wee{ish} little clothes....

So, apparently it is Thursday already? Somehow that happened. I am not entirely sure I know how. But anyway, here we are. I would like to state for the record that these cute clothes I am about to share have been done for a week, and I even snapped some pictures before life happened and did not allow me to post them. These are all for the tiny one, who, as it turns out, is not actually tiny. I used 18 month for all of these and they fit a bit too well, but hopefully we'll make it through the winter. Thankfully winter is short here and they are quick and easy to make if she does outgrow them.

First up, a set of flashback skinny tees. The bird one is a knit from joanns that I've had lying around, and the other is one of daddys old t-shirts that ended up in my pile. Don't tell him, but it looks way cuter on her :)

Next on the list was a pair of jammies. These are the same alex and anna winter pjs that I have made her before, and they are still slightly large, but they work.

Finally I found this hoodie pattern at joanns (yay $0.99!!) and decided to give it a go. I do prefer the digital since the instructions are always better, but I made it through and ended up with a cute shirt. I almost wish it was my size, I just love it. I only had enough of this great pink/silver stripe fabric to make something for her, and I am glad I found a worthy project before she outgrew it. The sizing is a bit funny, and I made her the 1 size and it is a bit big, mostly in the sleeves, but dang it's still cute.

So that's my main accomplishment recently. I think I am going to finish my shawl this week and then I just need to figure out where to block it. Currently, though, I am stuck in costume making hell. I am not sure how I got sucked into this, but I think next year we may just buy the costumes because this is really not my thing. As long as it is reasonably cute and she has something to wear tomorrow (ahh!!!), I guess it will be alright. Once I get that done, I am totally stealing some quilting time! I have some blocks waiting to be sewn that have been taunting me all week.

a big, boring list that doesn't even have pictures

I have spent the better part of the past day or two, considering the things I need to get done. I am overwhelmed, to say the least, and at this point I have no idea what is a realistic goal, which is killing me. Obviously, I thrive on lists, goals, order, and finishing things, so this spot I'm in, it's not great for me. I have so many big things that will take a while and not much that I can finish to propel myself forward, and the things that need doing span so many categories. It isn't even really a WIP post since most things aren't even in progress at this point. It is making me feel crazy and scatterbrained, so I am going to try to list things out and get a handle on them. There is always the possibility that this will make things worse, but I am going to have to face it all sooner or later, especially since I'd like most of it done by the end of the year.


Quilts
economy block for the preschool teacher: I have all the center fussy cut squares, and have started the outer squares, but I need time to finish the cutting and get to sewing. I'd like to give it before winter break.
DWR: I am almost halfway done the arcs and I need to test out a block to make sure I can handle this. I have also had the low volume pile for the centers sitting around for months and I would like to be able to use them for other things....
scrappy pinwheel things: this may get rethought, I don't know yet, but I think it may end up on the babies bed when we convert it to a toddler bed

clothes (babe) {I just cut these out yesterday and hope to start sewing them up today maybe. Poor thing really needs some warmer clothes.}
flashback skinny tees
hoodie 
pjs 


clothes (me)
julia cardigan: I have the pattern printed and I think I have some fabric to use
hudson pants x2: I have the fabric for a pj test pair and then I'd like a sweatpant pair
wrap top: I have fabric but need to order the pattern still
easy t-shirts: my next attempt in trying to find the perfect t-shirt
lane raglan: yes, I need another.

gifts {this is as far as I've gotten on this list but I'm sure it will grow}
duffle bag for the little: the plans are set, the zipper and straps are purchased, lining decided, need to get going
stuffed cat
stuffed dog

scrapbooking
little's book: need to order more pictures and make it and pretty much everything
littlest's book: the pictures are all in the book! now for journaling and decorating and such.


knitting
drachenfels shawl: I am making good progress on this, and hopefully will have it done by the end of the month
fingerless mitts: pattern and yarn selected, this is coming next so I can wear them when it's cold
grace cardigan: this will be my long term winter knit I think, so whenever the mitts are done, this will begin.


