While hanging out with a friend in NYC, we came across Kipiis bib clips.The idea is that you can make a bib from anything - napkin, paper towel, whatevs.

I thought they'd be awesome for the niece or nephew, and kicked myself a bit for not picking one up for a gift. So, I made some from stuff laying around the house.

Bibs. Pretend like that stain on my washcloth is creamed corn.

Here's how I did it. The instructions make 2 at a time.

Supplies

• One strip of fabric 2.5" x 42" (or the width of the fabric)
• Round elastic cord - two 3" pieces
• Four 1/2" buttons
• Four 5/8" binder clips (you could go larger, if desired, as long as the buttons are bigger than the clip handles)
• Two decorative buttons
• Needle
• Thread

What you need.

Instructions

Create the Strap

1. Fold the 2.5" strip of fabric in half the long-way and sew along the edge.
2. Press the seam open and flat.
3. Turn the strap right side out. I do this by putting a safety pin on one side and guiding it through the inside. It's easier to pull through that way.
4. Press flat.
5. Fold in half and cut in two, so that there are two pieces approximately 20" long.
6. Fold the ends twice so that the raw edge is on the inside and seam.

Progression of the straps

Seams at the bottom of straps.

Make Size Adjuster

This part can be a little finicky. You're making a piece that can slide up and down the strap in order to adjust the length as the kid grows.

1. With needle and thread ready, create a figure 8 shape with one 3" elastic piece.
2. Sew the ends to the middle.
3. Once secure, sew the button over the raw edges.
4. Slip onto one of the straps.
5. Repeat for second elastic.

Sizer in progress

Add Clips

1. At the bottom of the straps, stack handle and a button.
2. Sew them together onto the strap.
3. Repeat for other end of the strap.
4. Repeat for other bib clip.

Stacking the clip and button.

That's it. Seems like they'll work okay. I'll send one back with Mom this weekend to try out with Chloe.

Oh, yeah, The best part? Retail for Kipiis is $12-16. These were just made from supplies around the house, but I could probably buy the supplies for a dozen for less than that.

I've been overcommitted. Completely over-scheduled and over-extended in every area, and nothing is coming together quite right.

Too scattered.

Too hippie.

Too big.

Too girly.

Too MySpace.

But not close enough.

Spring is coming. Soon. It has to.

My Threadless 99 Red Balloons shirt was, um, well-loved, so I needed to get it out of my closet so I couldn't wear it any more. So I made it a bag!

Ta-da!

And here's how you do it. You need a t-shirt, pins, and 60 inches of fabric that 2.5" wide (I used leftovers from the binding from the last quilt I made).

To prepare the handle fabric, fold the fabric and press it. Unfold it and press the outside to the middle so that the raw edges will be on the inside.

Cut from the neckline to the armpit to cut off the sleeves.

Make sure you cut through the collar so that the top opens up all the way.

Pin the binding around the edges, folding the handle fabric around the raw edge. When you get to the end, fold the end over and tuck it underneath.

Create equal size loops at the tops when you get to the neckline in order to create handles.

Sew right along the edge.

Fold inside out and fold across the bottom

Fold the bottom so that there are triangle at the edges. This will give it a flat bottom. Sew around the triangles being careful to not sew through the sites.

Flip it right side out and stuff it full of junk

I tried canning this year. Dad hooked me up with 3 beer flats of tomatoes, so I tried to make salsa. It turned out okay, but holy cow that was a lot of work for a dozen pints of salsa.

I don't know why I do these things. I don't even like salsa all that much.

I say tomato.

Whipped up a pair of these for G-ma K. They were an amazingly fast knit (four days), and after using light fingering weight yarn all summer, worsted was a nice break.

I didn't follow the pattern for the heel or the toe.

Big and comfy.

Fall is breaking through. Hooray for sweater weather.

I finished my couch pillow covers. I'm not completely sold on them. I do love the fabric, so I think it's carry-over dislike of slipcovers and the inherited couch. I used adhesive backed velcro, which doesn't work. Not only does it not hold onto the fabric, it's really hard to sew through once you give up on it working.

Take a nap. Do it.

I also hung the pic today. It's another of Sgier's prints. A word of warning - Target's "Room Essentials" frames don't have the hanger screwed on and the screws they give you are teeny-tiny fairy-sized. I ended up hammering them into place in a fit of rage. I've decided that most man chores just require the confidence to wack the crap out something until it works.

First weekend at home for the first time in a month. I spent it making my house liveable again, and working on my sample for Knitty.

My big project was organizing my messy craft room. I know many craft rooms are cluttered messes, but the throw-everything-on-the-shelf organization was beginnig to drive me nuts.

My newly organized craft supplies

A bin for embroidery, a bin for beads.

Cookie jars holding ribbons and yarn and jars for buttons.

Finished the dresser I picked up a week or so ago. Original pics are here.

So pretty.

The pulls are original, but I think it needs new ones. I'm thinking of getting wood ones and just painting them red.

Thing 1 I learned - I am a messy painter. I already knew this (see bathroom), but for some reason I thought it was just from laziness/wanting to be done. Nope. I'm just really bad at painting.

Smudge, smudge.

Lesson 2 - Foam brushes are amazing and won't go in grooves if you don't press too hard.

Cleaned up.

Left side - how I used to store my folded clothes. Right side - the future!

Lesson 3 - Spray gloss sucks. You can see how spotty it is. That was after three coats.

Embarassed no more!

The shelf was repurposed, finally getting my DVDs/Wii games out of a box. And now I can plug a light into the outlet controlled by the light switch And it blocks my window with needing a blind. Woot.

