.

Stamp straight down and directly onto the pad. You want the letter to be inked but not the corners of the stamp. I like to press into the pad 3 times using medium pressure.

Every alphabet stamp set will be a little different so practice how far apart you want the letters to be. I align the left side of the square stamp with the right side of the previous letter. If you want to keep things nice and tidy, use a ruler and disappearing pen to draw a line on your fabric. Use the mark to keep your letters vertically aligned. I don't usually do this because I generally like more of a wonky look.

Use medium pressure and go straight up and down when stamping.

If you press too hard, you risk picking up ink that may have wound up on the corners of the stamp. If you press too lightly, you won't see your letters and it's hard to re-stamp cleanly.

Once you're done stamping, you can go over your letters with a permanent marker to fill in any areas that are too light or unclear. I use a fine point Sharpie marker.

Sew your final piece together and enjoy!! You can wash fabric that has been stamped with permanent ink but I would not recommend using this technique on something that will be washed frequently as the letters will fade pretty quickly.

Thanks for stopping by!

Golden Grasses Embroidery

2012-02-12T16:48:00.000-08:00

I'm organizing another round of the Embroidery Hoopla swap on Craftster. In this round, we're all using either silhouette or negative space techniques for our hoops.

This is one of the pieces I made. Originally, I wanted to stitch the grasses and flowers in black on a background that looked like a sunset. I decided to flip the concept around and embroider with a golden floss on dark shadowy fabric. It's done with several different stitches including; back, chain, stem, split and french knots.

I hope my partner likes it!

This Means War

2012-02-05T12:50:00.000-08:00

This is her, my crafty nemesis. The evil Brother Innov-is 40 that has been destroying all of my recent projects along with every ounce of my sewing confidence. But I'm no longer going to roll over and let her win, I'm going to war!

My battle plan was inspired by one of my new blog pals, Nancy from N. Fallon Design Studio. She is working her way through the book 1-2-3 Sew to learn new skills and strengthen those she already has. I decided to order the book and do the same!

A few years ago, on a total whim, I purchased my sewing machine. I had never sewn before but after a few youtube videos, and a few frustrated tears, I had the monster threaded and humming along. I was fearless and willing to try anything. I was making everything from handbags to quilts and loving every minute of it.

At some point I had a Wile E Coyote cliff falling moment where I looked down and realized I was dangling in mid air thinking, "what am I doing?? I don't know how to sew!" From then on, every project I tried intimidated me and every project I tried wound up in the garbage.

I'm fighting back by going through the fundamentals and learning the techniques I never took the time to understand before, starting with Chapter 1 - Dining and Dishes.

I'm arming myself for this battle of the sewing basics and I will not be defeated. I've got all the weapons I need; support from my blog friends, determination and of course, my trusty seam ripper.

Crafty universe, BRING IT ON!

The Confidence Building Needle Book

2012-01-29T17:24:00.000-08:00

I've really been struggling lately with every sewing endeavor I've attempted. I'm lacking in practice and patience right now and it's resulted in a garbage can full of failed projects. I'm trying to go back to basics and rebuild my confidence and I was hoping this needle book would be a step in the right direction.

I made this for a friend who started cross-stitching about a year ago and has been asking for a book to store her needles in ever since.

It didn't end up in the garbage but I had to use my seam ripper WAY more than I should have for such a simple project. Nevertheless, it's finished and it's a step in the right direction for me!

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend!

Baby Shower Cravings Bar

2012-01-26T17:18:00.000-08:00

I hosted a little Boy Oh Boy! baby shower with the help of a few friends recently.

The shower started at 3pm so we wanted to have snacks but not a full lunch menu. I spotted a craving bar on Pinterest and knew that would be perfect for the shower!

We came up with a list of snacks that would meet any craving that mama could possibly be having (see below for a complete list)! I made the little signs using the computer, cardstock and bamboo skewers.

Here are the cravings and associated snacks we went with.

Fresh: veggie tray with dip, watermelon slices and berries

Sour: sour gummy worms, baby dill pickles

Sweet: mini cupcakes, cookies

Salty: popcorn, chips & salsa

Chewy: saltwater taffy, chocolate dipped marshmallows

It was a fun and easy menu to put together and just the right amount of food for late afternoon snacking.

Mama is due any minute now so send good thoughts!! I can't wait to meet her baby boy!

Craftster Challenge: Random Acts of Crafty Kindness

2012-01-23T13:38:00.000-08:00

The lovely and giving Leslie, from Leslie's Art and Sew, recently organized a group of caring and talented ladies to surprise a fellow Craftster member with a collection of beautiful sewn hearts at a time when she needed a bit of sunshine in her life.

My fellow Mod sister, Aislynn, and I were so touched by this act of kindness that we decided to organize a Random Acts of Crafty Kindness challenge around it! I encourage you to drop by, check out the challenge and maybe even consider joining in! It's a great excuse to use your crafty skills to bring some extra smiles to the world. We're also offering a brand new copy of the book Craft Hope: Handmade Crafts for a Cause to the challenge winner!

In other Craftster news, the Best of Craftster 2011 was announced today and I am totally floored to report that 4 of my projects and 2 of the swaps I organized were selected as 'bests'!! I am honored to be included in this group of amazing crafts and crafters!

Booties and Balls

2012-01-22T15:02:00.000-08:00

My apologies if you did a search on "booties and balls" and landed on this post expecting to see something other than craft projects. Feel free to leave now if you'd like :).

These are a couple projects that I made for a friend that is expecting her first baby in a couple months.

First, a set of rattle balls. These were made with various yarn scraps I had around the house and some bells I used for Christmas decorations. The pattern is called Oh Balls! and is available for free on Ravelry. They were quick and easy to knit up.

I also made a pair of booties to go with the sweater vest I made a while back. I used a Malabrigo yarn and this quick pattern.

Thanks for stopping by!

Kids Knit Giveaway - WINNER!!

2012-01-21T09:09:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the winner of the Kids Knit Giveaway, suburban prep!!

suburban prep, I hope that you and your niece have fun with this package! I'll be contacting you for a mailing address soon.

Follow Your Heart Valentine

2012-01-19T13:07:00.000-08:00

I'm doing a Valentine's Day swap with some of the other moderators over on Craftster. We're exchanging cards and an optional extra goodie. I decided to combine the card and the extra!

I stamped linen with the words "follow your..." then sewed it to a natural colored card with my sewing machine. I stitched up a small felt heart ornament and tied it to the front in a way that it can be removed and hung elsewhere! Together, the card reads, "follow your heart." A nice Valentine message if you ask me.

Here are a few in-process shots.

Happy heart day to you and your loved ones!

And don't forget, you still have a couple days to enter my Kids Knit Giveaway. I'll be picking a winner on Saturday.

To Humiliate the Dog

2012-01-16T19:41:00.000-08:00

It's a miracle that our dogs haven't bit my hand off with all of the humiliation I subject them to.

This is the latest project designed to torture them, knit headbands/ear warmers made to look like a baby tiger and a frog. I really want to do a whole series of these with different animals.

I was inspired by a pattern on Ravelry called "To Humiliate the Dog". Genius.

Not amused...

I've also been playing around with a couple of new Picassa features. I hit these pictures with "1960s" and "Polaroid" options. It's a fun and easy way to spice us shots!

Special thanks to my unwilling models, in order of appearance; Opie, Beatrice and Quigley.

Milo Baby Sweater

2012-01-14T20:02:00.000-08:00

I made this little sweater vest for a friend that's having a baby girl soon. It was such a fun and simple pattern. Interesting enough to hold your attention but easy enough to finish in a weekend. And the best part, no seams!!

I found the pattern, called Milo, on Ravelry. The pattern calls for a DK weight yarn but I used Malabrigo worsted. I went up a needle size and cast on for the 3 - 6 month size. The finished sweater measured to the 9 - 12 month size.

This pattern will be staying in my library for other friends with babies on the way!

Thanks for stopping by! While you're here, be sure to check out my kid knits giveaway. You still have a week to enter.

Kid Knits Giveaway!

2012-01-09T18:17:00.000-08:00

I started knitting in college and immediately fell in love with the hobby. It provided me with a way to relax and meditate at a time in my life that was very hectic. It also gave me confidence and the feeling of success when I finished a project I was proud of.

