Keeping my hands busy

When I asked my cousin to teach me how to knit, it was explicitly so I could have a crafty pursuit to do in college when space and time were both at a premium.  Knitting, so I had heard, had the potential to be a social craft—something I could work on while talking about Great Ideas and all that.  Little did I know it would also be what I turn to whilst blathering about nothing at the breakfast table.

My toddler is not a particularly quick eater, except when it comes to cherries, but I want to set a half-decent example and not race away from the table as soon as I’m finished with my food.  Don’t get me wrong, I still make my escape to throw laundry in the wash/do other jobs that are just easier when my helper is strapped in and entertained, but I like to have something sitting beside me to keep me at the table a little longer, and not scurrying off to the computer.

Enter knitting.  This is the Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief (Ravelry link).  I saw it on a Yarn Along post at Small Things (can I tell you how much I love the things she knits?  They’re beautiful, but simple enough to do without overtaxing one’s brain).  I liked the look of it, but loved it more, I think, when I saw the name of the pattern.  I am such a sucker for good names—anything with a sort-of-geeky name gets extra points in my book, which may be why my queue also includes a shawl called Scalene.

Notes on Ravelry.

Oh, and I know I still owe you a 3 month post for Little Brother.  I’ll work on it this weekend.

Why I was hoping we would have a snowy Halloween

When I found out I was having a boy I went hunting for suggestions about where all the patterns for boys’ clothes were hiding.  The consensus seemed to be:  Ottobre Magazine.  And then my parents were awesome enough to get me a subscription for Christmas.  And I’ve actually made a number of things from my magazines, I’ve just been bad about recording them (which I need to rectify).

But here’s one fresh off the machine—the Pingu snowsuit.  I wanted to make it as soon as I saw someone’s completed version on the Ottobre English Yahoo group.  And since I was planning to make my child look ridiculous all winter, I should probably make double use out of it for Halloween too, right?

The recommended fabrics are velour for the outer, knit jersey for the lining, and a layer of batting as interlining.  Since Peter is old enough to be actually exploring the snow on his own this year (rather than just looking at it from his stroller), I decided that a waterproof outer layer was in order.  I cut out just one layer of polar fleece to use for the interlining, but decided that was inadequate.  So now it’s a real thick, real heavy sucker.  All the better to force waddling, I suppose.  This is the largest size, size 80.  I lengthened the torso by one inch and shortened the sleeves and legs by one inch each.  They still have plenty of growing room (the rib cuffs are completely turned backwards in the picture above).  Kid has a long torso like his mother.

I thought I had carefully lined up the lining fabric before cutting it out.  Obviously I wasn’t successful.

It might turn out that this is a little bit too cumbersome for my just-barely walking son.  But I do recommend the pattern for those with less mobile children!

This is what I do for fun

But really, the finished product (or, actually, draft), is nothing if not accompanied by this.

I was attempting to make the biggest pentagon possible on my tracing paper.  In the middle of the night.  While my child was crying.  Yes, this was the distraction/relaxation I chose when Peter Potamus was going through a rough sleeping patch and I sent his father in so I could take a little break.

Eleven tracing paper pentagons, some wire, fishing line, and complicated glue stick maneuvering, and we have a starry dodecahedron lantern.  It doesn’t light up because I haven’t found my paper lantern cord, and I think a second draft is probably in order.  But I’m still pretty happy.  Especially because I got to whip out SOH-CAH-TOA.

Even grown ups need elf shoes sometimes

After I made some cousins tiny little elf shoes, I knew I would need some for myself someday.  And when we moved to Michigan, to a house with hardwood floors, I knew the time was nigh.  Yes, I’ve been slipperless for most of the time we’ve been here.  Yes, winter is ending.  Yes, I’ve managed quite nicely with a couple of pairs of wool socks.  But one of them was starting to wear through at the heels, and I’ve had these near my knitting needles for a while.  So.  Elf shoes.

Elf shoes pattern.  Worked without the additional triangles around the top.  Pink mystery yarn from Woolcott’s.

