Miss Fran Canvas Tote

To use one of my sister's expressions, I'm as giddy as a kipper (overly excitable) with my latest crafterpiece!

It all started with an embroidery workshop, hosted by the very lovely Marisa of Creative Thursday. The workshop was a lot of fun! We all worked on 'Miss Fran' - one of Marisa'a characters. Marisa showed us a number of different embroidery stitches, how to applique and encouraged us to experiment with different stitches. (Check out my friend Terrie's super cute version).

I thoroughly enjoyed the embroidery: adding a boucle effect scarf, an applique skirt, a little top... It was totally absorbing, and fun to see this little character evolve.



I was soo happy with the end result that I felt like Miss Fran needed to be put to good use... in a way that her loveliness would shine. I decided she would look very cute on the front of a simple canvas bag. Naomi agrees:



To make her pop, I decided to feature her in the center of a wonky log cabin square. This was a new technique for me, and I found it to be a great way to use some of the bits and pieces of fabric that I have accumulating in various boxes, drawers, shelves... And with each addition, my little helper would pick out the next piece of fabric that I would add to the block. I love that she likes to get involved.



If you've never done a wonky log cabin block before, there is a great tutorial over on Quilt Dad's blog.



My little helper also wanted to have a go at the sewing too. Naturally this was a 'let's pretend' moment with the machine turned off! :o))



The original embroidery fabric had the 'Creative Thursday' description printed on the corner of it. I've seen great projects that incorporate the descriptions from the selvedge of fabric. I thought it would be fun to mimic that idea, cut this out and zig zag stitched to the pocket. Soo happy with how this looks!



Finally, I lined the pocket, and then simply stitched onto the front of the bag. Isn't it a bright and happy addition to this canvas tote. I see more of these types of projects in the future - after all who doesn't need a cute reusable canvas bag to do shopping, run errands etc...



Have a great weekend,
Sam xxx

Jaeger 'Dolly' Wrap Cardigan

I still knit! I know, I know, the knitting content has been severly lacking as of late. But here's the proof that there's still much knitty activity here at Sticks, Strings and Crafty Things - a cardigan that I completed earlier today.



It is a Jaeger pattern by Martin Storey.  Pattern name is Dolly and is available in baby and toddler sizing. I'd had my eye on the pattern for some time - the scallop trip is such a sweet detail that 'makes' this such a beautiful little wrap cardigan.  Ooh and if you are looking for a special occasion cardigan, the toddler size uses seed beads instead of the seed/moss stitch detail on this baby version. With a little bling it would be super cute.

 

The pattern calls for Jaeger baby merino 4 ply yarn. I think 4-ply baby cardigans are a perfect way to make good use of all the pretty hand dyed sock yarn that's probably accumulating in every knitter's stash :) I first cast on with some Madeleine Tosh Merino Light, which would be a perfect yarn, I just wasn't loving the color I'd selected given that it was intended for a baby cardigan.



So I pulled back and took a rummage through my stash and found this Brown Sheep Cotton Fine yarn that I'd picked up from the Brown Sheep factory shop many moons ago. I really love this colour for a baby. And the end result feels to me like a vintage ballet wrap. Soo pretty for a brand new baby.



Now I just need to decide what knitty project to work on next.
Wishing you a great weekend,
Sam xxx

Ballerina Bunny

We had a lovely Easter weekend and the highlight for me was attending our first Easter egg hunt. It was organized by the local recreation center, and Naomi thought it was THE BEST THING EVER!



She got to fill her Easter bucket with these plastic eggs, each of which were filled with cute toys: there's her new bunny necklace, a little camera, jumping bunnies...



She also got to meet the Easter bunny. Naomi was very excited about the whole deal while we were stood in line. But of course when it came to picture time she obviously changed her mind - check out that expression! She cracks me up. :)



Her favourite bunny though is the amigurimi toy that I'd made for her. She was fascinated watching the progress. I'd finished the head and body and she told me 'Mummy fix them' because each time she'd balance the head on the body it would just fall off again. Then I'd complete an arm and she'd instruct me 'another one Mummy, another one'. Same for the legs...