We don't have kids, at least not any with opposable thumbs, but it struck me that the benefits I've seen from knitting, could be seen by kiddos of all ages! My little cousin, Ella, also showed me this Christmas season that even tiny fingers can make great knits.

I was inspired to put together a little giveaway to share my love of this hobby! It's geared toward kids but would also be fun for grown-ups that are new to knitting.

Here are the details!

This giveaway is open to one and all and includes the following goodies;

A brand new copy of the book, Kids Knitting (filled with cute projects for all ages)
A set of Lion Brand kids knitting needles (these are short and light for small hands)
A Boyce knit accessory kit (all the doo-dads you could possibly need)
A skein of Lion Brand Wool Ease yarn (great yarn for beginners)

Enter by commenting on this post with a story about your favorite hobby or a hobby you learned as a kid that you still enjoy. Followers can enter 2 comments! I'll select a winner on Saturday, January 21st.

Don't have kids? Already an expert knitter? Don't have any interest in knitting? You can still enter! Consider donating your prize to a local charity.

Personalized Pet Collar Cozies with Tutorial!

2012-01-08T14:31:00.000-08:00

TheMistressT, over on Craftster, recently threw an adorable birthday party for her dog. She made dog collar cozies for the party-goers that I had to recreate for our pups!

I personalized my version a bit and took pics throughout the process so I can share how I made this simple project with you all.

Start by measuring the your pet's collar. Measure the length between the tag ring and the clasp, 8.25" in this example. For the width, measure at the widest point of the clasp.

Personalize your cozie by stamping your pet's name on a light colored fabric. I use StazOn ink for stamping on fabric because it's permanent and can be washed. Always stamp first and sew later in case you goof up.

Add 1" to length of the collar you measured earlier and about 3/4" to the width and cut your fabrics. Opie's collar measured 8.25" x 1" so I used the following measurements for my pieces.

Back Piece: 9.25" long by 1.75" wide

Front Pieces: Since I did a patchwork front, I cut front pieces 1.75" wide and long enough that, once sewn together, it would equal >9.25". Don't worry about being exact because you can trim it to the right length later.

If you're doing a patchwork front, sew the pieces together with right sides facing.

Trim your front piece to the appropriate measurement, 9.25" in my case. Now, fold over the end 1/4", press, fold over another 1/4" and press again. Top stitch to hide the raw edges and repeat the process on all 4 ends.

Pin the right sides together and sew down the length of both sides of your collar cozie.

You'll now have a nice long tube ready to be turned right side out. To do the turning, tie a piece of string or ribbon to a safety pin. Feed the pin through the tube and clip it to one of the short sides. Now, pull the piece of string until the cozie is completely turned.

Give the finished cozie a press, feed your pet's collar through the tube and you're done!!

I plan to make these for all of our pups plus some holiday "xoxo" versions for Valentine's day.

50 Projects in 2012

2012-01-04T20:36:00.000-08:00

I recently joined the 50 Projects in 2012 Craftalong over on Craftster. The idea is to create a list of the projects you'd like to accomplish and keep track of all the things you make throughout the year. You don't have to commit to 50 but it seems doable to me so that's what I'll be targeting!

I've got a long list of projects to try but fortunately the thread is already jam packed with talented crafters to help motivate and inspire!

This is the second completed project of the year (I'm counting my bracelets as #1 since I made those on January 1st). A washcloth and soap bag set! More functional than fancy but a project nonetheless!

Here are some of the stretch goals I added to my 50 project list. We'll see if I can accomplish all of them by my birthday (12/31) this year!

- Sew a pair of pajama pants
- Complete a crochet granny square
- Finally try resin jewelry
- Attempt crewel embroidery

If you need to get your crafty mo-jo going this year, definitely visit the craftalong! You're guaranteed to be motivated by the amazing group of crafters participating. They got my bootie in gear already!

New Year, New Bracelets!!

2012-01-01T12:06:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012! I hope everyone had a great holiday season. We had a wonderful Christmas in Disneyland followed by a few lazy days at home. We celebrated my birthday/New Year's Eve with friends last night and had a great time.

Since I had a few too many adult beverages, I was looking for an easy project to feed my crafty needs and these bracelets hit the spot!

They are SO quick and simple. Each one took me about 10 minutes from start to finish.

You can find a tutorial here! I think I'll have approximately 53 of these by the end of the day :).

Morse Code Wrap Bracelet

2011-12-20T07:48:00.000-08:00

My obsession with these wrap bracelets came just in time for this season of gift giving. They are stylish and fun to wear, they come together quickly and can be easily personalized.

This personalization idea came to me when I realized I didn't have enough beads to make a full double-wrapped bracelet so I needed to bring in some other colors. Rather than add them in a random pattern, I decided to use Morse Code to add secret dot and dash messages to the bracelets.

I made this one for myself. It has our initials, "J", "M" and "C".

This one says "CREATE".

These make great last minute gifts so if you're doing the holiday scramble like I am, give this project a shot!

Stay sane, friends!

Announcing our Panta Winners!!

2011-12-11T08:28:00.001-08:00

I'm happy to announce two winners of the Panta Giveaway!

Our first winner will be receiving the Panta Hoopla and a brand new copy of the book, Cute Stuff! Congratulations to Danielle!!

Our second winner will be receiving a purple panta headband and a shiny new copy of the book, One More Skein! Congratulations to, rubyslipperz!!

Special thanks for all of the thoughtful comments that were left for this giveaway. I truly enjoyed hearing your holiday stories and traditions.

Happy season of the Panta to you and yours!!

Giveaway Reminder & Gratuitous Cuteness

2011-12-09T16:22:00.001-08:00

Reading about all of your great holiday traditions is really getting me in the spirit!! Keep 'em coming because you have one more day to enter the Panta Giveaway! I'll be randomly selecting 2 winners first thing Sunday morning (PST).

While we wait, why don't we enjoy some pictures of our wienie dogs (Beatrice and Opie) in hoodies?

Wait a minute!! Those aren't wienies!! It's Quigley and Allie, our goofy great danes who barely fit in their hoodies.

Happy Friday!!

Wrap Bracelet

2011-12-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

I love the look of wrap bracelets but there is no way I'd pay ~$300 for an official Chan Luu.

I recently purchased some supplies to make my own (in my new favorite colors) and finally had a chance to sit down with them over the weekend. I used a tutorial that I found on youtube and was pleasantly surprised when I finished this in just over an hour!

It was so fun and easy! There are more of these in my near future.

UPDATE: Here are some other bracelets I've made this week. I'm obsessed!! At the rate I'm making these, I may just need to have another giveaway soon.

Don't forget to check out my Panta giveaway! I'm so enjoying reading about all of your winter traditions! Thank you for sharing. I'll be picking winners this weekend.

Season of the Panta - Giveaway!

2011-12-03T10:57:00.001-08:00

To celebrate the season of the Panta, I'm hosting a new giveaway with two chances to win some fun prizes!

Giveaway #1!
Now you can celebrate the season of the Panta with your very own Christmas Panda! The winner will get my Panta hoop plus one of my favorite crafty books that inspires many of the silly things I make, Aranzi Cute Stuff!

Giveaway #2!
The winner of giveaway #2 will receive a knit headband, also known as a panta! It won't be this exact one but it will be nearly identical. In addition to the headband, I'll also send the knitting book, One More Skein, 30 Quick Projects to Knit.

Entering to win is easy! Just leave a comment about one of your favorite winter season traditions. If you are a follower, leave two comments to double your chances of victory!!

I will pick our winners a week from today on December 10th.

Happy Season of the Panta to all!!!

Panta - Headband or Christmas Panda? Part II

2011-12-02T15:27:00.001-08:00

Last week "Panta" was a Christmas Panda but this week, it's a knit headband (the official definition of the word). While I really like this headband, I'll confess that it's not nearly as cute as a Christmas Panda.

I used Malabrigo worsted weight yarn and the Blue Leaf Headband pattern. It was a quick and easy knit. I'll be making one or two of these for myself as this one is being shipped off with a swap package.

Panta - A Headband or A Christmas Panda?

