mommacrafter

This past week we got a new table. Our old table was all wobbly and kinda scary to sit around. (though you did practice good table manners as you didn’t want to lean on the table for fear of it falling) The original table was given to us by my BIL and it came with 5 chairs. the cushions on the chairs were just awful. I found some heavy stripey fabric that I really liked a long time ago. But I didn’t want to reupholster them if we were going to be getting rid of the table.  So the fabric has been sitting in my fabric stash for a long time just waiting for me to use it! Since we got a new table but not new chairs this Friday after getting the table, I quickly grabbed the fabric, my handy heavy duty stapler and my drill. I took off the cushions cut the fabric and stapled them together. Then I re- attached the cushions to the chairs.  A much needed improvement.

I also took a photo of a chair and the end of the table together. They don’t match exactly but they look pretty close. (you can see some yummy chocolate on the table!)  I really love doing something as simple as stapling some fabric to change something so dramatically. I plan on painting the living-room/dining-room that red color but that’s a project for another day!

I’ve been blog hopping around blogs  this past week for the UBP’09 and I’ve found a ton of great blogs.

I want to share with you  a giveaway that you may be interested in.

Over at Good For The Kids they’re giving away a $50 gift certificate to their store.  How wonderful is that? They have all kinds of things. my fave’s are the play food . Just b/c i know the girls will love playing kitchen with the food! they also have some cool games and not just toys are available they have things for nurturing your baby/Child, potty training and so much more. Go check out the site !

anyways i just wanted to share with you a great new site i found and give you a chance to enter to win the gift certificate!

enjoy and PARTY ON!

Most people I run into think you can’t felt with a front loader. also many books or tutes you read tell you that you can not felt with a front loader. I have a front load washer. (Actually I’ve had it longer than I’ve known how to knit) I am here to say that is UNTRUE. Some of the things I do when felting (in no particular order) you may find it’s the same thing you do in your top loader.

1. My front loader has a hot/cold water setting. I normally use warm/warm to wash clothes but for felting I switch it to HOT. (don’t mind the dirty washing machine)

2. I use a whole load of jeans (jeans and only jeans no towels or anything that leaves fuzzies)  they create the agitation that I need for felting

3. I don’t use a zippered pillow case, i just throw in my bag (or whatever) into my washer. I think that’s partly b/c i’m lazy and I don’t have a zippered pillow case laying around to use.

4. I  put in regular laundry detg. (half a capful) and start the cycle.

5. I let it run through the WHOLE cycle at least one time.  but that’s mostly b/c I get distracted when felting and usually forget. If i’m doing a bag I do the cycle  a couple of times

 6. if I’m doing something that needs to fit (slippers, hats etc) i use the Prewash cycle that is shorter if it’s not getting the desired felting I run it through the regular cycle and push to stop it at different intervals to check the progress. it mostly depends on my mood. if i want to keep popping downstairs to check i do the regular cycle if not i use the prewash.

7. For faster drying I let the project go through the final spin to get the extra water OUT of the felted object. if you’re worried about creasing don’t worry you can always get it wet  again (in the sink) for spot blocking so to speak.  (i actually use the final spin when i’m blocking sweaters and such to get tat extra water out)

I think that’s about it.  LMK what you think!

IT’s that time again! UBP time! this should be lots of fun. there are a lot of prizes to be given away. why not go check it out?

My fave prize this year is #58 an Artisan Kitchen Aid mixer. . LOVELY!

I’m also diggin the #53 Signing Time is sooo wonderful!

I also like the USC#45 a pair of shoes from Eleven for my oldest is what I’d choose… which ones though?

I can’t wait to meet ya’ll! I’m on facebook ! so you can follow me there also!

I’m a mom crafter and I use this blog to talk about that and make a little money. I also use it to update people on my Etsy store . Where I sell knitting and crochet related things, bags and patterns, and much more. Go check me out and LMK what you think.

Over at Etsy I’m also a memer of the etsymom street team go check out their blog to find out more information!

I found this on Penny’ s blog. I thought it was funny!

1. You’ve contemplated naming your children and/or pets any of the following: Knit, Purl, Frog, Rowan, Malabrigo, Cascade, McPhee, Addi, Dolores, Bob, Freckle Girl, Lime, Violet..

2. When hugging your SO, you quickly take a ‘hands’ measurement of the width of his/her shoulders so you know how wide to make his/her sweater

3. You have more pictures of your FOs than of your children

4. A co-worker sees a picture of your family on your desk and comments, “How adorable.” And you say, “Thanks. I knit that sweater with Noro and I just love how it worked up.”

