more zombieeees

So I'm really not sure where the fascination with zombies comes from, but if there are zombies on it it's a win in his book.

I was still working on this when he came into my sewing room and got all excited.  "Zombies!  Zombies!  Hey look: zombies!"  I soon realized he had found his new shirt and decided that it was, what else, a zombie.  I would've gone with just skeleton, but I suppose once it starts walking around it's a zombie?  But do zombies skateboard, I think is the big question here.  

In all honestly I was a bit hesitant about making this shirt.  I thought it was pretty cool when I picked it up at Goodwill, but upon further perusal began to wonder if a boarding skeleton holding a bottle of... something... was moderately inappropriate attire for a four year old.  

Really, that's a debate in and of itself.  What is and isn't appropriate to dress your kids in?  Is dressing them up like a gangster just asking for trouble?  I feel like this shirt is pretty cool looking and innocent enough, but would some say that it's too adult for him?  I don't know.  Well, probably some people would... but some people believe vaccines and electricity are evil so, well, there ya go.

I finally realized why I keep getting puckers along the neckline when I use this pattern.  (Obviously I used the raw edge raglan from Sewing for Boys, as usual.  If it ain't broke don't fix it right?)  The seam allowances included in the pattern are probably 3/8 or 5/8 of an inch and I always sew knits with a 1/4" seam allowance.  Next time I'll cut the neckband accordingly.  Obviously it's too late to help this one but he doesn't seem to care much.

And just for fun some rolling around in the grass pics =)  On Labor Day we went to the Tacoma zoo and saw the sharks and generally a great time was had by all.  Although the grown ups were pretty exhausted by the time we got home!

I did not make baby girl's clothes, but isn't she precious with those little pigtails (squee!!!)  They play together so well.  I'm really impressed at how well the boy protects and plays with his little sister.  It pretty much melts my heart the way he takes care of her.  

Here at the End of Paper Things

Because I love a good pretentiously named sweater

I finished my first sweater of 2013 last night at 11, so technically just barely finished in January.  That means I'm still on schedule for 12 sweaters in 12 months.  Of course I started it mid-December but whatever.

I'm wearing a black camisole underneath (because I always wear a camisole underneath everything) so that lace is not part of the sweater.

The stitch pattern is lifted from Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts.... so you've seen it before.  It's a very simple stitch pattern so it was easy to sweaterize.  I worked it from the bottom up because I am perpetually indecisive.  This way I didn't have to decide on neckline shape or raglan versus set in sleeves until most of the sweater was knit.  

I worked faux seams along the sides of the body, running along the underside of the arm, and then up along the raglan seams.  I love using a raglan seam as a design element with a bold line or cable.  Plus the "seam" helps hide the jog when you change rows.  All cast ons and bind offs are of the tubular sort, worked over 2x2 rib.  I swear one day I'll get a tutorial up for that.

I'm an idiot and can't use the self timer on my camera apparently, but look how pretty the stitch pattern is!  Plus you can see the neckline.  The whole sweater is seamless so when I started the neckline shaping I bound off one stitch (for the bottom of the V) and cast on 8 steek stitches.  After I finished knitting I machine sewed the steeks (2 lines on each side) and cut.  I used a blanket stitch to tack down the steeks then picked up and knit the neckline.  It wasn't my first steek and I doubt it will be my last.  Sometimes I wonder why people say things are scary when they're really not that bad.  Steeks aren't scary, they're easier than the alternative!

Here's a more flattering but much less informative rear view.  The yarns are dark grey and off white (natural?  sheep colored?).  They contrast pretty well but I've noticed that from afar they seem to look more like a heathered solid.  

Speaking of which, the yarns were salvaged from two old sweaters.  The grey is wool and the natural is a really soft yummy angora wool blend.  The grey isn't that soft but the combination of the two is super snuggly and warm.  I'm glad I combined them because I didn't think a sweater out of the grey would be wearable.

Overall I'm quite pleased with the outcome.  After taking these pics we went for a bike ride and it was comfortable and warm enough to go jacketless (which in January in Seattle is no small feat).  Actually hurray for finally having a nice enough day for outside pictures.  I didn't actually do any bike riding but the boy is getting the hang of this bike thing =)

not a lady

Not lady enough for a pencil skirt anyway.  I'm opposed to any skirt that's so difficult to run/squat down to pick up bottles/climb stairs/get into the car in.  But it seemed more appropriate for a job interview than my usual jeans or full skirt.  Never say never, but seriously never again.

It's made from a nice subtle black and grey pinstripe men's shirt (which you can't see cuz January in Seattle doh).  I got the idea from (where else?) Pinterest.  Megan Nielsen (whom I obviously luurve) made one but kept the buttons for interest on the center front.  Since I wanted a more traditional/professional look I cut off the plackets and sewed up the front which became the center back.  After that it was just a matter of pinning and sewing until I had the right fit.  I also lined it (go me!).  Unfortunately I felt the lining slide out of the hem while sitting in my interview (fail!).  I shall have to fix it, but since I can't imagine an occasion on which I would willingly don a pencil skirt again I am procrastinating. 