2011-11-23T19:42:00.001-08:00

I was chatting with my friend and fellow Craftster mod, Troublet from The Trouble with Crafting. She makes adorable felt ornaments so when she said she was making a "panta" I was certain she was whipping up a Panda Santa!

Come to find out, a panta is actually a knit or crochet headband. I had no idea.

I thought my image of a panta was more fun than a headband so I decided to bring the vision to life.

Here he is! In all of his Panda Christmas glory. Ready to delivery toys and candy cane bamboo to all of the baby pandas of the world. I hope the spirit of the Panta catches on!

Special thanks to Troublet for inspiring this craft and coming up with the peppermint bamboo idea!

Leg Warmers or Boot Snuggies

2011-11-20T08:55:00.001-08:00

These chunky cabled leg warmers made for a fun autumn project! I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick yarn and some wood buttons I scored on sale.

When not being worn as leg warmers, they can double as snuggies for your boots (as demonstrated by my favorite model below)!!

Effortless Giving - Scissor Fob

2011-11-09T17:54:00.000-08:00

Here's another idea for a simple stocking stuffer!

This is a fun treat for your crafty pals but really, doesn't everyone need scissors?? And more importantly, a cute reason not to misplace those scissors?!

This was made with felt, embroidery thread and a bit of pearl cotton floss.

I stitched the pink elephant onto a piece of grey felt, layered it with another piece of grey felt and then cut around the outline. Next, I looped the thread through the scissors and then glued it between the felt layers. I left a tail with the unfinished ends. I then did a simple whip stitch around the layers of grey felt. Lastly, I covered the unfinished floss ends with 2 more pieces of felt, stitched around the outside and glued on a button as the final accent!

Super easy and too cute to lose in the bottom of your sewing basket or the back of your junk drawer!

Check back for more gift ideas this month and a giveaway at the end of the series!!

Effortless Giving - Embellished Journals

2011-11-05T15:27:00.000-07:00

I'm already starting to think about quick and easy gifts for the holiday season! I like to have plenty of stocking stuffers on hand to share with friends, family and co-workers.

Over the next month, I'll be sharing some ideas for little presents that can be whipped up in no time! They won't require much effort but like any handmade treat, they'll make a big impression.

Let's get rolling with this idea for an embellished journal.

This gift can be made in no time flat and it will appeal to just about everyone! We all need a place to store lists, ideas, quotes or other special thoughts. They are easy to personalize or they can be stamped more generically for your on-the-spot gift needs.

I like to keep these Moleskine journals on hand because they make a great canvas for creative embellishments!

For this set, I used coordinating washi tapes to add a splash of color. I stitched 1.5" felt circles on top of the tape with my sewing machine and then glued on a matching button. I stamped linen fabric to add a touch of personalization, cut the names/words out with my pinking shears then stitched them to the cover.

Voila! Lovely and useful gifts in 15 minutes or less!

Driftwood Advent Calendar

2011-10-30T20:10:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in an advent calendar swap over on Craftster. After meeting my partner, I decided I wanted to make a driftwood village for her calendar.

I painted nearly 30 pieces of driftwood to look like little houses and trees. I glued clothespins to the back of each one.

Under all of those houses is a wooden thread spool rack that I painted. Mr. Lime helped me to saw the legs shorter and saw off the top row.

Then I punched out 3/4 inch circles and stamped them with the numbers 1 through 25.

I wrapped up each driftwood house and numbered the packages so that my partner can open a new one each day and slowly build her village through the month of December!

I had so much fun making this. I really hope my partner likes it!!

Strange Things are Afoot at the Circle K

2011-10-26T21:53:00.000-07:00

I've had a weird Bill and Ted brainworm recently and couldn't get this idea out of my head! Finally I just gave in and made it.

It's felt stitched to linen fabric and stamped with my trusty alpha letters! It turned out more "bogus" than "excellent" but at least I've rid myself of the brainworm.

In case you have no idea what I'm talking about...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DsFMJQHbMs

Thanks for looking, dudes.

San Dimas High Football RULES!!

Christmas Kisses

2011-10-23T14:32:00.000-07:00

I'm skipping over Halloween crafting this year and going straight to Christmas!

I recently saw an image of felt mistletoe on Pinterest and it inspired me to make this embroidered hoop. It's 4" and could be used as an ornament for the tree or could be hung in a doorway for sneaking Christmas kisses!

I also found yet another use for washi tape! I covered the outside of the hoop with a washi tape that is printed with old writing. I think it adds a nice detail to the otherwise simple hoop.

Ephemera Bookmarks

2011-10-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

When I saw this post on Craftster, I knew I wanted to make my own ephemera bookmarks!

I cut some felt then dug into my giant tub of ephemera and pulled out some bits, bobs and buttons and started sewing and gluing. After an hour or so, this is what I had come up with!

Here are some close-ups.

These were both fun and fast! I'll probably make some more for little gifts. These will be sent off with an upcoming swap package.

Boy oh Boy Shower Invites

2011-10-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

My friend Kelda is having her first baby, a boy!

Bridgett and I are throwing a little shower for her next month. We wanted to have a bright and fun theme, despite the fact that the weather here in Seattle is anything but. These are the simple invites I came up with to try to fit that theme.

I printed the white bits on my home printer and glued them to pre-cut turquoise cards. The pennants are made from origami papers and I stitched them on using my sewing machine. Lastly, I had to add a button because buttons make everything cuter!

I don't like plastering registry information on invitations. Instead, I made tiny little cards and slipped them into vellum envelopes that will get sent along with the invites.

I'll share some pics of the actual shower once it has come and gone.

I'm Dreaming of a Driftwood Xmas

2011-10-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

This project has to remain a bit of a mystery because it's for a swap and I don't want to spoil any surprises. I won't tell you what it's going to become, I'll just share a preliminary photo and you can speculate for the next month while I finish it up!

These are made from driftwood pieces collected from my parent's beach on Vashon Island. The wood gets a nice long bleach bath followed by a few days of drying under the heater vents before it's ready to be painted with acrylic paints.

I have a whole batch drying under the vents as I type! I'm really hoping this project turns out the way I'm envisioning it. I'll keep you all posted!!

Dye Lot Disaster

2011-10-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with this ruffled scarf the moment I saw it. I immediately added it to my knitting queue and hit the yarn shop to find the perfect fiber. I picked up some beautiful yarn called Organik and set to work on the pattern.

After a few hours of knitting, I reached the end of my first skein and added a second. After a few more hours of knitting, I stepped back to admire my progress and, to my horror, discovered this dye lot disaster!!!

That stripe you see is unintentional and caused by a simple mistake that I could have easily avoided. In my haste to get this yarn in my shopping bag and home to my knitting needles, I failed to check the dye lots on each skein. I ended up purchasing 2 skeins from the same colorway, but with different dye lots.

You can see from the above that variations between lots can be quite significant and can really screw up a project!

When purchasing yarn, be sure to take 30 seconds to match-up the dye lot numbers for all of the skeins you're buying. See that #073 below? That's the number you're looking for.

This is particularly important when purchasing kettle dyed yarn but even mass-produced yarns like Lion Brand can have variations. So don't be a dummy like me, check those numbers!

I'm not sure what will become of this project. I'm guessing it will stay in my WIP basket for the next 5 or 6 years.

Slurpees vs Wedding Cake

2011-10-01T20:33:00.000-07:00

We recently received copies of or our official wedding photos! We are really happy with them and wanted to share!

We were married on July 11th (7-11) and 7-11 just happend to be giving out free slurpees. Given that we were in 105 degree Vegas heat, we couldnt resist.

We also made a trip to the Bellagio during our Vegas photoshoot adventure.

Our favorite stop was the Neon Boneyard where we spent over an hour snapping shots amongst the retired neon lights of Vegas.

We had so much fun with our photographer, Brian Saccules. Seeing these photos brought back wonderful memories of all of the love and laughs we shared on our special day. We will cherish these shots for years to come.

Cure for a Cold Neck

2011-09-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

One thing is for sure, my neck won't be cold this winter. I can't seem to knit anything but neck attire right now! This is the latest in my growing collection.

I used 100% wool Taos yarn from Crystal Palace. The colors are so vibrant and fantastic. The pattern is called Mustard and it can be found on Ravelry for free! This would be great for a last minute gift because it takes less than a skein of yarn and knits up in half a day.

