The Torch Has Been Passed

We took an extra couple of days off to bookend the Memorial Day holiday weekend to go "home." My brother still lives in the area, and I have plenty of college friends who are still there too. My friends asked if it was strange to be a visitor to Chicago, and I never really thought about it even when we returned to our hotel room instead of a residence. It seemed perfectly normal for some reason. We got a lot of use out of our Adventure Science Center (ASC) membership. The ASC belongs to the Association of Science-Technology Centers. Member museums offer reciprocity. We got into all the museums we wanted to visit in Chicago for free!



Every time I visit my most favorite museum of all time, Museum of Science and Industry, I have to see the baby chick hatchery. It is always the highlight of my visit, dating back to when my parents used to take us kids to the Chicago museums. I think Young Man has inherited my love of the baby chicks. When we walked up to the incubator, one happened to be in the process of poking itself out of its shell. What luck!



Of course, we visited dinosaur heaven - The Field Museum. They have a large room devoted to dinosaur skeletons. And let's not forget Sue, the largest and best preserved T. Rex of all time.



I think if we still lived in Chicago, we'd be visiting the Chicago Children's Museum a lot. Many hands on activities and exhibits, including a dinosaur dig. Fun stuff.



Millennium Park wasn't fully constructed when we left Chicago almost 5 years ago. It's really beautiful. I have to give due credit to Mayor Daley and the City of Chicago. There is great pride in keeping Chicago beautiful and with lots of public green space.



I am constantly afraid of Young Man jumping from great heights or across (relatively) great distances.





One evening, one of my college friends had a BBQ at her house. There were many other toddlers there for Young Man to play with. He loved their jumpy house!



We also had dinner with my brother and his girlfriend one evening. They still live in the area and it was good for Young Man to see his Uncle Brian. The weekend was very action packed and we enjoyed every bit of it!

Managing Art Work

Every week, I come home with more of Young Man's artistic creations. What to do with the growing pile of art? Over the past few months, I let a plan formulate in my head as to how to display some of his artwork. It took some thoughtful planning and some gathering of supplies from a variety of shops.

I sprayed everything with acid-free mist. I use Krylon Make It Acid-Free from my art supply store. I used my paper trimmer to make smaller pieces from some of the art. I mounted them onto acid-free card stock.

The shadow box is from Pottery Barn. The fabric-covered push pins are from Dandee Designs.



The pretty floral wall hooks are from Anthropologie. And the curtain clips are from Bed, Bath & Beyond. The ceramics are Young Man's painted creations from Third Coast Clay.



Young Man sees his art on the wall and beams with pride that his mommy would prominently display his artwork. I have read somewhere that displaying a child's art helps them develop self-esteem and confidence. I'll be able to change it up whenever I am motivated to do so. I am extremely pleased with the results! Brilliant!

All I Needed

It's been slow on the knitting front. This past weekend, Threaded Bliss had a little celebration for my published design in Interweave Knits. I showed up without knitting, but everyone else was knitting, of course. So I walked around. I started to browse the pretty new yarns and the inspiring patterns, and my eyes got wide and a smile appeared on my face. I had the urge. I stumbled upon the Classic Elite Make it Modern pattern booklet. (I love every pattern! Thank you, Pam Allen!) I decided I would start the Little Leaf Scarf. I settled on Hemp for Knitting Hempton - 1 skein in Ruby. I had to also buy some needles so I could start knitting in the shop, even though I have a rather substantial needle collection at home.



It's good to be back.

Can You Unlearn a Word?

Recently, I went to pick up Young Man from school. He was sitting in a chair with a pout on his face. His teachers informed me that he was being punished for uttering the word stupid. This word is not one that I use, so immediately I asked Young Man how he came to learn that word. He didn't say. Of course, I thought it was some other kid.



We drove home and I asked again, but Young Man wouldn't confess to how he learned the word. I agreed to let him watch a DVD and watched a bit with him to unwind a little before starting dinner. And then I heard the word uttered from the DVD. It's in a line from Peppermint Patty in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Anyway, I was horrified and the DVD is no longer in our collection. The other Peanuts DVDs seem to be okay.



I realize it could have been worse. I haven't heard him say the word lately, so I hope he sort of forgets about it.

Origins

I had been working on designing my white tank when I saw Katie Himmelberg post an IK call for submissions in the Designers Group on Ravelry. I immediately requested the submissions packet. And off I went thinking up what would become Eyelet Surplice Dress. Well, you sort of know the story of finding out that my design had been accepted.



What you don't know is that there were some somewhat hilarious circumstances of the phone call. I was on my way to a meeting when I saw a call come in from an unknown area code and phone number. I ignored the call and let it go into voicemail. I checked the voicemail and what I heard was "Hi, this is...from Interweave Knits and we want to run your design..." I hung up and called Jen immediately, because who else would appreciate my exciting news but a fellow knitter? After relaying the news, I went back to my voicemail to listen to the message more carefully. "Hi, this is Eunny Jang from Interweave Knits..." I go to my meeting, and afterwards, I email Jen straight away and expressed that I ignored a phone call from Eunny. What a funny moment that was.



Anyway, here I am with payment, thank you postcard, a copy of the magazine, and extra pages from the In Green Lace section. I was just thinking that I should buy some extra copies and get it all framed. IK hooked me up!

