Stephanie's crafting obsession

2006-07-20T12:51:00.000-07:00

Have you seen these? Totally cracks me up.

crafting activism

2006-07-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

crafting a simple measure to help babies

firetruck

2006-05-25T22:24:00.000-07:00

one

2006-05-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY HENRY!!!

one hour old:

one year old:

2006-05-21T08:51:00.000-07:00

check this out. it's important! :)

pjs

2006-05-02T22:41:00.000-07:00

I've been sewing and knitting--really. Here are the latest pjs for Henry. They are a bit big and well, he is a bit skinny. That's ok--finally some jammies that will still fit with bulky cloth diapers! ;) This is a knit fabric that I got super-cheap a year or so ago at JoAnns. There is a 14" zipper down the front and snaps along the legs (woohoo, used my snap press--much more fun than trying to put that stupid snap tape on).

photo log

2006-04-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why, but I just haven't felt like blogging lately.
Here are some pics of what we've been up to.
(Little H turned 11 months old yesterday. I can't believe it. He's almost a toddler!!)

hey kool-aid!

2006-04-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

I recently decided to do a little kool-aid dyeing because it was Karen's birthday. Since she likes green and pink, I used lemon-lime and pink lemonade. The colors might be a little bright for her taste, but I think it's still pretty fun. I'm curious to see how it will knit up. (I used dye-your-own merino sock yarn from knitpicks).

For the little guy

2006-04-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

Baby (Regia) tip & top socks to match the ones I made for me. I did 48 sts on US 1 needles, 2x2 rib which I carried down the foot. They are actually a bit big so I think I will do 44 sts on the next pair.

Fleece diaper cover, using the knickers pattern found here. The fleece is a cheap-o remnant from Walmart or JoAnns (I forget).

Pj pants. I love this monster/space alien knit from JoAnns.

And finally, here's a little Waldorf doll that I hand-sewed during class. It's cotton flannel stuffed with wool.

no candy in this Easter basket

2006-04-16T08:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!

sewing woot!

2006-04-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

Henry isn't sick and his teeth aren't bothering him anymore (his first 2 have poked through on the bottom) so he has actually let me do a little bit of sewing!

First, some jammies. I haven't had much luck finding cute jammies in the stores in 12mo size so I decided to make some. I love this fabric--it's a very soft cotton knit (from Joanns) with bulldozers and dump trucks on it. I used McCall's 3665 and made the largest size. I even put 3 red snaps on the top with my snap press--wheee!

Next, a pull-on diaper cover. I used an old gerber vinyl cover as a pattern. This is white PUL (polyurethane laminate, waterproof) which was embroidered by someone else for me. There is foldover elastic at the waist and leg openings. I think this is really cute and it's much better quality than that Gerber one. I haven't tried it on Henry though, so I'm not sure how it will fit.

Right now I'm working on another pair of pj pants and a pull-on fleece diaper cover.

Springy!

2006-04-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

I finished my Regia tip & top socks (color 4083). I just did my basic sock pattern--top down, 64 stitches, US1 needle. Actually I used 1.5 needles for the leg. Obviously, I didn't try to match up the stripes. Now I'm going to cast on a matching pair for Henry!

And of course Henry needs an Easter bib. I bought the cute egg-y fabric at Walmart and the back is cotton terry velour. It's just turned and topstitched and then I got to use my fancy press to put on a snap!

abc-along H

2006-04-10T17:59:00.000-07:00

Can you guess what H is for? Was there ever any doubt?

H is for Henry! I took this picture this morning at the AP playgroup. We were at a teeny little park next to a library and it was really packed! (don't you love the sun hat? I made it about a year ago).

wee bunnies

2006-04-09T16:16:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Easter, I finished four wee bunnies using this pattern and flannel scraps. One has blue plaid on the back and will go in Henry's Easter basket. The other 3 are gifts that will go in the mail on Monday. I used leetle white pom poms for tails, except on Henry's (I know he would immediately pull it off and try to eat it, so I sewed on a circle of white fleece instead). I drew the faces on with permanent marker because I know from experience that when I try to embroider faces the results are usually not good!

Sewing

2006-04-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

I made one of those shopping cart seat covers and I'm pretty pleased with it. Especially since I used stuff I already had instead of going out and buying a ready-made one for around $30. I used pattern Simplicity 4636 with just one modification--I put 2 slits in the back, like giant buttonholes, so I can slip the cart seatbealt through and around the baby. Henry's still too small to sit up properly in one of those seats without the seatbelt buckled. For the seat I used some yellow prequilted fabric and the rest is red Charlie Brown baseball fabric (love both of these--they were purchased cheapcheapcheap from JoAnns quite some time ago. as a matter of fact, I think the Charlie Brown fabric was like $.50/yd or something ridiculous). The picture is Henry taste testing the cover the other day at the Mitsuwa marketplace (all I bought was Pocky, tofu, and Hello Kitty stickers. heh). I used it today at Walmart and I had one woman come up and ask me where I got it because she has been looking for one. These are the kind of things that make me happy these days, people.

thank you, secret pal!

2006-04-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

Look at all the great goodies that were packed into my final secret pal package from Elizabeth! A stuffed chick for Henry, a yarn cutter pendant, a cutie sheep tape measure, the magic loop booklet, _Cool Crochet_, Wildfoote sock yarn, Sockotta sock yarn, and Artyarns Supermerino. Ahhh. Thanks, secret pal! I've decided to sit out round 8, but you can sign up here.

sew little time

2006-03-30T14:04:00.000-08:00

Now that I sort of have my crafting mojo back, I have a million things that I want to do. I'd like to finish Henry's cross stitch birth sampler. I think the last time I worked on that was the day my water broke (hmmm, I wonder if I would have finished it if he hadn't come so early)?

I also want to do some (a lot) of sewing. At the top of the list

swim diapers
bibs like this (I have some of that exact fabric)!
one of these (I even have a pattern already)
a bag for sew, I knit! (I can't make up my mind what kind)

of course I have a few problems--nowhere to set up my sewing machine at the moment and no time to sew (I think the machine would wake up mr. light sleeper even when he's napping in the other room). sigh. Maybe this weekend I can figure something out...

abc-along

2006-03-29T10:22:00.000-08:00

G is for Grandma!
This photo was taken a few weeks ago when I went to my knitting retreat and Anthony's mom came to help out with Henry. Her name is Ljubica (which means "Violet") and she was born in Croatia (the island of Vis). She currently lives in the L.A. area with my BIL and my doggie Jackson. Henry is her first grandchild and she loooves being a grandma.

Tuesday

2006-03-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

Here's my progress so far on the New England sock from Knitting on the Road (Cherry Tree Hill supersock in spring frost and US0 needles). I like it, but you do have to pay attention to the chart all the time. Soo, I also cast on a plain Regia tip&top sock for mindless sock knitting.

Sunday in New England

2006-03-26T09:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a busy day for me--DH watched Henry so I got to run around like an idiot trying to get things done. Dishes, laundry, post office, long walk. I went to the farmers market and then the produce stand (because the farmer's market sucked). I made organic zucchini babyfood and ABC nutloaf (yum, btw. we had it with chicken-flavored vegetarian gravy, mashed potatoes, and salad).