She helped with the embroidery of the eyes, which are on their 3rd iteration - first time they looked a little too sassy, second time like a sourpuss... I think I have it now with this 3rd attempt (shown in the night night picture at the bottom of this post)! Who knew eye placement could affect the whole look of the bunny's face!



This was my first attempt at amigurumi. I'd received an amigurumi book from my sister last year, and have had my eye on the ballerina bunny pattern. What better time than Easter to put this together :) I used Rowan 4 ply cotton. I love this yarn and used it in 2 of my very favourite baby blankets. It wears well, the colours are perfect... oh Rowan why oh why did you discontinue it?

I was surprisingly pleased with how easy it was to grasp for a novice crocheter like me. And how quick the little bunny came together. But most pleasing of all is how much Naomi looooves her new toy. It has been to daycare, and of course is a favourite for snuggling with at bed time.

Wishing you a great weekend ahead.
Happy Spring!
Sam xxx

Feeling the love

Big thanks to Kim for honouring this this blog with the Liebster award.

Here are the rules for the award:
1. Link back to the person who awarded it to you. Thanks Kim :)
2. Post the award to your blog:



3. Give the award to 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers:

- Terrie at StarSpry
- Andi at My Sister's Knitter
- Bea at When Two Dogs Meet a Quilt
- Denise at The Knitting Den
- Mary Catharine at Warmth in the North

4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award.
5. List 5 random facts that people don't know about you.

- When considering my University options, at one point I looked into a textile degree. Although that's not the path I chose, it makes me smile to think that here I am, many years later, spending a good chunk of my spare time with yarn and fabric
- I like to solve problems, and get a kick out of figuring things out
- I make my family laugh, but not because I'm intentionally funny :)
- My favourite season is Autumn. Still warm, but not overly hot. All the pretty colours. And with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas to look forward to, plan and prepare for.
- I like to walk on the sunny side of the street

Thanks again for this kind award Kim :)
xxx Sam

Chocolate Easter Nests

I was looking at the 'According to Matt' blog (which, oh by the way, has a fabulous yarny giveaway right now) and saw the chocolate Easter nests they had made. Ooh it brought back fond memories, and also made me think that I know a little someone who would thoroughly enjoy making them.



So last night, armed with Ghiradelli chocolate morsels, Kellogg corn flakes, M&M Easter egg chocolates and my little helper we created lots and lots of these tasty treats.



Naomi had a blast - there's nothing she loves more than 'helping'. Her first job was to put the cupcake papers in the trays. Her next job was to add the eggs to each of the nests. As you can tell from her chocolate chops I think her little motto was something along the lines of 'one for the nest, one for me, one for the nest, one for me...'





Joe took trays of these into work today. A little chocolatey goodness to start the Easter weekend.

Wishing you a great weekend with friends and family,
Sam xxx

Simple skirt

This weekend I whipped out a simple skirt for Naomi.



I picked up Burda pattern 9502, which stated that it was very easy. And I have this lovely Denyse Schmidt fabric in my stash. It literally took just one evening to pull together, and the pattern truly was as straight forward as the envelope promised. It is simply two tiers of fabric with an elasticated waist.



Naomi loves it and put it through the paces this morning: Running around, dancing, biking, scootering (made up word?), spinning... Seems to work for all her favourite activities. Now she's napping, and it seems to work just fine for that too :)



It's gorgeous here so I'm going to take advantage of the good weather and sit outside for a while. Hope you are having a great weekend.

Sam
xxx

Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt: Blocks 7-10

I was able to get a few extra blocks done this weekend:

7: Birds in the Air
My Frankenblock that is lacking in both contrast and skill! ;) There are 40 component parts in this piece. Yep, it was a tricky one for me :)))



8: Bouquet
I really enjoyed working on this one, and adding some Anna Griffin 'Carmen Collection' (the basket portion) to the Sandi Henderson 'Secret Garden' range that I've been using in the other blocks



9: Box
Scrumples courtesy of Naomi who thinks these squares are the perfect size to squeeze into a ball! (Of course I could have taken an iron to it, but I like that she was partaking in her own special way :)



10: Bowtie
Aah if only they were all this simple. I am really happy with how this block turned out - the points line up, the keys look great in those corner boxes, and there is a good amount of contrast between the fabrics. I'm hoping that it wasn't just the simplicity of the block... and that I'm actually improving with practice. :)



And here's how the first 10 look all lined up together. Pretty!



