luvinthemommyhood

moments in the mommyhood - adventures with daddy

2012-02-29T07:50:00.000-08:00

i had one of those nights last night where i felt like my home had just overwhelmed me. a case of the laundry has beaten me down into a corner, the carpet is about to take life, the bathrooms are a no man's land and so on...you know the kind of nights where you wish to god a maid would come miraculously to your house and help you or you wake up the next morning a la martha stewart and have the newfound talent to just do it all. ha. didn't happen. the maid didn't come and i'm not martha stewart..lol.

so instead of the crafty post i had planned today i cheered myself up by plugging in the camera and taking a look at what the hubs got up to with the kidlets on sunday while i was at sewing group. it was hilarious. the pictures themselves aren't funny but i can read the back story and hear their narrative. they had a good time and i just love idea of the shots mixing my little girls bright pink ensemble with flowered boots against a grey, snowy day (yes it snowed later) and a national historic site called fort rodd hill. i mean bombs, cannons, weapons, lighthouses, military stuff all juxtapositioned against my glowing little kiddos. only my hubby would think of that :)

needless to say it cheered me up and the house doesn't seem so bad this morning....maybe i will kick it's butt after all or at least make it till bedtime without crying about it..lol. any of you sometimes just feel plain overwhelmed by it all? i know, i know, i should just do one chore at a time, or do something nice to cheer myself up, and i will, but sometimes a girls just gotta whine a tad and see if she's the only one going to bed at night cowering under the blanket so she doesn't have to fall asleep staring at 4 loads of laundry waiting....just waiting.....whispering.."you should fold me...you should fold me..." and then the bathroom chimes in..."you should clean me...you should clean me...". lmao. ok, i haven't had coffee yet. don't judge me :)

what do you do to stay on top of things? do you have the feeling that sometimes you just can't do it all & something's gotta give? is it your home that sometimes falls to the bottom of the list? let's cheer each other up ladies. i'm off to get starbucks...want one?

quilting 911 - sewing the zigs and the zags

2012-02-28T09:48:00.002-08:00

i've started sewing the zigs and the zags! weeee! i was so happy to finally have some time to work on my zig zag quilt at my modern sewing group on sunday. what i wasn't happy to find out was that it was going to take me soooooo long to trim the corners of my hst's. wowsa! massively time consuming, or at least it was for me...lol.

these are the parts i don't enjoy about quilting but then you all know how crappy i am with a rotary cutter and that cutting is my least favorite part of any craft..lol. i literally got only 3 rows all stitched up at the group and attached the 4th row this morning. it took me way longer than i thought.

i LOVE the sewing of the quilt though. i really enjoy sitting down at the machine with a big stack of squares and sewing them all together. it's methodical, rewarding and so much fun. i'm addicted. i just don't like doing the grunt work that leads up to it - i need the fairy craft mother to come in and do all my cutting for me. the step that i'm most excited about is the quilting. i'm dying to put that quilt sandwich together and give er'!!!

i'm planning, for the moment, on doing 1/2" lines following the zig zags on either side of the seam. i've seen a few done like this online and love the look that it created on the front and back of the quilt. so purdy. one thing i am pondering right now is the color to do that and also if i should add a border to the quilt. now that my rows are stitched up i realized that the quilt may be too small for my liking. my only worry is that the border would detract from the style of the zig zags. what do you guys think? would you add a border? what color would you quilt in? or leave it be? my backing fabric has a print that i think would not look good on the front as well. wouldn't like it.

doesn't it look like a stained glass window in the sunlight? sorry....couldn't resist the pic....caught my eye while and i thought it was cool.

now don't judge me on my ironing. the rows are not pressed perfectly yet. i got a tad lazy at the very end and haven't pressed them all perfectly after i sewed the rows together so everything is slightly poofy still. i did good with my ironing for everything else. it was nice being able to work on this in a big space with room to move and lots of equipment. i just don't seem to work on my quilts at home due to lack of space etc. it makes it even more time consuming. i just don't know where i would fit myself in my condo while working on it.

so i've got 6 rows left to do and in those six rows i still have to trim the hst squares :( but then i get to sew! yippee! and that part goes fast and then i'll have a quilt top! yeehaw!!!! so excited! and you know what comes after this quilt is done? one for me!!! yay!!! this one is for my daughter but momma's gotta have a quilt for herself too right? i'm dying to get mine started. it's been waiting for almost 2 years now. so the faster i get this one done the faster i get to work on a big one for momma.

you can read the two other posts on my zig zag quilt here:

1st post | 2nd post

what quilty goodies have you guys been working on? do you love hst's too? any tips on how to trim the squares really quickly? i could use them :) what color would you quilt this in? white?

sneak peeks

2012-02-27T11:12:00.002-08:00

phew..this weekend was a busy one. a super fun one, but a busy one. i'm pooped..lol. i couldn't resist coming on and showing you all some pics today of what i got up to & a few sneak peeks. i got a lovely package on friday from an awesome pal that i can't wait to show all this week and those zippers above were in there and let me tell you their prettiness is sure helping me get over my fear of zippers. aren't they lovely on a rainy day? so cheerful. especially when we got hit with some snow yesterday! yuck!! :(

my weekend had coffee drinking, a bit of magazine/book reading - i am months behind on some of my fave mags, along with some knitting....oh yeah....bring on the knitting. i had a scare on the weekend because i'm such a clumsy fool that i hurt my hand on friday night and even though it's getting better i nearly freaked out as it was my right hand and i couldn't move it! how the heck was i gonna knit, sew and type to all of you? that's all i could think about. such a dork i am. the hubs is still razzing me about how clumsy i am but in all honestly i think it was his elbows fault and not my hands :P you see i tripped and fell in the hallway to our condo door and he made fun of me so i got up and went to playfully whack him in the arm but instead of hitting his arm i hit his elbow bone full on with the top of my hand. can we say ouch! and can we say clumsy? but it was his elbow's fault right? not my hands...c'mon ladies...side with me..lol...us girl's gotta stick together.

audrey cardigan in knitpicks stroll tonal - colorway gypsy

saturday is my sewing day so i got to sew like a mad woman and then hit the pub for knit night. yes, drinking and knitting do mix...lol. and boy oh boy was it fun! definitely a good time. but what happens at knit night - stays at knit night! i picked up some bright pink yummy yarn from a lys (boutique de laine) on friday to make myself a mallory cowl of my own (shown below). i don't have one and have been dying to find the time to whip one up so i thought mallory would be the perfect project to work on while sipping martinis and sure enough...i'm almost done. i think i was the last one knitting and no errors - i was sure i would mess something up. i did overcompensate on my long tail cast on and ended up with a giant pool of yarn on the floor but i was sober when i did that so it doesn't count :P i also have been sneaking in my audrey cardigan (shown above) here and there - isn't she a pretty garter stitch? love the color & can't wait to get my rocky coast cardigan done so i can finish my audrey up.

mallory cowl - cascade 220, colorway

speaking of my rocky coast cardigan here's a shot of the never ending sleeve. i definitely have a full blown case of sleevitis. darn sleeves. takes me forever. i just want to wear the darn thing and i'm only on sleeve #1...one more to go and then i have to pick up the whole front and neckline and rib my brains out..lol. soon though, soon i will be wearing it. in between all the knitting i got to do some sewing. i was excited to do some pattern testing for a bloggy pal that hopefully i will be able to show you this week and it just happened to be a little project for me that matches perfectly with another wee project i've been working on :) so many secrets...it's killing me lately. secret kal's, secret patterns, secret projects...i'm gonna burst with it all...lol. i promise to fill you all in soon.

i've also been doing some sewing with the new line of birch fabrics - commute. love it!!!! this line is 100% organic and so soft with such a great drape. the new pattern i'm working on (due to come out next week) will feature one print and this lovely item below will be showcasing another 2 prints. i can't wait to show you all. so purdy!!!!

birch fabrics - commute, dandi flight

i also had my modern sewing group meetup yesterday and worked hard on my zig zag quilt. i'm hoping to show pics of that this week as well but in the meantime before i forget to ask - if any of you have made a mallory cowl and don't have pics up on ravelry yet could you email them to me (luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca) or add them to our flickr group? i'm putting together a little post and would love to see your finished cowls. also, the mallory cowl (both youth and adult) are both available for purchase now on craftsy (this site is awesome - go check it out) as well as on ravelry for 2 for 1 - only $1.99!

what did you all get up to on the weekend? were you knitting, sewing, crochet, baking? fill me in...i love hearing about what crafty goodness you are all up to! let's sip coffee and chit chat :) happy monday m'dears!

weekend wishes

2012-02-24T10:17:00.001-08:00

to look this fabulous while out in a rain storm...

image src: rasberry and red

that my gold card gets here sooner than later...weeee...so excited...