Knitting. I couldn't decide what socks I wanted to work on. I knit a few rounds on some ufo socks and then put them away again. Ripped a different ufo sock because I had to face the fact that it was really too small for my foot. Thought about starting a sweater for Henry using sock yarn. Finally, I decided to start the New England socks from Knitting on the Road. I'm using Cherry Tree Hill supersock in spring frost (note that this is a superwash yarn, but the dye tends to fade a lot if you actually put it in the washer and dryer. I'm using this because I had it in my stash, but I won't be buying it again). I had a pic to post but blogger won't let me. pppffftt.

wee blankie

2006-03-25T06:21:00.000-08:00

Here's a small blanket that I just finished up for the preemie project. It's about 20 inches square and I used a basic diagonal garter stitch dishcloth pattern. The yarn is Valeria di Roma Topacio that I bought quite some time ago from elann. It's 60% cotton/40% acrylic and I used 3 skeins. I actually have a sweater's worth of this in orange to make something for me!

Random Friday

2006-03-24T11:09:00.000-08:00

Look what came in the mail yesterday from elann! 3 balls of Regia cotton surf and one ball of tip and top. I love this cotton blend. I've actually already made 2 pairs of cotton surf socks--one went to my sister and one for me. love love love. I'm resisting the urge to cast on immediately, although the bottom one is Padres colors so I might have to bust that one out soon (opening day is less than 2 weeks away)! The thing is, I have several sock ufos, I'm behind on the KOTR KAL, and I want to see what the new sock will be for the 6sox KAL.
I must make one (or 5) of these. Cute! and a good stashbuster.
Henry has rotovirus. The ped said there's nothing that can be done about it (other than giving pedialyte). Poor guy.
I'm hoping that we can make it to our parent-tot class at the Waldorf school this afternoon. We missed the last 2 weeks due to illness and me being out of town. His nap schedule is totally out of whack today though, and when (if) he finally goes down for a nap I'm sure as hell not going to wake him up to take him.

Simply Lovely Lace Socks

2006-03-23T09:52:00.000-08:00

pattern: Simply Lovely Lace Socks by Karen Baumer. Interweave Knits Spring 2006.
yarn: Artyarns Ultramerino
modifications: I used US1 needles instead of US0.

ten!

2006-03-22T10:45:00.000-08:00

My sweet baby is ten months old today! He isn't crawling yet, but he does cruise along the floor on his tummy with amazing speed. He can get wherever he wants to go. He also figured out how to open the lower kitchen cabinets so we need to get safetly latches installed asap. He is still having stomach problems, but his mood is better. Hopefully he will be back to 100% very soon.

So far I am eating much better today. I won't bore you with a food log, although I am thinking about setting up a separate food blog. You know how sometimes you eat better if you have to actually write it down. And probably even more so if other people might be looking. I just put this together while H was napping so tonight I can pop it in the oven (for 30-45 minutes, I would guess).

Food

2006-03-21T13:56:00.000-08:00

Remember how I said I was going to start eating better? Um, yeah. I say that pretty often and it rarely ever happens. Today started off ok--a juice spritzer (you know, instead of a diet Coke), a bowl of almond-flax granola with plain soymilk, and a little bit of coffee. Later I had the diet Coke anyway with a small organic date-almond-coconut bar from the co-op. It was very much downholl from there--Arby's drivethru AND an entire box of Andes mints for lunch. Ahem. Now I have a tummy ache--imagine that? I don't think peppermint tea can help me this time.

Poor Henry is still having stomach problems. We are going through about eleventy million (disposable) diapers a day. His doctor said that it could last for a week. Oy.

abc-along

2006-03-20T02:21:00.000-08:00

F is for Feather and Fan! Here is Henry's blanket, blocking on my bed.

Uh, it's a small blanket, if you can even call it that. It's about 25" square. But I don't care. I mean, he's almost a year old so he's probably not going to be using a lace blanket all that much anyway. It looks pretty draped over his crib

Pattern: from Vogue Knitting on the Go Baby Blankets

Yarn: Joslyn's fiber farm laceweight

Sunday

2006-03-19T15:05:00.000-08:00

It's been a decent day so far, although poor Henry is getting over a stomach bug. This morning I went to Starbucks, had a decaf mocha frappucino, and decided to work on Henry's feather and fan baby blanket. I worked on it at the retreat and of course I made a mistake because I can't knit lace and talk at the same time. I am really sick of this blanket so I just bound it off! It's amazing that I had over 500 stitches on the needle (in the round) and it's still quite small. I know, it was laceweight yarn and size 4 needles (I think) but it seems like I was knitting this thing for about 100 years. My plan is to wash it and see how big it will block out and then I will decide what to do with it.

Then I went to the food co-op and naturally I forgot to bring my shopping list. And the food co-op is way across town. Oy. I got lots of fun things like wheat germ and soy ham (I am trying to eat healthier).

On the way home I stopped at the vegetarian restaurant to pick up lunch. While I was waiting, I popped in to the thrift shop next store (which benefits an animal welfare group--I forget which one). I didn't spend a lot of time there but I did manage to score these 4 cute pink cloth napkins and 2 balls of GGH Esprit for a grand total of $1.08!

random Thursday

2006-03-16T21:06:00.000-08:00

I finished the first simply lovely lace sock! woot! sorry, no pic since it's too dark at the moment. It fits well and it looks pretty spiffy.
I can't believe team USA is out of the World Baseball Classic. How embarrassing.
Henry is feeling better. yay!
so. tired.

home

2006-03-15T08:19:00.000-08:00

I'm back home again and I've been a lazy blogger. Henry hasn't been feeling well so I'm using him as an excuse. I'm not really sure what's wrong since he seems to be over his cold--ear infection? teething? constipated? missing his grandma? One minute he's fine and the next minute he's crying like the world is coming to an end. I was getting ready to start weaning him but I guess that will have to wait.

The retreat was wonderful. I didn't take my camera so I don't have any pictures to share. I got to relax, knit, drink wine and coffee, eat great food, sleep, chat with the greatest gals ever, sleep, eat, knit.....I made some progress on Henry's baby blanket, but it's slow going since I now have over 500 stitches on the needle. Oy. I also started a pair of socks (and when I came home I joined the knitalong)--Karen's Simply Lovely Lace

Socks in artyarns ultramerino (IK Spring 2006).

Karen, thankyouthankyouthankyou for the wonderful retreat!!!

