Lunch Sack Saga!!

Well, I have finally done it! I have completed my first felted bag!  I got the idea because my local yarn shop is having a Knit-a-long in April using this pattern.  Because of my change of shift at work, I can't attend.  However, while at work I noticed everyone has these super cute lunch sacks.  Unfortunately, my lunch usually makes it to work in a walmart sack.  But, as a crafter, that is just silly.  So, I took on the task of a felted lunch sack! 

My first attempt I used Berocco Ultra Alpaca yarn.  It knitted up really quickly and I was so excited about it.  It is a little intimidating because when you felt something, the pre-felted size is HUGE!! Check out the bag before it took a tumble in my washing machine!

Seriously, this super floppy giant bag is the size of my couch cushion.  So, in to the hot tub....er...washing machine it went!  Now, everything that I read on the internet about felting objects talked about how you need super hot water and not a lot of spin.  Well, fantastic.  My front-loading washer can get SUPER hot!  Around and around and around it spun.....

And fabulously felted it came out!!  Well......almost fabulously.  See that cute little circle towards the middle of the bag??  Yeah....it fabulously fused together in the center!!
Here is where I went wrong:
1.  The bag is the only thing I put in the washer.
2.  I used the sanitize mode which has A LOT of spin!
3.  I never checked it, I just let it go for the whole cycle...which happened to be about an hour.

So, with that knowledge in mind, I set off to try again. 

This time I used Cascade 220, which is closer to the same yarn that the pattern calls for.  I actually was really excited because I liked these colors a lot more then the blue and purple.  Welcome to the stage, please, bag numero dos!!

Yay for turquoise and orange! My favorite colors! And, as you can see, it is again as large as my couch cushion.  This time I used the express wash setting on Hot/Cold with low spin.  I also threw in a few towels that needed washing anyways.  Each cycle lasted 20 minutes (and I did four of them to get the size/look that I wanted).  In to the washer this one went....after I did a felting dance and crossed all my fingers and toes and held my breath till I was blue!!

And then I checked on it.....

And then I checked on it....

And then I checked on it again....

And then......

WAHOOOOO!!!!!!

Operation cute lunch sack, accomplished!!! 

I can't wait to take this to work tomorrow to show it off!!  I love the striping sequence, it just turned out so cute!!!

So, now I can un-cross all of my fingers and toes and hop off to bed!!
 

OWLS

So, I finally finished my OWLS sweater from the winter knit a long at The Yarn Mart here in town.  I made so many good friends and had such a great time, I'm pretty bummed that the KAL is over! I also changed shifts at work and now work in the evenings....meaning I can no longer go to the Thursday night KAL :(  I'll just have to get my knitting fix some other time!

Check out the pictures!! (I can see a major mess up....oh well, that makes it hand made, right??)

Happy knitting!

Bliss Designs

So one of my favorite things to do is support crafters who own their own businesses by selling their handmade items.  It is something that I wish I had the time to do well, so I admire all of the time and effort that they spend to do this.  Recently I came across a friend from Colorado who I went to high school with.  She was actually a grade ahead of me, but we crossed paths a few times.  She currently is the owner of Bliss Designs and she makes WONDERFULLY cute earrings.  Check out the cute ones that I bought from her just the other day!

They are absolutely amazing.  I can't wait to wear the red ones to Razorback games!!  So everyone go check it out and send Britany some love!

Favorite Color Swap

Hey y'all!!  I just finished up another swap at Craftster.org.  This was a swap in which I got a parter and found out their favorite color, and they found out mine.  After that, we both swapped for eachother in the others favorite color!!  My favorite colors are teal and orange, and my partners favorite color is purple.  I wanted to share photos now that we have both recieved!
I will start with my package to her.  My partner lives in MO, makes jewelry, and works at Charming Charlie (one of my favorite accessory stores!!).  So, when I was trying to figure out what to make her, I decided that of course she needed a scarf to keep her warm, and maybe a place to hold a few more earrings!  Here is what I came up with.

For the scarves I used a Rowan Kid Silk yarn and a Borocco yarn.  Both are ruffly and very warm!  For the earring holder, I picked up some chain rope and a picture frame.  I took the glass out of the picture frame and used my handy-dandy stape gun to attach the chain rope on either side.  What is cool about using the rope is that you can hang dangly earrings and the chain helps to keep them separated.  Then I had some orange/purple peacock patterned scrapbook paper to use for the background. 

I used my Martha Stewart glue pen and Martha Stewart loose purple glitter to highlight the feathers on the paper.  I think it gives it a little something extra!!

Yesterday when I got home from work I found this lovely package sitting outside my front door! I just love when that happens, its like getting birthday presents!!  Look at what my lovely partner made for me!!

I got a lovely hand-painted canvas that is just absolutely stunning! All of the details are wonderful, and I know it had to have taken a lot of time.  Then, as my partner told me, she found the vase at a thrift store and painted it and added a little detailing on the bottom.  Using some sticks from her own back yard, Paige also incorporated my favorite color of orange in to my gift!  She used felt to make leaves that she hand stitched on to the sticks.

The detailing is just incredible and the glitter adds that extra sparkle!

She also made me these amazing earrings.  How talented!!  These are absolutely perfect.  Tim and I are headed to Florida in May to see a beach wedding, and I will definitely be using these as part of my outfit! 

Another successful swap accomplished!! Can't wait for my next one.....haven't decided exactly what I want to do, but I think it will be a 4x6 art swap.  More details to come!!

Happy Friday!