And this is the realistic list with the things I know I am going to make, not even the wish list! I'm trying to convince myself it's really not that bad. And hopefully I will hit a productive streak and it will start going faster, but I still feel a little like I am drowning. I am going to take this week and try to finish up the baby clothes so she has more than one pair of pjs, and some shirts, and then decide what I can manage next. I also got a totally brilliant idea for how to make the t-shirt quilts for the girls out of their old baby clothes, but that has not even made it to the list yet. As ever, more ideas than time. Happily, I do feel better now that I've gotten all that out and have picked my starting point, and it is one that should produce some finishes pretty quickly, so hopefully I'll be back with those soon :)

Baby books in progress

Hey friends! I just thought it was time to pop in and say hi. I have been doing so, so much but have very little to show for it. I have continued knitting up a storm and am still hopeful that I will have my shawl done by the end of the month.

A large portion of my efforts, however, have been poured into a scrapbook of the littlest babe throughout her first year. I have spent the last few weeks collecting pictures and scraps of paper with notes about her on it and am now putting it all together. I am a bit over halfway done putting the pictures in and then I have to go back and do the journaling.

I am doing it like a homemade smash book. I took 12x12 scrapbook paper, figured out how many pages I needed, glued them back to back to make single pages, got some chipboard for covers and had it bound at fedex. I love the binding, I just hope the paper will hold up and the pictures will stay on through the little people looking through them.  These are just a couple pages I love, out of the 30-something I've done so far...and there will be a total of 76.

It seems pretty impressive, what with her only being 14 months old at this point, but I still haven't made one for the first kid, so that's up next. I had a box of things for her but when I went through it I realized I still need more pictures printed. Soon I will get that all sorted out and eventually these will be done! I also have clothes to make, at least one quilt, a bag, and some holiday gifts. I think perhaps my next task will be to make and prioritize a list....hm...yep, I do believe that is how I will get next week started. For now, I will try to finish up all these pictures and hopefully enjoy a lovely fall weekend with my sweet little family and visiting brother-in-law. Happy weekend!

drachenfels {part I}

Can't.stop.knitting! Last week, I cast on a drachenfels shawl, and now I am about halfway through. To be honest, halfway is an unfair assessment since it is the much smaller half, but still. I started at 6 stitches and am up to 136, and by the end will have 260.

This is the first section finished. I am in love with these awesome stripes, and now I get to switch to more traditional stripes and eventually add in my third color. This sea glass color is just amazing. And I love the way it goes together, starting at the corner and ending at the long edge.

These yarns are a dream to work with. I think I must have cashmere in all the things from now on haha! Soft and squishy and perfect. This project is so great for relaxing in the afternoon after school with the little and hearing about her day (when she cares to share) or snuggling up at night with a movie.

I still have some reservations as to whether I will wear these colors, but since it is so soft and will look great with my black jacket, I think it will be alright. I've never really worn a shawl much. Or at all. So it will be an experiment.

I am hoping to have it finished by the end of the month. If I don't slow down too much as the rows get longer. And then will come decision time and I will have to pick what is next, the sweater or the fingerless mitts. I have some time though, and whole lot of knitting to do before then. I am hopeful I will get some sewing in too, sometime soon.

a tiny cowl

Happy Monday! Or something. I actually have that finish that I mentioned...done and photographed with a model! As I mentioned earlier, after making a whole sweater, I felt like I needed a nice small project that I could get done quickly. Since it has been on my list for a while, I decided to go ahead and make my little one a cowl, even though the likelihood of it being used in the near future is very low.

I let her pick the yarn and she picked this tweedy recycled yarn that I have had for a while that I used to make myself some leg warmers a while back. I was surprised since I thought she would pick something more colorful, but it is a very sensible choice haha. She surprises me a lot with things like that actually.

The pattern is the child version of the sophia cowl by green bee patterns. It is a nice simple pattern that makes a nice little cowl. I did get bored and make it about an inch shorter I think, but since she is only 4 I figured that would work, and it does. I know I'm biased, but I think she looks so darn cute! Love this girl.

So that's my recent finish. I am making good progress on my shawl, which I am totally loving, but will definitely take a while to get to a finish I think. As the rows get longer and longer I am definitely slowing down. I also do have a few sewing plans in the works, a travel bag for the little and some clothes for me, along with working on my DWR quilt, so hopefully I will get going on all that soon. It turns out I have a harder time focusing and sewing when the baby isn't sleeping....and since we've had 2 molars come in, in the past two weeks, with another one almost through, not to mention the walking and almost talking....yeah, not so much on the sleep. I just have to keep reminding myself, this is not a race or a contest, just something I do to make myself happy, and as long as I am happy with the things I do make, it's all good. Have a good week friends!