Green Feet

Finally! I finally finished the green striped socks that I started knitting ever so long ago. If you have never worn a pair of handmade knit socks you don't know what you're missing. I'm such a slow knitter that this is only the 4th pair I've ever made, and that's over a span of 3 years. Originally these socks were to be knit for Heather, but she no longer likes green. I guess that means the socks are now mine (unless you inform me otherwise, Heather).

I used the Fluted Banister pattern found online; however, I did not continue the design down the foot instep as instructed.

In my yarn stash reside 2 more skeins of self-striping sock yarn in shades of blue, red, and yellow. Jessica did you pick out that yarn? Does that mean the socks I knit from this yarn are to be made for you?

To all you sock knitters out there--what pattern should I knit next? Something a bit simpler, perhaps, than the fluted banisters....

Ruth

Frugal Friday Tip

I have several sewing projects I'm working on for the baby room, and this week I was excited to actually finish one! Because I received several new sheets for my crib at my baby shower, I didn't really need the older used crib sheets that came with crib and changing table we had bought. The more I look at the old sheets the more ideas I'm coming up with to use all that extra fabric for! One of them I'm using to make a liner for a wicker laundry basket (not finished yet) and the other one I was able to remake into two changing table sheets. I was pleased because we are doing the baby room in blue, yellow, and lime green, and this extra sheet just happened to be a light yellow plaid!


Basically I took the sheet and cut off the elastic so that it would lay flat. I laid the changing table pad over it and cut a rectangle about 3 or 4 inches larger then the pad all around. I pulled the raw edges of this rectangle up over the pad, right sides together and pinned in mitered corners so that it fit snugly around the pad. Then I carefully took it off the pad and sewed where I'd pinned to create the mitered corners. I finished it by hemming the raw edges all around on the inside.

Hopefully this makes sense...perhaps these closeups of the underside will help...

For more frugal tips visit Crystal's blog at Biblical Womanhood.

Knitted Baby Booties

Aren't these knitted baby booties adorable? I think they look like little snow boots! One of Justin's younger sisters, Jillian, made them for our soon-to-arrive baby boy, and she did such a good job! I can't wait to try them on him.

My younger sister Ellen knitted this cap for the baby. I was so impressed with both of these girls talents. Thank you Ellen and Jillian!


Less then 3 weeks till his due date...I can't wait! Justin and I have been very busy with bunches of little projects that we're trying to get done before the big arrival. Last week Justin finished painting the nursery, and since then I've been busy washing the baby's clothes and bedding and getting everything set up. It's not completely finished yet, so I'll save pictures of the room til we are done!

Treasures, Part 1

Treasures from the Closet, Part 1

Every once in awhile I get this idea in my head that I should get out my pleater and smock Emily a dress. After all, she won't stay little for long, and I have never made her a smocked dress. The last time I smocked a dress was about six years ago when Ellen was five.

I've been thinking about smocking for several months now, and ever since Cindy and I commented with each other on the subject, the idea has not left my mind. And so--I have decided to make Emily a smocked dress for Easter. I ordered some fabric and have decided on the pattern to use. More on that to come.

This week while going through outgrown clothes in storage, looking for something for Emmy to wear (she's been growing like a weed!), I came across several of the dresses that I've smocked in the past. I decided that I'm going to start a series of posts showcasing the dresses that I've made in the past, more specifically, the smocked and embroidered dresses that I've sewn over the years. Perhaps this will keep me motivated to start--and finish--the dress I have in mind for Easter. Perhaps it will inspire someone else to try their hand at smocking.

I thought it would be appropriate to start the first of these posts with the very first dress I ever smocked. That pattern I used is Chery Williams Basic Yoke Dress pattern, and the fabric is a pale blue batiste. The smocking plate is called Beautiful Bows by Ellen McCarn. I made this dress in 1994 for Katie who was 4 years old at the time. For fun I have included a picture of our family that was taken in July 1994 in which Katie is wearing the blue dress. On a side note, I also sewed my dress and Jessica and Heather's jumpers. In the picture baby Matthew is wearing a Childrens Corner pattern, Jeffrey, that I also made. Instead of smocking, I stitched the insert with shadow embroidery which was also a favorite pastime.

Okay Cindy, it's time to dig out your pleater. I'm unearthing mine!
Ruth

Cowpokes on a Quilt

I gave this 'lil cowpoke quilt to Jessica at her baby shower yesterday. The pattern for the quilt came from an old Quiltworks magazine that I had on my bookshelf. Since I decided at the last minute to make a baby quilt I needed something quick, and this simple pattern was chosen for its simplicity. I machine-quilted it using a variegated cotton thread.

