On finishing

I probably shouldn't be thinking about this with just a few days before the wedding, but I am. I was reading Nicke's post this morning about her 2nd quarter goals for finishing projects, and decided to make my own list.
When the dust settles, there are a few projects I really want to complete. I tried to keep my list reasonable, and am resisting the urge to add additional items.

So, I, Jacey, vow to finish the following before the end of June:

1)

Swoon.
Oh, yes. I want to finish this one. Blocks are done. I started sewing the top together, but it is incomplete, and a back has not been made.

2)

My ballband washcloth.
I'm about 60% done, so this one is a gimme. But hey, we all need an occasional easy win, right?

3)

The Echo postage stamp mini.
The top and back are done, but this has not been basted yet.

4)

The improv patchwork quilt.
The top is about halfway assembled, but I probably need a few more blocks to get it to the size I'd like. The back is not pieced.

5) Wonky Bee, BAGS and do.Good Stitches bee blocks (which by the end of June is a total of 10 blocks).

6) I'd really like to make two garments for myself. A pair of Iris shorts and a Wiksten tank.

7) Three clutches for my neighbor, who is getting married in June. I'll be using Noodlehead's Envelope Clutch Pattern.

8) Finally, I intend to participate in Kelly's My Precious QAL. I haven't decided what fabrics I'll use, but I definitely want to use some of my hoarded lovelies.

So, that's my list! I'm linking up with Rhonda's Finish Along!
There's a few days left. Join in!

A few Friday links!

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for 5:00 to get here. It's been a hectic work week, and I'm ready for some crafty time!
I wanted to share a few links to kick off the weekend.

I'm pretty sure these cupcakes will be a part of my near future...

I just entered Kaelin's mini quilt in Jennifer's massive mini contest. You should enter, too!

I'm kind of digging these earrings, maybe for the rehearsal dinner?

This looks like hours of nostalgic fun!

March is my month in the Wonky Bee, and we're making Polaroid blocks! I can't wait to see the blocks made!

Happy Friday to you. After a much needed catch-up on sleep and crafting this weekend, I'll have several things to share with you, including my very first sewing tutorial!

I'll leave you with mustached Jacey and Jill. We went to see Anchorman at the Alamo Drafthouse in January.

FO: Ella's Bohus Pillow

Looking for the giveaway post? Here it is!

Now that Ella has received her giveaway pillow, I can share it with you all! In her comment, Ella mentioned red, mulberry, mustardy brown and linen. Based on these colors, and from reading her blog, I had a pretty immediate vision of what I wanted to make. I remembered seeing the Bohus Pillow in a copy of Stitch Magazine (Summer 2011 issue). My only problem was that I didn't want Ella to have to buy a circle pillow form, or to make one. So I modified the design to be square.

Really I just used the templates Stitch provided, and improvised the rest.

I used some 1001 Peeps for the center star and the back pieces, and some Essex Linen for the background. The burgundy and mustard pieces are from the stash.

I hand quilted around the center piece with some Perle Cotton, and then machine quilted the rest.

This is an especially exciting project for me because it's my first time to use pebble quilting. You can tell where I started, in the top center. The stitches there are not quite the right tension and are a little messy. As I worked my way around, I could see and feel a difference in my stitching. I was floored when I finally started getting the rhythm of free motion!

When I finished, I had to really take a step back. This pillow is so much different than my normal style. In the end, I love it. I got to practice some unfamiliar techniques, like applique and free motion quilting.

I hope Ella loves her pillow!
I still have the third contest pillow to make, for Virginia. Hopefully, I'll have that to share before the end of the year, or in early January!

Giveaway: Echino Style

Once again, I'm excited to participate in Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day!

If you're new here, welcome!

I decided to share a little Echino with one lucky commenter.

This weekend, I took a break from my gifty to-do list, and made a little pouch. I love the little strap, and I used that same fabric for the lining.

With the pouch, I'm adding a fat quarter of the Echino London print in aqua.

