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Heather Mann’s Craft Fail Book

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heather-craftfail

Heather Mann’s new book, CraftFail: When Handmade Goes Horribly Wrong, was just released a few weeks ago. If you are a fan of the website, you’ll love the book.

Listen to Heather and I visit about crafting and learning and not needing to spend a lot of money to make something you love.

If you’ve ever made something that looked so good online and your version flopped.

If you made a cake that looked nothing like the picture in the cookbook.

If you tried and you failed and you learned and you tried again – you’ll love the book.

Enter today to win a copy of the book, generously donated by Heather! Tell me about a CraftFail that you had! Earn additional entries by visiting the Me Being Crafty facebook page and the CraftFail facebook page.

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Fall Table Runner

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Since moving here I have utilized the library to the fullest extent! I love the library system here, I love anywhere that has a great system. Here we live a bit far from any of the libraries, but the bookmobile comes to the parking lot of a convenience store that is just a couple minutes away. I’ve taken to doing general searching on the library’s website – words like “craft” ” quilt” “sewing” and if the book (or title if there isn’t a picture) looks interesting, I’ll request it. This led to finding Patchwork Table Runners.


The best part of a library is that since you aren’t buying a book, you don’t have to debate do I get this book or that, you can just take as many as you want. This has saved a serious amount of money because I love craft books, and since living with my Mom, I really love quilting books and magazines. After just a quick glance through the table runner book, I knew I wanted to buy it. There are no less then five I want to make. I love these fabrics and had them saved for a fall table runner, and it took a bit to come together – mainly because I messed up the bear paw blocks the first time around. But look at how great it is! I really love this alot. On my schedule is to do a handful of table runners for each season.

First Crafts of the Year

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I have been SO crafty over the past few months! I’ve made baby blocks for a friends new baby, crocheted a baby blanket, did the beadwork projects for my class, sewed pillows, made ribbon pillows with my Mom, helped Mom make a table topper for my niece as a wedding gift, helped make a table runner for my sister in law for Christmas – and the list goes on! Oh and we can’t forget the Christmas ornaments I made for a handful of friends, as well as for my brothers and their families.

But for the first craft of the year – I made myself a crochet hook holder. I’ve been wanting one for quite a while and finally got around to it. We spent the night in Seattle when we dropped Chris off at the airport, and I came home and immediately cut the fabric for it. It took a few hours because I couldn’t grasp the idea of the instructions – and of course after I finished the project, the instructions are very easy to follow along with.

One mistake I made is putting the flap on the left side (as you can see) because in the instructions it says to put the flap in between the inside and outside fabric, on the top right side. Well they meant the top right side after you were finished – not the top right as it was laying on the table. So my flap ended up there. But it still worked just fine!  There are 12 pockets for hooks, as well as a larger pocket on the right side for scissors. The flap makes it so the hooks don’t fall out and it closes with a cute button.

The button I got from my Mom’s stash and was a quick add. This project is from the Sew Darn Cute book – there are several things in here we are going to be making over the next month or so. My Mom already made a handful of needle books from it, and Alice is going to make headbands for a few of her girlfriends.

So that was the first craft of the new year! Actually, the first after Christmas craft as this was done a few days after Christmas. I also embellished a crochet hook (need to get a picture of that, I thought I had one but guess not!) and worked on baby moccasins that day. Living with my Mom has really opened me up to being able to sew and be even more crafty then I used to be. It helps that I went back to school and the kids are in school. Before we would have full days and while my own schooling keeps me busy, I have lots of free time when everyone in the house is gone so I can get a lot done.

Craft Pad Review

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We went to the library again and I managed to find quite a few books I had saved on my list. I took another glance in the craft section and I have to say I’m disappointed in they are so old – the covers sort of give it away but opening the book definitely does. I love finding quilting patterns but it seems they are only stocking quilting for babies from the 70s and 80s! I suppose that’s fun to look at and the colors could be changed, but I managed to find others to bring home instead.

They do have one shelf dedicated to embroidery and I need to take a few minutes to look at that closer. I didn’t bring many crafts to do with me but I did manage to throw in a set of pillow cases. Now that I think about it, I’m not sure I brought thread! Ah well just another reason to go craft item shopping.

Head on over to Average Jane Crafter and read the review on the Sublime Stitching Craft Pad. This is the Sublime Stitching book being published March 13! Rachel has done a review and it will make you want to run to your bookstore and wait for that day to come. Luckily for us all, it’s just a week away. The Craft Pad looks like it has so many awesome embroidery patterns! I can’t wait to try them out. I usually stick to pillows for my embroidery and figure it’s time to branch out to other items. I have a few ideas and wrote them down so I don’t forget.

Do you have a favorite embroidery pattern? I love birds (the tattoo swallows are my favorite) and flowers.

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