"I Knit So I Don't Kill People"

"I knit so I don't kill people."  I love that.  I saw it on a list of crafty quotes on Buzzfeed.  Or would that be a list of quotes about crafting?  Whatever.

So, yeah, I am still here.  And I actually worked on a cross stitch the other night so I thought I would check in and say hello.  Here's a not-so-great picture of that cross stitch.  It's not finished --two of those toadstools do not have stems yet -- so I'll take a better pic when it's done.  And I hope to finish it soon.  And then hell will freeze over.

That chart is called The Brown Dog and it's from Bent Creek.  The Bent Creek web site is undergoing construction but you can find lots of online needlework shops that sell this pattern.  I got mine at 1-2-3 Stitch!

Be back soon with an interesting potholder I got at the local antique store.

The TUSAL 2013

Sharon over at It's Daffycat is once again hosting the Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long aka TUSAL.  I didn't participate much last year so I really want to do it in 2013.

What is the Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long?  It's not an actual stitch-a-long where everybody cross stitches or embroiders something.  With this one, you just save all your orts or thread ends in some kind of container (like a glass jar) and share a photo of it every time there's a new moon.  That's usually once a month but there's always at least one month that has has two new moons so you would have to post two photos that month.

Why do this?  Well, why not?  And, if you have to ask, you probably need more fun in your life.  You can read all about the Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long aka the TUSAL here.

Thew new moon this month was on the 11th so here is the state of my current orts jar.  

It's practically empty because I've only stitched one thing in 2013.  Just a little blanket stitching on my Scottie pillow.  [insert photo of Scottie pillow here...yeah., I forgot to take one today]  But I plan to cross stitch, embroider and hand sew a BAZILLION things this year so my jar will fill up fast.  (Everyone should have a dream.)  

This was what my jar looked like at the end of 2012.  

At the end of the year, I dump all the threads ends into a larger jar and start with an empty one for the new year.

And, in case you're wondering, yes, most of my pictures are taken on my bed.

Come join us for the TUSAL 2013.  You know you want to.

Something I Made In 2011

Happy 2013!!  Time for my daily weekly monthly whenever-I-get-the-urge-to-write-something post.  I haven't made anything in quite awhile -- not even for the holidays -- nor did I finish anything over on that 2012 WIPocalyspse List over on the left.  (The idea behind the WIPocalypse was to complete your unfinished projects before the world ended on 12/21/12.  Good thing the world did not end because I have a bunch of crap to finish some day!)  This was not my year for crafting!  So here's a post about something I made back in December 2011.

Back then, I decided to make felt Christmas stockings for both of my dogs.  I gave myself plenty of time to do it.  And then waited until the very last minute to get started.  I did not finish Lucy's stocking until Christmas morning at 2 am.  I was too sleep deprived to notice I had put the loop on the wrong side of it until my sister pointed it out.  Lucy didn't care but I did so it has since been fixed.

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This picture bugs me because the letters are done in dark green and you can't really tell. At least I can't.  (Maybe it's just my bad eyes.)  I think I used a stocking pattern from Martha Stewart's website but you can find tons of free ones out there if you just Google it.  You do know how to Google, don't you?  (I'll save my rant for another post but I'm convinced the majority of people on Facebook wouldn't know Google if they fell over it.  I do believe bloggers are way smarter though.)

Here's a close up of Pumpkin's likeness, which I love because it so cute, just like Punkie herself.  (Pumpkin = Punkie = Bunka Bunka.  Don't ask.  That's just how it is.)  I think the pattern was an embroidery freebie from Annie Oakleaves and I have been searching online for it so I could link to it but no luck finding it so far.  And, the hard copy that I used has gone missing.  Unless I stuck it somewhere so I could find it easily when I was ready to blog about it.  Ahem.

And, here's a close up of Lucy.  The pattern came from a site with free coloring pages (beware, there are lots of pop ups on that site so I hope you have a blocker) and I thought it was perfect because Lucy HATES having a doggy sweater on her, but she does kind of prance like that.   The coloring page is here.

So there you have my final project of 2011.  Woo hoo!

 

Going back to that list on the left, I have been working on the Scottie pillow.  I've started attaching the top piece to the bottom piece so it should be done soon. There's a lot blanket stitching so I do a little and then get bored.  Hey, maybe I could use one of those nifty sewing machines instead!

 

Happy New Year!!  (she said on January 12th)

 

I Love This Video!

I Wish I Were A Unicorn

I totally need to buy this chart from Subversive Cross Stitch.  In case you don't feel like clicking that link, it says "I wish I were a unicorn so I could stab all the useless people in the head."

