The Sinful Sweater

When I was pregnant, I came across this cute cardigan on Knitty, and I knew I had to make it for my little one.

Knowing how quickly babies grow out of clothes when they're newborn, I decided to make it the 6-12 month size.

 

  

 

Trouble is, sizing is tricky. Little B just turned seven months old and fits perfectly into a lot of 12 month clothes.

So, imagine my dismay when I tried it on her * just to see how it looked * to find that the sleeves were ALREADY too short. Her first time of wearing it, and it's too small. I mean, just look at this:

That's some serious wrist pudge peeking out. Bronwyn is definitely blessed with some long limbs.

I didn't stay frustrated for too long though. And this is why: she really wanted to hold this apple when I tried it on her.

 

Making references to biblical stories at such a young age already... Little B has a lot to teach us.

For you knitters out there, the pattern is here. Unfortunately, I lost the label so I can't tell you what yarn I used. For the locals, it was an organic cotton from Knitterly in Petaluma.

Quotable Sunday :: These are a Few of My Favorite Things...

"When the dog barks, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember a few of my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad."

- Oscar Hammerstein II

Oh that Julie Andrews. She is definitely one of my favorite things.

I'm actually not feeling bad, but thought I would share a few of my favorite weekend things to do:

Eat yummy (and sometimes not so healthy) breakfast foods. One of my recent discoveries is Stuffed French Toast from The Joy of Cooking.

Bake! I baked another blueberry pie this weekend.

 

This one is vegan, and was MUCH harder to put together. The crust was crumbling apart and was not a joy to work with. The secret is...

 

...wax paper. (That is, rolling the dough between two pieces of wax paper.) I also used Earth Balance shortening which is healthier than Crisco, put probably also why it was harder to roll out, shape, etc. I will let you know how it tastes after tonight.

Which brings me to another favorite thing....eating with friends. Tonight we will see some dear friends who have two very beautiful babes.

 

Finally, bathing with my beauty. Oh how she enjoys her bath times in the tub. Yahoo!

  

 

What do you enjoy doing on the weekend?

***
For more Quotable Sunday visit the are so happy blog.

Off to the Coast You Go

You escape West to get away from the ninety degree heat. Yet, sometimes, a trip to the beach doesn't turn out as planned. No, this is not great weather for mama to be in a nursing tank and shorts...only having prepared for colder weather for the little one.

No matter how snuggled or cuddled you are, the wind and fog still seem to creep in.

So, you change plans and head South, expecting nothing but a beautiful drive along the coast and into the woods.

But you get lucky, and the weather becomes spectacular.

You even manage to find the town of Bolinas... a hidden jewel as locals took down the official road signs to keep it to themselves.

And the day ends even more spectacular, seeing it through the eyes of a loved one...



...and another wee loved one.

No wonder why that girl is always smiling...

...you just look at her mama and papa, who are always smiling back at her.

Inspiration Overload

I recently finished these legwarmies for my wee one who needs warm legs. I LOVE the way my color design came out. The pattern is here at Never Not Knitting, and I modified it a bit to have a different look. Trouble is, after all that work, they don't stay on her. Just a few wiggles, and boom. They're off. Hmph! What did I do wrong?

Right now, I have a "problem" that is this: I am inspired. Like way, way, way too much as of late. I have all these projects in my head, some just started, others temporarily abandoned. This includes books to read, classes to take, cakes to bake, outfits to sew, plants to trim, letters to write, etc. etc.

There is that little (very little, little), part of me that laments what comes with motherhood. I know, it's only temporary, this time I have while watching a little one double in size goes so quickly. Still, putting aside my desires isn't easy sometimes.

Since I don't have much time to craft now I plan on doing some retrospectives of past projects. Look for an upcoming week where I'll be featuring baby quilts I've done.

Meanwhile, one recent inspiration comes from Lily Boot's block-a-month blog. She makes these ridiculously awesome tiny quilts, and has given me permission to post a photo here.

