luvinthemommyhood

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!!

quilting 911 - hanging with the zig zags

2012-01-26T10:15:00.000-08:00

i've been hanging with the zig zags. just chilling out...you know...zigging here and zagging there...going with the flow. i got all my hst's sewn up last week & i started to plan out my quilt. i thought it would be quick and easy. boy was i wrong....lol.

i think the pic above is about my 20th layout. i haven't changed anything for over 24 hours now so i think i am close. it took a while to decide what tones to move with and where to start and what and how to mix the prints. i kept focusing on the row of zig zags but then would stand back and remind myself it's also a block of four charm squares that make the point of the zig zag so i had to start looking at it in 2 rows instead of just one as well. tricky i say.

thankfully one of my pals at knit night gave me a wonderful tip. i was moaning and groaning about how hard it was to plan the schematics of this quilt by laying it on the floor and always having to take pics of it, look, change it and then put it away and start all over again the next day when i have a chance to lay it out again. pain in the butt. i was fed up. she told me i needed to start a quilt wall. she suggested getting a cheap blanket/picnic blanket and hang it from the wall with pins so that i can stand back and really see the quilt and also not have to take it down.

let me tell you, this has changed my whole quilting experience! thank you so much sarah! i have a cheap ikea polar fleece type blanket at home and hung that puppy up on the wall and pinned my hst's to it as fast as i could. the best part about this blanket is the fabric actually clings to it. i really could have prolly got away with not pinning them but was worried the kids would grab them off.

i have spent a lot of time in what i like to call "creative land" feeling like the dude from a beautiful mind trying to solve some intense puzzle. i keep getting lost in the lines and the patterns. then, when i'm done...i'm exhausted...lol. my brain hurts...lol. anyone else get like this when trying really hard to solve a creative puzzle? my mom says this is one of her favorite parts of quilting and i can see how some would love it but i find it hard to push through.

i think my favorite part of the quilting process, has been so far, the actual sewing. i love starting with all these pieces and then ending with a quilt top. i adore the actual quilting. so fun. what i don't adore is all the decisions. i know that sounds weird but with a quilt it all feels so permanent. like once it's sewn you are stuck with it. where as with clothing i change and alter as i go. i guess i have to get used to feeling confident in my eye and my own creative process. i think it's a great way for us creative peeps to strengthen different parts of our creativity by challenging ourselves regularly by doing what we wouldn't normally be doing. it's one of my new year's resolutions this year to challenge myself, push myself and step out into the unknown a bit. i want to flex a bit more creative muscle and really jump in head first (in a somewhat controlled manner..lol) and just see what happens. i'm excited, a tad scared but i've also have been having a heckuva lot of fun!

so grab yourself a cheap blanket, pin that bad boy to the wall and have some fun! but most importantly get quilting! go ahead...give it a try! it's fun and oh, so addicting! thanks again sarah! i owe ya one my dear :)

what quilt are you working on? what's your favorite part of the quilting process? do you find one area challenging for you? c'mon...spill the beans my friends :)

* just in case you missed it you can see my first post about my zig zag quilt here.

warm up to winter knit along - elizabeth & hopefully some mitts

2012-01-25T10:43:00.000-08:00

pattern: elizabeth by jane richmond

yarn: berroco vintage dk in colorway 6165

warm up to winter is definitely in effect the last few weeks where i live. snowfalls, wind storms and freezing rain - yum! love it...NOT! i'm dreaming of warmer weather already though i will miss wearing my cold weather accessories. i got elizabeth off the needles last week and i have worn it everyday since. elizabeth is a chunky cable knit hat that is super fast to whip up and a great first time cable pattern for a hat if you are looking to branch into cables. i personally love them. there is something so fun about the magic of cables. i love how the simple movement of a few stitches moving from the back or front can make the most gorgeous and oh, so warm addition to a knitted garment.

especially when put up against a big, ol wind storm. we ventured out on the weekend to the water to watch some pretty giant waves come crashing up over the shore and up onto the sidewalks. it was crazy. i've been in these storms before..after all..i live on vancouver island but i've never gone down to the water when they hapen and man was it exciting. it was pretty fun storm watching and so the hubs and i thought it would be a good time to catch some pics of my elizabeth hat in real wind action and i mean real wind :P check out that hair! lol!

this hat has just the right amount of slouch. it's got a long ribbed brim that i love. keeps the ears real warm and doesn't slip or fall off and there is no need to keep pulling it down. the hat is super warm yet still breathable. it's soft, cushy and i looooove it.

green is a new hat color for me and since i've been really feeling the color bug lately i thought what the heck...let's add some green to my hat rotation. i love me a cheerful, colorful hat!

now that i have the hat though i need some fingerless mitts. after searching online and deciding finally to use the last skein i have of the same yarn i used for the elizabeth hat i decided on the "constellation gloves". i plan on making them shorter and maybe adding a fun surprise to them but we'll see how i feel when i get to that point. so far all i have is one cuff. i better get cracking :)

in the meantime while the rain is pouring giant buckets outside and the wind is howling through the nights and shaking our poor top floor condo like king kong grabbed it and decided to rattle us around a bit i'm going to be working away on my fingerless mitts and knitting to keep warm by the fire.

do you want to join in on the "warm up to winter knit along"? it's not too late...there's still time. sign up below...

warm up to winter knit along sign up

how are your projects coming along? you guys have been knitting up a storm! i'm so proud and happy with all the projects being made in our ravelry group! wowsa! it's like inspiration galore in there! hats upon hats, mitts and lots of yummy creativity! love it! i'll be in there today to catch up and chat a bit. in the meantime fill me in on what you've got on the needles below! i can't wait to hear and see what you're making :)

Figgy's Pattern Review - Sunki

2012-01-24T11:41:00.000-08:00

pattern: sunki by figgy's

fabric: kasbah midnight - lark by amy butler (from our sponsor www.stitchsimple.com)

when i first spotted sunki from figgy's i pinned it, drooled, daydreamed and just plain knew i had to get my hands on the pattern. it was my lucky day when the super talented shelly of figgy's asked me to review the pattern! yes please!!!!!

i knew when i saw it that i had to use amy butler's print kasbah midnight from her lark collection. i love that print and thought it would be perfect for sunki. the only problem was that i only had a yard...eek! thankfully i was just able to fit the 18mth size with the short sleeve option out of the 1 yard! yipee!

do you think she likes it? hahaha...i think she likes it as much as her momma does! i heart this dress and love that it is modern and yet feminine at the same time. definitely a new favorite in our house.

sunki is native american for "to catch up with" and i think that is definitely true for my little ones...lol. always chasing those two girls that's for sure. i fell in love with this dresses pocket lines, gorgeous pleated sleeve cap and the overlapping petal shape at the shoulder. the details in this pattern are to die for. the neckline has facing for both the front and the back of the dress and the back is finished with a long zipper detail. so adorable and definitely a high end boutique finish.

pattern notes:

- this pattern is definitely an intermediate pattern. i like to think of myself as an intermediate sewer but i'm also still learning a lot of different techniques and how to's of sewing. i think this dress stumped me more than a bit right at the start when forming that lovely pocket detail. i think the main issue i had was that i was making an 18mth size and the illustration is probably more relateable for the sizing of a larger dress. for some reason i just couldn't get my head around it. i'm a very visual learner so after more than a few tries (all gone horribly wrong) i thankfully spotted this tutorial on the figgy's blog that shelly released with a how to of this portion of the dress. definitely made a lot more sense to me and i was able to move on smoothly with the instructions for the rest of the dress.