All systems GO

2006-03-09T14:37:00.000-08:00

Hurrah! It looks like I will be going to my knitting retreat tomorrow. Henry is starting to feel better and so far I haven't caught his cold. My MIL is coming to help DH for the weekend (DH has a presentation to give next week so he will be working on it from home). Now I am just thinking about what to pack--mainly what knitting to pack. My main project will be Henry's baby blanket--you know, since I want to finish it *ahem* before he becomes a toddler. Of course I'm also bringing some socks for truly mindless knitting. I'm really looking forward to this, although I will miss Henry terribly. But I'll only be gone from Friday afternoon until 1pm on Sunday.

edited to add: I just finished my second cotton market bag. woo! Sorry, no pics because we moved the computer and I don't know where the usb cable for the camera is. This bag is very similar to the yellow one I posted recently, but it's terra cotta colored and I made 2 short handles instead of 1 long one. There's something very satisfying about making something so practical and good for the environment (I've been using the yellow one a lot when Henry and I walk to the grocery store with the stroller).

2006-03-06T13:36:00.000-08:00

Random Monday

Poor H has another cold. He was up every 2 hours last night cuz he couldn't breathe. I hate seeing him sick--he gets so upset because he doesn't understand why he can't breathe or why I try to suction the yuck out of his nose. He's napping in his swing right now. I've noticed that he prefers to sleep there when he's congested, which makes sense.
I tried out the new Cuddlebuns diaper on H this morning and I really like it. Although it's bulky, the fit is good. It was very absorbent and I can tell that it will definitely fit him for quite a while.
So far today I made organic prune babyfood for Henry, eggsalad for sandwiches (dinner), and I have rice pudding in the crockpot (I'm trying a vegan version cuz I had lots of soymilk in the fridge--we'll see how it turns out. I also used Silk creamer, so it looks promising).
I started knitting another diagonal garter stitch baby blanket for the preemie project using some vareigated cotton/acrylic that I had in my stash. I'm all about the mindless knitting. Still.
I'm planning to go to my annual knitting retreat (!!) in northern California this coming weekend. Cross your fingers that the stars will align and H will be feeling better by then.

tree of life

2006-03-04T07:58:00.000-08:00

Here's my first diaper made with the embroidered fabric I showed you the other day. This was also my first time using the Cuddlebuns one-size-diaper pattern. The inner is light blue suedecloth and the closures are light blue snaps. The hidden soaker is 2 microfiber towels folded into thirds. So this is one heavy-duty (all-in-one) diaper! I need to wash it and try it on H before I decide whether I like this pattern or not. Then I can figure out if I want to use the rest of my embroidered PUL this way. And yay--I'm finally getting better at sewing on the foldover elastic!

yellow

2006-03-03T19:12:00.000-08:00

I'm always thinking about little things that I can make for the preemie project. Like yesterday I was at Walmart and of course I had to check the fabric remnants. I got 7/8yd of yellow fleece (60" wide) for under $2. So I cut it in half, used pinking shears around the edges, and sewed on some baby appliques that I had picked up a while ago on clearance. Voila, 2 large blankets for the preemie project. The one on top is a small blanket (about 20" square) that I knit from some Sirdar snowflake that was in my stash. I'm also sending the 2 leftover skeins so someone else can use them.

2006 abc-along

2006-03-02T19:59:00.000-08:00

E is for embroidery. Look what I received in the mail today from WCC. Cuts of PUL (polyurethane laminate) fabric with fabulous embroidery! I picked which designs I wanted and mailed the fabric to her (the service was great btw...and fast). These will be made into diapers (or diaper covers), with the design on the butt of course. I totally cannot decide which one is my favorite. Now to find the time to cut and sew!

adventures

2006-03-01T17:52:00.000-08:00

Adventures in tie dye. I bought some blanks (mostly baby t-shirts) and the teeny tie dye kit from dharma trading company. I also did a baby onesie, bib, and hat, and 2 t-shirts for me. But what I'm most excited about is--I dyed a yard of white flannel fabric that I will use to make diapers (of course)! It was fun and I love the finished items. I don't think I will do it again soon though cuz it was just too messy (duh). And for some reason I was thinking that the kit came with yellow, red, and blue. But it actually came with yellow, fuschia, and turquoise.

Adventures in homemade baby food. I now have cute little squares of the following in my freezer

tofu with sweet potatoes & apples
organic black beans
mangos
organic yams
organic pumpkin with barley

next up

organic sweet corn
organic apples
organic butternut squash

I should probably do something green too. For the past few days he's been eating avocado with his lunch, so at least that's green!

2006-02-28T11:37:00.000-08:00

can't blog now...busy tie dyeing!

2006 abc-along

2006-02-26T13:20:00.000-08:00

D is for diapers, of course! Here's the diaper I made last week for a swap. The outside (brown) is a layer of waterprool PUL and the inside is printed flannel (cute coffe theme). There is a snap-in soaker and doubler (also in flannel) and some matching cloth wipes with flannel on one side and cotton terry velour on the other side (I really like these--I made a few for myself as well and they are my new faorite wipes). The closure is white snaps and the binding (white) is foldover elastic.

as if I don't have enough to do already

2006-02-24T12:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Henry had his 9-month well-baby appointment. He is doing great. 28 inches and 16 pounds 10 oz (keep in mind that his adjusted age is about 7 1/2 months, so he is small). The one thing I talked about with the doctor is the fact that he is constantly hungry! So, we are moving from 2 meals a day to 3 meals a day and adding in some new foods, especially protein sources like tofu and beans. Here's H trying tofu for the first time. He's still not to keen on anything that isn't super-pureed, but he had fun playing with it anyway.

So, I started looking at some of my books on healthy food for babies, etc. I even got out this kit, which I got super-cheap on clearance while I was pregnant (I think I have the older version because it looks slightly different and I paid like $7 for it). Now I'm thinking I might actually try making my own baby food. That way I can make it all (or mostly) organic and it will be much less expensive. This kit makes it seem really easy--just buy organic fruits or veggies, clean, cook, and puree. Then you stick them in the freezer in the little ice cube tray thingies and you have nice little 1-oz portions that will keep in the freezer for 2 months. Cool. I will have to get to the co-op and pick up some more organic produce. Right now I'm soaking some organic black beans so I might actually make those first. I'm going to cook them in the slow cooker overnight and then use some for black bean soup tomorrow and the rest for babyfood.

This morning I pureed the rest of the (silken) tofu with some sweet potato and apple babyfood (H's favorite) to make a pudding. He ate it for breakfast and loved it. I have one tray full in the freezer right now!

2006-02-21T10:11:00.000-08:00

I've been a bad blogger lately. I guess I just haven't been feeling very crafty and so it doesn't seem like I have anything interesting to write about. I worked all day Saturday and Monday (DH watched H). Sunday was grocery shopping and working on H's room (here's a pic of him in his new crib).

Knitting--almost nothing. Still working on cotton market bag #2 and yellow preemie baby blanket.

Sewing--I finished my first skirt for sew i knit. I kind of like it but I kind of don't. The clearance fabric was a little wonky and I wasn't very careful and it shows in the finished product. I'll post a pic when I can get DH to take a model shot. I'm working on drafting my own cloth diaper pattern and I made a flannel one the other day with my first attempt. I think I know what changes I want to make for next time. I'm also working on a AIO for a diaper swap. I think it's going to be pretty cute. Maybe some matching cloth wipes too.

TY SP7!