I also asked her to do a tutorial of one (cross your fingers). I know a red-headed gal who would be very inspired by this, as well as many other crafty women.

What has inspired you lately?

***

 UPDATE:
I asked the pattern designer, Alana, why she thought the legwarmies fell off and here is her response:


"I've found that the leg shape makes a difference in determining how well they will stay put. I used to put them over a pair of tights a lot for added warmth and I found that they stayed up well. Also you could run an elastic thread through the top ribbing and that will help too."

Also, I forgot to mention what yarn I used. Here you go: Cascade Cotton Rich DK in colors Del Rey and Lapis.

Quotable Sunday

The day of your arrival

is tagged, like a present--

your name engraved upon it.

- Shani Mootoo

Teething Tribulations

This past week has been incredibly challenging. I said goodbye to a loved one, screamed at a very small loved one, got so wrapped up in something that I missed the big picture called life, hardly slept for several nights running (teething tribulations), and now am sick.

I guess it is no surprise, to be sick after such a wearing week. Yet, as any mama knows, being sick with a little one who demands your all - when you're already worn down - is, well, shitty. Watching our backyard neighbors shoot off an air gun at the flock of crows in their tree pretty much topped off my week with the sour cherry. I refrained from asking if they were inbred. Let's just say, based on past behavior, the question would have been redundant.

I've been fantasizing about packing up and just getting out of dodge. But, what is dodge exactly? Wouldn't it just follow me around until I found the next town marked with a sign that said, "An Even Bigger Pile of Dodge :: Duh, what did you expect?"

Through all this, Little B is smiling and laughing still. Thank heavens for little girls.

***

This video was taken a few weeks ago when Bronwyn had just barely turned 6 months old.

On Being a Housewife

There are certain days I love being a housewife. There are other days that I think, "Wow, this again!" But those days are more because it is a routine (which most jobs contain a lot of) and I am definitely a lover of variety and change. Either way, I am SO glad I have a choice to be a stay-at-home-mom.

The day that I made this blueberry pie for instance was pretty grand. I love expressing my creativity and challenging myself to do new things. This was the second pie I've made from scratch.
The crust was a cream cheese pastry crust, from the Joy of Cooking, and was incredibly yummy.

Diaper laundry day has a new dimensional zen to it. While not as pretty as Red Laundry Day, it was oh so satisfying to hang those wet diapers on the line and enter a contemplative space. Also, it feels good knowing that I'm making as minimal impact possible upon our mother earth.

Watching Little B on the swing for the first time, dressing her up in whimsical outfits that reflect her personality, and enjoying the world through her eyes.

These are the moments that I cherish, and look forward to more of.

Gifts to Celebrate ::

:: Mama's new hair. Oh, how I thought long hair would be easier with a baby. Just pull it up and get it out of the way. Yet, I never really felt like me while it was getting longer and growing out. Plus, those little hands love to pull it, and not so gently. I feel like I'm getting a sense of self back and this haircut is one of the first steps in that direction. Here's more great dialog about hair issues as a mama.

:: The Co-Sleeper. We started a new sleep routine with our little one (which includes only using a cosleeper for naps and nighttime) and are establishing a good rhythm. Last night, Little B slept 12 hours and woke up only twice. The first time I was still awake....which means I only woke up ONCE in the middle of the night. I had six luscious hours of consecutive sleep. The pool of milk I slept in wasn't so fun but I SLEPT. Do any of you mamas have a tip on not leaking out a gallon of milk while you sleep?

:: Working out in the mornings. The current state of unemployment with my husband means I can try and release this extra 15 pounds I've had since six weeks postpartum! After two weeks of this, I'm starting to feel stronger and more centered in my body. I'm particularly enjoying the Lotte Berk Method which makes me sore and thus stronger.

:: Blog giveaways! I am so excited to be the happy new custodian of Sew Inspired's Mermaid Mini Quilt. Little B will love playing on this with all it's great shapes and colors. The quilting looks so fun too.

