Sheet Square Swap

If you're interested in participating in a Sheet Square Swap (or maybe just a fabric square swap, or both), please leave a comment on this post so I can get an idea if enough people are interested. If there's more than 10 people, I'd need to know if anyone else would be willing to be a "swap mama". Here's how the swap would work:

A group would consist of 11 people (10 + 1 swap mama). Each person in the group would choose 20 fabrics (or sheets) and cut 10 6" squares of each fabric. That would amount to a total of 200 squares. You send your squares to your swap mama, and she in turn, organizes and assembles the 200 squares for each member and sends them out. Last year I did this same swap but we did 500 squares. I loved getting all those fabrics, but it was definitely a lot of cutting. I think 20 is much more manageable.

Please note that this is NOT a sign up for the swap. I just want to get an idea of how many people are interested. If enough are interested, I'll have sign-ups close sometime next week and mail out deadlines at the end of July/ beginning of august. If you are interested, please let me know the following:
would you be interested in swapping vintage sheets or fabrics, or both?
Is 20 different fabrics too much or just right?
Are you interested in being a "swap mama"?

Thanks!

Spoonflower!

I was totally psyched when my invitation for Spoonflower came a few weeks ago. I'm sure all of you have heard about it by now, but for those who haven't, it's this awesome new website that allows you to design and have your own fabric printed. I immediately started drawing and trying to think of designs. I have to give a lot of credit to those that design entire lines of fabric because it is quite challenging (well at least for me!) Anyway, when I finally decided on a drawing, I took a picture and played around with it in Gimp. I'm no computer expert and exploring Gimp was a lot of fun and easy. It's a free computer program similar to Adobe Photoshop. When I was done, I ordered a FQ of my design and I impatiently waited for it to get here. When it came, it was nicely wrapped with a wonderful handwritten note. There would have been pictures of that too, had I not ripped into the package. I'm sure you would have done the same thing ;) So, It came out pretty well, although I do wish that I had payed attention to the scale markers on their website. It would have been better had it been a smaller repeat pattern.

I'm not sure if I'll order more of this. I am, however, looking forward to creating more designs. I am so excited for this website and I can't wait to see how it evolves. It would be great if you could eventually buy other designer's fabrics. As it stands right now, the cost to print your own fabric would not be really cost effective to sell by the yard. But we'll see. The website is only in its beginning stages and I've read a lot of other great raves and reviews on it.

Sheets

Summertime is definitely "swap season" for me. I don't know what is it about summer, but I participate in far more swaps during this time than any other time in the year. Anyway, I've finally gotten my act together for the Vintage Sheet Patchwork Swap. I was surprised at how many vintage sheets I had around the house. Of course, that didn't stop me from buying a few more. Here's what I'll be sending in.

I can't wait to see what I receive. You can see what other people sent in here in the flick pool. There are so many good ones in there!

Cutting up all those fat quarters reminded me a lot of the best swap ever (right, Sarah?) That swap was really great and I'm still using up my squares. I was thinking, is anyone interested in swap squares of vintage sheets? I had a lot of sheets that weren't quite big enough for fat quarters. The past swap (with the squares), went something like : 10 people cut 10 squares from 50 different fabrics, so each person ends up with 500 squares. Obviously we could play around with the quantities and such. If there's enough interest, I would definitely organize one. Alright, enough rambling for today. I thought maybe I'd sew tonight, but my DVD player and I have a date tonight with Weeds. Thank you netflix :)

Thank you, Oregon!

Hello, friends. I am finally getting back into the swing of things after our fabulous vacation. Oregon was such a beautiful place and I only wish we had more time to spend there. We spent about 3.5 days in Salem, which was such a fun city. It is quite hard to believe that is it actually a city, with its wide roads and old western charm. I thought I had forgotten my camera during that leg of our trip, and subsequently I have no pictures of my own of Salem. On Tuesday, after the rest of our family left, John, Isaiah and I drove up the down the coast to Lincoln City to visit the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

It was such an amazing experience and so different from the beaches we know here on the east coast. We were driving through mountains and suddenly the ocean appeared. No indication that we were even close. The water was soooo cold there and we even walked the beach in sweaters (well John didn't).