2006-02-16T09:48:00.000-08:00

Look what the UPS man brought yesterday--my first secret pal package! Two great knitting books from my wishlist and a toy for Henry (such a nice suprise)! Thank you so much, secret pal. Henry loves the cars and he especially loves when I drive them around the carpet and make funny noises. The books are great and I think they may be just the thing to get me out of my knitting blahs. I'm not sure what I will make first, but I do have a baby shower coming up....

My secret pal is really very sweet. I got an email from her telling me that she had a family emergency and she had to leave town so she wasn't able to get my package in the mail. She was still thoughtful enough to place an order with amazon and have it shipped directly to me. Thank you!

pjs!

2006-02-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

Finally, I finished these pjs for Henry. They were a PITA to make (and took me forever), but now I'm happy with the way they turned out. The fabric is that non-flammable sleepwear stuff (100% poly) from JoAnns and the pattern is New Look 6525. They look like they will be a bit big on him right now, but that was the plan. He is growing like a weed, especially in length!

For valentines day, DH got me some chocolates and a JoAnns gift card. Does he know me or what? I might even go to JoAnns today. I'm thinking I should buy some fabric for ME instead of flannel for Henry's diapers! Yesterday I cut out my first skirt for sew? I knit! using some stash fabric, but I'd like to make several more (I'm using New Look 6565). I'm thinking I would like something in a pretty batik.

Random Tuesday

2006-02-14T11:13:00.000-08:00

I'm interested in doing some canning this spring and summer. Since I have no idea what I'm doing, I just ordered this book and I've been looking around here and here (if you have any tips, please share)!
I am very excited. I found someone who will do embroidery on some of my PUL (waterproof) fabric and then I can make my own cute diapers with embroidery on the butt! Now to decide which designs I want, cut the PUL, and get it in the mail.
I'm into super-mindless knitting these days, so yesterday I started a baby blanket for the preemie project. I'm using some yellow sirdar snowflake from my stash and I'm doing the basic dishcloth style.
Happy Valentine's Day! Henry is wearing a heart t-shirt from his aunt Kerri and one of the valentine diapers that I made. Later the three of us will be going out for a romantic dinner at Denny's. Heh.

fanfest & market bag

2006-02-12T20:43:00.000-08:00

Yay, we had a pretty fun weekend. Luckily DH is feeling quite a bit better (thank you for the well wishes)!

Saturday morning I went to a parent meeting at the Waldorf school. So. fun. I learned how to play the lyre! Then on Saturday afternoon we loaded up the stroller and the diaper bag and took Henry to Friar Fan Fest 2006 at Petco Park. The weather was beautiful and we had fun (note Henry on first base...he got to "run" the bases).

Today I did some cleaning and then went and got some groceries at the co-op. I got to use my new yellow cotton market bag, which I love. I used some sugar n cream cotton from my stash and this pattern. I already have another one on the needles using some terra cotta colored lion brand kitchen cotton. This afternoon the three of us went to Barnes and Noble where I picked up a cookbook for me and a book of Nursery rhymes for Henry.

too cool for school

2006-02-10T16:27:00.000-08:00

I don't think I've mentioned that Henry has started school already (heh, my MIL laughs for 15 minutes every time we tell her that Henry is going to school). Every Friday afternoon for 2 hours we attend parent-tot classes at the Waldorf school of San Diego. It is sooooo much fun. It gets us out of the house and we spend time with other parents and babies. We sing songs and play and eat healthy organic snacks. The parents even get to do craft projects (right now we are hand-sewing little flannel dolls)!!! Today Henry wore his new acrylic longies (over a handmade sheep fitted diaper) and he got tons of compliments. Everyone was so impressed with my sewing and knitting. One mama is getting ready to switch over to cloth once she gets a washer and dryer so she was asking for tips on fabrics and patterns. Oh, the knit baby gnome was a big hit as well.

good news/bad news

2006-02-08T17:45:00.000-08:00

Bad news: DH isn't feeling so hot. He just got back from the doctor who says he has several infections and sent him home with antibiotics x2 and painkillers. He will be home from work for a few days (which never happens, so you know he's really sick).

Good news: In 2004 I was wrongfully fired from a job for telling them that I was pregnant. It looks like they will be cited with a violation and I will get a small settlement (yay, to pay off some debt). Of course the bad news is--it should have been a large settlement, but the weasels found a way around it. Oh well, I'll take what I can get.

And just for fun, here's a pic of Henry in his new green longies. I knit a matching hat, but he recently decided that it's fun to pull hats of his head!

food

2006-02-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

Today is frugal-vegetarian-pantry-crockpot dinner day. Heh. Saute 1 small chopped onion and 1 chopped clove of garlic in olive oil for a few minutes. Put this in the slow cooker with 3 cans organic pinto beans (rinsed) and 1 jar of Pace "taco cooking sauce". Cook on low until dinnertime and serve with rice and maybe a salad ;)

Sewing--I am working on a sleeper for Henry. Knitting--I'm almost done with Henry's acrylic longies. Other--I'm finally trying to set up H's nursery!

four pockets

2006-02-06T08:17:00.000-08:00

I really like pocket diapers (these are sort of similar to fuzzi bunz). They are AIOs (no cover needed), trim, they dry quickly, and you can stuff them with as much absorbent stuff as you need to. I also like that they have a stay-dry inner. The ones on the left are my favorite shade of yellow--yellow PUL outer, yellow microfleece inner, and even pale yellow snaps! The ones on the right are cream Malden Mills fleece (200wt) and a suedecloth inner. Oh, and cream snaps! (did I mention that I love my snap press? and I just ordered a size 16 die set and size 16 snaps for clothing).

for the preemie project

2006-02-03T12:30:00.000-08:00

We're all starting to feel a bit better around here. Thank goodness. I really haven't felt like tackling any of the big knitting projects that I have on the needles, but I have been continuing to make some things for the preemie project. This little hat and bootie set is made from this old standby pattern. The yarn is TLC and I got it on clearance for $1/skein at JoAnns a while back. For some reason I'm really liking this yarn so I also started a pair of knit pants for Henry in the same color! The little preemie-sized romper was sewn using this pattern and some cotton woven fabric that I also got on clearance at JoAnns (several years ago). This is a nice little item and it goes together very quickly (I used purchased bias tape on the neck and sewed on small metal snaps for the closure).

Wednesday

2006-02-01T17:53:00.000-08:00

Henry has an ear infection. In both ears. Needless to say, I haven't gotten much done the last few days. I did sign up for Sew? I Knit! because I really want to sew some new skirts for myself and that's the first thing they are doing. Maybe this will motivate me! Oh, and be sure to check out the January tie one on gallery (I don't plan on doing a man-apron, the theme for February).