I've been contacted by several people with questions already. If you are knitting this pattern, and have questions regarding the pattern, yarn subs, what have you, I can be reached via blog comments, email (see sidebar), or Ravelry. I'll try to get back to you as quickly as possible.

Tutorial: Fabric Covered Magnets

Now that I am starting to accumulate fabric, my fabric stash is starting to rival my yarn stash. Fabric is fun to look at and, more importantly, buy. I started making fabric covered magnets with my scraps. These are easy and fun!

Materials

• Aluminum cover buttons
  
• Assembly tool
  
• Magnets
  
• Scrap fabric
  
• Card stock or index card
  
• Pliers
  
• Scissors
  
• Pencil or pen
  
• Gardening or work gloves
  
• Strong adhesive

Instructions

1. Remove button loop - Wearing a glove to protect your hands, pry the button loop off the back. You only need the glove on the hand holding the button.
   
   
   
2. Prepare template - Cut a square about 3/4" longer than the diameter of your button. The buttons I am using are 3/4" in diameter. I cut a 1.5" x 1.5" square from my index card.
   
   
   Trace your button at the center of the square. The reason for this is so you can see which part of your fabric will appear on your button. This will be important if you have a small motif you want to capture.
   
   
   
3. Trace and cut fabric - See how the hole in the template helps with where I want to cut?
   
   
   
4. Make button covers - Make sure you have the assembly tool facing up correctly. That is, the deep well faces upwards. You'll probably figure it out soon if you have the wrongside up.
   
   
   
   Place fabric square with right-side facing downward.
   
   
   Place button cover. Press.
   
   
   Tuck fabric into center.
   
   
   Place button back. Ensure rim edges curl upwards.
   
   
   Position blue assembler tool. Press.
   
   
   Push out.
   
   
   Place glue.
   
   
   Put in magnet.
   
   
   
5. Use with style! Or gift something that looks to be worth 10 times your actual cost of materials.
   
   
   

That's it! Easy! I'll work on a PDF version of this tutorial when I get a free moment.

Tip!
5/8" round magnets will fit perfectly inside 3/4" button covers. That's what I am using for this tutorial

Sources

• Aluminum cover buttons can be procured at Joann. I buy mine in bulk from Jack and Jane. I've seen good prices at Toby's Mom as well. Make sure you get the two-piece blue and white aseembly tool the first time around.
  
• Magnets can be procured at Joann as well. I buy mine in bulk from Heather Knitz.
  
• Gift tin from the Forsythe Company Store.
  

Contest Winner

Everyone was very clever and it was really hard to make this decision...

ALICIA!

Her anagrammatic entry of "ewes machining" is perfect for this knitter crossed over into a sewer. I'll call her "Em" for short.

Alicia - Email me your address and your fabric choice to betty AT knittingbetty DOT com. Or will you be at Threaded Bliss on Saturday?

For the rest of you, here is a sneak peak of the tutorial to make the magnets yourself. I took all the pictures yesterday (22!) and the write up is about done.

Announcement: Party on the 17th

Owner Dana Nelms of Threaded Bliss Yarns in Brentwood, TN is having a gathering to celebrate my published design in Interweave. Huzzah! Come hang out. It's going to be fun!

Saturday, May 17th
3 - 5 PM

Contest: Name My Sewing Machine

She arrived about a week ago. I opened her up and without even reading the manual or watching the DVD, I wound a bobbin. I have since watched the DVD and have developed confidence in using the machine to its full potential. The manual tells me what the different stitches are for, and when I program the machine for a particular stitch, it tells me what presser foot to use. I think this will be a sewing machine that will last me a long time!



It's difficult to resist all the pretty fabric out there. Really difficult. I have found my favorite line - Joel Dewberry. That's what the pink fabric is. In knitting project fashion, I purchased an extra yard, in case of errors. I only needed 2, but I bought 3 from my favorite seller Bee Square Fabrics. Diane has pretty fabrics and great service. I say this because I've had to ask newbie questions about sewing and she's happily answered them. This is beyond fulfilling my orders. She rocks! The pretty pink fabric is going to be a shirt from the Wendy Mullin pattern. I'm making the short sleeve version. I am excited to be sewing my first garment!

Apparently, according to my tote bag instructor, my sewing machine is supposed to have a name. For all of the creativity I have in my various crafty endeavors, I am without ideas on names. Can you help?

The prize? I've started making fabric covered magnets with my scrap fabric. I'll have a tutorial soon. The individual who comes up with the name I use will receive a set of their choice in a cute heart shaped tin.



Post your suggested name by leaving a comment by Sunday, May 11th 12:00 Noon Central. And I'll make a decision shortly soon after!

Finished Object of the Fabric Kind

Pattern: Simplicity 7161
Fabric: Marcus Brothers Heatwave collection purchased from Bee Square Fabrics
Other materials: Belting (handles), interfacing, plastic canvas (base)



I had a lovely time finishing the bag last weekend. It is full of rookie mistakes but I still love it. It wasn't too hard to figure out how to put in a pocket and a base. I skipped the magnetic snap, even though I purchased the hardware. A tote bag was a great first project to get me started.