Tuesday night we drove up to Portland and spent two nights there. Wednesday we visited Multnomah and Wahkeena Falls. Both equally gorgeous in their own ways. The view from the bridge at Multnomah was spectacular and breaktaking. I think I must have said "wow" at least a thousand times.

After spending the morning there, we drove back to Portland to visit the Oregon Zoo followed by a quick visit to Josephine's Dry Goods and Knit/Purl. And you probably wouldn't believe me, but I managed to walk out of both stores without buying a thing! We ended the night by taking Isaiah to a see the Portland Beavers, a triple A team with a beautiful park right in Portland.

Before we left Thursday morning, we managed to squeeze in a little time to visit Powell's. I sure wish we had more time to spend in that place. Isaiah didn't even want to leave!

It was such a memorable, wonderful trip that it was really hard to leave. The weather was especially great and we did not have one rainy or too cold/ too hot day. I'm sure we'll make another visit there again. There are just so many things to see and do that it was impossible to cram it all into a short period.

The flight back was equally beautiful. This picture of Mt. Hood was taken from the airplane on our way out. Gorgeous, right?

It is good to be back though. Hopefully I'll have time to get to some crafty things and check out what you have all been doing. There's at least 600 posts to catch up on!

And we're off...

This last week has been such a blur. I've been busy shopping, packing, and cleaning in preparation for this trip. This morning I scrubbed as much of the house as I could and now I'm exhausted. When I was a kid, I always hating getting ready for a trip, because it would mean my mom running around like a crazy person telling us we had to clean up the house. My sister and I never understood, always replying "why are you cleaning?!? We're not even going to be here." But Mom, I get it now. Although my house is usually messy, I don't want to come back to a mess. I can't bear the thought of having to vacuum those tiny Isaiah crumbs when I get back. It's funny how we turn into our moms, isn't it?

Anyway, we'll be gone about a week. Hopefully I'll get a chance to enjoy all the goodness Portland has to offer. Wish me luck on our long adventure tonight. We'll be getting in at 11pm, which will be 2 am our time. I hope Isaiah (and I) survive!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Portland

Hi Everyone! Part of my absence this last week is because I'm getting ready for a big trip across country to Portland, Oregon. I am soo excited, I can hardly contain myself. It'll be my first trip to the west coast. We're going to John's cousin's wedding and we'll be seeing family we haven't seen in a while. John and I decided to stay a few days longer to check out the area. So my friends, I need some suggestions of places to visit. We'd love to see some wineries, crafty places, and any good things to do with kids. We'll actually be in Salem, but we're hoping to spend some time in Portland too. Oh, and any one out there know a good babysitter?

catching up on DBJ

Thanks for all the suggestions yesterday! I am seriously looking into buying a new machine, but it's quite the task. There are so many machines out there that it really is hard to narrow it down. Since my machine is not in working order right now, I took the opportunity to finish up some more blocks for the Dear Baby Jane quilt. I am far behind, but I am making progress. I think the two top ones are my favorite so far. If you look closely at the top right block, you can see it's bunnies. How cute, right?

These are all my blocks together so far. Geez, it looks like I have 14 or so blocks to catch up on. Hopefully I can get a few more done tonight, I already have 2 more in progress. Guess it wasn't such a good idea to get so far behind!

grrr

Dear Sewing Machine,

I really don't like having to write these letters to you. It make me very angry. You have served me well for over 5 years and probably even longer for someone else. But why, oh why, do you have to stop working properly when I'm in the middle of a project?!?! It really makes me feel like tossing you aside for a new, more equipped machine. And I just may have to. So, if you want to stick around, could you please magically start working again? Pretty please?

Thanks
Your proud but upset owner,
Katie


So yeah, I think the timing is off on my machine. The question is, should I have it fixed, or should I buy a new machine. This is an older machine, probably from the 70s or 80s that my mom picked up at a garage sale for $20. It has worked great for me, but I think I'm ready to upgrade, and this may be just the excuse I need. Although I don't really have the money to fork over for a really expensive one (or one at all for that matter). Do you guys have any good machine suggestions??

On another note, I have updated some things to my etsy shop. There are a few Dopp Kits for Father's Day and today I'll be uploading some more left overs from my craft fair in April. You think it could have taken me long enough, right?

Etsy Buy Handmade katiejean

reorganized

Last week turned out to be a little unannounced hiatus. Yet another week has gone by with barely any sewing accomplished. On Memorial Day, I decided to reorganize my sewing/dining room, which including moving around furniture and a quick trip to IKEA. You have to love an excuse to go to IKEA, right? I bought these two tables for my sewing area. The higher one has adjustable legs, and the smaller one can fit right under it. Perfect for a small space. I also hung the two shelves on the wall and organized some of the smaller sewing items into the red bins.

Luckily my MIL helped me, not once but twice last week. I sorted through a lot of my fabric and am planning to have a garage sale this weekend to sell some of it. Everything else got refolded and placed in the existing bins on the white bookcase.

Of course, right after everything was organized I felt the urge to sew right at that moment, and now it's a mess again. But at least I have a new space to play in! I have more to show this week, I promise :)

Oh, and did anyone else have trouble with blogger this morning? It was really driving me nuts!

Butterflies

I was hoping to maybe show something crafty this week, but I just haven't gotten to my sewing machine at all. My sister has been visiting this week and we've been playing outside almost everyday. Yesterday my mother-in-law and I took Isaiah over to this beautiful park. They have a carousel and a small train for kids to ride on. There is also a very beautiful botanical garden. We were very lucky to happen on the best butterfly exhibit. It was so much fun and Isaiah really enjoyed himself.

I must have taken at least 50 pictures and probably could have taken more had my camera not died. If you are in the area, you should really check it out at Wheaton Regional Park/Brookside Gardens. I promise you won't be disappointed! There are more pictures on my flickr if you're interested. Have a good weekend everyone.

Beet-astic

Since there's been virtually no crafting of any sort around here lately, I thought I'd share my new favorite salad. I've been jonesing for some roasted beets ever since I read this post over at Finny Knits. So when I was at the organic market the other day, I saw a beautiful bunch and picked them up. We had a little BBQ here on Saturday night and I made my new favorite salad. Roasted Beets with Greens, Goat Cheese and Red Wine Vinaigrette. Finny was spot on with the husband making a face. It must be a boy thing, right? John just does not share my love of veggies. Anyway, I think about half of us really loved the salad. Me, I can't get enough. In fact, I just had a huge bowl for dinner. If you like beets, try it. I promise you'll like it. It will probably serve about 6, but you could adjust the quantities if you'd like.

2 medium-large beets plus greens
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 cup arugula
2 oz of goat cheese
1/4-1/2 cup chopped walnuts

For vinaigrette:
1/4 red wine vinegar
1 T of Dijon mustard
1 T of honey
1/2 cup of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Remove beet greens and reserve for salad. Scrub beets and dry. Wrap loosely in tin foil after sprinkling with olive oil, salt & pepper. Place directly on oven rack and roast for 40-60 minutes until beets are tender when pierced with a knife. Remover from oven and let cool. In the meantime, prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together all ingredients, slowing whisking in the olive oil. You can just do this in the bottom of your serving bowl. Chop the beets greens and add the remaining greens to the bowl. Toss with the vinaigrette then crumble in the goat cheese and nuts. When the beets are cool enough to handle, cut into cubes and add to the salad. Lightly toss to coat. Enjoy!

patterns

Monday's rainy day activity: "Basketball" for Isaiah and knitting for mommy



Today: Baseball for Isaiah, and knitting for mommy (again).

See a pattern??

