Yo!

I wonder what these little yoyos will become?

Stay tuned. The finished result is soon to come...

How To Make a Paper Snowflake

Here are some super easy steps to making paper snowflakes!

WHAT YOU NEED:
paper
sharp scissors
bone folder

Fold #1: Fold the sheet of paper so that the top edge lines up with the left edge of the paper. Fold in your crease.

Trim away the excess paper so there is a triangle remaining.

Fold #2: With the folded edge of the triangle at the top, fold the two upper points together. Fold in the crease using the bone folder.

Fold #3: With the single fold under your left hand, line up all three points. Press in the fold with your bone folder.

At this point, you have made 3 folds. There is a single fold on the lower left edge of this triangle.

Fold #4: Fold your triangle so that the single folded edge lines up with the longer edge of the triangle.

Use the bone folder to press in the crease. Your paper should look a little like a torch with a flame on it.

Cut of the "flame" from the "torch."

Using your sharp scissors, cut shapes from your triangle. For the laciest snowflakes, the key is to remove as much paper without cutting all the way through to the other side.

Try straight cuts and round cuts. Cuts that look like the above image, produce a snowflake that looks like THIS:

Enjoy making a blizzard of snowflakes!

Reading Pleasure

All right!
I admit it!

I am a pattern junkie!
I love patterns!
Patterns for anything!
Patterns of all sizes!
Quilts, clothes, slippers, aprons, dolls, bags, pillows.....

I love patterns!

(Thanks, Danielle for helping me come to this realization!)

For The Love Of Yarn

I finished up the halloween afghan I started last year. My sister and I were going to make them at the same time and have matching afghans. I didn't meet my halloween deadline and got tired of working on it last Fall. I packed it up in a basket and set it aside. I pulled it out recently and worked on it til it was finished. I like the color combination, but the little camera was set on vivid color and blew things out a little...but the pattern of the single crochet stitches makes a nice texture.

I had some leftover orange and green yarns. I used the green to make a basic little "Critter Hat" for Q. I need to photograph the finished hat and post it here. He loves the hat and it was a super easy knit project!

Earlier, I'd posted about how I was so excited that I'd signed up for a knitting class. Originally, I enrolled for a basic 101 type of class. But after I'd finished the scarf and hat, I decided 101 might be too basic. I upgraded my class to a sweaters class. I took my supply list shopping and used my birthday gift card to buy the needles and yarn. The instruction for the class would produce a sweater sized for a toddler. LUCKILY, I have a toddler! Since the sweater would be for Q, I allowed him to choose the color of the yarn. This was what he chose.

I think it is a lovely color. Sadly, the instructor called me and told me she had a family engagement from which she could not excuse herself ... and had to postpone the class to OCTOBER! YIKES!

What's a girl to DO?!?

Well, I'll tell you!

I grabbed a pattern for a sweater I tried to knit last year and just couldn't grasp and sat down with great determination.

This time, magically, the pattern made sense! I made the back of the sweater yesterday. I wasn't feeling well, so it was the perfect opportunity to just sit and concentrate on the sweater. Today, I made the front of the sweater. My kids are really proud of me. 'Manda was so impressed yesterday, she asked me to sit with her and teach her, too.

This is another toddler sized sweater. Q knows it's his. He told the kids when they got home, that it's a sweater! Mommy's making a sweater.

I was thinking ahead ... like say....to Christmas and I asked Alex, "So...if I made you a sweater, would you wear it?" He wrinkled up his nose a little bit and told me, "Uh...well, I don't really like to wear sweaters."

OUCH!! ...at least he was honest with me before I spent hours knitting and purling for a garment that woudln't get worn. Honestly? I want to make a sweater for myself ... eventually! Maybe after all the holiday crafting?

I Love Handmade Stuff!

I participated in a couple of swaps this past week. For one, the challenge was to send my partner an oven mitt. When I looked through her profile, I discovered that she has six cats...and likes them...(a lot, apparently) I dug through my fabric stash and found a piece of fabric with leopard spots on it. Seemed a good fit. I fashioned an oven mitt and then included some measuring spoons and recipe cards and sent it off. Here is the mitt:

And for another swap, our partners were supposed to list ten items they would like to have for their quilting room...then the sender picks five of those items to assemble together in a nice parcel. One of the items my partner requested was something handmade by me. I made this cute pincushion. Notice the use of the paisley? I hope My partner likes paisely, too. :)

This pinchusion measures about 3.75 inches square and 1.25 inches tall.