Source: starbucks.com via Mia on Pinterest

to get a good chunk of my quilt done at sewing group...

image Src: SweetEventide

to have a good laugh...

image src: colton witt photography

to say thanks to you all for being such awesome pals...

image src: lunacabco

and to not mess up my knitting at pub knit night tomorrow...

image src: made by koning

tgif! yipeee! it's been a long week. a fun one but a long one. we've got a busy weekend coming our way. it's my fave time of the month! i've got knit night on saturday and it's our pub knit night. that's right...we go to a pub and knit. cool - i know :P i just hope i don't get so tipsy i wreck my knitting..muahaha..i'm a little scared. i'm not a big drinker and since i've just finished weaning a few days ago i really haven't had anything to drink in like 2 years. the one time i did i had half a glass of wine and was drunk...lol..yes, drunk. it was humiliating and embarrassing to say the least. thankfully i was just at home with the hubs so nobody else witnessed it. so knit night i have a 1 drink limit :)

i also don't want to be hungover for sunday. it's our modern sewing group meetup on sunday and i've got some serious plans to make a good sized dent in my zig zag quilt. i'm hoping to square up my hst's before going so that all i have to do when i am there is sew up the quilt front. fun, fun, fun! i cannot wait! it's been so busy around here my poor quilt is still pinned to the wall waiting for me to show it some luv. it tortures me that i haven't had a chance to get to it yet. my ironing board monster is also growling my way a lot lately. it seems like no matter how much i clean it up and get my projects in order it crawls back out and snarls at me with it's ugly teeth laughing. damn you ironing board monster..go bug someone else..lol. oh, and yes, i talk to inanimate objects..lmao. especially ones who take over my sewing wall and make it impossible for me to sew anything.

in between all the crafty goodness this weekend i'll be coloring with my girls, playing some video games with the hubs and working on my newest pattern. i also hope to squeeze a movie or two in there with the hubs. i need some cuddle time :)

what are you ladies up to? any crafty plans this weekend? are you being bombarded by a rain storm today too? share, share...i love hearing what you are all up to! wishing you a stylish, laughter filled, coffee indulging, cozy, kinda weekend!

P.s. - i was super excited to find out i was nominated for the circle of moms "top 25 creative mom blogs" contest! so awesome! if you could be so kind as to go and vote for lil'ol me that would be so sweet! you can see all the nominees here and vote for me here :) thanks everyone!

playing hookie...& some blog housekeeping

2012-02-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

i'm taking a wee bit of a break today to go rock my new bangs...i'm feelin' it ladies...lol. what do you think? keeping in line with the "i'm pampering myself to try to forget all the concussion, back injury, stomach bugs and lady probs that i've been dealing with since october" i got my hair cut the other night and asked my amazing hairdresser (who's leaving me to go on a 6mth sabbatical across france..wahhhhh!!!) to give me some rockin' mom hair and she sure did. i love it. i'm also playing a bit of hookie today to do a fun photoshoot for my upcoming sewing pattern/tutorial that i'm biting the bullet and releasing for sale! i'm excited and nervous all at the same time. ohhhhh...i cannot wait for you all to see it! my lovely pal jane richmond is modelling for me again and she's just gonna look so stylin' in it! for all you awesome ladies who so kindly offered to pattern test for me it's coming. i'm hoping to have it out to you today so get those sewing machines ready :)

i also figured that since our knit alongs are just so awesomely (word?) fun that i better make it a bit easier for you peeps to find them (and me too)! it sure was fun for me to look back and see all the knitting that has gone on since june of last year! wowsa how time flies!!! if you look on the sidebar now you will find a "luvinthemommyhood knit alongs" button that you can click on that will take you to the post that i give you a sneak peek of above. please feel free to comment and let me know if i'm missing anything you'd like to see added to the list. it's a work in progress and sort of a hub for our kal's so i'm always open for input.

what have you all been up to this week? i love the feeling after a new haircut...i just wish i really could sleep upright without moving so i could keep my awesome haircut in immaculate condition. anyone else recently made a "hair change"? what are you crafting this week? share, share...i'm dying to hear what's been going on. happy thursday! that means it's almost friday..woot woot!

warm up to winter knit along - the winners!

2012-02-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

image src: the glitter guide

we've got some winners!!!!! today is the official last day of the warm up to winter knit along. i'm super sad that it is ending but really excited for the next one. these knit alongs are so rewarding and such a wonderful source of inspiration and fun for me. so thank you all for joining in and knitting along with me <3

ready to hear who won? i am!!! congratulations to.....

img src

winner #1 -
Cindy Mousseau (More Like June) - Commenter #60

you've won the following:
- 5 patterns of their choice from jane richmond!!! hello! awesome!
- a copy of the star crossed mitts pattern from nice and knit. love this pattern!
- and a copy of the entire season 3 of knit and crochet now! woo hoo! now you can knit and watch knitting! how perfect is that?!

winner #2 -
Ciaran Blumenfeld (Momfluential) - Commenter #40

you've won the following:
- 1 pattern of their choice from jane richmond.
- 1 copy of the star crossed mitts pattern from nice and knit.
- and a copy of the entire 3rd season of knit and crochet now.

i'll be in touch with you both soon to get your information! congratulations!!!

Source: leloveimage.blogspot.com via Courtney on Pinterest

a big thank to our "warm up to winter knit along" prize sponsors! you guys are awesome!

i hope you all had as much fun as i did! here's to the next one! congrats on all your wonderful new projects. happy knitting ladies!!!! and thanks to my pal rebecca for being my partner in crime. what was your favorite part of the kal? what do you enjoy the most about our knit alongs? anything fun you'd like to see me add next time round? i'd love your feedback :)

p.s. in case you missed it or want to catch up on all our other kal's you can find all the posts here and the thread for the knit alongs can be found in the luvinthemommyhood ravelry group here! you can also friend me on ravlery under the name luvinthemommyhood.

make it sew modern book review & giveaway!

2012-02-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

you guys in the mood for a giveaway today? i am! woot woot! i was so excited and over the moon when i found a while ago that my bloggy pal vanessa christenson of "v and co." had a book coming out! she was one of the first people i started chatting with in this bloggy world and she was also one of our "moms in the mommyhood" so i am super proud of her and so excited to have her book "make it sew modern" on the blog today as a prize and as a new addition to my own collection! congrats vanessa!!!

vanessa's new book is filled with eye candy and sewing goodness galore. staying true to what makes us all love her blog and shop her impeccable sense of style just oozes off the pages. you can see vanessa everywhere and i just love it when a book stays true to the artist who wrote it. it's her mojo of sorts. from the color palette of her projects to the attention to details for each project in the book vanessa has put together a modern and very fresh collection of sewing projects.

the book "make it sew modern" is separated into 4 sections: gather, twist, pleat and texture, and the book covers everything from jewelry, accessories, home decor clothing and bags! wowsa! the projects are perfect for every skill level with a budget in mind. vanessa's signature love of pillows and flowers resonates throughout as well. i love all the pillows vanessa makes and thankfully there are at least 4 pillows in this book my fave being the chic modern pillow. along with pillows you can find effortless scarves, rings, totes and bracelets!

1. chic modern pillow 2. cascading spring scarf 3. market/beach tote

and let's not forget the quilts!!! i'm just dying over the applique doily quilt shown below! you know how i love me a doily!!!

the book has project geared to every skill level as well so don't be nervous or timid if you are a beginner sewer. vanessa's instructions and the accompanying illustrations for each project are clear, concise and well laid out. her section on tips, terms and techniques covers everything from applique stitches, binding, to machine ruffles and gathers, pillow corners and straps.

1. all season scarf 2. picture perfect dress 3. decorative balls 4. throw pillow with frosting

i think "make it sew modern" would be a wonderful addition to any sewers bookshelf that is looking for a variety of projects that are fun, gorgeous and stylish to boot! you likey? you ready to win one too?

- one lucky winner will win a coy of "make it sew modern: gather, twist, pleat, texture" by vanessa christenson of v and co. thanks so much vanessa!

