WTF!

I don't know where my last post went but I'm pretty sure blogger ate it when it was down all day. So let's see if I can find the info again!
(ETA Looks like the nail giveaway I posted about hasn't been reposted since the great blogger apocalypse. so I'll repost when she does!)

Nail Polish Giveaway!

So I mentioned earlier that I've been into nail polish like whoa lately. I know it doesn't have much to do with my crafty blog but every now and again you will see me post about it. If you are into at ALL you need to check out this blog: mynailgraffiti.blogspot.com She is very creative and GREAT with color!
She's also hosting a giveaway to celebrate 100 followers. Check out the blog and enter to win. Also, check out the prize! HOLY HAUL BATMAN!

Really quick! Giveaway alert!

Hello to my few crafty followers. I just wanted to clue you in on a giveaway going on over at Leona's Quilting Adventure She is so generously giving away an Accuquilt Go Baby Fabric Cutter! I don't know about you, but this has been on my dream wishlist since it came out!!! Check out her blog and enter to win!

oneygirl-myquiltingadventure.blogspot.com

"Stuck" to this website....

Har har! My husband brought this website to my attention, and I thought I would share it with you crafty types.  It's called This to That (click-able).

It's a very basic, straight forward website that gives you advice on the best type of adhesive to use when sticking things together. For instance, from the fabric drop down menu I chose Fabric. The second drop down box I also chose Fabric just to see what my options were.

It gave me multiple options including ones that would avoid stiffness (SSSSHHH! I hear you giggling all the way over here!) and non toxic solutions. All of the results are click-able, and bring you to an index entry on the site that tells you the toxicity of the glue, the time it takes to adhere, and where it is available. Some index entries also give you an estimated price and related glues or adhesives.

This website is definitely getting added to my bookmarks, and will come in handy the next time I need to make something that I can't use the sewing machine or knitting needles!

Rainbows!

One project I'm working on (just started actually) is a Rainbow shadow box quilt like the one seen here:

From Flickr user Quilts by Elena

It is an offshoot of the Ravelry LSG Beginners Quilting Bee. I needed to cut fat quarters into 5" charm squares and thought I would post a tutorial on how to make the most out of your fat quarter (12 charm squares from 1 fat quarter) It's easy really, but cutting always proves to be one of my least favorite things about quilting. So here is how I made it quick and easy with minimal waste.

First, clip the tiniest corners off of your fat quarters and wash them. Take them out of the dryer while they are still damp, and immediately iron them.
Then, on to cutting.

1. Fold fat quarter in half, meeting short ends together.

2. Line up the fold on your cutting mat, and trim off raw edge on right.

3. Cut 3 sections that are 5" wide. You will have a bit of scrap here to add to your scrap bucket.

4. Stack your 3 pieces and line up all edges. Line up the long edge on your cutting mat. Cut the raw edge off the right side, and cut into 4 5" inch sections. This will give you 12 charm squares.

The amount of scrap you have at the end of this will depend on how well your fat quarter was cut to begin with. Mine were all from JoAnn's and some were perfect, and others were wonky and terrible. So in my illustrated example, I have very little scrap left because this fat quarter was wonky, but in others I had an inch or 2 extra to add to my scrap bucket. Now repeat these steps for as many fat quarters as you need to cut. In my case, I needed 10 different blue fabrics. I did 11 to be safe, because one or two of mine were questionable as far as tone on tone qualities. I wanted to provide an extra so that the other participants could eliminate one if they didn't like it. I also had 2 fat eighths (I think? basically half a fat quarter) so you actually see 12 fabrics here.

 

(note: the one that is 3rd from the right looks like white background here but is not. Blame strange lighting and iPhone pictures.) 

Keep your eyes pealed for the other rainbow colors that will be arriving in the next few weeks for this project!

FINALLY back!

Blogging (and everything pretty much) eluded me the last couple of months. We've been dealing with my husband's health issues, which have gone from bad to worse. He has been in and out of the hospital more times than I can count and is still pretty much home bound. I'll spare you the gory details (you can read them on his blog if you want, thedailytwitch.blogspot.com) but the end result is probably going to be a pretty intense back surgery coming soon. Before that happens we need to move into a ground floor apartment, have a 3rd birthday party for a very special little girl, and get caught up on everything we've missed in the last few months.

In the meantime, the weather is quickly warming up here in Arizona and that means less knitting, hopefully more sewing (because it's cooler than working with wool) and lots of time at the swimming pool either here at our apartment complex, my sister's house, or my parent's house.


Stay tuned for pictures of current projects I'm working on including very little knitting, a few sewing projects, and nail polish? I know, I know that doesn't really fit in with my crafting blog but it's something I've been into lately so I will post about it here.

Another FO

A's hat. It's huge. Seriously was thinking about wearing it as a sweater there for a while. But he loves it which is the important thing!

ABQ Love

We've been reminiscing lately about our short time in Albuquerque. You can ask any of the friends we made while there. We hated it. We complained constantly about living there. And since we've left, we've missed it so much. There are still things about ABQ we don't like, but we miss our friends, the community, the quirkyness (I like to call it Austin-lite) and the atmosphere. Most of all, we miss living in a LGBT friendly, democratic state.

Honestly, our first choice would be to live in Portland, OR but realistically we can't afford Portland. I'm beginning to think moving back to Albuquerque would be a nice 2nd choice. We will be visiting soon but until then, a pic of one of my favorite stores in Nob Hill, Masks y Mas.

ETA: I forgot some things about ABQ. It's where A and I were married. It's also where we conceived and had L. Very special memories in ABQ including showing our friends ultrasound pics and the entire table saying "AWWWW LABIA!"

Last FO for the weekend

I think.
L has been into Angelina Ballerina lately so started this for her. Set it down after all the knitting was done because it was ridiculous to finish. The amount of seaming and finishing in this project was agonizing. I'm happy with the finished project but the pattern left much to be desired.

Some recent Knitting FOs

 Fuzzy the Hedgehog for L. She loves him!
Pattern can be found here on Ravelry. 

 Juneberry Shawl by Jared Flood. No berries on mine as I left out the bobbles. Pretty intense project but fun!
Pattern here on Rav.

This is kind of a double FO. I hand dyed the yarn to stripe like this. Then knit into a Hurricane hat. Love how it turned out but it's a little bright for a hat. Also, with my short hair it makes me look like a chemo patient. It fit's L a little loosely but I think she will wear it more than me.
Hurricane Hat pattern on Rav.