Some New Projects and Yet Another Snag

I've been at the machine a bit lately.  Last week I had a really long stint when both little boys decided Saturday afternoon was a good napping afternoon.  I managed about two hours time I think!  It's amazing what can be accomplished in a block of time like that!

My circle of friends are still in the midst of a baby boom, so I've a list of gifts to make a mile long.  Really.  Every time I figure out what I want to make for one babe to be, another Mommy announces a new arrival on the way.  Luckily I enjoy making baby things and they go nice and quickly!

I actually really love the gift I made last weekend!  I hope the Mommy I'm giving it to (and of course her baby girl) will love it just as much!

I used made by Rae's pattern for the dress, Fishsticks Designs' pattern for the bloomers and the shrug is "Confection" from The ShizKnit.  All fantastic patterns that I'll definitely turn to again and again I'm sure!

I also made another pair of pjs for Baby Boy, again using Fishsticks Designs "Comfy Sleep Set" pattern.  I made this set a bit bigger because Baby Boy has already outgrown the first set I made him!

I think he's looking pretty comfy in them while he plays.  What do you think?

Anyone want to take a stab
at figuring out exactly what
I'm supposed to do next?

I started working on my Lopi sweater.  You know the previously doomed, but then saved, and now... once again doomed sweater.  I picked it up quite some time ago, determined to finish it.  I was so close.  Only the neckline, hood and finishing to be done.  Then one day I went out and foolishly, oh so foolishly, left my pattern where the dogs could reach it.  I came home to find, much to my dismay, that the dogs had eaten my pattern.  The very part I need in order to finish the sweater, GONE.  There were some tattered and torn pieces of paper scattered around the room, and I tried to salvage them.  Unfortunately they didn't belong to the sweater I am knitting.  I've finished the neckline, I'll eventually do the hood, but how to attach one to the other and finish the sweater is beyond me.  I tried it on too.  And it's too small.  Way too small for decency.  I'm greatly saddened, no make that frustrated, by this final snag in the Lopi from hell.

Spring, Glorious Spring!

Daddy and LTM on the "Motorbycle"

We have had some lovely weather this spring.  I know there will be those that argue with that statement.  Sure we a rather late snowstorm a couple weeks ago, and of course it rained on the Victoria Day long weekend (but it always rains on the long weekend, so really, just expect it, then you won't be disappointed!), but all in all, it's been a glorious spring!

After carefully inspecting the dandelion,
Baby Boy furthers his investigation by tasting it too!

I have been enjoying the time playing outside with my wee men folk.  It's amazing to watch them explore and discover.  To them it's a 3 1/2 acre playground at their disposal.  Little Toddler Man is fascinated by the barns and must investigate them at least once a day.  He loves the big "horsey barn" best of all - truth be told so do I.  It holds such promise.  Those big, well built stalls just waiting for the day we can put horses in them!  He's not quite as fond of the little barn, which is, well little, and old, and in need of repair.  But all in due time. We have plans for that too.  (BF)G and I picture a large greenhouse.  N pictures a place to build a chicken coop.  LTM pictures more "horsies" and who knows what Baby Boy pictures when he looks at it from the comfort of Mommy or Daddy's arms.  We also must inspect the garden shed on a daily basis, I suppose to make sure the dirt bike and the lawn mower are still there where they should be.  LTM thinks the dirt bike (or Motorbycle as he called it for several weeks) is one of the greatest things ever.  He also holds the garden tractor in similar high regard!

There are still days, despite encroaching neighbours, and increasing traffic down our quiet gravel road, that it really feels like I'm living in a big park.  Watching both little boys stand at the window to watch the bunnies, squirrels, blue jays and robins gives me a sense of peace.

LTM and Baby Boy playing together!

Ah how I love me some craftiness!

I've got a bit of a system going in order to get my crafty fix.  Of course I'd love more time, but I'll take what I can get.

It is much easier to get things accomplished if I break them up into little parcels of productivity.  For example with sewing I try to have everything cut out and ready to go so that if I get a moment of time to sit at the machine I actually can spend time doing the sewing.  Cutting out can be done with toddler afoot.  Sewing cannot.  It all comes down to time management.  And just you watch.  Now that I've developed my, in theory, fail proof method for accomplishment something or someone (aka Little Toddler Man or Baby Boy) will throw a wrench into it and I'll have to figure out a new system.  But such is life with two very busy little boys.

Other than the odd snowfall and some wet, rainy weather here and there it has been phenomenal here in my little corner of the prairies, so crafty time has taken a back seat to outside play time with my little guys.  It's amazing how much both little ones love to be outdoors.  Even the baby who just gets to pretty much sit in his stroller or on occasion have a go in the swing loves it.  He can be fussy as can be until he realizes we're on our way outside and suddenly he's all smiles and coos!  LTM would spend every waking hour (plus more) outside if I let him.  If we need to venture out in the car anywhere I've taken to warning him for at least half an hour before we are to leave, "We have to go in the car today. We're going to go [to the city, grocery store, whatever], and then when we come home we'll go outside to play.  Ok?  Say ok, Mommy."  (we find if we ask him to say "ok" to things he's much more agreeable, I think he's figured out there's some sort of connection to saying ok and following through on it!). I usually have to repeat this little conversation several times before leaving or it's get to the garage open the car door up and have a wailing toddler, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.  Outside to play."  or better yet, open up the garage door and the toddler bolts as I'm putting baby in his car seat all the while yelling, "I'm running away.  I'm running away."  Good thing we have 3 1/2 fenced in acres in which he can run away.  I'd be terrified if our garage opened up on to a busy lane or street!

Comfy PJs / Puppy Apron / Rag Quilt

I have still managed to get some good sewing and knitting time in too!  I took part in a SAL (sew along) with my fellow October Mommies on Ravelry and made a great new pair of pjs for Baby Boy.  I used Fishsticks Pattern's Comfy Sleep Set pattern and loved it.  I really hope to make another couple pairs and some for LTM too!  It's a fantastic little pattern!

I got LTM's apron done too.  I'm really pleased with how it turned out and I think he's pretty happy with it too.  It's already had lots of use in the kitchen!

Baby Boy needed a new quilt too, so using an online tutorial I made him a snuggly flannel rag quilt.  Rag quilts have to be the easiest thing going!  Well, except for the cutting of the seam allowances that is. My hand may actually never be the same again.  I didn't take the quilt to a laundromat to wash, but instead threw it in a zippered duvet cover and hoped for the best.  Thank goodness for the duvet cover, or I'd be probably in a lot of trouble with (BF)G and calling a repair shop.  What an amazing amount of flannel fluff comes off of one small baby quilt!  It's finished though, and I'm really pleased with how it all turned out!  Best part is Baby Boy seems quite pleased with it too.  Doesn't help him sleep any better unfortunately, but it does make him happy to snuggle down underneath it!

I'm about to get going again on my Summer Mommies Friendship quilt, and am just working up my nerve for it.  I've come to the part that scares me.  Putting it all together!  Eeek!

