Catching up on Craftster Blog posts, I found this fun tutorial on patching holes in sweaters using crochet. If you don’t subscribe to the CRAFT blog, you really ought to consider it. It’s definitely a busy blog, but full of great ideas.

Thought I’d share some of my favorite Etsy sellers…

First, Siam2U

You can’t have this awesome skirt because I just bought it. Organic cotton, embroidered, wrap skirt, $19. But you can have other, equally-awesome skirts, fisherman pants, or dresses.

Next, Babus.

I bought one of these felted wool toys for Genna for Christmas. It’s fun and I love the texture. She could care less about it at this point, though. :-)  Free shipping thru February!

Catzinthehouse has nice wooden stuff.

I bought Genna a teether for Christmas from this shop. At that time, they offered mostly children’s products, but I see they’ve branched out now. (CPSIA?)

GirlwithaSword

While it would be inaccurate to say I’ve ever bought anything from her Etsy store, I shop her in-person store a LOT! (Prairieland Herbs) Maggie makes awesome dyed stuff, all using natural dyes largely (or exclusively) from their farm. Way cool.

MiaJean is another local gal.

I have ordered a bag from Mia and can’t wait to get it! I’ve seen them in person, and they’re great!!

For a while, there has been an informal group of my friends who knit and they would get together every once in a while. I didn’t join them, as they met on a night I had to teach classes. Then, a few months ago, the group got much larger, took on a new name, and started meeting at a time I could go!

Natural Parenting Fiber Artists - largely a group of women who circulate in the same circles I do - Holistic Moms, Cloth Diapering, Babywearing, LLL, etc.

It’s super fun, gives us a chance to craft and talk birth, breasts, babies, husbands, and things completely unrelated. (As if we don’t all have plenty of opportunity to discuss said topics anyway…) Knitting Night is close up there to ICAN night in terms of Nights Away From My Family That I Really Look Forward To!

added to sidebar: me on facebook, me on twitter, blvd designs on facebook.

So if you were looking for something to buy me, here are some ideas:

Super fun camera strap from SplitYarn.

Mushroom zip top from GoodEgg.

  Superfun new Tshirts from Craftster.

A while back, I posted about a new project in the crafty community, Mama to Mama. Last week, I made and sent off a handful of caps to send off for the Caps To Cap-Haitien project.

I ended up remembering that I had recently offloaded most of my unused and unwanted clothes, whether to other crafty friends or to Goodwill, so I only had three of my husband’s old undershirts to use for this project. Once I got the six caps made, I started thinking they looked a little…well…like old undershirts. So I dyed them red and blue.

and then one of the caps got lost during the dye rinse-out (found it under the dryer the day after I sent off the package) so I ended up with only five caps. But still, five is better than none, eh?

Several months ago, I had Crackpots, which was at that time local to Des Moines, make me a set of three little teacups. I love them! I asked them to make me teacups just the right size to fit in my hand, in natural colors, and this is what they came up with. I love them and have been enjoying drinking various herbal and rooibos teas out of them.

Personally, I throw everything in the washer (on hot) and dryer (on high) as soon as it gets home before folding it and storing it neatly on the shelf with other similar fabrics. That way, when I decide I want to use a particular fabric, I don’t have to wait while it washes and dries. Plus, nearly everything I make is washable - I assume customers are going to wash it, and that they probably won’t be using the gentle cycle. So I treat the fabric as harshly as I can when prewashing it - if it’s going to fall apart in the laundry, I’d rather it fall apart here!

But you can head on over to True Up and read up on the pros and cons of prewashing.

Definitely head over to Sew Mama Sew for this year’s Handmade Holidays daily inspiration. I cannot believe it’s time for this again!

As I’m about a week behind on my blog reading, I’m just now reading about Amanda Soule’s (of SouleMama and The Creative Family fame) new project, Mama to Mama. It’s about combining craft and activism, and using our craft to improve the lives of others. Please check it out.

The first project is Caps to Cap-Hatien which involves making simple newborn hats for mamas in Haiti. A great project to use old Tshirts!! More details available at the Mama to Mama website.

PS, anyone in the Des Moines area who wants to participate, I am planning to send a package of hats in early December, and am happy to include your hats in with my package.