So snugly!

I finally got around to finishing off Madelyn's winter cardy, with just a little bit of winter left! This one is the thickest I have ever made, using super soft Gaia Bulky that I impulsively bought one evening on hyena cart, and a gorgeously squishy woolganics 12ply I dyed up as trim. I wanted it to be super soft wool up near her neck, although I may wish I had picked something else once it starts to pill.




I bought some super cute strawberry buttons from Tessa Ann and patiently waited for them to arrive from the US, but I should stop doing Internet purchases so late at night - I misread and they are far too small, so it had to wait a little longer for me to get around to making some buttons myself.



They look a bit more handmade than my usual standard. I thought it would be a great idea to get the kids to create alongside me, making fridge magnets. But I spent more time softening their clay and helping them than making my buttons. So in the end, I kind of rushed them a bit as it was time to cook dinner. I don't mind too much, but I do think little cherries or apples would have been cuter. Unfortunately the red I had was far too light and I didn't have anything to darken it.
Madelyn hasn't slept today, and refused to model it. So I decided not to push things and went ahead and did the photo-shoot without my grumpy model. Maybe she will indulge me next weekend!

Tiny footprints

A couple of weeks ago I caught up with my local Ravelry buddies for a knit-in morning.  Normally I take it as a rare kid-free adventure, but this time Madelyn came along and was ever so quiet that she may even get to come again so that Austy can have some special Daddy time.  I really enjoy sitting down with a cuppa, some yummy treats and some like-minded Mums for a catch up while we share what projects we are knitting and yarns we are working with.  I am so used to knitting on my own, when the kids are in bed, that it's refreshing to talk knitting with real live people!  Not that I get much knitting done, but I come home feeling happy and relaxed, which has to be the main thing.

Anyway, this time, as I pulled out my latest project, someone asked "What tiny thing are you working on today Joy?".  I loved that I was able to shock them with "It's not tiny - it's somnething for ME!" as I pulled out a cardigan I am working on which will hopefully be my first me knit (other than a few socks/scarves) since my first jumper disaster when I was 15! Okay, so it was actually tiny as I hadn't gotten very far.  I haven't had much knitting time until just recently, and I thought I could get some done this week while I have been home sick with the flu, but unfortunately I could only fathom a few rows at a time, as my asthma is playing up and has lead to a nasty chest infection so even knitting is taking it's toll.

Finally with some antibiotics in my system, last night I decided to pick up a tiny project, and a crochet hook instead.  I love that these tiny things are so quick to do, and therfore not a huge amount of effort.  Great little in-betweener projects or for times when the bigger knit I am working on is just a bit too much.  I still can't crochet much more than a tiny hat, but practice makes perfect, right?

When I'd made the hat, I realised it was the perfect shade of pink and the just the right size to go with the little smock I had made a while ago for Angel Baby Nappies.

So this morning, while we stayed warm and dry inside (both Austy and I are on antibiotics now, thanks to the flu Maddy brought home from childcare), I made a matching little nappy.  So now it's a complete set for a 22-24w gestation preemie.  All ready to add to the other odd nappies and hats I have made for charity.  Since I know I can't make huge amounts of these becasue I just don't have the time I'd like to be able to do that much, instead I am going to try and put together a few special matching sets, and try and spread them around to a few different charities.

I couldn't resist that lace on the bum!  It was a little piece I had left over from the liberty top I made Madelyn a couple of summers ago - too small fro anything but too pretty to throw out.  I am so glad I kept it now - it fitted perfectly across the width of the nappy - meant to be!

(Oh and I can't take credit for the crochet blanket - that was Austy's baby rug, now claimed by Maddy, made by my beautiful Nanna)

Mug Rug Swap

While I am at it, it's about time I shared what I sent and received in a recent Mug Rug Swap.  For those who are a little unsure, a mug rug is a mini quilt, like  a placemat, for putting a hot drink and a biscuit on.  I like to use mine on the arm of the leather lounge so as to protect the leather and have the mug nice and close. 

Here's the gorgeousness I recieved from Rachel - so my style, and Austy was delighted it matched the bag he gave me for Mothers Day last year (which is a lighter shade of teal with a similar leafy print).

 And this little whimsical pinwheel mug rug is what I made and sent to Bec.

Little things

 I haven't had much time for crafting, let alone blogging lateley, but when I have had a few spare minutes to myself, I have been working on tiny things to donate to Little Angels Memory Boxes for grieving parents of babies born too soon. I like that I CAN achieve something with the small amounts of time I have, and that at the same time, I can make a difference in someone's life, to help make an unspeakably sad time just a tiny bit easier.

To help me with my pattern design, I have been creating this little preemie doll, sized at 22w gestation. It is filled with plastic beads so it has soime weight, and has a loose floppy neck just like a real preemie. I have used Sandy Eding's Preemie Doll Pattern which has fabulous instructions and photos to make things easier, but for any budding doll makers out there, it is quite a bit more fiddly than I first imagined. I guess I should have started on something a bit bigger for my first cloth baby doll!

I was going to make a smaller baby, as it's the smaller angels that seem to be uncatered for in the preemie market but then I thought better of it looking at the pattern pieces, and realised 22w was going to be fiddly enough. The limbs are just sitting there at the moment, waiting for me to get to the sewing shop and buy some upholstry thread to attache them, and the toes need sculpting.

