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I am determined to crochet a snowflake this year. Preferably more than one, but after the first hot mess I made, I would settle for just one. I used a Martha Stewart pattern and it was actually quite clear, but my thread was too thin and I couldn’t work with it at all. These linen ones make me want to try again:

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Crocheted snowflakes just look so lovely hanging in a window…

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or strung together to make a garland…

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or crocheted around a bit of wood…

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or crochet together to make a christmas scarf.

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Crochet totally beats out knitting when it comes to making snowflakes (oh I’m totally keeping score). Most of the time crocheters get the short end of the stick (and the shaft at yarn stores—seriously what is the deal?), but those beautiful, delicate snowflakes are all crocheted.

Of course crochet can’t stay classy for very long, oh well.

snowman toilet cozy : :  santa toilet cozy

This whole redoing the kids room thing is taking forever to finish. It might have something to do with the three kids living in it.  It doesn’t help when you paint the dresser, hate it and have to paint it again.  The After pictures are coming I promise (here is the before) it’s just taking a leeetle longer than I thought. edited to add: here is the after post! 

So what are all these leaves doing on the wall? I couldn’t figure out what to put on the big wall between the two windows. I wanted to get this awesome ice cream print, but the big map was on the neighboring wall and it would have been too many big things in such a small room.

I decided to leave it blank and use it like a classroom bullitin board– putting up little crafts my kids make or things to celebrate the season.  First we had a pompom garland up (which you can see in this post) then some bats (behind me here) and now leaves. I had my kids run around the block collecting leaves, then I dipped them in wax, and we stuck them up with washi tape.  I had envisioned the leaves laid out in straight rows like a scientific collection, but the kids had other ideas.

I first saw the wax dipping thing on Martha Stewart (of course) but she uses beeswax and ooof that stuff is pricey.  Then I stumbled on this post where the leaves are dipped into plain old paraffin wax (2.99 at the grocery store and apparently you can wax your snow shovels with it?).

After about a week up on the wall, the leaves are starting to curl a bit, which is a bummer.  If you have the patience, you should probably press them over night or even after you dip them. Maybe dipping them twice would make curling less likely? They are pretty nonetheless and I think they would make a beautiful thanksgiving garland.

Thanks to a sick, crabby baby the giveaway got extended overnight :)  The winner of Little Bits Quilting Bee is #39 Melissa D from suburbanitis:

Melissa D says:

November 9, 2011 at 7:12 pm(Edit)

I absolutely adore the rainbow quilt! Wow.

 

Even if you didn’t win, do check out the book. It is a fantastic resource and a great reason to go fabric shopping.  If you are looking for more good crafting books (or looking to fill up your christmas list) I have a bunch of recommendations in my Amazon store.  And for all the books I’ve reviewed you can go to my library page.

Have a lovely weekend!

Kathreen Ricketson has come out with a phenomenal new quilting book called Little Bits Quilting Bee. All the quilts in the book are made out of charm squares, jelly rolls, layer cakes, and fat quarters. If you think I’m talking about delicious pastries you are not that far off. Although those are all names for packs of fabrics, sewers ooo and ahh over them like kids in a candy store. I know I have drooled over a jelly roll, but had no reason to buy such a delicacy.

The book is beautiful, the designs are young and graphic, and the directions are thorough. That is practically a given when you pair Kathreen + Chronicle books. But lets get to the fun bit: choosing fabrics. I picked a favorite quilt from each of the four categories in the book and then stood staring in front of the giant wall of fabric that is the internet.

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LAYER CAKE: pre-cut 10 in./25 cm squares that usually come in packs of 40

I think the sunny day mat is the perfect project to make for your best friend who is finally having a baby. I would love to do it mostly in navy and white (because she will of course know babies love looking at high contrast colors), then play around with some beautiful blue and white hand printed fabrics for the inner circle and all those prairie points!

1. brushstrokes in teal
2. blue jars fabric
3. huts handprinted fabric
4. organic cotton block printed fabric
5. weave hand screenprinted fabric

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CHARM SQUARES: packs of pre-cut 5 in/12 cm squares

Cloud song is everyone’s favorite quilt from the book. Maybe because it’s gray and cold outside right now, but I think this quilt would be amazing with a blue/gray color scheme. Wouldn’t some liberty of london prints make a lovely sky? Look it there, they sell a charm square pack that is just perfect.

1. blues for you fat quarter stack
2. liberty of london muted palette charm squares
3. kona shades of gray and charcoal scraps

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FAT QUARTERS:  a quarter of a yard measuring about 18 x 22 in/46 x 56 cm

I love the Garnets and Gold quilt in the book mostly because I reminds me of my first quilt, but also because it’s so stinking cheery. Done in vintage floral sheets, you couldn’t help but be happy making it–and sleeping under it!

• pick your own sheet fat quarter bundle

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 JELLY ROLL: pre-cut 2 1/2 in/6cm strips of fabric cut selvage to selvage

I would love to tone down the rainbowness of this bold quilt with some muted, hand dyed fabric. Actually, while I was looking around the internet for fabrics I found it very difficult to find handmade fabrics made up into packs like this–jelly rolls were by far the hardest to find. If there are any screen printers or other fabric makers out there–here is your niche! Quilters are crazy for fabric. Cra. Zy. And I’m betting they would love make a quilt from your hand printed goodness.

1. cool fall leaves hand dyed jelly roll
2. hand dyed cotton jelly roll, AUTUMN

As a little treat I have one book to giveaway! So leave something lovely in the comments and I’ll pick a winner tomorrow evening. Good luck! And follow along on the book tour to see more lovely quilts from Little Bits Quilting Bee.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Wednesday, November 9 – luvinthemommyhood & Elsie Marley
Thursday, November 10 – True Up
Friday, November 11 – House on Hill Road & CraftyPod

Monday, November 14 – Handmade by Alissa & Hello My Name Is Heather
Tuesday, November 15 – West Coast Crafty & Foxy Art Studio
Wednesday, November 16 – Patch Andi & The Last Piece
Thursday, November 17 – In Color Order & Duo Fiberworks
Friday, November 18 – Kristin La Flamme & Camp Follower Bags & Quilts

Monday, November 21 – Quilt Dad
Tuesday, November 22 – Pat Sloan & Pleasant Home

Part one of my daughter’s 6th golden birthday is here.

When we went to the craft store for all things gold (for the golden birthday party) the gold pipe cleaners were kind of an impulse buy. It’s hard to resist sparkly, fuzzy gold wire. Turns out a bunch of pipe cleaners = room full of decorations in no time. I knew I wanted to do something like  Terri’s awesome wrapped pipe cleaner font project, but I skipped the yarn and spelled out Happy Birthday.  Writing with pipe cleaners is ridiculously easy (though knowing cursive comes in handy for once in your life).

Hanging them on the other hand is more difficult than it seems. There is just a lot to balance. Nothing a spool of thread an lots of tape won’t fix. Taking a photo in front of three sunny windows is also difficult, so you get the child’s eye view of the banner. A golden merry christmas would be very pretty I think, or even better something like this in gold pipe cleaners!

There were a ton of left over pipe cleaners, so I wrapped them around a star cookie cutter and voile! Also, crazy easy. And also would look lovely hanging all over a christmas tree. Seriously, I’m 33 and in love with gold pipe cleaners. I am so rock and roll.

Here is the banner and table on the evening of her party. The pipe cleaners and giant glittery 6 all sparkled in the light. I thought it was pretty magical, I’m pretty sure my big 6 year old did too. Oh, yes and a tiny gold bunting on the cake, because why not?