Blanket Doll Tutorial

After reading about positive sleep associations, I decided to make a blanket doll for Little B (also known as a woobie or a lovey). I decided to make a tutorial out of this because: a) it is a project that is completely made from your own head and estimates (i.e. no pattern required), b) it can be made out of stuff you have around the house (provided you sew and have the basics on-hand), and finally, c) we can all use a project that can be started and completed in just a few hours.

To get started you'll need to find a pair of old tights or a t-shirt you can repurpose. I used one of my husband's worn t-shirts (out of the hundreds I had to choose from....ahem...). I then cut out a rectangle about 11" by 17".*


Fold your rectangle length-wise and sew it up, right sides facing each-other. You can also use a pair of tights or pantyhose, in which case you don't need to sew it together. Just cut off the top and bottom.

Sew up one end with thick thread or embroidery floss. This end is the top of the head and will be hidden by a hat, so feel free to make it nice, knotty and secure. Then, cut off the extra fabric above the top (about four inches worth).

Next, you will want to stuff the head with whatever filling you have. I had polyfill around so that's what I used. Make sure to pack it tight to make it washer friendly.

You can tie a rubber band around the bottom to help you sew up the bottom of the head.

However, I found it was easier to sew up without the rubber band in the way.

The next step is to cut out the top of the body. Mine was about 10" at the widest part and 11" long. As I mentioned before, I didn't use a pattern; that's what makes this project so speedy. You can see how lopsided and uneven I cut out the body (see photo above). It looks funny now, but later when you sew it up it won't be so lopsided.


Then, choose a complimentary fabric for the bottom. I chose a flannel to make one side nice and soft. Do this by laying the top onto the fabric and cut around it. Put the right sides together, facing in, and sew it up using a 1/4" seam. Make sure to leave about a 2.5 - 3.5" opening at the top to place the head and tummy inside.

Turn the body right side out and stuff the hands and feet. You can then pin each hand and foot by folding the back onto the front. This will help keep it in place, make the body more even, as well as add visual appeal.


Sew up each of the hands and feet.

Instead of using a zigzag stitch, I used a wavy one to add interest. However, because it's not as stable as zigzag, I sewed two lines to make it more secure.

Now it's time to make the hat! Cut out a large, rounded triangle. Mine was approximately 9.5" long and 9.5" wide at the base. Just eyeball the hat based on the size of the doll's head.

Sew up the side after folding it (right side together, facing inside). Turn it right side out, then fold the bottom of the hat inwards, about 1/2" or so, and sew the brim up using the same stitch you used for the hands and feet. Since there was no stuffing involved, only one seam is needed.

You can knot the top of the hat, if you like that look more.

Or keep the hat tall and pointy leaving more fabric to cuddle with.

Next, you will stuff the tummy. This part is optional, though I think it gives a nice squish to the doll for the baby to squeeze.

Then, sew up the bottom. This part will be hidden, so you can do it by machine with the zigzag stitch to make it more secure.

Place the head and tummy inside the body and sew around the head. Make sure to really stuff the head down in so there's hardly any neck. This will ensure less floppy-headedness for when the doll is being flung into the air at the protest of an oncoming nap!

Depending upon how thick the head is, you will have to hand stitch it in, machine sewing to the left and right of it.

Homestretch now. Attach the hat with pins and sew it on.


Last, embroider the face as desired. I used embroidery floss for this as well. I attempted to make a half-yawn, half-smiling mouth. It most definitely looks hand done.

Snuggle up with the doll while nursing to cover it with your loving and nurturing scent. Finally, give to your little one only at nap and bedtime. This will ensure that the sleep association is made with the object. Hope you and your little ones enjoy!

*Note: all measurements provided are for a finished blanket doll that is approximately 9" wide at the arms by 21" long from the top of the hat to the tip of the toes.