The black blazer I purchased at Ross specifically for the interview and damn.  I'd almost forgotten what crap their clothes are.  If I stitch down the facing (which hangs loose something awful) it won't look so bad but seriously, why didn't they do that?

I actually think it's quite nice looking, but boo for skirts that aren't conducive to real life.

vintage modern darling

I don't recall who said it but blog guilt is a strange beast.  Why do I feel guilty?  To whom exactly do I apologize for blatant blog absenteeism?  Poor light conditions?  General disappointing imperfection?  Redundancy and repetitiveness?

I don't know, so I'll just go ahead and apologize once for my truancy, the light (or lack thereof) in Seattle in January, and the fact that this is yet another rendition of the Darling Ranges dress.

here i am looking incongruously badass on a field of rainbow hearts 

The thing I like about this pattern is that it's simple to alter.  It's just a basic button-up dress without a lot of fuss.  I've used it to make shirts so far but this time I did a full skirt with pockets...  you know, like the kind pants have.

The original pattern has a rectangular gathered skirt (a dirndl I think it's called) with pockets sewn into the side seams.  I only sewed it up like that once for a muslin and decided it wasn't my style so I used the skirt pieces from another pattern and drafted my own pockets (which are finished with bias tape ooh lala so fancy).  I've used that pocket piece on several pairs of pants and skirts and I don't like it.  I like this kind of pocket better.  They stay put and don't bulge out or pull down oddly.

I'll try and do a swayback adjustment on my next one, I'm not diggin' all those wrinkles on the back.

You can't really see the pattern on the other shots so here's a better look.  You can also see my fish mobile (which never got a blog post but fully deserves one) and my little helper.  That's what I'm looking at by the way.

The material was a top sheet from Goodwill.  I do have some nice fabric but I'm in that awkward phase where I'm too chicken to use it.  What if I ruin it!?  I keep telling myself once I get some more practice...

I've modified the pattern pieces so many times it's hard to say what other changes have happened on the bodice.  You can see my awesomesauce pockets though.  Yes!  I did have some weirdness around the neckline and had to turn under the neck edge (after I'd already finished it with bias tape!) and sew it down.  It's all right, but doh!  I don't know why this one time it came out all wonky and gapey.  My computer insists gapey isn't a word but I beg to differ.

I never can get the twirly shots to work but it's twirly!

All in all I'm happy and I will continue to use this pattern to death.  For the price I certainly intend to get my money's worth!  (I'd like to add that this pattern is obviously awesome and worth the money.  That's why I keep using it.  Plus, supporting indie designers instead of the big evil corporate pattern makers.  It's a win-win).  Total cost: $2.75 and there's enough fabric left for a skirt.

Apron in Action

My boy likes to help Mommy in the kitchen.  Well, he likes to help eat make cookies anyway.  And throw soapy water all over the floor.  That too

Inspired by Karen's apron-a-long I made not one but three aprons.  This one had to wait to be modeled though since it was a Christmas present and it's a wee, shall we say, small for moi.  I bundled up his apron, some water colors, and a cookie cutter thinking they kind of went together and here's what we got.

Making cookies.  We've got the dough in the bowl and all's well so far.

Is it time to cut them out yet?  He thinks so.

What's this?  That's not right.

It is angered.

There's dough stuck in the cookie cutter!  Tragedy!

How quickly it goes so bad.

By the way, he now has a jacket, a pair of matchy pajamas, and an apron from this material.  Thankfully the quilt just about finished off the rest of it.  He picked this material out and, while fun, I can't look at it anymore.

For the apron I just measured him pretty haphazardly and drew up a pattern piece.  It's an apron; not rocket science.

groovy baby (dress)

Hella groovy amiright?  I don't know where this crazy tie dyed pillow case came from, but if the original owner happens to be reading this: sorry, you're not gettin' it back.  

I used the same tee pattern I used for baby girl's Christmas PJ top but lengthened it to be more dress length.  Said pattern was made by tracing around an existing onesie and adding seam allowances (and a little bit of room to grow, you know how babies are).  I don't like to toot my own horn or anything (who? me?  never) but this pattern came out just right with no fuss. 

playing with her christmas butterfly

It's just one piece for the front and back.  I cut the front out using the pattern piece exactly and cut the neck about an inch higher for the back.  One piece for the sleeves (cut on the fold, none of that asymmetrical sleeve cap stuff here).  And a neckband cut out to 85 percent of the neck measurement.  It seriously took less than an hour to make this.  Me likey.

In the background here you can see the quilt.  Oh God, that quilt.  I'll write a post on that as soon as I get decent pictures of the whole thing.

I wanted to keep the hem of the pillowcase which made this project extra fast but that meant cutting everything off grain.  One thing I've found when repurposing knits is that they're almost always cut way off grain.  C'est la vie.  No big D this thing fits just fine and is so stinkin' cute anyway.