It's also a nice project for showcasing a favorite button. I picked up this little gem at my local yarn shop, the Fiber Gallery. The color matches the green hues in the cowl perfectly.

Angry Little Chicken

2011-09-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased the book Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi by Anna Hrachovec. It's filled with quick and adorable projects. This is the first one I've knit up but there are many more itty bitty knits in my near future!

His eyes make him look a little angry but he's really quite friendly.

Lucha Libre Felt Embroidery

2011-09-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

I've been organizing another round of the Hoopla swap over on Craftster. As usual, the swap is filled with some uber talentented stitchers. The work that's pouring into the gallery is just amazing!

Here's my humble contribution. My partner likes Dia De Los Muertos and Lucha Libre themes. I was particularly inspired by the vibrant colors and glam designs of the wrestling masks so that's the direction I went!

I used the usual supplies for this; linen fabric, fancy felt, DMC thread and my alphabet stamps.

Anticipating Autumn

2011-09-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

I'm one of those weird life-long Seattleites that starts craving cool grey weather after a month and a half of summer sunshine. It's that time of year when I'm ready for the the leaves to change and our misty cloud cover to return. I've already started crafting and shopping in anticipation for fall!

I made this collared cowl from my favorite yarn, malibrigo chunky! It's warm and soft and the colors are divine!

Modelling my new cowl, is my new pair of Frye boots. I can't wait until the temperature drops enough for me to wear these.

Bring on the rain!! I'm prepared.

Drumroll Please. And the Winner is...

2011-09-03T07:49:00.000-07:00

I have been overwhelmed by all of the comments and well wishes you shared during my giveaway!!
Seeing the great work you all do makes me so happy and I hope that popping by my little blog now and then brings you a bit of joy too.

Okay, now on to the good stuff! Congratulations to the winner of the Sublime Giveaway, Meredith!!

I'm thrilled to get to send you this package, Meredith. I'll be reaching out to get your address and you can expect to see all your sublime goodies shortly after!

I had SO much fun with this giveaway. I'll definitely be doing another one soon so stay tuned!

The Camera Shy Shrug

2011-08-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

I made this Something Lacy Shrug for my partner in a recent swap (hope she's not peeking!!). It's several sizes too big for me but I'm hoping it will be just right for her. I used Amy Butler Rowan Belle Organic DK yarn which is a 50/50 cotton wool blend. I loved working with it and am glad I snagged a couple extra skeins so I can make something for myself.

I'm calling this the camera shy shrug because I couldn't get a decent picture of it despite snapping through nearly a whole memory card worth of shots!

The lacy pattern reminds me of peacock feathers. I'd love to make this again using a variegated yarn of blues and greens.

Thanks for looking!!

AND don't forget that there is still a week to enter my Sublime giveaway. Thank you for all of the lovely comments left so far. I can't wait to pick a winner!

A Sublime Giveaway!!

2011-08-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

It's been just about a year since I started this little blog. I've had such a great time sharing my craft projects, being inspired by yours and making new bloggy pals!

To celebrate the 1 year anniversary of Lime Riot, I'm doing a GIVEAWAY!!!

I'll be giving away a Sublime hoop and all of the supplies to make your very own felt hoopla including; a stack of my favorite fancy felt, a handful of DMC flosses, a wood embroidery hoop, a square of linen fabric to stitch on, a couple embroidery needles and the book Scandinavian Needlecraft to provide all the inspiration you'll need!

Be sure to check out my felt embroidery tutorial for some tips and tricks!

Want to win all this great stuff?! Just leave a comment on this post! If you're a follower, you can leave 2 comments! I'll pick a winner on Saturday, September 3rd so be sure to check back to see if all these goodies will be headed your way.

Thanks for playing!!

Christmas in August???

2011-08-18T18:58:00.000-07:00

The Seattle sun is finally warm, the smell of BBQ is in the air, the sound of the ice cream truck can be heard around the corner, the dogs are playing in the sprinkler... and I'm crafting for Christmas!

I recently participated in a Christmas ornament swap with some of my fellow moderators over on Craftster. It was so fun to get into the holiday spirit in the middle of the summer!

I made these gingerbread embroidery hoops for my ornaments. I was inspired by a similar design I saw in the book, Fa La La La Felt. I stitched the ginger boy and girl onto a dark blue felt and then used my sewing machine to zig-zag stitch that to linen fabric.

I made quite a few!

I wanted to put the swap name and year on the back of the ornament so my moderator pals could remember the fun we had when they hang the ornament each year! I stamped the name onto a grocery bag and zig-zag stitched it to a piece of green felt.

I've already received one fantastic ornament and I'm excited to see what the other mods came up with!

Patchwork Embroidery

2011-08-07T20:54:00.000-07:00

I made this hoop for a swap partner who likes patchwork, trees and life! The tree design is from the book Doodle Stitching. I used a chain stitch and teeny tiny pieces of felt for the leaves.

It's a simple design but I like the way it came together!

Special Olympics Scarf Project

2011-07-31T19:19:00.000-07:00

I usually only share finished projects but I'm not sure when this work in process (WIP) will be completed and I want to get the word out about this fun charitable crafting opportunity!!

I first heard about the Special Olympics Scarf Project on Craftster.org and I immediately ordered the yarn required and started looking around for patterns. The Scarf Project is an opportunity to show your support of the Special Olympics by knitting or crocheting scarves for the athletes to wear during the opening ceremonies!

If you enjoy yarn crafting I encourage you to check out the Scarf Project. I'm hoping to make 3 or 4 scarves for the athletes before the February deadline.

This is the first one I've started. It's knitting up pretty quickly so I should be finished within a week or 2.

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Lime!

2011-07-27T17:45:00.000-07:00

It's official! We're hitched!

We've spent the last 2+ weeks eloping in Las Vegas and then relaxing at the incredible Capella Ixtapa resort. We had an amazing time and we're a very very happy newlywed couple!

Everything was absolutely perfect but we are happy to be back home with our fur-family and my craft supplies! I didn't get any crafting done while we were away but I've jumped right back into it. I'm working on a lovely knit shrug for a swap and have just opened up another round of the Hoopla swap on Craftster. I'll be sharing some crafty projects as soon as I've officially come back to reality.

We won't have our official photos back for another 6 weeks but here's a few of our amateur shots for your viewing pleasure...

Like my Mom always says, it's good to go but it's good to come home. I missed all of my crafty blog pals and am happy to be back crafting again with all of you!

xoxo

Doxie Club House Sign - kEEp oUt gREat DAneS

2011-07-06T08:14:00.000-07:00

This is Opie and Beatrice. They got a new clubhouse for their upcoming 2 week slumber party with Grandma and Grandpa while Mom and Dad are off getting married.

They were having loads of fun playing with toys, chewing on bones and smelling eachother's butts until the local bully showed up to crash their party.

"What can we do??", they thought. They thought about this question for a long time because they are not very smart and ideas come slow. Finally it struck them!

They set to work making a sign!

After stitching all night, in their best handwriting, they hung-up the sign and went back to their wiener ways without fear of being interrupted by any more thugs.

The end.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, the truth is, Opie and Beatrice had some help making their new sign.

I wrote the words with my left hand so they looked sloppy and then transferred them onto the fabric. I stitched them up with 6 strands of DMC then sewed it to another piece of fabric with nice heavy interfacing in between. I did some decorative stitching along the outside with my machine and added some buttons.

I originally had a ribbon going between the top buttons to hang the sign but it made it a bit floppy. I decorated a tiny clothespin instead and used that for clipping the sign to their house.

Thanks for looking!

Thanx You Cards

2011-07-02T13:42:00.000-07:00

It's almost here - 7/11/11 (aka my wedding day)! We're getting so excited for our runaway wedding in Vegas and then our amazing honeymoon at Capella Ixtapa.

Despite my protests, my wonderful girlfriends threw an unofficial bachelorette party for me last weekend. We drank, played golf, drank, opened presents, ate, drank, danced, drank and then passed out. It was so fun and they all gave me some very lovely gifts.

