What will $2.25 and 15 Minutes Get You?

Get your minds out of the gutter! What is it with you guys *grin*?

A Cute-as-can-be girl's top that's what! I made 5 of these this morning for Anna. For her size it's a top, for a toddler, a cute spring/summer dress. Completely adjustable and completely easy either way!

Here's what I did: (yes, it's officially a tutorial)

1. Start with two regular bandannas (22" x 22") from the craft or discount store and 1-1/4 yards of coordinating ribbon (about 1" wide) cut into two equal pieces.



2. Fold and press a 1-1/4" (approximately) hem casing on each bandanna. I don't measure OR pin, but feel free.



3. Stitch casing VERY close to original hem line. Be sure to back-tack at the beginning and the end. Repeat for bandanna #2.





4. Thread (test) ribbon through each casing with a large safety pin. Tie off one shoulder side.



5. Adjust gathers around neck and tie off shoulder #2. Pin fit underarm at point where side seam will begin.



6. Remove test ribbon. Sew side seam (right sides together) very close to original hem lines. It need NOT be perfect - this should be easy and the original bandannas are not "perfect" anyway.



7. Press hems open.



8. Thread "actual" ribbon through casing and tie one side. Fit on child and tie side two. Trim excess ribbon. Adjust gathers and admire your work (the sewing's pretty good too huh?).



9. Side/Underarm view



10. Back view



11. Tack edges to ribbon and you are finished!



These are Fast, fun, and easy to make. Anna will be wearing these this spring and even now over her turtle necks. I can think of so many fun things to do. I can't wait to get some orange and white bandannas and make UT tops for Anna and a UT dress for a friend's toddler.

Let me know what you think!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Gift Bin 2008 Begins

These are ready made denim totes embellished with silk kimono scraps. I used a raw edge technique to apply the silk. They were fun to make. I used items I already had on hand. I FINISHED them, AND I really like the turn out. All in all I am very pleased! Off they go into the gift bin.




I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Looooooonnnnngggg Weekend

That's what it feels like and it's wonderful! Casey got off work last Friday and doesn't go back until the 2nd. Yippee! I LOVE it! We're all having fun sitting around in our p.j.'s and playing games all day.

I did run out to the fabric stores with Andrea yesterday and we had a blast! I picked up this:

and Andrea got this:


I see lots of cutie-pies in our future!

Christmas was wonderful - nice and quiet. We played and played and will be doing more of just that all week/weekend. I can't wait!

I've been sewing some as well and it's bliss. I can't wait to finish things up and have photos to share. Soon.

I'll keep you posted!
AmyDe

Merry Christmas to Me!

Last week my iron met an awful fate - a kitten.

NO! Don't be so morbid. Mac the wondercat just knocked it off the ironing board (it was off and cold) and busted the thermostat dial to bits. WooHoo - Time to get a new iron! I had the last one for nearly 14 years, but it worked and that was good enough for me.

So I searched for a REALLY good iron and found an amazing deal on Amazon (don't you adore Amazon?). I got this...


What's most Fabulous is I got it for $49.99 and FREE shipping!

It's pink and it's wonderful! I love it and I know we'll be best buds for many years to come!

Thanks Wondercat, and Thanks Casey for not making me wait until Christmas!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

New Directions

A Blog about Knitting, Sewing, Crafting, & Life in general with a husband, 2 kids, and 3 dogs. I'm having a ball! That was my tagline above.

When I began this blogging adventure that tagline was fun and comfortable. These days it seems confining and a little overdone - like a fancy pair of shoes that look fantastic, but after an hour you remember why they are in the "way back" of the closet - "Oh yeah, these pinch!" To that end there are changes coming.

This blog was originally focused on knitting, that's where I was 3 years ago. I was managing a yarn shop and completely immersed in a knitting lifestyle. I worked knitting, I blogged knitting, I talked knitting, and I LIVED knitting. My life is different now.