I love this time of year and I'm so happy for it to be nice out again. This is the blooming dogwood in our front yard. Isn't it gorgeous? I hope you're all enjoying a beautiful day too.

making room for "friends"

I haven't really been sewing much lately, due to the organized state of my sewing room and my recent obsession with knitting. But yesterday during Isaiah's nap, I got the urge, and I made all the adjustments for the dress and finished sewing the muslin. I tried taking pictures of it on, and believe me when I say this was the least scary one of the bunch. Doing a full bust adjustment has really changed my life. A couple of lovely ladies came to my rescue the other day and sent me some fabulous links on how to do so. I never really knew about making adjustments to patterns, but I can say for sure, that now that I know how to do it, I'll probably be making some more clothes for myself.

I had originally intended to do view B because I loved this dress so much. After making the muslin though, I've realized the neckline is not going to work for me. Aside from that, the dress is really flattering. So I'll be going with view A and make the proper adjustments so that I don't pull a Janet on the dance floor. I wouldn't want to upstage the bride :)

Oh, and go check out Beki's post on Sew, Mama, Sew! today. She has done a really great job showing how to do a FBA. And, stop by her blog and wish her Happy Birthday too!

rainy days and knitting

I have to admit, I'm a little obsessed with knitting right now. After I finished knitting the Juliet, I had to start another project. Never mind the fact that I'm in the middle of trying to sew a dress for a wedding in a month. Last week Isaiah and I ran over to the local yarn store and I picked up the yarn for the Rusted Root sweater. I've been knitting every chance I get, and it's so exciting to see how the lace pattern is coming out. I did mess up a few times in the beginning, but luckily I figured it out, and things are going smoothly.

Thanks for all the helpful comments the other day. I'm glad I'm not the only one with boob issues. I'm happy to say, that it seems (being the operative word), like it may work out. I haven't gotten to the band part yet, and I think that may be the true test of how it's going to turn out.

Our computer decided to quit on us for a few days, so I'm behind in my e-mails. I'll be catching up with you guys soon, I hope. It's been raining for about 24 hours straight and we're under a flood watch. We do live near a river, but luckily they've built a large levy that will contain it. My only issue is, I'm going stir crazy. Isaiah and I are stuck without a car today, and I need some ideas to entertain a 2 year old inside. Poor thing, all he wants to do is go outside and play baseball. Help please!?!! I know you mama's out there have some creative things to do on rainy days!

here goes nothing...

Keep your fingers crossed. Hopefully with a few minor adjustments, this pattern will be able to accommodate some large friends of mine. I don't want to put on a show at John's cousin's wedding. Anyone have any experience adjusted for a larger bust? I am trying it out on an old sheet first.

Done!

Howdy! I didn't mean to disappear like that last week, I just didn't have much to show. I was trying to catch up on my Dear Baby Jane blocks (I'm almost there) and working hard to finish up my Juliet. I'm proud to say that it is finally finished and it feels so good to have it done! This pattern was a pretty easy knit for a beginner like me.

what's with the look on my face??

Although, I did have to frog back one part, before realizing that I had only missed a yarn over. Grr. It came out well, even though I think that it's probably not all that flattering for my body type. If I did it over again, and I was a more experienced knitter, I'd probably start the lace repeats a little lower, and maybe (somehow) make it a little more form fitting in the back.

I think it's too flow-y, but John says that I'm being too critical of myself. I keep wanting to sing "Baby Got Back" everytime I look at this picture.

Here are the details:

Pattern: Juliet by Zephyr Style
Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, 6 skeins, held doubly (with some leftover)
Color: Raging Purple (which I think is a funny name)
Needles: Size 10.5 32" circular
Size: Medium

Notes:
I decided to knit a medium based on other reviews that I read, stating that this pattern ran big. This ended up being the perfect size, and normally I wear size XL in shirts. The yarn that I used is also very stretchy and I think that this is probably a big factor in the sizing, although I do think the pattern probably just runs big in general.

