More Finished Projects

I discovered several unfinished projects a few months ago while doing a little organizing in my craft room.  In fact, I was a little surprised how many I found that weren't finished.  Although, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise since I tend to come down with "startitis" from time to time.  lol  Anyway, I've been on a mission ever since to try to finish them up as quickly as I can.  Up to my last post, I'd finished three of them.  Since then, I've finished up three more and made progress on some others.

Here's what I've finished since my last post...

This project was actually a recent start from when some of the ladies in my stitch group requested freeform crochet lessons.  I taught them how to make a freeform crochet bag and I made one right along with them.  I was able to do a little de-stashing and use up some leftover yarn in the process.  Here's the finished bag...

This next project is one I started last year to use up yarn leftover from another bag I made a couple of years ago.  You can see it HERE.  I had just under half of the large skein left from that project and it was plenty to make this one.  The pattern is the "Jamaica Pouch".  I found it on Ravelry years ago and made THIS.  It's a fun little project and a cute little bag that could be used as a project bag and lots of other things. 

I'm always on the lookout at yard sales and rummage sales for ribbons, lace, and trims.  I have quite a collection of it!  So, when it came time for the drawstring, I went through that collection and found a ribbon that was exactly the right color to go with this yarn.  I also had some wood beads to put on the ends.  I like mixing materials.  I think it makes it prettier and more interesting to add different materials (like ribbon and wood) instead of more of the same yarn.

I ended up weaving the ribbon in through every other hole to make it gather up nicer.  I love the ruffly look it makes on the top when it's gathered.

I'm almost finished with another bag project.  I'd run out of the multi colored yarn on this granny square purse and had searched and found this lavender yarn to finish it off.  It seems to be a great match!  I wound it into a pull skein last week and got back to work on it.  However, I need to shop for lining fabric and hoops/handles before I can finish it.  That's on my to-do list for this week.

I'm excited about this bag and can't wait to see how it turns out!  I hope it ends up looking as great at the end as it does so far!

This little project had actually been finished for a while but it still needed the ends to be tucked in.  This cute little washcloth/dishcloth is done now!  Yay!

I know I shouldn't start anything new but I saw a tutorial a couple of weeks ago online that I just had to try.  It isn't really a project but more of an exercise.  ;)  I was curious how this worked up and the tutorial was so clear that I couldn't resist.  It was a lot of fun!  Here's the LINK to the tutorial in case anyone is interesting in giving it a whirl!

Some of the ladies in my stitch group have also been going to another group/gathering at a local library.  It meets a couple times a month.  I decided to give it a try a couple weeks ago.  It turned out that it was an extra great day to go!  Someone had donated a box full of knitting needles, crochet hooks, etc.  I went through and selected a few sets of needles and some hooks.  My daughter is knitting and crocheting more often now and these are great for her so she won't need to borrow mine so often.  Now, she'll have more of her own.  :-)

There had also been a donation of several large bags of finished projects.  I have a feeling someone had passed away and these had been made by that person...a very talented and productive knitter!  There were so many items that there were some left over after everyone had gone through and taken some.  I chose some washcloths/dishcloths and a couple of back scrubbers.  Nice!

I'm trying hard to stay focused on finishing projects and not starting new ones.  It's been going pretty well but I keep finding projects that I want so badly to start!  And, I need to get going on Christmas gift projects soon because time goes so fast that it'll be here quickly!  So, I think I need to stay focused but find a balance of finishing at least one old project each week and work on Christmas stuff too.  Do you also have a lot of WIPs that have been set aside and need to be finished?  What are you working on lately?

De-stashing, Creating and Packing

In my on-going attempt to de-stash supplies from my craft studio I made a couple of drawstring bags.

I used an old shirt for the top one.  I loved the colors of it so much that I couldn't let the fabric go to waste.  I used ribbon in my trim stash for the drawstring.  The other bag is made from a fabric scrap. 

I made a crochet chain with some brown cotton yarn for the drawstring on that one.  

I think they could be useful for lots of things.  However, I'll soon be using them as shoe bags in my suitcase for a three week road trip I'm going on with my daughter.  They'll work great to keep pairs together, keep the shoes clean, and keep surrounding clothes clean as well.  I have some fabric bags I've saved from sheet sets I've bought too (the sheets often come in bags made from the same fabric and have a drawstring at the top).  All together, I think I have enough for all the shoes I plan to take.

