Waiting...

... for baby girl to be here to snuggle in this cocoon...and pose in a shrug and don some hats.

Less than a month to go, and yes, mommy is feeling it. Below is the first cocoon (deemed not girly enough by me, have I mentioned that this pregnancy has left me so indecisive it's just ridiculous? I have knitted a couple of items, only to decide I don't like them once they are complete). The cocoon is a free pattern get it here.

Below is my second Itty Bitty Baby Dress from Made By Rae (free here). You can see my first attempt here. I've gone back and forth about adding a little something to the top, like an embroidered flower, a friend suggested baby's first initial (um, we don't know that yet, no agreement between me and C, probably won't know until forced to decide by her arrival and even then, I'm thinking it's going to be a tough decision).

An awesome wet bag for cloth diapers (or anything wet, like bathing suits). I did not make this. It's a gift from a friend who (along with Mel and her husband and some posts from Tasha) has really encouraged me to try cloth diapering. Isn't the fabric great?!?

This past week, C and I went to a free cloth diapering class put on by a local store that carries lots of cloth diapering gear as well as breastfeeding supplies and slings, wraps, etc. We purchased a few prefolds and a Snappi, and the same friend who gave me the wet bag has loaned me a few newborn size covers. We are going to give it a try.

So about the waiting...
we are also waiting for...

-me to use up all the regular detergent, so we can "treat" our washing machine to start laundering cloth diapers

-the paint in baby's room to dry, so we can see if any touching up needs to be done

-the painting to be done, so we can put all the *girly* crib bedding on, set up the bed and put the quilt my aunt made on it, move all the shower gifts in, decorate... Aieee!!

-for me to finish her coming home outfit (requires a bit more sewing and a try at freezer paper stenciling... Aieee!!)

Notice a theme here? To top it off, I'm having some contractions as I type this (I've been having them off and on).

Knowing me, the next post will hopefully be all about baby :)

Projects: A Little Crochet, A Little Knit

A crocheted scarf for my cousin's eleventh birthday. I was excited to get it to her in time for the recent snow! This pattern is from a tutorial and can easily be done in a day, probably half a day. I did the majority of it while watching my Anne of Green Gables video one Saturday.
This hat is for one of C's co-workers. She did not find out if the baby was a boy or girl, so I used the aqua Baby Boo bamboo yarn. When she delivered a girl, we added a pink ribbon, and I love this color combination. This hat ended up a bit too tall, and I can only blame it on my inexperience with this yarn which is super soft but I guess stretchier than what I'm used to using. Hopefully, she'll get to wear it without it looking too silly.

H is working on Valentine's for his class right now, and I need to get some decorations up. I cut out some construction paper hearts with H to make a little garland for our mantel. I have some other decorations around here somewhere. Sewing projects to come very soon!

All that knitting...

And this is the result! My orange ribbon sweater. It is knit out of ribbon rather than what you'd think of as "normal" yarn. Ribbon is a bit slippery to knit with compared to wool or blends. It took several classes to get it all finished, one might even say a lot of classes, but I learned several new stitches. It goes very well with my pants. I have a whole handmade outfit (well not the little cami top, of course). It probably took me about two months to complete, but remember they (my LYS) only have classes three days a week, and I have to have someone watch my little guys. There is no seaming, but even keeping the ends woven in with ribbon is a bit tough. I definitely would like to try the pattern again soon in "normal" yarn to see if I can remember all the new things I learned. Anyway, it's just the right color for Halloween!

Giving New Meaning to the Phrase Cutie Pie

I have been waiting for the okay to link to this hat, because I am just blown away at what people can think of and create. Then, when I checked Blue Bird Studio today, the latest posts are a baby bowl and a baby cocoon with the directions for knitting both. Go take a look, all three of these are so adorable.

Also, While They Sleep is having a giveaway for a handmade pod swaddler or the pattern to make your own. Such a cute and useful idea (my oldest HAD to be swaddled in order to sleep as an infant).

Lots of baby stuff out there, and since the two friends I had showers for back in June just recently had their girls a week and a day apart, it's been baby-visiting time around here. When I see newborns, it's hard for me to believe my boys were ever that small. It goes so very fast and is so very precious, rejoice in it.

