luvinthemommyhood

weekend wishes

2012-05-25T10:42:00.003-07:00

keeping it short & sweet today. it's super sunny out today and i've got a frappucino by my side along with my little harper. we're heading outside to soak up the rays. i'm so excited for this weekend. i'm heading to vancouver tomorrow to hit up ikea to get my sewing area goodies! yee haw!!! and you can bet i'll be knitting my butt off to get my top done. i'm soooo close! then on sunday i've got sewing group. can we say fun!!!! in between all that i'm going to finish up my quilt and snuggle my little fam :)

wishing you all a sunshine filled, coffee sipping, sewing & knitting, big laughs, lazy beach kinda weekend! have a super long weekend to those of you in the US as well. i may take monday off here to work on some design work so i'll most likely see you all on tuesday!

what are your weekend plans? any special weekend wishes for the long weekend? any trips? what are you crafting up this weekend? share, share, share....i wanna know :)

p.s. don't forget to enter our "petite kids pattern giveaway" and get your name in the entry form for our tops, tanks & tees kal if you particapted for our giveaway day!

quilting 911 - blissful decisions

2012-05-24T09:58:00.002-07:00

i bit the bullet! i finally made the long drawn out decision on what to do with the zig zag quilt. after weeks...ok, months of humming and hawing about it i finally just went with my gut. i decided to just leave the size as is. i just couldn't get my head around a border - i love it too much without it. once i made up my mind it was like falling in love all over again. i had been seething at this quilt in indecision for so long that i had forgotten how much i loved it when i started. i'm so hooked at the moment that i had an entirely different post planned for today but couldn't resist talking about the quilt cause i'm going to be picking it up right after i'm done writing this to finish hand sewing the binding on.

needless to say i'm crushing. smitten with the quilt and with my new found friend - the thimble. yes, a thimble. i know...i'm late to the game...lol. santa put one in my stocking and let me tell you what a difference it's made in binding my quilt!!!! wowsa! can we say way speedier and way easier? i like it! is it weird that i want to wear a few? lol. i can think of at least one other finger i'd like to have one on while i'm hand stitching that bad boy on.

for those of you who know how long i was wondering about what color to use for my binding i decided to go with white...haha. i know...not what i had originally planned on but once i got my sandwich made i just loved it. it pops on the back and keeps the front clean allowing the zig zags to steal the show! any other tone just made them seem like background dancers :) i also have found that machine sewing the first side of the bias tape on and then hand stitching the other side works best for me. i've tried other combos but they always result in me being unhappy and ripping it all out again. i was more than happy to curl up on the couch last night to watch the american idol finale (go phillip phillips) and sew on my pretty little quilt. you can find a fun little "how to sew quilt binding roundup" here that i did last fall too!

i also decided to stay with my original vision and quilt 1/4" on either side of the seam line that forms the zig zags. it went super fast and i love the result. i started in the middle of the quilt and worked my way across all the rows alternating from the side i started with and if i was above or below the center one i started with. i like quilting like this. it keeps the quilt from moving too much or slanting. i also highly recommend using quilting pins when you baste your sandwich. awesome. they ain't cheap but they are super helpful to use. i'm still learning things as i go and figuring out what techniques and methods work best for me cause i'm a newbie folks...but i'm loving it!

also as per the request of my daughter i added the "m" to the back of her quilt. i put a patchwork "h" on harper's quilt so she demanded ever so nicely that her quilt must have an "m" on it. it's on the bottom left corner of the back and i love the effect the zig zags make on it after quilting! so fun! i decided to quilt on it instead of appliqueing it on afterwards. i did that on harpers and loved the result. it feels more of a part of the quilt if that makes sense.

i went with white thread on both the front and the back. i'm feeling it. at first i thought i may use a color on the back but i love that balloon print so much i didn't want to take away from showcasing the fabric plus it's busy enough i think without me adding some more color to it.

this quilt was the first time i got to use my sewing machine for quilting and it was a dream! i had my pfaff quilting needle, an extension table and i was all set! eeek! that's right i said extension table! momma got an early bday pressie a few weeks ago! i got some new goodies for my pfaff and i'll be telling you all about them as well as a 1 year bday review of my pfaff ambition 1.0 coming up next month. so for all of you who have written to me about how i've been liking my machine...it's a coming! a big shout out though in advance to sawyers sewing center who has been so awesome to me!!! their customer service is ahhhmazing! i'll also be telling you a bit more about how awesome they are in my review as well.

wind flowers in stainless from gypsy caravan by amy butler (from www.stitchsimple.com)

i've also been working away on a little project for me. selfish sewing time :) but you'll have to wait a bit longer to see it! i've got one more thing to make and then i will show you all the full deal :) anyone want to guess what it is??? i think i might have given it away with this shot actually.

you can read the other posts about this quilt's process here:

1st post | 2nd post | 3rd post |

4th post

what are you crushing on this week? any new quilts you are working on that you can't put down? any selfish sewing being fit into your busy schedule? i've got starbucks brewing and a mug with your name on it...come visit!

fabrics used for quilt:
prints: oliver + s city weekend
solid: organic white by harmony arts (from www.stitchsimple.com)
backing: balloon in aqua - children at play by sarah jane

Tops, Tanks & Tees Knit Along - Giveaway Day!

2012-05-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

it's our tops, tanks & tee's knit along giveaway day today ladies!!!! yahoo!!!! you guys all did so awesome that i'm waiting to do your "starring you" post till next week so you have time to block and photograph your lovely new tops :) and to tell you the truth...i need a few more days to finish mine...haha. i'm so close - yet a few days away. i worked on it like a mad woman all during our little vacay but sleep won over knitting for me every time - darn comfy hotel beds...lol. so i'll spare you the current wip pics this week and get to the yummy prizes! aren't our kal sponsors awesome!!!!

| ROSE BECK |

1. stacked columns wrap/shawl 2. lattice 3. parquet tiles 4. stucco

-first place will win a copy of rose becks new e-collection "archi-textural collection"! Gorgeous!

| MAGPIE PATTERNS |

knitting patterns available at magpie patterns

- first place winner will get to choose 3 patterns of their choice from magpie patterns!!!
*please note: if you choose a printed pattern you have to pay shipping.

| JANE RICHMOND |

jane richmond patterns

- first place wins a $15 gift certificate to janerichmond.com! yay!

| BY ANNIE CLAIRE |

organic naturally dyed yarn - 3 ply worsted weight, 250yds, 100% organic californian wool from byannieclaire

- first place will get to choose (2) skeins of their choice from "by annie claire" yarns from her spring 2012 collection! wowsa! these are organic naturally dyed yarns!
- second place will receive a copy of her adorable new hat pattern - bud (shown below).

| A STITCH IN LIME |

- first place will receive a set of stitch markers from "a stitch in lime" of their choice
- second place will receive a set of stitch markers from "a stitch in lime" of their choice.
- third place will also receive a set of stitch markers from "a stitch in lime" of thier choice.

| HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY |
- you MUST be signed up for the tops, tanks & tees knit along and have started your project. if you haven't already signed up you can here:

tops, tanks & tees knit along entry form

| RULES OF THE GIVEAWAY |
- you MAY only enter your name once.
- you MUST have at least started your project.
- you MUST have a valid email address.

a huge thank you to all of our sponsors - you guys rock! and good luck to all of you! i'll be using the number that google doc assigns you when you entered the kal as the draw number when i use random.org. the winner will be announced next week :) how's your project going? are you almost done or done? how did you like the kal?

happy knitting & hopefully photo taking this week! i can't wait to see all the kal projects being added to our ravelry group! you can enter your pics to this thread here or to our flickr group. thanks everyone!!! best kal evah!

petite kids boutique pattern giveaway

2012-05-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

johannah romper

you ladies in the mood for some adorable sewing patterns? our sponsor "petite kids boutique" has awesomely offered up some lovely patterns for you all today! wong's patterns are classic and perfect for showcasing your fave fabrics for that special little girl in your life!

1. maia dress 2. tiffany dress 3. anga dress

from dresses, skirts, tunics and fun rompers petite kids boutique has it all! most of petite kids boutique patterns come in sizes 12mths all the way up to 6 or 8yrs!!! wowsa! i'm loving the "johannah romper" in the first pic above! how fun is that! and the izzy bubble tunic below - so cute!!!!!

izzy bubble tunic

wong's patterns are great for the beginner sewer and also still fun for advanced sewers too!

1) colette dress 2) sasha dress 3) macy dress

are you all ready to get sewing? do you want win a new pattern perfect for the summer? and if you want to start sewing right now wong has sweetly given me a code for you all to save 15% off till the end of the giveaway! use the code "LUVIN2012" for your discount.

yahoo!!! find all the deets for the giveaway below!

lucky skirt

- 3 lucky winners will each win 1 pattern of their choice from petite kids boutique! yay!

- simply enter your info in the following google doc form. when you enter your info you are designated a number by google doc based on when you enter. this will be the number i use to correlate to your name when the winner is chosen. make sense? if you have any questions just ask me below in the comments. click below to enter the giveaway:

petite kids boutique pattern giveaway

*bonus giveaway - "like" petite kids boutique and/or luvinthemommyhood on facebook and enter the google doc form again this time leaving a comment saying you liked us :)

- giveaway is open until may 27th, 2012 midnight, pacific standard time.
- you must enter a valid email into the entry form or you will be disqualified.

thanks for the giveaway wong and good luck to everyone! you can find petite kids boutique on facebook here and their etsy shop here.

which pattern would you choose if you won? are you a fan of petite kids boutique? what fabrics would you use? let's chat!

weekend wishes

2012-05-18T08:26:00.001-07:00

to go on a road trip...

Source: tarasloggett.com via Kerry on Pinterest

to always remember this...

Source: mikepins.tk via Carrie on Pinterest

to decide whether to keep it long or chop it off...

Source: breakfastatyurmans.tumblr.com via luvinthemommyhood on Pinterest

to have at least one nap...