- i'm trying out a new way of entering giveaways. i've decided to have you guys enter your name/email in a google doc form instead. 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:

"make it sew modern" book giveaway

- giveaway is open until february 26th, 2011, midnight PST (pacific standard time).
- you must have a valid email address or you will be disqualified.

flower ring

good luck everyone! and thanks again to vanessa for the lovely book and the giveaway! so excited and proud of you!!!! you can find all things vanessa christenson here:

are you a fan of vanessa's? do you love her style? have you gotten your hands on a copy of "make it sew modern? what did you think? what was your fave project in it? let's chat books ladies...i know i'm not the only crafty bookworm out there :)

moments in the mommyhood - some cheering up

2012-02-20T10:22:00.000-08:00

i had to have some not so pleasant lady experiences at the end of last week that were not so fun. as some of you may know that are long time readers on this blog i suffer from endometriosis and it ain't fun :( anyhoo, i've been feeling pretty crappy and thought i deserved some cheering up :) the shoes above found their way home to me as well as a new matching nail polish - you likey? i also got 2 new bras to hold my now weaning girls up.

we're on day 4 of the weaning and boy has it been rough. i don't remember it being so hard with mack. she seemed to be so proud of herself and told everyone she was a big girl now and didn't need boobie anymore. harper - not so much. she's taken the angry road. on saturday if i came anywhere near her all she did was scream her brains out and literally would not let my husband put her down. i couldn't touch her or even talk to her. i cried and she cried. it's hard for me to wean this time....it's my last baby and i really feel super emotional about it. i've always loved breastfeeding and her reacting so aggressively has made me even more emotional. i keep thinking maybe she isn't ready but i know deep down we both are.

she will be 2 in may and i wish i could slow down time for my little baby. she's smart as a whip this one, a quiet thinker with a playful soul. i just want to hold onto her in this stage for a bit longer. i feel like the end of breastfeeding is the end of the baby phase and then whoosh..it's all about daddy. they don't need me anymore..lol. stupid hey? oh well. the tricks mom brain plays on us. i'll get over it but in the meantime bear with me if i moan and groan a bit about the return of my boobs and the loss of the baby phase. thankfully the new bras cheered me up. at least "the girls" are up where the sun shines and not drooping sadly towards my belly filled with crumbs..lol. tmi? hahaha...you ladies with big jungas will know what i'm talking about..lol.

we've had hints of spring mixed in with our chilly weather here. plants are sprouting up and even some of the flowers on my deck are starting to poke their weary heads above soil. the hubs and i got to go on our first date together in like 2 years. yes, it's been that long. it's horrible. we use to go once a month but somehow it's just gotten the best of us. it was sooooo nice to go out without the kiddos (thanks cami) and to have an actual adult conversation. we have a rule on our dates - no kid talk. we try not to discuss the kids or chat about them directly. we do that enough at home..lol. we like to make it all about us. it was a lovely few hours of bliss that we definitely needed especially now that the hubs has started overtime again for work. tax season is just around the corner - yuck!

i've been working away on my rocky coast cardigan but in my obsessed state decided to work on my sleeve after a procedure on friday and needless to say it probably wasn't a good idea...a bit of drugs can alter your knitting state. i messed up my sleeve and now have to rip back a few inches. darn it all...lol. i wish i wasn't so picky about these things cause i would be done the stupid cardigan by now...haha. but i love it too much to not make it as perfect as i can do it.

i feel like i'm floating in a sea of cables....see what i mean?

aren't they purdy?? i'm also working on a new sewing pattern for you guys using this lovely and oh so darling print from birch fabric from their new line - commute. this print is called by bike and it's designed by jay-cyn for birch fabrics. you pick up some of this awesome new line at birch fabric creator cynthia's fabric shop - fabricworm. it's 100% organic and super soft! i'm loving it and i cannot wait to release the pattern asap. i also realize in this picture that my iron is in need of a serious vacay..lol. crappy ironing job iron. i'm all out of linen spray and am really missing it. i think i've been using it so long my iron is going through withdrawal. it doesn't know how to function without it now. what kind do you guys use? anyone recommend a fave? i really need to get some and don't feel like making it myself. would love any tips :)

by bike from commute by jay-cyn for birch fabrics

what are you guys working on? how was your weekend? any crafty mishaps happen at your house too? did you catch the season finale of downton abbey? i just have the xmas special left and let me tell you i'm dying to watch it! the hubs has decided he doesn't like the show so i after i watched the last regular episode i didn't have a chance to sneak it in on the weekend. soon though...soon...i must know what happens with lady mary....ohhhh, the romance of it all!

Charm Stitch Fabric Giveaway Winner!

2012-02-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

the winner of the charm stitch fabric giveaway is..................

Commenter #106 - Adrienne Spornitz!

congratulations adrienne!!! i'll be in touch soon about your prize! a big thank you to all of you for entering and also to charm stitch for the generous giveaway! you can find all things charm stitch here:

happy sewing everyone!

A little slice of a dream come true - Mollie Makes

2012-02-17T08:26:00.000-08:00

if you're crafty and love eye candy like me you may have heard of one of the newest and coolest lifestlye & craft mags out there - mollie makes! i've been drooling and coveting this mag since it first premiered in may of 2011. i've been reading their blog and daydreaming over getting my hands on every issue. so when i opened my inbox last month and found an email from them i just about peed my pants! can you believe it! i'm still shocked!

remember this pic? this was a photo i shot of my pal rebecca's (nook) jardain coaster tutorial that she did for versus in the summer. they asked if they could use my photo in mollie makes as a full page!!! what!!!!!!!!!!! holy cow batman!!!! i swear i'm still in shock. i can't wait to hold a hardcopy of it in my hands. i already told the hubs i'm framing it and hanging it on the wall as proof that dreams can come true. my oh my. sometimes even a little slice of a dream come true can be enough to keep ya truckin' i tell ya. one of my new year's resolutions this year was to get in a magazine. that was fast. lol...if only the lose 35 pounds one was equally as quick...muahaha.

here's what the inset says:

"When Rebecca of inanook.blogspot.com fame was invited by Shannon Cook to share her crochet love on the Versus blog (versusmag.blogspot.com), she revealed how to make these super spiralled Jardain coasters with pretty petals. All you need is a little bit of yarn and a little bit of time and whole set will be yours! Found out more about Shannon and her inspirations at luvinthemommyhood.com"

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! and my fave part...in the bottom left corner it says - photographer: shannon cook! oh man...so awesome! i'm in no way trying to toot my own horn here people, i'm just so excited! you guys are such a huge and influential part of my life how could i not share something so fun with you all! it's been killing me not to be able to tell you all until now :) this little blog of mine is such a dream for me. it's a dream to be able to write every day, to get to sew, knit and design and share it with you all, to chat and form such special friendships - it's all amazing and so worth all the very looooong hours that it takes to keep this blog of mine going. so something like this little slice of a dream come true of mine is so rewarding! so thank you all for reading and for sharing in this wonderful journey right alongside with me. i <3 you guys..xoxox!

now head on over to mollie makes and show them some luv ladies!!! if you're in the us/canada you can find hard copies of where the mags are sold here:

The US: Barnes & Noble, JoAnns

Canada: Chapter, Coles

and you guys can subscribe to mollie makes through this link:

http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/stitch-craft/mollie-makes-magazine-subscription/

and download the iPad version here:

http://goo.gl/qzprk

also don't miss out on the latest news from mollie makes either - sign up for their newsletter at the top of the page, here.

a huge thank you to mollie makes! you guys rock!!! thanks for making one of my dreams come true :) you can find all things mollie makes here:

website | facebook | twitter | youtube

have you had any of your new year's resolutions become reality yet? what's on your dream list? it's friday m'dears and i'm super excited for the weekend!!!

weekend wishes

2012-02-17T08:22:00.000-08:00

to finally allow myself to watch the season 2 finale...

illustration by: kelsey garrity-riley

to look this glamorous when i knit...

Source: Uploaded by user via Stacey on Pinterest

to sip some tea alongside a good book...

diy hand painted mug from wit & whistle

to rock this outfit...

kendie everyday

to get some shots of an upcoming pattern..weee...

Source: etsy.com via Sara on Pinterest

and to go for a lovely walk with my wee ones & hubs.

img src:liivias via susan b. anderson (pinterest)

if you have become a fan of downton abbey like me you must check out this post on sfgirlbybay - super fun and oh so stylish! and this one..oh my...so funny!!!! i'm clearly obsessed and hooked with this soap operaesque drama...just can't get enough :P

i'm planning on hopefully getting some pics of a new pattern i will have out for sale soon..so excited about this one ladies and it's sewn! yipee! thanks to all of you who responded for being a pattern tester - i will be in touch soon if all goes well this weekend.

i'm also hoping to get outside for some fresh air and exercise. now that my back is getting better (slowly but surely) i'm trying to get back being active again. life is busy though and it's been a juggling act to fit it in that's for sure..lol. i'm also going to enjoy my knit night on saturday. i'm on the sleeve of my rocky coast cardigan and refuse to work on anything else until i get this cardi done and can wear it. i'm possessed. lol. of course in the middle of all that i'm gonna steal my hubby for some good ol' cuddles and some play time with my wee ones.

what are you guys up to? what crafty goodness did you get into this week? any plans this weekend? you sipping your coffee yet? wanna chat? wishing you all a fresh, fun, crafty, humerous, and restful weekend :)

the keaton coat pattern!

