I'm a February Lady

I did it!  I managed to finish my February Lady sweater before the end of February!  I began knitting this sweater in the car even before crossing out of the Connecticut border on our cross country drive to our new home in Arizona.  I knit all through the trip, and then in the evenings and on car rides over the past two months since arriving.  I set a goal of completing it by the end of February, and by the end of the Olympics (even though I did not participate in the knitting Olympics this time around).  Hooray!  I have achieved a goal!

I put the sweater on this morning and I'm glad I decided to wait on buttons (I made room for three), and instead used my shawl pin and I think I'm going to leave it buttonless for a while.  Shawl pins give a lot of versatility.  I love mine.  I can move the pin down to the tummy area if I'm feeling a little sensitive about the remaining post baby pouch. 

The best moment came at the end of breakfast at a local restaurant today, when we were getting ready to leave, a woman walking by with her toddler stopped me and said 'Nice February Lady!'  Boy that made my day.  I love the knitting world. 

Now I have to decide if I'm going to make the original February sweater from EZ's Knitter's Almanac for Miss Coco.  I have some yarn... we'll see what happens :) 



I really like the fit of the sweater so far, but I am glad to be done with the knitting.  There are so many varied memories knit into this one, the excitement of the move, the frustrations of living in a hotel, the struggles of getting settled, the joy of feeling at home in a new place.  I think this means a new chapter is beginning.  Glad to be closing this February.  Hello spring, are you out there somewhere?

Toddler Play Pot Holder

What would a toddler apron be without a play pot holder to go along with it?!?  I took one of my oven mitt pot holders and modified it to make a simple kid's mitt.



I took some muslin to line the mitt, and then added a little scrap quilt batting and quilted some leftover Joel Dewberry Ginseng fabric to match the apron I made last week.  A very quick project that will no doubt bring tons of fun play. 

Here is Miss Coco in MY legwarmers -- she wore them today because they match her dress so well.  These were a project almost five years ago with some Koigu wool I got at Patternworks in New Hampshire.  I love these legwarmers.  I think they fit her a little better than they fit me! 
Next post will be on knitting -- I have completed the knitting portion of my latest sweater project, and now just need to block and weave in ends before I debut it here :)

Black and white apron is ready to rolllll

Well I've made another apron! This one is more of an apron/smock.  And this one is for AJ.  He has one like this that he uses when he is painting and doing artwork.  I liked the design and decided to try copying the pattern.  I am proud of the results!  I made my design reversible, with pockets on one side. 


I decided to do this apron in black and white because of the current Tie One On that Amy Karol is hosting.  Black and white was good inspiration for a little boy apron/smock.  I found some really nice fabric at the local sewing shop (Odegaard's), and knew I wanted some checker fabric plus something else.  I was thinking cool skater/punk/California style with the checker fabric.  I think a guy had a checker hat with graffiti designs on it during an episode of Entourage I watched recently, and that stuck with me.  Then I found some batik-looking fabric in black that has a subtle tree bark/tire track look.  Perfect -- added a car/road theme! 

I think this will be a great all purpose apron and smock for any baking or art that AJ wants to do, and he should fit into it for at least a year or two I think. And I will definitely be using this 'pattern' again.




The original apron I based the pattern on....

 

Making children's clothes: apron

I picked up a copy of Making Children's Clothes by Emma Hardy.  So far, I am pretty happy with this book.  It contains many basic and practical patterns for children's clothing, and all the patterns are at the back of the book.  I am working on some kid's aprons right now, and decided to try the apron pattern in the book.

Overall, I like the pattern very much.  It looks great, it wasn't too hard to put together over the course of a few evenings, and I like some of the details like the wrap around ties and the front pockets.  It is technically reversible, although the pocket is only on one side.  The instructions in the book are clear and the illustrations are definitely helpful.  In terms of detail, I would have liked a bit more -- a reminder of the seam measurements, and more instruction on the binding around the neck.  I always have trouble with binding, especially when there are corners involved.  I guess I need to look up a tutorial for that!

