Baby Layette

Thank you so much everyone for your well wishes on my new art school that I posted about in my last post!  It means so much to me.  Everyone I know virtually and really have been so supportive, and ready with a kind word when I feel down or feel like I'm not going to be able to this whole thing fly, that it warms my heart and keeps me going.  So thanks so much!

Onto other things...I haven't been able to create a whole lot lately but the kids have a new little baby cousin coming soon and I just had to make something!!  I love cute baby clothes!

 This sweater was so easy to make up!!  Front and back are basically the same, sleeves are the same, put it together, sc around the neck edge and TADA!  A wee little baby sweater is born.

 These pants were a little more tricky, but I powered through and completed them.  I hope they fit.

 The hat a booties really just crocheted themselves!  They went so quickly!  I love this newborn baby hat pattern and I think I will be making more of these in the future - an hour of time from the start to the finish and it was done.  Aren't those baby booties just the cutest?!

This is the whole layette all together.  It's called:  Mint Green Newborn Set and is available for free on Ravelry here.  I can tell you that the pattern is well written and super easy to follow.  The texture created from the combination of crocheting into the front loop and the back loop is really interesting and very pretty.

Please check out the sidebar for more fun projects from other talented fiber artists!

Brand New Endeavors!!

I have started my own school!!!

I have enjoyed so much teaching knitting after school, and the demand has been so high, that I decided to open a school and teach summer camps.

 My own crafting has taken a back seat a little bit because this has been quite a challenge to get started.  Getting the word out has been the hardest so far.  But I have been working diligently on that everyday for over a month and now am about 35% full.  I'm totally over the moon!!  The only morning camp session that has no students is the one that teaches crochet.  I actually thought that would sell spots quicker than macrame or weaving, but this is not the case.

I can't do anything without bringing my knitting with me and this is a new project.  It's a sweater for the 13 year old - he picked the pattern and he picked the yarn.  I love both and it's going relatively quickly.

Wish me luck on my new school!!

Click on the links on the sidebar for more great news in crafting!

Doin' My Own Thing

It's been quite awhile since I last posted.  So many good things have been happening!!  And crafting has been going gang busters - but not in the traditional "I made that" kind of way.

 I started teaching knitting to elementary school kids (2nd grade through 5th grade) once a week after school for two hours.  It has been such a blast!!  I had no idea how it would go or even it there would be any demand for this kind of thing.  I created a flyer and sent it out.  I advertised for 8 spots.....20 kids requested to be in the class!!  I took 12 of them and started a wait list.

 Today I am starting the first class of the second session and again I have 12 students.  7 repeats (kids who want to continue) and 5 new ones.  How great is that!!

Each kid gets their own "kit".  I make them one of the Capri Sun bags to carry their knitting in (all knitters need a bag!) and I include needles, yarn, scissors and a darning needle.  I think the kids like the bag as much as anything else.

 They all start out making either a purse or a stuffed monster pillow.  Rectangles of fabric which are then sewn into something useful.  This is just to get them started on the garter stitch fabric - so they can practice without having to knit a whole long scarf.  In the first session, all 12 students finished a project.  One of my students finished a purse and has started a hat!!

I made this sample bear to show them that each piece is just a "rectangle".  They have watched week to week as the knitting progressed.  They saw when each piece was completed and I showed them that each piece was indeed a rectangle and they each were capable of making it.  I can't wait to show them the bear in completed pieces and next week they will see the completed project.

I did it this way for a couple of reasons.  The most important was to show them that it takes awhile for a project to go from start to finish.   I made sure that it took all four weeks (and more) to get all the pieces done.  I also made "mistakes" and ripped them out right in front of the students - everyone makes mistakes and it's all good - it's just a form of learning how the stitches work.  And I wanted them to feel like it will be a real possibility for them to make one of these too.  The student who is working on the hat wants to make one of these and I believe she can do it!!

I can't believe that I can make money at something I enjoy doing.  I love to work with kids - I love that "lightbulb" moment when they "get it".  There have been so many of these over the last month.  And of course I love to knit.  Such a win - win situation.

Don't you just love that little face?!!

Head on over to Tami's, Ginny's, Sara's and Kristine's to see more works in progress.