My new motto for life!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

This video never fails to crack me up. I'm so glad Kellie shared it on Facebook a few years ago.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!!!

A Mushroom Needlebook Made By Me

I just read this in the latest newsletter from the Toymaker:

"Then I had a thought that if I spent more time actually making and doing the things that I wanted instead of just looking at pictures then I would be a lot happier in the here and now. How about we take a deep breath and make the things we want to have and do the things that actually make us happy, even if it is in a small way?"

I love that.  So from now on, there will be more making things and less drooling over pictures going on in my life.  (I swear!)  To get on the right track, I just ordered two embroidery patterns from Penguin & Fish.  Remember the giant hedgehog pillow?*  I  am so going to make one.  (You can get the normal sized version of the hedgehog pattern on Etsy and then just blow it up on a copy machine.  I once asked Alyssa from Penguin & Fish if it was ok to do that and she said yes.)


large pillow versions of alligator and hedgehog embroidery patterns
Originally uploaded by Penguin & Fish

The other pattern I got is the Maltese puppy one.  I love Alyssa's adorable patterns.  I ordered the paper patterns but they're also available as pdf's.

While going through some pictures today, I found some of the mushroom needlebook I made back in February.  I know I did something a little different than the tutorial but I have no idea what that was now.  When you put the original together, you machine sew the spine of the needlebook.  I did mine by hand so maybe I put it together in a way where you wouldn't see the back of a back stitched seam.  Or something.

You can find the pattern for the mushroom needlebook here over on Generation Q. 

*You probably don't remember the giant hedgehog pillow since I can't find a link for it here so I bet I only posted it to Facebook.  Yay for Flickr!

This Just In

I just saw the link to this cute felt piece of pie from Aimee Ray on Craft Gossip's Facebook page.  It's from the book "Heart Felt Holidays."  (Must get it.)

And, yes, I did post twice in one night.  You might want to buy a parka because I do believe hell will be freezing over.

Catching Up With Links

A few stray links that I forgot to post earlier this year. 

Tipnut shared another set of vintage embroidery patterns back in May.  (Am I on top of things or what?)  This one is kitchen themed so there's a pitcher, glasses, bowls, a frying pan, measuring cups, a cute cookie jar, a jam jar and more. 

Kel over at Kincavel Krosses has a cross stitch design of two super cute foxes called Fergie and Fergus.  I REALLY have to stitch this one.  Thank you, Lady Kel, for all your great freebies!!

There's a cute owl cross stitch chart from LucyKate Crafts [link via My Owl Barn] and a fox one too.  I saw a book called Countryside Softies in Michael's the other day and thought the cover seemed familiar, like I should know who made the fox on it.  Turned out it was by Amy Adams who is the crafty blogger behind LucyKate Crafts.  Congrats on your book, Amy!  And, no, I did not buy it since I'm broke again.

Talking about being broke reminds me that I finally paid a visit to Needlepoints Ltd (an actual Local Needlework Shop, woo hoo) in back in July.  I had been meaning to go there since 1957.  Or maybe it was 1997.  Whatever.  It's been a long time.  I think they have every make and model of floss you ever heard of.  I drooled a lot while I was there.  And, they didn't even ask me to leave!  I liked it so much, I went back another time.  Really I went twice because I forgot the list of floss that I wanted to get the first time.  Since I wasn't broke either time, I got two Little House Needleworks charts and the floss for Wipe Your Paws from Glory Bee, a chart I have had forever. 

Speaking of My Owl Barn, look to your left and you will see a widget for the Owl Lover 2013 calendar.  Go make yourself one.  It's free!

Vote Early! Vote Often!

I've used that post title five times now.  I am so creative.  Anyway, I just wanted to remind you to vote in case you forgot there was an election happening today.  Because you just came out of the coma you've been in for the past four years.  Personally, I don't care who you vote for.  I really don't.  Just do it.




The pattern was a freebie from Urban Threads four years ago but looks like they no longer have it.  Sorry.

Even If It Kills Me

I just saw this cute Christmas project on One Pretty Thing and got this urge to link to it so here I am and here it is: Merry and Bright Garland from Kojo Designs.

It has been awhile since I made anything.  I had plans to make a couple pumpkins or ghosts and finish a few things for Halloween that I had started last year but I got sidetracked by other things.  Important stuff like googling random crap.  My sister got me an e-reader for my birthday so I use it for Facebook, checking email and Google while lying in bed.  Have I downloaded any books yet?  No.  But I do use it to place holds on real books at my local library.  Oh and I have been taking pictures with it too.