I'm happy to ship this internationally!

One entry per person. To enter, just leave a comment telling me something you're hoping to accomplish or finish before December 31st.

You can enter until 3 PM CST on Friday, December 16th. I'll draw a winner over the weekend.

Thanks for visiting! I'll be back soon to share my latest pillow. Comments are now closed.

Misc. sewing ramblings

So, I never heard back from one of the pillow winners, and gave a deadline of Sunday. So, without further ado, the new winer is #7, Ella! Oh, and I'm hard at work on Kate's pillow. I hope to have that one in the mail this week! I'll share pictures once she receives it!

Also, I realized I hadn't shared my latest Swoon blocks with you. I finished these on my vacation a few weeks back.

Swoon #5, using Modern Meadow Plaid and Kona Teal Blue.

Swoon #6, using Modern Meadow Herringbone and AMH Innocent Crush "Maybe".

Only three blocks left to go! Woo!! Can't wait. I have high hopes to finish this lovely up before the end of the year (possible, but not probable!).

I also finished up Bottled Rainbows block #5, in what I think is Kona Caribbean. Love! Who knows when I'll finish this quilt? Not anytime soon, but I hope to get a block or two more done before the new year!

Giveaway: Pillow style

So, I've been wanting to do this kind of giveaway for awhile, and I've decided it's time.

I really like handmade giveaways, so I will pick a winner to receive a custom made 18" pillowcase!

To enter this contest:
talk to me about your favorite color or color combinations, and favorite styles of patchwork.
Do you love stripes?
Do you prefer only solids?
Are you crazy for Echino?

Tell me about your preferences in your comment.

The pictures above are pillows I've made before.

Please, only one entry per person!

International entries are welcome.

If you are a NO-REPLY blogger, please leave a way to contact you!

Comments can be submitted until Tuesday morning, around 10 am CST.

Good luck, and thanks for entering!

Giveaway: handknits

Shawls are so much fun to knit. I love that you can get out your yarn, needles, and pattern; five minutes later, you're off to the races with a new project. No need to check for gauge, no need to do any preparations whatsoever. Just knit. It's freeing, and it's often my go-to project when I can't think about the details.
I'm sure you know how that goes. Sometimes, you just need to start crafting.

Why am I telling you this?
Well, the problem is, I don't really wear shawls. I've given several away to family members, but I still have quite the collection. And so, friends, I'd like to share with you.

I have picked out three shawls to share with my readers. I love each one, but knowing that they are being enjoyed and worn would make me a happy girl.

First up, my Starry Night Shawl, from Kate's Multnomah pattern. I knit most of this shawl while I was in Boston with my sister, two years ago.

Second, my aptly named Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine. This is the Traveling Woman pattern, another favorite. I knit this in February of last year, and named it after one of my favorite Spoon songs. I used Shibui Sock yarn, which I love (and have more of in the stash!)

Finally, Apple Ishbel is available. This was my third time to knit Ysolda's Ishbel pattern, which shows how much I love it. This pale green yarn is a very soft blend of alpaca, silk and cashmere.

I just realized this, but I'm sharing one shawl completed from 2009, 2010 and 2011. Neat!

So, to win, leave me a comment (one per person, please!) telling me about your favorite crafty project of the moment (either yours or someone else's). Also, please tell me which of these shawls is your favorite!

You can enter until Sunday night.
Good luck!
Three winners will be chosen early next week. International entries are welcome!

Giveaway: Embroidery Package

Up for grabs today is a copy of Aimee Ray's Doodle Stitching. I bought this for myself a few months back, but I found that it just wasn't what I was looking for. Don't get me wrong! I love Aimee Ray's work, but I was in search of something with more designs, something like her other book, which I may end up getting at some point. So, I decided to share this book with one of you. If you're just starting to dabble in embroidery, or would like some specific project ideas using it, then maybe you'd like to enter! I'm also including several new thread colors and a new pack of embroidery needles for you to get started.