Final thoughts? Groovy

always reading mitts

pattern: suzie's reading mitts

yarn: alpaca upcycled from an unwanted sweater

rav page

a christmas present for my mom.  by request...  although she so casually asked for both fingerless mitts and a ruffly apron that i wonder if she'll even remember.  

this is the third time i've made this pattern and it never fails to please.  these gloves are so simple and elegant but quick to knit.  a perfect last minute gift (not that christmas is that imminent but it is officially looming!)  these gloves are officially wrapped and under our christmas tree!  it's a regular santa's lil sweatshop around here.  the boy and i have been making christmas ornaments and wreaths, decorating, making christmas cookies, breaking ornaments, and all sorts of other holiday stuff =)

i've been soo busy doing all this christmas prep stuff as well as making christmas presents that i've got quite a little backlog of projects to photograph and blog.  if only the sun were ever to grace our seattle november...  i love christmas, i live for it i really do.... but all i want to do right now is knit myself a sweater.  i imagine it will be cast on before christmas; i don't have many more christmassy items to knit =)

everybody else getting amped up for christmas?  or foiled in their blogging attempts by the wintry weather?

horse of a different color.

Another tee much like the first.  Except, as is usually the case...

different.  This one is purple with a black geometric print.  I couldn't get any half decent photos (when you see that hat it's cuz my hair is a hot mess) but I had fun playing with the special effects in Picasa.

This time the source fabric was a very large shirt donated by my mom.  As a matter of fact here's the before pic so you can see it in all its sloppy, oversized, turtlenecked glory.

crappy iphone before pic

It's better now, no?  The fabric is a poly cotton blend.  I both love and hate poly cotton blends.  It drapes beautifully and doesn't wrinkle, but I keep melting that shit with my iron!  Seriously.  Hopefully one day I'll be grown up enough for a nice iron.

I love the fit of this new tee shirt block (is that what you'd call it?) and I foresee lots of new tees for me.  Especially now that I know it's possible to make one from a larger tee shirt.  I did have some trouble cutting the sleeves (turns out the sleeves on the RTW shirt were quite different which led to some fancy cutting on my part) and I ended up cutting the original neckline ribbing in half horizontally and piecing the new neckline from the resulting pieces.  It was a bit messy but I think it came out ok.

myspace caliber self portrait

This is just about the only shot in which you can see the print (and my super messy living room floor).  I think the print is kinda (hella) 90s but hopefully the new shape gives it a modern feel (can anyone believe the 90s are no longer modern or current?!)

BTW if you'll forgive a little bit of shameless self promotion that scarf is for sale here in my Etsy shop.  C'mon, you know you want it!

Glam girl

I took a few different aspects of a couple of different patterns and added some of my own ideas and voila!

A little baby dress with contrast Peter Pan collar and ruffle.  I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.  It might just be the nicest thing I've made to date (in it's own way).  I'm just super impressed with how the ruffle turned out.

How cute are those little feet stickin' out of the bottom?!  Of course we live in Seattle and it is October so I had to make her a little shrug to go with it.  Once again this is a mashup of a couple of patterns combined with my vision.

Why are you doing this to me mommy?

Oh yeah, cuz I'm so frackin' cute!

 

I'm really happy with how the shrug turned out too, so you can probably expect to see another one of these (in pink?) as well as a post of how I did it. 

I should mention that I actually made two of these dresses. The one pictured is in my Etsy shop and the other one is for my baby girl.  The only difference is that her dress has the ruffle and collar the same fabric instead of the contrast.  

They are both reversible though.  I don't know why, since I hardly ever end up using the other side of reversible clothing, but I just love it!  It's like my little secret and it just looks so nice on both sides.

Autumn mitts

I've been having some major project ADD lately.  The result?  Not a whole lot of finished items.  Most of the items I have finished are for my Etsy shop which I'm trying to get up and running (unsuccessfully as of yet, having not sold anything).  It has taught me the value of blogging, though.  It gives me a sense of accomplishment (real or otherwise being an argument I'd prefer not to have).

As the weather turns cold, though, my thoughts can't help but turn to fingerless gloves and hats.  I don't know why but I feel like I can just never have enough.  Plus they're quick enough that I can finish them even in a fit of project ADD.  Or if I go and cast on a bunch of new projects I can come back and finish them without too much confusion.

Here are a couple of pairs I've finished recently (from upcycled stash yarns no less).  I imagine I'll be making at least one pair for myself this year and I might try some out for my mom for Christmas (which is creeping up if you haven't noticed).

striped baby dresses

It's so cute I'm gonna die!

It kind of matches the diaper cover, but are stripes and gingham allowed to mix?

Big pink buttons.

Tummy time!

I love the bright beachy stripes =)

She's trying to get away!

So cute 

Outside

Inside (just as pretty as the outside!)

https://www.etsy.com/listing/110648998/ruffled-baby-dress-3-month