Source: lookatthesegems.com via Erin on Pinterest

to smell the ocean...

ebb and flow by my little pixels

and to make sure this is the year i finally get myself a yarn bowl.

yarn bowl from new moon studio

yes, the yarn bowl is back. i'm obsessing lately. i keep looking and looking for the perfect one but haven't come across it yet. i'm waiting for it to find me but i'm getting antsy. i need one. i'm sick and tired of my yarn rolling around at home. i'm trying to find something modern and clean and would rather just find it then have to order it online. any of you recommend a shop where you got yours?

we've been chatting in the facebook group lately about me hitting my mid thirties next month...eeek! 35 here i come...bah! i always have a hard time with the mid's. i hated 25 and now i dread 35. so now i've been hearing the hairdresser in me saying "get a change...freshen it up...you'll feel younger"! damn you inner hairdresser. plus i'm a gemini so i like mix it up with my hair. i blame it on starting to work in a salon when i was 14. lots and lots of years of hairdressing has engraved itself into my soul. i cannot stick with one style for too long :) unfortunately my absolute fave hairdresser is on a sabbatical so i'm trying out a coworker of hers. my hairdresser has helped me grow my hair quite long which is a feat in itself since i have very fine hair that i like to say is bald. so it's a miracle i haven't chopped it off earlier. but i'm feeling the summer heat and thinking i would love to be able to wash and wear again. longing for shoulder length.........what about you guys? anyone else contemplating a new change? a shout out to rachael from imagine gnats who bit the bullet and chopper hers off after our fb convo! she looks fab!

i've also got naps and ocean breezes on the mind. i need a break. a mini holiday of sorts. thankfully it's a long weekend here in canada so i most likely will be taking monday off to spend some much needed time with the fam. so i'm wishing you all blue skies, ocean breezes, sleepy daydreams, crafting galore and good times with family/friends! see you all next week!

what are your weekend wishes? any plans? crafty projects you wish to accomplish? hair cuts to get done...lol? come chat! there's a latte here and it's yours if you want it <3

it's time for a change...

2012-05-17T09:05:00.002-07:00

it's time for a change. a change is a gonna come to..........the ironing board monster! that's right! be gone you horrid creature!!! i'm revamping my sewing wall ladies!!!!!! wahoo!!! seriously...i'm jumping up and down with excitement just writing about it..lol. you see i work in a state of chaos everyday. piles of chaos. sometimes i can't find myself...LMAO! i swear that ironing board monster is trying so hard to just gobble up my soul. every time i get it cleared off i turn around and BAM - it's grown twice it's size again. i think it's safe to admit i've outgrown my one ikea shelf. i also have stuff hidden away in our bedroom on another shelf and in my closet. the pictures you see below are on good days and bad days. be warned though the top of my shelf is a hazard and looks worse than what i showed you...lol. yes. worse. it's time...i'm donning my battle gear....saving all my pennies...and hijacking the ferry to get over to vancouver to head to ikea to save my sanity.

the hazard on the top of the shelf. there are books all behind that fabric too!

a good day

our poor kitchen table that is always in a state of changing chaos

the ironing board monster!

i've got plans that i've drawn out to reorganize this space and actually give me a real desk to work on and another desk to sew on. with my back injury i need to have a chair to sit in and my couch just isn't gonna cut it anymore. i'm also going to expand a wee bit into our living room..uh oh..lol...but i promised the hubs that's as far as i would go. let's hope i can stick to it. i'm going to go up to the ceiling with storage and take every inch i can to organize, organize, organize. i cannot wait!

i also have a dress form but i can't show you her...tee hee..and i use that hanger on the wall to store all my finished products or works in progress. i'm thinking about getting another one...looks like i need it..lol.

it's going to be so nice to sit down and sew or design without spending half an hour to clear a space. i will only need my ironing board when i need to iron!!! what?!! miracle! i banish it from a worktop. done. i'm sick of staring at it all ugly and overflowing everyday. ever since christmas i've been saving every single extra penny i could to afford to go and buy some new storage solutions. i can't wait to show you all what i'm thinking of doing and to hear what you think! i'll have my new space by the end of the month! yeehaw!!!!! because just looking at these pictures makes me feel stressed..lol.

do you have a sewing wall or room? what do you do to keep it organized? do you have a favorite ikea or other product that you use to keep things under control? tips? share, share, share! i'd love to see pics and posts on your sewing areas too! i need all the inspiration i can get! c'mon...show us ladies...show us!

tops, tanks & tees knit along - binding off

2012-05-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

pattern: gemini by jane richmond yarn: knit picks cotlin in colorway clementine

we've got sleeves! finally - yay! i felt like i wasn't going to get there but i pushed through and managed to get the sleeves separated at knit night on the weekend. i've gotten a bit more done since then and am planning on knitting my brains out on this bad boy over the long weekend. i've got some serious mileage to still put in on this top and i'm dying to wear it!

i'm happy to say it fits too! i got to try it on after i separated the sleeves and even though i was really scared it was going to be giant (the thing looks huge before you separate) it fits great and i'm hoping it won't grow too big if i carefully block it.

i'm really looking forward to the ability of wearing the lacework in the front or in the back. it's going to be my fave go to summer top and i can't stop envisioning it with a white tank and my fave jeans! and that yummy clementine color always makes me smile.

i've been looking forward to our upcoming posts starring all of your awesome tops! i'm completely amazed at all of your handiwork and your talents. it's been super inspiring and so fun to watch what you all are making. i know a lot of you have reached the point of being done or getting near binding off (casting off) your projects so i thought i would round up a few links that are super helpful for choosing which kind of bind off suits the project you are working on.

better bind off from the purl bee

HELPFUL BINDING OFF/CASTING OFF LINKS:

- stretchier bind off from knitting daily
great run down on various bind off techniques from knitty (recommended by wilckepedia
on ravelry).
- bind offs with videos on one of my faves - knittinghelp.com
- a better bind off from the purl bee
- jeny's suprisingly stretchy bind off on knitty
- stretchy bind off comparison over on stitch diva studios
- interlock bind off also on knitty
- invisible bind off tutorial via crankygrrrrrl

stretchy bind off comparison from stitch diva studios

you can follow along with all things tops, tanks & tees kal here:

ravelry group | blog | flickr group

what is your fave way to bind off? do you have a link or tip to share? add it to the comments below and i'll put your link into the mini-roundup. how's your project doing? let's see pics ladies!!! i love WIP and FO shots!! and don't forget to link up your knit along blog post in our linky party below. happy knitting!

also, check out our awesome KAL sponsors! thanks guys!

join our linky party by linking up your "tops, tanks & tees knit along" blog post!

a little indulgence & quilting 911

2012-05-15T11:27:00.002-07:00

amy butler gypsy caravan in print 1) cat eye - windflower and 2) cat eye - stainless from stitchsimple.com

i spent a nice chunk of time last night taping this bad boy together. i decided it was time to spoil myself and make 2 new items for my closet. i'm excited to get tracing and to finally get sewing! i'm also excited to show you guys the process over the next few weeks :) i do have to sadly admit this part of the process is why i don't sew from patterns very often. i find it so tedious to do these steps that i would almost rather draft it myself or drape a garment. but for these 2 items i'm willing to suffer through it ;)

i also just finished up what i hope will be my next knitting pattern. i got to use this delicious madeline tosh dk in colorway glazed pecan from one of my fave brick/mortar yarn shops - urban yarns (seriously if you are in vancouver it's a must visit)....YUM! look for the pattern coming soon!

madeline tosh dk in colorway glazed pecan from urban yarns

i've also been working on a new tutorial that will be coming out next month over on kojo designs for "color your summer 2". delia creates and kojo designs have this super fun blog event where we all get to make a project revolving around color. last year's was awesome and i'm thrilled to be a part of it this year. mine is pretty colorful and i can't wait to show you all what i've been working on.

i'm also still working on a full pattern for the sweetheart dress for you guys. i've been working on doing the grading myself but would prefer to hire that part out as i have more designs in the works that i would like to sell. problem is i am having a super hard time finding a pattern grader or a business who does this. i would love to keep it local (British Columbia) or at least in Canada but am open to having it done in the US as well. do any of you know anyone who does this or do any of you do this? thanks in advance for all of your help with this :)

the pink is for the backing for me to applique the letter "M".

now for the question of the day...i've been banging my head against the wall over mackenzie's zig zag quilt. i am really struggling with whether or not to put a border on it or to just leave it a smaller size and bind it. what would you use to bind with? white? color? backing print? i could use your help :) i'm dying to get this thing done so i can move on to the next one :)

this is the portion of the quilt i'm having the hardest time matching up tones with. the cooler pinks keep clashing with the tones i would pick to bind/border with for the upper half of the quilt. honestly, i've asked so many people and i just keep going back and forth...lol. at this point i'm really leaning towards just binding off. i really don't want to add a border and if i do i think i'm leaning towards a wide border of white and then a smaller border of the orange print below.

but then i also have this yellow print. the pic doesn't show it very well. it's softer and more of a darker version of the yellow in the quilt but i don't like it with the backing. so if i bind with it i don't think i'll be happy with it against the backing fabric.

here's the whole front below...bear with my bad pics...there's not a lot of good light where my quilt is hanging at the moment.

ok so....thoughts? should i:

a) bind off and leave it the size it is? and if so what color would you bind off with?
b) add a border? and if so what color/size would you border it with? do you agree with white and then a smaller of orange? the orange looks bad right up against the quilt due to it clashing with the pink tones on the bottom of the quilt.

you can read the other posts about this quilt's process here:

1st post | 2nd post | 3rd post

i would love any of your thoughts. i love that you all have helped me with this whole quilt. it's so fun!!! it's definitely a learning process and when you are winging things sometimes another eye is a good thing. i've stared at it everyday for months now and just can't seem to make up my mind.

what are you all working on? any exciting projects in the works? i'd love to hear about them!

p.s. thank you for all your wonderful bday wishes yesterday for my baby girl. was so sweet of you all!

moments in the mommyhood - time for twos

2012-05-14T10:12:00.001-07:00

my little baby girl is 2 today. i can't believe my curly haired angel isn't going to be a wee baby anymore. i'll prolly be crying sporadically all throughout the day today knowing that the hubs and i are closing the chapter of babydom in our home. no more breastfeeding, late night wake ups, new baby smells, constant diaper changes and first smiles. but there will be more firsts and more fun changes during our adventure in parenthood but i'm still sad to leave all things baby behind.

i fought to keep harper (i was on bed rest with her when i first got pregnant) and i fought to give birth to her (to this day i don't fully talk about my birth story) and i will fight to always hold her close to my heart forever. this little girl is and will always be "my baby". her little smile and laugh will forever warm my heart and brighten my day...she is my little sidekick and i'm trying so hard to freeze frame all of these moments and to hold onto what little baby i have left in her as she is very quickly developing quite a confident and strong willed personality...she has to in order to survive in a household with her big sister :P

we had a great mother's day weekend and i got spoiled with a sleep in, very yummy breakfast, and some handmade pressies from the kiddos and the hubby cleaned! gotta love that! we got some family time together and that's what mattered to me most. the sun was shining and i had a lot of coffee and my loved ones nearby :)

the hubs took the kidlets out on saturday so this momma could get some work done and i found some pictures on the camera....you all know what that means.....moments in the daddyhood! lol! they got a new golfing toy and some big bouncy balls and they set out to hit the grassy areas of town.

i got a wee bit nervous when i saw the shot below...

she sure means business with that ball..haha. harper's face is priceless in this shot. she's pretty darn mad at that ball. i always wonder exactly what goes on with they are out adventuring with daddy and i know i will never know nor will a part of me want to. i'm just too much of a "mom". too worried about them getting hurt or dirty..lol.

all in all we had a great weekend and we hope to have a great day today for our baby girl's 2nd birthday. we asked her what she wanted for her birthday and all she would say is cake. over and over again..lol. she also became very attached to a little mini grocery cart at the toy store on the weekend and we surprised her with that too. it's great for me...now she cleans up everything on the floor by putting it all in her grocery cart. out of sight out of mind right? muahaha - i'll take it :)

how was your weekend? did you have a good mother's day? do you have a hard time when your youngest is no longer a baby and you know you aren't having anymore kids? let's chat! coffees on!

weekend wishes

2012-05-11T10:19:00.002-07:00

to create in the stillness...

img src: helt enkelt

to drink some sangria with the hubs relaxing on our balcony...