- if you are looking for a quick one night project this dress is not it. it's more of a whole weekend or a few during the week evenings kind of dress. but it is definitely worth the extra time involved. it's gorgeous and when complete, definitely looks like a higher end handmade garment. i'm super happy with it and plan on making the exact same dress for mackenzie in a size 5 asap as well! our sunki's are gonna get a lot of love and wear in this house :)

- the pattern is written in a friendly and warm manner accompanied by illustrations and step by step sewing instructions. the glossary and other helpful notes in the pattern booklet were a great asset and i found having the extra information very helpful. i would love to see shelly add the link to her tutorial for the pocket to the pattern booklet for us visual sewers. i love the pattern sizing range they covered and the added figgy's ribbon label was a super nice touch. i love how encouraging figgy's patterns are - they definitely make sewing fun!

my oopsies

now the only other problem i had making this dress was totally my own doing and nothing to do with figgy's awesome pattern. i have never sewn a zipper before. i know...i'm a goof..but they seriously freak me out. i decided this year was the year for me to get over my fear of sewing zippers. so when i spotted sunki i knew that i had to sew a zipper. needless to say the zipper is in. is it pretty? nope. does it look ok...yep. did i put it in right...sort of...lol. but it works and that's what counts.

what were my mistakes? promise not to laugh to hard at me? well you know when you buy a zipper and there is half an inch at the top of the zipper? well i got confused by this. i thought why do i want all this sticking out or having me dress not zip up all the way? i was so into my dress sewing that i forgot the dress would eventually have facing attached to it and that the extra half inch of zipper would actually become part of my seam allowance! can you believe it? so dumb of me. worst part was i cut it off and sewed the zipper in with the zipper starting right at the top of my back neckline. then happily went about my way stitching the rest of the zipper. i was so proud of myself until i noticed what i had done when i went to attach my facing. i tried to make it work anyways and ended up with a shredded zipper. bah!

*zipper note: make sure you zig zag stitch (i did mine at a o length) a few times across the zipper where you are going to cut the bottom off before you cut it off. measure accurately cause if you make a boo boo you can't make it longer again.

i had a finished dress and a busted zipper. i had to go through the pain of ripping out that entire zipper and trying to rebaste my back seam closed again and resewing a new zipper in correctly this time with the facings already attached! aiayayaya! it was tricky but i did it. i had to undo a tiny bit of the facing and have a very teeny seam allowance but i think i made it work. that was of course after i made another critical error.

*zipper note: never ever sew a zipper onto a dress in a difficult sewing situation very early in the morning when you have yet to have your coffee reach your bloodstream...lol! not good!

i stitched my zipper to the front and back of the dress!!!!!!!!!!!!! duh!!!!!!!!!!! shannon the dress is sewn together you must only sew zipper to the back! embarrassing. i can't believe i'm telling you all this but hey, i'm keeping it real for you folks. the hubs is still making fun of me for it actually. didn't help that i had to rip it all out AGAIN and then sew the zipper back on only to find that i had sewed my back shut...oops! ripped out half of it and stitched the zipper in again. like i said before, it's not pretty but it works and i'm happy with it! it was quite the learning experience for my first zipper but i'm thinking that i may actually be a zipper lover now that i think i've figured out how to do it...at least i hope i have :P it really isn't as hard or scary as i thought though and i actually feel slightly silly for being so frightened of something pretty easy. it's just one of those techniques that i think would have been easier for me to learn if someone sat with me while i did it. i definitely would have not made the gazillion errors i made if i had done that.

pattern mods:

- due to me having a few tiny issues with the pocket details my dress was a tad smaller on the sides than i think the pattern is intended thus leading me to have a smaller sleeve opening than my sleeve. i simply added in one box pleat in the space that your top pleat makes to bring it in a little bit. i think it looks cute that way and added a bit more poof to the cap which i love.

overall i think the whole line of figgy's new patterns are to die for and i hope to make more. if you are looking for quality sewn garment's for your little ones then figgy's patterns are the way to go. the finishing details are fabulous. two thumbs up for figgy's and one thumb down for me and my zipper stupidity..lol.

a huge thank you to shelly for seriously providing us all in the sewing community with so much inspiration and wonderful patterns to learn from - you rock hun! you can find all things figgy's here:

shop | blog | facebook | twitter

what do you guys' think? you likey as much as me? have you made any of figgy's new patterns? which one is your fave? do you have a fear of sewing zippers too? any zipper tips you want to share to help us zipper challenged folks out? let's chat sewing...coffee's on!

glerups giveaway - seriously the best slipper ever!!!

2012-01-23T10:52:00.000-08:00

"warm is a place called glerups"....and ohhhhhhh....does it feel good! my tootsies have never been happier. i recently got to review these wonderful 100% wool felted slippers from glerups and they are ahhhhmmmazing.

now when i say ahhhmazing..i really mean it. i am super picky about what goes on my feet. i hate wearing socks, actually i never wear them, and don't even own a pair of slippers because i can never find ones that don't irritate my feet. so when i saw how and what glerups makes there slippers i knew they had to be mine. so in love. they have not left my feet except for when i am in bed.

glerups slippers are "ease and cottage style comfort all year round". no hands required! these puppies are super duper soft and have a cushy no slip sole. glerup's was started in 1993 by nanny glerup and these awesome slippers are made from glerups select wool and then gently soaked in water, made into a sock and than steam felted to the shape of a foot. soooooo cozy! "the wool is treated naturally, and the product is followed closely, all the way from the animal to your foot". these puppies are so natural they actually shed for the first few days and you have to pluck off the fibers.

my favorite part about glerups (besides them being super stylish and modern) is that the wool is self cleansing. the woolen fibers are totally waterproof and sweatproof. that's right, sweat can't even penetrate the fibers. so cool. glerups work best when worn against the skin. "the qualities of wool become entirely unique when worn directly next to the human skin, and we recommend you to use your shoes on your bare foot". they are so soft and cushy.

warning.....and this is even on the packing...these slippers are super addictive! just a heads up :P

want a pair of your own???? yeah? weeeee......cause you're in luck, the lovely folks of glerups have been generous enough to let me give away a pair of slippers today! woot woot!!! ready to enter?

the prize

- one pair of glerups slippers (slipper style only)!!!! thank you glerups!

how to enter

- 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:

glerups giveaway entry

the rules

- unfortunately at this time this giveaway is open to *Canadian Residents Only*. for those of you outside of canada you can also purchase and check out glerups at glerups.com.
- giveaway is open until january 30th, 2012 midnight, pacific standard time.
- you must enter a valid email into the entry form or you will be disqualified.

glerups also has a wide array of other styles of there products such as shoes and booties. the boots are adorable! love them as well! go check them out...but remember...they are addicting :)

good luck! what is your fave kind of slipper to wear? are you picky about what you put on your feet like me? which style/color of glerups do you love?

weekend wishes

2012-01-20T10:50:00.000-08:00

that my hubby has a wonderful bday today and knows how much i "heart" him...

img src: i love you more than knitting

to get out thrifting...i hear pyrex calling my name...

img src: pyrex collective

that this damn snow goes away sooner than later...

img src: a stitch in time

to make one of these lovelies...

img src: camille roskelley

and to curl up in front of the fire with my babies & hubs.