Hope you had a good crafty weekend too,
Sam

Farmers Wife Quilt Along: Blocks 1-6

Farmers wife 1-6, originally uploaded by samjoepics.

Blocks 1-6 done. 105 to go to complete each of the designs in the book.

Top row left to right:
1. Attic window
2. Autumn Tints
3. Basket (Currently missing its handle... will be soliciting local quilt shop help on that one when we meet for our monthly quilt along)
4. Basket Weave (my fave so far, thanks to Stacey for the pretty Denyse Schmidt polka dots)
5. Bat Wing
6. Big Dipper

That's right, I'm doing my blocks in the order that they appear in the book. Partly because that's how I roll (I once asked my husband if I was to be a new member of the Spice Girls what would I be. He replied 'Sensible Spice'. Ha ha too true!). I also like the idea of tackling each of the blocks as they are presented, otherwise it would be too easy to skip the harder ones. Speaking of which, I also completed block 7 (not pictured here yet). It comprises many little triangles and the end result is a little Frankenblock!

There is a great Farmer's Wife Flickr group out on t'Internet if you want to see some really pretty blocks. I love how the selection of fabric dramatically changes how a block can look. My absolute favourites are those that have fussy cut components to them... take a look for yourself :) Another invaluable resource is the Farmer's Wife Yahoo Group (that's where some kind soul had translated each of the blocks into the paper piecing patterns that I'm using). I am continuing to paper piece my blocks. It feels like a simpler approach for a beginner, like me. More blocks to come this weekend :)


Wishing you a Happy Friday and a lovely weekend ahead,
Sam

Naomi's Zoo Book

Naomi received a very special gift for her birthday this year - a handmade Zoo book from her Auntie Margaret. I share it here because I think it is the coolest gift for a 2 year old. Naomi would wholeheartedly agree - she loves the animals, the different closures, the colors and textures... Check it out:













This is Naomi's favourite: The Kangaroo. She just loves that baby Roo.
(What you can't see in the picture is the buckle closure on this page).





And this is my favourite... I love that 3D polka dot heart!









The story goes that Aunt Margaret had made one of these books for her neice, when her neice was just a little girl. She had since gone to visit her neice to celebrate her neice's child's 2nd birthday. Lo and behold the kiddo was playing with the book that Margaret had made her neice, many moons ago. Seeing how much it was loved, she decided to make Naomi one. I'm thrilled she did. I welled up opening the gift - so much effort, and love, has gone into this. I too foresee a future where Naomi will be able to share this with loved ones many years from now.

PS - if anyone knows where to find a pattern for this, I'd love to learn about it. (Margaret had found the pattern on eBay... I'm checking but no luck as yet).

Cacti pin cushions

Cacti pin cushions, originally uploaded by samjoepics.

Aren't these cute! The pattern was from an English magazine called Mollie Makes. You simply cut out felt pieces using the template guidelines in the magazine, blanket stitch around the edges, stuff with soft toy filling and then 'plant' in a cute little pot. I used glass planter stones to add a little weight to the pot. The cactic flowers are simply attached with pretty coloured pins. That's it! But oooh they are cute. As you can see from the picture, Mummy's little helper thinks they are pretty cute too. Hmm, note to self - hide on a very high shelf!

Balaclava

Balaclava collage, originally uploaded by samjoepics.

4th knitting project of 2012 completed: the balaclava that Joe had been asking for.

I'd started out knitting a beanie to go with his fingerless gloves. The yardage in this skein of cratively dyed sock yarn seems to go on, and on, and on, so I ripped the beanie back and made the balaclava that Joe had asked for.

The balaclava is based on the sockhead hat from Boho knits blog:
- I cast on the number of stitches called for in the sockhead pattern
- Knit in 2x2 rib until it was a good length for the neck
- Change to stocking stitch and knit until it covers the mouth
- Cast off 45 stitches for the face opening
- Knit back and forth until it is the depth that you would like for the eye opening
- Cast on 45 stitches and knit in the round for an inch
- Follow hat pattern for the crown of the beanie
- To finish, pick up stitches around the border of the face opening and knit in 1x1 rib for and inch, then cast off looesly

I like that it is versatile to wear as a balaclava on those really cold days, or roll up like a beanie to just take the chill off.