After looking up my old post, I am now learning about the distinctions between “elven,” “elfin,” “elvish,” etc.  Oh, the joys of English!

Onsiefication

Peter Potamous has a lot of cute clothes.  But he only wears probably a third of them.  Part of this is because, like everyone, I have my favorites, and I tend to pick them out over and over.  But part of it is because some of his clothes, while adorable, are just functionally not as great.  Short sleeves?  Require me to put on two onesies—one for the sleeves, one for the cute.  I’ll do it, I just won’t do it all that often. 

And t-shirts?  Also require an underlayer, but still ride up and just loose some of their cuteness when they’re hanging up around the boy’s armpits.  So, armed with some of the cuter t-shirts, and a supply of onesies that I bought for 50 cents each at the thrift store, I went about turning the t-shirts into onesies.

I cut off the crotch of the onesies about three inches above the leg holes.  Then I turned it wrong-side out, and slipped it into the t-shirt.  I zig-zagged them together, wrong sides together, the cut edge of the onesie underneath the hem of the t-shirt.  Then I pulled it out and zig-zagged again so the hem would lay flat.

There are lots of different ways you could attach the two pieces, but this way the raw edge is hidden by the seam of the t-shirt, and if it gets warmer and he’s running around with no pants, it completely obvious that he’s wearing a cobbled together onesie.  It looks intentional, I think.  I did the zig-zag in the hem of the t-shirt so it looks like decorative stitching for the same reason.

Now I need to figure out two things—what to do with the new cropped t-shirts that I have left over, and what to do about shirts with no snaps or buttons or anything to help getting them on over giant baby heads…

Showering in Style

That’s our new shower curtain.  Did you know that charcoal shower curtains don’t seem to exist?  They don’t.  Or, at least not at prices that this girl can/chooses to afford.  But this cheap polyester is slightly sheer (the curtain on the window is the same stuff).  Which means that light from the bathroom filters in nicely, the better for dimly lit calming showers.  Yay for unintended consequences.

Oh, and the bigger rectangle?  Is a golden rectangle.  Just for that little touch of nerdiness.

As I said, finally finished!

I loved learning to knit.  But I am s.l.o.w.  Very slow.  I read these knitting blogs, and people have finished sweaters and socks just dropping from their needles every couple of days.  Not me.  Granted, I tend to knit in fits and starts, picking up and putting down projects for months at a time.  But still.

I just looked it up.  The Hemlock Ring Blanket pattern was published/shared in August, 2007.  And I loved it then.  It wasn’t too much later that I cast on one for myself.  Along the way I ripped it back most of the way twice, and as I said, put it down for periods of months.  But still, for a knitted project that everyone else seemed to churn out in a matter of days, a “quick knit,” it took me more than 3 years.

But I still love it.

Birthday-buddy in the Hood

When I hear that someone’s expecting and their due date is anywhere between Christmas and the middle of January, I always tell them that January 8th is a great day for a birthday.  Two weeks after Christmas, one week after New Year’s, and for a solid streak of four or five years when I was in elementary school, it was either on a weekend or it was a snow day. 

So imagine my delight when a friend and neighbor actually complied!  Her daughter (who recently agreed to be our son’s Valentine) turned one in January, so I just had to send something along.  Add to that the fact that I’ve loved the Baby in the Hood jacket from Anna Maria Horner’s Handmade Beginnings, and there you go.

The corduroy is from the JoAnn’s remnant bin (a really nice, cute, old fashioned JA).  The stripe and button bands are leftover fabric from a jacket Mom made for me.  I modified the sleeve lining to be in two pieces—the bottom matches the rest of the lining so the sleeves can be turned up, and the top is slippery nylon so the coat can actually go on over something.  Does anyone else remember in elementary school the cool iridescent windbreakers?  All the cool kids were wearing them with their Umbros.  Anyway, this fabric was intended for that, way back in the day.

Buttons were also from JoAnn’s.  And I kind of love them.  I have a set that are black and green that I tried on the jacket first, and I’m going to have to come up with a good place for them.  Grown-up clothes that only need four buttons—suggestions anyone?

