ONE JOB.

Come on, stitch holder. You have ONE JOB.

TO HOLD MY STICHES.

CRAFT FAIL

I've made hand cut chenille before.

I think?

I remember a piece made with layers and layers of recycled t-shirts, which I had meant to make into a throw pillow but it was so stiff it became a bath rug. It had a great texture!
That didn't fray,  obviously, it was jersey knits.
I was trying to make a piece to put on the back of a cute taggie blanket for my friend's on-the-way baby, just for some cool texture,  but taking it out of the wash, this chenille doesn't work out at all. Admittedly it still feels kinda neat, but I was going for the orderly fuzz of clipped chenille, not this linty thready Jackson Pollock mess.
I was worried this wouldn't work because my flannel was pre washed, but I think it was more important that I didn't see and cut the channels on the bias- I'm confident that would result in much much less loose-thread-vomit than what you see here.
I used up all my large flannel scraps,  though,  so I'm thinking of alternatives. Joann's has recently gotten Minky (called "soft and comfy") in prints, and I also have small bits of interesting fabrics in my stash- no decisions yet.

A nerd house with a bird house

Looking for a quick project,  I pulled some hand towels or if the linen closet and gussied one up. I would have made two, but I decided the other towel was written down enough that it wasn't really deserving as it wouldn't last much longer.
My machine is still skipping stitches here and there but overall I think this will hold up okay! It was scrap fabric and a towel that I probably got at Goodwill anyways.
The fabric is a scrap of Star Wars quilting cotton that I had made pajama pants out of! Is it ok to match your house on this level?  :D

New phone: new posts?

Got me a fancy new phone and hoping it will make updating much easier! My poor long suffering laptop crawls along nowadays and the battery can't be trusted.

The Blogger app could hardly be trusted still the last time I was using it on my phone.  It seems the app will still only allow one picture per post. Lame,  but I talk too much anyways and maybe this way I'll have to make lots of posts!
In knitting news, I finished my "Zombie BBQ" socks (that was the name of the colorway) and the idea I had to rib the instep actually seems to be working pretty well! It's helping to keep the socks on my feet and not slip around in my shoes. I haven't worn them enough to see if they'll stretch out, though. I kind of want to reserve them until I can enter them in the fair next year,  but I don't think I can hold out that long,  and I think they'll look awkward unless displayed on blockers.
Fittingly,  I started these socks on a trip to Montana and I finished them on another trip there! It only took... oh,  half a year.
I'll add a link to the Ravelry page soon.

Follow up to sewing plan!

Yesterday I posted all my sewing projects with deadlines for the next month or so. I realized I wanted to add something, which unfortunately is going to be pretty quick with the deadline, but should be pretty straightforward. I have these large foam blocks and water resistant PUL material I originally bought to make floor cushions. I no longer have the floor space or living room set up for floor cushions, but I've got the blocks. They might work as headrest/spacers for my bed- I do a lot of reading sitting up in bed, and the mattress pushes against the outlet that the bedside lamps are plugged into, causing them to flicker.
I might want to add a zipper for the PUL casing, which is the only part of this sewing plan I think I'll find challenging- partly because I don't have long enough zippers in my stash!

Decisions...

Future pajamas?

I'm in love with the breakfast diner print myself, but how many pajama pants does one person need, really?
I already have TWO food themed flannel pairs- a candy cane print from Old Navy and a self-sewn sushi print-fabric from Jo Ann, and it's adorable. The making up was an adventure, and a post of it's own!

Current sewing plan!

Current sewing plan: this list is only things that have deadlines at the moment!
I have plenty of projects in waiting, staring me down and taking up space...

1. Quilt blocks for February. I'm thinking some kind of log cabin, square in a square.. maybe an economy block? I have all my fabric picked out, one of which is a large shirt from Old Navy (via Goodwill). I only have about two weeks- need this done by the morning of March first to exchange with my quilting block group!

2. Dog Bandana- "I woof you" heart print first. This is only a triangle, should go by quickly. I want this done by March 6 to take with me when the bf and I go look at dogs. I only need to make one (one large one, we're looking at mastiffs!) but with the extra fabric I'll probably make more to either give to the shelter, or to other friends with dogs. The fabric is washed.

3. St Patrick's day dog bandana- I couldn't help myself, we had a Irish and dog themed print. What a niche! I leave on the 16 of March. The fabric is unwashed but in the laundry pile.

4. Glittery vest refashion: I found an extra large, bright green sequined men's vest at Goodwill (picture attached). It's amazing. :p This project is started- the general plan is together, some of it's cut, I have snaps to sew in to the neck, loops turned to become.. more loops, and both a ribbon made and a ribbon purchased for lacing. All the hardest parts of sewing (namely, the loops) are still to come, plus some hand sewing which always takes me ages. I think I'm to print out a guide for the loops, it would annoy me to have them uneven. Also need this done by March 16 (unless I want to do some hand sewing on the plane).

5. March block of the month: my fabric choice! I picked some dang  pretty fabric if I say so myself. Just need to figure out what to match it with... March is a long month, I have until April 1st, but I'll be leaving for a few days at a time in March also.

Well, phew. Those are just the things with real deadlines. I have some flannel to be washed and made into pj pants that I want done soon- before March 6 would be ideal, and I want to use my friend's machine for the button holes on the waist- but I don't NEED to get them done really soon.
The things preventing me from getting this list checked off smoothly? Work, looking for more work, and school- I have midterms next week, so NO sewing until I'm done!

I'll also be traveling a bit and away from my sewing machine, but that also means I can get back to my knitting! I probably won't have anything done in time for the fair this year, unfortunately. But maybe if my fingers fly!

