Tara Miller Designs

2011 Loose Ends

So I have a tendancy to say I am going to do things on the blog and then do them but forget to write about the turn out later. This post (a a few to follow) is an effort to tie up these loose ends from projects in 2011.

Tea dying (also coffee dying) This did not turn out well. I even left it to sit overnight and the color is only slightly different. I don't recommend it since it is messy with minimal results. I am going to work on bleaching in 2012 so stay tuned. 

Christmas projects round up:

From Mom!

For my SIL

For my mom, Devon's Lovey!

For my Brother

Camera Strap Covers for my Brother

For my Devon!

 

We've Moved

Hooray! After having our house on the market since April we have finally found a renter and have moved across town. Our new place is 10 min from Garrett's work and 20 min from my parents house. Perfectly situated. We moved just 2 weeks ago so creative production has been at a slow crawl but I am getting back up to speed. Of course I have still been doing my regular posting for Fabric.com's blog but I have some of my own things in the works. A few new knitting patterns are almost ready and I am in Home Decorating Mode (Red level). Our new place is zero property line so some of our windows look into our neighbor's back yard. While they do have a fine yard, I think we will be better neighbors with a few curtains up. I have sewn up some super cool Cafe Curtains for the mud room and am only waiting on the hardware to hang them. Then I am planning som cafe curtains/roman shade for the master bath and closet. It will be amazing and of course I will post pictures as they come. Now here a some links to some of mmy free projects over at blog.fabric.com

Halloween Dish Towels (pictured above)

Pumpkin Bucket Cover

Ellis Square Square Crochet Cowl & Hat Pattern

Tybee Coverup Knitting Pattern

Make your own Toggle Buttons

 
I recently completed the Cardigan Bay Jacket by Carol Fellers (Love her designs BTW) and needed some sizable buttons to complete the jacket. I purchased some 1 in. buttons from a local store just the fill the bill until I found some GREAT buttons. However, the 1 in. were just too small. So Devon and I journeyed to another store to look for toggle buttons. There was a small selection of toggles but they were all weird asymetrical shapes and the cost was sky high: $3.50 for 1 button and I needed 8). So I purchased a 3/4 in. square dowel, 36 in. long and planned to make my own. Here's how I made my own toggle buttons. 

1) Measure and cut your dowel into eight 2.5 in. long pieces. I used a hand saw and miter board. Don't saw on your picnic table, I set up on the grass.

                                               Sanded on Right, unsanded on Left


2) Sand the ends of your dowel until smooth (NO SNAGS) and lightly sand the remaining edges (I rounded the corners of all my sides)

3) Using a small drill bit (try a 5/32 or smaller) and drill 2 holes near the center and equally spaced. You can measure and mark the holes but I just used my eye. I didn't want perfection and like things that are a little off. Again becareful where you drill, I used the grass as my foundation

4) Lightly sand your holes. You can now paint, stain or varnish your buttons or leave them as is like mine. I had intended to stain them a dark cherry but found that after I had sanded I really liked the light wood tone. 

5) Sew on your buttons and check out your fast, easy and fun new buttons. My dowel cost $2, I made 8 buttons and I have 16 in. left over for more buttons versus $28 for 8 store bought buttons. Throw in a pint of stain or paint for $10 and you still save $16. 

Feel free to sell any button creations from this tutorial, just give me a link back. Enjoy!

 

Back to Blogging

 
Everyday I have been thinking of blogging but when it gets down to it I have not made it the priority that it should be. Many of you may know that I have been blogging over here and not so much here on Gruenetree. The tide is turning and I am dedicating more time to my own projects so there is more for me to blog about here and more projects to come.  

One of my most recent projects that I am still super excited about is my new Cardigan Bay Jacket from Interweave Knits Fall 2011. I have been over the moon since this issue arrived. More and more I have been disappointed in the patterns the past few seasons but this issue makes all past transgressions forgiven. I love so many of the patterns and I could not wait to cast on for the Cardigan Bay. It took a little over a week to knit up and while I am still waffling over buttons, it is done and awesome. Too bad it is months from being cool enough for me to wear.