Source: marthastewart.com via Justina on Pinterest

that i find the time to recover my nasty ironing board...

ironing board cover from city chic country mouse

that are tomatoes grow big and delicious this year...

image src: two tarts

and that my bathing suit fits that i ordered.

img src: euguenmales

it's friday chickas!!!!! yahoo! i love friday. in fact i love friday even more today because i got my free drink coupon in the mail from starbucks yesterday! man i love being a gold card member. it's free and i get free drinks and savings! can't beat that. although i did have to stand in a lineup out to the door (yes, seriously) to get my venti drink today. and yes...i ordered a venti...mmmmm...come to mama...if it's free you can bet i'm ordering the biggest size! YUM!

so the hubs and i are chatting about getting one of those coffee machines that make single cups. what we want to know is which one is your fave - keurig or tassimo? they both seem to have good qualities and i'm curious from those of you who have one if you enjoy it. we both need all the coffee we can get at the moment to survive till the fall :)

i'm also very nervous about my recent bathing suit purchase. i finally bit the bullet and ordered this suit from land's end in black. i really, really, really wanted the coral but they didn't have my size in stock. i wasn't going to order a suit but then my mom so sweetly pointed out they have 30% off and free shipping right now so i went for it. i'm scared it's not gonna fit and i'm' going to end up with my girls schlupping out and a nice ol'muffin top...lol. cross your fingers for me....lol. thank god i can return it if it doesn't fit...or at least i hope i can? maybe i should have read that part...lol - ordering bathing suits online is nerve wracking dude! if i don't like it i'm totally ordering a retro style one piece. the only reason i didn't order one of those already is the hubs didn't seem to keen on the style. we'll see what happens.....nervous!

we've had some nice weather around here lately and i've been dreaming of getting our deck done and sipping some nice adult bevvies out there cuddling with the hubs when the wee ones are asleep. we've got all our plants planted and the bbq set up...now we're just putting some finishing touches here and there and doing some cleaning and then we'll hopefully be sitting out there sooner than later. i think my knitting would be super fast if accompanied by my deck, sunshine and a stiff drink...muahahah.

wishing you all a warm, yummy bevvy, cuddles, sunshine, crafty, sleep filled kinda weekend! what are your weekend plans? do you find bathing suit shopping online scary too? which coffeemaker do you prefer keurig or tassimo? see you all monday peeps!

finding inspiration in weird places

2012-05-10T10:04:00.001-07:00

ecojot journals and workbooks

"Always do what you are afraid to do". Ralph Waldo Emerson

lately i've been thinking a lot about creativity and making it a priority in my everyday life. i've been trying to find a way to make it a part of my daily routine and have it fit in without even thinking about it. i want it to flow. in doing so i've been noticing that i've been finding inspiration a lot more lately. i think my eyes have always seen things in a fun way but i feel like they are opening even wider lately. i'm not always sure what/where the things that have inspired me lately will fit in with projects i work on but they definitely play a huge role in whatever i'm whipping up.

one of the ways that i keep all these new thoughts, ideas and inspirations in order...ok...who am i kidding...in somewhat of an order is to always, always, always have a notebook or a journal handy to write or sketch in. i carry them with me always. ask the hubs...my purse is giant and i carry it and 2 knitting bags with me too! i'm always sherping things around with me on the off chance a great idea will come to me. i don't like saying "oh, if only i had a pen right now". it makes me want to cry just thinking about it.

i carry around with me notebooks in a lot of different sizes and styles but my favorite ones are my "ecojot" journals and workbooks. love them. they are canadian made and are crafted from 100% post consumer waste and with vegetable dyes. bonus is when you buy one of their jumbo journals they donate one to a child in need. how cool is that? i also love their little workbooks. they are soft covered and just perfect for slipping in a purse or tote. So sweet! i strongly believe in buying notebooks that have a bit of whimsy and inspiration on the cover - if they are pretty & inspiring in themselves you are more likely to write in them :) one can never have enough notebooks and journals to write in :)

http://lionelrichie.com/

some of you know i've been reading "the creative habit" and that i've been loving it and slowly absorbing each page. it's really made me aware of some of the items that have caught my interest lately. i though it would be fun to admit to you some of my latest inspiration crushes. you see a few weeks ago i was laying in bed watching tv when i had a really bad cold. the hubs turned off my laptop and sent me to bed to sleep. do you think i could? nah...i was on creative overload! i had found a live concert show of lionel richie of his new duets album "tuskegee". seriously...i went nuts. i love country music and i grew up listening to lionel richie so to pair his greatest hits up with my fave country singers was like a dream come true. i was immediately exported to my "happy place". i got so inspired. i was singing my brains out and the hubs thought i had lost my mind. all i wanted to do was draw and sketch. and ever since then i've been listening to either the album in my car, or re-watching the concert on my computer. either way i'm constantly knitting or sewing to this cd. i even made the gals at my modern sewing group listen to it...lol...yep...poor things..lol..."helloo...? is it me you're looking for?"...LMAO...sorry...i digress.

i know you're prolly thinking lionel richie? wth shannon...lol. but honestly...i haven't quite figured it all out yet myself. it's been such an interesting puzzle but pieces are slowly coming together and they have been super fun to try to analyze. the music brings back happy memories of my childhood but also evokes a feeling of summer, patios and cold bevvies to me. overall it just makes me happy. when it's on i do things i don't normally do. like wake up in the morning like a happy person who bakes big fresh breakfasts and sings (now if you know me you know i am not a morning person, nor do i like to cook). but lionel does that to me lately. it's been great at combating stress :)

i've really been struggling with conquering my creative fears too. you know that bit of anxiety you get when you are about to design or create something new..."will it be good enough", "will people like it", "has it already been done better before", "maybe i just shouldn't bother" - as a creative person these are things i struggle with on a regular basis. i'm not scared to sew or design but there is always that little part of me that tries to talk me out of sharing these innermost thoughts. the fear of rejection or of failing. i've learned to embrace it and slowly to harness that energy into a positive one but it's not easy. it's something i have to work on. but just knowing that about myself now has helped me to push through that moment and to just go for it. fabric can always be re bought and seams can always be ripped out.

"Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you want to become." Steve Jobs

"Your time is limited so don't waste it living someone else's life." Steve Jobs

"Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things." Steve Jobs

i recently read theses quotes from steve jobs and they have really resonated with me during this time that i've been trying to figure out where to go with my creativity. to find out if i have it in me to go further and what path to take and if i have the strength to just let myself follow it. so when i read these boy did they strike a chord. i read them daily. i try to say the first quote to myself whenever i get confused or frustrated. it helps me to focus and feel calm. but then i go and get excited over something like this little color strip i found on a package of toilet paper in our bathroom. i was peeing (sorry for the TMI) and looked over and saw this:

and went "ohhhhhh...purdy!". i love the color palette! the chartreuse to light grey/violet...it was just so pretty in a weird way. it's hard to see all the tones but they are all lovely on their own and together. i cut it out and ran into the living room to show my hubby. i was literally jumping around with excitement and he just looked at me with utter confusion on his face. it was hilarious. it hit me then how fun it is to find inspiration in weird places. i mean i never would have thought that a piece of plastic toilet paper wrapper could conjure up a new quilt design in my head but it did. so thank you toilet paper :)

img src for 1, 2 & 4 and img src for 3.

i've also been obsessing over annie. i grew up watching this movie all the time and even dressed up as annie for halloween once. my grandma is a wonderful sewer and she made me the best annie costume ever. to this day it was my favorite halloween costume. it's been so fun to watch this movie with my daughter now and see her singing and dancing along to it. at first read you may think it's annie herself that i've been enjoying and her clothing but it's not....it's grace (daddy warbucks assistant) and miss hannigan who i cannot get out of my mind. it's the contrast of prim and proper and wild and seductive. both women wear a lot of the same fabrics but evoke totally different personalities. miss hannigan (carol burnett whom i adore) in her sultry slips and sassy dresses and then grace (ann reinking) in her feminine slips with well...graceful dresses.

both 2 very different women but both make me want to jump into the film and don their attire. wouldn't it be a riot? just let your hair go wild and embrace your brazenness with miss hannigan style or tighten up a bun, put on a pretty underslip and twirl around in the ultimate feminine dress of that time period ala grace? i think it's the gemini in me that adores each character equally. and yes miss hannigan is not a nice woman but she is likable. a very interesting combo if you ask me. i see it as miss hannigan wishes she was more like grace and grace wishes she was more wild like miss hannigan and isn't that true for a lot of us in life? the other side of the coin always looks better but it's learning to embrace the side we are on that is the toughest journey but also the most inspiring one. it's learning to balance it and to find the real "you".

i know i've gone off on a huge tangent on here..lol..and i'm prolly totally making a giant ass of myself but whatevs. what's the point of blogging if i can't be honest and talk about what i feel like right? in all honesty though i really thought it would be fun to hear some of your thoughts on this subject and to continue our conversations from these other posts:

- the creative habit - do you have one?
- finding balance in my daily routine
- struggling to find time to be creative

i know i'm not alone sooooo.....do tell...what strange places have you been finding inspiration from lately? do you always carry a notebook with you? what fears do you have when it comes to your creativity? i'd love to hear about them. i've got cappuccinos with your name on it...come pull up a chair and let's chat <3

tops, tanks & tees knit along - a case of startitis

2012-05-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

image from doghouse diaries

oops....i've been a bad girl. momentum on my (2) tops, tanks & tees knit along projects has been slow. yes, i'm lagging. i got bit by the "let's start another project" bug and just kept going and going..lol. admittedly some of the other projects have been sewing and have had deadlines so they don't count.....right? ;P ok...the madeline tosh dk that i've started a new pattern for you all doesn't really need to be worked on either right? i'm horrible i know...i really need help for my startitis..lol.

i have been plugging away at my folded top though - it's the perfect purse knitting. i'm now at the point where i can start decreases so i'm happy about where i am on it since it's such a thin yarn. i got a good chunk of knitting in on my gemini on saturday at knit night though. i promised myself i would only work on it the whole night and i did but geezzz....i'm not even separated for the sleeves yet. sure sucks to be a size large..lol. rebecca is doing a small or something teeny like that and she's way past me and only had to do 1 lace repeat and i had to do 2.....lol. darn boobies. i know that once i separate the sleeves though i hope to just motor along. i really want to wear it and try it on yet again :) so excited to pair this color up with my jeans and a white tank! purdy!

here's some shots of my gemini top:

pattern: gemini by jane richmond yarn: knit picks cotlin in colorway clementine

not too bad right? i'm getting there...slowly but surely. here's folded:

pattern: folded by veera valamaki yarn: malabrigo sock in colorway ochre

i got 4 1/4 inches done on this puppy. in light fingering i'm happy with that progress. it's a relaxing knit so far and i'm seriously over the moon with this yarn. hellooooo malabrigo...i loooove you :) and the color...swoon...the color is delicious. for both projects actually. whenever i bring them out of my project bags i just think yay! so proud of myself for doing so much selfish knitting and for jumping outside of my comfort zone and knitting bright colorful knits for myself. it's actually been really fun.

i can't believe how fast some of you are knitting though! we have people starting and finishing their 2nd tops! wowsa! can we say "on fire"!!!! those needles are burning up ladies!!! and so has our ravelry group. it's a happy and chatty place in there. so busy in fact that the next kal we are thinking of splitting up the thread into 3 topics so it's easier for people to jump in along the way. i missed a few days and had like a hundred and something comments to read! whooaaa! love it! so happy you are all enjoying yourselves as much as i am!

i'm going to work really hard at pulling myself out of my knitting startitis this week and make some decent progress on my gemini. i'm determined to get past the sleeves by next week. i want to see a big chunk done on my knitting and you all have permission to nag me next week if i tell you i didn't work on it..lol. it's ok - i can take it..lol.

are any of you moving along slow and steady? what do you do to get out of a bad case of startitis? do you time block like me? have you taken on more than you can chew project wise this month too? let's chat "tops, tanks & tees knit along" ladies! link up in the linky party below so we can all come and say hi!

you can follow along with all things tops, tanks & tees kal here:

ravelry group | blog | flickr group

also, check out our awesome KAL sponsors! thanks guys!

join our linky party by linking up your "tops, tanks & tees knit along" blog post!

fabric fabulousness

2012-05-08T10:01:00.001-07:00

the mailman has been good to me lately. yep....it's time for some fabric goodness on the blog. i tried to contain myself...really i did, but i could not resist showing you all some of my new fabric stash. i don't know how i'm going to cut into all of this - it's just all so lovely and inspiring! i just like to pet it and look at it sitting on my shelf...lol. and let me tell you all the hype about summersville does not dissapoint - lovely! i can't wait to use this stuff! when i saw that my sponsor fabricworm got their stock in i literally dropped everything and placed a big order of some of my wish list fabrics.

1) summersville seafoam 2) metro floral scandi orange zest 3) avenue seafoam all from summersville by lucie summers

i had been coveting summersville since i first caught a glimpse of it and i also knew i had to get my hands onto some of the addicting chevron cottons from riley blake. the colors just make me happy. so awesome! one thing to note for all of you who haven't ordered any of the chevrons yet the chevrons do not run selvage to selvage. this may affect your design if you make clothing out of this.

chevron cottons by riley blake in 1) aqua 2) grey 3) yellow 4) hot pink

when i order my fabrics i make copious amounts of wish lists on paper, at fabric shops online etc and then i save my money like a hoarder. i don't order fabric very often so when i do i order i have to choose carefully and plan in advance. i don't have a large budget for fabrics so i try to use as much as i can before i order more. one day i hope to be able to order fabrics regularly but for now i gotta be thrifty. most of these fabrics are going to be used to make items i will be selling in the shop and at a crafts fair this summer.

i'm just drooling over these tones of peach, pink and coral all stacked together. they came in the package from fabricworm stacked like this and i literally drooled when i opened it! FAHHHBULOUS!!! wowsa! i love it when stuff i order ends ups looking just as wonderful as i imagined it to! happy dancing over here :P

1) retro harmony sugar from summer love by pat bravo for art gallery fabrics 2) lots of leaves pink from hello pilrgrim by lizzy house 3) jewels orange white from hello pilgrim by lizzy house

1) little red bows whisper from walk in the woods by aneela hooey 2) whisper on poppy dash stripes from walk in the woods by aneela hooey

i also couldn't resist ordering some yardage of pezzy print after picking up a charm pack of it the other month. i'm in love with this print and can easily see it being a staple in my fabric stash. if you head over to fabricworm this week you can save $5 off all orders of $50 or more with the code "cinco5" through till may 10th and all the fabricworm custom bundles (love these!) are marked down 10% for a limited time!

geometric tonal pink & geometric tonal sky from pezzy print by american jane

and last week i got a nice big bundle of gypsy caravan by amy butler from my sponsor stitch simple. i tell you....amy butler coming to me pre-washed and pressed is ahhhhhmazing. all i have to do is just open my box and sew! it rocks! i had a hard time choosing which prints to order from this line but in the end i'm over the moon with what i got. i especially love the deco dots prints below. yum! and for all you in the US stitch simple has $1.99 US shipping till may 13th! no minimum purchase & no coupons needed!!! wowee!!! stock up ladies!

amy butler deco dots in 1) astor 2) foam 3) citrine from gypsy caravan

the two lovely floral prints below are for me. i'm going to be doing some selfish sewing and these prints are going to be for momma :) i figured it was about time i made something for myself again. the last time i sewed something for me it was the summer i think.

1) windflowers in cat eye 2) windflowers in stainless by amy butler from gypsy caravan

i also chose some of the lovely florals from this line as well. amy butler prints are staples in my fabric stash and i use them with everything. i'm a color lover so the burst of happiness they infuse into my projects always makes me smile.

1) turkish paisley in nectarine and 2) gypsy mum in peri from gypsy caravan by amy butler

1) hammock stripe in mocha 2) cutting garden in linen 3) wild poppy in linen 4) wild poppy in milk all from gypsy caravan by amy butler

it's so fun sharing fabrics with you guys. i know you all get as excited as i do. i love seeing when you all get new stash fabrics as well. it's fun to see what other people are buying and choosing. sooo....spill the beans......

what fabrics are you coveting? what lines did you just order? have you stocked up on gypsy caravan or summersville? did you fall hard for chevrons? come chat fabric luv with me...you know ya wanna...coffee's on :)

*all gypsy caravan ordered from www.stitchsimple.com
** rest of fabrics shown were purchased from www.fabricworm.com

moments in the mommyhood - puttering

2012-05-07T11:06:00.000-07:00

we had a busy weekend but a good one. my fave part of the weekend was stocking up on our plants and working on our deck again. we live in a condo so as much as i'd love to be puttering in my own garden we make the most with the space we've got. each year we try something new and i think this year may be our best one yet. we've slowly figured out what grows best where and which plants love living on our balcony.

and before you ask...why yes, that is a venti starbucks frappucino...don't judge...lol...i didn't drink it alone. the hubs and i shared and it was a coffee light :P mmmm....i love fraps! and i love fraps on 1/2 price! yesssss! now shift your eyes to the left see all that plant goodness! yay! bring on the tomatoes, herbs and pretty flowers! oh...and i can't forget the grass that mackenzie is so patiently growing. she started it from seed at preschool and has lovingly watered it and taken care of it for about a month now. it's so cute. so cute this year we let her pick out her own flowers and potted them alone so she can be in charge of that plant. she's super excited. she even pushed her own cart at the garden store and helped choose what we bought.

we're going with a fun color palette this year because i finally, finally, finally found an outdoor rug that i love! i've looked for one for eons as well as a table that fit out on our tiny deck and i found both this year in the same week. see...it's my deck year! i'm so excited to get it all done and take finished pics for you all to see. i think i may even recover my bench cushions and whip up some new throw pillows for out there too. the girls and i plan on spending a lot of time out there this year due to us being on the top floor and roasting from the heat through our skylights. it gets hot in here and i mean hot.

here's the ugly before shot of our deck....ewwww...i hate ripping out the old dead roots and always make the hubs do it. i like the planting and the freshness of new growth :) i can't wait to sit out there and knit and watch the girls help me tend to our new "babies". we've got a new watering can and the girls have some too.

the hubs even brought me home a bouquet of flowers the other day! how sweet is that? mackenzie told him to buy them for me. now that girl is smart..lol. he also surprised me last week with a little weekend getaway for me and the kidlets coming up! we're not going far but we will be in a hotel and i'm one happy momma. he got to go golfing on the weekend so he's one happy daddy! but now we're back to lots of work for mommy, and studying/working for him. so there is a lot of this going on and more to come...

that's called being worn out folks. she fell asleep eating her dinner in her booster seat. poor little duck. she's being so stubborn with her naps right now that she wears herself out and then just passes out randomly in weird places....adorable though :)

i hope you all had a great weekend too! do you like to do balcony gardening? are you lucky enough to have an awesome yard to work in? what do you like to grow the best? i LOVE growing tomatoes & herbs. they are my fave because I get to eat them...for free :P let's chat spring!!!

Winner of the Fabricworm - Birch Fabrics Giveaway

2012-05-07T07:26:00.000-07:00

storyboek II by jay-cyn designs for birch fabrics (june 2012)

ohhh....we've got a winner of the awesome fabricworm - birch fabrics giveaway! someone lucky just won 2 yards of their fave 100% organic birch fabrics! was it you? ready to find out if it was?

here's our winner....

Entry #151 - jen richards from "m is for milk"

congratulations!!! someone will be in touch with you soon :) i hope you have a wonderful time sewing with birch fabrics beautiful line of fabrics. i love sewing with mine and hope you enjoy it as well.

commute by birch fabrics

thank you again to cynthia of birch fabrics & fabricworm for the awesome and generous giveaway!

you can find all things birch fabrics & fabricworm here:

fabricworm:

shop | blog | facebook | twitter

birch fabrics:

website | blog | facebook | twitter

weekend wishes

2012-05-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

to have the time to make this rockin' granny square blanket...