French Press Slippers /
Water to Sky Anklets

In knitting, I made yet another pair of French Press Felted Slippers.  This time for LTM to give his daycare provider on his last day there.  I also managed to finish the second sock for my "Pay it Forward 2011" project #5, and then came to the sickening realization that my pair of socks were not identical twins.  They weren't even fraternal twins.  They were complete strangers.  Same ball of yarn.  Two very different colours.  Both in the purple family, but that's about it. The picture doesn't really show how very different they are, but trust me.  They don't even come close in real life.  Guess I have a new pair of mismatched socks to call my own.  No progress has been made on any of my other WIPs yet (Lopi, Chiton, Clapotis... etc.).  I'll get to them sooner or later.  Maybe!

In the meantime, I plan to enjoy the great outdoors with my little men, craft when I get the chance and feel good about the accomplishments I do have and not worry about those projects that languish for ages untouched!

Sticking to a Plan... or not!

A few crafty weeks have gone by since my last post.

I've been trying to be good and stick to a plan. Really. I have. Apparently though I suffer from low stick-to-it-ness. But I do need some sort of plan. Or schedule. Or focus. Or something. It's just that there's so many lovely patterns, yarns and fabrics out there and sometimes the siren song of a new project is just too strong for me to ignore!

I did get my peacock stitch cotton bag finished for Pay It Forward 2011, made a pair of "Fetching" fingerless gloves as a thank you to one of the ladies that has cared for LTM over the past year at his daycare, and also started a pair of ankle socks for my 5th Pay It Forward project.

I've done a bit of knitting on my Lopi sweater, but not much. Disaster has struck again. This time in manner of itchiness. My word! I thought I'd go crazy. How is it I knit three quarters of a sweater no problem (well, with itching - there certainly were other problems!) and then bam. Get to the yoke and it's all I can do to keep knitting and not scratch my arms to ribbons with my needles. This problem does not bode well in the least for wearing of this sweater!!!

I switched over to Chiton for awhile. Only I've hit a snag on it too. I've got the bottom band done, and have suddenly fallen out of love with the colour. You see, I am a very fickle knitter and chooser of colours. I was enjoying the coral-y pink up until I remembered the gorgeous green bamboo I have sitting in my stash. Now I keep thinking Chiton would be so much better in green than pink. I don't even have a clue if the bamboo would be remotely suitable guage wise, but I'm obsessed. It's a problem. I do realize it. That's the first step right?

On the sewing front, I've been lacking machine time lately. Baby Boy and Little Toddler Man refuse to nap at the same time these days, so I'm limited by either sewing late at night (Not a good plan. Never mix tired with operating a machine. Or much stitch ripping will ensue!) or while LTM naps I get a few minutes if Baby Boy feels like co-operating and playing in his exersaucer (or applesaucer as LTM calls it!)



Kitty Cat for the Kitchen!





In the time I've had I've been slowly plugging away at things. I made an apron for (BF)G's great niece for her birthday that I absolutely love! It was good fun making it too! It's a McCall's pattern and super easy! I'm going to make either a puppy or a frog one for LTM and then later on as Baby Boy gets bigger he'll get which ever critter LTM didn't get. I think LTM has his heart set on a puppy one mind you!

 

I've been also working on the major project of making my queen sized quilt. I've got about half my blocks done. I'm dreading putting it all together. That's where I usually lose it on the perfection in seam allowances. Which in quilting turns out is a big (frustrating) deal!

I'm also obsessing about a rag quilt for Baby Boy. I have all the top flannel ready to go and the batting. Just need to find the perfect backing flannel and I'll be all set!

I'm looking forward to having some more finished projects to talk about in the coming weeks! And really. I'm going to figure out a plan and stick with it! Maybe...





Where does the time go???

Lopi in Progress

 The last time I posted I told you about the Lopi Sweater of Doom. Just to update, there have been no more disasters. Mostly because there has been very little knitting on in it since my last posting. I've managed to finish the main body without further incident and cast on for the sleeves. Progress came to a temporary halt when I realized I didn't have the correct needles to continue on with the sleeves. Needles have been bought. Progress has resumed!

It's a zoo out there!

I've been so caught up in "baby knitting" for that previously mentioned baby boom that seems to be going on in my circle of friends, that I've had little time to get  really back to the sweater. The weather is warming though and I'm hell bent on wearing it this spring... or next fall... so I hope to get back to it soon!

I finished the flannel pjs/elephant socks I mentioned last time. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. Instead of doing embroidery for the tusks and eyes, I chose to sew on felt. Embroidery being a major achiles heel in my crafting ability, and this being a gift for someone else, I really didn't want to make a mess of it!

Duckies!

I've also finished yet another pair of "Quack!" socks. To change things up from my usual with this pattern I used Sirdar Snowflake. Let me just say, that before you jump to use snowflake on anything, consider carefully what details might be important. Wrapping and turning stitches works fine. The knitting in the wraps afterwards as you go? Not so much. Can't see the darn things. And doing bar increases also is enough to send a gal over the edge on this stuff. But the end result is pretty good, so it all depends how much you enjoy the feeling of wanting to poke your own eyes out with your knitting needles versus how much you enjoy cute fuzzy baby socks will determine whether or not you'll want to venture down that particular path I guess.

Both the elephant socks and the ducky feet are from one of my very favourite (and now thanks to LTM who also enjoys looking at it) somewhat tattered books, "Cute Knits for Baby Feet". I've used the book more than any other pattern book I own I think. If you need cute and fast for baby, check it out. There's all sorts of great knitterly gifting opportunities that await, which is just the sort of thing a crafty kind of girl needs when faced with a baby boom!

I also whipped up a soaker to go with the duck feet. As a matter of fact I whipped it up 1 3/4 times. It would turn out that I do not posess magical abilities to have a ball of yarn that I started out knowing full well there was likely no way there'd be enough to actually finish grow in length to accomodate my needs. No the darn thing just kept right on getting smaller, yet I kept knitting. Finally 3/4 of the way in, common sense prevailed and I ripped it all out. A new, sufficient ball of yarn worked much better!! I used the WHW Plain Wrap as the basis and a chart from an old Paton's sweater pattern for the duck.

I've managed to get myself into a couple more projects too. One I can justify because it's a "Pay it Forward 2011" project. I've knit the pattern before and liked the finished result, so I thought it worthy of a repeat. It's a simple peacock stitch  bag pattern that's ridiculously easy to remember as you knit along and goes quite quickly. I just need to find the beaded handles that I know are in my craft supplies stash somewhere and then do some stash diving in my fabric bins for the perfect quilting cotton to line it with. (Of which I'm dead certain I must have as well!).

The second project is the Chiton Pullover from the latest issue of Knitscene. I've only got a mere 2" done on the bottom band so this is obviously going to be a long term relationship. I harbour no such dillusions that I could possibly finish it in time for this summer, but I think there may be hope for next year depending on how faithful I'm feeling towards it after endless miles of stocking stitch!

I finished the final pair of cowboy jammies, but (BF)G will not let me take photographic evidence of it. Or at least post photographic evidence of the cuteness that is the three of them in matching pjs!

Not too much else going on crafty wise for me, just lots of ideas floating around in my head. Mostly quilty type ideas. I'm trying to be good though... I have four quilts (two with the tops completed and two that are in the very beginning stages of sewing) to finish before I can let myself move onto something else in that department!