Next I knit up the Pembroke Wrap from Interweave Knits Fall 2011. This was also a fast knit and super cozy. I know I will be giving it as a Christmas present but I am not sure to whom yet. I used Lion Brand Wool Ease with US 11 needles so it is a little bit smaller than the pattern but still a good size. At the time I didn't have my size 13 needles (see this post on prepping for the move) so I ordered some new Harmony needles from Eat, Sleep, Knit (more below). Thus I used my 11's. I will definitely be making this again but maybe in 2 colors.

This issue has inspired me to branch out with the chunky yarns and I have 2 patterns in developments. One a shawl and one a jacket. I just received my yarn for both today so I will be casting on this evening once the child is asleep. Now more on Eat, Sleep, Knit. I have just discovered that this cute LYS is in my neck of the woods. But even better are all the deals they offer and the wide selection of yarn colors! Like I said I order my Knit Picks needles from them and the order shipped that day and was in my box the next! PLUS they included a Yarn lottery ticket and I won $100 store credit! So I ordered more yarn and then with that order I won a skein of Sploosh! Plus, they have a yarn marathon where you can win even more yarny goodness! To top it off shipping is cheap and fast ($3 and $5 or free if you order over $75). So I am in love now.  

GrueneTree Giveaway!

** Comments are now open but my Navigation bar needs retool. Sorry for the mess!

 

I am proud to share that my husband has recently opened his open Motorcycle Shop: Gas-Head Motorsports, Inc. Which he hopes will be the badest place to get your bike worked on and hang out and talk shop. Unfortunately, the location is close to 1 hour away from home. BUT it is very close to my parents home. So after a long talk, we have decided to move closer to his work and my parents so that  1) Devon can enjoy more time with Daddy 2) Mommy (me) can get more work done while Devon bakes cookies with Grandma 3) we save on gas money 4) Take a general load off financially and time wise. That said, I have some packing to do. We are planning to rent our house on this side of town while renting on the other side until the market picks up. While we are fixing little things here and there getting the house into show fashion, it is my job to de clutter and pack our lives into boxes until we can settle permanently again. We don't know the size of the new house because we haven't started to look yet. With Garrett's 12- 14 hour days (We are so glad that after 4 mo his biz is a success but he is too busy to do anything else) so I am packing the none essentials away. But some items are too pretty to pack away for who-knows how long so I want to find better homes for my samples that I have created recently. Thus GrueneTree Giveaway is born. I am hoping to have 2 a month but let's take it one step at a time. 

The premiere Gruenetree Giveaway is the lovely Pearl Clutch. I knit this from Berroco Lustra, which is a deliciously shiny and slightly fluffy yarn in a cluster pattern (Free Pattern Here to knit your own) with a Turquoise Dupioni Silk Lining. Just add your comment to the bottom or tweet this tag me so I will know and you are entered to win! Good Luck!

Birthdays and Sundresses

Usually I am so busy doing puzzles and working on blog contributions that I haven't made time to work on anything else. Well, upcoming birthdays and a visit from an Australian friend have demanded that I make time. My mom's birthday is tomorrow and I really want to make something special for her. Since I have had my daughter my crafting time dedicated towards birthdays has shiveled up and died. I vowed to make it different this year. Mom has really stepped up to help me out since Devon has gotten mobile and having Mom around gives me some time to work and be myself for just a bit, helping me to be a better mom. A small hand made gift is the least I can do. I am embroidering a set of Tea Time napkins for her since she is a full fledged Tea-head. In the morning, it is all coffee but after the pot goes cold, mom is all about the tea. I know she will love these dainty napkins. Though she is a big embroiderer herself, she will love these because they are different and just for her. 

I am also crafting up a pair of convertible mittens in a purl stripe that I know she will love as well. The mittens look as though they are purled throughout but they involve only minimal purling and are 90% knit stitch. It's pretty awesome. I just need to find some vintage buttons, weave in the ends and we are ready for pictures and gift wrap. 

