Baby Booties and a hat

Sorry for all the knitting posts, but I haven't seen anything too crazy outside and I've been knitting a lot trying to finish some baby booties for a friend who is leaving post on a maternity evacuation.  I started last week, but with moving coming up I did not have the set finished (of course) for her party.  I finished up last night.  The booties were easy enough, but didn't come with a gauge, so the first pair I made might have been to small, so I made a second pair. OMG these booties are cute and SO easy!  3 hrs a shoe!  Seriously!  And I think you could make them faster, I just usually get distracted by something so it takes longer.  Anyway, here is a picture of the tiny shoes and the octopus looking hat.

And then all wrapped up and ready to gift.

Another Shawl

For Christmas I asked Hubby for a yarn of the month subscription.  He obliged and signed me up for the Smell the Roses club from the Unique Sheep.  It has been fun so far, the first shawl kit that they sent was for a Damask Rose Shawl.  There was some grumbling amongst those who signed up because there wasn't quite enough yarn to finish the whole pattern as written, but it is a beautiful shawl.  I used smaller needles and ended up with quite a bit of yarn leftover.  Unfortunately, neither the first, nor the second shipment were in colors that I would normally wear so I'm going to have to give them away.... Which is ok, because I had already decided that I would send the first shawl to my grandmother.  I finished it on her birthday, but she's not going to get it yet because I'm going to try to make her matching fingerless gloves to go with it (just to use up the yarn I have left).

Crafty crafting

I got bit by the crafting bug this week and did a couple of projects.  This post on pinterest captured my attention since we just threw away about 100 dvd cases as we prepare to move.  I rescued one and turned it into this:

I think the cardboard I used was too thick though because the cases doesn't close.  I'm going to have to make another one, I just need to wait until we clean out some more cases. 

I've been planning to make a interchangeable needle case forever.  I LOVE this Lantern Moon case, but am unwilling to spend the $$ (maybe I should add it to my amazon wish list....) I even had fabric picked out and laid aside for it, but I just hadn't wanted to commit.  Well this week I finally did it, I would post a tutorial, but I was making it up as I went and I think there are things I would do differently if I had to do it again so I'll just show off my finished product.  I think I'm going to try and make another one so I WILL eventually do a tutorial-maybe.

I'm also reverse engineering a doll dress because Babes got another Madame Alexander doll for her birthday and those tiny doll clothes are expensive.

One of those women

So yesterday I went to my first Holiday Planning meeting as a wife of a diplomat. I have always avoided such things in the past by either working or leaving post. But this year I am in town and my child is too big for me to say I'm too busy. *sigh* I've crossed over and become one of "those" women. It's not bad I guess. I am involved in what happens over the holiday, and I can steer events towards things that I like or Babes likes, but still.
I knew this before though. We've only been at post 3 1/2 months and I've already been to 3 maybe 4 potlucks and I'm pretty sure we've got at least 3 more before the end of the year. So I've decided that I need a casserole warmer. But all the ones I have found are so old fashioned. You know, big sunflowers on the top and what not. I've decided that if I'm going to knit or crochet one I need to put something cool on top. But so far I can't find a 3 dimensional pattern for a Darth Vader helmet or tie fighter. *SIGH* I might just have to make the lame sunflowers.

Crafting update

Lest you think that I've been neglecting my cooking duties (which I have) and just generally slacking, I thought I'd let you in on what I've been up to. We are moving in three weeks (YIKES!) and instead of packing, and preparing the house, I've been furiously sewing trying to finish the frakking quilt that I'm making for babes. I can't do that while watching TV so I've also been knitting up a storm, and just generally crafting all around.
Anyway, here's some pics of what I've done.
First, I melted some broken crayons in the oven (350 for a few minutes until they're soupy, then popped in the freezer until solid) to make some big crayons for Babes.

I finished up the dress and purse I made for Babes.

I knitted this dress from the pattern I found here, the purse is here (but you have to be a member to see the pattern).

Then I designed and knitted myself a purse. (I might put the instructions up later if I make another one). It's my first design project and I'm pretty pleased (ok I didn't design it myself, it's a copy cat of another purse that I have, but I reverse engineered it myself!)


I'm still working on the quilt. I haven't finished yet, but I have hope that I might finish during today's nap or tomorrow's.