Works much better holding DVDs than clothes.

The dresser is being ironic about seashells.

"shell"

Boo for grey

I painted the dresser grey. I had bought a darker grey that I was going to use to outline the design, but I think I'm going to take it back for red. That won't actually match my bedroom, but I do think it will look sharp.

I feel like this dresser is screaming to have very bright colors highlighting it's design. Something bold that would match Story People. Sad for it, that's just not how I roll. Sorry, dresser.

Also, as it turns out, when it monsoons every day for a week, you get surprises in your front yard.

Who wants to try a nibble?

A rug!

Made this bad boy for my bathroom. The finished rug is approximately 2 x 3 feet

Supplies

Size 13 needles
140 g (3 balls) white Peaches and Cream
140 g (3 balls) ecru Peaches and Cream
Darning needle

Notes

The pattern is worked with two strands of yarn held together. I used slightly different colors, but you could certainly use the same color or a solid and a variegated.

No gauge - just cast on and go!

CF - Slip 2 to cable needle, hold to front, k2, k2 from cable needle

Pattern

Holding two strands of yarn together, CO 52

K for five rows

The cables

Start cable chart -

• Row 1: K2 p1 *k4 p3 Repeat from * 5 more times k4 p1 k2
• Row 2: K3 *p4 k3 Repeat from * 5 more times p4 k3
• Rows 3 - 6 : Repeat rows 1 and 2
• Row 7: K2 p1 *CF p3 k4 p3 Repeat from * 2 more times CF p1 k2
• Row 8: K3 *p4 k3 Repeat from * 5 more times p4 k3
• Rows 9 - 12: Repeat rows 7 & 8
• Rows 13 - 16: Repeat rows 1 & 2
• Row 17: K2 p1 *k4 p3 CF p3 Repeat from * 2 more times k4 p1 k2
• Row 18: K3 *p4 k3 Repeat from * 5 more times p4 k3
• Rows 19 - 22: Repeat rows 7 & 8

Work 3 repeats.

K2 p1 *k4 p3 Repeat from * 5 more times k4 p1 k2

K3 *p4 k3 Repeat from * 5 more times p4 k3

Repeat last two rows.

K five rows

Bind off and weave in ends.

Just makes you want to stand there and brush your teeth.

download now

Flowers have been spontaneously appearing on my property. I clearly had nothing to do with this.

In the backyard

On the side of the house.

I added my own addition. A raspberry bush Michelle gave me. I hope to sit next to it some day and pop berries into my mouth until I enter into a fruit coma.

Please grow. I would really like to eat you.

Found this dresser at a yard sale. Maybe I'll actually put books on the bookshelf that holds my clothes!

It's seriously in need of refinishing, but I'm not sure what to do. Keep it wood finish or paint it? I'll probably just wash it, start using it, and never fix it up.

Ta - da!

Little rough around the edges.

Sweet drawer liner!

I should have included my craft room in my "finished rooms" post. All I did was put the furniture in, but that's probably all that I will do. Eventually, I might paint it - it could certainly use a fresh coat - but it's low low low on the list.

From the "hall"

The cutting table. The pic is another of Sgier's prints.

Yeah, the bookshelf needs to be cleaned up. Closet is full of yarn and fabric. Yay!

I'm officially declaring rooms in the house done. Laundry room, check. Kitchen, check. Dining room, check. Outside, check. Still a couple things here and there to do, but I'm calling them done.

gNorman the gnome guards my front step (thanks to my awesome co-workers). The pots are painted using leftovers from the living room and kitchen, and they hold deliciousness. Orange mint and basil. Om nom nom.

gNorman and the Sprouts

The kitchen is now rocking a chalkboard wall, and a sweet towel hook. Plus the curtains I posted earlier. That's all I did, unless you count making the washclothes and towel.

Writing on walls is fun.

Replaced the chairs I'd picked up at a garage sale with an actual matching set. Snagged them at Waldo Antiques. I've decided that I love buying furniture used - each piece has a story and character. Plus, they cost about the same and are usually more sturdy. Not to mention no assembly required.

Matching furniture? That's a first...

I love the built in bookshelf. It's probably my favorite thing in the house. The table I got off Craigslist, the bamboo was inherited when Rachel moved to CT, and the print is an artist print from my friend Mike Sgier. He does good work. I loved the Street Scenes series this was a part of.

Color is the most efficient way to organize books.

The view from the living room.

I have "dining room" curtain! Dining room is in quotes because it's more of a spot to put the table rather than an actual room.

No more being the neighborhood exhibitionist.

I still need to figure out how I'm going to tie it back, but at least the neighbors are not staring into my house any more.

Close up of fabric

Slowly, but surely, the house is coming together. I painted the bathroom this weekend. I'd wanted a grey that was slightly purple. The color I got is a lot more 3rd grade girl's bedroom than I'd wanted. I wanted to go neutral so that my bright towels and stuff would work, but I could switch out for better ones down the road. Might have to upgrade sooner. Or face bright red and lime green hanging against lavendar every morning. Might be a bit much before coffee.

Also, I suck at doing trim, so I now need to paint the bathroom ceiling. After I'm done, I'll probably need to do the walls again. The whole house needs to have it's trim repainted, but the thought of doing it makes me tired.

I also made some curtains for the kitchen. I have a little fabric left over, so I'm going to make potholders. I think it works well with the wall.

Shielded from prying eyes. Well, the top half, anyway.

I also finished the accent pillows for the couch. I bought more fabric for the big pillows today, so hopefully they'll stop being wretched soon.

Good riddance, ugly fabric.

Have I mentioned how productive I am when I am procrastinating doing school work?