Happy 1st of February! It seems like the year just turned, and now it is already a new (and short) month! Hopefully people have lots planned for this red, white, and pink month! I know I do!

I have finished the quilt top and bought the batting and backing fabric. I decided to go with a flannel for the back so it will be really cozy to snuggle under. I just need to baste and then quilt,. Then comes the binding, which I am thinking of machine sewing the whole way. Found a great tutorial here on it. I can't wait! Then I can snuggle into my new reading corner in the master bedroom!

I am almost satisfied with the master bedroom now too thanks to a Craigslist find. I need a bookshlef/night table thing for the clock, lamp, books, and crafts and I found it! So we did some rearranging and now there is a lovely little reading corner. Yay! All it needs is a blanket!

I also started to knit a sock. I figured it was time to move on from scarves and other flat knitting. Well, I have one leg done, but have to look up an ssk to be able to do the heel turn. Then I will be in the home stretch! So yes, I will hopefully be finished both socks by the end of the month! I give myself long deadlines because I get distracted easily!

Valentine's day is coming up, and while I don't really get into this "holiday", I had fun decoratign this year. We made origami hearts and paper heart garlands. And we are having a red, white, and pick potluck with som friends. Plus, I have some snowboarding to do this month, and then at the very end of February, an awesome brunch at Mon Village. Their brunches are just so awesome! I can't wait!

It's gonna be a busy month with work, crafting, get togethers and sports! And in all of that, there needs to be time to work out and to sit down and relax in front of Eureka.

Perhaps I will update a little more often this year, and maybe include pictures! Have a great one!

I won!

Not too much going on. Had a lovely weekend in Ottawa with a couple of friends. We explored the Byward market and went to visit the kitties at Parliament. Sadly, we mostly saw some fat black squirrels! Two kitties were out in the enclosure, but the other ones remained hidden. Then we went to the Museum of Science and Technology. The crazy kitchen is still pretty crazy! I haven't been since I was little, but I still have a great time; it is super interactive!

I had a lovely surprise email waiting for me too! It seems I won the giveaway on ohbrooke for the family crest necklace by Lisa Leonard Designs. Crazy cool! Thanks!! Lovely way to start my week!

Not too much crafting going on. I will be trying to finish up my quilt squares this week and then creating a pattern or at least some ideas for an apron I am making for a Christmas gift-exchange.

Have a great week everyone!

Just keep on truckin'

So following my sucess making one skirt, I decided, what the heck, I'll make another for my Halloween costume. I didn't really follow a pattern this time either. I just measured myself and cut. I made four panels for the hips down, and then a waistband to cover above the hips. I just had to add darts to the panels to make it the same size as the waist. And it worked! I even learned how to switch feet on my machine and make a button hole. I thought I would need to tie a ribbon in just in case the waist proved to be too big. It kind of is at the moment, but I am not sure about a ribbon. I will decide this weekend whether I should it add it or not.

Then, to complete my black cat outfit, I needed black earrings (well of course I did!), so I found some black feathers and beads and made some earrings. I really should have gotten some photos. I will try to post some later, if I remember.

So 2 handmade things for the costume, and the rest I already had on hand. Not bad at all! I really am quit proud that I managed to make another skirt, and this one pretty much from scratch! I do have some issues with that first one though. It is really long, and the waist goes way too high, like past the belly button high, so I am not really impressed with that. If I did it again I would probably tweak the pattern a bit to rest a bit lower on the waist. We shall see what comes of it.

Anywho, turkey dinner tonight because we feel like it! Have a great weekend!

I finished my skirt

Right, so I went and got my correct pattern of Butterick B4461, the A-line skirt, and managed to finish it in one day. The instructions were pretty clear, I just ran into a few problems with the zipper, the facing, and the ribbon at the end. Plus, a 7 inch zipper is a little too short for it I find. I would have liked a bit of a longer one without a hook and eye since those are kinda scratchy...

Here are some photos of my first ever skirt, and my first garment sewing in a decade!



Sorry for the terrible photo, I took it tonight, and the lighting sucks. The fabric is more of a blackish purple, not grey at all. But at least you get the general idea.

