Swittens or Mittears? Which is it.

Over the last year I have bought several sweaters at various Goodwill and Salvation Army stores,  I never knew what I would do with them until this week.  I decided to make mittens out of them to use as containers for Christmas gifts for the office staff at school.  I think they turned out ok.  Now just to fill them with homemade cookies. These were really easy to make, I found several tutorials on the internet today, but really just did my own thing.  Have some more sweaters that I want to cut up and use a different pattern.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope everyone has a happy, healthy and love filled holiday.

Enjoying my break

I am so glad we are out of school this week.  It is a greatly anticipated vacation.  I really didn't have that much time off this summer, since I went to a new school, most of my summer was spent getting the media center ready for school to start.  Yesterday I took the day off and did absolutely nothing, other than a quick trip to the dentist to have an adjustment made to a crown.  Today I spent most of the day in the sewing room, each year my goal is to have all of my Christmas sewing done by Thanksgiving, I don't like to have to rush to get things complete.  I made two of the "10 minute table runners"  today one for my MIL and one for my SIL.  These were kits that I picked up at Little Quilts going out of business sale.  They turned out nice, will definitely make some more for other holidays.

 I spent quite a bit of time tracing off another table runner, this one from Pat Wys's book, Handmade Christmas Cheer.  There is no way this will be done before Christmas, just like to have some "Christmasy" handwork for the holidays.








Not a great picture, but this is what the table runner will look like when finished.

Don't understand!

 I tried my hand at organic dyeing again over the weekend, I think I need to do some more research on this.  I had a huge pot of bright red maple leaves that I had cooked off, put in a yard of wool, The wool I had was a beautiful shade of red, when I put it in the washing machine with detergent it came out a beautiful sage green.  Don't know what happened, will definitely try this again after reading some more.  I think it was chemicals in the detergent.

 I also got my Quilty box on Saturday. This is the  third one that I have received and think it is a really good deal.  This box has some layer cakes, a ruler, thread, and some Sulky paper solvent.  Can't wait to try some of these items.

Quilty Box

Trying my hand at natural dyeing.

I have been dyeing wool for a couple of years now and decided to try doing it using natural ingredients.  Last weekend when DH was in the mountains he collected me a bag full of an assortment of maple leaves.  (that is love, when your DH picks up leaves for you).  I have been doing some reading online and have a few books about it.  It is  a lot more complicated that using chemicals.  There is no way that you could duplicated a color from a natural dye.  I put the leaves in a huge pot covered them with water, boiled them a couple of hours, then let them sit over night.  The next day I put in a yard of off-white wool, did lots of stirring the first few minutes, let it simmer for 45 minutes.  After letting it cool, it when in the wash then the dryer.  This is not at all the color I thought I would get but I love it. Can't wait to try something else.

Decorating, Me?

 I am not much for decorating, I never have been,   However, this fall I decided I needed to step it up and change things around in the house.  Nothing major just a few fall touches to start out with.  New candle holders from Michael's filled with beans from Kroger, pumpkin scented candles from Target, and a white ceramic pumpkin from Hobby Lobby.  If nothing else I shop around.  This is on the sideboard in the dining room.  Not much but it is a start.











I also finished this pillow, I think it is from a Primitive Gatherings book.  I did the front of it last year and had just never finished sewing it into a pillow.  This is going in our bedroom.  I don't know if I will get anything else done for fall at least I did a little.

Sewing at last

 On Saturday I was finally able to sit down at my sewing machine and do some sewing.  I pulled out a kit that I bought about 12 years ago, Magic Carpet Quilt.  The blocks are very simple, a large square with sashing and corner stones.  I have about 7 more blocks to make.  It will probably end up as a donation quilt.

I also put the binding on a "cowboy quilt".  This fabric came from a vacation in Golden, Colorado about 10 years ago.  I think it will be my new car quilt.  DH likes the car to be cold when we are traveling, I always keep a quilt in the car to  keep from freezing.







Saturday was a banner day in that I did some sewing and my October Quilty Box came.  This is only the second one that I have received, I signed up for a  three month subscription.  Don't know if I will renew, but so far I am pleased and it is nice getting a surprise in the mail once a month.