Source: muitaihania.blogspot.com via Kate on Pinterest

to swing inside...

image from ma poupette via pinterest

that the rain will stop...

image by voilet d'art

to go see "chimpanzee"...

Source: flickr.com via Susannah on Pinterest

and to just let the stress melt away.

blaithin by kate davies

isn't that first image of that blanket awesome!!! I WANT! ohhhhh, it's so hard to not let myself get swayed by new projects to make all the time. i've got way too many on my plate as it is...such is the nature of the beast though :P better to have too many than none at all. that would really suck.

this was our first week with the hubs home on a somewhat normal schedule and boy has it felt good. we have a lot to do and i mean a lot but we've started so i'm happy. slowly but surely we are chipping away at chores, spring cleaning, work, studies and reorganization. it feels good. i can't wait to make a dent in it. we've been revamping our deck this spring and i'm working away on little things for it here and there and i can't wait to show you all when it's done. it's been raining buckets here or i would have taken a pic to show some of my new fave things to you guys. in fact i haven't really taken any pics this week at all due to our dark grey skies and torrential downpours. i'm not bothered by the rain the first day, in fact i enjoy snuggling up inside with my knitting, coffee & the kidlets but when it keeps going.....well....it can just end already. i need my vitamin d sky...lol.

this weekend i will be working...working...working. i've got some projects to finish up and a new knitting pattern i'm working on for you all plus a whole bunch of new fabric to get some commuter cowls & sweetheart dresses made to list in the shop. i'm super excited. i also have a new item that i will be selling in their that is my own design that i am freaking excited about. i cannot wait to reveal it but i seriously don't know when i am going to have time to do this all. i better go take my supermommy vitamin and don my wondermomma cape, squeeze my big ol'jungas into a leotard and take on the day...lmao....anyone want to join me? i could use a sidekick...lol.

thankfully i have knit night tomorrow to calm my soul. what are your weekend plans and wishes? i hope you all have lots of sunshine, time to create, set your mind free & cuddle those nearest & dearest but most importantly laugh. i need a good laugh. remember....as the movie annie says "you're never fully dressed without a smile". <3

the emerson tunic dress tutorial!

2012-05-03T10:10:00.002-07:00


Main fabric: Dandi Flight from Commute by Birch Fabrics Accent Fabric: Dottie Cream Coral from Mod Basics by Birch Fabrics

This is a special little project. One that is very near and dear to my heart. You see one of the first things I ever sewed was this little dress for my daughter back in 2009 (she was so tiny!). It was so exciting to see it on other blogs and linked up and I'll never forget that feeling - it was truly when I got hooked on sewing. It literally was something I did from scratch and drew out before making it. I was inspired by dana's men's dress shirt dress but I wanted to reverse it and put the buttons on the back instead. So when I got a chance to review some of Birch Fabrics wonderful 100% organic line I took one look at the "Dandi Flight from Commute line " and knew I could finally do a tutorial for that little reverse men's shirt dress - The Emerson Tunic Dress.

There's something so structural and modern about the sleeve shaping with the bodice and a-line skirt that i just adore. It's one of my favorite silhouettes and I have to admit I'm a bit crazy for it. The faux button placket down the back and box pleat in the front make me swoon. There are no buttonholes in this tute ladies! Yeehaw! All you have to do is sew on the button :) Add a little applique, topstitching and an elastic gathered neckline and I'm sold.

Emerson is perfect for showing off two co-ordinating prints and adding a fun flair to any outfit. Lengthen the skirt for a longer dress or keep it as is in the pattern and wear it as a tunic. Easily adjusted to fit the size of your child and also a quick shape to fit a wide range of sizes.

So grab that new print you've been coveting, get the sewing machine out and whip up the Emerson Tunic Dress.....your kidlets will thank you :) Just look at that smile...

Oh, and where did the name Emerson come from? It was another one of my top baby name picks for Mackenzie. There was a park near where we lived that I used to sit at when I was pregnant with her that was called Emerson Park and the name has always stuck with me. The hubs used to push me on the swing nine months preggo there while i basked in the sun. The Emerson Tunic Dress is the perfect dress to be feminine and whimsical but still wearable and ready to be lived in.

Ready to get sewing? Yay!!!! Let's have some fun!

THE EMERSON TUNIC DRESS TUTORIAL

Materials:
- 1 yard quilting cotton. I used "Dandi Flight" - 100% organic cotton from Birch Fabrics from the Commute line.
- 1 fat quarter of quilting cotton for covered buttons, neckline trim detail and appliqued bird. I used "Dottie Cream Coral" 100% organic cotton from Birch Fabrics from the Mod Basics line.
- 5 covered buttons pieces & kit to make them (or as many as you would like ) or regular buttons
- hand sewing needle
- co-ordinating thread
- scissors or rotary cutter/mat
- fabric marker
- super small elastic (1/4" or less)

Pattern Pieces:
*click on the links below to print your pattern pieces. Be sure to select "no scaling" or "to size" in your printing options before printing.

Please note: these pieces were designed to fit my small 5 year old. She is small for her age and sometimes closer to a 4T than a 5T so please check the pattern pieces against the size of your child before sewing.
- Emerson Bodice Front Upper
- Emerson Front Lower Pieces
- Emerson Back Pieces
- Bird Template
(Once your pieces are printed tape them up matching them by numerical order. For example: 1 is the top left corner, 2 is the top right, 3 is the bottom left corner and 4 is the bottom right corner. Match the edges of the drawings (not the paper) up against each other to complete the shape. Please let me know if you have any issues as I made these pieces a few months ago and haven't tested them again yet. )

You will also cut out the following during your dress making:
- 2"H x (length of neckline + 1") for detail inside of dress on the neckline out of your fat quarter fabric (more instructions in Step Six).
- Same as above only out of your main dress fabric for neckline casing.
- (height of dress without neckline finished) x 3"W for the back button strip detail out of your main dress fabric (more instructions in Step Three).

Instructions:

STEP ONE: GATHER YOUR PATTERN PIECES AND FABRIC

*Note: If the size of your child is not a 4/5T you can still use the pattern pieces provided. They are based on a simple A-Line silhouette that has the front split up and widened to accommodate for the box pleat. This can also be made longer for a longer dress for this age size or the sleeves/upper bodice could be made less wide for a dress for a younger child. This pattern fits my size 2T daughter but the sleeves wing out just a bit too big for her so it wouldn't take much to adjust the fit.

Print out your pattern pieces if using or draft your pattern to fit the size of your child. Cut your pattern pieces out of your fabric. You should have a Front Bodice Upper, Front Lower, Back, Bird (if using) and later a rectangle for your neckline casing and one for your neckline detail and a rectangle for your back button strip detail.

STEP TWO: MAKE YOUR FRONT

Grab your front lower piece and fold in half marking the center with a fabric marker. Now pin/fold your box pleat to be 2 1/4" wide (after sewing). I folded mine in about approximately 1" on either side. Normally they would meet in the middle but mine do not...not sure what happened there...lol. *See image below. Grab your Bodice Front Upper piece and match up with the Front Lower Piece and see if they are the same size. They should match if your box pleat is the right size.

So now that your pleat is folded and pinned baste with a 1/4" seam allowance *only along the top of your pleat and press. Now stitch down on either side of your box pleat right along the edge about 2" down from the top of your fabric. It will help to keep your box pleat looking nice and purdy even after your wee ones played all day in her pretty frock. Press. (See pic above to see the inside of my dress. Note I've already completed the dress in this shot so you're bodice won't be attached yet.)

Grab your Bodice Front Upper piece and Front Lower and match up the bottom edge of the Front Upper to the top edge of your Front Lower right sides facing each other. Sew together with a 1/4" seam allowance. Press. Finish off your seams by zig zag stitching, pinking or using a serger. Topstitch along this seam with your right side (see image below).

Now we are going to finish your armholes and sides. Fold and press 1/4" all along the side of your Front. Fold 1/4" again and press pinning as you go. Sew this down along your inner fold edge. This will give you a nice finish along your sleeves. Press. Repeat for the other side of your dress. Make one of your covered buttons and attach it to the center of top of your box pleat. (See button pic above noting again that my dress is finished in this shot)

Now do the same finish for your Back Piece minus the button step (folding and sewing) side edges.

STEP THREE: ADD YOUR BUTTON BAND

Measure the length of your dress so far. Place this measurement in your button strip calculations. You should have your dress length measurement as your height and your strip should be 3" W. Cut this out of your main dress fabric. Take your 3" contrast strip for the button band and fold and press under 1/4" on each side. Pin this strip down the center of the back of your dress and top stitch down along the edges of the button band. Press. I love this detail! So cute! Now pick out your buttons or make your fabric covered buttons and mark where you would like them placed taking care to place buttons 1 1/2" from top neckline and 2" from bottom of dress.

STEP FOUR: ADD YOUR BIRD DETAIL

If you would like to add the appliqued bird to the front of your dress now is the time. There is lots of ways to do this so you can choose which one you prefer. I simply cut the bird out pinned it to the dress and hand stitched it onto the dress with embroidery floss.

STEP FIVE: JOIN THE FRONT AND BACK

Place your Front and Back pieces right sides facing each other. Pin down along your side. Sew this with a 1/4" seam allowance. Press your seam allowance open so that the seam lays flat. Repeat for the other side of the dress.

Pin your shoulders together with your right sides facing each other. Sew these with a 1/2" seam allowance. Finish your seams with a zig zag stitch, pinking or a serger. Press.

STEP SIX: GET THAT NECKLINE DONE

There are a lot of different ways to finish this neckline that may be easier and faster but I wanted to stay true to my original design so I tried to replicate it as closely as possible. Bear with me...it's easier to figure out as you're making it than just reading the instructions. It's actually quite simple. You're basically attaching a casing to your raw neckline to feed your elastic through. Now you'll be left with a seam there that could irritate some wee ones...mine especially. So I whipped up a pretty little detail to stitch over top that itchy seam so that it looks nice but is also not annoying to the child wearing it.

First we are going to make a casing for our elastic. Measure around the length of your neckline. Take this measurement and add 1/2" to it. You should cut your strip 2"H x "the measurement you just calculated" long. Match both of your short ends up and sew these together right sides facing each other with a 1/2" seam allowance. Now fold the casing in half wrong sides facing each other (right sides facing out) and press. Pin this piece along the neckline of your dress taking care to leave an opening to feed your elastic in. Stitch your casing to the dress with a 1/4" seam allowance. Press.