I wanted to make my own thank you cards to send them so I whipped these babies up. I used blank cards, linen fabric scraps, and my alphabet stamps and sewed it all together with red thread. I originally wanted them to say "Thank You" but I can't find my "Y" stamp anywhere! I'm pretty sure Quigley ate it.

I made a whole bunch of them since we have a few thank-yous to send off to people that have sent us gifts already.

And in case you missed him the first time I posted this pic, here is our craft and letter "Y" stamp eating Great Dane, Quigley and his big brother doxie, Opie.

School Bag

2011-06-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

School bag...get it...school??

I made this fish tote for a recent swap partner. The fish were inspired by a project in the book, Scandinavian Stitches. The bag is just a simple lined tote with nice long straps. I had a great time digging through my scraps and picking fabrics for this project! I used a linen fabric for the exterior, which explains all of the wrinkles. The other fabrics are all quilting cottons.

Thanks for looking!

Sheldon the Flashing Turtle

2011-06-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to make this adorable knit stuffie so when I noticed a recent swap partner had Sheldon on her wish list I couldn't resist!

The pattern is not too difficult although I did have a tough time with the attached i-cord. I ended up just knitting the i-cord and sewing it on. I opted for non-traditional turtle colors because being weird is always more fun. He's bigger than I expected with a finished size of around 10" long.

And here's Sheldon coming out of his shell and flashing the entire world wide interwebs!!

A Sublime Lime Sub

2011-06-20T21:31:00.000-07:00

This idea came to me when I was laying awake in bed the other night and I just couldn't resist stitching it up.

I'd like to do a whole series of lime inspired play-on-words hoops!

Cross-Stitch Pillow

2011-06-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

I love making throw pillows. They are such quick and easy projects and you can make them extra special by incorporating a little cross-stitch or embroidery!

I made this one for a recent swap partner and if we didn't have dogs that were convinced all throw pillows were their personal toys, I'd want to make a couple to decorate our couch!

I cross-stitched the design on 14 ct Aida and then sewed it to the blue, green and linen fabrics I had picked out. I used big seam allowances when I stitch the Aida because I was afraid it might unravel. I finished it off with a nice button closure on the back!

Thanks for looking!

Felted Ashling Tote

2011-06-12T13:28:00.000-07:00

I made this little felted tote for a recent swap partner.

I used the Ashling Tote pattern and Cascade 220 yarn. The embroidery was inspired by the book, Doodle Stitching. I had fun with it!

It was a pretty quick and easy project but the bag is on the small side. If I were to make it again, I'd probably lengthen the straps just a bit.

Here's a pre-felting shot...

Thanks for looking!

Felt Embroidery Tutorial!

2011-06-08T21:44:00.000-07:00

I've really been enjoying working with felt in my embroidery projects. It's fun, looks cute and it's quick!
I thought I'd share my process for creating a felt hoop with you all!

First, here's the finished product...

I start my felt hoops by sketching out the design I want to make. Google image search is great for finding clip art outlines to use as a starting point for the sketch.

Then I trace each of the individual pieces of the sketch onto trace paper. You can see in this pic that I've broken apart each piece (ear, leg, body,etc) of the little ellie.

Next, I cut out the traced pieces along with the felt piece. When it comes to felt, I like to use wool "fancy" felt. I buy mine from the lovely Etsy shop, Giant Dwarf.

Then I put all the pieces back together again and place them on the fabric I've selected. I like putting the hoop on at this time so I make sure the design fits well within it.
I use a fabric glue stick to attach all of the felt pieces. This keeps all the tiny bits from slipping or falling off when you start stitching.

Now it's time to stitch! I use 2 strands of DMC and a whip stitch around the outside of each felt piece. I go up through the fabric and then down through the felt. This keeps the felt fuzz to a minimum.

Once you've got everything tacked down, you can embellish the design with additional stitches, buttons, stamps or whatever!

Now, all that's left to do is sit back and enjoy your new hoop framed embroidery!

I hope someone finds this useful! Let me know if there are any questions!

A "Green" Calendar

2011-06-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

I saw this pattern in the book I Love (heart) Patchwork and fell head over heels for the concept of a perpetual calendar. Not only is it cute but it's green (in more ways than just the color)! This calendar can be used again and again, year after year, eliminating the need to purchase paper calendar.

The calendar base came together pretty easy but the fabric covered buttons were a bit of a pain. It was fun picking all the fabrics though! I used twill tape for the months and my trusty alphabet stamps for all the letters and numbers.

It wasn't until I put all the numbers on for June that I realized not every month has 31 days. Derrr. Unfortunately I was out of fabric covered buttons so I just used a normal button as filler. Can you spot it?

I think it would be fun to make some additional buttons with stamps of crowns to mark special birthdays or little gifts to mark holidays!

A Simple Hoop

2011-06-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

I was flipping through a craft magazine the other day (darn, I don't remember which one!) and saw something similar to this. I thought it was so sweet and I loved how they had used alphabet stamps for the quote. So I made my own version!

I think it's in a 7" hoop, the fabric is linen and the birdie is made from wool felt. It's simple but that's kind of the idea :).

I'm planning on doing more stamped embroidery pieces soon despite the fact that I can't stamp straight. I actually like how the quote lettering turned out a bit wonky. Gives it character!

Embellished Felted Bowl

2011-05-30T08:01:00.000-07:00

I generally don't like crafting something more than once. I also don't like watching movies more than once, cooking the same recipe twice, taking the same trip a second time, ... you get the idea.

There are a few exceptions to this rule and felted bowls are one of them. I love making these and continue to enjoy the process along with the final product.

For this bowl, I used double-stranded Cascade 220 in a nice moss green color. Once the knitting was complete, it went into the wash along with a pair of Chuck Taylors for extra agitation. I left the bowl on its mold (empty pickle jar) for about 3 days to let it dry completely. I gave the bowl a haircut with a sweater shaver to clean up the frizz.

I wanted to jazz it up a bit so I added some blush pink buttons and a bit of embroidery.

This is going to a swap partner but hasn't been sent off yet. I hope she's not peeking!!

Stay tuned for another felted project that I've almost managed to finish!

Driftwood Cottages

2011-05-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

For Mom's day this year, we went to Pt. Townsend and did some beachcoming. Inspired by this post by Alisa Burke, I sent Mom, Dad and Mr. Lime on a mission to find flat pieces of driftwood shaped like houses. We managed to gather a nice big pile and Mom was gracious enough to carry them all back to the car in her giant rain coat.

Once home, I washed them in a bleach bath and let the pieces dry out in the sun. As soon as all the damp smelliness was gone, I went to town painting a town! I used acrylic paints and Sharpie markers for the outlining and details. I plan to also seal these with matte varnish.

These are for a swap partner but I'm not sure what they will become yet. I painted about 30 of them and I'm thinking of either a wreath or maybe lining them up on another piece of driftwood to be used as garden art. I'll share the final product here once I decide what to do.

Here are some in process shots!

This project has been so fun! I definitely plan to raid my parent's beach for more driftwood next time I'm home!

Embellished Notebook Cover with Tutorial

2011-05-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

I love making lists and I'm constantly in need of notebooks to keep track of my various going-ons. I like using the old marbled black and white composition notebooks because they are cheap and available everywhere.

I like to make felt covers with button and embroidery embellishments to dress them up a bit. It's a fun and easy project and you can use the cover again and again as you fill up notebooks and get new ones!

Want to make one??

Gather up your supplies:
- Felt (I like to use wool but craft felt works too)
- Embroidery floss
- Buttons or other embellishments that you'd like to use!
- Embroidery needle

Cut your felt:
- Open your journal and the total width (front cover + back cover + spine) and add 1"
- Measure the height and add 1"
- Cut your main piece according to the measurements above
- Cut two side pieces ~"3 wide x the same height as your main piece

Embellish (the fun part):
- Decorate the main piece however you want!
- I like to use my craft punches to make felt flowers, circles, stars and other shapes
- You'll have to press hard and quick to punch the felt but it makes a perfectly formed shape
- Attach your embellishments with embroidery floss
- Try adding buttons!

Put it all together:
- Once you finish your design, attach your side pieces by stitching around the entire cover with blanket stitch
- You can see the side piece attachment in this photo

You're done! Enjoy your fancy new notebook cover!

