artsy-crafty babe

on the needles

Making scrappy blocks isn't the only thing I've been working on.  Once the sewing machine has been put away I've been working on my knitting.  Ms. Marigold is still in the works.  I had a little setback and had to rip out and start over for a third time after a certain 4 yr old decided to play with my knitting.  One day I'll learn to leave it out of his reach!  I'm at the boring part where I'm knitting the length of the body. 

So, to change things up a bit I decided to cast on another project.  I'm making the Cavern Cardigan.  You know me, never a dull moment in the crafting department!

more blocks!

In true Beki fashion, when I find something I like, I tend to get a bit obsessed with it.   Remember how I said I planned to make a few of these every couple of days?  Yeah, right!  I'll probably have this quilt top finished by the weekend.  I didn't go into this with a plan, but I have 8 more blocks planned. 

I'm enjoying this process so much that I'm thinking about doing the same thing with my FQ's from the vintage sheet swap.  I like not having to do any math or figuring, just put them together and sew.  Fun, fun, fun!!!

scrappy blocks

Here are my first scrappy blocks.  These are fun!  I've decided to have a touch of every color in each block (red, black, yellow, green), which I think ties them together.  So far, I'm loving how they're coming together.   My plan is to work on a few every couple of days.  The 4 I made last night came together really quickly.  I already have my prints picked out for the next batch and can't wait to make them.  Putting these fabrics together is so fun and freeing - definitely my kind of playing! 

ready for cute?

A couple of weeks ago I received this book, Tiny Yarn Animals.  Oh my goodness, the cuteness! 

These little crochet animals are too much!  I haven't crocheted in years, and I've never followed a pattern, but I couldn't resist.  There is a little how to section in the beginning that goes over basic stitches, so even if you're a beginner you can give this a shot.

I made this little guy first.  Mr. Hippo.  It was tough to get a picture of him because little hands wanted him as soon as he was finished. 

Of course I had to make something else.  Next up was this octopus.  I made her 8 legs, but for some reason when it was time to assemble her, only 7 fit.  Oops.  I'm sure no one will notice.

These are so adorable and easy, I want to make more!

scraps

My scrap basket runneth over.  All of them (yes, I have multiple scrap baskets) are over full, but I've decided to tackle the "itty bitty pieces" scrap basket first.  I took a cue from Lily, who wanted to go through my scrap basket to "make something".  Hmmm, there's an idea - make something from the scraps!  It's been on my agenda to make a scrappy quilt for ages, but I never got around to it (the story of my life). There's no time like the present, eh?

So, I brought down the itty bitty pieces scrap basket and organized it by color.  Then I decided on my color scheme - reds, golds, blacks with splashes of blue & green.  Basically a rainbow.  However these blocks come together, I'm sure there will be lots of white.  I LOVE a quilt with lots of white.  So there you have it, yet another project on the horizon.  I'm so happy my crafty mojo decided to return :-)

s-l-o-w

Slow can be good.  This is a lesson I'm just now learning.  I'm slowing down, trying to learn to enjoy the ride.  I don't know how I ever got on the fast train in the first place, but it sure was wearing me out!  Guess what else?  I'm sleeping!  Going to bed early is a good thing.  Especially after a little reading and knitting a few rows.  Yes, I'm still sewing, just not as quickly as I have been.  I'll sew a seam here, a seam there, but there's no rush.  I have two bags in progress now.  I could have killed myself to crank them both out in an afternoon, but I chose not to.  I've also been working on patterns.  My pleated purse pattern is in the hands of my pattern testers at this very moment, and I've been working on the patttern for this one, which will be available for pdf download very soon.  Hmm, maybe I haven't slowed down all that much, but it sure feels like I am.

my artsy-crafty girl

I must show y'all the latest creation from my little artsy-crafty girl.  She calls it her masterpiece.  I'm not quite sure what it is (nor is she), but it looks cute, and that's what matters, right?  I especially like her crochet "jacket" as she calls it.  Did I ever tell y'all that she learned to crochet?  While I was in the heat of my knitting obsession, I taught her how to crochet.  She picked it up quickly and is doing pretty well!

Keep on my artsy-crafty girl, you're making your momma proud!!!

near perfection

Ahhh - do you hear that?  It was a sigh of satisfaction.  Satisfaction from a weekend well spent.  A weekend full of fun and relaxation.  Something I haven't done in a long time.  I didn't do anything crafty, no sewing, and very little knitting.  I tried to be still and soak it all in - the love of my little family, of Matt and the kiddos.  As simple as that sounds, that's not always so easy to do, not for me anyway.  Not easy with self-imposed deadlines, mountains of laundry, and an endless to do list.  But this weekend I was able to put that aside and just be.  Yes, I am blessed.