warming

I'm having a hard time believing that this is indeed Alaska in January. Yesterday it warmed up to close to 40 and rained off nearly all of the fluffy white stuff that has adorned our yard since November.

I'm not complaining...really.  It feels downright balmy out, and on Thursday there was great fun to be had building snowmen, and yesterday the road was clear enough that I actually took the kids for a walk with the stroller.  It feels like spring time, but we all know just what kind of a trick that is.

It has the chickens fooled.  They are a happy bunch and have been steadily laying more and more eggs.  Today there were 7; even the first much anticipated blue one from "Sweety" our only Ameraucana hen.

The weather forecast is calling for at least another week of this. 

Stay asleep trees!  There are months of cold ahead yet. 

Speaking of sleep, I was able to make Sadie's new big girl bed a duvet cover this week.  

 

She calls it her patchwork fairy and butterfly garden. 

Can you tell that my soul just craves bright colors on these short winter days? 

I just loved this piece of fairy fabric from Hawethorne Threads, and I made the bright patchwork so it was reversible (per Sadie's request).  This turned out to be a quick project with the help of my trusty serger.  This is the second "quiltish" thing I've sewed with it, and I have to say that as long as you aren't sewing anything complex or small this thing makes the projects just fly.  The kids had lots of fun helping me with this, rearranging the entire contents of my sewing room, and also the arrangement of the patchwork squares so many times that I have no idea if the final product even closely resembles the one I thoughtfully put together during nap time. I also discovered that Eli really likes to lap sit and watch the sewing process. It's a little nerve racking at times because his curious little hands get waved closer and closer to the needles as he shouts "round and round!" with glee. 

 It made for some interesting seams, and one Amish style mistake that I left in rather than rip out a whole seam of serged stitches and re-adjust all my binding pieces.  

oh well.  No duvet covers are perfect.

But this one works just right to warm up Sadie's big girl room.  Now I just need to build her bed frame, finish painting her shelves and sew some curtains.  Oh, and figure out how to arrange everything with some groovy feng shui. It'll get there.  Eventually.

pink.

This week was mitten sewing week.  Because when it comes to children you can never have too much patience, or too many mittens in January.  I started by sewing Eli a pair of mittens from an upcycled wool sweater with some pretty trim.  Then I sewed Sadie a pair from a different sweater (which I thought was cool) but they didn't pass muster.  First, they looked too different from Eli's, then the strings inside bothered her (note to self: felted fairisle = no good for the tactile sensitive child.) After much tears, and exasperation on my part... I let Sadie pick out her own trim and wool--which I should have just done in the first place.  This is what she picked.

I used a pattern from an Oliver + S sewing book I have.  It's really quick and easy, and perfect for felted wool.  As a surprise I decided to applique a fairy on a pink t-shirt to go with them. For my girl who loves pink, and fairies.

This applique is just a cut out of some amazing Alexander Henry fabric I found here.

Isn't it sweet?  I actually bought a bunch of it to sew a duvet cover for Sadie's new big-girl bed.  

There's something good for the soul about bright colors in January.  And all this pink has me garden dreaming of things like this:

 and this...

and this...

 

photo credit: here

ah.... summer.  It'll come around again, but till it does

there's lots of sitting by warm fires, and knitting  to be done.

and of course, pouring through seed catalogs with a hot cup of coffee in hand.

jellyfish dress

I got this fabric from spoonflower over a year ago. 
Sadie has been admiring it, off and on since then.  I finally decided to make her something out of it... a winter "twirling dress" to replace the much-loved summer one she wore into rags. I kind of made up the pattern loosely based on a favorite t-shirt.  It's nothing fancy.  The rest of the fabric is organic cotton knit jersey from fabric.com, I think--It's been in the stash for quite a while.

If you've never checked out spoonflower, you should.  They have a pretty innovative business going on.  Their organic cotton jersey knit is some of the most lovely fabric I've ever run my fingers across, but it is not cheap.  And oh, does it fade.  The original fabric is pictured above, and the dress below is after only one wash.  I was kinda bummed on this one, it faded more than usual, or, probably because of the darker dyes the fading was more noticeable.

 I understand that this is the life of the water based inks they use to print, combined with the fact that the knit fabric stretches while it washes and allows the ink to escape more, or something along those lines.  They suggest hand washing in cold water and line drying, but I really can't commit to that when using the fabric in a child's garment.  Oh well.  Sadie loves her dress anyways.  Loves it.  And her new red up-cycled sweater mocs that I can NOT get her to take off her feet...day or night.

Faded fabric, faded petunias, already faded memories of summer on these cold fall mornings. Who can complain of a cozy jellyfish twirling dress to warm you up from neck to ankles right? It does go so perfect with my little water moon child at least.

short & sweet summer smock

I finally got my sewing machine out...since moving from Nome--hello old friend!  The first thing I did was to figure out how to sew a rolled hem on rayon crepe (hemming some pants for an amazing lady who is about to turn 90!) and then, to restore my sanity, I jumped right into this project:

summer sewing

This week I have been trying to balance our outside playtime with a little bit of inside sewing (and knitting).  It seems like Sadie has pretty much grown out of all of last summer's clothes, and its almost time to put away all the wool and fleece.  This year I have made it a goal to make most of Sadie's clothes--not only to save money, but because it makes it more meaningful to put love and time into things myself.  Not to mention quality control.  There is nothing more disappointing than cheaply made children's clothes--and it seems to be the norm more than the exception these days. If ever there was a population that could really put a garment to the test it must be kids ages 2-7.

I started out with this sweet little summer cardigan (pattern here on Ravelry) This should probably get a blog post all to itself, since it is only the third ever project I have finished knitting. I usually roll with the crochet--but after getting my stash of qiviut back from the mills I have made it my goal to become a more worthy knitter so I can tackle some big projects in the fall. Honestly, the sweater turned out super cute.  Sadie picked out the buttons herself, and it is just perfect to take the chill out of these not-quite-summer mornings. (knitted with superwash merino wool)

n

Next up, the "super easy linen shirt" pattern from Sewing for Boys--made out of quilting cotton scraps.  Notice Sadie accesorizing with her "Bow like Emmaline."  (Our neighbor's baby has an amazing collection of bow & flower headbands that have become a major fascination for Sadie) This one is made from braided, upcycled t-shirt material and a kansashi flower that my mom made.

And of course, no outfit would be complete without some pants.  These harem pants are made from upcycled shirt sleeves.

The best thing about these pants it they are ridiculously quick and easy to sew (like a 30 minute project--no joke) because all the sewing is pretty much done for you.  Plus, you can't beat the price.

up next... I plan to tackle some of these beautifully soft organic cotton knits that I procured from the amazing (and wallet-shrinking) Spoonflower.  When Sadie saw the one with the horses she points to my sewing machine and goes, "mama, sew."  So maybe she'll get a dress out of that--but I also have plans for some clothes for our newbie--I guess I better get a sewin' since the countdown is on.  30 weeks tomorrow--how the time does fly!

My first Waldorf Doll...and maybe my last.

Sadie's 2-year-old birthday is coming up in a couple months, and this year she is suddenly wise to, and intensely fascinated by, all things birthday.  That means I have to actually get it together and throw her a party.  While we aren't generally big party people, and definitely not into showering a kid Sadie's age with a bajillion toys and thingamajigs, I did want her to have a special present. I have been admiring the beautiful handmade Waldorf-style dolls on Etsy for some time now--and I actually ordered the materials to make my own months ago (as a Christmas present) but at the time I was too busy, and morning sick...and Sadie wasn't really into dolls yet.

Fast forward 4 months, and Sadie is all about dolls, and pretend play.  So I decided I better get on this project, in case it was going to take me two months (it actually took me 3 days).  I used the Little Amigo doll pattern from the Sew Liberated book.  I love that book, by the way.  If you are reading this, and interested in making your own doll--Weir Crafts is a great online place to one-stop-shop for all your doll making needs. Anyway, this is what I came up with:

I'm pretty pleased with how it came out for a first attempt...and I have to say, there is a reason these dolls sell for upwards of $100.  They are truly a labor of love.  I had ordered some extra materials thinking I might make a few other dolls to sell at a local shop here, and I already know that isn't going to happen.  I might not love anyone else enough to make them a doll like this until the next baby turns two...or five:)

That being said, making this doll was really fun--a project I could barely put down. And I love that it is made out of all-natural, washable materials (wool, cotton and beeswax) with not a speck of plastic in it.  It is super cuddleable and I think it will be a good buddy for Sadie, especially with all the transitions we have coming up this summer.

Now, I just need to make the doll (and my increasingly taller kid) some clothes.  That project will probably take me the rest of my 2-month time allotment. Seriously.

A Color Palette for Spring

What with the warming weather and all its enticements I have been neglecting the blog lately in favor of more sunshiny pursuits, but let me share with you at least a few snapshots of the spring projects that are cropping up around here.

Porcelain buttons with impressed antique lace (or stamps). Pretty much all I've made in the ceramics studio apart from a bazillion bowls for an upcoming charity event.

Fabric pieced shower curtain. Idea blatantly poached from a notoriously overpriced and trendy catalog ahem, anthropologie. Made a couple months ago for a fraction of the cost--just forgot to blog about it, but still really liking it. It feels so springy! It is also Cash's new fave place to hang out--maybe he likes the way the colors compliment his golden tan.

Some new duds for Sadie--pants and shirt from Sewing for Boys (yes, I know my kid is a girl, but these are comfortable, kid-friendly patterns that let my busy girl move and climb and dance and play the way kids are meant to.) Also, some new tactile experiences.  Sadie is now allowed some limited visitation hours with the button jar, or the marble collection she inherited from her Great Grandma Louise. It is nice that she seems to have finally outgrown the need to put everything in her mouth...mostly.

And lastly, Loren's amazing caribou pho.  Over the last few weeks our family slogged through the epic springtime flu that seems to be making its way around the state. During the course, we ate a lot of soup. Not much good to say about the flu, but this soup deserves to have a blog post all to itself, it's that good. 

That's kind of it.  I guess until the dirty snow and mud give way to some beautiful tundra spring colors I will just have to enjoy these lime greens, vivid blues, and the satisfying rainbow of colors that spills out of the button jar without fail--all with a healthy measure of sunshine added in, of course.  Happy almost May!

Upcycled Wool Snuggle Bunnies

I haven't been doing much crafting or sewing lately.  It seems like it's been all I can do to keep up with the house chores,  the cooking, the dogs, my own little one, and the new little one I have been keeping an eye on during the day.  When a friend dropped off a bag of felted wool sweater scraps a couple weeks ago though, I just had to make something.

 

For some reason, Sadie's been really into bunnies lately, and the lovely piece of soft grey cashmere on the right just called out to become a rabbit.  I looked online for some bunny toy patterns, and found a lot of cute ones that were rag-doll style with long dangle-y arms and legs, but I had something more "Watership Down-but-also-snuggleable" in mind, and this is what I came up with.

The one on the right is actually Sadie's new favorite lovey.  It has been beaten around the house for a couple weeks, and is holding up rather well.  The one on the left is stuffed with raw wool and organic lavender and smells like heaven--it is a gift for a friend's little, so I have to keep it hidden, or Sadie will claim it for her own.   I would have liked to get a few more pictures to show what they look like from different angles, but Sadie kept snatching them up and trying to snuggle with them. 

Who can resist a snuggle bunny? If I can get my act together, I will put a pattern and tutorial on here in late March so you can sew your own in time for Easter. It is a really simple pattern, and a great way to use recycled crafting materials.  This would be a perfect addition to a little one's Easter Basket.  Happy up-cycling to you all!

just in time

One of my favorite things about Christmas growing up was the awesome stockings our mom made us.  I decided I needed to pass the tradition along to Sadie, so I started sewing her a stocking last December, and I just finished it last night.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, considering: 1.) I have never sewed a sequin onto anything in my life, and 2.) Cash came out looking just a little bit like Mr. Hanky the Christmas Poo from Southpark.

Still, When I asked Sadie, "Who's that?" and pointed to the dog, she said, "Tash!" So if its good enough for her, its good enough for me.

Hopefully this stocking will be just the beginning of many fun and happy holiday traditions our family celebrates together in the future!

mini-mukluk making marathon.

My sewing room is in defcom four disaster mode as I attempt to throw together as many things as I can for the Thanksgiving craft fair.  Saturday I sewed fabric bags, Sunday--Christmas skirts and appliqued onesies, and Yesterday... 5 pairs of mini-muks. I wasn't counting on getting that many made, but Sadie took a 2 1/2 hour nap (!) That almost never happens.  I am loving the magic mukluks with the stars, as well as the soft organic cotton mukluks for wee babes.  It is a nice way to use up some small pieces of the fabric I got from spoonflower. I am really making my sewing machine work hard this year!

LOVING this book right now.

Seriously.  I am SEW happy with this book ;-)

I want to make almost every single project in it.  The instructions are clear and simple, the ideas creative and kid-friendly.  I am using these patterns and ideas for a jumping off point for some of the Christmas gifts I want to make this year. I started with this pattern for basic pocket pants. 

 

...and that inspired me to start burning through some of my knit fabric stash.  Sadie has pretty much outgrown all her pj's, so I made her these:

But the top was just a little to big, so I had to make a second one (they sew up really fast!) to see if I could get a better fit.

I like this one even better. 

Also in the mail this week...my own labels!  I designed them with my high-tech design software picnik (its free, and online!)  and had them printed at Sewnique's etsy shop--for a pretty reasonable price if I do say so.

Saturday Sewing: Mini-Mukluks

 With the cold weather settling in, and the temp dipping down into the teens for several weeks now, Sadie has been long overdue for a pair of warmer winter boots, and I have been scouring the online pattern sources looking for something simple, and mukluk-y.  I haven't been so lucky, so I had to make up my own pattern.  I am kind of liking how it came out. 

 

I found this awesome, double-sided minky fabric when I was down in the big city.  I had no idea what it would be good for, but it was 75% off, and so soft and warm, so I bought the rest of the bolt.  Turns out, it sews up into some sweet little muks. Sometimes those impulse purchases do come in handy!

I still have a few tweaks I need to make on this pattern, but I think overall it's a good one. {Really quick and easy to put together, which is the only way I sew these days} In fact, the hardest thing about it was just trying to get Sadie to sit/ stand still long enough so I could take a picture.