To enter, leave a comment (one per person, please!). International entries are welcome. I'll accept entries until Sunday evening, 6:00 PM CST.

Thanks for helping me destash a lovely book!

A yarny giveaway - Project Spectrum style

As part of my efforts to reduce stash, I have decided to share some items with you. So, in August, I will have three giveaways. Each will be related to a different craft, so hopefully, there will be something for everyone!

Giveaway one is all about the knitting.

One winner will receive this skein of Malabrigo Sock in Eggplant (here's where Project Spectrum comes to light, since August's color focus is pink and purple). The winner will also receive an electronic sock or shawl pattern of his or her choosing.
I think the easiest way to do this will be a gift on ravelry for the pattern. If the winner doesn't have a ravelry account, we'll work something out to make it fair.

How does that sound? Any takers? I've sung the praises of Malabrigo before. It's lovely, squishy stuff.

International entries are welcome.
One entry per person.

I'll take entries until Monday, August 1st, 8:00 PM CST.
If you are a no-reply blogger, PLEASE leave your email address so I can contact you.

ETA: Comments are now closed.

More owl pouches

I stitched up three more owl pouches over the weekend, and I'll be sending out all the goodies to my winners tomorrow. I've been toying with the idea of making some of these little guys to sell on etsy, since Keyka Lou allows her patterns to be used for this purpose, as long as credit is given. With a full time job, I'm not sure it's really feasible, but I may give it a try. Winners, check your mailboxes soon for these little guys! I think the red and aqua one is my favorite. Big surprise, I know!

Oh, I also recently finished the May do.Good Stitches quilt blocks. These circles are pretty ingenious! You can find the tutorial here. I really enjoyed making these.

Giveaway Day

This week will be pretty rough at work for me. To take my mind off things, I'm celebrating Sew Mama Sew's giveaway day with a nice little package for you. I'm also four posts short of four hundred, which seems like a great excuse as well.

For starters, my sister made you this set of cards.

I'll also make you a pouch like this one.

If you win, you can choose the colors, and I'll make you your very own owl pouch. I made this using Keyka Lou's pattern, which is mighty adorable.

I'm also giving you some of the widely popular Mendocino fabric by Heather Ross. You'll get four half-yard cuts and one fat quarter. Yep, that's right. Over two yards of the out of print Mendocino. I'm sharing this lovely bundle with one lucky winner, just because!

To win, just leave a comment! International entries are welcome. Please make sure you leave your email address so I can contact the winner. I will accept entries until Wednesday at 6:00 PM CST. Only one entry per person.

Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!

ETA: Comments are now closed.

Pips Winner and some progress

I've already cut into my charm pack of Pips. I'm making some half square triangles, a first for me.

I found some stashed fabric that I think might work well, to extend the charm squares into a bigger project. From left, there's Amy Butler Full Moon Dots in Gray/Blue, AB Pink Honeycomb, Jay McCarroll Birch, Lizzy House Peeps in blue and a Art Gallery fabric I found at the quilt show.

I'm going to make all of my Pips (I keep wanting to say Peeps) squares first, and then decide which of these fabrics to use, if any.

I made several squares the other night, and I hope to devote a few hours to this over the weekend. I don't have much medium gray solid left, but I thought I might do some areas of the quilt with a different solid. Only time will tell!

The beauty of HSTs is that you can really change the look of the quilt by rotating the squares. I had fun playing with the layout of my first few squares.

Without further ado, the winner of the Pips charm pack is... Junebug, commenter #1.

Yay, Junebug! I just sent you an email.

Thanks to all who entered.

xo,
Jacey

How about a fabric giveaway??

I'm sure if you're into fabric, you've already seen the Sherbet Pips line that's been popping up all over blogland. The line has not been fully issued, but some shops now have charm packags and jelly rolls.

I happened to see some charm packs in an etsy shop last week, so I bought one for myself, and one for YOU!