2012-02-16T09:43:00.000-08:00

aw shucks, you guys know i'm a softie for simple patterns where i can just go wild with my fabric choices. i have a big soft spot for colors and modern prints and love to cover my kids in them :) the other week i was part of "new year's resewlutions" over on "me sew crazy" where we were to guest post about one of our sewing resolutions and mine was the buttonhole. my post was initially intended to be a coat tutorial but i had an overwhelming feeling to write a post called "how to conquer your sewing fears" instead and the tutorial that was supposed to go up is today's keaton coat.

this was my first buttonhole peeps! can you believe it! took me long enough right? i did a butthonhole and my very first zipper in one week. it was stressful but oh so rewarding. i had been daydreaming about a fun little spring coat for harper for a few weeks and knew that i wanted something that was simple and quick to make that allowed me to go wild with fabric or choose to simplify it with a solid without losing style. the coat is lined throughout the body but not the sleeves - so nope, it's not reversible. i decided to keep it nice and easy for you all. sometimes i think it's fun to just sew something with a basic shape and construction and let my mind go wild with the print and button combo. i spent days pondering that one and changed my mind more than a few times due to loving too many of my fabrics at the moment. then the button...oh the button...i have a thing for buttons and it takes me eons to choose the right one for any garment. i actually found the yellow button before deciding on my print and knew that this amy butler print - midwest modern martini from my sponsor stitch simple was the perfect companion to that funky yellow button.

the keaton coat features topstitching throughout for a more professional finish (i heart topstitching) and a slightly gathered sleeve for a touch of feminine detail. the inner corners of the fronts are curved also playing with the idea of feminine softness with a mod vibe :) the keaton coat is also easy for our wee ones and for us parents to get on/off squirmy little ones and my girlie just loves hers!

this project would also give you a great base to work with if you are a more advanced sewer allowing you to customize and add some personal flair to your keaton coat. add more buttons, shorten the sleeves, add some trim - just have fun with it!

now let's get sewing! you ready? yippee!

The Keaton Coat Pattern - Size 2-3yrs

Materials:
- one yard fabric (I used quilting cotton)for outer
- button (med-large size)
- 3/4 yard fabric (I used quilting cotton) for inner
- sewing machine
- fabric marker (optional)

Instructions:
*Please note that all seam allowances are 1/4" unless otherwise stated.
1) Print out and cut your pattern pieces. You can print/download the pattern by clicking on the link below:

keaton coat pattern pieces

2) Using your pattern pieces cut out your fabric for your outer coat and inner coat fronts and back. Your front pattern piece is used to cut out both fronts. Simply flip the pattern piece over (take care that your fabric print is still going in the right direction to match the rest of your coat) to cut out the opposite side of the front jacket piece. You will cut out the following pieces:

Back - 1 Outer & 1 Lining

Front - 2 Outer (Left and Right) & 2 Lining (Left & Right)

Sleeves - 2 Outer

Separate your outer pieces and your inner lining pieces into 2 different piles. Starting with your outer pieces lay your back right side facing up and pin your left front and right front sides to the back with right sides facing down. Sew your side seams up with a 1/4" seam allowance. Press. Finish your seams by either pinking, zig zag stitching or using a serger. Repeat these steps for your lining coat as well.

3) Pin the shoulder seams together on your outer coat and sew. Repeat for the inner coat. Press your seams and finish off your seams for both jackets. Place your outer jacket laying down right side facing you and lay the inner jacket on top wrong side facing you (so both right sides are facing each other). Pin the outer to the inner. Starting at the top left front stitch down the jacket across the bottom and back up the right front ending at the top of the right front. Pin down the neckline. Do the same for the entire neckline. Press. Finish off your seams then turn jacket right side out pulling through armhole and press entire jacket. Topstitch the entire perimeter of the jacket excluding the armholes but including the neckline. Nice work ladies!

4. Grab your sleeves. With your machine set to do a basting stitch baste-sew along the top part of sleeve from one marking to the next. Slightly ruffle the sleeve by pulling on your bobbin thread gently.

5. Fold cuff of sleeve under 1/4" towards the wrong side of fabric and press, fold over another 1/2" and press again. Topstitch along the hem to form your cuff. Turn sleeve wrong side out and match long sides together. Pin along long seam and sew. Finish seams and press.

6. With jacket wrong side out and sleeve right side out place the sleeve inside the armhole with the sleeve inside the jacket and the armholes aligned. Pin sleeve to armhole and tighten/loosen gathers to fit armhole. Making sure to start sewing from your underarm seam so both the sleeve and side seam match up sew armhole to sleeve. Finish seam. Turn jacket right side out and press.

7. Try the jacket on the child if possible and mark where your preferred location for the buttonhole/button would be on the jacket with your fabric marker. Following your machine instructions make your buttonhole. *I tried a few practice buttonholes on some scrap pieces of fabric before making my buttonhole. This helped me out a lot to get it just right. Don't be scared..you can do it! After the first time it's really not that hard. I promise :) Close jacket and double check where to sew your button. Stitch your button to your jacket.

8. Put that adorable coat on your wee one and have some fun in the warm spring sunshine that will hopefully be heading our way sooner than later :)

happy sewing everyone! and make sure you add your project pics to our flickr group so we can all see your lovely work! i'm planning on making a few more of these for harper and may even make some for mack as well so a size 4/5T may be in the works :) i hope you all like it! what fabric would you use to make yours?

warm up to winter knit along - prizes time!!!

2012-02-15T08:07:00.000-08:00

16 cable hat from 3pumpkinslittle

woot woot...it's the "warm up to winter knit along" giveaway time!!! i figured you all deserve a little prize action for all the hard work you've been doing. honestly...i think there are peeps who are on their 11th or 12th item! seriously! they are mavens of the needles! their needles are on fire! you ladies know who you are..wink wink...we all think you knit in your sleep :P you can see some of their handiwork here in my "starring you" post but wowsa..even since then there have been soooo many more lovely items made that i had to show some more off in this post too :)

missy miss-matched mitts from susieq1202

it's been so amazing to watch you all chat and inspire each other (myself included) and it simply warms my heart to see the little plan i had for a wee knit along grow into this wonderful, supportive and caring group of talented women. whether you are just learning to knit or are an old pro - knit alongs are super fun and a great place to chat & make friends with other knitters, to find encouragement, a caring virtual shoulder to cry on when a project isn't working (i know this first hand), a wealth of knowledge when you have questions, a cheering squad when they turn out better than you imagined and a wonderful sense of community. i strongly believe that is something we all could use more of in our lives :) you can read all of the conversations that took place for this kal here in our luvinthemommyhood ravelry group and now a wee bit more..starring you!

i heart cables from knittingmommee

top row: 1. from norway with love 2. all ears 3. koolhass 4. spring hats

bottom row: 1. molly 2. templeton mitts 3. cabled chapeau 4. molly

but wait...where are my mitts? well i'm sad to say my 2nd mitt is not done :( will you forgive me? with the stomach bug that went round our house combined with my complete obsession with finishing up my rocky coast cardigan sooner than later my 2nd mitt hasn't made it yet but i will get it done sooner than later and when i do i'll be showing them off on here :) i am happy to say i did make a hat for this kal and LOVE it. i wear it almost everyday..seriously. even at home where nobody sees me but the kidlets. it loves my head and i love it :)

and now for our prize sponsors!

we've got patterns up for grabs from one of our kal's most popular knitting designers - jane richmond!

1. audrey 2. the classic raglan pullover 3. rae 4. kathleen

1. shannon 2. elizabeth 3. bailey 4. red is best

and we've also got a pattern from the lovely duo of sisters behind "nice and knit" who's star crossed mitten pattern was inspired by our "warm up to winter knit along"! how awesome is that!

star crossed mitts from nice and knit

and we've got one of my fave knitting/crocheting shows around - "knit and crochet now" giving away some copies of their season 3 dvd's! yay!!! i seriously dig this show and i love catching it on tv whenever i get a chance.

wanna know the deets?

our first place winner will receive the following:
- 5 patterns of their choice from jane richmond!!! hello! awesome!
- a copy of the star crossed mitts pattern from nice and knit. love this pattern!
- and a copy of the entire season 3 of knit and crochet now! woo hoo! now you can knit and watch knitting! how perfect is that?!

and our second place winner will receive:
- 1 pattern of their choice from jane richmond.
- 1 copy of the star crossed mitts pattern from nice and knit.
- and a copy of the entire 3rd season of knit and crochet now.

excited? i am and i can't even win anything..lol. want to know how to enter?
make sure you are signed up for the "warm up to winter knit along" and have actually started a project. i will be using the number that google docs assigns you to correlate with the number that random.org chooses for the winner and you must have at least begun a project to join in :) easy peasy right? you betcha!

if you haven't already entered the knit along you can here:

warm up to winter knit along sign up

all posts can be found here and the thread for the knit along can be found in the luvinthemommyhood ravelry group here!

you can enter to be part of this giveaway until sunday, february 19th and midnight pst (pacific standard time).