2006 abc-along

2006-01-31T10:48:00.000-08:00

C is for cow print. I think I mentioned that my friend Jenn is having her first baby in March and that she is doing a barnyard-themed nursery. Here are the diaper stacker and matching blanket that I made for her. Both fabrics were purchased at JoAnns and the diaper stacker was made using Simplicity 4627. The pattern was lame and if I make this again I will make several changes. But I think it still turned out pretty darn cute!

tie one on

2006-01-29T20:32:00.000-08:00

This month's theme for tie one on is an apron from clothes. I used a men's dress shirt purchased at Goodwill (I actually bought it for my husband, but it was a bit too small for him). The main part of the apron is the shirttail and the band across the waist is the button band. I recycled the pocket and added one spool of discount white lace (around the pocket and as ties). Sorry for the crummy photo--it's actually quite cute, but all 3 of us are sick with a cold so I didn't feel like having a real photo shoot.

contest & longies

2006-01-28T10:55:00.000-08:00

There is a cool contest going on right now that has to do with the preemie project. Details here.

edited to add: I just finished H's wool longies!

Friday

2006-01-27T10:41:00.000-08:00

Not a lot going on around here. Little H has his first cold so I am busy wiping his nose and giving him kisses. Nothing serious at this point so that's good.

I'm working on H's green longies and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Just need to finish knitting the second leg and then graft the crotch gusset.

I'm hoping to do some sewing this weekend. I'd also like to do some organizing of the stash and list some stuff on eBay. While I'm going through stuff, I'm going to collect some cloth diapers and accessories to send here.

2006-01-26T07:11:00.000-08:00

Cute stuff

my 1000th post!

2006-01-25T11:03:00.000-08:00

Well, I didn't get around to making any Christmas diapers for Henry, but I did make him 2 for valentine's day! I really like these. They are all flannel and I think I spent $6 total at JoAnns for the fabric. The body has 3 layers of flannel and the snap-in (!!) soaker has 8 layers. I also made matching doublers which are 6 layers of flannel. Cute, no?

I'm also thinking that I need to order a size 16 die for my snap press--that's what's generally used for kids clothes. Right now I'm using size 20 snaps for diapers but that would be just too big for sleepers and bibs.

snappy!

2006-01-24T12:50:00.000-08:00

My new snap press arrived and I must say that I love my new toy! I did one practice snap, and then I was off putting snaps on the four fitted diapers that I made over the weekend. Three are from recycled t-shirts and one is some yummy blue cotton velour (so soft)! The inner layer on all of them is organic sherpa which is dreamy. These are some fancy-pants diapers for my little man! Off to cut out more diapers so I can add more snaps....

Monday blahs

2006-01-23T14:01:00.000-08:00

I've been doing a lot of crafting over the past week or so, but for some reason I really haven't felt like blogging about it. Maybe I just have too many projects going on and not enough time?

I finished up 4 more fitted diapers and am just waiting for my new industrial snap press to arrive (!!!!) so I can put snaps on them (instead of aplix).
I finished up some baby gifts, which of course I can't show you here.
I'm working on sewing a cow-print diaper stacker for Jenn (no blog, sorry) who is due in March and has a barnyard-themed nursery.
I started some wool longies for H using some leftover kelly green Cascade 220.
I started and finished 10 postcards for the postcard swap.
Above are 4 hat/footie sets that I finished for the preemie project (check out who is on the homepage).

ABC along

2006-01-20T06:46:00.000-08:00

B is for my Baby Boy in Blue (who will be 8 months old on Sunday--I cannot believe it! We are already starting to talk about his first birthday)!!

Whitby!

2006-01-19T08:28:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh--a knitting FO! I just finished these socks for my Grandmother. Her birthday is on the 25th and they are already wrapped up and ready to go to the post office today.
Pattern: Whitby from Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush
Yarn: Lorna's Laces sport weight in happy valley (in real life it's really more pastel)
needles: US2

more sewing

2006-01-18T09:07:00.000-08:00

Here are 5 pockets diapers that I just finished up last night. PUL (polyurethane laminate, waterproof) outer and microfleece inner. I also made (absorbent) inserts which are 2 layers of hemp terry and 2 layers of microfiber. I basically used this pattern. They have aplix closures.

Also, some flannel teddy bears for the preemie project. I made these with scraps leftover from diaper-making!

tie dye bum

2006-01-16T22:12:00.000-08:00

Been busy sewing during this 3-day weekend. But now I'm tired. Here's a cute-patootie pic of H. modeling my first fleece diaper cover. It's Walmart fleece on the outside, white microfleece on the inside, and it has aplix (velcro) closures on the front.

handdyed, handspun

2006-01-14T08:18:00.000-08:00

I keep forgetting to blog about this gorgeous new yarn sent to me by the fabulous and talented Melinda (no blog). I can't spin. Well, actually I briefly tried with a drop spindle, failed, and decided I just didn't have the time or patience for spinning at the moment (nor do I have the room for more stuff for a new hobby)! Melinda is a teacher (professor, actually--I think) and a fabulous knitter and also finds time to hand dye and spin yarn! She sent me the beautiful orangey stuff this summer and I am currently knitting some basic ribbed socks with it. Looooove the way it feels and how pretty it is knit up. These will be some special pretty warm socks for me me me! Then just last week this gorgeous blue-green yarn showed up in my mailbox. I am a lucky girl!!!

it's back!

2006-01-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

Hurrah--I picked up my sewing machine from the repair shop today! (I just love how 1 minor repair on a $200 machine costs $50. it's like having a frickin used car). Now, I have so many things to sew and so little time! I hardly know where to start. Well, the first thing I did was sew up some flannel teddy bears that I had cut out for the preemie project. Oh, that was after I did a little bit of reorganization of my fabric stash. Next I need to focus on more diapers, covers, and longies. Oh, and more footies. And a few dpn cases for gifts. And an apron for this month's tie one on. And more blankies for the preemie project...and...and....and....

babies

2006-01-11T11:56:00.000-08:00

above: a gratuitous photo of Henry being cute. I love how his eyes match the shirt he's wearing. The wool soaker is one I bought from eBay and is recycled from a sweater--love those motifs!

right: a few things I'm sending off to the preemie project. 2 small fleece blankies (made from a remnant I got at JoAnns) and 3 white hats (3-5 pound size). I used Lion Brand pound of love which is suprisingly soft after washing and drying.

I am a lucky girl. Karen is coming over later and she's bringing Mexican food.!

baby footies

2006-01-10T16:39:00.000-08:00

The other day when we went for our family walk, Henry wore his cute little Robeez shoes for the first time. I sort of remembered seeing a pattern online somewhere to make something similar. A bit of searching (I love google and the internets) and I found what I was looking for here. I know some people have made them with leather, but I was more interested in using microfleece(cozy!) or faux suede or flannel or wool. Needless to say, I made several pairs. Some are for Henry (the 3-6 month size fits him well right now) and some are for gifts. I even made some for the preemie project and I am working on sizing the pattern down for teeny baby feet. I can see sizing this up later on and using Jiffy Grip on the soles for when Henry actually starts walking. Fun!!