Just leave a comment here before Sunday 8:00 PM CST, and you'll be entered to win. You'll get this charm pack (that's 42 5" squares) of Sherbet Pips, and I'm sure I'll find something extra to send your way. That's how I roll.

If you need inspiration for using this fabric, just take a look at these flickr results.

P.S. Please make sure your profile has your email address or that I can get ahold of you. I'll announce a winner early next week.

xo, Jacey

ETA: Comments are now closed.

No way!

When I made this pillow, I didn't realize I would be able to enter it into not one, but two contests.

And imagine my surprise, when I saw this Stitched in Color entry, naming my pillow as one of the nine finalists this month!!

I was so surprised, as there were so many beautiful pillows entered in the contest.

Thank you, Rachel!

Giveaway: 3 years of blogging

When I started this blog three years ago, I never dreamed how much joy it would bring me. I've loved being a part of the crafting community, and I have big goals for the upcoming year.

To celebrate, I'm assembling a package of goodies for one reader.

The package is still in the works, but it will definitely include this skein of indie sock yarn, by the Family Pendragon, with a generous 560 yards of soft 100% superwash merino wool. The colorway is Fezzik, and it is perfect for fall. The package will also include this HiYa HiYa sock needle (it's a US size 1, 9" needle, perfect for sock knitting!). Some fabric and/or notions may creep into the box as well.

To enter, just leave a comment. Simple. Please enter by Tuesday, November 16th, 6:00 PM CST.

P.S. I've felt a little pressure (self-induced) in pulling this giveaway together. And since I like having giveaways every so often, I may do another one with better planning, sometime at the end of the year (maybe to celebrate my golden birthday next month!).

What's on the Needles?

Before I show you what I've been working on lately, I wanted to let you know I'm celebrating a third blogibirthday this week, and assembling a giveaway package for one of you. I'll have details at some point this week.

My attention has been divided between several projects lately, but I enjoy it, even if it means it takes me longer to finish.

Back in July, I started this pair of Impressionist Socks, but stalled out after starting the heel too soon. The sad sock sat (say that five times fast) untouched for months, but has new life now. I've knit past the length described in the pattern, but I've decided to continue the pattern until I run out of yarn, as I want to use every inch of this Koigu (which I picked up in Boston last fall). I'm excited to actually be knitting a sock during Socktoberfest; I believe that's a first. The lace pattern keeps my interest, and the variegated Koigu doesn't hurt either.

Up next, I cast on for the Emerald Isle Cardigan a few weeks ago. I've dubbed it my Gray Skies Cardigan, and I'm using Wool of the Andes in Onyx Heather. I'm currently about mid-way through the back piece. I just love the tab sleeves; it looks so wearable.

The third knitted project getting my attention is a cast-on inspired by Kara, who's been rocking the colorwork as of late. Colorwork was a 2010 goal, so I decided to jump in with Opus Spicatum, a gorgeous hat pattern.
I'm only a few rows into the colorwork, and it feels so foreign. Part of the problem is that I hold my yarn very differently than other knitters I've seen. I think it's going to hurt me on more complicated colorwork patterns, so I'm trying to be conscious and modify my hand posture.
I picked up this RYC Cashsoft Aran in a soft red and gray this weekend in Austin.

Finally, I've been working on the table runner project, and I'm nearly done with the top (and don't worry; I haven't forgotten about the quilt!). The striped squares were so much fun to make, and two more of those is all that's missing from the top pieces.

So, to recap, a lot of projects, some progress, but nothing finished.

#9

#9 is the winner.

I realize a random generator is not really necessary for twelve comments, but it was fun, nonetheless. Thanks to all participants. I'm excited to hear from some new voices, and I've bookmarked all of your blogs (or at least the ones I didn't already follow). I don't know about you, but there's nothing that I enjoy more (except actual crafting, of course), than opening up Google Reader, and seeing a double-digit number of new entries. I find it super inspiring, and it's a great way to start the day.