Perfectly Personalized Stamps

2011-05-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that most of the crafting I do is inspired by my swap partners. I wanted a fun way to personalize the cards that I send to my partners so I did a bit of Etsy shopping and was lucky enough to stumble across Green Garden Stamps.

I had so much fun working with Jessica on these designs and I can't wait to start using them!! I wanted to show off how awesome they are and thank Jessica again for creating such perfectly personalized stamps for me.

This logo design was created for me by another wonderful Etsy member who is unfortunately not selling there anymore. I can't believe how perfect the stamp form of it turned out!!

I'm off to start stamping everything in my craft room!

Felted Stained Glass Noro Bag

2011-05-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

I was in a Be Awesome swap a while back where our challenge was to create one awesome thing for our partners. I decided to make this felted bag because I think it's awesome!

I used this felted stained glass bag pattern and one of my favorite yarns, Noro. It was so fun to work this project and see how the colors of the yarn changed from one beautiful shade to the next.

Once I got the rhythm of the pattern down, it was pretty easy - just a bit time consuming. The biggest challenge I had was with the hundreds of yarn ends that you end up with!!

Here are some in-progress shots.

The dreaded yarn ends!!! This was a shot of the inside of the bag before I wove in every single stray end.

It's always a little scary to throw something you've worked on for hours and hour into the washing machine for felting. Fortunately, it came out even prettier than it went in!

After washing, the bag sat on a mold (made of a soup pot and plastic bags) for a few days to take shape. I added felted i-cord straps and lined the bag with a black cotton fabric.

Thanks for looking!

Romantic Spring Inspired Matchbox

2011-04-23T19:53:00.000-07:00

I recently joined an Altered Matchbox swap and had a lovely partner that only lives about 10 miles from us! She likes birds, gardening and reading so I tried to combine those themes into this Spring inspired box.

The outside of the box is covered in a linen paper. I made a kanzashi flower with some fabric scraps and buttons to go on top.

I covered the inside with pages from A Midsummer Night's Dream to go with the reading theme. I also added some paper roses and painted the whole thing with distressing ink.

I filled the box with some romantic spring goodies including; flowered buttons, paper covered clothespin, silver heart, spring inchie, bird charm, aged key and some stickers and papers.

I wrapped the whole thing up in a lace doily and off it went!

Double Pointed Needle Cases

2011-04-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

A while back I made myself a double-pointed knitting needle roll. I failed pretty miserably. The design I went with caused all of the needles to fall out every time I unrolled it!

So when a recent swap partner requested double-pointed needle cases, I knew exactly what NOT to do.

This time around, I made individual cases for each set of needles. I used this tutorial and two fat quarters of some fun crafty fabric. I numbered each case by stamping them with fabric paint. Finally, I made a little drawstring bag to store them all in.

I plan to make myself a set of these soon!

Knitted Amigurumi Chameleon

2011-04-10T13:55:00.000-07:00

I made this amigurumi chameleon for a recent swap.

The pattern is by Hansi Singh and it's a challenging one! There were moments when I didn't think I would have the patience to finish it.

I used a skein of Briggs and Little wool for the body and some Lion Brand Wool-Ease scraps for the feet and spiney back bits. There are pipe cleaners in his legs and feet to help him grab onto things.

Lasagna Cupcakes

2011-04-03T14:56:00.000-07:00

I combined two of our favorite foods for dinner tonight, lasagna and cupcakes!

I used my favorite lasagna recipe for these, World's Best Lasagna. I cooked the noodles aldente, cut them into thirds, sprayed cupcake tins with olive oil and then layered the noodles, cheese and sauce in this order...

- 1/3 noodle (pushed into tin)
- layer of ricotta
- 1/3 noodle (pushed into tin)
- spoonful of sauce
- slice of mozzarella
- layer of ricotta
- 1/3 noodle (lay on top)
- spoonful of sauce
- slice of mozzarella
- grated parmesan cheese

I eventually figured out that cutting the swirly edge off the noodles made the process easier.

Pre-oven shot...

I baked these for ~25 minutes in a 350 degree oven. They slid right out of the tin! The edges of the noodles turned out a bit crispy but still very yummy!

Simple Knitted Gift Idea

2011-03-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

Need a quick and easy knitted gift idea? How about a nice set of washcloths?

Hand knit washcloths knit up quickly and make a great gift when packaged with some yummy soap. They are sturdy and scrubby and can also be used for dish washing. I use Sugar n' Cream cotton yarn for my washcloths. It's washable, comes in loads of colors and it's cheap! This Double Bump pattern is my favorite because it comes out nice and square.

Add a ribbon and a nice handmade soap and you have a simple but lovely gift that anyone would be sure to enjoy.

Angler Fish LED Embroidery

2011-03-23T19:49:00.000-07:00

Deep sea creatures fascinate me! I'm astounded at all of the various ways they've adapted to live in such a harsh and unforgiving habitat. One of my favorite deep sea oddities is the angler fish.

When a recent swap partner mentioned that she liked sea creatures, I knew exactly what I wanted to work on. This swap was for a diptych hooped embroidery piece. It's two hoops connected either physically or by a common theme.

Here's what I came up with. An angler fish on one hoop and his lure and hapless dinner on the other...

I used batik fabric, wool felt and embroidery floss for this project.

One more supply I used... an LED light!

Here is a picture of the guts of the smaller hoop where you can see the switch.

Thanks for looking!

Wicked Circus Altered Altoid Tin

2011-03-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

I've been debating whether or not to post this project since my partner hasn't received but since Kira over at Oops, I Craft My Pants posted her awesome wicked circus tin, I figure I can share mine too.

We're both participating in a wicked circus themed altered Altoid tin swap. This is my first time altering tins and I will confess to being more than a little anxious about it. With the help of this great tutorial, a bit of modge podge, some sequins and lots of distressing ink, I got after it!

I wanted the tin to look like one of those old travelling circus gypsy carts and I wanted to fill it with a wicked freak show. Jake helped me cut the top of the tin with the Dremel. Then I covered it in paper and sewed up a couple of curtains. I painted spools for the wheels and made the freak show ATCs with watercolor paper and other sundries.

Here is a shot of the inside of the tin. I tore out a page from the dictionary defining freakish, freak, freaky...

Each of these cards can bee added to the tin to change the show. I kept getting them stuck in the tin so I had to put the little ribbons on to make it easier to pull them out.

This one has a mirror on it so whoever is looking in it can be part of the freak show too.

And here are some shots of the top and back.

There are about 1,000 things I wish I had done differently but overall, I had fun with this project and learned a ton! I look forward to altering my next tin when hopefully I won't be such a newbie.

PB&J Pouches

2011-03-17T16:15:00.000-07:00

I made these zippered wristlets for a recent swap. My partner liked peanut butter and jelly and wanted something she could share with her best friend so I sent these wristlets for them to exchange.

I used beige linen, some quilting cotton, wool felt and embroidery floss.

Thanks for looking!

New Name Inchies

2011-03-12T15:42:00.000-08:00

I'm getting married this summer (7-11-11)! Yay! To celebrate what will soon be my new last name, I made some inchies! I used watercolor paper and paints, quilling paper, magazine clippings and some sequins for a little bling.

Mystery Amigurumi

2011-03-08T17:08:00.000-08:00

I made this little amigurumi for a recent swap partner. She has a fondness for rats but unfortunately this ami didn't turn out very rat-like. In fact, I'm not sure what it's like?? Mouse? Koala Bear? Bunny? Some crazy hybrid creature? Oh well, whatever it is, I think it's cute.

Hamster Roll Call

2011-02-26T15:37:00.000-08:00

Anna Hrachovec from Mochimochi Land creates the most adorable knit ami patterns! Her first book, Knitting Mochimochi, is filled with wonderful and quirky projects. I recently made a little knit hamster from one of the patterns in the book. As soon as I finished it I wanted to make another! And another...and another...

I could have made 100 but I stopped at 6. They are fast, fun and only require a tiny bit of yarn. I'm sure I will be making more in the very near future.

Hamster roll call!!

Danger, Knit Monster Invasion

2011-02-19T08:01:00.000-08:00

I love all Danger Crafts patterns. They are adorable, easy to make and a great way to use up yarn leftover from larger projects.