when you are done your hats and/or mitts please post your finished pics in either our ravelry group thread or our flickr group so we can drool over your fab work! also make sure to pop on over to "nook" later today to see what my partner in crime rebecca has been up to for her kal projects :)

good luck everyone and thanks for joining in and making this such a fun kal! you guys rock! stay tuned the next one is coming up asap! i'm giving you a few weeks off and then we're gearing up again hopefully end of march beginning of april and we've been excited about this one since before xmas..it's gonna be a goodie..but don't be sad...there is a surprise planned in between :)

did you join in the kal? what was your fave pattern you made? did you step outside your comfort zone or stick to a tried and true pattern? i'd love to see and hear what you made so chat away m'dears!

twisted slouch hat pattern

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

a big hello to all of you coming over from the kniterviews & knits stretch yourself series over on made by rae! such a great series! we love sewing with knits over here on luvinthemommyhood so when the fabulous rae asked me to join in i just knew i had to get a slouch hat idea that i had been working on since xmas finished. i am a die hard knitter and love to mix elements & techniques, so for this hat i wanted to replicate the movement and texture that i love out of my knitted slouch hats and incorporate them into an actual sewn hat. i also wanted a hat to wear during the warmer and cooler months. a lightweight, stylish slouch that has a bit of flair and personality. my favorite part of this hat is the construction. i made test hat after test hat to get this just right for you folks. it's super easy, fast, and simple to customize and even more fabulous to wear!! it's also awesome when you can get one of your pals, who happens to be a super awesome knitting designer (janerichmond.com) to model/photograph the hat for you too! thanks jane!!!! you're the best hun!

the best part of this hat is that it is made all in one piece! what?! yep, that's right - just one pattern piece! there is literally only two side seams to sew and a topstitch around the hat. how awesome is that? the rest is some fun hand stitching and customization done to your taste! the twisted cable is actually part of the hat and not an additional piece that is sewn on! i hate bulky ends to hat and the construction of this hat allows for a softer drape for a sewn garment without the weight and bulk from seam construction. the small side bows add a feminine and whimsical touch that slim the cheekbones draw your eye up and away for a slimming effect instead of adding bulk and width to the face. if you've never been able to wear a bulky slouch hat before this may be the time for you try out the slouch style without the added bulk. made with a soft, thin stretch it's light weight, soft and comfortable to wear!

the twisted slouch hat is also a great way for you to practice your sewing with knits skills. using a lighter weight stretch can sometimes be challenging but the look of this hat changes quickly if you add too much sturdiness to the fabric. i would stick with a soft drape to retain the feel of the hat. make sure to read your machines manual for sewing with stretch and if your machine isn't set up with stretch stitches whip up a practice swatch...trust me :) just like with knitting it's always handy to do a test swatch to double check the drape and look of your sewn garment. practice the right stitch, machine settings and needle for your machine to get the best look for your hat. i recommend ball point needles and/or using a zig zag or sometimes even a triple straight stitch works great for sewing with stretch. it's all about your machine though and matching it to the fabric you are using.

this hat is a great beginner stretch project as your twist going down the side could hide any uneven stitches or "oopsies" if you do have an issue. the only place your machine sewing shows is along your brim. if you aren't looking for a zig zag stitch here set your machine to the right straight stitch to use for stretch and pull the hat stretched as you sew to get the right diameter to give your head room to stretch the head out without breaking the seam of the hat. i promise it's easier than it all sounds and once you jump into sewing with knits you'll wonder what all the fuss was about and why it took you so long. there's no seams to finish and it's fast and fun to sew with! you ready to get sewing? woot woot! let's go ladies! happy sewing!

Twisted Slouch Hat Pattern

Materials:
- ½ yard of stretch fabric of your choice (i recommend a light weight drape stretch) - coordinating thread - sewing machine - suitable needle for sewing machine for sewing with stretch - hand sewing needle - scissors - fabric marker - pins

Instructions:
*All seam allowances are 1/2" unless otherwise stated.
1. Download & print out hat pattern with no automatic sizing/no scaling selected.

Twisted Slouch Hat Pattern Piece

2. Fold fabric in half with main stretch going left to right right sides acing out. Then fold in half again from left to right.

3. Place hat pattern piece on top of fabric with top of hat on first fold of fabric and side of hat on 2nd fold of fabric. The pattern piece is the size of half of the hat so after you are done cutting when you open up your fold it will be full size and you will be left with an actual fold still at the top of your hat.

4. Weight down pattern piece and cut hat out taking care not to pull or stretch out your fabric.

5. Measure in 1.5” from the outer edge of your hat. Taking your fabric marker and using the existing hat as a guideline draw out another hat but this time 1.5” in from the outer edge *taking care to stop ¼” from the top of the hat on either side of the hat. Please note I have a smaller sized head and if you are concerned you may have a larger sized head circumference please pin the sides up on the hat as if you were cutting and try hat on to check the sizing. If you need more room cut the into the sides at a smaller amount..for ex. 1" instead of 1 1/2". *See illustrations above.

6. Turn fabric inside out (right sides facing each other). Carefully pull your dangling edge on one side insde the two pieces of your hat as straight and flat to the opposite direction as possible without pulling the hat form. Use your finger and feel if the strand is out of your sewing path. Pin down along the side of the hat. Sew down this side of the hat with a ½” seam allowance starting from the top stitching downwards. Note: my head is on the smaller size if you have a larger head use a 1/4" seam allowance. *See illustration to the left.

7. Repeat step 6 but on the opposite side again taking care to make sure your strand is flat and out of the way of your stitching.

8. Turn hat right side out and try on. Fold the bottom of the hat under approximately 2 inches or desired size (make sure to leave your strands out of the brim). Using a pin or fabric marker mark where you would like your brim to end if you need to make any changes to fit the size of your head and desired amount of slouch for your hat.

9. Turn hat inside out again (right sides facing) and pim your soon to be brim down properly. Stitch down using a straight stitch set for sewing knits on your machine. I found this looks the best but not all machines will be able to do this. Since you aren't top stitching (you could if you would like to though) make sure your bobbin color is the color you want showing on the right side of your hat :) Mine works fine if I stretch the fabric out as I go while stitching on a good tension for sewing with knits but it’s totally up to you the style you would like for your hat. If a zig zag or a different seam work best for knits on your machine and it's the look you are going for than go try it out.

10. Turn hat right side out again. We're going to cut into those funky strands now. Simply cut the strand in half all the way up until almost the top. Once you are done cutting them you can simply twist them in your preferable style. I wanted to replicate a cable that you would knit on a hat so I did a simple layered twist alternating which strand was on top and kept it loose and wide. Once you are done twisting, pin the strand down over your side seams of your hat. Bye, bye ugly seam - hello fun cable!

11. Hand stitch your twisted strands down onto your hat using an invisible stitch until you reach about ¼” above the start of your brim. Tie your strands into a knot then simply fold each end under in the shape of a bow and pin. Hand stitch the bow down. Repeat for the other side of your hat.

12. Put that hat on and go rock it all year round! The breathable light weight stretch will be stylish for the warmer weather without overheating your head but still warm enough to wear in the winter as well. Say good by to those bad hair days!

happy hat making ladies! have fun and i cannot wait to see you all sporting your twisted slouch hats! so awesome! make sure you add your project pics to our flickr group so we can all see your lovely work! i've got at least 2 more of these in the works in some other colors. can't wait to add them to my wardrobe :)

a big thank you to rae for having me on the blog - luv ya hun! make sure you all check out the rest of "the kniterview series and the knits stretch yourself" on made by rae for lots of tips, tricks, how to's, tutorials and interviews! it's awesome! so get trying sewing with knits! i promise it's fun & very addiciting!

moments in the mommyhood - truckin' along

2012-02-13T09:55:00.000-08:00

happy monday everyone! how are you? hope you all had great weekends :) it's been so busy around here on the blog that i realized i haven't posted any pics of the fam lately. of course the kids and i all getting hit with a stomach bug didn't help either...lol. so here's some pics of what we've been up to lately when we haven't been ill. lots of rain, lots of boots, some snow, some beach fun, some outdoor good times and some...well...i'll let you check it out for yourself :)

a majority of the pics were ones i just recently found on our camera courtesy of the hubs and his "moments in the daddyhood". if you are a reader of the blog you know that's a common thing that happens in our house. my hubs takes the girls out on little adventures and takes pics that i don't know about. then when i go to upload the pics the next time i do a shoot i find all sorts of wild photos of them gallivanting all over town..lol.

i'm starting to feel a bit better now but still really tired. we've been busy getting my oldest registered for kindergarten and learning to deal with all the emotions, as a parent, that you go through knowing your first born is going into kindergarten. where we live kindergarten is 5 days a week for full days. i'm gonna miss my little mischief maker but also know she is more than ready to go to kindergarten. i'm also getting excited for march. a few girlies from my knit night and i are all heading on a wee adventure over to vancouver for fibres west. yarn, the city, good friends, a hotel stay (weeee!!), shopping, meals out and just being in my old stomping grounds is going to be such a fun treat. it's also going to be my first time away from my kids for a night! i'll prolly bawl my eyes out but at the same time this momma is really looking forward to a little getaway - especially one filled with yarn!!!

what have you been up to? how was your weekend? do you go on any little getaways with your girl friends? any yarn events you know of british columbia that are worth checking out? let's chat...coffees on <3

p.s. tomorrow i've got a brand new sewing pattern for you all!!! it's something special i've been working on since xmas that i hope you are all gonna love so stay tuned!

weekend wishes

2012-02-10T10:25:00.000-08:00

that i could convince my hubby to believe in valentine's day :P...

img src: honestly wtf via a cup of jo

to get the back of my cardigan done...

img src: scandinavian retreat

that my house does not end up like this one day...

img src: lolgallery

to float in the ocean...

img src: 21 sailors

and that this nasty stomach bug leaves our home once and for all.

