The Stuff I Love To Do

I know it's been a while.  I got so behind in everything since the Holidays.  Then my son and family moved, so we helped with the move and one or two days a week I've been going to their new home to help clean and decorate.  I just bought some cream shear polyester to make two door sidelight panels.  They are extra long and we can't find 80" lengths ready made. 
I have managed to get a couple of new items made for my Etsy shop.  My inventory, that wasn't that large to start with, got much smaller since the Holidays as I sold quite a bit and gave away a lot for Christmas.  That's good, though, right?
I finished this chunky creamy white neckwarmer a couple of nights ago and finally got it up on Etsy about 1/2 an hour ago.  It's knit from 100% Sherpa wool.  It's really warm and comfortable, but for someone that's bothered by wool I would suggest wearing it over a turtleneck.  I wore it myself around the house for a while and hated to take it off.

Last week I finished another mini tea cup pincushion.  These little mini ones are just so darn cute.  I almost hate parting with them.

I maybe showed this half apron before, I can't remember.  I was going to save it for myself, but instead decided to give it to my sister-in-law.  She's been taking care of her mother (my mother-in-law) who's very ill with cancer and she also just got married and re-modeled her darling kitchen.  I thought this apron would go so well with her kitchen and thought she might appreciate it.  These are old fashioned hats on the fabric. 

I need to make more aprons.  I have several ideas in my head as soon as I get a little more time.

The knitting project I'm working on now is a lace patterned scarf with a pastel mini mochi yarn.  It's very light and airy and feminine.  I've learned not to work on this pattern while tired late at night.  I keep making mistakes and have to rip out stitches.  Two steps forward, one step back.  Takes a long time to finish at this rate.

I didn't make dinner tonight since we took the grandson's to Pizza Hut for a late lunch, so I have an extra hour to work in my studio tonight.  Such a luxury!

New Year - Need to Get Moving

I know, I'm really behind.  I've been posting on my other blog, but this one has been ignored a little.  Christmas and life got in the way.  I'm also really behind on my Etsy shop.  I just haven't had time to make too much new.  I realize I never showed the finished apron I made for my mother for Christmas.  It turned out cute.

I really need to show these aprons on a model or dress form.  Just laying them on the floor doesn't do justice.

Now that the Holidays are over, decorations put away, house  cleaned up and furniture moved back into place, and moving the kids (see other blog) is done --- I am now thinking of what I can make next.  I have the little teacup and notions picked out for my next pincushion.  I'm also knitting some hand warmers and a matching hat from some beautiful Grande Baby Alpaca.  I'm thinking of giving these to my DIL for her birthday at the end of the month.  See, this is my problem with Etsy.  I give a lot away.  Oh well, that's really more satisfying than selling it. 

If you've read my most recent post on my other blog, you know that I've recently found out that I have two more grandchildren due this summer.  You know what that means!  More baby knits and two more baby quilts.  I really need to hibernate for the next three months to get done what I want to get done.  Ohhh, hibernating sounds so nice!!  If that could only happen.

Santa's Workshop

My little Santa's Workshop has been busy for the last several weeks.  That's why there hasn't been a post on this site in quite some time.  Before Christmas is over I felt I should show a little of what I've been doing locked in my Workshop (Studio/Sewing Room) at night.

I had a few orders for neckwarmers.  This is one that a friend had asked for to give as a gift to her sister.

It's knit from a dark purple brushed Baby Alpaca.

This one was ordered by my beautician for herself.  I ended up just giving it to her as a Christmas gift.

I didn't get a picture of it finished before I gave it to her, but it's a black ruffled neckwarmer with silver buttons.  Just like the dark purple above.

My mother had requested an apron for Christmas about a month ago, and actually picked out the fabric that she wanted it made from.

She picked out the black floral.  I then found these other fabrics that coordinated and I had this good lace that I knew I could incorporate in some way.

The apron is almost done.  I will get it finished tonight. I'll be sure to get a picture of the finished product.

 

I always worry a little in making something that someone has specifically ordered in fear that it won't turn out as they imagined.  If someone is paying me I feel an obligation to  get it exactly right and then always let them know that they are not obligated to buy it if it's not what they wanted.  So far no one has refused anything.  I really prefer to make what I like and if someone wants to buy it, great.

I also made a chunky neckwarmer for my Mother-in-law to match the hat I gave to her.

Here's the hat.  Still need to take a picture of the matching neckwarmer.  I gave her the hat already and now will need to mail the neckwarmer to her.

And I'm still working on the black hooded sweater requested by my son.  It's not going to be finished for Christmas.  Maybe for his birthday in April.  It's something I work on in between other projects.

Can't tell much from this picture.  Black is very hard to work with, too, because it's hard to see.

I wish I could get a lot more done.  Maybe if I had elf helpers!  Oh well!!

Merry Christmas!!

Creating My Little Heart Out!

Another apron and a knitted bag. I've been busy and having fun. Although it's been taking time from my blogging. It's just so hard to do everything. I started this hostess apron before we left on our trip to Spokane and didn't have that much more to do on it when we got back last Monday. There are some projects that I just become obsessed about when I start them and this was one of them. It was a lot of fun. I thought it would be cute to wear while preparing a girl friend's luncheon or afternoon tea. Now if I only had time to do either of those.

Here's a close-up to show the lace and button on the pockets.

I bought this yarn before I left for Spokane and wanted something to knit that would be rather simple knitting that I could do while riding for 36 hours in a U-Haul. So I decided on a Market Bag that I found a pattern for.

The plain lavender was used for the bottom and trim around the top. This was a great travelling project.

But, this bag stretches, especially after putting stuff in it, and I didn't allow for that. I was just enjoying the knitting and just kept going, so it got a little longer than I really wanted. This bag is great for carrying knitting projects, groceries, beach or pool bag, overnight bag, use your imagination. Because of the large open knit you can't put anything too small in it, so I sewed a small fabric pouch that I attached to the top of the inside to put any small items in. It actually shows prettier and brighter in person than in the picture. I can't wait to make another one that's not quite as large.

More Aprons, Coming Up

My first apron is finished. I've always had this desire to make aprons and now I know why the thought appealed to me. You can be so creative with them. The pattern is really pretty basic and easy, and then you add, change, embellish, etc. and each one is unique and fun. So this is the first and while making this one I had many more ideas come to me, so I'm on to the next one.

Here it is showing it tied in back. I need to get a dressmaker form to model this better or model it myself, I guess, but that means I should dress up a little and put on some make up. I don't have time for that.

Then here it is with the long ties wrapped around to the front and tied.

And here's a close-up of the button and lace embellishment I did on the pocket. I inherited a big tin of old buttons that my grandmother had collected over the years and another tin from a good friend of my mother's. I love just going through these tins to see what's there and how I can play with them.

Now I'm so inspired I have the fabrics picked out for my next one. I think this one will be a hostess or half apron with this whimsical hat fabric as the main body and the green, yellow and pink stripe maybe for the tie and either one of the greens or the pink for the pockets and trim. It will come clear as I move forward.

I think I am going to sell these, but I don't know where, or how, or how much yet. I don't want to have to get into sales tax and that kind of thing just starting out so I don't know how that works if I take them into a few little boutiques that I know of, do they take care of that? And do I need to bother with any legalities or taxes on Etsy? Then I have to account for S&H and what to charge for that. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.