Yarn Resolution 2012 (And a Giveaway)

I have a confession: I love yarn and fabric. A few people I know have a room designated to hold their stash (think an ENTIRE wall of yarn!). My stash is confined to Ava's bedroom closet. It has occured to me that she may want her closet in the near future, so I've decided to decrease the stash a bit in 2012.

My resolution is to knit through at least 6 skeins of my sock yarn. Currently, I have 10 skeins, so I think this is a reasonable goal. My plan is to utilize Judith Durant's One Skein books. I have 3 and each book has patterns to choose from.

While straightening the stash, I came across this lovely little skein from Cherry Tree Hill. It's 420 yards of sock weight yarn that needs a new home. And, I have a small project bag I printed this weekend. Wanna win both?

Have You Heard of My Memories? (And a GIVEAWAY!)

I started scrapbooking when Richard and I began dating about 15 years ago. This was when Creative Memories was just beginning hit the national market for paper-based scrapbooks. I have about 10 different albums since then. I love them, but I admit, taking out ALL of the supplies to start work on an album is so time-consuming. I don't really have the time to complete large-scale albums right now.

Since then,  I have dabbled in a little digital scrapbooking. I've made several albums from different photo-printing sites. The ease of "point and click" is so much better than traditional books. I can stop and start much easier AND take my work with me on my computer.

My Memories is a digital scrapbooking company that allows users complete freedom to personalize their scrapbooks. The software only takes a few minutes and includes access to simply patterned papers to get started on your scrap-booking journey.

When you begin an album on My Memories, you have the option to create pages as you go or to create an album. It works very much like a MS Word document. You can rearrange photos or delete. You can change font size and color. The trick for MAC users is to make sure that your photos are out of iPhoto and saved in a folder on your desktop as jpeg's.

Wanna see what I started tonight?

Cool huh? My Memories has given me this code to help you get started. Here's what you do:

1. Go to www.mymemories.com 
2. Purchase the My Memories software and enter this code: STMMMS5430

for your $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10   coupon for the MyMemories.com store ($20 value)

Wanna win a FREE copy of the My Memories Software?

Here's what you do:

Inspiration and a Giveaway

So, have you found the awesomeness that is Pinterest? It is a place for you to categorize, or "pin" all of the great ideas you find online. Instead of a million bookmarks saved to your computer, you create visual bulletin boards of pictures. What's great is that you can categorize into several bulletin boards. Well, I was looking at Pinterest when I found this:

Repurposed Earrings to Bold Rings

These rings are so fun to make! To me it's an instant gratification project because you just glue and go. I find my vintage earrings and buttons from estate sales and garage sales. Look for those button earrings from the 60's and 70's. Fancy brooches work well also.

To make these rings, you'll need:

• a vintage earring 
• ring blank 
• jewelry glue
• pliers

First, use your pliers to remove the earring back or pin. It's ok if you have a little residue left over. If you are little worried, just use a lightweight sandpaper to scrub that off.

Then, apply glue to the middle of the wrong side of the earring. Add ring blank and press. Let it dry overnight so that the glue has time to adhere. 

Admire your new creation! 

Here are some more that I have made:

Turning Clothes into Quilts?

Lately, I've been working on memory quilts. Memory quilts are handmade quilts made a special someone's clothes. My most favorite, of course, use baby clothes. I've made simply designed quilts with a border around all the 5" clothes squares.

Bethany from Vermillion Rules posted another idea for these kinds of quilts.  You follow the baby clothes squares with a border of solid flannel squares, like this:

I've also heard of moms taking bibs or burp clothes and adding that to the fabric mix. Either way, you are cutting some of the clutter in your house, but still keeping some of those favorite outfits from your sweet one. 

The same idea can be applied to special t-shirts. Maybe you know someone who is in sports who has accumulated TONS of shirts that he can't get rid of.  Turn them into a awesome quilt:

I can help you turn those upcycle those shirts into something useful! Email me for more details!

Sew Crafty Summer

So summer has come and gone in Oklahoma. We start school WAY before Labor Day, so gone are the carefree days of pools and endless sewing. I look forward to Fall - cooler temperatures bring many opportunities to layer and accessorize.

Here are some things I'm making to get ready for Autumn....

Chunky Rings - tutorial coming soon....These are SO easy to make. All you need are buttons, vintage clip earrings, anything that's flat, glue, and a ring blank...

Big, fat, squishy scarves: large knit or crochet scarves are going to be awesome this year....

Knitted cuffs: I found this pattern on Knitty. What a great way to use up extra sock yarn!

T-shirt infinity scarves: This is SO, SO easy. No sewing involved. If you can cut, and tie knots, you can make this!

Baby Blankets: These are also very simple to create. Just cut strips, sew together and add a back. Tutorial coming very soon because everyone needs a quick baby shower gift!

What have you been creating this summer? Please share below -

Are You Hooking?

I have a love/hate relationship with crochet. My sister Jill taught me a couple of years ago. After a million tries to just single crochet, I figured it out. Her words?

"Don't quit your day job, Sarah. I think knitting is your thing."

Flash forward and I think I have the basics - single crochet, double crochet, yarn over. But give me a pattern? Puhleeze. I'm ripping back at least 5 times. I think that crocheters, or hookers as they like to be called, have an crazy ability to "see" their pattern. As a knitter, I really rely on the pattern directions to the letter. When you crochet you have to "see" where you are going as you are going there.

So here is my latest crochet obsession: Queen Anne's Lace. It's a free pattern on K2togonline. The yarn is a silk/cotton blend Debbie Bliss Stella in this really awesome orange, only 2 skeins.

Hmm, i thought, what else do I have in my stash that would make an excellent scarf? What about a webby black Rowan cotton?

Very dramatic, don't you think?