Cut your elastic. This is the part that I really recommend doing on your child...not the cutting that is but the measuring. Every child is different and some like things like elastic around their neck looser or tighter than others. My girls in particular are really fussy about details like this. I like to feed the elastic in the casing (I pin a safety pin to one end and feed it through) and then try it on pinning the elastic at a good length. I then stitch the elastic together really well and trim my ends.

Now we're going to make a trim of sorts with our contrasting fabric from our fat quarter. Take the measurement of your neckline again from before and add 1" to it. You should cut your strip 2"H x "the measurement you calculated" long. Take your strip and fold your ends under meeting at the center of your fabric. Press. See Step 1 above.

Grab your dress and pin this strip wrong sides facing each other down along and over top just slightly the bottom edge of your elastic casing seam taking care that your elastic is not in where you just pinned. You will have to stretch out the dress to it's original measurement as you pin and as you sew. Make sure your elastic is above where you are about to sew. Fold your ends in and under (overlapping each other slightly) to allow them to be caught when you attach the trim detail. See Steps 2 and 3 in the image above. Stitch the strip down right along the edge of the strip all around the neckline. Repeat this for the other edge of the strip. See image below. The polka dot is the trim we just stitched on.

STEP SEVEN: HEM YOUR DRESS

Time to hem that dress. Fold your bottom edge under 1/4", press, then fold under 1/2" again and press and pin as you go. Topstitch along the hem twice. I like the detail of doing 2 lines of topstitching. You could also easily use a double needle on your machine to do this.

Attach your label and you're done! So cute!!! Pair it with some leggings or jeans and let's go play!

A big thank you to Birch Fabrics for their wonderful line of modern/retro inspired fabrics that are a pure joy to sew and design with. Thanks Cynthia!

Would you like to make one? Which fabric would you use? What's your favorite Birch Fabrics print? Make sure to add your finished pics to our flickr group - I love seeing your finished projects! Happy sewing everyone!

tops, tanks & tees - la la la loving the lace

2012-05-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

calla cami by carrie bostick hoge

oh lace...how i la la love you. i love that lace is like a little mystery novel to me. you just never know what is going to come next. of course after doing more and more repeats you do but something can always pop up to mix it up and make you go...aha! it's exciting and i find it hard to put down.

gemini by jane richmond

a lot of people are freaked out by lace. when you look at it you easily can talk yourself into thinking "i can't do that". but really, if you can knit, purl and do increases/decreases you can knit lace or do lace knitting. there is somewhat of a stigma attached to those two phrases. don't know why but somewhere along the way someone started the trend of calling knitting that has lacework every other row "lace knitting" and knitting that is lace every row "knitted lace". stumps me every time. does it really matter folks? i'm not sure but whichever way you do it, like it to look, like to knit it....it's fun! every knitter should try knitting some lace in a project at least once i say. why not live on the wild side a bit....dude - lace knitting ain't just for grandma's ya know :P

Quill by Jared Flood

but because i do understand lace can be intimidating i've tried to break it down a tad for you and hopefully convince you to give it a shot :)

1) every item made with lace shares either of these attributes:
garter stitch - knitting every row. garter stitch looks the same on either side.
stockinette stitch - knit one row, purl one row alternated. there is a definite right and wrong side to your work.

2) how and when you use your increases and decreases:
every row - increasing/decreasing (knitted lace)
every other row - increasing/decreasing (lace knitting)

spring garden tee by alana dakos

each creates a different effect such as your lacework being more open (knitted lace) to it feeling airier (lace knitting). overall the placement and quantities of your increases & decreases can breathe a gorgeous breath of fresh air into your knitted items. increases/decreases aren't just for shaping, they are also for creativity, design and stunning works of lace art! from little details to all over stunners you can't go wrong with lace in my mind.

but how do you do all the stitches needed for lace? well there are many different types of increases and decreases. yarn overs and decreases in essence create lace. you can't have one without the other. they rely on each other to create the "lace pattern" but are independent of each other at the same time.

sanderling by sandi rosner

what's a yarn over?
yarn over (YO): simply do as written. when knitting bring your yarn forward (kind of like you're getting ready to purl) and then bring it over your needle to the back of your work again. continue on knitting. easiest increase evah! click here to see it done.

continental knitting - YO

english knitting - YO

candewick by christa giles

what kinds of decreases are there?
you can find a ton of decreases, their explanations and videos on how to do them here. my faves are the following:

knit two together (K2TOG)(right slanting decrease): knit 2 stitches together as if you were to knit one stitch (bring your needle knit wise into your next two stitches on your left hand needle and knit as you normally would). Click below to watch the videos:

continental knitting - K2TOG

english knitting - K2TOG

and
slip slip knit (SSK)(left slanting decrease: slip one stitch and then slip the next stitch. take your left needle and insert it into the front loops of the stitches you just slipped and knit them together (through the back loops). Click below to watch the videos:

continental knitting - SSK

english knitting - SSK

you can also read more on knitting stitches & get a big rundown on them in last years summer sweater knit along "where my stitches at" post as well. all in all i think lace rocks! c'mon you know you wanna try it...all the cool kids are doing it...lol. nothing like some good ol' crafty peer pressure to get you to try something new right? j/k but i do love lace. i find it fun. it's not mindless knitting, but maybe that's what i love about it. i like a challenge but don't get me wrong i like me some straight knitting as well. i'm a gabber mouth so it's impossible for me to knit an intricate lace pattern and chat with my gals at knit night. lace is one of those projects where you can work with your mind and your hands and enjoy that special little mystery you're making with two sticks and some yarn.....

laresca by corrina ferguson

do you love lace too? what do you love about it? have a fear of it? let's chat KAL projects ladies! how are your projects doing? link up your blog post in the linky below. i love visiting your blogs to see your pics and say hello. and if you haven't signed up yet and would like to click here to get all the deets about the "tops, tanks & tee's" knit along. it's never too late to join in on the fun and boy has it been fun! best knit along ever!!!!! woot woot!

you can follow along with all things tops, tanks & tees kal here:

ravelry group | blog | flickr group

also, check out our awesome KAL sponsors! thanks guys!

join our linky party by linking up your "tops, tanks & tees knit along" blog post!

ruffled needlecase tutorial for ruffles 2012

2012-05-01T07:30:00.000-07:00

Note: This post went up over on the lovely blog "see kate sew" earlier this month for "ruffles 2012" - (awesome stuff in this theme month so make sure you pop over and say hello) and I thought it would be fun to repost over here on the mommyhood for those who missed it. I've been using mine non-stop and LOVE it. Happy sewing!

I love little handmade treasures that are fun to make, interesting in construction, easy to personalize and add a big pop of pizazz to your sewing notion repertoire! Anytime I can pretty up my notions and supplies I'm in! Add a ruffle to it and I'm sold. I've got a thing for needlecases and I thought I would show you all how to ruffle up the style of needlecase that I use. I've noticed lately that the booklet style has become very popular but there is something about the size, shape and construction of this one that I just adore. It's one of my fave go to gifts for special little pressies and also a good project for beginners to work on there topstitching and hand sewing. Want to know how to make one too?

Materials:
- Scrap of outer fabric big enough to fit dimensions below (fat quarter is more than enough) I used a vintage sheet but any quilting cotton would work.
- Scrap of coordinating fabric for ruffle to fit dimensions below.
- Scrap of felt for lining to fit dimensions below.
- 1 sew on snap (size of your choice).
- Fabric Marker

Cutting Directions:
Keep in mind if you are using a print it will be shown vertically on your finished product so cut your rectangle with the longest length going from the top to bottom of your fabric (height wise) not from left to right (width wise). See pic below.

- Cut (1) rectangle out of your outer fabric at 4 3/4"H x 3"W *see notes in next line.
- Cut (1) rectangle out of your outer fabric at 3 1/4"H x 3"W (if using a print make sure this matches up with the rectangle above if you'd like the print to flow). *I chose to cut one large rectangle at 8"H x 3"W and then cut the small rectangle off of the bottom of it so the print matched up great.
- Cut (1) rectangle of felt at 7 1/4"H x 3"W
- Cut (1) rectangle of fabric for ruffle at 10"H x2"W

Instructions:

Note: All seam allowances are 1/4" unless otherwise stated.

1. Prep and cut fabrics as per the cutting directions listed above and gather supplies.

2. Let's get that ruffle ready! Take your coordinating piece of fabric that you are using for your ruffle and fold it so your right sides are facing each other as shown above. Pin and sew along the long open edge (you are only sewing this one side). Turn fabric right side out by pulling through either one of your open short ends. I use a loop turner to do this but a knitting needle/crochet hook work great too. Press your tube with your seam on the center bottom so when it is ruffled you will not see the seam. You ready to ruffle?

3. Let's get ruffling! Set your machine to a basting stitch on a long stitch length. Remember that you don't need to lock any of your seam ends so no back stitching. Also it's helpful to leave long tails on either end of your tube. On some machines the stitch length can be set so it will just ruffle your fabric right up for you. But if yours doesn't follow these steps: take the tube you just made and with the right side up you are going to sew one straight line down the center of the tube starting at your short end and working down to the other short end (see image above). Remember do not back stitch and leave a long tail.

You are now going to use that long tail to make your pretty ruffle. Using your bobbin tail end only (this will be the thread tail on the wrong side of your fabric) pull this thread gently while sliding your fabric along your thread as it ruffles. Do this until you get your desired amount of ruffling and the length you need for our needlecase. In this case I did very tight ruffles and I also have a thing for making my ruffles longer than needed so I have room to play around with how tight I want them. I left my ruffle long until I pinned it on so I had room to move the ruffles and make any adjustments before I cut off the remaining ruffle length.

4. The next step is to pin the ruffle right side facing up on your larger fabric rectangle (right side facing up) from one short end to the other short end as shown in pic (2) above with your ruffles spread evenly. I use a lot of pins when stitching down ruffles as they move and they can be tricky sometimes to keep straight when you have as many ruffles as I do on my needlecase.

5. Get ready to sew! Go slow here and remember to set your machine settings back to your normal settings and normal stitch length. I forgot until half way through my seam - oopsie..lol..so I knew I should remind you guys as well. You can now back stitch and lock your ends as well. Trim that ruffle up so it's even with your rectangle as well. See image above. You can now choose to take your basting stitch out but I always manage to rip out the wrong one so I got a tad lazy and left mine in. My ruffle is so tight that you can't tell unless you really inspect it ;)

6. Good job! We're half way there! Now grab the small fabric rectangle and your large fabric one and place them right sides facing each other and pin across the bottom short end so your ruffle is still in the center. See where my sewing line (and my bigger stitches..oops) is in the pic above? *Hint: make sure if you are using a print and cut it to match that you have placed your fabrics so that these ends match up good because these are the ends we are sewing back together. Sew theses 2 rectangles together using a 1/4" seam allowance.