Source: flickr.com via luvinthemommyhood on Pinterest

to sport these on my wrist...

img src: anusha

yippee..it's the weekend folks! i'm so happy this week is almost over. it's been a rough one over here. from losing a loved one (jer's grandma passed away), nasty stomach bugs, to being stuck inside for days due to snow and to living in a condo that is in a half organized state i'm ready to break out...lol. i need me some starbucks and my hubby. speaking of the hubs..it's his bday today....my young stud is almost in the same decade as me now..lol. yes, that's right, i'm older than him. 6 years older in fact. that's how we roll ladies. i like me a younger man...you should try it sometime, i definitely recommend it :P today i tried to convince him to wear a sweater over a dress shirt to keep warm and caught myself saying "ryan gosling would do it"...omg...i have seen way too many yummy ryan gosling tumblr pics and movies lately..iayaya.

i'm also planning on getting my hands on some downton abbey now that you have all convinced me in the facebook group. of course netflix canada doesn't have it...so i will have to be a bit more imaginative. i'm also hoping this damn snow melts so i can get to knit night cause i've got way too many projects on the needles. i also got all my pretty half square triangles sewed up and fixed the wonky one (thanks for your tips) and am dying to start getting my zigs and zags together. this quilt is way too much fun :) plus i've got 2 new tutorials in the works and a pattern review coming up this month so stay tuned for some sewing fun too!

what are your plans this weekend? are you a downton abbey addict? are you quilting, sewing or knitting? anyone else dreading more snow? fill me in my friends...you know i love hearing what you are all up to. happy snow free, great tv, hubby snuggles and coffee sipping craft filled weekends. xoxoxo.

Quilting 911 - head over heels in love

2012-01-19T10:16:00.000-08:00

oh my...last night i fell in love with hst. no not our dreaded canadian tax but "half square triangles". oh yes, i fell head over heels in love. i have never done a hst before being a newbie quilter but let me just say they are fun! i got so excited i even bored the hubby to death with all my quilting giddiness...poor guy :P

i took a charm pack of oliver & s city weekend and a charm pack of white fabric that my lovely sponsor stitchsimple.com just sent me (yes, she even cuts to your request and washes/presses your fabric!) and matched those puppies all up, drew my lines, sewed my stitches and cut my triangles and i made it through almost the whole stack in under half an hour!!!! now that is what i like people! hardly any cutting! woot woot! you guys all know how bad i am with a rotary cutter..lol...useless :P

1. city weekend by oliver + s 2. balloon in aqua from children at play by sarah jane

i decided the other week to make a zig zag quilt for mackenzie's quilt of choice. i'm supposed to be making a queen size for me but the poor thing was so sad when she saw harper's that i promised her i would make one for her too with a "m" on the back to match harper's "h". after a lot of drooling all over flickr and pinterest i got sucked in by the purl bee's and cluck cluck sew's zig zag quilt and was stuck on the combo of the white with the printed fabric. after using a lot of bright colors for harper's quilt i liked the idea of doing a softer yet still colorful palette for mack's. i'm also hoping that it will match up with my beloved balloon print from sarah jane's children at play line for the backing. i bought enough of it in the summertime in the hopes that i could use it for the backing of a quilt.

1. cluck cluck sew 2. the purl bee

i've been following the purl bee zig zag quilt tutorial and also relied on the lovely rachel of p.s. i quilt's half square triangle tutorial just to make sure i was doing it right :) now i whipped through mine pretty fast so i'm hoping my accuracy is still good and that i didn't wonk anything up.

i already had one oopsie though...one of my charm squares was stuck to the other (same print on top of it) and i unknowingly sewed the two identical prints to 1 white square and didn't realize i had done this till after i cut it! eeeek! anybody have any tips on how i can fix this??? i haven't ripped it out yet. i could use any tips any of your master quilters may have :)

i'm super excited to just power through this quilt but not sure how much time i'll get to work on it. our modern sewing group is in lingo as we are homeless. the lovely sewing shop we were being housed at has changed ownership and is moving so we are still in the process of finding out what and where we are going. i'm bummed though because that was pretty much dedicated time for me to quilt. hopefully everything will work out in the end and someone will adopt us :) in the meantime i'm sure i'll be dreaming of hst's.....

have you made a zig zag quilt before? any tips? are you a lover of all things hst? what is your favorite quilt pattern to make using an hst block? i can't wait to hear what you all are working on!

Warm Up to Winter Knit Along - My Projects & Accessories

2012-01-18T09:57:00.000-08:00

pattern: elizabeth by jane richmond

yarn: berroco vintage chunky in colorway 6165

after a lot of thought and deliberation between my computer and my yarn stash i decided to whip myself up an "elizabeth" by my lovely friend jane richmond. shocker! you all know how i LOVE her patterns. i have never made this one before and it suited my stash and the amount i had left to use just perfectly. it's a super fast knit and didn't take more than one skein of my berroco vintage chunky yarn. now i have enough left to do some fingerless mitts! yippee! i love this color green and will definitely be getting my hands on some more. it's super pretty and the hat fits awesome! i was even wearing it inside last night when i finished it to keep warm (finished pics to come).

i made elizabeth using the magic loop method. for all of you just learning who are part of our kal here is a link to a great video from jane on how to knit using the magic loop method. i would be lost without it. i honestly never got my full mojo on using double pointed needles so the magic loop has become my best friend :) also for those of you who are venturing out into the world of knitting in the round here is another video from one of my fave places to go for help - "knitting help" for how to knit in the round. check em' out...you just may learn a new technique. it's not as scary as it looks, i promise!

we're having a major snowfall here this week so it's perfect timing for us all to curl up inside and chat knitting! i thought it would be fun to show you some shots of my fave accessories for knitting from knit picks. their prices are way more than affordable and i am a very happy user of their interchangeable needles. i yak about my lovely little notions and handy accessories all the time and just like sewing, knitting also has lots of fun little notions and goodies you can collect and carry around with you in your knitting bag. here are my current faves...

1) Cable Needles - these are new! i've been using a different style of cable needle for eons and finally spotted jane knitting with hers and decided i needed new ones..lol. a great cable needle will speed you up and make the process that much more enjoyable. i heart cable knitting!

knit picks cable needles - $1.49 each

2) Best tape measure and scissors evah!!!! seriously...this tape measure is like a buck something and is the perfect size to fit anywhere and is retractable even though it is a soft tape measure inside. we all love ours at knit night and i think it is up there with my favorite things. even the kids love it. and the scissors...oh man...don't get me started on the scissors...awesome! they fold up and fit in my handy little tin case i carry around with me. how cool is that?

knit picks tape measure $1.99 & foldable scissors $4.49

3. Stitch Markers. i go through stitch markers like crazy! i have some very special ones that a good friend made me but i also need a giant back up artillery. i use them for everything from marking the beginning of a round and for lace and cable knitting. i run out like crazy and honestly have tried using all sorts of things from around the house but nothing seems to work as good as a proper stitch marker. the ones below are my newest additions and the price was just right for me!

