Crafty Mama Sidetrack

(Small departure from knitting and sewing)

As you may or may not know I am totally obsessed with babywearing (not to mention cloth diapers) I sold my beloved Pfau and have moved on to a colorgrown waves. It comes in a really blah kinda brown, but has great "cush" factor.

Astas in a double hammock pre dye.

Totally gratuitous cute baby shot.

I naturally had to have it but couldn't live with the brown so I ventured into the world of fabric dyeing. Not that I hadn't been there before, but it's been a while (collage 1994 or 1995)

I used Procion MX dye  in Lavender and mostly followed directions from Dharma Trading for vat/machine dyeing . 

Astas in a messy Wrap Cross Carry post dye.

Here's how I went about dyeing my wrap:

First I dissolved about 1/2 a box of kosher salt in a bucket then added it to the full washing machine. Then I made some chemical water to make my dye slurry (pulling from my fashion school dye experience) I have no idea if it helped or not. It certainly didn't hurt. I added the dye to the salt water in the washing machine and let it mix in before I plunked the wrap in. I left the lid open (so the water wouldn't drain out if I left it to long) and spread an old towel over the opening so no dye water would jump out and get the whole place purple.  

I must be honest and tell you I did not time it at all. I just checked the wrap here and there (with rubber gloved hands) I freaked out a tiny bit because it seemed way dark. So I took the wrap out and put it into our utility sink while I added the soda ash (which I had already dissolved in warm water) I let that swish around a bit then put the wrap back in for 'um' about 10 min I think. I was way less worried after adding the soda ash. The color seemed to mellow a bit after adding it. I let the color drain out,rinsed,washed and...

Viola, lavender waves!

I did all the dyeing in my washing machine (ack!) I 'm a bit scared to wash anything for fear it might also turn purple (I'm sure it won't but..)

Sorry for the sidetrack but I just had to post about this because I'm so excited it turned out well. The project that was supposed to be here is in fact finished this is not just another stall tactic, I swear.

Such a Tease

I have a project in the works that I am wanting to post about but of course am hung up on the finishing. Next Week it will be up.

Peek

Until then here are some things I'm also working on.

More leftover yarn?

Ohh oilcloth!

Moving on...

One of the main reasons I finally got that quilt done is because I was itchin' to buy new fabric for a new quilt and it's here!

The 4 prints on the left are from Wendy Slotbloom's Frolic line

The two greens are Lyndhurst Natures Palette. The little leaves are from Moda Love U

Somewhere in between quilting, Christmas and cold weather I managed to get some mittens done for Loki.

Vitals

Yarn: Brown Sheep Lanaloft in Marmalade

Amount: Leftovers from Loki's slippers

Needles: Size 7 Addi Turbos

My Gauge: 5 sts = 1 inch

Pattern: p2designs basic cuff up mitt

I'm also working something in my size that is "this" close to being done so check back soon!

Oh No She Didn't!

Why yes indeed, its true! You may want to make sure you're sitting down for this one just in case you faint from shear disbelief.

It's been over a year in the making, you've seen some progress here and there.

And now for the 1st time anywhere, Loki's On A Whim Quilt!!!!

Pattern: Easy Lap Quilt from Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol

Fabric: On a Whim (Robert Kaufman),  a wee bit of Amy Butler Lotus full moon polka dot, Ohio Sky happy dots,  and AB45 blue solid (also some brown and green swirly fabric that I have no idea what it is).

Modifications: I changed the overall size to be just big enough to cover the top of a twin bed with no overhang.  

It ended up being 45 x 63 1/2.

I even managed to do mitered corners. 

For the binding I cut the quilt backing to be 2 inches wider than the overall quilt and then folded it over about a 1/2 inch then folded it again and sewed it down. I think for my next quilt (for Astas) I will make binding, ugh. I think it will just make a nicer looking reverse side.

Why now? What kicked me into high gear and got my lazy bones motivated? Well, two things: My lovely friend Rae and the fact that she linked to me and my unfinished quilt (hangs head). Thank you, thank you Rae (see hers here) And I finally found fabric to make Astas a quilt. I could in no way persuade myself to buy fabric for another quilt when I hadn't finished the first one. I guess it's a good thing I had another baby or Loki may never have seen a finished product.

It's a Futte Futte Christmas!

Since the tree toppling incident I decided I needed more unbreakable ornaments. 