It cracks me up that Naomi wanted to model this after Daddy had modelled it (and that it covers her past her shoulders!)

More quilt blocks

Swoon Block #2 is complete. Isn't she a beauty!:



Next I need to cut out the pieces for the remaining 7 blocks... hmm... let's just say there may be a delay as the cutting part is not my favourite!

I also joined the farmer's wife quilt along. These are my fabrics - The Secret Garden collection. Such pretty colours.



I had read on a couple of blogs that it is easier to do paper piecing, and naturally 'easier' appealed to me. I'd hoped that the paper piecing templates would be included on the CD that comes with the book. But alas, no. The book comes with all the templates for the component parts of each block. However I had my mind set on the paper piecing approach. So I joined the farmer's wife Yahoo group, where some kind fellow had converted each square into a paper piecing pattern. Yay!

I attended a class at a local quilting store to learn this techinique. I really like this approach. FYI, here's the best online tutorial I could find. (PS - doesn't she have a gorgeous blog, with the most fabulous quilts... yes, yes she does!)

On an entirely unrelated note, Naomi turned 2 today. She had the most wonderful day!



Wishing you an equally wonderful weekend,
Sam xxx

Snuggly soft sweater

I recently finished this sweater for Naomi. I can't take all the credit for this beauty: my Mum started the sweater, and completed the body of it, when she was visiting over Thanksgiving. I just needed to finish the arms.



I didn't think I had enough of the lilac yarn to complete the arms and so I decided to stripe them with the pale pink. Turns out I probably would have had plenty in the lilac, but I really like the stripey arms. And because I was feeling all Valentinesy, I decided to overstitch a heart on the body of the sweater.

The best part of this jumper is how unbelieveably soft and light it is. It is knit is Misti Alpaca Chunky, instead of the Rowan Big Wool that the pattern calls for... pattern is Lucy from ROWAN Junior magazine. This yarn is deliciously soft. It makes me want to knit myself a big cuddly sweater too. :) Needless to say, that when Naomi puts this on, she doesn't want to take it off... must be like getting cuddled by a teddy bear all day! Ha ha!

Thanks Mum. Naomi loves her beautful and cuddly sweater xxx

Sherbet Pips Quilt

I first saw the Sherbet Pips fabric on Bea's blog and became fixated: I 'needed' this fabric! I thought it would be perfect for a quilt for Naomi. I've only completed a strip quilt so far, and wanted to try a 'real' pattern, and yet doable for a beginner. The Fat Quarter Store had just what I was looking for: the Winter Sherbet quilt kit using the Sherbet Pips fabric and Thimble Blossom's 'Piece of Cake' pattern.



The pattern was, as it's name implies, really easy to follow. Note that the original pattern uses non-directional fabric. Since some of the prints in Sherbet Pips are directional, my first tip is that before you start happily cutting away, you'll want to take the fabrics you selected from your layer cake and figure out which half of your blocks you want to be 'portrait' and which will be 'landscape'. Then cut the squares accordingly (Tall and thin vs short and wide).



My only other newbie tip is that one once all the blocks are complete I recommend that you lay them out according to how you want them to be displayed. I numbered them so that I knew which order they go in, but also for those blocks that had non directional fabric, I knew which way the block should be oriented when I sew them together. Besides, I find it fun to arrange, rearrange, stand back, umm, aah, rearrange some more until I find that most pleasing composition :)



Finally for the quilting I stitched in the ditch around the pieces in each block, and then stitched tram lines in the sashing. I like how the tram lines zig and zag around each block from the top to the bottom of the quilt.



This is far from perfect. And at times I was disheartened with it's complete lack of anything resembling perfection. But you know what, I love it! Flaws and all. I was telling one of the ladies at the local quilt store about this, and she said "Honey, have you not heard of the 30/30 rule?... If in 30 years from now, at 30 feet, no-one can tell then it doesn't matter!" I like this lady!



What's most important to me is that Naomi likes it too. She runs up, pats it, and exclaims 'NAAAHS" (Naomi speak for 'nice').

Wishing you a great weekend,
Sam xxx