I used some Joel Dewberry Ginseng fabric -- I like the weight of the home decor fabric for kid's clothing -- very durable!  My son has two pairs of pants in Joel Dewberry decorator fabric and they are indestructable.  I was attempting to make a gender neutral apron, although my husband says the fabric is a little feminine.  Well, that is fine with me!  I like the way this turned out very much.

24 hour curtains

These curtains were made within about a 24 hour period.  Not that curtains take long to make, but you know, I have limited time in my life these days!  I got this fabric from the wonderful Sew Mama Sew, it was on sale, and I always try to buy fabric on sale :)  This is Trellis Floral Rose in the Santorini line by Lisa Tueller.  I love the bright flowers and the choppy look of it.  Originally I was looking for something in a mint green, but this fabric just called out to me.  I bought extra to make either a one year birthday dress (also picked up this pattern!) or some pillow or a small quilt.  Wouldn't it be so Sound of Music if I make the dress out of this fabric?  Or Gone with the Wind?  Probably more Sound of Music...

The curtains are far from perfect.  I didn't match the patterns, I didn't even press the material that much, and there are definitely bunches at the hem lines.  But they look great, they block the light for those crucial daytime naps, and I have the satisfaction of accomplishing something tangible before Wednesday!

I heart pink I think

Valentine's Day came early since husband Ethan was on call this weekend (and had to drive in to the hospital at 2:30 am on Valentine's morning!!!  He was back home in bed by 6:30 am).  We went to this great cheesecake store (yep, a cheesecake STORE) and picked up some special treats.  We shared a peanut butter mini cheesecake on Valentine's eve while watching episodes of Flight of the Conchords and Entourage. 

cheesecake next to Valentine's table display -- kisses, homemade valentines, pink calla lillies in a Navajo vase Ethan bought for me from someone at his work

Coco got to wear her 'funny' hat as her brother calls it on Valentine's Day.  I made this hat out of a beautiful sparkly coral sweater from Anthropologie that was shrunk several years ago by Ethan.  I knew eventually it would have a new life.  And now it is a funny gnome-like hat.  It is very light-weight but warm wool blend, and I made matching mitts for Miss Coco to wear when I can keep them on her.  She has received several compliments/comments on this hat!  I just cut free-form a pointy shape and seamed it up.  Very easy.  Very happy to have recycled this sweater!  It should fit her at least until after her first birthday I think.  And it went wonderfully with her pink/red outfit.

our little Valentine elf in her recycled sweater hat chillin' in the grocery cart

me in the sweater several years ago (at the Cheesecake Factory, incidentally!) with my good friend Sadie

I got some new nailpolish -- super duper pink from back in the eighties is what it reminds me of.  I have been into painting my nails lately, something I haven't done in literally 5-6 years.  Maybe it is because I need a few minutes of peace and pampering lately?!?  The color goes well with our valentine's spread.  AJ has already  had two red lollipops today (red being his favorite color) and one red chocolate kiss with his (ahem) breakfast.  We have some cheesecake bites for dessert tonight!

I love making things for my kids: cool clothes!

Today Coco wore a little Oliver + S Swingset Tunic I made for her over the summer, over a brown onesie and leggings, along with a pair of my old striped socks that I turned into leggings 'cause the heel had a whole.  I just seamed up the raw edge and the stretchy sock fabric made such a nice lettuce edging!  I know she is my child, and I made this lovely tunic in this lovely Heather Bailey fabric, but gosh she looks so coool :)

Here's how she looked in the tunic at 4 months.
 

Now, at 10 months, she is literally zooming around in this.  The cotton fabric sticks out a little stiffly and looks so cute.  It makes me happy to see her in this.  I know my style tends a little on the wild side with patterns and colors, and this outfit was a perfect outlet of my own sense of fashion.