2006-01-08T22:55:00.000-08:00

Secret Pal 7 Questionnaire

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?
I love the good stuff, but I also use acrylic (especially for charity).
2. Do you spin? Crochet?
I don't spin and I'm trying to teach myself how to crochet.
3. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
straights in a glass vase, circs in a homemade version of the circular solution, dpns in a fabric case I made.
4. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I've been seriously knitting for 5 or 6 years, although I learned when I was about 7. I'd say intermediate to advanced.
5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
yes, here
6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
anything with real essential oils, especially lavender and patchouli
7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
and how. chocolate covered caramels are my fave.
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
sewing. a little bit of beading and scrapbooking/cardmaking. cross stitch.
9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I'm not a big music person these days.
10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
I like most colors, although pale yellow is my favorite.
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
married with a 7-month old boy (Henry).
12. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
mainly just hats, since I live in a warm climate. Well, and lightweight or lacey scarves.
13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
koigu, lorna's laces, Cascade 220.
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I'm not a big fan of mohair or angora.
15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
socks, knit toys, wool soakers and longies for baby.
16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
socks.
17. What are you knitting right now?
socks, preemie hats for charity, a lace baby blanket, a pullover for me.
18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
absolutely.
19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
depends on my mood.
20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
depends on the yarn, but usually bamboo.
21. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
yes.
22. How did you learn to knit?
My grandmother taught me when I was a child.
23. How old is your oldest UFO?
um, a couple years I guess.
24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
Hello Kitty.
25. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas (and the Super Bowl. heh).
26. Is there anything that you collect?
besides yarn, fabric, and knitting books? cookbooks and Green Bay Packer paraphenalia
27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
Interweave Knits.
28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?
Socks that Rock.
29. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
crochet (especially amigurimi).
30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
yes. I wear a size 8 1/2 shoe. My ankle is 9".
31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
November 11

handmade

2006-01-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

I love that every single thing that Henry is wearing today is handmade. He's got on one of the fitted diapers that I made recently and the wool butt sweater was made by Karen. I sewed the t-shirt and the fleece footies. (I'm a little bit obsessed with making those little footies so that will have to be a whole different post)!

DH is taking my sewing machine to the repair shop right now so it looks like it will be a knitting weekend. Right now I'm making some little hats for the preemie project and I cast on for the Whitby socks (from Knitting on the Road) for my Grandmother's upcoming birthday.

frugal finds

2006-01-06T15:22:00.000-08:00

Henry was cranky today (teething) and we were bored so I decided we should take a trip to Goodwill to see if we could find anything interesting. They didn't have any yarn today, but I did find these 2 100% wool sweaters. The one on the left is a beautiful fair isle (not hand knit--imported from China or something) and the one on the right is by Eddie Bauer and it's a very soft, fine gauge 100% lambswool. I will probably make wool longies from the sleeves and use the rest for other projects (maybe some booties or some wool soakers). Or I might felt the brown one and make it into a tote for me. I also found this really cool embroidery kit (still in the package). It says it's a scandinavian picture with linen fabric and cotton yarn (made in Germany).

I also got a taggie soft book for Henry (he got a little taggie blanket from Santa and he loves it), a pair of really cute corduroy pants for me (which may need some reconstructing), and 2 dress shirts for DH.

Speaking of being frugal, I just found this blog. I like it. For me, life's all about saving money so I can spend it all on fabric and yarn, people. Heh.

no more sewing

2006-01-05T17:16:00.000-08:00

Wah! I've been doing lots of sewing lately and my sewing machine just died on me! It's nothing serious and I've been meaning to take it in for a tune-up anyway. So I guess that helps my solve my problem of what to do with my few minutes of free time (sew or knit)! Well, at least for a week or so anyway.

I guess I can show some pics of what I've been making. First, a flannel sheet for Henry's cosleeper. I know this doesn't sound very exciting, but it really is! The arm's reach mini cosleeper has this odd little mattress and regular crib or bassinet sheets do not fit. The sheet that came with it shrunk so now it's really tight and pulls the mattress up a little bit. I ordered an (expensive) replacement sheet online, but I think they sent the wrong one because it is way too big. So anyway, I got this flannel for NINETY-SIX CENTS (!!!) at JoAnn's the day after Thanksgiving. I laid the mattress on top of it to take my measurements and bound all the edges with foldover elastic. Success! A perfect fit.

I also finished up 6 fitted diapers in size medium. I used the Very Baby diaper pattern. There are 3 layers--the outer layer is a knit print and the 2 other layers are absorbent cotton sherpa.

(sorry--I am too lazy to add any links today)

sewing--aprons

2006-01-04T07:23:00.000-08:00

Now that the holidays are over I can post a pic of one of the secret gifts I made. This is the apron I made for Karen. She really liked the Christmas one I made for tie one on so I decided to make one for her. I was really pleased to find this cute fabric at JoAnns as Karen is a fabu cook and she likes the color green.

January's theme (apron from clothes) is up for tie one on and I am still thinking about it. Too bad I recently donated that full-length red chiffon skirt to Goodwill!!

2006-01-02T07:44:00.000-08:00

2006 ABC-ALONG

A is for Anthony. The (other) love of my life. This picture was taken on New Year's Day at La Jolla Cove. It was a fun family outing.

2006-01-01T12:04:00.000-08:00

2006

I'm not going to make any personal resolutions this year. Taking care of a baby and having a very erratic part-time work schedule make me want to just take things one day at a time.

As far as knitting goes, I do have some goals for 2006

finish Henry's feather and fan baby blanket. before he turns one.
Knit a sweater for me (Port Orford, probably. The back is finished).
Knit a Christmas stocking for me (Henry and DH have one so I need one too)!
Finish the Creatures of the Reef Shawl (Fiddlesticks) for my sister.
Start gift knitting early.
Sell or give away all yarn that I will never use. My space and knitting time are limited, people.
Finish the Garden Shawl (Fiddlesticks) for me (this one might be pushing it. we'll see).
Continue to knit for the Preemie Project (I actually forgot to list the items I made in 2005 in yesterday's post).
A secret project that I can't talk about here.

For brunch today we had eggs florentine, soy sausages, and mimosas. mmmmm. For dinner we are having Hoppin' John.

I am working on Crofter's slipover from the book Folk Vests and I'm almost done with the ribbing. My first corrugated ribbing! I'm also doing some sewing. Pictures later in the week!

2005-12-31T14:52:00.000-08:00

2005 knit FOs

6 scarves
1 ipod cozy
1 baby sweater
15 pairs adult socks
3 pair infant socks
1 pair earrings
3 baby hats
1 adult sweater
9 wool soakers
2 washcloths
1 toy
2 Christmas stockings
1 watchband
5 Christmas ornaments
2 wire votive candle sleeves

Sometimes it seems like I never finish anything. Well, other than socks that is. I'm glad that I kept my photos organized over the past year so I was able to look back and add up everything that I did finish. Hey, that's not too shabby! The only "big" project I finished was Rogue, and most of the knitting for that was actually done last year. Lots of socks and soakers! I also did some cross stitch and quite a bit of sewing (lots of diapers)! Oh, and of course Henry was my most important FO of all!

2005-12-30T19:22:00.000-08:00

New pj pants! I love this fabric. I love these pj pants. I love the leetle red pom-poms on the bottom.