I did embroider this towel but I had transferred the pattern on to it months ago.  It was starting to fade away.  Sorry for all the wrinkles but I'm actually using it in the kitchen so I didn't bother to iron it.  This is towel number two of three.  I'm hoping to finish the last one before the pattern transfer is completely gone.  It's Aunt Martha's Adorable Puppy #4015 pattern.  The towel is also from Aunt Martha and I got them both at Hobby Lobby.  It has red stripes down the side that you can't see thanks to my nifty camera work.

I so want to go iron that towel and take a new picture now.

Here's something else I need to iron.  A set of towels that I got at our local antique store back in July.  

This will not be my only post in November, I promise!

The Guide To Trading Candy

Happy Halloween!!!

Hello, October!

I love how I am always saying how I am getting back into blogging and then I never do.  The thing is I REALLY do miss it.  And, it's not like I don't have anything to write about.  I can always find something. Even if it's just to post another dog picture.  (I'll wait until the end to do that.). 

Back in April, I made this bunny.  Yeah, I know, it looks like a bear.  And, the dress is not reversible like the one for the Fluffy*Stuffy Bunny Jenny made.  (Get the bunny pattern here.)  After I sewed the dress pieces together, turned them right side out, and then tried to sew the opening closed, you could totally see all the stitches.  I can't do a blind stitch or a hidden stitch to save my life.  So I just left it open.  Then I didn't add a yoke because I couldn't hide those stitches either.  So my bunny not only looks like a bear but she also can't show off her two sided dress and isn't fluffy like the original.  She probably hates me.  And, I just realized something after looking at Jenny's Fluffy*Stuffy Bunny on her blog: mine has no tail.  Oh yeah, I am quite the crafter.

By the way, the dress fabric came from Mary and the buttons are from Barbara.  Thank you, ladies!

I found this cute pot holder at the local antique store back in July.  I've always loved that bee pattern.   It's Vogart 293 and you can find it by checking Google.  (Some day I will use a different comforter when I take pictures, I promise.)

Cute dog picture time!  "Nice bear" says Pumpkin.

Next time I post, in May 2017, I'll show you want else I got from the antique store that day.  Happy Monday Night!

Make This Cute Needle Threader

I just saw this project for a cute felt needle threader from Wild Olive linked on Craft Gossip's needlework blog (thanks, Denise!) and I swear a light bulb went off over my head when I realized I could post it here as well.  Sometimes I really am a little slow.

This has nothing to do with crafting but missing dogs always get to me, and it's even worse if they're older and have special needs.  This is Cleo, a deaf 12 yr old Cocker Spaniel, who was recently saved from a kill shelter and is now lost.  He was last seen in the 92105 zip code, which is in San Diego.  (Cleo is a boy.)  Please feel free to post this on Facebook, your blog, or anywhere you think it might help.  Thank you!

Is This My First Post Of 2012?

There's a new computer in my life and my old camera works just fine with it so I'm hoping to start blogging again, or at least post some pictures.

Since I haven't finished making anything lately, I don't have any photos to post today but thanks to Feeling Stitchy, I have a couple of links to share.  First, check out Floresita's finished alphabet. which I just love.  It's so pretty.  She's included a link to the free pattern too.  Look how her letters look perfectly centered on the fabric.  My patterns never are.  In fact, I just transferred a design on to a dishtowel and it was noticeably off to one side so I sprayed it with Resolve and washed it, and all the transfer pencil came out.  I don't know if Resolve will work with other transfer methods, (like iron-on patterns), but I've had luck with lead and transfer pencils, especially if you get the Resolve on it soon after you realize your pattern is not where you want it to be on your dish towel.

There was a link on Feeling Stitchy to Kitschy Digitals and if you haven't been there before, you need to go now.  Everything is cute and fun.  They sell printables, fonts and things for digital crafting, but I especially love their sewing and needlework patterns.  Thanks for the link, Floresita!

As I was reading through older posts on Feeling Stitchy, I realized two things:  I finally got the Sublime Stitching book (yay!)  and I bought two cute embroideries and a stitched potholder at the local antique store.  Pictures to come soon. 

Did you see the cute fox cross stitch pattern on Mollie Makes?  So many cute patterns, so little time.

Brother, Can You Spare A Dime

Lone Star Shih Tzu & Lhasa Apso Rescue in Texas recently took in seven puppymill dogs that need to get to the vet before going on to their foster homes.  (One of my Facebook friends is going to foster two of them.  Yay, Linda!)  So I'm asking for donations.  Any amount will help.  If you can, please donate by clicking the link to the ChipIn account for the doggies.  Thank you!!

Missouri Puppymill Survivors 7-8-2012