oh, I really do knit!

Honestly, I do knit. I taught myself how to do the knit and purl stitch from one of those old needlework booklets when I was a teenager, but never had anyone to show me anything else (my mom crochets, not knits). I kind of left it alone after that, because you can only make so many tube dresses for your little sister's barbie dolls. But, about a year ago, while Christmas shopping, I picked up a "Teach Yourself to Knit" kit. And while the kids were visiting their other parents over the break, I sat down and taught myself again. Then, I got online and found a local yarn shop, The Genuine Purl. Then, I signed up for some beginning knitting classes. Then, I got online and found an enormous wealth of information, videos, tutorials, patterns... I was on my way to being obsessed with another thing to do! I really don't have a lot of time to knit, and usually do it when I'm waiting for one of my kids at a sports, theatre, music practice/event or while riding in the car with my husband driving, but I absolutely love it. It's so calming and meditative and practical!

These are a few of my works-in-progress.






And I just picked up some Crystal Palace Deco Ribbon to make a cute shrug/sweater for this summer. Hopefully, I'll have some finished projects to show real soon!

Aren't these tee shirts the cutest? I got the idea from all the cute scrapbooking stuff out there and thought it would be neat to personalize shirts for my kids. I let them choose the colors and shapes for their names, and my son even had me put a penguin on his (he wore it today, so I couldn't photograph it). Then, I printed them out on iron-on transfer and put them on the shirts that I picked up at AC Moore for $1.66 this weekend! What a deal! You'll probably see more of these in the future.

my new spring bag & wallet!

This is a bag I've been wanting to do for some time now. I have joined the sew-along over at sew? i knit! and this was the perfect opportunity to get motivated!

I used denim from an old GAP jean skirt for the outside of my bag. I used my basic tote pattern and added belt loops at each side seam and center front and back. I lined it with a matching blue canvas. I also added a magnetic snap/flap closure. Then the fun began...



































I made 4 interchangable sashes from some gorgeous Kaffe Fasset fabrics I picked up from my local quilt shop. This way, I could just change the sash and use this bag with most everything I wear.

With the leftover sash fabric, I made a stripwork quilted wallet. I used the pattern "A Safe Place" from Favorite Things. I love this pattern! It was really quite simple and I just used scraps from the denim, another purplish fabric and the leftovers from the sashes. I LOVE IT! You can get so much in it and it will match my purse! I highly recommend this pattern. The only thing I did different on it was to add a magnetic snap instead of velcro on the flap.

Now, I just need to learn how to put my photos where I want them to go in my post!

I'm ready to do another quilted project, now! Maybe one of those cute japanese handbags!?

will life ever slow down?

With 8 kids between the two of us, life is never boring! I'm really not complaining, it's just that I'm tired! My youngest daughter is in the production "Peter Pan" which opened last week, and we have two more weeks of performances left! We've been rehearsing for this one since last December. It's really an awesome show, but we're never home! Here's a link to a beautiful picture of her at rehearsal. And here's a picture of her with a couple of her fellow cast members.


She has a matinee and an evening performance tomorrow. I'd better go and get some rest.