I've been thinking a lot about the supplies I have, ideas of how to use them, and things we could use for our trip.  One night, it hit me.....I'd knitted a market bag years ago that would work great to hold dirty laundry in my suitcase to keep it separate from the clean clothes and help my suitcase stay organized.  I happened to have another large skein of Handicrafter Cotton yarn that would work perfect for another bag.  That way, my daughter would have one too.  I mentioned the idea to her and she loved it.  That's all I needed to get started.  One week later and here it is...

I knitted it with a circular, size nine needle.  I added a few extra rows of knitting below and above the section with holes and at the top, above the handles.  It's nice and stretchy and should work out great.

And, best of all, my daughter loves it!  :-)  Oh, yeah...and I have a little less yarn in my stash.

Although, it didn't use the whole skein.  So, I still have enough left for something else.

My daughter finished up her Spring semester and is now home for the summer.  She's been busy sewing like crazy!  She loves to sew!  And, she's excited to make things to wear on the trip and over the summer.  In less than a week, she's already made two skirts and has a dress almost complete!

I'm planning to do a little sewing too.  I hope to have some stuff to post soon.

We usually camp in our RV when we travel.  However, we'll be taking the car on this trip and staying in hotels.  We don't like to drive for lots and lots of hours at a time.  So, on the way to our main destination and back, we've broken up the trip with lots of stops in fun places and to spend time with family in a couple different places.  We'll be traveling through nine states!  I'm excited and a little nervous at the same time.  I'm hoping it'll be awesome and that we'll make lots of great memories!

Project Bags

One of the ladies in our Thursday night stitch group has been making project bags.  They're really cute!  She uses two coordinating fabrics on each one and the fabrics are unique and so cool!  She made a bunch recently to sell at a fiber festival.  The next week, she brought what was left over to our knit night and I just had to have one!  Here's the one I bought...

It's about 14" tall.  A nice size for medium sized projects.

I love the birds and flowers on the fabric.

And, the colors are so pretty.  It's fully lined and nice and sturdy.

When the top is folded down, it stands up on it's own.  That makes it very nice to pull yarn from while working on a project.  Her small bags are like fabric yarn bowls when they're folded down.

They're super cute!  She's working on some new ideas.  I can't wait to see what she comes up with.

She's been selling project bags in her daughter's etsy store but is planning to open her own shop.

I'll be sure to post the name of it as soon as I find out.

Shortly after I bought the one above, I visited one of the blogs I follow and comment on regularly,

"Curlerchik Knits", and found out that I'd won two more project bags!  

Wow!  I love bags!  I love project bags!  And, I love these bags...

Aren't they adorable?!  This blogger is not only a talented knitter, but a very talented seamstress as well.  She whips up clothing so quickly and makes it look so easy.  Her birthday is this month and she decided that it would be fun to give instead of receive.  She's having give-aways all month long.

The sheepy one is so cute!  It's a small bag and perfect for small projects like socks.  It's about 9" tall.

This one with the cute, puffy clouds is about 8" tall but it's bigger around than the sheep bag.

It'll be great for small projects like the lacey knitted scarf I'm working on.

I've been reading and commenting on her blog for years now and to win these bags made by her is special!  Thank you, again, Curlerchik!  I love my bags!  Happy Birthday!  :-)

When You Can't Find It...Make It!

My purse is wearing out and I've been on the lookout for a new one.  I just can't bring myself to spend money on another poorly constructed purse made out of faux leather. They just don't last very long and they're bad for the earth when they fall apart. How many hundreds of years will those things sit in a landfill?!  There are leather ones that should last longer. I spent more money on one a few years ago but it lasted less time than the faux ones. There are fabric purses but I haven't found one I like.  So, I decided to start experimenting with making a purse for myself.

I sorted through my fabric stash and found some great possibilities. One was this wonderful cotton upholstery fabric. It's a sample left over from my designer days.  Actually, I think it was from when I was in school for design. I think I used it for a class project.  Anyway, it was worth keeping. I'd always hoped to find a good use for it.  I love the leaves and that it looks like needlepoint.