When I was in Wisconsin in October I saw this fabric (it's flannel with little fat cardinals on it) and I put it on my Christmas list. My mom, I mean Santa sent me 3 yards or so. Yay! I got the red pom-pom trim at Walmart.

2005

2005-12-28T09:32:00.000-08:00

I borrowed this from here, but only picked the things I wanted to answer (mainly all the ones pertaining to Henry. heh).

end of year wrap-up

What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
Had a baby!

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Me! Also, Sarah and Dody

What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 22--the day Henry was born (also May 18--the day my water broke 7 1/2 weeks early)!

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
heh. I think we all know the answer to that one.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not really, but I did spend a week in the hospital.

Where did most of your money go?
Bills, food, yarn, fabric, Henry.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Hmm. Henry? ;)

What song will always remind you of 2005?
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?: happier
ii. thinner or fatter?: about the same.
iii. richer or poorer?: about the same.

Did you fall in love in 2005?
definitely.

What did you want and get?
a healthy baby.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 33. I stayed home and took care of a baby and a sick husband. and ate cake.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
yoga pants, babeee.

What kept you sane?
Prozac, knitting, my husband, Henry, Karen, my sister, my mom (I need a lot of help).

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I can certainly tell you that it is not Tom Cruise (I had to borrow this answer too cuz I loved it so much).

Who was the best new person you met?
you have to ask? ;)

wow.

2005-12-27T09:16:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned that my friend Karen (owner of phibetababy) is extremely talented? And kind? And generous? Well, she is. She gives Henry (and me) gifts all the time (here's one of my Christmas gifts). But this gift just takes your breath away. It's a handknit Dale of Norway fair isle baby blanket. Click here for a better view. Amazing.

Merry Christmas

2005-12-25T08:23:00.000-08:00

2005-12-24T09:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!
(this is the photo I ended up using for our Christmas cards this year)

2005-12-23T15:48:00.000-08:00

Random Friday

I've been doing some baking. I made holiday pretzel treats, snickerdoodles, gingersnaps, m&m cookies, and peanut butter cookies. Tomorrow I will bake a pecan pie and I might also make some raspberry thumprint cookies since Karen sent me a recipe.
I think I have a sinus infection, but naturally my doctor's office is closed until Tuesday. So I consulted the very wise (and kind) Norma (did you see her gorgeous mittens?) and I am taking her advice (steam, neti pot, myrrh, and slippery elm, sudafed). Hopefully I will feel better by Sunday, when we are supposed to take Henry to visit his Grandma in L.A.
I'm having lots of fun knitting my Port Orford sweater (I'm working on the back right now).
Have you seen the YEAR-END BLOWOUT sale at Webs? Hmm, very tempting. I'm thinking about some Donegal tweed. We'll see if there's any left after I decide what to do with my Christmas money.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

7 months

2005-12-22T10:48:00.000-08:00

I'm seven months old today!

votive sleeves

2005-12-21T18:26:00.000-08:00

Here are my 2 finished votive sleeves (modeling next to Mr. Tubbs the snowman, of course). The pattern is from the (awesome) book Handknit Holidays by Melanie Falick. I used 26 gauge wire instead of 24 gauge cuz that's what I had on hand. For one (on the left) I used all faux pearls and for the other (on the right) I used faux pearls plus some white and clear beads that were in my stash. I think they look cute, but not great. I'm not sure if I want to give them as gifts or not. They worked up quickly, but knitting with wire isn't all that fun IMHO. It's hard on the hands (and the needles)!

recipe!

2005-12-20T12:06:00.000-08:00

I love my slow cooker. Especially now that Henry is here. I can prepare dinner early in the morning before he gets up or when he is taking his first nap. Then I don't have to worry about doing it in the evenings when he is usually crabby. Here's what we're having tonight with some buttery garlic bread

Crockpot Ravioli casserole
Adapted from The Slow Cooker Ready and Waiting Cookbook by Rick Rodgers

1 small onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 28oz can crushed roma tomatoes in puree
1 15oz can tomato sauce
2 t Italian seasoning
¼ t black pepper
1 10oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed to remove excess moisture
1 lb farfalle pasta
2 c ricotta cheese
½ c shredded parmesan cheese

Combine the first 7 ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Stir pasta and cheeses into the slow cooker and cook for 5 minutes.

done!

2005-12-19T22:12:00.000-08:00

Hurrah, I am finally done with all of my Christmas gifts (4 sewn, 8 knit). Here's the last of the bunch--woolease slipper socks for my BIL in LA Dodgers colors.

So you know what I did today? I cast on a sweater for me. I'm using Cascade 220 in a yummy heathery green color. I also played with the votive sleeve pattern in Handknit Holidays. My first try came out kind of mneh. I'm not sure if I will try another one right away or not (I was thinking about making one as a last minute gift for my MIL, but if I don't feel like it that's fine too. We already got her a gift).

DH's stocking

2005-12-16T17:34:00.000-08:00

Hurrah! DH's stocking is done. Well except for the blocking, which might have to wait until after Christmas. This is a suprise and I don't really have anywhere to lay it out and block it where DH won't see it. Except in my shower maybe?

Anyway, I used Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool and Cascade 220. Just like Henry's stocking, I cast on 64 sts with US 7 needles. The cuff is seed stitch. It's hard to see, but there is patterning on the leg (which I got from the Christmas Stockings book). A band of snowflakes and a band of dots. Once again my duplicate stitch looks crummy, but oh well. At least it's consistently crummy on both stockings. Heh.

boogie time

2005-12-15T14:45:00.000-08:00

I took a litle bit of a break from my holiday knitting to make something small for myself. When I first saw the pattern for boogie time in the new knitty, I really didn't think much of it. But then I saw that someone on this blog made one as a gift, and I started thinking that maybe I needed one. I am very picky about watches for some reason. They certainly don't have to be fancy or expensive--my last watch was obtained free with proof of purchase from a cereal box! But for some reason I always have trouble picking one that's just right. Well, you can't really go wrong with a koigu watch, now can you? I used some koigu from my stash (sorry, I don't know the color number) and the watch was $4.97 from Walmart (I know, evil empire yadda yadda).

This I like.

new pjs

2005-12-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

Here are Henry's new Christmas pjs. I bought a yard of the red and white checked flannel fabric (it has little embroidered gingerbread men all over it) from JoAnns, not really knowing what I was going to do with it. Of course when I decided to make the pjs I didn't have enough fabric so I had to use the red flannel from my stash for the sleeves. Now I really like it and I think it looks better than if I had used the print for the sleeves as well. I used a commerical pattern and just made a few changes. It's a gown style, but the pattern called for a drawstring at the bottom. I used elastic (hurrah for easy diaper changes)! I also left off the hood and sewed on a facing instead, didn't using interfacing, and I had to shorten the sleeves. Anyway, they kept Henry nice and warm last night and he likes scratching the little gingerbread men. :)

hmmmm

2005-12-12T16:45:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm not sure why I haven't felt like blogging lately. Maybe it's the stress of the holiday season, or this headache that I've had for days (and maybe the 2 are related, ya think)?