Chugging along...



"Pay It Forward 2011"
French Press Slippers/Star Crossed Slouchy/French Press Slippers



Well here we are almost mid-February. I can't believe how time flies. Little Toddler Man is 19 months old, and Baby Boy turned four months at the beginning of the week! As I said, time flies!


I've had some good crafty days lately. Well in terms of getting things done anyways. Not sure all of them could actually be considered "good" really!

Let's start out with the not-so-good. I decided to re-visit my Icelandic hooded pullover that I started last spring. Only a few rows in I decided I'd better rip it all out and start over due to a error in colour judgement. (Not quite sure how it happened, but I started out with the wrong colour and it was just not going to cut it!) So ribbit, ribbit, ribbit went the sweater. No problem. I wasn't going to be daunted. After all... I was only a few rows in.

So I cast on again, this time in the colour I'd originally intended as the first colour. Liking how it was going, I boldly started into the first colour change and chart. Ooops! Had an extra stitch. Oh well. Just knit 2 together. Who's going to be the wiser. If only that had been the only problem. Blithly knitting along I sailed through the first chart and started the second. Only to realize I'd a) done only four rows per basketweave section in chart one instead of five, as well as realize that for the better part of the back of the sweater I'd knit using one 5.5mm needle and one 6mm needle and b) I somehow managed to fail counting to two. Two white, two gray, two white etc. had somehow become two white, two gray, two white... ooops where'd that third gray stitch come from??? Fixed that and continued on. Someone shaken, but not willing to be deterred. Then I colour changed at the wrong point, started the cable row in chart three at the wrong time, forgot I was going to make up for the missing three rows in chart one by knitting a couple extra in chart three and ultimately ended up in a pattern of work four rounds, rip back one.

I've persevered if for no other reason than this bloody sweater is not going to beat me!! Things are going much better now - touch wood - the next color change and chart is upon me and its only a single colour moss stitch... hopefully I can rise to the challenge and make it through the next 19 rows of the Lopi Sweater of Doom without incident!

I did have some non-stressfull knitting as well! I made the little guys some playfood - a waffle, fried egg and bacon to be exact. LTM seemed pleased. It was easy. I had no disasters.

I also knit N a hat at his request - it was a super easy stash buster and actually managed to get rid of two partial balls of yarn completely. Made me happy to have an actual "bust of the stash" and made N happy to have a new hat! LTM modelled it for me since N wasn't home.

Along with the Sweater of Doom, I'm also working on a pair of elephant socks for a friend's baby to go along with the pjs I made for her little guy. I also have another baby gift in the wings waiting to be made. Actually looks like I have quite a few in the wings. What's with the baby boom these days??? I think for the next one up I'll knit a pair of "quack" the duck socks that seem to be well received. I've made them a couple times now, so should be to strenuous of a task!

I've managed to completely finish the second set of cowboy jammies for the boys too and they've been getting lots of use. (BF)G's are cut out and if a certain Baby Boy would conveniently nap while LTM did, I could maybe, just maybe get them done!







At least I can still be crafty...

Even if I can't often blog about it!

Ok - so I was doing sort of ok with updating the blog, but then technology woes hit full force.


I live in a rural area that does not have high speed internet. I rely on a wireless stick combined with a "booster" antenna system in order to be connected to the outside world via the Internet. Unfortunately the gods of wireless devices do not smile favourably on me either. My ability to connect is very much dependent on the time of day, the way the stars align with the moon, if I'm holding my head at the proper angle... you get the idea.

And blogger itself. Oh blogger you are a formidable foe. I can't decide if it's my computer or blogger or me, but I can't seem to often get blogger to even load. If it does load I get error message after error message, and post a picture? Well forget it. I think perhaps I am suppose to make some sort of sacrifice in order for a picture to post without issue. Trouble is I can't figure out what that sacrifice is meant to be. So probably no pictures for today. It'll depend on how much time and patience I have to fiddle around with things.

Anyways. Enough of my tale of woe. On to more interesting matters at hand. (Or at least more interesting to me and hopefully to you as well dear readers if in fact there are any still out here!). Crafting. Knitting. Sewing. Oh my!

I managed to get my Christmas knitting done. Mom was pleased with the Clementine Shawlette. So was I truth be told, if I may be so bold as to say I really liked it and was sorely tempted to keep it all for me! G seems to love her French Press Felted Slippers and wears them often when she's home. Little Toddler Man is tickled with his turtle.

I've had what feels like lots of progress in the crafty department lately. The key to my success in finishing things is to do small, quick to finish projects. It's not a perfect system, but it gets things done and gives me a sense of accomplishment.

I jumped on the "Pay It Forward 2011" bandwagon that was going around facebook at the beginning of the year and am happily going to pay it forward to nine people. I offered five, but what the heck. I have trouble saying no!

I'm pleased to report that three out of my projects are done. Two have been delivered already and one about to be put in the post to it's destination! I chose French Press Slippers for the first two projects. Can I say how much I absolutely love that pattern? Really. It's awesome! Easy, quick and great results! For project number three I chose to knit the Star crossed Slouchy beret using Manos del Uruguay Classica in the now discontinued, but fantastic colourway, "Eclipse". I really liked this pattern too - especially the second time I knit it after having completely read the pattern wrong the first time round! The next projects are up in the air. I have some ideas, but nothing nailed down yet. Good thing I have a year to complete them in!

I've also done some sewing lately. Not a whole lot, but enough to keep me happy. First up was a new Moby style wrap for (BF)G's neice, who had graciously lent me hers when I had LTM. Unfortunately, Bella, who was a mere pup at the time and going through her chewing on everything phase, thought the wrap a gift for her chewing pleasure, and chomped some nasty holes in it. It was still quite useable - I used it for both LTM and Baby Boy, but it was rather unsightly. I presented L with the new wrap the other day and she was pretty pleased with it! She put it on right away and popped her little one in it. Baby girl seems pretty pleased with it too. She snuggled down and went straight to sleep. I must admit to having wished I'd made a pretty wrap for myself when Baby Boy was still light enough to carry comfortably in one. At 3 1/2 months old, he's already over 17 lbs, so I find the ring sling much more practical for carting him around in!

I also made a new set of matching "cowboy jammies" for the boys, since both of them have long since outgrown the first pairs. Only Daddy still has his originals (not being likely to outgrow anything soon) - although if I ever get a chance to get to the fabric store, I do hope to get some more of the new fabric to make him another pair of pjs to match his little guys! I'm really happy with how they turned out - especially given that I dug out my long since used pattern making skills out of the deep dark recesses of my memory and made the pattern for Baby Boy's top so it would exactly match LTM's!

Back to knitting, I've done a couple of other small projects.  I knit myself a pair of French Press Slippers (told you I love that pattern!) as well as a tea cozy.  I've wanted a tea cozy for years.  It's beyond me why I didn't knit one long ago.  Took absolutely next to no time at all.  I'm now working on a hat for N as my latest little project.

I've been busy knitting some squares for yet another Schuyler Blanket Project too. It's so tragically sad how many of these blankets are needed. Makes one realize just how precious each baby's birth is. Not that I don't already know it, but sometimes it's easy to take for granted when looking at my five kids. How blessed I've been in my life.