I wanted to use as much of the piece as I could.  So, I squared it up, stitched the edges to keep it from raveling out, folded it in half and sewed up two sides.  Next, I folded in the bottom corners and stitched them to give it a box-like bottom.  I made a lining the same way with some leftover black fabric, leaving an opening in one side to turn it all after the next step.  I turned one inside out and put them together with the right sides together and stitched around the top.  Next, I pulled the outside and lining out through the opening in the lining and then hand stitched it closed.  I added a line of stitching close to the top edge to make it a little more stiff to stand up and give it a nice finished look.

I used some lining fabric to make tubes that I turned right-side-out, pressed, slipped through the wood handles, and stitched into place.  The finishing touch was a small bit of Velcro to gently tack it closed.

I've never had a purse quite like this and it's not exactly what I've been looking for but I was able to use most of the fabric and I love how it turned out.  I think it's really cute.  And, it's one of a kind.  I also like that it cost practically nothing to make.  The only thing I purchased was the handles and I had a coupon for that.  So, the grand total for this project was only $3.50. 

This is fun!  I can't wait to see what I come up with on my next purse project.  I have some ideas whirling around in my head.  Stay tuned.

Pebble Pouch

Last Sunday afternoon was spent by the sea. Ahhh...one of my favorite places to be. We dropped my in-laws off at the port in San Diego for their two week Hawaiian cruise. Then, we headed north along the coast to Cardiff for a wonderful lunch right across the highway from the ocean at Los Olas restaurant. It was one of those meals that everything was perfect...the company of my husband and daughter, the weather was sunny and warm but not hot, the breeze was just right, we had a table on the patio that we could look at the ocean while we ate, and the food was out-of-this-world delicious! After we ate, we drove a little farther north to Moonlight Beach (our favorite) and enjoyed a leisurely, late afternoon walk along the sea.

Whenever I walk along the beach, I'm always on the lookout for pretty shells or stones and I almost always bring something home. This time was no exception. I found a smooth, very black, beautiful little stone. I knew immediately that I wanted to bring it home and make a little pouch to hang around my neck so I could carry a piece of the ocean and my favorite beach around with me whenever I want.

Here's what I came up with...


I used some left over Berroco Comfort Sock yarn and a size "C" crochet hook. It turned out really cute. I like how the colors worked out with the single crochet stitches. Especially, on the strings where they are green on one side and blue on the other. The blue, green, and tan...like water and sand, are so pretty and fitting for my little beach pebble pouch.


I tied a knot in the end and it makes a fun little necklace/pendant to wear. It goes with a lot of things in my wardrobe because I have a lot things that are blue and/or green.


I love little projects like this. It was fast and fun and free...no pattern, just creativity. Oh yeah...and free, like no cost. :-)

Swirly Bag

I just finished up a little knit bag. It's swirly and cute and it's made out of one of my favorite kinds of yarn, Sugar N Cream. I bought four skeins in this "Country Side Ombre" color a couple of years ago and have been on the look out for just the right pattern. I recently ran across the "Jamaica Pouch" pattern on Ravelry and thought it might be a great match for my yarn. I think it worked out pretty well...


For the drawstrings, I used ribbon and beads to dress it up a bit...


I love the ruffly top when it's closed...


The bottom is kind of swirly too, but in a different way...


This fun little project only took two little skeins of Sugar N Cream (about 190 yards) with size seven needles. That means I still have two skeins left! The cost of this bag was practically nothing because the yarn was only a couple of dollars, the pattern was free, and I had everything else.

The greens are fairly accurate in the photos but it actually has purples and lavenders in it, not blue. I tried to correct it through editing but it just wouldn't work. It's actually a lot prettier in person. :-)

Ready for Market

The "Fantasy Naturale Market Bag" is finished! It was a fun project to knit. I had some trouble spots but nothing big and I got them all worked out. I stayed with the 10 1/2 needles the whole time and I really like how it looks. It's pretty stretchy with this size...I can't imagine how stretchy it would have been if I'd changed to the 15's like the patterned called for. I'm amazed at how little yarn it took to make this too...only six ounces. I even added extra rows at the top to make the edge and the handles wider. So, I could easily get two bags from the 14 ounce ball.

I'm not sure how well it will work for groceries or the farmer's market because it stretches quite a lot...but I'll give it a try. I'll wait to see how it works out before I make another one. That way I'll know if I need to make any adjustments. Or, maybe make an entirely different bag.