And look what she picked out for me!  Didn’t she do an excellent job instructing her parents what to look for while they were in Mexico?

So pretty!  What about you?  Do you have a birthday buddy?  Do you tell your pregnant friends to hold out for your big day?

Whoops! Eleven Ounces of Cinnamon

Last summer my mom, my grandmother and I all went to the Knoxville Quilt Show. While we were wandering around, I saw this flamingo fabric. It was perfect for something for my mom. I had just finished and brought home my Emmeline apron. Mom wanted one too. So I managed to convince her that she should buy the kit with the flamingo fabric and I would make into an apron for her as a gift. But really, it was a gift for me too. Every time I pulled out these fabrics to work on this apron they just made me happy.

Enjoy Mom! And you can use that cinnamon to make something for me any time you want ;-).

Eight Pattern Repeats

Whew, I'm back! Sorry that I've fallen behind on the twelve days of Christmas posts (though I'm cheating and backdating them so they'll appear in their proper order in my editing software). And it's been the weekend, so it's not even like I have a good excuse!

Last Christmas I purchased a skein of Rowan Calmer to fashion into Shedir. I loved the feel of the yarn, wanted to knit something, thought the periwinkle yarn would look great with my sister-in-law's blue eyes, and the pattern called for one skein. Score! I worked on it diligently until....wouldn't you know it....I ran out of yarn. This is entirely my fault, as the pattern cautions that the yardage is extremely close and I failed to check gauge. Anyway, the hat went into the holding bins for a while.

This year, I rediscovered it, but I had already decided that L needed an otter quilt. But my sister has blue eyes too, so the intended recipient shifted. I found an online shop that carried the right color, and ordered, crossing my fingers that the dyelot would be close enough. And it was!

I love the way the twisted stitch cables flow into a star on the top.

Now I have almost a full ball left, which I'm turning into a baby Shedir for some friends, who I am assuming will not mind matching my sister.

Five Otter Colonies

Long, long ago, my mom made this intense jacket. Called the "Me" jacket (I think), it was a patchwork blazer with fussy-cut fabric representing her and important parts of her life. I remember walking around fabric stores with her little plastic square trying to find things that would make a nice patch.

I distinctly remember finding one of the more distinctive fabrics. See, when my parents were first married they lived in Monterey, and Mom wanted some fabric with otters on it. I think it was Hancock fabrics that had it. Little otters frolicking on a rocky coast.

And when my sister-in-law decided that she was going to Cal State University, Monterey Bay, I remembered that fabric hunt. And sure enough, Mom still had the rest of the quarter-yard of fabric that she bought, one five inch square cut out. I got five more 6.5 inch squares. The other light blues are scraps from previous projects (and a little cannibalization from a future project). You've already seen the design. And here's the finished object.



I wish I had made the outermost border a little wider. Unfortunately, I cut all the strips before I realized that I had enough fabric to do so. And then I thought a seam down the middle of the border would look silly. The binding is a blue and white stripe that I got from the remnants bin.



Yep. All the fabric except the dark blue came from my stash (or Mom's. Which is really mine too, right?). Oh, and the backing. A chambray sheet that I found at Goodwill. The only blue 100 percent cotton sheet they had in the place, and remarkably awesome.

And yes, I've failed at the twelve days of Christmas. I knew I should write these posts ahead of time and schedule them, but I failed. And what am I going to do when friends call and want to hang out? Set myself a curfew so I can write my post for the day?

Three Sets of Reindeer

Between my husband and myself, we have three sets of grandparents. And I find his grandparents particularly hard to select presents for. So when a local quilt store was going out of business and I saw these adorable panels for $3/yard, that settled it. I'm pretty proud of how good things look together considering the store was pretty picked over by that point. The only thing I got somewhere else was the red sashing around the cornerstones.

The panel shows eight reindeer. I'm not quite sure who's missing, since Rudolph is there front and center.