Jessica received many lovely gifts at the baby shower which was given by the ladies of her church. What a nice group of ladies they were! I so enjoyed meeting them and visiting with them, and they were so generous to Jessica and Justin's new soon-to-be-here baby boy. Only 3 weeks.....I can't wait!
Ruth

~the front~

~the back~

Cowboy in Training

by Denise Lanford

A "lil" cowpoke in training....

Yes, that would be me!

Someday I'll ride big "hawses",

Lightening quick with speed!

I'll roam the plains and valleys,

Camping in the wild...

Oh, great big dreams I conjure,

They always make me smile!

I know sometimes you wonder,

What I dream about at night...

Well, I'm a "lil" cowpoke,

Ridin' outta sight!

Knitting in the Storm

The ice storm that came 5 days ago has given me a good excuse to stay home and knit, knit, knit. When it's cold outside I just want to stay inside where it's warm. I'm making good progress on the gifts mentioned in an earlier post, and just for fun I knit a tiny pair of baby socks using a free pattern off the internet. Jessica, I don't think you will want these trial socks since they are pink; however, I may knit some blue socks this evening while curled up in my comfy chair and watching a good movie.


In the past few weeks I also sewed a baby quilt and thoroughly made a big mess in my sewing room in the process. :o) Jessica inadvertantly found out about the quilt, but she doesn't know what it looks like. I'll post pictures after I give it to her at her baby shower. The baby shower was scheduled for last Sunday but was then postponed until this coming Sunday. With another storm forcasted to come this weekend I wonder if the shower will be postponed yet again. Can you believe it, Jessica's and Justin's baby is due in 4 weeks! I can't wait to meet my first grandson!

I'm posting some pictures of the ice storm. The snow and ice here are nothing like we experienced in Colorado. It seems so strange to see everything encased in ice.... if we had ice skates we could literally go skating on the driveway. Schools have been cancelled all week and are closed tomorrow as well. Having Mark home from his school makes it hard for us to continue with our home school, but we do try. :-)

Stay safe and keep warm,
Ruth

More Christmas Projects--Purses

I thought I would share a couple of pictues that a friend sent me. She used the Kwik Sew Clutch Purse Pattern to make all of these beautiful purses as gifts for friends at Christmas. I love how she used various Chinese brocade fabrics to create such a formal look. Thanks for sending me the pictures, April. They came out so nice!










Below are a few pictues of the Chic Purses I made this Christmas for the girls in our family. I adapted the Threads Pattern to fit some little fancy pocketbooks I'd bought. I also lined them and interfaced the outer layer to give them a bit more body, rather then just putting a binding on the top edge as the pattern suggests. I had so much fun using some of the vintage trims and fun buttons I had in my stash to make these!

Knitting Bug keeps Biting

The knitting bug has bitten me, and now I'm on a knitting kick. (That may change soon though, because this evening I went to a local quilting guild meeting and had a great time. I was inspired to make a quilt or finish a few of the quilts I've started!)

Right now I am in the middle of not one, not two, not three, but four knitting projects--all on the needles, or soon to be.

In order of priority:

1. Surprise for a certain baby not yet born whose mom might read this blog.

2. Surprise for another baby whose mom is co-owner of this blog. :-)

3. Promised purse for Katie. Yes, Katie, I WILL knit your purse. Soon. Hopefully.

4. Green striped socks which are almost done but keep getting pushed to the bottom of the list.

I have managed to finish a couple of projects. The first is a hat I knit for Heather using this "chullo" pattern I found online. The pattern forms a star-of-sorts on the top of the hat, a nice effect. I have more yarn, and Heather said she would like a matching scarf. I used a wool-soy blend of yarn by Patton. Interesting yarn.

I also knit this simple hat for Mark for Christmas. He likes it!

Lastly, although I did not knit this pink hat for Emily, I have to show it. It was knit by 10 year old Ellen on the Knifty Knitter loom that she received for Christmas. I think she did a great job on the hat! Unfortunately, Emily does not particularly like hats. :-)

My Adorable Baby Girl

Justin's Christmas Ornament, 2006

This is the only ornament I made this year... a felt lighthouse for my husband's stocking. Lighthouses are special to him and he has collected a lot of neat lighthouse stuff over the years. It was a lot of fun to make, and yes, he loved it!