I'm knitting for one that is very near to my heart right now, and wanted an extra special square, so I sat down and created one. It's the first time I've designed anything knit wise, and it turned out. Not much of a pattern, just a simple cable desing but it's something and it was somehow more meaningful in my mind to create for the little one that it was knit in remembrance of.

So I've been happily busy with all things crafty, and happily busy chasing after LTM and watching Baby Boy grow and change as the weeks go by (won't be long before I'm chasing him too!). I've been wishing I could see more of J, G and N, but they've got busy lives of their own now, so I take what I can get!

I'm back... and so soon!

Baking cookies
Originally uploaded by Highlanddancemom

Wow! Look at me go! Two blog posts in seven days! Amazing!

Things have been going well on the crafting front! (I should add some sort of disclaimer here that by crafting I mean knitting... sewing is still really not happening much to my dismay!)


I feel like I've accomplished much this week between baking up a storm - Little Toddler Man loves to "help" - and finishing up another knitting project, and deciding once and for all to tackle the pattern that has been my nemesis for two and a half years. This year it will get done in time for Christmas and the recipient shall actually receive it this year! It won't sit another season in my knitting basket. I, did even get a very brief chance to sew. Granted it required Baby Boy to chill out in his swing for a bit and Little Toddler Man to nap and me to sew like a fiend before all went to heck in a hand basket, but I did finish the long overdue baby gift for a friend. Yes. Accomplishment, sweet accomplishment is MINE!!!!

As I said, LTM has shown a great interest in baking these days. So much so that the first thing he does upon waking in the morning and being "released" from his crib is to drag a chair from the dining room into the kitchen and demand to "HELP". It matters not too him that I, bleary-eyed, and in my pjs have no intention of starting anything more than the kettle for a pot of tea. No siree. He is a demanding little tryrant. Cracking the whip as early as 6:00am.

No - I do not give in to his commands, but come afternoon we can be usually found in the kitchen making something, whether he's helping me make pastry for tarts or dough for cut out cookies, or even just throwing the ingredients into the bread machine for the day's loaf. He's even helped make puppy treats (be forwarned if you think you'd like to try your hand at it - apparently it's very tasty dough to a toddler, but does contain flax (well my recipe does anyways), which apparently works similar to bran. Just sayin'). He has a funny little thought process about baking however. Instead of making dough and rolling it out and then cutting it, then baking it, he has simplified the whole process. He figures you should just make then dough, then "EAT THE DOUGH!!!!!" I suppose to him the rest is just a waste of time. Cut out the middle man (or oven as the case may be) and all.

Anyways - it has been fun preparing for Christmas with him, even though a bit trying sometimes! (Also be forwarned - do not assume because the dogs are contained when tarts are cooling on the counter that they'll be safe. No. I learned that lesson the hard way as my 17 month old scarfed down two from the cooling racks in record time.)

On the crafting front, I have made a pair of slippers as a gift for G. I used the French Press Felted Slippers pattern and let me tell you, it's an awesome, quick (as in you wouldn't believe how quick) pattern to whip up. I had initially knit them using Winter White Paton's Classic because quite frankly I have a tonne of it. But that seem a) boring and b) unwise with our sometimes not so pristine floors - hey! I have three dogs, and three cats and a toddler. What do you expect???? Anyways given reasons "a" and "b" I decided on a whim after knitting up all the pieces to throw them in the crockpot with some water, vinegar, and about 1/2 tsp rose and 1/2 tsp royal blue Wilton dyes.

I am most pleased with the outcome! Felting them took no time at all either! Two rounds in the washer and they are happily drying out now. Once dry I'll sew some fabulous, yet to be found and purchased buttons on the tabs they'll be done and ready to wrap up! I hope she likes them - I know I sure do! So much so that I am definitely planning to knit a pair for myself sometime in the next few weeks.

The other gift in question is the Clementine Shawlette, and I'm a mere 8 inches from being done. I figure if I knit at least an inch a day, I can be wrapping it up in time for Christmas too! It's been a thorn in my side for far too long. How can counting to four be so darned difficult? I stopped and started this bloomin' thing so many times it's ridiculous, and then there was the daunting 15" of four row repeat that did me in. But I'm on a roll now!

As mentioned, the baby gift is done! I think it turned out really well. Better than Baby Boy's cowboy jammies. I like the thinner bias trim that I used this time! If I make them again I'll definitely go that route.

Highlanddancemom

It seems to me I've done other things too - but I can't really recall at this moment in time what they might have been. Oh yes - I repaired a mitten that apparently was chewed by one of the dogs, ahem, Bella, not too mention any names!

Next on my list of things to do is to finish LTM's Sheldon the Turtle (I do believe I am the ONLY one confused as all get out on the I-cord attachement part!), and I plan to knit an orange for Baby Boy's stocking. I figure he's too young for an actual orange, but I could easily (I hope - touch wood) get one knitted up and put a little bell in it and Bob's your uncle fits the bill as orange and ball. Dual purpose in the stocking... gotta love that!

So until next time, happy crafting or baking or whatever it is you're up to these days!

Busy days!

Quite some time has passed again since I last had the chance to blog at all. I so rarely get a chance to be on the computer now that I'm home with Baby Boy and Little Toddler Man. Our days are busy and interesting to say the least. Moments like the day I could not find Little Toddler Man's sippy cup of milk anywhere, yet I knew he'd just had it moments before. Upon asking him where his cup was, he scurried over to the fish tank and opened the lid of the canopy. On close inspection, sure enough I spotted the sippy cup in question, merrily bobbing along the surface of the water at the back of the tank, slowly pouring its contents down towards the fish. (The fish have also been the recipients of puppy food and a fur trimmed slipper as well). I don't think they appreciate the gifts as much as Little Toddler Man must assume they do. Thankfully the fascination with the tank seems to be dwindling, as is the fascination with letting our Newf/Pyrenese out of her kennel when she needs to be in it. He's also stopped trying to feed the dogs every waking moment of the day (ok - that one I was able to stop by putting a gate up across the closet doors where the food is kept!). His latest obsession that I hope ends before a trip to the emergency is necessary, is climbing on everything. The table being his favourite it would seem! Baby Boy keeps me hopping too - he's a content little fellow, just very, very hungry all the time it would seem! I can't believe early next week he'll be two months old. Life is good though! The boys have really bonded with each other and seem to enjoy each other's company already!

Needless to say, not much is getting done in the way of crafty persuits. Although, I've had some chance between knitting in the car en route to the city a few times, and getting a few rows done here and there through out the day when the boys sometimes co-ordinate their naps and in the evening when Baby Boy has a bottle and snuggle with Daddy. I've even managed to finish a few things. Knitting seems to work out alright. Sewing is a horse of a different colour! I can't seem to get the time to get down to the sewing room so in desperation I did try bringing my machines upstairs to the kitchen table to work on a very late baby gift for a friend. What an ordeal that was. I should have realized that given Little Toddler Man's obsession with climbing and his incredible curiousity it would be a futile attempt, but sometimes I don't think things through with the utmost clarity before hand. Let's just say it's going to take a while to figure out the tension on my serger again - those dials just proved to be way too much fun for the little man!

