more dog leashes

here are a couple more leashes i made in *hopes* of selling at the local farmers market. I used a bias-tape maker to make a fabric strip and then sewed it on to the heavier strapping… attach the hardware, make a loop for your hand, and you’re done! if you’re gonna try to whip one up, be sure to use a heavy duty needle on your machine. they’re pretty fun to make, and play around with color/pattern combos. i still have more to come, hopefully something to match everyone’s taste in pet accessories! haha.

retro kitchen canisters

thanks to my husband’s good, yard-sale eye, i scored these retro kitchen canisters this past weekend. the entire set (tea, coffee, flour, and sugar) for a big $2. no haggling necessary.

review of two crochet books

i ordered these books a while back to learn how to crochet because i, “MUST MAKE A BABETTE BLANKET”

the first was, beginner’s guide to crochet, by pauline turner. as you can see, there are lots of great visuals to show you where to put and loop what, etc. I learned how to single, double, and half double crochet almost exclusively from this book. it teaches you how to read patterns, and includes a couple of projects, most of which leave much to be desired (see the inappropriately named, “cute camisole” below). a good book to learn crochet basics. don’t buy it for the project patterns included.

the second book i purchased was, 200 crochet blocks for blankets, throws, and afghans, by jan eaton. this book included a number of patterns to make blankets out of mix and match crochet squares. none of them are nearly as cute as interweave’s “babette blanket,” but they may be a fun way to try out new squares, as this book is loaded with cute ones! i was able to successfully make one square without any color changes… sorry, i will not be photographing that ugly duckling! the pattern instructions seemed very clear, and i am a serious dummy when it comes to crocheting and following directions in general. I really liked this book, and highly recommend it!

personalized baby onesie

i made this onesie as a baby shower gift for one, very special, Geneva Gail Esther Elizabeth Naranjo. You needed to know her name to understand the shirt… just read it and brew on it for a while. it’ll click eventually! :) The red and white stripes are just a dress i bought as part of the gift.