Source: Uploaded by user via Barbara on Pinterest

so sorry for the quiet week this week. this darn stomach bug that has invaded our little house has really taken a toll on this mama. 2 upcoming tutorials have been put on hold amongst a few other projects i have on the go. the worst thing for me when i'm ill (besides trying to take care of the kidlets & of course, being ill) is knowing i can't work on them. i swear i hear them calling to me. i live in a condo so i can't escape them...my quilt is on the wall begging to be squared up and sewn, i've got two patterns to finish drafting that are almost sewn, 3 sweaters & a pair of mitts to finish knitting, among a gazillion other goodies i have to get done. any of you get the same longings when you're sick?

this weekend i plan on resting, resting and more resting (i've been in bed before 9 every night-it's a record in this house). mixed in with finishing up those 2 tutorials for next week, hanging out with my knit night gals for some good laughs, cuddling with my hubs and playing a fun filled match of junior monopoly with my wee ones. oh how we love junior monopoly in this house. it's so fun to be able to play one of my fave games with my oldest now. it's great for their math skills and boy oh boy do we get competitive in our house. it's a good time.

i'll be catching up on my inbox soon so for those of you awaiting emails from me i'm so sorry that i'm so far behind. it's gotten the best of me while i've been under the weather. i'm wishing you all a sunny, fun, game & crafty projects filled, cuddles galore kind of weekend. thank you for all of your kind messages and emails this week. i <3 you guys.

what are your weekend plans? what crafty projects are you trying to finish up? what is one of your favorite board games to play with your wee ones?

p.s. don't forget to get your entries in for the charmstitch fabric giveaway - some lovely fabric goodies to be won!

how to's for knitting in the round: guest post on "the southern institute"

2012-02-09T07:47:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I'm super excited to be over on "The Southern Institute" today to chat about knitting. You guys know I love knitting. Knitting is fun, relaxing, rewarding, inspiring and just plain awesome. A lot of people get discouraged when they are new to knitting. They sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed with some of the techniques that there are to learn but really, once you learn the basics you are good to go. So when Jenny asked me to pop over and visit today with some helpful how to's for knitting in the round I was thrilled. I'm all for getting people addicted to knitting!

so pop on over and say hello to jenny and i and pick up those needles! there's nothing to be scared of about knitting in the round! happy knitting & i'll see you tomorrow :)

moments in the mommyhood - still alive

2012-02-08T08:17:00.000-08:00

hand knitted rug/blanket from le souk

hi you guys. just popping in to say i am still alive. i survived yesterday which was honestly one horrible day. so i'm happy to still be standing. it ain't fun taking care of two wee ones alone while you are feeling sick and have had no sleep. darn stomach bug. it's taken over our house and i'm just plain sick of getting sick. after the kids being sick last week and now me, we are sure sick of vomit in this house. anyhoo...enough whining from me..lol, i just wanted to say that the "warm up to winter knit along" post will hopefully be up tomorrow and if not will be up next week. so sorry for the delay you guys. feel free to keep knitting :)

in the meantime i have done none of it. yep, you know you are sick when you do absolutely no knitting or sewing. and in case you are waiting on emails from me, i'm so sorry. i am horribly behind in my inbox and i'm trying to catch up when i can so please don't think i'm ignoring you. ok, off to get as much rest as i can with kids...lol. see you soon <3

in the meantime i'd love to hear what you guys have been working on? show me pics, link up to your posts, leave me a comment. i love seeing what crafty goodness you are all up to.

Charm Stitch Fabric Giveaway!

2012-02-06T08:07:00.000-08:00

1. red pepper quilts 2. true up 3. true up 4. true up

*this giveaway is now closed. thank you for all of your entries!*

happy monday everyone! you guys in the mood to win some fabric today? woooweeee! i'm super excited for you all today! i love me a good fabric giveaway! today's giveaway is from one of my lovely sponsors - laura, of the fabulous & awesome fabric shop & blog "charm stitch". charm stitch is filled with wonderful designer and imported fabrics like echino, lotta jansdotter and prints charming to name a few! eye candy galore! her blog is also filled with lovely photographs and some pretty cool tutorials.

red pepper quilts

the fabrics that are part of the giveaway today are from the two super talented ladies behind "prints charming" and are from their newest line "daisy chain". prints charming is a duo of two talented ladies based in australia and their fantastic work of hand screen printed artwork and more. their modern and whimsical line is gorgeous! i can so see the daisy chain line (which is a lightweight cotton canvas) as quilts, accessories & home decor! i love the color palette! especially the combo of orange and turquoise with the hits of pink/red tones.

charming kitchen cafe apron set - charm stitch

over on charm stitch today you can find the most adorable tutorial on laura's blog showcasing the very fabrics up for today's giveaway! the "charming kitchen cafe apron for kids with potholder & tea towel" tutorial is a must make for any wee one who loves being in the kitchen and the prints charming fabrics are just the fabrics to showcase it.

charming kitchen cafe apron set - charm stitch

and just in case you guys fall head over heels in love like i did with some of the many rockin' fabrics that charm stitch sells laura is pleased to offer luvinthemommyhood readers 15% off through valentine's day (feb. 14th), simply use the code LUV15 at checkout in the charm stitch etsy shop - charm stitch. thanks laura!

so.... you guys ready to get inspired and get sewing? do you want to know exactly what the prize is? yippee!

- the prize is a fabric bundle that is 1.25 yards from the prints charming's daisy chain line. the fabric bundle includes the following:

One half yard of Orange Damask

One half yard of Orange Birds

One fat quarter of Watermelon and Pink Dots

- due to blogger recently rolling out the new threaded comments i have lost my numbered comments making it tricky to do giveaways. i've decided to have you guys enter your name/email in a google doc form instead. 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:

charm stitch fabric giveaway

- giveaway is open until february 12th, 2012 midnight, pacific standard time.
- you must enter a valid email into the entry form or you will be disqualified.

thanks so much for a wonderful fabric filled giveaway laura! love that kitchen set, i can't wait to get a chance to make some for my girls. you guys can find all things charm stitch here:

are you guys a fan of prints charming? what would you make with the prize fabrics if you won?

weekend wishes

2012-02-03T10:33:00.000-08:00

to one day be able to make a quilt like this...

carrie strine

to make one of these awesome friendship bracelet rugs...

diy: friendship bracelet rug from the house that lars built

to one day have a headboard again...

img src: happy mundane

to find some pyrex...

vintage mixing bowl set from sevenbc

to get my hands on this whole line...

salt air by cosmo cricket via fat quarter shop

to take a nap dreaming of cozy summer breezes.

img src: emmas designblogg

and to find time to write & daydream

she said by tommaso nervegna

ahhhh...the weekend. tgif. i'm happy it's friday and the sun is shining, the baby is laying on my lap and i've got a starbucks to my right and all of you to chat with. it's been a looooong week. both my babies got some nasty little stomach bug and our poor little condo was filled with fevers and lots of puke. sorry for the tmi but it was projectile and i'm still traumatized by it..lol. i learned more than i've ever wanted to know about cleaning up vomit. yuck. moving on.

i made it through though and both are feeling better each day. i never fully got it but definitely was rundown and fighting something. i kept my spirits up by knitting and watching almost the full first season of downton abbey. can we say addicted?! omg!!!! LOVE! honestly, i'm kicking myself for not jumping on the bandwagon a hellavu long time ago. this show rocks and is so inspiring. all i want to do is sew, sketch and knit while i watch it. are you hooked?

i've also been busy on the sidelines working on finishing up 2 new tutorials/patterns for you guys too! so much fun! i can't wait to show you all. my plans this weekend are to work on a special upcoming project for this month (weee!), get my kiddos feeling better, kick my hubbies butt at mario bros., knit with my gals and get some rest. what are your plans?

wishing you all a healthy, happy, sunshine, family, coffee & laughter filled weekend topped up with some awesome downton abbey :P see you all monday!

what are your weekend plans? what have you been crafting this week? i feel out of the loop :) fill me in gals...

winner of the glerups slipper giveaway

2012-02-02T08:48:00.000-08:00

we've got a winner! the winner of the best slippers ever - glerups giveaway, is.................

amanda maher - entry #12

congratulations amanda! i'll be in touch with you really soon!

a big thank you again to glerups for such a generous giveaway and for all of your entries. happy slipper wearing :)

warm up to winter knit along - starring you!