A Little Good Stuff

A few things that are making me smile. This sign on my neighbors' mailbox:
I think that's a deal for fresh eggs, and as a gal who helped her brother run an egg business (picture an eight year-old pedaling her pink bike with a couple of dozen eggs in her little plastic-flower-decorated basket), I want to support the two boys who are behind this enterprise (which includes a blog and home-delivery). After reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, I've been buying range-free, cage-free eggs, so to buy some from right down the street is even better!

Then there's this fabric I bought for half-off! I thought it was too cute to pass up (and Mel got really excited about it).
Sorry for the poor picture quality, and for the placement. I've been having a harder time than normal moving my pictures around in posts (must speak to IT aka C).

This evening I am headed to a knitting class. Looking forward to learning new skills and making something for myself with said new skills! Also, looking forward to asking a few questions on some WIPs I have.





Lastly, I am awaiting several packages (and who doesn't love packages? we've discussed this here before). One is the above book Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots by Sharon Lovejoy (underline isn't working today either by the way, but it will underline a link it seems). I saw this book mentioned on BluebirdBaby's blog (sorry no link, pressed for time here). It's about gardening with children, and since the boys have recently discovered the fun of the water hose, I thought it might be beneficial. Another package will be bringing some fabric


It's called Fortune Sea by Anna Maria Horner, sigh, isn't it lovely?

I've Been Busy (featuring Lucy's Kimono)

Busy turning this

into this

And these

Into this

And, finally, into this

Yes, I've been very busy. Today was my second straight weekend of helping host baby showers! These two items were for a baby girl who is expected at the end of July. The kimono is from Heather Ross's Weekend Sewing, it's the Lucy's Kimono pattern (hence the title). I am worn out after several late nights of sewing. I am ready to go to bed early tonight and maybe watch some Cars :) Hope you're having a good weekend.

Fabric Find & Free Knitting Pattern

I went to a local secondhand shop that is run by the local Junior League on Friday and found what might be an old curtain.

I'm not sure what I will do with it (if anything), but I was sort of thinking an apron. Check out the little points on the edge.

Wouldn't those be cute for the bottom of an apron? The fabric is definitely heavy (like a curtain) and also a bit worn, but I like some aged things. Plus, it was $1.00. The first picture is a better representation of the color, by the way. I wouldn't say the colors or designs are my style, but old and cheap seemed to speak to me.

I discovered a great, free summer scarf pattern at StardustShoes blog. It's called Morning Snack Scarf. Don't you love it? And the name?

Photo credit: http://www.stardustshoes.blogspot.com/

Click this link for the pattern http://stardustshoes.blogspot.com/2009/03/morning-snack-scarf.html

Sew Mama Sew has been sponsoring May Giveaway Day (http://www.sewmamasew.com/), so my fingers have been typing at a lot of new blogs. So, I've discovered some neat, free stuff!

This is a pattern for a baby dress that can become a tunic as baby grows.

http://madebypetchy.blogspot.com/2008/06/free-pattern-baby-dresstunic.html

More to say, but C and H are putting our double stroller together as I type! Must go check it out!

To Find Out or Not Find Out

C and I have some friends who are expecting their first child in early May and have decided not to find out the baby's gender. Well, mostly the mom has decided, but I firmly believe it's the mother's choice on that one. So, of course, I wanted to knit another little hat! Remember this...

Now it's all done!

So, as you may have guessed from the ribbon, the mom is really hoping for a girl! However, if it's a boy, I'll just pull that pink ribbon right out, and the little guy will have a cool light green hat! The hat is a really light green and looks much better in real life, I promise. So, this was my first completed project knitted in the round! Hooray!

Back to my post title, though, I am always interested in how the question of finding out if the baby is a boy or a girl can really raise some hackles. People seem to be either very for or against finding out. We did not find out with our first child (although, C would have liked to do so), and we did find out with our second (because we had "girly" furniture that I thought I might need to replace, but we haven't, poor W). Some people really seemed to be miffed when you tell them you're not finding out. I just wanted it to be a surprise, and I felt it would give me something to focus on during labor (not so sure that worked, but that's a different post). Also, I was very hopeful that we would have at least two children, so I preferred getting "gender neutral" (read: yellow and green) clothes and blankets that could be used again regardless of baby number two's gender. So, if you have any children, did you find out or no, and why?

