Felt Zipper Pouch: sewing tutorial

Last week I showed you how I made a Felt and Fleece Laptop Sleeve. The sleeve was perfect for storing and transporting my laptop around, but it didn't have space to add my charger. I decided to use the extra felt to make a zipper bag to hold all in.

Royal Triangle Shawl

When I crocheted the Lodge Pillow last fall I was saying how much I liked the yarn. So the next time I was at Michael's, I purchased some more of that same yarn in the same dye lot to match my leftover yarn. I didn't really have any plans for it though, so it sat in my stash for awhile. Until recently, that is, when I made this shawl with it.

10 for Tuesday: Crochet Shawl Patterns

Springtime is coming soon, or if you live in California like me, it's already here. One of my favorite accessories for spring is a light and airy shawl. It is breathable, but still keep me protecting against minor chills (or the freezer section at the grocery store). I've round up 10 pretty shawl patterns that are perfect for spring.

Felt & Fleece Laptop Sleeve Sewing Tutorial

I was a very lucky girl at Christmas this year and scored myself a 13" Macbook Air. It was much needed since I'm getting more serious about my blogging now. Before that I was using a 6-year old Netbook I had really just purchased for taking to class in college. Let's just say photo editing took A LOT of patience on that thing. So obviously I am very, very happy with my new laptop.

Immediately after getting it I looked into cases. I wanted to protect my new baby! The ones I liked the most were made out of felt. The Macbook Air is super light and sleek, so I liked the idea of a thin sleeve to protect it without adding bulkiness. However, I couldn't bring myself to buy it. I figure I could make it myself. I definitely procrastinated a bit, but I finally made it!

Triple Luxe Cowl

A couple of weeks ago I took a trip to Oregon to visit a very good friend of mine. It gets a bit colder there than it does here, so I used that as a perfect excuse to do some crocheting. I made a Cloudburst Shawl for my friend and a Chunky Stripe Hat with a pom pom for her husband. For myself, I was trying to pack for a weekend in just a backpack so I wanted a warm accessory that could get with every outfit. My raincoat is red, so it was very obvious to me to crochet a blue cowl.

I had been eyeing the Triple Luxe Cowl pattern for awhile. What had stopped me from making it sooner was that bulky yarn meant for a very warm cowl. I live in Northern California, and there would probably only a month or two in the winter when it'd be cold enough to wear it. So of course I jumped on an excuse to make it.

10 for Tuesday: D.I.Y. Laptop Cases

One of my most popular 10 for Tuesday posts is for DIY Phone & Tablet Cases. I decided that naturally I need to add some DIY Laptop Cases. Most laptops are going to cost more than our tablets and phones, so let's make sure to protect them too. And stayed tuned for later this week for a new sewing tutorial for laptop sleeve I made for my own laptop!

As always, these are all free tutorials. Some require and bit of sewing or crochet, others just a bit of craftiness. Enjoy!

The Tonic 2 Tee Sewing Review

If you have read my About Me section, you know that I have done very little clothing sewing. I figure, however, that sewing two bridesmaids dresses must jump me ahead to advance beginner or intermediate in terms of garment making. I'm pretty experienced sewing woven fabrics too. Knits, however, are a whole different ballgame. No two seem alike either. I feel a bit like I'm playing fabric roulette whenever I sew with a new knit fabric. Some sew up perfectly the first time and others require so much fussing over.

DIY Chain Earrings

My boyfriend and I were watching Whiplash a couple weeks ago and he made a comment during one on the scenes that he like the actress' earrings. My first thought was that I could make some earrings like that. With Valentine's Day coming up, I thought it be perfect to make them to wear for a night out.


Luckily, that scene is in the trailer, so I was able to grab a screenshot to get a closer look at them. It looks very simple, a few varying lengths of chain with an accent piece.

I went to Michael's in search of the accent chain. I was disappointed that I couldn't find anything similar, but I did find some chain with decorative clear beads I liked. Using the earrings from the movie as inspiration, I decided to make my own version. I cut the decorative chain to a length I liked. Then I cut other chain pieces to be a bit shorter and a bit longer. I cut 4 pieces of chain for each earring, and made the decorative chain the second shortest.

10 for Tuesday: DIY Valentine's Day Round Up

Do you have any Valentine's Day plans yet? Whether your going out or staying in, why not bring a little DIY into the holiday. I've got free tutorials to get you inspired on what to wear, what to give, and even decor to get you into the Valentine's Day spirit. Enjoy!

Crochet Striped Baby Girl Hat

Do you remember my Baby Boy Striped Hat crochet pattern? Well I decided that it's not just for boys. A friend asked me to make one for a baby girl because she didn't want anything too girly. I love the pink and gray stripes color combination.

Chunky Stripe Hat with Pom Pom

Remember my Chunky Stripe Hat pattern? Well, after making all of those hats I was left with a lot of scrap yarn. Plus, I had just gotten finished making my own Triple Luxe Cowl and had a bit of yarn left over from that project as well. Scraps are just asking to be made into stripes, so I thought it was time to try out my beanie pattern again.

10 for Tuesday: DIY Romantic Gifts for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is a day to show the one you love how much they mean to you. I don't believe that you have to spend a lot of money to do this. I think the sweetest gifts are those you spent time on and show how much you care. Here are some romantic gift ideas and inspiration that you can make and give to your significant other. Enjoy!