2012-02-01T08:51:00.000-08:00

pattern: constellation gloves

yarn: berroco vintage chunky in colorway 6165

my mitts are on the go. is this the 2nd one? nope, i'm still on the first but don't worry, it's a quick knit and i hope to be done next week by the deadline...hope..lol. (*edited to add: i finished the first one last night but haven't been able to get pics due to me taking care of two vomiting wee ones. can we say yuck?) i got sidetracked by the demise of my almost done back of the rocky coast cardigan. i was about an inch and a half away from ribbing and i had to rip back to about 2 inches under the armpit. it hurt like a son of a b and i almost bawled my eyes out in starbucks. so i hope you guys will forgive me for only having half of a mitt done so far. the pain was just too much to bear...haha.

hineri hat by definitely

we've had some wonderful, amazing and super talented ladies join in this kal. it's been absolutely fantastic to watch the conversations going on in the ravelry group and the amount of projects you guys have been whipping out! some of you are on your 8 or 9th object! wowsa! rebecca and i thought that maybe a few of you would make 2 hats and a pair of mitts but we definitely did not expect some of you to do 8 hats!!!! way to go!!!!!!!!

snail spiral by wilckepedia

and for those of you who are almost done your first way to go as well! a lot of you were learning new techniques and have never knit in the round before so kudos for you for jumping in! so proud of you! mitts were also a new thing chatted about this kal. it seems that a ton of us have been neglecting our fingers and hands and this was the perfect excuse to knit up some yummies for them too! it's been so inspiring to see the different yarns and projects we have all chosen and the sheer talent that you all possess. wanna see some more goodies? 122 ladies joined in this round and it's been a blast so without further ado here's a post starring you!!! (darn rhymes...i just can't resist em'..lol)

all projects by ummashin

1. laminar 2. cozy blue hat 3. bailey 4. bellas mittens

Ooh la la hearts hat & mitts

1.felicity 2. pasha 3. crocheted mitts 4. simple pleasures

1. my bones hat 2. shroom 3. woven 4. fair isle 5. capucine 6. lotus hat 7. truffle 8. capucine

img src: nice and knit

1. peerie flooers 2. kaylee 3. mitered mittens 4. edge of lace 5. freedom 6. ringwood gloves 7. intuitive

8. wurm 9. camp out fingerless mitts 10. squishy fingerless gloves 11. beret me 12. foxgloves 13. jane

bravo ladies! bravo! don't be fooled though, this post doesn't even cover close to all of the items made for the kal. it's awesome!!!! so happy to see so many of you knitting! stay tuned for next week when we announce the prizes and giveaway for the "warm up to winter knit along". oh and guess what...it's never too late to join in...you've got one more week...sign up info below! you can do it!

warm up to winter knit along sign up

start date: january 11, 2012 (but you can join in anytime before the deadline)
finish date: february 8th, 2012
* please note you must sign up to be entered into any giveaways.

all posts can be found here and the thread for the knit along can be found in the luvinthemommyhood ravelry group here!

when you are done your hats and/or mitts please post your finished pics in either our ravelry group thread or our flickr group so we can drool over your fab work! also make sure to pop on over to "nook" later today to see what my partner in crime rebecca has been up to for her kal projects :)

what do you think? aren't you guys fabulous? do you still have projects left you want to make before the deadline? fill me in on how your week has been so far. i could definitely use the distraction to take my mind off my sick wee ones for a few minutes :)

moms in the mommyhood - cynthia mann

2012-01-31T08:01:00.000-08:00

we've got a new moms in the mommyhood today! i'm super excited to bring this series back and to start off 2012 with the uber-talented lady behind both fabricworm and birch fabrics - cynthia mann! this wife and momma of 2 is a super busy multi-tasker running both fabricworm - an online fabric shop, and birch fabrics - her organic fabric line and brick/mortar fabric shop of the same name! wowsa! seriously...this is one talented and amazing woman. it's an honor to have her as one of our luvinthemommyhood sponsors and as our newest mom in the mommyhood! so excited for you all to read our fun little interview - cynthia is truly inspiring and it's been so great getting to know her. so grab a cup of coffee, put the wee ones down for a nap and let's all get to know cynthia!

You opened Fabricworm before you created your 100% organic fabric line Birch Fabrics and opened your brick/mortar shop of the same name. How & why did you go about creating Fabricworm and do you have any tips for others looking to start an online fabric shop?

I created Fabricworm mainly because I was finding it difficult to find great designs in fabric online, and I when I did find one, it always seemed to be sold out. I would go on mad hunts for particular hard to find fabrics to sew things for my boys, like pajamas, bedding, etc. It was at that time that I decided that it would be a great business to start. However since I started Fabricworm the internet has completely changed for fabric buying. Modern fabrics are now dominating the craft scene and there are so many more options for buying these fabrics than ever before. For someone interested in starting their own fabric shop, I would recommend starting on Etsy or even better start small by buying a few bolts and cutting yardage at your local swap meet. In fact I just thought of that, and it’s a pretty great idea!

I love the name of your online fabric shop. What's the story behind the name Fabricworm?

Aw, thanks Shannon! The story behind the name Fabricworm is that I truly consider myself a fabric addict. I was struggling to come up with a catchy name. I knew I wanted fabric to be a part of the name, and I started considering what other people that are addicted to particular things call themselves. The term “bookworm” immediately came to mind. I realized, it’s a shame there isn’t a term for fabric addicts or sewing addicts, since it seemed like there should be, I gave it my own name “fabricworm”. I think it works great!

My favorite thing about your fabric shop is that you carry modern quilting fabrics, Japanese import fabrics, retro fabrics and contemporary fabrics as well as notions and trims. I drool all over my laptop whenever I visit it. What led you to focus on this area of fabrics?

Modern fabrics and especially Japanese import fabrics were really the driving force behind why I started an online fabric store and a brick and mortar store. I’ve never been able to find Japanese import fabrics anywhere in my local shops and I was always drooling over them online. That’s when I decided to sell them both online and in my shop.

I respect and value the creation of fabric lines such as yours - Birch Fabrics, that is a 100% organic fabric line printed with low impact dyes. What was your thought process when developing the creation of Birch Fabrics - and what led you to its creation?

Thank you so much! Birch Fabrics actually was almost immediately in the works after I opened fabricworm.com. The reason was that I was so passionate about organic fabric, and I was trying desperately to find any printed organic fabric that was 44” wide for baby clothes, blankets, etc. to make gifts for friends and clothes for my children. Since I had a fabric shop, I was hoping I would find them and be able to carry them, but also use them in my own sewing projects. I asked all of my reps and they all had the same answer. They just didn’t exist. I started researching beyond the manufactures that I was buying from and started researching organic fabrics globally. That’s when I discovered that I could produce them myself. It took me about 1 year to get my first collection in stores and we’ve been working hard at it ever since. We’ve now produced 6 successful collections and have 2 more on the way in February, 2 more in March, and another in June. We expect to produce about 7-8 organic collections a year.

What was the hardest part for you in the development of Birch Fabrics? What roadblocks if any did you encounter and how did you overcome them?

The hardest part was the getting over the initial investment. I had to put everything that I had in to Birch Fabrics, and it was a huge risk. I have been so fortunate to have a family that supports me and never second guessed what I was doing. Their faith and belief in me, is why I get to do what I love today. There were a few roadblocks, but these exist in all forms of manufacturing. Colors not being exactly what you expected, or major delays in shipping. These can be frustrating but are a part of the process that I’ve become much more comfortable with now.

commute by birch fabrics

Where do you draw your inspiration from for Birch Fabrics?

My inspiration really comes from all around me, but mostly nature and my childhood. I love mid century modern design, and always find myself gravitating toward retro and vintage styles. I’m always inspired by Japanese fabrics and I my palette is almost always garnered from my childhood. I was looking at commute the other day and realized that it was the same colors as the wallpaper in my kitchen growing up. When I was young I had all of the crayons colors memorized. I’ve just been into color as long as I can remember. My mom was a great help because she new the names of every color for every shade, and I must have got that from her. I remember asking her “what color is this?”, “what color is that?”

Birch Organic Crib Bumper Woodcut Floral

You've also created a line of organic crib bedding called Birch Organic! What prompted you to develop these as well as the Birch Fabric Line?

