Viking Tea Party

{Babies & Dolls}

Whew, I have fallen so far behind that I wouldn't even know how to begin to catch up. Most of you either know me in real life or in "real life" so nothing would be all that new.

The biggest news, the news that's making me knit again, though, is that we're going to be welcoming a baby girl into our family in April. A girl! When I first found out I was pregnant I thought I wanted a boy. I know boys, have all boy stuff and a little brother for Emmett would be wonderful. Then I had my first scan and I decided I kind of wanted a girl. I wanted girly stuff, all shades of pink and lots of daisies. Tea parties, dolls and crafty time where I try my hardest to let her make her own thing and not interfere. And after seeing her I kind of thought she was a she...and I was right!

Anyway, a blanket is already on the needles and while I was in the states for Christmas (too much to catch up there but it was wonderful) I bought yarn for a couple of cardigans and Matt bought me What to Knit When You're Expecting by Nikki Van De Car. Before I found out the baby was a girl I swore I wasn't going to knit for this one. But how can you not knit for a girl?! Now that I have the sewing machine I want to do a bit of sewing, too. I bought Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing for Baby when I first found out I was pregnant and can't wait to make the snuggler (which can also be found here for free) as well as a few other things.

My first finished sewing project with the new machine was the doll in the (kind of lousy) photo. It's the Poppy Doll pattern from Hop Skip Jump and I cannot BEGIN to tell you how well this pattern is designed! I have loads of trouble with dolls when you have to squash the arms and legs inside and stitch around the body and you don't have to do that at all with this pattern (insert sigh of relief). I will tell you, though, that she's wearing a scarf because I'm pretty rubbish as sewing the head to the body. And I tried SEVERAL times. Ah well. And I'm a terrible blogger as I've totally forgotten what pattern I used to knit the little blue sweater.

The flower buttons were free with an issue of Mollie Makes which is a another thing I'd like to catch up on eventually. I LOVE that magazine and really think everyone should at least have a little browse the next time they're at a bookstore (it's available in the US as well). Oddly, though, I haven't subscribed to it but did subscribe to another one made by the same people called The Simple Things which is a monthly little mix of loveliness: craft, food, gardening, life. One of my favorite features is the list of simple pleasures one the back cover. A few from this this month: seeing my breath on the air - the smell of baking filling the house - the eerie silence of a snowy day - warm hands. Love, love, LOVE.

Anyway, the doll went to my mom for Christmas and there was a flurry of Christmas knitting as well after we booked our tickets. As soon as I get photos, I'll have to do a little post.

All right, time for a little nap. We just got back on Sunday and our schedules are all kinds of screwed up. We've been up until anywhere from one a.m. to four and sleeping until  anywhere from eleven in the morning to two in the afternoon! Ridiculous. It's really up to Emmett, though. I could adjust but he has no idea what time it is so we're struggling a bit.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

Finished Kindle Love and a Sneaky Peek

I decided it might be a good idea to finish one project before starting another. This idea didn't go exactly as planned because I still started another project bofore this one was officially finished but I finished something which was really the goal all along anyway!

This kindle cover is NOTHING like what I'd imagined when I first started crocheting it. At first I envisioned a field of little flowers and then an owl perched on a felt branch. But along came the sewing machine and more ideas and projects to start so I finished it off with three little flowers and few leaves.

The button is the from the set I bought to use on my Something With Sleeves (sigh, I wish I were that size again).

This is some strange Japanese fabric I bought for the wedding. It was going to be the lining for my purse but I ended up winning one in a blog giveaway that was ten time better than anything I could have made, How I magaged to hang onto the button and the fabric, I'll never know. I'm not sure what's up with the US BABY but it's kind of funny. I totally cheated, too, and didn't line the button hole. That would have taken way too much time!

Here's a sneaky peak at the project I started while finishing this one:

Sorry about the L-O-U-S-Y photos but I wanted to take pictures, blog, shower, eat lunch and make the filing for stuffed shells while Emmett naps which is a pretty tall order. He's pretty cute when he sleeps, though, isn't he?

This picture is from last week but he really doesn't look all the different right now. Except for maybe a bit of sauce here or there because I didn't do a great job of wiping him down after he had mini pizzas for lunch. Sometimes the dreaded pacifier goes back in the mouth before I'm finished cleaning him up. I love those pouty lips!

And I'll add this pic, too, because I love it so much. I found this shirt whilst going through some of the boxes Matt brought down. I'd totally forgotten about it. We bought this around the time we got married (ah, how I miss Target) only because it had a hippo on the front and I collect hippos. Who knew our first really would be a boy and the tee would be just the right size to wear on our (few and far between) hot days?

And I'm off - still need to shower and eat lunch! Hope you're having a great week!

Thoughts About Thread & A Lot of Links

While at Barnes and Noble the other day picking up Cooks Illustrated and Crochet Today (because it has the cutest acorn box pattern ever), I sat down in the craft section (cleverly placed right by the craft magazines) and leafed through a book that caught my eye, Patchwork Style.  It's been out for a few months and I've read several reviews of it but it wasn't until I actually put my hands on it that I realized I kind of wanted to own it.  I kind of want to sew again and it's been a long time.  The last sewing projects I worked on were simple things like aprons and purses, made without putting the amount of care into them as I probably would now.  A lot of projects in Patchwork Style are still simple as well but that very simplicity is so appealing. 

A day or so later I was trying to catch up on a few blogs on my Google Reader and found that - after checking for posts from my friends - I was scrolling quickly to the bottom where a few blogs I've only recently started to read were listed.  A lot of them are about sewing. Misako Mimoko, House on Hill Road, Junker Jane, Made By Petchy and mairuru - I think I have a blog crush on her.  Look at these book covers and these little drawstring bags - all stitched by hand!  I've read Posie Get Cozy for a long time and recently added a "love" tag to this post about her "sewing story."  This makes me want to quilt.  I bought a stash of quilting supplies and books several years ago but never really did anything with it.  And I have squares for a crazy quilt that some long gone relative (a great great aunt?) started that I'm determined to finish some day.  

If I ever get to Salisbury*, I'm going to live minutes from a great little fabric shop called Fabric Land (craziest website ever, I think).  I think, when my things arrive (they're due August 30th and I'm a little afraid they might actually beat me there), I'm going to have to do a little fabric browsing (although I really should use what I have - when I consolidated for the move, my fabric stash filled two plastic bins but new fabric in a new country is so much more exciting), get out my machine and do a little sewing at my little blue desk (I don't actually have a blue desk but it's something else I have the urge to own).

And I also might have to stop by the bookstore for Patchwork Style - my suitcases are already overflowing but I'll bet I could at least squeeze it in my carry on....

*Small visa update - Friday Matt called the consulate in Chicago where my visa is being processed.  He couldn't get a hold of a real person but the recording did say that they're having "technical difficulties" and visas have been delayed.  Sigh.  It's kind of good news to know that it hasn't been seven weeks just because they can't decide if they should allow me in the country or not but...it's still not great news.