vintage puppy embroidery
Originally uploaded by arm_3

I made this jumper as a trial for my 1 1/2 year old daughter. I used a vintage pattern found in the Hoop Love Vintage Transfers group on Flickr. Unfortunately, one washing later, the neckline seam is fraying. That's what I get for using a cheap fabric for my trial! Hubby has the idea of adding bias binding to the neckline. What a smartie! This garment is now in my stack of mending. Hope it is ready for spring next year!;)

Embroidered toddler jumper

embroidered toddler jumper
Originally uploaded by arm_3

Georgina, or Georgie to friends
Originally uploaded by arm_3

I made Georgie from Wee Wonderful's Olive Pattern. We gave her to one of my son's classmates from his Tae Kwon Do class for her birthday. The pattern really does make the cutest doll. I had a hard time deciding which of my fabric scraps to use for her dress and shoes. I made her hair and coloring like the girl we gave it to. Here, Georgie is playing with a Fisher Price Jetliner that my mom had still in storage ready to give as a birthday present. We have quite a few new toys from the 80s that she kept on hand for emergency gifts. With 4 kids, I'm sure there were birthday parties to attend often. She gave this one to my son last fall, when he was interested in airplanes. (He was disappointed that it wasn't orange, for all of his planes will be orange when he grows up.)

Icarus Shawl

Icarus Shawl
Originally uploaded by arm_3

This is the Icarus Shawl from Interweave Knits that I made for my SIL for her wedding in early October of last year. I must say that I loved this pattern. I was easy without being boring. I finished it in about 3 weeks of working on it in the evenings after the kids were in bed and the dishes were done. I used the JaggerSpun Zepher. (I don't think I spelled any of that right and with a glass of wine in hand and a 16 month old screaming upstairs, I'm not going ot check it.) That yarn is delicious. The shawl was a fun time making and the wedding was a wonderful one. I love my SIL dearly and am so happy that she found someone to share in her life. My sincerest hope is that my little Flora will not be like her mom, but will be just like her Aunt Catherine! ( I think the wine is making me a bit sentimental - sorry about that!)

Rodney Copperbottom Costume

Rodney Copperbottom Costume
Originally uploaded by arm_3

This is my son's Halloween costume from 2007. He wanted to be Rodney Copperbottom of the movie "Robots". He planned almost all of the costume himself. He knew how he wanted to make it and we did it together. Cardboard, paper, crayons, fabric, stapler and elastic - that's what we used! He was very proud of his costume. I think I may have a little crafter in the making!

So... I know it's been a long time and I've lost all of you by now. But, now that Em has moved back to Tennessee, I must do something to keep her up to date on my kids and crafts.
Maybe this will get me posting at least once a month.
Above is a picture of my now 5 year old son on his birthday, wearing his chain mail set that I knitted for him. It's a tunic, a hood, and a couple of fingerless mitts (or, as I like to say, gauntlets).
I've been busy while not blogging. We've been working hard to be more eco-friendly. We use our own bags at stores as much as possible. We hang up clothes to dry as weather permits. We're walking even more to and from work and playschool.
I'm doing some sewing for Tailored Tadpole. Check out her stuff. If you get a blanket, it may be one that I made. It's been nice to get some extra money.
Hopefully, I'll get some of my own ideas and toys out there before too long. I'm working on it. Until then, check out my friend Tina's Etsy shop. She's just starting it up. She makes some great hairbows, hooded towels, and monogrammed pillows. She's on dial-up, though, so posting is a challenge.
My little girl is almost 16 months old and just now starting to do some walking on her own. I'll post some pictures of her next time.
Until next time...

The first of the bridesmaids' shawls is complete. I have only to block it. I've already started the second one. With a month to go I think I will be okay.
I found some great retro space kids fabric. I made two pillowcases out of them. One for Bruce and one for my neice, who wants to be like Bruce. Pillowcases are something that I just love. If there is a fabric that I can't stand to be without, I know that if I get a yard, I can always make it into a pillowcase. That way, the fabric is still whole and if I ever want to make anything else out of it, I can easily do it.

LAst here is a backpack carrier I made for Flora. The basic pattern is from Piecework Magazine's Jan/Feb 2005 issue. Actually, the shawl above is form there too. But in the pattern it is a garter stitch shawl, and I thought it would do better as stockingette stitch. I bought the hardware for the clips at REI, an outdoor store. I'll have to get someone to get a pic of it in use for me.

Pointy Kitty is almost done, and I have a dress for Flora for the wedding in the works. I've also been learning some Italian Smocking. I'll have to tell more another time. Now it's late and I'm pooped!

Even though it's been long times between postings, I've been doing quite a bit of crafting. I must get more pictures of what I've been doing, if only for myself. I have some plans in my head for many other projects, but here is some of what I've been working on lately.
First, the robot. I've been planning a robot for a bit now. I began my prototype and when I was this far in the process:

I decided that it would be fine and I made one to give as a birthday present for a four year-old. Notice the prototype above is not even sewn together. I have learned a lesson from this. Next time, I WILL just go ahead and sew it together. The end result is below. It's not bad, it's just not what I was wanting. His body is too wide, his arms are too skinny. All of this could have been avoided if I had just sewn the first one together. Then I would have known.
I just becaome too excited about the control panel and wanted to get started on it.

So it's back to the robot drawing board. I have some ideas of changes, and this time I will sew up the structure first. Detail embroideries, though fun, must be put on hold. I can't decide if I will still give it to the boy or not.

The first bridesmaids shawl will be finished tonight. It took three weeks with many nights of no knitting so I should have more than enough time to complete the second one by October 13th.

Below is Bruce's very first real writing ever. He wrote Emily on her present. Can you see it?

We're both very proud.

Icarus is finished!

(as of around midnight last night)

Now for the blocking.

I've been working as much as possible on the Icarus Shawl for my sister-in law for her wedding. I thought I would have finished by now, but I also thought I would have knitted a whole bunch more than I did while we were on vacation at the beach. It ended up I hardly knit at all. Only 36 rows left, but with the number of stitches rising into the 500s, each row is taking around 30 minutes to complete.

I love the way it is looking though. I can't wait to see it finished and blocked!

Then I will start on the shawls for the two bridesmaids. They will be garter stitch with a feather and fan edging. And smaller. And on larger needles. I hope I can get them both done by October 13th!

And now, I give you a picture of one of the unexpected wonders of having a baby girl:

baby girl clothes hanging out to dry on the clothesline

So much cuter then baby boy clothes hanging out there. I know. I've now done them both. Those pinks, purples, yellows and greens are just too lovely hanging there in their diminutive state. It is a perk of a daughter that I didn't foresee.