Hexagon Scarf

I tried piecing together a cowl with my hexagons but couldn't get it to look right. 

Apparently they wanted to be a scarf. 

It felt so good to get back to my crochet. 

 Noelle snapped it up as soon as she saw the camera in my hand and started posing. 

She is so used to wrapping up in woolens and getting her picture taken since birth! heehee

I edged the whole thing in Cascade 220 Fingering...leftover from Rae.

Love all the colors...

"so warm and soft!"

apparently no complaints about the pure wool. I love this kid.

so does Ellie. 

peace, blessings and Happy New Year to all my lovelies!

Back on track

I was a little thrown off by the final decreases, but I finally bound off my first sleeve of Aidez:

After I knit Julissa I find myself only wanting to knit patterns with cables and/or lace. 

Lookit these pretty cables.

I want to cast on for the body so badly but I know I should just crank out the second sleeve while the pattern is still fresh in my mind. 

I ended up cabling without a needle, which is surprisingly easy and makes me feel like a knitting superhero every time I do it! haha.

Several ladies have already finished their Aidez and I'm loving all the fall colorways that are popping up. I still love my Malabrigo though...sigh. So Soft. 

Also finished this tiny little dress...love baby crochet. So easy and fast.

Rosebud and more minnis

It is so nice to be able to knit a pattern using the yarn it was designed for. I have been coveting this hat pattern for quite some time and I can't believe it's finally mine! I love each and every one of Jared Flood's patterns and this is no exception. So well-written and a breeze to knit.

Rosebud by Jared Flood for Brooklyn Tweed

Yarn: Shelter in Colorway thistle

The yarn felt a little "crunchy" while I was knitting but it softened up nicely with blocking. I appreciate that the yarn has a little heft to it because it helps to maintain the integrity of the cable and the shape of the hat.

shmoosy cable goodness

love all the garter stitch. 

Reminder note for all those purl-haters out there, every other round is purled because it is knit in the round. Just sayin'.

me squealing with delight (on the inside) because I love.this.hat.so.much.

As anyone with more than one child knows, you often times have to buy two of everything. Especially in the case of flowery little slippers. So, here are the mini-mini's little slippers, in baby pink. 

Minni slippers in action!

mini-me slippers

Noelle had worn and loved these shoes to death. Ellie even took a pair of scissors to them after I threatened to throw them in the trash (selective hearing). After the threat had passed, Noelle said "Hey Mama, can you make me some new ones?" 

How could I say no?

The pattern: Minni Slippers 

yarn: Sugar 'N Cream in Robin's Egg Blue

My mini-me's mini feet. 

With Noelle in school Ellie is really blossoming. She is adjusting remarkably well to big sis being gone (too well? haha) and we are having fun getting to know each other better. 

Is that weird to say about your own kid? 

 

sweet little ballerina, packing her purse for a night on the town.

Celebrate Color - Granny Stripe Sweater

Granny squares had quite a presence in my childhood. Our house was positively covered in them; throw rugs on the floor, couch coverings and bed coverings. 

My grandma was the one who churned out these things in her sleep, it seemed, and she is the reason I learned and love to knit and crochet. She was like my second mother. Especially around the holidays and when I look at my children I wish she was here to share it all together with us. When we go home to my parents' house the rugs are still there on the floor and throws are still on some of the couches. It's a small but very warm reminder of her love and care for me and my family.

I wanted to create a colorful, granny inspired sweater for Noelle but it turned out to fit Ellie much better. It's top down, seamless, with a granny stripe bottom and buttons in the back. I used Wool-ease and I love the vintagey feel of the colors.

This is also my entry for Celebrate Color.

Cozy Cosy Hat

While digging through my stash during cowl craziness I came across a ball of yarn just big enough to make a hat for the little little. I call it "cozy cosy" because is doubly cozy and I've been seeing it spelled both ways while Ravelry-hopping for things to knit and crochet for the season.

