I Finished It!!!

 

This little sweater is for a baby boy, soon to be born.  I hope he enjoys it.  I actually learned quite a bit about cable work and twisted stitches and reading my knitting while making this sweater.  I got good enough that by the time I was working on the sleeves, I didn't even need the chart anymore, crazy I know.  I am happy with how it turned out.  

Handmade Holiday Ideas

(Don't think I'm crazy, this is last years tree.)

Hey, I just wanted to pass on a link that I'm sure everyone has already seen.  Sew Mama Sew has a different list of cool holiday projects every day in the month of November, and they are all themed.  I know that I'm making a number of things off the list this year! 

I even went out and bought some goodies from the hardware store today to get to work.  More on that later....

Trick or Treat

I know I know, I am so late at this.  But here are baby Batman and an Incredible Hulk who really didn't like having his face painted.  They both loved trick or treating though. 

Fynn's Jacket

 I finished this jacket over the weekend for Fynn but as he was at his Grandmother's house, I hadn't had a chance to get a picture of him in it until now.  It is from, what is quickly becoming my favorite pattern, the All Set Pattern Set by Anna Maria Horner.I used a blue corduroy and some turtle flannel I had in my stash for this jacket.  I didn't have enough of the flannel, but didn't realize it until I had the jacket half cut out, so...I used a strip of the green corduroy from Liam's jacket as the contrasting strip on the hood.  I have discovered a few things that I'm going to change next time.  First, my kids must have really long arms so I will be lengthening the sleeves to give them a little more of a cuff.  This is a size 4t and it feels a little short on him.  Also, I think I want the next jacket to be a few inches longer too...I know a traditional coat would fall right at the waist, but my kids don't really tuck in their shirts, and it looks a little silly to me.  But, the most important thing is he loves this jacket and has worn it to school every day this week to show everyone his turtle coat.
The big change I made with this coat after making Liam's is I made button holes instead of elastic loops, I don't like the way the loops pull the button placket in.  but the button holes worked perfectly.
I definitely have a few changes I will make next time...maybe they both need spring coats, but I am very happy with how this one came out.

And so is he!  (Please excuse the scrap of batting on the floor behind my son...we live in a crafting house.)

Did You?

Just a Reminder for Tomorrow

Indian Summer

From time to time I get the chance to make a quilt sample for work.  It doesn't happen as often as you would thing, I have way too much behind the scenes stuff I take care of to get to sew as much as you would think.  But I finished this quilt just a little while ago. It is the Turning Twenty pattern.  I picked out all the fabric and we named it "Indian Summer" at the store.  I think this is one of my favorite color combinations that I have picked out to date.  And as a bonus, I even got to sew it together! 

Liam's Jacket

 I finished this coat for Liam about a week ago.  He LOVES it. 

 Especially without pants...

I used the All Set pattern by Anna Maria Horner.  It came out perfectly!  Just a little green corduroy and lizard flannel and we have a cute little fall jacket all ready for the wearing! I have already finished another for Fynn, but as he is at his Grandmother's house having a blast, his pictures will wait until later this week. 

Packing

I'm not going anyway, in fact I am staying home for a very busy weekend.  Fynn, however, is off to Grandma's house for his first ever sleepover with my Mom. 

My little boy is growing up!  They are going to do all sorts of fun Grandma/Fynn things and play games and be incredibly spoiled, as all grandchildren should be.  His father, Patrick is also off to play games and have fun.  He is going to Carnage on the Mountain in VT to play lots of table top games. 
So it will be Liam and I here at home for the weekend.  More on that to come...

Halloween

Pumpkins were scooped and carved...and if you were Liam, chewed on.  Fynn did a great job helping with the knife work and the artistic vision, however he was not at all impressed with the pumpkin guts.  
Tonight we will all walk around the mills and visit with friends and neighbors with the Hulk and Batman.  

Pumpkin Fest 2012

 Fynn with the Peacock!

 Petting the Piggy Bank!

 A White Rabbit!

 Beautiful lighthouse.  

 My Favorite...the Octopus!  This was really nicely carved. 

 Mr. Liam having a snuggle with Daddy!

Pumpkin Fest was Columbus Day Weekend and as usual the pumpkins were super fun!  Here are a few of the MANY pictures we took that weekend. 

Common Ground

Common Ground Fair was awesome as always!  We had an absolute blast!

 The Hobbit Houses!

The Food!

The Fiber!

And for Liam, it was all about the garlic pickles! 

Fynn has pants!

 Excuse the dark pictures, there was no light outside this morning and my house is really dark!

However, Fynn did go to school wearing the Quick Change Trousers I finished for him last night! I do have to open a seam and tighten up the elastic a touch, he was sleeping when I got to that part and I really didn't want to wake him up to measure, but I wanted to finish them.  Oh well. 

 

 He quite enjoyed mugging for the camera!  And if you ask him his favorite part of the pants, he will tell you...

 He loves the little people on the butt!  This is my kid alright! 

I did make the outside out of quilting weight cotton fabric.  The inside, although they are completely reversible, is made out of some bug flannel to keep him nice and warm on this crispy fall day.  I made the 4t size and well, my kid is a bean pole and I think they will fit him for a while.  He will definitely grow out of them length wise first. 
The Main fabric on the outside is Dimitri Vine by David Butler.  The butt patch is some old Castle Peeps I had on hand.  The Flannel side is some bug flannel I got somewhere, maybe a Joann Fabric sale.  And the butt patch on the flannel side is some of the Moda Sock Monkey Knit in brown that I had hanging out.  I actually had just enough left for that butt patch...they don't take much. 

Take the Challenge!

I know I am a day late starting this, but I think it is ok.   I was actually working on a pair of pants for Fynn last night in the sewing room, so I totally think it counts. I have quite a few kids projects that I want to get finished up for them this fall. Including Quick Change Trousers, Jackets and a cute little skirt for my Niece, all from the All Set pattern set by Anna Maria Horner! I think this will be a great excuse to really focus on this set of sewing for Christmas and Fall this year.

I have been working like a busy little bee making Christmas stuff this year.  The move has been great because I now have a sewing room on the first floor so I can just pop in there any time I have even a few minutes and work away at whatever project I have going at the time.  And, I have a lot going.  There will be pictures, many pictures to come as people start receiving their gifts. 

Summer, Where Did You Go?

I made a birthday dress for my Niece.

Fynn was silly for the camera.

We had a Turtle Birthday Party.

Liam Played outside. 

Went to the Maine State Quilt Show.  

The last few weeks/months were a blur of moving, playing, going to the beach, crafting and hanging with the kiddos.  I hope everyone else had a fun, summer too.