I did crafting.
I did a few other things, but mostly crafting. I spent my vacation in the Twin Cities area visiting friends and family. I went to a birthday party, babysat my nephew, went to the Science Museum, the Children’s Museum, Como Zoo, the fall festival of the church I attended growing up, and the State Fair. Between those things was knitting, crocheting, sewing and my mom taught me how to can fruit.
My sister and her family live in St. Paul and my parents live just north a bit in Buffalo. We decided to get together and do a Pinterest Night where we would meet at my sister’s place and work on crafts or DIYs we saw on Pinterest. I wanted to sew a new lunch bag. I have a thing for lunch bags and boxes – right now I have two thermal bags, two bento boxes, a full Mr. Bento set, and a huge collection of plastic containers that fit together. I picked this pattern from JoAnn.com – Cute-Enough-To-Eat Lunch Bags and went to Crafts Direct in St. Cloud to pick out fabric.
Every time I drive by St. Cloud on my way to Buffalo I vow to stop at Crafts Direct. Well, this time I finally did it. Turns out it’s pretty much the same as Hobby Lobby. I ended up spending about an hour and a half in the fabric section alone. They had a really cool fabric selection. I got a “recycle, reduce, reuse” themed fabric for the outside of the bag, a green, leafy fabric for the lining and straps, and a blue flower button. They make an adorable bag for my lunch!
Today it held yogurt, a leftover porkchop, a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers, a slice of tomato-herb bread, a Diet Coke, and cutlery.
So roomy!
On my drive to my sister’s house in St. Paul from Crafts Direct in St. Cloud (yes, I’m a crazy person) I stopped at a yarn store in Maple Grove I’ve wanted to visit for a while. At Amazing Threads I bought a skein of Malabrigo Sock in Ravelry Red and four skeins of Berroco Vintage DK in Lilac. I have special plans for the sock yarn, and the Vintage DK will probably be a sweater I’ve had my eye on.
Then I met my mom at JoAnn Fabrics a few miles away and bought more yarn. Seven skeins of Serenity Sock for a cardigan, and two skeins of Kroy Sock in a fun pattern which I suppose will probably be socks. They’re kind of manly; perhaps I’ll knit socks for some lucky dude.
My parents’ back yard makes a pretty backdrop for yarn photos.
The next day I went to Silver Creek Cabin for just an eensy bit more yarn shopping. I bought a skein each of Done Roving Frolicking Feet in Hot Pink and Blue Ridge Yarns Kaleidoscope in Ocean Coral for more sock making. I’ve used Blue Ridge Yarns Kaleidoscope before and I L-O-V-E love it. Very sturdy, very pretty colors.
To round out my shopping I got three skeins of Queensland Collection Kathmandu Chunky for a vest.
My husband was unable to vacation with me, so he had to fend for himself while I was gone. When I arrived home he said “Don’t ask how much pizza I ate while you were away.” I responded with “Deal, if you don’t ask how much yarn I bought.”
Amid this shopping was some actual crafting. I crocheted an amigurumi bat for my husband. He’s an Alien Space Bat.
He’s made from Red Heart Classic yarn in Pale Sage and Silver. He still needs some feet, and probably antennae (as he’s an alien) and a space helmet (as he’s from space), but we haven’t quite figured out how to do that part yet. The pattern for the bat is available through Ravelry.
I did some work on my rainbow knee socks, which have morphed to rainbow thigh-highs. I’m actually much further than this now – they’re up over my knees. I’d love to finish them by the end of the month, but it would take some serious knitting. That’s a lot of sock!
Now I know that I can knit to about three inches below my knees with a single 100g skein of sock yarn. I have short legs.
The last crafty thing I did on my vacation was making homemade applesauce with my mom. We got the apples from her neighbors’ trees. A half-grocery bag full made ten pints of applesauce! It’s very good. We boiled the apples with butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. I like to add a pinch of brown sugar when I eat it.
I got so excited every time I heard a jar lid seal. Pop! My first batch of canning was a success!
A very good, very relaxing, very crafty vacation. Now it’s back to the real world for a while.