For my mom's birthday, her best friend, who resides in Australia, has flown in to spend 2 weeks with her. It is pretty special considering she  came last year for the first time in 10 yrs or so and we surprised my mom. She flew in and I picked her up all secret like at the airport. Then we drove to my mom's who only knew that I was coming to see her for the day. I called my mom when we arrived and asked her to meet me outside to help me with some packages. When she opened the door, her jaw dropped and we all started crying. Mom kept asking "is it really you?" This fine lady is also the mother to one of my best friends who has 3 kids herself and can't make the voyage over yet. So I want to make some specials to send back to her kids. She has 2 boy and one little princess. For the princess, I made 2 dresses from Heather Ross' Weekend Sewing: The Smocked dress and the Flower Girl dress. They turned out really nice but I think the sizing is a bit off on the Flower girl dress. I cut out 2 of the 2 yr old size (One for Devon and one for Aaliyah) and when I tried it on Devon (who just turned 2) it would not fit. It was more of an 18 mo size. I inserted a zipper into Devon's which fixed that fit issue. The Smocked dress fit but not like the book describes. I have the elastic thread working but I need to fiddle with it some more. Maybe work with the tension. I cut from the same material for each girl and used gray satin ribbon for the straps. It looks amazing on. Devon's is more of a tunic size. 

New Pattern and lots of loose ends

I would love to say that I have been too busy to blog but I am not sure that I wouldn't be lying. I have been busy, yes, but I am not sure if I have been busy enough to justify not blogging. Having a 2 yr old seems to be more work, energy and running around. I would have thought it might slacken a bit but no. I am sure many of you mom's are shaking your head and saying "I could have told you that" in your head but you never really learn no matter how many times someone tells you until you do it yourself. 

Birthday parties have been off the hook. Not just Devon's but other's as well. We celebrated Devon's as low key- or so we thought. Just family and a few close friends. It turned into about 30 people. We have more family in the area than we thought. It was still nice and mostly quiet. Devon scored more book than anything else which was exactly as we hoped. She loves them. Next up was the neighbor boy born 2 days after Devon and he was gifted a cute felt, suiting and tie cape. I used a cape pattern I am developing and just cut it out with pinking shears. Then I appliqued his initial cut from pirate fabric onto a field of suiting in the shape of a shield and using an old silk tie as the tie. It turned out AWESOME as Devon will tell you.

I also released my new knitting pattern for Fabric.com:  January Cropped Sweater. I am in love with it. You can add to the length easily since it is knit from the top down to make it full length. Check it out when you get the chance. 

The loose ends are that we are considering a move to the east side and that means there is alot of painting, carpet cleaning, packing and decluttering going on. Not to mention some more sewing patterns on the drafting table and knitting patterns waiting in the wings. Ahh welll. 

"Holly" Pillow Tutorial and pattern making links

I have been doing more research on pattern making using illustrator (I figure this is where I should start then move on to printing). I have a handful of promising links but I have been dedicating all of my free time to collecting links and very little to actually checking them out. 

I found a great video tute by Ralph Pink on making sewing patterns in illustrator but from the few minutes I have spent watching it, I think I need to familiarize myself with his previous videos and terms. I think he hails from the UK so the measurements and terms are different. Perhaps just jumping in and watching the video and then going back over the parts that are tricky should be my plan. I will let you know how it goes. I found Ralph Pink via the Sewing Princess, after googleing heavily on pattern making with illustrator.  

On the home front, I didn't make much time to decorate for Xmas last year and I really wanted to make more decorations this year. Unfortunatley I just got started. Today, I have a velvet pillow cover that I embroidered with i-cord for Fabric.com's blog. It is so easy and really fun too. If you are not inclined to stitch your i-cord in place, you can use fabric glue. I plan to make more but given my full plate at the moment I don't see it happening. My Fri project is a super cute knitted cupcake ornament. My twist: a little fair isle icing!

New Knitting Pattern: Braided Ribbon Cowl

Here's my newest knitting pattern available now on Ravelry and soon available on Knit Picks. This is a great winter project that you can adjust to the chill in the air. If you need some style, tie the cowl on loosely. When the wind picks up and the cold increase, tighten the ribbon. The thick yarn and cables keep the warmth in close. You can opt to wear the cable in front for extra style. 

Free Patterns updated!

Phew! Over a month without updating my blog. I am ashamed. But I have been busy over at Fabric.com's blog with new pattern and projects. Plus I am getting ready for christmas. I made Devon a new dress (blogged later this week) and I have been trying to fit in a handmade gift for everyone. But I am finally updating my Free Patterns and Tutorial page with all kinds of new goodies, some just for the holidays! Check out some of the new projects!