various knit pick stitch markers

4) Needle Protectors and Extra Cables. i've got a weird sense of humour and call my needle protectors my rubbers...lol. i know...sick...but they are made out of this plasticy rubber material and sometimes you may even hear me calling them my needle condoms...sorry...the snow has got to my brain...muahahaha. anyhoo..they are awesome! and make me feel much better if my knitting is laying around that the kids can't get hurt as easily on the needles and my stitches don't fall off when they are in my bag. i've also figured out which cable sizes are the most used from my knit picks interchangeables and have now stocked up on the 24" and 32"'s that i seem to use like crazy! lots of magic looping going on in this house..lol.

knit pick needle protectors $1.19 and options interchangeables circular knitting needle cables

5) Ball Winder. santa brought me a knit picks ball winder this year. i was super excited to not have to depend on my lys to wind all my skeins for me or for me to make sad attempts to wind center pull balls by hand at home anymore. yippee!!! this handy contraption will wind your lovely skeins into yummy jumbo cake style center pull balls.

knit picks knitting yarn ball winder $19.99

6) Yarn Swift. the ball winders best friend. my hubby hates having to hold the skeins open for me while i wind the yarn. it is definitely a two person job unless you've mastered the art of using a chair which i have definitely not. santa also got me a yarn swift and it just came yesterday! i am super excited to wind up the rest of my quince and co. yarn and test this bad boy out! i think i may have to sew up a pretty bag to keep her in :)

knitpicks knitting yarn swift $50.00

i also use a handy little metal tin to store all my bits and bobs in for my interchangeable needles. jane showed us that using some double sided magnets inside works great for keeping your needles and other metal littlies all organized and sorted. i keep extra stitch markers, a stitch counter, thread, needle, darning needle and more inside. it's handy to have it all in one place so i don't have to cart around a ton of stuff with me or have to keep getting up or digging in my purse every time i need something. definitely a great way to stay organized. now if only i could get my mitten pattern chosen...that would help. i keep changing my mind......

but on the upside you guys have been doing amazing so far! i cannot believe how many of you have finished hats and mitts already. go ladies go! the conversation has been lots of fun and it does my heart good to see you all chatting happily away in there! for those of you wanting to join in on the "warm up to winter knit along" it's not too late!

wanna join in? here's the deets....click the link below to enter the knit along:

warm up to winter knit along sign up

happy knitting ladies! which pattern did you choose? what's your favorite method for knitting in the round? are you a dpn's or a magic loop kinda gal? what are your favorite knitting accessories, tools and notions? it's snowing and the coffees on...come on over for a chat!

the mallory cowl pattern - adult version!

2012-01-17T09:17:00.000-08:00

pattern: the mallory cowl (adult) -"buy now"

yarn: cascade 220 heathers in colorway 7803

the mallory cowl pattern for adults is here! oh my gosh you guys...i am so super excited to write this post! i was so surprised by how many of you have loved the mallory cowl i originally made for my daughter and requested an adult sized one! so awesome! i'm just so glad you all enjoyed it! i have to tell you that more than a few times i had looked at mackenzie's mallory and thought to myself that i need one of those too. now i can make one and the best part is so can you!

this cowl is so squishy, springy, and fun to wear! it's versatile for all seasons and a great knit for beginners and advanced knitters. it's got a bounce that i wish my hair had! mallory is knit with your yarn held double on large needles so it knits up fast and is super cozy! i couldn't resist whipping this one up in a gorgeous magenta for the winner of our giveaway who requested jewel tones. then i conned my pal rebecca into modelling it for me :) i know...i'm mean..lol...but she just looked so purdy in it and i was soooo not in the mood to do my hair :P

i've worked really hard to get the stitches to have just the right amount of loft and the cowl to be a great length and for you ladies to have a proper gauge to go off of so you can swap out your yarns and needles at your leisure. so after a lot of thought and some major handholding and hurrahing from my knitting pals i've decided to release this as a pattern for sale!

you guys can now make your very own mallory cowls for only $1.99! i'm scared, nervous but also super excited about it!

click below to purchase a copy of "the mallory cowl"

the pattern is for sale through ravelry and you can find the all the details (& purchase the pattern) here on the mallory cowl ravelry pattern page! i can't wait to see all the gorgeous cowls you talented ladies are going to whip up! i can only imagine the colors and the yarns you will be using! if any of you have any troubles purchasing the pattern please email me at luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca and i will help you out or figure out an alternative way for you to purchase the pattern. this is my first pattern for sale so bear with me...i'm still learning here :)

i heart this cowl so much i think that i'm going to need one in every color! the mallory cowl is one of those accessories that you can wear with so many outfits through so many seasons! i'm dreaming of a fun green one at the moment!

i want to extend a big thank you to my knitting pals for encouraging me to get this made up and for all you lovely readers for suggesting it! you guys rock! i hope you enjoy the pattern and i appreciate all of your support! make sure to join our luvinthemommyhood ravelry group and also to share your lovely handmade pics in our flickr group!

so what do you guys think? you likey? what color would you make yours in? what's on your needles at the moment? i hope you all had a great weekend! let's chat!

weekend wishes

2012-01-13T10:47:00.000-08:00

that the mail i've been waiting for comes today...

image source - this is why i'm a geek

to snuggle up in a bed covered in quilts.

kate winslet's room in the movie "the holiday" via between naps on the porch

that knit night doesn't get cancelled due to snow...

Source: joannagoddard.blogspot.com via Meagan on Pinterest

that if the snow comes i can catch the kids loving it while i watch warm from the window...lol...j/k...ok kinda...

Source: theberry.com via Sara on Pinterest

and to one day wallpaper a wall in my craft room with this awesome knit stitch...

img src: fargerike

they are predicting snow here this weekend...ohhhhhh.....i'm excited, nervous and dreading it all at the same time. don't get me wrong, i don't hate snow. there is a time and place for snow for me. i mostly just dislike snow. i dislike grey, freezing, dreary, gloomy, icy, slushy and miserable snow that shuts the whole city down so i'm stuck inside for days on end but i adore fluffy, beautiful, blue sky, snowmen and snowball fights with hot chocolate kind of snow. rarely do i get to experience the latter.

i grew up in a small town in northern british columbia where a good junk of our year was spent buried in snow. burying your house out, your car out and yourself out of sidewalks and more. sometimes you would get so much snow the windows would be covered. as a child it was awesome...as a teenager and an adult i dreaded it and really just longed for sunshine and blue skies. i don't ski (too clumsy) and am just not an outside snow kinda gal. i'm the one who'd rather be at the lodge in front of the fire, sipping a hot toddy, knitting whilst watching everyone else freeze. but hey...to each their own right?

i do hope it snows...just a tad...for the kids. they are super excited about it and mackenzie is def not her momma when it comes to snow. she wants to ski and is very athletic. i like to watch from our condo window as they frolic with the hubs in our parking lot making snow angels..yes, parking lot...we have no yard and when you live in a city in a condo that's what you get when it snows...lol. i love the idea that i can go down and play for a few mins and then be the mommy who has marshmallows, warm blankets and hugs waiting upstairs to hear all their stories and to see the red cheeks and happiness in their eyes. on the rare occasion though...i do make a mean snowball and will never, ever turn down sledding! i love me a steep hill and a flying saucer!

due to the way our city handles snow i'm expecting the roads to close down and the sidewalks to be uncleared and us not being able to drive. i'm so hoping it doesn't get this bad or the snow at least waits till sunday so i can go to knit night...lol and so my wee one can go to her soccer game...brrrrrr.....just thinking about all this snow has me wrapping a blanket around me and pulling my knitting out. stay tuned next week...the adult mallory pattern is here and i LOVE it! can't wait for you to see it!

are any of you a gemini like me? do you only love half of snow...muahaha? oh man..sometimes it's so hard to be a gemini...i can never make up my mind <3. what are you all up to this weekend? whatcha working on? whatcha making? whatcha baking? whatcha planning? come chat...let's use the heck out of the new commenting system. looking forward to hearing from you lovely ladies and i'm wishing you all a warm, lovely, happy, hot chocolate or skinny mocha, cuddle filled weekend! xoxoxo

techie blues & crafty news

2012-01-12T09:16:00.000-08:00

Source: honeypieliving - flickr.com via Becca on Pinterest

coffee's on...but my computer isn't :( having some technical issues again all last night and this morning. my poor laptop doesn't seem to be staying connected to the internet. not sure if it's my wireless or my laptop. gotta get the hubs to figure it out tonight. in the meantime the post that i had planned for today will have to wait for next week which bums me out because i was super excited to show you all.

super troopers cross stitch from pixel people

i'm going to spend this extra "unplugged" time working on trying to find some way to choose my hat and mitt patterns for the "warm up to winter" knit along. i keep changing my mind over and over again. so many patterns, too small a yarn budget..lol. i made a promise to myself that i would have to use my stash and i have to stick to it. i'm also still trying to get done my cross stitch of super troopers from pixel people for the hubs bday this month. we'll see how that goes and i'm super excited that i'll also be working on this....weeeeeeeee!!!!

sunki by figgy's

that's right....sunki is in my house! so excited to make this dress and i have the perfect fabric for it. i'm making it in harper's size and can't wait to show you all in my upcoming pattern review for figgy's. i also decided on a quilt pattern for mackenzie's quilt. i'm waiting on tad more fabric and then i'm whipping out my old frenemie the rotary cutter. let's all cross our fingers that this time the cutting goes much smoother :) hopefully hers won't take me as long as harper's did to complete because my quilt has been waiting patiently for me since xmas of 2010. i'm making it out of dream on and my bedroom has been waiting for it forever!

we're heading over to a friend of mine's today to pick out some fabric for a custom designed laptop bag and a new wallet!!! eeeeeee! gotta a love a little fabric party! my pal is uber talented and makes the most fab bags! she's going to be one of or newest sponsors and i can't wait to tell you all about her but in the meantime i'm keeping it hush hush until the big reveal :P so even though my computer is acting up at least i can drown my frustrations with technology with some good ol' sewing, yummy fabrics and cozy yarns! and the icing on the cake - snuggles from my 2 cuddly girlies! best thing to brighten up my day!

what are you all up to today? did you all notice that blogger has enabled threaded commenting now! i am soooooo excited! now i can reply direct to each comment! as a blogger this makes my life SO much easier. wordpress has had this functionality for ages and it's about time blogger got it too. now to find out a way to get my numbered comments back....anyone figured out a new hack yet? i've got a giveaway coming soon and need me some numbers :)

hope you are all having a great day! fill me in on what you've been working on. are you sewing or knitting? have you chosen your pattern for the kal yet? are you joining in? let's chat!

Warm up to Winter Knit Along!

2012-01-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

it's here!!!!! the "warm up to winter knit along"!!!! yippee!!! rebecca and i have been so excited to announce the new kal to you talented ladies! the latest knit along is dedicated to hats and mitts! let's cover those noggins, hands and sometimes fingertips! choose some luxurious yarn, pick out a bright color or hit your stash and stick to a neutral...no matter what it is there is sure to be a project/yarn for everyone in this kal! this one is near and dear to my heart because i LOOOOVVVEEEE toques (hats) and fingerless mitts! love em'!

now don't stress out...you don't have to do both a hat and mitts but you can if you wanna. we are all for knitting up a storm :) rebecca from the blog nook and i have partnered up again for this kal and we thought we would leave that part up to you lovely ladies. make both if you get your groove on or make just the mitts or just a hat...the important part is we want you to pick up those sticks and get knitting with us! i'm sure some of you will make 3 hats and 2 mitts...lol..(hannah you know who you are...hehehe). hats are a great beginner project so don't be scared if you are just starting out! there are also a ton of great beginner gloves and fingerless mitt patterns out there as well. whether you are using 2.25mm needles or 8mm, fingering weight or chunky yarn let's all have some fun and learn to embrace and warm up to winter!!!! honestly...who doesn't look awesome rocking a cool slouch hat and cabled mitts? i can't think of one person! i get sad when i can't sport my hat on a daily basis cause the weather warms up. we've got lots of fun posts planned (some starring you guys of course) and even a few prizes! woot woot!

pattern: yarn basket by pickles

the ravelry group thread is a super fun place to come chat, share your project pics, ask questions and just have a good time. ravelry is like facebook for knitters but way better :) it feeds our addiction..lol. it's free to join and if you haven't already you should. it's a great resource for knowledge, patterns and inspiration. you can find me under "luvinthemommyhood" and my partner for this kal rebecca under "gundyknitter".

need some inspiration? here's some of the patterns i'm currently drooling over! i've got some yarn in my stash that i am looking to get through so i'm trying to decide which one to make based on my yarn stash and my hat/glove needs :) ravelry is what i use to find patterns and yarn most of the time. it's a great way to find patterns based on your yarn stash. using their advanced pattern search section you can whittle down patterns available based on the yardage you have, weight of yarn, free/not free, size, age...and the list goes on. i'm addicted to it. or you can find a pattern you like and then click on the tab above it that says yarn ideas and see what others have been using and what their projects look like if you're in need of some yarn inspiration. but make sure when you're getting ready to start to check your gauge. i know....a lot of us hate swatching but it's important....here's a handy post on gauge and on yarn choices. ok...you ready...here's my top 9 for today...seriously...they change daily. too. many. awesome. patterns.

hats.....

1. here and there hat 2. warm winter pom pom hat 3. simple slouch hat

4. modern rib hat 5. dottie 6. kathleen

7. norby 8. waffel hat 9. rosebud hat

mitts......

1. muckle mitts 2. camp out fingerless mitts 3. sabrina mitts

4. podster gloves 5. catching butterflies 6. fallberry mitts

7. grove 8. nalu mitts 9. commuter fingerless mittens

wanna join in? here's the deets....click the link below to enter the knit along:

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 don't forget that one of my besties rebecca from the blog "nook" will be guest posting and helping me out here and there throughout the knit along. she'll be assisting with helping answer questions in the forum and on the blog. so feel free to ask her anything that has to do with all things knitting! she's a knitting instructor and one smart cookie! make sure to pop on over to check out her roundup of hats/mitts today too! a big advance thank you to her for helping me out with the kal - i appreciate it my dear! luv ya to bits!

and grab a button to show your luv here or from the sidebar.

so excited to see all the lovelies that you guys are gonna whip up! i can only imagine the patterns and yarns already! becca and i hope you all have fun! so grab a cup of coffee, grab that fave hat or mitt pattern and get swatching...it's knitting time!!! go kal go!

moments in the mommyhood - technical difficulties

2012-01-10T08:31:00.000-08:00

we had some technical difficulties around here yesterday. or i should say my laptop did...and then some pictures i needed got lost in the abyss called "recycle bin" by accident so the hubs got to pull a superhero act and redeem himself for deleting them by rescuing them and also my laptop. i made him watch the bachelor for half an hour as punishment...lol. poor guy. in the meantime while i work away on the posts that were supposed to be ready here's some pics of the hubs and the kids latest adventure. please note that these were taken on an oddly warm day and that's why the kids aren't in winter parkas...lol, and yes, mackenzie's hat is too small for her head. it's a baby hat that she refuses to NOT wear anymore. ah the joys of kids :P

getting ready to get into mischief...

bouquet for mommy!

the expression on harper's face kills me in this shot.

time for laundry...hahaha. yep, they always come home flush faced, laughing and very dirty. that's what outings with daddy are for. i have never been able to let that go....i always envision the cleaning and laundry while they are doing it and can never refrain myself from stopping them...i know, i know, it's good for them but that's just something that mommies are for i think..lol. someone has to maintain balance right?

hopefully my laptop will behave today and i'll be back tomorrow with the announcement of our newest knit along!!! woot woot! anyone have any guesses on what it's gonna be? oh and quick question...do you guys prefer to add pics to the flickr group and/or ravelry group or would you like for me to set up one of those link party things? my only worry is that i think you need a blog to enter the link party as it links to your post. how do you guys feel about that? i guess those who don't blog could enter their pics to flickr/ravelry instead? ok, so excited! can't wait!

so ladies are you a "try to keep the kids somewhat clean" or a "let them get as dirty as they want" kinda mommy? got any tips you can share about how us sticklers for staying clean can let go a little bit? i'd love to hear them! happy tuesday!

makin'it in the mommyhood - dress up crowns!

2012-01-09T10:08:00.000-08:00

Tutorial: Dress Up Crowns by We Wilsons

Fabric: 1001 Peeps, Villagers Lavender by Lizzy House

right before christmas i couldn't resist whipping up the girlies some dress up crowns. the tricky part for me was a) sewing even just a little bit on the machine with my back and b) making these right in front of them without them figuring out what they were. i did it though! mack was very curious but i managed to persuade her that it was something for a project for the blog and i didn't know what it was going to be...lol. she sure was surprised to see it on christmas morning!

i had pinned a dress up crown tutorial from we wilsons and it just got stuck in my mind. it took me a few months to get to it but i never forgot about it. i've never been into sewing crowns but for some reason her lovely aesthetic caught my eye and i knew i had to make them.

i'm sure glad i did! the girlies love them and so do i. i have been known to sport one here and there....every girl wants to feel like a princess every once in a while...lol...in fact i just may make myself a mommy sized one :P you guys won't tell anyone right?

i used the lovely 1001 Peeps Villagers Lavender by lizzy house that the girls love. they think it looks like aladdin and princess jasmine :) and who could resist putting some pretty lace trim adorned with pink princess beads? not me! i stitched the lace on before finishing up the crown and when i was done all my sewing i hot glue gunned on those beads. those puppies ain't going anywhere. i don't think i ever glued something so much as those beads..lol. hopefully they will last at least a few months :P so far harper hasn't noticed they are on there which is what i was going for. a subtleness that mack would love and harper wouldn't pull off...lol. just perfect to be worn while dancing, singing and telling secrets to each other in.

and if you can believe it i had to show these pics of harper....it looks like she is sad/mad but nope, she's quite happy she's just busy emoting...lol. this is what she looks like when she is singing. i swear the kid gets right into her music, she is giving it her all in these pics. jer and i just die laughing everytime she gets in her "groove" - she even uses her hands. so cute!

here's some shots of the dress up crowns....

my favorite part is the jewel in the princesses head wear. i couldn't resist doing that and only did it on mackenzie's. this was one fun project to make and the nice thing is the tutorial over on we wilsons also has many different templates you can use to make crowns...even boy ones! i loved it!

are you into dress up crowns? have you made any lately? share some pics! i'd love to see them! i hope you all had a great weekend! fill me in...whatcha been up to?

weekend wishes

2012-01-06T10:50:00.000-08:00

to get my sewing mojo on...

img src: luvinthemommyhood

to learn the low down on lenses...

img src - kevin & amanda

to get lost in my rocky coast cardigan at knit night...

img src: luvinthemommyhood

to get to play with these...

img src: luvinthemommyhood

that my new yarn swift will be arriving soon...

img src: anikarenina

and to get outside and move now that i can walk again.

img src: lululemon

so excited it's the weekend! woot woot! i've been missing the hubs like a school girl. it was so nice having him home and i really found the transition from the holidays to real life tricky this year. i can't seem to get back on my regular sleeping schedule. i keep staying up way too late at night watching bad movies and knitting..lol. needless to say i definitely need coffee in the morning :P

i got some happy news from my physiotherapist this week....i now get to try to do a few things without wearing my belt 24hrs a day!!!! woot woot! closet here i come! i've been wearing the same 3 shirts the last few months to try to cover the horrible contraption and all the "rolls" that come along with it. i've been enjoying the few hours a day now where i can wear my normal clothes and feel like i lost 20 pounds..lol. i can't do too many things yet but i am able to sew in small amounts and i am allowed to walk again. exercise here i come! it's gonna feel so good to be able to get out moving again. it's been way too long since i've been able to walk around/stretch and do anything involving exercise. i have to baby my back and still take it easy but it also means i'm on the way to recovery! yippee!

i will be whooping it up at knit night this weekend. i haven't been able to go for like a month and i have BAD withdrawal. i cannot wait to see my ladies and have a night out with some good laughs, chats and of course - knitting. we'll also be working on some more early spring cleaning in our house that didn't get finished over the holidays and spending some time playing some games and having fun. i've got some more goodies coming your way next week as well as the announcement of our next knit along! so stay tuned!

i'm wishing you all a wonderful weekend filled with blue skies, coffee, family and lots of good times! what are you up to this weekend? what did you get crafting this week? any good news that you've received since the new year? let's chat...it's friday!

The Audrey Dress - Violette Field Threads Pattern Review

2012-01-05T10:29:00.000-08:00

Pattern: The Audrey Dress by Violette Field Threads

Fabric: Lark Charisma Blush by Amy Butler (from Stitch Simple)

i was finally reunited with poppy the pfaff over the holiday break and boy did it feel good. i missed sewing soooo much and i especially missed poppy (pfaff amibtion 1.0). it was really hard to go that long without sewing a stitch on my machine. when my physiotherapist gave me the green light to do a little bit of sewing i jumped right into my stash of new amy butler fabric (from my awesome sponsor stitch simple) and got to work making the audrey dress from the uber-fabulous shop & sponsor "violette field threads"! it was the first pattern that caught my eye when i visited their awesome & oh, so pretty website.

something about the simple lines with a modern edge that still had that feeling of retro to me drew me in. it was definitely a must make for me. mackenzie had been super disappointed that i wasn't able to make her a christmas dress to wear this year so i whipped this bad boy out the night before xmas eve so she could sport her new dress for all the family in town the next day. it seriously was so fast to make and super easy. a great beginner dress for all you new sewers out there and definitely a fun/quick sew for the more advanced.

i think she likes it...lol!

i've made a few things in my past for mack that have gone unworn except for one occasion but this wasn't the case with this dress. she loves it. it's right up her alley. super comfy, stretchy, flowy and nothing that bugs her. she's pretty picky about seams and feel of things on her body. the only mods i made to the dress was to only use 1yard of fabric. i made the sleeves a tad shorter than what the pattern called for to accommodate this. i also could have made the elastic on the sleeves tighter but that would have bothered her for sure. she tried it on and told me where she like it.

i also did a double top stitched hem and added my little label. i have a soft spot for those. gotta love a little bit of detail here and there.

the pattern instructions were very clear and easy to follow. there are also pictures all throughout the instructions to clearly show all the steps which i'm always appreciative of due to being a visual learner. i also find these types of thorough details great for beginners who don't always know "the lingo" of sewing.

the pattern size ranges are also fabulous. almost all of the violette field threads patterns go from toddler to older child. the audrey dress covers 12mths to 10yrs! you seriously cannot beat that for the price. i plan on making this more than a few times over the next few years :)

so pop on over to violette field threads to check out their awesome collection of patterns ranging from tops/bottoms/dresses to accessories & flowers! so much eye candy! it's hard to choose just one:) i'll be making another one of their patterns soon and can't wait to show you all!

some of our xmas pics

did you make any holiday dresses for your wee one? have you made any violette field threads patterns yet? which one is your fave? what do you look for in a dress when you have a "picky preschooler"? let's chat sewing! it's so nice to be back!

mustache cup cozy tutorial

2012-01-04T11:11:00.000-08:00

would you like some 'stache with your coffee? a little mustache luv to dress up your coffee cup? remember movember and the mustache that invaded my home for a month? yep, that's right...the giant caterpillar like one that greeted me every morning and night on my hubbies cute face, well...it was so fun to tease my hubby in our house about the 'stache that i decided to gift him a little pressie at christmas so that we can always remember "the 'stache".

i had pinned a cup cozy with a mustache on it months ago and finally got around to making one. so no, this isn't my idea..but i couldn't really find a tutorial that i liked to make one so i figured i would share a little template and mini-how to make a mustache cup cozy of your very own!

you ready to rock the 'stache? keep those hands toasty warm in style! let's get making!

What I used:
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool (worsted weight/10ply) in colorway 240 (green)
Brown Felt & brown embroidery floss

Materials:
felt in color desired for mustache (approx. 5"w x 4"h depending on desired size of mustache)
embroidery floss
sewing needle
scissors
yarn
knitting needles

Instructions:
1. Following the "mug hug tutorial" (from one of my besties rebecca) or any knit/sewn cup cozy pattern of your choice, knit up your lovely cup cozy using your desired yarn color - I personally think bright colors look much more fun for this kind of cup cozy :P I used a thicker worsted weight yarn for mine. This is the fun part where you can let your creativity go wild! Go handlebar, or curly or do a caterpillar style like mine!

2. Print out this template for the 'stache (don't scale the image) I used or sketch out a mustache of your choice. Cut out your felt and fold your piece of felt in half lengthwise. Cut the paper mustache out and pin to your felt along the center line shown on the template. Cut the mustache out of your felt. I used brown floss for my mustache.

3. Using 3 strands of embroidery floss held together stitch the mustache onto the center top area of your mug hug using a running stitch (or any other decorative stitch you may desire). Trim your ends stick that bad boy on your starbucks and admire your handiwork! This cup cozy is a guaranteed conversation starter...so much fun! Best part is the hubby can still sport his 'stache....just not on his face :P

don't knit? don't worry...check out this post from my pal buffy on how to paint a 'stache right onto your coffee mug! so cute! or you could simply use the felt mustache and attach to a sewn cup cozy of your liking. whatcha think? you likie? i think i'm gonna steal it and use it too. i think a few more are on the horizon at our house :) i think mine should be pink though...lol.

happy knitting and stitching!!! i can't wait to see if you guys make any! please add your pics to our flickr group so i can get a looksie at your wonderful handiwork! any questions just shoot me an email at luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca

moments in the mommyhood - the party is over...

2012-01-03T09:46:00.000-08:00

happy new year's everyone! i can't believe how fast the holiday season went by. we had a great christmas with family and i hope yours was awesome as well! i'm going through a bit of the melancholy post holiday blues the last day or so...lol. the hubs is back at work today and boy do we miss him. i am seriously going through hubby withdrawl.

all curled up with their quilts

i'm sad all the late nights and family time is done. we spent a lot of time just hanging out and enjoying each others company. there was a lot of coffee drinking, treat eating, game playing, family visiting, snuggles, knitting, playdoh making, coloring & lots of fun! we also started doing a very early spring clean. clothes were sorted, toys were cleaned out to make room for new ones, boxes were packed and the christmas tree was taken down :(

on the weekend we moved our baby girl into a big girl bed. she's now in a bunk bed with her big sissie. the transition has been good and the one taking it the hardest has been me. i admit, i cried. the sight of that empty baby crib and knowing that i will never have a wee babe fill it again still brings me to tears but on the upside it's been awesome having our bedroom back to ourselves again and harper has sure loved being in her very own big girl bed.

all in all i'm exhausted but it's a good exhausted...lol. having fun can be tiring :P i'll be getting back into the swing of things around here this week but today i'm taking it slow and easy with my two cutie pies while i miss my hubs. there will also be some knitting for a prize winner...that's right...the winner of the luvinthemommyhood thank you giveaway is.....

kristy fiona!!! yay!!! congrats kristy!!! i'm so excited you won!!!

"I love them both, but if I had to choose ... the Mallory cowl, in a lovely heathered jewel-tone.I hope you and your sweet family are having a lovely Christmastime, my dear! <3"

and for all of you out there crossing your fingers for an adult mallory cowl pattern stay tuned...i'm knitting it up as we speak :) yay for cowls! also i have a lot of sewing goodies to show you as well...that's right...i got to sew! my physiotherapist gave me the go ahead to do a little bit here and there. i'll take it :) i've also got some knitting goodies to show you as well as the announcement for our next KAL coming up too. so stay tuned!!! 2012 is gonna be lots of fun!!! i can't wait to share it with all of you!

so....how was your holiday? let's catch up..i've been missing you all! coffee's on.....

weekend wishes - christmas edition!

2011-12-23T10:19:00.000-08:00

that you all get to enjoy the pretty christmas lights in a whole new way...

that you eat lots of yummy guilt free treats and goodies over the holidays...

that the grinchies stay away from you and yours...

that your wee ones can handle a bit of sugar better than my little reindeer can...

that you let yourself get lost in the magic of the holidays...

that you got some handmade decorations done with your wee ones...

and that santa's elves come and clean up all of our ironing board monsters before christmas morning.

it's almost here!!!!! christmas is right around the corner!!! woot woot! bring on the food, the friends and the family - we're almost ready! i can't wait to see my babies get lost in the christmas excitement this year. mackenzie is really into it this season now that she is older and harper is even more excited as it's all pretty new to her still. it's gonna be fun and i think i'll be the most hyper one on xmas morning. i love me some christmas morning! we're gonna have the music playing, stockings to open, handmade goodies to share, a big breakfast to eat and some snuggles and playing to be had. weeeeeeeeeeee!

i'm going to be hosting two big dinners and a brunch so cross your fingers for me that my cold magically disappears, my house cleans itself, the food cooks itself and fun is to be had all around and i'll wish the same for you :) wouldn't that be an awesome xmas pressie?

this momma will also be taking a break peeps. i won't be here much for about a week. i'll prolly be back on the 4th of january. i'm taking some much needed time off (the boss ok'd it..lol) to spend some time with my hubs (who is also off) and the kidlets & maybe, just maybe get some rest. i may pop in with a pic or two but we'll see :) what i can promise is that 2012 is gonna kick butt! i can't wait! i've got so many exciting things planned that i cannot wait to share with you all! i also can't wait to see all the fun and inspiring things you are all going to be creating, cooking and writing about this upcoming year as well! so much fun awaiting us all!

thank you to each and every one of you for being such a wonderful and amazing group of people. you all fill me with joy, strength and happiness each and everyday and without you i would not be here in this little neighbourhood of mine doing exactly what i love - so thank you. i'm wishing you all a super wonderful holiday season and a very merry christmas with your family and loved ones! happy new year's and i'll see you in 2012! now go sip some egg nog and get your xmas mojo on ladies! much luv....xoxoxoxox

what are your weekend plans? what's your fave treat to make and serve on xmas? are you doing turkey or ham? c'mon take a wee break from your wrapping and let's have one last chat :)

*all images copyright luvinthemommyhood

winner of the fairytale frocks & lollipops giveaway

2011-12-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

ohhhh...who was the winner of the fairytale frocks & lollipops giveaway? was it you????

commenter #3 - nest full of eggs

"Figgy's Sunki is amazing !!!"

commenter #37 - twins squared

I would love to win either the Oliver & S Family Reunion Dress or the Sis Boom Shannon Dress. Thank you so much for the chance to win.

commenter #55 - luch

Holy patterns batman! With two girls to sew for, I could spend hours looking...! I do love that Molly jacket...especially in that beautiful Kelly green. Violette fields patterns are lovely!
Heather

congratulations you guys! happy sewing m'dears! fairytale frocks & lollipops will be in touch soon about your prizes!

you can find all things fairytale frocks & lollipops on their website and on facebook. thanks so much for the giveaway terri and happy sewing to all of you :)

makin'it in the mommyhood - colds & crafts

2011-12-22T09:53:00.000-08:00

it's done! i finally got my deirdre shawl xmas pressie finished! i LOVE it. so pretty and acutally quite a quick knit for lace. my problem came with the blocking. i really need to get myself some blocking wires. i tried my best but the blocking could have been way better. you live and learn though. i still think it will look gorgeous on the recipeient and i cannot wait to see her in it!

pattern: deirdre by linden down

yarn: ella rae lace merino in teal (love this yarn!)

www.mr.yarn.com

i also couldn't resist sneaking a shot in here of the lovely and oh so yummy yarn that my fabulous pal hannah of ummashin's goodies (her shop is so great - go check it out, my girls wear their hats all the time) sent in the mail for me! what an awesome surprise! if my back hadn't been injured i would have done cartwheels. i mean look at that color..and malabrigo...drool!!!!!!!!! thank you so much hannah! and thank you mr. yarn for your awesome packaging! i love the sticker and magnet...so clever!

QL Slouch by wooly wormhead

and here's another peek at another xmas pressie i finished and blocked. love the way it turned out!

i also finished harper's quilt!!!!!!!!!!! all bound, washed and dried! love it! so comfy and cozy...i can't wait to curl up with it after xmas. i'll post more pics of the whole quilt soon! i also got a last minute gift done for both girls that allowed me to get on poppy the pfaff for a few minutes the other day and boy did it feel good!!! can't show you yet though, there are too many eyes around :) i also am freakin' excited over a project i made for the hubs yesterday that he doesn't know about so i can't show you pics till after xmas but it's killing me. i'm dying to show you all!

but in the meantime this is what we are up to. kleenex, orange juice, coffee, halls, vicks, tv and knitting. i'm just hoping the river that my nose has turned into goes away before christmas and that my little girls are both better soon too.

what are you all up to? are you surviving? what projects have you gotten done? any left to finish? show me your pics - i'd love to see :)

luvinthemommyhood handmade thank you giveaway!

2011-12-21T09:04:00.000-08:00

1. mallory cowl 2. carefree cowl

*this giveaway is now closed. thank you for you entries!"

can we say giveaway time?!! woot woot! thanks to all of you wonderful readers we have reached over 2,000 likes on facebook! i decided that is definitely worthy of a giveaway with a prize handmade by me! fun!!! i wish i could make a cowl for each and every one of you - you all mean so much to me and honestly help me to live out my passions each day....THANK YOU so much!

after chatting in the facebook group about the prize i think we all decided on the winner getting to choose which cowl they would like. the winner will get to decide between the crefree cowl and the mallory cowl (child or adult sized). you also mentioned that you would LOVE an adult mallory cowl pattern so your wish is my command - it will be out after the holidays sometime. the winner will also get to choose an approximate color for the cowl of their choice (subject to availability).

so to all my lovely, wonderful, talented, inspiring, uplifting, comforting, hilarious, touching and special readers i adore you all and am so grateful you continue to read my little blog each day.

the deets & lowdown:

to enter the giveaway please leave me a comment below telling me which cowl you would like to win and in what color tone to enter (ex. greys, whites, brights, etc). that's it folks! easy peasy :) one rule...you must have a valid email in your comment or you will be disqualified. giveaway is open until december 27th, pacific standard time.

but wait...i have other news to share with you all. over the past few weeks i have been a busy bee designing and launching my good pal jane richmond's new website and blog. it's been so fun and creatively exciting! i had such a blast and thank her so much for trusting me and letting me jump right in! i think it looks amazing and just like jane - beautiful! there's an awesome new pattern page and shopping cart so you can buy direct from her site as well as a handy contact form and other interactive features! make sure to pop over and check it out and also to enter her launch giveaway! a chance to win her entire pattern collection!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wowsa! run..don't walk over...lol. tell your knitty friends!

good luck and happy knitting!

moments in the mommyhood - just breathe

2011-12-19T22:50:00.000-08:00

i'm taking it easy today. i've got 2 kiddos with colds and now despite my best "i'm not gonna get this efforts" i've got the cold too. we're going to rest up and keep getting ready for the holidays. my family is due to arrive in town tomorrow and we're very excited to have them here for christmas. it's been a long time since i've been able to celebrate christmas with them and we're very excited!

i've got 2 big family dinners to plan as well as a christmas day brunch, baking and holiday snack making and we're still decorating...lol. i've got xmas pressies to finish making/blocking and shopping for! and in the meantime we've been making sure to stop and take time to be thankful to live in such a beautiful place to see views like the one above. we stopped and watched this cloud/sun formation for at least 15 minutes on the weekend and i swear it soothed my soul. it was like a warm, soft energy that was more calming to me than anything i could think of. i made the hubs jump out of the car and take 100 pics of this gorgeous cloud over our giant ocean with the soft creamy glow softly whisping down from the sky to light up and bronze the dark, cool waters below. it was magical and soooo what we both needed to see.

i hope you are all able to find a sense of calm amidst the craziness of the holiday season right now. take a minute to envision a "happy place" of your own and try to remember to take a breath and enjoy some of it. i know it's tough cause i'm just as much of a stresscase at this time of year too but honestly, i just keeping putting this pic up on my screen and trying to remember to just soak it all in and breathe. just breathe.

what are you all busy crafting? are you getting the week before xmas crazies? remember you can come and chat in our facebook group, here in the comments below and also in our ravelry group for "christmas knitting 911 - your holiday crafting support group". we're all in this together :) coffee's on....wanna chat?