There's a tradition in my family to read "A Visit From St. Nicholas," otherwise known as "The Night Before Christmas" on, you guessed it, the night before Christmas. Apparently this year they must have gotten into a debate about the names of the reindeer because my dad called and demanded to know what the name of the reindeer that came with Blitzen was. I definitely vote for Donner, but apparently the original manuscript calls him Donder. I think he must be having an identity crisis, and that's why he doesn't show up in these pictures. What do you call the reindeer who flies with Blitzen?

Sew-in Santa

I did manage to get my Thanksgiving projects done, but I also set other people to work. I started Santa at a sewing retreat this spring. We worked on three projects, and I didn't finish any of them. Santa here was just waiting for the yo-yo's that make up his beard, but I still hadn't gotten around to them, despite holding my mom's yo-yo makers hostage for all this time. While I was home for Thanksgiving, I convinced her to do my work for me, so what you see is a collaborative effort. Santa went home with my sister to decorate the house she's living in this year.

It's On: Christmas 2009

Christmas Fairy/Angel, originally uploaded by aspiringameliorant.

After being sick and having other obligations that put me out of crafty commission for a while, I cleaned off my desk last weekend and started making lists. Because, you know, Christmas is less than two months away. And Advent, less than one. Actually, I feel like I'm in a pretty good place, but it definitely helped my panic to get things written down and all encoded (stars mean they have a Christmas due date, dots mean they're sociable projects, etc.). I'm not quite ready to forego sleep, but it's definitely on.

And here's another idea for those upholstery samples. I had actually pulled the velvet out to see if it coordinated with some fabric I had for a pillow cover, but A. spied it when I was asking for his opinion on sashing for the fairy/angel panel. The black cornerstones are my way of disguising the too-short pieces, but I think it works. I just love that it looks all glowy and candlelight-y.

Making their life warmer

(alternatively titled--"At Last!")

The weekend I went to pick up A. from Boston this summer, we went to the wedding of some college friends. I love weddings! Anyway, I decided sometime way before the wedding that I actually had time to make a quilt, so that's what I wanted to do (note to my friends who got married in '07 or before--want me to make you something? I'd love to! Either ask, or have a baby. Those will both light a fire under me).

But then I didn't actually work on it until the week of the wedding. But I had pretty well planned out what I wanted to do, so I managed in a night or two of work. I took the quilt with me to Boston, figuring I'd have plenty of time to get the binding and label sewn on before the wedding. And then I didn't. So I brought it back home. And sewed on the binding. And then waited and waited and waited some more to sew on the label. I finally did it yesterday while watching 'Jeopardy!'. It didn't even take the whole show. Oh well, like I said before, I like to take full advantage of the generous gift giving window for wedding gifts. So now it's wrapped up and ready to wing its way back to Boston.

Sorry it's a little wrinkly. I picked green because I'm 80% sure it's the bride's favorite color. Plus the 'Save the Date's were green and white.
.

And here's the back.


In a particularly nerdy moment, I decided to quilt the zig-zags themselves in intervals corresponding to the digits of pi. It's approximate, but I think you should be able to make out 3, 1, 4, 1, ... starting from the top.


The pictures were taken before the label was on and before it got its final washing (washing a quilt for the first time often gives it that all-over wrinkled look that makes quilts so snuggly), so now it's good-wrinkled instead of bad-wrinkled. I like it a lot for how simple it was.

And since there happens to be a quilt festival over at Park City Girl, I'm adding this! Click on the icon to be taken to see more quilts

Idea the Third (point two)

My Multitasker Totes
Originally uploaded by aspiringameliorant

(and points three and four). Interesting how there's no ordinal for decimals, eh?

Since my third published idea on ways to use upholstery samples was tote bags, these probably don't constitute a new idea. But I thought I'd share them anyway. When I got the samples, I immediately noticed four matching/coordinating pieces that were all pretty large. I decided they all had to be used together. In considered a couple other possibilities, but it came down to tote bags.