The big winner today is... Weezalana! I've enjoyed reading Weezalana's blog for quite some time now. I'm always amazed by her knitting projects, and recently, her sewing adventures as well. Modifying knitting is a bit scary for me; I'll do it out of necessity, but it's just usually something I wing. It's not intentional. Weez is a master of modifications. She's knit some amazing garments, and everything she makes for herself seems to fit perfectly. She also has a knack for making adorable toys, a skill I haven't mastered. I hope you enjoy the new stash additions, and the copy of In Stitches.

Thanks again, friends.

Post #300: A Giveaway

Honestly, I can't believe I've written three hundred posts. I've enjoyed this blog immensely. It's awesome to look back at the progress you make as a crafter, and as a person.

I don't have a huge following or anything, but I appreciate the readers who stop by my little corner. Equally, I LOVE reading about other knitters/cooks/sewers are making. This is an inspiring community and I'm grateful to be a part of it. Ultimately, it's all about the craft (or crafts, I suppose!).

That being said, I've got an offering today:

Included in this giveaway, you will get the following:
-One YARD of Heather Ross Seahorses in Fuchsia, from the ever popular Mendocino line
-One fat quarter of Alexander Henry's Mocca (I think this is the right name for the fabric-it's the brighter green small piece above)
-One fat quarter of Amy Butler's Trailing Cherries, in the Sand colorway
-One copy of Amy Butler's In Stitches book
-One skein of Femme Fatale Fiber's Buffy Sock, in the Secret Boyfriend colorway

Additionally, I will probably come up with some extra treats for the winner.

To enter, just leave a comment. It's that simple. Of course, if you've got constructive criticism on something you'd like to see here, I'll take that, but just a "hello!" will do. Please do leave your email or make sure it is shown on your blog somewhere (or you can leave your Ravelry ID if you've got one).

I will take entries until Wednesday, June 30th at 7:00 PM CST.

Here's to another 300!

P.S. There are no sponsors to this contest except me!

Knitting Sisters

If you frequent knitting blogs, you are probably familiar with Erin and Kara, two very inspiring crafters. A few months back, they each held a contest. In exchange for a donation to the MS Walk they participated in, you would be entered in a contest for a prize. They walked in honor of their brother, Brett. Even though I've never met Erin or Kara in real life, I decided to give to the cause, times two. I felt like a contribution was worth it, and I couldn't just give to one of these girls; competition is fierce among sisters!

I never expected to win, but Erin contacted me to let me know she drew my name. I received the coolest package in the mail. Seriously, Erin is inspiring with her gift package contents. I've taken a lesson from her for future packages.

I've never purchased any Tina Givens fabric, but it is gorgeous stuff. The two pieces on the left or Tina Givens. The remaining piece is from Anna Maria Horner's Garden Party line. The three pieces could even be used together, so I'm trying to think about what I'd like to make.

Additionally, there was this yarn:

It's Brooklyn Handspun, which I've never used. I LOVE the color. It's vibrant and fun.

And how cool are these gift tags?

"Just because it's handmade, doesn't mean it's cheap"

It's funny because it's true. Erin also included these Liberty of London journals. Lovely.

Not pictured is a box of chocolates from Hatch Family Chocolates of "The Little Chocolatiers" fame. They were so good. I ate them quickly and then wished there were more.

So, thank you to Erin for a lovely and generous package. I didn't donate to either sister for the contest, but it was a sweet reward for helping a very important cause.

My next post will be number 300. In honor of this, I will be a having a giveaway of my own. The next post will have all the details!

I won something!

Peter had a contest for his birthday in mid-November, and I won! Peter sent me a lovely package, including a gorgeous skein of Malabrigo Sock.

The colorway is Persia. I can't wait to use it. Somehow, I'd previously avoided obtaining any Sock version Malabrigo. I'm not sure how that happened.

He also included a cute card, some decedent chocolates, and some neat notions (and I LOVE the tissue paper).

Thanks, Peter!