How to Make a Beautiful, Cheap, Interchangeable Watchband in under 15 minutes

Being a huge fan of hers, I recently found a Wonder Woman watch on ebay for $6.  Hooray! However the watchband was cheap plasticky fake leather.  I set out to find a fun way to make a watchband and ended up with something that looks great!

How to Make a Bolster/Neck Roll/Tube Pillow Case

If you're a long time reader, you know that I have a bulging disc in my neck.  It is much improved, but is still a problem.  I found a wonderful pillow that has helped tremendously.  I just happens to look like a log.  Now I need a pillow case for it so that it will last a long time.

McLeod's Daughters Drinking Game

You know I like to knit and spin wool and other fibers.  So someone turned me on to this Australian show about women who run a sheep and cattle ranch. The show is completely addictive and now on Netflix.   Even my husband watches it, but won't admit it. This game will keep you entertained long after the feasibility of the plots expire. (Spoiler alert! If you haven't made it through the end of season 3, do not read this!)

Adoption Quilts for San Antonio Child Protective Services

This post is a little different.  I am involved with a group of people who make quilts for National Adoption Month (November), to give to kids being adopted in San Antonio, TX.  We are making over 100 quilts.  Each child will choose which one they want to bring to their new home.  The ages range from infant to 17 years old.  So we're making lots and lots of them.

If you're interested in joining us, we need all the help we can get at any skill level! Please contact me for more information.

Here's some of the ones I've made...

Review of the Yellow Rose Fiber Producers Fiesta

I went to the 2013 Yellow Rose Fiber Producers Fiesta in Seguin, TX recently...

Scooby Doo Dog Themed Quilt

Dog Themed Quilt

I've been working on some quilts for National Adoption month.  In November, a quilt will be given to each child adopted through Child Protective Services in San Antonio, TX.  This design of mine is a Scooby Doo dog quilt...

How to Knit a Super Dog Sweater

It's a bird, it's a dog, it's...Super Spec!
Find out how to make your own Super Dog Sweater in this blog post...

How to Make a Cheap, and Easy Bird House in 15 minutes

Last year a wren built a nest on a shelf on our back porch.  In the past couple of days, with the weather warming up, we have seen a couple of wrens.  We have since moved that shelf and taken down the nest.

So, I made a simple, easy, cheap bird house...

Advanced - How to Knit a Hairnet / Snood

So, it turns out my How to Knit a Hairnet / Snood post is one of my most popular.  I know I reposted the actual pattern from another blog, so I figured I'd enhance my own post by offering different knitting stitches to make fancier hairnets / snoods...

How to Make a Splendid Paw Stocking or a "Paw-king"

A couple of years ago I made stockings and pawkings for all of us.  Since then, we lost our Pedro, and have added Spec to our little family.  So, it's time to make Spec a pawking.

What to Do with Raw Alpaca Fleece

Raw Alpaca Fiber

I went to the Kid 'N Ewe fiber festival this weekend in Boerne, TX just north of San Antonio.  I had so much fun!  Being new to the whole spinning thing, it was amazing to see so many people spinning and the variety of wheels out there.  There were almost no two alike.  There was also roving and more roving.  Lots of yarn, which now is boring.  And there was raw fiber.  What I've been waiting for!

Let Me Spin You a Yarn

I realized I have not shown my readers my latest yarn that I've spun.  I think I have the hang of it, now especially since I'm not looking at it as I spin, rather going by feel (for my neck's sake).

I got a pack of 8oz of plain old, non-dyed, cheap ($9.50/8oz) wool roving from Pacific Wool and Fiber.  The wool is great.  I really like the earthy feel to it, and it spins better than the fancy wool.  This wool really grasps, rather than being shiny and slipping.  I did find a place in TX, Mohair and More, with the same Corriedale Cross wool roving that has a better shipping price ($5), though.  Gotta support the locals.  I'm ordering my next batch from them of the same wool.  I'll let you know if it's not the same quality.

I think my yarn turned out great!  Here's the first wool I spun ever vs. the first of the above wool I spun:

How to Make a Cheap Arrow Quiver, Finger Tab, and Arm Guard for Archery

I wanted to make my own quiver for my new hobby, archery.  I know what you're thinking.  You don't need another hobby.  But of course I do.  My husband had gotten a couple of recurve bows way back when, and they were just sitting in his closet until last weekend.  We went to an archery store and got strings for them.  And voila, new hobby!

Cheap, DIY Archery Quiver

My First Yarn

With a lot of practice and errors, I have finally spun wool into yarn.  Yay me!!

How to Knit a Hairnet / Snood

In addition to my neck woes, I found out recently I have hypothyroidism.  One of the symptoms is hair loss.  While we're still getting the right dosage of meds for me, I am losing hair.  Not in clumps but I see my hair all over the place, especially when I comb/brush it.  Gross!

In order not to have hair in my food, I decided to knit a hairnet.  I found a hairnet knitting pattern online.  And I made some adjustments to make it easier to wear.  Fancy hairnets that ballet dancers wear are called "snoods."

Step by Step How to make a JRT Biscuit / Puff Quilt

Finished this quilt a while back.  It was very challenging for my neck, so it took a while.  It is mostly sewn by hand.  Since I've had Jack Russell Terriers (JRTs), I decided to make a JRT biscuit quilt.  The biscuit or puff quilts looked like so much fun, and I had some foam from a previous dog bed that had gotten torn up.

How to Make Homemade Knitting Needles

So, I've been busy.  I was sick with a sore throat for a week, so that halted everything.  I'm pretty sure I got that while going on a great thrift store hunt, where I found a couple t-shirts for my husband and a bowl.  Not what I bargained for!

I was able to knit a lot though.  I finished a Halloween colored sweater, and made a matching one for my dog.  When it actually gets cold enough to wear, I will post some pics.  Right now it's still in the 90's.

Ever hopeful, I'm working on a pumpkin pie colored cardigan.  That ought to be fun.  So, I discovered I didn't have the right sized knitting needles for that project.  Being me, of course, I decided to make my own.

Spinning Wheel!!!!

While at the Salvation Army with my new found friend, Christine, who I met on http://www.girlfriendsocial.com/, I found a spinning wheel.  I said, I must buy it!  So I did.  And after looking on ebay, I apparently got a great bargain!

Random Assortment of Updates

I just thought I'd update you on what I've been doing.

On the cheese front:

How to Roll a Ball of Yarn with Bert and Ernie

Now that you've made your T-shirt yarn or are ready to start on your next knitting project, you'll need to roll your yarn into a ball.  It's easy and free.