This seemed like a natural evolution for the company to take. In our store in Paso Robles, we have a lot of young moms coming in that love the organic fabrics and would like to have crib bedding, but don’t know how to sew. We also felt that since it was so hard to find cute organic fabrics, it’s probably hard to find cute organic crib bedding.

Ok...spill the beans...are you are a morning, afternoon or late night sewer?

Jason, Keaton, Anderson and Cynthia

I am an all day sewer! I am the type of sewer that can’t leave a project until it’s finished. Usually that means if I start at 2pm, I’m still sewing at 1am. Hence I don’t get to the sewing machine much anymore. It’s kind of sad, but my boys are older now, and home made clothes by mom aren’t the coolest thing. I sure wish they were!

I'm sure we are all dying to know how in the heck do you balance running Fabricworm and Birch Fabrics at the same time as well as being a mommy to Anderson and Keaton and wife to hubby Jason?

It is tough at times, but things are a lot better now than they were. In this past year I've hired more associates, and handed over a lot of my daily tasks for Fabricworm to my newly promoted Manager, Andrea. Likely if you buy from Fabricworm, you've.had the pleasure of emailing or speaking with her. Jason is a huge help also. He manages all the website updates for Birch Fabrics and helps with advertising graphics, and of course also helps me design many of Birch Fabrics' designs.

I love to crank the tunes while I'm sewing do you sew listening to music, tv or just languish in the silence? If music or tv what are your top 5 to play?

I love to listen to music and sew, these would be a few favorites: Death Cab for Cutie, Pheonix, Grizzly Bear, Band of Horses, Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeroes (too many favorites to list, I'm not even sure if these are the top 5!)

next stop by monaluna for birch fabrics

If you could design your dream fabric what would it be and what would you make with it?

This is a tough question. I would really like to design a whole collection around my 2 month backpacking tour through Europe, but it’s just a much to broad concept for a collection. If I did, I’d use the fabric to remodel the inside of our vintage trailer. I’m excited for our Next Stop... collection by Monaluna coming in March though, because it’s going to make great fabric for this purpose!

circa 50 by monaluna for birch fabrics

You're fabric lines have a definite retro vibe with a bit of whimsy...is this evident in your own home and styling’s as well? How would you describe your own personal style?

I would describe my own home as mid century modern with contemporary touches. It s a 1960 ranch house, but we've given it a lot of modern day upgrades.

Who is your design icon? Who do you find the most inspiring at the moment in this wonderful creative community of ours?

It's really impossible for me to pick just one. I guess if I had to it would be Lotta Jansdotter. When I was living in San Francisco and working at Anthropologie about 10 years ago I used to walk over to her studio on Polk St. It was only open on Weds from 1-4pm as I recall. She was so sweet and just working away in this tiny little studio selling her silk screened tea towels and painted ceramics. I remember just thinking, "Wow! She is the coolest little lady"! and of course her artwork was stunning! She has just recently launched her first fabric collection, and of course it's a huge hit.

But I also love and admire the works of Alexander Girard, Charley Harper, Shinzi Katoh, Etsuko Furuya, and of course Monaluna and Dan Stiles!

storyboek two by birch fabrics

What tips do you have for other moms looking to open their own businesses and go after their dreams?

I would tell them to talk to family and friends about their ideas, but don't get discouraged if they aren't as positive about your ideas as you might be. Don't let it get you down. The most important thing you can do is your research. I spent several months researching my field, and had 10 years of history buying fabric online. I didn't let anyone discourage me, because I was confident in what I knew and had researched.

I love shopping for fabric online. Do you run across customers fearful of ordering fabric online? What is your advice to them to have a successful online fabric shopping experience?

it's interesting, my surprise has really been the confidence in our buyers. We rarely come across a customer that is afraid to purchase online. We get an occasional phone order, but for the most part our customer base is made up of frequent online fabric buyers.

How has the fabric business changed for you now operating a brick/mortar shop as well as an online one?

Having the brick and mortar store has changed the business in the fact that we now get to physically see and touch our customers projects, for both me and my associates, this had made our business feel much more personal and more accomplished at the same time.

What has been the most enjoyable part so far of owning your own brick/mortar fabric shop?

Seeing customers projects and learning about what they are sewing. Also getting to know my sweet staff. I've made a lot of new friends and I love every bit of what I do!

What is your favorite thing to sew and why?

My favorite thing to sew is baby pajama pants, the reason is because it’s the one thing that I can sew in less than 20 minutes. And I never get frustrated:)

I named my sewing machine Poppy & will admit she is like my 3rd child....what kind of sewing machine/serger do you use and does yours have a name too?

Ive never named my machines. I grew up sewing on a 1960 avocado green Sears Kenmore, Japanese made and was a great machine. I only recently gave it back to my mom. I now sew mostly on a Hello Kitty Janome that I bought because the Pfaff I bought intimidates me too much. I'm still just a novice sewer, even though I've been sewing for 20+ years.

thank you so much cynthia! it's been such a pleasure! i can't wait to get sewing this year with all your wonderful fabrics and of course, buy them from your wonderful shop! you are just so inpsiring my dear!!! you guys can find all things cynthia below:

fabricworm:

shop | blog | facebook | twitter

birch fabrics:

website | blog | facebook | twitter

if you are new to the mommyhood, our "moms in the mommyhood" posts feature a new mom who currently has their own business (doesn't matter what kind). we try to sit down and have a virtual cup of coffee and ask them all the fun, little questions that we are dying to know. we also try to get a glimpse into their lives and what it's like to have your own business and be the boss of your kids at the same time. we are always on the lookout for new moms to feature. if you know someone or you would like to be featured in this spot, please send us an email at luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca. don't be shy - we can't wait to meet you!

how to conquer your sewing fears

2012-01-30T01:00:00.000-08:00

my first buttonhole ever!!!! woot woot!

i'm over on the fabulous blog - me sew crazy today for part of jessica's super fun "new year's resewlotions" series this month! so fun! i started this year off with a bang and conquered 2 of my biggest sewing fears in a week and thought it would be fun to share some tips and thoughts on how we can all conquer our own sewing fears.

i'll be honest and tell you that i had a cute tutorial planned for this guest post and had it almost done when i woke up one morning and just felt like i had to get my thoughts out and on paper...or...ahem...blog..lol. so head on over to "me sew crazy" and check it out and show jess some mommyhood luv - she's awesome! and be sure to take a peek at all the rest of the posts in the series there - are some awesome goodies in there! such a great idea jess!

p.s....about that tute...don't worry - it's coming soon. want a little hint? it's the pic of the button above in this post :) weeeeeee!

pps...stay tuned tomorrow our "moms in the mommyhood" series returns!!!! yippee!

weekend wishes

2012-01-27T09:27:00.000-08:00

to say our goodbyes to a loved one.

img src: susannah conway

we will be spending this weekend remembering my husband's wonderful grandmother as we honor her and attend her memorial. she passed away 2 weeks ago and she will be and is dearly missed. i had planned on doing a normal weekend wishes but it just didn't seem to come out that way. i found this image and thought...that's the one and left it at that. it's peaceful, serene and benches are where i do a lot of deep thinking in my life. i always seem to find one somewhere and they are usually in a beautiful setting just perfect for reflecting on life and what's important in them. so i only thought it fitting to post a picture of one today.

we had to have a talk with mack about what happened to her great grandma and explain the situation as she is coming to the service on the weekend and we wanted her fully prepared. we also thought she was old enough to understand some of the basics of what happened and we didn't want to have her asking about great grandma and not knowing what had happened. she seemed to handle it all pretty good, better than i did in fact and seems to be happy in the fact that we told her that great grandma will always be in her heart and she can think of her whenever she wants to and feel her close to her.

teaching a child how to grieve or say goodbye is new to us. we have been fortunate in our lives to have not lost too many loved ones so this is all a learning experience for us to go through with our children. i'm not sure if the finality of it all has sunk in to mackenzie but she seemed to grasp the concept that great grandma was sick and is now no longer with us. she asked to bring a flower to the memorial so she could say goodbye. sweet little thing she is. brings tears to my eyes. i feel so blessed to have gotten to know my hubbies grandma as she was a wonderful woman. i also feel blessed that the sewing desk that i sew on everyday was hers and was given to me by her. i think of her often while sewing and have some of her old patterns and a notebook with her handwritten notes/patterns in. i will treasure them always.

i'm wishing you all a very peaceful and reflective weekend filled with your loved ones. happy creating and making and i'll see you on monday :)

anyone have any tips to share on how to talk to children about the passing of a loved one? how to handle the service? or what you have done to help them deal with the situation? what are your weekend plans? what are you all up to?

p.s. have you entered the glerup slipper giveaway yet? seriously..don't miss this one...the best slipper ever!!