But, as I said, I have finished a few things!


First up was Baby Boy's stocking. His matches Little Toddler Man's, but is slightly different colours. I'm really happy with how it turned out! It's a great little pattern from "Cute Knits for Baby Feet". Knits up in a jif - especially this time I did it in the round so no seaming except about two inches or less on the bottom of the stocking.

Feeling quite bold about being able to finish a project, I decided a pair of mittens were in order for Baby Boy. He refused to keep a blanket tucked in around him and his little fingers were always poking out of his jacket. Also a quick knit, I was able to finish his "Baby Nordic Mitts" in no time.

Of course he needed a new hat too. In a couple of hours (probably not even a couple of hours) of knitting time, his new hat was done. It's a fun little pattern from Amanda Keyes called the "Zozo Pixie Cables". Unfortunately I misjudged the size of Baby Boy's noggin and it turned out quite large on him. The way the hat is knit though, it worked out well to turn it around and pop it on his head with the neckband becoming the front edge of the hat and the front becoming the bottom of the hat. It now fits (will for ages, because as he outgrows it this way, I can just turn it around the proper way!) and I think it's pretty darned cute.

Last but certainly not least is mittens for Little Toddler Man. We've had a devil of a time finding mittens that fit and are easy to put on his pudgy little hands. And what is with baby/toddler mitten thumbs? They make them so tiny, I'm not sure how anyone is expected to put an actual thumb in it!! Especially a somewhat unco-operative thumb. Anyways, just a basic pair of mittens, but hopefully they'll do the trick!

As for sewing? Well - dreams of sewing Christmas gifts are now clearly just that... dreams. If the kimono pajamas for the baby gift are any indication, there is no way that I'll ever get such a lofty goal of a quilt finished in time. Maybe for next Christmas (or ten years from now...), but not this year. No. Just not going to happen. Unless by some miracle I'm able to figure out a way to get both boys to simultaneously nap for great long chunks of time...

Thomas Andrew

Thomas Andrew
Originally uploaded by Highlanddancemom

Baby Boy made his very prompt arrival into the world on October 7th, 2010 at 11:09am.

Imagine that... being born on one's due date!

I went to bed on Wednesday night feeling pretty good - had oodles of plans for getting tons done on Thursday. I had an OB appointment in the city in the morning and then I was going to come home and tackle some much necessary housework and get things done. Ha ha ha...

I was woken up at 3:00am by what I assumed was a doozy of a braxton hicks contraction. I got up, went to the loo, came back to bed, crawled under the covers and had another. Feeling kind of annoyed that my sleep was being interupted I tossed and turned for a few minutes then had another contraction. Glancing at the clock I figured they were about 8 minutes apart. (BF)G was just getting up to go to work and asked if he should stay home. I figured why bother. I wasn't in labour... first off labour contractions would be stronger, closer together, and in another week's time or so.

About 40 minutes later I was calling him telling him to turn back, I was kind of sure it was "showtime". Contractions were now 3 1/2 minutes apart. He came back home, we got the dogs all sorted out, Little Toddler Man woke at about 5:00am, so we got him up and dressed, gave him breakfast and around 6:00am headed to the city. We dropped LTM off at his auntie's house, and then continued on to the hospital, where they admitted me. I was still not sure if it could really be labour given contractions were still 2 1/2 minutes apart and I could sort of talk through them. But according to the triage nurse I was 5, almost 6cm dilated and definitely in labour. Who am I to argue? They walked me over to one of their "luxury suites" in the Labour Delivery Recovery PostPartum ward - I've stayed in fancy expensive hotels that were not as nice as the room I had!

I hung out there for awhile without a care in the world. Contractions were down to about one every five minutes, baby's heart rate was good. The OB on call came into see me, of course there'd been no progression from where I'd been at in triage, (thankfully no regression either mind you!) and so she offered to break my water. I figured why not - let's get this show on the road.

So, the water was broken at 10:10am, then I stood up and woosh. Instant hard core labour!! Contractions were one on top of the other. Forget joking and laughing like I'd been doing only five minutes before, forget thinking that I'd kind of like a snack. Forget anything except focusing on getting through each contraction! Within half an hour the nurse checked again - I was a bit hesitant because the last thing I wanted to hear was that there was no change, but the nurse was fairly certain things were moving along. She was right. I was well into transition. A few more contractions and the OB was called back in, and I was instructed to push when I felt like it.

Push I did. Twice.

Then the OB told me very kindly, "Open your eyes, see what you've got" Somehow I managed in two pushes to give birth to my 9 lbs 3 oz, 22" long baby boy and not realize I was done. As I opened my eyes she was putting Thomas on my chest and I couldn't believe my little boy was already here!

It was an amazing birth experience! Like Little Toddler Man's only easier and better. (BF)G of course was as always amazingly strong and my rock that I clung to. He's pretty good at this "labour coach" thing... perhaps he should consider a sideline career. He always is so calm and reassuring and can keep me focused on things when need be. Well, not just with labour come to think of it. That's kind of our life full stop. I'm pretty lucky that way!

Only thing I wasn't happy with was that they put an IV in me in triage. I was worried that would make it far too easy for me to accept pain meds, but I told my nurses and the OB my goal was to make it without anything other than the gas at the most. The nurses never even offered anything else. I did tell my nurse at one point she could bring the gas in, but then it sat in the corner never used. With LTM I did use the gas a few times to get through contractions. With Thomas I didn't need anything at all. In the end the IV came in handy too, as I had to be given Oxcytocin(sp?) for some issues with bleeding. I guess that's common both with big babies and the fact that I've done this a few times before! I can easily tell you I was feeling incredibly pleased with myself about that, given one of the worries I had leading up to my due date was that I would have to have pain meds and somehow I'd be disappointed in myself.

So life as a mom of five begins for me and so far I'm loving every moment of it... although I could use a touch more sleep! ;)

And now for baby boy's pajamas...

I am abso-bloomin-lutely thrilled with how baby boy's pjs have turned out! Now I just need a cozy, cuddly baby boy to put in them... but I can wait a few more weeks for that thanks! (In fact I need to wait a few more weeks for that, because this mommy to be is NO WHERE near ready to have a newborn just yet!)

As mentioned in my last posting, I used a tutorial from Habitual to make the Kimono top. It's a great tutorial - I highly recommend it! The bottoms are straight forward, nothing exciting and are from Simplicity pattern #3582. I've made both top and bottoms in a 3 month-ish size (which if baby boy follows suit with Little Toddler Man it should mean just about newborn in our house!)

I did make a few wee adjustments to the top, just because I figured a squirmy wormy of a baby (again assuming baby boy follows in big brother's footsteps) might come all undone without some extra reinforcements in the closure department.


First off I added an extra set of ties lower down on the front of the top - easy peasy, nothing to it. Just made a quick facing for the front instead of hemming it down the way the tutorial showed and added the opposite tie into the side seam same as the top tie.

That bottom tie should keep it all together!