5. You judge your friends by whether or not they are ’sock-worthy’

6. When you walk into your LYS, they all know your name (Like Norm from Cheers)

7. Your personalized credit card has a picture of your knitting on it

8. You’ve friended Franklin Habit, Vickie Howell, Eunny Jang… on Facebook

9. You’ve also friended them on Twitter

10. AND, of course, you have friended them on ravelry

11. You’re in line at the bank and it’s finally your turn. You signal to the bank teller that you’ll be with her in a minute once you finish the row

12. Your friends and family have started calling you ‘Crazy Yarn Lady’ behind your back

13. You know they call you this behind your back and love it!

14. You friends have closets lined with couture and your closet is full of yarn

15. Your friend shows off her latest Kate Spade handbag and you show off your new Namaste bag

16. Your daughter needs to have her hair put up for her ballet recital and you can’t find any combs or clips. You put her hair up using DPNs and stress to her that she can’t lose them!

17. You belong to how many Ravelry groups?

18. You try to recruit everyone you meet to come over to the dark side

19. You read about it; blog about it; talk about it; and tweet about it

20. You’re being treated for knitting elbow

21. Your hubby suggests you buy “something sexy for tonight.” You buy a gorgeous silk-cashmere blend yarn and CO right away.

22. You have Knitty Gritty, Knit & Crochet Today, and Knitting Daily on season pass on your TiVo

24. As you’re watching movies, you’re reverse-engineering all of the knitwear you see on the screen

25. You’re in an airport and spot both Brad Pitt and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. You can only stalk one of them for their autograph. You choose the Harlot because she may be able to help you with your gusset problem.

26. You think there should be PSAs about the dangers of moths

27. You absolutely believe that if world leaders and heads of state would all knit, the world would be a peaceful and better place

28. You think World Wide Knit in Public Day should be a holiday

29. You’ve started decorating your house with your knitting supplies and yarn because you no longer have any place to stash it.

30. Your hubby turns to you and asks you what ’stash’ means. You slap him Dynasty-style and tell him that if you have to tell him then he obviously doesn’t know you at all.

31. You find yourself wanting to fondle complete strangers’ sweaters

32. You have 10 knitting Podcasts on your iPod at any given time

33. You feel so badly for your newly sheared sheep that you knit them sweaters

34. You whole-heartedly believe that an Alpaca would make a terrific house pet (agree 1)

35. You research available treatments for second sock syndrome

36. You frequently quote The Yarn Harlot

37. 3/4 of your friends knit

38, You feel as though you’ve won the lottery when someone comments on your FO in Ravelry and count your fan club daily

39. You feel like a total rock star if more than 5 people visit your knitting blog in a day

40. You’ve knit your hubby a wallet-cosy

41. You husband whispers knitting patterns in your ear in place of sweet nothings

42. You think that knitting is a privilege, not a right

43. You’re convinced that G-d WANTS you to knit in church/synagogue/mosque

44. You know when your ‘knitterversary’ is

45. The kids have no clean clothes. There’s no food in the pantry. AND you haven’t seen the living room floor in a month. But you’ve finished your sweater!! (And a few little sweaters for the dust bunnies that have taken up residence under your furniture.)

46. You dream about laying in a bed of wool (think ‘American Beauty’)

47. You haven’t bought yarn in a month and your LYS, credit card company, and bank all call to see if you’re okay.

48. You knit presents based on how much you like the recipient: Scarf= I tolerate you. Socks = you’re a pretty good friend Lace = I trust you with my life

49. Your Christmas wishlist looks like the menu bar of WEBS

50. You’ve made a blanket out of your gauge swatches

51. You absolutely will NOT pay $80 for a sweater that you can make yourself for $200

52. You get regular manicures.. not for vanity’s sake but because your nails are snagging your yarn.

53. Not only do you count sheep at night.. you count skeins

54. Your psychologist keeps saying, “I think you’re knitting-obsessed.”

55. You’re a firm believer that yarn is the universal language

56. You’re less interested in who will star in “Friday Night Knitting Club” and more interested in what yarns will be featured.

57. You’ve knit a sweater for your child’s guinea pig

58. You know the entire history of Aran knitting.. American History, not so much

59. You have a bumper sticker that reads, “A skein is a terrible thing to waste.”

60. You secretly wish there were knitting soap operas

61. Everytime you see a celeb knitting in a pic OR a movie or commercial depicting someone knitting, you post it on your blog and/or Facebook.

62. While shopping in the produce isle, you wonder if Malabrigo makes sock yarns in all of those colors

63. More people know your Ravelry name than your real name

64. You go out to eat at a Chinese restaurant and procede to rip your napkin into strips and knit with your chop sticks

65. You’ve switched from paper books to audio books so that reading doesn’t impede progress of your socks

66. You have your LYS on speed dial

67. You switch your college major to Bachelor of Fine Arts in hopes you’ll get to knit more

68. You find ways to incorporate knitting into your lesson plans

69. Your Weight Watchers Leader checks your daily planner to see what might be derailing your weight loss and sees that you’ve assigned 10 activity points to knitting..