7. You should have one fabric rectangle now as shown in the image above. Press your fabric so your seam allowance lays flat.

8. Get your fabric marker out. We're going to mark the placement of the snaps on your felt and outer lining piece. With your felt lining and outer lining wrong sides facing each other measure in 1" from the bottom outer edge (the edge of the rectangle that you just stitched onto your outer rectangle in step above) of the right side facing of your outer fabric lining (see the image after step #12 for a finished shot). Mark the center point here. *Hint: this is the part of your outer that has no ruffle on it. Now measure in 1" from the top of your felt lining (right side facing) and mark the center here for the other part of your snap (see image 2 after step #14 for another finished shot). Trust me, this sounds & looks above way more complicated than it is. It's one of those things you just have to put into action. Once you have the fabric/felt together you can imagine how it will be folded and where your snaps go following the diagram above. *Note: the dashed lines represent the outer lining.

9. Using the two parts of your snap attach the female one to your outer lining and the male one to your felt lining by hand stitching or using a snap tool. Double check that your snaps line up.

10. Now that your snaps are sewn in place we can sew the case together. Place your outer fabric and your felt pieces right sides facing each other. Pin & sew around the entire perimeter with a 1/4" seam allowance taking care to leave a 2" opening on one of your long sides to turn the case right side out through.

11. Trim your corners so your needlecase will lay nice and flat with a nice corner when turned right side out. Now turn the needlecase right side out. Press your needlecase. Pin your opening shut and topstitch close to your edge around the entire needlecase. *Important: when you get to your ruffle lift the edges up and topstitch as far as in as you can without sewing on the ruffle itself and then backstitch and end your sewing there. Start back up again doing the same thing on the other side of your ruffle. It looks prettier that way and then you don't lose any of the ruffliness of your ruffle (see image above).

12. Measure down 1.5" from the top of your needlecase (the part with the ruffle) and mark this with your fabric marker. Stitch a line across the case here to form your top flap.

13. Measure 2.75" from the bottom of your case (the part without the ruffle) and mark this with your fabric marker as well. Stitch a line across the case to form your bottom flap.

14. You will now have two lines stitched across your needlecase which will help in the folding of your flaps to form your needlecase. Test your pretty new needlecase out! Isn't it cute? So adorable right?

Now grab all those pesky needles and load your needlecase up. I like to keep all my needles, a few pins and some safety pins in my case. You never know when you are going to need any of these and since I keep my needlecase in my zippered pouch with my knitting notions I use it for both sewing and knitting.

The fun thing about this needlecase is that you could totally play with the fabric combinations! Go ahead and quilt it, embroider it, use floss and handstitch the topstitching, add more ruffles just have fun and go nuts with it! Personalize it....it's yours after all :) I couldn't resist the combination of that pretty pink with bright sunny yellow vintage sheets to brighten up my rainy spring days. Makes me smile just looking at it.

Want to show off your needlecase too? Make sure you add your ruffled needlecase to Kate's Ruffles 2012 flickr group and our luvinthemommyhood flickr group. I can't wait to see all the fabrics and the ruffles ladies! You can find all the rest of Ruffles 2012 on See Kate Sew here!

What fabrics would you use for yours? Do you have as soft spot for little treasures and vintage sheets too? Happy sewing & ruffling! And don't worry...there's another tutorial coming your way this week :) Yay! The hubs has a day off today for the first day after tax season so I'm taking the day off. See you on Wed!

sewing up a storm!

2012-04-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

hello! happy monday everyone! how was your weekend? i hope you all had a good one. i thought i would pop in today to show you all what i've been busy working on behind the scenes. i recently took some custom orders for my "sweetheart dress" and have been having a blast picking fabrics and sewing them up. there's more to come too. i've got more than a few left to sew up in the next couple of weeks.

fabric: sweet jasmine grey - daisy chain by amy butler from stitch simple
lining - stash...not sure what it is :(

i'm also waiting on some new fabrics to make some more of the dresses to list for sale in my etsy shop so stay tuned. also a pattern may be in the works with all the bodice sizes so you can purchase it and make your own sweetheart dress! wahoo!!! that may be a bit more time in the making but for now i will be selling these sweet little dresses in limited batches in the shop. keep your eyes open for commuter cowls too! i'm so excited to get some of those out for sale for those of you who don't sew who asked me for ones. i've got some fun and modern prints coming in to showcase the commuter cowl perfectly! it's seriously a staple in my wardrobe and one of my favorite things that i have made/designed. love it.

i've got lots of ideas for new designs as well and will be going in my first craft sale late this summer. i can't wait. now to find the time to blog, sew, knit, design and well....be a mommy and wife too. not enough hours in the day..lol. there may be a few weeks on here that i don't post here and there so bear with me. it won't be tons but i am seriously considering taking one day out of the week not to blog so i can focus solely on designing that day. it's something i'm really enjoying that i really don't have enough time to do at the moment. my sketchbooks and journals are bursting and the ideas are keeping me up at night. so this momma's just gotta get them out into the world. they are like my little babies :)

totally off topic aren't these little hearts adorable? i keep swooning over the hearts that get cut out of the dresses and decided to send them along to the happy customer as a wee tag of sorts. i simply zig zagged and pinked the edges for a bit of a shabby chic look and then used my pfaff ambition 1.0's letter stitching to sew the words 'the sweetheart dress' onto the heart. stitched on a ribbon and attached it to the dress. i thought it was a sweet touch and to go along with my business card and a handwritten card. i luv when i receive orders/packages with extra goodies like that and i hold onto them in a special place in my sewing area. it's the thought behind them that makes them so special. anyone can print an invoice but it takes time and love to put that special little bit of happiness in a handmade parcel. i hope they love their dresses as much as i do.

here's some shots of a few of the others i've made recently...

fabric: optic blossom in linen - midwest modern by amy butler from stitch simple
lining: stash...not sure what it is :(

fabric: bike it -commute by birch fabrics from fabricworm
lining: birdie spokes - mod basics by birch fabrics from fabricworm

don't they look so cute all together? makes me all warm inside.

whatcha think? you likey? would you like to see a pattern for sale of the sweetheart dress? which sizes would you like it to go up to for children? have you sewn one yet? i'd love to see it if you have! what have you been working on? chat, chat...and show me pics/blog posts! i love seeing what you are all up to - it's so fun!

p.s. - stay tuned...that tutorial i've been promising is up this week!!

p.p.s - please ignore my creases...my iron sucks and is being dumped. i'm on the hunt for a new one...any recommendations?

weekend wishes

2012-04-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

to add some color to my wardrobe to brighten up my day...

image source: style me pretty

to drink a lot of coffee...all. weekend. long...yesssss...

image source: bird and bloke

to seriously sew like a mad woman at sewing group...

Source: alyssanassner.com via Melissa on Pinterest

to soak up the sunshine...

Source: meetsobsession.com via luvinthemommyhood on Pinterest

and to get my hands on this line of fabric...sooner than later (damn you vanessa..wink..wink).

simply color by v and co. for moda

finally, finally it's the weekend. i feel like i can breathe a little bit better. i've got knit night tomorrow and sewing group all day sunday...yee haw!!!! i hope to be one happy momma come next week :) i cannot wait to have multiple hours in a row of uninterrupted child free sewing time. yessssss.....it's gonna be good. i picked up some batting on monday and i have a new friend for my sewing machine that i will reveal to you all soon and that i cannot wait to try it out. hopefully i can get more than a big chunk done on mackenzie's zig zag quilt and finish up a few custom orders for the sweetheart dress.

i've also been having to do the dreaded deed of bathing suit shopping...oh my....lord help me. it's scary...frightening..and needless to say i haven't found one yet and am terrified of trying on any more of them. the one i currently own i really like but i now have the horrible see through butt happening...so not flattering. must fix. anybody recommend a fave place to shop for suits that is budget friendly, in style but has a bit more coverage for my lady bits so i can play at the pool without flashing the whole lot of em? i really just wish bikini bottoms fit like my fave pair of undies too. no tiny elastic going around my muffin top. i really wanted a tankini this year to mix it up from always wearing a one piece. now don't get me wrong, i don't want one where my tummy is showing, just two pieces ya know. i found one i like online but the price is hefty when you ship it with customs/duties etc. and i don't even know if it will fit. eeeekkk! their size chart is saying i am 4-5 sizes bigger than i would normally wear. hellooooo?????? what is wrong here people????

anyhoo...this is our home stretch for tax season. the last weekend before the deadline. i cannot wait for it to be over. i cannot wait to see my hubby again...ok...who am i fooling...he's not done school, but i may see him a tiny bit more than before so any amount is better than less right?

wishing you all a crafty filled, sunshine basking, coffee sipping, deep belly laughter, non bathing suit shopping, family cuddle filled weekend <3 what are you guys up to this weekend? what are you working on? any fun projects planned? weekend wishes? comment my friends...it makes my day!

p.s. don't forget to enter to win some fabulous organic fabric from birch fabrics and fabricworm!!! woot woot!

Pink Poodle Bows Pattern Giveaway Winners!

