Recycled Jeans To Skirts

   I found this fun video tutorial by the Stitch Sisters on transforming a pair of jeans into a skirt and I had to try it.  Here is the link to the tutorial:  Jeans to Skirt tutorial. I went to Goodwill and found three pair of jeans.  Two for the skirts and one to use for the extra material needed to fill in the cut areas.  I now have two jean skirts for $18.00.  I love them.

    Here is a wonky picture of one of the skirts on.

Quilt Ladder

    I made a quilt ladder several years ago and I used some instructions I found on a blog.  I looked for that blog today but I could not locate that specific blog.  I did find lots of other instructions for making all kinds of quilt/accessories ladders that use screws, nail, glue, and rope. 

     I made my ladder with pine boards and pieces of dowel.  I found all my materials at Lowes.   The boards measure 1.5" x 3/4" and the dowel sticks are 3/4".  I bought a spade drill bit to make the holes in the boards to insert the dowel sticks.  The ladder was easy to make and very cheap.  I want to say that even with the purchase of the drill bit it cost well under $20.00.  I stained the finished ladder and I also covered the stain with a polyurethane so the stain would not rub off onto my quilts.  I love this little piece and I want to make a couple more in the future.  This was such an easy project my daughter made one for herself.  She loves hers as well. 

      I took several picture of the quilt ladder because I wanted to show it well.

      This is the quilt ladder with four quilts on it.

     I took the top quilt off so you could get a sense of the width of the ladder.

     This is a picture of the ladder where it stays in a corner of the bedroom.

Time To Make Christmas Ornaments

   I've been busy making little things here and there.  My spool pin doily project is over now.  I've shipped the last bunch out on Friday.  I'm starting some Christmas decorations.   This little guy is the first of many.  Here is the video tutorial to this cute little snowman.  It includes the template.  Link here.

Doily Patterns

   I had a 20% off your entire purchase at JoAnn's today and I found this fun booklet with beautiful doily patterns.  It's an Annie's Crochet Book and it has some beautiful designs in it.   I don't have any doily pattern books, so I bought this one. 

Time To Think About Christmas Sewing and Making

    It's never too early to think about Christmas decorations.  I'm probably going to start my Christmas ornament making next month.   

     This is a quick post to give you a link to a video tutorial on how to make a cute snowman Christmas ornament.  I watch a knitting podcast on youtube called Craft House Magic.  Ellie has a video on how to hand sew an adorable snowman Christmas ornament.  She even provides viewers with a .pdf template for the shape of the snowman.  Which is great because I can't draw.   Her tutorial is wonderful, she shows you exactly how to make the whole ornament in a 24 minute video.  I have some white wool felt on order to make several of these lovelies for family and friends.

    Here's the link to the video:     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZQ-HVBhHLA

     Have fun.

Long Over Due

          I have been afraid to do this and have put it off for the last 6 months. I finally broke down and made a list of all the projects I have materials for. I have 16 projects that I can work on today that I have everything I need to make it.  My project list is a nice mix of sewing, crocheting and knitting projects. Some of these projects are started and some of them are just dreams. Dreams that I have material to make come true.

          Here are the first five things on my list.

         1.    Hexagon Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt. (already started)

         2.    Make tote bags with Hawaii fabric and canvas. (not started)

         3.    Make hanging dish towels with Bake Sale fabric and colorful towels. (not started)

         4.    Secret birthday sewing. (not started)

        5.    Knit hat. (already started)

          I put the hand sewing project at the top of the list. It's been neglected long enough. It's time I dedicate a few hours each week to work on this one.  If I see some progress on it I'll be more inclined to work on it more often.  I'm posting a picture of everything done to this point. I really like this quilt and I want to finish it.

          One project I did not put on my list is one that I do when I have a few minutes watching YouTube videos in the morning before work.  I've been crocheting some colorful thread spool doilies to share with other folks who quilt and sew.  I've been making them up with some beautiful embroidery thread I ordered last month from 123Stitch.com.  When you buy a skein of embroidery thread and it only costs $.52, you don't mind ordering two or three of each color you want.   The color selection on that website is amazing.  I love sharing these bits of color to dress up sewing machines.

            Some of the projects on the list are quick projects that will take a couple of hours from cutting to snipping the last thread.  I like those.  Others will be long term projects.

            List making is good for me.  I use them to stay focused on what I have to work on.  This list is also a great reminder that I don't have to buy any more crafting supplies for a long while.  I won't even need so much as a new card of buttons.  I have a lovely stash of fabric, stabilizers, buttons, zippers, thread, yarn, knitting needles, crochet hooks and patterns to make everything I have on my list.   I've been buying fabric, yarn, hooks, and knitting needles like a demon for the past 7 months and I should have everything I need.  The only things I do not have are batting and backing fabric for the two quilt tops on my list, but I won't have the tops finished until next year so there's no rush to get those.

             Now all I need is about 6 months off from work to craft full time.