I made these three monsters for a recent swap. Just as I was finishing them up, I received Danger Crafts new book, The Big Book of Knitted Monsters in the mail! I can't wait to make more little critters soon.

These were all made using Cascade 220 and size 5 needles. The red monster is a free pattern available on Ravelry!

Hooded Dachshund Snuggle Sack for Spoiled Wieners (w/ Tutorial)

2011-02-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

If you know me, you know that my dogs are spoiled, especially the doxies. They are expert cuddlers and could be hired by the military to be heat seeking missiles. They love crawling inside shirts so to avoid the scratches and dog drool on my tummy that usually results from this, I made them hooded snuggle sacks for their cuddling pleasure. They LOVE them and have asked that I share this tutorial so that their wiener brethren throughout the world can also enjoy the warmth and security these sacks provide.

First, some gratuitous cuteness...

Now, for the tutorial!

Supplies:
aprox 3/4 yard interior (something cozy) + 3/4 yard exterior fabric
thread
pins
cute doxie

Cut your fabric!
2 pieces of interior and 2 pieces of exterior fabric ~11"x20" (bag)
1 piece interior and 1 piece exterior fabric ~ 16" x 8" (hood)

Fold the hood pieces in half, right sides together. With the fold at the top, draw a semi-circle in the upper right and corner. Sew along the curve and down the other side. Repeat for both hood pieces. Trim the excess corner fabric off.

Pin and sew the right sides of the two sewn hood pieces together. You'll only need to do this on the one side that has no seam. The other, still open side, will be sewn into the sack later.

Turn the hood right side out and topstitch along the edge. Set your hood aside for later.

Pin and sew the right sides of your interior fabric together along the 2 long sides and one short side. Repeat this for the exterior fabric.

Open up the exterior piece (but leave it inside out) and pin the exterior side of the hood into it. Start by pinning the middle of your hood to the middle of one of the exterior pieces. You can baste this now if that's easier for you.

Turn the interior bag piece right side out and put it inside the bag too. Pin this all the way around. You'll need to kind of pull the interior bag piece past the hood piece.

Now, from outside in, you'll have your exterior piece, your hood and then interior piece all pinned together. Sew around the top leaving a 4" or 5" gap for turning. I found it's easiest to leave the hole in the front where there is no hood piece to worry about.

Turn the whole thing inside out! Pin the opening closed and top stitch around again.

Here's a shot in mid-turn. It looks weird but just keep pulling (gently)!

You're done!

Now you just have to find a cute dachshund and shove them in!

Enjoy!

Hedgehog Mug Rug

2011-02-13T19:08:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered the world of Mug Rugs. They are tiny little quilts used as coasters and snack mats for warm drinks and tasty treats. There are some great examples on flickr!

I fell in love with them instantly and organized a swap on Craftster to trade rugs with my fellow crafty pals!

My partner likes hedgehogs so this is what I came up with for her. The finished size is around 6" x 11" or so.

I will definitely be making more Mug Rugs soon! They are quick, fun and great stash busters!

Sincerely Yours, The Breakfast Club

2011-02-12T14:55:00.000-08:00

I had purchased this pattern a while ago and was anxiously awaiting an excuse to make it. I found that excuse with a recent swap partner who shares my love of John Hughes movies.

I always forget how much longer it takes to cross-stitch than it does to embroider but I had fun with it the whole time! I used 14 count Aida and the final piece fit nicely into a 7" hoop.

weelittlestitches shop on Etsy has a few other great patterns that I hope to make soon including Pretty in Pink and Ghostbusters!

Retro Camera Embroidery

2011-02-01T20:49:00.000-08:00

I made this Polaroid camera embroidery hoop for a recent photography loving swap partner. I used this design with a few minor changes.

I tried a new technique for transferring the image that resulted in a few boo-boos that I'm not very pleased with. I traced the design onto very thin tracing paper then pinned that paper to the fabric and basically stitched over the whole thing. The idea was that when I finished, I could just rip the paper away and the stitches would remain secure on the fabric.

Unfortunately it caused some of the stitches to pull loose and also led to wonky lines where I couldn't see what I was doing under the paper, not to mention the fact that fully removing the paper was a giant pain in the a** requiring the tiniest tweezers I own.

Despite the challenges and imperfections, I'm still pleased with how the overall design came out. I think the background fabric worked well with the theme.

Inchies or How to Destroy a Craft Room in 10 min or Less

2011-01-23T09:25:00.000-08:00

I made some more inchies recently for the swap that started my obsession. My partner likes Paris, pretty things, gardening, fantasy and crafting of course :). I tried to incorporate these themes into the various sets I made.

I end up using materials from every corner of my craft room when making inchies... papers, paints, glitter, glue, magazines, books, markers, modge podge, stamps, punches... These tiny little things cause more craft room damage per square inch than any other! Here are some before and after pictures to prove it.

Before...

And after the Inchie Apocalypse...

Itty Bitty Amigurumi

2011-01-12T14:25:00.000-08:00

I previously shared Chicken Really Really Little. This is another installment of a tiny amigurumi project, Ms. Pear and Baby Crab Apple!

These little cuties were made with embroidery floss and a very small crochet hook (1.25mm). I actually had to make two of the little crab apples because our Great Dane, Quigley, swallowed the first one whole when I wasn't looking.

And here is a picture of the craft eater...

Bath and Body Craft...FAIL

2011-01-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

I love handmade soaps, bath fizzies, lotions and lip balms. It's a craft I'm really determined to get better at in 2011.

Aided by the help of Bridgett and Claire, I made my first attempt at bath and body crafting a few weeks ago. We purchased all of the supplies to make bath salts, bath fizzies and candles figuring they would make great little Christmas gifts.

Well, they turned out looking great...unfortunately they smell terrible, like a 7-11 bathroom air freshener.

I think we really underestimated the power of the scented oils we added to the fizzies, salts and candles. Next time we'll be a bit more conservative with how many drops we add. Until then, these stinky little gifts will be hidden away deep in my craft closet with the hopes that after some time, humans will be able to be in their presence without passing out.

My Obsession is Growing...Inch by Inch

2010-12-23T13:48:00.000-08:00

Inchies are tiny 1" x 1" pieces of artwork and my new obsession! I made my first set last night and I've barely stopped crafting since then.

Here is a shot of a few of them next to a Quarter for scale.

Ocean/beach themed: made with watercolor pencils, magazine clippings, sharpie marker and glitter

Romantic Theme: made from torn pages of Othello, images from vintage cigar ads and words from my Scrabble dictionary

Silly Monster theme: made for a swap partner from watercolor pencils and construction paper

Super Mario themed: made for a swap partner with watercolor pencils and sharpie marker

And here's the whole lot that will be sent to my swap partner. If they were all lined up together, the whole row would only be 1' long!

Now that I'm going to have all these Inchies, I need to figure out something to do with them! Maybe magnets?

Woodland Embroidery Hoop

2010-12-22T13:09:00.000-08:00

Every couple of months I organize a Hoopla Swap on Craftster. Embroidery loving crafters around the world swap stitched hoops with each other. It's always such a fun and talented group. I really enjoy every round!

Our most recent round was OTT (One Tiny Thing) themed so we're working on hoops that are 4" or less. One of my partners likes woodland creatures so this is what I came up with for her. I was inspired by a quilt I saw in a Scandinavian book.

I'm doing something quite different for my other partner but I'm having just as much fun with it. I'll post that as soon as she receives.

Mimosa Drinking Doves of Peace

2010-12-15T11:25:00.000-08:00

My girlfriends came over on Saturday to craft! We had a great time drinking mimosas and making dove ornaments to decorate our houses and give as gifts. We used a pattern from the book Fa La La Felt and from start to finish I'd say they took us about an hour.

We did a photoshoot with them having a little bird-bath in our mimosa glass.

Claire's Bird:

Lisa's Bird:

Lisa also made a super cute peppermint ornament using rolled felt, cellophane and a little ribbion but we didn't get a picture of it.

Adventures in Book Binding

2010-12-12T11:02:00.000-08:00

Book binding is a craft I've always wanted to learn. I'd love to be able to make handmade journals and photo albums. I've been looking around for local classes to learn the technique but until I try the real thing, I gave this small version a try. I used this pattern and was really happy with how it turned out! I will be making more of these!