I got to thinking though (thankfully before sewing the opposite side seam), that all would be well and good on the outside, but what about the inside? I had visions of things slip slidin' away and slight wardrobe malfunctions (or at least discomforts) occuring. So I decided to add some extra reinforcements there by way of some snaps. I sewed two (interfaced and folded over) strips of narrow bias tape into the side seam and added a snap on the end of each of them. I added their corresponding bits on the opposite front - the snap goes through just the top layer of fabric and interfacing on the front. That way I figured no cold metal bits would be touching baby's bare skin as the backs are covered by the facing.

Now it would take the skill of Houdini to extricate himself from the pjs! (I think!)

Did I mention I love these pjs???

A previously undiclosed project now named!

You may have noticed along my side bar under "At the Machine" a project listed as Undisclosed project that shall not be named. It was left un-named simply because the recipient happens to read the blog and I didn't want him knowing what I was up to!


Forever ago, when I was expecting Little Toddler Man, I stumbled across some flannel with cowboys printed on it. What a find it was! I couldn't believe my luck! Now, I suppose, before I go any further, I should explain my excitement over flannel.


When we found out we were expecting, (BF)G and I would talk and dream about our baby to be. (BF)G would often say, "If it's a boy, he can wear cowboy pajamas!" I thought this rather sweet and set to work trying to find baby cowboy jammies. My searches were futile. So then I switched to looking for the perfect fabric for a pair of jammies. I was having such a hard time finding what I wanted and then lo and behold, one day I spotted a new bolt of flannel at my local Fabricland. It was just the thing, so I grabbed it, high-tailed it to the cutting counter and got what seemed like a ridiculous amount of the fabric. I had suddenly decided that not only should baby have cowboy pjs, but so should Daddy!


My next step was to find a pattern for the pjs. I really, really had my heart set on traditional pjs. You know. The kind with the collar, buttons down the front and a little pocket. If a pattern exists for smaller than a toddler size, I never found it. But I did find a great Kwik Sew pattern that would fit the bill. (at least once baby was a bit bigger!).


I had such plans to have the matching pjs made for Christmas. I had the best of intentions, but we all know how those can go, so months passed and then it was getting warm and there seemed no point to flannel pjs at that point. So the fabric lay tucked away. Hidden from view. Then the weather turned cooler about a week ago and my mind went back to the cowboy flannel. The long weekend proved to be a great sewing weekend so when (BF)G went to deliver N to the city, and Little Toddler Man was down for a nap I swung into gear. By the time (BF)G was pulling in the driveway I had Little Toddler Man's pjs done except for the buttonholes and buttons. And the matching pj pants for Daddy were cut out and ready to go.


Sunday, (BF)G had to go to work, so as soon as Little Toddler Man went down for a nap, I scurried down to my machine, finished up the pjs, made the pj pants, and then cut out a pair of pjs from the left over flannel for baby boy. Baby boy's pjs are a combination of a Simplicity pattern for the bottoms and a modification of a fantastic kimono tutorial I found online from Habitual. I ran into some glitches with my machine, "Old Faithful" who, as it turns out is about as fickle as they get, and not faithful at all, so I'm a bit behind on baby boy's pjs. They're almost done now that "Old Fickle" is now on the floor under the sewing table in a time out and my other newer machine, who's always been very up front about being fickle has it's moment to shine up on the table. I hope to be able to show you a picture of my modified Kimono PJs soon!

In the meantime, I would like to leave you with a "still sleepy-eyed, just woke up" picture of Little Toddler Man in his new flannel pajamas...

A few more things to check off the "to-do" list!

I'm very excited about the two projects I've recently finished! One of course is the bloomers and dress that I mentioned a while back, the next is the second baby gift I wanted to get made for another friend. I have made Baby Ruched Cardigan and a pair of ruffled hem leggings to match.

Knitting the cardi was a lot more fun than I figured it would be. I would never attempt to knit a sweater using sock yarn if it weren't a teeny tiny baby sweater, because I'd probably grow old and die before I ever got it finished, but a baby sweater... well that's just fast moving and fun! I am really loving the Stroll Tonal yarn that I bought from Knit Picks too. Such a pretty colour - makes me think of pumpkin pie - I guess that's not a bad thing for a gift for a fall baby! Of course I do have a "thing" for all things orange (or pumpkin for that matter... mmmm... pumkin spice lattes anyone?), so I was immediately drawn to the colourway, Foliage!

I have a few more baby gifts I want to work on - what is in the water these days??? It seems like at least half of everyone I know is expecting right now! One of these days I might actually try to make something for my very own baby boy who is due in five weeks time. So far poor little fellow only has some socks that are Momma made. I have some ideas - just kind of short on time right now. I do want to make some more sheets for the cradle, given the last set that I made for when Little Toddler Man was born were a bit lacking in the size department and if I had all the time in the world I was planning to follow a tutorial to make a mei tai. Funny how I was planning the mei tai back in April when it seemed like I did have all the time in the world. Ooops! I also found an online pattern for a "swaddling" blanket that I'd like to give a try.

I also have some more quilt projects I want to work on. I've got so many ideas up my sleeve. I think I maybe vastly underestimating my time though. I keep thinking, "Oh when I'm on leave I can work on that..." Yep. Because I am clearly delusional. I can't even get a lot done with just Little Toddler Man - to be fair, he is a bit of a busy boy and needs near on constant supervision lest he take a notion into his head to scale a fish tank - oh wait a minute, he's already done that... I'm not sure how my sleep deprived mind thinks that a newborn and Little Toddler Man underfoot will suddenly allow for all sorts of time for crafty persuits! I must be nuts!

A quest : Or what seems to be mission impossible!

Little Toddler Man with his faithful companion Froggy

Little toddler man has a security blanket. It's a lovey that my good friend, Kristy bought for him before he was born. When she gave it to me, I thought "Aw... isn't that cute? Betcha it'll be a favourite." Little did I know that "Froggy" goes beyond favourite.


When he was five months old we attended a Christmas tea that G was dancing in. I'd taken Froggy along with us to amuse the baby with, then in a flurry of trying to get out of the place, get my errands done and get home before the day got too late I accidently left Froggy at the tea. I would never have guessed that at five months old, the baby would be aware that Froggy wasn't in his crib that night. It's not like he even snuggled the darned thing back then really.


The next morning I spent on the phone to the arena the tea was held at asking about lost and found to no avail. Then I started calling the organizers and someone had seen Froggy and figured there were only a few babies at the tea, and one of them would more than likely be missing their lovey. Thank heavens! Froggy was returned to us. Life was restored to it's normal state of bliss.


Fast forward to a few months later. Froggy would be clutched tight in Little Toddler Man's arms at night, but during the day he could stay in the crib. No problem. No worries about losing Froggy from the crib. Then there came the day a few weeks ago that when LTM got up he would not let go of Froggy for love or money. Froggy accompanied us to daycare that day and when I suggested that Froggy stay in the van for the way home the suggestion was greeted with a scowl and a tighter clutching of little chubby baby arms around it. Froggy and LTM have been inseparable since.