Enter the Futte Futte! 

It was a total spur of the moment "Hey, Loki lets make some felt balls" kind of event. I think I spent more time trying to locate everything I needed then actually making the felt balls, well almost.

It was a bit wet and messy using the Futte Futte indoors but I think I learned a few thing on how to use it better, so it was actually faster than I thought it was going to be.

The other thing that prompted me to wanna make ornaments is that Loki has his own tree that he can decorate (or un-decorate) as he sees fit with no help from Mama.

 Felt "bulb" 

Fluffy snowman!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Tis the Season: Stocking Disaster?

I'm being partly probably overly dramatic but you may know how it is when a project just dosen't turn out the way one has planned. Such is my plight. I'm going to carry on with this post as intended and then get to the "disaster" part.

It all started with the stocking my mom made me.

"Awwww"

I made my husband (at the time my boyfriend) a stocking  out of some prefab wool felt (it's the one on the left with the white top).  I made Loki's stocking out of a wool sweater I felted ( I was just getting into the whole recycled wool felt thing)

I did a bit of embrodery (badly, so no photo)

I even added a tiny snowman to my husband's 

(cute so there is a photo)

Stockings hung with care!

But wait, we need one more. I ran out to the thrift store to get a red wool sweater to felt. This is where the "disaster" begins. They didn't have any. They only acrylic blends, which will not felt. Ugh, I settled on a nice one with a cable. I traced my pattern and sewed it up. 

Looking good?

Then I went to hang it and it faces the opposite way. DISASTER! I know it's really not and in fact have found a solution. I was going to just use the plain non-cabled side, but then discovered that Loki's could face any direction (his just has a few Christmas pins in it that are easy to move).

All is well

Well? Kinda, I just don't have the energy to make another so I will just have to get used to it. I think it's going to drive me crazy but I really think it's more important that the stocking is nice looking rather than face a certain direction.

Tis the Season: Part 1

Ohhh its holiday time again and as usual  I have more ideas than time, energy or motivation. At least the tree is up. Which is actually saying a lot after a near tree disaster last Wednesday when the whole thing toppled over and crash landed on the ground. Needless to say I was reduced to a crying mess at the sight of my , just finished being decorated, tree on the ground with a pool of water around it. Luckily nothing major was broken.

I had no forethought to snap a photo of the fallen tree, just a small part of the carnage.

Moving on...

I wanted to post about my handmade holiday items. 

Frist up is my string of  felt "popcorn and cranberries" 

I made about a 3 foot string by hand pre-futte futte. This is actually what prompted my search for such a tool. After spending days, yes DAYS, making these tiny white and burgundy balls my hands were raw and sore. Worth it not to have to string the real thing every year (which I used to do).

I need to make more because I don't have enough to cover the whole tree. As it is I kinda snake it back and forth across the front of the tree to cover more "prime" viewing space.

Next Up: Stocking!

Two Steps Forward! Slippers!

YES! Loki's Slippers are done. 

They have actually been knit for several weeks, it just took me forever to get the motivation to felt them. Of course now that they are done Loki wants nothing to do with them. 

I had to bribe him to put them on  so I could take a picture:

Mmmmm yummy peppermint JoJo

These were made using a double strand of Lanaloft in the color marmalade . I still have plenty left and have already started in on a pair of mittens. Yes, I am still starting new things without finishing old things. 

As Promised, Item #1

Ahhhhhh, finally, I've finished something:

Astas' Pants 

Or Jumper/Overalls

These started out as Cargo from Knitty, but then morphed into my own pattern (I'll provide details in an upcoming post) These can be worn with or without the re-moveable straps. There are buttons on the front and back and the straps have the buttonholes.

These skull buttons on the front of the "pants" were originally going to go on a sweater I made for Loki last year. I think they found a better home here.

I'm Still Here

Sorry for the lag time between posts and this "teaser" post

It's just been one of those day/weeks/months.

On top of being a mom I work for a lovely lady named Molly Ging who owns The Little Seedling. I am able to bring both my little ones to work with me and for that I am super thankful and wanted to say thanks out loud in front of the world (well you know, those who see my tiny blog) and to make excuses for not posting.

Anyway, I actually have been doing some knitting. I just have a few teeny tiny finishing touches left

Here's one I just finished before this post.

I hope to have at least 2 ( pants and hat)of the millions of projects I'm working on totally done this weekend, including a post about them.