Later in the summer, I became obsessed with the Multi-Tasker Tote by Anna Maria Horner. Interesting construction, side pockets, and a minor crush on the designer (she has fabulous color sense and eight children, and she lives in Nashville--it's only natural I should have a girl crush, right?), all led to this obsession. Once I got the pattern, I tentatively tested the pattern on these coordinating samples. One was smaller than I thought, but the rest fit beatifully.

The pattern is quite fun and goes together nicely. I actually made most of the lining out of a different fabric, but made a little facing piece so that the tunnel for the straps would coordinate. I would think that if you added a few more pockets and made the lining out of something wipe-able it would make a fabulous diaper bag.

I haven't quite figured out why I need coordinating tote bags though. Ideas? Anyone? Because they probably shouldn't sit on my coat rack for too much longer.

Fall Colors

Tree of Life Pendant
Originally uploaded by aspiringameliorant

Today we went canoeing with some friends. The recent downpour meant that the current was moving faster than usual, so we had lots of time to stop and explore side inlets and coves. We swung from a rope swing on the side of the river, found a little waterfall, tried to catch some turtles, and just generally enjoyed the river. The only downside is, it's getting to be fall, and pretty soon it will probably be too cold to enjoy it in quite the same way.

But fall has it's own charms, most obviously beautiful fall colors. Tonight I got out some of my jewelry making supplies for the first time in a long time. I bought these giant square pendants thinking they would make lovely frames for a tree of life*. So this is my first attempt, with some fall colors to celebrate what is to come.

It didn't come out quite as I had envisioned. It's a little clumpy, which I think works out okay for an autumn tree, but would look right otherwise. Also, I think the pendant may just be larger than I will ever wear, but we shall see.

An apron and a resolution

Emmeline apron
Originally uploaded by aspiringameliorant

Last week I left the heat and humidity of Tennessee for...the heat and humidity of Boston! After a cooler-than-usual summer, the temperature and humidity spiked right before I arrived. But I survived, because being in Boston meant I was back with A.!


A. had a summer internship in Boston, and what with me having my own job, I couldn't really go with him. So we spent two months in different apartments with only one weekend to provide a little bit of face-time to balance all those phone conversations.


Between the heat of summer and the fact that making an involved dinner for one just isn't that fun, there wasn't a ton of cooking going on in our house. So both of us ended up eating out a fair amount (where "a fair amount" is more than once a week). We agreed, on the way home, that we both needed a period of eating-out detox.


Good thing I went ahead and purchased the pattern for the Emmeline apron from Sew Liberated when there was a 2-for-1 sale earlier this summer. I'm thinking it will be super when I make some "glad you're home" cookies.

Idea the Third

upholstery sample placemats
Originally uploaded by aspiringameliorant

I don't know whether I'm terribly old fashioned or a super-green hippie or what, but I love me a nicely set table with pretty cloth napkins and placemats or a tablecloth.

While upholstery samples might get a little bulky for a tablecloth (my mom's quick and easy tablecloth is just two yards of 54" wide fabric with a rolled hem), they make super placemats. I had some scraps in my pile that were about 12 inches by 24 inches. I used a placemat my sister brought me from Guatemala (that's it, on the left in the photo) as a guide, but about 12 inches by 17-18 inches looks great. Then I used the leftovers to make some pillow covers (info coming later).

Idea the Second

Tote bag for Africa
Originally uploaded by aspiringameliorant

I went on a sewing retreat with my mom's sewing guild at the beginning of the summer. One of the highlights of the event is a "shop hop" of sorts--exploring all the local fabric stores with other people who also like fabric. While we were out we discovered that everyone has a default project.

Mom's friend sees a cute piece of fabric? She pictures a shirt. My mom? She sees tote bags. Me? I see skirts, but I've definitely been influenced by my mom's view.

And when you have a stack of upholstery fabric, tote bags are a natural choice. My friend was heading for Africa right after I visited in June, so I appropriated one of the samples, found some ribbon from a gift (look at me recycling!), and an appropriate piece for embellishment (I'm not sure if you can see, but the woman is petting a giraffe).

The tote bag was a good idea. Waiting to start until after I finished another project at 2 a.m. the night before I headed off to see her might not have been.