2012-04-26T08:07:00.000-07:00

we've got the winners for the pink poodle bows pattern giveaway! congrats ladies! you each win 3 patterns of your choice! wowsa! thanks again alisha!

our winners:

kayla m. smith and jennifer langridge (luv how your wiksten tanks turned out!)

thanks so much for all of your entries! and thank you again to pink poodle bows for the generous giveaway! so many cute patterns to choose from. you can find all things pink poodle bows.

shop | blog | facebook

today was going to be a new tutorial but boy oh boy this week has been a doozie so i'm postponing it till next week. you guys will forgive me right...lol? have a great day and i'll be back tomorrow with weekend wishes..woot woot!

tops, tanks & tees knit along - distractions & project planning

2012-04-25T10:35:00.001-07:00

pattern: folded by veera valamaki yarn: malabrigo sock in colorway ochre

i have a confession to make. i've been a bad girl...lol. i got....well....distracted. there. i admitted it. i lucked out and found 3 skeins of the most gorgeous, warm & buttery malabrigo sock yarn on sale at fibers west the other month and it's been seriously haunting me from my yarn basket. i kept getting it out and petting it and staring at it and finally i caved. i could not resist the yarn and the lure of veera valamaki and her pattern folded. i'm obsessed with her designs and just couldn't stop myself so i now have not one kal project but two. i'm nuts. i've lost it. 2 projects on small needles....eeeeeek!!!!!

folded by veera valamaki

i've admitted to myself that i will probably never get both done by the deadline but so be it. i'm happy anyways :) the veera pattern is knit from the bottom up so i've got some serious mileage to put in before i really need to focus on instructions so it's the perfect purse project for me right now. i also can't seem to stop working on it due to being so smitten with the color and the feel of the yarn. gorgeous. but don't worry, i haven't neglected my gemini top either. it's trucking along quite nicely.

pattern: gemini by jane richmond yarn: knitpicks cotlin in clementine

here she is! i'm done the lace now! i'm sad to see it end. i really enjoyed that part and will miss it. now i'm almost at the point of separating for the sleeves which i LOVE! that means when i try it on it will look like a shirt!!! squeal! i love that part! at that point i usually slave away on it because i just want to keep trying it on. i love having interchangeable needles for this alone. the ability to add my connectors to my cables so the cord is super long and i can try it on is a godsend! awesomeness at it's best! it's great motivation when you can see it all taking shape!

a few of you are chatting about 2nd projects as well so i don't feel so guilty. we also have had our first few participants of the kal finish!!!!!!!!!!!!! wowsa!!!! go ladies go!

1. culabrat's make up your mind tank 2. tmr714's spring garden tee 3. lou1981's spring garden tee

i've currently got a ton of project on the needles but i've also had a few finished ones too. i keep them all balanced by time blocking them and also by taking turns carting them around in my knitting bag wherever i go. so for instance if i have a project on the needles that's complicated i save it for nigh time knitting and if i have an easy knit i keep it in my bag at all times. i usually have a few of each going. i'm a gemini so i get bored easy and always need multiple projects going for each mood i'm in..lol. i couldn't resist showing off a few pics of what just came off my needles....

pattern: in threes by kelly without a net yarn: knitpicks swish worsted in lotus

i finally got mackenzie's birthday cardigan done. the pattern is "in threes" by kelly without a net. the yarn is knit picks swish worsted in colorway lotus. love it! so squishy! i picked up the buttons on monday and swooned when i spotted them. the diamond/crystal look of them was perfect for my little princess wannabe and she LOVES them! pics to hopefully come of her wearing it. the cardi fit's her perfectly with room to grow.

pattern: classic raglan pullover by jane richmond yarn: cascade 220 heathers in colorway 8401

and then i finally got my classic raglan pullover by jane richmond off the needles. yay!!! to say i love this pattern is an understatement. i had my normal case of sleevitis but other than that it's a quick mindless knit that is super fun for practicing doing mods to have the pattern suit your body. i like the fit of mine but plan on doing another one that's a size smaller.

the yoke and hip area on mine are a bit baggier than i'd like but that's because i was super scared the fit of the sweater was going to show off every lump, bump and overhang i had going on but now that it's made it's super flattering and would prefer it to be more fitted. yay! i've worn it almost every second day now! love it so much.

the yarn is cascade 220 heathers in colorway 8401 and it's honestly the perfect shade of grey. i always choose tones to go with my fave pair of jeans and these are perfect! i think my favorite part of the sweater is the ribbing. there's a story behind it on my pullover. i was at rebecca's house (of nook) madly knitting away on my collar and binding off when i realized i knit it double the size it was supposed to be. the pattern calls for 1 inch and i knit 2.....oops...sorry jane :P we all had more than a few good laughs at my nasty "the 80's called and wants their mock turtleneck back" collar. heinous was being nice. but i refused to rip it out and re-bind off. i'm lazy like that...lol. i was going to seam it down to have a folded neckline but it was too thick looking so i decided to block the pullover and see how i felt about it afterwards. shock of all shocks i like it now! haahaha...goes to show what a good blocking can do! i always hate the way ribbing looks pre-blocking on garments. it's all loosey goosey and looks handmade...but when it's blocked...just lovely!!!! i mean look at how purdy these are!!!

i adore how they squish up together and flatten out and just look yummy :) it's a fun transformation. i also like looking at this sweater all folded up. it's like your friend. warm, cozy and it loves you. i keep putting it on because it calls to me in the morning...for reals....check it out...you see it right??? muahahaha....ok back to seriousness i can't wait to pop this on in the fall/winter when i'm curled up on the couch writing to all of you.

and here i am in all my glory. sorry for the bad pic...with the hubs not home right now i'm still waiting to get shots taken of my rocky coast cardigan and of this one. soon i hope :)

so it's confession time ladies....how many of you have started an additional kal project? how many of you have more than 3 projects on the needles right now? i think i have about 6 or 7...iayayayaya! i know i'm not alone out there...there are more of you..lol. c'mon fess up...and link up! the linky party is right at the bottom of this post. fill in your info and voila! all our kal posts are in one nifty place so we can go cheer each other on! wahoo!!!

want to join in the fun? it's not too late! here's the info my knitty pals...

start date: april 11th, 2012
end date: may 23rd, 2012 (the prize winners will be announced the following week)
*both knitting and/or crocheting is accepted and encouraged :)

enter the tops, tanks & tees knit along here:

tops, tanks & tees knit along entry form

*you must be entered & have started a project to be eligible for the giveaway at the end of the knit along.

you can follow along with all things tops, tanks & tees kal here:

ravelry group | blog | flickr group

check out our awesome kal sponsors this time round who are all generously donating some rockin' prizes for the giveaway at the end of the knit along! thanks everyone!

enter the linky party here:

fabricworm - birch fabrics giveaway!!!

2012-04-24T10:17:00.001-07:00

storyboek II by jay-cyn designs for birch fabrics (june 2012)

we've got a fun fabric giveaway for you all today! and not just any fabrics....organic fabrics! awesomely awesome organic fabrics at that - birch fabrics!!! birch fabrics are 100% organic and are printed with low impact dyes as well. they are also certified by the GOTS (global organic textile standard). i heart them.

commute by birch fabrics

birch fabrics is run by the lovely and oh so talented cynthia who is also the owner of the popular online/brick mortar fabric shop fabricworm. the designs put out by birch fabrics are some of faves. modern with a mix of retro in there.....just makes me smile. they are super soft, have a lovely drape and wash well.

i recently designed and used birch fabrics for my "sweetheart dress" and "commuter cowl" patterns. they are so nice to work with and i can easily see them used for baby to adult projects, clothing to accessories. my kind of fabric line! you guys know i love a touch of whimsy and can never resist modern/retro vibes and birch fabrics does not disappoint!

i'm super excited to get my hands on the upcoming storyboek II line (due in june, first pic in post) and also the newest one coming out this august called scamper by rebekah ginda...so adorable!!!! camp sur and camp modern are also both coming out in late summer/early fall in september and i'm dying over them....seriously! i want! check them out!

camp sur by birch fabrics (september 2012)

scamper by rebekah ginda for birch fabrics (august 2012)

camp modern by birch fabrics (september 2012)

needless to say birch fabrics is one of my favorite fabric lines at the moment and i just can't get enough of it in my stash so i figured you all would love some too! want to know what the prize is? here ya go....

- one lucky winner will win 2 yards of a birch fabric of their choice from fabricworm! wowsa! thanks cynthia! so sweet of you!

- simply enter your info into the google doc linked below and when you enter your info you are designated a number by google doc based on when you enter. this will be the number i use to correlate to your name when the winner is chosen. make sense? if you have any questions just ask me below in the comments. click below to enter the giveaway:

birch fabrics giveaway entry

- the giveaway is open until may 1st, 2012 midnight, pacific standard time.
- you must enter a valid email into the entry form or you will be disqualified.

circa 52 by birch fabrics

you can also read more about cynthia here in our latest "moms in the mommyhood" interview. thanks so much again cynthia and good luck to all of you! you can find all things fabricworm and birch fabrics here:

fabricworm:

shop | blog | facebook | twitter

birch fabrics:

website | blog | facebook | twitter

do you have a favorite birch fabrics line? which one are you coveting? do you try to sew with organic fabrics? i'd love to know!

moments in the mommyhood - you know you're tired when...

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you know you're tired when.....you pass out in a swing. poor little harper fell fast asleep the other day in the swing at the park. i don't mean just lightly napping either. i mean out cold. she went from this.....

to this...

and she's out. i carried her the whole way home and she never even blinked. that's tired.

this has been a rough couple of weeks for our little family and this week is our hardest one of the year so please bear with me. i feel exactly like my little one looks...exhausted. wiped out. burnt out. you name it....we are pooped. we are ready for daddy to be home again and to be a somewhat normal family. this tax season has felt so hard and long. i think coming right off his studies/full time work and then straight into tax season has made it feel double the length. plus as soon as tax season is over next week he starts another course and then it's massive study time for 2 1/2 months before he writes his big exam. i keep finding myself longing for it to be fall and for this to all be over but at the same time i don't want the girls to get older, i don't want the summer to pass without basking in the sunshine holding my hubbies hand and listening to the girls laughter.

i know he's just as exhausted as i am so we're just trying to hold it together till next week but man has it been hard. i don't know how he does it and i don't know how i do it. no tips here..lol. i'm hanging on by a thread this week ladies :) i feel like each week that goes by i'm just fighting to hold on to my beans and stay true to who i am before i get lost in the giant pile of what used to be 4 loads of laundry and is now 6 on my bed. i'm fighting off the "green eyed monster" (aka berenstain bears..lol) & the longing to be one of those families whose hubby leaves at 9 and comes home at 5 and they have the weekends all together. i long for those days and can't wait till that's our house. it would sure be nice to not cry over chores and the overwhelmingness of it all. being a mom is sure hard some days peeps...lol. i think i need a vacay..lol. anyone care to join me? i'd love the company :)

ok enough whining....sorry for my whoa-is-me fest today but it's one of those mornings when things seem harder than i know they are so in order to cheer myself up i've got a giveaway for you all tomorrow and hopefully a new tutorial on thursday! yay!!!! plus i'm knitting up a storm and working on sewing up some custom orders too! so fun!

the sun is shining here and i've got a little girl beside me just itching to play so this momma is going to go enjoy the morning. i hope you all had a wonderful weekend and thank you all so much for your sweet birthday wishes for my 5 year old! she had a wonderful bday weekend!

are any of you "hanging on by a thread" this week? do you have partner whose schedule is really hard? how do you deal with it? how do you balance it all out and still stay you amongst the chaos? are any of you a "tax widow"? i'd love to hear from you <3