I'm now on a quest of sorts, out of fear of losing Froggy, to find a spare. Who could imagine that a little lovey bought at WalMart a year ago could be so terribly difficult to find. I've scoured the city, I've searched online, I'm just about willing to sell my soul for a spare Froggy. What is most heartwarming in all this is that my Ravelry Mommies group - of whom I've never met a single member in real life - are now all sharing my mission impossible to find just the right Froggy. We thought this morning, briefly, that we'd found a match on Ebay. Sadly, although it was close, it wasn't just the same. I'm thinking that Little Toddler Man is not likely to be fooled by some "reasonable facsimile" of his very faithful and ever present companion. Wish me luck in either finding a spare, or NEVER misplacing Froggy! Goodness knows washing him even is dicey! (Just ask the little man who moped about the house for a few hours the other day, searching high and low for Froggy because he didn't understand that Froggy was having a "bath" down in the laundry room)

Froggy really does accompany us every where we go!

Slowly working on getting things done

So, the last time I was here I was talking about dying yarn. I thought I'd give you a quick update of what it is I did with that yarn!


I made soakers. DaisyHead Bloomers to be exact. Such a fun pattern. I think I may make it again if any of my friends or family turn out to be expecting baby girls! The pattern (although meant to go over cloth diapers) gives instructions on where to stop with the shaping should they be worn over disposables, so I figure no need to stick to making them just for the cloth diapering mommas!

This is a great pattern with really detailed instructions - which is what I felt I needed going into it given it was my first pair of soakers I've ever made and I had to do short row shaping (yikes - I've always been kind of afraid of short row shaping... not any more!). The size range is great too - from teeny weeny to toddler! Well worth the money spent on the pattern I'd say! And there is just something too cute about little girls in dresses and bloomers!


I've been wanting to get a lot of sewing done too lately, but alas, time seems, as always, to be in short supply and high demand. I did manage to make a fitted sheet for the playpen - something I'd been wanting to accomplish since I got the playpen when little toddler man was about two weeks old... Better late than never I figure and baby to be will definitely get use out of it. Toddler man consented to play in the play pen for a record five minutes the other day - funny how he used to LOVE being in there and now views it as a veritable prison - anyways - he was quite taken with the fabric and kept saying, "Oooooooooh" and pointing to all the different things in the print. Made me happy to see his reaction! It's the little things in life, you know?

I used a great tutorial I found online for the sheet - being math impaired such as I am, I didn't even want to attempt to figure out the measurements myself - I tried that last year with a sheet for the cradle mattress after having such success (using a tutorial) for the crib sheets and messed it up woefully. The cradle mattress all but folded itself end to end when I put the sheet on it. Maybe I'll revisit that idea again too - who knows. Maybe the gods of mathematics will smile favourably on me this time 'round!

That's been about it for finished crafty items for me - I'm working on a few things right now -- a little ruched cardi (for another friend expecting a baby girl) and of course my usual WIPs that have been hanging around forever. I'm collecting charm squares like a fiend - my mommies group is working on Charm Square Swap #3 now and I'm in hook, line and sinker. I plan to make on huge quilt eventually some day with all the squares I've amassed, but for now am satisfied to just go sort them, look at them and adore them.

Some day... seems to be a my life's motto these days...

In which I learn to properly dye yarn

Why do pictures never show the colour just right? The yarn is actually most like the skein picture!

I've been on the hunt. I sewed a little dress for a friend's baby and I desperately want to knit some little bloomers to go with it. I want pink bloomers to match. Problem was despite my hunt I could not find the right shade of pink yarn for love or money. Then a friend suggested that I dye my own yarn. I thought about it for a bit. I've done some before - but never been exactly thrilled with the result. I've always used the microwave/kool aid method. How would I mix kool aid flavours to get the right shade of pink. Then my friend had another suggestion. Wilton dyes. You know - the ones that come in little tubs in about a million different colours? I wasn't sure how to go about using Wilton dyes or how they differed from using kool aid and couldn't get back to my friend. In all fairness, I guess she has other things to do in life besides sit idly by her computer waiting to hold my hand through the whole process.


I started to search online figuring someone must have a tutorial somewhere and that's when I stumbled upon a Knitty article on dying your own yarn. I printed it off, stopped in a Michaels for a tub of colour, headed home and grabbed one of my dozens of balls of Patons Classic in Winter White that I have in my stash (thank you Kristy for your mom's yarn - it's come in handy again already!!!) wound it into a skein and set it to soak in water and vinegar. Yes folks! I do think that is a fun way to spend a Friday evening! Who wouldn't?!?!

Saturday morning was an early one. I can't remember why. Normally (BF)G gets up with little toddler man when he wakes up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday, but for some reason I had to get up too - and little toddler man was up at 4:45am! By 8:00am my lovely pink yarn was cooling in the crockpot waiting for it's bath! I did end up dying it a bit more in the afternoon though as I wasn't sure it was just right. There were a few spots that seemed to be naked of colour altogether and that just wasn't going to do! After it's second time in the dye bath, it seemed MUCH better!


I hung it initially on the shower head to dry, but the house is so hot and humid right now it wasn't really drying quickly enough for my liking, so yesterday morning I took it outside while the sun was out and there was a lovely breeze blowing. By mid-morning I was casting on the bloomers happy as a clam about my yarn. There are still a few spots in it that didn't get as much dye as the rest and I was a bit concerned about it at first, but it seems to be knitting up with just a slight, subtle varigated look to it. I keep hoping I don't come across a really pale spot - but so far almost 2" in to the knitting and nothing hideous yet!


Now I am afraid that I may have created a bit of a problem for myself. It would seem that I can't stop thinking about the possibilities of dying yarn... I do have, afterall, several balls of Winter White Patons Classic just sitting there begging to become something different!


Oh - and the dress? It's a from a Simplicity pattern and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out! Picture quality may be sadly lacking here... I took the picture in my slightly dark living room late last night!

A couple of tiny hats!

Baby hats are awesome! They take next to no time at all, use very little yarn and are super cute and fun to make.

Which would be the reason I signed up for a secret hat swap on my expectant momma's group on Ravelry. We are supposed to send our partner one baby hat, but in a moment of madness I made two and love them both so much that I'm sending both.

I fell in love with the Susan B. Anderson's Upside Down Daisy hat some time ago when I stumbled across the pattern on Ravelry. Little did I realize I'd had the Knit Simple magazine all along in my collection with just that pattern in it! Silly me. Since I only have one little girl, who's not so little anymore at 17 1/2 years old, I didn't think she'd appreciate a upside down daisy on her head - and since my wee man is, well, a wee man, I didn't think a daisy would be great for him either. Baby to be is a boy as well, so who could I knit this for? Then I got my swap partner and she's expecting a girl! Wheeee! Girly knitting. Finally!

So I made the little hat and love it!


But then I realized that I was supposed to be making a winter hat and since I made Upside Down Daisy out of cotton I thought maybe, although cute, it just wouldn't be warm enough to be called a winter hat. So I set to work making another hat. This time I did a simple little cap with an eyelet band. I used Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk for the yarn and it's so soft and snuggly. Hopefully it'll keep a wee girl warm in winter. I did a bit of a mistake in knitting the second hat. Hating seaming with a passion, I figured problem solved, I'd knit it in the round. How hard could that be? Not hard at all - unless you forget the fact that you should actually pay attention that you need to knit the purl rows instead of purling along them if they're meant to be the wrong side UNLESS you should be purling that row because in the pattern it tells you to knit on the wrong side. Ah well. I had good intentions and although it doesn't look as cute as the pattern, I'm still pretty happy with it. So I will send it as well!



