Projects Done and Begun

For a while I had wanted to make something to organize and store all the double-point needles that were stashed in a box with crochet hooks, stitch markers, and assorted small tools. The cases for sale on Etsy are beautiful, but I wasn't sure they would be big enough, and I really wanted to make one out of fabric and supplies I had on hand.

This is what I came up with. There are 2 pockets (short and long) for each size and the pockets are 2" wide. I forgot that I have a set of #1.5 needles, so they are living uneasily with the #2s. I had no idea I have so many #0 and #1 needles, especially since I hardly ever make socks.

This is Baby Sophisticate, knit for Creations for Charity--Tallahassee, FL. I used yarn that Ilona had sent from Germany several years ago, and have enough left to make another sweater just like it.

Not much to look at, but this is the beginning of a soaker for DGS. He is reported to have outgrown the first batch. The forecast is for temperatures near 100 this weekend, so it looks like a good time for indoor projects. Cleaning the sewing room (I can't call it a studio) should be first in the queue.

I Got Distracted

Is there any other explanation for abandoning this little effort for almost a year and a half? It is not as though my life took a turn for the exciting, or that I gave up knitting. Most of my knitting projects are on Ravelry, if you want to see what I've been working on. A few months ago I decided to replace my old, unreliable sewing machine with a Brother Project Runway model. It is wonderful to know that the sewing machine will actually work when I want to make something. I finished the skirt in picture last night and am pretty happy about how it turned out. If I had to make all my clothes I would have a lot fewer, though, and I understand why old houses had such little (or nonexistent) closets. The next sewing project in the queue is a case for storing double point knitting needles. The pieces are cut out and marked, but I have to think through the order to assemble them, since I'm making up the pattern. What else has been going on? I read and loved Bowling Avenue and have joined an art quilting group here in Tallahassee. I feel like something of a fraud when see what these women create, but I really enjoy hanging out with them every month and learning about their projects. Last fall I took a quilting for beginners class and have made several small quilts. Who would have guessed how much fun it is to cut fabric into pieces and sew it back together again? DD2 let me know that my grandson is outgrowing the soakers I made him at Christmas so I picked up some wool (Ella Rae worsted) at Wooly Bully today and will get started tonight. It makes me happy to make something that my kids have asked for.