Recapturing my youth?

You know how that goes.  Talking to your girlfriends you start playing the Remember When game, you know ' Remember when we used to wear  this and we wore that... and we made some of  what we wore. Kinda like now right?

Yeah...not so much.

That's kinda what started me on this latest project. First it was because I needed a new belt, and true to form, I can't find one I like. Then it was, ' oh-  remember when we used to wear those cool macrame belts, and have you seen how much one of those costs now??? Remember when we used to make them??'

Well you know me... I can make that!!! 

Well here is the one I started, nice little 2 inch wide macrame belt on D-rings made from hemp.

Yeah right.

You know what I don't remember about all the cool macrame plant hangers and bags and what-knots I used to make??? I don't remember it ever being tedious!

Well guess what! I find it tedious now!!! All those butterfly strings hanging down and trying to get your knots to lay flat and not tangle up ( and naturally I am doing this with out a pattern) and trying to remember which way the knot went,  and the hemp is just as unforgiving on your hands as jute! Even with bees wax.

Screw that...I'll just crochet one!

Crochet cotton...much much easier on the hands!

See??? Much quicker too!! Of course not as intricate looking, simple half double crochet. Easy stuff, done in no time!

Practice, it is a practice one, yeah that's it.

The next one I'd better practice not making it so damn long! Oh yeah, and don't forget about the extra yardage added from actually wearing it. It stretched ...alot. 

That's ok... 3rd time's a charm!

This one has a little sompin sompin going on. Well, some texture anyway. D-ring again, I crocheted it right to the rings for better stability, and gave it some texture and density with front and back post stitches. And a smaller hook helps too. THIS one did turn out to be a keeper! 

It still has a little stretch to it but I paid closer attention to what I was doing this time. You need that stretch...for those big holiday meals!! The brown belt, well, I could use it as a sash, or I can take out some of the stitches... or a lot of the stitches. 

And because my hands are in hooking mode... I threw together these Mary Janes for a quick gift.

Well so much for recapturing my youth! I still have the hemp belt hanging from the curtain rod in my room to keep my butterfly strings from getting tangled but I don't see it getting finished anytime soon. 

Hey.. do you remember when we used to lay on the bed and zip our painted on jeans with a fork...???

Just sayin'

Momma needs a new bag

I have been a little busier than I let on here, I just am lazy about documenting it.

Always when I can't find what I'm looking for, I get this crazy thought in my head that may-be I can make one!

Several years ago I acquired this cute little sling bag from a girl in Malaysia. It is obviously a mass marketed bag with an oriental design on it, but it has become my favorite bag and I don't want to use it for everyday and wear it out. Especially since I now find carrying a lot of crap around in the heat way too uncomfortable.

So now I need another one, you know how that goes, change things up a bit. After unsuccessfully trolling the flea market my brain went ...Uh Helllloooo.... make one!

So grabbing up some cotton that I had laying around, I make my way to the back yard flip open the lounge chair plug in my iPod and I started experimenting with a hook. 

Crochet some, rip some out, start over, remeasure, another do - over...oh wait, I have some beads in here too. No that doesn't look right, rip that out - oh maybe I should measure... 

Most people would probably draw their design on paper first ...riiight!

Finally, after practically a whole day of messing around with nothing but ...I came up with a bag I am not embarrassed to wear in public!

Finished bag : 5x6 strap is long enough to cross over the body. Scalloped edge on the flap. Yarn Sublime Organic Cotton, worsted weight.

So now I have this cute little bag, just big enough for my wallet, keys if I must, emergency crackers and a small knitting project. = P

Pumped up on my success I decided...Oh heeyy   I can make another one in this crazy hand painted sock yarn I didn't know what to do with!!

Hmmm....not so much. I still don't know what to make with it. Well, mayhap I'll ponder that while I am on my way to Bushnell.

BFF's dot dot dot

When your BFF since you were 10 years old calls you up and says "can you make...?" Pretty much you do it ...right? Well that's what I have been doing, making dot dot dot.

The conversation went something like this:

"Nadine (sister) is in AZ taking care of Mom and Dad for a month. "
"She is? that is sweet of her.  "
"Well you know how dad's feet and legs are all swollen and stuff.. right?"
"yeah"
"Well, Nadine texted me to see if you could make dad something that would cover is toes 'cuz they are ugly and then she could take him out in public. She texted me THREE TIMES to text you! Like I didn't get it the first two times" 
"Why didn't she just text me?"
"I dunno...You know Nadine"

(insert laughter)

I immediately dig through my stash to find enough yarn for a pair of slippers (not toe coverings). Eureka! I do have enough of this Wool of the Andes that I have been carting around for several years. I begin my pattern search (on Rav of course). It took me a couple of trial and errors but I managed to find one that would serve my purpose.

Tam said Dad's feet are pretty big and swollen (he is wheelchair bound), make them like a size 12ish she says. Erm, okay

Not having made any this size posed something of a challenge for me. 

Based on these ribbed slippers by Marlo I made these. I did an extra increase row and tried to gauge by my foot how it would fit. Hopefully I got it right, because one they were done I was like "holy crap these are big". 

The other difference is I used single strand and Marlo uses double. I figure he is in AZ that should be fine,    that and I didn't have enough of one color to double. *shrug* you know my middle name is Improvise, among other things...LOL

So I washed them of course and then...hmmm maybe I should throw them in the dryer for a bit. I had a load going so I tossed them in for a few. 


WOW I forgot how quickly Wool of the Andes felts. I got them out in time and and blocked them. They are still big enough ( I think) and should still fit Tammy's dad.

Finished post- frantic felting.

Here they are, dot dot dot, They kinda look like clown boots to me. 

So Nadine here they are, if they don't fit let me know I will make him another- it is always better the second time around anyway ...right?