Impatient for warmer weather...

I am definately getting impatient for warmer weather here. For obvious reasons of course (ahem, no more snow! Get me out of this house!), but for crafting reasons as well! This past fall, we purchased two 20 foot metal cargo containers (like these). One will be for storage and a place to park our atv, and the other one will be Red's workshop. Unfortunately we got snow before Red finished his workshop (he has framed out the inside and insulated it, and has it wired for 110 and 220 electricity, though it is not yet wired into our electric meter yet, and still needs to be sheeted and shelves and workbenches built), but come spring he will finish out the inside, which means he'll be able to move all his tools out of our big shed, and the shed will then become my sewing/craft shed! It's an 8'x10' shed, and it currently sits in our driveway, though I think we will have it moved up to the back of the yard across from where the shop is. We will also probably insulate and sheetrock the interior, and hopefully install a window or two, and wire it, and then it's all mine! After sheetrocking it the interior dimensions will be closer to 7.5'x9.5', and since it's a shed roof the back wall is not quite standing height (it almost is for me, not even close for Red!), so it poses some interesting design issues, but I have a thing for designing small spaces so I'm excited for the challenge! It will primarily be set up for sewing, though I hope to have enough workable surface space for most other types of crafting, minus anything that requires water (unless I do watery stuff outside with the hose!). I do have a nice sewing center cabinet, though I'm not sure if I'll use that in there, or build custom shelving/counter/table space. I can't wait for the snow to be gone so we can get a start on all of this!

What I'm working on now

Right now I'm working on a new knitting project- the Central Park Hoodie (I guess it's a popular one in the knitting world!). It's a cableknit hoodie, and I'm knitting it in a beautiful and soft alpaca blend wool in a deep merlot shade (it's almost black looking, but in the sunlight glints with flecks of red and blue, it's really beautiful yarn). I'm about eight inches into the back piece (it's a button-up hoodie), and it's coming along nicely! The 4 inches of ribbing on the hem took forever it seemed, but the main pattern is going quickly (on size 8 Addi Turbo needles, I'm using circular needles even though it's not knit in the round, I just like the needles so much and the straight Addi Turbos are pretty pricey and my local knitting store doesn't carry the straights, just the circulars). I'm excited about it, it's going to be soft and pretty and cozy, and lightweight enough to be worn on our cool summer evenings (cause at this rate that's probably when I'll have it finished by) (I hope!) but warm enough to be cozy in the winter. Plus it's a color that I don't really have anything of in my closet, but I love the color, so it's best of all worlds! The pattern looks like it gets a bit complicated when it gets to the hood and the ribbed trim on the buttonfront edges, so I have a feeling I'll be making a visit to Yarn for some help, but I'm game for the challenge! Here's the first 8 inches (this photo does not do the yarn justice)

And a little pat on my own back for figuring out how to make text into links ;)

Making Paper!

Probably my most involved project to date has been making paper. It is a lot of fun to do, and though it is very easy, it does take up alot of time and space. You can get pretty complicated with it if you want, but a pretty basic setup will produce some pretty nice paper! It's a great use for recycling paper, especially bright construction paper. You can also put stuff in the paper, like dried leaves or flower petals, or even bits of thread make for some interesting paper.

I first was introduced to making paper in elementary school, it was a class project one day to make paper out of old newspapers, I remember we did it in the parkinglot because it was pretty messy but it was neat to see how it's done. Ironically, newspaper is just about the worst to use in your pulp because it yellows so quickly (so your newly made paper will yellow), but it got the point across!

I wish I had taken more pictures (any pictures, really) of the whole process, as it really is a process, but I do have some photos of the finished products of my paper. I made books out of the paper as Christmas gifts two Christmasses ago, and bookmaking is a whole other topic that is a lot of fun and you can get super creative with. If you can sew on a button, you can make a book. (Actually, if you can pass a needle and thread through anything, you can make a book)

Another time I will probably do a more indepth how-to for papermaking (cause it is so cool and fun and kindof on the uncommon side of crafts), but for now, here are some photos of the finished paper, and the books I made.

The cut paper, the full sheets with their raw edges, the first book, and some multicolored experimental sheets that came out too thick for the books.

The books!

Knitting projects

Here are a few knitting projects I've done and/or am working on! I started knitting when I was a kid, I really don't remember how old I was or even who taught me (I am pretty sure it was a friend of my parents), but I love knitting, I just wish I had more patience with it (I'm all about instant gratification, so big projects like sweaters are a real challenge for me!). I'm a fan of hats knit in the round (Addi Turbos are the best needles ever), they're quick and fun and satisfying. My favorite hat yarn is Lambs Pride Bulky, it's warm and thick so it knits quickly, and it's soft enough to be comfortable on your forehead without needing a lining. Here's one I knit many a year ago, I've kept it for myself.

Here's a hat that started out as the first in a pair of legwarmers that I started while in college but forgot about for several years. I found the project in my stash bag, and ended up turning it into a cute hat for Wyatt instead, with a big cushy pompom! Too bad he wouldn't keep it on his head long enough for me to get a good shot of it on! (Socks and hats are his nemisis, he loves pulling them right off!)

And of course, the dreaded never-ending sweater... I began this sweater in either 2002 or 2003, I can't recall. It's a Yankee Knitters design that I altered, the motif originally was sheep, but I designed a schooner motif instead. The back, left front, and about 8 inches of the right front are done, but that's about it... It's a beautiful sweater, but I've just lost the motivation to finish it (at least at the moment). Maybe someday I'll suck it up and finish it! ;P

Miscellaneous projects

Here are a few random projects I've done over the years!

A mosaic mirror

Candles- I made these from leftover candles that had burnt their wicks down but still had wax left. All I had to buy was the wick! (And cotton cord does the trick, you don't need anything fancy. I bought the cord at a local bead store.)

Christmas wreaths- These are made of paper plates with the center cut out, and bows stapled to the plates! (the sticky pad on the bows was not enough to keep them secure)

Yummy preserves! I love canning food, it's SO economical and so much fun! I've canned all sorts of jams- These here are peach, apple butter, plum, and sour cherry. The peaches and apples were locally picked, and the cherries were from our cherry tree! (the plums were from the grocery store, but if memory serves I'm pretty sure they were Colorado grown...) I've also canned soups, we've made turkey noodle and chicken noodle, beef stew, and a super yummy pasta sauce with tomatos and basil from our garden and sausage. Canning non-acidic foods (anything with meat, and pretty much anything that's not a jam) is a bit trickier, you have to use a pressure canner to get it hotter than you can just with a boiling water bath, but it's so worth it! They also make awesome Christmas prezzies!

Bath salt satchels- These were also Christmas gifts this year, and were so easy to make but so much fun! They are simply squares of muslin (cotton fabric) filled with epsom salts and either dried mint (from our garden) or dried rose petals (saved from various bouquets and such!), tied shut with ribbon! To use them you just put the whole thing in the tub and let the salt dissolve out. Next year I think I might try making essential oils of mint and lavender for them, so that the scent is a bit more potent than just the dried leaves (the leaves are very mild, and though they smell good, they don't scent the bathwater very much, so next time I'll try something a bit more scented).

Couple more sewing projects

Here are two more that didn't make it into the first post- I have made Red two aprons now, the first was made of denim and lasted a good while of hard use while he was an automotive machinist. (It has since seen better days) This second apron I made out of cotton duck (like carhartt material) with a few pockets made to Red's specifications (gotta have a contractors pencil pocket!).

This next project is a tool pouch, it's made of denim and cord, with pockets to fit his special leatherwork hand tools.