I really hope my partner likes her new baby hats!

The Quilt!

I'm done baby's quilt! I'm really quite pleased with it even though there are a few wonky bits here and there. I've decided that I'm new enough to quilting that I don't need to get all crazy perfectionist about things. Once the quilt has been spit up on, chewed on by the dog (yes - that happened to the Bean's quilt - nothing a wee bit of tears, and then several months of hiding in a closet (the quilt - not me), and some patching couldn't fix), and washed a million times I figure no one will notice the bits that aren't exactly the way they should be.

So here in all it's glory, fresh from the drier is my version of the Charm Squares Baby Quilt. I used a charm pack of Moda's Animal Alphabet for the blocks, some generic lime green cotton from my local fabric store for the sashing and backing and some red alphabet print (again from the Animal Alphabet collection) for the binding. It's a bit smaller than I pictured - why I don't check these kinds of things out ahead of time is beyond me, but I figure that just leaves the door wide open. Sort of like a movie with a loose ending that you just know means a sequel to come, this is a good reason to make a sequel quilt for when baby is a toddler. I like nothing more than an excuse to ponder more patterns and buy more fabric! ;)

Whee!!!

Mondays are always kind of ho hum at the office. Ok I’ll admit it. Pretty much every day feels ho hum when I’m at work these days. Only because I’d much rather be home with my little toddler man. Plus add to that the fact that I sit day dreaming most of my day away lately. (Can we blame pregnancy hormones for that???). So many other things to think about besides work.

Anyways… in an effort of diversion from the ho hum I was busily checking my email a while ago scanning through the junk emails about to delete them all, when one caught my eye again. The subject line was something like, “You’ve Won our Monthly Draw” and I was about to check it for delete when something stopped me. I figured it would turn out to be just like the emails telling me about once a month that I’ve won some fabulous lottery prize if I’ll just send my credit card info for verification… You know the kind I mean… but what the heck. I was looking for a diversion, so hoping I wasn’t going to open something that would then crash my system with some plague of a virus I clicked on the email.

I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A while back my attention was drawn to Green Fairy Quilts and I signed up for their newsletter/notification. I also entered my name in their monthly drawings and did I mention yet?

I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I, who never ever win anything, have won the June monthly drawing! They’re going to send me the Garden Party Quilt Pattern, which is designed by the shop owner herself. It’s a really cute pattern and I’m super duper excited about it!!! I’m SILLY EXCITED about it actually!!!!!

In other crafty news, I have finished the quilting portion of the baby’s quilt. There are a few wonky spots in it, but I’m trying not to let that drive me crazy! I’ve learned a few things along the way I think and that’s what counts. Right? I hope to get the binding at least started tonight if not finished. We’ll see how tired I am come evening. My little man was up at 4:30am this morning and unfortunately I’d stayed up late last night – quilting the quilt thank you very much. I wasn’t banking on getting up so early when I through caution to the wind and stayed up till almost 11:00pm. Yawn! Hopefully in the next few days I can show you the finished quilt!

I also finished the baby socks I’ve been working on. I decided to use up some yarn for them and chose my Jawoll Jacquard from the first pair of socks I ever knit myself. Seemed like the perfect use for the tiny bit I had left over. I was ever so careful to match starting points in the self-patterning because I was determined to have an identical match. All was working according to plan until I ran into a join in the yarn about ½” from the finish line. No problem I figured. It looked like they had joined to keep the continuity of the pattern, so I figured I might be a touch off of a perfect match, but well within the limits I could live with, that is until I started knitting a dark blue stripe where a light blue stripe should have been. I hummed and hawed and finally decided after trying so hard to make it work out, and the fact I REALLY, REALLY wanted identical not fraternal twin socks, I frogged back and joined the yarn up where it should have been in the first place and continued happily on my way.

May I present to you my matching baby socks?!?

Also, I just have to send a big thank you out to my friend Andrea from my work knitting group who makes the nicest baby wash cloths ever to be had! Last year she gave me one for Douglas and I love it! That thing is the best for the bath cloth EVER!!! And despite it being washed over and over it’s never lost its softness which is awesome in my books! Well, at knitting on Wednesday she presented me with one for the new baby! I love the way she wraps it up on itself so it looks like a little flower. (Now – to save this for baby. Little toddler man cannot have it for his bath!)

Preparing for a Party!!

Baby Bean will be one on Monday - I think this means he's no longer a "baby" but Toddler Bean just doesn't have quite the same ring to it does it?

Yesterday being Canada Day, and therefore a "no work for me" day, made for a great day to start getting prepared for his birthday party on Sunday afternoon. I decided that since there will be a total of seven little ones coming to help celebrate I would make some little kid friendly type goodie bags for them to take home with them. Trying to steer clear of sweets - because I'm kind of a stickler that way - I decided to make crayon rolls, and play dough and then I'll also include a cookie cutter for using with the play dough, a pad of paper to go along with the crayons and some bubble solution.

The crayon rolls are done! I'm so pleased with how they've turned out! I used a tutorial from V and Co.'s blog and they were pretty quick and easy to do!

I also got a couple batches of play dough made. Took me a bit to remember the recipe from way back when I used to make it all the time for G, N and J, but it did come back and I am now excited to think that Bean is going to be old enough for play dough fun soon - maybe not just yet thought... he's still in the "let's try to eat everything in sight" phase (with one exception - the kid who will happily try to chow down on a fluff ball of dust and fur will NOT eat a hamburger for love or money. He apparently thinks they are not in the worthy of being eaten category.)

Here's my tried and true recipe for play dough:

1 cup white flour

1/4 cup salt

2 TBSP Cream of tartar

1 cup water

1 TBSP oil

Mix the flour, salt and cream of tartar in a medium sized saucepan. Combine water and oil in a measuring cup and pour into the saucepan - stir until smooth. Cook on medium heat stirring the whole time until you begin to get a globby looking mess in your pot. Keep stirring, but keep a close watch on your globby mess, because right away it's going to miraculously go from being a glob of goo to play dough! As soon as it forms a nice play doughy ball in the middle of your pot turn off the heat and turn ball of dough onto lightly floured board. Knead for a few minutes and then cool. Store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge when not being played with. There are a few options for making it fancy!

To colour it you can use a package of unsweetened kool aid mix (I used Cherry for the red!) and mix it in with the dry ingredients, or you can use regular food colouring (like I did for the yellow) - as many drops as you feel makes the colour the one you want - I am messy, so I tend to put the food colouring in my measuring cup along with the water and oil or I seem to have a talent for getting it on the countertop, myself and anything in between! For the red one I also added a bit of glitter in the mix just to make things sparkly!

Play dough was a absolute staple in my house when the kids were little. I've never been a fan of store bought play dough - the smell of it alone used to make me feel a wee bit nauseaus. And why go to the store when you can make your own great big ball of it in no time for next to no money!?!

Continuing on with my birthday party celebrations I decided to make Bean a crown to wear on his special day. He seemed pretty pleased with it when I tried it on him this morning when he woke up!