Crafting update! So I made a few handmade gifts for Christmas this year. Next year I'd like to ramp it up, maybe make some ornaments for everyone. I need to start this summer though if I truly have a shot in hell of doing it.

For my sister, I finished up some pot holders. Hopefully she's getting real use out of them. That's my second (or my eighth if you count them all individually) completed quilting project. Here's a front shot and a back shot for your viewing pleasure.

And now, no more potholders. I have all the supplies to make my first full size quilt. It's intimidating and exciting. And I hope to start cutting some time in March. You may see some posts of me just showing cutting/laying progress along the way. A full quilt is going to be a huge project.

It's funny, looking at that pic it seems really gold heavy, but it really won't be. The main color of the quilt is a cream color. The gold swirly one will be the backer fabric (so you could argue it's gold friendly but on the underside). There are actually far more options of other colors than there are gold on the actual front of the quilt. But we'll all have to see as it gets closer.

I also made a dog scarf and dog leg warmers as a Christmas gift. It's kind of a joke? My sister got a dog and the dog has a coat (since it gets so cold here). And now the dog has accessories as well.

I am definitely not going to be winning any photography awards any time soon. But that's how I wrapped up 2012 - crafting a few gifts and preparing for my next adventure. I'm also busy embroidering this. Weird truth: I use way more embroidery floss than this seller thinks I will need. I made one of these last year and also ran out. I'm on par to run out again this year. Shrug?

When I said I've been mostly doing nothing...that was a lie. A nice little white lie, but a lie. I've been busy wedding planning (pretty much done) and sewing. Knitting has stalled. I broke a needle on the project I was working on -like an idiot, i tried to put on the sock while I was still knitting it (it looked way small) and crack went the needle. So this is a sewing update for you!

First, I finished my set of potholders. I got much better at piecing and quilting lines. I'm pretty much at the same skill level with the binding (not terrible but not smooth and perfect). And I wound up with a potholder I'd call my favorite! I actually love one of them. This one:

i think the chevron lining worked fantastically with the squares

 And here's the full set. Remember, I screwed up my measuring/seams on the first one I did...which is why it is small in comparison.

I spent a chunk of hours cutting out all of the squares for a second set of potholders, to be made for my sister and her husband:

In other sewing news, I spent one full day butchering a set of curtains my mom had made for my old apartment. You can see them in said apartment (sort of) in a picture here. Those windows were huge: tall and wide...and those curtains didn't really fit anywhere in the house. We were/are using them on basement windows to "hide" all of loml's music gear from would-be robbers (his paranoia, not mine). But they were huge for the windows. So I cut up one curtain to make three for basement windows and then sewed an insanely basic hem on any cut sides. Basic because eventually I think loml would like to pick his own fabric for those windows. It surprisingly took a long time - for something that sounds so simple.

I also went on two shopping expeditions with a friend to pick out fabric for her housewarming gift: curtains. We bought it last weekend and I'm in the process of deciding on a curtain type..and then I'll begin the insanely scary task of cutting. You can rip out seams...but you can't undo a poor cut. Here's a picture of that fabric in its raw state:

Lots more fun with my sewing machine to come. I'll try to update in parts, rather than in a huge chunk.