I LOVE knitting and crochet. I also love sewing, and scrapbooking, and homeschooling, and being a wife, and being a mommy, and being a friend, and finding and fulfilling my small role in God's big world. There are times I blog about things not knitting related when I feel it's against the rules (albeit self imposed "rules"); like I strayed from the "THIS IS A KNITTING BLOG" code and "NOW I'LL BE PUNISHED!" I recognize the ludicrous nature of that sentiment, yet it is somehow so very prevalent and even more persistent.

I am officially breaking that mold - Here and Now! This is MY blog and it is filled with the things in my life that I love - ALL the things I love. Why I am only now realizing and acting on this is beyond me, but sometimes God has to drop a piano on your head right...

This inner struggle is in part why I have had the blogging blahs lately. Often I feel like I have nothing interesting to say and maybe sometimes I don't, but I hope you all still hang around. In fact I hope you invite your friends and neighbors. I hope you share with me what is going on in your life - not just the big stuff, but the small stuff too. "Small stuff" is what makes us interesting; it's what connects us all. That's what I want - to feel connected.

The blogging community is vast and often fickle, but it is also good and inspiring; it's where we connect with each other, and ourself. Please keep me in check and don't let me be vast or fickle - I want to be connected (I'd also like to be famous, but only sometimes).

I do love my life and I am having a ball. Thanks for listening to what bounces around in my head.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Unless He Has Studied His A Grippa...

Which I have!




Which Princess Bride Character are You?
this quiz was made by mysti


Thanks Amy - that's fun!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Feel Free...

Please feel free to link to the Meme below. I've had everal requests and am handling it all here. I'll have an actual post later today.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Christmas Meme

My Friend Anna (who LOVES Christmas) sent this to me in email. I figured it's a cheap way to get a blog post in so here goes...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both

2. Real tree or artificial? Fake


3. When do you put up the tree? A week or so before Christmas


4. When do you take the tree down? A week after New Years


5. Do you like eggnog? Blech! No!


6. Favorite gift received as a child? Cow Girl Outfit - with guns (I was 4)


7. Do you have a nativity scene? yes


8. Hardest person to buy for? Michael - My brother


9. Easiest person to buy for? My Anna girl


10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? um, tis the season to be gracious right?


11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail


12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Charlie Brown Christmas (is it wrong that I can't wait this year for Johnny Depp as Sweeny Todd?)


13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? January


14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? From time to time


15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Sausage Balls


16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored flashing ones


17. Favorite Christmas song? Drummer Boy (I almost put down "Last Christmas" by Wham, but even I couldn't keep a straight face)


18. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? Home


19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen –But do you recall the most famous reindeer of all. Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose.


20. Angel on the tree top? Angel


21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? From family Christmas Eve - then Santa comes Christmas Morning


22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The contrived factor of having to buy gifts b/c a day dictates it - oh and the MALL


23. What I love most about Christmas? Vacation Days

Consider yourself tagged!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Slow Death by Cough Drops...

I have allergies. My allergies are neither normal, regular run of the mill pollen, dust, cats allergies, nor epi-pen carrying bee, peanut, strawberry allergies. NO, they fall somewhere in the obscure range of the rest of my life.

I have a sulfa allergy - not too uncommon - but I also have a sulfite hypersensitivity (they are unrelated - weird huh?). I have to read the labels of everything and stay away from common ingredients like wine, shellfish, dried fruit, and now it seems COUGH DROPS! Apparently Ludens Cherry Cough drops are poison to me. They are made of Pectin which is on the "These things will KILL you list" Good to know - NOW!

So many many doses of benedryl and asthma inhaler and lots of very nice naps later I am almost a functioning member of the human race again. I still can't walk up the stairs quickly (lest I cough myself into oblivion), but it also gets me out of housework.

BTW: can't take advil cold & sinus anymore either It's FUN learning things the hard way right?

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe