Happy Holidays!

So, three days homebound! It was mostly by choice, because I do love staying in. I made my green Simplicity 4045 dress, a Thomas-Snow-Globe shirt for Connor and finished a dress from NM 23230. I know the last one looks awfully cheesy, but it's turned out cute. My camera is packed away, so I'll post pictures next weekend.

We're off to Denver International Airport tomorrow to fly to Hilton Head Island. We're spending Christmas week with my in-laws on the 9th hole. No, not playing - what I mean is that they live on the 9th hole. Hopefully the crazy backlog at the airport will have abated somewhat and we'll have smooth sailing. It'll be great to get away from the snow. Knowing Boulder, it'll probably all have melted by the time we get back.

I wish you all a joyful time with whichever celebration you have.
I'm thinking of maybe adding a pole to the festivities next year.

















Happy Holidays and Happy Sewing.

Snow Day

Eight years in Colorado and I'm still unused to snow storms. We've had over a foot already and more coming. I don't think we'll be driving tomorrow. Fortunately I'm married to a (former) mountain man, so I can send him out on foot to get supplies.

We have light, heat and food - we're blessed, and mountains of fabric, so yay? I also have a 4 year old, so snowmen, cookies and games it'll be. Really, no complaints.


 

Christmas Projects

I don't exactly look for kids' projects, but they sneak up on me. For example, a Thomas stocking for Thomas-loving boy:


How can I say no? The panels are from Equilter and it's lined with stash flannel. I made the letters for his name with cotton backed onto Wonder Under - magic stuff, because I couldn't be bothered to break out the embroidery attachment for my Bernina.

Which is another thing I'll never buy: embroidery attachments and the hellaciously priced software.

We also got to use my new Kandi Kane hot iron to embellish the stocking with hot fix crystals. It's addictive for a glitter-addict like myself. Watch out world! One thing I learned about the Kandi Kane is to use it like a regular hot fix iron:

1. Place crystal on project.
2. Use a smaller concave head than the crystal size.
3. Hold hot tip on crystal for 12 seconds.

When I used the Kandi Kane method, the crystal would get stuck (glued into) the concave head, hence the smaller size. Also their method has you holding the crystal in the hot head until the glue bubbles, then planting it on the fabric by tapping it. It's crazy inefficient and that drives me nuts.

I also made a pair of Santa pyjamas and a pair of corduroy pants. His loveliness has deigned to wear the former for the holiday period (only), but has refused the latter, as too baggy for his style. Anyway, two shirts to go for him and I'm done until the next kid project gets me.


This one is for me. It's the fabric I'm using for the dress version of Simplicity 4045. The fabric is a silk georgette from Fabric Mart, that's way too wild to be ignored. I'll line it with olive green ambiance to cut out some of the yellow tones. But check the print - it actually has leopard, tiger, cheetah and a fourth mystery cat cobbled together.

Hey, maybe I can put hot fix crystal all over it. Hmmm?!!

Mittens Complete!

The mittens for Connor are felted and finished. If you're nervous about knitting with double points, this is the perfect starter project. I used 7" needles, which were a little fiddly with the tiny thumbs, but still easy to do.

The yarn is a new one for me. It looks like roving stretched out into yarn, instead of the twisted, plied yarns that I'm used to. It's very soft and a dream to knit, even softer after felting.

The service from Morehouse Farm was very fast and the patterns are clear and easy to follow. I only had one little problem and that's with their color description. This is the 'FantaSea' kit, which shows up with a lot more blue on their website. I understand that with this type of yarn dyeing, it's hard to get consistent color variations, but I did expect at least some blue. The scarf kit I ordered, is likewise, dominant in green (and mustard yellow) - but no purple!

I'm finding ordering yarn on the net has more potential problems than fabric buying. Maybe as I get more experience, it'll get better. Still, it hasn't stopped me filling a whole tub with skeins of pretty stuff. 

Simplicity 4045

I'm so happy with this top. The bodice is cut on the bias and there is gathering at the center front neckline. The little sleeves have an inverted pleated at the top and at the hem and the collar anchors the bodice and the sleeves.

I made no adjustments to the pattern, which makes it gold in my eyes. I like the bias drape over curves and the sleeves are just the right length and width to make my upper arms look a lot slimmer.

This is so comfortable to wear and so cute, I think I'll make the dress for Christmas. Maybe a lined georgette or soft wool crepe.

Yep, my blahs are definitely over. 

My Sewing Blahs are Over!

What with moving and the holidays, I haven't done any sewing since mid October. I managed to put together a Halloween costume in our hotel room and a great costume it was too. But... real sewing? The longer I'm away from the machine, the more I shy away from returning. As if I've forgotten how to sew.

It didn't help that I cut out 6 projects before packing, thinking (huh!) that at least I'd have sewing, even if my sewing room was a mess. Sadly, it turned out to be 6 UFO's for the pile.

But it's over. Yippee. I'm working on a this cute little top from Simplicity 4045:


It's a bias cut design for woven fabrics and the sewing's easy.

In the meantime, I've been knitting. I've been stacking 'techniques' into projects and I'm doing rather well.



These are the 'Fetching' fingerless gloves from the summer issues of "Knitty", or half gloves, as my son calls them. So I learned double point needles and easy cables.

This second mitten is from a Morehouse Farm kit for kids, and they're so easy and fast. I'm halfway through the second and I have to felt them slightly to finish them.


My son was so impressed with my knitty gloves that he told everyone about them. In fact, he shows off every little thing, fancy or simple, that I or Grandma has ever made him. He's so proud of us, he makes me feel 10 feet tall. Of course, he also keeps giving me new projects to do.
So worth it.