Carpe Diem Quilt

2010-12-02T17:59:00.000-08:00

I made this wall quilt for a recent swap partner who likes skulls. There's nothing like a having a skull hanging on your wall to remind you to Seize the Day (or Carpe Diem)!

I like how it turned out - you almost need to stare at it for a minute before noticing the skull. I cut fabric for another one and will hopefuly find time to make it before next Halloween.

I found the pattern in the book, Whip Up Mini Quilts. I still need more quilting practice but I've been enjoying making these smaller quilts. They are much easier to manage in my small sewing machine.

Snow-Gingerbread-Elf-Man Ornament

2010-11-28T14:58:00.000-08:00

I made this little guy from a pattern in the book, Fa la la Felt. I'm not sure if he's a snowman or a gingerbread man - maybe even an elf? Perhaps a bit of each? I think he looks cute when sitting on my craft desk.

However, I don't think he's quite as cute when he's hanging. In fact, I'm afraid he looks morbid! Does it look like this poor little snow-ginger-elf man has just been to the gallows??

I think this decoration will be better as a sitting ornament instead of a hanging one :).

Countdown to Christmas

2010-11-20T11:05:00.000-08:00

November is zipping by! In preparation for December and the countdown to Christmas, I made an advent calendar. I was inspired by this awesome idea on sweet paul.

I used match boxes, xmas papers, stamps, hot glue and some fun little trinkets!

I started by stamping all of the match boxes with the numbers 1 - 25. Next time I make one of these, I'll save the stamping for the last step so I don't smear any of the ink.

I decided to line each box with a holiday paper to make the calendar even more festive and finished looking.

Next, I glued together the outsides of the the boxes with hot glue. One row of 9, one row of 7, 5, 3 and 1.

Then I cut out the paper to wrap around each row. I scored the paper at the corners and hot glued it around the outside.

I hotglued each of the rows together to form the shape of the tree and added a button to the top.

Then came the fun part, filling each box with a little treats and trinkets!

Let the countdown begin!

Felted Nesting Bowls

2010-11-14T11:20:00.000-08:00

I've always been scared to try felting. When you spend hours knitting something, the last thing you want to do is throw it in the wash to be "agitated" but I finally overcame my felting fears with this project!

I used double-stranded Cascade 220 and a great pattern I found on Etsy to make these felted nesting bowls. They were fun to make and they are perfect for organizing little crafty bits and bobbles.

This is what the bowls looked like before I put them in the wash.

After they came out of the wash, I set them on molds for 2 or 3 days to dry completely.

Voila!

One Pattern, Three Ways

2010-11-08T20:10:00.000-08:00

I love Dangercraft's patterns. They are all adorable, easy and use the magic loop method for knitting in the round - which is SO much better than DPNs. One of my favorite designs is Daphne and Delilah the Mommy and Baby Monster.

I've made it a few different ways using different yarns and needle sizes.

For this version, I used Vanna's Choice yarn and size 8 needles. The finished size of mommy monster was aprox 13".

I made a couple big foot versions of the pattern for a sasquatch loving craft pal. I used a fun fur yarn for this and size 5 needles. I also added some big felt feet. Finished size was aprox 6" tall.

This is a baby big foot made from sock yarn and size 2 needles. Finished size is aprox 3" tall. He's hiding behind a little felt branch.

Introducing Gertrude and Hank

2010-11-02T20:13:00.000-07:00

I love knitting but it's a time consuming hobby and I rarely have the patience to finish full sized sweaters, blankets, or other big items. That's just one of the reasons why I love making knitted stuffies. They are super cute, quick to make and a wonderful way to use up yarn stash.

I made these friendly twins recently, Gertrude and Hank. They crack me up. I used a pattern from the book, The Knitted Odd Bunch with a few minor tweaks.

I used silk/bamboo yarn and stuffed them lightly so they are cute and floppy. Finished size is aprox 16" tall.

Hide Your Brains. The Zombies Are Coming!!

2010-10-26T20:23:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate than with zombie crafts!!

This zombie frog is made from a couple of children's sock, felt and buttons!

This pumpkin head zombie was made from felt and is less than 2 inches tall. He was inspired by the book Zombie Felties.

I've shared this zombie octopus before but he fits the theme so what the hell!

Crafts for "Cat People"

2010-10-19T19:36:00.000-07:00

I've had a couple of swap partners lately that are "cat people". I'm more of a dog person myself but can't deny that kitties are cute!

I made a couple of throw pillows for them to celebrate their love of cats.

This one was made for a Halloween swap. My partner loves black cats so I thought this would make a fun decoration for the holiday. I used a bright orange fabric, felt, buttons and embroidery floss.

I am crafting for another swap partner that has adorable Siamese kitty cats. This one is for her!

These projects involve very simple sewing and a bit of embroidery. I think they make unique gifts and provide a fun way to personalize your couch!

Halloween Quilt

2010-10-12T20:15:00.000-07:00

I made a Halloween quilt! I used the Oh Frannson Mix Tape quilt pattern (again), some Halloween printed cottons, beige linen for the sashing, spider web fabric for the backing and spooky tree fabric for the binding.

It's a small quilt that is meant to be used as a wall hanging for the holiday. I sent this one off to a recent swap partner but I have enough fabric left over to make my own!

I still have a lot to learn about quilting and definitely need more practice but I'm enjoying the process.

Is it a Cat? Is it a Bat? It's a Cat Bat!

2010-10-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

I found the pattern for this Cat Bat in the book, Plush-O-Rama. It was really fun to make and sewed up pretty quickly. I will be making more of these little hybrid creatures soon! This project is a great way to use up fabric and felt scraps.

Fabric Scrap Cards

2010-10-03T15:51:00.000-07:00

Let's start a holiday card revolution. Instead of sending Christmas cards, why not send Halloween cards this year?!

I made these cards with some scraps leftover from a Halloween quilt. I cut the fabric into squares using pinking shears, attached the squares to blank cards using a glue stick and then stitched around the squares with the sewing machine.

I'm going to give this set as a gift so I packaged each card with an envelope and slipped it into a clear plastic sleeve then tied them up with a Halloween ribbon.

These were fun and easy to make and a great way to use up fabric scraps. I'll be making more of these to send and also to give as gifts.

Macaroni and Cheese Cupcakes

2010-09-28T19:08:00.000-07:00

I combined two of my favorite things for dinner tonight, Macaroni and cheese and cupcakes!

I used this recipe from Framed Cooks with a few tweaks. I added a bit of nutmeg to the egg/milk mix along with salt and pepper. I also topped the cupcakes with a slice of Roma tomato and a mixture of melted butter and Panko bread crumbs.

They were fun to make and also fun to eat! If I made them again, I think I'd use Ina Garten's mac and cheese recipe because it's just impossible to beat.

Simple Halloween Banner

2010-09-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

If you've read my last couple of posts you may have picked up on the fact that I'm excited for Halloween!! It's one of my favorite holidays and I've been crafting up a storm to celebrate this year.

Here is a very easy project that I made recently. I found plain cardboard banners on sale at the local paper store. I picked up some spooky craft paper and small orange and black ornaments and here's the result...

This project was very quick to make. I used one of the cardboard pieces as a template for cutting the paper. I cut out all of the triangles that I wanted and then hole punched them in the required places.

Next, I organized the layout of the colors and patterns and then used rubber cement to adhere the paper to the cardboard.

Lastly, I strung the whole thing up on a black satin ribbon. I tied on the ornaments and used glue to attach the ribbon to the cardboard. This prevents everything from sliding to the middle.

I considered adding letters to spell "Halloween" or "Trick" on one side and "Treat" on the other. In the end, I was really happy with how it looked without any additions.

Stay tuned for more Halloween posts in the coming weeks!

More Clothespin Crafts

2010-09-23T19:08:00.000-07:00

I told you I bought a lot of clothespins right?

I made these from felt, craft glue, a little polyfill, a couple buttons and clothespins of course! I put magnets on one or two of them but I actually think I prefer to just clip them around the house and use them as easy decorations.

Here are some shots of them hanging around the house!