Anyway, at least my cold is just about gone and neither DH or Henry seem to have caught it. I've been doing some knitting and I'm almost done with my holiday gifts. All of the sewn gifts are done. I finished knitting my sister's bf's boot/slipper socks (see pic). They are 2 strands of woolease (in wheat) on size 8 needles. BIL's slipper socks--1 down and the second one started. That only leaves DH's Christmas stocking, which I just started today. Oh, and I need to finish up a frame that I'm painting for my mom.

I went to the post office today and mailed off most of my packages. There's just one big one left that goes to my mom's house so it's not quite ready to go yet.

I made the executive decision to put my sewing machine away for a little bit. I keep wanting to start new sewing projects but I just don't have the time right now since I need to finish up the holiday stuff. Then when I get the sewing machine back out, my first priority will be size medium cloth diapers for Henry (size small don't fit any more)! I need to order more Aplix although I may use some Christmas money to buy a snap press.

edited to add: sock labels available here

Saturday

2005-12-10T09:48:00.000-08:00

I'm still sick, but luckily I don't have to work this weekend. DH and I can get some much-needed R&R (well, as much as one can get with a 6-month old in the house).

I finished 2 more Christmas gifts and I posted about it here.

2005-12-07T16:59:00.000-08:00

Random Wednesday

I have another cold. So not fair. I feel like crap.
I'm almost done with my mom's Christmas gift socks. woot! (they're in worsted weight with short cuff so yeah, they go pretty fast)
The UPS guy commented on my gnome pjs today (no he wasn't delivering yarn, just some digital prints)
I did order some yarn from elann yesterday (Rowanspun 4-ply, which sold out right away) to make a vest in this book (ordered the book today. heh).
Mr. Tubbs the snowman came to live with me yesterday. He is so cute.
I sewed 2 Christmas stockings (no pic, see point #1). A huge one that I put on my front door and a smaller one that's going to my mom (they were made from printed fabric panels from Joanns).

decking the halls with pom poms

2005-12-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

I'm not doing my usual all-out Christmas decorating this year. Too busy, too tired, apartment is too cluttered (with baby stuff. oh, and yarn. and fabric). I did steal an idea from some other bloggers and make some festive pom pom garland. I love it! I put some on the cactus on the patio and some on our tiny potted live tree. Note that the topper on the tree is one of my festive penguins. And he has pom pom earmuffs to match the garland!

Packer stuff

2005-12-05T09:42:00.000-08:00

I've been sewing up some Christmas gifts. Partly because it's faster than knitting, but also because these are things that were on certain people's lists! Shorts for my sister and a fleece jacket for my mom. Did I mention that we're Green Bay Packer fans? Heh. I think the only things left on my sewing gift list are a couple of stockings that I just yesterday decided to make. They should be quick. Then I really need to get back to my gift knitting (and I need to stop making Christmas decorations)!

Henry's stocking

2005-12-04T08:15:00.000-08:00

Yay, it's finally finished! And hung by the fake fireplace with care. It's not perfect (especially where I had to do fair isle over the gap between dpns), but I'm pretty happy with it. Yes, I wet blocked it. Twice even.

Yarn: Cascade 220 (I love this yarn)
Needles: US 7
Pattern: I basically just cast on 64 stitches and made a big sock. I did a foldover picot hem at the top. The fair isle patterns were taken from various sources (special thanks to Karen for finding the moose). The name was duplicate stitched on later.

festive penguins

2005-12-03T06:55:00.000-08:00

Here's what I finished up at 6am this morning (Henry was up at 4:45 to eat and then went right back to sleep....) You can click for a bigger pic.

Inspiration and instructions here at Molly Chicken. I used cheapie craft store felt and buttons for eyes cuz that was easy. I added a few little embellishments like ribbon bow-ties. I'm quite pleased with them, but I haven't decided how I want to display them. I'm thinking I might put them on a ribbon and make a garland to hang on the front door.

Henry's Christmas stocking is finally finished and I wet-blocked it a second time. I will post a pic once it's dry. I'm sewing a fleece shirt jacket for my mom for Christmas.

Today I work, but it looks like I will be off tomorrow. Yay!

2005-12-01T13:35:00.000-08:00

Random Wednesday

I'm tired.
I made this sock doll from one adult Christmas sock. He is going to live with my sister.
I've determined that I hate duplicate stitch. I'm trying to stitch Henry's name on his Christmas stocking and it looks like shit.
I really want one of these. And some of these. And this.
Henry ate organic rice cereal yesterday and today. I swear he already gets this whole "eating from a spoon" thing.
I was making my Christmas list and checking it twice at 4am this morning.
so tired.

well baby

2005-11-30T12:57:00.000-08:00

Henry had his 6-month well-baby doctor visit this morning. He is doing great and we got the green light to start him on solids!

age: 6months+8days (adjusted age: 4months+22days)
weight: 14.14lbs
height: 26 1/2 inches (!!)
head circumference: 42cms

gnomes!

2005-11-29T09:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I saw this post by Larissa and decided that I had to knit Henry one of those baby gnomes. So I did a web search and found the free pattern here (oh how I love the internets). I whipped one up for Henry using my trusty Cascade 220 leftovers and polyfil (instead of wool batting). He seems to like it. Mainly, he likes eating the end of the hat.

gimme a G!

2005-11-28T12:05:00.000-08:00

Yes, the Packers lost again yesterday. But Henry still loves his new Packer soaker. I used Cascade 220 in green and gold and this pattern (the adorable snowman blankie was a gift from Karen).

2005-11-27T09:36:00.000-08:00

Lazy Sunday

We had a very nice Thanksgiving. It was just the three of us (!!) at home and I cooked an easy meal (no sweet potatoes or anything for Henry--he hasn't started on solids yet). Friday morning I braved JoAnn's for their big sale. It wasn't too crowded and I got a few good deals (like cute flannel prints for 96 cents a yard)! Then I went in and worked all day since DH was off and was able to stay with H. Yesterday was work, grocery shop, migraine, sleep. Yuck. Today should be a nice lazy day with everyone at home--reading the paper (see pic), watching football. I may even do a bit of cleaning and sewing or knitting.

Knitting Update. No knitting time at work over the past 2 days so I only managed to cast on my mom's Christmas socks (Lorna's Laces worsted) and knit about 5 rows of ribbing. I finished H's Green Bay Packers soaker and I just need to embroider a big "G" on the butt. I'm cruising along on H's Christmas stocking and I'm almost to the toe. Of course, DH did say something about H having a fancy stocking and the two of us having cheap store-bought ones.....we'll see if there's time. Maybe next year.

2005-11-24T14:50:00.000-08:00

What I'm most thankful for

2005-11-23T20:53:00.000-08:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

First, I finished my apron (click for big) for Nov/Dec tie one on (the theme was holiday). I found both of these fabrics at JoAnns and I thought they would be just perfect for my Christmas-cookie-baking-apron!

Second, I started Henry's Christmas stocking! See my post and in-progress picture at the StockingAlong blog!