birthdays!

I really like to make a big deal about birthdays and half birthdays. I was so busy with teaching and Gregg had a crazy schedule that I didn't get much time to devote to handmade gifts for Lilly's birthday and Jane sure didn't get much of a celebration for her half birthday. (Usually, we do a special dinner and dessert for half birthdays. Jane doesn't like to eat food at dinner time, instead she likes to find old food under the couch and eat that. So, I am glad we didn't let her pick a special dinner.) I did make Lilly's birthday shirt.


but my mom takes the cake! For my birthday, she made me another pair of socks! I hope she is starting a tradition here, my sister and I love getting her socks. Thanks mom!


the view above the Will belly at about 23ish weeks.

tiny tea leaves

Lilly talked me into getting her this parrot yarn one day. I had to admit, it is right up her ally. I really thought this knit would be done in early December. Then it wasn't. So I decided to make it a Christmas gift. Then Christmas passed. Then I decided it would be for her birthday. Then her birthday came and went. So she got it a few weeks ago...for no reason at all. Lills didn't even remember that she picked out the yarn. Oy! To make things finish up faster I did 3/4 sleeves, which was the best decision. Lills gets so hot all the time, that she picks this sweater to wear all the time. I really love the yoke on this pattern. I still love the way mine fits.



yarn: an acrylic, variegated yarn from joann's, that was actually really nice to work with and has held up well so far.

pattern: tiny tea leaves, size 6

crafting time...WHAT??!!??!

This past week or two, I was finally able to put in some crafting time. It felt GREAT! I must say it has been so hard to give this time up and focus on my teaching responsibilities. I only teach 3 hours a week but getting the class ready takes up so much more time. I am very proud of myself for keeping my priorities straight and not getting sucked into fun crafting time! As I side note, I have always wondered if I was ever faced with needing to drop my camera in order to save a falling kiddo, if I could really just drop my camera. It turns out I can! I saved Jane from falling and luckily the camera was tossed down straight on to the couch. Lots of padding myself on the back over here.

Onto the projects! Nicole came over and showed us how to make these great t-shirt dresses. Here is the tutorial link but since Nicole showed me how (and let me use all her t-shirts), I haven't used this tutorial. Lilly wanted a heart too so we used this technique, except I just sewed the heart straight onto the front of shirt (hers is much better). I think the top of the heart looks like angry eyebrows but Lills loves it.




Jane got more of a tunic, we aren't fans of long dresses for toddlers. I really like how ruffly Jane's got.



and finally a little sewing for me and a growing belly! We are expecting a baby BOY in June! My sister got me the book Handmade Beginnings for my birthday. I really liked the idea for this belt, the early empire cinch pattern. So many maternity clothes just need a little belt to cover up that elastic. I sure love showing off the belly!




I am so excited to sew Baby Will some quick change pants! The girls and I went fabric shopping this week for Will, can't wait to get sewing for him. His first knit is currently underway!

stockings and ornaments

Last year, my sister saw a picture of the stocking I made Jane. She loved it and wanted me to make her, my niece, and nephew one. My sister isn't that into handmade so whenever she asks for something that is handmade, my mom and I jump all over the chance to make her the requested item. They requested the colors and design. My nephew wanted a bmx bike on his (yeah right). I started making these in August or September. I didn't want to stress myself out with the finishing. Of course, the knitting was done but I took forever to get the linings in so she just got them a few days before Christmas. But that's before Christmas eve, right?!





I like the linings in these, the stockings are so much sturdier. I am going to add one to Jane's stocking (that became mine because it was not very strong).


Lilly made popsicle stick snowflake ornaments. I made a bunch of these quilted tree ornaments. I also made this little house ornament for a friend (tutorial here I loved her idea for the roof ledge). Then I made a "house car" ornament for my parents who are addicted to RVing and their cat, Mr. B. We are giving out our ornaments this year with some granola. This granola is so so so so good. I have made 4 batches so far because we keep eating so much I don't have enough for gifts. It's a cycle! We made ours with almonds, pumpkin seeds, and cran-cherries. I might eat some right now.






This is pretty much all I have this year for handmade Christmas gifts. I am working on a blanket for Jane that did not make it under the tree. Everything I was thinking of making for Lills, I gave up long ago and decided that making and giving them for her birthday was definitely the way to go. I am starting a part time teaching job in January and the prep work for the class has been taking up most of my crafting time. Plus, being a mom can be exhausting, it feels good to sit at the end of the day. I hope you had/have a good holiday!

rudolph shirts

Nicole and I have been excited to craft together but with our girls and busy husbands, crafting is hard to do. We decided to just pick a project and see how much we could get done in an afternoon. Nicole saw this super cute Rudolph shirt idea. With a chubby baby sleeping in her fav moby wrap position, a my little pony Christmas movie, popcorn, and a toddler about, we got a great start to the shirts! Then we each finished them up at a quieter time. Lilly really wanted a sparkly nose so we used some glitter fabric paint, we used a lot!

Simplicity 2574

Lilly is really into dresses and tights right now. And anything that is her idea. I showed her this pattern and said we should go to the fabric store so she can pick out fabric. She was sold and I love what she picked out! She also put herself in charge of button picking.



This pattern was a project runway simplicity pattern. I didn't understand what that meant until I went to buy fabric and cut out the pieces. There was not a set dress to be made with this pattern, you pick out all the design elements and make your dress how you want. It seemed really confusing because I found it hard to know what the name of each element was. But it all got figured out and it looks great. Lilly loves the rainbow fabric that she picked out and that corduroy is so very soft. She wears this about once a week, which is awesome. I have no idea why I made her two pairs of pants recently. One pair has gotten the lucky pick two times but the other none at all. But let's face it, I sewed them for fun for me!




Fabric: corduroy from JoAnns

Pattern: Simplicity 2574, size 6.

the cats pajamas (McCalls 6428)

Jane loves dogs and cats. We don't have pets but the neighbors cats are always out and tons of people walk their dogs by our house. I always think Jane is going to have a heart attack when she sees dogs and cats, oh the excitement! I picked up a pj pattern for the girls at the last pattern sale at JoAnns. I was not intending to buy any pj fabric but when Lilly and I saw this cat knit fabric, we got very excited. Then we showed Jane. Well, we had to buy it after that reaction.





I was worried about making Jane a size 1 (which I was thinking would be a 12 month size) but based on the measurements and now seeing the final product on Jane it is actually quite big. Jane is petite for weight but I think this pattern runs big. Also, a BIG, ANNOYING PROBLEM that this pattern ended up having some mistakes. First the neck ribbing was supposed to have one cut and instead it said to cut two but then the sewing directions made it clear that only one was supposed to be cut. But the biggest mistake was the directions on how to sew the pants up. They were flat out wrong and made no sense! After 30 minutes of sitting there trying to figure out what the heck I was supposed to do and ripping the first seam out, I realized they were just wrong. If I had never sewn a pair of pants before I would have been crying in the corner. Also if I had paid more than a dollar, I would have been emailing McCalls.

Pattern: McCalls 6428, view A and C

Fabric: cat knit and rib knit from JoAnn's




This is the best I could get of Jane wearing them, we have to fold up the knit ribbing on both the legs and the arms to make it fit her better. but man she sure is cute!


I bought the same pattern in Lilly's size too. I am thinking some Christmas/winter pajamas are definitely in need.