This is a make-as-you-go, stashbuster hat. I kind of like it enough that I might put some in the shop. Noelle had a lot of say in it...she picked the yarn for the flower. She didn't mind at all that the hat went to Ellie, probably because she has a gazillion hats that still fit her from last year.

I'm also going to enter this in the Celebrate Color contest. Here are a few pics of my little munchkin (try to ignore the orange cheeto dust from the photo shoot "bribe") sporting her new toque.

Celebrate Color Entry

So my favorite cowl from the KAL was the Cardiff Cowl in purple, and I decided to enter it in the Celebrate Color contest. I'm a little late to the party! Here are the pics again, sorry for the repeat show but the rules specify a new blog post needs to be written for each entry.

For more information about Celebrate Color, go to the Stitched in Color blog. Prepare to be inspired! Color and autumnal lovelieness abound.

Ummashin Beginnings

My sister Sarah and I

The begininnings of ummashin's goodies, you ask?

My mother's mom lived with us growing up and provided all three of my siblings (and herself) with handmade clothes. Party and recital dresses, flower girl dresses, pullovers, cardigans, overalls, pajamas, and little sweater pantsuits like the one pictured above. She used a knitting machine but I also remember distinctly a pair of intricately patterened mittens that seemed to fly out of her clicking needles and a crocheted lace baby dress that is stored in my mom's house because it is indeed a treasure. I remember visiting our cousins and she brought this fine soft yarn and the thinnest needles and somehow there was a sweater for my cousin in the morning.

My grandma was the one who gave me the crafting bug and taught me how to sew, knit, and crochet. I would spend hours in her room hanging out (watching 90210 and Matlock, hahah!) My grandma was larger than life and when she passed away when I was 13 it left a big hole in my heart.

However, the bright point that emerged from the great loss was that it brought me closer to my mother. She took the handmade reins and went flying and has been a constant source of support and inspiration in my own handmade journey. Now that I have children it is such a blessing to be able to provide them with clothes made with my love.

Please visit luvinthemommyhood for a great giveaway starting today!

Blessings!

bzzzz...

Jill's simple "Sewing for Me" post on Homemade by Jill made me realize how long it had been since I sewed/made something for myself, so I made this hat using the Berroco Phannie pattern:

I also wanted to create a Spring Beanie to list in the shop. Spring inspiration - bumblebees! Here's my interpretation of nature's fat little friend:

Bluebee Beret

Robins and Roses

Cherie Beanie

The Cherie hat came about simply because the winter seems to be dragging on and I needed a pick-me up. Hence, the bright poppy colors that just say, Hello, Spring! I named for my littlest Valentine, my sweet cherie Ellie.

Lilac Wine

Jeff Buckley's version of "Lilac Wine" is often at the top of my mind's playlist along with much of the Grace album. So I made a hat using those colors and Noelle just hammed it up once again. I love this kid.

One pattern, two very different feels, two very different bebes...a whole lot of LOVE.

Check out these new additions to the shop and also visit us on my new Facebook Page!

Persimmon Blossom

When I saw the orange and turquoise Fleur d' Orange dress by Katy of the blog No Big Dill that was inspired by The Sartorialist I thought it was a match made in heaven. Katy's blog is not only a great read because of the beautiful sewing and crafts, but also because of the fierce love for her family that is reflected in her words.

I was inspired in turn to make something in orange and blue...this is the result:

Persimmon Blossom now available in the Shop

The cotton yarn colors are persimmon and seaspray.

The butterfly jumper is a simple pattern from One Yard Wonders which was the first sewing book I ever bought. The vintage buttons are non-functional and I crossed the straps in the back to accommodate Noelle's body. I just love the whimsy of the whole look, and my little boogie monster certainly got into this photo session as you can see!

Dahlias

These are the Dahlia headbands:

I bribe Noelle with gummy bears so she'll pose, but she also is a big fat ham...