I also got to hang out with my friend Stephanie yesterday. I hope she shows you her Juliet soon. It's mighty pretty! We went to the local yarn shop yesterday and I managed to walk out of there with nothing. Now that I'm finished with the Juliet though, I'm itching to start something else. Anyone have a good, easy summer shirt to knit up? I was thinking this, although I'm not sure. What do you think?

Slowly but Surely

I had a lovely birthday weekend. My mom made a surprise visit from NY on Friday, just in time for a wonderful birthday BBQ. I received a couple of gift cards for iTunes, which I have been desperately wanting so that I can download some more David Cook. We spent all day Saturday in the garden and I have a sunburn to prove it. Saturday night John and I went out on a date (a real date!) and saw Baby Mama. We both loved that movie and it provided some really great laughs.

I finally picked up the Juliet after several weeks of not touching it all. I suddenly felt motivated to finish it and I have been working on it non-stop for the past two days. Perfect timing too since we've had some pretty heavy rain yesterday and today. There's nothing like snuggling up on the couch and knitting. I'm glad that I learned such a portable craft. Anyway, I'll be really excited when I finish this project. I'm nervous about how it's going to fit though. I read a lot of reviews about how the pattern ran really big, so I'm knitting a medium. I'm using Brown Sheep cotton fleece and it's really stretchy. I think that's probably part of the reason that it runs big. The yarn is nice and soft, but it does stretch a lot and I'm hoping that it doesn't change the shape of the Juliet too much. I probably have to do at least 3 more lace repeats to finish and at the rate I'm going, that could be months! Well hopefully not. I'm going to knit into the night and perhaps I'll have something finished to show you tomorrow.

Answers and a winner

The answers first:

1. What time of the day was I born?
12:23 pm

2. How much did I weigh?
7 lbs 7 oz and although I wasn't large, I ended up being a c-section baby because I wouldn't turn the right way

3. We took frequent trips to what city as children? Hint: This picture was taken at a popular place in this city.
Washington, D.C. This was at the Air & Space Museum. Still one of my favorites!

4. One of my favorite birthday parties was at the place in this picture. It was one of the "hotspots" in our small town. What is the place? Double bonus points if you can guess the actual name of the place.
At the Roller Rink and it was (is still) called Roller Magic

5. I have one sister. This is one of my favorite pictures of us as kids. Can you guess how much younger than me she is? She's the one on the right.
She is 30 months younger than me

6. How did John and I meet and under what circumstances?
John and I met freshman year of college. He was dating my roommate's best friend and would often stop by our room with her. We started dating soon after they broke up, 2nd semester of that same year.

7. What is my favorite type of cake for my birthday?
Ice Cream Cake!! Yum yum, and I was lucky to have some last night. Thanks John :)


Since there was 3 of you with the right number of answers, I entered it into the Random number generator, and the person who wins is......

Joy!

Please send me an e-mail at katiebhandbags@gmail.com with your address and I'll let you know which wristlets I still have.

my apologies....

I thought that I'd have enough time to figure out the winner of my little giveaway today, but I've lost track of all time. We spent a few hours buying things for the garden and enjoying a nice birthday lunch. I'll pick the winner tomorrow (I promise). So if you haven't entered yet, give a shot at it. I'll allow entries until tomorrow morning. Happy weekend to you all!

RME

So I might be a little behind the times, but I just signed up for Revolution Money Exchange. I had seen a couple of people posting about it on etsy, asking for shops that accepted it. It's like paypal, except without the fees. I don't think you can use credit cards. I'm interested to see how it works out. They give you $25 free for signing up, and each person that refers you gets an additional $10. If you'd like, click on the button below to get your own account started.



On a side note, today is John's 3 month check up. It feels weird to have to go back to the hospital and have all the tests run again. I got so used to it not being part of our lives again, it's a rude reminder that it will always be a part of our lives. I am extremely appreciative of all your prayers and comments during those rough times. I really am thankful to be part of such a supportive community!


Don't forget about the birthday giveaway contest!