And a close up of the ribbon. I was at a loss of how to attach it since straight line sewing on the ribbon proved to be difficult.




So yes, my first skirt. Not perfect, but not too shabby. I am quite proud of it and hope I can do even better next time! I want to adjust this pattern for my Halloween costume, but we will have to wait to see if that pans out.

Ta!

Oops

So I finished the scarf for my friend's birthday, albeit a little late. But then didn't take a picture of the finished product! It was a fun scarf to make, although mine doesn't really look like the pattern picture. Maybe I am doing something different? It's ok, I like my look too! And she liked it! A lighter scarf for fall.

I also started my quilt. I cut all the pieces out and sewed up the centres for the 12 squares. And wouldn't you know it, I kinda did it wrong and am wasting some fabric... Now I know for next time how to do some pieces and to not cut it all in advance, just in case!! It's ok, the scraps will be used in a coin quilt or something.

It seems my week for errors. I bought a lovely pattern and was really excited, and then when I went to cut the paper, I realized I bought the next sizes up to what I wanted. And the pattern is non-retournable. So I now have one that won't fit and I need to go back to get they other sizes. I guess mistakes are how you learn, but it is slightly (ok really) frustrating when this all happens in one week AND you have to pay for another pattern, the exact same, but smaller. I was going to be really adventurous and try to do it on the fly or whatever, but I ain't that talented, so back to the store I go.

I will report back when I have some more news, and perhaps a success? And with photos!

Cheers

Randomness

For the last day of September, all I have is randomness. It is one of my good friend's birthday today, so there will be entertainment tonight. Yes, we are going out on a Wednesday to a place that serves their drinks in 1 litre Mason jars. Super awesome, if you ask me! So that will be fun.

I do have a slight problem. I realized her birthday was really soon and thought to give her the Morning Snack Scarf, except I have been majorly procrastinating and have not really worked on it. Can I get it done in an hour tonight? Probably not. Well, I will give her the gift on the weekend, when we get together next!

On a fluffy note, I read Remember Me? and, while extremely fluffy and chick-read-ish, was pretty good. Not something I would pick up again, but it was a fast, enjoyable read that did not require a lot of brain power. Now I am on to reading Battles that Changed Warfare: 1457 BC - AD 1991 and Little Dorrit. The latter sounded pretty good from the summary on the back of the book, so I will give it a whirl.

Also saw X-Men Origins finally, and it was good. Had some fun action, and lovely scenes. Not enjoying what they did to Ryan Reynolds, but what can you do? Ah well.

As you can see, there has been much fluff in my entertainment recently. But this past weekend was a change since I was off to TO to attend my cousin's wedding. Beautiful, gorgeous, lovely, etc. It was really fun to be there to see family again. We don't see them as often as we'd like. And the wedding and reception were great, beautiful locations too! And the colour scheme: purple and champagne. It was lovely. But what else is to be expected from a wedding/event planner as a bride!

Lovely weekend, and some entertainment this week (hopefully tomorrow isn't too harsh!) and a lovely last day of September to you all! Ta ta!

Pictures to go with the work

So I finally have photos uploaded of what I have been working on. And the photo above is just for fun. I got a new teacup and saucer in Stratford and I was having fun with composition. I think I need a lot of work on that!


Now, I finished a giant granny square afghan. It took me awhile since I didn't work on it diligently or during the hot months. But I finally got tired of it getting a messed up and losing the hook and all that so I finished it, I even added a scalloped edge!



I'm not sure if it comes across in this photo, but the blanket actually fully envelopes the loveseat behind it, and invades the floor and wall behind it, and is trying to leave the confines of the couch on either side!

And now onto the Morning Snack Scarf. Mine doesn't look like the one in the original found here. Shown are a close-up of the stitching and of the work in general (on my beautiful blue needles! Love them!)





Slow going on the scarf since the gym is right now killing my arms and shoulders, but I hope to work on it some more. Maybe I will even be able to gift it to certain someone for their October birthday!

Enjoy!