Machine repair…

So I snapped a needle and knocked my sewing machine out of time when I was making these babies. Wasn’t able to get my machine to the factory for about a week, it’s taking 2 to fix it, and it will be done on the first day I’m out of town for a week, so that is FOUR weeks without my machine!!! Such torture!

Especially when this is the fabric I got for Christmas….

So without a sewing machine, I’ve been working on a little crocheting. I bought a couple patterns from Mon Petit Violon on etsy. I worked through much frustration after taking baby booties apart time and time again, each time for such small mistakes, yet they affected the project in a big way. But I finally finished a pair today, after hours of doing and undoing. They are for my friend Savannah’s baby girl, Lucie. I hope they fit!!

Headed to NYC next week, maybe a couple more of these will come about on the plane ride!

BuyHandmade.org

St. Nicholas Swap (Blog catch up)

The St. Nicholas Swap has come and gone, but I need to show off my loot! I received some awesome items from Ulrike (Mighty Crumble), the creator of the swap from Germany.

She made these awesome napkins and table runner (perfectly sized for my square table!)

This pack of ornaments:

That came in this cute bag:

And everything was all wrapped up in this great tote bag!

Here’s a close up of the table runner center:

I really got lucky in this swap!!

Here are the items I sent to Simone712 in Canada:

A Cookie cutter ornament just like the ones I made and swapped with family this Thanksgiving as we do every year: (Made from a Martha Tutorial)

A “Merry Christmas” hand embroidered pot holder:

A Christmas Tree Ornament, totally copied from the one my mom gave me on Thanksgiving. :)

A group of hexie ornaments copied from the ones Ulrike sent me (I can’t help it! They were so cute!)

And a Paper/Beaded Christmas tree:

And this apron with a wrap-around-tie-in-the-front ribbon waistband. (Which I also had enough fabric to make one for myself! Yay!)

It was such a great swap!!! Hope it comes around again next year!

Bee Modern Too Blocks (Catch up blog)

Here are the blocks I made for Ulrike (Mighty Crumble) in Germany.

The instructions were simple: no circles, no triangles, 10″ wide. :) Love it. I had so much fun shaping these together and loved making something that didn’t have a plan in the beginning. They just came to be gradually! And the color way was such a great choice! I couldn’t help but put the warm colors together and the cool colors separate, but I’m sure they’d be just as cute all mixed together.

We are taking a break in December, but will be back to work in January! Can’t wait!

You can see all the blocks here: Bee Modern Too

Bee Blocks and CROCHET!!!

So recently, I’ve been working on 2 things, the September and October Bee Blocks for Bee Modern Too and this week I learned, and quickly became addicted to crocheting!!

Here’s the September block that went to Ashley:

It was paper pieced and it was my first time to try this technique. It’s a little backwards to think through, but I enjoyed learning something new and I am very happy with the turn out!

For Dena:

Dena came up with the instructions for these, I had fun coming up with ways to arrange the fabrics in the rectangles. Great way to use scraps.

And what I am SUPER EXCITED about,……CROCHET!!!

I took a class at Joann’s for beginning crochet Wednesday. My husband laughed, thinking it was for old women. Oh well. :) We learned the single crochet and double crochet, and luckily, those were the stitches I needed to make the Anne Lace scarf from MK Carroll that I’ve been dying to make and was the impetus for learning anyway. The teacher was awesome, and actually helped me work through the first few motifs of the pattern while the other students were practicing stitches. I came home and kept on working on it! The yarn we were given was not thick enough to make the scarf wide and chunky like I wanted, but I still really like it!

I couldn’t resist getting a chunky yarn though the next day. I got a creamy white alpaca which is SUPER soft! Here are the 2 together:

I’m not finished with either yet, but moving along. :) I’ll either gift the greyish one or try to sell it. The white one–mine! :) It’s going to go great with my white hat and gloves!!

Can’t wait to come up with other projects to crochet next!!

Also excited to see what the block will be for November for Bee Modern Too!

Etsy Listings!!

Yay! I have my first listings on my new etsy. Have a look!!

Sleeves and Scarves

Ok, my friend Kendra has her coffee sleeve now, so I can finally post it here!

Love it!

And of course, reversible

Her favorite colors are turquoise and pink, so I enjoyed making this combination for her. :) I have had several people interested in buying these from me. I am selling them as requested on my etsy (LoveCasey.etsy.com) for $8 each. Convo me through etsy if you are interested.

And what’s next on my radar? This AMAZING crocheted scarf. The designer sells the pattern (MK Carroll), and I cannot wait to get started. Unfortunately, crochet perplexes me beyond the ability to finish any project I have started before, so I am planning on a little trip to Joann’s this week for a class to get me started because I NEED this scarf!! :) Then I hope to sell them as well through my etsy, as the designer allows. :)