I am not sure if this is a boy or a girl baby yet, so haven't decided on a name. I would be happy to take on suggestions, and this baby will be my model for designing and showing new micropreemie items for LAMB and Angel Baby Nappies. The set photographed on the baby is destined for Angel Baby Nappies.

I may be entering this baby in the doll net challenge too, if I can get it finished and fully clothed in time. I know I have no chance of winning, but it's worth a try, even if all it does is promote these worthy charities.

The other photos in this post show a sampling of some of the donations I have made and sent to LAMB over the last few months.

My First Pattern Release!

Yes, it's a small project (can be knitted in one night!) but I am chuffed, that I have finally built up the courage to hit the "activate" button on the first pattern in my Ravelry store!

You have to start somewhere, right?

You can download the pattern for FREE here

 It is my Otis Baby Hat pattern, designed to compliment Georgie Hallam's Milo Vest.  I designed this hat for two very special boys, almost a year ago and it received a lot of interest in Ravelry (probably because Georgie's Milo pattern is so popular - I have knitted 7 of them and I hardly ever knit something more than once!) so I decided to have a go at pattern writing and publish it for free. 

Look out for baby, toddler and child sizes in the next couple of months.

Here is my final test of the newborn size, a new hat for Madelyn's baby doll Zoe.

And the girl is happy too

Maddy couldn't wait another day for her Cat in The Hat jarmies, so I went my own way with her shorts. No fake fly, just a ruffled hem on a pair of one piece shorty bottoms I drafted myself, with plenty of growing room.

It's a shame the size 4 purchased tee is a little snug - luckily I have a tiny bit of fabric left so I can applique another for her when she outgrows it.

A just turned 3 year old isn't quite as co-operative as a just turned 6 year old, so the photo session was quick and snappy! And of course she had to pull a face, funny girl.

And here they are snuggled on the couch together in matching PJ's and bed hair. Aaaw....

Welcome to 2012

Well, another year has flown by in a nano-second, and while I haven't blogged for almost a year, I am back... at least for now! Life gets in the way as most of you know, and I am looking to change things up a bit in the near future so that I can stress a little less and have more time for my kidlets. In the mean time, I know I have some busy times ahead, so I will try to update when I can this year, without making this blog become yet another thing that I am behind in.

The first day of the year has been our hottest this summer (I think!) so yesterday I was super appreciative of my DH who got up on the roof and replaced the pads on the air conditioner as soon as summer commenced. The house has never been this cool (except in winter of course!) and I loved being stuck indoors yesterday as I got a start on the kids' Cat in The Hat pyjamas that I promised them about a month ago.

I did have a few interruptions, as our new baby (an English Mastiff called Lewis) doesn't like the heat, and gets a bit silly when inside. We are slowly training him to stay on his mat but he is a stubborn boy, and likes to wander around and steal toys off the kids! He was also so hot yesterday that he decided the mat was too far away from his indoor water bucket, and instead laid right next to it with his tail in it, so you can imagine the shower we all got when he stood up and wagged it.

After a couple of swimming sessions in the pool though, the kids (and puppy) were out like a light and I set about finishing these pyjamas. I used the Louey Boxers pattern for Austy's pyjama bottoms for a change. I usually draft my own pattern for his bottoms, and the fishy pair that Maddy now wears, still fit him (in the bottoms) but I decided that it was time for some real boxers. I must admit, when I first downloaded this e-pattern, I was dissappointed and not sure if I would make them or draft my own as they don't have a back seam and I thought they would look silly. However, when I thought about it, I decided to give them a try since Austy doesn't like the feel of seams in his clothes and they'd be more comfortable for sleeping in.

They took a bit of effort to prepare the pieces (lots of pressing and folding) but the folding template that helps to fold over the correct seam allowances, is genius! Also I was impressed with the level of detail and how these are so similar to DH's purchased boxers. The buttons you see on the fly are not functional, but they very well could have been. I love that this pattern gives you the option to fake it or do a working fly. I was so tempted to make them with the working fly but I asked the man of the house, who said he never uses the fly on his as it's more fiddly to undo the button than pull them down, and figured it would be easier for Austy too. He also reminded me that Austy has a fascination for pants with a fly and they would end up needing washing more times than they were worn if I did the working fly! So I sighed (as I love the cuteness factor of them being just like Daddy's) and stitched the fly flaps together.

I am not sure that I will use this pattern for Madelyn's matching PJ's (I have the red Cat in The Hat fabric for hers), or whether I will draft a basic shorts pattern with a ruffle hem to girly them up a bit. I am out of underpants elastic and since the elastic is expopsed in the Louey Boxers, I wouldn't want to use anything else. So I guess it really depends if I want to wait until the shops are open again tomorrow to start making them!

Pattern Review

Pattern Name: Louey Boxers

Pattern by: Sis Boom http://www.sisboom.com/patterns/

Pros: So quick to purchase (downloadable PDF), beautifully detailed (just like Daddy's), excellent tutorial-like instructions with full colour photos for every step. Excellent size range - 6m to 12 years!

Cons: No seam at the rear (although I am not sure that is a con now - quicker to sew, more comfy to wear), 1/4" seams (I much prefer wider seam allowances so I can let my overlocker trim as it neatens rather than have the fabric sitting in away from the cutter).

Overall rating: 4.5 sewing reels!

And here's a pic of our own Lewey Bear cooling off inside yesterday.