I've Been Knitting...

Sorry to be missing around here. I have pictures, book reviews, and stuff I want to share, just no time to get it done it seems. With C back to school, blogging time is a bit hard to find. I am starting to think the only way to be productive is to get up earlier in the morning. Sigh, not what I want to do. Maybe I could try getting up earlier on the two days H goes to school. That way, when W is napping, I'll be doing something besides showering and getting myself presentable.

I went to visit some friends who just had a baby boy last week. He was one ounce heavier than H was at birth and the same length. My first thought when I saw that little guy was, "No way!" I just can't believe how small newborns are and that my big boy was once that small! I took the new little one this hat. I was very proud because I was able to do the I-cord (the drawstring) after watching a YouTube video and reading my Stitch 'n Bitch book!

Then, last weekend, I went to a baby shower for an old friend who is expecting a little girl in February. She and her husband are Clemson University alums, so I made another Clemson-themed hat. This time, I put purple around the top, but I waited too many rows to change to purple, so you can see the stripe on the top! Oh well, as far as they know, I wanted it to look like that, right?

So, obviously, I'm still loving my knitting. I'm looking forward to taking another lesson at my LYS (local yarn shop) soon and learning to knit in the round since there are more babies coming soon! I am going to try my best to get some book reviews up here soon.

Wedding Weekend Wrap-up

Before I tell a bit about the weekend, let me first tell you what I am doing right now: having some hot chocolate while some muffins cook in the oven (just from a mix, not from scratch or anything), W is napping, H is at school, and I am enjoying myself :) Love it! It's turned quite cold today. I am not much of a cold weather girl.

So, I will start my weekend run-down with Friday lunch time. H and I met Mel and her husband for lunch at a favorite local pizza place. First on the agenda was giving Mel and her husband this...

I knitted it! I've been keeping my knitting skills (which are still limited) a secret, because I really wanted to surprise them. Since they are Clemson fans and are not finding out the baby's gender, I decided to use Clemson colors. This little hat is easy because you don't have to knit in the round; it's just a flat piece that is seamed. For some reason, at first, "knitting in the round" sounded so scary to me, but after reading about it and talking to the gal at the yarn shop, I'm ready to try it on a new project (maybe a hat for H). This little hat was my second project. My first was this scarf.

The first picture shows the detail of the edges and ends. I didn't block it, so when I wear it, it looks like the second picture (all rolled up). I felt like it was a bit too wide, which is why I let it roll up rather than blocking it, so it would lie flat. Knitting is a bit addictive (at least for me). I really want to sew more, but knitting is more portable and requires less prep work. I can knit while sitting on the floor with the boys :)

So, we enjoyed our pizza lunch. I didn't get to eat as much as I would have liked, but that's probably because I was too busy chatting! Mel brought two of her latest sewing projects so I could check them out. You can check out her projects here. She's a more talented sewer than me, for sure.

Saturday was the bridal brunch bright and early! It was very nice, and the bride made us all tear up with a heart-felt speech. Each attendee got a great cookbook, bread basket, and hand-sewn cloth to go in our bread baskets! I thought the bread basket and cloths were a great idea. We also wrote on quilt squares that the bride's aunt is making into a quilted wall-hanging for the bride.

The wedding was at 5:00, and I ended up wearing a light blue sweater and long black skirt. It seemed appropriate and in line with what others were wearing. Both grandmothers were baby-sitting which allowed me to relax about as much as I can when I'm not with the boys. The reception allowed me to catch up with some friends, but we stayed out too late (I'm scared to tell the time because everyone will laugh at just how early it really was). Still, it was too late for me, because I spent all day Sunday wishing I could cuddle up with a blanket on the couch and watch football. I finally did get a nap Sunday afternoon and then hustled to CVS to use my 25% off coupon. My tiredness carried over to Monday, but I seem to be back to my usual self today. I'm sure there's much more to tell, but I need to get moving. This post may have started with hot chocolate and muffins in the morning, but now it's almost dark out.