Revisting Crafting Goals of Last Year

Well it's been a solid year since I posted about what I had in mind to knit here, so let's go back to it- and clean up! I'm also adding more in.

My last year's general crafting goals are in red, new comments in black:

My bigger, more general goals right now:
-Enter something in the fair. 
----- I'm going to clean up my Malabrigo sweater and enter it, and likely my Seaweed socks from our sock KAL. I don't know if I'll get anything else fair-worthy done in time. The fair is in April.
I did enter the fair and I won three blue ribbons! My competition wasn't huge, to be honest, but I'm still pretty excited. I spotted an unwoven end in one of my Seaweed socks right before I handed it in, but got no comments about the end (just "nice pattern"). The Malabrigo sweater was commented with "looks 'pilly'" which it was, and I entered the Wingspan shawl and don't remember what was said. There were some beautiful quilts, my favorite- actually I think there were two- were done up to look like pieced Mason jars, with the fabric inside the Mason jars realistic prints of foods like vegetables and fruits. Cute and clever!
I don't think I'll have anything done for the fair in time this year. I finished a pair of socks and a neckwarmer but I don't think either are really fair-worthy and they've been washed a lot.
I might enter the tiny octopus I made. Why not?

-Colorwork
---- I just want to get better at this, but I'll just find a way to use it in a future project. I don't have any main timeline here.
I practiced a bit in a hexipuff but otherwise, no colorwork progress.
-Charity knitting
---- There is a charity I can knit for with one of the women going to the Fair. Another knitting friend is running a drive right now, and that might be my main project after the socks (which are my current main project). The rest is ongoing.
Sad to say I didn't do this, other than the crocheted hats for a friend of Kellee's. I did get some baller fudge for making the hats- I didn't really think I liked fudge but hers is DELICIOUS.
My little goal for charity knitting will be a hat for a sailor for the Christmas At Sea  program. Just one hat. I can find time.
- Sewing. This has fallen so very far by the wayside. Honestly, I'm not surprised. Sewing isn't as portable and requires larger chunks of time than knitting.
Well, I have made a lot more time for sewing, which has pushed into my knitting time. Working at a fabric and craft store has really pushed me towards sewing. Sewing requires more chunks of time, but feels like it goes by faster also!

My smaller, more compartmentalized goals:

- Finish my mom's vest (by this year)
Still not done. Not even close. I did pick it back up though. Maybe I can finish it by THIS year.
- Knit HBf some fingerless gloves, his current ones are ratty and sad and acrylic anyways (by next winter)
Hbf and I broke up so I'm blissfully free of this goal, as I was already convinced he'd lose them anyways.
- Knit or crochet some more summery stuff. I am so cold this winter, but really, I live in Las Vegas. It will get hot again. (whenever)
Didn't do anything summery except maybe some washcloths?
- Set up this loom. (someday)
Still haven't done that.
-Figure out this knitting machine. (I've had the machine for like 4 years now without doing anything, it'll keep waiting)
It'll keep waiting....
- The Like Like sweater. I even have the yarn. (by this year)
Still hanging on to this one. Didn't like the swatch that much.
- The Charlie Brown Sweater Dress. I don't have the yarn for this, but it's a cool idea in my head. (whenever)
Whenever!

I've got some new goals, though:

- Make JHM's cowl. I've got the yarn, it needs to be wound, and I just need to get working on it. He probably won't get it in time for this winter, again, but he does live in a colder state than I do. Maybe I could finish it in time for the fair?
- Make Alexander a  Jayne hat. Looking at a few colors in Knitpicks or something from Valley Yarns, and I'll probably line it in fleece if I can. Jo-Ann's got in some lovely soft feeling Polarfleece.
- Work through some fabric stash! I'll spend much of it on making things for others, I think. Little zip pouches are generally useful.

Valentine's Day apron!

Yesterday morning, just a few hours before work, I finished my Valentine's day apron! I traced the top part from a dress I already own, although that dress had darts and I omitted them here. I used 3/4 of a yard of the "bee mine" fabric- I love visual puns!!!- and a skinny remnant of the heart print. I didn't even have enough to make two pockets or add to my "lifetime 3 inch square" collection.
The v-shaped band under the top I spotted on a different pattern envelope and stole the idea, while the bottom piece was just done by holding the fabric up to about where I wanted it, and tracing the curve from a dinner plate. I used some scrap (actually a whole yard of fabric I purchased but I don't even like the print that much anymore, so I was happy to cut into it) to face the top and the pocket.

I'm glad to finally use the eyelet trim, I've had it for ages. Nothing ever seemed quite right for it but I didn't want to keep holding onto it. I still have a piece- enough for another pocket, but I've got no more matching pocket fabric! Somewhere in my stash I have another love-themed fabric but honestly I kinda like this with just the one pocket.

Big hit at work when I wore it in! Too bad I'm only scheduled a few times this week, yesterday and Friday- at least I'll get to wear it on Valentine's day!
I'm also scheduled Saturday but I might feel kinda silly wearing a holiday themed apron after-the-fact.

In other news it's been so nice out- in the seventies, warm breeze- I "blow dried" my hair by driving about with the windows down. Also I pulled some heels out of the zippered case they stay in under the bed- and it's a good thing I looked before I stuck my bare foot in one, a bug had died inside one! Gross!

I haven't figured out yet the intricacies of the blogger mobile app, so the pictures below are me in my apron and the few scraps I had left (including the pattern which I traced using two taped together pieces of paper ripped out of a magazine, but excluding my wee bit of trim leftover).