Sock bug

A few months ago there was a raffle at the LYS and I won some sock yarn. A few weeks ago I was bit by the sock bug and decided to use it for a pair of socks for Isabel.
The yarn is a bit coarse and itcy so I'll probably use up the rest on another pair of socks later on.



Instead I bought a differenst sort of Raggsock-yarn that's a bit softer. And used it to knit up another pair of socks for Sofia, using the same pattern but tweaking it a little so they would fit her.
I think I got them a bit too small in the leg part but overall they fit well.
I had yarn left over and decided to use it up on a hat.

Damask skirt

I found this fabric at the fabric store a few weeks ago and just had to buy it. I saw the skirt in my head immediately.

I measured the length against another skirt Isabel has that's long enough, then adjusted so I didn't have to cut in the embroidery.

I serged it together then made a fold to hold a buttonhole elastic. I attached the elastic to one end and sewed on a button and buttoned the elastic.

Easy peasy.

Weekend travels and knitting plans

We went to visit Ran's sister this weekend. She had a birthday last Sunday and a baby three weeks ago (tomorrow) and we were all eager to see them all.

Isabel was thrilled all week that we were going to visit her cousin and his baby sister and their two dogs.
In all honesty I think she was more eager to see the dogs than the cousins.

We took off early in the morning and arrived 30 minutes ahead of schedule.

The little baby cousin was a teeny tiny little girl with soft, fuzzy hair and big blue eyes.

I told Isabel to go stock up on baby cuddles because we're not having any more in our house if I get a say about it.
She'd pet and kiss the baby's head for a while then she'd more or less ignor the baby the rest of the weekend and focus on her other cousin and their dogs.

I got some crafting done in the car on our way up. I hemmed a dishcloth and finished a sock for Ran and started a sock for Isabel. I finished the heel before we arrived.
Later Saturday night I finished the sock and Sunday morning I finished the heel of the second sock and finished it in the car just as night fell and I couldn't see any more without a light in the car.

I'm going to Knit Night tonight and I'm gonna start a pair of socks for Sofia.

It was a rather prickly yarn so they won't be able to wear them without socks underneath.
I think I'll ask the LYS-lady for a soft strong sock yarn that I can make cuddly socks from.

I'm also toying with the idea to knit and felt indoor shoes for guests to keep by the door.
We have re-organized our hallway and a nice ratten basket with felted shoes would feel really welcoming.
I'm just not sure I can make that many shoes without crying my eyes out with boredom.

I have a few sewing projects planned for Christmas gifts. I think I should finish those first before I start a project like that.

Tumbling

That idea from last week is still tumbling - albeit a little bit more organised by now.

I'm toying with the idea to make and sell stuff, and I'm currently looking into all the ins and outs of starting a business.

I have a domain name figured out and at the time I'm busy working on a budget.

I'm having fun and I'm having flutters in my stomach about this. But it feels right.

Rainbow pencil roll

Ever since I first saw one like this (here) I've been wanting to make one.

Then a few weeks ago a friend of mine asked me if I could make a pencil roll for her girl for Christmas. She asked me to get the pencils/crayons and make something with this fabric on the outside.
Other than that she gave me free range of the design.



A week or two after that my father gave me a box of pencils that he had gotten for some kind of promotion.
There were 15 sets of pencils (!) with 15 colours in each. It fit perfectly for this idea.

I made 2 rainbow insides at once and I plan on making one for Isabel as well. It will probably turn out differently though.

Dreaming

I have this idea tumbling around in my head that I want to do something different with my life.

These are a few links that I thought would be useful to me.

http://pinkchalkstudio.com/blog/2008/09/17/the-business-of-craft-starting/
http://pinkchalkstudio.com/blog/2008/07/22/tips-for-choosing-a-website-name/

Changes

When ever September rolls around I get this urge to bake and cook and do preserves and all that domestic stuff my mom and grandma used to do in the fall.
So this weekend I made pear and almond patisseries and a Swedish Key Lime pie.

Now the problem is that my waistline does not actually benefit from all those cakes. So last night at Knit Night I brought the pie with me. It was a huge hit.
It was really easy to make and I will probably stash condensed milk in the pantry because all the other ingredients are stuff I usually have lying around.
It's a quick bake, but it does have to cool to be nice to eat. Downside.

At Knit Night I started on my new cardigan. It's in mohair so when I realised I hadn't started with three rows of garter stitch like I was supposed to, I decided on NOT unraveling it but rather go with it and leave it in stockinette.

Craftwise I have pencil rolls going for Isabel and a friend's girl, and I have a cover for a paperback novel that I'm still mind-designing that I'm planning on giving to my mother for Christmas.
A bread basket is in the works too.
Gonna serge and pre-was fabrics this weekend.